• 
• 

Coupled with scenes of violence on some streets in Bangkok broadcast to the world by international news agencies, comments by one Oxford University professor, that a civil war was looming in Thailand, sounded menacingly convincing.

A few years ago, when teenagers in France looted shops and burned buildings to protest against the government, I found those scenes horrific and thought they severely dented that country's image as a leading tourist destination.

When scenes from another country disgust us, we should never forget what we've seen in Bangkok, such as police beating demonstrators. Days later, pro- and anti-government groups clashed, leading to the enactment of a state of emergency for the city. People are still talking about the long swords some demonstrators carried with them before clashing with the opposite camp. One person died.

Despite some violence, the anti-government protesters are preaching "civil obedience" to oust the government.

What is "civil disobedience"? Wikipedia calls it "the active refusal to obey certain laws, demands and commands of a government, or of an occupying power, without resorting to physical violence. It is one of the primary tactics of non-violent resistance. In its most non-violent form (known as ahimsa or satyagraha), it could be said that it is compassion in the form of respectful disagreement."

I agree it is non-violent resistance on the part of those from many provinces who have seemingly settled permanently inside Government House, turning the prestigious premises into a slum.

I also feel okay with those university students who have joined the People's Alliance for Democracy's anti-government demonstration, although the high school students do upset me a bit. If I were one of their mothers, I would certainly be worried about them taking part in the demonstration. Even though they are exercising "civil disobedience" by not carrying any weapons, who can guarantee that other demonstrators are not? Indeed, joining a demonstration is not as simple as visiting an ice-cream parlour.

I envision more and more people from all walks of life joining the PAD, believing only this can force out the government and restore peace. But will this come true?

I also envision that if this protest succeeds, we'll see more in the coming years.

Any time the public becomes disgruntled about any policy, it will resort to a street protest to get its way.

Is Thailand experiencing a civil war? Not now, but one could be just around the corner.

First, let's see if the mobile Cabinet meeting in Udon Thani sparks a mini-civil war.