But others on either side of the dispute believe members of the royal family have shown their hand, something that was inconceivable in Thailand just a few years ago.
Supon Fumuljaroen, a senior leader of the Red Shirt movement that largely supports Mr Thaksin and his sister, said he believed the protests involved several issues.
"The king is very old now," he said. "The privy counsellors, the elite, the aristocracy: they are all used to the benefits of His Majesty's power and they feel the person they want to succeed may not."
And many of those gathered on the streets in Bangkok - driven to protest by whatever reason - also saw the posting of the Princess’ photographs as her signalling her support to their attempt to oust the government.
One protester, Kanda Ruengmaswan - a woman who was last week part of the protest at the capital's Pathumwan intersection - said: "The princess cannot give a speech but she wrote that to send a symbol.