Political unrest since 2006 coup

April 2006
Tens of thousands of protesters demand Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s resignation despite his move to dissolve parliament and call snap elections.

August 2006
Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra accuses several army officers of plotting to kill him after police find a car containing bomb-making materials near his house.

September 19, 2006
The military stages a coup as Thaksin prepares to address the United Nations. Thaksin, winner of two landslide elections and in power for five years, goes into exile in London.

October 1, 2006 
Former army commander-in-chief Surayud Chulanont is sworn in as interim prime minister. Thaksin steps down as Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party leader two days later.

January 2007 
Martial law is lifted in more than half of the country.

April 2007
First draft of a new constitution is approved by a committee appointed by the military administration. 

May 30, 2007
The Constitutional Tribunal dissolves Thai Rak Thai for breaking election laws and bans Thaksin and 110 other leading members of the party from politics for five years.

August 20, 2007 
Voters endorse new military-drafted constitution, Thailand's 18th in 75 years of on-off democracy. Government declares victory and promises an election before the year end.

Oct 1, 2007  
Coup leader General Sonthi Boonyaratglin steps down as army chief to become a deputy prime minister in charge of internal security.

Democracy restore

December 2007
General elections mark the first major step towards a return to civilian rule. The People Power Party (PPP), seen as the reincarnation of Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thais) party, wins the most votes.

Jan 18, 2008
Thailand's Supreme Court absolves PPP of election fraud. A day later, the PPP announces agreement on a six-party coalition government.

Jan 19, 2008
PPP declares a coalition government with five small allies to lead a coalition government, agreeing to their condition to let justice take course on Thaksin charges.

Jan 28, 2008
Parliament elects PPP leader Samak Sundaravej prime minister.

Feb 6, 2008
The new cabinet, packed with Thaksin allies, is sworn in by King Bhumibol Adulyadej, marking the return of elected government.

Feb 28, 2008 
Thaksin flies back to Bangkok to be greeted by thousands of supporters who expect him to be the man in charge despite him saying again he is done with politics.

July 2008
Pojaman Shinawatra, the wife of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, is found guilty of fraud and sentenced to three years in jail. She is granted bail pending an appeal.

August 2008
Thaksin flees to Britain with his family after failing to appear in court to face corruption charges.

Unrest

August 2008
Thousands of protesters from the People Alliance for Democracy (PAD) storm Government House in attempt to unseat the new Prime Minister, Mr Samak.

September 2008
A statement of emergency is declared after crashes between pro-and anti government groups that left one person dead and dozen wounded.
Constitutional Court dimisses PM Samak for violating a conflict of interest law by hosting two television cooking shows while in office. 
Somchai Wongsawat chosen by parliament as the new prime minister, but the street protests against the PPP government continue.

October 2008
The Supreme Court sentences Thaksin to two years in prison for corruption over a land deal after he flees the country.

November 2008
Tens of thousands of opposition People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) supporters rally around parliament in Bangkok and blockade Thailand's main airports in "final battle" to topple the government. A state of emergency is imposed for nearly two weeks.

Anti-Thaksin forces in power

December 2008
Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat is forced from office by a Constitutional Court ruling disbanding the governing People Power Party for electoral fraud and barring its leaders from politics for five years.

Opposition leader Abhisith Vejjajiva forms a six-party coalition to become Thailand's new prime minister with military backing.

March-April 2009
Supporters of former PM Thaksin Shinawatra hold mass rallies against the government's economic policies.

April 2009,
Continuing unrest forces the cancellation of an ASEAN summit after anti-government protesters storm the summit venue in the resort of Pattaya. PM Abhisit Vejjajiva moves troops into Bangkok to end an opposition protest sit-in. More than 120 people injured in resulting clashes.

December 2009
Up to 20,000 Thaksin supporters rally in Bangkok to demand fresh elections. Mr Thaksin addressed them by video-link.

February 2010
Supreme Court strips Mr Thaksin's family of half of its wealth after ruling that he illegally acquired $1.4bn during his time as PM. Security forces placed on high alert amid fear of clashes with Thaksin supporters.

March 2010 
Tens of thousands of Thaksin supporters - in trademark red shirts begin rolling demonstration for Abhisit's government to step down, saying it it elitist and undemocratic.

April-May 2010
The government orders army force to storm the protesters' barricades in a bid to break the deadlock and end the demonstrations. The death toll in the violence - the worst in the country's modern history. More than 90 die and around 1,800 are wounded during the protests, mostly demonstrators.

August 2010
Thailand resumes diplomatic ties with Cambodia after Phnom Penh announces that ousted Thai PM Thaksin Shinawatra is stepping down as its economic advisor.

Sources: BBC, Reuters, Washington Post 

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