Thai Foreign Minister calls it quits

BANGKOK, Sept 4 (TNA) - Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag tendered his
resignation to Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej as the government faces
mounting pressure to resign enmasse amid street protests, a reliable
source disclosed on Wednesday.

His departure came a day after the premier declared emergency rule on
Tuesday after clashes between his supporters and anti-government
protesters killed one man and injured 43.

Citing his ailing wife to tend to for the reason to call it quits, Mr. Tej
had tendered his resignation letter to the premier who has yet to
officially approve it, the source said.

However, Mr. Tej is not expected to continue work at the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs from Thursday, according to the source.

Mr. Tej, a former permanent secretary for foreign affairs, replaced
Noppadon Pattama as foreign minister who had been pressed to resign in the
wake of the listing of the disputed Preah Vihear temple as a United
Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World
Heritage Site.

Mr. Tej held talks with his Cambodian counterpart over the dispute in Siem
Reap, Cambodia, one day after he had assumed the ministerial post on July
27.

High-level diplomacy has been taking place to reduce escalating tension.
An agreement was reached, following a meeting between Thai and Cambodian
foreign ministers late August, to reduce troop numbers near the temple.
(TNA)