State of Emergency still in force

Last Tuesday, Thailand’s government renewed State of Emergency laws in effect in Bangkok and 18 of the country’s 76 provinces.

The government cited fears of more demonstrations and violence, similar to the Red Shirt anti-government protests that caused martial law to be instigated in the first place.

The act forbids congregations of over five people, and allows suspects held under it to be detained for up to 30 days, without bringing charges. The laws have been renewed for a further three months.

Martial law was revoked in five provinces: Nakhon Pathom, Nakhon Sawan, Si Sa Ket, Kalasin and Nan, as the deadline had expired.

In an interview with the BBC last Monday, the Thai prime minister, Abhisit Vejjajiva, said order needed to be restored and that emergency laws would be lifted slowly.

The Red Shirt demonstrators seized weaponry from Thai troops during the two month-long protests and fighting in Bangkok. The government says that the Red Shirts still have the arms. Yesterday, the prime minister said anyone returning weapons will not be prosecuted.

Human rights groups around the world have decried the laws as draconian, and say they will push all government opposition underground. Anti-government groups say they cannot hold legitimate protests.

After the laws had been extended, Ongart Klampaiboon, the prime minister’s spokesman, said that the government had received information, which indicated that there were still troublemakers intent on fomenting instability and hatred.

The Centre for the Resolution of Emergency Situations (CRES), the government’s advisory committee on the laws and national security, had recommended that martial law remain in place in all 23 provinces.