Bangkok, that is. He’ll also stop in Cambodia and become the first US president to visit Burma. Later this month. Story here.
This is exciting. I remember when President Clinton spoke at Chulalongkorn University here in Bangkok in November 1996, right after his reelection. He received a rock-star welcome by the citizenry, and the hall where he spoke was packed.
OK, reading the thread title I thought this was going to be a mocking of Obama, to the tune of “Santa Claus is coming to town”.
Carry on.
Let us know here how the visit goes. I’d be interested in the reception he gets in that part of the world.
He seems extremely popular among Thais. I expect no less than what President Clinton received.
Keep him!
I will hug him and pet him and squeeze him.
EDIT: Note to Secret Service: Um, no, that was not a threat. 
You better watch out, You better not cry, Better not pout, I’m telling you why…
An interesting article in The Irrawaddy on President Obama’s upcoming visit to Burma (I’ll start calling it Myanmar when Aung San Suu Kyi does, and so far she’s pointedly refused): Burmese Shrug at Obama Visit, as Beijing Shudders.
The Irrawaddy is an interesting publication. Founded 20 years ago by Burmese exiles in northern Thailand, it’s long rumored to be funded by the CIA.
So, is there some kind of Obama clause that says if somebody puts on his suit, they become President?
To those of us in Ohio, a visiting politician (even a President) is a common occurrence. You can have him . . . and take all the Romney people too.
Already been done. :rolleyes:
Maybe you could ask Obama about that! 
And name him George? :eek:
Works best if you have a dwarf for the Biden elf suit.
Nah. That guy does it, and it’s an amusing, heart-warming anecdote. I try it, and I’m riddled with bullets and the name Siam Sam becomes synonymous with Squeaky Fromme.
Well, only if he puts my bags on the train for me.
Well, this news story gives a rundown on President Obama’s itinerary. Looks like he’ll visit Wat Pho, aka the Temple of the Sleeping Buddha, upon arrival. I think the wife and I will be on hand to catch a glimpse.
I don’t mean to sound like a hick. We get world leaders all the time, and I couldn’t be arsed to try to go see President Clinton here in 1996. But we really like this guy and were planning on having dinner this Sunday on the riverside anyway, at a spot in Chinatown close by.
Ha! The advance Secret Service detail scoping out the place got a shock: Water lizards startle US security detail
Excerpt: “United States Secret Service agents were reportedly taken aback on seeing the large water lizards wandering the grounds of Government House during security inspections on Thursday ahead of US President Barack Obama’s visit. They mistook them for the ferocious, carnivorous komodo dragons found in parts of Indonesia.” 
Government House is where the prime minister works. Sort of like the White House except the PM does not live there. These lizards are called heea in Thai, and it’s one of the worst insults you can call a Thai. These things do roam free on the grounds of Government House and the parliament, leading to lots of jokes about heea MPs and such.
Well, our plans to see President Obama at Wat Pho have been scuppered. The abbot of the temple said on radio this morning that the place will be closed for most of the day until the president leaves.
Ironically, this will enable all those well-dressed scamming touts actually to be telling the truth for perhaps the first time in their lives. The ones who waylay naive tourists to tell them the temple is closed for a special holiday or maintenance – never true before now – and they just happen to know a nice gem shop with a one-day-only special.
Meanwhile, Cambodia is cracking down on dissent ahead of the president’s visit there: Cambodians held over eviction protest before Obama visit and Cambodia arrests 8 over ‘SOS’ messages for Obama
Somewhat related: LBJ Comes to Town
President Obama will be the fifth US president to come to town while in office. (Bush Sr was here for a visit after he left the presidency. Ex-President Ulysses S. Grant and entourage visited Siam in April 1879 on a round-the-world trip.) From the link above:
**OFFICIAL VISITS BY US PRESIDENTS TO THAILAND:
Lyndon B. Johnson, Bangkok. State visit; met with King Bhumibol Adulyadej. October 27-30, 1966
Lyndon B. Johnson, Khorat. Visited US. military personnel. December 23, 1967
Richard M. Nixon, Bangok. State visit; met with King Bhumibol Adulyadej. July 28-30, 1969
William J. Clinton, Bangkok. State Visit. November 25-26, 1996
George W. Bush, Bangkok. Attended the APEC Summit Meeting. October 18-21, 2003
George W. Bush, Bangkok. Met with Prime Minister Samak and addressed Burmese activists. August 6-7, 2008**
As for the present visit, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta is here already, and Hillary Clinton stayed last night (Friday night) down in Singapore.
And the Great Man is winging his way here now as I type. Touchdown due in about 5-1/2 hours. Here’s a press briefing given aboard Air Force One on the flight over.
With Wat Pho closed and no real scheduled public appearances, the wife and I will probably go to HomePro to check on bathroom stuff instead of trying to see the President. We’ve been having some plumbing problems in one of the bathrooms.
Brief account of his day yesterday (Sunday). He moves on to Burma today, then Cambodia on Tuesday.
Just remembered Thanksgiving is this Thursday, so I guess he’ll get back in Washington just in time to give the White House turkey the annual presidential pardon.