Reply #78: One quick note on the devil's advocate side.... [View All]

[mkregel]

I lived in Thailand for 2 years in areas that were Thai Dang, or Red Thai controlled for several years (around 1968-77) Not much is spoken in history books but the Thai communists did have vast portions of Northeastern Thailand under their control. Agent Orange was used to defoliate a great deal of this area and as a result the once heavily forested areas are a desert.

Anyway, talking to the locals about this period it was said to be pretty grim - although nothing like Cambodia. Most schools had to take down pictures of the King, and replace them with Lenin. They permitted the monks and monastaries to operate, but it was definitely a "watch what you say" environment.