Our Man in Bangkok: Of Watermelon Soldiers and Tomato Police

Monday 19th April 2010

Thailand has always been a land of fascinating paradox. The long serving promotion slogan of the Tourism Authority of Thailand – “Amazing Thailand” - has survived for so long for good reason. Every day something happens to confirm the promise.

Those who remember the 2006 coup may recall a fascinating tale about why Army divisions led by Thaksin-appointed Generals were unable to respond to the coup by moving their tanks to secure key locations in Bangkok.

The coup organisers, whose loyalty filtered through the ranks of officers underneath the Thaksin-appointed generals, quietly organised for the tanks to be emptied of their diesel fuel in the hours before the coup was launched.

When the command came from the generals to move the tanks as Thaksin had ordered, the orders were not disobeyed, they simply could not be obeyed. In a country where the loss of face associated with a direct refusal means there is no single word equivalent to "No" (the closest you come is equivalent to "Not Yes" in English), it was a sweetly subtle, non-violent and typically Thai riposte.

On the surface there doesn't appear to be anything terribly subtle about the current stand-off in Bangkok at the moment. But as we all learn in Thailand 101 classes - nothing is as it seems.

From the outside it appears incongruous that a Government, responsible for the enforcement of law and order could be so ineffective and vacillating in the face of demonstrations that have carried on in the centre of Bangkok for over a month costing the country billions of baht in lost tourism revenue and commerce.

But a sense of national unity has been deeply embedded in the collective psyche of Thais for generations, and the thought, let alone the reality, of Thais violently attacking each other in the streets is totally abhorrent to many.

So the government has been extraordinarily restrained in its response to the Red Shirt rally until very recently.

Behind all of this recent activity has been the backdrop of a nation literally in transition. Many millions of poor farmers and those in rural communities are increasingly looking for a fairer deal that would close the gap between the small group of incredibly rich Thais and themselves.

There has also been the emergence of a growing middle class in the greater Bangkok area that has higher expectations of living standards and education.

Sadly however, since the military coup of 2006, the push for change has moved increasingly from debate within a democratic system to high stakes political stand-offs through demonstrations by mobs of yellow-shirted People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD)[anti-Thaksin], and now the red-shirted United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD)[initially pro-Thaksin, now moving to establish a wider agenda for political change].

Not everyone on the streets is totally motivated by pure passion for democracy. The going daily rate for driving a pick-up truck around the city supporting red shirts is rumoured to be 5,000 bt. [NZ$ 217] A motobike taxi receives 1,000 bt [NZ$ 43] per day for mounting a suitable prominent red flag, and another 1,000 bt for carrying a passenger. While upcountry pedestrians from outside Bangkok, receive 500 bt [NZ$ 21.72] per day for four days.

Pretty compelling income in a country where the average income of 13 million people is just 1,443 baht [NZ$ 62.70] per month – the offical poverty line.

Throughout all of this the two key institutions responsible for keeping law and order, the Police and the Army, have been seen to be factionalised rather than united in fulfilling their roles. Thaksin himself graduated from the Police Academy and still has many influential supporters at senior levels within the force. While PM he sought to consolidate his position by controlling key promotions within the Army, which went all very well....until the coup.

Even so, there are clear signs that some within each of these key institutions appear increasingly to be weighing up personal loyalty over what has been traditionally viewed as their duty to the nation.

And so we come to the typically humorous Thai descriptors for those in the army who support the red shirt campaign as 'water melon' soldiers - green on the outside but red on the inside, and now 'tomato' police whose passive approach to carrying our their orders to disperse or arrest Red Shirt protest leaders shows their "true colors".

Now with the emboldened red shirt leadership continuing to thumb its nose at the government after a completely bungled operation by police to arrest them, and the appointment of a reluctant Chief of the Army to oversee security, another confrontation appears in prospect.

The Red Shirt protesters have consolidated to one site in the heart of Bangkok's commercial district and appear to be settling in for a prolonged occupation.

With a recent new group of disenchanted Bangkok residents emerging to stage a 'no colours' rally in support of the Army and the Government, things seem to be coming to a head.

Finally, after so much international coverage of the violence which left 22 dead and more than 800 injured in what has been described as "the city's deadliest political violence in 18 years" here's another paradox.

During the three day official Songkran holiday period which immediately followed the outbreak of violence in Bangkok, the road toll resulting from drunk driving and mayhem associated with the traditional water fights (and celebrations) was: 166 dead and 2,149 injured in 1,994 accidents - up 20% over last year's holiday toll.

As most Thais took advantage of the Government’s decision to extend the holiday period this year to include the whole week and both weekends, the final death toll for the week could well head towards 400.

Didn't catch much coverage of this on CNN. Amazing Thailand indeed.

* Justin Barnett, a New Zealander, has lived in Thailand for more than 10 years. He is currently Managing Director of Grayling Public Relations in Thailand and seeks, through a new venture, Trade Entry, to assist New Zealand companies develop trade opportunities in Thailand.

Businesswire.co.nz

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