State of Emergency in Bangkok

[yflyer]

Kyo, thanks for posting these pictures. They give a very vivid sense of what it must be like to be in BKK during this tense period. A very thought-provoking thread.

[BerryFusion]

Wow, Kyo, thanks for this TR. Amazing pictures and great capturing of emotions. I only know a peaceful BKK so this was a moving post..

[MAN Flyer]

Well, I suppose the election actually went ahead on a much bigger scale than anticipated by many, and without as much violence as feared, save for the incident on Saturday with pictures of the gunmen beamed around the world...

What happens next is anyone's guess, but Suthep seems to be to running out of ideas, which could mean the more militant of the protesters start pushing for silly stuff....

[Kyo]

Thanks for the commentary everyone, just back from the CNY holidays here - very sorry that the .PNG links caused Photobucket to bomb out.

I'll switch to the .JPGs later this evening, I think.

[MSPeconomist]

Thanks for the commentary everyone, just back from the CNY holidays here - very sorry that the .PNG links caused Photobucket to bomb out.

I'll switch to the .JPGs later this evening, I think.

I can't see any of the pictures. I get a gray box with an Upgrade to Plus message.

[CarbonMan]

I can't see any of the pictures. I get a gray box with an Upgrade to Plus message.

The Thai censors just found Kyo ... or he ran out of space.

[Kyo]

Okay all the photos should be working now. Sorry about that - decided it'd be faster to just upgrade the storage to PB+ for a month... will switch it to JPGs later on.

[HUGE AL]

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.

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.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the King step in a couple times before (not in the last 10 years or so, but before that)?

[HUGE AL]

Just how large are these files???

[MAN Flyer]

I see the < THB 5000 rates at the SGS are at the moment fully cancellable, which tells it's own story. Anyone seen how many 'protesters' are at Asok recently ?. Numbers are reported to be dwindling and they have closed a few protest sites.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the King step in a couple times before (not in the last 10 years or so, but before that)?

I can't remember him stepping in as such, other than general comments wishing Thais would all get along tc on the few occassions he does speak these days.

[Kyo]

Every photo has now been switched over to JPGs, please enjoy - they were all PNGs earlier, averaging around... 18-22mb each

Stay tuned, I'm about to post an update to this TR!

[Kyo]

Part 2

Due to a variety of coincidences, I ended up in Bangkok sooner than expected this past weekend, so I decided to head down to the main rally sites of Asok and Rachaprasong to take another look. I didn't take any photos at Asok (had just finished a massage), but the Asok crowds seemed only marginally less than the previous time. Bear in mind, this was a Sunday night.

Rachaprasong was a bit more active, but still slightly thinned out (on account of the working day the following day, I'd reckon)

Rally at Rachaprasong


Rachaprasong Part 2


Transvestite (?) Speech (quite a comedian, as there was much laughter)


Late Night Sale


Show Your Patriotism (buy a cap or a hat, or even a lanyard with Hello Kitty?!)


Shirt Perhaps?


Designs x 100


Okay, Bandana!


Tweeting Live!


Flag Bearer


Thailand Wave


Stand Up for Suthep!

[Kyo]

Since you asked about Asok, click here for an update

I truly, honestly, think the SGS has gotten their strategy wrong this round. They should drop their rate to THB3999 (they have done this previously, in far better times, even) - and they should stop telling their Grande Club members that it's not OK to watch Tim Hedges playing jazz piano at 9pm in the evening, even if they come in a t-shirt and shorts/slippers.

Ludicrous. Rossini & BarSu also still shut.

And yes, I've only been doing that on/off for the last, oh... 7-8 bloody years?? I'll have to mention this to Mr R the next time...

I couldn't believe my ears when I heard that. As if the hotel wasn't suffering enough already. (Oh, and by the way, I have seen more guests this past weekend than the previous visit two weekends prior. One of them was also mentioning it was a shame BarSu was shut in passing...)

[kapitan]

I just got out on 12th, had dinner at Siam Paragon on 12th evening.... did step out to the street for a fleeting moment and all seems normal... of course new normal with Sukhumvit street market still going on....

[UMD]

I am here at the Holiday Inn and to me the protest has a festival feel to it. I am amazed how there is a new night market set up along the street. Our office is in President Tower and comes day light it has been quite uncomfortable working in the office due to all the carnival activites happening in the street below. Rock, Traditional, Folk musics and songs are staged during the day with speeches and yells in between.

Because of this protest, all malls around the ares close about 1 hour earlier.