Bangkok state of emergency to end

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Thailand’s government is to lift a

state of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding provinces two months after

imposing it to curb anti-government protests, as the security situation

has improved due to the dwindling number of demonstrators.

The protesters, mainly from Bangkok and the south, have been trying

since early November to overthrow the prime minister, Yingluck Shinawatra, and

rid the country of what they say is the improper influence of her brother, Thaksin Shinawatra, a former PM.

Twenty-three people have been killed, most in shootings and grenade

blasts, but the protests have waned in recent weeks and are now mostly

confined to Lumpini Park in Bangkok’s central business district and a

few other sites.

“We have agreed to lift the state of emergency and use the Internal

Security Act starting from tomorrow until April 30 as the number of

protesters has dwindled ... and after pleas from the business

community,” said the national security chief, Paradorn Pattanathabutr.

The Internal Security Act is a less harsh law but still allows the

authorities to impose curfews, operate security checkpoints and restrict

the movement of protesters as needed.

The decision was taken at a cabinet meeting held in Nakhon Pathom

province, about 50 miles (80km) from Bangkok. Yingluck arrived in a

wheelchair after slipping as she stepped out of a car on Saturday in the

northern city of Chiang Mai.

The government set the 60-day emergency 22 January to help contain

protests in the run-up to a general election on 2 February but most of its

measures were barely used, especially after a court ruled on 19 February

that some had been imposed illegally.

The election in February was disrupted by protesters in almost 70 of

the 375 constituencies, leaving the House of Representatives without a

quorum to open and elect a new prime minister.

The constitutional court has accepted a petition to consider

annulling the election, which could further delay the formation of a new

government.

Yingluck, whose Puea Thai party had been expected to win the

election, heads a caretaker administration with limited powers. She

faces a slew of legal challenges that could bring her down, including a

charge of dereliction of duty over a rice subsidy scheme that owes money

to hundreds of thousands of farmers.

Tourism has suffered during the unrest. Both the stock market and baht currency rose very marginally on the

government’s move to lift the state of emergency.