Embattled Thai premier off to Laos, Vietnam, New Delhi

It is customary for newly appointed prime minister of the region to make visit to neighbouring countries, especially among Asean members.

Earlier plan to pay a visit to Asean earlier this month was scuttled by political instability inside the country.

Besides Laos, Somchai also plans to visit Hanoi on Thursday and Friday next week to attend the third Summit of the Arrawaddy-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy, a rivers-related regional development forum.

Somchai was also booked to attend the annual meeting of the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multisectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation in New Delhi on November 12-13 and the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in Peru on November 21-23.

Somchai has been premier since September 25 but there was no honeymoon period for the brother-in-law of fugitive Thaksin Shinawatra, the ousted premier at the centre of the anti-government movement.

The People Alliance for Democracy (PAD), a loose coalition of groups opposed to a return to power by Thaksin and his allies, has seized Government House since August 26, depriving Somchai of an office.

Since then, PAD has unleashed followers to taunt him with the "clappers".

 Fears of PAD protests have forced Somchai to shift the venue of the upcoming Asean Summit in mid-December from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, Thaksin's hometown.

 Earlier this month, the army's commander-in-chief, General Anupong Paochinda, appeared on a television programme and called on Somchai to resign for using excessive to crack down on the PAD on October 7, when the anti-government demonstrators had surrounded Parliament House to prevent Somchai from making his policy statement.

Two PAD followers were killed in the resulting melee and about 400 injured.