PDRC moved in and now in controlled all 7 sites as planned.

Following information is only for business security-alert purposes and not to be treated as political viewpoints.

13 January 2014: Bangkok Shutdown Begins

TEBA Summary:

• PDRC moved in and now in controlled all 7 sites as planned.
• Prime Minister’s reviewing postponement of election to May.
• Mild violence by protesters (not government as they have announced not to use force) expected in particularly 3 of 7 demonstration sites with already 2 gunshot events and red-shirt 4-site rally in the north provinces of Thailand. Frustrations seen with taxi operations and shops around protesting sites.
• “Shutdown” expects to continue for at least another week unless government do not follow request to resign from current care-taking role.
• Shopping mall announced early closure at 1800hrs (14 January 2014)
• Expected more governmental offices to be invaded, Department of Customs for 14 January 2014. Currently, protestors already locked up Ministry of Labour and Ministry of Natural Resources.

Actual Activities as it happened:

• A protester was shot and seriously injured while he was guarding a barrier at the Chaeng Wattana rally site late Sunday night, police said.
• Airports of Thailand Plc has issued special stickers to about 6,000 airport taxis to show anti-government protesters that the vehicles are carrying tourists.
• Gunmen fired at the headquarters building of the Democrat Party early Monday, but the bullets caused no reported injuries.
• Suthep announced no win-win situation, only win and lose. He also urged civil servants, police officers, military to join force.
• Central Shopping malls remains open and announced closure by 8pm
• Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand opened emergency centers to monitor power generators and stations to ensure supply continuation.
• PDRC closed off all 7 sites as planned successfully.
• The Bank of Thailand on Monday operates from its emergency centre, as staff may find it difficult to access the headoffice at Bang Khumphrom Intersection.
• DSI summonses for 55 protest leaders
• A hundred of Thai citizens and students living in New York City staged a rally at Time Square to give support to anti-government protesters in Thailand.
• Protesters of the People’s Democratic Force to Overthrow Thaksinism (Pefot), led by Gen Preecha Iamsuphan, have closed the Rama 8 bridge, blocking both inbound and outbound traffic over the Chao Phraya river, reports said.
• The Center for the Administration of Peace and Order announced Monday that it expected the “Bangkok shutdown” rally would last for 4 or 5 days.
• Ms Yingluck invited protest leaders and other political parties to discuss a proposal by the Election Commission to delay the ballot until May.
• Commuters going to work flocked to BTS skytrain stations on Monday morning, with numbers also swelled by the large number of people travelling to join the protest rallies against the government.
• The Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association (RSTA) has appealed to anti-government protesters asking them to bring a swift end to their rally in the area.
• Military officers at the Royal Thai Army Headquarters were on Monday told they can wear civilian clothes to work from Jan 14 in a move that will protect them from becoming targets amid escalating street protests.
• Social media will become the major communication platform for news updates and political engagement during the Bangkok shutdown protest, because both sides probably feel the mainstream media may be unfair in its coverage, according to a consulting firm.
• The rallies on the first day of the People’s Democratic Reform Committee’s Bangkok shutdown are generally normal without any untoward incidents and it is not necessary to invoke the emergency decree, Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said on Monday.
• United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) leaders have stepped up a campaign to push for the Feb 2 election to go ahead.
• The Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO) is concerned there could be violent confrontations at three of the seven major rally sites being used by anti-government protesters.