Day 1 Reds March on Bangkok

Red shirts descend on Bangkok

Day 1. Friday March 12, 2010. If I were the leader of the red shirts, I’d be pretty concerned after day 1 of the million person march on Bangkok, which has the avowed goal of bringing the current government down. Where thousands were expected, there were hundreds, and where hundreds were expected, tens of people showed up. The day was consumed with both blessing ceremonies for their leaders, and cursing ceremonies for their enemies. Some of the red shirts did reach Bangkok, but they dispersed by about 5:00 PM. Traffic was normal or, in my area, light. Some bank branches closed, but they were the exception. Criminal fugitive ex-PM Thaksin was reported to have left his refuge in Dubai for Cambodia, but by Saturday morning, he was reported to be on this way to join his children in Europe. My neighborhood was quiet and the police platoon camped near-by appeared as relaxed as ever as the neighborhood children and their minders flooded into the park at 4:00 PM as they do daily. As for me, I’m bored with the whole thing. Still, I’m staying near home on Saturday as, like everyone else, I don’t know what’s going to happen.