The Wireless

Thailand imposes state of emergency

08:23 am on 22 January 2014

Thailand's government has imposed a 60-day state of emergency in the capital Bangkok and surrounding provinces.

The move is to try to contain a protest movement that has blockaded parts of the city in a bid to force Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to resign.

The emergency decree gives security agencies the power to impose curfews, detain suspects without charge, censor media, ban political gatherings of more than five people and declare parts of the capital off-limits.

Anti-government protesters accuse the government of being run by exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, the brother of the current prime minister.

Listen to the story from Radio New Zealand's Morning Report: