Information on Protest Sites

[GrantSmith]

Get down to Pathumwan intersection... There's some great jazz being played!

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[PhuketAmerican]

Getting dragged to the Phuket "Shutdown BKK" protest this evening by girlfriend will post pictures and what roads are blocked/jammed if any.

[xcell]

Although Phuket traffic feels like being in Bangkok - are there any 'shutdowns' expected on Phuket roads?

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[classic-chassis]

Going from Paholyothin to Sukumvit Asok was once again a pleasure on a motocycle this morning. Same as yesterday. The juction of Asok / Sukumvit is blocked, but access to sois on either side of Asok which lead to sukumvit is available. Sukumvit is blocked southbound, (goint to Bangna), but one lane is open north bound, (going to chitlom).

Not many protesters there this morning, I'd guess if the authorities wanted to move them, doing it at night time would be pretty easy.

[Familyonthemove]

Yep - only about 10% of yesterday's numbers at Asoke after the night. Light traffic from Sirikit / Ramadan IV direction onto Sukhumvit towards Chitlom.

Traffic flowing under BTS Chitlom as far as Ratjadamri. Soichitlim flowing with light traffic.

BTS ok.

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[khunkeith]

I am supposed to go to the Pom Prap Sattru Phai district office Thursday. I have been trying to call them all morning and no one is picking up any of the phones there. Does anyone know if this is closed? I am supposed to meet a friend who is getting a divorce and flying in to do it. My wife called the BKK police and they don't know if it's open or not. HELP!!!!!

[arkom]

Anyone know if Central Ladprao is accessible by car?

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[pancakeman]

Anyone know if Central Ladprao is accessible by car? Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

I would also like to know this; is the big intersection at Central Ladprao passable?

[arkom]

I was told that the 2 middle lanes on Vipawadee are open to cross.

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[classic-chassis]

Anyone know if Central Ladprao is accessible by car? Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Yes becuase you can enter 4 or 5 different ways.

[simmofarang]

Apologies for my ignorance re BKK but if posts on intersections that are shutdown could contain a bit more detail. I read Asoke intersection blocked. Asoke and what other road or streets? Thanks.

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[taony]

Good luck with that one! I think we are supposed to memorize the name of every single intersection and bridge in Thailand!

You will get good info from farang on this forum though, as they understand the concept of your question. Asking a Thai is usually a lost cause...

PS, sorry. I think Asoke is Asoke and Sukhumvit intersection. At the crossroads of the two train lines. To the east is Emporium, west is Nana, Chidlom, Siam etc. To the south is Sirikit Convention Center.

Edited January 14, 2014 by taony

[raro]

Good luck with that one! I think we are supposed to memorize the name of every single intersection and bridge in Thailand!

You will get good info from farang on this forum though, as they understand the concept of your question. Asking a Thai is usually a lost cause...

Could you please elaborate why you come to this conclusion?

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[taony]

Every news article you read lists an intersection or the name of some obscure bridge without any context to where it is. Thai media do it all the time and if you ask someone, they have no idea where it is either. Some people will know a particular one or several, but thats it. When you ask, its still hard to know where a place is.

Last time around when they were burning trucks, I knew it was happening right where I pass each day, but didn't know exactly where because every single mention of it only called it by the name of the bridge. After the dust settled and I was on my way to work, I saw the scene. It was a path over a tiny canal, not much of a bridge, and its away from main roads. Why call it by the name of this "bridge", why does it even have a name? It doesn't help people to know where things are happening and how to avoid the areas when you have to guess.

[raro]

I was rather referring to your comment along the lines that Thais have no clue.

As for names of locations, it is in the discretion of the Bangkok city administration to name them. Google maps is a pretty good tool to locate places on a map.

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[taony]

google maps doesn't have the names of intersections or bridges.

And if you ask a Thai, they don't know them all either. You get a lot of "mai roo". Even when trying to explain to the lady on the bus that you want to got to the intersection of "x road and y road", you will have a hard time getting her to understand what you mean. When you don't know the name of the intersection or nearby landmark where you want to get off, you have a tough battle to explain - and I speak Thai.

what in the world , talking about BMA?? I'm fully aware. Just stating how it is unhelpful to find places when you use a silly system to describe them.

Edited January 14, 2014 by taony

[Familyonthemove]

Good luck with that one! I think we are supposed to memorize the name of every single intersection and bridge in Thailand!

You will get good info from farang on this forum though, as they understand the concept of your question. Asking a Thai is usually a lost cause...

Could you please elaborate why you come to this conclusion?

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Please don't - this is a thread for information on the protest sites not for bickering.

At Asoke the road is blocked from Petchbury Road to Sukhimvit.

There's limited traffic flow up towards Queen Sirikit and Rama IV road.

Sukhumvit Road is open from Asoke junction towards Nana/Chitlom direction but closed the other way.

This is because the main protest site is on the left side of Asoke Junction when facing up Sukhumvit towards On Nut/Bang Na direction.

There are side Soi's that will get you around the main site.

[simmofarang]

Thanks posters.

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[Scott]

Please, PLEASE stay on topic.

[khunkeith]

I am supposed to go to the Pom Prap Sattru Phai district office Thursday. I have been trying to call them all morning and no one is picking up any of the phones there. Does anyone know if this is closed? I am supposed to meet a friend who is getting a divorce and flying in to do it. My wife called the BKK police and they don't know if it's open or not. HELP!!!!!

I was able to answer my own question with a lot of research. I called the local office for the police in BKK, they did not know. I called a couple hotels close by, they did not know. I finally got inspired and looked up lawyer offices close by and was told it was open today but, don't know if it will stay open and the nice lady said to call her back tomorrow and she will tell me if open or closed. Very nice lady and helpful.

[joseph49]

Here's a link to the site of protests from yesterday in the downtown area:

RT@RichardBarrow: The latest anti-government rally site is now in the heart of #Bangkok's shopping district. Map: maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=2…

rumour has it swampy closed to- morrow ,,,any info?.

[joseph49]

anyone know if swampy is closing soon?.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Interestingly, although Thai Immigration has made alternate locations available to deal with the closure of their Chaeng Wattana Rd headquarters in BKK, apparently the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hasn't done the same, at least thus far.

I was out talking to several marriage registration/translation services over the weekend, and of course part of getting married to a Thai is having one's consulate papers certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the various translation companies I spoke with, right now with the MFA Office at Chaeng Wattana Road closed, they have no other alternate MFA location to handle the certification of marriage papers.

[impulse]

Interestingly, although Thai Immigration has made alternate locations available to deal with the closure of their Chaeng Wattana Rd headquarters in BKK, apparently the Ministry of Foreign Affairs hasn't done the same, at least thus far.

I was out talking to several marriage registration/translation services over the weekend, and of course part of getting married to a Thai is having one's consulate papers certified by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to the various translation companies I spoke with, right now with the MFA Office at Chaeng Wattana Road closed, they have no other alternate MFA location to handle the certification of marriage papers.

A sign from the gods?

Listen to them! They don't get any clearer.

Edited January 14, 2014 by impulse

[samtam]

Is this intersection between Ploenchit and Wittayu open again? Is Lang Suan open? Thanks.

[tookwan cottage]

Dear TV readers:

I urgently need to make a purchase from a business on Rama IV road, about 400 m. around the corner from Sala Daeng BTS.

Can anyone tell me if the businesses in that part of the city will be open tomorrow (it is a large pharmacy) and whether it is safe to quickly pop in and out of the area?

Thanks in advance,

TC

[impulse]

tookwan,

95+% chance it will be open tomorrow if it's a retail shop. (75% if it's only wholesale, based on the closed shops in Chinatown today)

99+% chance you can pop in and out safely with no fear of personal danger, as long as you're not antagonistic to the crowds. Don't flip the finger at anyone and you should be fine.

Edited January 14, 2014 by impulse

[Familyonthemove]

Is this intersection between Ploenchit and Wittayu open again? Is Lang Suan open? Thanks.

Yes - only the main site at the intersection of Rama 1 (Sukhumvit) and Ratjadamri is closed now.

Traffic is slow in the area as there's a smaller stage on Sukhumvit and a barrier into Rama 1 - but cars and bikes can still get through.

[Sheryl]

Can anyone advise best route to Don Muang coming from the other side of the river? I assume should take 9 and then one of the bridges up north of there rather than Rama 7 which is what i would normally do.

[tookwan cottage]

Thank you kindly to impulse and Familyonthemove for the prompt and helpful replies. I never thought I would ever say this, but the Thai Visa Forum is becoming a useful resource for me!