IF YOU travel frequently, make sure you don’t head off without the Uniq Voyage World Travel Adapter, a neat little plug in device that’s compatible with the power supply and sockets of more than 150 countries.

The adapter comes with four types of sliding-down male plugs, which are US type, UK type, AU/NZ type and EU type. Power sockets in most countries use one of these four standards.

On top of the adapter, there is a universal female plug that accepts all types of male plugs.

And the adapter is compatible with both 100-250V AC 50/60Hz with 400m power supplies and has a power rating of a maximum of 660 watts of CD power from the 110 volt input and 1,440 watts from the 240 volt input.

The adapter has one USB-C port with fast charging technology and three USB full-size (Type A) ports. So, with just one adapter, you can charge four devices simultaneously.

The USB-C port provides 5V DC 3A Max output while each of the three USB-A ports has 5V DC 2.4A Max output.

I found during the test that the adapter’s USB-C port was capable of charging the MacBook Pro, meaning that a MacBook Pro user can use the same Uniq Voyage to charge the laptop and mobile devices at the same time.

I tried charging the MacBook Pro and three mobile devices at the same time and had no problems whatsoever.

The Uniq Voyage comes with a texturised finish for comfortable grip and even looks sleek.

It also boasts a travel pouch of its own, making it easy to carry around.

Uniq Voyage World Travel Adapter is distributed by RTB Technology for Bt1,490. It is available at Munkong Gadget, Studio 7 by Com7, iStudio by CPW, DotLife, Sound Proof, Lazada, Shopee and Mercular.

For more information, visit http://www.RTBTechnology.com.

>> Ports: 1xUSB-C, 3xUSB A

>> Input: 100-250V AC 50/60Hz 400mA Max

>> Power rating: |660W Max at 110V, 1440W Max at 240V

>> Fuse rating: 6A Max

>> Individual output: |USB Type C 5V 3A |Max, USB Type A 5VDC 2.4A Max

>> Weight: 300g

>> Warranty: 2 years

SAMSUNG’S Galaxy S10+ is the latest flagship smartphone from the South Korean manufacturer that features very fast performance, an excellent triple rear-camera system and a high-quality 6.4-inch display.

The S10+ is powered by a Samsung Exynos 9820 octa-core processor running at 2.7, 2.3 and 1.9GHz.

The model I tested came with eight gigabytes of working memory and 128GB of storage. It was really fast. Apps and games ran very fast and the menus and touchscreen were very responsive.

I used AnTuTu Benchmark Version 7.1.5 to measure its performance and the S10+ got an impressive score of 331,125 points.

When I compared the scores on the ever-growing AnTuTu online database of Android users as of midnight on March 3, the S10+ ranked No 1.

Samsung says the S10+ uses new AI software that automatically optimises battery, CPU, RAM and even device temperature based on how you use your phone, and continues to learn and get better over time.

Leveraging AI capabilities, Galaxy S10 also learns how you use your device to launch your most frequently used apps faster.

And it is engineered for the best possible gaming experience because it is built with AI-based on-device gaming performance optimisation software and premium hardware including Dolby Atmos for gaming mode and a vapour chamber cooling system.

The S10+ also got a very fast Internet connection. I tested it on TrueMove H’s LTE network and found that it downloaded applications very fast and my snapshots were backed up to my Google Photos cloud storage in no time.

I used the Ookla Speedtest app to measure the connection speed and the S10+ got a download speed of 104Mbps and an upload speed of 30.2Mbps.

The S10+ comes with an outstanding display. Samsung says its new flagship phone uses its best screen yet, which is the world’s first Dynamic AMOLED display.

The display is HDR10+-certified so it is very good for watching HDR movies. The display delivers vivid digital content with dynamic tone mapping. So it’s very good for viewing photos. The Dynamic AMOLED display is also VDE-certified for vibrant colours and yields an extraordinary contrast ratio.

The display also provides high readability and accurate colours even in bright sunlight.

And Samsung’s unique Infinity-O Display technology packs an array of sensors and camera technology into a hole-in display to maximise the display. The S10+ cuts a hole into the top right corner to hide the double front cameras and avoid distraction.

S10’s Dynamic AMOLED display also includes the first-ever in-display Ultrasonic Fingerprint Scanner that reads the 3D contours of your physical thumbprint – not a 2D image of it – for improved anti-spoofing. With a FIDO Alliance Biometric Component certification, this biometrics authentication offers vault-like security to keep your device safe.

During the test, I found the fingerprint reader on the display worked efficiently to unlock the screen. The S10 also has face recognition technology using the dual front cameras that worked fast and efficiently for unlocking the phone.

I enjoyed watching HDR YouTube clips and HD movies from iFlix and True ID TV apps on the vibrant display. The display is large and really beautiful for watching movies.

S10+ uses Dual Pixel and Dual Aperture technologies for its main camera, which has three cameras – 16MP Ultra Wide camera, 12MP Wide-angle camera and 12MP telephoto camera.

The Ultra Wide lens captures scenes wider than normal lens with its 123-degree angle of view. Ultra Wide lens correction ensures your shots will never be distorted.

The Ultra Wide, Wide-angle and Telephoto cameras can be selected by tapping on the their icons on the viewfinder display.

And the Wide-angle camera is installed with Dual Aperture technology that supports f/1.5 aperture and f/2.4 aperture. The Dual Aperture provides day-to-night light control by adjusting and optimising light before you tap the shutter.

Moreover, the camera uses the powerful processor to automatically combine multiple frames of the same low-light moment into beautiful shot.

The Telephoto camera provides 2X optical zoom and up to 10X digital zoom.

The camera has auto exposure mode called Photo. The camera adjusts all the shooting parameters for you automatically. Photo mode uses AI technology that is driven by a Neural Processing Unit (NPU). In Photo mode, the AI uses Scene Optimiser to recognise and more accurately process additional scenes using power from the NPU.

If you want to capture outstanding subjects with blurred background like the ones shot with digital SLR camera, you can use Live focus mode that lets you adjust the blur level of the background in real time before tapping the shutter button.

If you are an advanced photographer, you can use Pro mode to adjust various shooting parameters, including ISO sensitivity, white balance, focus, colour temperature, contrast, saturation, highlight, shadow, aperture and exposure compensation.

I found the Photo mode’s AI really resulted in beautiful and outstanding shots and the AI recognised scenes accurately. And Live focus mode allowed me to capture beautiful subjects with blurred background easily.

The S10+ also uses a dual camera system for the front cameral to allow you to capture beautiful selfie shots with blurred background easily.

The selfie camera has 10MP resolution using a Dual Pixel sensor and it lens is bright with an f/1.9 aperture. The data for the generating blurred background come from the RGB depth camera with 8MP resolution and an f/2.2 aperture.

For wireless connections, the S10+ comes with Wi-Fi 802.11 ac with MU-MIMO technology. Galaxy S10 comes with Intelligent Wi-Fi that allows for an uninterrupted and safe connection by seamlessly switching between Wi-Fi and LTE, as well as alerting you of potentially risky Wi-Fi connections. And the S10+ also supports new Wi-Fi protocol called Wi-Fi6, which is faster but availability is still limited.

The S10+ comes with a large battery of 4,100mAh capacity, which survived a day’s use during my test. Moreover, Samsung introduces Wireless PowerShare on Galaxy S10, making it possible to easily charge Qi-certified smartphone devices and even compatible wearable devices.

In addition, Galaxy S10 is capable of charging itself and a second device simultaneously via Wireless PowerShare, while connected to a regular charger, enabling you to leave your second charger at home while on a trip.

Samsung Galaxy S10+ is available in two models in Thailand the one with 8GB of RAM and 128 storage retails for Bt35,900, 8GB of RAM and 512GB for Bt44,900 and 12GB RAM and 1TB storage retails for Bt55,900

>> OS: Android 9.0

>> Network: Enhanced 4×4 MIMO LTE Cat.20, Sub6 / mmWave (2.8G, 3.9G)

>> Processor: Samsung Exynos 9820 8nm 64-bit Octa-core processor (Max. 2.7 GHz + 2.3 GHz + 1.9 GHz)

>> Memory: 8 GB

>> Storage: 128 GB + microSD slot (up to 512GB)

>> Display: 6.4-inch Quad HD+ Curved Dynamic AMOLED, 19:9 (438ppi)

>> Cameras: Rear: Triple Camera with Dual OIS- Telephoto: 12MP PDAF, F2.4, OIS (45 degree); Wide-angle: 12MP Dual Pixel AF, F1.5/F2.4, OIS (77 degree); Ultra Wide: 16MP FF, F2.2 (123?) – 0.5X/2X optical zoom, up to 10X digital zoom; Front: Dual Camera- Selfie: 10MP Dual Pixel AF, F1.9 (80 degree) – RGB Depth: 8MP FF, F2.2 |(90 degree)

>> Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac/ax (2.4/5GHz), VHT80 MU-MIMO, 1024QAM; Bluetooth v 5.0, ANT+, USB Type-C, NFC

>> Location: GPS, Galileo, Glonass, BeiDou

>> Sensors: Accelerometer, Barometer, Ultrasonic Fingerprint Sensor, Gyro Sensor, Geomagnetic Sensor, Hall Sensor, Heart Rate Sensor, Proximity Sensor, |RGB Light Sensor

>> Authentication: Lock Type: Swipe, Pattern, PIN, Password?Biometric Lock

>>Types: Fingerprints, Face

>> Battery: 4,100 mAh, Fast Wireless Charging 2.0

>> Dimensions: 74.1 x 157.6 x 7.8mm

>> Weight: 175g

The world-class, Bt100-million multimedia show will feature more than 100 lasers and 3D mapping in “The Illumination of the White Temple”.

Admission will be Bt400 to Bt1,150 and some of the proceeds will go to Chiang Rai Prachanukroh Hospital.

“The Light Fest is another mega-project to boost the quality of tourism and create a positive image for Chiang Rai province,” says Index Creative Village founder and group Kreingkrai Kanjanapokin.

“More importantly, it will enhance Thailand’s positive image to ensure we remain a memorable destination. We think we’ll be able to boost income from tourism in the region, specifically in Chiang Rai, by more than Bt1.5 billion for hotels, resorts, restaurants and public transport. The event should attract an additional 300,000 mostly Chinese-speaking people.”

Wat Rong Khun, which Chalermchai designed, decorated and runs, is among the most popular tourist attractions and is listed as one of the top 10 Thai landmarks, as well as one of the 10 Most Beautiful Temples in the World.

“There are millions of tourists visiting the North, so we wanted to add some colour and new activities and experiences for them,” says Chalermchai. “Th etemple gets 10,000 visitors a day, averaging two million a year. The Wat Rong Khun Light Fest will be the first time the temple is open at night.

“I want the people of Chiang Rai, everyone living in the North and all Thais to be proud of this event, which we believe people will still be talking about years from now. I want them to tell their friends that, if they go to Thailand, they must see the Wat Rong Khun Light Fest.”

The Light Fest from November 22 to December 22 will have two hourlong shows daily, at 6.30 and 8.30pm. Tickets – only 1,000 for each performance – are available at ThaiTicketMaster.com and (083) 989 6926.

To arrange group visits, email jrl@indexcreative.com and/or psp@indexcreative.com.

Learn more at http://www.WatRongKhunLightFest.com and there’s a Facebook page to match.

Less than a decade ago, Baan Huay Mak Lam was an isolated village in Udon Thani trapped in a vicious cycles of poverty and drought. The villagers didn’t have their own land to make a living nor did they have water to use in their daily lives. Now, with the construction two years ago of the Sam Tom Khao Reservoir by the Water Resource Development Project under the royal initiative of His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun, their lives have changed for the better.

“Water offers hope for life,” says a smiling Pao Yathao, the village headman, who has been part of the community for 30 years. “We can see a future thanks to the reservoir and the water supply system from Royal Irrigation Department has turned our land green. We live a sustainable lifestyle. We’re not interested in big houses or luxury cars. That’s it, we are happy.”

Students at the border patrol police school enjoy a lesson.

Apichat Chumnoommanee, director of the Udon Thani Irrigation Project, takes up the tale. “Even after the construction of the reservoir, which has a capacity of 204,100 cubic metres, the villagers still had to face up to the unfavourable nature. Rainfall is very low in this part of the world, probably 25 per cent of what other areas experience. Udon Thani’s provincial office released some 500,000 fish of different species including silver barb and tilapia into the reservoir. The villagers agreed not to use the water because they are afraid that the fish will die although they allow us to deliver water to students at a border patrol police school.”

Villagers generate some much-needed revenue by selling the vegetables they cultivate.

Ban Huay Mak Lam is located in Pa Thom-Pa Kha National Forest Reserve and the villagers use water from a small pond for their daily lives and for their cows. Most of them have settled here from other provinces such as Khon Kaen and Kalasin and work for hire in the sugarcane fields that are part of the forest reserve. There is no agricultural area but seven rai of the public area has been allocated to the families to cultivate as a way of generating extra income and feed their cows. The villagers also earn some money from selling the compost they have been taught to make.

Talad Rom Khiew or Talad Kasetakorn offers chemical-free organic products.

“The number of families has gone up from 30 to 70 households and they are now growing such vegetables as cucumber, gourd, chilli, and small eggplant. Before this, we would travel six kilometres to another village to buy our water and paid between Bt120 to Bt250 per tank. I would use five tanks per month and washed our clothes once a month then took the used water for recycling. Now that life is better, we have a chance to learn how to make desserts and weave brooms with the support of Udon Thani Rajabhat University,” says headman Pao.

A former rock musician has turned his talents to growing ruby corn.

Today, Udon Thani supports the community in leading better lives, adding value to their products through organic and aquaponic farming under the Pid Thong Lang Phra for Extension and Development of the Royal Project of His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

In 2014, Talad Rom Khiew – which translates as a market with green umbrellas – was set up in the heart of the province, for the growers to sell their chemical-free vegetables and fruits. Health-conscious shoppers responded and money started to circulate among the villagers. The market was later renamed Talad Kasetakorn or farmers’ market and has grown considerably, with vendors increasing from 22 to 59, among them young smart farmers, agriculturists from several villages, community enterprise groups and military units as well as Udon Thani College of Agriculture and Technology. It boasts different zones selling processed products, mixed farming, vegetables and fruit, rice, flowering plants and trees, and cooked foods and is open every Friday and Saturday from 6am to noon.

Khanom ditches foam and plastic and instead wraps his goodies in banana leaf.

To my surprise, one of the farmers I meet is a former rock musician and producer. He now owns the Rocker Farm and grows and sells ruby corn. Further along is Khanom Wannasri of Baan Nong Ped, which is also a learning centre, who offers his goods wrapped in banana leaf rather than foam and plastic. Boonkerd Yubolphan from Baan Thub Kong has a stall brimming with different herbs. A soldier from the 13th Infantry Regiment sells mushrooms while Krathin distributes brown rice and collaborates with Udon Thani Hospital.

A community enterprise group for nutritious rice at Kumpawapi District

“I’ve been growing herbs for seven years and inherited local wisdom from some villagers aged 80 and 90 years old,” says Boonkerd, 70.

A soldier sells mushrooms.

“This village is a centre for exchanging ideas. We try to help ourselves instead of waiting for help from the government. Our goods must be chemical free and safe for the health. If our health is good, everything that comes after will be also better.”

Much has been written in recent weeks about whether non-alcoholic beer should in fact be called beer.

Heineken, however, is set to set the market straight with the launch of its Heineken 0.0 beverage last week in a “Heineken 0.0 Barcade” event at The EmQuartier last week.

Heineken 0.0 is a non-alcoholic malt drink, not beer.

“Heineken 0.0 is a non-alcoholic malt beverage, brewed using a unique recipe that offers a distinct and balanced taste, which you can now enjoy at any time. It was brewed to provide our consumers with a new option for all their drinking occasions, addresses the growing cultural trend of living a balanced lifestyle, and empowers people who can’t drink alcohol to be involved in every non-beer moment,” explained Maud Meijboom-van Wel, brand development and communication director of Heineken Asia Pacific.

“In addition to positioning the Heineken brand as a pioneer in the industry, we continue to introduce new and innovative products to meet the needs of consumers and to complement our existing offerings, without compromising on quality.”

“Heineken 0.0 is not about being a replacement, but about being complementary.” – Ee Lin Loh, centre.

Heineken 0.0 was first launched in 2017 in the Netherlands, Spain and Germany, followed by the UK and France. It is now available in 38 markets around the world, including Europe, North America, and Australia. In Asia, Thailand is the second country to introduce it after Singapore.

Setthasitt “Jdai” Limkasided and Marco Maurer at “Shadow Yoga.”

“Heineken 0.0 has a perfectly balanced taste with refreshingly fruity notes and a soft malty body. Simply removing alcohol from original Heineken would have been easy, but it wouldn’t have delivered the best tasting non-alcoholic malt beverage. We wanted to push the boundaries, so we gave our master brewers a blank slate and challenged them to brew a perfectly balanced non-alcoholic malt beverage from scratch, using only natural ingredients and a special process to protect the natural flavour. Heineken 0.0 does exactly that, and is double brewed with 100-per-cent natural ingredients, no added sugar and only 69 calories per serving. We gently remove the alcohol through vacuum distillation and blend the brew to perfection,” van Wel added.

Kanticha “Ticha” Chumma plays at “Shut the Call Up”.

Several celebrities turned out for the event, among them Setthasitt “Jdai” Limkasided, Marco Maurer, Benja Bencharongkul, Sireeporn “Aerin” Yoogthatat, Gavin Duval, Jongbae Park, Chanin Taeratanachai, Sarucha “YingYing” Petchroj, Kanticha “Ticha” Chumma, Disaya “Tiew” Korgotchamas, Jamaporn “Tookta” Sangthong, Tulyatep Ueawittaya, Pemika “TubTim” Jiranorraphat, Thanik Puvanattrai, Pitt Karchai, Jarudech “Ford” Boonyasit, Fasai Puengudom and Virithipa “Woonsen” Pakdeeprasong. Some of them even took part in four interactive games to test the 0.0 effect after sampling.

Pemika “TubTim” Jiranorraphat tries out the  “Messy Kitchen.”

“Shut the Call Up” tested speed and accuracy by recreating the situation in the office when you have to cope with multiple phone calls coming in all at once. “Traffic Dance” testing how quickly you can move to the music when the traffic lights change colour.

“Shadow Yoga” tested body balance and accuracy by seeing how well you can maintain flexible yoga positions through a more fun and interactive twist, while “Messy Kitchen” tested cleaning skills by duplicating the chaos when dealing with various items dropped on the LED floor.

Benja Bencharongkul and Sireeporn “Aerin” Yoogthatat

“We see Heineken 0.0 as an important addition that strengthens the innovative position of Heineken, so selling this new non-alcoholic malt beverage is not about it being a replacement, but about it being complementary. Heineken 0.0 is a new category – a zero-alcohol beverage – with which Thais may not be familiar with, as the market for malt drinks is currently very niche. However, we have seen an upward trend in moderate alcohol consumption. We also want to show the importance of staying in control while having fun, and want to encourage beer lovers and drinkers to think about their own behaviour when it comes to drinking alcohol during a night out. We have introduced a non-alcoholic beverage to illustrate that moderation is cool,” said Ee Lin Loh, marketing director of TAP Group.

“And please call it Heineken 0.0, or a malt drink, not beer!”

Fed up with the drudgery of his sales job in southern China, Lu Qi quit and travelled a thousand kilometres north to one of the country’s biggest film studios with hopes of making it in movies.

That dream remains a work in progress for Lu and thousands like him who eke out a precarious living as extras at Hengdian World Studios.

Just as moviegoers use film to escape reality, so too do many of Hengdian’s army of more than 6,000 extras.

“I failed so many times (in sales) and haven’t made much progress,” says Lu, his head shaved bald save for a knit cap keeping it warm.

Stunt horse rider Lian Chunyu, 29, moved to Dongyang from Inner Mongolia.

“Most people here have no degrees, skills or relations. (We) can’t do any business either, so we are just here to escape the reality and the competition out there,” the 24yearold adds.

Hengdian, in eastern China’s Zhejiang province, was once a poverty-stricken town amid rugged hills. But in the mid-1990s the investment firm Hengdian Group expanded into movies.

It bulldozed the landscape and erected the mammoth studio complex, which now claims to be the world’s largest film and TV shooting base.

Sometimes dubbed the “Hollywood of the East” or simply “Chinawood”, local media report that more than 70 per cent of China’s films and TV shows have been at least partly shot on a 330-hectare site.

Sets range from ancient palace complexes that can accommodate casts of thousands to contemporary mansions and modern green screens.

“You can complete a BeijingHong Kong trip in one day,” Hengdian tour guide Wu Rongrong declares as she stands in front of a lifesized reproduction of Beijing’s Forbidden City while gesturing toward a replica of an old Hong Kong street complete with opium bars.

The studio has been the backdrop for Chinese blockbusters like “Hero” (2002) and has been graced by Alisters like Jackie Chan and Fan Bingbing.

Its growth has outrun the local supply of manpower.

“At first, we recruited mostly locals as extras. Now the majority of them come from out of town,” says Zhou Fenglai, a Hengdian official who deals with performer management.

An estimated 6,000 to 8,000 people are on hand daily to serve as extras at Hengdian.

Lian Chunyu grew up on horseback on the plains of China’s Inner Mongolia region, before parlaying that experience into work as a Hengdian stunt rider for eight years.

Even though his face is never seen in movies, it’s still a thrill to be part of it.

“It would be difficult for me to get used to doing something else after this,” he grins.

Lu, who spends a few months a year in Hengdian and the rest at home in Guangdong province, checks his WeChat group messages each morning for studio work, usually finding something daily.

Lu and Lian make about 100-200 yuan (Bt470-Bt940) per day, enough to cover rent and meals, while those with more acting experience can make more.

Male extras get an additional 40 yuan each time they shave their heads – partly to make sure there is ample manpower for often used scenes requiring the Manchu-style shaved head and braided queue.

As well as the extra cash, Lu also likes that such a specific look rules him out of military roles.

“It’s very uncomfortable running around in the mountains wearing armour and being blown up,” Lu said, comparing it to work as a “coolie.”

Between scenes, Lu shoots videos of himself with props and costumes, which he uploads to social media. Many extras do live online broadcasts and performances, making additional money via digital payments from their followers, he says.

One downside: being barked at and herded like cattle.

“Most film crews are really terrible, cursing people and such. That’s despicable. The bigger the production team, the worse they are,” says Wang Xiaopin, a 47-year-old extra from central Henan province.

“It doesn’t matter how well you perform. In their eyes, you will always be unqualified.”

China’s entertainment sector has blossomed in recent years as the government looks to build up the domestic industry and replace imported foreign content with homegrown fare.

But many projects have been put on hold after the government last year began cracking down on alleged widespread tax evasion and exorbitant pay for bigname stars.

That has made work more scarce for now, and while sources at Hengdian say some extras have left, Lu remains optimistic.

“I still want to be an actor,” Lu explains, adding: “I believe the future will be better than the past.”

“The launch of our newest GMS lineup of woman watches is a reinforcement of Casio’s ongoing popularity amongst target consumers. The GMS brand caters to the existing Baby-G consumer base who are growing up with the brand, whilst at the same time appealing to a new group of consumers who are looking for a watch that is stylish yet functional for everyday use. The ideal GMS woman is strong, beautiful and confident. For this purpose, we have teamed up with GMS Brand ambassador, Pattie Ungsumalynn, who embodies the ideal GMS girl with an active and onthego lifestyle that truly reflects the GMS brand and its identity,” says Viroj Sukpitak, senior vice president of Casio & Hardline.

The GMS line is designed to accommodate different types of lifestyles and activities whether spending the day at the office, heading to a glamorous party or even just a casual weekend on-the-go. The watch boasts a trendy yet elegant design, with a sleek exterior that makes it the perfect accessory for any occasion.

“I used to love watches that are easy to wear, tough, yet sweet. As times change, I now look at watches as accessories that can be used to mix and match with my varying looks. Being an actor and assuming the different roles that I take, GMS is the perfect accompaniment to my lifestyle. Whether going on photo shoots, lunching with my friends or attending events, GMS is always my go to accessory of choice,” says Pattie.

During the launch event, GMS unveiled two of its newest line watches: the GMS MSGS200 and the GMS MSG400. Both models are equipped with Casio’s signature Tough Solar power system that converts not only sunlight but also light from fluorescent lamps and other sources into power, with an added ability to withstand up to 100 metres of water pressure.

The watches are available in a range of colours including pink gold, silver, white, pink and black. Prices start at Bt6,400. In celebration of the first GMS Brand Ambassador in Thailand, buyers receive a special 20-per-cent discount with an extra 10-per-cent on top when purchasing any GMS models (except the Limited Edition models from Japan) during April at all Casio G-Shock stores nationwide.

For more information and to keep updated with news and promotions, visit Facebook/Casio Watches Thailand.

Three million stamps printed on 300,000 sheets, will show King Rama X in full military uniform with his embossed signature and the grand palace on the background, the same design as for King Rama IX’s coronation ceremony in 1950.

The stamps can be reserved before March 29 at Thailand Post and at http://www.ThailandPostMart.com.

For more information, call the THP Contact Centre at 1545.

New movie house opens

SF Cinema celebrates its new branch at Cosmo Bazaar in Muang Thong Thani with a promotion and prizes to be won from today until April 30.

Receive a 50-per-cent discount when applying for membership of the SF Movie Club and get the chance to win a Yamaha GT125 motorcycle in the lucky draw.

Find out more at the new Cosmo branch.

Learning with sculptures

Self–reflection is the theme of cultural exchange exhibition “Tian Tian Xiang Shang: Arts is Learning Learning is Arts” showing at the Main Gallery on the eighth floor of Bangkok Art and Culture Centre from now until April 12.

It showcases almost 200 Tian Tian figurine creations by artists of various disciplines from Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan, and Canada, as well as Thailand’s own Patravadi Mejudhon, Dow Wasiksiri, Pratarn Teeratada, Pichet Klunchun, Twitee Vajrabhaya Teparkum, Nakrob Moonmanas and Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal.

Legends discovered

Take the kids to Legend Siam in Pattaya this school holiday and allows them to learn about Thailand through arts, culture, traditions, beliefs, way of life, plays, dances, products and food

The theme park is divided into three zones: “Siam Vilize”, which focuses on civilisation from the early Rattanakosin era; “Thai Araya Experience”, which fetes Thai culture and festivities like temple fairs; and “Bhumi Paen Din Siam” with its many legendary stories.

Tickets are available at Thai Ticket Major counters, by calling (02) 262 3456 and online at http://www.ThaiTicketMajor.com.

Discovering Seoul with BTS

The honorary ambassador of Seoul, global boy band BTS is now featured on the Discover Seoul Pass – a 24-hour pass priced KRW39,900 (Bt1,120) with free admission to 35 attractions and discounts on entry to a further 29.

The Discover Seoul Pass BTS Edition, including a photo postcard with all the members of BTS and an English tourist map, can be purchased at the Myeongdong Tourist Information Centre or online at http://www.DiscoverSeoulPass.com and http://www.VisitSeoul.net.

A quater of all premature deaths and diseases worldwide are due to manmade pollution and environmental damage, the United Nations said last week in a landmark report on the planet’s parlous state.

Deadly smog-inducing emissions, chemicals polluting drinking water, and the accelerating destruction of ecosystems crucial to the livelihoods of billions of people are driving a worldwide epidemic that hampers the global economy, it warned.

The Global Environment Outlook (GEO) – a report six years in the making compiled by 250 scientists from 70 nations – depicts a growing chasm between rich and poor countries as rampant over-consumption, pollution and food waste in the developed world leads to hunger, poverty and disease elsewhere.

As greenhouse gas emissions continue to rise amid a preponderance of droughts, floods and superstorms made worse by climbing sea levels, there is a growing political consensus that climate change poses a future risk to billions.

But the health impacts of pollution, deforestation and the mechanised food chain are less well understood.

Nor is there any international agreement for the environment close to covering what the 2015 Paris accord does for climate.

The GEO compiles a litany of pollution-related health emergencies.

It said that poor environmental conditions “cause approximately 25 per cent of global disease and mortality” – around nine million deaths in 2015 alone.

Lacking access to clean drinking supplies, 1.4 million people die each year from preventable diseases such as diarrhoea and parasites linked to pathogen-riddled water and poor sanitation.

Chemicals pumped into the seas cause “potentially multi-generational” adverse health effects, and land degradation through mega-farming and deforestation occurs in areas of Earth home to 3.2 billion people.

The report says air pollution causes six million to seven million early deaths annually.

“Urgent action at an unprecedented scale is necessary to arrest and reverse this situation,” said a note to policymakers accompanying the report.

“If you have a healthy planet it supports not only global GDP but it also supports the lives of the very poorest because they depend on clean air and clean water,” said Joyeeta Gupta, GEO co-chair.

“If you turn that around, an unhealthy system has massive damage on human lives.”

The report called for a root-and-branch detoxifying of human behaviour while insisting that the situation is not unassailable.

Food waste for instance, which accounts for nine per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions, could be slashed. The world currently throws away a third of all food produced. That figure is fuelled by 56 per cent in richer nations going to waste.

“Everyone is saying that by 2050 we have to feed 10 billion people, but that doesn’t mean we have to double production,” Gupta said.

“If we reduce our waste and perhaps have less meat you could immediately reduce that problem.”

The report also called for a rapid drawdown in greenhouse gas emissions and pesticide use to improve air and water quality, and a move towards more sustainable industry.

“There is a clear prognosis of what will happen if we continue with business as usual,” UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said.

The GEO draws on hundreds of data sources to calculate the environmental impact on over 100 diseases.

Its unveiling at the UN Environment Assembly in Nairobi is likely to add to the debate over who bears the greatest responsibility for the damage already borne by Earth.

Sources close to the negotiations told AFP some developed nations, led by the United States, had threatened not to “welcome” the GEO report – a procedural but nonetheless significant hurdle if nations are to agree on the necessary cuts in waste, overconsumption and pollution.

Gupta said that nations, however big or small, would all have to adapt to the environmental reality facing every human on the planet.

“If you look at land, it’s fixed,” she said. “If the population is going to go up we have to redistribute, one way or the other.

“If you look at freshwater, it’s more or less fixed. You have to end up sharing. This is a discourse that many developed countries don’t like.”

Mohamed Adow, climate lead for Christian Aid, said while the report highlighted many dangers and solutions, it stopped short of directly naming the problem.

“Our environmental and climatic breakdown is driven by an economic model that pursues |endless growth at all costs,” he |said.

“Without reform and transformational change it’s not sustainable and the UN needs to spell out these hard inconvenient truths.”