Asean summit venue to be finalized on Monday

PHUKET CITY: Confusion reigns over the siting of the Asean Summit scheduled for October 23 to 25, with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva telling the state-run Thai News Agency that the venue site will not be finalized until next Monday.

Mr Abhisit said yesterday that the agencies involved will meet on August 24 to consider the timetable and venue for the 15th Asean summit and related meetings with its dialogue partners.

Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya said last week that the summit venue had been changed from Phuket to the seaside resort towns of Cha-am and Hua Hin, south of Bangkok.

Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban was quoted yesterday confirming that Cha-am and Hua Hin would host the proceedings.

Mr Abhisit, however, said the exact venue of the summit was still not decided.

Concerned officials are considering several factors before making the final decision, he said.

The prime minister said it might be ‘inconvenient’ to hold the summit in Phuket as the island will be holding its annual Vegetarian Festival and that the necessary security arrangement could negatively impact tourism at that time.

— TNA