Gaybutton

The BANGKOK POST is now reporting that the curfew extends to other provinces to the north and northeast of Bangkok. The trouble is the article does not say which provinces. As far as I know, Pattaya does not fall under the curfew. __________ Curfew in Bangkok, Many Provinces The Centre for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) has announced curfew in Bangkok and nearby cities and provinces in the North and Northeast earlier placed under emergency law. People in areas under curfew are not allowed to leave their homes from 8pm to 6am, with immediate effect. State authorities are allowed to perform their duties in the restricted areas to restore peace and order. The curfew order was signed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva late this afternoon. Curfew in Bangkok, many provinces

At 1:40pm today the Red-Shirt leaders surrendered. Then things went absolutely berserk. In Khon Kaen, Mukdahan and Udon Thani they set fire to the city halls. There are reports that the Red-Shirts stormed the city hall in Ubon Ratchathani, but so far I have seen no reports of fire being set there. Meanwhile, in the midst of all this Pattaya still remains perfectly normal and no incidents have taken place here. Let's hope it stays that way. _____ Curfew Imposed 8 pm to 6 am The government imposed curfew in Bangkok from 8 pm to 6 am. The curfew will be in place until further notice. ____________________ Red Shirts Attack TV Station, Stock Exchange Red shirts protesters went berserk on Wednesday after their leaders surrendered to police and ended Rajprasong rally. They attacked by setting fire on TV 3 Channel and library of Stock Exchange of Thailand. One staffer said cars parked outside the building were set on fire and protesters then entered the Channel 3 building. The fire sent thick black smoke into the air. The channel stopped broadcast, showing only channel logo as the fire start at the floor of the station. TV reporters who were trapped inside the building telephoned their friends, complaining that no police and fire fighters came to their rescue. The protesters also set fires at the Stock Exchange of Thailand building. A library in the building of Thailand's stock exchange is on fire, Channel 7 reported. Journalists at Bangkok Post and the Nation dailies said they were evacuating their building following threats from the Red Shirts. The protesters have accused local media of being biased toward the government. Their barricaded encampment was overrun by the army on Wednesday. Red shirts attack TV station, stock exchange ____________________ Protesters Loot Siam Square, Set Fire to Siam Theatre Angry red-shirt protesters looted shops at Siam Square and set fire to the Siam Threatre, Jor Sor 100 traffic radio station reported. The fire caused the theatre to collapse but the blaze was still raging as protesters tried to block officials from fighting the fire. Protesters loot Siam Square, set fire to Siam Theatre ____________________ Looting Taking Place at Central World Angry protesters were looting at Central World right now at3:40 pm. Looting taking place at Central World ____________________ Angry Protesters Set Fire to Channel 3 Protesters set fire to the ground floor and car park of Channel 3 at 3 pm. The fire caused damages to some 10 vehicles. A man who covered his face set fire to the Bangkok Bank office on the first floor. Frightened staffs ran out of the office. Angry protesters set fire to Channel 3 ____________________ It has also been reported that both THE NATION and BANGKOK POST offices have been evacuated and the staff sent home. The BTS will suspend service at least through Thursday. There are no reports yet as to when bank branches will reopen.

The military has retaken Lumphini Park and say they have cleared it. Seven Red-Shirt leaders say they will surrender and have said the protest should end to avoid further loss of life. The rank and file Red-Shirts are refusing to end the fighting despite what the leaders are saying. The Red-Shirts in both Khon Kaen and Udon Thani have raided each respective city hall. In Bangkok, Bangkok Bank, Krung Thai Bank, Kasikornbank and Siam Commercial Bank closed all of their branches throughout the city as of 1:00pm. Their ATMs will continue to be operational, but the branches are closed at least for the remainder of the day. It is reported that Thaksin is warning the Abhisit government that guerrilla warfare may be next.

I think that's possible, but highly unlikely, especially since the military seems to be dispersing the protest at this very moment. I can't envision the government permitting another airport takeover and so far the Red-Shirts have given no indication of such an intent. However, things are changing so rapidly now, literally minute by minute, that nothing can be completely ruled out at this point.

If that is the way it works, why not try creating a Hotmail account and making a second registration with Camfrog? Maybe that will cure the problem.

Troops, Armoured Vehicles Converge on Silom Hundreds of police and troops, backed by armoured vehicles, converged on the red-shirt protesters' camp in Bangkok early Wednesday, raising fears of an imminent crackdown. Published: 19/05/2010 Twelve armoured personnel carriers (APCs) with machine guns mounted on top arrived in the Silom business district, and two took up positions in front of the protesters' homemade barricades before dawn. Nearby, several trucks dropped off troops wearing balaclavas and carrying weapons and riot shields. Hundreds of armed police were forming lines in Sukhumvit Road, a main thoroughfare leading into the protest zone, backed up by some 20 police vans on the roadside. APCs were also seen beginning to demolish the protesters' barricades. Buildings around Din Daeng and Bon Kai areas including the Office Narcotics Control Board were set on fire in the morning. Heavy smoke was seen covering Chulalongkorn Hospital as it was considering whether to evacuate patients. PM's secretary-general Korbsak Sabhavasu said in a television inerview on Wednesday morning that the government is determined to disperse the rally today and the only option left for the red-shirts is to surrender and enter the justice process. http://www.bangkokpost.com/lite/topstories/178397/troops-armoured-vehicles-converge-on-silom

I think you're right to do that. Too many farang mislead these boys into thinking they now have a farang boyfriend.

You mean other than the 47 countries warning people about traveling to Thailand? Actually, I see no reason at all for you not to come to Pattaya. Virtually nothing is going on here and there are no problems of any kind at the airport or the expressway between the airport and Pattaya. You won't be anywhere near the problem areas. That's the way things are now. Of course, no one knows how things will be a week from now, but so far it's as if Pattaya is in a protective bubble. Absolutely nothing is out of the ordinary here and as I've said several times, if it wasn't for the news media and television, you wouldn't have any idea anything is happening at all. Tourist numbers are way down, though. Last night RichLB and I had dinner together in Jomtien and then went to Jomtien Complex for a while. It was almost eerie. In all my time in Thailand I have never seen Jomtien and Jomtien Complex so empty. Even at 3:00am it isn't as empty as it was last night. In Jomtien we saw less than 10 farang at all. Most of the people out and about were the Thai street sellers and bar and restaurant workers, but almost no farang. If RichLB sees this post, I'm sure he'll corroborate what I'm saying. Yesterday a bar boy friend of mine, who normally gets taken off at least once every two or three days came to me for some help (and yes, I did help him and there was no sex involved). He apologized for coming to me for money, but he hasn't been taken off in 18 days and he has no money left even to buy food. I took him shopping for food, some medicine at a pharmacy, and gave him some money. He said nearly all the bar boys are having a very rough time because of the severe drop in tourist numbers. He said there are very few customers and even fewer boys being taken off. He said if this continues, many will have to go back home at the end of the month because there is no way they'll be able to pay the rent on their rooms. This boy lives with his mother and stepfather, so he'll at least still have a place to stay, but they're broke too. But I've also noticed a marked increase in the number of calls I'm getting from boys, many of whom I haven't heard from in ages. In Jomtien Complex there were several farang, but far less than the usual numbers. But that doesn't alter the fact that so far Pattaya is perfectly safe and looks like it will stay that way.

Peace Hopes Fading By Naya Jaikawang, Thanitaya Tanapisutkul, Piyanart Srivalo The Nation Published on May 19, 2010 Angry reds boo off leaders'attempts to talk peace; govt: Protesters must leave Rajprasong before any talks; Thaksin allegedly makes demands which govt saysit cannot accept. Angry red-shirt protesters booed off their leaders' attempts to enter an immediate peace process with the government yesterday, presenting another major stumbling block to attempts to end the bloody violence plaguing Bangkok. Before the major twist in the evening, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was decried by the government as the main mastermind of the violence and the key obstacle to peace. The government also rejected calls for a mutual cease-fire, saying the red shirts must leave the Rajprasong intersection first before any peace talks can begin. But a group of five senators, led by Senator Lertrat Ratanavanich, visited the Rajprasong stage early in the evening and managed to convince the leaders to agree to a unilateral cease-fire to immediately kick-start the peace process. When Lertrat announced the agreement to protesters, they greeted him with boos and threw articles. Peace hopes fading

This was published less than ten minutes before I'm posting. I hope today won't play out this way, but here is what is being said. At the moment, it's 8:20am, Wednesday, May 19 in Thailand. There are reports that gunfire has already broken out. __________ Gen Lertrat: Govt to Crackdown on Reds Published: 19/05/2010 at 08:11 AM The reinforcement of armoured vehicles and troops in Silom and Saladaeng areas early this morning showed that the government will today use force to crackdown on red-shirt protesters at Ratchaprasong intersection, Gen Lertrat Rattanavanich, an appointed senator, said on Wednesday. “It is likely that the government wants to rapidly end red-shirts rally, probably within today. There will be no peace talk as the government chooses to use force rather than political mechanism”, Gen Lertrat said. The senator could not imagine what the 5,000 red-shirts at the rally site would be when the crackdown starts. He projected more than 100 reds would be killed and more than one thousand would be injured. Gen Lertrat also doubted whether the government could keep the situation under control as the red-shirts had vowed to fight until the last minute. Gen Lertrat: Govt to crackdown on reds

I'm very sorry. We don't permit people to give out real names on this board. Shame on you for outing me . . .

I knew the Duke of Windsor. I worked with the Duke of Windsor. The Duke of Windsor was my friend. Senator, you're no Duke of Windsor. Oh well, that's the best I can do . . . Another thing that might be helpful, especially if you want to look decent. Find out where I buy my clothes. Then go elsewhere . . .

A group of about 300 Red-Shirts have blocked the entrance to the Laem Chabang port, just outside of Pattaya. That is one of the main ports servicing Thailand and a great deal of cargo comes in from there. The article says that they are preventing trucks from entering, but noting is said about whether they are preventing trucks from leaving and delivering goods. _____ Pattaya Red Shirts join Laem Chabang Port protest We are closely monitoring local Anti-Government Red Shirt protesters and can report that they are currently not causing any problems here in the Pattaya area. The same cannot be said for Laem Chabang which is located 20kms from Pattaya in the direction of Bangkok. Red Shirt protesters have been camped outside the entrance to the Laem Chabang Port since Sunday. The protesters are now blocking the entrance to the port and preventing container trucks from entering. http://www.pattayaone.net/pattaya-news/20816/Laem-Chabang-port-protest/

I don't quite follow the logic. Of course I certainly agree that nobody should be shooting unarmed people, but haven't there been incidents of civilians lobbing grenades and shooting at the soldiers? I think Amnesty International should also have said it works both ways. The soldiers shouldn't have to be targets either. I've seen videos on YouTube that show Red-Shirts shooting at soldiers and I saw one that showed a group of Red-Shirts stop a military truck, pull out the soldier who was driving, and they shot and killed him. Where's John Adams when you need him? As an aside, I've never understood how sites like YouTube don't allow sex and nudity, but videos of someone being murdered . . . no problem.

I'm looking for name calling, but if it's there I can't find it. If anyone has been posting name calling, please point out where it is and I'll get rid of it and, if necessary, whoever is doing it.

47 countries warn against Thai travel Published: 18/05/2010 Travel advisories for Thailand have been issued by 47 countries, with four issuing new guidance warning against any travel to the country due to the growing political violence in Bangkok. Israel, Italy, Denmark and the Netherlands raised their travel advisories yesterday to the highest levels due to the weekend's unrest, joining similar warnings last week by Saudi Arabia, Spain, Hong Kong, the United Arab Emirates, China, Vietnam, Taiwan and Germany. The unrest is already taking a major toll on tourism, one of the country's largest industries. Tourist arrivals at Suvarnabhumi Airport on Sunday fell to 10,000, compared with a daily number of 27,000 to 29,000 earlier this month and a normal rate of 30,000 per day. 47 countries warn against Thai travel

UDD Leader Admits Protest Funds Come from Thaksin Published: 18/05/2010 A United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship leader has admitted the red shirt rally has received financial support from ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and Khunying Sudarat Keyuraphan, the former deputy leader of the dissolved Thai Rak Thai party. protest funds come from Thaksin "I didn't know 'till this day - it was Barzini all along." Marlon Brando, 'The Godfather'

It's Thai for "huh?"

That's what I think too. Part of my post included, "once the prostitute becomes their boyfriend, they don't want other farang to touch them." Where's the part where we disagree?

Reds Defy Deadline, Rally Continues Published: 17/05/2010 Several thousand of protesters, including women and children, remained at the Ratchaprasong rally site on Monday evening, defying the Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situation's order that they leave by 3pm or face two-years imprisonment. There were still about 5,000 protesters at the Ratchaprasong rally site when the 3pm deadline passed, police spokesman Maj-Gen Prawut Thawornsiri said. Shortly after 2pm, military helicopters dropped leaflets on the encampment, urging the protesters to leave immediately. This angered the protesters, who shot homemade rockets at them. “Some protesters received distorted information,” government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said on the Thai PBS television network. “We need to communicate with them clearly. It will take time.” There was no word on when the ultimatum extension would end. Reds defy deadline, rally continues

In the wake of the death of Seh Daeng, now there are fears of retaliatory attacks targeting primarily government officials. There are reports of heavy Red-Shirt reinforcements trying to make their way to Bangkok. If those reports turn out to be correct, then it would seem this madness is far from over. _____ Revenge Attacks Feared as ‘Seh Daeng’ Pronounced Dead

The Thai government has extended the deadline for the Red-Shirts to leave Bangkok. I did not see anything that said how long that extension will be.

It is being reported that at least 5000 Red-Shirts are still in Bangkok and refusing to leave. It is not yet known what will happen next.

AMERICAN TOWN HALL NOTICE Due to ongoing security and safety concerns, the Town Hall meeting scheduled for Tuesday, May 18 at 2pm has been re-formatted into a virtual Town Hall meeting to be held on-line. This will allow for a greater number of American citizens residing in Thailand to participate in a discussion with the Ambassador, the Embassy Security Officer and our American Citizens Services Chief. We regret any inconvenience this may cause but believe this will be a more effective means of reaching the greatest number of people without putting them in harm

If you watch directly from YouTube, this person has uploaded over 30 videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwxL8DS1de8 Here is one of them: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwxL8DS1de8