Thai protesters brace for police assault

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Source: Reuters

Protesters laying siege to Bangkok's two airports braced for a battle with security forces on Friday after Thailand's prime minister declared a state of emergency to end a blockade threatening to cripple the economy.

People's Alliance of Democracy (PAD) "security guards," armed with sticks and metal bars, manned a series of makeshift fortified roadblocks on the expressway leading to the capital's $4 billion Suvarnabhumi airport, shut since Tuesday.

There were similar scenes at the city's Don Muang airport, whose closure late on Wednesday severed all air links between the city of 8 million and the outside world.

In a televised address from the government stronghold of Chiang Mai, 700 km (400 miles) north of Bangkok, Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat declared emergency law, saying the export and tourism-driven economy could not tolerate further disruption.

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSTRE4AO4TX20081128