Thai actress-model Paula Taylor featured on a September issue of Lisa Weekly Magazine in Denim jeans…
A touching Thai commercial (more like a short film) about a deaf girl who defy odds to learn playing a violin. The product brand will only be revealed in the end; you can give a good guess of what it’s about in the final minute though…
Theme song is one of my favourite classical pieces, the Pachelbel’s Canon.
[video via garfieH@Youtube]
Meet Sorrawee Nattee, 20, a university student who was crowned the 12th Miss Tiffany’s Universe in Pattaya, Thailand, on May 16.
The Miss Tiffany’s Universe is an annual beauty contest for Thai transvestites which is broadcast live on National Thai television with an average of 15 million viewers.
The event aims to promote Pattaya as a major tourist destination as well as promoting a positive transvestite image to the local and international public.
Thailand is probably the most social tolerable nation towards transvestites (albeit not legally). I don’t think there’s any other country that came close to being as acceptance as the Thais in this matter.
Some general news and info from various sources…
Australia – Rafael Nadal won first Australian Open crown, defeating Roger Federer [ATP]
China – Birth defects soar due to environmental pollution; a baby is born with physical defects every 30 secs in China [Chinadaily]
Enviromental – Many effects of climate change are irreversible [BBC]
Iraq – A fibreglass-and-copper monument (pic) is built in honour of the Iraqi journalist who threw his shoes at Bush during a news conference [Youtube]
Japan – PM Taro Aso has announced a 1.5 trillion yen (USD17bn) aid package to help Asian countries weather the economic downturn [BBC]
North Korea – North Korea is scrapping all pacts with South Korea and warned that the downward relations has pushed the peninsula to the brink of war [Reuters]
South Korea – Asiana Airlines, Korea’s second-largest air carrier, is named Airline of the Year by ATW (Air Transport World) magazine [ATW]
Thailand – Deja vu… tens of thousands of protesters held a rally in Bangkok calling on the new Thai government to resign [Youtube]
Singapore’s Iggy’s is Asia’s best restaurant according to the Miele Guide which made its grand debut last week. The guide is claimed to be Asia’s first truly independent regional restaurant guide.
The Miele Guide 2008/2009 edition evaluates restaurants in 16 Asian countries… Brunei, Cambodia, China (including Hong Kong and Macau), India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Vietnam.
The top 20 restaurants according to the Miele Guide 2008/2009…
Sharing a Thai music video, “Pain” (ความเจ็บปวด – Kwarm jeb puad) by popular Thai-Belgian singer Palmy, from her third album “Beautiful Ride” which was released in June 2006. The song is about recovering from the pain of a broken relationship.
Love the chorus and Palmy’s voice…
Krung Thep Mahanakhon Amon Rattanakosin Mahinthara Yuthaya Mahadilok Phop Noppharat Ratchathani Burirom Udomratchaniwet Mahasathan Amon Piman Awatan Sathit Sakkathattiya Witsanukam Prasit
The above phrase is the full name of Krung Thep, Thai’s capital city which is more commonly known as Bangkok among foreigners. For this, Bangkok is recognised by Guinness World of Records as the capital city with the longest name.
The translation… “The city of angels, the great city, the eternal jewel city, the impregnable city of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukam.” [via Wikipedia]
It took about 12 seconds to pronounce the name (as per this video)… amazed?
A Buddhist temple in Thailand, is holding rituals for devotees to ‘die and reborn’.
Everyday hundreds of people would visit the Wat Prommanee temple in Nakhon Nayok, about 100km northeast of Bangkok, to participate in the ritual. The devotees would lie in coffins for a few minutes while the monks chant some prayers… and then rise from the coffins believing that they are cleansed of their past and ready for a new life [more on IHT]
The temple has been running the ceremony for more than three years, and its popularity seems to be ever growing with up to 700 visitors per day during weekends. The attendees would pay 100-180 bath (~ USD3-5) to partake in the ceremony.
Speaking of superstition.