As you may have observed posts haven’t really been updated recently. There are several reasons for that. Well, after nearly three years of practically nonstop blogging I did not burn myself out yet. That’s not it. It just there are so many other things ahead and in life. Gonna blog occasionally, but finetune priorities in the weeks ahead, and then decide. So many plans, so many projects.

The recent terrorizing of Bangkok was a blogger’s dream. Healthy stats and great traffic. But mighty depressing. That can’t be it. The blood of others should not allow for one’s profit. Even though it was a waste of blood and I really don’t want to beat a dead horse, but having to defend common sense, sanity and reason on this blog against prevarication and lies was hard to swallow.

In the days before the red march started, when it became clear that mayhem is the only strategy the reds have, when I switched from a neutral position to a clear “no, this kind of sad movement is insane,” formerly loyal readers turned against me. Well that happens when you go public with an opinion. Many of you joined in and encouraged. And it is you I want to thank for keeping this unimportant little blog going.

The badmouthing goes on, just for the sake of badmouthing. We know this is never gonna be a perfect society, but at least those promising shortcuts to wealth and equality have become silent. For the moment. There are no shortcuts. There never were and will never be. Thailand will be back at some dangerous juncture in the future, but next time common sense may act more swiftly and decisively.

And, to be honest, if the forces opposing sanity and reason stop at nothing I don’t mind a certain restriction of civil liberties. You think life in the West is freer? The people of this blessed place are obviously not yet able to handle all the consequences that come with freedom. But for the moment I must no longer always butt in.

Have some traveling ahead, must take better care of myself – hey already lost 10 kg in a few weeks – and got a new project taking shape that would actually contribute to the betterment of life and society, and not just talk about it. This little blog though isn’t all but dead. The News Feed and BKK Vids will continue to be updated, expect a new post now and then – and your contributions are more welcome than ever.

Again, thank you for your criticism, encouragement and constructive disputation. Let the open healthy debate roll on. The love for this place and dedication can’t be for nothing. But then again, who’s right? No one’s only wrong.

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It’s a terrifying sight, once respected minds voicing support for mayhem and death – for rather selective, hardly sane reasons. The leaders of the red shirts were successful at inciting hatred and violence in society, but not that the red cause lost support. The reds are dead. Long live the reds. Now even the “real Thaksin disciple” and political dinosaur Chalerm Yoobamrung is poised to continue the dynasty of the political dinosaurs Samak and Chavalit – a succession not rejected by the true Thaksin converts, but accepted as a sort of “what good guy can survive in the Thai system.”

Well, that’s why those guys make life so hard for a guy who’s not yet as low as them. One can hardly dispute that the Democrats and their powerful hidden backers represent patronizing bullies. But then again, that’s balm for politics compared to an opposition that’s on the brink of intellectual collapse, supported by academic firebrands and hardcore loyalists whose emailed pamphlets, writings and comments suggest you’re ruled by the Butcher of Bangkok, the Pol Pot and Hitler of modern times, by a fascist regime killing the innocent. Worst of it: people keep on repeating and – obviously – believing this nonsense. Even in parliament.

Their choice of strong words reflects the failure of these hardcore reds’ imaginary world, as their attention-grabbing approach by moronizing dissenters has not much to do with the betterment of society. It’s their desperate attempt to pretend strength and get the numbers. But the numbers never added up. So they had to radicalize the remaining few by applying peer pressure and comradeship. Hierarchal obedience yes, but Thai people are not that dumb, stupid. Take our red hero – or “red herring”? – Jatuporn during the censure debate. Lying on live TV about peaceful protest, no weapons and that he submitted pictures of police carrying loads and loads of gasoline into Central World to blow up the place … Jatuporn did not submit a single picture. And red apologists are still not “questioning” him. Outrageous? Now why’s that.

First and foremost, many of the most radical red supporters, especially the farang ones, are not and never were in the line of fire. These keyboard warriors live in the comfort of anonymity with no family in danger and no property about to be blown up. Spectators with no role, just vanity, ridicule and arrogance are their weapons, stuck in an old world of an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth. They’re freaks of time, born into the wrong era – but in reality they’re leeches, the first ones to enjoy the excesses of bustling Bangkok with the big bang for a little buck. Well they say blood is the ingredient of change for that the phoenix can rise from the ashes. That’s so yesteryear. Revolutions are dead. That’s not what Thais want. These are the times of asymmetrical warfare and politics. Or you already forgot how red supporters fled the red protests in masses? Because never ever has Thailand seen dirtier money politics of self-interests at play than during the red mayhem.

There’s legitimate anger, but there’s no more credible red cause, as reds deconstructed themselves. The fairy tale of masses of taxi drivers paralyzing the capital is pulp, the watermelon and tomato revolution was never to materialize. The moment the government interrupted the flow of funds the red bombings stopped. Thais knew all along. But it’s one of those taboos. You just know it. You don’t talk about. Money, money, money, that’s what the red protest was all about in the end. Not only did the reds’ then-spokesman Sean Boonpracong confirm that protesters got a 130,000 U.S. dollars a day – that’s quite some money considering that in the final days a few hundred red diehards were holding out in front of the red stage. A northern couple I spoke to told me they were promised 45,000 baht should the protest “succeed.” After they got tired of the hatred from the stage they soon left back home. According to sources I trust those motorcycle guys who spearheaded the impressive march for democracy were promised 50,000 baht each should the reds triumph over the government. The reds kept detailed account of whom they paid and promised how much.

And what? You did not yet read Father Joe’s related letter?

Dear Everyone

Once again from Bangkok, “after the present troubles.”

All is quiet. The curfew is slowly going away. I believe Saturday will be the final night. Today, Thursday, as I write this, curfew is from midnight till four a.m. The first night, five folks tried to torch different parts of our Klong Toey slum. One by dropping burning material from the express way above the slum. All were doused in minutes. Two of the arsonists were 14-year old kids who had been given a handful of money to throw a petrol bottle bomb anywhere they could, to burn the slum, and if they succeeded, they would get more cash.

The total slum mobilized and kept watch against strangers, and even their own. First time in my forty years here I have seen total unity: no one – absolutely no one will burn – will torch – our slum. And that is the way it was and is. Our kids kept watch also, boys patrolling the street with a couple of slum street motorcycle gangs and the girls up the roof, keeping watch. We don’t have enemies, but our buildings are large, and look flammable, (which they ain’t) but you can do a lot of damage with a petrol bottle bomb!

The loss to this beloved land is beyond counting. For most, all started rather jovial – everyone getting a daily stipend of anywhere from a thousand baht for people on foot, and three to four thousand baht for motorcycles for joining the rallies. A thousand baht is four to five days wages for unskilled labor here in the slums and a bit more in the provinces. But then if you joined the protesters, they took your photo, registered you. That was when it began to unravel.

Then, it all blew up. Huge buildings, banks, shops, homes got torched. Hospitals evacuated. The police were passive, allowing everything to happen. Maybe that’s what they were told to do. I shall not comment on that. I think everyone was “like slapped senseless” by the reality.

What now?

Life goes on. We pick up the pieces. We are most uncertain of a calm tomorrow. We here in the slums, strongly feel this is just the beginning.

The poverty level here in Klong Toey has jumped higher. The port closed for a while. The bars closed, and many of the nighttime working moms of our kindergarten kids had no work – no customers. Street kids went hungry. Most of the slum had and still has no work – no wages. And the long term suffering is just now beginning. More and more people come to us daily for help, to begin their lives again.

Had the protesters won the day, we would now be under dictatorship with lots of folks disappearing. The Law of the Gun. I am reminded of the lyrics of “Keeper of the Song.” Those in power write the history, those who suffer write the songs. Meanwhile, now, children are beginning the new school year – but the corruption goes on, the carpetbaggers go on.

We, and that means almost everyone in Thailand, fear that any new radical government certainly would not be interested in the cost, time and effort necessary to bring about the radical economic changes urgently needed for better equality.

As for us and our children, our family at Mercy Center, thank you for your prayers and concern. Many of you asked how you could help us. I hope that I do not have to put out another letter, urgently asking, begging for your assistance. Right now, today, we are fine, unscathed physically, but emotionally pretty beat up. Some of our neighbors died, both protesters and those in uniform. Death is death.

What started as a red folk festival soon turned into a bought propaganda show of hatred and abuse. Who didn’t want to join! Address genuine grievances! And who didn’t want to leave soon – and still hardcore supporters keep on repeating to this day the red holy mantra of justice and equality and end of double standards … The systematic call to arms and burning and looting is well and broadly documented. You have the right to make a further fool of yourself by denying the obvious, but expect to be treated as a fool. To speak with a certain Buncha Ooraikul, Edmonton:

(Thaksin) encouraged the red shirts to use any tactics, including killing, burning and looting, to topple the present government to pave the way for his return.

The story of Thaksin Shinawatra is one of power, greed and total lack of scruples. He bought his way into the Thai PM office in his first term by buying up MPs from other parties, then used populist policies to win the hearts and souls of the “rural poor” in the most populous northeastern and northern Thailand, resulting in the landslide victory in his second term.

He could have been a great PM by using his business talents to lead Thailand to prosperity with true democracy.

Instead, he ran the country as his own company, buying or getting rid of his opposition or “undesirable” elements, while changing laws to favor his own and his cronies’ businesses.

Now some will still argue nothing’s proven, all’s made up! Election, election, or else!! The shameful prostitution of some bright minds goes even further. They consider as credible that the army torched down Central World and shot at firefighters and emergency personnel. That it’s maybe even the work of Newin, hey that guy knows all the dodges. People were shooting and throwing bombs at those trying to put out the blaze. Thai Rath reported some protesters put guns on firefighters’ heads telling them not to approach Central World. Can red apologetics get more ridiculous? People in the north are fed up, they know, they’ve been deceived by Thaksin. The glorified hardcore red is a tiny minority by now. But we have to take these apologists seriously and talk and debate with them. Otherwise they accuse you of being fascists bullying the disenfranchised majority. They denounce The Nation as biased, but make a parody of themselves by ignoring as a matter of principle what they don’t like. The Nation reports like a subversive polemic paper in comparison by at least not keeping silent about the other side.

I’ve had it with those backseat drivers masquerading as Robin Hood lamenting again and again “But the coup! The military! The Democrats!” If there’s one government in recent Thai history more serious about breaking with the past cycle of military coups, strongmen and self-service governments, it’s the one you have right now. Am not kidding. There are good reasons for not trusting Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, but there are vastly more reasons for not trusting his opponents’ promises. There’s the Office of the Prime Minister’s 14 page position paper detailing the red crackdown, common misconceptions and the prime minister’s reconciliation roadmap. Download it here and save some time for a careful read.

Now if you still think Thailand under the current government is an exotic Uganda with lots of ugly Idi Amins in control, consider the pure democracy of Malaysia, Singapore, Italy, Israel, Germany, the U.K., and and and. The conquest and occupation of the state by private interests is not a Thai exclusivity. The Thai rural poor are not more neglected than the Indonesian or Philippine rural poor, but expectations here are certainly higher because some demagogue promised shortcuts to richness and wealth.

Stop fooling yourself. Opposition is important. This kind of opposition is nothing short of criminal.

And yeah yeah am paid by Suthep. But what a joy it is to see Bangkok coming back alive again. People laughing, dressing up, moving on. He can’t destroy this.

Now with the red protests history and the Abhisit government comfortably surviving the censure debate you can say this:

The red campaign strengthened Abhisit.

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The events of the passed few weeks, days and hours will be burned deeply into Bangkok’s psyche. Our Bangkok will be back. Not tomorrow, not next week – and any other attempt to hold a colored mass protest masqueraded as peaceful will ring alarm bells. Warning, graphic, this is what happened on May 19th, 2010. The anniversaries of 1973, 1976 and 1992 are remembered for democracy. May 19th, 2010, will be remembered for a gigantic collapse of common sense, for utter failures on all sides. The government, the reds, the people.

However, it is doubtful the red leaders will see the light of day again anytime soon. There will be a hard crackdown against government enemies and you won’t have a clean conscience not defending that. Look at the human toll, the destruction, the lost opportunities, all in the name of fairness, equal chances and democracy. It’s not about Central World torched, this our most pleasant, most open shopping mall. The red leaders will be hunted by what they said and did.

But this is also no time for even more hate and revenge. Enough of it already. When you point the finger at someone three fingers point back at you. Sure, people were hijacked, taken hostage – like the motorcycle guy who told a reader he was paid 200 baht a day by the red shirt security for the past three days. Was threatened with violence if he left. He’s glad it’s over. Maybe he even feels remorse. Clear game plan of the reds was all along to force the regime to commit suicide.

That did not happen the way planned, yet – and rest assured there are some tragic dark people out there applauding the torching of “obscene” Central World. Hey it’s supposed to be a class struggle. We can’t really look forward to anything right now. The most dangerous days may lay ahead. The next tomorrows are crucial. The resistance says this is just the beginning. I trust though we’re fine soon. People want their lives back. Don’t Thai people love their freedom.

Or … it’s over very quickly and you’ll stand at Silom looking up north towards Ratchaprasong and ask: “What?”

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Say what you want here. Post your anger, fear, regret. Post a link, a photo, whatever matters. What’s next?

A shut mouth catches no flies. Silence is golden. Still, everyone has a strong opinion right now.

This site takes the useless pride in having warned from the beginning all the reds have is escalation. That’s exactly where we’re now. With each new day reds are using heavier weapons. Back to the round table? You can’t crush ‘em.

As a starter, the BBC’s Alastair Leithead asked on Twitter:

Saturday challenge. Can anyone, in one tweet, explain who the red shirts are and what they want in a fair, balanced and accurate way?

My answer:

An important legitimate grassroots movement of hard working, honest people hijacked by militants & let down by their leaders.

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Well blame Mr. Nice aka our dear prime minister for being too cozy for way too long, just to mention a free bus service for enemies of the government. But maybe, hopefully, there’s a strategy behind Abhisit’s policy of passive containment. By doing not much the anger of the people grows, giving Abhisit the green light for stronger action. The luxury hotels around Rajprasong are emptied. Collateral damage minimized they’re ready to go.

But that’s not good and reading blogs and Twitter these days is an even less happy pastime. Red sympathizers seem to get even more radical and determined while the reds’ opponents cannot wait for a crackdown, and bloody it shall be. Not you farang, but many Thais ask for harsh measures. Now you tell me whom to blame. The poor reds for their provocations and open lies about a “peaceful” protest? The rich non-reds for urban arrogance and their deriding of “pure” democracy?

If the reds fail, they’ll be marginalized even further, and they asked for it. If the reds succeed, it’s the ultimate Pyrrhic victory in recent human history. The kingdom will be torn apart by more hate and distrust than ever. An election under these circumstances would lead to the world’s most laughable vote in recent human history. Who would accept an Election Commission’s intervention? With reds not being able to campaign in the south and non-reds hunted down in the north and northeast?

What this country needs now is not an election, but time and talks and compromise. But with the construction of a bamboo fortress in the midst of Bangkok the old Maoist guerilla tactics have arrived. You might need to differentiate. Even worse, there’s not a single element of positive surprise, constructive engagement, a hint of an exchange of ideas or compromise in the reds’ iron stance. Their “fight for democracy” has not only become a contradiction in itself, calling themselves democrats flies in the face of an autocrat.

We witness old-style propaganda warfare – and are told it’s all for the betterment of nation, crown and society. Wait, we were all eager listeners. Thaksin had a voice, a voice reaching all Thais in a way. Many undecided applauded his recent interview with The Times. The benefit of doubt is gone, El Presidente fights for more than his credibility. A few thousand red Rambos and martyrs prepare for the final final final showdown while Bangkokians welcome the many soldiers now securing “dictatorial territory” with food and drinks. The people can’t all be that dumb, can they.

And yes, to be called reactionary in these times is a compliment. Sharing a beer with Dr. Weng & Co. would be OK. The Dr.’s a reasonable guy with good intentions. But seeing how far they’re willing to go while preaching peace and freedom and honesty and democracy and legitimacy and wealth for all, well, they clearly had their chance. And gosh how they blew it.

Over a beer those radicals and extremists can tell me what democracy is all about. But not as leaders.

+++ Related – but hardly noticed – key development? The finally proposed land & building tax. Do I hear land reform? Right, it’s only a basic agreement in principle so far. There’s a long way ahead. Still. Think of the kingdom’s largest property owner. How to handle? What more can reds want.

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The Thai political saga has reached religious proportions. Nonpartisans are called fascists, a voice crying in the desert is accused of instigating violence. Others start believing in miracles, others again turn a blind eye. There is a savior, after all – I know, it’s not about him. Change is in the air, a better world lies ahead. There is even talk of a Thai People Power. Well, the Philippine version involved over 2,000,000 people including military figures.

Manila was a sea of yellow ribbons – sorry about that unfortunate color analogy. Here in Bangkok you see a red ribbon on a taxi once in a while. The sea of reds fluctuates dramatically. The other day some 2,000 gathered, on weekends tens of thousands amass. I know, this is to undo the coup. Anyway, and this is great news for some:

Am about to take a short leave traveling to the old world. May post a thought now and then, or rather not. Who knows what will happen these days. Already missed last year’s Songkran mayhem due to overseas travels. So for the faithful this is a good time. Believe it or not, I’d actually be looking forward to a change of government. Would be in the opposition already (as pre-rally against govt by the way), and all the voices cheering the red liberators now would maybe have to keep on cheering for them. That’s gonna be fun.

Seriously, this is no time to make fun, but to work together. Amen. Jolly Songkran & stay save! And tune in now and then, you never know. Readers’ contributions always welcome! Oh, and no, I did not write that Post Bag letter.

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