The Democrat Party is a Thai political party. The oldest party in Thailand, it was founded as a royalist party; it now upholds a conservative and pro-market position.
Abhisit Vejjajiva is a Thai politician who was the prime minister of Thailand from 2008 to 2011. He was the leader of the Democrat Party from 2005 until he resigned following the party's weak performance in the 2019 election. As leader of the second largest party in the House of Representatives, he was also leader of the opposition – a position he held from 2005 to 2008 and again after his premiership until his party's en masse resignation from the House on 8 December 2013. As of 2023, Abhisit is the last prime minister to not come from the military or be related to the Shinawatra family.
Samak Sundaravej was a Thai politician who briefly served as the Prime Minister of Thailand and Minister of Defense in 2008, as well as the leader of the People's Power Party in 2008.
The Shadow Cabinet of Thailand is an unofficial group of senior opposition party's spokespeople who form an alternative cabinet to the government. The shadow cabinet members shadow or mark each individual member of the government. Although the Leader of the Opposition is an officially appointed position, the shadow cabinet currently bears no legal status. As of 2022, shadow cabinets have only been formed twice, both times by the Democrat Party.
Beginning in 2008, there was worsening conflict between the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) and the People's Power Party (PPP) governments of Prime Ministers Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat. It was a continuation of the 2005–2006 political crisis, when PAD protested against the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. PAD followers usually dressed in yellow, yellow being the royal color of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and were called "yellow shirts". National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) followers, known as supporters of the deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, dressed in red and were widely called "red shirts".
Somchai Wongsawat is a Thai politician who was the prime minister of Thailand in 2008 and a former executive member of the People's Power Party (PPP) whose political rights were disenfranchised by the Constitutional Court (ConCourt) for five years.
Chavarat Charnvirakul is a Thai politician. He had served as an acting prime minister of Thailand as a result of the 2008 Thai political crisis. His family is of Thai Chinese descent with ancestry from Guangdong.
The Chart Thai Pattana Party was founded on 18 April 2008, in anticipation of the 2 December 2008, Constitutional Court of Thailand ruling which dissolved the Chart Thai Party and banned its executive members from participating in politics for five years beginning on that date. Numerous former members of the Chart Thai Party joined the Chart Thai Patthana Party; therefore, the Chart Thai Pattana party is its de facto successor.
The Friends of Newin Group was a faction of MPs in the People's Power Party led by Newin Chidchob, former Thai Rak Thai cabinet minister, in the House of Representatives of Thailand. After the 2008 political crisis and Constitutional Court decision, these MPs defected from the People's Power Party (PPP) to the Bhumjai Thai Party.
Chalerm Yubamrung is a Thai politician. He was a Member of Parliament representing the Pheu Thai Party, and was one of the Deputy Prime Ministers of Yingluck Shinawatra from 2011 to 2013. His past political appointments include floor leader of the Pheu Thai Party, brief terms as Health Minister under Somchai Wongsawat, Interior Minister under Samak Sundaravej, Justice Minister under Banharn Silpa-archa, and Leader of the Opposition from 2009 to 2011.
Nattawut Saikua is a Thai politician. He is the secretary-general and spokesman of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, and a Member of Parliament for the Pheu Thai Party list. In 2008, he was spokesman for the Somchai Wongsawat government. From January 2012 to May 2014, he served as Deputy Minister in Yingluck Shinawatra's cabinet.
A series of political demonstrations and following unrest occurred in Thailand from 26 March to 14 April 2009 in Bangkok and Pattaya against the government of Abhisit Vejjajiva and the military crackdown that followed. Up to 100,000 people demonstrated in central Bangkok at the height of the protests. The crackdown is also known in Thailand as "Bloody Songkran", referring to the Thai holiday of Songkran, which takes place on 13–15 April.
Suthep Thaugsuban is a Thai former politician and former Member of Parliament for Surat Thani province. Until 2011, he was secretary-general of the Democrat Party and a deputy prime minister under Abhisit Vejjajiva. He resigned his seat in Parliament in November 2013 to become the self-appointed Secretary-general of the People's Democratic Reform Committee, which was conducting mass protests trying to unseat the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. After the military coup of May 22, 2014, Suthep was temporarily detained and placed under arrest by the new junta. He was released after four days, retired from politics, and entered Buddhist monastichood from July 2014 to July 2015. Since, he became the leader of the Muan Maha Prachachon for Reform Foundation that backed the junta sponsored Thai constitutional referendum, which had been put to a national referendum on 7 August 2016.
General elections were held in Thailand on 3 July 2011 to elect the 24th House of Representatives.
Trairong Suwankiri is a Thai politician. Member of United Thai Nation Party. He was deputy prime minister in the cabinet of Abhisit Vejjajiva, and vice leader of the Democrats. His name, Trairong means tricolour and is the name of the Thai national flag. In parliament and public he is known for his jokes and his heavy Southern accent.
Sanan Kachornprasart was a Thai politician and military officer. He was deputy prime minister in the cabinet of Abhisit Vejjajiva, and was chief advisor of Chartthaipattana Party.
Wannarat Channukul is a Thai physician and politician. He is the leader of the Chart Pattana Puea Pandin Party. From 2008 to 2011, he was Minister of Energy in the cabinet of Abhisit Vejjajiva. and from 2011 to 2012 Minister of Industry in the cabinet of Yingluck Shinawatra.
Abhisit Vejjajiva was formally endorsed by King Bhumibol Adulyadej as Prime Minister of Thailand on 17 December 2008. Abhisit ascended to power amid a global economic crisis.
The year 2008 was the 227th year of the Rattanakosin Kingdom of Thailand. It was the 63rd year in the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and is reckoned as year 2551 in the Buddhist Era. Much of the year was spent under the 2008 Thai political crisis, which saw political protests leading to the dissolution of the ruling People's Power Party by the Constitutional Court.
Chalermchai Sri-on is a Thai politician who is the current leader of the Democrat Party. He previously served as Minister of Agriculture and Cooperatives in the second cabinet of Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.
