BANGKOK Thailand AP For a few hours Sunday Thais will be able to cast aside worries about the lingering Asian economic crisis and revel in a spectacular cultural celebration marking the opening of the 13th Asian Games. Several thousand people got a sneak preview of the festivities Tuesday when the final rehearsal for the ceremony was thrown open to the public at the last minute. The rehearsal was originally supposed to be open then last week was turned into a closed activity for what organizers said were security reasons. ``Besides we don't want to give away the climax of the event'' Somjainuk Engtrakul chairman of the ticketing committee told reporters about an hour before Tuesday's rehearsal began. But stadium guards somehow slipped up and about 1500 ordinary citizens were admitted to the crowd that was originally supposed to be limited to members of the press foreign dignitaries government officials and the games' organizers. With the gates breached the decision was made to admit all comers and many of the stadium's 60000 seats quickly filled up. The lucky spectators watched 7614 performers take part in a nearly four-hour show of lavishly-produced acts with the theme ``Friendship Beyond Frontiers.'' The combined budget for the opening and closing ceremonies is 70 million baht dlrs 1.94 million and that includes a large share of donated and at-cost labor. For an overture songs written by the country's multi-talented King Bhumibol Adulyadej the world's longest-reigning monarch were played by the Western-style Bangkok Symphony Orchestra along with the Fong Nam band a kind of new wave traditional Thai ensemble. The emphasis shifted to the visual for the next act as hundreds of performers in ancient Thai garb marched down the center of the field to a majestic tune followed by people-drawn chariots. Hundreds of primary school students dressed in colorful outfits for the next two performances celebrating both the unity of Asia and Chai-yo the cartoon elephant mascot of the games. Elephants have long been a symbol of Thailand. The athletes' march then followed with performers as stand-ins with representatives of the 41 countries taking place in what organizers bill as the last major sporting event of the 20th century. At the actual event on Sunday King Bhumibol will officially proclaim the games open. Issaraporn Suktha a gold medal weightlifter for Thailand at the last Southeast Asian Games will then carry the torch into the stadium and Somluck Khamsing a boxer who won Thailand's first-ever Olympic gold medal in 1996 in Atlanta will take it the last lap to light the flame. The artistic high point came next as the warlike beat of drums announced the Gathering of Heavenly Spirits a show based on the Indian Ramayana epic the basis for much of traditional Thai mythology literature and performing and fine arts. The field became a swirl of giant snakes swans birds angels and other mystical creatures all cheered by the crowd. Another performance celebrating the unity of Asia capped the show with four large swan floats pulled to the middle of the field to each tethered a giant balloon symbolizing the sun moon earth and a giant lotus. ``The lighting was 80 percent OK while the sound was 90 percent'' said Thisana Duandao a producer with JSL the private company putting on the show. ``Overall we are satisfied with the performance. We have minor adjustments to make.'' Bhichai Rattakul deputy prime minister and chairman of the Bangkok Asian Games Organizing Committee who has been losing sleep over whether organizational problems can be overcome at the last minute pronounced himself ``very happy.'' APW19981201.1097.txt.body.html APW19981201.0018.txt.body.html