Thanks. Of course this is a "view from 20,000 feet" version, and as with everything political there are wheels within wheels and lots of side issues.

As nasty as they have been lately, the red shirts are not expendable. They make up the majority of the rice-growing industry, a goodly chunk of the rubber and fruit harvesting business. After decades of seeing their taxes sent to fund projects in Bangkok, Thaksin got them their fair share. Their problem is they see him as a hero, because even while he was skimming funds, he made sure some still ended up in the right places. They just need a more honest hero.