2010 Thai political protests
Encyclopedia
A prolonged series of political protests occurred in Bangkok, Thailand in 2010 from March to May against the Democrat Party
-led government. The protests were organized by the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship
(UDD) (known as "Red-Shirts"). The UDD called for Prime Minister
Abhisit Vejjajiva
to dissolve parliament
and hold elections earlier than the end of term elections scheduled in 2012. The UDD demanded that the government stand down, and negotiations failed to set an election date. The protests escalated into prolonged violent confrontations between the protesters and the military, and attempts to negotiate a ceasefire failed. More than 80 civilians and 6 soldiers were killed, and more than 2,100 injured by the time the military successfully cracked down on the protesters on 19 May.
Popular opposition against Abhisit Vejjajiva's government rose throughout 2009, due to the controversial 2008 "judicial coup" that banned the Palang Prachachon Party
and "silent coup" that allowed the Democrats to form a coalition government, albeit within the bounds of Thai Democratic law. In February 2010, Abhisit tightened security in anticipation of the Supreme Court's ruling to seize Thaksin Shinawatra
's bank accounts frozen since the 2006 military coup. The UDD did not protest, but announced protests on 14 March in Bangkok to call for new elections. Abhisit further tightened security. Censorship
was heightened, and radio, TV stations and Web sites sympathetic to the UDD were closed, due in part to a number of broadcasts that inaccurately were demonising the Prime Minister using a doctored tape.
The 14 March protests were originally labelled by organisers as the "Million Person March" although in reality at its peak early on numbers were estimated to be at most approximately 100,000, rapidly falling to around 10–20,000. At the beginning, protests were mostly peaceful. The protests were initially centered at Phan Fah bridge. Most protesters came from outside Bangkok. After initial UDD unilateral demands of an early election were unsuccessful, dozens of M79
grenade
attacks occurred far from Phan Fah, but there were no injuries and no arrests. In April, protesters shifted to Ratchaprasong
intersection. A state of emergency
was declared in Bangkok on 8 April, banning political assemblies of more than five people. On 10 April, troops unsuccessfully cracked down at Phan Fah, resulting in 24 deaths, including one Japanese journalist
and five soldiers, and more than 800 injuries. The Thai media called the crackdown "Cruel April" . Further negotiations failed to set an election date. On 22 April, grenade attacks killed one and injured 86 others. UDD members illegally entered Chulalongkorn Hospital in an unsuccessful search for the attackers, drawing widespread condemnation from the Thai press, as the protests started to become substantially more siege like, with barricades and armed guards creating a UDD fortress within the area of Ratchaprasong. Forensics
expert Pornthip Rojanasunand
later indicated that it might or might not have been the source of the attacks. No arrests were made. A UDD proposal for elections in three months was rejected by Abhisit. On 28 April, the military and protesters clashed in northern Bangkok, wounding at least 16 protesters and killing one soldier. The UDD moved out of Phan Fah and consolidated at Ratchaprasong. On 3 May, Abhisit announced a reconciliatory road map and elections on 14 November. The road map was tentatively accepted by the UDD, but after they included additional conditions allegedly at the request of Thaksin Shinawatra, who at that point was regularly phoning in by video to the protest sites, the government declined to add additional conditions and thus no compromise could be made.
As the red shirts were caught bringing arms and weaponry into Ratchaprasong when former actor Maethee was caught with a car load of weapsons, and with armed guards attacking police and army as well as a multi coloured shirt protest in Saladaeng, Ratchaprasong was surrounded with armoured vehicles and snipers. On the evening of 13 May, Khattiya Sawasdiphol ("Seh Daeng"), a prominent security advisor to the protesters and alleged leader of the armed "Ronin" guards also known as the black shirts, was shot in the head by what was apparently a sniper
's bullet while he was giving an interview to press. It is unknown who shot him, with rumours including that it was ordered by the Army, by Thaksin, or a stray bullet. Thereafter, the state of emergency was expanded to 17 provinces and the military commenced an extended crackdown, which the Thai media dubbed "Savage May" , leading to an additional 41 civilians deaths (including one Italian journalist) and over 250 injuries by 8.30 pm on 18 May. One military death occurred due to accidental friendly fire. The government claimed that all civilians killed were either armed terrorists or civilians shot by terrorists, and noted that some civilians were shot by terrorists disguised in Army uniforms. The military declared the area a "live fire zone", in which anybody, be they protester, resident, tourist or journalist would be shot on sight, with medics banned from entering. On 14 May, United Nations
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
encouraged protesters and the government to return to dialogue. On 16 May, UDD leaders said again they were ready for talks as long as the military pulled back, but the government demanded the unconditional dispersal of the protesters. A state of emergency was declared in 5 Northeastern provinces on 16 May. The government rejected a Senate
call for a ceasefire and Senate-mediated negotiations. On 17 May, Amnesty International
called for the military to stop using live ammunition. Armored vehicles led the final assault into Ratchaprasong in the early morning of 19 May, killing at least five, including an Italian journalist. Soldiers were reported to have fired on medical staff who went to the aid of the shooting victims. By 1.30 pm, UDD leaders surrendered to police and told protesters to give themselves up. Dozens of arson attacks soon broke out nationwide on red-shirt targets including the CentralWorld building, various banks and civic buildings and government buildings. People arrested and charged for arson include a number of Red Shirt supporters. A curfew was declared and troops were authorized to shoot on sight anybody inciting unrest. An undisclosed number of arrests and detentions occurred. 51 protesters remained missing as of 8 June. The government claimed the protests cost 150 billion baht (approximately US$ 5 billion) to organize.
entered the hospital in September, silencing a unifying force for the country. In December 2009, pro-Abhisit academic Chirmsak Pinthong wrote an influential article in Naew Nah newspaper where he said that the nation was already in a state of civil war
, although the slaughter had yet to begin. Abhisit enacted numerous security measures throughout February and March 2010 in order to suppress the Red-Shirt protests.
On 7 February 2010, Abhisit's personal spokesperson, Thepthai Senphong, compared "Red-Shirts" to dogs and vowed to use the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to crack down on Red-Shirt community radio stations. He noted that if using the NTC to enforce the media crackdown was illegal, the government would try to pass a special law that would make such a crackdown legal. The NTC acting Secretary-General was also a member of the government-appointed Situation Monitoring Committee in the run up to Thaksin's February court verdict.
The government claimed to foreign diplomats and foreign chambers of commerce that the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) would "spark violence" and "intensify its agitation and step up protests in Bangkok and around the country in order to disrupt the work of the government and the judiciary" in the period leading up to 26 February. On that date, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions was scheduled to deliver its verdict on whether to seize former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra
's baht USD) in assets that the military junta had frozen years earlier. Abhisit's father, a Director of CP Foods, announced that he was spending 300,000 baht ($9,300 USD) a month to provide supplementary security to the Premier.
At noon of 1 February, bags of human excrement and fermented fish, were thrown into Abhisit's house. Abhisit linked the incident to Thaksin's assets seizure trial. The Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban
(in charge of security) explicitly blamed the UDD for the incident. The perpetrator was arrested; he confessed and claimed that he threw the bags because he was fed up with the police's indifference to his complaints of people smoking cigarettes near his house.
On the evening of 15 February, police and soldiers established scores of checkpoints and organised special patrols in inner Bangkok as reports from government security agencies continued to play up fears of anti-government rallies. Abhisit's government expected major UDD-led unrest immediately following the announcement of the Supreme Court's 26 February verdict. However, the UDD say they did not protest against the verdict, instead they announced that they would hold a one million people protest in Bangkok on 14 March to call for elections. Rumours and suspicious that the protest was financed by Thaksin, as he had been found guilty, were widespread both in media and among the population. Actually, the protesters that arrived to Bangkok in a quite smaller figure than announced, carried Thaksin face designs on their red t-shirts, flags, stickers, etc. Estimations on the overall cost of the protest according the number of movilized people and the supposed amount that Thaksin had dedicated to it, made the people to conjecture that it will not last longer than two months. Althougt the number of protesters decreased from around 150,000 on the first weekend to no more than 5,000 on May 19 on the Rajprasong intersection, and that the evolution of the events was quite different than anybody could imagine, the suspected duration of the protest for two months was right.
"with 212 names of Thaksin's close relatives and associates, UDD leaders and activists, politicians from the opposition Pheu Thai Party, and even monks who appeared sympathetic to the Red-Shirts' cause". Suthep however admitted that the government had at least 10 key leaders of the Red-Shirts under surveillance. Suthep accused the Pheu Thai Party of hiring people to participate in the protests. Prompong Nopparit, a spokesman of the Pheu Thai Party, denied the allegation and requested evidence that backed the accusation. Nopparit called on the prime minister to dissolve the House as demanded by the protesters.
In anticipation of the protests, the government announced the set up of a tactical operations centre –called the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (also known as )– at the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bangkhen under the Internal Security Operations Command
.
In the Northeast
, supporters of
Abhisit's government issued threats against protesters that aimed to deter them from travelling to the Bangkok; provincial governors were ordered by central authorities to obstruct the movement of people.
Abhisit informed the Democrat Party-led Bangkok Metropolitan Administration that he had intelligence of planned bomb attacks in at least two locations and grenade attacks in 30–40 locations in Bangkok. He claimed that the protesters would include 2,000 "well-trained hardliners." He also claimed to have received intelligence that there was a terrorist threat of sabotage taking place on 14 March, but did not give any details about the nature of the plot. When questioned about the matter, Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the Army had no such intelligence. The UDD denied Abhisit's allegations and challenged him to reveal any evidence backing his claims. Suthep claimed that the UDD protesters planned to "besiege government offices and residences of important figures".
On 7 March, it was reported that 6,000 assault rifles and explosives had been stolen from Engineering Regiment 401, part of the 4th Army Engineering Battalion in Patthalung
. Anonymous sources claimed that the weapons were moved to Bangkok where they would be used to incite unrest. UDD leader Natthawut Saikua voiced suspicion that the Army had staged the theft in order to pin blame on the UDD for any violence. A government raid on a car component factory found parts that could potentially be used to launch M79 grenades. Democrat Party spokesman Buranaj Smutharaks claimed that this showed that "there are violent elements" among the UDD. However, Government Spokesperson Panitan later admitted that there was no evidence of a link between the parts and the UDD.
On 9 March, the government decreed the Internal Security Act from 11 to 23 March. A 50,000-strong security force was deployed in Bangkok. Suthep and Abhisit announced that they were moving into an Army safe house at the Peace-keeping Operations Command during the duration of the ISA. On 12 March, Suthep announced that all police forces deployed in the capital would be only lightly armed – female officers would carry no weapons, while male officers would only carry batons and shields. He also announced that only SWAT teams and rapid-response units would be heavily armed, and that they would be dispatched only in the event of an emergency.
As of Friday 12 March, police and military checkpoints were set up along all main routes leading to Bangkok to inspect protesters approaching the capital. The police issued a warning that bus operators transporting people to Bangkok without official permission could have their concessions revoked.
Five bombs exploded in Surat Thani
, a Democrat Party stronghold, in the early morning of 12 March. Nobody was injured or killed. It was not clear who was behind the bombings. No arrests were made.
Negotiations between the protesters and the government failed to result in a resolution of the situation. The protesters insisted that Abhisit dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections. The government refused to do so before it had amended the constitution. An estimated 100,000 demonstrators turned out on Saturday 20 March to parade 46 kilometers through Bangkok in a 10 kilometer-long convoy. This demonstration was peaceful, and aimed at gaining the support of local residents. As usual, the majority of the crowd were UDD ‘Red-Shirt’ activists who travelled from Northern provinces to demonstrate, but there also appeared to be some local support lining the streets. However, critics claimed that demonstrators had been bribed by the organization’s leadership and that this was a common practice that characterized the polarity of class divisions within the UDD. On 27 March, protesters marched to seven locations in Bangkok where Army troops were stationed, convincing the troops to withdraw. Suthep Thaugsuban called the withdrawal a temporary "adjustment" and insisted that they would return to their positions later. Protesters expanded their protest to Rajaprasong intersection, a major Bangkok commercial zone, in imitation of the People's Alliance for Democracy
's (PAD) large-scale 2006 protests. The government claimed that the protests were illegal and attempted to evict the protesters without a court order, as the Civil Court had ruled that the PM is already empowered to do so. Abhisit’s government has alleged that the ‘Red-Shirt’ protestors were ‘rented’. Shortly after the demonstrations in mid-March, state spokesman Thepthai scoffed at the apparent support for the UDD, claiming that each protester was given between 2000 and 3000 Baht for their toil under the sweltering Bangkok sun. Sidewalk onlookers, he further alleged, were given 500Baht each. This statement is in line with earlier reports from English-language newspapers in Thailand, which suggested that rural demonstrators were paid to travel to Bangkok. Someones claim that English language newspapers in Thailand have taken a harsh stance against the Red-Shirts.
There were dozens of bombings in Bangkok during the weeks of the protest, with nobody claiming responsibility and no arrests made. Nobody was killed in the bombings.
In two separate incidents, a car was driven into a group of protesters, causing injury to people. One of the incidents occurred at Rajprasong intersection the other at Silom Road.
in the city of Bangkok.
The government declared a state of emergency on the evening of 8 April. The state of emergency permitted the military to detain people they considered a threat to national security, censor the media, and forbid gatherings of more than five people. Troops barricaded the uplink
station for the Thaicom
satellite to prevent it from airing People Channel, a TV station operated and initiated by the UDD that had been broadcasting freely for a year, enticing people to join the UDD and aggressively stirring viewers up with anti government sentiments. Protesters surrounded the station in the afternoon of 9 April. Tear gas was fired into the crowd, prompting the protesters to storm the station and the troops to withdraw. After negotiations, the security forces allowed the station to resume broadcasting and the protesters left the uplink station. However, the government blocked the station's broadcast soon after protesters left the scene.
According to the Erawan Bangkok Emergency Medical Service Center, 25 people were killed in the clashes.
The dead included Japanese cameraman Hiro Muramoto
, 10 protesters, nine civilians and five uniformed soldiers. The Center noted more than 800 people injured. Autopsies revealed that 9 out of the 10 dead protesters died due to gunshot wounds. The military noted that the uniformed soldiers killed died from cerebral edema
(swelling of the brain) after being hit on the head by thrown rocks. Following the clashes government troops withdrew.
The military initially claimed that it used rubber bullets and tear gas in the clash, while firing live rounds only into the air. However, video footage from the international media showed soldiers firing assault rifles in fully automatic fire mode in the direction of protesters. Protest leaders claimed that a number of protesters were hit by army snipers from nearby buildings. The military later admitted that troops fired live rounds directly at protesters, allegedly shooting only single rounds to protect injured troops retreating from the clashes. Protesters used rocks, sticks, petrol bombs, and according to the military, guns and grenades. Video footage also showed people of an unknown affiliation firing explosives from the tops of buildings.
Protesters seized a large amount of military equipment left behind by retreating troops, including nine M-16
assault rifles, 25 Tavor TAR-21 assault rifles, six .50 caliber anti-aircraft guns, 116 riot shields, 105 batons and 80 suits of body armour. Troops also abandoned six personnel carriers and three high-mobility multi-purpose vehicles. Ammunition also went missing, including 580 rubber bullet rounds, 600 .50 caliber anti-aircraft rounds, and 8,182 M-16 rifle rounds.
Protesters remained unwilling to end their protest, and they vowed to continue their rally until the Prime Minister dissolved the House of Representatives and scheduled elections. One Red-Shirt leader said that after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva dissolves the parliament, he must leave the country as soon as possible. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said the government has no plans to back down either..... "The government will continue the operation to take back the roads from the protesters because their occupation is unlawful," he said.
. In the subsequent week, several M-79 grenades were fired at government buildings, although no injuries were reported. Protesters, meanwhile, built barricades with sharpened Bamboo in the Rajaprasong tourist district.
On 21 April anti-government protesters stopped a train in northeastern Thailand that was carrying military vehicles. Protesters, fearing the equipment was being moved to Bangkok, attacked the train in Khon Kaen
, about 280 miles North of Bangkok. They demanded that 10 Red-Shirt members accompany the train on its journey to ensure it did not head toward Bangkok.
According to Fritz Yee, a Filipino member of the Red-Shirts, he commented that the situation was becoming more and more uncontrollable among the Red-Shirts and said while we "do not condone but we cannot control. There's no more control in the followers."
") rallies appeared in Bangkok along side the anti-government ones for the first time. Some of the demonstrators were clearly pro-government, meanwhile other ones were just Bangkokians tired of the disruption in their city life that Red-Shirts were causing On Wednesday, 21 April, the two groups clashed near the opening to Silom Road. On Thursday afternoon the two groups clashed again. According to BBC reporter Alastair Leithead, a small group of people "walked through police lines and started throwing bottles and stones towards barricades manned by Red-Shirt protesters." The Red-Shirts responded by firing fireworks into the air. Pro-government protesters urged the military to attack, shouting "Fight, fight!" The police did not respond to the conflict. Anti-Thaksin "Yellow Shirt" protesters threatened "to step into the conflict and push out the Red-Shirts themselves if the army doesn't take firmer action" against the Red-Shirt protesters, who are being encouraged by Thaksin Shinawatra from abroad.
Early on 22 April, the Thai army warned Red-Shirt protesters that their chance to cease and desist was "running out". 10,000 troops were moved to central Bangkok. The military threatened to "use tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition, if necessary", to combat the UDD protesters. "If we move in, we will attempt to arrest the leaders," said army spokesman Col. Sunsern Kaewkumnerd. "The government will be very decisive but in the beginning of the operation there may be chaos." UDD leaders remained defiant, saying it was up to General Anupong Paochinda "whether to kill people or to stop the killing."
On the evening of 22 April, around local time, a series of explosions caused by Red-Shirts in Bangkok killed one person and injured 86 more, including at least four foreigners. The explosions were caused by at least five M-79 grenades. Three of the grenades were set off at Saladaeng Skytrain station (the elevated railway that is the main public transport), one near the Dusit Thani Hotel, and one near a bank. It was the first time during the protests that a grenade attack occurred in a densely populated area and the first time that serious injuries occurred, although dozens of grenade attacks had occurred since the protest started. The government did not blame to the Red-Shirt movement in itself, but to unspecified "terrorists" for the attack. Suthep stated, "the M79 launcher had a 400-metre shooting range and it was clear that it was shot from behind the King Rama VI Monument where the Red-Shirts are rallying". Red-Shirt leaders denied being responsible for the attacks.
Following the blasts, Abhisit called an emergency meeting with security chiefs to assess the worsening crisis. Thaugsuban said the government has no immediate plans to crack down on the protester encampment because there are a large number of women and children at the site. A multi-agency investigation into the 10 April and 22 April violence was announced. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
called the situation "a moment requiring restraint on all sides".
Early on 23 April, riot police went to the edge of the protesters' barrier and demanded it be dismantled. After a short standoff, both sides backed away from the barrier.
On 26 April 2010, the Election Commission's request to dissolve the Democrat Party was forwarded to the Constitutional Court. The move prompted King Bhumibol Adulyadej
to break his silence on the protests, telling the group of newly appointed judges of courts of justice to show steadfastness and to carry out their duties "strictly and honestly."
On 30 April, more than 200 Red-Shirt protesters forced their way into Chulalongkorn Hospital, which is near to the main protest site, searching for soldiers whom the protesters thought were hiding there. Hospital management had denied that troops were on its site. No soldiers were found after an hour of searching. Following the incident, hospital staff moved approximately 600 patients to other facilities farther from the protest site. UDD leader Weng Tojirakarn, himself a medical doctor, apologized for the storming, calling it "inappropriate" and "unreasonable". Reuters
described the incident as "a clumsy storming of a hospital that raised questions over whether the movement is losing direction".
On 2 May, Abhist said that his government was preparing to end the standoff. A special cabinet meeting ruled out declaring martial law, but authorized to upgrade the police force in Bangkok. Abhist told reporters, "We are sending a clear signal that we've given a lot of time for people to leave Rajaprasong ... we are now in the process of cutting off support and seal the area off before we actively move in." He declined to be more specific about when troops would move in. "We continue to exercise restraint and patience ... but the public patience is running out and the government has to ... uphold the law [for] the majority of Thai society," he added.
As of 2 May, as many as 100,000 people have lost their jobs, gone bankrupt, or both, as a result of the protests shutting down Bangkok. The government is planning on providing special assistance for those affected.
The actions taken by the "Red-Shirts" were described then by newspaper form Abu Dhabi
The National
as more than that of merely protesting but even as "insurrection.". However, the number of protesters were decreasing and the suspiction suspiction that protesters were financed by former PM Thaksin in order to get revoked his sentence was generally spread on the Bangkok population as far as they have direct contact with the protesters.
Protesters demanded that Thailand's deputy prime minister be arrested for causing the deaths of 25 protesters when troops were used against protests on 10 April. The protesters refused to end the rally, and on 13 May, the offer of an election was withdrawn.
, better known as Seh Daeng (Commander Red), a self-described key military adviser to the Red-Shirts who was suspended from duty in the Thai army. A backer and part of the protesters' more radical wing, he had accused Red-Shirt leaders of not being hardline enough. He was hit in the head by a sniper's bullet and died a few days later on 17 May .
One of the Red-Shirt leaders, Nattawut Saikuar, accused the Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of starting a civil war. This came as there were reports of a policeman opening fire on soldiers near a police station in Bangkok, showing that there may be divisions within the security services themselves. Both the British and American embassies in Bangkok were closed for security reasons.
Just before 3:00 pm GMT on 14 May, Sky News reported that the death-toll from the latest fighting had risen to five, with 46 others wounded. People in Bangkok claimed that the area has descended into a war zone as the two sides battled for control. During the clashes, France 24 journalist Nelson Rand was "gravely wounded" by bullets from a Thai Army assault rifle, although who actually used the weapon is still unknown. On Friday night, several grenade explosions were heard from a nearby shopping centre and municipal railway station in the up-scale shopping area. As of 6:00 pm 14 May, the BBC reported that 7 people had died and over 100 were wounded in the latest violence in Bangkok, as Canada announced the temporary closure of its embassy.
According to The Telegraph, as of GMT 14 May, at least 16 people had been killed, none of whom were members of the security services. There were several incidents of police officers joining with the Red-Shirts and exchanging fire with the Thai Army, prompting fears that a civil war was coming. The number of injured was thought to be 157, with that number predicted to rise significantly as fighting continued.
By 2:20 am GMT on 15 May, the death toll reached 16, with more than 157 injured. Street battles continued, with no end in sight. Total casualties since 12 May amount to 24 killed, with 187 injured on the night of 14/15 May alone. One of the dead was a sergeant of the Royal Thai Air Force
, who was killed by friendly fire.
Protest leaders once again warned of civil war if the army attempted to storm their camp. Several areas of the city near the protesters were designated as "live fire zones" by the military, and protesters entering these zones were to be shot on sight. Due to food and water shortages as a result of the army blockade, it is estimated the protesters will only be able to hold out for a few more days, and after that have to start plundering the available local shops.
On 16 May, the death-toll rose to 33, with the number of wounded rising to 230. Reporters in the vicinity of the violence had to cancel live broadcasts due to the threat of sniper attacks from military forces in the area. The government urged the very young and very old to leave the camp by Monday afternoon, prompting fears of an army crackdown. They also started telling the public that the foreign media, such as CNN, BBC, Reuters, and many others, cannot be trusted as they are biased. On 17 May Thai Army Major General Khattiya Sawasdiphol, who was shot in the head by a sniper on 13 May, died.
On 17 May, Thai military helicopters dropped leaflets on the Red-Shirt's main encampment, urging them to leave. The Red-Shirts responded by firing homemade rockets at the helicopters. The encampment was completely surrounded, and the Thai government gave Red-Shirts a deadline of 3:00 PM local time to withdraw. Clashes continued, with Thai troops firing directly towards or at any movement around the protest perimeter with live ammunition, and protesters also using potentially lethal tactics, according to a Canadian journalist. Red-Shirts shot fireworks at the Army, and utilized a broom handle to rapidly fire firecrackers. At least two Red-Shirt protesters were shot by Thai Army snipers. According to Thai medical officials, the casualty toll stood at 35 dead, and 242 wounded. By the end of the day, the casualty toll had risen to 37 dead and 266 wounded.
Sporadic clashes continued on 18 May, but these skirmishes were less intense than some previous confrontations had been. The death toll rose to 39 as the day progressed, and it is widely believed that a military crackdown is imminent as troops and APC's gathered around the protest site urging residents and protestors to leave, declaring that a military operation is soon to commence. The Army moved in soon afterwards, backed by armoured personnel carriers and smashed through the protestors main barricades. Two Red-Shirts were shot and wounded during the opening stages of this operation as other Red-Shirts set alight the kerosine soaked barricades to deter advancing soldiers and obscure their view.
On 19 May, the Army launched an all out assault using APC's and defeated the Red-Shirts defences leaving at least five dead, including an Italian journalist and two soldiers were seriously wounded in a grenade attack. The protest leaders surrendered to police in a bid to avoid further bloodshed. The majority of protesters booed at the protest leaders as they declared to end the protests and did not follow them to surrender to the authorities. Fighting between Red-Shirt protestors and army continued in many parts of the city. At that moment, a campaign to create panic on the city started. Red-Shirts protesters set fire to the Stock Exchange
, banks, at least two shopping centres (including Central World at the Red-Shirts main protest site), a TV station, a cinema which burnt to the ground, and hotels had to build barricades to protect themselves. The total number of burnt buildings was 35. The total deathtoll since 14 May is believed to stand at 44. The inspiring leader of the protest, former PM Thaksin, denied to be the leader of the Red-Shirt movement from his refuge in Montenegro
.
There were reports of clashes in Thailand's northern provinces after the surrender was announced, resulting in a town hall being burned by Red-Shirts in Udon Thani
, the North-East province where most Red-Shirts come from. Since May 14, 51 people have been killed in clashes, 12 of whom died during the army crackdown and subsequent fighting in Bangkok.
The casualty count as of May 22 stood at 85 dead and 1,378 injured.
and died side by side with a soldier.
However, numerous reports, including one by the International Federation of Journalists
noted that Polenghi was shot. Autopsy results showed that Polenghi died from a high-velocity bullet that entered the heart, and caused damage to his lungs, and liver. A reporter from Der Spiegel
who was with Polenghi noted that he was photographing on from the protesters' side and was running from advancing soldiers. The Italian Embassy is currently pursuing its own investigations.
A Human Rights Watch
investigation found that Black Shirts were often well-trained active duty and former soldiers claiming that their objective is to protect the Red Shirt protesters, but their real job was to terrorize the soldiers, and some actually wore military uniforms.
Continuing protests in early 2011 drew condemnation from the Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association who claim that the protests breach the Constitution regarding infringement on rights of others, by continuing to gather and closing streets in the Ratchaprasong area. Since the July election, gatherings of the Red Shirts and other political groups appears to have abated.
Democrat Party (Thailand)
The Democrat Party is Thailand's oldest political party and was the main coalition government party of the 23rd House of Representatives of Thailand. The Democrat Party's current leader is Abhisit Vejjajiva, incumbent opposition leader and former Prime Minister. The party upholds a conservative...
-led government. The protests were organized by the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship
National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship
The United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship , whose supporters are commonly called "Red Shirts", is a political pressure group opposed to the People's Alliance for Democracy , the 2006 Thai military coup, and supporters of the coup. Notable UDD leaders include Jatuporn Prompan, Nattawut...
(UDD) (known as "Red-Shirts"). The UDD called for Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Thailand
The Prime Minister of Thailand is the head of government of Thailand. The Prime Minister is also the chairman of the Cabinet of Thailand. The post has existed since the Revolution of 1932, when the country became a constitutional monarchy....
Abhisit Vejjajiva
Abhisit Vejjajiva
Abhisit Vejjajiva , , ; born Mark Abhisit Vejjajiva; 3 August 1964 in Newcastle upon Tyne) is a Thai politician who was the 27th Prime Minister of Thailand from 2008 to 2011 and is the current leader of the Democrat Party...
to dissolve parliament
Dissolution of parliament
In parliamentary systems, a dissolution of parliament is the dispersal of a legislature at the call of an election.Usually there is a maximum length of a legislature, and a dissolution must happen before the maximum time...
and hold elections earlier than the end of term elections scheduled in 2012. The UDD demanded that the government stand down, and negotiations failed to set an election date. The protests escalated into prolonged violent confrontations between the protesters and the military, and attempts to negotiate a ceasefire failed. More than 80 civilians and 6 soldiers were killed, and more than 2,100 injured by the time the military successfully cracked down on the protesters on 19 May.
Popular opposition against Abhisit Vejjajiva's government rose throughout 2009, due to the controversial 2008 "judicial coup" that banned the Palang Prachachon Party
People's Power Party (Thailand)
The People's Power Party was a Thai political party founded on November 9, 1998 by Police Lieutenant Colonel Garn Tienkaew. The party leader was Somchai Wongsawat, the Party Secretary General was Surapong Suebwonglee, and the Party Spokesperson was Kuthep Saikrajarng...
and "silent coup" that allowed the Democrats to form a coalition government, albeit within the bounds of Thai Democratic law. In February 2010, Abhisit tightened security in anticipation of the Supreme Court's ruling to seize Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
's bank accounts frozen since the 2006 military coup. The UDD did not protest, but announced protests on 14 March in Bangkok to call for new elections. Abhisit further tightened security. Censorship
Censorship in Thailand
Freedom of speech in Thailand was guaranteed in the articles 39, 40, 41 in the 1997 Constitution.According to those articles, censorship may be imposed to preserve national security, maintain public order, preserve the rights of others, protect public morals, and prevent criticism of the royal...
was heightened, and radio, TV stations and Web sites sympathetic to the UDD were closed, due in part to a number of broadcasts that inaccurately were demonising the Prime Minister using a doctored tape.
The 14 March protests were originally labelled by organisers as the "Million Person March" although in reality at its peak early on numbers were estimated to be at most approximately 100,000, rapidly falling to around 10–20,000. At the beginning, protests were mostly peaceful. The protests were initially centered at Phan Fah bridge. Most protesters came from outside Bangkok. After initial UDD unilateral demands of an early election were unsuccessful, dozens of M79
M79 grenade launcher
The M79 grenade launcher is a single-shot, shoulder-fired, break-action grenade launcher that fires a 40x46mm grenade which used what the US Army called the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low, and first appeared during the Vietnam War...
grenade
Grenade
A grenade is a small explosive device that is projected a safe distance away by its user. Soldiers called grenadiers specialize in the use of grenades. The term hand grenade refers any grenade designed to be hand thrown. Grenade Launchers are firearms designed to fire explosive projectile grenades...
attacks occurred far from Phan Fah, but there were no injuries and no arrests. In April, protesters shifted to Ratchaprasong
Ratchaprasong
Ratchaprasong is the name of an intersection, and a shopping district named after it in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, adjacent to Siam District. Located at the BTS Skytrain's Chit Lom Station and the intersection of Phloenchit, Rama I and Ratchadamri Roads...
intersection. A state of emergency
State of emergency
A state of emergency is a governmental declaration that may suspend some normal functions of the executive, legislative and judicial powers, alert citizens to change their normal behaviours, or order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans. It can also be used as a rationale...
was declared in Bangkok on 8 April, banning political assemblies of more than five people. On 10 April, troops unsuccessfully cracked down at Phan Fah, resulting in 24 deaths, including one Japanese journalist
Hiro Muramoto
was a Japanese cameraman and journalist, who worked for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Tokyo in the 1990s, and who reported for Reuters television for more than 15 years. Muramoto was based in Reuters' Tokyo bureau.-Career:...
and five soldiers, and more than 800 injuries. The Thai media called the crackdown "Cruel April" . Further negotiations failed to set an election date. On 22 April, grenade attacks killed one and injured 86 others. UDD members illegally entered Chulalongkorn Hospital in an unsuccessful search for the attackers, drawing widespread condemnation from the Thai press, as the protests started to become substantially more siege like, with barricades and armed guards creating a UDD fortress within the area of Ratchaprasong. Forensics
Forensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...
expert Pornthip Rojanasunand
Pornthip Rojanasunand
Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunand, also spelled Porntip Rojanasunan, M.D. is a Thai forensic pathologist, author, human rights activist, and cancer survivor....
later indicated that it might or might not have been the source of the attacks. No arrests were made. A UDD proposal for elections in three months was rejected by Abhisit. On 28 April, the military and protesters clashed in northern Bangkok, wounding at least 16 protesters and killing one soldier. The UDD moved out of Phan Fah and consolidated at Ratchaprasong. On 3 May, Abhisit announced a reconciliatory road map and elections on 14 November. The road map was tentatively accepted by the UDD, but after they included additional conditions allegedly at the request of Thaksin Shinawatra, who at that point was regularly phoning in by video to the protest sites, the government declined to add additional conditions and thus no compromise could be made.
As the red shirts were caught bringing arms and weaponry into Ratchaprasong when former actor Maethee was caught with a car load of weapsons, and with armed guards attacking police and army as well as a multi coloured shirt protest in Saladaeng, Ratchaprasong was surrounded with armoured vehicles and snipers. On the evening of 13 May, Khattiya Sawasdiphol ("Seh Daeng"), a prominent security advisor to the protesters and alleged leader of the armed "Ronin" guards also known as the black shirts, was shot in the head by what was apparently a sniper
Sniper
A sniper is a marksman who shoots targets from concealed positions or distances exceeding the capabilities of regular personnel. Snipers typically have specialized training and distinct high-precision rifles....
's bullet while he was giving an interview to press. It is unknown who shot him, with rumours including that it was ordered by the Army, by Thaksin, or a stray bullet. Thereafter, the state of emergency was expanded to 17 provinces and the military commenced an extended crackdown, which the Thai media dubbed "Savage May" , leading to an additional 41 civilians deaths (including one Italian journalist) and over 250 injuries by 8.30 pm on 18 May. One military death occurred due to accidental friendly fire. The government claimed that all civilians killed were either armed terrorists or civilians shot by terrorists, and noted that some civilians were shot by terrorists disguised in Army uniforms. The military declared the area a "live fire zone", in which anybody, be they protester, resident, tourist or journalist would be shot on sight, with medics banned from entering. On 14 May, United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
encouraged protesters and the government to return to dialogue. On 16 May, UDD leaders said again they were ready for talks as long as the military pulled back, but the government demanded the unconditional dispersal of the protesters. A state of emergency was declared in 5 Northeastern provinces on 16 May. The government rejected a Senate
Senate of Thailand
The Senate of the Kingdom of Thailand is the upper house of the National Assembly of Thailand, . In accordance with the 2007 Constitution of Thailand, the Senate is a non-partisan legislative chamber, composed of 150 members...
call for a ceasefire and Senate-mediated negotiations. On 17 May, Amnesty International
Amnesty International
Amnesty International is an international non-governmental organisation whose stated mission is "to conduct research and generate action to prevent and end grave abuses of human rights, and to demand justice for those whose rights have been violated."Following a publication of Peter Benenson's...
called for the military to stop using live ammunition. Armored vehicles led the final assault into Ratchaprasong in the early morning of 19 May, killing at least five, including an Italian journalist. Soldiers were reported to have fired on medical staff who went to the aid of the shooting victims. By 1.30 pm, UDD leaders surrendered to police and told protesters to give themselves up. Dozens of arson attacks soon broke out nationwide on red-shirt targets including the CentralWorld building, various banks and civic buildings and government buildings. People arrested and charged for arson include a number of Red Shirt supporters. A curfew was declared and troops were authorized to shoot on sight anybody inciting unrest. An undisclosed number of arrests and detentions occurred. 51 protesters remained missing as of 8 June. The government claimed the protests cost 150 billion baht (approximately US$ 5 billion) to organize.
Background
In 2009, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva faced rising public discontent with his government and near-constant rumors of a military coup. Respected King Bhumibol AdulyadejBhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX...
entered the hospital in September, silencing a unifying force for the country. In December 2009, pro-Abhisit academic Chirmsak Pinthong wrote an influential article in Naew Nah newspaper where he said that the nation was already in a state of civil war
Civil war
A civil war is a war between organized groups within the same nation state or republic, or, less commonly, between two countries created from a formerly-united nation state....
, although the slaughter had yet to begin. Abhisit enacted numerous security measures throughout February and March 2010 in order to suppress the Red-Shirt protests.
Thaksin asset seizure court case
In February 2010, Abhisit established 38 security centres in the North and Northeast to facilitate crackdowns against anti-government and anti-coup protesters. 5,000 Army troops (54 companies) were deployed in 200 checkpoints to prevent protesters from entering Bangkok. In total, about 20,000 security personnel were deployed. He also escalated efforts to monitor community radio stations, which were often used by rural residents to voice their discontent and by activists to organize protests.On 7 February 2010, Abhisit's personal spokesperson, Thepthai Senphong, compared "Red-Shirts" to dogs and vowed to use the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) to crack down on Red-Shirt community radio stations. He noted that if using the NTC to enforce the media crackdown was illegal, the government would try to pass a special law that would make such a crackdown legal. The NTC acting Secretary-General was also a member of the government-appointed Situation Monitoring Committee in the run up to Thaksin's February court verdict.
The government claimed to foreign diplomats and foreign chambers of commerce that the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) would "spark violence" and "intensify its agitation and step up protests in Bangkok and around the country in order to disrupt the work of the government and the judiciary" in the period leading up to 26 February. On that date, the Supreme Court's Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions was scheduled to deliver its verdict on whether to seize former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra
Thaksin Shinawatra is a Thai businessman and politician, who was Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006, when he was overthrown in a military coup....
's baht USD) in assets that the military junta had frozen years earlier. Abhisit's father, a Director of CP Foods, announced that he was spending 300,000 baht ($9,300 USD) a month to provide supplementary security to the Premier.
At noon of 1 February, bags of human excrement and fermented fish, were thrown into Abhisit's house. Abhisit linked the incident to Thaksin's assets seizure trial. The Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban
Suthep Thaugsuban
Suthep Thaugsuban is a Thai politician, and Member of Parliament for Surat Thani province...
(in charge of security) explicitly blamed the UDD for the incident. The perpetrator was arrested; he confessed and claimed that he threw the bags because he was fed up with the police's indifference to his complaints of people smoking cigarettes near his house.
On the evening of 15 February, police and soldiers established scores of checkpoints and organised special patrols in inner Bangkok as reports from government security agencies continued to play up fears of anti-government rallies. Abhisit's government expected major UDD-led unrest immediately following the announcement of the Supreme Court's 26 February verdict. However, the UDD say they did not protest against the verdict, instead they announced that they would hold a one million people protest in Bangkok on 14 March to call for elections. Rumours and suspicious that the protest was financed by Thaksin, as he had been found guilty, were widespread both in media and among the population. Actually, the protesters that arrived to Bangkok in a quite smaller figure than announced, carried Thaksin face designs on their red t-shirts, flags, stickers, etc. Estimations on the overall cost of the protest according the number of movilized people and the supposed amount that Thaksin had dedicated to it, made the people to conjecture that it will not last longer than two months. Althougt the number of protesters decreased from around 150,000 on the first weekend to no more than 5,000 on May 19 on the Rajprasong intersection, and that the evolution of the events was quite different than anybody could imagine, the suspected duration of the protest for two months was right.
Events leading up to 14 March protests
Days prior to the planned protest on 14 March, checkpoints were set up to inspect caravans of protesters arriving from outside provinces to Bangkok. Police were given orders to detain any protester with weapons. Suthep Thaugsuban warned members of Cabinet that they and their families might become targets of UDD attacks. He denied the existence of a so-called blacklistBlacklist
A blacklist is a list or register of entities who, for one reason or another, are being denied a particular privilege, service, mobility, access or recognition. As a verb, to blacklist can mean to deny someone work in a particular field, or to ostracize a person from a certain social circle...
"with 212 names of Thaksin's close relatives and associates, UDD leaders and activists, politicians from the opposition Pheu Thai Party, and even monks who appeared sympathetic to the Red-Shirts' cause". Suthep however admitted that the government had at least 10 key leaders of the Red-Shirts under surveillance. Suthep accused the Pheu Thai Party of hiring people to participate in the protests. Prompong Nopparit, a spokesman of the Pheu Thai Party, denied the allegation and requested evidence that backed the accusation. Nopparit called on the prime minister to dissolve the House as demanded by the protesters.
In anticipation of the protests, the government announced the set up of a tactical operations centre –called the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order (also known as )– at the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bangkhen under the Internal Security Operations Command
Internal Security Operations Command
The Internal Security Operations Command is a unit of the Thai military devoted to national security issues. It was responsible for suppression of leftist groups during the 1970s and 1980s during which it was implicated in numerous atrocities against activists and civilians. The modern ISOC was...
.
In the Northeast
Isan
Isan is the northeastern region of Thailand. It is located on the Khorat Plateau, bordered by the Mekong River to the north and east, by Cambodia to the southeast and the Prachinburi mountains south of Nakhon Ratchasima...
, supporters of
Abhisit's government issued threats against protesters that aimed to deter them from travelling to the Bangkok; provincial governors were ordered by central authorities to obstruct the movement of people.
Abhisit informed the Democrat Party-led Bangkok Metropolitan Administration that he had intelligence of planned bomb attacks in at least two locations and grenade attacks in 30–40 locations in Bangkok. He claimed that the protesters would include 2,000 "well-trained hardliners." He also claimed to have received intelligence that there was a terrorist threat of sabotage taking place on 14 March, but did not give any details about the nature of the plot. When questioned about the matter, Army spokesman Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the Army had no such intelligence. The UDD denied Abhisit's allegations and challenged him to reveal any evidence backing his claims. Suthep claimed that the UDD protesters planned to "besiege government offices and residences of important figures".
On 7 March, it was reported that 6,000 assault rifles and explosives had been stolen from Engineering Regiment 401, part of the 4th Army Engineering Battalion in Patthalung
Phatthalung Province
Phatthalung is one of the southern provinces of Thailand. Neighboring provinces are Nakhon Si Thammarat, Songkhla, Satun and Trang.-Geography:...
. Anonymous sources claimed that the weapons were moved to Bangkok where they would be used to incite unrest. UDD leader Natthawut Saikua voiced suspicion that the Army had staged the theft in order to pin blame on the UDD for any violence. A government raid on a car component factory found parts that could potentially be used to launch M79 grenades. Democrat Party spokesman Buranaj Smutharaks claimed that this showed that "there are violent elements" among the UDD. However, Government Spokesperson Panitan later admitted that there was no evidence of a link between the parts and the UDD.
On 9 March, the government decreed the Internal Security Act from 11 to 23 March. A 50,000-strong security force was deployed in Bangkok. Suthep and Abhisit announced that they were moving into an Army safe house at the Peace-keeping Operations Command during the duration of the ISA. On 12 March, Suthep announced that all police forces deployed in the capital would be only lightly armed – female officers would carry no weapons, while male officers would only carry batons and shields. He also announced that only SWAT teams and rapid-response units would be heavily armed, and that they would be dispatched only in the event of an emergency.
As of Friday 12 March, police and military checkpoints were set up along all main routes leading to Bangkok to inspect protesters approaching the capital. The police issued a warning that bus operators transporting people to Bangkok without official permission could have their concessions revoked.
Five bombs exploded in Surat Thani
Surat Thani
Surat Thani is a city in Amphoe Mueang Surat Thani, Surat Thani Province, southern Thailand. It is the capital of the province Surat Thani. The city has a population of 128,179 , and an area of 68.97 square kilometers. The city's population density is 1,858.47 inhabitants per km².Suran Thani is...
, a Democrat Party stronghold, in the early morning of 12 March. Nobody was injured or killed. It was not clear who was behind the bombings. No arrests were made.
Timeline
- 14 March 2010: Red-Shirts converge on Bangkok, hold first big rally, occupy government district. Participation below the one million expected people.
- 16 March 2010: Protesters splash their own blood at Government House
- 30 March 2010: A round of talks with the government ends in deadlock
- 3 April 2010: Red-Shirts occupy Bangkok shopping district
- 7 April 2010: PM Abhisit orders state of emergency
- 10 April 2010: Troops try to clear protesters; 25 people are killed and hundreds injured
- 22 April 2010: Grenade blasts kill one and injure 85 near protest hub; each side blames the other
- 28 April 2010: Policeman shot in clashes in northern Bangkok
- 13–17 May 2010: 36 killed in Bangkok clashes
- 19 May 2010 : Thai Army storms protestors camp resulting in 6 deaths. Red-Shirt leaders surrender and are arrested.
Protests in March
The protests on Sunday 14 March were the largest in Thai history, and were peaceful. However, Thailand's free-to-air TV channels, all controlled by the government or military, claimed that there were only 25,000 protesters in the main protest site at Phan Fah Bridge. On Monday, tens of thousands of protesters moved in a caravan to the 11th Infantry Regiment, prompting Abhisit to leave the military base in a military helicopter to "observe traffic." On Tuesday, UDD protesters announced that they would be collecting 10 cubic centimetres of blood from volunteers and symbolically pouring the blood at Government House and other sites in Bangkok.Negotiations between the protesters and the government failed to result in a resolution of the situation. The protesters insisted that Abhisit dissolve Parliament and call fresh elections. The government refused to do so before it had amended the constitution. An estimated 100,000 demonstrators turned out on Saturday 20 March to parade 46 kilometers through Bangkok in a 10 kilometer-long convoy. This demonstration was peaceful, and aimed at gaining the support of local residents. As usual, the majority of the crowd were UDD ‘Red-Shirt’ activists who travelled from Northern provinces to demonstrate, but there also appeared to be some local support lining the streets. However, critics claimed that demonstrators had been bribed by the organization’s leadership and that this was a common practice that characterized the polarity of class divisions within the UDD. On 27 March, protesters marched to seven locations in Bangkok where Army troops were stationed, convincing the troops to withdraw. Suthep Thaugsuban called the withdrawal a temporary "adjustment" and insisted that they would return to their positions later. Protesters expanded their protest to Rajaprasong intersection, a major Bangkok commercial zone, in imitation of the People's Alliance for Democracy
People's Alliance for Democracy
The People's Alliance for Democracy also called the National Liberation Alliance - กลุ่มพันธมิตรกู้ชาติ, Thai Patriots Network or the Yellow Shirts - เสื้อเหลือง - was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra, the former Prime Minister of Thailand. Its leaders include...
's (PAD) large-scale 2006 protests. The government claimed that the protests were illegal and attempted to evict the protesters without a court order, as the Civil Court had ruled that the PM is already empowered to do so. Abhisit’s government has alleged that the ‘Red-Shirt’ protestors were ‘rented’. Shortly after the demonstrations in mid-March, state spokesman Thepthai scoffed at the apparent support for the UDD, claiming that each protester was given between 2000 and 3000 Baht for their toil under the sweltering Bangkok sun. Sidewalk onlookers, he further alleged, were given 500Baht each. This statement is in line with earlier reports from English-language newspapers in Thailand, which suggested that rural demonstrators were paid to travel to Bangkok. Someones claim that English language newspapers in Thailand have taken a harsh stance against the Red-Shirts.
There were dozens of bombings in Bangkok during the weeks of the protest, with nobody claiming responsibility and no arrests made. Nobody was killed in the bombings.
In two separate incidents, a car was driven into a group of protesters, causing injury to people. One of the incidents occurred at Rajprasong intersection the other at Silom Road.
Occupation of shopping district
On 3 April protesters occupied the shopping district of RatchaprasongRatchaprasong
Ratchaprasong is the name of an intersection, and a shopping district named after it in Pathum Wan District, Bangkok, adjacent to Siam District. Located at the BTS Skytrain's Chit Lom Station and the intersection of Phloenchit, Rama I and Ratchadamri Roads...
in the city of Bangkok.
The government declared a state of emergency on the evening of 8 April. The state of emergency permitted the military to detain people they considered a threat to national security, censor the media, and forbid gatherings of more than five people. Troops barricaded the uplink
Uplink
A telecommunications link is generally one of several types of information transmission paths such as those provided by communication satellites to connect two points on earth.-Uplink:...
station for the Thaicom
Thaicom
Thaicom is the name of a series of communications satellites operated out of Thailand and the name of Thaicom Public Company Limited, which is the company that owns and operates the THAICOM satellite fleet and other telecommunication businesses in Thailand and throughout the...
satellite to prevent it from airing People Channel, a TV station operated and initiated by the UDD that had been broadcasting freely for a year, enticing people to join the UDD and aggressively stirring viewers up with anti government sentiments. Protesters surrounded the station in the afternoon of 9 April. Tear gas was fired into the crowd, prompting the protesters to storm the station and the troops to withdraw. After negotiations, the security forces allowed the station to resume broadcasting and the protesters left the uplink station. However, the government blocked the station's broadcast soon after protesters left the scene.
Violent clashes April
On the afternoon and evening of 10 April, violent clashes occurred when government troops unsuccessfully tried to take back control of the Phan Fah bridge protest site. Shots and tear gas grenades were fired near the Makhawan Bridge close to the United Nations Bangkok Headquarters Building during the afternoon as troops unsuccessfully attempted to take back the protest area. The troops retreated to the Ministry of Education after several hours. Later that evening, the violence escalated on Khao San Road and at the Khok Wua intersection, with automatic fire, explosions, and tear gas being used. The violence died down by the early morning, with the temporary result being that the military was not able to seize the protest site.According to the Erawan Bangkok Emergency Medical Service Center, 25 people were killed in the clashes.
The dead included Japanese cameraman Hiro Muramoto
Hiro Muramoto
was a Japanese cameraman and journalist, who worked for the Australian Broadcasting Corporation in Tokyo in the 1990s, and who reported for Reuters television for more than 15 years. Muramoto was based in Reuters' Tokyo bureau.-Career:...
, 10 protesters, nine civilians and five uniformed soldiers. The Center noted more than 800 people injured. Autopsies revealed that 9 out of the 10 dead protesters died due to gunshot wounds. The military noted that the uniformed soldiers killed died from cerebral edema
Cerebral edema
Cerebral edema or cerebral œdema is an excess accumulation of water in the intracellular or extracellular spaces of the brain.-Vasogenic:Due to a breakdown of tight endothelial junctions which make up the blood-brain barrier...
(swelling of the brain) after being hit on the head by thrown rocks. Following the clashes government troops withdrew.
The military initially claimed that it used rubber bullets and tear gas in the clash, while firing live rounds only into the air. However, video footage from the international media showed soldiers firing assault rifles in fully automatic fire mode in the direction of protesters. Protest leaders claimed that a number of protesters were hit by army snipers from nearby buildings. The military later admitted that troops fired live rounds directly at protesters, allegedly shooting only single rounds to protect injured troops retreating from the clashes. Protesters used rocks, sticks, petrol bombs, and according to the military, guns and grenades. Video footage also showed people of an unknown affiliation firing explosives from the tops of buildings.
Protesters seized a large amount of military equipment left behind by retreating troops, including nine M-16
M16 rifle
The M16 is the United States military designation for the AR-15 rifle adapted for both semi-automatic and full-automatic fire. Colt purchased the rights to the AR-15 from ArmaLite, and currently uses that designation only for semi-automatic versions of the rifle. The M16 fires the 5.56×45mm NATO...
assault rifles, 25 Tavor TAR-21 assault rifles, six .50 caliber anti-aircraft guns, 116 riot shields, 105 batons and 80 suits of body armour. Troops also abandoned six personnel carriers and three high-mobility multi-purpose vehicles. Ammunition also went missing, including 580 rubber bullet rounds, 600 .50 caliber anti-aircraft rounds, and 8,182 M-16 rifle rounds.
Protesters remained unwilling to end their protest, and they vowed to continue their rally until the Prime Minister dissolved the House of Representatives and scheduled elections. One Red-Shirt leader said that after Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva dissolves the parliament, he must leave the country as soon as possible. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban said the government has no plans to back down either..... "The government will continue the operation to take back the roads from the protesters because their occupation is unlawful," he said.
Reactions to clashes
On 12 April 2010, the Election Commission called for the dissolution of the PM's Democrat Party. Meanwhile, Thai troops advanced on protesters in the early morning and used live ammunition. Protesters were repeatedly dispersed and driven back, but kept regrouping behind burning barricades, and threw numerous objects at the soldiers. By daybreak, the soldiers continued to charge on the protesters, while being pelted with petrol bombs. Anti-government protesters said on 14 April 2010, they would all congregate at a single site in a ritzy Bangkok shopping district, preparing for a "final battleground" with the authorities. On 16 April, Thai security service officers entered the SC Park hotel in order to arrest the protest leaders whom the Deputy Prime Minister, Suthep Thaugsuban, called "terrorists." One of the opposition leaders, Arisman Pongruangrong, escaped by a rope from a window of the hotel as forces laid siege to the hotel. He said "[They] wanted to kill me. The policeman tried to kill me." Although government officials admitted the raid was unsuccessful there were rumours that this was the start of a wider crackdown. Suthep said "Innocent people should leave the protests because the authorities have to take decisive measures against terrorists." On 16 April, Prime Minister Abhisit relieved Suthep from his 'security' responsibilities and replaced him with the Commander of the Royal Thai Army, General Anupong PaochindaAnupong Paochinda
General Anupong Paochinda is a former Commander in Chief of the Royal Thai Army. He held the position from 2007 until his retirement on 30 September 2010....
. In the subsequent week, several M-79 grenades were fired at government buildings, although no injuries were reported. Protesters, meanwhile, built barricades with sharpened Bamboo in the Rajaprasong tourist district.
On 21 April anti-government protesters stopped a train in northeastern Thailand that was carrying military vehicles. Protesters, fearing the equipment was being moved to Bangkok, attacked the train in Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen
Khon Kaen is a city in Isan, Thailand. It is also the capital of Khon Kaen province and the Khon Kaen district.-Geography and demography:Khon Kaen is located in the Khorat Plateau, in the central-northwestern area of Isaan...
, about 280 miles North of Bangkok. They demanded that 10 Red-Shirt members accompany the train on its journey to ensure it did not head toward Bangkok.
According to Fritz Yee, a Filipino member of the Red-Shirts, he commented that the situation was becoming more and more uncontrollable among the Red-Shirts and said while we "do not condone but we cannot control. There's no more control in the followers."
Explosions and pro-government rallies in Bangkok
On the days leading up to 22 April, significant pro-government ("no color" or "multicolor shirtsNetwork of Citizen Volunteers Protecting the Land
The Network of Citizen Volunteers Protecting the Land , commonly known as Multicolor Shirts, is a Thai political pressure group and protest movement, directed against the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship . It is led by Dr. Tul Sithisomwong, lecturer at the medical faculty of the...
") rallies appeared in Bangkok along side the anti-government ones for the first time. Some of the demonstrators were clearly pro-government, meanwhile other ones were just Bangkokians tired of the disruption in their city life that Red-Shirts were causing On Wednesday, 21 April, the two groups clashed near the opening to Silom Road. On Thursday afternoon the two groups clashed again. According to BBC reporter Alastair Leithead, a small group of people "walked through police lines and started throwing bottles and stones towards barricades manned by Red-Shirt protesters." The Red-Shirts responded by firing fireworks into the air. Pro-government protesters urged the military to attack, shouting "Fight, fight!" The police did not respond to the conflict. Anti-Thaksin "Yellow Shirt" protesters threatened "to step into the conflict and push out the Red-Shirts themselves if the army doesn't take firmer action" against the Red-Shirt protesters, who are being encouraged by Thaksin Shinawatra from abroad.
Early on 22 April, the Thai army warned Red-Shirt protesters that their chance to cease and desist was "running out". 10,000 troops were moved to central Bangkok. The military threatened to "use tear gas, rubber bullets, and live ammunition, if necessary", to combat the UDD protesters. "If we move in, we will attempt to arrest the leaders," said army spokesman Col. Sunsern Kaewkumnerd. "The government will be very decisive but in the beginning of the operation there may be chaos." UDD leaders remained defiant, saying it was up to General Anupong Paochinda "whether to kill people or to stop the killing."
On the evening of 22 April, around local time, a series of explosions caused by Red-Shirts in Bangkok killed one person and injured 86 more, including at least four foreigners. The explosions were caused by at least five M-79 grenades. Three of the grenades were set off at Saladaeng Skytrain station (the elevated railway that is the main public transport), one near the Dusit Thani Hotel, and one near a bank. It was the first time during the protests that a grenade attack occurred in a densely populated area and the first time that serious injuries occurred, although dozens of grenade attacks had occurred since the protest started. The government did not blame to the Red-Shirt movement in itself, but to unspecified "terrorists" for the attack. Suthep stated, "the M79 launcher had a 400-metre shooting range and it was clear that it was shot from behind the King Rama VI Monument where the Red-Shirts are rallying". Red-Shirt leaders denied being responsible for the attacks.
Following the blasts, Abhisit called an emergency meeting with security chiefs to assess the worsening crisis. Thaugsuban said the government has no immediate plans to crack down on the protester encampment because there are a large number of women and children at the site. A multi-agency investigation into the 10 April and 22 April violence was announced. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon
Ban Ki-moon is the eighth and current Secretary-General of the United Nations, after succeeding Kofi Annan in 2007. Before going on to be Secretary-General, Ban was a career diplomat in South Korea's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and in the United Nations. He entered diplomatic service the year he...
called the situation "a moment requiring restraint on all sides".
Early on 23 April, riot police went to the edge of the protesters' barrier and demanded it be dismantled. After a short standoff, both sides backed away from the barrier.
Ceasefire offer
On 23 April, Red-Shirt leader Veera Musikapong offered to end the protests if the government agreed to dissolve parliament within 30 days and hold elections within days. "If the government accepts and is open to the talks, we are ready to disperse to restore peace in the country," he said. He further implied that protest sites must not be attacked during any potential negotiations, and that an independent inquiry into the recent violence must be conducted. The offer marked a change from the protesters previous demand that parliament be dissolved immediately. After talking with the opposition, Abhisit rejected their offer saying "Because they use violence and intimidation I cannot accept this [offer]". "The 30-day ultimatum is not an issue," he added. "The dissolution [of parliament] must be done for the benefit of the entire country, not just for the Red-Shirts, and it must be done at the right time." Abhisit promised to clear up the situation when he gave his weekly address on 25 April.On 26 April 2010, the Election Commission's request to dissolve the Democrat Party was forwarded to the Constitutional Court. The move prompted King Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej
Bhumibol Adulyadej is the current King of Thailand. He is known as Rama IX...
to break his silence on the protests, telling the group of newly appointed judges of courts of justice to show steadfastness and to carry out their duties "strictly and honestly."
Violent conflict resumes
A soldier was killed by friendly fire, and 18 protesters wounded in clashes between security forces and UDD members on Wednesday, 28 April. The clashes had started when troops and riot police blocked UDD protesters from going to Talad Thai to campaign for the anti-government rally. Protesters had attempted to advance on the Security forces, but were repelled by troops and police officers using tear gas and rubber bullets. Security forces then began to push forward, and drive protesters back down the highway using live ammunition, and fighting resumed after a temporary calm. After several hours, Security forces regained control of the area, and dispersed the protest. The soldier who died was shot in the head, apparently by friendly fire, during a tense confrontation. It was the 27th fatality since UDD supporters set up their protest camp on the streets of Bangkok.On 30 April, more than 200 Red-Shirt protesters forced their way into Chulalongkorn Hospital, which is near to the main protest site, searching for soldiers whom the protesters thought were hiding there. Hospital management had denied that troops were on its site. No soldiers were found after an hour of searching. Following the incident, hospital staff moved approximately 600 patients to other facilities farther from the protest site. UDD leader Weng Tojirakarn, himself a medical doctor, apologized for the storming, calling it "inappropriate" and "unreasonable". Reuters
Reuters
Reuters is a news agency headquartered in New York City. Until 2008 the Reuters news agency formed part of a British independent company, Reuters Group plc, which was also a provider of financial market data...
described the incident as "a clumsy storming of a hospital that raised questions over whether the movement is losing direction".
On 2 May, Abhist said that his government was preparing to end the standoff. A special cabinet meeting ruled out declaring martial law, but authorized to upgrade the police force in Bangkok. Abhist told reporters, "We are sending a clear signal that we've given a lot of time for people to leave Rajaprasong ... we are now in the process of cutting off support and seal the area off before we actively move in." He declined to be more specific about when troops would move in. "We continue to exercise restraint and patience ... but the public patience is running out and the government has to ... uphold the law [for] the majority of Thai society," he added.
As of 2 May, as many as 100,000 people have lost their jobs, gone bankrupt, or both, as a result of the protests shutting down Bangkok. The government is planning on providing special assistance for those affected.
The actions taken by the "Red-Shirts" were described then by newspaper form Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi
Abu Dhabi , literally Father of Gazelle, is the capital and the second largest city of the United Arab Emirates in terms of population and the largest of the seven member emirates of the United Arab Emirates. Abu Dhabi lies on a T-shaped island jutting into the Persian Gulf from the central western...
The National
The National (Abu Dhabi)
The National is a government-owned English-language daily newspaper published in Abu Dhabi. The editor-in-chief since June 8, 2009 has been Hassan Fattah. Prior to this, and from the launch of the newspaper Martin Newland was editor-in-chief. Mubadala Development Company, an investment company...
as more than that of merely protesting but even as "insurrection.". However, the number of protesters were decreasing and the suspiction suspiction that protesters were financed by former PM Thaksin in order to get revoked his sentence was generally spread on the Bangkok population as far as they have direct contact with the protesters.
Election proposal
On 3 May, Abhisit proposed to dissolve Parlament on September an election on 14 November if the protesters were willing to stand down. The following day Red-Shirt leaders expressed qualified support for the plan, but wanted more information about when parliament would be dissolved. On the morning of 8 May, two policemen were killed and several bystanders were injured by a drive-by shooting near the Silom Financial district. Red-Shirt leader Weng Tojirakarn denied any involvement: "We are very sorry and we want to condemn the ones who were behind the attacks."Protesters demanded that Thailand's deputy prime minister be arrested for causing the deaths of 25 protesters when troops were used against protests on 10 April. The protesters refused to end the rally, and on 13 May, the offer of an election was withdrawn.
Violent clashes in May
On Friday, 14 May, Thai police and army units moved in to surround and cut off the protesters main camp, meeting heavy resistance from the Red-Shirts resulting in the deaths of two people with dozens more injured, including Thai Army Major-General Khattiya SawasdipolKhattiya Sawasdipol
Khattiya Sawasdipol , alias Seh Daeng , was a major general in the Royal Thai Army, assigned to the Internal Security Operations Command. He claimed to have helped the United States spy on North Vietnam during the Vietnam War, and to have taken part in the CIA-financed "Secret War" against the...
, better known as Seh Daeng (Commander Red), a self-described key military adviser to the Red-Shirts who was suspended from duty in the Thai army. A backer and part of the protesters' more radical wing, he had accused Red-Shirt leaders of not being hardline enough. He was hit in the head by a sniper's bullet and died a few days later on 17 May .
One of the Red-Shirt leaders, Nattawut Saikuar, accused the Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva of starting a civil war. This came as there were reports of a policeman opening fire on soldiers near a police station in Bangkok, showing that there may be divisions within the security services themselves. Both the British and American embassies in Bangkok were closed for security reasons.
Just before 3:00 pm GMT on 14 May, Sky News reported that the death-toll from the latest fighting had risen to five, with 46 others wounded. People in Bangkok claimed that the area has descended into a war zone as the two sides battled for control. During the clashes, France 24 journalist Nelson Rand was "gravely wounded" by bullets from a Thai Army assault rifle, although who actually used the weapon is still unknown. On Friday night, several grenade explosions were heard from a nearby shopping centre and municipal railway station in the up-scale shopping area. As of 6:00 pm 14 May, the BBC reported that 7 people had died and over 100 were wounded in the latest violence in Bangkok, as Canada announced the temporary closure of its embassy.
According to The Telegraph, as of GMT 14 May, at least 16 people had been killed, none of whom were members of the security services. There were several incidents of police officers joining with the Red-Shirts and exchanging fire with the Thai Army, prompting fears that a civil war was coming. The number of injured was thought to be 157, with that number predicted to rise significantly as fighting continued.
By 2:20 am GMT on 15 May, the death toll reached 16, with more than 157 injured. Street battles continued, with no end in sight. Total casualties since 12 May amount to 24 killed, with 187 injured on the night of 14/15 May alone. One of the dead was a sergeant of the Royal Thai Air Force
Royal Thai Air Force
The Royal Thai Air Force or RTAF is the air force of the Kingdom of Thailand. Since its establishment in 1913, as one of the earliest air forces of Asia, the Royal Thai Air Force had engaged in many major and minor battles. During the Vietnam war era, the air force has been developed with USAF-aid...
, who was killed by friendly fire.
Protest leaders once again warned of civil war if the army attempted to storm their camp. Several areas of the city near the protesters were designated as "live fire zones" by the military, and protesters entering these zones were to be shot on sight. Due to food and water shortages as a result of the army blockade, it is estimated the protesters will only be able to hold out for a few more days, and after that have to start plundering the available local shops.
On 16 May, the death-toll rose to 33, with the number of wounded rising to 230. Reporters in the vicinity of the violence had to cancel live broadcasts due to the threat of sniper attacks from military forces in the area. The government urged the very young and very old to leave the camp by Monday afternoon, prompting fears of an army crackdown. They also started telling the public that the foreign media, such as CNN, BBC, Reuters, and many others, cannot be trusted as they are biased. On 17 May Thai Army Major General Khattiya Sawasdiphol, who was shot in the head by a sniper on 13 May, died.
On 17 May, Thai military helicopters dropped leaflets on the Red-Shirt's main encampment, urging them to leave. The Red-Shirts responded by firing homemade rockets at the helicopters. The encampment was completely surrounded, and the Thai government gave Red-Shirts a deadline of 3:00 PM local time to withdraw. Clashes continued, with Thai troops firing directly towards or at any movement around the protest perimeter with live ammunition, and protesters also using potentially lethal tactics, according to a Canadian journalist. Red-Shirts shot fireworks at the Army, and utilized a broom handle to rapidly fire firecrackers. At least two Red-Shirt protesters were shot by Thai Army snipers. According to Thai medical officials, the casualty toll stood at 35 dead, and 242 wounded. By the end of the day, the casualty toll had risen to 37 dead and 266 wounded.
Sporadic clashes continued on 18 May, but these skirmishes were less intense than some previous confrontations had been. The death toll rose to 39 as the day progressed, and it is widely believed that a military crackdown is imminent as troops and APC's gathered around the protest site urging residents and protestors to leave, declaring that a military operation is soon to commence. The Army moved in soon afterwards, backed by armoured personnel carriers and smashed through the protestors main barricades. Two Red-Shirts were shot and wounded during the opening stages of this operation as other Red-Shirts set alight the kerosine soaked barricades to deter advancing soldiers and obscure their view.
On 19 May, the Army launched an all out assault using APC's and defeated the Red-Shirts defences leaving at least five dead, including an Italian journalist and two soldiers were seriously wounded in a grenade attack. The protest leaders surrendered to police in a bid to avoid further bloodshed. The majority of protesters booed at the protest leaders as they declared to end the protests and did not follow them to surrender to the authorities. Fighting between Red-Shirt protestors and army continued in many parts of the city. At that moment, a campaign to create panic on the city started. Red-Shirts protesters set fire to the Stock Exchange
Stock Exchange of Thailand
The Stock Exchange of Thailand is the national stock exchange of Thailand. It is located in Bangkok. As of 31 December 2007, the Stock Exchange of Thailand had 541 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of $280 billion. The indices of the stock exchange are SET Index, SET50 Index...
, banks, at least two shopping centres (including Central World at the Red-Shirts main protest site), a TV station, a cinema which burnt to the ground, and hotels had to build barricades to protect themselves. The total number of burnt buildings was 35. The total deathtoll since 14 May is believed to stand at 44. The inspiring leader of the protest, former PM Thaksin, denied to be the leader of the Red-Shirt movement from his refuge in Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
.
There were reports of clashes in Thailand's northern provinces after the surrender was announced, resulting in a town hall being burned by Red-Shirts in Udon Thani
Udon Thani
Udon Thani is a city in Isan, north-east Thailand, and the capital of Udon Thani Province.-Location:The province of Udon Thani has a population of 1,467.200, the city alone 500.000. Geographical location and is approximately 560 km from Bangkok...
, the North-East province where most Red-Shirts come from. Since May 14, 51 people have been killed in clashes, 12 of whom died during the army crackdown and subsequent fighting in Bangkok.
The casualty count as of May 22 stood at 85 dead and 1,378 injured.
Death of Fabio Polenghi
Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban claimed that Italian photographer Fabio Polenghi was killed by a grenade launched from a terrorist M79 grenade launcherM79 grenade launcher
The M79 grenade launcher is a single-shot, shoulder-fired, break-action grenade launcher that fires a 40x46mm grenade which used what the US Army called the High-Low Propulsion System to keep recoil forces low, and first appeared during the Vietnam War...
and died side by side with a soldier.
However, numerous reports, including one by the International Federation of Journalists
International Federation of Journalists
International Federation of Journalists, IFJ, is a global union federation of journalists' trade unions—the largest in the world. The organization aims to protect and strengthen the rights and freedoms of journalists...
noted that Polenghi was shot. Autopsy results showed that Polenghi died from a high-velocity bullet that entered the heart, and caused damage to his lungs, and liver. A reporter from Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel
Der Spiegel is a German weekly news magazine published in Hamburg. It is one of Europe's largest publications of its kind, with a weekly circulation of more than one million.-Overview:...
who was with Polenghi noted that he was photographing on from the protesters' side and was running from advancing soldiers. The Italian Embassy is currently pursuing its own investigations.
Investigations
A government-ordered independent investigation exonerated the military and security forces of all blame in the killings. Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban claimed that the soldier didn't attack the protestor, but blamed them for running into military unit. The government claimed that unidentified "Black Shirts" fired on protesters.A Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch
Human Rights Watch is an international non-governmental organization that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. Its headquarters are in New York City and it has offices in Berlin, Beirut, Brussels, Chicago, Geneva, Johannesburg, London, Los Angeles, Moscow, Paris, San Francisco, Tokyo,...
investigation found that Black Shirts were often well-trained active duty and former soldiers claiming that their objective is to protect the Red Shirt protesters, but their real job was to terrorize the soldiers, and some actually wore military uniforms.
19 September 2010 rally
The red shirts organised mass rallies across Thailand to mark the ousting of former Thai prime minister Thaksin by a military coup 4 years ago, and to mark the final day of the military crackdown on their protests 4 months ago which left 91 people dead. The peaceful gathering at Ratchaprasong intersection, an area in downtown Bangkok which was occupied by the red shirts between 3 April 2010 and 19 May 2010, the day that the Thai military violently ended the protests and on which day the protesters set fire to may buildings across Thailand including CentralWorld in Bangkok, attracted approximately 10,000 demonstrators.2011
Protests continue as both UDD and PAD schedule protests in mid-February, with CAPO (Center for the Administration of Peace and Order,) first established in August 2009, re-established to supervise imposition of Chapter 2 of the Internal Security Act (ISA) in seven districts of Bangkok from Feb 9-23, to control rallies planned by the yellow-shirt People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), to which local reaction to the Cambodian–Thai border dispute forms a background.Continuing protests in early 2011 drew condemnation from the Ratchaprasong Square Trade Association who claim that the protests breach the Constitution regarding infringement on rights of others, by continuing to gather and closing streets in the Ratchaprasong area. Since the July election, gatherings of the Red Shirts and other political groups appears to have abated.
External links
- Seven Days in Thailand – one reporter's day-by-day updates on the situation in Thailand
- Terror in Thailand - slideshow by Life magazine
- Eyewitness accounts
- Debating the Crisis in Thailand - video report by Democracy Now!Democracy Now!Democracy Now! and its staff have received several journalism awards, including the Gracie Award from American Women in Radio & Television; the George Polk Award for its 1998 radio documentary Drilling and Killing: Chevron and Nigeria's Oil Dictatorship, on the Chevron Corporation and the deaths of...