Timeline of Thai red-shirt protests and ensuing military crackdown ahead of 10th anniversary

Record ID: 1552983

  • Title: Timeline of Thai red-shirt protests and ensuing military crackdown ahead of 10th anniversary
  • Date: 16th May 2020
  • Summary: Thai protesters continued their protests in Bangkok on April 22 to demand parliament be dissolved immediately, after a tense night as fears grew of a crackdown to end their six-week rally in Bangkok. The red shirts have set up a second camp near the Silom business district, building their home-made barricades from bamboo sticks and tires to defend themselves from military and pro-government supporters. BANGKOK, THAILAND (FILE - APRIL 22, 2010) (REUTERS) RED-SHIRT PROTESTER STANDING ON BAMBOO FENCE AND WAVING FLAG AT THEIR ENCAMPMENT NEAR SILOM BUSINESS DISTRICT CARS DRIVING PAST HOME-MADE BAMBOO BARRICADE VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SITTING AND LISTENING TO SPEAKERS ON STAGE Thai troops fired live rounds in the air and shot rubber bullets in a chaotic clash with anti-government protesters on a highway in Bangkok's suburbs on April 28, that wounded 16 people and possibly killed one. Soldiers used rubber bullets or fired into the air with automatic weapons in an attempt to stop a convoy of up to 2,000 "red shirt" protesters on pickup trucks and on motorcycles who had left central Bangkok in defiance of a state of emergency. Some protesters fought back by hurling stones and shooting metal balls from sling-shots, witnesses said. BANGKOK, THAILAND (FILE - APRIL 28, 2010) (REUTERS) SOLDIERS MOVING TOWARDS PROTESTERS ARMY FIRING RUBBER BULLETS SOLDIERS HIDING UNDER HIGHWAY VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS FIRING AUTOMATIC WEAPON BULLET CASING ON GROUND PROTESTERS PUTTING TYRES ON ROAD PROTESTERS USING SLING SHOT PROTESTERS PREPARING BOTTLES Thai troops battled anti-government protesters in central Bangkok on May 14, attempting to seal off their encampment after an assassination attempt on a renegade general unleashed a new wave of violence. Troops fired tear gas, rubber bullets and live rounds at protesters who hurled stones and launched home-made rockets on three roads surrounding the central Bangkok shopping district they have occupied for nearly six weeks, witnesses said. Troops said some protesters were armed. BANGKOK, THAILAND (FILE - MAY 14, 2010) (REUTERS) THAI MILITARY IN RIOT GEARS MARCHING SOLDIERS GUARDING WITH RIFLES VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS LINING UP ON ROAD CONFRONTING ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS SOLDIERS ON OVERPASS SOLDIERS RUNNING, ADVANCING / SMOKE RISING IN FRONT OF SOLDIERS VARIOUS OF BUS BURNING PEOPLE IN PARK SPRAYING WATER AT BURNING BUS Anti-government protesters kept tyres burning in the Thai capital on May 18 as thick black smoke filled the air. On the outskirts of their encampment, small groups of anti-government protesters continued to challenge the soldiers, hurling petrol bombs and stones at a checkpoint on Rama IV Road leading to the business district, Reuters witnesses said. Then-Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has vowed to disperse the mostly rural and urban poor "red shirts" who accuse his government of lacking a popular mandate and colluding with Thailand's royalist elite to subvert democracy. BANGKOK, THAILAND (FILE - MAY 18, 2010) (REUTERS) SMOKE PLUME SEEN FROM BRIDGE ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS PILING UP TYRES ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS GATHERING TO SET FIRE TO TYRES ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS WATCHING TYRES BEING BURNT FLAME ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS PUTTING MORE TYRES IN FLAME SMOKE RISING FROM TYRES BURNING ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTER RUNNING FROM GUN SHOTS PEOPLE LOOKING AT SMOKE SPLUMES SMOKE RISING RESIDENTS CLOSING GATE SMOKE BILLOWING FROM BRIDGE Large numbers of Thai troops and armoured vehicles gathered early on May 19 near a fortified encampment of anti-government protesters in Bangkok in what may be the start of a crackdown to disperse them, Reuters witnesses said. (NIGHT SHOTS) BANGKOK, THAILAND (FILE - MAY 19, 2010) (REUTERS) LINE OF ARMOURED VEHICLES ON SILOM ROAD AT DAWN BREAK SOLDIER STANDING INSIDE ARMOURED VEHICLE ARMOURED VEHICLE PARKED IN LINE SOLDIERS STANDING AND WALKING ABOUT ARMOURED VEHICLES DRIVING PAST At least two people were killed May 19 in fighting between "red shirt" protesters and troops in central Bangkok as the military launched what looked like a final offensive to disperse the protesters. Two bodies of civilians were found on Rachadamri Road in the protesters' encampment after troops broke through their barricades, said a Reuters witness. It appeared the protesters had suffered gunshot wounds. Troops fired tear gas and automatic rifles at the red-shirted protesters, as armoured vehicles advanced from the business district through a barricaded intersection. They stopped before closing in on an area where an estimated 3,000 demonstrators were rallying and refused to leave. Thai troops and armoured vehicles broke through barricades of tyres and bamboo in a final offensive to evict thousands of anti-government protesters from their fortified camp in central Bangkok, witnesses said. Troops earlier used bullhorns and loudspeakers to urge protesters and civilians to leave, as military helicopters circled overhead. BANGKOK, THAILAND (FILE - MAY 19, 2010) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ARMOURED VEHICLE DRIVING PAST RED SHIRT'S BARRICADE VARIOUS OF SOLDIERS RUNNING TO TAKE POSITION BEHIND ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTEST BARRICADE SOLDIER LOOKING ON SOLDIERS SEARCHING ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTEST CAMP
  • Embargoed: 30th May 2020 06:55
  • Keywords: Thailand UDD anniversary bloodshed crackdown democracy events file military politics red-shirt
  • Location: BANGKOK, THAILAND
  • City: BANGKOK, THAILAND
  • Country: Thailand
  • Topics: Government/Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA007CEBHE13
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text:EDITORS PLEASE NOTE: EDIT CONTAINS GRAPHIC IMAGES
    Tuesday (May 19) marks the 10th anniversary of the worst political violence in Thailand's modern history, where clashes between the Thai military and anti-government protesters ended in bloodshed, leaving 91 killed, and hundreds injured.
    Tens of thousands of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), also known as the 'red-shirt' protesters, staged a mass rally that lasted for over two months, demanding the then-prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva call a snap election to pave way for a new government.
    The 2010 protests stemmed from a long-running rivalry between supporters of populist former, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the pro-military, conservative establishment. Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon turned prime minister, won huge support among the poor but the loathing of the royalist establishment, largely over accusations of corruption.
    Abhisit and his deputy, Suthep Thaugsuban, were accused of murder and attempted murder in connection with the crackdown on Thaksin's red-shirted supporters to end their two-month street protest in Bangkok.
    Abhisit defended the actions, saying shadowy militants lurking among peaceful demonstrators triggered the bloodshed, which he said was aimed at trying to discredit and topple his government. His case was later dismissed by Thailand's Supreme Court.
    (Production: Juarawee Kittisilpa)
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