DISCOVER THAINESS HAS JUST ENDED IN BANGKOK BUT HAS STARTED THAILAND'S TOURISM INDUSTRY IN FULL SWING! THE MOTHER OF ALL PARADES FEATURED 6 FLOATS ACCOMPANIED BY CULTURAL DANCERS IN FULL TRADITIONAL COSTUMES RANGING FROM MUA THAI TO RAMAKIEN TO SILKMAKING, THAI CUISINE AND SONGKRAN.

KEE@FSWMAG.COM

OVER 2,000 PARTICIPANTS PARADED 3.5 KM FROM NATIONAL STADIUM TO SIAM DISCOVERY CENTRE WHERE THE 'DISCOVER THAINESS' EXTRAVAGANZA WAS LAUNCHED BY THAILAND'S PRIME MINISTER GENERAL PRAYUT CHAN-O-CHA.

THE THE THAI PRIME MINISTER SPOKE MOVINGLY ABOUT THE NEED TO PRESERVE TRADITIONAL ARTS, THEATRE, DRAMA, DANCES, FOLK SONGS, FESTIVALS AND THEIR UNIQUE CULTURE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS WEANED ON COMPUTER GAMES AND SMART PHONES!

THE PRIME MINISTER THEN STRUCK A GONG AND THE FIRST FLOAT GLIDED INTO SIGHT ON THE MAIN ROAD---A 12-METRE REPLICA OF THE ROYAK BARGE SUPANNAHONG WHICH REPRESENTS THE POWER AND GLORY OF THE THAI MONARCHY. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY THE EQUALLY SPECTACULAR 'RAMAKIEN' WHICH IS THE THAI EPIC INSPIRED  BY RAMAYANA AND THE REST.

THE PROCESSION LASTED OVER 2 HOURS BUT IT FELT LIKE 10 MINUTES AS THE CROWD WAS LEFT PANTING AND WANTING MORE!

THE REPLICA OF ROYAL BARGE SUPANNAHONG SAILED ITNO VIEW AFTER PRIME MINISTER OF THAILAND LAUNCHED 'DISCOVER THAINESS'

THIS ROYAL BARGE SYMBOLISES THE GLORY OF THE THAI MONARCHY

TRADITIONAL DANCERS

SCENES FROM RAMAKIEN, THE THAI VERSION OF RAMAYANA

MODERN COUTURE