Thai state of emergency partially lifted as 'Red Shirts' face court

Thailand’s government today lifted a state of emergency in three provinces but kept the decree in place in the capital, as anti-government protest leaders appeared at a Bangkok court to enter pleas on terrorism charges.

Shackled at the ankles, 17 so-called Red Shirt protest leaders denied all charges against them in a preliminary hearing at the Bangkok Criminal Court today.

They are accused of inciting violence, threatening government officials including the prime minister and committing terrorism during 10 weeks of protests and riots earlier this year that left 91 people dead and 1,400 injured.

The next hearing was set for September 27.

A state of emergency was initially declared in April in Bangkok.

It was later extended to cover almost one-third of the country’s 76 provinces and has gradually been lifted in most areas.