Yellow Shirts...Red Shirts, Songkran and Manila

The streets of Bangkok during the latter part of last week were back to being jammed and congested, in sharp contrast to Monday through Wednesday when they were largely empty and quiet (except where there were ongoing protests). Whether this was because of the protests and violence that occurred or because of Songkran (Thai New Year) we are not sure. Many Thai people would say it was because of the protests and blame the protesters for preventing a fun Songkran.

Much could and is being written about the ongoing political turmoil that has entangled Thailand for the past three to four years. If you want a good summary of the players and which color shirt supports who, go to the following BBC site:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/asia-pacific/7584005.stm

You can also read much more detail and stay current at: www.bangkokpost.com

And for another scathing no holds barred editorial by Voranai Vanijaka who we have previous quoted here click on:
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/15267/where-thaksin-went-wrong

Though the government has managed to diffuse the latest tension (not without some extensive embarrassment, pictures of tourists running to the airport and hotel room vacancies instantly skyrocketing) there are still continued challenges that need to be faced and solved. What do you do when a popular and populist freely elected former prime minister of a country, but one who was steadily changing the laws to benefit himself, putting more power in his hands is overthrown in a coup, has since been convicted of corruption charges but is overtly doing all he can to get back into power even though ‘free’ elections were held after the coup? What do you do when those subsequent elections put back into power most of the former prime minister’s fellow governing party members (under a different name since his party was banned) and then the ‘middle class, educated, elite’ (yellow shirts) largely located in Bangkok decides this isn’t right and they protest and take over the country’s airports ultimately bringing down the party of the former prime minister (as well as continuing to degrade Thailand’s reputation) only to be replaced by another party and prime minister which now the red shirts are protesting?

Easy huh?

In past years when Thailand experienced coups, either ordered or sanctioned by the military, that put someone new into leadership there wasn’t necessarily a large opposition to it. Life carried on. Now the situation exists where there are two groups that both feel very strongly about certain issues and who are fiercely opposed to what the other group is doing (hmm, sounds like another place we know). Both groups bear blame for recent actions and certainly the former prime minister has revealed his true colors as he is willing to bring down the country in his pursuit of power and ego. There are many who do wish for his triumphant return as there are definite issues of justice and economic inequality that need to be addressed. Complex! And though the latest crisis is over there is danger that the power struggle will now become less overt. Last week, after the protests were over, the leader of the PAD ‘Yellow Shirts,’ (but not the current prime minister)experienced an attempted assassination on his life.

The protests did put a bit of a damper on Songkran – although as you will see from the pictures, not too much of a damper. There is enough water spread around during Thai New Year to keep everyone cool! Songkran/Thai New Year occurs during the hottest time of the year – and what better way to celebrate than douse everyone with water. For three days or so almost the entire country participates in a water fight. Of course there are cultural and religious symbols as part of this. (Traditionally water was thrown as a symbol of good luck for abundant harvests. Later the focus became more associated with the yearly cleansing of the Buddha statues which still occurs. Many stores will have a Buddha statue at the entrance which customers pour water over.) But mainly it has become one big party/three day national holiday (although this year it was extended an extra two days so the government could finish dealing with the remaining protesters) and is meant to be a lot of fun. Literally, wherever you go, people throw water on you. Sit down for a meal and your server might pour a glass of water on your head and down your back. Walk down the street and you will be a target of young and old with Super Soakers, buckets, hoses and white paste that is smeared on your face. Ride in a bus – same deal. Many will get together with their friends and drive around in the back of a pickup full of barrels of water and have water fights with those they pass on the road. It is fun, often bedlam and often dangerous. Each year hundreds are killed in accidents usually involving alcohol but also as a result of the water throwing. Imagine you are riding a motorcycle down the street and a bucket of water is thrown at you. Maybe you get wet, maybe you get knocked off!

We didn’t venture out too much partly because it was a little more quiet which let us study more, partly because an insulin pump even though well wrapped to keep it dry doesn’t fit in too well with Songkran activities. But we did take pictures from our building of some of the fun below us in the street.

We had a great week in Manila the week before Songkran began, leaving Saturday, April 4 and returning Saturday the 11th. We needed to leave the country to renew our visas and thought what better way to take advantage of this than by going to the Philippines so Andrea could see Faith Academy (Duncan’s high school) and spend some time with our friends Robby and Deanna Nichols and their three great kids. (Robby and I graduated from Faith together almost twenty years ago! Deanna graduated the year before us.) The week started off well as we were bumped up to Business class for the flight over. (For all those who used to dread flying Philippine Airlines (PAL) back in the day, they have done a great turn around from when they completely shut down a few years back! I’m officially a fan!)

The Nichols Family were great hosts and much fun to be with. The highlight of our week was just hanging out with Robby, Deanna, Ellie, Douglas and Patrick. Andrea and I had planned to go spend a night on Corrigidor, (famous WWII Island) but after spending five hours one day on public transport just getting to Fort Santiago and back we decided we were done with trying to get anywhere in Manila and decided to just hang out with the Nichols in and around Faith.

It had been nine years since I was last at Faith when I was part of a group that spoke at the high school’s Spiritual Enrichment Week. Since that time the school has experienced a massive building spree that most Faith alum know about so we won’t bore you with details here. But let’s just say – the new pool (or Aquatics Center) and the new auditorium (more like a symphony hall) are amazing. The Southern Baptist pool and the long narrow auditorium of yesteryear are distant memories.

In addition to physical changes there have also been changes in the student population. Now, 30 percent of the students are from Korea. Where 20 years ago, 15 mission groups made up 60 percent of the student population, now there are over 150 mission groups.
Due to the many increased opportunities in other countries OMF (my parent’s mission) closed the last of their dorms several years ago. There are still a handful of OMF MK’s at Faith but certainly not 4-5 dorms full. (Andrea and I went and looked at the old OMF Double dorm which is being used as the home of a family who have a large orphanage across the street next to the old dirt basketball court that used to be there. It was really cool to see how this family and the teams they host are so invested in the immediate barrio/village on the street. And they are still raising chickens there – a gracious note to one who was wacky enough to start rearing chickens there a couple decades ago!)

There are many other changes – email if you want to know more details. (Faith alum...there is a Jollibee at the entrace to Valley Golf now - right opposite the Golf Ball!!) Faith however is at a unique turning point in some ways. Though they have expanded their physical facility incredibly, attendance is down a little. This is bound to happen if just one mission closes all their dorms! Yet the school is also being given amazing other opportunities like hosting teachers from closed access countries in Asia and the Middle East who get to come to Faith and take back what they learn and see to their countries!

It was interesting to be in Manila again for holy week and Good Friday which is such a huge thing there and then back in Thailand for Easter where it is largely nonexistent. On Maundy Thursday evening Robby and I jumped on his motorbike and drove out to Ortigas Avenue along which were walking hundreds of thousands of people making the annual all night pilgrimage to Antipolo and a revered shrine/statue. And then to be back here where many Thai Christians were on vacation at the beach on Easter Sunday. No special service, music, hardly a mention of Easter in some places.

One last highlight of our time in Manila – reconnecting with Nick Clarin a long time Filipino Faith (former OMF) employee who I hadn’t seen for 19 years – And he remembered my name with no prompting!! Faith continues to be a special school with some special people there!







Look for more Manila and Songkran photos to be posted shortly.

Duncan