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Murals in honor of 180 years of friendship
U.S. Consulate celebrates friendship with Thailand
Chiang Mai
Governor Tanin Subhasaen dropped by to greet U.S. Consul General Ken Foster
and to meet the students working so hard to brighten the Consulate walls.
By Shana Kongmun
In honor of the 180th anniversary of Thai-U.S. friendship this year, the
U.S. Consulate invited students from schools around the city to come and
paint the Consulate walls in colorful murals representing their ideas of
that friendship, what it means and the ways in which it is expressed.
Students from CMU, Montfort, Prince Royals as well as Thai schools from
around the city sent their best artists to complete the murals and the ways
in which these students expressed themselves and how they viewed the U.S.
and Thailand and their close ties was interesting and unique.
One mural showed the head of the elephant with the legs and wings of the
eagle, the symbols of the two nations, while another mural showed the Golden
Gate Bridge of San Francisco on one side and the high rises of New York City
on the other. There were several portrayals of President Barack Obama with
one showing his recent meeting with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.
Chiang Mai Governor Thanin Subhasaen dropped in unannounced with Police
Region 5 officers to meet U.S. Consul General Kenneth Foster and to chat
with students and view their work. Mayor Tussanai Buranupakorn popped over
from the Municipal Building to chat with the students and to thank them for
their work.
Despite the broiling hot sun, the students enjoyed their task and the murals
are a lovely and bright addition to the area. Worth a look the next time you
are in the area!
One of the
students putting on the finishing touches of their mural of the meeting
between U.S. President Obama and Prime Minister Yingluck.
U.S. Consul
General Ken Foster is joined by Mayor Tussanai Buranupakorn, Governor Tanin
Subhasaen and officers from Police Region 5.
Mayor
Tussanai Buranupakorn and U.S. Consul General Ken Foster continue the
tradition of Thai-U.S. friendship.
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Welcome to the Year of the Snake
Chinatown’s 11th Chinese New Year festival
President
of the PAO Boonlert Buranupakorn led the opening ceremony. From left; Wisoot
Buachoom, Head of TAT Chiang Mai, Mayor Tussanai Buranupakorn, President
Boonlert and Chinese Consul General Zhang Weicai.
By Nopniwat Krailerg
February 10, 2013 marked the beginning of the Year of the Snake, the
water snake more specifically, and fortune tellers predict that the year
will be less tumultuous and that obstacles faced in 2012 can be solved in
2013 while financially, the second half of the year will be good.
Zhang Weicai, Consul General for the People’s Republic of China joined
President of the Provincial Administration Organization (PAO) Boonlert
Buranapakorn and Mayor Tussanai Buranupakorn to mark the grand opening of
the Chinese New Year at the main stage on Wichayanon Road in front of
Waroros Market.
The day started with the traditional parade with dragon dancers and lions
dancing their way Tha Pae Gate to Kuang Mean Road to worship at the Chinese
shrine there before moving onto the main stage at Waroros Market in Chiang
Mai’s Chinatown. Members of the local Chinese community joined in the
festivities.
Consul General Zhang wished a happy Chinese New Year to the gathered crowd
and President Boonlert led the opening as they beat on the ceremonial drums
together to start the 11th annual Chiang Mai Chinatown Chinese New Year.
The festival featured Chinese food, products and of course the presentation
of the new Miss Chiang Mai Chinatown 2013, the lovey Varunee Wiriya from
Chiang Mai Rajabhat University, 1st runner up was Thanaporn Photatip from
Chiang Mai University and 2nd runner up Tippawan Kitti from Maejo
University.
Chinese
Consul General Zhang Weicai feeds the Lion with some money to bring good
luck for the coming year.
The Lion
Dancers joined the group onstage to launch the Chinese New Year.
The winners
of the Miss Chiang Mai Chinatown contest pose with their trophies, winner
Varunee Wiriya from Chiang Mai Rajabhat University is in the center.
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New Gym opening!
Krin “Ong”
Promwanna of Absolute Hair (and Absolute Bootcamp) dropped in to offer his
best wishes to the owner, Zhuling Playisanos.
By Shana Kongmun
The latest entrant into the fitness craze opened on the 6th floor of Lotus
Pang Suan Kaew, Harris Fitness opened with a splash on Friday February 8,
2013 with a dance performance and friendly fitness instructors willing to
show off the brand new equipment. The fitness center is open daily from 7 am
to 10 pm and offers access to the pool as well. The lovely owner and her
partner greeted guests and chatted about the classes on offer, including
kids yoga, hip hop, yoga and body combat.
They are offering a free trial sign up until the 28th so drop by and try out
some classes. The machines sure looked good and so did the trainers!
One of the
trainers shows off his moves at the punching bag.
Local
resident Jennifer Harris and friends greeted the owner and congratulated her
on the new business.
Festival of Spring; Chinese culture show
This
traditional dance featured performers with drums.
By Shana Kongmun
The Chinese Government and the Consulate General of the People’s Republic of
China held their annual show at the Kad Theater in Kad Suan Kaew on Tuesday,
February 19, 2013 to a full audience. Deputy Governor Adisorn Kamnerdsiri
opened the event which was introduced by Wang Xiaoping, Director General,
State Overseas Chinese Office for the PRC.
 A
modern performance on a traditional Chinese lute or san xian wowed the
audience.
The near capacity crowd was a mix of mainly Chinese and Thais with a few
other nationalities sprinkled in, all hoping to learn more about the Chinese
cultural arts. Past shows have featured ethnic minorities and dances while
this year seemed to focus more on modern Chinese culture with a few more
traditional performances thrown in.
The performance on the three stringed Chinese lute or san xian, was
fabulous, wowing the crowd with the amazing music that came out of an
instrument with only three strings. Additionally the traditional dancers
with small drums were quite impressive. However, much of the evening was
devoted to popular Chinese culture with many of the favorites being
performed by some singers with fabulous voices.
And as if to show that China can produce some astonishing voices, the very
handsome opera singer that came out and wowed the audience with his
rendition of O Sole Mio had people asking, “Is he Chinese?” Yes indeed, he
is. The evening was far different from last year’s show but gave a glimpse
into a modern and emerging Chinese culture.
Performing
O Sole Mio in Italian, this young Chinese man astounded the audience with
his voice.
Swirling
pieces of fabric cloth lent a delicate and graceful air to this performance.
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