Something big is kicking off in BKK

[Albert Shagnastier]

About 30 firetrucks and ambulances have been going through ploenchit for last 20 minutes.

[Norton]

Keep updates coming Al.

[Bogon]

Nothing on the interweb so far.

You are are our eyes and ears at the moment Shaggers.

[Gilbert]

Sure it's just not one, lost, going around the one way system?

[Albert Shagnastier]

Soi 3 (Petburi end) totally shut off by masses of firetrucks. Motosai says it's a fire, but 50m down the road are some smashed up motorbikes and a bus with all it's windows smashed.

[Albert Shagnastier]

Sure it's just not one, lost, going around the one way system?

Could be the echoing LSD, but everybody else heard and saw it too

[baldrick]

save the grace hotel coffee shop

[Gilbert]

Big fire tonight in the railway community at Makkasan on Sukhumwit 3

[Gerbil]

It's a fire in the Makkasan slum.

[Yasojack]

have all the thai media closed down for the night?

[Bogon]

save the grace hotel coffee shop

Sent my boys round to secure the area already.

Big fire tonight in the railway community at Makkasan on Sukhumwit 3

Bang goes Texpat's sleeping quarters for tonight.

[Gilbert]

[Gilbert]

Bang goes Texpat's sleeping quarters for tonight.

Nah - he was evicted a few months ago. Left some of his stash though, so maybe this is what ignited?

[DrB0b]

Call me Mr Cynical but I guess the plan for building a shopping mall on the slum site will now be going ahead without any further problems.

[Albert Shagnastier]

Call me Mr Cynical but I guess the plan for building a shopping mall on the slum site will now be going ahead without any further problems.

Yup - seen that 3 or 4 times over the years.

[Gilbert]

Not enough shopping malls in Bangkok to be fair. I think that at least another 50 should do it. I hope this new one will have 90% Japanese /Korean food, all the same shops selling the same stuff, and an irritating parking arrangement which mean if you do actually have to go to it for some unknown reason....you'll be in for a year due to numpties not realising that new cars do not move with the handbrake down....

[Yasojack]

you could well be right at the back of the shanty there was foundations being grounded not so long ago.

Call me Mr Cynical but I guess the plan for building a shopping mall on the slum site will now be going ahead without any further problems.

[Albert Shagnastier]

Yup - seen that 3 or 4 times over the years.

SOP

Construction companies bring large amount of workers to BKK from baan nok to construct a condo. They house them on vacant adjacent land. Becomes a settlement - workers like their new home. Land is sold a year or two down the line. Construction workers claim squatters rights. Developer pays a gang to burn the slum down. Once burnt down, the council workers in charge have been paid off to rule that the slum can't be rebuilt. So the developer has carte blanche.

[Bogon]

Anyone remember around 7 or 8 years ago when the bulldozers rocked up at the bar complex between Suk soi 11 and 13?

These were the days when you could see the front of the Ambassdor Hotel from the main street.

Looks like the same thing is happening.

Does anyone remember the name of that complex? Had some wicked nights down there as a greenhorn in 2002 until they tore it down.

[Norton]

Call me Mr Cynical but I guess the plan for building a shopping mall on the slum site will now be going ahead without any further problems.

Chuwit Park II. Will be lovely. Let us know when the bulldozers arrive Al.

[Norton]

bar complex between Suk soi 11 and 13?

Beat me too it.

Was other side of Suk though.

[Yasojack]

thought his name was BOB

[Albert Shagnastier]

Chuwit Park II

The Emperor Strikes Back

[Albert Shagnastier]

Watch out for part III
"Return of The Somchai"

[Bogon]

Beat me too it. Was other side of Suk though.

I can only draw a mental map.

The Ambassador Hotel main entrance was visable from maybe 100 metres form the main Sukhumwit Road. They had a beer garden, tattoo place, travel agents where there should have been what looked like a car park and the bars were on the main road, left to the hotel.

Great times.