Supporters
PAD protesters initially consisted mostly of middle to upper-class residents of Bangkok. These included prominent socialites (dubbed the "Blue Blood Jet Set" by the Bangkok Post) and some little known minor members of the Thai royal family. The PAD's support base has since expanded to include civil servants, state enterprise labor unions, the urban middle-class of other cities, conservative Buddhist groups, Southerners and the so-called "elite". Except for the South, PAD has mainly urban support in contrast to Thaksin, whose base has been essentially rural.
Buddhist groups supporting the PAD include the Santi Asoke sect and their "Dharma Army" (led by Thaksin's former mentor Chamlong Srimuang).
General Pathompong Kesornsuk, a close aid of Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda, appeared in full uniform at PAD protests and urged his fellow soldiers to follow suit. The Army openly ignored government orders to evict the PAD from Government House, Don Muang Airport, and Suvarnabhumi Airport. Former Army Commander Anupong Paochinda publicly called for the government to resign several times, though he also asked the PAD to leave the airports.
The PAD dress in yellow, the royal color, and claim they are defending King Bhumibol Adulyadej and the monarchy against the alleged disloyalty of Thaksin. Bhumibol has remained completely neutral, though Queen Sirikit did attend the cremation of a young PAD woman killed by a police grenade at a protest and described her as a "good girl" and a "protector of the monarchy and the country". However, HRH Princess Sirindhorn, when asked at a US press conference if she thought the PAD was acting on behalf of the monarchy, replied: "I don't think so. They do things for themselves."
In the past, many PAD members received financial support from their leader, Sondhi Limthongkul.
Read more about this topic: People's Alliance For Democracy
Famous quotes containing the word supporters:
“The opposition is indispensable. A good statesman, like any other sensible human being, always learns more from his opponents than from his fervent supporters. For his supporters will push him to disaster unless his opponents show him where the dangers are. So if he is wise he will often pray to be delivered from his friends, because they will ruin him. But though it hurts, he ought also to pray never to be left without opponents; for they keep him on the path of reason and good sense.”
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