For most people in Thailand, locals and foreigners, life is still going on as normal. Even in Bangkok, everyday life is going on all around the city away from the protest and military zone. That’s not an attempt to trivialise the situation in Bangkok or where it could still lead to if matters escalate, but the whole of Thailand is not in lock-down. Most foreign embassies have issued travel advisories for Bangkok and some have gone further and extended the warning to include the whole of Thailand. However, if you haven’t yet cancelled your flight, Thailand is still open for business. Bangkok’s international airport at Suvarnabhumi is well away from the central area of Bangkok where the disturbances have taken place. With plenty of internal flights to get you to another part of Thailand, there is no need to venture into central Bangkok. The tourists that are currently in other parts of Thailand away from Bangkok are still able to enjoy their visit and hopefully they will go back home with positive stories to tell about their experience of Thailand. Visitors can still safely visit the temples in Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, the beaches in Phuket and Ko Samui and the bars and clubs in Pattaya.
There have been some red shirt protests in some provincial towns in the north and north-east where impromptu demonstrations have taken place with tyres being burnt. Depending on how things pan out in the days ahead, more regional protests can’t be ruled out in those same areas which are traditional strongholds for pro-Thaksin and pro-red supporters. However, the vast majority of people in Thailand are just trying to earn a living and get on with everyday life and want to see an end to the fighting in Bangkok.
Nobody yet knows how the Bangkok situation will play out, but things have been a lot quieter today. It could just be a lull before another storm, but there has been a distinct change in atmosphere today. The Thai security forces have surrounded the protest zone, but made no attempt as yet to break into the actual red shirt encampment. The red shirt leaders appear to be hanging out for some form of negotiation, but before this takes place they may have to show that they are willing and able to control the more militant protesters.
Related Articles:
- No Talks, No Retreat, No Surrender
- Red Shirt Leaders Want to Negotiate
- Thai PM Insists Protests Must End
- Thai Government Says Bangkok Situation is Under Control
- Thai Security Forces Poised to Surround Bangkok Protest Site
- Thailand’s Red Shirts, Yellow Shirts and Multi-Coloured Shirts
- Who are the Yellow Shirts and Red Shirts?
About Thaizer
