Asean Buzz

Asean buzz & first broken glass that is to say. The day before the opening of the 15th Asean Summit in Hua Hin the delegation from Laos suffered a mid-severe accident on the infamously coned Petchkasem main road aka “Asean Lane.” Didn’t see any blood traces, hope the driver and passengers are fine. See the images below – among other visual impressions. Yes that’s Korn.

Where superstition and magic are part of politics, can such a prelude of an accident only be seen as a bad omen? Hua Hin looks kind of eerie. People seem to avoid the sleepy town, everywhere security forces, restaurants empty. Thailand doesn’t leave anything to chance. Around Hua Hin and in Bangkok 36,000 security personnel are on duty. The probably biggest security operation in Thailand’s history shall not only avert a repeat of the Pattaya incident.

Thailand presents herself as a comeback destination of choice. Not only are journalists treated with delicious lunch and dinner buffets at the Sheraton Resort & Spa – you should have tasted Thursday’s Tiramisu. Asian leaders and delegations are pampered with the utmost in luxury. 16.5 million baht for the gala dinner alone – including golden giveaway cutlery? You don’t wanna know what wine they are served.

It’s a make or break operation for Thailand. Having lost face in April, the kingdom cannot afford another embarrassment. Thus the security troops are basically “the last line of defense for the government’s reputation,” The Nation commented in the front page piece The Last Fortress.

All this for what?

The official agenda sounds promising. Thailand takes great pride as the first Asean member state to host two Asean summits during its chairmanship of one and a half years – there are even three summits in as many days! The 15th Asean Summit, the 12th Asean Plus Three Summit together with the leaders of China, Japan and South Korea – and the 4th EastAsia Summit (EAS) to be joined by Australia, India and New Zealand.

Three summits to tackle global challenges ranging from food security to disaster management to achieve concrete and tangible results, says the official Media Handbook. Quite a challenge when Thailand wasn’t even able to fulfill her duties under the chairmanship within the regular one year – and needed another six months.

Because originally to be held in December 2008 that summit consisted of two parts. The first was moved due to the Thai political crisis, the second part was aborted in April due to protesters entering the summit venue in Pattaya.

So they just gave Thailand another half a year.

May this third attempt succeed. Because, as the acting government spokesman was telling Thai media, a smooth summit would restore Thailand’s reputation and put an end to the ghost of Pattaya.




Sphere: Related Content

Related posts on absolutelyBangkok.com:

  1. Abhisit In Wonderland
  2. Those Annoying Torture Memos
  3. The Vongthip Letter Apr 09
  4. The Vongthip Letter Nov 09
  5. Where Are The Tourists?
  6. Thai Govt Welcomes Global Killer Flu
  7. The Vongthip Letter Jun 09

October 22, 2009 | Filed Under News & Media, Photography, Politics 

Comments

One Response to “Asean Buzz”

  1. JJ on October 23rd, 2009 2.29 pm

    What a holy circus of dressed up clowns.

    Preaching humanity without any actual people around:

    http://enews.mcot.net/view.php?id=12426

    Despite the rhetoric of change regarding human rights concerns in the run-up to this weekend’s ASEAN summit, political realism showed its dominance over idealism and the leaders of five Southeast Asian nations refused to meet with civil society representatives, whether at the event or elsewhere.

    Our dear prime minister again manages to whitewash the whole affair.

Leave a Reply