Shinawatra is the first female to hold the position in Thailand, and is also the sister of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra. Some of the outrage stems from the claim that Mr. Shinawatra continues to run Thailand from exile after he was removed by the military in 2006.
Police appear to have maintained a low profile since a shooting on Saturday that resulted in one fatality, resisting confrontation and arrests.
The shutdown took on a somewhat festive mood — As Reuters reported, many were dancing and singing in the streets.