Closing Suvanabhumi Airport b/c of PAD

[Dr_Mike]

More protesters are moving to the airports today, Monday Dec 1st 2008.

Doesn't look like it is going to be opened today, as some here on TF have claimed.

news from two minutes ago: BKP

"One of the People?s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leaders, Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, on Monday told protesters at Government House to move to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports.

According to Maj-Gen Chamlong, anti-government demonstrators will no longer be allowed to spend a night at Government House for their own safety, following repeated grenade and gun attacks at the compound previously.

He said the daily demonstration at Government House will now be held until evening, and only the PAD guards will station at the site during the night."

Just posting what I read.

No skirts here.

[LakeGeneve]

Not to mention the fact that the foreigners stuck at the airport are in effect being used as a political bargaining chip and in a worst case scenario, as human shields.

and this is just plain f**king scare mongering .... my understanding is that there r NO foreigners at the airport and haven't been for some time !!!

That is the biggest crock of sh*t. No foreigners have been prevented from leaving the airport.

I'll second both Ciaran and Loburt. Can people pls get a grip and not engage in reckless fiction.

BTW, it should be noted that Loburt is probably the only one to have actually been to the airport after the PAD shut it down.

"We will not leave. We will use human shields against the police if they try to disperse us," PAD leader Suriyasai Katasila said.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24719256-5006003,00.html?from=public_rss

But Mr Undercover you fail to realise that Khun Suriyasai is talking about PAD people (who are expendable) NOT foreigners as you misleading crapped on about! Please don't clutch at straws by pulling some quote out of context...

I don't think anyone but you was mislead by that quote. He never suggests foreigners would be the human shields...you however, HAVE made that connection. Why? I dunno.

Ok, I am from Australia so my english is somewhat limited but perhaps you can clarify for me where in his original statement, "He never suggests foreigners would be the human shields";

Not to mention the fact that the foreigners stuck at the airport are in effect being used as a political bargaining chip and in a worst case scenario, as human shields

[samy5000]

More protesters are moving to the airports today, Monday Dec 1st 2008.

Doesn't look like it is going to be opened today, as some here on TF have claimed.

news from two minutes ago: BKP

"One of the People?s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) leaders, Maj-Gen Chamlong Srimuang, on Monday told protesters at Government House to move to Don Mueang and Suvarnabhumi airports.

According to Maj-Gen Chamlong, anti-government demonstrators will no longer be allowed to spend a night at Government House for their own safety, following repeated grenade and gun attacks at the compound previously.

He said the daily demonstration at Government House will now be held until evening, and only the PAD guards will station at the site during the night."

Just posting what I read.

No skirts here.

yep...where they can find a better shelter then suvarnabhoum airport?....I NEED my F 500 bhat ( 500 *5 times !! ) back !!...i was paying to make the airport better and larger , NOT to be used as shelter and barricades !

[LakeGeneve]

We will not leave. We will use human shields against the police if they try to disperse us," PAD leader Suriyasai Katasila said.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24719256-5006003,00.html?from=public_rss

But Mr Undercover you fail to realise that Khun Suriyasai is talking about PAD people (who are expendable) NOT foreigners as you misleading crapped on about! Please don't clutch at straws by pulling some quote out of context...

I don't think anyone but you was mislead by that quote. He never suggests foreigners would be the human shields...you however, HAVE made that connection. Why? I dunno.

It's kind of interesting how the people supporting PAD on this forum tend to use the same tactics as PAD itself, viz. lots of shouting and ad hominem attacks and a noticeable lack of any supporting documentation for their positions.

I think that speaks volumes. Go ahead and scream some more and call me an idiot. I'm sure that will make everything better.

I am really appalled by the farangs supporting PAD. It's a fascist revival of the Red Gaurs, pure and simple, with the specific intent of eliminating one-man, one-vote. For a Westerner to support that is disgusting in my view.

Either you believe in democracy or you don't.

Finally, to suggest that because they're "only" talking about using "expendable" Thai people as human shields (to a reporter on the record no less!) somehow proves your point that westerners are not in danger is breathtakingly naive - as well as a bit colonial and racist.

If it gets down to the level that anyone is being used as a human shield I think it's safe to say that you're not going to be protected by the color of your skin.

I am quite appalled by someone who asserts a blatent falsehood and then trys to defend himself when a few forum member point out is patently untrue. No one screamed at you (Ciarian generally swears every post) or called you an idiot so pls try not to overreact.

And you missed the scarcasm on the expendable front. If you actually knew a little of what you were talking about or had bothered to read through some of the previous posts over the last 6 months you will notice that most members including myself, regardless of our viewpoints, do agree that many PAD members are being manipulated and sacrificed by the leadership as another 48 were last night at govt house. This is what is meant by expendable!

But you seem to be clear on your judgements and analysis of the situation and others so who I am I to disagree with you.

[sunsnow]

Silly police, letting more protestors in to the airport. What next, Palmy, Endorphin, Tata Young et al doing a charity gig at airport???? :twisted: :twisted: :twisted:

[Loburt]

Not to mention the fact that the foreigners stuck at the airport are in effect being used as a political bargaining chip and in a worst case scenario, as human shields.

and this is just plain f**king scare mongering .... my understanding is that there r NO foreigners at the airport and haven't been for some time !!!

That is the biggest crock of sh*t. No foreigners have been prevented from leaving the airport.

I'll second both Ciaran and Loburt. Can people pls get a grip and not engage in reckless fiction.

BTW, it should be noted that Loburt is probably the only one to have actually been to the airport after the PAD shut it down.

"We will not leave. We will use human shields against the police if they try to disperse us," PAD leader Suriyasai Katasila said.

http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/story/0,22049,24719256-5006003,00.html?from=public_rss

But Mr Undercover you fail to realise that Khun Suriyasai is talking about PAD people (who are expendable) NOT foreigners as you misleading crapped on about! Please don't clutch at straws by pulling some quote out of context...

I don't think anyone but you was mislead by that quote. He never suggests foreigners would be the human shields...you however, HAVE made that connection. Why? I dunno.

It's kind of interesting how the people supporting PAD on this forum tend to use the same tactics as PAD itself, viz. lots of shouting and ad hominem attacks and a noticeable lack of any supporting documentation for their positions.

I think that speaks volumes. Go ahead and scream some more and call me an idiot. I'm sure that will make everything better.

I am really appalled by the farangs supporting PAD. It's a fascist revival of the Red Gaurs, pure and simple, with the specific intent of eliminating one-man, one-vote. For a Westerner to support that is disgusting in my view.

Either you believe in democracy or you don't.

Finally, to suggest that because they're "only" talking about using "expendable" Thai people as human shields (to a reporter on the record no less!) somehow proves your point that westerners are not in danger is breathtakingly naive - as well as a bit colonial and racist.

If it gets down to the level that anyone is being used as a human shield I think it's safe to say that you're not going to be protected by the color of your skin.

Many of us are equally appalled at the way you twist things.

You DID several pages ago claim that stranded tourists were going to be used as human shields. You clearly were making a post that was inflammatory and untrue.

Now you try to cover it up by posting a link to a PAD leader in which he says PAD members will serve as human shields, and then you say 'I told you so.'

That's a twisting of your own statements worthy of someone fleeing from a jail sentence while telling others they should obey the law.

When the people in Manila stood in front of Marcos' tanks at Edsa, weren't they human shields? There are many such examples.

It's really disgusting to hear you compare the PAD to he Red Gaurs, when in fact the PAD's opponents who beat them bloody and shoot grenades at them every night are using exactly the same tactics as the Red Gaurs. Do you have any idea the types of crimes committed by the Red Gaurs? Obviously not, or you wouldn't be making the comparison.

There is plenty to criticize the PAD for; I'm not holding them up as shining examples of a protest movement.

On the other hand, consistently demonizing them through distortions while never mentioning the abuses and crimes committed by those on the other side, is dishonest and disgusting.

Your posts are just as fascist in their distortions and rhetoric as anything the PAD says. Disgraceful.

[sunsnow]

Mmm, fascists...yes, Undercover, I think you did misunderstood originally the human shield thing of foreigners. As there was originally confusion was there still Thai and foreign passengers stranded there. But unlike Loburt, I am going to do this ad hominem guess work (as I doubt he has any idea whether or not you made this post by misunderstanding or by as he says, intentionally) and claim you did this intentionally and in purely inflammatory way.

[Undercover]

I am quite appalled by someone who asserts a blatent falsehood and then trys to defend himself when a few forum member point out is patently untrue. No one screamed at you (Ciarian generally swears every post) or called you an idiot so pls try not to overreact.

Blatant falsehood? To suggest that tourists might be put in harm's way when a bunch of thugs with guns take over an international airport and the entire Thai security staff stands down and surrenders without a struggle. That's a bit of a stretch don't you think?

Are you actually going to sit there and tell me that the airport takeover didn't put thousands of people at risk? Or that the "guards" would have any "moral" compunction against doing so with foreigners when they tell reporters that they would "definitely" use Thai women and children as human shields? When they're actively recruiting Thai women and children for that purpose?

See this article:

http://bangkokpundit.blogspot.com/2008/11/pad-and-human-shields.html

Sorry, counselor, you're going to have to argue the case a little bit more before I plead guilty to a "blatant falsehood."

I'd say arguing about PAD's good intentions and noble quest for democracy is a bit more of a deviation from the truth.

And just now, in the Thai media, Chamlong has stated that they are going to move all the protesters from GH to Suvharnibhumi. To increase the "human shield" factor (since the "Guards" are already dug in and fortified). And of course they won't be impeded by anyone.

Lovely!

[Ngairo]

It's kind of interesting how the people supporting PAD on this forum tend to use the same tactics as PAD itself, viz. lots of shouting and ad hominem attacks and a noticeable lack of any supporting documentation for their positions.

I think that speaks volumes. Go ahead and scream some more and call me an idiot. I'm sure that will make everything better.

I am really appalled by the farangs supporting PAD. It's a fascist revival of the Red Gaurs, pure and simple, with the specific intent of eliminating one-man, one-vote. For a Westerner to support that is disgusting in my view.

Either you believe in democracy or you don't.

Finally, to suggest that because they're "only" talking about using "expendable" Thai people as human shields (to a reporter on the record no less!) somehow proves your point that westerners are not in danger is breathtakingly naive - as well as a bit colonial and racist.

If it gets down to the level that anyone is being used as a human shield I think it's safe to say that you're not going to be protected by the color of your skin.

This is such a generalisation it bears no common sense at all.....invalidating others to justify your narrow mind doesn't work for you....or anybody else...

[LakeGeneve]

The court will make some sort of semi-illegal decicion to dissolve the ruling parties. Then the PAD must leave airport asap as they do not want to embarrass themselves even more on 4th of December. They just cant stay on the birthday. Counterintuitive.

can u possibly be any more f**king stupid than this ????

I must admit I don't know what a "semi-illegal" decision is? Never heard of that before.

The suggested scenario does seem to have some merit.

CiaranM: please be more verbal. I am very happy that you have shown your superior intelligence by using these difficult four letter words but that thing aside, could you please be more precise.

You do know the situation leading to this decision to FAST-TRACK the date to 2nd of December without needing "further evidence". The parties still had things to leave them but court has said they are ready to give out verdict. To me, that sounds like politically influenced court decision, whether or not the parties accused are guilty of what they are charged.

I think we should be careful trying to second guess the Constitutional Court and one should note that potentially defamatory criticism of the superior courts is taken quite seriously. General criticism of the thai judiciary is warranted but the superior courts require a little more circumspect, I would humbly suggest. I think as a number of us have noted that the senior courts have actually been consistently good in their judgements in the last 18 months.

I don't quite understand your analysis but this case was referred by the EC some 2 months ago based on their administrative determination that the 3 parties, People Power, Chart Thai and Matchima Thipataya, be disbanded for electoral fraud in last Dec election. It is hardly a "Fast Track" process when the election was conducted late last Dec but I can see that some may think that the judgement in the case is being bought forward - not an unusual practice for the courts. You may note the statement put out yesterday by some Thammasat law lecturers which perhaps supports some of your assertions.

My understanding is that the Constitutional Court heard final written submissions from all the parties and the EC last wed week. If further submissions are sought by the parties by requesting the court to hear evidence from witnesses when the EC has already conducted a prolonged investigation then is seems to be duplicating the process. But maybe it is warranted in the circumstances. If the evidence is overwhelming then perhaps not. If there is a clear breach of the electoral law there may be no need to conduct further hearings. Who can say but for those intimate with the case? Generally to my understanding, the facts/evidence should have been mostly gathered by the EC so that the Court can focus on the constitutional law issues. The Court may request for additional evidence which previously has done.

However, is it not ironic that the original basis of the PAD demonstrations in response to the blatantly cynical and undemocratic intention of the PPP to amend the constitution and thus avoid being disbanded is now coming to a conclusion at a time when the govt appears completely dysfunctional and the PAD increasing desperate.

One of the problems with the electoral law and the body that oversees elections (EC) is that these cases take far too long to resolve and thus maximise the potential for political instability and uncertainty.

[Loburt]

UNDERCOVER: You can't even stop twisting what people say when the post of what they said is right above your own so everyone can see exactly how you do it. Lovely.

I never wrote the guards were defenders of democracy. Chamlong never used the phrase you put in quotes "human shield factor" in what he said.

Yes, I would say the guards were not going to harm the tourists and so you posted a blatant falsehood.

And I base what I say on two thing: I was at the airport and saw how the foreigners were treated and how they reacted to the situation, while you weren't there.

And more importantly, what you said would happen, simply did not happen. No tourist was physically threatened or harmed at any point in time.

With the hundreds of reporters covering the situation while it happened and afterwards, you can bet if that happened it would have been reported or tourists would be giving interviews now that they are out of the airport talking about how the guards physically abused or threatened them.

You posted BS pure and simple.

[Undercover]

It's really disgusting to hear you compare the PAD to he Red Gaurs, when in fact the PAD's opponents who beat them bloody and shoot grenades at them every night are using exactly the same tactics as the Red Gaurs. Do you have any idea the types of crimes committed by the Red Gaurs? Obviously not, or you wouldn't be making the comparison.

Bob, I honestly don't understand how you could possibly interpret these events in this way.

I'm not sure how much of the RG stuff we can (or should) get into here.

The video footage that I've seen and the many Thai people that I've talked to all clearly show a pattern of violence and intimidation by the PAD "Guards." I can't even get into all the details of that here or I will be banned or worse. This seems to be fairly common knowledge with all the Thai people that I know so I'm puzzled by your reaction.

Meanwhile the Thai media is waging a full-time propaganda war against the Red shirts.

I'm sure you saw the story today about the intimidation at Channel 3.

In my opinion the civil war has already begun and you're seeing a low-intensity version that is currently, for the most part, a proxy war, which may morph into something a lot less low key and with the proxy part conveniently discarded when it has served its function.

I don't see the point in a political forum in understating that and I don't think that anything that I've said is particularly beyond the pale.

Ehhh... it's useless to talk about this because we can't talk about the 800 pound gorilla in the room.

Suffice it to say that I believe that all of us Westerners ought to be on the side of democracy. Simple as that. And PAD is clearly not on the side of democracy, your protestations aside.

[sunsnow]

""We will not leave. We will use human shields against the police if they try to disperse us," PAD leader Suriyasai Katasila said." (Not Chamlong)

LakeGeneve: I did some background checks, I would pull back my "semi-illegal" (which meant ofcourse that although something in this country goes thru the legal system, it does not sometimes mean that the decision would be legal in the sense of bending over to the outside political pressures to arrive in the decision wanted).

The case has been open long time and I remembered reading that somehow the parties were still preparing something and the court decided to speed up the things now at the end giving sense that not all legal ways were exhausted yet by the accused to try to make their own case. Combine that to the talk about the judicial coup, term that Crispin seems to have used first, that could happen after the decision which is supposed to be handed out now after 2nd of December so there I ended up with wording of "semi-illegal". :oops:

ps. Dont start that "supreme court decisions are under no critique" bs on me. LOL If some one in the supreme court wants to press charges to me...then...it would be quite interesting them to show interest for someone who is not publishing to the great Thai audience in Thai language.

[Dr_Mike]

The following is just in at BKP, but why would a HIGHLY respectable person with that kind of power wait to do this?

Why wait until the 4th to say something if it will have any bearing?

Those that can do so, should do so immediately, and not just for convenience.

BKP Quote:

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat on Monday said he is ready to take His Majesty the King?s advice on ways to end the national crisis.

Earlier, independent writer Sulak Siwarak suggested Mr Somchai ask for solutions to national problems from His Majesty the King.

The prime minister briefly said it is the duty of relevant officials to take legal actions against the protesters who have taken over the country?s two main airports in Bangkok.

The premier arrived in Chiang Mai province on Monday morning after he paid his respects at Phra That Phanom temple in Nakhon Phanom after spending the weekend in Udon Thani.

[Undercover]

This is such a generalisation it bears no common sense at all.....invalidating others to justify your narrow mind doesn't work for you....or anybody else...

I am not 'invalidating' anyone and I'll have to plead "not guilty" to the narrow mind accusation.

I'm simply pointing out that the people defending PAD haven't put forth any intellectually compelling argument for why Thai people (or any people for that matter) should support an organization whose stated goal is the disenfranchisement of the majority of the electorate in a democracy.

The only argument I've heard is that "Thaksin is a scumbag" which, while arguable, doesn't really make a good case for eliminating democracy.

Or taking over airports.

[sunsnow]

Undercover: you are wrong. You clearly are pro-Thaksin supporter! Thaksin is and was bad man, and everyone since him in the government, except the military installed one, has been his cronies! You are probably his crony too. I after all interviewed people who said he is bad man. And PAD is not violent, after all they did not try to shoot me or none of the people I talked to. Damn. You are what your friends are! Oh and Thaksin must go. Ps. I bet you voted for Barack Hussein Obama, whose best friend is Weather Underground terrorist gosh darn it. And the fact that bin Laden family is higly respected among the real estate business, clearly shows that they are all terrorists. They after all share blood with Osama bin Laden!

Hence, PAD's actions, although I do not completely agree with them, are good. Where is police to investigate all the attacks made against us! Where? Because they are Thaksin cronies too! I know it, that is the only reason they are letting us PAD supporters to grow in numbers. I can see that they not doing any investigation, attacks agains us or "them", is clearly showing that they are Thaksin cronies, whole punch! Oh and we will tear apart any tshirt that says PEACE, NO VIOLENCE, because that is so partisan agains us PAD people! You should not only vocus on our violence! We are for PEACE aND NO VIOLENCE TOO! Cant you see it! That is the reason we rip your shirts if you try to make a report about us! Somchai must quit. He is murderer. And Thaksin wanted to make Thailand republic. He went to Finland to plan it! He wants to be new ruler! Even my undergarments are yellow! From head to toe, I am yellow as if I had yellow fewer. I am pure-bred blue blooded royalist. If I could, I would color my blood yellow, if only I could, because I am so supportive to monarchy. (No, Monarchy has not been asked anything what he thinks about it, because they are above politics after all. But all this wearing yellow and waving his pic, that is not drawing him in to our political wars, we are just drawing closer up to him!) You can't understand how much I want to show it. Because that is the most important thing. And Thaksin must go. I bet your undergarments are red, red from the blood of all those killed in drug wars! Why you pick onlu on us PAD people what we do wrong! You should drag in all the bad Thaksin things too! Why you are not investigating the violence against us! We won't let you come to the crime scene, but god damnit, you are Thaksin crony! I do anything in this conversation to draw attention away from any point you want to rise without addressing any of those points you have mentioned. But damn, Thaksin is a killer!

ALL NECESSARY INFORMATION HAS BEEN NOW GIVEN AND I HAVE MADE MY POINT WHY I SUPPORT PAD. CASE CLOSED.

ps. Undercover understood my joke, I think. Right Undercover? Thanks for Admin tinkering around with the message anyhow. Yea, ok, occasional posters probably wont understand the context of my message. Hence the clean up. Next time I add smileys, positive ones to make my joke clear.

:twisted: :wink:

**Message edited by Admin**

[Undercover]

Undercover: you are wrong. You clearly are pro-Thaksin supporter! Thaksin is and was bad man, and everyone since him in the government, except the military installed one, has been his cronies! You are probably his crony too. I after all interviewed people who said he is bad man. And PAD is not violent, after all they did not try to shoot me or none of the people I talked to. Damn. You are what your friends are! Oh and Thaksin must go. Ps. I bet you voted for Barack Hussein Obama, whose best friend is Weather Underground terrorist gosh darn it.

Hence, PAD's actions, although I do not completely agree with them, are good. Somchai must quit.

ALL NECESSARY INFORMATION HAS BEEN NOW GIVEN AND I HAVE MADE MY POINT WHY I SUPPORT PAD. CASE CLOSED.

:twisted: :wink:

Thanks! One style tip, you should have thrown a few "fucks" in there though.

[frankenburner2]

*************Let's leave name calling out of this***************

I'm sure everyone can make their points without returning to the 3rd grade playground.

are we there yet?

[sunsnow]

Lol, PAD has accreditation system for journalists in airports.

"Matichon quotes PAD spokesman Anchalee as stating on the PAD stage that PAD will send people to surround Channel 3 as they are unhappy about the coverage of the PAD protests on "Reung Low Chow Nee" and the "attack" they came under this morning. This will affect Channel 3's coverage at the airport. They are revoking their accreditation."

Means that good thing that my friends declined to take me yesterday to airport as I wanted to go take pics and send them to Finnish newspapers. I had prepared questions and everything but as I dont have real or wake journalist badge...

Hey Loburt, how you get to airport to make stories? Can I just walk in and say that I am just a foreigner, not anti-PAD person planting a bomb. Or you need some sort of papers to get in?

Tourism Minister Weerasak Kowsurat said the number of stranded tourists have risen to 240,000.

Weerasak is due to attend a foreign press conference at Bitec Bangna, the second city terminal which is open today for international flight check-in. He said he would do everything to send news to the world that Thailand is doing it best to send stranded travellers home.

Hehe, yea, I would like to say "send stranded travellers home and they will never come back". Atleast many of the first time visitors. Like the Finnish couple who I met yesterday. They said that Finnair is doing a scheme where they are giving out seats to outgoing Finnair flights by means of lottery. Meaning that currently people who have been here lets say 5 days might still be here while someone who has overstayed their holidays only a day or none at all gets a shipment home. They said they are not coming back anytime soon, it was their first trip here.

Restarting Bangkok's $4 billion Suvarnabhumi airport will take at least a week from the end of the current sit-in by protesters because of security and IT system checks, its general manager said on Monday.

Anti-government protesters have ignored a police order to end their blockade of Bangkok's main airport, which entered its seventh day Monday.

"Normally, checking the IT systems takes one week. We have to check, recheck, check, recheck," Serirat Prasutanond told Reuters, adding that the delay would probably be even longer as some of complex's massive computers might need repair.

http://uk.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUKTRE4B00MG20081201

"¡ÒõèÃÊÙéâ´ÂªØùØáѹ·ÕèʹÒúԹ·Ñé§ 2 áËè§ ä´é¼ÅÃÒ¡¡ÇèÒ¡ÒûѡËÅÑ¡µèÃÊÙé·Õè·Óà¹ÕºÃÑ°ºÒÅ »Ãáú¡ÑºÃÕ¤ÇÒÃȁôÀѵèêÕÇÔµ," said Chamlong Srimuang, a retired general and one of PAD's leaders, reports Thai daily Post Today.

--> PAD is moving people from Government House to airports.

http://www.posttoday.com/breakingnews.php?id=20394

[LakeGeneve]

I have to agree with the position taken by several people here that posting alarmist and misleading information can only make things worse by reinforcing information that is incorrect at best and downright dangerous at worst.

I have lived in Thailand for 16 years, we have had our ups and downs - but it gets resolved. The situation at present is not good, and I would not try to pretend that all is rosy, but by the same token, the pockets of unrest and the protests are limited to specific places - please stop trying to make it sound as if Thailand is on the verge of war - that is plain wrong.

My fiance tells me too that things are fine in all the areas that she travels through and wherever she goes - we live in Sukhumvit and she travels daily up to Lad Prao.

All is fine in the areas where most expats live and out in the suburbs.

Yes, you can safely catch the BTS or MRT to anywhere just the same as you have been able to since they started operations.

I ask that everyone think very clearly and carefully before posting outright rubbish here, and before advising others about the supposed "dangers" of coming here, especially if you do not have current intimate knowledge of the country and the situation - and I dont mean by watching the international news media which is so full of sh*t that I am ashamed to work in the industry!

Greer

And I have to disagree and say you are delusional!

Nobody has said everyday life on the BTS or MRT or for that matter anyplace downtown is dangerous YET. Rather it has been pointed out that the situation overall is indeed dangerous and volatile.

Common sense would suggest it was NOT a good idea at all to be flying into Thailand right now [for one thing you dont know when you wil be able to fly back out! Which is kinda a bare minimum that one would expect of any civilized or safe place.

So as for where people getting the information from? Stupid point you make! I will give one crude example!

When the second plane flew into the second tower on 9/11 who do you suppose knew better what was happening?

The people in the tower! or little old me sitting here in Dublin thousands of miles away having a cup of tea! watching it live on TV!

As it happens had it not occurred to people that those not actually there may also be getting live reports from people who are! Funny that I have had several accounts of what is going on from people living in Bangkok and oddly enough they too seemed to be very angry and concerned about the situation- Strange that iniiit!

I see no alarmist posts only very concerned ones! Oh and I see plenty of reasons to be very concerned. It may well work out alright and lets hope it does, but lets not kid ourselves either.

expect and prepare for the worst and hope for the best

Yes some people in BKK are angry. There are fears as there has been for the last few years. Many thais are sick of the whole thing, interest in politics is reaching an all time low (not that it was ever that high).

But delusional is perhaps the person who having been to thailand once and watching TV in Dublin thinks that they have a clearer understanding of the situation in BKK than someone who has lived in the country for 16 years and is currently in situ.

BTW, yes obviously you watching the 2nd plane on 9/11 had a better understanding than anyone in NYC or anyone for that matter in the US! Do you really know how silly this sounds?

I have to agree. I've talked to Thai friends all over Bangkok (outside the Sukhumvit corridor) and they all say the same thing and are talking about armed "PAD" thugs patrolling neighborhoods and scaring people.

The latest news is that Changwattana Road has been roadblocked by "PAD."

Chaeng Wattana road was not "roadblocked' last night at least the two times I was on it at 8:30pm and 11:15pm. Perhaps, it was the Pakret end or the PAD had left when I passed???

Can you pls give more specific info of the reported widespread incidence of thugs scaring people? Where , when etc. This sort of info is important and should be treated with the care it deserves by clearly identifying the areas you are suggesting are being subjected to armed thugs? It could help other members. Otherwise it just seems like some unsubstantiated generalisation.

The BKK rumour mill is in overdrive so we should all be very careful in what we post. I think the point was made well by Greer

I ask that everyone think very clearly and carefully before posting outright rubbish here, and before advising others about the supposed "dangers" of coming here...

[zeusbheld]

*************Let's leave name calling out of this***************

I'm sure everyone can make their points without returning to the 3rd grade playground.

such sunny optimism? in the TF forum? meh. dreamer.

[zeusbheld]

Yes, the police here are coward, but they also know that tourists will be harmed if they attack the idiot PAD terrorists.

If the Thai police start acting like the American ones, I will leave this country

on the next Buffalo.

Of course this situation is crap, but at least we have more freedoms here. You all have to agree with that.

Isn't that one of the reasons we are all here????

Who dropped the soap?

This is one of the most ridiculous things I've read on TF.com. And that is saying a lot.

Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment. Finally someone intelligent sees my irony.

By the way, I'm not a guest, nor a tourist. I am here with a KOR ROR 6.

thanks for confirming it was sarcasm. i thought it either a) a decent pisstake or unintentional comedy. although i have no idea what KOR ROR 6 is--a comedy troupe?

[sunsnow]

No decision tomorrow? :? :shock:

http://www.matichon.co.th/news_detail.php?newsid=1228123529&grpid=03&catid=01

[zeusbheld]

Has anyone here felt in danger while going about their normal lives in BKK since this began?? If I took a walk along the Sukhumvit road or got the BTS to MBK would I be in danger?? I am guessing not but cannot say so cause I am watching it all from the UK.. If the airport was still in operation I would have no problem flying in and walking straight past the PAD (tho it maybe hard to find a taxi) :x

none whatsoever. id' also say that if this does descend into a civil war (as i suspect it might if the elephant that no one is talking about for obvious reasons is indeed in the room) that the main problem would be the immense hassle of getting out, not clear and present danger to foreigners.

if a civil war ensues it will in my opinion proceed in fits and starts with cheeky but relatively non-threatening acts of war like seizing airports excalating with each crisis, with an increasing likelihood of violent clashes between yellow clapper hand holding fuckwits and red clapper feet holding fuckwits.

quite frankly if i felt personally at risk i've got no interest in 'adventure;' i'd be on a train (or hire a car if i no longer trusted the train) to Laos or Malaysia by now. i don't see there being much personal risk but i doubt this is the ideal place to travel to right now, even if you get in.

the real tragedy in my opinion is not that there's a decent chance lots of yellow shirts and red shirts could die; if they killed each other off it wouldn't break my heart as they would merely be reaping what they are sowing. the real tragedy is that power hungry twats pulling the strings behind these clapper-holding idiots on both sides have no qualms whatsoever about not only torpedoing Thailand's significant economic potential, but putting a real hurt on the Thai people economically. and there's no way these "leaders" are so stupid they don't know the implications of their actions, they're just that callous and selfish.

[beej]

*************Let's leave name calling out of this***************

I'm sure everyone can make their points without returning to the 3rd grade playground.

such sunny optimism? in the TF forum? meh. dreamer.

Wooo hoooo I fly into U-Tapao airport in a few hours, your all a bunch of ******* gays!