Is this a coup?

Thoughts: What the hell are the guys from PAD trying to prove with all of this? With every update that I read, PAD increasingly comes across as a bunch of lunatics. Is this supposed to win the hearts of the people? It's an ugly, ungraceful attempt to do something, but it's unclear exactly what the goal is here. I think PAD is shooting itself in the foot here. The reports of NBT staff being held hostage are most disturbing.

Story: The People's Alliance for Democracy is seizing, or attempting to seize, National Broadcasting Television stations around the country. Update: Sondhi has said they have complete control of NBT, although NBT is trying to continue its broadcast. PAD says that it is giving NBT back to the people after the government used it for themselves.

"Before commencing its mass rally, the People's Alliance for Democracy issued a statement at 5.45 am on Wednesday vowing to shut down the government." (The Nation)

"The Thai police prepared Monday for a major anti-government demonstration planned for Tuesday, with tens of thousands of people expected to take to the streets. There was speculation that protesters might try to occupy the prime minister's compound." (IHT)

"The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a motley group of royalist businessmen and academics, is hoping to draw "hundreds of thousands" of people to Tuesday's rally outside Government House, their latest attempt to unseat the elected government. Police say they are expecting only up to 35,000." (Reuters)

"It will be the day we change Thailand through the people. Our position today is much clearer than over the past 90 days.

"If we don't do it, the monarchy might collapse. That's because soldiers and civil servants haven't earnestly protected the country, the nation and the monarchy." (Sondhi Limthongkul speaking to the Bangkok Post)

"At 8.30 am, the People's Alliance for Democracy renewed the raid of NBT station and disrupted the broadcasting. Protesters were seen breaking down the police barriers and rushed to the office building and the broadcasting station. They shut down electricity to disrupt the broadcast. In the pre-dawn raid earlier, police arrested 80 armed men involving in the raid." (The Nation)

"Today is the people's revolution day, so we want NBT to stop broadcasting," NBT chief Surayont Hoontasan quoted one of the protesters as saying. (Reuters)

"Apart from blocking the main road to the South, the People's Alliance for Democracy protesters also blocked the roads linking to the North and Northeast." (The Nation)

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