BANGKOK – Thailand’s government on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas to cope with protests that have stirred up violent attacks, adding to the country’s months long sense of crisis.
Labor Minister Chalerm Yubumrung said that the measure will continue for 60 days beginning Wednesday, but did not announce any specific actions.
The decree greatly expands the power of security forces to issue orders and search, arrest and detain people, with limited judicial and parliamentary oversight. The areas covered had already been placed under tougher-than-normal security under the country’s Internal Security Act.
The state of emergency follows increasing attacks at protest sites for which the government and the protesters blame each other. These include grenades thrown in daylight and drive-by shootings. On Sunday, 28 people were wounded when two grenades were tossed near one of several stages set up by protesters at key Bangkok intersections.
Another grenade attack on a protest march last Friday killed one man and wounded dozens. No arrests have been made in either attack. Nine people have been killed and hundreds hurt in violence since the protests began in early November. The protesters escalated their tactics this month with a threat to “shut down” the capital to prevent the government from functioning.
Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said the government, through a newly established Center for Maintaining Peace and Order, “will take care of the situation according to international practices, which is something we have always said. Primarily, we have to use the principle of negotiation first.”
Protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban, in speeches afterward to followers, vowed to continue demonstrating and questioned whether the declaration was justified, saying the protesters had been peaceful. “Come and get us!” he cried.
“Whatever they warn us not to do, we will do,” he declared. “We will march on the routes they ban. … If they order us not to rally, we will be here indefinitely. If they ask us not to use loudspeakers at night, we will just keep going 24 hours a day at every stage!”
The protesters have been demanding Yingluck’s resignation to make way for an appointed government to implement reforms to fight corruption. Yingluck called elections for Feb. 2 but the protesters are insisting they not be held.
The opposition Democrat Party, closely aligned with the protesters, is boycotting the polls. The announcement of the emergency decree said the elections would proceed as planned. (AP)
