ASEAN chief warns Thai people not to cause conflicts

BANGKOK, January 28 (TNA) - ASEAN Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan has warned Thai people not to cause conflicts to maintain Thailand's development opportunities and sound image globally; while urging the Thai government to restore confidence in the Kingdom among international business operators and travellers and to solve people’s problems and all parties in the country to support national reconciliation. In his speech on the future of education in Southeast Asia delivered to students in Bangkok on Friday, the ASEAN secretary-general, who is a former Thai foreign minister, suggested Thai people not to cause conflicts, cautioning that conflicts had cost national image and development opportunities. The ASEAN chief acknowledged that all parties in Thailand have entered into a reconciliation process and the country now has a government elected democratically and checks and balances are functioning in compliance with laws; so, the Thai government should quickly restore confidence in the Kingdom and boost national image. The Secretary-General of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) said that the Thai government should not rush into any sensitive issue which might create conflicts; otherwise it would have to take times to explain such issues instead of being able to implement projects for public and national interest, warning as well if any renewed violence erupted, it would affect the nation as well as neighboring countries which use Thailand as their regional gateway for trade and transportation. The ASEAN chief also urged for careful news releases and news reports about terrorist threats in Thailand because they could concern general people and affect the domestic tourism and the national image. (TNA)