Happy St. Patrick's Day-Green Day & Red Shirts

In many Christian areas of the world, St. Patrick's Day is being observed today. In Thailand about 97 percent of the population is Buddhist so there is not much green beer around today.

Because I'm an invited guest here in Thailand I try to say pretty low key about the politics.

Now, Green and Red are complimentary colors so let me write a little about the "Red Shirts". They are demonstrating in Bangkok, almost 400 miles south of us in Mae Sai, Chiang Rai.

I am sure you have seen the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) commonly called the "Red Shirts" as they usually ware red shirts.

They seem to have three goals: dissolve parliament, return the 1997 Constitution and keep the Privy Council out of politics.

No, that is not me in the center with the sun glasses!

He is just one of the estimated 100,000 demonstrators.

So far it has been pretty peaceful but they have thrown some of their own blood. To read more on Forbes.com just CLICK HERE.

I have learned something else about Thai politics. About 60 percent of the Thai population are farmers. The farmer believe is is a privilege and a duty to vote. On election day, they go vote. Then they go back to work in the rice patties or the tea and coffee plantations.

Who ever they vote for win the elections. Now the 40 percent that live in the cities don't like that so they demonstrate and hurt the Thai economy. The elected officials then resign to let the process go forward.

They have another elections and the farmers elect who they want, again. The folks in the cities don't like that so they demonstrate and the process goes on and on.............

Personally, we think it weakens the Thai economy. To us that means we can buy more Thai money (Baht) with United States Dollars.

We're not judging, we're just saying!