by Hans Bosch
There is a bizarre atmosphere when I go shopping in the nearest Carrefour shopping center in a quiet suburb of Bangkok. It is a small one, along the parking lot with a few banks, a pharmacy, some restaurants and a massage parlor. On arrival, part of the site appears to be cordoned off and it is swarming with police and a few soldiers.
In the Carrefour it is very busy. The Thai don't hoard, they just buy extra. The meat is almost gone, there are no fresh vegetables. Bread is sold out, as are eggs and many other fresh products. That could be something in the coming days. Due to the curfew, the transport of articles is experiencing major problems. The banks remain closed; some ATMs seem to work (still?). All big shopping malls for miles around are closed and Thai TV broadcasts nothing but game shows and images of devastation and fire. How can you ruin your own country like that?
The question is to what extent the police and military are prepared to extend a helping, rescuing and preventing hand in the coming days. In the northeast, for example, they are laughing when another building is set on fire. However: TIT, This Is Thailand. If it continues like this, we may have to eat our own (2) chickens, as well as the two rabbits…
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and just like here-heart old town, Faranglamphu. Yesterday, of course, very unclear how that curfew = curfew would apply. But after 9 pretty much extinct and almost anxious-calm and quiet. Most shops close at 4/5 am. Even the 24-hour 7-11 didn't even make it to 11-18.30:XNUMX. Many shops today, and all banks and gold shops are closed. There are also so few tourists left that opening the door makes no sense. Biggest concern is transportation to/from airport in the dark. And for the working Thai how they still get home - without the grand prize - when the city buses have already broken down.
I was able to perform a small film act together with my son in a 4-minute Thai video clip. This clip was taken at midnight (31 Jan / 10 Feb 2010) in various places in Bangkok. This video clip was shown daily on all Thai TV channels and in cinemas during the months of April and May 2010. We (me and my son) can be seen separately at the check-in counter of the new airport in Bangkok. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7iDkQLpfb8