Travel & Humanitarian Photos
Leaders of the anti-Government UDD party today carried out their threat to spill blood at the gates of Government House and at Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s Democrat party offices in Bangkok today.
Thousands of Red Shirt protesters queued at medical tents in the city to donate a small amount of blood each. Several five-litre bottles and a number of larger containers were then carried aloft by protesters towards Government House where the police were waiting in force. UDD leader Jutaporn Prompan led the protest from the roof of a truck, calling on security forces to allow his flag-waving band through the gates. A brief negotiation followed via megaphones and a small number of Red Shirts were allowed to pass through the cordon, where they performed their ritual, pouring blood onto the ground by the main gates to Government House whilst a Brahmin priest chanted an invocation.
I have a photo workshop tomorrow with the irrepressible Marco Ryan and am really looking forward to getting back to capturing the more uplifting side of life in Bangkok, of which there is a great deal. I hope that by the time I return to this story on Thursday, the situation has reached an amicable end and there is nothing left to photograph.
Please be warned that you may find some of the images below disturbing.
Other links to today’s news: BBC | Guardian | Bangkok Post | CNN | Thai Visa
Red Shirt protesters arrive at the gates of Government House where police forces are already on alert
Police in riot gear stand firm beneath Thai flags
Security forces showed restraint throughout the afternoon's protest
Police carried CSS canisters to disperse the crowd if necessary
Looking on as the protesters arrive at the gates, carrying bottles of UDD blood
Red Shirt protesters carried bottles of blood through the police cordon to the gates of Government House
A Brahmin priest arrives to perform the blood ritual and wipes his hands clean afterwards
Police forces stand firm behind the gates with the blood of UDD protesters at their feet.
Nice job. Like the way you’re mixing it up (yesterday protestors, today cops), the overall photo is great. What a mess. Be safe.
jack
Thanks very much for the great photos, Gavin! They’re much better than anything I’m seeing in the press.
I’m in Ko Phayam in Southern Thailand at the moment, wondering what’s happening in “the outside world”. Thanks for giving me a excellent idea (although it couldn’t be further away from the relaxed vibe we’re feeling here!)
Amazing shots, Gavin!!!
I hope you are safe and using a long lens (although I love your wide-angle crowd shot)
Hi Gavin,
Very telling pictures. Blood curdling.
Love your 200mm shots, showed me it’s proper use. Also intrigued by your 16mm shot (police with css canisters detail) – very nice.
Ashok
I like the policeman with the staring eyes… though you could have asked him to straighten his balaclava: ruins the symmetry
Superb shots, Gavin, and as Andrew says, much better than what we are seeing in the papers. Excellent work.
Gavin,
An amazing story told through photos. I hope the situation doesn’t turn ugly.
nice perspectives! your pictures have a lot of impact, I havent managed to do the same.
Fabulous shots! Thanks for the insiders view and close-ups of the red shirt protests–Far more realistic and authentic than any reports in the newspapers or on TV. Glad you could bring me so much closer to what was really happening here. I am much disturbed by turmoil in a city that I love. Hope it passes soon.
Fantastic photo series. It’s amazing to be able to get right into the middle of the protests and still feel safe and welcome by the Thai people.