dsquared37

There are already two threads in the thailand forum dealing with the events which is one too many. We really don't need a third thread.

astroflyer

Is the Thai government paying you to promote tourism? That's the most bizarre analogy I've ever heard. The facts are up to 100,000 people have been protesting, it has turned violent at times, protestors have commandeered garbage trucks to try to break through barricades at the prime minister's office, Government House. In fact, the last time this happened in 2010, they did actually close the international airport. So not only is the situation a vastly different scale, but the most recent precedent directly belies your analogy.

Maybe you're right it's not much of an impact on tourists right now, but from what I've read, there is still some (depending on the day major or minor) impact on buses, traffic, transit, the malls, etc. Why the need to so persistently downplay things?

Here's the latest news:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25190314
Looks like there's a nice map showing where some of the protests are happening.

TravelinSperry

Paul - just read the tweets for the latest news (TV is behind the times)

https://twitter.com/jonrussell/lists/thai-protests-2013

TravelinSperry

BBC is OK, but if you want the latest news, I've been using Twitter: https://twitter.com/jonrussell/lists/thai-protests-2013

People on the ground reporting in real time. I never understood the value of Twitter, but now I understand at least one good use. And it's better than the news from the TV which is hours old, whereas in this case twitter is real time.

dsquared37

Tourists don't go to Government House or that area in general. And taxis are definitely avoiding that area of Sri Ayuthaya Rd. Take a xanax and chill.

You're history is woefully incorrect as you're mixing red shirt and yellow protests. Clearly you're out of your league here.

Again, why all the angst about things that you're unlikely to be near? Be aware of the situation but your concern is bordering on alarmist and obsessive.


Why the need to be so alarmist? And why not listen to what those who are in Bangkok are saying?

yosithezet

My analogy was spot on. The 100K or 400K people in front of Central World was a single protest 10 days ago. The numbers are nowhere near that in the past 10 days. Over the past few days there have been some street battles between protesters and police and an incident elsewhere in the city where the supporters of the gov't were gathering and the anti-gov't confronted them and things got crazy.

One of the things I have learned from many years in places where there is trouble is that it is important to have an idea of what is actually going on so that you can understand what to do in order to stay safe. Is the violence random or is it in specific areas? Are they targeting just anyone or specific people they can identify? As such, the other thread is very important and much more relevant than a thread asking if the airport is open or closed. The other thread gives an idea of how things are progressing so that it will be easier to understand if things are getting better or worse and if there is need for concern.

The situation has not been on a vastly different scale, actually. The situation has been that there have been a few specific areas with some skirmishes which have been between the protesters and the police and one day when it was between supporters and detractors of the gov't.

As dquared noted, the airport closure was in 2008 when groups similar in stance to the group protesting now occupied the airport. Even then they were demonstrating at gov't facilities, not just any part of town.

In 2010 what happened was that the group that is now in gov't shut down two major areas in the center of Bangkok for two months. I read your response while sitting not 50 meters from the very location where the shopping mall was set on fire. I was there every two weeks or so and watched as the atmosphere turned from that of a carnival to one that was darker and more dangerous. That was more widespread only towards the final days when tires were burning at intersections in various parts of the city. Then, as now, I follow twitter to keep an eye on whether or not things are safe for me to move around and go about a normal routine.


The impact is really pretty minor. Central World was closed this past Sunday, so Emporium and Terminal 21 were packed. I've never taken a bus. The skytrain was running more slowly on Sunday it seems. We are not downplaying, but rather try to give you a bit of the actual reality. I lived in Israel for many years. Over the years when something was on the news about terror or whatnot in Israel, my family would ask if everything is ok. They were worried. My mother was in Jerusalem during a terror attack. But she wasn't at the location of the attack. She realised that for her everything was fine. On 9/11 she was at home in Western Pa. The attacks were tragic but were hundreds and hundreds of miles away. Did I need to worry abut her when the attacks were nowhere near her? Here things are not different. Keep an eye on twitter and you will know if there is anything to be concerned about. Better yet, watch the other thread and you will quickly know if there is anything to be concerned about.

Richard Barrow's twitter feed and his Bangkok Dangerous map are a far better and more immediate source for this information.

The BBC and these int'l outlets are nice, but they aren't as reliable and knowledgeable as what you will get by way of Twitter and the folks in the other thread. Someone on twitter posted a clip of some reporter who was reporting very calmly while in Thai people behind him are yelling to run as there was tear gas or rubber bullets or some such coming. But they were yelling in Thai and he was oblivious to it. I wouldn't rely on these sources so much. That map is nice. Note there is no label on the airport. So do you think this is the airport that was closed in 2008? Is it the one you are likely to use when arriving from abroad?

Now you shouldn't need to be an expert in Thai politics and geography in order to enjoy a vacation in Bangkok. All that I'm saying is that there is news that makes headlines and sells papers (well, used to) and there are the facts on the ground and the opinions of people like transpac and seanthepilot and dsquared who have lived here for many years and speak Thai pretty fluently. A thread where you are just asking if the airport is open/closed and whatnot is a moving target and the folks with real knowledge won't be interested in following this every day and commenting. The discussion around politics in the other thread serves the purpose of helping those discussing it hone their feeling for the direction things are going in. In a thread only asking what the current situation is at this or that very moment will simply get answers like those of transpac. Yes. No. Yes. No. That isn't actually very helpful for someone with plans to come 2 weeks from now.

seanthepilot

I think the meaning behind Yosi's comments were spot on.

Even at the height of trouble years ago, life was going on as normal in the rest of Bangkok. I was running errands out of government offices in '10, and it was business as usual.

But, things can change.

If you want your own thread, fine. Some people will post and check here, or there, or both. Not a big deal.

I see nothing wrong with trying to sort out details in a logical manner. And people do get concerned about these things. Since I have nothing else to add though, that's it for me.

c_9

So far, this thread has been a lot of "we don't need a new thread, just check this other place I will mention but not link to." Not as helpful as it could be, so I've collected some links below:

Dec 3 BBC update: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25190314
Dec 2 BBC update: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-25180865

General Thai News thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/thail...-new-post.html

40-person Twitter list showing many reports and updates: https://twitter.com/jonrussell/lists/thai-protests-2013

Travel blogger Richard Barrow's Thai news twitter feed: https://twitter.com/RichardBarrow

Map of protest sites: http://www.richardbarrow.com/2013/11...november-2013/

BangkokTraveler

We land in few hours for a couple of days of fun in Bangkok over the extended holiday for HRM birthday. We'll be at Silom, Chinatown, Tawan Daeng and a few other places, if I see something extraordinary, I'll post it.

Yosi, dsquared, transpac and Sean have always provided valuable feedback in the past on BKK issues.

dsquared37

I thank you and wish you a great time.

yosithezet

This is great information. Thanks for consolidating and posting links.

Maybe we should add this to a Wikipost at the start of the Thailand News thread?

BuildingMyBento

As one (of many) affected by the protests in late 2006/early 2007 and the airport takeover in 2008, a separate thread is welcome here.

Hvr

Looks like Monday will be the crunch time (noting it is Mon 9 Dec not 10 Dec as written in the Bangkok Post).


Here's hoping things are back to normal from a tourist perspective ASAP.

TravelinSperry

I've been here since Wednesday (Dec 4). Haven't seen anything - if it wasn't for news reports, I'd never know anything was happening. Malls are open, traffic exists as usual, etc. Tourists are definitely lighter than times past - and that's about all one can see. The hotel GM said they've had a bunch of cancellations, but personally it's made my trip even better. Less people around, which is nice.

dtsm

The only potential 'inconvenience' is if they shut the airport down. But given the 2008 debacle and the negative impact on tourism, I doubt any side would be silly enough to make the same mistake!

^^^ POV