Words on the Street

I’ve been asking Thai friends if they've heard any good jokes about the situation here. Nobody has, and nobody even thinks the question is funny. Everyone seems discouraged about the non-outcome of the protests and the government’s disappointing non-response to the grievances.

Most of these people call Bangkok home. Their feelings range from “freaked out” to “violated.” It’s a tender time. Nobody says they are optimistic about the current leaders’ ability to heal the country’s wounds. I’m not as tapped in to what people are saying in the provinces, but I can guess the mindset there is even more distrustful.

Even if this government were to last until the end of next year, when by law new elections must be called, it certainly has an uphill climb. There will be legal clashes, PR games, lots of money spent, and probably even more violence. Mixed all that together and you get a potent cocktail.

That said, it’s still hard for me to imagine the country disintegrating into “civil war,” a term that all of the various parties in the current conflicts have bandied about over recent weeks. I interpret the use of that phrase as mostly posturing (by the side that doesn’t have any big weapons), and justifying repressive measures (by the side that does).