The Globe and Mail

From early rumblings to the Thai government's crackdown on protestors, The Globe's Mark MacKinnon has been sending Twitter updates from Thailand.

With 140 characters, a camera phone and a homemade medical kit, this is his blow-by-blow of what is transpiring on the streets of Bangkok.

May 18, 2010

• 12:29 p.m.

  Thai media reporting govt has rejected Red ceasefire offer.

• 12:31 p.m.

  Bad news for peace fans - Thai government has extended "holiday" for rest of the week.

• 2:09 p.m.

  Thailand: Red Guard poses with slingshot at barricades via

  

  Mark MacKinnon/The Globe and Mail

• 2:22 p.m.

  What blockade? Piles of fresh vegetables arrived today in Bangkok Red Shirt camp

Mark MacKinnon/The Globe and Mail

• 3:06 p.m.

  Amnesty International slams Thailand's "reckless use of lethal force" against "unarmed people who posed no threat whatsoever".

• 4:29 p.m.

  Question of the Day: if Red uprising is about equality, why is there a VIP toilet? #thailand

• 6:41 p.m.

  East Bangkok, far from the Red Stage, supporters gather to watch latest speeches

Mark MacKinnon/The Globe and Mail

• 11:39 p.m.

  Series of bangs heard from direction of Rama IV road, scene of much fighting in recent days. #thailand

• 11:41 p.m.

  Thai media reporting "strong rumours" of dawn crackdown in Bangkok standoff.

May 19, 2010

• 12:05 a.m.

  I should add to last tweet that if I had a baht for every crackdown rumour I've heard in recent weeks I could buy land in Rajprasong.

• 1:38 a.m.

  Thailand's tourism minister says number of arrivals at Bangkok airport has fallen from 30,000 to 20,000 a day because of crisis.

• 2:43 a.m.

  I tried to avoid seeing this, but failed - Red Shirts strip to protest Thailand violence: (blame @Journotopia)

Mark MacKinnon/The Globe and Mail

• 2:46 a.m.

  Another explosion in the distance. By now, I should have function key that types that sentence. #thailand

• 8:02 a.m.

  Breaking: Soldiers, armoured personnel carriers seen advancing towards main Red Shirt protest in Bangkok. Much gunfire.

• 9:07 a.m.

  New checkpoints sealing off military operation area. BBC's @aleithead says filmed Black Shirts firing back at soldiers.

• 9:30 a.m.

  "Thai troops open fire on protesters" - http://tinyurl.com/2953utq

• 9:59 a.m.

  Thai govt spokesman "we would like to reassure citizens of Bangkok... operations are designed to stabilize the area."

• 10:03 a.m.

  Thick smoke rising from Lumphini Park.

• 10:12 a.m.

  Thai govt spokesman says "operations designed to... provide security, safety to public at large." Will continue all day.

• 10:15 a.m.

  Thai Red Cross calling for urgent blood donations.

• 10:19 a.m.

  Thai media reporting military now controls Lumphini Park area. Red Cross calling for urgent blood donations.

• 10:42 a.m.

  Police taking shelter at Chulalongkorn hospital, across from Red barricades

Mark MacKinnon/The Globe and Mail

• 10:43 a.m.

  Now at Chulalongkorn hospital. Heavy gunfire. Helicopters overhead.

• 10:44 a.m.

  Red barricades on fire near Chulalongkorn hospital.

Mark MacKinnon/The Globe and Mail

• 10:48 a.m.

  Thai troops advancing near Lumphini Park.

• 11:28 a.m.

  Closing in on Red stage at protest centre. As soldiers advance, Reds still defiantly sitting on ground, playing music. about 9 hours ago

• 11:29 a.m.

  Approaching Red stage. As army advances, Reds still defiantly sitting on ground, playing music. #thailand about 9 hours ago

• 11:34 a.m.

  Doctors and nurses prepare to receive casualties at Police Hospital in centre of Bangkok protest site.

  

  Mark MacKinnon/The Globe and Mail

• 11:48 a.m.

  At police hospital, 13 injured, six from gunshot wound. One dead, a foreign journalist killed at Sala Daeng.

• 11:55 a.m.

  Police Hospital adjacent to main protest stage says 13 injured so far, six from gunshot. One dead, a foreign journalist.

• 11:55 a.m.

  Hundreds of Red protesters gather at main stage as battle rages a few hundred metres south.

Mark MacKinnon/The Globe and Mail

• 12:07 p.m.

  Praise my lovely wife who made me a medical kit with everything in. I just dressed a colleague's bullet wound. Shot in leg. All safe now.

• 12:08 p.m.