2007 CMS International Conference
July 16-22, 2007
Bangkok and Ayuthaya, Thailand
 Bangkok, Thailand, will be the site of the first part of the CMS 2007 International Conference. Thailand's traditional founding date is 1238, and the country has never been colonized; Thai culture represents uninterrupted, centuries-old traditions and art forms.
Founded in 1782 by the first monarch of the present Chakri dynasty, Bangkok is the kingdom's spiritual, cultural, diplomatic, commercial, and educational hub. The city combines modern conveniences with 400 glittering Buddhist temples of great beauty and fascination, as well as magnificent palaces and other attractions.
Bangkok's Kasetsart University will be the first conference site. The chair of the conference Program Committee is Terry Miller (Kent State University), who has made most of the arrangements for the event. Dr. Miller is assisted by Dr. Panya Roongruang, who teaches music at Kasetsart University.
Kasetsart University is in the northern section of Bangkok, with good access to the major sites of the capital city. The main conference facility is a modern, eight-story campus hotel called, AKU Home. Hotel rates will be relatively inexpensive, as will costs for food, sight-seeing, and transportation within the country.
 The second part of the conference will be held at the Krungsri River Hotel in Ayuthaya, on the Pa Sak River in Ayuthaya, about an hour north of Bangkok. Ayuthaya is one of Thailand's historical and majestic highlights, having served as the Thai capital for 417 years (1350-1767). There are endless excursions within Ayuthaya to the various ruins, including the elephant kraal, a place where wild elephants were captured and trained. There is also a national museum and an historical museum.
Nearby are Bang Pa In, a nineteenth-century summer palace of the royal family. Its buildings and grounds are a fascinatingly beautiful mix of western and Thai influences, and includes an unusual observatory tower built for the king. Also near is Bang Sai, a major project of the queen to develop handicrafts and horticulture. Quality hand-made souvenirs are available there.
Attendees will be able to choose among a variety of excursions planned in both Bangkok and Ayuthaya.
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