Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva announced on Wednesday that the venue of the 14th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will be moved from the earlier planned Bangkok to central resort town Hua Hin for security reasons.
This is the third announced change of venue of this summit, which was initially planned as tradition to be held in the capital after Thailand took over the ASEAN chairmanship from Singapore last July.
It was later moved to the northern city Chiang Mai after protesters upgraded their siege on the Government House and other state establishments in Bangkok to protest against the former government led by Somchai Wongsawat, who was disqualified early December after a three-month premiership. After Abhisit became Prime Minister in December, the new government turned back to the choice of Bangkok.
Hua Hin is a popular beach resort town in Prachuap Khiri Khan province, some 200 kilometers south of Bangkok, where the summer palace of the Thai royal family is located.
Abhisit also affirmed that the summit would be divided into two parts as the Cabinet made the decision at Tuesday's meeting. The first part -- the Summit of the 10 ASEAN countries is to be held from February 27 to March 1, while the second part, between ASEAN and regional dialogue partners including China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand, will be held around the end of April.
The decision came after the anti-government group Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD), or known as the "red-shirt people", threatened to block the summit venue.
Thai Army chief Anupong Paojinda earlier on Wednesday also warned protesters against obstructing ASEAN summit, saying properly hosting the summit is in the country's benefit.
Thailand's opposition Puea Thai party has called on the postponement of Thailand's hosting of the ASEAN summit, claiming that the general public do not accept the new Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya for his connection with the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), who earlier led the months-long civil demonstrations in central Bangkok and besieged state agencies and airports in an aim to topple the Somchai government.
The ASEAN comprises 10 member countries, namely Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei, Vietnam, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Cambodia.
Source: Xinhua
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