Chiang Mai Airport Beseiged But Open And Operational

[ronz28]

The rule of law appears to be alive and well in Chiang Mai compared to Bangkok. Let's hope it stays that way.

As Coral snakes go.... red and yellow kill a fellow but red and black venom lack.... might apply here too so suppression of the yellow shirts for now is working.

If they are trucking yellow shirts in from BKK the locals will need to react quickly to send them back home.

[BossHogg]

Seems to be an unusual amount of planes taking off here...every 5 minutes for the last half hour

[TAWP]

The rule of law appears to be alive and well in Chiang Mai compared to Bangkok. Let's hope it stays that way.

As Coral snakes go.... red and yellow kill a fellow but red and black venom lack.... might apply here too so suppression of the yellow shirts for now is working.

If they are trucking yellow shirts in from BKK the locals will need to react quickly to send them back home.

I didn't know it was legal to drag people out of their offices and assault them, knife them or shoot them. Or to go around and force shop-owners to close their stores or threaten to burn them down and kill the owners for not supporting the government (i.e. having ASTV on in their shops).

You must have a very different concept of law and order than some others.

[growe237]

I saw a "gang" of red shirts harrassing the yellow-shirted (their uniform) workers at popular Thai restaurant half-way down Ratchadamoen several nights ago. Also, Sunday night before Walking Street market started there were 3 tuks-tuks full of redshirts yelling with speakers blaring, circling various blocks for about an hour in that area. That's the only evidence I've seen within the old city. The redshirts look really angry and violent to me, unlike the relatively peaceful PAD protesters.

[WAERTH]

Any latest info about Chiang Mai Airport? China Airlines will start flying AMS<>BKK<>Taipei again from Sunday on, but using Chiang Mai instead of Bangkok! I am on the first flight in. So I would be gratefull for any info about the situation at Chiang Mai airport

I was at Chiang Mai Airport twice today... no sign of anything... no red-shirts, no yellow-shirts, no problems, business as usual! have you booked accommodation in Chiang Mai? (shameless self promotion )

Nope as I want to go to BKK asap. I life in BKK .... and although I like CM I do not want to visit this time. But PM me your place maybe another time this or next year!

I see, well if you need someone to meet you at the airport and run to to the train or bus station, give me a yell...

Well I made it back to Bangkok easily!!

I will post the whole story later.

Basically I walked out of the airplane behind a Thai bizzman (a diamond trader whom had just come back from Antwerp) ... he basically said aloud fuc_k this mess I am going to get myself a bus and everyone can join me. He walked out of the airport, saw a bus unloading foreigers that had arrived from BKK went to the busdriver told him he wanted the bus, negotiated and got it for 16.000 baht. Then he asked foreigners and Thais if they wanted to join him on the bus and in the end there were 18 in the bus (most foreigners were afraid he was scamming them so choose to sit at the airport the idiots, while this guy was indeed trying to help people) Everyone paid 1000 baht, apart from one person whom went to Nakhon Sawan and paid 500. So he gave the driver the 17500 bt after he collected it so he had a 1500 bt tip.

It could have been cheaper if more people had gone on the bus but the idiot foreigners/backpackers where all going on like, no it is a scam do not trust a Thai. I landed at 0700 in Chiang Mai and was in my appartment in Bangkok by 17.30 approx.

[wedders]

I saw a "gang" of red shirts harrassing the yellow-shirted (their uniform) workers at popular Thai restaurant half-way down Ratchadamoen several nights ago. Also, Sunday night before Walking Street market started there were 3 tuks-tuks full of redshirts yelling with speakers blaring, circling various blocks for about an hour in that area. That's the only evidence I've seen within the old city. The redshirts look really angry and violent to me, unlike the relatively peaceful PAD protesters.

I had just been to the rally and concert Sunday afternoon at the 3 Kings monument near Walking Street, maybe 700 or 800 people there late afternoon. It was calm and peaceful - I took dozens of photos and they all make that very clear. The demonstrators had a few trucks driving around, promoting their message via loudspeaker. My wife said the words were not aggressive - just an attempt to rally the apathetic to think carefully about the situation.

Nonetheless this is a spiral of violence on both sides, and there is little point trying to make comparisons in terms of degree. A thuggish element is an inevitable and some might say necessary part of such organisations in today's world. However the problem is that situations always end up getting out of control, and the leaders end up with little influence over the actions of the thugs.

It's an explosive mix - literally. People's views are so polarised it's hard to see what common ground is left.

[geriatrickid]

However the problem is that situations always end up getting out of control, and the leaders end up with little influence over the actions of the thugs.

It's an explosive mix - literally. People's views are so polarised it's hard to see what common ground is left.

A good point. The most active participants of a riot often don't have any political motivations, but are there for some "fun". If you look at any of the recent riots in the west particularly after political rallies or sporting events, many times the agitators are there to take advantage of an opportunity to cause some havoc while being able to hang out in a crowd. Why should Thais be any different when it comes to srowd psychology? I don't think the majority of rally participants on either side of the spectrum are intent on killing or maiming anyone.