Bangkok - Thai Prime Minster Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday lifted the state of emergency he had imposed 12 days ago on Bangkok and surrounding provinces to quell anti-government protests. Abhisit announced early Friday at the end of a two-day joint session of the lower and upper houses of parliament that he had decided to lift the state of emergency to show the government's sincerity in seeking national reconciliation.

Small groups of a soldiers posted at various sensitive locations throughout the capital had been withdrawn from the streets Friday morning.

Bangkok - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Tuesday left behind a looming political crisis in Bangkok to go help the Group of 20 (G20) leaders fight the global economic crisis.

Abhisit, 43, was personally invited by British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to attend Thursday's summit in London even through Thailand is not a member of the illustrious group of the world's 19 largest economies and the European Union.

Thailand's Oxford-educated premier is in London in his capacity as chairman of the 10-member Association of South-East Asian Nations.

Bangkok (Thailand), Mar. 27 : Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday refused to step down, as the anti-government protest raised its tempo.

"Whether I resign or do not resign from my position will be determined under the normal political proccess," the Bangkok Post quoted him as telling reporters at the parliament building.

"I have no engagements there [Government House] today but if I have time I will go there. ''Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban reassures me there is no problem and we are still going into the compound," he added.

Bangkok  - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva plans to propose liberalizing lending by the World Bank and International Monetary Fund (IMF) to crisis-hit developing countries at next month's Group of 20 summit, media reports said Wednesday.

"The World Bank and IMF should come to the aid of emerging-market economies without conditions," Abhisit said in an interview with Thailand's Nation newspaper.

Bangkok - Thailand plans to spend 1.4 trillion baht (38.9 billion dollars) to stimulate the economy over the next three years, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced Tuesday.

Abhisit said the money, to be raised with foreign loans, would be spent on investments in small infrastructure projects in education, transportation, and public health, the Thai News Agency said.

Bangkok  - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Saturday his fugitive rival Thaksin Shinawatra has cancelled his plans to speak to reporters in Hong Kong.

Supporters of the former prime minister said however that Monday's address to the Foreign Correspondents Club of Hong Kong will go ahead.

Abhisit has instructed the foreign ministry and Attorney-General's office to try to extradite Thaksin if he is located in Hong Kong.

"The latest I have learnt (is) that he is cancelling his speech," said Abhisit, quoted in the Nation.