Invited to the J.W. Marriott Hotel

[bigben]

Friends & Foes,

On another site a topic was started about the U.S. Embassy notifying their citizens тАЬvia emailтАЭ of a meeting to be held next Monday at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Bangkok.

Of course the Mods, Tweedel Dumb and Tweedel Dee contributed their one line sad jokes at some spelling/typos which resulted in the O/P being disregarded and the topic deserving of an abortion--but I digress. :sign3: :sign3: :sign3:

This тАЬrequestтАЭ from an Embassy inviting their citizens to a meeting in Bangkok at this challenging time of civil unrest, I find a bit odd for the following reasons:

1. If the Embassy has тАЬinside informationтАЭ to share, why not just notify us via email or SMS as have been done the past?

2. Why oh why with all the warnings the past month (including several from the U.S. Embassy and many other countries) about avoiding Bangkok, would they hold the meeting not only in Bangkok, but at the J.W. Marriott Hotel which if my memory serves me correctly, is just a hopтАФskip and a jump from the protest areas?

I guess my question would be why in the world would the Embassy invite their citizens currently living in or visiting Thailand to meet very near to where the protests are being held?

In my limited time on this earth, I have never heard of an Embassy anywhere inviting their respective citizens to meet somewhere for the purpose of a "town-hall" type meeting.

Conspiracy theorists welcome :lam:

Perhaps I am the only one that got the invite letter :yel:

[mahjongguy]

The J. W. Marriott is halfway between Ploenchit and Nana BTS stations. Probably that's as good a choice as any. Beats the Dusit Thani for sure. ;)

The email made no implication that the Embassy has any insider info to share. My guess is just that they want to be seen as pro-actively supporting local Americans, listening to their concerns and explaining the extremely limited ways in which the Consulate can be of service.

It makes perfect sense to me that the meeting is absolutely restricted to U. S. citizens. Upset tourists and ex-pats can't be counted on to speak with discretion.

If I lived in The City I might attend just for the opportunity to be introduced to Eric John. But then I'd have to put on a belt and shoes and stuff. :)

[TrongpaiExpat]

If there's some free food, I might drop in. It could be entertaining.

I was in the US Embassy Consulate section a few days ago and there was a lot extra security. Every time I visit that place there's some sorry-ass American with some sob story thinking that the Embassy is going to help him. This youngish guy, slightly overweight with his shirt tail half out approaches the window as I am waiting and says he wants to speak to someone, he is a teacher and the Thai school that he working for is not treating him fairly--they told him to get out and said they are going to have him arrested. The Consulate officer with a deadpan delivery just said we can't help you, here is a list of Thai lawyers that speak English.

Then not 5 min latter another youngish guy with a pony-tail wants to file a complain on the Embassy because they will not let him in for "sanctuary" He said he had no money and wants someplace to sleep.

Last time I was in the Embassy some old guy came in and said he thinks his Thai wife is giving him a slow acting poison. They gave him a list of doctors that speak English.

[Beachlover]

This would make for great trash viewing... They should film a TV show in the embassy or something.

[bigben]

Mahjongguy,

You are 100% correct, the email doesnтАЩt imply inside information.

My bad.

What I did is put my own little Journalistic spin on it when I read the part about the meeting being тАЬoff the recordтАЭ. :violent1:

I still canтАЩt get my head around the fact that the Embassy is actually inviting all Americans into the heartbeat of the protests when there are so many other places that could have been selected with reasonable transportation available.

I have since decided to miss this тАЬtown-hall, off the record" meeting by the U.S. Embassy. :glasses7:

I hope someone will share what transpires there tomorrow.