To lift state of emergency

BANGKOK - Thai Government agreed to lift up a State of emergency in Bangkok and surrounding provinces Wednesday, eight months after it was imposed during the extensive and sometimes violent protests in the capital.

However, extraordinary powers, including the right to suspect free of charge for up to a week to keep it says that anti-government groups control is required under a new security law keep the Government of Prime Minister ABHISIT Vejjajiva.

Deputy Government spokesman Supachai Jaisamut said the current security situation no longer justified, the strict control imposed unrest during April of red shirt demonstrators who camped for weeks in a zone that attached wooden piles and tyres in the heart of Bangkok. But the Government has said it feels that Thailand's continue to political turbulence strict others although less powerful, justified security law.

"The Cabinet decided to lift the emergency decree... and replace it with the Internal Security Act", said Mr. Supachai. Occasional protests have continued since the army on the red shirt camp on June 19, cracked down.

During the demonstration of last weeks of rolling clashes between army and shirt red demonstrators 90 people killed and injured more than 1,400. The State of emergency was declared in April in Bangkok after broke from demonstrators in the Parliament building to press their demands for early elections. It was almost a third of 76 provinces later extended to cover and gradually removed in most places other than Bangkok and three nearby provinces.

The State of exception allows the Government to impose sweeping restrictions on civil liberties. It allows the authorities declare curfews, public meetings to prohibit, censor and publications to ban and detention of suspect without up to 30 days for free.

Government officials, under the Decree be placed not examined for misconduct or court. Critics said the Decree was used to harass the Government opponents and selectively enforced.

The Internal Security Act allows the authorities to suspect without having to hold fee up to seven days. It allows also curfews and restrictions on mobility in situations as harmful to national security.

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