Thai PM: No State of Emergency Needed

By AMBIKA AHUJA

BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) - Imposing a state of emergency in Bangkok is unnecessary, Thailand's military-installed prime minister said Thursday, turning down a request by coup leaders who wanted to use the decree to silence opponents.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont also hinted for the first time at possible dates for a general election in December and a referendum on the new constitution currently being written.

Surayud told a news conference he expressed to coup leaders his opinion that the current situation in the Thai capital "does not correspond with the need to declare a state of emergency, and does not affect national security."

However, Surayud said authorities had not ruled out imposing emergency rule, but would continue "to evaluate the situation."

Anti-coup protesters, led by supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, have been holding small but growing weekly rallies calling for the restoration of democracy. At a protest March 23 that drew about 1,000 people, some demonstrators threw rocks, plastic bottles and chairs at police.

Another rally was called for Friday, which coup leaders have said they feared could turn violent.
Emergency powers would have allowed authorities to ban public gatherings, impose curfews and censor local news reports. But the move could also have generated more resentment against the military-installed leaders that replaced Thaksin.

Surayud made the comments after a meeting with coup leader Gen. Sonthi Boonyaratglin, who had urged the prime minister to impose emergency rule to prevent Thaksin's supporters from staging protests.

Authorities were considering holding a general election on Dec. 16 and Dec. 23 - back-to-back Sundays - said government spokesman Yongyuth Maiyalarb, which would be in line with pledges to hold polls before the end of the year.

To thwart protesters, city authorities issued a temporary ban from Thursday to Monday on political demonstrations at the park where Thaksin supporters were planning to gather.

Bangkok city hall officials issued the ban after a meeting with police and army officials, said Bangkok Police Commissioner Lt. Gen. Adisorn Nontree.

But protest leaders promptly announced plans to change the rally site to in front of city hall, known as the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

"We have been clear from the start that our plan is to use transparent and nonviolent means to show that what (coup leaders) have done is illegitimate," said a protest leader, Natthawut Saikua.

The Sept. 19 coup that ousted Thaksin followed months of street demonstrations over allegations of corruption and abuse of power.

Many Thais are losing patience with the coup leaders, who have failed to prove corruption allegations against Thaksin and have had a run of embarrassing policy flops.

The coup leaders scrapped the previous constitution, arguing it allowed Thaksin to consolidate extraordinary powers in his hands. They have promised to hold a referendum on the new constitution, followed by elections by the end of the year.

Surayud said the referendum on the constitution is expected to be held no later than September.