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[QUOTE=Margaya; 1519976]Guys,
If my Feb-March trip doesn't workout due to current unrest in LOS, which place in Asia would be your suggestion for a backup?
Angelas city? Jakarta? Any other?[/QUOTE]I was in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur & Penang) & Indonesia (Jakarta & Bali) in the recent past. Really enjoyed all of it. Good for mongering, maybe not as good as Thailand but still good and nice places aswell.
Here's a link to an article in the 16 January Bangkok Post that I found interesting, and not in a good way.
A group of armed red-shirt militants, experienced with weapons use, who claim to be beyond the command and control of anyone, has stashed arms and ammunition in and around Bangkok. They are waiting to see what happens with the 2 February election. They also say they are prepared to challenge the military or any agency that intervenes in the dispute.
[url]http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/politics/389759/radical-reds-tocking-arms-for-city-fight[/url]
I read a great deal of scare-mongering on this forum.
I was here during the last coup and during the last red shirt 'insurrection', and I have the T-shirt to prove it. On neither occasion was it a big deal, unless you went out of your way to find trouble. If the airport gets closed (which both sides promise not to do) then it could be inconvenient.
Thailand is a big country. Just come out here, enjoy yourselves, and stop worrying.
[QUOTE=Mouse1; 1520235]I read a great deal of scare-mongering on this forum.
I was here during the last coup and during the last red shirt 'insurrection', and I have the T-shirt to prove it. On neither occasion was it a big deal, unless you went out of your way to find trouble. If the airport gets closed (which both sides promise not to do) then it could be inconvenient.
Thailand is a big country. Just come out here, enjoy yourselves, and stop worrying.[/QUOTE]Mouse1, I wrote in a recent post that if I had time and a ticket to fly out in the morning, I'd be on my way back.
I reported on the Bangkok Post article in the interest of full disclosure. Though I think it's unlikely, in a worst case scenario things could get very ugly and very dangerous. In which case as you point out, it's a big country.
I've been going to the Landmark Hotel website and using it's webcam to see what the traffic looks like on Sukhumvit. On Monday there was very little traffic. On Tuesday they re-positioned the cam so you couldn't see the street. Now they have it positioned so you can see traffic coming from the east. Compared to Monday there is quite a bit of traffic. Maybe not as much as normal, but taxis, cars and pickups, as well as motorbikes are getting through.
[QUOTE=Mac75;1520153]I was in Malaysia (Kuala Lumpur & Penang) & Indonesia (Jakarta & Bali) in the recent past. Really enjoyed all of it. Good for mongering, maybe not as good as Thailand but still good and nice places aswell.[/QUOTE][QUOTE=BionicMan; 1520103]Maybe Phuket, with its own airport can be a B plan. Ought be that the BKK big city is hit by extended protests.
Pattaya is out of question as too much depending on BKK airport.
As an alternative country I would vote for Philippines, the next to Thailand for mongering, even if I have never bene there, st similar price levels.[/QUOTE]Thanks guys. BionicMan's suggestion is brilliant, hopefully Phuket will avoid trouble alltogether. If worse comes to worse, I might have to switch to phillipines or Indonesia.
Speaking of scare mongering, it does seem like it is not business as usual esp at soicowboy. If things worsen or don't improve quickly, mongering in LOS may be a ridiculous misadventure for some time.
Just checked out the traffic on Sukhumvit on the Landmark's webcam. At 23:15 there was just a trickle of cars. I'm reading more reports that the numbers of people at the Asoke demonstration site grows at night. These reports say the sites are peaceful. Apparently the protesters spill over into Soi Cowboy. NEP is far removed from the protest site so it is less affected.
[QUOTE=Paul Kausch;1520424]Just checked out the traffic on Sukhumvit on the Landmark's webcam. At 23:15 there was just a trickle of cars. I'm reading more reports that the numbers of people at the Asoke demonstration site grows at night. These reports say the sites are peaceful. Apparently the protesters spill over into Soi Cowboy. NEP is far removed from the protest site so it is less affected.[/QUOTE]I just spoke to the superstar girl Noi from Doll House and she said Soi Cowboy is a bit quiet but not really interfered with by the mob. She just suggested to enter from Soi 23. I probably might not use the Asoke Place short time Hotel. Doll House has special rooms upstairs for a ST fuck. Just a few bars have that. ST Hotel Penny Black is actually in Soi Cowboy, not that far from Asoke but may be still usable. Bars at Soi 23 end might well be favoured at the moment such as Crazy House, Baccara, Shark, although these last two suit tastes of guys who like the artificial fake girls (not many girls for me there). Interestingly Crazy House doesn't have lots of fake stuff but still attracts plenty of Japanese because the girls are just naturally superior looking, on average.
[QUOTE=Syzygies;1520733]I just spoke to the superstar girl Noi from Doll House and she said Soi Cowboy is a bit quiet but not really interfered with by the mob. She just suggested to enter from Soi 23. I probably might not use the Asoke Place short time Hotel. Doll House has special rooms upstairs for a ST fuck. Just a few bars have that. ST Hotel Penny Black is actually in Soi Cowboy, not that far from Asoke but may be still usable. Bars at Soi 23 end might well be favoured at the moment such as Crazy House, Baccara, Shark, although these last two suit tastes of guys who like the artificial fake girls (not many girls for me there). Interestingly Crazy House doesn't have lots of fake stuff but still attracts plenty of Japanese because the girls are just naturally superior looking, on average.[/QUOTE]Just came through the Asoke / Sukhumvit junction and seen a noticeable increase in numbers and edginess of the men in black with their obligatory shades. They have shut down the skywalk across the intersection, the first indication showing they can take over the BTS network whenever they want to. My take. The so called Bangkok shutdown is not working hence the need to racket up the stakes. How they felt that upsetting the residents of Bangkok and affecting their financial wellbeing was going to further their agenda puzzles me. Bangkok along with the south is their base so why shut it down. Meanwhile tourists are flocking to Chiangmai where business is booming.
[QUOTE=Syzygies;1520733]I just spoke to the superstar girl Noi from Doll House and she said Soi Cowboy is a bit quiet but not really interfered with by the mob. She just suggested to enter from Soi 23. I probably might not use the Asoke Place short time Hotel. Doll House has special rooms upstairs for a ST fuck. Just a few bars have that. ST Hotel Penny Black is actually in Soi Cowboy, not that far from Asoke but may be still usable. Bars at Soi 23 end might well be favoured at the moment such as Crazy House, Baccara, Shark, although these last two suit tastes of guys who like the artificial fake girls (not many girls for me there). Interestingly Crazy House doesn't have lots of fake stuff but still attracts plenty of Japanese because the girls are just naturally superior looking, on average.[/QUOTE]Just saw the report on the explosive. This explains the tension I witnessed.
[QUOTE=Franciscass;1520739]Just came through the Asoke / Sukhumvit junction and seen a noticeable increase in numbers and edginess of the men in black with their obligatory shades. They have shut down the skywalk across the intersection, the first indication showing they can take over the BTS network whenever they want to. My take. The so called Bangkok shutdown is not working hence the need to racket up the stakes. How they felt that upsetting the residents of Bangkok and affecting their financial wellbeing was going to further their agenda puzzles me. Bangkok along with the south is their base so why shut it down. Meanwhile tourists are flocking to Chiangmai where business is booming.[/QUOTE]They shut down the skywalk for security reasons. However no big deal.
Bangkok has had bombs before. Things were far worse when the red shirts were protesting in the past. So some of us not feeling such high "tension" with the throng at Asoke. They are good people (largely). It did not bother me to pass through the throng at all. I still feel safer late at night here than what I would in New York, because I am used to it here.
Its really only the possibility of large escalation of the situation if red shirts should mass and confront, that is the concern. Then army would be forced to act.
So Sukhumvit mongering does not need to be affected, more than mild inconveniences like intersection closed and skywalk closed. I will have fun in Sukhumvit today completely as normal.
[QUOTE=Paul Kausch;1520424]Just checked out the traffic on Sukhumvit on the Landmark's webcam. At 23:15 there was just a trickle of cars. I'm reading more reports that the numbers of people at the Asoke demonstration site grows at night. These reports say the sites are peaceful. Apparently the protesters spill over into Soi Cowboy. NEP is far removed from the protest site so it is less affected.[/QUOTE]Last night the protesters on Asoke intersection were fairly thinly spread. Walking on East side of Asoke (Cowboy entrance area) was not blocked at all around midnight. So I guess some protesters may go home and come back again another time. Has a big entertainment stage right in the intersection to entertain those who stay the whole night. Seems like a normal outdoor concert but less packed with people.
[QUOTE=Syzygies;1521013]Last night the protesters on Asoke intersection were fairly thinly spread. Walking on East side of Asoke (Cowboy entrance area) was not blocked at all around midnight. So I guess some protesters may go home and come back again another time. Has a big entertainment stage right in the intersection to entertain those who stay the whole night. Seems like a normal outdoor concert but less packed with people.[/QUOTE]I understand many officer workers are going to the Asoke intersection after work. Later at night they leave for home as they have to get up the next morning and go to work.
Funny Experience yesterday. A European guy and his Thai girl look lost. I am standing at Sukhumvit Soi 24 and looks like he just got of the Phrom Phong BTS. He asks me where is Soi 11. I say its a long way that way, but he should get back on the BTS rather than attempt to walk. He eventually admits he is looking for the Robin Hood (so Soi 11 is irrelevant). Ah, I say that that is across the road and head towards Asoke (at Soi 33/1). He insists it is the other direction and wants to head for Thonglor so I guess he has lost his bearings. Eventually I get out the Google Maps on the phone and show him us (blue spot) and RobinHood (red spot). Having smart phone with 3G is somewhat indespensible for the traveller not knowing his way around.
just a comment on the airport. i and a special lady from sakaeo (anesthesia nurse) flew over to singapore for a long weekend. when we arrived into the airport, around 10am, there were very few souls. when we got up to immigration and she went right to the thai side and i went up the farang side i have never seen so few people. maybe, maybe all of 12 rep001tered over a number of immigration officers.
maybe it was the time of day for i normally get in around 11:30am from the usa and it is crowded. i would like to see the spin tot puts on this.