Asean Summit to move to Chiang Mai : PM

Asean members, which includes Brunei, Burma, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Vietnam, will be informed of the decision.

Initially, Asean leaders are scheduled to meet in their annual meeting from December 15 - 18 in Bangkok. However Somchai decided to shift the venue to this northern province hoping to avoid confrontation between pro and antigovernment protestors led by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD).

PAD protesters have occupied the Government House since May.

Somchai who became prime minister late last month has never been able to enter his office in the Government House. He has been working in temporary seat of government in Don Muang International Airport.

Chiang Mai is the hometown and a political power base for ousted premier Thaksin Shinawatra, who is brother in law of Somchai, and the centre of controversies. The antigovernment forces accused Somchai of being Thaksin's proxy.