Bangkok Breaking News – January 16, 2014
On this page we will keep you informed about Bangkok Shutdown. The posts are in reverse chronological order. The latest news is therefore at the top. Times in bold are Dutch time. In Thailand it is 6 hours later.
Common abbreviations
UDD: United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (red shirts)
Capo: Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (the body responsible for security policy)
ISA: Internal Security Act (emergency law that gives the police certain powers; applies throughout Bangkok; less strict than the Emergency Decree)
PDRC: People's Democratic Reform Committee (headed by Suthep Thaugsuban, ex-opposition Democrat MP)
NSPRT: Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand (radical protest group)
Pefot: People's Force to Overthrow Thaksinism (ditto)
22:24 Two incidents Thursday night. At 8 a.m. (Thai time), an explosive device was thrown from a motorcycle at the PDRC rally site at the statue of King Rama VI in front of Lumpini park. It ended up on the footpath at the entrance gate of the park. No one was injured.
At 10 a.m., a grenade was thrown at Suan Pakkad Palace on Si Ayutthaya Road, a museum where Bangkok governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra also lives. The grenade landed in the parking lot, damaged a car and left a crater four inches deep. The palace consists of four traditional Thai houses. The governor was not at home at the time of the attack.
18:21 Farmers who grow vegetables dump their produce at discounted prices at the wholesale market of Srimuang (Nakhon Pathom). A ride to Bangkok is no longer an option due to the traffic congestion in the capital. As a result, farmers lose 25 to 30 percent of their turnover. The supply to the market has increased by 1.000 tons per day. As a result of the smaller supply in Bangkok, the price of fruit and vegetables could rise.
17:43 Two ministers have been indicted by the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) for corruption in the management of the rice mortgage system. The NACC is yet to investigate whether Prime Minister Yingluck was negligent as chairman of the National Rice Policy Committee. If so, her political future is also sealed. She can therefore be prosecuted criminally.
The two ministers are Boonsong Teriyapirom (Trade) and Secretary of State Poom Sarapol (Trade). In addition to them, thirteen others have also been charged, including the former director general of the External Trade Department. The NACC took a year to complete its investigation, interviewing 100 witnesses and plowing through more than 10.000 pages of evidence.
The rice mortgage system is a program in which farmers receive a guaranteed price for their rice. It is extremely controversial because that price is 40 percent above the market price, making Thai rice virtually unsaleable. Last year, Thailand lost its position as the world's largest rice exporter.
16: 12 Hundreds of PDRC protesters from Nonthaburi moved from Chaeng Wattana Road to the Ministry of Health and set up their own podium. The ministry is located in the center of Nonthaburi, which gives them the opportunity to march from there to the Nonthaburi Provincial House and the office of the Permanent Secretary for Defense in Muang Thong Thani.
Public health officials welcomed the demonstrators, but the top civil service boss, who recently expressed his support for the protest movement, did not show up. It has been agreed that electricity and water will not be cut off; the civil servants are also allowed to continue working, so that the medical services are not endangered.
10:24 The man who threatened on Facebook to kidnap the daughters of army commander Prayuth Chan-ocha 'alive or dead' has apologized to the general. Sudchai Boonchai and his family went to the army base of the 11th Infantry regiment today with a letter and a wreath of flowers. Prayuth did not get to see Sudchai, so he handed his apology to a senior army officer. Sudchai threatened to kidnap if the army staged a coup. According to Sudchai, he had not written the post himself, but shared it.
09:22 Many tourists currently holidaying on the islands of Koh Pangan and Koh Samui ignore Bangkok when they return home; they go straight to the airport after an overnight stay on the mainland in Chumphon or Surat Thani. This says chairman Wannee Thaipanich of the Tourism Promotion Association of both islands. Some tourists exchange Bangkok for Krabi or Phuket to spend their last days of vacation.
Bangkok Shutdown will not affect tourism. The last full-moon party Wednesday evening and night [and Thursday morning?] attracted 20.000 revelers. But Wannee is worried when the rallies go on for a long time. Many countries have issued a travel warning and many travel insurers have decided to exclude Thailand from coverage.
Photos: Tourists on Koh Samui.
08:02 From now on, the government will only communicate with the chairman of the Electoral Council, because it is not clear whether the statements made by Commissioner Somchai Srisuthiyakorn represent the opinion of the entire Electoral Council. The government has doubts about two statements: The Electoral Council is calling for the elections to be postponed and the Electoral Council wants to consult with the Prime Minister today. Deputy Minister Pongthep Thepkanchana points out that the government has not received an invitation for such a meeting.
07:32 Three staff members of the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights inspected the Lat Phrao protest site yesterday. They wanted to get an idea of the living conditions of the demonstrators and their safety.
The circumstances are fine, they concluded, the location is well managed, but they were concerned about the safety of the demonstrators. According to PDRC leader Issara Somchai, 500 guards are on duty every day to protect the site.
The UN people also visited the protest site on Chaeng Wattana Road.
07:21 The Stock Exchange of Thailand has moved to the Esplanade shopping center on Ratchadaphisekweg. The move is a precautionary measure in case the NSPRT makes good on its threat to surround the exchange. The NSPRT has threatened to surround Aerothai and SET if Prime Minister Yingluck does not resign by Wednesday. Aerothai has prepared backup systems at three locations, so that air traffic will not be inconvenienced.
07: 15 Members of the State Enterprises Workers' Relations Confederation (SERC) yesterday cut off electricity and water from the home of Minister of the Interior Charupong Ruangsuwan in Chatuchak, Bangkok. The group also ordered someone who was in the house to leave. The minister was not happy about it. He said utilities are a basic need and called on human rights groups to take action.
The Serc is consulting with the PDRC on further plans to cut electricity and water to certain government buildings in the coming days.
07:02 Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, head of the Capo, has ordered the police to quickly arrest action leader Suthep Thaugsuban. Surapong said this last night in response to Suthep's threat that the protest movement will take the prime minister and her cabinet 'in custody'. He warned Suthep not to be 'overconfident'. "Letting Suthep get away with such a threat means that the country has no rule of law, so the police must enforce the law strictly."
06: 34 Prime Minister Yingluck has no meeting with the Electoral Council today. She's too busy, she says. The Electoral Council had asked for a meeting to discuss the elections in private.
Yesterday, the five Electoral Council commissioners were absent from a forum with seventy representatives of various organisations. They were represented by their secretary-general. The forum came to the conclusion that the elections should take place on February 2. The protest movement wants them postponed until political reforms take place.
The Electoral Council says it is short of 41.000 people in the south of Thailand and 5.000 people in Bangkok. The message mentions 'election staff'. I assume that this refers to persons who are necessary for the polling stations, the counting of the votes and other administrative activities.
06:25 An explosive device was thrown at the house of PDRC leader Issara Somchai in Laksi (Bangkok) on Wednesday night. Issara was not home at the time. There were no injuries. The Thung Song Hong Police Department is investigating the matter.
01: 40 Guards at the Nang Loeng protest location of the NSPRT were shot at around half past twelve on Wednesday evening. They were fired upon from a white Honda Jazz. After six shots were fired, the driver sped away.
Half an hour later, a bomb was thrown at the PDRC protest site at Lat Phrao intersection. The bomb was dropped from the flyover but hit the railing causing it to explode prematurely. In both cases no one was injured.
via Twitter:
Richard Barrow @RichardBarrow 5m
1:15pm When I arrived at Asoke intersection I could hear Suthep giving a speech to loud applause. But there was no one there. It was a video
is getting less and less, after the weekend still people on the street?
Dear Jos, I was at Asok yesterday around noon. There weren't many people. Last night the location filled up, I saw on TV. That is the picture every day: few people during the day, crowds in the evening. Monday was an exception, then it was also busy during the day.
Hi Dick,
I read that the situation is getting worse, now I have decided not to cancel my flight but to continue traveling south immediately. What is the best way to travel south from don meuang without having to go to bangkok center? We arrive there in the evening.
Hopefully you can help me a bit, because on the internet I only find trains via the center.
@ Martijn I do not have the impression that the situation is getting worse at the moment. There are some incidents at night, but no incidents during the day or evening. You want to go south? This can be done by plane, train, bus or taxi. Because you arrive in the evening, it seems wise to spend the night in Bangkok first. The hotel can advise you on the best way to travel to the South. Of course it also depends on your budget. You can fly fairly cheap with ThaiAirAsia and other budget airlines.
Hallo,
We arrive in Bangkok on January 30 (with partner and 2 small children) and have booked a hotel near Khao San Road for 2 nights. Is it possible to get here easily from the airport (read taxi) and is this area much affected by the demonstrations? Or do you recommend looking for a hotel in a different area?
Would love to hear your opinion.
@ Sanne I've already answered this question several times, but you probably haven't seen my answer. My advice is: Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai, transfer to the BTS and to Sanam Kila terminal station and take a taxi or tuktuk from there.
Thank you so much!
And what do you think about the area? If I were to travel alone I wouldn't be so "difficult" about it, but yes, I have our children with me 🙂
Hubby thinks I'm too busy.
@ Sanne During my visit to the Asok protest location yesterday around noon, I saw numerous foreigners, including children. I will not recommend this to anyone, but it is an indication that the situation is safe during the day. The advice from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the embassy remains: avoid protest locations. Outside, like in the street where I live, it's business as usual.
@Dick: “Sanam Kila terminal station” can lead to confusion. On maps, etc., that station is called “National Stadium”.
@Bradijs Thanks for the correction. Now that you mention it, I remember. It's wrong on my map. I don't think I've ever been there.
Another option is to travel by BTS from Phaya Thai to Saphan Taksin and take the boat to Khao San road (pier Phra Arthit). You can walk here to Khao San Road (5 minutes). You have nothing to do with traffic jams and such.
The boat is actually still easiest when combined with BTS and MRT.
@ henkJ Thanks for the tip. I didn't know this route yet. I will keep it in mind, because the question will come up more often.
Considered the above tips, but still took a taxi on Wednesday last, window open and within an hour in my hotel near khoasan road! Less than 300 bath! Excl. Toll please note….. drive on meter! Good voyage
we have to go to immigration, tuesday 21/1 (visa and 90 days); do you think there are still possibilities to get there?
Dear Jan: According to the website, the immigration office has moved to its old location in Sathorn, Soi Suan Plu (near MRT Lumpini)
Message 09.22 Many countries have issued a travel warning and many travel insurers have decided to exclude Thailand from coverage.
This is strange, especially if you have already booked a trip and no negative travel advice has been issued by the ministry, and if you fly directly to a quiet area such as KRABI.
Can insurance companies just do this? Remarkably, the country is large with areas where nothing is going on, for example the islands.