Good time for foreigners to lay low

[toptuan]

Perhaps not a bad time for foreigners in Thailand, particularly in Bangkok, to stock up at the local 7-11 and stay out of sight for a while. Just this morning, I'm gleaning some things from TV threads which hint of an anti-foreigner element to the unrest going on.

I would encourage other posters to copy/paste from other threads to this one, if you come across any other indications of what I think I may be sensing here. Not wanting to be a Chicken Little, but interesting in keeping a pulse on the sentiment as well for the sake of personal safety and well-being.

Here are a few examples.....

Good luck.

You will need it. This could be war.

Farangs will be windsprinting from Thailand soon.

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

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

I thought Khao San was going to be the only place that was going to have any Songkran fun...So, is this a case of some hard-liner red shirts deciding to directly endanger foreign tourists albeit the budget traveler type...

[apetley]

I disagree that violence will be aimed at Farang.

However if any Farang are unfortunate enough or stupid enough to be where the violence is then they may get injured or worse.

Stay away and don't get involved which is exactly what alot of Foreign Govt's have issued by way of travel advisories.

[Xangsamhua]

Who knows who "madi" is or what he's got running in this race, but the Andrew Marshall reports appear to refer to fighting in the streets around Khao San, not the backpacker strip itself. I doubt foreigners have reason to worry in Bangkok unless they go close to redshirt locations.

[simpathy]

why would reds target farangs?

farangs are like familiy to them, they marry their moms, sisters, grandmothers, daughters

AND YES GOVTS DID SAY TO STAY AWAY FROM THE ACTION,

[Murgatroyd]

The time for farang to worry about is if the rule of law totally breaks down and anarchy and civil war develops. (I'm not predicting this will happen, just stating a "What if").

In that situation the politics of envy take over, and the resident ex-pat community will suffer at the hands of those who feel that "Farang have too much money".

However well I get on with my neighbours, I wouldn't expect them to get between me and a big gang of looters.

[anothertorres]

not that i want to leave Thailand so soon but, i would love to see all of us sent on our way. you can have it back, enjoy the rice because we're taking McDonald's with us! this country would be f****d.

[toptuan]

Who knows who "madi" is or what he's got running in this race, but the Andrew Marshall reports appear to refer to fighting in the streets around Khao San, not the backpacker strip itself. I doubt foreigners have reason to worry in Bangkok unless they go close to redshirt locations.

Read Andrew's report again: "Cars and buildings in Khao San riddled with bullet holes..."

[Shotime]

What's going on is Thai vs. Thai. The only danger is being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Like Bangkok. Now.

[phutoie2]

Ditto chaps, lying low this Songkran, just stocked up on lots of beer and goodies, plus the final round of the masters on Channel 7 early Monday hours - live and with English commentary (Well American but Faldo & Feherty articulate!)

As a Thai TV member commentated recently - "Stay out of Thai politics, you foreigner, you not understand)

[toptuan]

not that i want to leave Thailand so soon but, i would love to see all of us sent on our way. you can have it back, enjoy the rice because we're taking McDonald's with us! this country would be f****d.

Don't forget KFC & Starbucks...

[a99az]

not that i want to leave Thailand so soon but, i would love to see all of us sent on our way. you can have it back, enjoy the rice because we're taking McDonald's with us! this country would be f****d.

Taking out Mc Donald’s would be a big improvement

[canuckamuck]

I imagine if certain people got hold of some of these posts and translated them and published them, an anti farang sentiment would be expected.

It is useful to choose our words more carefully. Of course freedom of speech dictates that mad dogs are free to rant and hate.

[anothertorres]

Taking out Mc Donald’s would be a big improvement

only if they replaced them with Burger King. i need my once-a-month cheeseburger, yo!

[anothertorres]

Of course freedom of speech dictates that mad dogs are free to rant and hate.

simmer down, Gordo, it's just ThaiVisa...

[mca]

With all due respects toptuan there's no indication of any " anti-foreigner undercurrent " in the examples of your OP.

When it comes to Thai politics etc and the people involved we don't even register on the radar IMHO.

[Chaimai]

Who knows who "madi" is or what he's got running in this race, but the Andrew Marshall reports appear to refer to fighting in the streets around Khao San, not the backpacker strip itself. I doubt foreigners have reason to worry in Bangkok unless they go close to redshirt locations.

Read Andrew's report again: "Cars and buildings in Khao San riddled with bullet holes..."

I think you are looking for a conspiracy theory that is just not there.

If tourists heed the advice from their embassies they should be able to avoid any incidents.

I was in Central area 2 weeks ago and you would not have known a protest was going on in Bangkok. I would NOT have gone to Central in the last week or so.

Common-sense, chai mai ?

PS - I am sure that the Thais will be grateful for the importation of KFC, MacDonalds, Burger King, Svensens etc when they turn out the next generation of fat, fast food-dependent offspring.

[NanLaew]

Who knows who "madi" is or what he's got running in this race, but the Andrew Marshall reports appear to refer to fighting in the streets around Khao San, not the backpacker strip itself. I doubt foreigners have reason to worry in Bangkok unless they go close to redshirt locations.

Read Andrew's report again: "Cars and buildings in Khao San riddled with bullet holes..."

Andrew's report is BS. What he is calling Khao San Road is Rajadamnoen... not the same.

See my rant here http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=3494432

There's no anti-farang sentiment here and you shouldn't make it up when it doesn't exist. You should not have used my speculative question in your piss-weak argument that they don't like us much. After I posted it, I decided to do my own research and not much happened on KSR apart from some people eating khaopat alai godai.

Thanks,

NL

PS. Andrews last 'twatter' was almost 12 hours ago so I assume he is still sleeping it off somewhere.

[Xangsamhua]

Who knows who "madi" is or what he's got running in this race, but the Andrew Marshall reports appear to refer to fighting in the streets around Khao San, not the backpacker strip itself. I doubt foreigners have reason to worry in Bangkok unless they go close to redshirt locations.

Read Andrew's report again: "Cars and buildings in Khao San riddled with bullet holes..."

Yes, but there was a report in another thread from someone at Khao San saying that it wasn't happening in the strip itself and that foreigners there were unaffected. Who knows? It's just as well to be on the safe side and stay away from potentially affected areas, but I don't think we need to hole up in our apartments.

[simpathy]

theres more anti americanism here than anything else.

what has uk introduced to thais to make them a happier people......lol. pensioners willing to marry contry gals nothwithstanding.............

[steven100]

I think this thread needs to be closed . It does nothing to promote peace & and end to the voilence.

The thais are not in the least bit interested in farangs. It's there political situation .. not ours.

[toptuan]

Who knows who "madi" is or what he's got running in this race, but the Andrew Marshall reports appear to refer to fighting in the streets around Khao San, not the backpacker strip itself. I doubt foreigners have reason to worry in Bangkok unless they go close to redshirt locations.

Read Andrew's report again: "Cars and buildings in Khao San riddled with bullet holes..."

Yes, but there was a report in another thread from someone at Khao San saying that it wasn't happening in the strip itself and that foreigners there were unaffected. Who knows? It's just as well to be on the safe side and stay away from potentially affected areas, but I don't think we need to hole up in our apartments.

You have a choice, hearsay from another thread or this report from Reuters:

After hours of violence, army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said troops would pull back in the old quarter as the riot spread into Khao San Road, an area popular with back-packing tourists.

Khao San Road resembled a war zone, a Reuters photographer said. Shop windows were shattered. Cars were smashed. Many people lay wounded on the street. Police told reporters some protesters had ignited cooking gas cylinders and rolled them into troops.

[simpathy]

what thread on tv promotes peece????????????????????

im here for amusement!

[mca]

what has uk introduced to thais to make them a happier people.....

Colman's Mustard. My friends and family love the stuff!

[toptuan]

I think this thread needs to be closed . It does nothing to promote peace & and end to the voilence.

Promoting caution has value.

[mmushr00m]

Riots then to spread, khao san is in the general vacinity of one of the "staging areas".

We farangs are not so important that in this struggle, someone says "lets target the farangs too".

[anothertorres]

I think this thread needs to be closed . It does nothing to promote peace & and end to the voilence.

The thais are not in the least bit interested in farangs. It's there political situation .. not ours.

with those two statements back to back, how can you not see clearly? if they aren't interested, what job of ours is it to "promote peace and an end to the violence"? does not compute. fwiw, it's time for Abhisit to call a new election. you weren't democratically elected. the only reason he won't is because he knows the reds will win. and at this point, we farang are mere spectators with absolutely no pull one way or the other...

[jfchandler]

I haven 't seen nor sensed any of the kind of sentiment querried by the OP... Remember, the Reds were happy to have the Canadian American guy speak on their stage....

That said, it's interesting to consider what kind of policies the Red movement would enact if they were ever to gain/regain control of the Thai govt. Better or not better for farang???

Of course, it's always possible if Thaksin came back, he'd want to restore the famous Thailand Elite program... 5 year visas anyone???

[mca]

Yesterday lunchtime I was in a traffic jam going past the "staging area" for the Red Shirts who then moved on to KK provincial hall. About 300 metres worth of parked pick ups and Reds milling around. I had my window down and for the Reds who spotted me I was either completely ignored or received a few grins and thumbs up.

[barky]

The time for farang to worry about is if the rule of law totally breaks down and anarchy and civil war develops. (I'm not predicting this will happen, just stating a "What if").

In that situation the politics of envy take over, and the resident ex-pat community will suffer at the hands of those who feel that "Farang have too much money".

However well I get on with my neighbours, I wouldn't expect them to get between me and a big gang of looters.

Yes, I tend to agree that this would be a very likely scenario. Westeners would definately be singled out (the harboured hate and jealousy would not be controlled) if there were total anarchy. I (fingers crossed) don't see it getting that bad.

I would suggest all westeners, even long term expats, at least consider a quick exit strategy if the need arrose.

In the mean time do not make yourself a target in these un-easy times.

By way of offering some "on-the-ground" reporting, last Saturday evening I walked from Gayson (Rachprasong) along Rajadumri/Rachprarop to Si Ayuthaya right through the middle of the Red Sea and again yesterday (Saturday afternoon) like Moses, I parted the Red Sea on my forced march (because the BTS was closed) all the way from Silom Sala Daeng, Rajadumri, Rajaprarop to my home on Si Ayuthaya and nothing happened to me. (It at least gave me a chance to do some walking exercise)

I didn't feel threatened. I got some sideways glances, but I engaged in no direct eye contact with any of "The Reds".

It was all a bit inconvenient for me (as I had to walk through the middle of them ie: no BTS no buses/taxis etc) and the street was smelly due to the habit some Thai men have of peeing in the streets.

[toptuan]

We farangs are not so important that in this struggle, someone says "lets target the farangs too".

But what about the "wannabe farang targets?"

Shouldn't they be accommodated too?