thai government

tonight my heart breaks for Thailand.  the goverment has continued to shut down any media sympathetic to the protests and escalated the violence against a peaceful demonstration.  i find it hard to believe the UN and human rights watch groups are ignoring what is going on here but they didn't 'see' Rwanda or Darfur either so i guess it's to be expected when it's not an oil producing country.

there is a unusually high number of casualties among the western journalists within the protest site.  they seem to be the only ones giving a voice to the protesters and as a result i think the jackets they wear marked press provide a clear target for the military.

tourism is down drastically here and even the night market on Saturday evening was empty.  tonight should be my last night in Chiang Mai as i'm waiting for a visa from the chinese consulate here which i can pick up tomorrow.  as i wrapped up the day and was returning to my hotel i snapped this shot of burning tires just outside the gates of the old city.  the old city is a tourist area and so the red shirts say they will not demonstrate here.  there is a curfew here so everything was closed up tight by 8PM.  the news coming from Bangkok is even worse.  i'll head to Chiang Rai and jump the Laos border tomorrow evening if possible.