Trouble with red shirts
Despite news reports of clashes of the anti-government protesters (red shirts) with the military, and advice to avoid Bangkok we had the smoothest time ever with very little traffic (political unrest can be useful) and exited Bangkok in record time. We were feeling rather smug as seasoned veterans of a coup several years ago, when we happened on a roadblock just 45 mins from home in Chiang Mai. We assume that it was due to a traffic accident (there is much drink driving during the Songkran holiday period) and followed the diversion some 40km out of our way before arriving at a roadblock with a large crowd of Red-shirt protester! I must note that this was in Lampun, where nothing happens at all, and I can only assume that they missed the bus to Bangkok or had bought the shirts cheap and wanted to try them out. We explained our destination and they waved us through without a problem. We arrived home over an hour later than expected, but safe.
It is hard to really get any sense of what is really happening here in the political world. The country likes to view itself as a democracy but there seem to be violent protests, mud -slinging, false accusations, army intervention or a full-blown coup of people don’t like what is going on…not quite there yet! By most accounts the current Prime Minister Abhisit (Oxford educated) may have the best idea yet.
Please pray for the authorities here as, with the King old and with failing health, things could easily disintegrate into a mad power struggle. It seems that Thaksin, the ousted prime minister, is at the root of the trouble even now. He has considerable wealth and is antagonistic to Christians in the country, as well as having communist leanings. His power and influence is considerable, although some countries have taken the step of denying him entry.