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.

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.

Thaksin to face lese majeste claims??
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With the suppression of democracy and the democratic rights of the people by the military and the royal aides through the frequent coups and the latest in 2006, Thaksin and the red shirts already has an uphill task. But then this has not deterred those people who cherished democracy to fade away.

When the red shirts start rallying a week ago at government house or blocking of road it was peaceful and orderly. They were receiving daily videos without any untoward incident. During the Asean summit in Pattaya, Blue shirt (most probably infiltrated by yellow shirt) starts to provoke the red shirt.

Lets go back to the time when an emergency decree was declared by the PPP government. Even though the yellow shirts has rampage through Bangkok, government house and the airport for more then a week, the police and military did nothing at all.

But the actions by the military against the red shirt are completely different.

-- But doesn't Khun Thaksin hold a special 'Diplomatic.' p'port. from some C. American Republic? I believe it was awarded specially in an attempt to tap Thaksin's alleged financial expertise in order to boost that country's sources of o'seas'. investments?
- In wch. case the Royal Thai Gov't, might have to tread warily lest its actions against Thaksin threaten diplomatic relations between the two countries.
-- Bibi. --

can anyone seriously believe that fugitive Taksin has Nicaragua's interests at heart when he obtained the passport? What is he doing that job for anway? Where is his loyalty to Thailand?

-- 'Any port in a storm.', as the proverb reminds us.
- I fear lest there might not be an Extradiction Treaty between Nicaragua & Thailand - hence its attraction to him.
-- I u'stand. the DUBAI is under some diplomatic pressure to deny Khun Thaksin any safe haven therein.
-- Bibi. --

The Nicaraguan government made a rather pointed comment in announcing the grant of the passport that Thaksin was a democratically-elected leader.