Command & Control

Thai PM confident of security for ASEAN summits

By Alice Kok | 9 April 2009

Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said today that his government will make assurance of security for ASEAN leaders and dialogue partners during the upcoming summit despite mass rally held in Bangkok.

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ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) leaders and their counterparts from China, Japan, the Republic of Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand will meet in Pattaya for the three-day meeting, starting on April 10.

Referring to an attack on his motorcade in Pattaya on Tuesday (7 April 2009), Abhisit said the incident will not affect the ASEAN summit.”All of the leaders still confirm that they will attend the meeting.”

Abhisit held an urgent meeting to assess the situation at the Democrat Party’s headquarters yesterday afternoon (8 April 2009).

He said there would be a security review following the clashes in Pattaya, which saw him and his cabinet trapped inside a hotel for several hours before dozens of protesters smashed the window of his car as he was driven away. “Pattaya police need to improve their work as they were lax on Tuesday”, said Abhisit. “All agencies involved are now reviewing their security plans.”

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya on Wednesday reassured safety for the summit to be held late this week in Pattaya.

“All 15 leaders who are guests of Thailand would be provided with full security for their safety,” Kasit said.

Deputy Metropolitan Police chief Lt Gen Jakthip Chaijinda confirmed that as of 6 pm yesterday local time, the number of the “red-shirted” protesters has risen to more than 100,000.

Police said that the protesters were aiming to besiege the residence of Privy Council President Prem Tinsulanonda, who has been accused by exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra of orchestrating the coup that toppled him in 2006.

Thailand postponed the original summit last year after yellow-clad protesters—those opposed to the previous government’s links to Thaksin—shut down Bangkok’s airports.