Thailand has decided to move ASEAN's annual meeting from Bangkok to Chiang Mai seven weeks before the event, citing the pleasant climate in December and a desire to showcase another part of the country. However, officials privately acknowledge that the move is actually an attempt to avoid conflict with the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), which has been protesting in Bangkok since August. Some government officials downplay the significance of the venue change, while Thai media speculate that the PAD may target the summit in an attempt to embarrass the elected administration. Government leaders from the 10 Association of South East Asian Nations countries, along with representatives from China, Japan, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand, are attending the meeting. Diplomats in Bangkok are unhappy about the sudden change in venue, as it is difficult to accommodate the influx of officials and media during the peak tourist season. When Laos hosted the meeting four years ago, they restricted entry to foreign visitors to ensure enough space. A diplomat in Bangkok called the situation a major inconvenience. The expenses for this have not been planned for, and it will be difficult to find hotel rooms during this time. We may have to share rooms and sleep on the floor. The Shangri La hotel in Chiang Mai, where the meeting is being held, has reserved the entire hotel from Dec. 11-19, but existing reservations will not be canceled. The original venue for the meeting, the Centara Grand hotel in Bangkok, does not seem to be aware of the change in location.