Thai PM Says Asean Summit Set For Cha-am, Hua Hin In October

BANGKOK, Aug 24 (Bernama) — Thailand’s Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva Monday said the 15th Summit of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) will be held in Cha-am and Hua Hin as the government plans to enforce the Internal Security Act (ISA) during the meeting in October, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported.

Presiding over a meeting with the agencies concerned regarding the Asean summit, the premier said the Asean summit and related meetings with the regional grouping’s dialogue partners will take place in the seaside towns of Cha-am and Hua Hin in Phetchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan provinces southwest of Bangkok from Oct 23- 25.

Participants in Monday’s meeting included Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban, Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, Police Department Security Advisor Pol Gen Wichien Pojphosri, Defence Ministry Permanent Secretary Gen
Apichart Penkitti and Vitavas Srivihok, Director-General of the Department of Asean Affairs.

To ensure the security during the upcoming summit, the government will enforce the special law around the meeting venues, Abhisit said.

Meanwhile, Suthep, who oversees security matters, said he will discuss with the Council of State to review the draft announcement on regulations and the authority of officials under the ISA before sending it to the Cabinet for approval and enforcement.

The Cabinet previously enforced the ISA during the July Asean meetings in Phuket.

The government earlier planned for the 15th Asean summit and related meetings to be held in Phuket but the prime minister said it might be ”inconvenient” to hold the summit there as the tourist-oriented community will hold its annual vegetarian fair, and that the necessary security arrangements could negatively impact tourism at that time.