THE ROYAL Project Gastronomy Festival continuing until December 7 at Siam Paragon in Bangkok focuses on the nutritious “superfoods” the Royal Project Foundation continues to develop.

The Highland Brown Rice sold in the past years has now been joined by new strains Highland Yellow Wild Rice and Highland Kaipa Wild Rice. Once again, the benefits include reduced cholesterol levels and risk of contracting Alzheimer’s, and they contain anti-oxidants, potassium and iron to help balance body fluids and grow more red blood cells.

Hilltribe people cultivate Highland Brown Rice.

Also on offer is increasingly popular quinoa, a high-nutrition grain full of minerals and 10 essential amino acids, and thus good for diabetics.

Red kidney beans are another superfood, able to protect the nervous system and rich in protein, B-complex vitamins, fibre and iron, while white kidney beans have lots of folate and manganese as well.

Quinoa

Portobello mushrooms, packed with protein and free of fat and cholesterol, make a good substitute for meat. Monkey-head mushrooms, known in Japan as yamabushitake, tackle cancerous cells, strengthen the immune system, protect against ulcers in the digestive tract and control cholesterol.

Mushroom chilli paste is also featured.

Monkey-head mushroom

As for vegetables and herbs, there are tomatoes, broccoli, red cabbage, iceberg lettuce and Chinese kale.

The Royal Project tomatoes and cherry tomatoes are firm and naturally sweet. The red hue indicates the presence of lycopene, which lowers the risk of cancer.

Tomatoes also contain vitamins B1, B2 and K to help nourish blood cells and Vitamin A for good vision.

Broccoli has loads of Vitamin C to boost the immune system. Red cabbage has twice the Vitamin C that green cabbage does, as well as anthocyanin, an antioxidant that fends off cancer.

Red cabbage

Iceberg lettuce is rich in iron and folate to help generate red blood cells and white blood cells in the bone marrow. Chinese kale contains beta-carotene to prevent cancer and improve the eyesight.

The “super fruits” on sale extend to figs, Hass avocados, kiwis, cape gooseberries and passion fruit.

Figs are high in fibre and a good source of several essential minerals such as magnesium, calcium (twice the amount found in fish) for bone density and potassium, which lowers blood pressure. They’re also a good source of energy and have no fat or cholesterol.

Hass avocado

Hass avocados contain lots of fibre and are rich in vitamin and minerals. Their unsaturated fatty acids reduce cholesterol and antioxidants prevent cancer and heart disease.

Kiwis are loaded with health benefits and will improve the complexion. The fibrous kiwi is also great if you’re trying to shed weight.

Cape gooseberries have double to Vitamin C of lemon and help prevent flu and allergies.

Low in calories but high in nutrients, passion fruit packs vitamins A and C, both good for the vision and the skin.

Bresse chicken

The processed chicken products on offer include black bone chicken and stewed black chicken, both made with Chinese herbs, smoked Bresse chicken, pheasant and organic chicken.

Originally reared in Mongolia, black bone chicken is high in protein and in China is believed to nourish the blood, a boon to older folks.

Bresse chicken originally from France is tender and juicy, while pheasant is enjoying a renaissance among chefs around the world. Far less fatty than other game fowl, it boasts meat that’s firm yet tender with a unique and enjoyable taste.

The organic chicken was developed from three Thai breeds, all raised free-range and fed on organic foods, resulting in a lovely taste and firm texture.

Grilled rainbow trout with sweet fish sauce and rocket salad

The main fish products remain rainbow trout and sturgeon. The trout is rich in omega 3, which reduces cholesterol, helps the nervous system and decreases the risk of Alzheimer’s and depression.

Sturgeon shares its roe as black caviar for a mere Bt50,000 per kilogram, but the flesh of the fish is second to none in firmness as well as being rich in collagen.

Sturgeon

For a healthy drink, you can buy the subtle but unique-tasting Assam green, which is full of the stress-beating amino acid theanine, which also helps you sleep well.

Tomato juice is one of the Royal Project’s most popular products, helping nourish the skin and containing lycopene to ward off signs of ageing.

The processed tomato products include ketchup, jam and puree, all rich in vitamins A and C and free of preservatives.

There is also Coffee Flower Honey made with 100-per-cent-pure honey collected from the bees that nest in the Royal Project coffee plantations.

 Fruity cereal bar 

In terms of healthy snacks, the highlight is a fruity cereal bar ideal for breakfast and for energy boosts before exercising. It’s packed with, dried strawberries, banana and pineapple, whole wheat, half-milled highland rice, roasted pumpkin kernels and passion-fruit squash.

A WORLD OF WONDERS

The Royal Project Gastronomy Festival @Siam Paragon continues until December 7 at Parc Paragon.

An exhibition on 10 different superfoods is in the Hall of Fame until December 6.

A SLEEK notebook computer equipped with an innovative touchpad, the ASUS ZenBook Pro 15 UX580 is powered by Intel Core i9-8950HK six-core processor that runs at 2.90 GHz. It’s fully equipped with a range of premium components, including16 gigabytes DDR4 2,400 MHz working memory, NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti graphics adapter with 4GB DDR5 VRAM and fast 512GB SSD storage.

In a move new to the notebook market, ASUS has renamed the traditional touchpad a ScreenPad, designing it as the second screen for the laptop.

The ScreenPad is responsive and adaptable, and is able to provide task-specific functionalities to make interaction with applications more convenient.

It’s a 5.5-inch Full HD Super IPS+ panel with 1920×1080 pixels resolution and while it can be used as a normal touchpad, you need to install ScreenPad apps to make the best use of it.

Those apps are ScreenPad Toolbar, Launcher, Online Video Player, Office, Music Player, NumKey, Calculator, Calendar, ASUS Sync, ASUS SpeechTyper, ScreenPad Adobe reader sign, and Screen Extender mode.

The ScreenPad Toolbar is the control centre for all your ScreenPad apps. To open it, drag it down from the top edge. To close it, just start using the ScreenPad as a normal touchpad on any part of the screen. The launcher is the fastest way to start up your favourite apps. Simply tap an app icon to launch the app.

The Online Video Player supports Google Chrome and YouTube and you can use it to control video playback, including ad skipping, switching to full-screen mode, and adjusting volume.

ScreenPad Office provides instant fingertip control of common functions when you’re editing Excel, Word or PowerPoint documents. Using ScreenPad for edit functions means you can enjoy a bigger workspace on the main screen.

ScreenPad Music Player allows you to instantly change tracks, browse tracks and playlists, and adjust the volume.

ScreenPad NumKey turns the ScreenPad into a number keyboard for easy data entry.

ScreenPad Calculator allows you to crunch numbers when your screen is already full of other websites, spreadsheets and documents.

ScreenPad Calendar app allows you to sync your Windows Calendar account so you can check your schedule at a glance.

ASUS Sync lets you pair your phone wirelessly with your laptop to access all its functions via ScreenPad, even when your phone’s in your bag or another room.

ASUS SpeechTyper turns ScreenPad into a multilingual speech-to-text tool for creating documents, emails, blog posts, social media posts and more with just your voice.

I found the ScreenPad Adobe reader very useful for signing PDF documents, signing my name on the ScreenPad then saving it with the document.

Screen Extender mode turns the ScreenPad into an extended screen, seen as a dual-display by Microsoft Windows. You can use it to keep an eye on your social media account, email and most other things, so the ScreenPad becomes a powerful multitasking partner.

Of course, you can also use the ScreenPad as a touchpad that supports Windows 10’s precision touchpad and multi-gesture input with up to 4-finger gestures, making it easy to switch applications or screens.

The UX580 retains the elegant ZenBook design, embracing the iconic accents of this series first introduced with the ZenBook UX21 six years ago. These include the signature tapering edges, concentric spun-metal finish concentric circles on its lid and diamond cut chamfered edges around its keyboard. The all-metal unibody build comes in elegant Deep Dive Blue with Rose Gold diamond cut edges.

Although the ZenBook Pro 15 has a 15.6-inch monitor, its slim display bezel and lithe chassis give the laptop the rough physical dimensions of a 14-inch ultrabook laptop. It has a thickness of 18.9mm and weighs about 1.88kg.

The UX580 can be used by professional graphic designers thanks to a Pantone-validated 4K multi-touch display with guaranteed colour accuracy and a NanoEdge bezel-free design that provides a completely immersive experience. The 15.6-inch LED-backlit 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) touchscreen is great for viewing photos and watching videos. The display has high contrast ratio of 1200:1 and high brightness of 400 nits.

During the test, I enjoyed watching iflix movies and 4K YouTube clips, playing around with the four modes – eye care, normal, vivid and manual – to find the one best suited to me.

The laptop has a good sound system with two speakers tuned and certified by Harman Kardon so the UX580 is good for watching movies and listening to music as well.

I found the UX580 was really powerful thanks to the use of fast elite components, including the 8th Generation Intel Core i9 processor with six cores and a huge 16 GB of working memory or RAM. Its graphic horsepower come from NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 Ti with 4GB DDR5 memory.

The UX580 ran business applications like Microsoft Office very fast and photo-editing application Adobe Photoshop was quick and smooth. Video clips too played fast and smoothly.

Heating isn’t a problem despite the fast Intel Core i9 and NVIDIA GTX 1050 Ti because the notebook uses a dual fan cooling system with three heat pipes (one of them located on the back of the motherboard) to keep both processors cool.

The UX580 also has fast Internet connection using dual-band 802.11 ac Wi-Fi and comes with comprehensive connectivity with 2 USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Type-A) ports, one ultra-fast Thunderbolt 3 in USB Type-C port and one USB 3.1 Gen 2 (Type-C) port. There is also one HDMI 1.4 port plus a microSD card reader.

The 8-cell battery is designed for long battery life as it has to power the ScreenPad, the processors, cooling solution, and array of ports.

ASUS ZenBook Pro 15 UX580 has a suggested retail price of Bt89,990.

Key Specs

OS: Windows 10 Home

CPU: 8th Gen Intel Core i9-8950HK processor 2.90 GHz

Memory: 16GB DDR4 2400MHz

Storage: 512GB NVMe PCIe Gen 3 x4 SSD

Display: 15.6-inch LED-backlit 4K UHD (3840 x 2160) 16:9 touchscreen, 100% Adobe RGB colour gamut PANTONE Certified

ScreenPad: 5.5-inch FHD (1920 x 1080) Super IPS+ display

Graphics: GeForce GTX 1050Ti 4GB GDDR5

Connectivity: 802.11ac Gigabit Wi-Fi up to 1.7Gbps / Bluetooth 5.0

Camera: VGA Webcam

Interface: 2 x USB Type-C (USB 3.1 Gen 2 + Thunderbolt 3 – supports dual 4K UHD displays), 2 x USB Type-A (USB 3.1 Gen 2), 1 x Full-sized HDMI 1.4, 1x 3.5mm combo audio jack, 1 x MicroSD card reader

Security: Fingerprint reader

Battery: 71Whrs 8-cell Lithium-polymer

Dimensions: 365 x 241 x 18.9 mm

Weight: 1.88kg

THE LATEST pair of Bluetooth over-ear headphones from Audio-Technica – the ATH-M50xBT – combine good sound quality with long battery life.

The ATH-M50xBT phones belong to the Studio Monitor Category and are based on Audio-Technica’s popular ATH-M50x model. They have improved capacity and have been enhanced with Bluetooth 5.0 wireless connection for convenience and to allow for more varied music listening.

In other words, the ATH-M50xBT deliver the same critically acclaimed sonic performance as the original ATH-M50x professional studio headphones but with wireless capability.

That clear sound quality is thanks to Audio-Technica’s proprietary 45mm large-aperture drivers that provide extended frequency response of 15 to 28,000 Hz, compared to the 20 to 20,000Hz of most headphones.

The headphones also have high sensitivity of 99 dB and impedance of 38 ohms and the over-ear design is very good for sound isolation in loud environments.

The headphones are durable and comfortable to wear with professional-grade earpad and headband materials. During the test, I was able to wear them for hours without feeling any discomfort.

And the ATH-M50xBT can be used for 40 hours continuously on a single charge.

The ATH-M50xBT uses SBC, aptX and AAC codecs for wireless steaming and you can also use the Audio-Technica Connect app to select the codec you prefer. The app will display the battery level of the headphones, the codec being used and the playlist being played.

The phones have a built-in microphone for using as a headset for phone conversation plus control buttons for music playback and for phone conversations, most of them on the left housing of the earcup.

These include a touch panel that’s used to activate the speech recognition of your smartphone. It will activate Siri for iOS devices or Google Assistant for Android devices.

The volume buttons are here too, and are also used for skipping to the next track or returning to the previous track. You simply press and hold the volume-up button for about two seconds to skip to the next track. To go back to the previous track, press and hold the volume-down button for two seconds.

The volume buttons flank the control button, which is used to play and pause music or answer and end phone calls.

The power switch is also located on the left earcup and initiates the pairing, as is the micro-USB port for recharging the battery. Should the ATH-M50xBT run out of battery, you can use a provided headphone cable to use them as wired headphones. A connector jack for the headphone cable is also located on the left housing.

During the test, I found that the music quality was good with clarity of mids and highs and solid bass. I enjoyed listening to rock music for hours during the test.

RTB Technology distributes Audio-Technica ATH-M50xBT for Bt7,690 and you’ll find them at Munkong Gadget, Pro Plug-in, Iconic Music and Mercular and leading audio retailers.

Key Specs

Type: Closed-back dynamic

Driver Diameter: 5 mm

Voice Coil: CCAW |(Copper-clad aluminium wire)

Frequency Response: |15 – 28,000 Hz

Sensitivity: 99 dB/mW

Impedance: 38 ohms

Bluetooth Version: 5.0

Compatible Bluetooth Profiles: A2DP, AVRCP, HFP, HSP

Support Codec: Qualcomm aptX, AAC, SBC

Battery: DC3.7 V lithium polymer battery

Battery Life: Approx. 40 hours continuous use

Charging Time: Approx. 7 hours (for 0-100% charge)

Weight: 310 g without cable and connector

Accessories included: 30 cm USB charging cable, detachable 1.2 m cable with 3.5 mm gold-plated stereo mini-plug |(L-shaped), protective pouch

AFTER ROLLING pyramid-shaped dice, Iraqi Kurdish artisan Hoshmand Muwafaq shifts his pebble around an ornate board, his hand-made recreation of one of the Middle East’s oldest and most popular games.

Originating nearly 5,000 years ago in what would become Iraq, the Royal Game of Ur mysteriously died out – until Muwafaq resurrected it by making his own decorated wooden board.

“It is a nice feeling when you rebuild and recreate a game which is not played by people anymore, and you try to show your generation and your people what we used to have before,” he says.

“So you introduce the board again to the people. It’s just really something, somehow amazing.”

Originating nearly 5,000 years ago in what would become Iraq, the Royal Game of Ur mysteriously died out – until Hoshmand Muwafaq  resurrected it by making his own decorated wooden board. /AFP

It was only in 1922 that the board game came to light.

A board – a kind of draughtboard in an elongated H shape – together with its pieces and dice, were found during archaeological excavations at the royal cemetery in the ancient Sumerian city of Ur, known now as Tal al-Muqayyar, in southern Iraq.

Taken to the British Museum for closer study, it took more than five decades until experts managed to match up and translate a set of rules carved into a piece of clay with the board game.

It became known as the Royal Game of Ur.

Two players have seven circular pieces each, which they must move in a loop across the beautifully carved wooden board.

If a player lands his piece on a square already occupied by his rival, he can knock off the original piece and his rival must start again.

Some of the 20 variously inlaid square places on the board offer players a refuge from being knocked off, or allow for a second roll of the unusual, pyramid-shaped dice.

Despite its simple rules, it makes for ferocious competition.

“It’s not just a game of luck, there’s strategy,” says Irving Finkel, the British Museum curator who worked to decipher the game’s rules.

Not only had they discovered the game’s playing instructions, he said in a video published last year by the museum, but also that it could be played for more than just fun, with some people betting for drink and women.

Iraqi artist Hoshmand Mofaq and British archaeologist Ashley Barlow, right, play an ancient board game, known as the Royal Game of Ur, in the northern Iraqi city of Raniey./AFP

Superstitious players in ancient Mesopotamia thought the outcome of each Royal Game was directed by the gods, or had an impact on their future.

Finkel said the board predated backgammon, a similar and extremely popular game now played across the Middle East.

“Before chess and before backgammon came into the world, everybody played this game,” Finkel says.

But it has largely been forgotten by modern-day Iraqis.

To revive the game’s prehistoric popularity, British archaeologist Ashley Barlow asked Muwafaq to recreate a board based on the dimensions and design of the original.

The aim is to create the first Ur game board “produced in Iraq for millennia,” says Barlow, who lectures at the University of Raparin in the town of Raniye, 400 kilometres north of Baghdad.

Although it was invented locally, the game seems to have reached communities hundreds of kilometres away, even as far as India.

“The board itself, with its Afghan Lapis lazuli and Pakistani carnelian [gemstones], is testament to a globalised world connected by traders, merchants and craftsmen,” Barlow adds.

By reviving the game back in its birthplace, he hopes Iraqis can move past recent decades of violence to build an identity based on a shared ancient past.

“We want to reintroduce and re-educate people in their Mesopotamian history, something they can be really proud of – something that unites people rather than divides people,” he says.

Barlow and his team of volunteers are on a mission to bring back the spirit of Mesopotamia by spreading the game – first in the north, and then hopefully to Baghdad and Mosul. Their first stop is the local park.

There, mainly older men play more mainstream games like checkers and backgammon – but can the Royal Game of Ur make a comeback?

“Yes!” says elderly Mam Rasool. “I would play if there is someone to play the game with, like the Mesopotamians did.”

End a blissful year with a “Pandora Exclusive Thank You Gift” by spending up to Bt9,000 (full-priced items only) to receive a free Limited Edition Silver “Firework Bangle”.

The promotion runs until December 9 at Pandora’s concept stores.

End a blissful year with a “Pandora Exclusive Thank You Gift” by spending up to Bt9,000 (full-priced items only) to receive a free Limited Edition Silver “Firework Bangle”.

The promotion runs until December 9 at Pandora’s concept stores.

End a blissful year with a “Pandora Exclusive Thank You Gift” by spending up to Bt9,000 (full-priced items only) to receive a free Limited Edition Silver “Firework Bangle”.

The promotion runs until December 9 at Pandora’s concept stores.

The world’s oldest such brand, established in 1828, Wang Lao Ji is hugely popular in China. As of this year, it has recorded sales there topping 20 billion yuan (US$2.88 billion).

In recent years, the brand has been present at a host of international events, ranging from the summer and winter Davos forums to the Fortune Global Forum. Globally it’s drawn the attention of an increasing number of consumers.

With an improved trading system overseas, Wang Lao Ji is now distributed in 60 countries and regions, and the US has become its secondlargest market after the Chinese mainland.

“Wang Lao Ji’s first overseas museum in New York will deepen consumer understanding of the Chinese herbal-tea culture and, more importantly, bring the 190-year-old Chinese brand to the world,” says Ye Jizeng, deputy general manager of Guangzhou Wang Lao Ji Great Health Industry.

The theme museum is modern on the exterior but has distinctive Chinese features inside, where a multimedia exhibition traces the brand’s history and successes.

It also has a Wang Lao Ji shop where trendy instant drinks in various flavours give consumers an authentic sip of China.

At a new historical starting point, Wang Lao Ji has drawn up a 10year plan for further development. It will continually champion a lifestyle that is healthy and auspicious and cater to consumers’ need to pursue a healthy life. It will do more with botanical energy drinks, aiming to become a global industry leader.

“Wang Lao Ji will set up herbal tea museums in 56 cities to promote the beneficial and auspicious beverage and spread Chinese culture globally,” says Chen Weiping, assistant general manager.

Thakorn Piyapan, head of Krungsri Consumer Group, noted that the Siam Takashimaya Credit Card is designed for those who love shopping at this leading Japanese department store and says that the points accumulated on the card can be redeemed for discounts at Siam Takashimaya, with 800 points being equal to Bt100. The card also offers up to 5-per-cent discounts at Takashimaya department stores in Japan, Singapore, Vietnam and China.

Somwang Toraktrakul, president of Krungsriayudhya Card, added: “There are three types of card, namely Siam Takashimaya Credit Card VISA/JCB, Siam Takashimaya Credit Card Finest, and Siam Takashimaya Credit Card Finest  Invitation Only. In addition to discounts at Takashimaya department stores in Thailand and overseas, as well as extra points, card-members also receive special privileges from Krungsri for spending outside the department stores, such as a Krungsri Bonus point for every Bt25 spent, which can be redeemed for prizes, and credit back with every Bt800 spent per receipt at participating Bangchak gas stations.  Additionally, Siam Takashimaya Credit Card Finest  Invitation Only members can also access Siam Takashimaya VIP Lounge and reserved parking at Siam Takashimaya.”

The launch of Siam Takashimaya Credit Card was attended by model and actress Sririta Jensen, Panida Iemsirinoppakul and her daughter Chuenjai, chef Art Supamongkol Supapipat, who introduced shopping and dining experiences with Siam Takashimaya Credit Card, and other celebrities including Orawan Ingkasit, Pimpayap Srikarnchana and Badintra Balankura, with Sawitri Rochanapruk.

Artists from around the world thrilled the audience with their unconventional talent during the launch of the global campaign “Tiger Roar Collective” held recently at Seoul’s Sebitseom (Gavit Island), a cultural complex usually reserved for more conventional arts and performances.

“Tiger Beer believes that great ideas are not just born in the boardroom but can come from the streets of the world, which is why we are all about championing raw talent who approach their craft in unconventional ways. We believe that these are the people who shape our future: a generation of world-changing individuals who push boundaries and fearlessly follow their passions,” Venus Teoh, international brands director of Tiger, told The Nation.

“For the very first time in Seoul, Tiger Beer is showcasing collaborations featuring these diverse talents at Tiger Roar. This is a celebration of our Uncaged Nights talent, and at the same time marks the beginning of more to come. With Tiger Roar Collective, we aim to unlock even more inner tigers of unconventional talent from around the world,” she added.

The first global campaign brought together many talented individuals from Germany, USA, UK, China, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore, Mongolia, Myanmar and Thailand, and from diverse fields such as music, dance, fashion, art, food, and technology. Among them were Vietnamese-American musician Brandon Mai or “Tin”, British rapper RoxXxan, German illustrator Russlan Kassimowitsch Tintschurin, Myanmar’s freestyle animation dancer Phyo Wai Ko Ko, Mongolian DJ and beatmaker Luvsanlkhundev Boldsaikhan or “Luuya”, and contemporary Chinese artist Chen Yingjie.

Also taking the stage were Malaysian chef Chan Wei Jun, Japanese experimental musician Masamichi Kato, Japanese violinist and composer Mei Segev, Singaporean entrepreneur and chef Tan Wee Yang, Singaporean fashion designer Amos Ananda Yeo, Korean chefs Kim Jae Eun & Heo Yun Hee from Seoul Truck and Park Chang Sung & Gregory Etheart from Bacon Realism, Korean visual artists Mina Kwon and Jeeyoung Lee, and Yimsamer, a group of light & technology experiental designers from Thailand.

“Tiger Roar plays with the words ‘roar’ and ‘raw’ and is the first global event of Tiger Beer, which is Singaporean in origin but positioned firmly in Asia. This event is designed to bring together talents from several countries around the world who present Tiger’s personality. We chose South Korea as the venue as it is one of the leading countries in Asia in terms of fashion and technology. Yimsamer is perfect for the global stage of this campaign,” said Patcharachanok Sil-Udom, Tiger and Cheers marketing manager in Thailand.

“Tiger Beer’s target group in Thailand are young urbanites so we chose Yimsamer as our ambassador for this campaign to encourage the new generation in Asia to uncage their passion and present their unique talents with a roar. We think that Yimsamer’s works are different from others in the country, as their concept is the blending of art with technology. They are a group of lighting designers who specialise in events and installations and we felt we could stand out by presenting their work. The global team really liked it and wanted Yimsamer’s installation to be part of the shows put on by other talents onstage. So, Yimsamer doesn’t just only show its work but also supports other artists,” she explained before the Seoul event, adding that Tiger Thailand would be producing a documentary about Yimsamer’s “Uncaged” for its website.

And sure enough, Yimsamer’s 4.5-metre-high kinetic light installation was put in pride of place in the centre of the cultural complex for the brand’s “Uncaged Night” event.

Built in three layers with 120 sets of LED strip lights, it featured an inner layer of strips softened by a piece of white cloth to give greater depth. The LED installation interacted with pitches from musicians on stage, underlining the collaborative nature of the event.

“This pillar is called ‘Tom Tom’,” said Kitsada Pisitsart, one of Yimsamer’s interior designers. “Our idea was to have a big pillar with LED strip lights around it that could be controlled. We used the computer to generate several pitches of traditional Thai musical instruments into a new form similar to klong yao or tom toms as a demonstration of our Thainess. This pillar consists of three layers of LED strip lights; each of them reacting to a different sound. It shows that music isn’t just only about the beat and melody but also depth. If you walk around it, you will see the different graphic images. Audience members who are standing in different corners of the hall will also see the different graphic images.

Audience members who are seated in different corners of the hall will also see the different graphic images.

“Yimsamer believes in design with technology. We work closely with engineers to come up with our installations. We call ourselves the ‘texperience designer’, a short form of technology experience designer. Our interactive works move with people. And the name Yimsamer is taken from a name of a fishing boat,” Kitsada adds.

Plans are already well ahead for the next event in Tiger Beer’s upcoming initiatives. Those wishing to take part can sign up at http://www.TigerBeerRoar.com before December 10. Talents selected for Tiger Beer’s next big initiative in 2019 will be announced by the end of the year.

BOX

Candy for the eyes

Watch the shows at https://tinyurl.com/y8gzzp42, https://tinyurl.com/y8pujhj5

IN EVERY SOCIETY, it takes courage to break silence and no more so than when the issue involves domestic violence, a plight suffered by women all over the world.

The figures speak for themselves: A study of violence against women in Thailand back in 2013 revealed that the number of violent attacks on women had risen to 87 cases a day, with 83 per cent of them committed by close relatives such as a spouse or family member. The latest information gathered by the Friends of Women Foundation shows that violence against Thai women is still common and has seen no significant decline. And if the violence itself weren’t enough, these problems are often hidden away in a society sadly lacking in real solutions and treatment.

On Monday, the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women) and its partners around the world launched the “16 Days of Activism Against GenderBased Violence”.

The campaign, which continues through December 10, uses the colour orange to represent power, hope, and the fight against sexual violence, and comes on the heels of global movements and grassroots campaigns such as #MeToo, #TimesUp, #Balance- TonPorc, #NiUnaMenos, #MeToo- India and “HollaBack!”

In Thailand, the theme is “Orange the World: #HearMeToo” and will encourages individuals, regardless of gender, communities, survivors and activists to speak their minds on women’s rights through a series of social engagement activities on the UN Women website and social media.

The global movement known as #MeToo became known around the world back in October 2017 but it saw the light several years earlier. The hashtag emphasising women’s rights and gender equality first appeared on the Myspace account of Tarana Burke, an AfricanAmerican civil rights activist in 2006. Burke used the phrase “Me Too” to raise awareness about the survivors of the traumatic experience, condemning sexual assault and sexual harassment of ethnic minority women in the United States. Since then, her courage has inspired millions of women to speak up and tell their stories, particularly as they relate to equal rights and gender equality.

In the interim, though, different types of violence towards women continued to spread. In 2017, Hollywood actress Alyssa Milano popularised the Me Too movement by putting #MeToo on her Twitter feed to raise awareness of sexual assault and sexual harassment across the world. That simple tweet provoked millions of women and celebrities to speak out about their own experiences, among them Lady Gaga and Evan Rachel Wood, all of them using the hash tag on social media.

To continue the momentum by partnering with companies under WPP Marketing Communications operating worldwide, UN Women is now joining forces with Thailand’s top advertising and public relations agencies including J Walter Thompson Bangkok, Mirum Thailand, Verve Public Relations Consultancy, Group M Thailand and Influos to drive the message home.

The campaign’s ultimate objectives are to tactfully uphold equal rights for all and to systematically stop violent deeds against all women. Four categories of violence – sexual, physical, emotional and economic – are prevalent in Thai society.

Areewan Jutathong, a lawyer and a women’s rights advocate for more than 20 years, and herself a one-time victim, says that one of the biggest problems in Thailand is the attitude that sees the victim rather than the perpetrator blamed. That is often enough to stop a woman from speaking out and even when she does, the justice system will force her to repeat what happened again and again. Of the 20,000 cases reported, only 3,000 cases get into the justice system and of these, a mere 200 end in a conviction, as the law allows for domestic or sexual violence cases to be settled out of court.

“Although, the legal system is much better now than it was 20 years ago, the big picture is still only being addressed by policy makers, and most of them are men. I’d like to see more women in politics and, perhaps more importantly, every family teaching young boys and girls to care and honour each other, as many studies show that men who hurt women have experienced or seen sexual violence as a child,” she says.

Thararat Panya, a law student from Thammasat University, used social media to share her case – sexual harassment by a senior student in the university. She says it took her months to decide if she should post what had happened to her without hiding her real name.

“Social media is effective and easy because it goes viral very fast. It reaches out many people and to various groups. Some people admire me, some praise my courage, some consult me, some feminists say I was inspiring, but many berate me. I’d like to see more networks and support through every channel,” she says.

This year, like on previous occasions, iconic buildings and monuments around the world are being “oranged” to call for a violence-free future including in Myanmar where Yangon City Hall, a central landmark, has been dressed in orange to bring attention to the issue both at home and elsewhere. Several European cities “oranged” their public buildings to mark the Orange the World: #HearMeToo campaign, including Rome, Vienna, and Liechtenstein. The City Hall of Paris was illuminated in orange two days ahead of the campaign launch while in Sweden the Stockholm Globe Arena was bathed in orange light.

A previously declared unsafe path in the Pristina City Park in Pristina, Kosovo went orange for the occasion. Colombia organised a public concert and lit public buildings in orange calling for women’s rights to live a life free of violence. In Rwanda, more than 1,000 people marched to the National Monument to mark the 16 Days of Activism campaign.

Nearer home, the banks of Hanoi’s Hoan Kiem lake played host to the global event “Dance for Kindness” with the participation of 5,000 dancers.

And Thailand? Sadly the authorities here didn’t deem it necessary to colour anything orange. Next year perhaps?

CAMPAIGNING FOR JUSTICE

To raise awareness of the current situation and encourage actions, several activities are being organised throughout the 16 days of the event.

– Orange Lipstick Campaign: women are encouraged to use orange lipstick and post their pictures on social media with the hashtag #hearmetoo. Each picture represents the courage to talk about their nightmares and highlight their strength to be their true selves, leading to an end in violence towards Thai women.

n Disruptive News Headlines: UN Women and local portal website MThai are urging public participation in changing negative news headlines on UN Women’s website about sexual violence to a positive one, whilst sharing it on social media to adjust the social perception of a woman being seen as a victim to a courageous survivor and demand justice and equality in society.

– Immersive 360-Degree Experience: Watch 360-degree experience simulations of violent events that illustrate the severity of this issue on http://www.hearmetoo.or.th and read additional information and advice on violence against women.

– Short Film: The story of Areewan “Auan” Jatuthong, former runner-up in the Miss Thailand pageant is being told at http://www.hearmetoo.or.th to inspire Thai women to speak up for their rights.

– Podcasts: Listen to reflections on violence as voiced by Thararat “Noon” Panya”, a law student from Thammasat University. Nantiya “Fon” Poomsuwan, a representative of Women and Men Progressive Movement Foundation and Wannachok Yimyong, Customers’ Relations Manager, J. Walter Thompson Bangkok on http://www.HearMetToo.or.th.

– Women needing help can call hotline 1300 in al confidentiality.

This third festival, which is taking place at the parking lot at front of Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel from tomorrow until Sunday (November 30 to December 2) from 4pm onwards, is on the theme “Singha Nak Chim” and features a mouth-watering line-up of foods from 44 popular restaurants.

The festival is divided into three zones: “Popular Dish” features the creations of Khrua Waraporn, Puudeong Annyeong, Gu Long Bao, Grill 63 Degree, Sea Bah Bar, Sotasa Salmon Delivery, Spaghetti House 789, Khrua Napas, Oh My Clam, Chicka Cheese, JJ Grill and Saw Sam Sai.

“Photogenic Dish” has Tiny Balls Ice Cream, Hotto Bun, GJ Leeker, Friend Cheese, Blooming Gallery, Happy Cheese Toast, Aitima Gelato, and Kutkono Coconut, while “Bucketlist Dish” is home to Mookrob Akong, BBQ Thai Herb, Bloc 26th Baby Octopus Takoyaki, Kinza Gyoza, Sugar’s Tale, Poo Khai Yerm by Mick, Mr Omelet, Eat Me Cheese, Khiew Kai Ka, Many Seeds Granola, Uan Na Mookrob Chashu, Nana Hoy Khrok, Uncle Boss Sausage, Farm Design, Chim Tim, R-Haan, Made by Todd and EST.33.

Top chefs Suphamongkhon “Art” Suppipat and Chudaree “Tam” Debhakam will demonstrate their exclusive dishes on Saturday at 6pm.

On hand to provide the entertainment are Getsunova, Stamp, Mild, Bell Supol, Pause and Playground as well as DJs from Kolour.

Find out more at Facebook.com/SinghaLite, and Instagram: Singha Lite.