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| Demonstrations in Bangkok Raise Concerns About Stability of Thailand | Demonstrations in Bangkok Raise Concerns About Stability of Thailand |
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| BANGKOK — Thailand’s governing party accused protesters on Tuesday of fomenting anarchy and trying to overthrow the government after thousands of people swarmed the streets of Bangkok, besieging crucial ministries and threatening to take their campaign nationwide. | BANGKOK — Thailand’s governing party accused protesters on Tuesday of fomenting anarchy and trying to overthrow the government after thousands of people swarmed the streets of Bangkok, besieging crucial ministries and threatening to take their campaign nationwide. |
| In a country that has become less governable amid a grinding and bitter political rivalry, protesters surrounded the Interior Ministry on Tuesday and threatened to cut off power to the Agriculture, Tourism and Transport Ministries. Those actions followed the occupation of the Foreign and Finance Ministries on Monday. | In a country that has become less governable amid a grinding and bitter political rivalry, protesters surrounded the Interior Ministry on Tuesday and threatened to cut off power to the Agriculture, Tourism and Transport Ministries. Those actions followed the occupation of the Foreign and Finance Ministries on Monday. |
| “Occupying government property cannot be considered anything but insurrection,” said Kokaew Pikulthong, a member of Parliament for the governing party, Pheu Thai. | “Occupying government property cannot be considered anything but insurrection,” said Kokaew Pikulthong, a member of Parliament for the governing party, Pheu Thai. |
| The party said it had filed a petition with the attorney general’s office accusing protesters of trying to overthrow the government. Demonstrators, Mr. Kokaew said, “want Thailand to descend into anarchy.” | The party said it had filed a petition with the attorney general’s office accusing protesters of trying to overthrow the government. Demonstrators, Mr. Kokaew said, “want Thailand to descend into anarchy.” |
| Protest leaders, led by top opposition figures, are pursuing the seemingly quixotic goal of eradicating from the country the influence of Thaksin Shinawatra, the tycoon and former prime minister who has been in exile since a 2008 conviction for abuse of power. Mr. Thaksin remains very popular in the countryside and his sister Yingluck Shinawatra is the country’s prime minister. | |
| The protests, the largest since demonstrations in 2010 that ended in a bloody military crackdown, have been led by Suthep Thaugsuban, who until recently was the deputy leader of the opposition Democrat Party. | The protests, the largest since demonstrations in 2010 that ended in a bloody military crackdown, have been led by Suthep Thaugsuban, who until recently was the deputy leader of the opposition Democrat Party. |
| “I insist that this is the best method to overthrow Thaksin’s system without bloodshed,” Mr. Suthep said in a Facebook message posted Tuesday. “We will just come and sit here.” | “I insist that this is the best method to overthrow Thaksin’s system without bloodshed,” Mr. Suthep said in a Facebook message posted Tuesday. “We will just come and sit here.” |
| A criminal court in Bangkok issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday for Mr. Suthep, who is accused of breaching the peace and invasion of property. | A criminal court in Bangkok issued an arrest warrant on Tuesday for Mr. Suthep, who is accused of breaching the peace and invasion of property. |
| In a speech to his supporters late Tuesday, Mr. Suthep called on protesters to “besiege” all ministries in Bangkok and government offices nationwide on Wednesday. | In a speech to his supporters late Tuesday, Mr. Suthep called on protesters to “besiege” all ministries in Bangkok and government offices nationwide on Wednesday. |
| The apparent impunity of protesters and the inability of security forces to stop them from disrupting the heart of the government’s operations reflected a polarized society where the government cannot or will not maintain order. | The apparent impunity of protesters and the inability of security forces to stop them from disrupting the heart of the government’s operations reflected a polarized society where the government cannot or will not maintain order. |
| As they have numerous times in Thailand’s tumultuous recent history, foreign governments, including that of the United States, advised their citizens to avoid protest areas. Although protests until now have remained peaceful, the United States Embassy warned that they could turn “confrontational and escalate into violence.” | As they have numerous times in Thailand’s tumultuous recent history, foreign governments, including that of the United States, advised their citizens to avoid protest areas. Although protests until now have remained peaceful, the United States Embassy warned that they could turn “confrontational and escalate into violence.” |
| Many areas of Bangkok, a vast metropolis of more than 10 million people, were unaffected by the protests. | Many areas of Bangkok, a vast metropolis of more than 10 million people, were unaffected by the protests. |
| Perhaps more than anyone, Mr. Suthep embodies the continuing cycles of unrest in Thailand, where, once out of power, politicians have taken to the streets, a pattern that has persisted since Mr. Thaksin was removed by the military in 2006. | Perhaps more than anyone, Mr. Suthep embodies the continuing cycles of unrest in Thailand, where, once out of power, politicians have taken to the streets, a pattern that has persisted since Mr. Thaksin was removed by the military in 2006. |
| Mr. Suthep was deputy prime minister in 2010 when he signed an order for the military to disperse Mr. Thaksin’s “red shirt” supporters, including some who were armed, from a central shopping district that they had occupied. The crackdown that ensued resulted in dozens of deaths, an episode that civic leaders are urging both sides to avoid. | Mr. Suthep was deputy prime minister in 2010 when he signed an order for the military to disperse Mr. Thaksin’s “red shirt” supporters, including some who were armed, from a central shopping district that they had occupied. The crackdown that ensued resulted in dozens of deaths, an episode that civic leaders are urging both sides to avoid. |
| Mr. Thaksin’s party is the most successful in modern Thai political history and has won every national election since its formation 15 years ago. The two times his party has been out of power in recent years was a result of the 2006 military coup and a 2008 court ruling that disbanded the party. (The party reformulated under another name and returned to power in 2011.) | Mr. Thaksin’s party is the most successful in modern Thai political history and has won every national election since its formation 15 years ago. The two times his party has been out of power in recent years was a result of the 2006 military coup and a 2008 court ruling that disbanded the party. (The party reformulated under another name and returned to power in 2011.) |
| Opposition lawmakers in a debate in Parliament on Tuesday accused Ms. Yingluck, the prime minister, of being Mr. Thaksin’s nominee. | Opposition lawmakers in a debate in Parliament on Tuesday accused Ms. Yingluck, the prime minister, of being Mr. Thaksin’s nominee. |
| Despite the scale of the protests — The Bangkok Post estimated that the crowds on Sunday reached around 400,000 people — the hazy goals of protest leaders have alienated some business leaders and intellectuals. And in a possible sign that the protests may not have the backing of the mainstream opposition, Mr. Suthep and the protest leaders were chided, albeit gently, by some opposition members of Parliament. | Despite the scale of the protests — The Bangkok Post estimated that the crowds on Sunday reached around 400,000 people — the hazy goals of protest leaders have alienated some business leaders and intellectuals. And in a possible sign that the protests may not have the backing of the mainstream opposition, Mr. Suthep and the protest leaders were chided, albeit gently, by some opposition members of Parliament. |
| Korn Chatikavanij, a former finance minister and senior member of the Democrat Party, criticized the government on Tuesday for not listening to the “voice of the people.” | Korn Chatikavanij, a former finance minister and senior member of the Democrat Party, criticized the government on Tuesday for not listening to the “voice of the people.” |
| “But it doesn’t mean that we agree with what the protesters have done,” he said. | “But it doesn’t mean that we agree with what the protesters have done,” he said. |
| Among the protesters are elegantly dressed Bangkok residents, supporters of the Democrats and farmers unhappy with the slumping price of rubber. Many are from southern Thailand, a stronghold of the Democrats. | Among the protesters are elegantly dressed Bangkok residents, supporters of the Democrats and farmers unhappy with the slumping price of rubber. Many are from southern Thailand, a stronghold of the Democrats. |
| The protests began more than three weeks ago as an effort, ultimately successful, to derail the government’s attempt to pass an wide-ranging amnesty bill that would have, among other things, removed from the docket a number of corruption cases against Mr. Thaksin and eased his return to Thailand. The bill passed the lower house of Parliament, but after a national uproar the Senate voted against it and the government announced it would drop the measure. | The protests began more than three weeks ago as an effort, ultimately successful, to derail the government’s attempt to pass an wide-ranging amnesty bill that would have, among other things, removed from the docket a number of corruption cases against Mr. Thaksin and eased his return to Thailand. The bill passed the lower house of Parliament, but after a national uproar the Senate voted against it and the government announced it would drop the measure. |
| To the surprise of business associations that had backed Mr. Suthep in opposing the amnesty bill, he vowed to continue the protests, calling for a general strike and for Thai businesses to delay paying their taxes. Business groups rejected both of those efforts, which foundered. But the protests swelled again over the weekend with the huge gathering in a riverside Bangkok district on Sunday. | To the surprise of business associations that had backed Mr. Suthep in opposing the amnesty bill, he vowed to continue the protests, calling for a general strike and for Thai businesses to delay paying their taxes. Business groups rejected both of those efforts, which foundered. But the protests swelled again over the weekend with the huge gathering in a riverside Bangkok district on Sunday. |
| During seven years of on-and-off political turmoil, the Thai economy has been remarkably resilient, even when a group known as the yellow shirts occupied the prime minister’s office and seized and shut down Bangkok’s main airport in 2008. Exports soared, the baht appreciated and the number of tourists in the country has more than doubled so far this year. | During seven years of on-and-off political turmoil, the Thai economy has been remarkably resilient, even when a group known as the yellow shirts occupied the prime minister’s office and seized and shut down Bangkok’s main airport in 2008. Exports soared, the baht appreciated and the number of tourists in the country has more than doubled so far this year. |
| But in recent months the Thai economy has been more fragile, in part because of the weakening of the Chinese economy; the government estimates the economy will grow by a relatively anemic 3 percent this year, significantly below earlier forecasts. The Thai stock market is down more than 15 percent since its peak in May. Businesses are worried that the protests could turn away investors and tourists. | But in recent months the Thai economy has been more fragile, in part because of the weakening of the Chinese economy; the government estimates the economy will grow by a relatively anemic 3 percent this year, significantly below earlier forecasts. The Thai stock market is down more than 15 percent since its peak in May. Businesses are worried that the protests could turn away investors and tourists. |
| A prolonged crisis could mean “the country doesn’t go anywhere,” Chaiyan Chaiyaporn, a professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, said on television Tuesday evening. “All business sectors will be flat,” he said. “There is constant concern, fear and distrust among people.” | A prolonged crisis could mean “the country doesn’t go anywhere,” Chaiyan Chaiyaporn, a professor at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, said on television Tuesday evening. “All business sectors will be flat,” he said. “There is constant concern, fear and distrust among people.” |
Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting. | Poypiti Amatatham contributed reporting. |