Thailand's Caretaker PM may attend ASEAN Summit in Myanmar

BANGKOK, April 29 (TNA) - Thailand's Caretaker Prime Minister and Defence Minister Yingluck Shinawatra may attend the next ASEAN Summit, scheduled to be held in Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar's capital, on May 11, 2014. Caretaker Deputy Prime minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul told journalists on Tuesday that key government figures want the caretaker prime minister to participate in the upcoming ASEAN Summit to inform other member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) of Thailand's political developments. Surapong elaborated that the forthcoming regional gathering will be the last ASEAN Summit, which will conclude preparations for the formation of the ASEAN Community (AC) by next year and Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck can take the opportunity to explain Thailand's updated political situation and secure Bangkok's participation in the AC for national interest. Surapong said, however, that the prime minister will decide by herself whether she will attend the upcoming ASEAN Summit and it is unnecessary to seek the Constitutional Court's postponement of its ruling on her pending cases. According to the caretaker deputy prime minister, if the caretaker prime minister would not attend the next ASEAN Summit, an acting prime minister would attend on her behalf. In his capacity as the chief adviser to the caretaker government-run Center for the Administration of Peace and Order (CAPO), Surapong confirmed, meanwhile, that fewer soldiers and more police officers will be deployed to cope with political demonstrators, reasoning that police can fully enforce laws, and the domestic political tension has eased, the number of demonstrators has dropped and pro-government demonstrators have promised not to confront with anti-government protesters. But the caretaker deputy prime minister noted that soldiers will continue helping guard important places, including the Government House. The caretaker deputy prime minsiter also opined if the Democrat Party agreed to join the next general election, the national situation would be defused. (TNA)