For those of you watching the news, just wanted to affirm that violence has not spread beyond BKK. Gov't has declared a State of Emergency is about a dozen provinces, but not yet Tak, where I live (which is historically politically isolated). Non-essential travel to BKK has been warned against by US DOS, and Embasy is closed, but no evac of US citizens or anything that drastic. I'm traveling down to BKK on the Wednesday night bus, but will travel directly from the bus station, which is just north of, but still outside of, the conflict area, to a hotel by the airport, until I fly out on Thursday night.
There is a useful website that is tracking the extent of the clashes and other incidents. Even if you don't know BKK, its useful to see that the events really are clustered in a couple of areas downtown.
http://maps.google.co.th/maps/ms?hl=en&ie=UTF8&msa=0&msid=116480606892254086046.0004817fafbb87b0951c0&ll=13.739635,100.542498&spn=0.028556,0.055747&source=embed
Bangkok Dangerous - Red Shirts Rally March-May 2010
URGENT: Monday 16th May 2010: Central Bangkok is now a "war zone". Latest news is that the street clashes are further outside the area marked on this map. All MRT and BTS train services are closed until further notice. Most big shopping malls in central Bangkok are closed too. All schools are shut. Monday and Tuesday is now a public holiday in Bangkok. The army's plan to encircle the red shirts (green square) has failed repeatedly. So far 34 dead in running street battles. We think the army will move in today or tomorrow to clear the streets.
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