曼谷解除紧急状态

A state of emergency that has been in force in the Thai capital Bangkok for more than eight months is being lifted.

泰国首都曼谷八个月之久的紧急状态被解除。

The special provisions（规定，条款） were introduced during anti-government protests in Bangkok earlier this year.

They gave sweeping¹ powers to the security forces, including the power to detain（拘留） 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.

Comfort zone

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 revert² to an entirely³ normal situation.

The emergency decree（法令，判决） is likely to be replaced by the Internal Security Act which still allows the security forces broad licence to detain suspects without charge, albeit⁴（虽然，即使） for seven rather than 30 days.

The move comes as anti-government protestors appear to gaining in confidence once more.

There are now regular demonstrations⁵ in Bangkok, attracting several thousand people.

But, although they disrupt traffic, the protests have been peaceful, which is presumably why the government now feels comfortable in lifting emergency law.