Leading sports brand Canterbury, which opened its flagship store in Thailand in February, has developed the Canterbury Lab to create fabrics that offer the kind of performance and comfort that athletes at all levels of the game could use.

Canterbury’s latest range has been specially engineered to help wearers regulate their body temperature, and is especially useful in tropical climates.

The range offers a variety of garments for both men and women, including training tees and shorts, aims to enable the wearer to focus on their performance. The products are specifically designed to allow freedom of movement and support the wearer to improve focus, motivation and gains.

The Vapodri+ range is made with a special fabric that features advanced wicking properties that help evaporate sweat, allowing garments to dry quickly. The technology provides dynamic cooling. This adaptive technology reacts to your changing body temperature to ensure you can focus on performance.

“There are steps you can take to prepare your body before going for a Bangkok workout – one of which is to carefully choose your outfit. Wearing the right sports gear when working out is not only about looking good, it helps improve your performance, prevent injuries, and regulate body temperature.

Our Vapodri range is an essential training gear for fitness fanatics in Thailand. Now, excessive sweating is no longer a problem, whenever and wherever they train,” said Mark Bennett, managing director of Silver Fern Holding Ltd, the exclusive distributor of Canterbury.

A wide selection of training gear for both men and women is also available at each of the Bangkok stores, as well as online. Visit http://www.Canterbury.co.th or find the latest collections at Supersports at CentralWorld, Sports Mall section at the Emporium, and in the lifestyle section of EmQuartier, as well as on the first floor of Phayathai Building.

The nail artist – whose designs are finding Internet fame – was one of the chief attractions at this week’s Tokyo Nail Forum, where catwalk models flashed their electric-pink digits and visitors dressed up their fingers in almost every imaginable way.

Glow-in-the-dark nails, glittery blue ones with red flames, nails with yellow smiley faces and unicorns were all on offer. Or how about turning your hands into a recreation of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves?

“People tell me my design is like a fusion of Japan and the US,” says the manicurist, who moved to Los Angeles several years ago.

“I say it’s Tokyo-meets-Holly- wood.”

Nail art is taking off in the US and is already popular in China and South Korea. But beauty-conscious Japan is ground zero for the business.

The domestic market has doubled in a decade to 220 billion yen (Bt68 billion) annually, according to the Japan Nailist Association (JNA), which said there are nearly 25,000 nail salons across the country.

It’s been growing since Japan was introduced to US-made artificial nails about four decades ago.

“Japanese manicurists are very detail-oriented and always want to improve their skills,” says JNA board member Mihori Kinoshita on the sidelines of the three-day nail show.

“That may be linked to the Japanese attention to craftsmanship.”

But what really super-charged the sector was the introduction of a soft gel that lasts for up to two months, far longer than traditional manicures which start chipping in about a week, says Koji Kawamoto, president of an Osaka-based nail product manufacturer.

“At first there were just a few companies doing this but the market has grown a lot over the years,” says the industry veteran.

“The number of manicurists has skyrocketed,” he adds.

Some 60 exhibitors had booths at the show, advertising nails adorned with stones, ribbons, flowers or ultra-long talons that appeal to visitors like Mizuho Mobu.

The 25-year-old manicurist sported aqua-green claws encrusted with fake diamonds that cost 12,000 yen and took three hours to apply.

Mobu insists her nails are actually shorter than what she’s sported in the past. And they aren’t holding her back. Not much at least.

“For me, these nails are short. I can use my smartphone without any trouble and do the dishes, but it’s impossible to open a can,” she concedes.

“The longer the nails, the harder life gets.”

Many designs take several hours or more to complete and cost 10,000 yen and up.

Most clients are women although nail art is also popular among some men who like to paint their nails the colour of favourite sports teams on special occasions.

Hand-drawn paintings are also a big hit in Japan. But some people don’t have the patience, prompting Britney Tokyo to make some of her designs available in a quick and easy sticker format.

“Painting was also popular in the US as well until last year but now fewer people want to spend such a long time waiting,” she says.

“Customers don’t want to hang around for two or three hours

Cool down in the capital of the north with a special Summer Retreat deal that offers savings of up to 35 per cent on room rates starting from as little as Bt3,244 for a Superior room. The deal is available from now until the end of June and is inclusive of breakfast for two persons.

A deluxe hotel with a stimulating blend of local heritage and design accents paired with modern amenities, services and facilities, guests are welcomed in the Resident’s Lounge located in the restored former residence of Chiang Mai’s governor. The hotel also boasts a gym, spa and swimming pool.

The boutique hotel is only a step away from the city’s famous Sunday Walking Street as well as the well-known shopping area of Tha Phae Road. Many major temples are within walking distance including Wat Chedi Luang, a must see for visitors to Chiang Mai and Wat Phra Sing, famous for its fine examples of Lanna art.

See more at http://www.UChiangMai.com, call (053) 327 000 or email reserve@uchiangmai.com.

Flying to Germany with a special package as part of its “Ultimate Joy Experience” programme, it offers stunning lifestyle experiences alongside discounts, gifts, and special offers at restaurants and hotels at captivating destinations around the globe – all curated specifically for BMW owners.

“BMW is the main sponsor of the Berlin marathon, which is joined by professional and amateur runners from more than 122 countries. This year’s event has so far attracted 47,000 runners with thousands of spectators cheering them on for the entire 42.195 km distance,” Sethipong Anutarasoti, general manager of BMW Thailand, explains.

The trip to Berlin takes place from September 20 to 26 and the package includes a pre-marathon workshop by Sathaworn “Khru Din” Chanpongsri, a Marathon Talk & Tip session by experienced marathon runners, a high technology foot scan by Rev Runner, a running shirt from Under Armour, and a visit to many top attractions, including the BMW Leipzig Plant Tour in Leipzig, one of the biggest and most beautiful automobile plants in the world. The whole trip is worth Bt158,000, but BMW owners who register through the Ultimate Joy Experience can join for just Bt79,000.

This special activity is exclusively available to BMW owners who are members of the Ultimate Joy Experience programme. Registration opens tomorrow (May 22) atwww.BMWultimateJOY.com/BerlinMarathon. Hurry! Only the first 13 to sign up will be able to take advantage of this special offer.

This year, BMW has prepared many special activities under the programme, such as the BMW Alpine xDrive activity in New Zealand, which is already fully booked.

For BMW owners who missed it, there are many other highlights including the BMW Golf Cup International Qualifying 2017, the world’s largest international tournament series for amateur golfers. A total of 20 qualifying rounds will be held throughout Thailand this year.

Another activity is the BMW Golf Cup – Special Edition exhibition tournament, which will take golfers to the magnificent Emirates Golf Club in Dubai.

Nearer to home, a full-day safe drive training programme is being held at the Thai Bridgestone Proving Ground circuit in Saraburi. Get more details at http://www.BMWultimateJOY.com.

Founded by the Children’s World Academy Foundation registered in Germany and Thailand, the school was inaugurated with the blessing of the Princess in April 2006. The goal of this non-profit organisation is to help children reach their full potential and empower them through education to be able to break out of the cycle of poverty.

“This special occasion marks Her Royal Highness’s fourth visit to Yaowawit School, the last one being in 2008 and we are proud of her ongoing support and interest in our school.  Since then, we have built a meditation house, started a visiting programme with 16 international schools from all over the world, set up a solar energy plant, added 12 hotel rooms to Yaowawit Lodge and started our bilingual Thai/English programme in Kindergarten and Primary School,” says founder Philipp Graf von Hardenberg.

Hardenberg is a German national who founded the Yaowawit School & Lodge only weeks after the tsunami in 2005. He spent a career in the hotel industry in Europe, United States and was senior vice president of the Ritz-Carlton Hotel Company. In 2013 he moved to Phuket to become partner and president & chief executive of the Thanyapura Health and Sports Resort. He is the founder and chairman of the Children’s World Academy Foundation, Thailand and created the concept of pre-vocational education.

From the beginning, Yaowawit has practised life-skills education and in 2016, the school teamed up with Marriott International, the Phang Nga Technical College and the Office of Vocational Education Commission to design and build the Yaowawit Pre-Vocational Hospitality Academy. A Memorandum of Understanding was signed in February by the Yaowawit Pre-Vocational Agriculture Academy, OVEC and the Phang Nga Agriculture and Technical College.

Yaowawit provides more than 140 children aged from four to 18 with a home and holistic (body, mind and spirit) education. The education is based on the national Thai curriculum, broadened with the inclusion of pre-vocation education and a strong English programme.  Integrated and life-skill learning is emphasised in addition to personal and social development throughout the school.

Hardenberg also introduced six supporters, each of whom made a donation to the Princess, who then gave them to Yaowawit School’s representative.  Supatra Charuariyanon is a businesswoman from Phuket who sponsors school materials and funds a scholarship for one of the students. Jens Moehrle, senior director of Playmobil, supports its operations and farm projects.

Frank Steinbacher, vice president sales and marketing of Mercedes-Benz, Thailand, also serves as Yaowawit’s brand ambassador and tells the school’s stories through public relations campaigns and media trips. Simon Philipps, Arrowsmith Programme supporter and the school’s newest friend, sends the teachers to sessions on its brain-training exercises in Canada.

David Teplitzky is a philanthropist who helps with international fundraising for the Agricultural Pre-Vocational Academy, and Yaowapa Boonsaweng is the school’s dear friend and supporter from Kapong.

During the ceremony, Yaowawit’s students performed a tin mining dance for the Princess who later toured the school’s facilities including the Pre-Vocational Hospitality Academy designed in cooperation with Marriott International and the Phang Nga Technical College, the Hospitality Learning Class, the library, the Kindergarten Class’s Bilingual Programme Class, the Arrowsmith Programme for Brain Training Programme Room, and the Botanical Classroom.

The package allows travellers to combine a calm yet powerful healing experience with the sights and flavours of South Vietnam’s bustling metropolis.  As part of a constant quest to discover unique sense experiences throughout Asia, Sens Asia Travel has unearthed Dr Lymy, a Hanoian dentist with 15 years’ experience of Western medicine, who found herself enchanted by the mysteries of the Himalayas.

She was drawn to Tibet by its profoundly spiritual people, symbolic flags and the deep, rhythmic chanting that flows through the region. During a meditation retreat she discovered the intriguing power of the singing bowl and the ancient mantras used to achieve calmness of body and soul.

She trained under the gurus of the mountains, undergoing multiple daily meditation sessions and adopting a strict vegetarian diet. Using her background in modern medical science, she approached the singing bowl not only as a “Miracle of the Buddha”, but also as a scientifically proven therapy.

“Modern medicine only reveals a very small part of the physical and mental aspects of human beings. The ancient arts and medicines of the Himalayas have been applied thousands of years,” says Dr Lymy.

The programme starts with a rapid-fire Best of Saigon sightseeing trip to visit the Reunification Palace, Saigon’s New-Romanesque Notre Dame Cathedral, Fito Museum of traditional Vietnamese medicine and the Museum of American War Crimes.

Guests then begin the healing process at the Om Healing Centre, where Dr Lymy will conduct the singing bowl therapy to help destress and relax their minds cells. The retreat continues the next day with the Pain Release session using the vibrations of sound waves to heal the cells and assist with muscle relaxation and restoration.

In the evening, guests can explore the unique flavours of Saigonese cuisine, from past to present, with what Sens Asia calls a “Street Food Night Safari” that takes them to several of the best eating spots from well-known establishments to secret restaurants known only to locals.

The final session is Energy Balancing that can help balance the chakras and allow energy to move freely in the body without obstruction. It’s said that practising chakra healing techniques can actually reverse symptoms of disease and illness.

Find out more at www.SensAsia.com.

WITH THE annual monsoon imminent (or maybe it’s already here), homeowners can expect to encounter bothersome problems as their houses withstand the heavy rain and high winds. The three most troublesome issues are leaky roofs, missing roof tiles and rain splashing from the roof and damaging what sits below.

Suppawitt Uttayavat of building-materials firm SCG says a company survey confirmed that the roof is the part of the house that experiences the most problems during the rainy. It’s the “first line of defence” against severe weather, after all.

Suppawitt suggested solutions for the three top roof problems.

LEAKY ROOF

Leaks mainly develop along the sloping areas and at the joints on each side and along the ridge. The usual cause is that substandard material or equipment was used in the roof installation, or the installation itself was mishandled.

Architects sometimes choose materials to match the building’s design and prevent leaks. Other possible factors behind leakage can be deterioration of the “angle ridge”, cracked tiles and an incorrect angle in the tiling are.

The importance of the angle ridge cannot be overlooked, since it helps ensure structural safety, as well as preventing leakage.

One proven solution is Drytech System Premium, which features an innovative method for stepping installation. Homeowners should hire skilled roofers to prevent leaks from ever occurring in the first place. Leakage can damage the interiors of homes and escalate repair expenses.

MISSING TILES

Wind speeds measured at 93 meteorological stations indicate it can hit 118 kilometres an hour during thunderstorms, damaging buildings and particularly roofs. If the roof structure is unstable, it can be blown away entirely, leading to damage to the rest of the house and posing serious danger to the occupants and their neighbours.

SCG’s Roof Fixing Solution set has everything you need to repair a problematic installation.

Roofers in the past used steel wire to fix roof tiles in place and sometimes set the tiles in alternating rows. SCG has a Roof Fixing Solution, a set containing purlin beams, tile screws, tile hooks and eaves-fixing clips.

All tile rows should be fixed in such a way that the strength of the whole roof is assured, so the recommendation is that homeowners should choose high-quality fixing equipment suitable to the size of the purlins.

RAIN-SPLASH DAMAGE

Rainwater splashing and dripping from the roof can damage the surrounding landscape. In a heavy downpour the water flows through the seam of doors or windows and pounds into the ground below the roof, creating holes and damaging the lawn. Walking paths on the ground become slippery and perilous. Soil splashed up is tossed around, perhaps even reaching a neighbour’s house.

This “rain chain” carrying water from the gutter to the ground is a novel replacement for a conventional downspout.

Awnings installed above the door and windows should deal with this problem, acting as shields against the splashing. They can be quite decorative too, designed or chosen to match the house style.

However, a more effective solution is installing rain gutters that channel the water from the roof to a drain or standing receptacle. These days there are gutters of varying sizes and strengths made with durable, rust-resistant materials that complement the look of the house.

Using a “rain chain” to channel water away from the gutter to a prepared outlet on the ground is a novel way of decorating the house, replacing the conventional downspout. The water can be stored in a container or directed to potted plants, a gravel lawn or a pond.

No home should be without rain gutters to channel the water from the roof.

When rainy-season problems like these aren’t tackles at their roots, indefinite, repeated repairs might be needed. Prevention and the proper solutions will bring relief and diminish maintenance costs.

Homeowners can adopt the above guidelines to strengthen the roof and make it ready for all weather conditions. When problems arise, they should consult an expert – free advice is available at SCG Experience and SCG Home Solutions. Find out more at http://www.SCGBuildingMaterials.com.

THE CENTRE of a powerful ancient civilisation, Mohenjo Daro was one of the world’s earliest cities – a Bronze Age metropolis boasting flush toilets and a water and waste system to rival many in modern Pakistan.

Some 5,000 years on archaeologists believe the ruins could unlock the secrets of the Indus Valley people, who flourished around 3,000 BC in what is now India and Pakistan before mysteriously disappearing.

But they warn, if nothing is done to protect the ruins – already neglected and worn by time – it will fade to dust and obscurity, never taking its rightful place in history.

Once the centre of a powerful civilisation, Mohenjo Daro was a Bronze Age metropolis boasting flush toilets and a water and waste system to rival modern standards./AFP

“Everybody knows Egypt, nobody knows Mohenjo Daro, this has to be changed,” says Dr Michael Jansen, a German researcher working at the sun-baked site on the banks of the Indus river in Pakistan’s southern Sindh province.

Jansen is at the forefront of a new effort to promote the site internationally while finding ways to protect what is left.

In summer temperatures can soar above 46 degrees Celsius. “There is enormous thermo-stress,” says Jansen, adding that salt from the underground water table is also damaging the ruins.

But it’s more than just the weather and time. Pakistan’s bloody fight against militancy has also raised the spectre of destruction by an Islamist group, much like Islamic State destroyed the ruins in Syria’s Palmyra.

Most horrifying, however, is the wanton disregard for Mohenjo Daro – or “mound of the dead” – by ordinary citizens.

In 2014 police stood atop the main stupa as hundreds of people swarmed the site to, ironically, commemorate Pakistan’s cultural heritage – complete with scaffolding, dancing, fireworks, heavy spotlights and lasers.

Sardar Ali Shah, cultural minister in Sindh province, vowed never to let such a thing happen again.

“It’s like you are jumping on the bedof a 5,000-year-old ailing patient,” he says.

Yet today curious visitors still roam the remains with impunity, many leaving rubbish in the once pristine-streets and wells.

Jansen and his Friends of Mohenjo Daro society aim to promote the site internationally, with plans to recruit Pakistanis around the world for conferences, seminars and debates.

Dr Kaleem Lashari, chief consultant to the Pakistani government over Mohenjo Daro, says they will also digitally archive the Indus script – which has never been deciphered – in hopes that making it accessible will increase the site’s profile.

At the site itself, he said, technical reviews are being held to examine the water logging issue and other ways to shore up the ruins, while exploring new, modern technology that allows researchers to ascertain what lies beneath the surface in the portions of the city not yet excavated.

But, Lashari says, perhaps the biggest challenge remains Pakistan’s international image, tarnished by extremism, corruption, poverty, and insecurity.

“Foreigners are afraid to visit Pakistan and the site because of the chronic issue of law and order,” he warns.

The issues he cites underscore unsettling differences between modern day Pakistan and the civilisation found among the ruins.

At their peak during the Bronze Age, the Indus Valley people are believed to have numbered up to five million, with Mohenjo Daro their largest and most advanced settlement.

Clay and metallic seals, coins, standardised weighing stones, gold and bronze ornaments, toys and whistles – the bric-a-brac of ancient lives have revealed volumes about thriving Indus trade and commerce.

The layout of the city itself suggests an egalitarian people more concerned with cleanliness than hierarchy, says Dr Jonathan Mark Kenoyer of the University of Wisconsin.

“In Mesopotamia, the streets went from the city to the palace … whereas in (Indus) cities all the streets were organised to allow access to the whole city,” he says.

Mohenjo Daro had a complex water and waste management system which observers have wryly noted was better than in many parts of Pakistan today.

Only a small portion of the site has been excavated properly, but the most important building appears not to have been a palace or a place of worship, but a massive public bath.

Houses had tiled bathrooms and their own cylindrical brick wells, sometimes raised to the second floor to allow for a flush system.

None of this, however, has yet explained why such a powerful, advanced and flourishing civilisation disappeared so abruptly around 1900 BC.

Currently, there is no bid to excavate further among the plans being laid by Lashari and Jansen. “It is actually preserved when it is buried,” explains Harvard University’s Dr Richard Meadow.

Despite their access to new technologies, that puts researchers in a quandary, especially as they try to understand what happened to the Indus people. As Jansen says, the “best way to learn information is to excavate”.

But mysteries take time to solve: for now, the researchers say, they will settle for ensuring that Mohenjo Daro endures for a few centuries more.

THE STREET LAB at Siam Discovery brings sunshine to rainy days with a new collection of street-smart clothes and accessories from both local and international brands.

For the guys, there’s Gingko’s slim-fit Fold Collar shirt that’s stylishly embellished with colour blocking around the torso and a unique fold collar. Solomon presents Fast Wing HZ SS Tee M running tees in lightweight fabric, which boast a four-way stretch to reduce skin irritation. Advanced Skin Active Dry technology ensures sweat evaporation and ventilation while running.

Corso sunglasses from Assada Eyewear, Bt20,500

Assada Eyewear from Switzerland takes inspiration from Jean Hans Arp’s sculptures for its On the Road sunglasses while the Corso series give off a movie star quality with transparent tinted lenses in purple-blue.

Venque’s Alpine Rucksack backpack is functional for travel and daily use with two handle directions and small padded compartments just right for a mirrorless or DSLR camera and lens. The totes are made of Quanta fabric, which has better water-resistance and is three times more durable than canvas.

Nixon x Bones Brigade watch, Bt6,500

The limited edition Nixon x Bones Bridge wristwatches boast iconic skateboarding graphics from the legendary Bones Brigade skateboard team in the ’80s on the dials of the Time Teller series. There are six designs, engraved with a skateboarder’s name at the back. Only 20 watches are available in Thailand.

Camper’s Twins shoes, Bt5,950

Camper’s Twins shoes provide great support for tired feet and look good too. Colourful and contemporary, the Twins series are ideal for the man or woman around town. Cole Haan footwear meanwhile has the Zerogrand Stitchlite Oxford collection made out of stretch knit material for ultimate comfort and breathability. The shoes optimise airflow and feature shoe-sole lightness while allowing flexibility in every step.

The Street Lab is on the first floor of Siam Discovery.

“The passing of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej was a very great loss to the Thai people and the state and private entities have been organising various activities to show their condolences and undying loyalty,” notes Asst Prof Kowit Puangngarm, Dean of the Social Administration Faculty.

“Thammasat’s Tha Prachan campus is close to the Grand Palace and Sanam Luang where people come to pay respect to the late King and is equipped with various facilities including restrooms and the coordinating centre for volunteers while the area around the Social Administration Faculty offers food and beverages to the public and volunteers.

“The faculty and South East Asia University are thus introducing this ‘Photo in remembrance of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej’ project to help those come to pay respects take home a memento of their visit while simultaneously raising awareness about the faculty. The project will provide 200 photo shoots a day for 5 months of people paying respect to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej. The photos measure 6×8 and are in colour with 11 backgrounds from which to choose including His Majesty the King’s activities and the Grand Palace. This project is expected to be another landmark for volunteer activities during this historic event.”

Those who are interested in having a photo taken of themselves paying respect to the late King can visit Room 108 of the faculty every day until October 19. Find out more by calling (02) 613 2500 between 9am and 4pm.