I haven't been in Thailand since early January. How would people describe the mood of Thailand at the moment considering the political tensions? Tense, relaxed, ambivalent?

Down here in Ban Chang, it's surprisingly ambivalent, considering that there was reportedly a major demonstration somewhere in an industrial area in Rayong today. I had a chat with a friend over dinner at the restaurant tonight, and as far as I recall, I have vowed to wear my Sunday t-shirt for the rest of the week, which is likely to cause quite a bit of upset by Tuesday, just from the pong of it, so I might plead 'loss-of-memory' tomorrow and wear my usual Monday shirt in ignorance.

Business as usual down here in Ban Chang.

Chiang Mai is a Redshirt stronghold, but there seems to be little tension. So far, so good.

Farangs can hardly tell if there's any change in the mood, I'm in Phuket and today is just like any other day, nothing visibly different, Thai friends not offering any views one way or the other - I suspect that by the end of the week we'll all say, ho hum, another week gone by.

Pretty Casual at my place Garry, I have even given the armed guards and tank drivers the night off. Snipers are still in the boundary trees though.

I'm hardly an insider or privy to conversations and discussions of consequence, but it appears to me that mood is ambivalent.

I'm hardly an insider or privy to conversations and discussions of consequence, but it appears to me that mood is ambivalent.

So every-thing's quiet then?

Here in Pattaya the mood is very tense. I have noticed people stocking up on essential groceries such as sugar and bread and there is a strange silence just after 2.00 am when apart from the odd cockerel crowing and the welcoming door chime from 7-11 everything is hushed as if waiting for the unsaid troubles that lie just a few days ahead.

Motorcycle taxi boys are noticably twitchy and the open air market traders are wondering what might become of their livelihoods. Sales of duct tape and earplugs have sky-rocketed and local Policemen are sporting uniforms that are obviously freshly pressed and have been seen polishing their truncheons.

Local DVD vendors are making a killing selling doom-laden (end of the world) movies and local street children are picking satang coins up from the streets. Everyone is aware that a difficult time is ahead. It as if a cloud of fear has decended upon the City of Pattaya.

Pretty Casual at my place Garry, I have even given the armed guards and tank drivers the night off. Snipers are still in the boundary trees though.

Careful there. You wouldn't want your 6,000 guns and ammo to go walkies. I'm taking no chances, I just ordered another 500 crocodiles for the moat and have been starving the piranha all week. I was also expecting delivery of a 100 megaton nuclear device by Thai post last week, but it hasn't turned up yet. I do hope the mailman hasn't taken it. We had so much trouble when he took the Apache helicopter I ordered last year.

Here in Pattaya the mood is very tense. I have noticed people stocking up on essential groceries such as sugar and bread and there is a strange silence just after 2.00 am when apart from the odd cockerel crowing and the welcoming door chime from 7-11 everything is hushed as if waiting for the unsaid troubles that lie just a few days ahead.

Motorcycle taxi boys are noticably twitchy and the open air market traders are wondering what might become of their livelihoods. Sales of duct tape and earplugs have sky-rocketed and local Policemen are sporting uniforms that are obviously freshly pressed and have been seen polishing their truncheons.

Local DVD vendors are making a killing selling doom-laden (end of the world) movies and local street children are picking satang coins up from the streets. Everyone is aware that a difficult time is ahead. It as if a cloud of fear has decended upon the City of Pattaya.

Syd stop it.

I'm hardly an insider or privy to conversations and discussions of consequence, but it appears to me that mood is ambivalent.

So every-thing's quiet then?

Yes.

Pretty Casual at my place Garry, I have even given the armed guards and tank drivers the night off. Snipers are still in the boundary trees though.

Careful there. You wouldn't want your 6,000 guns and ammo to go walkies. I'm taking no chances, I just ordered another 500 crocodiles for the moat and have been starving the piranha all week. I was also expecting delivery of a 100 megaton nuclear device by Thai post last week, but it hasn't turned up yet. I do hope the mailman hasn't taken it. We had so much trouble when he took the Apache helicopter I ordered last year.

Thai Visa nutter of the year.....ballpoint.

My Thai friends here in BKK dont seem to care at all.

Even 2 friends whom are Police men seem to be very relaxed.

One works for the Thai version of FBI, and the other is a regular Police Officer.

You have a some extra work I guess the next few days I said. Yes they said, and almost started to laugh.

Almost like, its business as usual for them.

Well, it definately calms me down.

lol

In Kap Choeng the people are to busy being farmers to notice and when they do they laugh.

Up here out in the boonies. What problems????????????

The major worry here is that it is as dry as a popcorn fart. When will the rains come?

Pretty Casual at my place Garry, I have even given the armed guards and tank drivers the night off. Snipers are still in the boundary trees though.

Careful there. You wouldn't want your 6,000 guns and ammo to go walkies. I'm taking no chances, I just ordered another 500 crocodiles for the moat and have been starving the piranha all week. I was also expecting delivery of a 100 megaton nuclear device by Thai post last week, but it hasn't turned up yet. I do hope the mailman hasn't taken it. We had so much trouble when he took the Apache helicopter I ordered last year.

Thai Visa nutter of the year.....ballpoint.

Tomorrow I'm also going to look at getting a yellow Hummer to park in front of my place.

In all seriousness though, quite frankly, my dear, the people in our village just don't give a dam_n. They're far more interested in going about their lives, trying to make a living.

Careful there. You wouldn't want your 6,000 guns and ammo to go walkies. I'm taking no chances, I just ordered another 500 crocodiles for the moat and have been starving the piranha all week. I was also expecting delivery of a 100 megaton nuclear device by Thai post last week, but it hasn't turned up yet. I do hope the mailman hasn't taken it. We had so much trouble when he took the Apache helicopter I ordered last year.

That's because you probably ordered yours from that Nigerian guy who told me I just won a million dollars and only needed to send him my credit card number. He told me my order is coming in the Thai mail.

I’m terrified Garry9999, I am in Kho Tao, (for a bit of r&r) I’ve had to stay up most nights, just in case the red/yellow or pink shirts launch a beach assault. I am happy to report all quite here.

Here in Pattaya the mood is very tense. I have noticed people stocking up on essential groceries such as sugar and bread and there is a strange silence just after 2.00 am when apart from the odd cockerel crowing and the welcoming door chime from 7-11 everything is hushed as if waiting for the unsaid troubles that lie just a few days ahead.

Motorcycle taxi boys are noticably twitchy and the open air market traders are wondering what might become of their livelihoods. Sales of duct tape and earplugs have sky-rocketed and local Policemen are sporting uniforms that are obviously freshly pressed and have been seen polishing their truncheons.

Local DVD vendors are making a killing selling doom-laden (end of the world) movies and local street children are picking satang coins up from the streets. Everyone is aware that a difficult time is ahead. It as if a cloud of fear has decended upon the City of Pattaya.

had not noticed any difference anywhere in patter's. your taking the micky me thinks

I'm terrified Garry9999, I am in Kho Tao, (for a bit of r&r) I've had to stay up most nights, just in case the red/yellow or pink shirts launch a beach assault. I am happy to report all quite here.

Cummon now Tonto, you're just up at nights hoping the farang girls all go for a skinny dip in the moonlight.

I've just spent the past few weeks driving all around Issan and down to rayong. I spent time in villages and provincial cities and found everything calm and relaxed. There was even a lack of interest in the village the night Taksins verdict was announced.

The only difference I noticed was a higher than normal presence of roadblocks the night before the verdict and the BIL a cop spending a day at HQ for riot training.

I've just spent the past few weeks driving all around Issan and down to rayong. I spent time in villages and provincial cities and found everything calm and relaxed. There was even a lack of interest in the village the night Taksins verdict was announced.

The only difference I noticed was a higher than normal presence of roadblocks the night before the verdict and the BIL a cop spending a day at HQ for riot training.

Didn't someone once say something about 99% boredom and 1% sheer terror?

If that applies to Thailand at the moment, then this is most definitely the boring phase.

That's because you probably ordered yours from that Nigerian guy who told me I just won a million dollars and only needed to send him my credit card number. He told me my order is coming in the Thai mail.

Oh, that's just an honest mistake. I often get the mailman mistakenly delivering a million dollars to me. We have a laugh about it and split the money up between us. How do you think I pay for all these purchases?

I'm terrified Garry9999, I am in Kho Tao, (for a bit of r&r) I've had to stay up most nights, just in case the red/yellow or pink shirts launch a beach assault. I am happy to report all quite here.

Cummon now Tonto, you're just up at nights hoping the farang girls all go for a skinny dip in the moonlight.

I live in hope, “make love not war” but there’s a small problem with that Ianforbes, by the time they do dip a toe, I can’t see a thing what with the rum and my night vision goggles are on the blink! I just hope if the balloon go’s up here I’ll be able to tell the difference between frolicking farangs and red/yellow or pink storm troopers!

Pretty Casual at my place Garry, I have even given the armed guards and tank drivers the night off. Snipers are still in the boundary trees though.

Neverdie, What about the arty? Never ever hold back on the Artillery a few round of HE will sort anyone one out..... And there Isn’t a problem, political or domestic that a few pounds of HE couldn’t sort out! Try it out, I think You’ll be impressed with the results

Say this ten times fast...

Red Lorry Yellow Lorry, Red Lorry Yellow Lorry.

Now, answer quickly, which one has 6000 guns in it?

I do hope the mailman hasn't taken it. We had so much trouble when he took the Apache helicopter I ordered last year.

Yes, I know what you mean, ever since they brought in AirMail, motorbikes just aren't good enough, any more !

Otherwise it's all pretty relaxed in rural Chiang Mai, now that our local-election is over, and the loudspeaker-trucks went home.

Pretty Casual at my place Garry, I have even given the armed guards and tank drivers the night off. Snipers are still in the boundary trees though.

Neverdie, What about the arty? Never ever hold back on the Artillery a few round of HE will sort anyone one out..... And there Isn't a problem, political or domestic that a few pounds of HE couldn't sort out! Try it out, I think You'll be impressed with the results

as long as its clean Tonto, I don't like smelly HE.

Pretty Casual at my place Garry, I have even given the armed guards and tank drivers the night off. Snipers are still in the boundary trees though.

Neverdie, What about the arty? Never ever hold back on the Artillery a few round of HE will sort anyone one out..... And there Isn't a problem, political or domestic that a few pounds of HE couldn't sort out! Try it out, I think You'll be impressed with the results

as long as its clean Tonto, I don't like smelly HE.

Highly Explosive HE maybe