Bangkok’s convention venues and hotels have no doubts about the city’s long-term
potential despite Thailand’s cloudy political and economic future. General elections
have been set for December 23 and the industry is eagerly looking to the future.
M Gandhi, managing director of CMP Media (Thailand), says Bangkok’s exhibition and conference industry is benefiting from strong economic growth in Asia, especially
in China and India.
He says Thailand is more than capable of handling any business that comes its way.
“The venues are world class,” he says. “What’s going to determine the success of an event is
the ability to attract buyers.”
CMP staged two major international exhibitions at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (BITEC) this year: Intermach and Renewable Energy Asia, and Entech. Intermach attracted 800 exhibitors and 32,000 visitors while the second show lured around 300 exhibitors and 9,500 visitors. Gandhi says the World Congress on Renewable Energy will be held alongside Renewable Energy Asia in 2009.
BITEC EXPANSION
BITEC, located close to the year-old Suvarnabhumi Airport, is planning a major expansion to increase its exhibition space from 36,000 sqm to 70,000 sqm, with the suggestion that the expansion could be as big as 100,000 sqm. BITEC is also upgrading its facilities. A new restaurant opened recently while an existing restaurant is undergoing renovation.
BITEC is staging two Asia Pacific debutants in the near future: Wire and Tube Southeast Asia 2007 from October 16 to 18, and FESPA World Expo Asia Pacific 2008 next November. Wire and Tube Southeast Asia 2007 is organised by Messe Düsseldorf Asia, while the FESPA expo is a spin-off from the biggest exhibition for the screen-printing and graphic imaging industry – with the latter occupying more than 10,000 sqm of exhibition space.
Messe Düsseldorf Asia managing director Gernot Ringling says: “We chose BITEC because we felt that the venue was ideal for trade-related events, especially for events the size of Wire and Tube Southeast Asia 2007 – about 15,000 sqm. Also the fact that the venue is on the way to the new Bangkok airport was also a positive factor.”
IMPACT GROWTH
On the other side of town, IMPACT Muang Thong Thani is also undergoing major changes
and has unveiled plans to build a 400-room, four-star hotel on its grounds. The hotel plan
is yet to be finalised but IMPACT Exhibition Management, which runs the venue, hopes
to begin construction early next year with a completion date in the fourth quarter of 2009.
IMPACT is also looking at the possibility of further developments on its grounds, including a shopping centre. A major expansion of Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (QSNCC) has been mooted for years but NCC Management and Development, which runs the venue, said the
expansion was still on the backburner.
A number of high-profile events will be held at QSNCC by the end of the year, including
the World Allergy Congress 2007 from December 2 to 6. Pakit Vichayanond, chairman
of the local organising committee of the World Allergy Congress 2007 says: “QSNCC was chosen because of its extensive experience with medical conventions. Moreover, the size
and relative ease of access to the Subway were also taken into consideration.”
NEW DEVELOPMENTS
Royal Paragon Hall recently completed building a new entrance it says will allow it to maximise its space while providing greater flexibility. Among Bangkok’s hotels, the Landmark Bangkok is celebrating 20 years of operation on November 20 and is using the occasion to embark on a multimillion-dollar upgrade of its meeting and conference facilities.
Its ballroom, the biggest in downtown Bangkok at 900 sqm with a capacity for 1,200 delegates for cocktails, will undergo a complete renovation. The 414-room hotel will also add 14 new meeting rooms, taking its total to 25. Some of the most sophisticated audiovisual equipment available in Thailand will be installed and a number of F&B outlets will get a face-lift, including the RR&B (Rib Room and Bar) on the top floor, the Atrium and the Rendezvous bar.
MAJOR RENOVATIONS
InterContinental Bangkok has started the first phase of a US$20 million refurbishment of half
its guestrooms, its convention centre and Summer Palace Cantonese restaurant. The
convention centre, which occupies the entire fourth floor, is getting a major face-lift with
US$4 million alone allocated for technology improvements. In the grand ballroom, three
video cameras will be installed enabling relay streaming to the fourth floor’s function
rooms and all guestrooms.
JW Marriott Bangkok has introduced clever new technology to all its 298 deluxe rooms,
which allows guests to connect portable electronic devices to a new 31-inch LCD flatscreen
TV while viewing the latest news and email at the same time. The technology, called the Remote Jack Pack, is part of a US$4 million upgrade.
Banyan Tree Bangkok recently completed extensive renovations, which include the opening of a grand ballroom and the enlargement of its Banyan Tree Club floor to take up a whole high floor. The ballroom can accommodate up to 400 guests and has a fivemetre-high ceiling. Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok underwent a major renovation a couple of years ago but plans to renovate its lobby and deluxe rooms with a likely start at the end of next year.
BANGKOK REVEALS ITS NEW LOOK
Convention and meeting spaces are being refreshed and restored at venues across the city, reports David Johnson
