Bangkok: Central World Shopping Mall Destroyed By Fire

[Leearcadia]

I'm no supporter of any of this much less the red shirts. I would like to pointout however the protesters that started the fire were regular citizens not the red shirts. They were protesting the fact that the thai's brought in 12 APC tanks and destroyed their cars etc; along the streets by pushing them out of the way. The military then fired upon the protesters which is what started the whole thing.

[BKKBrit]

I think the reds are basically peacefull, but Abhisit always changes his mind saying I will desolve parliament and organise elections, the putting all this on hold!

How can anyone trust him?

I would get violent too

Abhisit has to resign if he wants peace back in Thailand!

yep

Dear God. Is this one back again? Obviously you're new to Thailand, or you can't read the print press or TVisa news updates, or deaf and can't hear the television LadBoyKiller.

'Yep' is all you can muster? To borrow a deliciously-funny comment from another TV user, seems this single-celled organism is still learning to type.

[BKKBrit]

I think the reds are basically peacefull, but Abhisit always changes his mind saying I will desolve parliament and organise elections, the putting all this on hold!

How can anyone trust him?

I would get violent too

Abhisit has to resign if he wants peace back in Thailand!

yep

It is a good idea, whoever mentioned a 7 day grace period for new joiners before they can post. Everyday we get new users(probably the same few people who have been banned) posting the same useless messages.

Good idea - or at least the Mod could keep an eye on non-factual drivel like this and delete it?

[tb86]

a bunch of idiot farangs are grieving over some shopping mall being destroyed.

what about loss of life?

ever think about it??

this bunch of idiot farangs has relatives, friends and family who were working in said area you moron. out of income since 2 months. out of perspective for months. thais like you will make sure that this country is going down the drain faster than you cum when you <deleted> your mia noi with your 4inch dick!

Rest assured, farangs do not need thailand AT ALL. but ALOT of thai existences depend on the willingness of foreign visitors and investors to spend time and money in this 3rd world country who treats guests like crap...

not much longer mind you

you sir are an <sorry mods, remove if you fee the need> ass@ole ... As i wake up today, i come to the hard reality that i must dismiss all of my staff, permanantly.... I had a nice little shop that was a labor of love on my and my staffs part.. thousands of hours of work, sleeples nights, good times and bad.. some profit... all of that has been destroyed, personaly im not angry at the protestors... They are simple people that were fooled into believing the venomous lies of the ultra rich criminals of the red shirt movment,

But i will never forgive or forget the leadership...they are truly terrorists and it would overjoy me to see them hang

[haveaniceday]

Covards. Proves they are terrorist.

Used to symphatize with the red movements but all that is now gone.

I sincerely hope that all foreigners and thais take all this in consideration and do NOT vote for the reds in next election. That would be a clear signal.

Foreigners cannot vote. All we can do is sit back and bitch.

Well, we can cut investments into this country.

Why bother

Edited May 20, 2010 by haveaniceday

[rabo]

I'm no supporter of any of this much less the red shirts. I would like to pointout however the protesters that started the fire were regular citizens not the red shirts. They were protesting the fact that the thai's brought in 12 APC tanks and destroyed their cars etc; along the streets by pushing them out of the way. The military then fired upon the protesters which is what started the whole thing.

1. the protesters that started the fire were regular citizens.

2. they torched billions of dollars of buildings because their cars were damaged while parked along the streets.

Your certainly entitled to you opinion.

However, might I suggest if you or anyone else is in the same situation it's easier to contact your insurance company for repairs rather than torching billions of dollars of real estate!

Sigh.

[wolf5370]

The destruction of property was encouraged by the Red's leadership (that is very clear).

"Bangkok Burning" is symbolic.......but it will have very real negative impacts:

1) Thais will lose jobs

2) Investment dollars will shift away from Thailand (investor confidence has been shaken)

I wonder if the idiots who encouraged the acts of arson ever thought that such actions would cause powerful people (both Thais and foreign investors) to be upset......people who, in response, will take revenge against the Reds and their leaders/supporters.

It would not surprise me to read in future newspapers that property owned by the Red's leadership is being torched.

I am in no way advocating that, but history shows that negative acts tend to result in more negative acts (tit for tat).

Hopefully the legal system will "take revenge" before the other side does.

The last thing I want to see in Thailand is a full-scale civil war.

I think you'll find the insurrection is borne of desperation from desperate folk.

Rome once burned.

Paris burned.

Leningrad burned.

Greece has come close (and that chapter is not yet closed). Portugal, Spain, Italy may be next.

Easy to sit with a cool beer and pontificate (as I am doing). But if my kids were all but starving and with next to no future prospects of advancement whilst my UNELECTED government took financial care of those that already have more than I could dream of, then I might be tempted to torch a shop in protest.

Because, as has already been said, it's just a shop.

People died over this, just because they protested. Correction, they didn't die - they were murdered by the very people sworn to protect them. Unarmed against tanks, armoured vehicles, rapid-fire rifles, tear-gas etc., etc.

I'd torch a shop (so would you, I'd bet).

Not all the Farangs that come here would torch. Many here feed off those poor folks from cheap housing to cheap beer and cheap women. Is the reason why they came to Thailand to begin with. Is the reason they ranted against Thaskin the past 5 years. Tis the reason they are partly to blame for Bangkok burning. Tis partly the reason Farang will no longer be welcome or safe in Thailand. Quite a shame really. Thank you for nothing

If two brains are better than one, are two morons better or worse than one?

All MPs in the government were elected - thus the government (which is a set of MPs) is elected. Any alternative view to this is simply wrong no matter how many times it is said.

How in hel_l do you know wht "most" (sic) farangs came here? This is all your own, myopic, uneducated oppinion. Farangs have never been welome here, so nothing changes there, just our coin. As to thank you for nothing - look at everything about your country today from chillis used in cooking to you system of law and genernane, from education to exports and international business - you owe it ALL to foreigners. As does every country beause we all learn from eachother, we change, we 'modernise', we share, we trade. If isolation is really Thailand's iseal may it be as successful as the other countries with such ethos - North Korea for example.

PS: Rome was torched by Nero, the mad Emporer, not angry citizens. The Russian Revolution and the French Revolution were against absolute monarchies - they had now out, no way of voting out the leaders - Thai did, they even got offered November as an early date to do so. Apples and pears. Greece is about money and greed, so is possibly more analogous (though which side is the "money and greed" side is questionable here!)

Edited May 20, 2010 by wolf5370

[Thomas1983]

The good people of Thailand do not deserve the viciousness of Thaksin's red horde. May they all rot.

Thailand had it comming, as for all developing countries this is a turn in evolution to grow the f!@#$ up and develop in to a modern nation. we are in the new millennium, stop acting like freaking cave men.

The pen is stronger than a sword!

I wish we all find the LOVE!

Edited May 20, 2010 by Thomas1983

[xenomorph]

Here's some more pics on Central World:

[Mekhong]

I'm no supporter of any of this much less the red shirts. I would like to pointout however the protesters that started the fire were regular citizens not the red shirts. They were protesting the fact that the thai's brought in 12 APC tanks and destroyed their cars etc; along the streets by pushing them out of the way. The military then fired upon the protesters which is what started the whole thing.

What started the whole thing was that f***ing a**hole Thaksin paying a whole load of people to come and destroy Bangkok - led by leaders who encouraged them to burn Bangkok down. Open your eyes, this didn't start yesterday!!

[Thomas1983]

why is the army not activating marshal law?

[xenomorph]

I'm blaming the Thai govt for all the blood and violence. They're the one bringing the tanks, and machine guns to crush people fighting with bamboo sticks. The Thai govt could stop this violence, but they chose to kill people instead. The PM is a liar and a flipflopper.

I've always wondered how it feels to be so stupid like many of the red sympathizers here are. How does the world look like through the eyes of such? Guess the world must be very strange, since lots of things and events that happens doesn't looks "logical" to them. They simply need to follow a weired, crazy or sick cause in order to make their life meaningful. Something they believe they understand. Something that makes logic in their twisted brain. Some of them ends up in religious sects. Others in sick movements in the political or terroristic area. It doesn't help explaining to those what is good, bad and logical. The conversation always goes in circles and gets back to the same spot where it started from. It just doesn't help talking those to sense.

Against idiots and lunatics, a normal healthy person does not stand a chance with reason.

.

Edited May 20, 2010 by xenomorph

[atyclb]

How is it that immigrants have come to Thailand from India and China etc etc without higher education or money and have achieved success in the same system some say oppresses them, the poor. To boot Indians usually lack the magic white skin color so prized, promoted and marketed in Thai society, and still succeed. Try to find a single Chinese immigrant family anywhere in Isaan that is still poor.

It seems there does indeed exist a culture within many thai farmers that is counter productive in helping them have a better life.

if there would be rightousness in the system there would be no protest.

If the large majority wouldn't have been kept down on education, chanceless to make a better living than low labour work like the nurturers of the big bumble bee (BKK).

There would be no way of whatever leader (call them corrupt or not) to instumentalize and chanellize the emotions of supression and unjustness for his own goals.

("yeah teach the stupid folks your understanding of democracy")

And then farrangs write from their cosy chairs and judge, when there is fire and protest.

The happenings of the last months should show the so called "elite" - what will happen if they won't change the system to be more just for the poors, the majority of the country - well, would things change without any protest?

Just to add something else you selfrightous folks.

Look at Greece, look at France, ... maybe Germany too ... what happened and will happen, if our dreamworld changes, our money worth nothing anymore ... and if we would be forced to send our children to labor or prostitution to make a living -

One can be suprised how quick thinks move.

If you want rant about my english - do so - I don't care, am no english anyway.

tssssssssssss

[JulesMad]

Hopefully the burnt shopping mall was from Takkie himself

If so, he probably took out a huge insurance, so even then he will laugh...

I have burnt all my red t-shirts

[JSixpack]

I can't add much to the regrets over the horrendous loss of Central World except to put in a word for the kids, and not only those whose parents have no jobs now. At the top of Central World there was a large and unique kids' urban playground and fun learning center, with a bookshop. It brought such joy and delight to the countless kids who visited it. But no more.

[SomTumTiger]

I can't add much to the regrets over the horrendous loss of Central World except to put in a word for the kids, and not only those whose parents have no jobs now. At the top of Central World there was a large and unique kids' urban playground and fun learning center, with a bookshop. It brought such joy and delight to the countless kids who visited it. But no more.

[xenomorph]

if there would be rightousness in the system there would be no protest.

If the large majority wouldn't have been kept down on education, chanceless to make a better living than low labour work like the nurturers of the big bumble bee (BKK).

There would be no way of whatever leader (call them corrupt or not) to instumentalize and chanellize the emotions of supression and unjustness for his own goals.

("yeah teach the stupid folks your understanding of democracy")

And then farrangs write from their cosy chairs and judge, when there is fire and protest.

The happenings of the last months should show the so called "elite" - what will happen if they won't change the system to be more just for the poors, the majority of the country - well, would things change without any protest?

Just to add something else you selfrightous folks.

Look at Greece, look at France, ... maybe Germany too ... what happened and will happen, if our dreamworld changes, our money worth nothing anymore ... and if we would be forced to send our children to labor or prostitution to make a living -

One can be suprised how quick thinks move.

If you want rant about my english - do so - I don't care, am no english anyway.

tssssssssssss

How is it that immigrants have come to Thailand from India and China etc etc without higher education or money and have achieved success in the same system some say oppresses them, the poor. To boot Indians usually lack the magic white skin color so prized, promoted and marketed in Thai society, and still succeed. Try to find a single Chinese immigrant family anywhere in Isaan that is still poor.

It seems there does indeed exist a culture within many thai farmers that is counter productive in helping them have a better life.

My personal opinion is that the success of immigrants is due to a couple of factors like:

* Cultural

* Habits

* IQ

I would set very high importance to the Culture and Habits factors. Many how comes to new countries and environments, doesn't look on the surroundings like the people who have lived in the area for generations. They have been living their and carried out the work and traditions that they always had. They are blind to everything else. A person that is newly arrived, will see all he vacant opportunities that inhabitants hasn't noticed or bothered about. In my home country, there are lot's of Thais that have settled down in the bigger cities. A mojority of them come from the rural poor Issarn. Many of them are running successful businesses in their new country. They are probably more successful there then they would be doing the same in Thailand, their own home country. Why? Because they noticed the vacant opportunities that my own people back home didn't see.

Probably the same thing with the old Chinese families here in Thailand. If they would have remained in mainland China, the majority wouldn't probably be that successful. But when they moved to Thailand, they became successful because they saw the vacant opportunities.

.

[Oberkommando]

Quite a lot of foreigners do have full citizenship

There are strict quotas on foreigners gaining Thai citizenship every year.

There are very few successful applicants.

[wolf5370]

As most insurance policies seem to exclude civil unrest, war, acts of god and terrorism, how many of those who lost their livlihood last night stand much of a chance to recoup their losses to allow them to start over?

[SomTumTiger]

Quite a lot of foreigners do have full citizenship

There are strict quotas on foreigners gaining Thai citizenship every year.

There are very few successful applicants.

Mr. Red surfaces - ready to defend his master? Or had a change of heart in the light of the red terrorists actions? Just kidding, you know i got nothin but love for you, ya big lug.

[Motoon]

Quite a lot of foreigners do have full citizenship

There are strict quotas on foreigners gaining Thai citizenship every year.

There are very few successful applicants.

Depends how you define "Very few". There are 12 persons that I immediately can think of within my cercle of friends, myself included and I'm sure overall there are more than you'd guess...

[Mitker]

I think the reds are basically peacefull, but Abhisit always changes his mind saying I will desolve parliament and organise elections, the putting all this on hold!

How can anyone trust him?

I would get violent too

Abhisit has to resign if he wants peace back in Thailand!

Frightening to imagine this kind of impaired reasoning could be expressed by your neighbor..

[mzqueenie]

Here's some more pics on Central World:

Just can't believe it, less than a year ago I was walking in that area, people smiling, shopping and tipping people whose hard work selling things outside to make a living. Look at the scums of Red shirts destroying those who now lost so much.

[ihightower]

Come on - you didn't need to be a phophet to know what was going to happen. It could have been avoided if the government had moved at the very beginning - they DIDN'T - it would have been avoided if the Police and army acted earlier and decisively - THEY DIDN'T. I wonder why - maybe they feel a bit guilty about how they came to power (banning a polititian for apearing on a cooking programme, removing Members of Parliament because of a Court ruling which was rather one sided) - maybe they couldn't act quickly because they had totally failed to do anything about the Yellow folk occupying the airports and doing damage equivalent, in economic terms, to 10 Central Worlds. The Government and the cabinest and the officials have handled this badly - they should resign and call fresh elections - OOPPs maybe that is what they should have done at the beginning to make them legitimate - maybe having the guy who ran the Yellow protest movement in charge of Security wasn't a very good idea. Maybe assasinating a rebel general with a sniper shot in the head was something that made folk just a little p'ed off.

If the current Government stays on after this it will have no authority - if the current military planners and commanders stay on after this they will have no respect - If there is not a major change in how Thailand is run after this - the country it will have no regional respect and if these required changes aren't public and universally acceptable to all the population - Thailand ain't going to recover from the damage this has done to the country's image. 24 - 7 on BBC and CNN. People are asking why is there so much anger in the Land of Smiles. Ask yourself

wonderfully said... but, who knows after fresh elections... those STUPID IDIOT YELLOW SHIRTS will do something again... if the election goes in favour of Red Shirts..

[dttk0009]

Come on - you didn't need to be a phophet to know what was going to happen. It could have been avoided if the government had moved at the very beginning - they DIDN'T - it would have been avoided if the Police and army acted earlier and decisively - THEY DIDN'T. I wonder why - maybe they feel a bit guilty about how they came to power (banning a polititian for apearing on a cooking programme, removing Members of Parliament because of a Court ruling which was rather one sided) - maybe they couldn't act quickly because they had totally failed to do anything about the Yellow folk occupying the airports and doing damage equivalent, in economic terms, to 10 Central Worlds. The Government and the cabinest and the officials have handled this badly - they should resign and call fresh elections - OOPPs maybe that is what they should have done at the beginning to make them legitimate - maybe having the guy who ran the Yellow protest movement in charge of Security wasn't a very good idea. Maybe assasinating a rebel general with a sniper shot in the head was something that made folk just a little p'ed off.

If the current Government stays on after this it will have no authority - if the current military planners and commanders stay on after this they will have no respect - If there is not a major change in how Thailand is run after this - the country it will have no regional respect and if these required changes aren't public and universally acceptable to all the population - Thailand ain't going to recover from the damage this has done to the country's image. 24 - 7 on BBC and CNN. People are asking why is there so much anger in the Land of Smiles. Ask yourself

wonderfully said... but, who knows after fresh elections... those STUPID IDIOT YELLOW SHIRTS will do something again... if the election goes in favour of Red Shirts..

How much are they paying you per post?

[Insight]

Here's somebody predicting it a few days earlier:

I'm lost for words too.

[nidge]

Here's somebody predicting it a few days earlier:

I'm lost for words too.

Anyone here know that idiot? I'm sure there are plenty of people that would like 5 minutes alone with him.

[indothai]

Here's somebody predicting it a few days earlier:

I'm lost for words too.

Anyone here know that idiot? I'm sure there are plenty of people that would like 5 minutes alone with him.

Send the video to the authorities. Better yet, email them the youtube clip.

[scotbeve]

Thailand in trouble? No way - why is the Baht as high as ever and why are Bangkok hotels charging as much as ever - search the sites yourself - very strange

do you really think the government doesn't control BAHT?!?!?!

it would've collapsed LONG time ago otherwise... sorry.

Where, might we presume, is the money grab from Thaksins cash bag going to? Shoring up the baht perhaps???? As well as all the loans from abroad??? Hmmmm.... let me think....

[jitenshaman]

Here's somebody predicting it a few days earlier:

given those little cameras they use at Immigration to take your photo, this might not have been the world's best move. Think somebody might be paying this guy a visit soon?