The BigChilli June 2021 by The BigChilli Co., Ltd.

News

Shock treatment when you’re facing those unexplained hospital bills

ithout a menu of fees as a reference guide, it’s hardly surprising that some people are baffled and often outraged by the charges levied at many hospitals in Thailand. Such is the case of an expat at a leading hospital who was shocked to get a bill of 1,500 baht for a doctor’s consultation that involved a cursory glance lasting not more than a few seconds at a now healed wound. The chap had already settled payment for major treatment on the wound some weeks before. At another Bangkok hospital, a foreigner demanded to know why he had been charged more than 3,000 baht ‘physician fee’ for a brief consultation reviewing the results of a treadmill test. But there was more: he had also been charged 5,700 baht for “special diagnostics’ in reference to an electrocardiogram (EKG) machine. “What exactly are ‘special diagnostics’”, asked the man, adding: “Surely a treadmill and EKG machine are rather mundane and not particularly special.” One final unspecified fee was added – 300 baht for “other hospital charges.” This led him to fume: “I have been coming to this hospital since the 1980s and recently have noticed an alarming increase in billings. It seems that, in common with the other 3 or 4 ‘five-star’ hospitals, this institution is no longer run purely as a hospital but more as a business designed to make money for their shareholders.” Clearly, some hospitals are not winning many friends with their unexplained or hidden charges. But whatever anger t h e s e patients felt, it is well and truly dwarfed by the experience o f a foreigner whose bill in a Pattaya hospital included charges for multiple use of the elevator. He probably required medication to recover from the shock. 4

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PUBLISHER Colin Hastings editorbigchilli@gmail.com EDITOR Nina Hastings ninabigchilli@gmail.com SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Rojjana Rungrattwatchai sendtorose@gmail.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Thana Pongsaskulchoti thanabigchilli@gmail.com ACCOUNTING MANAGER Janjira Silapapairson janbigchilli@gmail.com ART & PRODUCTION Arthawit Pundrikapa PHOTOGRAPHY AP CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Robin Westley Martin Drew McCreadie, Maxmilian Wechsler Zoe Evans, Jessica Weber Ruth Gerson, Agneta de Bekassy

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No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from The BigChilli Co., Ltd. The opinions and views of the writers are not necessarily the views of the publishers. All details are deemed correct at the time of print, the publisher, the editor, employees and contributors can not be held responsible for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions that may occur. The editor reserves the right to accept, reject or amend any submitted artwork, photographs, illustrations and manuscripts. The BigChilli welcomes unsolicited contributions but assumes no responsibility for the safe-keeping or return of such materials damaged or lost in transit.

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Cover story

How Banyan is developing from top Hua Hin golf course to a healthy active lifestyle destination

or a man who makes a living around the golf course, Tjeert Kwant doesn’t take his swing too seriously. “It’s probably about time I learned to play a half-decent round, jokes the CEO of Banyan Thailand. “I spoke to John, our in-house golf pro, the other day and he’s promised to help me at least stay on the fairway.” Located on the fringes of the kingdom’s eastern coastline only moments from the heart of Hua Hin, the resort community is home to one of Thailand’s most celebrated golf courses. The par-72 facility, designed by legendary links architect Pirapon Namatra - winner of multiple “Best Golf Experience in Asia-Pacific” accolades - consistently ranks in Thailand’s top three. Nowadays, however, Banyan Thailand’s array of upscale residential, leisure, and – increasingly – villa rental and active lifestyle offerings boast a reputation on par with the championship course. Indeed, the addition of a long-term lease component and recent efforts to diversify leisure activities is part of Banyan’s wider vision to broaden its appeal beyond the green and transition it into a holistic lifestyle destination. “Even prior to the pandemic, we identified this great opportunity to support the wellbeing of our residents and guests by developing a healthy

and active lifestyle concept,” he explains. “It’s something I’ve personally been doing for many years.” A real estate veteran of almost two decades, the Dutch native cut his teeth in the nascent property markets of eastern and central Europe in the early 2000s. When the markets overheated towards the end of the decade, Kwant and his family relocated to Bangkok, beckoned by the local culture, high-quality education and healthcare institutes, and the city’s strategic location at the heart of the region. Eight years on, he made the 200-kilometre switch to Hua Hin to spearhead operations at Banyan Thailand. “It was already a great project when I arrived, but what really attracted me was the huge potential to create a destination,” Kwant says. There are only a few true destination resorts in Thailand, including Laguna on Phuket and Toscana Valley in Khao Yai, where you have this mix of quality leisure, lifestyle and residential.” Throughout Kwant’s tenure the number of permanent community members has steadily increased. Each of the bespoke villas at the Banyan Residences is designed to personal specifications and homeowners can select their preferred plots, with properties ranging from THB14 million to ultraluxury options around the THB80 million. They

Another factor behind the recent Hua Hin renaissance is the proliferation of highquality leisure activities such as windsurfing, sailing and water-skiing since restrictions on international travel encouraged tourists to holiday closer to home.

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Tjeert Kwant, CEO of Banyan Thailand TheBigChilli

Cover story also have the privilege to become a member of Banyan Golf Club and enjoy onsite services including residential management, 24/7 security and housekeeping. any of the owners traditionally hail from Western Europe, but in recent years domestic investor interest has surged, led by an uptick in Bangkokians searching for a second home within easy reach. So, when Banyan temporarily shut part of the hotel component for renovation prior to the global pandemic outbreak, Kwant used the opportunity to replace it with a long-term rental segment, capitalising on the Covid-induced demand. Although the pandemic has inevitably accelerated this trend, he also credits shifting perceptions of Hua Hin. “It has changed exponentially from a sleepy beach town into a vibrant destination with many exciting activities for families and the younger generation,” Kwant says. I think it was often viewed as a retirement destination, but Covid in a way has done a lot to change that image. For instance, some highly influential, yet skeptical,

bloggers, who probably wouldn’t have come if it weren’t for the border closure and the town’s proximity to Bangkok, visited last year and absolutely loved it, which goes to show how much it has to offer now.” Heartened by the heightened demand for Bangkokfriendly holiday homes, newfound target demographic and absence of foreign buyers and guests, Banyan tweaked its marketing strategy in mid-2020 to focus primarily on the Thai capital. As Kwant describes it, “being from the Netherlands, having Bangkok on your doorstep is the equivalent of a neighbouring target market the size of Belgium.” Another factor behind the recent Hua Hin renaissance, according to Kwant, is the emergence of high-quality leisure activities — both on land and at sea. Water sports, such as windsurfing, sailing and water-skiing, have long been popular on the eastern coast, but have proliferated since restrictions on international travel encouraged tourists to holiday closer to home. The opening in 2015 of world-class leisure complex True Arena,

Hua Hin has changed exponentially from a sleepy beach town into a vibrant destination with many exciting activities for families and the younger generation.

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which has already hosted major events including the WTA and ATP pro tennis circuits, in addition to featuring state-of-the-art basketball, futsal, volleyball and athletics facilities, meanwhile, has cemented Hua Hin’s reputation as a serious sports hub. want is eager to build on this momentum and the coastal city’s moment in the sun to weave the latest plans for Banyan into the wider destination’s DNA. “Since joining, we have been integrating a healthy active lifestyle concept within the community, which is something very close to my heart, and now we have the chance to formalise it,” he says. “There’s between 800 and 900 rai of land still vacant at Banyan and we are currently working with experts in various fields like health, wellness and hospitality to create a master plan for it.” The concept, which features five core pillars - active, health, wellness, social and nature - is already well represented by the golf course and other onsite leisure activities, while the initial physical component, Be

Well Medical Centre, launched in January 2020. The primary care clinic, located onsite, is in fact the first general practitioner centre in Thailand and recently partnered with the renowned Bumrungrad Health Network to provide patients with world-class cardiology treatments. Plans, meanwhile, are afoot to add a wellness centre in the near future. “It’s a no-brainer, really, that this concept works in Hua Hin,” Kwant says, “It’s a perfect fit with everything else that is currently going on here.” Finally, the social aspect of the active lifestyle initiative is represented by the Banyan Privilege Club. In addition to receiving a slew of onsite benefits and discounts from local partners, such as Chiva-Som, an array of five-star hotels, Vana Nava Water Jungle and True Arena, Banyan hosts a series of exclusive events for the almost 1,000 members, which aim to foster a close-knit community and encourage members, including frequent golfers, Banyan residents and visitors to Be Well Medical Centre to socialise with like-minded people. A handful of well-known celebrities has recently joined the growing group too such as Thai movie star Vithaya (Pu) Pansringarm of The Last Executioner and Only God Forgives fame and world-renowned tennis coach, Sly Black, who has coached huge stars on the women’s circuit including Sloane Stephens and Cori “Coco” Gauff. These have to date included a barbecue with live music and cocktail party held at the Residences since the initiative launched last October with the inaugural ‘Banyan Privilege Club Golf Classic event. Kwant hopes to host another theme event just as soon as Thailand overcomes the latest Covid setback. Next time around, however, he aims to have knocked a few strokes off his handicap.

The primary care clinic, located onsite, is in fact the first general practitioner centre in Thailand and recently partnered with the renowned Bumrungrad Health Network to provide patients with world-class cardiology treatments.

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Expat Women

The Thai lady who took on warlords in Afghanistan and armed groups in Myanmar in her fight for people’s rights In a truly remarkable and diverse career, Thai-Australian Jane Holloway has operated in some of the world’s most dangerous regions, explored the root causes of women in transnational organized crime, worked on the campaign to get the Thai prime minister re-elected and now consults for George Soros’s Open Society Foundation on its drug policy program

By Colin Hastings

he may have only recently turned 40, but Jane Holloway can already look back on an amazing career full of incredible experiences and personal challenges in some of the world’s most notorious hot spots. Her life story reads like an old-style adventure book, with moments requiring great courage and bravery in distant lands, and other times when she welcomed and even relished the difficult situations she often encountered. There is a theme that underpins her entire career and defines Jane’s character – that she can make the world a better place by focusing on issues affecting the status of women not just in her home country of Thailand but across the globe. Motivated by this sense of social responsibility and desire for fair play, Jane has willingly undertaken projects in those faraway lands that few others would consider. And probably nothing demonstrates the inner steel of this outwardly gentle Thai-Australian better than the long periods she spent in Afghanistan, one of the poorest and most deprived places on earth. 10

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In the outskirts of Mazar-i-Sharif in Afghanistan with Thai colleagues and our security

r in a helicopte Taking a nap n ee g betw while travelin in Thailand ps m ca e ge refu

Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan with the Afghan team and our security

Based in poppy growing regions in remote Balkh Province near the border with Uzbekistan, bereft of any of the home comforts of Jane’s upbringing, her mission was to work with local warlords and headmen to persuade local farmers to substitute opium cash crops with non-narcotic alternatives. The success of this project would eventually achieve another objective the improvement of the everyday lives of the womenfolk in this traditionally male-dominated society – an outcome that dovetailed perfectly with Jane’s personal agenda. This experience was great grounding for another of Jane’s overseas adventures. For a year she operated in Myanmar’s remote Kayah State, representing the UNHCR in talks with armed groups and local officials for the safe return of Thailand-based refugees and internally displaced people.

In the sheep pasture areas with the local shepherds we worked with TheBigChilli

Expat Women In Mazar-i-Sharif with our Afghan Project Manager, Village leader and community elder, Thai colleague and Afghan veterinarian

foreign boyfriends and were then prepared to do whatever was asked of them, including operating as drug mules via Cambodia. Yet another twists in Jane’s amazing career occurred in 2019 when she was recruited by the Phalang Pracharat political party to carry out research that helped Prayut Chan-o-cha’s re-election as Thailand’s prime minister. Jane’s contribution was duly recognized with a call from colleagues for her to stand for election herself. Being apolitical, she politely declined. “I didn’t know enough about politics. It wasn’t for Back on familiar and safer ground in Bangkok, Jane spent the next four years with the Thailand Institute of Justice, eventually becoming its Chief of Crime and Development on a programme highlighting transnational organized crime. This posting gave her the opportunity to work alongside HRH Princess Bajrakitiyabha, eldest daughter of King Maha Vajiralongkorn, on her mission to reform criminal justice in Thailand. Jane has high praise for the Princess, saying she is always very active and works hard to shed more light on the plight of female prisoners. Using the US as an example to highlight the link between crime and the structural inequality in society, Jane remarks: “In America most people in prison are the poor, so what drives criminality. You have to ask the question - is prison the solution? Justice has to be fair and equitable. Poor people don’t have the means to pay for lawyers or understand the justice system.” She then puts the spotlight on the situation in Thailand: “Up to 80% of women in jail are there for drugrelated crimes, and of those 60% are mothers, mostly single mothers. What’s the impact on the family?” Fair sentencing for drug dealers also occupies her mind. “Thailand has extremely harsh laws for drugs and trafficking. Sentences are never reduced – unlike other offences, even murder. In a recent high-profile case, a murderer was released after only nine years of a life sentence. That doesn’t happen to drug offenders.” Separate research at the Thailand Institute of Justice has shown that many of the Thai women imprisoned in Cambodia are from a troubled background, or abused as kids, or in some cases heart-broken from a failed romance. Nine are single mums who found love with 12

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With my Thai colleague Ramrada Ninnad in Mazar-i-Sharif, Afghanistan

Getting off a helicopter we used to travel between all the refugee camps in Thailand to meet with the camp leaders to roll out our project between Mae Fah Luang Foundation and UNHCR

about working in a war zone – the tanks, the intelligence, the people, the excitement. It’s tribal, dynamic and complicated.” During this period, Jane also worked for UNHCR, initially in Thailand, profiling the refugee camps in Kanchanabrui and Mae Sot, home for some 140,000 displaced persons from Myanmar. Later she based herself in Kayah State, an area of Myanmar known for its ‘long necked’ tribespeople. “My role was to identify what would be needed in terms of water and electricity if the refugees returned. I had to deal with government authorities, border police and representatives from seven different ethnic groups. As the only foreigner, I employed small cultural sensitivities liker wearing traditional Burmese clothing while negotiating with these officials.” Today, Jane is busy with several new projects, including consulting for George Soros’s Open Society Foundation on its drug policy program, based in Bangkok. Another is advising on DragonFly360, a regional platform designed to mobilize society towards gender equality in Asia. Looking back on her career, Jane says changing jobs so frequently enabled her to In a refugee camp in Thailand with remain “relevant.” youths that we trained and worked with “But now, for the first time, I feel I’m slowing down mentally. Today’s technology is complicated and I need to learn so much about me,” she says. “I’m much more comfortable behind the social media. scenes. I don’t want to be a public face.” Jane’s story begins in Bangkok where she was born “My motto is to help the most vulnerable in society, four decades ago. Aged two, she moved with her family which I can do with facts and experience. I saw how to New Zealand for one year and then to Kuala Lumpur elections are run and the political scramble for positions. in Malaysia, staying there for the next 13 years. As I said, I’m much more comfortable behind the The Holloways eventually returned to Bangkok where scenes.” Jane attended Ruamrudee International School before In Kayah, Myanmar donating sports equipment from leaving again for Australia and studying for her master’s the Olympic International Committee to local schools degree in Sydney. On her return to Thailand, Jane joined the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under Royal Patronage to work on the development project that took her to Afghanistan. “We were working with 500 families in districts that cultivated opium poppies. If they were opium-free, what could the farmers do instead – that was the challenge,” says Jane. “The answer was to repopulate the area with sheep, which can be used for carpets and food, giving women roles to play in a patriarchal society, so there are all-round benefits.” Despite the remoteness, the backwardness and the ever-present dangers of the still raging war, Jane was smitten by Afghanistan, “It was the most exciting place – I love the country. There’s something special TheBigChilli

Profile

Paul Poole

PP The Sponsorship Expert

Former marketer for Wrangler, Levi's, Polo Jeans and Diesel, talks about his life as an independent consultant in Bangkok Name Paul Poole. Nickname PP (sometimes Boss). Born Cornwall, UK. Age : 51 Education I left school without waiting to see my exam results, but I recognise I am privileged to have worked alongside some of the most creative and positive influences. They educated me and enhanced my journey to become a successful business owner. Where do you live? Bangkok’s historic old town quarter. What is your profession? Marketer, business owner. What is your present position? Founder, Managing Director and Chairman of the sponsorship consultancy that takes my name. What does Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd. do? We are an independent marketing consultancy specialising in commercial sponsorship and partnership marketing. We act as a catalyst by bringing rights holders and brands together to maximise the relationship. Any other business interests? Once a year, we run training workshops to help rights holders and brands understand and practice all aspects of commercial sponsorship and partnership marketing. As a company, we also offer Marketplace, a platform for rights holders to promote their commercial sponsorship and partnership opportunities in a forum frequented by decision-makers and influencers in sponsorship. Under the umbrella of The Sponsorship Experts, we also sell limited edition “SHOW ME THE MONEY!” tees, hoodies, caps, and coolers inspired by the cult classic Jerry Maguire (still one of my all-time favourites!). All proceeds from the sale of these are 14

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donated to non-profit organisations focusing on youth development in Thailand. Your first job and why? Much to the chagrin of my parents, who expected me to emulate my father’s military career, I left home aged 16, lured by the party life of Brighton. Although still naïve in many ways, I was also bold (some may say cocky!). But I was convinced what is now referred to as my ‘trademark cheeky grin,’ and my confidence, would open doors for me, so I had to see for myself. Those who have known me since those early days say I could talk my way into and out of anything. In Brighton, I put that into action and talked my way into the role of promoter for high profile nightclubs, the popular hangouts of people I had only read or heard about. I never imagined I would still call some of them good friends today. The move to Brighton paid off. Not only did I blow off steam and satiate my need to party, but I was also noticed by one regular party-goer who worked for Wrangler. She convinced me a ‘daytime job’ should be PP with former British supermodel and now celebrated sports personality Jodie Kidd

my next career choice. And at age 18, I joined the team Slim) Freak at Wrangler. Power tunes “Turn On, Early influences? I refer to my days at Wrangler as Tune In, my sixth form education and my days at Levi’s as my Cop Out” for college years. Both companies were infinitely more Levi’s “Taxi” influential than my time in school. I am a ‘people ad. person’ because of the positive mentors in my life. They taught me that relationships, business and At Levi’s, personal, will make or break you. You must work at I was them, and you must show respect and earn respect. incredibly How long have you lived in Thailand? I moved fortunate to here in 2004, and although I travel to London, New work with York, and my family home in Cornwall regularly, some of the Thailand is the place I think of as home. most creative Where did you work before Thailand? At age 22, Levi Strauss & Co. convinced me the denim was bluer on the other side! So, I left Wrangler, where, for almost five years, I had learned valuable marketing skills and worked on some influential ad campaigns for the brand: one of which had the tag line Marketing Magazine ’Be more than just a number’. It was a direct reference to Levi’s 501’s dominance in the jeans market. I like to think it was that cheeky dig that got me noticed by the Levi’s team. They decided it might be better to have me working for them than against. I became their UK Marketing Manager, overseeing some exciting and iconic ad campaigns. It was one of those that perhaps led to my interest in the then untapped potential of sponsorship. I brokered a deal to buy the rights to one of DJ Norman Cook’s (aka Fat Boy

I refer to my days at Wrangler as my sixth form education and my days at Levi’s as my college years. Both companies were infinitely more influential than my time in school. They taught me that relationships, business and personal, will make or break you.

PP at The ChindAsia Club, Bangkok

people in what was then referred to as ‘Cool Britannia’. A few of these could easily have been the answer to the ‘most interesting person you’ve met’ and ‘early influences’ questions because photographers Nick Knight and Glen Luchford and art directors Stephen Male and Phil Bicker had such an impact on my creativity. After four years at Levi’s, I was approached by American fashion icon Ralph Lauren to help them launch their new brand, Polo Jeans, throughout Europe and the Middle East. Two years later, at age 28, I was headhunted by the (some say irreverent) Italian jeans brand Diesel. During that time, I worked closely with the owner Renzo Rosso, known throughout the fashion world as the “The Jeans Genius”, and together, TheBigChilli

Profile gazine art director PP with former i-D Ma artist Scott King and now a celebrated

using a combination of controversial ad and sponsorship campaigns, such as the Gumball3000 Rally, we made Diesel a brand people noticed, whatever the reason! During the last few months working at this iconic brand, I helped Malcolm McLaren in his bid to run for Mayor of London and launch his art exhibition “Casino of Authenticity & Karaoke” (Malcolm referred to his life as a game of chance). Looking back, it was a crazy time, but each year and each project added to my knowledge and expertise in marketing and sponsorship. Projects like joining my close friend Scott King (former art director for i-D magazine) to stage a self-funded art exhibition - ‘CRASH’. At the time, the critics called us Culturalpreneurs. We embraced this title, setting up an initiative we called the “Culturalpreneurs Network”: designed to improve the dialogue between the arts and business. Years later, in 2012, we sold it to London based Cult.Brand. I then spent a couple of years as a board member for PR21, then Cohn & Wolf, but was ready to set up my own business. I remained a consultant to both companies but focussed my attention on three core markets: North America, PP with American supermodel Amy Wesson (left) and former British Europe, and South-East supermodel and now celebrated Asia. sports personality Jodie Kidd (right) at What brought you here? the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles I fell in love with Toeingam, during the Gumball 300 rally my Thai (then) wife, and when she brought me here, I fell in love with Thailand too. How did your career progress? When arriving in Thailand initially (in 2004), I saw it as an ideal location for my marketing consultancy business, along with London and New York. But later, I recognised the need for an agency that could specialise in providing sponsorship opportunities for the already popular experiential approach to marketing throughout the region. As I had already been visiting Samui for at least ten years previously, I was delighted when Marc Ribail, then a member of the Samui Regatta organising committee, approached me. In 2005 the Samui Regatta became the first official client of The Sponsorship Experts. We now have over 50. Any major setbacks or disappointments in PP with former British supermodel and now celebrated sports your life or career? If I could express one regret, personality Jodie Kidd (left) and American supermodel Amy I allowed my move to Thailand and the setting up of

At Wrangler, I worked on some influential ad campaigns, one of which had the tag line ’Be more than just a number’. It was a direct reference to Levi’s 501’s dominance in the jeans market. I like to think it was that cheeky dig that got me noticed by the Levi’s team. They decided it might be better to have me working for them than against.

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Wesson (right) being arrested somewhere between New York and Los Angeles during the Gumball 3000 rally

become a real passion, and I get quite excited when I find something new to add to my collection! Exercise has taken a low priority in recent years as it does for many with not enough hours in the day. But my exercise of choice is swimming, another throwback to my youth when I was quite an accomplished swimmer and trained at the PP and his ex-wife Dr. Toeingam Guptabutra at Chelsea Old Town Hall on London’s King’s Road. famous Kelly College in Tavistock. my business here to impact my relationship with my Favourite weekend destination? If I’m in Thailand, (then) wife, which sadly led to our divorce. then it’s Phuket, preferably on a yacht. If I’m back How good is your address book? Ah, well, it has a in the UK, it’s visiting friends in Cornwall (my home few A-listers in there as my career has enabled me to county). They have a farmhouse on Bodmin Moor, mix in such circles. But I make sure those who remain and it’s the perfect place to relax – nothing to see but in my address book can also be called friends, not just moors, sheep and ponies, so you have no choice but to names to drop into conversations. Most of my work empty your mind of anything work-related. When you comes from referrals, add in the good company, and that’s made possible food, and wine, it’s the by building meaningful ideal retreat. It is a stark relationships with people contrast to Thailand, but I meet. I’m a big fan of mixing What’s your favourite it up and embracing restaurant in opposing environments Bangkok? For fine to invigorate and refresh dining, I recommend the mind. everyone tries Le Is Bangkok a better Normandie; the food is place to live and visit incredible. And for street today than when you first arrived? It is. I’m a food, it has to be the city boy at heart, so I was incomparable Jay Fai. hooked from day one of Any other favourite arriving in Thailand. In hangout places? my opinion, it’s growing I’m partial to good into a destination that’s cigars and whisky, so comparable to places like the obvious place is London and New York. Whisgars. You’ll find me Your best ever work there several evenings assignment? The a week, meeting friends honest answer is that and winding down after a I’ve loved every moment long day. of my career. It’s almost Hobbies and exercise? impossible to single out This surprises many, but a defining moment. But I collect vintage denim. because it led to setting I guess subconsciously, up my own consultancy, it’s a reminder of my which led me to meet early career, but it’s

After four years at Levi’s, I was approached by American fashion icon Ralph Lauren to help them launch their new brand, Polo Jeans, throughout Europe and the Middle East. Two years later, at age 28, I was headhunted by the Italian jeans brand Diesel, where I worked closely with the owner Renzo Rosso, known throughout the fashion world as the ‘The Jeans Genius’.

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Profile PP with American n supermodel Amy Wesso

my ex-wife and to Thailand, I would have to say joining the board of PR21, an Edelman company. That, in turn, opened the opportunity for a position on the board of Cohn & Wolf, a WPP company where I helped develop the creative briefs for clients such as Orange, Coca Cola, Cadbury Trebor Bassett and Guinness UDV. Apart from your business, what else keeps you here? I’ve established a life I love and one that suits me. The Thai people reflect my values as a human being, which is probably why it feels more like home to me than the UK now. I’ve made friends for life. Of course, the climate here wins hands down over London, New York – and even Cornwall! Who’s the most interesting person you’ve ever met? It has to be Malcolm McLaren. Yes, he appeared controversial and headline seeking (not least of all when I helped him campaign for the role of Mayor of London), but beneath that, he was extraordinarily creative, interesting, funny and generous to a fault. Do you keep up with the political situation in Thailand, and if so, how? My business depends on being politically and socially aware, so it’s necessary to keep up to date with what’s happening in Thailand. Especially any government decisions around sports tourism and sports legislation, even more so since the pandemic. Most of my friends and associates over here are in business, so conversations inevitably lead to politics: sharing our opinions and knowledge. Will Thailand’s event industr y bounce back after COVID-19, and when is that likely to happen? I’m certain it will. The industry will be different in many ways but provided the priority is always around the safety of an event, rights holders and brands will find ways to adapt and develop to fit this new normal. I would go as far as to say, some of the necessary changes will lead to growth in the industry because different opportunities are manifesting – for example, the

PP The Sponsorship Expert

opportunities around virtual and hybrid events. What could Bangkok do better? I believe there is a pressing need to address air pollution in the city. It’s a complicated topic; I understand that. I can only hope the reduced PM readings we’ve witnessed during the pandemic (through the enforced closure of various high emitting sources) will have demonstrated to the decision-makers that it is possible to change the situation. Biggest myth/rumour about Bangkok/Thailand? People assume, somehow, that it’s a cheap place to live. It is not! Can you imagine living anywhere else? When I retire (although that’s a life I couldn’t feel further from right now!), I would probably split my time between Cornwall or Phuket. What’s next for you? Personally, I’m looking forward to resuming travel when COVID-19 restrictions allow. And as a business: we intend to continue our prepandemic trajectory to double in size through acquisition and our own growth.

If I could express one regret, I allowed my move to Thailand and the setting up of my business here to impact my relationship with my (then) wife, which sadly led to our divorce.

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Environment Story and Photos by Geoff Morrison www.siamscenes.net

Moonscapes, Myths and the Mekong

Southeast Asia’s greatest river has nourished the people of this region since their very beginnings, inspiring all kinds of ancient and present-day myths. Now, with so many dams holding back its natural flow, the river is under immense stress like never before.

t was incredibly dark and unusually misty when we arrived. At 5 a.m. we were perhaps the only humans in Pha Taem National Park in Ubon Ratchathani province. We could hardly see our feet and certainly didn’t comprehend the sprawling rock-scapes beneath us. We could have been on the dark side of the moon! With i-phone torches we inch our way towards Cha Na Dai Cliff top. The horizon begins to glow, then glisten, then erupt with Thailand’s very first rays of sunlight striking its eastern most face. Higher the sun gravitates, warming the mist, washing the valley, touching our souls before illuminating the nation beyond. This mythical metamorphosis was our first experience of the great Mekong River basin, Mother Nature’s 4,350 km liquid lifeline nurturing much of Southeast Asia with its agriculture, food and water.

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The water eroded "moonscape" of Sam Phan Bok

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Environment

Awaiting Thailand's first morning sun at Cha Na Dai Cliff top

The Mekong is born of melting ice in the Himalayan Plateau, draining through the deep gorges of China, known as the upper basin, and then through the lower basin countries of Myanmar, Laos, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam, before emptying into the South China Sea. The physical origins of the river are fascinating - a serpentine tapestry of mountains, gorges, valleys and deltas manipulated over millions of years by the forces of plate tectonics, sea level fluctuations, ice age and water erosion. Spiritually, the origins of the Mekong are intertwined with religious beliefs and mythology throughout the greater Asian region. In some Buddhist narratives, Lord Buddha uses a sword to slice the mountain and release the sacred waters that carved the Mekong we know today. Many believe the river was the place to which Lord Buddha journeyed to drink and bathe before reaching Nirvana. Other myths describe two friendly but quarrelling Nagas commanded by “the Great Sky God” to dig a channel to the sea. A giant golden catfish would be gifted to the winner.[2] Throughout these spiritual legends the origins, water, wildlife, places and objects of the Mekong are considered sacred. Yet, despite the cultural and life sustaining significance of the Mekong, the “Dam” word haunts the entire basin. Maxmilian Weschler’s article Dispute over Troubled Water, published in the December 2020 issue of The BigChilli, sheds light on the information war, political motivations and inter-country finger pointing surrounding Mekong dam building, and its massive negative impact on people, water and food resources. On that first magical morning I soon realized the most significant story of the Mekong lies in what you don’t see - water. Even in dry season, looking at the sheer scale of the Mekong valley, one must wonder where is the water? 22

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My wife and I continue our three-day journey around Khong Chiam, Pha Taem and Sampan Bok. Between Pha Taem and Kaeng Tana National Parks the river carves an abrupt u-shaped valley pushing a tongue of Laos into Thailand and defining the national border. From November to April the water occupies only a very small proportion of the ½ km wide basin leaving much of its eroded riverbed exposed. With its snaking canyon and three millennium time warp of cave rock paintings, Pha Taem is a geological theme park of tectonic thrusts, glacial scrapes and

A misguided myth today is that hydroelectricity is a preferred, clean, sustainable energy source. Large scale damming brings widespread impact on local communities, unsafe flood areas, negative impacts on river ecosystems, flora and fauna, geologic hazards, and regional water disputes.

sedimentary folds. There are bizarre mushroom rock pedestals and hectares of fractured rock surfaces. Not to mention the site of Oliver Stone’s 2004 blockbuster film Alexander the Great, where Angelina Jolie and Colin Farrell bring Macedonian affairs, battles, and conquests to the Mekong. On Day 2 we drive 120 km north to Sampan Bok, Thailand’s 3,000 Hole canyon extraordinaire. Here the legendary Naga’s carved a water channel of somewhat extra- terrestrial character. Ten square kilometers of sandstone have been scooped and sculpted by water over thousands and millions of years. Like clouds in the sky, the deep impressions evoke dream-like faces, animals, hearts and almost anything else one may imagine. Sunset terraces (Hat Hong), narrow channels (Pak Bong) and the legendary cliff (Lak Sila Lek) are some of the most popular destinations in dry season, when all is exposed to the eye. On the eve of Chinese New Year, we escape to the small local fishing village of Ban Ta Mui. Deep in the dry gorge a fishing boat awaits and takes us upstream zig zagging freely over the invisible mid-river Thai/Laos border. Where the basin widens to a kilometer of dry riverbed, we dock on a sandstone reef. A lone washed-up television rests resilient on the rocks waiting for the next monsoon. A group of local campers arrive - “This place is secret” they exclaim” as a couple of bottles of the rice whisky Mekong appear. We navigate homewards towards a golden whisky sunset and reflect on our experience, a kind of 19th century Nile adventure, worshipping deserted temples and mystical sun gods. We ponder the future of the river, droughts, and dams. There is a boom in the building of new hydroelectric dams over the next 15 years that could double the current cover of reservoirs globally. Eleven Chinese Dams on the upper Mekong, and Laos’s Xayaburi dam are certainly under scrutiny. During Mushroom pedestals at Pha Taem National Park the 2019 El Nino induced

Dams and reservoirs are now known to be a major source of greenhouse gas emissions including methane gases, which are substantially more impactful than carbon dioxide.

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Environment drought, China was estimated to control almost half of the Mekong’s water flow, with dams holding back more than 12 trillion gallons. Laos operates more than 60 dams on Mekong tributaries. In dry season the operators will retain as much water as they can. These upstream dams disrupt fish and wildlife habitats and restrict life sustaining sediment from nourishing downstream eco-systems. The giant catfish and Irrawaddy River Dolphin are only some of many species endangered or under threat. The nearby Pak Mun Dam provides a home-grown Thai example, where almost three decades after construction government and communities are still reeling from negative impacts and environmental disputes. A misguided myth today is that hydroelectricity is a preferred, clean, sustainable energy source. Large scale damming brings widespread impact on local communities, unsafe flood areas, negative impacts on river ecosystems, flora and fauna, geologic hazards, and regional water disputes. Dams and reservoirs are now known to be a major source of greenhouse gas emissions including methane gases, which are substantially more impactful than carbon dioxide. Another myth is that these dams are reliable. Changes in rainfall and the increasingly unpredictable occurrence of droughts impact lives on an international scale, through these massive projects. Mekong country governments still claim dams are essential for economic development, and construction continues. The Mekong River at Sam Phan Bok

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The most significant story of the Mekong lies in what you don’t see - water. Even in dry season, looking at the sheer scale of the Mekong valley, one must wonder where is the water? On Earth Day 2021, the US government committed to an ambitious 50% reduction in greenhouse gases by 2030. Overly ambitious, perhaps yes, but certainly a catalyst to action, inspiring hope for change. If successful, the policy will require sweeping changes to the way hydro and conventional energy sources are developed. In Thailand, one of the world’s largest floating solar farms is under way at Sirindhorn Dam, only 40 km from the Mekong River. With 144,417 solar panels it will be one of the world's largest hybrid hydro-solar power achievements. Thailand promises eight more similar floating solar farms over 16 years. Other fascinating alternatives are under development around the globe including ocean wave power, tidal

The Mekong basin in dry season

power, drone suspended wind farms and more. The future of alternative energies is bright as technologies rapidly develop amid growing public and government awareness.

During the 2019 El Nino induced drought, China was estimated to control almost half of the Mekong’s water flow, with dams holding back more than 12 trillion gallons. Laos operates more than 60 dams on Mekong tributaries. In dry season the operators will retain as much water as they can.

From mountains to moonscapes, valleys to sea, myths to reality, the great Mekong River has nourished the people of South East Asia since their very beginnings. Today, the basin’s spectacular landscapes are testament to a world resource under stress. Perhaps those magical eastern sunrises carry a message to mankind - shedding light on our environmental negligence and illuminating the way towards a more sustainable future.

Future fishermen strike a pose at Ban Ta Mui, Khom Chiam District TheBigChilli

News By Robin Westley Martin

For the heroes of Klong Toey, the work never stops Headed by Greg Lange and Friso Poldervaart, a team of volunteers have spent the past year helping the poorest of the poor in Bangkok to survive Covid-19.

We go where it's needed, when it’s needed, on the ground, every single day

ow! It’s a whole year already! … I had just received a Facebook notification reminder about a story I wrote in 2020. It has now been just over a year since the first lockdown in Thailand due to the Covid pandemic. The article I had written was about a group of farang (foreign) business guys in Bangkok who were visiting 26

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impoverished parts of the city delivering hot meals, bags of rice, and household necessities to the poorest people in the city, who were struggling because of the lockdown, as well as other restrictions put in place. The deliveries by this team and their other foreign and Thai volunteers had kept hundreds of families going, kept the wolf from the door while they were unable to make any money for themselves. I got to know the team quite well last year, and had accompanied them on some of their visits to the slum districts to hand out meals and other living necessities. None of us imagined that we would be doing the same thing over twelve months down the road. The team, ‘Dinner From the Sky,’ have set up a dedicated charity during the intervening year, ‘Bangkok Community Help’ which has just been granted

foundation status, and which helps them to maximise any donations they receive. The two people behind it are Greg Lange and Friso Poldervaart. Greg told me, “When the restrictions eased last summer we never stopped, because we knew that there are always going to be poor and underprivileged in Bangkok. We went out every Sunday, and delivered 500 hot meals, bags of rice, household goods, and clothes and children’s toys that had been donated. We never missed a week.” At the end of April there was a huge surge. The situation on the ground rapidly deteriorated, and in no time they soon found themselves delivering 2,000 meals per day … every day … plus the rice and all the other items. Things were going from bad to worse every day, and it was all getting out of hand. The team, and the city, needed help. The area of the city where the most help is needed is Klong Toey, with its large population of Bangkok’s poor, and this is where Friso, Greg and their team have been concentrating their efforts. They soon realised the severity of the third wave threatened to overwhelm them, and they were in desperate need of help. It came! TheBigChilli

News

Khun Korranit Ngamsukonratana is the Member of Parliament for Klongtoey and Wattana district, and Khun Parit Chittaropas is her son. They came on board to help. I asked if they could spare some time for an interview, and they kindly agreed to take some time out of their busy schedule.

When the new outbreak started to affect your constituents in Klong Toey, what was your first reaction? When Covid cases started to show up in the Klong Toey community, we knew right away that we needed to do something to stop it and we needed to act fast. Klong Toey is the biggest slum area in Thailand, consisting of over 100,000 people living across 39 communities. People in Klong Toey work in all sorts of industries, and contribute a lot to the workforce of Bangkok; from deliverymen, restaurant cooks, security guards, staff at department stores, taxi, tuk-tuk and motorcycle drivers and so on. Therefore, when Covid hits an area like Klong Toey and it isn’t contained properly, it can easily spread all over the city.

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For this reason my mother, who is an MP, and myself straightaway requested that Covid check-points be set up in in Klong Toey communities. The day after the Prime Minister convened a cabinet meeting in the afternoon specifically to discuss the ‘Klong Toey cluster’. He sent five or six mobile check-point teams to be based in Klong Toey, and rotate around the various sectors for fifteen days. And we also prepared three sites to give out Covid jabs for people living in the community, also for fifteen days, aiming at 3,000 to 4,000 people per day. This is currently under discussion to be extended. How did you find out about what Friso and Greg had been doing to help the poor in Bangkok since the first lockdown. Once you had contacted them how did you decide how you could work together? The first time we met was during the first outbreak, over

a year ago, when we had joined them to hand out food and drink to people who had lost their jobs or income because of Covid. We stayed in touch after that. There is this chemistry or something between us that helps us work well together. We have the same objective, in that our drive is to help people. We were aware of both Greg and Friso’s sincere good intentions to the people from day one. They put others before themselves and they never get tired of helping, always coming up with new ideas. After we got to know each other better, we began to target ways we could work together to help improve people’s lives. Not only from donations, but by helping them in other ways, to have better futures and better lives for themselves and their families. When Friso and Greg first started their program of donations they were sometimes blocked by officialdom. How have you helped them in this respect? We are now helping them to communicate more effectively with the district officials and police. We do our best to help facilitate their kindness and good intentions when helping others by ensuring that they are not breaking any laws, and trying to get them over the hurdles. Now, together with the help of my mother and myself, they have full access to do anything and go anywhere that they need. Now that you are working together with Friso and Greg, how do you decide which particular residential areas to target for the food and other aid that they give? As we know all the 39 community leaders in Klong Toey, we act as a conduit, providing Friso and Greg with information regarding the communities that are

in need of – or are requesting – help. We also share official information such as the number of positive Covid cases in each community and the number of people in quarantine before we decide which area to target. We then rotate between the 39 communities after prioritising those that need aid the most. Many times, desperate people have contacted us directly because they had no idea who to contact. As soon as we let Frisco and Greg know about these requests they send someone over to help right away, with food, or whatever else it might be that is needed. This is the most effective way we can work together. People live under different circumstances, they need different things … some have infants or babies, some have elderly or infirm folk to look after, some need help more than others. These are the things that the community leaders know intimately about their neighbours, and we act as a bridge to make sure that the right kind of help goes to the right place. How are you going to continue to work together, what is your plan for the coming few weeks, and what will it be looking ahead? During this third wave of the pandemic we have, as a team, put together and distributed over 5,000 packages

of aid kits to families who have Covid, are in quarantine, or who have lost their jobs because they were unable to go to work. We are also cooking and distributing over 2,000 hot meals per day to individuals and families living in Klong Toey. These aid packages are very helpful for people because they can be used as they need them, and they don’t have to go out to buy food or household supplies, at the risk of spreading or contracting the virus. Post-Covid we will resume several of the projects that we had been working on together, but have had to pause due to the current situation. We will resume the program of bringing international school teachers and basketball coaches directly to the kids in the Klong Toey communities. And also continue to find different systems and opportunities to help them in other ways. TheBigChilli

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Klong Toey, with its large population of Bangkok’s poor, is where Friso, Greg and their team have been concentrating their efforts. They soon realised the severity of the third wave threatened to overwhelm them, and they were in desperate need of help. It came!

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We are lucky to have found people like Friso, Greg, and their mixed team of farang and Thai volunteers. On behalf of the residents of Klong Toey slum my mother and myself extend our heartfelt thanks.”

One project that I think could be meaningful for the community is to organise a talent pool, and invite headhunters from outside to search the pool for talented or skilled people who are looking for work. There are many projects in the slum communities that can’t be developed using a government budget, due to land encroachment issues. So receiving help from the private sector and kind-hearted individuals is effective and meaningful to those who are in serious need. We will make a commitment to continue to support each other in as many ways as possible. For example, Friso and Greg, along with a team of their volunteers, recently helped to convert a garbage dump in Lock 4-5-6 into a communal area where people can hang out, spend time together, and reinforce a stronger community spirit. Friso and Greg also helped to fit out and equip a dedicated Klong Toey ambulance, to transport Covid and bed-bound patients to hospitals and take them back home. 32

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“We've been doing this since the first Covid wave and have not stopped since. We get so involved in the different communities, we love them and the people” GREG told me that for the last fifteen days they have been giving out in excess of 2,000 hot meals per day, along with hundreds of 5kg bags of rice, trays of eggs, and accompanying care packages, which the team put together every morning, for delivery to the areas they are told about by the community leaders. The ongoing project helping the poor of Klong Toey during this devastating outbreak is a collaboration between Dinner from the Sky, Bangkok Community Help and Thum Dee Dai Dee. Over 2,000 meals seven days a week are being delivered to more than 15 different slum communities in Klong Toey. Friso, Greg, and all the volunteers are becoming very involved in these communities, and are starting to make friends there. Friso told me that the priority is always to keep everyone in the team and the people they help as safe as possible. Because the situation is so difficult, they do indeed take risks everyday by giving out the hot meals and care packages. “The question is, if we don't do it, who will,” said Friso. They fought hard and lobbied for more testing and vaccination in Klong Toey as they saw early on that things would spiral out of control fast if nothing was done. Together with Khun Nong (the Member of Parliament) and her son Khun Parit, and because of their tireless efforts, testing and vaccination was begun, and is continuing apace. The whole thing is being well and efficiently run, and hopefully soon the whole community will have been vaccinated. Those over 60 or with underlying conditions receive the Astra Zeneca jab, while most of the rest receive the Chinese jab, Sinovac. Besides the daily activities Dinner From the Sky / Bangkok Community Help are helping individual families and kids with milk, diapers, cooking oil, candy for the kids etc. They support hospitals around the city with donation of PPE equipment, and have built (and are building) houses in Klong Toey. Recently they completely one entirely new house. Now preparations are being made to build a two-storey house where 21 kids can live. Their current housing

is extremely bad, with no running water, holes in the floors, walls and ceilings, rat-infested. The team run classes for the Klong Toey kids, teaching them English, dance and creative arts, and enable them with them computer skills, and they organise basketball classes to help the youngsters exercise and promote teamwork. Just before the third wave hit they completed a huge project completely renovating a community centre and sports field in Klong Toey Lock 4,5,6. I’ll let Friso tell you himself how he and Greg feel about the journey they started on just over a year ago: “We've been doing this since the first Covid wave and have not stopped since. We get so involved in the different communities, we love them and the people. Our organisation grew from five volunteers cooking meals in a kitchen to a huge team of almost 200 giving their valuable time for free to help out others in need. Corporate sponsors, celebrities, politicians … donors from around the world have all come aboard, “We receive so many messages per day of encouragement as well as people wanting to help, we're very grateful for all the support we get. As Covid is at peak height right now, we're also operating at peak performance. Seven days a week, 2,000 meals a day, 1,000's of care packages for people in quarantine and people with low or zero income. “We need as much support as possible to be able to keep going, together we will come out of this, but now is the time to look around and help the people that aren't capable of helping themselves. “We're not bound by complex structures, so when we see someone in need, we go there and help ... handson, without restrictions, right away. This is what makes us different from other organisations, we go where it's needed, when it’s needed, on the ground, every single day. “If there's anyone that knows what's really going on in the Klong Toey communities, it's us … because we're there all the time. And we love it!” Robin Westley Martin

Bangkok Community Help needs your help to help the people it helps … if you can make a donation, please go to … Facebook.com/Bkkcommunityhelp … and … Facebook.com/dinnerfromthesky TheBigChilli

News

Farewell to magazines, including some of our own! By Colin Hastings

Plenty have tried - and failed - to publish a magazine in Thailand. And they include the BigChilli

agazine publishing reached its zenith in Thailand in the early 2000s, with every Dom, Tik and Hari believing they could, and should, get into a business they really didn’t understand. Not surprisingly, most quickly went of business, a lot worse-off than they ever thought possible. One would-be lady publisher lost her house and land to pay off debts amassed in her pursuit to become Thailand’s

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version of Conde Nast, while others kissed goodbye to lifetime savings – and their partners in a couple of cases. In the last issue of the BigChilli, we featured the front covers of some of the English language magazines that once graced the shelves of Bangkok’s bookshops. Here are few more: Clearly, publishing isn’t as easy or rewarding as many imagine. And nobody knows that better than the BigChilli, so we’re not gloating.

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Gone but not forgotten Magazines published by the BigChilli over the past 20 years

n the past 21 years since the first issue of the The BigChilli, we have also dabbled in Bangkok’s extremely perilous media scene with the launch of at least ten titles – none of which, for all kinds of reasons, are sadly no longer around. They include: • JOURNEYS IN ASIA, a glossy magazine for the travel industry, which was put on hold only because we wanted to focus more on The BigChilli. Unfortunately, we never got around to reviving the mag, which is a shame as it was proving very popular. • THAILAND CATERER & HOTELIER, a trade magazine aimed at the F&B business. We quickly realized that the catering ‘trade’ had their own, very Thai way of twisting arms and securing lucrative contracts!

• ZONE, launched in 2002 and focusing on Bangkok’s booming live music scene. The title was inspired by the then government’s plan to create various zones in the city according to usage, including entertainment. Featuring great design, funky graphics and cool columnists, the magazine was probably too risqué and too far ahead of its time. Even by today’s standards, it’s a good-looking publication. • COAST, so named to distance this beautiful magazine from its main target market – Pattaya – which didn’t enjoy a particularly good reputation at that time. Rival publishers in the resort proved ruthless with their massive undercutting of our ad rates. • HUA HIN, another quality travel magazine that proved very popular. Logistically, a difficult business proposition that stretched our resources. TheBigChilli

News • PULSE, a racy tabloid newspaper for Bangkok and “guide to the city’s heartbeat” including our second stab at the music scene. Bangkokians never did take to tabloids. • VISITORS’ GUIDE, offering tourists all they needed to know about Bangkok’s exotic nightlife. Another tabloid that hit the dust, killed off by dozens of cheaper guides. • HOMES, launched as a tabloid to capture the boom in Thailand’s real estate scene in the early 2000s. Advertisers preferred to be in the glossy pages of the BigChilli. • GOLF, a newspaper hoping to cash in on the sudden and massive increase in the game. It should have been in Thai or even Japanese. • THAILAND TRAVEL & MICE UPDATE, Created specifically for travel companies based in the UK and Ireland. Supported by the Tourism Authority of Thailand, which ran out of budget. We have also produced quality magazines for the British Chamber of Commerce Thailand (BCCT), the British Club Bangkok, various embassies and private companies. Other publications include a guide to Thailand spas and a review of the country’s golf courses. Over to you, Mark Zucherberg!

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Property

Plan your dream home in a 180-acre private estate in the hills overlooking the unspoiled beach resort of Bangsaray.

Buraran Spectacular

Only a 90-minute drive from Bangkok, and just 25 minutes from Sattahip and Pattaya. A choice of superb one-rai plots available from 4 million baht. Enjoy the peace, seclusion and privacy of a home surrounded by nature. Call Benjamin: 081 866 3597 for information.

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Balinese style houses at Buraran

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Property Bangsaray Beach, a short drive away

Gorgeous ‘flame trees’ light up the property 42

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Buraran’s beautiful lakes and mature trees

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Property

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Wooded hills flank the property TheBigChilli

Interview

Mr Pierre-Andre Pelletier, one of the leading hoteliers in Thailand.

Montien’s new Area GM all set for the relaunch of legendary Bangkok hotel

he GM steering the revival of the Montien Hotel Surawong Bangkok, and 56 Surawong Hotel is Mr Pelletier, multi-lingual, seasoned hotelier with over 30 years’ hospitality experience in Europe and Asia. From a family of hoteliers and restauranteurs in Switzerland, he graduated from the renowned EHL – Ecole hôtelière de Lausanne in Switzerland. His career in Thailand began more than 28 years ago at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. In recent years, Mr Pelletier was based at the Amari Phuket as Regional Vice President, Operations Southern Thailand, Vietnam, Maldives with Onyx Hospitality Group. During his time here, Mr Pelletier has had the rare distinction of working for two of Thailand’s legends in the hospitality industry– Kurt Wachtveitl, GM at the Oriental Bangkok, and the Amari Group’s Managing Director/CEO Kurt Rufli. How has Thailand’s hospitality industr y changed since you first came here in 1992? I remember as if it was yesterday my first day at the The Oriental Bangkok, where I started my hospitality career in Thailand. In the years that followed, there were many changes to the hospitality sector here. Global marketing campaigns established Thailand as a leading international destination while new source markets attracted travelers from China, India and Russia. The MICE market also flourished, and Bangkok was chosen as the venue for many global conferences. This led to the opening of many new hotels to meet 46

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demand. We also witnessed a wave of new technology such as revenue management and CRM systems. Looking ahead to a post-COVID world, we will need to adjust to the new normal. Thailand will reinvent itself using online communication to attract visitors. What makes Thailand stand out as a travel and MICE destination? Its PEOPLE – that’s why Thailand is known as “the land of smiles”. This is as true today as it has always been. Service delivery here is exceptional and sincere. The country also offers a unique range of options, from mountains to beaches and the cosmopolitan flavors of Bangkok. Thailand is constantly evolving and will continue to do so. It’s a destination that attracts a lot of repeat visitors who return both for the warmth of the people and to continue discovering the vast array of travel options. Why did you decide to join Montien Hotel Surawong? I had been working for ONYX for more than 28 years in both resort and urban destinations. Having spent seven years in Phuket, covering south of Thailand, Vietnam and Maldives, the possibility of returning to Bangkok was appealing. As I learned more about the history of the Montien Hotel, I realized what a unique opportunity this was. The hotel has a wonderful and colorful history spanning more than 50 years during which time it hosted everyone from Thai royalty to Hollywood stars. The hotel itself has a rich design heritage both in its architecture and interior design. Today the Montien

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Interview is entering a new era based on the concept of the ‘Revival of the Original’. The Montien is owned by the Tantakit family of Bangkok who have partnered with Conduit House, an Asset Management company based out of Hong Kong, to undertake a complete renovation of the hotel which celebrates the past while presenting a thoroughly modern experience for a new generation of guests. In addition to my role of area General Manager of the Montien Hotel Surawong and 56 Surawong, I am also Vice President Asset Management Conduit House. What do you see as your biggest challenge as the new Area General Manager? Apart from the challenges posed by the COVID situation, my biggest test is to ensure that the essence of the new Montien is fully brought to life for today’s guests. We are a hotel that celebrates our heritage and traditions but fully understands the needs of a new generation. Our aim is to reposition the Montien as one of the leading hotels in Bangkok and the region. How will the Montien respond to the changing needs of the travelers in the post-COVID age? There is a great resilience within Thai tourism and there’s still a strong interest in travel to this wonderful country. I have been through many difficult periods during my career in Thailand, caused by domestic and international factors. COVID is somewhat different. However, post COVID there will be new challenges relating to health and safety. Countries will adapt as will we at The Montien. Which overseas markets will be the first to return to Thailand? Right now it’s difficult to say, but big markets like Australia, Indian and China are not likely to be back here soon. Regional countries will probably be the first, followed by Europeans. I’ve heard that some Scandinavian airlines are planning charter flights to Thailand later this year, but the key to recovery is vaccinations and bilateral agreements between 48

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countries. Japan was big for us, and will be in the future. FITs will be the first to recover, along with small groups. We’re already getting inquiries for conferences late this year and more for 2022. When will the hotel be ready to welcome guests? The Montien Surawong North Wing is now completed, with all rooms/suites, pool, fitness operational. We have also reopened the Reunton Restaurant which is beloved by generations of Thai families and is well known for its ‘Hainanese Chicken Rice’, awarded by Michelin BIB Gourmand. In addition, we have opened a new outlet – the Phra Ram IV Bistro by highly regarded Chef Herve Frerard. The Rajmontien Ballroom can accommodate up to 600 guests and is the only hotel venue in Bangkok to offer Samsung 360-degree LED column technology. We also have An An, a music themed events space with multiple venues. The Montien Surawong South Wing will be launched later this year and will include a Garden Lounge, as well as the Montienthip Ballroom, famous for the wonderful artwork by Ajarn Paiboon

Suwannakudt. We will also reintroduce Le Gourmet Grill, a much loved venue from the past, with its exciting new gourmet dining concept. There are many more exciting developments coming, and so far, the feedback from our guests and business partners has been very positive. I am extremely proud to be in charge of this unique hotel and I look forward to being part of the next era of this amazing Bangkok landmark. TheBigChilli

Restaurant

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Clément Hernandez, Chef of Workshop

By Agneta de Bekassy

lément was born and raised in Cahors, Lot, southwestern France, an historic city with special significance to Danish people. This is where the late Prince Henri-Marie-Jean Andre de Laborde de Monpezat of Denmark’s castle Chateau de Caix and his vineyards are located. The Danish Royal family spent their summer holidays at Cahors, and Queen Margrethe II celebrated many of her birthdays there. Prince Henrik (as the Danes call him) was proud of his wine and it is still served at most Danish banquets hosted by the Royal family. Clément later moved to Toulouse to follow a vocational degree in culinary art, learning preparation, cooking, presentation and the serving of food. Like many of his colleagues, Clément started to cook at a young age. Indeed, he followed in the footsteps of his father, a chef. “I grew up in the countryside and I loved to cook with my grandmother. My grandfather grows vegetables and we always use local grown products at home. I think I can say that I always have been related to food in one or another way.” When I asked who influenced him in his choice of profession he answers: “Obviously first my grandmother and my dad. Later on, I was also influenced by the chefs from school like MOF JeanLuc Danjou and Robert Bertolino, also by grand Michelin Chefs like Jean Cousseau, Michel Roux, Franck Putelat and Jean-Michel Lorain, to mention a few”.

Before Bangkok had the pleasure of welcoming Clément, he worked in Burgundy, France, at the 3 star Michelin restaurants of Le Relais Bernard Loiseau. At this point, I asked him why he decided to come to Bangkok and open a restaurant here. “I arrived first in Phuket in 2009 and stayed for a while, but decided to return to France to pursue my career in Michelin restaurants. In 2009, gastronomy in Thailand looked different from what it is today. I wanted to come back here and work for a Michelin star Chef. It was then that Chef Jean -Michel Lorain offered me a job at his restaurant J’aime by Jean- Michel Lorain at U Sathorn and I immediately took the opportunity.” Why open your own restaurant on Soi Yen Akat in the Sathorn area of Bangkok and not the busy Sukhumvit area? “I’m a countryside man and I have never lived in a big city. Sathorn, in my opinion, and especially Soi Yenakart, is like a small city within the big city. It’s like a village in the middle of bustling Bangkok. I came here six years ago and never have had the wish to leave this area.” What do you see as your specialties? “Talking about products, it would be my home products like foie gras and Black Winter Truffle (when it’s in season). I’m trained in classic French cuisine and to me sauces are generally the most important ingredients and components of the dishes. For me the sauces are the quintessence of the food.” Clément admires many chefs and he admits that TheBigChilli

Restaurant

all of those he has worked for have influenced and inspired him – and have made me the Chef he is today, he says. “As for a chef, for whom I have never worked, I probably would say Chef Yannic Alléno, who has inspired me the most due to his research on and work with sauces.” Chef Yannick Alléno is also French and runs the restaurants Pavillion Ledoyen and L’Abysse in Paris, and Le 1947 in Courcheval, a very popular ski resort. He has been awarded six Michelin stars in his career. At Clément’s restaurant Workshop, food and wine meet art and music. Here customers can enjoy excellent food in a private space or within the delights of art decorated walls. Clément sources sustainable and unique products locally as much as possible, and admits with a smile that “eggs are one of the hardest things to cook.” Craft, expertise, and innovation characterize the Workshop. “My restaurant can be seen as a laboratory where the staff’s creativity is at the forefront. It’s sincere dining, a real tribute to fine dining. Workshop is dedicated to making craft and art a meaningful part of everyday life.” 52

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n July 14th 2020 Workshop officially opened its door and presented its first exhibition, a collection of black and white photographs by the Dutch photographer Albert Leeflang. For that evening Clément created a range of black and white food plates to accompany the photographs. Workshop operates from Monday until Saturday from 11 am to 11 pm for lunch, a la carte, dinner and cocktails. The restaurant can host a seated dinner for 40 guests and 100 guests for a cocktail. It also has a cozy terrace. Unfortunately, Workshop’s launch coincided with the first Covid lockdown, not the best time to open a restaurant. “My partners and I came up with the name Workshop together. It’s a tribute to craftsmanship. It’s a combination of food and beverage, art in general such as photography, paintings and music. Our restaurant is a meeting point for artists both locals and internationals. Internally, this restaurant is the tip of the iceberg of our common project as we have many more projects to come, such as Workshop

Greenhouse, which will focus on vertical farming. This place will soon open just a few meters away from the restaurant. o what does Clément think about Thailand? After all, he’s been here nine years – three in Phuket and six in Bangkok. “Thailand has treated me very well during these years both personally and also professionally. “I feel home here, and I appreciate the country and its people. I love the way of life here, sabai, sabai. The living standard is high and it has been interesting to live here. I think I have become a better person, at least a calmer one. It is quite difficult to become part of the community though; you will always be reminded that you are a farang both at work and in private. I wish that would change a bit.” When Clément has visitors coming to town, he likes to take them to Baan Khanitha on Sathorn Road for genuine Thai food and also for Phuket cuisine; he likes Pray Raya as his favorite Thai restaurant. He also recommends Saawaan on Suan Plu for an up-scale Thai food experience. He enjoys taking friends for a

stroll in ChinaTown and he encourages them to try the amazing street food. When it comes to French food, Le Cabanon is on the top of his list, especially when he’s feeling a bit homesick, he admits. Clément loves Thai food, especially from northern Thailand. He has spent time there on a wild mushroom project and became a fan of their food while there. He is not very fond of very spicy food, he says. “Future plans, in addition to Workshop Greenhouse mentioned earlier, is to open another Workshop restaurant closer to the CBD area. Because of the current Covid-19 restrictions, we are also working on a food delivery project, but we do hope that life in the very near future will go back to normal.” If he could pick one person, anyone in the world to dine with, Clément says he would love to have his grandpa at the table, to cook for him and share a dinner. “I miss my grandpa a lot and I know he would love it. Well, I would also like my entire family around me. Without them and their support I would not have become the chef I am today.”

Workshop: 15, 1 Yen Akat Rd, Chong Nonsi, Yan Nawa, Bangkok 10120 Tel. 062 519 0055 TheBigChilli

News

Is it time for Cannabis? Ganj Coffee, a new coffee shop on Dongtan Beach, Jomtien, certainly thinks so

n December 2020, the Heath Minister of Thailand allowed certain parts of the cannabis plant (ganja) to be legally sold for commercial purposes. Many coffee and tea shops, and restaurants have been jumping on the bandwagon to infuse cannabis leaves for fun and pleasure in both food and beverages. Many questions have been asked about the plant’s ability to produce psychoactive effects 54

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on the consumer. Cannabis Sativa, which is indigenous in East Asia, including Thailand, is a medicinal plant. Significant research indicates that tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) is the only major psychoactive metabolite, and this is mainly produced from buds or blossoms. Apart from flowers, buds or blossoms, the rest of Ganja has been used for centuries as important ingredients in Thai herbal medicine. There are many

health benefits from its use in food and beverages, including but not limited to helping lower blood pressure, decreasing cholesterol, lowering blood sugar, helping insomnia and much more. Ganj Coffee – Dongtan Beach Ganj Coffee is a new coffee shop recently opened on Dongtan Beach, Jomtien. Ganj is short from the word Ganja in Sansakrit which means cannabis in Hindi or marijuana in Spanish. In Thailand it’s called gancha in Thailand. In addition to a spectacular ocean view, especially at sunset, Ganj Coffee offers beverages and food mixed with cannabis leaves and parts that are 100% legal and organic. It is produced from a Thai, legally licensed professional grower. There is no contamination or unwanted chemical that will harm consumers. At Ganj Coffee, cannabis products are not only offered for fun and pleasure. They emphasize the health benefits as well. Hot and cold beverages including coffee, tea and Italian sodas are carefully prepared with and without ganja according to customer’s requirements. There are different flavors of coffee which one can select. Some people love hot, while others prefer cold. Cannabis Benefits Ganja leaves are believed to increase calmness and reduce anxiety. Tea from ganja leaves will create a sense of healing, and iced ganja tea is known to refresh your mind. In the near future, Signature Pastry and daily made bread will be freshly baked to

compliment drinks with or without ganja. A word of caution to consumers: when choosing cannabis products, purchase only 100% organic. Uncertified contaminated cannabis can be shipped to Thailand from other countries that have limited restrictions for growing. At Ganj Coffee no heavy metals or pesticides are included in the food and beverages. “We believe in the beauty of Dongtan Beach. Customers can purchase great drinks and experience the unsurpassed environment of Pattaya. Relax, rest and appreciate the serenity of the ocean,” said Paisan and Deborah, owners of Ganja Coffee. They love animals, and dogs are always welcome. They hope to Plenty of parking is available day and night on the beach. TheBigChilli

Concrete Therapy

Advice for modern city-dwellers Despite our best efforts, life in the big city can get pretty complicated, tr ying to juggle work, social life, personal problems—not to mention the never-ending stream of stressful traffic. We can talk to friends and family, but their involvement might be a little too close to home…sometimes a professional opinion really helps to put things into perspective. Calling our concrete therapists from New Counseling Ser vice (NCS) to the rescue for some solid advice! Do you have a question for one of our counsellors? We will never print your real name, you can ask anything anonymously. Just send your problem to: info@ncsbkk.com or message @ncsbangkok on IG, FB, or Line. Meet our new counsellor, Marin Takahashi. Marin holds a Master's degree in Counselling and has been training with NCS for several years. She provides counselling in English, Thai, and Japanese.

Dear NCS, I’ve been married to my Thai wife for 5 years. She is a wonderful woman and we are very happy together. However, I recently discovered something disturbing. When she was only 19 years old, long before we knew each other, my wife had an abortion. She told me that it was a difficult time in her life and she was only a teenager, so she had to make this choice. When she told me, she cried for hours and said a weight had been lifted off her shoulders, as she never shared this information with anyone in her life. While I am happy that my wife was able to confide in me, as a conservative Catholic man, I am shocked. I tried not to react in a big way because I could see this was already a very difficult topic for her, but I have been taught since childhood that abortion is an unforgivable sin. I’m riddled with guilt that my wife did this, whatever the circumstances may have been. I want to be there for my wife, but I somehow need to reconcile this with my faith. How can we move forward as a couple? - Pro-life, pro-wife 56

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Dear Pro-life, pro-wife, ■ Thank you for sharing your story. Spiritual or religious conflicts can be challenging, especially if it involves a loved one. Firstly, it may be valuable for you to be able to really address and reflect on your feelings about the discovery. There are numerous methods to do so, starting with self-reflective questions. For instance, you’ve mentioned guilt, but were there any other emotions present? Perhaps anger, fear, or resentment? And to whom are these feelings addressed? It may be worthwhile to explore these thoughts, perhaps through journaling or sharing with a trusted friend to be able to visualise or vocalise them. Other methods may involve meditation,

Counsellor Marin Takahashi

writing out or using pre-written prayers, exploring healthy ways to express negative emotions, and making a list of what God is to you. Such methods may vary with personal preference, so whatever

you may find comfortable and suited to your personality can be beneficial in processing the acquired information. With regards to moving forward as a couple, there have been a few studies addressing challenge(s) of religious conflicts in couples counselling, and many professionals agree that when conflicts over spirituality emerge in couples therapy, spiritual sensitivity requires assessing the role of the spiritual in both of your lives. In other words, exploring each other’s religious or spiritual experiences, values, and beliefs.

The conversation may involve prompts such as “What gives your life meaning?” “What values do you hold that might be similar to your partner’s?” and “How does your spiritual or inner life influence your life?”. Additionally, assessing the dynamic of the relationship, particularly with nonreligious areas of your lives together may aid in recuperating and again, reflecting back on both of you as a couple and what you mean to each other. Having a respectful, meaningful conversation about the issue is important; however, it is also important to keep in mind to not reduce the dynamic of the relationship to one issue. On exploring other options within your current control of the situation, as Pope Francis has extended indefinitely the power of Catholic priests to forgive abortions, this may allow your wife to be absolved for her past actions. As he stated, “I can and must state that there is no sin that God's mercy cannot reach and wipe away when it finds a repentant heart seeking to be reconciled with the Father”. Marin Takahashi

Dear NCS, Last year, I went through a difficult time with Covid. As an extrovert, the lockdown left me feeling completely alone and vulnerable, and I had trouble sleeping. I went to see a psychiatrist, who prescribed sleep medication, muscle relaxants, and anti-depressants. I started taking these medications and developed strange side effects. When I brought this up with the psychiatrist, he prescribed more medications to counter the side effects. I am now on 7 different medications and feeling worse than ever. I am weak, can’t get out of bed, I cry all the time—I’m just a shadow of my former self. I didn’t even have the energy to type out this letter, but a friend of mine read your column and offered to type while I speak. None of the medications are helping, I can’t live like this anymore. My friend pushed me to reach out to you, it really feels like my last resort. - Shattered Extrovert TheBigChilli

Concrete Therapy Counsellor David Ogden

Dear Shattered Extrovert, ■ That’s a distressing experience you describe and I can imagine you’re feeling rather desperate at this point. There’s no doubt that COVID has had a massive impact on people’s lives in so many different ways, and the restrictions around work and social life have certainly been a significant part of that, particularly for extroverted people who derive more of their energy and fulfilment from being around other people. While I don’t want to outright question the psychiatrist or their approach, since I don’t know the full situation, I can certainly understand why you’re not happy with the outcome of the treatment you’ve received. Psychiatric medication is not meant to leave you weak and unable to get out of bed, so something appears to have gone very wrong there. How comfortable are you feeling with your psychiatrist at the moment? Like any profession, there are 58

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Photo by Verity Tan

different approaches that can be taken within psychiatry and if you’re not comfortable with the approach your current doctor has taken then I would strongly encourage you to visit a different doctor at a different hospital and get a second opinion about your condition and medication. There are several varieties of antidepressants that work in slightly different ways and so have varying side effects, so it is likely that different medications may suit you better. Another option could be to cut down on some of the medication altogether (although I would only recommend doing this under advice from a trusted doctor) and trying a different approach such as counseling to help manage your issues. We at NCS have seen many clients in the last year or so who have been affected by COVID in various ways, meaning you are certainly not alone in feeling alone and vulnerable due to the lockdown. Counselling has been

effective in assisting these clients and it may be a good option for you to consider, regardless of what decision you make about the medication. In the meantime, there are a few things you could try doing to help cope a bit better right now. It seems you’ve understandably got caught up in a negative cycle where your low mood reinforces your lack of energy and lack of purpose, which then drives your mood even lower, and so the cycle continues. I appreciate it won’t be easy given your current mental state, but I’d encourage you to find some ways to reverse this downward spiral. Anything you can do to give yourself a bit more energy and purpose will help break the hold this cycle currently has over you. Some suggestions would include: • Believe it’s possible that you can improve and get closer to being your normal self again, as people can and do recover from situations like the one you’re in. • Recognise that you need to start doing things differently, because if you continue the same cycle then you’ll remain in the same mental state. • Look after your physical health, as this will have a positive impact on your mental health. • Identify at least one achievable task to complete each day, such as do an errand, talk with a friend, do some exercise, or whatever. This will help provide an important sense of purpose to your daily life. Be willing to start small and build things up where you can. • Please use the support of people around you who can help as well. All the best in finding ways to overcome this real challenge you’re facing, and please consider getting some professional counseling if you need extra support with doing any of the above. Dave Counsellor

BITS & PIECES

Signature Chef Thierry introduces new line-up

Enjoy a trio of dishes at Signature Bangkok, VIE Hotel, personally created with the celebrated talent and passion of former 2 Michelin Star Chef Thierry Drapeau. These three dishes, if enjoyed together, will take diners from a sumptuous beginning to a very satisfying end. La Carotte Chef Thierry’s new starter is a variation around French carrots, in which the vegetable is found as a puree, a jelly, a sorbet, as a crisp, as a pickle and as a dry powder. The whole dish is seasoned with tarragon and coconut and paired with freshly made feuillete bread (brioche) bread also made of carrots and tarragon. Lamb from the Pyrenees From the French Pyrenees, this lamb is available only from the 15th of October to the 15th of June each year. Very tender with a particular generous milky twist, best served medium rare, this is extremely premium lamb. Mango Sticky Rice. The dessert comes with three plates, the main one

a variation with the sticky rice flavored with Pandan, fresh mango Nham Dok Mai from Chiang Rai served with coconut sorbet. The whole dish is perfumed with warm coconut cream. The two side dishes will be built with a combo of coconut, white chocolate, peanut, Pandan, crispy yellow mung beans and a mango blossom Enjoy Chief Thierry’s new dishes, and many others, for a memorable lunch or dinner at Signature Bangkok • Le Petit Bouquet 3-course luncheon menu THB 1,550++ • Le Petit Bouquet 3-course dinner menu THB 2,200 + • Le Grand Bouquet 5-course dinner menu THB 3,200 ++ Wednesday – Sunday Lunch: Noon – 3:00 pm Dinner: 6:00 pm – 9:00 pm Service is limited to 30 guests per evening, and reservations are required Signature Bangkok is located on the 11th floor of VIE Hotel Bangkok next to the BTS SkyTrain Ratchathewi station. www.signaturebangkok.com Line https://bit.ly/3ql8Jyn

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‘ALATi Up the Road’ – gourmet travels by Siam Kempinski Hotel

Reminisce about your travels as ALATi, the Mediterranean restaurant at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, takes you to experience delicious flavours from the Mediterranean Sea. Enjoy the ‘ALATi Up the Road’ mouthwatering threecourse set menu, from France, Spain, Italy and Turkey to your doorstep. Executive Chef Carlo Valenziano has created five set menus, cooked to order and available as a takeaway or for delivery via the LINE MAN and Foodpanda application. A Trip to France: THB 990 net per set • Duck Terrine, Mesclun Salad, Pickles, French Mustard • Roasted Pork Chop, Milk Sauce, Rosemary or Pan-fried Salmon with Meunière Sauce • Garlic and Rosemary Roasted Potatoes • Bread of the day • Choco Choux A Trip to Spain: THB 990 net per set • Salpicón de Marisco • Duck Leg Confit with Prunes or Seabass Basquaise Sauce 60

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• Butter Mashed Potato • Bread of the day • Spanish Flan with Caramel A Trip to Italy: THB 990 net per set • Burrata Cheese, Rocket and Roasted Seeds, Tomatoes with Basil and Balsamic Vinegar • Gnocchi Truffle or Pan-fried Seabass, Sicilian Caponata, Pistachio Pesto • Bread of the day • Delizia al Limone A Trip to Turkey: THB 990 net per set • Spinach and Feta Cheese Pide • Chickpea Hummus, Garlic Confit • Tomato and Walnut Salad • Pitta Bread • Roasted Seabass, Cardamom Fried Rice, Tarator Sauce or Spiced Grilled Chicken, Sesame and Garlic Spinach, Harissa Sauce A Green and Healthy Trip: THB 600 net per set • Mediterranean Chicken Salad • Pumpkin Soup • Bread of the day • Mango, Strawberries and Mint Takeaway and delivery service is available daily between 12:00 and 20:00 hrs via the LINE MAN and Foodpanda application.

Tel. +662 162 9000 between 12:00 and 20:00 hrs, email dining.siambangkok@kempinski.com

Enjoy IGNIV Chefs’ favorite family meals at home

Discover the favorite family meals of Head Chef David Hartwig and Sous/ Pastry Chef Arne Riehn of IGNIV Bangkok. Enjoy the secret recipes for comfort foods they make at home for friends and to share with their restaurant family. They include gourmet hot dogs, fresh panini sandwiches, artisanal bread, homemade flavored butter and dulce de leche bread spread, plus a selection of sweets including handmade salted caramel, macarons, and canalés. • IGNIV offers free delivery in Bangkok within 10km radius of the restaurant, with minimum order of THB 1,500. Available from 12:00 - 8:00 PM. Tel. 02-2077777 or LINE: @StRegisBangkok.

Ventisi’s Pizzas – delivered to your door

For authentic Italian pizzas at a reasonable price in Bangkok, skip the usual names next time you’re scrolling through GrabFood and choose Ventisi Delivery instead! Our popular pizzas are baked fresh to order in the ovens at Centara Grand at CentralWorld in the city center. Starting from just THB 290, you have a choice of classic Margherita, Napoli and 4 Fromage (4 cheese), as well as other options that come loaded with premium toppings such as: • Quattro Stagioni (Tomato, mozzarella cheese, mushrooms, pork ham, artichokes, black olives, basil); • Andrea e Palma (Tomato, mozzarella cheese, fresh basil, rocket leaves, extra virgin olive oil, Parma ham) • Bismark (Mozzarella cheese, bacon, parmesan cheese, egg) • Frutti di Mare (Tomato, mozzarella cheese, prawns, mussels, calamari, basil) • Hawaiian (Tomato, mozzarella cheese, pineapple, pork ham) • Ventisi (Mascarpone cheese, parma ham, rocket leaves) Available daily from 11.30 to 20.30 directly from Centara Grand at CentralWorld or via GrabFood Grab link: https://bit.ly/3fdHssV

Stars shine on Tanabata Festive Fare at Yamazato

The Tanabata festival, which traditionally takes place across Japan in the summer, is a time for family gatherings and good food. Which is why Master Chef Shigeru Hagiwara at Michelin Plate restaurant Yamazato is marking the occasion with traditional Tanabata Gozen lunch platters and a multicourse Kaiseki dinner with a twist. A number of the dishes feature decorations and ingredients with a Tanabata theme, such as seasonal sweet fish, cutlass fish and pike eel. In addition to delicious soups and noodles, also on offer are wonderfully fresh sashimi, tempura and grilled dishes. Enjoy a Gozen starter of smoked duck, scallop, baby corn and star-shaped paprika with yogurt egg yolk sauce, and a soup of shrimp, shimeji mushrooms and glass noodles with vegetables. The Tanabata festival menu at Yamazato runs from 1 – 31 July 2021, lunch 11:30 - 14:30, dinner: 18:00 - 22:30, priced at Baht 1,600++ for Gozen lunch and Baht 4,700++ for Kaiseki dinner. Yamazato Restaurant is located on the 24th floor of The Okura Prestige Bangkok. Tel 02 687 9000 or email yamazato@okurabangkok.com

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Feature

Mosquito-borne menace raises its head again in Southeast Asia hefty fines and even jail for property owners failing to get rid of mosquito larvae By MAXMILIAN WECHSLER

On June 14 last year Dr Sukhum Kanchanapimai, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Public Health (MOPH), announced strong measures aimed at stopping the spread of dengue fever in Thailand: Owners of properties who fail to get rid of mosquito larvae are subject to jail terms of up to three years and/ or a fine of up to 25,000 baht. Thailand is not alone in taking aggressive action to fight a public health menace that takes a lethal toll in this part of the world during monsoon season. The Singaporean National Environmental Agency announced on June 22 for households who repeatedly fail to eradicate mosquito breeding areas will face harsher punishments. Three-time offenders are subject to a fine of up to S$5,000 (about 112,000 baht), or imprisonment for a term of three months, or both, for the first court conviction. Even heavier penalties are levied on construction sites where mosquitoes are allowed to breed. The fine for first offence has been raised from $2,000 to $3,000; the fine for second offence has also been raised from $4,000, to $5,000. Three-time offenders must appear in court instead S$5,000 fine, where they face a fine not exceeding $20,000, or imprisonment up to three months, or both, for the first conviction. The new penalties went into effect on July 15. 62

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edia in Thailand and around the world are currently preoccupied with the struggle against the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19. But some public health officials caution that another disease spread by mosquitoes and once commonly referred to as ‘break-bone fever’ is not getting as much attention as it should. With the rainy season upon us dengue fever is once again set to take a grim annual toll in Thailand (see box ‘Ten year statistics’).

Dengue fever is a mosquitoborne viral disease found in tropical and sub-tropical climates worldwide, mostly in urban and semi-urban areas. As with COVID-19, there is no specific treatment, vaccine or cure for any of the three types. However, early detection of disease progression associated and access to proper medical care have lowered the fatality rate of severe dengue to below 1%. Dengue is transmitted to humans by the bite of an infected female mosquito of the species Aedes aegypti (yellow fever

mosquito) or sometimes Aedes albopictus (tiger mosquito), both found throughout the world and both able to live and reproduce inside and outside of homes. Aedes aegypti mosquitoes generally prefer to live indoors and near humans, their primary food source. They like to rest in cool, shaded places such as laundry areas, in closets, under tables and in wardrobes. Dengue-carrying mosquitoes may bite at any time of day, but mostly in early morning and evening. They often bite people around the feet and ankles, and reportedly are unable to fly

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Feature

lifecycle

higher than an adult’s knees and unable to breed if the temperature falls below 16C. n Thailand peak transmission occurs during rainy season, from April to December. An infection can be acquired via a single bite. Humans are the main host of the virus, but non-human primates can be also infected. Dengue can also be transmitted via infected blood products and through organ donation. Vertical transmission (from mother to child) during pregnancy or at birth has been reported. Other person-to-person modes of transmission, including sexual transmission, have also been reported but not confirmed. Not long ago an Italian man was found to have the virus in his semen more than a month after he was infected in Thailand. The virus was apparently undetectable in his blood and urine after around three weeks. Spanish authorities reported the likely transmission of dengue as a consequence of sex between two men. One of the men travelled to Cuba and the Dominican Republic (both countries where dengue is endemic) and returned to Spain on September 4, 2019. He developed symptoms of dengue the next day and had unprotected sex

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with a partner in Spain who had not travelled outside of Spain in the previous 45 days. His partner developed dengue symptoms on September 15. Health officials say more research is needed to confirm that dengue can be transmitted sexually. Mosquitoes have four life stages: egg, larva, pupa and adult. The adult life span of Aedes aegypti can range from two weeks to a month depending on environmental conditions, and is normally completed within one and a half to three weeks. After taking a blood meal, female Aedes aegypti mosquitos produce on average 100 to 200 eggs per batch. The entire life cycle of the Aedes mosquitoes, from egg to adult, takes approximately 7-10 days. Dengue itself is caused by a virus of the Flaviviridae family, which infects the mosquito and is transmitted to humans when they are bitten. There are four distinct but closely related serotypes of the virus that cause dengue fever: DENV1-4. The incubation time is from 3-14 days after the mosquito bites, most often within 4-7 days. Recovery from infection is believed to provide lifelong immunity against the serotype that caused the infection, but infection with another serotype may occur as cross-immunity to other serotypes after recovery is only partial, and

temporary. It is therefore possible for a person to be infected four different times. Subsequent or secondary infection with a new serotype increases the risk of developing severe dengue. Three levels of illness Illness caused by the bite of a dengue carrying mosquito is classified into three types according to severity: uncomplicated dengue fever (DF); and two potentially life threatening conditions - dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). DF – Symptoms of typical dengue usually start with fever up to 40C/104F or even higher after the bite of an infected mosquito, and may also include severe headache (mostly in forehead), pain behind the eyes which worsens with eye movement, severe joint and muscle pains and aches, swollen lymph nodes, nausea, general weakness, vomiting, skin rash, sudden chills, diarrhea, loss of appetite and weight loss. DHF – Symptoms include all of the above plus pronounced damage to blood and lymph vessels, causing bleeding from the nose, gums or under skin and resulting in purplish bruises. Death is a real possibility. DSS – Symptoms of this most

severe and dangerous form of the disease include all of the symptoms of classic dengue and DHF, plus fluids leaking from blood vessels, massive bleeding and shock due to a very low blood pressure. DSS generally occurs when an infected person goes to the hospital too late and the disease has already affected vital organs. DSS is associated with high mortality, but some patients may survive provided they are admitted to an ICU where extensive treatment can be provided. Histor y of dengue The first recorded mention of symptoms compatible with dengue fever was in China during the Jin Dynasty (265-420 AD), when it was referred to as a “water poison” and associated with flying insects. In the 15th to 19th centuries the primary vector, Aedes aegypti, spread out of Africa, due in part to increased transcontinental traffic secondary to the slave trade. There have been descriptions of epidemics since the 17th century. News of an epidemic in Batavia (now Jakarta) of an illness that sounds a great deal like dengue fever was reported in medical literature in 1779. Also in 1779 and 1780, an epidemic apparently swept across Africa and North America. In 1780 US physician Benjamin

Dengue infections and deaths in Thailand increased sharply in 2019 in comparison to the previous three years. Cases of dengue were reported in all of Thailand’s 77 provinces, with Chantaburi, Chiang Rai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Rayong and Ubon Ratchathani posting the highest numbers.

Rush coined the term ‘break-bone fever’ in reference to the extreme discomfort dengue patients commonly feel in their movements due to intense joint and muscle pain. It was confirmed in 1906 that Aedes mosquitoes are responsible for transmission, and in 1907 dengue fever was the second disease shown to be caused by a virus. (The first was yellow fever, caused by a different flavivirus.) Further investigations by John Burton Cleland and Joseph Franklin Siler completed the basic understanding of dengue transmission. The virus responsible for dengue fever was first isolated in 1943 by Ren Kimura and Susumu Hotta, who were studying blood samples of patients taken during the 1943 dengue epidemic in Nagasaki, Japan. During the last part of the 20th century, many tropical regions of the world saw an increase in dengue cases, with epidemics occurring more frequently and with more severity. In recent years dengue fever has become a major international public health concern, and in a global context it is currently considered to be the most important viral disease transmitted by mosquitoes that afflicts humans. Dengue and Thailand With an ideal climate for the spread of dengue, Thailand has probably witnessed epidemics going back centuries. The country’s first official cases of dengue weren’t diagnosed until 1949, however, after techniques to isolate the virus became disseminated. Since then the country has experienced several major epidemics. The first outbreak of DHF was reported in Bangkok in 1958, when 2,706 cases and 296 deaths were recorded, TheBigChilli

Feature a fatality rate of 10.9%. The first outbreak outside Bangkok was reported in 1974 and by 1978 confirmed cases were being reported throughout the country. A major outbreak occurred in 1987 and this remains the highwater mark for dengue fever in Thailand. In recent years the disease has demanded more attention. The dengue outbreak in 2013 was the second biggest since 1987 with regard to number of cases – a total of 154,773 infections – although the number of fatalities was relatively low at 136. This must be attributed to advancements in treatment. In 2015, 146,082 cases and 154 deaths were reported. Dengue infections and deaths in Thailand increased sharply in 2019 (see statistics on page12) in comparison to the previous three years. Cases of dengue were reported in all of Thailand’s 77 provinces, with Chantaburi, Chiang Rai, Nakhon Ratchasima, Rayong and Ubon Ratchathani posting the highest numbers. The DDC’s Bureau of Epidemiology reported in July 2019 that most patients infected were children aged 5-14, followed by those aged 15-34. A majority of the patients who died shared similar circumstances, such as living in communities with other dengue patients, self-treatment using non-prescription medicines from local shops, and being brought to hospital too late for effective treatments or receiving nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroid injections. ant Muangnoicharoen, a dengue specialist and doctor at the Hospital for Tropical Disease, said that children are at greater risk because they don’t take the same level of precaution as adults and, in many cases, they are unaware of the dangers. For someone over 15, the chance of death from dengue is increased with the presence of

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In 2016 a much-anticipated vaccine became available in parts of Southeast Asia and Central and South America. People in Thailand were excited when the vaccine arrived with a promise of 93% efficacy in reducing severity of the disease and 80% effectiveness in lessening the need for hospital treatment. chronic diseases and conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, obesity and drug use. This includes ibuprofen and injections of some pain killers. On January 21 last year the French government issued a travel warning to its citizens planning to visit Thailand due to an increase in the number of cases of dengue fever recorded since September 2019. The notice, which warned that the risk of infection was significantly higher in the Northeast of the country, particularly in Chiang Rai and Ubon Ratchathani provinces, was largely made irrelevant by the international travel restrictions imposed after the emergence of Covid-19. Waiting for a cure Although for decades considerable efforts have been made toward developing a dengue vaccine, no truly effective vaccine currently exists. In 2016 a much-anticipated vaccine became available in parts of Southeast Asia and Central and South America. People in Thailand were excited when the vaccine arrived with a promise of 93%

efficacy in reducing severity of the disease and 80% effectiveness in lessening the need for hospital treatment. Problems with the new vaccine soon became apparent, however. The three-installment dose was priced at around US$207, a bit expensive for most Thais. In 2017 a study presented evidence that the vaccine could backfire on those who had never had the virus before and lead to a more serious infection. In 2018 the vaccine’s manufacturers confirmed that it should only be given to those who had previously contracted a dengue infection, as it might increase the severity of subsequent infections. Finally, the vaccination has proved to be only around 60% effective, leaving researchers still searching for a dengue vaccination that is more effective, affordable and safe. Medical inter vention needed People who suspect they may be suffering symptoms of dengue fever should see a doctor at once. There’s no specific medication to kill the virus, but there’s no doubt that medical intervention saves lives.

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Thailand’s amazing ‘Kite Couple’ Meet the American-Thai husband and wife team whose passion for flying kites has brought immense prestige to Thailand from their non-stop participation in festival across the globe. In this uplifting story, Ron Spaulding tells how he and his wife Baew have weathered typhoons in Taiwan, freezing rain in Daishan, sand storms in Inner Mongolia, no wind in India, and all kinds of other challenges to share their dream with like-minded people of many nationalities. After nearly 60 years of flying kites, and having done just about everything to do with kites, Ron Spaulding says: "I'm living the best life I could ever imagine... and there are still a lot of new kite adventures waiting for me around the corner." American-born Ron, a resident of Thailand for more than 40 years, got his first introduction to creative kiting in the 70s. “I was working in Sweden and enjoying a 'creative life' as Art Director at one of Stockholm's most creative agencies. It was

on a memorable weekend in Stockholm at the Gardet Kite Festival that I saw amazing kite creations made by the students of Konstfact, the Swedish University of Arts, Crafts and Design. The seed was planted, and I immediately made my first kite, a two-meter bird. “In 1974 I accepted a dream offer in faraway Bangkok at the Couldry, Jones & Lindberg ad agency to work on the Thai International Airways account with Thai's marketing guru, Roy Howard.”

Another perfect kite festival day, perfect wind, all kites up… the Kite Couple ‘tether together’ at the Xiamen, China, International Kite Festival 2015. TheBigChilli

Kites My first introduction to Thailand's 'Royal' kites

requested a 10-minute slot (and a space in the sky) for a presentation of the unique n March 1975 I Thailand Chula & Pakpao ventured to Sanam 'Royal' kite competition. Luang to view the I became the announcer traditional Thai kite (speaking English in competition. It wasn't long Singapore was no problem) before I made friends with the and explained how the big kite teams who were more 'male' Chula kite was trying to than willing to explain to me catch the little 'female' Pakpao the intricate details of their kite, and vice-versa. 'Royal' art. I also explained that The 'champion' team, this ‘competition’ was royal awarded the Royal Kings tradition dating back to the Cup that year was headed palaces of Sukhothai and has by a wonderfully gifted kite remained unchanged to this maker Boontham Himskul, day. The presentation proved well known by his nickname hugely popular and prompted Ron following his passion at an international kite festival on the banks of the Ganges River 'Loong Sup'. a flood of questions from the at Patna, India. In over 40 years of many journalists there. competition, Boontham's The next year, 1977, by team have proudly won more than 35 Royal Cup invitation, I led a delegation of Chula & Pakpao kite Championships. Long Sup is a master Chula competition kite masters to Singapore. I had prepared completion kite maker, and a true champion of the a press release to distribute so that I didn't have unique traditional Thailand Chula & Pakpao 'Royal' to answer the same questions over and over. That kite competition. worked well. For our third Singapore IKF in 1978, I was well My first International Kite Festival prepared with a five-meter photo exhibition wall, a sixman champion team with traditional uniforms (white The following year I attended my first 'International Rachapatan jackets, gold buttons and 'joongaben' Kite Festival' in Singapore. It was a window to a whole pants) and masterfully crafted kites flown by the new world of modern kite creations. I was hooked. master himself, Khun Boontham. I returned home and bought kite making books and I had also produced a four-page introduction subscribed to kite club newsletters and magazines brochure about Thailand's traditional Chula & Pakpao from around the world. At this time I had two small kite competition. children, so our weekend adventures often included going to the park to fly the little kite creations they The Thai Kite had made. Heritage Group At the Singapore IKF I would rub shoulders with (TKHG) many of the world-famous kite designers that I had been reading about. Mega kites from New Zealand, The Singapore engineering marvels from Germany and Japanese art presentation kite masters. Again, another whole world of kiting attracted presented itself to me. worldwide On the first day of the Singapore event, the attention, so The TKHG in Scheveningen, organizer mentioned to my surprise that there much so that Holland (above) and at Cervia, were some traditional kite fliers from Thailand in in the following Italy (below). attendance, and he asked why they weren't flying. year we were The group was standing alone at the far end of the invited to exhibit arena, so I walked over to them. They told me that to at England's simply put the kite 'up' and stand there and look on largest kite had no purpose. Kite flying, for them, was the real festival at the time 'competition.' in Sunderland. I understood, so I went to the organizer and Representing

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Participants at the Borneo IKF, Bintulu, Sarawak, Malaysia.

Ready for launch on a special 400 x 400 metre green-mat covered kite flying field… only in China.

Baew Spaulding conducting a kite workshop for kids at Berck-sur-Mer, France.

Amazing Thailand

Proud to be a “Behind the Scenes” kite enthusiast

Our kites always make headlines where ever we go: in press,TV and social media, in Thailand, France, China, Europe, Asia, USA, the middle east, +++ TheBigChilli

Kites H.R.H. Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn honours Ron as participant and TAT co-organiser of the 2008 Thailand IKF.

Thailand, Thai International Airlines (THAI) and the Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), we were now recognized as the Thai Kite Heritage Group (TKHG).” Bringing the kites of Thailand to the world Organizers of kite festivals around the world were now inviting the Thai Kite Heritage Group as the event’s star attraction, with Thailand receiving great publicity. n the following years the TKHG was invited to exhibit, demonstrate and represent Thailand at major events in the USA, Germany, Japan Malaysia, Italy, Holland, France, Singapore and Indonesia. With continuing support from THAI and the TAT, Thai Kite Heritage Group would be the highlight of the event, and was always featured on local and national TV.

exhibitions proved invaluable. Our Thailand TKHG presentation had to represent the 'Royal' history and Thailand at a high level. Not just another travel show poster collection. My TKHG presentation was now a comprehensive 20-meter photo exhibition wall, a BBC video loop, master kites, the special paper, the bamboo and its preparation, the tools used and the making of the string. I produced a comprehensive 10 page give-away English language brochure about the traditional royal Chula & Pakpao kites, the competition, its history, historical photos, detailed construction drawings and action photos. Members of the TKHG kite team, all champions, were properly outfitted with traditional white 'rachapatan' jackets, gold buttons and 'joongaben' pants. The TKHG presentation was 'grand' and the daily scheduled flying demonstrations were always the highlight' of every festival. The TKHG presentation includes TAT and THAI

The TKHG 'Grand Presentation' As a Creative Director, my professional experience in designing 72

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Ron’s powerful 20 sq.m 'blue feather', double flowform design kite proudly flies ‘around the world’.

The TKHG 20-meter exhibition wall panels also included a beautiful photo presentation of Thailand as a wonderful tourist destination (TAT) and Thai International as the national carrier of choice with photos their new aircraft and a beautiful smiling THAI hostess. Dieppe, France 2010, Thailand is 'Countr y of Honor' From 1990 to 2008 The Thai Kite Heritage Group always proudly accepted an invitation to represent Thailand to exhibit and demonstrate at the biannual Dieppe IKF, the world's biggest and most

National press and TV follow us wherever we go. Here, the French National TV welcome the TKHG to the Berck-sur-Mer, France IKF.

The Kite Couple representing Thailand and USA at Bedford, England.

The Kite Couple, …THAI, ...Thailand.

Ron with his ‘bol’, three ‘bouncing balls’ and “I FLY” flying high in Taiwan.

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Kites

prestigious IKF. Dieppe is on the west coast of France, only three hours from Paris. Then in 2010, the City of Dieppe invited Thailand (the Thai Kite Heritage Group) to be the festival's 'Country of Honor'. Could I do it? Yes!! I accepted the challenge... a mega challenge. It is a nine-day event with over two million spectators. This was serious. The TKHG traveled on THAI to Dieppe with 50 persons and 2,000 kgs of gear: eight kite masters, 17 classical dancers and 12 Institute, 500 full-colour French language brochures about Thailand’s Royal Chula & Pakpao kite competition heritage from past to present, 10 VIPs from the TAT including the Governor of the TAT, and the then Minister of Tourism and Sports, Khun Chumpol Silpaarcha, plus two organizers - my wife and I. My award The Dieppe, France 2010, Thailand ‘Country of Honor’ presentation, demonstration and exhibition proved an overwhelming success and was named the ‘Most Innovative Tourism Event of 2010’ by the Ministry of Tourism. The following year, the Ministry of Tourism officially honoured me with a prestigious award for organising the ‘Most Innovative Tourism Event of 2010’ . I'm proud that over the years I have been able to be a cultural ambassador for Thailand by ‘bringing the kites of Thailand to the world... and the kites of the world to Thailand’. Thailand's first IKF in Pattaya In 1987, Khun Seri Wangpaichit, then Governor of the TAT, decided to have Thailand's first International Kite Festival, in Pattaya. I proudly assisted the TAT to gather 30 of the world's best kite makers for this prestigious event with Royal attendance. These kite fliers knew me and I knew them... they readily accepted our invitation. It was a mega PR success. Thailand (TAT) IKFs 1989 to 2010

rom 1988 to 2010, and in 2018 the TAT Thailand International Kite Festival (IKF) immediately became the 'biggest and best' most sought after kite event in Asia. Held bi-annually at different venues, including Pattaya, Ayudhya, Bangkok's Sanam Luang and Cha Am. The TAT were good partners. 74

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The Mayor of Uiseong, Korea honors Ron as his partner and co-organizer of the first Uiseong IKF in 2011.

Ron keeps his signature 15 metre ‘bol’ on the beach and out of the water at Taiwan’s ‘North Coast IKF’.

Always prepared for difficult wind conditions, Ron prepares to fly his ‘light wind', single point bridled, diamond kite at Yixing, China.

Thailand’s Ministry of Tourism honours Ron for organising the ‘Most Innovative Tourism Event of 2021’. TheBigChilli

Kites

Flags, banners and parades are all part of an international kite event. Here at Europe’s largest and most prestigious kite event at Dieppe, France.

In 2017 the Satun IKF becomes Asia's 'biggest and best' IKF Then in 2017, the CEO of the City of Satun, Khun Samrit Liangprasit, chose to make the yearly local Satun kite competition an International event to bring attention to the tourism potential of Satun Provence. IKF kite festivals are high profile social media events that worked well for Satun. At Khun Samrit's request, I proudly assisted the City of Satun to identify and invite the world's best kite makers to Satun. From 2011 to 2020, the yearly Satun IKF grew rapidly in both size and world-wide recognition. The Satun IKF rapidly became Asia's 'biggest and best' IKF. The 2020 Satun IKF hosted 125 kite delegates from 37 countries.

By this time my wife and I were well known around the world, not only as kite festival organisers, but simply as The Kite Couple. I represent the USA and my wife Baew represents Thailand. As the Kite Couple, we received invitations to more IKF events around the world than we could possibly accept. From 2015 through 2019, we, as 'official delegates' attended more than 130 international kite festivals in many different countries. I was making and flying 'Big' kites... a 15 meter 'Bol', a 30 meter octopus, a 20 sq.m 'Flowform' with 30 meter tube tails, plus kites for every wind condition. I was recognized as a 'hard working, always on the field' kite flyer. e are invited to 'put on a show', so with respect to the organizer, my job there is get the job done no matter what the conditions may be: hot, cold, rain, no wind, strong wind. I am always around and as a result, I see myself on TV at every event saying something special about that event. "I'm extremely thankful for the life I'm living... I enjoy every minute of it. "

The Asian Kite Circuit The Satun IKF is now the first stop in the Asian Kite Circuit. I put together a joint cooperation between Thailand's Satun and the Malaysian's Kite Association linking Satun, with Pasir Gudang, Kabong, Labuan, Malacca and Brunei. The Kite Couple: "We tether together" The Kite Couple... Baew and myself representing Thailand around the world. Around the year 2013, local and international kite festival budgets shrank, making it impossible for the international kite festival organizers to invite and support our TKHG team of 10 traditional persons. 76

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Cold, wet, windy, wonderful in Daishan, China.

Looking back:

A TKHG mega presentation at the International Kite Festival Berck-sur-Mer, France.

• 2015, as The Kite Couple, we attended 23 international and five local festivals. That's 28 weekends out of 53. Dubai, India, Malaysia, Italy, China (nine mega festivals), Vietnam, Korea, Japan and Singapore. • 2016, we attended 32 festivals, almost non-stop traveling. Again, most of the above countries... plus England, France and 15 festivals in China. • 2017, 37 festivals, most of the above countries... including Turkey, Taiwan, Korea, Qatar and 14 festivals in China. • 2018, 27 festivals, most of the above countries... including 12 festivals in China. • 2019, 14 festivals, some of the above countries, plus Brunei and eight festivals in China. • 2020, two local festivals: the Surat Thani IKF in January and the Satun IKF in February... then 'Lock Down'

Memorable moments

I've experienced so many 'memorable moments' shared with thousands of people we've had a brief contact with, beyond language barriers: • the little boy who holds a kite line for the first time • the King who says ‘Thank you Ron’ • the Sultan who warmly welcomes me • the hug from an old woman who thought that never in her lifetime, would she ever have the opportunity to meet an 'American' • the unexpected, overwhelming, rousing applause in Vietnam for 'the American delegate' by at least 100,000 people • the Chinese lady in Inner Mongolia who appeared from nowhere with a needle, a thread and a big smile to repair my torn kite It's a never ending list. I've spent my life enjoying wonderful kite flying adventures all over the world with my wife.

A 'close knit' community whatever the weather! My motto: "Live with your Passion”. My 'friends' are not just Facebook names, they are good friends, a close knit community from every corner of the world. Together as close friends, we have weathered typhoons in Taiwan, freezing rain in Daishan, sand storms in Inner Mongolia, no wind in India, never ending airline cues, wet kites, damaged kites, on-the-spot kite repairs and enjoyed food that we've never heard of.

“Great to be here” as a delegate at Brunei’s first IKF.

I greatly appreciate all of the wonderful creative people who have helped my along my journey... my professional life and my kite world.”

It takes two of us to bring down my 20 sq.m kite in strong wind... in Bristol, England. TheBigChilli

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