After all the posts about Wolfgang, here is one about Thai politics: Bangkok (and the rest of Thailand) are now covered in election campaign posters. Indeed, on 3 July, there will be parliamentary elections. For those who follow Thai politics, the current government is controlled by the Democrat Party (prime minister: Abhisit Vejjajiva, pictured on one of the posters with the number 10) and took power in late 2008 after a number of legal challenges to the previous government. You can see some typical campaign posters. A lot are of the boring type (pictures of politicians) but some are more colorful (and controversial). The yellow posters are from the PAD (aka the "yellow shirts"), the same political group blocking the airports in 2008 when leading protests against the previous government. One of the posters states "keep the animals out of parliament", a not so subtle message against their sworn enemies, the "red shirts". The PAD boycotts the elections and wants people not to vote. The managed to get a poster up on an enormous unfinished building (due to the Asian financial crisis in the late 1990s). The red shirts' party is the opposition Pheu Thai Party, and the front-runner is Yingluck Shinawatra (on the poster with the number 1), sister of deposed PM Thaksin Shinawatra (ousted in a coup in 2006). The posters with the expressive faces (list nr. 5) are of Chuvit Kamolsivit, a businessman who made fortune by operating a series of 'massage' parlors and hotels. There are also a number of smaller parties which may be joining on or the other coalition, depending on the incentives. Pheu Thai is expected to get the most votes at the election, but the exact outcome is uncertain. Many fear political unrest as the losing side will be unhappy. For those interested, there is more information here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thai_politics
We also attach some city pictures, including one from our window showing the daily traffic jam on Sathorn Road (exiting the city).
Some more pictures (both old and new) from the small person living in our flat ;-)
