Eight major roads in Bangkok, Thailand, became a sea of humanity on Monday last week. As many as 140,000 anti-government protesters descended on Government House, the office of the prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra. All regular activity ceased. They carried Thai flags, posters of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, and posters denouncing Thaksin, Yingluck's older brother who was convicted of corruption and lives in exile.

The demonstrators were demanding th