Monk-y Business At The Red Shirt Rally

[phaethon]

Took a walk down to the Red Shirt Rally starting from the back of Government House and the UN building. Everyone, but everyone clad in Red except me, the police and this guy, Mr Cool, in one of the rally trucks waiting to set off...

Edited April 10, 2009 by phaethon

[MKAsok]

I like it. 'Gangsta Monk.' What kind of reaction did you get from the protesters (if any)? I've walked around a few demonstrations before, and most people seemed genuinely pleased that a foreigner was taking an interest, offering me food, drink, wanting to chat etc.

[desi]

I received a warm reception in the few places I stopped (or was stopped). It was almost a party atmosphere, where everyone was laughing and having a grand 'ole time. 

More here...

Btw - I'm not for red or yellow (and now there is blue too?). And while I am all for getting Thailand fixed (who isn't?), I'm just not sure what the fix is.

[eldar1]

I received a warm reception in the few places I stopped (or was stopped). It was almost a party atmosphere, where everyone was laughing and having a grand 'ole time.

More here...

Btw - I'm not for red or yellow (and now there is blue too?). And while I am all for getting Thailand fixed (who isn't?), I'm just not sure what the fix is.

Great pictures, thanks for posting them.

I think that that is the problem, no one really know how to fix this mess, let's hope some brainiac somewhere is trying to come up with a solution.

[desi]

Here are some more.

And while they were selling red shirts with Thai script, just check out how much is in English.

The police were also standing around joking...

[desi]

Took a walk down to the Red Shirt Rally starting from the back of Government House and the UN building. Everyone, but everyone clad in Red except me, the police and this guy, Mr Cool, in one of the rally trucks waiting to set off...

I love the monk! And I couldn't help but notice that he's wearing red sun glasses 

It was only when I started walking towards Government House that someone pointed out what I was wearing. Red. It was not intentional. 

[slapout]

I saw on Thai news channel that (maybe same monk) was participating in the trashing of the cars used for Govt officials transport yesterday. He was just kicking the vehicle so I guess he was showing restrant as no club was being used.

[desi]

I went via skytrain to Victory Monument this morning. Along the route I could see thick, black smoke about as high as a 20 story building.

At Victory there are busses placed to slow down (but not stop) traffic all around the roundabout. People are just driving around the busses. The Red Shirts are under the walk way and the army are up the freeway, facing each other but not doing much of anything.

At one point, the Red Shirts started yelling and their audience on the walkway above took off. Not running, just walking fast. Soon everyone was back again. Every once in awhile some Red Shirts would get on motorcycles or take off in a bus, with lots of yelling and brandishing of sticks.

I walked from Victory to Ari and along the way there was the odd bus, with even more Red Shirts blocking traffic.

But right before I got to them, I came across the army holed up behind barbed wire in what looks to be a shopping complex (but I believe it's another entrance to their base). So the army are about 1 minute via foot from where the Red Shirts are blocking traffic. I could take photos of both by just turning the camera.

Except for the yelling, everything was quite peaceful. But, after reading the news last night, I was not up for getting very close so my photos are pretty cacca as far as that goes.

[desi]

Looks like I left just in time. The truckload of tires were going in as I was leaving...

[zakk9]

Their clothing and marketing material is apparently made by some advertising agency. Branding looks similar to Air Asia, so I guess they use the same agency (and colour). That wouldn't be the ad agency of the Shinawatra family, would it?

[desi]

I wouldn't know. There were a lot of red shirts that were not official - red shirts with pizza emblems, sports, etc.

[ledi]

Great pictures!

Took a walk down to the Red Shirt Rally starting from the back of Government House and the UN building. Everyone, but everyone clad in Red except me, the police and this guy, Mr Cool, in one of the rally trucks waiting to set off...

[iRawr]

I like it. 'Gangsta Monk.' What kind of reaction did you get from the protesters (if any)? I've walked around a few demonstrations before, and most people seemed genuinely pleased that a foreigner was taking an interest, offering me food, drink, wanting to chat etc.

They are actually very happy to see foreigners taking interest in what is happening, i was passing by with a car and some of the red shirts were knocking on the window, jumping around, smiling at me, they seemed like they were having a great time.

[phaethon]

Yes it was something of a carnival atmosphere, but this was before things turned tense and much of the crowd disappeared home.

[TAWP]

And as soon as anyone of stage would say that foreigners are against them you would be a walking target. Hence why we should avoid taking part of either yellow or red sites at all. Don't make the rest of us targets for your own selfish reasons.