Thai PM: Thaksin cancels speech in Hong Kong

HUA HIN, Thailand, Feb. 28 -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said here Saturday that ousted former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has canceled his speech to foreign journalists in Hong Kong.

"The latest I have learnt is that he (Thaksin) is canceling hisspeech," said Abhisit, when he answered a question raised by a reporter from the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post at a press conference after the opening ceremony of the 14th ASEAN Summit.

When asked if he concerned Thaksin's move, the Thai PM said, "My concern is solving problems of the country and pushing the ASEAN forward."

Earlier news reports said that Thaksin planned to make a speech entitled "Financial Crisis, Political Uncertainty: Lessons from Thailand" at the Hong Kong's Foreign Correspondents' Club on Monday.

Meanwhile, Thaksin's legal advisor Noppadon Pattama also confirmed the cancellation, according to a report on the Bangkok Post's website.

Thaksin went on exile after he was ousted in a bloodless military coup on Sept. 19, 2006. The Thai Supreme Court sentenced Thaksin a two-year jail term on corruption charges in October.