We were in Thailand several months ago. The “protesters” were few but vocal. Commie agitators, I’d say. Probably, Clown Prince nobama’s friends.
There’s a north/south, socialist/monarchist divide I think. Something about yellows and reds.
The protesters at that time were the middle class of Central Thailand. The government was populist, crony capitalist and centered in the North and Northeast. The governments obsession was the bring back Thaksin Shinawatra by voiding criminal charges against. He is the richest Thai but had the poor convinced he was their only friend by instituting socialized medicine, giving money to every small town, and so on. After he was overthrown in a coup by the Army, several years of unrest and one incident of burning the shopping centers at Bangkok’s city center lead eventually to his supporters gaining power and his sister being made prime minister.
The sister overreached with a scheme of buying on credit rice farmers entire production and promising a high price to the farmers. The plan collapsed and the rice farmers were left destitute except in Thaksin’s home region. The sister has been removed by the courts for corruption and will face charges for the rice scheme. This satisfied no one and demonstrations have resumed with anti government protesters being killed and with confrontations between the two factions likely. So, now the Army has moved in and it remains to be seen if condition improve or not.
Everything is complicated in Southeast Asia. I’m sure someone will complain that I’ve oversimplified or misrepresented the situation and emphasize the the sister (Yingluck) was elected as was Thaksin in much the same way Obama has been elected twice.