A top U.S. envoy has urged the Thai government to lift the state of emergency it has been under since April. Thai authorities say the strict controls are needed to prevent unrest while critics say they are being used to silence government opponents and limit freedom of expression. The U.S. envoy also urged Thailand to push its neighbor Burma for credible elections.
U.S. Undersecretary of State Bill Burns on Friday said he told Thai officials emergency decrees imposed on much of the country ought to be lifted as soon as possible.
The emergency powers allow the government to deploy soldiers to maintain order, detain people without charge for up to a month, and censor the media.
