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Bob in Thailand

At work Bob is a familiar name for Telugu film folks shooting in Thailand

Hi, this is Bob from Thailand,” says a distinct and easy going voice over the phone. For those Thai, Thai Indians and Indians, Bob is an eminently recognisable name.

One finds people calling him ‘Sahni Saab’ or by his real name ‘Dilbir Singh’. A graduate and a native of Vijayawada Bob’s family was in a financial crisis in 1992-93 and he decided to do something about it. He left for Delhi where he struggled for a couple of months for a tourist visa and landed in Thailand with just 100 dollars in his pocket.

Speaking sometimes in chaste Telugu and fluent English, Bob says he had like any other Sikh started upfront in life and did so many things to survive in an alien land. He met Gopal Nair from Travel Trade one day and the stranger triggered the thought process in him and Bob resolved to become a travel representative for the Thai dealing with Indians. By 2005 he established his own agency called the Indo-Bangkok Travels and also a Company named Indo-Bangkok Films. He has his office in Kasturbai Peta as well.

His work primarily was to make arrangements for the tourists, film people, accommodation, permissions for shooting in various locations, providing junior artistes and in short all the movie requirements and ever since there was no looking back. Apart from the Travels and Film Company he single-handedly set up a restaurant Namaste India on the highway between Bangkok Airport and Pataya City and another restaurant Spices on the Pataya Beach.

How does it feel to be the most popular Indian in Thailand? Bob replies modestly, “There are many tourists coming here and they have their people or someone picking them at the airport. But even then there are times that they feel little lost. Having experienced it myself I know the feeling. So, I do my best to see that Indian tourists don’t go through that trauma.”

There are many rich Thai Indians but Bob is known to be the richest of all for having a big heart. He is not all money, he has created a little India in Thailand, throws the most lavish parties and is famous for spreading goodwill. While money does play an important role it gives Bob a major kick that he is an Indian while his birthday party is telecast live in the TV channels in Thailand. He says animatedly and extends an invitation, “Everyone waits for Bob’s party. My friends come down to my place to celebrate.”

The biggest advantage for him is to be able to speak Telugu fluently. “Film personalities like Ramanaidu, EVV, Puri Jagan and many others feel comfortable when I am around. Many producers call me up and request me to take care of their visitors, specially if women are travelling. They feel their family members are in safe hands.

Bob has now overseen shooting of nearly 100 films including music videos in Thailand and simultaneously handles his restaurant and travel business. How does he manage all this? He sounds confident: “I’m 24x7 on my mobile giving instructions and running the show and whenever my phone rings in the middle of the night I can breathe deeply, I have no wife to crib over my lifestyle. Yes, I’m a bachelor, my folks tell me that I should settle down.”

Bob speaks impeccable Thai, visits the Gurudwara every Sunday and relishes Indian food. And finally, ask him the secret of his success, he says, “nothing! Just showers of blessings!”

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