In collaboration with Mali Professional, the shopping malls present a parade of more than 100 bozo clown and pirates along with dishes from Mali creation at Quartier Avenue, BTS: Promphong. Kids can choose between five zones or visit all of them.

Zone 1: Mali Water World features a 20-metre-long ball pool plus food from Mali Shop, Minito Gelato, Sushi Mori, Mr Omelet and Jonnie toast.

Zone 2: Jurassic World runs from January 9-15 and invites visitors to discover fossils from creatures from the past by participating in “Dig It Up! A Dinosaur Maze Adventure.” Hunt for dinosaur eggs in an adventurous maze and complete your mission as a junior archaeologist to win special prizes or just enjoy story time from Naiin Bookshop & Amarin Comics at Quartier Gallery.

Zone 3: Brick World is open from January 8 to 16 and encourages creativity with Lego and lots of favourite characters. Kids have the chance to win a limited Lego model after registering at Emporium Gallery on January 13 only.

Zone 4: Paw Patrol Pups World runs over the same period and invites young crusaders to meet and greet for the first time in Thailand such heroes as Chase and Marshall. Kids born in January can take part in a cupcake decoration party at Q Space MC, The EmQuartier on January 13 only.

Zone 5: Animal World runs from January 8 to 16 and invites everyone to experience the world of animals in the green zone area. Learn to live with animals with Thailand exotic pet keepers at Q Garden on the fifth floor and over the weekend of January 13-14 join animal face painting for free at Helix Dining.

The aim is to encourage children to have a wonderful time in the kitchen, a space of happiness for all family members and for children to learn about kitchenware, utensils, and preparing vegetables and fruits.

Kids can enjoy a paper mache workshop, decorating paper plates, in addition to four fun game activities. If kids complete all four activities, they will receive an accessory bag. Everyone will also get a free drink.

Smales members will receive French fries (300 units per day), as non-members can register for a Smales membership at the event and receive free strawberry or chocolate cookies (400 units per day). Please bring identification documents, such as copies of either a birth certificate or house registration, to register at the event.

Find out more at http://www.Ikea.co.th.

WOODED HILLSIDES, craggy ridges and wheeling birds of prey are a world away from Hong Kong’s famous skyscrapers but the city’s country parks are a necessary balm for its stressed out residents.

With some of the world’s highest property prices, many can only afford tiny apartments, some living in infamous “cage homes” big enough only for a bed.

Hong Kong’s fast-paced lifestyle and long working hours also take their toll.

Fortunately, within easy reach of the densely packed tower blocks and traffic, there is an extensive network of hiking trails which snake over hundreds of peaks across the territory and along its coastlines.

Forty per cent of Hong Kong is protected country park and nature reserves, amounting to 443 square kilometres, drawing hikers, runners and campers all year round.

For 29-year-old Dai-yu Cheung, those natural landscapes changed his life.

As a keen amateur photographer he decided to document some of the city’s remoter areas, never having explored them before.

His discoveries led him to ditch long hours in his job as a graphic designer, during which he had developed a bad back, and go part-time as he sought a healthier, happier existence.

Cheung lives with his family and cut down his financial outgoings so he could work three days a week, often hiking with friends.

“When we go hiking, we feel free, relax and forget our troubles,” he says, carefully gathering scattered litter as he walks through tall grass to a rocky outcrop in the northern New Territories.

He and his friend AM Renault, 29, also a keen hiker, have set up Facebook and Instagram pages under the name Yamanaka Yuko, sharing photos and video of their hill climbs in Hong Kong and abroad. They describe themselves as artists inspired by nature.

With a growing band of followers the pair are now regularly asked for tips about routes by local walkers and have teamed up for campaigns with environment NGOs and outdoor clothing brands.

“Our message is about protecting nature and the environment,” says Renault, a freelance photographer.

He worries about the future of Hong Kong’s trails – the housing shortage has sparked government proposals to build on the outskirts of the country parks.

But with hiking becoming more popular, particularly among young people, he hopes those plans will fail.

“More and more people like hiking and go out and do it. Because of that there’s more resistance to development than in the past,” he says.

On a cool sunny morning, Stone Tsang skips sure-footed along a shady path beneath Hong Kong’s highest peak, Tai Mo Shan.

The city’s most famous trail runner, Tsang, 39, regularly wins long-distance competitions and recently completed a gruelling local hill race which saw him cover 298 kilometres in 54 hours, snatching naps when he could no longer keep his eyes open.

As a paramedic and father of two, he says getting out into these wide open spaces is a vital stress relief.

“When I come to the mountains it’s like therapy for me,” he says. “It’s healing for my soul.”

Hitting a dirt trail, rough with gnarled tree roots and scattered boulders, is part of the Hong Kong hill experience.

But over the years, many paths have been covered with concrete in an attempt to make them safer, something which Tsang is leading a popular Facebook campaign to stop.

He says former government technicians who helped establish paths using natural materials have now retired and contractors have little knowledge of how to do so.

Not only is the concrete alien to the natural environment, it also becomes slippery and causes soil erosion, says Tsang.

“Most mountain rescues are because inexperienced people get lost or dehydrated, there are very few injuries because of the trail conditions,” he explains.

Tsang is lobbying the government to stop pouring any new concrete and has introduced them to international experts who are showing workers and members of the public how to refurbish paths naturally.

The agriculture, fisheries and conservation department says it uses natural materials “as far as possible”.

Tsang now wants to bring hiking tours into the country parks to foster a love of the mountains in the face of the threat of development.

“The country parks are a very valuable asset to Hong Kong, not just for us, but for future generations,” says Tsang.

“This kind of thing you cannot just see – you have to go out and feel it.”

Stars, stripes and diamonds joins plumes and glitter with the loafers smiling up at the wearer and the sneakers giving a wink. Check them out at at Tod’s boutique in Siam Paragon.

Colours of Napoli

Chanel’s make up artist Lucia Pica reflects the many faces of Naples in her new collection for spring and summer. For the eyes is the limited-edition Les 9 Ombres eye-shadow palette containing an enticing spectrum of brighter and more muted shades. For the face, Pica’s been inspired by the view of mountains at sunset, with the Joues Contraste blush in Fuschia Rosa is a poetic dusting of pink that will instantly enliven the complexion. The lips have something special too with Poudre a Levres an entirely new and artisan approach to lip colour inspired by traditional tempera techniques used to create the ancient frescoes.

Positif for the face

Japanese skincare brand Positif welcomes 2018 with Torafugu Colla Lotion, a water-formula intensive lotion formulated with concentrated collagen extract from Japan’s marine fish. Designer to quickly penetrates the skin, the lotion replenishes moisture to make the skin firmer, younger, and dewy.

Faces all aglow

Jergens Skincare moisturisers have been upgraded with Illuminating Hydralucence Technology, which eliminates dullness and dryness by creating a continuous layer of moisture on skin. This unique technology prevents hydration loss with a uniform moisture barrier. The smooth surface then powerfully reflects light, for more luminous skin. Jergens also marks 2018 with a new bonus bottle, containing 25 per cent more Jergens moisturiser for the same price. It’s available in four formulas while stocks last.

Pretty in prints

Marimekko, the Finnish brand known for screen-printed fabric, introduces the new prints for it’s the brand’s cotton and linen garments in its Pre-Spring Collection 2018.

Two styles are on the way: Nurmu and Kultarikko. Both designed by Satu Maaranen, Nurmu is a stylised stripe pattern from flowers painted freely and spontaneously while Kultarikko or yellow saxifrage is a stylised spherical pattern inspired by Marimekko’s signature geometric designs.

On the theme “Once Flower Upon A Time”, this year’s highlight is the Dasada hydrangea with purple, pink and blue blooms 30 to 40cm in diameter.

Through a range of interactive displays, visitors can also admire a 7-metre long floral dress made of the hydrangea, a display of phalaenopsis orchids in many different colours, a dancing fountain, flower mapping, a showcase of chrysanthemums and a night floral tunnel. Admission is Bt150 for children and Bt250 for adults.

Find out more at DasadaHappiness.com.

Another world with Movenpick

Movenpick Hotels & Resorts mark the arrival of 2018 with a new Find Another World promotion for guests booking a room before January 31.

More than 80 properties across Africa, Asia, Europe and the Middle East are taking part in the promotion, which is  valid for stays through February 28 and offers up to 30 percent of the best available rates. Other benefits include a complimentary $20 voucher to spend in the hotel’s restaurants and free WiFi

Book a room at http://www.Movenpick.com.

Drinking in the Masters

The five-star Conservatorium hotel in Amsterdam welcomes art lovers with the Dutch Masters Package that is available until May 27.

The room rates start at550 Euros (Bt21,362) and include a two-night stay in a luxurious guestroom or suite, daily breakfast in the Brasserie for two and two tickets to the Hermitage Museum with access to the exhibition.

Online bookings can be made at http://www.ConservatoriumHotel.com.

Ships ahoy!

The Thailand Yacht Show will return to Phuket’s Ao Po Marina from February 22 to 25 and will once again dazzle visitors and industry experts with super yachts and regional debuts plus exclusive experiences and engaging social events. Organised by the Thai government and the Tourism Authority of Thailand, this unique experiential that allows potential buyers and charterers to climb aboard and trial a wide range of watercraft including sailboats, sportsfishers, dinghies, tenders, water sport boats and daycruisers.

Find out more at http://www.ThailandYachtShow.com.

Changing seasons

On February 3, the holy Katsuga Taisha Shrine in Nara, Japan will be aglow with more than 3,000 lanterns and the town marks the transition from winter to spring.

This tradition has continued for 800 years and most of the lanterns have been crafted and donated by local residents. Some designs are also dedicated to a history of samurai, who battled during the Sengoku period. Visitors can also witness performances by dancers dressed in ancient kimono.

Discover the festival at http://www.Jnto.go.jp.

THAI TUMMIES were rumbling anew as the year neared its end. The inaugural Michelin Guide Bangkok sprinkled 17 coveted stars among worthy restaurants in the capital.

The Tourism Authority of Thailand promptly triggered a little indigestion with a proposal to spend Bt140 million on a five-year promotion for the star-earning restaurants, but there’s no denying that we all still hunger for a share of global culinary glory.

Here’s a look at what’s likely to happen next.

A Michelin star set street-food outlet Jay Fai ablaze this month. Supinya Junsuta’s modest shophouse restaurant was already popular without the international spotlight.

THE MICHELIN MAN COMETH

The big surprise when the Michelin ratings were announced about a month ago was the inclusion of a little shop serving humble street food. Jay Fai, sharing the nickname of proprietor Supinya Junsuta, was always popular and busy, but, with a Michelin star to flaunt, the lady is fairly run off her feet now.

The accreditation put Jay Fai on a par with posh fine-dining “destinations” like David Thompson’s Nahm, Joel Robuchon’s L’Atelier and Sra Bua by Kiin Kiin. Nuntiya Hame-ung-gull of Gourmet One Food Service was impressed.

“Michelin can help boost the Thai food industry,” she points out. “The guide puts the international spotlight on local dining outlets – and not just the expensive restaurants, but the street hawkers too.”

All the places that earned a star have queues at the door now, Nuntiya says, and that’s not just a fashion that will fade – “this is ongoing recognition”.

Claire Dorland Clauzel of the Michelin Group says the Asian “gastronomy landscape” has improved so much in the past decade that great restaurants were bound to begin appearing. “The chefs are now going to push farmers to produce top-quality ingredients through quality processing, and the result is a good ecosystem.”

Gourmet Litti Kewkacha notes that Thai fine dining shows strong potential, even as the global trend is headed back to casual dining.

“We’ve only had true fine-dining establishments in Thailand in recent years because street food has always been our tradition,” says Litti, who runs the dessert cafes Sfree, Parferio and Kyo Roll En.

“In coming years we’ll see many foreign chefs open branches of their Michelin-star restaurants in Bangkok.”

The Michelin Guide Bangkok’s arrival is expected to have a major impact on the Thai culinary scene.

Clauzel says a Michelin-ranked restaurant will generally enjoy see revenues rise 50 to 100 per cent, while a mere mention in the guide can boost income by 10 to 20 per cent. Getting in that guide will be huge motivation, Litti says.

“They are learning what the Michelin inspectors look for, because earning a star can help drive high revenue. And it’s a good chance for Michelin to learn more about our culture. At the same time, we must improve to international standards, particularly in service and consistency.

“Usually about half the people eating at fine-dining restaurants are tourists, mainly from Mainland China, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan,” he notes. “Michelin has a long history and is recognised by tourists, and on average they’re willing to spend Bt2,000 each on fine dining here, which is still cheaper than in other countries in the region.”

Nuntiya believes the Thai food industry continues to grow despite the country’s unstable economy because food is such a significant factor of life. The volume of imported and local ingredients consumed in Thailand grew by 20 per cent this year, she says.

Her company supplies those ingredients to hotels and restaurants across the country.

“It’s not just the international food chains that will open outlets in Bangkok, but also several five-star hotels. The Four Seasons and Ritz Carlton are due to open with their own branded fine-dining restaurants. People these days are knowledgeable about food and about value for money. They even study up on the chefs’ profiles. It all adds up to a vibrant and versatile the food scene.”

SPACES FOR SPICES

Central Embassy’s co-living space Open House has a dozen restaurants among the places to read, play, work and admire art.

The “creative spaces” that have opened around Bangkok, like ChangChui and Lhong 1919 in Thonburi and Open House at Central Embassy, have their own jumbles of bars, craft shops and art galleries – and invariably an array of unusual culinary experiences.

The Na-Oh Museum & Restaurant will take diners on culinary flights of fancy aboard a decommissioned airliner.

The dining will be both fine and adventurous when the Na-Oh Museum & Restaurant opens at ChangChui in February. You’ll absolutely need reservations to board the refurbished (and now stationary) jetliner and sample elegant fare among a menagerie of stuffed animals.

You get bugs with your nachos at Insects in the Backyard.

Already in operation there is Insects in the Backyard with its menu of dishes made with edible bugs. Seared scallop with pan-fried bamboo caterpillars, ravioli stuffed with giant water beetles and vanilla ice cream with silkworm chips are among the unusual temptations.

And, as chef Thitiwat Tantragarn points out, insects are low in calories and rich in protein and nutrients.

Nai Harng at Lhong 1919 in Thonburi takes its cues from the street-food stalls of Chinatown.

Lhong 1919 is the new name of a revamped steamer dock of that vintage on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River. It’s now home to restaurants, craft shops and an events hall, and in a former rice warehouse is the Thai-food restaurant Rong Si (Rice Mill), all rustic roof tiles and other trappings of the past. Next door is Nai Harng (Big Boss) serving Thai-Chinese dishes that nod to the street-food stalls of Bangkok’s Chinatown.

The sixth floor of Central Embassy is now a vast, co-living space called Open House, complete with a dozen eateries offering diverse cuisine.

“It’s about the new lifestyle approach of combining many interests in one place,” says the mall’s managing director Barom Bhicharnchitr.

ROOM FOR DESSERT

Not even the current fad surrounding Japanese cheese tarts has dampened diners’ ardour for long-standing Bangkok dessert cafe After You. You still have to queue at any outlet for a portion of Shibuya honey toast and kakigori (shaved-ice dessert).

Kyo Bar serves anmitsu (a mixed dessert) in a wooden box fogged by dry ice.

Another phenomenal success this year was the booths set up at malls and Skytrain stations by venerable Thai tea brand Cha Tra Mue, which has been a national habit for more than 70 years. Its ingenious brainstorm this year was a soft-serve ice cream made with its powdered, Thai tea. Again with the queues!

New on the scene is Kyo Bar at Siam Paragon, run by brothers Litti and Dej Kewkacha, who turn flour and eggs into unexpected shapes, such as a serene Zen garden or a hot-spring tub. Customers perched in the 14 seats at the counter bar can’t fail but be enchanted.

“We’re taking sweets to the high end,” says Litti. “Japan and Singapore have fine-dining dessert bars and Thai pastry chefs are really creative, so the potential is definitely here.”

Tsujiri serves authentic Japanese green tea.

It pays to specialise. Popular Japanese teahouse Tsujiri is sharing its authentic drinks and desserts made with green tea at the EmQuartier. Top orders include the hot O-Matcha Cappuccino and Tsujiri Sundae, with its layers of brown rice, red-bean sauce and green-tea soft cream.

Lovers of sweet potatoes muster at South Korean dessert cafe Bora at Siam Paragon. Their favourite vegetable becomes bingsu (ice flakes and chips in puree), soft-serve ice cream and a latte.

Grafton died on Thursday after a two-year battle with cancer, her daughter Jamie said on the author’s Facebook page.

Grafton was best known for her mystery series with alphabetical titles.

The first book in the series, “A is for Alibi” came out in 1982 and the latest, “Y is for Yesterday,” in August of this year.

Her daughter said that would be the last.

“Sue always said that she would continue writing as long as she had the juice,” her daughter wrote on Facebook.

“Many of you also know that she was adamant that her books would never be turned into movies or TV shows, and in that same vein, she would never allow a ghost writer to write in her name,” she said.

“Because of all of those things, and out of the deep abiding love and respect for our dear sweet Sue, as far as we in the family are concerned, the alphabet now ends at Y.”

Kinsey Millhone, the main character in Grafton’s “Alphabet Series,” is a former police officer who left the force and became a private investigator.

The books are set in Santa Teresa, a fictionalized version of Grafton’s southern California hometown of Santa Barbara.

Grafton’s books have been translated into 26 languages, according to her website.

It supports HDR10 technology, which brightens pictures and adds the wider scope of colours, is equipped with HDMI ports and supports Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV Stick. Treat yourself this New Year for Bt60,900.

Hear the difference

Sony hear.on 2 MDR-H600A High-Resolution Audio overear headphones comes with Beat Response Control technology for deep bass sounds. The phones have HD 40mm drivers to reproduce high-resolution sounds and the audio cable comes with microphone and inline remote control so the H600A can also be used as a smartphone headset. It retails for Bt6,290.

Shots in a flash

A new digital SLR camera with very fast auto-focus, especially in Live View mode, Canon EOS 800D boasts a DIGIC 7 image engine for fast operation and 24.2-million-pixel APSC image sensor for sharp resolution. It also comes with Bluetooth for easy connection and with the EFS 1855 IS STM kit retails for Bt34,590.

Anywhere at any time

Apple TV 4K is a new IPTV box from Apple that features 4K and HDR display technologies, allowing you to stream 4K HDR movies from content providers to your 4K HDR TV. It is powered by A10X Fusion 64-bit and connects to your router with either Gigabit Ethernet port or MIMO Wi-Fi 802.11ac. It also boasts an HDMI 2.0a port for connecting to bitscreen LCD TV. Two versions are available from Apple Thailand in two options  with 32 GB storage for Bt8,500 and 64 GB for Bt9,200.

Take a Note

A toned-down version of Galaxy Note 8, the Samsung Galaxy Note Fan Edition features 4 GB of RAM and 64 GB of storage. It is powered by octa-core processor running at 2.3GHz and 1.6 GHz and has a 5.7-inch display with 2560x1440pixel resolution. It comes with 12 MP rear camera and 5 MP front camera. Buy it now for Bt20,900.

Chiang Rai has seen more than its fair share of natural disasters over the last two decades, with rural and remote areas of the province struck by tremors, floods and landslides, many of them related to climate change. Such disasters impact entire communities but children and young people are often the most affected as they lose opportunities to learn and develop, as well as, in some cases, their schools and homes.

Plan International, an independent development and humanitarian organisation that advances children’s rights and equality for girls, is trying to lessen the impacts, if not the disasters themselves with its new initiative, the “Chiang Rai Safe City Model: Creating Resilience to Disasters”.

Launched in November at the Princess Mother 90th Anniversary Building in Chiang Rai and supported by Prudential Life Assurance (Thailand) and the Chiang Rai Disaster Risk Reduction Working Group, the “Safe School” project began with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Plan International and the Governor of Chiang Rai, under which the NGO will collaborate with provincial-level governmental organisations and agencies in promoting disaster preparedness among schools. The aim is to establish Chiang Rai as a model province in the sustainable management of such calamities as earthquakes, floods, mudslides, storms and forest fires.

Youth representatives attending the launch spoke about building safe schools and joined a forum on integrating collaborative efforts to reduce disaster risks at places of learning. Disaster preparedness demonstrations and exhibitions were also featured and included emergency response and preventive activities organised by students and staff from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation, Regional Office No 15, Chiang Rai and other agencies.

Chiang Rai Governor Narongsak Osotthanakorn said Mae Suay and Mae Lao districts were the most earthquake-prone areas in the country. He added that Plan International’s initiative to work with schools would make the children more aware of disaster-response practices, which they could then share with relatives and friends.

Plan’s programme director Yupaporn Boontid explained that to date, Plan International has worked with 48 schools and seven learning centres to provide children and youth in high-risk communities with access to safe, quality education.

“Plan International has partnered with Prudential Life Assurance (Thailand) and the Prudence Foundation to pursue the safe school project in 25 schools and one learning centre in Chiang Rai, Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya and Phang Nga. Plan International will publish a safe school guideline manual for other schools to adapt to local conditions and will also push at the policy level to ensure that the safe school model is included in both Ministry of Education plans and school action plans.”

Prudential’s Kanlayanee Vajarobol added that the company considered disaster preparedness an important part of the company’s commitment to helping less-privileged Thais.

“Through partnership with Plan International, we continuously support disaster risk reduction. Our staff has prepared 500 survival kits for distribution to students. Each kit contains basic items that children and families need in order to survive and sustain themselves for three days in the event of a disaster. This project does not seek to repair any disaster-inflicted damage but focuses on educating children about disaster preparedness. This will provide lasting knowledge on how to cope with disasters, which participating children will be able to share with or teach to their parents or relatives.”

The following day, volunteers from both Plan International and Prudential Life Insurance (Thailand) travelled to schools under the Safe School programme in Mae Suay and Mae Lao districts in Chiang Rai Province, all of which were damaged in the 6.3-Richter scale earthquake in 2014. The emergency kits were delivered to two representative schools: Bansanklang Radpattana and Pongphrae Withhaya to help prepare for future disasters and other emergencies.

“We were not prepared to deal with disasters,” admitted Montri Nuanchen, principal of Bansanklang Radpattana School. “We had no knowledge and did not even have a disaster management plan. Now, thanks to Plan International, our students and teachers have that knowledge. We have evacuation drills every semester and the students receive training in various skills including preparing an emergency kit, how to use and tie different knots in ropes, how to evacuate tall buildings as well as providing basic first aid and CPR.”

At Pongphrae Witthaya School, students have created a disaster preparedness learning centre where they display emergency tools and equipment and learning materials to educate their fellow students and their families about how to prepare for disasters. One of the school buildings was damaged during the 2014 earthquake and has now been rebuilt with an earthquake-resistant structure, with support and funding from Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.

Pannee Saeger, 16, an M3 student at Pongphrae Witthaya, said she has learned a lot about disaster preparedness and feels confident that she and her friends can help themselves and others should disaster strike again.

Mi Mix 2 smartphone from Chinese manufacturer Xiaomi boasts a beautiful design, large display, good performance and fast Internet connection.

Best of all, it’s much cheaper compared to other models with similar configurations.

The phone’s 5.99-inch display in 18:9 aspect ratio and full-display technology allow for resolution of 1,080 x 2,160 pixels, shielded behind Corning Gorilla Glass 4.

At that resolution, the Mi Mix 2 is great for viewing HD videos and high-resolution photos.

It’s quite a drop from the 6.4-inch display of its predecessor, the Mi Mix, released in October 2016, but the resolution is better, and this model is, after all, a lot smaller itself – 151.8×75.5×7.7mm and 185 grams compared to 158.8×81.9×7.9mm and 209g.

Mix 2 is running Google Android 7.1 (not the latest 8.0 version) and offers two nano-SIM slots. The notable performance and fast connection are due to a Qualcomm Snapdragon 835 octa-core processor running at 2.45GHz, a generous six gigabytes of working memory and 64GB of fast UFS 2.1 storage.

I found that the Mix 2 responds promptly in both menus and touchscreen functions and runs applications and HD video clips fast and smoothly.

The AnTuTu Benchmark Version 6.2.7 gave the phone a high score of 177,896 marks. As of December 20, it ranked as the fifth-fastest smartphone on the market.

I tested the Mi Mix 2 on TrueMove H’s LTE network and observed fast data transfer. Applications downloaded and photos were backed up to cloud storage very fast.

The  Ookla Speedtest app clocked a download speed of 75.84Mbps and uploads at 40.03Mbps. Wi-Fi connection is also rapid at 802.11ac protocol with 4×4 MIMO connection.

Another indicator of good performance is the ability to play High-Resolution Audio FLAC 24bit/192kHz files smoothly.

What’s missing is a 3.5mm stereo jack. Instead, you use a USBC adapter for the jack if you’re wearing wired rather than Bluetooth headphones.

I ran the phone with Sony’s WH1000XM2 headphones and found Hi-Res Audio files playing with top good sound quality and powerful bass.

World-renowned designer Philippe Starck was hired to conceptualise the phone’s terrific look. It has a four-sided, curved ceramic back plate and 18-karat gold-plated decorative camera rim. The frame is highly durable aerospace-grade aluminium alloy.

The cameras are quite good, too. The main camera uses Sony’s 12-megapixel IMX386 image sensor with a large 1.25-micron pixel size, and PDAF for fast autofocus even in low light.

The camera uses fouraxis optical image stabilisation to guard against blurring due to shaky hands. There are several shooting modes – auto, beauty shots, panorama and manual.

In manual you can set white balance, focus, exposure time and ISO. In auto, which is called “photo”, you can find several extra shooting options, including group selfie and night shot.

The shiny glass on the back cover makes it ideal for reflecting yourself and friends for group selfies taken with the rear camera. The camera will take multiple shots and stitch together one perfect picture with no one blinking or blurred.

Night shot mode is good for capturing New Year lights. Again, multiple shots are taken and the best-possible composite rendered.

The front camera has five-megapixel resolution and can adopt 36 “smart beautify” profiles automatically. You can also select one of 10 filters, such as nation, sky blue, blush and romance filters.

Advanced options can make your face look slender, adjust skin colour and smoothen the complexion.

The Mi Mix 2 is well secured with a finger-print reader on the back cover, below the lens, to quickly unlock the phone with a touch of the index finger. You first need to set up an unlocking pattern or a pin code in case your fingertip approach fails. I never had a problem, though.

The 3,400mAh battery got me through a full day without a recharge, but it’s ready for Quick Charge 3.0 when needed.

Entrepreneur Lei Jun founded Xiaomi in 2010 with the stated vision “Innovation for everyone”. In Thailand it partnered with VST ECS in August and has since opened two Mi Stores in Bangkok.

The Mi Mix 2 costs Bt17,990 both online at Lazada and the authorised stores at Imperial World Samrong and Seacon Bangkae, as well as through other official partners including Jaymart and IT City.

KEY SPECS

– Network: Global LTE 6 modes, 43 bands

– Operating system: Android 7.1

– CPU: Qualcomm MSM8998 Snapdragon 835 octcore processor 2.45GHz

– Memory: 6GB DDR4

– Storage: 64GB UFS 2.1

– Display: 5.99-inch IPS with 1,080×2,160-pixel resolution

– Cameras: Rear 12 MP Sony IMX386 image sensor, f/2.0 lens, front 5MP

– Wireless connectivity: 802.11ac, Bluetooth 5.0

– Connection: USB Type-C

– Sensors: Finger-print, accelerometer, gyro, proximity, compass, barometer

– Battery: 3,400mAh, Quick Charge 3.0

– Dimensions: 151.8×75.5×7.7mm

– Weight: 185 grams