Since my last post the death toll has risen to at least 16 since Thursday night. Reportedly 141 others have been injured, some of them critically. For me, the situation has become that much more real. I can see the "warzone" from my balcony, the smoke and the sounds of explosion can be seen and heard from my apartment. On my way home from the gym today I saw 2 bus loads full of soldiers with heavy artillery headed towards Racharprarop, a new area of live fire not too far from my house. It looks like neither side is going to back down. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing that noone back home seems to know about or understand the intensity that things have reached here. I guess on the one hand it's good because they won't get too worried but on the other hand it really says something about the media and peoples' desire to understand what is happening outside of their little bubble. My current city is in a state of meltdown. We are steps away from martial law, curfews and all out street level civil war and my friends are telling me that they are having a hard time finding any information to me that is inexcusable on the part of the Canadian media. People are dying in the streets around me and people back home can't even find information on it.

If you are interested, I remind you to check the Bangkok Post at www.bangkokpost.com
I have also found that Al Jazeera offers the most realitistic and unbiased coverage. You can find it by googling Al Jazeera Thailand.

The Canadian Embassy is in the heart of the affected area and has closed down but have set up an emercengy centre so if you hear the embassy is closed, that is correct but if anything severe was to happen they are still here to help.

Please continue to pray to whatever God or power or energy you subscribe to. The people here need it.

J