Every day when I wake up I usually ask my wife about the deteriorating situation in Bangkok. She usually responds with something like “same bullshit, different day.” Or “they have not started to kill each other yet.”
I usually give the comments a little thought and then turn on Al Jazeera to see if the news has gone international yet. The current situation that I commented on six or so weeks ago has only escalated. The photos and information below cover the current situation at the airport quite well.
All those people wearing yellow shirts are protesting against the government. They believe the current prime minister is just a puppet of the previously ousted prime minister who was corrupt. In fact the new prime minister is the brother-in-law of the ousted prime minister.
There have been multiple skirmishes and small bombings recently. The pro-government supporters wear red shirts while the antigovernment protesters wear yellow shirts. Before the yellow shirts were reserved for a special day during every week where everyone would wear yellow shirts to support the king. They have proposed to change the yellow shirts to white shirts to avoid the political associations. Enough about T-shirts.
here’s an article with more info and good photos about the situation.
Anti-government protesters tightened their grip over Bangkok’s international
airport on Wednesday, causing chaos in the terminal and triggering speculation
of imminent intervention by the military. (UPDATED)
Police officers stand guard as anti-government protesters blocked the main
road at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi international airport Nov. 25, 2008. Flight
operations at Thailand’s main international airport were disrupted on Tuesday
night after hundreds of anti-government protesters stormed the terminal
building. REUTERS/Kerek Wongsa (THAILAND)
Anti-government protesters gather as they protest outside Suvarnabhumi
international airport Tuesday, Nov. 25, 2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. About 5,000
protesters block the entrance to the airport and seized the compound outside
terminal building in an attempt to disrupt the arrival on Wednesday of Prime
Minister Somchai Wongsawat, who was in Peru for the Apec summit. (AP Photo/Apichart
Weerawong)
Anti government protesters sit in front of the departure terminal at
Suvarnabhumi airport on Wednesday Nov. 26, 2008. The protesters are demanding
the resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.( AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Anti government protesters in front of the departure terminal at Suvarnabhumi
airport, Bangkok in the early hours of Wednesday Nov. 26, 2008. Outbound flights
at Suvarnabhumi International Airport were temporarily suspended at 9 p.m.
Tuesday, authorities said, shortly before hundreds of demonstrators _ some
masked and armed with metal rods _ broke through police lines and spilled into
the passenger terminal. Airport manager Serirat Prasutanon said airport
authorities had tried to negotiate with the protesters "but to no avail." "For
the safety for passengers, we have to stop flights out of the airport
temporarily until the situation returns to normal," he said in a statement,
adding that incoming flights were still operating. The anti government
protesters are demanding the resignation of Thailand’s Prime Minister, Somchai
Wongsawat. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
Anti-government protesters listen to the speech of a leader, unseen, during
their protest at Suvarnabhumi international airport, Tuesday evening, Nov. 25,
2008 in Bangkok, Thailand. About 5,000 protesters blocked the entrance to the
airport and seized the compound outside the terminal building in an attempt to
disrupt the arrival on Wednesday of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. (AP
Photo/Apichart Weerawong)
European tourists sleep at Suvarnabhumi airpor, Bangkok in the early hours of
Wednesday Nov. 26, 2008 after anti government protesters besieged the airport.
(Wason Wanichakorn)
Anti-government protester sleep at Suvarnabhumi airport, Bangkok in the early
hours of Wednesday Nov. 26, 2008 as they continue to besiege parts of Bangkok’s
main international airport demanding the resignation of Thailand’s Prime
Minister, Somchai Wongsawat. (AP Photo/Wason Wanichakorn)
Stranded western tourists wait for transportation to hotels Wednesday, Nov.
26, 2008, at Suvarnabhumi airport in Bangkok, Thailand. Thousands of tourist
were stranded Tuesday night when members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy
swarmed the airport causing it to shutdown. The protesters are demanding the
resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. (AP Photo/David Longstreath)
Anti-government protesters gather at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport November
26, 2008. Anti-government protesters laid siege to Bangkok’s international
airport on Wednesday to demand that Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat
resign, challenging him directly as he returns from a foreign trip.
(REUTERS/Sukree Sukplang)
A departure display showing cancelled flights is seen after anti-government
protesters forced the closure of Bangkok’s main airport, the Suvarnabhumi
international airport, in Bangkok on Nov. 26, 2008. The political strife that
shut down Thailand’s main international airport could devastate the kingdom’s
massive tourism industry, which is already battered by global financial woes,
experts say. Media around the world carried footage Wednesday of glum tourists
trying to sleep on baggage carousels while protesters massed outside — images
likely to be hugely damaging to a country marketed overseas as the land of
smiles. (AFP PHOTO/Pornchai KITTIWONGSAKUL)
Aircraft line up on the tarmac after anti-government protesters forced the
closure of Bangkok’s main airport, the Suvarnabhumi international airport, in
Bangkok on Nov. 26, 2008. (AFP PHOTO/Pornchai KITTIWONGSAKUL)