Why Was the 2006 Thai Coup D’état Launched Against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and His Government?
On the night of Tuesday September 19th, 2006 the Royal Thai Army staged a coup d’état against the elected government of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra that eventually led to the over throw and replacement of Shinawatra and the Thai Rak Thai (TRT) party. There are many reasons as to why the 2006 Thai coup d’état was staged against Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and his caretaker government and a lot of it had to do with the political crisis of 2005 and early 2006, the planning/timing of the coup, what his polices were and who did they benefit/who they were no longer benefiting.
Thaksin Shinwatra is a billionaire politician and businessman who entered politics in 1994. In 1998 He founded the Thai Rak Thai (Thais love Thais) political party with 22 other founding members including Somkid Jatusripitak, Thanong Bidaya, Sudarat Keyuraphan, Purachai Piumsombun, Thammarak Isaragurana Ayuthaya, and Prommin Lertsuridej, former members from his previous political party (New York Times, January 9th 2001). Just three years later he became Prime Minister of Thailand in the year 2001 and he was also the first prime minister to serve a full term in office (BBC Profile, October 21st 2008.). After a controversial election he and the Thai Rak Thai party was officially reelected in the 2005 general election on February 6th in an unprecedented landslide (Thailand in 2005: The Struggle for Democratic Consolidation).
In 2005 and early 2006, a domino effect of events happened in Thailand as a result of an unrest with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The start of the 2005’s political crisis in Thailand can be traced back to the controversy involving Viroj Nualkhair, CEO of state-owned Krung Thai Bank (KTB) and a media tycoon by the name of Sondhi Limthogkul who used to be a staunch supporter of thaksin. As KTB CEO, Viroj faced pressure to leave his position after KTB reported higher than expected levels of non-performing loans in 2004. Viroj was strongly defended by Sondhi. For
Thaksin Shinwatra is a billionaire politician and businessman who entered politics in 1994. In 1998 He founded the Thai Rak Thai (Thais love Thais) political party with 22 other founding members including Somkid Jatusripitak, Thanong Bidaya, Sudarat Keyuraphan, Purachai Piumsombun, Thammarak Isaragurana Ayuthaya, and Prommin Lertsuridej, former members from his previous political party (New York Times, January 9th 2001). Just three years later he became Prime Minister of Thailand in the year 2001 and he was also the first prime minister to serve a full term in office (BBC Profile, October 21st 2008.). After a controversial election he and the Thai Rak Thai party was officially reelected in the 2005 general election on February 6th in an unprecedented landslide (Thailand in 2005: The Struggle for Democratic Consolidation).
In 2005 and early 2006, a domino effect of events happened in Thailand as a result of an unrest with Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. The start of the 2005’s political crisis in Thailand can be traced back to the controversy involving Viroj Nualkhair, CEO of state-owned Krung Thai Bank (KTB) and a media tycoon by the name of Sondhi Limthogkul who used to be a staunch supporter of thaksin. As KTB CEO, Viroj faced pressure to leave his position after KTB reported higher than expected levels of non-performing loans in 2004. Viroj was strongly defended by Sondhi. For