Thailand has decided to move the location of ASEAN's annual meeting from Bangkok to Chiang Mai, citing the pleasant climate and a desire to showcase another part of the country. However, officials privately acknowledge that the decision is actually a response to the ongoing protests by the People's Alliance for Democracy in Bangkok. The last-minute change of venue is seen as an attempt to avoid potential trouble with the protest movement and prevent embarrassment to the government during the summit. Government leaders from the 10 Association of South East Asian Nations countries, along with China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, are attending a summit in Bangkok. Diplomats in Bangkok are unhappy about the sudden change in location, as the city is already crowded during tourist season and may struggle to accommodate the influx of government officials and foreign media. When Laos hosted the summit four years ago, they barred all foreign visitors to ensure enough space. One diplomat in Bangkok described the situation as a major inconvenience. None of this has been planned for financially, and we are concerned about how we will secure hotel rooms during this busy time of year. It seems we will have to share rooms and even sleep on the floor. The Shangri La hotel in Chiang Mai, where the meeting will be held, has confirmed that the entire hotel has been reserved from Dec. 11-19, although existing tourists will not be displaced. It appears that the original venue for the meeting, the Centara Grand hotel in Bangkok, has not been informed about this change.