Today went without incident. Got some OK photos, nothing special. But tomorrow is supposed to be really crazy with demonstrations, maybe riots. I have a cool guy named Ta who volunteered to guide me through the town though. He is half Thai and half Japanese, and knows Bangkok inside and out. He was here for the last two or three series of riots/coups.
Tonight we had some beers and went out through the city on foot, scouting it out the night before all the action is supposed to happen. Place is full of both Red Shirts and riot cops, even late at night. The cops have leaned their plexiglass shields against the metal barricades, some are snoozing in metal chairs, but all are in their riot gear.
The Red Shirts are sleeping in a series of vacant lots. They've pitched tents and pavilions throughout the city, and most of them are sleeping in the open air on mats. Dispersed amongst them are kabob and liquor vendors. Some people are selling machetes, but I don't think they are necessarily targeting the Red Shirts; they look kind of touristy. I suspect the Red Shirts probably brought their own machetes if they are to be used.
People are estimating that between 100,000 and 1 million people have been bused in from the hinterlands to voice their displeasure. They have been given free food and transportation, so the whole thing, at least tonight, seemed to have a sort of festival atmosphere. Men hunkered on their haunches in the sand, watching their political leaders on projections screens as they railed on the current administration.
Ta says he can get me to the best vantage points for photos, and, again, he survived the last few series of riots. So he knows the streets inside and out, and knows the hiding places and ways to get to different places quickly; he clearly does from the way he took us through the town tonight.
Here is the link to a gallery I am working on filling with photos from the demonstrations. Let me know if you can see it.
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