On Wednesday, May 19th, after two long months of demanding for the dissolution of Parliament, anti-government protestors known as “Red Shirts” withdrew from their main rally site in Bangkok. Government security forces then launched a crackdown on the demonstrator’s main encampment, which was located in the heart of Bangkok’s financial and shopping district.

The peaceful protest which then turned violent ended on May 19th after a series of gun battles between the government and Red Shirt’s, which the government classified as “terrorists.” The clash left the rest of the world shocked as abashed protestors set ablaze 34 buildings around Bangkok.

As of Sunday 23rd, the capital returned to normalcy because of government-imposed curfew measures. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has organized a “Big Cleaning Day” in order to allow ordinary civilians to join them in cleaning up the garbage and destruction that the protestors left behind. The Thai government, under the leadership of Abhisit Vejjajiva, states that it will now proceed in a reconciliation process to patch up the deep split in Thai society caused by the recent political dissent. 

Thailand’s current political crisis began on September 19, 2006 when the Royal Thai Army staged a bloodless coup d’etat, seizing power from fugitive ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The interim government appointed by the military coup immediately froze $2.6 billion US worth of the PM’s assests. Thaksin’s political allies, primarily the People’s Power Party (PPP), came back to power after the one-year term of the interim government. This enflamed political tensions, causing the People’s Alliance for Democrary (PAD) - or the yellow shirts - to take to the streets and to protest against Thaksin’s proxy government. Samak Sundravej, the first leader of the PPP, was forced out of office, as he was guilty of conflict of interest for hosting a cooking TV show. His successor, Thaksin’s brother in-law, Somchai Wongsawat, came to power for a couple months until the PPP was disbanded by the Supreme Court for vote-buying and electoral fraud.

As Choate students were about to return from Spring Break, tens of thousands of Red Shirts (composed mostly of the rural poor that are supporters of Thaksin) poured into the Thai capital, Bangkok. The protestors flooded the streets in response to the Supreme Court’s decision that the Thai government should freeze Thaksin’s assests. Thaksin was prosecuted for abuse of power in office to increase his wealth.

Shortly after protestors rejected plans for reconciliation and remained in the city, Bangkok turned into a mini warzone. The army declared certain areas of Bangkok to be “live firing zones.” After they failed to disperse protestors with tear gas, the fully equipped Thai army battled protestors who were armed with M79’s, handmade fireworks, Molotov’s, and some assault rifles.

Kobi Boonbanjerdsri ’11 feels that “this situation has not resolved any problems, both protestors and government should turn to each other and find peaceful methods in resolving the issue.”

English teacher Ed McCatty, a close follower of the Thai crisis, discussed the government using fully equipped soldiers to evict the protestors, “I’m against violence whenever possible. I believe in the Gandhi and Martin Luther King non-violence protest. However, the army is not the only side that is firing. An in depth investigation is required to determine who incited the violence.”

Uracha Chaiyapinunt ’13, another  Thai student at Choate, said, “I am quite angered and disappointed that one of the main tourist attractions of Bangkok is burnt down by the protestors.”

Despite days of fire and bombings, Bangkok is now quiet again as demonstrators go home , apparently with much hatred filled in their hearts. The division in Thai society continues to deepen. It is hard to predict what will come next.