What's going on in Bangkok? A political insider's viewpoint:

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What the Red Shirts achieved
May 12, 2010

According to press reports, leaders of the pro-democracy demonstrations in Thailand's capital of Bangkok were close to a compromise with the government that would lead to elections being held several months earlier. But whether the deal would hold was in doubt on Tuesday, with reports of demonstrators--known as Red Shirts because of their clothing--refusing to leave their encampment in the center of Bangkok.

The latest stage of the protests began two months ago, with the Red Shirts mobilizing against the right-wing government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, which came to power with the backing of the military. On April 10, soldiers opened fire on the demonstrators, sparking clashes that left close to two dozen people dead and hundreds injured. But the regime failed to drive the Red Shirts out of Bangkok.

Giles Ji Ungpakorn is a Thai academic and dissident who was accused by Abhisit of the supposed crime of "lese majesty"--basically, not being loyal to Thailand's head of state, King Bhumibol. Facing a possible prison sentence of 15 years, he fled the country a year ago. Here, he analyzes the terms of the agreement made between the Red Shirts and the government.


http://socialistworker.org/2010/05/12/what-the-red-shirts-achieved