Between 2-3,000 Red Shirts rally at Three Kings Monument in Chiang Mai, they will march to the Municipal Stadium later. https://www.facebook.com/chiangmaimail

-- Chiang Mai Mail 2014-01-13

Thanks khwai! I guess the rally at Chang Puak gate is the source of the rumor of HWY-107 being closed. Likely it will be all clear by tomorrow morning.

We have seen quite a few VIP escorts up here in Mae Taeng today. Seems like a lot of folks are taking the opportunity to get out of Bangkok.

Saw a caravan of yellow sohng taews and pickups with yellow and Thai flags going south on the canal road coming home from work. Wonder where they are going as that is the wrong direction? Ah, the OP said Red shirts so perhaps that explains why the caravan is going a different direction.

re

Between 2-3,000 Red Shirts rally at Three Kings Monument

they started at thaphae gate but i didnt count them or get in

their way and there were about 15 police standing by but

nobody raised a voice while i was there !

dave2

ps ... there was no sign of any activity at red shirt hq this morning and the rally site at chiang puak gate was being taken down this morning !

I often wonder what is achieved my a large group group of people ,all with the same ideology, going to a stadium to hold a protest.

Seems to be a very Thai thing and probably good as if they were to descend on Thepae Gate for example, or heaven forbid, one of our shopping malls it would be total chaos.

I heard that the roads around the moat where chaos this evening due in part to these damn protesters. Hey everyone is entitled to their say but it peeves me off when it interferes with the normal running of the place. Protest all you want but go do it somewhere that wont upset those who arent interested.... like the bottom of a lake.

Either that or why dont they all piss off down to BKK and leave CM in peace..... that would be nice

I heard that the roads around the moat where chaos this evening due in part to these dam_n protesters. Hey everyone is entitled to their say but it peeves me off when it interferes with the normal running of the place. Protest all you want but go do it somewhere that wont upset those who arent interested.... like the bottom of a lake.

Either that or why dont they all piss off down to BKK and leave CM in peace..... that would be nice

I went by Chang Phuak around 5 p.m., it was bad but I can't say it was significantly worse than average for that time of day. Not as bad as when there is a university graduation, road constuction, VIP convoy, or all the other traffic stoppers.

I often wonder what is achieved my a large group group of people ,all with the same ideology, going to a stadium to hold a protest.

Seems to be a very Thai thing and probably good as if they were to descend on Thepae Gate for example, or heaven forbid, one of our shopping malls it would be total chaos.

There were 14 VIP buses packed with anti-government protestors (along with police escorts) that descended upon Central Festival yesterday afternoon. Fortunately, just as I was leaving. However, the police stopped anyone from exiting the mall for close to 20 minutes and traffic was backed up in the multi-level parking lot as far as they eye could see. I don't know why nobody could exit but it would have been a terrible time to have a fire.

I often wonder what is achieved my a large group group of people ,all with the same ideology, going to a stadium to hold a protest.

Seems to be a very Thai thing and probably good as if they were to descend on Thepae Gate for example, or heaven forbid, one of our shopping malls it would be total chaos.

There were 14 VIP buses packed with anti-government protestors (along with police escorts) that descended upon Central Festival yesterday afternoon. Fortunately, just as I was leaving. However, the police stopped anyone from exiting the mall for close to 20 minutes and traffic was backed up in the multi-level parking lot as far as they eye could see. I don't know why nobody could exit but it would have been a terrible time to have a fire.

Seems like a well organized, well funded affair. I wonder who's behind it.

I often wonder what is achieved my a large group group of people ,all with the same ideology, going to a stadium to hold a protest.

Seems to be a very Thai thing and probably good as if they were to descend on Thepae Gate for example, or heaven forbid, one of our shopping malls it would be total chaos.

There were 14 VIP buses packed with anti-government protestors (along with police escorts) that descended upon Central Festival yesterday afternoon. Fortunately, just as I was leaving. However, the police stopped anyone from exiting the mall for close to 20 minutes and traffic was backed up in the multi-level parking lot as far as they eye could see. I don't know why nobody could exit but it would have been a terrible time to have a fire.

Seems like a well organized, well funded affair. I wonder who's behind it.

Better still what do they think they are gaining by it.

As I see it they are grouping around each other to reassure them selves that they are right.

With out the constant group backing they are a very insecure individual.

Once again they point out the desperate need for education in Thailand. They gain absolutely nothing from others just derision. Yet they continue to interfere with the flow of life in others.

If they believe in what they say they stand for why do they not go to Bangkok where their support would mean some thing.

They remind me of several years ago when I was just visiting for the first time in Chiang Mai. I was staying at the Royal Lanna and there was a group of them gathered together in the parking lot no signs no speeches. Just standing there in the hot sun for several hours. There were police there to keep the peace. They were all inside the air conditioned lobby drinking free coffee and chatting with each other and other people.

It made no sense so I asked a friend what was going on. He informed me that the owner of the hotel was the son of a powerful politician who had stopped supporting Thaksin. Made no sense to me as they had no signs or speakers just a bunch of dumb people standing in the hot sun with red shirts on.