Hey all! ❤️
Remember that I was on this Bangkok trip with the rest of the international bloggers a few weeks back?
It was actually organised by TCEB, Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau in collaboration with the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Thai Smile Airways Company Limited as well as the Department of International Trade Promotion - Ministry of Commerce and VISA International (Asia-Pacific) LLC.
Other than getting to know the other bloggers from around the world (bloggers from UK, Australia, China, Taiwan and I myself from SG), we also got to know more about the MICE industry in Thailand and the special privileges, incentives and discounts for MICE travelers!
What is MICE?
MICE is simply the acronym for ‘Meetings, Incentives, Conventions and Exhibitions'.
It is commonly referred to as a type of tourism in which large groups, usually planned well in advance, are brought together for some particular purpose like business, meetings, etc.
Through this trip, the bloggers and I got to visit a few places that are well known in Bangkok for not only leisure but business purposes as well.
We were also introduced to SPICE UP::Your Business Agenda in Thailand by TCEB, an initiative to add spice to business trips by offering ultimate special privileges and e-discounts for MICE travelers.
Incentives provided includes air tickets, airport transfers, accommodations, spa packages, golf packages, dining, shopping, entertainment and tourist sim cards, meeting packages, retreatment packages and much more!
The best part is that it has also expanded to MICE cities and top tourist destinations for all MICE travelers!
---
Now let me introduce you to some of the participating partners for the SPICE UP::Your Business Agenda in Thailand 2016 campaign!
These participating brands/partners provide incentives and discounts to MICE travelers so you can be sure to make the most out of your "Business with Leisure" trip! 😙
Really appreciate the delicious food the hotel's room service has to offer.
The one dish that everyone has to try is their Pad Thai - the noodles were cooked perfectly well - chewy and not too salty or oily.
They have an intensive menu for room service which I find really impressive as most of the hotels I've stayed at have quite a limited menu. 😅
These are some of the types of rooms that are available in the hotel.
Throughout the 4 days of my stay, I stayed at the Swiss Classic Room.
It faces the garden and pool which is really nice especially in the day and room facilities include amenities upgrades and complimentary WiFi internet connection.
I am also grateful to the fact that there's an iron/ironing board in every room so guests will not ever have to worry about crumpled clothing while travelling anymore.
An absolute pleasure because this lady is SO MUCH FUN!😆
Incentives provided includes air tickets, airport transfers, accommodations, spa packages, golf packages, dining, shopping, entertainment and tourist sim cards, meeting packages, retreatment packages and much more!
The best part is that it has also expanded to MICE cities and top tourist destinations for all MICE travelers!
---
Now let me introduce you to some of the participating partners for the SPICE UP::Your Business Agenda in Thailand 2016 campaign!
These participating brands/partners provide incentives and discounts to MICE travelers so you can be sure to make the most out of your "Business with Leisure" trip! 😙
1) THAI AIRWAYS
Formed in 1988, Thai Airways International Public Company Limited, known as THAI, is the flag carrier airline of Thailand.
Though my flight was slightly less than 3 hours from Singapore to Bangkok, I am happy to say that my flight on Thai Airways was a pleasant one.
The meal served on-board was better than expected (yes they do serve Thai food on board!😉) and the stewards and stewardess were really friendly with great hospitality and service.
I like to pick a window seat whenever I'm on a flight to help curb my motion-sickness problem.
Sometimes because of that I can be "forgotten" by stewards and stewardess when they walk around to offer drinks/snacks/blankets/arrival cards etc.
I noticed that the crew on board both my departure and arrival flights were pretty attentive and patient making sure they do not leave out any passengers. 😊
2) SWISSOTEL NAI LERT PARK
Swissotel Nai Lert Park is a luxurious five-star luxury hotel that I got to stay at for my 4 days in Bangkok.
It is a low-rise, resort-style hotel surrounded by lush tropical gardens and a large free form pool.
Truly a great choice of stay to consider during your trip to Bangkok as it makes one feels like entering an entirely refreshing, calm and relaxing place of retreat in this bustling city.
I enjoyed my stay throughout and did manage to take a walk around the mini gallery set up in the lobby area which consist of some really interesting and beautiful artwork.
The hotel is also a perfect choice for business and leisure as it is close to the BTS station, main shopping malls such as Siam Paragon and is extremely accessible to business districts.
Supper at 11pm for myself!
The one dish that everyone has to try is their Pad Thai - the noodles were cooked perfectly well - chewy and not too salty or oily.
They have an intensive menu for room service which I find really impressive as most of the hotels I've stayed at have quite a limited menu. 😅
Throughout the 4 days of my stay, I stayed at the Swiss Classic Room.
It faces the garden and pool which is really nice especially in the day and room facilities include amenities upgrades and complimentary WiFi internet connection.
I am also grateful to the fact that there's an iron/ironing board in every room so guests will not ever have to worry about crumpled clothing while travelling anymore.
3) HOLIDAY INN BANGKOK
After checking in into our respective hotels, everyone gathered to meet the people behind this trip, TCEB, at Holiday Inn Bangkok.
We were treated to a nice dinner and everyone stepped forward to share a little about themselves to help break the ice.
Can I say that the food at the restaurant was SUPERB???
That's when I got to speak to Jasiminne Yip more, whom is a UK blogger.
She is however malaysian but currently resides in London.
(More on that later)
I also got to meet some new photographer friends from Bangkok and one even offered to do an impromptu mini photoshoot on the spot for me 😄
Haha I couldn't remember why I was laughing like this 😂
😍
4) IMPACT MUANG THONG THAI
IMPACT Muang Thong Thani is a complex consisting of an arena, convention centre and exhibition hall in Bangkok, Thailand.
The name of IMPACT stands for International Multi-Purpose Arena, Conference and Trade Complex. The IMPACT Arena, Exhibitions and Convention Centre is currently the 2nd largest exhibition and convention venue in Asia with an indoor floorspace of over 140,000 square metres!! 😱
It was so huge we had to travel around in a vehicle for convenience. 😅
Being a professional local consumer exhibition organizer, World Fair Company Limited have been organizing shows for approximately 30 years, and one of the venues they have worked at is the IMPACT Exhibition Center.
We took a walk around a furniture fair organised by them after lunch and also got to go on a little tour around IMPACT Muang Thong Thani.
Our lunch at Terrazza Cafe (inside IMPACT Muang Thong Thani) was excellent and it was authentic thai food which all of us were craving for 😛
The furniture fair that was on that very day.
We were also told that the IMPACT Arena was very commonly used by singers/artistes for their concerts - think K-POP Groups like SNSD, Big Bang, etc! 😍
5) SIAM PARAGON AND SIAM CENTER
Known as Bangkok's pride, Siam Paragon was opened in December 2005 and was intended to help benefit the country's economy.
Spanning over 500,000sqm, it houses over 250 shops with leading Thailand and international brands.
Here you can not only find Paragon Department Store, but also a Gourmet Market, the Royal Paragon Hall, a world-class standard cinema known as the “Paragon Cineplex” as well as the “Siam Ocean World” which is the first aquarium in the heart of Bangkok city.
Do you know that the mall was revamped in 2012 and it is currently also a centre for digital multimedia innovations whereby latest technology from around the world was brought together to complement the design, interior decoration and functionality of Siam Center?!
I have to admit it is one of the to-go places whenever I visit Bangkok, a place for me to shop-till-I-drop! 😝
Jasiminne was really excited to know that there was Sephora at Siam Center (as they are not available in the UK) and so we headed there to do a little bit of shopping before having a cruise dinner at Chao Praya River.
Look how excited she was 😆
-> CHAO PRAYA RIVER CRUISE DINNER <-
The Chao Phraya is the major river in Thailand and it flows through Bangkok and other parts of Thailand.
Some fun and singing while waiting for our cruise dinner😁
This was how our cruise looks like!
Pretty cool because we get to go up to the highest level so when they drove past bridges, we were sooooooo close to the bottom and had to watch our heads, literally!
Pity that we didn't get to have an earlier dinner, else the view would have been breathtaking and photo-perfect😞
6) Xin Tian Di Bangkok (Chinese restaurant)
One of the most luxurious Chinese Restaurant in Bangkok, Xin Tian Di serves the best Cantonese dishes prepared under the supervision of Iron Chef Thailand winner and Master Chinese Chef, Lam Kok Weng.
Perfect place to head to if you would like to take your friends/clients for some mouth watering favourites such as their signature Peking Duck and Dim Sum!
The peking duck was SO GOOD I swear.
Both Jas and I agreed it was the best dish served up during our lunch there.
7) Panpuri Organic Spa
A luxury spa in the heart of Bangkok city, Panpuri Organic Spa only uses high quality and authentic organic products on their customers.
The environment is cosy and comforting, and they aim to make their customers feel exclusive and relaxed from the moment you step inside.
All their therapists are well-trained and they focus to help customers reach a feeling of total renewal and rejuvenation after each session.
I have to emphasise that the therapist will let you smell and choose the essential oil to be used for your massage.
This was really new to me because the essential oils Panpuri use are of course, organic and I must say their scents heavenly!😍
I must say... this was easily the best authentic Thai massage I've ever had in my life.
The hospitality and service was incredible and believe me when I say you do not have to doubt the massage skills of the therapist.
Also, she was really attentive to me, and asked about my preferences right before we start (like which areas I would like to concentrate more on, and whether she should be using more or lesser strength).
What I really like about this spa is that they have a shower in each massage room so you can opt to have a quick shower before you leave - that way the essential oils from the massage will not stain your clothes.
How thoughtful is that?!
I love this idea and for this wonderful encounter, I give this spa a TRIPLE THUMBS UP! 👍👍👍
Absolutely the best experience I've had in this Bangkok trip.🙆
All these mentioned above are some of the activities I've done during this trip.
If you need some more ideas to help plan your itinerary, continue to read on!
Because.....
WHAT'S PLEASURE IN BUSINESS IF THERE'S NO LEISURE?!😝
=== My recommendations ===
ASIATIQUE : THE RIVERFRONT
(Nearest BTS : Saphan Taksin)
From my experiences so far, I really enjoyed visiting Asiatique : The Riverfront.
I found out about this place 2-3 years back and the husband and I went when it just opened not too long ago.
It is a large open-air mall in Bangkok, Thailand.
It is situated in the former docks of the East Asiatic Company, and faces the Chao Phraya River and Charoen Krung Road.
It used to only have food stalls at the central area but now they have street food too, which makes the entire "riverfront" experience more surreal and fun.
At Juliet's Love Garden last year with my girlfriends❤️
There are tons to shop and see over there, but I mostly appreciate it because of the vibes.
You can also catch a Muay Thai or Calypso show there, get a foot massage or take the Mekhong Ferris Wheel for fun!
I normally get there by Taxi (by meter) but do try to head there early about 4-5 to avoid the peak hour jam! 😙
---
ERAWAN SHRINE
(Nearest BTS : Chit Lom)
The Erawan Shrine is a Hindu shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, that houses a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of the Hindu god of creation Lord Brahma.
This place is an extremely popular worship attraction, it often features performances by resident Thai dance troupes, who are hired by worshippers in return for seeing their prayers at the shrine answered.
I would recommend everyone to visit this site at least once when they visit Bangkok since this is one of their most popular worship attraction.
---
FLOWHOUSE BANGKOK
(Nearest BTS : Thong Lo)
Being Bangkok's only urban beach club, Flow House is a great place to hang out at without leaving the city.
Entry is free for all and it brings awesome beach vibes to the city with all the activities available.
Opening every day and night from 10am to Midnight, you can either ride the wave, enjoy some yummy food, have some cold drinks or simply just chill out here with your friends.
---
And finally... one of the most nervous situation I've been in throughout this trip was the........
* Press Interview with the Thailand Media and TCEB *
All in all, this Blogger Familiarization Trip, in addition with the Spice Up Your Business Agenda 2016 campaign was to help raise awareness of Thailand as a premiere Bleisure (business with leisure) destination in Asia.
The 10 bloggers from five targeted markets such as China, Singapore, Taiwan, UK, and Australia are selected to experience MICE events in Thailand, visit state-of-the-art venues, and world-class facilities and then to share their experience through their social media platforms/blog.
I was being interviewed on my thoughts of the places we have visited and also my overall experience of Bangkok as a city for Businesses with Leisure.
Well of course, I had to share more about my shopping experiences and that ultimate pampering session I had at Panpuri Spa.
(And I admit for once.... I felt like a superstar with so many people shoving microphones into my face while multiple cameras clicked and flashed away like nobody's business....😝😝)
Thank you for having me again, Bangkok, Thailand.
You never fail to always amaze me, ขอบคุณค่ะ.
Special thanks to TCEB, Nuffnang Singapore and Nuffnang Thailand for this experience.
And thank you everyone for following me through this trip through my snapchat and IG stories!
Hope you enjoyed this blog entry!
ฉันรักทุกคน!
Cheers,
---
Both Jas and I agreed it was the best dish served up during our lunch there.
7) Panpuri Organic Spa
A luxury spa in the heart of Bangkok city, Panpuri Organic Spa only uses high quality and authentic organic products on their customers.
The environment is cosy and comforting, and they aim to make their customers feel exclusive and relaxed from the moment you step inside.
All their therapists are well-trained and they focus to help customers reach a feeling of total renewal and rejuvenation after each session.
This was really new to me because the essential oils Panpuri use are of course, organic and I must say their scents heavenly!😍
I must say... this was easily the best authentic Thai massage I've ever had in my life.
The hospitality and service was incredible and believe me when I say you do not have to doubt the massage skills of the therapist.
Also, she was really attentive to me, and asked about my preferences right before we start (like which areas I would like to concentrate more on, and whether she should be using more or lesser strength).
How thoughtful is that?!
I love this idea and for this wonderful encounter, I give this spa a TRIPLE THUMBS UP! 👍👍👍
Absolutely the best experience I've had in this Bangkok trip.🙆
All these mentioned above are some of the activities I've done during this trip.
If you need some more ideas to help plan your itinerary, continue to read on!
Because.....
WHAT'S PLEASURE IN BUSINESS IF THERE'S NO LEISURE?!😝
=== My recommendations ===
ASIATIQUE : THE RIVERFRONT
(Nearest BTS : Saphan Taksin)
From my experiences so far, I really enjoyed visiting Asiatique : The Riverfront.
I found out about this place 2-3 years back and the husband and I went when it just opened not too long ago.
It is a large open-air mall in Bangkok, Thailand.
It is situated in the former docks of the East Asiatic Company, and faces the Chao Phraya River and Charoen Krung Road.
It used to only have food stalls at the central area but now they have street food too, which makes the entire "riverfront" experience more surreal and fun.
There are tons to shop and see over there, but I mostly appreciate it because of the vibes.
You can also catch a Muay Thai or Calypso show there, get a foot massage or take the Mekhong Ferris Wheel for fun!
I normally get there by Taxi (by meter) but do try to head there early about 4-5 to avoid the peak hour jam! 😙
---
ERAWAN SHRINE
(Nearest BTS : Chit Lom)
The Erawan Shrine is a Hindu shrine in Bangkok, Thailand, that houses a statue of Phra Phrom, the Thai representation of the Hindu god of creation Lord Brahma.
This place is an extremely popular worship attraction, it often features performances by resident Thai dance troupes, who are hired by worshippers in return for seeing their prayers at the shrine answered.
I would recommend everyone to visit this site at least once when they visit Bangkok since this is one of their most popular worship attraction.
---
FLOWHOUSE BANGKOK
(Nearest BTS : Thong Lo)
Being Bangkok's only urban beach club, Flow House is a great place to hang out at without leaving the city.
Entry is free for all and it brings awesome beach vibes to the city with all the activities available.
Opening every day and night from 10am to Midnight, you can either ride the wave, enjoy some yummy food, have some cold drinks or simply just chill out here with your friends.
---
And finally... one of the most nervous situation I've been in throughout this trip was the........
* Press Interview with the Thailand Media and TCEB *
All in all, this Blogger Familiarization Trip, in addition with the Spice Up Your Business Agenda 2016 campaign was to help raise awareness of Thailand as a premiere Bleisure (business with leisure) destination in Asia.
The 10 bloggers from five targeted markets such as China, Singapore, Taiwan, UK, and Australia are selected to experience MICE events in Thailand, visit state-of-the-art venues, and world-class facilities and then to share their experience through their social media platforms/blog.
Well of course, I had to share more about my shopping experiences and that ultimate pampering session I had at Panpuri Spa.
(And I admit for once.... I felt like a superstar with so many people shoving microphones into my face while multiple cameras clicked and flashed away like nobody's business....😝😝)
Thank you for having me again, Bangkok, Thailand.
You never fail to always amaze me, ขอบคุณค่ะ.
Special thanks to TCEB, Nuffnang Singapore and Nuffnang Thailand for this experience.
And thank you everyone for following me through this trip through my snapchat and IG stories!
Hope you enjoyed this blog entry!
ฉันรักทุกคน!
Cheers,
---
Relevant images credit to :
TCEB
Google.com
Bangkok.com
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