Bangkok Protests affecting tourists?

[TonyCheong]

Originally Posted by BlueDragon193

If the protesting farmers succeed in taking over of Suvanabhumi airport, be prepare to fly out from Utapao or HKT or CNX airports and or get a free hotel stayed from the government.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/far...bhumi-airport/

Haha dejavu again?

Nowadays in Thailand must hijack buildings in order to make a point!

[BlueDragon193]

Thai protesters take to Facebook to target businesses linked to PM.

Anti-government protesters gather outside a business building owned by SC Asset Corp during a rally in Bangkok.

Reuters - Thursday, Feb 20, 2014

BANGKOK - Protesters campaigning to oust Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra turned to Facebook and other social media to attack businesses linked to her family on Thursday and rallied outside the offices of a property developer whose share price tumbled.

Yingluck's government appears increasingly hemmed in by opponents and the judicial system, lacking the fiscal powers to fund key policies and warned by a court on Wednesday that it cannot use a state of emergency to disperse protesters.

Four protesters and a police officer were killed on Tuesday, in the deadliest clashes since the unrest began in November, when police attempted to reclaim sites near government buildings that have been occupied for weeks.

The protesters are seeking to unseat Yingluck and stamp out what they see as the malign influence of her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a self-exiled former premier regarded by many as the real power behind the government.

About 500 protesters gathered outside the Bangkok offices of SC Asset Corp, a property developer controlled by the Shinawatra family, waving Thai flags and blowing whistles. "We will hamper all Shinawatra businesses," protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban told supporters at a rally on Wednesday night."If you love your country, stop using Shinawatra products and do everything you can so that their business fails." Yingluck was executive chairwoman of the company before being swept to power in a landslide election victory in 2011.

Shares in SC Asset fell 4.3 percent on Thursday, following a similar fall the previous day. Shares in M-Link Asia Corp , a mobile handset distributor with links to the Shinawatras, have also lost almost 10 percent over the past two days.

Anusorn Iamsa-ard, deputy spokesman for Yingluck's Puea Thai Party, said the building the protesters targeted had nothing to do with her. "The prime minister has no shares in SC Asset," he said. "The thing that will worry her is the impact of the protest today, and the fact employees of the office tower had to leave, on the Thai economy overall. But the campaign against Shinawatra businesses will not weaken her resolve to see Thailand through this crisis." Other stocks affected include telecoms group Shin Corp , founded by Thaksin before he entered politics, and its mobile affiliate Advanced Info Service Pcl (AIS) . Shin Corp said it no longer has any connection with the Shinawatra family. "We should change our service provider and stop using AIS ... it's easy to change SIM cards these days," said a post on the "No Thaksin" Facebook page. "I ask the people to stop using the tyrant Thaksin's products. Stop using AIS ... so we can teach Thaksin a lesson ... and so he can know that hell really exists," a user posted in response.

Yingluck has headed a caretaker government with limited spending powers since calling a snap election in December. Voting on Feb. 2 was disrupted by her opponents, and it could be months before a new government can be installed.

An anti-corruption agency this week filed charges against her over a soured rice subsidy scheme that has stoked middle-class anger and left hundreds of thousands of farmers, her natural backers, unpaid.

More than 1,000 farmers, many riding in farm trucks, were travelling in convoy towards Bangkok from the rice-growing central plains and were due to reach the city overnight or on Friday.

Chada Thaiseth, a former member of parliament, said he would lead farmers on Friday to Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport, blockaded for eight days by royalist, anti-Thaksin "yellow shirts" in 2008. "We are not sure where we will set up camp, but we will not leave the capital until we are paid for every grain of rice sold," Chada told Reuters.

[toilet$50]

Originally Posted by BlueDragon193

If the protesting farmers succeed in taking over of Suvanabhumi airport, be prepare to fly out from Utapao or HKT or CNX airports and or get a free hotel stayed from the government.

http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/far...bhumi-airport/

Today they just block the highway.

[BlueDragon193]

Originally Posted by toilet$50

Today they just block the highway.

Hope this not going to be Highway To Heaven.

[fastspawn]

If one just stays in Sukhumvit Area next week, historically is it a safer place?

[BlueDragon193]

Farmers to descend on airport.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/loca...end-on-airport.

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/poli...-30227376.html

[UsVsTheWorld]

Landed in Bangkok yesterday as a 1st timer.

Was driven from airport to my hotel near a major protest site (Asoke and Sukhumvit) without problem for 500 Baht.

Although a major protest site is nearby, I do not (repeat do not) feel threatened at all.
Even possible to walk through the barricades to reach T21 Mall.

after short walk, went back to the hotel thru Soi Cowboy.
Once again, I'm a first timer so I don't exactly know how "lively" it should be in "normal" times but it looked half empty (or hzlf full, like the proverbial glass ).

After 12 hours in a plane, I wasn't quite ready to partkae, so I just ordered a beer (Heineken for 85 Baht) in one of theses bars, and left.

feel free to email me as I'm here for 1 week.

[CPBoy]

Personally I stopped reading The Nation and Bangkok Post. I find their editorial content & reporting is getting more bias as the protests wear on. Not surprisingly since they are owned by the members of the Bangkok Oligarchy thats funding this movement.

Bangkok is a large city of 8 to 10 million people. Its a large city so areas away from main protest sites people would be going along with their daily business so if you don't keep up with the news you wouldn't know there is an ongoing movement to topple the current government. Away from the capital in places like Pattaya it's still rave on!

Interest in the protests have been waning. No doubt due to fact that the protest movement is running low on funds so some of the paid protesters have gone back home to the provinces. Hear say initial pay outs was BHT1,300 to 1,500/day now has dropped to BHT300 to 500/day. This is evident with them consolidating a few protest sites over the past few weeks.

If you go to Central World (Rachaprasong) or Terminal 21 (Asoke) during the day it feels like some badly attended concert with a few protesters sleeping around the road whilst the stage continues blaring their anti-Shinawtara propaganda. Protest areas like Silom Road and Rama 1 Road have turned into a "walking street" with vendors peddling anti-Thaksin souvenirs alongside kaao kai jeaw.

Its only in the evenings when its cooler and the more "educated and richer" Bangkok residents finish work then the rally areas will have more people. This is when its best to avoid these areas. Avoid these areas also when the government announces some action or Suthep is around.

Most people would know by now what happened on Monday. This is how ugly it can get and when they say "bullet no eye, grenade no heart". Have you all seen a sniper head shot? (WARNING: Graphic Images)

Bangkok Head Shot

[Nonteerak2553]

Originally Posted by UsVsTheWorld

Was driven from airport to my hotel near a major protest site (Asoke and Sukhumvit) without problem for 500 Baht.

Although a major protest site is nearby, I do not (repeat do not) feel threatened at all.
Even possible to walk through the barricades to reach T21 Mall.

Wow, you must be ripped of by the taxi driver. My usual trip from Swampy to Sukhumvit is less than 200 bht, about 180-190 bht and I don't use the toll way.

Ya, if you don't feel threaten good for you. Pray hard you can sit on the plane for another 12 hrs in another 7 more days.

[CPBoy]

Sorry earlier link cannot open. Here it is - Bangkok Head Shot (WARNING: Graphic images some may find disturbing.)

[TonyCheong]

Originally Posted by UsVsTheWorld

Was driven from airport to my hotel near a major protest site (Asoke and Sukhumvit) without problem for 500 Baht.

Haha you very the jai dee!

Originally Posted by UsVsTheWorld

after short walk, went back to the hotel thru Soi Cowboy.

feel free to email me as I'm here for 1 week.

Too bad we don't have common interest.

Originally Posted by Nonteerak2553

Wow, you must be ripped of by the taxi driver. My usual trip from Swampy to Sukhumvit is less than 200 bht, about 180-190 bht and I don't use the toll way.

He jai dee man mah.

[TonyCheong]

Originally Posted by CPBoy

Sorry earlier link cannot open. Here it is - Bangkok Head Shot (WARNING: Graphic images some may find disturbing.)

Although I don't know the story of this incident but confirm sniper shot (00:24).
First round kena liao!

This protester must have did something to have trigger the shot.

[fastspawn]

Originally Posted by UsVsTheWorld

Landed in Bangkok yesterday as a 1st timer.

Was driven from airport to my hotel near a major protest site (Asoke and Sukhumvit) without problem for 500 Baht.

Although a major protest site is nearby, I do not (repeat do not) feel threatened at all.
Even possible to walk through the barricades to reach T21 Mall.

after short walk, went back to the hotel thru Soi Cowboy.
Once again, I'm a first timer so I don't exactly know how "lively" it should be in "normal" times but it looked half empty (or hzlf full, like the proverbial glass ).

After 12 hours in a plane, I wasn't quite ready to partkae, so I just ordered a beer (Heineken for 85 Baht) in one of theses bars, and left.

feel free to email me as I'm here for 1 week.

Hi, I'm doing a recce mission next week so might not meet you - but I was wondering about the situation in Soi Cowboy because i heard it is a protest side.

[Nonteerak2553]

Originally Posted by CPBoy

Personally I stopped reading The Nation and Bangkok Post. I find their editorial content & reporting is getting more bias as the protests wear on.

Interest in the protests have been waning. No doubt due to fact that the protest movement is running low on funds so some of the paid protesters have gone back home to the provinces. Hear say initial pay outs was BHT1,300 to 1,500/day now has dropped to BHT300 to 500/day. This is evident with them consolidating a few protest sites over the past few weeks.

Beside watching the news, used to read here and there on Bangkok Post and The Nation, but like you say, "bias on the protest".

So now I depends on Facebook.

There's several PAGE on this protest, and best thing, all is form of videos recorded live from the protest site.

Saw one of the video, the police whacked the protestors without mercy.

And hear say, some doesn't even received any form of money to protest. They willingly come out to protest. Well, there's many others unheard stories from the protester itself.

Originally Posted by TonyCheong

Haha you very the jai dee!
He jai dee man mah.

Kon jai dee jing jing! 55+

[sojo]

Originally Posted by fastspawn

Hi, I'm doing a recce mission next week so might not meet you - but I was wondering about the situation in Soi Cowboy because i heard it is a protest side.

soi cowboy is operating as usual. Recommended to use the underpass before midnight. In fact you could easily walk directly across to the entrance of soi cowboy through the protestors if you want though i do not encourage that.

Taxis out of soi cowboy at the mouth near baccara and they will exit via soi 23 towards upper sukhumvit, or soi 19/petchburi/ratchada towards lower sukhumvit/ratchada. Taxis know these routes best, infact the sois from soi 23 actually lead you to thonglor as well.