Phuket security tightened as ASEAN ministers begin arriving

PHUKET, July 18 (TNA) — Security in the southern Thai resort of Phuket has been tightened as ministers from 27 countries participating in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have begun to arrive, while anti-government protesters have vowed not to hold demonstrations during the meetings.

Lt-Gen. Pichet Wisaijorn, commander of the Fourth Army Region responsible for security in the South, inspected security checkpoints, expressing satisfaction with security preparations people in the province had cooperated well to host the meetings.

Thailand is hosting the 42nd ASEAN Ministerial Meeting (AMM), the Post Ministerial Conferences (PMC) and the 16th ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) from Friday (July 17), running through next Thursday (July 23).

Meanwhile, Sunthorn Tohman, a leader of the anti-government United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), on Saturday led about 60 members to meet Phuket governor Wichai Praisa-ngob, telling him they would travel to the northern province of Chiang Mai  to see Thailand’s new panda cub.

Mr. Sunthorn submitted a letter to the governor, saying that the Red Shirts supported the ASEAN foreign ministers meeting and that the UDD would have nothing to do with any chaos, if it happened, occurring during the meetings as his group is leaving for Chiang Mai.

He said the group would go to see the baby panda at Chiang Mai zoo. The governor supported the trip by giving Bt6,000 to the group and asked the Highway Police to facilitate the trip to Chiang Mai.

However, Mr. Wichai said officials would continue to watch for any untoward incident out