Thailand's "red shirts" are rallying in 17 provinces in the North and the Northeast to support their fellow protesters in Bangkok, Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul said on Thursday, one day after a state of emergency was declared to handle the escalating protests in Bangkok.

The Nation online quoted the minister as saying that protests are sprouting up, but there are no reports of any danger.

Local security forces has been instructed to avoid clash with the red-shirted protesters if the latter staged a raid on provincial halls, he said.

Provincial governors are under instruction to enforce a highest- level security to protect government installations in their respective provinces, Chaovarat said.

The anti-government movement has been staging a major rally since March 12 in Bangkok to pressure Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to dissolve the parliament and hold a snap election.