- Tanks are seen patrolling Bangkok streets on Sunday 12th April, 2009.
- By: BangkokPost.com
- Published: 12/04/2009
Tanks have been mobilised in parts of Bangkok as part of the government's policy to maintain order under the state of emergency as declared by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Sunday afternoon.
Army spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the announcement of the state of emergency did not mean that the authority to implement the policy would rest in the hands of the army. He said the military was a part of the effort to enforce the policy, which also included police.
Implementing the Emergency Decree, which was declared in Bangkok and some districts of Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Ayutthaya, means that authorities now had to mobilise to take care of and guard key installations and centres in Bangkok.
He said that this comprised of about 50 spots in Bangkok. Asked about the role of tanks which were spotted in certain areas of Bangkok such as the Pratunam area, Col Sansern said that certain equipment had to be deployed to enforce the state of emergency and restore order.
Col Sansern said key spots across the city where authorities would focus on are key intersections in the city which had in the past been blocked by red shirt protestors, key government installations, ministries, government offices, banks and department stores.
He added that in spots where taxis had blocked intersections, authorities would need to deploy equipment to remove the vehicles and if necessary arrest those responsible for the blockages.
The spokesman said that in the past security authorities had avoided confrontation or the use of force to maintain peace against protestors. He said that now that the state of emergency had been announced, it was time to act.
Earlier, Prime Minister Abhisit's limousine was blocked and attacked by United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protestors at the Interior Ministry. The prime minister's car was able to break through the protestors who had broken into the ministry grounds by crashing through the ministry gates.
Implementing the Emergency Decree, which was declared in Bangkok and some districts of Nonthaburi, Samut Prakan, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom and Ayutthaya, means that authorities now had to mobilise to take care of and guard key installations and centres in Bangkok.
He said that this comprised of about 50 spots in Bangkok. Asked about the role of tanks which were spotted in certain areas of Bangkok such as the Pratunam area, Col Sansern said that certain equipment had to be deployed to enforce the state of emergency and restore order.
Col Sansern said key spots across the city where authorities would focus on are key intersections in the city which had in the past been blocked by red shirt protestors, key government installations, ministries, government offices, banks and department stores.
He added that in spots where taxis had blocked intersections, authorities would need to deploy equipment to remove the vehicles and if necessary arrest those responsible for the blockages.
The spokesman said that in the past security authorities had avoided confrontation or the use of force to maintain peace against protestors. He said that now that the state of emergency had been announced, it was time to act.
Earlier, Prime Minister Abhisit's limousine was blocked and attacked by United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) protestors at the Interior Ministry. The prime minister's car was able to break through the protestors who had broken into the ministry grounds by crashing through the ministry gates.
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