Formerly a small trading town serving the Kingdom of Ayutthaya, Bangkok has long been a business haven. These days, business is still booming in Thailand's capital, a modern city of 8 million. According to the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, the country will host a total of 814,000 MICE delegates in 2007, which is expected to generate about $1.8 billion.
To accommodate these incoming travelers, the city recently rolled out a sleek, shiny new airport: Bangkok International Suvarnabhumi Airport. The airport has experienced some growing pains--cracks on the runway are the most recent setback--but officials recently announced that construction of a new terminal will begin within three to five years to accommodate another 15 million passengers.
Bangkok, which already offers a wide range of hotels, is gearing up for this increase in visitors by building more accommodations and convention venues. October will mark the opening of the 326-room Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok Hotel, a property that boasts 14,000 square feet of meeting and banquet space, six restaurants, a spa, a golf-putting green, and a fitness center.
In 2008, the Bangkok Convention Centre at Central World will add to the selection of state-of-the-art facilities. Located in the heart of the central business district, and only 30 minutes from the airport, the facility will have more than 107,639 square feet of meeting space and will be able to host up to 6,000 delegates.
In the realm of the business kingdom, deals don’t stop at the meeting room door. Bangkok residents expect visitors to bargain for almost everything—from traditional crafts sold at the Chatuchak weekend market and rides in the three-wheeled motorized "tuk-tuks" to the city’s many monuments. Travelers should just keep in mind two rules of the bargaining game, however: do it with a smile and don’t make the other person loose face in public.
To experience the city at a slower pace, head to the Chao Phraya River, which cuts through the city like a stream of calm. Here your delegates can while away a leisurely day cruising past Buddhist temples such as Wat Arun and checking out the riverside communities that live, work and play on the river.
Yoga and massage fans are in for a treat in Bangkok. Traditional Thai massage includes twisting and stretching the body into what sometimes looks--and feels--like yoga pose. Those who fall in love with the healing powers of Thai massage (or spouses along for the ride) can take a week-long certification class at Wat Po, a Buddhist temple and Thai massage school in the center of Bangkok.
After the soothing effects of a massage, visitors can awaken their taste buds by trying a delicious meal of green papaya salad, spicy curry and fresh seafood clay pot dishes. And to end the meal on a sweet note, they should try the popular dessert of sticky rice and mango.
