Thailand's National Legislative Assembly (NLA) Thursday enacted a new law to annul an order which banned political gathering of more than five people.

The NLA voted unanimously to pass the law in three straight readings, which effectively lifted the ban.

It means that political parties can begin to function again and that gatherings of citizens are permitted.

During the debate on the issue, many NLA members urged the government to speed up the lifting of martial law.

In related action, Defense Minister Boonrawd Somtat said that the martial law, imposed throughout the kingdom following the coup, will probably be revoked prior to Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont's planned trip to Vietnam next week.

"It (martial law) is likely to be lifted before the premier travels to join the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Hanoi November 18-19 in order not to create uneasy feeling among other countries," the minister affirmed.

Gen. Boonrawd said that Council for National Security (CNS) chairman Sonthi Boonyaratkalin and Premier Surayud had discussed the issue and agreed that CNS needed a few more days to decide, and that it is expected that martial law will be revoked very soon.

(Xinhua News Agency November 10, 2006)