Mbt premier issue 2014

MEKONG B U S I N E S S

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T R A V E L

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旅

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2014 PREMIER ISSUE 创刊号

New Stomping Ground For Thailand’s Hotel GROUPS Bill Heineke

泰国酒店集团的新天地

Minor Group

Chanin Donavanik Dusit International

Supachai Verapuchong

Phokeethra Group

Thirayuth Chirathivat

+更多INSIDE

Centara Group

THE BEAN IS BACK IN BUSINESS 老挝咖啡业方兴未艾 | PROPERTY INVESTMENT IN YANGON 仰光房地产投资 CRUISING THE MEKONG 巡游湄公河 | THE PERFECT PRESCRIPTION 完美处方 | MANDALAY 曼德勒

PAGE 8 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

EDITOR’S NOTE 总编寄语

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BUSINESS 商业 COVER STORY 封面故事 New Stomping Ground for Thailand’s Hotel Groups 泰国酒店集团的新天地

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ECONOMY & INVESTMENT 经济投资 The Bean is Back in Business 老挝咖啡业方兴未艾

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PROPERTY 房地产 Property Investment in Yangon 仰光房地产投资

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THE GMS in ASEAN 大湄公河与东盟 Asean Integration: Impact on the GMS 东盟一体化对大湄公河次区域的影响

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CONTENTS

PREMIER ISSUE 2014 创刊号

TRAVEL 旅游 MAIN FEATURE 专题 Cruising the Mekong 巡游湄公河

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SPECIAL INTEREST TRAVEL 专项旅游 The Perfect Prescription 完美处方

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CULTURE & HERITAGE 文化遗产 Embroidery Art of Huayao Yi 花腰彝族的刺绣艺术

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HOT DESTINATION 热门地点 Mandalay: Hidden Pearl of Southeast Asia 曼德勒: 东南亚隐藏的珍珠

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GREEN MEKONG 绿色湄公 Tracking Down the Rare Giant Ibis 摄猎珍稀大鹮

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REGULARS 专栏 LUXE LIVING 豪华住宿

An Oasis of Calm: The Governor’s Residence, Yangon 仰光宁静的绿洲：仰光总督官邸酒店 Saigon Revisited: Rex, Ho Chi Minh City 西贡风华再现: 胡志明市丽士酒店

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FINE DINING 美食天地 Neo-Classical French Dining Experience: La Signature, Ansara Hotel - Vientiane 新经典法式美食之旅 The Bobby Chinn Experience: Bobby Chinn Restaurant - Hanoi 全身心的美食体验

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MEKONG MADE 湄公制造 Monsoon Tea, Chiang Mai 清迈季风茶 Marou Chocolate, Ho Chi Minh City 胡志明市马鲁巧克力 Kampot Pepper, Kampot 柬埔寨贡布胡椒

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ART SHOWCASE 艺术之窗 Mekong: From Mountain to Sea 湄公: 从高山至大海

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NEWSBYTES 简讯

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MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 9

PREMIER ISSUE 2014 创刊号 Editor-in-Chief/ Publisher 总编辑/出版人 Jaffee Yee Yeow-Fei 余曜辉 Publishing Director 出版总监 Morgan Wong 黄彦恒 Managing Editors 执行主编 James A. Farrell (English) Ernest Tan Yau Chong 陈耀宗 (Chinese) Copy Editor 文字编辑 James Pruess (English) Contributors 撰稿人 Laurence Civil, Jim Goodman, Barry Broman, Bruce Kekule, Percy Roxas, Mark Hefner, Antony Picon Creative Director 创意总监 Barry Wong 黃展揚 Photography Consultant 摄影顾问 Barry Broman Editorial Advisory Board 编务顾问 Dr Jingjai Hanchanlash - Honorary Chairman, GMS Business Forum, Thailand Oudet Souvannavong - Secretary-General, GMS Business Forum, Laos Andrew J. Wood - Immediate Past President, Skål International Thailand Sonny Aung Khin - President, Skål Yangon, Myanmar U Min Thein - Myanmar Chamber of Commerce Richard A. Engelhardt - UNESCO Special Advisor Sinan Thourn - President, PATA Cambodia Helen Jarvis - Advisor to the Government of Cambodia Chris Taylor - Phnom Penh, Cambodia Distribution 发行 Mekong Business & Travel is widely distributed in all countries of the Greater Mekong Subregion or the GMS covering Thailand, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Laos and China (Yunnan and Guangxi), with a guaranteed controlled free circulation to chambers of commerce, embassies, national tourist bureaus, airlines lounges, luxury hotels, top restaurants, golf courses and spas etc.

Advertising & Subscription Enquiries 广告及订阅查询 Jaffee Yee 余曜辉 email: jaffee@MekongBusinessAndTravel.com mobile: +66-81-922-9063

Mekong Business & Travel is published by Greater Mekong Media (HK) Limited 1501-03, 15/F Golden Gate Commercial Building, 136-138 Austin Road, Kowloon, Hong Kong www.MekongBusinessAndTravel.com ©2014 by Greater Mekong Media (HK) Limited All materials in this publication are copyrighted by the publishers. Please direct to the publishers all requests for permission to use any part of the contents in any form. Reproduction of any part of the contents is strictly prohibited by law without the written permission of the publishers. The publishers reserve the right to accept or refuse advertising at their discretion.

Acceptance of any ad does not imply endorsement by the publishers. 本刊图文版权所有。如欲转载或使用，请与本刊联系。

PAGE 10 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

总编寄语

editor’s note

W

elcome to Mekong Business and Travel, the magazine for the Greater Mekong Subregion or the GMS. The GMS is a term I believe was created and made popular in the 1980s by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) where I first set foot when it was still located on Roxas Boulevard, Manila. I continued my involvement with the bank for the next 20 years supplying serial publications, books, and electronic 迎阅读《湄公商旅》创刊号！这是一本专为大 databases for their multi-national staff members’ research 湄公河次区域而编的中英双语杂志。大湄公河 needs. There is absolutely no question about the positive, 次区域这个概念，相信是在上个世纪80年代由 and equally pivotal role that the ADB has been playing in the development of the GMS for the past several decades, 亚洲开发银行首次提出并推广使大众熟知。我第一次与 该银行接触时，它的总部还设在马尼拉的罗哈斯大道 turning the region from a lackluster economic backwater 上。此后20年间，我为亚行提供过包括期刊、书籍和电 into an emerging shining star. 子数据库在内的一系列出版物，以满足其多国工作人员 的各种研究需求。过去几十年中，亚洲开发银行在大湄 Few regions in the world today can rival the GMS’ 公河次区域的发展中无疑扮演了积极且重要的角色，使 natural charm and ethnic diversity, not to mention the 它从过去暗淡无光的经济落后之地,转变为逐渐崛起的闪 vast business opportunities arising from the socio耀之星。 economic changes that have taken place recently. In particular Myanmar, a fast developing country whose 当今世界上鲜少有地区像大湄公河次区域这般充满自然 doors are now opened to welcome tourists and business 魅力，以及多民族文化交融。更不用说次区域内近年来 people alike after being closed for half a century. 随着社会经济改革而出现的巨大商机，也让其它地区难 望项背。特别是在闭关自守半世纪后最近向游客和商务 In view of these promising aspects of the region, with ever increasing interest in trade and tourism from around 人士大开国门的缅甸，现在更是商机无限。 the world, we came to the conclusion that there was a 鉴于全球旅客和投资者十分看好湄公河次区域的潜能， need for expert in-depth information related to business 我们认为各界对其商业和旅游的深度信息，及其反映文 and travel, as well as fascinating articles covering the 化与生活方式的精彩报道有很大的需求。因此，我们的 culture and lifestyle of this region. This growing niche 《湄公商旅》中英双语杂志应运而生，并制成印刷版和 is now manifested in our publication, Mekong Business 网络版两种形式。 and Travel, written in English and Chinese, published both in print and online. 在这本创刊号中，我们对大湄公河次区域6国的商业、旅 游及其丰富多样的文化都有介绍，但又各地侧重不同的 You will find in this inaugural issue a cross-section of 主题。我们首先将目光投向创刊号的封面故事——整个 balanced topics related to business, tourism, and the 次区域正快速增长的酒店投资领域。另外，我们也关注 many diverse cultures of all the six GMS countries. We 老挝的咖啡业、仰光的房地产投资和东盟的一体化。在 begin with the rapid development of hotel investment 旅游方面，我们带您搭上壮丽的湄公河巡游之旅，並探 in the region as our cover story. Other features include 访东南亚隐藏的珍珠曼德勒。此外，我们还介绍了蓬勃 the Lao coffee industry; property investment in Yangon; 发展的泰国医疗旅游和中国云南花腰彝族华丽的刺绣艺 and the ASEAN integration or AEC on the GMS. In line 术，一路追寻珍稀的柬埔寨大鹮鸟踪迹，并且在常设栏 with our dedication to bring to you the best in travel 目中推出两家豪华酒店和两间美食餐厅。 features we experience cruising the mighty Mekong, while our hot destination is Mandalay. We also relay to 希望这份创刊号让您享受阅读之乐! you the burgeoning success of medical tourism in Thailand, discover the intricacies of Yi’s embroidery in Yunnan, and track down the very rare Cambodian giant ibis; all this as well as our regular columns including luxe living and the fine dining guide.

欢

Enjoy this Premier Issue.

Jaffee Yee Yeow-Fei 余曜辉 Editor-in-Chief/ Publisher 总编辑/出版人

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 11

hai hotel companies are expected to continue efforts to grow their brands and hospitality infrastructure as the region promises “ ” growth.

exponential

S

upachai Verapuchong, managing director of Thai Nakhon, owner of the Phokeethra Group whose business portfolio includes three Sofitel Phokeethra hotels in Krabi, Phnom Penh, and Siem Reap, calls most of the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS) “Suvarnabhumi” (golden land). He has always felt a close affinity with this region, going back to his parents’ days when French colonial Phnom Penh was, in their own words, “the leading city in the region.” Since then, the entire GMS has undergone lots of changes, and today leading Thai hotel groups join Supachai in believing that the GMS will fulfill its “golden” promise soon.

Supachai Verapuchong

Bill Heineke

Phokeethra Group

Minor Group

Chanin Donavanik Dusit International

Thirayuth Chirathivat Centara Group

NEW STOMPING GROUNDS FOR

THAILAND’S HOTEL GROUPS

Indeed, with the upcoming opening of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) in 2015, Thai hotel companies are increasingly getting bullish about the GMS, although they are hoping that current major concerns about doing business in these countries will be resolved soon.

Already, the leading Thai hotel companies – Centara, Dusit, Minor, Thai Nakhon, and Chatrium – have a presence in the GMS. Centara currently has two hotels in Vietnam, Sandy Beach Non Nuoc Resort Danang and Chen Sea Resort & Spa Phu Quoc Centara Boutique Collection, with three more in the pipeline, two more in Vietnam and one in Laos. Dusit International, which used to manage Dusit Inya Lake Yangon, is set to return to Myanmar in the next two or three years with a second Dusit establishment in Yangon, a flagship five-star property in Bagan, and a five-star flagship Dusit Thani hotel in Vietnam.

Minor’s Anantara brand joined the fray by opening Anantara Hoi An in Vietnam in 2013, and just recently the Anantara Xishuangbanna in Yunnan.

“

“T

COVER STORY

Supachai’s Phokeethra group plans to open hotels under the Ibis and Novotel brands in Cambodia soon.

The Chatrium group has one property in Myanmar, the Chatrium Hotel Royal Lake Yangon.

“Our major investment portfolio in the GMS is still based in Thailand, our homeland,” says Thirayuth Chirathivat, CEO of Centara Hotels and Resorts, which is arguably the biggest Thai hotel company in terms of properties and revenues. “We currently own thirteen hotel properties in Thailand and plan to develop another flagship resort in the kingdom in the next few years.”

With the opening of the AEC, Centara is also looking at opportunities to invest in hotel projects in certain key cities outside of Thailand, such as Yangon, but “such real estate investments would be quite selective and fit within our expansion strategy,” Thirayuth says.

“Apart from that, we would look at investing in the infrastructure of our group, such as establishing regional sales or cluster offices.”

Actually, Centara already operates some sixty-seven properties in all, if we include the other twenty resorts they operate in Maldives, Vietnam, Bali, Shanghai, Mauritius, Ethiopia, Qatar, Laos, and Oman.

Other Thai hotel investors are also expanding their businesses around the world, and indeed Thai hotel brands are now becoming big global names, apparently helping raise further hotel investment volumes as they surge.

In 2013 alone, Jones Lang LaSalle’s Hotel & Hospitality Group reported that confirmed hotel transaction volumes in Asia reached US$1.3 billion, up 85% – said to be the

BY PERCY ROXAS

PAGE 12 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

THAILAND

THAILAND

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 13

“

Our major investment portfolio in the GMS is still based in Thailand, our homeland

“

Thirayuth Chirathivat CEO of Centara Hotels and Resorts strongest since 2008. Obviously, Thai hotel investments across Asia and in the GMS are a major part of that increase (although it’s a bit difficult to find concrete figures at the moment).

Thailand being the “hub” of tourism in the GMS – statistics shows that it corners 54% of all tourists arriving in the region – it seems only logical that it is leading the way.

“GMS countries are strategically located next to two economic powerhouses, China and India,” says Thirayuth. “There is still a lot of economic development potential in these countries and they are rich in natural resources, meaning foreign investments will flow into them and there will be increased demand for hotels that meet international hospitality standards. Many of the GMS countries have a current under-supply of hotel rooms, especially Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, and there is still considerable room for growth.”

Dusit International, which is expanding not only in Asia but also to Europe and the USA, is keen on

becoming a key player in the GMS as well. Rustom Vickers, Dusit International’s group director for development, says he can’t give too many details about their projects in the GMS yet because they are still in the pipeline.

infrastructure development and political stability are major concerns, which other hotel investors in the area share. “But hopefully this will change with the AEC opening, and there will be more investor confidence,” says Thirayuth. “While we did not invest in real estate, we invested by building hospitality platforms, in the two hotels in Vietnam that we currently operate, as well as with the additional two hotels there and one in Laos that are in the pipeline.”

As for Dusit, Rustom says, “You can say that we are investing in people and infrastructure. We train, we educate people,” indirectly highlighting the role that

“We’re looking at a timeline of about two to three years from now for these projects,” Rustom says.

Dusit International is now close to finalizing a five-star Dusit Thani in Vietnam. The group also has projects for the two south-western Chinese provinces that are part of the GMS. Dusit’s key business model in Myanmar and Vietnam is based on management deals, as is the case for Centara and other Thai companies.

Picture Courtesy of Dusit Thani Bangkok

“We felt that there are still lots of uncertainties when it comes to their foreign investment laws and regulations,” Thirayuth reiterates. “We’re hoping for transparency of foreign investment laws, in addition to the ability to move funds in and out of such countries without incurring too many obstacles or red tape.” Moreover, Picture Courtesy of Sofitel Angkor Phokeethra

the group’s hotel school, which now has six branches (two in Thailand and four in the Philippines), plays in their operations.

“The GMS countries have so much to offer,” Thirayuth says. “As such, we will continue to put effort into growing our brand and hospitality infrastructure in the region. With the AEC, I think there will be strong interest among Thai developers to look at development opportunities in countries that are part of the GMS. The interest should last as long as Thai investors see the benefits of investing in these countries in terms of return on investment, strategic expansion, and being a competitive player in the AEC.” Rustom sees the potential growth of the GMS region as “exponential.” He says, “It is going to grow, that’s almost a no-brainer; the only question is just how it will grow.”

Picture Courtesy of Sofitel Krabi

Picture Courtesy of Anantara Chiang Mai

PAGE 14 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

THAILAND

THAILAND

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 15

泰国酒店集团的新天地 珀西·罗哈斯

由

于所属区域具有“跳跃式”增长的潜力，前景大 好，预料泰国酒店企业将持续努力发展自家品牌 和礼宾服务业的基础设施。

方面来说，圣塔拉可说是泰国最大的酒店企业。“我们 目前在泰国拥有13家酒店，并计划未来几年在泰国开设 另一家旗舰度假酒店。”

泰国那空集团的董事经理苏帕猜·维拉蓬宗将大湄公河 次区域的大部分地区统称为“黄金国”。该集团所属的 佛基拉集团在甲米、金边和暹粒拥有三家索菲特佛基拉 酒店。苏帕猜一直觉得自己和这个地区特别亲近，这份 情谊可回溯到他父母所处的法国殖民时代。套用他父母 的说法，金边在那个时代是整个区域的“龙头城市”。 从那时起，整个大湄公河次区域已经历了许多变化， 而今日泰国领先的酒店集团也都认同苏帕猜的看法， 相信大湄公河次区域将很快实现其“黄金国”的承诺。

随着东盟经济共同体的成立，圣塔拉集团也在泰国以外 的某些重点城市（如仰光）寻求投资于酒店项目的机 会，但提拉育指出，“这类房地产投资需要精挑细选， 必须适合我们的扩张战略。此外，我们会着眼于对我们 集团的基础设施进行投资，如建立区域销售办公室或集 团办事处。”

的确，随着东盟经济共同体即将在2015年成立，泰国 酒店企业正日益看好大湄公河次区域，虽然他们还在 希望目前在这些国家开展业务的主要问题能够很快获得 解决。 领先的泰国酒店集团，包括圣塔拉、都喜、美诺、泰国 那空和察殿，皆已在大湄公河次区域开展业务。圣塔拉 集团目前在越南有两家酒店：岘港农诺沙滩度假村，以 及圣塔拉精品酒店之富国岛晨海度假村及水疗中心；另 有三家正在筹备中，两家在越南，一家在老挝。之前曾 经管理仰光茵雅湖都喜酒店的都喜国际集团，已计划在 两、三年内重返缅甸，在仰光开设第二家都喜酒店，在 蒲甘开设一家五星级旗舰酒店，并在越南开设一家五星 级杜喜天阙旗舰酒店。美诺的安纳塔拉品牌在2013年加 入战局，开设了越南会安安纳塔拉度假村，最近又在云 南开设西双版纳安纳塔拉度假酒店。 苏帕猜的佛基拉集团计划近期在柬埔寨开设宜必思品牌 和诺富特品牌的酒店。察殿集团在缅甸有一家酒店：察 殿仰光皇家湖酒店。 “我们在大湄公河次区域主要投资组合的大本营仍设在 泰国，在我们的家园，”圣塔拉酒店及度假村集团的首 席执行官提拉育·奇拉錫瓦特如此表示。从物业和收入

PAGE 16 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

际集团的开发总监拉斯托姆·维克斯表示，他还无法提 供该集团在大湄公河次区域开发项目的太多细节，因为 一切还在筹备中。

然我们没有投资于物业，但通过经营越南的两家酒店， 以及筹备中的两家越南和一家老挝酒店，我们实际上对 礼宾服务业平台的建设做出了投资。”

“我们正在研究这些项目今后约两、三年的时程规画 表，”拉斯托姆说。都喜国际在越南的一家五星级都喜

至于都喜集团，拉斯托姆说：“你可以说我们是投资 于人力和基础设施。我们训练和教育人员。”这说法

其实，如果把在马尔代夫、越南、巴厘岛、上海、毛里 求斯、埃塞俄比亚、卡塔尔、老挝和阿曼的另外20家度 假村计入，圣塔拉集团已经在营运的产业共有67家。 Picture Courtesy of CENTARA GRAND BANGKOK

其他的泰国酒店投资者也在全球各地扩大其业务。事实 上，泰国的酒店品牌在全球已成为响亮的名号，它们名 气的扬升，显然有助于进一步提升对酒店的投资额。据 仲量联行酒店及礼宾服务集团报导，单单在2013年，在 亚洲已确认的酒店交易额达到13亿美元，增长85%，是 自2008年以来最强大的增长。泰国在亚洲和大湄公河次 区域的酒店投资，显然是这一增长的主要因素（虽然目 前要找到具体数字有点困难）。 泰国是大湄公河次区域的旅游“中心”（统计数据显 示，到此区域的所有游客中，到泰国者占了54%），它在 酒店及礼宾服务业成为领头羊，似乎是理所当然的。 “大湄公河次区域的国家，在战略上邻近两个经济大 国：中国和印度，”提拉育说。“这些国家还有很大的 经济发展潜力，而且它们有丰富的天然资源，这意味着 外资将会流入，对于符合国际礼宾标准的酒店的需求， 也将会增加。许多大湄公河次区域国家的酒店房间供给 不足，尤其是缅甸、老挝和柬埔寨，而且仍有相当大的 成长空间。” 目前在亚洲、欧洲和美国同时扩张的都喜国际集团，也 在积极努力要成为大湄公河次区域的重要业者。都喜国

THAILAND

Picture Courtesy of CENTARA GRAND BEACH RESORT PHUKET

天阙酒店已接近完成。该集团在中国西南两个省份（属 于大湄公河次区域）还有其他酒店开发项目。 都喜在缅甸和越南主要是以签订管理合约的模式经营旗 下的酒店，圣塔拉集团和其他泰国酒店企业也采取同样 的模式。 “谈到这些国家的外国投资法及其相关条例，我们认为 还有很多不确定性，”提拉育重申。“我们希望这些国 家的外国投资法能够透明化，也希望资金进出这些国家 不会遭到太多障碍或繁文缛节。”此外，基础设施的 发展和政治稳定性，是此地区的酒店投资者都关注的 问题。

间接凸显了该集团的酒店管理学院在营运中所发挥的作 用。该学院目前拥有六家分校，两家在泰国，四家在菲 律宾。 “大湄公河次区域的国家能提供的非常多，”提拉育 说。 “因此，我们将继续努力发展我们在这个区域的品 牌和礼宾服务业的基础设施。随着东盟经济共同体的成 立，我认为泰国开发商将有强烈兴趣，寻求在大湄公河 次区域的国家发展的机会。只要泰国投资者看到，投资 于这些国家，在投资报酬率、战略扩张、成为东盟经济 共同体中具竞争力业者等方面会有种种好处，这个兴趣 就会持续下去。”

“无论如何，这些问题可望随着东盟经济共同体的成立 而改变，投资者也会有较多的信心，”提拉育说。“虽

拉斯托姆认为，大湄公河次区域的增长潜力将会是“跳 跃式”的。“它势必会增长，这几乎是明摆着的事，” 他说。“唯一的问题是它将会如何增长。”

THAILAND

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 17

IS BACK IN BUS INESS LAURENCE CIVIL

C

offee first appeared in Laos while the country was still part of French Indochina. The colonists realized that conditions in the Boloven Plateau – due to its high altitude (up to 1,300m/4,265ft) at a latitude of 15 degrees north with mineral-rich red soils, cool temperatures, and abundant rainfall – had the potential to grow coffee.

The reality is that coffee, like oil and gold, is a trade commodity. The futures price for Robusta is set by brokers in London, with their counterparts in New York deciding the fate of the Arabica bean. What determines the price isn’t the quality of the organic Lao coffee bean, rather than speculation on how many people will drink coffee.

The colonists’ early attempts to plant coffee in 1915 and 1917 both failed due to lack of care. The French were finally successful in harvesting coffee in Laos in the 1930s, with annual production peaking at 5,000 tons. The potential was there but within two decades most of the trees had died.

Most of the Lao coffee export goes to Vietnam and falling EU purchases has shifted Laos’ targets to China, Japan, and Korea.

When the communists took over the country, coffee plantations fell out of favor, as coffee was considered a drink for the wealthy upper class.

The state’s attitude to private business softened in the 1990s, with the result that many small coffee plantations started to resurface on the Boloven Plateau.

The Lao coffee that appeared on international markets, however, was sold at a huge discount because of its lower quality.

On a global scale, Laos has yet to earn serious recognition as a coffee producer.

Instead, coffee production has seemed more of a tourist attraction, with poor farmers being seen toiling to carve out an existence on the Boloven Plateau’s coffee-covered terraces.

As of 2013, Laos had 77,730 hectares of coffee plantations producing 30,000 tons with a value of US$73 million.

The Lao Coffee Board’s (LCB) five-year plan anticipates that the industry should grow to 100,000 hectares of coffee plantations yielding between 100 -120,000 tons of green coffee, with production to be split between 75% by smallholders and 25% by large enterprises. The LCB is striving to secure land rights for coffee plantations and to upgrade 20% of production to premium quality in order to make the Lao coffee industry a sustainable business.

The Coffee Producers Cooperative (CPC) or the “Association des Groupements de Producteurs de Café du Plateau des Bolovens” (AGPC), as they were previously known, are a relatively new group of coffee producers who are seeking to cash in on the changing tastes of domestic consumers, offering them much needed variety.

With today’s consumers making more ethical and health-driven choices about what they want to drink, CPC’s Fairtrade and Organic certifications are bringing wider economic benefits to small coffee growers, enabling them to earn a higher price for their product.

LAOS

The project’s strength is due to 100% ownership by the coffee growers, which ensures that even the smallest farmer is a stakeholder and has a vested interest in the organization thriving. Not only does it promote and market its members’ products, it also offers financial and technical support.

The CPC sets strict quality specifications and its organic certification has seen smaller farmers selling their green beans to coffee roasters across the globe from France and Sweden, Japan and South Korea, to as far as New Zealand.

In 2013, they exported a total of 965 tons, which was a 60% increase over the previous year’s sales.

Importantly, by earning a higher income CPC is able to invest in the future of its members in terms of local health, education, and infrastructure. As the coffee culture continues to grow, the CPC hopes to show that Lao coffee producers are in a strong position to increase their share of the global coffee market, while also ensuring that the “little man,” the small growers, also benefit.

Success in the export market has led to growth in the domestic market, with the creation of Champee, its own brand of specially roasted coffee for the local market sold in vacuum-packed bags to ensure freshness and quality of flavor. A careful marketing strategy focuses on sales in minimarts and to high-end hotels and restaurants. This

The International Coffee Organization (ICO) in London has confirmed that Laos has expressed its intention to join the world coffee club and that this may happen in 2015. They also confirmed Laos’ current global ranking as a coffee producer: number 23 in terms of production, number 20 by export volume, and number 21 by export value.

“

“Coffee Bean”(http://flickr.com/photos/95118988@N00/1470771024) by Jeff Kubina is licensed under CC BY 2.0

PAGE 18 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

successful initiative saw sales quadruple from 736kg in 2010 to over 4,000kg in 2012.

LAOS

Picture Courtesy of LUCAS WAHL

As of 2013, Laos had 77,730 hectares of coffee plantations producing 30,000 tons with a value of US$73 million.

“

THE

The cooperative was created in 2007 through a French-funded project, with the support of the Lao government. It’s owned by 1,796 families who represent 15-20% of the small coffee farmers on the plateau.

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 19

“

劳伦斯·斯威尔

老

挝仍是法属印度支那的一部分时，首次开始种 植咖啡。当时的殖民者发现，地处北纬15度 的布拉万高原由于地势高亢（海拔1300米）、 红土富含矿物质、天气凉爽，加上雨量充沛，很适合咖 啡的生长，潜力极大。

“

艾 未 兴 方 业 老挝咖啡

截至2013年， 老挝总共有 7万7730公顷的 咖啡种植园

法国殖民者在1915年和1917年两度尝试种植咖啡，但都 因为照顾不周而失败。20世纪30年代，法国人终于成功 在老挝收获咖啡，年产量最高达到5000吨。潜力是有， 但在20年内大部分的咖啡树却枯死了。

由于今日的消费者对于他们要消费什么，在选择上有较 多的道德与健康的考虑，咖啡生产者合作社的公平贸易 和有机认证，正为小型的种植咖啡农户带来较大的经济 利益，使他们能够从自家农产品赚取较高的收入。 合作社设定了严格的质量标准，它的有机认证已经让 小农户把他们的生咖啡豆出售给全球的咖啡烘焙业 者，包括法国、瑞典、日本和韩国，远达新西兰。 2013年，他们总共出口965吨，比上一年的销售额增加 了60%。

共产党接管老挝后，咖啡种植园失宠，因为咖啡被认为 是富裕的上层阶级的饮品。到了20世纪90年代，共产党 对民营企业的态度软化，布拉万高原上再度出现许多小 型的咖啡种植园。老挝咖啡也开始出现在国际市场上， 但因质量较差，售价大打折扣。

出口市场的成功，加上合作社创造了自有品牌Champee， 带动了国内市场的增长。Champee是特别为当地市场烘 焙的咖啡，以真空袋包装销售，以确保新鲜度和口味的 质量。细心的营销策略，着重在便利商店、高档酒店和 餐厅的销售。这个成功的措施，使得合作社咖啡的销售 额翻了两番，从2010年的736公斤，增加到2012年的超过 4000公斤。

老挝做为咖啡生产国，尚未获得世界各国的重视与赞 誉。咖啡在老挝的种植，比较像是吸引观光客的一个项 目，贫苦的农民在布拉万高原上的咖啡梯田里胼手胝足 的景象成为了观光卖点。 现实情况是，咖啡是像石油和黄金之类的大宗交易商品。 伦敦的经纪商设定罗布斯塔咖啡豆的期货价格，设定阿 拉比卡咖啡豆期货价格的则是纽约的经纪商。而实际决 定老挝有机咖啡豆价格的是它的质量，而不是对未来咖 啡消费量的推测。

这个项目的优势，是由于咖啡种植者拥有100%的所有 权，确保即使是最小的农民也是利益相关人，这让他们 在组织蓬勃发展时拥有既得利益。合作社不仅促销及 营销它的成员的产品，还提供资金与技术支持。重要的 是，合作社赚到更高的收入后，能够在当地的卫生、教 育和基础设施方面，投资于成员的未来上。

大部分的老挝咖啡豆输往越南，而欧盟的采购减少， 已使老挝的目标转向中国、日本和韩国。 截至2013年，老挝总共有7万7730公顷的咖啡种植园，年 产3万吨，产值7300万美元。老挝咖啡协会的五年计划 是，这个产业应该增长到种植面积达10万公顷，生产10 万至12万吨的生咖啡豆，其中75%来自小型种植园，25% 来自大型种植园。他们正努力取得咖啡种植园的土地所 有权，并将产量的20%提升到顶级质量，以使老挝的咖 啡业成为长青的生意。

随着咖啡文化在国内外持续增长，合作社希望外界认 识到，老挝的咖啡生产商处于强势地位，可望增加他们 在全球咖啡市场的占有率，同时确保小种植户也能从中 受益。 Picture Courtesy of LUCAS WAHL

咖啡生产者合作社（前称布拉万高原咖啡生产者组织 协会）是一个相当新的咖啡生产者团体，正努力借着国

PAGE 20 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

内消费者口味的改变，提供消费者急需的品种，从中获 利。合作社是在2007年通过法国资助的一个项目，在老 挝政府的支持下创建的，其成员为1796个农户，他们代 表高原上15%到20%种植咖啡的小型农户。

LAOS

LAOS

伦敦的国际咖啡组织已经证实，老挝已表示有意参加这 个全球性的咖啡组织，并且可能会在2015年加入。他们 也证实了老挝目前在生产咖啡方面的全球排名：产量为 第23名，出口量为第20名，出口值为第21名。

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 21

N

ot long ago, Myanmar was surrounded by a sense of a rather gloomy hiatus following the dizzying positive changes of the past three years, as most investors were still wary of the next large frontier market to open its doors. Many Myanmar businessmen jokingly referred to foreigners joining N.A.T.O., meaning “No Action, Talk Only.”

However, in the past six months activity has picked up despite the less positive sentiment towards the country by many that still pervades.

large developments downtown and in the suburbs.

The appeal for many is the woeful lack of international quality real estate in Myanmar given the country’s isolation over the past sixty years, apart from a brief spell of investment in the mid to late 1990s. Although land prices can be prohibitive, rates for hotels, serviced apartments, and retail properties are very high compared to other main commercial cities in Southeast Asia. Office rental rates in Yangon for what could be deemed “grade C” in Singapore terms have already outpaced “grade A” in the Lion City. Tourists and business travelers balk at Large, mixed-use projects are taking shape, with the the 200-plus dollar a night rooms in the four and five-star Hoang Anh Gia Lai Myanmar Centre rising up opposite hotels. Those wishing to live comfortably in Yangon need Inya Lake, Golden City from Golden Land nearby to pay a minimum of USD 4,000 for a serviced apartment. on Yankin Road, and Dagon City 1 and 2 closer to As foreign retailers start to set foot in Myanmar, expect downtown. These developments vary but contain hotels to see increases in rates for prime shopping space. as well as retail, commercial, and residential components. Clearly, an investor can command high returns from In most cases, international investors are pairing up with a quality building, and demand is set to surge as the local partners, combining foreign expertise and capital country continues to open up to more investment. along with local experience and knowledge. Also, some local players are taking it upon themselves to fully invest However, there are many obstacles, and thus Myanmar in new projects. Shwe Taung and SPA are embarking on may not be every investor’s cup of tea. Ownership of

Property Investment in Yangon

ANTHONY PICON

land is often opaque and one must take care in choosing a local partner, both in terms of reputation and the way they conduct business. Infrastructure is very poor and access to both good quality materials and trained staff can be challenging. The banking system is in its infancy and it is difficult to transfer money in and out of the country, often as a result of the lingering sanctions.

However, things are rapidly improving, but from a very low base. Also, one must take into account the fact that investors will not only be adapting to the market but also shaping it. New quality developments will set the next benchmarks for others to follow. For Myanmar people, what constituted luxury three years ago is very different from what it is today, as many of them travel abroad, and more and more foreigners visit local developed properties and subject them to serious criticism. There are great opportunities for investors to move the market forward.

There are a rapidly growing number of resources in Yangon that a potential investor can tap for assistance in areas such as market research, valuations, project consultancy, and legal support. Potential investors should also make a clear decision as to whether they are serious about coming to Myanmar. Sending out the wrong signals and raising expectations in the local market can be impediments when the time finally comes to invest. Many local parties are mindful of the “Boy who cried Wolf” companies who promised so much and delivered so little.

With a fairly clear structure set up for investing in the country through the Foreign Investment Law, and a real acceptance by the government of the need for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) to support Myanmar’s opening up, the future is bright for the country and for foreign entrants. A good deal of patience is required and, with an understanding that Myanmar is a frontier market, investors can reap the rewards from a long-term commitment to Myanmar’s economic growth.

仰光的房地产投资

缅

安东尼·皮肯

目前，大型综合用途的建案纷纷成形，“黄安嘉莱缅甸 中心”正在茵雅湖的对面兴建起来，附近的扬金路有黄 金国房地产开发公司的“黄金城市”，靠近市中心区 有“大光城”1期和2期。这些开发案各自不同，但都包 括酒店、零售店、商业场所和住宅。在大多数建案中， 国际投资者会和在地合作伙伴搭档，结合外国的专业知 识和资金，以及在地的经验和知识。也有一些本土业者 对新建案进行全额投资。金山集团和SPA集团正在市区 和郊区进行大型开发案。 由于缅甸在过去60年中闭关自守孤立于国际社会外（除 了在20世纪90年代中期至末期曾有短暂的投资热潮）， 对很多人来说，吸引力在于它不幸地缺乏国际级质量的 房地产。虽然土地价格可能让人望而却步，但相较于东 南亚其他主要的商业城市，缅甸的酒店、酒店式公寓、 零售店的租金费率都非常高。在新加坡会被视为C级的 办公室，在仰光的租金费率已超过新加坡的A级办公室 的水平。游客和商务旅客对于入住一晚超过200美元的仰 光四星级、五星级酒店客房，望之却步。希望舒服地住 在仰光的人，需要支付至少4000美元的月租，才能住进 酒店式公寓。随着外国零售企业开始立足缅甸，主要购 物空间的租金费率预料还会上升。显然，投资者可以借 由提供优质建筑物而索求高报酬，而且随着缅甸持续开 放外来投资，对优质建筑物的需求势必会大幅上升。 但是也有许多障碍，意味着缅甸不是每个投资者都喜欢 的投资对象。缅甸的土地所有权向来不透明，投资者必 须小心选择当地的合作伙伴，无论是在声誉方面或在做 生意的方式上。基础设施非常差，而且不易找到优质的 建材和训练有素的员工。银行体系还处于起步阶段，资 金的汇出和汇入都有困难，主要是因为缅甸遭到的经济 制裁尚未完全解除。但是事情正在迅速改善，只不过是 从很低的基础向上提升。另外有一点要考虑的是，投资 者不仅要适应市场，也要塑造它。新的优质开发案将为 其他人设定下一个依循的基准，而且对缅甸人来说，今 日所谓的奢侈品，和3年前的截然不同，因为许多缅甸人 到外国旅游，而且有越来越多的外国人参观当地已开发 的物业后，做了猛烈批评。投资者有绝佳的机会推动市 场向前发展。 仰光有快速增加的资源可以利用，以协助支持潜在的投 资者，例如对市场的深入研究、估价、项目咨询和法律 支持。潜在的投资者也应明确地决定，是否真的要前进 缅甸。若是发出错误信号，或过度抬高对当地市场的期 望，一旦投资的时刻终于到来时，可能会是障碍。当地 各方都很注意呼喊“狼来了”的公司，那些公司作了许 多承诺，却很少履行。

甸经过3年来令人眼花撩乱的积极变革 后，不久前依然被一股低迷的投资气氛 所笼罩，因为多数投资者仍然小心翼 翼，担心这个新兴的大型前沿市场是否真的会敞 开大门。许多缅甸商人戏称外国人仿佛是要加入 “ 北约”(N.A.T.O.) ——“光说不练”(“No Action, Talk Only”)。然而，过去6个月来，尽管缅甸仍然弥漫着低沉 的情绪，商业活动已经回升。

缅甸政府已设立一个相当明确的投资架构，并通过外国 投资法，认同缅甸需要外国直接投资，以支持缅甸对外 开放。对缅甸和外国投资者来说，市场前景可期。持久 的耐心是必要的，但只要了解到缅甸是一个前沿市场， 投资者将会因长期致力于缅甸的经济增长而获得回报。

MYANMAR

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 23

Picture Courtesy of JAFFEE YEE

PAGE 22 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

MYANMAR

Impact on the GMS A Better Life (GDP/Capita Growth)

+8%

+7 +7 +7%%%

-

+7%

+5%%

+3%%

REDUCTION IN POVERTY

-60%

-25%

-81%

-98%

46

Mil. Living In Poverty

ANNUAL GROWTH IN PRODUCTIVITY

10% 9%

8%

5%

4%

T

he Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) decided in 1997 to transform ASEAN into a stable, prosperous, and highly competitive region with equitable economic development and a reduction of poverty and socio-economic disparities by the year 2020.

In 2007, ASEAN decided that integration should be complete by 2015 instead.

To reach this goal, ASEAN created a list of objectives called “blueprints” for the ASEAN Political Security Community (APSC), the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC), and the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Each blueprint contained action points ASEAN felt necessary to complete in order to consider ASEAN properly integrated.

In the case of the AEC, a timeline was also included to gradually ease the individual economies into a state of integration. Moving too quickly or all at once could have shocked some of the weaker economies and created a crisis that would separate economies rather more than integrate them.

The AEC timeline was divided into four phases; during each phase, specific action points were implemented.

The phases were as follows: Phase 1: 2008-2009, Phase 2: 2010-2011, Phase 3: 2012-2013, and Phase 4: 2014-2015.

Currently, ASEAN is in Phase 4 of the AEC integration process.

The AEC consists of four pillars of integration: 1) Single

PAGE 24 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

MARK HEFNER Market and Production Base; 2) Competitive Economic Region; 3) Equitable Economic Development; 4) Integration into the Global Economy. During each phase of the integration process, various levels of integration in these areas took place.

To ensure a timely implementation of the AEC initiatives, ASEAN has established a monitoring mechanism called the AEC Scorecard. As a compliance tool, the AEC Scorecard reports the progress of implementing the various AEC measures, identifies implementation gaps and challenges, and tracks the realization of the AEC by 2015.

In short, it only looks at the AEC Blueprint objectives.

Although the scorecard is important for monitoring the success of the ASEAN objectives, more important are the impacts across the region. Various international organizations routinely assess countries around the world for various reasons. The data collected can be used to show the impacts of decisions by governments as well as organizations such as ASEAN.

“

“

A S E A N I N T E G R AT I O N

more of what is being bought. Higher labor demand increases wages and encourages innovation to reduce costs. Also, with the ASEAN Free Trade Area (FTA), 98% tariff elimination on intra ASEAN trade opens up new markets for the new FDI-created business to compete in.

In Thailand and Vietnam, the average annual increase in FDI was 15% from 1998 to 2012. For Myanmar and Cambodia, the annual average was 21% and 25% respectively. Laos had the largest average annual FDI with 57%. Total FDI net inflows from 1998 to 2012 were more than 188 billion dollars in the four GMS countries.

There are literally hundreds of various indicators that could be examined to assess the standard of living in the GMS states to see how the ASEAN FTA has impacted the region. Although there may be other factors that contribute to positive results, chances are the ASEAN FTA is providing the most impact. For a clearer indication of the success of AEC integration, don’t look only at the AEC Scorecard. The real impact is in the numbers!

东盟一体化对 大湄公河次区域的影响

为确保经济共同体的各项倡议能及时落实，东盟建立 了一个称为“东盟经济共同体成绩单”的监督机制。这 项机制报告各项措施的执行进度，厘清执行的落差与 挑战，并且追踪到2015年实现东盟经济共同体的总体进 度。简单地说，它只针对东盟经济共同体蓝图所制定的 目标进行监督。 尽管“成绩单”是监督东盟一体化目标实现与否的重要 机制，但更重要的是一体化对区域的影响。不同的国际 组织基于不同的考量，会针对全球国家进行例常评估。 这些评估中收集到的数据，可用来说明各国政府或区域 组织如东盟的决策所带来的影响。 举例来说，随着东盟于1997年发表《东盟协调一致第二 宣言》和《东盟2020年愿景》，数个大湄公河次区域国 家的国内生产总值呈现出比一般国家较高的增长率。从 1997到2012年，柬埔寨的年均国内生产总值增长率约为 10%，老挝为9%，泰国将近5%，越南则约为8%。同一时 期，美国的年均国内生产总值增长率只有约4%。 这期间，东盟各国人均国内生产总值（购买力平价）也 呈现每年增长的趋势，这表示各国的生活水平可能有所 提高。从1998到2012年，泰国的人均国内生产总值（购 买力平价）每年平均增长5%，越南和老挝增长7%，增长 率最高的柬埔寨则是8%。与此同时，美国的人均国内生 产总值每年平均只增长3%。 工作机会是另一个有助于改善人民生活的因素。显示在

For example, following the 1997 announcements from the ASEAN Declaration of ASEAN Concord II and the ASEAN 2020 Vision, higher than normal increases of GDP across several GMS states occurred. From 1997 to 2012, annual GDP increases averaged around 10% for Cambodia, 9% for Laos, almost 5% for Thailand, and around 8% for Vietnam. During this same time period, the United States only averaged around 4% increases in annual GDP. GDP/Capita (PPP) during this time period also experienced average annual increases that possibly increased standards of living. Thailand GDP/Capita (PPP) average annual increase from 1998 to 2012 was 5%, while Vietnam and Laos both had increases of 7% and Cambodia the highest average annual increase in GDP/Capita of 8%. Meanwhile, in the United States, increases in GDP/Capita only averaged 3%.

Another factor that helps to improve the lives of people is the ability to find work. Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) occurs when a person or business from one country invests in another country either through equity capital, reinvestment of earnings, other long-term capital, or shortterm capital, as shown in the balance of payments. FDI has many benefits for a country. For example, in order to run a business, you need employees. The employees earn wages which they spend on the local economy. The increased demand of local citizens prompts producers to produce

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1997

马克·赫夫纳 国际收支数据中的外国直接投资，是指一个国家的个人

年，东南亚国家联盟（东盟）决定 于2020年将东盟建成一个稳定、繁 荣和富竞争力的区域共同体，成员 国之间享有公平的经济发展，彼此的贫富和社会经济差 距也得到缩小。2007年，东盟决定提前于2015年实现共 同体目标。 为实现这个目标，东盟提出一系列包含具体目标的共同 体蓝图，其中包括政治安全共同体蓝图、社会文化共同 体蓝图和经济共同体蓝图。每份蓝图包含完整的行动纲 领，据以推动一体化建设，确保共同体最终得到落实。 东盟经济共同体蓝图还包含一个进程时间表，以逐步 将所有的个别经济体一体化。进程太快或太过突然并 非好事，因为这可能对较弱的经济体造成冲击，所引 发的危机反而会让个别经济体分化，而不是一体化。

或企业以主权资本、收益再投资、其他长期资本或短期 资本的形式，投资于另一个国家。外国直接投资可为一 个国家带来许多好处。 举例来说，外资经营生意需要雇用本地员工。本地员工 会将赚得的薪资用在本国经济上。一旦本国公民的需求 有所提高，生产商就会生产更多的产品，对劳动力的需 求随之增加，生产商也会受鼓励进行创新，以降低成 本。而且，随着东盟自由贸易区的启动，东盟国家之间 的关税减少98%，新市场的开放让新成立的外资企业得 以加入竞争的行列。 从1998到2012年，泰国和越南的外资年均增长率为15%， 缅甸和柬埔寨分别为21%和25%。老挝的外资年均增长 率最为显著，高达57%。总体上，东盟的四个大湄公河 次区域国家在1998至2012年间的外资净流入超过1880亿 美元。

东盟经济共同体的进程时间表分为四个阶段，每个阶段 皆制定具体的行动纲领。这四个阶段的时限分别是第一 阶段：2008-2009年、第二阶段：2010-2011年、第三阶 段：2012-2013年和第四阶段：2014-2015年。目前，东盟 正处于经济一体化的第四阶段。

实际上，有数百种指标可用来评估大湄公河次区域国家 的生活水平，从中看出东盟自由贸易区对该次区域的影 响。尽管可能还有其他因素促成这样的正面结果，但 最大的影响因素很可能就是东盟自由贸易区。想要更清 楚地检视东盟经济共同体的成效，不能只看“东盟经济 东盟经济共同体包含四个方面：(一) 单一的市场和生产 共同体成绩单”。数字会说话，真正的影响就在那些数 基地；(二) 竞争激烈的经济区域；(三) 公平的经济发展； 字里！ (四) 融入全球经济。在每个阶段的一体化进程中，这几 个方面都会出现不同程度的一体化发展。

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MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 25

CRUISING THE MEKONG SIEM REAP TO HO CHI MINH CITY Words and Pictures by Andrew Wood

I like to think we are taking nothing away from the local population, but instead providing alternative revenue streams for communities that live quite literally on what the river provides.

Our journey starts in Siem Reap, home of the famous Angkor Wat and its great monuments. We then traveled south to Cambodia’s capital Phnom Penh. From there we crossed the border into Vietnam, heading towards our final destination, the French colonial port of Ho Chi Minh City (Saigon).

Our eight-day Pandaw downstream itinerary included fascinating excursions.

Day 1: Siem Reap/Kampong Cham We transferred by coach from the busy colonial-style Victoria Angkor Hotel to Kampong Cham.

Day 2: Kampong Cham area We visited the hilltop temple of Wat Hanchey in the morning. Then, later in the afternoon, we traveled by bus to visit the Twin Holy mountains of Phnom Pros and Phnom Srey (Man and Woman Hill) and the ecotourism village of Choeungkok, which is supported by the French-Cambodian NGO Amica.

文 · 图 安 德 鲁 · 伍 德

巡 游 湄 公 河

暹 粒 至 胡 志 明 市

Day 3: Tonle River/Kampong Chhnang We took a buffalo cart ride to Kampong Tralach Pagoda (dating back to the early last century). This was followed after lunch by an excursion up the Tonle River to Kampong Chhnang. Beyond Kampong Chhnang, we traveled by local boat to explore around the floating villages on the edge of Tonle Lake.

L

iving in Asia for any length of time, you will hear references to the Mekong River. It truly is one of the great rivers of the world, stretching 4,909 km from Tibet to the South China Sea. The meandering Mekong links Indochina’s rich cultures as it flows through six nations: China, Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia, and Vietnam.

During my two decades here in Asia, I have never had time to really explore the Mekong and when I was given the opportunity recently, I jumped at the chance. Traveling as a group of six friends (including three hotel general managers), we decided to undertake our voyage on a river boat with Pandaw River Expeditions (www.pandaw.com).

Billed as an exploration, our journey proved to be a voyage of discovery, traveling through some of the remotest parts of Asia. I’ve always loved river trips because you get a true sense of what life for the local population is really like. Not sugar-coated, but warts-and-all. I was a permanent resident on the observation decks, eyes glued to the passing kaleidoscope of river life, soaking it all in, camera in hand. A cornucopia of new images, sights, and sounds. Relaxing and stress-free. A truly great way to travel. Of course, it’s a snap shot, you are a peeping tom, stealing a look as you float on by.

Sometimes with a gorgeous sunset and a cocktail in hand. Luxurious?

Absolutely. Intrusive? No.

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VIETNAM | CAMBODIA

Day 4: Phnom Penh The day started with a fun morning in our own private cyclo (a kind of single-seat bicycle rickshaw). The Cyclo Center in Phnom Penh that provides the vehicles is a charity that offers basic welfare and medical services to cyclo drivers. We spent the morning exploring the Royal Palace, the Silver Pagoda (with a floor comprising five tons of silver), and the National Museum. In the afternoon, an optional excursion (by coach) to the Killing Fields was provided.

论你在亚洲住了多长时间，你都会对湄公河有所听闻。 湄公河无疑是世界上最壮丽的河流之一。它全长2703 英里(4909公里)，自西藏发源后蜿蜒流经6个国 家——中国、缅甸、老挝、泰国、柬埔寨和越 南，最后汇入南中国海，将中南半岛丰富多彩 的文化连结起来。

不

生活在亚洲的这20年来，我从来没有时间好好探索湄 公河。最近机会降临，我立即牢牢抓住。我们一行6 人，包括3家酒店的总经理，决定搭乘班铎河道探险公 司（www.pandaw.com) 的游轮，展开湄公河巡游探索 之旅。 这趟巡游探索之旅途经亚洲几个最偏僻的角落，一路让 我们大开眼界。我向来喜欢乘船溯河的旅行方式，从中 感受和认识沿途居民最本真的、绝无添加剂的生活面 貌。我喜欢待在甲板上眼观四方，用相机捕捉沿岸的生 命万花筒，并沉醉其中。我爱死了这样的旅游方式。那 是一种充满流光溢彩和音声交错的体验，让你身心灵松 懈，压力全消。当然，这种旅游方式就像拍一张张的快 照，而你就像是一个偷窥狂，在游轮漂流而过时以最快 的速度将一闪而过的风景猎捕。 黄昏时分，手持一杯鸡尾酒站在甲板上欣赏壮丽的落 日……太豪华了吧？绝对是！侵扰人了吗？绝对没有！ 我是这样想的：如此豪华的旅游方式并没有剥夺当地居 民的任何东西，反而是为当地依靠这条河流为生的社群 提供了另一种收入来源。 这趟旅程始于暹粒——著名的、宏伟壮观的吴哥窟所在 地。游轮从那里向南航行到柬埔寨首都金边，接着越过 边界进入越南，继续航向最终目的地：前法国殖民地的 港口西贡，即现在的胡志明市。 班铎游轮的湄公河巡游之旅历时8天，包括了以下令人着 迷的行程。 第1天：暹粒／磅湛 从热闹、殖民风格的维多利亚吴哥酒店，我们乘坐长途 客车抵达磅湛。 第2天：磅湛地区 上午，我们参观了矗立在山顶上的汉切寺。下午，我们 搭乘巴士前往被称为双圣山的“男人山与女人山”，并 参观法国－柬埔寨非政府组织爱米克所支持的郡阁生态 旅游村。

Day 5: Cruising the Mekong/border crossing We spent the day cruising in the main Mekong channel, an international shipping route, heading for the Vietnamese border.

第3天：洞里萨河／磅清扬 乘坐牛车前往磅德罗拉参观佛塔（其历史可以追溯到上

VIETNAM | CAMBODIA

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 27

Day 6: Chau Doc Today we visited a Cham tribal village and a catfish farm.

Later, we passed through the Chau Doc canal.

第4天：金边市 上午，我们坐上三轮车（一种单座人力车）展开有趣 的一天。提供三轮车的金边市三轮车中心是一个慈善机 构，为三轮车夫提供基本的福利和医疗服务。我们游览 了皇宫、金银阁寺（它的地板以总重量达5吨的银砖铺 成）和国家博物馆。这天下午，还可选择搭乘大客车前 往杀戮战场游览。

Day 7: Sa Dec/Cai Be In the morning, we explored Sa Dec by local boat, traveling the Vinh Long canal and its backwaters. In Sa Dec, we disembarked and walked through the local market, ending up at the magnificent ancient house (1875) of Mr. Huynh Thuy Le, the subject of “The Lover” in Marguerite Duras’ novel and film.

第5天：巡游湄公河／穿越边境 这一整天都在湄公河主航道上巡游。经由这条国际航运 路线，我们穿越边境，进入越南。

Afterwards, we visited a working brick factory on the banks of the river. In the afternoon, at Cai Be, we cruised through the floating markets on the way to a village producing local rice wine, coconut candy, pop rice, and rice paper. At the close of day, we toured the nearby Roman Catholic church before returning to the Mekong Pandaw for sundowner cocktails and dinner.

第6天：朱笃 这天的行程是参观一个占族部落村庄和一家鲶鱼养殖 场。之后，游轮沿着朱笃运河，继续顺流而下。 第7天：沙沥／丐皮 上午我们搭乘当地小船去探索沙沥，游览永隆运河和 它的旁支。在沙沥上岸后，步行穿过当地市场，然后 走一小段路来到一座宏伟的建筑。这是法国名作家玛 格丽特·杜拉斯小说和电影《情人》的男主角原型黄 水梨先生的故居，建于1875年。随后我们参观了河岸边 一家正在运作的砖厂。下午，我们先巡游水上市场， 然后顺路前往生产米酒、椰子糖、米饼和米纸的一座 村落。在一天结束之际，我们参观了附近的天主教 堂，才回到湄公河上的班铎游轮，享用日落鸡尾酒和 晚餐。 第8天：美荻／西贡 一大清早我们即启航从丐皮前往美荻。这是湄公河巡游 之旅的终点，上岸后改搭大客车前往西贡。

“

The Mekong is the twelfth longest river in the world and the seventh longest in Asia. It is estimated to drain an area of 795,000 square kilometers, which is more than the size of France (640,000 square kilometers).

In English, the river is called “the Mekong River,” derived from “Mae Nam Khong,” a term of both Thai and Lao origin. In Thai, all great rivers are considered “mother rivers” (the prefix “mae”, meaning “mother,” followed by “nam” for “water.”) In the Mekong’s case, “Mae Nam Khong” means “Khong, the Mother of Water.” Many northern Thai and Lao locals refer to it as the “Mae Khong” or “River Khong.”

At 4,909km, the Mekong is the 7th longest river in Asia, and the 12th longest in the world.

湄公河是世界上第12长河流，在亚洲是排名第7。它的 流域广达79万5000平方公里，比法国的面积(64万平方公 里) 还大。 “湄公河”之名衍生自泰语和老挝语里的 Mae Nam Khong。在泰国，所有的大河都被视为母亲河，这由前缀 字可看出：mae是母亲，nam是水。泰国人和老挝人都称 这条大河为 Mae Khong。音译过来，就变成“湄公河了。

“

“

Day 8: My Tho/Saigon Early morning we sailed from Cai Be for My Tho, where our river journey ended and we disembarked for a coach transfer to Saigon.

“

个世纪初）。午餐后，游轮沿着洞里萨河开往磅清扬。 过了磅清扬之后，改搭当地小船去探索洞里萨湖沿岸的 水上人家。

湄公河全长4909公里， 是亚洲第七长、 世界第十二长的河流。

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VIETNAM | CAMBODIA

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MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 29

Perfect Prescription

THE

T

hailand is leading the way in world medical tourism.

Not surprisingly, convalescing on a pristine Thai beach, or working off some extra pounds while ensconced in the hills of northern Thailand, has become a very attractive proposition for foreigners seeking medical/ therapeutic treatments at considerably less cost to those in their home countries.

•

Zadok S. Lempert

MEDICAL TOURISM EARNINGS UNESCAP, Medical Tourism Report 2009

$40 Million MALAYSIA

$480 Million SINGAPORE

$560 Million INDIA

$1Billion THAILAND

A growing number of people are seeking treatments abroad for this reason: to save on medical costs in countries where services meet international standards and (in exotic countries such as Thailand) to avail oneself of a holiday at a dream destination. This is the reason why medical tourism is currently a multi-national, multi-billion-dollar business – and Thailand is leading the way. This is good news on many levels for a country whose medical services have improved along with their growing popularity.

Not only has the medical sector greatly profited from this recent boom, but it has also had a positive impact on the services, banking, and technology sectors, as well as the government through vastly improved public health policies.

Thailand is at present the leading location in Asia for attracting medical tourists, with ten percent of all arrivals during 2012/2013 visiting Thailand with the intention of taking advantage of wellness-treatment centers and hospitals. During that period, 1.5-2 million tourists received care from a growing number of specialist clinics and hospitals (as of 2012 thirty Thai hospitals were JCI-accredited – an international certification of quality). The Ministry of Public Health has further helped enhance Thailand’s reputation as a major medical tourism hub by creating the Hospitals Accreditation (HA), in which over 350 hospitals, having

PAGE 30 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

been audited according to strict criteria, are recognized for their experienced professionals and cutting-edge technology.

Thailand has experienced such a boom in the medical tourism industry partly because of the From increase in facilities, Indonesia / Malaysia / technology, and Middle East / US expertise. But the boom is also due to the fact From that, in terms of costs, a Middle East / UK / Japan short holiday in Thailand while receiving medical From treatment amounts to US / UK / Middle East / less than the hefty bill China / Japan. one would receive following various medical procedures and therapies back home. A large proportion of these tourists are from the UK and the USA. From Indonesia / Malaysia / Middle East / US

The list of treatments the medical tourist seeks is exhaustive, and ranges from spa care for general well-being and muscular regeneration, to dental care and to complex major operations. Some of the more sought-after treatments include: • Cardiology, dermatology, gastric, cancer, jointsreplacement procedures • Dental, eyes, skin, and cosmetic care and treatments • Fertility treatments, embryonic treatments • Diabetes mellitus and nutritional care and treatments • Anti-ageing, hormone balancing, stem-cells for regenerative and healing procedures • Cosmetic and gender-change procedures (Thailand has become a world leader in sex change procedures, and in fact carries out more operations than any country in the world.)

Lower costs and the beach incentive are of course not the only reasons foreigners are getting work done or having teeth extracted in the Land of Smiles. Research has shown that the criteria for the medical tourist during the decision-making process also include:

THAILAND

• • • • • • •

Quality of medical facilities and treatmentspecialists (a large number of Thai physicians are American Board-certified, are internationally experienced, and speak English. Many of these doctors have won prestigious medical awards for their work, and have attained further medical qualifications from Western nations, including the USA and the UK.) Availability of medication Accessibility and distance of travel, prices/ cost structures Waiting times for treatment Communication and languages Safety and security Political stability at the destination General cost-of-living benefits for the client and accompanying party

For a full list of JCI accredited hospitals, please visit: http://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/about-jci/ jci-accredited-organizations/?c=Thailand&F_All=y

完美处方 扎多克·S·兰伯特

泰

国是全球医疗旅游的领头羊。相对于许多国家， 泰国的医疗服务廉宜许多。因此，豪不令人感到 意外地，到干净洁白的泰国海滩度假胜地疗养， 或前往泰北山区甩掉身上的赘肉，已成为非常吸引外国 人的旅游选择。

经验丰富的医护人员和采用尖端的医疗技术，为客户提 供医疗服务。 泰国的医疗旅游业如此蓬勃，不仅由于医疗设施、科技 和专业人员已有所提升，也因为外国人前往泰国接受医 疗服务，同时享受短期的度假，其费用比起在本国接受 各种疗程更低。这些医疗游客大部分来自英国和美国。 医疗游客到泰国寻求各种各样的服务，举凡促进身心 健康的水疗护理、肌肉再生、牙科保健、复杂的手术 等等都是，十分多样化。需求较大的医疗服务包括以下 几种： - 心脏病、皮肤病、胃病、癌症、关节置换相关的疗程； - 牙齿、眼睛、皮肤、整容相关的护理和治疗； - 生育治疗和胚胎治疗； - 糖尿病和营养护理及治疗； - 抗老化、荷尔蒙平衡、干细胞再生与修复相关的疗程； - 整容和变性疗程（泰国的变性技术领先全球，手术量也 是世界第一）。 收费低廉和海滩度假当然不是外国人前往“微笑国度” 接受医疗服务或拔牙的唯一诱因。研究显示，医疗游客 在决定目的地的过程中还会考虑下列因素： • 医疗设施和治疗师的素质（大量的泰国医生拥有美国 医疗专科认证、具备国际经验和通晓英语，其中许 多医生曾荣获医学荣誉奖项，并且获得英国、美国 等西方国家的高级医学证书）； • 药物的可获性； • 旅行的便利性和距离、费用结构； • 治疗的等待时间； • 沟通和语言； • 安全性； • 目的地的政治稳定性； • 相对于本国，医疗旅行者及其随行者可否享有生活 费价差。

越来越多人选择到国外寻求医疗服务，不仅是因为可以 用较低的费用获得符合国际标准的服务，还因为可以在 获国际医院管理标准认证的泰国医院完整名单，请浏览： 像泰国这样充满异域风情的地方，享受一趟梦寐以求的 假期。这就是为什么医疗旅游目前已成为一个跨国性 http://www.jointcommissioninternational.org/about-jci/ 的、数十亿美元的产业，而泰国正是这项产业的佼佼 jci-accredited-organizations/?c=Thailand&F_All=y 者。泰国的医疗服务水平已随着医疗旅游逐渐受到欢迎 而提升，医疗旅游业的蓬勃发展具有多重的意义。除了 医疗领域因为医疗旅游蓬勃发展而获利不小，服务业、 银行业、科技业和政府部门也受到了积极的影响，比如 大力提升公共卫生政策。 目前，泰国是亚洲最吸引医疗游客的国家。在2012/2013 年入境泰国的游客中，有10%是为了获取身心健康中心 或医院提供的服务。在那一年里，多达150-200万名游客 接受医护服务，专科诊所和医院的数目也持续增加（截 至2012年，泰国已有30家医院获得国际医院管理标准认 证）。泰国公共卫生部设立的医院认证制，根据严格的 标准审核医院并予以认证，更进一步提高了泰国作为主 要医疗旅游中心的声誉。获得认证的逾350家医院均聘用 STATISTICS PROVIDED BY PANORAMA-MEDICA GROUP

THAILAND

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The Embroidery Art of Huayao Yi

Words & Pictures by Jim Goodman

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hina’s southwestern province of Yunnan drips with colors: deep blue high-altitude skies, green forests, red soil, turquoise streams, and piebald cliffs. Seasonal changes enhance these with spring and summer flowers and the brilliant yellows and crimsons of autumn. This splendid environment has influenced the traditional taste in clothing. Most of the costumes of the province’s twenty-four minority nationalities deploy bright, strong colors, with embroidery patterns inspired by nature. Exemplifying the indigenous zest for color and imaginative stitch work is a little-known ethnic group called the Huayao Yi. The Yi are one of China’s biggest minority nationalities, numbering roughly five million in Yunnan and nearly three

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the Stone Forest, catches glimpses around Dali, and spots them in Ninglang County en route to visiting the Mosuo of Lugu Lake. Yet the Yi are as approachable as anyone else in the friendly province of Yunnan and it’s easy enough to find out which branch appeals to one’s taste. The Huayao Yi inhabit a rolling plateau, about two thousand meters high, in the northern part of Shiping County, off the road to Tonghai, around six or seven hours ride south of Kunming. Ethnologists say they are a splinter group that broke off from a bigger Yi tribe further north.

Yet a Huayao Yi village is easily distinguishable from a Han settlement, for the flat roofs of the houses identify it from a distance. Yi houses are two-storey, quadrangular compounds. A small square courtyard

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million more in Sichuan, Guizhou, and Guangxi. Though all Yi share a common origin, as well as some social institutions and customs, they are divided into over thirty distinct sub-groups, living under a variety of ecological conditions. Their Tibeto-Burman language has six major dialects. As for clothing variety, researchers have identified over a hundred separate outfits.

Although the Yi are scattered across most of Yunnan, very few of them come into contact with either foreign or domestic tourists. Yi villages are generally off the beaten track, in high mountain settings or on secluded plateaus only recently connected by roads to urban commercial areas. The average traveler sees them at

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women present a scintillating contrast, with the accent on bold red. Indeed, their very name reflects their taste in decoration. “Huayao” in Chinese means “flowery waist,” for these Yi believe a woman’s hips and waist to be the most attractive zone on the body, and so pay much attention, especially at festivals, to adorning that area.

But Huayao costume art is not restricted to the midriff alone. Only the trousers-plain black with blue stripes at the ankles—are left unembellished. Traditionally, even the shoes were fully embroidered. The top consists of a sleeveless tunic over a long-sleeved coat, usually black, the tails of which feature thick rows of embroidery on the hem, hanging below the hips. The tunic is appliquéd on the sides and down the front with embroidered strips and on the back with a lushly decorative rectangular

3 lies behind the entrance, with the kitchen off to the right and storerooms on the left. Sleeping quarters are above. The open room behind the courtyard contains the family altar and is also used for dining and for receiving guests. The flat roofs are for drying crops such as rice, wheat, and maize, while tobacco - the area’s major cash crop - is cured in a tall square building separate from the compound.

4 patch. It is enhanced by silver studs on the collar and fastened by Chinese coin-buttons.

The Yi people’s most extraordinary difference from the Han, however, is in their traditional apparel. The Han people in this area historically favored dull shades of blue or grey. Huayao Yi

In a land famous for strange headgear, the Huayao bonnet ranks as one of the most unusual. Basically, it’s a rectangular piece of cloth, with embroidered flower panels on one end and two long, narrow bands of cloth attached at the other. To wear it, the Yi woman tucks the cloth, puts it on her head, then wraps the long bands around it, looping them at the sides to hold it in place.

The bands in front are embroidered and ornamented with silver and with red wool tassels. Those which stand up above the forehead are called “red bayberry flowers” while those hanging over the ears they call

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MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 33

“flowers to drive away flies,” a task the tassels do indeed perform as the woman bends down over her crops in the field or her food in the kitchen. Women wear this headgear at all times except when sleeping, and even those who have put away the rest of the costume still wear the bonnet.

Embroiderers employ several styles. The floral motifs on the tunic strips and waistbands resemble traditional Han-style silk patterns. The cross-stitched designs are similar to Miao and Yao motifs. But the execution of these techniques is strictly their own. Likewise, the stylized birds, trees, butterflies, bees, flames, rainbows, the sun, and the moon are uniquely Huayao. According to the young women, whose outfit is more elaborate than that of their mothers, it takes a year to stitch all the components. If they finish early they may make a plain black jacket with embroidered patch pockets, striped and tasseled leggings, and a studded, flowerstitched belt for their brothers or boyfriends.

The girls’ carefully crafted costumes are not worn often, being reserved for special occasions such as weddings and festivals, though some still dress up on market days. Married women, however, as well as the older generation, still by and large favor traditional Yi clothing. But one shouldn’t assume that the younger generation’s reluctance to dress their best for fieldwork indicates the erosion of traditional culture. On the contrary the Huayao Yi, like most of Yunnan’s minorities, are enjoying a revival of traditional culture and ethnic pride. Today’s teenage girls are better artisans than their mothers and know more old Yi songs than their grandmothers. Prosperous families deck out their children in Huayao Yi clothing, which is far more expensive than the modern alternative, and tote their babies in large cloth carriers featuring an explosion of embroidery. And Shaochong district’s Cultural Center actively promotes local music and dance, as well as inter-village festival participation.

Traits embedded in Huayao tradition become especially apparent at the big annual festivals - the Torch Festival (Huobajie) in mid-summer and the Dragon Festival (Jilongjie ) just after Lunar New Year. As with other Yi, the Torch Festival features singing and dancing around a bonfire at night. Jilongjie is more of a Huayao sub-group festival, including a procession, rituals at Ah Lu’s shrine, afternoon Yi dances, and Chinese dances, with dragons, lions, oysters and several costumed men walking on tall stilts.

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花腰彝族的刺绣艺术 文·图 吉姆·古德曼

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国西南部的云南省色彩缤纷，美不胜收。高海拔 地区的深蓝色天空、翠绿的森林、红褐的土壤、 翠蓝的溪流和黑白斑驳的峭壁，加上季节的更迭 变化，如春夏的百花齐放、秋日的鲜黄与深红，使得云 南的多彩多姿更加令人目不暇给。如此优美的环境，影 响了传统的服装品味。全省24个少数民族中，多数的服 饰都采用明亮、鲜艳的色彩，并配上从大自然获得灵感 的刺绣图案。鲜为人知的花腰彝族的刺绣艺术，是当地 人热爱色彩与富有想象力的绣工的典范。 彝族是中国最大的少数民族之一，在云南约有500万人， 在四川、贵州和广西有将近300万人。虽然所有的彝族都 有共同的起源，以及相同的一些社会制度和习俗，他们 分成30多个不同的次群体，生活在不同的生态环境中。 彝族使用的藏缅语有6种主要的方言。至于服装的种类， 研究人员已确认有超过100种不同的服装。

彝族分散在云南的大部分地区，但只有极少数和外国或 本国的游客接触。一般来说，彝族村落都在偏乡僻野， 位于崇山峻岭中或与世隔绝的高原上，直到最近才有道 路连通到城市商业区。一般的旅客会在云南的石林和大 理附近瞥见他们，或在走访泸沽湖的摩梭人途中，在宁 蒗县看到他们。然而，彝族人平易近人，和亲切友善的 其他云南人没有两样，而且游客依照个人的品味，很容 易找到自己喜欢的分支。花腰彝族聚居在海拔约2000米 的一个起伏的高原上，位于石屏县的北部地区；由昆明 南行，绕过通海县，约6、7个小时的车程可以抵达。民 族学家说，花腰彝族是从较北方的一个较大的彝族部落 分出来的群体。 花腰彝族的村落和汉族定居地很容易区分，因为其房屋 的平屋顶从远处就可识别出来。彝族的房屋是两层楼的 四合院。入口处的后方有个小小的方形庭院，右侧是厨 房，左侧是储藏室，寝室在楼上。庭院后面的宽敞堂屋 设有家庭祭坛，也可用于餐饮和接待宾客。平屋顶可用 来晒干作物，如水稻、小麦和玉米。这个地区的主要经 济作物烟草，则是在别处一个高大的方形建筑物内加工 制造。 但是，彝族和汉族最特别的差异在于他们的传统服饰。 这个地区的汉人历来都喜爱蓝色或灰色的沉闷色调，花 腰彝族妇女则呈现出令人目眩的对比，以醒目的红色为 主色调。的确，花腰彝族这个名字本身，就已反映出她 们装饰上的品味。花腰的意思是“如花的腰肢”，因为 这些彝族认为女性的臀部和腰部，是身体上最有吸引力 的部位，所以非常重视这个部位的装饰，在各种节庆场 合更是如此。

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但是花腰彝族的服装艺术并非只在腰部展现。她们只有 纯黑色的长裤是未加装饰的，只在脚踝处有蓝色条纹。 传统上，连鞋子都绣满了花样。上衣是一件长袖外套 （通常为黑色）外搭一件无袖束腰外衣；长袖外套的特 色是下摆有厚厚的一排刺绣，垂到臀部之下。束腰外衣 的两侧有贴花，前面有绣带垂下，后面有装饰精美的矩 形贴片。上衣是以银钉在衣领处补强，并以铜钱式金属 钮扣固定。 在以各种奇特头饰闻名的这个地方，花腰彝人的头饰之 瑰奇也是数一数二的。基本上那是一块长方形的布，一 端有绣花的饰片，另一端连接两条长而窄的带子。要戴 它时，彝族妇女把这块布折好，放在头上，然后用那两 条长带子裹住，环绕在两侧以固定在适当位置。在前面 的带子是绣花的，缀以银泡和红色毛线结成的缨花和流 苏状垂缨。直竖在额头上方的红色缨花称为“杨梅花” ，垂在耳边的流苏状缨花则称为“赶苍蝇花”。当彝族 妇女在田里弯腰耕种，或在厨房煮食时，那流苏状垂缨 确实负起驱赶苍蝇的任务。除了睡觉时以外，花腰彝族 妇女随时都戴着这种头饰，即使是那些不再穿着传统服 装的妇女，也还是戴着这种软帽。 刺绣工采用数种样式。束腰外衣的绣带和腰饰上的花卉 图案，类似传统的汉式丝绸图案。十字绣的设计，类似 苗族和瑶族的图案，但是，这些刺绣所用的技法是花腰 彝族独有的。同样地，有固定风格的鸟类、树木、蝴 蝶、蜜蜂、火焰、彩虹、太阳和月亮，也是花腰彝族独 有的图案。据年轻的妇女（她们的服饰比上一代精美） 说，需要花上一年才能缝好所有的部件。如果她们提前 完成，可能就会为兄弟或男友，做一件贴了绣花口袋的 朴素黑色外套、有条纹和流苏的绑腿，以及打上装饰钉 和绣了花的腰带。 女孩们精心缝制的服饰并没有经常穿着，而是保留在特 殊场合使用，如婚礼和节庆，但有些人还是会在赶集的 日子盛装打扮。不过，已婚妇女以及老一辈的人，大体 上仍然偏好传统的彝族服饰。但是人们不应该认为，年 轻一代不愿穿着最好的衣物在野外工作，显示传统文化 正在式微。相反的，花腰彝族就像云南大部分的少数民 族，正享受着传统文化的复兴与民族自豪感的重振。现 今十几岁的花腰彝女孩，手艺比她们的母亲更好；会唱 的传统彝族歌曲，也比她们的祖母还多。兴旺富裕的家 庭，以花腰彝服饰（比现代的服饰昂贵得多）打扮孩 子，以绣满花样的婴儿背巾携带孩子。哨冲镇的民族文 1. Huayao women leaving the Shaochong market 化中心，也积极推动当地的音乐和舞蹈，以及跨村的节 2. Huayao Yi dance troupe 3. Huayao contingent at a shipping festival 庆活动。 4. The flat roofs of a Huayao Yi village 花腰彝族传统的特色，在大型的年度节庆上尤其明显可 5. Huayao girl with all her ornaments 见，如在盛夏的火把节和农历新年刚过后的祭龙节。如 同其他彝族人，花腰彝人在火把节的夜里会围绕着篝火 1. 正在离开哨冲集市的花腰彝族妇女 载歌载舞。祭龙节更是花腰彝族的节日，活动包括游 2. 花腰彝族的民族舞团 行、在“龙宫”前举行的祭典、午后的彝族舞蹈与中国 3. 参加一项节庆的花腰彝族队伍 舞蹈，还有舞龙、舞狮、蚌壳舞和几个穿戏服的男子踩 4. 花腰彝族村落民居的平屋顶 5. 穿上传统服饰的花腰少女 高跷。

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MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 35

MA N DALAY HIDDE N PEARL O F A S IA

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There’s a Burma girl a-settin’ and I know she thinks of me; For the wind is in the palm trees and the temple bells they say: ‘Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay.’

As Southeast Asian cities go, Mandalay is not old.

Less than two hundred years ago, King Mindon moved his court to the “Golden City” on the banks of the Ayeyarwady River four hundred miles north of Rangoon (now Yangon). The site was surrounded by older capital cities and was laid out in a grid around the royal palace, with twelve entrances and a protective moat. It was also the last royal capital of Myanmar as Britain completed its conquest in 1885, sending King Thibaw and his family into exile in India.

Words and Pictures by Barry Broman

The city prospered and was known as the cultural heart of Myanmar while Yangon was the business center and largest city. That all changed in 1942 with the Japanese invasion. Mandalay was badly damaged in 1945 when the British returned. The wooden palace was burned to the ground. Mandalay hill, covered with pagodas and monasteries, was of strategic importance and the Japanese defended every square foot.

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udyard Kipling, the British colonial bard of the East, was fascinated with Burma, as Myanmar was then called in the days of the Raj. His most famous poem of Burma was “Mandalay” in which a young British soldier recalls his days in the tropics. “There’s a Burma girl a-settin’ and I know she thinks of me; For the wind is in the palm trees and the temple bells they say: ‘Come you back, you British soldier; come you back to Mandalay.’”

These days, lots of people are coming to Mandalay, although not many of them are British soldiers. As Myanmar emerges from decades of economic stagnation under harsh military rule, this hidden pearl of Southeast Asia has finally been discovered. Tourists from nearby China, fellow ASEAN nations, and (increasingly) from the West are flocking to Myanmar and to Mandalay as the cultural heart of this ancient land. In fact, there are almost too many as the rush of sightseers and business entrepreneurs strains the country’s infrastructure.

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MYANMAR

In and around Mandalay are many pagodas and monasteries. Foremost among these is the Maha Muni Pagoda. It was constructed in 1784 CE by King Bodawpaya to house the Maha Muni Buddha image, a magnificent twelve-foot high bronze image of great antiquity that was taken as a spoil of war when the Burmese conquered the Kingdom of Arakan near the border of what is now Bangladesh. This image of the Buddha is the most revered in all of Myanmar and the pagoda is a major pilgrimage site. Every day thousands of Bamar visit the pagoda where men are allowed to approach the image to apply leaves of solid gold, offerings to the Buddha. So much gold has been applied over the years that the Buddha’s body is now obese and bloated by the gold and is growing daily. Only the bronze face is untouched; every morning starting around 4am a team of monks ritually washes the face of the Buddha.

MYANMAR

The event is open to the public who kneel and pray while the monks wash the Buddha’s face with a special, aromatic concoction. Afterwards, the liquid that was used to wash the face is ladled out to the faithful who wait in a long, quiet line for the “holy water.”

Other treasures taken from the Arakanese can also be seen at the Maha Muni Pagoda. These include six large bronze images that are housed without fanfare or even explanation in an open space at the back of the pagoda. These images provide a quick and rare peek into the savage history of mainland Southeast Asia.

The bronzes are Khmer in origin and are larger and finer that any found in the leading museums of France or Cambodia. They date from the time of the Khmer empire of Angkor conquered by the Siamese (Thai) in the 15th century. A century later, they were taken by the Mon to their own kingdom’s capital at Pegu (now Bago) when they sacked and looted the Siamese capital at Ayutthaya.

In turn, the Mon lost the bronzes to the Arakanese who captured Pegu in 1600 and removed the booty to Mrauk-U, where they resided until the Burmese defeated the Arakanese in 1784. And now they sit, broken and forlorn, waiting, perhaps, to go home.

The dominant topographical feature of Mandalay is Mandalay Hill. At 774 feet in height, it provides a bird’s-eye view of the city including the Ayeyarwady River beyond, and the hills of the Shan state to the east.

The hill is festooned with pagodas and a covered stairway protects visitors from sunshine and rain along the 1,729 steps to the top. For those not capable or willing to make the climb, I suggest a drive to the top by a back road and a leisurely walk down the hill instead. At the base of the hill is the Kathodaw Pagoda, which boasts what it calls “the world’s largest book.” This refers to the 729 marble tablets on which is carved the entire Buddhist canon,

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 37

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At 774 feet high, the summit of Mandalay Hill can be reached in 1,729 steps.

The royal palace has been partially reconstructed and gives an idea of the greatness of the Burmese court in pre-colonial days. It features a watchtower that provides a good view of the interior of the grounds inside the moat and showcases traditional architecture. The site is popular with tourists both Bamar and foreign. In the old days, the palace was a center for the unique art form of stringed marionettes. This was important both for the rulers and the ruled. As it was difficult and dangerous to approach the king with complaints, criticism was often couched in humor coming from a comedian puppet that could bring “truth to power” without losing his head, literally.

With the passing of the royal rulers, the marionettes went into decline. Happily, there is a revival in Mandalay and visitors can experience the charm, wit, and dexterity of the wooden actors and their human partners who can be seen pulling the puppet’s strings while standing on stage. Nightly performances are offered by the Mandalay Marionette Theater led by the master puppeteer U Pan Aye at their charming little theater across the side street from the Sedona Hotel.

Mandalay is also home to another art form that was once heavily patronized by the rulers of Burma and is now spreading beyond the borders of Myanmar. This is the art of kalaga, wall-hanging tapestries, which developed into a fine art in the 18th and 19th centuries depicting scenes from the lives of the Buddha or epic tales such as the Ramayana. There are dozens of workshops in and around Mandalay producing many types of kalaga, including

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“

the Tripitaka. It is well worth a visit, especially if you are Buddhist and/or can read Burmese.

baseball caps and even Christian themes such as the Last Supper. The night bazaar in Chiang Mai and street stalls in Bangkok are replete with kalaga. The master kalaga maker in Mandalay is U Sein Myint, an artist who in 1990 produced the largest kalaga on record measuring seventeen feet long and seven feet high. It took twentyfive seamstresses working for six months to make this tapestry depicting rural life in Myanmar. It was given to the United Nations as a gift from the people of Myanmar and may be seen in New York City. U Sein Myint’s art gallery and kalaga workshop, along with his private museum of Myanmar traditional arts and crafts, is open to the public free of charge at 42, 62nd Road (between 16th -17th Roads) in Mandalay. Perhaps the most unusual and least visited market by tourists in Mandalay is the jade market. This is a sprawling outdoor collection of workshops where jade from the greatest mines in the world is cut, polished, set, and sold, mostly to dealers. It is also one of the best places in Myanmar to buy the “stone of heaven,” as jade was known in imperial China.

Mandalay is looking better than it has for decades. The rush of tourism and businessmen into Myanmar is forcing an improvement in the infrastructure of the country, from electricity to roads, hotels to restaurants. Mandalay boasts a modern, if somewhat remote, airport and has a wide range of good food establishments serving various Bamar, Shan, and Chinese cuisines. A local favorite breakfast dish is a fish-based soup called “mohinga.” Being in the “dry zone” of Myanmar, Mandalay is not much troubled by the annual monsoon (July - October) but it is best to avoid the city in the hot season (April - June), if possible.

MYANMAR

MYANMAR

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 39

曼德勒 东南亚隐藏的珍珠 文 ·图 巴里·布罗曼

英

国殖民时期的东方诗人吉卜林对缅甸十分着 迷。他最有名的关于缅甸的诗就题为《曼德 勒》，描述一名年轻的英国士兵缅怀他住在热 带地区的日子：“那里有个缅甸女孩，我知道 她思念着我；∕因为棕榈树间吹拂的风和寺庙的钟声都 在吟唱：∕回来吧，英国士兵，回到曼德勒。” 近来有很多人涌向曼德勒，虽然其中没有很多英国士 兵。数十年来在严厉军事统治下经济停滞的缅甸，目 前正在崛起，这颗隐藏着的东南亚珍珠终于为世人所瞩 目。蜂拥到缅甸及其文化中心曼德勒的旅客主要来自邻 近的中国和东盟国家，西方旅客也日益增加。事实上， 蜂拥而至的观光客和商业旅客简直太多了，对这个国家 的基础设施构成了很大压力。 和其他的东南亚城市比起来，曼德勒并不古老。距今不 到两百年前，敏东王将他的朝廷搬迁到仰光以北400英 里的伊洛瓦底江畔的曼德勒。这座“黄金之城”被数个 较古老的省城所围绕，城内街道以皇宫为中心呈棋盘式 布局，有12个出入口和护城河。它也是缅甸最后一个皇 城，因为英国在1885年全面征服了缅甸，把锡袍王和他 的家人流放到印度。 昔日的曼德勒很繁荣，是缅甸的文化中心，而仰光则是 商务中心和最大城市。1942年，在日本侵略下，这一切 都改变了。当英国人在1945年收复时，曼德勒已遭到严 重破坏，木造皇宫被夷为平地。但矗立着许多佛塔和 寺院的曼德勒山因为具有战略重要性，悉数获得日本人 保护。 曼德勒城内和周遭有许多佛塔和寺院，其中最重要的是 玛哈牟尼佛塔（亦称大金佛）。它是在公元1784年由孟 云王所建，以安置释迦牟尼佛像。那是一座年代久远的 壮观青铜像，高12英尺，是缅甸征服若开王国（即阿拉 干，与现今的孟加拉国毗邻）时夺来的战利品。这是 缅甸最受崇敬的佛像，该佛塔因此成为一大朝圣地。每 天，前往膜拜的缅甸人多达数千名，但只有男性可接近 佛像，给佛像贴上纯金箔和献上供品。多年来有这么多 的金箔被贴上，以致佛像变得肥胖，而且势必还会持续 臃肿下去。唯一不会变的，是佛像的脸部。每天清晨4点 左右，一队僧侣会以一种特殊的芳香液体，洗涤佛像的 脸。在这项公开的仪式中，信众会跪在佛像前祈祷。浴 佛的香水随后被舀出来，分发给在长龙中安静等待“圣 水”的信众。

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在玛哈牟尼佛塔还可看到从若开族人那里夺来的其他宝 物，其中包括六座大型青铜像。这些青铜像放置在佛塔 后面的空地上，没有大肆宣扬，甚至连说明也没有附 上，却足以让参观者一窥东南亚大陆的野蛮史。它们来 自高棉，比在法国或高棉的知名博物馆所能看到的任何 青铜像更大，也更为精致。其制作年代可以上溯到15世 纪被暹罗（泰国）征服的吴哥帝国。一个世纪后，把暹 罗首都大城府洗劫一空的孟族人抢走青铜像，带回孟王 国的首都勃固。若开王国在1600年攻下勃固，青铜像也 随之从孟族人落到若开族人手中。若开族人把这些战利 品安置在缅甸的妙乌，直到缅甸人在1784年打败若开族 人为止。如今这些已经破损的青铜像就这么被遗弃，等 待或许有返乡的一天。

多种类型的卡拉嘎，包括做成棒球帽，甚至还有基督 教主题如最后晚餐的作品。泰国清迈的夜市和曼谷街头 的小摊，都有卡拉嘎出售。在曼德勒，重要的卡拉嘎师 傅为艺术家吴盛敏，他在1990年制作了世界最大的卡拉 嘎。这幅描绘缅甸农村生活的作品长17英尺、高7英尺， 由25名女裁缝工作了6个月才完成。它以缅甸人民的名 义，送给联合国当作礼物，在纽约市可以看到。吴盛敏 的艺术馆和卡拉嘎作坊，以及他私有的缅甸传统手工艺 博物馆，是对公众开放的，而且不收费，地址在曼德勒 市第62路（位于第16路和第17路之间）42号。

矿坑的玉石在这里被切割、打磨、镶嵌和销售，大多是 卖给经销商。这里也是在缅甸购买有“天堂之石”美称 的玉石的最佳场所。

Recommended Hotels 推荐酒店:

Recommended Restaurants 推荐餐厅:

Mandalay Hill Resort Hotel Website 网址 : www.mandalayhillresorthotel.com Tel 电话 : +95 2 35638

Green Elephant Restaurant (Myanmar cuisine 缅甸料理) Address 地址 : No.3 (H), Block 801, 27th Street,

between 64th & 65th Street, Mandalay Tel 电话 : + 95 2 61237, 742 73, 09 20 38207.

Email 邮箱 : greenmdy@mail.mandalay.net.mm, mandalayge@gmail.com

曼德勒的市容比起数十年前已有所改善。旅游业的兴起 和大批商人进入缅甸，迫使缅甸大力改善其基础设施， 从电力到道路，从酒店到餐厅，不一而足。曼德勒拥有 一座现代化的机场，只是有点偏远。在这座城市里可吃 到缅族、掸邦和中国的各种美食，但当地人最喜欢吃的 早餐是鱼汤米粉。曼德勒位于缅甸的“干燥区”，每年 的季风季节（7月至10月）不会受到太大困扰，但最好避 在曼德勒，也许最不寻常、最少游客走访的市场是玉器 免在炎热的季节（4月至6月）来到这个城市。 市场。它由一大群露天工作坊集结而成，来自世界最好

曼德勒以曼德勒山为主要地形特征。它海拔774英尺，可 以鸟瞰全市和稍远处的伊洛瓦底江，以及东边的掸邦群 山。曼德勒山上点缀着多座佛塔，有一条1729级的阶梯 供游客登顶，其顶盖可保护游客免遭日晒雨淋。对于无 能力或不愿意登山的人，我建议坐车沿一条便道上山， 然后悠闲地漫步下山。山脚下，固都陶佛塔号称拥有 “世界上最大的书”。那是指雕刻了整部《大藏经》的 729块大理石板。这座佛塔值得一游，特别是如果你是佛 教徒，或是能够阅读缅甸文的话。 皇宫有一部分已经重建完成，展现出殖民时期之前缅甸 宫廷的宏伟。它有一座瞭望塔，可以清楚看到护城河内 的景观，并展示传统的建筑特色。皇宫是缅甸国内外游 客都喜爱的观光景点。昔日的皇宫是提线木偶戏这一独 特艺术形式的中心。提线木偶戏对统治者和人民都很重 要。以往人民很难得接近国王并向国王投诉（那样做也 很危险），批评者往往就通过木偶的诙谐之口“向权力 说真话”，而避免砍头之虞。随着皇权时代的消逝，提 线木偶戏已经式微。令人高兴的是，曼德勒的提线木 偶戏已开始复兴，游客可以再度看到提偶人站在舞台上 拉着木偶身上的线，欣赏那些木偶及提偶人的魅力、机 智和灵巧。在喜多娜酒店对面小巷内一个迷人的小剧场 里，由木偶大师吴班艾领导的曼德勒提线木偶剧团每晚 都有演出。 曼德勒也是刺绣壁饰“卡拉嘎”的故乡。这种曾经深受 缅甸统治者保护的传统艺术形式目前正在复兴，而且已 传至缅甸境外。卡拉嘎在18和19世纪发展成一门艺术， 内容描绘佛陀生平场景或印度古代史诗如《罗摩衍那》 的故事。如今在曼德勒市内和周边，有数十家作坊生产

MYANMAR

Sedona Hotel Address 地址 : No. 1 Junction of 26th and 66th Street, Mandalay Website 网址 : www.sedonahotels.com.sg/Where/ SedonaHotelMandalay Tel 电话 : +95 2 36488

MYANMAR

Golden Duck (Chinese Cuisine 中国料理) Address 地址 : No. 192, Corner of 80 and 16 St, Mandalay Tel 电话 : +95 9 205 8338

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 41

TRACKING DOWN THE RARE

Giant Ibis

L. Bruce Kekulé up for the two-wheeled part of this trip. By the time we got to the ecotourism lodge, set up in the Tmatboey Ibis Ecotourism Project in Kulen Promtep Wildlife Sanctuary in the northern plains, it was already late afternoon. The next morning, we had a quick breakfast and then at 5 AM jumped on the motorcycles once again: this time with cameras and daypacks for a trip to a known ibis waterhole, also known as a “trapeang” in Cambodian.

Picture Courtesy of ALLAN MICHAUD

A

mong the endangered avian fauna of Cambodia, the giant ibis is an amazing bird and the largest of its species thriving in Southeast Asia and the northern plains of Cambodia. There are only 250 of them left in the world today!

In early February 2011, we took off by jet from Bangkok for the city of Siem Reap near Angkor Wat in northern Cambodia, arriving about noon. We were later joined by fellow wildlife photographer Allan Michaud, who lives and works in Phnom Penh and has been there for many years.

Allan and I loaded up for the trip further north, arriving in the late afternoon some sixty kilometers south of the infamous temple “Preah Vihear” (known as “Phra Viharn” in Thai) on the Thai/Cambodian border. The centuriesold structure sitting on a ridgeline has been the center of controversy, and fighting has erupted many times between the two countries, both claiming ownership.

The International Court of Justice in The Hague ruled in 1962, and again recently, that the temple belongs to Cambodia.

When we got to our destination, the forest was quiet.

I looked around and found a tree in a depression that looked perfect for a photographic blind. We quickly set the enclosure with camouflage cloth but decided to leave it till the next morning. We then went looking for other possible “ibis haunts” but these proved to be empty. The next morning, we were back in the blind before dawn and sat quietly waiting. About 7:30 AM, a lone mature giant ibis landed on a tree high up and called out. We both started shooting and it was great to see this amazing feathered creature on the first day.

About 8 AM, the thundering sound of artillery fire began north of our location. At first, it sounded like carpet-bombing much like I had experienced in the Vietnam War back in 1968 while I was working there.

And then it dawned on Allan and me: the Thais and Cambodians were shooting at each other, fighting over the temple at Preah Vihear again. We ignored it and decided to stay put. The next morning, it was a repeat of the same with the thunderous noise for about an hour, but it finally stopped.

We sat all day and about 4:30 PM, we heard, and then saw, a flock of five giant ibis as they swooped down and landed in front of us on the ground. These huge birds stayed for about fifteen minutes foraging and feeding, and after they left, my good pal and I let out a The area is made up mainly of Cambodian open whoop. We had just photographed one of the rarest dipterocarp (hardwood tropical trees) forest, which is reported to be the home of giant and white-shouldered birds on earth, and it was a celebration that night with drinks and food at the lodge. Looking back, the “Spirits ibis plus wooly-neck stork: all extremely rare birds. The of the Forest” had answered my prayers and the feeling northern province of Preah Vihear borders Si Sa Khet Province in Thailand, where these birds were once found of accomplishment was overwhelming. but unfortunately are now locally extinct, with the only thriving population left in the world in Cambodia. It was _________________________________________________ exciting waiting in anticipation to photograph some of The giant ibis (Thaumatibis gigantean) has a the very few left in the wild. distinct curved bill, and at dusk and dawn utters a repeated, loud, ringing call sounding like “a-leurk a-leurk.”

We finally arrived in the middle of nowhere, where several motorcycle taxis were waiting. Allan and I loaded The adult is dark grey and the head and upper neck are

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bare-skinned. There are dark bands across the back of the head and shoulder area and the pale silvery-grey wing tips also have black crossbars. The beak is yellowish-brown, the legs orange, and the eyes dark red. Juveniles have short black feathers on the back of the head down to the neck. Their bills are shorter and their eyes are brown. They consume mainly invertebrates, particularly locusts and cicadas, as well as crustaceans, small amphibians, small reptiles, and seeds.

CAMBODIA

白肩鹮及毛颈鹳的家。柬埔寨北部的柏威夏省和泰国的 四色菊府接壤，这些鸟类曾在四色菊府被发现，不幸的 是，如今在当地已灭绝，全世界唯一有这些鸟类繁衍的 地方是柬埔寨。在野外等待，希望拍摄到极珍希的这些 鸟类，是令人兴奋的事。 我们终于抵达一个远离人烟、不知何处的地方时，几辆 摩托出租车已在等候。阿兰和我把装备搬上摩托出租 车，进行此行中搭乘双轮车的部分。我们到达北部平原 的古伦普隆特野生动物保护区内德马伯大鹮生态旅游项 目的生态小屋时，已经是傍晚时分。第二天早上，我们 快速吃过早餐后，在清晨5时再次跳上摩托车。这次是带 着照相机和背包，到一处有大鹮出没的水潭。在柬埔寨 语中，它也称为 trapeang。 我们到达目的地时，森林里一片静寂。我环顾四周，发 现有一棵树在洼地，看起来是完美的进行仪器自动摄影 的地方。我们迅速以迷彩布围起一块地方，但后来决定 离开，第二天早上再去。接着，我们开始寻找可能有大 鹮出没的其他地方，但是徒劳无功。第二天早上，我们 在日出之前回到设置仪器自动摄影的地方，静坐等待。 上午7时30分左右，一只孤独的成年大鹮飞落到树上的高 处，大声鸣叫。我们两人于是开始拍摄。第一次看到这 种令人惊叹的有羽毛的生物，是很棒的事。

上午8时许，我们所在位置的北方开始响起了炮火的轰 Picture Courtesy of L. Bruce Kekulé 鸣声。起初，那声音听起来有如地毯式轰炸，很像1968 年越战期间我在越南工作时经历过的。然后阿兰和我都 明白了：泰国和柬埔寨再次为了争夺柏威夏寺而互相射 击。我们无视这件事，决定留在原地。第二天早上，轰 鸣声再起，持续了大约一小时之后终于停了下来。

摄猎珍稀大鹮

我们坐了一整天，终于在下午4点半左右听到然后看到 5只大鹮结成一群俯冲下来，落在我们面前的地上。这 些巨鸟停留了约15分钟，在那里觅食和喂养。它们离开 后，我的好伙伴和我发出一声吶喊：我们刚刚拍摄了地 埔寨的濒危鸟类大鹮是令人惊叹的一种鸟，在繁衍 球上最稀有的鸟类之一！那天晚上在生态小屋，我们吃 于东南亚和柬埔寨北部平原的同类中体型最大，目 吃喝喝大事庆祝一番。回想起来，我想大概是“森林精 灵”响应了我的祷告吧。那成就感之大是难以言喻的。 前全世界只剩下250只！ _________________________________________________ 2011年2月初，我们搭机从曼谷起飞前往柬埔寨北部吴哥 窟附近的暹粒市，在中午时分抵达。稍后，阿兰·米肖 大鹮 ( Thaumatibis gigantean ) 具有独特、弯曲的喙， 前来与我们会合。他是野生动物摄影师，在金边居住和 在黄昏和黎明时会反复发出响亮有力的叫声，听起来像 a-leurk a-leurk。成鸟是暗灰色的，头部和上颈部光秃无 工作已经很多年了。 毛。有暗色带状穿过头部和肩部的后侧，淡银灰色翼尖 阿兰和我装载物资后往北出发，在傍晚时分抵达泰国和 也有黑色的十字管状。喙呈黄褐色，腿是橙色，眼睛是 柬埔寨边境著名的“柏威夏寺”以南约60公里的一个地 暗红色。年轻的鹮在头部后侧到颈部之处，有短的黑羽 方。柏威夏寺是一座位于山脊上、有数百年悠久历史的 毛，它们的喙比较短，眼睛是棕色的。鹮主要是食用无 古建筑，泰国和柬埔寨各自声称拥有所有权，双方已因 脊椎动物，尤其是蝗虫和蝉，以及甲壳类动物、小型两 此争议而爆发过多次战斗。海牙国际法庭于1962年宣 栖类、小型爬虫类和种子。 判，不久前再次裁定，该寺庙属于柬埔寨。

L·布鲁斯·凯库勒

柬

这个地区大部分为柬埔寨龙脑香（热带硬木树）森林所 覆盖。据报导，这里是3种非常珍稀的鸟类——大鹮、

CAMBODIA

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 43

blended spices, fish, and seafood. The “must try” signature dish is his Pork Chop, an apple ginger treat served with a spicy tomato salsa.

OASIS

AN OF

CALM

LAURENCE CIVIL

Y

angon has one of the finest collections of British colonial buildings in the world. The Governor’s Residence may not be the grandest (the neighboring white stucco India House claims that honor), nor is it the only colonial-period hotel (that would be The Strand down by the river). But this is the most atmospheric and sumptuous hotel in the city.

Burma was a province of British India until 1937. As the original mansion dates from the 1920s, it is no surprise to discover that it was built by an Indian teak trader from Pander in Rajasthan province of northern India. From the hotel’s name, it’s easy to assume that it was the residence of the British Governor General. Rather, it was the residence of the local governor of Kayah State, formerly Karenni State, where the world’s largest tungsten mine was located. The “Governor’s Residence” was where their dignitaries were housed when visiting the city.

Little more is known about the mansion’s early life. In 1963, it was nationalized by the military government and handed over to the Kayah State authorities to become known as Kayah Geha.

In 1995, Patrick Robert, a French-born expatriate designer, rediscovered the then rundown property and, with the financial backing of the owners of the Pansea Hotel Group, renovated and built it into this 49-room boutique hotel.

Having flown into Yangon, guests can be met at Yangon International Airport. It’s then just a thirty-minute drive to the hotel located in the leafy embassy district. Walking over a covered bridge, you will be seduced by the perfume of frangipani and jasmine that hangs in the air. It’s as if you were arriving at a palatial mansion rather than just another hotel.

The walk takes you past huge Burmese teakwood umbrellas covered with local red Sa paper. Being lit from below, they emit a warm glow after dark. The swimming pool is to the left, a lotus pond to the right. The residence

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is decorated with Burmese arts and crafts such as lacquer bowls, handmade silver pagodas, and wood sculptures, while on the wall hang framed old sepia photographs of women in 19th century dress and scenes of life in idyllic country villages.

A beautiful garden path leads to the two-storey accommodation buildings with bedrooms on both floors.

All the rooms are arranged as small suites. Above each large firm bed, there is a hook in the ceiling should a mosquito net be required. There is sufficient space for a sofa in the lounge area in front of the window. The rooms are decorated with local silk and the dark teak floors creak under foot. The spacious bathroom is in the style of the colonial era, with stone hand basins and bathtubs, along with separate rain shower stalls.

Every grand house needs a chef to run its kitchen and provide the finest meals for its guests. Mexican chef Ricardo Lujan has been filling that role since June 2013.

He learnt his trade at Suehiro, the finest Japanese restaurant in Guadalajara, the town where he was born.

He went on to become one of Mexico’s best sushi chefs.

There are two restaurants where one can taste his culinary delights. The Mandalay Restaurant, the slightly more formal of the two, can be found in the original residence building overlooking the private gardens. Here diners can enjoy local dishes with subtly

REGULARS - LUXE LIVING

总督官邸酒店的客人飞抵仰光国际机场后，会有专人接 机，驱车仅半小时就抵达酒店所在的浓荫密布的大使馆 街区。走上酒店内繁花掩映的有盖水上步道，空气中弥漫 的鸡蛋花和茉莉花香令人如此着迷，彷佛置身宫殿一般。 客人走在步道上时可看到一把把巨大的缅甸柚木伞，伞 The more homely style is the Burmese Curry Table 面为红色，灯光从下往上照射，散发出温暖的色调。步 located up on the first floor. The focal point of the restaurant is the old pool table laden with fragrant curries 道左边是泳池，右边则有一个荷花池。缅甸艺术品和手 bubbling away in clay pots on authentic charcoal burners. 工艺品随处可见，如漆碗、手工打造的银塔和木雕。墙 壁上挂着几幅黑色边框镶嵌的老照片，拍的是妇女身着 Here the dish to look out for is the signature pork and 19世纪的服饰，或田园牧歌般的乡村生活。 mango curry. The two ingredients marry well together to make a comfortable dish, not overly spiced, so that 一条优美的花园小径引人移步至酒店主楼。所有的房间 individual flavors of all the ingredients can be tasted. 均为小套间，分布在这幢两层楼的建筑里。卧室的床宽 大硬实，天花板上有挂钩，若有需要可以悬挂蚊帐。临 What makes the stay here even more relaxing is the 窗的客厅空间感十足，能够容纳放下一张沙发，用当地 two acres of established garden. There are over a 的丝绸做装饰，深色柚木地板延伸至房间的每一个角 hundred different plants, which look their best from 落。宽敞的浴室为殖民时代风格，有石质盥洗池和浴 January through March when they are all bursting into 缸，以及一个独立淋浴室。每座豪华酒店里都少不了厨 bloom. Examples include the crimson extravaganza of 艺精湛的主厨为酒店客人献上盛宴。总督官邸酒店的墨 the Pride of Burma, the queen of flowering trees, and 西哥籍主厨里卡多·卢汉自2013年6月起在此任职，他曾 the orange-red spike of flowering ginger. Dendrobium orchids are well represented, planted in boxes hung along 在家乡瓜达拉哈拉最好的日本餐厅末广学厨，后来跻身 为墨西哥最好的寿司厨师之一。 the covered walkway leading from the entrance road to the villa. The lily ponds, with koi swimming lazily about, 要想品尝卢汉主厨的手艺，有两个餐厅可选。其中之一 feature water-filled clay pots in which frilly green “water 的曼德勒餐厅场合较为正式，就位于总督官邸酒店的主 lettuce” floats. 楼内，俯视着花园。菜式既有当地菜品，又有传统与创 新相结合的佳肴，包括各种香料巧妙地搭配的鱼和海 This is Yangon’s oasis of calm. 鲜。不容错过的主厨拿手菜是猪排，以猪肉、苹果、生 姜三种主料配上辛辣的西红柿。

仰光宁静的绿洲 劳伦斯 ·斯威尔

仰

酒店内另一家更具居家温馨气息的餐厅名叫“缅甸咖喱 餐桌”。餐厅最引人注目的要数那张老式台球桌，上面 有几个炭火炉，正架着粘土陶器煮咖喱，煮沸的咖喱在 里面翻滚冒泡，香浓四溢。到这里要品尝招牌菜猪肉芒 果咖喱，二者的完美结合让这道菜异常美味。它不是特 别辛辣，所有配料的滋味都能一一呈现。

光汇集了不少当今世界上保存得最完好的英国 殖民时代建筑。相比旁边白色灰泥的印度大 楼，总督官邸酒店或许并不算最恢宏壮丽，也 不是唯一一座殖民时代所建的酒店，因为不远处的河流 下游还有一家历经百年沧桑的斯特兰德酒店，但总督官 面积两英亩的大花园，让酒店更令人感到舒坦。花园内 邸酒店是整个城里最有气氛最雍容华贵的酒店。 种植着100多种不同植物，1至3月的春天里百花齐放， 缅甸曾是英属印度的一个省直到1937年才独立建国。酒 为最佳观赏时期。有着“花木王后”和“缅甸的骄傲” 店所在建筑始建于20世纪20年代，正值殖民时期，因此 之美誉的璎珞木花团锦簇，犹如团团烈焰。橘红色的 它由一位来自北印度拉贾斯坦邦班迪尔的柚木商人所 生姜花像长钉一般，悬挂在枝头。石斛属兰花被别出心 建，也就不足为奇了。从名字来看，人们容易误解为当 裁地种在盒子里挂满走道，从酒店入口至主楼一路花香 时的英国总督官邸，其实不然。酒店最早是当地克伦尼 相伴。池塘里铺满睡莲，锦鲤悠游其间，怡然自得。还 邦（现在的克耶邦，世界最大钨矿的所在地）官员的宅 有装满水的粘土陶罐，里面飘着朵朵绿色叶片褶皱的水 芙蓉。 邸，达官显贵们每到仰光，就落脚此处。 我们对官邸的早期历史所知不多。1963年，军方政官邸 这里是仰光宁静的绿洲。 收归国有，移交给克耶邦政府，并改名为Kayah Geha。 BELMOND GOVERNOR’S RESIDENCE 1995年，法国出生旅居国外的设计师帕特里克·罗伯特 仰光总督官邸酒店 重新发现了这座建筑的价值。在Pansea酒店集团大亨们 Address 地址 : 35 Taw Win Road, Dagon Township Yangon, Myanmar 的财力支持下，这座当时已经不太景气的老房子经过设 : +95-1-229860 计师的精心翻修，华丽转身为一家拥有49个套间的豪华 Tel 电话 Website 网址 : www.governorsresidence.com 精品酒店。

REGULARS - LUXE LIVING

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 45

SAIGON

Vertical Garden. A total area of 600 square meters is filled with 30 different plant species, including ornamental trees, such as the South American pineapple, planted in square steel frames (50 cm X 60 cm) with an automatic watering system. All of the plants have been carefully chosen, both for their ability to grow vertically and their easy maintenance. On October 20, 2013, the site was recognised by the Viet Nam Book of Records as being the country’s first and biggest vertical garden.

REVISITED LAURENCE CIVIL

F

rom a car garage to a fivestar hotel, the Rex Hotel has led an interesting life. It was built in 1927 during the French colonial period by a French businessman named Bainier, originally as a car showroom and garage. His Bainer Auto Hall sold Citroen and other European cars.

He also had other showrooms throughout French Indochina, in Hue, Hanoi, Phnom Penh, and Tourane (Danang).

From 1959 to 1975, Mr. and Mrs. Ung Thi, who were relatives of the last Vietnamese Emperor, Bao Dai, renovated the building into the 100-room “Rex Complex,” which featured a hotel, three cinemas, a cafeteria, and a dance hall made famous throughout Southeast Asia by American GIs. When war broke out between America and North Vietnam, the building was leased to the Americans.

Those revisiting “Saigon” will enjoy a very comfortable nostalgic stay.

这家酒店原本被列为四星级，最近的翻修添加了西厢， 既保存了酒店的完整性，同时引进了精致的后现代主义 建筑。原本面向黎利大街十字路口的正门被移到较北边 的阮惠大道，使正门位居三厢的中央：东厢（即原来的 酒店建筑）、西厢和行政厢。旧的正门目前是一个高档 的零售拱廊，贩卖的都是顶级的设计师品牌。完成这些 翻修工程后，这家酒店晋升到五星级之列，并已连续十 年被越南旅游协会评选为“十大最佳酒店”。

对于希望找到越战时期历史氛围的人，我们会建议下 榻东厢的丽士套房。这里的装潢和那个时期有相同的风 格：有昂贵的深色木材和华丽的丝绸，还有无线上网等 各种现代化的便利设 施。入门后是个客厅，可以坐下来 劳伦斯 ·斯威尔 回味历史的魅力。由此通往一个宽敞的寝室，内有一 张特大号床。在较远的那一边，有一扇玻璃镶板门开 一个车库演变成五星级酒店，丽士酒店一路走来 向私人阳台，可俯瞰黎利大街和熙来攘往的市中心区。 的历史很有趣。它是在1927年法国殖民时期由 法国商人贝尼耶所建，最初是做为汽车展示厅和 客人在宫廷餐厅前面的露台享用早餐时，可观赏直立式 车库之用。他的贝尼耶汽车展示厅销售雪铁龙等欧洲品 花园的壮丽景色。在600平方米的总面积内，可看到30种 牌汽车。贝尼耶在法属印度支那的顺化、河内、金边和 不同的植物，包括南美菠萝等观赏树木，种在有自动洒 水系统的方形钢架（50厘米×60厘米）内。所有的植物 图尔内等地拥有其他展示厅。 都经过精心挑选，必须能够垂直生长，而且易于照顾维 雍诗夫妇（他们是越南末代国王保大的亲戚）于1959到 护。2013年10月20日，它获得《越南纪录大全》确认为 1975年间，重新装修那座建筑物，改建成有100间客房 全国第一个也是最大的直立式花园。 的“丽士综合”酒店。它的特色是有三间电影院、一间 餐厅、一间舞厅，美国大兵的到来，让该舞厅扬名于整 丽士酒店无疑是一个非常舒适的怀旧居停之所。 个东南亚地区。美国和北越的战争爆发后，这座建筑物 出租给美国人。

西贡风华再现 has come full circle. The “Rex Trading Center” became a property of Saigon Tourist Ho Chi Minh City and was upgraded into an international hotel, renamed “Ben Thanh.” The “Rex Hotel” was adopted as its international trademark.

Ironically, the hotel that was used by JUSPAO during the war became the location for the press conference to announce the reunification of Vietnam in 1976.

The first guests to check in, although the hotel was still under construction, were 400 US Army soldiers. Having arrived in Saigon on December 11, 1961 aboard the USS Core, they were billeted at the Rex for a week or so while their tents were being set up (at Tan Son Nhut, Saigon, for the 57th division, and in Quy Nhon for the 8th Division). A Thanksgiving dinner, a few weeks after the actual holiday, was cooked in the men’s field kitchen on the rooftop of the Rex.

Originally classified as a four-star property, the Rex has raised its status to the five-star category through subsequent renovations. The latest has been the introduction of the West Wing, which preserved the hotel’s integrity while at the same time introducing sophisticated postmodern architecture. The main entrance, originally on the Le Loi cross-street, moved further up Nguyen Hue Boulevard, making it central for the three wings: the East Wing that was the original hotel building, the West Wing, and the Executive Wing. The old The Joint US Public Affairs Office (JUSPAO) had its base at main entrance is now an upscale retail arcade occupied the hotel. Their declared role was to provide “clear concise by premium designer brands. For the last ten consecutive summaries of widely scattered action.” The reality was the years, the hotel has been included among the “Top Ten provision of less information rather than more, information Hotels” by the Vietnam Tourism Association. that was incomplete and inaccurate. They would hold a daily media briefing at the rooftop bar, an event that For anyone seeking to discover the historic atmosphere acquired the derisive name of “The Five O’Clock Follies” of the Vietnam War era, we would recommend checking by cynical journalists who found the optimism of the into a “Rex Suite” in the East Wing. The décor is in the American officers to be misguided. When the briefing style of the period, with rich dark wood and sumptuous moved to a building across the street, the rooftop bar silk as well as every modern convenience including WiFi. remained a favorite watering hole for both GIs and war Walking in, one finds a separate sitting room in which to correspondents who felt it was a place where they could relax and reflect on the historic charm. This room leads feel at ease without having to watch their backs. From to a spacious sleeping area with a king-size bed. On the this vantage point they could watch the flashes and far side, a glass panelled door opens out onto a private explosions on the horizon in relative safety. The library balcony overlooking Le Loi Street and the bustling on the ground floor was leased to the American Cultural downtown area.

Center in 1960 to house the Abraham Lincoln Library.

While having breakfast on the terrace in front of Cung Since 1975, the development and prosperity of the country Dinh Restaurant, guests enjoy a spectacular view of the

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颇为讽刺的是，美国联合公共事务办公室在越战期间曾 使用的丽士大楼，却在1976年被用来举行新闻发布会宣 布越南统一。

REGULARS - LUXE LIVING

从

1961年12月，丽士酒店仍在兴建时，即有客人入住，第 一批是400名美国陆军士兵。他们搭乘美国军舰科尔号于 12月11日抵达西贡，当天即被安排住进丽士酒店约一星 期。这段期间，驻扎在西贡新山一的第57师和驻扎在归 仁的第8师的帐篷，都还在赶建中。他们晚了几个星期的 感恩节大餐，就是在丽士酒店屋顶的野战厨房烹煮的。 越战期间美国联合公共事务办公室的基地就设在这家酒 店。他们对外宣称的功能是提供“分散各地的行动的简 明摘要报告”。实情是军方提供的信息不多，而且不完 整、不准确。他们每日在酒店屋顶的酒吧向媒体举行新 闻简报会。简报会被冷嘲热讽的记者戏称为 “五点钟的 时事讽刺剧”，因为他们发现美国官员的乐观情绪是被 误导的。后来简报会转移到对街的一栋建筑物举行，但 丽士屋顶的酒吧仍然是美国大兵和战地记者最喜欢的酒 馆，因为他们觉得在这个地方他们可以安心自在，无需 随时警戒。从这个有利位置，可以相对安全地看到远方 地平线上的闪光和爆炸。一楼的图书馆于1960年出租给 Rex Hotel 丽士酒店 Address 地址 : 141 Nguyen Hue Blvd, 美国文化中心，做为林肯图书馆。

Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam 自1975年越战结束以来，越南已恢复其发展和繁荣。丽 : +84 8 3829-2185 士贸易中心成为在胡志明市的国营企业 「 西贡旅游」的 Tel 电话 : rexhotel@rex.com.vn 产业，并已升级为国际酒店，更名为滨城，以“丽士酒 Email 邮箱 Website 网址 : www.rex.com.vn 店”做为它的国际商标。

REGULARS - LUXE LIVING

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 47

patted dry, then deep fried in low-temperature duck fat.

His second suggestion was Rack of Lamb, French trimmed with excess meat and fat removed, with a Parmesan crust, served medium rare with small vegetables in pesto and the classic rosemary juice.

The dessert suggestions were Warm and Soft Chocolate Fondant with Strawberry Spring Roll and Vanilla Cream, or the Trilogy of Crèmes Brûlées. French dining calls out for wine, and here it’s an affordable indulgence reasonably priced at US$11 a carafe.

LAURENCE CIVIL

Neo-classical French Dining Experience

A

three-minute walk from the Mekong River and Wat Chan, La Signature has put the haute into French cuisine in Vientiane.

The restaurant is located at the neo-colonial Ansara, one of the city’s new generation of upscale boutique hotels, which opened in June 2010. This is the restaurant of choice to celebrate a special event.

The Ansara was designed and built by its owner, Laotian architect Ravansith Thammarangsy, who had been responsible for building the Amantaka and the Hotel de la Paix. These two properties (one formerly a hospital, the other a prison) were world heritage buildings protected by UNESCO and had to be restored according to the rules and techniques of olden times, under supervision of the Maison du Patrimaine.

However, the site of the future Ansara had once held the Thai consulate, which had been left abandoned.

Ravansith felt it would have been inappropriate to design a modern-style hotel. Rather, he wanted to preserve the style of the existing house that had been there for the last eighty years and thus created this very elegant neo-colonial style boutique hotel that feels more like a private residence.

The Lobby Bar is the perfect starting point for an intimate, casual pre-dinner drink before proceeding to the restaurant. Guests of La Signature have the choice of dining indoors in the air-conditioned comfort of the elegant dining room on the first floor; or, if weather permits, they could opt for the roofed terrace overlooking the tropical garden. Should couples be looking for a private and romantic dining experience, a table can be set up on the lawn.

It’s a modern interpretation of classic French dining where the only stiffness is the heavily starched table linen. The table is laid with stylish silverware, which

PAGE 48 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

is changed before the next course is served, and complemented by plain crystal glassware and fresh flowers. In the dining room, large windows look out onto the garden. On the wall are black-framed, specially commissioned black and white photographs of the surrounding area. It’s the perfect setting for an elegant modern French dining experience.

In tune with the hotel in which it is located, this elegant restaurant offers a charming neo-classical French dining experience.

新经典法式美食之旅 劳伦斯 ·斯威尔

In charge of the kitchen is the talented and creative Jean-Marie Stainmesse, a young French chef whose impressive culinary experience includes La Varenne of Raffles Canouan Island, La Caravelle in New York City, and Georges Blanc, in Vonnas.

For a starter, he suggested Hot Goat’s Cheese Salad, two thick circular slices of goat’s cheese that had been placed under the grill to warm and melt before being placed on a bed of crisp lettuce. Alternatively, there is his signature Duo of Foie Gras, the torchon served cold in contrast to the warm, pan-fried foie gras accompanied by mango and lavender honey. To clarify torchon is more elegant than a simple terrine; the foie gras is cured in a mixture of salt, sugar, and pepper, with a splash of liqueur, rolled tight in a cloth kitchen towel for a couple of days, then poached, chilled, and sliced. A torchon melts on the tongue like the creamiest butter but with a distinctive cured sweetness. His pan-fried foie gras is sealed in a waffle-thin crust with a soft moist inside. His accompaniment is an Asian-Provence marriage of mango and lavender honey, which is simply exquisite.

His main course selection was Filet of Beef Rossini with Pont Neuf style potatoes, a sophisticated steak and chips. Beef Rossini is the classic dish created by the legendary Auguste Escoffier for the famous Italian composer. It’s a combination of pan-fried filet steak laid on a slice of toast topped with shaved black truffles served with a demi glaze sauce. Pont Neuf consists of potatoes cut into thick batons, soaked in cold water,

REGULARS - FINE DINING

La

La Signature 法式餐厅是现代与经典的结合，高雅温馨 的氛围中唯一僵硬的恐怕只有浆洗过的亚麻桌布了。桌 面上摆放好漂亮的银制餐具，每道菜上桌时，服务生都 会更换相应的餐具，并搭配上素色的水晶玻璃杯和鲜 花。透过餐厅内巨大的玻璃窗，一眼望去即是花园。墙 上手工制作的黑边相框里特意装了在酒店周围拍的黑白 照片。这一切无疑都让一顿优雅而现代的法式大餐更加 完美。 执掌后厨的是年轻有为的法籍厨师让-马里·施坦梅塞。 他丰富的厨师生涯包括就曾职于加勒比海卡努安岛莱佛 士度假村的 La Varenne 餐厅、纽约的 La Caravelle 餐 厅，以及法国沃纳的 Georges Blanc 餐厅。 头盘主厨推荐热山羊芝士沙拉，两片圆形的厚山羊芝士 被放在烤架下面先加热融化，然后才放到生脆的莴苣叶 上面。鹅肝二重奏也是主厨的拿手开胃菜，以冷切片的 抹布鹅肝和香煎鹅肝搭配芒果和薰衣草蜂蜜。需要说明 一点，切片鹅肝比普通鹅肝酱更高档，其做法是在鹅肝 里放入盐、糖和胡椒调味，再加几滴烈酒，用厨房专 用毛巾紧紧裹住放几天，食用之前过水煮熟 再放凉切 片。抹布鹅肝入口即化，好似上乘的黄油，但又带着特 有的甘甜。香煎鹅肝放在一片薄华夫饼里，松软湿润 的口感，加上芒果和薰衣草蜂蜜这两种分属亚洲 和普罗旺斯的创意搭配，简直精致无比。主厨 精选的主菜是罗西尼牛排配新桥风味豆——牛 排和薯条的精心搭配。罗西尼牛肉是传奇人物 奥古斯特·埃斯科菲耶为著名意大利作曲家罗 西尼专门炮制的经典菜式，将香煎牛排放在一 片切片面包上，表面撒些薄黑松露，再淋些牛 肉烩酱。新桥风味土豆是土豆切成粗条放在冷 水里浸泡，然后拍打至干，再用鸭肥油低温油炸 而成。

主菜的第二个选择是羊肋排。这是一种法式羊排，以法 Signature 餐厅位于安萨拉酒店内，步行至湄 式切法将肋骨边上的肉和油脂切除，外面包裹了一层帕 公河和沾寺只需3分钟。安萨拉酒店是万象新兴的高级精 尔马干酪，煎至三分熟，配上加了香蒜酱和经典迷迭香 品酒店之一，系新殖民风格建筑，2010年6月开张营业。 汁的小叶蔬菜。 这家餐厅提供高级法国美食，是庆祝聚会的好去处。 甜品推荐热巧克力软糖配草莓春卷和香草冰淇淋，或者 酒店由其老板拉梵希司·塔玛朗席亲自设计和兴建。这 让人停不了口的三味法式焦糖布丁。 位老挝籍的建筑师曾经负责过琅勃拉邦安缦塔卡酒店和 德拉帕酒店的改造工程，前者原来是家医院，而后者是 法国菜通常配以葡萄酒。这里的葡萄酒标价合理，11美 座监狱。它们都是被联合国教科文组织列为受保护的世 金一瓶的售价让客人们能毫无负担地尽情享受。 界遗产建筑，按规定必须在遗产事务部的监督下，采用 传统建筑技术修复。而安萨拉酒店原本也是老建筑，为 La Signature 餐厅一如其所在的酒店，精致而典雅，让 荒废多年的泰国领事馆旧址。他觉得与其重建一座时尚 人尽享新经典法式美食的迷人魅力。 现代的酒店，还不如保留这幢至少有80年历史的老房 子，在原建筑的基础上设计成新殖民风格的精品酒店， La Signature 因此才有了现在这座颇像私人住宅的优雅酒店。 Address 地址 : Ansara Hotel Quai Fa Ngum, Ban Vat Chan 酒店的大堂酒吧不失为餐前休憩的绝佳场所，先在那里 Vientiane, Lao PDR 小酌一杯随兴闲聊，再移步到 La Signature 餐厅。客人 : +856-21-213514/8 可选择在一楼室内雅致舒适的空调环境中享受美味的盛 Tel 电话 : info@ansarahotel.com 宴，或者在天气好时，选择到有顶盖的露台鸟瞰着整个 Email 邮箱 : 11.30am - 2pm 热带花园就餐。情侣们如果想要既私密又浪漫的位置， Lunch 午餐 Dinner 晚餐 : 6.30pm - 10pm 餐厅还可以在草地上安排桌位。

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perfect. Guests can also expect to indulge themselves on the scrumptious Filet Mignon Spring Rolls. For the main course, there is green-tea smoked duck breast served with sticky rice parcels, and baby Bok Choy with a pomegranate jus. His recommended wine for this course is a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc, not just because it’s from the country of his birth, but because the beverage works perfectly with the food.

This is more than just eating out; it’s a complete dining experience.

THE

全身心的美食体验

LAURENCE CIVIL

BOBBY EXPERIENCE CHINN R estaurant Bobby Chinn Hanoi, situated in the home of the celebrity chef and restaurateur, opened in 2001. His Saigon restaurant opened a decade later in 2011. The restaurant is an expression of the man and his life, so to understand it you need to know where Bobby is coming from.

Born in Auckland, New Zealand – his mother is an Egyptian aristocrat and his father originally from Shanghai but raised in California – Bobby Chinn is a self-confessed “indentured servant” a man, he says, “with a passion for posh hotels and street food alike, and once afraid I would never be able to afford the life of luxury I so craved.”

A graduate in finance and economics, Bobby started his working life on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.

He was a total misfit, and quickly became disillusioned.

But he had to survive, and worked as busboy and waiter so that he could get his head around what it was he really wanted to do with his life. It was while waiting tables that a passion for food and cooking was ignited.

With no formal training as a chef, Bobby learned on the job in a variety of kitchens, extending the culinary portfolio acquired from his cross-cultural background.

For example, the rustic cooking style of his Egyptian grandmother inspired him to take her flavors and textures and present them in the most pleasing way he could. He uses ingredients such as lime leaves and lemon grass to punctuate flavor. In addition to Vietnamese influences, there are also elements of North African, French, and Californian cuisine in his food. He often breaks the rules in the kitchen but never forsakes

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劳伦斯 ·斯威尔

食物的供应向来是受市场需求左右的，因此鲍比秦采用 受人欢迎的有机时令食材。他尽量不对食材进行干预， 让食材发挥本身的特色。他的菜式分量不大，素食菜式 占了很大的比重。 鲍比秦推荐的招牌菜，是以新鲜的河粉包裹油封鸭肉、 紫苏叶和切片葡萄而成的越南河粉卷 Phou Cuon。另一 道是越南肠粉 Bahn Cuon，馅料含真空低温烹调蛋、黑 木耳和紫苏叶，配上以鸡汤、焦糖、白糖、鱼露和柠檬 汁制成的酱料，再以米纸包裹。这是一道鲍比秦引以为 傲的菜式，他用了15年的时间才让它臻于完美。还有一 道是足以让人耽溺其中的里脊肉春卷。我们的主菜是绿 茶熏鸭胸肉，配以糯米饭、炒小白菜和石榴汁。他建议的佐 餐酒，是新西兰生产的一种白苏维翁葡萄酒，除了因为 这酒产自他出生的国度，还因为这款白苏维翁与主菜搭 配起来，简直是完美极了。

著

名厨师兼餐厅老板鲍比秦在河内的同名餐厅就设 在鲍比秦餐厅用餐不只是吃一顿饭，而更是一趟全身心 在他本人的住家内，2001年开始营业。10年后， 的用餐体验。 第二家鲍比秦餐厅在西贡（胡志明市）开张。鲍 比秦餐厅反映了他本人的特色与生活，因此要想认识这 家餐厅，我们有必要了解鲍比秦的背景。

taste for invention. Bobby describes his unique style (unnamed and without any one geographical focus) as “global cuisine balanced with Californian sensibility.”

The ambience of the restaurant is serene, with roses hanging suspended from the ceilings and the walls draped from floor to ceiling in silk to give a cozy tent-like effect. The entire restaurant makes use of acoustic tiles to reduce the noise level, creating an intimate space with a “surround sound system” so noise becomes unobtrusive. This acoustic effect along with low-voltage lighting lends itself to romantic, intimate dining that is not often found in a very noisy world. The walls are adorned with fine art from some of Vietnam’s leading artists “who just happened to be friends of mine.” Before or after dining, guests often relax in the lounge and enjoy an Egyptian shisha pipe, a tribute to his maternal heritage.

The food has always been market driven, so he uses ingredients that are seasonal and organic. He believes in minimum intervention with his cooking, making the ingredients do the work. The menu is heavily weighted toward vegetarian dishes.

Bobby’s recommended signature dishes include Phou Cuon, fresh rice noodle rolls stuffed with duck confit, perilla leaves, and sliced grape. There is also Bahn Cuon, sous-vide hen’s egg and wood ear mushrooms (with a menthol twang of shiso leaf), wrapped in rice paper and served with a sauce made from chicken stock, caramel, sugar, fish sauce, and lime juice. Bobby is justifiably very proud of this dish, which took him fifteen years to

REGULARS - FINE DINING

鲍比秦出生于新西兰奥克兰市，母亲是埃及贵族，父亲 是出生于上海但在美国加利福尼亚州长大的中国移民。 鲍比秦自称“契约佣工”，还坦言“同时热爱奢华酒店 和街边食物，并且一度担心没有能力享受所极度渴望的 奢华生活”。 他大学修读金融与经济，职业生涯从担任纽约证券交易 所交易员开始，却完全无法适应，很快就对这份工作感 到厌倦。为了生存，他选择在餐厅打杂和担任服务生， 给自己点时间想清楚要过怎样的生活。就在餐桌边为客 人服务时，他对美食与烹饪的热情被点燃起来。 尽管不是厨艺科班出身，但鲍比秦边工作边学习，并且 凭着本身的跨文化背景，以及从不同餐厅厨房中积累的 经验，逐渐扩大他的厨艺领域。例如，他从埃及祖母朴 素的菜式中获得灵感，吸取其中的味道和口感，并且以 最赏心悦目的方式呈现。他擅长利用配料如青柠叶和香 茅来提味。除了越南风味，他的菜式还具有北非、法国 和加州美食的元素。他经常打破厨房惯例，但绝不会为 了创新而牺牲味道。鲍比秦的厨艺风格不能以单一地域 来定义，他自己把这独特的风格形容为“调和了加利福 尼亚感性的全球化美食”。 河内鲍比秦餐厅有着宁静的气氛，玫瑰花串从天花板垂 下来，墙壁从地板到天花板以绸布覆盖，令人感觉犹如 置身于温馨的帐篷里。整个餐厅的隔音极佳，地板采用 隔音砖以降低噪音，配以环绕音响系统，让声音不显得 突兀，并以低压柔和的灯光照明，所营造出的浪漫、私 密的用餐环境，在这喧嚣的世界里是难得一见的。餐厅 墙上还挂有越南艺术家的画作，他们是当今越南画坛的 佼佼者，也是鲍比秦的朋友。用餐前后，客人通常会在 吧台旁边度过轻松时光，并享受埃及水烟。借由供应埃 及水烟，鲍比秦表达了对母亲原乡文化遗产的敬意。

Restaurant Bobby Chinn Hanoi 河内鲍比秦餐厅 Address 地址 : 77 Xuan Dieu Street

Tay Ho District,

Hanoi, Vietnam Opening Hours : Daily from 11am ‘til the Fat Lady Sings 营业时间 : 上午11时至所有客人离开 Tel 电话 : +84-43-719-2460 Email 邮箱 : info@bobbychinn.com

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MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 51

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Monsoon Tea Chiang Mai

清迈季风茶 JAMES A. FARRELL 詹姆斯·A·法雷尔

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www.facebook.com/monsoontea

alking through the door of Monsoon Tea’s year old boutique shop, located in the JJ market area of Chiang Mai, your senses are immediately arrested by the sweet aroma of a vast collection of tea blends containing the extract of various locally grown fruits and flowers. The shop’s owner, Swedish born Kenneth Rimdahl, who worked with tea for over twenty years in Spain, has had a lifelong passion for concocting flavored blends of tea, and so he endeavored to create, and produce, unique blends in Thailand.

“Monsoon Tea wants to work with tea from where it was born,” says Rimdahl, who explains that his pure tea: oolong, black, green, and pu-erh, comes from all over the Mekong region, while the flavored teas are grown locally in Chiang Mai, Mae Salong, and Fang. The process of flavoring, which takes place at a factory in Chiang Mai, involves extracting oil from flowers and fruits, infusing the tea with the oil, and then spinning the tea until the oil has permeated each leaf.

Some of the unique flavors include a Tom Yam flavor, which Rimdahl describes as the perfect accompaniment to a cold winter’s night in Europe due to its hot chili kick. Other popular blends of tea, each emitting an individual, exquisite aroma, include the popular Monsoon blend, flavored with fruits, flowers and spices; the Hillside blend, flavored with ginger, apple and cranberry; and the Sweet Memory blend whose flavor is made up of chocolate, cherry, and apple. But there are over 50 blends available, each sold by the gram after being weighed at the shop’s tea station. Monsoon tea is also home to an array of very stylish tea accessories.

LAURENCE CIVIL

Marou Chocolate Ho Chi Min City

I

n just three short years after leaving their corporate careers two French entrepreneurs, Vincent Mourou and Samuel Maruta, have created Vietnam’s first bean-tobar chocolate producer: Marou Chocolate.

The company now produces five bars of chocolate, each of them made from the trinitario cacao bean, which is sourced from five different terroirs in Southern Vietnam: Ben Tre, Tien Giang, Ba Ria, Dong Nai, and Lam Dong. Each bar has unique characteristics, determined by the richness of the soil, the amount of rainfall, and overall climate of the region.

The farmers who grow these distinctive quality beans cultivate the cacao trees in the shade of taller fruit trees, such as coconut and cashew. They then dry and ferment the beans themselves on their farms.

季

风茶铺位于清迈JJ市集。步入这家开张才一年的精 致小店，各种混合了当地水果和鲜花精华的甜蜜 茶香立即扑面而来。茶铺主人肯尼思·里姆达尔生于瑞 典，曾在西班牙与茶叶打交道余年，对混合花果茶毕生 的热爱让他尝试在泰国创业，生产独特风味的好茶。

The fermented beans are transported to Marou’s chocolate factory in Ho Chi Min City, where they are transformed into chocolate by bespoke machinery.

The beans are roasted, winnowed, ground, conched, tempered, and the end product is some of the most exquisite chocolate in the world.

里姆达尔表示：“季风茶铺的茶叶都来自该品种的原产 地。”他的纯种茶如乌龙茶、红茶、绿茶和普洱茶，均 来自湄公河流域的不同产地；花果茶所采用的原料，则 就近选自清迈、美斯乐和芳县。花果茶制作过程中要放 入由鲜花和水果提取的精油，在茶叶中加入精油后不停 搅拌，直到每一片茶叶被渗透。这一切都在清迈的一家 工厂内完成。

“The quality that defines our chocolate is first the color, which should be a light, slightly reddish-brown, more mahogany than ebony,” says Maruta, adding, “Then the taste should be complex and fruity, slightly acidulated even, before getting to more familiar chocolate notes; the finish should be long and fresh.” Maruta explains that Marou chocolate stands out for its aromatic richness, distinctive lack of unpleasant bitterness, and smooth, melting texture.

一些花果茶口味相当独特，譬如泰式酸辣汤口味的东炎 茶，一口下肚则热辣之感燃烧全身，因此店主认为这是 欧洲寒冬夜晚的最佳饮品。其它广受欢迎的花果茶，均 不乏独特细腻的味道：广受欢迎的“季风花果茶”混合 了各种水果、鲜花和香草料，“山坡花果茶”以生姜、 苹果和蔓越莓调味，“甜蜜记忆花果茶”里充满巧克 力、樱桃和苹果的香甜。店内有超过50种口味可选，按 克称重计费。此外，季风茶铺还出售各种款式独特的茶 具配件。

Being close to the source is one advantage, Maruta says: “Bean-to-bar makers in European countries or in the US, even the ones who really pay attention to their sourcing, can’t really visit their providers more than once or twice a year, and no one will sample each and every bag of cacao they buy, as we do. We enjoy working with our farmers and are paying 20% over the market price to ensure the beans we buy are precisely the quality we want.”

劳伦斯 ·斯威尔

胡志明市

马鲁巧克力 法国企业家文森特·穆鲁和萨缪尔·马鲁塔在结束职 业生涯仅仅3年后联合开创了越南第一家“从原料

到柜台”的巧克力生产公司。

他们制作5种条形巧克力，分别采用越南南部槟椥、前 江、巴地、同奈和林同出产的千里塔里奥可可豆。虽然 都是用同一品种可可豆，但口味各不相同，取决于产 地的土地肥沃程度、降雨量多少和总体气候条件。 小型农场主把这些品质独特的可可树种在椰子、腰果 等高大果树之间。他们在农场里将可可豆晒干，然后让 它发酵。 完成发酵的可可豆被送到位于西贡的马鲁巧克力工厂， 在那里由专门定制的机械设备进一步烘焙、筛净、研 磨、回火、搅拌和制模，制成一块块堪称世界最美之 一的巧克力。 马鲁塔指出：“巧克力的品质首先看颜色——好的巧 克力应该是带点淡红的褐色，偏向赤褐而不是乌黑。其 次是口感——前味丰盈而带着果香，甚至微微发酸， 然后才是大家熟悉的巧克力味道，最后在口中留下鲜美 悠长的余味。”马鲁巧克力即是以其香醇闻名，没有可 可的苦涩，尝起来浓厚丝滑，入口即化。 马鲁塔认为，比起其他较大的品牌，靠近可可豆原产地 是马鲁巧克力的一大优势。同行的欧美巧克力大亨们尽 管非常注重原材料，但时时去现场查看依旧十分困难， 能做到一年一次或两次已算难得，而马鲁巧克力的可 可豆每一袋都是经过取样确认合格的。马鲁塔和同事 们与农户合作愉快，他们用高于市场价20%的价格向 农户收购，以确保每一颗可可豆都是马鲁巧克力需要 的上乘原料。

www.marouchocolate.com

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著

LAURENCE CIVIL

KAMPOT PEPPER, KAMPOT

R

eppercorns have been cultivated in Cambodia since the 13th century, but the industry really boomed under French colonial rule in the 19th and 20th centuries, when European chefs started appreciating Kampot pepper’s notably floral and slightly sweet flavor.

The pepper’s most important characteristic is its tendency to linger on the tongue.

Kampot is a riverside village on the southern coast of Cambodia near the former French colonial beach retreat of Kep. The area’s mineral-rich soil and rainy weather in the high-elevation locations is perfect for pepper production. The king of spice, once known as the black gold of the commodity world, is helping Cambodia’s farmers forge a new life for themselves and their families after the Pol Pot era.

Kampot pepper was the first Cambodian product to be registered under the Protected Geographical Indication (GI) act by the Cambodian Ministry of Commerce on 2nd April 2010. Due to this, for the pepper to be labeled Kampot Pepper, the vines must be grown organically in the specific areas of Kampong Trach, Dang Tong, Teuk Chhu, Chhouk, and Kampot City in Kampot Province; and also in Kep City and the Damnak Chang aeur District in Kep Province.

According to figures from the Kampot Pepper Promotion Association, both price and output have been rising since the GI qualification. In 2008, just four tons of Kampot pepper was sold: black pepper at $4.5 a kilogram, red pepper at $8 per kilogram, and white pepper at $10 per kilogram. In 2013, 21 tons were sold at $11 a kilo for black, $15 for red, and $18 for white.

Black pepper is harvested when green, and then sun-dried for a few days until the color turns black. Red pepper is harvested while the fruit is red on the vine. The peppercorns are sun-dried for a few days, and then they acquire a black color with a deep maroon tint. This pungent pepper is very rare.

劳伦斯 ·斯威尔

柬埔寨贡布胡椒 椒早在13世纪就传入柬埔寨，但直到19、20世纪

胡法国殖民统治期间，才如雨后春笋般广为种植起 来，因为当时的欧洲大厨们喜欢“贡布胡椒”浓郁的花 香和微甜味道。胡椒最重要的特征是其味道能在舌头上 持续很久。 贡布位于柬埔寨南部海岸，是一个河滨村庄，靠近前法 属殖民海滨度假胜地白马。该地区土壤矿物质丰富，海 拔较高地带雨水充足，实属胡椒的理想种植地。这种一 度称做“黑金”的商品帮助柬埔寨农民在波尔布特时代 生存下来，并过着安居乐业的生活。 2010年4月2日，柬埔寨商务部把贡布胡椒列为该国第一 种受保护地理标志产品。获得该认证的贡布胡椒必须是 特定产地内的有机种植产品，这些产地包括贡布省的磅 德拉、当同、德朱、楚克和贡布市，以及白马省的白马 市和丹拿长欧。 据贡布胡椒推广协会提供的数据，自从获得受保护地 理标志产品认证后，贡布胡椒的价格和产量都有所增 长。2008年贡布胡椒总共售出4吨，黑胡椒每公斤4.5美 元，红胡椒每公斤8美元，白胡椒每公斤10美元；2013 年销量增至21吨，黑胡椒、红胡椒和白胡椒每公斤售价 分别增至11、15和18美元。 黑胡椒是在果实为绿色时采收，然后在阳光下晒几天让 它变黑。红胡椒是果实在枝头上变红后采收，胡椒子经 太阳晒干后，变为黑色并带有褐红色的小点。这种辛辣 的胡椒十分罕见。 www.pepperproject.org

PAGE 54 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

REGULARS - MEKONG MADE

ARTSHOWCASE MEKONG:

FROM MOUNTAIN TO SEA

A sketch series by celebrated artist Chang Fee Ming

B

orn in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia in 1959, Chang Fee Ming is a self-taught artist who began his career in the early 1980s. Since then he has become one of Asia’s most highly regarded artists working in watercolor. His works are acclaimed, exhibited and collected throughout the world, and have appeared regularly at auction at Christie’s and Sotheby’s since 1995. Several books have been published about his work, including The World of Chang Fee Ming (1995), The Visible Trail of Chang Fee Ming (2000), Mekong (2004), Mekong Exploring the Source (2008) and Imprinted Thoughts (2009) which

was published in conjunction with his exhibition at Singapore Tyler Print Institute (STPI). In 2010 he launched two more publications: a book of travel sketches, Sketching Through Southeast Asia, and Visage. The latter features a new body of work that was inspired by his experience at Louvre Museum while observing in person the making of “Visage” by the internationally acclaimed film director Tsai Ming Liang. For over 20 years, his subject has been the people and places of South East Asia, portrayed through an extraordinary grasp of texture and light, as well as vibrancy of colour and composition. His works are suffused with pathos as well as beauty. He is currently based in Kuala Terengganu, although he returns frequently to Bali, his second home. He spends much of his time travelling through Asia. In his own words:

“To travel and see and paint is for me a way of learning, part of my life philosophy”

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MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | PAGE 57

艺术之窗

湄公 从高山至大海

1959

年，郑辉明诞生于马来西亚登嘉楼 州，他是一名自学成功的画家， 早在上个世纪80年代初就奠下了 其艺术事业。多年以后的今天，郑辉明已被公认为亚洲 地区专攻水彩而成就超绝的画家之一；其作品受到高度 赞赏，既受邀到世界各地展出与赢得藏家青睐，自1995 年以后亦常见于嘉士德和苏富比艺术品拍卖会上。市面 上流通不少关于郑辉明的出版物，例如，《郑辉明的世 界》( The World of Chang Fee Ming, 1995 ) 、《郑辉明的 可见形迹》( The Visible Trail of Chang Fee Ming, 2000 )、 《湄公》( Mekong ,2004 )、《湄公——探索生命的源头》

( Mekong Exploring the Source, 2008 ) 及《思考印记》 ( Imprinted Thoughts, 2009 )；后者乃由新加坡泰勒版画 院( Singapore Tyler Print Institute, STPI ) 配合其展览而刊 行。2010 年则出版了《东南亚旅行速写集》( Sketching Through Southeast Asia ) 及《脸》( Visage )，后者收录 了一组他在2008年以特邀观察员身份，参与蔡明亮于 罗浮宫博物馆拍摄的同名电影期间，深受触动而产出的 画作。他以东南亚风土民情作为创作题材逾20年之久， 这些景致、人物透过画家对质感和光影的精雕细琢，以 及对色彩及构图的生动表现而跃然纸上；其作品哀婉动 人，同时也赏心悦目。郑辉明目前常居瓜拉登嘉楼，偶 尔到他的“第二家园”峇厘岛短暂驻留；更多时间则周 游亚洲各地。套用他自己的话说：

“对我而言，到处走走、 看看以及画画就像一种学 习方式，这毕竟是我的生 活哲学了。”

PAGE 58 | PREMIER ISSUE 2014 | MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL

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EXPOSURE THAT EXCITES

The potential of 6 markets

along The MEKONG

UNLOCKED Cambodia | China | Laos | Myanmar | Thailand | Vietnam

Access.Information.Contacts.Stories

For exposure that excites, contact: Jaffee Yee - Editor-in-Chief / Publisher e: Jaffeee@MekongBusinessAndTravel.com | t: +66 (0) 81 922 9063 MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL www.MekongBusinessAndTravel.com

NEWSBYTES 简讯 CURRENT & UPDATED ONLINE 最新消息，请上网浏览

YUNNAN CHINA 中国云南

2X HIGH SPEED TRAINS China > Thailand high-speed train projects .

Thailand has approved 2 high-speed train projects at a total cost of 741.4 billion baht due for completion in 2021.

The railway lines will link up directly to Kunming, in China’s southern Yunnan province.

LAOS 老挝

泰国政府批准中泰高铁项目。泰国政府批准了两条总 成本约为7414亿泰铢（约合人民币1430亿元）的高铁 项目。这两条高铁最终将通连到中国云南省昆明，计 划2021年完成。

MYANMAR 缅甸

+80%

moBile peNetratioN

Talk is cheap finally. Qatar-based Ooredoo Company officially launched a new national cell phone network, becoming the first foreign firm in the previously closed telecommunications sector. 缅甸手机话费终于降价。 来自卡塔尔的电信营运商 Ooredoo日前正式启动全新的全国手机网络，成为缅甸 电信业开放以来第一家投入营运的外国电信公司。

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REGULARS - NEWSBYTES

Top hotel chains flock to Laos. At least 40 hotels, including 5 international chains, are scheduled to open in Laos over the next five years as the country becomes a more popular tourist destination. 顶尖连锁酒店进军老挝。 随着旅游业日益蓬勃， 在未来5年内，老挝将出现至少40家新酒店， 其中包括五星级的国际连锁酒店。

40

hotelS opeNiNg

Thailand promotes border trade, spending 300 million baht to develop trade at 5 checkpoints bordering Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. 泰国积极推动边境贸易。泰国政府将耗资3亿泰铢， 在5个分别与马来西亚、缅甸、老挝和柬埔寨接壤的 边境口岸。设立边境经济特区，推动边境贸易的发展。

300 million Baht

THAILAND 泰国

VIETNAM 越南

3143m

CAMBODIA 柬埔寨

Cable car for the “Roof of Indochina”. A cable car system that will take visitors to the top of Fansipan peak, dubbed the “Roof of Indochina,” will be completed in time for Vietnam’s 40th anniversary of re-unification on April 30 next year. 印度支那屋脊上的缆车明年完工。配合2015年4月30日的越南全国统 一40周年庆典，番西邦峰客运索道将于明年完工，启用后游客将得以 乘坐缆车，登上有“印度支那屋脊”之称的番西邦峰之顶。

REGULARS - NEWSBYTES

MEKONG BUSINESS & TRAVEL | PREMIER ISSUE 2014