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Rajaprasong, Silom in limbo as Bangkok protests continue
Skytrain services resume city-wide operations but hotels and malls near Rajaprasong remain closed
Thai pro-government supporters wave national flags and placards during a demonstration to counter anti-government red shirt protests at Victory monument in Bangkok on Sunday.As protests in Bangkok continue, the parts of the city affected by the ongoing demonstrations continue to take things day by day.
The city’s Mass Transit System announced that the Skytrain is back to full operation on Monday following Thursday night’s grenade attacks on Silom Road that left one dead and over 80 injured, though service at all BTS stations on both the Silom and Sukhumvit lines will end at 8pm on Monday. The MRT will operate from 6am to midnight on Monday, although the Silom station will close at 7:30pm, reports the Bangkok Post.
Next to Silom Road, red shirt anti-government protesters remain inside their
fortified camp. Many office buildings and retail outlets on Silom Road opted to stay closed on Monday following last week's grenade attacks, though the Central complex is open from 10:30am-7pm and the Dusit Thani hotel remains open as well.
Over at Rajaprasong, Bangkok’s upscale shopping and hotel district, protests by the red shirts continue. The English-language newspaper The Nation reports that many have decided to start wearing other colors of shirts following on the heels of their leaders, presumably to make it more difficult for the government to clear the area.
Hotels in that zone, including the InterContinental, Four Seasons and Grand Hyatt Erawan, are temporarily closed. Staff at the Grand Hyatt told CNNGo they are taking a wait-and-see approach to the situation, while the Four Seasons says it will not be accepting any arrivals until April 29.
"Due to ongoing demonstrations in the vicinity of the Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok has decided to close for the safety and security of our guests and employees," said the hotel in a statement.In terms of Rajaprasong's shopping malls, Central Chidom is open from 10am-7pm though CentralWorld remains closed in addition to Siam Paragon, Gaysorn and many other malls in the area.
Last week, a number of countries issued warnings urging their citizens against non-essential travel to Bangkok, though it should be noted that away from the protest zones life in Bangkok is carrying on as usual. The Thai Tourism Authority's Hotline and Call Centre, #1672, provides 24-hour service for foreign tourists and visitors to Thailand. For the latest on the situation, visit CNN.com.
