Thailand is considering delaying Asean Summit

Leaders of ten Asean countries plus those of China, Japan and South Korea, are scheduled to meet in Chiang Mai between December 15 to 17.

Sompong who is stranded in Germany after Bangkok's airports was stormed by protesters said he was considering whether to postpone the summit.

The summit was initially planned to held in Bangkok but the government decided to move to Chiang Mai because of the protesters.  

In a telephone interview with the Nation, Sompong said he is taking into consideration other Asean countries' concerns on the political turmoil in Thailand.

Sompong said he had been inundated with queries from other foreign ministers asking about the turmoil, but that the summit will go ahead.

"Several countries are seriously concerned with the incidents happening in our country now," the foreign minister said.

Laos foreign ministry spokesman Yong Chanthalangsy told AFP that prime ministers of Laos, Cambodia and Thailand have asked Asean chief Surin Pitsuwan to consider postponing the meeting,

Surin should "consult the Thai government to see if the summit should go ahead as scheduled or if it should be postponed", Chanthalangsy said of the summit to be held in the northern city of Chiang Mai.

The three leaders want "the Asean summit and other meetings be held successfully," said Cambodia's Foreign Ministry spokesman Koy Kuong.