Soldiers and tanks have appeared in Bangkok after Thai authorities declared a state of emergency, a day after protests cancelled a major summit of Association of Southeast Asian Nations, ASEA, informs BBC News Sunday.
However red-shirted protesters managed to break into the interior ministry from where the Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva made the announcement. They attacked a car they thought was carrying Mr Abhisit, but the PM was not believed to have been in.
The prime minister later threatened “tough measures” to end the protests.
The protesters have been demanding the resignation of the prime minister.
Anti-government protesters have been blocking access to key government offices in the capital for the past week, but the collapse of the summit was a huge embarrassment to Mr Abhisit and he has promised strong measures to restore order.
A press note from the General Secratariat of ASEAN informs:
Due to the unfortunate turn of events in Pattaya, Thailand, the 14th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, scheduled to take place from 10 – 12 April 2009, will be postponed.
The postponement of the Summits came at a time when the world is looking towards ASEAN and East Asia to contribute to solutions for the ongoing financial and economic crisis. The leaders were expected to discuss plans to cope with the crisis following the G20 Summit in London on 2-3 April 2009.
Leaders from ASEAN, China, Japan and South Korea were also expected to convene in Pattaya to discuss ways and joint responses to boost the regional economies as well as to encourage the early conclusion of the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilaterisation (CMIM) by their finance ministers, which has been enlarged to USD 120 billion following the 13th ASEAN Finance Ministers’ Meeting in Pattaya.
The postponement also delayed the signing of the ASEAN-China Investment Agreement as well as discussion on other pressing issues that the world is facing with now such as food and energy security and disaster management.
Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of ASEAN, appealed for a peaceful end to the protests.
– It is for the interest of all the 570 million peoples in ASEAN that leaders of ASEAN and East Asia are able to come together to discuss and synergize efforts to cope with the many challenges that the world is grappling with now.
Many people are affected by these challenges, and it is imperative that we do not let these efforts be derailed at the expense of the peoples. I will like to appeal for a peaceful end to the protests at the earliest time possible, he said.
