I must admit on this blog that until I lived in Thailand did I really have any interest in politics. When we arrived in Thailand all was well with the world. Thaksin was the premiere and everyone seemed happy. A few months after our being there, however, rallys and protests began against him. And, just over a year after we arrived he was ousted in a bloodless, military coup while Thaksin was in NYC speaking to the UN. Since September 2006, we saw several governments take over and different groups rallying against another. And so, in the midst of all that, I found myself reading all the news and trying to get a good grip on what was going on. I think one very fascinating point of Thai politics is how religion plays a role, a very important role for all Thais.
As I have watched footage from the BBC I noticed how the people are covered in amulets hanging from their necks and I thought to myself this must be to ward off evil spirits and to protect themselves from harm. Then I stumbled across this article, also from the BBC, which confirmed my thoughts. I encourage you to read it. It gives a little bit of insight into religion and politics in Thailand.
If you ask me, I do not take sides. I am not Thai. I do not understand everything there is to understand about Thailand and her politics. What I do believe is that God is in control of even these protests. None of this takes Him by surprise and I firmly believe that all of this is His working out a sovereign plan that includes bringing many Thai people to Himself. The red shirt protest continues to go on, even today, though reportedly numbers have fallen to 4o,ooo. So far, it has been a peaceful protest. We can thank God for this and if you will, please continue praying for God to break down these strongholds.
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