Bangkok Mar 12-14

[LakeGeneve]

The only thing I don't get, why do it mid day on Saturday?

Why not Midnight on a week day?

I suggested earlier in the thread that operations against occupations should be conducted about 5-6am when numbers are lowest and people are tired/sleeping.

Numbers definately swell after work at ratchprasong. Today may be the day as a combo work, sports and travel limit some numbers???

But thus far it seems to be limited to an operations to retake Ratchadamnoen Nok Ave after the reds massed a group at the 1st Army base on Si Ayuttaya at lunch time. Soldiers have worked their way down Ratchsdamnoen Nok from the 1st Army base and cleared it down past the UN so far. But will they go all the way to Phan Fa as there seems to be a stand off just north of Phan Fa?

Some channels showing some tear gas being fired but it seems pretty 'low 'key'. Some images of soldiers/police holding shotguns which is a concern.

Not moving into Ratchprasong yet it seems?

[beej]

BTS Closed/

[LakeGeneve]

BTS Closed/

The whole system?

Nation breaking 2:50pm

Four skytrain stations near rally sites suspended services

Four skytrain stations have been suspended their services, passengers are told to use nearby stations as security authorites are preparing to disperse red shirts protesters at Rajaprasong Intersection.

The four stations are Rajdamri, Siam, Chidlom and Ploenchit.

[beej]

No trains have passed my window for 15 minutes, so it looks like they shut it down. Also traffic on Wireless is out.

[LakeGeneve]

Seems that apart from a skirmish outside HomePro at Chitlom that the operations are to retake Phan Fa by slowly working down Ratchdamnoen Nok to Ratchdamnoen? That is a smart move if they do retake the area it as it sends a message and clears those key roads after nearly 4 weeks of being blocked.

A live interview on TNN and PBS outside the police hospital at Ratchprasong stated no operations there.

Govt forces trying to retake occupied areas

Published: 10/04/2010 at 03:06 PM BKK Post

Military and police forces will on Saturday keep on pressuring the red-shirted protesters of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) to leave roads and areas they have occupied for more than a week, acting government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said.

He said this is part of the Centre for Public Administration in Emergency Situations (CPAES)'s operation to retake roads for traffic.

The government forces had been able to retake Phitsanulok road and were advancing to three to four more roads around Phan Fa bridge, which is one of the two main bases of the UDD, Mr Panitan said.

The spokesman said government troops were advancing to Ratchadamnoen avenue. The operation would be strictly conducted as allowed by the emergency decree. This would involve many steps and more time to be further taken, he added. "We will adhere to the principles of human rights and humanity as well relevant laws and court orders," Mr Panitan said.

[LakeGeneve]

Some channels showing some tear gas being fired but it seems pretty 'low 'key'. Some images of soldiers/police holding shotguns which is a concern.

Just to clarify, it seems that it is only the army involved in the Ratchdamnoen operation. The weapons, shotguns and automatic, shown on a number of channels were held by only a small number of soldiers and seemingly during the initial part of the operation when soldiers come out of the 1st Army Base at Si Ayuthaya/Ratchdamnoen Nok.

One doesn't not like to see soldiers carrying guns in an operation against civilians but it seems to have only been a small number NOT the main group of riot squads.

It appears ONLY tear gas has been discharged.

[English_Bob]

Just came back from Chitlom - just in front of Mahatun Plaza.

A LOT of riot police in full gear. All standing impassively under the BTS. Tight ranks, riot shields.

About the same number of Reds scattered all around. Lots of Red shouting, and those hooters that they seem to love.

The police are on the 'even' side of Sukhumvit. The Reds on the 'odd' side.

The police drove up a number of buses and the Reds jeered... but I think those buses are gonna be full of Reds by the end of the evening.

Red shirts have some weapons - mainly in the back of pickup trucks. Hammers and metal poles. Before some dickhead on the other side of the world says these are probably just tools, there were about ten in the back of one pickup... unless that particular pickup is coming back from a carpenters' conference I'm guessing they are for weapons.

I think the shotguns mentioned earlier might be tear gas canister launchers. I didn't see any firearms, but they had batons in their belts.

Plenty of cameras and sightseers around, so I think the police will be careful.

At the moment it's a long hot stand-off. It feels like the police are waiting for an order to move on the Reds.

I'm hoping today will see them dispersed.

[beej]

You should have called in for a cuppa tea!

[koolbreez]

Rubber bullets fired from shotguns sting like a muthaf*cka, and if aimed at the legs, knock people right down with them not wanting to get back up....lol. If aimed at the face, they can be lethal.....lets hope they aim low.

[beej]

THE NATION: "Let's go home, brothers. And enjoy our Songkran," said a host of Luk E-saan radio programme.

Brilliant.

[LakeGeneve]

I think the shotguns mentioned earlier might be tear gas canister launchers. I didn't see any firearms, but they had batons in their belts.

I'm hoping today will see them dispersed.

Good report EB. Wondering what you and beej think are the numbers at Ratchprasong? Did you see?

Note that my ref re: gunshot is to the operation Phra Khanon District along Ratchdamnoen Nok which only seems to involve the army based on TV images. No police it seems.

The police at Chitlom and Siam side could be a diversion for the op at Ratchadamnoen Nok/Phan Fa?

I hope the govt doesnt try to retake Ratchprasong today and only limits the ops to retaking Phan Fa and surrounds. Obviously more reds are flocking in to both locations as we type and there has already been some biffo along Ratchdamnoen Nok.

It would be very ugly and messy to try to go into Ratchprasong esp after waiting for the crowd to build up.

[English_Bob]

You should have called in for a cuppa tea!

I'll stop in one day... maybe tomorrow.

[LakeGeneve]

Rubber bullets fired from shotguns sting like a muthaf*cka, and if aimed at the legs, knock people right down with them not wanting to get back up....lol. If aimed at the face, they can be lethal.....lets hope they aim low.

Al Jazzera reporter Wayne Hay reporting live on Ratchdamnoen Nok showing images of soldiers discharging gunshots in the air. During his live cross one can hear mutiple gunfire being discharged, he makes the point into the air. He also reported that some rubber bullets have been fired.

Also TNN and PBS reporters reporting live from Makhawan bridge , one can hear a large volume of gunfire being discharged

[SweetieBabie]

Phra Pin-klao Bridge is now closed.

[LakeGeneve]

You do have to feel sorry for the Thai Red Cross who have tried to hold their annual fair at Royal Plaza and Ratchadamnoen Nok this last week.

[LakeGeneve]

Fighting at Makhawan bridge on Ratchadamnoen Nok which is just adjacent to my work HQ and which I visted numerous times during the PAD rally there.

However, fighting it may not encapsulate some of the farcical scenes shown on a few thai channels just now.

Picture this and look for it later in the news;

The bridge span is only about 20m. The reds have regathered on the south side along in a group. The troops wwearing gas masks are on the north side preparing to disperse the reds with tear gas.

A bunch of journos are in the middle filming waiting for the soldiers to throw the gas canisters at the reds.

Some troops then throw about 3-4 gas canisters the 20 ms towards the reds. What happens next? Do the reds disperse?

No! A bunch of them, acting quickly pick up the canisters and throw them back towards the soldiers just when most of the gas starts releasing. The journos retreat. As gas is dispersed most of the soldiers start retreating away from the bridge!

A scene good enough for a Monty Python movie.

Some concerning footage showing reds who have been hit by rubber bullets or a similar projectile around the lower torso area.

[beej]

I still don't understand why police don't have gas masks...... if I was throwing tear gas around, I know Id have a mask!

[olympos]

Phra Pin-klao Bridge is now closed.

King Rama 8th bridge now closed too (pic taken right now)

[Crustyjuggler]

I still don't understand why police don't have gas masks...... if I was throwing tear gas around, I know Id have a mask!

That's because 95% of police training is about extorting money.... They never trained for this!!

[LakeGeneve]

I still don't understand why police don't have gas masks...... if I was throwing tear gas around, I know Id have a mask!

That's because 95% of police training is about extorting money.... They never trained for this!!

Again to clarify. NO police involved in these operations, only army troops.

The TV vision showed a number of the soldiers , not all, wearing gas masks but when the reds threw the gas canisters back the gas release maximised thus creating a gas cloud and the troops couldn't see. The reds timing was perfect. The troops were too close.

Now it seems that the soldiers have retreat some 100 m back north along Ratchdamnoen Nok to the Ed Min entrance.

So much for taking Phan Fa! :roll:

Thai PBS confirm troops retreat from Makkhawan to Education Ministry

At 4:18 pm, Thai PBS reported that troops were retreating from the Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge to the area in front of the Kurusapa Hall of the Education Ministry.

The station explained that the wind blew the tear gas back to troops, causing them to be unable to maintain position at the Makkhawan Bridge.

The Nation

[bigKus]

Fighting at Makhawan bridge on Ratchadamnoen Nok which is just adjacent to my work HQ and which I visted numerous times during the PAD rally there.

However, fighting it may not encapsulate some of the farcical scenes shown on a few thai channels just now.

Picture this and look for it later in the news;

The bridge span is only about 20m. The reds have regathered on the south side along in a group. The troops wwearing gas masks are on the north side preparing to disperse the reds with tear gas.

A bunch of journos are in the middle filming waiting for the soldiers to throw the gas canisters at the reds.

Some troops then throw about 3-4 gas canisters the 20 ms towards the reds. What happens next? Do the reds disperse?

No! A bunch of them, acting quickly pick up the canisters and throw them back towards the soldiers just when most of the gas starts releasing. The journos retreat. As gas is dispersed most of the soldiers start retreating away from the bridge!

A scene good enough for a Monty Python movie.

Some concerning footage showing reds who have been hit by rubber bullets or a similar projectile around the lower torso area.

Okay... thanks for the live report.. Ladprao is okay people wait for the soft sun then will be out to buy some foods for their dinner. So I got nothing interesting to report here. Let's wait for report from EB and Beej from Rajprasong.

[LakeGeneve]

Okay... thanks for the live report.. Ladprao is okay people wait for the soft sun then will be out to buy some foods for their dinner. So I got nothing interesting to report here. Let's wait for report from EB and Beej from Rajprasong.

Not live reports Khun Kus. Just flicking the channels and talking to security staff at work.

I was thinking earlier of going down for a look but not if rubber bullets are being fired by poorly trained soldiers, it is not worth the risk. I play sports every week at the 1st Army Barracks. I have seen the troops being trained in crowd control meaures for the last few months on the field next to the one I play on. Based on what I have seen, I was not highly impressed.

I want to enjoy my Songkran, not potentially lose an eye!

[English_Bob]

I'm at work now - Red shirts at soi 4 intersection... Soi 8 and 11.

Riding around like helmetless idiots on motorbikes - fingers crossed for a few accidents.

[Stramash]

I'm at work now - Red shirts at soi 4 intersection... Soi 8 and 11.

Riding around like helmetless idiots on motorbikes - fingers crossed for a few accidents.

some well placed wires across road at head height perhaps??

[admin]

Just got back from the intersection of Ratchadamri and Phloen Chit. If someone was cracking down on the red shirts they forgot to tell the red shirts. No police or military presence that I could see but I didn't wander too far down Phloen Chit (stopped near the McDonald's/BTS entrance).

Ratchadamri BTS is closed.

While the crowds had been dwindling for several days today they had a packed house. Looked like when they first showed up with several thousand people lining the streets.

It's turned a bit into a free-for-all. It's almost like Chatuchak market with vendors everywhere selling everything from mobile phones to floor mats. Of course they're also selling the red memorabilia like shirts, horns, clappers, arm bands, etc.

I did buy a horn. I think they're a great way to annoy the hell out of someone. I'm going to take mine to the next pool night and blow it whenever my opponent is making a shot. :-)

BTW, took a bunch of video . . . including some army guy they captured and took up on stage. They read out his ID card number and said they would send it to the police and tell them they found it.