From the BlackBerry DevCon Asia site:
Important Notice: due to the current high levels of flooding in Bangkok, Research In Motion® (RIM®) has decided BlackBerry® DevCon Asia will not take place in Bangkok this year. The decision was made following advisories that warn of ongoing dangers related to the serious impact of rain and floods on the local infrastructure in Bangkok, where the conference was scheduled to take place. The safety of attendees at any BlackBerry event is of utmost importance to RIM.We will keep you updated as details become available. Are you attending BlackBerry DevCon Asia, and if so, how is this affecting you?
RIM is committed to the developer community in Asia and we are currently evaluating new locations and possibly new dates for the conference. Further details will be communicated in the coming days. We regret not being able to hold the conference in Bangkok this year, but we look forward to returning the event to Bangkok in the future.
RIM apologizes to all current registrants for the late notice and inconvenience this may have caused, but appreciates their understanding due to the unforeseen circumstances that Bangkok is currently suffering. Existing registrations will remain active pending confirmation of the location and timing for the BlackBerry DevCon Asia event. Questions should be directed to devcon@rim.com
Reader comments
Update: BlackBerry DevCon Asia to be relocated due to flooding in Bangkok
Below is the message from RIM.
"We are very sorry to have to change the venue of the conference however we do it with nothing but the safety of our attendees and event staff in mind. We should have news out about the new date/location very soon and if you then decide that you cannot make it you may contact devconasia@blackberryconferences.net to inquire about a refund.
Thank you
The DevCon Team"
According to their reply, seems they are concern about the safety of their attendees and decided to move to other location.
Does this mean the life of 12 million people living in Bangkok is in risk and everyone should leave Bangkok?
Give me a break RIM. You such a liar and loser.
Look at the News and ask your local partner to admit the real situation here.
I don't simply believe this is the reason why they have to move. There are other reason for sure which RIM hard to admit.
I'm at Bangkok now. There is and will be no flooding at the center of Bangkok and International Airport, including the way from the Airport to the Center. The flooding situation has been substantially improved. All people in Bangkok are safe now. Foreigners can still travel to Bangkok, even though the flooding was at pinnacle (not all Bangkok 's areas have got flood). I think the reason that "The safety of attendees at any BlackBerry event is of utmost importance to RIM" is not satisfactory.
I don't think RIM cares one whit about the flooding in Bangkok,, they are simply looking out for themselves.. People who planned to attend this event are out of flight/hotel money. Who is going to reimburse them? I wonder if apple treats their developer community this way..
WTF....
I'm in Bangkok now and I am being able to go in to town normally. Actually I have just been to the place where the event will be held.
Not all area being effected by the flood. Especially in the center of Bangkok.
Me and buddy already booked everything. At this point RIM announced to relocate DEVCON Asia. Really effect our plan. Now air ticket + hotel cannot cancel because we book in package. If RIM do not give us a good compensate package, I think they gonna lose 2 BB user for SURE!! Upsad!
More worst is we have fren now at BKK and said EVERYTHING is fine. Really sad :(
T
Malaysia.
Well, seems like BerryReview has an update
http://www.berryreview.com/2011/11/22/blackberry-devcon-asia-relocated-t...
Its now moved to Singapore
I hope not unless RIM is paying for the tickets!
Flight tickets to Singapore are pretty expensive and ofcourse the hotels are expensive too
Well, indeed its last min.. But considering that floods just receeded, the conflicts they had in resolving it, and still, flood going on near but away from the city, if an influx of rain comes in, it could return and if the conflict escalates, the work by the government would not suffice to help.. I think rim took the right steps.
Though I think it would be interesting to see if rim went on to bangkok and the above happens.. Either way, it still sucks.
I have already contacted the devcon@burnaby-solutions.com which is the official agent for booking and I got the offer as below.
The relocation incentive program being offered by RIM is to cover up to $550USD towards a flight and hotel if you book through official vendor "burnaby solutions.com" for those users who were registered prior to confence in Bangkok.
The following is the URL for you to book the hotel and accommodation:
https://www.burnaby-solutions.com/blackberry2011/hotel-selection.asp