thanx a million for the info, sextile... i shall be flying to bangkok this Sunday then

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-- Today, (O6th.], evening most of the poor but honest side-walk vendors along tnn. Si Lom & S'wong. & stall-holders in P. Pong I. night mkt. had set-out their stalls.
- One might suppose that were there the slightest indication that the red shirts might make a sortie from their encampment and along tnn. Si Lom then the stall-holders' sensitive antennae would pick it up.
- At the Skywalk from BTS. Sala Daeng, (S2.], to MRT. Silom the mil'y. have pulled-back their barrier several yds. - thus allowing access to the small shops thereon.

-- I think that a lot will depend upon how PM. Abhisit's road map is perceived and how it will work-out actually in practice; the two main & opposing parties are still quite some distance apart from any signs of a meaningful agreement/reconciliation.

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I wonder how the Euro crisis has been affecting (or will affect) Thailand tourism. As an American, I always wondered how Europeans and British could take all that holiday time. I wonder if it's a whole new world now.

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It's partly why the Euro is in crisis

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-- On this moring's, (07th.), Yahoo! news'-bar I see that with the prospects of a well-hung Parliament in GB. the GBP. has fallen against the USD.; possibly we'll see the same against the THB.? One hopes not.
- Reportedly in Euroland GB. is 2nd. only to Greece in the o'all. size of its public debt; observers have noted and reported on that fact and that none of the three leaders of the British political parties has told the electors how he proposes to handle this massive debt - is their silence golden, I wonder?

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Easy for GB to handle its massive debt, just print more GBP to pay. The US did already in the recent financial crisis. The Greeks cannot devalue its currency by printing more Euro, they are not the sole owner of Euro.

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-- Retournons a nos moutons!.

-- Today, (07th.), forenoon - workers were seen dismantling the plyboard barriers & scaffolding fronting SILCOM. along tnn. Si Lom;
- SILCOM. has reverted to its 21.oo.hrs. CLOSING time.
- Noted many MORE people lunching. in the various eateries.

-- A rough & ready head-count of soldiers seen during my walk-back at around 12.nn.:
1.- O'side. SILCOM --------------- 03;
2.- Tnn. Thaniya ----------------- none;
3.- 'tween. the P. Pongs ---------- 24;
4.- Opp. LE MERIDIEN HTL. -------- 09;
5.- O'side. 7/11./tnn. Than Tawan - 06.

-- Possibly a s-l-o-w return to the 'Status quo ante demonstrationem.'?

-- At 17.oo.hrs. we walked from SILCOM. to CHAMCHURI SQ.; this time - noting an INCREASE in the mil'y. presence along the way - I made a rough & ready head-count of the riot-police seen:
1.- O'side. SILCOM. -------------------------- 14;
2.- At i'sect. with Tnn. S'daeng. -------------- 14;
3.- O'side. ZUELLIG BLDG. -------------------- 28;
4.- In the DUSIT THANI HTL. forect. -- possibly 3O+?
5.- Opp. & o'side. former ROBINSON'S - possibly 3O+?
6.- At the Henri Dunant i'sect. ---------------- O5.

-- Walking past BB. INN we were o'taken. by about 5O or so mil'y., who were foregathering in the car-pk. by MRT. Sam Yan.

-- At approx. 2O.15.hrs. we passed-by the DUSUT THANI HTL.
1.- INCREASED mil'y. & police presence on both sides of tnn. Si Lom;
2.- A score or so of mil'y. sitting in the ROBINSON'S car parking exit;
3.- MORE mil'y. o'side. the CHARN ISSARA I. TOWER;
4.- At the start of tnn. S'wong. the mil'y. had set-up lanes separated by water-filled & orange barriers; tfc.was being waved through by mil'y. carrying red-lit batons;
4.- INCREASED presence o'side. the JIM. THOMPSON SHOP;
5.- As we passed-by the a/m. shop a file of some 7O+ policemen - soft & black caps, green neckkerchiefs, white tee-shirts & dk. brown trousers - came-out from the small soi and walked along tnn. S'wong. away from tnn. Rama IV.;
6.- INCREASED mil'y. presence between the P. Pongs;
7.- In Tnn. Than Tawan a small barricade across the st., with the mil'y. waving through tfc. with their red-lit batons.

-- Noted plenty of civilians eating at the side-walk eateries along tnn. Rama IV. & S'wong..

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thanx for the update, sextile hope everything is fine from now

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Although you don't see police and soldiers, I think there are probably a lot of undercover people, hidden cameras, etc. I read somewhere over a year ago where someone posted that there are undercover police in Patpong area (so be careful about going after underage people, etc.).

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Looking on the bright side (and the selfish one), maybe Europe will be affordable to an American again in the near future.

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-- Two items of possibly GOOD NEWS! -
1.- Y'day. an unattributed source within the Nation Gp. reported that after performing rites for the dead the UDD. would be expected to start dismantling their defences and to start the trek back to their home-country on 12 may.
2.- Today's, (O8th.], headlines in the BKK. Post. 'paper.: 'Reds back Abhisit's road map.'.
- But reading further on into the article both the PAD. - (the gp. that illegally occupied S'bhumi. Int'l. Airport not too long ago, and who still have not been brought to Justice!], - and Dr. Tul's No-color party are opposing this road-map for their own reasons.

-- While one, or even two swallows, might not make a summer possibly: 'Hope springs eternal in the human breast.'?

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