Building Security, Command & Control

More than 10,000 security forces for renewed ASEAN summits

By Jianggan Li | 13 May 2009

Thailand’s senior officials have been discussing about a proposed security plan to deploy more than 10,000 security personnel to protect the upcoming Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) summits.

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The summits, originally scheduled for April 10-12 in the resort town of Pattaya, were cancelled when anti-government protesters broke the security lines and stormed the venue.

The renewed summits will be held on June 13 and 14 in the resort island of Phuket. Local media in Bangkok reports that two security plans were underway.

The plans will be proposed to the Internal Security Operations Commands before being scrutinised by diplomats from countries attending the summits.

Cordons will be set up around Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort, where the event is to be held, along with the security forces.

A security meeting on Tuesday, chaired by Army Chief of Staff Ratchakrit Kanchanawat, decided that foreign leaders will not be allowed to bring their own armed guards to the event.

“Allowing foreign armed guards will deal a heavy blow to the country’s integrity and security image,” a high level official who attended the planning meeting told Bangkok Post.

However, security chiefs made it clear that they understood why some ASEAN leaders requested for such arrangements, after the unusual episode in Pattaya.

However, anti-government protesters say they will not try to disrupt the meetings in Phuket.