BEAUTIFUL FLOWER garlands have long been part of the country’s national pride and this year arrangements are set to bloom with an extra special flourish.

Celebrating the auspicious occasion of Her Majesty the Queen’s seventh cycle Birthday Anniversary tomorrow, which is also National Mother’s Day, the Museum of Floral Culture is holding its third annual flower festival titled “Thai Flower Garland for Mom”.

The event, which runs until Sunday, is designed to help the public appreciate Thai culture through Thai flowers.

To educate and entertain visitors, there will be exhibitions, demonstrations and workshops to promote the art of making Thai traditional flower garlands at the museum on Samsen Road, Soi 28, Yaek Ongkarak 13.

Sakul Intakul, the founder of the museum and an internationally renowned floral artist, has served Her Majesty on many occasions and created many remarkable flower decorations. Sakul says the objective of this year’s festival is not only to celebrate Her Majesty the Queen’s 84th birthday anniversary and Mother’s Day, but also to organise an event which will help visitors learn the art of Thai flower garland making.

“We present the art of Thai flowers through a different perspective and design, presented in an inspiring installation,” he says.

The festival features various garlands using fresh flowers, special materials, and paper garlands by Wirin Chaowana. There is also a flower tunnel made from fresh and artificial flowers.

Also on show are flowers named after Her Majesty the Queen such as Dona Queen Sirikit, Nymphaea Queen Sirikit, and Cattleya Queen Sirikit, as well as flowers whose name is royally bestowed by Her Majesty such as Soi Suwanna, Dusita, and Manee Deva.

“The highlight, which is the landmark of this year’s festival, is a small art installations inspired by Pak Khlong Talad, one of Thailand’s biggest flower markets. This is a creative presentation using fresh flowers and garland making tools such as fresh flowers, plastic flowers, banana stalk, garland needles, wet floral foam, and scissors. They will amaze visitors,” Sakul says.

At a recent press conference, celebrity mother-daughter pair Chuanpis Thamsiri and Nadhawan Tanyongmas shared a touching story about mother-daughter love. The museum’s little ambassador Pinmukda Tongsiri together with her mother Ploykwan Sitapahul joined a garland-making workshop, led by Apirum Suansiri, an expert in Thai flower garland making.

Free floral arrangement demonstrations for visitors will held over the three days of the festival, with two sessions a day at noon to1pm and 2.30pm to 3.30pm. A fresh flower garland-making workshop led by Apirum Suansiri will also be held, with three sessions per day at 10.30am to noon, 1 to 2.30pm, and 3.30 to 5pm Registration for the workshop is Bt500.

Another workshop on paper garland making with Wirin Chaowana will be held on Saturday at 1pm and 4pm. Registration for this workshop is Bt1,200.

? Learn how to preserve Thai art and culture through flower garland at the “Thai Flower Garland for Mom” festival at the Museum of Floral Culture, from 10am to 6pm until Sunday.

? Admission is Bt150 for adults and Bt75 for children and seniors.

? For more information or| workshop reservations, |call 02-669-3833-34 or visit http://www.FloralMuseum.com and http://www.facebook.com/ TheMuseumofFloralCulture.

CELEBRATING “The Glorious Beauty of Textiles” last Friday as part of national observations for Her Majesty the Queen’s 84th birthday tomorrow, designers from 10 fashion houses put together a glamorous runway show inspired by her enduring efforts to preserve and promote traditional textiles and weaving skills.

The outfits modelled in the show will remain on display at Central Embassy through next Wednesday alongside seven gorgeous gowns worn by the Queen and stunning examples of embroidered fabrics.

Meanwhile people can send their best wishes to Her Majesty by adding stitches in gold thread to a seven-metre-long bolt of silk, forming the words “Long Live the Queen”. That’s in the Event Hall at Central Chidlom until Wednesday and on Level G at Central Embassy until August 21.

The exhibition “The Glorious Beauty of Textiles: Her Majesty the Queen’s 84th Birthday Celebration” is a combined undertaking by the two malls, the Support

Foundation (formally the Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary Occupations and Related Techniques), the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles and Siam Commercial Bank.

Its opening last Friday saw models present 18 outfits created by Tirapan Wannarat of Tirapan, Pichitra Boonyarataphan of Pichitra, Nagara Sambandaraksa of Nagara, Anchalee Vikasitnakakul of Anchavika, Polpat Asavaprapha of Asava, Apisada Nimitvanich of Calista, Karatphet Issara of Kemissara, Mollika Ruangkritya of Kloset, Patinya Kyokong of Patinya and Teerut Wongwatanasin of Vickteerut.

Drawing admiring gasps from the crowd, the clothes comprised a beautiful tribute to the Queen’s dedication to preserving an important part of Thai heritage, including centuries-old skills that might have otherwise disappeared with the passage of time.

The outfits will go on sale following the exhibition, with all earnings pledged to the Support Foundation.

“The glamour of Thai textiles is all about hand-crafting and the fact that no two patterns are alike,” said Tirapan, whose eponymous brand has risen to the peak of Thai fashion over the course of 39 years. The individual care and attention that goes into each fabric is clear in every stage, from the dyeing to the weaving, he said.

“This is what turns a simple hand-made cloth into a canvas that reflects its makers’ identity and sentiment. For my costume I used Mudmee silk ikat from the foundation as the base and then crafted up an artificial butterfly, lacework and beading as decoration.”

Pichitra has 37 years’ experience handling traditional fabrics and has worked with Her Majesty on several occasions.

“The fabric and embroidery selected for these costumes are of the highest quality and very valuable,” she said. “The refined piece I designed is very elegant, in keeping with the quality of the hand-woven fabric. Every step in the production process is very delicate, dif

ficult and time-consuming, so every costume becomes haute couture by default – one-and-only creations available nowhere else in the world.”

Nagara has been in the business for 34 years and is renowned for his “contemporary Thai” silk gowns that are as simple as they are breathtaking, perfectly blending Thai and Western sensibilities. His brand has long been a mainstay on catwalks around the globe, and last Friday offered further evidence why that’s so, with an outfit in patterns richly painted by hand and delicately embroidered.

Anchalee presented two costumes, “Diamond” and “Rose Gold”, which she said recalled her fond memories of seeing the Queen wearing wonderfully updated traditional clothing and accessories.

Polpat, who is president of the Bangkok Fashion Society as well as creative director at Asava, said Her Majesty’s beauty, talents, gentle character and diligent attention to people’s needs provided all the inspiration he needed. To these he added his brand’s signature feminine tenderness and masculine strength.

Apisada took her cue from the many overseas trips Their Majesties the King and Queen made in their younger days. “The costumes the Queen wore while travelling were created by both Thai and foreign designers. I studied their shapes, concepts and detailing to find my inspiration,” she said.

The seven royal gowns on display in the exhibition were made by the great Pierre Balmain and superbly embroidered in silk thread by the House of Lesage in Paris. This is the first time the Queen Sirikit Museum of Textiles has granted permission for their public display.

The exhibition has eight parts, beginning with an outline of how the show was conceived as a demonstration of gratitude for the Queen’s devotion to the people and her stated belief that everyone is an artist at heart.

On a jigsaw-puzzle map of Thailand, each region is represented by one piece of the puzzle, made of the fabric for which it’s best known. It’s a remarkable aid in learning how the Queen went about promoting the various textiles to bolster local pride and income and preserve age-old skills – all the while enhancing Thailand’s international stature.

The section titled “Royal Khon Embroidery” recounts Her Majesty’s initiative in having fresh costumes made for the classical masked dance while resurrecting near-forgotten stitching techniques and giving them a contemporary application.

In the “Embroidery” segment, marvellous samples are on view along with the equipment used and Support Foundation photos of the actual process. And if the perseverance required isn’t evident enough in the pictures, there are also live demonstrations.

The exhibits in “Thai Hill Tribes” cover six different groups – the Karen, Lisu, Mien, Akha, Lahu and Hmong. Each produces its own unique fabric, but here samples from all six are also combined in a collage effect. You can see the satchels they all make too, again widely varying in aesthetic elements.

Her Majesty’s stunning outfits made overseas are presented in “The Royal Gowns”, all marvellous in the way they’re cut, stitched and embroidered.

“The Support Foundation” section pays tribute to the organisation. Other royal agencies have collaborated in depicting the Queen’s various duties and her efforts to improve people’s lives.

Finally there is the “DIY” zone, where anyone can try their hand at embroidering bags and T-shirts, using ready-made fabrics or creating their own with prepared patterns. Naturally, you get to take your creations home with you.

In a world where what’s good for us changes from week to week, seemingly on a whim, no one, at least to date, has taken a pot-shot at laughter, hailed as one of the best remedies for all kinds of problems. Humour, experts insist, can be found in everything, which is probably why even the corniest jokes or the most stupid of game shows have us in fits.

And now we have an exhibition dedicated to humour. “Utsa Ha Kam:Phlit Khum Thum Ngern”, which roughly translates as “Humour Business”, got off to a giggly start last week at the Thailand Creative & Design Centre (TCDC), and sets out to show us that humour is in our lives to a much greater extent than we ever imagined.

A collaboration between the TCDC and local publishing group Bunluesan, “Humour Business” explores the possibilities of humour as a communication tool and driver of business and is destined to draw the crowds. Indeed at the opening last Thursday, visitors and guests queued up to meet cartoonists from Bunluesarn Publishing, not for their autograph but for their portraits, which were obligingly drawn on the cover of long-running comic magazine Kai Hua Ror.

Comedy and its various incarnations in Thai culture is extensively covered in the exhibition, with space devoted to a video made by movie director Chayanop Bunprakob, in which the sole actor dresses up as different characters, bringing to mind the popular comedy “Shaolin Soccer” by Stephen Chow’s and the robot girl Arale from the Dr Slump animation.

There’s Thai literature too including “Raden Lundai”, a parody poem written during the reign of King Rama 3, examples of “Phleng Patipart” (Dialogue Songs) such as “Lamtat”, the Thai-style antiphon common to merit-making ceremonies where singers and songwriters verbally outwit each other with the help of an ensemble cast. Further examples are “Kharuehat Suad Sop”, the funeral parody performed during the reign of King Rama 5 and Likay.

Space is also given over to influences from the west, which first found their way to Thailand through print, mainly satirical cartoons focusing on politics and social problems. The West also inspired such humorous novels as “Phol Nikorn Kim-ngaun” and songs like “Phooyai Lee” with lyrics that joke about the communication gap between civil servants and people in 1961.

But it is show business that has played the biggest role in bringing humour to the masses. Comedians first started appearing on the stage during luk thung (Thai folk country) music performances and it wasn’t long before they were superstars, showing off their skills in different media including films, TV dramas and TV shows. In the 1990s, comedy cabaret venues – known as cafes – were springing up in every part of town with troupes hopping from one venue to another to keep audiences entertained. On show in the main part of the exhibition is the Chernyim comedian band’s gag notebook from the shows, which reveals how they developed their gags. Visitors might well be surprised to discover that they employed a youngster known as a “gag boy” to jot down notes during the show as a check on whether the audience was made up of the same faces or newcomers.

Humour can also be found in product lines, such as Propaganda’s household objects and utensils such as its Mr P collection.

And then there’s the movies. Would the all-time top grossing film “Pee Mak Phra Khanong” have been such a hit had it not taken a humorous look at the folk legend? Probably not, which director Banjong Pisanthanakun confirms in the showcase of his post-it board that reveals how he used comedy to draw viewers closer to the character. Another example is portrayed through the works of the Phantamit dubbing team, who have lent their original scripts filled with their scribbled notes that add current hot topics or headline news to make the films relevant to Thai audiences. Among their most successful works are Stephen Chow’s deadpan comedy movies.

One of the highlights is the stand-up comedy corner of prominent comedian Udom “Nose” Taepanich. In one of the exhibition boards, Udom insists that he is not a funny man and his comedy shows stem from his extremely serious take on nonsensical stuff, which crystalises into messages that tickles the audience’s collective funny bone. Also on show are the story photo boards he prepares for his shows.

He and other comedians and directors also appear on the large screen in interview clips.

The social networks have created a new platform for laughter, and the exhibition has picked several Facebook pages as an example. One of the funniest is the “Pim Thai Mai Dai” page, which uses karaoke-style English spelling to post comments on Thai stories.

The next room is devoted to Bunluesarn Publishing company, which has been producing comic magazines and books for the last 60 years and the popular magazine “Kai Hua Ror” for 43 of them. Hundreds of their comic pieces decorate the walls, covering everything from daily life to gags. Their most memorable characters include the wife and their editor Vithid, a comic tough guy always chasing after them to meet his deadline. Now published in pocket-book size and available online, as an eBook and as an app, “Kai Hua Ro” is using the exhibition to invite members of the public to draw their gags in the Flash cartoon corner, and submit the original copy in the box provided nearby. Vithid will consider all entries and if he likes them, will not only publish then in the magazine but also pay for them!

The last room is devoted to a variety of humour initiatives including the Dream Doctors Project, which trains professional clowns to become medical clowns in Israel, and bumper stickers, including “True love is no match for a (Mercedes) Benz”.

And there’s more laughter at the exit of the exhibition where giant speakers play the sound of laughter.

FUNNY BUSINESS

• “Humour Business” is the last exhibition to be shown on the fifth floor of Emporium Shopping Centre before TCDC moves to its new home at General Post Office Building.
• The exhibition is showing until October 2 and is open daily except Monday from 10.30am to 9pm.
• Admission is free.
• For more information, call (02) 664 8448 extensions 213, 214.

THE STORY has often been told of Her Majesty the Queen’s first encounter with the ethnic hilltribes of the Thai North five decades ago, and how she was immediately enamoured of their intricately woven traditional clothing and colourful ornamentation.

She saw too how the hill people struggled in their daily lives, and soon after welcomed them into the arms of the Foundation of the Promotion or Supplementary Occupation and Related Techniques, or the Support Foundation she’d established in the Northeast. The foundation has ever since provided them with additional sustenance in return for their skills.

Now the story is to be retold once again, more movingly than ever, in the exhibition “From the Hands of the Hills … To the Hands of the Queen”, taking place from August 1 to October 11 at the Queen’s Gallery.

The exhibition – which will cover all five floors of the gallery and include multimedia presentations on the hilltribes’ living conditions – commemorates both His Majesty the King’s 70th anniversary on the throne and Her Majesty’s seventh-cycle birthday next month.

Thanpuying Charungjit Teekara, the Queen’s deputy private secretary, says six groups of “Thai mountain people” will be represented in the show – the Karen, Hmong, Yao (Mien), Lisu, Akha and Musser (Lahu). All persevered through the destruction of their homelands during the 1950s and ’60s and were often left with little choice but to participate in “slash-and-burn” agricultural practices that led to forests being cleared and watersheds damaged.

The first-floor exhibits will address this aspect of their history specifically and show how Their Majesties sought to improve the hill people’s lot, including the introduction of sustainable farming methods by which the tribes could resume living in full harmony with their surroundings.

On the second and third floors will be displays of royal kindness towards the hill people, such as the creation of the Support Foundation. The palace encouraged them to honour their traditions and maintain their unique identities, as reflected in their textiles, silverwork and other arts and crafts. Several of the groups will participate in the exhibition in person, demonstrating their remarkable weaving techniques.

Their Majesties formal long-term initiatives and how they evolved over the generations will be examined on the fourth floor. And the fifth floor will be a “learning centre” where visitors can make their own hilltribe-style fabrics, buy handicrafts and have their photos taken wearing authentic outfits.

Cultural heritage, Thanpuying Charungjit points out, is a priceless treasure that must be preserved. Her Majesty showed great foresight in setting up programmes that not only gave the ethnic peoples alternative sources of income but also improved their environment and strengthened their sense of identity. They were able to find better employment or, if they chose, continue doing craftwork, with the full backing of the palace. The result, she says, was a revival of interest in their traditional arts and the emergence of innovations that added value to their skills as artisans. And no longer did they have to migrate with the seasons to sustain their livelihoods.

“Their Majesties have always been concerned about these mountain people because they rely so much on the natural water sources in their surroundings,” Thanpuying Charungjit says. “We don’t have melting snow to replenish the rivers, and the forests where they live are the hearts of the watersheds – they keep the whole country supplied with water.

“In the past Their Majesties often visited the mountains. Looking down from their helicopter they could see the vast opium fields, and sometimes they’d walk through those fields too. That’s why His Majesty initiated his Royal Project to introduce alternative forms of agriculture, and Her Majesty supplemented this with her handicrafts programmes, getting the hill people involved with the Support Foundation she’d started in the Northeast.

“Every time Her Majesty visited the North, the local people would dress in their decorative costumes. And every time, she would ask about their living conditions, what they grew and what they were eating, where their water came from, how

far from their homes they’d have to travel to get the water, and whether it was available year round.

“Her Majesty would always remind them that cultural heritage, such as their craftsmanship, had to be preserved, and that they should help the environment and conserve the forests by, for example, not using chemicals in their planting, since they lived at the sources of the whole country’s water supply.

“She also urged them to think about future generations – what they would think if their forebears were to ruin the environment.”

Thanpuying Charungjit says the Queen “has a keen perception” of artistic creativity. She’s an adapt observer of details in the hand-woven clothes of Karen women with their colourful seams, the rich embroidery of the Hmong, the appliqu้ and coloured yarn of the Lisu, and the Akhas’ silver decorations and beading.

“Her Majesty would always ask them to do more, and they’d present her with their finest work. She’d buy the pieces and then recreate them in her own style of clothing, or on a pillowcase or blanket. The hilltribes came to realise that their handiwork had greater value than they’d realised and became prouder of it, especially seeing their fabrics being worn by the Queen. The fact that everything is made by hand makes it far more beautiful and valuable than anything done by machines.”

Thanpuying Charungjit says the Support Foundation receives a steady stream of hand-woven cloth and handicrafts and has experts evaluate the items and offer the makers a fair price, which varies according to refinement and overall quality. “They don’t know the source of any given piece, so they can judge them without bias. Only the accountant knows exactly where the most beautiful pieces come from.

“For the most exceptional works, at Her Majesty’s advice, we give the makers a bonus to boost their spirits. She always stresses that the beauty of art comes from the artist being happy.”

Years ago the Queen established the Support Training Centre (now called the Sirikit Institute Training Centre) in the grounds of Chitralada Palace, the royal residence in Bangkok, and insisted there be no limitations on who could attend, in terms of age, skill level or formal education.

“She likes it when the member of the family considered ‘least useful’ at home comes and works for her so they aren’t a burden on their family,” Thanpuying Charungjit says. “She believes learning comes through collaborating with others. Hill people who are especially good at creating silver decorative work will teach the skills to others, and they train the artisans who made pieces for the royal court that are shown in the ‘Art of the Kingdom’ exhibition in the Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall.

“We’re always proud to see the children raised at the centre growing up and being able to draw such beautiful curved lines freehand and create such amazing artwork.”

One of the most cheering parts in the show is sure to be the sight of some of these youngsters – the children of the hill forest and the foremost beneficiaries of the Support Foundation – drawing pictures to illustrate their appreciation for all the good the King and Queen have bestowed on them.

A ROYAL

APPRECIATION

– The exhibition “From the Hands of the Hills … To the Hands of the Queen” will be on view at the Queen’s Gallery on Rajdamnoen Klang Road in Bangkok from August 1 to October 11, daily except Wednesdays from 10am to 7pm.