How Shall it Be Written?

In Thailand, "red shirt" protesters who are mostly from the countryside are clashing with security forces in the capital city. There are also protests going on in other cities. The government is made up of the urban elements who have denied the red shirts the power that they've achieved in elections thorugh their superior numbers. The stand off seems to be escalating on both sides:

Thai troops fired rubber bullets and tear gas on Saturday at demonstrators who retaliated with petrol bombs in the biggest confrontation of month-long street protests for new elections.

At least 171 people, including 64 soldiers and police, have been wounded in skirmishes near the Phan Fah bridge and Rajdumnoen Road in Bangkok's old quarter, a protest base near government buildings and the regional U.N. headquarters.

Hundreds of "red shirt" protesters also forced their way into government offices in two northern cities, raising the risk of a larger uprising against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

"We are changing our demand from dissolving parliament in 15 days to dissolving parliament immediately," protest leader Veera Musikapong told the "red shirt" demonstrators. "And we call for Abhisit to leave the country immediately."

So far the government isn't using live ammo. The security forces have lots of recruits from the countryside, however, and so the government must be careful in how it moves against the protesters lest the security forces waver and switch sides in sufficient numbers.

But the protesters are both using deadly weapons and demanding more, which could raise the stakes and make the government take the risk of using deadly force. We shall see what the government decides to do.

Strategypage has had good coverage of the situation.

The Thais haven't really embraced democracy. Until they accept election results without first checking to see who won at the ballot boxes, all they have is another method of maintaining the regime. I'm hoping Iraqis can set an example for the Thais.