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BANGKOK : The Thai cabinet agreed on Tuesday to invoke a harsh internal security law for 10 days in central Bangkok to control mass rallies by anti-government "Red Shirt" protesters, the prime minister said.
Abhisit Vejjajiva said the measure would be enforced from Thursday in the city's historic Dusit district, where thousands of red-clad demonstrators loyal to ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra plan to gather on Saturday.
The Internal Security Act (ISA) will remain until October 25, to the end of a summit of the 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their six dialogue partners taking place in the southern resort of Hua Hin.
Red Shirt leaders have said they are planning another rally in Bangkok on October 24, which would coincide with the summit about 200 kilometres away.
"The government will take care of security so the confidence of ASEAN leaders won't be affected," Abhisit told reporters.
Thailand is intent on preventing a repeat of chaotic scenes in April, when the summit was due to be held in Pattaya but was cancelled when Red Shirts stormed the venue, forcing foreign leaders to flee.
Two days of deadly rioting ensued in Bangkok and a state of emergency was declared in the capital.
The meeting had already been postponed from December and moved out of its original location in Bangkok, after rival demonstrators from the anti-Thaksin "Yellow Shirt" movement blockaded the capital's airports.
The government has already agreed to invoke the ISA in Hua Hin for the upcoming summit, which will be attended by the leaders of China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand as well as ASEAN countries.
Thailand plans to mobilise an 18,000-strong security force at the meeting.
The country has been rocked by political turmoil since a September 2006 coup against Thaksin, who now lives in exile to avoid a jail term for corruption.
The kingdom remains deeply divided between his supporters, concentrated in rural areas, and his foes in the Bangkok-based power cliques of the palace, military and bureaucracy.
Last month the ISA was also imposed when least 26,000 Red Shirts took to the streets of Bangkok to mark the coup's third anniversary, demanding new elections and the resignation of Abhisit. - AFP/ms
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