National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship
Encyclopedia
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...
(PAD), the 2006 Thai military coup, and supporters of the coup. Notable UDD leaders include Jatuporn Prompan
Jatuporn Prompan
Jatuporn Prompan is a Thai politician and activist. He is a Member of Parliament of the Pheu Thai Party and one of the core leaders of the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship , also known as the "Red Shirts"....
, Nattawut Saikua, Veera Musikapong, Charan Ditthapichai and Dr. Weng Tohjirakarn. The UDD allies itself with the For Thais Party
For Thais Party
The Pheu Thai Party is the third iteration of a Thai political party originally founded by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra...
, which is currently in office in a coalition government. Before July 2011 national elections, the UDD claimed that 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...
's government took power 'illegitimately', backed by the Thai Army and the judiciary. Therefore, the UDD called for the Thai Parliament to be dissolved so that a general re-election could be held. UDD accuses the country's extra-democratic elite — the military, judiciary, certain members of the Privy Council, and other unelected officials — of undermining democracy by interfering in politics. The UDD is composed of mostly rural masses from Northeast (Isan
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...
) and North Thailand, of urban lower classes from Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
and of some intellectuals. Although the movement seems to receive support from former Prime Minister in exile 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....
, not all UDD members support the deposed Prime Minister.
History
The UDD first formed in 2006 to oppose the military government and the military coup, which overthrew Thaksin five weeks before scheduled elections. UDD organized anti-government rallies during the military government's rule in 2006-2007 and opposed the military's 2007 constitution2007 Constitution of Thailand
A Permanent Constitution for the Kingdom of Thailand was drafted by a committee established by the military junta that abrogated the previous 1997 Constitution. On August 19, 2007, a referendum was held in which 59.3% of the voters voted in favor of the constitution...
. The UDD stopped protests after the 2007 general election
Thai general election, 2007
The 2007 Thai general elections were held on 23 December. This was the first legislative election after the Council for National Security, a military junta, had overthrown Thailand's elected government and abrogated the constitution on September 19, 2006. The junta had canceled general elections...
, which the People's Power 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...
won. In response to violent anti-government PAD
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...
rallies and the Yellow Shirt
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...
seizure of Government House in May 2008, the UDD organized counter demonstrations, which would sporadically result in injuries and deaths. After Prime Minister 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...
took office, the UDD led major anti-government rallies in April 2009 and in March–May 2010, leading to violent clashes with military forces.
The UDD calls for the replacement of the Ammatayathipatai (อำมาตยาธิปไตย, aristocratic polity) - the system in which palace insiders, the military, and bureaucrats effectively ignore the popular mandate - with an electoral democracy. One of the UDD's favorite targets is Prem Tinsulanonda
Prem Tinsulanonda
General Prem Tinsulanonda is a retired Thai military officer who served as Prime Minister of Thailand from March 3, 1980 to August 4, 1988. He now serves as the Head of the Privy Council of the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej....
, the President of the Privy Council. The protests urge the immediate resignation of Prem from the Privy Council. Due to its insistence that palace insiders stop interfering in politics, the UDD has been criticized by the PAD as being an 'anti-monarchist', and even a 'republican' movement, and many Web sites and other media sympathetic to the UDD have been shut down under Thailand's strict lèse majesté
Lèse majesté
Lese-majesty is the crime of violating majesty, an offence against the dignity of a reigning sovereign or against a state.This behavior was first classified as a criminal offence against the dignity of the Roman republic in Ancient Rome...
laws. UDD leaders and supporters have been jailed under the same laws. The group also calls for the replacement of the 2007 constitution, which was drafted by the military, with the 1997 Constitution
1997 Constitution of Thailand
For legal and historical context, see the Constitutions of Thailand articlethumb|275px|Bangkok's [[Democracy Monument, Bangkok|Democracy Monument]]: a representation of the 1932 Constitution sits on top of two golden offering bowls above a turret....
.
The UDD as the PAD's opposition: 2008 clashes
UDD supporters have been the anti-PADs since the 2006 coup, when they accused the PAD of supporting the coup. From then on, clashes between supporters of the two groups took place from time to time, such as the clash in Udorn Thani in July 2008. The red-shirted UDD supporters attacked a PAD rally, injuring several PAD supporters. A PAD meeting in Chiangmai, the bastion of Thaksin ShinawatraThaksin 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....
, was also disturbed.
Before daybreak on 2 September 2008, the UDD supporters rallying at Sanamluang decided to attack the PAD demonstrators gathering on the Makkhawan Rangsan Bridge at Ratchadamnoen Klang Avenue. The ensuing clash left several injured on both sides and one dead on UDD side, causing a weak state of emergency in Bangkok. The military was called to secure the situation, but not to disperse the demonstrators. The UDD was then seen by the public as the main adversary of the PAD, the red/yellow rivalry becoming significantly evident.
2009 unrest
In March 2009, Thaksin Shinawatra claimed via video broadcast to a UDD rally that Privy Council President Prem TinsulanondaPrem Tinsulanonda
General Prem Tinsulanonda is a retired Thai military officer who served as Prime Minister of Thailand from March 3, 1980 to August 4, 1988. He now serves as the Head of the Privy Council of the King of Thailand, Bhumibol Adulyadej....
masterminded the 2006 military coup, and that Prem and fellow Privy Councilor members Surayud Chulanont
Surayud Chulanont
General Surayud Chulanont is a Thai political figure. He was the Prime Minister of Thailand and head of Thailand's Interim Government between 2006 and 2008...
and Chanchai Likhitjittha conspired with the military and other members of the 'Ammatayathipatai' (อำมาตยาธิปไตย - aristocratic polity) to ensure that Abhisit became Premier. Although Abhisit denied the accusations, thousands protested in Bangkok early April demanding that Abhisit resign from the Premiership and that Prem, Surayud, and Chanchai resign from the Privy Council. Thaksin called for a "peoples revolution" to overcome the alleged aristocratic influences of the Abhisit government.
Pattaya
The UDD protests expanded to Pattaya, the site of the Fourth East Asia Summit. Violent clashes occurred between the UDD and blue-shirted government supporters brought in by coalition partner Newin Chidchob. The protests caused the summit to be cancelled, leading Abhisit to declare a state of emergencyState 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...
in the areas of Pattaya and Chonburi
Chonburi (city)
Chonburi is the capital of Chonburi Province in Thailand. It is located about 100km east of Bangkok, on the coast to the Gulf of Thailand. The name means city of water.Chonburi has had town status since 1935.-External links:...
on 11 April. The protest voluntarily subsided in the afternoon of the same day. Legislation authorizing emergency decrees was originally pushed through Parliament in 2005 by the Thaksin government, provoking charges of authoritarianism at the time by Abhisit. Under the state of emergency, gatherings of more than five people were prohibited and the press was not permitted to present news which could incite worry.
Bangkok
As the week-long Songkran (Thai New Year) holiday began, protests escalated in Bangkok. On 8 April 2009, 100,000 UDD demonstrators, rallied at Government House and the nearby Royal Plaza by the evening. The government decided to declare the State of Emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas, and military forces were brought into the capital.Fighting erupted between anti-government protesters, government supporters, and the general population. At a demonstration in front of Prem's residence, a yellow shirted driver plunged her car into a crowd of UDD protesters injuring several before driving away; she was not arrested. Abhisit denounced the UDD protesters as "national enemies". Abhisit also issued a red shirt decree that empowered the government to censor television broadcasts.
In the pre-dawn of Monday 13 April, Army soldiers used tear gas and fired live and training rounds to clear protesters from the Din Daeng
Din Daeng
Din Daeng is one of the 50 districts of Bangkok, Thailand. Its neighbor, clockwise from north, are Chatuchak, Huai Khwang, Ratchathewi and Phaya Thai.-History:...
intersection near the Victory Monument in central Bangkok, injuring at least 70 people. The Army later claimed that live rounds were only fired into the air while training rounds were fired at the crowd. However, 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,...
confirmed that there were some cases where the Army fired live ammunition directly at protesters. The UDD claimed that dozens of protesters died from gunshot wounds sustained during the military's attack. However, the Army later claimed that the wounds were not caused by an M-16, the standard Army rifle. Also on Monday the government ordered the red shirt blocking of satellite news station D Station, an affiliate of the UDD which, at the time, was broadcasting the clashes. Several community radio stations were shut down and searched upon suspicion of supporting the UDD.
On 21 April, Abhisit declared a "media war" designed to attack the UDD. He also announced the public distribution of millions of VCDs
Video CD
Before the advent of DVD and Blu-ray, the Video CD became the first format for distributing films on standard 120 mm optical discs. The format is a standard digital format for storing video on a Compact Disc...
documenting the government's views on the unrest. At the time, the government's emergency and censorship decrees were still in place. The state of emergency, but not the censorship decree, was lifted on 24 April.
Soon afterwards, Abhisit revoked Thaksin's ordinary passport (Abhisit had revoked Thaksin's diplomatic passport shortly after taking office) and issued warrants for dozens of other protest leaders.
According to government figures, over 120 people were injured in the unrest, most of them UDD demonstrators. At least one UDD red shirt protester injured from gunshot wounds sustained during the military's attack in Din Daeng, although the Army claimed the wound was not caused by their standard firearm. The UDD claimed that at least 6 demonstrators were killed in the unrest and their bodies hauled away by the military, although the Army rejected the claim. The dead bodies of 2 UDD protesters were found floating in the Chao Phraya river
Chao Phraya River
The Chao Phraya is a major river in Thailand, with its low alluvial plain forming the centre of the country. It runs through Bangkok, the capital city, and then empties into the Gulf of Thailand.-Etymology:...
, their hands tied behind their backs and their bodies badly beaten, although police had yet to conclude whether their murders were politically motivated. Abhisit aide Satit Wongnontaey claimed that Red-shirted protesters shot a person dead and injured two others when residents of the Nang Lerng Market came out to criticise the protesters; however, no arrests were made and there was a lack of evidence to back his claims. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration estimated that it had incurred 10 million Baht (approximately 300,000 USD) in property damages, including 31 damaged and burned buses. But, the Federation of Thai Tourism Industry estimated that the damage to the tourism industry could be as high as 200 billion Baht (6 billion USD) and resulting in 257,000 jobs lost.
Prior to a gathering of the Red Shirts planned for 30 August 2009, the Prime Minister approved the establishment of the Center for the Administration of Peace and Order ( CAPO) to draw up plans and measures to prevent and end any violent incidents that may occur by ill-intentioned groups.
2010 protests
Abhisit's government expected major UDD-led unrest immediately following the announcement of the Supreme Court's verdict on Thaksin Shinawatra's asset seizure case, despite the UDD's announcement that they would not protest the verdict. Major protest suppression measures were enacted, and security was increased throughout the nation. Despite the government's warnings, the UDD did not protest the verdict but instead announced that they would hold a large-scale protest in Bangkok on 14 March calling for elections.Abhisit increased security measures to suppress the 14 March protests. In the days prior to the protest, more checkpoints were set up to inspect protester caravans entering Bangkok, especially those coming from UDD strongholds in the North and Northeast, with orders to detain any protesters with weapons. A government/military situation room for monitoring the protest, officially called the Peace-keeping Operations Command, was established at the 11th Infantry Regiment in Bangkhen. Pro-government elements in the Northeast issued threats to deter people from leaving for the capital.
Abhisit claimed to have received intelligence that there was a terrorist threat of sabotage taking place on 14 March. The UDD denied Abhisit's allegations and dared him to reveal any evidence backing his claims. Suthep claimed that the UDD protesters planned to "besiege government offices and residences of important figures, like Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda."
On 9 March, Abhisit imposed the Internal Security Act from 11–23 March. A 50,000-strong security force was deployed on Bangkok.
As of Friday 12 March, police and military checkpoints set up along all main routes leading to Bangkok to inspect UDD protesters for weapons being carried into 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.
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 Tuesday, UDD protesters announced that they would be collecting 10 milliliters of blood from volunteer protesters and pouring the blood in a symbolic sacrifice at Government House and other sites in Bangkok. These public blood rituals were a highly effective publicity stunt and drew widespread attention to the protests. However, critics have said that the UDD's association with blood tarnished the movement's efforts to keep its campaign ‘clean’ and may have discouraged potential supporters.
Negotiations between the protesters and the government failed to result in a resolution of the situation. On 27 March, protesters marched to seven locations in Bangkok where Army troops had been stationed in preparation for a crackdown and convinced them to withdraw. There were dozens of bombings in Bangkok during the weeks of the protest, with nobody claiming responsibility and no arrests made. A Porsche was rammed into protester motorcycles at Rajprasong intersection, injuring several. In a separate incident, a woman rammed her car into a crowd of protesters, but drove away before she could be arrested.
Abhisit declared a state of emergency on the evening of 8 April. 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 popular TV station sympathetic to the UDD. 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.
On 10 April, the protests turned violent, when government troops approached the red shirt encampment and fired live ammunition at some protesters. Twenty-five people were killed in the confrontation, with more than 800 people injured. Tensions continued to grow, as pro-government rallies started to appear alongside anti-government rallies. On 22 April, a series of explosions in Bangkok killed at least one person and injured more than 85 others, including four foreigners. At least some of the explosions were caused by grenades, which the government claimed were fired from the Red Shirt encampment. On 28 April, Thai security forces and anti-government protesters clashed on the outskirts of Bangkok, with troops firing both over and then directly into a crowd of Red Shirts to keep them from expanding their demonstrations. At least 16 protesters were wounded and one soldier was killed.
Jatuporn Prompan
Jatuporn Prompan
Jatuporn Prompan is a Thai politician and activist. He is a Member of Parliament of the Pheu Thai Party and one of the core leaders of the National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship , also known as the "Red Shirts"....
, Nattawut Saikua and other Red-Shirt leaders, surrendered themselves to police to prevent further bloodshed during the violent military crackdown on 19 May 2010. In the aftermath of this attack 27 buildings were set ablaze in Thailand's capital, Bangkok
Bangkok
Bangkok is the capital and largest urban area city in Thailand. It is known in Thai as Krung Thep Maha Nakhon or simply Krung Thep , meaning "city of angels." The full name of Bangkok is Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahintharayutthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom...
. The Thai military largely quashed the protesters there, but pockets of resistance still remained as of Thursday May 20.
2011
CAPO (Center for the Administration of Peace and Order,) first established in August 2009, was re-established after the cabinet approved the imposition of Chapter 2 of the Internal Security Act (ISA) in seven districts of Bangkok from Feb 9-23 to control the rallies 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.Criticism
Critics and opponents inside and outside Thailand often express the suspicion that the socially progressive platform and the organization as an independent NGONon-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
are only feigned to actually pursue the agenda of Thaksin and his camarilla
Camarilla
Camarilla may refer to:*Camarilla, an unofficial group of courtiers or favorites surrounding and influencing a king or ruler, specifically the two such groups prominent in German history....
. The American freelance commentator Philip J. Cunningham even drew parallels of UDD's personalism
Personalism
Personalism is a philosophical school of thought searching to describe the uniqueness of a human person in the world of nature, specifically in relation to animals...
, xenophobia
Xenophobia
Xenophobia is defined as "an unreasonable fear of foreigners or strangers or of that which is foreign or strange". It comes from the Greek words ξένος , meaning "stranger," "foreigner" and φόβος , meaning "fear."...
, anti-gay sentiments
Homophobia
Homophobia is a term used to refer to a range of negative attitudes and feelings towards lesbian, gay and in some cases bisexual, transgender people and behavior, although these are usually covered under other terms such as biphobia and transphobia. Definitions refer to irrational fear, with the...
and militance with Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism
Italian Fascism also known as Fascism with a capital "F" refers to the original fascist ideology in Italy. This ideology is associated with the National Fascist Party which under Benito Mussolini ruled the Kingdom of Italy from 1922 until 1943, the Republican Fascist Party which ruled the Italian...
.