Tides Turning to Opposition’s Favor in Thailand
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's days in office may be numbered. After last weekend's bloody clash between red-shirted protesters and government forces in Bangkok, Vejjajiva was dealt two big tactical blows Monday that could lead to his party's dissolution.
Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s days in office may be numbered. After last weekend’s bloody clash between red-shirted protesters and government forces in Bangkok, Vejjajiva was dealt two big tactical blows Monday that could lead to his party’s dissolution. –KA
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Two days after repulsing a blood-soaked military crackdown, the protesters cheered jubilantly at the announcement that Thailand’s election commission had recommended that the party of the prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva be disbanded on charges of receiving an illegal donation.
“This government’s time in power is nearly over,” Veera Musikapong, a protest leader, said to throngs of protesters in the commercial heart of the city. Mr. Veera and other opposition figures said they would maintain their demonstrations to press Mr. Abhisit to resign.
The announcement by the election commission came hours after the head of the army, Gen. Anupong Paochinda, appeared to rule out further military action to remove protesters, saying, “The situation requires that the problem be solved by politics.”
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Yingluck Shinawatra is expected to become Thailand's first female prime minister after her opposition party won an outright majority in parliamentary elections Sunday. Shinawatra is the sister of Thaksin Shinawatra, himself prime minister until 2006 when a military coup forced him into exile. (more)
The clash between the Thai establishment and anti-government "red shirt" protesters took a turn for the deadly on Thursday when a series of grenade explosions killed one person and wounded 75 in a Bangkok business district.
Thousands of anti-government protesters rallied in front of the Thai parliament on Wednesday demanding new elections. The demonstration forced legislators to pack it in and some of the Red Shirt protesters smashed through the compound’s gates, though they left shortly thereafter.
The demonstrations that have vexed Bangkok for the last few days took an ugly turn Monday as the Thai army fired at a crowd of protesters and ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra called for revolution. Current PM Abhisit Vejjajiva, the object of the protesters' ire, has promised to restore order, though he himself rose to power on the back of public unrest.
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