PART OF the “Forever in Our Hearts” exhibition displayed at the royal cremation sites of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej has now moved to Phya Thai Palace.

The ceremonial grounds at Sanam Luang in Bangkok – which more than four million people visited – are now nearly dismantled, including Phra Thinang Song Tham (the royal merit-making pavilion).

But admirers of the beloved late monarch can now see the exhibition on his life and legacy at the palace within the compound of Phramongkutklao Hospital on Rajvithee Road.

A large portion of the “Forever in Our Hearts” exhibition from the royal cremation grounds has been moved to Phya Thai Palace./Courtesy of Forever in Our Hearts Organisers

Culture Minister Veera Rojpojanarat says the displays include 54 text boards in Thai and English, multimedia, books and other items related to the royal cremation ceremony.

“This will be a good opportunity not just for people who didn’t get to see the original exhibition but also for those who saw it but hadn’t yet explored it in detail because of the limited time,” he says.

Because interest was so keen, only 5,500 visitors per hour were allowed into the ceremonial grounds.

The life and legacy of His Majesty King Bhumibol are examined through text boards, multimedia and artefacts. /Courtesy of Forever in Our Hearts Organisers

Lt General Thamrongrat Kaewkarn, president of the Phya Thai Palace Preservation Foundation, says the government’s Fine Arts Department had agreed that the palace was an appropriate venue for the new show.

“The duration hasn’t been decided yet, but I think it’s possibly going to be here for at least six months.”

King Bhumibol founded both Phramongkutklao Hospital and the adjoining Phramongkutklao College of Medicine for training the Army doctors who accompanied him on his travels upcountry, helping people in need.

Five exhibition areas occupy both floors of the palace’s Biman Chakri Throne Hall, a Romanesque-Gothic structure with a distinctive pointed dome.

Some of the text boards have QR codes that can be scanned to view videos of the King attending to the public’s needs./Nation

“The Great Monarch” is an examination of then-Prince Bhumibol’s childhood at Srapathum Palace, home to the royal family after they returned from the United States, where King Bhumibol was born.

His mother, Princess Srinagarindra, and grandmother, Queen Savang Vadhana, educated King Bhumibol and his elder siblings, building character and imbuing virtues that would serve them well the rest of their lives.

“The Peaceful Reign” looks at King Bhumibol’s treks around the country, famously equipped with his four simple tools – pencil, map, camera and walkie-talkie – with which he recorded problems and shortcomings afflicting the people and planned out solutions.

Dr Sumet Tantivejkul, secretary general of the Chaipattana Foundation, once recalled how His Majesty requested 12 pencils every year – one for each month. No one dared throw any of them away half-used because, ever the conservationist, the King used them all down to the nub.

Samples of the daily essentials that the King distributed to people caught in disasters are shown. /Nation

When His Majesty learned of natural disasters or other emergencies, he used radio communications to arrange and monitor the preparation and distribution of aid supplies, of which several examples are on view. There’s even a tape recording of the King discussing plans to help flood victims.

Also seen are photos of the trains, boats, aircraft and wheeled vehicles used on his travels. Explanatory text has QR codes that can be scanned with a phone to view YouTube videos of the monarch on the road.

“We lived in the peaceful shade of His Majesty,” says Thamrongrat of the palace foundation. “In several pictures we see his car half sunk in water, but he never saw such things as a hardship. He persevered and carried on.”

“The Righteous King” zone /Nation 

“The Righteous King” illustrates His Majesty’s devotion to dharma practice throughout his 70-year reign. He adhered to the Ten Virtues of a Righteous King – giving, good conduct, patience, precision, selfless sacrifice, being unequivocal and gentle, persevering, and never being angry or taking advantage of others.

“Furthering the Bonds of Friendship” has pictures and videos of his involvement in international relations. King Bhumibol, accompanied by Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, made 32 state visits from 1959 to 1994, including celebrated trips to the United States and 13 European countries.

The United Nations and many other international organisations recognised the enormous benefits he brought to Thailand, not least through the 4,000 royal initiatives he introduced. By the time he died in October 2016, the King had received more than 40 awards from abroad, 11 of them from UN agencies.

Photos and videos document the outpouring of grief that gripped the nation from the day the King died until the day of his cremation a year later. /Nation

The deeply moving segment called “A Chakri King Returns to His Heavenly Abode” assembles photos and videos of the mourning period following his death. Tens of thousands of black-clad citizens from all walks of life are seen bidding farewell, with images extending from Siriraj Hospital to the cremation grounds last October.

Official invitation cards to the cremation, commemorative books and the nametags of people involved in the funeral rites are displayed.

Invitation cards, books and nametags from the royal cremation are on view. /Courtesy of Forever in Our Hearts Organisers

Thamrograt calls the exhibition “a double bonus”.

“Visitors get to see both this significant exhibition and the historical buildings of Phya Thai Palace, which were built during the reigns of Kings Rama V and VI.”

Phya Thai Palace was known as the Phya Thai Residence when King Rama V had it built in 1909 as a personal residence and a locale to establish an experimental farm. He died the following year, though, and it became the home of Queen Saovabha Pongsri, the mother of King Rama VI. She stayed there until her death in 1919.

King Rama V built Phya Thai Palace as a residence. King Rama VI oversaw its renovation as a palace, adding the domed Biman Chakri Throne Hall. /Courtesy of Forever in Our Hearts Organisers

King Rama VI had the building renovated and added more structures, renaming it Phya Thai Palace. It was his permanent residence for six years and it’s where he composed several of his literary works, including his masterpiece, “Madanabadha: The Romance of a Rose”.

The Dusit Thani miniature model of a city – a “micro-nation” project initiated by King Rama VI to explore aspects of democracy – was moved there from Suan Dusit Palace. Court officials played the roles of citizens owning property in the city of 1:12-scale private houses, government offices, commercial establishments, hospitals, markets and a hotel.

Elections were held, a constitution written and two newspapers regularly published.

The Dusit Thani was dismantled after the death of King Rama VI in 1925, but you can still see one of the intricately designed miniature homes on display at Phya Thai Palace.

There are two-hour guided tours of the palace every Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday and Sunday at 1.30pm and also at 9.30am on Saturday and Sunday. It’s free, though donations are welcome to assist with renovations.

‘DOUBLE BONUS’

The exhibition “Forever in Our Hearts” is open daily from 9am to 3pm at the Biman Chakri Throne Hall at Phya Thai Palace on Rajvithee Road, Bangkok.

Admission is free. Groups wishing to arrange guided tours should do so at least two weeks in advance.

Visitors are required to dress and behave respectfully.

Learn more from the Office of the Phya Thai Palace Preservation Foundation at (02) 354 7987 or (02) 354 7732.

NAILS ARE buffed, blackheads scrubbed and coffee sipped to the sound of clipping scissors inside the “Men’s” salon in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, where a growing number of male patrons are set on revamping their style.

Deeply conservative Pakistan has strict notions of masculinity where men are often expected to be austere and flamboyant styling is to be avoided.

But savvy entrepreneurs in urban centres have latched on to a new metrosexual trend: male beauty salons.

Pakistan savvy entrepreneurs in urban centres have latched on to a new metrosexual trend: male beauty salons./AFP

While women in urban Pakistan have long enjoyed access to the care of beauticians and stylists, expensive facials and mani-pedis for men are becoming more common as disposable incomes in the nation’s swelling middle class grow – per capita income jumped by 6.4 per cent in 2017.

A vibrant social media culture has also fuelled the desire to be selfie-ready at any time, with influencers like Adnan Malik and Osman Khalid Butt attracting hundreds of thousands of followers online with their fashion-conscious posts.

At Tauseeq Haider’s “Men’s” salon, customers usually fork out a minimum of 1,400 rupees (Bt400) for a visit – a far cry from the 200 rupees spent at traditional barber shops.

“Men have equal right to be groomed and times have changed. It’s no more just getting your haircut,” says Haider.

“Senior citizens, bureaucrats, they don’t feel ashamed of saying that I need a facial, massage, my nails need to be done, please suggest what should I get,” he adds.

In rural Pakistan, men have traditionally taken their fashion tips from Islamic dictates, with the Koran specifying the length of beard and moustache along with hygiene guidelines.

And in the cities, Bollywood and Western entertainment have long driven fashion trends for conscientious groomers.

But times are changing fast in the rapidly developing South Asian nation, with social media setting and wrecking trends in urban centres at the speed of a swipe.

According to Lebanese salon owner Michael Kanaan, who has been based in Pakistan for more than a decade, rising wages and greater exposure to global culture is fanning the burgeoning demand.

A growing number of male patrons are set on revamping their style the Pakistani capital Islamabad.  /AFP 

“The Pakistan male is becoming more metrosexual. It is all due to the internet and the age of satellites and cable TVs,” says Kanaan.

Economist Minhajul Haque agrees, saying Pakistani men are also subjected to a new slew of online advertising campaigns that have reinforced the trend.

“There is this whole lot of clever marketing of male beauty products which is spurring demand,” he explains.

Humayun Khan, 49, says he is fine with spending more money to look good and his wife is supportive of the new passion.

“I get my nails done, get my haircut, get my facial and I am done for the day and after two weeks I come again,” he says.

“If I don’t look good, my wife wouldn’t like me,” he laughs.

Stylist Ghulfam Ghori says Pakistani men are also now more concerned with skincare, opting for blackhead removal, acne treatments and even the occasional brush with makeup before major events like weddings.

“Men are very conscious about their skin now… and consider it essential to get facials. Previously it was not common, but now the trend is increasing among men to get themselves groomed,” says Ghori.

But it’s not just the salons that are cashing in on Pakistani men’s blossoming cosmopolitan predilections.

Zafar Bakhtawari, chairman of the D Watson Group, one of Pakistan’s biggest pharmacy chains, explains: “I can say there is a revolution coming up in Pakistan in the male psyche that they are becoming very much conscious about their beauty, about their face, about their hair, about their dress and it’s a great revolution.”

In addition to the jingle, the female rocker, who is now 63 years old, also delighted her fans and media by performing her smash hit, “Nueng Diew Khon Nee”, which was released in 1985, a year before she recorded the global commercial. The stage was shared by former popular duos, Lift-Oil and Raptor.

“I have fond memories of Phi Pu and Tina Turner singing the commercial on the same stage. It was so cool,” recalls Somchai Ketchaikosol, marketing director for beverages at Pepsi-Cola (Thai) Trading, before revealing a new commercial.

“Today, we are launching Pepsi’s global campaign on the theme ‘Pepsi Generations: Sa Thuk Yuk … Mai Plien’ in celebration of our 120th anniversary. Our brand has passed through all ages and generations.”

As part of the celebrations, Pepsi-Cola (Thai) Trading is introducing new packaging of the Pepsi can in the vintage style of five eras: 1940, 1950, 1980, 1990 and 2000. Just 3,000 of these five-can-five-design packs, priced at Bt99, are being released and they’re available until tomorrow (February 25) from this event at the plaza area of CentralWorld.

The “Pepsi Generations” event at CentralWorld features the “Pepsi Generations Club” featuring four clubs stylised in four eras, namely a jazz lounge with vintage posters representing 1940, a retro cafe with rock and roll music for 1950, a disco with neon display for 1980, and the millennium mirror room symbolising 2000. Visitors leaving the club tent receive a free glass of Pepsi in four styles.

“This year, Pepsi refreshes every generation from past to present. This new commercial presents memorable scenes of many international artists from Michael Jackson to Britney Spears,” said Somchai.

Moreover, Pepsi-Cola has also joined with local fashion label Greyhound to launch a collection of vintage clothes featuring a T-shirt, jacket, hat and bag. This collection will go on sale on March 1 at Greyhound boutiques at Siam Center, Siam Paragon, The EmQuartier and Central Lat Phrao and the items can also be bought until Sunday night at the event.

The launch ended with a fashion show from the collection by young models, actors and actresses including Pachara Chirathivat, Ungsumalynn Sirapatsakmetha, Kritsanapoom Pibunsonggram, Pathompong Reonchaidee, and Aratchaporn Phokinpakorn.

Find out more and join the conversation at Facebook PepsiThai and LINE: PepsiThai.

A mid-range and affordable smartphone with dual high-resolution front cameras and a 23-mega pixel camera with good image quality, the new Xperia XA2 Ultra from Sony is all about the selfie.

The first front camera uses Sony’s Exmor RS mobile image sensor with 16-mega-pixel resolution and optical image stabilisation technology. The second selfie camera switches to 8MP Exmor R and boasts a 120-degree superwide angle lens.

While the XA2 Ultra’s default setting sees it using the 16MP OIS camera for best-quality selfie shots, it will automatically switch to the 8MP when it spots a group of you mugging for the camera or a better-average backdrop.

Both come with an LED flash and the option to use Auto flash, Fill flash or Flashlight when taking selfie shots. If you’re photographing yourself at night, switch to the Night Portrait Flash mode with a slow-sync feature to get shots that are clear both in the foreground and the background.

The 16 MP OIS sensor can prevent your selfie from getting blurred should your hand happen to shake but you can also prevent the camera shaking from button tapping by using the Smile or Hand Shutter feature.

For the Smile Shutter, you simply ensure that your face appears inside the coloured frame and smile and the camera will self-click. For the Hand Shutter, turn your palm with your fingers straight up toward the camera and the selfie will be taken.

The rear camera uses the large 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS for Mobile sensor, which is capable of ISO 12800 sensitivity for better lowlight photography. The rear camera is also capable of 4K movie recording and 120fps slow motion video capture.

During the test, I found that the rear camera really captured beautiful, sharp and clear photos even in lowlight environments. The main camera also has a fast focus and even faster performance. It took just 0.6 second from the camera launch to be ready to capture a shot.

The camera has Superior Auto mode that allowed me to capture good quality shots. More experienced photographers will probably prefer the Manual mode that lets them adjust shutter speed, ISO, and white balance as well as select between auto focus and manual focus.

The rear camera also provides Timeshift burst mode that fires 30 shots at once for you to select the best shot.

The XA2 Ultra features Sony’s vibrant 6-inch Full HD smartphone display, with a wide and accurate colour gamut and is built with strong and durable Corning Gorilla Glass. The screen sits within a borderless design. Moreover, the display features a curved surface.

The big screen with 1920×1080 pixel resolution is great for viewing photos and watching streamed video, such as video on demand with the TrueID TV app provided by True Visions.

The Xperia XA2 Ultra also has an ergonomic design that makes it comfortable in your hand. And Sony has moved the fingerprint sensor from being integrated with the power button to a separate sensor below the lens of the rear camera. This design allowed me to conveniently unlock the phone by touching it with either the left index or right.

Performance-wise, the XA2 Ultra is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 octacore processor. It comes with four gigabytes of working memory or RAM and 64 GB of storage, which is expandable with a microSD card by up to 256 GB. The smartphone runs on the latest Google Android 8.0 Oereo.

The phone had good performance during the test. Its touch screen and menus were very responsive and it had fast Internet connection thanks to Snapdragon 630, which has a builtin X12 LTE modem with up to 600 Mbps downlink speeds.

I tested the data connection on TrueMove H’s LTE network and found that the connection was very fast. Applications were downloaded smoothly 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 the XA2 Ultra achieved a download speed of 83.97 Mbps and upload speed of 30.92 Mbps.

The XA2 Ultra has two nano SIM slots, meaning it doesn’t have to share one with a microSD expansion slot.

When you set up the phone, you’ll be prompted to select which SIM you want to use for data connection, which for voice calls and which for SMS messages. For the calls and SMS, you can set the phone so that the XA2 Ultra asks you every time before you make a call or send an SMS.

And the XA2 Ultra can also play High-Resolution Audio of FLAC 24bit/192kHz format smoothly, indicating its good performance.

I listened to FLAC 24bit/192kHz songs with Sony’s MDR1ABT Hi-Res Audio headphones and found that the songs had impressive quality with clarity, details of musical instruments and powerful bass.

Sony says the XA2 Ultra uses Smart Amplifier technology with ClearAudio+ and Clear Bass features to fine-tune the music to make every note clear.

The XA2 Ultra comes with a large battery of 3,580 mAh capacity to match its large display. The battery uses Smart Stamina technology that predicts how long your power will last based on how you normally use your phone, and prompts you with the best time to activate Stamina mode. In this mode, you can adapt your energy usage to keep going even when you’re running low.

And XA2 Ultra comes with technologies to prolong the battery life. It uses Qnovo Adaptive Charging technology to check your battery’s health as it charges, then adjust current levels to help protect the capacity. Leaving a fully-charged battery plugged in can damage it so Sony’s Battery Care charges your phone to 90 per cent and waits then charges to 100 per cent just before your wakeup time.

Sony Xperia XA2 Ultra has a suggested retail price of Bt13,990.

Key Specs

– Networks: GSM GPRS/EDGE (2G), UMTS HSPA+ (3G), LTE (4G) Cat13/Cat12

– OS: Google Android 8.0

– Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 630 Mobile Platform octacore 2.21 GHz

– Memory: 4GB

– Storage: 64 GB, expandable with microSD by up to 256GB

– SIM: Dual nano SIM slots

– Rear camera: 23MP 1/2.3-inch Exmor RS for mobile image sensor with f/2.0 lens

– Front cameras: 8MP 120-degree super wideangle 1/4-inch Exmor R for mobile image sensor; 16MP with OIS (Optical Image Stabilizer) 1/2.6inch ExmorRS for mobile sensor

– Display: 6-inch full HD 1080p display protected with Corning Gorilla Glass

– Connectivity: AGNSS (GPS + GLONASS), WiFi Miracast, Bluetooth 5, Google Cast, NFC, USB TypeC

– Battery: 3580 mAh with Qualcomm Quick Charge 3.0

– Dimensions: 163 x 80 x 9.5mm

– Weight: 221g

Want to learn to speak Chinese and have fun doing it? You need the Manga Mandarin mobilephone application.

It’s totally free to download and use.

Chinese developer Funnybean Technology Co says the app is based on protocols used by the American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages and that the content is constantly expanding with input from both teachers and learners around the world.

The stories used, presented in comic-strip form, teach essential conversational vocabulary that can be handy in daily life. The grammar comes from courses used in the Chinese Proficiency Test, an international standardised test of proficiency.

You can click on any word that appears in the cartoons for a translation into English, Japanese, Korean, Thai or Russian. There’s an option to listen to any word and read the explanation, and a video clip under each story explains the grammar.

You have a choice of standard Mandarin or the more mainstream form of Chinese heard on TV series.

Once you’ve learned all the content of a story, you can record yourself as you “dub” over it. This can be shared with other learners to show how well you’re doing in learning the language.

There are six categories – Beginner, Fantasy, Advanced, Comedy, Love and Workplace.

Complete the chapters one by one and the app will display a “report card” gauging your progress.

The app is now in Version 1.8.0 with an improved interface. You log on via the home screen and select the category you want.

Up to six family members can share the same app on the same device in six different accounts.

I tested it on an iPad Pro 10.5-inch and found that it ran smoothly. The graphics are quite beautiful and the sounds have good quality.

Key Specs

– Developer: Funnybean Technology

– Size: 122.1MB

– Required: iOS 8.0 or later

– Supported devices: iPhone, iPad, iPod touch

– Languages available: Thai, Mandarin, Simplified Chinese, Russia, Japanese, Russian, English, Korean

– Age recommended: 12 and up

New from Xiaomi, the Redmi 5A is an affordable smartphone with a metallic matte finish and a Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor, a 13MP rear camera, a dedicated microSD card slot for storage expansion and a long-lasting 3,000mAh battery. It has a five-inch HD display, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage. It retails for just Bt2,790.

Here’s to your health

JBL’s Reflect Fit Heart Rate wireless sports headphones boast JBL Signature Sound and are great for training “in the zone”. The heart-monitoring technology is compatible with most heartrate-enabled fitness apps, so you can stream the pulse readings directly to your phone for data analysis and receive real-time updates through the headphones, all with just a single touch. The headphones are in stores for Bt5,990.

Ronaldo at your service

The symbol of one of the world’s most popular footballers appears on the CR7 Cristiano Ronaldo screen-protection glass from Panzer Glass. The concept is “The world’s greatest offence deserves the world’s best defence”. The CR7 symbol appears on the cover during sleep mode and there’s no disturbance while the phone is in use. With top certification in terms of protection, the screen is smooth to the touch and resistant to finger smudges and scratches. Sold for iPhone6 and 6 Plus, iPhone7 and 7 Plus, and iPhone8 and 8 Plus, the price starts at Bt1,490.

Three cameras ready

The Samsung Galaxy A8+ features dual selfie cameras – eight-mega-pixel and 16MP resolution – plus a 16MP rear camera. Samsung’s own octocore processor provides the power and you have 6GB of memory and 64GB of internal storage. The six-inch Super Amoled display has a resolution of 2,220×1,080 pixels. Expect to pay Bt18,990.

Massive one from Marshall

The Woburn Multi-Room is the largest speaker to date from Marshall, so count on truly robust sound. It connects wirelessly to Chromecast builtin, Spotify Connect, AirPlay and Bluetooth. You can also plug in via the 3.5mm socket or the RCA input. Combine it with other Marshall Wireless Multi-Room speakers to turn your home into a concert hall. It’s on shelves for Bt27,990.

Franco, who comes from northern Mexico, used to be the world’s fattest man.

Guinness World Records certified the title after he weighed in at 595 kilos (1,310 pounds) in October 2016.

At the time, he was completely bed-ridden, suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure, and had a severely obstructed lung. Doctors warned his life was at risk if he didn’t lose weight.

That’s when Franco decided to undergo double gastric surgery.

He and his mother moved from his home state, Aguascalientes, to Guadalajara in the west, the city where his bariatric surgeon, Jose Antonio Castaneda, has his clinic.

Castaneda put Franco, who suffers from hypothyroidism, on a “very severe” diet of Mediterranean cuisine for six months.

Then, in May 2017, came the first surgery: a gastric sleeve operation, which involves removing part of the stomach to reduce its volume by up to 80 percent.

Six months later, he underwent a gastric bypass, in which Castaneda halved what remained of his stomach, and then connected one of the smaller pouches to the intestines.

The intestines themselves were also divided, to reduce his absorption of nutrients.

Since Franco could barely move at the time, burning off calories would never have been enough, doctors said. The only option was to radically reduce the size of his stomach.

Now 33 years old, Franco currently weighs in at 345 kilos (760 pounds). Castaneda expects him to lose about 100 kilos more in the next year and a half.

He is still connected to an oxygen tube 24 hours a day, but he spends less and less time lying in bed.

Using a walker, he has managed to take his first steps in years.

Now, he says, he has one big dream: “I want to walk again.”

‘Saving a life’

Franco’s skin is pale white from lack of exposure to the sun.

He spends his days knitting scarves and making sweets for his family to sell — his way of contributing to the household budget.

In his free time, he likes to sing and play guitar.

But a large part of his day is devoted to his exercises.

These include lifting weights, pulling resistance cords and pedaling his hand-cranked stationary bike.

“I’m very happy because everything is going very well,” he told AFP from his bed, which is outfitted with a custom-built metal structure that enables him to lift himself to his feet.

“He’s doing more exercise each day,” said Castaneda, at his side.

“He is making an effort to stand up by himself, to get his life on track. He has a very positive attitude.”

According to the clinic, a lot now depends on how well he progresses and how he responds to treatment for the lymphedema in his legs — accumulated fluid caused by the blockage of his lymphatic system.

“He remains a complex patient and will be at risk until he no longer suffers from extreme obesity,” his medical team said in a statement.

“We are trying to save a life, and we will remain vigilant until he is out of danger.”

According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and the World Health Organization, 58 percent of people in Latin America and the Caribbean are overweight.

Mexico is one of the countries worst affected by the problem, along with the Bahamas and Chile.

Franco is not the only Mexican to have been the world’s fattest man.

His compatriot Manuel Uribe claimed the title in 2007 after weighing in at 597 kilos. He later went on a diet that brought him down to 394 kilos.

Uribe got married in 2008, after being lifted to the ceremony by a crane.

He died in May 2014 at age 48.

The show, presented by Verventia, organisers of the Singapore Yacht Show, and sponsored by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, is an international event, bringing together leading brands and dealers to present their most popular products at the show.

Among the craft available to try out are yachts, super-yachts, catamarans, sailboats, sports-fishers, dinghies, tenders, water sport boats and day cruisers. This year’s exhibitors include Asia Marine, Asia Yacht Agency, Azimut Yachts, Boat Lagoon Yachting, Cholamark Boat Co, Fraser Yachts, Lee Marine, Multi-hull Solutions, Northrop and Johnson, Princess Yachts, Sky Marine, Sunreef, and Sunseeker, amongst many others.

The stellar lineup at this year’s show includes some of the world’s biggest and best super-yachts, including the 90-metre Cassens-Werft-built Lauren L, the biggest yacht ever to be exhibited at any show in Asia and presented by Titan Fleet Management, alongside Feadship’s 60m motor yacht M/Y Paraffin which will be presented by Fraser Yachts. For those looking for an exquisite and timeless yacht, this is one of the most luxurious yachts available for charter or sale on the market. She can accommodate 12 guests in six staterooms and has ample interior and exterior space for relaxing and entertaining. Her wine cellar is as enviable as is the range of toys and tenders on board.

Ferretti Group’s Custom Line 47m M/Y Happy Days is be available for private viewings through Lee Marine. A powerful motor yacht with a top speed of 28 knots, this is the perfect yacht to discover the Andaman Sea.

Also included in a fleet of some 15 super-yachts is the 38m classic sailing yacht S/Y La Numero Uno, the very first yacht built by one of the most elite names in the industry, Perini Navi. One of the most luxurious sailing yachts available for viewing, she is available for charter through broker Asia Marine.

The ITAC 54, designed by world-renowned Italian naval architect Riccardo Bulgarelli, will make its world debut here. Presented by Multihull Solutions, Asia Pacific’s leading multihull specialist, this new long-range passage-making catamaran delivers the features and performance of a 70ft monohull with the benefit of being easy to handle without additional crew.

Based on “Try-it-and-See” concept, morning cruise trips, live demonstrations and electric parties allow visitors to discover the luxurious yachting lifestyle even if they can’t afford a yacht of their own. Interactive activities hopping on board for a quick cruise at sea or trying out the latest in water toys  will let interested visitors try everything out first hand.

Sustainable mobility and some of the latest developments towards mindful conservation at sea will also be part of the show, with electric boats and cars presented by sponsoring partners Torqeedo and BMW.

The latest marine toys and water sports such as stand up paddle boarding by SeaDoo, and the latest cool water craze, the Schiller water bike, will all be available for trials at the open Demonstration Platform. Visitors can chill while floating on bean bags or attend live demonstrations and be amazed by professionals showing Jet-Blade and Jet-Surf equipment.

Food and wine are offered throughout the day on and off the water. Thai cooking lessons, street food vendors, night markets, sommelier-led wine tastings and chef demonstrations complete the experience. The youngest members of the family can enjoy a day out at the TYS Kids Club, where dedicated activities will be offered just for them whilst their parents discover the best of the yachting world.

Get your tickets at http://www.ThailandYachtShow.com,

Forty three per cent of Thai travellers say they want to update their home because they like interior design that reminds them of happy times spent on holiday, and one in five (23 per cent) like to recreate their holiday experiences when back at home.

The study, conducted through 19,000 global travellers, also revealed that the interior design of our holiday accommodation can provide such an unforgettable experience that more than half of travellers (56 per cent) are motivated to undertake interior design work inspired by their travels when they return to their own home. The figure rises to 67 per cent amongst Millennials. Thai travellers are among the top, with eight in 10 of them supporting this thinking.

Interior design is also a lead factor in travellers’ decision-making process ahead of booking somewhere to stay. Six in 10 (64 per cent) say the interior design of their accommodation is the most important factor when choosing where they stay. In fact, one in two (53 per cent) say they have spent more time in their accommodation than originally planned, because they loved the interior design so much.

With such a variety of holiday accommodation options available today, more than four in 10 (44 per cent) travellers say that it is the chance to stay somewhere new that inspires them to refresh their home.

It’s rental homes (such as cottages, villas, gites) that lead the way when people are selecting unique types of stay for their inspirational decor. In fact, over two thirds (67 per cent) say they would choose to stay in a holiday home over a hotel if they wanted to experience unique or unusual interior design.

For just under half of Thai travellers (49 per cent), a key motivation for choosing somewhere to stay on holiday is that its design (look and feel) is different from their own home. This allows travellers to escape physically and mentally, with six in 10 (63 per cent) enjoying being in a completely different setting, as it helps them to get the most from their holiday.

The large majority (88 per cent) of Thai travellers report that going on holiday encourages them to be more creative with their home interiors. With that said, Booking.com has partnered with interior stylist and lifestyle expert, Will Taylor, to provide practical interior design tips to empower more travellers to be able to bring that holiday feeling home with them. Three of Will’s top tips include

>> Turn the pieces you fell in love with and brought home from your holiday into statement design features in your house from lighting to scent or everyday utensil.

>> Colour is an emotive element of design and it’s perfect for recreating a holiday moment or favourite view back at home. Why not DIY an ombre blue wall behind the bed or in your entryway to remind you of that Mediterranean trip of a lifetime? There are countless painting tutorials online that can guide you through creating a design statement such as this with paint.

“The experiences we have while on holiday can last for a lifetime; whether that’s the memories we create, the purchases we make or the inspiration we come home with. Passion for interior design is one that spans all continents, and what better way to get new ideas and fresh inspiration than looking to the accommodation we stay in while on holiday,” says Pepijn Rijvers, Chief Marketing Officer at Booking.com.

“At Booking.com we offer 30 different types of accommodation – from home and apartment rentals to tree houses and igloos, all of which are designed to give travellers the ultimate holiday experience, and may even inspire them to make home decor changes in the process.”