2 days ago
Business as usual in Bangkok
PETALING JAYA: For Malaysians working in Thailand, life is the same daily grind of getting through traffic and dealing with the heat, amid the latest political upheaval that has rocked the 'land of smiles'.
Life in bustling Bangkok is just the same as any other day – its roads are clogged with traffic and pavements packed with tourists and office workers.
Individuals who trade between Thailand and Malaysia also say nothing has changed for ordinary folk after Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra was suspended on Tuesday by a special Constitutional Court.
Thailand remains vibrant and safe, said Chia Chin, 38, who owns a clothing shop in Bangkok.
Chin, who regularly travels to Bangkok, says his shop is located more than 5km from Bangkok's Victory Monument, where anti-government demonstrations often took place.
'As my store is not close to the protest site, I chose to stay open. Still, I was prepared to shut down operations if the situation escalated.
'That day, business was completely flat — I didn't make a single sale,' he said.
Nevertheless, Chia believes Thailand is safe for both tourists and business people.
'I feel secure here. Once the political situation calms down, things will return to normal,' he added.
Malaysia remains the largest source of foreign tourists to Thailand with 2,041,002 visiting the country in the first half of 2025, according to the Thai Tourism and Sports Ministry.
Malaysian visitors overtook those from China at 2,029,481 and India (1,035,864).
Dr Silva Kumar, who works for a US-owned food processing equipment manufacturer, said that it is the heat and humidity that bothers him more than the latest twists in Thai politics.
'We are used to these sorts of silent upheavals.
'So far nothing has happened, just the daily traffic jams, grind of work and tourists in the city,' said the Provisur Technologies NewCo Thailand Ltd general manager.
The 65-year-old, who is originally from Taiping, Perak, lives with his wife in the bustling area of Asoke in Bangkok.
As a precaution, Silva said he avoids areas that are popular spots for protesters.
He said that the Malaysian Embassy is also constantly in touch with Malaysians in Bangkok.
A digital creator who only wants to be known as Mrs Neo, 27, said the situation is calm as even when there are protests, they are not violent.
Neo, who is from Kuala Lumpur, currently lives in Muak Lek in Saraburi province.
'Life goes on but many locals seem to want the prime minister to resign because they didn't like what they heard in the recording.'
But she added that Thais also do not want a return to the political instability that rocked Thailand in the past.
On June 28, anti-government protesters gathered in Bangkok demanding that Paetongtarn quit after a recording of a phone call between her and Cambodian leader Hun Sen was leaked.
In the recording, Paetongtarn was heard addressing Hun Sen as 'uncle' and denigrating a Thai military commander at the centre of a border dispute between the two countries.
The Thai constitutional court has suspended Paetongtarn pending investigation into the call.
Wongpun Amarinthewa, a Thai journalist with said the fate of the current government is hanging by a thread.
'Last Saturday, the anti-government protest was considered the biggest since the return of the Pheu Thai government in 2023.
'The majority of protest leaders are the former leaders of the yellow shirt protests of 2005-2010 against the Shinawatra family.
'This makes Thais feel like the old political scene and actors have returned,' he said.
Wongpun said many also believe that the constitutional court's decision was not justified.
