Thai anti-government protesters wave national flags as they march through Bangkok on Jan. 21. Photo: Christophe Archambault
The government cannot forcibly remove protesters, a Thai court ordered yesterday, effectively pulling the teeth from the emergency decree which has been in effect for the past month.
Although the Civil Court did not void the emergency law, it ruled the government cannot enforce some of its rules. Namely, the court declared that anti-government protesters are unarmed and peaceful, and therefore rules about gatherings of groups and their use of roads could not be enforced. Also, the court forbade the use of force or weapons to end “peaceful protests.”
Protester Thaworn Senneam had challenged the decree in civil court in a lawsuit targeting Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Labour Minister Chalerm Yubamrung who heads the crisis security team and national police chief Gen. Adul Saengsingkaew.
Wednesday’s ruling came one day after an attempt to clear certain protest sites fell to pieces in violence which left at least five people dead and many injured, Bangkok Post reported.
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