No review of Singapore's use of air base: Thai PM

The Straits Times, February 24, 2007



BANGKOK - THAI Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont said Thailand does not plan to review Singapore's use of an air force base north-east of Bangkok, following protests against the Republic's use of the air base.

'We have no plan to discuss Singapore's use of Udon Thani airport. Our policy is that we would base our consideration on the mutual relationship. Not only with Singapore but other Asean countries as well,' he said.

General Surayud spoke as about 500 protesters gathered at the airport to air their opposition to the use of the air base by Singapore's military.

The protest was organised by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the pressure group behind last year's street demonstrations which led to the ousting of premier Thaksin Shinawatra in a September coup, police said.

They demanded that Thailand review a Thaksin-era pact allowing Singapore's military to use the site.

The rally was the first anti-Singapore protest outside Bangkok amid mounting tensions between the countries after Mr Thaksin, who has been living in exile since the coup, visited Singapore last month.

During his trip, Mr Thaksin met Deputy Prime Minister S. Jayakumar, prompting Thailand to suspend a civil-service exchange programme in protest.

Bilateral ties had already been strained when Mr Thaksin's family sold a 49 per cent stake in Thai telecom giant Shin Corp - founded by the former premier - to Singapore investment firm Temasek in 2006.

The deal angered the Thai public and led to months of street protests which prompted the military coup.

THE NATION/ASIA NEWS NETWORK, AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE