Photo: Thaksin’s family has been fighting with the military for many years. Photo: former Prime Minister Prayut, who came from the military. \Associated Press

Thaksin Shinawatra ousted in military coup

•In 2005, the Thai Rak Thai Party led by Thaksin won the general election for the second time. His family’s telecommunications company was embroiled in a conflict of interest scandal. The “Yellow Shirts” formed by the opposition took the opportunity to demonstrate, triggering a military coup in September of the following year. Thaksin was forced to step down and go into exile abroad.

The “Red Shirts” fought against the “Yellow Shirts”

•During the military regime, the “Red Shirts” who supported Thaksin launched large-scale street demonstrations many times. The Thai Chamber of Commerce said that the “Red Shirts” fought against the “Yellow Shirts” for years, causing economic losses of up to 500 billion baht (about 111.9 billion Hong Kong dollars).

Thaksin’s sister Yingluck takes office

•Thaksin’s sister Yingluck led the Pheu Thai Party to power in 2011 and became the first female prime minister of Thailand.

Yingluck resigns in military coup

•In May 2014, nine judges of the Constitutional Court of Thailand accused Yingluck of abusing power. Yingluck was forced to step down and go into exile. The military launched a military coup in the same month to seize power. Prayut, then the army chief, served as acting prime minister and then prime minister, and held power for nearly 10 years.

Thaksin returns to Thailand

•Last May, Thailand held a lower house election. Since the then leader of the largest party, the Far East Party, Pitta, failed to get the nomination of prime minister twice by the parliament, the leadership of forming a new government was handed over to the second largest party, Pheu Thai Party. Thaksin’s daughter Petunthan became the leader of the Pheu Thai Party. Thaksin, who had been in exile for 17 years, returned to Bangkok in August of the same year.

Petuntan becomes Prime Minister

•Last August, the real estate tycoon Setia Pracharat, nominated by the 11-party ruling coalition led by the Pheu Thai Party, was elected as the 30th Prime Minister of Thailand. On August 14 this year, the Constitutional Court of Thailand ruled that Setia was unconstitutional and removed him from the post of Prime Minister with immediate effect. On August 16, Petunthan was elected as the 31st Prime Minister of Thailand as the only nominated candidate for Prime Minister.

Compiled by Ta Kung Pao