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Exclusive art gallery opens on Charoen Muang Road
Andy Archer
Chiang Mai’s reputation as the city of Art, Music and Culture was
further advanced last week by the official opening of 116 Art Gallery,
proudly presided over by its owner, Wanthip Nimmanahaeminda’s mother, Khun
Ying Buppan Nimmanahaeminda. Located on Charoen Muang Road, the new gallery
is dedicated to the exhibiting of works by renowned Thai and international
artists.
 Pool
Nganpeerapong, the gallery’s manager, with artist Nukoon Panyadee and one of
his exhibited works.
Nukoon Panyadee, one of the Thai artists who will be represented, will also
act as consultant and advisor to Pool Nganpeerapong, the gallery’s manager.
Nukoon himself has exhibited at the prestigious Jamjuree Gallery at
Bangkok’s Chulalongkorn University. Other exhibitors at present on show
include ajarn Sawadee Meesoonthorn (who has also exhibited at the Jamjuree
Gallery), In-son Wongsarm, awarded ‘National Artist’ in 1999, and Pratueng
Emjaroen, awarded ‘National Artist’ in 2005. Prices for exhibited works
range between 10,000 and 600,000 baht, with the present exhibition due to
run until mid-July.
‘Geography of Hungry Ghosts’ gets a packed-out reception
Bradley Dean Whyte and Matthew
Whiston surrounded
by their fans at the ArtSpace on 7 CD release party.
Andy Archer
On March 7, ArtSpace on 7 hosted a packed-out release party for local
residents Bradley Dean Whyte and Matthew Whiston’s new CD, Geography of
Hungry Ghost – a collaboration of their own work. Almost 100 people crammed
into the gallery to hear, performed live, songs from the CD, including the
amazing lyrics of William Shakespeare and the beautiful melody of Geography.
A first-time visitor to the gallery, Ellen Ward, commented on the lively and
original music in its beautiful setting. Another guest, Tameer Barnslee, was
enthralled by the lyrics and harmonies, whilst many others agreed that it
had been a great evening, and wished that there were more events of the kind
in Chiang Mai. Geography of Hungry Ghosts can be purchased at 300 baht on
www.alchemypop.com, or can be sent by email for 200 baht. A great idea for
those who either missed the event or couldn’t get through the door on the
night!
From rubbish to saleable
products without burning
To help reduce the burning of waste and the air pollution
it causes in the north, Chiang Mai University’s Social Research Institute
and other agencies have together set up the “From Waste to Value to Avoid
Garbage Burning” project. Villagers are taught to transform rubbish into
products for sale, not only to create income for villagers, but also to
fight air pollution.
One of the 3 communities participating in the project’s pilot scheme is
located in Chiang Mai’s Hang Dong district. Plastic milk containers are
converted into handbags, creating a new product out of the waste instead of
burning it.
Before the project’s launch, some villagers had become ill from pollution
caused by rubbish-burning; as a result, local people decided to take action
and began sorting rubbish for recycling. Last year, the community saved more
than 12,000 plastic milk containers and recycled them into several thousand
handbags. This innovative way of reducing air pollution has also helped
bring them extra income.
According to villager, Anong Woramitr, “Before this project, we usually
disposed of milk containers by burning them at a site close to the
community’s school area. These days, we don’t burn them anymore!”
Local people in all the participating communities are persuaded to use
leftover materials to create practical and pretty arts and crafts; for
instance, sawdust flower pots, newspaper baskets and backrest pillows made
from cloth remnants. The project’s campaign has seen a sharp drop in trash
burning, and has also helped stop conflicts amongst community members.
“Last year, we set a goal to reduce waste by 30%, or 30% of the burning.
According to our survey, we’ve actually managed to decrease 47% of the
overall burning. We aim to reduce waste to zero,” said Douangchan
Chareanmuang, from CMU’s Social Research Institute.
This year, the project has expanded to the neighbouring province of Lamphun
and another 19 Chiang Mai communities are also participating in order to
reduce burning. (TNA)
‘Carnival of Cultures’ raises 375,000 baht for local charities
The winners of the fancy dress
contest with the judges. Just look at those wings!
Elena Edwards
A fresh idea in charity events, the ‘Carnival of Cultures’,
organised by Thailandfreunde Chiang Mai, and held at the Holiday Inn on
March 7, proved a great success. The event began with a stirring rendering
of both German marching music and a sprightly polonaise, which accompanied
the throwing of chocolate coins at the assembled guests and the yelling of
‘Ahoi!’
The event brought together carnival traditions from countries in three
continents, with magician, clown and mime artiste Nick Wiczynski
representing Europe, Latin dances performed by students from the Chiang Mai
Ballet Academy representing the Americas, and the Chiang Mai Blue Diamond
cabaret representing Asia. Raffles were held, with many prizes being won,
including spa vouchers and an oil painting by an Israeli artist. The climax
of the evening was the (by now almost obligatory) fancy dress contest, in
which a witch, Cinderella, two roses (one small, one large), a Lanna prince
and princess, a Rajah, a joker, Leonardo da Vinci, a supermodel, an Arabian
prince, a Siamese soldier and a pair of butterflies (size unknown) took
part. The overall winners were the pair of butterflies, who fluttered off
with a cup and a free stay at the Amari Emerald Cove Hotel on Kho Chang
Island. The large rose won second prize, a chance to plant herself, a friend
and her cup in the Meridién Hotel in Chiang Rai. Third prize, a buffet lunch
for 2 at the Ratilanna Hotel, was won by the Siamese soldier. Given army
rations, he was probably rather pleased! The final draw was for the mystery
door prize, a 5,000 baht voucher donated by Fashion King, was won by 5 year
old Mausi. Bet her mum has fun with that!
The total raised, including a donation from Germany, came out at 375,000
baht, well up on Thailandfreunde’s last event. 175,000 baht will be given to
the School for the Blind, the second donation from this organisation; the
remaining 200,000 baht will go to a local children’s HIV/AIDS charity, which
will be chosen in conjunction with the generous donor.
Scantily-clad young ladies
from the Blue Diamond Cabaret.
Watch out, Rio, here they come!
Producing bio-substances from rice
New research benefits health
Research by Woranuch Srijetsadarak, a lecturer at Khon
Kaen University’s Faculty of Technology, has resulted in a new method of
producing Gamma Amino Butyric Acid (GABA) unpolished rice of very high
quality, which also tastes good and is good for health. Due to the rise in
popularity of health foods, Woranuch focused her research on techniques of
producing the rice easily.
 GABA
enriched rice can be more easily produced under the new method.
Although, at present, GABA rice production studies are common, Woranuch has
been studying production methods since 2007, and as a result has received
attention from consumers groups and the private sector, with increased
cooperation between the public and private sector in researching rice
development and extension. Her results involved the use of new methods of
study, leading to an increase in GABA in several strains of rice,
particularly red jasmine rice.
The new method involves soaking red jasmine rice grain in water held at
35-40 degrees Celsius for 10-12 hours. The grains are then placed in soil at
a humidity of more than 95% and a temperature of 35-40% Celsius for 30-35
hours. After subsequent drying and scaling, the resultant rice will have
increased in GABA content by 12 milligrams per 100 grams, and will also be
of higher quality compared with other rice strains.
GABA is found in a protein acid, and has been proven to help maintain and
support nerve cells, relax the brain and protect against the onset of
Alzheimer’s disease. In the West, the substance has been used to treat
nervous system and psychiatric disorders, sleeplessness, spasms, convulsions
and similar conditions.
It is expected that the research results will bring value-added benefits to
Thai rice production, encourage research grants in the fields of medicine
and public health, and generate increased rural income in rice-farming
areas.
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