Army unloading sandbags for temporary bunkers in Bangkok

[laban]

Besides one post outside Chuwit park, another one has sprung up overnight 50 m away outside Bangkok bank!

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[slipperylobster]

This article does little to provide that warm and fuzzy feeling of a secure future in Thailand. Perhaps time for an extended vacation in another place. Panama or South America are starting to invoke dreams of lazy sunsets and Margarritas ....spanish is quite a bit easier than Thai, and the place is a shorter ride to the States. Looking at visa requirements for my gal to go to Panama for at least 3 months. Tired out from 30 years in and out of Philippines (18 straight)...looking for fresh venues.

[soalbundy]

Where are the submarines stationed ?

next to the aircraft carrier without any aircraft

[taony]

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???

Yes, its kind of hard to tell what they are there for. I've seen tables with tissues and some supplies at some of them, a stretcher at another. But they don't really look prepared for any defending or breaking up of fights. Not sure what the exact purpose is except to go clean up a mess (and get their picture in the news). Maybe its just a visual to help limit instances? Because even if someone comes on a motorbike, lobs a grenade inside a site and starts to take off, I don't think they have any way of going after him.

[skildpadden]

There were soldiers deploying this morning at the intersection of Asoke/New Petchaburi Road. They were setting up a bunker along New Petchaburi Road.

[ChrisY1]

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

The army has set up 1 bunker...no doubt there will be several more in the coming days....I would hardly call it "securing the perimeters of Bangkok"

She can stay in Chiang Mai indefinitely...(or until an arrest warrant is issued)...it doesn't mean the north is then going to secede....the reds aren't going to call the shots here...!

[DoctorG]

Just a legal question. Without a declaration of martial law by either the government or HM The King, by what authority can the military set up checkpoints in a civilian area?

I know the type of answers that I will get (TIT etc) but would appreciate a knowledgeable answer.

[TomAikins]

They're on Sukhumvit Road now between Sois 10 and 8.

[taony]

They aren't checkpoints. I don't think so anyway. They don't check anything, they just sit there. Maybe they could, but they aren't.

[Bkungbank]

What they need most are night goggles vision to find shooters as most of night time the incident shotting occours

[Goat Roper]

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

The army has set up 1 bunker...no doubt there will be several more in the coming days....I would hardly call it "securing the perimeters of Bangkok"

She can stay in Chiang Mai indefinitely...(or until an arrest warrant is issued)...it doesn't mean the north is then going to secede....the reds aren't going to call the shots here...!

I have a feeling simply based on what is happening that there will be an arrest warrant issued on YL, hence she is in the north ready for her quick get away for her trip to Dubai. I feel she has been ordered out of Bangkok by her boss-brother.

I wonder who will arrest her if an arrest warrant is issued or will she just head on to Dubai?

[ALLSEEINGEYE]

Security on the perimeters of these protests sites is something the police should have done from the beginning. This would have at least given them a chance to catch the baby killers that have been attacking the protesters (I know, I know...if they had any interest in catching them that is). It is good to see the military now doing this. I hope these attacks either stop or some of the perpetrators caught and harshly dealt with, instead of being let go like the police do when they catch someone with a car full of weapons or the driver of a car used in the attacks.

[celso]

They'll get criticised if they stay away, and as shown in this thread, they get criticised if they get involved.

[noahvail]

And here I thought the sandbags were for future preparations for the next round of flooding - that would be a change of pace.

[rickirs]

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

Well snark, snark, then sandbags will really help prevent shootings and killings. Maybe better to spread the sand over the streets and parking areas so people will feel like they're on a beach and party instead of protesting.

[Carrerakiss]

Sounds to me like these are just medical teams ready to help out with treating injured people. Ok, they might develop into something else, but they aren't check points as they aren't checking anything.

[Carrerakiss]

Here we go. Another tit for tat thread, this side did that, that side did this. What's so hard to understand that both sides commit outrageous acts?

And what does rehashing past atrocities have to do with sand bag bunkers being erected in Bangkok today?

Get a grip &lt;deleted&gt;

[SICHONSTEVE]

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

.........you missed the most poignant bit - the better off the Southern and central regions will be!!!!

Let them cheat their own people furthermore and see what the response is. They can try and rich themselves with the money generated from Chiang Mai tourism as there ain't a lot else to subsidise the rice scam up there.

South Korea is thriving whilst the North Koreans are starving - it will be the same story in Thailand. At least they will be able to eat their rice whilst the South buys better quality rice from India such as the queen of rice (Basmati).

I'm well in favour of this happening, it would be the best thing for one half of Thailand for sure.

[metisdead]

An off topic post has been removed as well as the replies.

[rumbo1]

Silly me , I thought all the sand bags was early preparation for the rainy season floods lol

[Sparkles]

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

Yingluck is in Chiang Mai right now and Chiang Rai yesterday visiting the adoring fan club. Not a problem for her with the almost daily killings down south and in Bangkok.

Has she ever been south of Bangkok ? I doubt it. They perhaps could divide the country along the lines of North and South Korea

A well known ,to Thais , singer was banned from performing in CM the other day as he had the temerity to show some support for the opposition.Democracy at its finest.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Sounds to me like these are just medical teams ready to help out with treating injured people. Ok, they might develop into something else, but they aren't check points as they aren't checking anything.

I passed by the pair of Army outposts very nearby each other on Sukhumkvit Road near Soi 10, a few blocks from the Asoke protest site.

The one in front of Chuwit Park does have the Red Cross medical ensignia on a banner nearby, and I noticed the soldiers inside this afternoon also were wearing Red Cross ensignia arm bands. So that's definitely a medical station.

But nearby in front of the local BKK Bank Branch, the second outpost is a bit more vague. No medical ensignias nor signage. A handful of soldiers sitting inside not appearing to be doing much of anything at the mid-afternoon point. Radio gear on the table, but no weapons visible.

[Jonmarleesco]

There have been troops and police sat under an awning, at a 'checkpoint', if it can be called that, on the BTS above the park, and walking around and about Benjasiri, for over 5 weeks.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

The couple checkpoints I've seen around Asoke seem to be only on the outbound side of the road, the side where traffic is moving away from the protest site. Nothing on the inbound traffic side.

Just wondering, is that the same or different for the other checkpoint sites people are reporting here?

If they're all on the outbound traffic side of the roads from protest sites, it kind of suggests the Army folks are going to be ignoring things headed into the protest sites. But if something happens amiss at one of the sites, they'll be in a position perhaps to catch or confront the perpetrators as they flee. Perhaps that's also the reason for the checkpoints being some distance away from the protest sites, to give the Army guys a chance/time to mobilize before the perpetrators can get past them.

[ExpatOilWorker]

No a single sandbag at the end of Langsuan. Maybe the OP got it wrong.

[RBOP]

Bunker at Narwattiwat Road and Sathorn intersection. About 10 soldiers with flap jackets. 2 of them hang out up on the platform.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

That's interesting.. The ones in my area of Sukhumvit near the former Asoke protest site disappeared when the Asoke protest site disappeared.

[pitrevie]

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.

And they have decorated it very nicely with flower pots surrounding it so that it really brightens it up, good for them, nice to see people taking pride in their bunker.