There have been three flagship WordCamps till now namely US, Europe, and Centroamérica. The first WordCamp Asia was held in Bangkok, Thailand on 17th -19th February 2023. It was the first flagship event in the Asian community and was long awaited. Originally scheduled in the year 2020, the pandemic caused its delay but it finally happened. People passionate about WordPress, including enthusiasts, creators, and innovators, gathered in the stunning city of Bangkok to connect with one another, gain knowledge, and create new opportunities.
Why Bangkok?
Bangkok, Thailand is situated in the heart of Asia, making it easily accessible to travelers from all around the world. This vibrant city comprises various attractions such as lively food markets, serene beaches, and awe-inspiring historical landmarks that are sure to leave a lasting impression on any traveler. Furthermore, the city’s business culture is highly favored by entrepreneurs and startups, which in turn fuels the curiosity and drive to innovate and create better technology for the future. In short, Bangkok truly offers an exceptional experience for both leisure and business travelers alike.
WordCamp Asia was held at True Icon Hall at ICONSIAM, situated near the Chao Phraya River. We happened to see the venue a day before WordCamp, and we were speechless at the sight!! Here are some pics that I clicked off the venue.
Go Daddy Boat Party
For the first time, I attended the side event in WordCamp. Many companies organized their own side event and I decided to attend GoDaddy’s Boat Party since I had never been to one. It was an amazing evening to remember! The beautiful lights of the night, the cool breeze, the water, and mesmerizing fire dances! We also had a cheerful time at the Karaoke station. Check out some of the pics I clicked at the party!
Contributor Day
Contributor Day at WordCamp is a crucial opportunity for WordPress enthusiasts from different backgrounds and places to come together and contribute to the platform’s development. During this event, attendees are divided into teams and encouraged to brainstorm ways they can help enhance the WordPress project. It’s also a fantastic opportunity for individuals to meet new people from various industries, ask questions, and learn more about the platform. Whether you’re a beginner or an expert, everyone is welcome and encouraged to sign up as a contributor. You can join any of the teams from the WordPress community and provide your contribution.
The Contributor Day at WordCamp Asia was a big success as everyone actively participated in the event. I too contributed to the Photos team.
WordCamp Asia 2023 Day 1
The talks on Day 1 of WordCamp Asia 2023 were filled with amazing topics that covered blogging, marketing, development, writing, security, design, community, project management, SEO, and support. Global speakers shared their insights on various topics and the attendees learned a lot through these sessions. I thoroughly enjoyed the first day of the conference.
The sponsors and networking area was filled with people collecting swags, getting to know the sponsors, and connecting with people from around the globe. The sponsors conducted various interesting activities to keep people engaged at the booth.
Check the live stream of day 1 of the event below:
- WordCamp Asia 2023 Day 1- Track 1
- WordCamp Asia 2023 Day 1- Track 2
- WordCamp Asia 2023 Day 1- Track 3
WordCamp Asia 2023 Day 2
The second day of WordCamp Asia started with Matt Mullenweg’s Ask Matt Anything (AMA) online Q&A session. Matt answered many questions from the attendees. Below are the highlights of the AMA Q&A session..
Highlights of Ask Matt Anything (AMA) Q&A Session
A developer asked about the changes we can expect in the upcoming releases of WordPress. Matt replied that WordPress is always working on improving the performance, accessibility, and overall user experience of the platform. He also mentioned exciting new features that users and developers will be happy with.
Another audience member inquired about the future of Gutenberg. Matt stated that Gutenberg is the future of content creation on the platform and they will be working on enhancing the block editor, adding more blocks, and making it even easier to use. They are also exploring ways to extend Gutenberg beyond content creation.
Someone else was curious about the WordPress community and what makes it so special. Matt replied that it’s the passionate people who make it great. He suggested that organizing events like WordCamps and having online spaces like forums and Slack channels are important for fostering a sense of community.
A blogger asked about the impact of voice search on WordPress. Matt acknowledged that voice search is becoming more important and WordPress is already working on making it easier for users to implement it. They are also focusing on optimizing WordPress sites for voice search so that they can rank well in voice search results.
Finally, someone asked about the future of WordPress and its role in the wider web. Matt emphasized that WordPress will continue to focus on democratizing publishing and making it easy for anyone to create and share content on the web. They are also exploring new areas where they can have an impact, such as the intersection of WordPress and the decentralized web and making WordPress more accessible and useful for people in developing countries.
The sessions continued after the AMA Q&A. The talks covered important topics such as contributing to WordPress in multilingualism, full site editing, Gutenberg, mental health, design, development, accessibility, and business. What I loved the most about the talks is the focus on mental health. I attended all of them and the speakers really enlightened me about empathy, looking for the good, and how important it is to step back before you move forward.
Check the live stream of day 2 of the event below:
- WordCamp Asia 2023 Day 2- Track 1
- WordCamp Asia 2023 Day 2- Track 2
- WordCamp Asia 2023 Day 2- Track 3
Day 2 Closing Remarks
They did it!! The big success of WordCamp Asia 2023 can be seen through the following remarks:
- 1,724 registrations
- 1,299 attendees
- 3,185 streamed the event
- 653 contributed
- 53 organizers
- 84 volunteers
- 60 speakers
- 44 sponsors
- 7 media partners
- 23 people on the video/audio team
WordCamp Asia 2024
The WordCamp Asia nearly came to an end and preparations are already underway for the next one!! WordCamp Asia 2024 is slated to take place in March in the city of Taipei, Taiwan.
Conclusion
I carried a lot of memories, learnings, and connections from WordCamp Asia 2023. As I always say, WordCamps are the best part of being in the WordPress community. Have you attended WordCamp Asia 2023? Let me know your experience and the best takeaway in the comments below!