BANGKOK, Jan 12 – Red-shirted anti-Thai government protesters on Monday renewed their threats against Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, demanding that he dismiss Minister of Foreign Affairs Kasit Piromya, else they would block access to the ministry and to Government House.
Chatuporn Promphan, a leading member of United Front of Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), told journalists that his group stood firm on idea of not accepting Mr. Kasit as foreign affairs minister and to represent Thailand in international meetings because the minister is a "terrorist."
If no action is taken against Mr. Kasit, Mr, Chatuporn said, the protesters will lay siege to the foreign affairs ministry before the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit is held and eventually at Government House, Mr. Chatuporn said.
The ASEAN summit is scheduled to be held in the Thai resort town of Hua Hin in late February.
Mr. Kasit was seen on several occasions in the past on the stage of the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), protesters who are rivals to the UDD, when he attacked the former governments of Samak Sundaravej and Somchai Wongsawat, which led to their respective downfalls.
Meanwhile, another leading UDD member, Jakrapob Penkair, said letters will be sent to government leaders of nine ASEAN member countries to explain the current political situation in Thailand, the 'unfitness' of Mr. Kasit as foreign affairs minister and for them to review the plans to attend the ASEAN summit.
Mr. Jakrapob, a former minister to the Prime Minister's Office in the Samak administration, said his group would also submit letters to five permanent members of the UN Security Council — the United States,
Britain, France, Russia and China – on the Thai political situation.
Simultaneously, another group of leading members of UDD told a press conference at a Bangkok hotel that they would submit a letter to Parliament President Chai Chidchob on January 21, demanding a speedy
amendment of the 2007 constitution and for Prime Minister Abhisit to take legal action within one month against the PAD protesters who had occupied Suvarnabhumi Airport late last year.
The UDD also threatened to demonstrate during the ASEAN summit to pressure Mr. Abhisit to dismiss Mr. Kasit.
