Thai emergency decree not aimed at dispersing protests
Permanent Secretary to the Ministry Sihasak Puangketkaew held a meeting
with 31 diplomats from 73 countries on January 22, clarifying the reason
behind the previous day’s announcement of the decree enforcement.
He said the Centre for the Administration of Peace and Order had
proposed that the government invokes the decree to better deal with the
ongoing disorder.
Sihasak confirmed that the state
of emergency rule was not aimed at banning public gatherings or
dispersing anti-government protesters. The government had to impose the
decree as a pre-emptive measure in the event of violence escalation in
the future.
There will be no censorship of media or setting up of curfews, said the permanent secretary.
He affirmed that the Thai government will continue to handle the
situation in a peaceful manner and there will be no use of force in
coping with the protests.-VNA