The Best Of Thailand | Travel in Thailand with Ashley

Thailand Tourism: The Phra Buddha Chinnarat at Wat Mahathat in Phitsanuloke is one of the top venered Buddha images in Thailand

The Phra Buddha Chinnarat image is one of the top venered Buddha images in Thailand. It is quite old - about 800 years and it is housed in Wat Mahatat which dates back to the 12th century.
To even find yourself on the temple-grounds is an overwhelming experience - especially so at time of sunrise or sunset when the gold-tiles on the roof and the gold on the Ayutthayan-style prang literally beams and glows in bright yellow!

Upon entering the building where the Buddha image is housed, you will be stunned by the incredible beauty of the real, original Buddha Chinnarat. I have seen the exact copy of this image in the "Marble Temple" in Bangkok and the effect the original image has on the viewer/visitor is amazing.

The temple interior is quite dark with no windows - however, the energy and glow from the Buddha image is so strong that you will feel like you are "bathed" in "divine light"....incredible.

I also recommend visiting the nearby Buddha image foundry (free - no admission) where one can see the age-old process of the "lost-wax" casting of Buddha images.

The Pullman Pattaya which has been rebranded as the Pullman Pattaya Hotel G is an excellent MICE venue

In Thailand’s seaside resort, Pullman Pattaya Hotel G, also renamed in April 2012, is distinguished by housing Pattaya’s first Beach Club – which is already delivering Thailand’s answer to the stylish pool party scenes of Miami, St Tropez and Hollywood Roosevelt.

 

On its own private beach, the chic venue assures that “pleasure reigns supreme” with its hedonistic cocktail of two outdoor pools, a beach terrace and pool bar, and both indoor and outdoor beach-front dining.

 

From cool mixology, salads, sandwiches and ice cream to a dining grill, wine cellar ‘Chef’s Table’ and sunset champagne cocktails with chill-out music, the hip venue also claims “the best sunset view in Pattaya.”

 

The 353-room and loft resort continues the brand’s stark white interior design theme with colourful Thai accents and state-of-the-art in-room technology, catering to business as well as leisure travelers with executive accommodation and access to an exclusive VIP sunset lounge.

 

Located in North Pattaya at Wongamart Beach, Pullman Pattaya Hotel G is also an easygoing, seaside meetings and events venue catering for all types of functions from international conferences, business meetings and incentive group gatherings to large private parties and wedding. The hotel is approximately 1h30 minutes’ drive from Bangkok International Airport and two hours from the city.

 

MICE venue options for up to 1,700 guests including 13 meeting rooms are headlined by an elegant ‘Infinity Ballroom’ seating up to 600 with cool retro designer lighting.

Pullman G Bangkok launches as a lifestyle hotel on Silom Road Bangkok catering to a younger clientele niche

What used to be known as the Sofitel Silom has now re-opened  the Pullman G, a renovated 5 star trendy hotel on Silom road that caters to a younger clientele niche. Its design is meant to be cool and contemporary. 

Its 470 rooms have been refurbished and stylish areas have been created in public spaces for guests to hang out and work on their ipads. 

I like the stark white room design that their deluxe rooms have been done in. 

This stark white design  also extends to their bathrooms. 

The resounding success is Scarlett Wine Bar & Restaurant which originated in Beijing and opened its doors last January at the Pullman Bangkok Hotel G. Located on the 37^th floor with panoramic views and its outdoor terrace, Scarlett has become a new chill out venue for young executives. It offers a selection of wines, cheeses, cold cuts and tapas complemented by a menu inspired by Chef Manuel Martinez of the two-Michelin star Le Relais Louis XIII restaurant in Paris.

The Bangkok hotel also adopts another winning brand originating in Hollywood, L.A. – Bordello décor meets burger bar concept 25 Degrees. Named after the precise temperature difference between a raw and well done hamburger, it introduces Bangkok to a sophisticated new twist on the traditional American burger bar concept – complete with funky music and cool décor.

All told a welcome addition to Bangkok's trendy hotel set.

Why rent the cow (Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre) when milk is being given away by Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre free ?

 

 

Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre  with 65,000 sq m of space  is ideal for conferences of up to 5,000 delegates and exhibitions of up to 900 booths, supported by the latest technology, numerous in-house services and a wealth of international management experience. Yet MICE organisors are choosing Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre at Central World.  This is because Centara are giving it away for free while the rental of the halls above could set up back by over one million Thai Baht a day. 

It is a no brainer.  Also QSNCC have yet to learn to work with Mice Organisors overseas as their marketing and sales efforts are more geared towards local events rather than overseas ones. 

Is the sub continent MICE business the wettest, weirdest environment fraught with attrition ?

If you've ever fixed any kind of machinery, you know that a device that's exposed to the elements is incredibly difficult to maintain. A dishwasher or the underside of a car gets grungy, fast.

On the other hand, the dryest, cleanest environment of all is the digital one. Code stays code. If it works today, it's probably going to work tomorrow. 

The wettest, weirdest environment is human interaction in the Indian subcontinent MICE space. Whatever we build gets misunderstood, corroded and chronic, and it happens quickly and in unpredictable ways. That's one reason why diversifying your  business outside this environment is so desirable and why while it may be a good place to begin from, it is necessary to diversify from, as quickly as your business allows you to.   The web creates some fascinating possibilities--it's a collision between the analytic world of code and wet world of people. It is still safer than the MICE world in the Indian sub continent. 

 

Asiatique Night Market is a mix between the now demolished Bangkok's Suan Lum Night Market and Singapore's Clarke Quay

Located very close to the old Menam Riverside (now rebranded Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside on Charoenkrung Road is the Asiatique, Bangkok's newest night market.  The old warehouses of the East Asiatic Company have been beautifully restored.

Bangkok's residents and tourists are flocking to the riverfront to check out Bangkok's newest night market and tourist attraction, Asiatique The Riverfront. 

You can approach Asiatique by road from Sathorn or Rama III or you could take a boat across from your riverside hotel. The Anantara Riverside Resort and Spa is just across the Asiatique as seen in the photograph below. 

The riverside frontage has restaurants that offer you the opportunity to sit out by the riverside or to sit in aircon comfort and soak in the atmosphere and music. 

Or if eating and hanging out is not your scene, you could check out the numerous shops.

Or if you want to listen to some local music flavour, head for the town square and check out the jazz band. 

Most of the visitors to Asiatique are quite chilled as you can see from the photograph below:)

And some are artists>>

If you need to take the weight off your feet, there are foot massages as well as a fish spa.

The Asiatique also offers young college students the opportunity to earn some pocket money to fund their education as you can see from the picture below. These are students of Mahidol University trying to raise money to compete at a competiton in Austria. 

For those foodies who want to try Bangkok's street food, here is a good place to start.

And while you eat, you can watch a Thai puppet show...

At the present moment Asiatique has a vibe that is different from the rest of Bangkok's night markets. It is a place where local Bangkokians (not the hip set but the normal folks) come for an evening out to browse the shops, eat at the food courts and just hang.

 

Imperial Queen's Park is Bangkok's largest hotel and is perfect to house large MICE groups under one roof!

The 1250 room Imperial Queen's Park Hotel in Bangkok is perfect for those MICE organisors who want to have all their delegates under one roof.  This  Bangkok convention hotel provides expansive conference and banquet facilities to suit any size event, with 40 function rooms of varying sizes accommodating from 10 to 2,500 persons. The Grand Hall offers 1,375 square meters that can serve up to 2,500 persons for a cocktail and 1,700 persons theater style.

You got to keep in mind that the Imperial Queens Park Hotel does better rates if your requirement is less than 100 rooms. Above this, the hotel demands higher rates because they know that there are very few hotels that have their kind of room inventory.  

The hotel also has a very Japanese feel to it and a large section of the hotel's market is Japanese. They are renovating parts of the hotel but it still gives you the impression of being a little worn. 

The hotel's massive lobby is the first sight that greets the visitor to the hotel. 

There is always an army of receptionists, guest relation officers, bellboys and managers.  

This is one section of the Ballroom. 

The hotel's coffee shop

The lead in room category

Hotel exterior. The 37 storey hotel has two towers, the North and the South block

The premier rooms in the South block 

Holiday Inn Silom now actively pursuing Indian group business

In a surprise move, the Holiday Inn Silom which has undergone a multi million dollar facelift has now begun to actively pursue the Indian group market.  

The hotel which has always been a favourite of the Indian market embarked on a renovation program several years ago on completion of which they raised the rates which had the effect of making their Indian group and MICE supporters leave. 

It would appear though that they have now taken a U turn on this decision after many years and are actively wanting the Indian market back with a rider. It is group business that has to pay "their price." 

The Indian group customer though is unfazed at their prices (maybe because the Indian consumer now has a lot more money in his pocket) or maybe because the other hotels which they used to use (mainly Amari Atrium) no longer show a consistant interest in them. 

The product though looks fresh and the prices are reasonable. \

Most important the Holiday Inn Silom has always possessed deep in its bowels, the Tandoor Indian restaurant where the food has magnetic qualities for clients still after all those years. 

 

Terminal 21 Bangkok represents a nice addition to Bangkok's lifestyle malls

Located at the junction of Asok and Sukhumvit roads, Terminal 21 is  one of Bangkok's newest malls to open its doors. With each of its floors representing a different destination from Bangkok to Tokyo to Istanbul, the mall is a magnet for young people. Additionally, this mall encourages you to bring your camera and pose in your favourite destiantion without having to leave Terminal 21 Bangkok. There is also a cineplex and Centre Point serviced apartments that constitute part of the complex. Here is a photo tour...the mall is well worth a visit even if only to have a meal there at one of its restaurants.

Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok's renovations effectively put it out of the MICE market for the next 3 months

The Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok has embarked on an extensive remodelling program which has effectively put 180 out of their 380 rooms out of action leaving the hotel with just 200 rooms of available inventory. After providing for their regular corporate guests and FIT's, the maximum number of rooms that the hotel would allow for a group is 50. And these come at relatively high rates as it looks like there are enough takers  for the comfort of the Hyatt brandname and the tired guest bedrooms.  The hotel did need to upgrade just to keep up with its neighbourhood competition.  It may be better to revisit post the remodelling. 

Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre @ Centralworld has been a game changer to Bangkok's MICE market

 

Ever wondered why the MICE  business around the World Trade Centre of Bangkok got redefined ? Read on...

There was a time when MICE Organisers had to make do with Hotel ballrooms (which in Bangkok are quite impressive and one has to admit offer many options).  The correct ballroom defined whether a hotel bagged a MICE event. These decisions are very subjective because some event managers like high ceilings, others like chandeliers, some just like the fact that it is 9000 square feet instead of 8000 sq feet! Then logistics kicked in and the hotel that possessed the ballroom bagged the event. This was the old way of winning and thinking Bangkok MICE. But the Centara Grand & Bangkok Convention Centre @ Centralworld changed all that.

When Centara Hotels built a new 10,000 square metre state of the art convention centre with a ceiling height of 13.5 metres and the ability to accommodate upto 6000 delegates in a single pillarless hall, this proved to be a game changer. Their own 500 room 5 star hotel was certainly not sufficient to accommodate the events that would happen here. The plan was to suck in the events into the Convention Centre and let the delegates stay at the hotels around the Centara Grand. 

So erstwhile popular hotels like the Amari Watergate, Intercontinental, Grand Hyatt went from hosting conventions to becoming sattelite hotels catering to the Centara Grand's Bangkok Convention Centre @ Centralworld. 

To make it even more of a game changer Centara don't charge convention fees. To hire a similar sized hall for an  event at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre can set an Organiser back by as much as USD 30,000 a day. The Centara completely foregoes this money. Maybe an introductury offer but for now the bees are going for the honey!