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| Thailand's PM declares emergency | Thailand's PM declares emergency |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has declared a state of emergency in Bangkok amid escalating anti-government protests. | Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has declared a state of emergency in Bangkok amid escalating anti-government protests. |
| In a televised address, Mr Abhisit said the move - which gives sweeping new powers to the security forces to tackle protesters - would help restore order. | |
| It comes hours after thousands of "red-shirt" protesters marched on parliament - forcing MPs to flee the building. | |
| The protesters want Mr Abhisit to resign and call elections. | The protesters want Mr Abhisit to resign and call elections. |
| Thailand has lurched from one crisis to another since 2006 when the government of Thaksin Shinawatra was overthrown. | |
| The current bout of red-shirt rallies began on 12 March. | |
| The government had vowed not to use force against the red-shirts, and the protesters too had said their protest would not be violent. | |
| But Mr Abhisit said in his televised address that the protesters could no longer be considered peaceful after their march on parliament. | |
| He announced a state of emergency in the capital and surrounding areas, but it is not yet clear how the authorities will use their additional powers , the BBC's Rachel Harvey in Bangkok says. | |
| Helicopter escape | |
| Thousands of red-shirts - many of whom support Mr Thaksin - gathered outside parliament on Wednesday, and were faced with similar numbers of riot police. | |
| The parliamentary session was abandoned shortly after it had begun and senior politicians, including Mr Abhisit, were ushered out of the building by security guards. | |
| While some MPs used ladders to scale walls as they escaped parliament, others were picked up by a military helicopter which landed on the roof of the building. | |
| A group of protesters then barged their way into the grounds of parliament, but retreated shortly afterwards and there were no reports of violence. |