Thai govt to declare state of emergency

27 Nov 2008, 10:43 pm   -   Source: AAP
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Thailand's government is set to declare a state of emergency at Bangkok's two airports after protesters took control of the facilities, a cabinet minister said.

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Thailand's government is set to declare a state of emergency at Bangkok's two airports after protesters took control of the facilities, a cabinet minister said.

Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat called an urgent cabinet meeting after demonstrators seized Suvarnabhumi international airport on Tuesday night and blockaded the old Don Mueang airport early Thursday.

"The government has agreed to declare a state of emergency in two particular areas, at Don Mueang Airport and in Bangpli district ... where Suvarnabhumi is located," the minister, who asked not to be named said.

The government has asked the military to stay in their barracks as rumours circulated that the army was plotting a coup as protests crippled the kingdom, a spokesman said.

"I would like to inform all military personnel to carry out your duty as usual. Do not make any movement or be on stand-by. This is to stop the coup rumours," Nattawut Saikuar said on national radio.

Thailand has been on edge for days as thousands of anti-government demonstrators forced the closure of Bangkok's two airports.

The powerful army chief General Anupong Paojinda has urged Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat to call new elections to end the turmoil, but he has refused.

Somchai, who is also defence minister, called an emergency cabinet meeting in the northern city of Chiang Mai on Thursday in a bid to halt the escalation of six-month protests aimed at toppling his government.

Nattawut insisted the meeting had no hidden agenda, and denied rumours that the government wanted to remove Anupong from his post.

"There is no agenda to sack or transfer any military commander, not a single one," he said in his address.

"Public - you must not worry. Please live your lives as normal."

The People's Alliance for Democracy protest group has repeatedly called on Anupong to intervene to overthrow the democratically-elected government.

PAD protests in early 2006 against then-premier Thaksin Shinawatra helped lead to a bloodless military putsch that ousted him in September that year.

Thailand is still insisting that it will be able to host the ASEAN summit in December, even after three neighbouring countries raised concerns that ongoing political turmoil in the Thai capital could force the meeting's cancellation.

Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos voiced fears on Thursday that Thailand may not be able to host the annual summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations, scheduled to take place on December 15-18 in the northern city of Chiang Mai.

ASEAN Secretary General Surin Pitsuwan must consider postponing the summit "to ensure the successful outcome ... given the current political situation in Thailand", the three countries said in a statement.

Surin was not available for comment on Thursday.

Thai Foreign Ministry Spokesman Tharit Charungvat said the summit would not be rescheduled.

"Everything is still going ahead as planned and we are still ready to host the summit," Tharit said.

The 10-nation ASEAN bloc comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Burma, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The summit venue already has been shifted from the capital, Bangkok, to Chiang Mai. The foreign ministry has denied the move was to avoid the anti-government protests, insisting it was because the weather is nicer in the north.

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