Bangkok Breaking News – January 20, 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)

Foreign Affairs travel advice

Travelers are advised to avoid central Bangkok as much as possible, to exercise vigilance, to stay away from gatherings and demonstrations, and to monitor local media coverage daily of where demonstrations are taking place.

Own observation

Half of the walkway (raised footpath) above the Asok intersection has been closed off in the longitudinal direction on the side of the Asoke Montriweg: 'for safety reasons'. There are also some guards.

It is also striking that many tourists ignore the advice not to visit protest locations; at least that's what I found on Asok this morning.

Photo above: Funeral of Prakong Chuchan, who died of his wounds after Friday's grenade attack on Banthat Thong Road. The ceremonies last two days and take place at Wat Thep Sirintharawat.

Photo below: Thai expats demonstrate Sunday outside CNN's Los Angeles office against one-sided reporting.

16:03 A red shirt motorcycle taxi driver was severely assaulted on Rachadamnoen Avenue by a group of PDRC guards on Sunday night, Jan. 12, UDD leader Weng Tojirakarn said. On his way to Wat Ratchanadda, he was stopped by the guards, who searched him and found a UDD membership card. He was allegedly beaten and electrocuted, suffering two broken ribs. The UDD has offered to reimburse the medical costs.

15:49 Thai expats demonstrated outside CNN's Los Angeles office (pictured) on Sunday. They called on the TV channel to report 'fair and balanced' on the political situation in Thailand. So not only display the pro-government position, but also pay attention to the actions of the demonstrators.

15:42 Police believe the grenade attacks on Friday and Sunday were the work of the same group. She bases this on the fact that the same type of grenade was used, a high-explosive RG-5 of Russian or Chinese manufacture.

Police have security camera footage. There are clear shots of the man who threw two grenades on Sunday. Capo and police have placed a sum of 500.000 baht on his head as a reward for information leading to his arrest.

On Friday, 39 persons were injured and 1 later died of his injuries, and on Sunday 28 persons were injured.

15:16 The masseurs and masseuses on Silom Road are not twiddling their thumbs now that the clients are staying away because of the occupation of Silom. Some are I'm there (hot papaya salad).

Smart Wangsakran, manager of a gay massage parlor, says customer numbers have dropped by 70 percent. Since last Tuesday, he earns 2.000 to 3.000 baht a day selling I'm there and omelettes. An omelette with rice costs 20 baht, a plate I'm there 30 baht.

Another salon that mainly serves Japanese people is also struggling with reduced sales. Although the regular customers keep coming, the number of customers from Japan, China, Singapore and Malaysia has fallen 'dramatically'. One of the masseuses says she barely makes minimum wage on commission; normally she would catch 700 to 800 baht a day.

The Kangaroo club in Patpong, a go-go bar, attracts 40 to 60 percent fewer customers. A woman who sells beer in an outdoor bar says her income has dropped by 60 percent. "My hair is starting to turn gray because I have nothing to eat."

In contrast, DJ Station, the main attraction on Silom Soi 2, is running as usual. On Wednesday evening the gay club filled up and remained packed until closing time.

10:23 Small and medium-sized businesses are suffering heavily from Bangkok Shutdown. Jirachayuth Amyongka, vice president at CIMB Thai Bank, says many SMEs have taken up more credit to maintain their liquidity. The rallies cause transportation problems and other business inconveniences.

Some companies are already at the ceiling of their credit. "If the rallies last another week or even a month, the already tight liquidity of SMEs will dry up."

Thakorn Piyaphan (Krungsri) says some business owners have taken out a personal loan on top of their already exceeded credit limit.

Siam Commercial Bank reports that 20 to 30 percent less money is exchanged because the number of tourists has decreased.

09:18 Bangkok Post rants in her editorial today against the sexist and offensive language used by speakers on the PDRC stages. This habit of using sewer language started with the yellow shirts, continued with the red shirts and is now practiced by the PDRC speakers.

Suthep tells Yingluck to get her son to safety, a professor refers to Yingluck's pregnancy and panty liners and an Electoral Commissioner makes an indecent proposal in disguised terms, and the audience laughs and cheers.

Bangkok Post calls it the language of 'drunken louts'. "It's time to use language that even a mother should hear."

08:32 And again rumors of a possible coup are surfacing. That's because the tanks that rolled to Bangkok to participate in Armed Forces Day on January 18 have not yet returned. And that is 'suspicious', but not according to army spokesman Winthai Suwari because they stayed here for training purposes.

07: 31 51 percent of the population supports the idea of ​​the PDRC to form a 'People's Council', according to a poll by Nida. That narrow majority is also in favor of a neutral person as prime minister to lead the country through the political crisis. 32 percent of the 1.250 respondents are against a Volksraad. On the question of whether the elections should be preceded by political reforms, the percentages are in balance: 38 percent say before the elections, 8 say after.

07:25 Despite the presence of a solid red shirt following, PDRC demonstrators in Nonthaburi will besiege government buildings today, starting with the Provincial House. Electricity and water are cut off. Pro-government red shirts have set up camp at the County Hall to protect it. According to Rachen Trakulwieng, protest leader in Nonthaburi, there will be no mating between the two groups. There have been 'peace talks', which are a model for nonviolent resistance, he says.

07:08 Printing company Kurusapa, which was stormed by protesters last week, is still able to print the ballots needed for the February 2 elections, an Electoral Council source says. Some demonstrators entered the building on Friday and tried to destroy the control system of the printing presses, but left untouched the already printed ballots.

Kurusapa has so far printed 90 percent of the banknotes. It says it can also print the remaining 10 percent on time, but that is done in a different printing company. Another problem is transportation. We need to figure out how to get the ballot papers safely to their destination.

07:00 PDRC protesters in Phuket today march towards the Provincial House and wrap it in black tarpaulin. Other government buildings are also decorated in this way.

Leaders and supporters from 23 districts gathered in Nakhon Si Thammarat yesterday to determine their strategy for the day. The governor has said officials should temporarily stop working when their offices are under siege to prevent violence.

PDRC members are also taking action in Satun and Phatthalung.

In Trat yesterday, fifty cars adorned with the national flag and yellow flags and the headlights on drove through the city. Nakhon Ratchasima is struggling with too few demonstrators, so nothing happens there. Many supporters would have moved to the capital. In Tak, nurses and medical staff gathered in front of the Mae Sot hospital. They advocated political reform.

06:10 Prime Minister Yingluck remained tight-lipped when asked this morning whether the current situation warrants a state of emergency. She was asked that question when she arrived at the office of the Defense Permanent Secretary on Chaeng Wattanaweg at 10 am. That office acts as the command post of the government. Other cabinet members and senior officials also arrived.

05:59 The protest movement will besiege the Government Lottery (GLO) office in Nonthaburi and the Government Savings Bank today, protest leader Chumpol Julasai said. The GLO is being blocked because officials of the Budget Bureau of the Ministry of Finance are said to be working there temporarily.

The GSB is under siege to prevent the government from using bank money to pay farmers for their surrendered rice. It is also checked whether offices on Phahon Yothinweg, which were closed earlier, have reopened secretly.

Motorcyclists of the NSPRT are going to check the offices they have closed.

05:51 A pickup was found pierced with bullets in front of the office of the Democratic party in Ratchaburi on Sunday evening. The car belongs to a 42-year-old woman who had parked it there in the morning to join the PDRC protest. Perhaps the gunman thought the car belonged to a core member of the PDRC, the woman suggests.

05:42 On Sunday night, motorcyclists shot at guards standing in front of Thailand Post on Chaeng Wattanaweg. The guards returned fire with fireworks. No one was injured. Shortly afterwards, a similar attack took place on security guards at 14 soi Chaeng Wattana.

Police have made two arrests of people carrying guns. A motorcyclist was arrested on Kamphaengphet Road in Chatuchack. He had a firearm and ammunition with him. On the Phra Phuttha Yodfa bridge, police stopped a vehicle and found knives, sickles, wooden planks, steel rods, slingshots and counterfeit grenades. The police thought that was suspicious.

02:18 Most schools in Bangkok are reopening today after being closed for a week. Only the Wat Pathum Wanaram school, which is sandwiched between two protest locations, keeps its doors closed. The schools are reopening despite concerns about the safety situation because the students would have to make up too many lessons if the schools remain closed for longer.

Srinakharinwirot University will also reopen today. The university is located near the protest site in Asok. Staff and students who cannot reach the university must inform their faculty. Three of the university's demonstration schools will also open today, but students will go home earlier.

01:05 An NSPRT guard was shot at on Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue on Sunday night. He was hit in the chest and has been hospitalized. According to initial reports, the attacker used a firearm with a silencer. Further details are not yet known.