Information on Protest Sites

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

At Asoke, things are much quieter and less crowded tonight, but still a decent sized crowd around 6:30 pm. Perhaps the attention tonight is more on the march sites. Meanwhile, also a few changes from past days:

The overall crowd scene at Asoke as of 6:30 pm.

The BTS Skybridge across Asoke Rd from the BTS station is open again tonight, but they've rigged a rope line along the edge facing the stages along with periodic guards/monitors.

The protest organizers also appear to have established a back walkway across Asoke Road along the even numbered sois side of Suk Road, including guards that let pedestrians walk through.

Meanwhile, dunno if anyone knows, but I've seen few if any public buses running along Suk Rd from Ploenchit to Asoke during the past week, when normally there are tons of them, especially at rush hours. Dunno what's happened to all those normal service routes.

Direct/through car traffic, meanwhile, continues to be blocked in both directions along Suk Road at Asoke Rd.

BTW, regarding the news media-announced notion of increased police and/or Army checkpoints to provide security at protest sites, I've yet to see any police or Army anywhere near the Asoke protest site, especially in terms of monitoring either vehicle or pedestrian traffic coming to Asoke along Suk Rd from the Nana side of things.

Edited January 21, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Also, no sign at Asoke tonight of the so-called, government-declared State of Emergency in BKK that's supposed to start tomorrow.

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/698291-thailand-imposes-state-of-emergency-to-deal-with-protests/

Edited January 21, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[taony]

Victory Monument looks to be the same as its been for the past week.

[taony]

Victory monument has really cleared out now. Not much activity going on. But of course, Mr. Screaming Man is still at the microphone. There was a lot of loud music before, but none now.

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[jonny5]

As I dont really know Bkk,..am after some advise...im arriving bkk (suwannapoom) at 13.30 tomorrow, and wanting an afternoon around Nana area before a catch a flight at 23.55 the same night. Is this where the protests are?

Will it be best to stay away and stay in airport, or would it be ok to get the train or taxi into the area?

any advise would be great.

[Dre Gardner]

I think train is better, if roads are blocked. Someone posted an googlemap few pages before with protest hotspots.

Some new local informations would be great, after the pulled out the emergency state..

Edited January 22, 2014 by Dre Gardner

[samtam]

Protesters currently at Department of Aviation buildings just off Suan Phlu; noisy, but stationery, having walked along Sathorn Road (Tai) at lunchtime from Rama IV direction.

[GBK]

I have just this minute come through Asoke.

The "guards" and the protesters are clearly nothing to do with each other. The guards were very Rent-a-Thug and quite a few were in quasi-combat gear and a few were completely tooled up. A lot of very hacked off motorists about. Lower Ratchadapisek is also blocked off.

Not a cop in sight until I made it as far as the Landmark, where a bunch of ranking BiB were hanging about the front, "taking care" of someone who thinks they are important, but they certainly weren't there because of the protests and/traffic chaos.

An unusually large amount of Lab Chang riders had gathered around the protest site and it didn't look like they were looking for fares. Almost no tourists along lower Sukhumvit and a peek inside the top of Soi 4 revealed a few customers in those bars, but hardly teeming.

The Green Route is blocked solid with the normal Traffic that would have been on Sukhumvit and it took me half an hour to get from Soi 15 to Soi 20 on a bike taxi.

To state the obvious, steer clear if you can.

Edited January 22, 2014 by GBK

[Familyonthemove]

A few small changes this evening. Central World announced it was closing at 6:00 PM although Central Chidlom was open as normal. There's an extra security check set up by the protesters at Sukhumvit /Chidlom junction (of the ineffective 'guy with a torch' MRT variety). There's been a few army vehicles with troops going into the side entrance of the Electricity Board offices on Sukhumvit today. Half decent crowd at Asoke - but nothing like the peak of last week. Sukhumvit now fully blocked at Asoke without the single lane access of this morning.

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[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Seemingly status quo at Asoke intersection tonight.

Crowd about the same as last night by about 6:30 pm. Through traffic still blocked in both directions on Sukhumvit at Asoke. Side soi alternate routes congested. Main protest area still on Asoke just above Sukhumvit heading toward Petchburi.

Asoke BTS sky bridge over Asoke Rd still open, but the side directly facing/over the protest stages/areas still cordoned off.

No sign of any police or military presence or security checkpoints anywhere along Sukhumvit heading from Nana to Asoke.

The second photo above shows outbound Suk Rd traffic at Terminal 21 being diverted into Suk Soi 19.

Edited January 22, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[samtam]

Anyone any information of Ploenchit today. Last night Suthep said he would lead a march from Asoke to Ploenchit/Langsuan intersection. Any confirmation that is taking place?

[MaxLee]

Damn I am hearing some noise in ASOKE now,... what's happening (while I'm working).... I am too high in my building, and I cannot clearly see what's happening outside... anyone???

[taony]

Follow

Richard Barrow‏@RichardBarrow

Suthep will lead protest march from Asok at 10am > Lang Suan > Lumpini > Withayu > Ploenchit > Asok - TR @news1005fm #Bangkok

[MaxLee]

Follow

Richard Barrow‏@RichardBarrow

Suthep will lead protest march from Asok at 10am > Lang Suan > Lumpini > Withayu > Ploenchit > Asok - TR @news1005fm #Bangkok

CRAPS,... that means I'll be trapped, technically...

[samtam]

Thanks. That's pretty clear, and much appreciated. (Your clarity, not the protest march!)

[GBK]

This is definitely happening at 10:00 a.m?

[Robby nz]

Rice farmers are preparing to shut down Asia Rd at the Inburi traffic lights, shutdown from 12 mid day.

[Crossy]

Protesters are causing annoyance outside the MRTA office off Rama 9.

Hopefully they will have become bored before we have to leave for home.

[mikeSilom]

Lumpini Park: the stage is now gone. A crew is dismantling the monster TV screen right now. Almost half of it has been removed and loaded in a truck.

[Stocky]

Can anyone tell me if the Sathorn / Wittayhu junction open or closed?

[samtam]

Sathorn Wittayu open as at 5 pm. Thai/Belgian bridge is partially open, but very limited use, because Thai/Japanese bridge at Silom/Rama IV still appears to be closed. Obviously traffic very congested on Sathorn and at the intersection.

Thai Belgian at 5pm:

Edited January 24, 2014 by samtam

[Stocky]

Thanks

[TomTao]

Is Jatujak market easily accessible? My wife and I will likely be heading that way tomorrow to buy some hand feeding formula for our parrots.

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[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Here's a slightly belated photo of (I believe) the white shirted and khakis wearing Suthep marching into the Asoke protest site last night after a day on the streets.

And more currently, here's what it looked like tonight at Asoke around 7 pm... Certainly more folks out tonight that most of the nights this past week.

As Southside would put it, "We're havin' a party..."

First photo is the main protest area on Asoke above Suk Road toward Petchburi. The second photo is the opposite side of Asoke heading toward Rama IV.

[taony]

There is a small but noisy group under the Phayathai and airport link train stations right now. CAn't see exactly why they are there or what they are doing. The people that I can see past the BTS line are people selling stuff. I can only see a few waving flags of the protesters, but have been hearing them for a while. I will go to the supermarket in a little while, so maybe I can find out more.

edit: sorry, should have said they are only blocking the south bound side of PHayathai Road right now.

There is also another group currently coming from Ayuthaya Road and turning south into Phayathai to join them.

Edited January 25, 2014 by taony

[taony]

They are moving south now, but still very slowly. It was quite a party, they even serenaded the livestock ministry for a while

[Familyonthemove]

View under Piyathai BTS. ......

Both lanes at Asoke blocked today and MBK to Central World is a continuous street market.

[taony]

When they left phayathai, they turned left at ratchetewi towards pratunam. Where they were joined by suthep on phetburi road

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[taony]

I kept walking and got ahead of them and went to central, so i don't know where they went next. I guess adoke.

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[taony]

Earlier, from phayathai

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