Newley Purnell

The clashes between police and anti-government protesters here in Bangkok on Tuesday morning left two people dead and more than 400 injured. Order has been restored, but political uncertainty remains. Here are some recent news reports:

WSJ editorial: Thailand in Turmoil

Two years after the Thai military ousted then-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the full cost of that bloodless coup is finally becoming clear. Violent antigovernment protests this week have left two people dead, 443 injured, and the country’s democratic prospects in jeopardy.

The struggle is over whether Thai citizens will continue to enjoy their democratic rights. The protesters, who seek to oust the current government, have brought the government to near paralysis. The cast of characters is similar to 2006: Seven months ago the same group that had helped organize protests to oust Mr. Thaksin re-formed, led by a similar coterie of Bangkok elites, businessmen and academics.

They now call themselves the People’s Alliance for Democracy, but they are anything but. Their goal is to eliminate Thailand’s one-man-one-vote democracy and replace it with a parliament that is 30% elected and 70% appointed. Why? To make sure that no one like Mr. Thaksin is ever elected again.

NY Times: Some Thai Protest Charges Dropped

In a victory for anti-government demonstrators, a Thai appeals court on Thursday dropped charges of treason against nine protest leaders, calling the evidence against them too “vague.”

The court, however, upheld a charge of inciting unrest.

Thousands of demonstrators have barricaded themselves in the compound of the prime minister’s office for the past six weeks and shows no signs of abating.

Reuters: Thailand’s political crisis: how it might play out

Thai protesters vowed to intensify their campaign against the government on Wednesday, a day after two people died and more than 400 were injured in the worst street violence in 16 years.

The Southeast Asian nation has been locked in crisis since the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) began street protests in May, accusing the government of being a puppet of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Following are some scenarios of what might happen next, although none are likely to heal the fundamental rift between the rural and urban poor who support Thaksin, ousted in a 2006 coup, and the Bangkok middle classes who despise him…

AFP: Deadly Thai protests will shake economy: industry experts

Violent clashes between police and protesters will send shockwaves through Thailand’s economy, which is already struggling with the global financial crisis and prolonged unrest, industry experts say.

News that two people died and more than 400 were injured during protests outside Bangkok’s parliament on Tuesday could discourage foreign investors, wary since a September 2006 coup overthrew premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

For more news, go to:

Bloomberg: Thai Police Fire Tear Gas to Disperse Protesters, Several Hurt

Thai police fired tear gas to disperse protesters who were blocking the Parliament building to prevent Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat from presenting his new administration’s policies. Dozens of people were injured.

Thousands of Bangkok residents who have occupied the prime minister’s office since Aug. 26 moved to surround Parliament last night in a bid to stop today’s session. Somchai called on the police to ensure that lawmakers could convene, saying they were “representing the whole country.”

AP: Police fire tear gas against crowd

Police fired tear gas Tuesday at several thousand demonstrators attempting to block access by lawmakers to the Parliament building in the Thai capital.

Reporters at the scene Tuesday saw at least one person injured by the gas. Sounds of gunfire were also heard but senior police officials said that only tear gas was being used against the crowd.

“I don’t think there are many injuries,” police Maj. Gen. Viboon Bangthamai said.

The protests are part of an effort by the People’s Alliance for Democracy to bring down the government, which it says is merely a proxy for ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in 2006 by military leaders who accused him of corruption and who now resides in exile.

BBC (with video): Tear gas fired at mass Thai rally

Police in Thailand have fired tear gas to disperse a demonstration by thousands of anti-government protesters in Bangkok.

Dozens of people were injured as police intervened in the dawn protest in front of parliament.

The clashes came just hours before new PM Somchai Wongsawat was to deliver a key policy statement.

The protesters say he is a proxy for ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra and want the government to resign.

The political crisis has gripped the country for about six weeks.

UPDATE, 8 p.m. Bangkok time:

BBC: Thai deputy PM quits over clashes

A senior government minister in Thailand has resigned after violent clashes between police and protesters.

Deputy PM Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said he was stepping down to take responsibility for the clashes, which injured at least 65 people.

The unrest came just hours before new Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat delivered his inaugural speech.

NY Times: Thai Protesters Trap Legislators

Thousands of anti-government protesters surrounded Parliament on Tuesday, trapping hundreds of legislators, cutting off power to the building and vowing to remain until the government falls.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat escaped over a back fence after delivering a policy address but other members were unable to leave, according to reporters inside the building.

The siege escalated a six-week sit-in on the grounds of the nearby prime minister’s office that has forced the government to relocate its activities to a former international airport.

AFP: Thai police fire tear gas at protesters

Thai police fired tear gas Tuesday to try to disperse anti-government protesters blocking parliament, injuring 116 people as months of political turmoil boiled over, police and medics said.

Twenty-one people suffered serious injuries, a medical official said, as police tried to disperse several thousand protesters surrounding parliament who tried to stop the first policy speech by new Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.

The address went ahead, but the special session ended after two hours as protesters continued to mass outside, forcing Somchai and five ministers to climb over a fence to escape the mob, an AFP correspondent saw.

CNN’s In the Field blog: We all scream for ice-cream

In how many riot zones can you eat an ice-cream?

Seriously, Bangkok this morning, was a sea of choking tear gas, baton-wielding cops, firing stun grenades, furious anti-government protesters launching rocks into the air… and ice-cream salesmen. I’m not complaining. Ice-cream, I like, I lick.

You scream, they scream, we all scream for ice-cream, especially when the tear-gas is choking you and you need some soothing cool coconut glace down your throat.

But it was slightly incongruous to say the least, to see cold refreshments being served amid the chaos.

Thailand though, does a good line in juxtaposition and defying cliche. It’s a riot, but only until lunchtime, when protesters and police retreat to enjoy a fiery plate of rice and minced pork. Then it’s back to the serious business of overthrowing the government.

It’s been less than a week since I last wrote about the protests here in Bangkok.

A lot has happened since then.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has been forced from office. Thailand’s Constitutional Court found him guilty of breaking the law by continuing to host his TV cooking show. At first, Samak’s political party, the PPP, said they’d re-nominate him for PM. Then parliament met on Friday to vote on the matter, but coalition parties and even some PPP MPs boycotted the vote. So word trickled out, late on Friday, that the PPP would nominate someone different for the post. Samak is now out.

Meanwhile, the state of emergency has been lifted here in Bangkok. And the parliament is due to meet this week to vote on a new PM. (The caretaker PM, interestingly enough, is now the PPP’s Somchai Wongsawat, brother in law of…Thaksin Shinawatra.)

If you’d like to see some images of the protests, here are 35 photos I’ve just posted from my visits to Government House. Demonstrators are now occupying the compound for a third week.

Here’re the latest headlines:

AP: “Thailand lifts emergency, citing drop in tourism”

AFP: “Thailand lifts state of emergency”

NY Times/IHT: “Drop in Thai tourism leads to plea for end to crisis”

Bloomberg: “Thailand Votes on Premier This Week After Emergency Rule Lifted”

WSJ: “Thailand’s Ruling Party Abandons Bid for Samak”

CNN:

Thailand’s Constitutional Court ruled Tuesday that the country’s prime minister, Samak Sundaravej, should resign from his post for violating the constitution by hosting a TV cooking show while in office.

Tuesday’s ruling against Sundaravej, who has faced weeks of violent street protests, also forces the resignation of his cabinet.

Ministers are barred from working for private companies, and Samak’s opponents filed the case hoping that a conviction will compel him to step down.

In theory, analysts say, Samak can return as prime minister in days — if the ruling coalition nominates him again and a parliament vote is taken.

As ever, for more info, I suggest The Nation, the Bangkok Post, and Bangkok Pundit.

When news spread last night that Thailand’s Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej was to give a radio address at 7:30 a.m. today, rumors swirled that he would use the occasion to announce his resignation. Instead, he refused to cave in. “Don’t even think I am going to quit,” he said. “The country needs a leader, and the world is watching us.”

As protesters occupied Government House for the 10th straight day, Samak proposed a nation-wide referendum to find a way forward.

The state of emergency continues, and more and more countries are warning their citizens to exercise caution here — or not to come at all. The majority of Bangkok is unaffected by the demonstrations. Still, there are concerns about what the turmoil means for the Thai tourism industry.

Here’s a roundup of the latest media coverage:

New York Times: “Thai Leader Promises Referendum”

Economist: “An emergency in Thailand: The army is called in as pro- and anti-government protesters clash”

Bloomberg: “Thailand May Miss Tourism Targets as Unrest Spurs Cancellations”

Reuters: “Defiant Thai PM refuses to quit”

AP: “Thai protest leader wants to reduce voters’ power”

Wall Street Journal: “Thailand’s New (Old) Politics”

Telegraph: “Bank steps in to support the baht as Thailand plagued by political unrest”

Notable blog posts:

Bangkok Pundit: “Resign, No; Dissolution, No; Referendum, Yes UPDATE”

2Bangkok: “PAD’s ‘final war’”

Following my previous effort, here’s a 2-minute, 18-second audio slide show I put together after spending some time at Government House today. That’s where PAD protesters are demonstrating against Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej. Early today a protester was killed and several were seriously injured, which prompted the government to declare a state of emergency.

Despite the fact that gatherings of more than five people have been prohibited, the protest felt much like a carnival: protesters clad in yellow — a color that represents their beloved King — stood in front of a large stage and listened to various speeches. Others relaxed under tarps and clapped, chatted, and snacked. Riot police stood by a few blocks away.

“We are fighting against the tyranny of Thaksin and Samak,” one protester told me. “We are willing to give up our lives for freedom.”

(Note: Those of you reading this via my rss feed will need to click through to view the slide slow on my site.)

My audio slide show from last week can be found here.

A state of emergency has been imposed here in Bangkok after a protester was killed and several were seriously wounded in clashes between anti-government and pro-government demonstrators early this morning.

For ongoing coverage, check out:

– The Nation

– The Bangkok Post

Here’s a story from the Straits Times: “Emergency in Bangkok: At least one killed by PAD gunfire in pitched battle between pro and anti-government mobs.”

And here’s an AP video report on YouTube: “Thai PM Declares Emergency in Capital”

Here’s a 1 minute, 42-second audio slide show I just created after spending a few hours snapping photos and recording audio at the site of massive anti-government protests here in Bangkok today.

Protesters are rallying against Thailand’s Prime Minister, Samak Sundaravej. The protests has been organized by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which accuses Samak of being a proxy for ousted PM Thaksin Shinawatra. People at the event who I talked to said they want Samak to resign, and they want Thaksin — who has fled to England — to return to Thailand to face corruption charges.

For more information on the situation, you can search Google News.

Update 1: Those of you reading this via my rss feed will need to click through to view the audio slide show on my site.

Update 2: Here’s my newest audio slide show about the protests, from Tues. Sept. 2.

AP: “Protesters lay siege to Thai television station”

Bloomberg: “Thai Protesters Storm TV Station in Bid to Oust Samak”

Reuters: “Thai PM says losing patience with anti-govt protests”

And Bangkok Pundit is live-blogging the protests.