Thai PM calls for army after mob forces politicians to flee by helicopter
Thailand's prime minister today declared a state of emergency in Bangkok, handing the army powers to restore order after anti-government protesters stormed Parliament, forcing politicians to flee by helicopter.
Abhisit Vejjajiva interrupted TV schedules to tell the country: "The government has tried its best to enforce the law, but violations of the law have increased.
"The intrusion into Parliament today led me to call an emergency meeting with the Cabinet this evening."
The state of emergency gives the military power to restore order and allows authorities to suspend certain civil liberties and ban all public gatherings of more than five people.
A Black Hawk helicopter rescued politicians, and others tried to climb walls to escape as "Red Shirt" protesters smashed through the compound gate with a lorry and ran up to the second floor while deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban was inside. The protesters later withdrew at the request of opposition politicans.
The government security agency, known as Capo, sent a helicopter carrying five soldiers to the parliament's helipad to pick up the trapped ministers and politicians. Mr Suthep was among those evacuated.
The Red Shirts have been camped in Bangkok since March 12 and say they will continue protests until Mr Abhisit dissolves parliament and calls new elections.
Security forces have made little effort to block their triumphant rallies through central Bangkok.
The Red Shirt movement,the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship,says Mr Abhisit came to power illegitimately after former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra was removed from power by a coup in 2006.
They are made up largely of Thaksin supporters and pro-democracy activists.
Inside parliament, a scuffle broke out between a politician from a pro-Thaksin party and a soldier. He shouted: "This is the parliament. Why are you carrying a gun?" and chased the soldier out of the building where Red Shirts ovepowered him.
Mr Abhisit has cancelled a trip to Washington DC to attend an international nuclear summit on April 12.
The English-language newspaper The Nation, said that yesterday was "arguably the best day so far for the Red Shirts and definitely the worst day" for the prime minister.
