The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands

Asian Regional Meeting on Ramsar COP10, Bangkok, 14-18 January 2008

ASIAN REGIONAL PREPARATORY MEETING FOR COP 10 OF THE RAMSAR CONVENTION
14-18 January 2008, Bangkok, Thailand

Information for Participants

The Government of the Thailand, Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning, and the Secretariat of the Convention on Wetlands (Ramsar, Iran, 1971) are organizing the Asian Regional Meeting of the Convention on Wetlands in Bangkok, Thailand, from 14-18 January 2008. This meeting will be held in preparation for the 10th Meeting of the Contracting Parties (COP10), which will take place in Changwon, Republic of Korea, in 2008.

• Venue of the Meeting

Maruay Garden Hotel
1 Phaholyothin Road Ladyao
Chatuchak Bangkok 10900 Thailand
Tel: (66 2) 561 0510-47
Fax: (66 2) 561 0549
Email : info@maruaygardenhotel.com
Website : www.maruaygardenhotel.com

• Geographic location

For more information, please visit www.tourismthailand.org.

• Official languages

Thai and English

• Electricity

The voltage in the country is 220 v.

• Reservations

The Ramsar Secretariat will be in charge of coordination of hotel and flight reservations for all delegates receiving funds from the Convention to participate in the meeting. Please refer to document Sponsored air fare reimbursement for further information. Other participants must contact the national organizer to make hotel reservations.

The cost of the Maruay Garden Hotel is approx. 42USD or 1400 Baht/day for single and approx. USD 48 or 1600 Baht Baht/day for double. The lunch and two coffee breaks cost approx. 13USD or 450 Baht/day.

• Passports and Visas

The Thai consulate in charge of your country is in a position to give you official information on how to obtain your visa. Please contact them in time. If delegates experience any problems in acquiring a visa, please contact the national organizers of the event. For more information, please visit www.mfa.go.th.

Please note:
To obtain a visa at your nearest Consulate General of Thailand, we will provide you with a personal letter of invitation that you will use when making your visa application. For this reason, it is imperative that you return the registration form to us as soon as possible.

• Currency

The official currency is the Baht. The official exchange rate for buying is Baht 34 for US$ 1 and for selling Baht 33 for US$1.

Currency restrictions: Exchange transactions have to be made at commercial banks and exchange offices at the official exchange rate. Credit cards are accepted in most places visited by tourists.

Credit cards: Visa, Mastercard, Diners Club and American Express credit cards, as well as travelers checks, are accepted in most stores, restaurants, hotels, bars and discotheques.

• Meeting Documents

Important information and all documents related to the meeting are added to the specific meeting Web site in the link given below. Working documents will be sent by the Ramsar Secretariat to registered delegates and observers only. There will be a limited number of documents available at the meeting venue, so it is strongly recommended to bring the documents provided by the Secretariat or download those documents from the website.

Please visit the Web site and download the documents relevant to you:
http://www.ramsar.org/mtg/mtg_reg_asia2008_index.htm

• Travel to Thailand and Delegate transportation

Various companies operate flights to Thailand's capital Bangkok. Please check with your travel agent. The time in Bangkok is GMT +7h.

Upon arrival at the Suvarnabhumi International Airport, delegates and observers will be met by identified Government personnel.

It is recommended that participants inform the national organizers of the date and time of their arrival in Thailand, as well as flight details. Otherwise, the necessary assistance cannot be guaranteed. Participants can reach the hotel by taxi, which is available at the 1st floor of the airport. The cost is up to the meter and plus 50 Baht for service charge; the expressway fee is not included.

• Communication and Accreditation

All accreditation of members of official delegations and other participants to the Asian Regional Meeting of the Convention on Wetlands must be sent to the Ramsar Secretariat with copy to the national organizers of the event, indicating the delegate's names and position.

• Government and Ramsar Secretariat Contacts for organization and registration

For the Government of Thailand:

Ms Nirawan Pipitsombat
Senior Environmental Officer
Biodiversity Division, Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy & Planning
60/1 Soi Phibun Wattana 7, Rama VI Road ,Bangkok 10400, THAILAND
Tel: +66 2 265 6636 Fax : +66 2 265 6638
Email: wetlands.onep@gmail.com, nirawanpipitsombat@yahoo.com

Mr. Wanlop Preechamart
Environmental Officer
Biodiversity Division, Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy & Planning
60/1 Soi Phibun Wattana 7, Rama VI Road ,Bangkok 10400, THAILAND
Tel: +66 2 265 6636 Fax : +66 2 265 6638
Email: w_prech@hotmail.com

For the Ramsar Convention Secretariat:

Ms. Pragati Tuladhar
Assistant Advisor for Asia-Pacific
The Ramsar Convention on Wetlands
Rue Mauverney 28, 1196 Gland, Switzerland
Tel: +41 22 999 0138 Mobile: +41(0)792902625 Fax +41 22 999 0169
E-mail: asia@ramsar.org Web site: www.ramsar.org

For further information about the Ramsar Convention on Wetlands, please contact the Ramsar Convention Secretariat, Rue Mauverney 28, CH-1196 Gland, Switzerland (tel +41 22 999 0170, fax +41 22 999 0169, e-mail ). Posted 7 November 2007, Dwight Peck, Ramsar.