How do you tell red from yellow when it's white?

If any academic tells you that he has finally arrived at a clear-cut definition of a red shirt or yellow shirt in the Thai political context, he is either deluding himself or simply lying.

As time goes by, fragmentation and polarisation have made it even more difficult to tell a "red" from a "yellow". A classic paradox came to pass recently when it was suggested the reds and yellows could form a united front to oust Premier Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Both sides, of course, have had to issue vehement denials over this rumour, if for no other reason than to ensure their own survival as a distinct political grouping. If society gets increasingly confused about the difference between the two rival camps, things could get so absurd that people might start making statements to the effect that Thaksin Shinawatra may propose setting up a coalition government with Abhisit Vejjajiva and the Democrats.

Jokes have already started to make the rounds that some red-shirt leaders have let it be known that they are now glued to the yellow-backed ASTV channel. You don't even need a "red channel" to say such terrible things about embattled Prime Minister Abhisit anymore.

In other words, if you take out the channel logos of both camps, you wouldn't be able to tell the difference. If the red and yellow content in their respective media starts to sound the same, what is going to happen to the political eco-system?

I must confess that this disturbing scenario has begun to make me spend sleepless nights. No, I am not against national reconciliation - and I am all for the two sides putting an end to some of their ridiculous bickering. What I am seriously concerned about is that instead of using their political differences to build a foundation for a transparent, informed debate to promote democracy, their ongoing spat might turn into some sort of collusion once they have found a "common enemy" to destroy.

Quite a few of us in the "colourless" camp have been led to believe that the reds and yellows were promoting different causes that require the rest of us to choose sides. That, to me, was a healthy sign that was good for democracy. I would even venture to call it "constructive chaos" - and that should be preferable to "destructive order". The yellow shirts were fighting corruption, and the red shirts were calling for the bridging of the gap between the urban rich and the rural poor. Both were in fact performing the admirable task of uplifting the country's civil society.

Now we hear the yellow shirts' campaign to boost the government's stand against Cambodia's territorial claims on the border. Their investigation into various legal and documented evidence to back Thailand's position is no doubt laudable. The new red-shirt leader's stand to take the movement beyond the Thaksin personality cult is also commendable.

A new research paper released by the Thailand Development Research Institute (TDRI) insists that supporters of the red-shirt movement aren't necessarily the stereotyped poor people of the Northeast. If correct, this should do away with one of the myths commonly held among political analysts. As well, advocates of the yellow shirts do not have to be "elitist, conservative" elements of society.

Despite their differing original objectives, both the yellow and red movements should develop into effective, transparent and responsible groupings in a civil society that calls for changes for the better, with emphasis on building transparent and open-minded exchanges. But news of their possible merger signals a dilution of their principles and smacks of political expediency.

Yes, the yellow shirts and red shirts must keep their debate alive and their struggles active - to offer society the variety of choices that is so vital to achieving positive change.

Any red-yellow attempt at connivance would be seen as a betrayal not only to their own supporters, but also against those of us who believe in diversity of views and who are highly suspicious of conspiracy born of vested interests and ulterior motives.

But then, a new issue has emerged that makes things even more complicated: Are you sure you can tell a red-shirt supporter from a yellow-shirt when they wear a white shirt to talk politics?