Thailand - In turmoil

**American Patriot** · December 9th, 2013, 17:33

This is bad for any country.

Amid protests, Thailand's PM Yingluck Shinawatra dissolves parliament

By Kocha Olarn, CNN
updated 1:35 AM EST, Mon December 9, 2013

Thai Prime Minister dissolves parliament

STORY HIGHLIGHTS

NEW: Elections to be held by February 2, spokesman says
NEW: He also says it's not certain Yingluck's party will vote for her to run
Between 100,000 and 150,000 demonstrators rallied in Bangkok
Protesters were headed toward the PM's office

Bangkok, Thailand (CNN) -- Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra dissolved the nation's parliament Monday and called for new elections. But the move did little to appease anti-government protesters who remained on the streets by the thousands.
Between 100,000 and 150,000 demonstrators rallied in Bangkok, with protest leaders saying their goal Monday is to storm Shinawatra's office, known as Government House.
The country will hold new elections by February 2, but embattled Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra may not be her party's choice to run, a government spokesman told CNN on Monday.
"I don't know whether the Pheu Thai Party will still vote (for) her to run again or not," said spokesman Teerat Ratanasevi, referring to the ruling party.
Yingluck's move Monday comes a day after Thailand's main opposition party, Democrat Party, said its roughly 150 members would resign en masse from parliament because they could no longer work with the government.

Thai protesters stage huge rallies

Thai protesters test security forces
"I don't want our country and the Thai people to suffer from more losses," Yingluck said in a televised address.
But opposition party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva said the massive protests leave the government little choice.
"I think the best way for the Prime Minister to show responsibility is by returning power to the people," he told CNN.
Still, dissolving parliament and calling elections appear unlikely to placate protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, a former deputy prime minister for the Democrat Party. He has called for power to be transferred to an unelected "people's council."
Q&A: What's behind the protests in Thailand?
Thaksin's influence
During the weeks of demonstrations, protesters have occupied various government offices. The rallies have been mostly peaceful, but clashes between protesters and government supporters on November 30 left five people dead.
Protesters and police, who had confronted each other with tear gas and rocks in parts of Bangkok last week, agreed to a truce Tuesday in a show of respect for Thailand's revered king, who celebrated his 86th birthday Thursday.
Protest leaders have said they want to rid Thailand of the influence of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the older brother of Yingluck.
That's an ambitious goal in a country where parties affiliated with Thaksin, who built his political success on populist policies that appealed to Thailand's rural heartland, have won every election since 2001.
Thaksin was ousted in a military coup in 2006 and has spent most of the time since then in exile overseas. If he returns, he risks a two-year prison sentence on a corruption conviction, which he says was politically motivated.
The current protests in Bangkok were prompted by a botched attempt by Yingluck's government to pass an amnesty bill that would have opened the door for her brother's return.
That move added fuel for critics who accuse Yingluck of being nothing more than Thaksin's puppet, an allegation she has repeatedly denied.

**American Patriot** · December 9th, 2013, 17:34

Bangkok Protesters Demand Reform

Waving flags and placards, Thai anti-government protesters make their way on a street during a march rally from the government complex on the outskirts of the capital to downtown Bangkok, Thailand, Dec. 9, 2013.

Ron Corben
December 09, 2013

BANGKOK — Anti-government protesters in Bangkok have succeeded in cutting short the ruling party's tenure, but many say new elections are not enough.

Protesters Monday marched through downtown Bangkok's Sukhumvit thoroughfare, a key artery of the city lined with expensive high-rise apartments, shopping malls and office towers.

As news came that Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was dissolving parliament and announcing new elections, Apirak Kosayodin, a Democrat Party member, said the dissolution is merely the beginning of broader reforms.

Bangkok Police Station, map of ministries and police station

"At least at the first step she would recognize the voice from the Thai people but they still have a further process that she needs to work, or the Thai people need to work together for the next reform," said Democrat Party member Apirak Kosayodin.

Protest leaders have proposed an unelected council to replace Thailand's democratically elected government until elections are held. The prime minister has rejected the demand as unconstitutional and many observers have said it would be a step backward for one of Southeast Asia's most prosperous and politically open countries.

Related video clip: Thailand Protest

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But Democrat Party member Apirak said there is a need for wider social and economic reforms.

"People are really looking forward to the reform process for Thailand to be a much better place, including anti-corruption, decentralization, empowerment for the local government, reform for the education. Thai people will think beyond, beyond even though the government has already dissolved the parliament," he stated.

Such policies on improving education and empowering local government could appeal to voters in the rural north, the traditional political stronghold of the ruling Pheu Thai party.

The party of Yingluck and her brother, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, has backed policies that benefit rural Thais, including a controversial rice subsidy that has elevated prices, enriching farmers. But the rice scheme has cost the government billions of dollars and sparked warnings from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) that it is undermining confidence in the country's finances.

Khun Som, a banker and protester in Bangkok, said the rice scheme is a prime example of the kind of corruption protesters want to end.

"Thaksin do everything for himself; he does not think for the poor people. We want to help the poor people. [But] when they do the rice scheme they only want to get money for themselves - the politician - small amount of money go to the farmer," Khun explained. "The big money go to the politician - we don't want that to continue."

Protesters on Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, Dec. 9, 2013. (Ron Corben for VOA)

It is still not clear what reforms could lead to greater government transparency. But many in Monday's protests like Khun 'Dew', a finance sector employee, says the massive turnout marks an important step. "It's a very important day for Thailand because we don't want the Thaksin corruption. I think people should come out and have their right to protest the country," Khun said.

As evening fell on Bangkok Monday, protesters said they would camp out overnight at the prime minister's offices, continuing a rally that has succeeded in dissolving parliament, but failed to provide a clear path for the next step.

**American Patriot** · December 9th, 2013, 17:35

Thai PM dissolves Parliament, calls elections

(Sakchai Lalit/ Associated Press ) - Democrat leader and former Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva speaks along with his party members during a press conference in Bangkok, Thailand, Sunday, Dec. 8, 2013. The main opposition party announced it was resigning from parliament to protest what it called “the illegitimacy” of the government. The move deepens the country’s latest political crisis a day before new street demonstrations that many fear could turn violent.

CAPTION

By Associated Press, Published: December 8 | Updated: Monday, December 9, 5:48 AM

BANGKOK — Desperate to defuse Thailand’s deepening political crisis, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra dissolved the lower house of Parliament on Monday and called for early elections. But the moves did nothing to stem a growing tide of more than 150,000 protesters vowing to overthrow her in one of the nation’s largest demonstrations in years.
Analysts said the steps came too late and are unlikely to satisfy opponents who want to rid Thailand of her powerful family’s influence. The protesters are pushing for a non-elected “people’s council” to replace her democratically elected government.

Emmanuel Braun and Paul-Marin Ngoupana DEC 8

France warns fighters in its former Central African colony to lay down their arms or lose them “by force.”

In a speech late Monday, protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban lashed out against Yingluck, calling her administration “corrupt” and “illegitimate” as crowds of supporters cheered.

The protest movement does “not consent to allowing the dictatorial majority ... to betray the people, to destroy the balance of democratic power,” Suthep said. The people must use “their rights as citizens to take back their power,” he said.

Thailand has been plagued by major bouts of upheaval since Yingluck’s brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled in a 2006 army coup that laid bare a deeper conflict between the elite and educated middle class against Thaksin’s power base in the countryside, which benefited from populist policies designed to win over the rural poor.

An attempt by Yingluck’s party last month to pass a bill through Parliament that would have granted amnesty to Thaksin and others triggered the latest round of unrest. Thaksin fled overseas in 2008 to avoid a corruption conviction he says was politically motivated.

“After listening to opinions from all sides, I have decided to request a royal decree to dissolve Parliament,” said Yingluck, her voice shaking as she spoke in a nationally televised address that broke into regular programing. “There will be new elections according to the democratic system.”

Yingluck’s ruling party won the last vote two years ago in a landslide, and is likely to be victorious in any new ballot.

Government spokesman Teerat Ratanasevi said the Cabinet had proposed a new vote be held Feb. 2. King Bhumibol Adulyadej formally endorsed both that date and the dissolution of the House of Representatives, according to a royal decree.

Yingluck said she will remain in a caretaker capacity until a new prime minister is named.

As Yingluck spoke Monday, long columns of marching protesters paralyzed traffic on major Bangkok boulevards, filling four-lane roads as they converged from nine locations on Yingluck’s office at Government House. Suthep spoke on a stage erected nearby.

Many feared the day could end violently and more than 60 Thai and international schools closed as a precaution. But the marches were peaceful and no violence was reported.

Suthep has repeatedly said that calling new elections and even Yingluck’s resignation would not be enough to end the conflict.
Protesters agreed.

“We will keep on protesting because we want her family to leave this country,” said Boonlue Mansiri, one of tens of thousands who joined a 20-kilometer (12-mile) march to Yingluck’s office.

The sentiment was the same across town, where protesters filled a major four-lane road in the city’s central business district, waving flags, blowing whistles and holding a huge banner that said, “Get Out Shinawatra.”

Asked about the dissolution of Parliament, one middle-aged woman in the crowd said, “It is too late” and “It’s not enough.”

“At the end of the day, we are going to win,” said the woman, who identified herself as Paew. “What happens now? Don’t worry. We will figure it out.”

Suthep’s supporters on Monday appeared to abandon the two places they had occupied for more than a week — the Finance Ministry and part of a vast government complex.
The country’s political standoff deepened Sunday after the main opposition party resigned from the legislature en masse to join the anti-government demonstrations. The minority Democrat Party held 153 of the 500 seats in the legislative body, according to the latest figures on their website.

The Democrats — who are closely allied with the protesters — have not won an election since 1992, and some of their leaders appear to have given up on electoral politics as a result.

Abhisit Vejjajiva, the leader of the Democrats and a former prime minister, led one of the marches through Bangkok on Monday. He declined to comment on whether the party would participate in the next election.

Since the latest unrest began last month, at least five people have been killed and at least 289 injured. Violence ended suddenly last week as both sides paused to celebrate the birthday of the nation’s revered king, who turned 86 Thursday.

**American Patriot** · June 3rd, 2014, 16:42

Thai protesters adopt 'Hunger Games' three-fingered salute amid military coup

As citizens demonstrate against Paryuth Chan-ocha's declaration of martial law, they utilize a piece of American pop culture to get their point across.

BY Zayda Rivera
NEW YORK DAILY NEWS
Monday, June 2, 2014, 4:26 PM

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Thailand's protesters are demonstrating that life can imitate art.
Anti-military coup protesters are mimicking the "Hunger Games" three-fingered salute after the country's army chief Paryuth Chan-ocha declared martial law in late May, Reason reports.
"Thais are avid consumers of pop culture, including the 'Hunger Games' movies, so it's not surprising that they have chosen to use the salute favored by cinematic heroine Katniss Everdeen," a Quartz staff reporter wrote.

Hundreds of demonstrators shouting ‘Freedom!’ and ‘Democracy!’ gathered Sunday near a shopping mall in downtown Bangkok to denounce the country's May 22 coup.

During a protest Sunday at a Bangkok shopping mall, several people used the salute for a nonviolent demonstration. One woman continued saluting out of a window of an undercover cop car as she was taken into custody, Thai newspaper Prachatai reported.
Similar to the film's use of the salute, protesters reportedly said it stood for "liberty, brotherhood and equality," which was also France's national motto during the French Revolution.

In addition to declaring martial law, Chan-ocha's takeover also included detaining current political leaders, shutting down international television broadcasts and imposing a national curfew. If that weren't enough, he was also declared "Prime Minister."
The protester's adopted salute has been seen throughout the world as their demonstrations have made their way through social media.

In the aftermath of the coup, several American performers began bowing out of appearances in Thailand, like Taylor Swift, who canceled a sold-out June 9 concert in the country.
"(The concert was canceled) due to recent events in Thailand," the concert promoter announced on their website May 27 adding that it was "a difficult decision for all parties."
"I'm sending my love to the fans in Thailand," Swift tweeted. "I'm so sad about the concert being canceled."