Any effects on nightlife from the emergency decree or the redshirts? The decree authorizes the government to ban gatherings of more than five persons. Songkran is starting.

-- Just like in that red dot at the southern tip of the MY. p'insular..
- But possibly as effective as the 'NO SMOKING.' ban in the a go-go bars - ha!
-- Bibi. --

barring any mass slaughter of the red shirt hooligans, I don't think nightlife as we know it will change much this week ... other than the obvious Songkran silliness. On my end of town (Sukhumvit/Thonglor) things are very normal; people out in the streets and going to bars and restaurants. Unrest? What unrest?

-- Try telling that to the crowds of young - and not so young -celebrants of Songkran in Tnn. Si Lom, where the most dangerous weapons are likely to be water-pistols & water-guns wielded by the merry-making participants.
-- Bibi. --

Silom had a group of people that looked to be more than 5 last night. Whereas Victory Monument was virtually a ghost town...despite the western media's attempts to make everything look bleak and dangerous.

Thanks for the information, and nice pictures.

I don't think it's the "Western media" that's depicting things as bad--unless the English-language Bangkok media are also meant. Facts are facts, and all media have reported disorders in certain places, including Victory Monument, but not everywhere--which is why I was asking about particular impact on nightlife. Apparently none.

Thanks again for feedback.

Western media news doing good job.Can you name which one is wrong about area not to visit ?Only governments are panic with don't travel warning.

-- Seconded!
- A useful corrective to the sensation-obsessed media with their 'Exclusive.' and/or 'Eye witness reports.' from the safety of some watering hole or other, etc..
- Y'day., (14th.), a'noon. I walked-around DEMOCRACY MON'T. and was amazed at the lack of civil disobedience; the widows of that bastion of bare-faced and brutal American capitalism - McDo. - were unbroken and ordinary people were inside partaking of its usual delicacies.
- Although -to add some balance - later on walking nr. the Min. of Defence and Hd. Office of TMB. I did see some mil'y. gds. with small arms, while MORE were on foot-patrol armed with batons.
-- Bibi. --

I understand what you mean Stillthrobbing and Koreana, but for people outside Thailand, they have a sense that the entire city is dangerous and violent. I know because I have received e-mails from overseas expressing horror. Now they have gotten that impression from the western media not so much from what they have reported but from what they haven't reported. In my opinion they should, in all fairness to the travel industry at least, have given some emphasis to the vast clear, calm areas and the average citizens placidness. In my opinion, this uprising ended so quickly once the army decided to act was because of the local Bangkokians hatred of and attacks on the red shirts.

A good friend in Hong Kong had decided to spend a long week-end here starting this evening - thanks largely to cheap tickets from THAI. On seeing the initial news on TV - and despite my comments about everything being fine, he canceled his trip and is going to Taiwan instead. As the news of the insurgency being over ended up way down the order on news bulletins, I expect that will happen a lot now.

Newspapers clarify thsat demonstration only in certain areas but T.V. pictures very vivid.Depends if people only get impressions or read in depth which explains better.Since December Thailand is not a good look.

Western quality mags and papers even analyze background and connections which would not be allowed here.Try Guardian,Economist,NYT etc.

ps can anyone here predict what will happen ? i think unchartered waters.

-- As a small corrective to most of the medias' Sturm und Drang of the few days before the Songkran Fest'l. readers might like to go to the flg. web-site:

Bangkok of the mind

> scroll-DOWN to Red Clashes - hand-shake break: 14 apr 09..
-- Usual disclaimer. -- Bibi. --

There's an excellent analysis on this BBC page and clearly shows why this week has resolved nothing.

Yes, those are the sick people that are REALLY the cause of all this trouble: meat-eating supporters of fast food franchises!

But sadly, as another poster just pointed out, things may have returned to "normal" once again, but the underlying cause of all this unrest remains, simmering below the surface once again. The Tourism Authority of Thailand had best shelve their plans to promote Thailand as a safe and secure holiday destination until they can truly promise that is the case. I fear we will see more ugly events, such as we witnessed last week, in the kingdom before the year is over.

what's all the fuss about. i have been in the Philippines a number of times when one part of the army is fighting another part in the heart of the tourist district guns, tanks choppers the lot. however both sides are so concerned about their tourist trade they have a ceasefire to get the tourists out of harms way then they get back to shooting each other