Information on Protest Sites

[RCCarsAsia]

Hey guys. I'm supposed to be in BKK on business from 7-10 March. What's it looking like on Ratchaprarob Road and Ratchadapisek Road near Hwai Khwang?

[Scott]

March 7-8 is a long ways away. A little hard to predict at this point.

[rubl]

Uptill now I've found travelling in Bangkok no real problem. Mind you I use motorcy, BTS and BRT only.

Taking a taxi or driving your own car can be a problem in Bangkok at any time, no protests needed for that.

[RCCarsAsia]

Thanks for the feedback. How's the human congestion on the trains at this point? Wondering if it's a good or bad idea to bring the kids along.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Hey guys. I'm supposed to be in BKK on business from 7-10 March. What's it looking like on Ratchaprarob Road and Ratchadapisek Road near Hwai Khwang?

At present, nothing going on in the Hwai Kwang area AFAIK.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Passed by the Asoke protest site again last night around dinner time... 6:30 pm ish... Sparse crowd, the same as the day before. Much down from the week before the election.

Also today early afternoon, I made the trip to Big C Ratchadamri via BTS Chidlom station. Took the Sky Walk to the Gaysorn mall entrance, went down to the first/ground floor, and then could only exit out the rear door. Went out the rear door and out and around the back to emerge just down the street from Big C. Big C complex seemed much quieter than normal for a weekday afternoon.

Through traffic along Sukhumvit Rd still blocked in both directions at Asoke Rd. (the Asoke protest site). And, today during daytime, there didn't appear to be any through traffic along Rama I road at the Central World intersection either (Ratchaprasong protest site).

Edited February 7, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[Familyonthemove]

Thanks for the feedback. How's the human congestion on the trains at this point? Wondering if it's a good or bad idea to bring the kids along.

At peak times BTS and MRT are very busy and with travellers heading to the airport Link to avoid traffic issues there's more luggage than normal. But out of peak times the BTS and MRT are ok.... even a bit less busy than before the protests.

[Familyonthemove]

Central World site had about half the usual weekend crowd. Rama 1 closed. Asoke less than half the normal crowd. Sukhumvit closed from early evening. Seems to be less music and more speeches these days.

[nisakiman]

Tried to take a taxi from Chinatown where we're staying to an Indian restaurant in Sukhumvit Soi 26 last night - couldn't find a cab willing to take us, so took MRT and BTS to Phrom Pong and cabbed it from there. Sukhumvit was blocked at Asoke as mentioned above. Found a cabbie willing to try the return route, but Rama IV was blocked along Lumphini - no chance to get through - so he dropped us off at the barricade and we walked to Silom MRT and luckily got one of the last trains to Hualamphong. The mood of the protesters at Lumphini was not exactly threatening, but neither was it friendly, and we felt uncomfortable and much relieved to make it down into the metro.

[MrJohnson]

does anyone know whether any roads into/out of Bangkok are currently blocked by protesting rice farmers. planning on going to Hua Hin tomorrow and wondering whether the roads are all open. Many thanks

[GrantSmith]

does anyone know whether any roads into/out of Bangkok are currently blocked by protesting rice farmers. planning on going to Hua Hin tomorrow and wondering whether the roads are all open. Many thanks

They moved into the Commerce Ministry during the week.

Rama 2 is ok

Sent from my iPhone using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[samtam]

Rama IV at about midday today, on the walkway from U Chu Liang to Lumpini, with more barricades than previously.

The tent city within the park has grown, and every entry gate has PDRC guards, and all other green uniform (park?) guards seem to have removed themselves. Not many Bangkok residents taking the Sunday constitutional, and I felt uneasy, so we walked through to Benjakiti Park instead, which was pretty empty. Unfortunately the occupation of Lumpini means that much of the flora is suffering because the water tankers can't get around the whole place. Like all these protest sites, there is a lot of litter and general degradation of public property.

[Familyonthemove]

The barriers at Asoke on Sukhumvit and near Queen Sirikit have been built up over the last few days and there's black netting above the sandbags. Sukhumvit partly open 'till 18:00 today. Closed now.

[tx22cb]

The barriers at Asoke on Sukhumvit and near Queen Sirikit have been built up over the last few days and there's black netting above the sandbags. Sukhumvit partly open 'till 18:00 today. Closed now.

Yes, I noticed that at the Suk 19 junction, there are sandbags forming a mini bunker, with a "No Photos" sign at 1 pm today (Sun).

Strangely, the Asoke big screens were showing Thai boxing on Channel 7, instead of BlueSky.

[Thai Chi]

Does anyone have any current info on the Sala Daeng Intersection protest site?

I will be going to the Australian Embassy on Sathon Rd next week.

I normally get off the BTS at Sala Daeng and head North East along Silom Rd to Soi Sala Daeng (150 Mtrs) and turn right.

Are there any known "obstructions" between the BTS and Soi Sala Daeng?

[draftvader]

Chaeng Wattana Update

Did my usual Muang Thong - Laksi shopping run this morning (07:30 there, 08:00 back). Compared to last week things have improved. They have now made the road leading down the side of Thailand Post Office HQ 2 way (2 lanes in either direction) with traffic management all along it. This morning the journey times were much more reasonable as the traffic was flowing in both directions. There are still bottle-necks at either end that will slow your journey down but it would appear that last week's appalling traffic has scared off some people so it is much better.

If you can avoid this site then do but if you live (like me) close to it and need to get to the other side it is a much more viable option than it was last week. I'll report again later in the week.

[mikeSilom]

Does anyone have any current info on the Sala Daeng Intersection protest site?

I will be going to the Australian Embassy on Sathon Rd next week.

I normally get off the BTS at Sala Daeng and head North East along Silom Rd to Soi Sala Daeng (150 Mtrs) and turn right.

Are there any known "obstructions" between the BTS and Soi Sala Daeng?

No problem if you're walking. We live on SalaDaeng at Soi 2.

[Thai Chi]

^^^

Thanks Mike,

Yes, I will be walking.

[Scott]

I was down in that area last Thursday. If you are taking the BTS you should have no problem. If you are going to catch a taxi to the Embassy, you might have trouble. A motorcycle taxi might be OK, though.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Shouldn't be any trouble to get a motorcycle taxi or a regular taxi once you're on Soi Saladaeng, or returning from Sathorn heading up Soi Saladaeng.

But when I was there the other day, there was no regular car traffic being allowed on Silom Road between the BTS Saladaeng Station and Soi Saladaeng.

[mikeSilom]

Shouldn't be any trouble to get a motorcycle taxi or a regular taxi once you're on Soi Saladaeng, or returning from Sathorn heading up Soi Saladaeng.

But when I was there the other day, there was no regular car traffic being allowed on Silom Road between the BTS Saladaeng Station and Soi Saladaeng.

As you say, the motorcycle taxis are still everywhere. But depending on the traffic, the regular taxis may not want to turn off Sathorn onto SalaDaeng to get you back to the BTS. Not unusual for the cars to be bumper-bumper backed up that far. Then SalaDaeng is blocked at Soi 2 so there they turn left and more bumper-bumper to Convent road where they can head back to Sathorn.

When it's busy, we've been cutting them loose at Sathorn and walking. We get home faster, save a few baht, and they're spared a traffic snarl. Off peak they bring us all the way no problems.

[Thai Chi]

^^^

Mike, when you say SalaDaeng is blocked at Soi 2, I assume you mean for vehicular traffic only?

[Scott]

When I was there last Tuesday afternoon (1:30ish to about 4:00ish), there was one lane of traffic on Silom headed toward Rama IV road, on the Southbound side, it appeared to be blocked. I saw no cars moving.

The northbound traffic was unbelievably slow.

[mikeSilom]

^^^

Mike, when you say SalaDaeng is blocked at Soi 2, I assume you mean for vehicular traffic only?

That's correct. It's blocked to automobiles. Completely open to pedestrians. Motorcycles can still go through to Silom. And they can traverse Silom except they basically driving thru the pedestrian shoppers. The vendors have turned Silom into a giant market.

If you want to avoid some of the street crowds you can turn left when you get to Soi 2. A couple hundred feet on the right is an entrance to Central Department store. Go in, go to the 2nd floor, go out into the mall, walk toward the front and there is a short skywalk directly into the BTS station. That's the way we go.

[Thai Chi]

^^^

Thanks Mike, Great info.

I'll be heading towards the Embassy at about 7.00 am and returning to the BTS at 10.00 am.

I will take your advice on the return leg.

[mikeSilom]

^^^

Thanks Mike, Great info.

I'll be heading towards the Embassy at about 7.00 am and returning to the BTS at 10.00 am.

I will take your advice on the return leg.

Ah. Central Dept store and the mall open at 10:30 am. Anyway Silom is no big deal. People walking in the street make the sidewalks less crowded. Edited February 11, 2014 by mikeSilom

[draftvader]

Chaeng Wattana Update - Muang Thong Thani to Laksi

It is slightly better than the other day. Everybody seems to know where they're going now and the traffic "marshalls" are working well together. There was a queue into the site this morning from opposite Makro @ 07:30 but that is slightly lighter than normal anyway. Once inside the site it is flowing well.

Coming back from Laksi to Muang Thong Thani @ 08:10

Queue to get into the complex but no worse then normal mornings when they stop all traffic to let government complex traffic cross from the east-bound carriageway.

Still think that, if you are coming at it from afar, you should use an alternative but this is not anywhere near as bad as it was 2 weeks ago and would be fine if you are willing to accept the usual Chaeng Wattana delays.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

This little tidbit arrived in Friday's email from the U.S. Consulate in BKK, re a new protest site near the Consulate:

U.S. Embassy Bangkok informs U.S. citizens that protest activity continues in several areas throughout greater Bangkok, including at a new protest site at the intersection of Ploen Chit and Wireless Roads near the U.S. Embassy.

I hadn't been by there lately to see anything, nor had I heard anything about it on the news, as yet. But no mention from the Consulate of any impending curtailment of consular services.

But it did seem tonight that both the Pathumwan and Ratchaprasong sites had sizeable crowds. I didn't dally long enough at either place to get a good feel, since apparently the police were out and about today.

Edited February 14, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[samtam]

Richard Barrow tweeted about it earlier:

https://twitter.com/ChrisG_BKK/status/434235769285124096/photo/1

Ihope it's only a weekend thing, as it's the one area I need to go to by car each week. Basically that whole area is now stuffed up.

[realenglish1]

Help Please

My wife and I want to go to Central world . Is it clear enough for us to drive and park there

Any help is appreciated

Thanks