Thailand declares state of emergency amid turmoil

Thailand’s prime minister has declared a state of emergency after violent protests against the country’s Prime Minister turned deadly.

At least one person has been killed. Now mass strikes are planned.

Civil servant unions say they will cut off water, electricity and telephone services to public offices today.

The army has been charged with restoring control to the streets of Bangkok, just two years after the military coup. But this time it is at the government’s behest.

The government claims the People’s Alliance for Democracy, which has a powerbase of businessmen and academics has launched a “guerilla war”.

Under sweeping emergency powers all public gatherings will now be illegal.

But demonstrators claim Prime Minister Samak Sundarevej is corrupt and incompetent, and they have barricaded themselves into his official compound.

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