Special Report: Understanding Thailand's Violence

The smell of burning tires clogs your nose as you hear sickening cries of people shot and maimed in the normally peaceful streets of Bangkok Thailand. In the past months hundreds have been killed and wounded as protesters fight for their right as Thailand moves from a constitutional monarchy to a representative democracy. There is no doubt that this is also a war of cultural and class change.

Thailand’s history begins when Tai-Lao people migrated from China around the 10^th century. Soon the Thais established their own states however internal and external warring was common over the next four centuries. The Kingdom of Ayutthaya emerged to solidify the people ruling for three centuries and eventually being toppled in the late 1700’s by Burmese armies. Shortly after Thailand was liberated and a new capital city called Bangkok was established. Many European colonial powers threatened in the region in the 19^th and 20^th centuries but Thailand survived as the only nation to never to have colonial rule.

The “Revolution of 1932” transformed the Government of Thailand from an absolute to a constitutional monarchy. The cabinet was presided over by the prime minister and in 1946 Bhumibol Adulyadej succeeded his brother as king and continues to reign until this day. He is the longest reigning king and very popular with the poor and rural peoples due to his many social improvements.

In 2001 Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra came to power and though he was popular with the rural poor for his social programs, his rule came under attack due to several charges of human right abuse, suppression of a free press, conflict of interest, anti- monarchy, and corruption. While out of the country in September 2006 parliament dissolved government and as General Boonvaratglin led a military coup.

A general election on December 23^rd, 2007 followed restoring a civilian government which had close ties to Thaksin. In June of 2008, the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protested against the government by occupying government ministries and disrupting air service at Suvarnabhumi Airport. This protest ended when the courts dissolved the government because of reported election fraud. These protesters are known as Yellow Shirts. If you watched the news during that time many of the protestors wore yellow shits to show their allegiance to the king. Many Thais wear yellow shirts on Monday because this is the King’s special color due to the date of his birth. Another notable fact; this group is made up largely of Bangkok’s upper class and elites.

The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), better known as the "Red Shirts" are those who are supporters of Thaksin and his policies and include a large proportion of working-class and rural-based Thais. When the elected government of December 23^rd, 2007 was dissolved the Red Shirt movements formed to protest this action. The Red Shirts are angry that the former government that they supported was forced to dissolve. They call this a “judicial coup” because it appears that the elite powers including important army figures manipulated the government for political purposes.

With growing tension between the established government and those representing the poor and disenfranchised protests continue to turn bloody. To add to this complicated situation King Bhumibol Adulyadej who has been the stabilizing force in Thailand since the 1940s is now very old and in failing health. His heir apparent to the throne, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, has not inherited his father's popularity and is seen as a spoiled playboy who does not carry the same concern of his father.

The UDD say they will disperse if the deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban turn himself in and face criminal charges over a clash with troops in April that killed 25 people. The UDD has already accepted a date for new elections to be held on November 14^th, 2010.

Please continue to pray for this nation and people. With nearing sixty-eight million people their hope lay in the fledgling evangelical church. Great gains have been made flowing out of the tragedy of the 2005 tsunami. Pray that these present struggles will cause Thais to rethink their present and eternal future. Things learned from the tsunami caused the formation of a national strategy called, “National Plan 2010.” Three Thai Christian denominations, TEC, EFT and TCB, have yoke together to implement evangelical strategies in 76 provinces and church planting in 927 districts. The four aspects of the “National Plan 2010” are creating a prayer network, training and encouraging evangelism & church planting, community social welfare or service mission, and leadership development. There is great opportunity to develop partnerships between North American churches and the denominations of the national Plan.

LAST MINUTE UPDATE: “Though we know the problems here are not over, and this has caused a deep divide among the Thai people, God is at work in this city. Last night a Thai friend said she saw the CEO of a Thai company on T.V. sharing about God’s love from 1 Corinthians 13:4-8. She said that he boldly shared about Jesus. God is using this situation for His glory and He is giving His church an opportunity to be a bright light to many who are longing for change.” – Gregg Nicholson, UWM Missionary

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski

www.mszymanski.com

mski@earthlink.net

If you would like to join our financial support team you can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see UWM.

* The picture is from the Daily Mail, United Kingdom office.

I Don’t Want to Kill My Baby

With a shriek, the young woman screamed out “I don’t want to kill my baby.” The young mother kept rocking back and forth moaning in a barely intelligible voice, tears streaming down her face. She knows her small child would soon be brutally torn apart. A shiver went up my spine as I listen to just how this act would be carried out.

Maasai children born with the possibility of a birth defect meant they would be taken by their father or village elder to a place in the jungle and after a brief ceremony left alive to be torn apart and eaten by the wild animals of the jungle. The village leader said, “There is no reason any child with a defect should burden their Maasai family.”

Maasai social structures place children next to last above women and below men and cows, who are first and second respectively. But somehow the small male child was different. He was born in the late 50’s to a Maasai man who had five wives, many children, and more than a 100 cows. During that time British forces occupied several east African countries and as they were moving from Tanzania to Ethiopia the child’s father was spotted by a soldier one day near the roadway. He was immediately enlisted to be a porter for the group of soldiers. He protested stating that he was needed to care for his cows and his wife was soon to bear a child but this meant nothing to the soldiers and soon he found himself carrying a large load of supplies north.

Within a few days of her husband’s disappearance his wife began to deliver the child. Boys are prized greatly in the Maasi culture and this first born meant that he would be extraordinary. But there seemed to be a problem. The village elders looked at him and decided the baby must be put to death now. With her husband’s fate unknown one of the elders would carry out the death sentence.

Then the first of what would be several miracles began to unfold. Due to difficulties in the village tribal rituals would be set aside and the child’s own mother would have to take the child to be given to the wild animals. I swallowed hard as I imagined having to kill my own child!
The child’s mother, already heartbroken, now was inconsolable as she left the village with her baby. Being distraught she lost her way to the location where these types of children are left. While trying to find the location she met a white man who asked her what her business was in such a dangerous location. “Many people get killed here by lions,” the man said. She told the man her story. Moved with compassion the man led her to a village five hours away which had a clinic that could possible help her child.

At first she was scared of the white man thinking he may be a canable so she walked far behind him in case he tried to hurt her. After a long walk she arrived at the clinic. The doctor examamined the child but could not diagnose the problem. The child with the doctor so that they could observe him and hopefully provide some care. However soon the child’s condition went from bad to worse. Then another miracle took place. A local pastor visiting the clinic observed the pitiful state of the child. The only words he could utter were a simple prayer which would change the life of this poor baby, “God, save this child.”

Within days the child began to improve and clinic workers returned the child back to his mother. Astonished she received her child and questioned the workers for answers. All they could say was that a man of God prayed for him, baptized the child dedicating him to God, and the child became well.

Soon after the child’s father returned home from his forced labor and was told about all the events surrounding his child. He decided that all his children from all his wives should be baptized and dedicated to this God. The child began to grow, mature and with all of his brothers and sisters went to school. The child’s name was also changed to Godsave!
Tanzanian schools are unlike the schools in North America in every way. The child’s father decided to send all of his children to school and was able to pay for the schooling by selling his cows. This was another cultural violation of the Maasai. Cows were always more important that children however he felt that the Creator God must have something special for a child who captured His heart.

As Godsave grew he also excelled in virtually everything he did. His passion for God became clear at an early age. He continued his education and today helps lead a nationally focused ministry which trains and equips Tanzanian church women to reach out and care for those with HIV AIDS, Mentors and trains new church planters and pastors as well as establishing educational schools throughout Arusha Tanzania. You can find out more about this International Partner, Imara.

This is your investment. This is your joy.

Mark Szymanski
www.mszymanski.com
mski@earthlink.net

If you would like to join our financial support team you can send contributions to: United World Mission, PO Box 602002, Charlotte NC 28260-2002 and write ACCT# 11013 in the memo line. Further info about on-line giving and other programs see www.uwm.org