What a mother and father eat, and whether they are seriously overweight, in other words, can have “profound implications for the growth, development and long-term health of their children before conception,” they warned in a trio of studies.

The findings, reported in The Lancet, a leading medical journal, should heighten awareness of “preconception risk factors,” the researchers said.

“Evidence for preconceptional effect on lifetime health is now so compelling that it calls for new guidance on parental preparation for pregnancy, beginning before conception,” they concluded.

The studies — combining a review of earlier literature and new research — showed that the lifestyle habits of fathers, not just mothers, can have a direct impact on the wellbeing of offspring.

“The preconception period is a critical time when parental health — including weight, metabolism and diet — can influence the risk of future chronic diseases in children,” said Judith Stephenson, a professor and University College London and lead author of the series.

“While the current focus on risk factors such as smoking and excess alcohol intake is important, we also need new drives to prepare nutritionally for pregnancy in both parents.”

Obesity in either or both parents, for example, increases the chances of heart attacks, stroke, immune disease and diabetes in offspring.

Maternal obesity is thought to enhance levels of inflammation and hormones, which can directly alter the development of the egg and embryo. This, in turn, boosts the odds of chronic disease later in life.

In men, being obese leads to deficiencies in sperm associated with many of the same conditions.

– Consequences across generations –

Malnutrition in mothers can also lead to developmental problems in their children, the review found.

“Consequences can extend across generations, but awareness of these links is not widespread,” the authors noted.

“Poor nutrition and obesity are rife among women of reproductive age, and differences between high-income and low-income countries have become less distinct, with typical diets falling far short of nutritional recommendations, especially among adolescents.”

The conclusions were based in part on two new analyses of women of reproductive age — 18 to 42 — in Britain and Australia.

These studies showed that women are often not “nutritionally prepared” for pregnancy, the researchers said.

Some 96 percent of the women, for example, had iron and folate intakes below the recommended levels, 14.8 milligrams and 400 micrograms per day, respectively.

Adjusting diet after a pregnancy has begun is often not good enough.

“Micronutrient supplementation started in pregnancy can correct important maternal nutrient deficiencies, but it is not sufficient to fundamentally improve child health,” they concluded.

Schools should prepare young adults — boys and girls — for future parenthood, the studies recommended, pointing out that some 40 percent of pregnancies worldwide are unplanned.

“Efforts to improve nutrition and health behaviour at a population level are needed to support individual efforts among those planning ahead of e pregnancy,” the authors concluded.

For most Americans, the answer is likely — at most — 20 percent. But how about 260 percent?

For one patron at a Chicago restaurant, a normal tip was not enough to show his appreciation after a meal Sunday night.

Identified only as “Mike, who was visiting from Seattle,” Boka restaurant announced Monday that the delighted customer left a $2,000 tip on a $759 bill.

Boka describes itself as an upscale restaurant serving seasonal American fare. It boasts one Michelin star.

After initially tipping $300 on his bill, he then went to the kitchen to give each of the 17 staffers there $100, the restaurant said.

The company posted an Instagram photo of the man giving a thumbs-up sign while posing with smiling kitchen staff.

“It was amazing to have that happen unexpectedly and randomly, and for someone to show that amount of appreciation,” Jon Leopold, the restaurant’s general manager, told the Chicago Tribune newspaper.

“It’s not just about the money but spending time with people in the kitchen and telling them how wonderful of a meal it was and how important it was for the cooks to be doing what they’re doing.”

The timing was fortuitous for the restaurant. It has been nominated for a prestigious James Beard Award for service.

The winner will be revealed May 7 during an award ceremony in Chicago.

THAT MOST venerable of art museums, the Louvre in Paris, had 8.1 million visitors last year. Given the turmoil surrounding just two of its exhibits, though, one has to wonder how many of those visitors were interested in anything other than “Mona Lisa” and “Venus de Milo”.

A lot of them do indeed ask museum officials where they can find the glorious statues of Canova and the Napoleon III apartments, but topping those queries on the list of most frequently asked questions are “Where is the Mona Lisa?” and “Is the Venus de Milo in this room?”

Always the main draw at the Louvre, Leonardo’s “Mona Lisa” in the Denon Wing is never lonely.

Any requests for directions are understandable – the Louvre is a massive place – and to save time searching, everyone who wants to see the most famous Da Vinci’s “Mona Lisa” is constantly surrounded. Gawkers push in, trying to glimpse her mysterious smile. Meanwhile they’re ignoring such magnificent displays as the Pavillon de l’Horloge (the Clock Pavilion) in the Sully Wing.

That’s a shame, because it’s really the perfect place to begin a visit to the Louvre. It tells the story, after all, of how the museum arose from a palace that was originally a medieval fortress.

The remains of a medieval city wall, left, and castle wall, right, line an empty moat on the lower level of the museum’s Sully Wing.

In about 1190, Philippe Auguste, then king of France, departed for the Middle East on the Third Crusade. Fretting that the English might invade Paris in his absence, he ordered the construction of a wall ringing the city to protect his treasures and his archives within a nearly square compound surrounded by a moat that was fed by the waters of the Seine.

There were four corner towers and, in the middle, La Grosse Tour (the cylindrical Big Tower), the central keep that became the Louvre. The fortress had two gates – the main one to the south overlooking the Seine and a smaller one facing east.

In the Pavillon de l’Horloge, visitors can view a virtual map and vestiges of the old structure that have been preserved. They are in fact walking above the old moat. To their left is the city wall, to the right the castle wall.

Le Donjon du Louvre (Louvre Keep) evokes medieval times.

A wooden path circles the cylindrical vestige on the right, the Louvre Keep, symbolising monarchical power. The wall soared 31 metres and was more than four metres thick at the base. What remains today are a portion of the foundation, resembling a buttress, and Le Grande Vis, a spiral staircase.

Charles V, who reigned from 1364 to 1380, turned the defensive edifice into a luxurious royal residence, building a new enclosure and bringing more light into the interior by adding many windows.

Turrets, statuary and gardens helped make the palace a more habitable place than it had been. The central keep was lit with eight huge windows on each floor. Gone was the defensive intention of the fortress, but the palace was still safe and secure.

La Salle SaintLouis (the SaintLouis Room) has lasted into the present day.

To complete the picture of the Louvre as it was in the Middle Ages, visit la Salle Saint-Louis (the Saint-Louis Room), which contains hundreds of artefacts and more glimpses of the original structure.

Louis IX (1226-1270) had this room covered with a ribbed vault, gone today apart from supportive pilasters and the beginning of the arch that framed the vault.

While the carvings and crowns of the stone arches have been lost, you can still see vegetable patterns adorning the capitals of the pilasters and wry faces around the bases.

The current exhibition in the Saint-Louis Room is “Les Vies du Louvre: Du palais au mus?e” (“The Lives of the Louvre: From Palace to Museum)”. It’s explained – through artefacts including items of daily use such as jewellery, fine apparel, musical instruments and children’s playthings – that the building’s other “lives” were spent as a prison, a royal treasury and a studio for artists toiling for the court.

A scale model of the Louvre as it appeared during the reign of Philippe August appears in a digital display in the Pavillon de l’Horloge.

All of this yielded to its present incarnation as a museum in the wake of the French Revolution. Visitors later should go back to their track in an exhibition room. Accompanying the virtual Louvre display are exhibits about the architecture. A vast glass box occupying half the room contains an intricately detailed scale model of the Louvre and the adjacent Tuileries, Paris’ most famous gardens.

Around this huge box are decorated facades and layouts of the Louvre as seen during the Renaissance and tracing 800 years of its architectural evolution. As a narrator tells the tale, moving from section to section, each wing is illuminated in turn.

Beginning in 1564, Queen Catherine de’ Medici, widow of Henry II, had the south wing refurbished as her residence and pressed construction of the Tuileries Palace, which Henry had initiated, with a vast garden.

The Napoleon III Apartments are in the Richelieu Wing.

Henry IV envisioned a Grand Dessein (Great Design), combining the Tuileries Palace and Louvre in one complex. Napoleon III finally got it finished, only for a fire in 1871 to burn the Tuileries to the ground.

While serving as a royal residence, the palace that became the Louvre was the scene of unending work. It was a of celebration and a symbol of royal power. When Louis XIV chose instead to live chiefly at Versailles after 1682, the Louvre’s rooms, galleries and apartments were turned over to the burgeoning arts community. Academies held their salons there, the annual grand exhibitions where careers were born and ruined.

Capitalising on renovations to the welcoming areas under the Pyramid, the Pavillon de l’Horloge introduces visitors to the Louvre, sparking interest in fresh routes through the museum. /AFP

The revolutionary government announced the establishment of le Museum central des Arts de la Republique on August 10, 1793, but it wasn’t until 1848 that the appellation Le Musee du Louvre first appeared. A royal preserve now open to the public, it charged no admission. The art on view, largely seized from aristocrats, were divided into three “departments” – paintings, ancient sculptures and drawings.

The Louvre and its three wings – Richelieu, Sully and Denon – took on its modern form in 1981, at the urging of then-president Francois Mitterrand. The large glass-and-metal pyramid outside the main entrance was unveiled on March 30, 1989. Go there first and place yourself squarely in the midst of history.

MS MONA IS WAITING

The Louvre is open daily except Tuesday from 9am to 6pm (on Wednesdays and Fridays until 9.45pm).

Visitors can download the mobile application “My Visit to the Louvre” for free.

Plan your visit at http://www.Louvre.fr/en.

Chang Chui, which bills itself as “a hip space offering new-generation artists and designers the opportunity to can unleash their artistic ability without restraint”, is aiming to draw the water-fighting crowds away from such traditional Songkran spots as Royal City Avenue, Silom and and Khao San roads with a festival dubbed “Isaan Spirit, that runs from today through May 6.

“Chang Chui is the first creative park in Thailand, and is located on 21 rai of land here in Thon Buri,” says Chanokporn Thinphangnga, the site’s general manager.

“We’ve been open for nine months and have already become a tourist destination. This month, which incorporates the Thai New Year, we want to preserve and promote the arts, culture and traditions of Isaan and to do this, we have invited three artists born in the Kingdom’s Northeast to display their work. Also joining us is Thai makeup artist Amata “Pearypie” Chittasenee who is not an Isaan native but loves the Northeast. The four will showcase art, photographs, ready-to-wear fashion clothing, and mor lam music.

“Though the Isaan Spirit Festival, we will turn Songkran in Bangkok into an enjoyable, creative and safe holiday. The space is being decorated with several icons symbolising Isaan culture and traditions, and will feature demonstrations of rice farming complete with scarecrows and buffaloes and a giant bamboo chedi next to a sand pit where parents and children can have fun creating sand pagodas. We are hoping to welcome lots of foreign tourists and introduce them to the Isaan culture and have them join with Thai visitors in celebrating Songkran,” she adds.

The festival, which will be open daily from 11 to 9, also supports the Tourism Authority of Thailand’s campaign to promote the Northeast under the slogan “Isaan Saeb Nua” or “Cool Isaan.”

“I personally love the Northeast, which boasts plenty of natural wonders and some of the friendliest people in Thailand. Chang Chui is setting out to bring the mood and tone of Isaan to this tiny part of Bangkok, so we think that it will be a good chance for both Thais and foreigners to experience the Isaan culture and traditions before travelling to the region,” says Noppadon Pakprot, deputy governor for TAT’s tourism products and business.

Live shows will be held throughout the event, with Thai makeup artist Amata showing off her skills on April 21, painter Maitree Siriboon on April 28, morlam singer Rasmee Wayrana on April 29, and designer Apichet “Madaew’” Atirattana on May 5. Other displays include a folk fabric art fair from four Isaan provinces, Maha Sarakham’s Kratib Puppet Show, which is performed with puppets made of bamboo sticky rice containers, as well as Isaan food, buffalo husbandry and traditional plays.

“I’d describe my work as a kind of pop art because I paint buffaloes, changing their identity from black-skinned animals to beasts decorated in bright colours. The paint is non-toxic and makes them look cute, which gives them added value. I will paint three buffaloes as part of a live performance and estimate that will take about three hours. This will be the first time I’ll do it in front of an audience,” says Ubon Ratchathani-born artist Maitree, who will also be putting on his “Save Thai Buffalo” photo exhibition, which debuted back in 2015.

“I would like to encourage Thais to build a brand. My brand is ‘Isaan Boy Dream’. When I was very young, I used to sit on the edge of the paddy field and look up at the sky. The first time I saw a plane, I told myself that one day I would go around the world. When I grew up, I graduated from Silpakorn University and my art led me to see the world,” he continues.

“Branding is important. Now I am looking to build a brand for Nong Bo, the village where I grew up, because I really want to put it on the tourist map and in so doing, generate income for the residents. I hope it will also be an inspiration for the kids attending my academy, encouraging them to speak English and learning how to use social media to their benefit.”

Khon Kaen-born fashion designer Madaew, who rose to fame on YouTube, also likes to decorate buffaloes though he does it with fabric rather than paint.

“When I was young, I picked up a fashion magazine at a barber and couldn’t tear my eyes away from the model’s beautiful clothes. When I went home, I asked my mother to get me a Barbie doll and started sewing clothes for it. We were a poor family and my parents couldn’t afford to pay for good fabrics, so I dressed the doll in materials I found around the house. These days, I enjoy creating fashion to mix and match with the buffalo. We have a saying in Thai that a person is as stupid as a buffalo, but buffaloes are not stupid. I’ve been around them since I was a kid – my parents used to raise them – and now I am creating fashion shows that mix human’s DNA with the buffalo,” says the Madaew, who will stage a fashion show appropriately titled “Human or Buffalo? Which Human? Which Buffalo?”

Bangkok-born chef Thitiwat “Mai” Tantragarn, who runs the insect-oriented restaurant Insects in the Backyard at Chang Chui, will present two new dishes – “Ravioli Kung Chom” (ravioli with fermented shrimp) and “Larb Maeng Sading” (spicy minced house cricket).

“I’m giving the Isaan delicacy kung chom (fermented shrimp) an Italian twist by wrapping it in ravioli pockets, I hoping it will be eaten by both Thai and foreign visitors,” says Thitiwat, who is better known as Chef Mai, and whose restaurant has become internationally known through the BBC and The New York Times.

“We are like a model for the restaurant of the future.”

Nostalgic for the Northeast

– The “Isaan Spirit Festival” runs from today through May 6. It’s open daily from 11am to 9pm.

– Find out more by calling the TAT Call Centre at 1672, Chang Chui at (081) 817 2888, or visit http://www.ChangChuiBangkok.com and Facebook/changchuibangkok.

The campaign celebrates Songkran and cultural heritage and offers a chance to pay respect to Buddha images, taste classic Thai dishes and book exciting travel experience.

“Thais and foreign tourists can enjoy the traditional Thai atmosphere and culture,” says Siam Piwat senior executive vice president Mayuree Chaipromprasith.

Siam Paragon will have a “Wonderful Songkran” in its Hall of Fame with nine sacred ancient Buddha statues borrowed from the National Museum.

They are a Standing Buddha in Double Preaching, Phra Buddha Ratta Mahamuni, Medicine Buddha, Buddha Subduing Mara, Buddha Holding a Talapatta, Reclining Buddha, Buddha Calming the Ocean, Buddha Stopping the Relatives from Fighting and Surrounding Buddha (Phra Lom, Phra Haroi).

There’ll be demonstrations on how to make the perfume nam ob and bai toey flowers, an exhibition Thai history and traditions and a food festival in Parc Paragon.

The Songkran Food Fest: Taste of Thai Tradition will have more than 50 famous dishes – rice, noodles, desserts, appetisers and beverages. You can try khao chae Petchaburi, prang nara pork balls, chao wang fried pork, grilled chicken and beef baan kanom thai chao wang, pork sago and much more.

Sea Life Bangkok will present the animated show “Amazing Story from the Deep Sea” on a 10-metre screen, while Paragon Cineplex is encouraging everyone to wear period costumes.

Siam Center’s Ideaopolis has the “Summer Journey Exhibition” of new travel experiences promoted through simulations and hip bistros such Chiang Mai’s RK Cafe by Omnia will be setting up shop.

Siam Discovery’s “Summer Exploratorium” will feature digital art installations where your favourite travel photos posted on Instagram with the hashtags #godiscoversummer and #siamdiscovery can vie for prizes capped by a year’s free travel with AirAsia.

Ten second-place winners will receive Bt5,000 gift vouchers.

Siam Discovery will also be hosting temporary food stalls set up by the likes of Chao Le Crispy Mussel Pancake, Nai Aun Yen Ta Fo Noodle, and Steamed Chives Dumpling Khun Mae.

Find out more at (02) 610 8000.

From Friday to April 17, the bakery run by chef Pongthawat “Ian” Chalermkittichai will serve Muffin with a mango financier from France sprinkled with mango and coconut, Choux Cream Mango with sweet mango, Pandan Chiffon Cake soaked in mango sauce, and Lemon Poppy Seed Cake topped with sesame and lemon glaze. They’ll be available on domestic and international flights, except for WE177, WE333/334, WE335/336, WE343/344, WE426, WE420 WE696/697 and WE288.

Online booking can be made at http://www.ThaiSmileAir.com.

In full bloom

South Korea’s Goryeosan Mountain is laying out a carpet of flowers to welcome tourists to its annual Azalea Festival running from Saturday to April 22.

This is the biggest floral festival in Ganghwado and a popular picnic spot for lovers and families during spring, while the flowers are in full bloom. Fans of Korean TV series should pay special attention to the mountain, which is said to be the birthplace of General Yeongaesomun.

Find out more at the KTO Thailand page on Facebook.

An offer you can’t refuse

Onyx Hospitality Group will beat the summer heat with a special deal that is limited to a 48-hour booking period on April 28 and 29.

Based on local time of each destination, guests can simply visit http://www.Onyx-hospitality.com/super-sale” and use the promotional code “SuperSale” to get up to 50-per-cent discounts at more than 30 properties under Amari, Ozo and Shama brands.

Valid for stays from April 28 to November 30, the packages include a minimum of two-night stay with breakfast for two.

Lighting up a velvet night

Travellers looking for a holiday escape can check out the Stars & Sky package at Anantara Kihavah, Maldives that’s available from now until December 22.

Starting at Bt49,860 for a minimum of three-night stay, the promotion offers private stargazing with the Sky guru, the Slumber Guru Massage experience, cinema under the stars, daily breakfast for two, dinner at Salt or Manzaru and round-trip seaplane transfers.

Make a reservation at http://www.SkyKihavahMaldives.com or email reservations.maldives@anantara.com.

Designer destination

Families spending the long holidays in Milan can take advantage of the Stay with Your Family package being offered by the Armani Hotel Milano.

Starting at 1,138 euros (Bt43,700) for an Armani Deluxe Room, families will be rewarded with American breakfast at the Armani/Ristorante, 25-per-cent discount on a second room with American breakfast, kids welcome gift upon arrival, special in-room amenities, cocktail in the panoramic Armani/Bamboo Bar for all family members, complimentary room upgrade to a superior room and complimentary late check-out subject to availability.

Make your plans by emailing reservations.milan@armanihotels.com.

The 34-year-old man’s symptoms began with dry heaves “immediately after participation in a hot pepper contest where he ate one Carolina Reaper,” in 2016, said an article published in medical journal BMJ Case Reports.

The man then developed intense neck and head pain, and for several days experienced brief but intense “thunderclap” headaches. Each lasted several seconds.

After seeking emergency care, tests for various neurological conditions came back negative.

In the end, doctors diagnosed him with a temporary brain condition called “reversible cerebral vasoconstriction syndrome” (RCVS), characterised by the temporary narrowing of blood vessels to the brain.

It was the first reported case of a patient being diagnosed with RCVS after eating a chilli pepper, the authors said.

Often accompanied by “thunderclap” headaches, the condition usually occurs as a reaction to certain prescription medications, or after taking illegal drugs.

“It was a big surprise to everyone,” said doctor Kulothungan Gunasekaran of the Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, one of the authors of the article that warns of the dangers of playing with chilli fire.

– World’s hottest chilli pepper –

The man’s symptoms cleared up by themselves and a follow-up CT scan five weeks after the event showed that his arteries had returned to their normal width.

Eating cayenne pepper has previously been linked to heart attacks, the study authors said.

“We would recommend the general public be cautious when eating chilli peppers and to seek medical attention straight away if you develop symptoms like this,” Gunasekaran warned.

For those who dare, the Carolina Reaper has a fruity, sweet taste with a hint of cinnamon and chocolate undertones, as well as being extremely hot, according to the website of Guinness World Records.

Last year it named the Carolina Reaper — a cross between Sweet Habanero and Naga Viper chillies — as the hottest pepper on Earth. It is grown by a producer in South Carolina.

It rates at an average of 1,641,183 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), according to tests conducted by Winthrop University in South Carolina in 2017.

A Jalapeno can score anything between 2,500 to 8,000 SHU on the scale, Guinness World Records said.

In November 2016, a new record of 120 grammes (just over four ounces) of Carolina Reaper were eaten in one minute at a competition in Arizona.

IN ITS latest collection of home-furnishing fabrics, Jim Thompson has had Belgian architect-interior designer Gert Voorjans create an exuberant line in keeping with its penchant for vibrant colours.

Voorjans’ designs are notoriously unconventional and always innovative and surprising, and this collaborative collection is no exception, aiming to lure homemakers into embracing exciting and daring combinations.

In a collection ranging from upholstery to wall coverings, the key features include colourful silk weaves and stripes of wool epingle, a rustic check design, bold prints with playful patterns inspired by 20th-century art, and daring trimmings in bright shades.

There’s a sense of juxtaposition as apparent opposites are brought together, like roughness and softness, rusticity and refinement.

Voorjans has designed homes for some of the world’s most important residential and corporate developers, most notably Dries Van Noten stores around the world.

Voorjans studied interior design in Hasselt, holds a post-graduate degree in art history from Siena and a post-graduate degree in styles & arts from Sotheby’s in London.

In 1997 he opened his own architectural and design practice in Antwerp and, in 2013, Gert Voorjans Asia was established in Hong Kong.

Here, Voorjans shares the complex influences behind his work with a Jim Thompson interviewer.

WHAT WAS THE INSPIRATION FOR THIS COLLECTION?

I’ve created fabrics that can be used to furnish complete interiors, ranging from upholstery to wall coverings. It’s an exuberant collection based on our own historic documents, samples and fabrics, but with references to French and Italian colourists and avant-garde artists.

DOES THE COLLECTION HAVE A RUNNING THEME?

We have not only included silks, but I also opted for cotton and linen fabrics, and even passementeries. The collection is very diverse, ranging from rustic and checked fabrics to ivy motifs, sophisticated damasks and colourful trimmings. By using this approach, I hope to reach out to a broad audience, so that more people can enjoy part of my creative universe.

WHAT KEY WORDS WOULD YOU USE TO DESCRIBE THE COLLECTION?

Eccentric, richly layered, customised, refreshing, inspiring, colourful, distinctive – to name just a few. But above all, naive, unexpected and artistic.

WHY ARE JIM THOMPSON AND GERT VOORJANS A GOOD MATCH?

I’ve been integrating Jim Thompson fabrics into my projects for as long as I can remember, so designing a collection for the house was a very exciting challenge. And most of all, I am a great admirer of the Jim Thompson story.

I love to create environments that are richly layered with influences from the East and the West, suffused with colours. I believe these characteristics relate well to the Jim Thompson style, and that’s why I think our collaboration is the perfect match.

After the debacle caused by exploding batteries in its Note 7 phablet back in 2016, Samsung has been intent on proving itself as the leading producer of Android phones and it’s living up to this priority with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S9+. An impressive smartphone, the S9+ has outstanding cameras, very fast performance, rapid Internet connection and very good sound quality.

The S9+ is powered by Samsung Exynos 9810 octa core processor with four cores running at 2.7 GHz and four others at 1.7 GHz. It comes with a generous 6 gigabytes of working memory or RAM and 64 GB internal storage that is expandable with a micro SD card up to 400 GB. The smartphone runs on the Android 8.0 operating system.

The fast CPU, hefty RAM and fast storage are behind the impressive performance. I used AnTuTu Benchmark v7.0.7 to measure its performance and it scored 242,958 points.

I compared the result to the ever-growing database of users of the app on March 31 and found that it was ranked first. However, I’m not sure whether the score reflects the newest version of the AnTuTu Benchmark.

I was also impressed by its very fast Internet connection. I tested it on TrueMove H’s LTE network. The S9+ uses LTE Cat 18 protocol and downloaded and uploaded files very fast. My snapshots were backed up to my Google Photos cloud storage in no time.

I used the Ookla Speedtest app to measure its connection and found that it achieved a download speed of 148 Mbps and upload speed of 40.5 Mbps.

Like previous versions, S9+ comes with a curved edge display in Full View format. This time though, Samsung has managed to grow the screen to 6.2 inches without enlarging the body, using a curved super amoled 18:5.9 display with 1,440 x 2,960 pixels and a pixel depth of 529 per inch. And despite the large display, its footprint is only 158×73.8×8.5mm thanks to the shorter upper and lower bezels.

Moreover, the display has great outdoor visibility with adaptive contrast enhancement. I had no trouble reading the screen even in bright sunlight.

With its high resolution and vivid colours, the S9+ is very good for viewing high-resolution photos and HD clips. Its refined Infinity Display that provides edge-to-edge experience was great and I thoroughly enjoyed watching HD movies streamed with the TrueID TV and iflix apps.

Another winner is the great sound quality. The stereo speakers tuned by AKG make the music or dialogue 1.4 times louder than the previous model with Dolby Atmos-powered for three-dimensional sound.

The S9+ also supports the High-Resolution Audio format of FLAC 24bi/192kHz. I tested it with Sony MDR1ABT Hi-Res Audio headphones and was delighted with the detail and powerful bass.

The smartphone comes with dualcamera setup for the rear camera, resulting in impressive performance. It’s made of a wideangle Super Speed 12-megapixel AF sensor with dual apertures of f/1.5 and f/2.4 and a telephoto 12MP A sensor with f/2.4 aperture.

This allows you to capture beautiful portraits with professionally blurred backgrounds. With the Dual Aperture system, the main camera automatically adjusts to lighting condition and helps it to capture goodquality images in both low and bright lighting. The S9+ also comes with MultiFrame Noise Reduction technology that captures 12 photos in quick succession, an increase over the previous three with the Galaxy Note 8. The 12 photos are then automatically combined to create a perfect shot.

To take beautiful portrait shots with blurred background, you must use the Live Focus shooting mode. This shows a bar that you slide to obtain the level of blurred background and a button for adjusting the skin tone.

This mode takes two shots at once  one tele and one close up and combines them into one shot that lets you further change the level of blur in Gallery or Photo Editor.

Another fun mode is the AR Emoji. This uses Augmented Reality and deep learning technology to analyse a 2D image of you by mapping more than 100 facial features and then adding the virtual 2D image to a 3D model form to create an AR Emoji that reflects your facial expression. The Emoji is created as an animated GIF for you to send to your friends via applications, like Facebook Messenger.

Other shooting modes for the rear camera include Food, Panorama, Pro and Auto. The Food mode will emphasise the vivid colours of the food while the Panorama creates a linear image by guiding you to pan the camera either horizontally or vertically. The Pro mode allows you to adjust various shooting parameters, such as ISO sensitivity, exposure value, white balance and light measuring method. If you’re not confident with the parameters, go for Auto and the camera will determines the ideal scene mode for you.

During a recent tasting at the Miracle Grand Convention hotel, I managed to capture beautiful shots even in a lowlight environment, using both the Auto and Food modes.

The rear camera comes with a Super Slowmo mode that records video clips at 960 frames per second for playing at normal speed for a slow motion effect. This will slow 0.2 seconds of action to approximately 6 seconds.

By default, the automatic Motion Detection is on and the camera will begin recording when it detects movement in the frame so you can catch those fleeting moments. The option can be turned off and if you do that, you must start the Super Slowmo recording on your own.

The AR-powered rear camera has another use. Used with Bixby Vision technology – Bixby is Samsung’s virtual assistant – the AR-powered camera enables a Live Translation function that instantly translates both foreign language and currency using AR to read what your eyes can’t. Point your camera at a sign or menu, for example, to get a translation in real time.

Samsung says 33 input languages are automatically detected while 21 others need to be selected. The output language is automatically set to the device’s language and if you want to change it, you can do so manually at the top to the screen.

Bixby Vision also provides information about places, foods, wines and shopping making it an ideal holiday companion.

The front camera uses an 8MP aF sensor with f/1.7 aperture. It allows you to capture wide and normal selfies with beautification technologies. It also has AR Emoji mode and can be used as part of the security function to unlock your phone with Intelligent Scan feature.

The Intelligent Scan is backed by Samsung’s Knox Security platform. It allows for biometric verification that uses both iris scanning and facial recognition to unlock the phone. There is a hidden iris sensor at the front of phone.

I found that the Intelligent Scan fast and had no problem unlocking the phone. I simply pressed the soft home button on the Always On screen and the front camera and iris scanner worked simultaneously.

There is also a fingerprint reader embedded at the back below the rear camera’s lens, which is handy for unlocking both the phone and secured folders.

A nice function of the S9+ in this IoT (Internet of Things) age is the SmartThings app. The app lets you use the smartphone to control compatible devices, such as smart TVs, multiroom speakers, a Wi-Fi washing machine, Wi-Fi air-conditioners and other Wi-Fi connected devices far from your home.

The S9+ is also dust and water resistant, conforming to IP68 rating.

It comes with a large battery of 3,500 mAh capacity and supports fast charging technology and wireless charging.

And you can transform it into a desktop computer with an optional Samsung DeX Station that links to the smartphone to provide an Ethernet port, HDMI port, USB 2.0 port and USB Type C port. Then you can work on Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft PowerPoint and OneNote, using a keyboard and a mouse.

Samsung Galaxy S9+ comes in two versions depending on the internal storage. The one with 64 GB storage retails for Bt31,900 and with 128GB storage for Bt33,900.

Considering all the functions, that’s a steal.

Key Specs

– OS: Android 8 (Oreo)

– Network: LTE Cat.18

– CPU: Samsung Exynos 9810 octa core (4×2.7 GHz and 4×1.7 GHz)

– Memory: 6GB

– Storage: 64GB, expandable with microSD by up to 400GB

– SIM: Dual nano SIM slots (one shared with microSD)

– Display: 6.2-inch Quad HD + Curved Super AMOLED, 18.5:99,10 (529ppi)

– Cameras: Rear: Wide-angle: Super Speed Dual Pixel 12MP AF sensor (F1.5/F2.4), Telephoto: 12MP AF sensor (F2.4); Front: 8MP AF (F1.7)

– Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, Bluetooth v 5.0 (LE up to 2Mbps), ANT+, NFC

– Location: GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou

– Sensors: Iris, Pressure, Accelerometer, Barometer, Fingerprint, Gyro, Geomagnetic, Hall, HR, Proximity and RGB Light sensors

– Battery: 3,500mAh with QC 2.0 fast-charging, WPC and PMA compatible wireless charging

– Dimensions: 158.1mm x 73.8mm x 8.5mm

– Weight: 189g

Songkran, as the Thai New Year is called, is less than a week away and with millions of people taking to the road next week to return home, the final preparations are being put in place for the ultimate celebrations.

Up in Udon Thani, that celebration is known as  “UD Town Wonder Water Land 2018” and it’s being billed as the greatest Songkran Festival in the Northeast of Thailand.

Now in its ninth year, the mega event, which is being hosted by UD Town in the city’s downtown area from Thursday through April 16, promises to be even bigger and better with more than Bt50 million being poured into the extravaganza, which is expected to draw four times more tourists than the 2017 festival – going from 80,000 to more than 350,000 including plenty of visitors from Thailand’s neighbours.

“Udon Thani is among the destinations that play an important role in the economy,” says Apicha Weerachartyanukul, corporate branding manager at Udon Plaza.

“The province attracts more than three million local and international tourists a year, with the number going up during Songkran, the peak festive season. Visitors will be able to experience the traditional Songkran culture and also participate in a series of events at various tourist attractions around the province. Udon Thani offers comfortable accommodation to fit most wallets and some 40 flights land at our airport daily. UD Town has been holding Songkran celebrations for almost a decade and each year we welcome more visitors. Last year, we saw more than 300,000 people, both locals and tourists, during the five-day event, largely thanks to the success of our ‘Destination Marketing’ strategy that positions UD Town as a major destination for the Northeastern region.

Apicha’s sentiments are echoed by Yos Kuwareewong, product director with Chang International, one of the main sponsors of the event.

“I personally wouldn’t want to miss the Songkran Festival fun at UD Town. It’s the first and I think the only Songkran Festival in Thailand that lasts for a full five days. Our theme is ‘Bring your best friends to the Songkran party as Songkran is more fun when celebrated with your best friends”. We have a tower with sexy girls and premium products,” Yos says.

“UD Town is the biggest centre in Udon Thani for teenagers and the young generation,” adds Laddawan Lertwasin, senior marketing manager at PepsiCola (Thai) Trading, another major sponsor.

“We are delighted to be cooperating with UD Town for the second consecutive year, not least because the mall is a landmark of Udon Thani and serves as a centre for teenage customers who match Pepsi’s main target group. We have observed first hand how the event attracts more and more people so we are confident that we won’t be far off our target numbers,” she says.

“In addition, music is one of Pepsi’s main platforms including EDM, which is now the most popular genre with a new generation out of have fun. And we’re adding to the excitement by creating a zone for hip restaurants offering street food to please the teens.”

More than 8,000 square metres of the mall will be used to host the event, with a portion converted into a “Water Galaxy”, where festival-goers can soak each other in true Thai style.

Five zones are being created to ensure that everyone has fun, no matter their age or preference. One of these is home to Buddha images from nine well-known temples, over which celebrants can sprinkle water in a gesture of worship and respect.

The younger set can enjoy the alcohol-free “Foam Party” while “The Best Street Food” zone will feed the hungry with more than 100 food stalls and restaurants in Udon Thani.

“The Largest Water Tunnel of the Northeastern Region”, which is designed as the water galaxy, provides a 360-degree experience in addition to spectacular lights and sounds, while the last zone houses the stages for the EDM shows that take place every night after sunset. The lineup of international DJs includes Sick Individuals and Quintino from the Netherlands, Gail from France, Fenner from England, electro house specialist DJ Ivy from Korea, Superone from Lao PDR and Ouj from Myanmar. They’ll be backed up more than 30 locals, among them Unmonkey, Yukie, Riviere, Rocky and Gavin.

Dutch duo Sick Individuals featuring Rinze “Ray” Hofstee and Joep “Jim” Smeele, will be manning the decks at UD Town on Thursday night before heading down to Bangkok for a gig next Saturday. EDM fans can also dance to spins by Quintino the same night.

“We are responsible for the LED, laser system, and the water tunnel and will be taking visitors on a journey through space,” enthuses Sermkhun Kunawong, chief executive officer of PM Centre.

“We’ve designed the stage to resemble a galaxy with a giant moving light and lots of laser beams.”

Young heartthrob James Ma, Pepsi’s new presenter, turned out for the press conference, and performed “Mai Bok Ther”, a soundtrack of the “Hormones” series, while DJs 22 Bullet and Yukie took care of the beats.

Plan to get wet

“UD Town Wonder Water Land 2018” takes place at UD Town in Udon Thani from Thursday through April 16 from 11am to midnight.

Tickets for EDM Regular are Bt100 per day, EDM VIP Zone Bt499Bt999 per day, and EDM VIP Zone Bt2,000 for 5 days.

Find out more at (042) 932 999 and http://www.GoUDTown.com or join the conversation at Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.