THAI PROTESTS CANCEL ASIAN SUMMIT

A summit of Asian leaders in Thailand has been postponed after anti-government protesters broke into the venue in the resort of Pattaya.
PM Abhisit Vejjajiva has declared an "extreme state of emergency" in Pattaya, and said his priority was to ensure the leaders got home safely.
Several leaders from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) have now been airlifted from the area.
Thailand has been in turmoil, with the opposition demanding fresh elections.

• The BBC's Jonathan Head in Bangkok says Thais have spent months organising the summit, but security around the venue collapsed in a matter of hours as thousands pushed their way through the police cordon.

• It is a humiliation for the government, our correspondent says. He adds that it raises questions over whether the deep divisions that have emerged in Thai society are also damaging morale in the police and the army.

• The meeting was due to get into full swing on Saturday before concluding on Sunday with a summit due to include India, Australia and New Zealand.

• But as the talks were due to get under way in Pattaya, thousands of red-shirted supporters of ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra smashed into the media centre adjacent to the conference hall.

• Later Prime Minister Abhisit said in a statement broadcast live on TV, "The government has decided to postpone the Asean summit meeting. I have met with other Asean leaders and have told them my decision and they all understood the situation".

Courtesy: BBC News