Thai Government Declares State Of Emergency

Fears are rising that Thailand's embattled prime minister will have to launch a military crackdown -- or call new elections sooner than anticipated -- after antigovernment protesters temporarily stormed the nation's Parliament and the government responded by declaring a state of emergency.

The declaration -- for Bangkok and surrounding areas late Wednesday -- gives the government wider leeway to ban mass gatherings and detain protesters, who are consolidating control over key areas of the capital.

It was unclear what, if any, steps the government would take to enforce the rules after previously allowing protesters to roam the city, blocking traffic and leaving some businesses shuttered for days.

Analysts say momentum is gathering for the red-shirt protesters, who appear increasingly willing to defy the police and military as they try to bring down the government of army-backed Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva.

The protesters also tightened their control over one of Bangkok's main shopping districts, near the U.S. and British embassies and several of Bangkok's top five-star hotels, leaving several malls closed for the fifth straight day. The U.S. Embassy in Bangkok issued a warning Tuesday for citizens to avoid areas where the protesters are gathering.

Red-shirt sentries searched pedestrians and manned their own security barricades into the shopping district Wednesday. They held rallies into the evening, while police officers at times sat around reading newspapers or eating snacks.

The crowds of protesters appeared to be smaller on Wednesday than on previous days. Even so, the latest incidents have underscored the breakdown of public order in some areas, with police and army officials unable or unwilling to control mobs that have vowed to invent new ways to paralyze Bangkok until Mr. Abhisit agrees to call fresh elections.

Government officials say they have held back so far in order to avoid bloodshed.

In announcing the state of emergency, Mr. Abhisit called the protesters' activities 'unlawful' but said it would 'not mean an imminent crackdown on people.' A day earlier, he said he wanted to be sure the standoff didn't 'spiral out of control.' A crackdown in the shopping district controlled by the red shirts could ensnare tourists and expatriates, some of whom continued to venture in and out of the area.

Mr. Abhisit also canceled a planned trip to Washington next week to attend international nuclear summit meetings there, the Associated Press reported.

Although Mr. Abhisit isn't required to call elections until late 2011, he has offered to do so earlier. He has resisted protesters' requests to dissolve Parliament within a matter of days, saying the government needs more time to prepare the country for an election.

It was unclear Wednesday whether protest leaders would be altering their strategy. Many protesters have vowed to continue.

Patrick Barta / Wilawan Watcharasakwet

2010年04月08日10:22

Thai Government Declares State Of Emergency

2010年04月08日10:22

泰國政府宣佈曼谷進入緊急狀態

由

於反政府示威者短時沖擊國會﹐泰國政府宣佈曼谷進入緊急狀態。之後﹐人們開始擔心處於困境之中的泰國總理阿披實(Abhisit Vejjajiva)將不得不出動軍隊鎮壓示威者﹐或比預計中更早地宣佈提前舉行大選。

European Pressphoto Agency

紅衫軍衝進泰國國會大樓

週三晚﹐泰國政府宣佈首都曼谷及其週邊地區進入緊急狀態﹐從而使政府有更廣泛的迴旋餘地以禁止群眾集會並拘押示威者。示威者正在鞏固其對泰國首都關鍵區域的控制。

幾天來﹐泰國政府容許示威者在市區集會、阻塞交通並使部分商業場所關門停業。在此之後尚不清楚政府將採取何種措施加強有關規定。

分析師稱紅衫軍示威者試圖把受軍方支持的阿披實政府趕下台﹐目前正在積聚力量﹐顯然其反抗警察與軍隊的意願正在增強。

示威者還加強了他們對曼谷一個主要商業區的控制﹐造成多家大型商場連續第五天關門歇業。這個商業區毗鄰美國和英國大使館以及曼谷的多家頂級五星級酒店。美國駐曼谷大使館週二警告美國公民避開示威者聚集區域。

週三﹐紅衫軍的衛兵開始搜查行人﹐並在商業區週邊自行設置了安全路障。他們的集會一直持續到傍晚。在此期間﹐不時有警官坐在附近看報紙或吃東西。

週三的示威人群看來比前些天規模略小。雖然如此﹐最新事件表明部分區域的公共秩序已遭破壞﹐警察和軍隊官員已無法或不願控制暴徒的行動。示威者誓言將想出新辦法使曼谷陷入癱瘓﹐直到阿披實同意舉行大選。

政府官員稱他們至今一直保持克制以免造成流血沖突。

阿披實宣佈緊急狀態時稱示威者的活動非法﹐但說緊急狀態不意味著將立即對人民進行鎮壓。一天前﹐他說他想確定目前的僵局不會逐漸失去控制。若對被紅衫軍控制的商業區進行打擊﹐有可能會累及一些仍在冒險出入這一區域的遊客和外籍人士。

美聯社報道稱﹐阿披實取消了下週赴華盛頓參加國際核安全峰會的計劃。

儘管在2011年底之前阿披實無需宣佈舉行大選﹐但他已提出將提前舉行大選。他拒絕了示威者提出的在幾天內解散國會的要求﹐稱政府需要更多的時間在全國準備大選事宜。

截至週三﹐尚不清楚紅衫軍領袖是否將改變其策略。許多示威者已誓言將繼續他們的行動。

Patrick Barta / Wilawan Watcharasakwet