One of the world's most vibrant and intriguing cities, Bangkok has grown from a small 15th century trading post, to a thriving international metropolis. It is the economic center and capital of Thailand, dominating the country's economy and is a key player in Asian business. Also known as the 'Venice of the East' , Bangkok is truly an extraordinary location to hold the 25th Annual FIRST Conference.

With over 12 million residents, Bangkok is also the 73rd largest city in the world. Bangkok is also home to the headquarters of all of Thailand's major commercial banks and financial institutions as well as many multinational corporations such as Unilever, Procter & Gamble, Toyota, Phillips and Sony to name just a few.

Participants of the 25th Annual FIRST Conference will find many outstanding things to do in Bangkok during their stay. The city is visited by nearly 2 million tourists each year. Public transporation is ample - taxis, mass transit, BTS Skytrain and the MRT Subway are all available methods.

Some fun city facts...

• Bangkok became capital in 1782
• Situated along the Chao Phraya River
• Wat Arun is the outline of the official FIRST Bangkok Conference Logo and is one of the most visited temples in Bangkok
  
• Bangkok is split up into 50 districts which are further split into 154 subdistricts
  
• Situated just under 14 degrees North of the Equater, Bangkok is a tropical metropolis
  
• Known as one of the most traveller-friendly cities in Asia
• ...and of course, Bangkok most recently appeared as the backdrop for the popular film, The Hangover II

Check out these other great resources for information on Bangkok:

• http://www.tceb.or.th/exhibitions/Why-Bangkok
• http://wikitravel.org/en/Bangkok
• http://www.bangkok.com/
• http://www.lonelyplanet.com/thailand/bangkok
• http://www.tripadvisor.com/Tourism-g293916-Bangkok-Vacations.html