My First Curfew in a Very Long Time: The Thai Political Crisis of 2014

This week, Thailand experienced the imposition of martial law, followed by a military coup. Television and radio stations have been taken over by the military, and schools have been closed for a few days. There is also a curfew in place (10pm-5am). I wrote this out of boredom. 

The curfew has totally changed the city. The usually-busy streets are dead tonight. I already miss the sound of motorbikes dangerously racing down my street at 3am and the ability to get amazing food at any hour. Also, the ever-ubiquitous 711 stores are experiencing a separate crisis: they haven't locked their doors in years, and now the popular chain (of which there are about 7000 locations in Thailand) has to close all locations before 10pm. From what I've been told, employees were scrambling in a state of confusion to adjust to the new hours of operation. The curfew is, for many, the least popular part of this coup. It's already having a severe impact on businesses, and military governments aren't exactly known for compensating people's losses. 

Regardless of the changes that are taking place, there is nothing new about this political crisis—the country has had about a dozen such incidents since the conversion from absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy in 1932. 

Yes, it's safe here in Chiang Mai, and no I'm not going to break curfew just to see what happens or go down to Bangkok to take pictures on top of military vehicles any time soon (although it's tempting). Most of the action is about 700 kilometres south of me, and it's not easy to find reliable information about it. Some people here are speaking of gunfire in their relatives' neighbourhoods in Bangkok, but some of my friends in Bangkok say it's pretty tame there. It's hard to know when so much information is being controlled and censored. One thing is for sure: there isn't much happening Chiang Mai, aside from the suspension of certain tv/radio stations, the presence of military personnel in some key spots, and small groups of protesters being forced into prison-trucks. It seems like a crazy state of affairs, but the reality on the ground is a bit different from what the average westerner would expect.

Here are two important terms necessary to understanding the situation here:

Yellow-shirts: citizens who are against the elected government because of alleged corruption and the dedication of government resources to the working classes/farmers etc. These citizens are typically monarchists, and the Thai military is known to operate in their favour. Many yellow-shirts have argued that the king should unilaterally appoint a new government. 

Red-shirts: citizens who support the elected government, and are largely northerners, farmers, and working class people. They protest and fight on behalf of the majority who has elected the most recent democratic government. Some prominent members of this movement have been known to be critical of the monarchy. 

There is a very sharp contrast in citizens' attitudes towards the situation.

I was tutoring a student when the coup was declared. When I went to talk to the student's mother after our session, I saw the entire family glued to the TV screen. They were smiling (more like glowing), and were on the brink of tears. They composed themselves, looked at me, and said "revolution!" They were happy about the military coup—like really happy. The mother proceeded to explain to me why democracy is overrated. This family supports the "yellow-shirts," royalists who are dissatisfied with the way democracy has operated here. This is due to corruption of elected leaders and the alleged "buying" of farmers' votes. This particular group holds the belief that the pro-government supporters are against the king; this is a strong card to play, as speaking against the royal family in any way is highly illegal in Thailand (up to 15 years in prison). Also, the king (now 86 years old) is widely revered for having modernized the country though royal projects, such as bringing running water and electricity to all citizens, no matter what their role in society or where they lived.  

In short, yellow-shirt supporters draw on the fact that an ousted (and allegedly corrupt) former Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra, has been operating a puppet government while in exile. The yellow-shirt protests fired up when recently-removed Prime Minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, Taksin's sister, proposed an amnesty bill to bring her brother back. This, combined with allegations that her government was doing "favours" for the working class to get votes, resulted in fierce opposition from the middle/upper class royalists and yellow-shirt supporters. Perhaps the government was just doing what it was elected to do: make life better for the majority of citizens (i.e. infrastructure, education, health care), but the yellow-shirts certainly don't see it this way. Many of them have even argued that the king should appoint a new government. They have suggested this this before, and the king said it's contrary to Thai democracy. Clearly this is a complicated situation.   

Two weeks ago, Yingluck was also removed form power on corruption charges. She, the interim prime minister, and leaders from both political groups, have been detained by the military after it assumed control of the country. Among the detained is also the "yellow-shirt" leader, Suthep Thaugsuban (he walked right by me before giving a speech in Siam Square in February. I had just landed in Bangkok and had no idea who he was, although his face was printed on shirts in the protest zone where I was staying). Despite Suthep's detention, yellow-shirt supporters seem very supportive of the situation. Some say it's because they know this coup is, once again, a means to impose their agenda.

Others are not so satisfied. Northern Thailand is full of farmers and working class people who support the elected government (i.e. red-shirts). I know some of these people, and they don't seem pretty happy right now. Why would they be? They elected a government, and once again that government has been declared illegitimate by other powers. It's no wonder why this group has previously taken to the streets (most notably in 2010) with whatever weaponry available. It's also been alleged that they have previously and recently hired Cambodian assassins to help them out. Nameless and faceless people from a poorer and more lawless country are ideal for such tasks. However, rumours and lies flourish in this type of political climate, and they come from people on both sides. It's going to be an interesting few weeks, but alas I'll be in Cambodia and Vietnam for much of it. 

     

This is what it looks like here in Chiang Mai: a man playing Beatles songs (as he always does) and a soldier watching.

This was followed by a guy coming in with a massive picture of the king in the basket of his motorbike. He offered it to the soldiers and gave them an emotional "thank you." At the other end of the spectrum, my apartment's security guard (redshirt supporter) was not his usual cheerful self tonight.

The North Gate in Chiang Mai  (the pickup truck and the white van are also used to bring soldiers around the city)

Just couldn't resist... cheesy, I know.

Many of the other people asking for pictures with the soldiers were Thai parents with their children. The soldiers had no problem holding their guns across children's chests and letting them wear their helmets.
In a way, it is still the land of smiles.

The curfew seems like the most unpopular part of this whole situation (it's affecting businesses and such), but beyond that, not nearly as many Thais seem to get bent out of shape about their rights as people do in western countries. Some have even told me that this is the best option, since the two sides of the political spectrum just can't get along. If history is any indication of things to come, this military coup is once again a way to impose the will of one of those sides. Time will tell.

I don't watch television, but I decided to turn the thing on for once during the coup. Here is what was is available. It is accompanied by soothing Thai military songs. 

A MESSAGE TO ONTARIANS:

Despite the situation here, it's good so see people who are intensely passionate about their country. That being said, I hope the voter turnout in the next Ontario election is more than 49.2% this time around. Canadian democracy is far from perfect, but when every citizen has the right to vote (even from overseas), there is no good reason not to to elect a government that represents the population as much as possible. Of course, this comes with some responsibility: making facebook/twitter posts demonizing a party you dislike is not a good thing; in fact, I think it's a very immature way of conducting yourself as a citizen. Support what you like, read from both sides, and decide from there. Whether you're right, centre, left, green, northern Ontario separatist, or any alternative, please vote on June 12th. It's highly unlikely that you'll have to deal with a grenade at the voting booth.




UPDATE - May 28:  The curfew has been loosened, and is now in place from 12am-4am.  Things seem pretty calm here, but I'm sure there are some things happening secretly.  Yesterday, a friend of mine (living here for over 10 years) was driving by a military compound and saw about some guys exiting the premises on black motorcycles without license plates. They were dressed from head to toe in black, and were wearing ski masks and carrying automatic weapons. They are most likely assassins operating on behalf of the military (perhaps targeting key red-shirt leaders). Another friend who has lived here her for most of her life said that these "ninjas" have been around for a while. Unfortunately there is no information about this online, and only eye-witness accounts (which often get mixed in with rumours and propaganda) can verify it.

UPDATE - A Few Weeks Later: The curfew has been lifted throughout the country. Although this is a positive development for Thai businesses and the tourism industry, it does not mean that things have returned to normal. Military personnel and police officials are currently enforcing laws that have long existed, but were never enforced (e.g. no live music after 1am).



Stay tuned....

Pentatonic Rock Bar: Refuge in a Sea of "Same Same"

"Sud-yod" is the Thai equivalent of "awesome." When I hear the word, it makes me think of my favourite place in Chiang Mai. 

Before I get to that, here’s a little context:

There’s no shortage of live music venues peppered around the city. Some of my favourites include The Brasserie, Boy Blues Bar, Inter Bar, and the North Gate jazz club. On nearly every night, in any of these places, you can see musicians performing anything from jazz to punk. 

Unfortunately, Chiang Mai has its share of dance clubs that cater to the average 20-something westerner.  I say “unfortunately” because it connotes an objective truth: these places exist in nearly every city in the world. They are, as the Thais say, "same same," and are virtually interchangeable. Also (if you can pardon a generalization), a visitor can regularly expect to see the same type of clientele. They tend to have the same types of conversations, buy the same terrible beverages, and do the same types of lubricious things on the dance floor—all with unapologetic indiscretion. 

One of the most popular places for nightlife in Chiang Mai is an L-shaped walking area with an open-air dance club in the middle. This spot is known as the “Zoe corner." Here there are several bars and clubs, featuring a mix of dance/hip-hop, reggae, more dance/hip-hop, and some rave-ish electronica.

Fortunately there is also the Pentatonic Rock Bar—a place for refuge in a sea of predicable social attractions. Located on the edge (perhaps a good metaphor) of the Zoe corner, this place features live rock music every night. Most of the bands play covers, and they play them awesomely.  Of course, rock is a very broad genre, and venue features the full spectrum.

One evening in February, I was enticed to go to the Zoe corner with some friends. While exploring the area, I walked by a small venue and heard a band covering “Aneurism” by Nirvana. This is a lesser-known song, so needless to say I was already impressed, and the night was still young. Later I saw a band cover “Sugar” by System of a Down and “I’m Broken” by Pantera, among many other epic 90s hard rock/metal tunes. Everything was played immaculately. My jaw dropped, and I felt at home. 

Anyone who knows me well enough knows that I grew up on a diet of heavy music. I sometimes forget about this part of myself while learning and working in certain environments, but its still there; it always will be.  Yes, I still play guitar, but as a high school History and English teacher, my guitar-playing roles are a bit limited, and there is often little time or energy left to play during most days. However, you can’t change the things that fuel you, but you can take advantage when sparks lead to flames. After a few conversations with the bands, I found myself being invited on stage regularly to play Rage Against the Machine, Metallica, Pantera, etc.

Jamming some Rage

What makes this place feel even more special is that it harbours a tight-knit community of local and foreign clientele, many of which are close friends with the bands and the bar’s owners. Still, the staff and bands welcome me as if I belong there, and the same applies to anyone who walks through the door.

During subsequent visits, I heard songs I had loved yet had forgotten, such as “Between Angels and Insects” by Papa Roach (a grossly underrated song inspired by Fight Club). I also heard a house band cover "Where is My Mind" by The Pixies—another song with a Fight Club connection. One band even covered some No Doubt songs with shockingly accurate pronunciation and energy. 

The music at Pentatonic isn't exclusively North American; Thai rock songs and European metal are also regularly played.

The house bands (Project Mayhem, Lords of Rock, Peace Flower, Gain, and Rock A Fellas) are all just plain great, as are the special guests. Last year, Pentatonic featured a guitar competition; last month, they it had an all-night tribute to Nirvana; and this month the venue hosted a local death metal festival, during which the place was packed all day and night with bands and fans from all over the country (there also happened to be an earthquake the following day. Coincidence? I think not). Whether it's during a festival or an average weeknight, this place always has a great community-vibe. 

Since that fateful February evening, I’ve gone to Pentatonic over a dozen times, and I hope to go at least a dozen more. I’ve met people from all over the world there, and even had the good fortune of sharing the stage with some of them. This is a place I’ll surely miss when I get back to Canada in July.

Pentatonic Rock Bar is a testament to the community-building power of music. There are few other places that can keep an early-bird like me out late when I need to wake up early. Well worth it. 

Stay tuned.......