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BANGKOK - Thailand's foreign minister said Thursday that a key regional summit was scheduled to go ahead despite concerns from countries all over the world about protests that have shuttered the main
airports.
Sompong Amornviwat, who is stranded in Germany after Bangkok's main international airport was stormed by protesters, said he had been inundated with queries from other foreign ministers asking about the turmoil.
"Several countries are seriously concerned with the incidents happening in our country now - there is no rule of law," the foreign minister told AFP by telephone.
"Many countries are afraid that their embassies may be seized by protesters. Foreign ministers have repeatedly asked me what's happening."
Sompong said the final decision over whether Thailand would host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit scheduled for December in the northern city of Chiang Mai lay with Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat.
"As of now I insist that the summit will proceed as planned but I will discuss this issue with the prime minister and he will make final decision," Sompong said from Frankfurt.
Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam have raised the possibility of postponing the ASEAN summit due to the worsening political crisis in the country.
Sompong had been in Peru with Somchai for the APEC summit. During their absence, protesters stepped up their six-month campaign to topple the government, swarming Suvarnabhumi Airport on Tuesday and shutting it down.
Somchai returned to Thailand on Wednesday on a special flight that landed in Chiang Mai, where he has called a cabinet meeting to address the escalating turmoil.
He has rejected calls by the army chief to hold new elections.
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