Time running out for hosting Apec summit

Bangkok: Thailand is "running short" of time as it prepares to host a regional summit this month while tackling a major political crisis, the head of the 10-nation Southeast Asian grouping said on Sunday.

Surin Pitsuwan, secretary-general of the Association of South East Asian Nations (Asean), stopped short of urging Bangkok to postpone the meeting, but said a delay would allow the group to "prepare better" for the summit.

Thai Foreign Minister Sompong Amornwiwat has said a final decision on the December 13 to 17 Asean and East Asian meetings will be announced tomorrow, exactly a week after anti-government protesters blockaded Bangkok's international airport.

December charter

Surin said Thai leaders told him they were worried a delay could complicate bringing the Asean Charter into force on December 15. The summit was also expected to agree on initiatives to tackle the global financial crisis.

"I assure them that we can rearrange our work plans if Thailand ... decides to postpone it for a few weeks," said Surin, who is a Thai. "A postponement would be good for Asean officials to prepare everything well with Thai officials," he added.

The occupation of Suvarnabhumi airport and the city's older domestic terminal by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) movement have dramatically escalated Thailand's three-year old political crisis.

Thousands of foreign tourists and tonnes of cargo are stranded, prompting dire warnings for the tourism and export-driven economy, already struggling to cope with a global economic slump.

The venue for the summit was moved to the northern city of Chiang Mai, far away from the PAD's Bangkok base, well before this week's protests.

But the chaos in Bangkok led some of Thailand's neighbours to put pressure on Asean to seek a postponement.