snaggletooth

I have been dealing with a curfew for the past 9 years...... it's called marriage!

Aint dat da truth, baby!

"The Cabinet Tuesday resolved to extend curfew in Bangkok and 23 other provinces from Tuesday to Friday."

Now that curfew is from midnight to 4am, does this mean the curfew ends at 4am of 28th or 29th morning?

I'm confused here.

Thank you.

Hi Jay,

They increased the curfew by 4 days, so including today that would mean that the curfew would end at 4:00AM Saturday, the 29th of May. On the other hand, they might still extend it further.

The first post above is really splitting hairs! Does it really matter? Were you planning on running naked around town at one a.m.?

Can anyone say "The beginning of a police state?"

I think it's great that many people here feel they can publicly post their illegal behavior, and even seem to flaunt it. The curfew is there for a reason. If the gov't didn't do what it did when it did, then I think Thailand would have been rapidly moving into a dictatorship. Shouldn't be so hard to just do what they say, regardless of other people's behavior. I fear this attitude that everything the Thai gov't does is stupid comes from lack of respect for who the Thai people are, or ones self fabricated image of being somewhat superior even if by associated through illusion. There is a curfew, respect it. The gov't says do something, do it. become a model citizen, better than your Thai neighbors if you think necessary. Some idiot was flaunting his bad behavior and ended up on YouTube, and everyone called him a dumb ass. I don't see the difference here.

I freely admit that I have a complete lack of respect for Thai people after this past two months that goes for the government and the reds. But I'll be a model citizen and do everything this government sez.

@Snaggletooth, here is a new term for you,"Wannabe Elite" for all those who are not elite but wish they were. You know its kinda like a wish sandwich, two pieces of bread, mayo, and you wish you had a piece of meat. They are living the dream of wishful thinking sucking down the fumes of BMW exhaust getting high on a soap box to talk down to rice farmers.

Agreed. There are a lot of them in BKK. They live in a total decrepit shack and spend every dime they have on their monthly BMW car payment, which they've financed for seven years. I know the type and I agree with you.

That Thailand is so dependent on tourism is a myth. Look at the Baht after years of unrest. Still going stronger.

As far as the US$ goes it's not the Baht getting or staying strong, it's the value of the US$ going down the drain everywhere.

Not in Europe and England. The dollar is strong against those currencies. Don't use the blanket term EVERYWHERE if you don't know about which you write.

The airport event was short. There was not major destruction, gun battles, burning buildings. I can't respect opinions of people who don't face basic facts.

The airport takeover cost billions. Who's not being honest with themselves here?

When you take over international airports then it affects other countries as well, not only causing irrevocable damage to the local economy in terms of reputation and trade but also confidence, as airports are seen as an untouchable area internationally, however in Thailand the government not only failed to act, the airport takeovers were rewarded with positions in the cabinet and other benefits.

Of course if the airport and Government house were not laid siege to by the PAD, the reds would not have taken over Rajaprasong as a result of that precedent.

Don't be mistaken, the PAD and the military having forced the country into its current predicament did irrevocable damage, long before the red-shirts were a force to be reckoned with.

Bangkok can rebuild its shopping malls, but the damage done to Thailand's reputation thanks to taking over an international airport will never be forgotten or repaired.

The point is the scenes of violence on the streets and anarchy with rioters burning down major landmarks leaves an indelible impression. The airport fiasco is long forgotten and the long term economic harm of this last demonstration will be felt for years to come. Watch how fast direct foreign investment in new factories dries up as a result. Tourism is a drop in the bucket compared to that. And when people resort to burning down hotels and the second largest mall in Asia, nobody will want to invest here.

The red shirts shot themselves in the foot because it's many of their people that are employed in the factories that come here as well as in the tourist sector.

I for one will advise all of my friends to stay clear of this country because the rabid reds will spawn metamorphose into a terrorist organization. They've shown what savages they are.

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

You must know many of the THAI elite, or maybe they are very polite and do not want to be confrontational with you

Fool nontabury

Mayby your in dreamland nontabury. There are plenty of non-elite, working class Thais that support Abhisit. If only the elite supported him and his party, they wouldn't have gotten a single vote in the last parliamentary elections. And remember, the Dems don't buy votes, like the former THai Rak Thai and all the later incarnations of it.

His party won a certain number of seats in Parliament, formed a coalition with other parties and they chose him as the PM.

You exemplify the narrowmindedness of the red shirts in your comment. And if any of the Reds had been paying attention this last year, they would have seen that Abhisit was doing more for them than any other recent government. The majority of the funds in this year's economic stimulus package were for the grassroots people, poor farmers and infrastructure in the provinces. And before all this mayhem started, Abhisit announced a major new project to increase funding and renovate and upgrade rural schools.

The reds always yammer on about how much better their lives were under Thaksin, but if you ask them how, they only thing they say is that they made more money because rice prices were higher...

Rice prices are set internationally and not by Thaksin. They enjoyed some good times too because the world economy was growing and a monkey could have been running Thailand at the time and it would have prospered.

We all know that Abhisit wasn't calling the shots anyway in the last days, would be a shame if he gets tainted and 'unelectable' by this unrest. There is just no alternative candidate around with enough brain and a halfways clean vest who could lead the country out of this minefield.

And the military (and police) must be stripped of some power and money, or no government can ever start a meaningful reform process. Now if somebody could bring a few million people peacfully on the street for a worthy cause for once ...

The entire police force should be fired on the spot. They should be replaced with thoroughly vetted new hires who have college degrees and swear an oath to not be corrupt. They should be paid a good living wage and know that if they take bribes they shall be fired. Fines for all offenses should be increased at once so as to force the Thai people to start abiding by the laws of the land.

The cops were on the side of the reds the entire time. All of them who allowed the reds to set up their stage in the middle of the road should be fired and that goes all the way to the top. If the cops had been doing their jobs, this never would have happened.

Every single Thai I know supports this man - I hope in the weeks and months ahead, he shows everyone a path towards peace, reconciliation and unity.

Why doesn't that surprise me? Being a member of PAD I should imagine you are quite cut off from the rest of the world.

Every decent Thai I know thinks he is the leader of the most evil government Thailand has known for decades.

Don't think the rest of the world doesn't know what went on in Thailand in the last few days. All the manipulation of the Thai press and the take over of Thai Visa Forums will not suppress the truth indefinitely.

The people of Thailand will learn the truth over time.

However, I too hope for reconciliation and unity, but that won't come through people like you.

Government officials in many Western countries have been interviewed since the Reds commenced trying to burn Bangkok to the ground and not one blames the present government. When the U.S. Ambassador to Thailand was asked if he thought Thaksin Shinawatra was behind the Red Shirts. He answered, "Yes I do. 200%. All the pro-Red Shirt bias, half-truths & lies put out by CNN & the BBC were corrected by their reporters toward the end of these riots, admitting for the first time that the Red Shirts were armed and in fact firing live ammunition, possessing Ak47S, M74 grenades & launchers, all supplied by Seh Daeng, stolen from the Thai Army. As the Reds arrested begin to squeal like pigs on who their financiers are in order to get lighter prison sentences, the whole world will know the whole story. As the huge stockpile of weapons that were recovered from the Red camp are shown to the whole work all will know they were terrorists working for Thaksin. You Red sympathisers will soon find that all that believe what you say are a buncy of brainwashed, uneducated peasants who will never be anything in their lives but followers, for sale the highest bidder, people like Thaksin.

EXCUSE ME. WHere does Eric John's quote end? Did he really say "a buncy of brainwashed..."

I don't think he's that diplomatic. If you're going to include a quote, it's good to close the quote.

Remember their ID cards are being held by them..think you can just easily leave?

I don't understand what the big dilema about the id card is. Simply leave, get another id card at a later date. Why bother even telling the leaders you're leaving.

Because they have to apply for a new ID card with their local leaders, which will give them away as "traitors" facing all kind of revenge and harassment from the local Red Shirt leaders.

Thats strange, last time we went to get a replace ID Card, we didnt have to go and see the local red shirt leaders.

You have to go to the police to report it stolen. The police are red shirts. Then you go to your local amphur and if you're from the north or northeast then you are visiting red shirt bureaucrats.

Would you call that boy looking over the tyres a human shield.I suggest you print something factual.My thioughts would have been,he is showing the boy to the soldiers to show that he is there.

NOW

If someone had said the boy should not be there i would have agreed but dont spout crap on here

That's what a human shield is - "don't shoot at us behind standing behind the red barricades because we have brought our children here."

You're EXACTLY right. If you're lifting up your child to show the soldiers while your cohorts are shooting and menacing the troops, that child is a shield. This proves that the reds are complete cowards just how despicable they are. They're willing to sacrifice their own children, who have no choice and no political allegiances, for their "cause."

I'm sickened by this image, but it gives me insight into what kind of people the government is dealing with. No wonder there's no negotiation with this lot of miscreants.

Yes, burning tires to hurt the lungs of all the neighbors and the youngsters -- their own people. And these people want to run a country? What childish, inconsiderate fools. Hold a rally sure, but to foul the air? This shows you the mentality of the red shirt protesters.

Nice pics.

It's such a shame that so many posters on Thai Visa call for bloodshed.

It's very strange that these people calling for bloodshed are not banned.

I wonder why ?

is it i wonder that they don't know what it is like to live under a dictatorship and democracy is for the rich only or may be they are communists. the reds are the people there are a lot more than the yellow belly's who took power by taking it not winning it. and the reds they have nothing more to lose this will be a big problem for the government who are traitors to there own people apaist should stand down he has lost it .

this is killing the king as he loves his people in the north as well as the rest of Thailand. stop the killing now. all yellows should be ashamed of them selfs, you have all gone mad with power. when will it end.

stop the bloody war now!!!!! before its to late.

Dictatorship? What planet are you on. The last two times Thaksin surrogates were in power they were thrown out for vote buying and then Samak for moonlighting as a TV cooking show host. The Dems formed a coalition, which is the way it works in a parliamentary democracy.

Who are the traitors? The ones taking an entire city hostage or a government that has done more than any other in recent memory to reach out and help the poor communities. The majority of the economic stimulus funds went to the poor rural communities. He's also been pouring funds into improving the schools in the provinces.

Also if life improved so much under Thaksin, Somchai and Samak, why are all the people in Isaan still as poor as they were 20 years ago?

No Thais are repressed, they're not discriminated against, they're not oppressed and their not jailed indiscriminately.

If the Peua Thai party can get its act together and not buy votes in the next election, then it will be the Red Shirts' turn to run the country. Abhisit has helped this country along through the worst economic period in the history of the world since the great depression. let's see the red shirts leader de jour, the thuggish Yonchaiyudh, who pulls strings so his murderous son can walk free, run the country. Let's see how that guy bastardizes and corrupts.

Maybe if you asked the question in a literate manner, I would not be so AFFECTED by the EFFECTS of the poorly written title to this thread.

Don't worry. Nobody got the difference between "I could care less" & "I couldn't care less" too.

Funny!

Like the OP, I'm concerned about this, too. Perhaps concerned is an inappropriate term to use in light of the seriousness of these events - but like the OP I have a planned move for next week. I'll be living a fair way from the riots (as they currently sit), but over here flights are now starting to be cancelled due to the recent events. My flight is next Friday, and I'm really starting to worry that I'm not going to get to come over if this goes much further. I can see that the majority of you are managing to get by without any serious issues to your own personal well-being, but I guess what me and the OP are saying is, is it worth us being there at all? Are you all fleeing in terror, is there a need to consider that for the future? I don't think there is an answer for the last question at the moment - but I am growing concerned. I have friends in Bangkok at the moment, and as much as I'd like to think they'd give me honest answers, I think the fact that they want me there might overrule any sensible thoughts for the future of Bangkok at this time.

First off, if you are moving here because your friends "want you here" you're moving for the wrong reason. You have real reasons for moving here. If you are financially secure and can get a job here, it's still okay to come. But don't get tied down. Don't marry and don't have kids. At least in the short term until this plays out.

Right now the politics are iffy here, but one thing is certain, us farangs aren't targets. We are not even a distraction to the factions in this fight. You won't be targeted by either side should this turn into a prolonged fight, either on the streets or underground. The only concern is that the extreme elements of the red movement go underground and start a terrorism campaign -- and idea that is not a far-fetched given their recent track record. Still, I doubt it would ever be on the same scale that Israel used to experience with regular suicide bombings of passenger buses and such.

Living in the suburb of Min Buri my day-to-day life hasn't been affected at all. But adding to the embarrassment of living here already (many people in the West think only pedophiles and whoremongers live here), now people really think that I must be either one or the other because why on earth wouldn't I live a place that's on the brink of collapse. It must be a sexual addiction, they say.

Meanwhile, my Thai wife still thinks this is the best place on earth and won't move. If I could kidnap the children and get them the HELLL out I would.

I've lived here for six years and Thailand has gotten worse with each passing year. I see no progress and now after watching the yellow shirts and now the reds holding the country hostage I understand the puerile mentality of Thais both educated and not. It's mob mentality.

Lost all respect for the people of this country and am trying to find a way to get my children OUT.

Maybe if you asked the question in a literate manner, I would not be so AFFECTED by the EFFECTS of the poorly written title to this thread.

News reports are that he has died.

This murder will prove to be the beginning of the end for the current Thai government.

End of the Red shirt movement!! Something had to break, Seh Deng gave his life so other grannys and kids on the front line could go home. OK if it is the end He is a good guy.

what are you smoking? Beam up is a great moniker for you.

It's not the working class or the Isaan folk that are being condemned. It's the form of protest. These people aren't abused and they have all the rights as other Thai citizens. There are plenty of rich people from Isaan who have started their own businesses. They are not discriminated against in job selections and they have the same opportunities to get into good schools

Still, they have every right to feel aggrieved because all governments, including Thaksin's, never spent a dime on improving the schools and infrastructure in the provinces. The culture of paying people peanuts will stay strong as long as the educational system in this country is reformed to up the intelligence and smarts of everybody, rich or poor.

It was likely a red shirt who was acting on behalf of the rest of the more sane Red leadership who didn't appreciate this A*hole trying to usurp the movement and turn it into a violent machine intent on bloodshed. The man was unstable. Read the quote from the AP "The prime minister and the Red Shirts were on the verge of striking a deal but then I came in. Suddenly, I became an important person," he said.

Says it all doesn't it. The reds assassinated him.

I'll condense your yellow twaddle for you:

A ------ ------ ---- -- ----- ----- redshirt----- --- ---- -------- did - --- ----- -------------it. LALALALALA <Ignore>...

Small caliber bullets don't come from sniper rifles. Watch the news in the next few days and learn the truth.

Who gives a shiite about the yellows they were a bunch of loosers that caused some shit years ago. This is now.

The yellows proved to that it's perfectly okay to overrun government house and take it over for 8 months and basically live there, then take over 2 international airports and hold hundreds of thousands of tourists stranded in Thailand for 10 days. They used grenades, firearms, slingshots. And they attacked police and army personnel and beat them up, even killed one of their own guards (his body was found at Don Mueang after the yellow shirts left).

That was "years ago". So what do we have today? Red shirts, you're right, who have seen that it's perfectly okay to do what the yellow shirts did and not having to go to prison. Since the yellow shirts are, 2 years later, still not in prison. Even worse, the yellow shirts are allowed to hold more demonstrations and dictate the government how to handle the red shirts.

You are correct. The yellows set the precedent. This is why the reds have been so bold. They knew they could get away with it and they have.

Mark my words when the next government is in power, the opposing side will resort to the same puerile tactics and on it will go -- all in the name of "democracy."

They have no legal right to occupy an important district of Bangkok and terrorize normal citizens. Next ...

But when they wear Yellow shirts Foreign MP thinks it is "good fun"...

The yellows who created havoc should be put in jail too. And so should the reds. The difference is that the yellows never fired rockets and didn't shut down the central part of the city for two months (the airport occupation was 8 days).

The foreign minister should be jailed for his part in what he did. This Sae Daeng character, now on his way to hel_l, had he still been alive when all this had happened should have been put before court martial and executed for treason since he is, after all, a soldier.

No need to fire rockets when the army is cheering you on. Or stay longer when the elites can have a party dissolved.

The army was cheering the reds on too! So were the police. That's the dichotomy that is Thailand.

It was likely a red shirt who was acting on behalf of the rest of the more sane Red leadership who didn't appreciate this A*hole trying to usurp the movement and turn it into a violent machine intent on bloodshed. The man was unstable. Read the quote from the AP "The prime minister and the Red Shirts were on the verge of striking a deal but then I came in. Suddenly, I became an important person," he said.

Says it all doesn't it. The reds assassinated him.

every time I ask a question or make a comment about this guy on TV i get attacked, but i want to know, has Sah Deang been accused of any specific acts of violence during these protests? I do not mean in general blaming him for the violent aspect of things, but specific charges like he was behind this bombing, or that shooting?

I am not a supporter of the red shirts, and sah deang seems like a whacko to me, but I am a supporter of due process. My instinct is to be doubtful of the usefulness of shooting people in the streets.

If you are a supporter of due process how can you be a red shirt supporter?? isn't that an oxymoron

read more carefully, i say clearly, I am NOT a supporter of the red shirts.

OK I see now that you are not a supporter of the red shirts. They were also supporters of due process until the government took Mr Taks Billions then they resorted to this Maoist revolt.

Mr. T was a crook and corrupted the Thai government to new levels and he enriched himself greatly by ensuring preferential treatment for his AIS, which was absolved from paying the fees that all of its competitors had to pay. He forced the Thai Export Import Bank to lend Bt4 billion to Burma so that it could buy a satellite from his Shinsat outfit. His hid his wealth and then when AIS was sold by his children, they didn't have to pay taxes.

The money that was taken was justice done. He was only robbed of that which he stole himself through illegal means and subterfuge.