The Olympic flame arrived under tight security in Thailand on Friday for the latest leg of its round-the-world relay and was quickly taken to a luxury hotel.


Thousands of police and military have been ordered to secure Saturday's torch relay in Bangkok to prevent disruptions from protesters of China's human rights record that have plagued the flame on other stops.
A force of 15,000 police deployed to protect the torch's run through the Indian capital of New Delhi on Thursday, preventing all but a few hundred select guests from glimpsing the flame.
Some Tibetans staged demonstrations across the country _ home to the largest community of Tibetan exiles. But the protesters came nowhere near the torch.
Protests over China's human rights record and a recent crackdown in Tibetan areas following demonstrations against Beijing's rule have dogged the torch relay at various stops on its worldwide journey to Beijing for this year's Olympic Games.
On Friday, Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej pledged "the government's full attention" for the relay.
"Why would anyone protest in Thailand? Why don't they protest in China?" Samak told reporters. "This is a good thing for Thailand. Thai people should be proud."
Chinese security officials escorted the torch on a charter flight that landed before dawn Friday at a military airport outside Bangkok after leaving India.
A pro-China gathering greeted the torch at the airport, with about 30 people waving Chinese and Olympic flags as the plane landed.
The torch was then driven to a downtown luxury hotel.
Up to 2,000 police will guard Saturday's relay, a 6-mile run starting in Bangkok's Chinatown and ending at the Royal Plaza, a large square in the historic section of the city.
The route could be changed and shortened at the last minute if protesters try to disrupt the relay, said Gen. Yuttasak Sasiprapha, president of the National Olympic Committee of Thailand.
"Supporters of the Tibetan cause have the right to express their views but not to thwart the relay. We will not tolerate that," Yuttasak said.
The torch is scheduled to leave Thailand for Malaysia on Saturday night