Mission Network News

REUTERS/Chaiwat Subprasom

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."