Thailand

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Protests Return to Bangkok
 Protests Return to Bangkok 
Feb 24, 2009 7:42 AM CST

Protests Return to Bangkok

'Red shirt' demonstrators surround PM's office, demand elections

(Newser) - Protests returned to the streets of Bangkok today, Bloomberg reports, as thousands of supporters of the exiled former PM Thaksin Shinawatra demanded fresh elections. The "red shirt" demonstrators assembled outside the new government's offices but vowed not to occupy it, as the yellow-wearing People's Alliance for Democracy did...

Thais Woo Tourists With New Cocktail

Authorities hope concoction will cure hangover from airport protests

(Newser) - Thailand's tourism authority is hoping the Siam Sunray will wash away the lingering aftertaste of airport anarchy, the Guardian reports. The newly invented cocktail—made with vodka and traditional Thai ingredients like Kaffir lime and lemongrass—was unveiled yesterday as part of a campaign to bolster a tourism industry battered...

Indonesia Rescues 200 Boat People Thais 'Left to Die'

Refugees say Thai military towed them to sea, set them adrift

(Newser) - The Indonesian navy has rescued 200 more Burmese refugees who say the Thai military abandoned them to die at sea three weeks ago, the Daily Telegraph reports. The refugees, from Burma's persecuted Muslim Rohingya minority, say their motorless wooden boat was part of a flotilla of nine, containing more than...

Groups Say Thailand Sends Refugees to Sea

Hundreds missing after being left with little food or water

(Newser) - Human rights groups say the Thai military is effectively sentencing refugees to death by herding them out to sea on boats with little food or water. Hundreds of Muslim refugees from Burma are missing, they say. Last month, 1,000 were detained on a remote island, then towed to sea...

Aussie Writer Gets 3 Years for Thai Insult

Self-published book that sold 7 copies dissed the monarchy

(Newser) - An Australian writer has been sentenced to 3 years in prison for insulting Thailand’s monarchy in one passage of a self-published book, the BBC reports. Tough “lese-majeste” laws shield Thailand’s monarchy from criticism and led to Harry Nicolaides’ arrest as he was leaving the country. He pleaded...

Pyrotechnics Likely Caused Thai Club Fire

Club was ill-equipped for fire safety

(Newser) - Firecrackers or a pyrotechnic New Year's display are the likely culprits in last night’s Bangkok nightclub blaze that killed 61 people and injured 200, the BBC reports. Witnesses said flames shot from a stage set the ceiling on fire, which then fell onto terrified partygoers. “People were screaming...

Dozens Perish in Bangkok Club Fire

(Newser) - Fire swept through a high-class Bangkok nightclub jammed with several hundred New Year's revelers early yesterday, killing at least 59 people and injuring more than 200, the AP reports. A number of foreigners were among the casualties from the blaze, which erupted shortly after midnight. Victims died from burns, smoke...

New Protesters Greet Thailand's New Gov't

Thaksin supporters force parliament to suspend proceedings

(Newser) - A different set of anti-government protesters converged on Bankok today, with thousands of red-shirted supporters of exiled PM Thaksin Shinawatra surrounding parliament and forcing lawmakers to postpone their session. The yellow-clad Thaksin opposition had been set to take power after months of demonstrations, reports the New York Times.

Thai PM Announces Controversial Cabinet

(Newser) - Thailand's prime minister unveiled his new cabinet today, including a supporter of last month's airport blockade in a lineup that cast doubt on the government's ability to unite the divided nation, the AP reports. The announcement came after King Bhumibol Adulyadej, the country's revered monarch, endorsed Abhisit Vejjajiva, whom lawmakers...

Thai Opposition Leader Takes Office as PM

Abhisit confirmed, but special elections may threaten his majority

(Newser) - Abhisit Vejjajiva, the opposition leader of Thailand who lost an election only a year ago, has been confirmed as the country's new prime minister, reports the BBC. The British-born 44-year-old takes power after days of horse-trading among Thailand's political parties, with supporters of the exiled Thaksin Shinawatra allegedly offered cabinet...

King's Illness Complicates Thai Tensions

Monarch fails to appear as politicians battle for control

(Newser) - Politicians in Thailand are squabbling as they seek to form a new government, days after a court barred the prime minister and other leading figures from holding office. But as many Thais looked to their long-serving king for guidance, the revered 81-year-old monarch canceled his traditional birthday speech yesterday, citing...

Huge Rate Cut Aims to Restart Thai Economy

Central bank surprises analysts as country forms new government

(Newser) - The Bank of Thailand today cut interest rates by 100 basis points, more than any observers expected, as the besieged nation tries to restart its economy. As Bloomberg reports, the 6-month protest that ended with the ouster of PM Somchai Wongsawat sapped exports and aggravated the pain of the global...

Flights Resume as Thai Protesters Take Off

300,000 stranded travelers scramble to grab seats

(Newser) - Flights have resumed at Bangkok's international airport as a mob of Thai protesters began exiting after a week-long siege. A passenger flight has already landed, and cargo planes have taken off. The first departing passenger plane is scheduled tomorrow, reports CNN. It will be days before both airports in the...

Protesters Will Leave Bangkok Airports

PAD announces end to demonstrations; flights will resume soon

(Newser) - Anti-government protesters in Thailand will end their occupation of Bangkok's two airports, allowing stranded tourists to fly home as soon as Thursday. All protests will end tomorrow, the People's Alliance for Democracy announced today, following a decision by the country's constitutional court that dissolved the leading political parties and barred...

Thai Court Dissolves Ruling Party, Boots PM

Court dissolves ruling parties in fraud case, triggers scramble to form new government

(Newser) - A Thai court has ordered the country's ruling coalition parties to be dissolved and Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawt and other leaders immediately banned from politics for five years after finding them guilty of electoral fraud, Reuters reports. Wongsawat has accepted the ruling but it's unclear whether his ouster will be...

Thai Protesters Let Empty Planes Leave Airport

But vow to remain as 100,000 stranded tourists scramble to get home

(Newser) - Thai protesters allowed 37 empty planes to be flown today from Bangkok's main airport after European nations announced they would charter flights to evacuate nationals trapped there. The planes flew to a naval base, where travelers can try to arrange to catch flights home, CNN reports. Protesters will allow another...

Grenade Blast Hurts 46 Thai Protesters

PAD blames pro-government forces, says it's willing to die for cause

(Newser) - A grenade blast at the prime minister’s compound in Bangkok has wounded 46 anti-government protesters, at least two critically, Reuters reports. A leader of the party leading the protest blamed pro-government forces for the attack, which comes as demonstrations at the Government House and Bangkok's international airport garner worldwide...

Tension Builds in Bangkok Standoff

Police cordon airport as protesters remain

(Newser) - Police built a huge cordon around Thailand’s main airport today, fueling fears of a confrontation between the government and protesters who have occupied it since Tuesday, the AP reports. Some 2,000 police surrounded demonstrators at Suvarnabhumi airport, where all flights have been grounded, leaving 100,000 tourists stranded....

Thai Troops Prepare to Storm Airport

Government declares state of emergency

(Newser) - The Thai government has declared a state of emergency and is preparing to storm Bangkok's international airport, the Times of London reports. Officials are attempting to negotiate a peaceful solution with representatives of thousands of anti-government protesters who have occupied the city’s two airports since Tuesday—but 30 medical...

Thai Protesters Seize Second Airport

All flights grounded; government mulls emergency rule

(Newser) - The government of Thailand is considering imposing emergency rule after protesters seized a second airport in Bangkok today, grounding all flights, reports the Telegraph. Some 3,000 members of the People's Alliance for Democracy massed at the smaller Don Mueang airport to prevent ministers from flying to Chiang Mai, where...

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