Bruce Lim
For the past weeks, the olympic torch has been a focus of the media around the world. Acts of violence from and against the pro-tibetan protesters have been shown on news sources such as CNN and BBC. Reasons behind such protests were circled around the human rights history of China, host of the Beijing Olympic Games.
However it was a different scene in Bangkok, the first country thus far that has managed to proceed with the torch relay undisrupted. Reports showed that the security forces and the demonstrators have come to an agreement that they had to remain behind the police barricades or face arrest. According to CNN, a western lady was refused when she wanted to display a picture of the exiled-tibetan's spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.
The torch relay managed to proceed smoothly, and even had time to to slow down it's pace and stop for supporters to pose for pictures with the torch bearers. People were even allowed to touch the olympic torch without ending up pinned to the ground by security forces.
Many of the local Thai believe that the day's relay is what an Olympic Torch Relay should be like - happy and peaceful, where everyone has a place, even the demonstrators.
The Olympic Torch has arrived in Malaysia and will begin it's route on Monday, April 21, ending at the famous Petronas Towers.
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Do note that this was not published anywhere, it is solely for the blog. Thus my tardiness in quotes.
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