The running series will offer everyone a chance to chow down on gastronomical challenges from some of most beloved local restaurants and a brisk sprint to see the landmarks of Bangkok, Bali, Osaka and Hanoi. The event kicks off in Bangkok on March 24.

Kriangkrai Kanjanapokin, cofounder and cochief executive officer at event organiser Index Creative Village, said: “Running continues to expand across the globe and Thailand is no exception. We decided to introduce fresh motivation by organising the Kilorun 2018. Turning the standard of running races on its head, the run is a full course of running, eating and travelling. It will kick off bright and early in Bangkok on March 24 with 2,500 runners taking part.”

The Kilorun 2018 is designed around two concepts. The KG (Kilogram) is the race that allows runners to chow down on gastronomical challenges from some of most beloved local restaurants such as KopeHya Tai Kee, LanFha, Err, San Jao Pho Sua Rad NhaYodPuk, and ChotJit, while enjoinh a journey of various distances throughout some of the city’s most scenic locations. The Bangkok course officially kicks off at 5pm and covers a loop of 2.68km.

The race proper covers 3 categories: Kid Run (2.7km), Fun Run (6km) and Mini Marathon (11km). All runners can test their limits and levels on March 25.

Kicking off bright and early at 6am for the Fun Run and Mimi Marathon and at 6.30am for the Kid Run, the event will take place at Lan Khon Muang Plaza in Bangkok and takes runners along Ratchadamnoen Avenue to Wat Phra Kaew (The Emerald Buddha Temple), The Grand Palace, Wat Pho (The Temple of the Reclining Buddha), Ministry of Defence, Giant Swing, Democracy Monument and so forth. Runners who crosses the finishing line will get special rewards.

“AirAsia is committed to promoting tourism and sports. The company focuses on any initiatives that are a perfect blend of both,” said Santisuk Klongchaiya, Thai AirAsia’s director of commercial.

PERHAPS IT’S because the dog is man’s best friend or maybe it’s just that canines are supposed to bring luck and prosperity. No mater the reason though, there’s no doubting that high-profile designers have pulled all the stops out in creating fashion and accessories to mark the lunar Year of the Dog.

No doubt eyeing the affluent Chinese market, the designers have mainly stayed true to the traditions of Chinese art and culture, focusing on the five colours – black, red, green, white, and yellow – that correspond to the five elements of water, fire, wood, metal, and earth while adding a few embellishments of their own.

Red, which corresponds to fire, symbolises good fortune and joy. Red is found everywhere during Chinese New Year and other holidays and family gatherings. A red envelope, a monetary gift, given in Chinese society during the holiday is one of the highlights of this auspicious festival.

“Red is the most important colour in Chinese culture,” confirms Katha Chinnabunchorn, a master of feng shui who also specialises in horoscopes.

“The red colour represents the spirit of Chinese culture, which derives from the first light after the long winter. It is usually very cold and dry, so the first warmer and sunnier days signify beginning anew, hence a new year. The red tones represent that.

“This year, according to the Chinese Zodiac, is the year of Earth Dog 2018. The auspicious colours are red for prosperity, orange to reinforce power and charisma, and purple for good fortune. The Chinese horoscope predicts that this year will be good in all respects though we need to be careful about our health. On February 15, Cai Shen, the God of Wealth will move from the north to reside in the west, so in feng shui terms no yellow colour should be in this direction in the house. Believers should welcome the god of wealth with offerings between 11pm and 1am. The following day, Chinese New Year, they will pay respect to gods and ancestors,” he continues.

Auspicious animals in this lunar year include the heavenly dragon or pheasant. “Fish are also propitious as they symbolise abundance. The dog represents the year itself, while horse and tiger are good zodiac signs with the dog,” says Katha, adding that dressing in red and in outfits that boast the prosperous patterns of animal signs on Chinese New Year Day will bring good luck.

No doubt with that in mind, British high-end brand Paul Smith has stepped into the spirit of the occasion by designing a series of celebratory pieces based around a dog motif. For men, the Year of the Dog motif appears as a subtle repeating print on a classic shirt and as a lucky red outline on a leather wallet. To further celebrate this auspicious time of year, Paul Smith has created exclusive Chinese New Year red envelopes to be shared with friends and families.

Another British brand Blackbarrett, best known for its signature graphic stories of camouflage, skulls and aliens, has boosted its city line with the creation of a 3D mesh dog. The expanded collection includes casual shirts with new volumes and details like elasticated hems and a hybrid windbreaker volume shirt.

Italian brands Diesel and Bottega Veneta have released premium limited capsule collections to welcome the dog too.

With its stance for passion, individuality and freedom of self expression, Diesel takes inspiration from the best qualities of the dog – loyalty and honesty – coming up with graphics showing a snarling dog that have been created exclusively for smart rebels within the Chinese community. A meeting of East and West, the capsule includes 14 items from apparel, denim to shoes, bags and accessories. The unique illustration and use of a pop colour graphics are mixed and matched with Diesel’s signature pieces. The snarling dog appears embossed on leather jackets, or as a superior embroidery patch on bomber jackets, sweaters, t-shirts and accessories. For her, the stunning graphic icon is proposed in a monochrome version. A unisex backpack made of nylon and leather with canine embellishments is another highlight while the dog logo also appears on a tag necklace, colourful boxers and socks.

For its part, Bottega Veneta introduces a Canine Collection featuring bright and playful pieces crafted in soft and supple leather, like wallets embellished with dachshund-shaped inlays hand-woven in nappa. Colourfully embroidered wallets are adorned with different breeds, including German shepherds, dachshunds, chihuahuas, labradors, and poodles. Dog-shaped key holders are designed in signature intrecciato. Another group of wallets and pouches features an all-over pattern of dogs in serigraphic prints in gold or white. Phone covers made with dog lovers in mind are graced with the design of a pup playing with a butterfly, a nod to the Bottega Veneta signature motif.

Paris based Longchamp, which recently introduced Thai actress Khemanit “Pancake” Jamikorn as the face of the brand, has created a Mademoiselle Longchamp XS version. The new orange mini calfskin hobo bag features the line’s signature clasp, enamelled wax stamp and a wide strap, which can be worn crossbody or over the shoulder.

Tory Burch from New York opts for a super stylish look featuring lucky red and gold for good fortune. Highlights include a Stella Gown in Red Cordovan that’s best paired with a Chelsea Metallic Convertible Clutch and Minnie Travel Ballet Flats in gold. The New Exotic Red shade can also be found on the Fleming Convertible Shoulder bag and Fleming Zip Continental Wallet, while the Miller sandals in Poppy Orange are perfect accessories with any casual outfit.

Luxurious Swiss watchmaker Piaget has long celebrated Asian customs with the zodiac sign of the relevant lunar year masterfully reimagined on the dial of its ultra-thin Altiplano watch. This year, Piaget’s master enameller Anita Porchet brings to life the symbol of the dog, elegantly staged on the dial of an edition limited to just 38 pieces. Through the magic of the cloisonne enamelling technique, she portrays the animal as a proud and loyal companion, achieving great texture and intricate detail through infinite shades of grey.

The elaborate enamelling process starts by transferring her drawing onto the surface using gold thread fixed into place with a special gum, thus creating miniature partitions or cloisons in which the enamel pigments are delicately placed. The enamel is fired multiple times at temperatures of more than 800 degrees Celsius in the kiln, before being evened out and varnished to give it its ethereal glow. Despite working within the constraints of a watch’s dial, Porchet has mastered this art in such a way that she is able to play with light and shades to create the subtlest nuances and give the dog a life-like glistening coat of fur.

Pleats Please Issey Miyake from Japan has gone for auspicious fish instead of the dog. The brand is currently celebrating 10 successful years in Thailand with a specially designed “Mede-Tai” limited edition inspired by tai, or madai, the Japanese Red Seabream, which is a symbol of good fortune.

The collection is, as always, simple and classic with a fun twist. Practical and easy to mix and match, the items come in black, gold, white and red with the seabream reworked with modernity and minimalism.

Trousers boast add-on pieces on the rims and on the back resembling fish fins while sleeveless tunics and cardigans are designed to be worn in layers or individually.

Thai designer Patinya Kyokong introduces her modern Chinese style dresses with elegant but sexy details inspired by the forbidden city of Beijing. The designer, whose ancestors hailed from China, plays with the dark side of the human mind and contrasts it with the great history of China. Highlights of the collection include a Chinese silk suit with a feminine silhouette decorated with beautiful buttons and a tunic collar and trousers with a high split.

Its latest BoostUp Wireless Charging portfolio took home multiple prizes, while its Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD was also presented with a 2018 Picks Award. In addition, the CES Innovation Awards honouree was given to the BoostUp Wireless Charging Pad, Thunderbolt 3 Express Dock HD and the entire MIXIT DuraTek Cable family.

Belkin’s latest wireless charging portfolio incorporates multiple form factors and use case scenarios for a wireless charger. The award-winning charging pad is uniquely designed to deliver 5-watts to a 7.5W output charge at optimal speed for a variety of devices, including iPhone 8, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone X. This product offers high standards of safety, and the charging pad works with any device that is Qi enabled.

Metal objects like keys and coins placed on charging pads can prevent the phone from being charged, and can interfere with the pad’s functions. To protect from any danger resulting from this, the BoostUp pad features an amber indicator that alerts when a foreign object is detected. The alarm is also given when a phone is not aligned properly, and the Charging Pad will shut down the electricity system automatically to prevent damage to devices.

The company has worked closely with Apple to engineer an efficient and high-speed charging pad for iPhone X, iPhone 8 Plus and iPhone 8.

In fact, 45 per cent of people responding to its survey believe planning a holiday and travelling bring more of an emotional boost than getting engaged.

So why not boost happiness levels to new heights and combine a holiday with an engagement to remember?

You’ve bought the ring and you’ve practised proposing in the mirror – now all you have to figure out is where to ask.

To make it almost impossible to say no, Booking.com has delved into its million-plus properties to source destinations across the globe and suggest a list of seriously romantic places with a unique twist to make the proposal an occasion to remember.

Booking.com commissioned the research, which was independently conducted among a nationally representative sample of 1,000 people from each of 17 markets who had taken at least one domestic or overseas holiday in the past year.

In total, 17,157 respondents age 18 years and up were surveyed in Thailand, Britain, Germany, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Croatia, Russia, the US, Canada, Brazil, China, Japan, India, Australia and New Zealand in September and October 2016.

One amazing place to propose would be at “Juliet’s balcony” in Italy. Romeo and Juliet might not have lived happily ever after, but that doesn’t mean you can’t. Head to Juliet’s balcony and ask “Wherefor art thou, Romeo?” before asking the even bigger question. The Lady Capulet apartments are only a five-minute stroll from Juliet’s house and offer luxury accommodation in the heart of this romantic city.

If you can’t go that far, you may be interested in proposing while flying over Bagan, Myanmar, in a hot-air balloon. It’s equally romantic at sunrise or sunset, with a glass or two of champagne ready for when you pop the question. After the adrenaline rush, retreat to Bagan Lodge for some pampering at the spa and pool and celebrate your engagement with traditional cuisine at Tiffin Box.

Or just head north to Chiang Mai, where beautiful traditions await in incredible places. Stay in the quaint Green Tiger Vegetarian House, a calm a relaxing hideaway in the heart of Chiang Mai.

Go to a faraway place like Salar de Uyuni in Bolivia, which is one of the most incredible romantic sites in the world. It’s the world’s largest salt flat, holding 10 billion tonnes of salt, set against an epic backdrop where you may even see pink flamingos. It’s picture perfect for when you pop the question.

The Hotel Palacio de Sal is another must, as it’s built out of salt bricks and even features salt furniture.

For snow lovers, you might go to the Kirkenes Snowhotel in Norway. Perhaps you can ask the question after an exhilarating husky-sled ride, underneath nature’s twinkling background of the Northern Lights, or even in your very own snow hotel.

The romantic Kirkenes Snowhotel offers picturesque mountain views, Arctic-theme snow suites, intricate snow sculptures and thermal bedspreads to keep you and your beloved cosy.

CELEBRATING 60 years since its enigmatic American founder Jim Thompson introduced the first collection of hand-woven Thai silks to the world, the brand’s latest collection of home-furnishing fabrics take a cue from its early archives – the days when Thompson revived the Thai silk industry through the introduction of vibrant colours.

The new “Every Colour under the Sun” collection offers more than 300 different shades of plain silks for home decoration, all of them revised from the brand’s treasured resource of more than 10,000 colourways. It was unveiled recently at the world’s premier home-furnishing textile event Paris Deco Off and Jim Thompson was among the 100-plus manufacturers to show its wares at this annual five-day tour of “open houses” straddling both banks of the River Seine.

Jim Thompson’s latest collection of home furnishings “Every Colour under the Sun”

Showrooms were mapped out for Paris Deco Off browsers, or visitors could follow a pathway marked by linen lanterns around the rue du Mail on the Right Bank and Saint-Germain des Pres on the Left. Luxury brands like Pierre Frey, Christian Lacroix, Jean Paul Gautier and Hermes were represented, as was Jim Thompson, whose shop on the rue de Furstenberg in Saint-Germain des Pres was decorated in vivid silks of vermilion, fuchsia, sunflower, lime green, topaz and turquoise and boasted inspiring window displays in silk laminated with acrylic laser-cuts created by artist Douglas Little whose portfolio includes prestigious brands like Bergdorf Goodman and Van Cleff & Arpels.

Jim Thompson’s Paris showroom in Saint-Germain des Pres is designed with tropical palettes and boasts eye-catching window displays by Douglas Little.

Thompson’s passion for Asian arts and his fascination with Buddhist principles were also on view in another collection called “Bardo”. This featured a fanciful menagerie of dragons, birds and tigers and oriental motifs.

“The brand has a rich archive and many saturated colour shades are no longer produced. I want to refresh the colour palettes that Jim came up with. The shades may be vintage in nature but they are still valid for contemporary decoration. The fabric of Jim Thompson’s first collection had just one-metre width because it was designed for apparel and accessories. That needed to change for home furnishings, where the fabric must be at least 137 centimetres wide. Some patterns that were previously only small scale – suitable for cutting for clothes and bags – are blown up or repeated,” says creative director of home furnishing Noppadol “Ou” Baholyodhin.

“The saturated colours, the sheen and iridescence of traditional hand-woven silk symbolise our brand’s distinctive character,” he adds. “Every process is done in-house from nurturing the silk worms and cocoons, to reeling the yarns, to dying and weaving the fabrics and printing, treating and distributing. Our in-house operation and captivating history adds a level of emotion to the brand.”

Part of the “Every Colour under the Sun” collection, the Asaya series sticks to the classic construction of “Thai Silk 1”, a hand-woven one-ply silk hand spun from the finest threads of the silk cocoon at Jim Thompson’s facility in Pak Thong Chai district of Nakhon Ratchasima. The Khemarin series is heavier, boasting a two-ply plain weave that comes through combining a smooth, thin silk warp with a heavier, slubbed silk weft for a highly lustrous, decadent fabric.

“I like the Khemarin silk series, particularly the one in scarab beetle green. It’s hard to market a vibrant green in such a way that people will want to use it for home decoration but I want to give it a try. After all, Jim managed it 60 years ago when he returned to his native New York with his first collection of Thai silks in complex, saturated palettes. Such strong colours have vanished from the market for the past two decades because people tend to use easy colours for home decoration. But sometimes we need something different and outlandish,” enthuses Ou, 52, who was known as a master of the minimal before joining Jim Thompson firm.

At that time, Thompson, a Manhattan socialite/architect who had recently settled in Thailand, presented his vibrant silk to Edna Woolman Chase, then-editor of US Vogue, who was captivated with the endless array of hues. This single encounter later propelled Thai silk onto the global stage, securing its place in the international textile market and making it popular for couture and luxury interior furnishings in Europe and America.

Gert Voorjans, left, has collaborated with Jim Thompson to lauch a collection of playful vibes as seen in his room set.

The brand is also collaborating with Belgian architect/interior designer Gert Voorjans – a man equally impassioned by vibrant colours – to launch an eccentric collection with references to French and Italian colourists and avant-garde artists. Ranging from upholstery to wall coverings, his lively and refreshing creations combine rustic checked design, traditional Dutch Delftware tiles together with playful patterns inspired by 20th- century arts and a delicate trail of ivy.

“I want to bring European taste to the positive, colourful, flowery, optical and artistic elements,” says Voorjans who is known for his design for Dries Van Noten stores worldwide. “I love to create environments that are richly layered with influences from the East and the West, suffused with colours. I believe that these characteristics relate well to the Jim Thompson style and that is why I think that our collaboration is the perfect match.”

Ou Baholyodhin presented his latest collections at Paris Deco Off.

Ou agrees. “My design has an exotic accent, so I want to add a European viewpoint to the collection. Gert has lots in common with our founder. They are both architects and are passionate about art and colourful palettes. If Jim  had born in Belgium, he would have been Gert.”

With their varied patterns and hues, Jim Thompson fabrics can be tricky to mix and match, but its sister brand, No 9 Thompson makes the task easier. This year, its design director Richard Smith has taken inspiration from Henri Matisse’s paper cut collection as well as his travels around the stunning landscapes and seascapes of Greece and melded them with traditional motifs.

Two years ago, the firm acquired the British brand Fox Linton, which makes high-quality textiles from natural yarns in neutral tones with different textures, perfect for simple but elegant home decoration.

No 9 Thompson

Jim Thompson fabrics have adorned home furnishings sold internationally for more than three decades. The brand also has stores in London, Atlanta, New York, Los Angeles, Florida and Munich and distribution nodes in more than 40 countries.

“Our big markets for home furnishings are the US, France, Britain, Italy, the Middle East, as well as Hong Kong and Singapore. Residents of the US State of Georgia have a long tradition of interior design with fabrics and they pay attention to details in decorating their homes with curtains, trimmings and wall coverings. The tradition is less prominent in Europe while the Asian market focuses more on contemporary design,” says Mai Timblick, director of international sales.

In Thailand, the brand works regularly with the interior designers of hotels and residential projects, among them Park Hyatt Bangkok, Sukhothai Bangkok, Villa Mahabhirom and Shangri-La Chiang Mai. Its retail flagship store on Bangkok’s Surawong Road recently underwent major renovation and entire rooms have been set out so customers can see what’s possible.

“We hope to rejuvenate the brand and change how it’s perceived within the home market,” says Sasaya Buranastidporn, head of home furnishings Thailand. “We want the refurbished showroom to not only inspire but also become a destination for interior designers and homeowner.”

“Since reopening last year, the refurbished Bangkok showroom has been attracting more local consumers. Many of them live in high-end residential projects and come to select their own home textiles. Thais are more interested in interior design, particularly the use of wall coverings, and they are courageous enough to decorate the homes with strong patterns and vivid colour,” adds Mai.

Late last year, Jim Thompson’s flagship store of personal goods at Siam Paragon reopened following a major facelift that underlines the company’s ambition to become Southeast Asia’s first global luxury brand.

“We are a brand of culture,” says chief executive officer Gerald Mazzalovo who previously worked with top brands Ferragamo and Loewe. “We bring some elements of Asian arts to authentic sensibility and luxury but are compatible with the contemporary lifestyle.”

Gerald Mazzalovo

Merchandising has been rationalised too, with the introduction of a seasonal logic, along with more complete men’s and women’s ready-to-wear collections and new product lines, including leather handbags, silk and canvas handbags, neckties and scarves.

“Today, the term ‘luxury’ doesn’t mean ‘exclusive’ but ‘exceptional’ because consumers are more discerning and they want to be unique and individual. It’s a major challenge to articulate our identity on the global scene of luxury brands. I’ve set the bar quite high,” says Mazzalovo. “In the next 10 or 15 years, we’ll be the Hermes of Asia.”

In addition to home furnishings and personal goods, Jim Thompson is spreading its wings even further, with plans to open a luxurious Thai-restaurant in downtown Bangkok by the end of this year.

THREADS OF THAILAND

The new collections are available at Jim Thompson’s home furnishing showroom on Surawong Road of Bangkok.

It’s open daily from 9am to 7pm. Call (02) 632 8100, or visit http://www.JimThompsonFabrics.com.

The embassies of Portugal and Ireland in Thailand joined up late last month to pay tribute to a very special lady – Sr Louise Horgan, the powerhouse behind the Fatima Centre in Bangkok.

A native of County Cork, Sr Louise has spent the last 52 years in the Thai capital with the Good Shepard Sisters helping underprivileged women and children from the slums enjoy a better life. The Fatima Centre has a close connection to Portugal through Our Lady of Fatima, the Catholic title of the Blessed Virgin Mary based on the famed Marian apparitions reported in 1917 by three shepherd children at the Cova da Iria, in Fatima, Portugal.

Arriving at the Centre a little earlier than my appointment time, I am greeted with a welcoming song from the children who live at the Centre and warm hug from Sr  Louise.

“There have been so many changes in the city since I first arrived here back in 1965,” she tells me. “There was no traffic and no tall buildings. But the Thai people were as friendly as ever. Life was a lot slower and people were definitely poorer. I have witnessed a real transformation of Bangkok in 52 years. I feel very much part of that change”.

Sr Louise left Ireland in 1954 for France where she joined the Good Shepard Sisters. She was sent to work in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka) and spent six years there going back to Ireland in between to train as a nurse. She left Sri Lanka for Thailand with 3 colleagues in 1965 and set up in Sathorn at St Louis, Soi 2.

“We did not have much money,” Sr Louise recalls. “Two of us had ten Pounds Sterling each and the third had fifteen Pounds”!

Sr Louise and her colleagues were very clear about their objectives from the beginning.

“We wanted to help poor vulnerable women and girls from all backgrounds. And we wanted to give them opportunities to learn skills and become self-sufficient or as self-sufficient as possible. “The needs were great and we soon outgrew our house. We needed a new location from which to work”.

And so the Good Shepard Sisters initiated a fundraising effort to get a new house. They went from door to door and from company to company. They were given 5 rai of land from Fatima Church in Din Daeng. It was a vegetable plantation.

“We decided to build our own house” says Sr Louise. “But we also built a mother and baby home and we stared a new school”.

More Sisters came from abroad, including Sr Mary Hayden who died a few months ago at the age of 97.

The Good Shepherds expanded in the 1970s to Chiang Rai, Chiang Mai, Nong Khai and Pattaya. “We were joined in all of these places by our Thai Good Shepard Sisters as well. And what a great job they did”.

Today the Good Shepard Sisters are a thriving community continuing their social work with the vulnerable, especially women and children. They also cooperate with the Thai authorities on anti-trafficking and with refugees.

“The only criteria we have when asked for help is poverty and underprivilege. The pathways to breaking out from the cycle of under privilege is education, motivation and self-help,” she says.

A weak pulse and rapid heartbeat can lead to irregular coagulation, forming blood clots with the potential to travel to the brain or lungs, leading to loss of muscle movement, paralysis and death.

According to World Health Organisation, each year about 15 million people worldwide suffer from stroke. Approximately, 5 million of them die, and another 5 million remain disabled for life.

Col Preecha Uerojanaungkul, MD, head of the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, Department of Medicine, Phramongkutklao Hospital, says that a stroke can be prevented in those who have a tendency to develop blood clots through the use of anticoagulant medications, namely warfarin, though it should be noted that dosage varies from person to person and such drugs must be used with caution.

Reactions to warfarin are affected by many factors including food containing high levels of vitamin K (green vegetables), exercise, alcohol consumption and medication non-compliance. It is thus vital that before prescribing the drug the physician is fully conversant with each patient’s daily routine and food consumption. For instance, do they normally eat a lot of vegetables? Are they taking dietary supplements and if so, which ones? Are they receiving other medications and which ones? This is important because some medicines and supplements can disturb the effectiveness of warfarin.

Even more essential is the careful monitoring of each patient. This is achieved by measuring International Normalised Ratio (INR) regularly, and at least every 4 weeks. If patients are very active and often change their diets – for example, adopting a vegetarian regime from time to time or running marathons – they may have to measure their INR level more often.

“Patients manage to maintain their INR at the targeted levels, because they regularly monitor their INR. Routine INR testing helps physicians adjust a patient’s warfarin dosage. This also helps reduce the risk of complications. If the INR is too low, there is a risk of stroke. If the INR is too high, there is a higher risk of haemorrhage,” Col Preecha says.

Patients can measure their INR themselves with a special testing device and consult their doctor should they see any variation to the normal target range.

A POWERFUL notebook computer that morphs into a tablet with just one flip, the Dell Inspiron 13 7000 2-in-1 packs a powerful punch thanks to its Intel 8th Generation processor.

I got to try the Inspiron 7373, which is powered by Intel Core i7-8550U quad-core processor running at 1.8 GHz and installed with 8 gigabytes of working memory or DDR4 RAM and uses a fast 256 GB Solid State Drive. Intel UHD Graphics 620 provides the display adapter that shares the RAM for graphics memory. It runs on Windows 10 Home operating system.

The Inspiron 7373 comes with a beautiful 13-inch IPS touch-screen display in a thin bezel that allows you to work easily in bright light with 300 nit brightness. It has 1920-x-1080-pixel resolution, making the display very good for watching Full HD videos and viewing high-resolution photos. Another benefit is the professionally tuned speaker system, which adds to the overall viewing pleasure.

As part of its sleek design, the Inspiron 7373 comes with a versatile 360-degree hinge that allows the notebook to operate in laptop, tent, stand and tablet modes. In the tent mode, you fold back the display and have it rest on the outer edges of the display and keyboard. In the stand mode, the display is folded back and the keyboard faces down as a stand for the display.

The Inspiron 7373 comes in a thin and strong design. It is 15.5mm thick in the closed position and has a brushed aluminium chassis, making it light and highly portable.

You can also work with the Dell Active Pen though you’ll have to buy it separately.

The Inspiron 13 7373 has all the ports needed for every day computing. Located on its right side are one USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-CTM port supporting Display and Power Delivery, and a 3:1 SD Card Reader. On its left side, there’s a HDMI 2.0 port, one USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C and one USB 3.1 Gen 1 full-sized port with PowerShare. The port with the PowerShare feature is useful as you can charge your mobile phone or other portable device even when the notebook is turned off.

I was impressed by the 7373’s power during the test. The touch-screen was responsive and the scrolling of menus and app tiles on the home screen was smooth and fast. Applications like Microsoft Office performed with no problems and HD video clips played smoothly.

The Windows 10 set up enhances the features of the Inspiron 7373. The OS comes with Cortana, which is a voice-command personal assistant and the Waves MaxxAudio Pro that allows you to interact with Cortana clearly.

The Windows Ink technology lets you write in tablet mode with the active pen and the Continuum feature provides a seamless experience when converting from laptop to tablet modes.

And the Windows Hello faction recognition works well with the Inspiron 7373’s infrared camera so that you can log in with your face instead of having to type a password.

The Inspiron 7373 has a good battery life of about 8 hours.

Dell Inspiron 13 7373 2-in-1 laptop has a suggested retail price of Bt42,990.

Key Specs

– OS: Windows 10 Home Edition

– CPU: Intel Core i7-8550U Processor

– Memory: 8GB, DDR4, 2400MHz

– Storage: 256 GB SSD

– Display :13.3-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) IPS Truelife LED-Backlit Narrow Border Touch Display – Supports Pen and Facial Recognition

– VGA: Intel UHD Graphics 620 with shared graphic memory

– Wireless connectivity: 802.11ac + Bluetooth 4.2, Dual Band 2.4 & 5 GHz, 2×2

– Webcam : Infrared camera supports Windows Hello

– Ports & connectors : (1)USB3.1 Gen 1Type-C, (1) HDMI 2.0, SD Card (SD, SDHC, SDXC), Noble Lock (2) USB3.1 Gen 1(one with PowerShare

– Battery: 38WHr, 3-Cell Battery (Integrated) Quick Charge Enabled

– Dimensions: 309.6mm x 215.7mm x 15.51mm

– Weight: 1.45kg

THE POPULAR GoPro cameras continue to appeal with the Hero6 Black, just as deft as its predecessors at capturing top-quality fast-action video and photos, even underwater.

New in the Hero6 Black is a touch-screen user interface and the ability to take voice commands for improved convenience. It can also be wirelessly linked to a smartphone so you can use the phone as a viewfinder.

Effective stabilisation technology adds to the quality of videos and the camera is fully waterproof. You can dive underwater 10 metres with it and no for any special housing.

You’re good for 4K video, meaning the recordings really capture your adventures for posterity in startling detail and colour when viewed on a 4K UHD TV.

Full HD 1080p video is also doable at 240 frames per second, great for watching the action in stunning slow motion.

Photos are captured at 12-megapixel resolution and you can count on excellent low-light performance.

The Hero6 Black is compact, comfortably held it in one hand. There’s a mounting frame provided for attaching various kinds of mounts, two of which are in the package for cyclists’ and bikers’ crash helmets.

Other mounts include a head strap, chest harness, hand and wrist strap, dog harness, and a pro bike-seat-rail mount.

GPS is built in for recording the location where video and photos are shot, and an all-new GPI chip doubles this camera’s capability over its predecessor, the Hero5.

The touch-screen interface keeps control buttons to a minimum, since most controls are done on the touch-screen. There are only two buttons – the power button on the lower right and the shutter on top.

The power button doubles as a mode switch, flicking between video, single-shot photos, photo bursts and time-lapse photos.

The USB-C port is under the seal door on the left and the battery and microSD card are underneath.

Up front is a camera-status screen displaying current settings, including camera mode, number of files stored, video duration, remaining storage and battery status.

Controlling the camera with touch display gestures is easy. Tap to select an item or turn a setting on or off. Press and hold on the display to access exposure controls.

Swipe left to access advanced settings for current mode and swipe right to see thumbnails of your clips and photos. Swipe down to open the Connections and Preferences menus.

To use specific voice commands, tap the icon and bark away, prefixing each command with “GoPro” (except the command to add a highlight tag to a video during recording, in which case you say, “That was sick”).

Sample voice commands are “GoPro turn on” for powering up, and “GoPro start recording” and “GoPro take a photo” depending on whether you’re shooting video or stills.

Once mounted on a helmet, bike or car dashboard, you can use the GoPro app on your phone to adjust settings, start and stop recording and take photos.

The GoPro app invites along the QuickStories app, which automatically copies video and photos to your mobile device. Then the GoPro app prepares an edited video, complete with music and effects, in a “QuickStory” you can share with friends online. This can be saved, edited further or deleted.

With the GoPro app installed, swipe down on the home screen to automatically move content from your most recent session to your phone for QuickStories to edit. When the edited QuickStory is ready, you get a notification on the phone.

Videos can be shot in either Video or Looping mode. The first is traditional style, with 1080p 60 Wide, stabilisation and auto low light as the default settings. Resolution choices are 4K, 2.7K 4:3, 2.7K, 1440p, 1080p and 720p.

Looping allows you to continuously record a video, as is customary with dashboard cams. Choose an interval of five, 20, 60 or 120 minutes. If you select the 20-minute interval, the previous 20 minutes of video is saved when press “record”. If you don’t press “record”, the camera will record a fresh 20-minute interval over top of the previous 20 minutes.

For still photos, you have options of Photo, Night and Burst modes, each photo is captured at 12MP resolution.

Photo is for single shots, Burst for up to 30 photos in one second, and Night for dim light or darkness. For Night mode, a tripod is recommended, since the shutter remains open longer and you could otherwise get some shake.

Other options for still pictures are wide field of view and linear field of view. The first is the default setting, which results in a fish-eye look, especially around the edges of the scene. Linear FOV doesn’t have that effect, so it’s good for aerial shots and similar views with a more traditional perspective.

The Time Lapse function is available for videos and photos by day or night. You get to choose how long an interval between shots or frames, such as every half-second, and on video, no sound is recorded.

Lacking a bike mount, I held the Hero6 in one hand during a long walk. The video quality was sharp and not shaky at all and the stills equally good.

The GoPro Hero6 Black has a suggested retail price of Bt14,500.

Key Specs

– Maximum video resolution: 3,840×2,160 pixels at 60fps

– Photo resolution: 12MP

– Image recording format: JPEG, RAW

– Focus adjustment: Focus-free

– Navigation: GPS receiver

– Protection: Waterproof up to 10 metres

– Microphone: Stereo

– Camera display: Touch-screen LCD

– Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth

– Dimensions: 44.6x62x32.7mm

– Weight: 117 grams

CHINA’S Fan Bingbing is one of the highest-paid actresses in the world, but she had to come to Thailand recently to sign up for another job – as global ambassador of the newly revamped shopping and entertainment complex King Power Rangnam.

“I’m delighted to have been invited to such a beautiful country,” the 36-year-old actress-TV producer-pop singer told the press. “I’ve been here many times, either for film shoots or family holidays, but any time I need to relax, Thailand is always the first country that comes to mind.”

Calling King Power “a shopping heaven”, she said she’d participated in making a TV commercial promoting the complex and had again been enjoying Thai food and sightseeing.

“King Power is also very popular in China, and I want to help it become even more popular and attract tourists to come shopping in Thailand.”

Shopping, Fan said, is a way to reward oneself for working hard work and also relieve stress.

“I usually buy body lotion, lipstick and face masks at the duty-free shop,” she added. “During the commercial shoot, I was given coconut oil to try and it was really good for my skin.”

Fan found fame across Asia in the 1998-99 TV series “My Fair Princess”. In 2003 she starred in “Cell Phone”, which became the highest-grossing Chinese film of the year and received critical acclaim.

Her other movie roles have included “Lost in Beijing” (2007), “Buddha Mountain” (2011), “Double Xposure” (2012) and “I Am Not Madame Bovary” (2016), the last earning her awards at the Golden Horse Film Festival, Asian Film Awards and Tokyo and San Sebastian film festivals.

She’s also appeared in foreign-language pictures including “Stretch” (France, 2011), “My Way” (South Korea, 2011) and the 2014 Hollywood blockbuster “X-Men: Days of Future Past”.

Since 2013 she’s been cited as the highest-paid star on the Forbes China Celebrity 100 list and was in the top 10 in the seven years prior to that. Her many appearances on red carpets and in fashion shows have also made her a global fashion icon.

In December, Fan signed on for director Cao Baoping’s upcoming crime thriller, in which she’ll again co-star with Huang Xuan.

“It’s the second mystery thriller in Cao Baoping’s ‘Burning Hearts’ series. I was in the first one with Huang Xuan, who’s a very good actor and who shared his experience with me.”

Joining Fan at the blue-carpet opening of King Power Rangnam were Thai celebrities Jesdaporn “Tik” Pholdee, Preechaya “Ice” Pongthananikorn, Thanapop “Tor” Leeluttanakajorn, Ratchawin “Koy” Wongviriya, Chantavit “Ter” Dhanasevi, Napat “Gun” Injaiuea, Suteewan “Baitoey” Taveesin, Nathaphon “Taew” Temirak, Mario Maurer, Pakorn “Boy” Chatborirak, Matthew Brag, Praya “Pu” Lundberg, Nawat “Pong” Kulrattanarak, Ornjira “Pang” Lamwilai, Treechada “Poy” Petcharat, Kanyawee “Tanerng” Songmuang and Chanon Santinatornkul.

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak presided at the event, which also featured a performance by British outfit Spirit of Travel, which specialises in acrobatic flying balloons, plus a traditional Thai shadow play, a theatrical presentation by choreographer Sutheesak “Joe” Bhakdidheva, a fashion show and mini-concerts by Bodyslam and Thaitanium.

Occupying 22,000 square metres, King Power Rangnam represents a Bt2.5-billion investment and a “one-stop shopping destination for every need”. It has luxury beauty products, watches and sunglasses, souvenirs, Otop goods, street food and internationally known restaurants, as well as areas for meetings and other events.

“The reopening of King Power Rangnam heralds a new era in Thailand’s duty-free business,” said King Power Group chief executive Aiyawatt Sriwaddhanaprabha.

“King Power Rangnam will undoubtedly become Thailand’s and Bangkok’s newest landmark, catering to both local and foreign guests. It will help boost the country’s economy and positive image.”

Find out more with a call to the contact centre at 1631.