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:
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
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