PATTAYA, THAILAND // Thousands of anti-government protesters forced their way into a meeting of Asian leaders yesterday causing its cancellation and forcing a state of emergency in the area. Political heavyweights from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean), who were meeting in the beach resort of Pattaya, east of Bangkok, were taken by helicopter from their hotels as the crowds poured into the convention centre. The abrupt end to the summit has embarrassed the Thai government, led by Abhisit Vejjajiva. "It's a tragedy not only for Thailand, but for Asean as a whole," an Indonesian diplomat said on condition of anonymity. The state of emergency was lifted last night after all the leaders were safe. "Please help us restore democracy," said one protester, a local 38-year-old woman calling herself Nim. "Abhisit stole the power from Thaksin illegally ? I will stay on the streets until this injustice is rectified," she said. About 2,000 red-shirted protesters loyal to the exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra marched through the convention centre, mingled with the journalists outside the main media room, before withdrawing after an hour, having succeeded in ending the summit - one of their immediate key objectives. The protesters were relatively good humoured and well-disciplined, with marshals carefully directing them. Most of the demonstrators were obviously provincial farmers and poor people, many of them from the country's north-east, where Thaksin remains a hero. "The war in Pattaya is over now. Since we have gained victory, all red-shirted people in Pattaya should return to join the rally in front of the Government House," the protest leader, Natthawut Saikua urged his supporters. Thailand's continuing political crisis is far from over, although it may subside now for a few days as the nation celebrates the Buddhist New Year, known as Songkran. The Red Shirts, who are members of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), are demanding that the government led by Mr Abhisit resign and fresh elections be held. They want a return to the constitution of 1997, which was replaced by the military junta that ousted Thaksin in Sept 2006. They believe the current government came to power in a silent coup supported by the country's army. The summit, organised by Thailand as the current chair of Asean, brought together the leaders of the 10 South-east Asian countries, along with China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand for crucial trade and investment talks. It is the second time in months that the summit of Asian leaders has been cancelled because of street protests. The meeting, originally scheduled to take place in mid-December was postponed when anti-government protesters, then clad in yellow shirts, to show their respect for the Thai monarchy, were trying to remove the previous pro-Thaksin government and seized the country's main international airport. The political chaos this caused paved the way for the new Democrat-led government. "Anything can happen now," said Thitinan Pongsudhirak, who teaches politics at Chulalongkorn University. "The Red Shirts have been emboldened by their success over Asean, and have shown that they are a very potent force that has to be reckoned with. They have substantial support throughout the country, and there is now a major nationwide uprising in the making," he added. Many analysts and observers fear that more violence and a possible civil war are now on the cards. Clashes between a new force - calling themselves the Blue Shirts, a vigilante group headed by one of the government's key allies, the MP Newin Chidbob - with the Red Shirts overnight left one demonstrator dead and several others injured, provoking the assault on the convention centre. "Calm, peace and solidarity," proclaims the slogan on the back of the protesters' blue shirts. But television footage shows some of them totting handguns. Two red-shirted protesters were shot, one of whom later died. "They say they are for peace but their actions are the opposite," a Red Shirt leader at the Pattaya protest, Arisamun Pongreungrong, said during their invasion of the conference centre. "Abhisit is a liar and a murderer," he said. "We have broken in here because the police refused to arrest the culprit." Panitan Wattanayagorn, a government spokesman told journalists that the police were investigating the incident. Now the fear is that the Yellow Shirts - the Peoples' Alliance for Democracy (PAD) - may take to the streets again to support the government, in the name of protecting the king. "This is Thug-sin work of art, a masterpiece. We are on the sideline. You will hear from us soon," one of the former PAD leaders, Sutin Wannaboborin, told journalists immediately after the Red Shirts withdrew from the convention centre. "This sort of right-wing backlash can be expected as they will see the continuing rise of the red shirts as an antimonarchy force," said Prof Thitinan. "If they come to the aid of the government, violent clashes are likely, and civil war in the longer run is a distinct possibility." "Talking is the only way ahead," he said. "The government needs to be more conciliatory and the prime minister needs to regain his democratic mandate," he added. But so far there are no signs that negotiations and dialogue are being considered by either side. "Many issues need to be resolved, including constitutional reform, the status of the various extra-political groups on the scene - blue, red and yellow shirts, and the position of Mr Thaksin, before fresh polls can be held and the political crisis resolved," he said. Now the ball is in the government's court as Mr Abhisit considers the next step. Many are predicting that the state of emergency will be extended to cover at least the capital Bangkok, but this is unlikely to deter the Red Shirts who believe they have the government on the run. @Email:ljagan@thenational.ae