If anything, this recent madness will have “educated” the previously unheard majority to understand that they also have a power that is to be reckoned. My only hope is that they are allowed to excise this power in a positive and productive manner and avoid the ugliness and total devastation that resulted from the stupidity and unprecedented actions of the “educated” middle Bangkokian minority. People who’s ignorance could be brought for 300 Bht per day. Idiots protected by men who should know better than to allow a dangerous militia to blossom and act against the rule of law. To viciously damage the infrastructure of the country, to render a police force ineffectual. How will all this damage be made good? It will take far more than ever charming Thai smile, that is lost forever.

The end justifies the means, does it? If the end game was to rid Thailand of Thaksin, no one thought of what happens next (The USA and Iraq comes to mind). If Thaksin was so bad for Thailand, it would have been impossible for him to have reeked so much damage on the country as did these activities to run him to ground. He has probably been made stronger by these desperate actions.

I read the Economist article, if it is factual then Thailand should take note and decide if it wants democracy or retain the status quo, which appears to be the serfdom of the masses in the backbone of the country.

For me Thailand is no longer a place I wish to continue visiting, it is lawless, festering in endemic corruption, a once pearl of Asia has turned into a banana republic, seemly overnight. All the unpleasantness that previously took place behind the scene, the lack of human rights, the persecution, etc, has come to the surface.