Summit venue still hangs in balance

He said the government would make the decision about the venue later this week, pending further information from the state agencies concerned, chiefly those involved with security and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The prime minister said the Cabinet would consider several factors, including tourism and the annual vegetarian festival set to coincide in Phuket with the meeting of leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

He added that the date of the summit would remain unchanged, October 23-25.

Last week, Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya said the venue had been changed from the southern resort island to the seaside resort towns of Cha-am in Phetchaburi and Hua Hin in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

He said it might be "inconvenient" to hold the summit in Phuket as local residents would hold their annual vegetarian fair and that the additional security arrangement could negatively impact tourism during that period.

Cha-am and Hua Hin hosted the previous Asean summit between late February and early March. - The Nation on Sunday