The bombing is the latest in a string of attacks carried out by US-backed, ousted dictator Thaksin Shinawatra and his violent political front, United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship (UDD) or simply the "red shirts." In addition to violent street mobs, Shinawatra has augmented his front with heavily armed militants and terrorists who made their debut in 2010 when 300 of them confronted Royal Thai Army soldiers in the streets of Bangkok, leading to weeks of armed clashes that ended nearly 100 lives and injured hundreds more.