Friday 30 March 2007

Checkpoint stop


Police at a sentry point stopped my taxi last night, as I was heading to Mum's place in Pin Khlao.

In the last few weeks, as protest action against the coup-installed government has gathered steam, police have started putting the checkpoint up again, to search cars crossing the Chao Phraya river. This is not the only checkpoint in town, of course - I meet another one regularly on my way home from work.

The last time they were stationed in big numbers at the river checkpoint, close to Mum's shop, was in the weeks immediately after the coup, when it was staffed by military police, who brought out their Humvees and tanks to show off their military muscle.

Then, as the government got down to work, and the political climate stabilised a little, the tanks disappeared, and eventually so did the checkpoints.

Now, however, the checkpoints (if not yet the armoured military vehicles) are back, and last night, for the first time, my taxi was flagged over for a search.

The policeman outside cast his torch over us, then spotted a large, squarish black bag I was carrying on my lap.

He beckoned to the driver to turn the window down, and pointed to the black bag, which must have looked reasonably threatening. The object inside fits the bag snugly, so when it sits in my lap it resembles a largish, solid black box.

What's that!' he exclaimed, looking surprised.

'A dic,' I said.

'A what?'

It was a largish-sized Thai-English dictionary which I take with me to Mum's place, whenever I visit. I carry it in a black cotton bag. It is bigger than most dictionaries, and in fact might have fitted the proportions of a ... yes, one of those.

'Would you like to take a look?' I asked, as I pulled it out of the bag.

I held it up. He read the cover, and flagged us on.

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