Thailand: The Offensive in Bangkok Ends

In a success for Thailand's armed forces, the military offensive against Red Shirt protesters in central Bangkok ended May 19. The opposition Red Shirts now find themselves in a weakened position, but even so, they are not likely to fade away completely. With the end of the offensive, the ruling Democrat Party now has bought itself some time to deal with the remaining challenges it faces ahead of elections that must be called no later than December 2011. For its part, the Thai army has emerged in a much stronger position.