Hove MP offers help after coup in Thailand

Hove MP Mike Weatherley has offered his support to Foreign Secretary William Hague after the military coup in Thailand.

Mr Weatherley is the chairman of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG).

The Conservative MP, who welcomed Mr Hague to Hove a week ago, has written to the Foreign Secretary in his capacity as the chairman of the APPG.

The purpose of the group is to foster relations between parliamentarians, other relevant people and political representatives of the members of the Association of South East Asian Nations.

After martial law was declared in Thailand on Wednesday (21 May) and the army ousted the government yesterday, Mr Weatherley wrote to Mr Hague to offer any helpful assistance that he was able to provide in what is a volatile situation.

In his letter, Mr Weatherley also urged the Foreign Secretary to call in the strongest possible terms for early elections based on the established democratic principle of one person, one vote.

Mr Weatherley said: “The military coup in Thailand is extremely concerning and I wholeheartedly support the government’s condemnation of this anti-democratic power grab and hope that open democratic elections will be held as soon as possible.

“It is paramount that any new elections are underpinned by one person, one vote.”