Isaac Kuan Ng Soon Zhou Tham Shi Yuan Gong Chen. January 23, 2006 3 days after Thai Telecommunication Act was passed out Thaksin’s family sold all stake.

Thailand political crisisIsaac Kuan

Ng Soon Zhou

Tham Shi Yuan

Gong Chen

January 23, 20063 days after Thai Telecommunication Act was

passed outThaksin’s family sold all stake in Shin

Corporation to Temasek Holdings with tax liability exemption

Temasek Holdings is a investment company of the Singapore government

Causes

Shin Corporation:Founded by Thaksin in 1983Leading communication company in Thailand

Sold at US$1.88 billion under regulations that individuals sell shares on the stock exchange

Paid no capital gains tax

Causes

Thailand Securities and Exchange Commission investigated the transaction but did not find irregularities

Causes

Thaksin’s War on Drug policy intensified punishment policy for drug addicts

Human Rights Watch reported 2275 killedThe government reported around 50“The UN is not my father, I am not worried

about any UN visit to Thailand on this issue”Seen as undemocratic

Causes

The military junta investigated and concluded that 1400 of 2500 killed had no link to drugs

Knowing that the orders were given from the top, they failed to give sufficient evidence to charge Thaksin with the murders

Causes

PAD demanded King Bhumbibol Adulyadej to appoint a new Prime Minister and Cabinet to resolve the issue

The King dismissed it saying that it was undemocratic and irrational

Causes

Thaksin’s TRT won 66% votes but failed to win 20% votes from eligible voters in their constituency

Led to by-electionsPAD who boycotted the first election run in

the by-elections but vowed to boycott itPetitioned to cancel by-election

Causes

TRT unofficially tallied results and announced that they won more then half of the votes

And also won in every district with much more than 20% votes

PAD petitioned results to be suspended and ignored results

“PAD would go on rallying until Thaksin resigns and Thailand gets a royally-appointed Prime Minister”

Causes

Thaksin ShinawatraElected Prime Minister from 2001-2006Introduced populist policies but also accused of

corruption and plotting to overthrow the monarchy

Deposed in a military coup in 2006 after months of streets protests by the PAD

Sentenced to conflict of interest and banned from politics

Currently in exile

Factions

People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD)Also known as yellow shirtsProtest against Thaksin, seeing him as corruptGenerally made up of upper, middle-class and

eliteSupported by high-ranking army membersSupport a constitutional monarchy

Factions

People’s Power Party (PPP)Pro-Thaksin partyWon elections in 2007 but faced portests by

PADDissolved by court order in 2008 after being

convicted of electoral fraudDemocrat Party

Formed the government in 2008 after the PPP was dissolved

Faced street protests by the UDD in 2009 and 2010

Factions

National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) Also known as red shirtsOrganised counter-demonstrations against the

PADLaunched street protest against the Democrat

Party government in 2009 and 2010Both rural and urban supportersClaims the Democrat Party came to power

undemocratically using a parliamentary deal rather than through a popular election

Inludes many supporters of Thaksin

Factions

Before: Thaksin is accused of furthering the business interests of friends and family members and restricting press freedom

2005: PAD begins protests Jan 2006: The Shinawarta family sells

their entire stake of Shin Corp to Temasek Holdings

PAD accuses Thaksin of selling out his country and briefly storm Government House

Feb 2006: PAD rally draws 5000-15000 supporters

Timeline

March 2006: Both pro- and anti- Thaksin rallies

Anti-Thaksin rallies take place in Bangkok’s shopping districts disrupting business and causing traffic jams

April 2006: Snap elections are won by Thaksin’s party although boycotted by several opposition parties

May 2006: Constitutional court invalidates April election

September 2006: Thaksin deposed in military coup

Timeline

2007: Pro- Thaksin PPP wins general election

2008: PAD resume protestsAugust 2008: PAD beseiges Government

houseSept 2008: PAD clashes with pro- Thaksin

demonstratorsOct 2008: PAD blockades Parliament and

suppression by police leads to many injuries

Nov 2008: PAD seizes Bangkok’s main airport

Dec 2008: Constitutional court dissolves PPP and PAD stop protests

Democrat Party forms new government

Timeline

TimelineApril 2009: UDD storms

the site of the ASEAN submit, forcing its cancellation

UDD takes control of several locations in central Bangkok

UDD breaks into the Ministry of Interior and attacks the Prime Minister’s car

Over 120 are injured when the army clears the protestors

Timeline2010: UDD protest calling

for the government to hold elections

UDD set up camp in Bangkok

Army fails to disperse protest and retreats leaving large amounts of equipment

Hundreds have been wounded in the demonstrations

UDD accepts plan for elections in November but refuse to disperse

Economical Impacts

Tourism

• Do not want to be caught in crossfire

• Turmoil everywhere

• No service

Trade

• Lower Produce (e.g. Rice)

• No workers

Inflation

• Demand high, supply low

Poor and Weak Economy

Statistics:Seizure 0f the Bangkok airport by the PAD cost

the Thai economy $US 100 millionAlso stranded at least 100 000 passengers Thai Baht value decreased2010 protests may reduce economic growth by

2 percentage pointsHotel occupancy rates during 2009 protests

declined from the usual 65% to 30%

Economical Impacts

Social Impacts

Deaths

• Riots

Fear

• Low security

• Violence may erupt anywhere

Divided People

• Rural vs. Elite

Political Impacts

National embarrassme

nt• ASEAN

submit had to be cancelled

Policy Implementati

on• Ineffective• Inefficient

Failure of democracy

• Both sides resorted to disruptive protests and violence

• Army intervention

Former Thai PM sees political crisis from Dubai - 14 Apr 09

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gl03mf5WH6Q

Thaksin says he loves Thailand but paying protesters to burn down public places

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y2aaEiR2M68&NR=1

Videos

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/terrorism-security/2010/0411/Thailand-protests-Red-shirt-protesters-rule-out-talks-with-government

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/programmes/from_our_own_correspondent/8640249.stm

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/05/04/2890329.htm?section=justin

http://www.rfi.fr/actuen/articles/112/article_3444.asp http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thaksin_Shinawatra#Anti-drug_policies http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2005-2006_Thai_political_crisis http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/People’s_Alliance_for_Democracy http://www.thaiphotoblogs.com/media/blogs/new/090408b.jpg http://

static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2008/09/04/crowd2460276.jpg

http://photojourn.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/pic56.jpg http://

ndn1.newsweek.com/media/41/thailand-protest-airports-wide-horizontal.jpg

http://www.thaiphotoblogs.com/media/blogs/new/090408a.jpg

References