What is urinary incontinence?

In short, it’s leaking urine because of loss of bladder control and mainly affects women after childbirth and menopause.

But it can happen to anyone. Laughing, exercising, sneezing or coughing can lead to an embarrassing leak. Women with this condition have weak pelvic muscles and collagen break down as well.

The current treatment, which is both quick and easy, involves using non–ablative radiofrequency (RF) device to shrink and stimulate collagen production both in the vaginal wall and the external vaginal tissues to combat “laxity”. The device delivers RF temperature controlled waves to the target area and while there might be a feeling of warmth during the 30-minute treatment, most patients find the experience comfortable and painless.

The RF device can comfortably warm vaginal tissues and increase the temperature to 40–45 degrees Celsius and cause tissue contraction that is felt right after the first treatment, with significant tightening in the vaginal tissues continuing to improve over the next three months. With the tightening of vaginal tissues, a dermatologist can target the tightening effects to the area of the urethra called the pubocervical fascia. This results in the reduction of accidental leaks.

According to a clinical study undertaken by Californian urogynecologist Dr Red Alinsod, all patients reported improvement. Before treatment, these patients would need to use between one and five pads each day. After treatment, most patients no longer required pads and the leakage was gone.

Nowadays, no woman should have to suffer urinary incontinence. The above treatment is convenient with no downtime. A disadvantage of this non-invasive treatment is that qualified professionals are required to perform the procedure. Another issue is some patients may need a series of three treatments. However, the number of treatments depends on level of laxity in each individual.

THANISORN THAMLIKITKUL MD is a member of the American Society of Cosmetic Dermatology and Aesthetic Surgery and certified in dermatological laser surgery. |Send your questions for her to info@romrawin.com.

Thai silk has become known the world over in recent years, yet despite all the development that has gone into making the traditional hand-woven textile a visual standout, its use in contemporary ready-to-wear outfits has largely been avoided, not least because of a perception that this delicate fabric is best worn only by the mature and the rich.

That could be about to change thanks to the work of four leading designers – Prapakas Angsusing of Hook’s by Prapakas, Ek Thongprasert, Platt Pladhi, and Theera Chantasawat – who recently showcased a range of interesting outfits in the “Thai Textile for Contemporary Ready-to-Wear” event at Siam Paragon.

The collections, comprising a total of 86 looks which using fabric woven by communities under the Roi Kaen Sarasin, Nakhon Chaiburin and the Royal Peacock brands, made their debut in May in the Spanish city of Valencia where they received rapturous applause.

Platt Pladhi incorporates gorgeous printed silk from Pak Thong Chai district in Nakhon Ratchasima in his designs.

And while the advice for handling Thai silk as gently as possible is as valid as ever the ways in which it can be worn are evolving. “Thai textiles must develop just as fashion constantly changes,” says Platt, who has travelled extensively throughout rural areas to observe the process of textile making as well as to share his knowledge with local weavers and work with them.

“Thai silk is our heritage. It belongs to all of us and should exist in and be part of our everyday lives,” he says of a collection that boasts not just refined cutting and elegant draping but a riot of colours that one would imagine would appear to clash yet manage to look harmoniously outstanding.

“For this collection, I’ve draw upon the colourful prints of silk awarded the Peacock Emblem that is produced in Nakhon Ratchasima’s Pak Thong Chai district. The textiles reflect the contemporary lifestyle through the patterns and structures that are the unique features of my Realistic Situation brand,” he explains.

“My advice is to wear ‘print on print’ and never be afraid of the result. Dressing up should be fun and the colours cry out for mixing and matching.”

Ek Thongprasert regards the uniqueness of the patterns and colours in Thai textiles as their essence and says he regrets that they have yet to blend in with contemporary Thai society.

“The traditional Thai way of passing on knowledge and know-how somehow creates a thick wall that prevents innovations in terms of design,” he laments.

“However, over the past couple of years I have seen the new generation of local weavers going back home to continue the family business as well as the introduction of many government projects aimed at supporting collaboration between designers and local weavers. These factors have led to a swift and impactful development in the industry, allowing a re-introduction of local Thai textiles into the wardrobes of the people of today.”

Ek Thongprasert collection uses the latest “jean silk” innovation from the Thong Saren Silk Group.

His collection is inspired by the way in which contemporary culture is gradually replacing local traditions and he regards the introduction of Thai textiles in contemporary forms as a conversation between rural and urban customs. Using fabrics from the Nakhon Chai Burin group, he mixes and matches various patterns such as a new kind of denim silk produced by Gold Silk Saren, the pa sin teen daeng produced in Buri Ram province as well as the well-known mudmee silk, showing them off through contemporary sportswear.

Thai kick boxing or muay thai is the main theme of this Thailand 4.0 collection that boasts catchy Isaan greetings both screened and embroidered including “Pen-jang-dai” or “Sam-bai-dee-bor” (“how are you?”). The names of the province are incorporated in the designs and Ek adds, “I’ve also included the logo of Burirum United football club, as it’s part of our modern culture that youngsters can easily relate to.”

Theera too has risen to the challenge of revamping and reviving Thai textiles so they become more contemporary and relevant. His first task, he explains, was to change the preconception that Thai textiles are outdated and unfashionable while encouraging local producers to think more globally and to understand the fashion and lifestyle industry.

Last year, his brand T-Ra, with the support from the Ministry of Culture, worked closely with groups of local weavers to create a collection of new and contemporary products that went on to win rave reviews and caught the attention of the popular press.

His designs rely on simplicity, showcasing the draping techniques for which T-Ra is known and boasting hand-woven and naturally dyed fabrics from the Jutatip community in Khon Kaen province.

The fashion show ended with the flowing creations of Prapakas, who has always used Thai silk in the gowns sold under his Hook’s by Prapakas brand. Like his three peers, he feels all Thai designers should be honour-bound to make Thai silk relevant again. “We should try to see Thai silk as one type of fabric and material that has got its own characteristics like all other fabrics from all other countries and work from there, setting aside our biases as well as preconceptions that prevent so many of us from working with Thai silk and wearing Thai silk,” he says.

He also hopes to be able to impart the knowledge regarding colours, colour-pairings, and an understanding of trends to the local weavers so that they are able to design and produce textiles that answer the needs of a wide spectrum of clients.

The inspiration for Prapakas’s collection comes from his recent trips to the Northeast of Thailand and he translates this into gowns made from silk producers from the Roikhaen Sarasin group in Kalasin province. With long experience from designing for stage performances, he applies his unique skills in stitching, layering, and embroidery, bringing these many different fabrics that vary in terms of texture and thickness to gowns that are both elegant and thoroughly modern.

Muay Thai instructors teach all the basic moves – from how to properly position yourself to how to throw punches, kicks, knees and elbows using gloves and pads.

After picking up the fundamentals of good boxing form, the classes can then intensify depending on your experience and progress, giving you the opportunity to improve cardiovascular strength as well as stamina, agility and muscle strength.

It really is a full body workout that is not only fun, but also builds up your confidence while providing you with an exciting new skill at the same time!

Basic Thai boxing classes run at Lifestyles on 26, on the 26th floor of Centara Grand at CentralWorld, every Thursday from 6-6.50pm. Drop in prices are just Bt400 with no membership required.

For more information, please call (02) 100 6299.

SINCE IMPRESSIONIST artists first clapped eyes on woodblock prints, Japan has been a source of both inspiration and fascination for many in France, which Tokyo has picked for a mammoth cultural offensive.

“There were other candidates, like Moscow or Spain, but it’s the French, more than any other nation, who know Japanese culture the best,” says Korehito Masuda, director of the “Japonismes 2018” programme.

From Gagaku imperial military music to the disconcerting works of contemporary artist Kohei Nawa, the cycle of 67 exhibits and performances aims to highlight Japan’s cultural vibrancy on a scale rarely seen outside the country.

The season kicked off Thursday at La Villette exhibition complex in Paris, where the Teamlab artist collective has installed an immersive digital experience covering two square kilometres.

The Japan Expo offers a cultural showcases of manga, cosplay, and video game pop culture. /EPA-EFE 

“We wanted to show the continuity of Japanese traditions up to the current day, with the integration of traditional art and technology,” Masuda adds.

Tokyo, which has invested more than 30 million euros (Bt1.16 billion) in the project, also has a more prosaic ambition: Keeping up with a concerted push by long-time rival China to promote its artistic heritage.

Yet specialists say in France at least, Japan’s place in the popular imagination remains secure.

In a sign of the French fascination with the Land of the Rising Sun, this year’s edition of the annual Japan Expo in Paris received 250,000 visitors.

French youths, meanwhile, have long been avid manga readers and star Japanese chefs are the toast of the French gastronomic scene.

“It might have seemed that with the huge cultural investments by China that interest in Japan would suffer, but that hasn’t been the case,” says Michael Lucken, director of France’s National Institute for Eastern Languages and Civilisations.

 Performers in costume dance on stage at the Japan Expo./EPA-EFE

Underscoring the importance given to the French shows by Tokyo, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was to attend Thursday’s inauguration alongside President Emmanuel Macron, before cancelling because of the recent deadly flooding in Japan.

“There’s a love story between France and Japan” which began shortly after the two countries established diplomatic relations in 1858, says Beatrice Quette, curator of the Asian collections at the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris.

From the composer Debussy to the poet Baudelaire to painters including Van Gogh and Monet, 19th-century artists were enthralled with “Japanism” and the possibilities it offered their work.

More recently, former president Jacques Chirac was an ardent fan of Japanese art – as well as sumo wrestling – and travelled to the country dozens of times.

Japanese influence also set the standard in France for design, with Quette stressing, “It has to be both beautiful and useful”.

One highlight of the events being planned for “Japonismes 2018” is the first European concert by Hatsune Miku, the computer-generated Japanese pop star who performs as a hologram and has already filled venues in Asia and North America.

Also on deck is a retrospective of films by Naomi Kawase, the first Japanese woman to sit on a Cannes Film Festival jury and a previous winner of one of the festival’s top prizes.

Performances of classical Japanese Kabuki and No theatre are planned, as are electronic music and hip-hop concerts and exhibitions of ancient and modern creations, ranging from 11,000-year-old pottery to dresses from the cutting-edge label Anrealage.

To cap it all, the Eiffel Tower will be bathed in the red and white of the Japanese flag for two nights in September.

The parade, estimated to be some 30,000 strong, made its way through the South Korean capital with participants dancing on open truck beds decorated with slogans and waving the rainbow flag of gay rights.

In recent years extreme conservatives and evangelist Christians have held rival rallies in attempts to block the progress of the annual march and put on their own performances to try and disrupt the festivities.

Fences were set up around the Seoul Square outside the City Hall Saturday and hundreds of police were deployed to keep the revellers and protesters apart.

Hundreds of Christians, waving flags with Christian crosses printed on them and thumping on drums, chanted anti-gay slogans and sang patriotic and evangelical songs.

Public tolerance towards sexual minorities in South Korea’s tradition-bound society has been growing in step with the country’s democratic development.

Homosexuality is not illegal but fears of discrimination and social isolation still prevent many people from coming out.

“I think the public attitude toward homosexuality has become much more receptive over the past few years”, said a parade participant who identified himself as Psygay as he handed out leaflets promoting the country’s gay rights movement.

“However, hate groups’ animosity toward LGBT people has intensified all the more”, he told AFP.

When he came out three years earlier, his mother and the only brother were shocked and saddened.

“After a while, my mother said she understood me as I am her son anyhow. But my brother still urges me to change”, he said.

“My father? Oh, he still doesn’t know”, said Psygay.

HUAWEI NOVA 3e is a sleek smartphone featuring beautiful selfie camera with 24 megapixel resolution and outstanding bokeh effect.

The smartphone comes in a sleek metal frame with glass backside body on which are 11 layers of nano coating and the phone is only 7.4mm thin.

The nova 3e comes with an outstanding Huawei FullView 2.0 Display that has 2280×1080 pixels resolution in a large 5.84-inch size in 19:9 aspect ratio.

The display looks crisp and it is good for watching HD clips and viewing photos as well as playing games.

On the performance, although the nova 3e is not powered by Huawei’s flagship processor, its performance is okay. I don’t feel that it suffered from performance hiccups during the test.

It is powered by Huawei’s Kirin 659 octa-core processor with four cores running at 2.36GHz and four others at 1.7GHZ. It comes with four gigabytes of working memory or RAM and best of all, Huawei gives a generous 128GB storage for the nova 3e, which can also be expanded with a microSD by up to 256GB.

During the test, I found that apps ran fast on the nova 3e and its menus and touchscreen were responsive.

The nova 3e also supports playing High-Resolution Audio in FLAC 24bit/192kHz. I tested it on Sony MDR-1ABT Hi-Res Audio headphones and the nova 3e played the files smoothly with good details of musical sounds and powerful bass. Moreover, its equaliser setting allows you to boost the bass sounds and select 3D sound settings as well.

The nova 3e also supports LTE 4G. I tested it on TrueMove H’s LTE network and found that it had fast connection. Apps were downloaded fast and my snapshots were backed up to my Google Photos cloud storage in no time.

I used Ookla Speedtest app to measure the connection speed and found that it achieved the download speed of 65.1Mbps and upload speed of 30.7Mbps.

Again, Huawei makes uses of its good dual-camera technology and experience to allow nova 3e to capture beautiful shots with its main camera.

The nova 3e features 16 MP+2MP rear camera. The 16MP is the main camera’s resolution while the 2MP resolution is used for creating professional Bokeh effects.

Like Huawei’s other dual-camera phones, nova 3e provides Wide aperture mode that allows you adjust the aperture value to achieve the blurred background – the less aperture value, the more background blurred.

There is also Portrait mode that allows you to achieve blurred background to make the face of your subject more outstanding. But a plus for this mode is that you can apply a beautification effect to make your subject’s face look smoother and younger. There is a bokeh toggle switch in this mode for turning on and off the effect in this mode.

You can also use Moving picture mode to capture short video clips along with a still shot.

The Wide aperture, Portrait and Moving picture modes are sub-modes of the auto mode, which Huawei calls “Photo”. There are other modes that you can choose, including Pro photo, AR lens, HDR, Night sight, Panorama, Light painting and Time-lapse. These modes can be selected by slighting the viewfinder screen to the light.

The Pro photo is a mode for experienced photographers as this mode allows you to change types of lighter metering, ISO value, shutter speed, exposure compensation, focus type, and white balance.

The AR lens is fun as it allows you to superimpose fun stickers on the face of your subject while taking the shot.

The nova 3e’s front camera is outstanding as it allows you to capture your selfie shots in 24 megapixel resolution with bokeh effect and beautification effect.

Although it has one lens, Huawei manages to use software to allow you to achieve a bokeh effect for the front camera. It provides a bokeh effect toggle button when the front camera is used.

Huawei says the 24MP front camera with bright f/2.0 aperture lens works in conjunction with Nude Makeup Algorithm, including 3D Facial Mapping that uses 96 facial recognition points, to capture sharp, beautiful and naturally-looking selfie shots.

It also uses Light Fusion Portrait and Smart Screen Flash technologies to provide intelligent lighting based on colour temperature, resulting in beautiful selfie shots in even in low-light environments.

The front camera also lets you have fun using the AR lens. For the front camera, the AR lens mode provides more than fun stickers. You can select one of several backgrounds to put yourself on without having to be there. In one background, you could shoot yourself on a beach and in others you put yourself on famous landmarks around the world. The beach AR lens amazingly gives a real-life photo result while other AR lens background effects give painting-like results.

The nova 3e comes with good security functions, wit a fingerprint sensor and Face unlock technology. During the test, I found that the Face Unlock let me unlock the phone simply by picking it up to look at the screen. Huawei says the process is done in just 800 milliseconds.

The nova 3e has a good battery life. Its 3,000mAh battery can comfortably survive a day. And it also supports Huawei Fast Charge 2.0.

Hauwei nova 3e in available in Klein Blue, Midnight Black and Sakura Pink for Bt10,990.

Key Specs

Network: 4G (LTE FDD), |3G (WCDMA), 2G (GSM)

OS: Android 8.0

CPU: Huawei Kirin 659 |(4 x Cortex-A53 2.36GHz + 4 x Cortex-A53 1.7GHz)

Memory: 4GB

Storage: 128GB, expandable using microSD card by up to 256GB

Display: 5.84-inch TFT LCD (IPS) with 2280×1080 pixels, 432 PPI

Cameras: Rear dual 16MP+2MP camera with f/2.2 lens, Front 24MP with f/2.0 lens

SIM slot: Dual nano SIM, second SIM supports only |2G and shares with |microSD

Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11ac, Bluetooth 4.2

Sensors: Fingerprint sensor, Proximity sensor, Ambient light sensor, Digital compass, Gravity sensor

GPS: AGPS / GLONASS

Battery: 3000mAh

Dimensions: 148.6×71.2×7.4mm

Weight: 145g

A COMPACT 360-degree camera that lets you have fun taking and sharing 360-degree photos and videos, the Huawei EnVizion 360 VR Camera is easy to use. Even better, it doesn’t need a battery as it is designed to be plugged into the USB-C port of your Android smartphone and functions as its dual-lens 360-degree camera.

The camera has a symmetrical design with no edges or corners and extends the 360-degree shooting experience from inside to outside, offering a harmonious user experience. It’s tiny too, even smaller than a car key, allowing you to take it anywhere.

You need to install Huawei 360 Camera app to use this camera. Once the app is installed, the app will start up and become ready to shoot 360-degree photos and videos the moment you plug it in.

The camera uses its dual 13-megapixel cameras to capture 5K (5376×2688 pixel) photos and 2K (1920×960 pixels) video clips at 30 frames per second.

Each camera will take a 180-degree shot in front of it and join the two shots into one 360-degree photo.

The photos and videos can be viewed in several fun modes, including panorama, fisheye, planet, 360 panorama, snapshot and animated gift.

You take a shot by pressing the shutter button and the camera saves a file for you to open and view in the app. There are four modes for viewing the photo, namely Fisheye, Perspective, Little Planet and Crystal Ball. Each mode lets you rotate to see the photo in different fisheye perspectives.

There is also a VR mode for viewing the photo with a special VR headset that attaches to your smartphone’s display.

The Gyroscope viewing mode centres the picture around your phone and lets you spin it.

You can also use the Screenshot function to capture a part of the photo being displayed and save it as a snapshot.

Each photo or video clip captured with the Huawei 360 Camera can be easily shared to your social networks, such as Facebook, Twitter, Line and Google Photos.

When you share a 360-degree photo or 360-degree video to a network, it can be rotated to see the scene around the camera without distortion.

For example, when a photo captured with the camera is shared on your Facebook wall, it will carry a 360-degree mark and can be rotated to show the scene around the camera, including your face and the hand holding the camera. Google Photos also supports this function.

The dual cameras capture bright and clear photos thanks to bright lenses with a f/1.8 large aperture and a 185-degree wide angle.

The camera also has a 10-second timer. You can use it with a tripod and shoot more creative photos and videos.

Huawei EnVizion 360 VR Camera has a suggested retail price of Bt4,490 and is available at Huawei shops, selected dealers and through Huawei’s official online stores on Lazada and Shopee.

Key Specs

Megapixel: 13MP

Panoramic Coverage: |360 x 360

Sill Image Resolution (Max): 5376 x 2688 pixels

Panoramic Video Spec: 1920 x 960 / 30 FPS, 1280 x 640 / 30 FPS

Weight: 30g

USB: Type C

Power: Mobile OTG Power Supply

Operating System: Android 6.0 or later

Image Format: JPEG / GIF

Video Format: MP4 (MPEG-4 AVC / H.264, audio: AAC)

FOV: 185 degrees

BRITISH TECHNOLOGY firm Dyson has long believed that the best way to understand its ingenious technology is to actually see it at work, which is why its first shop in Bangkok is in fact a concept store called Dyson Demo.

Just as in other major cities around the world, Dyson Demo encourages people to test and experience its products. The vacuum cleaners, which look rather like sculptures, are displayed in a gallery-like space designed by Chris Wilkinson, the founder of architectural design firm WilkinsonEyre. In 1999, the original concept space masterminded by Wilkinson opened in Paris, based on the principle that people need to understand how a machine works to realise how it is better.

The gallery-like Dyson Demo store at Siam Paragon offers an interactive, hands-on experience.

Since then, Dyson has opened flagship demo spaces in Tokyo, London, Milan, San Francisco and New York and all of them are staffed by technicians happy to explain the complex engineering systems and innovations as well as enlarge on the technical information communicated via video walls.

“It is critical for people to be able to test and experience our technology, so they can understand how it works,” Jim Roovers, head of electronics in Southeast Asia tells The Nation.

“This space is designed with that in mind. For instance, customers can pick up our famous V8TM cord-free vacuums, pull them apart, and thoroughly test them on our test tracks with various dust samples. Thanks to the Dyson digital motor V8, which spins at up to 110,000rpm, these cord-free vacuums provide powerful fade-free suction and weigh just 2.6kg. Visitors to the Dyson Demo at Siam Paragon are able to try the machine on three different floor surfaces, with different varieties of dust and debris. They can see the digital motor up-close and speak to Dyson experts about which technologies are most suitable for their home.”

Dyson’s latest Pure Cool Purifying Fans

Other key technologies on display include Dyson’s latest Pure Cool Purifying Fans, which serve as a reminder that indoor pollution might not be seen but it certainly exists. The new LCD displays report pollutants in the home in real time, and then reacts automatically using a unique Dyson algorithm. The purifying fans feature a 360 degree fully-sealed filter system combining an activated carbon filter to remove gases, and a glass high efficiency particulate air (Hepa) filter that captures 99.95 percent of microscopic allergens and pollutants as small as 0.1 microns.

Also available is powerful lighting courtesy of an overhead lamp with a chic contemporary design. The heat pipe technology cools the LED to sustain brightness and ensure the long-lasting illumination is suitable for all tasks of the day.

 Dyson Supersonic hair dryer

My favourite though is the Dyson Supersonic Hairdryer. A small salon is set aside to introduce hair science to customers courtesy of Dyson’s small and powerful digital motor and two styling stations to allow people to test and experience the Dyson Supersonic first-hand.

The expert explains how the product works, the technology inside, which is fast, focused and intelligent, and the result of a 50 million Pounds (Bt2.2 billion) investment in the science of hair. Dyson engineers studied hair from root to tip, understanding how it reacts to stresses. Complimentary in-store styling appointments can even be booked through the Dyson Thailand website.

“We are in the business of making technology that works in fundamentally differently ways. It is best understood when experienced and explained in the brand’s environment by its experts. With the new space in Siam Paragon, we are bringing engineering to life for the people in Thailand,” says chief operating officer Jim Rowan.

TEARS WERE shed when the iconic Prince Rama cinema in Bangkok’s Bang Rak district closed down in 2010 and today they are being shed again – this time with joy – as the Prince bounces back to life, this time as a brand-new contemporary hostel called Prince Theatre Heritage Stay.

Tucked away in an alley off Charoen Krung Road, the original structure remains the same, though it has been reinforced to ensure safety, while a new layout provides modern facilities and common spaces for urban living.

The brand-new, cinema-themed Prince Theatre Heritage Stay hotel evokes memories of the good old days. 

Part of Thailand’s Treasury Department’s conservation and development project to promote age-old communities as heritage tourist attractions, the makeover of the old cinema is down to Montara Hospitality Group and its subsidiary Heritage Stay, which spent Bt60 million transforming the historic building into a chic cinema-themed hotel that really works.

“My family started in the hospitality business by opening the luxury Trisara Phuket Villa & Residences. We have now broadened our portfolio to include a luxury boutique hotel and hostel. In 2016, we refurbished and restored an old Lanna wooden house in Lampang to serve as an art centre operated by the Niyom Pattamasaevi Foundation. It was a success and we want to continue our architectural conservation project in Bangkok,” says Kittisak Pattamasaevi, chief commercial officer of Montara Hospitality Group, which also owns the Phraya Palazzo boutique hotel next to the Chao Phraya river.

The Cinema Social Scenes offers daily screenings of classic blockbusters, starting at 6.30pm. 

“The Treasury Department set up a conservation and development programme to help residents in many communities renovate their houses and landscapes. The department is also very open to having the private sector take part in developing local properties, so we proposed turning the Prince Theatre Heritage Stay into a sustainable business model.”

This historic building was built in 1912 and first served as a royal casino – one of Bangkok’s last five gambling houses in the reign of King Chulalongkorn. It became a major entertainment venue surrounded by Thai-style taverns, pawnbrokers, opium dens, fresh markets and brothels but became a little too raucous and was eventually shut down.

The Montara Hospitality Group invested Bt60 million to refurbish and restore its newest property.

In 1917, with the film industry expanding its reach to Thailand, Payon Pattanakorn Company converted the building into the Prince Theatre and screened classic silent and black-and-white movies.

In 1957, it fell into the hands of entrepreneur Sa-ngob Hetrakul and was renamed Prince Rama in reference to the widescreen process known as Cinerama. It quickly became popular, screening Hollywood, Hong Kong and Thai blockbusters that drew movie-goers of all ages.

The Prince Rama encountered a new set of challenges when shopping complexes started popping up around town incorporating the multiplex cinema and causing stand-alone cinemas to go bust. The owners responded by turning into a cinema showing nude and porn movies but even that wasn’t enough to help it survive.

Old movie tickets

“King Chulalongkorn wanted to abolish slavery in Thailand, so he gradually closed hundreds of betting houses in an attempt to stop the practice of selling wives and children to pay a debt. The Bang Rak royal casino moved here and operated until films arrived and the casinos were turned into cinemas,” says Chittipan Srikasikorn, managing director of Heritage Stay.

“The Prince Rama could seat about 700 and the tickets were priced at Bt7. The original building had one and a half floors made of wood and was covered with an old zinc roof, once abandoned became a residence for the homeless. We spent a full year on the renovations, doing everything we could to conserve its charming architecture and the vintage atmosphere.”

The Box Office Bar and Cafe spoils movie lovers with an exclusive creation of classic film-inspired cocktails and mocktails. 

The two-floor hostel, which opened in February, spans 1,400 square metres and its entrance transports guests back to the good old days with colourful Art Deco style windows and high ceilings.

Smart and functional, the ground floor is home to a lobby and the Cinema Social Scenes equipped with a large screen and a collectible laser projector, which can be turned into a stage or auditorium for talk shows and art workshops.

Alongside, a vintage office-like gallery displays black-and-white photographs and collectibles from the 1910s to the 1990s and guests can learn about the history of the former landlords, the community and then latest refurbishment while the staff check them in.

The lobby shares space with an exhibition of collectible antiques and photographs depicting the Prince Rama, the Bang Rak community and the hotel construction. 

Also on view is a collection of old cinema tickets, movie rental contracts from Warner Brothers and other film studios, vintage flatirons, old-fashioned stereos and construction images depicting how the theatre has changed.

Focusing on convenience and comfort, the hotel offers 28 guestrooms in the categories of private suites and shared rooms. The four luxury suites are decorated in different designs to reflect the building’s history.

The cinema manager’s chamber has morphed into an elegant Prince Theatre Master Suite. 

The Prince Theatre Master Suite took over the manager’s chamber and its interior design draws on the days of black-and-white film, while the Prince Rama Master Suite is adorned with vintage handbills and uses a palette of red and black to create a sexy look in the style of a nude movie.

The posh duplex-level suite Casino Loft brings to mind a scene in a James Bond movie, where 007 and a sexy girl huddle in a casino’s private room while the Chinese Opera Loft suite takes guests back to the glory days of a Bang Rak gambling house.

Luxurious and airy, all suites offer a living space with 40” LED TV, working table, a king-size bed, coffee and tea making facilities, wardrobe, safety box and a private bathroom with hot shower complete with all amenities. They’re priced at a very reasonable Bt4,200.

. Guests can choose between a variety of shared rooms, adorned with old-fashioned handbills.

The hostel style accommodation, meanwhile, ranges from a shared duplex with six beds, a shared room with single beds, a shared room with double beds and shared rooms of four and six beds for ladies only. Entrance is with a key card and each attractively decorated room comes with hangers and lockers and an en-suite bathroom with separate shower and toilet and kitted out with a hair dryer, towels, shampoo and shower gel.

And while each corner of the shared facilities is on the small side, they are also comfortable, coming with a privacy curtain, reading light, electric sockets and a private locker at the head of the bed. Prices range from Bt1,000 to Bt1,200.

The Sky Fall mocktail pays tribute to James Bond.

All-day dining room the Box Office Bar and Cafe serves a choice of continental-style breakfast or guests are free to order dishes from popular stalls and restaurants around the neighbourhood and eat in.

In the evening, the bar offers a selection of creative cocktails and mocktails inspired by several of the classic movies that were screened here. For example, Borsalino (1970) is blended with rum, amaretto, jasmine syrup and lemon, Romeo & Juliet (1964) mingles rose-infused vodka, infused Bianco Vermouth and chocolate butter and the Sky Fall mocktail is a healthy mix of tomato juice, Thai spice syrup and lime.

“The hotel is a short walk from Taksin BTS station, Sathorn pier and the Creative District. Bang Rak is famous for its delectable street food, some of which appears in the Bangkok Michelin Guide. Staying with us, guests can indulge in the charming theatre atmosphere and during the day we offer a walking tour programme to explore the bakeries, restaurants and important places in the community,” Kittisak says.

And, of course, there’s movie night with a bill of fare that changes every day. Among the golden oldies showing this month daily except Sunday at 6.30pm are “Doll Face” (1945), “The Stranger” (1946), Charlie Chaplin’s “The Immigrant” (1917), “The Women in Green” (1945), “Suddenly” (1954), “D.O.A” (1949) and “The Little Princess” (1939).

SCREENING TONIGHT

Prince Theatre Heritage Stay is located at 441/1 Charoen Krung Road of Bangkok.

For more information or reservations, call (02) 090 2858 or visit http://www.PrinceHeritage.com.

“Asia is such a vast and diverse continent for anyone dreaming of an escape,” Lonely Planet’s Chris Zeiher says. “Our experts have combed through thousands of recommendations to pick the best destinations to visit over the next 12 months.”

“From Nagasaki in Japan, to Arugam Bay in Sri Lanka,” Zeiher continues, “this is a lineup to inspire a multitude of travellers – whether they’re based in Asia, or maybe have already visited some of the region’s heavy-hitting destinations.”

Here are the 10 best places to visit in Asia.

1. Busan, South Korea

A stunning confluence of scenery, culture and cuisine, Busan packs an eclectic offering of activities to suit all travellers from hike hills, Buddhist temples, sizzling hot springs to seafood feasts at the country’s largest fish market. Poised to steal the spotlight, Busan is East Asia’s culture city for 2018 and will be at its most vibrant with colourful events showcasing the country’s cultural heritage, from street art festivals to traditional dance shows.

2. Uzbekistan

Change is afoot in a country that has remained largely closed off to the wider world due to tight control following the end of the Soviet era. Uzbekistan has long held sway over travellers’ imaginations, with its dreamy mosaic-clad mosques and Silk Road lore and in 2017 took huge strides in opening up to tourism by announcing visafree and evisa schemes. The new air routes and extensions to its shiny high-speed rail line make access to its arsenal of jewelled architecture and ancient cities easier than ever.

3. Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

The southern supercity of Ho Chi Minh City somehow keeps getting cooler. Ageing apartment blocks are being colonised by vintage clothes stores and independent coffee shops, innovative breweries are fuelling one of the best craft beer scenes in Southeast Asia. The eclectic venues are also strengthening the local music scene. The long-standing attractions are the War Remnants Museum and a pioneering street food scene. This buzzing Asian megalopolis is in no danger of going out of style.

4. Western Ghats, India

The Western Ghats offer an atmospheric mirror to Shimla and Darjeeling, with added jungle appeal coffee, tea and spice plantations, charmingly dated colonial outposts, thundering waterfalls, and a steampowered mountain railway. These rugged hills are Unesco listed as one of the top spots for biodiversity in the world, protecting the neelakurinji flower, which blooms only once every 12 years and will be painting the hills in purple livery from August to October 2018.

5. Nagasaki, Japan

For most, Nagasaki is synonymous with the tragic atomic bombing of August 1945 but remarkably, the city has converted the catastrophe into a call for peace, exemplified by the tranquil Nagasaki Peace Park and the Atomic Bomb Museum. However, Nagasaki’s identity transcends one violent act visit a new foreigntrade museum housed in Japan’s oldest church, or pass the verdant harbour towards the hiking routes that snake through the surrounding volcanic hills.

6. Chiang Mai, Thailand

Chiang Mai, the former capital of the Lanna Kingdom, feels plucked from the pages of history, where visitors browse stalls of antique jewellery among archaic alleyway yet despite this, a young, creative population has taken up residency in Chiang Mai bringing an exciting buzz alongside majestic chedis (stupas) are cafes known for their latte art, muralwalled fusion cuisine restaurants and the newlyopened, awardwinning Maiiam Contemporary Art Museum.

7. Lumbini, Nepal

For decades, Lumbini was somewhere travellers flashed through en route from India to Nepal, unaware they had passed within yards of the birthplace of the historical Buddha. Today, Lumbini is on the ascendancy with a new international airport under construction offering a safer route into Nepal, and evermore  temples are springing up”. Despite these developments, the town’s cardinal draw will remain its tranquillity.

8. Arugam Bay, Sri Lanka

This surf town on Sri Lanka’s east coast has managed to retain its cool as holidaymakers swarm the rest of the country’s ancient citadels and hikerstrewn hill stations. Barefooted boarders sprawl outside vegan cafes but if the turquoise swells can’t tug you in, Arugam has grown its onland offering with beachside bars and makeshift music festivals; plus a handy proximity to Kumana National Park, home to leopards, elephants and crocodiles.

9. Sichuan Province, China

Farflung villages, towering skylines, giant pandas and fiery cuisine make Sichuan Province a microcosm of modern China. It provide diverse experiences from surveying the Le Shan Grand Buddha, climbing Emei Shan, riding the first section of the Sichuan-Tibet Railway to visiting timefrozen Tibetan villages and spotting the mushrooming of luring brewpubs and boutique hotels in cosmopolitan Chengdu.

10. Komodo National Park, Indonesia

New flight connections have made Komodo National Park more accessible than ever. Aside from laying eyes on the illustrious Komodo dragon, visitors to this ceruleansilhouetted archipelago can hike to hallowed viewpoints on Padar, sample laidback beachside living on Kanawa and dive with a mindboggling array of marine life in the reefs. A nature enthusiast’s nirvana”.

Lonely Planet’s Best in Asia 2018 is available online, with accompanying articles to each destination, at lonelyplanet.com/bestinasia. Visitors to the website also have the opportunity to enter a competition for a chance to win either a trip for two to Busan, South Korea, or a camera drone package from DJI.