Until 22 May 2014,the politics of Thailand were conducted within the framework of a constitutional monarchy,whereby the prime minister is the head of government and a hereditary monarch is head of state. The judiciary is independent of the executive and the legislative branches.
Thaksin Shinawatra,is a Thai businessman,politician and visiting professor. He served in the Thai Police from 1973 to 1987,and was the Prime Minister of Thailand from 2001 to 2006.
The Democrat Party is a Thai political party. The oldest party in Thailand,it was founded as a royalist party,and now upholds a conservative and pro-market position.
Abhisit Vejjajiva is a British Thai politician who was the prime minister of Thailand from 2008 to 2011. He is a former university lecturer at Chulachomklao Royal Military Academy and Thammasat University,and 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 December 2008 until his party's en masse resignation from the House on 8 December 2013. That same month,he was formally charged with murder resulting from a crackdown on demonstrators in 2010 that killed 90 people.
The People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) is a Thai reactionary ultraroyalist political movement and pressure group. It was originally a coalition of protesters against Thaksin Shinawatra,the former Prime Minister of Thailand.
The People's Power Party is a defunct Thai political party. The party leader was Somchai Wongsawat,the Party Secretary General was Surapong Suebwonglee,and the Party Spokesperson was Kuthep Saikrajarng. Most MPs of the party originally hailed from the Thai Rak Thai Party and thus the party was its de facto reincarnation with former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra as its "leader." The PPP had a populist platform and was strong in the North,Central,and Northeastern regions of Thailand. The party became the leader of the coalition government after the junta-government supported 2007 general election. PAD,the leading anti-Thaksin movement,vowed to oppose it after the party decided to launch the amendment of the 2007 Constitution.
Puea Pandin Party is a Thai political party founded on September 11,2007,by more than 200 politicians. Its most notable members included Thaksin's former foreign minister Surakiart Sathirathai,Suranand Vejjajiva and Preecha Laohaphongchana.
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 Cambodian–Thai border dispute(Khmer-Thai border dispute) began in June 2008 as part of a century-long dispute between Cambodia and Thailand involving the area surrounding the 11th century Preah Vihear Temple,in the Dângrêk Mountains between the Choam Khsant district in the Preah Vihear Province of northern Cambodia and the Kantharalak district (amphoe) in Sisaket Province of northeastern Thailand.
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.
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 Bhumjaithai 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.
Yuranunt Pamornmontri is a Thai actor and politician. He was born in Bangkok and started his career as an actor,later becoming a member of the House of Representatives from 2005 to 2006,during Thaksin Shinawatra's term as Prime Minister. He was elected as party-list MP again in the 2011 general election,substituting resigned Police Lieutenant General Chatt Kuldilok.
Somsak Kiatsuranont is a Thai politician of the Pheu Thai Party. He served as the Speaker of the House of Representatives of Thailand,also the President of the National Assembly of Thailand ex officio,from 3 August 2011 until 9 December 2013.
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.
Jakrapob Penkair is a Thai media personality,diplomat and politician who served as a Member of Parliament for Bangkok,the Government Spokesperson of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra from 2003 to 2005,and later as a Cabinet Minister to the Office of the Prime Minister from 2007 to 2008 under the premiership of Samak Sundaravej.
Surapong Tovichakchaikul was a Thai politician who served as Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand from 2011 to 2014. He used to be party-list MP and Pheu Thai Party deputy leader.
The history of Thailand since 2001 has been dominated by the politics surrounding the rise and fall from power of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra,and subsequent conflicts,first between his supporters and opponents,then over the rising military influence in politics. Thaksin and his Thai Rak Thai Party came to power in 2001 and became very popular among the electorate,especially rural voters. Opponents,however,criticized his authoritarian style and accused him of corruption. Thaksin was deposed in a coup d'état in 2006,and Thailand became embroiled in continuing rounds of political crisis involving elections won by Thaksin's supporters,massive anti-government protests by multiple factions,removals of prime ministers and disbanding of political parties by the judiciary,and two military coups.
The following lists events that happened during 2009 in Cambodia.
