To deal sternly with the prolonged anti-government protests, a state of emergency has been declared in Thailand's capital, Bangkok.
The decision to invoke a 60-day state of emergency decree was taken at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday, reports said.
Emergency law gives sweeping powers to security forces. It allows for government curfews, media censorship, and bans public gatherings of more than five people. Under the law, suspects can be detained for 30 days without charge.
Protests have escalated in Thailand since the parliament passed a controversial amnesty bill in November, which was subsequently rejected. The opposition has announced it will boycott the February snap elections, and demands Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's resignation.
Several people were killed or injured in clashes between pro- and anti-government groups during the protests, while the security forces were told to avoid any confrontation with the protesters.
The Opposition has been holding mass protests in Bangkok, and blocking government offices demanding that the current government steps down. The government has deployed some 15,000 military and police to the capital.
Yingluck Shinawatra has rejected calls by the Opposition to quit before February's snap polls.
The weeks-old massive uprising is felled by claims that Yingluck's government is controlled by her brother, former Premier Thaksin Shinawatra now living in exile. He was ousted in a 2006 military coup for alleged corruption.
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