Obama To Begin Visit With Tour Of Wat Pho: Bangkok

[webfact]

US PRESIDENT

Obama to begin visit with tour of Wat Pho

PIYANART SRIVALO,

PAKAMARD JAICHALARD

THE NATION

BANGKOK: -- US President Barack Obama's visit to Thailand will not focus solely on important bilateral issues, but will include a cultural element, as the president has chosen to begin his trip with a visit to Wat Pho on Sunday.

The temple will be closed to tourists during his tour of the temple, which will take in four key locations - the main hall, the Reclining Buddha, the Phra Maha Chedi stupa, and the Thai traditional massage sculptures, according to the temple's deputy abbot, Phra Udornkanarak.

"Abbot Phra Suthee Thammanuwat will act as a guide for the US president, who is scheduled to arrive at the temple at 4pm. He is expected to tour the temple for 45 minutes," the monk said.

The temple will be closed to visitors from 10am, and Abbot Phra Suthee Thammanuwat will lead a tour of four sites: the principal hall; the pavilion housing the 43-metre-long Reclining Buddha; the main stupa; and the Contorted Hermit Mount, where hermit statues in traditional exercise postures are on display.

The temple's official name is Phra Chettuphon Wimon Mangkhlaram Ratchaworamahawihan.

The visit is at the initiative of the US Embassy in Bangkok, which contacted the temple before the US presidential election on November 6. The monk quoted US Ambassador Kristie Kenney as saying that Wat Pho is the most beautiful temple in the world. "The temple and Thailand would like to thank the ambassador for helping to choose the temple, which has certainly helped bolster Thailand's reputation."

Unesco listed Wat Pho, also known as the Temple of the Reclining Buddha, on its Memory of the World register in March 2008. The Thai traditional massage sculptures are known all over the world. The temple was the first public university in Thailand and a centre of knowledge for many subjects. Each day, about 10,000 tourists visit the temple, half of them foreigners, the monk said.

After the temple visit, Obama will go to Siriraj Hospital at 5pm for an audience with His Majesty the King, before heading to Government House.

A planned speech in English - which was to have been broadcast live - by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at an event at Government House during Obama's visit on Sunday has been cancelled. Officials feared that a recurrence of her verbal mishaps and mispronunciations, if witnessed globally in real time, could be exploited by her critics and political opponents, as has happened in the past, a Government House source said yesterday. The cancellation was ordered yesterday by PM's secretary-general Suranand Vejjajiva.

"This is meant to prevent such problems from recurring - a lesson learned during a recent trip by US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to Thailand, which continues to have negative resonances and has been continually exploited by [her] political opponents," the source added.

A 40-minute press conference is scheduled, with journalists divided in two teams - one comprising Thai reporters and members of foreign news agencies; and a team of 120 US-based journalists travelling with Obama, the source said. Only four questions will be allowed from the media, two from the US-based reporters and two from the other group.

The US Embassy will make available interpreters and translators, with 100 sets of headphones for impromptu translation readied, while the Thai Foreign Ministry has prepared its own interpreters and translators. "The Americans will deploy their own interpreters and translators for the event. Maybe they are afraid we will give the wrong translation?" pondered the source.

Obama will meet Thailand-based American expatriates in the evening at Chulalongkorn University Sport Complex.

-- The Nation 2012-11-16

[fred007]

Glad to hear to US president will have time to meet His Majesty the King...

Edited November 15, 2012 by fred007

[CelticBhoy]

Hope none of the touts there sell him some dodgy jewellery.

[webfact]

post deleted. use proper language or it will happen again

[sprq]

Hope none of the touts there sell him some dodgy jewellery.

Or tell him it's closed today and they will take him on a special tour instead.

[kirk0233]

As he is visiting head of state, I will assume the usual entrance fee for a farang to visit the temple will be waived.

[Pimay1]

A planned speech in English - which was to have been broadcast live - by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at an event at Government House during Obama's visit on Sunday has been cancelled. Officials feared that a recurrence of her verbal mishaps and mispronunciations, if witnessed globally in real time, could be exploited by her critics and political opponents, as has happened in the past, a Government House source said yesterday.

Now that is really funny.

[XINLOI]

Should let her speak anyway. Obama can't say anything right anyway, without his teleprompter!!

[Payboy]

According to a reliable source (read tuk tuk driver) Wat Pho is unfortunately closed that day due to religious festival. Instead, BO can visit a tailor shop or buy gem stones to sell for profit back home.

[moe666]

The right wing will now be accuseing him of being a buddhist instead of a muslim.

[sprq]

Excellent choice, US Embassy does something right.

[jonb1942]

Hope he remembers to take his shoes off before he goed in.

[animatic]

Interesting protocol problem; the king and the president.

Obviously HRM is not standing a lot lately for health reasons,

but seat placement, heights, entrances, daises, speaking orders, initial politesses, etc,

lots of things for the protocolists to agonize over.

But no doubt it will be handled.

But it is also very nice the president is going, and reiterate on the 180 years of

bilateral ties between the nations and/or HRM predecessors and previous presidents

Edited November 16, 2012 by animatic

[Jingthing]

Some coincidental connections between King Bhumibol and President Obama.

King Bhumibol was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts while his father attended a public health program at Harvard.

Obama went to Harvard Law and grew up to be the most important president in American history for expanding health care to the public, nationalizing a plan hatched in Massachusetts by a one term governor from there.

Edited November 16, 2012 by Jingthing

[Stradavarius37]

I'm going to play for Obama's visit at G' House with my university faculty jazz ensemble. If i get some pics I'll post em up!

[Stradavarius37]

Interesting protocol problem; the king and the president.

Obviously HRM is not standing a lot lately for health reasons,

but seat placement, heights, entrances, daises, speaking orders, initial politesses, etc,

lots of things for the protocolists to agonize over.

But no doubt it will be handled.

But it is also very nice the president is going, and reiterate on the 180 years of

bilateral ties between the nations and/or HRM predecessors and previous presidents

Considering the King was the one who first did away with the "head must be higher than everyone else's during visits", I would imagine it will be a very congenial exchange, and they will both be sitting on chairs next to each other for their photo op.

[Bagwan]

Quote:- The visit is at the initiative of the US Embassy in Bangkok, which contacted the temple before the US presidential election on November 6. The monk quoted US Ambassador Kristie Kenney as saying that Wat Pho is the most beautiful temple in the world. "The temple and Thailand would like to thank the ambassador for helping to choose the temple, which has certainly helped bolster Thailand's reputation." Unquote.

Ambassador Kenney has never been inside St, Pauls Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame or the Vatican then? If she is being literal in using the word 'temple' rather than meaning places of worship, then I guess India and Japan have a few that would set Wat Pho back a few pegs. I suggest that Ms Kenney goes easy with the BS ladle.

[Sateev]

Dopey post of the day:

Quote:- The visit is at the initiative of the US Embassy in Bangkok, which contacted the temple before the US presidential election on November 6. The monk quoted US Ambassador Kristie Kenney as saying that Wat Pho is the most beautiful temple in the world. "The temple and Thailand would like to thank the ambassador for helping to choose the temple, which has certainly helped bolster Thailand's reputation." Unquote.

Ambassador Kenney has never been inside St, Pauls Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame or the Vatican then? If she is being literal in using the word 'temple' rather than meaning places of worship, then I guess India and Japan have a few that would set Wat Pho back a few pegs. I suggest that Ms Kenney goes easy with the BS ladle.

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Payboy]

Quote:- The visit is at the initiative of the US Embassy in Bangkok, which contacted the temple before the US presidential election on November 6. The monk quoted US Ambassador Kristie Kenney as saying that Wat Pho is the most beautiful temple in the world. "The temple and Thailand would like to thank the ambassador for helping to choose the temple, which has certainly helped bolster Thailand's reputation." Unquote.

Ambassador Kenney has never been inside St, Pauls Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame or the Vatican then? If she is being literal in using the word 'temple' rather than meaning places of worship, then I guess India and Japan have a few that would set Wat Pho back a few pegs. I suggest that Ms Kenney goes easy with the BS ladle.

Polishing local balls, part of ambassadors job.

[Bagwan]

Dopey post of the day:

Quote:- The visit is at the initiative of the US Embassy in Bangkok, which contacted the temple before the US presidential election on November 6. The monk quoted US Ambassador Kristie Kenney as saying that Wat Pho is the most beautiful temple in the world. "The temple and Thailand would like to thank the ambassador for helping to choose the temple, which has certainly helped bolster Thailand's reputation." Unquote.

Ambassador Kenney has never been inside St, Pauls Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame or the Vatican then? If she is being literal in using the word 'temple' rather than meaning places of worship, then I guess India and Japan have a few that would set Wat Pho back a few pegs. I suggest that Ms Kenney goes easy with the BS ladle.

Sent from my GT-P1000 using Thaivisa Connect App

Such a stupid response. I am right in assuming that you are yet another victim of the Thai education system? Or trying to be more Thai than a Thai?

[Mole]

Quote:- The visit is at the initiative of the US Embassy in Bangkok, which contacted the temple before the US presidential election on November 6. The monk quoted US Ambassador Kristie Kenney as saying that Wat Pho is the most beautiful temple in the world. "The temple and Thailand would like to thank the ambassador for helping to choose the temple, which has certainly helped bolster Thailand's reputation." Unquote.

Ambassador Kenney has never been inside St, Pauls Cathedral, Westminster Abbey, Sacre Coeur, Notre Dame or the Vatican then? If she is being literal in using the word 'temple' rather than meaning places of worship, then I guess India and Japan have a few that would set Wat Pho back a few pegs. I suggest that Ms Kenney goes easy with the BS ladle.

I'm guessing she meant a temple as in "Wat". If she meant "place of worship" (which is a pretty broad term), she'd probably have used differnt wording.

[Jingthing]

Oy vey! It's really a very nice temple / wat / shul what have you. Let's not make an international incident of this!

Most beautiful, schmost beautiful, it's just a way of speaking. When you see a restaurant saying best hamburger in the world do you take them literally?

(I rather fancy the Blue Mosque ... )

Edited November 16, 2012 by Jingthing

[stoli]

Obama went to Harvard Law and grew up to be the most important president in American history for expanding health care to the public, nationalizing a plan hatched in Massachusetts by a one term governor from there.

It looks like we found another customer that bought drugs from the Nigerian on Walking Street. History judges who is the Most Important President in American History. What an absurd statement. (I didn't know that Obama's wife was a regular contributor on this forum).

[Jingthing]

...

History judges who is the Most Important President in American History.

...

I was talking about the health care issue but I should have added TO DATE. American presidents since FDR have been interested or actively tried to accomplish what Obama did, but Obama ... did. You can disagree with Obama's policies but what he has accomplished with passing and now being able to fully implement/institutionalize the ACA law by being reelected is a massive historical milestone that simply cannot be denied.

Obama isn't yet a so called "great" president like Lincoln, Washington, or FDR, but he has the potential to be, and that is something rare.

Edited November 16, 2012 by Jingthing

[ratcatcher]

I'm going to play for Obama's visit at G' House with my university faculty jazz ensemble. If i get some pics I'll post em up!

Are you on the fiddle?

[Thai at Heart]

Interesting protocol problem; the king and the president.

Obviously HRM is not standing a lot lately for health reasons,

but seat placement, heights, entrances, daises, speaking orders, initial politesses, etc,

lots of things for the protocolists to agonize over.

But no doubt it will be handled.

But it is also very nice the president is going, and reiterate on the 180 years of

bilateral ties between the nations and/or HRM predecessors and previous presidents

I wonder what dinner will be? How does one eat gai yang and somtaam with a Head of State?

[Sanctimonious]

A planned speech in English - which was to have been broadcast live - by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at an event at Government House during Obama's visit on Sunday has been cancelled. Officials feared that a recurrence of her verbal mishaps and mispronunciations, if witnessed globally in real time, could be exploited by her critics and political opponents, as has happened in the past, a Government House source said yesterday.

Now that is really funny.

The really funny thing is that you actually believe a Government House Source gave such a detailed briefing, even funnier still that the Nation thinks it can get away with its "a government source" propaganda BS and think that people believe them.

A detailed "briefing" such as that given above has democrat party written all over it. Next.

[RenaeLindsay]

I want to go see him, anyone know what's required to get in? I'm a American in Bangkok.

[Hugo6]

The right wing will now be accuseing him of being a buddhist instead of a muslim.

they don't care (or know) which religion it is. It's enough if he bows to anyone

[SteeleJoe]

I want to go see him, anyone know what's required to get in? I'm a American in Bangkok.

I'm sure if you just show up at any of the places where he will be and tell the outer ring of Thai security, and after that the US Secret Service, to tell the President that you are American, a few minutes later they will come back saying he said to show you right in...

Just like if you showed up at the White House! (But maybe even faster -- "What? Another American in Thailand?! I've got to meet her!")