The red shirts yesterday submitted a statement addressed to Asean leaders denying they were responsible for the collapse of the Asean Summit in Pattaya in April.

The delivery of the statement took place amidst tight security at Puek Tian Bean, some 20 kilometres north of the venue of the 15th Summit in Cha-am.

A team of four red shirts, led by Arisman Pongruangrong, handed the statement to the authorities, including Asean Affairs Department director-general Vitavas Srivihok and Asean Secretariat representative Balakumar Palaniappan.

The red shirts claimed they had no intention of disrupting the April summit, but the situation had spiralled out of control after attacks by anti-riot forces and the blue shirts.

The statement went on to voice support for Asean's work even though the red shirts will continue to oppose the current Thai government, which they say lacks legitimacy.

"The red shirts want to clear their name and distance themselves if the current Asean Summit fails," Arisman said after delivering the statement.

He claimed a success in having delivered the statement regardless of tight security.

He said he and a number of red shirts had stayed in Hua Hin for the past couple of days and could have delivered the statement at the meeting venue if they had wanted to do so.

By delivering the statement, the red shirts wanted the world to know the Thai government had not come to power via constitutional means, Arisman added.

In a separate development in Bangkok, Huai Khwang police detained about 10 red shirts before they could rally against chief royal adviser General Prem Tinsulanonda.

Prem was scheduled to have a luncheon at the Huay Kwang Hotel on Ratchadaphisek Road.

After a brief detention, police released the potential protesters without booking them.

--The Nation/ANN