Bangkok has an endless number of things to blog about, but there are times – like right now – when it becomes a bit of a chore. The ongoing, and seemingly unsolvable, political crisis is dominating everything from lunchtime conversations to the evening news, and it’s a serious problem with serious and long-term consequences. I previously wrote that the best way (for me) to deal with it was to simply stop caring about any of it. To stop worrying and fretting and getting worked up, because no matter how much I did, it would have zero effect on the outcome. But that doesn’t change the fact that it’s an ongoing problem, and whatever happens will help to shape Thailand going forward. 

But this is not a political blog, and I’m not a political commentator. First of all, frankly, I ain’t smart enough to be one. I have opinions and ideas like anyone else, but the fact is, in a head-to-head debate with anyone familiar with the history and nuance of Thailand’s political scene I’d be destroyed. So, I’ll leave that to the professionals who do it for a living (and the amateurs who do it for…whatever they do it for). Secondly, politics in Thailand is, shall we say, a hot-button issue. Say the wrong thing to the wrong person and you can find yourself in a world of hurt. All you have to do is a few searches for political comments on Facebook or Twitter and you’ll see the amount of vitriol and anger being thrown around. Life’s too short to get caught up in any of that hyperbolic bullshiat.

Usually colorful, sometimes cold and gray. Flickr photo by Mike Behnken.

Usually colorful, sometimes cold and gray. Flickr photo by Mike Behnken.

But, this is a blog about Thailand and everything that goes on inside of it, which often involves politics. The question then becomes, do I jump into the lion’s den and write about these political events that are dominating the news, or do I come off as oblivious and apathetic by writing about the billion other things that are going on in Bangkok that have nothing to do with politics? I don’t think I’m alone in saying that when there’s a crisis going on, writing about non-crisis things, no matter where you are, can feel a bit…hollow. I guess all one can do is write about their life and what interests them, and the rest – whatever it is – will follow.

Okay, enough of the hypothetic questions. Back to writing about traffic and snacks.