Thailand's new security body replacing the Center for the Resolution of the Emergency Situation (CRES) held its first meeting on Wednesday, to define its scope, Thai media reported on Wednesday.

The Situation Monitoring Center (SMC) was set up to replace the CRES on Wednesday under the Internal Security Act (ISA).

CRES was resolved automatically as the cabinet on Tuesday decided to lift the Emergency Decree in the last four provinces, including Bangkok. The cabinet resoved to enforce the ISA via the new security, SMC, instead.

SMC, headed by army chief-of-staff Dapong Rattanasuwan.

It is operating under the Internal Security Operations Command (Isoc), which is existing under ISA.

Representatives of 19 security agencies attended the meeting.

Maj-Gen Dithaporn Sasasamit said SMC's operation, apart from monitoring the overall situation in the country, is to supplement Isoc's five main tasks -- tackling the problems of drugs, illegal alien labor, transnational crime, destruction of natural resources and unrest in three southern border provinces.

The state of emergency was first imposed in May in the wake of anti-government red-shirt demonstration and was ended after the anti-government protest had ended for about seven months.

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