My Shot of the Current Bangkok Unrest

For almost four years of living and working here in Thailand, I should say that those years are not enough for people to call me Thai. My physical looks might lure most of the individuals to believe that I am Thai whenever I am with the locals but, still, my knowledge about the kingdom and my practice are very far from those people who are genuinely Thai. However, I do not keep this reality from letting myself to get into the current situation of the country where democracy has been torn apart and anarchy is about to be formed by people who know no respect to the law and the rulings of the kingdom and a government which have been averse in implementing the promulgated laws. Ever since I started teaching in the kingdom, I did not consider myself as an absolute foreigner. I have been working with Thais and have been with my Thai students in the classroom -- these and all which are not yet told are enough reasons for me not to act like an alien who doesn't care of the going-ons of the country.

Although quite tiring, I did not fail to read the news behind the headlines of two of the English newspapers in the country. Not to mention, those English newspapers contain almost the same news everyday -- the casualties of the current demonstration, the location of the mob, the pressure that each party is trying to push, the clash between the pro- and the anti-government protesters, and many other similar stories. The opinion page also contains almost the same but the good thing there is that I am able to examine and compare my point of view with those of the Thais and so I continue to indulge myself in getting the pleasure of getting information (or stress) from reading those newspapers.

A couple of times, I have been asked what is my stand to the current situation of the country but I also failed to share my stance not because I do not know anything about what's happening. Having been here for almost four years, it's very ridiculous to say that I know nothing about what's happening. I should not have been here if I could not show that simple interest towards my host country. I failed to share not because I am afraid that I would be wrong but because I want to spare myself from this current political turmoil. I have had plenty of it in the Philippines and I am fed up! However, knowing that you and other people have been too much affected by the situation, it's so awkward to say that everything is alright and you do not care about it.