Blood in Bangkok: Tensions Rise

Clashes Between UDD Protesters and the Military Result in Bloodshed

On April 10th 2010, Bangkok experienced a violent culmination of weeks of political unrest. The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), or ‘redshirts,’ began to congregate in Bangkok last month, requesting the dissolution of the parliament. A force consisting of roughly 30,000 redshirt protesters engulfed Government House on the 26th of March, amongst their demands were the resignation of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s government, the removal of Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya, and the prosecution of several core members of the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) who seized Bangkok’s airports last year. Abhisit attempted to enter into peace talks with the leaders of the UDD in order to resolve the conflict. Tensions were merely heightened. In response to Abhisit’s refusal to step down, the UDD staged a protest that ultimately forced the government to impose a state of emergency on the 7th of April, which allowed for the use of Thai military to quell unrest. Thai military and police forces closed down on bodies of rioting UDD protesters during the last week before Songkran, resulting in light skirmishes throughout the city. On April 10th, the UDD and police clashed in a terribly violent battle for Bangkok, in which grenades and live rounds were introduced into the fray. 24 people died in the ensuing melee, and many hundreds suffered injuries. And on April 22nd three grenades were detonated amongst a crowd of anti-red shirt protesters. The blasts shook Sala Daeng’s BTS Station – causing one death and up to 75 injuries, many very serious. Bangkok has witnessed no more fighting since these two instances of regrettable bloodshed; however, the political climate is as unstable as ever.

During the past few years Thailand has been locked in a conflict between two pressure groups: the redshirts (UDD) and the yellow shirts (PAD). The PAD consists of the middle and upper class elite, who are in favor of the current government. They were initially a coalition of protesters intending to overthrow Thaksin Shinawatra, the corrupt former Prime Mister of Thailand. Thaksin was deposed in a military coup in 2006 after governing Thailand for half a decade. Throughout his political career Thaksin generated immense support from much of Thailand’s working class and peasants. The UDD is a working class coalition, and although not every member necessarily feels attached to Thaksin, many of the redshirts possess ambitions to restore Thaksin to power, and their party has often been associated with the businessman. They believe Abhisit to be an ineffectual leader and came to power unjustly in a judicial coup after the military engineered a government regime change in response to the escalating PAD protests two years ago, in which yellow shirts seized airports in Bangkok. The government was thought to effectively be a surrogate for Thaksin, and was elected into power in 2007. Their protests, which continue to cost Thailand's tourism industry billion of dollars, aim to topple Abhisit's government.

The military and government have been humiliated, and the national image of Thailand sullied. On the 11th of April last year, UDD protesters upset a regional summit - in which heads of state met to discuss a regional response to the global financial crisis - after swarming into the venue. Several heads of state were forced to flee by helicopter, and the episode proved very embarrassing for Abhisit's government. In the time since, especially in these recent weeks, the military and government have been deeply embarrassed again by the red shirts and may likely act to halt any further chance of humiliation. PAD leaders have promised to assert themselves if the situation is not resolved soon, which could lead to potentially violent clashes between the yellow shirts and red shirts. “It is truly lamentable as a citizen of Thailand,” says Jam Kraprayoon (10), “to see my country so divided. I feel for the people on both sides and I hope that no more blood is split over a situation that can be resolved non-violently. The two sides should look to the past to avoid making the same dangerous mistakes that have resulted in both military and civilian casualties.” As tension builds in Bangkok, the world is hoping that dialogue can be opened up between the conflicting factions, and that the situation can be resolved without further bloodshed.

Though tensions have quelled somewhat over the ensuing weeks, as of May 10th, the protesters remain entrenched in downtown Bangkok. Though Prime Minister Abhisit has made his most bold move yet by offering to hold general elections this coming November 14th, the various red shirt leaders have still failed to come to a consensus of agreement. This despite an overwhelming sense of frustrations by average Bangkokians as the sit in enters it's third month.

It is hoped all will be resolved in the coming days.

by Michael Shearman (ISB)