The tension can be felt, rumors are spreading. It feels like the city is preparing itself for the final battle. Office workers leave the work early, companies are busy preparing emergency plans. After this weekend there will be a different scenario, no more standstill which dominated Bangkok during the last six weeks.
Everyone in Thailand is expecting a sort of high noon with different opinions going around. Hardliners say that the red shirt blockade should be wiped out, no matter if it will cost human lives. Others, more moderate argue that even with the blockage gone, the problem will still be there. This was yesterday.
Recent news however, bring a glimpse of hope. Thailand's army and anti-government protesters made tentative peace
overtures Friday, seeking to avoid a looming crackdown and a repeat of
clashes that left 25 people dead earlier this month. Suddenly, the leaders of the "red shirts" give a signal that they are ready to negotiate. The conditions for a withdrawal are admittedly still too ambitious and certainly are unacceptable for the Abhisit government.
The Thai army is also against a use of violence. The army
chief said that the use of force was no solution to Thailand's crisis,
which pits the red-shirted demonstrators against a government they
condemn as illegitimate and undemocratic.
"The use of force will
not end the current problems and would have many repercussions," army
chief General Anupong Paojinda told a meeting of top brass, according to
deputy spokesman Colonel Sirichan Ngathong.
"The best thing is
to create understanding among the people. The army's job now is to take
care of the people, and not allow Thais to attack each other."
Anupong
told AFP on Thursday that he aimed to end the standoff without further
bloodshed, saying authorities "can uphold the law with no people dead or
injured."
His comments, which contrasted with warnings earlier
this week that security forces were ready to use live ammunition if
needed, came amid high tensions in the capital, which is under a state
of emergency.
However, time can be a challenge. The leaders of the "yellow shirts" had warned the government earlier this week, that if the situation continued to be unresolved, they would step in and fight the "red shirts". This ultimatum expires in 36 hours.
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