# There's Rioting in Our Streets, Part 2
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [April 22, 2010, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010 "2010-04-22T17:42:57Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 11
### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/201 "2010-05-19T04:35:11Z")
Fighting is spreading. Just watched an incredibly heavy firefight on TV broadcast from the Samyan area.
Booby-trap bombs are being found around the red shirts’ bunkers, so the press are being told to move back.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/202 "2010-05-19T04:40:31Z")
The government is announcing on TV that some red-shirt leaders have fled the area. They’re asking the public to please call the police if they see them anywhere. A special telephone line has been set up to take the calls.
They’re repeating the announcement IN ENGLISH now.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/203 "2010-05-19T05:05:19Z")
Four red-shirt scum reported killed in the operation so far, 50 injured. Fighting continues.
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### Author:  [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/204 "2010-05-19T05:07:21Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> The government is announcing on TV that some red-shirt leaders have fled the area. They’re asking the public to please call the police if they see them anywhere. A special telephone line has been set up to take the calls.
>
> They’re repeating the announcement IN ENGLISH now.
Among the, allegedly, Arisman, the guy on the video I linked to before, swinging from a cable to escape from arrest.
An Italian reporter death…
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/205 "2010-05-19T05:10:41Z")
I’m sorry for any reporters’ deaths.
The TV is saying red shirts on the main stage in the rally site announced 10 minutes ago that red shirts everywhere upcountry should wreak whatever havoc they could NOW. If it’s true the leaders have fled, then it’s not clear who issued that. Maybe not all of them are gone, maybe it was lower-level minions.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 5:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/206 "2010-05-19T05:15:02Z")
Cooking-gas tanks have been seen in the middle of the street at the intersection of Ratchaprarop and Phetchaburi roads, rigged to explode. One in front of the Amari Watergate Hotel, the other in front of Platinum Fashion Mall. It’s believed they’re to be set off when the soldiers move in.
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### Author:  [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 5:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/207 "2010-05-19T05:17:16Z")
This is starting to sound much bigger than I expected: a tiny group of firebrands, surrounded by a vast majority of dupes. Any feel for this?
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 5:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/208 "2010-05-19T05:19:48Z")
It’s basically a battle for control by two or three elites with different constituencies. Any “class warfare” or “poor versus rich” grass-roots aspect is bunk. There’s a little of that, but it is minor.
Bangkok Bank, Krung Thai Bank, Kasikornbank and Siam Commercial Bank have announced all of their Bangkok branches will close at 1pm, about 40 minutes from now.
That one leader, Arisman, appears to have fled last night, they’re announcing.
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### Author:  [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oslo_Ostragoth)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 5:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/209 "2010-05-19T05:27:36Z")
> [@Siam\_Sam](#):
>
> It’s basically a battle for control by two or three elites with different constituencies. Any “class warfare” or “poor versus rich” grass-roots aspect is bunk. There’s a little of that, but it is minor.
>
> Bangkok Bank, Krung Thai Bank, Kasikornbank and Siam Commercial Bank have announced all of their Bangkok branches will close at 1pm, about 40 minutes from now.
>
> That one leader, Arisman, appears to have fled last night, they’re announcing.
So they either are not dupes, or are total dupes?
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 5:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/210 "2010-05-19T05:30:38Z")
> [@Oslo\_Ostragoth](#):
>
> So they either are not dupes, or are total dupes?
Mix and match. Some of each.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/211 "2010-05-19T06:00:20Z")
The provincial hall – where the main provincial government operates out of – in Khon Kaen province, in the Northeast, has been attacked by local red shirts.
The stock exchange closed at 12:30pm, it’s normal close for morning trading, but it’s not opening again.
A report [here](http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/178426/udd-urges-protesters-to-create-unrest) on the red orders to rise up nationwide.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 6:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/212 "2010-05-19T06:05:56Z")
Okay, well, I’m off into the city, if you can believe that. I promise to be careful.
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### Author:  [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 6:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/213 "2010-05-19T06:40:07Z")
Red leaders surrendering, crowd booing, police moving in the stage…
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### Author:  [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/214 "2010-05-19T06:52:03Z")
Some of the red leaders have been taken to police HQ, probably happy that it wasn’t their own monstrous creating that got their hands on them first.
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### Author:  [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/215 "2010-05-19T07:09:10Z")
Aaand… off they go, the headless red mass.
Reports of them breaking into Central World (right next to the Rachaprasong protest site), starting fires on the first floor. This is, I think, the second largest shopping mall in Bangkok.
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### Author:  [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/216 "2010-05-19T07:37:30Z")
[Looks like Mordor but it’s Bangkok 15 minutes ago.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jrumsBhRe24)
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### Author:  [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 7:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/217 "2010-05-19T07:59:35Z")
> [@](#):
>
> TAN: INN: Dindaeng red-shirt protesters announce independence from main gathering and said it will hunt down members of the press
Internet connection seems unstable now, so it may shut down at any moment.
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### Author:  [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 8:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/218 "2010-05-19T08:10:06Z")
Widespread fire bombing.
Friendly reminder to the red horde, it’s pillage THEN burn, you idiots started right away with the torching.
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### Author:  [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 9:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/219 "2010-05-19T09:02:36Z")
Looting at Siam center, Channel 3 and the stock exchange offices torched, Siam Theater on fire and collapsing, etc, etc…
Curfew expected tonight.
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### Author:  [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)
#### Post date: [May 19, 2010, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/theres-rioting-in-our-streets-part-2/537010/220 "2010-05-19T10:23:13Z")
Hoo-eee! Made it home okay. THAT was a little adventure. From the Expressway, I could see the huge new Airport Rail Link building engulfed in flames. On Bang Na-Trat Road, I found myself right in the center of what looked like the evacuation of Saigon. I learned the red shirts were on their way to _The Nation_ newspaper down the road a bit, it being anti-Thaksin, and everyone there was emptying out into the streets. Central Bang Na shopping center had closed, pouring all of those people out into the streets. I finally said to hell with this and by some miracle found an empty taxi. Made it home.
But now there are red shirts in _our_ area, the bastards. They’ve set fire to the Bangkok Bank close by on Sathu Pradit Road. All Central shopping centers have been closed, including Central Rama III, right by us. All of the little shops downstairs have closed, and the wife and I were going to walk over to Narathiwat Soi 24 to get some drinks and stuff, but people coming from there warned us back. Said red shirts were out there. Bastards!
As **Ale** mentioned, Siam heater in Siam Square has collapsed in flames. The ground floor of the Stock Exchange of Thailand is also burning.
Well, we’re okay for now. Have enough food and water. Curfew in place from 8pm-6am, and it’s almost 5:30pm now. Guess we’ll just hunker down for the night. Since I could not make my rounds today, I’ll need to take care of some stuff from here, so forgive me if I disappear for a while.
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