PM heads to China without Noppadon

The prime minister was accompanied by were Deputy Premier and Commerce Minister Mingkwan Sangsuwan and Army commander-in-chief General Anupong Paochinda.

The foreign minister reportedly had a busy schedule at his ministry yesterday, including a meeting with Japan's Senate speaker.

Samak's trip, which ends on Thursday, is to introduce himself as the new Thai government leader and strengthen bilateral ties.

The premier was scheduled to meet his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao at Beijing's Great Hall of the People yesterday evening.

He is also scheduled to call on Chinese President Hu Jintao this evening and to receive an honorary professorship from Beijing Language and Culture University earlier in the day.

The premier will travel to Guangzhou tomorrow to meet the local business community as well as Thai expatriates living in the city.

Samak will fly from Guangzhou to Brunei on Thursday afternoon. He is scheduled to have an audience with Brunei's ruler, Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, to discuss bilateral ties.

The premier is scheduled to return to Bangkok on Friday evening.

Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Noppadon refused to speak to reporters amid calls for his resignation and rumours that he could be moved out of the post.

Deputy PM Somchai Wongsawat denied that former premier Thaksin Shinawatra tried to influence Samak over a potential Cabinet reshuffle.

He said Samak and Thaksin met by chance at a wedding party for Deputy PM Sanan Kachorn-prasart's daughter on Sunday night. They talked briefly but did not discuss political matters, he said.