A SLEEK and powerful notebook computer in a compact and light body, the new Asus ZenBook 15 (UX533) is the most portable 15-inch laptop around with a footprint of only 35.4cm x22cmx 1.79cm and weighing in at just 1.69 kilogrammes.

ASUS says the UX533 is about the same size as a standard 14-inch ultra-thin laptop and that it achieved this by using a four-sided frameless NanoEdge display that features ultraslim bezels. This results in 95-per-cent screen-to-body ratio for a near-borderless viewing experience.

The four-sided frameless NanoEdge display design uses a unique patent-pending method to rearrange the display PCB board in order to reduce bezel size.

The UX533 comes with an ultrathin camera module so that it can be housed at the top-bezel location. The camera uses a four-element lens to produce sharper images and lower noise. Additionally, the advanced infrared (IR) camera has see-in-the-dark capabilities that enable fast, reliable hands-free face login with Windows Hello even in dim environments.

Adding to its portability is its long battery life. It uses 73Wh 4-cell lithium-polymer battery that provides battery life of up to 17 hours.

Despite being just 1.79cm thick, the UX533 is powerful. Powered by latest 8th Generation Intel Core i7-856U 1.8GHz processor with four cores, it is equipped with fast 16 GB DDR4 2,400 MHz working memory or RAM and comes with fast 512 GB SSD (Solid State Drive) drive.

Adding to its fast performance is the graphics horsepower from Nvidia GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q graphic engine with 2 GB DDR5 graphic memory.

The fast graphic engine powers the beautiful display with 1920×1080 pixel resolution. During the test, I enjoyed looking at photos and watching full HD videos. I was also impressed by its speed – both business applications and full HD video clips ran fast and smoothly.

Thanks to its good quality audio system, the notebook gives hours of listening and viewing pleasure. The audio system of the new ZenBook series has been carefully tuned by experts from the Asus Golden Ear team and certified by audio specialists Harman Kardon to ensure the very best sound for all kinds of content.

The UX533 comes with twin speakers that are driven by a dual-channel smart amplifier, allowing the maximum volume possible.

And despite its fast performance, the UX533 is quiet as it uses an updated cooling system incorporating state-of-the-art components, including an innovative liquid-crystal-polymer fan impeller with 71 blades – an increase of 40 per cent over previous designs –housed in an advanced 3D-curved aerodynamic shroud that can move more air than before.

The laptop also has an innovative dual-fan system to keep the powerful Intel Core i7 processor and NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q GPU cool and comes with an exclusive Quiet Fan app that lets you choose more performance with a slightly higher operating noise, or quieter operation when doing tasks that are not processor- or graphics-intensive.

Another advantage is the ergonomically designed keyboard with large chiclet keys and long 1.4mm travel to make each keystroke discernible and precise for a more comfortable typing experience. Each key has a 0.2mm keycap curve, which helps to increase typing accuracy and comfort. The keys are also backlit for convenient typing in the dark.

The UX533 comes with new function (Fn) key that now acts like a toggle button. In the past, you had to hold the function button down and simultaneously press the respective F1 to F12 keys to adjust settings like screen brightness, volume or keyboard backlighting. Now, you just need to press the Fn key once, then tap the respective F1 to F12 setting you wish to change.

The new ZenBook 15 is equipped with gigabit-class Wi-Fi and ASUS Wi-Fi Master technology, so you can enjoy ultrafast downloads and smooth streaming with greater range and more stable network connections than ever before. It also uses latest Bluetooth 5.0.

Comprehensive connectivity is achieved through an SD card slot, a USB-C Gen 2 port, a full-sized USB 3.1 port and an HDMI port on the right and a full-sized USB 3.1 port and audio jack on the left.

The new ASUS ZenBook 15 (UX533) is yours for Bt45,990.

>> Operating System: Windows 10 Home

>> Processor: Intel Core i7-8565U processor

>> Display: 15.6-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) NanoEdge display; 178-degree wide-view technology, 72% NTSC: Four-sided frameless design, up to 92% S/B ratio

>> Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Max-Q, 2GB/4GB GDDR5 VRAM

>> Memory: 16GB 2400MHz DDR4 onboard

>> Storage: 512GB PCIe 3.0 SSD

>> Connectivity: Wi-Fi: Dual-band 802.11ac gigabit-class Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 5.0

>> Camera: 3D IR HD camera

>> Interface: USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type-C (display support), USB Type-A (up to 10Gbps), USB Type-A (up to 5Gbps), HDMI, SD card, Audio combo jack

>> Audio: ASUS Sonic Master stereo audio system, certified by Harman Kardon, Array microphone with Cortana and Alexa voice-recognition support

>> Review Guide ASUS ZenBook 13 /14 /15

>> Battery: 73Wh 4-cell lithium-polymer battery up to 17 hours battery life

>> Dimensions: 35.4cm x 22cm x 1.79 cm

>> Weight: 1.69kg

IN “RIVER of Life, River of Death”, Victor Mallet takes the interactions between the Ganges River and the people of India as his focal point in exploring the impact that economic growth has on the environment.

Mallet was the Financial Times’ South Asia bureau chief based in New Delhi from 2012 to 2016, and the newspaper has always kept India high on its agenda. In 2008, Mallet’s predecessor, Edward Luce, examined India’s multitude of contrasts in “In Spite of the Gods”, drawn from his five years as the New Delhi bureau chief.

Mallet, currently the Times’ Asia news editor based in Hong Kong, says in his preface that his principal aim was to tell “at least part of the almost impossibly complicated but exciting story of contemporary India”.

In Bangkok recently to introduce the book at Open House at Central Embassy, he fascinated the audience with tantalising photos from his field trips, including one of the source of the Ganges in a Himalayan glacier. Other images showed the ashrams of Bhujbas and a 19th-century painting of a gharial, the fish-eating crocodile.

This book arrives coinciding with news reports about the degradation of the Ganges, even in the face of India’s ascent in global importance. A 2015 News Week report was headlined “The Ganges is dying under the weight of modern India”. Reuters kicked off 2019 with a lavishly illustrated investigative report titled “The race to save the Ganges”. Both pointed to grim prospects.

Victor Mallet was at Open House in Bangkok recently to talk about his book. 

Mallet approaches the subject with an abiding love for the Ganges and the other great rivers of the world. He takes us on a long journey to explore India’s holiest waterway, the religious festivals associated with it and people who depend on it for their livelihoods. As well as its glacial source, we travel to Haridwar, Varanasi, Allahabad and the vast delta where it empties into the ocean.

Mallet should have had a film crew |tagging along. A documentary about his trip to Pinahat, for instance, would surely be great with its population of gharials thriving in the Chambal River, a tributary of the Yamuna, in turn the second-largest tributary of the Ganges.

Assiduously researched, incisively written and carefully argued, “River of Life” reveals how the Ganges has been relentlessly subjected to abuse. These days it looks more like an open sewer, far worse than Bangkok’s San Saeb Canal.

The pollution is a peculiar combination of the effluents of Kanpur, the sewage of Varanasi and the garbage of Patna and Kolkata. Yes, that Varanasi, which lies at the heart of India’s Hindu identity and where many tourists get the best view of the city from a boat on the Ganges.

Some stretches of the Ganges are heavily contaminated with mercury, arsenic, lead and cadmium. An environmental campaigner has described the section in Kanpur as “a toxic cocktail of chemicals”. In Haridwar it was so toxic that in 1984 it burst into flames.

The upper Ganges also remains unsafe, insists Mallet, despite foreign visitors’ |contrary assumptions.

Mallet names the tanneries along the river’s banks in Kanpur and “venal industrialists” as the chief culprits (India is the world’s largest exporter of leather). But ordinary citizens share the blame too.

Hindus including priests in their temples and non-Hindus alike dump just about everything into the river, from plastic bags of garbage and untreated sewage to animal carcasses and partially cremated human bodies.

It’s a terrible shame given that the Ganges is by far the holiest of rivers in Hinduism and that most foreigners who have been to Varanasi, myself included, love all that it represents.

Why the Ganges could be so carelessly abused might have to do with Hindu thinking. They are reluctant to believe that its holy waters can be sullied. It’s postulated that the Ganges descended to earth from the sweat of Vishnu’s toe when he became overexcited watching a young woman dance. In another legend it came rushing from a sacred cow’s mouth. But everyone agrees it is the personification of the goddess Ganga, or Ma Ganga (Mother Ganga).

We are told the government is resolute in its attempt to ameliorate the situation. Prime Minister Narendra Modi has inserted “Ganga Rejuvenation” into the name of the ministry in charge. But, as Mallet acknowledges, India’s environmental laws are lax and inspectors can be bought off for a few thousand rupees.

Nursing the Ganges back to health will be a long slog even if undertaken in earnest, yet, citing the recovery of the Thames, the Rhine and the Chicago rivers, the author appears to be hopeful.

The book is a rich store of anecdotes. The quotations and opinions assembled from a cornucopia of contemporary and historical sources require six pages of bibliography and dozens of pages of notes.

The reader comes face to face with a range of colourful, not-well-known characters like the Aghoris (numbering 1,500 in all of India). They are the extreme sadhus in the fast lane to moksha (liberation) by virtue of their embrace of the “dark path”. Some of them eat the flesh of human corpses while others eat excrement.

Mallet also met one of the few female sadhus – sadhivis – who’d left her daughters behind to pursue her religious goal. But Mallet doesn’t pander to stereotypes.

I found the chapter “Foreigners on the Ganges” particularly engaging. Mallet writes of legendary travellers like Xuanzang, the most renowned of the Chinese pilgrims who went to India during the fifth and seventh centuries, of astronomer Abu Rihan Al-Biruni, who visited from central Asia 400 years later, and of the Moroccan-born Ibn Battuta, who stayed for 14 years.

Battuta recorded in the 14th century that the Sultan of Delhi ordered Ganges water to quench the royal thirst from a locale 40 days distant. Centuries later the emperor Akbar called the same liquid “the water of immortality”.

Xuanzang’s descriptions of the Ganges are likely to stir nostalgia for the idealised rustic Indian landscape, now all but vanished.

“The water is dark blue in colour with great waves rising in it … The water is sweet and fine grains of sand come down with the current … One’s accumulated sins can be expiated by taking a bath in it.”

This book is a thought-provoking read that tries to raise the alarm: the Ganges is dying. Whether Indians want this to happen or not is entirely up to them and their government.

>> River of Life, River of Death by Victor Mallet

>> Published by Oxford University Press, 2018

>> Avialable at Open House and other bookshops, Bt790

A NEW ADDITION to Singapore’s hip lifestyle area Dempsey Hill is Siri House – a venue that houses an art gallery, a restaurant, a retail shop as well as a sales gallery of Thai real estate developer Sansiri.

Opened in January, the 279-square-metre lifestyle and dining destination is Sansiri’s first such venue and is designed to position the brand as a lifestyle leader rather than just a property developer. The flagship Siri House is slated to open in Bangkok’s Soi Somkid next month.

 Siri House on Singapore’s Dempsey Hill is a new lifestyle, social and dining space run by Thai property developer Sansiri.

“Singapore is our third biggest market after China and Hong Kong,” says Sansiri’s chief creative officer Ou Baholyodhin. “Instead of a pop-up sales gallery, we want a settled space to raise awareness of our brand and provide a full lifestyle experience to inspire, dine, shop and play.”

The 48-seat restaurant Jam at Siri House offers modern Asian cuisine with an eclectic mix of flavours and influences under the direction of former Lolla head chef and current co-owner of Park Bench Deli, Ming Tan and his long-time friend Jeremy Cheok of New Ubin Seafood and Garang Grill.

The restaurant offers both indoor and alfresco seating. Diners can opt for a coveted seat at the bar and catch a glimpse of the dishes being prepared and plated in the restaurant’s open kitchen. The interior boasts touches of Art Deco and intricate Asian accents. The material palette is blending rich Italian velvets, deco jacquard motifs, Chinoiserie and fauvist-inspired floral prints on custom furniture.

Illuminated by vintage chandeliers, the space is flanked by dark lacquered walls and de Gournay hand-painted wallpaper, while luxurious hand-woven silks from Jim Thompson Fabrics grace the ceilings.

Artists Rirkrit Tiravanija, left, and Tobias Rehberger hosted their two-day, pop up dinners at the restaurant Jam at Siri House as part of the art programmes at Singapore Art Week.

Last month, as part of Singapore Art Week, Jam at Siri House played host to the two days of pop-up dinners dubbed “Artist Cooks” by internationally acclaimed Thai artist Rirkrit Tiravanija and his German artist friend Tobias Rehberger.

Rirkrit is known for challenging the conventional notion of art spaces by cooking dishes like pad thai and green curry. He and Tobias combined their home kitchens and married what they like to eat for the five-course dinner that reflected the multicultural diversity for which Singapore is known.

“If the food is good, it’s food. If it’s not, it’s sculpture,” said Rirkrit who donned a white lab coat the back of which was embroidered with the message “the odious smell of truth”.

Unconventional dishes like tom yum soup with lamb brain balls, bun with blood and heart sausage, potato noodle with poppy seed, fish sauce ice cream, and a miang kam vodka cocktail were presented.

The debut show of the gallery is installation art by Gongkan.

Siri House’s compact gallery debuted with the installation art piece “Another Dimension” by emerging Thai artist Kantapon Metheekul, aka Gongkan, which remains on show until March 31. A former art director and illustrator, Gongkan is best known for his “Teleport” series, which features boy and girl characters climbing out of dark holes as if to escape their confines and find freedom in their own personal teleport. His work explores themes of freedom and inequality in race, sexuality and human rights and draws on his personal experiences of racism while living in New York.

In “Another Dimension”, his sculptures of boy and girl heads and hands can be seen emerging from mirror holes set across the floor and the wall. When they look at them, viewers can see their reflections as they ponder their own positions in this fast-changing world.

 A selection of products by Thai designers is for sale.

The retail shop offers a selection of curated products from Thai designers ranging from lifestyle home decor items, accessories, souvenir knick-knacks, and casual- and lounge-wear.

The Only Market – a quirky, cross-culture Thai souvenir brand that reimagines classic Thai souvenirs and knick-knacks with a twist – has launched a range of Siri House Singapore-exclusive pieces. Soda – one of Thailand’s famed ready-to-wear brands known for its rock-bohemian-chic aesthetic – has also released an exclusive loungewear capsule collection.

Other brands include Thingg – a homeware brand that fuses traditional Thai craftsmanship with contemporary flair, Sur – one-of-a-kind sculptures that masquerade as lifestyle accessories for the home, Mirror Mirror – a contemporary jewellery brand that offers familiar foods as witty jewellery statements, and the Archivist – a collective of creative printmakers and art publishers. Siri House has also commissioned a collective of Chiang Mai artisans to produce a selection of traditional craft goods and ceramics.

The products are showcased in deconstructed and reassembled old wooden cabinets.

These products are showcased in wooden cabinets designed by Bangkok-based duo Jirawat and Tijn. Using nondescript cabinets sourced from antique markets in Bangkok, the cabinets are deconstructed and reassembled, given new life and a modern edge through the use of acrylic cobalt slices and disjointed fragments.

The showroom is the work of interior designer Vichada Sitakalin and boasts eclectic styling with bold graphic patterns in a striking colour palette. It’s furnished with luxury interior textiles and wall coverings by Jim Thompson Fabrics. Sansiri’s property development projects will be on show here and change every six to eight months.

EATS AND MORE

Jam at Siri House at Dempsey Hill of Singapore is open Tuesday to Sunday for lunch, 11.30am to 2.30pm, and for dinner, 6 to 10pm.

Sansiri Showroom is open Monday to Friday, from 10am to 6pm.

Visit http://www.SiriHouse.com.

GET RID of jerky shots and shoot action videos like a pro with the Hero7 Black, the new camera from GoPro that features HyperSmooth technology, an in-camera gimbal-like video stabilisation tool that allows it to capture professional-looking sequences without the expense or hassle of a motorised gimbal. And HyperSmooth works underwater and in high-shock and wind situations where gimbals fail.

So if you like to film while on the slides or other rides at the water parks, you’ll no longer have to worry about getting the camera wet as the Hero7 Black is waterproof down to 30 metres.

According to GoPro, the new action camera can shoot good-quality 12-megapixel stills and record shake-free video clips of up to 4K or 3840×2160 pixels at a rate of 60 frames per second and 1920×1080 pixels at the rate of 240fps.

The Hero7 Black also supports 8x slow-motion mode, allowing you to capture fast actions to play back in slow-motion.

With Hero7Black, GoPro is also introducing a radical new form of video called TimeWarp. This applies a high-speed, “magic-carpet-ride” effect to your videos, and transforms longer experiences into short, flowing videos that are compelling to watch and easy to share.

The TimeWarp Video is one of four Time Lapse capture modes. The three other modes are Time Lapse Video, Time Lapse Photo, and Night Lapse Photo.

With TimeWarp video, Hero7 Black lets you speed up time by capturing super stabilised time lapse video while you’re on the move making it perfect for mountain bike runs, hikes, and more. The default settings are 1440p video with a 4:3 aspect ratio and wide field of view at 10x speed.

And the Time Lapse Video lets you turn long events into short shareable videos. This mode is good for sunsets, street scenes, and more when your camera is still. The default settings are 1440p video with a 4:3 aspect ratio, wide field of view, and 0.5-second intervals.

The Time Lapse Photo lets you focus on your activity instead of on your camera. It takes a continuous series of photos that you can look through to find the best shots later. The default settings are 0.5-second intervals with a wide field of view. The Night Lapse Photo meanwhile is tailor-made for capturing a series of photos in dark environments. The shutter stays open longer to let in more light. The default shutter speed and interval are set to Auto with the field of view set to wide.

Using the Time Lapse photo capture mode allows you to select the field of view between wide and linear.

The photo function also comes with SuperPhoto mode that automatically uses advanced image processing to give you the best shots in any lighting though it usually takes longer to process each shot. SuperPhoto is off by default. Select Auto to turn it on.

Moreover, you can capture photos in “raw” mode for processing off-camera on your computer for professional quality.

The Hero7 Black is easy to operate with minimum button control design and touch screen operations.

There are two control buttons: a shutter button on the top and a power/mode button on the right side. You use the power/mode button to switch between the video, photo and Time Lapse modes.

The touch screen makes it easy to operate the camera. Just tap to select an item and again to turn a setting on and off.

You can swipe left or right to switch between video, photo and Time Lapse modes. You swipe down from the edge of the screen to open the dashboard when Hero7 Black is in a landscape orientation and wipe up from the edge on of screen to see your videos and photos in the media gallery. You can also press and hold on the viewfinder to turn on and adjust exposure control.

To share clips and photos from Hero7 Black to your social network, you first need to install GoPro app to your smartphone. The app will connect your smartphone to the camera using a Wi-Fi connection then use the 4G connection of your phone to upload video clips or photos to Facebook or other social network sites.

With the app, you can also broadcast live video from the camera to your Facebook Live and YouTube.

Another nice feature of |Hero7 Black is that it comes with a Voice Control function that gives you easy hands-free control of the camera.

For example, you say “GoPro Video mode” to switch the camera to video mode but it holds off from starting to record until you instruct it with the “GoPro capture” command in the mode you have selected. To stop recording whether in Video or Time Lapse modes, say “GoPro Stop Capture”. The Hero7 Black also has built-in GPS for recording the locations of the photos and videos being shot.

During the test, I used a provided stick to hold the camera and then proceeding to walk very fast while holding it. The in-camera stabilisation worked effectively and the video clips were smooth and not shaky. And even when I walked against the backlighting, the video captured clips were mostly sharp and clear.

GoPro Hero7 Black has a suggested retail price of Bt14,500.

>> Photo: 12MP

>> Video: 4K60

>> Waterproof: 10m

>> Display: 2-inch |touch screen |(with touch zoom)

>> Video stabilisation: HyperSmooth

>> Video file format: MP4 (H.264/AVC), MP4 (H.265/HEVC)

>> Max video bit rate: |78 Mb/s (4K)

>> Slo-Mo: 8x

>> Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

>> Ports: HDMI, USB-C,

>> Battery: Removable 1,220mAh Lithium-ion rechargeable

>> Dimensions: 62.3 |W x 44.9 H x 33 D (mm)

n Weight: 116g

It may not be as prestigious as a listing in the Michelin Guide but an award from the inaugural The World’s Best Street Food: Bangkok 2019 will undoubtedly boost business for the lucky recipients.

The awards, which will be handed out in an event at CentralWorld’s outdoor plaza this Saturday and Sunday is the brainchild of the Tourism Authority of Thailand and WP Energy and seeks to recognise the best nosh found on the city’s street.

Chefs Gigg and Ton will battle it out over a hot stove during the award presentation event.

Chomkamol Phumpanmuang, vice president of WP Energy and the organiser, tells The Nation that this project was born out of a belief in the importance of developing the quality of life and helping owners of street food stalls earn a decent living while also stimulating food tourism in Thailand.

“We will be awarding street food restaurants that offer a unique taste and are truly popular among Thais. Apart from improving the living of those who man the stalls, the aim is to attract more tourists and increase the demand for street food among tourists,” he says.

Chefs Gigg and Ton will battle it out over a hot stove during the award presentation event.

During the award presentation ceremony, people will enjoy the best street food of Thailand in rice, noodle and dessert categories selected by a world-class committee. The following restaurants have among those named the best in their categories; Kamoo Charoensang, Kao Kang Prik Yuak, Jae Yee Chicken Rice, Simorakot Pork Rice, Nai Bai Thai Fresh Spring Rolls, Pad Thai Fai Ta Lu, Moo Satay Sawang, Pakaewkaikob, Nai Mhon Oysters Fried, Sam Yan Congee, Ha Yaek Chicken Rice, Sawang Red Pork Noodle, Maverick Suki, Moo Ping Hea Owen, Ama Chives Dumpling, Patonggo Savoey, A-Jai Fried Noodle in Soy Sauce, and Cheng Sim Ei Shaved Ice.

Pei Panward

Kittidej Wimolrat, director of Peunkin Company and a well-known gourmet, adds: “Four main groups of voters decided on who should be awarded – Thai and foreign famous chefs, restaurateurs, food critics and celebrities who love street food such as Chantavit “Ter” Thanasewee and Panward “Pei” Bunyaratkalin.

The street food is further divided into 5 categories: rice based such as chicken rice and barbecue pork rice, noodlebased such as Thai Boat Noodle and Pad Thai, satay, and desserts like mango sticky rice and bualoy. There will also be a miscellaneous category.

Ter Chantavit

The event will feature a battle between chef Ton from Le Du, a Michelinstar chef and chef Gigg from Lerdtip Restaurant, as well as a concert by artists signed with Singha Corporation, a sale of kitchen products by Seagull, and a special promotion from Line Man.

Street food lovers can vote for their favourite street food for the chance to win a coupon valued at Bt500 for food at the event. Fifty coupons will be given out each day. You can vote at http://www.WorldsBestStreetFood.com.

Architect ’19 – Southeast Asia’s biggest architecture exposition of its kind – will fill the 60,000-square-metre Challenger Hall 13 at the Impact complex from April 30 to May 5, showcasing products, plans and services for erecting and improving buildings and interiors and shaping landscapes.

Ajaphol Dusitnanond, president of the Association of Siamese Architects under royal patronage (ASA), says his group has been hosting the annual expo since 1986.

“The purpose is to be a stage on which potential and progress in the field can be displayed to the public. It also aims to create awareness about architectural practitioners’ social roles and responsibilities. Last year we had more than 400,000 visitors.”

He’s expecting to see 25 per cent more visitors this time, topping the half-million mark.

The concept changes every year to reflect shifts in global concerns. This year it’s “Living Green” with an endorsement of eco-friendly architectural design and sustainable living.

Ajaphol Dusitnanond, Dr Acharawan Chutarat and Sakchai Pattarapreechakul

“Irregular, extreme weather resulting from global warming has an adverse impact on the economy, society and quality of our lives,” says Dr Acharawan Chutarat, who chairs the Architect ’19 committee. “It’s one of our most pressing issues and requires experts, especially those whose work directly affects the environment like architects, to urgently find a solution – whether in design, materials or methods.

“Architect ’19 Living Green examines the idea of sustainability in architecture and design through thought-provoking exhibitions and activities,” he says. “It considers aspects such as the use of innovative and environmentally friendly materials and the combination of local wisdom and modern technology to hopefully find a solution suited to the current situation.

“The expo will offer a ‘green experience’ based on the idea of sustainability. Visitors can see eco-friendly materials and energy-efficient lighting in actual use, and see how we reduced the amount of paper used and more effectively manage the waste we produce.”

Dr Singh Intrachooto, Nopphon Pisutanon and Supawut Boonmahathanakorn talk about the “Living Green” concept.

Architect ’19 will have one area for exhibits – more than 850 brands will be represented – and activities such as a “Green Building Showcase”, “Wisdom from 3 Regions in the Modern World”, “Go Zero Waste” and “Innovative Green Products”.

Visitors can enter the ASA International Design Competition 2019 for a chance to win Bt280,000. The topic this year is “Uncanny Sustainability”.

They can also take part in workshops, enjoy live entertainment and discuss their homes’ structural or design problems with experts at the ASA Clinic (Mobaan ASA).

ASA Forum 2019, an international architecture conference, will feature speakers including Nico Kienzl of New York’s Atelier Ten, an expert in highrise technology, and representatives of Foster + Partners, Eco Architect, and S/T/U/do.

Supporting Architect ’19 are the Thai Health Promotion Foundation, National Innovation Agency, Australian Embassy, Thai Green Building Institute and several private partners.

Sakchai Pattarapreechakul, president of NCC Exhibition Organiser (NEO), which is handling much of the event’s arrangements, says 80 per cent of the hall’s 60,000sqm has been booked, accounting for 850 companies, both domestic exhibitors and those from as far away as the US, Germany and Australia.

Other participants will come from nearer South Korea, Taiwan, Singapore and Hong Kong, as well as from neighbouring Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam, whose trade NEO targets.

Brands to be displayed include Jarakae, L&E (Lighting and Equipment), Modernform, Hafale, Canon, Mitsubishi Electric, Bosch, 3M and Modern Glass.

A second crucial aspect to the exposition is facilitating exhibitors in their efforts to expand into Southeast Asia or, in the case of Thais and their neighbours, to export their goods and services to other regions. Several services have been prepared for B2B business-pairing and overseas buyers and associations have been invited to a networking event.

“The reputation and success of the Architecture Expo for more than three decades, together with NEO’s long-standing expertise in organising exhibitions domestically and internationally, instils confidence in brands around the world,” says Sakchai.

Preregister at http://www.ASA.or.th/architectexpo or the “ASAArchitectExposition” page on Facebook.

Find out more about the design contest at http://www.ASACompetition.com.

Siam Paragon’s month-long “Diamond on Love” sale sees all 23 of the jewellery boutiques in the Bangkok mall showing off their latest collections and making some great offers for value.

Throughout February, the shops will be focusing on distinctive jewellery that will appeal to four different types of female characters, and there are plenty of options for mixing and matching depending on the occasion.

Gems Pavilion has created a distinguished design inspired by its logo, while DerMond presents its Absolute Deco collection with a charming geometric line and pattern inspired by Art Deco.

Karat’s gorgeous rings in both gold and silver rose truly symbolise love. Blue River’s “Eternity Collection” of necklaces, earrings and rings pursues the theme of everlasting love with motifs evoking bouquets of flowers.

Premiera presents modish Italian gold and diamond bangles adorned with fine rubies and sapphires, while Prima Gems has an elegant selection of classy necklaces, earrings and rings.

Under the concept “Colours of Love”, ST Diamond Design utilises precious gemstones to mirror the wearer’s distinctive taste and style. P&P Jewelry offers flower earrings with glittering roundcut dewdrop diamonds.

Also participating in the campaign are Bijoux de Louis, Charms, Le Beau, Mikimoto, Nara, Pannarai Jewelers, Rajadamri Jewelry, Scintialla, Sette, Siam Tiara, Sirinapa Diamond, Sirus Tanya, Tang’s by Chualee, Trez Jewelry and Xavier.

Thanasit “Ton” Jaturaput, Sattaphong “Tao” Phiangphor, Nontanun “Kacha” Anchuleepradit, Jeerawan “Praew” Sonsaarddee, Napruksapa “Tide” Ployngam, Watcharakan “Frame” Buaban, Supawit “James” Boonkasem, Jeerapat “Joy” Chongkolsongkroh, Praeisara “Praewa” Pookawanatch, Duangporn “Lin” Yaemmontha, Nannapat “Ant” Chucherdkiratiwat and Thanida “Dew” Chaiyakitti will share the stage.

Tickets cost Bt2,000 to Bt3,500 at Event Pop.

RoV battle is underway

TrueMove is live-streaming Season 3 of esports competition “RoV Pro League” until April 7 on Nimo TV. Thailand’s top professional teams are competing for prizes collectively worth more than Bt10 million, including AHQ Esports Club, Bazaar Gaming, Buriram United, EVOS.Debut, Mega Ignition and the Workpoint Fighting Fish.

Every Monday through Wednesday from 6pm, viewers have the chance to win gifts such as RoV permanent skins, topup cards, diamonds and cash. Watch it all happen at http://www.Nimo.tv/rov.

The magic of Manuel

The exhibition “Manuel Lutgenhorst: Behind the Scenes”, continuing at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre until Sunday, celebrates the multitalented German stage designer and theatrical consultant.

The show covers the entire scope of Lutgenhorst’s work through films and plays, concerts and discussions.

When tech gets noir

The next edition of TechNoir, a monthly event organised by 52Hz and focusing on underground techno music, is set for Glow on Sukhumvit Soi 23 on February 7.

Guests Ritzi Lee (pictured) and Ziv Avriel will join 52Hz founder the Outsider. Admission is Bt300 at the door, or you can book in advance at (086) 614 3355.

Choenyim’s got chuckles

Comedy troupe Choenyim will celebrate its 39th anniversary with a string of variety shows at Central Plaza Westgate from March 1 to 3. Joining founders Ped and Note Choenyim will be Der Doksadao, Jatuphol Chompunich, Ekachai Srivichai, Arpaporn NakhonSawan and retro bands Puean and Fruity.

Seats cost Bt1,000 to Bt3,500 at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3456.

A truly exotic taste of India comes to Bangkok this weekend as CentralWorld plays host to the firstever “Northeast Festival of India” on Saturday and Sunday.

Visitors can also enjoy a performance of the traditional Naga dance.

The Northeast region of India is made up of seven exotic and culturally rich states, namely Assam, Arunachal Pradesh, Manipur, Mizoram, Meghalaya, Nagaland and Tripura and some of the tribes that live in the area speak the Tai language, a close relation to Thai, as Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn was delighted to discover when she visited this region some years back.

A troupe performs the Bihu dance.

These Northeastern states which have close geographical proximity to Thailand, have become a gateway to Southeast Asia, and are today at the forefront of India’s ‘Act East’ policy.

“I am delighted that the first-ever Northeast India Festival outside of India is coming to Bangkok,” says the newly arrived Indian Ambassador to Thailand, Suchitra Durai.

The Featherheads are among the bands playing at the festival.

“The region has much to offer – breathtaking landscapes, topclass human resources and a rich and diverse cultural heritage. We invite Thais to savour this distinct region of Incredible India.”

In order to introduce the riches of this region to the Land of Smiles, the Embassy of India, in collaboration with various partners has organised a mega festival covering a large and exciting range of activities.

They include seminars and discussions on bilateral trade and investment, education, tourism, with important participants from both countries, among them academics, historians, entrepreneurs, tour operators, and high-level officials from the Government of India, the State Governments of Northeast India, and the Thai Government.

Vocalist Zubeen Garg

These meetings will be held at the Lotus Suite, Centara Grand Hotel, on both Saturday and Sunday mornings.

The afternoons, meanwhile, will be filled with exhibitions, and a range of music and dance performances in the mall’s zones A and B.

The seven states, often referred to as the “Seven Sisters”, have a rich and varied range of folk traditions, and these will be in full display through colourful and charismatic folk-dance forms, like the Naga, Manipuri, Bodo, Bihu, Bagrumba, Assamese and other dances.

Rahul Rajkhowa

What makes the Northeast region unique is the diverse range of communities and religions, which have spawned a wide range of music genres including pop, rock and rap. Fans will get to hear concerts by top rock bands The Chronicles and The Featherheads at the festival as well as performances by singers like Rahul Rajkhowa and Zubeen Garg, and a set by DJ Teri Miko.

Fashion too gets a look in with shows by well-known designers Atsu Sekhose and Arita Kashyap among others.

Shoppers can enjoy an exhibition and sale of rich and varied textiles, arts and crafts including handlooms, cane and bamboo as well as fresh fruits, organic vegetables and Assam’s famed teas

Last, but very far from least, is the food. The festival offers a rare chance to taste the varied and vibrant cuisines of these seven Northeast Indian states, which will be available on both evenings at Central World.

Admission to all events is free. Find out more at http://NortheastFestival.com/#schedule or Facebook.com/IndianEmbassyThailand/