Border Protests

We set off to extend our visas the other day. When we got near the border, the road had turned into a parking lot for taxi trucks. As we weaved our way through these, we could hear music, voices over loud speakers, and shouting. The visa office was closed down and there were Thai police and protesters all around. The Thai people were yelling at the Burmese who had to walk by to cross back over the bridge. One Thai woman told us the protesters were poor Thai people angry at the Burmese for coming across the border and accessing health care in Thailand, while many of the poor Thai farmers, etc are not able to pay for their own health care. They eventually opened the visa booth and the protest remained nonviolent. Most of the protest in Thailand are non violent, even the recent coup and country wide protest at the government were as well. Thailand has gone through 4 Prime Ministers in the last two and a half years.