Uncanny

Yesterday at 5pm, I was back at point zero in Silom to see what was happening. What I saw frightened me. It was a small group of counter protestors who appeared quite provocative and aggressive in voicing their opinion. Why did it frighten me? Because such action within such a volatile environment where you have armed soldiers and police facing a whole camp of determined protestors could easily start armed conflict, and there are all these people around watching and doing their business.

Then, a Thai man standing beside me, watching the same small number of aggressive protestors, told me - There will be a fight here at 8pm.

You know what? At 8pm last night, five grenades were thrown into Sala Daeng and the Skytrain station. Three people were killed and 75 wounded. This was no accident. It was well planned. For me, it was a very uncanny, unnerving experience.

The big question is - Who did it? As I have said before, a frustration in living in Thailand is that you never really know what is happening or what is really at play.

As I read yet again today, how many deaths do Thais need before they stand back and start thinking and working out their differences and dealing with the real issues?

The scene is set

Yesterday, I went to Silom with my camera ready to take a few shots. Still I was not ready for what I saw. The 'red shirts' had set up their barracade made of old tires and such at the end of Rachadamri facing Silom. There they were standing on their own barracade, facing the military and police, singing songs and dancing. It was like the Thai version of Les Miserables.

As you walk along Silom, you get the feel that the scene is set. It has moved from a Graham Greene novel setting to a Les Miserables setting. The frightening aspect is that it is set so that it could explode at any time. While both sides appear friendly, the ingredients are there for trouble.

Then I read in today's Bangkok Post - there have not been enough coffins in this present conflict to make Thais stop and think. Does there need to be more strife?

Thailand, the Land of Protests

It is no big news to say that Thailand is caught up in an ongoing political struggle. That is obvious. What it is exactly about is a harder story to capture. Is it about democracy? Is it about a power struggle between the powerful and wealthy? Is it about greed and corruption gone mad? Is it about a class struggle? Is it about something else? Is it about many things? I try to understand and do the best I can but ultimately who knows???

The two basic people's sides or fronts are -
the 'red shirts' or UDD - United Front against Dictatorship for Democracy;
the 'yellow shirts' or PAD - People's Alliance for Democracy.
The former come from the Provinces to the north and northeast of Bangkok. The latter comes from Bangkok. The former is named as pro-Thaksin; the latter anti-Thaksin. The former is a movement of the rural poor; the latter is a movement of the Bangkok elite. Both proclaim their loyalty to Thailand, democracy and the monarchy.

Where I live in Bangkok is in Sathorn, around the corner from the Australian Embassy. It is central but it is also suburban. For me, it is a wondeful place to live. My usual walking course has become home of the 'red shirts'. My shopping area, Silom, has become home of the army who are there so as to stop the 'red shirts' taking over any more of Bangkok.

So when I went for my walk and shopping yesterday, I walked past many soldiers with rifles. All seem relaxed and friendly and were happy to have their photo taken. To get to my supermarket, I had to skirt barbed wire and military vehicles. It all had a surreal feel about it.

Despite all, I just don't feel unsafe. People on both sides are friendly. I know anything and everything could happen anytime but, in the meantime, life just goes on. In another way, I feel like I am part of a real life Shakespearen tragedy. In yet another way, it is like being part of living history. Who knows what will happen next.

It is sad to see people killed. It is sad to see the poor undergo ongoing suffering. I wonder if all this has to happen to allow a democracy to grow as democracy, to allow a society to undergo needed change as all this does not just happen but why the bloodshed? That does not have to be.

Like always, life here is a mystery.