TCC confirms Chiang Mai meeting

The annual national meeting of the Thai Chambers of Commerce will be held from Nov 27 to 29 in Chiang Mai as planned, the chairman of Chiang Mai Chamber of Commerce Narong Tananuwat confirmed on Tuesday.

“The meeting schedule will not be changed but security measure will be tightened. No TCC member has cancelled their plan to attend the national level gathering," Mr Narong said.

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva is still scheduled to present the keynote speech and chair the closing function on Sunday, he said. This was unchanged at this point.

“The premier is free to cancel his Chiang Mai trip if the security agencies recommend it because of the possible violent demonstration by the red-shirts,” he said.

He was confident that the possible imposition of the Internal Security Act in Chiang Mai during the TCC’s annual meeting would not have any impact on tourism as it would be only for a short period.

However, if the red-shirt demonstration turned violent it would cause harm to the province, he said.
 
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Monday  he had a strong intention to attend because the meeting would help restore confidence in Chiang Mai's economic and development potential. He would listen to the assessment by intelligence officials of the true level of the threat to his life and then make a final decision. 

If the trip was considered too dangerous, then he might have to be satisfied with a phone-in to the meeting instead, Mr Abhisit said.

The prime minister said the cabinet would on Tuesday consider whether to impose the Internal Security Act in Chiang Mai and Bangkok, where the red-shirts plan a prolonged anti-government protest from Nov 28 to Dec 2.