The Journey(s) of Ian

After several days of strong military pressure, and after several hours of battle against APCs, the Red Shirt leaders have surrendered and the protesters have agreed to go home. For now, the trouble is over, and the long process of cleaning up the mess can begin. This will mean: attempting to restore trust in Thailand as a holiday destination, as a place for foreigners to invest, and as a viable business environment. This will take time, most likely several years to fully recovery. However, have things really settled? The grievances of the Red Shirts (real or perceived) have not been addressed. The Thai government has seriously damaged its own reputation amongst its own citizens and abroad by its use of force. The effect of all of the protest will not fade quickly.

I have been continuing to follow the Red Shirt protest in Bangkok, and throughout the country of Thailand. As at the 1st of May nothing much has changed. Again, what has surprised me, and I suspect most people, is the resolution of the Reds. They have stayed the course. It is now ~6 weeks since the protests began, and after facing and dealing with many problems, and demonstrating great organisational ability, the Reds are still filling and blocking the streets of Bangkok. On the other hand, they have not achieved their goals. The Thai government has not agreed to hold new elections. Stand off! Over the last three weeks the situation has become more grim. Bullets and grenades have been fired. People have died. Threats have been made, largely by the government, but with all of this there is no end in sight. One aspect of this situation is worth noting, and it is one rarely touched upon by the media. If one were to rely exclusively on what was reported, then one would visualise ...

It is Sunday the 11th of April as I write this. Yesterday, in the city of Bangkok, approximately 18 people were killed and hundreds injured in street fighting (the numbers vary). The details as to who did what, when and why, are far from fixed, but it is clear that a new stage has been reached between the conservative, Bangkok supported government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, and the Red Shirts of provincial Thailand. Yesterday the two sides pushed each other back and forth in the city of Bangkok, and the conflict escalated to a new level. Bullets flew and people fell. The main tourist entertainment areas of Sukhumvit (the wealthier centre of the city)—filled with tourist hotels, malls, and restaurants—were closed for business. Here, the skytrain stations were closed, and the streets filled with soldiers and protestors. Before the 11th I was willing to tell potential visitors that it was still ok to visit Krung Thep—The City of Divine Beings (Bangkok, City of Angels), but now...

Here we are now, back in Bangkok. I spent the day walking the streets of the city of Bangkok, in the 'better' areas of the town (Sukhumvit), and around the Parliament House. What I saw was an immense number of Red Shirts in cars, in trucks, on motor bikes, and walking along the street. All with the aim of protesting what they see as the inadequate and unrepresentative current Thai government. I did speak to one Thai man, who spoke good English, who explained to me what he saw the problem to be. The current government, the "Yellow Shirts", represent the Thai elites, based in the city of Bangkok, and ignore the wishes and needs or the poorer folk who do the work in Thailand. He also spoke of the history of the long struggle Thailand had to attain democracy, something he still does not feel that Thailand enjoys. He wants to see Thailand governed by a democratic and representative government. Noble aims. And what seems surprising, is that thing...

It is only slightly less than one week since the Red Shirt protests began in Bangkok. The Red Shirts—shall we say the 'working class', those who get their hands dirty in Thailand—are opposed to what they perceive to be the Bangkok based elite. After the struggles of the last few days, just what do they have to show for their efforts? The answer is, in the short term at least, not much. The RSs avowed aim is to compel the Thai government to dissolve parliament and hold new elections. This did not happen. While the Prime Minister Mr Abhisit did everything short of requesting foreign assistance to restrain his opponents (he declared a state of emergency, lots of cops and troops on the street, hid himself out at an army barracks), he did not panic and give in. On the other side of the equation the Red Shirts seem to be suffering. Their three leaders seem to have split, there now seems to be a more radical wing of their movement calling for 'communist' ideas, and many of ...

This is the first main day of the full Red Shirts presence in Bangkok—there avowed aim, to bring down the incumbent Thai Government, led by their political opponents (the Yellow Shirts). I attended the RS rally point at the Democracy Monument this morning, and walked along with them for part of their march through Bkk. All in all, a non-threatening experience. The RSs were smiles and niceness—not the sought of attitude likely to send a shiver of fear through the Prime Minister Mr Abhisit. I even purchased a few Red Shirt souvenirs. There is a definite class/regional orientation to this rally. The folk come from the provincial areas of Thailand, principally, as far as I could detect, from the north east province of Esarn. These are the dark skinned people who work the fields and clean the hotels of the Thai tourism business. Many protestors proudly identified their home town to me. There beliefs were emblazoned for all to read, even in English. They want 'justice', ...

The land of the Thai’s is a quiet, peaceful country whose presence is rarely manifest in journalistic circles, and only then for stories about its cuisine, tourism or sex. However, for the last few days, or the last few months, or even the last few years (depending on ‘when’ a ‘crisis’ begins) Thailand has been troubled by increasing levels of political dissent. There is a background to all of this, and a full description is complex, and can be found below, however, I shall summarise the situation here. There are two major factions in Thai politics, the ‘old rich and powerful’ versus the ‘newly rich and want to be powerful’. That is to say, the ‘old guard’, the traditional aristocracy and high society, versus the newly wealthy capitalist class, who have engaged the help of the poorer elements of society. The interests of the two groups clash diametrically. The capitalists want economic reform ‘a free market’ and less restrictions, while the old guard want things just as they are or e...