British Journalist Andrew Marshall Reports On Twitter

[johna]

British journalist Andrew Marshall was in the thick of the action and twittered on what he saw throughout the day

Scenes of chaos at Khao San. Tourists tell me they saw horrific injuries, an old man with an eye hanging out.

Massive explosions, gunfire around Khao San.

A Thai journalist carried out, bleeding.

Pitched battles in streets around Khao San. Tourists ducking for cover. A red shirt with an AK47.

Streets littered with bricks, other projectiles. Soldiers have retreated.

Khao San is shuttered up, red shirts everywhere. It looks like a war zone.

Don't listen to bland Thai govt re assurances. Khao San is a dangerous place. I've seen two tourists with injuries.

Barricades going up at Khao San. Reds preparing for soldiers' return. dhSeveral pools of blood on road.

Cars and buildings in Khao San riddled with bullet holes.

http://twitter.com/journotopia

[NanLaew]

I thought Khao San was going to be the only place that was going to have any Songkran fun and even boasted having 200 of their own security on hand from Tuesday onwards.

As far as I am aware, there's no high-rent commercial or financial district anywhere near there and it's far removed from the two main UDD rallying zones.

So, is this a case of some hard-liner red shirts deciding to directly endanger foreign tourists albeit the budget traveler type. Or are these events being misreported in scale and location?

[Danger]

"Cars and buildings in Khao San riddled with bullet holes."

Simply not true according to my experience on Khao San road itself. Maybe he thinks that the whole area is called Khao San?

The soldiers kept any fighting off the Khao San road and although almost everything was closed, there were still some places open and no fighting/shooting.

However, just behind the barrier of soldiers at the mouth of Khao San intense fighting was going on. I saw no injured tourists and no tourists in any danger in any of the actual tourist streets.

Edited April 11, 2010 by Danger

[Changian]

^ Khao San Road last night

TwitPic from Newley

Video from last night at Democracy Monument - a few mins walk from Khao San - Part 1 of 4

[NanLaew]

Well aint that a surprise! A 'journalist' twittering out of his arse.

[NanLaew]

And this from Khao San Roads very own website (my emphasis).

Red Shirt Protests...

22:30 April 10, 2010: The Red Shirt protests spilt into the area around Khao San Road earlier today. We spoke to two people currently in the area, regular contributors Steve "Spider" Noake and Kirsty Turner. Steve told us that earlier troops and police moved around the back Sois around Samsen Soi 2 (near Café Corner) and moved towards Tawaez market and onwards towards Rama 8. There have been clashes with protestors and, according to reports, shots fired. Based on a news report circulating earlier that suggested shop windows were shattered on Khao San Road, we contacted Kirsty to find out what was happening. Kirsty Turner was having dinner on Rambuttri Road parallel to Khao San Road at 22:30. She suggested there had been some fighting around the bottom of Rambuttri around 20:30, but that she hadn't seen any smashed windows. "We are having dinner, and although some businesses have closed, a lot of businesses are still open" Kirsty told us. "It has all moved further away from the Khao San Road area." It's clear from both Steve and Kirsty that Khao San Road is safe. "The way it's panned out there's no reason for the Red Shirts to head towards Khao San Road," Steve told us. "If you are on Khao San Road now, stay there. Do not go down the Ratchamnoen area. Just stick around KSR," he added. Caution and common sense should prevail. Now is not the time for adventure. Given the circumstances, our advice is stay around Khao San Road and don't venture too far from you hotel or guest house.

There you have it. Totally bullshit twittering by just another twit. Democracy Monument and Rajadamnoen are NOT Khao San Road!

Unfortunately, the BBC is currently running a home video by 'Paul, who has been living in Thailand for five years' that claims to show mayhem on Khao San Road where in reality, he is around the corner where the shit was hitting the fan. Of course the average punter who can't tell the difference between Thailand and Taiwan takes it as gospel.

I don't know what is worse; these home-made journo's... what does CNN label them again.... iReporter? Or the agencies that publish without verification.

Edited April 11, 2010 by NanLaew

[davejonesbkk]

I think its easy to feel safe and comment about this when we are sat in front of our computers at home, Democ monument is 2 mins away from KSR, its very close. You have to remember also most people there are Thailand newbies, I think if most TV members saw this stuff going on during their first trip to Thailand they would have sh*t their pants...

[WinnieTheKhwai]

Oh those biased reports from... the BBC.

[NanLaew]

I think its easy to feel safe and comment about this when we are sat in front of our computers at home, Democ monument is 2 mins away from KSR, its very close. You have to remember also most people there are Thailand newbies, I think if most TV members saw this stuff going on during their first trip to Thailand they would have sh*t their pants...

"Close" only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades... isn't that the old saying?

I only wish they had just shit their pants! Instead they go and catch it on their cellphones and send it to the BBC and CNN saying they are where they aint and the truth isn't served at all.

[londonthai]

khaosan is just hundreds meters from the protest site - anything can be happening there anytime. It's not a safe area anymore.

protesters (and soldiers) might be retreating in any direction, wherever they will feel safe, khaosan might be such place

[Danger]

I would bet at long odds that if a tourist had been foolish enough to venture into the area where there was fighting going on either one of the redshirts or one of the soldiers would have taken them by the hand and made sure they were safe.

My eperience of walking around the area all evening was one of politeness and kindness from the redshirts towards the tourists and disinterest from the soldiers.

I was on a crowded unairconditioned city bus heading to Central Pinklao when news came that the soldiers were attempting to clear the area and that violence had erupted. There was genuine despair among the people on the bus, not anger, but sadness.

[davejonesbkk]

Here is an eyewitness account of KSR for today from the lonleyplanet forum:

"Many shops are starting to open and stalls are being set up again but the 152 tourists I counted are not very interested in shopping.

At the Burger King end where the violence was KSan itself has been swept and barricades erected and there is no police or army people at all.

The bulk of the red shirts have left the area with only a few there who are saying prayers and offering flowers etc at the blood stains and there does not seem to be any anger but a lot of sadness"

Burger King!!! That's basically the top of KSR, you get any closer than that and you are literally on KSR itself.

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/thre...sageID=16991336

[Tejas]

khaosan is just hundreds meters from the protest site - anything can be happening there anytime. It's not a safe area anymore.

protesters (and soldiers) might be retreating in any direction, wherever they will feel safe, khaosan might be such place

The entrance to Khao San road is only about 30 meters from the action. The Reds were are all over the surrounding area (don't know about now).

It is not surprising that to avoid being arrested/killed many Reds would retreat (maybe 30 meters) down the street to Khao San road proper.

Then the police and military would follow..........

Listen........it is not a good idea to be out and about right now........especially tonight.

This is a Thai fight.........not a farang fight.

Don't get caught up in it. It is not a movie........it is real.

Don't wear RED or YELLOW clothing.

Good luck!

[YouYouYou]

Best not to stay on KSR ...nope it aint safe, check out You tube for KSR last night ...kicking off at the entrance to KSR (burgerking end) and red shirts running down KSR. Mmm, this I don't consider safe.

Reports today backpackers leaving en masse (2 hours ago one of Thai English newspapers) ....I think that sez it all eh.

Go elsewhere in Thailand, leave Bangkok, and as the last poster said 'It ain't a movie' so don't be bravado and think of your safety. This could still get much worse, who knows?