De-lurking

[Lampang]

Hi all. After signing up last October, I thought I ought to post something. What to say? I started out as a regular social democrat many, many years ago but my thoughts have drifted increasingly leftward over the past few years, partly as a result of coming to understand the depths of the world’s ecological problems and how capitalism is the biggest impediment to implementing solutions but also because, although I’m English, I live in rural Thailand and the recent political upheavals here have forced me to rethink my opinions. I’m still in the process of this rethinking so – other than describing myself as a socialist – I can’t really be more precise about my beliefs. In fact, I think it’s probably a good think not to reach out too readily to these labels. Anyway, I’m not sure how often I’ll be posting as I’m a bit busy with (a) plodding my way through Capital, (b) teaching myself Thai, (c) doing my hardest to get up to speed with Thai politics and (d) building an adobe house but I’ll pop in from time to time.

[Chambered Word]

Did you get to witness the Red Shirt protests at all?

Welcome to RevLeft! :)

[Lampang]

No, I'm a long way from Bangkok. I was down there by chance last year (April 09) when there were smaller red shirt riots and saw them hijack a couple of APCs in the centre of town (at which point the very posh department store I was just leaving collectively shat its pants). The red shirts are a mixed bunch. There are some socialists in there and there's some talk of class war but on the whole they adore Thaksin (the ex-PM who was overthrown by the army), who's a straightforward neo-liberal who just saw the electoral advantage of throwing the poor a very small bone. Sadly, his astonishing popularity in the villages is really a sign of how weak the left is here.

[Sasha]

welcome

[Q]

Welcome :)

[Chambered Word]

They were hijacking APCs? Sounds pretty interesting to watch. :)

Enjoy your stay here comrade.