State of Emergency Declared in Bangkok on Protest Violence
Jan 22, 2014 6:52:01 GMT -5
Post by popcorn on Jan 22, 2014 6:52:01 GMT -5
State of Emergency Declared in Bangkok on Protest Violence
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra declared a state of emergency in Bangkok yesterday as an escalation of attacks on anti-government protesters threatened to derail elections scheduled for Feb. 2.
Bombings and shootings in the Thai capital have killed one person and injured 70 over the past five days, prompting Army Chief Prayuth Chan-Ocha to call for restraint from protesters and security officials. Suthep Thaugsuban, an opposition politician leading the protests, vowed to continue blockades of major Bangkok intersections that began on Jan. 13.
A state of emergency “is a very risky move from a government that has generally been conciliatory of protesters,” said Kevin Hewison, director of the Asia Research Centre atAustralia’s Murdoch University. “The risk is escalating violence to goad the military to take sides.”
The move marks a shift in strategy by Yingluck, who put up mild resistance as demonstrators calling for an unelected council to take power occupied buildings and streets over the past three months. Thailand last experienced a state of emergency to combat protests in 2010, when Suthep’s Democrat party held power and oversaw a crackdown on protesters loyal toThaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck’s brother, that killed more than 90 people.
Baht Falls
The baht fell 0.2 percent to 32.91 per dollar as of 11:30 a.m. in Bangkok and has weakened 5.5 percent since the protest began Oct. 31, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The cost of protecting Thai dollar-denominated bonds against non-payment for five years increased to 161 basis points yesterday in New York, the highest since June 2012, according to CMA prices.
The benchmark SET Index (SET) of stocks dropped 0.6 percent 1,284.80. The gauge slid 3.5 percent the day after the state of emergency was declared in April 2010. It fell 11 percent in the five trading sessions after the emergency decree was introduced as violence escalated.
“We will start with negotiations,” Yingluck told reporters yesterday. “All officials will be careful, and everything will be done in line with international rules. Please don’t be concerned.”
The emergency decree bans gatherings of more than five people, allows detention without charge and gives soldiers immunity from prosecution. The measure will be in place for 60 days starting today, National Security Council head Paradorn Pattanatabut said, without announcing a curfew.
read more:
www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-21/state-of-emergency-declared-in-bangkok-to-curb-protest-violence.html
Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra declared a state of emergency in Bangkok yesterday as an escalation of attacks on anti-government protesters threatened to derail elections scheduled for Feb. 2.
Bombings and shootings in the Thai capital have killed one person and injured 70 over the past five days, prompting Army Chief Prayuth Chan-Ocha to call for restraint from protesters and security officials. Suthep Thaugsuban, an opposition politician leading the protests, vowed to continue blockades of major Bangkok intersections that began on Jan. 13.
A state of emergency “is a very risky move from a government that has generally been conciliatory of protesters,” said Kevin Hewison, director of the Asia Research Centre atAustralia’s Murdoch University. “The risk is escalating violence to goad the military to take sides.”
The move marks a shift in strategy by Yingluck, who put up mild resistance as demonstrators calling for an unelected council to take power occupied buildings and streets over the past three months. Thailand last experienced a state of emergency to combat protests in 2010, when Suthep’s Democrat party held power and oversaw a crackdown on protesters loyal toThaksin Shinawatra, Yingluck’s brother, that killed more than 90 people.
Baht Falls
The baht fell 0.2 percent to 32.91 per dollar as of 11:30 a.m. in Bangkok and has weakened 5.5 percent since the protest began Oct. 31, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. The cost of protecting Thai dollar-denominated bonds against non-payment for five years increased to 161 basis points yesterday in New York, the highest since June 2012, according to CMA prices.
The benchmark SET Index (SET) of stocks dropped 0.6 percent 1,284.80. The gauge slid 3.5 percent the day after the state of emergency was declared in April 2010. It fell 11 percent in the five trading sessions after the emergency decree was introduced as violence escalated.
“We will start with negotiations,” Yingluck told reporters yesterday. “All officials will be careful, and everything will be done in line with international rules. Please don’t be concerned.”
The emergency decree bans gatherings of more than five people, allows detention without charge and gives soldiers immunity from prosecution. The measure will be in place for 60 days starting today, National Security Council head Paradorn Pattanatabut said, without announcing a curfew.
read more:
www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-21/state-of-emergency-declared-in-bangkok-to-curb-protest-violence.html