Wearing Pink for Chinese New Year
The Chinese New Year isn’t a public holiday in Thailand, but it is still an event which is celebrated by the many Thai people who have Chinese ancestry. Traditionally, red shirts are worn by those celebrating the Chinese New Year. However, in Thailand the colour-coded political divisions mean that not everybody wants to be seen wearing a red shirt. As a consequence, some traders and shop owners in Bangkok have been selling pink shirts instead.
Later this month a Bangkok court is scheduled to deliver a verdict which will be significant for Thaksin Shinawatra and the red shirt movement. It’s a verdict that could prove to be a pivotal moment in the ongoing political game that has been playing out since the 2006 coup which saw Thaksin removed from office. The Year of the Tiger will be heralded by firecrackers in parts of Thailand, but the real fireworks could be yet to come.
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