Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said yesterday he would lift the state of emergency in the coming week in more provinces in addition to the five where it was revoked on July 6.
The PM told reporters about the possible lifting of the emergency in some of the remaining 19 provinces, including Bangkok. But he did not disclose further details.
He was speaking on the sidelines of the recording of his weekly television programme "Confident in Thailand with PM Abhisit" at Kasetsart University.
Acting Government spokesman Panitan Watanayagorn yesterday confirmed the prime minister would lift the state of emergency in some more provinces. He said the PM is authorised to do so without seeking Cabinet approval.
Panitan said the prime minister would sign his order in the coming week but he did not specify the day.
Meanwhile, Anudit Nakornthap, a Bangkok MP for the opposition Pheu Thai Party, yesterday called on the government to completely lift the state of emergency as soon as possible in order to end the country's political crisis.
The state of emergency was declared in Bangkok and surrounding provinces on April 7 when the protesting red shirts stormed the Parliament compound. It was later imposed in other provinces, mostly in the Northeast, to raise the total number to 24 provinces.