two comments. First, the notion that Thaksin is anti-King, or anti-monarchy is suspect. He gave piles and piles of money to the monarchy. Not sure whether he ever got what he thought he was paying for, but that's a different question. Second, the idea these protests are anti-democratic is a frustrating one that I see a lot in the western press, and I think it stems from a lack of familiarity with Thai political history. You can't look at Thai elections through a US lens. Thaksin, Somchai, and Yingluk didn't earn their votes, they paid for them. Thaksin was a murderer, and a thief who used his position of power to funnel billions to his family and himself. And now, even though he is a convicted criminal living in exile, he continues to pull the strings of the PT party. The protesters are not anti-democracy, they are anti-corruption.