The Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB) has implemented a year-long initiative to strengthen local, regional and international associations by partnering with both umbrella organizations of the international meetings industry and national organizations.

Under the umbrella theme The Power of Associations, TCEB and ICCA Thailand members are working with International Congress and Convention Association’s (ICCA) Asia-Pacific to organize the ICCA Thailand Seminar 2017, an annual educational event hosted by ICAA Thailand, to be held in Bangkok on July 5^th.Around 100 local Thai associations and suppliers will have the opportunity to learn from high caliber speaker with global association experience while supplier expert with global experience in handling international meetings will offer insights on how associations and suppliers can collaborate to make bidding and organizing association meetings a success.

On the international scale initiative, TCEB, in collaboration with the Chicago-based Professional Convention Management Association (PCMA), will be hosting 2017 PCMA Global Professional Conference Asia-Pacific in Bangkok during 28 – 31 August, the first time the event is being held in East and Southeast Asia. An invitation-only program matching 35 leaders and decision makers from global associations with 15 executives from Asia-Pacific convention bureaus and centers aims to build cross-cultural understanding, assist networking and demonstrate techniques to maximize the impact of business events.

Later in the year, TCEB will be hosting the Brussels-based Union of International Associations’ (UIA) Asia-Pacific Round Table in Chiang Mai, northern Thailand, during 21-22 September. This is the second time UIA has chosen to hold this event in Thailand after the 2015 edition in Bangkok attracted a record number of international association attendees. In Chiang Mai; more than 100 representatives of Thai and regional associations are expected to attend this year’s Round Table.

TCEB also actively partners with national organizations. The Bureau has just organized Local Road Show to stimulate local association and organizations to organize more international conferences, which will further Thailand’s development as a preferred meeting destination.