Thursday, May 22, 2014

Thai Curfew

Since November 2013 armed skirmishes between Thailand's two opposing political camps have resulted in at least twenty-eight deaths and hundreds of wounded Thais. Once Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was forced from office by a court order the army chief, Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha, had the army stepped into the power vacuum to prevent anarchy. Radios and TV were suppressed for 'public good' and this morning the diehard royalist announced a nationwide curfew from 10 PM to 5 AM. He almost demanded for the ex-prime minister and eighteen other government officials to report to the ruling military commission.

Protesting red shirts and yellow shirts have been forced from their protest zones with the army offering buses to take each camps' supporters back to their homes around Thailand.

I have lived through several Thai curfews.

The last had been in 2010 during which the army killed an undisclosed number of red shirts.

Gen. Prayuth Chan-ocha has sworn to keep violence to a minimum until a period of calm will allow elections.

The NPOMC issued a new order to exempt those who will travel abroad or return from abroad and workers whose operations need to be carried out in shifts, such factories, to be exempted from curfew.

Those who need to work during the curfew hours can seek permission from military officers in their areas.

A friend reported that Bangkok all overpass closed street level road open but very heavy traffic with all petrol stations closing before the pumpkin hour.

Soon there will be no late shifts at factories. No overtime. Restaurants will close early.

There will be nothing but the dead of night.

Goodbye Democracy.

It never works when neither side obeys the decision of the people.

Mostly since the election is always bought by Khon Yai or the Rich.

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