A reader, Derk Wilken, has provided this account from April 21 in Bangkok.
Now that things have moved so close to our house, grandma and I took a walk yesterday, to see what the fuss is all about. So I took my little point-and-shoot and off we went. Well, there was plenty to see. Determined reds, hyperactive journalists, stern police, and very uncomfortable looking soldiers, carrying real guns. I wanted to tell the soldiers to go home to their mothers on the other side.
There was also a small parade of the red’s counterparts. I dubbed them “Marie Antoinettes” but I think grandma does not approve. Anyway, they are very noisy office ladies waving little Thai flags and shouting “ai hia owk pai” at the reds. Such foul words did not become them.
As is invariably the case with demonstrations, life “around the corner” goes on as normal. In the evening grandma and I had another look-see. Things were much more animated, it was noisy and messy with lots of police. We went to have dinner on Soi Convent, where everything was more or less as usual, but for the razor wire and a few soldiers. It is amazing how quickly you get used to these extraordinary sights.
We followed our dinner with a cultural show at one of the museums in Soi Twilight. Business there was slow, so we went back to the demonstrations for more entertainment. We are just spectators in this drama, after all. I left grandma behind at an agreed meeting point and went behind the red lines by myself. It was dark and there seemed to be only one entrance/exit. In hindsight it was a bit scary as the reds had built up their barricades and would not let their own people out. I overheard a guard telling a lady as much. Behind the barricades I did not see any journalists this time. It felt a bit uneasy, but in the end it was no problem. After taking some pictures I wormed my way out and made it back safely to grandma. We were both hot and sweaty now. A few minutes later we were in a cool taxi, on the way back home. So that’s life in Bangkok. A bit surreal.
8 responses so far ↓
1 TB // Apr 23, 2010 at 1:19 am
“We followed our dinner with a cultural show at one of the museums in Soi Twilight” … hmmmm.
The first time the reds drove through Sliom earlier in April, they were loudly supported by all the Silom street sellers. I saw no disapproval. Of course none of that made it into the press, which showed only one lady telling them to bugger off.
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2 Oliver // Apr 23, 2010 at 9:26 am
what’s interesting in all the pictures of the pro-government rallies is that almost everyone seems to be waving the same model of small thai flag. did all these people SPONTANEOUSLY bought each their own flag on their way to Silom? highly improbable.
compare these pictures to the ones of the pro-government rallies in Iran, it’s the same technique, everybody with their flag and ready-made banner.
I see it as an obvious proof of the high level of planning and organisation of these rallies. it has nothing to do with fed up citizens spontaneously trying to reclaim their streets.
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3 Charles F // Apr 23, 2010 at 3:10 pm
The only thing missing from these photos is a wild eyed demonstrator holding up a, “Yes we can”, sign.
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4 Percy Thrower // Apr 23, 2010 at 5:53 pm
Oliver,
Yes that was bizarrely amusing. It looked like someone had mustered their maids, gardeners, wives,daughters and aunts down there.
If only the immigration police had been on hand to check some I.D. cards.
As an impartial observer I was struck by the look of boredom on their faces and the peculiar, stage-managed crowd movement- or was it a rotation? A very poor show and sadly lacking in dynamism. I do appreciate it was hot tho. (and the shopping malls were closed)
What’s a girl to do??
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5 derk wilken // Apr 23, 2010 at 8:06 pm
Oliver, there was nothing spontaneous about it. The lady with the megaphone had a script that she read instructions from.
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6 michael // Apr 24, 2010 at 12:30 pm
Apart from the fact that it is sometimes amusing to see large numbers of people doing the same thing (the corps de ballet in Swan Lake; the troops duck-walking in a Nth Korea military parade & saluting the revered leader always make me giggle), I can’t see your point. The “high level of planning and organisation of these rallies” is one of their saving graces. The stage managers are to be commended.
On the 2 occasions I’ve taken a stroll through ‘the mob’, I’ve been impressed by the organisation: cleaner streets than usual, due to all the well-placed giant garbage bags, orderly food-stalls, rows of stalls vending Red paraphernalia (including the flags), neat tubular-framed tents, all marked with names of the area of the occupants (& guarded), and security posts. Last Saturday evening my shoulder-bag was checked 3 times in the space of an hour and a half at Ratchaprasong, & I was impressed, making it all the more horrifying (and mysterious) when the violence occurred.
You’re right: it’s “nothing to do with fed up citizens spontaneously trying to reclaim their streets.” But they ARE fed up up, and have been for a long time. “Reclaim” be buggered. What they’re trying to claim is something they’ve never had. Thank god for the lack of what you call spontaneity. It’d be chaos.
Perhaps some of what you take for boredom is fatigue – & stress. And yes, it is boring doing this sort of thing on a 24/7 basis. But that doesn’t mean they’re insincere.
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7 Nigella // Apr 25, 2010 at 2:47 am
@ Michael at #6:
Oliver and Percy Thrower were commenting about the anti-Red (ie fed-up with the UDD) protesters, not the Red/UDD protesters.
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8 michael // Apr 25, 2010 at 11:12 am
Oo-er…hmm. Blimey! Looks like you’re right, Nigella #7. That’s what comes from skimming. Silly me! Sorry, people. (Must say I’m relieved.)
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