Security checkpoints activated on Rajdamonoen Ave

BANGKOK: -- Since midnight of the first day of enforcing the internal security law, security checkpoints have been activated today at the designated rally site on Rajdamnoen Avenue and around the capital.

Military, police and civilian forces are deployed at checkpoints and security has been tightened at key locations such as Democracy Monument and the city hall.

The Interior Ministry has stepped up security to prevent any attempts by protesters to transgress and use its offices for accommodations during the mass rally.

The Peace-keeping Operations Command will deploy 30,000 soldiers, 10,000 policemen and a contingent of 10,000 civilians from the Bangkok's city police forces to safeguard peace.

-- The Nation 2010-03-11

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Another week at the beach even though it's raining.

Not a good time to arrive at KS Road by bus, I reckon.

Peace to you in BKK.

I posted about this in an Apple iPhone thread a while back as a way to get real-time info about traffic. Thought I would post it here as well, and in the spirit of staying on topic, as it could be a very useful means of sharing real-time information about not only traffic, but also hotspots as they flare up, police blockages, etc. Have a look at Waze. It will locate you via GPS and the you can post alerts, even including photos of the point of interest if you like, using your GPRS/EDGE data connection. It's free, runs on iPhone, Android, Windows Mobile, and Symbian phones. and if enough of us are using it, it could serve as a network for keeping up on what's happening.

http://world.waze.com/download/

It is good to see they have the Security all in place for this peacefull demonstration.

Certainly helps to direct attention anywhere but the real issues of this crisis. It also conveniently discredits the Protesters.

All this public posturing by the Government should keep all the protesters who are overwhelmingly female in line. They are an obstreporous bunch. Terrorists actually. Those grandma's will terrorize Bangkok.

I wonder what contingencies they have in place should it be necessary to succumb to this huge citizen's gathering, challenging the legitimacy of this Government? Will they simply hunker down, or prepare announcements discussing interim Governmental measures while the process to elect a legitimate Government commences.

There is more to this crisis than just Thaksin, but the mainstream media tries to ignore this fact. Perhaps hundreds of thousands of Thai citizens and their vehicles will help focus attention to this matter.

One of the repetitive mantra's I hear from these protesters is "end this tyranny of the minority"

What do you suppose they mean by that?

There was already some police check point on Bagna-trat as early as last Sunday.

throughout the country this power hungry government is trying to bully people in returning I have seen many check points up country manned with heavily armed military. There is no reason to try to impress peaceful protestors by armed men. When teh yellow shirted people occupied the airports which caused massive damage to Thailand and for which unsurprisingly nobody went to jail we did not see any soldiers except misbehaving yellow shirt security guards.

Suthep should grow up and tell his bell boy Abhisit that they have taken enough kickbacks from the stimulus program and that they will hold elections and return the power to the people.

Related topic

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/Map-Bangkok-...ke-t346351.html

There always are police checkpoints everywhere around town. Travel through the city and you will see many. Even without the current situation.

W

There was already some police check point on Bagna-trat as early as last Sunday.

As of yesterday morning, there were no checks of any consequence coming along the Mittrapaap from north of Korat all the way to Bangkok.

throughout the country this power hungry government is trying to bully people in returning I have seen many check points up country manned with heavily armed military.

Is that so? So knowing that as many as one million protestors are headed for the capital, many potentially violent ones judging from their actions during last Songkran, and possibly equipped with weapons and bombs, what would you do if you were in charge? Rather than army checkpoints set up to try and detect weapons and bombs, would you suggest setting up booths along major highways with "We love you...welcome to Bangkok!" signs and hand out flowers and coffee?

Whatever the yellows did or did not do has absolutely no bearing on justifying violence this weekend, disrupting the lives of Bangkok residents, or shutting down the city. The reds have espoused the the latter two goals. I'm am sick to death of hearing people say "well the yellows occupied the airport and weren't punished, so the reds are justified with whatever they do".

It is good to see they have the Security all in place for this peacefull demonstration.

Certainly helps to direct attention anywhere but the real issues of this crisis. It also conveniently discredits the Protesters.

All this public posturing by the Government should keep all the protesters who are overwhelmingly female in line. They are an obstreporous bunch. Terrorists actually. Those grandma's will terrorize Bangkok.

I wonder what contingencies they have in place should it be necessary to succumb to this huge citizen's gathering, challenging the legitimacy of this Government? Will they simply hunker down, or prepare announcements discussing interim Governmental measures while the process to elect a legitimate Government commences.

There is more to this crisis than just Thaksin, but the mainstream media tries to ignore this fact. Perhaps hundreds of thousands of Thai citizens and their vehicles will help focus attention to this matter.

One of the repetitive mantra's I hear from these protesters is "end this tyranny of the minority"

What do you suppose they mean by that?

If this was planned to be a peaceful demonstration, then the level of security would be over the top. The fact that there have been many red leader's announcements advocating/suggesting violence suggests that it won't be just a peaceful demonstration. The security was ramped up only following those announcements.

The current government are a legitimate government. 100's of posts *explaining* why. Please elaborate why you think they are not legitimate.

There may be more to this crisis than Thaksin, but unfortunately Thaksin is the major part of it. Get rid of him and the reds would probably get much more support, particularly from TV (not that TV makes any difference).

throughout the country this power hungry government is trying to bully people in returning I have seen many check points up country manned with heavily armed military. There is no reason to try to impress peaceful protestors by armed men. When teh yellow shirted people occupied the airports which caused massive damage to Thailand and for which unsurprisingly nobody went to jail we did not see any soldiers except misbehaving yellow shirt security guards.

Suthep should grow up and tell his bell boy Abhisit that they have taken enough kickbacks from the stimulus program and that they will hold elections and return the power to the people.

First, nobody has gone to jail YET. The leaders are up on charges before the courts. It's moving slowly, but that is a court issue.

They will hold elections in 2011 *when they are due*.

It is good to see they have the Security all in place for this peacefull demonstration.

Certainly helps to direct attention anywhere but the real issues of this crisis. It also conveniently discredits the Protesters.

All this public posturing by the Government should keep all the protesters who are overwhelmingly female in line. They are an obstreporous bunch. Terrorists actually. Those grandma's will terrorize Bangkok.

I wonder what contingencies they have in place should it be necessary to succumb to this huge citizen's gathering, challenging the legitimacy of this Government? Will they simply hunker down, or prepare announcements discussing interim Governmental measures while the process to elect a legitimate Government commences.

There is more to this crisis than just Thaksin, but the mainstream media tries to ignore this fact. Perhaps hundreds of thousands of Thai citizens and their vehicles will help focus attention to this matter.

One of the repetitive mantra's I hear from these protesters is "end this tyranny of the minority"

What do you suppose they mean by that?

Is a fugitive from justice now paying ppl to join this forum to promote his cause and denigrate the Government>

throughout the country this power hungry government is trying to bully people in returning I have seen many check points up country manned with heavily armed military. There is no reason to try to impress peaceful protestors by armed men. When teh yellow shirted people occupied the airports which caused massive damage to Thailand and for which unsurprisingly nobody went to jail we did not see any soldiers except misbehaving yellow shirt security guards.

Suthep should grow up and tell his bell boy Abhisit that they have taken enough kickbacks from the stimulus program and that they will hold elections and return the power to the people.

First, nobody has gone to jail YET. The leaders are up on charges before the courts. It's moving slowly, but that is a court issue.

They will hold elections in 2011 *when they are due*.

I guess I don't understand or maybe it is you that doesn't understand. In Parlimentary governments elections are held whenever the citizens lose confidence in the government.

In Parlimentary governments elections are held whenever the citizens lose confidence in the government.

No, they are not.

How would you go about proving the confidence was lost, hold an election to ask if it was lost?

UPDATE

MARCH 14 MASS RALLY

Security checkpoints activated on Rajdamonoen Ave

By The Nation

Photo traffic police

BANGKOK: -- Since midnight of the first day of enforcing the internal security law, security checkpoints have been activated today at the designated rally site on Rajdamnoen Avenue and around the capital.

Military, police and civilian forces are deployed at checkpoints and security has been tightened at key locations such as Democracy Monument and the city hall.

The Interior Ministry has stepped up security to prevent any attempts by protesters to transgress and use its offices for accommodations during the mass rally.

The Peace-keeping Operations Command will deploy 30,000 soldiers, 10,000 policemen and a contingent of 10,000 civilians from the Bangkok's city police forces to safeguard peace.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thuagsuban outlined steps taken for peace-keeping as the followings:

- The red shirts have been warned against blocking traffic, raiding and seizing government offices and homes of leading figures.

- The peace-keeping forces will be unarmed. Each officer will be issued a tracheon and shield for self-protection.

- Only the SWAT teams are to be armed to quell violent attacks, if happened. The teams are on standby for deployment at the scene within 15 minutes.

- If deemed necessary to disperse the unruly crowds, anti-riot operations will conform to international standards of using tear gas and water canon.

-- The Nation 2010-03-11

[newsfooter][/newsfooter]

In Parlimentary governments elections are held whenever the citizens lose confidence in the government.

No, they are not.

How would you go about proving the confidence was lost, hold an election to ask if it was lost?

With any luck confidence in Abhisit will be bolstered further after the weekend's events, just like last Songkran.