Thai foreign minister Kasit Piromya has confirmed the meeting has been postponed again – tentatively to October. The summit may not be held in Phuket.
Words came out earlier this week that many of the leaders of the ASEAN grouping could not participate on the proposed meeting in Phuket from June 13 – 14 due to scheduling conflicts.
The Thai government has confirmed the meeting will be postponed.
Mr. Kasit said the postponement is necessary because some participating countries are busy with general or by-elections, while leaders of other countries are already committed to visiting other countries next month.
Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said on Wednesday that it was now likely to be pushed back to October — 10 months later than originally planned.
"There are countries that cannot attend the meeting we proposed," Abhisit said, adding that the most likely alternative date was October, when a second ASEAN summit was already due to be held.
Neither the new dates of the summit nor the venue was disclosed by Mr. Kasit.
Abhisit said senior bureaucrats from the 16 countries would discuss new dates at their own meeting on May 19 in Phuket.
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