JUST A THOUGHT

In tense times life in Thailand remains anything but dull

Some of us might think that, right now, Thailand is not that pleasant a place to live in anymore. It's filled with so much tension, anxiety and, to a certain extent, hatred.

But believe it or not, if you leave this place for a while, you will want to return because you'll miss amazing Thailand!

Start with the Bt150-billion regional aviation hub. Right after touchdown, you can observe the cracks on the runways and taxiways of the four-month-old Suvarnabhumi Airport. Which other international airport allows you such an opportunity ?

The cracks in 25 areas are intended to serve as time-killing puzzles for passengers to solve. The gigantic potholes, pool of water, and long cracks will make you wonder how and why they happened. If you are bored with Sudoku, this might be a viable alternative.

And despite the complaints about the airport, from right before it opened until today, all of the so-called "faults" were designed to make travellers' journeys more memorable.

The dim lights and small flight-schedule screens are there to test your eyesight. If you feel uncomfortable looking near or far, maybe it's time to see the optician. Meanwhile, the limited number of restrooms is aimed at testing your endurance. It's a practice run to see how long you can hold it so that you will be able to do so if the need arises.

The long walkways from the terminal building to the gates are, in fact, a gym in disguise! It's no problem if you have no time for the gym because here you will get the needed exercise and an adrenaline rush as well if you are late for your flight.

The crammed arrivals area is intended to give a homely, cosy feel, just like the sometimes-stuck elevators and long taxi queues, both of which give you the chance to make new friends.

Never mind the fact that the airport has only been open since the end of September and that some flights might now be transferred to good old Don Muang, the new airport is still the pride and joy of the country.

As if all of this were not enough, once you step out into the streets of Bangkok the excitement goes up another notch - it's nothing short of a James Bond movie. Apart from watching out for bombs, real and fake, you also need to be cautious about what you say on your mobile phone because it might be tapped!

The ongoing psychological war between the former leader and the current administration only adds to the intrigue.

Both are racing against time to draw public support. One is acting innocent and pitiful while the other is acting tough in order to live up to its mission of uprooting all cases of corruption.

Thaksin launched his latest assault through interviews he gave from abroad while the current military government is trying hard to catch up. However, it seems that the latter is still an amateur in this game for it only "reacts" to Thaksin's comments without having a comprehensive public relations strategy or even a professional working one at that.

The latest bit of suspense came from Thaksin, though, with his "Enough is enough", remark, which, looking at his past track record, only contradicts his never-changing notion that "The world is not enough".

Of course, anything said and done by Thaksin is up for interpretation by anyone but one thing is for sure - he's created deep divisions in this country.

The sad part is that this showdown is unlikely to stop soon because Thaksin is not known for backing down easily. He's expected to give more interviews, but whether his answers will be more damaging to the military government or to himself is, again, up to your judgement. The government of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont must show that apart from having a "clean" image - in obvious contrast, it claims, to the previous government - it is also efficient enough to handle the violence in the deep South as well as economic policies.

A recent survey of over 2,000 participants conducted from January 13 to January 20 by Rangsit University showed that most believe the military government is honest, but is rather inefficient in producing concrete results. The next episode of Thailand's best thriller to date will certainly focus on the drafting of the new constitution. It might develop into the next big point of contention.

So where do all of these developments lead? How will this whole saga draw to a close?

Although real life doesn't usually end up "happily every after", hopefully the ending won't be a tragic one.

Veenarat Laohapakakul

The Nation Thailand
Saturday January 27, 2007