09 April 2009, 12:12 am
Asian leaders are gathering today in Thailand for their annual summit. On the agenda this weekend will be the global economic crisis and the security threat posed by North Korea's rocket
The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and its dialogue partners, will be held in the Thai resort of Pattaya from April 10-12.
Attending to discusses trade and economic issues, will be Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam -- and their dialogue partners China, Japan, South Korea, India, Australia and New Zealand.
Security, human rights and geopolitical issues will also be on the ajenda, along with discussion about an Asian Monetary Unit, similar to the old European Currency Unit that eventually led to the creation of the euro.
The summit is being held in Pattaya, about 150 km (90 miles) from Bangkok, to avoid protesters in the Thai capital, who have surrounded Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's offices to force him from power.
On Tuesday, protesters smashed the window of Abhisit's official car following a cabinet meeting in Pattaya to inspect the summit facilities.
The summit was supposed to be held in Bangkok in December after the annual ASEAN leaders' meeting, as is customary. But those meetings were postponed after protesters seized Bangkok's main airport and effectively shut down passenger and cargo traffic.
Stay tuned!
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