State of Emergency in Bangkok

[MAN Flyer]

Things could go south very quickly the way it's going.

Suthep did say if trouble started he would call the protests off but I don't think he will, and I am not sure he could if he wanted to now. Too many people with vested interests involved in all this

In the evenings it gets busy as all the office workers come to listen to the free bands playing

How is the traffic in the day time up and down Sunkhumvit at the moment ?

[Kyo]

How is the traffic in the day time up and down Sunkhumvit at the moment ?

Probably very, very exciting if you go all the way

[HUGE AL]

So I don't get it [from the ridiculous limited news we have over here]. Why doesn't the King (who everyone seem so to revere) just step in and tell everyone to stop with the nonsense and sit down and work this out? At the rate things are going (and have been for the past few coups), this is never ending.

[Disclaimer: I'm speaking from a point of sheer ignorance here.]

[SINFJ]

So I don't get it [from the ridiculous limited news we have over here]. Why doesn't the King (who everyone seem so to revere) just step in and tell everyone to stop with the nonsense and sit down and work this out? At the rate things are going (and have been for the past few coups), this is never ending.

[Disclaimer: I'm speaking from a point of sheer ignorance here.]

If Tommy and Harry have been naughty and you know both don't exactly have a good record for being obedient, would you risk stepping in to mediate? Might be seen as an act of taking sides. But that is just my humble childish thinking.

[Lobster]

How is the traffic in the day time up and down Sunkhumvit at the moment ?

it is no longer deserted like it was the first day. i would say there is about a third of the normal traffic level on it

So I don't get it [from the ridiculous limited news we have over here]. Why doesn't the King (who everyone seem so to revere) just step in and tell everyone to stop with the nonsense and sit down and work this out? At the rate things are going (and have been for the past few coups), this is never ending.

[Disclaimer: I'm speaking from a point of sheer ignorance here.]

Basically the agreement is that the King stays out of politics. He has been known to make some subtle comments in his annual birthday speech and he did again this year but no one is listening at the moment.

[MAN Flyer]

So I don't get it [from the ridiculous limited news we have over here]. Why doesn't the King (who everyone seem so to revere) just step in and tell everyone to stop with the nonsense and sit down and work this out? At the rate things are going (and have been for the past few coups), this is never ending.

[Disclaimer: I'm speaking from a point of sheer ignorance here.]

As Lobster says, he generally tries to stay out of it even it one side have tried to drag the monarchy in by accusing the other side of ignoring the monarchy or being a threat to it. That tactic seems to have been dropped now in favour of just trying to get rid of elections they know they will keep losing.

[MAN Flyer]

So one protest leader shot dead, one 'red' leader shot and seriously injured and grenades being thrown. Suthep did claim he would abandon the protests if violence started and they would protest outside polling stations but wouldn't block them, but as usual that's proved to be bollox.

Next few days could prove key in the run up to the attempt to have an election.

[Kyo]

Tension in Thailand

Tension in Thailand



It's been a very long while since I've done this so go easy!

This isn't so much a Trip Report as it is a small snippet of my past weekend in BKK (with Lobster and fumitani) - and as everyone knows, the place is in a bit of a mess right now. As some of you might know, Thailand is somewhere I visit extremely frequently, at one point on a weekly basis, and I don't mean for work, either. So it pains my heart to see the anger and rage simmering on the surface of the public - at one particular location, the hatred was so palpable that I genuinely feared for my life.

Fortunately, you don't have to experience that.

Please enjoy...


Asok Station Blockade


Terminal 21


Sukhumvit Blocked


Accessorise Yourself


Rally Warez


Joining The Fight


Whistle-Blower March


Rally


Shut It Down


Viva La Bangkok

[Kyo]

Rachaprasong Intersection Blocked


Vendetta


Suthep Speaks


Ratchaprasong Skywalk


Say Cheese


CentralWorld Still Accessible


Ratchadamri Road Blocked


For Thailand!


Tonight, We Fight


Amarin Blocked (notice the tents in the foreground, they relate to the next photo)


Throwing Tennis Balls at Thaksin

[Kyo]

Going Home


A Hard Day's Rally


Young & Old

Good luck Thailand!


United for Thailand

Part 2 Below

[Kyo]

Here's a mini-TR I've just completed

http://www.sqtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=13936

[kapitan]

Chok Dee Prathep Thai

[CarbonMan]

Without your comments, Kyo, it almost looks a carnival in progress. Such a sad state of events for this beautiful land of a thousand smiles. Praying that these civil tensions won't spread further south.

[Kyo]

Comments / captions added now - yes CarbonMan, it does have a semi-festive atmosphere to it but when they start giving their speeches (and halt their music concerts), there are a lot of very upset Bangkok-ians. They've basically decided the government is way out of its depth and demanding a change, even if it's unconstitutional. This is a developing country we're talking about here, and such a (painful) process will take much time and more bloodshed.

Alas, this can't happen soon enough, imho. Elections aren't going to change anything.

Agree with you, kapitan, Good Luck Thailand!

[SQGamespeed]

So weird to look at rather festive pictures when in reality this is such a stressful period for Thailand.

I was in Bangkok for a day and in the south of the country for a few more days when this type of thing happened in 2010. However, I never had any problems or felt unsafe and no one I talked to brought up the king or Thaksin or red/yellow shirts even once; just a great trip.

Agreed kapitan!