Sadly ... State of Emergency in Bangkok declared

[Smiles]

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I suppose it was bound to happen: so much intransigency, so much confusion, so many incompatible agendas, so few desires to negotiate or compromise, so many conflicting Power Centres lurking under tables.
Madonna may have sung it best: "Don't Cry for Me, Nakhon Sawan"


The 'rules of engagement' for this particular SoE are:


- The first announcement is about the state of emergency imposed over Bangkok and five surrounding provinces. The five are Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan (covering six districts), Pathum Thani (five districts), Nakhon Pathom (one district) and Ayutthaya (four districts).

- The second is the granting of extra powers for emergency officials to carry out the followings: detaining suspects up to 30 days, summoning individuals and physical evidence, impounding, censuring mail, prints and telecommunications, banning any activities deemed detrimental to national security, prohibiting individuals from leaving the country, prohibiting aliens from leaving or entering, banning the disruption of traffic, and banning posession or transaction of suspected materials.

- The third is about the appointment of Suthep Thuagsuban in charge of emergeny administration as the director of the Emergency Operations Command. The command is to comprise 27 members, including the defence ministers, military leaders and top security officials.

- The fourth is about the formation of the command and its duties.

- The fifth is the powers entrusted to Suthep and the command. If deemed appropriate, the command is authorised to ban a public assembly of more than five people, censure news and broadcast, ban the certain vehicles and routes, prohibit the entering to certain buildings or locations and evacuate the people.

- The sixth is the jurisdictional transfer of powers entrusted by 18 related laws from relevant ministers to the prime minister during the enforcement of emergency rule. This is meant for the facilitation and centralisation of the emergency administration.

IMHO, Smiles, the PM's strategy seems more in line to keep his hands as far off the inevitable as possible. It COULD "backfire". But my gut feeling is that the situation will continue, sadly, for quite some time now.

[TrongpaiExpat]

I was just over at the Rama 4/Ratchadamri and the Reds at the entrance to Lumpini were making a lot of noise. I observed the police on Silom in formation but not engaging the mob. I call it a mob but when I could see them from a higher vantage point there were not more than a few hundred. I just got off at the Subway Silom station and the station was closing. Some of the near-by business closed up and all the banks near-by were barricaded.

I had to go in one of the buildings and after leaving a few hours latter one of the extra security guards followed me in the hong nham. I guess the Reds had him so nerved up he had to masturbate at the urinal. Not into tea rooming, sorry fella and anyway he must have been 50. Then another rent-a-cop came on to me on the street in front of another building. Must be the Reds?

There were a few skirmishes but neither side seem committed to any action. The intersection at Silom and Rama 4 was only open to one lane, left or right and directed by the Red shirts themselves. The front line of the Reds have able bodied men with clubs but as I looked back beyond them it's grandmothers and Grand pappies with the kids. Nice, taking a child to a riot, can't find a sitter I guess?

BTS is closed and MRT open but the station at Silom is closed. The MRT was still running but the gates were half closed like they might be getting ready to close down.

By not acting quickly and decisively the government has lost credibility and is paving the way for Thaksins' return!

By not acting quickly and decisively the government has lost credibility and is paving the way for Thaksins' return!

Right. I suppose you would have preferred it had they roll tanks over them from the beginning, like they did at Tiananmen Square?

[TrongpaiExpat]

The police are making a move now with water cannons and tear gas. Dramatic scenes on Ch 7 now, between commercials at Si Yak Kor Woe. Maybe Ratchadamri is next, latter tonight, tomorrow? That could spill over to Silom.

[quote="The Equalizer":13t3y6p7]By not acting quickly and decisively the government has lost credibility and is paving the way for Thaksins' return!

Right. I suppose you would have preferred it had they roll tanks over them from the beginning, like they did at Tiananmen Square?[/quote:13t3y6p7]


What do you suppose would be done in London or Washington? When months ago a red shirt pushed a steel pipe through the PM,s car while he was in it nothing happened again what would happen if it was done in London/Wash.

You just show your ignorance if you try to compare the situation in Thailand to London or Washington.

[TrongpaiExpat]

The police on ch 7 look like they are getting the upper hand, or at least they have gas and the Reds don't. They appear to be using a formation approach with hand thrown tear gas as the first assault. The angle of the camera seems to be front-on, on the Reds side of the line.

TV still going with regular programing with short dramatic footage and attractive desk anchors with updates. Some of the TV anchors are gay.

OK, that's enough TV, I'm going out if you don't hear from me again than that was a bad idea.

Some of the TV anchors are gay.

Oh, come on. Next you'll be telling us that some hairdressers are gay.

[Beachlover]

That's getting right into the Silom area now. I guess it's best to stay clear for now.

Anyone staying in the Dusit with a room overlooking Lumpini Park would have a pretty neat view of all this right now. And feel relatively safe too. All the rooms there have these heavy metal doors.

That's getting right into the Silom area now. I guess it's best to stay clear for now.

Anyone staying in the Dusit with a room overlooking Lumpini Park would have a pretty neat view of all this right now. And feel relatively safe too. All the rooms there have these heavy metal doors.

Do you imagine they'll storm the Dusit Thani and force the guests from their beds in their pajamas? How exciting!

[allieb]

[quote="The Equalizer":2t08z93m]By not acting quickly and decisively the government has lost credibility and is paving the way for Thaksins' return!

Right. I suppose you would have preferred it had they roll tanks over them from the beginning, like they did at Tiananmen Square?[/quote:2t08z93m]

Off with their heads

8 reported killed by rubber bullets/live rounds, including one Japanese cameraman, and 300+ injured.

A good start.

And they are such a peace loving Buddhist People being led astray by Toxsin and the rest of the criminal elite who dont give a rats arse for them.

[cdnmatt]

and the rest of the criminal elite who dont give a rats arse for them.

Sounds like the leaders of our home countries. :-) Only real difference being, when someone in Thailand is corrupt and disliked, everybody knows it, because huge protests are held while they yell it out over loud speakers. In our home countries, we're all far too apathetic to worry about it, so it just gets shoved under the rug, and everyone forgets within a week.

[TrongpaiExpat]

I made my way around the Ratchadamri/Rama 4 intersection and approached Silom from the other end. There's no traffic. We went to Silom Soi 4 and to my surprise it was just like any other Saturday night, Balcony and Telephone just about to full capacity. Vendors on Silom were set up. Latter in the night rumors were flying around with exaggerated death numbers and the army was on the way to Ratchadamri via Silom. Some of the vendors packed it in and left, some stayed. DJ Station was open but not as packed as usual. The banks and some business look as if they expect a war. Most of the ATM on Silom were shut off.

We took a walk through Patpong and the straight bars were lacking customers. A few were closed and not as many on the street as usual. Soi Twilight was dead but that's nothing new. The DVD sex boys were out in force.

What was different was the lack of traffic and taxis on Silom. There were a few but not nearly as many as usual.

As of 1am the Red Shirt car and truck barricade of Ratchadamri was still intact and the Reds, the army or the police have not retreated or invaded Silom. Still, forget getting through that intersection in any direction.

And they are such a peace loving Buddhist People being led astray by Toxsin and the rest of the criminal elite who dont give a rats arse for them.That's right. It is the same as the peace loving Buddhist people who were led astray and took action in 1976 and 1991.

It took me a long time to get a taxi outside my condo nr sathon 1 last night . Very unusual, like it was 4:30 am. I wonder were they all ... ? The condo guards, taxi drivers and others all seemed to be listening to what must have been "red radio". My stupid taxi driver didn't know to avoid Rama 4/Ratchadamri and I had to have him turn aroound to go via Convent. Silom 4 was not very crowded. Another reason could have been the 2nd night, billed the more popular, of the GCircuit party in Sukhumvit. The Babylon that afternoon was filled to the brim with bunnies form HK, SGP, ... all putting the polishing touches on their six packs, biceps, and skinny legs for the night's dance orgy.

[Smiles]

Latest report on some TV news station (translated by my guy) was, so far, 9 soldiers killed, 15 red shirt civilians. Many many wounded. These totals are bound to go up.

There was an interview this morning with some hospital official (on the English language TAN Network) that 3 bodies were brought in late last night: one was a red shirt, very old man who was dead when admitted. There were no obvious signs of violent trauma and the official ~ lacking an autopsy at the time ~ surmised that he may have suffered a stroke or heart attack. The other 2 bodies were those of soldiers: one who was missing a very large slice of his head (knife, machete?), and the other shot through the eye.

A very sad night for Thailand indeed.

[TrongpaiExpat]

I. My stupid taxi driver didn't know to avoid Rama 4/Ratchadamri and I had to have him turn aroound to go via Convent. Silom 4 was not very crowded.

Why is the taxi driver stupid, you don't know how to say soi Convent by way of Sathorn? You don't know how to say turn left, right? You did not know to avoid the Rathadamri intersection, the Reds have been there for the past 5 days?

Funny, you report Silom soi 4 "not very crowded" and I report it pretty much as usual. I arrived at Balcony 9pm and there were two tables not occupied outside and two inside. At 11:30 both Telephone and Balcony were about 80% occupied, that's pretty usual for a Saturday night in the low season. Spanish on 4 only had a few customers. Spinx might have been a little off for a Saturday night but there were customers. Depends on what time you arrive, Balcony and Telephone peeks around 8 or 9, before that it's quiet and then after 11:30 many leave, it's that way every night, riot or not.


one was a red shirt, very old man who was dead when admitted. There were no obvious signs of violent trauma and the official ~ lacking an autopsy at the time ~ surmised that he may have suffered a stroke or heart attack.


I noticed lots of very old people in the crowd, they're not on the front lines therefore, not on TV, but in the rear there's old people and children. It's a wonder that there's no dead children. Last year, I did not see so many old people and children were not present in any numbers, but this crowd looks much older and gliding over them the night before looked like a family gathering at an Issan concert.

[Beachlover]

A very sad night for Thailand indeed.

Indeed... the death toll looks like it's inching up towards what happened in 1992.

[allieb]

And they are such a peace loving Buddhist People


Yeah right when everything is going their way. We all know how they resort to violence and in some cases murder after having lost face. Farangs love to sleep with them and call them boy special etc. When things go wrong they can become monsters and are like unstable explosives. Before I'm told not to generalise, this is my opinion. I know there are excptions to every rule but this is how I find Thais in general. How many time I've been advised don't piss them off they are capable of anything.

And they are such a peace loving Buddhist People being led astray by Toxsin and the rest of the criminal elite who dont give a rats arse for them.That's right. It is the same as the peace loving Buddhist people who were led astray and took action in 1976 and 1991.

The comment was ment as a 'pun' ....These are the very people who took great delight in boiling so called 'communists' alive in oil drums caught hiding in the jungle and hanging teenage students from lamp posts back in the 1970's...............

[Rene]

and the rest of the criminal elite who dont give a rats arse for them.

Sounds like the leaders of our home countries. :-) Only real difference being, when someone in Thailand is corrupt and disliked, everybody knows it, because huge protests are held while they yell it out over loud speakers. In our home countries, we're all far too apathetic to worry about it, so it just gets shoved under the rug, and everyone forgets within a week.

Very good observation Matt. Maybe with the West in a state of financial collapse, the elimination of the middle class, the enormous gap between rich and poor, the concentration of wealth among a few, money being thrown into the bottomless pit of wars that can't be won, and the massive support given to the criminal bankers, the people in the West will soon catch up with events underway in Thailand.
[attachment=0:2m8cu77p]Kent_State_massacre.jpg[/attachment:2m8cu77p]
"John Filo's iconic Pulitzer Prize-winning photograph of Mary Ann Vecchio, a fourteen-year-old runaway, kneeling over the body of Jeffrey Miller after he was shot dead by the Ohio National Guard."

Those in the West weren't always apathetic and maybe there will soon be a change in the direction that the wind is blowing. I love change, almost as much as "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning".

Those in the West weren't always apathetic and maybe there will soon be a change in the direction that the wind is blowing. I love change, almost as much as "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning".

One can not spend ones time comparing deeds throughout the world, this post is about what it going on or has happened in Thailand nothing more, nothing less. Guilt abides all over the world as well as here in LOS.

Just because the boys are more available and the smiles abundant doesn't make it any less of a problem for the everyday life of the country/people now in 2010

Those in the West weren't always apathetic and maybe there will soon be a change in the direction that the wind is blowing. I love change, almost as much as "I love the smell of Napalm in the morning".

One can not spend ones time comparing deeds throughout the world, this post is about what it going on or has happened in Thailand nothing more, nothing less. Guilt abides all over the world as well as here in LOS.

Just because the boys are more available and the smiles abundant doesn't make it any less of a problem for the everyday life of the country/people now in 2010


WHO IS THIS VERY STRANGE MAN :dontknow:

[bao-bao]

A very sad night for Thailand indeed.
Agreed.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z56/khunbaobao/0-PeaceWish041110.jpg

[krobbie]

{Brisbane Guy's inappropriate post, comments, and two retorts deleted.
This sensible reply is OK but don't (as per the rules) comment on the Royal Family. - jinks}


Brisbane Guy, you are a relatively new poster but this is a lesson learned. Don't speak for anyone but yourself. I know you mean well but politics in Thailand and the Royal family are very touchy subjects. If you really are interested read everything you can lay hands on regarding both subjects and you will see why there is such tension in Thailand.

Some want to move on from this feudal condition of royalty, some not. IMHO it does not help democracy in this situation.

Cheers
Krobbie

[Beachlover]

There's some pretty nasty footage of the riot here - the last footage shot by the Japanese cameraman who was killed. Looks like at some point he was only a few metres away from a decent explosion of some sort as well... RIP.

http://media.smh.com.au/national/breaki ... from=strap (http://media.smh.com.au/national/breaking-news/violent-thai-riot-video-released-1312261.html?&exc_from=strap)

Seeing is believing!

This may seem a dumb question to you who are in Thailand (and probably those who aren't, too!), but are the police carrying guns at these rallies/demonstrations and are the citizens carrying guns also?

I've only been in a couple of riots but at the time American citizens did not commonly carry loaded firearms. Unfortunately, with about 20-25% of our population losing their grip on reality with the election of a non-Caucasian, more and more citizens in America (34 of the 50 states) are carrying loaded guns, either concealed, or unconcealed, or one of each, even on occasions when the president in giving a speech or working the crowds (sometimes he asks them about the gun they have on their belt, or their rifle, etc.) so we are expecting something bad with our bad economy, high unemployment, and many angry people, often carrying loaded firearms. This is all fairly new -- last 6-9 months or so.

Was wondering if Thai citizens also have guns with them or have some common sense instead? Thanks!

[bao-bao]

{Brisbane Guy's inappropriate post, comments, and two retorts deleted.
This sensible reply is OK but don't (as per the rules) comment on the Royal Family. - jinks}

Thank you for the notation to explain, jinks.

[thenorthguy]

I have just returned from Thailand today cutting short my stay by 2 weeks. I was in bangkok.......it was scary....hence the reason to get on the first plane out of there. They say history repeats itself and they never learn. I will report further on my trip which included time in Bangkok and Pattaya.......

[giggsy]

I have just returned from Thailand today cutting short my stay by 2 weeks. I was in bangkok and pattaya.......it was scary...........

Where is the "Pattaya SWAT team" when you need them ?

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/new-Pattaya-Police-Swat-Team-t221156.html

but are the police carrying guns at these rallies/demonstrations and are the citizens carrying guns also

I walked around and through the red shirt encampments at Lumpini and Rajprasong middle last week. There was not a Thai policeman to be seen anywhere. I gather from the news that if any police gather near the crowds they are immediately confronted by the red shirts.

[TrongpaiExpat]

but are the police carrying guns at these rallies/demonstrations and are the citizens carrying guns also

I walked around and through the red shirt encampments at Lumpini and Rajprasong middle last week. There was not a Thai policeman to be seen anywhere. I gather from the news that if any police gather near the crowds they are immediately confronted by the red shirts.

There's all in the big Chinese restaurant/function hall on the corner of Rama 4 and Nhamdupree. The police must have rented out or commandeered the whole building.Twenty or so stay outside the building guarding I guess, inside there's a few hundred just lounging around. Probably they are in other building near-by as well.

There's all in the big Chinese restaurant/function hall on the corner of Rama 4 and Nhamdupree. The police must have rented out or commandeered the whole building.Twenty or so stay outside the building guarding I guess, inside there's a few hundred just lounging around. Probably they are in other building near-by as well.

Well, finally, the line of police I often see along the walkway on my way to the Lumpini Stn is explained.

I hope they stop the shirts from going "into" Silom. From my reading of the news going into Silom is the plan. which was the plan for today (Saturday), but is postponed.

There's all in the big Chinese restaurant/function hall on the corner of Rama 4 and Nhamdupree. The police must have rented out or commandeered the whole building.Twenty or so stay outside the building guarding I guess, inside there's a few hundred just lounging around. Probably they are in other building near-by as well.

Well, finally, the line of police I often see along the walkway on my way to the Lumpini Stn is explained.

I hope they stop the shirts from going "into" Silom. From my reading of the news going into Silom is the plan. which was the plan for today (Saturday), but is postponed.

I hope they stop the shirts from going "into" Silom. From my reading of the news going into Silom is the plan. which was the plan for today (Saturday), but is postponed.I think I must have missed that news. Can you provide a link?

I hope they stop the shirts from going "into" Silom. From my reading of the news going into Silom is the plan. which was the plan for today (Saturday), but is postponed.I think I must have missed that news. Can you provide a link?

Silom MENTIONED in the Thaivisa.com daily logs ...

Live Friday: http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bangkok-R ... 56539.html (http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bangkok-Red-Shirt-Rally-Live-Frid-t356539.html)


"Our rally might soon go as far as Sukhumvit Soi 31 [where Abhisit's home is located] and Silom Road [the capital's business district],"

There was one more place that said that and included as far as National Stadium.

and this morning (Saturday) http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bangkok-R ... 56790.html (http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Bangkok-Red-Shirt-Rally-Live-Satu-t356790.html)


AN Network: Nuttawut will send in lawyers to coordinate with police on the May 15 surrender. Also, there may not be movements by the red shirts today.

And they might pack up and go home. "Might" is not a plan IMHO and since deliberately giving out misinformation is part and aprcel of the propaganda war going on I would not place much credence in it. They "might" be going to Silom every day for the past week or more as I have read their statements.

And they might pack up and go home. "Might" is not a plan IMHO and since deliberately giving out misinformation is part and aprcel of the propaganda war going on I would not place much credence in it. They "might" be going to Silom every day for the past week or more as I have read their statements.

I agree with you, but it is in fact evidence that the move is in their minds and we all should be aware if thinking of going to MacDonalds today. My apologies for suggesting it was the plan.

The Thursday quote is from a Nation NEWS article.

Another quote from today ....


TAN Network: Red shirts promise to move into business hubs in the city again on Monday with backups from the provinces coming into Bangkok.

IMHO the Thaivisa updates have been responsible and pertinent, often alerting to the next move. I suggest anyone concerned follow them from now on.

IMHO the Thaivisa updates have been responsible and pertinent, often alerting to the next move. I suggest anyone concerned follow them from now on.There certainly great for giving us the comedy of errors that passes for the government of Thailand and its oficials in the past few days.

There certainly great for giving us the comedy of errors

and I got good chuckles out of the "Letters to the Editor" in today's (Sunday's)!

It looks like now we get at least until Tuesday for Silom.