Category: Misc.

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Misc.

Thai troops, redshirts clash: images from last night

Here are some images that I snapped last night. Warning: some are graphic. The full photoset also contains images from the previous day.

For context on the military crackdown, see the descriptions I posted on Twitter in real-time. The AP says 18 people have been killed in the clashes. Five soldiers and 13 civilians.

For the latest news, here are stories from the NYT, WSJ, AP, and Reuters (1 — and 2).


A cache of weapons on Phan Fah stage. The red shirts said they took the arms from soldiers.


Captured soldiers being held on stage at Phan Fah bridge. I asked one of the red shirts what they would do with these men. He said they would be held until tomorrow (today — Sun.). About 10 min. after I took this photo, the men were lead to an area behind the stage, out of sight.


Protesters’ bodies on stage at Phan Fah bridge


A red shirt media liaison told me this man was the father of one of the protesters who was killed. The man’s son was 25 years old. The man collapsed after crying over his son’s body.


A red shirt protester poses with a riot shield.


A plastic bag full of spent shell casings.


A pool of blood not far from Khao San Rd.


A red shirt woman speaks with soldiers near Makkawan.

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Misc.

Red shirts, troops clash in Bangkok

Lots happening here in Bangkok — and in the north — today. Not much time to blog, but as ever, you can follow my updates on Twitter.

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Misc.

Redshirt protest images at The Big Picture

Boston.com’s excellent photo blog, The Big Picture, has a round-up of 34 images of the recent redshirt protests here in Thailand. Worth a look.

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Misc.

Update on red shirt protests and state of emergency

Here are five Thailand-related links for your edification as the red shirt protests grind on here in Bangkok:

  1. Thailand Blocks Protesters’ Sites, Media — WSJ Asia
  2. Does Thailand’s Military Answer to the Government? — TIME.com
  3. The End of the Thai Fairy Tale — op-ed in the WSJ Asia. ((Note: this link may be subscriber-only, depending on how you access it. Consult Google News, or look for a copy of the print paper.))
  4. Clash of Symbols — Andrew Marshall. ((By the way, if you’re not reading Andrew Marshall’s blog, you should be.))
  5. And last but not least, Snackpolitik: Protesting in Thailand — The Atlantic

For ongoing news, you can consult the Bangkok Post or The Nation.

And to fulfill your Twitter needs, here’s a list I’ve compiled of more than 80 Thailand-related Twitter-ers. This list is comprised of individuals and various news sources.

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Misc.

State of emergency: What life is really like in Bangkok

That’s the title of a story I wrote today for CNNGo.com. (The piece has also been linked to from CNN.com International)

And while I’m shamelessly self-promoting, a heads-up that you can see my coverage of events here in Thailand on Channel News Asia. And if you’re in the U.S., you might be able to catch a brief dispatch I filed last night for ABC News Radio.

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Misc.

State of emergency declared in Bangkok

A few hours ago the Thai government imposed a state of emergency here in Bangkok after red shirt protesters invaded the parliament compound. This incursion forced government ministers to evacuate via helicopter and MPs had to escape via the rear of the building.

AP has a story about the state of emergency declaration. And see the Bangkok Post for stories about today’s protests at parliament.

Key bit of info: The state of emergency gives the army the power to break up gatherings of more than five people, which would bring the protests to an end. It’s unclear when or if the military will enforce this, however.

Meanwhile, red shirt protests at the Rajaprasong intersection (blogged about here) and elsewhere continue.

Stay tuned. Don’t forget that for quick updates, you can follow me on Twitter here.

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Misc.

Red shirt rally continues…

Quick note: As you’re probably aware, the red shirts continue to rally here in Bangkok today. (Google News has some relevant stories.)

In a striking scene, red shirts confronted police who had massed on Langsuan Rd., near Rajaprasong intersection, this morning. The demonstrators essentially chanted and sang songs and beat drums and blew horns until the troops left.

More soon, but for now, you can read my ongoing observations on Twitter.

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Misc.

More images of the red shirts at Rajaprasong intersection

Following yesterday’s post, I wanted to share some additional images of the red shirts’ protest at Bangkok’s Rajaprasong intersection. Thanks to my brother M, who’s in town visiting, for snapping most of these when my hands were full (see final image). Commentary to come in a later post.

For now, a thought — and yes, this is stating the obvious: Over the last three and a half weeks, the red shirts have occupied Rajadamnoen Rd, conducted their “mobile rallies,” demonstrated outside the 11th army regiment (and forced talks with the PM), and now taken control of one of the city’s most important intersections.

These actions seem to be part of a strategy to slowly, bit by bit, ratchet up the pressure on the Thai government, using non-violent tactics. How long will the government allow this to continue? Will the government simply wait the red shirts out? Is there a breaking point? Will there be a public uprising against the reds as life becomes more difficult for everyday citizens?

There are a few more pics in the full Flickr photoset.

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Misc.

Red shirts occupy Rajaprasong intersection: photos from today

Red shirt protesters moved their demonstrations to the middle of Bangkok’s central business district yesterday (Sat.), shutting down the Rajaprasong intersection.

This is one of the Thai capital’s crucial intersections, where Phloenchit Road (lower Sukhumvit) and Rajadamri Roads bisect one another, and where the Chidlom Skytrain (BTS) station is located.

The Erawan Shrine is is also here, and several high-end shopping malls — such as CentralWorld — are in this area. The malls all seem to be closed, as are several of the elevated walkways.

There are also several embassies within a 15 minute walk, and the commercial and residential real estate surrounding this intersection is some of Bangkok’s most expensive.

Here’s an IHT story about the red shirts’ move to this location, and here’s one from the BBC.

The government gave the protesters a deadline of 9 p.m. Sat. night to leave; the demonstrators refused. It’s unclear what will happen next.

I just got back home from surveying the scene there. Here are some images.

As you’ll see, there are many thousands of red shirt supporters camped out here. There is generally the same positive, up-beat atmosphere that could be found at the reds’ main protest site, on Rajadamnoen Rd. But I was there from about 11 a.m. until 12 p.m., and the heat was intense, so perhaps a little of the enthusiasm was on the wane.

The logistical arrangements were impressive, with trucks blocking key intersections and red shirt “security guards” stationed at the perimeter of the protest site.

Red shirt protesters at Rajaprasong intersection

Red shirt protesters at Rajaprasong intersection

Red shirt protesters at Rajaprasong intersection

Red shirt protesters at Rajaprasong intersection

Red shirt protesters at Rajaprasong intersection

Red shirt protesters at Rajaprasong intersection

Red shirt protesters at Rajaprasong intersection

You can find a few more images in the full Flickr photoset. I will be blogging more here as events unfold. And as ever, you can follow me on Twitter for more frequent updates.

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Misc.

“Thailand’s Battle of Attrition”

Just briefly: For some analysis regarding the red shirt protests, I suggest checking out this NYT/IHT op-ed by Thai academic Thitinan Pongsudhirak. It’s called “Thailand’s Battle of Attrition.” Worth a read.