MRT & BTS Shutdown today, Saturday 17/10/2020

[ThailandRyan]

At 12pm I had an appointment to attend off of Sukhumvit at the Sam Mitr Building.  It was raining heavily and instead of taking the car or the Motorbike I decided to use the MRT to Sukhumvit from Sathon/Lumpini.  As I was arriving at the MRT entrance the gate was being pulled down and many people were scurrying around.  I asked the attendant that had shut the gate why they were closing.  He indicated they were shutting the entire MRT in the greater Bangkok Area because of the protests.  Instead of using the MRT I grabbed a cab and made it to my appointment in time.  On the way home at 3pm, The MRT location at Terminal 21 was closed all around still, and even the BTS at Asoke was shut.  Many upset people, but some very happy cab drivers.  at 3:30pm just after I arrived home the GF called and said that she could not get home from the Bang Na area as the BTS was also closed in that location.  She is currently en-route home in a Taxi, and a little upset at having to spend extra money to get back.

 

I do not believe the closure of the BTS & MRT are weather related instead It appears to me and others I was talking with that the Government in order to prevent any type of protest this evening has shut down all transport going into the downtown Bangkok Metropolitan Area.  This seems a little heavy handed, and will only resort to the protestors staging rally's in other locations or coming by the truck load. 

 

On another side note, I also did not see one bus running on the roads on my way home, and my GF said she could not get a bus down in the Bang Na area either.   However, in watching the news right now the buses are running very sporadically.

 

Just a heads up for those thinking about going out tonight.

[tomazbodner]

You can blame the protesters. Many do.

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

You can blame the protesters. Many do.

Not the few folks I talked to, they blame the Government on being heavy handed.  However, it is not stopping the protestors as they are arriving by the car load or truckload and being dropped off on side Sois where they can walk.  Watching the news now they are amassing in numbers again.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

My wife and I left home in central BKK about 1:30 pm today, and checked with BTS staff at our outbound station, and they had no info or news about any planned closures for the day.

 

But by the time we tried to return home about 3:30 pm, the BTS Sukhumvit Line was closed absolutely around the Siam / Chidlom area (first-hand experience) and we were told the whole BTS Sukhumvit Line was closed.

 

The BTS website started at about 2:45 pm today running this scrolling announcement:

 

Quote

 

Attention please. Due to emergency decree announced by the Thai government, for safety reasons services on the Sukhumvit line have been temporarily suspended.

 

https://www.bts.co.th/eng/information/information.html

 

Yet on the BTS Facebook page, they seem to be saying ALL stations have been shut down, which would also include the Silom line, which I suspect is the case.

 

https://www.facebook.com/BTSSkyTrain

 

My wife saw an announcement from Thai Rak news saying the whole MRT line was being shut down.

 

What a great way to run a city....  Virtually no advance notice given to the public, as best as I can tell...

 

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Yep, entire Blue and Purple lines closed, per MRT FB page:

 

 

Quote

 

Update 15.30: For the safety and security of passengers, the MRT Blue Line and MRT Purple Line will be temporarily closed. When the situation resume to normal, we will resume service as soon as possible.

We apologize for any inconvenience.

 

https://www.facebook.com/BEM.MRT

 

 

[Mavideol]

47 minutes ago, TallGuyJohninBKK said:

What a great way to run a city....  Virtually no advance notice given to the public, as best as I can tell...

what a great way to run a country I would say....

[tribalfusion001]

5 protest sites in BKK. Richard Barrow for updates.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just now, Mavideol said:

what a great way to run a country I would say....

 

That too....

 

I was just commenting on the micro issue here... hard to fathom why they or the government (who I presume is behind this) couldn't have given better advance public notice of the transit shutdowns...

 

The macro issues... are a whole bigger kettle of stinky fish.

 

[tribalfusion001]

protest in pattaya outside police station.

[ThailandRyan]

17 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

5 protest sites in BKK. Richard Barrow for updates.

Add in Pattaya, and the rest of the country, it is catching on like fire........

[tribalfusion001]

5 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

Add in Pattaya, and the rest of the country, it is catching on like fire........

Not surprised, massive drop in GDP and lots of angry people. I saw a stream in Khon Kaen last night, that was huge. I'm on voice tv stream at present, my old stomping ground at Lat Phrao.

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, tribalfusion001 said:

Not surprised, massive drop in GDP and lots of angry people. I saw a stream in Khon Kaen last night, that was huge. I'm on voice tv stream at present, my old stomping ground at Lat Phrao.

Just talked to some old friends in Udon Thani, and it is picking up there also.

[wasabi]

What the protesters want will not be given without a fight so I can't see a quick and happy ending. Wish I was not in BKK right now but I am.

[tribalfusion001]

1 minute ago, ThailandRyan said:

Just talked to some old friends in Udon Thani, and it is picking up there also.

People power, good to see. I think Bang Na intersection is now closed by protesters.

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, wasabi said:

What the protesters want will not be given without a fight so I can't see a quick and happy ending. Wish I was not in BKK right now but I am.

I stocked up on freezer foods, and the basics to last another month should it become necessary.  Luckily Rama 4 is a little out of the way and the local markets and stores have the fruits and veggies I may need.

[statman78]

As I recall back in 2014 during the protests after the coup I never saw the entire system shut down.  At times specific stations were closed when there were threats of protests in the area of the station.  This time the protests are much larger.

[2 is 1]

Protest was also in Khon Kaen University area last evening so it's spread like fire . Hope all going peaceful!

[tribalfusion001]

4 minutes ago, 2 is 1 said:

Protest was also in Khon Kaen University area last evening so it's spread like fire . Hope all going peaceful!

Another in Roi Et I was watching last night.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Be nice if the various entities could at least get on the same page, information wise...

 

https://www.thaipbsworld.com/bangkoks-public-transport-systems-partially-closed/
 

Quote

 

Services at several stations of the BTS Skytrain, MRT underground train and the Airport Rail Link, three of Bangkok’s major public transport systems, have been suspended in anticipation of another rally for anti-government protesters this evening.

 

Police said 14 stations of BTS will be closed starting 2.30pm Saturday. They are mostly stations located in the metropolitan areas. They include Aree, Sanampao, Victory Monument, Phyathai, Pathumwan, Siam, Chidlom, Ploenchit, Nana, Asoke,  Prompong, National Stadium, Rajdamri and Saladaeng.

 

The service of the whole of MRT’s Blue Line has been closed since noon.

 

As for the Airport Rail Link service, the Phyathai station will be closed.

The Sukhumvit Road will also be closed to incoming traffic starting at Sukhumvit Soi 24 while the outbound traffic will be limited to Soi Nana.  

 

 

[sapson]

Perhaps Thai visa will partially shut down protest news feeds as well in their support of the greedy bar stewards pulling the strings.... but adverts ad nauseam will continue along with the daily release of flatulence from the generals masquerading as politicians who give a <deleted> about the people of this country.

[tomazbodner]

I wonder why all the hardcore keyboard warriors of ThaiVisa are not with the protesters, fighting for democracy? Live free or die trying, right?

[ThailandRyan]

6 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

I wonder why all the hardcore keyboard warriors of ThaiVisa are not with the protesters, fighting for democracy? Live free or die trying, right?

Why would we risk being arrested and deported from the country.  We are not Thai citizens, and why risk an expulsion.  We can lend our support and our views here until we get removed by other sources.

[Artisi]

7 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

I wonder why all the hardcore keyboard warriors of ThaiVisa are not with the protesters, fighting for democracy? Live free or die trying, right?

And what is your input at the moment? 

[ChipButty]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

I stocked up on freezer foods, and the basics to last another month should it become necessary.  Luckily Rama 4 is a little out of the way and the local markets and stores have the fruits and veggies I may need.

Dont forget the beers

[tomazbodner]

10 minutes ago, ThailandRyan said:

We are not Thai citizens

Exactly

[ThailandRyan]

2 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

Exactly

So what is the point your trying to make.  Should we remain quiet and be like good little kids and go to our rooms like when Mommy told us to be seen and not heard.  A forum is a Forum an for input and views.  If not then there would not be a forum allowing us to speak openly, except for the taboo restrictions which are off limits and against the rules.  

[Pravda]

1 hour ago, ThailandRyan said:

I stocked up on freezer foods, and the basics to last another month should it become necessary.  Luckily Rama 4 is a little out of the way and the local markets and stores have the fruits and veggies I may need.

Must be murican

[ChipButty]

4 minutes ago, Pravda said:

Must be murican

What if he is?

[tribalfusion001]

Thereporters on Facebook has the Lat Phrao protest live, no police so far, huge demo.

[ThailandRyan]

10 minutes ago, Pravda said:

Must be murican

What's your point.  That only Americans stock up when there is a possibility of a lockdown or restrictions on getting to certain areas.  No I did not buy all of the Toilet paper, I have bidets.