BANGKOK— Thailand’s government has imposed a 60-day state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding provinces following months of protests by anti-government demonstrators in the capital.
The state of emergency officially came into effect at 12:00 am Wednesday, but there has so far been no immediate sign that security forces plan to break up anti-government protests entering their ninth consecutive day.
The deputy interior minister announced the new measures Tuesday, giving security forces new powers to ban political gatherings of more than five people, censor news media, impose curfews and detain subjects without charge.
For weeks, authorities have worried about the country’s ability to conduct the vote during the continuing demonstrations in downtown Bangkok, but have said they have no legal option for delaying elections.
Protesters in the capital have demanded a halt to the vote and the appointment of an unelected council to impose broad political reforms before holding another election. After the country’s opposition Democrat Party decided to boycott the vote, protesters then prevented scores of candidates for registering for the election to undermine its legitimacy.
Smarn Lertwongrath, a senior advisor for the ruling Pheu Thai party says the election will go ahead despite possible problems for voters in Bangkok and in the southern provinces, where protesters largely succeeded in blocking candidate registrations.
But a blanket amnesty bill passed by the ruling party in late October was seen as clearing the way for Thaksin's return to Thailand free of criminal charges, triggered tens of thousands to protest. The government later annulled the bill and called for fresh elections, saying polls were the way out of the crisis.
BANGKOK— Thailand’s government has imposed a 60-day state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding provinces following months of protests by anti-government demonstrators in the capital.
The state of emergency officially came into effect at 12:00 am Wednesday, but there has so far been no immediate sign that security forces plan to break up anti-government protests entering their ninth consecutive day.
The deputy interior minister announced the new measures Tuesday, giving security forces new powers to ban political gatherings of more than five people, censor news media, impose curfews and detain subjects without charge.
For weeks, authorities have worried about the country’s ability to conduct the vote during the continuing demonstrations in downtown Bangkok, but have said they have no legal option for delaying elections.
Protesters in the capital have demanded a halt to the vote and the appointment of an unelected council to impose broad political reforms before holding another election. After the country’s opposition Democrat Party decided to boycott the vote, protesters then prevented scores of candidates for registering for the election to undermine its legitimacy.
Smarn Lertwongrath, a senior advisor for the ruling Pheu Thai party says the election will go ahead despite possible problems for voters in Bangkok and in the southern provinces, where protesters largely succeeded in blocking candidate registrations.
But a blanket amnesty bill passed by the ruling party in late October was seen as clearing the way for Thaksin's return to Thailand free of criminal charges, triggered tens of thousands to protest. The government later annulled the bill and called for fresh elections, saying polls were the way out of the crisis.
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