Now definitely there are developments

It has been an intense last twelve hours in Bangkok, in more ways than one.



I am sure we have all seen the news and know how the army has moved in on the red shirts in Bangkok and how a leading red shirt figure was shot in the head. There is now chaos engulfing the section of Bangkok where the red shirts are making their stand. Shots are being fired. I could hear them when I was trying to get to work. That is another story.



Before going too far, I think I should begin, not at the red shirt site in Lumpini, but with me at a friend's place last night. You see I went to a dinner at friends' place where they were hosting a work group. One of the aims for me was to meet for the first time someone with whom I had a connection through my time here. So I duly went up to this person and introduced myself. The proposed purpose was to share with him about one part of my experiences here in Thailand. So I said "Hi" and just went into my negative experiences with two particular people in my work here. Looking back, I see how bizarre my behavior was, just rocking up and giving an earful, but I had assumed so much because I had been briefed by my friends about how enlightened and how on side this person was. Also I was ready to get some stuff off my chest.



Well, wrong move! Wrong assumption! This person responded immediately to my sharing with a huge, over the top angry fit, expressing himself verbally and physically. I was in shock and just asked - "Did I make you angry?" (I think this part so funny as I look back.) "Yes," he replied. To which I said, "I didn't mean to". Actually I was quite calm and not angry as I shared with him about how these ones have hurt me. He just said, "I would hate to see you if you were trying to make someone angry".



I know I was at fault and apologized. I share this encounter not so as to seek pity but to share a learning for me with you. We can make others angry so easily and not even realize what we are doing, acting quite innocently. Then the anger descends and how do we respond? I responded calmly and with an apology. That dealt with the situation. If I had got angry in response, the whole situation could have escalated to a nasty fight.



At the same time, we were all standing in the living room watching the news regarding the happenings in the streets of Bangkok. We saw the 'rebel' Thai Army General - Seh Daeng - being carried off to hospital after being shot. This news, despite all that has gone on here already, seemed unbelievable. I suppose because it has such huge possible consequences for ongoing violence and fighting.



Then I rang a great Thai friend to talk with him about the happenings of the night and when I mentioned that General Seh Daeng had been shot, he just replied, "He can die". I was in shock for a second time in the night. I do not take sides in this as I see both sides lacking and I would hope for a third force for good to come forward - but from where? There is no US cavalry here. Still, no matter what or who, we are dealing with people's lives and it is not worth one person's life lost or threatened in all of this. I wondered what has happened to the gentle, loving Thai. Where are they going?



Now It is Friday morning and I see the two sides of humanity, the two sides of the people here. After all, Thais are only human like the rest of us. A woman I work with here says to me, "Thailand is sad". I agree. It is sad. I feel sad. Then I move into another office area and they are talking gleefully about the sniper who shot Seh Daeng and they are even laughing. We all have two sides - good and bad. As Christians, we know that the good has won the day but I feel the need to hope and pray that this is very much so here and now.

Out of all this time being in Bangkok for this period of turbulence, one image that will stay with me is that the nation has not descended into civil war or anarchy. What has happened in Bangkok is that life just goes on and people go on with their business just going around the trouble areas. Maybe that is an image of one way of dealing with the chaos of our lives - get on with life as best you can. An image from amidst the chaos of Bangkok.