Tuesday, January 21, 2014

Thailand declares state of emergency in Bangkok...

Thailand has announced a two-month state of emergency in Bangkok and neighbouring provinces in response to protests that have seen nine people killed and hundreds injured amid calls for the government to resign.

Anti-government protesters have taken to the streets of the capital since November, cutting off water and power to ministers' homes, besieging government ministries, and forcing the beleaguered prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, to rule from offices north of the capital in their attempt to oust her from power.

"The cabinet decided to invoke the emergency decree to take care of the situation and to enforce the law," said deputy prime minister Surapong Tovichaikul on Tuesday.

The emergency decree, which will go into effect on Wednesday, is seen as an attempt by the government to instil some sense of law and order in the capital, where main intersections have for the past week been blockaded by protesters and their rally stages and encampments in what they call a "Bangkok shutdown". Security forces will now be allowed to detain suspects without charge, impose a curfew, censor the media, close off parts of the capital and prevent political groupings of five or more people. Full story...

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