OVER THE past decade Chinese investors have conquered dozens of chateaux in Bordeaux, France’s famed wine-growing region.

Some left after seeing their investments wither on the vine, but Peter Kwok, who has no fewer than seven vineyards to his name, says he is here for the long haul.

The 69-year-old Hong Kong-based billionaire has been in southwest France for the past 20 years, recently snapping up Chateau Bellefont-Belcier, a Saint-Emilion grand cru.

Some in France’s winemaking community are sniffy about the Asian investors who have bought up 140 chateaux in Bordeaux.

The acquisitions – though making up only 1.5 per cent of the region’s 7,000 vineyards – have stirred sensitivities about growing foreign investment, particularly Chinese, in strategic or heritage sectors.

In February, President Emmanuel Macron said he would work to prevent foreign investors buying French farms after it emerged that a Chinese fund had bought nearly 3,000 hectares (7,500 acres) of wheat fields in the centre of the country.

The Chinese tycoons present in Bordeaux see wine mainly as a way of diversifying their fortunes.

But Kwok, who has invested 60 to 70 million euros (Bt1.92 to Bt2.25 billion) in the region, insists he’s not in it for the money – though as an investment banker he keeps an eye on the numbers.

Hong Kong investor and chairman of CITIC Resources Holdings, Peter Kwok, 69, poses for a photograph in the wine cellar at the Chateau Bellefont-Belcier, in Saint-Laurent-des-Combes, France. / AFP 

“Other friends who own vineyards warned me the only way to make a fortune in wine is to invest an even bigger fortune!” says Kwok, who heads the energy subsidiary of Chinese investment group CITIC.

It wasn’t his love of a plummy merlot that brought the Vietnamese-born businessman to Bordeaux.

“My children study in the United States, so I was looking for a place halfway for vacations. France is halfway,” he explains.

But there was also a touch of whimsy in his decision to set up shop on the other side of the world.

Growing up in Vietnam under French colonial rule – living in the capital’s sprawling Chinatown – he was enthralled by “images of De Gaulle, black coffee, baguettes and dreams of Paris.”

But instead of buying a pied-a-terre in the French capital, Kwok opted for a house in the country.

“I pictured a French country house, and it just so happened that it had eight hectares of vines around it,” he laughs.

That was his first chateau, Haut-Brisson in Saint-Emilion, which he purchased in 1997, without ever having sampled the fruits of the vine.

He quickly learned that winemaking isn’t just about planting and harvesting vines – it’s a way of life.

And as in life, “there are many things that you cannot control. You do the best you can, but then you have to wait for nature.”

At first, he sold most of his wines in Asia, particularly Hong Kong, Singapore and mainland China.

But as the reputation of his wines grows so too has his global distribution.

With a few harvests under his belt his goal now is to build his “Vignobles K” brand.

“The other aim is to make good wine, which will also take years, but not quite as many.”

At Bellefont-Belcier, something of a sleeping beauty in Saint-Emilion, one of his first tasks will be to clean up the woods that dot the rolling limestone hills over which the estate is spread.

Kwok has earned his chops when it comes to revamping older chateaux, having restored the 18th-century dry masonry terraced vineyards at the Tour-Saint-Christophe estate he acquired in 2012.

Reflecting on those Chinese peers who bid farewell to Bordeaux after a brief dalliance, he says: “It (owning a chateau) became the fashion. They just wanted the experience. But they slowly realised that winemaking is not the business they thought.”

His time in France, which he visits three or four times a year, has taught him that the key ingredient in wine is not equipment or skilled labour, it’s the “terroir” – the land.

“It’s like being the owner of a piece of art,” he says. “Only with wine, it’s a piece of art you can work on.”

Fitbit Versa is a fitness smartwatch that looks sleek and lets you stay healthy and connected to your social networks with alerts from your connected phone.

Versa has similar functions to Fitbit’s flagship Ionic smart fitness watch, except it has no builtin GPS chip. Regardless, it still can be connected to your phone and utilise its GPS for exercise apps while running and cycling.

Versa appears the sweeter of the two and women will like the beautifully rounded edges, whereas the sharp-edged Ionic looks like a man’s watch. But, hey guys, the Versa does come in black too.

In fact Fitbit on May 1 added a Female Health-tracking function to its Fitbit app that helps women monitor their menstrual period along with the usual sleep, activity and weight statistics.

Versa might even be a fashion item with its wristbands available in peach, grey, white and periwinkle. The optional leather bands are sold separately in cognac, lavender, midnight blue and saddle stitch.

Men’s metal links come in black, silver, tapered silver, black mesh and silver mesh.

As a smartwatch, Versa can display notifications of your selected apps on your phone, such as from Line, Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat and Calendar, apart from incoming calls and SMS messages.

You can select which apps to send notifications to Versa. Versa can store up to 30 notifications, after which the oldest are replaced with newer ones.

And when Versa receives calendar events from your phone, it will show the title, location and time of the event in addition to any details you have entered.

When paired to an iPhone, Versa can be used to accept or reject an incoming phone call, but you must converse via the phone.

Android mobile-device users can respond to messages on the go using Versa to create and send up to five custom prepopulated quick replies of 60 characters or less to text messages and messenger apps like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.

Versa is lightweight (50 grams) and comfortable for tracking your activities all day and your sleep at night. The wristband can be 140-180mm or 180-220mm.

It uses a touchscreen colour LCD display that’s easy to read even outdoors thanks to 1,000 nits of brightness.

The Versa is water-resistant to 50 metres underwater, so it can be used to track your swimming activities with a provided app.

It uses a rechargeable lithiumpolymer battery that can last four days. It comes with a recharge cable that magnetically snaps to the back for charging.

The Versa has a builtin Wi-Fi adapter that can be linked to your home Wi-Fi router for syncing, using the desktop Fitbit app, or for uploading music files to the watch’s internal storage.

Yes, Versa is like Ionic in that it has enough internal memory to store 300 songs without the use of a phone. It can connect to Bluetooth headphones like the Fitbit Flyer, for motivating your exercise with music.

I tested playing music from Versa to Flyer and the music quality was good in the details and bass level.

To upload music to Versa, you need to create a playlist on iTunes and upload from a desktop or notebook computer that’s linked via the same router that Versa is using. You can also download your favourite Pandora stations or Deezer playlists to listen to during your exercise.

To use Versa, you need an ID registered for free with Fitbit.com. Then you must download and install the Fitbit app on your phone and log in with the ID. You can then use the app to add the Versa to your account, and from now on, it will keep track of your activities and sleep.

You can then use the app to customise your Versa with several more choices of clock faces that can be downloaded from Fitbit. You can also download more apps FitbitOS apps to be used on the watch. For now, the watch runs on FitbitOS 2.0.

The Versa has an optical heartrate monitor that uses PurePulse tracking technology to provide your cardio fitness level.

The information will give you a better understanding of your fitness level and show how you can improve over time with a personalised Cardio Fitness Score. You can see the score via the dashboard of the Fitbit app and the watch displays your current heart rate and your resting heart rate.

The Versa is easy to use with its touch screen and the intuitive user-interface of FitbitOS. It also has three buttons – back button, top button and bottom button.

The back button is used to go back one level in the menus while the two others are app shortcuts.

For example, the top button opens the app located in the top left of the first app screen, while the bottom button opens the app at the bottom left of the first app.

Or you can swipe the touch screen around to browse through screens of apps and tap on the app you want to use.

From the home screen, which displays the clock, you can swipe down to see notifications, swipe up to see your daily tips and stats, and swipe left to scroll through the apps installed on your watch. To open and an app, you simply tap on it.

You can use the Fitbit app to find and install more apps on the watch. Apps are organised in groups of four per screen. Some apps on Versa require your paired phone, such as the running or biking app, because they need the GPS function of your phone.

The apps installed on Versa are Exercise, Music, Alarm, Coach and Relax.

Exercise provides Run, Bike, Swim, Treadmill, Weights, Interval Timer and Workout exercises. To use Run and Bike, you must connect to your phone to use its GPS. All in all, there are over 15 exercises for you to select.

The Versa also has a SmartTrack function that automatically records selected exercises like running, biking, and elliptical and aerobic workouts automatically. By default, Versa will record any exercise you do for at least 15 minutes. You can use the app to adjust the time period.

Fitbit Coach provides guided bodyweight workouts on your wrist to help you stay fit. Three workouts are immediately available on Versa – 10-Minute Abs, 7-Minute Workout and Treasure Chest. You can create a Fitbit Coach account for more workouts, including one that’s personalised.

The Relax app is very useful and it can help you ease tension. It provides guided breathing sessions. It will guide you to sense your breathing and use a circle that expands and shrinks in intervals. You breathe in when the circle expands and out when it shrinks. You do this for about two minutes and Versa will report whether your breathing alignment to the guide is low, medium or good, as well as your heart rate.

During the test, I used the Run function on a short 4.7km walk. The watch has no “walk” exercise and I have a spine injury and cannot run. Versa had no problem connecting to my phone and using its GPS to correctly display the map of my neighbourhood. The app reported my distance, pace and elapsed time of my walk.

Fitbit Versa is available at B2S, Life, King Power, Powerbuy, VMart and Lazada. The device is also available for sale on Fitbit.com and at major online retailers for Bt8,490 in black with a black aluminium case, grey with a silver aluminium case, or peach with a rose-gold aluminium case.

Accessories range from Bt1,090 to Bt3,290.

The Fitbit Versa Special Edition costs Bt9,490 in a lavender woven band with rose-gold aluminium case or charcoal woven band with graphite aluminium case, both with an extra black classic band.

KEY SPECS

– Display: touch screen LCD

– Case dimensions: 36×29.23x21mm

– Sensors: 3axis accelerometer, 3axis gyroscope, Optical heart rate monitor, Altimeter, Ambient light sensor, Vibration motor, SpO2 sensor

– Wireless connectivity: Wi-Fi antenna (802.11 b/g/n), Bluetooth 4.0

– Memory: Saves 7 days of detailed motion data – minute by minute, saves daily totals for past 30 days, stores heartrate data at 1-second intervals during exercise tracking and at 5-second intervals all other times

– Water resistance: 50 metres underwater

– Battery: Lithiumpolymer, two-hour charging

Costing only Bt2,590, Wiko’s Jerry3 smartphone features an 18:9 widescreen and 5.45-inch display with IPS technology in a compact size. It runs on the latest Android 8 (Go Edition) and comes with 5MP rear and front cameras. You have a QuadCore 1.3GHz, CortexA7, 1GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage.

Master of the dark

A great 4K UHD projector for home entertaining, the ViewSonic PX7474K boasts a high brightness of 3500 ANSI Lumens, the latest XPR technology. It projects 8.3 megapixels of true 4K UHD resolution for maximum big-screen detail. It can handle HDR enhanced content, producing images with more information in the darker and brighter areas. It’s in stores for Bt59,900.

Iron Man to the rescue

Acer’s Swift 3 notebook – the Marvel Studios “Avengers: Infinity War” Iron Man Edition – features a sturdy aluminium top cover decorated with Iron Man’s glowing Arc Reactor. Inside is an eighth-generation Intel Core i58250U processor, NVIDIA GeForce MX150 graphic adapter, 256GB of SSD, 8GB of memory and 802.11ac 2×2 MIMO wireless technology. Outside is a vivid 14-inch Full HD IPS antiglare display. Expect to pay Bt29,990.

Go higher definition

The Sony UBPX700 4K Ultra HD Bluray Player is great for HDR (High Dynamic Range) TV and the resulting improved picture detail. The player can also upscale normal-quality movies to 4K and will play most high-definition video and audio formats from several popular streaming services. It’s on shelves for Bt10,990.

Hear only the tunes

Shure’s SE112 Wireless in-ear headphones have comfortable sleeves that block up to 37dB of ambient noise for extended distraction-free listening. You get vivid sound with deep bass and battery life of up to eight hours. The going rate is Bt4,990.

“Chumphon is the gateway to the South, but it’s only a small city that most travellers pass through on their way to Phuket, Samui, Koh Phangan and Koh Tao,” says Veera Thongphichit. He and others are aiming to change that and keep the travellers around a little longer.

Veera is Chumphon’s provincial permanent secretary, and with Tikomporn Suttiudomrut and Somchai Semmanee, directors of the provincial Tourism and Sports offices in Surat Thani and Chumphon, respectively, he recently launched a Bt4-million campaign to promote the area.

Folks who whiz past Chumphon are “missing out on a great opportunity to explore many interesting historical, cultural and natural attractions”, Veera told participants in a 50-car caravan touring his province and neighbouring Surat Thani.

The same caravan heads next to two other Gulf provinces, Nakhon Si Thammarat and Phatthalung.

Among the draws in Chumphon are a monument to Prince Chumphon, father of the Royal Navy, Wat Phra That Sawi, Hat Sai Ree, coffee, durian and mangosteen plantations, and the finger bananas that are renowned throughout the country.

Wat Phra That Sawi is regarded as one of the most sacred sites in the four provinces on the tour, Tikomporn pointed out. Others include Wat Phra Borom That Chaiya in Surat Thani, Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Wat Khien Bang Kaew in Phatthalung.

The first stop for the caravan was Chumphon’s Nong Yai Area Development Project, initiated by His Majesty King Bhumibol as one of the kaem ling (monkey cheek) water-retention areas he envisioned spreading across the land to help in times of flood and drought. And floods there were in Chumphon after Typhoon Gay struck in November 1989.

The development project also includes a habitat for several species of birds, a farm demonstration area, homestay cabins and the Phato Watershed Conservation and Management Centre.

A long wooden bridge is being built across a lake to connect with No 9 Island, where guests will be able to try planting mangrove shoots and making nipa palm sugar. There are also areas for snorkelling and rafting.

At the Swallow’s Nest Learning Centre, Tee Baan Nok, we got to see how various products are made from bird nests. At Baan Thamsing Coffee Community Enterprise, we saw beans make their way from the initial hulling to ageing in a sunny greenhouse.

All southern coffee is Robusta, but there’s a remarkable difference in the flavour of Thamsing and Khao Tha Lu, two brands from the South that Bangkok aficionados know well.

“They taste different because they’re processed differently,” a Baan Thamsing official explained. “All 14 provinces in the South cultivate the same Robusta coffee beans. The difference comes in the processing, especially the roasting.

“Robusta beans naturally have a bitter taste, so the processing has to overcome that. We use the same production processes that are used for Arabica beans. And we earned an award from the Food and Drug Administration for top-quality halal products.”

Day 2 of the tour rolled up to historic Wat Phra That Sawi, which is one of three temples in the South housing revered Buddha relics. It has a golden pagoda shaped like a bell – and a remarkable legend.

According to local lore, King Sri Thammasokarat, after whom the nearby province is named, was marching his army past this location in 1260 (even monarchs, even then, were “just passing through”) and saw a flock of crows around a mound of bricks. One of the birds was white.

The king interpreted this as a sign and ordered his soldiers to dig up the mound. Beneath it they found an urn containing relics of the Lord Buddha. The king, overwhelmed by the discovery, had a chedi erected on the spot to enshrine the relics.

After lunch we were off to Surat Thani to see Wat Phra Boromathat Chaiya Worawihan, surely one of the most beautiful temples in the South. At its centre is a stupa reconstructed in the Srivijaya style. The National Museum nearby has several important artefacts from the original structure, including wonderful Buddha statues.

Wat Suan Mohkha Phalaram, not far away, is the famous forest monastery founded in 1932 by Phra Buddhadasa, perhaps Thailand’s most revered Buddhism scholar. Monks were listening to a sermon in a plaza of paving stones and there’s an interesting “spiritual theatre” populated by religious statues.

Tikomporn told us that Surat Thani was “the most important province on the southern Gulf of Thailand”, ranking sixth among all the provinces of Thailand in terms of tourist visits.

“Fifteen million tourists visit the four provinces every year, generating Bt100 billion in revenue,” he said. “Surat Thani’s tourist magnets are Koh Samui, Koh Pangan and Koh Tao, which tourists, particularly from Germany, Sweden and China, find fascinating. The number of visitors keeps increasing and there are now four charter flights arriving every week, as well as all the commercial flights.”

But there’s much more to the province than the resort islands, Tikomporn said.

“We want to draw the tourists’ attention to the attractions here on the mainland in addition to the islands, where the density of visitors is so great already. We’re developing more mainland tourist attractions that should be open next year or by 2020. For now, there are the Cheow Lan or Ratchaprapha dam and Khao Sok National Park, which draw a lot of tourists.

“And Surat Thani is famous for its ngoh rongrien rambutan and durian, especially Ban Na San district, where we encourage visitors to tour the plantations. Surat Thani will also be promoted as an herbal hub, because we grow turmeric, which is processed into several healthy products that will interest Chinese tourists especially.

“In fact, we’re planning a ‘health tour’ with visits to spas and Tha Chang Hospital, where turmeric is used, at Phanom district, where it’s grown. We’re creating several different kinds of tours that can be related to each other.”

Our journey ends with a paddle-boat ride along a canal to the Pracharat Floating Market in Bang Bai Mai district. It’s a lovely outing, proceeding through a natural tunnel of bending nipa palms, and the market vendors offer samples of such traditional treats as khanom jang, khanom tom yang, khanom kho, khoei jee and niew aub.

The southern provinces’ grand plans will get major boosts from the construction of a double-track railway crossing the isthmus from the Gulf to the Andaman Sea and the expansion of Surat Thani’s airport.

In addition, the Surat Thani ferry pier that’s always busy with travellers is being moved from Donsak district to the provincial capital itself, just 20 minutes from the airport.

Stylenanda began as a fashion business and has since become a company spearheaded by its makeup brand 3CE, which today represents more than 70 per cent of the business. With a turnover of 127 million euros in 2017 and nearly 400 employees, the company operates in Korea and Japan, and has expanded into overseas markets including Hong Kong, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand

Popular with South Korean and Chinese millennials. Stylenanda’s multi-channel distribution model includes e-commerce, speciality retailers and point of sales in department and duty free stores. In addition, Stylenanda fans can live the consumer and brand-selfie experience in the company’s iconic flagship locations at Hong-dae, Myeong Dong Pink Hotel & Pink Pool, Garosu-gil 3CE cinema and Stylenanda Harajuku in Tokyo.

We strongly believe that this transaction will be a landmark breakthrough for Nanda. With L’Oreal’s solid support and global platform, we will be able to expand Stylenanda’s footprint internationally and become a world-renowned brand,” said So Hee Kim, the company’s founder and chief executive.

Alexis Perakis-Valat, president of L’Oreal’s Consumer Products Division, concurred, saying: “We are thrilled to welcome this cool Korean brand to the L’Oreal family. Stylenanda captures Seoul’s vibe, edge and creativity. It is perfectly positioned to nourish the growing appetite for make-up among millennials in Korea, China and beyond.”

Yann Le Bourdon, president of L’Oreal Korea, added: “With this acquisition, L’Oreal Korea will substantially reinforce its presence in the accessible make-up market. We are very proud to welcome the Group’s first Korean beauty brand and bring Korean beauty and style to the rest of the world.”

Chicken wings, crazy-creative cocktails and the pretty wait staff vie for attention served with dozens of high-definition TV screens beaming in sports from around the world. The first 100 customers get free wings for a year. Check out the “hooters bangkok-silom” Facebook page.

Cirque du Soleil at Impact

Cirque du Soleil’s “Toruk: The First Fight”, a live multimedia stage production based on James Cameron’s film “Avatar”, will be at Impact Arena from June 14 to 24.

Cutting-edge visuals, puppetry and stagecraft combine with a soaring cinematic score. Seats cost Bt1,000 to Bt4,000 at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com and (02) 262 3456.

Tale of two, three genders

Museum Siam’s latest exhibition, “Chai Ying Sing Sommuti: Gender Illumination”, will be on view from May 18 to September 30, examining the variety of sexual characteristics that encompass more than “male” and “female” representations in birth gender and societal expectations. The show covers gender equality, safety and privacy in public areas. Learn more at (02) 225 2777 and http://www.MuseumSiam.org.

TV soap stars meet fans

Arthit “Bank” Tangwibulpanich, Pitipon “Tle” Porntrisat, Mookda “Mook” Narinrak and Sirin “May” Kohkiat – the stars of the TV drama “Panthakan Rak” – will be meeting fans at Chatuchak Market tomorrow at 4.30pm. The show airs on Channel 7 HD 35 on Monday and Tuesday at 8.15pm and Facebook Live on fanpage BBTV Channel 7 or Bugaboo.TV.

Lukthung on the road

The Looktung Network is taking its free music festival “Looktung Sanjorn” to Nongbua Lamphu’s Suwannakhuha District on Sunday.

In the lineup will be Jintara Poonlarp, Petch Saharat, OeAe Pojana, OA Duo, Duangta Thongthong, Te Watchasan, Sriprai Japetch and Busaba Duanpen, plus DJs Pooky and Nong Wichai.

This year, Laguna Phuket Marathon 2018 marks its 13th edition and the organisers are expecting to attract 8,000 runners from more than 50 countries.

Five categories will be held over the two days. On the first day, the races include a 10.5km run limited to 2,000 runners, a 5km run limited to 2,000 runners and a 2km kids run limited to 300 runners. The 10.5km run starts at 5pm. The 5km run starts at 5.20pm while the 2km kids run starts at 4pm.

On the final day, the races are a 42.195km marathon limited to 2,000 runners, 21.091km half marathon limited to 2,000 runners and a marathon team relay limited to 80 teams (four members per team required). Both the marathon and the marathon team relay start at 4.30am with the half marathon beginning at 5.30am.

The race route weaves its way through Phuket’s tropical forest, rubber and pineapple plantation, beautiful beaches, iconic local villages, scenic viewpoints and the magnificent Laguna Phuket.

Rewards for runners range from medals, giveaway bags and finisher tee-shirts for marathon and half marathon participants, depending on category and finishing time. Registration is now open at http://www.PhuketMarathon.com.

For more information, call the TAT Phuket office at (076) 211 036, (076) 212 213, or email: tatphket@tat.or.th.

The Thai Gynecologic Cancer Society and Chulabhorn Hospital, the acknowledged specialist in cancer treatment and research, established under the gracious guidance of Prof Dr HRH Princess Chulabhorn with the intent of alleviating the suffering of cancer patients, jointly launched the “Whisper of Ovary” campaign, together with a video clip, to underscore the need for raising awareness about ovarian cancer in Thai society and to encourage Thai women to have annual gynaecological check-ups to reduce the risk of this disease.

Prof Dr Jatupol Srisomboon, president of the Thai Gynaecologic Cancer Society, says that ovarian cancer is the third most commonly diagnosed cancer among Thai women following breast and cervical cancers. About 2,700 patients – or 6 in every 100,000 women – are diagnosed with ovarian cancer each year in Thailand, making it the second highest cause of mortality (53 per cent) among patients with gynaecologic cancers after cervical cancer (55 per cent).

“The high mortality rate of women with ovarian cancer is due to late diagnosis. The early stage of ovarian cancer often presents no specific symptoms. Some patients may experience symptoms that are often caused by other less serious conditions, such as abdominal pain, swelling or bloating, or pelvic pressure. By the time ovarian cancer is diagnosed, the cancer has usually spread to other nearby organs. About 64 per cent of new patients are diagnosed with ovarian cancer when the disease is at an advanced stage. In addition, there is still no vaccine to protect against this type of cancer. It is therefore vital to raise awareness and educate people about this silent killer disease.”

Dr Nuttavut Kantathavorn, a specialist gynecologic oncologist at Chulabhorn Hospital, adds that the risk of developing ovarian cancer is influenced by several factors, including age, environment, lifestyle and family history. Research has shown that a specific inherited genetic abnormality heightens the risk of developing ovarian cancer. Statistically, a woman with an abnormality or mutation of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes has a high risk of developing ovarian cancer (estimated at 35-70 per cent and 10-30 per cent respectively), while those without BRCA mutations have a lower risk of only 1-2 per cent.

There is currently no reliable screening method to detect ovarian cancer and so symptoms often go unnoticed. As the early stage of ovarian cancer often presents with no specific symptoms, every woman should therefore schedule an annual check-up with her gynaecologist, especially those whose family members or direct relatives were diagnosed with ovarian or breast cancer at a young age. A genetic test is now available to detect BRCA abnormalities in patients with ovarian cancer. Cancer patients with this genetic mutation have a high chance of passing on the abnormality to family members and close relatives, thus making them prone to ovarian cancer.

The sooner the BRCA abnormality is found, the quicker surveillance and preventive action can commence, thus reducing the risk of developing ovarian cancer. Hollywood star Angelina Jolie, who lost her mother, grandmother and aunt to cancer, decided to undergo a double mastectomy and have her ovaries and fallopian tubes removed, after a test confirmed she carried the BRCA mutation, which put her at 87 per cent risk of developing breast cancer and 50 per cent risk of ovarian cancer.

“The BRCA genetic testing can be carried out at any leading hospitals but the cost is very high, so practitioners only recommend the test for those with specific risk factors, namely patients with ovarian cancer, patients who develop breast cancer below the age of 50, and those with 2 direct relatives who have developed breast or ovarian cancers. A woman in whom the BRCA mutations are identified will not necessarily develop cancer but is at a higher risk than a woman without BRCA abnormalities. If the gene abnormality is found early, the woman will enjoy better surveillance and be better equipped to handle their life. Most importantly, whether or not you have BRCA gene abnormality, we recommend every woman to consistently take care of her health, do regular self-physical examinations and schedule annual check-ups with a gynaecologist. Ovarian cancer can be cured if it is detected at the early stage,” Dr. Nuttavut concluded.

Chulabhorn Hospital also invites everyone to whisper a warning to their loved ones to protect them from ovarian cancer as well as to pass hope and smiles forward to cancer patients by uploading and sharing a photo with the frame “Whisper of Ovary” on social media. More details can be found on Chulabhorn Hospital’s Facebook page. Please also help reinforce the determination of Prof Dr HRH Princess Chulabhorn to provide opportunities for disadvantaged cancer patients to access proper medical treatment as well as improve the health and life quality of cancer patients.

Donations can be made through the Chulabhorn Royal Academy project’s accounts with the Siam Commercial Bank No. 407-985846-8 or Bangkok Bank No. 229-4152-588.

For more information, please call Chulabhorn Hospital at (02) 576 6833 6.

To watch the video clip, go to https://www.facebook.com/chulabhornhospital/videos/1882116408525328/).

The state’s governor in March signed a bill that protects parents from being prosecuted for child neglect if they allow their kids to do things on their own.

That includes playing outside without adult supervision, taking part in certain activities or walking to school alone.

The new legislation, adopted unanimously by lawmakers, stipulates that any child left unsupervised must be mature enough and have good judgement.

“Utah’s ‘Free-Range Parenting’ law is a good example of common sense legislation,” the state’s governor Gary Herbert told AFP in a statement.

“We believe that parents know and love their children better than anybody. We also believe that absent evidence of neglect, danger or cruelty, parents have the best sense of how to teach responsibility to their children.

“Responsible parents should be able to let kids be kids without constantly looking over their shoulders for approval,” he added.

The bill does not specify the age range targeted by the legislation which was worded vaguely so as to allow authorities to deal with situations on a case by case basis, supporters say.

In drafting the bill, sponsors contacted Lenore Skenazy, who coined the term “free-range kids” and touched off a fierce national debate on the issue in 2008 after she wrote a column about letting her nine-year-old son get home alone on the New York subway.

Skenazy hailed the measure in a blog post on Tuesday while encouraging other states to follow suit.

“Americans are tired of being forced to overprotect their kids out of fear that any confidence in their kids and communities could be misinterpreted as negligence,” she wrote.

She added that the law does not discourage people from calling the police if they find children in dangerous situations.

“That is a far cry from arresting and interrogating moms who let their kids play in the park on a bright summer day while they are working their shift at McDonald’s,” she said.

“So let us raise a glass of lemonade – preferably purchased from some kids sitting next to a homemade sign, without their parents having to sit there with them.”

Visitors can enjoy shopping for quality fruits and other fresh agricultural products at reasonable prices. The local orchards are offering their usual fruit buffet programmes through the end of July, inviting tourists to pick and savour durian, rambutan, mangosteen, langsat and salacca straight from the tree.

Find out more at http://www.TatNews.org.

Seoul in full bloom

South Korea’s capital bursts into bloom this month as the Seoul Rose Festival transforms the Jungnang-gu area into a picturesque flower garden. From May 18 to 20, thousands of roses in full bloom will stretch to form a 5.15km-long rose tunnel, making it a perfect spot for proposals and engagement photos.

The festival also presents a colourful Rose Parade joined by a military band and Bulgarian performance team, a “Rapercussion”, singing contest, a Rose & Music Party by singers AOMG and Glam Beats, the Wife’s Day Garden Dinner Show and KBS Symphony Orchestra’s “Rose Concert” conducted by Yoel Levi. At night, visitors can inhale the heady fragrance of roses and breathe in their visual beauty enhanced by a variety of lighting effects.

Find out more English.VisitKorea.or.kr.

And Fido came too

Vacationers travelling with a pet can now treat Fido or Fifi to a luxury stay at Mandarin Oriental, Guangzhou by paying extra CNY800 (Bt4,000) per night.

Specially designed for dogs and cats, the pet-friendly accommodation is complete with water and food bowls and a sumptuous sleeping cushion.

Other animal-friendly treats include a tailor-made pet menu created by executive chef Jonathan Shea, a “pet on vacation” door sign, a pet-edible welcome cake and an exclusive Mandarin Oriental “fan” collar tag engraved with the pet’s name.

Thanks to the Suite Temptations package, guests booking two or three consecutive nights in a suite will receive a complimentary third or fourth night, daily breakfast for two, one-way limousine airport transfer and a CNY880 credit voucher at The Spa.

Make a reservation at http://www.mandarinoriental.com/guangzhou/tianhe/luxury-hotel.

Luxury for the lights 

The five-star David Citadel hotel is gearing up for Jerusalem’s Festival of Light from June 27 to July 5 by offering 10-per-cent discount on the standard room rates when visitors book a room at least 7 days in advance.

Overlooking Jerusalem’s old city walls and adorned with innovative light art installations, this newly renovated hotel will spoil guests with public spaces, luxurious suites and guest rooms, as well as modern facilities like a pool, spa, well-equipped gym, banqueting spaces, dining room, and the executive lounge.

Set your plan at http://www.TheDavidCitadel.com or email reservations@tdchotel.com.