Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/244474
•pg_28-38__BMT_pg3-58 1/8/14 7:10 PM Page 37 lodges to six-star luxury accommodations. In Bangkok, most hotels Thailand is also a great destination for travelers accompanied by are near public transportation making the city easy to navigate and family members. There is no shortage of activities from Thai cookmore accessible for a broad-range of travel budgets. A few hotels in ing lessons, a day of golf, a relaxing session at a spa or even a cruise Bangkok that offer five star service at very competitive rates include down the Chao Phraya, the River of Kings. Bangkok is also one of the luxurious Plaza Athenee, the Amari Watergate with its well the best places in Asia for shopping with shopping malls, departequipped gym and relaxing pool area, and the classic Royal Orchid ment stores, small shops and a myriad of street markets. Bangkok Sheraton. For an outand Chiang Mai have Suppliers meet delegate at IT&CMA and CTW Asia Pacific trade show standing value in a great excellent night markets location, the new Mercure where visitors can get a Bangkok Siam is a perfect good buy on items such as choice for budget minded Thai silks and cottons, travelers that still want leather goods, batiks, silver quality and style. and gold, pottery, precious Thailand has worldand semiprecious stones, class convention and exhiand a wealth of locally crebition space in Bangkok, ated products. The weekPattaya, Phuket and end market at Chatuchuk Chiang Mai. The largest is in Bangkok can have anythe Impact Muang Thong thing from antiques to Thani with 220,000 sq. fighting fish within the meters (2,354,000 sq. ft.) of hundreds of stalls that fill exhibition space. Located the marketplace. Of 30 minutes from downcourse there are plenty of town Bangkok away from duty-free shops where purthe traffic congestion in the chases can be delivered to city, IMPACT is 45 minthe airport in time for utes from Suvarnabhumi departure flights. In addiAudience at session during IT&CMA and CTW Asia Pacific International airport and tion to shops labeled 'VAT 15 minutes from Don Refund for Tourists", the Muang Domestic Airport. Grand Sale held from July The 4-star IMPACT hotel to August and discounts is connected to the conby department stores offer vention center with 380 additional savings. Value rooms. There are also 12 Added Tax (7%) is refundhotels with over 3,000 able on goods bought in rooms within a 20KM (12these shops. Refunds are mile) radius of IMPACT. available with a minimum Bangkok International transaction of 2,000, about Trade and Exhibition $64 USD, including VAT. Center (BITEC) is the secThailand remains an ond largest convention affordable destination even facility with approximately though the Thai baht has 540,000 sq. ft. of exhibition gained strength against space. Opened in 1997, the some global currencies. BITEC is just 15 minutes Basics such as restaurants from Suvarnabhumi Interand transportation are a national airport. It is accesgood value in any currency. sible by expressway to the Currently the exchange center business district and is easily accessible by a variety of local rate is $1US equals 32, making Thailand an affordable destination for buses, as well as the BTS sky train. US travelers and meeting planners. Thailand has a long list of high quality pre and post-conference Thailand's world renowned hospitality, year-round sunshine, tours that include such excursions as travel to neighboring coun- fabulous beaches and island resorts make it one of the world's most tries of the Greater Mekong Sub-region. Myanmar for example is desirable destinations. Its cordial, polite and always smiling citizens relatively easy to reach from Thailand. Three of the world's most make it one of the friendliest. It's no wonder why IT&CMA and fabulous temple complexes, the Emerald Buddha in Bangkok, CTW continues to come back and considers Bangkok to be the Shwedagon in Yangon and Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia, quintessential meeting, incentive and convention destination in are all within easy reach. Asia. B M & T ••• November/December 2013 ••• www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 37