It's manifest that the subject is deemed sensitive, maybe too much so for this forum, but I'm wondering if recent events have manifested any effects in Silom, Suriwong, Patpong, or other popular districts. Are security forces, businesses, or customers acting any differently there?

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No.

I was out tonight and saw nothing unusual.

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-- Y'day., (13th.), midday I walked safely from SILOM COMPLEX SHOPPING PLAZA, (BTS.Sala Daeng, [S2.],), to the FOUR SEASONS' HOTEL, (BTS. R'damri., [S1.],), and was neither molested nor witnessed any untoward events; if anything the tfc. was the lightest that I had seen for a v. long time.
-- Then, in the evening, my tee rak & I went to BALCONY BAR in Si Lom 4., again nothing untoward was witnessed.
- Both BALCONY & the TELEPHONE BARS were v. busy - this would be around 21.30.hrs. & later. Maybe a case of: 'Eat, drink and be merry ... .'?
- But these may be early days yet in the ongoing progress of red-shirted events!

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-- Today, (19th.), early forenoon I walked from P. Pong to the Main PO. on Charoen Krung and back again.
- Many police sleeping, sitting-down, eating and generally relaxing were seen; also a score or so, black clad, in full riot gear with batons & shields seen outside one of the banks.
-- Later on I walked to SILOM COMPLEX SHOPPING PLAZA.
- In Tnn. Si Lom both men in riot-gear and armed troops, (tear-gas & bullet-firing weapons.),. Coils of barbed-wire either still coiled-up or pulled-out across some parts of the side-walks. Humvees, Black Marias, (aka. Paddy Wagons.), vehs. with water-cannons etc. etc., mostly parked along the sois.
- Many tps. resting in the sois leading OFF of Tnn. Si Lom.
- 'buses., (some of wch. have been re-routed.), BTS. & MRT. still running normally.

-- In the evening, (approx. 19.oo.hrs.), I walked back from SCSP..
- Quite a few tps. packing-up and returning to their barracks - or so it seemed.
- But many tps. still in pos'n. along the skywalk from BTS. Sala Daeng to MRT. Silom; a tall screen erected along the bridge across Tnn. Si Lom to stop people looking-at the red-shirts who'd CLOSED Tnn. R'damri., (sometimes it's an advantage to be tall!),.
- Quite a few tps. shopping in FOODLAND in PP2., (possibly the usual story af Army rations - ha!),.
-- In PP1. no Night Mkt.!
- In PP2. many girlie bars CLOSED!

-- I noticed that many of the tps. appeared to be quite young still, with not a few, (judging from their faces.), seeming to be apprehensive.

-- E&OE.. --

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Surprising that the night market was closed. Less surprising that the girlie bars were closed. What about the gay establishments in Silom Soi 4 and elsewhere in Patpong?

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I read in tiny Wall Street Journal article that Silom is now an area of concern for the army--especially Bangkok Bank (which is now protected with barbed-wire, etc.) because the protesters think that bank is in with the government.

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[quote=wantasian;676912]
I read in tiny Wall Street Journal article that Silom is now an area of concern for the army--especially Bangkok Bank, (which is now protected with barbed-wire, etc.), because the protesters think that bank is in with the government. [/QUOTE

-- Y'day., (19th.), forenoon I made a special trip to the HQ. of the BBL. - 333, Tnn. Si Lom, Khet Bang rak - to see for myself.
- True that there were a few mil'y. vehs. parked in Soi Phipat, (Silom 3.), but from the main rd. all I saw were some of the usual & portable steel barriers ready to be deployed along the side-walk, if needed; and a few armed & mil'y. gds. standing in the gen'l. area of the Bank's main ent'ce.. But possibly reserves were hidden-away, OUT of sight from the street?
- I was surprised at the gen'l. lack of obvious mil'y. strength.
-- Reportedly Gen. Prem - one of the thought-to-be upholders of the status quo ante bellum has his account with BBL.; and, or so I believe, was a member of its Board, (but please do not quote me on that as I've not verified it.),.

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23 jun. - RATCHAPRASONG INTERSECTION - Democrats' party political rally.;
- Possibly best avoided;
- The date of 23 jun. has been chosen specifically as being just ten days before the Gen'l. Election.

--

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