Bangkok Shutdown operation as it unfolds
The People's Democratic Reform Committee is organising simultaneous rallies around Bangkok to cripple it in the so-called Bangkok Shutdown operation. Here how the event has unfolded:
2am: A hundred of Thai citizens and students living in New York City stage a rally at Time Square to give support to anti-government protesters in Thailand. They call their rally as "occupy New York".
8:30 am: Army chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha holds meeting with senior Army officers, including deputy Army chief Gen Udomdet Sitabutr and Army chief-of-staff Gen Aksara Kerdphol to assess the situation.
08.45 am: PDRC workers set up a tent and gates for entering the rally site at the Pathumwan Intersection.
Former deputy Democrat leader Chaiwut Bannawat starts making speech at the intersection. Academics from Chulalongkorn University and Thammasart University join the rally.
9:00 am: PDRC secretary-general Suthep Thaugsuban leads a huge procession of protesters to move from the Democracy Monument to other rally sites.
9.35am: Suthep reaches Larn luang. He then moves to Rajthevi and will be at Pathumwan stage - 1st rally stage he arrives.
9.45am: Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, who is also Caretaker Defence Minister, arrives to monitor the news at the Office of the Permanent Secretary for Defence.
10.07am: The march led by Suthep rom Democracy Monument reaches Yommarat area.
10:28 am: Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva shows at the rally site at the Pathumwan Intersection.
10:30 am: Vocational school students and protesters rally in front of the Pheu Thai head office. They carry banners to demand Yingluck to resign as caretaker prime minister. They disperse an hour later.
11am: The procession led by Suthep and Satit Wongnongtaey reaches the Pathumwan rally site. Satit announces on the stage that he will march to every rally site before returning to the Pathumwan rally site at 7 pm when he will make an important announcement.
11.15 am: The Center for the Administration of Peace and Order says it expects the "Bangkok shutdown" rally would last for 4-5 days. Three rally sites, including Chaeng Wattana, Lat Phrao intersection, and Victory Monument are concerned spots of possible clash, it announces.
11.30am: A lot of reports in social media, including main traffic radio station tweeter accounts @JS100radio, said traffic today was smooth and faster than usual. Social media users also posted photos showing empty roads in main raods such as Lat Phrao, Vibhavadi, Rama 3, and Sri Nakarin.
Central Lat Phrao announce it opens as usual from 10.00 am - 22.00 pm. But, today it has no delivery service as being located amid protesters' site at Lat Phrao 5-way intersection. More inquiry please call 0 2793 7000. While, CentralWorld opens till 20.00 pm.
11.40am: Suthep arrives at Siam Square. Lots of protesters queue up with donations ready in their hands.
11.58am: Dhamma Army protesters closes traffic on Rama VIII Bridge. They use a truck as their rally stage and set up tents to occupy the bridge as rally site.
12:00pm: Thaworn Senneam leads protesters from the Victory Monument to surround the Public Relations Department, the Natural Resources and Environment Department, the Revenue Department and Finance Ministry on Soi Aree.
1:55pm: PM’s Secretary-General Suranand Vejjajiva says Deputy Prime Minister Phongthep Thepkanjana will hold meetings with the Election Commission, PDRC, political parties and independent organisations on the EC’s proposal to defer the election.
2pm: Protest leader Suriyasai Katasila tweets that the People's Democratic Reform Committee insists that caretaker PM Yingluck Shinawatra has to resign from caretaking duty to pave the way for country reform. Election postponement is not its main goal, he tweets.
Thai citizens in 21 countries in Europe and United State of America begin to cast their ballots in advance vote, spokesman of Foreign Minister Sek Wannamethee says.
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