Thailand Top 10

As Larrie mentioned in an earlier post, we spent a weekend in Thailand. That weekend was just when the country was starting to experience some political instability, but before things got violent. Still, personally, I think the Hyatt should have demonstrated due diligence and revealed to us that a convention with high ranking foreign dignitaries was going to be taking place at their resort and given us the option of delaying our visit or staying at another property. Like us, other guests (of which there weren't very many) mentioned they would have preferred to NOT place their family in a situation where security concerns called for 8600 local troops, riot gear, and a dozen gun boats. The Hyatt had to know many months ahead of time that they were hosting the first Mekong River Commission convention which included Prime Ministers from Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand and the Foreign Minister from China. I don't understand why they didn't just tell us the resort was full. Laughably, when we got there, the Hyatt Hua Hin gave us a sheet of paper explaining how all the extra security would have no impact on our stay.  Excuse me! It's hard not to notice the guys looking straight our of "Men in Black" every 50 feet with their dark sunglasses and communication gear, not too mention all the guys in camouflage carrying machine guns.  And, they can't tell me there was no impact when the sailboats couldn't go out because of the gun boats and arrival of visitors. I was told not enough wind, which was obviously and visibly not the problem.  There were some benefits though:

Top Reasons to Spend Easter Weekend at the Hyatt Hua Hin during the MRC:

• No problem getting seating at the best restaurants when 90% of the guests are guarding the property.
• If you lost your child, there were guys with 2 way radios every 20 feet that could locate him.
• No problems finding your way around the resorts. There were soldiers with detailed maps all over.
• Proof you can pass some background check and deemed no risk to Asian heads of state.
• If your sailboat go away you could borrow the military's zodiac raft to go get it.
• You can realistically pretend you've been dropped into the set of "Men in Black". They guys in riot gear & Navy divers certainly looked like aliens.
• Didn't have to worry about pigeons pooping in the pool.  There were plenty of shotguns around.
• Got to analyze whether camouflage allows you to blend in with the hotel garden (NOT!)
• If you lost anything in the ocean, there were teams of navy divers that could help you look for it.
• If you ever had fantasies of a sleep over at Camp Pendleton, this was the place to be.
• The "gentle lull" of the idling motors of the dozen gun boats drowned out any annoying wave sounds at the beach.
• Watched a fine looking parade of bomb sniffing police dogs who didn't pee on the plants (thought they didn't really help with finding the Easter Eggs either).
• Where else could I walk down a path in a swim suit between 40 top form Bruce Lee lookalikes and be stared at like I was a super model!