FTI wants decree lifted soon

Industrialists have called on the government to lift the state of emergency in Bangkok and nearby provinces by Wednesday.

The government should negotiate with the red-shirt United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) as soon as possible to avoid further violence and damage in the country, Federation of Thai Industries (FTI) chairman Santi Vilassakdanont said on Monday.

He urged the UDD to negotiate with the government.

It was in thebest interests of the country that the state of emergency be lifted by the end of the Songkran holiday so  people could get back to work normally, Mr Santi said.