Inspired by superhero movies, the headphones combine premium audio technology and expertise from Audio Technica. They enhance the original class-leading audio performance while introducing a striking new finish and a superior comfortable fit.

The ATH-M50x Red features full-size monitor headphones from Audio -Technica comprehensively designed for studio engineers, live engineers and pro audio listeners.

Ideal for professional studio sound recording, the headphones have an ultra-clear audio system and give exceptional clarity throughout an extended frequency range with a deep accurate bass response, proprietary 45mm large aperture drivers with rare-earth magnets. The ATH-M50x Red has a professional-grade earband and headband material, offering exceptional comfort over extended use. The 90 degree swivelling earcup is great for one ear listening, and the collapsible design makes it easy to transport.

The headphone comes with a detachable 3 metre coiled cable and a 3 metre straight cable and a 1.2 metre straight cable. The ATH-M50x Red is available for Bt7,290.

The ATH-MSR7SE was extensively developed from the award-winning ATH-MSR7. The over-ear style has a new premium aluminum housing along with an exclusive limited edition deep metallic navy finish with subtle deluxe gold accents.

Wrapped in stylish dark brown faux leather, the earpads and headband have also been specially designed to provide ultra-soft padding for improved comfort over long listening sessions.

Mirroring the profile of a whole ear, the housing is shaped to boost the lower end sonic while improving sound isolation for a more immersive listening experience.

The headphones are packed with the latest audio technology from the ATH-SR9, including 45mm True Motion Drivers and new Diamond like Coated Diaphragm, which offer increased rigidity for faster response times and reduced distortion, resulting in a more precise audio reproduction.

It also enables superior handling across the higher frequency range delivering enhanced detail. They come with 1.2 metre 6N-OFC (99,9999% Oxygen-free Copper) cable to eliminate disturbing signal and ensure sound accuracy and clarity. The body is made of aluminum, and weighs only 290 grams. The ATH-MSR7SE is available for Bt9,990.

The earphones can be bought from Munkong Gadget. The product launch will be held at the Siam Paragon branch from December 1 to 3, 2017, and online stores www. mercular.com and http://www.Gadget Thai.net For more information, visit http://www.rtbtechnology.com

Based on the concept “Better is your life”, the competition aimed to promote design development and create added value for plastic products, as well as environmentally friendly products.

Co-organised by Siam Piwat, the Plastic Industry Club and Siam Commercial Bank, the competition had separate categories for entrepreneurs and for students and the general public.

Among homewares in the entrepreneur category, the Icosa Lamp by New Arriva Co was honoured for the way its triangular parts could form various shapes.

Among food packaging and disposable products, Thantawan Industry won with its Sunmum Premium Breast Milk Storage Bag.

For non-food packaging, Srithai Superware’s Knock Down Pallet picked up an award – a plastic pallet with metal reinforcement ideal for warehouses and cold storage. Damaged parts can be detached instead of discarding the whole pallet.

For personal care, medical and healthcare products, Thantawan won again with a Urine Sampling Bag. Among sustainable products, Fiber Pattana’s Eco-Board made of plastic and aluminium foil got the nod.

The Gold Award in the student/ public category went to Treesuwat Hornorasethkul, a fourth-year student at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology Ladkrabang, for Kidding, a toy made of ice-cream sticks.

Wiratchaya Suwannatrai of Ubon Ratchathani University earned silver for First Step, an adaptable prosthetic leg. Bronze went to Thanes Roongviriyavong of Silpakorn University for Hewen, a floating vegetable plot.

Bhumirin Boonpetch of Khon Kaen University earned an honourable mention with the baby walker Change and Nuntaporn Puttarungsee of Ubon Ratchathani University another for Snakebrush, a toothbrush more easily held by people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

“Thailand’s plastics industry is facing fierce competition due to trade liberalisation,” Plastic Industry Club vice chairman Surasak Luangaramsri pointed out.

“Consumers also demand plastic products of a high standard that affect the environment less. So the Plastic Industry Club actively promotes the development of manufacturing effectiveness as well as giving the products added value.

“The first competition for plastic products designed by entrepreneurs was held in 2013, at that time named the Thailand Plastics Awards. Since then it’s been held every two years, and this year was the first in which we joined with Siam Commercial Bank and Siam Piwat.”

Many of them wore elevated versions of previous costumes, while others took it to the next level. We couldn’t even believe that they were real when we saw them. So here’s an indefinite ranking of the craziest national costumes we’ve seen so far.

Miss Indonesia

I was not expecting a stuffed orangutan face when Miss Indonesia turned around. It’s like it’s staring into my soul.

Miss Myanmar

Last year, Miss Myanmar Htet Htet Htun won Best National Costume when she dressed up as a marionette theater. Looks like Myanmar is gunning for the top prize again as she dressed up as the Myanmar Traditional Orchestra, complete with drums and gongs. How did she carry all that?!

Miss Malaysia

You’re not seeing things, she really did dress up as a nasi lemak (rice dish cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaf). And to quote Cosmopolitan US, “THERE’S AN EGG ON HER DRESS!!”

Miss Bahamas

Step aside, Victoria’s Secret. Miss Bahamas is making coral angel wings happen, topped off with a pearl-filled headpiece and bodysuit.

Miss Canada

If you ever wondered what a walking snowflake would look like, just look at Miss Canada. She wore a “Queen of Ice” ensemble inspired by the Canadian Rocky Mountains. We also think that this is what Elsa from Frozen should look like.

Miss Cayman Islands

Miss Philippines wasn’t the only one who wore a bird-shaped headpiece. Cayman Islands came out with multicolored feathery wings and a parrot headpiece.

Miss Costa Rica

The avian theme continued as Costa Rica showed up in a yellow peacock-like costume. More feathers the better!

Miss Australia

Look at the white folds on Miss Australia’s costume. Yup, that’s a rendition of the Sydney opera house complete with fireworks. A+ for effort.

Miss Dominican Republic

Dressed up as a monarch butterfly, Miss Dominican Republic showed everyone that she can wear a big headpiece and balance smaller plastic butterflies on her arm. This also reminded me of that caterpillar scene from A Bug’s Life.

Miss Argentina

Do you think the lighting isn’t enough to show off your dress? Follow Miss Argentina’s lead and carry a lamp post.

Miss Great Britain

Think the Queen of Hearts from Alice in Wonderland—that’s what Great Britain achieved, but even better. She had on a velvet cape, a crown, and an empty skirt frame to add that sexy element.

Miss Iceland

More animal headpieces! This time, a cow skull on Miss Iceland’s viking-inspired ensemble. I have just one question: Where did she get that bejeweled fuzzy ax?

Miss Norway

Another viking-inspired costume. Miss Norway wore a white dual-horn helmet to match her white bodysuit and blue cape. Please tell me she and Iceland had a photo together.

Miss Israel

This costume reminds us of the Amazons of Themyscira with shield and crown. But again, Gal Gadot was also Miss Israel back in 2004 so we understand the Wonder Woman reference.

Miss Japan

Miss Japan’s costume seemed to be an homage to the colorful Harajuku culture. She wore a checkered skirt and a pink top, and carried a big fan to complete with badass look.

Miss Malta

Wearing head-to-toe pink and white with so many feathers is Miss Malta. What is with all these feathers?!

Miss Namibia

This wins as the best political statement in our books. Miss Namibia wore a rhino horn headpiece and a cape with the phrase “SAVE OUR RHINO” printed in glittery pink. Yas, girl!

Miss Nepal

Inspired by the Buddhist goddess Green Tara, Miss Nepal wore an ivory ensemble and a massive mandala headpiece. According to Hinduism and Buddhism, this symbol represents the world or universe. And she’s literally carrying it on her head and shoulders.

Miss Thailand

Should I be impressed or scared by the massive ghost-like puppet she held up on stage? Either way, Miss Thailand’s gold and blue costume looked so good.

Miss USA

When you’re working on the US Nuclear Regulatory Commission, the best decision is to, obviously, dress up as the science symbol. Bill Nye would be so proud.

Miss Trinidad & Tobago

Trinidad & Tobago brought the festive cheer with her multi-colored, feather-filled costume. I can hear drums playing in the background just looking at her.

Miss Venezuela

Venezuela proudly flaunted the three colors of their flag, and it looked like she was wearing wings. She also wore a futuristic pantsuit which had metallic details.

COMMITMENT TO helping the planet is the noble concept behind Ecotopia, a new 900-square-metre retail zone at Siam Discovery that’s stocked with more than 3,000 environmentally friendly products from a hundred local and overseas brands.

You can find items of use in virtually every aspect of daily life, from chemical-free food and clothing made with natural materials to home decor and advanced gadgetry. The watchwords are sustainable and renewable, and every item is as attractive as it is functional.

You can buy the world’s first notebook whose jottings and scrawls can be erased in a microwave so it can be reused over and over. There are earrings made from discarded paper and apparel woven from bamboo fibre and cotton. Instead of wrapping something in plastic, you can wrap it in washable sheets made partially of beeswax – fully biodegradable, of course.

“We’ve always had earth-friendly products on every floor, but we thought they might not have enough impact to catch shoppers’ eyes,” says Usara Yongpiyakul, chief executive at Siam Piwat, which owns the mall. “So gathering them all in one place makes them more easily accessible.”

Ecotopia opened last month with the concept “Unbox a new shade of green”. Every item has to be more than just ecologically sound, Usara says. It has to have aesthetic appeal and be useful and “advanced” in terms of meeting modern needs.

“Most of our customers are millennials,” she says. “They’re looking for value in what they buy and before they buy they gather information from different sources.

“Awareness is growing steadily about the need to conserve resources, but a lot of people just don’t know how to start. So here we’ve compiled all the green products that fit the contemporary lifestyle.”

New York-based design firm SOFTlab sets the tone at Ecotopia with an upside-down tree made with recycled wood. Its leaves of naturally dyed paper spread throughout the retail area.

SOFTlab, which also hung a Christmas tree upside down at Siam Center a few years ago, recruited university art students to help with the installation.

Basic Teeory makes necklaces from beads of discarded paper.

Browsing beneath the branches, Worrachai Siriwipanan’s Basic Teeory accessories catch the eye with their outlandish design. His necklaces, bracelets and earrings are made with discarded paper that’s rolled into beads, decorated in various painted patterns and laminated. Several are further embellished with “upcycled” materials like chunks of glass and gravel.

“The most time-consuming part is rolling the paper into really tight beads,” says Worrachai, a graduate of the Birmingham Institute of Art and Design in England.

“We can make 300 to 500 paper beads a day, and a necklace will use 120 to 150 of them. Each bead is painted by hand and finished with a laminate film to repel water or sweat. The idea is to show that scrap papers can become wearable art.”

Taktai apparel is handmade using natural fibres.

Kanjira Songpaisarn has for years been turning bamboo, pineapple, banana, hemp, lotus and galangal into eco-textiles and then natural-looking clothes and accessories under the brand Taktai.

“The plant fibres are spun into thread using an engine that has a very mild impact on the environment,” she says. “The thread colours come from natural dyes and the fabrics are made on handlooms by skilled weavers. My main product is a cloth of bamboo fibre and cotton that’s really breathable and comfortable as well as anti-UV and anti-bacteria.”

Clever cutting adds to the clothes’ minimalist appeal. The women’s collection includes tank tops, shirts, blouses, dresses, shorts, skirts, slacks, kimono-style jackets, blazers and lace-up shoes. For men there are also T-shirts and trousers.

Least Studio’s bags and other items can double as cutting surfaces.

At Least Studio, architects Teerapol Akaratiwa and Warunya Nuntasunti have come out with a successful line of lifestyle products inspired by their work routine. Their para-rubber tote bag, handbag, document folder, storage tube, sketchbook, pencil case and passport-holder share the distinctive look of the green grid mats on which material is sliced up, but it’s smooth and lightweight, soft enough to sew while sturdy enough to repel cuts even from a surgeon’s scalpel.

“The grid pattern is coated with a substance so it won’t break when folded,” says Teerapol. “We went through several prototypes before we got it light enough to carry while remaining durable.”

Stationery from Grey Ray ensures less waste in daily projects.

Veteran art instructor Chanchalad Khanjanawong saw far too many students sharpening their pencils too often and then throwing them away when the lead broke. So he designed the EE Defender Cap to both protect the pencil tip and also serve as a holder when the pencil gets short. It became the first item in his Grey Ray line of stationery.

Determining that pencils get too tricky to handle when the length shrinks below two centimetres, Chanchalad invented the 2cm+ Pencil, which has no lead below that length, thus eliminating waste in graphite.

Now there’s the Eco Eraser, which contains no synthetic “filler”, but rather a powder made from scallop shells.

“Erasers contain the kind of synthetic substances that children are always being told to not put in their mouths, so I wanted to make one that was completely safe. A friend told me about a Japanese researcher who’d produced a replacement for eraser filler from scallop shells.

“Our eraser has no PVC and no perfume. It’s made from 100-per-cent natural resources, such as rubber, oil and the powdered shells.”

Jottings from the Rocketbook Wave notebook can be digitally uploaded to the cloud and erased in a microwave oven.

And now for the notebook you can erase in a microwave.

It’s called the Rocketbook Wave – and it also lets you upload your notes to a cloud storage service. The erasing trick is in the Pilot FriXion pen, which uses “thermochromic” ink that vanishes when heated. To erase all the contents, you put the notebook in a microwave oven with a mug of water and wait for the blue thermal logo on the book cover to turn white.

On each page of the notebook is a QR code, a cue for the Rocketbook app’s several functions. The app can crop and enhance the pages to make your digital notes look crisper and more vibrant.

Solar Paper is a portable solar-power charger for your gadgets. 

Chicago-based engineering collective Yolk has designed the world’s smallest solar charger. The Solar Paper is only a millimetre and a half thick and weighs just 60 grams, but it will fully charge an iPhone in two hours.

Modular solar panels that are magnetically connected can each generate 2.5 watts of power via USB. You can connect up to four panels for extra output. There are holes in the corners for easy attachment to a backpack, so you can keep charging while out for a hike in the sunshine.

Mindhara’s natural hair treatment  

When it comes to all-natural personal products, Mindhara, founded by Parisdon Akrasittihiran, has a great serum to combat hair loss that’s made with organic rice. Its facial mask uses a collagen also extracted from jasmine rice organically grown at Thung Kula Ronghai in the Northeast.

Mint extract meanwhile replaces chemicals in the fight against bacteria and plant gelatin does the job of chemical bases normally found in cosmetics.

SuperBee’s beeswax wraps

Plastic wrap might finally become history now that Chiang Mai-based SuperBee has found a way to turn beeswax, cotton, coconut oil and tree resin into sturdy, washable wrapping that can be reused again and again.

There are sizes to cover most kinds of bowls and containers and they’re quite attractive with printed patterns. To clean them off, a quick wipe with lukewarm water and soap is all that’s needed.

Ecotopia also has a market selling organic produce from the Royal Projects, Doi Kham and other Thai suppliers.

GUILT-FREE LIVING

Ecotopia is on the fourth floor of Siam Discovery and open daily from 10 to 10.

Find out more at (02) 658 1000 and http://www.SiamDiscovery.co.th.

Audio Technica has put its thumping great Pure Digital Drive technology into its new SR (Sound Reality) Series flagship headphones, the ATHDSR9BT, and the result is amazing quality with powerful bass.

The DSR9BT is actually quite similar to the DSR7BT previously reviewed here, but some significant improvements have been made.

First, these headphones feature a wider frequency range – 5 to 45,000Hz, up from the 5 to 40,000Hz of the preceding model – and impedance has been boosted to 38 ohms from 35.

Moreover, the DSR9BT is more comfortable to wear, with a wider sliding headband, and made of finer materials.

It comes with a hard carrying case, whereas the earlier model was held in a soft pouch.

Impressively, the DSR9BT can handle High-Resolution Audio when the Bluetooth wireless audio signal is transmitted to the headphones by a music player that supports Qualcomm’s aptX HD codec, which transmits audio signals at 24bit/48Hz.

I tested it with Sony’s XA Premium, which had been upgraded with Android 8.0 to deal with the aptX HD codec.

Playing FLAC 24bit/192kHz music tracks, I found that the DSR9BT reproduced very good quality sounds with terrific clarity and detail and bone-shaking bass. The headphones are also good for the AAC and SBC codecs.

The wonderful sound clarity is apparently due to the introduction of Audio Technica’s exclusive Pure Digital Drive system and reengineered 45mm True Motion Drivers.

Pure Digital Drive allows the headphones to operate without the sound-degrading D/A converter found in conventional wireless headphones.

The DSR9BT uses Trigence Semiconductor’s D-note chipset, so it can receive a Bluetooth wireless transmission, processing the digital audio signal and transferring it to the drivers, where the digital pulses of the chipset move the voice coil and diaphragm forward and backward to create the sound waves you hear.

The True Motion Drivers feature specially designed diaphragms and lightweight, bobbin-wound voice coils to deliver impressive, nuanced, high-resolution sound reproduction.

A pair of acoustic resistors controls the airflow in front of and behind the diaphragm to ensure a natural, balanced sound. And the entire driver assembly is housed within a layered aluminium structure that minimises unwanted resonance and isolates the electric circuitry from the housing’s acoustic space, resulting in optimal phase and transient response.

The Pure Digital Drive technology allows the headphones to handle the aptX HD Hi-Res Audio Bluetooth codec. Hi-Res Audio format is said to have around five times more detail in the music than a standard audio CD.

The DSR9BT has sensitivity of 97dB, a little lower than the DSR7BT, which has 100.

Battery life is essential for Bluetooth headphones and the DSR9BT is good for about 15 hours of continuous use (or 1,000 hours on standby). It takes about four hours to fully recharge the battery.

The headphones are certainly comfortable to wear for long periods, since the headband and earpads are soft and the headband is adjustable for a cosy fit. Plus, the headphones only weigh 310 grams.

I felt no discomfort at all while testing them and was wearing them for hours listening to various types of music.

The DSR9BT has a good design in terms of ease of use, including a builtin microphone to serve as wireless headset for your smartphone.

There’s a power switch on the right side and volume control on the left. Indicator lamps on the left display operating status and battery level.

A tap controller on the left side let you play or pause the music and videos and handle phone calls.

A micro USB port is also on the left, for recharging the battery and connecting to a computer (to use the headphones as highquality USB DAC sound system).

A two-metre USB cable is provided with the package.

I connected the headphones to my notebook computer’s USB port and used the foobar 2000 application to play Hi-Res Audio files of FLAC 24bit/192 kHz format. They sounded great with very good detail and powerful bass.

The Bluetooth connection was easy to set, thanks to NFC technology. I simply tapped the “N” mark on the left side of the headband to the back of the XZ Premium, and the connection was automatic.

The DSR9BT is good for listening to rock and audiophile singing because the vocals come across so clearly and the bass is quite dense.

The volume controls are also used to change tracks. Slide it to the “plus” side and hold for two seconds to move to the next track, opposite direction for the previous track.

The tap controller also has multiple functions. When a call comes to a connected phone, you tap it once to answer or tap and hold for two seconds to reject the call. While in conversation, you can doubletap to end the call. The same control can adjust the volume on a call.

While playing music, tap to pause or resume the music, doubletap to see the battery level, and tap and hold for four seconds to activate a connected phone’s speech-recognition feature, such as Siri.

Audio Technica’s ATHDSR9BT has a suggested retail price of Bt19,900.

KEY SPECS

– Driver Diameter: 45 mm

– Frequency Response: 5 to 45,000Hz

– Sensitivity: 97dB/mW

– Impedance: 38 ohms

– Battery: 3.7V rechargeable lithium polymer

– Battery Life: 15 hours continuous use, 1,000 hours standby

– Charging Time: Five hours for full charge

– Weight: 310 grams without cable

– Accessories included: 2m USB charging cable, hard carrying case

– Microphone type: condenser

– Polar pattern (microphone): omni-directional

– Input jack: Micro USB Type B

– Communication system: Bluetooth Version 4.2

– Output: Bluetooth Specification Power Class 2

– Maximum communication range: Line of sight 10m

– Compatible Bluetooth profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP

– Support codec: aptX HD, aptX, AAC, SBC

Integrated flood and drought management for sustainable development in the Pa Sak River Basin under the nineyear master plan “The Power of Human Energy: A Journey Inspired by the King”, the ambitious project supported by Chevron Thailand, is now entering its second phase.

The master plan is divided into three phases: “Tok Sao Khem” meaning building a strong foundation through public acknowledgement, “Taek Tua” referring to extending results, and “Network Connection”, relating to the policy change of five national parties, namely the government, academia, public-private organisations, civil society and mass media.

The second phase is themed “Taek Tua Thua Thai … Ao Mue Samakkhi” in a reference to people getting together in a movement that’s spreading across the country and covering four provinces. It began with a farm demonstration property at King Mongkut’s Institute of Technology’s Faculty of Agricultural Technology in Lat Krabang before extending to Sukhachai Supsiri’s Rai Suk Klangjai in Ratchaburi, Sawang Srithambutr’s land in Udon Thani, and a sufficiency economy learning centre at Wat Phra Borommathat Doi Pha Som in Samoeng, Chiang Mai.

This temple, which houses relics of the Buddha, is a prototype for loom khanom khrok (catchments) in the five-rai upland of Huai Pa Kluai in Chiang Mai’s Baan Om Long, which adheres to His Majesty the late King Bhumibol’s sufficiency philosophy. The upland showcases the late Monarch’s wisdom through an earthen dyke, “3 forests and 4 benefits”, vetiver grass, mountain farming, a check dam and klong sai kai (binding canals), and chiang da (Gymnema sylvestre) as the economic plant. All catchments in four provinces are designed by the Faculty of Architecture at King Mongkut’s Institute under the programme “Thai Social Geographic Design: Followup and evaluation of water management in the community”.

“Our projects over the past four years have proved that His Majesty the late King Bhumibol’s philosophy can help solve problems of flood and drought, economy and society, and bring a better quality of life to the country’s farmers. Some agriculturists can overcome obstacles and problems and become totally self-sufficient,” says Artit Krichphiphat, a general manager at Chevron Thailand.

“This second phase involves building a human resource model and also a tool for developing the learning centre into life-wide education under the structure of bovorn meaning home, temple and school. And the sufficiency economy learning centre at Wat Phra Borommathat Doi Pha Som is a very successful example of that structure. The temple is a centre for this community, the school and the governmental unit to help each other to conserve and protect natural resources and watershed forest, avoid wildfires, alleviate villagers’ debts, and ensure education in a kind of home school. Today, it is a self-reliant community, which has learned how to live with the forest and with self-sufficiency. Most importantly, this learning centre successfully follows His Majesty the late King’s 9-step theory to the sufficiency economy livelihood,” says Dr Wiwat Salyakamthorn, who is better known as Ajarn Yak, president of the Agri-Nature Foundation and Institute of Sufficiency Economy.

The temple at Doi Pha Som has been applying His Majesty the late King’s philosophy in the project, “1 Rai Khunnatham” since 2008. The abbot, Phra Sorayut Chaiyapanyo, adopted the bovorn concept and implemented the sufficiency economy through the “Forest Reservation, Water Conservation, and Check Dam”, “Self Sufficiency and Wet Fire Break Prevention”, “Energy Conservation and Alternative Fuel”, and “New Education Reforms” activities.

“We attended short courses in developing agriculture into the sufficiency economy at the Mab Aung Natural Agricultural Centre as well as at the Huai Hong Krai Development Study Centre in Chiang Mai, the Muang Ngai Agriculture Garden Special Royal Project and the Development Strategies of Pathom Asoke Village and the Sustainable Development. We help the villagers to bring self reliance into their daily lives,” says Phra Weerayut Aphiwiro, or Kru Ba Jok.

“We spent one year putting what we had learned through trials and error on Uncle Don’s 3rai of land, which today is used to grow upland rice, chrysanthemums and stevia. We applied His Majesty the late King’s sufficiency economy philosophy of ‘3 forests 4 benefits’ into our land.

At first, the villagers weren’t sure whether the sufficiency economy would be able to help them reduce their debt as they faced a lot of complex problems. The first of these was a shortage of farm labour, because their children didn’t come back home after graduating in the city. The second was that strawberries were grown here with high concentrations of chemicals.

Without their children to help, the villagers got loans from a bank to hire 10 or 20 alien workers to take care of the strawberries for the whole year. And worse still, they were forced to borrow money at extremely high interest rates from a loan shark at the Flower Market in Bangkok. When the villagers delivered their strawberries to Bangkok, they received bills only, with deductions for capital expenditure of purchasing a car and a house. The villagers were involved in these illegal loans for 10 years and were shouldering the burden of debt to both of the Bank of Agriculture and Agricultural Cooperatives and loan sharks. Today, the villagers have a much better lives.

“Because of their problems, they didn’t worry too much about the environment and cared little about wildfire and drought. I remember going on an alms-round in the morning and receiving only a little food, but nowadays, there is plenty of food, enough for 30-40 people,” says the 36-year-old monk.

The villages began by helping to construct weirs and growing vetiver grass. Within three years, they had built more than 1,000 water weirs over a distance of three kilometres.

They now have enough water and even small waterfalls. They have also installed natural fire breaks around an area of 12,000 rai.

For six years, the villagers have been able to live on what they earn without requiring capital from other sources. Doing away with commercial chemicals and fertilisers and making their own with what nature provides has put an end to the spiral of debt.

Their income comes from selling Karen rice, bananas, coffee, garlic, and processing products such as soap and shampoo. Their coffee is sold under their own brand, Hug Pa meaning “hug the forest”, and they operate a coffeeshop called 7 Heaven.

“We are now partnering with Mae Ploy, a chilli sauce company, acting as a kind of sub factory for selecting and separating garlic. Nowadays, we deliver hundreds of tons of garlic to the company,” says Kru Ba Jok.

Indeed, Baan Om Long is now such a well-managed community that it shares responsibilities with seven groups covering interior affairs, development, public health, culture, finance, industry, and agriculture. The temple acts as a consultant.

“Next, we will plant a forest in the villagers’ heart, extinguish fires in their mind, and foster sufficiency in their hearts,” says Kru Ba Jok.

Sony’s GTKXB90 can bring true energy to your party with Extra Bass beats and party lights. Incredible Infinity Mirror lighting takes visual effects to the next level, and a rechargeable battery lets you hold parties anywhere for up to 16 hours. It can handle an LDAC high-resolution Bluetooth connection. The suggested retail price is Bt11,990.

Mate 10’s a marvel

The Huawei Mate 10 Pro features Huawei’s Kirin 970 octacore processor and AI technology and a Leica dual-camera system. The AI helps the main camera easily achieve real-time recognition of scenes and bokeh effects. The six-inch 18:9 OLED display has 2,160×1080 pixels. You get 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Expect to pay Bt27,900.

Never a dull moment

The Marshall Monitor Bluetooth combines Hi-FI prowess and Bluetooth aptX technology to give you 30-plus hours of exceptional audio quality on a single charge. The Monitor Bluetooth’s ergonomic overear construction delivers superior noise isolation without the bulk, staying light on your ears through hours of listening. It retails for Bt8,990.

Go “Beyond Max’

The Beyond Max is a smartphone from Thai firm PTE Intergroup with a dual-camera system for the rear camera, eight and two megapixels. The 5.2-inch IPS display has a resolution of 1,280×720 pixels. You have 2GB of RAM and 16GB of internal storage, the gadget running on Android 7.0. With a 2,400mAh battery, it’s selling for Bt3,790.

Keep up with the Beats

The Beats Studio3 Wireless maintains the sleek design of its forerunners but also offers redesigned acoustic components and an upgraded manufacturing process for premium ergonomic comfort and optimal noise isolation. The integrated Apple W1 chip provides the easiest onestep Bluetooth connection to an iPhone via proximity pairing. It’s in stores for Bt12,500.

A Bluetooth speaker system with a stylish vertical design and big sounds and good bass for enjoying music at home or at parties, the LG Sound Tower FJ1 comes with a wooden stand and a bass port located near the floor. Looking sleek in black, the speaker tower is about 960 millimetres tall and, it must be said, adds a certain panache to a room.

Two woofers flank the tweeters inside while the subwoofer is hidden on the side near the bass port at the bottom.

In another useful design component, the FJ1 has a slot on its top for placing your smartphone that is Bluetooth-linked to the speaker. Since you can recharge your smartphone with a USB port provided at its right side, the provided channel is very useful for placing your phone when you are recharging it.

Apart from streaming music from your smartphone or tablet computer via Bluetooth, you can also listen to FM stereo and play music files from your USB drive on the FJ1. It comes with a 3.5mm stereo jackin and AUXin for connecting to the selected music source, such as a portable MP3 player or a CD player.

The tuner function supports 87.5 to 108.0 MHz as well as alarm and sleep functions, allowing you to use it to wake you up in the morning with an FM broadcast and to turn itself off after you fall asleep at night.

The FJ1 is very loud as it has 100 watts of output power – 25 watts for stereo channels and 50 watts for the sub woofer.

Each of the music channels uses one 1.5-inch tweeter and one 4-inch woofer. The system uses one 5.25-inch subwoofer with bass port design to enhance the bass output.

The speaker system is good for party and dance music as its midrange and high sounds are outstanding and the bass level is good though not floor shaking one.

The FJ1 can be connected to two Bluetooth devices at once so you and your friends can take turns controlling it during a party without one of you disconnecting first.

The FJ1 comes with six equaliser settings of Standard, Pop, Classic, Rock, Jazz, and Bass Blast based on music taste. The choice of your EQ setting is displayed on its LED panel.

I tested the system by playing dance and EDM streamed from my JOOX account on my smartphone along with the music files stored on my USB. It had no problem supporting my choice of folder, and even briefly displayed the name of the folder its the LED panel.

The remote control made it intuitive to operate the speaker system too.

LG Sound Tower FJ1 has a suggested retail price of Bt5,990.

KEY SPECS

– Output power: 25 wattsx2, plus 50 watts for subwoofer

– Functions: Tuner, USB, AUX, Portablein, Bluetoothl

– Tuner: FM 87.5108.0 MHz

– Speakers: 2×1.5inch tweeter, 2x4inch woofer, 1×5.25inch subwoofer

– Speaker impedance: 4  ohms

– Dimensions: 142x960x153mm (WxHxD)

It’s all explained in the exhibition “Spaces within Space: A Vision of Co-Living Generation”, continuing through Sunday at Woof Pack Bangkok on Salaldaeng Soi 1 off Rama IV Road.

AP and Fabrica, the Benetton Group’s communication-research centre, are pursuing new ways of thinking in the way interiors are designed. Innovation in layout and design, they believe, can in turn improve the way people behave towards and work with one another.

The Space Scholarship combines AP’s expertise in creating living spaces with Fabrica’s creative-thinking approach and will result in condominium units specially designed for the scholarship winners.

Scholarships are “awarded” in square metres in a condominium managed by AP. The idea is to connect the lives of seven students from the provinces who have good study records but are short on fund and lack a place to live. Forced to move to Bangkok to pursue their university studies, they can now take advantage of this programme.

The condominiums are both near universities – Aspire Rattanathibet 2 and Aspire Sathorn-Taksin.

“For this project, AP aims to present the design of co-living of the future via a study and discovery of spaces hidden within space – what our team calls ‘the third space’ – and how we look at space in every dimension,” says AP (Thailand) marketing chief Sappasit Foongfaungchaveng.

“We have the expertise in designing quality living space, especially life in a condominium, where every square inch is so valuable so you have to make the best use of it.

“We’ve combined our expertise with that of Fabrica, whose conceptual strength is in the connection of cultural differences to bring about work that hits the right note with people around the world. We’ve worked together to create a living space for seven students from different provinces to live together happily.

“AP attaches great importance to the design and construction of the room for the scholarship recipients,” Sappasit says. “That’s why our Design Lab chose to work with a world-class design studio like Fabrica, which is a hub for a new generation of thinkers and designers. The design director of the Treviso-based studio is Sam Baron, a famous personality in the international design community. He’s an idol for young designers and is recognised as one of the decade’s greatest designers. He helped us discover and make the best use of every square inch of the third space from the design overlapping which is also made to look beautiful and carries a strong identity.”

“I admire AP for creating such a good social project like the Space Scholarship,” Baron says. “In my opinion this project will help improve the quality of life for youngsters in Thai society. The challenge was that you’ve got to design living spaces in a condominium for students to live together. These kids didn’t know each other before. They’re from different provinces, backgrounds and cultures.

“We designed a room for four male kids and another room for three female kids. One design philosophy at Fabrica is the blending of cultural differences into one. One of the strengths allowing Fabrica to create work that resonates around the world is that we have young thinkers and designers of different races. They came together to create design work that clearly understands and reflects cultural value.”

Learn more at http://www.APThai.com/spacescholarship.

Featuring the world’s only suspended dinner table, 22 guests are fixed securely in German TUV-approved safety harnesses, enjoying a four-course gourmet dinner prepared by Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit and accompanied by incredible city views above the Emporium and Dinosaur Planet – straight off BTS Phrom Phong.

Guests will be seated around a large dinner table with the entire Dinner In The Sky system suspended by a 200-tonne European telescopic boom crane. The experience promises front row seats to the most astonishing views the city has to offer, either at sunset or late on into the night sky. Free Uber riders to and from the experience are also arranged.

“Thailand has always been recognised as a leader in Asia for dining options of all kinds. But Dinner In The Sky is Thailand’s first high-end dinner table to be suspended and served at this altitude. This innovation encourages guests to take their eating experience to new heights,” said Friso Poldervaart of Dinner In The Sky Thailand.

Dinner In The Sky has operations in more than 45 countries including France, USA, Holland, Colombia, China, Macau, Denmark, Finland, Japan, Sweden, Taiwan, and Portugal.

“We have a catering team on site headed by executive chef Gaetano Palumbo who has designed a menu that perfectly complements the extraordinary high-altitude experience on first take-off,” added Robert Wittebrood, executive assistant manager of Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit.

Dinner in the Sky is designed according to German safety standard DIN 4112 regarding flying structures specifications, and has surpassed world-leading German TUV-accredited standards. Based in Kuala Lumpur, DITS ASIA chose Thailand to become the second Southeast Asian country after Malaysia in 2015.

Seats are sold online at http://www.Dinnerinthesky.co.th for Bt4,990 on weekdays and Bt5,390 on weekends, inclusive of the four-course meal. There will be two flight sessions per day; sunset at 6pm and city lights at 7.30pm. The flight duration is 60 minutes.