Political Crisis in Thailand

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Name Course Tutor Date Introduction The recent political crisis in Thailand, which started in the year 2008 and lasted for three years thereafter, traces its roots in the unsettled predicament that faced the country three years earlier (Park, Richard and Asato 266). This was the time when a coup overthrew the then prime minister who had just won the election. Among the key reasons why Prime Minister Thakshin Shinawatra was deposed was an alleged corruption in his regime. The prime minister, who still managed to grasp his support among the poor rural majority, was forced into exile. His party, the People Power Party (PPP), managed to still come out victorious in the subsequent election that was conducted in 2007, amid massive protests by the opposition who were united under the “People’s Alliance for Democracy”, nicknamed the “yellow shirts” (Heltberg, Naomi and Anna 234). The extensive protests culminated into the occupation of Bangkok International Airport towards the end of the following year, leading to its closure for an entire week. The ruling party was later dissolved on charges of electoral fraud by the constitutional court. In December 2008, in what many people perceived to be a triumph for the opposition, a coalition government was formed headed by Abhisit Eejjajiva. Fresh protests were organized the following year; this time by the “National United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship” nicknamed the “red shirts”. This group was this time in support of the ousted Prime Minister Thaksin. The protests were so huge, and as a result led to a state of emergency. Even though it was contained at first, it re-emerged even stronger and ferocious later in March 2010 (Ferrara 63). Following the recent extensive political crisis and unrest in Thailand, a financial crisis seems to be always looming. The continued rivalry between the

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