A Change of Guard

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Tuesday 3 August 2010

Thailand Allows `Brief' Protests in Sign State of Emergency May Be Lifted

By Daniel Ten Kate
Aug 3, 2010
Bloomberg
Thailand’s government said it will approve peaceful protests that are short in duration in a sign it’s preparing to lift a state of emergency imposed four months ago in Bangkok and several outlying provinces.

A nationalist group called the Thai Patriot Network plans to gather 10,000 people in front of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva’s office on Aug. 7 unless authorities clarify the status of a border dispute with Cambodia, the Bangkok Post reported today, citing Veera Somkwamkid, the group’s leader.

“We don’t see that as a violation of the decree as long as there are clearly established guidelines,” government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn said by phone today. “In the past few weeks, demonstrations have been allowed briefly.”

An end to emergency rule might extend investor confidence in Thailand after deadly street protests in April and May claimed 89 lives. The stock market today entered a technical bull market as the SET Index completed a 20 percent rally from its May low.

Political groups can demonstrate provided they don’t block traffic, carry weapons, create disturbances and “disperse within a few hours,” Panitan said. The decree is necessary for authorities to prevent prolonged protests, shut down media outlets that make death threats and investigate financial transactions from protests earlier this year, he said.

“In the next few weeks, investigators will be more confident that they have enough evidence to forward these cases to a normal court of law, and they won’t need this decree anymore,” Panitan said.

10 Provinces

The emergency decree, in force in 10 of 76 provinces, gives authorities, including the army, immunity and lets them close media outlets, freeze bank accounts and detain suspects for 30 days without charge. It also prohibits gatherings of five or more people.

The SET rose as much as 0.6 percent to 867.94, headed for its highest close since May 23, 2008.

Last week, Bangkok was hit with two grenade attacks that killed one person and wounded a dozen others. A court also granted bail to Veera Musikapong, a protest leader who was jailed on terrorism-related charges.

Abhisit has faced demonstrations since taking power in a 2008 parliamentary vote after a court dissolved the ruling party linked to ex-leader Thaksin Shinawatra for election fraud. The fugitive billionaire and his allies have won the past four elections.

Abhisit must call a vote by the end of next year. He withdrew an offer for a November vote and ordered a military crackdown after demonstrators failed to disperse by a May 12 deadline, leading to arson attacks around Bangkok.

To contact the reporter on this story: Daniel Ten Kate in Bangkok at dtenkate@bloomberg.net

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