Thai Politics

I normally refrain myself from posting about politics in Thailand as its actually quite complicated. The recent Red movement was just another part of the never ending episodes of the class divide in Thailand. The elites, the army, the middle class and the poor.

A lot of my friends were worried that I was in Thailand when the crisis was escalating during the Songkran and this year's songkran as mentioned in the Bangkok Post, shall be one to be remembered. The north where I was staying is still in its festive mood and unaffected by the tensions in Bangkok (although the constant news reports on TV does cast a shadow in the celebration)

So after the crackdown. Its a relief that everything seems to be normal for the moment but I think this recent incident does serves a good wake up call for the ruling party. They still pale in terms of support from the central rural and northern Thailand. The mistrust is there and they really need to do something about it.

Abhisit is a very intellectual guy and I do hope he can do well but he faces a big task ahead. Not from Thaksin and his red supporters but actually from the other political factions and the army actually. This recent crackdown shows he lacks full support from the Army and Police. The slow response from the Army and how he actually relied on troops called in from another province (the unit's actual influence is actually a retired general and a mentor of him) to quash the rioting crowd.

So is there a future in the LOS (Land of Smile)? Interestingly since this is going to be the place I am going to retire, will such political disturbances affect my livelihood. I have to say it really depends on where you stay. In the north where the people there are more nonchalant about all these politics, you will be fine (so long you don't proclaim yourself to be on either factions. It does effect the economy but not to such a grand scale as stated by ST (all those bullshit does not apply to Thailand) as Thailand grows its own food and does not reply on imports. SO if you are able to eat simple and not yearning of luxurious goods. Then its still a good place to retire.