AP PHOTOS: Protesters try to shut down Bangkok
BANGKOK (AP) — In Thailand's capital, tens of thousands of anti-government protesters came out in an effort to "shut down Bangkok." The demonstrators blocked key intersections and blockaded government offices on Monday to try to force caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to resign in favor of an unelected "people's council" that would initiate political reforms.
The protesters say Yingluck is acting as a puppet for her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted as prime minister by a military coup in 2006 after being accused of corruption and abuse of power. His critics say he uses his fortune as a telecommunications billionaire to pervert the democratic process and purchase elections.
