Go Back  Fodor's Travel Talk Forums > Destinations > Asia
Reload this Page >

The Spirit Of Bangkok

Search

The Spirit Of Bangkok

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old May 24th, 2010, 04:13 PM
  #41  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Haunman, I hope you didn't tell your wife what danger you were in. The news reports never mention the smells of a situation like this. Thanks for giving us the straight poop.
LAleslie is offline  
Old May 24th, 2010, 04:50 PM
  #42  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
LAleslie,

The day before I went, on Saturday, the news were still reporting garbage truck and other vehicles running over unexploded ordinance and setting them off. I really thought they had cleared all of that.

Ha ha yes a lot of straight poop!

News of a lot of foreigners being arrested because of the unrest.

This English expat from, guess where? - Pattaya was arrested yesterday. They caught him on video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KtfUy16X9Q0

Another Australian is under arrest as well under suspicion of being one of the sniper for the reds.
Hanuman is offline  
Old May 24th, 2010, 04:57 PM
  #43  
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Posts: 1,509
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
fantastic photos... thanks for sharing...

B&K
kmkrnn is offline  
Old May 24th, 2010, 05:19 PM
  #44  
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 11,334
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Thanks for the good news on the malls reopening. I did not think they would want to wait very long...
simpsonc510 is offline  
Old May 25th, 2010, 12:27 AM
  #45  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Carol,

Here's a good website created to help anyone coming over here with useful information about Bangkok and the reopening of tourist attractions, malls, mass transit, airport, rails, buses etc. It's updated daily and it's from an official source.

http://www.tourismthailand.org/thailandtourismupdate/

Amarin Plaza rumoured to be reopen tomorrow and if I hear different will let you know.
Hanuman is offline  
Old May 25th, 2010, 12:39 AM
  #46  
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Posts: 4,121
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
erghhh - what a gross farang. No wonder people are angry.
dogster is offline  
Old May 25th, 2010, 01:08 AM
  #47  
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Posts: 4,466
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I saw this guy being interviewed last week (not sure which news channel it was) thought he was a knob then......I hope he gets arrested.
Smeagol is offline  
Old May 25th, 2010, 01:23 AM
  #48  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I concur dogster and there are quite a few of them it seems. You should see some of the chat on the local chat rooms. If he's not in custody then I hope he is hiding out some where. Apart from breaking the laws here he has apparently broken some British law as well. IMO some jail time in Thailand and then deport him for more jail time in the UK.

Strange that we are only seeing expats from the UK, Australia and Canada that had publicly said such things or had actually committed crimes ranging from inciting violence to treason and murder(the sniper) and from no where else. One Canadian even threaten to elbowed people in the heads on behalf of the reds. Apparently they don't know the magic of video!

Smeagol I think he was arrested on the 21st but I'm not too sure. Maybe it's time for Thailand to examine the immigration policy?
Hanuman is offline  
Old May 25th, 2010, 01:31 AM
  #49  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
sorry - time for Thailand to Reexamine the Thai immigration policy.
Hanuman is offline  
Old May 25th, 2010, 06:45 AM
  #50  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 33,288
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hanuman, what is the take on these foreigners involved in the violence? Mercenaries? Overgrown adolescents who can't resist a fight? True Believers in Thaksin?
Kathie is offline  
Old May 25th, 2010, 07:35 AM
  #51  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
That's a tough question Kathie!

Let me just first say that most expats in Thailand are genuine hard working people who are here to make a living or to find a new life. These guys have work permits from legitimate businesses or have started their own businesses here.

The foreigners in the above examples who committed crimes during the red shirts riot are what the dogster once eloquently described to me as "S.H.I.T." or those that find themselves "Suddenly Handsome In Thailand". Probably not working or don't have work permits, here on a tourist visas, enjoying the drugs, alcohol and cheap sex. When all hell break loose and anarchy reign, like in the red camp, they find that they can crawl out of their holes and be a part of something.

Just my opinion of course and that's my take on them. We have bad Thais in L.A., London, Sydney, Paris etc so I guess we have bad foreigners here as well to balance things out.
Hanuman is offline  
Old May 25th, 2010, 06:28 PM
  #52  
 
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,147
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Hand them a pint and point them to the nearest football game and maybe they'll go away. S.H.I.T.--I love it.
LAleslie is offline  
Old May 27th, 2010, 01:37 PM
  #53  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 1
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
This is an amazing letter and thank you so much for taking the time to write it, as well as the courage and decency it took to volunteer. Having stayed close to the Hyatt (can't believe its almost l0 years already) we have been following the news reports, and having difficulty believing its the same city we enjoyed exploring so much, and hoping to live there some day.
janetbender is offline  
Old May 27th, 2010, 05:57 PM
  #54  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Janet - I'm happy to report that things are returning to normal and we have started going out around the city again.
Hanuman is offline  
Old May 27th, 2010, 11:19 PM
  #55  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Is it still safe to travel to Thailand?
shehzad is offline  
Old May 28th, 2010, 06:04 PM
  #56  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
shehzad,

Yes I think so and it has been quiet since the crackdown. We, my family, are going out again - shopping, eating, sightseeing so we feel that it is safe.
Hanuman is offline  
Old May 29th, 2010, 01:28 AM
  #57  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
REUTERSFLASH: Thai prime minister says difficult to hold elections by year-end

Here we go again!
nifty is offline  
Old May 29th, 2010, 01:41 AM
  #58  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
The next election is not due until the end of 2011 but we are expecting an early one around February.
Hanuman is offline  
Old May 29th, 2010, 01:46 AM
  #59  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 6,160
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I hope you are not a troll nifty!
Hanuman is offline  
Old May 29th, 2010, 01:56 AM
  #60  
 
Join Date: May 2010
Posts: 2
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Troll, no. Full of hope me! So, you feel this is nothing to cause grumblings of unrest?
nifty is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -