The Bangkok situation

[docjames]

This seemed like the relevant thread.

Explosions and gunfire heard on the streets of Bangkok. A senior leader (general) of the red shirts has been shot and seriously wounded, apparently in the head, but that’s unconfirmed.

According to an interview on abc this am, one of the leaders was conducting an interview with an american journalist, when the journalist heard what sounded like "firecrackers", followed by the leader slumping in the chair. He appeared to have been shot from front on (so presumably from over the shoulder of the journo :shock and was rushed to hospital.

:shock:

 

[v8Statesman]

I am staying at the HI Silom at the moment and it is a ghost town, almost no one here. I've not left the hotel and just relaxed in the Executive lounge or the Pool. I am taking a guided tour today (not my normal preference) but it is the only way I feel safe about leaving the hotel. I've cut my stay short and CX have been amasing in allowing me to break fare condidtions to stay in Hong Kong 2 nights.

I will take to ferry to Macau to visit a friend there.

 

[samh004]

According to an interview on abc this am, one of the leaders was conducting an interview with an american journalist, when the journalist heard what sounded like "firecrackers", followed by the leader slumping in the chair. He appeared to have been shot from front on (so presumably from over the shoulder of the journo :shock and was rushed to hospital.

:shock:

I wonder if that interview will ever air.

 

[Archphoto]

I wonder if that interview will ever air.

Don't know about the interview airing on AU TV, but here in BKK images from the leader are all over the Thai papers. Doesn't make for breakfast reading. . . . . .

They also have a DVD floating around at present that shows footage from earlier clashes, and that one pulls no punches whatsoever - graphic footage of a protester being shot in the head and the result of being shot by a high calibre bullet.

This latest shooting will probably surface here, but for the western world - I doubt it highly.

 

[samh004]

Don't know about the interview airing on AU TV, but here in BKK images from the leader are all over the Thai papers. Doesn't make for breakfast reading. . . . . .

Reminds me of Chinese newspapers, compared to the SCMP in HK

 

[Sprucegoose]

Reminds me of Chinese newspapers, compared to the SCMP in HK

i think the poliitcal situation in hkg (at every juncture) was different to that currently being experinced in bkk.

SPRUCE

 

[samh004]

i think the poliitcal situation in hkg (at every juncture) was different to that currently being experinced in bkk.

SPRUCE

I wasn’t talk about politics but rather how some footage/photos get shown in some publications but not others. Attitudes are different. Even though they might be sold side-by-side.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I wasn’t talk about politics but rather how some footage/photos get shown in some publications but not others. Attitudes are different. Even though they might be sold side-by-side.

Yes it is interesting, media ownership and manipulation is a very touchy subject!!!

Both places are not powerhouse democracies and there certainly is no real notion of free speech and hence open to managed manipulation from outside forces, lets say?

Technology has played a important role in breaking down traditional mainstream information and image distribution. For example we learned of the terrible situation in Burma via images sent from mobile phones.

Are there any situations such as public breakdowns in law and order than cannot be reported extensively anymore? I would say not. The Chinese if they conducted another crackdown ala Tianamin Square would almost certainly cut the GSM network.

Regards

SPRUCE

 

[markis10]

V8statesman - hope you got out OK, sounds like things really heated up last night!

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

I got stuck in Bangkok for an extra weerk due to the volcano dust cloud.

The 1st 2 days i thoyught no worries, but after that the military, barbed wire, riot police, lack of things to do at night wore me down.

By the time of the RPG attack at Saladang I felt a virtual prisoner of my hotel next to chong nonsi BTS.

the good thing was i got a really good tan since i was hanging at the hotel pool for hrs each day. 4 pack of beer for 100 bht at the 7 eleve. 2 min dash to me room each time i needed a refill :mrgreen:

 

[JohnK]

I got stuck in Bangkok for an extra weerk due to the volcano dust cloud.

Don't mean to be rude but I would rather be stuck in Thailand with all their problems than be stuck working in Brisbane for 2+ years. YMMV....

 

[Mal]

Don't mean to be rude but I would rather be stuck in Thailand with all their problems than be stuck working in Brisbane for 2+ years. YMMV....

I like Thailand, but aren't sure I could live there long term. Many things about the place concern me, although perhaps I may think about purchasing some property there in the longer term.

Oh, and would you like to be in this situation? : Brisbane teacher trapped in deadly Bangkok

Relatively holed up in a hotel while gun fire happens outside?

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

i'm glad i'm not there now, that's for sure.

hearing RPGs explode (an not quite understanding what was going on till i heard people talking about it in the elevator) is not on my high list of things to do.

it's prob the 1st time i've felt like i've been in danger. i was so glad to get on that BA 747 and get home to a sense of stability.

i really hope the country can avoid civil war, but the way the situation is moving now it seems almost inevitable

 

[Dave Noble]

The DFAT advisory for Thailand has been upgraded to "Do Not Travel" to Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla and "Reconsider your need to travel" for the rest of Thailand

Anyone thinking of going might want to check travel insurance policies since at leats some policies will not cover visits to countries where the status is at "Reconsider need" or "Do not travel"

 

[Mal]

The DFAT advisory for Thailand has been upgraded to "Do Not Travel" to Yala, Pattani, Narathiwat and Songkhla and "Reconsider your need to travel" for the rest of Thailand

I don't think that this is an upgrade. Pretty sure those places have been "Do not travel" for quite a while, and that Thailand as a whole has been "Reconsider your travel" for a while too.

Your warning about double checking travel insurance is important. Indeed, some will try to deny claims in such circumstances.

Oh - and I am subscribed to DFAT Thailand reports, so am fairly aware of the various changes etc.

 

[Aussie_flyer]

I don't think that this is an upgrade. Pretty sure those places have been "Do not travel" for quite a while, and that Thailand as a whole has been "Reconsider your travel" for a while too.

Your warning about double checking travel insurance is important. Indeed, some will try to deny claims in such circumstances.

Oh - and I am subscribed to DFAT Thailand reports, so am fairly aware of the various changes etc.

Correct - there has been no change to the overall advice level since it was upgraded last month to 'Reconsider Your need to travel'. Those southern provinces have been Do Not Travel for a very long time.

I would avoid Bangkok now if I were a tourist, until the fighting has stopped. It does still seem to be fine to travel to other cities in Thailand though.

 

[Dave Noble]

I don't think that this is an upgrade. Pretty sure those places have been "Do not travel" for quite a while, and that Thailand as a whole has been "Reconsider your travel" for a while too.

Your warning about double checking travel insurance is important. Indeed, some will try to deny claims in such circumstances.

Oh - and I am subscribed to DFAT Thailand reports, so am fairly aware of the various changes etc.

The issue date of the current advisory is 14th May 2010 so I assume something has changed in the advisory

I know that both travel insurance policies I utilise do state explicitly that they will not cover travel to countries where DFAT advsie against travel rather than their just trying to get out of it and when I phoned to query exactly what level was informed that either "reconsider" or "do not trave" then the insurance will not cover

Not sure how it affects trips where flights transit through such a country

 

[oz_mark]

The issue date of the current advisory is 14th May 2010 so I assume something has changed in the advisory

I think the added some text regarding events of 13 May.

 

[Mal]

The issue date of the current advisory is 14th May 2010 so I assume something has changed in the advisory

What has changed in the latest advice is:

This advice has been reviewed and reissued. It contains new information in the Summary and under Safety and Security: Civil Unrest/Political Tension (military cordon around protest areas in Bangkok and widening of state of state of emergency declaration). The overall level of the advice has not changed.

 

[straitman]

Don't mean to be rude but I would rather be stuck in Thailand with all their problems than be stuck working in Brisbane for 2+ years. YMMV....

I am surprised you have not had any bites with that comment JohnK :!: