Government soldier looks for snipers on Thanon Rama IV, Bangkok

Today government soldiers clashed with anti-government ‘red shirt’ protesters in several parts of Bangkok, including my neighbourhood, the Silom/Rama IV area. The following are a few images from the clashes, which as I write this at 6.30pm, have yet to cease. For details, go here.

Anti-government ‘red shirt’ protesters taunt soldiers, Rama IV, Bangkok

Locals cautiously watching the conflict unfolding on Rama IV, Bangkok

Red shirt protesters stand their ground on Rama IV, Bangkok

Red shirt protesters taunt soldiers, Rama IV, Bangkok

Soldiers prepare to fire on red shirt protesters, Rama IV, Bangkok

Red shirt protesters taunt soldiers on Thanon Rama IV

A violent confrontation between red shirt protesters and government soldiers along Rama IV

Soldiers preparing to fire at red shirt protesters on Thanon Rama IV

Soldiers firing an alleged mixture of rubber bullets, blanks and real bullets at protesters, Thanon Rama IV

Captured red shirt protesters near Lumphini Boxing Statdium, Bangkok

Soldiers unrolling barbed wire along Rama IV, Bangkok. Smoking tires can be seen in the background.

Locals look at burning tires on a bridge near Thanon Silom

I arrived back home in Bangkok to some pretty bizarre circumstances. While I was in Laos, red-shirted protesters took over a large swathe of central Bangkok, from the central shopping district to the edge of Lumphini Park, directly opposite my apartment. They’ve occupied this space for several weeks now, having barricaded themselves inside an intimidating fence of tires, bamboo poles and barbed wire (for background on the current conflict in Thailand, go here or here). The conflict has escalated in the last few days, and yesterday there were rumours that the protesters were going to be surrounded by the military and police at 6pm. At about this time I left my house with the intent of taking a few pics and documenting what was going on in my neighbourhood. While wandering around the red shirt camp, I happened to run into ace reporters Newley Purnell and Anasuya Sanyal, and here are some of the things we saw that night.

View over the Silom area, with hotels and skyscrapers in the background and the medieval-looking tire and bamboo fence in the foreground:

A closer look at the fence and one of its guards:

It’s said that the protesters have soaked the fence in gasoline, and will set it on fire if attacked.

Inside the fenced area (no, those rocks aren’t for landscaping):

Guarding the fence:

While I was in the area I happened to see  Khattiya Sawasdipol, better known as Seh Daeng (Commander Red):

a rogue military general and hardline red shirt supporter who has allegedly likened himself to the Mel Gibson character in the film Braveheart:

Only moments after these photos were taken, Seh Daeng was shot while being interviewed by New York Times correspondent.

Soldiers along Silom, later that night:

Motorcyclists being chased away from the fence by a group of shouting red shirts near Lumphini Park:

Boat driver on the Nam Kading River, Laos

You can hear some fascinating stories when you talk to the older generation in Laos. This guy, who now works as a boat driver along the Nam Kading river in central Laos, helped the Vietnamese fight against the French colonialists in 1959. He still remembers some Vietnamese and after the war had 10 children.

Watching a pétanque game

Fishing on the Nam Song, Vang Vieng, Laos

If he was fishing for assholes, he’d be a rich man.