Army unloading sandbags for temporary bunkers in Bangkok

[george]

Army unloading sandbags for temporary bunkers in Bangkok

Bangkok: RTA infantry poured down Soi Lang Suan a little while ago and started unloading sandbags for temporary bunkers at the intersection of Soi Lang Suan and Soi Sarasin, at the northern edge of Lumpini Park. Photo taken at 2pm today. Anyone else seeing an increase in army presence around the city?

It has been reported that the army will guard some spots after the weekend bombings.

-- 2014-02-26

[taony]

Bunkers like this have been around Krung Kasem road, Ratchadamnern , in the government house / nang lerng area for quite some time. Not exactly sure what they do in there except hang out all the time. They all usually have one each of those trucks parked nearby too. And of course, the sandbags have camaflouge over them, 555.

[KimoMax]

The Army had announced it would increase checkpoints around Protest sites and also at NCAA offices and other Judiciary branches following recent threats and ongoing violence.

[GATHER]

As soon as the army secures the perimeters of the Bangkok , Yingluck will move to Chang Mai .

RED shirts will cheer her there as she makes her attempt to make permanent HQ there .

The longer she will stay there the faster RED shirts will ask to break the country in 2 ... You will see

[whybother]

They have set up a "bunker" on the corner of Suk Soi 23 too. I imagine their at other places around the Asoke protest area too.

[MunterHunter]

Digging in ready for the final push?

[Costas2008]

As the police have done nothing till now, hope the army will help to prevent more shootings and killings.

Edited February 27, 2014 by metisdead
Bold font removed.

[JohnOX4]

There has been a bunker on Silom Road for a few weeks - outside the Bangkok Bank HQ. There are usually 2 or 3 soldiers there.

[David48]

Is that a Pigeon call I hear?

Maybe time to sell some of the SET Portfolio.

[zaphodbeeblebrox]

There's also been a bunker at Ratchaprarop Airport Link station (east side of street, just north of the station) for several weeks.

[Showbags]

Cunning plan...slowly slowly...

[eeworldwide]

I thought things were stabilising since talks have started and Ban Ki Moon is going to mediate?

Or maybe I have been mis-informed?

Has there been any further violence since the overnight gunfire around Silom Sunday night?

Or is this the calm before a pre-meditated storm? Very difficult to know what's going on - its all gone rather.... quiet.......

Edited February 26, 2014 by eeworldwide

[warriorbangkok]

I saw soldiers deployed at Prom Phong BTS station yesterday. Will check again today.

[Suriya4]

Coup is in the air.

[Marcel1]

I saw soldiers deployed at Prom Phong BTS station yesterday. Will check again today.

They are there for a couple of weeks already,. no changes since then so far

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Overnight last night, the Army set up a small station in front of Chuwit Park on Sukhumvit Road near Soi 10, which is a few blocks away from the Asoke protest site, and on the side of vehicle traffic that would be moving along Sukhumvit away from the protest site.

Tonight, there were about 10 troops sitting or standing around a covered station there, with sandbags raised up about waist-high, a cloth cover and netting. Oddly, someone had come along and placed potted plants around the base of the station as a kind of apparent decoration, perhaps to soften the look of the place.

I didn't see any guns, but the troops had their combat helmets sitting on the table inside the station. And outside they had a banner sign with a Red Cross ensignia (red colored cross) that said - "Army Emergency Response Unit." It kind of made me think it might be the same kind of troops as those stationed nearby the Laksi battleground a few weeks ago who ended up providing first aid to some of the wounded from that fracas.

If anything were to happen at the Asoke site in terms of violence or gunfire or explosives, these troops would be pretty far away and likely would take them some time to respond. But that's assuming there's any intention that they would respond in anything other than a first aid capacity.

[Showbags]

Where are the submarines stationed ?

[ExpatOilWorker]

There is also a small bunker below the Thai-Belgian bridge at the Rama 4 - Sathorn/Wireless intersection.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

They have set up a "bunker" on the corner of Suk Soi 23 too. I imagine their at other places around the Asoke protest area too.

So I mentioned above the additional station on the other side of the Asoke protest site along Sukhumvit Road at Soi 10. And my wife said she saw another similar Army station up Asoke Road not far from the GMM Building. So that means the Army has stations on at least 3 of the 4 directions from the Asoke protest site. I'm not sure if they have any station on the other side of Asoke heading toward the Queen Sirikit NCC.

[petedk]

They have set up a "bunker" on the corner of Suk Soi 23 too. I imagine their at other places around the Asoke protest area too.

So I mentioned above the additional station on the other side of the Asoke protest site along Sukhumvit Road at Soi 10. And my wife said she saw another similar Army station up Asoke Road not far from the GMM Building. So that means the Army has stations on at least 3 of the 4 directions from the Asoke protest site. I'm not sure if they have any station on the other side of Asoke heading toward the Queen Sirikit NCC.

Yes they have. I saw a bunker near the park (between MRT Queen Sirigit and Asoke). It also had a big red cross signalling that it was for medical help.

[JoeThePoster]

I dunno, do sandbags stop giant firecrackers?

[Blackmirage2013]

Yes, yes...... last week I saw a few soldiers building a lego tower at the intersection of Petchburi and Chidlom... used all color and the thing was right in front of the police box there... lols

[Showbags]

Soon they'll have a castle.

[saakura]

There is also a small bunker below the Thai-Belgian bridge at the Rama 4 - Sathorn/Wireless intersection.

Yes, this bunker was set up last night and lot of heavy equipment with about 20 soldiers, but all abruptly removed and gone about 2hrs ago.

[GATHER]

Suthep Thaugsuban (21.05): Yingluck dares to claim that she stands for democratic principles. But Yingluck, you represent fake democracy and are stubbornly clinging to your chair just to benefit the Shinawatra family. You say that you've left Bangkok so you aren't the cause of strife. In reality you're too scared of citizens blowing their whistles at you if you were to stay in Bangkok, demanding your resignation. Don't you know people all over Thailand despise you, Yingluck? You murdered innocent children just to stay in power. That's why people all over the country are in mourning today. Your time is almost up, Yingluck. The blood has stained your murderous hands, and Thais don't want you anymore. You've killed other people's children. It's time for you to go. Your sins will follow you into all your reincarnations. Thais will never forget how you killed 4 children.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

I could be wrong, but based on the presence at these sites of the Red Cross ensignia, it seems that they may be more aimed at picking up the pieces after potential gun and explosive attacks vs. doing anything to prevent them or apprehend perpetrators. The four small Army outposts mentioned above around Asoke, for example, are quite a distance removed from the protest site itself.

Likewise, when I passed by tonight, there was no sign that the Army personnel there were doing anything to check or even particularly closely observe any of the foot or vehicle traffic passing by them. More like, just sitting around waiting for something to happen. Anyone else have the same or different impression of the Army sites they've seen???

Edited February 26, 2014 by TallGuyJohninBKK

[arminbkk]

I also saw a similar army post today outside MRT Petchaburi near the bridge over the canal. Maybe 4 or 5 soldiers. This was in the morning.

[Katipo]

Bunkers like this have been around Krung Kasem road, Ratchadamnern , in the government house / nang lerng area for quite some time. Not exactly sure what they do in there except hang out all the time. They all usually have one each of those trucks parked nearby too. And of course, the sandbags have camaflouge over them, 555.

Of course they have camouflage. How else will they blend in with all the trees in Bangkok?

[theoldgit]

Post containing inappropriate misspelling of name removed.

[tx22cb]

Went past the small Army post on Suk 23 yesterday early evening. 5 "soldiers", in their twenties, no visible rifles, helmets off, red cross arm bands. One was on his phone, another on the internet with his mobile device.

The "sandbags" are black plastic bags, about 10 kg each - so, smaller than my dogs' food sack. Very low too. Purpose - more a deterrent and a look-out than a real military post.

This Suk 23 post is 5 metres from a PDRC guard post, which was more heavily fortified and manned by more scary men.