Deutsche Version
BRT (Bus Rapid System) is Bangkoks latest puplic transport system. Over all 5 routes have been planned but so far only one is currently operation. The 15 km route is run by 25 busses which stop at 12 stations between Sathorn and Ratchpruek.


Picture: ThaiPhotoBlogs

All 5 lines will be covering 110 km and will cost probably around 13 billion baht =(400 million US$) and transport around 50.000 passengers a day in the first year.

The next route will be opened between Mor Chit and Pak Kred. Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) estimates that the second route bill start operations by 2012.

But the first connection had already been opened almost 2 years late.

The ride is free until August 31st. By September to December a flat fare will be implemented. From 2011 on a distance based fare system will commence.

Map of first BRT-Linie

For those able to read Thai the BRT-Website

Tags: Bangkok Thai Thailand BRT Bus+Rapid+Transit BMA Transport busse karte

Das blutige Ende der Kämpfe in Bangkok am 19. Mai ist jetzt beinahe sechs Wochen her. Damals zerstörte Geschäfte sind längst wieder eröffnet, die Schäden weitgehend beseitigt und die bürgerkriegsähnlichen Zustände in Thailand sind schon lange kein Thema mehr in den Medien.

Während Gebäude aber wieder instand gesetzt und Verluste kompensiert werden können, haben hunderte Menschen schwerste Verletzungen erlitten. In einem Land, in dem es keine Sozialversicherungen gibt, bedeutet es für die Betroffenen meist das Ende ihres Lebens, wie sie es bis dahin kannten:

Der Traum des 24-jährigen Hochschulabsolventen Santipong Inchan war es, Flugbegleiter zu werden. Ein für thailändische Verhältnisse gut bezahlter Beruf. Wegen seiner guten Englischkenntnisse hätte er gute Vorraussetzungen gehabt um sich erfolgreich bewerben zu können.

Doch sein Traum wird niemals war werden. Am 10. April zerstörte ein Gummigeschoss an der Khok Wua eines seiner Augen. „Welche Fluggesellschaft stellt denn schon einen einäugigen Mann ein“, fragt Santipong traurig.

Derzeit wartet er noch immer auf ein Glasauge und muss regelmäßig in die Klinik zur Nachsorge. Doch er kommt aus bescheidenen Verhältnissen. Das Krankenhaus ist deshalb zu teuer für seine begrenzten Mittel. Nur mit Spenden kann er behandelt die aufwendigen Behandlungen bezahlen.

Seit dem Verlust seines einen Auges, fällt es ihm schwer zurechtzukommen. Oft stößt er sich und läuft gegen Gegenstände.

Santipong hatte während seines Studiums an der Mae Fah Luang-Universität viel gehört von der Bewegung der Rothemden. Am 12. März ging er auf die Phan Fah-Brücke um an der Red Shirt-Demonstration teil zu nehmen. Als er dort ankam unterhielt er sich mit vielen anderen Demonstranten und fand bald heraus, dass ein Großteil aus dem Isaan, dem armen Nordosten Thailands, stammte.

Einen Monat später, am 10. April ging Santipong wieder zur Phan Fah Brücke. Diesmal mit seinen Eltern. Er entschied sich an die „Front“ an der Khok Wua-Kreuzung zu gehen, wo die Red Shirts versuchten die Soldaten zurückzudrängen. Seine Eltern wollten sich das treiben lieber vom Democracy Monument aus ansehen.

Gegen 18 Uhr am Abend begann die Konfrontation und es dauerte nicht lange, bis die ersten Schüsse fielen und Granaten explodierten. Um 7 Uhr wurde dann Tränengas verschossen und die Reihen der Demonstranten wurden dünner. Santipong hatte ebenfalls Tränengas abbekommen und suchte nach Wasser, um sich die Augen auszuwaschen.

Plötzlich wurde er getroffen und fiel zu Boden. Ein ausländischer Fotograf machte Bilder von ihm und Santipong rief um Hilfe. Er wurde zunächst in eines der Erste-Hilfe-Zelte gebracht und irgendwann ins Vajira Hospital gefahren.

Jetzt, wo ihm kaum etwas anderes übrig bleibt als auf sein Glasauge zu warten, macht er sich große Sorgen um seine Zukunft. Mit einem Auge hat er kaum eine Aussicht auf eine Anstellung als Flugbegleiter. Darüber hinaus hatte er zu den Rothemden gehört.

Seksit Khanthong, ein Motorradtaxifahrer, hatte am 19.Mai gerade einen Passagier in der nähe des Protesthauptquartiers der Red Shirts abgeliefert als eine Kugel seine beide Augen zerriss.

Er war in der Gegend geblieben, weil er sich Sorgen um seine Freunde machte, die an der Rajprasong-Kreuzung protestierten. Als er hörte, dass die Soldaten dort gegen die Red Shirts vorgingen, wollte er dorthin, hatte aber wegen der vielen Armee-Straßensperren keine Chance. Also stand er einfach herum und wartete. Um 10 Uhr abends schrien einige Soldaten ihn an. Dann war er blind.

“Die Ärzte haben mir gesagt, dass die Wahrscheinlichkeit, dass ich jemals wieder sehen können werde, sehr gering ist, denn die Kugel hat den Sehnerv durchtrennt“, sagt Seksit.

Der 28-jährige hat einen sieben Jahre alten Sohn und unterstützt seine Familie mit seiner Arbeit als Motorradtaxifahrer. Jetzt wo er behindert ist, wird seine Frau die Versorgung der Familie und die Abzahlung der Hypothek für das neue Haus übernehmen müssen.

Alleine wegen Rauchvergiftungen und den Schädigungen der Atemwege liegen bis heute noch immer 45 Menschen in Bangkoker Krankenhäusern.

Tags: bangkok thai thailand red+shirts aufstand politik verletzte verwundete

Every now and then the story pops up in the media though being appalling enough to be a constant top scandal of the German republic.

Two married tax fraud investigators – both young, healthy and well trained – are not permitted to work any more.
Both are compulsory pensioned.

But why? Why would a government train and hire tax fraud experts only to push them aside a couple of years later?

A board of inquiry tries to find answers to that but instead finds its work constantly obstructed by the ruling parties.

Meanwhile the state of Hesse is paying their pensions permanently with tax payer’s money and – as it seems –will for quite some more years.

Before their forced retirement agents Heiko and Tina were the ones to earn the money for Hesse.

They were good in what they were doing. In fact, they were part of the famous Frankfurt tax division squad that had uncovered big scale tax frauds by some major banks and – even more important – the illegal money scandal of the Conservative Party. In total they got their employer hundreds of millions of revenue.

But after the Conservatives came to power in Hesse in ’99 both investigators fell from favour.

In January they were transferred to a position without any tasks. There were no cases, no nothing to do for the then highly salaried officers.

For months they were asking for cases to solve, for work of any kind but nothing happened. Later they started to sort through holiday pictures and even knitted a pullover.
Eight hours alone in a room, nothing to do, nobody to talk to.



Their positions positions were advertised again.

Then, the state government send them to the psychiatrist who instantly diagnosed both of them as “paranoid” and “disabled”. But another clinic found nothing and stated a clear apperception but noted that they had suffered from the previous mobbing.


Tina is quoted in a newspaper: “They tried to take our credibility until the end of our lives. They tried to take our voice.”

She had never thought that healthy people in a constitutional state could be declared insane.
When she read the doctor´s expertise she instantly thought of the Nazi regime.

Now, new facts have arisen: Die expertises are false and invalid. The doctor who had produced them had deliberately issued them and has been ordered by court to pay 12.000 Euros fine.

The decision is valid without the state having objected.

Nevertheless, both investigators are still compulsory pensioned.

Tags: tax+fraud frankfurt hesse conservative+party mobbing Heiko Feser tina feser scandal

Deutsche Version
On Mai 20 I posted a video showing a highly aggressive foreigner among the red shirt protesters who was threatening to set fire to and loot the famous Central World shopping mall on Siam.

Since both happened three days later this man who was later identified as 48-year-old Briton Savage Geoffrey Hugh.
He was arrested in Pattaya only one day after the video had been published.
Since he had extended his visa at the Pattaya immigration office police knew he had to be in the area and immediately applied a “no-fly-flag” which made it impossible for the suspect to officially leave the country.

>
Image: Thai Photo Blogs

After his arrest Savage claimed his comment had been meant to be sarcastic and he had been under the influence of steroids.

Today Savage appeared calm at Bangkok's Pathumwan Municipal Court barefooted, manacled in leg-irons and clad in prison-issue orange shorts and shirts.
Now, court ordered police to wrap up the case during the next three days.

Tags: thailand thai bangkok riot clashed red+shirts farang foreigner video arsonist jeff+savage savage+geoffrey+Hugh

Deutsche Version



Central World today



Along Rama 4 Bon Kai and Khlong Toei workers do their best to restore infrastructure again




All Rama 4 Bon Kai is covered by thick blanket of black ash



Burned down gold shop at Bon Kai




Vandalized, looted and destroyed 7/11 in Bon Kai



Completely burned out buildings at Bon Kai Rama 4



A boy at Rama 4 Bon Kai helps to clean the debris of the burned tyre roadblocks



Burned out police booth under the Khlong Toei expressway



Destroyed ATM machine

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand arson brandstiftung klong toei rama IV bon kai pictures bilder images

Deutsche Version

Thai Banks have learned from the disaster and barricaded their doors with unsurmountable obstacles. SCB branch in Bon Kai has already taken these measures to prevent their gates from being shattered again.


Image Source: freakingcat

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand arson brandstiftung scb bank sicherheit sonnenschirm

Deutsche Version
Bound and blindfolded a follower of the Red Shirt moving is sitting on the ground after soldiers have detained her. And in the typical Thai manner inhaling from a methol stick that is omnipresent in Thailand.



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand smell stick

Deutsche Version
More and more footage is found on the internet, showing that foreigners and their worst behavior, mixing in with an exclusively Thai issue.

On Tuesday I had already posted this picture, showing a foreigner dismantling an ATM machine.

Just a couple of minutes ago I had posted this video showing a militant Farang (foreigner) threatening to burn down Central World. A video taken 3 days before the arson actually happened.

Now I found another video showing a young guy who joins vandalizing Thai youngsters and destroys a illuminated billboard himself:



The same guy:



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand flucht flee ausländr foreigners expat farang

Deutsche Version
More and more foreigners pack their bags and suitcases and leave the Thai kingdom. The still in some areas very dangerous situation plus the curfew have scared many who now prefer to leave the country or at least it´s capital.



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand flucht flee ausländr foreigners expat farang

Deutsche Version

The following is a list of places that have been set on fire by Red Shirts yesterday:

1. Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB)

2. A commercial building in Bon Kai community

3. Kasikorn Bank, soi Ngam Doo Plee branch

4. Siam Paragon Shopping Complex

5. CentralWorld Shopping Complex

6. Maleenont Tower

7. Government Savings Bank, Sam Liam Din Daeng branch

8. Metropolitan Electricity Authority, Klong Toei branch

9. Metropolitan Waterworks Authority, Klong Toei branch

10. Stock Exchange of Thailand

11. Sogo Department Store in Rajaprasong area

12. Siam and Scala Cinemas in Siam Square

13. Post Publishing PCL

14. Bangkok Bank, Asok branch

15. Bangkok Bank, Victory Monument branch

16. Bangkok Bank, Chan Road branch

17. Center One Shopping Mall

18. Siam Square

19. Siam City Bank, Siam Square branch

20. Bangkok Bank, Siam Square branch

21. shops in Siam Square soi 5 and 6

22. Mahatun Plaza Building on Ploen Chit Road

23. Bangkok Bank, Rama IV branch

24. 7-Eleven convenient store, Sam Liam Din Daeng branch

25. Krungthai Bank next to Mater Dei School

26. Krungthai Bank, Asok branch

27. Bangkok Bank, Bangjak branch

28. Tesco Lotus Express convenient store, Rama IV branch

29. Bangkok Bank, Sathupradit branch

30. Bangkok Bank, Saphanluang branch

31. Siam City Bank, Sam Liam Din Daeng branch

32. Siam City Bank, Sunthornkosa branch in Klong Toei district

33. 7-Eleven convenient store near Victory Monument

34. Bangkok Bank, Hua Lam Phong branch

35. Siam Commercial Bank, Prachachuen branch

36. Big C Superstore, Rajdamri branch

In addition, three Provincial Halls upcountry were hit by fires in Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani and Udon Thani.

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand arson brandstiftung list liste orte gebäude

Deutsche Version
A foreigner among the Red Shirts. In fact dressed in a black shirt. Armed with a bamboo pole threatening to burn and loot Central world – three days before it actually happened.



Not only that a foreigner is mixing in with Thai politics, but where does he know from what will happen to Central World later. So far it is quite certain, that those arsons to landmark buildings across Bangkok have been planned in advanced and were quite well organized and carried out by teams of Red Shirts.

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand arson brandstiftung farang foreigner video

Deutsche Version
Today – the day after Bangkok burned and saw the worst rioting in decades- Bangkok is a much calmer but also a broken city. After the curfew things are much quieter now. There is smoke still and some of the militants are still in the high rises on Ratchaprasong Road. Just right now, the armey has sealed the area off and tries to flush out the last of those snipers.

14 People have died yesterday in Bangkok. 2 deaths are reported from Ubon Ratchathani.

Meanwhile the government has extended the curfew on 23 other provinces. It is prolonged until next Saturday always from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m.



Intact Red Shirt barricade on Phetburi Road. The still smoking remains of Central World in the background



Central World – once Southeast Asia´s biggest high-end mall is a burned up skeleton



A completely melted bus stop at Chula Hospital


One of those petrol bombs that were used to fight troops and set the city ablaze


The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET). Broken windows and fire damage on the lower floors



Remains of the burned up tire barricade in front of Chula Hospital



The dead inside Pathumwaran

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand ausgangssperre curfew picture central world stock exchange fire wat pathumwaran

Deutsche Version


Since the curfew started at 8 p.m. it has become hard to tell what is really going on. Eyewitness reports can only be made by looking out the window and exchanging information over the internet.

At the same time Twitter – so far the number 1 source of live information on the stirring events in Bangkok is experiencing capacity problems and right now it seems to be impossible for some to post news on twitter. In addition the Thai Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (MICT) seems to block web services like Twitter and Facebook.

These are the latest facts:

Central world is still ablaze. The governor of Bangkok has send 900 firefighters and 450 policemen on the way to extinguish the raging flames. The mall´s structure as a whole has not collapsed although parts of the walls are falling down now.



In Wat Prathumwanraam temple 9 people have succumbed to their injuries since ambulances could not make their way through the hail of bullets. Five of the seven injured have been taken to hospital.

Tesco On Nut has been looted by Red Shirts shortly before the curfew. Rumors of Red Shirts having taken Tesco staff hostage have proven false.

Streets are deserted it is a spooky quiet atmosphere on the deserted streets. Gunfire has died down in most areas as well.

Tags:

Deutsche Version
Up to 2000 people are trapped inside Wat Prathumwanraam temple where they went to escape the raging firefights outside. Among them are many wounded. Seven people have died so far as ambulances can not make their way through the gun battles.



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand wat Prathumwanraam refugees

More Pictures: Udonmap

Tags:thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand Udon Thani city hall video

Deutsche Version


2 years prison for everyone caught on the street without a very good reason. Curfew goes from 8 p.m. to 6 a.m. Curfews in 23 provinces including Chiang Mai and reportedly in Pattaya/Chonburi.

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand ausgangssperre curfew picture

Deutsche Version







Central World at Siam – now partially collapsed

I have just been there for shopping. No it´s engulfed by flames.



Center One at Victory Monument

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand world central center one victory monument siam

Deutsche Version
The Ubon city hall has been set on fire by red shirt protesters and is now completely destroyed.








Meanwhile there are report of clashes in Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen, as well

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand ubon ratchathani arson brand picture bilder

Deutsche Version


Bangkok is burning after the army stormed the barricaded protest camp and arrested the leaders of the Red Shirt movement.
Their followers don´t even think about giving up. They keep on firing grenades and torched over twenty buildings in Bangkok.

Central world – also called the – World Trade Center, had been southeast Asia´s biggest mall and is now partially collapsed after it had been set on fire and looted.
Center One on Victory Monument is on fire as well. A fire at the stock exchange of Thailand (SET) has destroyed the premises of Money Channel but has now been reportedly put out. The Metropolitan Electricity Authority is burning as well.
So far 6 people were killed, 58 wounded. An Italian journalist is among the killed.
Red Shirt leader Nattawut said in a video spread on Facebook: “Go ahead, burn everything. I will take responsibility later.”

Now, the government has imposed a curfew starting at 8 p.m. to 6 a.m.
All Bangkokians have to stay indoors. Breakin the curfew can result in 2 years prison.
Meanwhile police is shooting at looters.
Channel 3 and TNN are not broadcasting anymore.



Central World on fire



Helicopter evacuates Channel 3 employes after their buildings had been stormed by red shirts

thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand channel 3 feuer fire arson plünderungen looting curfew ausgangssperre

Touching and stirring pictures on Boston.com. These high resolution photos show who unreal and almost cinema-like the last days have been. One of famous Asia´s capitals is almost instantly detoriating and sinks into chaos.

Have a look at these pictures each of which an aspirant for the world press photo award

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand world press photo picture foto

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand plünderungen looting 7/11 Lang suan

Deutsche Version
It is sad enough red shirts got distracted from their initial goal of fighting for democracy and started to indiscriminately burn and destroy buildings and installations in Bangkok. Since there are reports Red Shirts had enough food and water at their rally site on Ratchaprasong there was no need to loot 7/11 stores as it had happened last Saturday.

Destroying and dismantling ATM machines has even less to do with a fight for democracy.

The worst fact is certainly that foreigners helped dismantling ATM machines:

Von Bangkok 16_5

Source: BKKApologist

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand farang , foreigners plünerdungen looting picture

In this video BBC reporter Chris Hogg explains who the army tries to keep distance to the red shirts – silply by shooting at anything they see:

BBC Video

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand video BBC chris Hogg live bullet strategy

Deutsche Version
The renegade Maj. Gen. ,Khattiya Sawasdiphol, accused of creating a paramilitary force for the Red Shirt protesters, died this morning in Vajira Hospital after having been shot by an unidentified sniper. The death came five days after he was shot in the head by a sniper in downtown Bangkok while talking to journalists inside the perimeter of the protest zone.
The attack on Khattiya, more popularly known as Seh Daeng, triggered widespread street fighting between anti-government protesters and the army in central Bangkok.



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand video Khattiya Sawasdiphol Seh Daeng

Deutsche Version
The fourth day of rioting and violence has not seen raging firefights that some battlefield correspondents described as “heavy – even in war measures”. Tires are burning again and blockades are being fortified, tough.

Still, in about 40 minutes an ultimatum by the government will run out asking the red shirts to abandon their rally site on Ratchaprasong Road.

Meanwhile there are even rumors of a ceasefire.



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand video blockade rama IV tire burning

Deutsche Version
As I had posted yesterday, the protests are spreading on other parts of the kingdom. Yesterday about 300 red shirt protesters gathered in front of Ubon Ratchathani provincial hall and burned tires.

These are the first video from there:







Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos aufstand ubon ratchathani video tire burning

Deutsche Version

Four Journalists have been shot during the last two days. Since they are wearing green arm bandages it should be not too difficult to distinguish them from armed blackshirts.
In addition, the number of deaths has risen to 29 – all of them civilians. The military claims to use force only against armed protesters but the following video clearly shows, that they are killing deliberately killing unarmed protesters as well.



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos civillians death toll video killing shooting casualties press journalists

Deutsche Version
As mentioned in an earlier post the red shirt´s uprising is rapidly spreading throughout the kingdom.

These are the first pictures of the tire burning and protesting in the northeastern city of Ubon.

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos ubon ratchathani pictures

Deutsche Version

I just watched a extremely disturbing video that show civilians taking cover behind piled up tires and trying to escape, while the military is shooting directly at them.
This has nothing to do with self defence.

thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos safety military shooting at civilians

Offenbar aus versehen hat die Haupt-Barrikade (so sah sie vorher aus) auf der Rama IV Feuer gefangen. Die Straße liegt unter rasendem Dauerfeuer, das Militär schießt auf sich zurückziehende Red Shirts.



Angeblich ist auch ein Ausländer angeschossen worden.
Die Red Shirts versuchen jetzt mit selbstgebauten Raketen gegen die Scharfschützen auf den Dächern vorzugehen.

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos safety cbon kai rama IV barrikade barricade fire feuer

Aus Ubon Ratchathani kam gerade die Meldung, dass auch vor dem Gebäude der Provinzregierung Reifen in Flammen aufgegangen seine und sich etwa 300 Demonstranten versammelt haben.
In Chiang Mai, der zweitgrößten Stadt des Landes findet ein Demonstrationszug der Rothemden statt.



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos safety chiang mai ubon ratchathani

Auf der Rama IV kommt es im Moment zu heftigen Schießereien zwischen den Red Shirts und der Armee. Die Armee belegt die Reifenbarrikaden mit Dauerfeuer und zwingt die Red Shirts so in Deckung.



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos safety road block rama IV bon kai shooting

Die neuesten Bilder: Jetzt brennt auch die Straßensperre an der Rama IV wieder. Aufgehäufte und angezündete Reifen verbreiten schwarzen, beißenden Qualm. Eine Zufahrt für die eintreffende Verstärkung der Armee ist nicht mehr möglich. Gleichzeitig nimmt der Rauch den Soldaten auch die Sicht und erschwert das Zielen.



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos safety road block rama IV straßensperre rama 4

Während weitere Reifen auf Pick Ups eintreffen, mit denen die Barrikaden verstärkt und dann in Brand gesetzt werden sollen, transportieren die Rettungswagen an der Auffahrt zum Expressway in Klong Toey die Verletzten ab.



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos safety klong toey toei tire ambulance expressway

Nachdem die Kämpfe zwischen Armee und Red Shirts sich gestern plötzlich auf Stadtteile außerhalb der Absperrungen ausgedehnt und deutlich an Intensität zugenommen hatten, fühlten sich die Bürger Bangkoks und Touristen nicht mehr sicher.

Jetzt gibt es ein neue Karte, die zeigtm, welche Orte man in Bangkok heute unbedingt meiden sollte:
View Bangkok Dangerous - Red Shirts Rally March-May 2010 in a larger map

Derzeit ist vor allem die Rama IV Road ein Hexenkessel, wo auch heute wieder Reifen brennen und scharf geschgeschossen wird.

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos safety 7/11 looting plünderung rama IV bon kai Karte map

Schon eine ganze Weile war klar, dass die Armee auch Scharfschützen gegen die militanten und schwer bewaffneten Kämpfer der Red Shirts einsetzt. Jetzt gibt es erste Bilder von den Spezialisten:



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos safety scharfschütze

Eines der wenigen Videos, die die in schwarz gekleideten und schwer bewaffneten Untergrundkämpfer in Aktion zeigt. Auch in diesem Video ist der Kämpfer nur für einen kurzen Augenblick zu sehen. Bei dem gewehr soll es sich um ein Tavor TAR-21 Sturmgewehr handeln:



Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden riot chaos safety video fighter blackshirt

Schon vor einigen Stunden wurde der Fotograf der Tageszeitung "The Nation", Chaiwat, in den Oberschenkel geschossen. Jetzt wird er operiert.
Unterdessen sind jetzt die ersten Bilder veröffentlicht worden, die der Fotograf noch auf seiner Kamera gespeichert hatte, als er verwundet wurde.

Tags: thai thailand, bangkok redshirts rothemden straßenschlachten chaos sicherheit nation fotograf chaiwat video bilder

Eine der ersten Videoaufnahmen, wie schwarzgekleidete Demonstarnten einen Granatwerfer, möglicherweise eine M 79 Granatpistole, abfeuern:



Tags: thai thailand riot red shirts bangkok safety dangerous areas video m79 grenade black

Quelle: Newley

Offenbar lassen die Rothemden jetzt fliegende Laternen, wie sie normalerweise im Norden in Chiang Mai bei festen üblich sind, auf die Hubschrauber von Armee und Polizei zufliegen, um die Piloten zu irritieren.

Tags: thai thailand riot red shirts bangkok safety dangerous areas picture krathong hubschrauber

Offenbar ist jetzt auch ein Rettungssanitäter des Por Tek Tung Rettungsdienstes Opfer der Kämpfe geworden. rettungswagen kommen aus der Richtung Bon Kai:



Wahnsinn: Auf dieser Straße steht man normalerweise manchmal drei Stunden im Stau

Tags: thai thailand riot red shirts bangkok safety dangerous areas picture por tek Tung ambulance rettungsdienst

Immer mehr Autoreifen werden auf der Rama IV in Bangkok in Brand gesteckt. Die Menge jubelt, immer ,wenn ein weiterer Pick Up mit Reifen eintrifft:





Tags: thai thailand riot red shirts bangkok safety dangerous areas picture tyres fire

Nachdem die Armee gestern mehrere große Verkehrsadern in Bangkok gesperrt hat, um die Red Shirts von ihrem Nachschub abzuschneiden, wird heute in Bangkok wieder scharf geschossen.
Hier eine Karte, welche Gegenden unbedingt gemieden werden sollten:
View Bangkok Dangerous - Red Shirts Rally March-May 2010 in a larger map

Tags: Bangkok straßenschlachten sicherheit sicher karte Sperrgebiet

Es waren wieder einmal die “sieben gefährlichen Tage“ der Songkran-Feiertage, während denen in Thailand 361 Menschen bei Verkehrsunfällen getötet und 3.802 verletzt wurden. Das ist weit mehr als die 22 Toten und 400 Verletzten der Zusammenstöße zwischen den Red Shirts und der Armee am 10. April.

Damit ist es das 86. Jahr in Folge, in dem die Zahl der Verkehrstoten die Anzahl der Opfer duch Aufstand und politische Wirren übertrifft.

Darüber hinaus übersteigt die Zahl der Verkehrstoten auch die Zahl aller Enthaupteten und Erschossenen bei den Unruhen in Südthailand im gleichen Zeitraum. Dazu auch noch die Zahl der Thais, die an Lebensmittelvergiftung, Umweltkatastrophen, AIDS, Alkohol, Zigaretten, Drogen, illegalen Abtreibungen, Selbstmord,pestizidverseuchtes Gemüse, Übergewicht, Vodoozauber, Geister, okkulte Telefonnummern und Karma ums Leben kamen.

In diesem Zusammenhang ist die Meldung interessant, dass ein ambitionierter Plan eines Verkehrserziehungprogrammes für Jugendliche gestrichen wurde, um mit dem Geld die neuen Gripen Kampfflugzeuge für die Luftwaffe zu beschaffen.

Tags: thai thailand Verkehr Unfall songkran satire

Deutsche Version

Not too long ago I had pointed out how the red shirts protest will end one day. The tension had always been there and violence had already erupted last year. Now we had that pandemonium yesterday night at Khok Wua/Ratchadamnoen and so far 21 have succumbed to their injuries and more than 800 are injured, many of them will be crippled for life.

It´s strange to watch my co-workers and friends from Vajira Hospital Surgical Medical and Rescue Team on the evening news resuscitating and pushing injured protesters on the bed of our ambulance pick- ups. I am really glad I haven´t been there when all this set off in an instant.

I still try to find out what had been going on and found 4 videos that reflect most likely what it had been like at Democracy Monument yesterday night. Two of them are by a brave video blogger really risking a lot to show what was going on and how it started.
In those videos one can hear continuous fire. Even if not all of the shots fired were life rounds, the high number of injured protesters is traceable.

Check it out:

Part 1


Part 2

(in this video the ambulance car I worked my last shift on rolls through the picture)



Another video shows the gunfights:



Sensitive people better don´t watch this. It shows how a red shirt protester is shot in the head and dies instantly. It´s really shocking.

Tags: bangkok thailand thai clashes riot april 10 khok wua video footage shooting

Deutsche Version

I remember when I first started to learn Thai and came across Thai block letters I had no chance to decipher them. A small dot makes an "M" a "P" or an "D" a "K".

Having been taught these characters since early childhood, it´s easy for Thais to distinguish the tiny difference, but for me it´s had been a major obstacle.
But vice versa it´s the same. For a Thai (or Lao in this case) print shop employee an “n” looks pretty similar to an “h” and an “e” resembles a ”c”.
Just sometimes I wonder why people use two different versions on the same bill. Maybe that way at least one is correct.

Tags: thai thailand travel language blooper thenglish