The Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has declared a state of emergency in Bangkok after anti-government protestors broke into parliament.
The move gives more power to the army to restore order and allows authorities to suspend certain civil liberties and ban all public gatherings of more than five people.
It comes hours after lawmakers were forced to flee by helicopter or scale the parliament compound’s walls to escape the most chaotic protest in recent weeks. The protestors are demanding that the Prime Minister dissolve the government and call immediate elections.
“The government has tried its best to implement the law, but violations have increased. Today, Parliament was raided,” Abhisit said in a televised statement that interrupted regular programming.
“The Cabinet has decided to declare state of emergency in Bangkok and nearby provinces,” Abhisit said, seated at the center of a long table with the members of his Cabinet beside him. “Our goal is to restore normalcy.”
The government already had placed Bangkok under the strict Internal Security Act.
The Foreign Office has advised British nationals to continue to exercise caution and stay indoors if violent protests break out.