Q&A: Thailand protests

For more than three years Thailand has been gripped by a paralysing political crisis centred on former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

Mr Thaksin was ousted from office in a military coup in September 2006, and the tug-of-war between his supporters and opponents has continued ever since.

Neither side can accept the other's view of who should run the country, and each has staged long-running protests to push their cause.
When Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva was chosen as prime minister in December, some Thais hoped the protests had finally come to an end. But it appears the crisis is far from over.
Who are the pro-Thaksin protesters?
Mr Thaksin still retains widespread support among the rural poor, who benefited from the populist policies he framed during his five years in power.

His supporters call themselves the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD), and are known for wearing distinctive red shirts.

The UDD says Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva came to power illegitimately and is a puppet of the military. It wants Mr Abhisit to resign and call fresh elections.
The protesters' tactics are similar to those used by anti-Thaksin protesters last year, which eventually led to the change of government.
How effective are their protests?
Since March 2009, the protesters have held sit-in protests outside government offices, and have occasionally prevented the cabinet from meeting.
They also forced the cancellation of a summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) in April. They stormed the venue in the seaside resort of Pattaya, causing huge embarrassment to the government.
A day later, protesters broke into the interior ministry and blocked busy roads in Bangkok.
Tens of thousands are camped around Government House, where the prime minister's office is based.
What is the government's response?
After the collapse of the summit, Prime Minister Abhisit declared a state of emergency and vowed to restore order.
A day later, troops moved in to clear protesters from a major intersection in the capital Bangkok, leading to clashes.
Protesters hurled petrol bombs and rocks and set fire to buses and tyres, while soldiers fired live rounds into the air and into the crowds of demonstrators causing dozens of injuries.
Despite rumours of splits within the army, the military has vowed to do what it takes to restore order.
The militant refused to act when the previous pro-Thaksin government imposed a state of emergency