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Maejo University organizes Longan fair
Another attempt to mop up the glut
Nopniwat Krailerg
Because of the glut in production and consequently
falling prices, Asst. Prof. Phawin Manochai of Maejo University revealed
that the university has cooperated with government and private sectors
including banks, educational institutes and research bodies, to hold a
Longan fair “Sart Haeng Lam Yai” on November 25-27 from 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Longan,
northern fruit that is flooding market this season.
There will be an exhibition providing knowledge about
Longans, from (over) planting to sale, germinating, trimming, forcing flower
blossoming with chlorophyll, fertilization, improving product quality and
enlarging fruit and enhancing skin color by adjusting by light conditions
and other esoteric Longan knowledge.
In addition to this wealth of information, attendants can
also learn about Longan disease and plant lice, how to make dry Longan using
an energy saving method, Longan marketing and Longan production venture
capital.
Whilst this is all very noble, the bottom line remains overproduction and
a lack of interest by China, which grows its own Longan needs.
British Buddhist Samatha Group chant the Mahasamaya Sutta
Preeyanoot Jittawong
Monks from 12 temples in England brought British
Buddhists to Chiang Mai to chant Mahasamaya Sutta with Chiang Mai Buddhists
for the peace of the world and the happiness of all at Phra Singh
Woramahawiharn Temple, Chiang Mai. The group had traveled to eight places
since July 23 to chant with other Buddhists.
British
Buddhists chant with Chiang Mai Buddhists at Phra Singh Woramahawiharn
Temple, Chiang Mai.
Dr. Phra Maha Lao Panyasirisit, abbot of Buddha Vihara
Temple, England, traveled to teach some British Buddhists to chant the
Mahasamaya Sutta fluently, so they could show their adoration of the Thai
master, pray for peace in the world and happiness for all. Besides the
chanting, there was a discourse on the existence of angels given by Prof.
Saeng Chan-ngam, as well as an exhibition of temples in Europe and England.
After the chanting in Chiang Mai, before flying back
home, the team from England joined Buddhists to chant at Nak Kerd Peak,
Phuket, for those who died in the tsunami.
Normally, chanting the Mahasamaya Sutta is carried out at New Year or
during the Songkran Festival to bring good luck and peace to the city and
the lives of its inhabitants. It is chanted in the rainy season before
harvesting to bring good luck and after chanting, water used in the ceremony
will be splashed on children, households, farms, belongings, vehicles and
pets. Mahasamaya Sutta is also chanted at an opening ceremony of a building
to let the angels know and they will then gather to listen to the chanting
so evil will be destroyed.
Chiang Mai youth quizzed
on Extreme Sports
Daisy Vogt
Assumption University Students conducted a focus group in
the Chiangmai Mail offices, with the young people in Chiang Mai, when
they interviewed participants about their outlook on Extreme Sports.
Games,
discussions and different views were shared during this focus group. Seen
here are from left Vivien (17), David (12), Dexter and Alex (9), Yupin (20)
and Vincent (16).
The researchers also held a focus group for parents to
examine if Extreme Sports are becoming more accepted in today’s society
and which has the greatest chance that adults and youth will meet when it
comes to X-treme.
The sports examined were water skiing, BMX,
skateboarding, basketball, inline skating and soccer.
It was interesting to see was that both groups thought that safety and
professional training were prime factors points to be ensured.
Thai-US modern art show
Preeyanoot Jittawong
The Center for the Promotion of Arts and Culture, Chiang
Mai University in association with Thai Art Council of U.S.A and the Thai
National Artist Kamol Tassananchalee jointly organized “A contemporary art
exhibition Thai - American”, which will continue until the end of August,
between 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Dr.
Kamol Tassananchalee with Consul General Bea Camp and Dr. Pongdet Chaiyakut,
director of the Chiang Mai University Center for the Promotion of Art and
Culture at the opening of “The Contemporary Art Exhibition:
Thai-American”.
The exhibition is being held at Chiang Mai University Art
Museum and the opening ceremony on August 5 was presided over by US C-G
Beatrice Camp.
The exhibition displays 25-30 contemporary works of seven
Thai artists, Kamol Tassananchalee, Pongdej Chaiyakat, Vatcharee
Trirapichit, Peerapong Doungkaew, Chaiyot Chandratita, Chaivut Ruamrudeekul
and Pongsiri Kiddee and three American artists, Anthony Zepeda, Diana Wong
and Hideo Sakata.
The main objective of the exhibition is to exchange
knowledge in art and culture and to build a stronger relationship between
Thai and American artists.
Many
different kind of art pieces at the
Thai-US modern art show at the Chiang Mai University Art Museum on
Nimmanhaemin and Suthep roads.
Dr. Kamol Tassananchalee, National Artist and head of the
Thai Art Council of the U.S.A. was present and the bulk of his contributions
to the show comprise a series on hand-made paper that reminded everybody of
the work of Southwest Indians. Dr. Kamol lives in Hollywood and has just
been in Chiang Rai where he organized a program with Thawan Dachanee for
1500 students.
Maha Dewi and women’s roles
Supreeda Wongsansee
On August 20, a dance performance to represent the common
and universal attributes of ‘feminine’ across cultures, will take place
at Gong Dee Studio.
 The
most elegant way anyone can dance a Flamenco will be shown by Supreeda
Wongsansee, who has trained, performed and choreographed for many
productions including the Bangkok City Ballet and has performed at various
Royal Family festivals.
In traditional and modern cultures there have been two
basic archetypes of women: the perfect graceful, thin, mute, mother, sex
object ‘feminine’ and the nagging, hysterical, violent, unpredictable
and loud ‘bitch.’ This dance and the concept of Maha Dewi are meant to
show the narrow social roles and expectations of women in these societies.
Women in any culture are a complicated combination of
feminine, bitch, mother, lover, passive, aggressive, loving, and vicious.
The complicated mixture is represented here as a whole, a unity, through the
art of Nathaya, Flamenco and contemporary Lanna Art.
Tickets are priced at 200 baht and 150 for students and
are available at Gong Dee Studio. For more information contact Waewdao
Sirisook 0 1530 2233, waewdaos @hotmail.com or Supreeda Wongsansee 0 6917
1505 at jeanys@rocketmail.com
Grand Opera Society gala opening August 25
Dr. Graves
The Grand Opera Society of Chiangmai is most pleased to
announce the opening night’s performance of its 2005-2006 season.
Jules Massenet’s wonderful opera, “Thais” will be
presented at the home of Dr. Howard C. Graves, Jr. This special evening will
be open to 40 invited guests and will begin at 7 p.m. with ‘before curtain
drinks’. The “curtain will rise” at 7:30 p.m. sharp. There will be a
traditional “supper” during one of the intervals. It is the tradition of
the society that the guests bring what they intend to drink during the
evening as well as some food to share with the other guests.
The society’s membership register has been opened for
the new season. You may become a member by sending an email to Dr. Graves at
hogravesjr@yahoo.com giving your name(s) and telephone number. If you wish
to call please do so on 0 5321 9683.
Once you are a member, you may respond to the bi-weekly
announcements of the opera to be presented on alternate Thursdays. There
will be 40 invitations issued for the gala opening night and a limit of 20
invitations will be issued for the rest of the season’s presentations.
For the Gala, the first 40 responding to this article and
the email announcement to members will be issued invitations and for the
remaining season, the first 20 respondents to the bi-weekly opera
announcement will be issued invitations.
Recording star Audy
from Bangkok rocks The Hug
The Hug Restaurant on Rajadamnern was packed with festive
folks on Saturday night, August 6, for a benefit featuring recording star,
singer-songwriter Audy from Bangkok and many local guest artists. Tables
under tents stretched from The Hug across two neighbouring shops to
Technophobia Wifi Internet Cafe, a sponsor of the event along with Benmore
Scotch, Give and Live, Project Studio and Sood Sanan Pub. The beautiful
Benmore bar maids helped serve the free litre of scotch included in the
ticket price of 500 baht.
 Audy
singing at ‘The Hug’
Chuad and Huad from Sood Sanan Pub warmed up the crowd
with excellent vocals, guitar and Thai drum followed by
singer/songwriter/keyboardist Scott Jones and Aey, owner of The Hug. Audy
and backup guitarist rocked the house, about 90 percent Thai, with his
familiar pop songs that brought frequent screams and sing-alongs from his
fans.
The evening closed with an array of jams with Aey’s
vocals, guitar, bass and spoons, Scott’s electronic orchestra, Piak’s
harmonica, Bangkok Rang Rockestra’s powerful voice and James Hightower’s
lightning guitar fingers, one of his last performances before moving to Hua
Hin to be Professor of Calculus and Discreet Mathematics, some secret math
that most of us are not allowed to learn.
The proceeds will help pay for the education of Aey’s daughter Puen,
age 3 going on 23, who danced to most every song when she wasn’t serving
drinks to happy patrons.
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