With 3 updates: Faith

On Monday, Khaosod reported that a “Pheu Thai Party spokesman [had] insisted the party is not daunted by the astrological prediction that the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was about to collapse on 8 October.” That odd story had this tidbit:

self-professed astrological expert is Mr. Boonlert Pairin, who also happens to serve as an MP of the Democrat Party. Mr. Boonlert told our correspondent the chance for an imminent political violence which would lead to the “upheaval” would begin in the days of 6-8 October, and will reach the climax on 26 November.

“The Saturn is approaching Rahu in the Tula zodiac, which is aimed at Mesa zodiac,” Mr. Boonlert said, “This portends a great chaos in Bangkok”.

The Democrat Party must really be scraping the bottom of its political tactics barrel when it needs to play with the astrological arts. Of course, we know that astrology is very powerful amongst politicians and other power holders in Thailand, including those in the palace.

The rhetorical power of such a call, combined with the faith of the opposition, sees it reported that on Tuesday “[h]undreds of anti-government protesters are occupying the streets around Government House in Bangkok today to await the unfolding of ′apocalypse′ that would bring down the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.”

The report says that:

the People′s Force for Democracy to Overthrow Thaksinism (PEFOT) [the so-called People’s Army] …. which ha[s] been staging a prolonged [and small] rally in Bangkok′s Lumpini Park, moved from their campsite in the park and marched to Government House yesterday evening, where they spent the night waiting for the prophesied events – largely understood to be a military coup or a political chaos.

Khaosod reported that:

The protesters are still occupying the streets around Government House by late afternoon of 8 October, although the prospect of any divine intervention against the government is fading as the clock strikes toward the end of the day.

Update 1: The Nation reports that the passing of the date of the political apocalypse has not seen protesters disperse. We guess they agree with the Democrat Party astrologer that the political big bang can occur any time up to 26 November. In fact, the small rally seems to have spooked the government, which sees the Democrat Party and PAD activists as considering moving more protesters into the Government House area in a coupe of days. These protesters are said to be likely to come from the yellow bastion at Rangsit University.

Update 2: The Nation now reports that the Yingluck government has been panicked into using the Internal Security Act in three districts of Bangkok. The government, however, claims its panic is not driven by astrologers, but by Thaksin. Of course, Thaksin also seeks out powerful astrologers. We look forward to the emergence of true black arts exponents, such as those known to have motivated PAD.

Update 3: Khaosod reports that the Yingluck government is so worried by the anti-government protests, which remain quite small, that it has sent extra riot control police to the international airport, worried that an occupation, a la 2008, is a possibility.