14th Bangkok International Symposium on HIV Medicine

The QSNCC is a purpose-built for the grandest national and international events, particularly conferences and exhibitions, the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center bears the nation's identity in its architectural form and decorative details. The architectural style of the national convention center is unique and exemplary of "Thai Hi-Tech Architecture". It is also equipped with advanced engineering systems corresponding to the architecture and the expected functionality of the venue .

QSNCC is located in the centre of Bangkok and can be easily accessed by public transportation provided such as bus services, BTS sky train and MRT underground whose station is right in front of the Center. There is also excellent access to Bangkok’s expanding elevated highway system, which strikes east to Suvannabhumi International Airport.

Apart from facilities and services inside, visitors can find other accessible facilities outside around the Center, especially the five star hotels which offer most pleasant accommodations together with satisfying services. In additions, with the grand Benjakitti park located right next to the Center, visitors can get a relaxation and touch real nature hiding in the great city.
More information: www.qsncc.com

Your tickets are booked, the excitement is mounting... You're coming to Bangkok! It's a fascinating, intoxicating and chaotic place, brimming with sights, smells, thrills, gracious people, contradictions, cultures, cars, noise and bedlam. As with any teeming metropolis, however, it's also got its fair share of potential disappointments and frustrations. Get ready for the good news though...

To steer clear of the negative experiences during your first time here, dust off that sage old adage: Knowledge is power! Here, strewn throughout the virtual vaults of Bangkok.com, we've accumulated an awful lot of facts and useful information about Bangkok - everything the first-time visitor needs to plan a wonderful and memorable trip, devoid of clumsy 'faux pas', infuriating setbacks, or, worse even, disaster! Let's guide you through it in a logical, informative and altogether fun fashion.

Most popular areas of Bangkok

Have a trawl through our Area Guides, where we tell you all about the city's main areas. This will help you decide where to stay, where to visit and where to avoid. At 1,600 square kilometers and counting, Bangkok is big, and the many different areas can be bewildering - even for those who've spent years here.

The most popular areas for visitors are Siam, Silom, Sukhumvit Road, Sathorn, Chidlom-Ploenchit, Pratunam and the Riverside - all charismatic parts of town that combine sights, nightlife, shopping, great hotels and convenient locations with access to public transport. Budget travellers and backpackers, of course, still swear by Khao San Road.

Areas of Interest

Siam Society House and Garden (0.7 km/0.4 miles) - The 19th-century Kamthieng House, on the grounds of the Siam Society Headquarters, is a rice farmer's teak house transplanted from the banks of Chiang Mai's Ping River. Its collection, organized with financial help from the Asia and Rockefeller foundations, is oriented toward ethnographic objects illustrating the culture of everyday life.
Thai National Museum (5.0 km/3.1 miles) - The history of the National Museum Bangkok dates back to 1874 when His Majesty, King Rama V opened the first public "museum" to exhibit the royal collection of King Rama IV, and other objects of general interest, at the Concordia Pavilion inside the Brand Palace. Later, the Museum was transferred to its present site, the "Wang Na", or "Palace to the Front" which had been the palace of the Prince Successor. In 1926, it was named the "Bangkok Museum" and subsequently developed into the National Museum Bangkok when it came under the direction of the Department of Fine Arts in 1934.
Temple of the Dawn (Wat Arun) 10.0 km/6.2 miles - The famous Wat Arun, perhaps better known as the Temple of the Dawn, is one of the best known landmarks and one of the most published images of Bangkok. It consists of a massive elongated prang (Khmer-style tower) and is surrounded by four smaller prangs. The prang is described by the Tourism Authority of Thailand as 104m high while most other sources quote figures around 80-85m. It is decorated by bits of porcelain which had previously been used as ballast by boats coming to Bangkok from China, a hallmark of the reign of King Rama III.
Ancient City (35.0 km/21.8 miles) - Outside of Bangkok, on the old road to the beach resort of Pattaya, lies a relatively little known park dedicated to preserving Thai cultural heritage in the form of the many significant buildings and historical places from throughout the country. Taking up 320 acres of land, roughly in the shape of Thailand, the huge park reproduces -- usually on a smaller scale -- important buildings from around Thailand. There are over 100 monuments collected or reproduced.

Getting around made simple

From the moment you arrive until the moment you leave, you're going to need to get around town. And, of course, you'll want to do so quickly and with minimum hassle and cost. In our Getting Around section, learn about all the means of transport available, and about prices, tips, tickets and scam-avoidance tricks.
Don't fret needlessly about the city's infamous traffic - thanks to the speedy Skytrain (BTS) and underground (MRT) networks it (and Bangkok's pollution) is fast improving. Just remember to avoid traveling around during rush-hours! (Here are some good maps of Bangkok to help you with your orientation.)

Airport Information
Suvarnabhumi (New Bangkok) International Airport

Location:
Suvarnabhumi (New Bangkok) International Airport is located in Racha Thewa in the Bang Phli district of Samut Prakan province, 30 kilometers east of Bangkok. The airport is the international airport serving Bangkok, Thailand.
Transportation

Rental cars are availible at the Car Rental service counter at the Arrivals level (2nd floor). The shuttle bus (Express Route) will take you to the Transport Center to pick your rental car.
Taxi Services are located on Level 2 (Arrivals). Alternatively, there is a taxi stand at the Transport Center (take the Express route shuttle bus).
The 24 hour public bus service is provided from the Bus Terminal at the Transport Center (take the Express route shuttle bus) and services the greater Bangkok area. Bus fare is 35 baht.
Airport Express - Upon request, the Airport Express Bus AE 3 will stop at the Sukhumvit Soi 20 Road which is in front of the hotel. You will walk from the the stop about 50 meters. The hotel is located on the right. The cost is 150 baht for the entire route. Airport Express service operates from 5:00 am to midnight. Contact Airport Express Counter 1 near Entrance 8.

Visa and Passport Information

Please contact the Consular Section of the Thai Embassy in your country to verify required documentation to enter Thailand. Please ensure you have a visa, if needed, and that your passport will be valid for the required length of time after your trip.

General Information

1.Generally, a foreign citizen who wishes to enter the Kingdom of Thailand is required to obtain a visa from a Royal Thai Embassy or a Royal Thai Consulate-General. However, nationals of certain countries do not require a visa if they meet visa exemption requirements as follows:

(1) they are nationals of countries which are exempted from visa requirements when entering Thailand for tourism purposes. Such nationals will be permitted to stay in the Kingdom for a period of not exceeding 30 days. For more information, please see Tourist Visa Exemption;

(2) they are nationals of countries which hold bilateral agreements with Thailand on the exemption of visa requirements. For more information, please see List of Countries which have Concluded Agreements with Thailand on the Exemption of Visa Requirements .

2. Nationals of certain countries may apply for visa upon arrival in Thailand. Travellers with this type of visa are permitted to enter and stay in Thailand for a period of not exceeding 15 days. For more information, please see Visa on Arrival.

3. Travellers travellling from/through countries which have been declared Yellow Fever Infected Areas must acquire an International Health Certificate verifying the receiving of a Yellow Fever vaccination. For more information, please see List of Countries which are Declared Yellow Fever Infected Areas.

Further information can be found on the website of Ministry of Foreign Affairs Kingdom of Thailand: www.mfa.go.th and the Immigration Bureau website at www.immigration.go.th

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