<p>May 2015 is a significant month for Thailand, but perhaps not for the right reasons. On May 19, it is exactly five years since the Thai military, at the order of the then government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, launched brutal crackdowns against the red-shirt protesters, who demanded him return power to the Thai voters and called for a fresh election. Abhisit was accused of taking power illegitimately; he was only able to form a minority government with the backing of the army. The crackdowns resulted in 99 protesters being killed and over 2,000 injured.</p>

<div>&nbsp;</div> <div> <div>Nine anti-coup protesters were reportedly arrested on Sunday in northern Chiang Rai and in Chiang Mai province on Sunday (1 from Chiang Mai and 8 from Chiang Rai) while seven anti-coup protesters were arrested in Chiang Mai on Saturday alone.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>About 30-50 protesters gathered at various spots in Chiang Mai on Sunday to show their opposition to the coup amid tight security by the military, while in Chiang Rai, protesters defied the military junta twice at McDonald’s.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>In Chiang Mai, the military has used b </div></div>

<div>Kotee, a prominent hardcore pro-government red-shirt leader, has been the target of lèse majesté charges after he spoke to the foreign media about who is really behind the on-going anti-government protest. &nbsp; &nbsp;</div> <div> </div>

<div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>How well do you understand the red shirts? Why have most Isan people become red-shirt supporters? Academics from Thammasat and Chulalongkorn universities have tried to explain the emergence of the red shirts and the current political conflict.&nbsp;</div> <div> </div></div>

<p><strong>Grassroots reflect on their rights to vote</strong>&nbsp;Construction workers, a juice seller and a housekeeper, most of them Isan people, talked about elections, the allegations about vote buying and the saying that Isan people are uneducate.&nbsp;</p> <p></p>

<div>Music is a powerful tool in political movements and revolutions. What if there was music which aims to push the envelope of the unutterable issue of the monarchy in Thai society under the lèse majesté law? Faiyen is an emerging pop band which transforms Thais’ private conversations about the monarchy into funny and catchy songs that people can sing and dance along to.&nbsp;</div> <div> </div>

<div>Tension near the pro-government Red shirt rally on Ramkhamhaeng road has escalated after one was killed and at least three were injured in hours-long confrontation between red-shirt supporters and anti-government protesters.&nbsp;</div> <div> </div>