Tourists Shaken As Bloodshed Erupts In Bangkok

[Jingjok]

Not a good idea to have live rounds at all. In the stress and heat of a situation, it is very easy for a soldier to load the wrong bullets or forget if has rubber or live rounds in the weapon ...

Oh come on - very different weapons are used! 'Rubber bullets' (more correctly called baton rounds) are a huge great rubber or polymer projectile fired from a 1½ inch riot gun.

Live ('ball') ammo comes out of the business end of, in the Thai army's case, an assault rifle, either 7.62 or 5.56mm.

There is no possibility of confusion, ever.

[wotaplonker]

Ya you had to be living in a world void of input not to realize where this was going. I did notice the international media seemed to pay very little attention to it. Don't bleed don't read. Well it reads now.

WELL ITS SURE GETTING WORLD ATTENTION NOW -- PAYING LITTLE ATTENTION - DONT THINK SO -- EVEN THE WHITE HOUSE HAS SPOKEN OUT AGAINST IT = EVERY TV AND NEWS PAPER IN OZ IS COVERING IT - AND GOOD COVERAGE ON THE BBC -- CNN - AND I AM SURE IN JAPAN - AFTER ONE OF THEIR OWN WAS KILLED ---

i think you are being optimistic as regards the Uk media, they are really only interested in any celebrities getting caught in girly bars or even better Ladyboy bars!

as someone whom has grown to love Thailand in the last few years

(due again in May, although i think Bangkok is now off my plans,)

such a great shame to see the place tearing itself apart.

wap

[gbswales]

Wow, holy crap. But it IS their fault for staying so close to the "danger zone".

YA JUST LIKE THE FEMALIE TOURIST AND HER DAUGHTER - WALKED OUTSIDE THEIR HOTEL - HEARD THE NOISE AND THOUGHT IT WAS FIRECRACKERS - NO WARNING FROM THE HOTEL - AND SHE WAS SHOT -- HER FAULT ????? NA -- WAKE UP AND DONT MAKE STUPID COMMENTS -

Rdit: Posting in caplocks is considerd SHOUTING. Please refrain from doing so in future - mario2008

Occasionally it is justfiable to shout at someone who says something stupid. If everyone took notice of every foreign office warning then everyone would stay at home. Everyone (including some of the people here) believed that it would be a one weekend wonder and they would all go home after the party. Clearly this is much better organised than anyone believed it was. People plan trips to thailand months in advance and it is often a destination on a much larger trip and they know that they are taking risks visiting some countries. I happened to be in Thailand with my partner the night of the original coup - in fact we flew back to Bangkok from Phuket that night - neither of us had any idea what was happening until we tried to find something to watch on TV in the hotel. I dont speak Thai and any mention of politics and my partner turns off the TV!

However when you are on holiday it is not always easy to know the best things to do - one assumes that in a really dangerous situation that governments would be laying on flights to get their citizens out - so if that isnt happening why should people believe there is something to fear. Sure they may have been aware of the demonstrations but we have all seen that sort of thing in our own countries and have become somewhat indifferent considering them a nuisence rather than a risk - ever been to a major football match!!

The Thai government have in my opinion failed to to nip this in the bud and to protect the tourist indusry which is what pays the wages of many ordinary citizens.

In my view you should consider Thailand lucky that the figure head for this is the laughable Thaksin - a millionair leading a peoples revolution - how incongruous! The real danger will come when someone with interlectual ability takes up the flag - then they whole of Thailand will need to worry - there is a huge significance in the colour of these shirts!

Edited April 11, 2010 by gbswales

[FM505]

Yelling fuc-k you??????? Good. I hope they are dead.

Bad language punishable by death?

Welcome to your fascist utopia.

Not nessecary. But in this case Yes. This kind of people is too stupid to live in this world. If they are not dead now they will soon anyway. Unfortunately they will die by their own stupidity not by natural cause.

Edited April 11, 2010 by FM505

[BWPattaya]

BANGKOK (AFP) -- "People started running and screaming. We were being shot at," says 19-year-old Briton Sarah Colvin, one of the many foreign tourists caught up in the political violence sweeping Bangkok.

"It shook us up a lot. We needed valium to sleep," she says, surveying the aftermath of Saturday's bloody battles just by Khaosan Road, Bangkok's iconic backpacker strip. "A lot of people we've spoken to are getting out of here."

You needed Valium (Diazepam) to sleep? Where did you get that then? It is illegal for pharmacies to sell it. What on earth were you doing in Bangkok when so many countries are advising against travel to Red areas?

[noel2499rk]

I find it amazing that given the total amount of confusion that occured last night that we have a direct quote from a tourist involved, but no other information. What did the soliders do to make him say what he supposedly said. Was it actuallya solider or a fake red soider. Can't access the web site prachatai, so some more info would be useful. Often on this forum we heard of tourists in places like puket getting into scrapes with tuk tuk guys - personally i think there is more to this than just a simple <deleted>*k you. Also worth noting no interviews with this tourist after being shot , surely pictures of a shot tourist would make great red propaganda, just can't remember seeing any.

yestarday at 21:10 "Prachatai reporter from Kok Wua intersection reported that two foreign tourists were injured by soldiers. One was shot at the chest after having shouted 'fuc_k You!' to the soldiers. They have been sent to hospital." http://www.prachatai.org/english/node/1726

Worthy of a Darwin Awards Entry for sure.

The prachatai site is not blocked. I can be accessed from the link embedded in your post.

Strange been trying to get onto prachatai for days its always blocked and now can do it from this link.

[grandpops]

BANGKOK (AFP) -- "People started running and screaming. We were being shot at," says 19-year-old Briton Sarah Colvin, one of the many foreign tourists caught up in the political violence sweeping Bangkok.

"It shook us up a lot. We needed valium to sleep," she says, surveying the aftermath of Saturday's bloody battles just by Khaosan Road, Bangkok's iconic backpacker strip. "A lot of people we've spoken to are getting out of here."

You needed Valium (Diazepam) to sleep? Where did you get that then? It is illegal for pharmacies to sell it. What on earth were you doing in Bangkok when so many countries are advising against travel to Red areas?

If there is one group of people who know more than even the Great pundits of Thai Visa.... it is student backpackers.

Fresh from a few hours a week "Social Studies", "Wimmins Studies" and other wastes of education budgets, they set out to see that their view of the world is correct.

Khao San Road gives them the opportunity to prove to the expat community just how clever they are. 100 baht plus for pad thai, 1000 for the compulsory dreads "mad" the bob marley/canabis/Che (mass murderer Taliban style leader)Guevarra and they are off.

That said, at least they are hardier than the target groups of 5 star tourists. It's not the riots putting them off though, its the possibility that they cannot waste their money at high end malls on gear of inferior quality to most of the knock off goods available at any thai market.

Least they had the sense to do this at end of high season. Unlike some other group who decided that the Tourism industry needed two airports closing down at the beginning of the season during a major world wide recession.

[McFarang]

Not a sausage of a problem in my beautiful Phuket.

Unless you want to jet ski, park your car or take a tuk tuk somewhere, heh.

That is only in Patong the Pondlife part of Phuket there are loads of peaceful parts of Phuket . I have lived on Phuket for 5 years and have been to Patong twice . Never needed a Tuk Tuk never hired a Jet Ski as I have a car and a boat.

I recommend that if tourists are caught up in the Red madness of Bangkok then they should move South.

Phuket is still celebrating Sonkran unlike the rest of Thailand.

I guess you are a Canuck Heh! dont catagorise Phuket by what you read about Patong as it deserves its bad press its a sleazy !@*&hole but please do not Tar the rest of the island with the same brush.

[janderton]

...I though prachtai was banned by the government. How did you access the webpage? Through proxies?

warning: in thailand is a crime to use proxies, to say "yes" mean claim themselves guilty...

anyway

is accessible, since the Thai Journalist Association made a statement* to notice ban violated article 45 of the 2007 Constitution, etc etc

* tha day after Kiatkong Thongruang, representative of ASTV-Manager had resigned from the TJA board.

chantorn, try again...

[humfurry]

Wow, holy crap. But it IS their fault for staying so close to the "danger zone".

One tourist is quoted as saying "It's a bad time to be here."..... ha ha, no sh*t Sherlock.

Why are people so dumb as to be in BKK at the moment. I have no sympathy with them.... idiots

Not a sausage of a problem in my beautiful Phuket.

Because for rather a lot of us Bangkok is home, Sherlock.

Ditto@ Moonrakers

[TAWP]

Needed Valium...well, I giggled.

// TAWP, BKK resident, working downtown on Saturday and out shopping on Sunday...

[Jimi007]

Wow, holy crap. But it IS their fault for staying so close to the "danger zone".

One tourist is quoted as saying "It's a bad time to be here."..... ha ha, no sh*t Sherlock.

Why are people so dumb as to be in BKK at the moment. I have no sympathy with them.... idiots

Not a sausage of a problem in my beautiful Phuket.

What a dumb person you are. Tourists were told they would be safe, but even so, no-one predicted this sort of violence. It is you who are the idiot. How can you not have sympathy for someone caught up in this sort of violence? You must live a very sad life if all you can do is call people idiots for being caught up in this.

This is part of the email I received warning me: U.S. citizens are reminded that even demonstrations intended to be peaceful can turn confrontational and escalate into violence. U.S. citizens are urged to avoid the areas that may be targeted for demonstrations and to exercise caution in their movements around Bangkok.

[Richard W]

yestarday at 21:10 "Prachatai reporter from Kok Wua intersection reported that two foreign tourists were injured by soldiers. One was shot at the chest after having shouted 'fuc_k You!' to the soldiers. They have been sent to hospital." http://www.prachatai.org/english/node/1726

Worthy of a Darwin Awards Entry for sure.

Really ??

It's ok for unformed members of the "Royal Thai Army " to react to verbal insults with lethal force ???

lol my ass.....................

Saying '<deleted> you' to any Thai is dangerous, and 'any Thai' includes apparently unarmed women.

[Jimi007]

yestarday at 21:10 "Prachatai reporter from Kok Wua intersection reported that two foreign tourists were injured by soldiers. One was shot at the chest after having shouted 'fuc_k You!' to the soldiers. They have been sent to hospital." http://www.prachatai.org/english/node/1726

Worthy of a Darwin Awards Entry for sure.

Really ??

It's ok for unformed members of the "Royal Thai Army " to react to verbal insults with lethal force ???

lol my ass.....................

Saying '<deleted> you' to any Thai is dangerous, and 'any Thai' includes apparently unarmed women.

Very, very true! I only say it to my computer, it won't kill me!

[Skywalker69]

I have little sympathy for those who attend a riot as of it were some kind of sporting event. Those are real bullets being fired along with rubber ones and those grenades are deadly enough to kill and maim also. These riots and the political instability experienced Saturday night was without doubt the worst in almost 20 years. True, Thai politics can be fearsome and often has, in the past resulted in great inconvenience to Thai's and foreigners alike, but Saturday's violence was like no other of recent times.

The big question now is; just how long the Thai military will allow Abisit the opportunity to extricate himself from this political mess before they {they military} intervene with a coup, which hopefully may act as a circuit breaker giving all the protagonists a chance to think things through.

One word of caution. The reds will now stop at nothing in order to see through their bloody campaign.

I think a military coup is comming closer.... Back to square one

[chesneychez]

Quote from OP

"People started running and screaming. We were being shot at," says 19-year-old Briton Sarah Colvin, one of the many foreign tourists caught up in the political violence sweeping Bangkok.

"It shook us up a lot. We needed valium to sleep," she says, surveying the aftermath of Saturday's bloody battles just by Khaosan Road, Bangkok's iconic backpacker strip. "A lot of people we've spoken to are getting out of here."

Clashes between anti-government "Red Shirts" and security forces, which left 20 people dead and over 800 injured in the Thai capital, have delivered another severe blow to the country's vital tourism industry.

"I won't be coming back to Bangkok. Maybe the islands, but not Bangkok

So if this happens in Britain, she'll say " i won't be living in Britain anymore. Maybe in Ireland but not in Britain ". What a stupid statement. She was in Bangkok at the wrong time , Bangkok is not going to be like that FOREVER.

Edited April 11, 2010 by chesneychez

[beerchang]

Wow, holy crap. But it IS their fault for staying so close to the "danger zone".

YA JUST LIKE THE FEMALIE TOURIST AND HER DAUGHTER - WALKED OUTSIDE THEIR HOTEL - HEARD THE NOISE AND THOUGHT IT WAS FIRECRACKERS - NO WARNING FROM THE HOTEL - AND SHE WAS SHOT -- HER FAULT ????? NA -- WAKE UP AND DONT MAKE STUPID COMMENTS -

Rdit: Posting in caplocks is considerd SHOUTING. Please refrain from doing so in future - mario2008

The woman wasn't shot.

She caught a bullet that probably had been shot in the air previously and which had lost already almost all of its kinetic energy.

These bullets can still be dangerous if the angle of fire is too flat. They can still carry for 2 to 3 Km depending on the type of rifle and ammo.

If they penetrate through the eye or another soft body part, they can cause death. A bone will stop them though.

So yes, it is "a bit" dangerous everywhere.

She was hit from the side, in her ribs. Did you not read that bit? Even with all the 'knowledge' in your post, you haven't the sense to understand what you read about the incident. Or you didn't read it. If you had you wouldn't have posted what you did.

I'll stand where you want and you fire into the air. If you hit me in the ribs, from the side, with a bullet which has lost almost all of it's kinetic energy, you win! Very best of luck to yer!

And to you posters calling all the tourists 'idiots' etc. Maybe, just maybe, they don't all subscribe to TV (or aren't watching any media)and had no idea of what was going to happen as they are on holiday. These sort of events ARE watched by tourists that naturally have a facination with these 'out of the norm' events. I was in France with some friends, completely unaware of why the streets had filled with people and lots of shouting. 1st natural thought was what was going on? so we went to look. Exited swiftly when it became serious. Were we 'stupid' to go and look at this strange occurence? No, because we didn't know something 'serious' was going on. Any one of us could have been hurt. Not through stupidity, just by enjoying a holiday and watching strange events without any early signs of any danger. Not all protests/gatherings end in violence. Very bad luck if you do get caught in the crossfire of a protest gone bad, particularly if you're enjoying your holiday.

[Ijustwannateach]

In my continuing quest for civility on these threads, I have deleted IN THEIR ENTIRETY another round of uncivil or off-topic posts which primarily address other posters or Thaivisa itself in an insulting or offensive manner, as well as any responses including them. Posters whose original messages were deleted will all be temporarily suspended (not necessarily the responders).

[onlycw]

Anyone seen the French 24 news? Compelling video footage!

[truthfulfox]

Foreigner's are idiots... They deserve this... if they chose to stay close to the conflict area..

Complete idiots really!!!!

sure foreigners are idiots visiting a country where they are not welcome as persons but money carriers. sure they are even brainless.

[sealy]

yestarday at 21:10 "Prachatai reporter from Kok Wua intersection reported that two foreign tourists were injured by soldiers. One was shot at the chest after having shouted 'fuc_k You!' to the soldiers. They have been sent to hospital." http://www.prachatai.org/english/node/1726

Worthy of a Darwin Awards Entry for sure.

Really ??

It's ok for unformed members of the "Royal Thai Army " to react to verbal insults with lethal force ???

lol my ass.....................

Saying '<deleted> you' to any Thai is dangerous, and 'any Thai' includes apparently unarmed women.

whati.q.doesone need to say the word in the facw of a gunpoinr??? eeef-ff

whati.q.doesonw nwws ew nwws

[smokie36]

[

She was hit from the side, in her ribs. Did you not read that bit? Even with all the 'knowledge' in your post, you haven't the sense to understand what you read about the incident. Or you didn't read it. If you had you wouldn't have posted what you did.

I'll stand where you want and you fire into the air. If you hit me in the ribs, from the side, with a bullet which has lost almost all of it's kinetic energy, you win! Very best of luck to yer!

And to you posters calling all the tourists 'idiots' etc. Maybe, just maybe, they don't all subscribe to TV (or aren't watching any media)and had no idea of what was going to happen as they are on holiday. These sort of events ARE watched by tourists that naturally have a facination with these 'out of the norm' events. I was in France with some friends, completely unaware of why the streets had filled with people and lots of shouting. 1st natural thought was what was going on? so we went to look. Exited swiftly when it became serious. Were we 'stupid' to go and look at this strange occurence? No, because we didn't know something 'serious' was going on. Any one of us could have been hurt. Not through stupidity, just by enjoying a holiday and watching strange events without any early signs of any danger. Not all protests/gatherings end in violence. Very bad luck if you do get caught in the crossfire of a protest gone bad, particularly if you're enjoying your holiday.

I was caught up in similar situation in London during May Day riots. Walked out of Oxford Circus tube right into the middle of it and was 'detained' by the police for 2 hours while the protesters fought a constant battle with them. A frightening experience to become an unwilling protester in the eyes of the supposed authorities. The police did nothing that day to help any of us (maybe 90%) who had nothing to do with the protest.

[CLOD]

Anyone seen the French 24 news? Compelling video footage!

Yes I have seen that .

Lets see abisit purloin his lies about that.

When the first soldier realised he was being filmed firing off his automatic weopan at the protesters he stopped and made a rapid guilty exit.

His soldier mate did not realise he was being filmed and just carried on firing his automatic weopan at the protesters.

[yoshiwara]

Anyone seen the French 24 news? Compelling video footage!

Yes I have seen that .

Lets see abisit purloin his lies about that.

When the first soldier realised he was being filmed firing off his automatic weopan at the protesters he stopped and made a rapid guilty exit.

His soldier mate did not realise he was being filmed and just carried on firing his automatic weopan at the protesters.

Unfortunately there are so many things that you do not see.

You did not see the red attacks last Songkran.

You did not see the red attacks this time.

Once credibility is gone, the integrity of what you do or don't see has gone.

Kaput.

[yoshiwara]

Anyone seen the French 24 news? Compelling video footage!

Yes I have seen that .

Lets see abisit purloin his lies about that.

When the first soldier realised he was being filmed firing off his automatic weopan at the protesters he stopped and made a rapid guilty exit.

His soldier mate did not realise he was being filmed and just carried on firing his automatic weopan at the protesters.

Unfortunately there are so many things that you do not see.

You did not see the red attacks last Songkran.

You did not see the red attacks this time.

Once credibility is gone, the integrity of what you do or don't see has gone.

Kaput.

The civilian murderer abisits apologist

I keep giving you the opportunity to say something about the red firing of AK47s and the petrol bombs but you go all silent.

Have your batteries gone flat?

Edited April 11, 2010 by yoshiwara

[auserb]

Quote from OP:

"BANGKOK (AFP) -- "People started running and screaming. We were being shot at," says 19-year-old Briton Sarah Colvin, one of the many foreign tourists caught up in the political violence sweeping Bangkok.

"It shook us up a lot. We needed valium to sleep," she says, surveying the aftermath of Saturday's bloody battles just by Khaosan Road, Bangkok's iconic backpacker strip. "A lot of people we've spoken to are getting out of here.""

Dang!! Thought that stuff (valium) would end you up in jail over here?!? Wonder where they got it from and if it as legit or not?

...

oyyyyyDang!! Thought that stuff (valium) would end you up in jail over here?!? Wonder where they got it from and if it as legit or not?

would it be illigal if you have a letter from a GP,

I have been carying Valium on my every trip.

Can I get in trouble even if I have a letter from Doctor?

[aussimike]

They should know WHERE they are. If there's red shirts near their hotel they should be smarter and guess it's not firecrackers.

Edit:

Also, how in the world do they HEAR shots but not SEE policemen or red shirts or anything 'til it hits them?

Also, no need to use caps, it's against the forum rules and it's seen as SHOUTING.

Wow, holy crap. But it IS their fault for staying so close to the "danger zone".

YA JUST LIKE THE FEMALIE TOURIST AND HER DAUGHTER - WALKED OUTSIDE THEIR HOTEL - HEARD THE NOISE AND THOUGHT IT WAS FIRECRACKERS - NO WARNING FROM THE HOTEL - AND SHE WAS SHOT -- HER FAULT ????? NA -- WAKE UP AND DONT MAKE STUPID COMMENTS -

if you were a tourist in a foreign country and perhaps had just arrived and were going out to explore the city and were not up to date about what was happeneing and had not been advised there was trouble on the streets how could she possibly know what was going on - and she was shot as she walked out of the hotel -- but u must be the smart one -- with these sort of comments - nuff said -

[geriatrickid]

I did post 2010-04-11 14:48:50 warning of the collateral damage. This was several hours after the observation.

This news report came at 2010-04-11 18:17:43. In fairness to some of the "tourists" it really was collateral damage. This is what happens when the army goes in shooting. It is easy to blame these people, and no doubt some were totally clueless and were incapable of appreciating the danger they were in. However, there were injuries sustained, very similar to that described of the poor soul that came upon the London May Day events. You can't blame someone walking away from the disturbances that gets hit. The foreigners should be happy they were not some of the wounded Red shirts that ended up in treatment facilities where the authorities were waiting with their special care.

[sorensen]

My resort was getting 4 inquiries a day, but since the situation has gotten so bad, not one. Thailand must be losing a fortune!

Nice place. Where is it located? You have more details?

[aussimike]

If the intention of the security forces was to disperse the protesters using international standards - the burning question has to be is why where troops and police issued with both live rounds and rubber bullets -- if the intention was for the sole purpose of the operation was to disperse the protesters the army should never have been provided with live rounds unless the real intention was to use them - u dont go to play golf without a golf club - and if live rounds were issued -= who ordered them and who gave the orders to fire directly at the protesters as was plain to see on the various news coverages on tv and eye witness reports --- i would say that over 95% of the young troops used in this operation have never been in a conflict situation and were untrained in handling a conflct situation like this - and as such many would have panicked -- i know i was the first time i was shot at -- as would most viet vets -- but some of u computer desk jockeys would never know - but happy to pass comment about nothing u know about - always the experts -- u dont go duck shooting if u dont intend to shoot ducks -- so its going to be very intersting to see what the finding of the so called investigation in to the events of saturday come up with - i am sure they will be very transparent - like looking from the back of a mirror --

if you were a tourist in a foreign country and perhaps had just arrived and were going out to explore the city and were not up to date about what was happeneing and had not been advised there was trouble on the streets how could she possibly know what was going on - and she was shot as she walked out of the hotel -- but u must be the smart one -- with these sort of comments - nuff said -