PATTAYA - Helicopters began evacuating foreign leaders Saturday after anti-government protests forced the postponement of a major Asian summit in Thailand, AFP reporters and officials said.

Philippines President Arroyo boarded a civilian helicopter which landed on the roof of the luxury beach resort in the coastal town of Pattaya where the meeting was being held, an AFP correspondent said.

Police separately said that Myanmar Prime Minister Thein Sein had been airlifted by chopper to a nearby military airfield.