Govt extends emergency law in the deep south

The extension of the enforcement enable security officials on the ground to contain violence erupted in the predominantly Muslim region since the beginning of 2004, said deputy spokesman Natthawat Sutthiyothin.

The emergency law came into force since 2005 authorised the government to announce the renewable state of emergency for three months time in the unrest area and empower officials to have more certain level of liberty to deal with the situation.

Under the law, officials could detain suspects without charge for maximum 30 days. About 350 suspects have been rounded up and detained under the law in the past few weeks.