The way the media sometimes portrays the place of the Reds in Thai society, it is, perhaps, natural to assume that it is only folks from up-country, from the northern and north-eastern provinces, who support the current protests. A New Mandala reader has sent through this photo to give a different sense of the scene in central Bangkok.

The reader provides some context:

The atmosphere on the street was loud and energetic, something like a football game in Europe. Craziness, but totally awesome. Local residents and office workers poured out onto Phahonyothin and cheered on the protesters. Many thanked the protesters for their efforts, greeting them with a wai and/or touching their hands as they passed. Others handed out water to show their support. In an act of kindess from the protesters, at one point they presented a lone police officer, monitoring the situation, with a single rose.

Of course the Thai media won’t report any of this. They are more concerned with discrediting this protest with every chance they get.

Thus, I have to pass along this photo which illustrates the feeling on that day. It is taken with my phone, but still gets the point accross. Notice all the people (wearing all colours) to the left who poured out onto the streets to show their support. This is a middle to upper class neighbourhood, so this totally defies the stereotype that only lower-class “rural hordes” support the pro-democracy movement.