So somehow we ended up in Bangkok
in the middle of a military coup.
It was already low season
but add in martial law ,
a curfew to put the kibosh* on all rooftop cocktails
a curfew to put the kibosh* on all rooftop cocktails
together with the rainy season and high humidity,
and you practically have the place all to yourself!
Wonderful, whoever wanted a boring holiday?
Wonderful, whoever wanted a boring holiday?
We’ve packed carefully
no red or yellow t-shirts
which might be misconstrued as political support one way or another.
Our Australian Government’s Smart Traveller advice is to:
exercise a high degree of caution in Thailand,
exercise a high degree of caution in Thailand,
as the security situation remains volatile…
We arrive to find remarkable calm,
and unlike many European or American airports
not even a Royal Thai Army machine gun in sight…
We arrive to find remarkable calm,
and unlike many European or American airports
not even a Royal Thai Army machine gun in sight…
When you arrive at Bangkok’s International Airport these days
the Thailand Tourist Board operating under
the new administration of
the National Council for Peace and Order,
give you a right royal welcome.
the new administration of
the National Council for Peace and Order,
give you a right royal welcome.
The Thai people, renown for being friendly and welcoming
are so super pleased to see visitors these days,
they are offering tourists one heavily discounted local tour.
We figured speeding through the Bangkok backwaters
should keep us well away from any trouble.
Yes, a James Bond boat tour was perfect!
Our tour guide turns up in a Stars and Stripes Jacket,
he thought we were American!
Which actually as it turns out was rather sweet of him
as he later tells us he is not best pleased with the
US Government for the Trade sanctions
they have imposed on Thailand.
We didn’t like to go there with what the
British or Aussie Governments are doing…
Or that the rest of the world
is not entirely impressed by Thailand’s
is not entirely impressed by Thailand’s
recent military, government or political behavour!
‘No, no we’re not American’ we say!
But actually the majority of the Thai people we speak to
seem resigned to the coup, even welcoming.
‘Someone needed to sort things out‘, they say.
They’ve seen coup after coup here in Thailand.
and now the curfew has been lifted,
they hardly notice any difference.
‘When they closed 7 Eleven, then it was serious’
It appears as if the rest of the world is far more concerned about
the removal of democracy than the Thai’s we converse with.
seem resigned to the coup, even welcoming.
‘Someone needed to sort things out‘, they say.
They’ve seen coup after coup here in Thailand.
and now the curfew has been lifted,
they hardly notice any difference.
‘When they closed 7 Eleven, then it was serious’
It appears as if the rest of the world is far more concerned about
the removal of democracy than the Thai’s we converse with.
Of course we don’t meet the peasant farmers who would disagree,
One lone taxi driver, in the privacy of his own cab tells us
‘No-one is saying what they think…
They are scared’.
We’ve been to Bangkok many times
and apart from the lack of tourists,
it doesn’t feel any different to us.
and apart from the lack of tourists,
it doesn’t feel any different to us.
There are some phenomenal deals on hotels
Flights are pretty cheap
and guess what we got a late check out at the hotel until 4pm
Easy when no-one is checking in!
Book your holiday to Thailand quick
It’s beautiful here
Don’t you think?!
* ki·bosh
Idioms
2.
put the kibosh on, to put an end to; squelch; check: Anothersuch injury may put the kibosh on her athletic career.
