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ost locals do their shopping and hanging out in the latest air-conditioned mall featuring their favorite chain restaurant or hangout joint. As for expats or tourists, most have a been-theredone-that attitude towards floating markets, remembering getting taking to the cleaners for some tacky souvenir at Damnoen Saduak on their first trip to Thailand. However, floating markets are far more than just tourist traps or relics of the past; they are actually pretty fun affairs with some fabulous food, as well as an opportunity to savor some of that old-style Thai hospitality and tradition… if you know where you are going, that is. There are actually a handful of floating markets in Bangkok and the surroundings areas, and here is a tick-list of some of the best.

By Dave Stamboulis

Damnoen Saduak No, this one is not the best, and you best not bring your first-time-to-Thailand best friend to visit here. This is crass tourist schlock at its very best. Damnoen Saduak, located near Ratchaburi, is named after the canal that it sits upon, built in the 1860s by King Rama IV to connect the Mae Klong and Tachine rivers. While the river was the lifeblood of the communities here and goods were traded along the waterways, in the past decade, the market became the poster child of Thai tourist brochures and guidebook covers, and has evolved into the mass tour-bus affair that it is today. Having said all of this, Damnoen Saduak does offer some good photo-ops, and you can enjoy the river life if you follow some strict guidelines. The tour buses arrive at 8 a.m., and the market becomes a noisy

zoo at this time, so you either need to have your own wheels and head out of Bangkok by 5 a.m., or else take a bus or minivan down the afternoon before, spend the night at the basic Nok Noi Hotel (Tel. 032-254-382), and then wake up at 6 the next morning and you will have the market mostly to yourself, plus be able to get some decent deals on boat hires, as well as get a sense of what river life in Thailand was like in pre-Siam Paragon days.

Amphawa

This market is the place to go if a) you want to see a fun-filled local Thai market and b) you want to sleep in. Amphawa doesn’t get going until well after mid-day only on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, and it is a very popular excursion for Bangkokians. Fruit and vegetable growers used to trade their

produce along the Amphawa khlong years ago, and Thailand’s tourism powers-that-be revived this tradition, putting in a great local market that runs through the evening. Boats laden with some fantastic seafood line the entire canal, and you can get giant shrimp, crabs, and sea bass in abundance here, as fresh as they come (most families selling here are in the fishing business the rest of the week) and for less than 200 baht, which just about pays for your gas to come down here. In addition to the boats, the Thai retro craze has taken hold here, and the walkways along the water are lined with all sorts of cute cafés and shops selling food and souvenirs. Another big draw of Amphawa are the boat trips along the canal at night, when hundreds of fireflies light up the trees, just about any time in the year, but especially in the rainy season. Homestays along the wa-

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ter abound here, a great way to experience local life, and there are some really fantastic resorts, like the Asita Eco Resort (www.asitaresort.com or Tel. 089-866-2168 or 034-767333), built with eco-friendly materials along a quiet canal, offering organic food fresh from its garden, and providing a free shuttle boat to take visitors to the market. Amphawa is located near Samut Songkhram, only about 1.5 hours from Bangkok and is also reachable by public bus and minivan.

Taling Chan This market is the top choice for checking out a floating market that focuses on great food, is traditional, has few foreign tourists, and is about as close to home as you can get for some life on the water action. Charcoalgrilled snakehead fish is a top seller here, with entire fish plates served piping hot to the small waterside tables. Giant prawns are also a favorite, with a heaping half-kilo portion costing less than 200 baht, about half what the same would cost in Chinatown. Fresh crab is also available, along with mussels, cockles, and catfish. Hungry Bangkok

residents descend in droves by mid-afternoon, and one vendor told us she sells over sixty kilograms of shrimp every weekend. Besides eating and shopping, there are boat tours around the Thonburi canals that leave regularly from the market. The tours pass by orchards, gardens, and traditional wood houses on stilts, giving a glimpse as to what life really was like in the Bangkok of old. There is also one tour that goes out to a local snake farm, with large cobras and boas on display. Taling Chan is also a weekend market, and the cheapest way to here is to catch the Number 79 air-con bus in front of CentralWorld. You can also visit the small Khlong Lat Mayom floating market from here, similar in style to Taling Chan.

Talat Nam Pheung

While it may be small and not exactly a traditional floating market (more like a canal-side market), Talat Nam Pheung is worth a visit just because it is in Bang Krachao, Bangkok’s giant green space across the Chao Phraya River more affectionately known as “The Lung”, is really easy and fast to get to, and once again, features great food and local products. Along the canal here, one can rent little wooden boats to meander around in for twenty baht, and tables are set up serving som tam papaya salad, grilled chicken, and all the usual delicious Thai market fare. Leading up to the waterway, there are a dazzling

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array of stalls here selling Thai confections, food, herbal-based cosmetics, and organic produce. To get to Talat Nam Pheung, cross the Chao Phraya with the small ferry from Wat Klongtoey Nok Temple. Motorcycle taxis at the pier on the other side will take you the six kilometers to the market (also a Saturdays/Sundays affair), or you can rent a bicycle at the pier and make your way yourself. Other traditional markets in the area do exist. Bang Noi and Tha Kha are very traditional old-style markets near Amphawa, also occurring on weekends and on a very small scale. Coming early to these, you may find yourself almost alone. Bang Khu Wiang is another choice within a half-hour of town, but this one is finished by 7 a.m.! Finally, even our own Saen Saeb canal has gotten in on the action with the newest floating market in town. The Kwan Riam Market is in northeast Bangkok, in Minburi, noted for monks making the morning alms rounds via antique boats.

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Cinemas

By Samantha Gray-Proyrungtong

epending on what country or generation you hail from, going to the movies growing up was often a mixed affair. I recall visiting the musty and cramped theatres with seats so upright they practically gave you good posture. Still, they were packed with their own individual charm. Most memorable were the senior ushers in red vests commanding their bulky metal flashlights in the general direction of your non-negotiable designated seating. Then, there were the brightly painted theatres in the tones of the American flag, with their bold Hollywood neon-framed posters and offensively priced popcorn sets. But again, the Hollywood-themed theatres never failed to disappoint if ever in the mood for gratuitous explosions, excessive body counts, or pimple-free teen love stories. My favorite was always the ‘art-house’ theatres with foreign names and faces dominating the screen combined with the amorous and jarring languages to stimulate one’s mundane Western existence. Ultimately, the attraction lied in escaping; escaping into a mysterious world of velvet drapes, gold ropes, strange accents, and – okay, I admit it – the chance to eat cheese and drink wine in the theatre! Alas, living in Bangkok, mostly out of convenience and self-imposed ignorance, the only cinemas to visit were those attached or presiding on the top floor of a shopping complex, all with the same generic style and theme, not to mention mediocre ‘blockbuster’ selection. This time I decided to dig a little deeper, and I asked my fellow movie buffs to point me in the right direction of what’s brand, spanking new or, on the other end, timeless in town.

The Hoity-Toity Embassy Diplomat Screens at Central Embassy www.embassycineplex.com The Embassy Diplomat Screens at Central Embassy is not the sort of place to have an army of screaming snotty-nosed, sticky-fingered children in tow whilst trying to pull tightly on your purse strings. From around 1,000 baht as a single and 1,800 for a couple, a ticket boasts a package that includes a choice of tasty canapés from the likes of Dean & Deluca and The Mandarin Hotel or a set of popcorn and drink. All bundled with the privilege to enjoy their luxurious VIP lounge, lined with leather booth seating, movie paraphernalia, and an elliptical bar. This private enjoyment also extends to their washrooms decked out in faux marble and ornate mirrors. Ooh la la. There are five screening halls with different options of exclusiveness. Choices are from private stage to massage chairs with personal minibar and even a call button for your wait staff. But such extreme self-pampering comes at a cost, and you could soon be paying over 3,000 baht for the

a disposable income, and to put it frankly, spoilt kids with little need for the discomfort of edge or innovative. The décor, reminiscent of early Planet Hollywood mismatched with houndstooth carpet and gaudy gold canister coffee tables, could be considered commercialism in Asia at its best. But who says money can’t buy you (momentary) love for movie fans? Pick the right flick, with the right partner, sink into the reclining seats while scoffing some buttery-fat popcorn and forget any stresses or financial woes… for at least 1 hour and 40 minutes.

The Homely Cinema Winehouse www.facebook.com/cinemawinehouse Cinema Winehouse, located on Samsen Road, is the latest addition to this ancient area making a comeback, taking more of the burden off the infamous backpacker haven of Khao San Road. The new ‘cinema’, or shall I say ambient projection, along with their legendary neighbors, such as The Blues Bar and the acclaimed Sheepshank, possess an eclectic charm and worldliness creGrand Sofa. Though the standard VIP ticket alone ated by those who have snubbed the city for a should be enough to justify a visit. The uber- more harmonious, but not necessarily sober, life. comfy cocoon seats could rival those favored by first-class flying Sheiks, with the exception of a Upon entering the decorative iron gates, you’re chunky table between you and your partner. This awed by the bright, but cozy, converted teak was probably a wise move considering they of- house painted all white. A moving picture beams fer throw pillows with cozy blankets conducive across its rustic white brick wall, alongside risqué to intimacy, yet the obstruction prevents any at- retro wallpaper and glass windows. The first floor tempts at zero-mile-high-club hijinks. is furnished with modern retro tables and chairs surrounded with restored fittings and fixtures, The theatre mostly appeals to young couples while upstairs is a casual lounge peppered with with an excuse to splurge, inquiring minds with assorted cushions and peculiar stuffed toys.

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The venue’s name is entirely fitting, as your first instinct would be to call your friends and sprawl out on the sofa, ready with a full bottle of wine while facing the screen. Their prices also match the easy come-and-go atmosphere with beers from 70 baht and wine by the glass from 90 baht. To line a hungry stomach, you must try their gratifying comfort food provided by the effervescent local Samsen guru, Gili of CHOMP Cafe. Lily, the owner, and Shanik, the investor, plan to screen classics like Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Giant to more obscure films, but mostly without sound, although they do plan to hold sing-alongs and themed events, like Rocky Horror Show and Directors Week. Thankfully, in many ways, it’s not a typical movie theatre, but a divine little place to chill, consume, and gossip about the movie and this wonderful life in general.

The Historical Apex Scala www.apexsiam-square.com/ home.asp The Scala theatre stands to be among the most unique cinema experiences in Bangkok. Its gloriousness lies in its contradictions. A grandiose structure delicately restored among the throngs of brace-toothed university students and overzealous shopping tourists in Siam Square. Built in 1967, the grand stairs lead up to an enormous glass bobble chandelier and intricate wall carvings reach up to the looming ceiling where exquisite golden art deco stars are plotted throughout. Scala will transport you back to a time of gentry, decorum, and good old-fashioned romance. Even the epitomically sullen ticket collector is attired in a bow tie and blinding yellow tuxedo blazer. Disenchanted, you will eventually succumb to reality when bigger-than-lifesize movie posters in lurid colors flash Sex Tape(!) and Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles hang amongst the slick infrastructure. The place also borders on abandoned at times, which is simultaneously frightening and saddening, possibly in light that the theatre holds only a single screen. But don’t let that deter you; the seats are just as cushy as, if not more than, the commercial cinemas at half the price, and the slight brushing of innocent body parts is a possibility. If you are an avid moviegoer who appreciates cultivation in history and nobility in bona fide classic theatres, then come out to support Scala, and maybe time will stand still a little longer.

The Honorable Mentions Friese-Green Club www.fgc.in.th A private member’s club for filmmakers, students, and film enthusiasts – it’s like a movie crack house for dedicated movie buffs and comes highly recommended by those truly worthy. House Rama RCA www.houserama.com These guys make the corners of the edge of movie theatres, not too serious and in no way generic. Screening mostly international and independent films, House Rama is bringing much-needed alternative movies to this already indie/arthouse starved city. Apex Lido www.apexsiam-square.com/home.asp The little sister of Apex Scala, it’s nostalgic, but not as endearing, yet still deviates from the inside of the box and also a bargain; and all that, my friends, is enough reason to go and visit it too.

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The Way of the Railway Men

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With the recent political and social changes that are taking place in Myanmar, the interest in Burma, the name under which Myanmar is still referred to by many foreign media outlets, has grown tremendously. The increase in tourism has also spiked up the interest in Myanmar’s history, especially in relation to Thailand and the Japanese presence in the region during the Second World War.

By Voicu Mihnea Simandan Photos by Jojit Pangilinan

The Railway Man, a British-Australian war film released in 2013, details the hardships that the prisoners of war (POWs) went through while labouring on the Thai-Burma Railway under the unforgiving eye of the occupying Japanese army. While the film offers a good cinematographic experience of what it was like to be in a POW camp, and Colin Firth and Nicole Kidman do a respectable job in portraying the main characters’ physical and psychological drama, how about making a day trip to the place where the action actually took place? Located in Kanchanaburi province, at about 130 kilometers east of Bangkok, the Thailand-Burma Railway Centre, or TBRC for short, is an interactive museum and research facility that has a mission to faithfully present the history of the Thailand-Burma Railway. In 1943, using the Allied Force’s prisoners and forced Asian labourers, the Imperial Japanese Army managed to build a 415-kilometer railway line, which even today, is still known as the Death Railway. Connecting Ban Pong in Thailand to Thanbuyuzayat in Burma (through the Three Pagoda Pass), the railway was used by the Japanese to transport supplies and troops for its advancing armies.

Tens of thousands of POWs and labourers died while accomplishing this project, and the TBRC goal is to “offer the visitor an educational and moving experience” so that those who perished are not forgotten and the madness of waging wars is put into light. One of the Centre’s research assistants who strives to do just that is Andrew Philip Snow, a 59-year-old Australian who has been living in Thailand for the past five years. He has been conducting research at the museum in Kanchanaburi. TBRC has been operating for eleven years, and most recently, it has organized extensive tours for European visitors that even included ex-POWs who came to Thailand in 2013 for a railway pilgrimage and memorial service. The Centre is rather well known for organizing excellent personal pilgrimages for relatives of the prisoners of war. “TBRC is a privately-funded operation depending entirely on support by its visitors and exrailway POWs and their relatives and friends from around the world in order to meet its operational costs,” Andrew explains. The Thailand-Burma Railway Centre prides itself in the fact that it presents factual and non-partisan information. Using state-of-the

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art display techniques, the eight main galleries that make up the TBRC are a treasure trove and an eye-opener for anyone visiting the museum, regardless if they have a deep interest in the subject matter or if they are just passers-by. The first gallery displays a timeline of the Japanese invasion of Southeast Asia and the route taken by the prisoners of war when being transported from Singapore and Malaysia into Thailand to work on the railway. The second gallery details the planning, construction, and logistics used by the Japanese engineers. Among the displays, you can also find actual relics of tools that were used in the construction process. A nine-meter-long scale contour model of the railway is the centerpiece of the third gallery, which concentrates on the geography of the area where the railways cut through the mountains. The poor living conditions that the POWs and labourers were forced to suffer are shown in the fourth gallery, alongside a display of a few personal effects that belonged to the prisoners. The fifth gallery is a hospital hut mockup. It contains two panels that describe the resourcefulness and dedication of the camp doctors and their assistants who did everything humanly possible to look after the men under their care. A

summary of the deaths caused by the construction of the railway is shown in the sixth gallery, and the staggering numbers are highlighted by a histogram made up of railway spikes: Around 90,000 Asian labourers and 12,399 Allied Forces POWs died while building the railway. Both the seventh and eighth galleries give details of how the Japanese used the railway, their subsequent defeat by the Allies, the liberation of the prisoners, the recovery of the bodies left to rot in the tropical forest, and the establishment of the twin cemeteries in Thailand and Burma at Kanchanaburi and Thanbyuzayat respectively. Known in Thai as â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Pa-cha Angritâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;, the ThailandBurma Railway Centre is located near the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery on Sangchuto Road, only one kilometer from the city center. The museum receives approximately 80,000 visitors a year and is open every day (except official Thai holidays) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tickets cost 120 baht for adults and 60 baht for children, but schools can receive special rates for large group

visits. To find out more information about their Railway Pilgrimages program and their research work, visit their website at www.tbrconline.com or contact them by email to admin@tbrconlne.com.

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PARTY NIGHT Head over to www.fb.com/bangkoktrader to see all the fun pix from the great time we had at The KIWI Sports Pub & Grill on Sukhumvit 8.

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Making a Difference By Dave Stamboulis Growing up in the U.S., I always remember seeing adverts or mentions of the Rotary Club, but not being a member nor knowing anyone involved, I never exactly knew what that was; and it wasnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t until I settled down in Bangkok and happened to have a friend who was a member that I learned about the Rotarians and, more specifically, about the goodwill and good cheer they spread here in Bangkok. The Rotary Club, for those not in the know, is a worldwide organization made up of over a million members. There are over 33,000 clubs in over 200 countries whose members seek to foster the idea of community service as a worthy enterprise. The clubs are non-political and nonreligious and seek to foster goodwill and understanding through their service endeavors and projects. Here in Thailand, the first Rotary Club was chartered in 1930, and today there are almost 300 clubs and over 7,500 members. There are eight English-speaking clubs, as well as one each communicating in Chinese, Japanese, French, and German. The Rotary Club of Bangkok South is one of the largest clubs in the country, with over 100 members from twenty-plus countries, and has been around for over fifty years. In addition to meeting every Friday for lunch, a speaker or lecture event, and plenty of time for being social, the club is also extremely active in giving back into the community, with ongoing charity projects and fundraising activities being a big focus, with a priority on sustainable projects for poor or disadvantaged children. The club runs the Coins on Silom event every year, a day during which a long broad strip of red cloth tape representing a red carpet is laid down the entire sidewalk along both sides of Silom Road and donors put a sticker symbolizing a coin (bearing the logo of one of the RCBSâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sponsors) on it, with the idea being to have a continuous line of coins running the entire length of the carpet. This mainstay of the Bangkok Rotary Club South is now in its 16th year, and it now raises in the range of 1-2 million baht in contributions for the needy. The RCBS is also the founder of the Clean Drinking Water for Schools Program, which started in 1996 and seeks to en-

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sure that all rural schools in Thailand have water purification systems providing students with cost-free, clean drinking water. To date, the club has installed about 500 such systems in schools in over 30 provinces throughout Thailand, with each system producing sufficient water each day for up to 400 students. The club is also involved in reading campaigns, stocking rural schools with kits of 120 Thai-language texts suitable for primary school students in schools that have limited libraries or funding for them. One of the biggest projects that the Rotary Club undertakes is called Kids’ Day Out, in which under-privileged or handicapped children from Bangkok are taken on field trips out to the beach. The Royal Varuna Yacht Club in Pattaya provides a safe venue, and the Pak Kret Home for the Handicapped assists in organizing the event, in which over 200 kids get to enjoy a bit of Thailand that most folks just take for granted. Singing, dancing, and a lavish buffet are all part of the fun, but the main course has to be the opportunity for so many to feel the warm tropical waters of the Gulf of Thailand firsthand for the first time in their lives. Funding for the various projects that the Rotary Club undertakes comes from annual events such as the RCBS Charity Golf Tournament, where prizes and giveaways galore complement a day full of golfing fun. This year’s tourney raised over 600,000 baht for assisting projects. My friend, Mark Shaw, an American living in Bangkok for over twenty years, has been a South Bangkok Rotary member for several years now. Mark, who is a member of the faculty of Business English at Bangkok University International College, joined the club as he jokingly put it, “Because they are kind of like the Hash House Harriers, in terms of enjoying fun times and a few drinks without having to do any of the exercise,” but now sees the service programs that the club does as a real way to make a difference and to be integrated and giving back to living in Thailand. To get involved with Kids’ Day Out and other projects, or to find out more about the South Bangkok Rotary Club, call to 02-632-9160, Mondays-Fridays 9 a.m.-5 p.m. (break from 12-1:30 p.m.) or email to info@rotarybangkoksouth.org.

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Health Briefs up of uric acid crystals that leads to joint redness and painful swelling, especially affecting the big toe as well as feet, ankles, wrists and hands. Obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease are known to increase uric acid production and/or impair the body’s ability to flush uric acid from the body.

Higher blood clot risk for rheumatoid arthritis patients

While obese people have the highest rate of gout, a new US study shows that simply being overweight raises a person’s gout risk. In the US, the most recent statistics from 2007 through 2010 showed the incidence of gout was up nearly 50 percent compared to the average gout rate from 1968 to 1994, with obese adults over three times more likely to have gout than adults of normal that the inflammation resulting from rheumatoid weight. arthritis, or its treatment, may lead to the higher blood clot risk. Researchers estimate that a person’s gout risk increases five percent for every 3.2kg/7 pounds of Lack of sleep may be additional weight.

putting bone health at risk

A new US study of the relationship between sleep Childhood obesity raises risk and bone health shows the dangers of chronic for liver cancer in adults lack of sleep: Laboratory rats that were deprived Obese kids appear to be at greater risk for develof sleep suffered significant bone health impair- oping liver cancer later in life. That’s according ment. to the results of a recently published study that tracked more than 320,000 Danish adults. The findings of a Swedish research study suggest that patients with rheumatoid arthritis have a greater risk of blood clots during the decade after the disease is diagnosed. Results of the study, published recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association, are consistent with earlier studies showing rheumatoid arthritis patients were at higher risk of blood clots in the legs, a condition known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT) or economy class syndrome. These and other types of clots can cause strokes and heart attacks.

The study showed that each one-point increase in a child’s body mass index (BMI) corresponded to a 12 percent increase in the risk for developing hepatocellular carcinoma, one of the more common types of liver cancer. The results of the study were published in the journal Experimental Biology and Medicine. They reported that a chronic lack of sleep harmed bone formation, affected marrow generation and had a harmful impact on marrow plasticity.

The onset of rheumatoid arthritis typically occurs in adults between 25 and 55 years of age. The dis- Researchers believe that, if the effects on laboraease causes joint inflammation as well as painful, tory rats are similar to humans, the lack of sleep stiff, swollen joints with impaired functioning. may diminish the body’s ability to ward off bonerelated diseases such as osteoporosis, reduce the The study tracked 45,000 Swedish adults with body’s ability to self-repair damage to bones, and rheumatoid arthritis against a control group. The may lead to an increase in the overall rate of bone group with rheumatoid arthritis experienced disease. blood clots at nearly double the rate of those who didn’t have the disease. Expanding waistlines helping gout

Obesity is a known risk factor for a number of serious health problems and metabolic disorders, including heart disease, type-2 diabetes and fatty liver disease. The study further reinforces the immake a painful comeback portance of teaching kids about healthy lifestyle While it’s not clear that rheumatoid arthritis ac- You don’t need to be obese to have a higher risk habits, including exercise and nutrition, as early tually causes blood clots, researchers suggested for gout, a form of arthritis resulting from a build- as possible.

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Caution advised over supplements that may cause liver damage

Some supplements are better than others. And based on the preliminary results of a research study, consumers taking weight-loss or bodybuilding supplements should be especially careful to guard against liver damage.

Alcohol may boost risk of breast and liver cancers

A new study points to a higher risk for some cancers, including breast cancer among women, liver cancer, and some cancers of the gastro-intestinal tract. Results of the study were published For the study, researchers in the US evaluated in a recent issue of the journal Alcoholism: Clinical patients from a national database of consum- & Experimental Research. ers who had filed reports claiming they suffered liver damage after taking health supplements. The study identified a link between the way the Patients answered questions regarding their body metabolizes alcohol and damage to DNA supplement history and were given a number of that raises a person’s risk for certain types of canliver-related tests. cer. Older studies dating back to the 1980s identified a relationship between alcohol consumption The results linked specific types of supplements and some cancers (mainly breast, colon and liver to different types of liver injury; supplements cancer) though these studies did not establish promoting body-building had the highest rate that alcohol was actually causing the cancers. of damage – about half who took them suffered liver damage, with the most common symptoms People of East Asian ethnicity appear to be at including jaundice that, in some cases, was so se- higher risk of cancer due to alcohol. An estimated vere it required hospitalization. 30 percent of East Asians aren’t able to convert alcohol to acetate due to a genetic variation. That Researchers found weight-loss supplements to difference is behind their much higher risk for debe a direct cause of liver damage in about 40 per- veloping esophageal cancer due to consumption cent of patients who took them; more than 10 of alcohol. percent eventually needed a liver transplant. The study exposed human cells to alcohol conIt’s important to talk to your doctor if you’re con- centrations equivalent to levels found in the sidering taking supplements, as many are not body during social drinking. The cells were engiregulated. neered to metabolize alcohol into acetaldehyde

by an enzyme found in human liver and breast tissue. The study may spur a new round of research to examine the precise causal nature of the way the human body metabolizes alcohol. In the meantime, moderation continues to be the healthiest approach to drinking.

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By Voicu Mihnea Simandan Quite often we watch historical movies and end up remembering how the story goes from the movie rather than from the actual history books. But even the detailed history books are written with a specific agenda in mind and are often just as much influenced by propaganda as historical movies are. In Thailand, one such case is the story surrounding Bang Rachan, a historical village north of Bangkok, in what is now Sing Buri province. The story goes that during the Burmese-Siamese War of 1765-1767, which ended in the sacking of Ayutthaya by the Burmese army, thus bringing down a Kingdom of Siam that had existed for slightly more than 400 years, a small village northwest of the Siamese capital of Ayutthaya managed to withhold the advancing Burmese army for up to five months through sheer determination, patriotism, and heroism. The idyllic images of the Siamese villagers fighting and dying for their land, which were brilliantly portrayed in the Bang Rajan movies of 1966 and 2000, have by now been so ingrained in popular Thai culture that the average Thai and

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addition to exploring the compound housing the Heroes of Khai Bang Rachan Monument and Khai Bang Rachan Park, I also recommend exploring the grounds of Wat Pho Kao Ton, which is described in some detail below. uninformed foreigners take the story for granted and attribute it to actual, sound historical facts. And let’s not forget Carabao’s very catchy song, Bang Rachan, which you can now sing along to, using the karaoke version on YouTube. So, you can imagine that when traveling to Sing Buri, you’ll be inundated with reminders of the Bang Rachan story. Kudos go to the TAT (Tourist Authority of Thailand) and the local administration who have managed to make good of all this patriotic propaganda and have transformed Sing

The main attraction of Bang Rachan Memorial Park is obviously the statue of the eleven leaders who fought alongside the other villagers to repel the Burmese army. They all met their deaths in heroic (and bloody) fashions, while the powersto-be in Ayutthaya preferred to not send their standing army or even weapons (cannons were much needed to bring down the forts built by the Burmese army) and just waited behind the perceived safety of Ayutthaya’s walls for the enemy to come to their gates. After dealing with the rogue villagers, which took eight different battles, the Burmese army eventually did knock

Buri into a province well worth visiting both for its (pseudo)historic appeal and the many temples that are dotted throughout its six districts.

on the gates of Ayutthaya, or more exactly, they knocked them down and subsequently burned and pillaged everything in their way.

The Bang Rachan story also includes strong elements of Buddhism and mysticism, with some importance given to Thammachot’s role in the whole affair. He was a Buddhist monk who was regarded highly by the villagers for his powerful spells and charms, so it is only natural to add to your travel itinerary at least one temple stop. In

The park in Sing Buri also contains a beautiful sala (Thai pavilion) where one can take a rest. There is a museum with three exhibition rooms, a mock village with mini-statues for every hero, a jump-tower (off-limits for non-scheduled visitors), a small obstacle course made up of hanging planks, and a playground. Phongsak Meesiri’s

three sculptures further bring tribute to the villager’s sacrifices and awesome courage. The park’s huge car park is also proof that the place is obviously very popular with Thais, although, it must be noted that some areas of the park are certainly in dire need of a facelift. Right across the road, there’s Klai Bang Rachan Park, which is comprised of several zones of interest. Among these, worth taking the time to explore is Wat Pho Kao Ton, which venerates Thammachot and sells sacred amulets called Roop Lor. There is also a vihara (refuge for wondering monks) where you can add gold leaves to Thammachot’s statue, a pond where the same monk blessed holy water for the Bang Rachan warriors (you can refill the pond by carrying water to it from a nearby well), and a few chedis that were built for the souls of all the Burmese army who were slain by the villagers. Wat Pho Kao Ton means ‘The Temple of the Nine Bodhi Trees’, and nine Bodhi Trees can be seen growing by the side of the main wall of the park. These kinds of trees have a special significance for Buddhists worldwide, as it is believed that Siddharta Gautama, who became the Lord Buddha, reached his enlightenment under one of them. Further down into the park, an arboretum (a garden devoted to trees) surrounded by a wall and bordered by the Chao Phraya River leads you to a peaceful space full of trees and various flower species that are specific to the area. From Bangkok, you can reach Sing Buri province by bus from the Northern Terminal Bus Station on Kamphaeng Phet 2 Road, where one air-conditioned bus makes the 140-kilometer trip there daily. Once you reach Sing Buri, any motorbike taxi will be able to take you to the three attractions described above. They are located in Amphoe Khai Bang Rachan, 13-kilometers southwest of the town on Route No. 3032.

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