Political change in Thailand
Demonstrators from the People’s Alliance for Democracy cheer at the end of their occupation of Suvarnabhumi international Airport in Bangkok, Thailand, after a court dissolved Thailand’s top three ruling parties for electoral fraud and banned the prime minister from politics for five years. Cargo flights to the airport have resumed, but passenger traffic is not expected to resume until Dec. 15 as the country struggles through its political crisis. (Paula Bronstein / Getty Images)
Security officers resume patrols at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport, which has been shut down by anti-government protesters for nearly a week. Closure of the airport has crippled Thailand’s lucrative tourism industry. (Ed Wray / Associated Press)
Anti-government demonstrators from the People’s Alliance for Democracy declare victory at Suvarnabhumi international Airport in Bangkok. A court decision will force Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to step down and dissolve his ruling party, but many Thais are wondering who will emerge to lead the country. (Paula Bronstein / Getty Images)
A pro-government protester shouts slogans outside a Bangkok court where Thailand’s ruling political party was ordered to dissolve. Political uncertainty deepened in the kingdom amid the occupation of two major airports and rumors of a military coup. (Hoang Dinh Nam / AFP/Getty Images)
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Police stand ready for unrest in Bangkok, where pro- and anti-government protests have left Thailand on edge. Government supporters protested outside the Administrative Court, while anti-government demonstrators occupied the airport and forced it to shut down. (Luis Ascui / Getty Images)
King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand attends a parade in Bangkok to mark his upcoming 81st birthday . The king is the world’s longest-reigning monarch and is revered as a demigod, but it is uncertain whether he can lead his country out of its political crisis. (Rungroj Yongrit / EPA)
Thais in Bangkok await a glimpse of their beloved King Bhumibol Adulyadej during trooping of the colors ceremonies by the King’s Guards. The king’s birthday is the occasion for elaborate annual celebrations, which are taking place this year amid political unrest. (David Longstreath / Associated Press)
The king remains a rallying point for Thais, even as People’s Alliance for Democracy protesters celebrate a court ruling that brought down the Thai government on charges of electoral fraud. (Vincent Thian / Associated Press)
