I know the feelings well you just described. I have lived here about 12 years and have been stopped many times by the boys in brown for nothing more than being on that road at the same time as them. The worst days are Sundays as that’s when my wife notice it more and we call it “collection day” as if they were a set of Hare Krishnas or collectors for Oxfam. But of course we all know where the money goes and it isn’t to starving children in the Sudan!

I once had a cop stop me at the entrance to Rama4 and Silom (just opp Suan Lum bazaar) and demanded 1,000 baht. I hadn’t even done anything but had stopped as he was stepping into the road to help an old lady cross. When he saw me, he ushered me into a slow lane and then the fun began!

Like Plato says: “Who will guard the guardians?” (The Republic)

The PPP received 36.8% of the Constituency Vote, and 41.1% of the Party list vote. That’s NOT a majority! That’s why the PPP had to create a coalition with other parties to form a government. The same is true for the Democrats (they received 30.2% and 40.4%, you can’t say that’s “small minority” by any definition!). Nothing undemocratic about that, coalitions are normal in democracies. They are just formed differently in Thailand, the main principle isn’t some party program, it’s just power & money!