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• In the early morning hours of April 13, 2009, Thai soldiers fired hundreds of rounds at protesters who had amassed at a Bangkok intersection, most of whom were either unarmed or armed only with rocks.Associated Press: Thai soldiers, anti-government protesters clash (April 12, 2009) On the previous day, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra issued a statement urging his suporters to revolt against the government, and the government declared a state of emergency. The protests have caused the indefinite postponement of the ASEAN summit.CNN: Former Thai leader calls on protesters to revolt (April 12, 2009)

• Fast Facts

  1. Thai constitutional court dissolved ruling party and banned prime minister from politicsThe Christian Science Monitor: Thai Court Bans Prime Minister, Ruling Party From Politics (December 2, 2008)
  2. Thai court found ruling party guilty of vote-buyingThe Christian Science Monitor: Thai Court Bans Prime Minister, Ruling Party From Politics (December 2, 2008)
  3. Protesters agreed to end airport occupation which had crippled Thai economy and tourismThe Christian Science Monitor: Thai Court Bans Prime Minister, Ruling Party From Politics (December 2, 2008)
  4. Two blasts in Bangkok airports left four people injured on November 26, 2008CNN: Blasts Bring Chaos to Bangkok's Airports (November 26, 2008)
  5. On November 25, 2008, all flights in and out of Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi International Airport were canceled due to violence between protesters and policeThe New York Times: Thai Protesters Shut Down Airport (November 25, 2008)
  6. On November 25, 2008, a columnist for the Nation newspaper wrote that the protests were a "never-ending saga that is futile and a drain on society"The New York Times: Thai Protesters Shut Down Airport (November 25, 2008)
  7. Wongsawat was appointed after his predecessor Samak Sundaravej was found guilty of conflict of interestThe New York Times: Hundreds Injured in Thai Protests
  8. An estimated 400 people were injured during protests in early October of 2008The New York Times: Hundreds Injured in Thai Protests
  9. Former Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has accused the protesters of desiring bloodshedBBC News: Thai Prime Minister rules out force
  10. Sondhi Limthongkul, leader of the People's Alliance for Democracy, said that Thailand's popularly elected Parliament should be replaced by appointed membersAssociated Press: Thai protest leader wants to reduce voters' power
  11. Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra was ousted from office in September 2006 by the People's Alliance for DemocracyThe New York Times: Thai Protesters Enter Prime Minister's Compound
  12. Shinawatra is in London, evading prosecution for corruption in ThailandThe New York Times: Thai Protesters Enter Prime Minister's Compound
  13. Thailand's central bank has warned that protracted violence could hurt the economyThe Wall Street Journal: Thai Prime Minister Resists Push to Resign

• 2008 Protests

  Protest leaders said that the November 25 protests would be the final push of their attempt to force the resignation of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's government.The New York Times: Thai Protesters Shut Down Airport (November 25, 2008) Two anti-government protesters were killed at the airport on November 26, 2008, and a grenade attack on November 29, 2008, injured 34 protesters at a rally near the Government House.AlJazeera: Grenade thrown at Thai protesters (November 29, 2008) On December 1, 2008, the organizers of the airport occupation announced an end to their protest after Thailand's constitutional court disbanded the ruling party and banned the prime minister from politics for five years.The Christian Science Monitor: Thai Court Bans Prime Minister, Ruling Party From Politics (December 2, 2008)

  An estimated 30,000 protesters laid siege to Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej's compound on August 26, 2008, in an effort to force his resignation. The protesters were largely led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, a middle-class political group who also opposed former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.Bloomberg: Thai Police Surround Protesters The military army was summoned to forcibly remove the protesters from the government compound, but refused, severely weakening Sundaravej's authority.The Wall Street Journal: Thai Prime Minister Resists Push to Resign Former Prime Minister Shinawatra was ousted in a 2006 coup and the protesters accuse Sundaravej of corruption and following in the footsteps of the former prime minister.The New York Times: Thai Protesters Enter Prime Minister's Compound

• Background of Dissent

  The Royal Thai Army overthrew the standing Thai government in 2006 in a coup believed to have been orchestrated by General Prem Tinsulanond.Asia Times Online: Grumbles, revelations of a Thai coup maker The military disbanded the existing constitution and Parliament. The most common accusations against the previous regime included corruption, abuse of power and parliamentary interference.The Nation: What Thaksin had done wrong

  A series of protests against the government have occurred since 2006. The movement against the government has been led by the People's Alliance for Democracy, and supported mainly by middle- and upper-class Thai citizens who argue that the government is illegitimate.

• Related Pages on Mahalo

  Samak Sundaravej | Thaksin Shinawatra | Bangkok | Bangkok Airport Blasts | Bangkok Standoff

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