<p>This paper comparatively studies the socio-economic and political roots of “coup culture” in Argentina, Turkey and Thailand for the purpose of answering the following research question: what are the common characteristics that cause frequent military coups in developing countries that are very different in terms of their geography, institutions, historical experiences and culture? The paper will argue that despite <i>sui generis</i> characteristics of Argentina, Turkey and Thailand, it is possible to draw generalizable insights from their experiences for the literature on coup culture. It will be argued that “pre-coup democratic breakdown” and “institutional militarism” can be evaluated as the primary triggers that create military coups and sustain coup culture in the long-term. Once the influence of these variables started to wane, the early twenty-first century politics of Argentina and Turkey have so far been less affected by military interventions, whilst Thailand’s coup culture persists because of their continuing influence.</p>