BANGKOK – As the January 13 shutdown of the capital by the People’s Democratic Reform Committee approaches, Bangkok’s business are happily preparing for the patriotic destruction of their revenue streams by the people they totally agree with.
“I can’t wait to show Thaksin and his stupid upcountry buffaloes what we’re willing to do to stop him,” said Gupta Jittimas, owner of a travel agency. “Once my livelihood is ruined by my allies, the nation and the world will see how strong we are.”
If protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban’s stated plan to occupy fifteen key intersections throughout the city as well as paralyze the train lines is carried out, experts estimate that the capital could lose over 2 billion baht in revenue and earnings, as businesses would grind to a halt and retail sectors would be forced to close. Additionally, the disruption of supplies could cripple key industrial sectors including F&B as well as tourism.
Bangkok’s middle-class business owners are unanimous in their praise of this well-thought-out, cleverly targeted plan to destroy the economic base of the protest’s key demographic.
“We have always believed that Bangkok is the center of Thailand, and it’s in Bangkok that the educated and moral people are taking back their nation from Thaksin,” explained Chatchalerm Thaveetorn, a hotel manager who has participated in the protests since November. “So it’s obvious that the economic sanctions against Bangkok is the only way to rebuild.”
Chatchalerm plans to give all his employees the week off, as his hotel occupancy is down to zero.
“We will simply follow His Majesty’s ideas of sufficiency economy, by making no money and doing nothing to earn more,” he said.
According to the PDRC, self-destruction is a time-honored method of warfare that has proven to be effective.
“Whether it’s suicide bombers, kamikaze pilots, or a hunger strike by political prisoners, the demonstration of self-sacrifice has always been a respected show of strength,” explained Suthep, the PDRC’s secretary general. “And we plan to show just how strong we are, by going kamikaze on our own stronghold.”
Although some business associations have expressed concern, and even objection, to the plan to shut down Bangkok as a strike against the rural masses that voted in the Pheu Thai government, dissenting voices have been dismissed as “unpatriotic” and “corrupted by Thaksin.”
“Anyone questioning the brilliance and importance of this plan is not seeing the big picture,” said Suthep. “If we ruin the economy, the whole nation will suffer eventually and since we have more money, we can last longer on our savings.”
“Trust us, we are the educated people,” he added.
