KUALA LUMPUR (AFP) - - Malaysia raised doubts Wednesday over whether crisis-hit Thailand will be able to host a Southeast Asian summit, which has already been postponed from December to March.
The venue for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit had also been moved from Bangkok to the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai because anti-government protesters were occupying the capital's two airports.
Malaysian Foreign Minister Rais Yatim expressed "sadness" over the turmoil in Thailand , where the ruling party has been dissolved and Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat barred from politics for five years.
"In terms of the next summit, which we were hoping to be held in Chiang Mai, now it is not to be," Rais told a press conference.
"So we'll have to wait (to see) whether Thailand of the future will be able to furnish for us in ASEAN the commitment for the summit," he said.
"Malaysia only hopes that the next government or the next authority in Thailand would be able to foster and germinate the essentials of ASEAN."
Singapore has urged that the ASEAN talks be held as soon as possible, preferably in January, given the urgent need to discuss the impact of the global financial crisis.
It said that the summit could instead be held at the Jakarta-based secretariat of the 10-member ASEAN.
Rais indicated that bilateral relations with neighbouring Thailand had been affected by the turmoil.
"Of course we would like to see relations with Malaysia in particular develop at a level that is more constructive and lasting," he said.
"We truly hope the system of democracy in Thailand would germinate again and foster the kind of relationships we need within ASEAN."
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