THAILAND: Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says his government will host the ASEAN summit

Record ID: 784963

  • Title: THAILAND: Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva says his government will host the ASEAN summit
  • Date: 22nd April 2009
  • Summary: BANGKOK, THAILAND (APRIL 21, 2009) (REUTERS) EXTERIOR OF GOVERNMENT HOUSE THAI PRIME MINISTER ABHISIT VEJJAJIVA WALKING DOWN AFTER CABINET MEETING (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) PRIME MINISTER ABHISIT VEJJAJIVA, SAYING: "What I understand is that the Foreign Ministry is looking at the area in Phuket. We also need to discuss with other countries as well. We need them to be comfortable and confident, then we can continue." ABHISIT LEAVING ABHISIT INSIDE CAR LEAVING PATTAYA, THAILAND (RECENT) (REUTERS) ANTI-GOVERNMENT PROTESTERS OUTSIDE MEDIA CENTER AT ASEAN VENUE TRYING TO GET INSIDE PROTESTERS BREAKING INSIDE SHATTERING GLASSES VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS AT MEDIA CENTER
  • Embargoed: 7th May 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Thailand
  • Country: Thailand
  • Reuters ID: LVA6EUOMVECI7CGPRYAZ716G583T
  • Story Text: Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Tuesday (April 21) that his government will host the next summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) after the meetings in Pattaya earlier this month were cancelled due to anti-government protests.
    After the weekly cabinet meeting at the Government House, the premier told reporters that he had assigned the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to look for a better location to ensure the safety of the 16 leaders expected to attend.

    "What I understand is that the Foreign Ministry is looking at the area in Phuket. We also need to discuss with other countries as well. We need them to be comfortable and confident, then we can continue," said Abhisit.
    The beach resort town of Phuket was initially chosen to hold the ASEAN summit but the venue shifted to Pattaya in April, due to inadequate facilities.
    Abhisit did not give details of when the summit would be held, but said he needed consensus from all dialogue partners to see if June would be a good time for everyone.
    Thousands of red-shirt anti-government protesters broke into the venue of ASEAN summit on April 11 forcing officials to cancel the meeting.
    Heads-of-state were evacuated by helicopter.
    The ASEAN summit was postponed last year after yellow-shirt protesters seized Bangkok's main airports in a dramatic escalation of Thailand's long-running political crisis, which shows no signs of abating.
    The ASEAN summit is expected to focus on the economic crisis, energy, food security and world trade among the 10-member ASEAN countries -- Brunei, Malaysia, Indonesia, Singapore, Laos, Myanmar, Cambodia, Thailand, Vietnam -- and their counterparts from Japan, China, South Korea, India, New Zealand and Australia.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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