ASEAN Summit: A test for Thai hospitality
ASEAN Summit: A test for Thai hospitality
By Meidyatama Suryodiningrat
BANGKOK (JP): Famous for its hospitality, Thailand is pulling
out all the stops to make sure that every one of the leaders and
some 600 delegates attending the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) Summit has an enjoyable stay.
Logistical preparations can be a nightmare, but Bangkok is not
holding back. It is determined to make the fifth ASEAN Summit as
perfect as possible.
The three main hotels being used as the venue of the Summit
and to accommodate the leaders and their delegations -- the Royal
Orchid Sheraton, the Oriental and the Shangri-La -- have been
priming themselves for the past two weeks.
The Sheraton is forking out about US$20,000 just for flower
decorations, comprised mainly of orchids, for the meetings which
began here last week.
Not only that, it has also had to design a new podium and
sound-system for the Summit's press conference at a cost of over
$11,500.
The seven ASEAN leaders from Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam will hold a Summit
here today, followed by a meeting with leaders from Cambodia,
Laos and Myanmar the next day.
Some 400 rooms of the Sheraton hotel, about half of its total
occupancy, have been allocated for various delegations, with the
Indonesian delegation, its support staff and state-owned
television TVRI occupying most of the rooms on the 24th floor.
Indonesia's President Soeharto will be staying at the Shangri-
La hotel.
The influx of officials and heads of government, however, has
also caused "headaches" for the hotel staff.
The Sheraton hotel has reportedly had to acquire a larger bed
for ASEAN's tallest leader, Singapore Prime Minister Goh Chok
Tong. Apparently officials were worried that the standard size
bed might be too small.
Varying Asian taste buds have also prompted the hotel to
prepare over 30 menus to satisfy the leaders' particular tastes
and fancies.
Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mohamad has demanded the
removal of alcoholic substances from his menu and, along with
Brunei's Sultan Hasanah Bolkiah, that all meals be prepared in
accordance with Moslem custom.
Due to the different venues of the meetings, the hotels are
also providing shuttle-boat services to and from the three
hotels, which are all located along the Chaopraya River.
If nothing else, delegates will have a memorable experience as
they take in the sights of the river and commute from one venue
to the other without the hassle of Bangkok's chronic traffic
jams.
The organizing committee has also waived the one-Baht fee
usually charged to use the toilets at the River City Complex
adjacent to the Sheraton Hotel.
The River City Complex is the sight of the international press
center and briefing rooms for the 700-plus journalists registered
to cover the event.
Silk
Emulating the parade of batik shirts worn by the 18 leaders at
the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation leaders meeting in Bogor,
West Java, last year, Thailand's Prime Minister Banharn Silapa-
archa has custom ordered Thai silk shirts for the ASEAN leaders.
A dark-blue batik shirt has reportedly been ordered for
Soeharto according to his personal preference.
As with any state gathering, a tight security blanket covers
the surrounding areas near the Summit venue. This is done to
insure both a safe, interruption-free meeting and to avoid any
potential embarrassment to leaders from possible demonstrations.
Non-governmental organizations from around the region have
been gathering here since Sunday and reports have been rampant of
possible demonstrations during the Summit.
The most likely would be protests against human rights abuses
in East Timor and the arrival of Myanmarese Prime Minister Gen.
Than Swe at a meeting with the ASEAN heads of state on Friday.
Over 1,000 police officers have been assigned to the Summit
for around the clock surveillance of the three hotels.
Apart from being guarded by their own security, each leader
will be escorted by four Thai officers. Ministers will also
receive similar protection from three specially-assigned
officers.
Security measures were tested on Sunday when an unknown
briefcase was left in the lobby of the Oriental Hotel.
As ASEAN economic ministers continued their meeting inside,
police took great precaution to remove the suspicious briefcase
from the lobby and called in the bomb squad.
Fortunately, the episode turned out to be a false alarm. As it
turned out, the briefcase was accidentally left behind by a Thai
delegate in a rush to attend the meeting.