Protests in Thailand force closure of ASEAN meet

Thai army officers get in position to block a protest of supporters of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra in Pattaya. (AFP Photo)

Thai army officers get in position to block a protest by supporters. (AFP Photo)

Supporters of Thaksin shake hands with soldiers blocking the road near ASEAN Summit venue in Pattaya. (Reuters Photo)

A supporter of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin shouts slogans as soldiers block a road in Pattaya. (Reuters Photo)

Supporters of ousted Thai prime minister Thaksin prepare to confront pro-government supporters in Pattaya. (Reuters Photo)

Thaksin supporters clash witn pro-government supporters near the venue of the 14th ASEAN Summit in Pattaya. (Reuters Photo)

Pro-government supporters clash with Thaksin supporters in Pattaya. (Reuters Photo)

THE TIMES OF INDIA
11 Apr 2009

PATTAYA: The foreign ministers of China, Japan and South Korea cancelled a meeting at an Asian summit here on Saturday after Thai anti-government protesters blockaded their hotel, officials said.


Hundreds of demonstrators calling for the resignation of Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva prevented the Japanese minister's car from entering the venue in the beach resort of Pattaya.

The meeting, which was set to discuss North Korea's recent rocket launch and economic issues, was called off after the ministers had waited for an hour, officials from the Chinese and Japanese delegations said.

"The meeting has been cancelled," a senior Chinese official said.

It was the first time that the red-shirted supporters of fugitive former Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra had managed to disrupt the summit programme since they descended on Pattaya a day earlier.

About 2,000 demonstrators on Friday laid siege to the main venue of the meeting of 10 Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) leaders plus their counterparts from China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.

They had dispersed overnight but returned early on Saturday to block the road outside the meeting of the three east Asian nations with taxis and at least two large trucks, witnesses said.