Saturday, April 27, 2019

"THANKS 4 MILLION" WAS AN AWESOMELY MAGNIFICENT AND JAW-DROPPING SONGKRAN PARTY EVER HELD IN MALAYSIA! THE LAVISH SCALE DREW GASPS OF ASTONISHMENT FROM OVER 500 GUESTS AT MANDARIN ORIENTAL GRAND BALLROOM SINCE MALAYSIANS HAD NEVER SEEN SUCH AN EPIC PRESENTATION. SUCH SONGKRAN PROCESSIONS ARE RESERVED FOR THE MOST AUSPICIOUS OCCASIONS AND PRESENTED FOR THE MOST ILLUSTRIOUS GUESTS. IT REMINDED ME OF THE OPENING SCENE AT SIAM NIRAMIT THE WORLD FAMOUS CULTURAL THEATRE IN BANGKOK AS A LANNAI PRINCESS WAS CARRIED INTO MANDARIN ORIENTAL KL BALLROOM ATOP A PALANQUIN BY 4 HOT WARRIORS FOLLOWED BY GARUDA, NAGA THE THAI DRAGON, LOVELY LASSIES, HANDSOME MEN AND THE ENTIRE ROYAL COURT REMINISCENT OF OLD LANNAI KINGDOM FROM THAILAND'S NORTH! THERE WERE ALSO THRILLING MUAY THAI DEMONSTRATIONS, THAI FABRIC FASHION SHOWS, AWARDS FOR TRAVEL AGENTS AND MEDIA AS WELL AS TRADITIONAL THAI NEW YEAR SALUTATIONS TO VIPS. MARVELLOUSLY MESMERISING!

KEE@FSWMAG.COM 

PHOTOS BY CANON POWERSHOT SX 720 HS

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BEFORE DINNER, MANY GUESTS WONDERED AND ARGUED OVER THE MEANING OF 'THANKS 4 MILLION'.

GRAMMATICALLY IT SHOULD BE 'THANKS A MILLION' OR MAYBE 'THANKS FOR THE 4 MILLION' BUT THE EMCEE FINALLY SOLVED THE CONUNDRUM BY EXPLAINING 4 MILLION MALAYSIANS VISITED THE KINGDOM OF SMILES LAST YEAR!


HENCE THE ENIGMATIC 'THANKS 4 MILLION' AS MALAYSIANS WERE THE SECOND BIGGEST TOURISTS AFTER CHINA BUT HEY, CHINA'S POPULATION IS OVER 1.5 BILLION WHILE WE ARE ONLY 30 MILLION!


NO WONDER TOURISM AUTHORITY THAILAND HOSTED SUCH A LAVISH FEAST AND SHOWS ON AN EPIC SCALE SINCE WE ARE SO IMPORTANT TO THAILAND TOURISM INDUSTRY AS WE DEPOSITED SOME RM 15 BILLION ON HOTEL, FOOD, SIGHTSEEING AND SHOPPING! 


I VISITED THAILAND 6 TIMES LAST YEAR AND DESERVE AN AWARD!


WILL IT BE 'THANKS 5 MILLION' IN 2020? BET IT WILL!


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Thailand Celebrates 4 Million Arrivals of Malaysian Tourists Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) by organizing a Gala Dinner “Thanks 4 Million – Let’s Celebrate Songkran Festival” on Friday 19th April 2019, at Mandarin Oriental Hotel Kuala Lumpur, to mark its success in welcoming 4 million Malaysians into Thailand in 2018, which generated revenue of 114,896 million Baht or approximately 14,730 million Ringgit to Thailand. 

This year, TAT continues to reposition Thailand as a Quality Leisure Destination that provides the utmost enjoyable experiences to suit all of Malaysians’ preferences. 

This event is presided over by H.E. Mr. Narong Sasitorn, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia. Mr. Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Deputy Governor of TAT, said that “This event is organized to extend our thanks to our partners, namely Airlines, Media, Travel Agents and Car Clubs and everyone involved, for their kind contribution and on-going supports that made us achieve the 4 Million arrivals in 2018. 

"This year, our objective is to position Thailand as a Quality Leisure Destination. Our current campaign ‘Open to the new shades’ portrays that Thailand has many to offer to tourists in terms of Culture, Arts & Crafts, Nature, Beach, Gastronomy and the way of life. 

"Most importantly we would like to promote Thai local experiences, things like midnight Tuk Tuk food tour, local floating markets, night markets, and experiencing local way of life; these are the things that are uniquely Thai you can’t get anywhere else in the world. 

"We believe that Thai people truly are what makes Thailand unique. Experiences that connect travelers with the locals create authentic and meaningful memories". 

“As we are neighbors, Thai people shares many things in common with Malaysians. We are very content to see that Malaysians love Thai food. Research reported that 97.94% of Malaysians travel to Thailand for food. Hence, our wide variety of gastronomy choice suits many different tastes of Malaysians very well – from HALAL-Certified food, street food, fine-dining to Michelin Star restaurants”. Deputy Governor added. 

For Malaysians who travel frequently to Thailand, there are many new emerging cities awaiting them to revisit the Kingdom, namely Mae Hong Son, Satun, Yala (Betong) and Chiang Rai - which currently has direct flight from Kuala Lumpur. 

April is also a month of Songkran Festival which is Thai New Year and a water festival in Thailand, therefore, this event showcases the Songkran celebration with spectacular cultural performances. 

Moreover, Malaysian celebrity, Ms. Yasmin Hani also joins the stage and shares her memorable holiday experience with her family in Thailand. **************************************

FINAL PHOTOS 
MOST MEMORABLE EVENING!
ALL THE MOVERS AND SHAKERS ON STAGE FOR GROUP PIX
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Country Director of Malaysia and Brunei of Tourism Authority of Thailand, Mr Ahman Mad- Adam Director took great pleasure in inviting travel agnets, supporters and media to celebrate  “Thanks 4 Million – Let’s Celebrate Songkran Festival”.

Date:     19TH April 2019 ,  Friday
Venue:   Mandarin Oriental, Grand Ballroom
Time:     1730 hrs
Dress code  :  Suit or Elegant Thai/Dress

Programme.
17.30 Hrs.                            Registration of distinguished guests.

TRULY MAGNIFICENT AND JAW-DROPPING ENTRANCE OF SONGKRAN PROCESSION RESERVED ONLY FOR THE GRANDEST AND MOST IMPORTANT OCCASIONS FIT FOR A KING! TOURISM AUTHORITY THAILAND (TAT) PULLED OUT ALL THE STOPS TO STAGE THIS AWESOME DISPLAY OF THAI CULTURAL PATRIMONY AND UNSURPASSED HERITAGE
THAI AIRWAYS FLEW IN THE ENTIRE TROUPE PLUS EQUIPMENT AND COSTUMES FROM BANGKOK JUST TO PERFORM THE TRADITIONAL THAI SONGKRAN PROCESSION THAT DAZZLED MALAYSIAN GUESTS AND LEFT US GASPING FOR MORE

18.00 Hrs.                            Northern contemporary performance, “Songkran Procession”.


18.10 Hrs.            Welcome Speech by Mr. Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Deputy Governor for International Marketing Asia and South Pacific, Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT).


Opening Speech by H.E. Narong Sasitorn, Ambassador of Thailand to Malaysia

EXCITING MUAY THAI DEMONSTRATIONS





18.20 Hrs.                            Muay Thai Performance










18.30 Hrs.                            Award Ceremony for the Distinguished Airlines by Mr. Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Deputy Governor for International Marketing Asia and South Pacific, TAT.




19.05 Hrs.                            Northern Fabric Fashion Show & Traditional Drum performance


19.15 Hrs.            Award Ceremony for the Distinguished Media by Mr. Chattan Kunjara Na Ayudhya, Deputy Governor for International Marketing Asia and South Pacific, TAT.

                                           
    
20.05 Hrs.                            Malaysian Celebrity Experience Sharing in Thailand.


20.25 hrs.            Award Ceremony for the Distinguished Car Clubs by Mr Ahman Mad-adam, Director of TAT Kuala Lumpur Office






Award Ceremony for the Distinguished Agents by  Mr. Klissada Ratanapruk, Executive Director of ASEAN South Asia and South Pacific Region Department, TAT.






21.25 Hrs.                            Lanna Thai New Year performance.








21.30 Hrs.                            Thai Traditional Songkran “Rot Nam Dam Hua” Ceremony.

22.00 Hrs.            End of the programme.

MRS AND MR TISHTI SUMITRA, GENERAL MANAGER OF THAI AIRWAYS FOR MALAYSIA AND BRUNEI
TISHTI SUMITRA OF THAI AIRWAYS AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE AND HANI AND THAI LADIES


MAIN VIP TABLE


MANDARIN ORIENTAL GRAND BALLROOM


EMCEES ELAINE DALY AND PARTNER


DATO KEE HUA CHEE JOINS
DATO KEE HUA CHEE CONTRIBUTED TO THANKS 4 MILLION BY VISITING KINGDOM OF SMILES 6 TIMES LAST YEAR!
NOTE THE GIGANTIC SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH ON DATO KEE HUA CHEE'S SHOULDERS HANDMADE IN BANGKOK FOR THE OCCASION
THANK YOU TOO THAILAND!
BEST COUNTRY TO VISIT FOR MALAYSIANS IN TERMS OF AFFORDABLE SHOPPING, HOTEL, FOOD AND DINING
4 MILLION MALAYSIANS VISITED THAILAND IN 2018 HENCE THE 'THANKS 4 MILLION'!
RICHARD LIM MARKETING MANAGER OF TOURISM AUTHORITY THAILAND AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE


MR AND MS THAILAND
THAI BEAUTIES IN THAI COSTUMES


DATO KEE HUA CHEE WORE THAI FIGHTING FISH COSTUME
SAWADEE KHAP
MISS THAILAND COSMO WORLD 2018/19
MISS THAILAND AND MR MALAYSIA 4EVER






LOOK AT THE FISH TAIL!
OPENING GAMBIT WAS MAGNIFICENT GRAND SONGKRAN PROCESSION THAT TOOK OUR BREATH AWAY AS IT WAS A FULLSCALE PRODUCTION AS SEEN IN THAILAND FOR THE MOST IMPORTANT OCCASIONS


PRINCESS HAND CARRIED ON PALANQUIN REMINISCENT OF LANNAI KINGDOM OF CHIANGMAI IN NORTHERN THAILAND




PAYING RESPECTS TO VIPS






EVEN GARUDA FLEW IN FOR A CAMEO APPEARANCE




THAI DRAGON CALLED NAGA WRITHED IN TOO!
















THE PRINCESS WAS FLOWN ONTO STAGE BY GARUDA












AWESOME!






















FIRST VIP ONSTAGE FOR SPEECH


































MRS AND MR KEN LEONG WHO OPERATE MR TUK TUK THE BEST THAI STREET FOOD CHAIN OF RESTAURANTS IN TOWN AND KOH SAMUI RESTAURANTS IN IPOH AND KL
MUAY THAI DEMO














WALAO EH


























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AWARDS FOR AIRLINES IN ALPHABETICAL ORDER










BANGKOK AIRWAYS IS THE BEST FOR FLIGHTS TO KOH SAMUI












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NORTHERN THAI DANCES




































































































MEDIA AWARDS






TRAVEL AGENTS AWARDS


























DATO KEE HUA CHEE KING OF SIAMESE FIGHTING FISH
SPECTACULAR COSTUME HANDMADE FOR DATO KEE HUA CHEE IN BANGKOK FOR THIS GALA


















































RICHARD PHILIPS OF AMEE PHILIPS JEWELLERY WITH MISS THAILAND COSMO WORLD
RICHARD PHILIPS IS THE WORLD'S MOST HANDSOME AND ACCOMPLISHED 26 YEAR OLD JEWELLER
RICHARD PHILIPS PLANS TO BE THE NEW LAURENCE GRAFF!
RICHARD PHILIPS AND DATO KEE HUA CHEE
2 OF A KIND
FINALE
















PAYING RESPECTS TO THE VIPS
























































































DATO KEE HUA CHEE WITH MRS AND MR KEN LEONG OF MR TUK TUK AND KOH SAMUI CHAIN OF THAI RESTAURANTS


BIG GROUP PHOTO










ONE FOR THE ALBUM

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