Bangkok  - Thai opposition leader Abhisit Vejjajiva on Friday pledged to try to host the 14th ASEAN summit in early February if he is elected prime minister next week.

Thailand, which was scheduled to host the 14th summit of the Association of South-East Asian Nations on December 15-18, had to postpone the annual event until March because of political chaos in Bangkok.

Bangkok  - Thailand in 2008 went to the brink of a bloodbath in Bangkok over what amounts to a deep difference of opinion within Thai society on what people want from the democratic process.

The political showdown peaked with the seizure and closure of Bangkok's two international airports on November 26-December 3 by the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) - representing the forces of Thailand's traditional guided democracy - in an exercise that cost the country an estimated 3 billion dollars in lost export and tourism revenues.

Bangkok - Thai police have arrested four foreigners, including two British nationals, one German and a US citizen in a crackdown on sexual abuse of minors in Pattaya beach resort, police said Thursday.

"There are foreign nationals and networks facilitating sexual abuse of minors in Thailand so we needed to crack down on the crime," said police Major-General Chaiwat Kaetworachai, commander of Thailand's Prevention of Crimes Against Women and Children police division.

Bangkok  - The Democrat party secured the backing of four smaller parties Tuesday to form Thailand's next coalition government, but it remained unclear whether it was sufficient to guarantee their lead.

"We reaffirm that our four parties support the Democrats," said Sanan Kacharnprasart, the acting head of the Chart Thai party which together with the Puea Pendin, Matchimathipataya and Ruan Jai Chart Pattana parties have thrown their support behind the Democrats to lead the next government.

But it was unclear Tuesday whether the "Friends of Newin" faction within the defunct People Power Party (PPP) was still backing the Democrats.

Bangkok - Thai shares jumped 4.5 per cent in value Monday on a combination of good news on both the international and domestic fronts.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) index ended at 410.58, up 17.71 points or 4.17 per cent.

"Investors came back to the market because of two bits of good news," said Mongkol Phuangphaetha, an analyst at Adkinsons Securities.

Bangkok - The Democrat party on Monday asked for an extraordinary session of Parliament this week to vote on the nomination of a new prime minister, expected to be their leader Abhisit Vejjajiva.

Democrat secretary-general Suthep Thaungsuban submitted the request to House Speaker Chai Chidchob, who will need a royal endorsement from Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who is head of state, before reconvening parliament to set up a new coalition government.