BANGKOK, Nov. 27 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat Thursday evening declared state of emergency over two Bangkok airports -- the Suvarnabhumi International Airport and DonMueang Airport, which were paralyzed since besieged by anti-government protesters on Tuesday night.
Somchai delivered a national TV speech from northern province Chiang Mai, which started at 9:00 p.m. (1400 GMT) Thursday to announce the emergency decree as the besiege of anti-government protesters have caused great loss to the many industries in the country, including goods export and tourism, which amounts to some 100 billion Thai Baht (2.86 billion U.S. dollars) per day.
The loss related to fresh agriculture products that had awaited for transporting overseas for sale alone, was estimated to at 30 billion Thai Baht (857 million U.S. dollars) to farmer and exporters, Somchai said.
The country's pillar industry -- tourism is also doomed to suffer a lot, which, Somchai said, needs at least another year to recover.
He affirmed that he would not step down despite pressure, saying that whether a government should stay or go should be decided by democracy and laws with the endorsement of majority people. He urged all Thai people to unite in safeguarding national interest and called for their understanding and cooperation with the authorities.
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| Anti-government protesters rest in Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi international airport Nov. 28, 2008. (Xinhua/Reuters Photo) |
He also dismissed rumors about an imminent military coup, saying that he had talked to military top brass, who assured him that the military would not take unconventional actions as way out of the persistent crisis.
He blamed the anti-government movement People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) for "kidnapping" the nation and the people by besieging the two airports as well as other state agencies.
The PAD escalated their "civil disobedience" from Tuesday by leading thousands of protesters to besiege state agencies and then two airports, causing the airports to shut down business, flights canceled and passengers stranded, in a showdown against the Somchai government.
Notably, the premier has sidelined the Army, the most powerful troops in Thai security forces structure.
He did not dictate a specific role for Army Chief Anupong Pachinda, the top military leader, in the enforcement of the decree. Anupong earlier made a proposal for Somchai to dissolve the House of Representatives as step one to reach reconciliation with the PAD, followed with the retreat of PAD from the airports and Government House.
Somchai has declined the proposal, citing that his government was legally elected.
Metropolitan Police Bureau of Bangkok will be in charge of enforcing the decree at Don Muang Airport under supervision of Interior Minister Police General Kowit Wattana, with Air Force while the Royal Navy and the First Region Police Bureau will be responsible for the enforcement at Suvarnabhurmi Airport, according to Somchai.
Somchai said the imposition was temporary, but he did not give a timetable as to when to lift the decree.
On Thursday night, the PAD remained defiant despite that the Civil Court issued injunction for the protesters to leave the two airports.
The PAD also vowed to fight police off if they should forcibly disperse the protesters, but protest leaders at the Government House, which the protesters have occupied since Aug. 26, told supporters that "this may be our last night".
The state of emergency empowered the government to control movement of people and prohibit mass assembly in any specific locations. The prime minister is empowered to exercise the powers through the armed forces.
Government spokesman Natthawut Saikua on Thursday announced after an urgent Cabinet meeting that the government had no intention to remove Army Chief Anupong Paochinda.
There were rumors in the city on Thursday that Army Chief Anupong had given an ultimatum for PM Somchai to dissolve the House before midnight Thursday or stage a coup.
Aupong had consistently said that the military would not stage a coup as it would not solve the problems facing the country.
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