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BANGKOK: — Thai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag tendered his resignation to Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej as the government faces mounting pressure to resign enmasse amid street protests, a reliable source disclosed on Wednesday.

His departure came a day after the premier declared emergency rule on Tuesday after clashes between his supporters and anti-government protesters killed one man and injured 43.

Citing his ailing wife to tend to for the reason to call it quits, Mr. Tej had tendered his resignation letter to the premier who has yet to officially approve it, the source said.

However, Mr. Tej is not expected to continue work at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs from Thursday, according to the source.

Mr. Tej, a former permanent secretary for foreign affairs, replaced Noppadon Pattama as foreign minister who had been pressed to resign in the wake of the listing of the disputed Preah Vihear temple as a United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) World Heritage Site.

Mr. Tej held talks with his Cambodian counterpart over the Preah Vihear temple dispute in Siem Reap, Cambodia, one day after he had assumed the ministerial post on July 27.

– MCOT/TNA 2008-09-03

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Foreign Minister Tej quits

BANGKOK: — Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag has tendered his resignation from Samak government, just 40 days after taking the office.

His reported resignation came a few days after his secretary, Poksak Nilubon, former ambassador to Sweden, resigned, saying he could not serve Samak Government.

The sources said Tej, former permanent secretary for foreign affairs, reasoned his resignation that his wife, Pensri, is sick.

Tej has been appointed to the position on July 27 particularly to handle the Thai-Cambodia dispute on Preah Vihear Temple.

It is still unclear why he wished to resign.

Tej is scheduled to visit Vietnam on September 10 and Indonesia from September 16 - 18.

Tej, 65, was the second foreign minister, under Samak Government.

– The Nation 2008-09-03

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Thai Foreign Minister resigns

BANGKOK: — qaThai Foreign Minister Tej Bunnag Wednesday handed his resignation to Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, The Nation news website reported, quoting a foreign ministry source.

The yet to be confirmed resignation came one day after Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej, embattled with a civil movement led by People’s Alliance for Democracy (PAD) to topple his administration, declared a state of emergency in Bangkok, following violent clashes broke out between pro- and anti-government protesters.

The Nation report quoted “a senior ranking foreign ministry official, as well as sources in the Government House” as saying that Prime Minister Samak was trying desperately to get Tej to change his mind. He asked Tej to wait at least until the current political crisis passes by.

There was no official confirmation from the government or Foreign Ministry spokesman yet.

– Xinhua 2008-09-03

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