GV Face: Bangkok Shutdown and the Way Forward
Tens of thousands filled the major intersections of Bangkok, the capital of Thailand this week, as opposition groups intensified their bid to topple the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
The protest led by former lawmaker Suthep Thaugsuban aims to ‘shutdown’ Bangkok for several days or until Yingluck is removed from power.
Yingluck is accused of being a puppet of her elder brother, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin was ousted by a coup in 2006 but his party has remained victorious in the polls. He is in exile after being found guilty of plunder by a local court.
In this episode of GV Face we speak to Saksith Saiyasombut, a Thai political analyst and journalist based in Germany, our Thailand author Aim Sinpeng and SE Asia Editor Mong Palatino.
1 comment
Yingluck might be a completely worthless prime minister, but she was elected by a large majority.The opposition says it is ‘democratic,’ but the truth is they are unable to win at the ballot box. They are little more than street rabble, trying to overthrow a government they disagree with, using decidedly undemocratic means.
I spent three months in Bangkok Sep-Dec 2013 and, while the demonstrators were colorful, they were not good for the country.