Thai authorities lifted an overnight curfew in Bangkok and 23 provinces today with the law-and-order situation improving after deadly riots last week, prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said.
"We will not have to extend it," Mr Abhisit told reporters, referring to the curfew.
"The situation is under control now."
The curfew was put in place on May 19th after Bangkok suffered the worst riots in the country's modern history. At least 85 people were killed and nearly 2,000 injured since April 10th.
However, emergency laws, first imposed in early April, will remain in place, Mr Abhisit said.
The decree gives the army broad powers, allows authorities to suspend certain civil liberties, bans public gatherings of more than five people and stops media reporting news that "causes panic".
Only one major figure of the Red Shirt protesters - a former pop singer who was among the most radical of the activists - remains at large while eight are being held by authorities.The protestors are loyal to former president Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup.
Elections are seen as a key step toward healing the deep divide that has split Thailand between supporters of Mr Abhisit and the Red Shirts, who are made up mainly of the urban and rural poor and see Mr Abhisit’s government as elitist and illegitimate.
Reuters