shirts, formed a rival support group for Thaksin. In September, violence broke out
between the two groups and PM Samak resigned. Thaksin’s brother-in-law, Somchai
Wongsawat, was then sworn in as prime minister and this led to intensified protests by
the yellow-shirted PAD supporters. In the next two months, things spiralled out of
control as PAD supporters clashed with police, and stormed and occupied airports in
Bangkok in an effort to force the PPP from office.
In December 2008 , the Constitutional Court ruled that the PPP, Chart Thai and
Matchimathippatai parties were guilty of election fraud and dissolved the parties.
The opposition Democrat Party was thus tasked with forming the next government
and Abhisit Vejjajiiva was sworn in as prime minister. The UDD protestors then
stepped up their protests in a bid to oust the new government.^83 PM Abhisit
presided over one of the stormiest periods in recent Thai history, with the Red
Shirts and Yellow Shirts clashing regularly. One of the most embarrassing moments
was when the Red Shirts stormed the ASEAN Summit in Pattaya in April 2009 ,
causing ASEAN dignitaries and delegates to flee the conference. In September,
Abhisit established a committee to study the controversial Section 237 of the
Constitution, under which a government stands dissolved if its leaders are pros-
ecuted for corruption. The committee recommended repealing Section 237.
From October 2009 to February 2011 , Abhisit’s government was besieged
by constant clashes between the PAD and the UDD. In March 2011 , Abhisit
announced that he would dissolve the Assembly in preparation for elections. In
May, the Assembly was dissolved for elections on 3 July. Yingluck Shinawatra,
Thaksin’s youngest sister, led her Puea Thai Party to victory, winning 265 of the
480 seats. The Democrat Party only managed 159 seats. Yingluck forged a coalition
with the Bhum Jai Thai Party and Chart Thai Pattana Party, adding fifty-three seats to
her majority. On 5 August 2011 , she became Thailand’s first woman prime minister.
Yingluck faced her first major crisis with the flood problem in October 2011.
The massive flooding killed 320 persons and made thousands, including many
in the capital, Bangkok, homeless. She was heavily criticised for her poor handling
of the crisis and her lack of experience. Her next major crisis arose when her Puea
Thai Party sought to appoint a ninety-nine-member Drafting Committee to amend
the 2007 constitution, which it regarded as anti-democratic. Yingluck’s opponents
objected that the proposal was unconstitutional and was designed to undermine the
monarchy. On 13 July 2012 , the Thai Constitutional Court held that the Consti-
tution could be amended section by section but could not be entirely rewritten
except by consent of a referendum. Notwithstanding the court’s ruling, Yingluck’s
party announced a moratorium on their constitutional amendment plans for the
time being.
84
(^83) See Kitti Prasirtsuk, ‘Thailand in 2008 : crises continued’ ( 2009 ) 49 ( 1 )Asian Survey 174.
(^84) Daniel Ten Kate and Suttinee Yuvejwattana, ‘Thai ruling party shelves amnesty
bills, constitutional changes’,Bloomberg Businessweek, 31 July 2012 , available atwww.