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Showing posts from June, 2013

Thailand's (R)evolving Politics

Every Prime Minister in Thailand has his/her own very unique challenges. After the controversial Thaksin Shinawatra was forced out of power by a coup more than 6 years ago, politics has been topsy-turvy in this Kingdom. The Democrats, with the backing of the generals, successfully put Abhisit Vejjajiva at the helm, only to be disturbed by a massive Red Shirt protests that put to test his mantle as a statesmen. The handling of the Red Shirt protests and the assassination of the former military officer leading them sunk Vejjajiva and his Democrats' popularity. Another election followed and it was time for the Red Shirts, known alternatively as Thaksin's thugs (or band of brothers), to take a revenge. The newly-formed Phuae Thai party (after Thaksin's party was dissolved due allegedly for election violations) fielded Thaksin's loving sister Yingluck. And the rest was history. She is Thailand's first prime minister. It was not because the Thai people were ready to hav...