Stage set for chaotic 2024

Don’t let the drone-painted skies during the New Year countdowns fool you. That is as beautiful as 2024 can ever get, because this year is going to be the most problematic in years, not just for Thailand but also the rest of the world.

Domestically, imagine a bunch of lunatics dancing across a minefield absolutely oblivious to any danger. That’s how this year will pan out politically. However, what can happen internationally can make any explosion the Thais trigger look like a harmless firework.

Simply put, the love-hate triangle among the conservatives, Pheu Thai and Move Forward is bound to come to the boiling point this year, with digital wallet, Thaksin Shinawatra and charter amendment creating situations where ones can’t separate friends from foes. Chaos will spread from Parliament to the streets, and if a Pheu Thai-led administration cracks down on protesters, one more…