Thailand lifts emergency laws against red-shirt rallies

The special provisions were introduced during anti-government protests in Bangkok earlier this year.

They gave sweeping powers to the security forces, including the power to detain suspects for up to 30 days without charge.

More than 90 people were killed in April and May during clashes between protesters and Thai security forces.

At one stage emergency law was imposed over more than a quarter of the country but it has gradually been lifted as the security situation has improved.

The government has for weeks been suggesting that the emergency law could and should be lifted in Bangkok and surrounding provinces as soon as possible.

Now the powerful Thai military appears to have agreed that the time is right.

But the Thai defence minister has suggested that things will not revert to an entirely normal situation; Kazinform cites BBC News.

See www.bbc.co.uk . for full version.