Well, not exactly fiddling, but called to Bira to take some shots of the usual suspects.
In between pressing the shutter, I kept abreast of developments in Bangkok via Twitter. While much of the world may use Twitter to follow the exploits of the likes of Paris Hilton, it is without doubt the best way to keep up to date with what is happening when, for example, a bunch of democracy activists thugs decide to torch a city. Throughout the day there was a constant stream of messages, photos and videos, as the army finally did what it should have done weeks ago, and the reaction to the crackdown was arson and looting.
One of the more frequent tweeters was Thai Visa, a website I normally avoid unless I really need to know something; given that is administered by Nazis and frequented by a baying horde of self-opinionated assholes. But it was providing up to date information on the latest building to be burned down, so well done the Nazis.
So, an exciting day in Thailand, culminating in my being thrown out of Tesco Lotus because they were shutting early because of a curfew. Luckily the curfew did not extend as far as our local restaurant, so I was able to be fed and watered.
Now I am barricaded into my condo with the windows boarded up and enough supplies of beer to see me through until tomorrow morning. I find that beer helps develop a siege mentality. Cheers!
Comments 🔗
2010-05-19| genuinej saysAs Kris Kristofferson might have said, “I hope you make it through the night”. Do your best! See you tomorrow, maybe.
2010-05-20| Qon sayswhere do i get when of those motorbike racing outfits? i’d wear it driving a honda wave 150. sweeeeet!
2010-05-20| Spike saysgenuinej, slept like a baby. Takes more than the rattle of gunfire and the thump of close-proximity mortars to disrupt my sleep. Not that there were any.
Qon, I have tried to visualise you in a leather racing suit. Believe me, it is not a pretty sight.
2010-05-21| Billy says“the army finally did what it should have done weeks ago”
The Thai army did many things that day including shooting a bunch of unlucky people not least the Italian reporter, while only injuring the lucky ones. Not so newsworthy in truth, worse bad stuff happens every day and unless you can get a Paris Hilton angle in there, then a column in the Times one day and chip paper tomorrow is about it.
No, what is newsworthy are the 11 words themselves and, more specifically, that you wrote them.
Your views on stuff are pretty well known, including your abhorrence of violence and oppression, except possibly to perhaps those who fail to pay the rental on one of your lawnmowers. They are long standing, deeply held and borne of such conviction that they demand respect and they have long had mine.
It has therefore long been easy to predict which end of almost any newly arising socio-political issue you are likely to occupy so I was stunned, to say the least, to read your words and, knowing you to be a man given to engaging brain before opening mouth, I would appreciate illumination.
2010-05-21| Spike saysImagine a bunch of protesters illegally occupying a prime area of real estate in a favoured city of your choice, and thus bringing chaos. The immediate response of the authorities would be to clear them out. The Thai response was to dick around for weeks, allowing the protestors to reinforce and to spread; and become more violent. They needed to be broken up. Sadly, the police force here is worse than useless, so the army had to be called in. Hence my statement. Having said that, indeed the tactics of the army are highly questionable. But the Thai army is not like, say, the British army. They are under-trained and ill-equipped; and were up against a mob whose modus operandi has been escalation and provocation. Forget about the crap on BBC and CNN, the redshirts were armed and spoiling for a fight. A properly trained army would have sorted them out with water canon, tear gas and rubber bullets. The Thai army response was infinitely more aggressive and for that they can be rightly criticised. But these were young lads with guns and an inadequate command structure; and they were under threat. I feel sorry for the innocents who were caught in the fire; but they chose to be there and sadly there is a risk when placing yourself in a war zone. As for the protesters who were shot. They laid siege to one of my favourite cities, they were offered a solution which they rejected on petty grounds, and there was no way they were going to leave peacefully. I find it hard to feel sorry for them. Finally ,what is actually going on here is much deeper and more complex than it appears. It’s all part of a massive power struggle between various parties. The army lads with guns and the protesters from the countryside are just pawns in the game. I don’t fully understand it (few do), and there are players I cannot even discuss. But I am sure there is more mayhem on the way.
2010-05-21| Pete says“The Thai response was to dick around for weeks, allowing the protestors to reinforce and to spread; and become more violent.”
That was exactly the problem. Who allowed them to bring in all the tyres, bamboo sticks, fireworks, firearms and all the other stuff they needed to stay there for 8 weeks? It should have been nipped in the bud at the first week.
Sadly, I also agree with your last sentence.
2010-05-21| Spike saysThis report, from someone who was with the troops during the crackdown, reinforces that the redshirts were armed and dangerous:
2010-05-21| Billy saysCompare and contrast with a situation where the ruling elite terrorise, torture and murder the majority and threaten and worse their near neighbours while doing little to covince anyone that they have disposed of the weapons of mass destruction they certainly once had. Would force be justified in such a situation?
2010-05-21| Spike saysWould this situation involve an invasion by America, who had actively supported the ruling elite in a war with a third party (Iran) because it suited their interests? And had actively supplied and supported the provision of “weapons of mass destruction” to the ruling elite, until such time as it no longer became in their interests to do so. And had deliberately fed the lie to the American public that the ruling elite were involved with Al-Qaeda in order to justify an invasion; when all they really wanted was influence and oil? No, force would not and was not justified.
Contrast and compare with the situation in Thailand? I see no comparison.
2010-05-21| Billy saysMy question was hypothetical of course, though I can hardly pretend to be surprised that you related your answer to a real world near-analaogue.
The real world is of course much more complicated and the oppressed and tortured can continue to be such with, by and large, little hope of escape while the dead don’t count, even if the unlikely event they ever had a vote.
Where we seem to be agreed however is that violence can sometimes be justified for the greater good.
2010-05-21| genuinej saysWow!! What’s going on here on Pattaya Days? Intelligent, (well quasi intelligent) discussion? Can we please just get back to photos of Khun Honda, SWMBO, Spike’s pussies etc., etc.?
2010-05-26| braveheart sayswhere in pattaya are the beach houses in your cover photo?
2010-05-26| Spike saysThey are actually lake houese. Large lake with many temples about 10 kms south of Pattaya. There is also this Chinese temple:
2009_12_have-you-seen-your-buddha-baby-standing-in-the-shadow
2010-06-15| Bigney@ymail.com saysI love Paris Hilton.I think she is very smart and funny!! Nice Post.
2010-10-26| Bottled Water : saysbeach houses are nice because you can swim anytime you want and the beach is a great view too..;
2010-10-26| Billy the Brush saysBottled Water is to be congratulated for both the relevance and insight he brings to a post ostensibly about motor bikes but clearly with deeper meanings related to, erm, beach houses and erm, beach views ..
On the other hand he might just be told to politely fuck off …
2010-10-26| Spike saysBottled Water, fuck off.
2010-10-26| genuinej saysMaybe Bottled Water is aka your old fan Walter; in which case he should definitely f.o.