Thailand prepares issues for 20th ASEAN Summit in Cambodia

BANGKOK, March 30 (TNA) - Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra is expected to raise haze-related issues, now posing a big problem in the Thai North and Northeast during the forthcoming 20th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit and related forums, set to be held in Phnom Penh, Cambodia's capital, from March 30-April 4. Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul insisted on Friday that Thailand wants to raise the haze-related problems at the regional level, acknowledging that solutions to the problems, proposed by Thailand, have already been supported by several ASEAN member countries, including Laos, Myanmar and Indonesia. Surapong said that the Thai premier and other ASEAN leaders are expected to also issue a joint communiqué at the end of the upcoming ASEAN summit, calling for regional cooperation in solving the crux. Yingluck is scheduled to attend the 20th ASEAN Summit from April 3-4. According to the Thai foreign minister, he, meanwhile, plans to sign a statement calling for a nuclear-free in Southeast Asia, to be compatible with last week's international nuclear summit held in South Korea, and for the setting up of the ASEAN secretary-general's permanent office, now temporarily located in Indonesia. The Thai foreign minister told reporters that he may discuss with his Cambodian counterpart Hor Namhong, who is Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister concurrently, on ways to secure the release of two Thai political activists, Veera Somkwamkid and Ratree Pipattanpaiboon, on the sidelines of the 20th ASEAN Summit. The two Thai activists were arrested by Cambodian security officers on December 29, 2010 while they were inspecting a contentious border area near the ancient Preah Vihear Temple and have been detained at Prey Sar Prison near Phnom Penh after being sentenced to eight and six years imprisonment respectively on charges of illegal entry onto the Cambodian soil and espionage. (TNA)