Thai prime minister declares state of emergency at airports

Thailand’s prime minister announced a state of emergency at Bangkok’s two major airports on Thursday, as the government – and thousands of travellers – grew weary of the occupation of the airports by the People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD). The anti-government protest group has managed to completely shut down airport operations, and now police and military units are authorized to evict them.

The order by Somchai Wongsawat, the prime minister of the country, is raising the prospects of mass arrests as well as violence should the protesters refuse to leave the airports. Sit-ins began on Wednesday, and have effectively shut down all air services to and from the Thai capital, Bangkok, elevating the protests against the government to the level of a national crisis.

PAD protesters have occupied the residence of the prime minister for the last three months and are insisting that they will keep the airports closed down until the government resigns.

The prime minister announced the emergency decree on national television after a cabinet meeting that was held in the northern city of Chiang Mai. The city was chosen as the location of the meeting so that confrontation with Bangkok-based protesters could be avoided.

Police, air force and naval units have been assigned by the prime minister to deal with the situation at the airports. The words used by the prime minister were somewhat vague, but the decree empowers the government to suspend some of the civil liberties of the protesters occupying the airports. Restriction of movement and the prohibition of mass assembly are measures included in the degree.

www2.airportthai.co.th