Britain's ambassador to Thailand, Quinton Quayle, believes Thailand has a great culture, but one who needs to be convinced so is a predecessor who was here more than four decades ago. Quayle's urgent press statement offered a fresh and contrasting view on Thai society following bold criticism by Sir Anthony Rumbold, British ambassador to Thailand from 1965 to 1967.
The former envoy said of Thais: "They have no literature, no painting and only a very odd kind of music; their sculpture, ceramics and dancing are borrowed from others, and their architecture is monotonous and interior decoration hideous.
"Nobody can deny that gambling and golf are the chief pleasures of the rich, and that licentiousness is the main pleasure of them all."
Rumbold's statement was made in a personal letter to Britain's Foreign Office more than four decades ago, and was kept in the British National Archives until disclosed recently to the BBC under Freedom of Information.
Until 2006, British ambassadors retiring or moving countries traditionally sent a valedictory dispatch to London, offering candid personal assessments of the country in which they had served.
In his statement issued on Monday, Quayle - ambassador since 2007- said his views towards Thailand were very different from those of his predecessor of 42 years ago.
"Ever since I was first posted to Thailand 30 years ago [as second secretary, political], I have been impressed by the richness of Thai culture, be it art, sculpture, dance, music or literature.
"All this is embellished by the natural beauty of the landscape and the charm and warmth of the Thai people. The country for me certainly lives up to its brand name 'Amazing Thailand'," he said.
Officials from the Foreign Ministry will today speak before the House committee on foreign affairs about the undiplomatic remarks made by Sir Anthony Rumbold after he left Thailand in 1967.
The ministry's ambassador Isorn Pocmontri will lead officials from the Department of Europe Affairs to explain how the remark came from a valedictory letters traditionally sent by Foreign Office mandarins on completing an overseas posting and that it did not represent the views of the UK government.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Saturday, October 17, 2009
MONKS, PRIESTS AND . . . STEVEN SEAGAL
It's been a bad week for monks. I have a nightly radio show and in the space of three days we had three separate stories about wayward monks. On Monday it was a report about two ascetics in Pathum Thani who by day wore saffron robes, chanted upon request and maintained an air of solemnity as they went about their daily tasks with mindfulness.
By night they were equally as mindful as they changed into street clothes and stole motorbikes in the vicinity of their austere temple. If that wasn't bad enough,when the cops asked why they engaged in such criminal activities, they replied they needed the money to maintain their methamphetamine habit.Monks on methamphetamine ... now there's a B-grade action flick starring Steven Seagal if ever I heard one!
Tuesday's story was of a monk who text-messaged a woman constantly asking for sex. Then on Wednesday police raided a temple after villagers complained that the abbot was perpetually drunk. When they arrived they found beer and whisky bottles strewn about the monk's quarters amid an overwhelming stench of garlic.
Garlic? The abbot had stuffed his mouth full of garlic to kill the smell of alcohol, then stood there proclaiming:"I'm not drunk! I'm not drunk!"(Say that out loud after quickly consuming six screwdrivers,gesturing and pointing wildly, and you'll get an idea of his manner).Holding their noses and dryreaching, the men in clingy brown took him down to the station where he registered a blood alcohol reading of 110 millilitres - more than twice the legal limit for driving,and about four times the legal limit for preaching.
Three days in a row of wayward monk stories. My radio show cohost, the affable Krissana who is a bit of a spiritual soul himself, had to ask:"We seem to have so many stories like these nowadays. Tell me ... do you ever have problems with wayward priests in the Christian religion?"
Oh God. Live radio and he asks me that question?I momentarily bit my lip. My initial knee-jerk reaction was to defend my hallowed western culture, as we all do whenever somebody dares to criticise or question one's own culture.
"No, of course not. The Christian religion is faultless like western society," I could have said live on air. But it's such a terrible lie. It's like those weary old men who grace the Letters to the Editor pages of the Bangkok Post , damning and complaining and sending fireballs of spite and fury onto Thai society,sitting in their high chair of ivory,coming from a western country where by God we don't have any damn social or cultural problems.Problems with priests? How dare you even ask, Krissana! We're not like your dirty little monks leading double lives! We're farangs!
But knee-jerk soon drifts into solemn sensibility. With the exception of our ageing letter-writing fraternity, I think most of us can see that in the end we human beings are all bloody well the same. Including men of the cloth, regardless of whether that cloth is saffron or back-to-front white collar.
I was brutally honest and up front."Yes,we have terrible problems with priests," I told Krissana, and our listening public."We have problems with alcohol; too many priests are drunkards. Most disturbing is the problem of paedophilia, which emotionally scars children for life. Even the Pope had to apologise for it."
Such an answer comes as a relief to the likes of Krissana, who understands that monks and priests who engage in such activities are in the minority and if you choose to have a religion, then it should not be compromised by a guy who uses saffron to get chicks or a white collar to crack onto under-aged boys.
"And have you ever witnessed bad monks or priests first hand?" Krissana then asked, as I gave him my one-questiontoo-many look.
Thankfully as a child growing up in suburban Sunnybank, a satellite suburb of Brisbane verging on Queensland hick yet ultimately survivable, we had a lovely local priest named Father John, who only ever fondled the tassels on his robes midsermon. But I did once experience a wayward monk, and it was with my father of all people.
It was 2005, and while driving my father to see Phanom Rung, I pulled my back out in a far-flung gas station between Sa Kaew and Buri Ram.
(And what a scene that was. Me, standing by the car having just jumped out of the driver's seat screaming in pain because I couldn't move, with my father shouting "what's wrong? What"s wrong?", a gas station groupie asking "aren't you the bald guy who teaches English on TV?" and the gas station kid demanding, despite my screams of pain:"480 baht - do you want a receipt?")
My father had to drive me back to a hospital in Sa Kaew where I was wheeled into the emergency room.
I happened to arrive right alongside an unconscious monk, who was assigned the bed next to me.
"Do you mind if I just check him first?"asked the doctor. I had no problem with that thanks to a generous shot of a painkilling drug, the kind I wish I could keep in a vial in my trouser pocket just to take the edge off daily life.
Accompanying the unconscious monk was a temple boy dressed in rags and possessing a look that belied his mental
shortcomings. Through no fault of his own he had to have been the first offspring of the winners of the Mr and Miss Sa Kaew Idiot Pageant 1990.
"Did the abbot eat anything unusual today?" the doctor asked.
Temple boy shook his head slowly, as if such an act too quickly may cause a hollow knocking sound from inside his head."Gor ... no. He ate normally," he said.
"Did he do anything out of the ordinary?" the doctor asked.
"Gor ... there was a novice monk ordination ceremony this morning.In the middle of it he just collapsed,"he said slowly with blank eyes.
"So there was nothing unusual to warrant his collapse?" the doctor asked.
There was another shake of the slow head, then silence. It was a mental stand off. Then a tiny, tiny,dim flicker of a lonely light in the boys eyes.
"There is one thing," he said matter-of-factly."The abbot didn't drink whisky today."
An uncomfortable silence. The doctor looked over to me, who despite my pain was listening to every word.
"He ... didn't drink whisky ...today," the doctor said."Normally he drinks whiskey?"
"Gor ... every morning khrab ,"said temple boy, proud he could be of help."But today he didn't have time because of the ordination ceremony." The doctor patted the temple boy's dull shoulder and thanked him for his help, saying the abbot would be fine as soon as he recovered from his DTs.
Such monks are great fodder for a column such as this. Not so great fodder, sadly, are the majority of P:P monks and priests I have met who have given me such insight into Oance, who never fail to impress me.For those guys we must meet in another column ..."Daily MindfulSness" perhaps? As for Sanook , bring on the drunkards, drug addicts and paedophiles! What else could Steven Seagal possibly do if it weren't for them?
By night they were equally as mindful as they changed into street clothes and stole motorbikes in the vicinity of their austere temple. If that wasn't bad enough,when the cops asked why they engaged in such criminal activities, they replied they needed the money to maintain their methamphetamine habit.Monks on methamphetamine ... now there's a B-grade action flick starring Steven Seagal if ever I heard one!
Tuesday's story was of a monk who text-messaged a woman constantly asking for sex. Then on Wednesday police raided a temple after villagers complained that the abbot was perpetually drunk. When they arrived they found beer and whisky bottles strewn about the monk's quarters amid an overwhelming stench of garlic.
Garlic? The abbot had stuffed his mouth full of garlic to kill the smell of alcohol, then stood there proclaiming:"I'm not drunk! I'm not drunk!"(Say that out loud after quickly consuming six screwdrivers,gesturing and pointing wildly, and you'll get an idea of his manner).Holding their noses and dryreaching, the men in clingy brown took him down to the station where he registered a blood alcohol reading of 110 millilitres - more than twice the legal limit for driving,and about four times the legal limit for preaching.
Three days in a row of wayward monk stories. My radio show cohost, the affable Krissana who is a bit of a spiritual soul himself, had to ask:"We seem to have so many stories like these nowadays. Tell me ... do you ever have problems with wayward priests in the Christian religion?"
Oh God. Live radio and he asks me that question?I momentarily bit my lip. My initial knee-jerk reaction was to defend my hallowed western culture, as we all do whenever somebody dares to criticise or question one's own culture.
"No, of course not. The Christian religion is faultless like western society," I could have said live on air. But it's such a terrible lie. It's like those weary old men who grace the Letters to the Editor pages of the Bangkok Post , damning and complaining and sending fireballs of spite and fury onto Thai society,sitting in their high chair of ivory,coming from a western country where by God we don't have any damn social or cultural problems.Problems with priests? How dare you even ask, Krissana! We're not like your dirty little monks leading double lives! We're farangs!
But knee-jerk soon drifts into solemn sensibility. With the exception of our ageing letter-writing fraternity, I think most of us can see that in the end we human beings are all bloody well the same. Including men of the cloth, regardless of whether that cloth is saffron or back-to-front white collar.
I was brutally honest and up front."Yes,we have terrible problems with priests," I told Krissana, and our listening public."We have problems with alcohol; too many priests are drunkards. Most disturbing is the problem of paedophilia, which emotionally scars children for life. Even the Pope had to apologise for it."
Such an answer comes as a relief to the likes of Krissana, who understands that monks and priests who engage in such activities are in the minority and if you choose to have a religion, then it should not be compromised by a guy who uses saffron to get chicks or a white collar to crack onto under-aged boys.
"And have you ever witnessed bad monks or priests first hand?" Krissana then asked, as I gave him my one-questiontoo-many look.
Thankfully as a child growing up in suburban Sunnybank, a satellite suburb of Brisbane verging on Queensland hick yet ultimately survivable, we had a lovely local priest named Father John, who only ever fondled the tassels on his robes midsermon. But I did once experience a wayward monk, and it was with my father of all people.
It was 2005, and while driving my father to see Phanom Rung, I pulled my back out in a far-flung gas station between Sa Kaew and Buri Ram.
(And what a scene that was. Me, standing by the car having just jumped out of the driver's seat screaming in pain because I couldn't move, with my father shouting "what's wrong? What"s wrong?", a gas station groupie asking "aren't you the bald guy who teaches English on TV?" and the gas station kid demanding, despite my screams of pain:"480 baht - do you want a receipt?")
My father had to drive me back to a hospital in Sa Kaew where I was wheeled into the emergency room.
I happened to arrive right alongside an unconscious monk, who was assigned the bed next to me.
"Do you mind if I just check him first?"asked the doctor. I had no problem with that thanks to a generous shot of a painkilling drug, the kind I wish I could keep in a vial in my trouser pocket just to take the edge off daily life.
Accompanying the unconscious monk was a temple boy dressed in rags and possessing a look that belied his mental
shortcomings. Through no fault of his own he had to have been the first offspring of the winners of the Mr and Miss Sa Kaew Idiot Pageant 1990.
"Did the abbot eat anything unusual today?" the doctor asked.
Temple boy shook his head slowly, as if such an act too quickly may cause a hollow knocking sound from inside his head."Gor ... no. He ate normally," he said.
"Did he do anything out of the ordinary?" the doctor asked.
"Gor ... there was a novice monk ordination ceremony this morning.In the middle of it he just collapsed,"he said slowly with blank eyes.
"So there was nothing unusual to warrant his collapse?" the doctor asked.
There was another shake of the slow head, then silence. It was a mental stand off. Then a tiny, tiny,dim flicker of a lonely light in the boys eyes.
"There is one thing," he said matter-of-factly."The abbot didn't drink whisky today."
An uncomfortable silence. The doctor looked over to me, who despite my pain was listening to every word.
"He ... didn't drink whisky ...today," the doctor said."Normally he drinks whiskey?"
"Gor ... every morning khrab ,"said temple boy, proud he could be of help."But today he didn't have time because of the ordination ceremony." The doctor patted the temple boy's dull shoulder and thanked him for his help, saying the abbot would be fine as soon as he recovered from his DTs.
Such monks are great fodder for a column such as this. Not so great fodder, sadly, are the majority of P:P monks and priests I have met who have given me such insight into Oance, who never fail to impress me.For those guys we must meet in another column ..."Daily MindfulSness" perhaps? As for Sanook , bring on the drunkards, drug addicts and paedophiles! What else could Steven Seagal possibly do if it weren't for them?
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
MEDITATING ON HISTORY
Old memories are revived as the 15th-century vihara of a Phitsanulok wat opens its doors to a huge collection of antiques
For centuries the old vihara of Wat Ratchaburana served as home to a single golden Buddha image. Then last year, things changed. With the blessing of the abbot, Phra Khru Sittithammawipach, hundreds of antiques were placed inside the building.
"The idea is to allow people to view the rare items during their visits," says the old monk. "The aniques' donors dreamt of creating a museum and learning centre."
The vihara was chosen, says Sittithammawipach, because it had ample space to house the large collection. It's now been unofficially dubbed the Wat Ratchaburana Museum.
"Some of the items here are very rare," says the abbot, who is seeking help from the Fine Arts Department to date them and provide descriptions for visitors.
This is thought to be the first time such a venerable vihara has been used as a museum. The vihara and chedi are original constructions that date back to the reign of King Boromma Trailokana (1448-1488). The temple was declared a site of historical importance in 1936.
Those deep historical roots are what inspired the generosity of the museum's major donor, Lert Ruangtim.
"I built up my collection over more than a decade. Its value is incalculable," says the 51-year-old, who came across many of the antiques while trading in old timber.
"A business acquaintance dropped by my house and said the collection should be on public display. He mentioned Wat Ratchaburana as a possible site and I liked the idea of donating the antiques to a religious cause."
Though born in Phitsanulok, Lert admits that he had never visited Wat Ratchaburana before the museum plan came up.
Most people overlook the temple in favour fo nearby Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat where the famous Phra Buddha Chinnaraj image is enshrined.
"When the museum idea was floated, I went to check out Wat Ratchaburana. I was thrilled to see how the ubosot had escaped the Burmese invasions unscathed. I gave the green light to my business friend's plan immediately."
Though it is worth many times as much, Lert accepted the Bt200,000 offered by the businessman for his collection. "I agreed because I wanted the rare items to be conserved and displayed in the temple's vihara for years to come," he said.
Turning the vihara into a museum has brought no objections from the Fine Arts Department. Director of Fine Arts Department Office 6, Anan Chuchote, says he would be happy to help identify and categorise the antiques for display.
"We are ready to support the establishment of the museum as long as it does not adversely affect the temple's historical-site status," he said. "It should not damage its identity as a place of worship either, though personally I think the old temple has enough to boast about without the new attraction."
However, there might be trouble brewing for the museum. The Fine Arts Department is planning to renovate the fading murals that adorn the walls of the vihara and ubosot and the antiques will have to be moved out for the duration of the work. That could just agitate their donor.
WAT RATCHABURANA
- Location: Tambon Nai Muang, Muang district, Phitsanulok
- Background: The temple was built during the 15-year period (1468-88) when King Boromma Trailokanat moved his capital to Phitsanulok. Over the centuries, visiting kings have made additions to the original.
- The ubosot was originally built in the style of the Sukhothai era but was later renovated according to Ayutthaya- and Rattanakosin-period designs. Its walls are adorned with early Rattanakosin-era murals.
- Likewise, the vihara's original Sukhothai-era design has been altered with later additions. Enshrined behind its Rattanakosin-era carved wooden doors is a Sukhothai-era Buddha image made of gold.
- The chedi, located behind the original ubosot, was built by Sukhothai-era craftsmen and underwent renovations during the Ayutthaya and then Rattanakosin periods. Local legend has it that the remains of King Boromma are enshrined within.
- The Tripitaka scripture tower and the bell tower are Rattanakosin-era constructions which have undergone many renovations.
For centuries the old vihara of Wat Ratchaburana served as home to a single golden Buddha image. Then last year, things changed. With the blessing of the abbot, Phra Khru Sittithammawipach, hundreds of antiques were placed inside the building.
"The idea is to allow people to view the rare items during their visits," says the old monk. "The aniques' donors dreamt of creating a museum and learning centre."
The vihara was chosen, says Sittithammawipach, because it had ample space to house the large collection. It's now been unofficially dubbed the Wat Ratchaburana Museum.
"Some of the items here are very rare," says the abbot, who is seeking help from the Fine Arts Department to date them and provide descriptions for visitors.
This is thought to be the first time such a venerable vihara has been used as a museum. The vihara and chedi are original constructions that date back to the reign of King Boromma Trailokana (1448-1488). The temple was declared a site of historical importance in 1936.
Those deep historical roots are what inspired the generosity of the museum's major donor, Lert Ruangtim.
"I built up my collection over more than a decade. Its value is incalculable," says the 51-year-old, who came across many of the antiques while trading in old timber.
"A business acquaintance dropped by my house and said the collection should be on public display. He mentioned Wat Ratchaburana as a possible site and I liked the idea of donating the antiques to a religious cause."
Though born in Phitsanulok, Lert admits that he had never visited Wat Ratchaburana before the museum plan came up.
Most people overlook the temple in favour fo nearby Wat Phra Sri Rattana Mahathat where the famous Phra Buddha Chinnaraj image is enshrined.
"When the museum idea was floated, I went to check out Wat Ratchaburana. I was thrilled to see how the ubosot had escaped the Burmese invasions unscathed. I gave the green light to my business friend's plan immediately."
Though it is worth many times as much, Lert accepted the Bt200,000 offered by the businessman for his collection. "I agreed because I wanted the rare items to be conserved and displayed in the temple's vihara for years to come," he said.
Turning the vihara into a museum has brought no objections from the Fine Arts Department. Director of Fine Arts Department Office 6, Anan Chuchote, says he would be happy to help identify and categorise the antiques for display.
"We are ready to support the establishment of the museum as long as it does not adversely affect the temple's historical-site status," he said. "It should not damage its identity as a place of worship either, though personally I think the old temple has enough to boast about without the new attraction."
However, there might be trouble brewing for the museum. The Fine Arts Department is planning to renovate the fading murals that adorn the walls of the vihara and ubosot and the antiques will have to be moved out for the duration of the work. That could just agitate their donor.
WAT RATCHABURANA
- Location: Tambon Nai Muang, Muang district, Phitsanulok
- Background: The temple was built during the 15-year period (1468-88) when King Boromma Trailokanat moved his capital to Phitsanulok. Over the centuries, visiting kings have made additions to the original.
- The ubosot was originally built in the style of the Sukhothai era but was later renovated according to Ayutthaya- and Rattanakosin-period designs. Its walls are adorned with early Rattanakosin-era murals.
- Likewise, the vihara's original Sukhothai-era design has been altered with later additions. Enshrined behind its Rattanakosin-era carved wooden doors is a Sukhothai-era Buddha image made of gold.
- The chedi, located behind the original ubosot, was built by Sukhothai-era craftsmen and underwent renovations during the Ayutthaya and then Rattanakosin periods. Local legend has it that the remains of King Boromma are enshrined within.
- The Tripitaka scripture tower and the bell tower are Rattanakosin-era constructions which have undergone many renovations.
Monday, October 12, 2009
Pope puts five more on road to sainthood
Pope Benedict XVI yesterday canonised five new saints, including a man who dedicated his life to lepers in Hawaii and another considered one of the greatest mystics of the 20th century.
The Pope also canonised Jeanne Jugan of France, who founded the order of the Little Sisters of the Poor. By the time she died in 1879, her institute had 2,500 workers looking after elderly women in 177 homes around the world.
Jozef Damian de Veuster of Belgium moved to Molokai in Hawaii at the end of the 19th century, where he became known as "the lepers' apostle" for living on a colony for 16 years until he himself died in 1889 of the disease.
Also canonised were Polish Archbishop Zygmunt Szczesny Felinski (1822-1895)and two Spanish monks - a Dominican,Francisco Coll y Guitart (1812-1875) and aTrappist, Rafael Arnaiz Baron (1911-1938).
Baron, considered one of the greatest mystics of the 20th century, died aged 27 while he was a member of the Cistercian Order of Strict Observance.
The Pope also canonised Jeanne Jugan of France, who founded the order of the Little Sisters of the Poor. By the time she died in 1879, her institute had 2,500 workers looking after elderly women in 177 homes around the world.
Jozef Damian de Veuster of Belgium moved to Molokai in Hawaii at the end of the 19th century, where he became known as "the lepers' apostle" for living on a colony for 16 years until he himself died in 1889 of the disease.
Also canonised were Polish Archbishop Zygmunt Szczesny Felinski (1822-1895)and two Spanish monks - a Dominican,Francisco Coll y Guitart (1812-1875) and aTrappist, Rafael Arnaiz Baron (1911-1938).
Baron, considered one of the greatest mystics of the 20th century, died aged 27 while he was a member of the Cistercian Order of Strict Observance.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
FOR POSTERITY NAN FOREVER
A series of photos capturing the beauty of the day-to-day lives of locals living in hot tourist spots By Sirinya Wattanasukchai
"We're trying to show the local people the beauty of their everyday lives that they themselves are often not aware of
It's rare to be randomly caught on camera while going about one's everyday life in a place that happens to be a tourist destination and then see the result in a printed photograph at a public display. Yet the Foto United Club is making that happen to many people in their "Eternally Nan:100 Dream Photos" exhibition now being held in Nan province.
"We're trying to show the local people the beauty of their everyday lives that they themselves are often not aware of,"says Chiranan Pitpreecha, a founding member of the Foto United Club.
Started in September last year, the club is the effort of a group of photographers who began by taking photos of Sam Chuk market in Suphan Buri province. They officially opened their club by putting those pioneering images on show at their "Old Markets Never Die" exhibition at that market for the locals to see themselves in print. The next target was Phuket province, where locals had the opportunity to see themselves and their Sino-Portuguese main town in print in "One Day in My Beloved Phuket". After that, the lenses were focused on Bangkok,and then the cameras arrived in Nan.
Through this activity, the club is not only revealing the beauty of the culture and nature of Nan through photographs to build a sense of collective pride among the residents, but also to promote the province as it really is to outsiders.
Now in progress at Nan's municipal plaza, the exhibition features 100 photographs of Nan by 51 Foto United Club professional and amateur photographers.In their search for locations for the best shots, the club members hoped that the charm of the sites and events selected would enhance the collective pride of the locals and spur them to protect their heritage.
During their recent trip there to carry out their task, the photographers saw the small town in their own, different ways and interpreted its enchantment through their lenses according to their individual conclusions. Some captured the slow-paced lifestyle of the elderly,while others embedded the cultural moments generated by the rows of saffronrobed monks and temples. Many yearned for the remnants of civilisation lost as reflected in the eyes of children, and warned of the danger of nature disappearing and being replaced by a landscape of modernity.
Chiranan, a SEA Write Award-winning poet, fell in love with Bo Klue while trying to find the best views to represent the place. For many, a remote area would be just another mundane environment, but for her, it's a stopover on the route through history. She recorded untouched nature in her two photographs. One features an ox in a green paddy and the other portrays an ear of ripening rice against the background of a vast rice field. While the ox is symbolic of the province, the ripening rice represents the unique rice terraces in the province.
"Using these two 'models'[the photographs] is a lot more sensible than hiring a celebrity to convince the people to preserve their city," says Chiranan. If they are not proud of their homeland,the locals will be more likely to be influenced by a foreign culture that is inappropriate for them.
On the other hand, if they have great pride, they will be fortified to tackle any foreign intrusion.
Nan city and the province as a whole are expected to be the next popular tourism destination now that tourists from all over the world have penetrated every inch of Pai in Mae Hong Son province and have thoroughly explored Loei's Chiang Khan district.
Somjate Wimolkasem, a history teacher who acted as guide during the scouting trip, says Nan lost the chance to keep abreast with material progress and technology during the past several decades.He adds that one main positive outcome of that lost opportunity is that Nan is now a city without beggars roaming the streets or a red-light district.
While other towns and provinces are losing their identity, says Teeraparb Lohitkul, a writer/photographer and a founding member of the club, the richness of its nature and culture has been well maintained, which makes Nan unique.
Tourists often think of Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, but Kriengkrai Waiyakij, another member, who claims to have visited every province in the country, says Nan has a lot more to offer in terms of traditions and authenticity. It has changed the least in the period between his first visit in 1993, a trip 10 years ago, and now.
His photos feature a Mlabri boy and a Mlabri girl in contemporary outfits, instead of the nomadic tribe's yellow bamboo leaves. It was the curiosity and expectation living in those eyes that Kriangkrai wanted to convey.
The blue background of the picture featuring the staring girl reflects the sadness and change that have taken over the Mlabri.
The original lifestyle of hunting or living with nature has now become history.Nobody knows what the future of the tribe will be as the world continues to change and tourists keep coming in, he says.
"Wearing yellow bamboo leaves is no longer their lifestyle. Their heritage has simply become an outfit for welcoming tourists,' says Kriengkrai, lamenting the disappearing lifestyle and the replacement behaviour staged for tourism out of necessity.
Teeraparb would like tourists to see Nan as it is now, devoid of any architectural eyesores, but, at the same time, he wants to let the province develop in its own way, unscathed.
Chiranan doesn't want Nan to be isolated or stuck in the Stone Age to attract tourists temporarily escaping from their fast-paced world, nor does she wish to see the Mlabri wear their yellow bamboo leaves in daily life as a matter of course in the face of the fashion onslaught that is evidently taking place in many quarters of the city."They have a right to catch up with modernity, but they should be allowed to do so at their own pace," she says.
The award-winning poet frets that tourism destinations frequently change too fast following an influx of tourists."When they can't find a Starbucks, they [the tourists] start to complain."
On its part, the exhibition is a first step towards raising the locals' awareness of the inherent enchantment of their lifestyle. By embarking on this journey,the club is encouraging the provincial administration and the community to lend a hand to continue to preserve their town."We're not Superman. We can't do everything," says Chiranan.
The club is continuing its mission of coming up with projects that depict the outstanding characteristics of off-thebeaten-track destinations. A selection of photographs from the Nan exhibition will be published as a pictorial book.
The 'Eternally Nan:100 Dream Photos' showcase at Ruen Mok Fah at Nan's municipal plaza runs until October 28. Some of the photos have been selected to be part of the 'Old Markets Never Die' exhibitions at the Nan Riverside Art Gallery until October 28.
"We're trying to show the local people the beauty of their everyday lives that they themselves are often not aware of
It's rare to be randomly caught on camera while going about one's everyday life in a place that happens to be a tourist destination and then see the result in a printed photograph at a public display. Yet the Foto United Club is making that happen to many people in their "Eternally Nan:100 Dream Photos" exhibition now being held in Nan province.
"We're trying to show the local people the beauty of their everyday lives that they themselves are often not aware of,"says Chiranan Pitpreecha, a founding member of the Foto United Club.
Started in September last year, the club is the effort of a group of photographers who began by taking photos of Sam Chuk market in Suphan Buri province. They officially opened their club by putting those pioneering images on show at their "Old Markets Never Die" exhibition at that market for the locals to see themselves in print. The next target was Phuket province, where locals had the opportunity to see themselves and their Sino-Portuguese main town in print in "One Day in My Beloved Phuket". After that, the lenses were focused on Bangkok,and then the cameras arrived in Nan.
Through this activity, the club is not only revealing the beauty of the culture and nature of Nan through photographs to build a sense of collective pride among the residents, but also to promote the province as it really is to outsiders.
Now in progress at Nan's municipal plaza, the exhibition features 100 photographs of Nan by 51 Foto United Club professional and amateur photographers.In their search for locations for the best shots, the club members hoped that the charm of the sites and events selected would enhance the collective pride of the locals and spur them to protect their heritage.
During their recent trip there to carry out their task, the photographers saw the small town in their own, different ways and interpreted its enchantment through their lenses according to their individual conclusions. Some captured the slow-paced lifestyle of the elderly,while others embedded the cultural moments generated by the rows of saffronrobed monks and temples. Many yearned for the remnants of civilisation lost as reflected in the eyes of children, and warned of the danger of nature disappearing and being replaced by a landscape of modernity.
Chiranan, a SEA Write Award-winning poet, fell in love with Bo Klue while trying to find the best views to represent the place. For many, a remote area would be just another mundane environment, but for her, it's a stopover on the route through history. She recorded untouched nature in her two photographs. One features an ox in a green paddy and the other portrays an ear of ripening rice against the background of a vast rice field. While the ox is symbolic of the province, the ripening rice represents the unique rice terraces in the province.
"Using these two 'models'[the photographs] is a lot more sensible than hiring a celebrity to convince the people to preserve their city," says Chiranan. If they are not proud of their homeland,the locals will be more likely to be influenced by a foreign culture that is inappropriate for them.
On the other hand, if they have great pride, they will be fortified to tackle any foreign intrusion.
Nan city and the province as a whole are expected to be the next popular tourism destination now that tourists from all over the world have penetrated every inch of Pai in Mae Hong Son province and have thoroughly explored Loei's Chiang Khan district.
Somjate Wimolkasem, a history teacher who acted as guide during the scouting trip, says Nan lost the chance to keep abreast with material progress and technology during the past several decades.He adds that one main positive outcome of that lost opportunity is that Nan is now a city without beggars roaming the streets or a red-light district.
While other towns and provinces are losing their identity, says Teeraparb Lohitkul, a writer/photographer and a founding member of the club, the richness of its nature and culture has been well maintained, which makes Nan unique.
Tourists often think of Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai, but Kriengkrai Waiyakij, another member, who claims to have visited every province in the country, says Nan has a lot more to offer in terms of traditions and authenticity. It has changed the least in the period between his first visit in 1993, a trip 10 years ago, and now.
His photos feature a Mlabri boy and a Mlabri girl in contemporary outfits, instead of the nomadic tribe's yellow bamboo leaves. It was the curiosity and expectation living in those eyes that Kriangkrai wanted to convey.
The blue background of the picture featuring the staring girl reflects the sadness and change that have taken over the Mlabri.
The original lifestyle of hunting or living with nature has now become history.Nobody knows what the future of the tribe will be as the world continues to change and tourists keep coming in, he says.
"Wearing yellow bamboo leaves is no longer their lifestyle. Their heritage has simply become an outfit for welcoming tourists,' says Kriengkrai, lamenting the disappearing lifestyle and the replacement behaviour staged for tourism out of necessity.
Teeraparb would like tourists to see Nan as it is now, devoid of any architectural eyesores, but, at the same time, he wants to let the province develop in its own way, unscathed.
Chiranan doesn't want Nan to be isolated or stuck in the Stone Age to attract tourists temporarily escaping from their fast-paced world, nor does she wish to see the Mlabri wear their yellow bamboo leaves in daily life as a matter of course in the face of the fashion onslaught that is evidently taking place in many quarters of the city."They have a right to catch up with modernity, but they should be allowed to do so at their own pace," she says.
The award-winning poet frets that tourism destinations frequently change too fast following an influx of tourists."When they can't find a Starbucks, they [the tourists] start to complain."
On its part, the exhibition is a first step towards raising the locals' awareness of the inherent enchantment of their lifestyle. By embarking on this journey,the club is encouraging the provincial administration and the community to lend a hand to continue to preserve their town."We're not Superman. We can't do everything," says Chiranan.
The club is continuing its mission of coming up with projects that depict the outstanding characteristics of off-thebeaten-track destinations. A selection of photographs from the Nan exhibition will be published as a pictorial book.
The 'Eternally Nan:100 Dream Photos' showcase at Ruen Mok Fah at Nan's municipal plaza runs until October 28. Some of the photos have been selected to be part of the 'Old Markets Never Die' exhibitions at the Nan Riverside Art Gallery until October 28.
Friday, October 9, 2009
Van Gogh's letters show his method, not madness
While Vincent van Gogh has become almost as famed for his troubled mind as for his paintings, a new exhibition in the Van Gogh Museum seeks to remind us there was more method than madness to his style.
In honour of the publication of a new compendium of all the artist's known correspondence, the museum has put more than 100 personal letters in which he discusses his craft on display alongside the actual paintings.
Museum director Axel Ruger said the exhibit, opening today, is arranged to make a visitor feel "as if you are being led through the collection with Van Gogh giving commentary on his own work".
Seeing the letters next to the paintings underlines Van Gogh's professionalism,which is sometimes overlooked amid spectacular biographical details such as his mental illness, his apparent amputation of part of his own left ear, and his suicide in 1890 at age 37.
In the letters - known from recent books and films - Van Gogh writes about both the philosophy of painting and the technical details.
"I'm working on those peasants around a dish of potatoes again," he said in a letter to his brother Theo on April 9, 1885, referring to one of his earliest masterpieces,The Potato Eaters .The note also contains a sketch of the painting.
Van Gogh, who was influenced by the Impressionists, said he felt there was "life" in the piece, which he started in the day and continued working on by lamplight on a large canvas.
"The beautiful effects of the light in nature require one to work very fast" he said, adding he didn't feel he could yet compare with 17th-century Dutch masters such as Rembrandt.
"At the point where I now am, though,I see a chance of giving a felt impression of what I see ...[but] never exactly - for one sees nature through one's own temperament."
The compendium includes all 820 known letters by Van Gogh, tracing his youth and late start as a painter to his spectacular blossoming in the late 1880s.
"The number of letters isn't really unusual but the literary quality of the letters, that's special," said curator Leo Jansen, one of three experts who spent 15 years on the project.
"You literally can't find it in any other artist: he was painter and writer at the same time."
Van Gogh's letters were previously translated into English in 1958. The new compendium includes 20 new letters as well as complete versions of some letters previously only published in part.
More importantly, Mr Jansen said, it gives more precise translations and includes reproductions of more than 2,000 paintings Van Gogh makes reference to.In all, it offers an unusually complete picture of the mental world of one of the world's great artists.
The entire compilation has been put online as a free, searchable database in French, Dutch and English.
The museum exhibition opens today and runs through Jan 3,2010.
In honour of the publication of a new compendium of all the artist's known correspondence, the museum has put more than 100 personal letters in which he discusses his craft on display alongside the actual paintings.
Museum director Axel Ruger said the exhibit, opening today, is arranged to make a visitor feel "as if you are being led through the collection with Van Gogh giving commentary on his own work".
Seeing the letters next to the paintings underlines Van Gogh's professionalism,which is sometimes overlooked amid spectacular biographical details such as his mental illness, his apparent amputation of part of his own left ear, and his suicide in 1890 at age 37.
In the letters - known from recent books and films - Van Gogh writes about both the philosophy of painting and the technical details.
"I'm working on those peasants around a dish of potatoes again," he said in a letter to his brother Theo on April 9, 1885, referring to one of his earliest masterpieces,The Potato Eaters .The note also contains a sketch of the painting.
Van Gogh, who was influenced by the Impressionists, said he felt there was "life" in the piece, which he started in the day and continued working on by lamplight on a large canvas.
"The beautiful effects of the light in nature require one to work very fast" he said, adding he didn't feel he could yet compare with 17th-century Dutch masters such as Rembrandt.
"At the point where I now am, though,I see a chance of giving a felt impression of what I see ...[but] never exactly - for one sees nature through one's own temperament."
The compendium includes all 820 known letters by Van Gogh, tracing his youth and late start as a painter to his spectacular blossoming in the late 1880s.
"The number of letters isn't really unusual but the literary quality of the letters, that's special," said curator Leo Jansen, one of three experts who spent 15 years on the project.
"You literally can't find it in any other artist: he was painter and writer at the same time."
Van Gogh's letters were previously translated into English in 1958. The new compendium includes 20 new letters as well as complete versions of some letters previously only published in part.
More importantly, Mr Jansen said, it gives more precise translations and includes reproductions of more than 2,000 paintings Van Gogh makes reference to.In all, it offers an unusually complete picture of the mental world of one of the world's great artists.
The entire compilation has been put online as a free, searchable database in French, Dutch and English.
The museum exhibition opens today and runs through Jan 3,2010.
Monday, October 5, 2009
TEMPLES' CONTRASTS MARK CHANGING TIMES
Wat Ratchapradit and Wat Ratchabophit are separated by much more than the old city moat By Peerawat Jariyasombat
Behind Saran Rom Park, just a stone's throw from the Grand Palace, there are two beautiful temples by the old city moat that reflect big changes that took place more than 100 years ago in old Siam. And fortunately for those who like to linger off the beaten path,these two temples are not included in most tourist maps.
On the western side of the moat is Wat Ratchapradit, built in 1864 by King Rama IV as the first temple for the Dhammayut Buddhist sect.
The establishment of Wat Ratchapradit completed the trilogy of ancient royal temples that includes Wat Maha That and Wat Rat Burana.
Wat Ratchapradit is laid out in an ancient style which had been forgotten in the early Rattanakosin Era. The marbledecorated pagoda, or Pasan Chedi, was placed at the centre of the temple complex,flanked by the ubosoth and vihara.
It is common for temples in Thailand to surround the ubosoth with sema, or stone leaves, marking the territory where monks may hold religious rituals. But this temple placed sema on the temple walls, allowing the monks to hold religious rituals at any place in the temple compound.
The pagoda is surrounded with significant buildings, such as Phra Chom Hall on the west side, which houses a life-size statue of King Rama IV. On the east side is the Tripitaka hall, and on the south is a Khmer-style stupa housing the ashes of important monks who resided in the temple.
On the north side is the wonderfully decorated vihara. The door and window arches - delicately carved from thick teak and beautified with gold leaf and mirrors - are decorated in the shape of the Thai crown. The murals of the vihara are very important historical records depicting important royal ceremonies of ancient times, some of which are still held today, such as Songkran and Loy Kratong.
Perhaps the most striking mural shows the solar eclipse of Aug 18,1868, as witnessed by King Rama IV in Wa Kor, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. A talented astronomer, the King had predicted the eclipse.
Tragically, King Rama IV died of malaria soon after the eclipse.
The murals reflect the traditional lifestyle in Siam during the reign of King Rama IV, before the big changes that took place during the reign of his successor, King Rama V, who built Wat Ratchabophit a year after his accession to the throne on the other side of the old city moat.
This temple has a similar layout as Wat Ratchapradit, with a pagoda at the centre surrounded by the ubosoth and vihara, but it has a distinctly different style.
One thing that makes Wat Ratchabophit so outstanding is the millions of colourful mosaics which decorate every square inch of the elegant temple. The impressive decoration prompted the title of "the temple of Benjarong", referring to the multi-coloured porcelain which became famous during the reign of King Rama V.
Although the exteriors of the temple buildings embody excellent traditional Thai art, the interiors of the ubosoth and vihara are surprisingly Western in style.The ceilings are beautified with Gothic art, blended with a gilded motif in Thai style.
The decoration mirrors the great influence the West began to hold in Siam about a century ago. During that period the country accepted art and knowledge from abroad which helped develop the kingdom in the areas of transportation,mobility, architecture, public heath and military science.
Even the temple's doors are decorated with soldiers in typically western uniforms,instead of angels or warriors as is traditional.
WHAT ARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF WAT RATCHAPRADIT AND WAT RATCHABOPHIT?
"Here it is is very beautiful, serene and peaceful."SOMPHONG MARASI,EMPLOYEE
"Wat Ratchabophit is very beautiful, but there are some things that take away from its stunning beauty."CHATCHAWAL SAE CHUNG,STUDENT
"The temples are beautiful and quite peaceful. They are real temples."SUVIMON KULTHAMYOTHIN,HOUSEWIFE
HOW TO GET THERE
Wat Ratchapradit is on Saran Rom Road, north of Saran Rom Park and just across from the Grand Palace.Wat Ratchabophit is located across the moat from Wat Ratchapradit.
The area can be reached by bus numbers 1,2,60 and 512.
Behind Saran Rom Park, just a stone's throw from the Grand Palace, there are two beautiful temples by the old city moat that reflect big changes that took place more than 100 years ago in old Siam. And fortunately for those who like to linger off the beaten path,these two temples are not included in most tourist maps.
On the western side of the moat is Wat Ratchapradit, built in 1864 by King Rama IV as the first temple for the Dhammayut Buddhist sect.
The establishment of Wat Ratchapradit completed the trilogy of ancient royal temples that includes Wat Maha That and Wat Rat Burana.
Wat Ratchapradit is laid out in an ancient style which had been forgotten in the early Rattanakosin Era. The marbledecorated pagoda, or Pasan Chedi, was placed at the centre of the temple complex,flanked by the ubosoth and vihara.
It is common for temples in Thailand to surround the ubosoth with sema, or stone leaves, marking the territory where monks may hold religious rituals. But this temple placed sema on the temple walls, allowing the monks to hold religious rituals at any place in the temple compound.
The pagoda is surrounded with significant buildings, such as Phra Chom Hall on the west side, which houses a life-size statue of King Rama IV. On the east side is the Tripitaka hall, and on the south is a Khmer-style stupa housing the ashes of important monks who resided in the temple.
On the north side is the wonderfully decorated vihara. The door and window arches - delicately carved from thick teak and beautified with gold leaf and mirrors - are decorated in the shape of the Thai crown. The murals of the vihara are very important historical records depicting important royal ceremonies of ancient times, some of which are still held today, such as Songkran and Loy Kratong.
Perhaps the most striking mural shows the solar eclipse of Aug 18,1868, as witnessed by King Rama IV in Wa Kor, Prachuap Khiri Khan province. A talented astronomer, the King had predicted the eclipse.
Tragically, King Rama IV died of malaria soon after the eclipse.
The murals reflect the traditional lifestyle in Siam during the reign of King Rama IV, before the big changes that took place during the reign of his successor, King Rama V, who built Wat Ratchabophit a year after his accession to the throne on the other side of the old city moat.
This temple has a similar layout as Wat Ratchapradit, with a pagoda at the centre surrounded by the ubosoth and vihara, but it has a distinctly different style.
One thing that makes Wat Ratchabophit so outstanding is the millions of colourful mosaics which decorate every square inch of the elegant temple. The impressive decoration prompted the title of "the temple of Benjarong", referring to the multi-coloured porcelain which became famous during the reign of King Rama V.
Although the exteriors of the temple buildings embody excellent traditional Thai art, the interiors of the ubosoth and vihara are surprisingly Western in style.The ceilings are beautified with Gothic art, blended with a gilded motif in Thai style.
The decoration mirrors the great influence the West began to hold in Siam about a century ago. During that period the country accepted art and knowledge from abroad which helped develop the kingdom in the areas of transportation,mobility, architecture, public heath and military science.
Even the temple's doors are decorated with soldiers in typically western uniforms,instead of angels or warriors as is traditional.
WHAT ARE YOUR IMPRESSIONS OF WAT RATCHAPRADIT AND WAT RATCHABOPHIT?
"Here it is is very beautiful, serene and peaceful."SOMPHONG MARASI,EMPLOYEE
"Wat Ratchabophit is very beautiful, but there are some things that take away from its stunning beauty."CHATCHAWAL SAE CHUNG,STUDENT
"The temples are beautiful and quite peaceful. They are real temples."SUVIMON KULTHAMYOTHIN,HOUSEWIFE
HOW TO GET THERE
Wat Ratchapradit is on Saran Rom Road, north of Saran Rom Park and just across from the Grand Palace.Wat Ratchabophit is located across the moat from Wat Ratchapradit.
The area can be reached by bus numbers 1,2,60 and 512.
You too can be a tsar
The Bangkok outlet of the New York-based Metropolitan Museum of Art Store has shifted course after six years with new navigators at the helm. Siblings Joy and Jet Sopitpongstorn and Dr Kanyakorn Jaovisidha took over the operation a few months ago from their relatives.
They pitched some fresh ideas to Manhattan headquarters, with the end result being the Met's move from Siam Discovery to the Emporium. The grand reopening last Thursday night drew an artsy crowd of fans for a fashion show.
The latest collection of glorious jewellery had no trouble grabbing attention. "Treasures of Imperial Russia" includes designs adapted from the celebrated 19th-century objets d'art of St Petersburg jeweller Peter Carl Faberge.
Faberge's studio produced magnificent enamelled cases, boxes, picture frames and, most famously, jewelled eggs for Tsars Alexander III and Nicolas II.
Russia's ruling Romanov family handed out the eggs as gifts to privileged guests, including one to Siam's King Rama V when he visited Nicolas II at the dawn of the last century.
"My family loves art," enthuses Joy Sopitpongstorn. "My cousin (former Met owner Prapavadee Sophonpanich) wanted to trade in the licence, but I wanted to keep it.
"I want to give good things to society, and I've found that art is the perfect choice.
"To make the store more creative and diverse, I've added a space for children's items where whole families can browse".
The franchise's latest owners spent Bt10 million on the new museum-like store, opting for an elegant "novelty" style with lots of glass and a marble floor.
As befor, there are hundreds of (mostly) affordable reproductions on sale-jewellery, wristwatches, sculpture, tableware, ceramics, scarves, postcards, calendars, ties and shawls, as well as stationery and stuff for the kids.
The prices run as low as Bt500 but climb to Bt50,000.
There are two spacious areas, the first arrayed with glass showcases of astonishing jewellery based on a 1901 Faberge egg and other wonders.
Among these are a Russian Imperial Conrnflower Cuff Bracelet and Pin, with enamel, crystals and 22-karat gold, and the Ladybug Pendant Watch, plated in 24-karat gold and decorated with coloured enamel and rhinestones.
If you have an interest in ancient Egypt, there's the Lotus Jewellery, adapted from a broad collar with lotus-shape terminals made in the reign of Thutmose III, circa 1400 BC. The modern version has a 24-karat overlay and is adorned with enamel, lapis lazuli, carnelian and turquoise beads.
The other room is like an art gallery, with beautiful paintings by Thai and foreign artists to complement the splendid ladies' jewellery designed by Joy, using precious stones gathered in Thailand.
The new owners are now planning to open Met outlets in Singapore and Hong Kong.
THE MET HAS MOVED
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store is in the Star Dome zone on the third floor of the Emporium. It's open daily from 10 to 9. Call (02) 664 9191.
They pitched some fresh ideas to Manhattan headquarters, with the end result being the Met's move from Siam Discovery to the Emporium. The grand reopening last Thursday night drew an artsy crowd of fans for a fashion show.
The latest collection of glorious jewellery had no trouble grabbing attention. "Treasures of Imperial Russia" includes designs adapted from the celebrated 19th-century objets d'art of St Petersburg jeweller Peter Carl Faberge.
Faberge's studio produced magnificent enamelled cases, boxes, picture frames and, most famously, jewelled eggs for Tsars Alexander III and Nicolas II.
Russia's ruling Romanov family handed out the eggs as gifts to privileged guests, including one to Siam's King Rama V when he visited Nicolas II at the dawn of the last century.
"My family loves art," enthuses Joy Sopitpongstorn. "My cousin (former Met owner Prapavadee Sophonpanich) wanted to trade in the licence, but I wanted to keep it.
"I want to give good things to society, and I've found that art is the perfect choice.
"To make the store more creative and diverse, I've added a space for children's items where whole families can browse".
The franchise's latest owners spent Bt10 million on the new museum-like store, opting for an elegant "novelty" style with lots of glass and a marble floor.
As befor, there are hundreds of (mostly) affordable reproductions on sale-jewellery, wristwatches, sculpture, tableware, ceramics, scarves, postcards, calendars, ties and shawls, as well as stationery and stuff for the kids.
The prices run as low as Bt500 but climb to Bt50,000.
There are two spacious areas, the first arrayed with glass showcases of astonishing jewellery based on a 1901 Faberge egg and other wonders.
Among these are a Russian Imperial Conrnflower Cuff Bracelet and Pin, with enamel, crystals and 22-karat gold, and the Ladybug Pendant Watch, plated in 24-karat gold and decorated with coloured enamel and rhinestones.
If you have an interest in ancient Egypt, there's the Lotus Jewellery, adapted from a broad collar with lotus-shape terminals made in the reign of Thutmose III, circa 1400 BC. The modern version has a 24-karat overlay and is adorned with enamel, lapis lazuli, carnelian and turquoise beads.
The other room is like an art gallery, with beautiful paintings by Thai and foreign artists to complement the splendid ladies' jewellery designed by Joy, using precious stones gathered in Thailand.
The new owners are now planning to open Met outlets in Singapore and Hong Kong.
THE MET HAS MOVED
The Metropolitan Museum of Art Store is in the Star Dome zone on the third floor of the Emporium. It's open daily from 10 to 9. Call (02) 664 9191.
Cartier treasures
This is probably what the House of Cartier wanted to convey when it started building up its treasure collection in 1973. Through direct purchases from private owners and public auctions, the collection now comprises more than 1,360 masterpieces that aptly chronicle the history of jewellery designs and reflect some of the social changes in the 19th and 20th centuries, including women's emancipation.
The treasures in the Cartier Collection have been exhibited in various worldrenowned museums such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the British Museum in London, the Kremlin Museum in Moscow and the National Museum in Tokyo. The grandest one yet is now being held at the prestigious Palace Museum in China's Forbidden City.
Running until November 22, the exhibition is divided into four zones to cover Cartier's 160 years of artistic achievements as one of the world's leaders in jewellery and watchmaking arts.
The "Contribution to the European Royal Courts and the High Society"section features exquisite jewellery pieces specially crafted for royal and noble courts. Jeweller Louis Cartier's pioneer use of platinum at the turn of the century led to the creation of the ornate "Garland Style" reminiscent of the Louis XVI era.Reflecting the change of time, the use of platinum also allowed queens, princesses and court ladies more mobility with lighter-weight diadems, bandeaux and head ornaments that could also be disassembled and used separately as brooches.
The "Art Deco - Yellow Gold - Flora and Fauna" section shows how Cartier's jewellery designs progressed from neo-classicism towards modernism,from ornate styles to abstract, geometric forms, and from classical one-colour schemes to ground-breaking uses of various colourful precious stones and metals.The animal and plant jewellery pieces in this exhibition zone also reflect the aesthetic sentiments influenced by the naturalism of that period. This was when the panther became synonymous with the House of Cartier, and it also reflects the free spirit of women in the modern age.
The "Chinese Elements" and the "Compatibility of Cultures of the World"sections, meanwhile, show the deep influences of China, Japan, Egypt, Persia and India on Cartier jewellery, timepieces and other decorative accessories - a reflection of the Western hemisphere's consuming interest in Eastern civilisations and fine arts in the 1920s. This period saw an abundant use of such Chinese images as dragons, phoenixes, chimeras and other mythological beasts in Cartier designs as well as the prolific use of jade, emerald and mother-of-pearl. Impressed by Indian jewellery, Cartier's experiment with the use of different gemstones with contrasting colours created a new style now famously known as the "tutti-frutti".
The Palace Museum exhibition also features many ornamental "mystery clocks",one of Louis Cartier's most famous inventions. A historical landmark in the field of watchmaking, the mystery clock's hands float in space on a transparent dial that does not show any clock mechanisms.
The exhibition is a must for anyone who appreciates beautiful artistry or is interested in jewellery design and happens to be in Beijing during the next few months. Entry is free for holders of Palace Museum tickets.
The exhibition is also equipped with free automatic spoken e-guides, available in Chinese and foreign languages.
The treasures in the Cartier Collection have been exhibited in various worldrenowned museums such as the Metropolitan Museum in New York, the British Museum in London, the Kremlin Museum in Moscow and the National Museum in Tokyo. The grandest one yet is now being held at the prestigious Palace Museum in China's Forbidden City.
Running until November 22, the exhibition is divided into four zones to cover Cartier's 160 years of artistic achievements as one of the world's leaders in jewellery and watchmaking arts.
The "Contribution to the European Royal Courts and the High Society"section features exquisite jewellery pieces specially crafted for royal and noble courts. Jeweller Louis Cartier's pioneer use of platinum at the turn of the century led to the creation of the ornate "Garland Style" reminiscent of the Louis XVI era.Reflecting the change of time, the use of platinum also allowed queens, princesses and court ladies more mobility with lighter-weight diadems, bandeaux and head ornaments that could also be disassembled and used separately as brooches.
The "Art Deco - Yellow Gold - Flora and Fauna" section shows how Cartier's jewellery designs progressed from neo-classicism towards modernism,from ornate styles to abstract, geometric forms, and from classical one-colour schemes to ground-breaking uses of various colourful precious stones and metals.The animal and plant jewellery pieces in this exhibition zone also reflect the aesthetic sentiments influenced by the naturalism of that period. This was when the panther became synonymous with the House of Cartier, and it also reflects the free spirit of women in the modern age.
The "Chinese Elements" and the "Compatibility of Cultures of the World"sections, meanwhile, show the deep influences of China, Japan, Egypt, Persia and India on Cartier jewellery, timepieces and other decorative accessories - a reflection of the Western hemisphere's consuming interest in Eastern civilisations and fine arts in the 1920s. This period saw an abundant use of such Chinese images as dragons, phoenixes, chimeras and other mythological beasts in Cartier designs as well as the prolific use of jade, emerald and mother-of-pearl. Impressed by Indian jewellery, Cartier's experiment with the use of different gemstones with contrasting colours created a new style now famously known as the "tutti-frutti".
The Palace Museum exhibition also features many ornamental "mystery clocks",one of Louis Cartier's most famous inventions. A historical landmark in the field of watchmaking, the mystery clock's hands float in space on a transparent dial that does not show any clock mechanisms.
The exhibition is a must for anyone who appreciates beautiful artistry or is interested in jewellery design and happens to be in Beijing during the next few months. Entry is free for holders of Palace Museum tickets.
The exhibition is also equipped with free automatic spoken e-guides, available in Chinese and foreign languages.
Brainstorms for the future
Fancy footwear, a modern-art gallery fashioned out of old containers and a coffee table made from abandoned wood are just some of the highlights of the Bangkok Design Festival '09 that runs at various venues throughout the city from Thursday to October 21.
Part of an ambition to turn the Kingdom into Asia's design hub, the third edition of the festival is bigger and better than before, with more than 1,000 Thai designers showcasing their talents alongside 40 foreigns projects.
"The city will be enhanced by a range of projects that are being exclusively initiated for this event under the concept 'Balancing the Future'," says festival director Prathan Theerathada. "They all convey a sense of innovation, creativity and sustainability."
Prathan, who's also the editor of art4d magazine, launched the festival three years ago as private initiative. This year the government is providing support.
"The Bangkok Design Festival will lead Thailand into the new econolmic era throught its creative ideas and innovation, in accordance with government policy," says Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Pollabutr.
"We need the inventive minds of Thailand's designers to stimulate and develop our economy under the umbrella of the 'Creative Thailand's designers to stimulate and develop our economy under the umbrella of the 'Creative Thailand' project.
"Our aim is to make Thailand the hub of creative industry in Asean and to enhance the economic value of creative industry from 12 to 20 per cent of Gross National Product by 2012," he adds.
the festival features everything from outdoor interactive installation art to a poster exhibition, film screenings to DIY workshops, and designers' talks to shopping.
It kicks off at the Victory Monument, Bangkok's so-called "Kilometre Zero". Passers-by are invited to participate in "Creative City Km.0", created by Briton Maria Stukoff and Thai graphic designers Apostrophy.
The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is hosting various exhibitions, among them "Abundant Australia", a display of 160 innovatuve structural models fresh fro the Venice Architecture Bienniale.
Meanwhile B Muse, a group of young Thai curators and artists, shows how much fun you can have visiting a museum in the exhibition "What is your Dream Museum?"
"Do It Together by Knotting Else" sees 10 leading interior-design companies use recycle materials in environmentally friendly designs.
Award-winning designer Anon Pairot blurs the boundaries between his furniture and sculpture in "A Part."
Last but not least, is Designer's Saturday. Mark Holmes, a founding partner in one of the UK's greatest manufacturing successes of the decade, Established & Sons and Douglas Young, the founder and chief executive of Hong Kong's innovative retailer GOD/Goods of Desire will talk on October 10.
Over at Siam Paragon'a Pare Paragon, Thai talen is on show in an ultra-modern art gallery made of five containers decorated with a dozen balloon trees.
Supported by M150, Japanese architect Onishi Takaya - who teaches at King Mongkut University of Technology - designed the gallery to host "Degree Show'09", featuring fashion, jewellery, animation and graphic and interior design by the year's top design students.
At the Hall of Mirrors, the "DEmark" exhibition shows a selection of design works by Thai entre-preneurs and designers taking part in DEmark (Design Excellence Award) 2009, or ganised by the government's Department of Export Promotion.
Decor Mart converts its showroom into an art gallery featuring high-end German brand Hangsgrohe, with designs by Philippe Stark, Jaen-Mari Massuad, Antonio Citterio and Patricia Urguiola.
Thai brand Furniture House by Plato displays its futuristic home decor inspired by origami, and designer Krit Sangvivhien has the "Thainess" exhibition, focusing on traditional local craftsmanship, recycled materias and modern designs.
Architect firm G49 celebrates its 20th anniversay with "Twenty-Twenty", a showcase of 20 innovative project by both Thai and foreign architects inside 20 boxes.
Meantime Tiga invites 100 designers to take part in its exhibition, "Kiew-koy 100 Designs."
At Siam Centre you can see Thai proverbs interpreted as shoes at "Shoes'cream by Gold City", an exhibition by design students from Silpakorn, king Mongkut and Srinakarinwirote universities.
Siam Discovery hosts "Illustration Poster" by Takashi Akiyama, the econo-peoject "Rebuild/Refresh by SCG featuring DesignLab, and the photo exhibition "I Am a Thai Graphic Designer."
The shopping centre is also playing host to workshops, the "Young Creative Entrepreneur" exhibition and to a minimart that's selling products priced between Bt9 and Bt999.
The Thaoland Creative and Design Centre at the Emporium is hosting a series of talks, among them "The Dimension of the Plan - Communication Design Germnay," focusing on corporate design, digital media, typography and signage systems.
Following the successful screening of Gary Hustwit's "Helvetica" at the first festival, this year Pratha is bringing his new documentary, "Objectitied", which portrays the stories behind the work od elite product designers from around the world. The film screens at SF CentralWorld on October 15.
Shoppers should not miss the "BIG+BIH" fairs at Challenger Hall in Muang Thong Thani from October 13 to 18, hosted by the Office of Product Value Development.
Part of an ambition to turn the Kingdom into Asia's design hub, the third edition of the festival is bigger and better than before, with more than 1,000 Thai designers showcasing their talents alongside 40 foreigns projects.
"The city will be enhanced by a range of projects that are being exclusively initiated for this event under the concept 'Balancing the Future'," says festival director Prathan Theerathada. "They all convey a sense of innovation, creativity and sustainability."
Prathan, who's also the editor of art4d magazine, launched the festival three years ago as private initiative. This year the government is providing support.
"The Bangkok Design Festival will lead Thailand into the new econolmic era throught its creative ideas and innovation, in accordance with government policy," says Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Pollabutr.
"We need the inventive minds of Thailand's designers to stimulate and develop our economy under the umbrella of the 'Creative Thailand's designers to stimulate and develop our economy under the umbrella of the 'Creative Thailand' project.
"Our aim is to make Thailand the hub of creative industry in Asean and to enhance the economic value of creative industry from 12 to 20 per cent of Gross National Product by 2012," he adds.
the festival features everything from outdoor interactive installation art to a poster exhibition, film screenings to DIY workshops, and designers' talks to shopping.
It kicks off at the Victory Monument, Bangkok's so-called "Kilometre Zero". Passers-by are invited to participate in "Creative City Km.0", created by Briton Maria Stukoff and Thai graphic designers Apostrophy.
The Bangkok Art and Culture Centre is hosting various exhibitions, among them "Abundant Australia", a display of 160 innovatuve structural models fresh fro the Venice Architecture Bienniale.
Meanwhile B Muse, a group of young Thai curators and artists, shows how much fun you can have visiting a museum in the exhibition "What is your Dream Museum?"
"Do It Together by Knotting Else" sees 10 leading interior-design companies use recycle materials in environmentally friendly designs.
Award-winning designer Anon Pairot blurs the boundaries between his furniture and sculpture in "A Part."
Last but not least, is Designer's Saturday. Mark Holmes, a founding partner in one of the UK's greatest manufacturing successes of the decade, Established & Sons and Douglas Young, the founder and chief executive of Hong Kong's innovative retailer GOD/Goods of Desire will talk on October 10.
Over at Siam Paragon'a Pare Paragon, Thai talen is on show in an ultra-modern art gallery made of five containers decorated with a dozen balloon trees.
Supported by M150, Japanese architect Onishi Takaya - who teaches at King Mongkut University of Technology - designed the gallery to host "Degree Show'09", featuring fashion, jewellery, animation and graphic and interior design by the year's top design students.
At the Hall of Mirrors, the "DEmark" exhibition shows a selection of design works by Thai entre-preneurs and designers taking part in DEmark (Design Excellence Award) 2009, or ganised by the government's Department of Export Promotion.
Decor Mart converts its showroom into an art gallery featuring high-end German brand Hangsgrohe, with designs by Philippe Stark, Jaen-Mari Massuad, Antonio Citterio and Patricia Urguiola.
Thai brand Furniture House by Plato displays its futuristic home decor inspired by origami, and designer Krit Sangvivhien has the "Thainess" exhibition, focusing on traditional local craftsmanship, recycled materias and modern designs.
Architect firm G49 celebrates its 20th anniversay with "Twenty-Twenty", a showcase of 20 innovative project by both Thai and foreign architects inside 20 boxes.
Meantime Tiga invites 100 designers to take part in its exhibition, "Kiew-koy 100 Designs."
At Siam Centre you can see Thai proverbs interpreted as shoes at "Shoes'cream by Gold City", an exhibition by design students from Silpakorn, king Mongkut and Srinakarinwirote universities.
Siam Discovery hosts "Illustration Poster" by Takashi Akiyama, the econo-peoject "Rebuild/Refresh by SCG featuring DesignLab, and the photo exhibition "I Am a Thai Graphic Designer."
The shopping centre is also playing host to workshops, the "Young Creative Entrepreneur" exhibition and to a minimart that's selling products priced between Bt9 and Bt999.
The Thaoland Creative and Design Centre at the Emporium is hosting a series of talks, among them "The Dimension of the Plan - Communication Design Germnay," focusing on corporate design, digital media, typography and signage systems.
Following the successful screening of Gary Hustwit's "Helvetica" at the first festival, this year Pratha is bringing his new documentary, "Objectitied", which portrays the stories behind the work od elite product designers from around the world. The film screens at SF CentralWorld on October 15.
Shoppers should not miss the "BIG+BIH" fairs at Challenger Hall in Muang Thong Thani from October 13 to 18, hosted by the Office of Product Value Development.
Mighty Tyrannosaurus rex was evidently one sick puppy
Tyrannosaurus rex and its close relatives suffered from the potentially life-threatenin disease trichomonosis, which is still carried by pigeons, a study published on Wednesday showed.
Some of the world's most famous T rex specimens, such as "Sue" at the Field Museum in Chicago and the specimen at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, have holes in the lower jaw, which is a classic symptom of trichomonosis, the study by a team of US and Australian researchers showed.
"The holes in tyrannosaur jaws occur in exactly the same place as in modern birds with trichomonosis," says Ewan Wolff, a paleontologist from the University of Wisconsin-Madison who worked on the study.
"The shape of the holes and the way that they merge into the surrounding bone is very similar in both animals."
Trichomonosis is carried mainly by pigeons these days, but they are generally immune to the disease. Birds of prey are particularly susceptible to trichomonosis if they eat infected pigeons.
Palaeontologists previous thought the holes in T rex were caused by tooth gouges or bacterial infections, but according to the study, which was puvlished in the peer-reviewed open-access PLoS ONE, the position and nature of the holes indicate that the dinosaur had a trichmonosis-typre disease.
The disease appeared to be quite common in tyrannosaurs and could have been deadly to those that were infected.
"As the parasites take hold in serious infections, lesions form bone. As the lesions grow, the animal has troble swallowing food and may eventually starve to death," says Steve Salisbury of the University of Queensland.
Researchers have found no other dinosaurs that had the disease, and believe it was spread between tyrannosaurs by biting or even through cannibalism.
Some of the world's most famous T rex specimens, such as "Sue" at the Field Museum in Chicago and the specimen at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh, have holes in the lower jaw, which is a classic symptom of trichomonosis, the study by a team of US and Australian researchers showed.
"The holes in tyrannosaur jaws occur in exactly the same place as in modern birds with trichomonosis," says Ewan Wolff, a paleontologist from the University of Wisconsin-Madison who worked on the study.
"The shape of the holes and the way that they merge into the surrounding bone is very similar in both animals."
Trichomonosis is carried mainly by pigeons these days, but they are generally immune to the disease. Birds of prey are particularly susceptible to trichomonosis if they eat infected pigeons.
Palaeontologists previous thought the holes in T rex were caused by tooth gouges or bacterial infections, but according to the study, which was puvlished in the peer-reviewed open-access PLoS ONE, the position and nature of the holes indicate that the dinosaur had a trichmonosis-typre disease.
The disease appeared to be quite common in tyrannosaurs and could have been deadly to those that were infected.
"As the parasites take hold in serious infections, lesions form bone. As the lesions grow, the animal has troble swallowing food and may eventually starve to death," says Steve Salisbury of the University of Queensland.
Researchers have found no other dinosaurs that had the disease, and believe it was spread between tyrannosaurs by biting or even through cannibalism.
Thai master artist paints his picture of regional unity
Anative of southern Thailand, Taveepong Limapornvanich graduated from the Department of Fine Arts and Design at the University of Kansas in the United States.
He has built a reputation over 30 years as a painter,illustrator and designer.
An author and illustrator of many books, his creative works and publications include Drawing Techniques ,The Drawing Bible ,Watercolour Bible Thailand Sketchbook , and Watercolour Paintings of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn .He has numerous Thai pocket books on drawing and design to his name.
His artistic prowess is reflected in the wide range of techniques and media he uses: oil, watercolour,acrylic, and pencil.
Today, his paintings are prized in numerous private collections around the world.
Among his proudest achievements was his 1999 solo exhibition in Bangkok to commemorate the 72nd birthday of His Majesty The King.
The paintings were auctioned by Christie's in Thailand and the proceeds from the auction were donated to the royal projects of Chai Pattana and the Sai Jai Thai Foundation.
In this book Asean: Portrait of a Community ,Taveepong shares his love with all Asean member countries as depicted in his watercolour rendering of Asean countries through his artistic eyes.
He has built a reputation over 30 years as a painter,illustrator and designer.
An author and illustrator of many books, his creative works and publications include Drawing Techniques ,The Drawing Bible ,Watercolour Bible Thailand Sketchbook , and Watercolour Paintings of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn .He has numerous Thai pocket books on drawing and design to his name.
His artistic prowess is reflected in the wide range of techniques and media he uses: oil, watercolour,acrylic, and pencil.
Today, his paintings are prized in numerous private collections around the world.
Among his proudest achievements was his 1999 solo exhibition in Bangkok to commemorate the 72nd birthday of His Majesty The King.
The paintings were auctioned by Christie's in Thailand and the proceeds from the auction were donated to the royal projects of Chai Pattana and the Sai Jai Thai Foundation.
In this book Asean: Portrait of a Community ,Taveepong shares his love with all Asean member countries as depicted in his watercolour rendering of Asean countries through his artistic eyes.
Unique gift for Asean leaders
An impressive picture book on the Asean region will be Thailand's parting gift as it vacates the association's chair,writes Thanida Tansubhapol
"L inking people with arts will help them appreciate and be proud of the closeness of one's community," said Vitavas Srivihok, director-general of the Asean Affairs Department at the Foreign Ministry.His words later inspired the birth of an artistic book entitled "Asean: Portrait of a Community" which will be presented as a special gift to the 10 Asean leaders at this year's final Asean gathering this month in Cha-am/Hua Hin.
What makes this book unique is the compilation of sketch drawings of all Asean leaders, as well as the top tourist attractions of the region. The livelihoods of the Asean peoples are portrayed in the natural flow of water colours.
The project took shape in June after an exchange of ideas during a friendly chat between Mr Vitavas and artist Taveepong Limapornvanich.
"The ministry thought it should have a surprise gift for the leaders. I'm sure it will be unlike anything they have previously received from other countries," Mr Vitavas told the Bangkok Post.
But to complete the book was quite a challenge for Mr Taveepong.
"It took me two full months to sketch about 150 pictures from the 10 Asean countries.
"Every day, I spent about 18 hours on average drawing about two pictures. I would start around 3pm to 4pm and finish by about 6am the next day," he said.
In addition to the book,10 large-size smiling portraits of the leaders, which took him more than 10 hours each to finish, will be displayed at the Asean summit.
"Although some of the leaders were not smiling in the originals, I painted them wearing a beaming smile," he said.
He said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's portrait was the most difficult to draw because he looked different in different poses - sometimes rather bloated,other times thin.
"But the painting of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak came out the best," said Mr Taveepong.
Mr Vitavas is particularly impressed by the pictures of the 10 Asean leaders shaking hands with Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan. To him, they looked so real.
Another major challenge was which distinctive tourist landmarks should be chosen from each member state for the book.
In Indonesia and Thailand, there are simply too many attractions to choose from.
"Since each country was afforded only six pages or 18 prominent tourist sites for entry into the book, I needed to do a lot of thinking and research before finalising the list," said Mr Taveepong.
"I included the places which I thought would make the leaders realise that the Thais did know quite a bit about their neighbouring countries."
"About 40% of the pictures used as samples for the drawings came from my own album, the pictures I took when I travelled to those countries," he said.
Mr Vitavas said:"I am impressed that he was able to capture the diversity of each country and the common culture depicted in the book, such as the
pictures of dancing girls or the type of trishaws running in the streets of Asean countries."
"In the trishaw pictures, all Asean nations have their own style of trishaws, except Brunei, which uses a boat instead," he said.
Mr Taveepong thought Malaysia provided an ideal country for the drawing.
"I studied in Malaysia for two years and that made me feel accustomed to its culture and architecture,especially with what I saw in Penang," he said.
Brunei and Burma are the only two Asean countries Mr Taveepong has never visited.
Unlike the other water-colour drawings in the book,the sacred Shwedagon Pagoda of Burma needed to be done twice.
He said he needed to do this because it was difficult to tell the foreground from the background in the
sample picture. There are also many smaller pagodas around the main one, said Mr Taveepong.
"I have not made the paintings of one country inferior or better than the other countries. If I felt that they needed to look better, I reworked them."
"I believe that when the leaders open this book, they will be surprised at how the Thais came to know about these places [as some are not common tourist spots]," the artist said.
In the past 40 years, no Asean country has done anything like this. It will be evidence for people to remember Thailand as the chair of Asean this year, he said.
Mr Vitavas hopes this artistic masterpiece will help Asean to become better known among its own people and around the world.
"The pillar of socio-culture under the Asean Charter should be improved as it would be a linkage of the people and this book will be a good gateway," he said.
Both Mr Vitavas and Mr Taveepong believe that many countries would be surprised at how resilient Thai people are in the face of ongoing political instability in the country, which is now being expressed through art.
The drawings are now on display for the public at Siam Paragon shopping mall until tomorrow, after which the exhibition will be moved to CentralWorld from October 5-8.
After that, all the pictures would be put on display at the meeting venue at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Chaam/Hua Hin in order to allow all Asean leaders to appreciate their portraits on their way to the meeting room.
"L inking people with arts will help them appreciate and be proud of the closeness of one's community," said Vitavas Srivihok, director-general of the Asean Affairs Department at the Foreign Ministry.His words later inspired the birth of an artistic book entitled "Asean: Portrait of a Community" which will be presented as a special gift to the 10 Asean leaders at this year's final Asean gathering this month in Cha-am/Hua Hin.
What makes this book unique is the compilation of sketch drawings of all Asean leaders, as well as the top tourist attractions of the region. The livelihoods of the Asean peoples are portrayed in the natural flow of water colours.
The project took shape in June after an exchange of ideas during a friendly chat between Mr Vitavas and artist Taveepong Limapornvanich.
"The ministry thought it should have a surprise gift for the leaders. I'm sure it will be unlike anything they have previously received from other countries," Mr Vitavas told the Bangkok Post.
But to complete the book was quite a challenge for Mr Taveepong.
"It took me two full months to sketch about 150 pictures from the 10 Asean countries.
"Every day, I spent about 18 hours on average drawing about two pictures. I would start around 3pm to 4pm and finish by about 6am the next day," he said.
In addition to the book,10 large-size smiling portraits of the leaders, which took him more than 10 hours each to finish, will be displayed at the Asean summit.
"Although some of the leaders were not smiling in the originals, I painted them wearing a beaming smile," he said.
He said Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva's portrait was the most difficult to draw because he looked different in different poses - sometimes rather bloated,other times thin.
"But the painting of Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak came out the best," said Mr Taveepong.
Mr Vitavas is particularly impressed by the pictures of the 10 Asean leaders shaking hands with Asean Secretary-General Surin Pitsuwan. To him, they looked so real.
Another major challenge was which distinctive tourist landmarks should be chosen from each member state for the book.
In Indonesia and Thailand, there are simply too many attractions to choose from.
"Since each country was afforded only six pages or 18 prominent tourist sites for entry into the book, I needed to do a lot of thinking and research before finalising the list," said Mr Taveepong.
"I included the places which I thought would make the leaders realise that the Thais did know quite a bit about their neighbouring countries."
"About 40% of the pictures used as samples for the drawings came from my own album, the pictures I took when I travelled to those countries," he said.
Mr Vitavas said:"I am impressed that he was able to capture the diversity of each country and the common culture depicted in the book, such as the
pictures of dancing girls or the type of trishaws running in the streets of Asean countries."
"In the trishaw pictures, all Asean nations have their own style of trishaws, except Brunei, which uses a boat instead," he said.
Mr Taveepong thought Malaysia provided an ideal country for the drawing.
"I studied in Malaysia for two years and that made me feel accustomed to its culture and architecture,especially with what I saw in Penang," he said.
Brunei and Burma are the only two Asean countries Mr Taveepong has never visited.
Unlike the other water-colour drawings in the book,the sacred Shwedagon Pagoda of Burma needed to be done twice.
He said he needed to do this because it was difficult to tell the foreground from the background in the
sample picture. There are also many smaller pagodas around the main one, said Mr Taveepong.
"I have not made the paintings of one country inferior or better than the other countries. If I felt that they needed to look better, I reworked them."
"I believe that when the leaders open this book, they will be surprised at how the Thais came to know about these places [as some are not common tourist spots]," the artist said.
In the past 40 years, no Asean country has done anything like this. It will be evidence for people to remember Thailand as the chair of Asean this year, he said.
Mr Vitavas hopes this artistic masterpiece will help Asean to become better known among its own people and around the world.
"The pillar of socio-culture under the Asean Charter should be improved as it would be a linkage of the people and this book will be a good gateway," he said.
Both Mr Vitavas and Mr Taveepong believe that many countries would be surprised at how resilient Thai people are in the face of ongoing political instability in the country, which is now being expressed through art.
The drawings are now on display for the public at Siam Paragon shopping mall until tomorrow, after which the exhibition will be moved to CentralWorld from October 5-8.
After that, all the pictures would be put on display at the meeting venue at the Dusit Thani Hotel in Chaam/Hua Hin in order to allow all Asean leaders to appreciate their portraits on their way to the meeting room.
HAVE YOU SEEN THE DRAGON
This weekend the Mekong River will again erupt with its myterious fireballs. What are they? Join the never-ending debate and make up your own mind.
The phenomenon is as enigmatic as it si beautiful. Thousands of pink and red bursts of light-the "naga fireballs" sometimes called "ghost fireballs"-rise from the Mekong in Nong Khai on the Lao border.
It might as well be an episode in "The X-Files" sci-fi television series. It happens only at this time each year, under the full moon of the 11th lunar month, which falls on Monday on the old Laotian calendar.
The glowing spheres, the size of chicken eggs, hang in the air for a few minutes before disappearing, leaving in their wake astonishment, mystification and many many questions.
a hoax? A miracle? Why only at this time of the year? Why Nong Khai?
Manas Kanoksil is one of the "myth busters". The local doctor has been observing and studying the fireballs for more than 10 years.
The science that he's applied tells him that the bizarre phenomenon is the combustion of natural gases released from the riverbed and heat drifting on the surface.
The combustion requires a complete set of perfectly natural occurrences, including the relative positions of the earth, sun and moon. Hence its occur rence on the last night of Buddhist Lent.
However, the local people tend to be more interested in swapping science for mythology.
Way back at the birth of legends, the story goes, Nong Khai and other settlements along the Mekong were created by the water serpents called nagas.
Only later was the saga imbued with Buddhist fancy: The Lord Buddha ascended to heaven for Lent to visit his mother and his return during the full moon of the 11th lunar month was cause for rejoicing.
To show their delight, the nagas shot fireballs into the air.
The drama continues. A television crew once tried to convince, witnesses that it was a hoax perpetrated by the Lao on the far side on the river. Unfortunately, the only proof was videotape of a few Lao firing their rifles into the air.
A painter living on the Thai bank, Manas Anuraksa, remains enchanted by the fireball phenomenon, regardless of the explanation.
"It's very peculiar, and we're not sure who or what causes it, but whatever it is,I believe this mythical event could make Nong Khai special enough to become a wonder of the world."
Manas is right. The sleepy little town, once known to visitors only as a place to get a cold beer before crossing teh border to Laos, has become a popular destination thanks to the bizarre annual show.
Every year more than 300,000 people come to see the fireballs, and no fewer are expected this weekend, when they're scheduled to recur.
One way to watch them is rent a motorcycle and ride eastward along the Mekong from Muang district to Phon Phisai and Rattanawapee.
Ask around about the best spots to stop-the riverbanks get quite crowded in places-and keep your eyes peeled from 6 to 9pm.
There will also be religious ceremonies marking the end of the three - month Lenten retreat, plus longtailed-boat races, fireworks and illuminated floats.
Strictly sideshows, of course-you have to see the fireballs.
The phenomenon is as enigmatic as it si beautiful. Thousands of pink and red bursts of light-the "naga fireballs" sometimes called "ghost fireballs"-rise from the Mekong in Nong Khai on the Lao border.
It might as well be an episode in "The X-Files" sci-fi television series. It happens only at this time each year, under the full moon of the 11th lunar month, which falls on Monday on the old Laotian calendar.
The glowing spheres, the size of chicken eggs, hang in the air for a few minutes before disappearing, leaving in their wake astonishment, mystification and many many questions.
a hoax? A miracle? Why only at this time of the year? Why Nong Khai?
Manas Kanoksil is one of the "myth busters". The local doctor has been observing and studying the fireballs for more than 10 years.
The science that he's applied tells him that the bizarre phenomenon is the combustion of natural gases released from the riverbed and heat drifting on the surface.
The combustion requires a complete set of perfectly natural occurrences, including the relative positions of the earth, sun and moon. Hence its occur rence on the last night of Buddhist Lent.
However, the local people tend to be more interested in swapping science for mythology.
Way back at the birth of legends, the story goes, Nong Khai and other settlements along the Mekong were created by the water serpents called nagas.
Only later was the saga imbued with Buddhist fancy: The Lord Buddha ascended to heaven for Lent to visit his mother and his return during the full moon of the 11th lunar month was cause for rejoicing.
To show their delight, the nagas shot fireballs into the air.
The drama continues. A television crew once tried to convince, witnesses that it was a hoax perpetrated by the Lao on the far side on the river. Unfortunately, the only proof was videotape of a few Lao firing their rifles into the air.
A painter living on the Thai bank, Manas Anuraksa, remains enchanted by the fireball phenomenon, regardless of the explanation.
"It's very peculiar, and we're not sure who or what causes it, but whatever it is,I believe this mythical event could make Nong Khai special enough to become a wonder of the world."
Manas is right. The sleepy little town, once known to visitors only as a place to get a cold beer before crossing teh border to Laos, has become a popular destination thanks to the bizarre annual show.
Every year more than 300,000 people come to see the fireballs, and no fewer are expected this weekend, when they're scheduled to recur.
One way to watch them is rent a motorcycle and ride eastward along the Mekong from Muang district to Phon Phisai and Rattanawapee.
Ask around about the best spots to stop-the riverbanks get quite crowded in places-and keep your eyes peeled from 6 to 9pm.
There will also be religious ceremonies marking the end of the three - month Lenten retreat, plus longtailed-boat races, fireworks and illuminated floats.
Strictly sideshows, of course-you have to see the fireballs.
Renoir's late works highlighted in Paris
Pierre-Auguste Renoir is best remembered as the master of bright Impressionist snapshots of real life,but an exhibition opening in Paris this week highlights his switch in style in his later years.
He was 72 and well-established when he famously said in 1913:"I'm starting to know how to paint. It has taken me over 50 years' work to get this far."
"Renoir in the 20th Century", a highlight of this season's Paris arts calendar,runs until January 4 at the Grand Palais before travelling to museums in Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
"The show seeks to explore a period and aspects of Renoir's works that are neglected and often ridiculed," said curator Sylvie Patry.
On display are 100 oils, many rarely seen, as well as sculptures dating from the last 30 years of Renoir's life (1841 to 1919) when his art evolved from lightdappled Impressionism to figure studies inspired by old-school painters such as Titian and Rubens.
Renoir, Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet and Alfred Sisley revolutionised European painting by transforming the treatment of light and form in art.
Seen as one of the fathers of modern art, Renoir came to challenge the movement in the 1880s to concentrate instead on drawing and studio work, in reference to the old masters.
As a self-styled figure painter, he concentrated on female nudes, portraits and studies from models, testing himself against past greats.
"He progressively gave up subjects on modern life that the Impressionists loved to instead evoke a timeless world,a sort of classical Greece reinvented in southern France," Patry said.
In the first decade of the 20th century his work inspired by the south of France and from models led to new compositions such as the Odalisques and,above all, the Bathers of 1918 to 1919.Renoir described the Bathers as "a springboard for future research". Patry said it was "the sum of all his admiration"for Ingres, Titian and Raphael.
Also onshow are rarely-seen sculptures by the elderly Renoir, who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and worked in support with young artists able to carry out the physical work.
He was 72 and well-established when he famously said in 1913:"I'm starting to know how to paint. It has taken me over 50 years' work to get this far."
"Renoir in the 20th Century", a highlight of this season's Paris arts calendar,runs until January 4 at the Grand Palais before travelling to museums in Los Angeles and Philadelphia.
"The show seeks to explore a period and aspects of Renoir's works that are neglected and often ridiculed," said curator Sylvie Patry.
On display are 100 oils, many rarely seen, as well as sculptures dating from the last 30 years of Renoir's life (1841 to 1919) when his art evolved from lightdappled Impressionism to figure studies inspired by old-school painters such as Titian and Rubens.
Renoir, Paul Cezanne, Claude Monet and Alfred Sisley revolutionised European painting by transforming the treatment of light and form in art.
Seen as one of the fathers of modern art, Renoir came to challenge the movement in the 1880s to concentrate instead on drawing and studio work, in reference to the old masters.
As a self-styled figure painter, he concentrated on female nudes, portraits and studies from models, testing himself against past greats.
"He progressively gave up subjects on modern life that the Impressionists loved to instead evoke a timeless world,a sort of classical Greece reinvented in southern France," Patry said.
In the first decade of the 20th century his work inspired by the south of France and from models led to new compositions such as the Odalisques and,above all, the Bathers of 1918 to 1919.Renoir described the Bathers as "a springboard for future research". Patry said it was "the sum of all his admiration"for Ingres, Titian and Raphael.
Also onshow are rarely-seen sculptures by the elderly Renoir, who suffered from rheumatoid arthritis and worked in support with young artists able to carry out the physical work.
An artist with politics on his mind
Ai Weiwei, one of China's most controversial artists, may be the son of a poet who was a cultural icon for a new communist China 60 years ago, but he has nothing but scorn for those in power today.
"It's so surprising to see that after 60 years in power the communists have not improved their propaganda machine," Ai said in an interview at his home in Caochangdi, an artists' colony in the northeast of the capital.
"They're just so terrible, and they carry on as before, but all they have done is to distance themselves even more from the people and how they think and feel."
The 52-year-old Beijing native moved into a quiet courtyard house with a garden here nine years ago. Today, his home-studio compound is bustling with activity, as dozens of young men and women toil behind computer screens.
In his battle against government propaganda,now in full swing ahead of huge celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic on October 1, Ai has deployed his best weapons: art and the internet.
In addition to opening his first solo exhibition in Beijing this month, Ai has a widely popular but often censored - blog, on which he writes political commentaries, publishes photos and broadcasts his films.
"In 60 years, all the authorities have succeeded in doing is to destroy their own ideology," said Ai, a large man with a round face and a salt-andpepper beard, dressed in blue work clothes.
"Before coming to power, they spoke about democracy, the end of one-party [Nationalist]rule and the need for freedom of expression.
"They used that platform to gain power. Now,if you talk about these same ideas, you are a criminal and thrown in jail."
His father, Ai Qing, was a member of the Communist Party and became one of the cultural celebrities of the newly created PRC in 1949.
Eight years later, he was denounced and sent to a labour camp.
Later rehabilitated, he is again revered today.Ai himself first came to prominence in the late 1970s as a member of an avant garde group of artists known as "The Stars". He then moved to the US, where he lived for more than 10 years before coming home in the 1990s.
Today, he is a target of both censorship and careful police scrutiny.
Ai leads a group of volunteers investigating the collapse of schoolhouses in the massive May 2008 earthquake in southwestern Sichuan province that left more than 87,000 people dead or missing.
Schools bore the brunt of the quake, with thousands collapsing on top of students, fuelling angry charges from parents that corruption had led to shoddy construction.
Last month, police prevented Ai from testifying at the trial in the Sichuan provincial capital Chengdu of a fellow quake activist, Tan Zuoren,who was charged with "inciting subversion of state power".
"Police officers struck me and detained me for 11 hours so that I could not attend the trial,"he said.
"It's unbelievable - the state violates its own laws and tries to cover that up however it can.Only old gangsters can get away with that."
Ai's public profile is very different from his private persona. In the Chinese media, only his mainstream projects - such as his work helping to design the Bird's Nest stadium for last year's Beijing Olympics - are mentioned.
His new exhibition in a private gallery in Beijing's trendy 798 art district features only a few pieces - one is a map of the world made of thousands of layers of cotton, symbolising China's position as the "workshop for the world".
"The government-run places don't want to show my work. I'm not interested anyway, as they are always subject to censorship rules," he said.
In October, he will open a much bigger show in Munich, entitled "So Sorry".
He described his latest effort as "complicated and huge", exploring a variety of themes, from Nazi leader Adolf Hitler to modern China and the Sichuan earthquake.
So far, Ai has avoided prison, though others in China have been sentenced to jail for similar provocations. He says he is fully aware he could fall foul of the authorities at any time.
"I am afraid, but I am more afraid that if I do not speak out, then I'll have no more chance to be afraid any more. It can happen to me any time," he said.
"It's so surprising to see that after 60 years in power the communists have not improved their propaganda machine," Ai said in an interview at his home in Caochangdi, an artists' colony in the northeast of the capital.
"They're just so terrible, and they carry on as before, but all they have done is to distance themselves even more from the people and how they think and feel."
The 52-year-old Beijing native moved into a quiet courtyard house with a garden here nine years ago. Today, his home-studio compound is bustling with activity, as dozens of young men and women toil behind computer screens.
In his battle against government propaganda,now in full swing ahead of huge celebrations marking the 60th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic on October 1, Ai has deployed his best weapons: art and the internet.
In addition to opening his first solo exhibition in Beijing this month, Ai has a widely popular but often censored - blog, on which he writes political commentaries, publishes photos and broadcasts his films.
"In 60 years, all the authorities have succeeded in doing is to destroy their own ideology," said Ai, a large man with a round face and a salt-andpepper beard, dressed in blue work clothes.
"Before coming to power, they spoke about democracy, the end of one-party [Nationalist]rule and the need for freedom of expression.
"They used that platform to gain power. Now,if you talk about these same ideas, you are a criminal and thrown in jail."
His father, Ai Qing, was a member of the Communist Party and became one of the cultural celebrities of the newly created PRC in 1949.
Eight years later, he was denounced and sent to a labour camp.
Later rehabilitated, he is again revered today.Ai himself first came to prominence in the late 1970s as a member of an avant garde group of artists known as "The Stars". He then moved to the US, where he lived for more than 10 years before coming home in the 1990s.
Today, he is a target of both censorship and careful police scrutiny.
Ai leads a group of volunteers investigating the collapse of schoolhouses in the massive May 2008 earthquake in southwestern Sichuan province that left more than 87,000 people dead or missing.
Schools bore the brunt of the quake, with thousands collapsing on top of students, fuelling angry charges from parents that corruption had led to shoddy construction.
Last month, police prevented Ai from testifying at the trial in the Sichuan provincial capital Chengdu of a fellow quake activist, Tan Zuoren,who was charged with "inciting subversion of state power".
"Police officers struck me and detained me for 11 hours so that I could not attend the trial,"he said.
"It's unbelievable - the state violates its own laws and tries to cover that up however it can.Only old gangsters can get away with that."
Ai's public profile is very different from his private persona. In the Chinese media, only his mainstream projects - such as his work helping to design the Bird's Nest stadium for last year's Beijing Olympics - are mentioned.
His new exhibition in a private gallery in Beijing's trendy 798 art district features only a few pieces - one is a map of the world made of thousands of layers of cotton, symbolising China's position as the "workshop for the world".
"The government-run places don't want to show my work. I'm not interested anyway, as they are always subject to censorship rules," he said.
In October, he will open a much bigger show in Munich, entitled "So Sorry".
He described his latest effort as "complicated and huge", exploring a variety of themes, from Nazi leader Adolf Hitler to modern China and the Sichuan earthquake.
So far, Ai has avoided prison, though others in China have been sentenced to jail for similar provocations. He says he is fully aware he could fall foul of the authorities at any time.
"I am afraid, but I am more afraid that if I do not speak out, then I'll have no more chance to be afraid any more. It can happen to me any time," he said.
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