Eurovision is finally coming to Asia - meet the stars gearing up to take the stage

On Saturday, the biggest and longest-running international song contest will make a leap into unknown territory.

Eurovision, the pan-European competition famed for zany gimmicks, slick, sometimes over-the-top staging, the drama of its complex voting system and, occasionally, for outstanding music, celebrates its 70th birthday this year.

And to mark it, the European Broadcasting Union is trying out audiences in Asia.

It's an idea that's been talked about for two decades but never materialised, despite many false starts.

Until now - Eurovision Asia will hold its first grand final in Bangkok, starting at 20:30 ICT (13:30 GMT).

Transferring one of the most successful television formulas that has worked in Europe for 70 years to Asia has not been straightforward, says Sarun 'Note' Kungbunpot, a Eurovision enthusiast and Thai singer who has won several competitions in this region.

"It's still very new in Asia. I'm not sure many people have heard about it yet," he says, adding that he thinks it will take a bit of time for audiences to adjust.

"When we look at contests in Thailand, the Philippines and Korea, we actually compete based on the singer.

"It's all about popularity – fans are looking for their idols. But Eurovision is all about the song, not the singer. I think this needs to be communicated clearly."

Then there is the long history of Eurovision in Europe. It began in 1956 as a project to encourage greater cultural exchanges in a Europe which was trying to forge a common future after two world wars.

This was the very start of the age of mass television ownership, and Eurovision became such a fixture it is now an indelible piece of Europe's shared cultural heritage. It has no such resonance in Asia, and arrives in this region in the digital age, when traditional TV formats are struggling to cut through.

Only 11 countries are taking part in this first Eurovision Asia contest – host Thailand, along with Malaysia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, South Korea, Mongolia, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan.

Asian giants India, China, Japan and Indonesia are noticeably absent, although there are negotiations ongoing to try to get them into next year's contest, assuming there is one.

There have also been problems with the organisation of this event.

A sudden million-dollar (£760,000) budget cut just three weeks before the final meant many of the technicians familiar with staging Eurovision were not brought to Thailand, and there have been a number of staff resignations too.

Eurovision fans - and there are many passionate followers around the world - have noticed, criticising audio and lighting in rehearsal videos.

In Europe, there have long been reports of co-ordinated voting to back neighbours, for example the four Nordic countries voting for each other. This seems less likely in Eurovision Asia, but political differences, for example between Thailand and Cambodia after their border war last year, could influence how their audiences vote.

Filipinos, with their passion for singing, are expected to be enthusiastic participants and the 11 million who live overseas might make a difference. But as most live and work in countries which are not participating, their votes will only go into the "rest of the world" pool.

For Bhutan, with a population of less than a million, this is a rare chance to shine on a global stage, which puts some pressure on 24-year-old Thukten Nyendra, the singer representing the Himalayan kingdom in Bangkok with his song Lhayi Semo (The Angel). Before coming here he had never left his country or been on a plane before.

"I'm not a star. I'm just Nyendra over there," he told the BBC. "Nobody knows me. But Eurovision has given me a huge platform. Actually winning would mean the world to us... If I really make it through all of this, it would mean the entire freaking world to us."