Chiang Mai Landing

Well its been good to be in Chiang Mai.  We are staying at the Juniper Tree, a kind of oasis from the daily grind we usually live.  There are several families here with kids our kids ages and so they have made fast friends.  We too have enjoyed being with other like minded expats.  The pool is a plus!  The kids have swam and swam and swam themselves deliriously tired.  As for me, I am 34+ weeks pregnant, having issues with shortness of breath, tachycardia and blood pressure (but the blood pressure has been pretty good).  With all that I am very thankful we are at a place that prepares 3 meals a day for us and does the laundry.  That is why we chose the Juniper Tree and it has proven to be a wise choice.  The kids have had some trouble getting used to the different tastes offered here, but its nothing peanut butter and jelly can't remedy.

Its day 10 and I have now been to see 2 doctors and 2 hospitals.  I am pleased with the doctor, but not so much with the hospital.  Its just kind of old school, extremely medically (I mean it is a hospital and all) and makes me wish for some nice birthing suite somewhere.  The funny thing is that in our city in China, although the health care is lacking, the facilities have improved tremendously with new wards, comfortable surroundings and state of the art equipment.  If I had no issues I would have surely considered just staying home this go round.  But we are here and here we will stay until Noah makes his grand appearance.

So, in Thai news, the military ordered martial law yesterday and the citizens of Bangkok were greeted with tanks and armed forces on their way to work.  There is a long history of protest and coups here.  When we were in Bangkok in 2008 to have Lola they were protesting.   It was loud and the sheer # of people was amazing.  We would walk on the Sky Train bridge overhead and watch them as they chanted and shouted their slogans.  It wasn't unnerving at all - it just was.  In 2010 there was much more violence associated with the protesting.  They wanted the leader out and he finally fled only to be replaced by his sister (I think).  The yellow shirts cry corruption and I think that is the general consensus, but there are others who support the leaders and their means and have voted them into power.  They like the subsidies and other changes the government has made and so there is a rift.  Anyway, in February of this year we had to renew visas so we came to Bangkok.  It was a lockdown and many of the major intersections were closed with protesting.  There was a huge stage set up at Central Mall on Sukumvit right in the middle of the intersection.  Speakers and musicians would take turns addressing and entertaining.  Tents lined the sidewalks and the streets.  There were vendors peddling their goods and food stalls everywhere.  It seemed more like a fair than a protest, until a speaker began blaring the injustices over a loud speaker - then you could feel a bit of tension.  It made me feel uneasy.  It was terribly inconvenient because you could not taxi to many places and being pregnant made it difficult to do much.  Thankfully we were only in Bangkok several days.  On the day before the election we tried to take the kids to the aquarium, but our taxi wanted to let us off right in the middle of the protest.  Although it was still daylight, and considered mostly safe, I just felt a tension in the air and decided we should just go back to the guesthouse.  Later in the evening we walked up the street to grab some burgers and a local calmly told us we should head back to our hotel because their had been a lot of violence that day, people had been shot and several were killed.  Yes, it was definitely a different situation this time.

I learned more about the tension between the red shirts and the yellow shirts.  I also found out that the red shirts really don't care for the government "they" voted in to be removed.  They aren't really not down with another coup.  We've been watching the situation for some time.  The state of emergency was lifted in March or early April and things seemed to be cooling off - although no one had what they really wanted.  I have been so sickly &/or busy getting ready for this trip that I failed to keep up the last few weeks.  Apparently 2 weeks ago the president or prime minister or whatever they call their leader here was removed along with 9 of the cabinet.  I'm sure this did not sit well with the red shirts. In between March and now I have read several reports of suspected bombs, more protests and a couple shootings.  But in general, Thailand is one of the most peaceful places on earth so you have to take it all into perspective.  With the military declaring martial law yesterday I think everyone is waiting to see what will happen next.  They say it is not a coup.  But I believe there are some standing poised to retaliate if it becomes one.   We of course pray for the peace of Thailand, not only because we are here, but also because we love the Thai people.  They are so sweet and endearing.  

So that is my take on the situation, but there is no change in Chaing Mai for the moment.  I guess I may not know anyway since I am secluded in my little oasis RESTING.  I am so ready to get out and about, but today like most days getting out amounts to walking to the dining hall.  Thankful I am for that dining hall and meeting place.  Chicken and chips tonight (that means french fries) but I'll be eating brown rice and chicken with some kind of vegetable to keep my sugar at bay.  More on that later.  Sawadee Kha!