Bangkok: In Thailand, the ruling government has imposed a 60-day state of emergency in the capital, Bangkok and the surrounding provinces to contain the prevailing turbulence.

The declaration gives the government a variety of powers to deal the disturbances.

Anti-government protesters blocked parts of the capital and demanded the PM Yingluck Shinawatra to resign.

They accused the government of being run by exiled former leader Thaksin Shinawatra who is the brother of the current prime minister.

Ms Yingluck has refused to resign and announced an election on 2 February as a means to console the protesters.

The decision to impose the state of emergency was taken after a cabinet meeting and came after the outbreak of attacks with explosives and firearms on the anti-government protesters who blocked central Bangkok.

About 28 people were injured when grenades were thrown at one of several protest sites set up at major road sections in the city.

Deputy Prime Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul said that the decision of the cabinet to declare emergency was to take care of the situation and to enforce the law.

Through the emergency the government gets powers to censor the media, ban public gatherings and detain suspected individuals without charge.

It also allows the authority to impose curfews and declare parts of Bangkok as inaccessible.

The Thai government has been considering a state of emergency for weeks. But the practical usage of those powers was not clear to them.