Today, I would like to share about Thai's situation today in Bangkok with you.
You might see or hear from news paper or TV or online news paper. The situation went too bad condition, after People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) clashed with United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) last night. This morning Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej announced the government's declaration a state of emergency.
The situations were very difficult to explain, because it very complexly condition. And the situation has changing every day. You can read more from website http://www.bangkokpost.com, Thai's newspaper in English.
For Thai people who have difference thinking and don't want violent as same as civil war and more coup in Thailand. Even though whose will go to start from the government or PAD or UDD. The result will leave only painfulness, hard to treat the society. It not only Thailand but we could saw it everywhere in the world. How do you think?
So! Bangkok now a day, There are Thai young people from difference groups around 30 people went out to the street (02-09-2008). Tell to the other at MBK and Siam Shopping centre, what the real thing which they want to say is. Some words I heard from them are "NO VIOLENCE"/"STOP NO VIOLENCE"/"PEACE" The government' s Declaration a State of Emergency is NOT the way out"
I send you some pictures which I took, you can see their activity.
Non-violence protest
Stop violence
No coup!
Young Thai people activity for non-violence stop
Light of peace
Giving emails for further connectionStory and photo by Phat, from Youth for Local Wisdom Project, Thailand.
2 comments:
Dear Phat and all friends,
I was about to write about this topic in the other day so thank you so much Phat for writting this.
I think the Third Power is most of people in Thailand, who do want democracy without violence, who have been watching situations silently. The thing is how to bring those people to raise their voices for better solution and peace, not come to protest anymore, but find the way out together for New Society whic is not only politic, but also social and economic aspects.
By the way, I am still a little bit optimistic. It is another big learning process of Thai Society on democracy subject. During 1970s and 1992, it was cleared aboth the dichotomy of people and state, but at the present we even don't know who is who, from generals to motor bike taxi drivers. It means that politic is everywhere and people are awake that democracy is not just election, but it is just around them, and only they themselves who can make it better, not those fake politicians. This process is a long way to go of course, if people still want to learn, not neglect by keep watching, complaining, at least try to learn something from it.
I hope that other friends can also learn something from us. I always said that learn from our mistakes and make it better. No matter it is socialist or democracy, but people who use it. Though you have a wonderful perfect political system but once you are coruupted and lack of political will for your society, it will come to only an end. Since the old time, colonial time to Cold War until now, it is just changing of power relation among groups of people. Make sure that the power is equally shared among people particularly the marginalized ones.
In Chiang Mai also have been creating many activities for peace campaign. On Saturaday we had a group of about 60 young people joint together for campaign and yesterday we joint with other civic groups for press release to stop violence. Particularly we also demand for every sector to solve the problem in the long run for building up New Society. Tomorow, Thursday, we will have anotger campaign by showing big signs on a bridge in the middle of town to show our group's demands and then a bike rally in the weekend. Then soon we will have a big public forum for brain storming among different sectors for both short and long term solution. The meeting among academics, NGOs, activists, students, volunteers are also organized in many places daily.
Sound like getting headache huh? We also would like to know more opinions from other friends about situation in Thailand in order to excahnge and learning together.
Peace,
Ae
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