Emergency decree tonight!!

The Cabinet, holding a special meeting in Chiang Mai today, decided to
declare a state of emergency at the country's two major airports: Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang.

Premier Somchai Wongsawat was expected to go on television tonight to assign police to enforce the emergency decree to clear protestors from People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) from the two sites. It is feared that violence may break out if police move in because PAD protestors have vowed to resist any attempt to evict them from the two protest sites.

Rumours of a military coup have intensified today despite Somchai's assurance that he won't sack Army Chief Gen Anupong Paochinda who proposed yesterday that the premier dissolve parliament to call a new election and PAD cease its protest activities.

Anupong today cancelled an earlier scheduled meeting of the Channel 5 board of directors which he chairs. He was said to have been accompanied by Army Chief-of-Staff Gen Pravit Jan-ohcha to have a surprise meeting with Privy Council President Gen Prem Tinsulanonda.

The army spokesman told a press conference that the convoy of tanks spotted on Bangkok streets today was a demonstration for military cadets -- and had nothing to do with any attempted coup.

Once the emergency decree is declared, a new confrontational atmosphere will erupt between police and the protestors. But the private sector has complained bitterly about the damage caused by PAD's seizure of the country's main international airport.