BANGKOK – In a further escalation of the color-coded polarity that has gripped the nation’s politics since the 2006 coup, members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy have urged all Thai people to express their loyalty to the nation and its monarchy by exclusively using yellow water during this year’s Songkran celebrations.
“Yellow is the King’s color, which is why we adopted it for our movement to rid the country of Thaksin and his republican cronies,” explained PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul. “We feel that it there is no better way to further prove our love for His Majesty than to spray each other with yellow water for three days.”
According to Chamlong Srimuang, another PAD leader and a known defender of traditional culture, “The traditional blessing is to carry a bowl of yellow water to your elders and just dab a bit on the forehead,” he said. “I’d like to see all Thais rediscover this gentle ritual that unites us as Thais.”
Songkran, as the Thai New Year is called, has become an internationally popular holiday event, with many foreigners flying into the kingdom to take part in various celebrations from traditional temple blessings to all-out water wars with large squirt guns. The PAD, however, insists that it is not interested in making the event political by adding yellow water to the proceedings.
“The King is above politics, and every Thai loves the King, so every Thai should be honored to be touched by yellow water this year,” explained Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya. “I, for one, can’t wait to be doused in it.”
Prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, meanwhile, declined to say whether the government officially supported the plan. “We of course encourage Thais to show their love for their King,” he said, “but perhaps there are those who may prefer the traditional uncolored water, and we think that’s a good choice as well.”
Supporters of exiled ex-prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra remained skeptical of the motives behind the yellow-water movement. “The color yellow has been politicized,” explained social activist and UDD supporter Somsak Jiamtheerasakul. “This is a ploy by the PAD to weaken our movement through a nationwide golden shower.”
UDD spokesperson Veera Musigapong went further, declaring that the Red Shirts would not stand by and allow the enemies of democracy to hijack the new year celebrations. “We will respond with a river of red,” he announced from a stage at Sanam Luang Monday night. “We will gather our own supplies of red liquid, fill our guns with it, and hose each other down from April 13 to 15 in a supreme show of our love of peace.”
Neither side explained where or how the yellow or red water would be produced, other than citing “internal sources.”
