Yesterday, I went to the Silom business district to pick up some pharmaceuticals. I knew the Reds were threatening to take over the area around the Bangkok Bank there that has ties to the Democrat Party, but didn’t realize they were already amassed at the Saladaeng/Silom intersection and that the army had dug in on the sky train walkways above Silom street. They looked rather forlorn and sad to me, lying on the floor and leaning against the wall in their heavy uniforms in the heat. This would make two rally sites if they moved into Silom.
People had been giving them food and drink and the garbage was beginning to pile up. Black netting was being hung along the open sides of the skytrain walkways to hide the troop movements…with peep holes cut out at eye level.
Shoppers, business men in suits, tourists and vendors (and probably a number of Red “scouts”) were all stopping to watch and take pictures. A large number of pro-government No Colours group were gathering…I suspect many of them Yellow Shirts and the PAD) and were waving flags and protesting in front of Silom Complex. The traffic on Silom was moving but slow.
A group of police were standing in formation to guard the entrances to the MRT subway station and the Dusit Hotel. Walking up the street I ran into my British journalist neighbor who had just watched some people handing out donuts to the police! </strong If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes he said laughing! So even in Thailand the police are eating donuts! :))
I took the sky train, which is now closed at Saladaeng, to Siam station and from there walked all the way to Ratchaprasong, along the rally site that now actually stretches all the way from Silom, past Ratchaprasong, to the Chit Lom station and beyond. All along the way, there were huge screens set up about every 50 yards so the people who had made a home for themselves in the street could see and hear what was going on on the main stage. Openings every so often allowed intrepid people like me to cross the street to the other side with helpers holding flashlights to keep you (or this silly old tourist) from tripping and falling down.
At the main rally site at Ratchaprasong they have a very large black net hanging above the seated crowd that completely engulfs the entire intersection…probably for shade and to protect the people on stage from sniper fire. High above the stage now is a huge sign in English!
We Just Want Democracy
Just as I was trying to squeeze into the cheek to jowl crowd to get a look at how far back down the street the crowds went from the stage at the intersection, a man came on stage to speak in English to warn (who?) that if the Reds were attacked the army would be using tanks and all manner of weaponry. Of course no one reacted…it being in English and all.
The Reds have set up six blockades around the Rajaprasong rally site to deter any attempt to disperse them. This reminds me of Oaxaca when the striking teachers set up blockades to all the streets leading into the Zocalo (plaza) to keep out the police in case there would be attempt to rout them again. Only they burned their garbage at night at these blockades which kept them warm and the vermin away. Bangkok, on the other hand, is collecting quite a large supply of it…garbage I mean…but probably vermin too.
The Red Shirts were distributing green armbands to reporters, but reporters were refusing to wear them because they were printed with “House Dissolution” wording.
The red shirts have been stockpiling home-made weapons, such as acid bombs and wooden clubs spiked with nails, to brace for a fight with the riot forces, Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said today.
It is widely speculated that the anti-riot operation will take place within this week to disperse the reds from Rajaprasong Intersection.
“In light of the reds’ stockpiling, the riot forces have relocated their barricades to keep a safe distance of 40 yards in order to avoid accidental clashes,” Sansern said.
The malls and even Starbucks around the Chitlom sky train station were all closed…but guess what was open! McDonalds! Full of Reds! I had to laugh out loud all to myself!
By this time it was dark and I was drenched in sweat and exhausted. I stopped in at the Foreign Correspondent’s Club in the Penthouse of the Maneeya Building at the Plounchit station to use up some chits and drink a huge glass of draft Heineken! Hardly anyone there to trade stories with…all out working the streets I guess.
In his email my British friend: Like you,he said, I walked back. Had to give up around Nana and get a motorbike to my friend’s place…Dehydrated. Dying. I chuckled.
Today there is an interesting and rather dangerous development in the Silom business area. We had no involvement in some stickers being given out with a message to promote “New Thai State under President Thaksin Shinawatra”the leader of the Reds, Natthawut Saikua, said.
The stickers, with white message on red background, were distributed in public places along Silom Road….I suspect as a destabilizing tactic by the Yellow Shirts. Thaksin has issued a statement declaring his allegiance to the Monarchy and denouncing the stickers’ makers via the media.
Meanwhile the Reds have decided against the push into Silom Road. Guess all those army soldiers with big guns had a deterrent affect.
Prime Minister Abhasit has repeated the crowd control procedures based on progressive severity but refused to give the timetable for dispersing the crowds.
Because the red shirts are armed, the riot forces have adjusted their tactical plan – allowing the use of live ammunition for self defense and avoiding physical engagement, he said, citing the instruction of Army chief General Anupong Paochinda.
The avoidance of physical engagement means riot forces would no longer line up with shields to push back protesters. The next anti-riot operation, if it happens, will see riot forces using rubber bullets to keep a safe distance from protesters and of course will only use live ammo “if they feel their lives are in danger.” Give me a break! That’s what was supposed to happen April 10 at the main rally site at the Ratchaprasong intersection!
Laughingnomad 