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Exhibition of royal photographs over 100 years old
Photograph
of King Rama V, which will be published as postcards.
Preeyanoot Jittawong
An exhibition “Photographs by appointment of HM” of Kings Rama IV and V,
including very rare photographs more than 120 years old was held on June
8–11 at Jum Ngern Room, Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai.
The exhibition was previously shown in Bangkok, and Domi Duca Asia brought
the impressive photo exhibition to Chiang Mai for the purposes of honouring
HM the King celebrating the 60th
anniversary of ascension to the throne and to reflect the genius of the Rama
Dynasty.
40 old photos were displayed, which had been brought from Ton Peek
Photography, the Netherlands. Photos in this exhibition were from two royal
photographers from two royal periods; Francis Chit, who was an important
historical photographer with talents recognized by King Rama IV and William
Kennett Loftus.
Every work had captions in both Thai and English, which were researched and
written by Lady Butree Weerawaithaya, vice royal secretary. Also, the 10
most most outstanding photos in the exhibition will be published as a
postcard book including a cover with the golden symbol honouring HM the King
and will have a serial number stamped on every item. These will be published
in a print run of only 2,400 items. Each one will cost 500 baht or 999 baht
(for significant serial numbers). All the income will be given to HRH
Princess Sirindhorn to contribute to a royal charity of HRH Princess Sawang
Wattana.
Mouron d’Amour concert success
Katsuhiro
Shinohara Japanese Consul general to Chiang Mai (3rd
from right) and VIP guest with Mouron.
Chiangmai mail Reporters
Mandarin Oriental Dhara Dhevi, Chiang Mai staged a charity concert
“Mouron d’Amour” by acclaimed French singer Mouron, known as the
“Diva of Chanson” and talented British pianist Terry Truck, for music
lovers at Jum Thong Hall, in Chiang Mai to raise money for Baan Kingkaew,
Chiang Mai Orphanage Home.
In the wonderful musical evening, Moron and Terry chose many classic and
well known French songs for their audiences during an hour-long
performance. However, the highlight came when they impressed everybody with
the song “Klai Rung”, one of the musical compositions by HM King
Bumibhol Adulyadej, which drew ecstatic applause.
The evening turned out to be very successful with enthusiastic
participation of many distinguished guests from Chiang Mai and Bangkok.
Photo Exhibition “AUSCHWITZ – The Depth of the Abyss”
H.E.
Mrs. Yael Rubinstein, Ambassador of Israel to Thailand (2nd
from right), Wilat Rujiwattanapong, Deputy Chiang Mai Governor (2nd
from left) in the exhibition
Preeyanoot Jittawong
Chiang Mai University and the Israeli Embassy are exhibiting photos at
an exhibition entitled “AUSCHWITZ – The Depth of the Abyss” at the
Fine Arts and Culture Museum, Chiang Mai University on June 2-30.
H.E. Mrs. Yael Rubinstein, the Israeli Ambassador to Thailand opened the
exhibition on June 1 welcomed by Wilat Rujiwattanapong, Deputy Chiang
Mai Governor. The purpose of this exhibition was to show photographs
taken by Nazi soldiers at Jewish Detention Camps during World War II;
and paintings of the living conditions of the Jewish detainees. Those
who are interested in the photo exhibition “AUSCHWITZ – The Depth of
the Abyss” can experience these terrible times at the Fine Arts and
Culture Museum, Chiang Mai University on June 2 – 30 from 9.00 a.m.
– 4.30 p.m. Tuesday – Sunday, except Monday.
Debussy in Chiang Mai
Gus Peterson
“But I came for the choir,” said a disgusted visitor, when he saw the
program for the fifth concert in the Debussy Festival at Payap. When it was
pointed out to him that there was a choir on the program, he said, “But I
am not interested in this kind of music.” Obviously, he was
looking for the Chiang Mai Choral Society International, performing some
Broadway favorites, a concert also at Payap but at a different location.
And on the same evening.
Well, he missed an impressive performance by the Payap Sacred Music
Singers. This chamber chorus of 26 voices was founded by its present
conductor Ayu Namtep. It has brought concerts to various places in
Thailand, and in coming July will represent Thailand in the World Choir
Games in China. Their complete competition repertoire can be heard during a
concert on June 24, 2006, at 7 p.m., at the Somsawali Auditorium at
Payap’s McCormick Campus.
Bennett
Lerner and Tassana Nagavajara play Debussy’s Sonata.
This evening they brought us a small selection from that repertoire with
compositions by the American composers Rickard, Whitacre and Thompson and
by Edvard Grieg from Norway. The choir returned from a concert in Bangkok
this very day, but nevertheless was in excellent shape. It is a
well-balanced ensemble, whose members obviously enjoy to sing, as was shown
by all their happy, smiling faces. We wish them much success in China.
The rest of the program was dedicated to Claude Debussy. With one
exception: Bennett Lerner played his own arrangement for piano solo of the
“Saturday Night Waltz” from Aaron Copland’s ballet ‘Rodeo’.
Bennett Lerner started this concert with Debussy’s “Pour le piano”,
written in 1901, and including the ‘Sarabande’, a refined version of
the original composition, which we heard later in this program.
He continued with four separate pieces, written between 1904 and 1917.
Lerner’s solo part this evening was completed by the “Images oubli้es”
(Forgotten images). This composition, although written in 1894, was
published for the first time in 1977. These images include the
‘Sarabande’ as it was originally written by the composer.
The evening came to an impressive finale with the performance of
Debussy’s “Sonata” (1917) for violin and piano. The Sonata is the
last composition of Debussy’s extensive oeuvre. He played the piano
himself at the premiere, less than one year before his death. In the
Sonata, Lerner was joined by Tasana Nagavajara. Navagajara is both a
devoted teacher and a much sought-after soloist with a long career, both in
Thailand and abroad. He studied in Switzerland, Austria and USA, and will
soon continue his studies in Germany. He is the concert-master of the
Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and also the Deputy Dean of the Faculty of Music
at Bangkok’s Silpakorn University. It was nice to hear that both
musicians had an almost parallel view on Debussy’s music, which gave
their rendition a harmonic and intense quality.
It was appreciated that the organizers decided to supply some refreshments
during the intermission.
Building Relationships between Halfway Houses
The Health and
Development Networks
“They do not have human rights when they are alive. They don’t even
have the right to die,” said Thanta Laovilawanyakul, of Live to Dream,
a halfway house serving female sex workers. She explained the difficulty
of accessing cremation services for marginalized people who do not have
proper identification. Many of them die unacknowledged, unremembered and
without a place for permanent rest.
On 30 May 2006, the monthly NGO Forum, hosted by Health and Development
Networks (HDN), provided a space for managers of halfway houses to
discuss common challenges, needs and collaboration opportunities in
providing shelter, care and support, information and services to
marginalized people.
“Home is essential for people. We want to make sure they feel at home.
Many of them (sex workers) left their hometown a long time ago, to make
a living for their families. They were the ‘bread-winners’ for the
families, and now they are ill. They don’t want their families to know
that they are sick; don’t want their families to be disappointed. So
they often suffer alone,” Thanta said.
For those working in halfway houses, ‘a house’ does not simply mean
a shelter. These houses provide not only basic daily needs such as food
and health services but also vocational and life skills that lead to
empowerment and hope. “It is about making sure that marginalized
people receive necessary and appropriate help,” said Prayoon Moonla
from Baan Sabaay. Baan Sabaay accommodates people living with HIV/AIDS
(PWHA), provides them with care and treatment, and facilitates
handicraft making and other vocational skills training. Prayoon said the
combination of activities encourages and motivates those staying at the
home to develop interests, hope and skills to take care of themselves.
Despite their various needs for care and support, current legal
frameworks, social stigma and discrimination prevent halfway houses from
accessing the information, services and resources they need. They cannot
operate openly and seek external support, because failing to ensure
confidentiality for their residents may exacerbate the stigma and
criminalization of already marginalized people, and their access to
services.
“Many hospitals refuse to provide services to migrant workers because
many of them do not have an official identification card,” said Srilar
Pumuen from Baan Thirty, a halfway house for migrant workers. Baan
Thirty has only three staff working with over 20 migrant workers at a
time. “Staff workload exceeds the limit. It is difficult to ensure
that necessary services are provided,” said Srilar. She also pointed
out the limitations of dealing with diverse language interpretation,
which is necessary to communicate migrants’ needs to external service
providers.
Discussing challenges, forum participants were also able to identify
collaboration opportunities. For example, those in homes without
expertise in HIV/AIDS care and treatment could go to a home that works
mainly with PWHA. Limitations in accepting certain groups of people, use
of resources and capacities can be reduced by partnerships among houses
working across issues and expertise. Finally, the forum participants
came up with a number of practical action steps, including:
• Sharing referral contact information for resources and services that
serve different needs, such as language, counseling, medical services
and religious needs.
• Holding follow up meetings to identify, plan and implement
collaboration.
The closing of the forum was also the beginning of future collaboration.
The capacity and potential impact of halfway homes will increase as each
house learns from the different expertise and services offered by
others, and as workable partnerships are developed.
The NGO forum takes place on the last Tuesday of every month at the
HIV/AIDS Action Centre. For more information or suggestions of topics,
please contact Duangkamol Doncha-um at Health and Development Networks,
053 418 438 # 110 or email: duang kamol@hdnet.org , action
centre@hdnet.org.
Zonta International Chiang Mai Club active on the local scene
Zonta
club members and boys participating in “Life Skills”
Chiangmai Mail
Reporters
During May, the Chiang Mai Zonta club visited the Correction Centre, Mae
Rim where 60 boys participated in a program sponsored by Zonta Chiang
Mai Club. These boys are new delinquents coming into the Corrections
Centre-varying from ages 15-20yrs. Zonta brought in a CMU voluntary
group of nurses, psychologist and professors in charge of “Life
Skills” training for Youth.
The Zonta Club is very appreciative in the complete co-operation and
freedom given to our team by the Director of this Center, Cherdkiat
Chaiman and his staff/training officers of the center.
The new Zonta International Installation Ceremony of New Officers for
2006-2008 will be held in Chiang Rai-Wiang Inn Hotel, June 10, 2006 at 6
p.m. with two other Northern Zonta Clubs, Chiang Rai (as Host for this
year) and the Phitsanulok club.
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