Chaos in Thailand- Again

[+ Lucky]

A state of emergency has been declared in Thailand after red shirt protesters supporting the former government caused chaos in Bangkok and ran roughshod through a summit of ASEAN nations in Pattaya. The Prime Minister himself was injured as protesters attacked his car while the military stood by doing nothing. The King seems content to lounge at his seaside palace as the country slips further into chaos.

 

Both the Bangkok Post and the Nation are seeing their servers overwhelmed as Westerners try to elicit information about what is going on. What's clear is that this protest promises to continue the slide of Thai tourism if it does not break up the country with the lack of agreement between the sides. Former Prime Minister Thaksin is egging on the protesters from his own palace in exile in Dubai.

[fedssocr1]

There were rumors that Thaksin was actually sending his video massages from neighboring Cambodia. He claims that he will return to lead the revolution but doesn't seem to be in any real hurry to do so. He has to know if he sets foot in the country he is likely to be a dead man.

 

It sounds like Bangkok is basically chaos at the moment and the state of emergency continues there but has been lifted in Pattaya.

 

There are plenty of websites where you can follow what is going on. The airports closing was bad enough. Civil war of course will completely kill off what is left of the tourism industry.

 

The "red shirts" may have some good points, but being basically aligned with Thaksin completely taints their movement and calls their motives into question. And now that they have evolved into a lawless mob they will have even less credibility. The vast majority of people there just want to live in peace and without all of this turmoil.

 

It is very sad to see that my friends in Thailand will have to continue their suffering.

[firecat]

Perspective

 

Just to add some perspective from someone who is in Bangkok , rather then statements of chaos from news organizations and self proclaimed experts.

 

I was also here last December during the Airport closings.

 

It is the same this time. There is no chaos in 95% of the city of Bangkok and especially the tourist areas.

 

Songarn festival started last night and there was much fun going on for the residents and visitors of Bangkok.

 

I am not saying it is impossible to get caught in a dangerous area but it is unlikely and especially if you don't act angry to one side or another should you encounter a demonstration.

 

Life goes on pretty much as normal and any injuries have been to Thais and superficial at best.

 

Reports of gunfire early on were just that reports from people who don't know what they are talking about. Apparently this morning the Military fired some shots in the air to disperse a crowd.

 

 

With people dying in Athens a few weeks ago and many other areas of civil unrest where people are dying, this is nothing more then an annoyance for the visitors who are in country.

[+ Lucky]

Firecat, the NY Times makes it clear that most of Bangkok is not in chaos, and that tourists are relatively unaffected by what is happening. The Wall Street Journal, on the other hand, is headlining chaos reigning in Thailand. The servers for the English-language Thai newspapers are bearing the brunt of the work as people try to get an inside look at what is happening.

 

However fine it is for tourists, the country itself is facing a severe crisis, with former Prime Minister Thaksin openly calling for revolution. And he has the money to finance it. So real trouble exists, and right now it is anybody's guess how it will all turn out. But we're glad that you are safe and relatively unaffected by it all.

[fedssocr1]

Thanks for the view from the ground. Unfortunately reports are that nearly 100 have been injured and 3 killed.

 

I have heard from another person who lives there that basically says the same thing with regard to most places being calm and safe. Although I also see that all of the big malls have closed in order to protect property I guess. I didn't have the impression they were closing for the holidays.

 

I also think the notion that everything is fine seems to be pretty Pollyanna-ish. There are surely deep divisions in Thai society that are only getting deeper.

[Guest icon513]

Everything is back to normal now.

[+ Lucky]

For how long? And, how are you defining normal?

[Guest icon513]

I define "normal" has having to go to work in the morning when I wake up here in Bangkok.

 

As for the question "for how long", I don't know. I don't have a crystal ball. But I don't foresee anything that will affect anything but the Thai people, and perhaps expats who live here full-time.

 

There is absolutely nothing on the horizon that should worry a tourist in the least.