Bangkok’s Peaceful Protest
I walked for two days through a camp of roughly 1000 people in tents and food services to support the cause for these democracy hungry people. Some grenades went off and everybody is pointing fingers at each other with no leads. This is not a planned piece of work unless it’s been done to disrupt a perfectly peaceful demonstration for democracy. Tourists are not the focus, actually it’s quite the opposite, they want you to see it, the protesters welcome you in. I’ve got a stack of photos and dialogue that tell a totally different story because you’re afraid. I advise anyone who was coming to Thailand to continue on and DON’T cancel. Children are being lead by their parents down the camps. Do not be fooled.
This demonstration is probably the most peaceful demonstration I’ve ever seen. The Royal Thai Army have been deployed and are keeping their distance because violence is not the focus, democracy is the focus. The king over shadows the whole process. The king is in the tents, they love him and he's too old right now to pretty much be active in this whole process. Everyone loves the king, all sides.
These protesters are well organized and have been demonstrating for 6 months, 3 in one location and now moved around the corner from the Democracy Monument.
The English speaking Thai people that I spoke to were all about democracy and welcomed all the tourists to see the system they’ve got going. There are cooking groups, people dropping off water, people handing out food to go and food to those in front of the televisions watching the protest marches maybe too old to actually go to the protest of well over 5 people; a new decree that just showed up amongst a few others.
Meanwhile, the PM has taken her leave and is in Chang Mai. Everybody here is at peace.
If there are more grenades, it’s because someone/people want to upset the perfect balance of Democracy and the way it’s done properly. The Thai government has reacted accordingly, without violence, and trying diligently to make things right.
Streets are blocked off, stores and shops are closed anywhere near the demonstrations and camps. There is no alternative for these people and they are trying to something right. People are coming from all over Thailand to be apart of this. This is the best demonstration I’ve ever seen and I’ve seen too many with teargas, fire, bricks being thrown, armored guards with shields, padding, heavy boots, and helmets fighting against a passive group of sit ins while a second set of armored guards sit in the dark alleys waiting for people who are running from the violence and then being beaten and arrested.
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