Thai protesters gather to ‘kick out’ PM Prayuth on anniversary of 2006 coup that toppled Thaksin
- Thaksin Shinawatra’s ‘red shirt’ supporters were mostly from the working class but he was despised by Bangkok elites and the powerful military
- His sister Yingluck followed in his footsteps to become prime minister but she was also ousted in a coup, which was led by Prayuth in 2014
The billionaire ex-premier – now living in self-exile – has remained a prominent figure in the country’s politics since the military deposed his government on September 19, 2006.
Unloading a massive cardboard model of a tank for their “cars against tanks” protest, rallygoers honked car horns to call for the resignation of Premier Prayuth Chan-ocha, a former army chief who came to power in a 2014 coup.
“Fifteen years have passed, we are still here to fight,” shouted Nattawut Saikuar, a politician long associated with Thaksin, to a sea of supporters waving “Kick out Prayuth” flags.
“No matter how many coups there are, it cannot stop us … No matter how good capacity their tanks are, it cannot stop the fighting hearts of the people.”
Thailand has endured more than a dozen coups since the end of absolute monarchy in 1932 by its putsch-happy military – often staged in the name of protecting the powerful royal family.
Thaksin’s juggernaut rise to power was boosted by the so-called “red shirts”, mostly working-class supporters who revere him for populist contributions such as instating a universal healthcare system. But he was hated by Bangkok elites and the powerful military, and has faced a raft of corruption accusations.
