The tragedy in Thailand proceeds apace

More than almost any political crisis on the face of the earth today - more than in Russia, Ukraine and Crimea, even more, in a way, than in dreadfully miserable Syria - it is the crisis in Thailand that seems so sad.

Because this tragedy need not have happened - not at all.

In this world (and quite possibly even in the next), rarely does one get everything he or she politically wants, certainly not all the time, and maybe not even often. But in Thailand some people - too many people - do want it all, and to achieve that aim they are prepared to deny everyone else almost everything.