All your Beta questions answered
Where will the venues be?
All Beta sessions are in different rooms at the same venue — the new CIC building at Chiang Mai University (map this) EXCEPT for the opening session on November 1 at 9.30 am, which will be at the Auditorium, Faculty of Mass Communication, Chiang Mai University (map this) a few meters away.
Why are we doing this? Because the opening session needs a different venue to hold all of us together 🥳
How do I get to Chiang Mai University?
Take the Beta red trucks from Nimman. Lucky you if you've picked a hotel in Nimman! There are two red truck (songtaew) stations in the area. The first is in front of Bread Brasseries Cafe on Nimman lane 6. The second songtaew station is in front of the L Nimman Hotel on Nimman lane 17. The first truck leaves at 8:20 am each morning, and then every ten minutes or whenever the seats fill up. The last one leaves at 9 am. We'll have volunteers at both stations — look out for friendly folks with pink balloons. Only get into the Splice Beta rides — these aren’t regular songtaew!
If you're making your own way to Chiang Mai University, look for the purple shuttles (they're electric!) — these will take you up to the Faculty of Mass Communication but will require you to switch bus lines. May not be worth the hassle.
Would you rather walk? It'll be 20 mins from Nimman. Get on Huay Kaew Road, walk in the direction of the mountain with the grand Doi Suthep temple on top of it. CMU is at the foothill.
Or if you're arriving on Grab, look up "Cmu-Mass Communication" in the app.
How do I get around?
The easiest way is by Grab — the Uber of Southeast Asia. Add your credit card to it, or pay the driver in cash. Expect to pay $5-$6 for a 15-minute ride from the airport to Nimman. So make sure you have the app on your phone. Grab is also a great way to get food delivered if you’re hungry in the middle of the night.
You’ll the red songtaew trucks on the roads. Flag them down, tell the driver where you want to go, and negotiate a price. Then jump in the back with everyone else.
You may sometimes come across taxis. There’s no meter, so it comes down to your negotiation skills.
What else do I need to know about getting around?
For one, we’ll be in Nimman. Don’t call it by its full name Nimmanhaemin. That’s for only strangers and, er, those less cool (and we all know you’re cool because you’re at Beta!).
How about flights and hotels?
We’re a community movement and we want to keep things simple. So we’ll leave it to you to figure out how to get to Chiang Mai, what’s needed for paperwork, etc.
Aim to get there on October 31 — we’ll do welcome drinks in the evening. And then it’s two full days of festivities on November 1-2. You can then jump back on the plane on November 3 if you’re in a hurry.
Ask our #beta-2022 channel in our Planet Splice Slack group if you have any questions, or share your tips there.
Hotels are great (try Agoda for those), but Airbnbs are even better in Chiang Mai. Look around the Nimman area or the Old Town. Perhaps pick out a house that you can share with other attendees. Again, the #beta-2022 channel in our Planet Splice Slack group might just be the place to share these ideas and find amazing housemates. Most of our speakers will be staying at BED Nimman, L Nimman or Buri Suri.
For flights, check out Google Travel for a quick idea of what’s possible and what it’ll cost. Airlines are adding capacity and flights as the world moves on from the pandemic, so keep an eye out for new routes and hopefully, lower prices.
What about the entry fee?
Beta is free to attend, and here’s why: We want to make this as accessible as possible for young media folks and freelancers to show up. We’re lucky to have some wonderful sponsors behind Beta and that means we can just focus on creating the best experience for you.
Are the sessions recorded?
We’re recording audio at the sessions, and you’ll find these later under our Splice Pink podcast, as well as in our YouTube channel. The clinic sessions won’t be recorded — those are confidential and off-the-record.
I’ve heard that the Beta dress code is t-shirts and shorts. Is that really true?
The rumours are true! Please wear whatever is comfortable — and if there’s a splash of pink involved, you’ll match our tuktuk. Just don’t show up in a suit and tie. We’re not that kind of event.
Here’s the other thing: Chiang Mai is getting an unusual amount of rain this year, so we’re planning for a really wet Beta. Don’t bring your suede dancing shoes — flipflops might just be more practical if things get muddy. Light rain jackets and umbrellas may be wise too.
Speaking of t-shirts, do you have any merch?
We were really hoping you’d ask. Buy the Beta t-shirt — 2 colours, multiple sizes, and one tuktuk-crazy community.
I hate networking. Can you help me meet people at the festival?
Don’t tell anyone, but we hate networking too. So we’re going to try to connect groups of people so that you get to know one another before you even get to Beta. And let us know if we can make direct introductions as well. Splice is a service.
Can you help me with an invitation letter for my visa?
Of course. Drop us an email with your passport details.
What’s the latest on Covid travel restrictions?
As of October 1, vaccination proof is no longer required. Masks are optional, although some indoor venues may require you to wear one, so have one handy.
How much do things cost?
It’s easy to get a bowl of noodles for $2, a barista coffee for $2. A 5G 15GB SIM card will set you back $8. What else do you need? 🙂 You’ll see why Chiang Mai is one of the cheapest and most amazing cities in Asia.
Any food recommendations?
Yes — see the Google Map.
Can I donate to support the Beta community?
Yes! We’re accepting donations here for our Show-Up-At-Beta Fund — we’ll make this available for students and other folks who can’t afford plane tickets and hotels. Thank you so much for your kindness.
Why are you doing this?
We’re media community builders — we gather knowledge, mindsets, skills, kindness, generosity — and bring all of that together in one place. We love being around people who started with an idea and found ways to grow it… and ended up doing the same for others.
Beta is for anyone who is experimenting or innovating in media: mavericks, rule-breakers, game changers. People who know that the best days of media are in front of us, not behind.