General information

Khon Kaen City

Khon Kaen is a large city in Khon Kaen province in the central-northern part of the Khorat Plateau in the northeast of Thailand – an area known as Isan (or Isaan or Isarn), which contains about 23 million people or 33% of Thailand’s population.

Khon Kaen is about 700 km by road northeast of Bangkok and can be accessed from Bangkok by airline (<1 hour), coach/bus, taxi (7 hours) or train (7-8 hours).

Khon Kaen Airport has many direct flights per day from all three airports near Bangkok (Suvarnabhumi, Don Muang and U-Tapao) as well as to/from major centres such as Phuket, Hatyai and Chiangmai. Domestic one-way flights (in December 2020) start at US $30 from Bangkok and US $41 from Phuket. International flights will, hopefully, be operating to a considerably enlarged Khon Kaen International Airport in 2021. Because Thailand is a major tourist destination, relatively cheap international flights may be available to Bangkok, Phuket and Chiangmai airports and also, by the time of the congress, to Khon Kaen. However, because of the current (2021) pandemic, flights are very limited but we hope they will be back to normal by November 2022.

Accommodation

Khon Kaen has numerous hotels ranging from 5 stars to backpacker accommodation with many within walking distance of the conference venue (Pullman Hotel). If this application is accepted we will negotiate with the Pullman Hotel and nearby hotels for block booking at reduced rates. As early November is before the high tourist season, very reasonable rates should be available. Many houses and apartments are also available for rent through Airbnb and other websites.

A selection of room rates in nearby hotels (Dec 2019)
Venue: Pullman Hotel (5 stars) US $60
Avani Hotel (5 stars, ≈2 km from venue), US $45
Kosa Hotel and shopping mall (3 stars, 200 m from venue), US $25
Charoen Thani Hotel, (4 stars, 300 m from venue), US $32
Glacier Hotel (4 stars, 200 m from venue), US $32
VWish Hotel (4 stars, 800 m from venue), US $44
SF Biz Hotel (4 stars, 300 m from venue), US $17
Chaipat Hotel (4 stars, 550 m from venue), US $12

Other

Khon Kaen has a vibrant nightlife. There are many restaurants and bars, often with live entertainment, serving Thai, Isaan and foreign food, mostly at reasonable prices. Wine is very expensive and not generally available.

November is one of the driest months in Khon Kaen and, although possible, very little rain is expected during the congress. Daytime temperatures will average about 30 degrees Celsius. Khon Kaen is generally a safe city with very little crime. However, the roads are unsafe and hiring motorbikes is not recommended. Car hire is available but an international driving permit plus driving licence from your resident country is necessary. Driving is on the left of the road. Insect repellent and sunscreen are highly recommended. Travel insurance is strongly recommended for all delegates. We hope that travel and other restrictions imposed during the 2020-2021 pandemic will not apply by November 2022, but full, certified Covid 19 vaccination will probably still be mandatory for international travellers.