Whilst Thailand is no stranger to protests, thousands of protesters blockaded main roads across Bangkok last week in the latest of a series of demonstrations. Now in their third month, this has led to fears about the stability of south-east Asia’s second largest economy. Thailand has experienced nine coups and more than 20 prime ministers since 1946 and has a history of mild political unrest over the last decade, but indicators are suggesting that the current demonstrations are not the same as those in the past, both politically and economically. With no end to the protests in sight, Oren Laurent takes a look at why things are different this time around, the effects on the country’s growth and whether the economy will be able to pick-up pace once again. Read more..