"Red Shirts" throw blood at PM Abhisit Vejjajiva's House, Bangkok - Wednesday 17 March 2010

Wednesday has seen the street protests in Bangkok shift up gear as the Red Shirts brought their one simple, unbending message, a demand for the dissolution of the government, into the heart of the city, claiming long stretches Sukhumvit Road as their own for a few hours and turning this artery into one big, slow-moving, red-themed party on two and four wheels. That was after the day had kicked off in Sukhumvit Soi 31, a non-descript sounding name and just one of dozens of minor roads that litter either side of this key thoroughfare; however this soi has one major difference: it is home to the Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, the unremitting focus of the protestors anger.

Yesterday, in a symbolic gesture, the Red Shirts as the colour-coordinated supporters of the umbrella group, the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, drew their own blood and poured it at both the gates of Government House and the Democrat Partys headquarters. Today would see the third and concluding stage of this gesture completed: a stunt that would see them throwing their blood at the gates of the house of the PM. So at around 9am the Red Shirts stated to roll out of their makeshift base camp which is headquartered at the Phan Fa Bridge, a cast iron bridge that swings over the outer moat of the Banglamphu Canal and hugs Makakan Fort, one of just two forts built along the ancient battlements that still remain today. The bridge is in fact registered with Thailand's Fine Arts Department as a heritage monument.

The protestors were soon swarming up the Sukhumvit Road to rendezvous at the PM's residence which is in Phrom Phong district of the city, with Soi 31 being just a few hundred metres past the BTS Station in the direction of the city centre. By 10 am the soi was starting for fill up towards the barrier the police had erected about a hundred metres down its none-to-wide confines, a simple temporary steel fence cordon that gave way to row after row of riot police kitted out with plastic shields. Within half an hour the blood had arrived, an angry-looking dark red liquid held in several large disposable water bottles. After negotiation between the police and the leader of the protestors, Jatuporn Prompan, the crowd was allowed to move slowly up the soi in fits and starts as the police melted backwards. The Red Shirts steadily advanced, step-by-step, the agreement being that the demonstrators would come no closer than 5 metres of the house gates. This steady stop-start advance went on for around 20 minutes before the nondescript gates of the PMs residence loomed into view. The pavement outside was lined with two rows of riot police, steel crowd barriers, and barbed wire. After plenty of rhetoric and filling smaller plastic bags with blood supply, the bloodletting commenced and these bulging bags were hurled over the fence while large bottles were poured down the anonymous gates and the white concrete posts on either side. The symbolic act done and it was time for the Red Shirts leaders, riding on top of trucks, with their followers trailing in their wake riding in pickups, cars, scooters or on foot, to swing back onto Sukhumvit Road.

Category:

News & Politics

Tags:

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[knx86]

I understand it's symbolic but... gross. I hope all of these people don't have cuts on their feet as the blood will seep through their shoes. Diseases people!!!

[getupanddressup]

f*** the red shirt

[FossilOfMEd]

i'm medical student in thailand and i know how hard if u want EMERGENCY Blood transfusion for any accident. Not to talk about scheduled surgery, we always run out of it, many have to suffer from prolonged untreated conditions ESP those need surgery.

Please, just concern about OTHERS a little bit more.

May be they just can't think... just follow Thai people is in DEEP SH#T!

[zaluya]

They have no idea.. only idiot leader

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เอาให้ติดเอดส์เลือดแดงกันให้หม­ดเลย

[JanAnn23]

Such an uncivilised and violent protest.

Blood is contaminated by HIV and other diseases. Shame on them, the bully and silly.

[267745]

F*CK RED

DO something foolish

how old is them guys?

use it d brain please!

asshole

dont jerk around too much

[tiatavee]

their such retards they could be donating blood.. but no they just have to go throw it at some random house..

[Nu008s]

*u*k Abhisit get out get out...

[zincopper]

Peaceful protests are possible! See, these should be legal everywhere!