Haseenah Koyakutty

Although nearly a month has passed since the Thai government forcefully ended the Bangkok protests, the conflict persists. Now the Thai authorities and segments of Thai society have opened up a new flank. They are on a collision course with the foreign media.

Today, after weeks of unadulterated violence and sporadic negotiations, both sides are far apart with diametrically opposed positions that seemingly make talks impossible. The biggest question is whether Thaksin Shinawatra, whose ouster eventually developed into the crisis that faces Thailand, is still in charge.

Bangkok's crisis is threatening to blow into what every analyst now projects to be inevitable civil war. It is now plain to see that the anarchy is wreaking widespread havoc and widening out even to threaten public health.