| Part I - Background & A night on the bridge Part II - Crossing the lines Part III - A hot afternoon Part IV - The shooting starts Part V - Ian Neumegen, a foreigner killed in the disturbances Part VI - Soldiers advance through Banglampoo Part VII - Aftermath Comments on the Black May 1992 story |
Part III - A hot afternoon
May 18, 1992
(Posted on 2Bangkok.com on May 24, 2004)
(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
At 1:00 pm I left work and walked along Ratchadamnoen Avenue. It was a blazing hot day and people had mostly retreated to the shade.
(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
There was quite a bit of debris
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(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
Dinso Road - protesters confronting the army
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There were probably 10,000-15,000 camped out in front of Phan Fa Bridge. |
 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
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Above: Sheets of plastic were spread out over the crowds to provide shade. Left: Protesters taking a mid-afternoon nap. |
 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
Protesters on the Mahakan Fort overlooking the Phan Fa Bridge. |
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 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
Several sour characters like this one in the white jacket (left) were taking closeup photos of protesters in what seemed to be an attempt to intimidate. Whoever this was has a photo of me. He did not like having his picture taken though.
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(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
| The front lines on Phan Fa Bridge. Since this time the bridge as been expanded with extra lanes. This makes it much less of a choke point to prevent people from heading towards the Parliament Building and Government House areas. |  (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
Another shot through the front lines. This was one place I tried to pass by, but was stopped. |
(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
Protester holding on to ornamental sculpture on Phan Fa Bridge
(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
Trees around Phan Fa Bridge had what appeared to be lookouts or possibly snipers.
(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
Despite the sporadic violence of the previous day, there was a relaxed atmosphere and no one seemed worried.
(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
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Chumlong Sirmuang - leader of Palang Dharma Party and one of the protest leaders. Throughout the day as I walked through the crowds it was as if I was invisible--no one acknowledged me. When I got up close and photographed Chumlong, he was the only person who seemed to see me. He at first looked suspiciously at me and then gave me an uncertain smile and nod. |
 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |
| Present day: What happened to the Palang Dharma Party? The Palang Dharma Party was started in 1988 and led by the charismatic Chumlong Sirmuang. It became a major, but short-lived, populist movement. Some were put off by the unorthodox teachings of the Santi Asoke sect (of which Chumlong was a member), but overall Chumlong is remembered as one of the first modern political personalities who attempted to demonstrate honesty and integrity as selling points for his candidacy. After the events of May 1992, the Palang Dharma Party reached the zenith of its power by participating in several coalition governments. However it quickly dissolved--both because of the mercurial and eccentric Chumlong's uncertain commitment to politics and his choice to head the party in his stead--a young billionaire named Thaksin Shinawatra. |
(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
As the afternoon wore on, more protesters retreated to the shade to rest.
(Photo: 2Bangkok.com)
Handing out rambutan to refresh the crowd.
| A rearguard line of soldiers at Kok Wua intersection to prevent protesters from returning to Sanam Luang. Part IV - The shooting starts |
 (Photo: 2Bangkok.com) |