Thailand's humiliated PM strikes at protesters

By Bill Tarrant

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, whose gentle treatment of protesters at an Asian summit led to its collapse in chaos, struck back on Sunday, declaring a state of emergency to quell protests in the capital.

Abhisit was humiliated on Saturday when his strategy of avoiding violence with red-shirted supporters of his nemesis, ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, backfired.

The emboldened protesters broke through a cordon of soldiers and hurtled through a glass facade at the media center, shattering as well any chance the East Asia Summit would continue in the southern Thai beach resort of Pattaya.

A visibly angry Abhisit, in a brief statement to reporters after the Asian leaders were evacuated by helicopter and had left the country, declared the protesters enemies of the state.

"On the country's loss today, whoever declares this as victory, I will treat them as national enemies. I will do whatever I can to make sure these people cannot stay above the law."

As he strode briskly from the podium, a Reuters reporter shouted: "Do you plan to resign over this?"

"I have to restore law and order," he replied, without breaking stride.

"ENEMIES OF STATE"