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VICE News

Bangkok Rising

For almost a decade, Thailand has been trapped in a bloody conflict between supporters and opponents of tycoon turned politician Thaksin Shinawatra. Thaksin's opponents began a shutdown of Bangkok on January 13, bringing the capital to a standstill.

For almost a decade, Thailand has been trapped in a bloody conflict between supporters and opponents of tycoon turned politician Thaksin Shinawatra. During his time as prime minister, Shinawatra improved life for the poor and the working class, while his autocratic tendencies and crony capitalism led his opponents, mainly made up of royalists and the middle class, to rise up.  Shinawatra was ousted in a military coup in 2006 for alleged abuse of power and corruption. Since then his opponents—widely known as the Yellow Shirts—and his supporters—the Red Shirts—have taken turns instigating mass protests. While attempting to clear her brother’s name of corruption charges in November 2013, Shinawatra's sister and Thailand’s current prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, triggered a new Yellow Shirt uprising that has so far killed a reported 23 people and injured hundreds.  Yingluck Shinawatra tried to diffuse the protests by dissolving Thailand’s parliament and calling for new elections. But the Yellows, determined to overthrow her, began a shutdown of Bangkok on January 13, bringing the capital to a standstill. Since the election was annulled on March 31, Red Shirts are mobilizing and intensifying their threats of starting a civil war.