Thai analysts said the protesters were trying to force another military coup. The People’s Alliance for Democracy, which has been besieging government buildings since August, said its occupation of the airport would be the “final mass rally” to oust the “killer government.” The group says the government of Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat is just a front for Thaksin Shinawatra, Somchai’s brother-in-law, who was ousted in a 2006 coup amid allegations of massive corruption. Protesters storm airport: Anti-government protesters took control of the Bangkok airport this week, forcing the cancellation of dozens of flights. “These brave democracy activists are peaceful citizens whose only crime was to challenge the regime’s illegitimate rule,” said U.S. The U.N., the U.S., and several European countries condemned the trials as a travesty of justice. Brushing off international condemnation, courts in Myanmar convicted several high-profile defendants a popular comedian known as Zarganar received a sentence of 45 years, while Ashin Gambira, the leader of the monks’ group that led last year’s uprising, got 68 years. Dissidents jailed: Myanmar’s ruling junta has sentenced more than 100 opposition activists to long prison terms, in a crackdown on protesters who took part in pro-democracy demonstrations last year.
