-- Today, (22nd.), a'noon., fearing lest BTS. SALA DAENG, (S2.), might be CLOSED, (it was not.), I took the SkyTrain from BTS. CHONG NONSI, (S3.), to BTS. ON NUT, (E9.),.
- Passing over the R'PRASONG.'SECT. I observed that Tnn. R'damri. from the i'sect. to just beyond the 1st. pedestrian o'bridge., (opp. CENTRALWORLD.), was covered by black sun-netting: a useful. & dual role of protecting the red shirted demonstrators from the sun and of hindering the prying eyes of their opponents.
-- On returning I de-trained at BTS. PLOEN CHIT, (E2.), so as to see the scene for myself.
-- At the PC. I'SECT. a couple of HGVs., (Hy. Goods' Vehs.), are drawn-up across the rd. by the central divide and are backed-up by piles of large & industrial sized tyres - leaving just about a lane and an half for veh. tfc. on either side. On either side were another couple of HGVs. ready to block-off any openings if needed. Several bamboo barriers are positioned to be put into pos'n. quickly.
-- At the RUAM RUDEE I'SECT. both carriageways are CLOSED to veh. tfc. by MORE HGVs. wch. are protected by large & stuffed bags of whatever - there being enough space for m/cycles. From then onwards on both sides two lanes are taken-up by tents, stalls and suchlike - the stalls selling food, memorabilia, momentoes, souvenirs and so on and so forth.
-- At the R'PRASONG.'SECT. a large crowd listening to some orator, whose tones were LESS strident and MORE measured than those that I heard at noon. from the oratrix outside SILOM COMPLEX. I walked as far as SIAM P'GON. and observed that the POLICE GEN'L. HOSP. was OPEN for ped. tfc., (possibly for ambulances, too?), and saw several red shirts giving water etc. to those on duty there; however, the POLICE HQ. was CLOSED, the gates being backed-up by coils of razor-wire.
- I walked along Tnn. R'damri. to its i'sect. with Tnn. Rmam IV.; every so often were the std. & yellow painted metal barriers manned by red shirts' guards. A general air of quiet relaxation, I thought, with people apparently awaiting events with the in-born patience of country folk who, being attuned to Mother Nature's cycle, realize that some things cannot be hurried.
-- Crossing Tnn. Rama IV. to the DUSIT THANI HTL's. side was a different story: a large crowd waving both Thai and yellow flags, displaying placards & other posters and blocking the sidewalks and most of the carriageways.
- SILOM COMPLEX SHOPPING PLAZA had boarded-up its veh. ent'ce./exit on Tnn. Si Lom; farther along were notices announcing that it would CLOSE at 20.oo.hrs. today.
-- Most of the usual stalls set-out along Tnn. Si Lom.
- Silom 4. appeared to be mostly OPEN; I did not enter and check.
- PP2. was OPEN for business as usual; outide the S&M. BAR BAR several of the dominatrices were chatting with and amusing a small gp. of soldiers.
- PP1. Night Mkt. was MORE or LESS back in business, but with MORE soldiers than shoppers, I thought; at its S'wong. rd. end it was CLOSED by steel & portable barriers, but pedestrian tfc. was being allowed ent'ce./exit.
-- My tee rak has just visited, (20.30.hrs.), and told me that he heard three detonations and that the BTS. was CLOSED.
-- While the palisades built of sharpened & of bamboo stakes might be the country-persons' equivalent of barbed wire and suffice to restrain water-buffaloes, yet I do have my doubts as to their efficacity against a mechanized army. But they might serve to delay, and time is often a vital component in mil'y. planning: as the Corsican gen'l. Bounaparte allegedly said: 'Ask of me anything but time.'.
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