Army Occupies Thai-Lao Border To Cut Off Red Escapes
By Khaosod English


The military has occupied the Thai-Lao border crossing in Nong Khai province in an effort to prevent Redshirt activists from leaving the country, 22 May 2014.

NONG KHAI —The military has occupied the Thai-Lao border crossing in Nong Khai province in an effort to prevent Redshirt activists from leaving the country.

The Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge was sealed off by a mixture of troops, customs officials, and immigration police, shortly after the military seized power from the government yesterday afternoon.

At around 6 pm a group of soldiers manned the arrival and departure sections of the border checkpoint. Military personnel said they were under orders to prevent "important" leaders of the Redshirt movement from leaving the country. They did not say which leaders soldiers were instructed to look for.

Traffic across the border was allowed to continue with severe restrictions. Thai commuters were not allowed to leave the country, and foreigners were not permitted to enter. Soldiers at the checkpoint said they were ordered to stay until a change was announced by the central command.

The news of the border shutdown caused panic among Laotian tourists and residents on the Thai side of the border. Laotian motorists made way to the border in droves out of concern that the situation could escalate, causing massive a traffic jam near the Thai-Lao Friendship Bridge.

Laotians who have appointments at hospitals in Nong Khai province would still be allowed across the border, soldiers said.

Source: http://en.khaosod.co.th/detail.php?newsid=1400820590&typecate=06&section=


-- Khaosod English 2014-05-23

hahahaha, no where to run, no where to hide, finally the reds will have to face justice for all their calls to arms and their own "state". If the army now get the money and pay out the rice farmers I can see all the reds being turned in and losing their supporter base totally apart from the died in the wool war mongers.

Certain Reds will find the shopping malls in Laos a definite disappointment after spending their loot in Paragon and CTW all these years.

Why bother to cross the border???

In the hot season there are places in the Mekhong river were you can nearly walk from Thailand into Vientianne without getting your feet wet or being spot by any control

There are many remote places to cross to Laos besides the obvious big bridge. Red fugitives scampering through the jungle desperately looking for a way out. Sabai Dee Jao ;-)

Hope that there will be no violence and the transition will be smooth.

Thanks for the Army and all the service men who have been trying to keep Thailand a safe place.

I wish people in Thailand the best of luck.

The UDD has a lot of questions to answer. The calls for secession at the UDD rally on February 23 and the call for arms - all these things they will need to address in courts of law. Chalerm and Pheu Thai gave them a free pass, but that climate clearly has changed. Prayuth is serious in that he wants the violence out. The police were either unable - or unwilling - to do so. The army is serious about the preservation of the law, and that is a refreshing change. The courts, independent agencies, and the Senate are fully functioning. The judicial system is intact, and a future of stability will become more of a reality if the judicial process proceeds as it should.

Smart huh. The border is a sieve...so let's block the bridge....

She's a red. You think they would at least change their T-shirts

Im not up to date, is Mr. Jatuporn still threatening civil war and treating general Prayuth as his subordinate or he came to his senses already? I hope he is not shitting himself now as he has shown to be a very courageous speaker. Thai army has honour and cannot be bought with money.

I take it that ALL the PDRC Leaders are being similarly blockaded from leaving the country and taken to army barracks - all in the interests of fairness that I keep on reading about here...............

There are many remote places to cross to Laos besides the obvious big bridge. Red fugitives scampering through the jungle desperately looking for a way out. Sabai Dee Jao ;-)

Somewhat difficult to hike through the jungle with your bags full of cash

Certain Reds will find the shopping malls in Laos a definite disappointment after spending their loot in Paragon and CTW all these years.

It'll be harder to burn too, should they want to practice some...

Im not up to date, is Mr. Jatuporn still threatening civil war and treating general Prayuth as his subordinate or he came to his senses already? I hope he is not shitting himself now as he has shown to be a very courageous speaker. Thai army has honour and cannot be bought with money.

He is in Army custody as he was at the original meeting. self censored

what happens if they have a white shirt on while crossing?

This morning my first siting of groups of soldiers in NongKhai ever.

they have barracks in Nongkhai and Udon but always kept a (very) low profile, up till today

Apart from disrupted channels NO change whatsoever in NongKhai except@the bridge.

life goes on as usual.

Shit ... I need to travel to Savannakhet on Sunday to get mu Non Migrant O visa. does anyone know if the Friendship 2 bridge connecting Mukdhan with Savannakhet will be affected? I guess I will be able to leave but will they let me back in?

Could be very inconvenient to tourist's who's laos visa would expire that day,or had onward transport to Bangkok for a flight,just more nails in the coffin that Tourism to Thailand is becoming.

Shit ... I need to travel to Savannakhet on Sunday to get mu Non Migrant O visa. does anyone know if the Friendship 2 bridge connecting Mukdhan with Savannakhet will be affected? I guess I will be able to leave but will they let me back in?

Closed also. Along with Thakhek/Nakhon Phanom

There are many remote places to cross to Laos besides the obvious big bridge. Red fugitives scampering through the jungle desperately looking for a way out. Sabai Dee Jao ;-)

Somewhat difficult to hike through the jungle with your bags full of cash

Equally so in an S Class Mercedes

Could be very inconvenient to tourist's who's laos visa would expire that day,or had onward transport to Bangkok for a flight,just more nails in the coffin that Tourism to Thailand is becoming.

You cannot make an omelet without breaking a few eggs...

hahahaha, no where to run, no where to hide, finally the reds will have to face justice for all their calls to arms and their own "state". If the army now get the money and pay out the rice farmers I can see all the reds being turned in and losing their supporter base totally apart from the died in the wool war mongers.

It would certainly be good to get the farmers paid as they've waited long enough. It can now be done without either side being able to use it for political advantage.

hahahaha, no where to run, no where to hide, finally the reds will have to face justice for all their calls to arms and their own "state". If the army now get the money and pay out the rice farmers I can see all the reds being turned in and losing their supporter base totally apart from the died in the wool war mongers.

Very stupid what you write here. If you believe that the army idiots can resolve any problem in Thailand you are totally wrong.

Could be very inconvenient to tourist's who's laos visa would expire that day,or had onward transport to Bangkok for a flight,just more nails in the coffin that Tourism to Thailand is becoming.

If you have their names, I will send all six persons inconvenienced a nice letter of apology.

BTW "...the coffin that Tourism to Thailand is becoming." Tourism is not dead/dying, and certainly not turning into a coffin.

Shit ... I need to travel to Savannakhet on Sunday to get mu Non Migrant O visa. does anyone know if the Friendship 2 bridge connecting Mukdhan with Savannakhet will be affected? I guess I will be able to leave but will they let me back in?

Closed also. Along with Thakhek/Nakhon Phanom

Very good for TAT and Thai tourism. The best is to avoid Thailand now and in the future.

hahahaha, no where to run, no where to hide, finally the reds will have to face justice for all their calls to arms and their own "state". If the army now get the money and pay out the rice farmers I can see all the reds being turned in and losing their supporter base totally apart from the died in the wool war mongers.

Very stupid what you write here. If you believe that the army idiots can resolve any problem in Thailand you are totally wrong.

Did the "normal" course of dealing with stuff work ?...........Eeeeeeeeer, no, I don't think so...........

This is the last option in LOS case don't you think with what they have......?

Im not up to date, is Mr. Jatuporn still threatening civil war and treating general Prayuth as his subordinate or he came to his senses already? I hope he is not shitting himself now as he has shown to be a very courageous speaker. Thai army has honour and cannot be bought with money.

Jatuporn is in General Prayuth's custody...

Could be very inconvenient to tourist's who's laos visa would expire that day,or had onward transport to Bangkok for a flight,just more nails in the coffin that Tourism to Thailand is becoming.

If you have their names, I will send all six persons inconvenienced a nice letter of apology.

BTW "...the coffin that Tourism to Thailand is becoming." Tourism is not dead/dying, and certainly not turning into a coffin.

So this is going to help tourism is it,open your eyes,or are they painted on,the last time i came back over that bridge there were hundreds of tourists going both ways,so it could be a lot more than six people.

hahahaha, no where to run, no where to hide, finally the reds will have to face justice for all their calls to arms and their own "state". If the army now get the money and pay out the rice farmers I can see all the reds being turned in and losing their supporter base totally apart from the died in the wool war mongers.

Very stupid what you write here. If you believe that the army idiots can resolve any problem in Thailand you are totally wrong.

I thought you said you were heading out of Thailand for the Philippines now that the Redlings have been given the boot. So, what care is it of yours? You've already been proven wrong about the events of the past three days. You have become irrelevant to Thailand. Good-bye.