China protests Falun Gong Bangkok plan

China has objected to the Falun Gong spiritual group's plan to hold a meeting of 500 Thai and overseas practitioners in Bangkok in April.

A Thai Foreign Ministry spokesman has confirmed reports that Thailand's embassy in Beijing had received a complaint over the planned gathering of the sect, which is banned in China as an "evil cult".

He said Thailand was sympathetic to China's stance, but indicated the Government would not prevent the meeting going ahead as long as organisers did not break any laws.