Even those skeptical of the bloodless coup admit that the military has significant support, especially among the urban middle class.

The military seized power on May 22 after six months of political stalemate brought on by protests backed by the Bangkok establishment. The coup achieved the ultimate goal of the protesters, the removal from power of the governing party founded by the billionaire former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, whose movement has strong support in the provinces and has repeatedly won national elections but antagonized the Bangkok elites.

“A lot of people who supported the coup see it as a necessary pause for democracy; they are buying into what the coup leaders are saying,” said Sarinee Achavanuntakul, an investment banker turned blogger who has been critical of the coup.

Military rule is popular with Thais who are tired of street protests and polarized politics, she said. “I think there’s a false normalcy now,” she said.

Political rancor has been pushed underground. The normally divisive and cacophonous process of passing an annual budget was dispensed with in a few hours this week when members of the National Legislative Assembly, most of whom are either current or retired soldiers, voted unanimously to pass it. Politicians — defined as anyone who has held a position in a political party in the last three years — are barred from membership in the assembly.

Thongchai Winichakul, a professor of Southeast Asian history at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, says the junta is harnessing disdain for politicians and a yearning, among some Thais, for virtuous authoritarianism.

“Buddhist political philosophy has always featured an enlightened despot,” he said.

But Professor Thongchai predicts that ultimately the generals will be unable to manage the country, the second largest economy in Southeast Asia, and will meet resistance to their rule.