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Prime ministers

Thailand's Prime Minister Under Pressure as Protests Turn Deadly

Strategic Insights

— 1 min read

Thailand's Prime Minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, is facing intense pressure to step down amid mounting evidence of military involvement in the deaths of at least 16 anti-government protesters. The botched operation has humiliated the army and emboldened the opposition, with the monarchy, too, appearing to distance itself from the government. The Red Shirt protesters, who have been demanding the dissolution of parliament and early elections, are gaining momentum, and their leaders are vowing to continue their fight for democratic reform.

Key Takeaways:

  • Post-mortem examinations confirmed that at least 9 protesters were shot by high-velocity weapons, contradicting government claims that they were not killed by soldiers.
  • A Japanese cameraman, Hiro Muramoto, was also killed while covering the protests.
  • The command post of the advancing soldiers was hit by a volley of M79 rocket-launched grenades, killing a colonel and seriously wounding two others and one general.
  • General Anupong Paochinda, the commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army, expressed support for the Red Shirt protesters' demand for parliamentary dissolution and early elections.
  • Members of Mr. Abhisit's ruling coalition met to discuss potentially agreeing to elections after six months.
  • The Thai Election Commission ordered the dissolution of Mr. Abhisit's Democrat Party and disqualified its leaders from politics for five years due to an undeclared donation from a cement company.

Statistics:

  • 16 protesters killed in the past week
  • 9 protesters shot by high-velocity weapons
  • 1 Japanese cameraman killed while covering the protests
  • 4 military personnel killed or wounded in the command post attack
  • 258 million baht (approximately £5.2 million) donated to the Democrat Party without declaration
  • 5-year ban from politics for members of the Democrat Party

Sources:

  • Abhisit Vejjajiva, Prime Minister of Thailand
  • Sunai Phasuk, Human Rights Watch
  • General Anupong Paochinda, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army
  • Bangkok Post
  • Thai Election Commission

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