ID :
42339
Fri, 01/23/2009 - 17:05
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/42339
The shortlink copeid
RED SHIRT WANTS ASEAN COUNTRIES TO SKIP SUMMIT
BANGKOK, Jan 23 (Bernama) -- The Red Shirt Movement, closely linked to
ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Friday launched its campaign to seek
Asean countries to shun the upcoming the 14th Asean Summit in Hua Hin.
More than 100 supporters, led by former Minister in the Prime Minister's
Office Jakrapob Penkair, handed memorandums to Myanmar and Singapore embassies
in the capital.
The movement is planning to visit seven other embassies of Asean countries
next week, including Malaysia on Jan 28, to hand over letters demanding their
respective governments to skip the Summit scheduled for Feb 27 to March 1.
Jakrapob, who was forced to resign last year over a lese majeste charge,
said the current goverment under Prime Minister and Democrat Party leader
Abhisit Vejjajiva "does not democratically represent the people of Thailand."
"At the outlook, his coalition resembles the one with legitimate majority
and seems politically qualified, but the very conception of such government
can't be remotely considered democratic," he said when handing over the letters
to the representatives of the two embassies.
The Summit was initially slated to be held in Bangkok in December before
Abhisit's predecessor Somchai Wongsawat moved the event to the northern city of
Chiang Mai to avoid massive street demonstrations in the capital.
When Somchai was booted out after his People Power Party was dissolved by
the Constitution Court in December for election fraud, Abhisit managed to
convince other smaller parties to switch camp and was elected as premier by
parliament on Dec 15.
He then moved the Asean Summit to Hua Hin to avoid problems with the Red
Shirt Movement.
Jakrapob said the Abhisit government came into existence only because of the
heavy maneuvering of undemocratic external forces.
He also criticised the appointment of Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya who was
linked to the airport closure by anti-Thaksin group at the end of November.
The Red Shirt Movement said while it supported the Asean framework, it could
not let "a group of ill-conceived political appointees" to represent them at the
Summit.
-- BERNAMA
ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Friday launched its campaign to seek
Asean countries to shun the upcoming the 14th Asean Summit in Hua Hin.
More than 100 supporters, led by former Minister in the Prime Minister's
Office Jakrapob Penkair, handed memorandums to Myanmar and Singapore embassies
in the capital.
The movement is planning to visit seven other embassies of Asean countries
next week, including Malaysia on Jan 28, to hand over letters demanding their
respective governments to skip the Summit scheduled for Feb 27 to March 1.
Jakrapob, who was forced to resign last year over a lese majeste charge,
said the current goverment under Prime Minister and Democrat Party leader
Abhisit Vejjajiva "does not democratically represent the people of Thailand."
"At the outlook, his coalition resembles the one with legitimate majority
and seems politically qualified, but the very conception of such government
can't be remotely considered democratic," he said when handing over the letters
to the representatives of the two embassies.
The Summit was initially slated to be held in Bangkok in December before
Abhisit's predecessor Somchai Wongsawat moved the event to the northern city of
Chiang Mai to avoid massive street demonstrations in the capital.
When Somchai was booted out after his People Power Party was dissolved by
the Constitution Court in December for election fraud, Abhisit managed to
convince other smaller parties to switch camp and was elected as premier by
parliament on Dec 15.
He then moved the Asean Summit to Hua Hin to avoid problems with the Red
Shirt Movement.
Jakrapob said the Abhisit government came into existence only because of the
heavy maneuvering of undemocratic external forces.
He also criticised the appointment of Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya who was
linked to the airport closure by anti-Thaksin group at the end of November.
The Red Shirt Movement said while it supported the Asean framework, it could
not let "a group of ill-conceived political appointees" to represent them at the
Summit.
-- BERNAMA
