violence

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.