Not:

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has lifted a two-week-old state of emergency in and around the country's capital, Bangkok.

Speaking at a special parliamentary session early on Friday, Mr Abhisit said: "Today, the government will lift the emergency decree in Bangkok and surrounding areas."
He said doing so was "part of measures to find a solution for the country" and to help find reconciliation between the yellow-shirted pro-government supporters and their red-shirted rivals.

"The government wants to show its sincerity, that the government wants reconciliation and to make the country move forwards," said Mr Abhisit.

Uh huh. Of course, if Thaksin was really sincere, he'd step down.

The BBC now dryly descends into "he said, she said":

Our correspondent also notes that a two-day parliamentary debate which has just ended, appeared only to highlight how divided the country still is.

He says that far from discussing reconciliation, the two sides instead spent the debate traded heated exchanges over who was the blame for last weeks' violent clashes.

It's almost impossible for me not to view Thai politics through a US frame; that's bad. On the other hand, perhaps the local oligarchies -- especially in this globalized age -- behave more or less in the same way in whichever country they have infested.

I can't help thinking that the red shirt Thais are doing a hell of a lot better than we did after the Republican seizure of power in Bush v. Gore, and good for them.