House Speaker adjourns joint House/Senate session

BANGKOK, Nov 24 (TNA) – House Speaker Chai Chidchob adjourned Monday's joint session of Members of Parliament and senators after the People's Alliance for Democracy surrounded the compound. The joint session was aimed to consider drafted international conventions and treaties to be signed at next month's Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Thailand's northern city of Chiang Mai, he said. Peoples' Alliance for Democracy (PAD) protesters claimed that they blocked access to Parliament to obstruct amendments to the Constitution from being debated, which they said may be considered during the joint session. Mr. Chai said in a telephone interview that he would reconvene the meeting again when all sides, including the government, the opposition, the senate, and the PAD negotiate and reach a conclusion. In response to the adjournment, PAD leader Pipob Thongchai said the movements leaders had not yet decided if the protesters will remain outside Parliament or move back to their stronghold at Government House. Mr. Pipob said the House Speaker could convene an urgent meeting anytime and that the PAD remained uncertain as to whether a parliamentary session might attempt to amend the Constitution.