Should I stay or should I go?

[admin]

So, now that the red shirts have concentrated everyone onto Ratchadamri, it's become a living hell. I have to be let into my own neighborhood by red shirt guards who want to know what I'm there for, 24x7 blaring of angry anti-government rants, and more vendors selling random crap than lower Sukhumvit.

Now, there are rumors going around that on the 19th the army is going to come down and crack some skulls and remove the protesters. The reds are bracing for a major confrontation.

The gf is scared. She wants me to either come stay at her place or rent a hotel room outside of the Ratchaprasong district until Tuesday (when supposedly either it will have happened or . . . won't). She's worried that this will turn bloody and they might bomb some of the buildings around here.

My take is that I'm sure if I just stay in my apartment nothing too bad can happen. The red shirts haven't demonstrated an ability to deploy a bomb large enough bring a building down so being 8 floors above ground level seems out of danger range.

So, what do you think? Should I stay or should I go?

[Admin_2]

So, now that the red shirts have concentrated everyone onto Ratchadamri, it's become a living hell. I have to be let into my own neighborhood by red shirt guards who want to know what I'm there for, 24x7 blaring of angry anti-government rants, and more vendors selling random crap than lower Sukhumvit.

Now, there are rumors going around that on the 19th the army is going to come down and crack some skulls and remove the protesters. The reds are bracing for a major confrontation.

The gf is scared. She wants me to either come stay at her place or rent a hotel room outside of the Ratchaprasong district until Tuesday (when supposedly either it will have happened or . . . won't). She's worried that this will turn bloody and they might bomb some of the buildings around here.

My take is that I'm sure if I just stay in my apartment nothing too bad can happen. The red shirts haven't demonstrated an ability to deploy a bomb large enough bring a building down so being 8 floors above ground level seems out of danger range.

So, what do you think? Should I stay or should I go?

I've got an extra room you two can stay in.

[PeeMarc]

If it was me, I would get out, at least for a while. I cant handle having my freedom interfered with and I hate to be questioned or restricted about my movements. I would go stay in a hotel until its all blown over and turn the dilemma into something good for me.

[Dr_Sassy]

I'd go coz if i stayed, I (and my partner) would be insanely worried.

[admin]

One of the things for me is that it pisses me off. I didn't care when they were mostly just closing off the intersection in front of Central World because you could always detour around it but now it's like a refugee camp. There are showering stations on my soi, porta-potties on another, and big tents everywhere for people to get in the shade.

And it really, really, really pisses me off to see vendors blocking off the street to sell belts and perfume and other crap. What the f*ck is this, a protest against the government or a huge Chatuchak? I didn't even mind it when they were selling red shirt crap but now it's just a joke.

Oh, and they ran off my noodle dude (who was a red shirt supporter) and took over his corner. Now where am I supposed to get my noodles?!?!?! :-)

[admin]

Should I stay at this hotel?

[zeusbheld]

Should I stay at this hotel?

not if your'e planning to fondle animals.

[zeusbheld]

My take is that I'm sure if I just stay in my apartment nothing too bad can happen. The red shirts haven't demonstrated an ability to deploy a bomb large enough bring a building down so being 8 floors above ground level seems out of danger range.

judging by those attempts at cutting off the electricity to the city by bombing power poles, i would guess the only ones with bombs big enough to take out a building are the government, and they've aptly demonstrated that they can't do *anything.*

[beej]

I'm sure you'll be fine.... its penance for living in the poshest street in Bangkok !!

Is there no back way into your Soi through Soi Lang Suan?

[admin]

I'm sure you'll be fine.... its penance for living in the poshest street in Bangkok !!

Is there no back way into your Soi through Soi Lang Suan?

There is but you still have to pass through a red shirt security checkpoint before you can get to Lang Suan. It's easy to cut through where Villa Market is from there but they've clogged up Ratchadamri so badly with tents and vendors everywhere that no car could ever drive past Mahatlek Soi 3 (I live on 2).

So every night I have to find a taxi that won't shit his pants when the thugs stop us to ask why we're going into the neighborhood and then tip the guy for the hassle plus walk from Lang Suan down Soi 3 to Ratchadamri and then a block up to Soi 2.

Up until just last week they put their checkpoints right at Soi 2. That worked for me since I could take a taxi all the way to the checkpoint and then just walk down my soi. But now they've built a miniature town out here. The streets can now only accommodate motorbikes because they've jammed everything from toilets to showers to an aid station onto the roads. In the process they extended the checkpoints all the way down to Rama IV to the south and Chid Lom to the east.

When I got back from Phetchabun on Friday we went down Wireless and cut across on that street that runs across the back of Lumpini and were stopped at Ratchadamri. They let us through and they had two way traffic going on what is normally a one way road. By the time we got near Soi 3 the taxi was too wide to fit. They had choked off the street with vendors. Had to hoof it with all my bags and crap from there.

[admin]

Decision made. Staying in a hotel for a couple of days.

[PowerPoof]

Decision made. Staying in a hotel for a couple of days.

That's a great choice mate.

[zeusbheld]

Decision made. Staying in a hotel for a couple of days.

just dont fondle the animals.

[beej]

I'm sure you'll be fine.... its penance for living in the poshest street in Bangkok !!

Is there no back way into your Soi through Soi Lang Suan?

There is but you still have to pass through a red shirt security checkpoint before you can get to Lang Suan. It's easy to cut through where Villa Market is from there but they've clogged up Ratchadamri so badly with tents and vendors everywhere that no car could ever drive past Mahatlek Soi 3 (I live on 2).

So every night I have to find a taxi that won't sh*t his pants when the thugs stop us to ask why we're going into the neighborhood and then tip the guy for the hassle plus walk from Lang Suan down Soi 3 to Ratchadamri and then a block up to Soi 2.

Up until just last week they put their checkpoints right at Soi 2. That worked for me since I could take a taxi all the way to the checkpoint and then just walk down my soi. But now they've built a miniature town out here. The streets can now only accommodate motorbikes because they've jammed everything from toilets to showers to an aid station onto the roads. In the process they extended the checkpoints all the way down to Rama IV to the south and Chid Lom to the east.

When I got back from Phetchabun on Friday we went down Wireless and cut across on that street that runs across the back of Lumpini and were stopped at Ratchadamri. They let us through and they had two way traffic going on what is normally a one way road. By the time we got near Soi 3 the taxi was too wide to fit. They had choked off the street with vendors. Had to hoof it with all my bags and crap from there.

Could you go down soi Chidlom, then carry on down Soi Lang suan and stop at Star Bucks on Lang Suan. Across the road from there is a small cut through next to that **** Chinese Restaurant, that takes you to your Soi, though you might have to turn left and cut through a car park?

[funky_house]

Decision made. Staying in a hotel for a couple of days.

I would imagine you should be able to find some really good walk-in room rates at the moment. :-)

[admin]

Decision made. Staying in a hotel for a couple of days.

I would imagine you should be able to find some really good walk-in room rates at the moment. :-)

I decided to move Thailand Friend's worldwide corporate headquarters (except for Rob's office) to the President Solitaire. I could get cheaper but I've always stayed here when I come on holiday and I really enjoy the place. I recommend it to all my friends coming to visit. I'm treating it like a mini-vacation.

[Admin_2]

Decision made. Staying in a hotel for a couple of days.

I would imagine you should be able to find some really good walk-in room rates at the moment. :-)

I decided to move Thailand Friend's worldwide corporate headquarters (except for Rob's office) to the President Solitaire. I could get cheaper but I've always stayed here when I come on holiday and I really enjoy the place. I recommend it to all my friends coming to visit. I'm treating it like a mini-vacation.

By leaving you're letting the terrorists win!!

[DANNO]

Decision made. Staying in a hotel for a couple of days.

I would imagine you should be able to find some really good walk-in room rates at the moment. :-)

I decided to move Thailand Friend's worldwide corporate headquarters (except for Rob's office) to the President Solitaire. I could get cheaper but I've always stayed here when I come on holiday and I really enjoy the place. I recommend it to all my friends coming to visit. I'm treating it like a mini-vacation.

By leaving you're letting the terrorists win!!

Come on Bill; what would John Wayne do?? !!

[PeeMarc]

Decision made. Staying in a hotel for a couple of days.

I would imagine you should be able to find some really good walk-in room rates at the moment. :-)

I decided to move Thailand Friend's worldwide corporate headquarters (except for Rob's office) to the President Solitaire. I could get cheaper but I've always stayed here when I come on holiday and I really enjoy the place. I recommend it to all my friends coming to visit. I'm treating it like a mini-vacation.

By leaving you're letting the terrorists win!!

Come on Bill; what would John Wayne do?? !!

[Andy_bkk]

I have one idea how to get rid of the red shirts in this district:

Hire some of those militant-vocal preachers in front of nana, who scream all night long against loud sounds and noise from neighbouring bars and look like they wouldn't move from their position even if the entire complex collapses.

The reds have yet to prove that they are able to withstand this kind of psychological warfare