Thailand Politics

[Tony Hoeprano]

More talk about hookers and less about elephant penis. Let's stay the course guys

[MojoRisinBD]

You never can predict of course how these things will go. Real violence breaking out is a possible scenario in which case I head down to Pattaya from BKK in a flash. But I have been here thru the coup, the riots, the curfew, the airport shutdown and the floods and in truth none of that besides the 10 pm curfew impacted the goings on around Nana. The girls will always need money and will find a way to get to work. The numbers may go down but the numbers of tourists will drop even more so. When I was here during the curfew and the airport shutdown, the streets were empty of tourists and that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Thanks everyone for your insightful reports on the current situation. We are a group of 4 people are planning a trip sometime in Feb, so I guess we will have to wait and see. Will definitely read all news on Bangkok on 14th Jan. We just wanted to go there before Summer comes. Been there twice before during summer, and it was very difficult to cope with.

[Phordphan]

I just remembered another big difference between Bangkok now and how it was just a few years ago. I was there a bunch of times between 2000 and 2009, and always saw elephants in the city. It was always with a guy leading it around to get money from tourists. I saw them at Soi Cowboy, on Soi Nana, and even at Siam Square near MBK, but not a single one anywhere in BKK on my most recent visit, which I just finished yesterday. Are they still around?

Paul's explanation is pretty accurate. What jobs the elephants could do have largely been automated, thus putting the elephants, and, by extension, their mahouts, out of business. The mahouts would schlep the poor beast around BKK and try to make a modest living selling fruit to tourists so they could feed the elephant.

A few years ago the gov't made a big push to get the elephants out of BKK. In truth, the city is a terrible place for an elephant. Walking around on hot pavement all day, a poor diet, sometimes getting hit by cars, etc. The elephants are much better off outside the city, but I'm not sure the same can be said of their mahouts. I do miss them.

There are many elephant sanctuaries, parks, etc, outside of BKK where you can still see them and ride them. The down side, besides getting there, is the ridiculous double-pricing schemes at many of them.

[Paul Kausch]

I just remembered another big difference between Bangkok now and how it was just a few years ago. I was there a bunch of times between 2000 and 2009, and always saw elephants in the city. It was always with a guy leading it around to get money from tourists. I saw them at Soi Cowboy, on Soi Nana, and even at Siam Square near MBK, but not a single one anywhere in BKK on my most recent visit, which I just finished yesterday. Are they still around?

The way the story goes is that they worked as unskilled manual laborers. Their jobs were replaced by automation. As they had no technical skills and were unemployable they had to beg on the streets for a living. A sad life for such a noble creature. I believe animal welfare folks made such a ruckus the government did something about them. What, I don't know. I'd like to think they created a welfare net for elephants, that would have to be one strong net, but fear that may not be the solution they implemented. Anyway, my understanding is they are gone and no longer to be seen in BKK.

Some of you guys living in BKK may know the real story which may or not be similar to my explanations.

[Arceus]

I just remembered another big difference between Bangkok now and how it was just a few years ago. I was there a bunch of times between 2000 and 2009, and always saw elephants in the city. It was always with a guy leading it around to get money from tourists. I saw them at Soi Cowboy, on Soi Nana, and even at Siam Square near MBK, but not a single one anywhere in BKK on my most recent visit, which I just finished yesterday. Are they still around?

I guess not.

http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/unle...elephants.html

[Wendella]

I just remembered another big difference between Bangkok now and how it was just a few years ago. I was there a bunch of times between 2000 and 2009, and always saw elephants in the city. It was always with a guy leading it around to get money from tourists. I saw them at Soi Cowboy, on Soi Nana, and even at Siam Square near MBK, but not a single one anywhere in BKK on my most recent visit, which I just finished yesterday. Are they still around?

[Trashcanman77]

The anti-government mobs want to turn support against the government in the western media so there is a chance as things get worse that some foreigners will be shot in order to grab headlines abroad. Likewise some of those against the anti-government mobs could target foreigners to put further pressure on the anti-government mobs by accusing them of targeting foreigners as they are ultra-nationalists.

I would strongly suggest that people avoid Bangkok from the 12th of January onwards. There is absolutely no point in putting yourself in harms way. Outside of Bangkok is fine but keep well away from Bangkok.

This is very exaggerated.

[Goatscrot]

You never can predict of course how these things will go. Real violence breaking out is a possible scenario in which case I head down to Pattaya from BKK in a flash. But I have been here thru the coup, the riots, the curfew, the airport shutdown and the floods and in truth none of that besides the 10 pm curfew impacted the goings on around Nana. The girls will always need money and will find a way to get to work. The numbers may go down but the numbers of tourists will drop even more so. When I was here during the curfew and the airport shutdown, the streets were empty of tourists and that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

Been here through the same events as you. I am much more anxious about this one though. I really don't see a good "out" for either side.

[DRRonin]

I had not been too concerned about this over the past couple of months, but it is now not looking good in the run up to the election on 2 February. The Opposition yesterday (2 January) foreshadowed its intent to mount an even

Larger and more disruptive demonstration on 13 January and is threatening to blockade major roads and buildings and shut down the capital (for 10 to 20 days if necessary) unless or until Yinluck steps down. Friends of mine were

Caught up in a similar situation a couple of years ago with the redshirt / yellow shirt conflict and could not get a flight home for a week. Whilst it might sound good to be stuck in Bangkok for a week, I think such a situation could play havoc with the usual variety of mongering outlets / service providers. I am now seriously considering (for the first time) cancelling my proposed trip in mid January for a month or two or until things settle down politically.

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You never can predict of course how these things will go. Real violence breaking out is a possible scenario in which case I head down to Pattaya from BKK in a flash. But I have been here thru the coup, the riots, the curfew, the airport shutdown and the floods and in truth none of that besides the 10 pm curfew impacted the goings on around Nana. The girls will always need money and will find a way to get to work. The numbers may go down but the numbers of tourists will drop even more so. When I was here during the curfew and the airport shutdown, the streets were empty of tourists and that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

[The Pro]

Considering the current political situation, is it a good time for mongering? How safe is Bangkok / Pattaya right now? Any chances of harassment? Answers will be much appreciated.

Thailand is now inching towards civil war.

The anti-government anti-democracy protestors on the streets (Yellow / PAD / Facists) are ulta-nationalists. They hate foreigners and constantly berate the foreign press for reporting them as anti-democracy and anti-democracy, but that is what they are.

Whilst at the moment there has been no serious anti-foreigner attacks there have been reports of foreigners being abused and harassed by the anti-government protestors. One foreign journalist was beaten by them (http://www.chiangmaicitynews.com/news.php?id=2730)

January 13th represents the day the anti-government protesters will attempt to incite violence by shutting down all major roads in Bangkok. They know this will make the taxi drivers, motorbike taxi's and many pro-government people irate with anger and raise significantly the chances of violence.

At this time there is a significant increase in the potential for shootings from "third hand" forces. These are retired army, retired police, militia etc. Where innocents will be shot so that blame can be put on the other side.

The anti-government mobs want to turn support against the government in the western media so there is a chance as things get worse that some foreigners will be shot in order to grab headlines abroad. Likewise some of those against the anti-government mobs could target foreigners to put further pressure on the anti-government mobs by accusing them of targeting foreigners as they are ultra-nationalists.

I would strongly suggest that people avoid Bangkok from the 12th of January onwards. There is absolutely no point in putting yourself in harms way. Outside of Bangkok is fine but keep well away from Bangkok.

[JimboTambo]

Considering the current political situation, is it a good time for mongering? How safe is Bangkok / Pattaya right now? Any chances of harassment? Answers will be much appreciated.

I had not been too concerned about this over the past couple of months, but it is now not looking good in the run up to the election on 2 February. The Opposition yesterday (2 January) foreshadowed its intent to mount an even

Larger and more disruptive demonstration on 13 January and is threatening to blockade major roads and buildings and shut down the capital (for 10 to 20 days if necessary) unless or until Yinluck steps down. Friends of mine were

Caught up in a similar situation a couple of years ago with the redshirt / yellow shirt conflict and could not get a flight home for a week. Whilst it might sound good to be stuck in Bangkok for a week, I think such a situation could play havoc with the usual variety of mongering outlets / service providers. I am now seriously considering (for the first time) cancelling my proposed trip in mid January for a month or two or until things settle down politically.

===========================================

EDITOR's NOTE: This report was written with UNNECESSARY HARD RETURNS at the end of every line of text, resulting in the text being incorrectly broken up into separate, incomplete sentences.

There is NO NEED for any report to be written with UNNECESSARY HARD RETURNS at the end of every line of text.

If you are adding these hard returns at the end of every line by using the ENTER key, then please stop. Instead, when typing simply allow the text to "wrap" automatically at the end of each line. The ENTER key is only needed to separate the paragraphs.

However, if the unnecessary hard returns were the result of you having pasted the text into the forum from another source (such as a news wevsite), then your option is to either edit out the unnecessary hard returns or don't post the text.

Please do not post text with unnecessary hard returns in the Forum. Thanks!

[PinkPearl]

Considering the current political situation, is it a good time for mongering? How safe is Bangkok / Pattaya right now? Any chances of harassment? Answers will be much appreciated.

The mongering & safety now is excellent as always for visitors. The political situation has not affected it at all, except that it has scared away some tourists so that numbers are low like in the low season.

However there is a very small chance things could become dangerous for foreigners, all hell break loose and or the airport be forcibly closed. January 13 is shut down Bangkok day with the reds & yellows set to swarm the streets of the capital. The armies tanks may roll.

[MojoRisinBD]

Considering the current political situation, is it a good time for mongering? How safe is Bangkok / Pattaya right now? Any chances of harassment? Answers will be much appreciated.

[The Pro]

Interesting article.

http://asiancorrespondent.com/64135/..._campaign=Feed%3A+BangkokPundit+%28Bangkok+Pundit%29.

[Bun Biter]

To whom it may concern. To all who are interested in some background information:

Thanks for the links. Very informative. I just hope that what is most feared will not come to pass in the immediate future.

Peace