A FAMILY-OWNED multinational conglomerate founded in 1878 and active in everything from healthcare to real estate, e-commerce, and transport; B Grimm is celebrating 140 years of success with a series of initiatives, among them an exhibition and a book.

The oldest German business in the country, the company uses as its logo the Phra Prang of the Temple of Dawn in a nod to its first location overlooking this splendid landmark of Thailand’s capital.

The exhibition, “In the Kingdom, 140th Anniversary of B Grimm” at the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre finishes its run tomorrow, but has drawn thousands of visitors for its collection of all things postal in honour of the close relationship between Thailand and Germany and the close ties of the Link family with their adopted country.

Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn graciously presided over the opening ceremony.

Curated by Somsuda Piamsumrit, the show “Postal History of Thai-German relations and 140 years of B Grimm”, presents the postal history from the reign of King Rama V to King Rama IX and includes more than 50 originals from the total 232 postal items in B Grimm’s collections. Collector Grittip Sirirattumrong also loaned his collection to the exhibition in the hope that it would garner interest from the digitally inclined young generation.

Presented in chronological order, this part of the exhibition features the first sea mail missives, evidence of the first airmail correspondence – introduced in Siam in 1922 – and a range of envelopes, seals, stamps, postal stationary, and picture postcards.

The second part, “Contemporary Art Exhibition”, sees the work of 15 contemporary artists presenting issues central to B Grimm’s philosophy of “doing business with compassion”. They include Pinaree Sanpitak, Tawatchai Puntusawasdi, Wantanee Siripattananuntakul, Imhathai Suwatthanasilp and Kata Sangkhae and all proceeds from sales of the works have been earmarked to support the BACC.

B Grimm’s story began back in 1878 when German pharmacist Bernhard Grimm and his Austrian partner, Erwin Mueller, started a pharmacy, the Siam Dispensary, on Oriental Avenue off New Road, which is today known as Chareon Krung. The shop prospered and it was soon appointed official pharmacist to the Thai royal family

By 1900, the company had secured a partnership with Siemens Corporation and Adolf Link, grandfather of the current chairman Dr Harald Link, came out to Bangkok to manage this aspect of the business.

“My grandfather had to close down the company twice because of the two World Wars. All our assets were seized and our documents confiscated,” he says.

After the war, Adolf and his wife, Erma, and their two sons, Herbert and Gerhard, returned home to Bangkok and quickly settled down. They knew the Thais had not taken away their assets on their own initiative and the strong relationship with the Thai royal family continued as before.

Over the next decades, the brothers expanded the business in Europe and Thailand. Gerhard was also appointed Thailand’s honorary consul general in Hamburg. By 1964, B Grimm’s business included divisions dealing with engineering and equipment for healthcare, power generation, telecommunications, air-conditioning, and mechanical engineering.

The company’s new office and warehouse on New Phetchaburi Road was opened by Her Royal Highness Princess Srinagarindra, the late Princess Mother, and Herbert’s wife, Alma, was the first foreign women to be bestowed the title of Khunying by His Majesty King Bhumibol in recognition of her tireless work for various charitable foundations.

Harald Link, Gerhard’s son, joined his uncle in 1978 and under his leadership, the group has expanded into power generation, manufacturing, real estate, as well as joint ventures with some of the world’s largest corporations.

This story and much more is told in the book released to mark the 140th anniversary. Titled “In The Kingdom” (“Fak Wai Nai Pan Din”), the Thai-language work has been penned by celebrated author Yuwadee Tonsakulrungruang and is published by Nanmeebooks. It took her 10 years to complete.

“A decade ago, we had the great honour to follow Princess Sirindhorn to the Frankfurt book fair. Suwadee Chongsatitwatana, president of Nanmeebooks, suggested that a book be written about B Grimm in the context of its history in Thailand. I was doubtful at first, wondering who would read a book that sounded more like a company profile.

“But we decided to go ahead with the book as a novel that’s based on our true story. Yuwadee went deep into our story here and now readers can enjoy her work,” Link adds.

“B Grimm and our family feel the deepest gratitude to all the Chakri Kings and the royal family of Thailand. Our founder, Muller, did a lot of great things and King Rama V bestowed him with the title Phra Patibatrajaprasong in recognition of his work. We have always remained true to our compassionate business approach and our social and cultural engagement, and the development of civilisation in harmony with nature.

“For example, we built Wat Mun Jindaram, which King Chulalongkorn visited.

“And despite the problems we faced by being forced to close twice, we have returned here every time. We love Thailand. My uncle lived here from his 20s until he died at 82 years old.

He wanted to prove that Thai people always accord a warm welcome to foreigners and can live comfortably in the country.”

Link also points to B Grimm’s love for art and the environment.

“We like to support aspects that are is overlooked but have a great impact such as wildlife,” he says.

Two years ago, B Grimm established the “Gross National Happiness” Centre in Thailand, the first in the world located outside Bhutan. The aim is to construct an economy based on basic Buddhist spirituality, which is in harmony with the sufficiency economy, the philosophy developed by His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Spotted in the audience were such big names as Sinjai “Nok” Plengpanich, Hattaya “Ple” Wongkrachang, Cindy Sirinya Bishop, Vuthithorn “Woody” Milintachinda, Madame Mod, Sarai Watcharapol, Yossinee Nanakorn, Sushar “Aom” Manaying, Khemanit “Pancake” Jamikorn, Sutatta “Punpun” Udomsilp, Kasama “June” Silachai, Methanee “Nino” Buranasiri, Kejmanee Wattanasin, Sirin “Chippy” Preediyanon and Antuan Siangboxing, Nalin Hohler, Pataratida “Tangmo” Patcharawirapong, Mariam Grey, Uthai “Cake” Poonyamund, Chaiyapol “New” Pupart, MR Mannarumas Yukol, Mallika “TubTim” Leekpai, Pheera Thetwisaan, Jintanutda “Pango” Lummakanon, Hansa “Nuclear” Wattanawongsiri, Wichian “Petjah” Kusolmanomai, Katreeya English, Supachaya “Bell” Lattisophonkul, Atchariya “Joy” Angkasuwansiri and Nong Elle, Anusorn “Yong Armchair” Maneetes and Walailak “Koy Saturday Sayko” Musikpodok, and Nakorn Silachai’s four children August, Orca, Allgood and Allgrace.

This live immersive experience also bears the distinct signature of directors and multimedia innovators Michel Lemieux and Victor Pilon. It is a living ode to the Na’vi’s symbiotic coexistence with nature and their belief in the basic interconnectedness of all living things.

“Toruk – The First Flight” is a mythical tale set thousands of years before the events depicted in the film “Avatar”, and before any humans ever set foot on Pandora. When a natural catastrophe threatens to destroy the sacred Tree of Souls, Ralu and Entu, two Omaticaya boys on the brink of adulthood, fearlessly decide to take matters into their own hands. Upon learning that Toruk can help them save the Tree of Souls, they set out, together with their newfound friend Tsyal, on a quest high up in the Floating Mountains to find the mighty red and orange predator that rules the Pandoran sky. Prophecy is fulfilled when a pure soul rises among the clans to ride Toruk for the first time and save the Na’vi from a terrible fate.

“Cirque du Soleil Toruk – The First Flight” continues at Impact Arena from now until June 24.

Tickets are from Bt1,000 to Bt4,000 at Thai Ticket Major (02) 262 3456 and visit http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.

“In Bang & Olufsen, we believe that music and arts make the bridge across the world, where nothing else can. The ambition of this collaboration is to present a mood-changer with our Beoplay A9 that delights both the ears and the eyes,” says Duangkamol Vephula Waagensen of B&O.

Romhild’s flowing compositions reinterpret and blur modern European art genres with Oriental mystique. From a successful career in unica painting and sculpturing, she has now also embarked on showing her style as design, through Elizabeth Romhild Design, which all depicts from her earlier works of women and sensuality.

“Creativity is a journey and music is an important part of this journey. The choice of brush stroke and colour all depends on that exact being I am at that exact moment, and music can play have a big part in the choice of colours I use. When I need an extra zap of energy, I turn on my A9 B&O loud speaker in my studio, and enjoy being one with my brush,” says Romhild.

For “La Boheme”, Romhild playfully expresses the independence of feminine sensuality, control and role playing. Bursting with tongue in cheek innuendo and subtle allegory, she details the flamboyance of society’s elite, where the heady world of intoxicated flirtation and lust are under ridden by sexual control and illicit liaisons, through the influence of musical instruments.

The disc-shaped A9 speaker calls to mind a satellite dish. Perched on a wooden tripod or wall-mounted, it will wirelessly stream audio from a phone, Wi-Fi, DLNA or Apple AirPlay. A swipe of the hand across the back adjusts volume, switches tracks or mutes the sound.

The A9 can be set up to play different music in different rooms – or one song throughout the home.

Bang & Olufsen Concept Store is on the first floor of Gaysorn Village, Bangkok.

YOGA CLASS starts shortly, the pristine massage centre is open for business and cheesecake is served on a platter of pastries and fruit.

And then the muffled cry of a baby emerges down the hallway.

The setting may resemble a five-star hotel, but this is a “sitting centre” on Shanghai’s outskirts where mothers pay up to 70,000 yuan (Bt350,000) a month to stay with their newborns.

Chinese culture dictates that mothers confine themselves after giving birth, also known as a “sitting month”. Such confinement was once widely practised in many areas of the world and continues to be popular in other parts of Asia.

But as incomes rise in China, the sitting month no longer means being cooped up at home without bathing or visitors.

New mothers do yoga exercises under the instruction of an instructor./AFP

“We prefer to find a professional facility to take care of our baby. We have no experience in taking care of the baby or ourselves after birth,” says Yu Xueting, 34, a first-time mother, her weeks-old son “Kangkang” lying contentedly beside her.

Both appear well looked-after at the private Lake Malaren International Postpartum Care Centre in a modern building embellished with turrets and intended to mimic old northern European architecture.

Mother and son are accompanied at all times by a nanny who sleeps in the same room. Numerous specialists, nurses and cooks are on hand.

A photography studio captures those precious early days of life, while a “Mother’s Classroom” runs lectures for new mums to learn how to care for their baby – and themselves.

Dads can stay too, but usually just visit.

The Lake Malaren International Postpartum Care Centre in Shanghai may resemble a fivestar hotel, but this is a “sitting centre” on Shanghai’s outskirts where mothers pay up to 70,000 yuan (Bt350,000) a month to stay with their newborns. /AFP

Yu, who works for IT firm Hewlett-Packard, says the lengthy stay “liberates our family”.

“If we do it at home (take care of the baby), then the whole family can’t sleep well. I can take maternity leave, but my husband needs to go to work.”

“Sitting month”, or “Zuoyuezi”, stretches back to about 200 BC and the Han Dynasty, says Elizabeth Hui-Choi, a lecturer at Hong Kong University’s School of Nursing.

Empresses would be well looked-after following childbirth, including a special diet and lifestyle to restore their “broken” body and prevent future illness, Hui-Choi explains.

“They believed that treating the mother well would also bring good things to the baby, and it is still believed to be that way.”

A Chinese staff member prepares a meal for a mother./AFP

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) “also plays a very important part” in how most Chinese women still think after childbirth, dictating they should eat more of certain foods, such as ginger, and cut out others such as fruit, she says.

Some stop showering, washing their hair, or even brushing their teeth for the month, and won’t venture outside – TCM says these can upset the body’s balance.

Yu did not wash her hair for a week, but doctors told her that was unnecessary and the centre recommends a more scientific approach that blends TCM and Western medicine.

Hui-Choi, a registered midwife trained in Western medicine, says some of the old rituals are unhygienic and that studies suggest strict observance of tradition can make women feel isolated, risking post-partum depression.

Xu Jingfang takes care of her baby./AFP

According to the Legal Daily, a state newspaper, the number of sitting centres in China has “exploded” from dozens in 2000 to more than 4,000 in 2017.

One reason is that Chinese today are now giving birth later in life – meaning grandparents are older and may not be able to help as much.

And Chinese are increasingly able to afford places like the Shanghai centre, where staff fuss over every baby sniffle.

Demand has also ramped up since China began phasing out its one-child policy in 2015. Families can be too stretched with their first child to cope with a second, especially if there is no extended family to help out.

Sitting centres or self-proclaimed experts in “Zuoyuezi” are found almost anywhere that ethnic Chinese are found, including in North America, making it a big business with global reach.

However in Britain, doctors recently warned about the dangers of Chinese mothers locking themselves away after childbirth, fearing post-natal depression may go unnoticed or mums may avoid seeing a doctor for physical problems.

Xu Jingfang, baby son Kirk gurgling away beside her, says her British husband was initially sceptical.

“At first he thought it was a weird idea. He said, ‘You’re having a baby, not heart surgery,’“ giggles the 30-year-old Xu, one of about 80 other mums at the Shanghai establishment.

Xu scouted similar centres including one in a high-end hotel, saying “all our friends and relatives” now opt for such care.

“It’s much easier. Here, you’ve got 24-hour care for the baby and someone to cook for you six meals a day,” adds Xu, a phalanx of carers on hand to whisk away Kirk at the first hint of a whimper.

Xu adds that while her parents and grandparents did not wash for weeks after birth, they accept that times have changed.

So will it be a shock to finally go home?

“I’ve hired a nanny at home. I guess life will be more interesting than here – sometimes I do get a bit bored – but also tougher.”

CONSOLE MAKERS long at the centre of the video game universe are adapting to an exploding constellation of ways to play, with the cloud looming on the horizon.

Microsoft, Nintendo, and Sony remained stars, with rival Xbox, PlayStation, and Switch gaming hardware respectively, at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) show floor that opened in Los Angeles on Tuesday.

But the premier industry gathering was very much focused on games themselves, and the idea they can be played as a service hosted in the internet cloud using an array of devices from smartphones to personal computers.

The annual E3 event “occurs against a backdrop of disruption in the console market,” according to IHS Markit games technology research director Piers Harding-Rolls.

“As the market becomes more digitally enabled and service based, console companies and publishers are starting to map out their longer-term strategies including the building out of subscription cloud gaming services,” says Harding-Rolls.

 Companies interested in cloud gaming see it as a way to reach broader audiences. /AFP

Companies interested in cloud gaming see it as a way to reach broader audiences, adding to console businesses instead of taking away from them, according to the analyst.

“I see consoles being around or the foreseeable future,” Harding-Rolls added.

But the competitive landscape will tilt away from console-market leading PlayStation to terrain more favourable to Xbox, he reasons.

Microsoft has built a powerful platform for hosting computing in the internet cloud, making such service a thriving part of its business.

“We commit and harness the full breadth of our resources at Microsoft to deliver on the future of play,” Xbox team leader Phil Spencer said during an E3 briefing.

The Redmond, Washington-based technology veteran has also invested heavily in machine learning, naming its Cortana digital assistant after an artificial intelligence character in blockbuster Xbox video game “Halo”.

Spencer also said that Microsoft is working on a cloud service for streaming console-quality games to internet-linked devices.

“If you agree that the eventual future of games consumption is through cloud gaming services, then those companies with a strong position in cloud are likely to be best placed to benefit from the transition,” Harding-Rolls says.

“In this context, Microsoft’s cloud division gives the company a natural advantage when trying to build a profitable business.”

Console video game titan Bethesda is unabashedly bridging the divide between console and mobile play with versions of blockbusters “Fallout” and “Elder Scrolls” for play on smartphones or tablets. /EPA-EFE

Sony and Microsoft have each put out word they are working on next-generation consoles, but planned capabilities have yet to be revealed.

PlayStation 4 has dominated the current console generation, briskly outselling Xbox One.

But if the video game world shifts to Microsoft’s strengths, its new competition in play could become cloud and AI titans such as Amazon, Google, Tencent, and Alibaba, according to Harding-Rolls.

The video game industry is seeing its biggest investment ever, with the three big consoles “very healthy”, according to Electronic Software Association chief executive Michael Gallagher.

The ESA trade group organises E3, with 60,000 industry insiders and gamers from some 100 countries attending the three-day gathering.

Video game industry revenue worldwide tallied about $116 billion (Bt3,733 billion) last year, according to the ESA.

Console makers have been taking lessons from mobile games, building online communities of players who provide feedback; stream play; subscribe to services, and spend money on digital content such as dance moves or funky clothing for characters.

“Mobile has been a fantastic growth point for the industry,” Gallagher says.

Console video game titan Bethesda is unabashedly bridging the divide between console and mobile play with versions of blockbusters “Fallout” and Elder Scrolls” for play on smartphones or tablets.

“I can’t wait to play it,” Gallagher says of “Elder Scrolls: Blades” that will be available free for iPhones or Android-powered mobile devices when it is released later this year. Another sign of console-quality play making its way to mobile devices came in the form of telecom giant AT&T showing off ultra high-speed 5G wireless data capabilities on the E3 show floor.

Super-fast internet service is seen as key to rich, seamless game play.

“Exponential increases in computing power, storage and speed will lead to the streaming of realistic, systemic, densely populated and persistent game worlds to any screen,” noted Yves Guillemot, chief executive of French video game powerhouse Ubisoft.

Wandering through the exhibition “Gender Illumination” at Museum Siam, Kanasit Puangampai comes to a sudden stop in the “Scene of Life” zone. More than 100 items contributed by LGBTQ (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgendered, questioning) people are displayed here along with a note of what the particular item represents. Kanasit doesn’t go anywhere for a while then asks his friends to take a photo of him with a flannel shirt that has ruffles around the collar.

“It’s mine,” says the young man proudly. A working member of the Non-Binary Thailand group, Kanasit is eager to share the story of his shirt, telling me that it marked the beginning of his coming out to society.

His message beside the shirt reads: “I am very happy that I was encouraged to wear this outfit. In the past, I could only look and thought I shouldn’t be wearing these clothes because society doesn’t deem it appropriate. I had to put up with wearing outfits that people said are appropriate for me. Every time I looked in the mirror I saw someone who looked appropriate but it never was me.”

Kanasit Puangampai and his shirt.

Kanasit spotted the shirt while walking in the market with some of his college friends who encouraged him to buy it.

“It is not the most expensive shirt I own but to me, it is the most meaningful. And even though I now have plenty of favourite shirts with a ruffle, I asked the exhibition organiser to take care of it because I want it back,” he says with a smile.

Thai-African American actor Rusmeekae Fagerland has selected three pieces to tell his story – two photographs and a pair of sneakers. The two photographs show the scar on his back. “It’s a reminder that I was tortured when I was young. I want to keep it to remind me about the nightmare even though it can be removed with plastic surgery,” says the 31-year-old. He also apologises that his priority in choosing these three items had less to do with the gender issues highlighted in the exhibition than discrimination because of his colour, explaining that he has experienced racism for as long as he can remember.

The sneakers have a slightly happier story behind them: they’re the ones he wore to run 200 kilometres alongside Artiwara “Toon Bodyslam” Kongmalai during his charity marathon from the country’s southernmost corner to the northernmost tip to raise funds for state hospitals.

“With my Afro-American looks, I was constantly bullied and teased about my colour. And even now that I’m an actor and people recognise me, I still get discriminatory comments. While I was running in the charity run, spectators called me katoey (ladyboy) and ‘dam’ (black), I just don’t get it. We are in the year 2018 yet we might as well be back in the middle ages where people were constantly bullied because of their colour and gender. I don’t have the answers. My question is: when we confront this racism and discrimination, should we respect each other’s difference in race or gender or use the eye for an eye approach towards those who show racism and discrimination?”

Rusmeekae Fagerland’s collection 

“Gender Illumination” is spread over 715 square metres of the exhibition area, both indoors and outdoors, and features well-rounded contents about sexual diversity such as history, social norms, context, circumstances and society’s perceptions.

Curator Chonchanok Phonsing says that she has opted to move away from the norms of curatorship and adopt a different approach. “Usually the curator manages the project from his or her own perspective but this is a collaboration with ordinary people in our society. It took more than 19 months to complete this exhibition. We connected with people through our campaign and social network, asking them to submit any items that told their own stories,” she says.

The team then undertook some research, interviewed prospective contributors and gathered collectibles from people all over Thailand so that the exhibition truly reflected the diverse stories, perceptions, feeling and attitudes of society at large.

Visitors are invited to take time in the various zones starting with the Gender Maze in the outdoor area where people can walk through a maze of questions and rethink their perceptions of gender stereotypes generated by Thai and English slang including such commonly used works as “gentlegay”, “brawny”, “camp”, “dad bod”, “50 shades of gay” and “arm candy”.

The first zone looks at the Genderless Restroom, asking whether the standard men and women images are essential in this day and age and if it might be better to introduce gender neutral restrooms. The Siam Gender Record zone chronicles the history of sexual diversity in Thailand, from Ayutthaya to the present through a timeline of significant circumstances, and examines how print and social media have given rise to LGBTQ expressions. Here we can see how some of the slang words came about, for example tua dam, which emerged from news about a boy’s brothel in 1935. Literally translated as black bean, it has become slang for the performance of anal sex on a male by a male. The mezzanine is home to paintings by children depicting their perception of gender and leads to an exhibition of LGBTQ social activities.

The video installation portrays LGBT life in the south of Thailand.

The Scene of Life zone is on the first floor and is itself divided into three parts covering everything from family life to debatable topics. Along with the collectibles and collections of photos and items, everyday objects tell the story, value and significance of LGBTQ expression, acceptance, and even rejection within both public and private spaces. There are also short films explaining sexual diversity, teen artworks reflecting sexual diversity issues and the story of social movement in Thailand.

Chonchanok explains that some of items submitted have not been included, among them sex toys, as she felt these could overshadow the other items, such as Kanasit’s shirt, a school report and a cassette tape, and a photograph of a kindergarten lad wearing makeup. She also worried that they could be misleading.

The Gender Bread Model is a corner where visitors can gain a better understanding of what “gender” is through a body scanner model that describes the differences between gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation and emotional attraction, and explains a person’s gender can be changed and is fluid, not following the stereotypes of society.

Cover Up takes visitors deeper into the life of sexual diversity. Designed like the backstage of a theatre, here people can freely experiment with gender-neutral clothes and LGBTQ’s wearables such as wigs and makeup.

The final zone, Draw your Dream, polls opinions on the rights of the LGBTQ in Thai society today. Visitors are asked to vote yes or no on such as issues as: “Should we have genderless restrooms in our country?”; Should same-sex couples be able to legally marry?’; and “Would you mind your family members being gay?”.

And there’s also a wall that allows people to share their gender spectrum by painting a paper gender ticket.

 The Gender Illumination exhibition is open daily Tuesday to Sunday from 10am to 6pm. Admission is free.

 Museum Siam is at Tha Tien, Bangkok.

 For more information, call (02) 225 2777 or visit http://www.museumsiam.org.

A new smartphone developed by Thai firm, PTE Intergroup, the Beyond Curve 3 comes with a 5.72-inch IPS display in 18:9 ratio with 960×440 pixels. It has a 5MP front camera and an 8MP rear camera. It supports two sims and it is powered by a quad-core processor and equipped with 2 GB RAM and 16 GB storage. And it’s yours for Bt3,190.

Boom and blast

Party the night away with the JBL Authentics L16, a three-way speaker system that will blast 300 watts of energising music into your room. Attractively designed in a walnut-veneered wooden enclosure, it boasts exceptional audio quality and easy wireless connectivity to a wide range of devices via AirPlay, DLNA and Bluetooth. The free JBL MusicFlow app lets you easily control the speakers with iOS or Android mobile devices, and even charge compatible mobile devices on the speaker’s built-in USB ports. It retails for Bt39,900.

Office work made easy

The HP Ink Tank Wireless 415 is a three-in-one printer that lets you print, scan and copy documents at a low cost. Ideal for SMEs, home use or students, it supports Wi-Fi Direct technology allowing you to print directly from a smartphone or tablet. Its three colours ink tanks can print up to 8,000 sheets while the black ink tank gives up to 6,000 sheets. It retails for Bt5,590.

Music to the ears

German firm Beyerdynamic showcases its Monitor DT770 PRO Limited Edition 32 OHM over-ear headphones that guarantee realistic sounds without enhancing bass or treble. The special 32 Ohms version is hand-made in Germany with utmost dedication to every detail. The phones come with a black softskin headband and black softskin ear cushions, giving them a distinctive professional-look, |and they’re available from Munkonggadget.com for Bt7,990.

Shooting from a new perspective

A 360-degree camera accessory for smartphones that provides 13MP image resolution and 2K video resolution, the Huawei EnVizion 360 VR camera is a new way to record your memories with more fun and creativity through four modes – Perspective, Fisheye, Little Planet and Crystal Ball. Available in black only, it costs Bt4,490 in Huawei shops, selected dealers and through Huawei’s official online stores on Lazada and Shopee.

DESIGNED especially for gym rats and sporty types, Sony’s WF-SP700N wireless earbuds let you enjoy pulsating bass while you’re exercising.

Indeed, Sony is so proud of the SP700N that it bills them as the world’s first truly wireless earbuds with splash-proof and noise-cancelling technology.

The SP700N buds underline Sony’s efforts in expanding noise-cancelling technology to headphones in the sports category, resulting in a personalised sound system that allows you to enjoy music while exercising without interference from surrounding noise.

The SP700N come in four tones and are IPX4 splash-proof for durability, lightweight for comfort and boast an earlobe-secure design. The IPX4 rating guarantees that even when you run in light rain or have sweat pouring off you, the earbuds won’t suffer.

Best of all, the SP700N earbuds are part of Sony’s Extra Bass series, so they can pump you into the next gear during a workout. Experts say electronic dance music with powerful bass matches the optimum tempo of music for sports activity at a heart rate of 120-140 bpm.

And the SP700N buds are very comfortable to wear for hours on end during sports because each of them weighs just 7.6 grammes. Better still, there’s no wire connect the two as they are linked by radio signal.

Designed for a secure fit during intense workouts, each earbud has an arc supporter to ensure they don’t fall out during particularly strenuous movements like running or squat jumps. The package comes with four sizes of hybrid silicone rubber earbuds and two sizes of arch supporters and they are both easy to change.

The SP700N has minimalist design with just two control buttons – one on each earbud. The button on the left earbud is used for turning it on and off and for cycling through the noise-cancelling mode and ambient sound mode. The button on the right bud is used for controlling music play and answering voice calls.

Actually, there a lot of modes and functions on the SP700N that you can control via the Headphones Connect app, which is available for both Android and iOS smartphones.

Android users can easily connect to the SP700N as the charger/cradle comes with NFC-connection assisting technology making it a cinch to link the earbuds via Bluetooth to your smartphone. You simply need to remove the earbuds from the cradle and tap the back of your smartphone on the NFC mark on the cradle and the Bluetooth connection will automatically be made.

Press the left button on the controls repeatedly and it will cycle through the Ambient Sound Mode, Noise Cancelling Mode and the off mode of both functions. Each time, you will hear a voice informing you that the switching has been completed. Actually, there are two Ambient Sound modes and you need to use the app to select which of them you want as the default and from then on it will be activated with the button. The two modes are Normal mode and Voice mode.

The normal mode is recommended when you are walking on street for your safety as you can hear the surrounding sound as if you were not wearing the headset. The voice mode is recommended if you need to monitor announcements such as in a station or airport or want to hear instructions from your fitness instructor.

During the test, I found that the noise-cancelling mode was very effective. It shut out the loud humming of my air conditioner allowing me to enjoy music in a solitary environment.

The button on the right earbud is good for controlling music playback. You use it to play or pause the music. Press it twice to skip to the beginning of the next track or press it three times to skip to the beginning of the previous track.

You can also press it once and release, then press again and hold to fast-forward or press it twice and release, then press again and hold to fast-reverse.

The SP700N also supports a hands-free profile. For example, you can press the button on the right or left once to answer an incoming call or press and hold it for about two seconds to reject a call. During the call you can press either button to hang up the line.

The SP700N supports voice commands of both Google Assistant on an Android phone and Siri on an iPhone. You can press the button on the right for more than two seconds to start the voice dial or other voice commands supported by Google Assistant or Siri.

I was particularly impressed by the sound quality, which offered great detail and highs and mids and, of course, that deep and powerful bass you’d expect from Sony’s Extra Bass label.

You can use the Headphones Connect app to change the sound settings of earbuds to suit your music taste. There are eight pre-set EQ modes from which to choose – Excited, Mellow, Relaxed, Treble Boost, Bright, Vocal, Speech, and Bass Boost – or you can turn off the preset EQ. During the test, I set the Bass Boost mode and listened to rock.

The SP700N has good battery life too. Each full charge provides three hours of usage for earbuds. The charger/cradle functions as a portable charger so you can double up on the charging and use the SP700N for nine hours on the go.

Sony WF-SP700N has suggested retail price of Bt7,490.

Key Specs

Driver unit: 6mm (dome type)

Magnet: Neodymium

Waterproof: IPX4

Frequency response: 20-20,000 Hz

Bluetooth: 4.1

Bluetooth audio formats: SBC, AAC

Bluetooth profile: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP

Weight: Approximately 7.6gx2 (not including arc supporter)

Battery: Charging time: Approximately 1.5 hrs; battery life: 3 hrs

Charging case:

Battery: 3 hours battery charging

Dimensions: Approximately 61.3×58.7×38.0mm

Weight: Approximately 45g

A FUN adventure game based on JK Rowling’s original stories, Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery features beautiful and fluid graphics.

The game begins when you are chosen to attend Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry years before Harry Potter received his own Hogwarts enrolment letter.

I tested it on an iPad Pro 10-inch and was delighted with the option to customise my own avatar by selecting to be a witch or wizard, then selecting hairstyle, face shape nose, shape and lip shape. You are also allowed to name your character.

Your character will then explore rooms of Hogwarts Castle and investigate ancient mysteries while experiencing life as a Hogwarts student.

During the adventures, you will learn powerful magic and knowledge from Professors Dumbledore, Snape, and more. You will get to duel against your rivals and forge alliances with new friends to help you on your adventures.

You will also be allowed to choose your house from Ravenclaw, Gryffindor, Hufflepuff or Slytherin.

The story starts when you are in the Diagon Alley and meet a friend, who assists you to prepare for enrolment at Hogwarts.

You talk to the friend and other characters that have an exclamation mark over them and proceed with dialogue.

The story unfolds through the dialogues and at times, you will be given choices to answer during the conversations. The choices you make will affect the status of your role-playing character as well as the unfolding story.

During the game, you attend classes to learn and master magical skills like casting spells and brewing potions. For example, you learn how to brew potions under Professor Snape’s critical eye, master Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall, and learn Charms from the esteemed Professor Flitwick.

As you progress in the game, you unlock new characters, spells, potions and locations as you advance through the years of Hogwarts.

The game’s interface is intuitive. For example, it alerts you about what to do next by highlighting the character or items that you need to interact with. But you will need to do a lot of reading to find out how the mystery unfolds.

And as it does, you will discover the truth behind the Cursed Vaults and your brother’s disappearance in an all-new story.

The game is free to download and play though you can purchase some in-game items with real money. If you want to limit this feature, disable it in app purchases in your device’s settings.

Key Specs

Seller: Jam City, Inc

Size: 176.2 MB

Category: Games

Compatibility: Requires iOS 10.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

Age Rating: Rated 12+ for the following: Infrequent/Mild Horror/Fear Themes, Frequent/Intense Cartoon or Fantasy Violence

Price: Free

In-App Purchases: Handful of Gems (Bt35), Measure of Gems (Bt179), Sack of Gems (Bt349), Trunk of Gems (Bt699), 40-per-cent off Sack of Gems (Bt209), Starter Pack (Bt35), Trainload of Gems (Bt1,750), 75 per cent off Trunk of Gems (Bt179), Purse of Coins (Bt35)

TRAVELLING is known to open the mind and awaken creativity and, for some, writing a book is the fruit of the adventure. That’s certainly true for Canadian chef Cameron Stauch whose sojourns in various countries combined with a natural curiosity about vegetarian food have led to the compilation of his first cookbook – on Vietnamese vegetarian cuisine.

The book was launched a few months ago in the US and UK and more recently in Thailand, which Stauch has called home for the best part of two years.

Cameron Stauch with his “Vegetarian Viet Nam” book

An experienced chef with 18 years under his belt in Asian and North American kitchens, Stauch spent six years cooking for three Governors General of Canada at Ottawa’s Rideau Hall. During that time, he was able to share Canada’s rich culinary landscape with, among others, Queen Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and the Emperor and Empress of Japan.

As the husband of a Canadian diplomat, Stauch has travelled the world and taken advantage of his stays in different countries to explore the local cuisine and culinary techniques, most notably of Hong Kong, India, Vietnam and Thailand.

 Mini banh mi sandwiches

Stauch describes his personal cooking style as “cooking globally and sourcing locally”, explaining that he often has to modify recipes because an ingredient or two may be unavailable or too expensive wherever he happens to be living.

He particularly enjoys learning about local ingredients and meeting the people who grow, produce, and cook local flavours.

From 2012 to 2015, when his diplomat wife Ayesha Rekhi was posted to Hanoi, Stauch was inspired to research and write his first cookbook, “Vegetarian Viet Nam” which highlights the tradition of vegetarian Vietnamese cuisine.

Steamed vegetables with fermented tofu, lemongrass and chilli

Although not a vegetarian himself, his time in Ottawa’s kitchens gave him plenty of opportunities to prepare food for people with restricted diets and he thought it would be fun to take that experience one step further.

“I used to make specials plates for vegetarians, vegans or those with food allergies, so I was interested in developing those skills,” he tells The Nation.

That became more pressing when the couple’s four-year-old son decided not long after settling in Hanoi that he would only eat vegetarian food – “probably because he didn’t want to eat animals”, the chef says with a grin.

 Pomelo salad

Since then, 85 per cent of the dishes on the family’s dining table have been vegetarian, although they do eat meat and fish when eating out.

Vietnam, he says, was a great place to learn about vegetarianism.

In Vietnam, most strict Mahayana Buddhists, especially the monks and nuns, do not eat meat, while lay people go vegetarian on days of the new moon and full moon. Vegetarian restaurants around temples or pagodas do a roaring trade on those two days,

His curiosity aroused by this tradition, Stauch travelled around the country and researched the different dishes enjoyed by devout Vietnamese, even adopting the habit of eating only vegetables |and rice on both full and new moon days.

Lemongrass chilli mushroom on rice cracker

“That allowed me to explore what they used instead of beef or pork. And I found that they use vegetables or tofu so I focused on both,” he explains.

Unlike in many other countries, the Vietnamese still prefer their vegetarian dishes to look like meat or seafood. The famed Vietnamese noodle soup pho, for example, comes in both chicken and vegetarian options though it’s impossible to tell the difference just by looking.

“I focused on how to obtain the best flavour while trying to make the taste as close as possible to the meat version of the dish,” he says, adding that he combined the tricks of street-food cooks, locals and monks and nuns to develop a range of special dishes.

And Thais had the chance to try them out last week at the launch party for “Vegetarian Viet Nam”.

Vietnamese vegetable curry 

Served buffet style, the food included jackfruit salad on rice cracker, lemongrass chilli mushroom on rice cracker, nutty fermented soybean dipping sauce, pomelo salad, and mini banh mi sandwiches as hors d’oeuvres. Jasmine rice was served with Vietnamese vegetable curry and steamed vegetables with fermented tofu, lemongrass and chilli.

“Stauch is a gifted chef and very capable. When he lives in Asian countries, he always researches the local cuisine and he’s now doing exactly that in Thailand for his next cookbook,” Donica Pottie, the Canadian ambassador to Thailand and host of the launch, tells The Nation.

Canadian ambassador to Thailand Donica Pottie, right, and Cameron Stauch at the recent launch party for “Vegetarian Viet Nam” held at the envoy’s official residence.

What she likes most in his cookbook is the section that details the ingredients that can be substituted in cases where the designated ones are not available.

“That’s missing from a lot of cookbooks. I can’t possibly make the dishes because I can’t find the particular ingredients needed but this book tells me what I can substitute. That’s great as he makes his recipes more accessible to ordinary people,” the ambassador adds.

Though she’s not a vegetarian, the ambassador says that these days she avoids eating much meat and is increasingly sensitive to the issues of environment and sustainability as well as resources.

Seasonal fruit with coconut and condensed milk

She hopes the book will help everyone learn about the richness and diversity of vegetarian dishes in Asia and try out the recipes for themselves.

Stauch is already researching Thai vegetarian food for his second cookbook, which will cover the different dishes and traditions peculiar to all parts of the country.

“I want to be able to give a taste of different vegetarian flavours from all over Thailand,” he says, pointing to the Shan people who live primarily in Shan state of Myanmar as well as adjacent regions of Thailand. “They cook with lentils and replace fish sauce with soy sauce, so much of their food is naturally vegetarian.”

He will also research the veggie specialities of Isaan and Laos, plus the southern dishes of Phuket where vegetarian food is very famous, as well as travel to the eastern provinces.

“I want to show some different dishes that maybe the locals have never thought to share with vegetarians. I want to see if they are already naturally vegetarian or if I can find a way to turn them into a tasty vegetarian plate,” Stauch says.

He also wants to learn how to use the wild or forest vegetables like bamboo and greens of which Thais are so fond.

“And I’ll be spending time in Bangkok’s Chinatown, Yaowarat, and Phuket province where the vegetarian festival is held every year. My aim is to complete the book in 2020,” he says.

MEATLESS RECIPES

>>Based on recipes devised over centuries by Mahayana Buddhist monks, the dishes in “Vegetarian Viet Nam” use of the full arsenal of Vietnamese herbs and sauces to make tofu, mushrooms, and vegetables burst with flavour like never before.

>>The book includes a lavishly illustrated glossary to help the reader recognise the mushrooms, noodles, fruits, and vegetables that make up the vegetarian Vietnamese pantry.

>>The hardcover 288-page book with about 100 recipes is on sale at Asia Books for Bt1,195.