The piercing sound of whistles was heard all over Bangkok yesterday as demonstrators marched through the city to shut down seven key areas.
The colourful procession of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), with anti-government protesters donning national flag motifs on their hats, eyewear, wristbands and, of course, the ubiquitous whistles, moved through the streets in an almost festive atmosphere. But behind the buzz on the streets, a dark and uncertain future awaits.
Ominously, a guard at Chaeng Watthana Road, Samran Chanthongon, 36, was shot in the left shoulder with a shotgun by someone on a motorcycle about midnight on Sunday.
Protesters had begun closing off the seven intersections since Sunday evening. Samran is recuperating at the Mongkut Wattana Hospital after undergoing surgery.
Someone also sprayed bullets at the Democrat Party headquarters on Setthasiri Road about 2am yesterday.
Police said gunmen fired more than 10 rounds at A Big Seat cafe in front of the party offices, before speeding away.
No one was hurt as the cafe was closed.
However, the Bangkok shutdown campaign itself was otherwise violence-free as of press time last night.
It is often said that Thais are pragmatic. And this was the case yesterday morning as Bangkokians in general avoided the shutdown by either working from home, not going to work or avoiding the seven PDRC protest sites.
In contrast to the usual jam-packed Monday, traffic yesterday flowed effortlessly along expressways and roads leading into the city _ probably even better than on public holidays.
According to the traffic police division, traffic volume yesterday was about 50% less than on a normal Monday.
''Shutting down the seven intersections in the city did not cause a crisis, as most people had prepared their personal travel and used public transport, leaving their cars at home or at arranged parking spots around the blocked intersections,'' assistant police chief Pol Lt Gen Ruengsak Jaritek said.
The seven intersections are Lumpini, Asok, Ratchaprasong, Pathumwan, Victory Monument, Lat Phrao and Chaeng Watthana.
Many people who had to come into the city left their cars at home and hopped on the BTS skytrain or the MRT subway instead.
However, most simply stayed home as both the skytrain and the subway reported fewer passengers than usual using their services.
Anat Arbhabhirama, director of BTS Group Holdings, the operator of the skytrain network, said the number of BTS passengers during rush hour was less than usual. Volume gradually increased from 10-11am.
However, the number of passengers was still lower than during calls to past mass protests.
Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand deputy governor Ronachit Yamsa-ard said the number of MRT passengers was not as high as on a typical Monday.
''People avoided travelling yesterday,'' Mr Ronachit said.
About 9am, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban officially kicked off the ''Bangkok shutdown'' by leading protesters to march from Democracy Monument to each of the seven intersections.
Supporters from the provinces who had gathered around the monument since the weekend followed him, and a number of Mr Suthep's supporters were assigned to stay at each of the intersections to spread out the number of protesters more evenly.
Bangkok protesters supplemented these numbers and chose their own locations.
The protesters blew their whistles as they chanted for the prime minister to resign and for national reforms to be held, while Mr Suthep collected donations along the way.
He usually collects millions of baht each time he marches, since the bank accounts of the movement and the personal accounts of protest leaders have been frozen by the authorities.
The demonstrators were in high spirits and one emotional woman, probably in her 70s, lunged at Mr Suthep crying out in tears: ''May all sacred spirits protect Khun Suthep and protect the people!''
Mr Suthep's guards held her back and Mr Suthep said he is asking everyone in Bangkok to come out and pressure the government. ''Bangkok people have to sacrifice a little and face difficulties for a short time for long-term gains,'' Mr Suthep said.
Of course, not everyone agrees with Mr Suthep's cause and the pro-government red shirts launched a nationwide campaign to express opposition to the Bangkok shutdown move, and also to ward off the possibility of any coup against the caretaker government of Yingluck Shinawatra.
Tida Tawornseth, chairwoman of the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), said red-shirt people everywhere should come out against what was happening and especially any possibility of a putsch.
They should adopt white as their symbolic colour and wear white clothing as well, she said.
''Light candles on the streets every day and speak out. Say you do not want a coup d'etat,'' Ms Tida said
The UDD is erecting four anti-coup stages, in Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen, Ubon Ratchathani and Ayutthaya.
The stages will be overseen by UDD co-leaders Jatuporn Prompan, Veerakarn Musikapong, Nattawut Saikuar and Ms Tida, respectively. The red-shirt protests will be peaceful and non-violent, she said.
In response, UDD supporters from at least 21 provinces yesterday rallied at various locations to counter the PDRC's Bangkok shutdown campaign.
The provinces consisted of 10 in the North _ Uttaradit, Phrae, Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Pichit, Phitsanulok, Kamphaeng Phet, Nan, Lampang and Phayao; seven in the Northeast _ Udon Thani, Chaiyaphum, Buri Ram, Ubon Ratchathani, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon and Nakhon Ratchasima; and four in the Central Plains _ Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya, Ang Thong and Nonthaburi.
No injuries or damage to government offices were reported.
As events in Bangkok unfolded yesterday, PDRC protesters also moved to surround and shut off a number of key ministries and government agencies.
These included the government complex, the TOT state-run telephone operator and CAT Telecom's headquarters at Chaeng Watthana; the Finance Ministry and the Revenue Department on Phahon Yothin Soi 7; the Natural Resources and Environment Ministry also on Phahon Yothin Soi 7, the Foreign Ministry on Si Ayutthaya Road, and the Excise Department on Rama VI Road.
The People's Democratic Force to Overthrow Thaksinism also occupied the Rama VIII Bridge, closing off traffic from Thon Buri on the western side of Bangkok.
They did not coordinate the move with the PDRC and cited ''safety reasons'' for their action.
The shutdown operation took place peacefully, with protesters surrounding their target locations without incident or resistance from officials.
Non-engagement appeared to be the strategy of the authorities on the first day of the shutdown, while Bangkok people appeared to take the protest in their stride and adapted to the situation.
However, this was just the first day and the level of support and tolerance will surely drop the longer this goes on.
Observers also pointed out that there is a real and high risk of violence breaking out.
''In the view of strategists, occupation tactics are considered the riskiest and most vulnerable to clashes and crackdowns,'' said Janjira Sombatpoonsiri, a Thammasat University political science lecturer.
The situation will become more volatile over the next few days if the protesters step up the pressure on the government.
But the pressure is already starting to force a more conciliatory response from the government, which had previously refused to make any concessions to Mr Suthep's demands for Ms Yingluck's resignation, and national reform before a general election.
Suranand Vejjajiva, the prime minister's secretary-general, said yesterday Ms Yingluck had ordered him to invite ''relevant individuals'' to a meeting to consider the proposal of the five election commissioners to postpone the Feb 2 general election.
He said the individuals can be grouped into the Election Commission, political parties, those opposed to the election and those who support the election, including Ms Yingluck and himself.
However, Mr Suthep dismissed the offer. He told the rally from the Pathumwan stage last night: ''We will fight on until the game is over, until we know who won and who lost. This is the last round and we will give it everything.''
Many fear a severe impact on the economy. But surprisingly, the Thai stock market rose as much as 2.24% to close at 1,283.76 points yesterday.
Head of research at Kasikorn Securities Kavee Chukijkasem said the equity market had seen support factors from both domestic and global events.
The most significant factor was domestic sentiment where the market reacted positively to reports that Ms Yingluck had agreed to consider postponing the election.
''The political tension seemed to be easing for a short while,'' Mr Kavee said.
But the immediate future is far from rosy. Army commander Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha called a meeting of his top brass yesterday and sources said their main concern was the violence that could be instigated by unknown groups at any of the seven blocked intersections.
Another key source of tension is that Uthai Yodmanee, co-leader of the Network of Students and People for Reform of Thailand, is threatening to seize the Stock Exchange and the Aeronautical Radio of Thailand Co, which oversees air traffic, if Ms Yingluck refuses to resign by tomorrow.
