Thai prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra has threatened to walk out of next week's south east Asian summit if neighbouring countries raise their growing concerns about Bangkok's handling of the intensifying Muslim insurgency in southern Thailand.

Mr Thaksin's threat, on the eve of the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) summit, has sent ripples through the region, where leaders have long prided themselves on their ability to avoid airing tensions in public while still discussing sticky issues behind closed doors.