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After the much publicised Red Shirts acceptance of the Government’s commitment to dissolve the Thai Parliament and call elections in November, we thought that all would be quiet in Bangkok - well that’s not how things have turned out. As we write this blog the 3pm deadline for the demonstrators to cease has arrived - we are waiting to see what happens now with troops poised to move in on the demonstrators. More on this later.
We had another great flight with AirAsia from Phuket to Bangkok - $40 each just the average price. We ended up getting a “taxi” to the airport rather than the bus from the bus depot (85Bt) - it was b bit of a walk from the hotel and we were just lazy.
At the airport we used the AA automatic boarding pass machine and baggage drop facility which really saved time waiting around in a long queue for the check-in desk to open. Good one AirAsia!
Arrived at Bankok’s Suvarnabhumi “Swampy” Airport ( it’s built on an area known to the locals as “cobra swamp” and yes they have a whole team devoted to getting the pesky cobras out of hangers etc. Exited the
airport and caught the AE2 Airport Express bus to Khao San Road (150Bt $5 each). There seemed to be little traffic on the way into town and it was 3pm. Checked in to Rambuttri Inn in Soi Rambuttri, where we have stayed many times (850Bt $28AUD for a double). It is clean and quiet - except for the rooms at the back next to the mosque (although they keep the 5am call to prayer much lower these days).
Our friends Robyn and Gene arrived about an hour later from Chang Mai and we had beers and a meal at Baan Sabai restaurant - yes we have been there before! It was a great night and good to catch up after so long.
Next morning (Wednesday) we had breakfast of local fruit (from a street vendor we know in Rambuttri), cereal and juice then a refreshing swim in one of the two pools at the hotel. We walked Robyn and Gene through Suan Luang to the the old Palace complex, had Dim Sum lunch at our favourite noodle place Krai Sri on Kraisri Road (25Bt $0.90 for a steamer tray of 3 pieces - we had several) and wandered
the Kao San area all afternoon, then had a swim before dinner. We had a superb Indian dinner at A Spicy Affair restaurant in Soi Rambuttri with a few too many Chang Classic beers (meals 150Bt $5 each).
Next day (Thursday)after checking the protest situation we all headed off in a canal boat from Saen Saeb Khlong to Pratunam in the main shopping area of Bangkok near where the Red Shirt protesters have blockaded the streets and caused many of the major shopping Malls to close for several weeks.
We have done the canal boat trip many times but did not expect to end up where we did. When we got out of the boat everyone disappeared in the opposite direction. We were not familiar with that route so we went up the stairs we normally take to go to Pratunam. Well what a surprise to land right behind the main Red Shirt blockades complete with protesters guards dressed in Black! All of the shopping malls in the area had been closed for several weeks and the protesters were camped everywhere under awnings. The main stage was further down Ratchadamri Road. Everyone was very friendly and there were
several stalls selling Red Shirt clothing and memorabilia. We wandered up to the exit, thanked the guards for showing us the way out and somewhat shaken headed off down Phetchaburi Road towards Pantip Plaza the IT supermall - talk about the “accidental tourists’’!
On a more serious note later that evening, Seh Daeng the head of the Red Shirt Guards was shot through the head by a sniper near where we exited the protest area. This event has scaled up the tension considerably.
Luckily, Pantip Plaza was open (it remains closed the remainder of this week) and Rob found the USB gender changer he has been looking for (without hassels from ladyboys), and Gene found some music DVD’s. We went on to MBK shopping centre via the BTS Skytrain (elevated rail) for lunch and shopping.
Gene recommended a small noodle restaurant on the 2nd floor called The Noodle Bar. Well what a surprise to walk into a 159Bt ($5.30) per person Dim Sum buffet - Rob immediately ordered one for himself, the rest of us showed some restraint and had al a cart meals. The rules for the buffet were simple: eat as many trays of dim
sum as you can in one hour 15 minutes, but if any trays are left uneaten you get charged at the going rate (30Bt). Rob tried valiantly but only managed to clean up 12 trays. He has vowed to return again after some further training to break the house record!
We had another great night of beer and food at Baan Sabai before Robyn and Gene had an early night with a 4am taxi to the airport to catch flights to Saigon and Danang Vietnam. It was good to catch up with you guys, look forward to seeing you again.
One of the strange things we have found on this trip is the prohibition on sale of alcohol between 2pm and 5pm on weekdays at 7/11 stores - Rob was told it was to discourage school students from drinking after school!
By Saturday we started to notice that many of the street stalls had closed and fewer people were on the streets - tourists left in droves and Rob enquired about the whereabouts of our fruit vendor and was told she had gone off to support the Red Shirts! Talking to some of the remaining vendors about the
political situation it is clear there is strong support for the Red Shirts on the streets.
On Sunday we went to Chinatown and wandered up and down Yaowarat Road which was very quiet - even the gold shops were closed. Chinatown is generally really busy, particularly on a Sunday! We had a nice dim sum lunch at the White Orchid Hotel and then walked back to Khao San the long way (that means that we took a few wrong turns!).
Monday: after a morning swim we had a Baan lunch and Indian dinner. We spent most of the day watching the coverage of the protests downtown. This is very much a media event with coverage on several channels as well as the BBC and CNN. There are camera crews located on both sides of the protest blockades, with some action packed shots of protesters being shot by the army, rockets being launched, molotov cocktails and stacks of tires burning. The body count in now up to 36 dead and 278 injured. Some sad news, Seh Daeng the Red Shirt leader died in hospital on Monday.
Today (Tuesday): several government deadlines have come and gone. The TV coverage this
morning showed a multi-story bank building on fire in the protest area. As usual we had a morning swim and watched the smoke coming from the centre of the city from the hotel’s rooftop pool. The streets are a little busier today but Khao San Road is virtually deserted.
One of the strange things we have found on this trip is the prohibition on sale of alcohol between 2pm and 5pm on weekdays at 7/11 stores - Rob was told it was to discourage school students from drinking after school.
We have a flight to Hong Kong next Tuesday (25/5), and in the meantime will enjoy the pool, good food and cheaper prices. Cheers until next time.
Love
Rob & Donna
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