Its membership consisted mainly of ultra-royalist middle-class and working-class Bangkok residents and anti-Thaksin Southerners, supported by some factions of the Thai Army, some leaders of Democrat Party, and the members of the state-enterprise labor unions.

[4][5] The movement is also called the National Liberation Alliance (กลุ่มพันธมิตรกู้ชาติ, Klum Phanthamit Ku Chat), the Thai Patriots Network, or more commonly the Yellow Shirts (เสื้อเหลือง, Suea Lueang).

[14] PAD's protests escalated after the Constitutional Court found Samak guilty of violating a law which prohibits government ministers from receiving a salary from another job.

PAD forces surrounded Parliament and used razor wire barricades to prevent the legislature from meeting to hear Samak's replacement, Thaksin's brother-in-law Somchai Wongsawat, formally announce his policies.

[26] Citing the claimed failure of popular democracy in Thailand, the PAD has suggested constitutional amendments that would make parliament a largely royally appointed body.

Several current and former employees of Sondhi played a role, including Panthep Puapongbhant, Khamnoon Sitthisaman, Samran Rodpetch, Sarocha Pornudomsak, Anchalee Paireerak, Yuthayong Limlertwatee, and Torpong Sewatarm.

These included prominent socialites (dubbed the "Blue Blood Jet Set" by the Bangkok Post) and some little known minor members of the Thai royal family.

The PAD's support base has since expanded to include civil servants, state enterprise labor unions, the urban middle-class of other cities, conservative Buddhist groups, Southerners and the so-called "elite".

General Pathompong Kesornsuk, a close aid of Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda, appeared in full uniform at PAD protests and urged his fellow soldiers to follow suit.

Bhumibol has remained completely neutral, though Queen Sirikit did attend the cremation of a young PAD woman killed by a police grenade at a protest and described her as a "good girl" and a "protector of the monarchy and the country".

[6] "Representative democracy is not suitable for Thailand," commented Sondhi Limthongkul, claiming the electoral system has repeatedly elected corrupt, populist governments.

[48] In contrast to Thaksin, who claimed he wanted to elevate Thailand to the developed world, Sondhi advocates an anti-materialistic, "reasonable society" with as little as possible consumer debt and little concern over "how many cars or washing machines" people own.

[75][76] Samak Sundaravej's government was in difficulty on 10 July 2008, after Pattama, the third top official in the ruling People Power Party (PPP), resigned from his post.

The deputy leader of the party Yongyut Tiyapairat was also banned from politics for 5 years, and Chiya Sasomsub was removed for illegally concealing his wife's assets.

A few days after, 30,000 protesters led by the People's Alliance for Democracy occupied Samak's Government House compound in central Bangkok so as to force him and his advisers to work out of a military command post.

Police issued arrest warrants for Sondhi Limthongkul and 8 other protest leaders on charges of insurrection, conspiracy, unlawful assembly and refusing orders to disperse.

[86] Mounds of garbage piled up in Government House, clothes were left to dry on the lawn, and the lack of sanitary facilities caused a stench to envelop the compound.

[89] On October 5 and 4, 2008, Chamlong Srimuang and rally organiser, Chaiwat Sinsuwongse were detained by the Thai police led by Col. Sarathon Pradit, by virtue of August 27 arrest warrant for insurrection, conspiracy, illegal assembly and refusing orders to disperse (treason) against him and 8 other protest leaders.

[94] Thousands of PAD forces soon surrounded Parliament to prevent the Somchai government from announcing its policies to the legislature within 15 days of swearing in, as mandated by the Constitution.

[97][98][99][100][101][102] Several protesters lost hands and legs, although at first it was not clear if these injuries were caused by tear gas canisters or the 'ping-pong' bombs which are explosives housed in ping-pong sized plastic balls.

[133] The governments of China, France, Italy, Germany, New Zealand, Singapore, Britain, the United States, Australia and Japan warned their citizens to avoid Thailand and steer clear of protesters at the airport.

"[137] On the night of 26 November 2008, the services at the Don Mueang Airport were stopped after the People's Alliance for Democracy seized control of the domestic passenger terminal.

[142] The protests, led by the red-shirted National United Front of Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) expanded to Pattaya, causing the Fourth East Asia Summit to be canceled and a state of emergency to be declared in the region.

[153][154] Sondhi took his increasingly anti-Thaksin talkshow on the road, broadcasting via satellite (through his NEWS1 ASTV channel based out of Hong Kong) and webcasting via the website of his Manager Daily newspaper.

[155] Sondhi was also given a slot on the junta-run National Broadcasting Service of Thailand's Channel 11 where he hosted Yam Fao Paendin, a pro-junta, anti-Thaksin talkshow which made accusations of excessive government spending at Suvarnabhumi Airport.

During the 2008 political crisis, armed masked PAD forces broke into the government-owned National Broadcasting Service of Thailand and seized control of the television station.

The television broadcast of the morning news program briefly showed pictures of PAD forces breaking into the gates of the station before blacking out for several hours.

[156][157][158] The Southeast Asian Press Alliance and the Thai Journalists Association condemned what it called the "mob attack" on the station, and noted that the unjustifiable and went against the principles of democracy, free flow of information, and fair play that the PAD themselves have claimed to justify their illegal act.

Phanumart Jaihork, a TNN relay controller, said his truck came under heavy gunfire even though it carried the logos of the company and TV station on its sides and a microwave transmitter in its bed.

[163] Leaders Sondhi Limthongkul, Chamlong Srimuang and others were indicted on December 27, 2012, for storming the prime minister's office compound and sealing off Parliament during the massive anti-government rallies in 2008.