Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Center
Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Center
During a trip to Chiang Mai with TCEB in October 2014, I had the pleasure of visiting the new Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Center, located in the Chang Phuak sub-district of the Muang district.
Arriving here, I could not help but notice that the entire infrastructure of this convention centre was imposing and, more importantly, systematic and clean. In total, approximately three billion Thai baht was allocated for the construction of the convention centre, which is a 10-minute drive from the city of Chiang Mai.
I would say that the money was well spent, judging from the overall finish. While MICE tourism in Thailand has been growing at a steady rate over the last few years, there has been a significant increase in MICE activities here.
According to the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), revenue from MICE is expected to increase by 10 per cent to THB4.24 billion in 2014, and the number of MICE travellers will grow by 5 per cent.
Chiang Mai has also become a favourite destination for international business events. The Chiang Mai International Airport provides easy access to this part of Thailand, and in 2012, the city hosted nearly 500 MICE functions and 47,000 overseas business travellers.
In total, there are 33,000 premium-class hotel rooms and a wealth of modern business facilities, the northern city is well-equipped to handle the high-volume of visitors. Below are various photographs taken during my visit.
Chiang Mai International Convention Center Photos
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| The main entrance to the convention centre. |
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| Inside the Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Center. |
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| An exhibition and expo are taking place during my visit. |
Dubbed the largest convention and exhibition centre in Southeast Asia, this space spans a total area of 521,600 square meters and can accommodate up to 10,000 people.
The massive venue is decorated in the unique Thai-Lanna style and is ready to cater to both national and international conventions, exhibitions, and fairs. The centre is also equipped with modern facilities and professional services, making it suitable to host world-class international MICE events.
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| One of the exhibition halls here. |
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| The walkway to the meeting and function rooms. |
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| One of the smaller meeting rooms. |
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| VIP room at the Chiang Mai Convention and Exhibition Center. |
During my visit, a massive science trade fair and exhibition were taking place, and we took our time to explore the various facilities around the centre. The Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Centre comprises two main buildings: the SMES building and the leading exhibition and convention hall.
The leading exhibition and convention hall is a large, two-story building with three primary services: exhibition halls, convention halls, and meeting rooms. The exhibition hall also comprises three interconnected multi-purpose halls with a combined space of 7,935 sqm.
For outdoor events, there is a 7,443 sqm multi-use outdoor space which is designed to accommodate the needs of all types of outdoor events and activities.
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| Inside the convention centre. |
Ratchaphruek Convention Hall
A more traditional yet modern function hall is the Ratchaphruek convention hall, which provides a space of 3,400 square meters with a capacity of 3,000 seats. It is equipped with the latest state-of-the-art sound and lighting systems.
The main hall features a variety of 29 meeting rooms, accommodating 100 to 700 guests, and offers supporting facilities such as a restaurant and food court, VIP rooms, a prayer room, high-speed wireless internet, and built-in registration counters. Parking for over 3,000 vehicles is available to visitors in the area, which can be utilised for other purposes.
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| The media FAM group at the Ratchaphruek Convention Hall. |
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| Ratchaphruek Convention Hall visitor and guest meeting area. |
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| Around the main hall area. |
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| The main hall of the convention centre here |
Chiang Mai MICE Future Plans
The cost of the entire project is known to be around Bt200 million, which was originally Bt3 billion. The project was originally initiated in June 1996 and was completed and opened in May 2013.
The Thai government has ambitious plans to develop Chiang Mai into an “MICE City” in the ASEAN region, utilising the convention centre to stimulate the local economy. The Ministry of Tourism and Sports also believes that the centre will help expand the MICE industry in Chiang Mai by 10 per cent annually.
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| Layout plan of the convention centre. |
Conclusion
For me, having visited many international exhibitions and convention centres around Southeast Asia, this was indeed an eye-opener. The sheer size and facilities are world-class, and I can easily see Chiang Mai becoming the next top MICE destination in Asia.
You can also read about my Thailand Connect Bangkok FAM Trip with TCEB, where we explored this fantastic city for the many MICE-related facilities.
You can also visit the official website for MICE and Business Events in Thailand if you are interested in obtaining more information. Hopefully, your company will consider having an event or trade show at the Chiang Mai International Convention and Exhibition Center.
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