Thailand on Thursday invoked a special security law to cope with a political rally this weekend in Bangkok, the scene of several outbreaks of violent unrest in recent years.
Police expect tens of thousands of people to attend Saturday’s rally at the Royal Plaza. The demo is organised by the royalist group Pitak Siam, which opposes Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra’s government.
The Internal Security Act (ISA) will be enforced in three districts of the capital’s historic quarter for nine days, officials said after the cabinet approved the measure.
“Based on our intelligence, the rally will be intense with a huge turnout of protesters,” National Security Council chief Paradorn Pattanatabut told reporters.
The security law enables the government to prevent the use of certain routes or vehicles, impose a curfew, ban gatherings, carry out searches of buildings and censor the media.
Nearly 17,000 police will be deployed for the demo, according to officials. It will be the first major street protest against Yingluck’s 16-month-old government.
“Security agencies report that violence might erupt which would result in damage to lives and property,” said Varathep Rattanakorn, minister to the prime minister’s office.