Red Shirts Rally in Chiang Rai / Chiang Mai

[Richard Barrow]

Red shirts in Chiang Rai threaten blockade to retaliate crackdown in Bangkok

The red shirts rallying in Chiang Rai on Friday issued a statement threatening a retaliation by blockading the provincial hall and all main roads if police disperse the protesters in Bangkok. The red shirts around the country will seize provincial halls and main roads as soon as receiving the instruction from red-shirt rally organisers, the statement said.

The Nation

[Richard Barrow]

Red protests annoy locals on first day of Songkran
Bangkok Post
Published: 11/04/2009 at 12:00 AM
Newspaper section: News

Road blockades by red-shirt demonstrators in downtown Chiang Mai have been dampening the spirit of the Songkran festival, which kicks off in the northern city today.

About 200 red shirts gathered at Tha Phae Gate in Muang district yesterday afternoon, parking their pick-up trucks on Tha Phae road and causing heavy traffic jams in the area.

They climbed aboard their vehicles and blared out verbal attacks on Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and privy councillors via loudspeakers.

The blockade drew some angry responses from road users and disrupted the scheduled Songkran festivities at Tha Phae Gate - one of Chiang Mai's well-known tourist spots.

In downtown Chiang Rai, about 100 red shirts continued with their anti-government rally on Bappaprakarn road.

Tents and stages were erected with broadcasts of the protests in Bangkok being relayed to them.

Boonlert Bunsri, a public relations coordinator of the Chiang Rai chapter of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, said demonstrators will lay siege to government offices in the province and block traffic if the government uses force to disperse rallies.

[Richard Barrow]

Red shirts have blocked the highway between Lampang and Chiang Mai. The tv reporter said that people were playing Songkran in Chiang Mai today but there wasn't as many as there have been in past years.

[Khun Don]

Stupidity on behalf of the red shirts-they are hardly going to gain any support by spoiling Songkran celebrations!

[Betti]

I take it Chiang Mai has been peaceful today, then? no news is good news?

[Marie]

I take it Chiang Mai has been peaceful today, then? no news is good news?

Mikeheart was telling us at TCB a while ago that it's ok in CM.

[tomboR]

There are reports that the red-shirts are planning protests in cities throughout Thailand over the next few days.

http://www.fco.gov.uk/en/travelling-...eania/thailand

Does anyone know if there is any truth behind these reports?

[Richard Barrow]

There have already been protests in many cities in the north and northeast. Roads have been blocked and city halls surrounded. Reports are sketchy.