BANGKOK, Jan. 6 (Xinhua) -- Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said Tuesday he is optimistic that Thailand could host the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit next month despite threats by anti-government protesters to block the meeting.

    Abhisit said the upcoming ASEAN summit is a joint effort held by and representing all Thais, and everyone, including opposition political parties, should support the effort as Thailand will be the host.

    The summit is scheduled to be held in Bangkok from Feb. 27 to March 1 after having been postponed from December 2008.

    Abhisit said that Thailand's Foreign Affairs Minister Kasit Piromya will host a meeting Wednesday regarding the summit and it should be finalized whether the venue of the meeting would be altered.

    Thailand's anti-government protesters of the Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD) threatened to blockade any venue at which the ASEAN summit might be held in the kingdom next month.

    ASEAN is comprised of the 10 nations of South East Asia -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.