Since the unexpected birth of a panda in Chiang Mai Zoo on May 27, Thais have been infected with panda fever. The Thai newspapers carry daily updates on the baby panda’s progress.
The Thai media also publish daily reports on A (H1N1)-related deaths and infection. Since May 12 when Thailand reported its first infection on its soil, Thais have been worried sick about the disease which has claimed 25 of their countrymen’s lives.
These two news items have somehow managed to push the country’s scorching politics out of the minds of most Thais.
Anyway since the tumultuous April riots (by the Red Shirts or the Thai military (depending on which side of the political divide you are on) there has been relative calm in Thai politics.
So it was interesting to read yesterday the opinion piece of Thanong Khanthong, the editor of The Nation.
“I heard that the people in green uniforms (euphemism for the Thai military) are making some unusual movements in preparation for something big,” Thanong wrote in his Friday column called “Overdrive”.
“Many people are also feeling worried about the solar eclipse that will take place on July 22. The solar eclipse is seen by some as a bad omen for countries directly affected by it.
Most people also would like to know whether there will be any serious political incidents between now and July 22, and beyond.”
Thanong consulted his favourite astrologer to find out what to expect from the eclipse. Many Thai people pay attention to astrolgy. “It’s gonna be pretty bad,” the female astrologer told him. “It will adversely affect the astrological sign of Cancer. We don’t know whether it will hurt Abhisit or Thaksin Shinawatra (the self-exiled former prime minister). Both are Cancer. Either could get hit.”
The editor also told his astrologer that he “smelled” a coup as the military was making unusual movements. “If the military were to stage a coup, they should do it now. The alignment of the stars is on their side,” she said.
