After skipping the awards for the past three years, the ministry’s Contemporary Art and Culture Office presented them to the seven artists.

The awards are prizes for mid-career artists aged between and 35 and 55 whose prominent works have been acclaimed both locally and internationally.

This year’s other two winners are architect Amata Lupaiboon and designer Korakot Aromdee.

Culture Minister Vira Rojpojchanarat yesterday presented Silpathorn Award pins and cash prizes of Bt100,000 to each of the winners.

Their works are being presented at a mini-exhibition at the Rachadamnoen Art and Culture Centre until September 17.

Both the young author Prabda and film-maker Urapong, whose works are categorised in the avant-garde genre, were surprise choices for the prestigious award.

“I was a bit surprised when I heard that I won this award from the Culture Ministry, as I’m a naughty writer,” Prabda told The Nation.

“However, I’m happy to be honoured by the ministry and thank the judges, who are respected persons from the Thai literary scene. I hope the ministry will continue to support contemporary artists in the long term like foreign countries do,” said Prabda, who is now working on a new film and novel.

Urapong, who is famous for his films “Song for Rice” and “Ugrarian Utopia”, was also surprised.

“I did not expect to receive this award. As I’ve only made two feature films, it’s so soon. However, I’m very happy and it will encourage me more to continue making quality films,” said Urapong, who also teaches at Thammasat University.

Kamin, 53, whose works are inspired by Buddhism, said he was also happy and that “no matter if I won this award or not, I would keep making art”.

The award, established in 2004 when the Culture Ministry split from the Education Ministry, aims to honour and encourage Thai contemporary artists.

The Contemporary Art and Culture Office annually presents the awards to artists, aside from the hiatus from 2014 to 2016. Sixty winners have been honoured in the fields of visual art, literature, music, film, performing art, design and architecture.

The redesigned application boasts features such as Cardless ATM or cash withdrawal (by app users or anyone else) from any SCB ATM without the need to use a card, as a special code from the app alone will suffice.

Another Easy Bonus feature offers privileges and discounts while Easy App Protection promises to boost consumers’ confidence in using the app. Under this feature, SCB becomes the first bank to provide up to Bt100,000 coverage in events any damage arises out of SCB Easy usage.

Actor Tor Thanapob, actress Gypso Arikanta, and musician Neung Jakkawal were recruited to speak about how their lives have become real “easy” thanks to this app.

Also present at the launch event were celebrities Ice Apitsada, Panjan Porama, Mint AF, Yuan Kawinrath, DJ Nui, and DJ Bookko, all of whom will lead SCB Easy caravans to all corners of Bangkok to promote the redesigned application.

“The app was built on an entirely new platform with the best technologies available today for maximum stability and security as well as to support future expansion of the fast-growing user base and offer new experiences to the customers,” said Thana Thienachariya, acting chief marketing officer of SCB.

New subscribers who pay a bill via SCB Easy just once will get 3GB of mobile data. Existing users of SCB Easy, meanwhile, can get one free Pon De Ring doughnut from Mister Donut for their sign-in (limited offer). They can also claim one complimentary movie ticket at any Major Cineplex, EGV or SF Cinema outlet when making three transfers/withdrawal/top-ups/payments via the application.

The application is now available for download via both iOS and Android systems.

Powerbeats 3 Wireless Bluetooth earphones from Beats by Dre allow you to enjoy good-quality music from your iPhone, iPad or iPod while exercising.

The battery will last up to 12 hours and there’s no chance of getting a shock while you sweat.

The earphones are easily connected to your iOS or MacOS device with a builtin Apple W1 chip.

Just hold the Powerbeats 3 in one hand and your phone in the other and the chip will prompt the phone to display a connection screen. The rest is just as simple.

Once linked, you can use the earphones with any nearby iPad, iPod or Macbook without having to look for a new link every time, because setting is stored in your iCloud account.

While jogging or working out, you don’t have to worry about the earphones slipping off. There are ear hooks locking them to your lobes. These are flexible and adjustable to be fixed on securely.

You also have four pairs of ear tips to choose among for the best fit inside the ear canals for an even more secure fit.

The cable is also adjustable around the neck. You just grip the end of the loop and slide the “cable management clip” in either direction.

The Powerbeats 3 has micro USB port for recharging the battery. A five-minute charge generates an hour of playback.

There’s an LED display showing battery status. If it’s white, you have plenty of power. If it turns red, you’re below an hour. Blinking red means you’re down to 15 minutes.

A builtin microphone and RemoteTalk feature support Siri voice commands. The RemoteTalk control has volume buttons and a multifunction button to use for playing and pausing music and skipping tracks, as well as receiving and ending phone calls and activating the Siri voicecommand function.

For inear earphones, the bass level reproduced is pretty amazing, and that’s on top of thrilling highs and midtones. In short, they’re great for listening to tunes.

You can get the Powerbeats 3 Wireless in Trophy Gold, Black, White, Flash Blue, Siren Red or Shock Yellow from http://www.Apple.com/th/shop for Bt7,700.

KEY SPECS

– Type: Inear

– MacOS, iOS feature: Apple W1 chip for easy connection, switching between devices

– Connection: Bluetooth Class 1

Battery: Rechargeable lithiumion with 12 hours of playback

– Port: MicroUSB for battery charging

– Call and control: Remote and mic, inline volume control

– In the box: Four sizes of ear tips, carrying case, USB charging cable

One of best-established writers of popular fiction, Brown’s allure comes from his commitment to in-depth research and meticulous study of data. “The Da Vinci Code” performed well from the first week it hit the shelves, has made him a household name and has sold 60.5 million copies worldwide as well as been adapted into a major motion picture.

In “Origin”, Brown interweaves symbols, code-breaking, science and modern art, all the while inviting the reader to search for the “origin of mankind”, asking themselves “Where do we come from?” and “Where are we going?”

On the first day that the new book’s teaser clip was published on Brown’s fan page, it got 1 million views and 15,000 shares, a tumultuous positive response after the four-year hiatus since his last book “Inferno”.

This time Brown brings to life the mysteriously intriguing billionaire Edmond Kirsch with a passion for futurism, high-tech inventions, and predictions of the world’s happenings over time. Kirsch is also one of the first students Robert Langdon taught at Harvard. The setting moves away from old art and architecture, taking place in the Guggenheim Museum in the city of Bilbao, Spain with parts happening in Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, and Bilbao itself.

This is also the first time that Brown has incorporated modern art, a move that has triggered a wave of guesses as to what painting or what art piece Brown will focus on “Origin”.

The author’s lips are sealed, with Brown saying only that Langdon appreciates Gauguin and Picasso. Fans will thus have to wait to find out the answer when “Origin” goes on sale worldwide on October 3.

In Thailand, Asia Books is offering readers opportunity to get their hands on both the US and UK editions at Bt495 per copy along with an exclusive gift. Copies by be reserved their copies at all Asia Books branches (excluding those at B2S, Big C and airports), Suriwong Book Centre and http://www.AsiaBooks.com.

Find out more at (02) 251 8571.

The retro-design Klipsch the Three wireless speaker has a real wood veneer and it spuncopper switches and knobs. It produces 60 watts of power and up to 106dB of acoustic output, combining a 5.25-inch subwoofer and two 21/4-inch fullrange drivers. USB play is possible for multiroom Wi-Fi. The suggested retail price is Bt18,900.

Zen Pro for just Bt8,000

The latest smartphone from Asus, the ZenFone 4 Max Pro, can function as a power bank with its 5,000mAh battery, recharging other mobile devices at double the usual speed. The 5.5-inch display packs 720x1280pixel resolution. You have a duallens 16MP rear camera and 16MP selfie camera. All this, with 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage, is powered by a Snapdragon 430 octacore processor. Expect to pay Bt7,990.

Channel that music

The Muso Qb compact wireless music system offers 300 watts of amplifier output from one woofer, a pair of midrange drivers, two tweeters and two passive radiators. It supports Bluetooth playback, AirPlay, Spotify and multiroom streaming and comes with an Internet radio function. It can be used with a LAN port or Wi-Fi connection. It retails for Bt43,800.

Sleek silver for XT2

The Fujifilm XT2 advanced mirrorless interchangeable-lens camera now comes in graphic silver and with Version 2.10 firmware. It’s treated with layers of coating and triple-baked to produce an elegant, tactile finish. Inside is a 24-megapixel XTrans CMOS III image sensor, outside a three-inch LCD screen. ISO sensitivity of up to 51,200 is possible. The body along costs Bt66,990. With an 1855mm kit lens, it’s Bt69,990.

Sprocket in your pocket

With the HP Sprocket Photo Printer, you can easily print 2×3-inch photos on the go from your phone connected via Bluetooth. You use HP’s Sprocket App to edit and print shots to share, at 313x400dpi resolution. The printer is only 7.5×11.6×2.3cm and 172 grams. The builtin battery is 500mAh LiPolymer battery. Bt5,380 is the going rate.

AMSTERDAM, known as the most bicycle-friendly city in the world, is not just heaven for cyclists but also for those who love to party. That’s because the Dutch capital plays host to an never-ending round of electronic dance music festivals stretching from the beginning of summer to the end of autumn, among them Mysteryland, the world’s oldest EDM festival.

I was in Amsterdam recently as a member of Dutch beer brand Heineken’s first global trip under the “Live Access” campaign that’s designed to take consumers on a journey beyond music.

“I never thought about visiting Europe because I’ve always thought that America and Japan were more interesting. But after just a short while in Amsterdam, I realised I had been missing out. There’s something unique about this town,” confided Anont Vidhayasirinun, marketing manager of Ananda Development and one of the three lucky consumers picked at random in the “Heineken Live Access” campaign.

Even the weather seemed to be welcoming us to the Netherlands as we stepped out from Schiphol Airport into a pleasantly warm and sunny day. The temperature dropped a little in the evening – in short, the perfect weather for getting on a bike. Sadly though, a tight timetable prevented me from taking to two wheels.

Amsterdam really is the ultimate bicycle-friendly city. Bikes are everywhere – moving smoothly along the bike lanes that run parallel with the roads and which even boast bicycle-friendly traffic lights and stretching as far as the eye can see in the parking areas reserved especially for two wheels. Bike rental shops are everywhere, most of them offering a wide choice of bike tours.

It’s also a city of canals, and a boat trip is probably the best way to take in the city. Some tourists even choose to stay on the water, booking their breaks at houseboat bed & breakfast joints. We take a two-hour cruise around the city, once dubbed the “Venice of the North” for obvious reasons, and admire the elegant architecture and – to my surprise– thousands of Heineken signs.

The brewery was established in Amsterdam in 1864 and today Heineken is a huge multinational company, one of the three largest beer producers in the world. Its rich and successful history is presented in the old defunct brewery in Amsterdam, with several amusement park attractions added to the exhibit, which has been renamed the Amsterdam Heineken Experience.

The Heineken Experience is one of Amsterdam’s most authentic and famous attractions. The factory continued to manufacture all of the brand’s beer here until 1988, when the main production line was moved to a larger facility outside the city due to overwhelming demand for the product. Today the old brewery operates as a museum and tourist attraction and has been visited by millions of people from all over the world since it opened its doors in 2001.

The Heineken Brewery Tour took us through the company’s history in a fun and interactive way. As we walked through the impressive old building, we saw the gigantic copper tanks that were used to brew the original Heineken beer, the company’s old advertisements and were able to pull a draft of our own beer in the Heineken Museum bar, where we enjoyed two complimentary drinks.

But the music was calling and before long we were off to the two-day EDM festival, Mysteryland. Gazing out of the coach window as we made our way to Floriade in Haarlemmermeer municipality, 20 kilometres from Amsterdam, I looked with envy at the cyclists pedalling along the parallel |bike lane and resolved there |and then to return one day |for a cycling holiday.

Organised by Netherlands-based promoter ID&T, the 2017 edition of Mysteryland featured more than 200 acts playing hardstyle, hip-hop, techno, drum and bass, dubstep, disco, house, techno, electro and more on many stages. Particularly impressive in terms of production were the acts on Main Stage and Q-Dance who closed out their shows with lasers and fireworks, though it must be said that The Big Top, Paradise, Cocoon, Elrow, RAM Records, and Mad Decent stages didn’t pale too much in comparison. And in addition to the never-ending music, there were also exhibitions and poetry readings.

I wandered through the venue, stopping off at various stages – all of them crowded with festival-goers – to take in Desparados’ mix of mainstream hits, Puna’s hip-hop set, the live sets at the Big Top Live, the hardcore at Thunderdome as well as underground house and techno at Elrow and Dave Clarke.

The Main Stage featured global stars of the EDM world such as Deadmau5, one of the world’s most respected electronic music producers, the UK’s Craig David, KSHMR, Armin van Buuren, and the powerhouse duo Axwell and Sebastian Ingrosso.

“I like EDM and like all EDM fans knew of Mysteryland, which is every bit as famous as Tomorrowland in Belgium. I never thought I would have a chance to come here though but thanks to Heineken, that dream has come true,” Anont said.

“Once I knew I’d been picked for the trip, I started checking out the line-up of DJs as well as stages and show times. I planned to see Craig David’s show as well as those of Showtek and KSHMR, who are on the top ten list of global EDM DJs. I’m very impressed by both the playlists and the festival’s security system. I was sorry to hear that Alesso was forced to cancel because he was ill but the organisers more than made up for it by bringing in DJ W&W as a replacement.

“And I like the fact that the festival also has several booths offering massage and meditation. The event’s eco-friendly too, distributing water bags that can be filled at ‘Tap Water’ booths around the venue.”

Anont was correct in his eco-friendly assessment of the festival, with most of stages covered with wood to keep them dust free. The food was good too with the Dutch version of Thai, Vietnamese and Indian food offered alongside sandwiches and hotdogs.

But festival goers no matter how environmentally conscious at home seem to forget their green leanings after a few beers and I was sad to see plastic water bottles and glasses, beer cans, and disposable food boxes scattered around the venue, despite a plethora of garbage bins and the hard work of the Greenteam volunteers.

When, I wonder, will we learn to put our garbage where it belongs?

Popular Taiwanese computer maker Asus sets out to make life easier for the busy executive with the launch of the VivoBook S15 (S510UQ), a powerful notebook computer with a sleek and slim body.

Boasting an aluminium alloy lid with brushed hairline finish and a 15.6-inch display with 1920×1080 pixel resolution, the VivoBook’s sleek chassis is only 17.9mm thick, thanks to a “Nano-Edge” design that has an ultra-narrow 7.8mm bezel and allows for maximised display and 80-per cent screentobody ratio.

As part of the improved design, the keyboard is now placed in a shallow depression, which not only looks great, but also subtly improves typing comfort.

Adding to its beauty is the base panel. Instead of using black plastic, the base is colour-matched to the other parts of the notebook and has the same luxurious sandblasted metallic finish.

The VivoBook S15 weighs just 1.7 kg and if you upgrade it with a superfast SSD drive, that can drop to 1.5kg making it highly portable

In line with the Ultrabook design, the VivoBook S15 uses a 3cell, 42W Lithium Ion battery that has up to eight hours of life.

The power button is neatly integrated as part of the keyboard, giving the entire keyboard area a neat appearance.

The VivoBook S15 is powered by latest 7th generation 15watts Intel Core i77500U processor and is equipped with 4 gigabytes of DDR4 2,133 MHz DRAM for working memory. It comes with one terabyte hard drive, which can be upgraded with a fast M.2 STA3 SSD drive.

It uses a Nvidia GeForce GT940MX graphic engine to render beautiful graphics that make most of its Full HD display.

The VivoBook has fast wireless connectivity, using 2×2 dual band 802.11ac Wi-Fi connection. During the test, I connected it to a Linksys EA8500 router and could immediately access both the Internet and file sharing with other computers in my home network.

The VivoBook S15 has comprehensive ports and connectors including a full-sized HDMI port on the right side for easily connecting to most TVs and projectors.

Moreover, it has a USB 3.1 Gen 1 TypeC port on the right side for expansion with fast data transfer, plus a USB 3.1 TypeA (full size) on the right side and two USB 2.0 Type A ports on the left.

The SD card reader is on the left too and is great for viewing photos storing on the card from your digital camera for example. You can also use your premium headphones with the VivoBook by connecting them to a 3.5mm audio jack on the right side.

Biometric security is assured by the fingerprint scanner mounted on the top right corner of the touchpad. The scanner works with Windows 10’s “Hello” security login feature, allowing you to quickly and conveniently log in and unlock the notebook.

And its touchpad is large and smooth to touch. It supports Window 10’s precision touchpad and multigesture input with up to 4-finger gestures, making it easy to switch applications or screens. For example, you can use three fingers to swipe down to show the desktop of the Windows or tap with two fingers to activate a right click.

During the test I found that applications ran fast and smoothly under Windows 10 on the VivoBook. Business applications like my favourite LibreOffice ran smoothly and video clips played without any hiccups.

And the VivoBook’s backlit keyboard is comfortable to type on with a Chiclet-style key design that features wide, well-separated keys. Even the character markings are backlit for convenient typing in dark environments.

The VivoBook S15 has an impressive display with 700:1 contrast ratio that is great for viewing HD clips and high-resolution photos.

The video display is enhanced with Asus Tru2Life Video technology that analyses every pixel in every video frame to increase contrast and sharpness and ensure smooth playback.

The display also allows you to switch between four user-friendly modes – Eye care, Normal, Vivid mode and Manual. For example, in the Eye care mode, the blue light emission is reduced by 30 per cent. In manual mode, you are allowed to adjust colour temperature manually, which is useful for professional photographers.

The VivoBook S15 also sounds good with two sidefiring speakers that are powered by Asus SonicMaster audio technology. You can also use ASUS AudioWizard software that offers five intuitive presets – Music, Movie, Recording, Gaming and Speed – to suit your usage at that moment.

Apart from having long battery life, the VivoBook S15’s battery also uses rapid charge technology that allows it to be recharged from 0 to 60 per cent of the capacity in just 49 minutes.

The Asus VivoBook S15 has a suggested retail price of Bt25,990.

KEY SPECS

– OS: Windows 10

– CPU: 7th-generation Intel Core i77500U

– Display: 15.6-inch (16:9) LED backlit Full HD 1920×1080) with ultra in (16:9) LED backlit Full HD 1920×1080)

– Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce 940MX with 2 GB video memory

– Memory: 4GB DDR 2133MHz

– Storage: 1 TB HDD

– Connectivity: 2×2 802.11ac Wi-Fi / Bluetooth 4.2

– Camera: VGA Webcam

– Interface: 1 x USB3.1 Gen1 TypeC, 1 x USB3.1, 2 x USB2.0, 1 x Audio combo jack, 1 x HDMI 1.4, 1xCard Reader (SD/SDHC/ SDXC/MMC) PushPush type

– Audio: Dual-speakers stereo audio with surround-sound effects, ASUS SonicMaster

– Security: Optional touchpadmounted fingerprint reader

– Battery: 42Whrs Lithiumpolymer, 8 hour battery life

– Dimensions: 361.4 x 243.5 x 17.9mm

Weight: 1.7kg (1.5kg for SSD model)

Drawing on the universal flavours that dominate cocktail world to some of the more experimental drinks, the new cocktail menu are designed to match the client’s individual personality, mood and occasions. The 15 drinks are divided into three sub categories.

The Revival section houses some of the most refreshing notes of fruits. The easy to drink, sweet-and-sour flavours section comes with six drinks in total including The Quartet Slew, which offers a base of Rhubarb Gin with Pomelo, Lychee and Lemon.

The opposing force to The Revival is The Quintessence section, which embodies something a little more complex and intense with herbal notes that give out different levels of bitter and full-bodied flavours. This section also has six drinks including Botany, a Mezcal-based drink with Italian Bitter Vermouth, Red Bitter Liqueur, Ginseng Liquor, Tonka Bean, and Candied Lemon.

For clients with a taste for something completely new, The Uttermost collection is a unique approach to exploring new tastes. Crafted without any rules, the last three cocktails challenge perceptions in a new radical way. Take Sizzling, with notes of TamarindCello, Bell Pepper, Pomegranate, Prosecco as an example of experimental flavours.

Q&A Bar is open Monday to Saturday, from 7pm to 2am. Book a table at (02) 664 1445 or visit http://www.QnABar.com.

Five days of savings kick off on September 5 with sneak-preview deals from 9pm to midnight.

Through September 8, shoppers can enjoy Cashback of up to 49 per cent from online platform such as Lazada, Aliexpress, Expedia, Booking, Uber, Sephora and the Apple Store.

All day September 9 from midnight to midnight, shoppers stand to receive up to 99 per cent Cashback on purchases, plus discounts and promotional codes from travel, food, lifestyle and entertainment businesses.

“To thank our valued customers for the overwhelming response we’ve received since ShopBack’s launch in Thailand in July, this inaugural Cashback Day will bring them more savings than usual” said Kawin Prachanukul, cofounder and country head.

“This is just our first step towards establishing a solid brand presence in Thailand. In time we hope that, when people think of Cashback, they will relate it to ShopBack.”

Shoppers can also enjoy savings and Cashback up to 99 per cent on online games such as ROV, Seven Knights and Line Let’s Get Rich.

ShopBack offers irresistible deals for all online shoppers. After each successful transaction at any of the 100plus participating online merchants, ShopBack will return part of the commission received from the merchants to the purchasers.

Get the details at http://www.MyShopback.co.th.

The exhibition will run from September 7-25 at the downtown shopping mall.

Travelling from the House’s beginnings in 1854 to the present day, the story is told using rare and celebrated objects selected from the brand’s archive.

As advances in transport have accelerated our movement around the world, so Louis Vuitton has continued to address new challenges faced by travellers with imaginative and ingenious creations.

The exhibition follows a visual timeline of landmark moments in the story, focusing on five key aspects.

>> The codes of the House, distinctive design features that can be traced back to Louis Vuitton’s very first trunks

>> Journeys around the world, revealing how Louis Vuitton met the demands of new forms of transport

>> Elegance and beauty in motion, showing how Louis Vuitton has enabled its clients to travel in style

>> The icons of the House: Louis Vuitton’s most memorable and emblematic creations

>> A celebration of Louis Vuitton’s past and present links with Thailand including the special order “Boite Flacon” in Yellow Epi produced in 2006 to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s accession to the Throne and the special order Watch Trunks designed by HRH Princess Sirivannavari Nariratana in collaboration with Louis Vuitton to raise funds for the Chaipattana Foundation in 2008.

Visitors will enjoy unprecedented access to some of the most valuable pieces from Louis Vuitton archives.

Admission is free.

To watch the teaser and find out more information about Louis Vuitton Time Capsule exhibition in Bangkok, visit: http://eu.louisvuitton.com/eng-e1/articles/time-capsule-exhibition-in-bangkok.