History
The UDD first formed in 2006 to oppose the military government and the military coup, which overthrew Thaksin five weeks before scheduled elections. UDD organized anti-government rallies during the military government's rule in 2006–2007 and opposed the military's 2007 constitution. The UDD stopped protests after the 2007 general election, which the People's Power Party won. In response to violent anti-government PAD rallies and the Yellow Shirt seizure of Government House in May 2008, the UDD organized counter demonstrations, which would sporadically result in injuries and deaths. After Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva took office, the UDD led major anti-government rallies in April 2009 and in March–May 2010, leading to violent clashes with military forces. And the burning down of part of the Centralworld shopping Mall as well as several other places by UDD (red shirt supporters).
The UDD calls for the replacement of the Ammatayathipatai (อำมาตยาธิปไตย, aristocratic polity) – the system in which palace insiders, the military, and bureaucrats effectively ignore the popular mandate – with an electoral democracy. One of the UDD's favorite targets is Prem Tinsulanonda, the President of the Privy Council. The protests urge the immediate resignation of Prem from the Privy Council. Due to its insistence that palace insiders stop interfering in politics, the UDD has been criticized by the PAD as being an 'anti-monarchist', and even a 'republican' movement, and many Web sites and other media sympathetic to the UDD have been shut down under Thailand's strict lèse majesté laws. UDD leaders and supporters have been jailed under the same laws. Also interesting to note that many head leaders of the UDD are now MP's in the current Phua Thai government led by Yingluck Shinawatra (sister of Thaksin Shinawatra)and therefore they have immunity against prosecution for their roles in the UDD insurrection. The group also calls for the replacement of the 2007 constitution, which was drafted by the military, with the 1997 Constitution. The UDD now want a new Constitution absolving the UDD leaders of guilt in the protest/insurrection including Thaksin Shinawatra (a convicted criminal)and alleged paymaster for the UDD in the early days of their existence.
Read more about this topic: United Front For Democracy Against Dictatorship
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