Street protests calling on Samak to quit began in May [AFP]Al Jazeera
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
The Thai prime minister has declared a state of emergency, hoping to bring an end to protests against his rule and the worst street violence seen in a decade.
Protesters demanding Samak Sundaravej's resignation have been laying siege to Bangkok's main government compound for a week, the latest flashpoint in a series of woes for Samak's seven-month-old government.
His party's election ended nearly a year-and-a-half of military rule after the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin Shinawatra as prime minister, but the shadow of his predecessor continues to hang over Samak.
Following are the key events leading up to the declaration of emergency rule:
December 23, 2007: Samak leads the People Power party (PPP) to election victory.
February 6, 2008: Samak unveils a cabinet made up of members of a six-party coalition which holds nearly two-thirds of parliamentary seats.
February 28: Thaksin, who had been in self-imposed exile for 17 months, gets hero's welcome from supporters as he returns to Thailand and goes straight to court, where he is released on bail on corruption charges.
May 25: The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a collection of anti-government groups, launches street protests calling for Samak to resign for seeking constitutional amendments they believe are aimed at helping Thaksin.
July 8-10: Court decisions force out of office three senior government officials - Chiya Sasomsub, the health minister, Noppadon Pattama, the foreign minister, and Yongyut Tiyapairat, the house speaker and PPP deputy leader.
July 15: A military standoff breaks out near a disputed temple on the Thai-Cambodia border, with the PAD accusing Samak of relinquishing Thai territory to help Thaksin with a business deal in the neighbouring country.
July 31: Thaksin's wife, Pojaman, is convicted of tax evasion and released on bail.
August 11: Thaksin and his wife go into exile in Britain, claiming they will not get a fair trial on the corruption charges mounting against them.
August 26: At least 35,000 PAD-led protesters raid a TV station, surround three ministries and break into Bangkok's main government compound in what they say is their "final war" against the government.
August 29: Scuffles break out between police and PAD supporters still laying siege to Government House. Protests spread, forcing the temporary closure of three airports at southern tourist hubs and a disruption to rail services.
September 2: Samak declares a state of emergency in Bangkok after overnight clashes leave one dead and dozens injured, allowing the army to move in to help restore order.
September 2: Thai election commission finds the PPP guilty of buying votes during December's general election and recommends the Supreme Court disband the party.
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
The Thai prime minister has declared a state of emergency, hoping to bring an end to protests against his rule and the worst street violence seen in a decade.
Protesters demanding Samak Sundaravej's resignation have been laying siege to Bangkok's main government compound for a week, the latest flashpoint in a series of woes for Samak's seven-month-old government.
His party's election ended nearly a year-and-a-half of military rule after the 2006 coup that ousted Thaksin Shinawatra as prime minister, but the shadow of his predecessor continues to hang over Samak.
Following are the key events leading up to the declaration of emergency rule:
December 23, 2007: Samak leads the People Power party (PPP) to election victory.
February 6, 2008: Samak unveils a cabinet made up of members of a six-party coalition which holds nearly two-thirds of parliamentary seats.
February 28: Thaksin, who had been in self-imposed exile for 17 months, gets hero's welcome from supporters as he returns to Thailand and goes straight to court, where he is released on bail on corruption charges.
May 25: The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a collection of anti-government groups, launches street protests calling for Samak to resign for seeking constitutional amendments they believe are aimed at helping Thaksin.
July 8-10: Court decisions force out of office three senior government officials - Chiya Sasomsub, the health minister, Noppadon Pattama, the foreign minister, and Yongyut Tiyapairat, the house speaker and PPP deputy leader.
July 15: A military standoff breaks out near a disputed temple on the Thai-Cambodia border, with the PAD accusing Samak of relinquishing Thai territory to help Thaksin with a business deal in the neighbouring country.
July 31: Thaksin's wife, Pojaman, is convicted of tax evasion and released on bail.
August 11: Thaksin and his wife go into exile in Britain, claiming they will not get a fair trial on the corruption charges mounting against them.
August 26: At least 35,000 PAD-led protesters raid a TV station, surround three ministries and break into Bangkok's main government compound in what they say is their "final war" against the government.
August 29: Scuffles break out between police and PAD supporters still laying siege to Government House. Protests spread, forcing the temporary closure of three airports at southern tourist hubs and a disruption to rail services.
September 2: Samak declares a state of emergency in Bangkok after overnight clashes leave one dead and dozens injured, allowing the army to move in to help restore order.
September 2: Thai election commission finds the PPP guilty of buying votes during December's general election and recommends the Supreme Court disband the party.
No comments:
Post a Comment