By Piyanart Srivalo

The Cabinet concluded that the emergency decrees were no longer needed since the situation has returned to normal, Government Spokesman Natthawut Saikua said.

The Cabinet meeting was also briefed about the damage - including unpaid water and electric bills amounting to close to Bt3 million (S$0.13 mil) - to Government House after the anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) spent four months camping out at the seat of government.

The Cabinet also discussed how effective the emergency law was since the decrees did not help end the occupations of both Government House and the airports.

Natthawut said acting Public Health Minister Wicharn Meenchainant had proposed that an assessment of the law be taken in order to help prepare for possible similar situations in the future.

The law was employed by then prime minister Samak Sundaravej when Government House was seized in August and afterwards by then PM Somchai Wongsawat when the airports were overrun by the PAD on November 25.

Acting Interior Minister Kowit Watana, a former police chief, defended the emergency law, saying it had helped boost the morale of the police force and gives authorities legal assurance.

It did not help push out the protesters because not enough support was given by the armed forces when requested by police, he added.

Natthawut said Transport Minister Santi Prompat had proposed that state agencies claim legal damages against the PAD leaders as a result of the protests. This will help avoid recurrences.

The PAD has apparently paid Bt425,000 of the total water bill of Bt880,000 but did not pay the electricity bill, which has run up to Bt2.27 million.