Bangkok was her usual self; streets bustling with pedestrians, vendors and traffic of all sorts.
However, there was something different in the air today. Salary men and women were nowhere to be seen, and people had a different pace. They weren't rushing to get anywhere, instead, they were on a pilgrimage.
The steady march of the people who've slowly occupied the streets, along with the determination in their eyes was a telltale that something big was going to happen.
My girlfriend and I caught the sky train just after breakfast. The cabin was already populated with commuters as we entered, with more squeezing on at every stop.
With this influx of commuters, eventually the shade of the cabin was hued with a common theme; a spectrum of red, white and blue, which came in the form of clothing, flags and fashion accessories.
Once in a while people would smile at each other, followed by an affirming nod. There was this sense of pride that filled the air, a togetherness that's usually seen at ball games. It made us feel safe, even though we knew things could change in an instant.
As the sky train transited closer to Siam Square, you could start to make out the faint sounds of what appears to be whistles, which is not uncommon in Bangkok, but today seems to be more than a few being blown at a time.
As we approached, the faint noise of whistles gathered and became a muted roar, like a rolling thunder continuously greeting the oncoming storm.
The cabin doors opened, and with haste we were awakened with hundreds, if not thousands of whistles being blown in unison. The deafening noise compounded as one big sound wave which crashed through the cabin.
The sheer volume alone occupied every remaining air space inside - It drowned our regrets and filled up our spirits to support the people of Thailand.
It was a welcoming to the family I'll never forget.
We were now at the epicenter of the protest - It was Shut Down Bangkok Day.
Unlike what you imagine protests would be, this particular uprising was attended mostly by families, with many coming from the provinces. They booked out coaches with the very little money they had left, shared it between the community and supported each other so they could travel to the capital city and take control of the future of their country. For many, this was their first time in Bangkok.
Because of this, they resorted to living in tents mostly around the main roads and parks, ultimately occupying the areas and transformed them into villages.
In an act of kindness, people donated food and water. Trucks of supplies driven by civilians were transported around Bangkok to all the different protest sites, feeding millions of protestors. It became a well orchestrated operation with big companies involved, but acted in anonymity as protection of their goodwill towards their stakeholders. Nonetheless, we knew who they were, and they were helping the country get back on its feet, despite risking a drop in their share prices if the investors ever found out.
The top tier hospitals of Thailand also set up mobile clinics and embedded them into the protest sites to look after the health and well being of all those who were protesting, irrevalent of which side they were supporting.
You could literally go in for a health check up, and even pick up your prescription at these tents conveniently between protesting. They also had trauma wards ready, with paramedics scattered through the crowds making sure a fast response could be attained in times of emergency. Otherwise, they were treating the occasional minor flesh wound caused by common outdoor activities, or the few people that suffered from dehydration.
You could literally go in for a health check up, and even pick up your prescription at these tents conveniently between protesting. They also had trauma wards ready, with paramedics scattered through the crowds making sure a fast response could be attained in times of emergency. Otherwise, they were treating the occasional minor flesh wound caused by common outdoor activities, or the few people that suffered from dehydration.
Also, big stages were setup all around Bangkok to mark the centre of each protest site. They were so well constructed that Thailand's top musicians and entertainers booked them in between political speeches to organize concerts of a life time.
The only real issue at this point for Bangkokians and tourists was transportation. Unless you lived or worked conveniently near a BTS line, getting around was challenging, especially with most of the main arterial roads closed off or occupied by the protesters. However, we witnessed many private coach drivers running services as reinforcements to the government bus services, everything from twelve seater vans to utility vehicles rigged with bench seats crawled through the streets making sure people had sufficient transportation options. It was almost a protest movement in itself.
We were lucky to have stayed in an area called Pratunam. Which was conveniently located on the inner cloister of the Siam Square area, about a radius of five kilometres. In that radius, we had two protest sites at walking distance.
The only real issue at this point for Bangkokians and tourists was transportation. Unless you lived or worked conveniently near a BTS line, getting around was challenging, especially with most of the main arterial roads closed off or occupied by the protesters. However, we witnessed many private coach drivers running services as reinforcements to the government bus services, everything from twelve seater vans to utility vehicles rigged with bench seats crawled through the streets making sure people had sufficient transportation options. It was almost a protest movement in itself.
We were lucky to have stayed in an area called Pratunam. Which was conveniently located on the inner cloister of the Siam Square area, about a radius of five kilometres. In that radius, we had two protest sites at walking distance.
The best part was seeing all the street stalls flourish. It was easier than ever to navigate the steets safely, grab a bite to eat and do some gift shopping whilst experiencing an important part of Thai history being written in front of your eyes.
Attended by millions from all walks of life and social classes, The 2014 Shutdown Bangkok - Restart Thailand wasn't just a protest. It was a celebration of love for the kingdom of Thailand.
This cultural call to arms is evidence of why Thailand has remained unoccupied since the beginning of modern world history.
Power to the people.
Long live the king.
ขอพระองค์ทรงพระเจริญยิ่งยืนนาน🙏
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