biz n buzz

Date of event: 8-17 August 2008

Venue: Impact Arena, Muang Thong Thani (Challenger, Hall 1, Hall 2, Hall 3)

Time: It opens at 9 in the morning and closes at 9 in the evening.

What to expect: A huge sale on Thai products awaits shoppers in 50% - 80% discount on all items.

Today is going to be the last day.  It’s really a great chance to purchase native and handmade products for Christmas presents.  Too early? Not too long.  Few more days and it’s going to be September.  People are surely anticipating for shoppers to start saving for the season of gift giving.

Gorgeous models on the cover page of Daily Xpress caught my attention. Thinking it was the latest fashion in Bangkok, only to find out these well built models are advertising for next month’s Flower Carnival in Nai Lert Park. The flowers worn over their body are actually made of orchids in connection to the hotel’s plan to turn the 4 and a half rai of private park into a permanent orchid garden which will feature more than 250 species of this kind.

I’m an ardent flower lover when it comes to photography. This event will surely not be missed. The carnival is between August 22-24, 2008.

Festive settings of booths greeted me in the entrance. People handing out flyers and membership form are stationed at the gate. San Miguel promo girls dressed in silver over blue and gold over red were smiling at passersby.

Two guys in D200 and D300 ushered me and our group to the gallery. It’s a photo exhibition of talented and prominent Filipino personalities in Thailand in the area of public service, entertainment, religious order and more.

photo of Mr. Ambassador and wife, the artists society playing cool songs

A variety of Filipino dishes laid tempting before my eyes. I took the liberty to pig out at the moment. Kare-kare, sinigang, adobong langka, dinuguan, suman, turon, banana-q, palabok were some of the treats I have tried that day.

It’s never an occasion if singing and dancing are missing. Surely all sorts of band members where their. From praise, new wave, alternative to disco musics where played live. Not just that. Tribal (Igorot dance), hip-hop and ballroom where among the few dances that I have seen that day. Could you imagine the fun? However, me and hubby have to go home early and play tennis.

Having lived in a Buddhist country had lead me to a better understanding on the ecological concern of Thai people. It’s not being converted but anonymously practicing their positive ways towards showing respect to nature and its creatures. In today’s Earth Day, some of the reflections and meditations I found from one of the well known channels has caught my attention.

“He who has understanding and great wisdom does not think of harming himself or another, nor of harming both alike. He rather thinks of his own welfare, of that of others, of that of both, and of the welfare of the whole world. In that way one shows understanding and great wisdom.”
Anguttara Nikaya, Fours, No. 18

All eyes are fixed to the 70% to 80% discount on all major malls in Thailand. Thai New Year normally have a three long days of celebration. They call it Songkran Festival. The traditional greeting is “สวัสดีปีใหม่” (sa-wat-dee pi mai), basically “Happy New Year”. “Sawatdee” = hello (spellings may vary, i.e. “sawatdi” or “sawasdee”). “Pi” = year. “Mai” = new.

Locals and foreigners would roam the streets particularly Khao San road to join the splashing of water. It could also be a gesture of relief from the exhausting heat as April is the hottest month of the year (with temperature reaching over 100°F or 40°C). Others mixes lime with water which leaves white marks on the face and body. In traditional terms water symbolizes cleansing and renewal, a good practice to begin the new year.

Back to the sales, clearly I’m more excited on the price discounts rather than going out the streets and waste water. Everybody are on holiday except the shops. I wonder if Nikon will have sale on their lenses and flash bulbs. It may not be necessary for me though, yet a 20% discount will be good enough to pry upon or perhaps purchase. That would leave me penniless by the middle of the month. A Cash advance could save me from starving for the remaining days.

Here’s a short buzz on an exciting event that will happen in AIT next Monday. I’m sure the multicultural society of AIT eagerly awaits this one of a kind entertainment from Indonesia. I myself is preparing my Nikky to freeze some moments during that day. Keep in touch!

The Announcement:

Ramayana Ballet to perform in AITCC Auditorium AIT GJFC and the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia to co-host the renowned Ramayana Ballet
The Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia, in cooperation with the State University of Yogyakarta (UNY), have partnered to stage an upcoming presentation of the famous Ramayana Ballet and other traditional Indonesian dances in Thailand. The first performance will be at the AIT Conference Centre Auditorium on Monday, 17 March 2008 from 7-9 pm.

The AIT Golden Jubilee Fundraising Campaign (GJFC) and the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia are jointly co-hosting the renowned ballet at AIT, which will be performed in traditional costumes to the accompaniment of live music played on traditional musical instruments from Indonesia. The program includes music of gamelan, the Golek Ayun-Ayun dance from Central Java, the Rantjak from West Sumatra and Trunajaya dances from Bali. The dances will be presented by 15 artists from the University of Yogyakarta and from the Embassy of the Republic of Indonesia.

The Ramayana, meaning the journey (aayana) of Rama, is a mythical tale describing the life of Prince Rama, the crown prince of the kingdom of Kosala. Rama has been exiled for a period of 14 years to the wilderness with his beautiful wife Sinta (also referred to as Sita) and his noble brother Lakshmana. On the 14th year of their exile, Princess Sinta is coveted and kidnapped by a 10 headed demon, Ravana. During the search for Sinta, the two brothers make friendships and alliances that culminate in a great war between good and evil.

This show is being organized by the GJFC under its strategy of “Networking and Image Building” with its partners. This promises to be a grand show for which there is no admission fee.

In this holy season, I came across this film that tells an unusual story after the death of Christ. I chose not to be a critique in giving this buzz as it may seem to have rough reviews from the past. I saw the sneak peek from godtube.com and thought it’s worth watching in time for Lent. So I got a copy from the net and soon watched it with hubby. I recommend you view it first before reading the reviews. Otherwise it will disrupt the thrill and focus on the less important details rather than the main catch of finding ‘the Way’.

It is about the story of a Roman soldier (Daniele Liotti aka Tito Valerio Tauro) who was dispatched to investigate the death of Jesus. He was sent to Jerusalem with Brixos (Dolph Lundgren) who plays the role of a slave and protector of Tauro. Later in the movie an emerging love story between Monica Cruz as Tabitha and Tauro moved me with the miracle that has happened to both of them.

Overall it is good for its genre. May you find time to reflect the message of it as you go through the journey of finding the truth in “The Final Inquiry”.

Here’s the latest buzz regarding POEA Memorandum Circular No. 4 that had rocked our country (Philippines) recently. It brought such great relief for me. Good enough to shed light to the many hopefuls.

Sharing you an email I have received earlier from the Philippine Embassy here in Thailand. Stating the suspension of MC No. 4. But for how long? Months, years, forever? I hope the following order would dwell more on the advantages than the disadvantages that it will create if implemented.

Dear Kababayans,

To carry out the Presidential directive, the implementation of POEA
Memorandum Circular No. 4 is hereby immediately suspended until
further orders. Accordingly, direct hired workers will be processed
in accordance with the POEA rules existing prior to MC No. 4, series
of 2007. (Extract from POEA Memorandum Circular No. 01 series of 2008,
signed by POEA Administrator Rosalinda Dimapilis-Baldoz, 14 February
2008.)

Please disseminate to your network of Filipino friends and workers alike.

Sincerely yours,

For the Ambassador:

MR. RONELL B. SANTOS
First Secretary and Consul
Embassy of the Republic of the Philippines
760 Sukhumvit Road, Soi 30/1 Soi Philippines
Bangkok 10110, Thailand
Tel. +(66-2) 259 0139/40
Fax +(66-2) 259 2809
http://www.philembassy-bangkok.net

Related post last week:
Unrealistic Memorandum for OFWs

This year’s second eclipse will take place tonight (in other parts of the world) around past 10 in the morning here in Thailand. I’d better check on NASA website again for the finality of its appearance. A total of four eclipses will happen this year.

1st- 2008 Feb 07: Annular Solar Eclipse
2nd- 2008 Feb 21: Total Lunar Eclipse
3rd- 2008 Aug 01: Total Solar Eclipse
4th- 2008 Aug 16: Partial Lunar Eclipse

Thailand time is 7 hours ahead of Greenwich Mean Time (GMT+7). The total lunar eclipse will take place at 3:01 am GMT + 7 hours= 10:01 am. Expected visibility of the eclipse will be on these four geographic regions in the Pacific, Americas, Europe and Africa that will last for 51 minutes. Scientists predicts that the moon will transform into a vivid red or orange during the total phase since there wasn’t any volcanic activity that took place lately.

All the luck for the eclipse hunters! I know your cameras are now set to capture this significant phenomenon.