Thailand uprising: Timeline of 10th anniversary of red-shirt protests

Today marks the 10th anniversary of the worst political violence in Thailand's modern history, where clashes between the Thai military and anti-government protesters ended in bloodshed.

Let's take a look:

Tens of thousands of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), also known as the 'red-shirt' protesters, staged a mass rally that lasted for over two months, demanding the then-prime minister abhisit vejjajiva call a snap election to pave way for a new government.

The 2010 protests stemmed from a long-running rivalry between supporters of populist former, ousted prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra and the pro-military, conservative establishment. 

Thaksin, a telecommunications tycoon turned Prime Minister, won huge support among the poor but the loathing of the royalist establishment, largely over accusations of corruption.

The violence shocked the city, but the red-shirts consolidated their forces in one camp, closing down the city's commercial heart for several more weeks.

The first bloodshed occurred on 10 April when at least four soldiers and 17 civilians were killed in clashes as the army tried to disperse the red-shirts from one of their two bases in Bangkok.

Abhisit Vejjajiva and his deputy, Suthep Thaugsuban were accused of murder and attempted murder in connection with the crackdown on Thaksin's red-shirted supporters to end their two-month street protest in Bangkok.

Abhisit defended the actions, saying shadowy militants lurking among peaceful demonstrators triggered the bloodshed, which he said was aimed at trying to discredit and topple his government. his case was later dismissed by thailand's supreme court.
 

On 19 May armed government troops moved into the red-shirt camp, smashing through barricades. By the end of the day, the camp had been cleared, several of the group's leaders arrested and dozens of people, including protesters and soldiers, killed.