Anticipation is sometimes bigger than the event itself.
Yesterday's pro-Thaksin Red Shirt rally fizzled out. According to the newspapers, less than 7,000 people, far less than the anticipated number of demonstrators came to Bangkok. From an office tower on Silom Road that overlooks Lumpini Park, a witness said the police in the park outnumbered the Red Shirts.
All I know is that traffic was good since a lot of people stayed off the roads. Pundits say this (non)event is a simple test of Thaksin's rallying power. He's fond of portraying himself as the self-made anti-elitist, despite his family background and his billions. Unfortunately, it's a tad awkward to hold a rally for democracy so close to a court conviction for abuse of power. However, those in the know are warning that this is all a prelude to the "real rally" on Sunday.
In other words, don't count the old boy out. Yet.
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