Starting with a farmer experience at Farm de Lek in the northeast of Bangkok, Farm de Lek features a “play farm” where children can learn about and take part in day-to-day agriculture activities, from collecting eggs and planting vegetables to making organic fertiliser. More adventurous kids can take part in the zip lining, boating or even ATV riding (with their parents’ permission).

After a full day of playing farmer, Reindeer Park Resort is an ideal spot to relax and unwind. The resort is close other attractions such as Wang Ta Krai Waterfall and Khun Dan Prakarn Chon Dam.

Make reading fun again at Neilson Hays Library where houses an impressive collection of 17,000 books and magazines. A must-see for all kids is the Children’s Corner, a cosy and inviting space where youngsters can spend hours perusing the pages of various books. On Saturdays, the library hosts a Story Time session that features readings, arts and crafts activities and even a yoga session for kids. You may spend a night at Baan Pra Nond Bed & Breakfast, just two km away from the library. This Thai colonial building was once the former house of a Supreme Court Judge and features a kids’ club, restaurants and swimming pool. Kids will also be pleased to know that their canine friends are also welcome!

Take advantage of the full or half day experiences with your kids to see more than 450 rescued animals in a responsible and cruelty-free way at The Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) in Phetchaburi, which houses and rehabilitates rescued animals, including elephants, gibbons and otters. Here visitors can learn more about the wildlife living on the reserve, take part in volunteer activities and walk away with a better sense of animal welfare and conservation issues. A short ride away is the famous Cha-Am beach where you and the kids can play in the sun. At the Cha-Am Hotel bicycle rentals are available if you fancy taking a ride along the shore.

Or take visit the Ancient City in Samut Prakan, home to more than 116 monuments including chedis, bell towers, shines and a theatre pavilion that showcases the grandeur of the ancient Ayutthaya era. Here children can learn about the history, culture and traditions of Thailand’s five major regions then stay at the Forest Resort – a serene spot for parents to relax while the kids amuse themselves at the nearby amusement parks.

My Skin Track pH has been honoured with a CES 2019 Innovation Award, named a “Best of Innovation” winner in the Wearable Technology Products category. The sensor was co-developed with L’Oreal’s skincare brand La Roche-Posay, which works closely with dermatologists to develop safe and effective skincare products and is committed to bringing scientific progress directly to consumers.

“The scientific and medical communities have long known the link between skin pH levels and common skin concerns that millions of people experience every day,” says Guive Balooch, global vice president of the L’Oreal Technology Incubator, an arm of L’Oreal’s Research & Innovation Division. “Our goal is to use this advanced technology to empower consumers with meaningful information about the underlying condition of their skin, so that they can find the products that are right for their individual needs. At L’Oreal, we know that health is the future of beauty and we are committed to leveraging technology to bring powerful insights and solutions to our health-conscious consumers.”

The pH scale ranges from acidic to basic, on a spectrum measured from 0 to 14. Healthy skin pH exists within the slightly acidic range between 4.5 and 5.5. When pH balance is compromised, whether through environmental factors and underlying conditions, it can trigger inflammatory responses including dryness, eczema, and atopic dermatitis. Millions of Americans suffer from these conditions; according to the National Eczema Association, 1 in 10 Americans (31.6 million) have some form of eczema.

As the first wearable to measure individual skin pH levels using microfluidic technology, it captures trace amounts of sweat from skin pores through a network of microchannels, providing an accurate pH reading within 15 minutes. While previous methods of measuring skin pH levels required rigid electronics and large sweat samples, My Skin Track pH captures, and generates accurate readings from, nearly imperceptible quantities of sweat.     “pH is a leading indicator of skin health,” says La Roche-Posay dermatologist Dr Thomas Luger. “It is something my clients ask about, but until now it has been very challenging to measure skin pH outside of a clinical lab setting. This tool has the potential to inspire consumers to adopt healthier skincare habits and empower medical professionals with an entirely new way to recommend treatment.”

My Skin Track pH will initially be introduced this year through select La Roche-Posay dermatologists in the US, with the goal of amassing new research and ultimately launching a direct-to-consumer product.

Cynics would say everyday is Children’s Day and while that might be true for the offspring of well-heeled parents, for millions of other youngsters Thailand’s Children’s Day, which falls tomorrow, is a rare opportunity for kids to learn about the outside world while also having fun.

This year, the theme has been given by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and its motto is “children, youngsters and volunteers join forces in national development”.

The most frequently posed question to kids is “What do you want to be when you grow up?” and the most popular answer is “policeman”, “soldier”, or “prime minister”. Tomorrow they can enjoy a first taste of their chosen career by watching exciting air shows at Royal Thai Air Force’s Wing 6 Don Mueang, riding in a tank at the Royal Thai Army HQ, and sitting in the PM’s chair at Thai Khu Fah Building in the compound of Government House.

And as ever businesses will be marking the occasion by offering gifts to children while many public facilities waive their entrance fees.

The Ministry of Education hosts an event on the concept of “Volunteer Kids: Dek Thai Roo Khid Mee Jit Asa” from 8.30am to 6pm.

Taking place on Ratchadamnoen Nok road and the traffic island in front of the ministry, it features four zones. “Kids Think” focuses on technological innovations and IT; “Kids Do” aims to create awareness of social services and environmental conservation; “Happy Kids” is a fun park with games; while “Kids Stage” features performances by the youngsters themselves.

The Science Centre for Education, also known as Bangkok Planetarium, joins Children’s Day with “Food Science for Kids” from 8.30 to 4.30.

The event is an integration of chemistry and science related to food that allows children to experiment. Activities include Nutrient Detective, Newton on Food Table, Food Molecule, and Food for Fun. It also includes an animation movie, “Cocomong A Space Adventure”, which will be shown in nine rounds, each one for 280 people.

Kids get in for free, adult pay the usual admission charge. Call (02) 391 0544 for more information.

Museum Siam invites parents and children to decode Thainess with the activity, “Adventure in the Kitchen” running from 10 to 6.

It features five dishes at Taste of Thai, one of 14 exhibition rooms, and a live demonstration explaining the origins of such famous Thai dishes as tom yum kung, som tum, kaeng khiew wan, khai jiew and bualoi. Children will have to search for the ingredients needed to make these dishes at different zones – Farm, Market, Vegetable Garden, and Fruit Garden. Other activities are a jigsaw on rice and bamboo, painting Thai desserts, painting plates and making rice cards and bookmarks.

Find out more by calling (02) 225 2777.

The Museum of Thai Red Cross near the Queen Saovabha Memorial Institute offers a tour, a snake handling demonstration at the Snake Farm and several activities with Red Cross Youth Volunteers and Srisavarindhira Thai Red Cross Institute of Nursing as well as games and shows. It runs from 8.30 to 3.30.

Call (02) 250 1849.

Siriraj Bimuksthan Museum in the old Bangkok Noi train station next to Siriraj’s newly-opened private subsidiary Siriraj Piyamaharajkarun Hospital invites youngsters and their families to learn the story of the hospital’s premises as well as the history of Thai medicines. It’s open from 9am to 3pm.

It is also organising the “Hello Poon Poon Bangkok Noi” event, which takes a look at six railway stations through various activities. “Bangkok Noi” examines the starting point of Thailand’s first Southern railway, Nakhon Pathom looks at its mottoes, Kanchanaburi is discovered through a screening of a 4D movie, Ratchaburi is represented by painting a jar, Phetchaburi has Thai-style dance, and Hua Hin has paddling a boat. Food booths will be set out and fun games organised to win prizes.

For more information, call (02) 419 2601 or (02) 419 2617.

The Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn Anthropology Centre focuses on folk toys including the wow san sanuk (funny kite), malaengpo ko niu (dragonfly on the fingertip), and puppets along with workshops on khanom look chub, painting and games. It runs from 9 to noon.

Call (02) 880 9429.

TK Park on the eighth floor of CentralWorld hosts “TK Dino: Adventure with Thai Dinosaurs” from 10am to 5pm, taking kids back through time to meet several species of dinosaurs through creative games and its TK AR app. The youngsters are also invited to show off their abilities in “TK Kids” and “TK Dino Dance” and play games to win prizes.

Find out more at (02) 257 4300.

Bangkok Art & Culture Centre promotes art as a channel to learn about society, culture, language, religion, food and thought in “Kid(s) Lak Lai: Everybody Is Unique” running from 10 to 4. The event includes fairy tales, graffiti kids, the power of creating thinking and the chance to see more than 40 works by globally known artists taking part in the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018.

For enquiries, call (02) 214 6631.

Changchui, the thriving creative park on the Thon Buri side of the river, transforms its 11 rai into a land of art and creativity for kids to learn and explore several careers as well enjoy a food market, kids’ goods, shows and games.

The event runs tomorrow and Sunday and again on January 19 and 20 starting at 11am. For more information, click on Facebook.com/events/322709821663668 or http://www.ChangchuiBangkok.com/  location.

Seacon Bang Kae hosts “Pangpond in Fun Land” and creates an amusement land on the concept “the land of fun” for children to enjoy adventures as well as performances by students from various schools. Pangpond, Leng and Hong, from the animation “Pangpond Jom Puan” will be on hand to greet the little ones.

It’s on at the Main Atrium from today through Sunday.

Call (02) 454 7777 extension 535 or visit http://www.SeaconBangkae.com.

IKEA, the home furnishings retailer from Sweden, invites “smales” members to join the “Jungle Funventure” at its Mega Bangna and Central Plaza Westgate branches tomorrow and Sunday from 10am to 8pm.

It will also use the occasion to announce the winners of the 2018 Soft Toy Drawing Competition and launch its special birthday package for smales at the Ikea Restaurant. Prebooking of the private parties starts tomorrow and the parties can be held from February 18 onwards.

Visit Ikea.co.th/smales for more information.

There’s plenty of fun to be had too at the “Future Park Super Kids: Pokemon Sun & Moon on Tour 2019” on the ground floor of Future Park Rangsit and Zpell Department Store from now until January 15.

Pokemon Sun and Moon are role-playing video games with adventure elements, based in the fictional Alola region, presented in a third-person, and take place on the tropical islands of the Alola region.

Kids will learn Z-Moves as moves of great power that can only be used once per battle, take part in “Pikachu Dance Practice” today, tomorrow and Sunday at 1pm, 4.30pm and 5.45pm and have their pictures taken with the 8-metre-high “Pokemon Landmark” and all Pikachu characters at 11.45am and 3pm. There are also workshops on painting tattoos, making tshirts and pins plus Pokemon games and official products.

DreamWorld offers discounts on admission, cutting the cost from Bt200 to Bt80 for children no under 145 centimetres in height and entry to Snow Town from Bt130 to Bt99. Children born on January 12 get in for free.

This year, the amusement park in Thanyaburi is organising activities around the theme, “Good Health, Just Exercise” providing activities such as football, hula hoop and bowling plus entertainment including a parade of cartoon characters, a behind-the-scene show of Hollywood action, and many super heroes. Kids can also have fun in Photopia, where they can be the star of their very own adventure, or splash around at Water Fun, the water play area which has many rides, including slides and a tunnel fountain.

Check it out at Facebook.com/dreamworldpark.

Nanmeebooks Learning Centre on Sukhumvit Soi 31 hosts “Rai Mon Mahassajan Wan Dek 2019” and invites kids to have an adventure with a dragon egg and in a labyrinth, be thrilled by Phanomenta from Germany, and enjoy a secret garden. Kids can also show off their talents at the “Hands-on Science Show”. The activities run from 10am to 4pm.

Call (02) 662 3000 extension 5226.

For the seventh annual edition of the awards, 759,845 properties in total across 219 countries and territories are being given an award, with the top countries receiving the most awards being Italy (106,513), Spain (46,646), France (45,286), Germany (36,042), United States (35,626), Croatia (34,027), United Kingdom (31,206), Russian Federation (26,729), Poland (26,572), and Brazil (24,477). Thailand ranks in twentieth place in the global ranking with a total of 9,251 properties awarded, an increase of 2,156 properties.

Based on the share of properties receiving an award in 2018, Booking.com is now revealing the most welcoming places on Earth according to customer reviews. With the highest percentages of total eligible properties winning awards, the most welcoming countries are Austria, Czech Republic, Poland, New Zealand, Taiwan, Romania, Hungary, Ireland, Serbia, and Greece.

Countries were sorted by the total share of 2018 Guest Review Award winners when compared to the total amount of eligible properties in that country. Countries also had to have an above average amount of winners to be included on this list (4,000 award recipients or higher).

For Thailand, the most welcoming destinations are Sukhothai, Khao Lak, Nai Yang Beach, Pai, Phra Nakhon Si Ayutthaya, Koh Lanta, Kanchanaburi, Chiang Rai, Koh Tao and Krabi town.

Also cities were sorted by the total share of 2018 Guest Review Award winners when compared to the total amount of eligible properties in that city. Cities had to have an above average amount of winners to be included on this list (60 award recipients or higher).

This is especially relevant for the 86 per cent of global travellers who say friendly and interesting locals are one of their top considerations when selecting a destination for their next trip.

This is defined as the percentage of respondents who rated this aspect a 7 out of 10 or higher. Research commissioned by Booking.com and independently conducted among a sample of 53,492 respondents across 31 markets. In order to participate in this survey, respondents had to be 18 years of age or older, had to have travelled at least once in the past 12 months and be either the primary decision maker or involved in the decision making of their travel. The survey was taken online and took place between October 16 and November 12.

When it comes to the most welcoming property types globally, they are all from the alternative accommodation segment, which highlights the ongoing traveller appreciation for unique stay experiences: Riads, Bed and Breakfasts, Farm Stays, Guest Houses, ApartHotels and Ryokans.

For the second year in a row, apartments are the top-awarded accommodation type, making up more than a third (36 per cent) of the award-winning properties globally in 2018. In fact, while hotels come in as the second-awarded accommodation type, nearly three quarters (73 per cent) of all the winning properties are homes, apartments and other unique places to stay, including everything from boats and igloos to homestays and country houses.

Also for a second consecutive year in 2018, four out of the five top-awarded accommodation types are alternative accommodation options from apartments (269,649) to hotels (148,913), guest houses (78,574),B&Bs (66,697), and holiday homes (56,303).

The ongoing appreciation and interest from travellers to experience a wide variety of unique stay experiences is also reflected in recent research by Booking.com with 500 Thai travellers which highlights that more than a third of travellers (41 per cent) would prefer to stay in a vacation rental (holiday home or apartment) over a hotel in 2019. In addition, 54 per cent of Thai travellers also wanting to stay in an accommodation type they’ve never experienced before in 2019, the consumer demand in this segment remains strong.

“No matter the type, size or location of the property, what we see from our customers is that they value a human connection when they travel, whether it’s some extra attention to detail or a truly individualised approach to service,” says Olivier Gremillon, Vice President at Booking.com.

“With these awards, we celebrate and thank all of the amazing accommodation providers who create special travel experiences for our customers on a daily basis.”

A selection of outstanding properties in Thailand receiving a 2018 award are Diem Residence on Koh Pha-Ngan where receives a remarkable review score of 9.8 from guests who booked their stay on Booking.com. Couples particularly like the location — they rated it 9.5 for a two-person trip. This resort is also rated for the best value in Thongsala. Guests are getting more for their money when compared to other properties in this city.

The Sukhothai Resort in Sukhothai receives a very high review score of 9.7. This resort is also rated for the best value in Sukhothai as the rooms are big and clean while its swimming pool received 9.9 review score.

Other places include Jaru in Chiang Rai and Lake Hill in Sri Sawat, Kanchanaburi.

To be recognised with an award, properties had to have an average review score of 8.0 or higher based on at least 5 reviews as of 11:59pm (CET) on October 31, 2018. Only customers that have actually stayed at an accommodation can leave a review of their experience on Booking.com.

Now shoppers can experience a new level of living at Modernform Furniture Shopping Gallery Srinakarin on the concept “Metro Living Sensation”. Designed for metro living, the new showroom aims to bring inspiration to everyone.

“We believe that tasteful furniture and decoration items fulfil your living experience. We create the best products to suit every lifestyle need in a ‘head to heart’ approach. We blend functionality and emotions in every piece of furniture and decoration item. Our eclectic mix of offerings fulfils and complements all elements in a harmonious and unique way,” says Kitipat Nerngchamnong, president of Modernform Group.

The Modernform Furniture Shopping Gallery is divided into zones on different floors. The first floor, Heritage Living – Sense of Timeless Style, offers a selection of modern classic products, made with premium materials and skilled craftsmanship.

“My Kitchen – Sensuality of Taste” is based on the concept that the kitchen is the heart of the home as it is where family members gather and friends mingle. It offers a range of kitchen design and products for every budget.

On the second floor, Metropolitan Living is designed for urban city life and features semi built-in furniture that allows you to have your own panoramic dressing room that seamlessly blends with your closet.

“The Living Showcase, Central of Living Style” is designed for urban living. Modernform has created show units to demonstrate various designs and functionalities for every space size and style, such as studio, one-bedroom, two-bedroom and penthouse, using premium products.

“Hospitality Collection, Relaxation with Style” has a range of lounge furniture in various designs for different needs.

The third-floor furniture gallery, “The Choice of Selection” recognises everyone’s lifestyle is different and offers various furniture choices to suit every taste and preference including a dining table made with natural stone.

Find out more at http://www.Modernform.co.th or call (02) 094 9999.

 The campaign connects the hotel chain’s well-recognised symbol – the fan – with celebrities who are its regular guests.

In appreciation of their support, the group donates to each celebrity’s individual choice of charity. Tucci has chosen the global UN refugee agency UNHCR to benefit.

Tucci has won three Emmy and two Golden Globe awards and has also had a successful career behind the camera, including writing and directing the critically acclaimed “Final Portrait”.

 Outside of work, he’s a fan of travelling. He loves exploring cultural sites, his favourite being Florence, where he spent much of his childhood. A self-confessed foodie, he has published several cookbooks and loves finding “perfect places to eat”.

When asked to describe Mandarin Oriental, he simply refers to it as ‘the lap of luxury’, and cites as his favourite hotel Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park in London.

Well-known portrait photographer Mary McCartney photographs each celebrity in a location of their choice, which, for them, best represents a feeling of wellbeing.

Tucci chose to be photographed in the beautifully renovated Mandarin Oriental Hyde Park.

Mandarin Oriental’s other fans are Chen Kun, Isabelle Huppert, Lucy Liu, Morgan Freeman, Cecilia Bartoli, Caterina Murino, Sir Peter Blake, Karen Mok, Christian Louboutin, Sophie Marceau, Liam Neeson, IM Pei, Michelle Yeoh, Jane Seymour, Kenzo Takada, Jerry Hall, Vanessa Mae, Vivienne Tam, Barry Humphries, Frederick Forsyth, Darcey Bussell, Bryan Ferry, Dame Helen Mirren, Maggie Cheung, Helene Grimaud, Geoffrey Rush, Adam Scott, Dev Patel and Christoph Waltz.

More information about Mandarin Oriental’s fans and video interviews with the celebrities, including Stanley Tucci can be found at http://www.MandarinOriental.com.

The 11th edition, which featured both product presentation and an exhibition, was held at BITEC, Bang Na

“We are delighted to welcome qualified academics from all around the world and especially Brunei, Pakistan, Thailand, Turkey, New Zealand, Malaysia, Switzerland, Malaysia, the United States of America, Egypt and Indonesia to this conference,” said Assoc Prof Dr Winai Dahlan, the founder and director of the centre.

“The content this year is extensive thanks to the collaboration with the new generation of scientists. Scientific evidence is the key tool in our aim to achieve precision halalization. It aims to select the right ingredients that are religiously correct while maintaining the very highest standards. Precision halalization is totally different from ISO so we have to be more creative for our ‘Diamond Halal’ brand.”

The conference also focused on halal cosmetics.

Scientist Kasinee Katelakha noted that the Centre was working hard on producing cosmetics that met halal standards. “We have to look at every element and ensure that the cosmetics are safe from the risk of disease and various infections and are produced according to good manufacturing guidelines (GMP).

ANIRUT Jeungsutprasoet had a dream – one that he was sure no other Thai could have had. The 61-year-old businessman wanted to replicate in Thailand the Japanese town where he spent almost 20 years.

He had two reasons.

“First, I fell in love with Japan and I’m really impressed with its people, and I wanted to share that feeling with my countrymen,” Anirut grins.

Second, he wanted to give Thais who are unable for whatever reason to travel to Japan the chance to sample the experience and learn something about Japanese tradition and culture.

As has been said, no dream is out of reach.

Chiang Mai’s Chaiya Prakan district has become “Tokyo North”, although Hinoki Castle at Hinoki Land actually replicates Kyoto’s Temple of the Golden Pavilion.

Anirut opened what he called “Hinoki Land” this past October, in Chiang Mai, after 17 months of construction.

The Bt1.3-billion, 200-rai Japanese theme park is in Chaiya Prakan district, about 120 kilometres from downtown Chiang Mai, and it’s quickly proven popular. Tourists are flowing in, signalling their visits with “check-ins” on social media.

Anirut, who was born in Si Sa Ket but whose wife hails from Chiang Mai, designed the landscaping and interior decoration and oversaw construction so it would be as faithful as possible to the original in Japan.

This huge torii gateway rises outside Hinoki Castle.

The name “Hinoki” is borrowed from Chamaecyparis obtusa, a cypress tree native to central Japan, whose wood is used to build palaces, temples, shrines and noh theatres and also makes a fine incense, admired for its light, earthy aroma.

Discovering that hinoki grows in Laos as well, Anirut realised he had a chance to pursue his dream. In 2002 he acquired a concession to fell enough of the trees to erect all of the buildings for his town. Among these are landmarks well known enough even in Thailand that visitors feel like they’re exploring the real places.

The entrance gate with its gigantic lantern mimics Kaminarimon, the “Thunder Gate” of the famous Sensoji Temple in Tokyo’s Asakusa district.

The massive gate at the entrance to Hinoki Land is a copy of Kaminarimon – the “Thunder Gate” at Sensoji Temple in Tokyo.

What many people do upon arrival is rent a traditional Japanese kimono to wear while enjoying the tour, making the visit that much more memorable. As part of his aim to celebrate the culture, Anirut actually imports the kimonos from Japan.

The next amazing sight to see is a palisade of 88 red torii, a copy of the one at Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shrine. A pleasant stroll through the arches includes a few pauses to pose for pictures, resplendent in your classical Japanese garb.

A tunnel of torii at Hinoki Land mimics the one at Kyoto’s Fushimi Inari Shrine.

At the end stands the largest torii of all, directly in front of Hinoki Castle, a grand wooden structure four storeys tall that replicates Kyoto’s Kinkakuji Temple – the Temple of the Golden Pavilion.

Alongside is a building housing “Japan Town”, a great place to dine, drink and shop. The items on sale are all imported.

Thais don kimonos to pose for photos at Hinoki Land’s own Thunder Gate.

Anirut is planning more. Over the next two years he’ll build a ryokan – one of those terrific traditional inns where Japanese and foreign tourists still can stay all over Japan. He wants everything to seem as authentic as possible.

“This is a real Japanese town – not just something similar,” he says.

Hinoki Land is indeed a genuine town, and just a kilometre away is cosy Japanese village – just as realistic and just as charming.

Ban Suan Kolak, known in English as Kolak Thai Date Farm, was the first farm in Southeast Asia to grow dates in large quantities and it too welcomes visitors, as well as hosting date exporters on a regular basis.

The “Kolak” in the name refers to Sak “Ko Lak” Lamjuan, who founded the farm 20 years ago after developing the original Thai species of date, designated “Kl1 [Maejo36]”.

Japanese architecture is everywhere to be enjoyed at Kolak Thai Date Farm.

Now 64, Sak says the dates grown there are better than the ones grown in arid countries overseas – the more common sources – thanks to Thailand’s rainfall.

The 60-rai farm initially only grew dates to sell to tourists passing through and to export to like Malaysia and Indonesia, where the populations are primarily Muslim. Muslims regard the fruit as a gift from Allah.

Five years ago Sak began promoting the farm as a tourist attraction, drawing interest with Japanese-style architecture inspired by visits to Japan by his daughter-in-law Pannarat.

The main Japanese-style pavilion at Kolak Thai Date Farm is one of many photogenic attractions.

Souvenirs, teas, sweets and dried fruit are sold at the main pavilion near the entrance to the garden, which boasts a simple yet exquisite design. Pannarat dispatched an architect to Osaka to learn how to build the copper roof by hand.

The gorgeous and tranquil Japanese garden is half Arab-style date farm. A small, red arched bridge over the beautiful pond between a cafe and the main shop is perfect for keepsake snapshots.

Also near the main pavilion is a staircase of stones that leads to a large red torii and then the date farm.

The reception area and a Muslim prayer hall are inside a chalet with a triangular roof that’s a replica of one seen at Shirakawa-go, a traditional village and World Heritage site in Japan’s Gifu Prefecture.

Fresh dates 

The best time to visit Ban Suan Kolak is between July and October, when the palms are yielding fruit. Sak even encourages guests to get involved in the harvesting.

But, at any time of the year, the farm is a marvellous place to take a rest and sip date tea. Try the sweetened sticky rice mixed with date fruit and perilla seeds – and don’t miss sampling fresh dates, which taste completely different from dried dates.

SUN RISING IN THAILAND

Hinoki Land is at 73 Si Dong Yen, Chaiya Prakan district, Chiang Mai. It’s open daily from 8 to 5. Call (094) 731 0731 or visit Facebook.com/bannhinoki.

Kolak Thai Date Farm is at 31 Moo 1 Si Dong Yen in the same district and open during the same hours.

Call (089) 202 5298 or check out Facebook.com/intapalum.

The app, originally introduced onstage at Macworld ’04 by Steve Jobs and John Mayer, has grown to be the most widely used music app in the world – and is now on a billion iPhones, iPads and Macs globally.

Apple created the app to help “democratise music-making” for everyone, and since its release the app has done just that – helping novices and professional musicians alike bring their passion for music-making to life.

Educators around the world are also using GarageBand in their classrooms to inspire young people to create music for the first time, Apple said in a press statement.

There are even many examples out there of popular songs that were created with loops and sounds right from GarageBand. Below is a timeline with a few, fun GarageBand milestones over the years in case you want to use for a story around this anniversary.

January 2004: GarageBand debuted at Macworld by Steve Jobs with John Mayer

April 2005: NIN release “The Hand that Feeds” as a GarageBand project file that fans can remix

December 2005: T-Pain creates his first album, “Rappa Ternt Sanga”, in GarageBand for Mac

March 2007: Rihanna’s “Umbrella” built with GarageBand bundles drum loop “Vintage Funk Kit 03”

March 2007: Fall Out Boy records “Thnks fr th Mmrs” in GarageBand for Mac

November 2007: Duran Duran releases GarageBand version of “Nite-Runner” that fans can remix

February 2008: Usher’s “Love in This Club” built with GarageBand bundles synth loop “Euro Hero Synth 02”

February 2008: Ting Tings record “Great DJ” on GarageBand for Mac

April 2008: Radiohead release “Nude” as GarageBand project file that fans can remix

2008: “It Might Get Loud” documentary shows Edge from U2 using GarageBand on his laptop

2009: Learn to Play and Artist Lessons announced on GarageBand for Mac

May 2009: St Vincent creates “Actor” album in GarageBand

March 2011: GarageBand for iPad announced

November 2011: GarageBand for iPhone announced

October 2013: GarageBand 10 for Mac with new design announced

August 2014: Haim records “My Song 5” in GarageBand

June 2015: Marc Maron interviews President Obama in a podcast recorded in his garage using GarageBand for Mac

January 2016: Live Loops feature added to GarageBand for iOS

May 2016: GarageBand for Greater China announced with traditional Chinese instruments

April 2017: Steve Lacey produces the Kendrick Lamar song “Pride” using GarageBand for IOS.

THERE’S BEEN a lot of hype about the new iPhone XR with Apple’s advertising gurus describing it as “Brilliant: In every way”. But does it live up to the claims?

It’s certainly fast, boasts a beautiful display and attractively designed and comes with, as Apple says, the most durable front glass ever in a smartphone. This is apparently made to a special industry-leading glass formulation that improves durability and scratch resistance. And Apple says the back glass is more durable than the iPhone X.

Made of aerospace-grade aluminium, precision-machined to create structural hands, and anodised to complement the colour of back glass, the iPhone XR is available in six beautiful finishes – black, white, blue, yellow, coral and red. Part of the sales from the red smartphone – Product Red as Apple calls it – goes to the global fund for fighting Aids.

And iPhone XR has achieved a splash, water, and dust resistance rating of IP67, meaning it can be under water of up to one metre for 30 minutes and resist everyday spills like coffee, tea and soda.

The XR’s 6.1-inch Liquid Retina display with 1792×828 pixels is an advanced LCD with colour accuracy. Precision-milled glass, advanced pixel masking, and sub-pixel anti-aliasing let the display follow the curves of the device, while a new backlight design allows the display to extend into the corners, enabling a larger LCD than ever before seen in an iPhone.

The new display comes with True Tone technology that uses an advanced six-channel ambient light sensor to subtly adjust the white balance onscreen to match the colour temperature of the light around you. This results in natural looks of images and can also reduce eyestrain.

The display of iPhone XR supports fast and fluid iPhone gestures. For example, you can tap to wake, swipe up to the Home screen, swipe down to access notifications and the Control Centre, and use the new haptic touch feature for pressing the Home screen to instantly launch the camera or flashlight.

The iPhone XR has good performance because it is powered by Apple’s A12 Bionic chip with Apple’s next-generation Neural Engine. The chip uses real-time machine learning to transform the way you experience photos, gaming, augmented reality, and more. The A12 Bionic features a 7-nanometer chip that delivers industry-leading performance in a more efficient design.

It also has six-core fusion architecture with two performance cores that are up to 15 per cent faster than the CPU performance cores in the A11 Bionic chip with four of the high-efficiency cores using up to 50-per-cent less power. There’s a performance controller that dynamically divides work across these cores, harnessing all six when a power boost is needed.

The iPhone XR uses a four-core GPU that is up to 50-per-cent faster with lossless memory compression. The GPU brings big gains in graphics performance to games, video editing and visually demanding apps.

The iPhone XR runs on Apple’s iOS 12 that brings performance improvements and new features. It’s also more responsive when launching apps, typing and taking and sharing photos.

One of the new features is Group FaceTime that lets you communicate with lots of friends and family all at once.

And the iOS 12 has augmented reality built in so you can experience it in the apps you use everyday. Apple apps like Mail, Messages, Safari, and Files can open augmented reality files with AR Quick Look.

I was very impressed by the performance during the test, The apps, menus and touchscreen were responsive and when I used the AnTuTu Benchmark v7.1.9 to measure its performance and the iPhone XR got an impressive score of 322,359 points. Compared to the ever-growing AnTuTu online database of benchmark results from iOS users worldwide as of December 5, the iPhone XR I was testing ranked fourth, after iPhone XS, iPhone XS Max and another iPhone XR.

The iPhone XR has fast Internet speed. I tested it on TrueMove H’s LTE network and I found it downloaded apps very fast. I used Ookla Speedtest app to measure the Internet connection speed and I found that it got 64.4 Mbps and upload speed of 38.2 Mbps.

Although the iPhone XR employs a single-camera system for the rear camera, it uses advanced algorithms so you can take amazing photos, including beautiful portraits with blurred background.

The iPhone XR’s rear camera uses the same 12MP wide-angle camera sensor as the iPhone XS and a lens with f/1.8 aperture. Its Smart HDR system can bring more highlight and shadow detail across photos.

The new sensor features deeper pixels to improve image quality and the pixels are larger to boost low-light performance. The sensor has more focus pixels making auto focus twice as fast.

Apple says the iPhone XR uses next-generation Neural Engine and advanced machine learning to add depth to portraits that are sharp and in focus with an artfully blurred background. That’s no wild boast as during my test, iPhone XR captured beautiful portraits with bokeh effect when I used Portrait mode.

The camera lets you adjust depth of file by sliding the aperture bar. The aperture bar can be activated by tapping the aperture icon at the top right corner of the camera screen. The less the aperture value, the more the background will be blurred.

And iPhone XR also provides Depth Control that lets you adjust the depth of field after you shoot. Simply go to Edit and adjust the Depth Control.

The iPhone XR also enhances portrait shots with Portrait lighting that uses sophisticated algorithms to calculate how your facial features interact with light. Then it uses that data to create stunning lighting effects. The rear camera supports three lighting effects: Natural, Studio, and Contour.

The front camera of iPhone XR is called TrueDepth Camera with a 7-megapixel resolution. It also delivers advanced Portrait mode with sophisticated bokeh, background blur and Depth Control.

With the TrueDepth camera, iPhone XR provides Face ID for unlocking the phone. The Face ID system uses an infrared camera to read the dot pattern and captures an infrared image. Then, it sends the data to the Secure Enclave in the A12 Bionic chip to confirm a match and unlock the phone. The invisible infrared light helps identify your face even when it’s dark. During the test, I found Face ID worked very fast for unlocking the phone.

The glass back of iPhone XR allows faster wireless charging and improved off-axis performance even when your iPhone is off-centre on a charging pad. Its battery last up to 1.5 hours longer than the iPhone 8 Plus.

Apple iPhone XR is available in three storage options – 64 GB for Bt29,900, 128GB Bt31, 900 and 256GB Bt35,900.

>> Networks: LTE, CDMA, HSPA+, GSM

>> OS: iOS12

>> CPU: A12 Bionic chip

>> Capacity: 64GB, 128GB, 256GB

>> Cameras: Rear: 12MP wide-angle camera with ƒ/1.8 aperture lens; Front: 7MP TrueDepth camera with f/2.2 lens

>> Display: Liquid Retina HD display 6.1-inch (diagonal) all-screen LCD with IPS technology and 1792-by-828-pixel resolution

>> Location: Assisted GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and QZSS, Digital compass, Wi-Fi, Cellular, iBeacon microlocation

>> Sensors: Face ID, Barometer, Three-axis gyro, Accelerometer, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor

>> Sim card: Dual SIM (nano-SIM and eSIM)

>> Finish: Black, White, Blue, Yellow, Coral, Product Red

>> Dimensions: Height: 150.9 mm, Width: 75.7 mm, Depth: 8.3 mm

>> Weight: 194 g