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Winter celebration in Chiang Mai
Staff reporters
“A winter celebration of music, shows, buffets,
fireworks and a very special visit from Santa Claus” said the invitation.
And that was what awaited the almost 700 guests who came to the Wongmalee
family estate in Chiang Mai.
Ajarn
Akadet, next to Daeng from DNK, (left front) Pim, the MC for the Thai
audience; and (far right) MC for the English speaking audience Michael Vogt.
Santa Claus rode in on an elephant with 250 filled
Christmas bags, thanks to the generosity of Kang and June Wongmalee and just
looking at the eyes of the children made it worthwhile. When Santa got down
from his huge elephant, and children and adults joined to sing Jingle Bells,
you could see the real Christmas feeling.
 The
hosts Kang and June Wongmalee with their youngsters Cue and baby July
But there was ‘eye candy’ as well as chocolate candy!
Aloha! All the way from Hawaii came Pulama and Anella who introduced the
guests to the art of Hawaiian hula. Some guests even tried a ‘crash
course’ in Hawaiian hip swinging.
The extravagant show troupe of Ajarn Akadet from Sbun Nga
entertained with contemporary Thai dances in ‘over the top’ costumes.
To finish the party, Santa joined Kang and June Wongmalee in wishing
everybody a healthy, happy prosperous New Year and peace on earth!
Aloha!
All the way from Hawaii came Pulama and Anella who introduced the guests to
the art of Hawaiian dance.
Charity piano recital by David Wilson
Nopniwat Krailerg
The Rejoice Charity Piano Recital by David Wilson was
staged at the Gong Dee Gallery, on Nimmanhaemin Road, Soi 1, on December 18.
This charity concert was sponsored by the Payap University and Serendipity
Designs, the publishers of Art and Culture Lanna.
Gareth
Lavel (right) was on hand to inform about Rejoice’s many programs.
Sponsor, Art and Culture Lanna publishers represented by marketing manager,
Lori Ashton (left) and special guests, Princess Chao Soimala Na Jampasak
(Suksin) (middle) and her husband Sukphachok Suksin (second left) who
presented hand-woven scarves to David Wilson (second right) and Lori.
David Wilson’s energetic program included Beethoven,
Bach and rarely played pieces by Liszt.
Proceeds from the concert were raised for Rejoice Urban
Development Program that helps the poor and HIV infected in Northern
Thailand.
Around 50 people were enraptured by the performance that evening,
including Laotian Princess Chao Soimala Na Jampasak (Suksin) and her husband
who were special guests at this Rejoice Charity piano recital.
Triumph for Santa!
Lindy Santitharangkul
Despite frigid (for Thailand) temperatures, friends and
family within the U.S. Consulate General of Chiang Mai rang in the Christmas
season last Monday under a giant Christmas tree, with flashing lights and
plenty of Christmas cheer.
 Santa
arrived at the party in a vintage Triumph with elfin David Summers at the
wheel…
Wind chill factor aside, Santa arrived at the party in a
convertible vintage Triumph with an elfin, David Summers, at the wheel.
Facing a sometimes skeptical crowd of children who weren’t sure Santa was
real, the jolly fellow in the red suit won them over first with candy canes,
and then bigger, more impressive stuff.
Who
cares if he is real, the presents are real for sure!
He also listened to their woes and posed with some of the older, wiser
people. Members of the Choral Society, accompanied by Sid Richardson on his
magic piano, sang Christmas carols, along with Scott Jones, who entertained
with two original compositions he wrote for the group’s performance last
Friday night at the CMU Convention Center.
Beautiful Lanna woman required to lift 100,000 baht
Saksit Meesubkwang
The Miss Chiang Mai Pageant Committee is inviting Chiang
Mai born attractive women to enter the Miss Chiang Mai Pageant 2005. The
pageant will be staged on January 5, 2005 as part of the annual Chiang Mai
Winter Fair.
The pageant organizers are looking for a genuine Chiang
Mai born and bred beautiful woman, said Udom Piboon from the organizing
group.
The chosen woman must not only be beautiful but she has
to be smart, talented, and a forward-looking kind of person to match the
theme of “Lanna Woman to International Stage”, said Udom. She also needs
to be well-informed as to genuine Lanna traditions, customs and manners to
represent Lanna to the world.
The winner will be awarded 100,000 baht cash, crown, sash
and trophy. The first and second runners up will receive 50,000 baht and
30,000 baht cash.
Applications remain open until January 3, 2005. The first
round selection will be on January 4, 2005. All contestants have to be
between 18-25 years old, born in Chiang Mai, above 165 centimeters in
height, single, have completed high school and have Thai nationality.
Application can given in person at the Daily Delight on
Chonlapratarn Road, telephone 0-5340-0517 and on the 2nd floor of CM
Computer building, at Khuang Singh intersection or call 0-5341-0100 ext 228.
Environmentalist artists group exhibits “The love of Doi Luang Chiang Dao”
Nopniwat Krailerg
More than 25 environmentalist artists from Chiang Mai
exhibited 100 impressionist paintings under the theme “The Love of Doi
Luang Chiang Dao” to express their view of the beauty of nature of Doi
Luang Chiang Dao.
The exhibition was held at Suan Silp Rueng Tawan, in
tambon San Phi Sue on December 18, and presided over by Prof. Tawan
Kungwarnpong. Many visitors enjoyed the welcoming atmosphere of the garden
house of Bun Suanduenchai and Phoonlarp Reungsukh. Many well known writers,
musicians and poets, such as Soontri Wechanon, Chai Blues and Took
Brasserie, were also present.
Bun Suanduenchai is the owner of Suan Silp Reung Tawan
and said that the stimulus for this event was the inspiration of Doi Luang
Chiang Dao since the artists group view Doi Luang Chiang Dow as a sacred
place and a natural and exceptional site.
However, it is being spoiled by government projects, such
as the cable car, being resisted by local citizens, scholars and NGOs.
“The process of requesting public exhibition space in Thailand is
complicated. The artists aim to show their masterpieces but lack the
exhibition area. I’d love my place to be the art gallery and a place of
knowledge for the younger generation interested in the arts. I am ready to
support everything,” said Bun.
The exhibition will remain until the end of the February 2005. For more
information, call 0-1654-9911, 0-1499-9911.
Bun
Suanduenchai, the owner of Suan Silp Rueng Tawan and his paintings in the
exhibition.
The
atmosphere at the exhibition “The love of Doi Luang Chiang Dao”
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