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It is hard to know what exactly to call the extravaganza that will take place at Bangkok's own Siam Center this June .   A public demonstration of spraycan art, yes.   A competition, yes.   Entertainment, yes.   A graffiti workshop, yes.   Several other events, yes.   

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Siam Center's Design Forward and Isuzu will be sponsoring this, the brainchild of the graffiti artists who created Wall Lords Thailand 2012.   And they will be calling it, surprise, surprise, Siam Center Design Forward Presents Isuzu Wall Lords Thailand Graffiti 2012.   A little unwieldy, don't you think?   Starts to sound like Thai boxers naming themselves after car battery companies.....   How about just Wall Lords Thailand 2012, for short?

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So, here's the lowdown.   Local graf crews of two artists (no solos, no threesomes, etc.) can register to enter the competition and compete for prizes at the Wall Lords' Thailand website http://www.walllordsthailand.com until 8 June 2012.   After that, you're SOL.   Competitor's names should appear on the list of accepted applicants at the same website - on or before 72 hours after (three days later).   Crews wishing to compete will be required to submit photos with their applications (read the rules for details).   

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The submitted applications and photos will be evaluated on 12 - 14 June by the judges, and nine crews will be selected for the spraydown on the 16th.    Once you're in, you're in, so get ready.   Crews will be required to complete their pieces before 22 June .   Judges will be looking for, and at, 'theme pieces', throw ups' and 'hand styles', so those of you who have it all together should definitely enter.

The winning crews will be announced on 22 June , with cash prizes for the top two crews.   First prize is Baht 20,000 and second place runners up will take home Baht 10,000.   But that's not the end of it - first and second place crews will also get air tickets to compete for further glory (and cash) in China.   The final in China will host graf crews from China (of course), Korea, Indonesia, Singapore (would they even have any?) Malaysia, and Taiwan (surprise!).   The competition there will run from 22 - 26 December 2012 (it's going to be COLD, gents....)   Final award ceremonies will be held in Shanghai on the 24th of December - with the prize money jumping to Baht 30,000 for first place crew and Baht 20,000 for the runners up.

But Bangkok's event will not be just about watching spraycan wizards work their magic, there will also be entertainment and demonstrations, to include live bands, DJ's, break dancers, skateboarders and rap groups, not necessarily in that order, or any order at all.   It probably goes without saying that a film will be made of the proceedings.

After the actual competition, a graf workshop, also on 22 June , will be held with the nine competing crews.   The workshop will be hosted by internationally known graffiti artists, some of whom are from internationally known crews.   Some names you may remember : Chip 7, Roids, and crews MSK and Ha.

All said and done, however, this is graffiti art - by actual living, breathing, practicing graf artists - but in that it is commissioned, and in that is not 100% free choice of subject material and location, it is not true graffiti.   Which, by definition, is "unauthorized markings on others' property".   Nevertheless, we wouldn't miss it for the world.   And neither should you.