Tag: Politics

Protests from above

The anti-government protests that started two weeks ago (and that were supposed to end one week ago) continue in front of the UN building in Bangkok. In this photo, you can not only see the protesters lining the street below in their tents, but you can also see what was supposed to be their ultimate destination — government house. Government house is on the right side of the photo, with a red roof and a gold spire. Because police set up barricades around the building, which holds the prime minister’s office, the protesters stopped at the UN and set up camp (quite literally, as you can see).

Welcome to the UN

Anti-government protesters with the People’s Alliance for Democracy have been sitting outside the UN building in Bangkok all week. (I think of them as a welcoming committee of sorts.) In 2006, the same group’s protests helped topple Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra. Although newspapers — and UN security — keep warning that the protests could get violent, I can’t imagine this group of people becoming violent. So far the protest has consisted mainly of people hanging out on a grassy area where they’ve pitched tents, eating street food and taking naps.

To Coup or Not to Coup in Thailand, Asia Times, May 31, 2008