THAILAND- Thailand is to lift its state of emergency on Wednesday, as tensions ease following weeks of anti-government protests.

Officials say the emergency decree will be replaced by the Internal Security Act.

The 60-day emergency decree, imposed on 22 January in Bangkok and surrounding provinces, gave the government wide-ranging powers to deal with disorder.

Anti-government protesters want PM Yingluck Shinawatra to resign.

The protesters, who began their campaign in November, accuse the government of being run by ousted former leader Thaksin Shinawatra, Ms Yingluck's brother.

They want her government replaced with an unelected "people's council".

At the height of the demonstrations, protesters shut down key road junctions in Bangkok and blockaded government ministries.

Numbers have fallen in recent weeks, however, and the protesters are now mainly occupying a city-centre park.

At least 23 people have died and hundreds have been injured since the protests - Thailand's worst political violence since 2010 - began late last year.

BBC