Thailand's military chiefs yesterday said the country did not need to declare a state of emergency, after Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra threatened to impose one if protests against him turn violent.
"There is no need for emergency rule. That would only hurt the country's image, and the army does not agree with the idea of emergency rule," army commander General Sonthi Boonyaratglin told reporters.
Thailand's top military chief, Supreme Commander Ruengroj Mahasaranond, said emergency rule was meant only for very serious situations and not for non-violent protests like the one currently facing Thaksin.
"The armed forces are under the king and we do everything for the sake of the people. Emergency rule can be declared only if the country is in a riot situation, or if there were an arson attack on public buildings," he said.
Both military leaders have repeatedly assured the public that the armed forces would not step into the political crisis, seeking to ease fears of a coup in a country with a long and relatively recent history of military governments.
Earlier yesterday, Thaksin had threatened to impose emergency rule on Bangkok if a protest outside his office turned violent.
Demonstrators seeking Thaksin's resignation castigated him with fiery speeches but remained peaceful as their latest mass protest passed the 24-hour mark yesterday.
Tens of thousands of demonstrators early yesterday morning marched from a field where they held an all-night anti-Thaksin rally to the prime minister's office, putting the seat of government under virtual -- but calm -- siege.
Thaksin was in the country's northeast, and attended his weekly Cabinet meeting at Government House remotely, by video teleconference.
The prime minister has arranged his schedule to allow him to be out of town during many of the past week's protests against him, depriving his detractors of a chance to confront him with their charges of corruption and abuse of power.
Chamlong Srimuang, a protest leader, said demonstrators would stay outside Government House until Thaksin resigned, but would wait patiently and shun violence.
"If we use violence, it is our fellow Thais who will die," he said.
With Thaksin daily reaffirming that he will not step down, protest leaders have been advocating new actions to pressure him.
A member of the Thai Senate, Maleerat Kaewka, urged the crowd outside Government House to adopt civil obedience.
She suggested that civil servants take extended leave and people not pay their taxes until Thaksin resigns.
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