Travel Fair Bangkok/Impact Arena

[TrongpaiExpat]

It's called: 17th Discovery Thailand 2009 Discovery World 2009

Location: The Impact Arena Convention center hall 3 and 4. Bus 166 from Victory Monument or mini van from VM.

Date and time: Oct. 29-Nov. 1, 2009

In the past I have taken full advantage of the discounts offered at these travel fairs but this one was a bit of a disappointment. I did buy some car rental vouchers, buy 5 get one free but the prices were up about 20% from the last fair and with more restrictions. I did not find any deep discounts and some of the resorts selling vouchers were properties in the development stages. Not quite built yet but selling rooms now?

Southern Thailand, the islands and beach resorts far outnumbered the rest of Thailand. Mostly 3 star and up, a few budget and some over the top luxury resorts. None of the airlines were at this fair offering discounts.

Lots of travel packages where you stay in Thailand's border areas and someone with a van or boat shows up and takes you over the border to Cambodia, Lao or Myanmar to gamble and then back to Thailand.

These fairs don't get advertised in the English papers and are not marketed for farangs. This one was a little different. In the past almost all of the signs, adds and brochures were in Thai. Now, lots of English and English speaking touts falling over themselves to speak to the farangs and there were lots in tow with Thai girl friends.

It's a bit outside the usual farang zone and from Central Bangkok and may not be worth the trip unless your interested in package tours, resorts or rental cars.

http://www.impact.co.th/event.php

[krobbie]

How bloody disappointing for you TrongpaiXP, after doing so well at the last one. I remember your post then. You scooped the pool.

Maybe the next one will be back to the recent bonanza days.

[pong]

Impact is really very, very far-about the same distance as old Don Muang from central BKK.
Those fairs are held about ev. 2 monthes-and nearly always announced, not really advertised, in the weekly ''whats on'' supplmt of the BKK-post. Also fairly often in the Sirikitti Exhib. Centre-on the MRT of same name, very near Malaysia Hotel-area in fact. Both this centre and Impact have a lot to be improved on them-those low, claustrofobic bad-air ceilings. But thats IMHO. Advertsiing for these fairs are often on citybuses-a few weeks ahead-just strat to learn reading Thai again!

Impact is really very, very far-about the same distance as old Don Muang from central BKK.


You call that "really very, very far"? Perhaps if you write them they will hold the fair in your hotel room next time so you won't have to travel such extreme distances. LOL.