'APEC will never be the same'

Devirupa Mitra, Asia News Network, Bangkok

When the Presidential jets start landing at Don Muang airport in Bangkok this weekend, it will be to a country which has gone to great lengths to make it welcoming -- with streets cleared off stray dogs, beggars and activists and government holidays declared for four days to ease traffic congestion.

The hard work will already have been done by the state leaders' senior officials of the 21 Asia Pacific Economic Co- operation (APEC), who sat down on Tuesday to finalize the agenda for 11th annual meeting.

Terrorism and trade are obviously the twin priorities for this year's meeting.

The 20 leaders will be constantly reminded of the 21st century's greatest threat, from the time that they get into their specially ordered BMW 7 series armored cars, that can resist a 15 kg bomb blast, to the 20,000 strong security bubble which will enclose them during the two-day stay in Bangkok.

From the Bali bombing to the Jakarta J.W. Marriott hotel bomb attack, it has been a year fraught with terror, with governments trying to grapple with not only preventing terrorists from operating, but also choking off their support base.

For the last two years, the APEC summits have been held in the shadow of terrorist attacks. In 2001, the summit was held a month after Sept. 11. Last year, after more than 200 people were killed in the Bali bomb blast, the APEC leaders assembled at Los Cabos, Mexico on Oct. 26.

Naturally, leaders issued long summit statements on implementing counter-terrorism measures, from stopping the flow of funds to adopting standings for biometric applications in entry and exit procedures.

One year later, APEC secretary general, Tej Bunnag said that terror talks would dominate proceedings, with leaders set to "brainstorm" to find solutions.

As the 21 member countries accounting for half of the world's trade, Thailand is also interested in using the summit to try to place multilateral trade talks back on track after the failure of the Cancun round. There is also certain to be some friction over the U.S.'s demand that Asian nations adopt a more flexible currency-exchange regime.

The perennial issue of North Korea, which always inspires a feeling of deja vu with its repetitive exhibits of brinkmanship is also expected to be discussed by the leaders. In 2002, APEC had asked North Korea to give up its nuclear programs but a year on the situation does not seem to have improved by much, with Pyongyang keeping its trade mark rhetoric on full blast on the resumption of its nuclear program.

If the summit seems to give more preference to style than substance, it does not seem to be bothering the chief host.

Thai Prime Minister, Thaksin Shinawatra has been using the summit as a showcase of his managerial skills. His ambition, appears to be to fill in retiring Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad's shoes as the region's new leading figure.

His government has spared no effort to ensure that Bangkok, or at least a small part of it, is the focus of the summit. Thai commentators have exclaimed that the government may be converting Bangkok into a model Potemkin village, as stray dogs and beggars are cleaned out of the streets, but only in a few districts, overnight.

Garbage bins have been removed from 39 roads to be used by APEC delegates, while bronze sculptures and instant fountains have been installed at various strategic locations.

In the run-up to the summit, there were several scare stories of surface-to-air missiles being smuggled into the city, as well as Jamaah Islamiyah leader Hambali confessing to targeting two five-star hotels in Bangkok. Understandably, the security network is garguantan, with a 10,000 strong security and another one hundred thousand people acting as special tipsters for suspicious activates.

And to prevent its' guests any embarrassment, the Thai government has banned all protests and demonstrations. It has even sent a blacklist of 500 activists from 100 countries to embassies and high commission to prevent them entering Thailand.

This has already earned the ire of Thailand's National Human Rights Commission, who blasted the government for violating the United Nations convention on Human Rights, which gives the right to demonstrate in any country.

It will be a royal welcome for the 21 guests, who will return with several gifts, including Thai silk shirts, scarves and Royal Benjarong porcelain.

The Thai PM has claimed that "APEC will never be the same after Bangkok." It will remain to be seen if APEC can become anything more than a photo event for 21 leaders in identical clothes.