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Precaution won over lust and I have decided to drop Thailand for my trip end f this month going to Germany instead (FKK clubs and all that) but from what I read this may take the colour of a civil war if things escalate further.
This is the worst news for our mongering community. Guys just imagine we can't go to Thailand!
My prayers with the Thais and hope normalcy returns soon and the great country becomes as safe and as charming as it always is
Take care guys who are on the field.
I don't know, but I have since days now this increasing feeling that this marks the end to the LOS as we mongers know it-after everything is over. I sure hope I am not correct. What also completely puzzles me is the absence from any news about/from the King. Disturbing.
[QUOTE=Mrdurden]Hi,
Apologies for somewhat of a newbie question, but with the street violence (in some areas), I wonder if most mongerers are keeping their activities within or as close to the hotel as possible?
(I've been to BKK once, stayed at the Park Plaza, which I really liked)
I am scheduled to be in BKK in about 3 weeks, and reserved the Park Plaza a few weeks ago but I believe it's a hotel where there aren't any girls that hang around the bar or restaurant (if I recall correctly).
So, am I better off going to a place like Grand Millennium, for example, which has girls in the immediate area and inside the hotel bar itself? Or can one have a good time at the Park Plaza and safely go to the nearby soi areas (near Asoke) for the action?
Thanks in advance to any/all for any helpful replies![/QUOTE]
You need to go to Giotto's Forum, he has everything for you "in house"
[QUOTE=Dominos Dick]Precaution won over lust and I have decided to drop Thailand for my trip end f this month going to Germany instead (FKK clubs and all that) but from what I read this may take the colour of a civil war if things escalate further.
This is the worst news for our mongering community. Guys just imagine we can't go to Thailand!
My prayers with the Thais and hope normalcy returns soon and the great country becomes as safe and as charming as it always is
Take care guys who are on the field.[/QUOTE]Dominos,
Not only the risk and the danger getting caught on cross fire ,I don't think Bangkok is a good place to go mongering right now many local is staying home scare to go out and that included the WG ,many options in SE ASIA monger can go to like PI and China .
Fast eddie 48
Thanks for the constant updates Giotto.
I have a trip to Pattaya and Bkk in early June. Up until the last few days I had no intention of making changes, but I'm thinking it may be a matter of time before lower Suk/Nana and/or Cowboy become directly affected. I'm on the verge of changing my trip to Pattaya/Patong. I got caught up in the airport closure and really cant be bothered to be that inconvenienced again.
[QUOTE=Giotto]Allover,
I walked there today - Soi Cowboy is business as usual, you can walk down the lower Sukhumvit to Soi Nana, no problem. A lot soldiers on Sukhumvit. But it's not a hot-zone of the conflict.
Red shirts apparently try to establish two new stages/sub-demos - one on Victory Monument and one close to Klong Toey market. I have seen the one in Klong Toey already on pictures. The strategy could be to move there in case the pressure on Rajprasong becomes too strong.
I don't think this will happen.
[b]I am more worried about an attack on the main tourist sites when things escalate. We have rumours about a mortar shell hitting Saladaeng approximately one hour ago. If that happens in Nana, lower Sukhumvit or Cowboy ...[/b]
24 people dead - that's the official number from the last 2 days. The official number ... !!!
It seams to be quiet right now - but things change within seconds at the moment.
Be careful out there!
Giotto[/QUOTE]
[QUOTE=Frankfurter]I don't know, but I have since days now this increasing feeling that this marks the end to the LOS as we mongers know it-after everything is over. I sure hope I am not correct. What also completely puzzles me is the absence from any news about/from the King. Disturbing.[/QUOTE] "Disturbing" is the perfect word Frankfurter. This conflict, in essence, could be about the forced degradation of monarchical power. We foreigners who live in Thailand may be too close to the thing to see it as it really is. I personally have been dreading the day the King became too weak to maintain his aura, and I feel that this class dichotomy based conflict was inevitable, written in stone. The spark has always been there, Thaksin Shinawatra, with his incredibly conceited and corrupt vision of absolute power, fueled the explosion. (Each voter for Thaksin received 500 Baht, a fifth of Saeng Som whisky, and a free dinner... yeah Thais are a cheap date.)
The New York Times article addressing this issue today:
[url]http://www.nytimes.com/2010/05/16/world/asia/16king.html?hp[/url]
Distressing, depressing... disturbing. :( Bangkok will certainly take time to change, and our hobby will go on, but yes, a change is definitely on the horizon. Be prepared for it.
Arrived yesterday to my hotel in soi 2 after a long tiring trip from Europe. The taxi driver had problems with accessing the hotel as some streets are closed at the moment. When I arrived at 3 pm the receptionist said I was their first guest today. The floor I stay on, I'm the only one, so here is rather quiet. Outside on the streets everything looks fine as usual, but little more quiet too. Soldiers are spread along sukhumvit up to Asoke especially at the train stations. 2 soldiers were guarding at Nanas the whole afternoon. In the evening there were plenty of activity in Nanas, but less customers the girls I spoke to said. I had a good time and didn't feel any danger, but of course things can changes. Further I'm not local, so I cannot fell how close and serious the fights are for the people.
Schubba
Thai government added a 1 week delay to the start of the School year and instituted a curfew in the zone. Anyone on the street in the zone can be shot.
This is the best map I found:
[url]http://maps.google.co.th/maps/ms?hl=en-GB&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=116480606892254086046.0004817fafbb87b0951c0&ll=13.740969,100.550866&spn=0.028806,0.045447&z=15[/url]
Those considering travel to Thailand may want to consider locations besides Bangkok or utilize travel waivers.
The Nana area is nearly dead, being only 1 KM from the Red Shirt Camp. You can hear gunfire and explosions all night long. Only a handful of food carts were even out on Soi 4 last night.
I was here after 911, Avian Flu and Yellow shirts. This is the lowest tourist flow I have seen in 15 years visiting. Even taxi drivers and working girls told me they are staying home in fear, but also no customers.
Most hotels now have more employees than guests. It is very easy to get a Hotel discount off Internet specials. I got a 20% reduction off the lowest prices at several hotels by asking. One hotel told me that not only do they have fewer guests, but some check-in for a few hours, after changing their plans to Pattaya or Phuket.
Soldiers have been out for over 3 weeks in all the tourist areas, but only Saturday did they deploy several hundred along Sukumvit, housing them at the tobacco factory nearby. Towards Wireless road, you will find armored personnel carriers and sandbag emplacements. The soldiers are very friendly and pose for photos with tourists ;)
Both sides of the issues have kept the violence well contained. I have no fear of getting hurt, attacked or otherwise. The only real injuries or fatalities have been in the declared kill zone. Foreigners cannot go there without a press pass.
If you do come, its probably better to stay near Asok. Its well out of Mortar range.
Be safe everyone.
[QUOTE=Nauskas] You can hear gunfire and explosions all night long.
[/QUOTE]Sorry my friend but that really is not correct. I'm not downplaying the situation but there are far too many media outlets stoking the fire.
11:00pm-05:00am
First good news in days:
tulsathit: [b]Urgent: CRES puts off curfew plan.[/b]
Sunday, 16 May, 2010 5:30:17 PM
tulsathit: [b]CRES has thanked red leaders for allowing kids/women/old ppl to move out of rajprasong.[/b]
Sunday, 16 May, 2010 5:27:29 PM
Obviously no curfew today.
Some kind of talking is going on.
OK, guys, this might be the most dangerous time of the game, IF THERE REALLY IS A THIRD HAND PARTICIPATING!
[size=+2][b]Stay at home or at the hotels![/b][/size]
Giotto
New Google map of the hot zones:
[URL]http://maps.google.co.th/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=116480606892254086046.0004817fafbb87b0951c0&ll=13.738718,100.546618&spn=0.057112,0.111494&z=14[/URL]
[b]Govt declares May 17 and 18 public holidays in Bangkok. [/b]
Sunday, 16 May, 2010 6:42:05 PM
We have to understand this a clear warning, that something is going to happen, if the red shirt leader will not clear the Rajprasong demonstration.
Sukhumvit road is blocked somwhere outside - to prevent new red shirts from entering the city. There are army trucks in Soi Nana, lots of soldiers in the lower Sukhumvit.
If you still need to go out (DON'T) it's Soi Cowboy or Soi 33 for today! Nana seams to be not a good idea right now.
Giotto
[QUOTE=Nauskas]If you do come, its probably better to stay near Asok. Its well out of Mortar range. Be safe everyone.[/QUOTE]
60 mm Mortar 1000-3500 meters
81 mm 4600-5700 meters
107 mm 5600-6800 meters
120 mm 7200 meters
Asok is well within range of random or aimed mortar fire. Especially the heavier and far more lethal (but still highly portable and easily concealable) varieties.
There is nothing that says the fire has to originate from within the "red" zone anyway. In fact, it would more likely not be fired from there as that area is heavily surveilled and too unstable.
Note that either side could launch a veiled attack on tourist areas with different motives, but the same results as far as the victims are concerned.
RPG's, hand and gun fired grenades, burst and single-round gunfire, and IED's also are a threat.
Random acts of violence are likely to occur as the overall secuity situation continues to degrade. Looting, arson, and opportunistic robberies and other crimes may occur.
DO NOT go outside wearing anything red, yellow, or any shade of green which could be mistaken as military camoflage. Women should be especially careful.
It is safest to leave Bangkok and keep a low profile wherever you go.
[QUOTE=Naughty]60 mm Mortar 1000-3500 meters
81 mm 4600-5700 meters
107 mm 5600-6800 meters
120 mm 7200 meters
Asok is well within range of random or aimed mortar fire. Especially the heavier and far more lethal (but still highly portable and easily concealable) varieties.
Note that either side could launch a veiled attack on tourist areas with different motives, but the same results as far as the victims are concerned.
It is safest to leave Bangkok and keep a low profile wherever you go.[/QUOTE]
Yeah... Take cover in the Fuhrerbunker-15-Thermae-Strasse . No I dont think he meant mortars like that.