Latest developments in Thailand

The Prime Minister has withdrawn the decree imposing emergency rule, agreed to an independent inquiry into the clashes and called for constitutional reforms to heal the deep political rift; Red shirts plan a protest in Bangkok tonight; Detained red shirt leaders have been freed on bail; Thaksin is in Liberia.

"The lifting of the decree will send a signal to the world that Thailand is back to normal," the Prime Minister said.

"We will demand Abhisit's resignation, a dissolution of the House and the scrapping of all arrest warrants against the red shirts," said Somyos Prueksakasemsuk, a leader of the pro-Thaksin United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD).

Meanwhile, police are hunting for others blamed for Thailand's worst street violence in 16 years, as well as gunmen who attempted to assassinate the leader of a royalist, pro-government group.

In the post below, you will note that forensics analysis has traced the M-16 bullets fired in the 17 April 2009 assassination attempt of Sondhi Limthongkul, to the Thai First Army’s Ninth Infantry division. Could we see the police pitted against the army? Let's not forget, Thaksin is a former policeman.

Although Thai officials revoked Thaksin's passport after the latest violence in Bangkok, he has obtained, no less than a diplomatic passport from Nicaragua. Thaksin is in Liberia on a search for investment opportunities in mining, agriculture and gas.

Where Thailand goes from here, is anyone's guess. It is hoped that cool heads prevail. Given the deep and bitter divide between the parties and the long-running history of political instability, that seems very unlikely.

All eyes will be on the streets of Bangkok tonight, to see if the Red shirts do protest and if they do, what is the reaction by the police and the army. Stay tuned.

If ever there was a need for understanding, now is the time and Thailand is the place.

Breaking News: Thailand: Sondhi Limthongku, Leader of Thai "Yellow Shirts" Shot, Wounded

According to Bloomberg, Reuters, Associated Press, and other news reports, Sondhi Limthongku, the founder of the Thai political party People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), was shot in an apparent assassination attempt early on the morning of Friday, 17 April 2009, at around 5:45 am local time. Two or more gunmen shot out the tires of Sondhi’s car while it was stopped at a gas station, then shot and wounded Sondhi, his bodyguard and driver.


(Video of Sondi’s bullet-ridden car.)

Sondi’s political party, commonly referred to as the “Yellow Shirts,” was the group responsible for the 2005-2006 political crisis which resulted in the exile of the former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. As the political crisis continued through 2008 to the present, PAD was also responsible for seizing the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi International Airport last year in a massive civil protest in November 2008, which resulted in the ouster of a government supportive of the exiled former Prime Minister.

Thaksin’s supporters, who are known as the National United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), are commonly referred to as the “Red Shirts.” They are the group responsible for the recent unrest in the streets which has resulted in several deaths and dozens of injuries. Their desire is to disband the Parliament and to call for a new election.


(Al Jazeera English Interview with Sean Boonpracong, spokesman for UDD, 12 April 2009)

The attack may increase tensions between the two political parties, and may spur additional levels of violence. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, who is supported by Sondhi and the PAD, has imposed emergency rule in Bangkok this week as violence and protest continue to destablize life and commerce.