Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha approved an extension of the state of emergency for another month, maintaining that such an extension has nothing to do with anti-government protests.
The state of emergency is due to expire at the end July, but the CCSA’s subcommittee agreed at a meeting yesterday to propose extending the state of emergency until the end of August.
Government officials insist the emergency measures are for guarding against the resurgence of the coronavirus and unrelated to the ongoing protests.
A large anti-government protest on Saturday drew 2,500 people around the Democracy monument in Bangkok. Student activists announced that more rallies will take place from this week through August.
With the COVID-19 pandemic having devastating effects on the economy, the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce (UTCC) has warned that recent protests by youth movements could increase the risks to the economy, with the annual economic performance this year now expected to shrink by 8-10 percent.
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