So what’s new? Thailand’s Democrat party’s Abhisit Vejjajiva became Thailand’s Prime Minister (the girls are cheering). Things seem to have settled down quite a bit. Elections are in the pipeline and the question on every cynic’s mind is, “What next?”. Unlike many foreigners who seem to like Abhisit’s fluent English and global outlook, it’s what his party stands for that will decide the kind of action or inaction from the Thai government in the following months. In a coalition of enemies who only decided to bury the hatchet seconds ago, I would be too busy watching my back to notice an elephant charging from the front.
I’m not imagining things. If we look into the history of this party, it should be quite obvious that the so-called Democrats have always been a wayang opposition party to provide some illusion of democracy whenever there’s a military dictatorship in power. How is it expected to behave as a ruling party? The amicable but ineffectual Chuan Leekpai will offer us some answers. Back to the good old Thailand where everything is cheap for tourists and where Thai peasants/servants humbly receive orders/insults from their Farang “masters” while the school books tell of how proud Thais are, never to be colonised. I never make bones about the fact that I wish Thailand could be a little like Singapore and Singapore a little like Thailand. Both countries have strayed from the Buddha’s Middle Path.
My elder son is celebrating his 6th birthday. I’ll be trying to run away from my 45th in a couple of months’ time. How do I do that? By going to Nepal and climbing a 6129m peak in winter at “Sherpa speed”. I’m not trying to show off. It’s just that I simply can’t afford the “normal” 18-day expedition recommended for most recreational climbers. By telling myself that not many 45-year-olds can do this, I may be able to cheat myself that I’m not quite 45.
Is it too early for new year resolutions? Never mind. I don’t work for the government. But helpless in the current situation, I seem to have more wishes and prayers than resolutions. I wish for better business. I wish for fewer … make that zero alamak patients. I wish for less GST, fewer ERPs … Just wishes. Perhaps the only real resolution I have, is to be kinder to myself. Yes, 3 years have passed since I started my clinic at Lucky Plaza and I just realised that I haven’t been kind enough to myself. I definitely plan to allocate more time for leisure. This coming Chinese New Year trip to Nepal is a reward I give myself for slogging so hard throughout. Come 2009, I’m going to slog even harder, but I’ll also play a lot harder too. Looks like I’ll be planning a few short trips to Indonesia and China inb 2009. I’ll not just buy Transformers and Thomas for my kids, I’m going to start buying things for myself too. How’s that for a resolution?
The festive season is here and I’m certainly going to celebrate. There is an article in Today on binge drinking (I never buy newsPAPers). They’ve got an interesting definition for binge drinking: “consuming five drinks or more for males, or four drinks or more for females, within two hours.” I’m sure I can stay out of that range. Cheers!
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