Bangkok 18 January

Well theory 1 was discarded after the insurgents declared the bombs were not theirs, they stated that they only bomb the southern provinces which they believe rightfully belong to Malaysia, in some bizarre way they think this will encourage the Thai government to give the land back. I guess I can see the twisted logic behind this (though it did take some serious contemplation to see their argument).

Anyway that makes Thaksin and his cronies Theory 1 and certainly the most popular theory there is (naturally) a new theory 2 (hardly new it was theory 3 the day after my last post) and that goes along the lines that the current government planted the bombs in order to blame the Thaksin regime and so justify their denial of his re-entry to the country and further legitimatise the government installed by the recent military coup. Not wanting to sound completely dismissive but this theory smacks of conspiracy theory to me. One thing for sure though the bombs were so small they were not intended to cause any real damage, the three people who were killed were extremely unlucky.

We are heading into the final stretch of the school year, with only 5 or 6 weeks to go and exams to write (again) can you believe they make kids as young as 5 sit exams four times a year here. The cool thing about teaching is I can actually see how far my kids have come in a year, they can almost hold a conversation in English now (the good students that is) the shockers are at the level the good kids were coming into my class so they have come a long way also. Thinking about taking a job down on Phuket, but it will be a year contract and I'm not sure I want to do another full year,
Pro's it will be on Phuket, great for diving and beautiful, I won't be stuck in the suburban hell that is Rangsit (hello Upper Hutt with humidity) weather cooler and all that jazz.
Con's won't get paid as well as Bkk, Cost of living higher, strange books, big school, bigger classes. hmmmm.

There are no longer canoes in the field outside the bedroom window, there are now grazing cattle, it must be spring? Anyway chicadees, catch y'all later.
Nikki Jayne.