Thailand postpones ASEAN Summit to late October

Thailand decided on Wednesday to postpone the ASEAN Summit with dialogue partners from earlier planned mid-June to late October, Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told reporters.

The Thai Foreign Minister’s statement was made to reporters Wednesday afternoon after he participated in the weekly cabinet meeting.

The delay was made after it is discovered the ASEAN and dialogue partner countries’ leaders will not have the same time to participate in the Summits in earlier planned mid-June, clarified Kasit.

Kasit also said that the postponement was not due to chaos, which was made by the Thai anti-government protesters during the ASEAN Summit with dialogue partners at beach resort Pattaya in April.

Initially, the 14th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits were scheduled for April 10-12 in a hotel at resort town of Pattaya, next to Bangkok. However, on April 11 the Thai government announced the postponement of them after the red-shirted or anti-government protesters stormed into the venue.

Hence, previously, Thailand’s government had proposed to the other ASEAN leaders and dialogue partner leaders to host the Summits during June 13-14 in Thailand’s southern province of Phuket.

Kasit said no concerned country had doubted about Thailand’s ability to host the Summits, however, the delay might disappoint the ASEAN and dialogue partner countries.

Thailand plans to finalize the re-scheduled timing for the Summits during a meeting of the foreign ministers from the ASEAN countries in late July, said Kasit.

Also, the Thai government will seek comment concerning the re-scheduled time from the ASEAN’s dialogue partner countries during a meeting of senior officials from the dialogue partner countries on May 19, said Kasit.

However, Kasit said the postponement will not affect an agreement between the ASEAN and Australia, which will be signed during the meeting of the foreign ministers from the ASEAN countries in late July.

Also, an agreement between the ASEAN and China will be signed during a meeting of the economic ministers from the ASEAN countries, said Kasit. However, Kasit did not specify the timing of the ASEAN economic ministers’ meeting.

This year Thailand is the rotating chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations or ASEAN, which consists of Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Laos, Indonesia, Philippines, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

The other concerned countries include China, Japan, South Korea, India Australia, and New Zealand.