SIAM NIRAMIT, a Thai celebration

SIAM NIRAMIT, a Thai celebration

Iniitially I thought it was going to be a dull and utterly uninteresting evening and a potential time-stealer at that.  Though I grudgingly escorted my wife, it ultimately turned out to be an astonishing exposure. It was more than a movie, more than a drama, more than an opera. That was SIAM NIRAMIT, Bangkok, Thailand – a spectacular world-class show.

The name of the show and the name of the theatre is SIAM NIRAMIT. The 80-minute captivating journey (without intermission) unfolds the history and heritage, arts and culture of Thailand (formerly known as SIAM) that have descended through centuries.  SIAM NIRAMIT is the name of the same village created to introduce the traveller to basic Thai living and practices. The show comprehensively makes a splendid celebration of Thai culture. The lavish display has been designed with both locals and foreigners in mind.

The stage show depicts the Thai culture from its inception, comprised of three Acts.

ACT 1 – “Journey Back into History” where you see cross-roads of civilizations.

ACT 2 – “Journey Beyond Imagination” – “Hell” and “Heaven” are staged to perfection with stupendous special effects and human forms being tortured and burned by demons. 

ACT 3 – “Journey through Joyous Festivals”

The decors and background is so enticing that each Act is taking you into another travel to discover the hidden face of Thailand. Special mention is a must on the stage scenery which is simply breathtaking, the spectacular costumes and the set employed  with dazzling  technology that makes the event a truly state-of-the-art production.  Live elephants, stunts, magical illusion, bringing rains, floating angels. hell and heaven on the stage …..  The attention to details, costumes, colourful atmosphere, the background score ….. The stage-preparedness and the lighting and visual effects are sure to leave you mesmerised for long. 

Interestingly, the performers include artists and animals. Don’t be surprised when real elephants come and walk past your seat like it is nothing. A stage that is so large that it makes elephants look small and goats tiny. The performers coming from the side or behind the audience appends glitter to the event.

The amazing elements include a river streaming through the stage along with elephants, goats and chickens.  The dancers plunge in the rivers.

While the vibrance of the show is overwhelming, don’t look for a plot or a dialogue. Just watch the show, you won’t notice the time.  The show is, wherever required, translated in English.  Even if you do not understand any language, it is not a problem. Although there is not only any  talking done by  the actors, the messages are clearly conveyed through such outstanding performing skills and theatre effects. Random people from audience were invited upstage to join the performance. Simply unique!

The stage is huge, the actors are in a big number.  What is fascinating is though about 150 artists and scores of animals performed,  it is not possible to pick any one hero or heroine.  Such was the professionalism and coordination.  Thumbs up to the production team!  I  cannot imagine how the stage and background change in split seconds.  I doubt whether it would have been possible to maintain the incredible pace of set and costume changes throughout.  No wonder the stage is listed in the Guinness Book of Records.

Thailand is not only bars and beaches, nor only temples and massage parlors.  This live show definitely enriches the visitor a bit more of Thailand.  The effort to make the show realistic was met.

As we got to the spot early, we had time to walk around the cultural village and experience and observe local people’s lifestyle.  We could listen to local music and watch “bamboo” dance.

A truly memorable evening , well worth the time and price.  Any time you contemplate a visit to Bangkok, make SIAM NIRAMIT a compelling part of your itinerary. Go with family and friends and entertain an evening to remember.  Don’t give a miss!

Note:

No pictures are allowed and cameras have to be checked. 

The entry ticket price ranges between 1000 BHT to 2000 BHT depending on your contacts and bargaining skills.

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Wishing You All A Happy Noise-free Diwali !

- Krishnamurthy & family

Book Mark:THE MONEYCHANGERS

A great introduction to the financial world!   Having known Arthur Hailey has authored many other outstanding titles like “Hotel”, “Airport”, “Strong Medicine”, to sprinkle a few, it is awe-inspiring how he managed to pick an industry and dish out such uncanny details, let alone blend it with amazing plots.

“THE MONEYCHANGERS”   is a combo of money, people and banking made into a thrilling, totally absorbing story of the financial and personal crises in a reputed financial institution. It is a tale about a big bank which is one day powerful and next day is on the verge of bankruptcy, due to the greed of some executives.

The position of CEO of America’s large bank, Federal Mercantile American Bank, is about to become vacant due to the terminal illness of Ben Roselli, whose grand-father founded the bank.  Two senior vice-presidents – Roscoe Heyward and Alex Vandervoort begin to vie for the position and the power play kicks in.

Roscoe wants financial prosperity for the bank, more importantly  prosperity for himself, at the expense of bank’s credibility.  Whereas, Alex’s basic banking principles are sound.  Roscoe believes in high risk, high gain, even while compromising on basic ethics.   Alex, on the contrary, insists compliance with principles along with calculated risk (where need be).

Roscoe gets involved in a high-profile affair in arranging a loan for $59 million to a big business conglomerate, concealing the negative realities to the FMA’s Board.   Alex, the sole opposition, could not negate the loan, as he failed to command enough support.

The author takes the reader through the journey amid various plots and the tale gets more gripping.  In the process, the reader is navigated through a panoramic view of the banking industry – in security arrangements, branch operations, profit margins, the attractions of foreign currency, the inside of a stock market, the techniques of a surprise audit in a branch bank and much more.

FMA faces a number of problems / decisions:  the mysterious disappearance of $6,000 from the teller’s cash box; counterfeit credit-cards; the question of whether to continue funding a low-cost housing development or to float a master loan for a multinational corporate entity; policy decisions on whether to open new branches……   Above all, the bank faces the choice of a new president.

The plot, in the bargain, engages embezzlement, a little blackmail, undercover operations in counterfeit ring, some high level corporate scam, a major financial disaster, a panic and a near-run on the bank, employing a call-girl character, some kidnapping, torture, visits to insane asylums, a suicide….  Hailey designs his characters carefully so that we relate them to sustain the momentum. .

By the time you finish, page 476,  you are impressed  that you are learning something.  You will really know what is banking. If you are interested in business and finance, you would enjoy the title to the full.  The entire narration in the book is akin to reading a movie.

Though the book was first published in 1975, yet what he said such as credit card abuse, using tomorrow’s money to pursue today’s “dreams”, printing US dollars, the inflation, the gold standard and the monetary system ….  is perfectly valid even in today’s scene , is n’t it?

An  interesting excerpt: "For what they -  the politicians, mostly - on one hand have created a Himalayas of debt which neither they, we, nor our great-great-grand children can ever pay.  And, on the other hand, they have printed, as if producing toilet tissue, a cascade of currency, debasing our good money - especially the honest, gold-backed dollars which Americans once owned.  It is all simply house-keeping - the most flagrantly incompetent, dishonest housekeeping in human history.  This, and this alone, is the basic reason for inflation."  Such epithets are perfectly valid for a country like India.  And there are many such sparkles spread through the book.

Instead of reading a mere fiction, I feel it makes  better sense when you read “THEMONEYCHANGERS” by Arthur Hailey.   You get your money’s worth!  Relentlessly readable!

Fascinating First January

Fascinating First January

What is special of this date that generates so much charm and glamour over us?  It is nothing new that many of us set goals on this eve.  The resolutions we make to stop smoking, multiply money, lose weight ……reflects fresh hope of a new or renewed start.  A feeling of “I have to do” or “can’t fail this year”!

I have not gone through any surveys, nor done any research.  But common sense conveys that even at a conservative assessment, 40 to 50 per cent of those who make declarations break it even before you turn over the January sheet.  Life continues like any other time and majority of the people sail around like a ship without rudder. Complaining about how bad life has become, continues, which is sad!

We all have a clean slate at the commencement of the year.  “A goal is a dream, unless you write it down” – an admirable quote.  If you don’t write it, or tell (if not announce) others, chances are the goal gets derailed sooner.  Of course, the written-down plan of action must be quantified.  You want to lose, say 24 kgs in 2013, that is 2 kgs per month.  By January end, you celebrate that you lost 2 kgs or look at February and say, Oh! I need to shed down 4 kgs.! We are also familiar with experiences like, “This goal cannot be reached” and go for the chocolates and ice-creams.

Setting goals are great.  The top reason for not achieving, I believe, is there is no plan or fear of self-accountability. Again, the goals need not be new.  If you have done a good job in 2012, even sustaining it in 2013 is a good ambition.  Keep it straight and simple!

I wish you all  a Healthy & Happy New Year ( with or without goals!)