Moving to WordPress

For more functionality with pictures (slideshows) I move this Blog to WORDRESS.COM                      http://rnbkk.wordpress.com
Go see my slideshow from the crackdown on the protest in Bangkok

Erawan Shrine

In the Thailand world of superstition, this is coming out at the heart of the situation. This shrine is basically a symbol for Bangkok, it's feared and loathed… It was built somehow to ensure the passage of the city to a modern era coinciding with the building of the ERAWAN hotel (which was the ultimate place to stay for guests of the State). The building of the hotel was fraught with problems and incidents. After the shrine construction things went fine. The WTC (World Trade Center) construction was also fraught with problems as the developers had built another shrine right across the crossroad. When the WTC (the former owner family went bankrupt after the 1997 crisis) was bought by the Central group they relocate their Shrine further away and things went better. After the 2006 incident at the Erawan Shrine, Thaksin got involved into the story and of lately as said by assassinated general Seh Daeng, it was Thaksin who suggest/decide to move the protest to this location. And now this. I hope some is going the study the whole affair, it's definitely worth a book. It's also good to say that this plaza is one of the most celebrated event location in Bangkok.

More…

Pictures (from the top left): Firemen after putting out the blaze at Siam Theater, inside the pagoda transformed as a refugee camp, another Red monk wandering, a group of soldiers at Siam area, soldiers check a you Red shirt as try to leave the area, view from the stage, the littered street opposite Zen and view at Pratunam.

The day after…

Like after any excess, you get a hangover… and here in Bangkok, the hangover is pretty hard to deal with… It will take weeks, months or maybe years to understand the full extend of what's happen in the few weeks. I came in contact with Thai politics for the first time in mid-1976 by staying a couple of days inside occupied Thammassat University sometime before the crackdown. Since that time I have follow the story. I believe another chapter in Thai history is just taking shape… what we'll see is still mystery for most people. But one thing we know for sure, history in general repeat itself! Countries across the world have a tendency to develop along the same line. More convulsions will shake Thailand future. Pictures show the statue in front of the ZEN, a Red monk looking for possessions, dead at the pagoda and DSI staff collecting weapons of the Reds…

Crackdown on Red Shirt Protest in Bangkok

Wednesday 19th of May, will stay as another black date in Thai political histoty… after weeks of occupying Central Bangkok, the Red Shirts movement has seen a tragic finale. As several times in the past the Thai Army has been called in to quash a rebellious part of the population.

A day at Din Daeng crossing

It has become the most dangerous place in Bangkok, this usually busy cross roads is now deadly and could be named sniper alley… Dozen of local people and Reds taunt soldiers bunkered a couple of hundreds yards away. And the response is invariably snipers at work…

Dead end in Bangkok…

Today was another deadline… What's next… The city already look like a war zone in some parts. Here a sampler of the take of the day: a woman doing the morning chores, MiB pass by a monk, another older going about in the Red zone, the Pratunam entrance and the sight from there towards the "kill zone".

And here is Rama 4 at Don Kai, pretty bleak at night fall, reminds me of some major conflicts I have covered in the past…

Rama 4 @ Klong Toey Sunday …

3rd day of Reds p;us local Klong Toey folks facing the Thai army at this location… 3 days of burning tires…very dangerous, at least 10 people wounded here today by sniper fire ( single shots fired at intervals by a few marksmen)… Activities includes loading tires to burn, firing bangfai, few molotov and (unseen by us but heard) MiB firing guns… we differentiate the sound of outgoing and incoming shots from army snipers. And  further down the road a new stage with Reds who came from Isaan over the last few days and could not get into Rajprasong. Crowd goes from several hundreds to several thousands throughout the day.

Bon Kai Sunday morning

The area of Bon Kai/Klong Toey intersection is still in the hands of local people with some Red Shirts, still have burning tires. The mobile stage put up last night is still there with a speaker but a much thinner crowd. Exits from expressway blocked, as well other streets around with small barricades and more people were shot during the night…

Bon Kai area of Bangkok today…

That stretch of Rama 4 Road close to Lumpini Night Market got more action on Saturday… it seems more organised with more people, and more dangerous as well… Burning tires all time, sporadic gun firing, wounded and spooky nightfall with an overlooking well lit portrait of the King on a building. (Click on images to see them larger)