[RECAP] Bangkok/Thailand Local Guides Meetup

[SunPanupong]

Hi all !!

My name is Sun, Bangkok/Thailand Local Guide including #LGSummit16 and #LGSummit17 attendees. Last Saturday, 13th January 2018, I and my dad (Joe The Kop, giving his credit for good photos !) recently hosted the first meetup in my community in 2018 at LINK Collaboration Space , as part of the Rabbit Digital Group Head Office. This is a high growth digital/online marketing agency which offers various services in digital marketing in Thailand and SEA. LINK Collaboration Space is a hub for digital people with trendy environment. When I talked to co-working space manager about the Local Guides Program, she was really excited and interested in this program and also willing to offer this place for us to arrange the meetup without cost. Thank you very much for that !

Location: LINK Collaboration Space

This place is called "The Burrow" like a living place for rabbits 😄It used to be a warehouse and then transformed to this cool working place.

Relax zone

My first intention to host this meetup is to update news about Local Guides program, share experience from last year Summit, get together with other Local Guides in community and encourage them to contribute to Google Maps.

Here is an agenda for this meetup:

1400 Registration and Self-Introduction of Local Guides
1500 Presentation
1530 Discussion with Q&A Session
1630 Walking Tour inside Rabbit Digital Group
1645 Lucky Draw
1700 Closing 

Firstly, I started with self-introduction from all joiners to better get to know each other, then went through the presentation about Local Guides program, the Local Guides Summit 17 along with upcoming meetups and events.
More details in the presentation pack >> Here (Large file approx. 140MB)

Presentation

Self Introduction

Presentation beginsThis meetup also introduced our special guest, Joseph Dewey, another #LGSummit17 attendee from Thailand.

JosephThen, I divided the joiners into two groups for discussion. I listed some topics as well as gathered some interesting comments/feedback from our meetup joiners below.

1) What is your most favorite feature on Google Maps?
- Simplicity, easy to use
- Accuracy of database / Up-to-date Data
- Navigation & Real Time Traffic Report
- Offline Maps/Directions to save data
- Nearby places to see any interesting places
- Location Sharing to see family members
- Photos, Local Guides really happy to see their photos featured on Google Maps
- Street View to see virtual location
- Queuing of photo upload for uploading over WiFi
- Able to edit/add business listings

2) Anything else would you like to see on Google Maps?
- Toll charges data for tollways, highways, motorways, etc.
- Table booking in restaurants
- Able to pick which listing is a duplicate
- Restaurant Ratings from Local Guides like Michelin Star
- Search box in "Your Contribution" page to search visited places/reviews
- Alert to shop owners when Local Guides are visiting their shop (if they want to share something)
- River Street View, especially for Chao Phraya River in Bangkok 🙂
- Street View update in upcountry routes
- Notification of closed roads in case of accidents/events
- Timetables of BTS/MRT (skytrain & underground in Bangkok)

3) What kind of meetup/event would you like to see in the future? 

- Walk Rally or Road Rally
- Collaboration with Government/Tourist Authority of Thailand to help correct data of attractions e.g. temples, national parks, etc.
- Food Hunter, like a food crawl event on Meetup page
- Geowalk, to explore new unseen routes/places
- Museum or archaeological site visits
- Some kind of big event so that we can invite Google Local Guides Team to join 

Discussion Session

Sharing from meetup joiners

Discussion Board

 Lucky Draw Prizes

Before ending the meetup, we had a lucky draw session. I brought these little stuff from the USA (Google store, San Francisco and Las Vegas). Everyone was happy to get some stuff back home.

From this event, I would like to thank all the joiners for coming and sharing their comments and feedback as users. I hope this would be useful for us, especially Local Guides Program and Google Maps developers.

Special thanks to Khun Poy, Supranee, Co-Working Space Manager for her kind help in preparation of location and facilities and also support us throughout the meetup at LINK Collaboration Space. I would like to thank her again.

Photo Time !!!

All Photos >> Here

Any comments ? Please feel free to share !!

[Haseeb]

Very nice initiative @SunPanupong

Looking forward to meet you in my next visit to bangkok 🙂

You are a true inspiration, welldone & keep it up.

[SunPanupong]

Thanks for your reply @Haseeb 😁

Just give me a shout when you come here.

[Haseeb]

sure @SunPanupong

[FazeelUsmani]

I love the spirit. Brilliant idea. Thanks for sharing such a breathtaking Recap.

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[StephenAbraham]

@SunPanupong Nice recap.. one day, we can do a join meet up.. Malaysia Local Guides can come visit there.. but it must be food crawl meet up. 🙂 

[SunPanupong]

Thanks bro ! @FazeelUsmani
Yes, sure ! A lot of street food here 😄 @StephenAbraham

[MahabubMunna]

@SunPanupong excellent brother . hope every one enjoy this meetup  

[SanyaOdare]

Well done @SunPanupong! I can imagine how well prepared you were to hold this meet-up successfully. A big thumbs up too to @JosephDewey my very own buddy for supporting you all the way.

[KimberlyAnnG]

Wow!!!  Impressive write up @SunPanupong!!!  I love your template for the Meet Up too, very organized! ......I may just have to "borrow" some of it!  Thanks for sharing with us, my friend.