Samak vows to attend UN meeting in New York

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej said that he will attend the UN General Assembly in the US later this month to explain to the world that his government is still functioning and the ongoing protest is conducted by just a group of people.

Samak said he is confident that there will be no army coup d'etat against his government during his absence from the country.

"The world is watching (Thailand)," he said, adding that he and the army chief had already told foreign envoys and military attaches posted to Bangkok that there will be no more coup d'etats.

His predecessor, Thaksin Shinawatra, was toppled by a coup in September 2006 as he was about to address the UNGA in New York. Thaksin later took refuge in London.

Samak said he will take the opportunity of attending the international conference in New York to explain to the UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon and heads of state that his government is still able to control the situation.

Samak said he must attend the General Assembly to inform the world's people that the political turmoil in Thailand now lies within Government House.

"I will inform the world that the protest is conducted within a small area, just a few square kilometres," Samak in his weekly television talk on the state-run NBT station.