Committee on Macroeconomic Policy, Poverty Reduction and Financing for Development

The first session of the Committee on Macroeconomic Policy, Poverty Reduction and Financing for Development is scheduled to be held at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC), in Bangkok, from 6 to 8 December 2017.

The opening of the session will take place at 0900 hours on Wednesday 6 December 2017 by the Executive Secretary, in Conference Room 3, UNCC. All subsequent meetings will also be held from 0900 hours to 1200 hours and 1400 hours to 1700 hours.

Delegations are kindly requested to submit letters of credentials to the Director of Macroeconomic Policy and Financing for Development Division, ESCAP at their earliest convenience prior to 6 December 2017. Letters of credential should be addressed to the Executive Secretary of the ESCAP and emailed to [email protected]

Members of delegations are kindly reminded to bring official identification with them, duly signed by the appropriate authorities of their respective Governments/Agencies/Organizations, and provide them to the Secretariat staff at the registration counter located on the ground floor of the UNCC along with a copy of the letter of credentials indicating their appointment to the delegation.

In order to enable more effective access control and speed up the screening by security personnel, ESCAP uses photo badges for meeting participants. These are requested to register and obtain meeting badges with photo at the registration counter, located on the ground floor, UNCC, from 09:00 hours to 17:00 hours on the opening day of the event. Participants who are not able to register during the time indicated above are requested to do so upon their arrival at UNCC and before going to the conference room. Only the names of duly registered participants will be included in the list of participants.

Online registration

Participants are requested to register online at https://meetings.unescap.org/ well in advance, but no later than 24 November 2017, to facilitate smooth coordination of the issuance of photo badges and compilation of the list of participants. Participants are encouraged to submit their photo in advance, which will speed up the registration process. Furthermore, please kindly note that prior online registration is mandatory in line with standard United Nations security procedures to facilitate security clearance and entrance to the premises. A document containing tips on completing the online registration on behalf of another participant can be accessed from the https://meetings.unescap.org/registration-guide.html.

For identification and security reasons, all participants are requested to wear their meeting badges at all times during meetings, social functions and in the United Nations complex. The loss of a meeting badge should be communicated to the Conference Management Unit, located on the ground floor of the UNCC behind the registration counter, so that a new one can be issued immediately.

On 13 October 2016 the death of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who was highly revered by the people of Thailand, was announced. During the official mourning period of one year, Thai citizens are encouraged to wear black and others may also choose to do so. Visitors are advised to be respectful of Thai customs and may choose to wear black or plain, modest clothing out of respect. Thailand has laws against making negative comments about the institution of the monarchy. These laws are strictly enforced and are applicable to spoken, written and electronic communication, including social media, as well as gestures.

Participants are REQUIRED to obtain an appropriate entry visa from the Royal Thai Embassy or the Royal Thai Consulate-General before entering to Thailand, EXCEPT for those nationals listed below.

Participants holding UN Laissez-Passer (UNLP) travelling on official business to Thailand are REQUIRED to obtain an appropriate visa before entering.

To apply for an appropriate entry visa to Thailand, participants are required to contact the respective Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General for accurate information regarding visa application procedures and required documents. The list of Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General can be found at www.thaiembassy.org .

Participants who may wish to apply for a visa outside their country of residence or reside in a country where there is no Royal Thai Embassy/Royal Thai Consulate should check with the meeting organizer for the location where it is possible for them to apply for a Thai visa. Please note that certain nationalities, for security reasons, are not allowed to apply for a visa except at the Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate-General which has jurisdiction over the concerned territory.

Participants who may need further assistance from UNESCAP on their visa application should contact the meeting organizer for necessary actions.

Participants who wish to apply for a visa on arrival at Suvarnabhumi International Airport (valid for 21 nationalities listed in the above table) should follow the below requirements:

1. The applicant must possess a passport with the validity of at least six months and must be in possession of a valid return ticket with date of departure within 15 days of the date of entry;
2. The applicant must fill out an application form, which is available at the Visa-on-Arrival counter at Suvarnabhumi International Airport, supply one recent passport-sized photograph and a fee of Baht 2,000.

NOTE: The information provided above is accurate as of June 2017.
All participants are advised to consult with the Royal Thai Embassy/Consulate in their respective countries regarding the latest applicable immigration requirements prior to their departure to Thailand.

Furthermore, in line with security procedures for United Nations staff, travel notification through the Travel Request Information Process (TRIP) is required prior to any official travel to a non-phase area. Upon notification of travel on TRIP, United Nations staff members will automatically receive an updated security advice for United Nations visitors to Thailand. Please visit https://dss.un.org to apply for this travel notification. United Nations staff is required to complete both the “BASIC SECURITY IN THE FIELD” and “ADVANCE SECURITY IN THE FIELD” training before travelling.

The weather in Bangkok is usually warm and humid. Light tropical clothing would be appropriate. The conference rooms where the meetings are to be held are air-conditioned and the temperature is maintained in the range of 23-24 degrees Celsius (73-75 degrees Fahrenheit).

The electric power in Thailand is 220V running at 50Hz and the plug types used are either type A, type B, or type C. A hybrid socket is almost universally found, which accepts a combination of the above plug types. Delegates are strongly encouraged to carry their own adapters for use with laptops and other electrical appliances as the Secretariat will not be able to provide these. In case of need, adapters can be purchased from shops in the city dealing in electronic and electrical items.

Upon arrival at the port of entry in Thailand, participants who are nationals of or have traveled from/through countries listed below, which have been declared Yellow Fever infected areas, must provide an International Health Certificate proving that they have received a valid Yellow Fever vaccination at the Health Control Office upon arrival before proceeding to immigration. A valid vaccination certificate means that the vaccine was administered at least 10 days prior to travel to the affected country. The International Health Certificate must also be submitted together with the visa application form.

The countries/areas listed below have been declared yellow fever infected areas:

Thailand is currently experiencing ongoing sporadic transmission of the mosquito-borne Zika virus. All travelers are advised to protect themselves from mosquito bites while in Thailand. Given possible transmission of the disease to unborn babies, pregnant women should consider postponing travel to Thailand or talk to their doctor about the implications of traveling to Thailand during this time.

In addition to the above, Medical Services Division at HQ advises that pregnant UN Personnel should not undertake duty travel or be relocated to countries/areas where local transmission of Zika virus is known to occur. Women who are seeking pregnancy should obtain individual advice from their medical practitioner on risk management regarding their plans to travel into a Zika-affected area. For further information, please read the attached Zika virus FAQ.

First-aid and emergency medical service is available at the Medical Centre, which is located on the ground floor of the UNCC, during weekdays. The ESCAP Medical Officer and Nurse are available from 0730 to 1545 hours, with the exception of lunch time from 1200 to 1245 hours. Appointments may be made through extensions 1352 or 1761.

Delegates are strongly encouraged to subscribe to a travel or health insurance which is valid in the Kingdom of Thailand, in order to cover any medical bills or hospitalization fees.

The United Nations buildings are smoke-free areas. Smoking is permitted only in the designated areas outside of the buildings.

Any person who brings or takes an aggregate amount of foreign currency exceeding US$ 20,000 or its equivalent into or out of the Kingdom of Thailand shall declare such amount of foreign currency to a Customs Official. Failure to make such a declaration or making any false declaration to a Customs official is a criminal offence.

Currency exchange facilities are available at hotels and all over Bangkok. Such services are also available at the Siam Commercial Bank, United Nations Branch, which is located on the first floor of the Service Building (telephone extension 2168). The Bank opens from 0830 to 1530 hours, with no lunch break, from Monday to Friday.

Many international airlines operate regular services to and from Bangkok. Participants are advised to secure their return bookings prior to their departure for Bangkok. If this is not possible, they should make firm return bookings immediately upon arrival in Bangkok. Travel services are available through the American Express office located on the fourth floor of the Service Building.

The following hotels, located relatively close to ESCAP, have been designated as recommended hotels for which the room rates indicated below are inclusive of service charge and value added tax.

1. Inclusive of daily American breakfast, service charge and value added tax.
2. Complimentary transport services provided according to fixed schedules, from the hotel
   to UNCC in the morning and back to the hotel in the evening.
3. Free Internet Access.

Participants are requested to contact the hotel directly at least 10 working days in advance and provide the participant’s full name, date and time of check-in and check-out, flight numbers and contact details.

Rooms are available to participants on a first-come, first-served basis. Any cancellations, postponements or other changes should be notified to the hotel at least 48 hours in advance. Rooms not occupied in accordance with the latest advice will be held for 24 hours at the participant’s expense and then released.

The rates provided in the table are as of January 2017 and subject to change without notice. Please confirm the room rates with the hotel directly.

Before departure from Bangkok, participants should settle directly with the respective hotels all accounts, including room charges and other expenses, such as for local and long-distance telephone calls, Internet use, business center use, laundry, room and hotel transportation services, mini-bar items, as well as restaurant and bar services. Participants are also responsible for any charges incurred with respect to rooms remaining vacant owing to late arrival or rescheduled departure for which inadequate prior notice is given.

Participants should make their own transportation arrangements from Suvarnabhumi Airport or Donmuang International Airport to their respective hotels. Limousine, metered-taxi and bus services are readily available at the airport. Detailed information about the respective airports can be found at http://www.suvarnabhumiairport.com and http://www.donmuangairport.com/.

To avail themselves of the airport limousine service, it is strongly recommended that participants contact only the authorized officials at the counters located in the airport arrival zone. These officials will issue a ticket for the assignment of a limousine for transporting passengers to the desired destination, upon request. The Suvarnabhumi International Airport limousine service counters are located on the second floor at Baggage Claim and Arrival Hall exits, channels A, B and C. For public taxi, participants are advised to proceed to the first floor of the Passenger Terminal, between exit doors 4 and 7, outdoor area, where they will find automatic dispensing machines from which they can collect a queuing ticket for a public taxi. In addition to toll fees, there is a 50 Baht surcharge to be added to the meter charge from airport to the city. Please refer to the airport website noted above for details.

18. Participants should make their own transport arrangements to and from the UNCC. Metered-taxis are readily available in the city.

Some hotels close to the United Nations building provide complimentary transport, according to fixed schedules, to and from the UNCC.

Free wireless internet access is available in all conference and meeting rooms and in the public areas of the UNCC. No password is required.

18. Catering services are available at the following locations:

Cafeteria, which serves Thai and international lunch, located on level 1 of UNCC, is open from 1100 to 1400 hours for lunch on Monday through Friday.

Canteen, which serves Thai lunch, located on the ground floor of the Service Building, is open from 0700 to 1300 hours on Monday through Friday.

Coffee Corner, which serves sandwiches, pastries, coffee, tea and soft drinks, located on level 1, UNCC, is open from 0700 to 1700 hours.

Rajapruek Lounge, which serves light meals and beverages, located on the ground floor of the UNCC, is open from 0700 to 1700 hours on Monday through Thursday, and from 0700 to 2000 hours on Friday.

Mail intended for participants during the session should be addressed as follows:

(Name of delegate)

c/o ESCAP Secretariat

United Nations Building

Rajdamnern Nok Avenue

Bangkok 10200

Thailand

Fax: +66.2.2883022, +66.2.2881000

E-mail address: [email protected]

As part of the efforts by the Commission to reduce the amount of paper used in conjunction with its sessions, pre-session documents will no longer be distributed automatically to each member and associate member delegation; rather, one set of documents per delegation will be issued only upon request (i.e. “print on demand”). Delegates are requested to contact the Document Distribution Centre (to access the pigeon holes), located next to Conference Room 1 on level 2 of UNCC, to request their printed copy. Participants are requested to bring with them any additional copies they may require at the meeting. USB flash drives containing the pre-session documents and other session information will be distributed to each participant upon registration.

All pre-session documents will be made available in the four official languages as they are issued at (…. Website) Documents for circulation or distribution at the session should be handed to (name of official, office location and extension number). In accordance with the United Nations regulations for the control and limitation of documentation, the secretariat cannot undertake to process and/or reproduce documents or a statement submitted by individual delegations, unless the Commission specifically takes a decision to that effect and approves the financial implications thereof.

In order to enhance accessibility to the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) for persons with diverse disabilities, whether visual, physical, brain lesions, hearing or speech impairments, a set of assistive devices are available upon request in a designated area at the Accessibility Centre, first floor, UNCC. For more information please email [email protected]

ESCAP Library facilities are available on the first floor, Service Building from 0730 to 1600 hours, Monday through Friday. For details on the use of the ESCAP Library facilities, please consult the staff on duty at the Library or call extensions 1329 and 1360. Further information about the ESCAP Library can be found at www.unescap.org/library .

Banking services are available at the Siam Commercial Bank, United Nations Branch, located on the first floor of the Service Building, from 0830 to 1530 hours during weekdays. (telephone extension 2168).

Postal services are available at the Post Office, United Nations Branch, located on the ground floor of UNCC. It is open from 0800 to 1600 hours, Monday through Friday. The Post Office can be contacted at extensions 1260 and 2911.

The souvenir shop is located on the first floor of UNCC. It is open from 0800 to 1700 hours, Monday through Friday. The shop can be contacted at extension 1295.

The American Express Travel (AMEX) office is located on the fourth floor, Service Building, which is open from 0800 to 1700 hours weekdays. The AMEX office can be contacted at extensions 2820, 2821, 2822 and 2823.

18. Participants whose travel is sponsored by ESCAP will be provided with a daily subsistence allowance at prevailing United Nations rates in local currency. In order to facilitate the payment of subsistence allowance, eligible participants are requested to submit copies of the passport, boarding pass, the arrival/departure form together with their air tickets to the secretariat staff in the conference room.

Any participants who are unable to stay for the duration of the meeting are requested to inform the secretariat as soon as possible after arrival, so that the subsistence allowance can be adjusted accordingly.

In those cases where the participation costs are borne by the ESCAP Secretariat, the Secretariat will provide only travel and DSA as expressed and will not assume responsibility for any other expenditure, including the following:

1. All expenses in the home country incidental to travel abroad, including expenditure for visa, medical examination, inoculations and other such miscellaneous items and internal travel to and from the airport of arrival and departure in the home country;
2. Salary and related allowances for the participants during the period of the meeting;
3. Costs incurred by participants in respect of travel insurance, accident insurance, medical bills or hospitalization fees in connection with attending the meeting;
4. Compensation in the event of death or disability of participants in connection with attending the meeting;
5. Any loss of or damage to personal property of participants while attending the meeting or losses or damages claimed by third parties as a result of any negligence on the part of the participants;
6. Any other expenses of a personal nature, not directly related to the purpose of the meeting.

The UNCC floor plans are available on the UNCC website

A Lost and Found desk is located on the ground floor of the UNCC by the Security scanning area.

Prayer and meditation rooms are located on Level 2 of the UNCC by the stairway next to the main entrance of ESCAP Hall.