BANGKOK – Thailand’s citizens went on full alert Wednesday when all Thai television stations ceased their normal broadcasting, and were instead showing live video feeds of the Panda Channel.
The change began at 7:35am Bangkok time as Thai army troops were breaking through the barricades at Lumpini Park, and reporters were describing intense gun battles and explosions. The broadcasts were suddenly cut off and replaced with images of Thailand’s two beloved pandas.
The playing of panda footage has often signaled the beginning of a military coup in Thailand, where universal reverence and love for Lin Hui and Lin Ping is considered a unifying factor that can pacify Thai citizens with reminders of their common bonds.
International news stations were cut shortly afterward, with CNN, BBC, NHK, and even CCTV replaced by written announcements that Lin Ping’s birthday was coming up and that the nation would be rejoicing on the auspicious occasion.
Social networking sites were abuzz with coup rumors until about 10am, when all web traffic was redirected to a live webcam feed of Lin Hui scratching her belly and rolling over playfully.
By 2pm the live feed of the pandas was replaced with archival footage of the baby panda’s first day, as well as edited footage of highlights of the first year of the beloved icon’s life. Children’s music played over the footage, while superimposed text described Lin Ping as the “Heart of all Thais.”
The only non-panda source of live information in Bangkok by that time was Twitter, through which numerous Thai and foreign reporters sent out real-time updates describing running gun battles, dozens of wounded protesters, men in black firing automatic weapons at army positions, helicopters overhead in clouds of black tire smoke, and screams of women and children, the setting of fires in office buildings along Rama 1 road, the use of teargas, confused protesters attacking cars, the sniper targeting of journalists with video cameras, and a river of blood running down the gutters of Din Daeng.
Although neither the Thai army nor the government has issued any kind of statement, it is generally believed that some kind of change in leadership has taken place, but with assurance that the new leadership will work hard to protect Thailand’s pandas.
As of 3pm Bangkok time, downtown Bangkok was burning, and Lin Hui, the mother panda, was sleeping peacefully while baby Li Ping chewed on bamboo while resting on its mother’s belly.
