ML Usni Pramoj: New work.

The programme will consist of two works: Joseph Haydn’s String Quarter in F Major (Op 77, No 2) and a new work by ML Usni, the String Quartet No 1.

ML Usni says of this new piece, “I began to work on [it] in the middle of April 2010, when the nation was facing its most serious crisis in recent years.

“The first movement portrays rural life, a life by no means luxurious, but adequate in its simplicity. In the second movement [Red Shirt] demonstrators sweep over Bangkok and now occupy key areas of the city.  Government attempts at peaceful negotiations are swept aside. Violence breaks out.

“The third movement expresses an outpouring of grief for the hurt inflicted upon this lovely nation. The final movement does not tell a story because such has yet to come to pass. Instead it expresses the hope that Thais will come together to rebuild the nation, that we shall once again be united in peace.”

ML Usni will play viola, accompanied by Tasana Nagawajara and Siripong Tiptan on violin and Kittkhun Sodprasert on cello.

A barrister by training, ML Usni has served in the Judge Advocate General’s Office and in the Ministry of Defence. He was head of the Royal Property Management Office and is a Privy Councillor.

But it is for his music that he is probably best known in Thailand. A highly accomplished viola player, he founded the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra and in 1994 was named a National Artist for his music.

He comes from a remarkable family of over-achievers of royal lineage (they are descended from the 18th Century Thai king, Rama II). His father, MR Seni Pramoj, trained as a lawyer, and was later appointed Thai Ambassador to Britain. During World War II he helped organise the Seri Thai – the Free Thai movement – to fight the Japanese and the Thai government that was collaborating with the invaders.

Post-war, he was one of the founders of Thailand’s Democrat Party. He became prime minister for a short time in 1975, but was defeated after a matter of months and replaced by his younger brother, MR Kukrit Pramoj. Kukrit’s government failed a scant 13 months later, and Seni again stepped up.

His timing was bad, however. The violent right-wing backlash against student demonstrations that climaxed in the Thammasat University massacre of October 1976 saw him forced from office by the military. Seni retired from politics and went back to being a lawyer.

Usni’s uncle Kukrit, was an extraordinary polymath. Apart from being a politician, he was also a banker, an actor, a writer of fiction, history, philosophy and religious works, and the founder of Siam Rath newspaper.

The Villa Royale evening begins at 6pm with cocktails, followed by the performance at 7pm. Tickets for the cocktails and concert alone are B500, or concert-goers may opt to join a special dinner afterwards, at B1,600 a head, or order from the à la carte menu.

For more information or to book, contact Sylvie Yaffe by email or call +66 (0) 76 333 568.

Delight for Phuket’s fans of classical music is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

The girls of the WWP. From left, Able, Mem, Fon, Riz, Kwaung, Kathy and Orn.

That calendar is out. At a big bash at Cape Sienna hotel in Kamala on November 5, attended by hundreds of Phuket’s local glitterati, dressed to the nines, the ladies of the Women’s Will Power group (WWP) launched their calendar for 2011, aimed at raising funds for the Phuket Shelter for Children and Families, a haven for abused women and children.

The WWP’s guiding light, the gorgeous Tipwarintron “Riz” Tanaakarachod explained with a tear in her eye that she had a special interest in the Shelter, having watched her mother being abused for years by her stepfather.

After these sober thoughts, however, it was all fun, fun, fun, with fire dancers, hula girls, an auction of donated prixes (run by the evergreen Martin Carpenter MBE), an exotic fashion show and even – for those who’ve never seen one before – a katoey show from the Boat Bar. Then the dancing started, presided over by DJ Jay le Shark.

The 2011 calendar has less bare skin than last year, but compensates with pictures all aimed firmly at male fantasies – leather, Barbie dolls, air hostesses, leather gear, an elephant – well maybe not all the pictures. The WWP assembled no fewer than six of Phuket’s top photographers for the job, and a classy job it is.

The whole project was underwritten by 33 sponsors (including the Phuket Observer). Lead sponsor was John  Underwood’s Art Factory, where one of the photo shoots took place. Underwood has also pledged to help the Shelter by employing women from the Shelter and teach them the Italian art of mosaic.

The calender costs B299, and is available from all branches of Seng Ho book stores; Central Festival (November 13 and 14 only); Stereo Lab (Surin Beach); Senses Spa (Bang Tao and Boat Lagoon); Bit n’ Restaurant (Jungceylon); Woody’s Sandwich Shoppe (Cherng Talay, Chalong – Fisherman Way Business Centre and Villa and Home Pro Village) – and Patong; and at matches of the Phuket Soccer 7s (November 27 and 28). For bulk orders call Riz at +66 (0) 8 7466 5140. The WWP website is here.

More pix from the Cape Sienna event:

The WWP calendar models with the Head of the Phuket Shelter for Children & Families, Jiranan Jiamjarern (3rd from left)

Riz, calendar and a couple of bodyguards. In bow ties, of course.

The fashion show.

Something for everyone.

Definitely not models: Simon Samaan, Phil Teese and Warwick Renolds.

Are we having fun yet?

Phuket’s powerful women launch THAT calendar is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

Australian Belinda Granger, a regular competitor in the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, will this year take on both events. Photo courtesy Laguna Phuket.

Reigning Ironman 70.3 world champion Michael Raelert of Germany heads a high-calibre field of professional triathletes from around the world who will take on not one, but two triathlons in the space of eight days – the Laguna Phuket Triathlon (LPT) on Sunday, November 28, and the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship the following Sunday, December 5.

The pros will join some 900 amateur individual and relay team competitors in each triathlon, amid a scene-setting 10-day carnival of related events.

In addition to Raelert, the pro line-up competing in both events includes former Ironman 70.3 world champion and 2004 Olympian Samantha McGlone from Canada; 12-time Iron distance race champion and Laguna Triathlon regular Belinda Granger of Australia; Italy’s Massimo Cigana, a former LPT champion and Ironman 70.3 winner, and the fastest runner in last year’s LPT; experienced Ironman and Ironman 70.3 contender Justin Granger of Australia; and Sweden’s Frederik Croneberg, runner-up in the recent Ironman 70.3 Tokoname Japan.

The line-up will also include other top names contesting the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship alone for a slice of the US$75,000 purse: five-time Ironman champion Luke McKenzie of Australia; 2008 Ironman 70.3 Florida winner Paul Amey of Britain; Tim O’ Donnell of the USA, the 2009 International Triathlon Union long distance world champion; and Australian Rachael Paxton, winner of the inaugural 2009 Ironman 70.3 Putrajaya in Malaysia.

“We’re absolutely delighted to have attracted such an exciting line-up of some of the world’s top pro triathletes led by the reigning Ironman 70.3 world champion,” said LPT director Debbie Dionysius.

Pros and amateurs entered for both races face the challenge of recovering from the LPT to take on the Ironman 70.3 Championship a week later, on an extended course described as “a turbocharged Laguna Phuket Triathlon.”

The LPT course has a 1.8k swim, 55k bike ride and 12k run – while the Ironman 70.3 course has a 1.9k swim, 90k bike ride and 21.1k run. (The 70.3 series takes its name from the total distance of the event in miles – respectively, 1.2, 56 and 13.1 miles.)

The Ironman 70.3 bike course is particularly challenging, crossing Phuket’s main north-south highway on a specially-built ramp to run into the picturesque east coast hills, before swinging back to Laguna Phuket through a series of steep inclines along the Nai Thon coastline.

To support competitors’ preparations, a carnival of triathlon training and related social events is being staged at various venues around Laguna Phuket before, during and after the main races, with opportunities for amateurs to train alongside the pros.

Ironmen and women head for tough Phuket double-header is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

The One Night In Rio event takes place at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa, a favourite PIWC venue, on Saturday, November 13, beginning at 6:30pm and ending around 1am.

The ticket price of B3,000 a head includes dinner, cocktails and drinks.

The PIWC raises money to pay for the education of Thai girls in Phuket, mostly those in late secondary of tertiary education.

For tickets, contact Susan Arnulphyby calling +66 (0) 8 7277 6948 or emailing info@phuketiwc.com

Latin flavour for Phuket’s No 1 ball is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

A winner in the under-16 group.

Local ladies tuned out in their very best traditional outfits and lots and lots of jewellery for the second Phuket Traditional Costumes Contest at the Provincial Museum near the Heroines monument today (August 8).

The competition was split into four age groups – 7 to 15, 16 to 30, 31 to 45 and over 45, and attracted about 20 entrants. Rather than try to describe the event any further, we reckon the pictures tell the story.

The youngest competitor, and 3rd-place winner in the under-16s

Another prize for another winner.

Rhapsody in Blue - and pink.

Beauties in the 31-to-45-year-old class.

A young entrant watches as others come on stage behind her.

Elegant trio.

Two members of the Cherng Talay Long Drum Club, who provided entertainment.

Colours of culture in Phuket is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

The new XJ. No one in Asia will see it until it's launched in Phuket.

Jaguar Cars has chosen Phuket over everywhere else in Asia for the regional launch of its new luxury, superfast XJ model, which has an electronically limited top speed of 266 kmh and a 0-100 kmh time of 4.9 seconds.

Ordinary mortals will not get to get behind the wheel of the new Jag – that honour will be reserved for a clutter of VIPs invited from Hong Kong, Indonesia, Malaysia, New Zealand, the Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan and, of course, Thailand.

They will get the full treatment, with lunch at Mom Tri’s Boat House Regatta restaurant at the Royal Phuket Marina, plus test drives on road and track with expert instruction so that they can fully appreciate just how much more fun an XJ is to drive compared with, say an S-class Merc or even a Honda Jazz.

Doing the Asia launch in Phuket does have a practical reason – the Jaguar people are going to be in Phuketr anyway at that time, because the company is a major sponsor of Phuket Race Week, the island’s windy regatta, during which boats lose masts, capsize and generally have an exciting time.

So the Jag VIPs will also get to watch the thrills and spills on the water in VIP comfort aboard the Six Senses Phuket Raceweek VIP Spectator Boat, or for those who prefer dry land, from Koh Bon (though they’ll still have to get a boat over there).

And just in case they haven’t brought the big wallet with them, they’ll still be able to take home one of the lesser models – the latest XFR saloon and XKR sports model will also be in Phuket.

Phuket Race Week takes place from July 21 to 25, based at the Evason Resort in Rawai. For more, see here.

New Jaguar XJ to launch at Phuket Race Week is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

Now here’s the deal, y’all: Ya bah a bottle of Jack Daniel’s and ya git another one free. Or, if you’re of the girlie pre-suasion, bah one of Suh-then Cumfut – and git one fer free. Or ye kin bah a Glass of Independence and git a second one free. And if all this drinking makes ye hungry, git yeself on the ahtside of 12 inches of patriotism – the classic Red White Blue Burger (nope – the meat is the red part, not the blue wun).

That’s probably enough yeehaw talk for now. But all the excitement in that first paragraph will be going on at Hard Rock Café (HRC) in Patong on the Fourth of July – when all true blue Americans celebrate the Declaration of Independence from the admittedly rather bonkers King George III of England.

HRC’s theme for the evening is “Rebel without a cause – Bad Boys vs Cool Girls”, with a ’50s costume competition (on-site hairdresser equipped with hairspray and oil). The restaurant also promises music ranging form ’50s rock ‘n’ roll through to the current stuff. There’s no cover charge.

For those who reckon “12 inches of patriotism” ain’t enough to feed a growing boy, the Mercure hotel, just across the road (that well known, er, French hotel chain), has an all-you-can-eat deal, with charcoal-grilled BBQ ribs, whole marinated chicken, jumbo hot dogs and more for B599 a head, which includes a glass of California house wine. Kids under 12 get the deal for B150, and those under 6 get to eat for free.

Competing with HRC and Mercure will be Coyote Phuket, which is launching  its first Annual 4th of July Deck Party & BBQ Buffet, with – yup - an all-you-can-eat BBQ buffet from 2pm-10pm, featuring “Smokey Baby-Back Ribs, Beer Brats, Burgers, BBQ Chicken, Hot Dogs and an All-American Salad Bar”. It’s B499 for adults, B299 for kids up to 12 years old.

Happy Hour will last all day, right up to closing time (whenever that is) and will include “ice-cold Budweiser and MGD (Miller Genuine Draft)! Well, a man’s gotta drink what a man’s gotta drink.

Meanwhile, in Phuket Town, Independence Day will be marked with a picnic, complete with music and games, at the Headstart International Learning Center, opposite the Makro supermarket in Phuket City from 10am to 7pm. Call David Rucker at 08 7266 7514 for more details. Entry’s free.

Finally, for those down in Phuket’s Deep South, Friendship Beach will have its usual 4th of July celebration with live music by Tropical Rhythm and a Buffet BBQwith ribs, salmon, chicken and “all the trimmings”. Oh yes, and fireworks on the beach.

Interestingly for students of history, the American colonies declared independence on July 2, 1776. And no, the Declaration of Independence was not signed on that day, except by John Hancock and Charles Thompson. The final signature (Thomas McKean) was appended in 1781, five years later.

In  fact, it’s a complete mystery why Independence Day is celebrated in July 4. But don’t let that get in the way of a good chow-down.

Where to celebrate July 4 in Phuket is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

What's that down there?? Using Hollywood-style green-screen magic, a family fly over Phang Nag Bay in their "rot saleng"- Thai-style motorbike and sidecar.

Laguna Phuket has just launched its annual Summer Family Festival, with a new twist – families can now star in their own professionally-produced Hollywood-style motorbike tour of Phuket.

The Family Festival,  first launched last year, is aimed at all the family, whether visiting Phuket or living here. For children there will be three-hour programme each day (2 – 5pm), featuring in turn activities such as Wacky Games, Sports Skills; Climbing Capers; Treasure Hunts, High Ropes Adventure; Wet ‘n’ Wild; Arts & Crafts, Slip ‘n’ Splash; rock climbing and other outdoor adventure activities. For hotel guests these sessions are free. For non-guests the price is B200 per child.

There will also be a bouncy castle for the little ones, and evening Kidz Lounge sessions with movies and video games and a new KidzSole flying trapeze.

For parents, there will be a barbecue and beer tent with screenings of all the World Cup matches, along with live music, quiz nights and other entertainment.

The new “Hollywood@Laguna” will feature a rot saleng – a Thai-style motorbike with sidecar – in front of a green screen. Footage taken of the family will be combined with shots of various parts of Phuket, including James Bond Island – this motorbike can ride on water, part of the magic of Hollywood.

Families can even be involved in a choreographed “bike crash”, then continue making the movie with appropriate crash victim make-up.

For more on Hollywood@Laguna, go here. For more on the Summer Family Festival, go here. The festival continues until October 31.

New Hollywood twist to Laguna Family Festival is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

The 40 participants in last year's Phuket (Talad Yai) Photo Walk were a mixed bunch, but had one thing in common - big smiles.

July 24 has been set as the date for this year’s Third Worldwide Photo Walk and, as with last year, Phuket will be joining in with at least one walk.

The worldwide effort is the brainchild of Scott Kelby, a Florida-based photographer who is also the president of the US National Association of Photoshop Professionals – so he knows a bit about taking pictures, and how to fix them afterwards. In the first year, there were walks in 236 locations, with 8,324 people taking part. Last year the numbers leaped to more than 900 locations and 32,000 people.

There’s no charge for joining your local walk. Afterwards, each photographer may enter one picture in a local competition (though there is no obligation to do so if you don’t want to). The walk leader chooses the best of these to be entered for the worldwide competition, with Kelby choosing the overall winner and 10 “honorable mentions”. There is also a “People’s Choice” winner, selected by those who took part in walks.

Thailand tops them all: Last year's winner - worldwide - was "Can't stop smiling", shot at the floating market in Amphawa, Samut Songkram, by Bossakorn Buena.

Both the overall winner and the People’s Choice winner get one year’s free online training from Kelby’s company Kelby Training. The overall winner also gets a voucher for US$1,000 to spend with Adorama (a sort of Amazon.Com for photographers). The People’s Choice winner gets a US$750 voucher and the honorables each get US$250 vouchers.

Last year Phuket had two walks, one mostly (though by no means exclusively) “farang” and one mostly Thai. This year, so far, there’s only the farang one, but it’s early days so keep an eye out for a Thai one, if that’s your preference.

Phuket’s only walk (so far) is being organised again by pro shooter Karim “Kim” Khamzin. To enter, go here. The walk, in Phuket Town, is limited to 50 people – first come, first served. Kim will choose the winning picture (as leader, he’s disqualified from entering his own pictures – which is only fair).

For inspiration, go here for the top photos from the past two years. There’s a video here of the walk Kim organised last year.

Even if you have only a little point-and-shoot digicam and no intention of entering the competition, this is a great way to meet likable people and make new friends, and to see the town with a fresh eye. Call it Facebook with real human beings, or Twitter with mouths instead of keyboards.

A day for Phuket’s shutterbugs is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.

Group shot for the cameras. From left: Urs Brunner, actresses Mamee Nakprasitte, Viyada Umarin and Kalorin Neemayothin, with fomer tennis ace Paradon "Ball" Srichapan and Urs's wife Maleerat, the angel in Angel & Bear Productions.

Western films set in Thailand up to now have all pretty much had the same characteristics: The stars are Westerners and Thailand is simply an exotic backdrop. Thai actors and actresses are all taxi drivers, gangsters or gogo girls.

Bitter/Sweet, which had its Thailand premiere in Phuket last night (June 11) as part of the Phuket Film Festival, deliberately sets out to break that mould.

Urs Brunner, whose Angel & Bear production company funded the movie, and who also shares the writing credits, told the Observer at the post-screening party at the Vijjit Resort, “We wanted first to portray Thai women as strong, independent and intelligent. I also insisted that the Thai actors must have as much time onscreen as the Westerners.”

Urs Brunner (second from right) with Mamee Nakprasitte (right), Kal (left) and local Boncafé boss Phakin "Nasser" Tanskul.

On this level, the movie works very well. Napakpapha “Mamee” Nakprasitte plays Ticha, a 20-something Thai girl who has risen above her rural roots to run a successful PR company in the Big Mango. It helps, of course, that the camera absolutely loves her, and her sidekick Mook (played by US-born Kalorin “Kal” Supaluck Neemayothin). Both are convincing as strong, independent and intelligent – and gorgeous.

They also get as much screen time as the three main farang actors – Kip Pardue as Brain Chandler; the amusing Spencer Garrett as Austrian exile Werner; and veteran James Brolin as coffee tycoon Calvert Jenkins.

Much of the action revolves around the coffee business and the coffee plantations of Krabi, which also allows the movie to work as a promotional tool for Thailand in general and Krabi in particular. Apparently the Tourism Authority of Thailand, which initially turned its nose up at the project, is now very interested.

The scenery in Krabi is jaw-droppingly beautiful, and this comes across well, particularly during a short interlude in which the two main characters, Brian and Ticha, take time out to see the sights. Director Jeff Hare knows good scenery when he sees it and makes the most of it.

The movie also works as a promotional tool for Thai coffee. This is no bad thing for Urs’s other interest – his Chonburi-based coffee processing, distribution and retail company Boncafé.

Bitter/Sweet is most unlikely to feature in the Oscars (though it did win best director and best movie at the Houston film fest). The plot is a simple “boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy finds girl again” romance with some amusing comedic moments, a little tension here and there, and no surprises.

The acting is generally convincing, though Liz Burnette gets a credit as “Ticha’s voice” so one imagines Mamee’s English may have been a bit too Tinglish at times (though in Thai she is forceful and in command of her role).

Bitter/Sweet is much more sweet than bitter. It slips down as easily as latte, and rates overall as good light entertainment without too much thought required.

Urs told the Observer that it will be showing in movie theatres around Thailand – it has subtitles in English when dialogue is in Thai, and vice-versa, so is accessible in either language. In most of the rest of the world, it’s going straight to DVD; deals have already been done for Australia and Japan and a number of other countries.

One hopes that copies have been sent to every US director so that they can consider whether the time has come to portray Thailand and the Thais more as they are, and less through the warped lens of  American cinematic hegemony.

Premiered in Phuket, ‘Bitter/Sweet’ sets new movie standard is an article from: Phuket Observer - Phuket lifestyle magazine.