-- Today, (23rd. - St. George's Day!), forenoon tee rak & I walked along Tnn. Si Lom.
- By Soi 6 SCB. was CLOSED;
- UNITED CENTRE was CLOSED;
- CP. TOWER was OPEN;
- SILOM COMPLEX was CLOSED - 'Out of concern for our customers' safety.';
- BTS. Silom Line was CLOSED;
- FASHION OUTLET & TOPS S'MKT., (ex- Robinsons.), CLOSED;
- Various other shops & outlets CLOSED;

- It was at AU BON PAIN, nr. to DUSIT THANI HTL. that there was a scrum of media types, many grovelling on their stomachs taking photos. of a couple of red roses at the top of the steps leading in to the shop for all the world as though they were on some Nat'l. Geog. mission to capture some rare and once-in-a-lifetime flower or rare insect; or possibly they aspired to be Pulitzer Prize wannabees?
- Fewer armed soldiers, I thought, but of those that carried fire-arms many had magazines in place.
- But many MORE riot-gear & black clad police - batons & shields; possibly in response to some criticism that they were too slow to respond to y'day's troubles? Even saw several police officers; but mil'y. offrs., (unless they're not shewing their insignia or marks of preferment), appear to be very, very few & far between. Few civilians seen on the side-walks; but several sellers of Thai & of yellow flags, ribbons in the Thai nat'l. colors and other similar items.
- Acros Tnn. Rama IV., at the start of Tnn. R'damri., the red shirts appeared to have strengthened their defences considerably - mainly with large & industrial sized tyres.
- General thought is lack of the BKK. equivalent to London's Blitz Spirit.

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-- Today, (23rd.), around mid-a'noon. I walked from Phat Pong1., Tnn. Suriwong end, around to PP1., Tnn. Si Lom end, by way of Tnn. Rama IV..
- At that time, and clearly visible to me, were approx. 400 black clad Riot Police and some 100 soldiers - the riot police were centred by the PAN PACIFIC HTL. and along Tnn. Si Lom from the DUSIT THANI HTL.; The mil'y. were lower-down along Tnn. Si Lom, (ie. leaving first contact, should the red shirts decide to sally forth from their stronghold, to the Riot Police.),.
- Along Tnn. Si Lom AU BON PAIN was having its windows boarded-up, the bank next door was having a metal screen erected in front of it and SILOM COMPLEX was having plyboards covered by metal erected in front of it and along the side-walk. SILCOM. may re-open on 26th.?
- In CP. TOWER several shops & outlets CLOSED.
- Around 17.30.hrs. MORE soldiers were on Tnn. Si Lom, and were shooing-away pedestrians to walk-away from Tnn. Rama IV..
- Not so many poor but honest side-walk vendors seen setting-out their wares.

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-- Even as I write this, (240853hrs.), it's raining: just enough to dampen the rhetoric and to cool the hot-heads.
- Looking-out the soi is quite empty, with no signs of life visible. The half-a-dozen or so soldiers who've been around for the last few days are are all under shelter.
- Possibly some of the fainter hearted red shirts might be pondering upon the benefits of exchanging their acc'n. in I-San for that offered here in BKK.?
- The usual & early morning b'fast. providers were selling their wares quite briskly o'side. BKK. XTN. HOSP'L..

-- Around 12.nn. tee rak & I walked along Tnn. Si Lom:
- SILCOM. CLOSED, but might RE-OPEN tomorrow, (25th.]?
- Riot clad police piquets on both sides by the DUSIT THANI HTL.;
- A few & small food-outlets OPEN;
- FASHION OUTLET, MC.CAFE & TOPS, (ex-Robinson's.], OPEN;
-- As for Tnn. Suriwong:
-Small gp. of riot police o'side. the JIM THOMPSON shop;
- Small gps. of armed soldiers at both P. Pongs.!;
- K'KORN. BANK, by P. Pong 1., OPEN;
- A few of the side-walk food-vendors were selling their wares, few takers;

-- BTS. Silom Line reported to be running between Chong Nonsi, (S3.], and Wongwian Yai, (S8.];
- MRT. reported to be running between QSNCC. & Bang Sue.
- 'buses. running in both dir'ns. along Tnn. Rama IV. & Si Lom;
- Weather continues to be o'cast. - possibly a good thing?

-- With many shops & outlets - those that OPENED during the day - CLOSING at 17.hrs. tee rak & I went to and walked through LUMPINI PK.. On the way I thought that the bamboo palisade was looking LESS effective, being weighed-down by tyres at several points, and thus offering easier points of access.
- Inside the PK. I was surprised to see that the swimming pool was OPEN.
- Possibly a dozen-and-an-half muscle-men working-out in the largest work-out space.
- Several gps. doing their aerobics.
- We left at 18.hrs.; I noted that all of the red shirts whom I could see stood-at att'n. during the playing of the Nat'l. Anthem.
- In gen'l. I thought that the o'all. tension was lower at the DUSIT THANI's corner.

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-- Today, (25th.), forenoon tee rak & I walked along Tnn. S'wong., Rama IV. & Si Lom.
- The usual riot-police piquet o'side. the JIM.THOMPSON SHOP.
- Fewer riot-police on obvious duty o'side. the DUSIT THANI HTL., (although probably many MORE in the grounds on stand-by?),.
- Municipal employees seen brushing the side-walks, and a std. & yellow water-truck with mainly female attendants was washing down the street-drains along Tnn. Si Lom.
- I thought that the mil'y. along Tnn. Si Lom looked and acted quite relaxed; although in Tnn. Thaniya there were about 70 armed on obvious stand-by, and those in both Phat Pongs were armed & alert, too.
-- The MRT. has CLOSED MRT. Silom but o'wise. is running a normal svce.
-- SILCOM. has RE-OPENED for business in a gen'l. sense, (until 18.30.hrs.), although several individual outlets & shops remain CLOSED. I spoke with the owner of the model railways' shop who told me that the owning co. of SILCOM. has no ins'ce., against civil insurrection, riots and suchlike, these things being unknown in TH. until now. Apparently the owning co. is in negociations with its insurers and, on a just in case basis, she is consulting her own pte. insurers - possibly any add'n. ins'ce., she thinks, may cost her an add'n. 1K.bh. per annum?

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- Today, (26th.], forenoon. Cent'l. BKK. appeared to returning slowly to a MORE normal way of life:
- MRT. running normally - although Silom stn. still CLOSED;
- BTS. Silom Line running normally all the way through;
- SILCOM. OPENED promptly at 1O.3O.hrs. - most of the outlets & shops OPEN for business;
- 'buses. & other rd. tfc. running, too.
- Mil'y. & Police piquets seen - but seemed to be LESS keyed-up.

-- In today's BKK.Post. 'paper. I read that six of the red shirts sec. gds. are in hospital shewing symptoms of the H1N1. virus; where the gov't. has failed possibly Mother Nature might succeed in bringing this popular manifestation to a close? ;-]

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I doubt that any insurance company would issue insurance against civil insurrection, riots, and suchlike after the recent news. While Lloyd's would probably insure anything, it would probably be at an outrageously high price. It's probably better to self-insure. I've observed that English people love insurance (I never understood the assumption on Antiques Road Show that everyone would insure their things) but as an American, I think insurance is almost always a rip-off. I'd love to read about Thai culture, mentality, etc. about insurance.

Also, my thought upon first seeing the Bangkok Bank headquarters (on Silom Rd), was "wow--they sure knew how to set this building way back--and I'm amazed at all the open space on very expensive land in Bangkok." They sure thought out the possibility of riots, etc. I'm still amazed by the headquarters. I always wonder how they were able to buy all that land--the government probably helped with eminent domain. One time I was in there with a Thai friend and was impressed by their lobby, too.

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-- Today, (26th.], evening - my tee rak being safely off & away en route to TRANG - soon after 18.oo.hrs. I walked from SILCOM. to the DUSIT THANI HTL's. corner, along Tnn. Rama IV. and along Tnn. S'wong..
- By AU BON PAIN, next to the DT., a gp. of possibly a couple of score demonstrators, waving Thai flags and using battery-powered loud-hailers, was assembled. I observed no riot-police openly deployed on that side of Tnn. Si Lom; however, on the former ROBINSON's side were some 40 or so riot-police looking quite relaxed, chatting quietly amongst themselves and not paying over-much att'n. to those opposite: either flag-wavers or red shirts.
- Along Tnn. Rama IV. most of the tables that were set-out were taken by happy eaters.
- The small riot-police piquet was still on duty o'side. JIM. THOMPSON.
- PP1. Night Mkt. CLOSED.

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-- It's 100%. for sure that I'm no expert on Thai culture as it affects insurance.
- All that I'll observe is that when I was living in MNL. I used to see a quotation from the Lord Buddha on one of the walls of an health-foods' shop: 'Fret not about yesterday, worry not about tomorrow, but live each moment of the present passionately and wisely.', or words to that effect.*
- I realize that one's avg. Thai boi is probably not the most reliable of indicators about how the avg. and better educated Thai person thinks, but, if they're any guide, taking precautions against the future is not part of their mentality. My enthusiastic and American friend knows a Thai man, probably early 30's. now, whose only accomplishments lie in his manhood & virility. Reportedly when asked about his future, after his powers will have declined, he merely shrugs his shoulders in a somewhat 'Que sera sera.' attitude; reportedly any thoughts of saving for his future don't seem to have entered his head. Sad, really.

--* As an aside, some Xtns. believe that during the period when the NT. makes no mention of Jesus' activities, (roughly between the ages of 12YO. and his late 20's?), He went to the East and studied there. It is interesting to compare the Lord Buddha's a/m observation with what Jesus is reported to have said along similar lines in Matt.VII:34., for example.

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I would say the Chinese in Thailand (who I heard own the whole country) are different from the native Thais.

I had a Thai bf whose mother is Chinese (refugee from China in her youth) (and whose father is at least part Chinese)--and raised to save money (money obsession). He said that he never knew a "native" Thai (non-Chinese descent) who had any kind of savings or bank-account mentality.

But I wonder if this responsibility tapers off with children, grandchildren, etc. of immigrant Chinese.

I'm amazed at all the unprotected anal sex in saunas in Bangkok (lack of care)--which includes cute Chinese guys.

This quote from "Siam" in 11th Ed. Encyclopaedia Britannica (1910) really makes a good observations:

"In disposition the Siamese are mild-mannered, patient, submissive to authority, kindly and hospitable to strangers. They are light-hearted, apathetic people, little given to quarrelling or to the commission of violent crime. Though able and intelligent cultivators they do not take kindly to any form of labour other than agricultural, with the result that most of the industries and trades of the country are in the hands of Chinese."

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-- It's not only the 'Cute Ch. guys.' who enjoy unprotected sex; in BABYLON SAUNA I've seen plenty of mature farangs, who should know better, engage in unprotected sex with Thais.
- Last yr. there were a couple of mature, (phys., at least.), farangs, (one of whom was a European.), both well-known cruisers in SILCOM., who would pay their Thai sex companions only if the latter agreed to have unprotected sex, (I think that the farangs were offereing 300.Bh. for a 'short' time then?),.

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-- Today, (27th.], I left SILCOM. just after 12.nn.; o'side. was a small gp. waving Thai & yellow flags and listening alternately to Thai musick and to some demagogue.
-- At the DUSIT THANI HTL's. corner no police seen stationed on the side-walk, although plenty inside in the grounds; on the opp. side, o'side. the former ROBINSON's, some dozen or so riot police. Not so much noise from the red shirts' encampment nearby.
- However, plenty of both mil'y. & riot police seen along Tnn. S'wong. from Tnn. Rama IV. to P Pong 1.; many of the mil'y. had magazines clipped into their fire-arms, also a good few with grenades strapped to their webbing; a much MORE purposeful attitude than that along Tnn. Si Lom. By WALL ST. TOWER a gp. of soldiers was seen giving one of their 1Ox1O. army trucks - made in America - laden with orange colored barricades that can be filled with water, a push-start!
- At P. Pong 1 the various barricades had been removed from across the Tnn. and stacked ready for deployment along the side-walks.

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- Today, (27th.), evening along Tnn. Si Lom many, but not all, of the poor but honest side-walk vendors were setting-out their stalls; P. PONG 1's NIGHT MKT. was OPEN for business, too.

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-- Today,(28th.), I chatted again with the lady about ins'ce. here in TH., (she has worked for both Siam Comm'l. Bk. and for NY. Life Ins'ce. - for the latter as a directrix.),.

-- Basically the older gener'n. of Thais, unless they're well enough educated and have money to spare, do not believe in ins'ce.. 'Why spend money for something - such as illness - that might never happen?'.
- The middle gener'n. will insure if they have to: the banks mandate ins'ce. as a condition of obtaining loans: home, educ'n., car, or other forms of pers. tpt. etc. etc..
- Many condo's., gated communities and suchlike either have blanket ins'ce. or else require members to take-out their own ins'ce..
- The younger gener'n. are MORE conscious of ins'ce., and are targeted by ins'ce. co's. to buy Life Ins'ce. as a basic minimum - 'Better to invest one's savings in one's own life ins'ce. than in a bank.',
is their theme.
-- I suspect that the good lady's obs'vns. apply to the class of people with whom she dealt: the better educated and more monied persons than the avg. and more workaday manual workers who make-up the bulk of BKK's. population.
-- E&OE., as mainly reported speech. --

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-- Today, (28th.), I walked to SILCOM. about mid-a'noon.; many MORE riot-clad police de-busing and taking-up pos'ns. along Tnn. Si Lom. Contrariwaise many of the mil'y. appeared to be quite relaxed and didn't look too concerned.
-- I left SILCOM. just before 18.oo.hrs., and observed many MORE riot-police along Tnn. Si Lom and in P. Pong 2.; this time the tps. seemed to be much MORE on the alert.
- Along most of Tnn. Si Lom the side-walk vendors were setting-out their stalls; however, in P. Pong 1 the stalls etc. were in place but no effort was being made to OPEN the steel boxes of goods for sale; the same was generally true along Tnn. S'wong..

-- I've just heard on the BBC's. Radio 3 news' summary, (12.oo.hrs. GMT.), that one Thai soldier has been shot dead - thoughts are that, (the confusion and the 'Fog of war.'), it might have been a police bullet? :-(
- The Foreign Office has issued another one of its Travel Advisories to British Nationals.

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For a much more comprehensive coverage, suggest members go to thaivisa.com/forum then Thaliland news clippings and/or general topics. Currently they have a continuously updated daily thread.

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