Mentors Posted November 27, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 Thailand is considering delaying Asean Summit By Supalak Ganjanakhundee The Nation Thailand is considering delaying Asean Summit scheduled for next month following the political turmoil which saw anti-government protesters seized Don Muang and Suvarnabhumi airports, Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat said Thursday. Leaders of ten Asean countries plus those of China, Japan and South Korea, are scheduled to meet in Chiang Mai between December 15 to 17. Sompong who is stranded in Germany after Bangkok's airports was stormed by protesters said he was considering whether to postpone the summit. The summit was initially planned to held in Bangkok but the government decided to move to Chiang Mai because of the protesters. In a telephone interview with the Nation, Sompong said he is taking into consideration other Asean countries' concerns on the political turmoil in Thailand. Sompong said he had been inundated with queries from other foreign ministers asking about the turmoil, but that the summit will go ahead. "Several countries are seriously concerned with the incidents happening in our country now," the foreign minister said. Laos foreign ministry spokesman Yong Chanthalangsy told AFP that prime ministers of Laos, Cambodia and Thailand have asked Asean chief Surin Pitsuwan to consider postponing the meeting, Surin should "consult the Thai government to see if the summit should go ahead as scheduled or if it should be postponed", Chanthalangsy said of the summit to be held in the northern city of Chiang Mai. The three leaders want "the Asean summit and other meetings be held successfully," said Cambodia's Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong. http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2008/11/27/politics/politics_30089570.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 Laos foreign ministry spokesman Yong Chanthalangsy told AFP that prime ministers of Laos, Cambodia and Thailand have asked Asean chief Surin Pitsuwan to consider postponing the meeting, Good idea ..for now Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
drogon Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 Yep because if they don't postpone I remember reading somewhere that as long as parliament can't meet there could be no approbation for the agreements, as Thailand is expected to sign many agreements with other ASEAN members it would mean that Thailand would loose a big opportunity and some face I guess as they preside the ASEAN... Correct me if I am wrong Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Faustian Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 Nice to know that Mr. McElroy and Telegraph have an inside source with the TRT/PPP public relations department. Too bad they canâ??t be assed to actually research the issue themselves and find out both sides of the storey.TH Agreed, completely! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.. Posted November 27, 2008 Report Share Posted November 27, 2008 Yes indeedy. Such humour has not been seen here since RY and the US elections thread! Cheers, SD Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mentors Posted November 28, 2008 Author Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 Propud Thailand As Caricarture Opinion Anti-government Protests in Thailand 2008-11-28 13:40 Thailand is sadly turning into a caricature of a nation before the world's very eyes. If the treasonous subversion by a few well-connected agitators is not rolled back and the instigators made to answer to the law of the land, it could be total anarchy soon. The sight of paid ruffians occupying Bangkok's main airports for three days now (even the sensitive control tower was taken over) has been vividly damaging to the country. This was recognised even by Sondhi Limthongkul. He is a key mover behind the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a populist movement which has broken just about every law in the book in facilitating the removal of elected governments that bears traces of Thaksinism and does not accord with his idea of representative democracy. Immodestly, this is based on ability and worth as he defines them. Sondhi apologised to travellers for the airport disruptions, adding the cheerful rider that the action was meant to force Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat's resignation. He should be made to apologise to the entire Thai nation, for sabotaging the national interest. It would be appropriate if he was also taken into custody. At his urging and that of PAD co-leaders such as General Chamlong Srimuang, the elected government under the banner of the pro-Thaksin People's Power Party was reduced to seeking temporary office space in an old airport lounge, and even that has been taken away. Somchai had to conduct a Cabinet meeting in provincial Chiang Mai yesterday (November 27). He is right to refuse calls, from the PAD as well as army chief Anupong Paochinda, to resign and hold new elections. He deserves to win broad support when saying he was staying to defend democracy. This is a test Thailand will not want to fail in. A confrontation is building against the military, which for its own reasons has resisted suggestions from concerned Thais that the army should take control. A military interregnum is not what the country needs, although it is conceded the present mess is worse than a coup situation. For Thailand's sake and the continuance of fragile democratic institutions, no elected government should be run out of office by persons and special interests acting unconstitutionally. The PAD can register itself as a party and try to win office legally, but it must abandon its laughable proposition that only one-third of parliament shall be elected and two-thirds appointed. Class-based representation is the road to perdition. But for the Somchai government to complete its term, the PAD's considerable influence has to wilt by attrition. Time to neutralise its leadership? (The Straits Times/ANN) http://www.mysinchew.com/node/18632 :alert: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 This just in This is the first news report where they say the Thai Police and the airports are actually talking, not "to talk". Thai police began talks with anti-government protesters blockading Bangkok two airports this morning, as Somchai Wongsawat, the Prime Minister, said he would not tolerate further disruption. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Torneyboy Posted November 28, 2008 Report Share Posted November 28, 2008 As police and members of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) started negotiations, a senior police office said his men would move against the demonstrators if they did not leave the airports. About time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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