Worried students, flustered tourists and nervous taxi drivers in Thailand's capital struggled Wednesday to make sense of a coup that had been staged while they slept.
But Bangkok's normally bustling streets had a relaxed feel as fears of violence failed to materialize following the ouster of Thaksin Shinawatra.
Airport authorities announced Wednesday that operations at Bangkok's international airport were normal and national flag carrier Thai Airways International said the coup had not disrupted its domestic or international flights.
Tourist officials, while acknowledging there had been hotel cancellations, tried to convey the message that it remained safe to visit the country.
"As you walk about the downtown areas of Bangkok, there is very little to suggest the unusual, except that the traffic is lighter," Bob James, chairman of the Thai chapter of Pacific Asia Travel Association.
"Visitors here are saying that Thailand is as open and welcoming as usual," he said. "Thailand is still a great and safe place to visit. No question."
Charlotte Guth, 24, had flown in from France on Tuesday and was unaware of the political changes that had taken place since her arrival. "Has Thaksin really been thrown out?" she asked. "I can't believe this."
Most stores in the capital were open, traffic was running as normal and the tanks on the street quickly became popular tourist attractions _ with Thais and foreigners lining up to get their photo taken alongside smiling soldiers holding bouquets of flowers and sodas near government offices.
Children played football, the larger malls were bustling and tour buses continued to stream into the Grand Palace. Tourists, clutching their guidebooks and umbrellas, seemed unfazed.
"I'm not worried because I know this happened for a reason," said a 31-year-old Swiss national who only gave his name as Alex while he mugged for a photo holding the hands of a soldier. "Many people want Thaksin to go. It is like a release for everyone."
A statement by the newly created Council of Administrative Reform urged workers and farmers _ a key constituency of Thaksin _ to remain calm, adding that gatherings of more than five people would be punishable by six months in prison and a fine of $265.
The stock exchange, schools, banks and government offices were closed while troops and nearly 20 tanks _ their barrels decorated with ribbons in the royal color, yellow _ remained stationed around the Royal Palace, Royal Plaza, army headquarters and Thaksin's office at Government House.
A yellow ribbon was also pinned on Pongspan Lang's shirt as he loitered outside the deserted campus of prominent Thammasat University. Pongspan, 20, a student, had heard that classes were not being held. "I wanted to see it for myself," he said. "It's one of those things that you can't believe until you actually see it."
He said he was glad the coup had taken place. "We desperately needed a change," he said. "The prime minister was corrupt and was doing a lot of harm."
Pongspan said he hoped democracy would soon be restored to Thailand. "We should take a step forward not backward," he said.
But taxi drivers and street vendors were finding it tough going, with many people staying home amid travel warnings from Western embassies advising their citizens against venturing out on the streets.
Atikorm Dew, who had rolled out his fruit cart only to discover that there were few customers, said he didn't care when the next elections would take place. He was just glad that Thaksin had been ousted.
"Now, what the king says will happen," he said, referring to much-revered constitutional monarch Bhumibol Adulyadej. "If the king is happy, we are happy."
In April, the king made a rare television appearance, urging a quick resolution of the country's political turmoil.
