Diplomats from 25 countries joined the recent journey of exploration to the Pluak Daeng Royal Development Study Centre and Pak Nam Prasae Community in Rayong Province in the third of five excursions organised by the Tourism Authority of Thailand as part of its project to showcase His Majesty the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s philosophy for sustainable tourism.

“The aim of this project is to connect the King’s philosophy with tourism,” explained Thapanee Kiatphaibool, executive director of the TAT’s Office of the Governor.

“When we announced the project, many diplomats expressed interest in studying the philosophy of King Bhumibol and his vision of resource management close up and, above all, how his philosophy is connected to tourism.”

The project, which has already seen trips to Ratchaburi and Nakhon Pathom and will also take in Nakhon Si Thammarat and Chiang Mai, is designed to preserve and develop the king’s philosophy. The late Monarch was honoured by the United Nations in recognition of his work and philosophy.

“For Rayong we need to combine places in order to connect tourist attractions. Therefore, we have integrated Thung Prong Thong, an unseen tourist attraction, with the Pluak Daeng community. The diplomats can experience the local lifestyles, cultures and wisdom by learning about the science of herbs and integrated farming, as well as wear Thai costumes.

Taking part in the trip were Waldemar Dubaniowski of the Polish Embassy and his wife Ewa; Tugsbilguun Tumurkhuleg of Mongolia with Doljinsuren Tsend-Ayush and their son; Noh Kwang-il of the Repuplic of Korea in Thailand with Oh Chung-wha and their son; Raushan Yesbulatova of the Republic of Kazakhstan in Thailand and her son; and Dr Sanjay Kumar, secretary to the Republic of India in Thailand with his wife. Judith Schildberger, secretary of the Austrian Republic in Thailand, came together with Irina Vorobeva, third secretary of the Russian Federation in Thailand and special guest, Deirdre Boyd, along with representatives from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).

“It was perfect! Definitely a worthwhile and interesting trip. Even though it was raining a little, the places we went to and the affection we could feel were unbelievable. Before I had only seen mangrove forests from afar, but today I got a chance to sail through the mangrove  forests, one of Thailand’s key tourist attractions. We were touched by the beauty of nature in the mangrove, which is really well preserved. My friends and I and the ambassadors enjoyed the trip greatly and I am certain that we can all agree that what made this trip so amazing was the kindness and friendliness of the local people. Overall, we were impressed with the splendid views, delicious food, and excellent company during the trip,” enthused Waldemar Dubaniowski at the end of the trip.

“It is so wonderful to see the local people using the King’s wisdom in their daily lives. I would like to thank the team for organising such an amazing trip. I got hands-on experience in cooking and the people I spent time with were always smiling and willing to help,” said Noh Kwang-il.

“I am so impressed that King Bhumibol was so dedicated to Thai citizens not only in Bangkok, but also to those living in rural, less developed areas. The King’s philosophy is very forward-thinking and his ability to apply the sufficiency economy theory into the daily lives of the local communities for the community’s benefits makes so much sense. We have heard about the sufficiency economy many times and to be able to see it being practised in real life made us realise its true potential. The King’s vision not only benefits Thai people but also people around the world. The theory can also be applied to other Asean countries,” said Raushan Yesbulatova.

This third route focused on the theory of sufficiency economy philosophy in raising livestock and local chickens and included a visit the Freshwater Fisheries Development Research Centre to watch fish species given by the king and a demonstration of sex reversal in Nile tilapia at the Pluak Daeng Royal Development Study Centre. The guests then went on to admire the breathtaking nature at Thung Prong Thong and travelled through the mangrove forests by boat.

The excursion included a stop at Sala Chalermprakiat to taste Indian Marsh tea, kanom kala, a local dessert made of sugar and coconut, and jang lon (roasted fish cakes).

ON THE ROAD AGAIN

– Follow the five routes of the project at http://www.tourismthailand.org/ kingwisdom.

“Gaysorn Menllennial is an interactive event where gentlemen, epicureans and those with meticulous taste can share inspiration for living life to the fullest in their own unique ways. This is the driving force behind the stylish transformation of Gaysorn Village into a destination to hangout with likeminded people, offering various aspects of life experiences. For the event, gentlemen are invited to indulge in their favourite pastimes and to embark on a mindset where lifestyle meets the millennial man. We hope our customers can experience a versatile concept which can be defined in two words – life & style,” says Charn Srivikorn, chairman of Gaysorn Property.

One of the highlights is “The Great Wine Harvest” that aims to turn Gaysorn into a wine enthusiasts playground, offering more than 150 labels of artisan, organic and rare wines.

On September 6, representatives from investment firm Yuanta Securities will be hand for discussions, while Dr Pramote Rienjaroensuk, editorial director of I Am Watch magazine , will talk about the latest timepieces.

Visitors are also invited to join a community of wine lovers and meet wine experts in the wine talk at Riedel Wine Bar & Cellar from September 6 to 9.

The wine harvesting festival, “Les Vendanges”, returns to Gaysorn Village from September 6 to 9 and offers an opportunity to find out more about the wine growing process from experts in the industry along with some of the wine makers themselves.

Then meet passionate importers of boutique wines from both Old and to New Worlds with over 150 labels to sample. Making their mark this year are the artisanal and bio-dynamic wines where growers take extra measures to ensure crisp, clean and sustainable wines for the entire world to enjoy.

Visitors can enjoy the finest wines throughout Gaysorn Village as 20 participating branded boutiques host special wine tasting pop-ups and each will serve a wine that truly reflects their brand identity.

For the fashion conscious The Artisan’s Royal Club brings together fashion and grooming essentials for men including Truefitt & Hill – one of the world’s oldest barbershop and grooming service, crafted shoe maker Mango Mojito , Selvedgework with custom made jeans, Notch with bespoke suit tailoring and Duke, a contemporary whiskey & cigar bar and art gallery.

The first flagship store in Thailand of the renowned Italian fashion brand Etro will hold a grand opening party on September 12.

Moreover, for those who love luxury cars, there’s a Car Showcase featuring Bentley, Porsche and Ducati Big Bike Ducati. The new Porsche Cayenne E-Hybrid will be unveiled for the first time in Thailand.

Lastly, check out the Men Market which offers every gentleman’s must-have items, accessories and cool gadgets, including Japanese handmade eyewear, clothes, hats, shoes, bags and much more.

For more information, visit Facebook.com/GaysornVillage/

Casio G-Shock Thailand recently celebrated its 35th anniversary by opening a store in the heart of Bangkok, on the third floor of CentralWorld, featuring innovative technology and interactive zones filled with hard-to-find collaborative pieces, available only at this locale.

“It’s a concept store built with the user-experience in mind,” says Viroj Sukpitak, senior vice president of Casio & Hardline.

“Exclusively for Thailand, G-Shock has created a space that encompasses everything G-Shock, showcasing an extensive product range and the latest inline watches.” The durability of the G-Shock Origins DW-5600 watch was demonstrated when it was dropped from the third floor to the ground.

Not only did it not shatter, the watch was totally unfazed, “still working!” as someone shouted.

Tong Twopee of the hip-hop duo Southside performed a mini-show that featured the new song “Aow La Woii”, and there was a fashion show with street-style celebrities modelling the different looks of G-Shock DNA.

“I believe G-Shock is one of Thais’ most favourite watches,” Tong enthused. “Especially with its rubber strap, it is attractive, durable and smart. We wear them when we’re kids and we still wear them even when we grow up because they’re more comfortable and functional.”

Tong was wearing a G-Shock MTG with a stainless steel strap. “It’s very basic, classic and simple and has 20-bar water resistance.”

“Absolute Toughness” is the concept behind the timepieces and the store, which looks as bold and futuristic as the latest streetwear.

The interactive areas include the “Tough Test Zone” where you can throw your watch at a wall, “#RareItems!” with limited editions, “3D Hyper-Visual Movies” with videos of shock-resistance testing, “G-Shock Bar” where you can Touch & Try every model, and “Fast View!” with a giant digital touchscreen catalogue.

Check out http://www.CasioCMG.com and the “Casio Watches Thailand” Facebook page.

The advice of authors Bill Burnett and Dave Evens – both Silicon Valley design innovators – will be discussed that afternoon in Mini Theatre Room 12 on the eighth floor of TK Park at CentralWorld.

Asian Leadership Academy co-founder and chief executive May Sripatanaskul and Rawit Hanutsaha, who translated the book into Thai, will lead the chat. Joining them will be Narin Jitpraneechai, co-founder of the social enterprise called achieve, which helps put Thai students on the right career path.

There’s no admission charge. Find out more at https://bit.ly/2OC4t9X.

Take your sunglasses

The 62nd Bangkok Gems & Jewellery Fair at Impact Arena from September 7 to 11 will have 900 domestic and overseas companies represented at 2,000 booths. Prepare to be dazzled by the diamonds, pearls, gold and other precious metals and costume and fashion jewellery, as well as the astonishing equipment used in the trade.

Metro Men/LGBT, The Moment, Heritage & Craftsmanship, Spiritual Power and Beyond Jewelry /Jewelry Crossover will participate in “The Niche Showcase”, featuring eyeglasses, mobile phones, clocks and home décor.

The show’s open to trade people from September 7 to 9 and the general public on September 10 and 11. Learn more at (02) 507 83923 and http://www.BkkGems.com.

Build a library

The Bangkok Art Book Fair will be held at Bangkok Citycity Gallery on Sathorn Soi 1 from September 6 to 9 with every kind of tome imaginable on sale. One speciality will be books on contemporary art and techniques for making contemporary art prints.

Get the details at (083) 087 2725.

‘Dorian Gray’ onstage

Oscar Wilde’s gothic and philosophical novel “The Picture of Dorian Gray” hits the stage at the Chatrium Residence Riverside’s Culture Collective Studio on Charoenkrung Soi 70 in Bangkok from September 13 to 16.

Director Loni Berry sets the play in a Bangkok jazz cabaret of the 1940s and ’50s. Tickets cost Bt1,000 at http://CultureCollective.com/productions/thepictureofdoriangray. Find out more at (089) 876 5400 and info@culturecollective.com.

Hoist a glass with O’Malley

O’Malley’s Irish Pub is opening a new branch in the basement of the United Centre Building on Bangkok’s Silom Road on Saturday.

Your favourite new “Irish local” will have the same extensive range of classic ales and pub food and a warm, welcoming staff.

The remarkable décor and the heady aroma permeating the latest branch of Casa Lapin at CentralWorld is enough for regular patrons of the six-year-old chain, but clearly the management is reaching for more.

“Because this branch is in the heart of Bangkok, we wanted to develop something much more complete than you see elsewhere,” says Ekachai Sukumvitaya, a partner in the business with Surapan Tanta and Termpong Yoovidhya.

“From the decoration to the extra spaciousness and added comfort, this is a great place for urbanites and tourists to enjoy a coffee in a cosy, chilled-out ambience.

“We never stop creating new dishes and beverages to please every customer. The coffee beans we use are selected with the emphasis on local produce, which features in our Supreme House Blend, because we aim to support Thai farmers.

“We regard this branch as our flagship outlet with its all-in-one function and we hope it will become another popular place to hang out.”

Casa Lapin is known for its characteristic coffee-making techniques such as Slow Bar and Aero-press and its innovative Steampunk coffee machine, a digital system guaranteed to bring out the best taste and aroma.

Its Single Origin coffee beans come from the best sources in Thailand, such as Ban Mae Chan Tai in Chiang Rai and Ban Mae Ton Luang in Chiang Mai. Beans are also imported from Ethiopia, Kenya, Costa Rica and Colombia according to season.

The menu offers two new fruity beverages.

Orange Garnish has Supreme House Blend coldbrewed with nitrogen and mixed with mandarin orange. Nitro Peach Tea gets the same nitrogen chill to evoke a soft and subtle texture, sweet taste and light aroma.

Favourites food orders on the menu include the French Toast Breakfast – a full Western-style breakfast with a thick slice of brioche dipped in egg and milk and roasted, grilled sausage, crispy bacon, spinach, stir-fried mushrooms and baked carrot.

Salmon Cream Cheese is a slice of fermented bread topped with cream cheese and presented with smoked salmon and vegetables.

Pork Spicy Miso is rice stir-fried with pork shoulder that’s not too fatty and concentrated Japanese miso sauce fired up for the Thai palate. That comes with tofu and seaweed miso soup.

For dessert there’s French Toast Berries, which is more of that egg-dipped brioche pan-grilled with berry sauce, and Chocolate Chip Hot Cake, the dough for which combines the textures of cake and cookies. It arrives with vanilla ice cream and Sea Salt Caramel.

Celebrities attending the opening included Prairpun Tumwattana, Pumi Sarasin, Alena Piamkulawanich, Vasuwat Kuhapremkit, Pirachai Bencharongkul, Ariya Tejapaibul, Supachai Kanjanasakchai, Kerika Chotivichit, Ployvarin Songpakorn, Rinrata Indamra, Kalayada Lohacharoenvanich, Atcha Charoenrasmikiat, Kwansupha Panyawuthikrai, Wanvisa Jitsakdannont, Sittamon Pholdee, Chompunood Rojsiriruch, Pitchanat Sakhakorn, Virithipa Bhakdiprasong, Chartayodom Hiranyathiti, Pimthong Washirakom and Kamolned Ruangsri.

Alena confessed to being a coffee addict in need of an iced Americano fix before work every morning.

“An Americano gives you the authentic taste of coffee and I can really enjoy it completely and feel alert. I personally like coffee from Thai beans because they have a unique aroma and fine taste,” she says.

Ployvarin loves inhaling the aroma at the café. “I generally order iced mocha that’s rich in both coffee and chocolate flavours and a sweet taste. I have it with a croissant.”

Vasuwat’s preference is an iced cappucino. “I find it easy to drink with the rich flavour and creamy texture, especially the soft milk foam, which makes it more delicious. I occasionally try whatever’s new. In summer I enjoy coffee infused with fruit juice because it’s refreshing.”

Prairpun is a fan of tea and chooses hers based on the aroma. “I find that the aroma enhances the flavour. I often drink hot matcha green tea with cake and enjoy the flavour of dessert even more.”

Shown two pictures of the same person — one with a happy expression and the other angry — 20 domesticated goats in an experiment were more likely to approach the smiling image and touch it with their snout, said researchers from Europe and Brazil.

“Goats looked and interacted on average 1.4 seconds with the happy faces and 0.9 seconds with the angry faces,” study co-author Christian Nawroth of the Queen Mary University of London told AFP.

“That means that goats spend approximately 50 percent more time to look and interact with happy images compared to angry ones.”

The study, published in the journal Royal Society Open Science, claims to provide the first evidence of goats reading human emotional expression.

The findings suggested “livestock species have very sophisticated minds to interpret their environment,” said Nawroth, and “likely adapt their behaviour” based on human facial expressions.

Goats, unlike dogs or horses, were not domesticated because of their ability to read and respond to human moods, but to provide their milk, meat, dung, and coats.

“The study has important implications for how we interact with livestock and other species, because the abilities of animals to perceive human emotions might be widespread and not just limited to pets,” said Nawroth’s colleague Alan McElligott.

The team found goats were even more likely to approach happy pictures when they were placed to the right of the angry image, suggesting the animals use the left side of their brain to process positive emotion.

Taiwan’s top court ruled in May 2017 that preventing same-sex marriage was unconstitutional and gave a two-year deadline for its legalisation — which would make the island the first place in Asia to do so.

But there has been little progress on the issue since then, with President Tsai Ing-wen saying society is still divided on the issue.

The anti-gay marriage Happiness of the Next Generation Alliance submitted a referendum petition to election authorities on Tuesday to try to prevent the civil code from being amended to recognise same-sex partnerships.

If successful, the move may instead require a separate law to be enacted for civil unions between same-sex couples — a move that gay marriage campaigners say would be discriminatory and offer fewer legal protections.

“The bottom line of basic family values shouldn’t be overturned,” alliance spokesman Tseng Hsien-ying told reporters after the petition was brought to the election commission.

“The collapse of the family system will deal a huge blow to society.”

Last year’s court decision did not give specific guidance on how same-sex relationships should be legislated.

The petition collected more than 678,000 signatures. If vetted and approved by the Central Election Commission, the referendum will be held to coincide with local elections in November.

The group said it would also lodge two more petitions with the commission later Tuesday.

One would remove same-sex education from the school curriculum, while the other redefines the civil code’s definition of marriage as being between a man and a woman.

The commission said it had a number of other referendum proposals to process first and will handle the group’s petition later Tuesday or Wednesday.

Gay rights campaigners are also rushing to gather signatures for their own referendum proposal, which would ask the public to vote to enshrine same-sex marriage in the civil code.

“We have to let those in power see very clearly the wishes of the people, and we hope they can amend the legislation as soon as possible,” said Miao Bo-ya, a key activist behind the campaign.

Referendum proposals in Taiwan are put to a public vote if they are supported by 1.5 percent of the electorate — a little over 280,000 signatures.

Plebiscites are legally binding and the government is obliged to propose laws that reflect their results.

Among the brands is Lungsin, a modern reflection of Indonesian cultural heritage inspired by traditional hand-woven textile, which offers casual and formal accessories in a blend of East and West designs.

Apip’s Batik is presented by well-known designer and artist, Afif Syakur, who has brought the batik culture of Pekalongan to his gallery in Yogyakarta, where he showcases more than 4,000 pieces of vintage batik while producing some 200 new pieces every month. The textiles have their own characteristics and designs, which utilise patterns from all over Indonesia in modern colours.

Wignyo Tenun Gaya is a local fashion brand that uses ethnic fabric for a modern ready-to-wear collection designed and developed by Wignyo Rahadi, the deputy chairman of the Indonesian Fashion Chamber. The products are well known and loved by their loyal clients because of the quality of the hand-woven fabrics and the simple designs.

Batik Kemayu, a brand established by Finny Sigar, an Indonesian national residing in Thailand, actively promotes Indonesian batik and other traditional fabrics.

“Remarkable Indonesia” also includes jewellery by Runi Palar, created for those who value individualism and which makes precious, one-of-a-kind talismans.

Ugari Collection, meanwhile, offers brooches, necklaces, rings, bracelets and earrings in exclusive designs characterised by traditional Indonesian motifs.

Chief content officer Jennifer Batty said the judges had “given us their vote of confidence by contributing their time and invaluable experience to seek out talented filmmakers in Asia to showcase their best scripts”.

“The successful first season and the positive response towards ‘HOOQ Filmmakers Guild’ paved the way for this second season and is a testament to our commitment to supporting the Asian film industry by providing an opportunity for talented filmmakers around the region to turn their ideas into a TV series.”

The panel will select the region’s most imaginative scripts and together with HOOQ help turn the stories into realities.

US$30,000 will be spent turning five selected scripts into a pilot episode that will debut on HOOQ, and the judges and viewers will decide which one deserves a complete season.

“I am really looking forward to seeing what creative, original and incredible stories will be developed that reflect the diversity and dynamism of Southeast Asia,” Robles Lana said.

“This is an exciting time for the industry in Asia,” Anwar added. “The scene is booming and there is a growing appetite for local productions. ‘HOOQ Filmmakers Guild’ opens the door for undiscovered filmmakers to show Asia and the world what they’ve got.”

Banjong said he was “proud to be representing Thailand with Adisorn on the judging panel”.

“Being a homegrown director myself, I am excited to be on this journey to discover the next batch of emerging talents in the region for the industry to continue to flourish.”

Surya, returning for the second year, said the judges and producers “were only scratching the surface in terms of discovering Asian talents last year, and yet we were blown away by the entries. I cannot wait to uncover more hidden gems in the second season.”

The winning series will be part of HOOQ’s original productions including “Yowis Ben”, “Ayat Ayat Cinta 2”, “Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts” and “Saranair Love You”.