Chaos and Curfews

Well, it finally happened. The inevitable clash between soldiers and civilians, as the Thai government decided that the protests holding the heart of Bangkok hostage could go on no longer. Army tanks moved in on the Red Shirt camp Wednesday, tearing through barricades and tearing down hopes of a peaceful solution to the crisis. It seemed for a moment that the government had "won", as an official of CRES (the Center for Resolution of the Emergency Situation, set up by the government when this situation first kicked off) came onto the television and announced that the protest-clearing operation had been a success. Hundreds of disappointed protestors were rallied up and put on buses that had been arranged to take them back to the provinces from whence they came. But many did not agree to go so easily.

On the evening of Wednesday, May 19th, the Bangkok skyline was once again filled with a thick black smoke as thirty-four buildings were set aflame by angry protestors. The torched buildings included two of Bangkok's largest shopping centers, as well as many branches of the country's most prominent banks. Convenient stores were looted and shots were fired as angry mobs said a final "f**k you" to the government that they had been protesting against all this time. The hatred that was once bottled up in the city center had now spilled out across the entire capital, showing that such emotions could not be stifled by a little ol' military operation.

Couldn't the government have seen this coming? The protestors have been set up in Bangkok for two months now, standing their ground despite the multiple threats made by officials as to the consequences of their camping out. They've endured hazes of tear-gas and rounds of live ammunition, and have in many instances publicly stated their willingness to die for what they believe in. So did the CRES really think that these protestors would all line up in neat little rows and board buses to go home, like the losing team of a Little League baseball game?

The near-sighted approach of the government became apparent as the city burned out of control on Wednesday. And it wasn't just Bangkok- news reports showed angry mobs amassing in provinces all over Thailand, burning down government buildings and smashing windows in a sign that this battle is far from over. An eight o'clock PM curfew was set for the entire city of Bangkok (yes, that would be 12 million people), as well as certain provinces throughout the country. Can you imagine a major international capital with an eight o'clock bedtime? Well, I can! Today is day three of the curfew, which has been changed to 9 PM in an effort to let people at least see the sunset before shutting themselves indoors.

The damage speaks for itself. Below is a picture of CentralWorld, Southeast Asia's second-largest shopping center, located directly in the city center. It is where the middle and upper classes of Bangkok spend their weekends, blowing money on Western food and designer sunglasses. Basically, it stands for everything that the Red Shirt protestors will never have in their rural provinces. So yeah. How's that for a "f**k you"?





For more on the crisis, check out this BBC newscast. Things are definitely far from over:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/8694874.stm