Barbara Ellington, Lifestyle Editor

Photo by Barbara Ellington

An orchid farmer, Chakachan, inside a section of her large farm in Thailand. She has been growing orchids on her two farms for over 10 years.

They have survived a coup, but it is business as usual for the Kingdom of Thailand. The coup d'état occurred on Tuesday, September 19, 2006, when the Royal Thai Army moved against the elected government of caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The coup marked Thailand's first non-constitutional change of government in 15 years, and followed a yearlong political crisis involving Thaksin and political opponents. It came less than a month before nationwide elections were originally scheduled to be held.

The military cancelled the upcoming elections, suspended the constitution, dissolved Parliament,