Traffic Chaos In Bangkok As Protesters Close Main Roads

[eldar1]

well, some people are simply not smart enough to understand what political motivated studies mean.

Since you can't back your claims, that no money was lost during the airport occupations, with facts, you may as well call the others stupid.

The economic losses are not just goods shipped through airplanes. They are tourists that have canceled their trips, lost investor confidence, canceled business deals, airlines suing for damages, import/export companies suing for damages, Thai jobs lost and much more.

Please point me to where I told that no money was lost!

just the numbers are nonsense. Take a calculator and a statistic sheet of Thailand.

lost investor confidence??? After military coup, Samak and Somchai???

Canceled businesses: I didn't hear of any, because of a 2-3 day delay, but there might be a few.

Please point me to an article about the airlines/import/export companies suing Thailand.

I don't doubt the canceled tourist trips and loose in confidents of Tourists.

h90, with the greatest of respect I think you totally underestimate the damage done! Wow.... It was a catastrophe and the effects are still not totally revealed. Wait a couple of months and you will see desperation here and yes, not all as a result of the airport closure - global economics and the other shortcomings in Thailand too like un-educated workforce, corruption and lagging infrastructure etc but a big chunk is the airport closure!!!

Yes there was damage done to the economy, but not 10's of billions of dollars worth. Most export goes through seaports which were unaffected by the airport seizure. You have a valid point on investor confidence, it would have had an effect, but so do the current problems. It will be difficult to know the true extent of the damage caused since a second event completely over shadows the airport seizure and that event is the global recession we are currently in.

[hammered]

Blocking the roads right next to a bunch of busy hospitals seems to have backfired on the red shirts in PR terms. Wonder if we will have "look at me" Jakropob apologising to the public over that or it will be "well in the interests of our version of democracy and returning Thailand's biggest human rights abuser in decades to power people must suffer"?

[h90]

well, some people are simply not smart enough to understand what political motivated studies mean.

Since you can't back your claims, that no money was lost during the airport occupations, with facts, you may as well call the others stupid.

The economic losses are not just goods shipped through airplanes. They are tourists that have canceled their trips, lost investor confidence, canceled business deals, airlines suing for damages, import/export companies suing for damages, Thai jobs lost and much more.

Please point me to where I told that no money was lost!

just the numbers are nonsense. Take a calculator and a statistic sheet of Thailand.

lost investor confidence??? After military coup, Samak and Somchai???

Canceled businesses: I didn't hear of any, because of a 2-3 day delay, but there might be a few.

Please point me to an article about the airlines/import/export companies suing Thailand.

I don't doubt the canceled tourist trips and loose in confidents of Tourists.

h90, with the greatest of respect I think you totally underestimate the damage done! Wow.... It was a catastrophe and the effects are still not totally revealed. Wait a couple of months and you will see desperation here and yes, not all as a result of the airport closure - global economics and the other shortcomings in Thailand too like un-educated workforce, corruption and lagging infrastructure etc but a big chunk is the airport closure!!!

Some damage is done, but I don't see the big damage, beside a few percent on the tourists for a year (which is bad enough).

"90 billion baht in logistics and 60 billion baht in industry" is simply not possible, because there weren't much problems in the logistic during that time.

Sure there is lost confidence, but this confidence is gained again fast if someone like Abhisit is PM. Having the constitution changed to allow some corrupt criminals govern the country would have damaged the confidence much more in the long term.

[h90]

Yes there was damage done to the economy, but not 10's of billions of dollars worth. Most export goes through seaports which were unaffected by the airport seizure. You have a valid point on investor confidence, it would have had an effect, but so do the current problems. It will be difficult to know the true extent of the damage caused since a second event completely over shadows the airport seizure and that event is the global recession we are currently in.

And the airfreight of DHL, UPS, FedEx had just slight delays. 1-2 days.

[neverdie]

Thai idiots looking extra stupid....eeerr again. The country is a circus, sorry a 'first class' circus!

It doesnt matter what colour shirt they are wearing, its the smell of 'stupidity' eminating around the globe.

[edwardmoulton]

Sorry but this comment from Mr Suthep, who I always find pretty funny, is absolutely hysterical!

Thai security to International standards.... Not much in LOS is to international standards and I think the security is not even to third world standards...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/14...r-asian-leaders

Jonathan Head on the BBC video even makes the point that Thia security has a poor reputation but this government keep believing their own dreams...

[h90]

Sorry but this comment from Mr Suthep, who I always find pretty funny, is absolutely hysterical!

Thai security to International standards.... Not much in LOS is to international standards and I think the security is not even to third world standards...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/14...r-asian-leaders

Jonathan Head on the BBC video even makes the point that Thia security has a poor reputation but this government keep believing their own dreams...

Bangkokpost does not work for me, but TOC: http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/toc/ViewData...?DataID=1013666

BREAKING NEWS: Red Shirt Protesters Gained Entrance to ASEAN Meeting Venue

UPDATE : 10 April 2009

Red shirt protesters have moved pass the security guard kiosk at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, the venue of the 14th ASEAN Summit, to enter the hotel grounds. They are now in front of the press center.

end-quote

that's a shame for the government! Replacing Suthep together with the head of the police would be a good idea.

[hammered]

Sorry but this comment from Mr Suthep, who I always find pretty funny, is absolutely hysterical!

Thai security to International standards.... Not much in LOS is to international standards and I think the security is not even to third world standards...

http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/14...r-asian-leaders

Jonathan Head on the BBC video even makes the point that Thia security has a poor reputation but this government keep believing their own dreams...

Bangkokpost does not work for me, but TOC: http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/toc/ViewData...?DataID=1013666

BREAKING NEWS: Red Shirt Protesters Gained Entrance to ASEAN Meeting Venue

UPDATE : 10 April 2009

Red shirt protesters have moved pass the security guard kiosk at the Royal Cliff Beach Resort, the venue of the 14th ASEAN Summit, to enter the hotel grounds. They are now in front of the press center.

end-quote

that's a shame for the government! Replacing Suthep together with the head of the police would be a good idea.

Internationally it is bad for the government but nationally it is good. The PAD lost the silent majority when they did the airport. The red shirts after blocking off hospitals yeaterday are now causing damage to the countries international image, that is exactly what lost the PAD support.

[ff978472]

See this

Edited April 10, 2009 by ff978472

[Insight]

They need to take action otherwise the police will be exposed to the joke they are on the international stage.

[mdechgan]

Blocking the roads right next to a bunch of busy hospitals seems to have backfired on the red shirts in PR terms. Wonder if we will have "look at me" Jakropob apologising to the public over that or it will be "well in the interests of our version of democracy and returning Thailand's biggest human rights abuser in decades to power people must suffer"?

Jakropob apologize? Never. He wouldn't apologize to his own mother. He is very stubborn and strong headed.

However blocking the victory monument has done more damage to the local BKK citizens trying to make a living (like the protesters themselves) than damaging the government.

Blocking the airport is one thing, most Thai people don't really fly to and from work everyday. And the airport is really far from BKK, in some swamp land in another province to be exact. The airport hits the government where it hurts most like the economy and internationally.

You don't try and remove the government by pissing off the everyday non-political citizens. Someone here said to put pressure on the city to bring down the government which I think is false. I think more people would put pressure on the government to stop the protestors if the protestors get in their way.

[hammered]

They need to take action otherwise the police will be exposed to the joke they are on the international stage.

Abhisit wont crack down until the people are behind a crackdown. Damage to international reputation of the country, potential threast to foreign dignatories not to mention blocking off hospitals yesterday, we are close to the point he can order it and people will think he had no choice.

[mdechgan]

See this

Oh my goodness.

The Thai people unites for a common goal and greater good.

It brings a tear to my eye.

Who said the country was divided.

See and hear the cheers when they started pushing the buses and taxis?

They just took off and left in fear while everyone just screamed "Yiem Maak!"

Edited April 10, 2009 by mdechgan

[h90]

Internationally it is bad for the government but nationally it is good. The PAD lost the silent majority when they did the airport. The red shirts after blocking off hospitals yeaterday are now causing damage to the countries international image, that is exactly what lost the PAD support.

Internationally they make complete idiots out of themself.

Nationally they show that they are unable to make some "normal" planning.

I still don't understand why they moved it from Phuket to Pattaya.

[Insight]

They need to take action otherwise the police will be exposed to the joke they are on the international stage.

Abhisit wont crack down until the people are behind a crackdown. Damage to international reputation of the country, potential threast to foreign dignatories not to mention blocking off hospitals yesterday, we are close to the point he can order it and people will think he had no choice.

I honestly don't think he'll face much opposition right now, or even yesterday at Victory Monument oclock. Obviously he needs to be careful not to play into Thaksin's hands, but I think the wisdom displayed so far by him and the feelings of people of the general public in BKK will help here.

[justanothercybertosser]

H90, There is no doubt, whatsoever, that many of the Reds are being paid and bused in by organizers. Anyone living in Bangkok who travels the city can see the buses. In one, relatively small area, I counted 74 large buses last week.

What I thought was interesting was the amount of people who come from Bangkok and surrounding areas. This isn't the "army" of hard working farmers that the Red's organizers want to make it out to be.

Absolute rubbish.

The Udon Lovers, for example, held a large fundraiser on April 4, in which people from the area donated large amounts so that buses could be paid for. More people wanted to go than transport was available. People from these areas have financed their trip to the protests themselves.

More and more middle class people from Bangkok have joined the rallies, and if you listen to the speeches on the stage, the organizers of the Red Shirts have pointed this out on numerous occasions.

The Red Shirt movement is a mass movement, with a now highly organized communication and mobilization network. If the yellow ideologues (including the ones in Democrat Party disguise) do not realize this fact, and draw the necessary conclusion, meaning that substantial negotiations are to be initiated soon, Thailand will implode around their heads, maybe even some time during this year.

[rainman]

Police poised to arrest red-shirt leaders

Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt General Worapong Chiewpreecha on Friday indicated that police were preparing to ask for the court-approved warrants to round up red shirt leaders, including fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Worapong said Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban, who is in Pattaya, had just called him to check into the progress ot issuing the arrest warrants.

He said the warrants would be based on charges relating to inciting insurrection and causing disturbances.

The Nation

Corruption at it's finest moment. They never even bothered arresting the PAD leaders last year.

[Insight]

/edit - double post.

Edited April 10, 2009 by Insight

[chrislarsson]

Well my imports and exports came in and went out during this week of airport seizure. So please put some light on where the 90 billion got lost and which part of the airfreight makes a 4.7 Trillion Baht per year to loose 90 billion in one week. (and we are not speaking about tourists we speak about logistics at the airport minus Express Services which worked almost normal).

You should probably go tell the Bank of Thailand, who put the report on the losses together, how much they did and how much they didn't loose. They could probably learn quite a bit from you (<- sarcasm)

Thai Airways alone estimated a 20 billion baht loss due to the airport closure.

http://www.tradingmarkets.com/.site/news/S...20News/2076986/

I don't see why a report from Bank of Thailand would be politically motivated. But if u are going to criticize it, please come up with something better than "Well my imports and exports came in and went..."

[rainman]

I still don't understand why they moved it from Phuket to Pattaya.

More hookers for the international representatives? I wonder if they charge a "guest fee" at the resort.

I remember the international AIDS/HIV conference a few years back in Bangkok, I saw quite a few of the delegates walk into their hotel rooms in Sukhumvit with one or two bargirls.

Edited April 10, 2009 by rainman

[h90]

H90, There is no doubt, whatsoever, that many of the Reds are being paid and bused in by organizers. Anyone living in Bangkok who travels the city can see the buses. In one, relatively small area, I counted 74 large buses last week.

What I thought was interesting was the amount of people who come from Bangkok and surrounding areas. This isn't the "army" of hard working farmers that the Red's organizers want to make it out to be.

Absolute rubbish.

The Udon Lovers, for example, held a large fundraiser on April 4, in which people from the area donated large amounts so that buses could be paid for. More people wanted to go than transport was available. People from these areas have financed their trip to the protests themselves.

More and more middle class people from Bangkok have joined the rallies, and if you listen to the speeches on the stage, the organizers of the Red Shirts have pointed this out on numerous occasions.

The Red Shirt movement is a mass movement, with a now highly organized communication and mobilization network. If the yellow ideologues (including the ones in Democrat Party disguise) do not realize this fact, and draw the necessary conclusion, meaning that substantial negotiations are to be initiated soon, Thailand will implode around their heads, maybe even some time during this year.

I would tend to believe you, if there wouldn't be the fact, that there just 2000-max. 10.000 people at the moment. The "mass" seems to be missing. Where are the masses?

[rainman]

I would tend to believe you, if there wouldn't be the fact, that there just 2000-max. 10.000 people at the moment. The "mass" seems to be missing. Where are the masses?

Where are the PAD that announced counter-protests a few days ago?

[xminator]

I still don't understand why they moved it from Phuket to Pattaya.

More hookers for the international representatives? I wonder if they charge a "guest fee" at the resort.

I remember the international AIDS/HIV conference a few years back in Bangkok, I saw quite a few of the delegates walk into their hotel rooms in Sukhumvit with one or two bargirls.

More likely they remembered their own airport blokade and try to fly as little as possible.

[Insight]

I would tend to believe you, if there wouldn't be the fact, that there just 2000-max. 10.000 people at the moment. The "mass" seems to be missing. Where are the masses?

Where are the PAD that announced counter-protests a few days ago?

I'm not sure personally, but guess it was called off (which would be a very wise decision too).

[h90]

I would tend to believe you, if there wouldn't be the fact, that there just 2000-max. 10.000 people at the moment. The "mass" seems to be missing. Where are the masses?

Where are the PAD that announced counter-protests a few days ago?

They announced to NOT counter-protest as it might cause violence.

[h90]

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/toc/ViewData...?DataID=1013669

Red-Shirt Protest Likely to Cause BHT120 BLN Loss in Tourism

UPDATE : 10 April 2009

Tourism operators have revealed that the political chaos created by anti-government red-shirt protesters is already being estimated to cause over 120 billion bahts worth of damage to Thailand's tourism industry. They have also urged the public to put the country's best interests first.

After the meeting of the Federation of the Thai Tourism Association, the Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association President, Sitdiwat Chiva-ratanaporn, said the ongoing red shirt demonstration is likely to severely damage the tourism industry.

Sitdiwat said Chinese travelers are particularly sensitive to the political turmoil and he therefore expects around 600,000 Chinese tourists to visit the kingdom, down from previous targets of 800,000 to one million.

He therefore called on the protesters to prioritize the nation's welfare rather than personal interest or group beliefs, adding that workers in the travel industry are likely to lose their jobs as a result of this crisis.

Meanwhile, President of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, Apichart Sankary said if the political unrest does not come to an end by May of this year, it is expected that the country will suffer losses of up to 3 million overseas tourists, which would incur damages to the industry worth upward of 120 billion baht.

Thai Hotels Association President, Prakit Chinamornpong, expressed concerns over the protests continuing indefinitely, which would undoubtedly undermine confidence in the country, also reasoning that thousands of foreigners have scheduled to attend conferences and meetings in Thailand in the upcoming period.

Tourism and Sports Minister, Chumpol Silpa-archa also expressed concern over the situation and its inevitable damage to the tourism atmosphere. However, the minister insisted that the government will not declare a State of Emergency, adding that he would resign from his post in the case of such a decree being announced.

[xminator]

The only responsible solution is to dissolve the house and call for new elections.

[h90]

The only responsible solution is to dissolve the house and call for new elections.

Why?

[edwardmoulton]

http://www.thailandoutlook.tv/toc/ViewData...?DataID=1013669

Red-Shirt Protest Likely to Cause BHT120 BLN Loss in Tourism

UPDATE : 10 April 2009

Tourism operators have revealed that the political chaos created by anti-government red-shirt protesters is already being estimated to cause over 120 billion bahts worth of damage to Thailand's tourism industry. They have also urged the public to put the country's best interests first.

After the meeting of the Federation of the Thai Tourism Association, the Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association President, Sitdiwat Chiva-ratanaporn, said the ongoing red shirt demonstration is likely to severely damage the tourism industry.

Sitdiwat said Chinese travelers are particularly sensitive to the political turmoil and he therefore expects around 600,000 Chinese tourists to visit the kingdom, down from previous targets of 800,000 to one million.

He therefore called on the protesters to prioritize the nation's welfare rather than personal interest or group beliefs, adding that workers in the travel industry are likely to lose their jobs as a result of this crisis.

Meanwhile, President of the Association of Thai Travel Agents, Apichart Sankary said if the political unrest does not come to an end by May of this year, it is expected that the country will suffer losses of up to 3 million overseas tourists, which would incur damages to the industry worth upward of 120 billion baht.

Thai Hotels Association President, Prakit Chinamornpong, expressed concerns over the protests continuing indefinitely, which would undoubtedly undermine confidence in the country, also reasoning that thousands of foreigners have scheduled to attend conferences and meetings in Thailand in the upcoming period.

Tourism and Sports Minister, Chumpol Silpa-archa also expressed concern over the situation and its inevitable damage to the tourism atmosphere. However, the minister insisted that the government will not declare a State of Emergency, adding that he would resign from his post in the case of such a decree being announced.

I read before this wave of protests that around 20% of hotel workers were to be laid off after SOngkran as a result of the problems overall. Now it looks bleak....

Disolve the house and call elections fast! The red shorts are not going to back down now so the government should accept defeat as after all, 'what goes around comes around'...

[KireB]

Police poised to arrest red-shirt leaders

Metropolitan Police commissioner Lt General Worapong Chiewpreecha on Friday indicated that police were preparing to ask for the court-approved warrants to round up red shirt leaders, including fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

Worapong said Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban, who is in Pattaya, had just called him to check into the progress ot issuing the arrest warrants.

He said the warrants would be based on charges relating to inciting insurrection and causing disturbances.

The Nation

Corruption at it's finest moment. They never even bothered arresting the PAD leaders last year.

Yes they did! Do you really believe the crap you're writing?