IIFA awards, 2008, at the amazing city of Bangkok

Bangkok has always been a lure for Indian film fraternity. This year, the IIFA Weekend, was held in the Amazing City of Bangkok. The event will culminate on June 8th with the Idea IIFA Awards and has an action-packed schedule endorsed by the Indian film industry’s biggest names. IIFA Brand Ambassador, Amitabh Bachchan, in the company of the Thailand Sports and Tourism minister, Khun Weerasak Kowsurat and the Indian Ambassador, Latha Reddy, kicked off the festivities in the presence of Indian cinema biggies and other dignitaries including Sanjeev Aga Managing Director Idea Cellular, Mehul Choksi, Chairman of Gitanjali Lifestyle and Sabbas Joseph, Director, Wizcraft International Entertainment Ltd.

Welcoming IIFA to Bangkok, Khun Weerasak Kowsurat, Sports and Tourism Minister said,

“Thailand is honoured to be the host of this prestigious event. As we witness the most memorable events & proceedings over the next 3 days, Bangkok is geared up to offer the best hospitality and play perfect host to this magnificent event. IIFA is a movement that provides a global pedestal to encourage international interaction and further business opportunities. We are optimistic that both the countries will create a stronger bond through this relationship.”

This year, the IIFA World Premiere at Siam Pavalai, Paragon Cineplex, Bangkok, showcased the much-hyped ‘Sarkar Raj’, starring Indian film icons Amitabh Bachchan, Abhishek Bachchan and Aishwarya Rai Bachchan and directed by one of the most sought after Indian directors, Ram Gopal Varma. The other films promoted at the IIFA Weekend were Mission Istaanbul, Acid Factory, Love Story 2050 and De Taali.

IIFA Brand Ambassador, Amitabh Bachchan said,

“IIFA is very special to me and we are committed to enhancing the IIFA phenomenon every year. This year, the Weekend activities range from high-end fashion to the ground-breaking FICCI IIFA Global Business Forum. I am confident that the Idea IIFA Awards will live up to its expectations and that audiences will experience yet another incredible IIFA, this year.”

The IIFA Fashion Extravaganza scheduled for the 7th June, with leading fashion designers showcasing their creations. The Indian couture line is designed by Rohit Bal, Vikram Phadnis, Manish Malhotra and Sabyasachi Mukherjee. Some of the popular stars of Indian cinema like Kareena Kapoor, Vidya Balan, Priyanka Chopra, Ayesha Takia and Riteish Deshmukh will walk the ramp as the showstoppers. To add sparkle to the glittering show, DIAMRUSA, a jewellery designer from Thailand and Gitanjali Lifestyle from India, will present their dazzling jewellery collections. The proceeds from the show will go to the IIFA Foundation, which was set up to raise funds and support families that are adversely affected while working for the production of a film.

The Idea IIFA Awards on June 8th will close the IIFA Weekend. The Awards have a stunning performer line-up that include Indian Cinema’s biggest names: Akshay Kumar, Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif, Priyanka Chopra, Govinda amongst others. The star casts of De Taali, Mission Istaanbul, Love Story 2050 will also put up amazing performances. The star-studded event promises to be a never-seen-before spectacle. The awards night will be hosted by the glamorous Urmila Matondkar, Ritiesh Deshmukh and Boman Irani.

The IIFA Weekend, 2008 in association with Gitanjali is supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT). The IIFA World Premiere is powered by PVR and the Venue Partner in Bangkok is the Siam Pavalai, Paragon Cineplex.

Get a taste of Thai culture

Though the bar culture and raunchy nightlife of Thailand has made it rather ill-famous, yet Thailand has strongly rooted Asian culture. Family is still the topmost priority for Thai people. Children live with their parents until marriage and elders get their due share of respect. There is no caste system, but the social hierarchy, topped by the monarchy , is quite rigid. Women have been positioned second after men, despite playing a major role in the economy, mainly as laborers and white-collar workers.

Thai people still maintain their traditional way of greeting-The Wai and the most interesting part is that the height of the wai reflects the social gap between the parties. If the gap is extreme, inferiors may approach their superiors on their knees. People are predominantly followers of Buddhism and do not take in disrespect to the king or Buddhism.

The monkhood (sangha), some 250,000 strong, plays a crucial social role. Monks conduct numerous Buddhist rites, ranging from festivals to everyday blessings and other social events. The most scared literary work of Thailand is Ramakien, an ancient moral epic with its origins in the Indian Ramayana. Thailand’s most notable literary figure is the 19th - century poet Sunthorn phu.

Thailand film industry thrives on a diet of comedies, thrillers and period dramas. Thailand has still preserved some of its ancient sports - its unique style of kick boxing, a game similar to volleyball named Takraw where they use feet, and also kite flying.

Hot-n-happening places at Thailand

If I were to tell you about ALL the places worth visiting in Thailand and ALL the things worth doing in this amazing land, then I would need pages and pages of this blog to cover all of them. Nonetheless, slowly and surely, I am going to give you a complete and detailed taste of tourism is Thailand.

To start with, the best and the most happening place in Thailand is definitely its capital city Bangkok. Everything about Bangkok is wonderful…The smell of wonderful food cooked on the street, the historic temples to boast of the glorious culture of the land– The Emerald Buddha, Temple of Dawn, etc, the all alluring and tempting shopping malls… The famous and unique floating markets,… canal tours,… and of course, the nightlife giving way to girlie bars, clubs and shows, which has made Bangkok infamously famous… everything deserves a mention. The BTS skytrain adds ease, tech and glamour to the city. Bangkok, being an easy reach from many destinations, you can easily take a trip to Ayutthaya, Sukhothai, Kanchanaburi, Chiang Mai, Phuket, and Koh Samui from here.

Again, Phuket is a must in every tourist’s agenda. Phuket has lovely beaches of duvet-soft sand, offshore islands, and offers a lot of water activities like diving, snorkeling. You have excellent resort hotels and posh restaurant with superb hospitality to make your stay comfortable here. Just 70 minutes flying time south of Bangkok, Phuket is Thailand’s largest island and is a must go for all nature lovers.

Phi Phi Island, is just 45 minutes by boat from Phuket. It makes its presence felt with its classic white sandy beaches which are surrounded by magnificent limestone cliffs.

Koh Samui is Thailand’s second largest island after Phuket. A new entrant in Thailand tourism, the island is sure to enchant anyone with its virgin beaches and hundreds of coconut trees. The island is more famous for its nightlife having lots of live music, clubs, pubs and restaurants.

These are just a few to begin with. Keep watching this space for more on Thailand……..