Click to play videoBangkok: 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 to await an official welcome by the country's crown princess.
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.
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej pledged ''the government's full attention'' for the relay, which he called an honor for Thailand.
''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, where some 15,000 police helped keep Tibetan protesters away from the flame.
A pro-China gathering greeted the torch at the airport, with about 30 people waving Chinese and Olympic flags as the plane landed at 2:40 a.m. local time. The airport reception was arranged by the Chinese Embassy, Thai officials said.
The torch was then driven to a downtown luxury hotel.
Crown Princess Sirindhorn was scheduled to preside over a private welcome ceremony Friday afternoon that was open only to palace photographers and government-owned television.
Up to 2,000 police will guard Saturday's relay, a 10.5-kilometer (6.3-mile) run starting in Bangkok's Chinatown and ending at the Royal Plaza, a large square in the historic section of the city. Eighty runners will take part in the relay, expected to last two hours and 45 minutes.
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.
Authorities have warned that any foreign activists involved in efforts to disrupt the event will be deported.
The Thai military will also be monitoring the relay, Yuttasak told a news conference Thursday. He declined to detail the military's involvement.
A police helicopter will follow overhead as police motorcycles ride beside torch runners along with police vans in case the athletes need to jump inside for safety, he said.
Protests over China's suppression of Tibetan demonstrations against Chinese rule have dogged the torch relay at various stops on its worldwide journey to Beijing for this year's Olympic Games.
''We have been tightening security plans and adjusting them accordingly, following the chaos in London, Paris and San Francisco,'' Yuttasak said.
Stops in Kazakhstan, Russia, Argentina, Tanzania, Oman and Pakistan were trouble-free.
''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.
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