Bangkok (Thailand) – March 27, 2015 – Thailand will host “Bangkok Entertainment Week” from April 27 to May 3, 2015, to position the Thai capital as the entertainment hub of ASEAN. The week-long event aims to transform Bangkok into a vibrant city filled with entertaining and colorful events, generating creative value for business and industry through diverse digital content from around the world.

Four events will take place during the week: Bangkok Comic Con 2015 x Anime Festival Asia Thailand 2015; Bangkok International Digital Content Festival 2015; Thailand Comic Con 2015; and Thailand Toy Expo 2015. The events will be held at various locations along the BTS lines, including the Centara Grand Hotel at Central World, the Central World Shopping Center, the Siam Paragon, and the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center (BITEC).

Bangkok Entertainment Week is a product of coordination between the public and private sectors to ensure splendor while strengthening Thailand's entertainment and digital economy so that the country can secure its place on the international stage.

Bangkok Comic Con 2015 x Anime Festival Asia Thailand 2015, which takes place from April 30th to May 3rd at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center (BITEC), is considered the largest event of its kind in Asia, bringing together top pop cultures from Hollywood and Japan in one event.

There will be special screenings from Warner Brothers and Twenty Century Fox, to name just a couple of the most well-known. Exhibits from major Hollywood production companies are among the highlights of the event, as is a large gathering of key figures from the film and animation industry, including producers, directors, special effects artists, and so on.

Another important highlight of the event is the appearance of Michael Uslan, the producer of all the Batman films, and “Pop Mhan” (Kotchakorn Mhanojyakorn), a Thai artist who creates superhero animations for various large companies in the United States.

Visitors to the event will be thrilled by numerous mascots from overseas, the latest shows from the entire Ben 10 Omniverse team, and the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, who will be appearing in Thailand for the very first time exclusively for this event. In addition, visitors can expect an Anisong concert from Japan, a cosplay competition, and the sale of licensed souvenirs and collectibles produced specifically for this event.

The Bangkok International Digital Content Festival 2015, which will take place from April 27 to May 3 at the Centara Grand Hotel in Central World and the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center (BITEC), is intended to align with the government policy of boosting the country's economy by promoting Thai entertainment, culture, cartoon and animation content on the global market.

Interesting activities will be organized for various interest groups, including business people, entrepreneurs, professionals, students, and consumers. Business opportunities with foreign partners will be fostered, and exhibitions of creations by renowned Thai entrepreneurs such as Sheldon, Bloody Bunny, Pang Pond, etc., will be presented.

Workshops and seminars with renowned international guest speakers, such as Weta Studios, the producers of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy and "The Hobbit," are organized to impart knowledge and spark inspiration. The event also serves as a platform for Thai entrepreneurs to present their new products to the market. Furthermore, studio visits are offered to foreign entrepreneurs to get to know well-known studios in Thailand.

Thailand Comic Con 2015, taking place from April 30th to May 3rd at the Royal Paragon Hall in Siam Paragon, will feature a comprehensive range of pop culture content, including films, animations, dramas, music, games, toys, collectibles, demonstrations by manufacturers and entrepreneurs, and exhibitions of special products.

There is a dedicated area for interaction between consumers and manufacturers, as well as between Thai and international producers. Visitors can meet game developers, designers, and renowned artists from abroad, along with popular Thai mascots like Kan Kluay the elephant and Echo, and Japanese mascots such as Dr. Slump, Arale, and Shin Chan. Additional entertaining activities complete the program.

The Thailand Toy Expo 2015 will take place from April 30th to May 3rd at the Central World Shopping Center. During the expo, over 70 popular toy and collectible brands from the USA, Europe, and Asia will be showcased. There will also be an exhibition of limited-edition toys.

Even more importantly, the event will feature the world premiere of new toy prototypes from various international brands. Other highlights of the fair include visits from internationally renowned toy designers, the launch of new toy brands from Thai manufacturers, special sales of products from leading toy companies, and a toy auction with proceeds benefiting the education of underprivileged children.

The Expo is organized on the same scale as the previous trade fairs held in Japan and Hong Kong and is intended to develop into a global event, similar to the San Diego Comic Con International in the USA, which attracts up to one million visitors annually.

Bangkok Entertainment Week is jointly organized by seven public organizations: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Ministry of Information, Communications and Technology, the Ministry of Culture, the Department of International Trade Promotion, the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) and the Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), as well as four private organizers from the digital content and entertainment industry.

This major event serves to exchange academic knowledge and foster creativity to generate sustainable economic and commercial value. This aligns with the government's concept for a digital economy, as Bangkok possesses the necessary capacity to develop into a major host of entertainment mega-events, thus satisfying the needs of both businesses and consumers. Furthermore, Bangkok is expected to become the digital content hub of the ASEAN community and continue to grow in the coming years.

Further information can be found at: www.bkkentweek.com

Contact information: International Public Relations Department, Tourism Authority of Thailand, 1600 New Petchaburi Road, Makkasan, Ratchathevi, Bangkok 10400, Thailand, Tel.: +66 (0) 2250 5500 ext. 4545-48, Fax: +66 (0) 2253 7419, E-mail: [email protected], Website: www.TATnews.org