Emergency to be lifted 'cautiously'

Abhisit said he was aware that the state of emergency might be perceived by some people as inhibiting their freedom of expression. The government was determined to end emergency rule and would ensure the just enforcement of security measures, he said.

The authorities would not have needed the emergency power if organisers of red-shirt rallies had abided by the law on peaceful public assembly, he said.

Instead, violence erupted and ill-intentioned people tried to use humans as their shields while instigating the unrest, he said, pointing out that the courts have ruled the rallies illegal and that they took place beyond the sanction of the Constitution.

Echoing a call from the National Reform Committee (NRC), the Chart Thai Pattana Party yesterday urged the government to lift the state of emergency in a speedy manner, voicing concern for the consequences of runaway power.

The junior coalition party also said the government should set clear guidelines for the enforcement of emergency rule to prevent abuses.

"Certain agencies are unwittingly causing problems for the government related to the arbitrary dispensing of emergency power," party spokesman Watchara Kannikar said.

Watchara said his party was worried about a few incidents that should not have happened. Provincial police were rounding up high-school students for displaying banners opposing the state of emergency, and authorities had picked on activists who tried to wrap red cloth around the road sign marking the Rajprasong intersection, the disbanded rally site, he said.

The police were quick to lay charges related to violations of the emergency in lieu of lesser offences, he said.

Watchara said his party viewed the state of emergency as incompatible with the government's efforts to bring about reconciliation.

Former prime minister Anand Panyarachun, in his capacity as the NRC chairman, was right in calling for the end of emergency power, Watchara said, adding that his party was sceptical that reconciliation could be achieved in the face of the state of emergency.

Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul said he fully agreed that the state of emergency should be lifted but that this should hinge on the resumption of normality.

Provincial governors were assessing the areas under emergency rule and would soon submit their recommendations, he said.

NRC member Banthorn Onkham said the call for the lifting of emergency rule was in line with the prevailing sentiment and that the committee deemed the state of emergency as a major obstacle to its job of fostering reconciliation.

Banthorn said the committee had no intention to challenge the government's mandate to dispense the emergency power but at the same time it wanted to remind the authorities not to prolong the state of emergency without justification.

He acknowledged that Anand had initiated the committee's debate on the state of emergency leading to its call for cancellation on Thursday.

Government spokesman Panithan Wattanayagorn said the emergency power would likely be fully revoked by the end of the year.

So far eight provinces have seen emergency rule lifted and a number of areas will soon be taken off the state of emergency, he said, adding that Bangkok was likely to be the last.

The decision to end emergency rule would hinge on seven indicators, including agitation, threats against leading figures, mobilisation of crowds and weapons, and linkage to activities abroad, he said.

"The prime minister is clear on the issue - the state of emergency will be gradually lifted but not in a hasty manner, which could cause the repeat of unrest," he said.

Panithan dismissed speculation that the authorities wanted to keep the emergency power as a tool to track down suspects involved in terrorism and other offences related to the red-shirt rally.

Based on the report of the Department of Special Investigation, some 200 cases involving more than 300 suspects are under various stages of legal proceedings, Panithan said. Most suspects are already in custody, hence there is no justification for seeking extra power to conduct a manhunt, he said.

Panithan said cases involving the red shirts had peaked, with no new charges or suspects anticipated.