floridaguy Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 I just spent the better part of an hour traveling from Chitlom to Ratchadamri on Sukhumvit because of another red shirt rally. They are in the streets and on the sidewalks. The sidewalks are crowded with food stalls and makeshift tents for them to sleep. It makes me sick to see them celebrating, singing and dancing, in front of Centralworld, where so many lives were thrown into turmoil and possibly ruin by the fires, where so much destruction is still clearly visible. This can't be happening again? What happened to sticking to a yearly protest? Who screwed up the schedule? The good news is that there is a huge police presence here. And the best part is that there are nearly a hundred police ready with riot shields. At least showing some sort of show of force is a better start than last time. Anyway, avoid Ratchaprasong. It is starting to look exactly like the last protest there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DP25 Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 What happened to sticking to a yearly protest? Central World reopened earlier than expected and is restocked for more looting Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sao Jiang Mai Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 What are the numbers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
onnut Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 How can it be good news that the police are there? The Police ARE red shirts!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaguy Posted November 19, 2010 Author Share Posted November 19, 2010 What are the numbers? I am guessing upwards of 5000, but they are all gathered at the corner of Sukhumvit and Ratchadamri, on both the Centralworld and Gaysorn sides, causing a huge traffic backup. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaguy Posted November 19, 2010 Author Share Posted November 19, 2010 How can it be good news that the police are there? The Police ARE red shirts!!! So true, but I am hoping that they at least stop them from burning the place down again. My office in Centralworld was spared luckily, but I don't want to take my chances a second time. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dominique355 Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 Isn't there an Emergency Decree in force banning assembly of more than 5 people? Oh, I forgot, the Red Shirts are protesting against double standard, right? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelmann Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 Isn't there an Emergency Decree in force banning assembly of more than 5 people? Oh, I forgot, the Red Shirts are protesting against double standard, right? its a meeting not an assembly so it doesnt apply Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SweeneyAgonistes Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 I wouldn't worry too much about it. The government will quite happily murder another few hundred if required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whybother Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 I wouldn't worry too much about it. The government will quite happily murder another few hundred if required. What? Are there that many armed red shirts there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tod Daniels Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 FWIW: I made a special trip down to Rachaprasong today (really I needed to go to MBK to fix my mobile phone )! Be that as it may; I stopped a while there and thought they were pretty peaceful (compared to when the soldiers went in and ran 'em out with bullets!). I talked to many of the ‘thais-on-the-street” meaning thais wearing either ‘red’ or ‘black’ t-shirts. Were there a LOT of ‘em, hel_l yes! They were 'thick as ticks on a dogs back' but of course that is an American idiom, so no one understands it. ! For the most part they seemed like they didn’t have a clue why they were there (at Rachaprasong). Many of them told me ‘in thai’, “They told me to come so I came…” You figure it out for yourself. .. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
floridaguy Posted November 19, 2010 Author Share Posted November 19, 2010 FWIW: I made a special trip down to Rachaprasong today (really I needed to go to MBK to fix my mobile phone )! Be that as it may; I stopped a while there and thought they were pretty peaceful (compared to when the soldiers went in and ran 'em out with bullets!). I talked to many of the 'thais-on-the-street" meaning thais wearing either 'red' or 'black' t-shirts. Were there a LOT of 'em, hel_l yes! They were 'thick as ticks on a dogs back' but of course that is an American idiom, so no one understands it. ! For the most part they seemed like they didn't have a clue why they were there (at Rachaprasong). Many of them told me 'in thai', "They told me to come so I came…" You figure it out for yourself. .. . Same exact situation as last time. No one knows or cares, they are being paid to be there, so they go. And btw, how about "knee high to a grasshopper" as another silly American idiom? My dad used to refer to me that way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
monkfish Posted November 19, 2010 Share Posted November 19, 2010 Is this True? The following is a translated excerpt from the ban, which took effect immediately: Item 1: Individuals are forbidden to have in their possession, or possess with intent to sell or otherwise distribute, products, clothing, consumer goods, or any other objects that contain printing, writing, drawing, photography, or any other method that conveys a meaning which provokes, incites, agitates, or causes disunity in the general populace, or acts or supports acts which cause a state of emergency. Item 2: Authorities are authorized to order the seizure or confiscation of products, clothing, consumer goods, or any other objects as outlined in Item 1, and are authorized to act as necessary to maintain the security of the state or the safety of the public. Item 3: These orders are to be made by authorities of commissioned officer level or equivalent. Item 4: Any person violating this order is subject to up to 2 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both. This order is enacted under Article 18 of the 2005 State of Emergency Administration Act and is effective from 19 November 2010. [signed] General Prayuth Chan-ocha http://rikker.blogspot.com/2010/11/thai-government-bans-goods-that-cause.html Anyone know if they were selling flip flops at Rachaprasong? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
travelmann Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 FWIW: I made a special trip down to Rachaprasong today (really I needed to go to MBK to fix my mobile phone )! Be that as it may; I stopped a while there and thought they were pretty peaceful (compared to when the soldiers went in and ran 'em out with bullets!). I talked to many of the 'thais-on-the-street" meaning thais wearing either 'red' or 'black' t-shirts. Were there a LOT of 'em, hel_l yes! They were 'thick as ticks on a dogs back' but of course that is an American idiom, so no one understands it. ! For the most part they seemed like they didn't have a clue why they were there (at Rachaprasong). Many of them told me 'in thai', "They told me to come so I came…" You figure it out for yourself. .. . Im not saying theyre like sheep but baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa it also probably involved no thougt process or maybe free somtam was all the incentive they needed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phaethon Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 Is this True? The following is a translated excerpt from the ban, which took effect immediately: Item 1: Individuals are forbidden to have in their possession, or possess with intent to sell or otherwise distribute, products, clothing, consumer goods, or any other objects that contain printing, writing, drawing, photography, or any other method that conveys a meaning which provokes, incites, agitates, or causes disunity in the general populace, or acts or supports acts which cause a state of emergency. Item 2: Authorities are authorized to order the seizure or confiscation of products, clothing, consumer goods, or any other objects as outlined in Item 1, and are authorized to act as necessary to maintain the security of the state or the safety of the public. Item 3: These orders are to be made by authorities of commissioned officer level or equivalent. Item 4: Any person violating this order is subject to up to 2 years imprisonment or a fine of up to 40,000 baht, or both. This order is enacted under Article 18 of the 2005 State of Emergency Administration Act and is effective from 19 November 2010. [signed] General Prayuth Chan-ocha http://rikker.blogsp...that-cause.html Anyone know if they were selling flip flops at Rachaprasong? Yes it's true. Good luck enforcing that. According to the Bangkok Post: "However, CRES spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd conceded it may be difficult to determine what items should be banned, so it would be up to the police to judge what rally items would cause disunity." Or in police parlance KA-CHING!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Insight Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 FWIW: I made a special trip down to Rachaprasong today (really I needed to go to MBK to fix my mobile phone )! Be that as it may; I stopped a while there and thought they were pretty peaceful (compared to when the soldiers went in and ran 'em out with bullets!). I talked to many of the ‘thais-on-the-street” meaning thais wearing either ‘red’ or ‘black’ t-shirts. Were there a LOT of ‘em, hel_l yes! They were 'thick as ticks on a dogs back' but of course that is an American idiom, so no one understands it. ! For the most part they seemed like they didn’t have a clue why they were there (at Rachaprasong). Many of them told me ‘in thai’, “They told me to come so I came…” You figure it out for yourself. .. . The essence of the red shirt "movement" (move any way we're told to) in two short sentences. Top stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manarak Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 clean them up quickly while they are only 5k... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powderpuff Posted November 20, 2010 Share Posted November 20, 2010 Boy it would be refreshing if the police kept good order. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
scorecard Posted November 22, 2010 Share Posted November 22, 2010 FWIW: I made a special trip down to Rachaprasong today (really I needed to go to MBK to fix my mobile phone )! Be that as it may; I stopped a while there and thought they were pretty peaceful (compared to when the soldiers went in and ran 'em out with bullets!). I talked to many of the ‘thais-on-the-street” meaning thais wearing either ‘red’ or ‘black’ t-shirts. Were there a LOT of ‘em, hel_l yes! They were 'thick as ticks on a dogs back' but of course that is an American idiom, so no one understands it. ! For the most part they seemed like they didn’t have a clue why they were there (at Rachaprasong). Many of them told me ‘in thai’, “They told me to come so I came…” You figure it out for yourself. .. . Here's a little more; most of the food vendors in my soi went almost every day. They bragged about how much money they were making from 'attendance money'. They told many of their customers that they were being careful to not miss a day in the run up to songkran so that they would in fact have a nice chunk to take home to the provinces. Many of them also mentioned: - They didn't really understand the continuous long winded 'lectures' given by arisman, veera, jatuporn etc. - The hate messages / same mesage, repeated again and agin got very boring. - Several of the vendors said they understodd the 'democracy' concept very well,they said 'thaksin is democracy' means 'thaksin is our saviour'. (manipulation?) - They were totally convinced that thaksin paid off the IMF loan out of his own money and that the initial 1million Baht village fund came from thaksins own money. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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