Thailand elections: Politics of crisis

A state of emergency, streets paralyzed with protesters, the fatal shooting of a leading pro-government activist and an election campaign teetering on chaos may not sound like the script from a rising Southeast Asian economic powerhouse.

But for Thailand -- which manages to combine economic success and political mayhem in equal measure -- this weekend's elections are just another page in an eight-year struggle between supporters and opponents of Thaksin Shinawatra.

The former prime minister may have been out of Thailand since 2008, but his populist policies -- which included subsidized healthcare and microcredit schemes targeted at a rural and impoverished electorate -- have made him the driving force behind governments that have won every election since 2001.

We invite you to read the full article published January 31, 2014