Nakhon Ratchasima police and military officers block people going to join the rally against the junta to be held at Sanam Luang tomorrow.

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said last night he will meet with the Council for National Security (CNS) today to discuss whether it is necessary to declare a state of emergency in Bangkok to deal with the many groups of protesters.

The premier said he would weigh comments from all the parties involved and heed recommendation from the CNS "because they take care of security".

His remarks came after CNS chairman and Army chief General Sonthi Boonyaratglin, earlier in the day, expressed concern that if anti-coup protests kept on festering, authorities could lose control of the situation and there could be chaos.

"With so many distractions, the constitution drafting might veer off course and impact on security, investment, the economy and many other issues," Sonthi said, explaining why he wanted to nip the anti-coup rallies in the bud before they became a full-blown problem.

The general said it was the government, and not the CNS, which had the power to issue a decree to declare a state of emergency.

The PM, during a meeting with his advisers earlier yesterday, said if it was really necessary, a state of emergency would be inevitable, according to a source. Surayud met his top advisers, who are rectors of state universities, to assess the situation and ask for their opinions on crowd control.

Speculation over the imminent declaration of a state of emergency drew mixed reactions yesterday, with business people expressing support and politicians and political activists giving it the thumbs-down.

"We believe that investors - local and foreign - will understand why the government has to announce the emergency rule, if the government can explain [the situation] clearly to the public," said Ajva Taulananda, CP Group's vice chairman and chief corporate communications officer.

Suriyasai Katasila, secretary-general of the Popular Campaign for Democracy, voiced opposition to any attempt to declare a state of emergency in Bangkok. "There's no need at the moment because the protesters have not yet created any trouble," he said.

Police and military officers yesterday set up checkpoints along the highways in Nakhon Ratchasima, the main link between north-eastern provinces and Bangkok, in an attempt to block prospective protesters from joining rallies in the capital.

Police Maj-General Amnat An-atngam, the provincial chief, said the operation was part of a routine check for possible criminals. He added that intelligence has shown no active movement of rally supporters from the Northeast.

CNS chairman Sonthi yesterday said he had briefed Surayud on Tuesday, updating him on the security situation.

"The situation will be the key indicator whether it is necessary to declare the state of emergency and the prime minister will make the final decision on the matter as he now has all the relevant information," Sonthi said.

Top government advisers yesterday warned that Prime Minister Surayud might be forced to declare a state of emergency in certain areas of Bangkok if anti-coup protests turned unruly.

"The state of emergency, if imposed, will be enforced in selected protest sites like Sanam Luang so as to enable anti-riot forces to restore peace," an adviser said on condition of anonymity.

Kasetsart University president Viroch Impithuksa said Surayud spent three hours soliciting ideas to pacify protesters and to prevent the protests from spiralling out of control.

Mahidol University president Pornchai Matangkasombat said Surayud had pledged not to crack down on protesters.

"Surayud informed the meeting that he remained in consultations with the CNS. I don't know about the state of emergency though he promised not to use violent means to deal with protesters," he said.

Piyanart Srivalo,

Woranaree Kosachan

The Nation