Flu – that contagious respiratory illness caused by a virus – is common to just about every country, with most of the annual outbreaks occurring just once a year during the winter.

Not so in Thailand: As in other tropical countries, flu hits twice a year – from January to March and then again in the rainy season from June to August. Experts are judging the likely severity of this rainy season outbreak based on reported cases from January to March and this year, there were some 40,000 cases of flu and three deaths attributable to the virus.

“The figures shows that the outbreak will probably be worse than last year,” says Assoc Prof Dr Tawee Chotpitayasunondh, president of Paediatric Infectious Disease Society of Thailand.

For most people, differentiating between the common cold and influenza can be difficult. Most stay at home and take over-the-counter medicines until they feel as though they’ve recovered. But how do you know when you should see a doctor?

The best way, Dr Tawee says, is to observe the symptoms, and if you have high fever for two consecutive days, then it’s time to visit a doctor. Initially, the flu may seem like a common cold with fever of over 38 degrees Celsius, aching muscles, chills and sweats, headache, cough and sore throat.

A high fever means that your body temperature is over 38 degrees with peaks once a day. The length of the peak, Dr Tawee adds, depends on your own defence mechanism.

The World Health Organisation reports that around one billion people are infected with the flu every year, with around 3-5 million patients requiring hospitalisation and 500,000 people dying from complications. As the influenza virus lives longer in cold weather, outbreaks happen in the cold season.

“Aside from the cold weather factor, in Thailand, the peak is also in the rainy season. That’s because schools have reopened after the long summer break and children, who are a high risk group, tend to spread the virus,” says Dr Tawee.

For most people, influenza is a mild illness that resolves on its own. But sometimes, influenza and its complications can be deadly. People at higher risk of developing flu complications include young children, the elderly, pregnant women, people who have asthma, heart disease, kidney disease and diabetes, and people who suffer from chronic illnesses.

The mortality rate in Thailand is one in every 10,000 populations and worsens to one in every 1,000 population when a pandemic hits, like it did in 2009.

Unlike bacteria that can be cured by antibiotics, there is no medicine to kill a virus. A virus initiates infection by attaching to its specific receptor on the surface of a susceptible host cell. That means medication to block the virus is not able to attach the receptor.

“The influenza virus is different from other viral diseases as it is highly transmittable, preventable and treatable. We have a vaccine and the medication oseltamivir phosphate eases the symptoms and helps patients get better one or two day |quicker than if they didn’t take it,” says Dr Tawee.

In Thailand, oseltamivir, which has been used for more than a decade, is available only at hospitals to prevent overuse. Doctors make the diagnosis through symptoms and confirmatory lab tests before prescribing the medicine, which must be taken twice a day for five consecutive days.

Now a new drug called baloxavir is available and has just been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Thailand is the third country to sign off on the drug and the first to approve its use for patients in high-risk groups.

Instead of taking it five consecutive days like oseltamivir, patients take a single pill in one dose. It’s expected to cost Bt1,000 per pill.

There are three types of influenza – A, B and C – and each has a variety of subtypes. Of these, type A, which includes the subtypes H1N1 and bird flu H5N1, and type B (Victoria and Yamagata) are responsible for annual influenza epidemics. Type C, while it can lead to flu, is mostly harmless. But influenza viruses are constantly mutating and new strains appear regularly. For more than 50 years the World Health Organisation has collaborated with scientists and policy makers on a global scale to develop a unified approach to manufacturing, testing and regulatory oversight of influenza vaccine development as well as their efficient use and distribution.

WHO updates the prevalence of the outbreak for the upcoming year, seeing which type or subtype of virus will cause the outbreak and then sending the information for the pharmaceutical company to produce the vaccine.

The vaccine production process takes six months to complete. In some years, the vaccine is less effective either because the virus has drastically mutated during the timeline or the prediction is incorrect. “That’s why you have to get a vaccine every year,” says Dr Tawee.

In Thailand, the new annual vaccine will be out sometime this month. The virus type on which it is based will be the same as that produced for countries in the southern hemisphere, where the outbreak coincides with Thailand’s rainy season. Dr Tawee advises getting it as soon as it comes out, saying, “It’s better to keep the vaccine in our body than in the refrigerator.”

MORE THAN 100 Thais, mostly monks, travelled to India and Nepal earlier this month to visit the four main holy sites of Buddhism.

The annual pilgrimages, punctuated by prayers, chanting and meditation, take in Lord Buddha’s birthplace and the sites of his enlightenment, his first sermon and his death.

“Lord Buddha said the souls of people whose faith grows after visiting these holy sites would move to a blissful realm on their passing,” said Phra Khru Palat Chalermchart, a Dhammaduta (Buddhist missionaris) at Wat Thai Buddhagaya , a dharma guide on the trip.

The pilgrimages offer several opportunities for spiritual development, he pointed out, such as the place of Buddha’s passing, a vivid reminder that no one can escape death.

The remains of ancient Valshall in Kalhua

The founder of Buddhism was born Prince Siddartha Gautama in Lumbini in present-day Nepal more than 2,600 years ago, but abandoned his life of privilege in his father’s palace to seek the meaning of life, which he realised for most people entailed great suffering.

After trying various paths to find the answer to life’s mysteries, he achieved enlightenment while meditating by himself under a bodhi tree in Bodh Gaya.

The Enlightened One soon after delivered his first sermon at Varanasi (Benares).

At age 80, he died in Kusinagara, reaching the state of Nirvana. The Thai calendar traces back to that year.

Most Thais are Buddhists and Thailand is considered the world’s largest Buddhist nation, yet none of Buddhism’s four main holy sites are in Thailand.

Religious Affairs Department director-general Kitiphan Phansuwan said religions are important in several ways, including in giving devotees a sense of personal and communal security.

“And we need to nurture religion if we expect it to be a unifying force,” he said.

Religious Affairs Department director-general Kitiphan Phansuwan joins fellow Buddhists in prayer at a holy site.

His department’s Buddhism Promotion Fund has been arranging the trips to the holy sites for much of the past decade. Monks are chosen based on their dedication to promoting Lord Buddha’s teachings.

“These monks have been on the front line in propagating the teachings, and taking them to the holy sites lets them see more so that they can teach more,” Kitiphan said.

Asked if the overseas trips served as rewards for the monks, he said, “Yes, in a sense. And all the chosen monks really deserve it.”

Kitiphan said his department strictly screens the monks’ profiles before deciding who should be invited on a pilgrimage.

“Many are still relatively young, but this is good. What they learn on the pilgrimage will keep them devoted to Buddhism for a long, long time.”

Phra Sompoch, 35, from Wat Dakkanon in Chai Nat’s Muang district, said he planned to share all that he had seen with novice monks.

“I supervise about 20 young novice monks. I hope they grow up to be good monks in the future,” he said.

He believes he came to understand Lord Buddha better after seeing the poverty and other difficulties that Indians endure.

It was human suffering that motivated Prince Siddartha more than two millennia ago to seek solutions. His enlightenment and his teachings formed the basis for Buddhism, one of the world’s major religions.

Bodh Gaya Pagoda

Phra Sompoch has been a monk for 10 years, during which time he’s led dharma classes and supported summer-holiday ordination periods for boys.

“I think I’ll be a monk until the end of my life,” he said.

Although most of the pilgrims on the Buddhism Promotion Fund trips are monks, others are officials keen to delve deeper into the religion.

Dr Araya Boonyaleephan of Rajavithi Hospital said she was not a firm believer in Buddhism before her first visit to India. “But after learning more about Lord Buddha’s history, my heart became more contented,” she said while enjoying her second tour.

The first time included a one-week assignment working at a medical centre in Kusinagara. She found life in India lacking in conveniences, but it didn’t stop her from seizing an opportunity to return.

“I’ve realised here that happiness doesn’t come from wealth – it’s more about what we think, about our perspectives,” Araya said. “We can grow happiness in our own hearts.”

Monks and white-clad laypeople cover a Buddha statue with a saffron sheet.

Netnapa Parnmon, who works for the Moral Centre, had applied to join pilgrimages five times previously and finally got accepted on her sixth attempt.

She felt increasingly grateful for the opportunity as the tour progressed because her heart was at peace.

“I’m calm every moment,” she said. “At every holy site I see people from different countries and different sects. They may come from different places, but they share the same religious goal.”

The ultimate goal in Buddhism, recognised by people of all creeds, is nirvana – the complete end of suffering and escape from the cycle of death and rebirth.

Prayers along the way are recited in a variety of languages, including Pali and Korean.

People from around the world meditate together at Kusinagara

“South Koreans make up the biggest group of pilgrims to India,” said Phra Palat Suchat, a Dhammaduta, or dharma teacher. “Coming next are people from Myanmar, Cambodians, Vietnamese and Japanese.”

Kitiphan said his agency’s preparations for every pilgrimage include budgeting a Bt100,000 donation for each of nine temples built by Thais along the routes linking the holy sites.

For the pilgrims, these are also rest stops – places where they can find shade for prayers and paths for meditative walks.

“We need to maintain these temples. Otherwise the holy sites might eventually be ignored too,” Kitiphan said.

The temples, moreover, serve to promote Buddhism, Thailand and the Thai people, he noted.

Thailand clinic,Kusinaragara

Thais established Wat Thai Kusinarachalermraj in 1994 in honour of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

Phra Khru Thammathorn Songkran Kittiwaso , abbot at Wat Thai Kusinarachalermraj said the monks maintain bonds with the local community through various activities. “Community engagement is crucial to our existence,” he said.

In 2000 the temple began offering its neighbours low-cost medical services. When the moon is full, there’s no charge at all for medical aid, and a huge number of people arrive. The temple currently has three doctors and many other health professionals supplying the services.

“It costs us 10 times more than the fees received, but we can keep operating our so-called Thailand Clinic because of the donations flowing in,” the abbot said.

The temple has also supported 27 area schools, he added. Its beneficence has earned it official recognition from the Indian government.

“We are considered a hotspot!” the abbot said.

Prayers are offered at a monastery.

Phra Palat Chalermchart said the temples lining the routes between the holy sites – such as the Kusinagara-Lumbini route – make sure that pilgrims needn’t worry much about the country’s general lack of public toilets.

“I know many people are afraid to come because they’ve heard that pilgrims sometimes have to answer the call of the nature in open fields along the way. But now there are many temples and centres providing the necessary conveniences,” he said.

Phra Palat Chalermchat is among the many dharma speakers who are on hand at the centres ready to educate pilgrims about Lord Buddha’s life and teachings.

“We are well trained to deliver sermons that suit different age groups. The knowledge we share will strengthen their faith and be useful in their daily lives too.”

Kusinagara was the site where Lord Budha achieved nirvana.

Bodh Gaya 

A very affordable smartphone from Chinese tech firm Xiaomi, the compact Redmi Go isn’t blazing fast but it can handle basic smart functions, like staying connected to Facebook and browsing webs as well as taking photos.

Redmi Go is powered by Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 processor running at 1.4GHz. It comes with 1 gigabyte of working memory or RAM and 8 GB of internal storage, which is expandable with a microSD card by up to 128GB. The smartphone runs on Android 8.1 operating system.

With only 1 GB of RAM, Redmi Go is not suitable for multi-tasking but when you handle one task at a time, it should be okay.

During my test, I didn’t find the phone all that slow and the touch screen and menus were all responsive. It also comes with the Facebook Lite app for connecting to your Facebook account and its Mint Browser app worked fine for browsing web pages.

The phone is compact with a footprint of 140.4×701.x8.35mm and weighs just 137 grammes. It comes with 5-inch display with 1,280×720 pixel resolution.

It supports LTE 4G connection. I tested it on TrueMove H’s LTE network and the connection speed was fast. I used Ookla Speedtest app to measure the speed and found that it got a download speed of 42.6 Mbps and upload speed of 35.6 Mbps.

Despite its low price, it has dual nano SIM slots and a dedicate microSD card slot.

Redmi Go comes with an 8MP rear camera and 5MP front camera, both of which are more than okay for this low-cost phone.

The phone has 3,000 mAh battery that can comfortably last a day.

Redmi Go is available in Blue and it has a suggested retail price of Bt2,699. Xiaomi and AIS are currently offering an exclusive promotional package until Monday at a price of Bt790 with an advance payment of Bt700 for the subscription to an AIS prepaid or postpaid offer starting at Bt499 per month with a 12-month commitment.

>> Networks: LTE, WCDMA, GSM

>> OS: Android 8.1

>> Processor: Qualcomm Snapdragon 425 quad-core 1.4 GHz processor

>> Memory: 1GB

>> Storage: 8GB, expandable with microSD by up to 128GB

>> SIM slots: Dual nano SIM with dedicated microSD slot

>> Display: 5-inch 16:9 LCD with 1280×720 resolution

>> Cameras: 8MP rear camera with f/2.0 lens; 5MP front camera with |f/2.2 lens

>> Wireless connectivity: |Wi-Fi 802.111g, Bluetooth 4.1

>> Battery: 3,000 mAh

>> Dimensions: 140.4×70.1×8.35mm

n Weight: 137g

ONCE THE most popular PC-based game, Ragnarok Online has today morphed into a mobile version with a more user-friendly interface but keeping the same cute graphics and captivating sound effects.

Now called Ragnarok M: Eternal Love, it comes as an app for both Android and iOS devices.

Google Play states that the Android version has been downloaded and installed more than a million times while the iOS version was named Game of the Day earlier this month.

Like the original game, Ragnarok M: Eternal Love is an open world mobile MMORPG (massively multi-players online role-playing game). It is based on Ragnarok Online 2003 and has inherited the Ragnarok legacy that drew the attention of millions of fans around the world.

The game comes with new and fuller 3D art that enhances its classic style and has introduced beautiful designs for the cities of Prontera, Geffen, Payon and several others.

You can interact with many characters and pets and use gear to enhance their characters’ performance.

When Rangnarok Online was a PC game, players had to labour to battle monsters for experience points to increase the level and performance of their characters. Players also had to use their mouse pointers and a lot of key combinations to control their characters to attack monsters. These days the interface is optimised for touchscreen with shortcuts for easier game control.

The new mobile version makes the life of players much easier. For example, instead of having to kill massive number of monsters, the game provides a lot of quests for players to complete to gain experience points for levelling up their characters.

While carrying out the quests, you will get to learn epic stories within Rune Midgard through a non-linear narration. Each NPC character in the game has a unique story to discover.

And instead of having to manually control your characters to do the repetitive tasks of killing monsters to gain experience points, you can enjoy the new auto attack mode of the game.

The auto attack mode lets you select the two skill you consider most effective for killing monsters on a particular map. Then, you choose the type of monsters and activate the auto attack function. You simply need to plan ahead on how to use the skills in the auto attack mode to best kill and to prevent your own characters from getting killed.

Your character can get killed when its health point or HP has run out after being attacked by monsters. In the past, replenishing the HP points was a big deal. You would need help from a character capable of healing you. But now, the game developer provides an NPC character at almost every map to “heal” you. You simply need to get to her in time before your character gets killed.

The game also provides certain types of “foods” for your characters to take to automatically replenish their HP points and SP points. The SP or spell points are used for casting magic skills. The foods can also replenish the SP points for you.

There are five different main classes of characters for you to start with, namely Acolyte, Archer, Mage, Merchant, Swordsman and Thief. Each class can be further developed into two higher classes. For example, the Mage can develop into a Wizard and later a High Wizard after the character has earned up to 40 levels of each job.

And the new game is actually a dual RPG system. While you are building a character like a Mage, the game also lets you build the experience of the character as an adventure. All game characters are adventures whose experience and levels can increase by earning experience points for finishing certain tasks. For example, when you meet a new NPC character or kill a monster or find a new map, you will earn adventure points for increasing the adventure level. When your adventure level rises up to certain level, you can perform some tests to increase the adventure class after which your character will have higher performance and more adventure skills for the benefit of the main character.

Ragnarok Online used to have game servers in Thailand but the Ragnarok M has global servers with a channel for players in Thailand.

The game is free to play. But you can buy premium service or game money currency, Zeny, and Big Cat coins from the global service provider via local partners, mobile operators AIS, dtac and TrueMove H and as well as Thai e-wall service providers, such as True Money Wallet, mPay by Razer and Rabbit LINE Pay.

When you buy a premium service for Bt279 a month, you will receive a lot of benefits. For example, you will get an extra auto battle slot for adding one more skill and your characters can level up much faster. The Big Cat coins can be used to buy a lot of things necessary for increasing your character performance while the Zeny can be used to buy items and foods for your character.

The game can be played on an Android or iOS smartphone or tablet. I tested it on iPad Pro 12.9 inch. The game ran smoothly and thanks to a large display like a real notebook display, the game was much easier to play as I could see all the details easily.

>> Seller: Gravity Interactive, Inc.

>> Size: 2.1 GB

>> Category: Games

>> Compatibility: Requires iOS 7.0 or later. Compatible with iPhone, iPad and iPod touch.

>> Languages: English

>> Age Rating: Rated 12+ for Infrequent/Mild Sexual Content and Nudity

>> Price: Free

AFTER BRINGING Danish brand Hay to Thailand three years ago, entrepreneur Veekrit Palarit of Norse Republics is taking his passion for Scandivian passion a step further by unveiling the company’s two-storey showroom in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Soi 49 with the launch of the 2019 Hay collection.

The new Norse Republics showroom offers Hay’s new collection of furniture and accessories.

The first floor is dominated with Hay’s furniture and accessories set out in room-by-room format and covering a study, living room, dining room and outdoor terrace. The upper floor, which is yet to open, will later showcase another Danish furniture band Gubi, which is known for its products that are simple in form but come in luxury materials.

Established in 2002, Hay quickly became known the world over for its Scandinavian minimalism and playful designs. Since arriving in Thailand in 2016, Hay’s furniture today graces such smart workplaces as Facebook, Google, Gaysorn Office Showroom, Singh Complex and True Digital Park.

“Hay’s furniture is distinctive for its sleek, simple and functional design that embodies the concept of minimalism. It doesn’t give off a sturdy office feel. The functional qualities such as stackability, durability and ease of cleaning are among the design properties that meet the demands of smart workplaces and homes where flexibility is king,” Veekrit says.

On the retail side, Veekrit says his main customers are 30 to 45 year-olds who prefer to spend more on decorating their homes with furniture that pleases the eye. Hay’s furniture ranges in price from Bt5,000 for a side table, Bt7,500 for a chair to Bt20,000 for a dining table.

“The new generation travels more and is therefore more open to decoration trends around the world. They work hard and play hard. When relaxing at home, they tend to spend their time reclining on their favourite sofa surrounded by the accessories they love. They tend to prefer casual and long-lasting furnishings and accessories. I can only compare it to the fashion trend of people sneakers with suits,” he adds.

Elementaire chairs and the Cone table designed by Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec

An outstanding piece in Hay’s new collection is the Elementaire chair from celebrated designer brothers Ronan and Erwan Bouroullec who set out to design a plastic chair that stands out from its plastic peers.

“The objective was clear: design an inexpensive chair for less than possible but as beautiful as possible,” says Ronan Bouroullec in the video clip to promote the product. “The world is full of plastic chairs in the wrong colours and shapes. We can see it in a lot of beautiful cities in Europe, for example. There’s a nice street with an awful terrace full of pink or light green chairs that totally spoil the place.”

The chair is made of polypropylene without visible joints in the structure. It’s lightweight, and physically balanced. Six colour shades are available from cream white, smoky green, olive, blue grey, yellow, and anthracite and it can be used both indoors and outdoors.

“The most efficient way is to mass-produce something and at the same time to make the most beautiful chair – beautiful in terms of being extremely well-designed,” says Ronan.

To complement the Palissade outdoor furniture collection comprising dining chairs, lounge chairs, stools, benches and tables they previously designed for Hay, the Bouroullec brothers have come up with a new Cone table boasting a solid base and ultra-thin steel tabletop. Specifically designed for outdoor use, the powder-coated steel has a protective outdoor primer for optimal durability and resilience.

Hay relaunches the iconic Result chair by Friso Kramer and Wim Rietveld in a variety of wood finishes.

Hay also brings the iconic design of the Result chair by Friso Kramer and Wim Rietveld for the new generation to enjoy, offering it in a variety of wood finishes and base colours and a wide range of textiles and leather options for the seat.

Originally created in 1950s for a university in Amsterdam, the Result chair features a thin steel-sheet base with an oak seat and backrest, giving it maximum flexibility, lightness and strength.

Silhouette sofas designed by Stine Gam and Enrico Fratesi from GamFratesi Studio 

Designers Stine Gam and Enrico Fratesi from GamFratesi Studio have also worked with Hay to launch the Silhouette sofa with an angular front view and defining piping detail. It is available with both high and low backrests with legs in metal or solid wood and in a selection of textiles.

“The project started out with two straight lines in the front and the curve in the back. As you meet and discuss, the idea grows and grows. What we also discussed was a segment that Hay really wanted to move into – to have a sofa that was as suitable for public use as for the home. That’s also why we decide to work with different heights and different lengths because you can somehow cover a lot of needs.

“We like to create a good and intimate feeling. It has to be friendly furniture. It has to embrace you,” say the two designers in the promotional video clip.

Chopping boards made of hygienic polyethylene

In addition to a range of new furniture, Hay has also expanded its kitchen line with more than 200 items ranging from tableware, drinkware, cleaning tools, food storage, kitchen shelves and cooking items.

They include a chopping board made of hygienic polyethylene with stay-put dots underneath for stability. Easy to clean, it is available in round or square shapes and in different sizes and colours. The chopping board can also serve as presentation trays for cheese, tapas and appetisers.

Coffee mugs and saucers from Paper Porcelain collection 

The Paper Porcelain drinkware collection is crafted in ceramic but looks like coarse recycled paper. The series includes an espresso cup with saucer, a coffee cup with saucer, a mug and a tea plate.

Fluorescent sponges

Washing dishes can be a little more fun with a collection of Neon sponges in fluorescent yellow, orange and pink or in animal shapes of kitty, fish and penguin.

FUNCTIONAL AND FUN

Hay Collection 2019 is available at Norse Republics showroom on Sukhumvit Soi 49.

It’s open daily from 10am to 7pm.

Call (02) 062 1211 or visit http://www.NorseRepublics.com.

THE JAPANESE have been enjoying communal bathing at the local onsen since ancient times, but the benefits accrued are just beginning to be appreciated in Thailand.

There are healing properties in the water and, after all, anytime you go for a dip – whether it’s swimming a robust few laps or having a leisurely paddle – the muscles and blood circulation are stimulated.

And, if a therapist is on duty to give you a massage, that’s a major plus.

Panpuri Wellness, occupying 2,000 square metres on the 12th floor of Gaysorn Village in Bangkok, matches the authentic onsen experience. This is the latest outlet for a company that’s been operating spas around Thailand for years.

Noted interior-design firm A-Asterisk and architect Nobuhiro Nakamura set out to create a relaxing atmosphere right at the busy heart of the capital.

Panpuri is an elegant place to indulge in organic spa treatments, snack on natural food and beverages and focus on getting well and staying well. There are group activities on offer such as movement classes, meditation sessions and health talks.

Here you’ll find Bangkok’s most complete hydrothermal facilities and 12 treatment rooms, six of them made for couples and one that has five beds for clients wanting a traditional Thai massage.

There are two beautiful, spacious suites that include private onsens and double beds, designed for couples, families and small groups of friends. Elsewhere are a private lounge and areas to relax after your treatment.

There’s nothing better after a difficult day than unwinding with an onsen treatment. The 30-minute session costs Bt750 and features a soak in the mineral-rich waters of one of five pools (men and women are segregated).

Choose among the Kusatsu Onsen, Soda Bath, Vitality Pool, Cold Plunge Pool and Seasonal Onsen. They’re all rejuvenating and healthful, with the waters primed to fight bacteria, alleviate stress and muscle tension, promote restful sleep and replenish moisture in the skin and hair.

The recommended course is to visit the steam room between each dip in a different onsen pool.

Medical studies have attributed a wealth of goodness to hot-spring therapy, derived from the multiple minerals and other elements that help the body secrete its natural hormones and bring under control blood pressure, heart rate and blood sugar level.

Treatments typically leave you feeling healthier, with restored energy, for a few days or a week.

The original Kusatsu Onsen in Japan, after which one of Panpuri’s pools is named, has the dual benefits of high temperature and acidity.

For client safety, Panpuri Wellness uses an automated system to refill its pools, keep the water warm and circulating – and power-massage your back thanks to ingenious Japanese technology.

“Yoga Sleep” is one of the programmes available at the wellness studio. 

Filtration takes place twice each hour, so the hot water is always clean. The chlorine concentration adheres to Public Health Ministry regulations, with staff testing hourly to make sure it stays between 0.5 and one part per million, so there’s no risk of skin damage.

Panpuri Wellness, which boasts 15 years’ experience in the business, developed its wellness programmes in collaboration with “healing guru” Dr Aaron Bullington, who is accredited in both Western and Eastern medicine and specialises in holistic health and mind-body healing.

With Panpuri he has designed a programme to enrich sleep, manage stress and fatigue and minimise the harmful effects of urban pollution.

The treatment begins with consultation and covers spa treatments, movement classes and onsen visits for a single day or three, five or seven days. The price ranges from Bt4,500 to Bt26,000.

Organic Rainbow Summer Roll

The “Signature Massage” (Bt3,500 for 90 minutes) blends classical Eastern acupressure and traditional Thai massage with Swedish massage. Long, flowing strokes mingle with deep compressions and gentle stretching to alleviate stress and fatigue and detoxify.

Afterwards, reward yourself with a trip to the wellness bar, whose dishes and drinks are made with all-natural, all-local ingredients. No dish has more than 600 calories and all are low in sodium and devoid of MSG.

Savoury Lotus Petal Wrap, to choose one example, is a generously sized appetiser of cashew nuts, young ginger, toasted coconut flakes, red onion, lime and Thai red chilli encased in lotus petals with Thai salad dressing.

For use at home, buy the award-winning “Lotus Defence” package of facial oil and cleansers, day and night cream, lip balms and more, each one gentle for all skin types. And grab an aromatic neck pillow while you’re |at it.

THIS WAY TO WELLNESS

>> Panpuri Wellness is on the 12th floor of Gaysorn Village and open daily from 10am to 11pm.

>> Book a visit at (02) 253 8899. Find out more at http://www.PanpuriWellness.com.

The rectangular-shaped bag that can be carried as a clutch is embellished with a metal chain strap from Italy for practical use as a cross shoulder or shoulder bag and comes in both small and medium sizes. Another design is a small elegant box-shaped bag in leather and silk that also comes with a chain strap.

Jirayong Anuman-Rajadhon, creative director, organised a workshop in collaboration with Jongkol Palarit, fashion director of Vogue Magazine Thailand to share mix & match techniques for leather handbag with Thai textile prints. In attendance were celebrities Jareyadee Spencer, Apinara Srikarnchana, Melanie Yoovidhya, and Weeranund Sadakornwongwut.

“People enjoy mixing and matching their styles and looks and so we are presenting new designs inspired by Thai craftsmanship. I visited Khon Kaen and experienced the elaborate technique of silk weaving called three-heddle silk, which gives an extra thick layer and distinctive patterns, and that give me the idea of combining this type of Ikat silk with our elegant Phya bags to create new contemporary designs,” Jirayong said.

Jongkol suggested pairing the leather bag with Thai textile pattern for achieve four unique looks and also gave some easy maintenance tips.

“Thai textile is actually not difficult to use. You can start with accessories like using Thai textile handbag as it’s easy to match with outfit. However, it’s important to choose a good quality and modern design. For ladies, the everyday look is quite basic. Most women like to wear jeans and Tshirt with an edgy blazer and this look can be accessorised with a small boxyshaped bag in a dark colour with a neutral fabric pattern to go with denim. For working day, the outfit should look more classic and elegant, so we can choose a larger clutch for professional look in dark tone with modern pattern.”

“For the modern lady traveller, our choice would be a small bag in which to carry passport, small makeup items and a phone, so we recommend a colourful clutch with cross shoulder chain to make it practical for the trip. And lastly, an evening dress can be accompanied by an Ikat silk handbag with an elegant colour and pattern.

For the maintenance of items from silk, always avoid humidity that may cause damage to natural fibre. Keep it in a dry bag and seal closely after use. I encourage ladies of new generation to be open-minded about Thai fabric as the patterns of Thai textile are more modern than even more these days and it’s that uniqueness that reflects our Thai culture. You may start by using it for special occasions or mix and match then adapt them to your outfit styling later,” he noted.

The collection boasts seven selected patterns including Emerald, Amber and Sapphire and adapted patterns like Lilac, Auburn and Tulip.

Jareyadee Spencer, said: “I love and collect Thai textile, especially pieces with unique patterns. Hand woven and machine woven fabrics are different. The machine-woven one will look very neat while hand woven won’t look as neat but the details can be seen more clearly and it’s quite charming. So I personally prefer the hand woven one. I use Thai fabric items on occasion, mostly for social events. I choose plain silk without pattern, and match with leather handbag in Thai silk pattern. I will also control the colour of outfit in my overall look.”

For more information see http://www.phyaofficial.com, Facebook: phyaoffical, Instagram: phyaoffical, andLine ID: @phya.

Announced on Tuesday night at the ceremony in Macau, Jaan is the highest climber out of the seven restaurants from Singapore to make it to the prestigious list. The highly coveted 2019 awards are the first since the launch of executive chef Kirk Westaway’s reinventing British menu direction, and the Michelin Star restaurant’s significant rise in the rankings is a true testament to his commitment to innovate modern British dining. The past year has seen the introduction of exceptional new menu creations and new iconic signatures – including British-inspired snacks, an exquisite English garden and a nostalgic new palate cleanser, Pimm’s in The Park.

As spring approaches, Westaway’s highlights include the elegant White Asparagus Carpaccio, an ode to the revered spring vegetable. The subtly sweet spears are thinly sliced into discs, paired with rich pike and trout caviar and topped with creme fraiche from his birthplace, Devon.

Another new dish of note is the Saffron and Black Truffle Pasta, which is the fruit of over a year’s worth of experimentation. The handmade Capellini is paired with succulent scallops from Scrabster Harbour in the Northern tip of Scotland, topped with fragrant truffle, scallop sauce, brioche croutons and shavings of cured egg yolk. The dining experience ends with an indulgent Chocolate Dessert, which places a spotlight on the Valrhona Tanariva, a milk chocolate with pronounced milky caramel notes. The dessert is artfully created through the marbling of dark chocolate and white chocolate sauces, on which sits the molten chocolate cake with a vanilla custard centre encased in dark chocolate.

“Each year we see Asia’s restaurant industry become increasingly recognised as a world leader. 2019 is no exception, with the anticipated Singapore hosting of World’s 50 Best Restaurants in June. The Jaan team and I are continuously inspired and honoured to remain on the stage amongst Asia’s fine dining elite and be awarded 32nd position in the Asia’s 50 Best Restaurants Awards 2019. It’s an exciting year for us at Jaan being the first full year with my reinvented British approach. My new spring menu showcases some of the best produce from all over the United Kingdom, which I have personally sourced. I am extremely proud of my talented and incredibly dedicated team who have grown with me and played a huge part in pushing Jaan to where we are now – and where we hope to keep going,” says the chef.

The restaurant is on the 70th floor of Swissotel The Stamford.

For details, contact jaan.bookings@swissotel.com.