CrazyExpat Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 CHA-AM, Thailand — Thailand has mounted one of its biggest security operations in recent history with more than 36,000 military and police to prevent anti-government demonstrators from overrunning a summit of Asian leaders, an official spokesman said Thursday. The government is still smarting from the storming of the East Asian Summit in April in the seaside city of Pattaya where protesters charged through thin police ranks and forced the evacuation of several leaders by helicopter and boat. Leaders of 16 Asian and Pacific nations, including Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, will gather Friday for an annual conference of the Association of South East Asian Nations in Cha-am, a beach resort 200 kilometers (120 miles) south of Bangkok. About half of the security forces mobilized have thrown a security cordon around this summit venue, backed by 20 armored vehicles, said government spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn. The others will be on alert in the Thai capital. "Security forces have also set up emergency escape routes by land, air and sea," he said. "We don't expect it to be necessary but we want to be ready and to assure leaders that they will be able to meet without distraction." Security forces have also been empowered to impose curfews and restrict freedom of movement around Cha-am and Bangkok. Roadblocks were thrown up around the summit venue Thursday. Sniffer dogs patrolled hotels and even local fishermen were stopped from going out to sea. Thailand has been rocked by years of protest and counter-protest by supporters and opponents of former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was ousted in a 2006 coup on accusations of corruption, abuse of power and disrespect to the country's monarch. Nearly 10,000 demonstrators took to Bangkok's streets last Saturday, demanding a pardon for Thaksin and that he be allowed to return from exile. The three-day conference includes the annual gathering of the 10-member ASEAN leaders and those of China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand. ASEAN groups Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. ASEAN is due to unveil a human rights body for Southeast Asia, sign a declaration on climate change and discuss food security, disaster management, bio-energy and economic integration. The groups aims to set up an economic community by 2015. China wants to expand regional trade and investment and plans a $10 billion infrastructure building fund to deepen ties with its Southeast Asian neighbors. A free trade zone between China and ASEAN is slated to be completed by January 2010. As at previous ASEAN conferences, violation of human rights in military-ruled Myanmar, which joined the group in 1997, will likely cast a shadow over the proceedings. The international community is pressing ASEAN to pressure the junta to reform. http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5jKGSctnevG9LndlMcz4Twj6Kt4jwD9BFVNV00 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lvdkeyes Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 I could be wrong, but I think they will not cause problems in Hua Hin since the King has residence there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 23, 2009 Report Share Posted October 23, 2009 Here is an article from the Nation that reports there will be no "red shirt" violence in Hua Hin. Seems the leaders only want to present a letter to the summit voicing the reasons for the disruption at the earlier failed meeting in Pattaya. "Natthawut Saikua, a red-shirt leader, said Thursday the red-shirt people would not try to disrupt the Asean summit from Friday to Sunday. He said seven representatives of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship would go to Puektian Beach in Phetchaburi on Saturday to submit their letter to show support for the summit and explain what happened during the failed summit in Pattaya. The red-shirts stormed into the summit venue in Pattaya, prompting it to collapse. Natthawut said the seven representatives would travel alone without other demonstrators and would leave after submitting the letter. Arissaman Pongruangrong, who led protesters to disrupt the summit in Pattaya, said representatives of the government and Asean summit would come to receive the letter at the Puektian Beach at 1 pm on Saturday." http://www.nationmul...Asean-summit-Na Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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