Blair confirms visit to Bangkok
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Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who is also a deputy prime minister, said yesterday that former British leader Tony Blair would definitely deliver a speech in Bangkok next Monday despite protests against him this week.
He also called on those protesting against Blair and the government’s forum, “United for the Future: Learning from Each Other’s Experiences”, to become part of the solution, adding that the ministry was holding the forum so Thais could learn from other countries’ experiences.
Though he did not wish to brand the protesters as people who wanted to drag society down, he said he really did not understand why they were against Blair so much. The former British PM has been widely condemned for his key role in the 2003 invasion of Iraq.
The protesters claimed that Blair was paid Bt20 million to deliver a speech – a charge the government has denied.
