HM's birthday bash won't be held in Govt House

The reception is scheduled to be held on December 7 - two days after the monarch's anniversary.

A source, who asked not to be named, said the Suan Amporn auditorium and Sanam Sua Pa had been considered as venues, but the Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall turned out to be a better and more spacious.

The Royal Thai Navy Convention Hall was used during the Apec summit in 2003 as well as in 2006 while celebrating His Majesty's 60th year on the throne. The source said guests would be transported by boat from the Rajavoradith Pier in case of traffic congestion.

Government House, besieged by anti-government People's Alliance for Democracy since August, is out of bounds for the government.

In another development, the Office of Permanent Secretary to the Prime Minister and the Secretariat of the Cabinet have been moved from their temporary offices on Rama VI road and in Bang Phlat district to the provisional government seat at Don Mueang airport.

Nathi Premrassami, permanent secretary to prime minister, said they had to be moved because reporting to the premier was becoming time-consuming and costly.

He added that plans to renovate Government House have not been given the go ahead as nobody knows when the PAD would move out. The time period for renovation would also be difficult to estimate because the buildings and office equipment have either been damaged or removed.

However, a source, who asked to remain unidentified, said renovation plans were being re-considered and that some old buildings such as Thai Koo Fah and Banchakarn would be preserved or turned into museums.