Govt prepares for possible Obama visit

Preparations have started for US President Barack Obama to make his delayed visit to Thailand pending next month's presidential election, a US Embassy source said yesterday.

Officials from the US Embassy, Special Branch police and the Foreign Ministry yesterday inspected the Government House premises.

The official visit from November 18-19 would depend on Obama getting re-elected for a second term on November 6.

Obama was scheduled to call on Thailand in July while attending the Asean leaders' summit in Cambodia, but the trip was cancelled after Thailand rejected a request by the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration to use U-tapao International Airport for a tropical climate research study. The US also wants to use the naval airport for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief operations.

The US Embassy would not give out details on the plan until it receives an official confirmation from the White House after the election, an embassy official said.

However, officials have met to discuss the possibility of Obama travelling here, the official added.