Time to head to Pattaya!!!
Avoid those scary mobs, and if a mustached maylay moolie Thai tries to chat you up, head the other way!! The cabbies could get methed up, drunk and want to open a can o' Kick ass on the horny farhang if stuff gets out of hand.
Remember that one angry Thai dude can kick your teeth out and a mob can turn you into a "farhang pinata" with literally no emergency services to take you to the Hospital. At least the Bumragrad is near Nana.
This has GOT TO make the Baht drop.
POLITICAL PARTY RULINGS
Bangkok on high alert for violence
13,000 soldiers, police to be deployed in areas considered to be flashpoints; Democrats, TRT deny mobilising supporters
BANGKOK: -- Security will be tightened in areas likely to be flashpoints for violence ahead of tomorrow's landmark rulings of the Constitution Tribunal on the electoral fraud cases against the country's two largest political parties.
A 13,000-strong combined force of police and soldiers will be deployed to maintain order and prevent violence, Council for National Security chairman General Sonthi Boonyaratglin said. He was speaking after a meeting of officials in preparation for judgement day.
There has been concern that supporters of the rival parties are likely to gather in great numbers in the capital and could cause trouble if they find the rulings disappointing.
From this afternoon, police will seal off the Constitution Tribunal building and search its compound to ensure no explosive devices have been planted, Police Lt-General Adisorn Nonsee, the Metropolitan Police commissioner, said.
He said the police would also secure nearby bridges tomorrow, when the tribunal is scheduled to read its verdicts on the separate cases against the Democrat and Thai Rak Thai parties, as well as three smaller political parties.
Police will work with military officers and city officials to prevent any violent incidents, Police General Vichien Pojphosri, a senior police commander in charge of security, said.
Hundreds of police officers will be stationed at Sanam Luang and the Royal Plaza, where Thai Rak Thai supporters are expected to gather, and at the headquarters of both the Democrat and Thai Rak Thai parties.
Authorities have been on alert after receiving intelligence that party supporters from the provinces are travelling to the capital. However, the Democrat and Thai Rak Thai parties have dismissed reports that they are mobilising their supporters.
Thai Rak Thai's caretaker leader Chaturon Chaisang yesterday accused the junta of spreading rumours to paint a bad image of the "old power clique" of which the party was a part.
The use of a backup military force, comprising another 43 companies from Bangkok-based Army units, if needed, would be "decisive" and "lawful", Army commander General Sonthi said yesterday.
Sonthi said he gave direct orders during yesterday's meeting with unit commanders that all soldiers participating in all security operations "must be unarmed" and would not be positioned in areas involving direct confrontations with protesters.
The 13,000-strong force comprises soldiers from 29 companies, Bangkok-based policemen and municipal policemen. Its main duty is to guard against possible violent incidents between supporters of Democrat and Thai Rak Thai parties, or anti-junta activists and the soldiers themselves.
Police will concentrate their efforts on curbing anti-junta movements that could be supported by taxi motorcyclists and taxi drivers.
A police intelligence report warned that the groups, referred to as "mobs in red shirts", might operate across the capital to create disorder if the verdicts dissolve any of the parties, or both.
Bangkok police chief Pol Lt-General Adisorn Nonsee said all 88 police stations had been observing the group's ongoing movements and their expected activities in the next few days.
Checkpoints will be set up on major city streets to intercept their vehicles or make arrests in case the group members showed signs of disobedience.
Elephants will also be barred from entering Bangkok at this time.
A bomb threat was received on telephone at the Thai Rak Thai Party's former headquarters on New Phetchaburi Road yesterday morning.
The caller said explosives would be set off but did not specify at which TRT office the attack would take place.
The official who received the call at 10am then telephoned the party's new headquarters at Navasorn Building on Rama 3 Road. Security officials and two sniffer dogs were called in to search the building but found nothing suspicious.
Meanwhile, Chaturon has called a meeting of party members to ensure there are no disturbances tomorrow when the Constitution Tribunal rules on the party's possible dissolution.
Chaturon is worried that if there is any disorder following the ruling, or if ill-intentioned people disguise themselves as Thai Rak Thai Party supporters and create disturbances, the Council for National Security may blame the party for any turmoil.
The party plans to send a few members to hear the verdict but Chaturon has instructed all other party members and supporters not to go to the tribunal but to hear the verdict at the party's headquarters.
TRT has also asked the police to deploy 200 officers at its headquarters tomorrow to maintain security.
Areas where trouble could possibly erupt
- Sanam Luang: Tomorrow, when the Saturday People Against Dictatorship plans an anti-coup rally. Popular Jatukam Ramathep amulets will be given away to gatherers.
- The Royal Plaza: Thursday, when PTV plans a rally at a nearby location.
- Headquarters of the two main parties involved: the Democrats, off Rama VI Road, and Thai Rak Thai at the Navasorn Building on Rama III Road.
- Checkpoints will be set up at Pok Klao, Pin Klao and Krung Thon bridges and on all roads connecting to them. These bridges and certain sections of the roads will be closed if the protest becomes too large.
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Places to avoid
Areas with heavy police presence
- Within the Constitution Court compound on Chakra Phet Road, where only 500 people will be permitted inside.
- Around the compound, where 900 policemen and a back-up force comprising an unspecified number of soldiers and municipal police will be on duty. Only 3,000 supporters of both parties and onlookers will be allowed near the compound
Source: The Royal Thai Police
BANGKOK: -- Foreigners in Bangkok were on Tuesday warned to exercise caution amid mounting security fears ahead of a landmark court decision over whether to dissolve Thailand's two largest political parties.
Australia, Canada, France and Japan all advised their citizens to show a high degree of personal security awareness as Wednesday's verdict could trigger violent demonstrations in the Thai capital.
"You should avoid demonstrations, political rallies and concentrations of military personnel," the Australian embassy in a statement.
The Japanese embassy called on its citizens to "stay away from expected political rallies" and "act very cautiously so as not to get involved in possible unrest and terror attacks."
Thailand is the fourth most popular foreign destination for Japanese tourists after the United States, China (including Hong Kong) and South Korea.
Some 900 police will be deployed on Bangkok's streets Tuesday evening, protecting the Constitutional Tribunal offices and setting up checkpoints to deter party supporters from travelling to the capital from the provinces.
Some 15,000 Thai troops were on alert Tuesday across the country to deter possible violence, officials said.
The Canadian embassy warned that planned protests might turn violent and urged its citizens to "maintain high level of personal security awareness" and avoid "unnecessary travel" in Bangkok.
The US embassy here has left its travel advice unchanged, urging tourists and expatriates to monitor events and avoid large public gatherings.
The British embassy's travel advice, which was updated on Wednesday last week, also urged its citizens to avoid demonstrations and large crowds.
On Wednesday, Thailand's Constitutional Tribunal must decide whether Thai Rak Thai, the party formed by ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, and the Democrat Party are guilty of a slew of charges of electoral fraud related to annulled elections in April last year.
The tribunal has the power to dissolve the parties and ban their executives from politics for five years.
The potentially divisive ruling comes after more than a year of political upheaval culminating in the September 19 coup against Thaksin.
-- AFP 2007-05-29
CNS security plan can tackle 10,000
BANGKOK: -- The Council for National Security (CNS) yesterday unveiled a new security plan designed to control up to 10,000 protesters rallying against tomorrow's verdicts on the two electoral fraud cases against the Thai Rak Thai and Democrat parties.
"The plan, dubbed Pitak I, is aimed at pre-empting any protest-related violence," CNS spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnoed said.
The plan has already been activated and will remain in force until June 1 - or until all suspicious activities have ceased.
Soldiers from three branches of the armed forces and policemen will be mobilised to enforce crowd control measures, he said.
Under the plan, security authorities will strive to help people gain an understanding of the political situation, and monitor mass activities with the aim of discouraging the crowds from protesting against the verdicts. In the next step, authorities plan to set up road checks on all main roads linking Bangkok with the provinces in order to prevent villagers from descending on the capital.
Some 10,000 anti-riot forces have been on a high state of readiness within their barracks for immediate deployment should the situation arise.
If the crowds turn unruly, the CNS is fully prepared to declare a state of emergency before deploying anti-riot forces.
Sansern said the CNS would implement crowd control measures step by step ranging from a verbal warning to a crack down. Authorities will invoke harsh suppression as a last resort, he added.
He dismissed speculation that the CNS might mobilise its own crowds to counter the protests, saying authorities have no plans to incite people to clash with one another.
In today's Cabinet meeting, CNS chairman General Sonthi Boonyaratglin is expected to brief ministers on the security plan.
Sonthi plans to dispatch military officers to reason with villagers and disgruntled farmers ahead of tomorrow's verdicts. The dispatched officers will focus on the North and the Northeast.
He is expected to personally supervise the plan and monitor all mass activities.
First Army Region commander Lt-General Prayuth Chan-ocha, has alerted all security officials in the capital to brace for possible disturbances caused by motorcycle taxi drivers.
The CNS is anticipating a highly volatile public mood should the Thai Rak Thai receive an unfavourable verdict.
As a precaution, it is braced for every possible scenario if the crowds turn unruly even though it has no hard evidence to suspect any plans to incite violence.
"Among the staunch Thai Rak Thai supporters are some 80,000 taxi drivers and about 100,000 motorcycle taxi drivers, there is no way to predict their reaction to the outcome of the judicial review," the CNS spokesman said.
He said authorities must be prepared for unforeseen circumstances even though a mere 200 taxi drivers might join the protests.
Nice price flights from Bali to Bangkok
Hey,
I try to find a niceprice ticket from Bangkok-Bali-Bangkok. Is there someone with some experience on this trip?
I only found bussiness tickets and it is way too much for me. Someone knows about boats or alternative ways to get to Bali?
I heard someone said it is budget flights possibilities with some new agencys like Ryanair and Easyjet. Someone with more information?
What is this forum about, after all?
[QUOTE=Jimmy Red Cab]Those prices are not so outrageous, if she is pretty why should she get shagged by old men for a pittance. ?????????[/QUOTE]
One would hope due to poverty. Remember, poverty is our friend, Jimmy.
I for one am pleased when pretty young girls must get shagged by old men for a pittance.
