Imigoqo emgwaqeni, izintambo ezihlabayo emigwaqweni eseceleni, amasosha ahlomile ezulazula futhi eqapha ezokuphepha phambi kwezitolo - lona umgwaqo uSilom ngoLwesithathu kusihlwa. Enye yezindawo ezidume kakhulu eBangkok, kubantu bendawo kanye nezivakashi, iqala ukubukeka njengendawo evinjezelwe. Namuhla ebusuku, AmaShirt Abomvu ahlezi phezu kwezithiyo ezingu-2m-ukuphakama ezenziwe ngezinti zoqalo, inqwaba yamathayi namatshe okugandaya aphukile eduze kwaseLumpini Park. Njengoba bememeza iziqubulo, bathola izimpendulo esixukwini esisha esibuthene ngakuSilom Road. Abasanda kungena baphethe izingqwembe ezineziqubulo ezisekela uhulumeni, izithombe ezikhuphukayo zeNkosi kanye nokuphakamisa amafulegi aphuzi – uphawu loBukhosi. Izimpi ezingavamile phakathi kwababhikishi abanehembe elibomvu kanye nezakhamuzi zaseBangkok zenzeke izolo ebusuku kuSilom Road. Kusuke udlame ngezithuba zabo-11:30 ebusuku ngesikhathi ababhikishi abasekela uhulumeni bejikijela amabhodlela kabhiya, izibuko nezinye izinto ababhikishi abagqoke amahembe abomvu abaphendule ngokujikijela ama-cocktail amabili eMolotov. Kokubili ama-Red Shirts kanye nezixuku ezisekela uhulumeni oBukhosi zibhekane eduze kwaseDusit Thani Hotel, ehlukaniswe kuphela yizimoto emigwaqweni.
Isimo sibukeka siba sibi kakhulu – ngemuva kokuvalwa kwamahhotela nezindawo zezitolo endaweni yaseRatchaprasong, namhlanje ebusuku sekuyithuba leSilom Complex Plaza ukuthi ivalwe. I-Dusit Thani manje isigadwe inqwaba yamaphoyisa agqoke izinto zokulwa nezibhelu - uphawu olushaqisayo lokwamukela izivakashi ezihlala ehhotela. Ngokusho kwamaphephandaba, manje sebengamasosha angu-10,000 endaweni yase-Ratchaprasong/Silom, abhekene nababhikishi abangama-Red Shirt ababalelwa ku-15,000 kuya ku-16,000. Iningi lezingqapheli lilindele manje umkhankaso wamasosha ozosusa le ndawo kulandela isithembiso sikaNdunankulu u-Abhisit Vejjajiva sokuphoqelela umthetho nokuhleleka ezweni.
Umkhulumeli kahulumeni uthe imibhikisho emelene nohulumeni ekhona njengamanje ikhipha abantu abangaphezu kuka-60,000 emisebenzini, yize kuyisikhashana. Ukulahleka kwezimali okulinganiselwa ku-THB 20 million (US$ 625,000) ngosuku kumabhizinisi asendaweni yaseRatchaprasong.
LOKHO ONGAKUTHATHE KULESI SIHLOKO:
- Most observers expect now a military crackdown to clear the area following the promise by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to enforce law and order in the country.
- After the closing of hotels and shopping centers in the Ratchaprasong area, tonight it was the Silom Complex Plaza’s turn to shut down.
- Both Red Shirts and pro-Monarchy pro-government crowds faced each others around the Dusit Thani Hotel, separated only by the traffic on streets.
