Venue, hotels, getting here, and onsite information for APMF 2027 Bangkok delegates.
A Convenient Congress Venue in the Heart of Bangkok
APMF 2027 Bangkok will be held at TRUE ICON HALL 1–2, 7th Floor, ICONSIAM — a dedicated MICE venue within ICONSIAM, the iconic riverside landmark on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River.
Everything delegates need is conveniently located within the same complex, including the congress halls and breakout rooms on the 7th floor, dining options, an indoor floating market, the BTS Gold Line station, and the pier.
Beyond the congress, delegates can easily explore ICONSIAM’s extensive shopping and dining experiences, cultural showcases, entertainment, and riverside attractions — all within easy reach of the congress venue.
ICONSIAM’s retail and dining areas generally operate from 10:00 to 22:00 daily, although individual stores and venues may have different operating hours.
TRUE ICON HALL — the congress floor
12,000 sqm in total, with two main halls, a river-view foyer and 14 meeting rooms on one level, so delegates move between sessions without leaving the floor.
- Main halls 2,775 sqm across Halls 1–2 (61.0 × 45.5 m, 15 m clear height), seating up to 2,800 theatre-style on automatic retractable seating
- Breakout rooms 14 rooms from 27 to 200 sqm, on Floors 7, 7M and 8; Rooms 1–3 combine into one 586 sqm room for 450
- Suralai Hall foyer 1,071 sqm overlooking the river — registration, exhibition, posters and catering
- Divisible and soundproof double operable walls, so two sessions can run side by side without bleed
- Technical state-of-the-art light and sound, USB power at the seats, and ultra-high-speed internet throughout
- Getting up there lifts and escalators from the mall, the Gold Line station and the car park all reach Floor 7
Suralai Hall — the foyer
The foyer runs the width of the congress floor in front of the halls, under a hand-painted ceiling, with the river on one side. It is where registration, the exhibition, the poster boards and the coffee breaks will sit.
- 1,071 sqm, 34.0 × 31.5 m, with an 8 m ceiling
- Capacity 1,200 standing for a reception, 672 for a banquet, or 55 exhibition booths
- Straight onto the halls so delegates leave a session and are already at the exhibition
- Escalators and lifts arrive here from the mall, the Gold Line station and the car park
Inside ICONSIAM
The mall is open daily 10:00–22:00. These are the parts most delegates will want to know about between sessions.
SookSiam
The single best thing in the building to send an international delegate to. About 15,000 sqm of indoor floating market: wooden boats moored along an indoor waterway, hand-painted shophouse fronts, and food, crafts and performances drawn from all 77 provinces of Thailand across seven zones and some 3,000 small vendors.
It is a recreation rather than a working canal — the boats do not move — but it is the easiest place in Bangkok to eat southern curry, Isan grilled chicken and northern khao soi in one sitting, and prices are market prices, not mall prices.
Open 10:00–22:00, same hours as the mall. Two floors and one escalator ride below registration.
ICONIC River Park
More than 10,000 sqm of riverside park and promenade in front of the mall, with the ICONSIAM pier at one end and an open view across to the Bang Rak skyline — the best place to stand at sunset.
The multimedia water feature plays on the river in front of the park in the evening; show times are posted at the mall and in the ICONSIAM app.
Free and open to the public. A good ten-minute walk between the afternoon sessions.
Shopping and dining
ICONLUXE holds the international flagships on the ground floor, and Siam Takashimaya — the Japanese department store's only branch in Thailand — runs through the lower floors alongside the riverfront Apple Store.
Floor 6 is the restaurant floor, with a terrace over the river; Floor 7, beside the congress halls, has a Starbucks Reserve. A supermarket, a cinema, currency exchange and ATMs are all in the building.
Most restaurants take cards; smaller SookSiam stalls are easier with cash or a Thai QR payment.Good to know at the venue
- Arriving the Gold Line station, the pier, the taxi drop-off and the car park all feed into the same mall atrium; signage inside is in Thai and English
- Before 10:00 the congress floor opens for sessions before the shops do, so early-morning coffee is easier on Floor 7 than in the mall
- Accessibility lifts reach every floor including the halls, and the riverside promenade is step-free from the mall
- Tax refunds visitors can claim VAT back on qualifying purchases; the refund counters are in the mall, and you will need your passport
Hotel
The secretariat is arranging a choice of hotels close to the venue, with easy access to ICONSIAM by walking, by the BTS Gold Line, or by the riverside shuttle boat. Names, delegate rates and booking links will be published on this page soon.
What to expect when the list is published
- A short commute — every hotel on the list will be walkable, one Gold Line stop, or a shuttle boat away
- A range of prices — not one hotel, so the choice fits different budgets
- A delegate rate — held under the block booking, with a booking link on this page
- Directions from each one — the same door-to-door detail given for the venue below
If you have a requirement the list should take into account — accessibility, a long stay, or a group travelling together — tell the secretariat and it will be considered while the block is being arranged.
Getting to ICONSIAM
The venue stands on the Thonburi (west) bank of the Chao Phraya River at 299 Charoen Nakhon Soi 5, Khlong San — about 3 km from Silom and 8 km from Sukhumvit. It has both its own BTS Gold Line station and its own river pier, and in Bangkok traffic the train and the boat are usually quicker than a car.
Fares, timetables and admission prices on this page were checked in September 2026 and are given as a guide only. Please confirm them closer to the meeting.
- 1 TRUE ICON HALL, ICONSIAM — the venue
- 2 ICONSIAM pier — shuttle, express and tourist boats
- 3 Charoen Nakhon (Gold Line G2) — into the mall
- 4 Khlong San (Gold Line G3)
- 5 Krung Thon Buri (BTS Silom Line S7) — change for the Gold Line
- 6 Saphan Taksin (BTS Silom Line S6)
- 7 Sathorn (Central) Pier — shuttle boat to the venue
- 8 Si Phraya Pier — shuttle boat, River City, Talat Noi
- 9 A hotel on the Thonburi bank, walking distance from the venue
- 10 A hotel on the Silom side, reached by shuttle boat
By BTS Skytrain and Gold Line
Take the BTS Silom Line to Krung Thon Buri (S7) and change to the Gold Line. One stop later, Charoen Nakhon (G2) connects straight into ICONSIAM.
- Gold Line hours 06:00–24:00, a train every 8–15 minutes
- Gold Line fare THB 17 flat, any station (rate from January 2026)
- From Siam Silom Line to Krung Thon Buri, then Gold Line — about 20 minutes
- From Asok or Nana Sukhumvit Line, change at Siam — about 35 minutes
- A Rabbit card covers the BTS and the Gold Line; single-journey tickets are sold at every station
By boat
ICONSIAM has its own pier with four landings, served by shuttle, commuter and tourist boats.
- Shuttle to Sathorn (Central) Pier — for BTS Saphan Taksin and the Silom hotels. 09:00–22:50, every 15–20 minutes, about THB 12–15. Note that this crossing has not been free since 2023.
- Shuttle to Si Phraya Pier — for River City and Talat Noi. 09:30–22:30.
- Chao Phraya Tourist Boat (blue flag) — hop-on hop-off between Sathorn and Phra Arthit, roughly 09:00–19:45 every 30 minutes. THB 30 single, THB 150 for a one-day pass. The most useful line for sightseeing.
- Chao Phraya Express Boat — the commuter service, THB 17–20. Fast, but the ICONSIAM stop is occasionally suspended, and the orange and red flag boats run only at peak times.
- Thai Smile Boat — electric boats running upriver towards Phra Pinklao, about every 30 minutes.
- Hotel boats — several riverside hotels run their own shuttle, free for guests.
By taxi or ride-hailing
Grab and Bolt both work well in Bangkok and avoid any discussion about the meter. Metered taxis should start at THB 35.
- From Silom or Sathorn 15–25 minutes, about THB 100–150
- From Sukhumvit 25–45 minutes depending on traffic, about THB 150–250
- Ask for “ICONSIAM, Charoen Nakhon Road” — every driver knows it
- Allow extra time between 07:00–09:30 and 16:00–19:30 on weekdays
By car and parking
Parking is in the building, entered from Charoen Nakhon Road, and is validated against what you spend at the mall.
- First 2 hours free
- 4 / 6 / 8 hours free with a purchase of THB 500 / 1,000 / 2,000
- After that THB 30 per hour to the sixth hour, THB 60 per hour thereafter
- Delegate parking arrangements for congress days are being discussed with the venue and will be confirmed here
From Suvarnabhumi Airport (BKK)
| Option | Duration | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi or Grab, direct to ICONSIAM | 30–50 min | THB 400–600 (incl. tolls) |
| Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai, then taxi | ~50–60 min | THB 100–150 + THB 100–200 taxi |
| Rail only: Airport Rail Link to Phaya Thai, BTS to Krung Thon Buri, Gold Line to Charoen Nakhon | ~70–80 min | ~THB 150 total |
From Don Mueang Airport (DMK)
| Option | Duration | Approx. cost |
|---|---|---|
| Taxi or Grab, direct to ICONSIAM | 30–50 min | THB 300–500 (incl. tolls) |
| Bus to Mo Chit, then BTS and Gold Line | ~1–1.5 hrs | THB 30–50 + BTS fare |
| SRT + MRT + BTS + Gold Line (rail only) | ~1–1.5 hrs | ~THB 140 total |
Which pier for which sight
Boats leave from the ICONSIAM pier, directly below the venue. Piers marked N are Chao Phraya Express Boat stops.
| Pier | Gets you to | Boat from ICONSIAM |
|---|---|---|
| Sathorn (Central) | BTS Saphan Taksin, Silom and Sathorn hotels | ICONSIAM shuttle, 09:00–22:50 |
| Si Phraya (N3) | River City, Talat Noi, Warehouse 30 | ICONSIAM shuttle, 09:30–22:30 |
| Ratchawong (N5) | Chinatown and Yaowarat Road | Tourist or express boat |
| Yodpiman / Saphan Phut (N6) | Pak Khlong Talat flower market | Tourist or express boat |
| Tha Tien (N8) | Wat Pho, and the cross-river ferry to Wat Arun | Tourist or express boat |
| Tha Chang (N9) | Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew | Tourist or express boat |
| Wat Arun | Wat Arun | Tourist boat or Thai Smile Boat |
| Asiatique | Asiatique The Riverfront | Tourist boat, afternoon and evening |
Explore Bangkok
ICONSIAM is a good base for a few free hours. Everything below is within walking distance, one boat ride, or a short taxi trip — and most of old Bangkok is easier to reach from the venue by river than by road. Tap any card to open it in Google Maps.
SookSiam at ICONSIAM
The venue is a destination in its own right. SookSiam, on the ground floor, recreates a Thai floating market with crafts and food from all 77 provinces, and the riverfront park below runs a fountain and light show in the evening.
Ground floor, directly below the congress halls.
Khlong San Market & Princess Mother Memorial Park
A working neighbourhood market, and beside it a quiet riverside garden with a small museum on the site where Princess Srinagarindra, mother of King Bhumibol, spent her childhood.
Walk north along Charoen Nakhon Road, or take the Gold Line one stop to Khlong San (G3).
Talat Noi
A 200-year-old Chinese-Thai quarter of narrow lanes, engine workshops, shrines and street art, with small cafes tucked between the shophouses. Best explored on foot with no particular plan.
Shuttle boat to Si Phraya Pier, then 5–10 minutes on foot.
River City Bangkok
One of the city's leading art and antiques centres, with galleries, regular auctions and rotating exhibitions. Air-conditioned, and a good stop in the middle of the afternoon.
Shuttle boat to Si Phraya Pier — the building is at the pier.
Chinatown (Yaowarat)
Gold shops and herbalists by day; after dark, Yaowarat Road becomes one of the great street-food streets in Asia. Liveliest from about 18:00, and busiest at the weekend.
Express or tourist boat to Ratchawong Pier (N5), or a 15-minute taxi across Phra Pok Klao Bridge.
Asiatique The Riverfront
An open-air night market and dining complex in a restored 1900s trading warehouse, with a Ferris wheel over the river. It opens in the late afternoon and runs until late.
Chao Phraya Tourist Boat to Asiatique Pier, or a 15-minute taxi south along Charoen Nakhon Road.
Wat Arun
The Temple of Dawn, its 70-metre prang encrusted with Chinese porcelain. Worth seeing twice: climbed in the morning, and seen from the water at sunset.
Tourist boat to Wat Arun Pier. Open 08:00–18:00, admission about THB 200.
Wat Pho
The 46-metre gold Reclining Buddha, and the oldest school of Thai massage in the country — you can book an hour on the spot, which is a fair way to spend a hot afternoon.
Tourist or express boat to Tha Tien Pier (N8). Open from 08:00, admission about THB 300.
Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew
The royal palace of 1782 and the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, still used for state ceremonies. Go early: it is hot, crowded, and closes in the middle of the afternoon.
Tourist or express boat to Tha Chang Pier (N9). Open 08:30–15:30, admission about THB 500. Shoulders and knees must be covered.
Pak Khlong Talat
Bangkok's flower market, open around the clock: marigold garlands, orchids and jasmine by the crate. It is at its best late at night, when the deliveries come in.
Boat to Yodpiman / Saphan Phut Pier (N6), then two minutes on foot.Also within reach
- Warehouse 30 — wartime warehouses on Charoen Krung turned into galleries, design shops and cafes, ten minutes on foot from River City.
- The Jam Factory — a converted riverside warehouse with a bookshop, design store and courtyard restaurant, 15 minutes on foot south of the venue.
- Museum Siam — an interactive museum on what it means to be Thai, near Tha Tien pier. Closed on Mondays.
- Kudi Chin & Santa Cruz Church — a Portuguese-Thai riverside community on the Thonburi bank, known for its khanom farang baked in wood-fired ovens.
- Bantadthong — the student food street by Chulalongkorn University, about 20 minutes by taxi and busy until midnight.
- Siam Square, Siam Paragon and the Jim Thompson House — the central shopping and museum district, about 25 minutes by Gold Line and BTS.
Day trips from Bangkok
Everything below is within a morning's drive of the city and can be done in a day, either independently or on a guided tour with hotel pick-up. Delegates travelling with family, or staying on after the congress, will find these the usual first choices.
Each card links to official English-language information. Travel times are from central Bangkok by road and assume you leave before the morning traffic.
Ayutthaya
The Siamese capital from 1350 until the Burmese sacked it in 1767, and a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1991. Brick prangs, rows of headless Buddhas, and the famous Buddha head held in the roots of a fig tree at Wat Mahathat. Bang Pa-In, the royal summer palace, is on the way back.
Train from Krung Thep Aphiwat, minibus, private car, or a day cruise up the river. UNESCO World Heritage Centre →
Ancient City (Muang Boran)
An open-air museum the shape of Thailand itself, roughly 320 acres of it, holding more than 100 scale reconstructions of the country's monuments — including several that no longer exist. You tour it by bicycle, tram or golf cart, which children tend to enjoy more than another temple.
Samut Prakan, at the end of the BTS Sukhumvit Line, then a short taxi. Tourism Authority of Thailand →
The Erawan Museum
A 43-metre bronze three-headed elephant standing on a domed hall, with a stained-glass interior representing the heavens. It is close enough to the Ancient City to do both in one day, and the two share an owner.
Samut Prakan, near BTS Chang Erawan. Tourism Authority of Thailand →
Damnoen Saduak Floating Market
The best known of the floating markets, on a canal dug in the reign of King Rama IV. Go early: the boats are working by 07:00 and the canal is at its most crowded, and least photogenic, by mid-morning.
Ratchaburi province. Usually visited on a tour combined with Maeklong. Tourism Authority of Thailand →
Amphawa Floating Market
Smaller, later and more local than Damnoen Saduak: the boats cook to order along the canal in the afternoon and evening. Stay for the boat trip out to the fireflies after dark.
Samut Songkhram. Fridays, weekends and public holidays, about 12:00–21:00. Tourism Authority of Thailand →
Maeklong Railway Market
A market laid out on a working railway line. Several times a day the awnings fold back, the produce is pulled aside, and a train passes through with a few centimetres to spare — then everything goes back as it was.
Samut Songkhram, 15 minutes from Amphawa and usually visited with it.
Elephant sanctuaries, Kanchanaburi
Several sanctuaries west of Bangkok take day visitors to feed, walk with and bathe rescued elephants. Choose one that states no riding and no shows — riding and performance camps are still common, and the difference matters to the animals. Often combined with the River Kwai bridge.
A full day, 8–12 hours with hotel pick-up. Elephants World, linked here, is one long-established example.
Samut Prakan Crocodile Farm & Zoo
Opened in 1950 and often described as the world's largest crocodile farm, with crocodile and elephant shows through the day. It reopened in 2024 after a long closure. Animal-welfare groups have criticised the shows and the conditions, and some travel companies will not sell tickets to it — worth knowing before you plan the family outing.
Samut Prakan, close to the Ancient City and the Erawan Museum, which make gentler alternatives in the same trip.Planning a trip
- Official information in English — the Tourism Authority of Thailand publishes destination guides, opening hours and festival dates at tourismthailand.org, and runs a 24-hour tourist information line on 1672.
- Booking — hotel concierges will arrange any of these, and most operators include hotel pick-up. The congress secretariat can point delegates towards a tour operator but does not sell or endorse tours.
- Timing — July is the rainy season: showers are heavy but usually short, and mornings are the drier half of the day. Floating markets and temples are both best done early.
- Temples — shoulders and knees covered, shoes off inside the halls. This applies in Ayutthaya as much as in Bangkok.
- Accompanying persons — if there is enough interest, the organizing committee will look at arranging a group excursion on one of the congress days. Let the secretariat know.
Photographs on this page are from Wikimedia Commons, used under Creative Commons licences or released into the public domain, by Slyronit, Hdamm, Phoebus 28, River City Bangkok, Ninara, Boonlert, Diego Delso, Gzzz, Akkharawin Khainbundit, TRUEICONHALL, Jpatokal, Tris T7, MNXANL, Amiiiza, Fabio Achilli, Average trinmo, Don Ramey Logan, Boonchai C, Joachim Lutz, PA, Supanut Arunoprayote, S5A-0043 and Nina R. The Suralai Hall photograph is the venue’s own; the area map was drawn from OpenStreetMap data. Per-image attribution is listed in images/PHOTO-CREDITS.md.