Chalerm tells Paradorn to revoke state of emergency

Chalerm said he has asked National Security Council (NSC) chief Lt Gen Paradorn Pattanatabut to revoke the state of emergency imposed in Bangkok and some parts of adjacent provinces to handle the anti-government demonstrations which is due to expire March 23.

He reasoned that the emergency decree is minimally enforced following the Civil Court ruling restricting the CMPO, barring it from performing its duties under the law.

The Civil Court last month ruled that the government-invoked emergency decree remains valid but prohibited the use of force and weapons in any crackdown on protesters who have organised peaceful demonstrations in accordance with their rights stipulated in the Constitution.

He said that it depends on caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to decide whether the emergency decree should be replaced by the Internal Security Act (ISA) or not.

If the ISA is invoked, caretaker deputy premier Surapong Tovichakchaikul who supervises the national police bureau and caretaker justice minister Chaikasem Nitisiri will be in charge of the matter.