ID :
17794
Tue, 09/02/2008 - 18:17
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/17794
The shortlink copeid
Thai PM says State of Emergency Decree only for short term
BANGKOK, Sept 2 (TNA) - Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej told a televised news conference Tuesday morning that the State of Emergency Decree would not be enforced for an extended period but he gave no time frame when it would end.
Mr. Samak told reporters at the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters that
the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations
would cause some inconvenience but the public could carry out their
routine daily lives normally.
"Life will be as usual, the decree will not last long," the prime minister
said, asking for cooperation from the public.
Mr. Samak said the committee he had appointed to enforce the decree would
investigate the cause on the violence which erupted between pro- and
anti-government demonstrators early Tuesday morning which left one person
dead and over 30 injured.
Following the implementation of the State of Emergency, the prime minister
appointed Army chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda to head the emergency decree
enforcement team in Bangkok while the National Police Chief and First
Regional Army Commander are his deputies.
The appointed committee would also be responsible to return the capital to
normality, Mr. Samak said.
The premier said he had opted to use the State of Emergency to confront
the crisis as he considered it was the best and most gentle way to restore
order after the disruptions of peace and public safety that occurred with
the use of violence early Tuesday morning.
He said he reacted with caution as he did not want violence to occur, and
was not acting alone, on his own, but in consultation with a number of
officials. The decision to use the decree was made after two hours of
discussion with other officials.
He added that the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) that staged
anti-government protest had no legal or moral right to be encamped in the
Government House compound and that the committee set up to enforce the
decree would be responsible to resolve the problem.
The prime minister said the decree would affect the Bangkok gubernatorial
election campaign, but he would ask the Election Commission to extend both
the campaign period and the date of the election as the prohibition of
gatherings of more than five people under the decree makes it difficult to
conduct an election.
Mr. Samak told reporters at the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters that
the Emergency Decree on Public Administration in Emergency Situations
would cause some inconvenience but the public could carry out their
routine daily lives normally.
"Life will be as usual, the decree will not last long," the prime minister
said, asking for cooperation from the public.
Mr. Samak said the committee he had appointed to enforce the decree would
investigate the cause on the violence which erupted between pro- and
anti-government demonstrators early Tuesday morning which left one person
dead and over 30 injured.
Following the implementation of the State of Emergency, the prime minister
appointed Army chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda to head the emergency decree
enforcement team in Bangkok while the National Police Chief and First
Regional Army Commander are his deputies.
The appointed committee would also be responsible to return the capital to
normality, Mr. Samak said.
The premier said he had opted to use the State of Emergency to confront
the crisis as he considered it was the best and most gentle way to restore
order after the disruptions of peace and public safety that occurred with
the use of violence early Tuesday morning.
He said he reacted with caution as he did not want violence to occur, and
was not acting alone, on his own, but in consultation with a number of
officials. The decision to use the decree was made after two hours of
discussion with other officials.
He added that the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) that staged
anti-government protest had no legal or moral right to be encamped in the
Government House compound and that the committee set up to enforce the
decree would be responsible to resolve the problem.
The prime minister said the decree would affect the Bangkok gubernatorial
election campaign, but he would ask the Election Commission to extend both
the campaign period and the date of the election as the prohibition of
gatherings of more than five people under the decree makes it difficult to
conduct an election.
