Three journalists were among the dozens of people injured in today’s violence in Bangkok. Courtesy of the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT)—which lies inside the Red Shirt protest site at Rajaprasong—here are some safety tips for reporters working in this increasingly dangerous city. I should stress that this is not an official FCCT comminique, but is based on advice from a security consultant. (Nor is it my advice.)
1. Consider if you really need to put yourself in the fire-zone for your story.
2. Wear light clothes, e.g. white top, light brown trousers. Avoid wearing black which is intimidating.
3. Carry a first-aid kit, spare mobile batteries. Wear Kevlar if you have it. Under a top is better as you look less official. Bicycle helmets are good for head protection as they are thick and shrapnel will have further to travel through it.
4. If you hear a blast TURN AWAY FROM IT crouch with your back to it cover your head and stay that way for several seconds. Shrapnel can travel for hundreds of metres. If you can take cover do so, but be aware that secondary bombs are often placed at the most obvious cover.
5. Keep to the footpaths. Avoid open places and shops with plate glass windows.
6. If there is gunfire take cover and observe where the line of fire is travelling. E.g., is it random, sniper fire, travelling towards you (in which case you could be the target), or near to a person who is.
7. You have more safety in crowds. They absorb blasts and shrapnel.
8. If you see something happening, people shooting, etc., and want to take a look, be sure to look behind first otherwise you may inadvertently put yourself in the line of fire of someone who is behind you.
9. Do as much as you can to make yourself look neutral. Wear a flower. Make a point of smiling at the soldiers, protesters, etc.
10. If a hand grenade lands near you (which is possible) they normally have a 3-5 second fuse. Throw yourself on the ground face-down with the soles of your feet pointing towards the blast. Wear shoes with thick soles as these will prevent the shrapnel from traveling too far up your legs. Tuck in your chin, stick your fingers in your ears and open your mouth – this will help prevent your eardrums from bursting. Wear a small rucksack. Stick a few A4 pads in it. This will help stop shrapnel.
11. Avoid wearing jewellery. If you’re near a blast, it gets turned into shrapnel and gets embedded in you.
That’s it. Stay safe out there.
I think I will read the tweets from my couch instead.
And I only went out for a McDonalds
LOL Andrew, you need a job on the UN council with such quality advice. Why stop at 11? Wear light clothes with kevlar underneath; keep to footpaths but avoid plate glass windows? 10 (which is possible) attire should be first on the list – wear shoes with thick soles, and don’t forget to have a ‘small rucksack’ packed with A4.
What a hero reporter you are Andrew Marshall.
7. You have more safety in crowds. They absorb blasts and shrapnel.
Hope you wear a flower and a smile whilst the crowd absorbs the shrapnel.
A political science professor said to stay on your feet if you’re in a crowd, if you lie down for cover you’ll be trampled underfoot. “Keep to your feet” was what he said, don’t know if this is true or not but thought I’d toss it out there. (He was speaking as someone having once participated in protests, not an observer or third-party, btw.)
6. If there is gunfire take cover and observe where the line of fire is travelling. E.g., is it random, sniper fire, travelling towards you (in which case you could be the target), or near to a person who is.
just so you know: if you’re the target of a sniper and you hear the gunfire, it is already too late, cause you are hit! the bullet travels faster then the sound
Thick soled shoes are going to stop red hot grenade shrapnel traveling at 3,000 fps?? You’re dreaming.
PS: Blasted crowds produce what’s called “Secondary Fragments” usually bone…