The government is poised to further lift the state of emergency in selected provinces by this evening, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Wednesday, ahead of the afternoon's meeting with the National Security Council to assess the situation.
"The cancellation of emergency rule will proceed," he said, reacting to concern that the Sunday's bomb attack might result in the prolonged emergency power.
The prime minister earlier said he had the mandate for the lifting of emergency rule without having to seek the Cabinet approval. Today's Cabinet meeting had no agenda for debating emergency rule.