The RED SHIRT Crisis in Bangkok!

[SamplerDoc]

5:35pm: Government spokesman Panitan says on pooled TV the authorities ask for public cooperation in helping maintain public order and report to the authorities, on 199, any arson attempts and other destabilizing conducts during the 8 pm-6 am curfew on Wednesday night.

from Reuters

[TTChang]

At least the BBC have been using the word 'rebellion' in the last 2 days. And acknowledging that any Govt would have had to take firm action. One commentator who seems to be better informed than many in the UK is:

Duncan McCargo professor of Southeast Asian Politics at the University of Leeds and author of Tearing Apart the Land: Islam and Legitimacy in Southern Thailand (Cornell University Press), which won the inaugural 2009 Bernard Schwartz prize from the Asia Society

Heard him on the BBC news, and there's very little of the 'red-shirt freedom fighters' stuff.  Has written a useful piece for The Guardian UK newspaper    
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world....protest

Talking of the Guardian (a paper I don't read btw), if you have a few minutes, take a look at the readers comments page on the Thai situation.    Some posters (apparently supporting red-shirt rebellion in any form it wants) are dismissive of any views coming from Expats in Bangkok.  Being derided as sex tourists and just a bit pissed off that their bars are closed.

What an outrageous slur ...

[Bumpa STIKKA]

The upside of all this is that the Thai baht is doing great... That fucker is indestructible!

Substitute 'upside' for 'downside' if you are a tourist!

[TTChang]

.Toxic Thaksin    Duncan McCargo    September 2006

"Elected in a landslide just last year, Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was deposed last week in a bloodless overthrow organized by the military. Over the year his fall from grace had been steady and swift, thanks to his abuse of power, repression of the opposition and Muslim minorities, and allegations of corruption. Still, argues Duncan McCargo of the University of Leeds, even if Thaksin deserved to go, the manner of his passing will endanger the country's democracy and stability."

How true!

Just realised he was co-author of a very interesting book I bought in 2006 'The Thaksinization of Thailand

[f0xxee]

agreed.
Scary how one man can have wroght such mayhem... and he gives not a toss for the those who have been killed or maimed.

[anicon]

... hmmm, ATMs being broken into & cash stolen.. remember the 70's movie with Clint Eastwood KELLY'S HEROES, they go behind enemy lines to break into a French bank where German gold is being stashed & get away with it?    Sounds like with all the shooting & fire diversion the local police/army have their hands full with the red shirts while enterprising thieves are taking advantage of all the distractions & making the most of it while this melay is going on..    

..actually for a movie sequel BLUE THUNDER would be more appropriate here; ex-military retired helo pilot now redshirt hijacks an attack chopper & draws fire from police/military in downtown Bangkok, Thai airforce scrambles jets to shoot it down & missles/gunships wreak havoc on downtown BKK in special effects mass destruction of commercial buildings and Nana Plaza!        

[TEERAK]

Seems like there is a curfew in Pattaya too

[Road Runner]

The BBC Radio 2 News at 1pm. in the UK is saying that Central World is on fire.

They also talked to a tourist in Bangkok who said that the two largest shopping centres are on fire.
I'm guessing the other one is the Siam Paragon?

The looting and arson will do nothing to help the political situation of the redshirts and I expect will be used to take further action against them.

RR.

[Snick]

Central World is gone, burned down.

[deepthroat]

Latest reports had Central World as being destroyed by fire....

[kahuna]

(TEERAK @ May 19 2010,20:51) Seems like there is a curfew in Pattaya too  

Haven't heard of a curfew but strange things happening in Pattaya...TukCom was closed at around 6 pm...All the major shopping centers that I passed were closed...AND EVERY 7/11 that I passed was either closed or closing...But Family Mart is open...They'll either make a killing tonight or be killed...

[deepthroat]

A statue of Buddha and a torn Thai national flag remain in front of Bangkok's Central World shopping mall, which was gutted by fire after army soldiers advanced towards an encampment of thousands of anti-government "red shirt" protesters, May 19, 2010. (Reuters/Adrees Latif)

[Snick]

There IS a curfew in Pattaya, they just announced it a little bit later.
Central World has burnt down and will probably collapse tonight, red shirts shot at anyone who tried to put out the fire
The old movie theater across from Paragon has also burnt down, and the roof collapsed.
Lots of other fires in the Siam Square area, but don't have specifics (incl. Paragon)
Roughly 20 fires in Bangkok started by Red Shirts.

ATM in Bangkok closed during curfew, don't know about Pattaya.

ps. I downloaded that picture earlier today, it captures it all.

[Road Runner]

(Snick @ May 19 2010,15:34) Central World is gone, burned down.

Ouchh.....!!!!!!

The cynic in me is wondering if it was especially targeted - isn't one of the big families with army connections involved with that place?

RR.

[spare wheel]

Just been told the bars are closed in Pattaya  

hope you guys on the ground are safe.  

SW „¢