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Teachers of ethnic Thai Buddhist origin in the country's southern provinces are being targeted by ethnic Malay Muslim insurgents. Human Rights Watch

On the second day of demonstrations in Bangkok, about 1,000 protesters broke into Thailand's Finance Ministry while tens of thousands marched in the streets. The demonstrations were sparked by a controversial bill that would allow Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's brother Thaksin Shinawatra to return to Thailand without serving a jail sentence for corruption.

The antigovernment protesters, who were led by a former opposition Democratic Party lawmaker, marched at military headquarters, television stations and government buildings, according to a report from the Associated Press.

Government supporters also held a rally Sunday.

According to one protest leader, the demonstrations were supposed to be peaceful with individuals "blowing whistles and handing out flowers."

"We have stood by silently while her [Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's] brother calls the shots and she runs the country into the ground with loss-making policies," one protester told Reuters.