Bangkok

[MrSpike]

Evening all, just thought I would mention that anyone coming to Bangkok really should avoid the central business district where the likes of Central World and Paragon is etc. I've no idea what the news is showing you in the UK but the protesters have shut down a good portion of downtown Bangkok, and speaking to the security next to my apartment at Four Seasons, the riot police are assembling to try and disperse the 50000 red shirts.

HTH

[ben_h100]

Was there this time last year; sounds like it's much worse now though. The FCO texted uk mobiles with warnings.

Great place nonetheless.

[Nolar Dog]

I'm going to BKK on business tomorrow.

I went on Friday lunchtime and wasn't allowed to go to the building I needed to go to.

Hopefully I'll get there ok this time.

[MrSpike]

Where do you need to go as the protesters are going to be blocking the 11 major roads around the city also from 11am onwards. Noisy barstards were still shouting on their megaphones at 430 this morning!
Check www.thaivisa.com

[thehawk]

ben_h100 said:

Great place nonetheless.

For now, I really hope we are not go to see the country self-destruct.

[MrSpike]

thehawk said:

ben_h100 said:

Great place nonetheless.

For now, I really hope we are not go to see the country self-destruct.

We see but I think it will carry on to Songkran. I can already hear them starting up again from my bed, today's a bank holiday so expect it to be noisy. I'm lucky my office is on Sukhumvit away from the troubles.

[4sure]

oops.....4 of us arriving friday,will keep a low profile.

[MrSpike]

Thai PM Abhisit has just issued a state of emergency in Bangkok now as the protesters have closed a big part of the city down, broke into parliament, the police tried to stop them yesterday at the end of my road but the protesters just let the tyres down on the riot vans.

If any ppl coming here in the next few days want to ring me for a live status update my number is 0066 815641267

[MrSpike]

Also certain hotels have stopped accepting guests:
Four Seasons
The Grand Hyatt Erawan
Intercontinental
Rennaisance
Arnoma
Centara Grand
these are all the main top hotels around my apartment and the epicentre of the protests. There isn't a military curfew yet but it will happen shortly in the next day or so as the red shirts have said they are upping their fight on Friday.

[Adam B]

thanks for the heads up Mr Spike

I have no idea of Bangkok geogrpahy but will this effect a car journey from BKK airport to Hua Hin in the south?

[XJSJohn]

MrSpike said:

We see but I think it will carry on to Songkran. .

... family bond will be stronger than TS's few Bhatt and most people will be on a Ute home for new years party's and water fights ... we were "victim" of enough kids out bracticing their aim in Buriram last weekend!!!!

however ... looks like TS does not want to quit easy so this will return ...

[MrSpike]

You should be fine driving as Hua Hin is a good hour and half drive from BKK, and you will be fine on the highway plus you'll be getting lots of free car washes ;-)

[MrSpike]

XJSJohn said:

MrSpike said:

We see but I think it will carry on to Songkran. .

... family bond will be stronger than TS's few Bhatt and most people will be on a Ute home for new years party's and water fights ... we were "victim" of enough kids out bracticing their aim in Buriram last weekend!!!!

however ... looks like TS does not want to quit easy so this will return ...

Thing is TS is paying them each 500thb a day which is 400 more than picking rice!

[escargot]

One of my employees is out there at the moment. Erk.

[MrSpike]

Right I've ust been downstairs for a nose around and the reds have now started fortifying their position at the end of my road, blocking traffic down to one lane allowing only red shirts in. Imagine if you will Oxford Street in London shut down for 5days due to protests, shops everything. That would be a small scale of what the reds have done here. The atmosphere is very tense with around 70 000 red shirts controlling the situation.

[Mermaid]

Adam B said:

thanks for the heads up Mr Spike

Good stuff Mr Spike, you be careful.

[MrSpike]

Mermaid said:

Adam B said:

thanks for the heads up Mr Spike

Good stuff Mr Spike, you be careful.

As always kind sir

[Adam B]

MrSpike said:

You should be fine driving as Hua Hin is a good hour and half drive from BKK, and you will be fine on the highway plus you'll be getting lots of free car washes ;-)

It was 3 hours door-to-door last time and its a fixed price transfer so no incentive to go the scenic route!
I know Hua Hin will be fine, but thanks for confirming highways south out of BKK are not affected

[XJSJohn]

MrSpike said:

XJSJohn said:

MrSpike said:

We see but I think it will carry on to Songkran. .

... family bond will be stronger than TS's few Bhatt and most people will be on a Ute home for new years party's and water fights ... we were "victim" of enough kids out bracticing their aim in Buriram last weekend!!!!

however ... looks like TS does not want to quit easy so this will return ...

Thing is TS is paying them each 500thb a day which is 400 more than picking rice!

damn, it was THB200 last time around, no wonder they are hanging in there. And its the dry season so no rice harvest anyway.

[phumy]

Adam B said:

MrSpike said:

You should be fine driving as Hua Hin is a good hour and half drive from BKK, and you will be fine on the highway plus you'll be getting lots of free car washes ;-)

It was 3 hours door-to-door last time and its a fixed price transfer so no incentive to go the scenic route!
I know Hua Hin will be fine, but thanks for confirming highways south out of BKK are not affected

I went from Sukhumvit Soi 8 to Hua Hin by taxi in November, i negotiated a price with a taxi driver parked outside my hotel, he initially wanted 2400 baht, i got him down to 1800 about 36GBP and we had a 45 minute stop in Petchburi for lunch. When we arrived at Hua Hin i asked if he could do the return 4 days later, that was agreed at the same price, so all in all i was very pleased.