ABSTRACT
Protest movements, like other forms of social movements, generally encourage citizens, organizations, and governments to reflect on public issues; to take stock of their programs, strategic actions, and activities; and to respond to them accordingly. Massive, sometimes violent, protests by two major vibrant groups—the Red Shirts and the Yellow Shirts —struck Thailand in April and May 2010. The Red Shirts described the current government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, a military-supported politician of the Democrat Party, as illegitimate and as a front for aristocrats, called for his resignation and demanded that he grant amnesty to their revered politician in exile, former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, of the Thai Rak Thai party. The Yellow Shirts supported the prime minister and King Bhumibol Adulyadej. In skirmishes between both protest groups, 91 people were killed, and nearly 2,000 injured. Beginning April 7, 2010, Abhisit declared a state of emergency in Bangkok and in five other provinces; that decree was extended eventually to 18 additional provinces. On May 3, 2010, Abhisit announced a five-pronged program of national reconciliation. To the degree that Abhisit’s government is healing the wounds of the crisis, this case study re-emphasizes the importance of continuing government communications as major contributions to national policy, as well as the verity of protest movements as a tool in participatory democracy and deliberation, as a channel for citizen input, as a medium for national reflection, and as a necessary action for democratic reforms.
