Independent reporting on human rights, environmental and conflict issues

Boring Day

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© Anne Holmes

There was no violence and no opposition to be seen on the day the courts announced they would disolve Thai Rak Thai and ban its party leaders from politics for 5 years. I hit all the spots with a few photojournalist friends of mine, and ended up having drinks by the river instead of suffering the unbearable heat on a day when clearly, nothing photoworthy was going to happen. The court was a sea of press photogs, and Sanam Luang, where a huge rally was meant to be held was practically empty. Word on the street was that the military managed to seize the massive shipment of amulets people were going to distribute at the rally, and perhaps no one showed up without the incentive. The courts were meant to release their decision on Thai Rak Thai at 2 pm, but it was nearly midnight when my journalist friends called me from the courthouse with the news. I guess the judges just wanted to make sure everyone was too drunk or sleeping to cause any mayhem. The scheduled rally the next day looked more like a picnic of middle aged Bangkok citizens than angry young people wanting democracy. All is quiet in the kingdom of Thailand once again, though, probably not for long….

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