Thailand's foreign minister, Kantathi Suphamongkon, says he is working to resolve mounting opposition to Burma's scheduled chairmanship of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Mr. Kantathi spoke to reporters in Bangkok Tuesday, but provided no details about the Thai plan to settle the issue. Burma is in line to chair the association in 2006, but on Monday, more than one-third of Thailand's senators voted to ask their government to oppose Burma's chairmanship.
The Philippines and Malaysia also have expressed opposition to Burmese leadership of the 10-nation regional group. Europe and the United States have raised the possibility of boycotting high-level meetings with ASEAN if Burma assumes the chair without acting on its promise to pursue democratic reforms.