THE ANCIENT tradition to formally complete the accession to the throne of the current monarch, His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn (Rama X), will take place from Saturday through Monday in a series of continuous and comprehensive procedures that are intricate, complicated and full of symbolic meaning in Hinduism and Buddhism.

The momentous event can be divided into three sessions: preliminary, primary and final rites.

Sacred water from sources across the country is kept in long-necked, gilded ceramic vessels bearing the royal emblem of the coronation.

The significant rite in the preliminary session that takes place before coronation day deals with the collecting and consecration of sacred water to be used at the heart of the ceremony – the purification bath known as Song Phra Muratha Bhisek and an anointing with sacred water, the Abhisek.

The collecting of sacred water from different sources across the country began on April 6. The water to be used in the purification bath came from five rivers around the country and from four ancient ponds in Suphan Buri.

Interior Ministry permanent secretary Chatchai Promlert and Suphan Buri Governor Nimit Wanchaithanawong help collect water from four ponds in the home province of the last Ayutthaya monarchs.

The rivers – together referred to as Bencha Suttha Khongkha and representing five rivers in India, origin of these traditions – are the Bang Pakong, Pasak, Chao Phraya, Ratchaburi and Phetchaburi. The four ponds are Sa Ket, Sa Kaeo, Sa Khongkha and Sa Yamuna.

For the anointing, the water was drawn from 107 sources in 76 provinces and from the Satrakom Hall within the Grand Palace in Bangkok.

The water from all sources was ritually consecrated at the principal temple in each province on April 8. The water collected in each province was kept in a long-necked, gilded ceramic vessel bearing the royal emblem of the auspicious occasion of the coronation of King Rama X.

The governors of those provinces delivered the vessels to the Interior Ministry in Bangkok on April 10. The water from Satrakom Hall was drawn on April 12 and also taken to the ministry by capital’s governor.

The Supreme Patriarch, His Holiness Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatayana, leads a ritual sanctifying the coronation waters at Wat Suthat Thep Wararam on April 18.

On the morning of April 18, all the water was carried in procession from the ministry to Wat Suthat Thep Wararam for the evening sanctifying ritual led by the Supreme Patriarch, His Holiness Somdet Phra Ariyavongsagatayana, and Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha.

In preparation for the purification bath and anointing rite taking place on Saturday at the Grand Palace, the 86 vessels of consecrated water vessels were moved from Wat Suthat to Wat Phra Kaew, known as the temple of the Emerald Buddha. All provincial governors and top officials |participated in the procession on April 19.

The consecrated water is carried in procession from Wat Suthat Thep Wararam to Wat Phra Kaew.

Another important part of the preliminary rite was the inscription of the royal golden plaques bearing the official title of the monarch, his horoscope and the royal seal of state.

His Majesty assigned MC Pusarn Svasti to represent him at the inscribing ceremony on April 22 and 23 in the ubosot of Wat Phra Kaew.

On Thursday, His Majesty will pay homage to the King Rama V Equestrian Monument at the Royal Plaza in the grounds of Dusit Palace and to the King Rama I Monument at Phra Buddha Yod Fa Bridge.

Rama V was his great-grandfather and Rama I was the founder of the continuing Chakri Dynasty.

Royal golden plaques bearing the official title of King Rama X and his horoscope and the royal seal of state were engraved in the ubosot of Wat Phra Kaew on April 22 and 23.

On Friday, King Maha Vajiralongkorn will pay homage to the Emerald Buddha at Wat Phra Kaew, the same day that the royal golden plaques and royal seal of state are transferred to the Baisan Daksin Throne Hall in the Grand Palace.

The primary ceremony including the purification bath, anointing and investiture take place on Saturday in the Grand Palace. The protocol is expected to follow that of King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s coronation on May 5, 1950 (see sidebar).

The final procedure on Saturday is an audience granted to members of the Royal Family, Privy Council and Cabinet and other high-ranking officials in the Amarindra Vinijaya Throne Hall.

The King will then proceed to Wat Phra Kaew to declare his willingness to become the royal patron of Buddhism.

Members of the Royal Family will also be attending a ritual known as Chalerm Phra Raja Montien – the assumption of the royal residence – something akin to a private housewarming celebration.

The royal procession from the Grand Palace to Wat Bovoranives, Wat Rajabopidh and Wat Phra Chetuphon is rehearsed. King Rama X will on Sunday pay respects to the principal Buddha statues and the ashes of previous kings and queens.

Sunday will see the ceremonial bestowal of royal names and new titles upon members of the Royal Family at the Grand Palace.

Then comes a procession along a seven-kilometre route from the Grand Palace to Wat Bovoranives, Wat Rajabopidh and Wat Phra Chetuphon. At each temple, the King will pay respects to the principal Buddha statues and the ashes of the previous kings and queens while at the same time giving the public a chance to demonstrate homage to the new monarch.

On Monday the King will grant a grand public audience in the Grand Palace.

The coronation per se actually concludes in October with a royal barge procession. His Majesty will board one of the 50 elaborately decorated boats at the Wasukri Pier and be taken to Wat Arun, the Temple of Dawn, to present robes to monks in the royal kathin ceremony marking the end of Buddhist Lent.

The royal procession from the Grand Palace to Wat Bovoranives, Wat Rajabopidh and Wat Phra Chetuphon is rehearsed. King Rama X will on Sunday pay respects to the principal Buddha statues and the ashes of previous kings and queens.

This weekend’s inspiring series of historic events brings to a close more than two years of mourning for King Bhumibol, whose coronation took place in May 1950.

That of his son is the 12th coronation held during the 10 reigns of the Chakri Dynasty. Rama I, Rama V and Rama VI each underwent two coronation ceremonies, while Rama VIII died before being formally crowned.

The first coronation of Rama I was an abbreviated affair in 1782, shortly after he declared Bangkok the new capital of Siam. Three years later, after several throne halls and the royal regalia were completed, a full-scale coronation took place.

Rama V’s first ceremony occurred when he was 15 and still recovering from the malaria that befell him and his father, with fatal results for the latter. The second came when he reached maturity at age 20.

Rama VI was first crowned with simplified rituals, shortly after the deal of his father, Rama V, and then later in a full-scale event with the participation of foreign royalty.

EVER WONDERED how the appliances that our grandparents used worked, how they looked and how they apply to life as we know it today? Bangkokians now have the chance to find out as the touring exhibition “Japanese Design Today 100” has landed in Bangkok and turned the Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC)’s gallery into a time capsule, boasting 100 examples of recognisable daily products from the 1950s to the 2010s.

Until May 26, visitors can discover the innovative rice cooker, classic motorcycle, Zen-style wood furniture, smart camera as well as the popular cassette player and wristwatches we used while at school.

Manufacturer Sakura Seisakusho  adopted the ancient design of a dining table in making their functional Feb desk, which made its debut in 2007.

A collaboration between Thailand’s Creative Economy Agency (CEA) and the Japan Foundation, Bangkok, the show uses product design as a way of exchanging culture. Initiated in 2000, the exhibition has travelled to many countries including Canada, the US, El Salvador, China, Mongolia, Singapore, Finland and the Philippines.

Curated by four Japanese design experts – Hiroshi Kashiwagi, Masafumi Fukagawa, Shu Hagiwara and Noriko Kawakami – its collection was updated in 2014 to assemble 89 current masterpieces, along with 11 forms that have an important influence on the designs of today.

“Japan has a wealth of creative ideas, advanced technology and beautiful culture. The Japanese designers have managed to combine their traditions and innovation in creating unique products that can meet the needs of people on a daily basis,” says Apisit Laistrooglai, managing director of the Creative Economy Agency.

“This exhibition is showcasing the evolution of Japanese designs and the way functional products can serve everyday life. We want to spark ideas among Thai designers and the general public e in adapting and mixing local materials with traditional wisdom and new technology to create products that fit our lifestyle.”

Spread over 2,000 square metres, the works are divided into 10 categories based on their function, namely appliances, tableware and kitchenware, clothing and accessories, children’s supplies, stationary, recreational equipment, healthcare products and transportation vehicles, plus rescue and disaster relief products.

The Classic Japanese Design corner highlights the RC-10 electronic rice-cooker by Toshiba that dates back to the very beginnings of the electronic appliance industry in Japan. Designed by Yoshiharu Iwata, it launched in 1955 to shorten cooking time for rice with a single button. Today’s modern, high-performance rice cooker still cook the grains at the push of a button but can also be used for making simple pastries and side dishes like soft boiled eggs, tofu, bread or cakes.

The Kikkoman soy sauce bottle with its simple but functional design has been popular for almost 60 years. 

Collectors can check out the iconic 1959 Nikon F camera designed by Yusaku Kamekura, who created the remarkable logo of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics and the poster for the 1970 Expo in Osaka. It comes with a simple layout and easy-to-operate buttons that help veteran and amateur photographers capture clearly everything around them.

Japanese food lovers might be used to the Kikkoman soy sauce bottle designed by Kenji Ekuan. Launched in 1961, it has a simple yet smart design that allows people to pour sauce without opening the lid.

Then there’s the old-school Sony Walkman-2 cassette player – the must-have fashion gadget of ’80s youngsters. Different from the first model with an existing cassette tape recorder mechanism, this renewed series came with a fresh external structure, making it easy to carry and enjoy music in an outdoor ambience.

“This travelling exhibition is part of the cultural exchange programme between Japan and other countries around the world. Featuring striking Japanese innovations and classic designs by famous designers, it is also a commentary on changing lifestyles,” says Norihiko Yoshioka, director-general of the Japan Foundation, Bangkok.

“We might refresh the collection of products in next three or four years to ensure our exhibition genuinely relates to today’s designs. Our curators will select the old products that are still seen because that means they have become universal designs. Those that have disappeared from daily life will be cut out of the display.”

The Furniture and Houseware zone shines the spotlight on Japanese craftsmanship through the 1985 Folding Screen manufactured by Karacho, which was founded in Kyoto in 1624 and specialised in karakami (woodblock printed

paper). This handcrafted screen is constructed with ancient techniques and used to cover sliding doors and walls.

The Issey Miyake + Reality Lab raised environmental awareness with the wireless In-Ei Mogura lamp that draws inspiration from origami (the Japanese art of folding paper). Launched in 2010, its shade is fashioned out of non-woven fabric using recycled fibre from PET bottles to give soft light and three-dimensional shape, making it an easy-to-match decorative item for the modern living space.

Issey Miyake blends craftsmanship with modern ecodesign in its InEi Issey Miyake Mogura lamp. 

In 2013, Marude Chuki company came up with the casting vessels for mosquito incense coils, offering the lid in six Ise stencil-inspired patterns that are attractive no matter where they are placed. Designed by Hiroshi Yamasaki and Miya Suwa, all the pieces are crafted in the Kuwana region of Mie prefecture, one of two main industrial casting centres in Japan.

Manufacturer Sakura Seisakusho and designer Yoshifumi Nakamura adopted the ancient design of a dining

table in making their functional Feb desk, which made its debut in 2007. Named after the Nigatsudo (the hall of the second month) in the grounds of Todaiji Temple, it comes with foldable legs and is designed to be flexible for people sitting on the floor.

“Japanese design pays attention to quality and reflects unique traditions. In Japan, we still see young and old generations working together. They have cultural capital and always survey their own speciality,” says Songwad Sukmaungma, senior curator of CEA.

“Focusing on functionality and classic style, we can see how some Japanese products combine knowledge from the West and the East.”

The Tableware and Cookware department presents the three 15.0% Ice Cream Spoons set designed by TeradaDesign Architects for Takata Lemnos. Launched in 2011, they’re made with solid aluminium and transmit the warmth of the user’s hand to the ice cream, making it smoother and easier to scoop.

Asakura Senpu’s water-repellent wrapping cloth can be turned into a bucket to carry up to 10 litres of water.

Other items include the 2009 Cupmen 1 Hold On designed by Akira Mabuchi, which features a man- figure who changes colour when you place it on the lid of a instant noodles cup and stops you burning your mouth.

Asakura Senpu’s water-repellent wrapping cloth launched in 2006 can be turned into a bucket to carry up to 10 litres of water and A-Net’s 1994 Home 1 coat designed by Kosuke Tsumura features several pockets to contain daily necessities, a must for those faced with a disaster situation.

The exhibition will move to TCDC Chiang Mai from June 8 to 30 and show at Khon Kaen University’s Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts Gallery between July 12 and 28.

MAKE A DATE

>> The Japanese Design Today 100 exhibition continued through May 26 at the Gallery Room of TCDC Bangkok until May 26.

>> It’s open Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30am to 9pm. Admission is free.

>>  Find out more by calling (02) 105-7400 extensions 213 or 214 or visit Web.TDCD.or.th.

More powerful yet just as slim and sleek as earlier models, Apple’s new iMac is now powered by 8-core Intel 9th-generation processors and its graphic horse power is unleashed by superfast Radeon Pro Vega graphics.

There are two new series, one with a display size of 21.5 inches and the other 27 inches. The standard configurations of the 27-inch new iMac feature 6-core Intel Core i5 processors across the line with up to 3.7 GHz base close speed. And this series can be configured up to an 8-core Core i9 processor. Compared to the previous generation, the new 27-inch iMac’s performance is up to 2.4 times faster.

The new 21.5-inch iMac, meanwhile, comes with Retina 4K display and its standard configurations feature quad-core Intel Core i3 and 6-core Intel Core i5 processors with 3.6 GHz and 3.0GHz base clock speed respectively. It can be configured up to a 6-core Intel Core i7 processor. Compared to the |previous 21.5-inch iMac, |the new model is up to 60 per cent faster.

In terms of graphic horsepower, both series feature powerful Radeon Pro 500X-series discrete graphics with Polaris architecture for faster gaming 3D graphics and video editing.

The new 27-inch iMac comes with Radeon Pro 580X and 8GB of video memory while the new 21.5-inch iMac has Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB of video memory.

For faster graphics rendering, you can opt to configure the 27-inc iMac with a Radeon Pro Vega 48 graphics with 8 GB of HBM2 (Hind-Bandwidth Memory), which is up to 50 per cent faster than Radeon Pro 580X.

And for the 21.5-inch iMac, you can opt for Radeon Pro Vega 20 graphics with 4GB of HBM2 memory that provides up to 80 per cent more speed than the Radeon Pro 560X.

I got my hands on the 21.5-inch iMac with normal configuration. It’s powered by Intel Core i5 3GHz with 8GB of RAM and one terabyte of storage. It uses Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB of memory as the graphics engine. And the computer runs on macOS Mojave Version 10.4.4 operating system.

The Mojave OS is fast and smooth. It’s intuitive to use and the system didn’t freeze during the test.

I found that the new 21.5-inch iMac with Retina 4K display handled business applications at high speed. LibreOffice ran fast and web pages, photos and videos were also rendered very fast.

Apple says the new 21.5-inch iMac with Retina 4K display can edit 4K video using Final Cut Pro X: Multicam editing of Simultaneous 4K streams up to nine times faster than a baseline quad-core iMac.

The Retina 4K display is really great for viewing photos and watching videos so you can use the new 21.5-inch iMac for both working and entertainment. With 1 billion colours and 500 nits of brightness, graphics leap off the screen. Text is razor-sharp and photos really do come to life. Films and TV shows look amazing and graphics and games have terrific detail.

The Retina display uses P3 colour that shifts away from standard white LEDs to advanced red-green phosphor LEDs. That means all three colours– red, green, and blue –are more equally represented and show real-world colour with more balance and precision

Apple says that its innovative spatial and temporal dithering technique provides support for 1 billion colours, elevating the Pro photo and video editing experience, and providing more true-to-life colour for everyday activities like browsing the web and online shopping and I could find no reason to dispute this.

During the test, I enjoyed watching 4K YouTube clips and HD movies streamed from iflix.

The all-in-one design makes looks elegant and sleek. Everything – display, processor, graphics, storage and memory – is contained inside one simple enclosure. Thanks to its superslim profile and matching wireless keyboard and mouse, iMac gives you a clean and uncluttered desktop that allows you to focus more on your content.

The new 21.5-inch comes with blazing-fast connectivity. It has two Thunderbolt 3 (USB-C) ports, each delivering up to 40 Gbps data transfer for external drives and cameras, and ample bandwidth for video and display connectivity.

The new iMac also provides four USB 3 ports to give you plenty of options for connecting peripherals, including your printer, iPhone and thumb drive.

The 21.5-inch iMac comes with Magic Mouse 2 and the Magic Keyboard, which have been paired and ready to use. To customise your input devices, you can upgrade to Magic Trackpad 2 and Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad, which are sold separately. The new 21.5-inch iMacs have a starting price of Bt37,900 while the new 27-inch iMacs start at Bt62,900, depending on configurations.

Key specs:

OS: macOS Mojave

Processor: 3.0GHz 6core Intel Core i5 (Turbo Boost up to 4.1GHz)

Memory: 8GB of 2666MHz DDR4 memory; Configurable to 16GB, 32GB

Storage: 1TB hard drive

Display: 21.5inch (diagonal) 500nit LEDbacklit Retina 4K display 4096by2304 resolution with support for 1 billion colours

Camera: FaceTime HD camera

Wireless: 802.11ac WiFi wireless networking; IEEE 802.11a/b/g/n compatible Bluetooth 4.2 wireless technology

Audio: Stereo speakers, Microphone, 3.5 mm headphone jack

Connections and expansion: Two Thunderbolt 3 (USBC) ports, Four USB 3 ports, 10/100/1000BASET Gigabit Ethernet, SDXC card slot, 3.5 mm headphone jack

Input: Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2; Configurable with Magic Keyboard with Numeric Keypad and Magic Trackpad 2

Dimensions: 45.0×52.8×17.5cm (HxWxD)

Weight: 5.60 kg

In the box: 21.5inch iMac with Retina 4K display Magic Keyboard, Magic Mouse 2, Power Cord, Lightning to USB Cable

GHANA LAUNCHED a fleet of drones Wednesday to carry medical supplies to remote areas, with President Nana Akufo-Addo declaring it would become the “world’s largest drone delivery service”.

The craft are part of an ambitious plan to leapfrog problems of medical access in a country with poor roads.

“No one in Ghana should die because they can’t access the medicine they need in an emergency,” Akufo-Addo said in a statement to mark the launch.

“That’s why Ghana is launching the world’s largest drone delivery service,” Akufo-Addo said. “It represents a major step towards giving everyone in this country universal access to lifesaving medicine.”

The drones have been flying test runs with blood and vaccines, but the project was officially inaugurated Wednesday at the main drone base in Omenako, 70 kilometres north of Accra.

Staff member Georgina Wilson prepares a drone for the delivery of medical supplies at the drone delivery service base run by operator Zipline in Omenako, 70 kilometres north of Accra.

Omenako is the first of four distribution centres which, when fully operational, will each have 30 drones serving 500 clinics within an 80-kilometre radius.

Operator Zipline, a US-based company, said the three other sites should be up and running by the end of 2019.

The drones are planned to ferry 150 different medicines, blood, and vaccines to more than 2,000 clinics serving over 12 million people – roughly 40 per cent of the population.

Zipline first began delivering blood and medicine in East Africa in 2016, deploying drones in Rwanda, a country dubbed the “land of a thousand hills” where access to many villages by road is difficult.

Now the company is expanding on the other side of the continent.

“Millions of people across the world – in both developed and developing countries – die each year because they can’t get the medicine they need when they need it,” said Zipline boss Keller Rinaudo.

For Ghana, a country of nearly 30 million people scattered across a land area about the size of former colonial ruler Britain, poor roads and a lack of ambulances are major challenges to health care access.

Drones, not dependent on bumpy roads that can take hours to navigate, offer a way to get medical supplies to clinics before a patient bleeds to death, for example.

“We are a developing country,” said Douglas Adu-Fokuo, a spokesman for the Ghana Health Service, noting that almost a third of maternal deaths are due to blood loss – easily preventable with a transfusion provided supplies are available.

“We can’t achieve everything in one go,” he added. “We have to start somewhere.”

The four-year contract to Zipline has a hefty price tag of $12.5 million (Bt400 million).

But the company says the cost is “on par with the current cost of delivery, which is usually a car, truck or motorcycle”, yet faster and more reliable.

Medics can order blood or medicine by sending a message by mobile phone.

Each battery-powered flying machine has a delivery distance of 80 kilometres speeding at 100kmph an hour and can carry up to 1.7 kilogrammes.

Each drop can bring three units of blood, with deliveries made by parachute. The drones are stoked at their depot to ensure that vaccines and supplies are kept cold, cutting the need for expensive cold-chain storage systems in remote areas.

Once the programme is up and running, plasma deliveries can be made for the first time to Ghana’s most remote northern areas. The journey by road was too long, and the expiry date of plasma too short, to make this possible until now.

COMPLETING and signing digital forms are common practice in the Thailand 4.0 era and Adobe is making inclusion in the digital economy ever easier with the launch of its Fill & Sign app.

The free app from Adobe lets you fill in, sign, and send any form fast. You can even snap a picture of a paper form and fill it in on your phone or tablet and then e-sign it and send.

Best of all, when you use it with iPad Pro or new iPad Air as well as the new iPad mini that supports Apple Pencil, you can use the stylus pen to sign your name on the form.

I tested the latest version of Adobe Fill & Sign or version 19.3.0 on the new iPad mini and I found that it worked fine. It let me fill my company health insurance form and send it back without having to travel to the office.

Adobe says the latest version has improved performance and stability and is proud to be offering a “green” app or an app that supports environment because it can help reduce the use of paper and the need for printing and faxing. And since you can fill and sign your form anywhere, you can also save energy and the cost of travelling.

The app supports the form that is created by Adobe Acrobat that is sent to you by email. You can use the your tablet’s camera to scan paper forms. Then you can tap to enter text or check marks in form fields. The app also allows you to create autofill entries for faster form filling.

The app allows you to easily create your signature with your finger or a stylus, then apply your signature or initials to the form. The form can then be saved and sent immediately via email.

RITZWELL, A Japanese brand of upholstered furniture that is known for its organic modernism and blend of balanced, simple forms with graceful materials, has recently been introduced to Thai market by Chanintr, a leading retailer of luxury home furnishing.

The highlight products include an easy chair and ottoman, sideboard, stool and table, most of them designed by the brand’s creative director Shinsaku Miyamoto.

Reminiscent of 1950s styles popular in Northern Europe, the Beatrix easy chair embodies a combination of design elements, the alternation of high-quality wood, fabrics and hide processed with plant extracts, balance with a soft padded cushion as well as the unusual shape of the wooden frame that supports the legs. The ottoman can be used as a coffee table, a stool or a footrest.

Beatrix easy chair and ottoman

The Jabara sideboard boasts a natural walnut body frame structure with solid wood sliding tambour doors, available in a range of measurements. The drawer front has been covered in thick leather. A hint of padding on the front of the drawers guarantees softness to the touch.

The sliding doors were also inspired by Japanese styles, clearly visible in the traditional slim vertical lines of the yoshido doors decorated with a sequence of cane elements, traditionally used in summer in older urban homes, as well as in the Sagano bamboo forest in Kyoto.

The Claude easy chair encompasses tranquillity and quietude with the flawless carving of the armrests and the unique lines of the legs. Meanwhile, the Marcel chair gives off the natural feel of the basic walnut and features a beautiful line from the rear legs up through the back.

The OS collection of tables is the key expression of Ritzwell’s design philosophy, a contemporary taste of Japanese furniture that blends with other furnishings. The natural solid wood top is supported by an elegant sculptured, ultra- light base in black powder-painted steel.

OS tables

Designed by Design: Atelier DQ, the Rivage is a collection of seats and armchairs with warm shades of wood and detailed stitching on the leather. The standout feature is the pleasant weave, which makes for a soft seat. The sheen of the leather, natural wood details and contemporary style make this product a standout for any living room.

SITTING EASY

>> Ritzwell collection is available at Craft Showroom on the third floor of Siam Paragon.

>> Call (02) 129 4577.