The plan for our first night in Thailand

My 'sister' Nikki works for Bear Mountain Resort and she and her 'family members' get a super deal on ritzy ditzy hotels all over the world. When Carly, her daughter, went to Thailand a couple of years ago, she booked a hotel room for the first night and she suggested Valerie and I do the same. Since our flight lands in Bangkok around midnight after two days of travel, I thought that was a brilliant idea as opposed to our original plan of finding a place once we got there. In retrospect, perhaps not the best idea we have ever come up with (but knowing our travel history, you will also know it isn't the worst idea Val and I have had in trip planning either).

Anyway. Here is where we will be on our first night in Bangkok. Trust me, this is as lux as we will get. After this it will be the roach ranch and the mosquito motel. So thank you Nikki, none of my other sisters have been so helpful...
Royal Meridien Plaza Athenee Bangkok Hotel

Well, apparently, I can destroy democracy in any country I plan to visit.

So, as most of you may remember, when mom and I booked last year to go to Africa, the Kenyans got into a bit of a scuffle, aka civil unrest (ethnic cleansing type unrest) and our trip was almost cancelled. So now, Valerie and I have booked to go to Thailand and again we are faced with civil unrest up the yingyang. As I'm sure you have heard, protesters (who were fairly disorganized when we booked) got their act together and took over the International Airport in Bangkok. They wanted the president to resign because of his ties to a previous disliked president and because of allegations of corruption.

With the airport occupied, this meant that no one (including hundreds of thousands of tourists) could leave the country as no flights were coming in or out. This went on for a week or so. Things were taking a violent turn with a few granade incidents (no deaths, thank goodness) and tourists were starting to freak out. A couple of Canadian tourists died trying to speed to another airport in Phuket where they heard flights were leaving. Then, all of a sudden, it was over. The president declared he was stepping down and the protesters left the airport the next day. What a civilized group! Non-violent, they left when they got what they wanted, they didn't destroy the airport and they wore nice yellow shirts.

Anyway, for now, things are stable but of course the pundits (cursed pundits!) are saying that this could lead to even more problems with polarization among the population and more problems for the leaders of the country - oh wait, maybe I am talking about Canada and it's new political reality of minority and coalition governments and let's not forget prorouging!. Well, as long as no one starts a protest at the Victoria Airport when we are trying to leave, I can live with it.