Backgrounder: Thailand's power changes after Thaksin ousted in 2006

Backgrounder: Major protests in Thailand since 2008

  　by Zhu Li

    BANGKOK, April 15 (Xinhua) -- After the confrontation concluded as the leaders of protesters declared surrender on Tuesday noon, the curtain finally fell down for the 20-day chaos staged in Bangkok.

    People just exhaled with relief and began to ponder how this crisis would shadow Thailand's outlook.

    

A burning bus is seen on a street near the Government House in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, on April 13, 2009. (Xinhua/Zhang Fengguo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BIG BLOW ON THAI ECONOMY

    The city is still echoing with gunshots. Smokes from burning tires and buses had barely dispersed. And the Songkran Festival, traditional Thai holiday that falls on April 13-15, may end up with much less celebrations. Bangkok's charm to tourists around the world may be further wither away.

    Many foreign tourists will have to weigh their decision of spending holidays in Thailand, a country famous for the beauty of its beaches and the kindness and hospitality of its people.

    According to Tourism Council of Thailand president Kongkrit Hirunkit, actions of the red-shirt movement could pull the tourism revenue down this year by least 30 percent.

    The PAD (People's Alliance for Democracy) protesters' occupations of Suvarnabhumi airport late last year would take six to nine months for local tourism to recover, Hirunkit said. Then the impact of red-shirts' sabotage of ASEAN summits and clashes with security forces and residents, which left 121 injured and two dead, will by no means less than that.

    The tourism sector, which generated about 540 billion baht (about 15.4 million US dollars) annually, may lose up to 200 billion baht this year because of the red-shirt movement. More than two million people working in the tourism industry would be affected.

    An estimation released on April 8 by University of Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) Economic and Business Forecasting Center said the Thai economy is likely shrink more than 5-6 percent this year if the ongoing political standoff escalates --- like what has happened.

A man kneels down to stop Thai soldiers from marching towards the Government House in Bangkok, capital of Thailand, April 13, 2009. (Xinhua/Huang Haimin) Photo Gallery>>>

    NATIONAL IMAGE TAINTED

    Bangkok has seen the anti-government rally led by the United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), or the now-well-known "red shirts", lasting for 20 days. On April 8, a day the red-shirts leaders called their "D-day", as many as 100,000 supporters of the convicted former Thai Premier Thaksin Shinawatrajoined a mass rally, to demand Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and three Privy Council members to resign. Refused by Abhisit, thered-shirted crowd on April 10 stormed the venue of the ongoing ASEAN summits in the resort city Pattaya, a move that gave the world a shock.

    When Abhisit declared the cancellation of the summits and the arrived Asian state leaders were evacuated with helicopters, "it was costing much more than just Abhisit's face", a Thai media said.

    Even though the chaos has cooled down and Thai government has "nearly achieved the mission of restoring law and order to the country", Thai's credibility for hosting and safeguarding an international convention has diminished. It may take time to restore.

    Also, the lingering and escalating protests by UDD, together with the siege of international airports by PAD last years, cast shadow on the people's faith on the Thailand's political outlook. 

    

Supporters of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra queue to leave the Government House area while soldiers watch in Bangkok April 14, 2009.. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    ASEAN'S INTERESTS DAMAGED

    Asian countries are enduring the severe impact of a global financial meltdown. According to Asian Development Bank, the growth rate of Asian developing countries in 2009 may suffer a cut by 50 percent. Under this circumstance, the three-day 14th ASEAN summit and related summits, which was scheduled to kick off on April 10, is particularly of importance.

    China and ASEAN had initially planned to ink an investment agreement at their summit. The agreement, if signed, together with a 2004 goods agreement and a 2007 services agreement, will formally complete the China-ASEAN free trade area negotiation process. Besides, the ASEAN-India Free Trade Agreement was to be signed on April 11. Now the plans, as well as other crucial discussions, have to be deferred.

    Just like what Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak said, the postponement of the summits could "delay the benefits of closer integration for hundreds of millions living and working in Southeast Asia."

    Najib said in his blog, "I reflected with great concern how domestic political challenges like these can impede the good work of a regional grouping like ASEAN.

Thai PM: Retreat of protesters means victory of society 

Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva walks in the interior ministry after a news conference in Bangkok April 12, 2009.(Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BANGKOK, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Tuesday afternoon the tension caused by anti-government protesters has been eased, and the retreat of the red-shirted people does not mean a victory or loss of any side, but a victory of society, since normalcy has returned.

   However, the emergency decree can not be immediately lifted in order to facilitate the security forces to fully restore stability as soon as possible, the premier said, without mentioning the exact timing for the state of emergency to be lifted. Full story

Thai military check points to ensure security: Army spokesman 

    BANGKOK, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Check points with soldiers will be set up across Thailand's capital Bangkok on Tuesday night in a bid to ensure security after the capital had been tremendously hit by scattered rioting due to the anti-government rallies over the previous two days, April 12-13, a Thai military officer told Xinhua.

    A large number of the soldiers will be deployed for a purpose of checking passers-by and street patrol across Bangkok as the soldiers will cooperate with police aiming to fully restore peace and stability as quickly as possible, said Thai Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd.Full story

Thai gov't to lift emergency decree as soon as peace is restored

Soldiers inspect the belongings of supporters of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as they leave the Government House area while soldiers watch in Bangkok April 14, 2009.  (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) Photo Gallery>>>

    BANGKOK, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Thailand's Deputy Government Spokesman Supachai Jaisamut said Tuesday that the government would lift the state of emergency over Bangkok as soon as the situation is completely under control.

    "We do not want to maintain the state of emergency for too long," Supachai told Xinhua. However, the government would not say exactly when the emergency decree will be lifted. "It would be until we're sure everything has returned to normal." Full story

Thai anti-government rallies retreat, security remains tight in Bangkok

    BANGKOK, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Thai anti-government protesters began to head home Tuesday afternoon after their leaders surrendered to police and called an end to the rally. But the security in the capital Bangkok is still tight.

    At about 12:15 p.m., protesters were gradually identifying themselves to troops at the Royal Plaza to take buses to return home. They were required to show their ID cards and allow officials to check their bags before being allowed to board the buses.Full story 

2 die, 121 injured in the clashes in Bangkok 

    BANGKOK, April 14 (Xinhua) -- A Thai Health Department official announced here Tuesday in a live TV address that two died and another 121 have been injured in clashes so far in Bangkok, Thailand.

    Chatri Charoencheevakul, Secretary-General of the Narenthorn Emergency Medical Center, said that the injured had been sent to seven hospitals, and currently 50 are still under medical treatment including two in critical condition, while the others have been dismissed.Full story 

Thai army to disperse protesters at Gov't House 

    BANGKOK, April 14 (Xinhua) -- Thai Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said Tuesday in a live TV address the army is prepared to disperse the protesters at the Government House, ready to shooting into air, if necessary.

    He said there are about 2,000 protesters around the Government House, the only encampment of the protesters now. Full story