ID :
54861
Fri, 04/10/2009 - 21:10
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Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/54861
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Thai PM assures ASEAN summit to proceed despite protests
PATTAYA, April 10 (TNA) - Thai Prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva vowed on Friday a summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and related summits would proceed as planned this weekend, despite anti-government protests which swelled outside the venue on the opening day.
The Thai premier made the comment shortly after protesters temporarily retreated from the summit venue, saying they would only to be regroup on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, the protesters led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) broke through a line of soldiers and police in riot gear toward the entrance of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel where the summits were being held. They demanded a foreign representative receive a letter, charging the host government had no authority to govern Thailand.
Protest leader Arisman Pongreungrong said the protesters had agreed to leave the site after he submitted the letter to Bala Kumar Palaniappan, a representative of the ASEAN Secretariat office, at the hotel.
Mr. Arisman said his group would wait to see whether the government would follow its demands for the premier to resign and the House of Representatives to be dissolved.
Mr. Arisman said the group would spend Friday night at Chon Buri provincial seat and would return on Saturday with more UDD leaders from Bangkok joining.
"We will not block access of other country leaders. We are here to pressure our demands on prime minister Abhisit only," said Mr. Arisman.
ASEAN chief Surin Pitsuwan thanked the protesters for their decision to withdraw from the summit venue and urged them not to disrupt the meeting where the regional leaders were gathered to discuss ways to tackle the economic crisis.
‘"Certainly there is a level of concern, but as I said, it's part of democracy. I think the security situation is manageable. But I also hope this will not happen again tomorrow,’ said Mr. Surin. (TNA)
The Thai premier made the comment shortly after protesters temporarily retreated from the summit venue, saying they would only to be regroup on Saturday.
Earlier in the day, the protesters led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) broke through a line of soldiers and police in riot gear toward the entrance of the Royal Cliff Beach Resort Hotel where the summits were being held. They demanded a foreign representative receive a letter, charging the host government had no authority to govern Thailand.
Protest leader Arisman Pongreungrong said the protesters had agreed to leave the site after he submitted the letter to Bala Kumar Palaniappan, a representative of the ASEAN Secretariat office, at the hotel.
Mr. Arisman said his group would wait to see whether the government would follow its demands for the premier to resign and the House of Representatives to be dissolved.
Mr. Arisman said the group would spend Friday night at Chon Buri provincial seat and would return on Saturday with more UDD leaders from Bangkok joining.
"We will not block access of other country leaders. We are here to pressure our demands on prime minister Abhisit only," said Mr. Arisman.
ASEAN chief Surin Pitsuwan thanked the protesters for their decision to withdraw from the summit venue and urged them not to disrupt the meeting where the regional leaders were gathered to discuss ways to tackle the economic crisis.
‘"Certainly there is a level of concern, but as I said, it's part of democracy. I think the security situation is manageable. But I also hope this will not happen again tomorrow,’ said Mr. Surin. (TNA)
