Thailand declares emergency, cuts Summit

Soldiers outside ASEAN summit lectured by a Buddhist monk in Pattaya (Reuters)

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Protesters enter a venue at the 14th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits on 4/11/09. The Asian leaders attending the summit had to be air lifted out after anti-government protesters broke into the conference in Pattaya, Thailand (Reuters/Claro Cortes IV). More photos

PATTAYA, Thailand – Thailand has declared a state of emergency in the town where a summit of Asian leaders was supposed to be held after protesters stormed the venue. The meeting has been canceled.

The decree also covers the area surrounding Pattaya. It gives the military the right to restore order, allows authorities to suspend civil liberties, bans public gatherings of more than five people and bars the media from reporting news that "causes panic."

Thai Prime Abhisit Vejjajiva declared the emergency Saturday after protesters demanding his ouster smashed the glass doors of the summit venue and swarmed the building. Government spokesman Supachai Jaisamuth said the situation was "too violent" for the meeting to take place.

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