Red-Shirt Protests Go Violent

[Guest fountainhall]

How is this going to affect the Silom-Suriwong-PatPong gay bar area, popular gay hotels such as the Pinnacle, Malaysia, and Tarntawan Place, along with places such as the Babylon Sauna, all of which are in the vicinity you are describing?

My feeling - and it is just that - is that if and when any action takes place, the top part of Silom and the section of Rama 4 between Sathorn and Suriwong will have to be declared no-go areas. They are just too close to the Rama 4 intersection with Rajadamri. So Silom Soi 2 venues (DJ Station, Espresso etc.) and Soi Saladaeng (Senso Massage etc.) would have to be closed. Once you are further down by Soi 4, Soi Convent and the Silom end of the Patpongs, it may be OK - but I reckon it's borderline.The same goes, but to a lesser extent, for the top part of Suriwong. Tarntawan Place is probably OK, as should be the Pinnacle, Malaysia and Ibis hotels, and Babylon. All are some way away from what I reckon would be the main area of hostilities.

 

Presently, both the Skytrain and subway are operating normally as I was on both last night. Also there is no problem getting taxis and motorbike taxis. Walking around at present is not a problem, unless the presence of heavily armed troops make you feel scary. The police are ready with coils of barbed wire at the entrances to the Silom subway and Saladaeng Skytrain stations, and I'd expect both to be closed. The subway could then operate more or less normally but without stopping at Silom. The Skytrain is a different matter altogether, as parts of both lines run directly over the protest area. I'd therefore expect it to shut down entirely.

 

But much depends on two factors -

 

1. Will the red shirts try to break out and attack rather then simply defend?

2. Will, as I'd expect, the army declare martial law in that part of the city?

 

If martial law is declared, you can forget about nightlife anywhere near that area for some time. In that event, access to Pinnacle, Malaysia, Ibis and Babylon may become more tricky, even in the daytime, if much of Rama 4 is blocked. All depend largely on access from Sathorn Soi 1. On the other hand, you can also access them from Rama 4 at the top end if you are going in the right direction, and from Suan Plu (where the old Immigration office used to be)/Nanglingchee from the other. It's just a bit more complicated.

 

However, all this is pure speculation. And of course if hostilities start and martial law is declared, not only will it include a curfew, it will also involve heavy policing to ensure that no civilians get anywhere close to 'action'. I'm hoping it will all end peacefully, but I did stock up at the supermarket yesterday - just in case!

[Gaybutton]

My feeling - and it is just that - is that if and when any action takes place, the top part of Silom and the section of Rama 4 between Sathorn and Suriwong will have to be declared no-go areas.

A few more questions: When I go to Bangkok I usually stay at either the Malaysia Hotel or the Pinnacle Hotel. I prefer to drive to get there. When I exit the expressway, I take the Rama IV exit, which is only a few blocks from Soi Ngam Duplii, where both of those hotels are located. Do you know if there is any difficulty taking that exit?

 

Also, quite often the police barricade off the Rama IV exit on the northbound side. When they do that, I usually go to the next exit at Phetchaburi Road and head for Rama IV from there. What are your thoughts about that?

 

Do you know if the Chatuchak weekend market has been open and operating normally?

[Guest painai]

Do you know if the Chatuchak weekend market has been open and operating normally?

I went to Chatuchak weekend market this past Sunday. It was just as busy and hot as ever.

[Guest lvdkeyes]

Personally, I wouldn't go to BKK unless it was absolutely necessary. Why risk problems?

[Guest fountainhall]

A few more questions: When I go to Bangkok I usually stay at either the Malaysia Hotel or the Pinnacle Hotel. I prefer to drive to get there. When I exit the expressway, I take the Rama IV exit, which is only a few blocks from Soi Ngam Duplii, where both of those hotels are located. Do you know if there is any difficulty taking that exit?

 

Also, quite often the police barricade off the Rama IV exit on the northbound side. When they do that, I usually go to the next exit at Phetchaburi Road and head for Rama IV from there. What are your thoughts about that?

 

Do you know if the Chatuchak weekend market has been open and operating normally?

There are no problems at that intersection at present. From your description, I assume you are reaching the south side of Rama 4 from the Bangna Trat expressway rather than the north side from Sukhumvit/Rama 9. Assuming that exit is open, you should be able to reach Ngam Duphli no problem. If there is a road block just prior to Ngam Duphli, take the first left after you are on Rama 4 on to Soi Suwan Sawat and then right at the T-junction at the end. When you get to the T-junction at end of that soi, you are at the 7-11 and Malaysia Hotel.

 

If you are coming from the north side and the Rama 4 exit is blocked, I’d continue on to what I think is the 2nd exit after Rama 4 (I don’t drive in Bangkok and so please double check all this on maps - unfortunately mine are heavily segmented and I cannot work it all out, so I am going from memory). This exit is the one with the Rama 3 Central Department Store on your right. Once off the expressway, keep driving straight ahead until you eventually see a U-turn sign. Take that turn and double back past Central. You will come to a major intersection. Turn left there on to Chongnonsri, then turn right at the first traffic lights. You soon come to a T-junction on Nanglingchee. Take a left and almost immediately a quick right into Soi Yen Akat. Go all the way to the top and turn left. You are then on the soi that takes you to the 7-11 and Malaysia. That I reckon will be the easiest way to reach Malaysia if there are any problems on Rama 4. And if you come from Bangna Trat and want to be sure of avoiding any possible problem on Rama 4, then I'd suggest getting off the expressway at the exit before you get to Rama 4, find your way to Central Rama 3 and Chongnonsri and follow the above directions (or there may be a way to do a kind of circle on the expressway that will link you to the section going down by Rama 3 and so avoid the need to come off prior to the Rama 3 Central exit).

 

Once off an expressway, I do think it will be best to approach Malaysia Hotel from roads to the south rather than the north. So I would not go north to Phetchaburi.

[Gaybutton]

Thank you, fountainhall. Not that I'm planning to go to Bangkok any time soon (although a young gent or two just might override that decision), but your information is a great help. It certainly seems as if it is far less complicated coming from the south, as I would do, but my main concern would be that Rama IV exit being blocked off. I never even knew about that Soi Suwan Sawat alternative. I think next time I drive to Bangkok I'l give it a try.

 

This is where having a GPS comes in handy, but I don't know my way around Bangkok all that well and I would be nervous that the GPS would route me right into the protest area, exactly where I wouldn't want to be.

 

I think for the time being, until the protest either ends or moves elsewhere, if I go to Bangkok, I'll probably go on by bus and take a taxi from the bus station. It might be more expensive and inconvenient that way, but then it would be their problem instead of mine. However, if I leave Pattaya very early in the morning, like between 4:00-5:30am, or very late at night, I would still probably drive.

[Guest fountainhall]

I'm returning to this thread as this news can hardly be classified as "Breaking". I returned to the top of Silom around 11:00 this morning. Apart from the red shirts stockade, much has changed since yesterday. Gone are the army and the riot police. I did see about a dozen soldiers on a side road, but there is almost no presence on Silom at all today. It's also extremely quiet. The red shirts have turned off the loudspeakers, so there is no blaring rhetoric or Thai songs. Many of the shops on Silom from Sois 4 and Covent up to Rama 4 are closed, including Silom Complex, as are the Skytrain and subway stations. I imagine that means no nightlife again this evening in either Sois 2 or 4. Not sure about the Patpongs as I did not venture that far down.

 

There were not many pedestrians about, but there was a bank of news reporters and cameramen sitting on the steps between Au Bon Pain and the Bangkok Bank branch near Saladaeng.

[Guest]

Thai Protesters Call Off Talks

 

BANGKOK (AP) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Saturday rejected scaled-back demands that he dissolve Parliament in 30 days, prompting anti-government protesters to pull out of negotiations to end the political crisis gripping the country.

 

The breakdown dashed hopes for an imminent peaceful resolution to the deadlock, which has been punctuated by increasing hostility and bloody street violence.

 

The protesters, known as the Red Shirts, had previously demanded Parliament be immediately dissolved, but softened that stance Friday, offering the government 30 days to disband the legislature in a move they said was aimed at preventing further violence.

 

But Vejjajiva was quoted by Thai media Saturday as rejecting the proposal.

 

Nattawut Saikua, a top Red Shirt leader, said that with their compromise rejected, there was no point in continuing talks.

 

''These negotiations will stop. We will not talk anymore,'' he said.

 

Thai Protesters Call Off Talks - NYTimes.com

[Guest fountainhall]

And this now on thaivsa.com

 

Thai protesters brace for crackdown as compromise rejected

 

BANGKOK (AFP) -- Thailand's anti-government "Red Shirts" said Saturday they were braced for a crackdown to end their protest movement, after the prime minister rejected an offer to compromise on demands for snap polls.

 

"Abhisit has ordered a crackdown on protesters within 48 hours, that is the information I have learned," said Reds leader Nattawut Saikuar. Nattawut did not say where the information came from but other Reds leaders said earlier Saturday they had learned from sympathisers in the army that troops were being mobilised despite ongoing negotiations.

 

Nattawut said the Reds would strip off the symbols of their allegiance -- the red T-shirts and other garb they have sported for weeks -- to help them fight back against the government . . . He said they would stick to a policy of non-violence, but other Reds figures speaking on a stage at their massive encampment in the heart of Bangkok's retail district promised a "guerrilla war" against the government . . . When the first blood is spilled here, the entire country will be the scene of bloodshed," he said.

Full story at Thai Protesters Brace For Crackdown As Compromise Rejected - Thailand Forum