Antigovernment protesters gather to demonstrate against the government-backed amnesty bill at the Democracy Monument in Bangkok on Nov. 24, 2013
Updated at 2:08 a.m on Monday.
Bangkok witnessed its largest mass demonstrations for years on Sunday, as around 100,000 antigovernment and 50,000 progovernment protesters gathered around the city in scenes reminiscent of the deadly political unrest of April-May 2010.
However, the Thai capital remained generally calm at the weekend despite the fervent animosity between Red Shirt supporters of current Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and their Yellow Shirt rivals.
The latter, a coalition of royalist and largely urban elites who largely back the opposition Democrat Party, have been protesting a now stalled amnesty bill that would allow Thaksin Shinawatra, the ousted former Prime Minister and Yingluck’s brother, to return to the country from exile.
On Monday, anti-government protests continued at 13 locations across Bangkok, causing schools to be closed and other major disruption along march routes.
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An aerial shot of today’s ultra-royalist protest at Democracy Monument in Bangkok, taken using a drone. pic.twitter.com/xYu5C9ONok
— Andrew MacG Marshall (@zenjournalist) November 24, 2013
People crossing Pinklao bridge on way to join #protest at Ratchadamnoen #Bangkok (Pic @DusitDs) pic.twitter.com/6xzRcLOmbm via @RichardBarrow
— Alessio Fratticcioli (@fratticcioli) November 24, 2013
[youtube=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-wWMSDt08U]
L’opposition vise la victoire en 3 jours #Thailande RT @fratticcioli: Front page of #Bangkok Post pic.twitter.com/vo7rA68jgt
— Ksiampress (@KSiampress) November 25, 2013
Map in Thai showing 13 destinations for protest marches in #Bangkok on Monday morning – RT @astvpolitics: pic.twitter.com/84I0fHO54c
— Richard Barrow (@RichardBarrow) November 24, 2013
6:30am Pictures of protest site this morning on Ratchadamnoen Avenue by @Pacharapapon #Bangkok pic.twitter.com/NGavg827Fm
— Richard Barrow (@191Thailand) November 24, 2013