Thailand's ex-protest leader leaves monkhood

Suthep Thaugsuban, who led months- long street rallies against the Yingluck Shinawatra government before the coup last year, left monkhood on Tuesday morning.

Suthep, who was also former deputy prime minister and former Democrat Party MP, had been in monkhood for over one year in southern Surat Thani province.

In Thailand, where the majority of nationals believe in Buddhism, it is traditional for a male to become a monk at least once in their life.

Suthep, who used to be secretary general of the People's Democratic Reform Committee (PDRC), had led protracted anti- government street demonstrations since late 2013, and the scores of deaths and hundreds of injuries during the protests had resulted in the coup that has since put the military in power.

Suthep was quoted by Bangkok Post as saying that after leaving monkhood, he would concentrate on the activities of the People's Democratic Reform Foundation, an organization registered this year to pursue the PDRC's reform plan.

He is expected to announce his future plans for the foundation on Thursday.