PAD

For the first time, both Yellow Shirts and Red Shirts will be protesting in Bangkok about the same time starting this Sunday, January 22. Following the military coup that ousted elected Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra in 2006, the Yellow Shirts took over the Thailand airports crippling tourism three years ago and now they plan a march near the Red Shirts protest site on Tuesday January 25. The Red Shirts fortified encampments last year in central Bangkok leading to horrific violence and the burning of many major shopping malls and stores and deaths. The Thailand government is resigning to allow new elections possibly next month so these pushes for power may be ongoing. However, if there is civil unrest, it is unlikely the current government led by productive Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva will resign.

Most Pattaya residents remember the closing of the airports last year due to an invasion of Yellow Shirted protesters and there has been little reported on any penalties for this action. However, the leader of the anti-Thaksin movement of Yellow Shirts was convicted on other charges.

Mr. Abhisit said the government would go ahead with the proposals as they are part of the country’s tax reforms and he believes he can gain coalition support for the new taxes. The new government is working to improve the public welfare system and property and inheritance taxes would expand the government’s revenue collection base at the possible expense of slowing investment and retirement in Thailand by foreigners.

Representatives of foreign nations are urging Thailand to find peace and stability, via a democratic government under the existing monarchy to authenticate its position as chairman of Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), which will also benefit the Thai tourist industry.

Even though the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which seized the Government House and two Bangkok airports, has announced an end to demonstrations, protesters will come back if Thaksin’s nominees return to power.