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Thai ministry stormed after govt declares emergency
(Agencies)
Updated: 2009-04-12 21:01
BANGKOK -- Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva declared a state of emergency on Sunday to quell political unrest and vowed to take tough action against protestors after they forced cancellation of an Asia summit.

Troops fired into the air when anti-government protestors stormed Thailand's interior ministry on Sunday after Abhisit declared the emergency. They mobbed the prime minister's car as he drove away from the ministry, beating it with clubs.

Thai ministry stormed after govt declares emergency
Thai anti riot-policemen stand guard on the streets near Government House in Bangkok on April 12, 2009. [Agencies]

Supporters of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra stormed the venue of an Asian summit in resort of Pattaya, forcing some leaders to flee by helicopter.

After declaring victory there, they have been gathering all day in central Bangkok and by 1200 GMT their numbers were estimated at around 40,000.

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The cancelled summit has undermined confidence in the government and dealt another blow to the economy, analysts said. 

Thaksin now lives in self-imposed exile but his absence has not healed the divisions between the royalist, military and business elite, who say he was corrupt, and the poor who benefited from his populist policies.

Abhisit appeared on television to warn the Thaksin supporters to stop or face tough measures allowed under the emergency.

"We want to ask you to stop such action. It is necessary for the government to adopt the measures allowed in the emergency decree, in order to get the nation back to peace," he said in a televised statement, hours after his car was attacked.

Some armoured vehicles have appeared on the streets but no action has been reported by security officers.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, who oversees security matters, implored the security forces to do their job.

"Police and military officers must fully and forcefully carry out their jobs lest more damage is done. Actions must be taken promptly and order be restored as soon as possible. Your superiors and I will take responsibility for all your actions," he said in a statement on television.

"Not a Coup"

A Reuters journalist at the Interior Ministry said soldiers initially made no effort to stop the protestors from entering the premises but later fired into the air to stop others getting in.

Some protestors had disabled the tracks of two armoured cars near police headquarters. Others danced on top of the vehicles. Witnesses also saw armoured vehicles at the foreign ministry.

An army spokesman said on television the public should not be alarmed at the movement of such vehicles. This was not a coup, but part of the security measures Abhisit has ordered, he said.

A demonstration at Abhisit's office, Government House -- the focus of the protests since late March -- had earlier appeared to be winding down as people left the capital ahead of the three-day Thai New Year holiday from Monday.

Up to 300 police with riot shields were about 200 metres (yards) from the site.

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