Presidential Receiving Room The ground-floor room with the boat-shaped table was often used for conferences. Upstairs in the Presidential Receiving Room - the one with the red chairs in it - the South Vietnamese president received foreign delegations. He sat behind the desk; the chairs with dragons carved into the arms were used by his assistants. The chair facing the desk was reserved for foreign ambassadors. The room with gold-coloured chairs and curtains was used by the vice president.