Thailand (MNN) — Political
turmoil and protest over corruption in the government has led to the sacking of
Thailand's Prime Minister. The ruling against the governing coalition throws
the country into further uncertainty.
Protestors finally ended their
stand at the airports when the Constitutional Court banned Prime Minister Somchai
Wongsawat from politics and ordered his political party and two partner parties
dissolved.
The protests over the government's
handling of the country's economic and electoral troubles began in May and led
to the takeover of the prime minister's office in August and the airport
seizures last week.
Paul Jenks with
AMG International says, "One of the big problems is
that through that rapid growth, some of the businesses have dealt unethically
with the tax structure there, and that's some of the reason for this
protest."
Although the main international
airport creaked back to life after a weeklong siege by protesters, members of Parliament from the People Power
Party vowed to reconstitute using a new party and to elect a leader by Sunday.
But the time lost in the shutdown
is costing the poor dearly. Jenks says
their staff works in the most remote areas of Thailand. And although they weren't directly impacted by
the protests, they will feel the financial pinch soon enough. "We're still dealing with children who
need schooling, who need help. They're ministering in a context where Christians
are not appreciated, where discrimination does happen. Pray for Thailand."
Is it enough to stop the Gospel? Not likely. Jenks says, "Our Christian workers
there are a fraction of the population, so the job is huge, to proclaim the
Gospel in that context."
