As Thailand inches closer, I wanted to do a little research on the effects of martial law in Bangkok, in particular. What I found was an article that listed 8 things that could get one arrested under the current martial law in Thailand. These are the things that you CANNOT do.
- Wear a T-shirt (or any clothing presumably) that promotes division amongst people.
- Flash the 3-fingered Hunger Games salute; it was a peaceful sign of protest at the start of this military coup.
- Eat a sandwich in public; amazingly, this is also considered a sign of peaceful protest. I want to know exactly what constitutes a sandwich. Is it anything eaten between two slices of bread? What if I’m eating a burger, sans bun (i.e. between two lettuce leaves)? Would that get me hauled away?
- Play non-approved computer games. This should be easy enough. More than likely, that would refer to MILITARY computer games.
- Read certain books; the example given was George Orwell’s 1984. Without a list specifying exactly which books, this is very, very risky, wouldn’t one think?
- Gather in groups of more than 5. That would mean most team sports are out and you can completely forget about family reunions!
- Be labeled “problematic” or a political activist. “Problematic” is my middle name when it comes to work, but it doesn’t usually carry over into my vacations.
- Write anything criticizing the government, including on social media. I’ve never been one for politics, so won’t pretend to understand anything about what’s going on in Thai politics, much less that of the U.S.A.
Take note, those of you who are heading to Thailand. These are good things to take into account. Just think, had I not read that article, half a dozen or MORE of my friends and I might have been planning to picnic and (obviously) eat sandwiches in public, while playing Medal of Honor, reading inflammatory books and jokingly flashing the Hunger Games salute to each other – all at the same time. I would be hauled away to a Thai prison on multiple charges. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, my boss would be asking the analysts “WHEN does Tina return from vacation?!”