Thailand May Delay Asean Summit

Written by Gunboy on Wednesday, December 3rd, 2008

BANGKOK, Nov 27 (Bernama) — With two of its airports closed after being taken over by anti-government protesters, Thailand is considering delaying the Asean Summit scheduled from Dec 13 to 18 in Chiang Mai, Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat told the Nation daily.

The daily reported on its website that Sompong, who is stranded in Germany, had said that he was considering postponing the summit and other related meetings following concerns raised by other countries.

“Several countries are seriously concerned with the incidents happening in our country now,” the foreign minister told the daily in a telephone interview.

According to foreign wire reports, the foreign ministers of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam have written to Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan suggesting that the summit be postponed.

Due to the protest, Thailand is also facing problems in getting necessary approvals from its parliament to endorse several key agreements before it could sign them during the summit.

Apart from Thailand, the 10-member Asean comprises Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, Vietnam and the Philippines.

The summit will also be attended by leaders of China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, New Zealand and India.

It was initially scheduled to be held here but the ongoing anti-government protest forced the government to move it to the northern city of Chiang Mai.

Since Monday, the country’s main gateway, the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, as well as the Don Muang Airport have been closed after protesters seeking Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat’s resignation stormed the airports.

Meanwhile, Thailand’s Department of Civil Aviation said it would allow commercial airlines to use the U-Tapao Airport located near Pattaya about 140km from Bangkok.

The airport is currently used by the Royal Thai Navy, as well by some charter planes.

– BERNAMA