Thai hearts united to create ground-breaking phenomenon on the Chao Phraya River A historic show that will bring the whole world under its spell ‘ICONSIAM City Opening Mega Phenomenon’ 9-11 Nov

- Bht 1,000 million invested to create ‘ICONSIAM city’ opening mega phenomenon under ‘Legendary Party’ theme reinforcing ‘the best of Thailand meets the best of the world’ concept

- Get ready for historic shows and masterpieces by 7 leading event organising companies of Thailand and the world teaming up with world-famous artists and national artists of Thailand as well as over 1,000 volunteer performers nationwide

- The gates to ICONSIAM are opened for the world to witness a revolutionary mega development under the concept of ‘Creating Shared Value’ and ‘Co-Creation’ on a scale never before seen

Bangkok (30 October 2018) – ICONSIAM - the Bht-54-billion mega city project of futuristic living, today, announced its readiness to open the iconic landmark of Thailand’s eternal prosperity on the Chao Phraya River utilising Bht 1,000 million budget to create ‘ICONSIAM City Opening Mega Phenomenon’ on 9-11 November 2018. It will be first and greatest collaboration in history where Thai hearts are united to create a groundbreaking phenomenon on the Chao Phraya River. It will be an event that will bring the whole world under its spell. There will be an invitation-only private event first on Friday 9^th November for VIPs, celebrities, famous artists from around Thailand and the world, members of the Thai and international media, the first 1,000 members of the general public selected from ICONSIAM Explorer programme as well as representatives of ICONSIAM’s neighbouring communities.

The event will impress all visitors with a line-up of international artists including Choi Siwon, Kim Dong-jun, and F4 as well as a surprise concert by a world renown singer-star. Among the Thai and international VIPs, superstars, stars, artists and celebrities invited to walk the red carpet on the day a new chapter of history is written on the Chao Phraya River will be Aum – Patcharapa Chaichua, Ann Thongprasom, James – Jirayu Tangsrisuk, Weir – Sukollawat Kanaros, Jeab – Sopitnapa Choompanee, Sririta Jensen, Burin Boonvisut, Kalamare – Patcharasri Benjamas, Woody – Wuttitorn Milintajinda, Toni Rakkaen, Buakaw Banchamek, Antoine Pinto, Metinee Kingpayom, Sonia Couling, Suquan Bulakool, The Face Men, The Face Winner, Miss Universe Thailand.

On Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 November, the general public are invited to see the historic show and performances by F4, free of charge.

Mrs. Chadatip Chutrakul, Director, ICONSIAM Co., Ltd., said, “ICONSIAM was created out of a resolution to glorify precious stories of pride from every dimension of Thainess in the nation by presenting them in exciting ways, blending them into the ultimate gracefulness of the unique Thai identity and together with the best of the world and putting them together in one venue. It is a city of prosperity that puts together the best Thailand has to offer and the best of the world and projecting Thainess onto the world stage. ICONSIAM has given a new twist to how a great destination project is developed with the concept of ‘Creating Shared Value’ and ‘Co-Creation’. We have brought it to life in a complete way and on a scale that has never existed before anywhere in the world.”

“ICONSIAM is a destination born out of a great joint creative effort that has united the hearts of Thai people from many different walks of life. These people are capable and knowledgeable. They are from local communities around the country, some are from the business sector and others from the public sector. They include experts in various disciplines from many countries who love Thailand and want to contribute to a new symbol that can represent the vision of an era and be something to make Thai people proud of being Thai, help preserve and present Thainess for the next generation, while also making visitors from around the world fall in love and be impressed with Thailand,” Mrs. Chadatip said.

Historic show on the Chao Phraya River Highlights in “ICONSIAM City Opening Mega Phenomenon”

Mr. Supoj Chaiwatsirikul, Managing Director, ICONSIAM Co., Ltd., said, “The main concept behind ICONSIAM which is ‘The best of Thailand meets the best of the world’ and ‘Co-Creation’ were used as the basis for creating ‘ICONSIAM City Opening Mega Phenomenon’ on 9-11 November. It led to a historic collaboration among Thailand’s top six event organisers including Index Creative Village Public Co., Ltd., CMO Group, Max Image Co., Ltd., Rightman Co., Ltd., Tue Co., Ltd., MQDC Bright Corporation together with Intel, the world’s No. 1 technology company. It reinforced the reality of the best of Thailand meeting the best of the world. There is a collaboration also among world-famous international artists, Thailand’s national artists from different disciplines, professional and volunteer performers from around the country, further reinforcing the concept of Co-Creation. In total, there are more than 1,000 contributors to ICONSIAM’s opening event. Together, they will create a masterpiece and a historic show under the Legendary Party theme. It will be great and spectacular. There will be countless activities and shows on all floors of ICONSIAM.”

Outdoor show highlights at the River Park on the banks of the Chao Phraya River

In a new chapter of history that will pin the world’s eyes on the Chao Phraya River, there will be a show where the past, present and future come together gracefully. It will feature Thailand’s precious, beautiful, traditional and contemporary art and cultural performances in combination with international art and cultural shows. Joining them will be the performance of 1,500 drones which will be a ‘first’ in Thailand, and the largest number of drones ever assembled in Southeast Asia which will create a mega phenomenon above the Chao Phraya River’s sky.

ICONSIAM will welcome visitors with a combination of magnificent traditional Thai art and an Thai shadow play, a performance art that dates back to the Ayutthaya Period. The artistic work to be performed was created by Professor Kamol Tassananchalee, the 1997 National Artist in visual arts and a locally and internationally renowned artist of painting and contemporary mixed media. The shadow play will be performed by Thai masters from Wat Khanon while skilled puppeteers will perform traditional Thai puppet show bringing to life famous literary heroes and heroines created to act as if they were alive, waiting to greet and entertain visitors in a polite and friendly manner. Also joining the opening celebration will be floral and butterfly performances in the form of Stilt Walkers from Australia’s Empress Stilt Dance.

The highlight show at the River Park on the bank of the Chao Phraya River is called “Eternal Prosperity” - a combination of art and culture with material advances to reflect past prosperity which has lasted until the present as well as advancement and the glory of the future.

A riverside area has a huge performance stage decorated with an exquisite sculpture designed by Ajarn Chalermchai Kositpipat. The sculpture is installed above the expansive performance area spanning more than 1,000 square metres and is to be used for traditional Thai performances, contemporary Thai dances, international performing arts and world circuses. These performances are from many of the country’s leading institutions with the song called the “ICON of DREAMS” presented by the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra led by Assoc. Prof. Dr. Sukri Charoensuk, the melody composed by Dr. Narong Prangcharoen and Khun Sarawut Lertpanyanuch, and the lyrics written by Khun Dolchai Boonyaratavej, and with Ajarn Thanit Siiklindii presenting an instrumental performance with Thai flute on stage.

The Eternal Prosperity show will include the spectacle of “Sri Mahasamut” sailing junks gliding along on the Chao Phraya River once again. There will also be the state-of-the-art technology from a major collaboration with Intel, the world’s leading tech company, which will create magnificent visuals in the sky with over 1,500 drones, making it the first great drone performance in Thailand, and the largest number of drones used in a show in Southeast Asia, with even more drones than were used in the Winter Olympics in Korea. They will maneuver and shine a light to project images characteristic of Siam. There also be a concert by the world renown Grammy-award winning singer, musician and songwriter who is also one of the world’s most successful actresses, perform alongside over 500 amateur performers. The outdoor performances will end with the longest river dance in Southeast Asia from 8pm to 10pm. It will go along with a spectacular lighting show which will shine a glorious light on the two super luxury residential buildings Magnolia Waterfront Residences and The Residences at Mandarin Oriental Bangkok to tell precious and graceful stories of Thai pride.

Indoor show highlights across all areas

There will be dance performances mingled with acrobatics that are graceful, exciting and breathtaking with stories designed to reflect Thailand’s beautiful art of garland-making in a show representing the wholehearted delight of welcoming visitors to ICONSIAM at the mezzanine hall on M Floor. It will be a spectacle that has never been performed before on a giant stage that is 17 metres high and decorated with exquisite arts and a large garland. It will highlight specially choreographed dances that show the delicate art of Thai handicraft making and the meticulous art of making garlands as traditional Thai-style welcome gifts.

Visitors will also be treated to an acrobatic show by a troupe of Chinese pyramid acrobats and music performances from the band Ekkarong, conducted by Ajarn Jirapan Angsawanon, a celebrated music artist and composer, and a host of international skilled musicians, together with beautiful songs from Thailand’s own diva Khun Kob, Saowanit Nawapan.

The 1st floor of ICONSIAM showcases a collaboration of Thailand’s 4 leading designers namely Jirat Subpisankul, Wisharawish Akarasantisook, T-Ra Chantasawasdee, and Platt Srilalitsoi who transformed Thai silks into an art installation of fabric called “Concentration”. The art piece was crafted with contemporary innovation combined with the traditional tie-and-dye process, resulting in a modern, creative, and unique work of art.

World’s best performances from 5 countries

The high art of food decoration on garments will be on full display for the first time in Thailand with a menu created by Tom Wolfe, the world-renowned chef in collaboration with Sorapol, a Thai designer who has earned worldwide fame. Together, they will create an haute couture collection that appeals to the eye and satisfies the taste buds in equal measure on the first floor of ICONSIAM.

Special magic performances by world-class magicians will present shows that will be the first time ever in Thailand together with world-class ballet performances. They will perform exciting and spectacular shows around stories created exclusively for ICONSIAM at ICONLUXE. The magic shows will be headlined by Charlie Mag, a young Spanish magician who is well known around the world from a popular TV show in France. Charlie Mag is best known for his dove illusion that is considered one of the most difficult feats of illusion magic. A winner of multiple international illusion magic awards, he is considered one of the world’s most successful magicians. He will team up with Vinz, one of the world’s best-known magicians from France, who will give a special show involving a magic key that leads to the discovery of the most beautiful art of ballet from world-class performers of the Mariinsky Theatre in a show directed by Erika Lemay from Physical Poetry.

First major collaboration in history of top event creators of Thailand and the world

Mr. Kreingkarn Kanjanapokin, Chief Executive Officer, Index Creative Village Public Co., Ltd., the only Thai event organising company to make the world’s top ten at No.7 in a list ranked by Special Event magazine of the U.S., said, “This is an unprecedented phenomenon of an opening event. The challenge presented by ICONSIAM is that this is not about organising a project opening but a city opening, and ICONSIAM and all the Thai and international event creators are firmly committed to create a groundbreaking, world-class city opening phenomenon that Thai people will be proud of.”

Mr. Sontiya Nujeenseng, CCG Distribution Sales Director APJ Territory, Intel Technology Asia Pte Ltd., representing the world’s leading technology company, said, “The drone performance at ICONSIAM is a phenomenon that has never been done before and it will be the first time in the world that precious cultural stories of Thailand are beautifully blended with state-of-the-art technology in perfect harmony. It will be a truly magnificent world-class spectacle.”

Mr. Sermkhun Khunawong, Chief Executive Officer, CMO Group, a leading full-service creative event organiser of ASEAN with services covering event management, marketing communication and entertainment, said, “All event organising companies and everyone involved have a common goal to offer a once-in-a-lifetime event to show the potential of Thai people to the world. It will also be a once-in-a-lifetime experience where everybody has a contribution and can proudly be a part of the historic show.”

Mrs. Wiwan Kannasoot, Managing Director, Max Image Co., Ltd., a specialist company with a solid track record of oganising national events, said, “This is the result of the collaboration of a lot of people from a wide range of professions – Thais and foreigners alike. All are coming together to create the ICONSIAM opening event. It is an impressive feat of courage for ICONSIAM to lay the challenge and pioneer such a historic collaboration. It is a testament to ICONSIAM’s commitment to offering the best of Thailand and the best of the world.”

Mr. Upatham Nisitsukcharoen, Chief Executive Officer, Rightman Co., Ltd., a full-service company specialising in creating world-class design and innovation for creative events, theme parks, exhibitions, and a leader in museums and learning centres in Thailand and overseas, said, “As a Thai national, this is a very good opportunity to show to the world that Thai people have capabilities that are second to none. We hope to create a masterpiece event that the next generation can be proud of and we hope all Thai people will take pride in the talents of the Thai people.”

Mr. Sombatsara Thirasaroj, Managing Director, Tue Co., Ltd., one of Thailand’s highly recognised lifestyle event organising companies, said, “The main goal is to create ICONSIAM City Opening Mega Phenomenon for Thai people to take pride in the potential and talent of fellow Thais and for the whole world to look at Thailand with admiration. The historic show on the Chao Phraya River will be remembered forever.”

Mr. Krit Sutthithawil, General Manager, MQDC Bright Corporation, a well-known event and trade fair organising company, said, “We are very proud to contribute to ICONSIAM City Opening Mega Phenomenon and also proud of how Thai hearts are united to make the phenomenon happen. All people involved have given their best to show the potential of Thai people for the world to see.”

Mr. Supoj said, “ICONSIAM is a city that is the centre of a vast array of wonders in art and culture. It offers the best in shopping and entertainment made possible by a collaboration of business organisations both big and small. They come in all sizes and types. A lot of individuals have come together from different professions. They share a desire to build a venue where stories of pride in being Thai are told and a place where all things good from all corners of the world are on full display. They come together to build a new icon which will become a mega phenomenon that will unite all stakeholders spread prosperity to communities, society and the nation.”

“During the opening period we are expecting around 150,000 visitors a day, of whom around 65-70% will be Thais and 30-35% foreigners. During the year-end high season, the proportion of foreign visitors are likely to increase to 40-45%,” Mr. Supoj said.