I want to reassure everyone that we are safe and that we are fine. The demonstrations are taking place in the shopping district of lower Sukhumvit Road where it becomes Ploenchit Road, as well as in Old Bangkok. A friend of mine who lives in that old part of the city is supposed to fly out to the States tonight. She doesn't know whether the roads will be open.
An estimated 15 people have died in clashes on the streets between the government soldiers and the Red Shirt protesters. Hundreds have been injured.
I was here in May 1992 when soldiers fired real bullets at unarmed protesters, causing dozens of deaths. Are there parallels? Certainly. The battle lines were and are ideological. But class lines have been drawn this time around. What lessons have been learned (or not learned) since those terrible events? That is for discussion in a calmer time, for the future.
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