Thai PM vows legal action against summit protesters

Bangkok: Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva vowed on Sunday to take legal action against anti-government protesters who forced him to cancel a major Asian summit.

"I promise that in the next three to four days there will be legal action taken," Abhisit said in a live national televised address.
Abhisit said he had met military officials to discuss the security failure when demonstrators stormed the regional meetings a day earlier, forcing their cancellation and the emergency rescue of foreign leaders.

"The meeting reviewed the situation and the problems, and agreed that those mistakes should not be repeated," Abhisit said.

He refused to give in to protesters' demands that he step down and call fresh elections.

Also on Sunday, Thai authorities arrested protest leader Arisman Pongruengrong for his role in the break in at the Asean Convention Center.

Thousands of protesters calling for Abhisit's resignation stormed the centre on Saturday, forcing the cancellation of a summit of Asian leaders.

On Sunday, armoured vehicles were seen in the streets of Bangkok following the announcement of an emergency decree to stem anti-government protest across Thailand.

Army spokesman Col. Sansern Kaewkamnerd, however, said the presence of the military in the Thai capital was not a sign of an imminent coup but a measure to restore order.

The armoured vehicles appeared in a busy commercial area of the city not long after Abhisit announced the emergency in Bangkok and surrounding areas.