They are available at www.skeleton-leaf.com.

A curfew was declared in Chiang Mai on the Wednesday evening and subsequently extended. I can’t say about other parts of the country, but even the curfew seemed to be enforced in a curiously Thai way. I actually ended up staying out later than I normally did throughout much of the curfew, because an English friend of mine had just arrived on holiday and there was no way the simple matter of a curfew was going to stop him from enjoying himself.

Some businesses were closed but many were still operating. We enjoyed foot massage on the footpath by the side of the street, sitting in reclining chairs watching police vehicles go by. Later we ate noodles, again in the street. It was about 1.00am and police pick-ups passed by regularly – some with soldiers on the back, but they were happy to let us go about our normal business.

Whilst we were at the noodle stall, a Thai woman in her thirties started chatting to us. After a time I asked her where she was from and she said Bangkok. I asked where in Bangkok and she replied “Ratchaprasong”. I knew this was where the ‘red shirt’ demonstrators had been located. Then she told me a shocking and sad story of how she had come up to Chiang Mai to stay with a friend after her female house-mate had been killed just outside their home. I could see now that she was tense and upset. She said they hadn’t been able to go to work for several days because of the situation. Her house-mate then decided to go out to a shop in the early evening. She went outside and within minutes had been hit in the back of the head by a bullet. I don’t know any more than that. It seems amazing to me that I so easily met someone who was that close to someone who died, especially considering that officially only about 80 or so people had died.

That was a terrible and sad story, true. However, for Westerners, as a place to be Thailand continues to feel very safe. The political instability involves energies being directed by Thais on fellow Thais. As a place to visit, Thailand is going to be very quiet for months and maybe several years to come, in many ways it is going to be a great time to visit. I certainly have no worries about continuing to live in Thailand from the perspective of personal safety.

An interesting additional: acting as an agent for a customer who had ordered some products, I went to see the supplier one evening. She said the products were still not ready because the craftsman who was able to make them had been in Bangkok demonstrating for the ‘red shirts’. She said about 500 had gone from that village to Bangkok to show their support and hence production of many of the products had simply stopped. When I visited her later (the demonstration now over), she said he still hadn’t returned back to his native village along with many others – she thought he was probably been held for questioning.

However, that all changed today – and with surprising speed, normality seemed a thing of the past and yet so precious. After visiting the supplier of the skeleton leaves on my motorbike about 9km out of town, I encountered a roadblock and a diversion on my way back just as I was coming up to the river. It turned out that the main bridge over the river was closed and I was diverted instead through chaotic side streets.

On reaching the river and having seen many Thais hanging around and looking, I decided to walk along in the direction of the bridge. The road was blocked by two red fire engines (see photo) and beyond I could see flames and a plume of thick black smoke. There was a distinctive smell of paraffin and burning rubber in the air. I heard some bangs that could have been gunfire, but may have only been fireworks. I felt a sudden wave of sadness tinged with fear – I’ve never ever felt fear before in Thailand – The Land of Smiles generally feels safer than most towns and cities in the UK.

The supplier of the skeleton leaves called me and urged me to go home quickly. He had heard that about 500 car loads of ‘red shirt’ supporters were about to descend on the area. I did so and noticed as I passed the Governer’s House that tyres had already been burned at it’s gates. I returned home safely without incident.

Later after eating I saw a thick black pall of smoke much closer to home – I walked 5 minutes to have a look. Some tyres were on fire at Thapae Gate in the heart of town, but there was no crowd of protestors. I decided to return home and stay in: there was to be a curfew during the night from 8pm. However, the evening and night seemed to pass by without any real incident as far as I know at this time.

I don’t know the name of the temple, but it’s about 70km outside Chiang Mai. Wit (Mama Mojo’s son) took me there in a local bus -it cost 55 Baht each (about £1.20). I call her Mama Mojo because she also has a small business with Wit hand making small copy guitars: www.mamamojo.co.uk. Originally Mama Mojo and Wit were cutting and sanding the guitars by hand – I bought them a jig saw and an electric sander to make the job a little less arduous.

The temple was founded 18 years ago by Lung Por, the monk next to me in the picture. He is now 81 and still fit and full of energy. In the early days there was just forest; he lived alone without electricity, each day walking 6km down the mountainside to a main road to gather alms there before walking back up. Now there is electricity and a made up road – at least some of the way.

Local healing.

I eat snake.

I have a herbal steam session.