The (caretaker) government has declared a 60 day state of emergency after a series of violent attacks on and around the protest sites. 9 people have died already and there have been gun and grenade attacks in the city. Armoured vehicles have been spotted in the city as well, but the army says its definitely not got anything to do with a coup. Which is nice.

View from My House guest house in Rambuttri where we are staying

Toby and I have been soaking up some culture, visiting the national museum and the Calypso Cabaret starring the ladyboys of Bangkok. We have both got Big Lebowski T-Shirts now as well.

An actual scene from Thai history

Ladyboys

I found a protest site on a bridge near our guest house the other day, there weren't many people there and the few that were seemed happy to sit around in the sun. I caught the end of this guys set before the speeches started again.

I also visited 'Adhere the 13th Blues Bar' the other night, and heard some excellent blues covers of songs like Is This Love (Bob Marley), D'yer Maker (Led Zeppelin) and House of the Rising Sun (trad)

But mostly I have been passing the time playing guitar and waiting to get back to Goa. It is Sarah's birthday today and its a shame I will be missing it, but it does give me a whole extra week to sort out a present!

The protests are still happening, it gets quiet during the day then more people start appearing after they finish work. I saw a huge crowd of protesters singing along to a band playing 'Knocking on Heaven's Door' on Tuesday night.

This was on one of the main shopping streets (called Sukhumvit) in Bangkok, which was close to where we stayed on the first few nights. We've moved to near Khaosan Road now which is the backpacker central, and it is a bit further away from the protests. We're not too worried about them as there have only been a few minor incidences of violence, but its reassuring not to be smack bang in the middle of all of it. This part of town has more to see and do as well - museums, galleries, the ladyboy cabaret - its all here. The hotel is not as nice but we're saving a lot of money. I've also seen one of the other protest sites which is further south and based in a park. There are slightly less people there I think but there are still large crowds listening to the speeches.

I got caught up in a bit of a procession today but everyone seemed to be in high spirits.

Its not clear whether the protesters will achieve their aim of postponing the election, I have seen a lot of riot shields being moved around at the police station, though thankfully none have been deployed yet. I try and steer clear of it as it is exhausting negotiating the throngs of people, but I always end up gravitating towards the protest sites as there is so much good food there. I got some kind of fish cake thing today, I can't be any more specific but is was very good - chewy and spicy.

I have managed to find some quiet parts of the city, but I had to walk for quite a while.

This is called the big swing.

It is very big, but I was disappointed to find out that you can't swing on it. I found a little outdoor cinema today. 

The show hadn't started yet so I cam back later to see what they were watching. Something with Bruce Willis, Katherine-Zeta Jones and John Malkovich ageing disgracefully. It was dubbed in Thai so I couldn't understand a word, but I enjoy the atmosphere of a cinema regardless of what's on the screen.

There wasn't any popcorn going round, dried cuttlefish seemed to be the only munch available for the movie goers.

For those of you wondering what has happened to Sarah she is in Gokarna with Kat, they're having a good time and we're all looking forward to meeting up in Arambol in a couple of weeks.

So here I am in Bangkok. We arrived on Monday morning just as the protests were starting. Monarchists, the city elite and middle classes are attempting to bring Bangkok to a standstill to prevent the elections in February from taking place. The current government has the support of the north of the country but the protesters want to bring in an unelected council on a temporary basis. Or they just love the King - I'm not really sure about the rest of it but they definitely love the King. (I have been using Ulla's phone to take pictures which she was very kind to lend to me)

People were still arriving in their droves when we walked into central Bangkok and there are now makeshift camps set up at major intersections across the city (the sky trains and overpasses make a good shelter from the heat).

There is a definite 'Henman hill' vibe to some of the protesters, and a lot of the major protest sites are conveniently close to the big shopping centre and restaurant complexes, so a day of protesting can be fitted around the more congenial pursuits involved in a day in the capital. 

Stages have been set up at the protest sites, with huge crowds attending to hear the speeches.

But its not all speeches, I walked through the middle of what felt like a very busy music festival yesterday, with the rock band that had taken to the stage bringing high spirits to the crowds, whose stamina does not appear to be wavering (although its only been a couple of days so far)

There was even a mime artist entertaining one of the smaller crowds.

There is little doubt in the resolve of the protesters when you hear their whistles and cheers in response to the leaders exhorting them from the stage. Whistles are a feature of this protest, as they see themselves as 'blowing the whistle' on the corruption exhibited by the Shinawatra dynasty in their continued domination of Thai politics.

But there is something foreboding about these shrill cries, when you remember that these crowds are calling en masse for the suspension of democracy. The fact that they are primarily composed of the country's more affluent citizens make this feel more like the run-up to a reactionary military coup than a popular revolution. 

On the outskirts of the protest areas the roads have been blocked off. Cars and bikes are abandoned in orderly lines where protesters have exited to reach the protest-site on foot.

Electronic billboards tell traffic which roads have been blocked.

Outside this area there is quiet and calm, a reminder that this is a very localized protest, and that outside the city and the tens of thousands calling for the government to be deposed, the millions that elected it have yet to be heard in what has so far been a very one-sided display of discontent.

I've been told that riding elephants is definitely not OK as they are wild animals and its like riding a tiger.

So its been a little while since the last post, I dropped my camera in the sand so haven't had any new photos to upload, but there's still plenty to talk about (and I've nicked a copule of Ulla's photos). Sarah's parents Bill and Stella came to Arambol shortly after the last post closely followed by our friends Kat, Nirvana and Spencer from Bournemouth. Just when our little expat community was beginning to swell we lost a key member - Kathryn has gone back to England. We went for a dolphin spotting trip with her and Bill and Stella before we tearfully waved goodbye.

A dolphin!

Sarah, Kat and Kathryn

Drum circle, a daily occurrence at Arambol beach

We put a brave face on things and soldiered on, and not long after Sarah's parents left we had Christmas and new year to lift our spirits. Highlights of the festive period included a Christmas sing-song at Alastair's school with Toby dressed as Santa, watching fireworks from the roof top at new year, and having a proper roast for Christmas dinner at Cookie-Walla's (cinnamon stuffing!).

I also had my dreadlocks put in around this time. And we saw a field being burnt in worryingly close proximity to Toby and Ulla's house.

Here's me busting out some yoga during an intensive weekend workshop Sarah and I attended with our teacher Alex and a practising doctor who treats his patients with yoga. All the following images are taken from Alex's site www.yogoa.de

Just after New Year Toby's friend Herman and his girlfriend Nina came to Arambol. Herman is a country singer from Holland with an authentic Texan accent. He plays a mean blues and was heading down to an open mic at Loekie cafe so I tagged along.

Herman and Nina leave for Hampi tonight. Then on Sunday I'll be off to Bangkok with Toby (he felt honour bound to accompany me, for my own safety).

After the last few months of living the good life in Arambol January will be a more challenging month, and Sarah and I will be travelling separately. I have to go to Thailand to apply for a new visa, Sarah left on Saturday to travel with Kat down to Hampi. We will meet back in Arambol when I return from Thailand.