Thai protesters remain defiant in bloodstained Bangkok – Yahoo! News
BANGKOK (AFP) –
Tensions remained high on the bloodstained streets of Bangkok on Monday after the country's worst political violence in almost two decades left 21 dead and over 800 injured.
Protest leaders have promised to maintain their campaign until the government dissolves parliament and calls fresh elections despite the deaths of seventeen civilians and four soldiers in Saturday's clashes.
The Red Shirt protesters, supporters of fugitive ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra, maintain they want Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to step down and leave the country.
“Abhisit must leave Thailand,” Reds leader Veera Musikapong told supporters on Sunday. “We ask all government officials to stop serving this government.”
Thousands of protesters remained on the streets at the two main protest sites on Sunday.
On Sunday evening Reds gathered to mourn the loss of their comrades at the city's Democracy Monument — the scene of a fierce battle on Saturday — where grieving relatives led a procession holding gold-framed pictures of the dead.
They were followed by weeping men carrying caskets, a couple containing bodies draped with Thai flags and flowers.
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It is the latest chapter in years of turmoil pitting the ruling elite against the mainly poor and rural Reds, who say the government is illegitimate as it came to power in 2008 after a court ousted Thaksin's allies from power.
Saturday's violence erupted when troops tried to clear one of two sites in the centre of the capital occupied by the protesters for the past month.
Soldiers fired in the air and used tear gas while the Reds responded by hurling rocks.
As the clashes intensified gunshots echoed around the city and both sides accused the other of using live ammunition. Emergency services said two protesters were killed by gunshot wounds to the head.
The army later retreated, calling for a truce with the demonstrators, who were holding five soldiers hostage.
The government said an investigation had been launched into the violence and that negotiations were under way to bring about a resolution to the stand-off without further unrest.
The protesters called on the country's revered King Bhumibol Adulyadej to intervene to prevent further bloodshed.
Tensions briefly escalated again late Sunday as around 200 Reds drove motorcycles to a nearby bridge, on apparently unfounded rumours that the army was approaching.
Thai flags, red roses and incense sticks were placed on pools of blood where protesters were killed or wounded in the Khaosan Road backpacker district, a few yards from a number of ruined cars with their windows smashed in.
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Great American barbecue isn’t easy in Bangkok but there’s one place where you can count on it and that’s at Roadhouse Barbecue, located on the corner of Surawong and Rama IV Roads. This three-story restaurant/bar is home to great American food including barbecue specialties like barbecued ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, barbecued chicken and many more that represent true American barbecue at its best. There’s also a large selection of American favorites from burgers and steaks to soups and sandwiches.
But the real stars of the menu here are the barbecued specialties starting with ribs smoked with mesquite wood – imported from the U.S. – and including chicken smoked with hickory wood, pork for pulled pork sandwiches and even salmon smoked with apple wood. You can get a half or full rack of ribs or a chicken and ribs combo dish, all of which are served with potatoes and cole slaw made from an old North Carolina recipe.
And although the barbecue gets the most attention, they actually serve more burgers here than anything else. You can get yours with three different kinds of cheese as well as toppings like grilled onions, smoked bacon, sauteed mushrooms and grilled peppers. Another big favorite is the Buffalo Wings which are on special every Monday night when you can get 20 wings for the price of 10 (170 baht).
As for more American food, the menu also contains sandwiches such as a Philly cheese steak, a “Texas-style” beef brisket sandwich, a chipotle pulled pork sandwich, a three-cheese grilled cheese and tomato, a BLT with apple-smoked bacon, a fish sandwich, a grilled sausage sandwich with pepper and onions. Well, you get the idea. They cover a lot of bases here.
They’re also very proud of their chili and they should be since it won an award in a stateside competition a while back sanctioned by the Chili Appreciation Society International. In addition to the chili pot here there are also a number of soup pots simmering all the time and they’re full of roasted red Pepper and tomato soup, black bean soup and a real New England seafood chowder.
There are a lot of other menu items here including steaks, seafood, some pastas and even a great grilled pork chop. It’s not all about food here, though. First, there’s Thailand’s largest selection of draft beers which also happen to be the coldest in Bangkok according to a magazine poll last year.
Next, there’s live entertainment almost every night downstairs after the dinner hour. On the second floor is another dining room that can be used for private functions or parties. And finally, on the third floor is Roadhouse’s version of a sports bar with plenty of TV screens and lots of games to play including foosball, video golf and soccer and pool on an authentic Brunswick championship table.
So there are a lot of reasons to visit Roadhouse Barbecue and while the barbecue may be the most publicized of the attractions here don’t forget about everything else, especially the great service and friendly atmosphere.
About The Author
Tom Aikins is a Bangkok-based journalist who runs a culinary tourism business at www.bangkokdiningtours.com.
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Related Reading:
Der Skytrain - Ein roter Faden durch Bangkok (Der etwas andere Reiseführer)Bangkok. Zum ersten Mal? Unterwegs ohne Unterstützung einer kenntnisreichen Begleitperson oder eines Einheimischen? Sich zwischen den Hochhäusern verlieren? Keine Ahnung haben, wo man sich gerade befindet? „Am liebsten lasse ich diesen unübersichtlichen und verwirrenden Moloch so schnell wie möglich hinter mir. Begebe mich auf eine Insel oder in den grünen Norden mit seinen übersichtlichen Kleinstädten oder an den Mekong River oder gar aufs Land.“ Solche Gedankengänge mögen so manchen davon abhalten sich dieser Ausnahmestadt zu nähern. Aber seit es den Skytrain in Bangkok gibt ist es schade, wenn jemand so denkt. Und diejenigen, die mit dieser Stadt schon einmal in Berührung kamen, sagen sich: „Im Stau zu jeder Tageszeit? Nicht mit mir. Dazu ist mein Urlaub zu kurz". Nie mehr im Verkehr festsitzen, immer wissen, wo man ist, nie verloren sein in dieser nur auf den ersten Blick verwirrenden Metropole. Ist das möglich, selbst für Touristen, die das erste Mal nach Bangkok kommen? Die Lösung ist ganz einfach: Eine Fahrt mit dem Skytrain. Dieses Buch nimmt Sie mit auf eine Reise mit der Hochbahn durch Thailands Hauptstadt Bangkok und hilft Ihnen sich zurecht zu finden und zu orientieren. Das Abenteuer Bangkok beginnt. Dieser Reiseführer belegt das in Wort und Bild. Faszinierende Fotos untermalen die Beschreibungen der schönsten Orte der Stadt eindrucksvoll. Sie werden sich im Moloch Bangkok nicht verlieren - im Gegenteil: Sie werden sich rettungslos verlieben.
Erschienen in der Edition Travel & Fun Asia (Berlin - Bangkok - Beijing)
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[...] thailand – Thai protesters remain defiant in bloodstained Bangkok – Yahoo! News [...]
american restaurants usually serve foods that are high in protein and also in saturated fats ‘