Color-coded politics in Thailand

Red-shirted protestors may have swamped the streets of Bangkok, but in the past demonstrators in yellow have also made demands of Thailand's government.

The country's color-coded battles have been frequent in recent years and continue to disrupt Thailand's politics.

The better known yellow shirts are distinct from the red shirt supporters. Among the senior members are leading media figures and army officers. The movement calls itself the People's Alliance for Democracy.

Former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, was forced from office by a military coup in 2006. The red shirts who support Thaksin, are the country's rural poor and had benefited from his policies.

In 2008, during the term of pro-Thaksin leaders, yellow shirts launched successive demonstrations against the government even occupying the prime minister's office. Later, they took over Bangkok's main airport for a week, leaving thousands of passengers stranded.

The red shirts have retaliated against the current leader, Abhisit Vejjajiva. In early 2009, they surrounded the prime minister's office. And have since demonstrated to force the cancellation of an international summit in Thailand.

In late February this year, the red shirts staged another round of demonstrations. This time it came after the country's highest court ordered Thaksin's 1.4 billion dollars worth of assets be seized. He was accused of acting illegally while in office.

This week, the red shirts have staged their largest ever demonstration demanding parliament be dissolved and a new election be held. Thailand's prolonged power struggle is far from over.