email from ACS BKK

QUOTE

December 11, 2008

This warden message is being issued to alert U.S. Citizens traveling to

and residing in Thailand that approximately 300-plus individuals have

gathered in front of the GPF Witthayu Building on Wireless Road to

demonstrate against the Beer Chang Company and its desire to be listed

on the Bangkok Stock Exchange. Buses continue to drop off demonstrators

at Lumpini Park who are then walking down Wireless Road to the GPF

Building. We ask Americans to exercise caution if you are going to be

in this vicinity or in the area of any demonstrations.

We wish to remind American citizens that even demonstrations intended to

be peaceful can turn confrontational and possibly escalate into

violence. American citizens are therefore urged to avoid the areas of

demonstrations and to exercise caution if within the vicinity of any

demonstrations.

For the latest security information, Americans living and traveling

abroad should regularly monitor the Department's Bureau of Consular

Affairs Internet web site at http://travel.state.gov, where the current

Worldwide Caution, Travel Alerts, Travel Warnings, and

health-information resources can be found. Up-to-date information on

security can also be obtained by calling 1-888-407-4747 toll free in the

U.S. and Canada or, for callers in other areas by calling a regular toll

line at 1-202-501-4444. These numbers are available from 8:00 a.m. to

8:00 p.m. Eastern Time, Monday through Friday (except U.S. federal

holidays).

American citizens traveling or residing in Thailand are encouraged to

register with the Department of State or the U.S. Embassy. The Embassy

is located at 95 Wireless Road in Bangkok. The American Citizen

Services Unit of the U.S. Embassy can be reached by calling

66-2-205-4049 and by e-mail at [email protected]. The after hours

emergency telephone number is 66-2-205-4000.

Ok some junior level foreign service officer covered his arse by issuing this silly warning. These folks have been protesting Chang Beer's attempt to list on the SET for years...have not heard of any injuries or deaths as of yet from these beer rallies

I passed the demo by taxi this morning, no disruption of main traffic (middle road)

at all. Not impressed.

I walked through this demonstration today...Yawn.

OK, so the protest ended peacefully. However, prudent folks pay attention to such warnings. If you crave traffic jams, the potential for an errant brick, screaming into bullhorns and the all around sense of protest, then go and hang out. There are those that do not need the inconvenience or aggravation. Protests have a tendancy to get out of hand, no matter where they occur. I'd rather the warning so I can choose for myself to attend or to avoid the fun.

What has it got to do with PAD?

Or is any popular demonstration now implicityly linked to PAD?

Cheers

Buses continue to drop off demonstrators

at Lumpini Park who are then walking down Wireless Road to the GPF

Building.

Some Americans do need to be warned that walking is not a dangerous and prohibited activity.

(Witness the time I asked the concierge in a Santa Fe hotel where the nearest mall was and declared my intention to walk there - he nearly had me sectioned)

Just out of curiosity, what is their grievance with Beer Chang?

I think the gist of it is that consuming alcohol is against Buddhist principles therefore a company that produces alcohol shouldn't be publicly traded on the SET.

Cheers