Saw Big Reds Rally At Chaeng Wattana, Immigration Front Entrance

[Portlandstone]

Went to Chaeng Wattana immigration today to do 30 day extension for tourist visa. The whole front of the building where the parking circle goes up to main door was all taken up by red shirt demo, makeshift stage with loud speakers, the tents for selling things went out into the road. Obviously had to use entrance on other side, shuttle bus didn't even go there. Riot police lined up on the inside.

How long they been there, did it start only today or?

And why did they choose that building? Anyways something to note if you're going up there soon.

[Maestro]

At what time was that?

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Maestro

[Portlandstone]

Oh when I say today I mean 2/15/10. Arrived about 3:40pm on the shuttle bus, stuck around after extension ate something at 7-11, left about 4:45pm. Looked like they been there awhile. Also there was one truck with a huge speaker blasting out at the main Chaeng Wattana road (the T intersection where CW road meets the road that goes down to immi). As I was walking out to CW road leaving immi, traffic was badly backed up but may have been regular traffic, not the reds fault. Their truck was sort of off to side. Anyhow at the immi building must have been a thousand maybe 1500, pure conjecture. Does the time really matter?

[Maestro]

Just trying to figure out if and when it might hit the news. There are a few different government departments housed in that complex of government buildings, difficult to say say what, if anything, they were protesting against unless you saw them waving posters in English which is of course doubtful. Apparently nothing in the news yet as of this moment

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Maestro

[Phatcharanan]

Probably Man U fans.

[beano2274]

The courts are up there near Immigration.

[thaihome]

Immigration is only a small part of the government located in the complex.

TH

[cougar52]

In the Nation in the picture news there is a blurp about the Reds at the EC office on the complex, so it is probably that rally about the speedy up the Pad cases.

[Truespirit]

They were protesting the Election Commission whose office is up there. It is reported at The Nation Online today.

[Ayutthaya69]

Probably Man U fans.

loll or Liverpool

[RubbaJohnny]

Or Cha Am Athletic

[lem]

Or Cha Am Athletic

What about Muang Thong Thani United. Same red colours, location very close !!!

Lem

[Maestro]

I found it, finally. The Nation likes to call it Chaeng Wattana but I was searching for Chaeng Watthana (I wonder what it says on the street signs). The rally was announced one day in advance:

www.thaivisa.com/forum/Security-Tightened-Government-Comp-t338876.html

The new Chaeng Wattana government complex has been partially locked down ahead of the anti-government rally there tomorrow...

and the actual event is reported here:

...Veera Musikapong made the announcement as he led the Red Shirt protesters to rally at Election Commission (EC) headquarters at the new Government Complex in northern Bangkok's Chaeng Wattana district, pressing for progress reports on key cases including the ruling Democrat Party's alleged unlawful donation of Bt258 million (about US$7.8 million) from a corporation which the UDD says violates the Constitution...

Have the demonstrators left now? Is access to the main entrance of the building housing the immigration office again unobstructed?

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Maestro

[samran]

They are a rent a crowd and seem to be there most days.

Had the occasion to go there three times during December and January. There each time.