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Friday, 23 January 2009

Mr. Bean, Stephen Chow to bring tourists back to Thailand


Reeling from the global financial crisis and the political protests that shut down Thailand's airports last year, the Thai government is working on ways to burnish the Kingdom's image and get tourists flocking back.

According to a story in The Nation yesterday, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has promised an additional 100 million baht to the Tourism Authority of Thailand to finance overseas marketing.

TAT chairman Weerasak Kowsurat says the money will be used in the first quarter.

Among the plans -- a comedy film festival, scheduled to be held in Bangkok in late April. From the story:

The TAT is working with partners to bring in world-famous comedy actors, including Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) and Hong Kong's Stephen Chow. The presence of such stars is expected to attract more visitors.

Sounds like business as usual for the TAT -- the main sponsor of the Bangkok International Film Festival, which has been tainted by a bribery scandal. The criticisms of the festival was that a lot of taxpayers' money was spent to fly in big stars for red-carpet galas and create the illusion of Bangkok as some sort of Hollywood of Asia. But it really did little to really bring in tourists.

The organizers of last year's Bangkok International Film Festival went a long way to dispel the criticisms by making films and programming the primary focus, and making sure there were Thai subtitles on every film. Sure, there was still red-carpet glamor and a few Hollywood stars -- it creates publicity for the festival, after all.

Hopefully the TAT will keep the criticism of the BKKIFF in mind as they organize their comedy film fest.

And actually, bringing in the googly-eyed, rubber-faced Mr. Bean is not such a bad idea -- the videos of his pantomime TV skits are popular entertainment at DVD booths in suburban Bangkok shopping malls. Even better is Stephen Chow, writer, director and star of Shaolin Soccer and Kung Fu Hustle, which are also pretty popular. Great choices for the locals -- but because the festival is being proposed as a tourism initiative to attract foreigners, will Thai people be invited to the party?



Reeling dari krisis keuangan global dan politik protes yang menutup bandar udara di Thailand tahun lalu, pemerintah Thailand yang bekerja pada cara untuk memoles Kerajaan gambar dan wisatawan flocking kembali. 

Menurut cerita di Negara kemarin, Perdana Menteri Abhisit Vejjajiva telah menjanjikan tambahan 100 juta baht ke Otoritas Pariwisata Thailand dari luar negeri untuk membiayai pemasaran. 

TAT ketua Weerasak Kowsurat mengatakan uang tersebut akan digunakan pada kuartal pertama. 

Di antara rencana - sebuah festival film komedi, dijadwalkan akan diadakan di Jakarta pada akhir April. Dari cerita: 

TAT yang bekerja dengan para mitra untuk membawa dalam dunia komedi aktor terkenal, termasuk Rowan Atkinson (Mr. Bean) dan Hong Kong dari Stephen Chow. Kehadiran bintang seperti ini diharapkan akan menarik lebih banyak pengunjung. 

Sounds like bisnis seperti biasa untuk TAT - sponsor utama dari Jakarta International Film Festival, yang telah kotor oleh skandal penyuapan. Dengan kritik terhadap festival yang telah banyak pembayar pajak 'telah menghabiskan uang untuk terbang di bintang besar untuk karpet merah galas dan membuat ilusi di Bangkok karena beberapa jenis Hollywood di Asia. Tetapi sangat sedikit yang benar-benar membawa ke dalam wisatawan. 

Penyelenggara yang terakhir tahun Bangkok International Film Festival pergi jauh ke mengusir dengan kritik dengan membuat film dan program yang fokus utama, dan pastikan ada Thai pada setiap sub judul film. Yakin, masih ada karpet merah pesona dan beberapa bintang Hollywood - menciptakan publisitas untuk pesta, setelah semua. 

Semoga TAT akan menyimpan kritik dari BKKIFF diketahui karena mereka mengatur film komedi fest. 

Dan sebenarnya, sehingga dalam Googly-eyed, karet-Mr Bean yang dihadapi adalah bukan merupakan ide buruk - video of his TV pantomim jumlah besar sangat populer di DVD booths hiburan di Bangkok suburban mal. Akan lebih bagus lagi adalah Stephen Chow, penulis, sutradara dan bintang dari Shaolin Soccer dan Kung Fu memperderas, cantik yang juga populer. Great pilihan bagi penduduk lokal - tetapi karena festival sedang diusulkan sebagai inisiatif pariwisata untuk menarik orang asing, orang Indonesia akan diundang ke pesta?