October 8, 2008
BANGKOK (AFP) - Thai Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat met foreign ambassadors on Wednesday to try and calm fears of further unrest after deadly clashes in Bangkok, an official statement said.
The meeting, however, had to be cut short after rumours circulated that anti-government protesters were marching on the foreign ministry, prompting the ambassadors and Somchai to leave the building, an AFP correspondent said.
The newly appointed premier told 67 ambassadors that his government would adhere to international law, a day after police pelted thousands of rowdy protesters with tear gas in unrest that left two dead and hundreds injured.
"Our police forces have acted under the framework of the law," he said, according to a copy of his speech released to media.
"We will resolve the domestic problems through the democratic process.... Thailand is a resilient society and has been able to weather political storms in the past with great strength," he told the diplomats.
"Thailand continues to respect all its existing commitments and obligations under international law," Somchai added.
He also tried to ease concerns about the economy, telling the diplomats that foreign investment was still safe in the kingdom.
A planned reception for the ambassadors was called off amid concerns that thousands of protesters were on the way, but the rumours appeared unfounded with only a handful turning up.
Somchai then headed to a hospital to visit police who were injured on Tuesday.
The clashes outside parliament capped months of political unrest, with the People's Alliance for Democracy protest group taking to the streets since May to try and unseat the government.
They claim the administration is acting as a puppet for ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra and also object to plans to amend the constitution.
