A state of emergency has been declared in Bangkok and surrounding areas by the Thai prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, as anti-government protesters stormed the interior ministry.It comes the day after protests that forced the cancellation of a regional summit.Soon after the state of emergency declaration a group of protesters forced their way into the interior ministry and soldiers there made no attempt to stop them, a reporter at the scene said.
There were at least 50 protesters and the number was growing, he said. There were more than 100 soldiers present, he estimated.The protesters said they were looking for Mr Abhisit, who was inside the ministry.Gunshots were fired into the air in the interior ministry compound as protesters chased Mr Abhisit as he escaped in a car, an AFP reporter said.A police spokesman has now said that protesters have seized at least one army tank deployed to enforce the state of emergency in Bangkok"The protest has spread to many parts of Bangkok. Protesters have seized tanks and armoured cars," said Major Gen Suporn Phansua, spokesman for Bangkok Metropolitan Police.He added they were still tallying up how many had been taken by protesters.Minutes earlier protest leader Hweng Tojirakarn announced to supporters outside government offices that the group had taken two tanks and one armoured car in the heart of Bangkok's shopping district.Mr Abhisit has now threatened to use force to purge protesters rallying in the capital, in a live national televised address."I want to tell protesters that you have no right to break the law or to restrict other people's rights. Otherwise the government must implement further measures under the state of emergency," Mr Abhisit said, alluding to using force."I ask the public to remain calm. I'm confident that the government will restore normality to our country," he added.Following the chaos, Thailand's fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra told his rallying supporters he would return to the kingdom if authorities launched a violent crackdown on protests in the capital.In a telephone address to a thousands-strong crowd gathered outside Mr Abhisit's offices, Mr Thaksin said he was closely monitoring the state of emergency."I will closely monitor the situation and if there is any violence I will return to Thailand immediately. I will not allow them (authorities) to use force," he said.Mr Thaksin thanked the army for not using violence against his so-called "Red Shirt" movement and urged them to join his campaign to overthrow the government."The troops who have already come out can come and join the Red Shirts to help us to get democracy for the people," he said, referring to soldiers deployed to enforce the emergency measures."This is a golden minute. We will make history and there will be no more coups in Thailand. We have to help achieve democracy for all of us," he added.Deputy prime minister Suthep Thaugsuban in a national televised address earlier appealed directly to security forces to get tough as they appeared reluctant to deal with anti-government protesters.Mr Thaksin has made a series of addresses by videolink and phone to demonstrators who have congregated in the capital for two weeks.The so-called 'Red Shirts' upped their campaign last week with a huge demonstration in the capital before moving to the coastal city of Pattaya where they stormed a regional summit, forcing its closure yesterday.Police earlier arrested the leader of the protesters who yesterday stormed the luxury hotel venue for the summit at the beach resort of Pattaya.Authorities were forced to scrap the meeting and evacuate foreign leaders, some of them by helicopter from the hotel roof, in a major embarrassment for Mr Abhisit's government.State television said the emergency was imposed "because the situation is worsening with a group of people inciting unrest."* AFP and Reuters