Aung Zaw of The Irrawaddy compares and contrasts the Thai junta and the military-backed govenrment of Myanmar:

The Thai army has carried out more than a dozen coups in past decades, but always relinquished power to a civilian government after a number of years.

The Burma Army staged two coups, one in 1962 and one in 1988, and ruled the country for more than half a century

Today, many Burmese still feel that the country is under control of military men and ex-generals in the government and Parliament—in spite of the “sweeping reforms” celebrated by Western governments.