In Thailand, the Yellow Shirts Rise Again

The Thai government on May 30 was prepared to submit to parliament a series of controversial reconciliation bills that would grant amnesty to all political figures implicated in political conflicts since 2005. The move, which has been widely seen as an attempt by the ruling Pheu Thai Party (PTP) to enable former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to return to the country, set off a fierce dispute among lawmakers in parliament.

Protests also erupted outside parliament in response to the bills, with more than 5,000 supporters of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), also known as the Yellow Shirts, marching on parliament on the morning of May 30. The protests have continued through June 1, forcing deliberation of the bills to be postponed indefinitely. While street protests are common in Thailand, the PAD rally — the largest by the Yellow Shirts in roughly two years — could portend renewed support for the group, which has seen its influence decline in the past few years. Continued efforts by the PTP to pass the reconciliation bills and bring Thaksin back into the country may enable the political opposition, including the military and the monarchy, to use the outrage on the streets to its own advantage.