PAD Outside My Window

You might have heard about massive protests in Bangkok over the past weeks and months. In short, there's a group called the People's Alliance for Democracy that thinks the current government is corrupt and all the members of the ruling party (the People Power Party) should resign. The PAD staged the massive protests that occured before the coup in 2006 (see my Coup Day entry from that year).

I'm not going to get into politics here. I don't pretend to know any of the intricacies involved and just stay out of the way and go about my life here, which is quite easy to do since the protests are usually confined to one place in the city. However, today the protests came to me! (Don't worry mom and dad, I was 7 floors above it all, tucked safely in my office.)

The PAD marched down the street where I work, presumably because the U.S. Embassy is here. What they expect the Embassy to do, I don't know, but I guess it's as good a street as any to march down. I snapped some pictures to show you just what exactly goes on during these protests.

You'll see people cheering, using those plastic hand-clapper toys that are just OH so cute, wearing yellow (because they love the King) and chanting things. You'll also see fruit and drink vendors with their carts weaving through the crowds, making sure everyone has their daliy refreshment. We even saw some sort of tuk-tuk rigged with something- a water tank, maybe?

All in all, it's very peaceful and, excpet for the signs that read "Murderer!", quite cheerful. Everyone came to their windows to watch, and the lucky employees at the building next to ours that has a balcony, got to go outside to get an even better view.

The whole thing lasted ten minutes.

So, the long and the short of it is this: these protests have been happening since before I moved here, and I have never, ever, ever felt unsafe. Of course, I wasn't in the middle of the protest trying to get a great picture, I am keeping my distance. However, unless you hear otherwise from me, assume that things in Thailand are safe and sound and, as the Thais say "same, same!"

And, if there is another coup by chance, it just means it's the perfect day for a mani/pedi, a great lunch and a massage- all while zipping through the traffic-free city streets!