There are very few countries that need a visa for visiting Thailand for up to 15 days and the nationals of most Western countries can stay for 30. This is a simple stamp in the passport on arrival although if you just got off a A380 it might take you 10 minutes queuing at the immigration desks. Members of ASEAN countries have even greater benefits (a bit like EU borders - oops! Should I have said that?) Ultra modern mass rapid transport (overhead and subway trains) make transfer from the airport to the centre of downtown a doddle and extremely uncomplicated at not more than 20 minutes and just over a dollar or two for a ride; a taxi costs only 10 dollars so 4 sharing is even cheaper than the railway or the bus. Signage everywhere in Thailand is in English, even in the tiniest rural villages. Plenty of facilities everywhere for people of reduced mobility (ramps everywhere for wheelchairs, special toilets, etc.). Most people under 30 can speak enough English to point you in the wrong direction. Despite the silly reports in the Lonely Planet, BKK is an extraordinarily safe city, no mugging, and hardly any pickpocketing. Most petty crime is done by the foreign tourists themselves. Transport in town by proper air conditioned taxis or the touristy tuk-tuks (motorcycle rickshaws for the more adventurous) costs only 2 - 4 dollars for a ride that in a black cab in London would cost over 20 quid. Road traffic in the city is dense, but not as bad as central Berlin, London, Manhattan, Paris, or Marseille. In fact I don’t mind driving around it at all. Helps to know where you are going though (but I do, and I know the shortcuts through the back alleys). Unlike DC, Hong Kong, or Esino, a compact venue with a very short walking distance to/from accommodation and reasonable eating places is absolutely no problem. Everything is flat and there are no hills (no collapsing in the street from asthma attacks like on the steep slopes in the rare air of Esino Lario) Something like the government Chulalongkorn University (Thailand’s Oxbridge) campus is right in the middle of town and there are budget hotels up every alley. For those who feel they must exploit the conference for some sight seeing, BKK is a hugely fascinating city. Even has what I believe is the world’s largest shopping mall (Panthip Plaza) dedicated entirely to IT. Fast river and canal boat-busses also provide a dense transportation network in and around the city and suburbs (only 20 mins from the backpacker ghetto (rooms from 4 quid a night) in Banglamphu district to Siam Square, the downtown epicentre. Tourism speech over. Kudpung

Visa arent an issue everyone can get them online, except for those people from North Korea and currently those travelling under some UN passports due to a technical issue. We have public transport system that works its nothing flash though a definate must do experience for the adventurist people. Perth has lovely weather despite it being winter here in July/August you might get to experience some rain event then its bound to interrupted by sunshine with temperatures between 14-20 degrees Celsius though the warmer days are when it'll be raining. Withe sunshine will be clear skys at night so there will ample opportnity to view the southern night skys, short trip out side the city lights will let see the milkyway in all its majesty. Western Australia does have its and few other places share of sharks, spirders, snakes(not so many in winter), blue ringed octopus, box jellyfish(in winter its too cold for them as well), crocodiles but they arent normally found close to Perth. Then there are the drop bears which can be a bit sneaky during the cold months as they look for warm places to hide, there also the Bulyits a distant relative of the bunyip known for luring children away from the swimming holes and camp fires Kangaroos are every where even on the backs of our coins, we'll be able to find a few for those want to see them, and Perth is also home to the happiest animal on the planet the Quokka. History wise if you look at the written books we are only a couple of hundred years old, but in reality WA is home to one of the oldest continual cultures in the world Perth will be more than a destination, it'll be journey of adventure, into the past of a truly ancient land. so ends this tale of tourism and adventure stay tune for next weeks episode on fresh foods, wines and ales that will delight your senses even more On 17 October 2016 at 17:27, cs <cs(a)edubkk.org> wrote: -- GN. President Wikimedia Australia WMAU: http://www.wikimedia.org.au/wiki/User:Gnangarra Photo Gallery: http://gnangarra.redbubble.com

I will be meeting with the WMF management next week to discuss strategy, budget, etc for future Wikimanias. So after that I will be posting more information. In the meantime, as you say, we don't want people to put energy into detailed proposals or looking at the past structure of bids. I am just trying to get expressions of interest at this time, with the hope of making the process of hosting/organizing a much less painful experience for prospective people. Thanks, Ellie On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 3:28 AM, Lodewijk <lodewijk(a)effeietsanders.org> wrote: -- Ellie Young Events Manager Wikimedia Foundation eyoung(a)wikimedia.org c. 510 701 8649

Bangkok: That is what I was actualy hoping to hear but didn’t dare suggest it. Deryk Chan would be an excellent aly (in fact I mentioned it to him in Esino) , but I belives he prefers to live iEngland now. Kudpung > On 17Oct, 2016, at 17:28, John Mark Vandenberg <jayvdb(a)gmail.com> wrote: > > I agree Bangkok would be great for the next Asia Wikimania. > > >> (only 20 mins from the backpacker ghetto (rooms from 4 quid a night) > > There are also lots of really nice places to stay across Bangkok, and > very reasonable accom for USD $10 per night, and *nice* accom for USD > $20. > > The main thing to be wary of is arriving at the Don Mueang > International Airport, which is not connected to good local transport. > It isnt worth saving $50 on a lower-cost flight to arrive here as > opposed to the new Suvarnabhumi Airport. > > > On Mon, Oct 17, 2016 at 4:27 PM, cs <cs(a)edubkk.org> wrote: >> There are very few countries that need a visa for visiting Thailand for up >> to 15 days and the nationals of most Western countries can stay for 30. This >> is a simple stamp in the passport on arrival although if you just got off a >> A380 it might take you 10 minutes queuing at the immigration desks. Members >> of ASEAN countries have even greater benefits (a bit like EU borders - oops! >> Should I have said that?) >> >> Ultra modern mass rapid transport (overhead and subway trains) make transfer >> from the airport to the centre of downtown a doddle and extremely >> uncomplicated at not more than 20 minutes and just over a dollar or two for >> a ride; a taxi costs only 10 dollars so 4 sharing is even cheaper than the >> railway or the bus. >> Signage everywhere in Thailand is in English, even in the tiniest rural >> villages. Plenty of facilities everywhere for people of reduced mobility >> (ramps everywhere for wheelchairs, special toilets, etc.). Most people under >> 30 can speak enough English to point you in the wrong direction. >> >> Despite the silly reports in the Lonely Planet, BKK is an extraordinarily >> safe city, no mugging, and hardly any pickpocketing. Most petty crime is >> done by the foreign tourists themselves. >> >> Transport in town by proper air conditioned taxis or the touristy tuk-tuks >> (motorcycle rickshaws for the more adventurous) costs only 2 - 4 dollars for >> a ride that in a black cab in London would cost over 20 quid. >> >> Road traffic in the city is dense, but not as bad as central Berlin, London, >> Manhattan, Paris, or Marseille. In fact I don’t mind driving around it at >> all. Helps to know where you are going though (but I do, and I know the >> shortcuts through the back alleys). >> >> Unlike DC, Hong Kong, or Esino, a compact venue with a very short walking >> distance to/from accommodation and reasonable eating places is absolutely no >> problem. Everything is flat and there are no hills (no collapsing in the >> street from asthma attacks like on the steep slopes in the rare air of Esino >> Lario) Something like the government Chulalongkorn University (Thailand’s >> Oxbridge) campus is right in the middle of town and there are budget hotels >> up every alley. >> >> For those who feel they must exploit the conference for some sight seeing, >> BKK is a hugely fascinating city. Even has what I believe is the world’s >> largest shopping mall (Panthip Plaza) dedicated entirely to IT. Fast river >> and canal boat-busses also provide a dense transportation network in and >> around the city and suburbs (only 20 mins from the backpacker ghetto (rooms >> from 4 quid a night) in Banglamphu district to Siam Square, the downtown >> epicentre. >> >> Tourism speech over. >> >> Kudpung >> >> On 17Oct, 2016, at 15:15, WereSpielChequers <werespielchequers(a)gmail.com> >> wrote: >> >> Hi Chris, >> >> That sounds like a really good option for 2018 or later, especially when you >> consider how open Thailand is for visitors. >> https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Visa_policy_of_Thailand >> >> Also it would be the first Wikimania in the far East for five years. >> >> If Bangkok traffic is as bad as its reputation, would it be possible to get >> a compact venue with food accommodation and conference all in walking >> distance? >> >> WSC >> >> On 17 October 2016 at 07:33, cs <cs(a)edubkk.org> wrote: >>> >>> I am seriously interested in organising a Wikimania in Bangkok. >>> The Thai Wiki does not have a functional chapter, but there is a user >>> group chaired by a professor at Thailand’s major Medical College, and we >>> have collaborated on various projects. >>> With our combined knowledge we could get a team together fofr 2018 0r 2019 >>> probably 2019 would be best. . >>> I have experience in event management. Taweetham has lived and studiedfor >>> his PhD in Australia and has attended several Wikimanias. I have lived in >>> Thailand for nearly 20 years and was a professor at a government university >>> in Bangkok for several years. >>> >>> Bangkok has an ideal geo location, it’s a very modern city with excellent >>> transport and communications infrastructures. (two large interation >>> airports only 20 mins from the city centre; highly developed urban rapid >>> mass transport systems; first class Internet). >>> >>> Food, accommodation, and other facilities for visitors cost roughly one >>> sixth of those in Western (USA, Canada, Australia, Europe,) or Westernised >>> economies (HK, Singapore, etc). >>> >>> Chris >>> (Kudpung) >>> >>> On 17Oct, 2016, at 07:24, Ellie Young <eyoung(a)wikimedia.org> wrote: >>> >>> >>> This is a follow-up to a posting to this list by the Wikimania Committee >>> in July soliciting proposals for people who might be interested in hosting a >>> future Wikimania (especially 2018 and 2019), as follows: >>> >>> >>> " >>> We are now looking for proposals of teams and locations. This is not a >>> bidding process; we are keen for this to be a light-weight, simple request >>> for suggestions. You don’t need to have a venue locked down, contracts >>> drafted or sponsors lined up. You can have a quick look at the “judging >>> criteria” which were used for 2016,[2] but the key part is commitment. In >>> deciding where to hold conferences, we have to take into account additional >>> factors about potential sites such as cost, >>> accessibility, and security. >>> " >>> >>> I will be following up with various people who have expressed interest in >>> the coming week. If anyone else is interested in discussing the >>> possibilities (the team/prospective host need not be tied to a particular >>> venue), please get in touch with me directly by October 30, 2016. We will >>> be working with the WM >>> >>> F >>> in the coming months in finalizing a venue/team for 2018, and we also want >>> to get an early start at identifying potentials for the following year. >>> >>> Thank you, >>> >>> >>> Ellie Young >>> >>> WMF Events Manager >>> >>> eyoung(a)wikimedia.org >>> >>> >>> [2] https://meta.wikimedia.org/wiki/Wikimania_2016_judging_criteria >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>> Wikimania-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>> >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Wikimania-l mailing list >>> Wikimania-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org >>> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >>> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimania-l mailing list >> Wikimania-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Wikimania-l mailing list >> Wikimania-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org >> https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l >> > > > > -- > John Vandenberg > > _______________________________________________ > Wikimania-l mailing list > Wikimania-l(a)lists.wikimedia.org > https://lists.wikimedia.org/mailman/listinfo/wikimania-l