United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship

United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship
Founded2006 (as the "Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship" or DAAD)
TypePressure group
Political group
FocusDissolve the "aristocratic polity"
Area served
Thailand
Key people
Jatuporn Prompan
Veera Musikapong
Nattawut Saikua
Dr.Weng Tojirakarn
Kokaew Pikulthong
Thida Thavornseth[1][2]
The UDD in 2007
The demonstration of 20 March 2010, Rama 4 Road
Supporters on Rama 4 Road, 20 March 2010

The United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD; Thai: แนวร่วมประชาธิปไตยต่อต้านเผด็จการแห่งชาติ; นปช., alternatively translated as National Democratic Alliance against Dictatorship), whose supporters are commonly called Red Shirts, is a political pressure group opposed to the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the 2006 Thai coup d'état, and supporters of the coup. Notable UDD leaders include Jatuporn Prompan, Nattawut Saikua, Veera Musikapong, Jaran Ditapichai, and Weng Tojirakarn. The UDD allies itself with the Pheu Thai Party, which was deposed by the 2014 military coup. Before the July 2011 national elections, the UDD claimed that Abhisit Vejjajiva's government took power illegitimately, backed by the Thai Army and the judiciary. The UDD called for the Thai Parliament to be dissolved so that a general election could be held. UDD accused the country's extra-democratic elite—the military, judiciary, certain members of the privy council, and other unelected officials—of undermining democracy by interfering in politics.[3] The UDD is composed of mostly rural citizens from northeast (Isan) and north Thailand, of urban lower classes from Bangkok, and of intellectuals. Although the movement seems to receive support from former prime minister-in-exile Thaksin Shinawatra, not all UDD members support the deposed prime minister.[4]

  1. ^ Bangkok Post,"Thida elected UDD Chairwoman", 15 February 2012
  2. ^ Chiang Rai Times,"New Thai Red Shirts Leader Vows to Fight for Democracy" Archived 22 July 2015 at the Wayback Machine, 16 March 2014
  3. ^ Thai police issue warrants for 14 protest leaders. NBC News. 14 April 2009
  4. ^ The Economist, "Smiling for the cameras", 31 March 2010