Yes, Central Rama III is open. I walked over there at noontime. Tops Supermarket in the basement was pretty busy. The whole place was being guarded by quite a contingent of heavily armed soldiers and police outside. The typically bored-looking lady out in front who was supposed to be checking people’s bags as they entered said she thought they were open until 6pm, but she didn’t seem sure.
And Channel 3 returned to the air about 11am, with a message in the corner of the screen that it’s on a test basis. Looks like we’re creeping back toward normality.
I’m glad to hear that Sam. I have a brother-in-law who lives in Bangkok. Fortunately he was in Indonesia on business when the worst of this erupted. We have just had an email from him - he has decided to stay in Indonesia for the weekend as well.
I haven’t paid too much attention to CNN, but I’ve heard many complaints about wild inaccuracies in its reporting of the Thai crisis. Even the BBC, although to a lesser extent. I can vouch for the 2bangok.com website; I’ve known the man responsible for it for a good many years, a fellow American, and he’s a real expert on Thai politics. (Or so he likes to think, haha.) The Nation and the Bangkok Post websites were good for info on this, too.
Some disturbing news on the local TV just now. Inside the Central World complex, they found 15 bodies bound hand and foot, every one. Apparently red-shirt executuons, with the bodies left to be consumed by the flames.
Looks like the Central branches were open until 8pm tonight. Funny that lady wasn’t sure. Almost 10pm now, and we’re in the third night of curfew. The Expressway outside is looking more deserted, but I was surprised how many vehicles were still out there at 9:20.
Pretty much all commercial businesses and banks are expected to be running by Monday, and the new school year will start then as well, a week late. A lot will be open during the weekend, too. Seven of Bangkok’s 50 districts have been declared disaster areas, because of the rioting.
Meanwhile Nuttawut, one of the leaders inciting the mob to burn down the city is arrested… on an army holiday resort.
His family also is enjoying the facilities.
Amazing Thailand*. No kidding.
** Official motto from the Tourist Authority of Thailand.*
It’s a propaganda piece which I found moving. It shows the red-shirt leaders’ words including promises to burn down important institutions throughout the country. At the end, Thaksin says for him to stop loving his red-shirt brothers would be like asking him to stop breathing.
This tragedy has left many of us shaken, especially since Thailand has long been noted for peace, joie de vivre, compromise.
I knew little or nothing about Manila’s People Power revolution, etc., which may have been triumphs for democracy over dictators. However the large majority of expats here in Thailand understand that this outrage was about one man’s quest for power and wealth, several hundred greedy thugs riding his coattails, and many thousands of deluded naive villagers.
One wonders if the wildly incorrect foreign press coverage, which (possibly due to Thaksin’s business ties) confused so many about the nature of these terrorists, may have exacerbated the crisis.
I don’t watch foreign TV, but I used to read N.Y. Times. Seeing some of its nonsensical reporting from Bangkok (especially from Seth Mydans) has led me to wonder about the accuracy of reporting in general.
He’s a good man and probably close to as honest as you can get and still be a Thai politician. Bland as all get out, though. Has a thoroughly soporific speaking voice and style. I simply can’t bear to listen to him.
The finance minister, Korn Chatikavanij, I like better. He would actually make a good prime minister. I have encountered him a few times, and he is TALL for a Thai. I am 6’3", and he towers over me. I believe he is 1/2 or 1/4 Dutch IIRC, and it’s the farang (Western) genes.
It’s a propaganda piece which I found moving. It shows the red-shirt leaders’ words including promises to burn down important institutions throughout the country. At the end, Thaksin says for him to stop loving his red-shirt brothers would be like asking him to stop breathing.
QUOTE]
Classy. One wonders how promises to burn are meant to attract popular support.
Well, the wife swears she saw that on one of those news feeds that scrolls across the screen, but I can’t find any mention of it anywhere yet, and it’s not been repeated onscreen. I’ll keep an eye out
Worked pretty well this time around! Actually, I’ve never bought much into that whole “peaceful Thailand” scenario. Well, it is peaceful, and I can usually wander the streets late at night without hassle, which is pretty good for a city this size. But I’ve always found the locals to be just plain mean when crossed. It’s almost always personal though, as in feuds and such. Random violence is not that common. But if I ever actually end up crossing a Thai, I try to avoid that person for the rest of my life, because forgive and forget is too often only paid lip service. As long as you’ve not truly pissed someone off, sure, all is giggles and smiles, but I’ve seen some really vicious stuff when a Thai gets his dander up. (Or her. Don’t forget penis amputations!)
Well, I’ve sniffed the wife’s breath, and I don’t think she’s been into the Kahlua. But I’m starting to have my doubts about these 15 bodies. If they turn up again, I’ll let you know tomorrow. I think I’m off to bed.
Sheesh! Okay. Now the announcer is saying one (1) body confirmed, no mention of whether it was bound, and cause of death was apparently smoke inhalation. Unconfirmed is a further report of nine more bodies under the rubble. No mention of binding.
I suspect the guy in the newsroom in charge of feeding the scroll got a little carried away earlier.
Saturday morning and still nothing on those “bodies,” so I guess that was a dud. However, a friend speculates maybe that first report was true, but then the Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation – yes, in the singular; a bit hopeful that – had it yanked, in order not to add fuel to the fire, so to speak, now that Bangkok was calming down. BUT … that’s a bit too much of a conspiracy theory for me. On the other hand, anything is possible over here.
And while I don’t do Facebook myself, I like these photos.
In the Siam Square area, Siam Paragon’s damage was very light. I mentioned they caught those guys looting in Siam Discovery Center earlier, but except for that, I’ve heard nothing about that mall or Siam Center, so I guess they’re okay. MBK Center, or Mah Boonkhrong as many of us still call it, seems to have been untouched from what I can tell.
More good news. The subway will resume full service tomorrow (Sunday). The Skytrain is still assessing damage but expects to resume full service on Monday.
I shall leave soon for a beer-bar inspection.
Oh, and I keep forgetting to mention: Arson carries a possible death sentence in Thailand.
Actually, I’ve never bought much into that whole “peaceful Thailand” scenario. Well, it is peaceful, and I can usually wander the streets late at night without hassle, which is pretty good for a city this size. But I’ve always found the locals to be just plain mean when crossed. It’s almost always personal though, as in feuds and such. Random violence is not that common. But if I ever actually end up crossing a Thai, I try to avoid that person for the rest of my life, because forgive and forget is too often only paid lip service. As long as you’ve not truly pissed someone off, sure, all is giggles and smiles, but I’ve seen some really vicious stuff when a Thai gets his dander up. (Or her. Don’t forget penis amputations!)