Thailand's PM says order restored after crackdown

BANGKOK: Thailand's Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Friday that order has been restored in Bangkok and the nation's provinces, after an offensive to shut down anti-government protests.

"We have restored order in the capital of Bangkok and the provinces of Thailand," Abhisit said in a nationally televised address, but said there was much work to be done to bring about reconciliation.

"We will continue to swiftly restore normalcy and we recognise that as we move ahead there are huge challenges ahead of us, particularly the challenge of overcoming the divisions that have occurred in this country," he said.