New clashes feared in Thailand after PM’s ouster
Thailand braces for fresh clashes after the Constitutional Court on May 7 ordered caretaker Prime Minister YIngluck Shinawatra and with her 9 ministers to leave office. Opposition leader Suthep Thaugsuban immediately after the ruling changed the date of what he calls the “final all-out battle” against the government and the “Thaksin regime” from May 14 to May 9 starting in the morning at Lumpini Park in Bangkok.
Pro-government red shirts, mainly from north and north-eastern provinces, will rally in the city 24 hours later in what they say will be their strongest show of force since Thailand’s latest political crisis began in November 2013. Red shirt hardliner Ko Tee has even announced that his group will resort to violence because he was “tired of all the speeches.”
The stand-off comes amid rumours of a military coup and accusations by leading Pheu Thai party that “another form of a coup” is already under way through the courts, which they say threatens to derail the country’s democracy.
So far, new national election have been scheduled for July 20. An earlier election in February was annulled by the Thai courts because opposition parties blocked several polling sites. There is now a quarrel about who has to shoulder the 3.8 billion baht ($120 million) in costs for the void poll.
Currently, the country is run by new caretaker Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan. However, observers remarked Thailand resembles more a failed state, as there seems to be no more state monopoly on physical force, there is no more collective decisions making due to a defunct parliament, different state agencies are at odds with each other, no new budget can be set up and interactions with other nations are reduced as no agreements can legally be signed. However, public utilities and services still work and public life goes on.
[caption id="attachment_22678" align="alignleft" width="249"] Ousted Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra[/caption] Thailand braces for fresh clashes after the Constitutional Court on May 7 ordered caretaker Prime Minister YIngluck Shinawatra and with her 9 ministers to leave office. Opposition leader Suthep Thaugsuban immediately after the ruling changed the date of what he calls the “final all-out battle” against the government and the "Thaksin regime" from May 14 to May 9 starting in the morning at Lumpini Park in Bangkok. Pro-government red shirts, mainly from north and north-eastern provinces, will rally in the city 24 hours later in what they say will be...
Thailand braces for fresh clashes after the Constitutional Court on May 7 ordered caretaker Prime Minister YIngluck Shinawatra and with her 9 ministers to leave office. Opposition leader Suthep Thaugsuban immediately after the ruling changed the date of what he calls the “final all-out battle” against the government and the “Thaksin regime” from May 14 to May 9 starting in the morning at Lumpini Park in Bangkok.
Pro-government red shirts, mainly from north and north-eastern provinces, will rally in the city 24 hours later in what they say will be their strongest show of force since Thailand’s latest political crisis began in November 2013. Red shirt hardliner Ko Tee has even announced that his group will resort to violence because he was “tired of all the speeches.”
The stand-off comes amid rumours of a military coup and accusations by leading Pheu Thai party that “another form of a coup” is already under way through the courts, which they say threatens to derail the country’s democracy.
So far, new national election have been scheduled for July 20. An earlier election in February was annulled by the Thai courts because opposition parties blocked several polling sites. There is now a quarrel about who has to shoulder the 3.8 billion baht ($120 million) in costs for the void poll.
Currently, the country is run by new caretaker Prime Minister Niwatthamrong Boonsongpaisan. However, observers remarked Thailand resembles more a failed state, as there seems to be no more state monopoly on physical force, there is no more collective decisions making due to a defunct parliament, different state agencies are at odds with each other, no new budget can be set up and interactions with other nations are reduced as no agreements can legally be signed. However, public utilities and services still work and public life goes on.
