I am writing this in hopes that people will not be scared off by the reports floating around on BBC CNN Bangkok Post and many other news sites.

I am in Bangkok as a tourist from the USA. I am staying in a small boarding house a half kilometer from the Government Center and I have seen the burning buses and advancing Army troops push back crowds of Red Shirt protesters. I have also spoken to many native Thai, and some Red Shirts as well and all of them have been very apologetic.

They have all said that they wished I would leave with a better view of Thailand and of the Thai people then what I have seen in the last two days. The Red Shirts I have spoken to have all stated how sorry they were that the protests came to a head during the Thai new year, one man saying,

     "I am sorry for you to see this. This is not Thailand, Thai are very peaceful and Songkran is a happy time. A family time. I am sorry for this to happen now, but it must happen."

   He was wearing a bright red Coca-Cola shirt and had a red scarf tied over his face. He did not give a name.

I walked through a Red Shirt road block earlier today, as foot traffic was allowed, and many protesters came to talk to me as I was taking pictures. They wanted to tell me that they were very pro-tourist and that they were not interested in obstructing Thai tourism. They were happy for me to take pictures of them as they lay in the grass, or in tents taking a noon break after an overnight sit-in near the Grand Palace. They say they do not wish to impact tourism because it is such a huge industry for Thailand. They feel what they are protesting is necessary, but they wish to impact the tourists as little as possible.

I also want to make it clear that the protests are very isolated in the government districts. Everywhere else in Bangkok children are roaming the streets with water guns and bucket of water to throw on passersby. There is music coming from many shop fronts and the general feel is one of joy and a feeling of good will for the new year.

I cannot speak for the protests in Pattaya.