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Watch Online / A Crisis Within (2010)
Desc: A Crisis Within: Thailand is on the cusp of change. Since the military coup in 2006 that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinwatra, the country has gone through a political see-saw, and become increasingly divided into two distinct factions: the "Red-Shirts"; poor, rural Thais who benefit from Thaksin's populist policies, and the "Yellow-Shirts"; royalists, businessmen and the urban middle class who are appalled by Thaksin's blatant corruption and abuse of power. Now, the political schism that saw politicians from both Red and Yellow factions taking office, has culminated in a mass protest by the red shirts, paralyzing the heart of Bangkok for months and wreaking havoc on the country's economy. What began as a peaceful, boisterous protest has escalated and become increasingly violent: shots have been fired, barricades erected and bombs thrown into public areas, killing at least 30 people and wounding hundreds along the way. Accusations of murder are being thrown by both sides. The protests have also become less about Thaksin and more about the frustrations of Thailand's rural poor who feel their voices are never heard by the urban elites who've ruled the country for over 70 years. How will this crisis be resolved? Will the people in "The Land of Smiles" be able to find a compromise for the different factions? Is Thailand heading for a permanent change? Will the balance of power be overturned at last? We attempt to find the answers through the voices of Thais from different walks of life. We follow Pik, a Red-Shirt from the Northeast as she goes about her life in the "Red-Camp". We trace the journey with Yok, a "Colored Shirt" Bangkok office worker staunchly against how the Red-Shirts are disrupting the lives of people in the city. We chat with Jojo, a student activist who believes Thailand needs to compromise or risk descending further into anarchy and chaos. We listen to Kraisak, a Democratic politician dismayed by the violent clashes that're tearing the country apart. We follow these characters through their daily routines as the political crisis unfolds. How have the characters' lives been affected by this conflict? What are their dreams for the country? What do they believe to be the key to a peaceful resolution? Through this journey, we learn about Thailand's tumultuous history, complex political landscape and the extent of the divide between the rich and the poor. We ask whether beneath this chaos and disconnect, brand 'Thailand', a nation of people who love peace, each other, their country and their culture, still holds true.