BANGKOK , Thailand -LRB- CNN -RRB- -- Demonstrators stormed a hotel Saturday where Asian leaders were to meet , forcing the indefinite postponement of the Association of South East Asian Nations summit . Thousands of anti-government protesters block a busy intersection during rush hour in Bangkok . Participating Asian leaders were on their way out of the country , according to Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva . He declared a state of emergency in Chonburi province and the southern coastal city of Pattaya , where the summit was to be held , but rescinded the order hours afterward . Thousands of `` red shirt '' protesters , named for the color of their attire , have rallied for days to demand Abhisit 's resignation . The demonstrators flooded into the summit site after smashing through the hotel 's glass doors , but were otherwise nonviolent . Hundreds of them streamed in , without police interference . Protesters hugged the officers and shook their hands . The red shirts have given the prime minister repeated deadlines to resign , but those have come and gone . United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon he was disappointed by the summit 's delay . `` I understand the circumstances that led the Thai government to take this difficult decision . While I had hoped to have exchanges with the leaders of ASEAN and its dialogue partners , I continue to look forward to engaging again with them in the near future , '' Ban said . `` I strongly value the long-standing relationship between ASEAN and the United Nations , and their cooperation in various fields . I hope for an early restoration of normalcy in Thailand and for the settlement of differences through dialogue and peaceful means , '' he added . The protesters are loyal to former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra , who was ousted in a 2006 coup . Thaksin now lives outside of Thailand . The protesters have said Abhisit 's government was not democratically elected and want him to resign and schedule elections . Abhisit , who has held the position for four months , has rejected calls for him to step down . Lawmakers named the 44-year-old , Oxford University-educated Abhisit prime minister in December in the wake of months of demonstrations against Thaksin and his ruling party , People Power Party . On Tuesday , protesters rushed Abhisit 's motorcade while it was struck in traffic . He escaped unharmed . Protesters opposed to Thaksin took to the streets last year wearing yellow shirts , occupied the Government House and blockaded Bangkok 's major international airport , stranding throngs of tourists who provide much of the country 's revenue . The demonstrations ended in early December when a court ruled that the People Power Party was guilty of electoral fraud and threw Thaksin 's brother-in-law out of the prime minister 's seat . The red shirt protesters said this week they would not take over the airports . Dan Rivers and Kocha Olarn contributed to this report .