Where the grassroot movement is alive and the students sleep, 4th episode of Thailand's Democracy

In Chiangmai I have read an article in the Newspaper a statement from academics asking the question, what went wrong? Basically saying that the rural area people are taking revenge, for what? If I can compare it with China, Chinas wealth has grown out from the farmers land now making cities, the citizens and the central government the power players. This year Mr. Wen Jiabao admitted that for long years, the farmers have been exploited. Now its time to pay back. Introducing easier tax system, improving banking loan availability for farmers, giving farmers health care and other incentives. this at least was what has been mediated after the last peoples party congress.

I think not much different is the situation here in Thailand. Out of the conversation at the Royal Hotel with Dr.Methapan Phothitheerarot, a scholar of the Buddhist University, I had the impression, this is a grassroot movement, a grassroot movement from the remote villages and small towns and many participants at the rally are middle age and older age farmers and workers. The "citizens", the Bangkokers they have little to do with this.

He told me that the students, which should actually be the driving force in such a society related process, they sleep, they rather drink, go shopping they are not interested in getting engaged with the society as such.

We have a similar situation in Europe, the young generation are rather conformists then confrontational. Because it is an grassroot movement it is in the same time a big educational process of the grassroots people, to learn to speak and to reflect what is actually all about, it is the big awakening process of the grassroot people.

Yes the rally is partly also a big party where people from outside from Bangkok have the chance to anticipate others, which share the same colour, thought, interest or just share misunderstanding. So far what I have seen all, enjoy to be together here and now, its the biggest rally I have ever seen in my live.

In a further conversation we touch on the 3 power bases, aristocracy, military and clerics. This formula was also in the west for long time the stronghold and guarantee for a regulated conservative society.

This changed, the Queen of England is a puppet for tourist attractions, paid by tax money and the English army can fight in Afghanistan and rest at home. In Thailand this is still as mentioned above, the 3 power bases are exchanging friends, posts and profits. But since political parties play into this game the tax money cake has to be shared by more than 3 parties. Yes, some getting for sure unhappy. Democracy means, that the government is elected by the people and not by the army or some aristocrats.

Interestingly more and more young Buddhist monks joining the red shirts, by now 200.000 monks are in one or the other way engaged with that grassroot movement, they call them self Buddhist Monks for Peace and Non Violence, says Dr.Phothitheerarot.

These young monks engage more and more and support the rally, there are visbly more monks than yesterday on display. The higher authority of these young monks is a board of 20 old monks called, Thai Sangha Organisation of Buddhism (Maha Thera Samakhom), they remain silent until now. There boss Sangha Raya which is appointed by the King and is also his consultant in spiritual and humanistic causes, also he remains quiet until now.

As in the west the clerics always remain silent until the injustice is unbearable and obvious than the ranks brake. My theory is when the monks phalanx brakes, than other two power bases will brake apart, the second which collapses, is the army and on the end the aristocrats.

You have to understand that the clerics are in Asia mostly involved in education, education of the poor, which have no money to send their children to school. To send one kid to school including food and living costs in Thailand 2500 bath per month.

If a worker or farmer gets between 6000- 700 Bath per month, not much is left, if he has 2 kids to send to school. So monks provide or provided the ethical and spiritual background for the kids in the rural areas, educated them for a living in an community. As we know monks are here for the spiritual and mental health of the people, but also they are a organisation with hierarchies, so that means they are also political. And for Buddhas sake yes they are also intellectuals.

So what I think is, that the "strategy" of the red shirts will be successful, it is the RED SHIRT SCHOOL, the grassroot education which is their agenda. It is an speakers corner on a far lager scale, Thailand has no direct border with China, it shares the golden triangle, but China must be right now very concerned what is going on, not so far away from there southern frontier.

I wonder how the information will arrive in Beijing. On my today's massage parcour, the 43 year old mother of two kids told me that it was not correct that Mr.Thaksin used his political position to make money. Many Thais say, well he did the same like all politician do, but he did also many good thinks, for the poor. In Mr. Thaksin case so far, I cant get a clear picture, but a politician should stay out of commercial processes during his governmental job, that is for sure, there is, no if and when.

Also it is no an excuse that the rest of the 99,9% of the Thai system is corrupt, but as I said so far I have in Mr.Thaksin case no inside information besides that one, which has run through media outlets and from people in the street. I think the redshirt movement can live and survive without Mr.Thaksin and time will say what was and what not.

Private annotation, thoughts on the way back home:
Where are the Thai intellectuals the academics are they all hiding under there desc?

Where are the Thai artists, are they all hiding in gallery's and posh Art institutions around town?

I am now in my apartment on my mattress, from not so fare away I hear the loudspeakers of the rally. It is an unforgettable echoed sound of voices which embraces the city. Long time ago I had a similar experience in Damascus, when the muezzins calling from there minarets, the people to pray. Savadikaap.