Comments

  1. crocodilexp says:

    For the record, BTS closed all stations since about ~3 pm.

  2. Justin Alick says:

    Live updates from UDD at the English language Facebook site:
    http://www.facebook.com/UDDThailand

    Btw. Thai News Agency @ 4pm has ONE story only: Thai fruits are in high demand so prices will go up. Beware government censorship- no Thai based news agency is free of it at the moment.

  3. George says:

    3:55PM Saturday afternoon April 11th in Bangkok: ThaiPBS Reporter at scene states that soldiers at firing guns into the air (from video though the guns are horizontal)………..

  4. George says:

    3:50PM Saturday afternoon in Bangkok, TNN reporter noting gunfire near Makkawan, can hear shots in background……..

  5. George says:

    Report that the red demonstrators at Central Shopping Center site have just claimed that they have used large model airplane to chase off Thai military helicopter…….a use of low-tech against hi-tech that I have never read about before……..

  6. George says:

    Photo from Central Shopping Center site about 3:35PM Saturday afternoon where Police lines have stopped moving forward and appear to be waiting further orders…….

    http://tweetphoto.com/17868225

  7. George says:

    Photo taken about 3:40PM Saturday afternoon in Bangkok at Khao San Road site where police/soldiers and red demonstrators are in a face off.

    http://tweetphoto.com/17868560

  8. George says:

    Report in Bangkok Post that 33 security forces and red-shirts injured from clashes on Ratchadamnoen Saturday afternoon in Bangkok.

  9. George says:

    Thai PBS says Prime Minsiter Abhisit to go on Thai television with a statement within 20 minutes (a little after 4PM in Bangkok).

  10. George says:

    Italian news photographer Gaspare Dario Pignatelli who was covering the Bangkok situation for Polaris Agency is reported injured, unclear how badly or the cause, and has been taken to a hospital in Bangkok.

  11. George says:

    About 15 minutes ago, a report that Thai pro-democracy protesters have taken over Bangkok’s famous Khao San Rd travellers’ hang-out……..if true, will that bring back memories of the “Prague Spring Revolution”?

  12. George says:

    Government spokesman Panitan (or we should we now refer to him as “Minister of Information Panitan”?) about 3:15PM Saturday afternoon in Bangkok:

    “Overall the situation is still under control. There are minor problems here and there, but overall it’s controllable.”

  13. […] New Mandala Thread on the Crackdown The Australian National University’s New Mandala website has an open thread on what appears to be emerging as a crackdown by the military against the red-shirt protestors in Bangkok. Follow the news and post your observations here. […]

  14. George says:

    Thai Army spokesman said Phan Fa situation will be under control in two hours. He asks public to stay away from the area.

  15. michael says:

    It’s just what I need, Polo #36; certainly a better read than some muddled, convoluted & pretentious rubbish. You could learn something from it.

    BTW, why should Italians read the Tripitaka? I should think that delusory religious texts of any persuasion are not enormously popular reading at the moment in view of the fact that the pope has been outed as a criminal.

  16. George says:

    Live pictures and video coming in from Bangkok crackdown at the following link (Thai language only):

    http://bit.ly/5URonA

  17. banphai says:

    Michael, I completely agree with you – well, almost. My negative comment about satire was a paraphrase of a remorseful reflection made by John Ridd, the narrator of Lorna Doone. My reference was, of course, ‘tongue in cheek’ as I am confident our master, Enrico Damache, will recognise.

    Nevertheless, there are many humour-challenged who do not understand satire and consequently find it offensive. For me, possibly like you, it is an antidote to the results of watching human folly.

    Before my enlightenment and becoming a scientist, I have the burden of an earlier education in the ‘classics’ which enabled me to read much of Aristophanes in the original Greek. This protected me from 18th literature, so I cannot comment on the relative merits of a comparison with Swift. However, I will happily yield to your view.

    Whatever, viva Enrico!

  18. Ben says:

    Here in Banglampoo, heard a detonation and saw army moving from thanon tanao to democracy monument…

  19. George says:

    photo of foreign tourists in Bangkok watching the soldiers/police moving in on shopping center site…….a strange decision to start the crackdown in the middle of Bangkok on Saturday afternoon in full view of so many different people, many with digital cameras, mobile phone cameras, etc. It’s as if the government no longer cares what the rest of the world thinks…………

    http://twitpic.com/1eiahc

  20. George says:

    Saturday afternoon April 10th Bangkok…….

    Tear gas fired at Misakawan Intersection (14.53) Troops fired tear gas at protesters at the Misakawan Intersection at 2:20 pm Saturday.Meanwhile, at the Klong Phadung Krung Kasem Canal, troops moved forward and sprayed water canon at the protesters.