This second edition of the carnival will include a food festival featuring different varieties of Kerala and South Indian food guaranteed to delight the expat Indian community as well as Thais and other nationalities.

Other highlights include stalls offering goods from Kerala, games for kids and a colourful cultural onstage presentation by talented artists from among the members of various South Indian Communities, which gets underway after 5.30.

Admission is Bt50.

 Find out more at Facebook.com/thaimalayali.samajam.

Playmondo, a world-class amusement park for kids and a hub of advanced games with premium safety standards, threw open its doors earlier this month at the Forum Zone on the second floor of CentralWorld.

Playmondo is a brand new amusement park on the second floor of CentralWorld.

“We believe that playing generates learning and understanding for children, and I have been in this amusement park business for a long time. Thus, I can easily observe a child’s playing behaviour and his or her preferences. Playmondo is built on the idea of turning an indoor amusement park into a small planet where children can play and learn safely while enhancing their imaginative powers. We have chosen a Tardigrade named Phi Mon as Playmondo’s mascot. This animal is known as the world’s most tolerant creature as they can remain in the nature in all climate conditions. We want the kids to learn about tolerance and the beauty of nature through this mascot,” says Hansa Kraikosol, chief executive director of Playmondo Group and a leader in the amusement park business.

Hansa Kraikosol

Playmondo is designed for kids from one year up to 13 on the concept “Play Plern Learn Roo” and features four play zones inspired respectively by the desert, ocean, volcano and jungle. Each activity support growth during childhood. Cognitive development is promoted through interactive games and reactive play such as the Ball Wall, against which children throw a ball then catch it on its return. Blue Blocks allow them to use their imagination and assemble the blocks in a variety of shapes. Physical development is encouraged through the trampoline and a climbing wall while social development is fostered through games that require kids of play together and make new friends.

Ple Nakorn with his wife and their children

For older kids, there’s “Playsquare Laser Tag”, a place for space warriors in the form of an advanced laser field with full lighting and audio effects that sets the stage for a galaxy war in which youngsters learn how to observe, defend themselves and visualise in the dark. The illuminated bulletproof vests and laser guns are brand new and imported from the US and the field is fitted with protective equipment throughout. Players must be at least 110 centimetres tall to take the weight of the bulletproof vest.

Pornpilas Assakul with her children

A number of celebrities turned out for the opening with their kids and took time away from the activities to share some parenting tips. They included Juthatham Chirathiwat, Vasu Virajsilp, Jannis Yangpichit, Milin Yuvacharuskul, Capt Vantita Lewchalermwongse, Pornpilas Assakul, Chirawan Techaruvichit, Praewpreeya Jumsai Na Ayutthaya, Bhumiphat-Sopin Rongratana, Wanwilai Techasomboon, Jongkol Palarit, Nathanaporn Euawanthanakhun, Pornpan Pongsak, Nantanach Mongkolrattanachat, Natarnin Khunathanard, Duangkamol Tirawat, and actor Nakorn “Ple” Silachai and his wife June Kasama.

Juthatham Chirathiwat and Vasu Virajsilp with their son

“My parenting style focuses on my children’s health. As germs and viruses are everywhere, we do our best to protect them when we take them out to play. We are also well aware of the influence of social media and avoid videos with explicit and violent content to prevent them from becoming familiar with and emulating inappropriate behaviour. I let them do activities they enjoy to encourage their skills. My son loves football and practises every day while my daughter is interested in art so she spends her free time painting and drawing,” says mother of twins Jannis.

Chirawan Techaruvichit and Duangrit Chairungruang with their boys 

Milin also focuses on letting her children develop their skills. “I let them do activities based on their age. Sometimes we take them on a trip to open their world, and learn about the things about them. My daughter is adventurous and confident and I am happy to let her play while I observe her from a distance,” she says.

Milin Yuvacharuskul and her daughter

“I use both traditional and modern parenting techniques to raising my kids, focusing on manners and appropriate behaviour as the first priority. I allow them to express their thoughts and make decisions by themselves and encourage them to ask questions when they are in doubt. I also teach them through activities we do together. For example, when we are watching cartons and there are some violent scenes, I try and explain. When we plan trips, I let them take part. My child is interested in maths and collecting car models,” says Vantita.

Jannis Yangpichit with her twins

Vasu and Juthatham are mainly concerned with hygiene and safety. “There are at an age when we need to watch them closely but without stifling their creativity.”

Praewpreeya Jumsai Na Ayutthaya with her sons

Ple Nakorn and June Kasama give their kids freedom while maintaining a light control. “Children are naughty and try to learn by themselves but it may be dangerous sometimes. We try and tell them off as little as possible. We don’t like to say no to them and we allow them to learn from social media. Our family enjoys exercising together and sometimes we take them out to learn about what they have experienced on online media in the real world, like going to the zoo, hiking or jetskiing.”

Kids’ day out

– Tickets are Bt550 for kids 75 to 100 cm tall and Bt650 for kids taller than 100 cm and allow three hours of play.

– Tickets for Playsquare Laser Tag start at Bt350 per game. Each game lasts 15 minutes and has a maximum of 24 players.

– For more information, call (02) 103 2499 or (02) 103 2455, or visit Facebook.com/playmondo.

Artist+Run gallery, part of the gallery cluster N22, was packed out on the evening of Thailand’s national children’s day two Saturdays ago when a new exhibition “The Intangibles of Emptiness” opened. This opening didn’t feature speeches by either curator or artist but a live performance by Pichet Klunchun Dance Company who created paintings and installations that have remained on show.

For Pichet, “The” in the show’s title refers to dancers who use different parts of their bodies to create meaning in the assigned empty space, and for him, this ends, also, in emptiness after the performance. This work is thus his attempt to record such intangible emptiness.

In the small gallery filled with excited audience members, standing and sitting on the floor and chairs, plus many who couldn’t make it inside, members of Pichet Klunchun Dance Company, in construction worker outfits, walked around with both painting and construction materials and tools. What looked like an abstract painting was created by the performers who shifted back and forth between building and painting, with choreographed dance movements.

The performance, or the construction, continued outside the studio, after Pichet kicked open a seemingly locked door in the wall. With the gallery door now blocked by a waist-high brick wall, the audience had no choice but to follow the performers out through this small opening. Another painting was then created by the dance ensemble, while many materials were put into a working cement mixer.

Smoke was constantly emitted and many onlookers chose to stand further away. Thinking back about the performance now that the PM 2.5 issue reached a crucial point, many would be able to make the connection, just as Pichet intended, between the artists and the construction workers – both are craftsmen who need special skills in their works. We would also think about the fact that many materials are thrown out or put aside before the final work is shown to the public.

Also cheekily fun and ironical was the choice of background music, which covered a wide range of genres, as if to remind us that in many countries classical western music is not restricted to elite art aficionados and, by contrast, country music doesn’t appeal just to bluecollar workers. And in any democratic society, contemporary arts should be open and comprehensible to all people, no matter what their educational or economic background.

What made this similar to most exhibition openings, though, was the fact that most of the audience was made up of those working in visual arts, and very few in performing arts. And so while this work attempts to bridge the gap between these two fields in a country where most people think that such a division is still necessary, this remains a work-in-progress. Also, for the wider general public, this involves a visit to the exhibition to see the works and watch the video recording of the live performance, or record of the intangible emptiness, without the creators being present.

Word is that Pichet is planning to take this interdisciplinary work, first seen last year at a Chiang Rai mountain resort hotel, forward and will soon revive it in a larger gallery for a wider audience. Stay tuned.

In a performance titled “Knit”, Kawita uses her body as a medium to challenge the concept of materialism in a world where more value is attached to products than to the people who created the product.

In front of a colourful backdrop, she becomes the tools women use in knitting, dyeing and weaving. Simultaneously, her spider-like movements portray a woman fighting to construct her life through her labour, in the same way a spider struggles to build a web to survive.

“Knit” also involves audience participation to remind us to cherish the skills of the people who create the elements intrinsic to a luxury lifestyle.

“Knit”-inspired sweet and savoury delicacies will complement the hotel’s afternoon tea menu, including a red Mont Blanc dessert handcrafted by executive pastry chef Nicolas Pelloie.

The Knit afternoon tea set for two will be hosted in the Lobby from 3.30 to 4.30pm and is priced at Bt1,400-plus.

The hotel is meanwhile launching an Artist-in-Residence programme, letting a rotating selection of live there for up to three months while using a specially created studio to create original pieces inspired by their stay. Guests will be able to meet and chat with the artists in the studio and enjoy a rare perspective of the artistic process.

Kawita will be the first artist-in-residence, using the opportunity to curate new works for an exhibition in Europe later this year.

For reservations and details, call (02) 020 2888 or email diningpbk@peninsula.com.

Recorded at the Opera Bastille with the Paris Opera Orchestra and Chorus, the film directed by Benoit Jacquot adheres to the three acts delineated by Giuseppe Verdi.

Alfredo Germont falls in love with courtesan Violetta Valery at a party at her Paris salon. He is determined to cure her tuberculosis and they leave Paris for a contented life in the countryside. But Violetta’s happiness is destroyed when Alfredo’s father Giorgio pays her a visit.

Verdi based “La Traviata” on Alexandre Dumas’ novel and stage play “La Dame aux camelias”, which was in turn inspired by the life and death of actual Parisian courtesan Marie Duplessis.

Verdi offered a more complex and sympathetic portrayal of his heroine, highlighting Violetta’s noble nature and her devotion to Alfredo.

“La Traviata” is today the mostperformed opera in the world and the role of Violetta a favourite for many star sopranos.

Richard Eyre’s stunning naturalistic production contrasts the superficial glamour of 19thcentury Parisian high life with intimate scenes for Violetta with Alfredo and Giorgio, culminating in the heartbreaking final act.

Verdi’s sublime score contains some of his most inspired arias and duets, including Violetta’s introspective “Ah forse’ lui” and hedonistic “Sempre libera” and Alfredo and Violetta’s “Parigi, o cara”.

Tickets cost Bt200 (Bt100 for AF students and members) at the door.

Like most member nations of the United Nations, Thailand has set itself the goal of eliminating new infections of HIV/Aids and reaching “Getting to Zero” by 2030.

It is an ambition that faces many challenges. Current figures show that the nation has more than 400,000 HIV-infected patients and that 21 per cent of them are over the age of 50. Improved medical treatment and more efficient drugs will push an increasing number of those infected into the 50 years-plus bracket as the target date draws near, thus exposing them to age-related medical conditions.

At the same time, a the national survey in 2016, conducted by the Thai Red Cross Aids Research Centre in 2016 found 6,200 new patients being infected with HIV per year – or 17 persons per day – and that the majority of these were among the younger generation, especially men who have sex with men (MSM).

Speaking at the 21st Bangkok International Symposium on HIV Medicine held last week at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre, Professor Emeritus Praphan Phanuphak, MD, the director of the Centre and director of HIV-NAT Thailand, stressed that active and coherent strategies are urgently needed to tackle the problem.

“Although the present situation seems better in terms of medical treatment, the fact that there are 6,200 new HIV-infected patients per year is not good because it has been around this figure for the past six years. We know we can make it zero. We need to look at other countries’ strategies, examine how they have handled the situations and then analyse and improve our policies. This should be done through a comprehensive review of the management of HIV infection and opportunistic infections in parallel with efforts to improve access to therapy as well as the latest updates on research into HIV treatments and vaccines. The United Nations Programme on HIV/Aids – UN-Aids aims to bring an end to the disease in 2030, meaning that the incidence will be changed from ‘epidemic’ to ‘endemic’ or individual infection.

“Another goal is to achieve a 90-per-cent reduction in new patients from the current global figure of two million annually. Ending Aids also refers to a reduction in deaths of the HIV-infected, as well as zero stigmatisation or discrimination, which is very hard,” he says.

“A study has followed 3,000  serodiscordant couples for over 3 years, one of whom is HIV infected,

taking anti-Aids drugs until no more virus was detected in their blood although infection still remains in the body, none of the HIV-negative couples has even be infected even consistent condom use is not the norm. The most promising result of the study is that it shows that none of the partners have become infected. This is known as the ‘U=U’ campaign.”

U=U is an informational campaign about how effective HIV medications can prevent sexual transmission of HIV. U=U means “Undetectable = Untransmit table”, indicating that if an HIV-positive person is on anti-retroviral therapy (ART) with a consistently undetectable HIV viral load, the HIV virus cannot be transmitted to a sex partner. As a prevention strategy, this is often referred to as Treatment as Prevention, or TasP. U=U and TasP are based on substantial scientific data. In fact, the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention has said that people who take ART daily as prescribed and achieve and maintain an undetectable viral load have effectively no risk of sexually transmitting the virus to an HIV-negative partner.

“So there is no reason for social discrimination against HIV-infected individuals at the workplace or anywhere else. The bottleneck is getting those at risk to get a free blood test at least twice a year and for everyone else to get one at least once in a lifetime with their partner – assuming they have never had sex with anyone else. It can be an annual health checkup but most people are afraid others will hear about it. In some cases, even those who know they are infected refuse to take the medication because they are afraid that someone might see it and talk about it. Others may have poor adherence to the medication resuting in treatment failure with development of drug resistance,” the professor explains.

The ideal approach is known as the Strategic Timing of Antiretroviral Treatment (START). This global treatment has shown that HIV-infected individuals have a considerably lower risk of developing Aids if they start taking anti-retrovirals as early as possible thus reducing the risk of HIV transmission to uninfected sexual partners.

“The early treatment is definitely beneficial to the HIV-positive person. We have run campaigns with workshops and various activities for the past two years. Now we want to legalise the import of the HIV Home Kit selftest on the Thai market, so that individuals who might have recent exposure can get hands-on results in time to receive further medical treatment,” Dr Praphan adds.

In addition to the self-test, one of key successes in early treatment is access to the PEP medication within 72 hours. PEP stands for post-exposure prophylaxis and involves taking HIV medicines within 72 hours after possible exposure to HIV to prevent becoming infected. It should, however, only be used in emergency situations though it does away with the need to wait for two weeks to get the test results.

“It should be available as an emergency control measure. Hospitals in Bangkok should welcome patients and prescribe medicine even if the patients’ rights to access medical treatment – the gold card – specify another province. However, PEP is not intended to replace regular use of other HIV prevention methods, such as consistent use of condoms during sex or preexposure prophylaxis [PrEP],” he says.

“At our anonymous clinic, we do SameDayART [anti-retroviral therapy] to ensure patients get the medicine immediately. We also have a ‘navigator’ to help with patient consultations throughout the treatment. The SameDayART has proved very successful. Of some 1,000 HIV-infected patients, 80 per cent can start taking medicine on the same day and the rest within three days. We are expanding this method to other provinces, so that we don’t lose patients there,” he adds.

PrEP is another effective strategy to ending Aids and was explained to the symposium by Prof Andrew Grulich, Head of the HIV Epidemiology and Prevention Programme at the Kirby Institute. Preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is considered an effective HIV prevention intervention and could be a potential game changer in the region.

In his presentation of the expanded PrEP Implementation in Communities in New South Wales study launched in March 2016, Grulich explained that the initial target of 3,700 high-risk men who have sex with men was reached in October 2016, with an average monthly recruitment of 499. More than 9,500 participants are currently in the trial, making it the largest PrEP trial globally.

The high-level, targeted and rapid rollout of PrEP in New South Wales has led to a 35-per-cent decline in statewide HIV diagnoses in MSM, and a 44-per-cent decline in early HIV infections in MSM, levels unprecedented since the beginning of the HIV epidemic. This was achieved less than one year after the target recruitment was reached. In a concentrated epidemic with high testing and treatment coverage, the PrEP scale up led to a rapid decline in HIV transmission at the population level.

“This study has given impressive results. As we move towards 2030, UN-Aid has introduced the ‘90-90-90’, an ambitious treatment target to help end the epidemic. This means that by 2020, 90 per cent of all people living with HIV will know their HIV status, 90 per cent of all those with diagnosed HIV infection will receive sustained anti-

retroviral therapy, and 90 per cent of all people receiving anti-retroviral therapy will have viral suppression. In Thailand, the

first 90 has now reached 91 per cent, the second is 72 per cent and the third is 80 per cent. So, we can see where we need to solve the problems. By 2030, we aim 95-95-95,” Dr Praphan notes.

Many strategies will be needed to end the Aids epidemic and it will present an enormous challenge not only for the medical profession and policy makers, but also for the world of technology in getting to zero. In this context, work is already steaming ahead on an application by the Thai Red Cross Aids Research Centre that will draw at-risk and infected young people into the fold.

A panel of judges will then select the 10 best photos, which will be featured on billboards in select cities, Apple retail stores and online. The winners will be announced later next month.

The judges will include renowned photojournalists Pete Souza and Luisa Dorr as well as travel photographer Austin Mann.

Following a rigorous three-phase judging process, which includes an onsite evaluation, the winners will be announced during the awards ceremony at the 19th WTTC Global Summit in Seville, Spain from April 2 to 4.

All 15 finalists illustrate a strong commitment to supporting change, transformation in business practices and consumer behaviour towards a more environmentally conscious sector.

“This year’s Tourism for Tomorrow Awards shine the spotlight on those organisations which are leading the way in sustainable travel and tourism. They reflect WTTC’s Strategic Priorities of Climate Action, Destination Stewardship, Future of Work, and Social Responsibility. I am delighted that as we mark our 15th anniversary year, we are particularly highlighting initiatives that are combatting the illegal wildlife trade, in line with the WTTC Buenos Aires Declaration which was launched in April 2018,” said Gloria Guevara, president and CEO of WTTC.

Awards Lead Judge, Prof Graham Miller at the University of Surrey added: “The shortlisted projects and businesses demonstrate community development, sustainable employment practices, female empowerment, innovative environmental technology and protection of land and marine wildlife as well as positively contributing to the broader Sustainable Development Goals. Their efforts in these areas are a beacon to the rest of the travel sector in signalling the way to a more sustainable world.”

The Climate Action Award will be given to organisations undertaking significant and measurable work to reduce the scale and impact of climate change. The three finalists are Bucuti & Tara Beach Resort in Aruba, the Brando, Tetiaroa Private Island in Tahiti, and Tourism Holdings Limited in New Zealand.

The Investing in People Award will be presented to organisations demonstrating leadership in becoming an exciting, attractive, and equitable employer in the sector. The finalists are Lemon Tree Hotels Limited in India, Reserva do Ibitipoca in Brazil, and Shanga by Elewana Collection in Tanzania.

The Destination Stewardship Award will honour organisations helping a place to thrive and bring forward its unique identity for the benefit of its residents and tourists. The finalists are Grupo Rio da Prata in Brazil, Masungi Georeserve in the Philippines, and St Kitts Sustainable Destination Council, St Kitts and Nevis.

The Social Impact Award will be given to organisations working to improve the people and places where they operate. The finalists are Awamaki in Peru, Intrepid Group in Australia and Nikoi Island in Indonesia.

The Changemakers Award will put a special spotlight on fighting the illegal wildlife trade through tourism, an issue that is also a focus of WTTC with its Buenos Aires Declaration on Illegal Wildlife Trade launched last year. The finalists are Kelompok Peduli Lingkungan Belitung (KPLB) in Indonesia, SEE Turtles in the US, and The Cardamom Tented Camp in Cambodia.

More details on the awards and the finalists can be found at http://wttc.org/T4TAwards

Miller is a regular at the San Francisco Punchline, The Stand in Scotland and The International in Dublin and is now chomping at the bit ready to do her storytelling, cabaret and standup comedy throughout the world to prove that her ageing has been amazing.

At 83, Lynn Ruth Miller is still going strong.

She started her comedy career at 71. She made it to Las Vegas in America’s Got Talent, 2008, won People’s Choice at the 2009 Branson Comedy Festival, the finals of Bill Word’s Funniest Female Contest 2009 and reached the semifinals in the SF International Comedy Competition, She has also appeared on “Britain’s Got Talent” and won both nights of the Texas Burlesque Festival without taking off anything that matters.

She was the 2013 TO&ST winner of “Granny’s Gone Wild: at the Edinburgh Fringe. That show was performed at the Soho Theatre in London in March 2014. In August, she performed her fourth solo show “Not Dead Yet” a compilation of stories and songs about her life, directed by Sarah Louise Young with songs written by Young and Michael Roulston.

She will be supported by multi awardwinning Comedy Central comic Carlos Rodriguez.

Tickets are Bt600 in advance online at ComedyClubBangkok.com and The Royal Oak Pub, and Bt800 on the door.

With January almost done and dusted and time passing by at an alarming pace, it’s time to look to the months ahead and start planning a vacation.

Ideas and inspiration for that dream trip are going for free at the Thailand Tourism Festival 2019, which gets underway tomorrow at Bangkok’s Lumpini Park.

Thai Clay Art

Hosted by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, the festival is designed to encourage tourism in the country throughout the year and motivate Thais to discover more about the land of their birth.

“This festival has played a long and important role in encouraging domestic tourism since its days at Suan Amporn and now at Lumpini Park,” says TAT Governor Yuthasak Supasorn.

“We hold it at the beginning of the year so that people can start planning their trips early. This year’s event will, as usual, feature a variety of foods, products and performances from all regions of the country in order to promote, inspire and help motivate everyone to travel. More than 600,000 local and foreign visitors visited last year’s event, which generated Bt390 million of income.”

“This year, we have chosen to highlight the charms of Thailand by dividing the festival into nine zones,” adds Noppadon Pakprot, deputy governor for TAT’s domestic marketing.

A mascot of a “Reduce-Reuse-Recycle” waste initiative that encourages visitors to use cloth totes rather than plastic bags.

“From the entrance in front of King Rama VI Monument, you will see landmarks of five regions featuring a woven Thai carp, a Bo Sang umbrella, tungs (northern flags) with a spider web, basketry and dyed papyrus, and a bird cage. The second zone is home to booths offering tour packages and special promotions. The third zone covers all five regions with five themes: the gastronomy of the Northeast (Isaan), the fabrics of the North and the legacy of the Central region with an emphasis on Thainess and workshops on Thai sweets. The East is represented by fun things to do in Chanthaburi, Rayong and Trat, while the South is showcased with the sea of mist in Betong, the southernmost district of Yala. Ninety travel routes are also presented.

“At the “Loke Suay Duay Song Mue’ (“beautiful world with two hands”) zone, visitors will find ideas for green travel that we hope will motivate them to take care of natural resources. This includes a ‘Reduce-Reuse-Recycle’ waste initiative that encourages visitors to use cloth totes rather than plastic bags. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration zone, meanwhile, offers food from Bangkok’s 50 districts and highlights seven areas that shouldn’t be missed such as Bang Lamphu, Yaowarat and Talad Noi.”

The official opening takes place at 5.30 on Thursday with a performance of royal khon, an all-male Lakhon Nok play, a “Manorah Ruang Saeng” dance, a modern take on the Phi Ta Khon festival and mini concerts by Neung Jakkrawal, Palmy, Yinglee, Jay Jetrin, Bao Wee, Non Thanon, Stamp Apiwat, Getsunova, Potato, Scrubb and Twopee.

The recent press conference provided a taste of what visitors can expect from the festival with plates of fruits and desserts and a selection of products from the five regions.

Mae Khai Thoon Klao in Chon Buri

Among those offering their wares was Sirikanya “Khai” Ngamchantathip, owner of Mae Khai Thoon Klao, a khao lam (glutinous rice roasted in bamboo joints) shop at Talad Nong Mon in Chon Buri.

“My khao lam is sweet, nutty and mild with good ingredients. It comes in a shorter bamboo tube, so that it’s easier to eat with a bamboo spoon and is topped with ginkgo, taro and beans. It can be a snack while taking a break from meetings,” she told The Nation.

Raet Mango in Chachoengsao

Also on offer was raet mango from Chachoengsao’s Bang Khla District.

“The raet mango in Bang Khla District is sweet-and-sour and also mellow, different from other mangoes, and wonderfully fragrant. The soil in Bang Khla is full of minerals and irrigated by the Bang Pakong River with a mixture of freshwater and brackish water. This gives our mangoes an amazing taste. Bang Khla is full of fruit orchards. Unripe Chokanan Mango isn’t popular because of its hard texture, so it is preserved in syrup as mamuang chae im. It’s only made in Bang Khla and guaranteed as one tambon one product,” says Khwanruan.

Lookchin Jae Nok Kog in Buriram

Ratchanok Maneewan was on hand to feed the media with her delicious grilled meatball skewers. Her stall, Lookchin Jae Nok Kog at Buriram Railway Station, is one of 12 selling the meaty snack for people to eat while standing

“The phenomenon of eating grilled sweet-and-sour meatball skewers while standing started more than 30 years when a vendor called Jae Nok made it popular. These days, a lot more people have got into the business. I can earn Bt7,000 to Bt8,000 on weekdays and Bt10,000 on the weekends. The meatballs are similar but the spicy sauce is different. My sauce is sweet and sour and a little spicy suitable for customers from all walks of life,” Ratchanok says.

Bhutesavara in Samut Songkram

Bhutesavara from Samut Songkhram, meanwhile, presented its khon masks made the traditional way.

“We aim to preserve and promote traditional Thai art by sticking to the original way and technique of making khon masks and the materials used. Modern masks are made of resin but we still use paper. Again, these days, the decoration is done on a mould but we do ours on paper on each individual mask. And while more than 100 resin khon masks can be moulded every day, we can manage only seven pieces, as the work is hand done meticulous. In the past, the mask was made of straw paper, but these days we use mulberry paper, which has a finer texture,” says Suchart Moradok.

Baan Khok Phayom in Narathiwat

Baan Khok Phayom, one of six basketry krajood groups in Narathiwat, is all ready to show its delicate crafts at the festival.

“The craft of basket-making has been passed down through the generations. I’ve been making basketry products since the early 2000s. The differences between each of the villages can be found in the colours and patterns. Customers are interested in baskets and bags. We also make them to order,” says Jesoh Wae-U.

Yano in Chiang Mai

Yano from Chiang Mai is displaying its handmade textile products made with sustainable materials.

“Yano’s slogan is ‘addicted to happiness’ and inspires people in these communities to focus on happiness. Most of them are unemployed so it offers an opportunity to generate some income. Our project started with 10 people in Tha Kwang sub-district of Saraphi district before expanding to several other communities. I thought hard about how happiness and management could be sustainable. I studied sustainability from international sources and our late King’s sufficiency economy philosophy. Our product is environmentally friendly and most of our products such as clothes and souvenirs are made of cotton. We have developed our designs and marketing over the last 14 years with happiness as our central focal point,” says Nakarin Yano.

Ice Cream Arom Dee in Kalasin

Hungry for heritage

– The Thailand Tourism Festival 2019 runs from tomorrow through Sunday at Lumpini Park.

– Find out more by calling the TAT Contact Centre at 1672 or visit http://www.TourismThailand.org.