BANGKOK, 23 January 2014 Many foreign press agencies have been closely monitoring the ongoing political unrest in Thailand – paying a lot of attention to the government’s decision to impose the Emergency Decree.
The invocation of Emergency Decree in Bangkok and nearby provinces has been the main issue circulating among foreign media as they fear the move would cause the conflict to escalate after months of ongoing protests.
British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) reported the Thai government had imposed the state of emergency for 60 days, beginning on January 22, in order to control the unrest. The announcement was made a week after the protesters had been going all out to paralyze the capital.
Meanwhile, Cable News Network (CNN) said the Emergency Decree would empower state officials to arrest perpetrators without a court order and prohibit any unauthorized person from entering certain restricted areas.
Reuters also reported a similar story, saying the Emergency Decree would allow government authorities to apprehend culprits without actual charges or allegations.
In the meantime, the U.S. Department of State condemned the explosions that took place last week and called on the government to bring the perpetrators to justice as soon as possible. It also urged all sides to exercise restraints and find solution through a peaceful and democratic way.
