I write this sitting on the side of a highway about 60 kilometres out of the Thai capital, Bangkok, and all I can think about are faeces and fermented fish.
We're at a military checkpoint which has been set up to monitor the flow of protestors heading into the city for Sunday's mass anti-government demonstration.
The red shirted supporters of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra have been busy mixing up a disgusting and smelly concoction of faeces and fermented fish to throw at anyone who might get in their way.
Therefore I'm thinking of investing in a very thick, full length jacket for protection.
It's impossible to see a happy ending to this latest chapter in Thailand's political upheaval.
The Thaksin supporters say they will bring down the government by staging a mass protest in the capital Bangkok.
The government is clearly not about to throw in the towel and let that happen.
Both sides say they will not resort to violence, but unless one side gives up, it's difficult to see how some sort of confrontation can be avoided.
The red shirts surely cannot force parliament to be dissolved by simply occupying Royal Plaza in Bangkok, as they have done in the past.
I would imagine Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva would be quite happy if that was the extent of their protest action again.
Both sides talk about peace, but if the reds want change, they will have to use some sort of force.
If they try to occupy a government facility, the authorities will have to use force to remove them.
Even if they have to overcome the reds' smelly weapon.
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![[QODLink]](http://english.aljazeera.net/mritems/Images/2012/5/18/201251815424522734_16.jpg "Thousands flee renewed violence in DRC")
