Thai Silk Fabric Website Fights for Village Lifestyles - PR.com
lifestyles of their village
Si Sa Ket, Thailand, September 19, 2010 --(PR.com)-- Thai Silk Magic, a family funded Thai silk manufacturer, is dedicated to improving the lifestyle opportunities of their small Thai village in far north eastern Thailand.
They have launched a new website to highlight their handmade Thai silk fabric at http://www.thaisilkmagic.com. Their website, using the silk weaving skills of their village, is dedicated to marketing their fabrics and distributing all profits, after expenses, to the village weavers.
In a village beset with crippling rural debt problems where the average family income is less than US$120/month, this initiative of self-help with handmade silk by Thai Silk Magic, has significant potential to improve their village lifestyles.
Apart from Thai silk fabric, their website provides educational information related to Thai silk. In addition, they also provide a range of business articles, using their village experiences as examples that create a unique twist on common business problems.
According to the Thai Silk Magic founder, Amnuai Beckenham, “When we saw tears in the eyes of some parents last year who had to take their children out of our village school simply because they could not afford the small school fees or the cost of uniforms, we knew it was time to do something special.”
Thai Silk Magic is aware that their key mission of improving village lifestyles will have many challenges but there is “a real passion to make this work for everyone’s benefit,” says Amnuai.
Amnuai further states, “This is an opportunity to really help people to help themselves rather than relying upon the limited handouts of public funds.”
The Thai silk Magic project has created significant excitement and quoting Amnuai Beckenham, “has sent a real message of help and self pride” throughout their small Thai village.
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Contact Information
Thai Silk Magic
Amnuai Beckenham
66812675896
info@thaisilkmagic.com
www.thaisilkmagic.com
thaisilkmagic@gmail.com
Sunday, September 19, 2010
Better arts, better life - GlobalTimes
Better arts, better life - GlobalTimes
About 100 meters from the office building of Ansai government, a county in Shaanbei，northwest China's Shaanxi Province, is situated a folk arts gallery, whose owner is Hou Xuezhao, a 56-year-old woman dubbed Ansai's "master of folk arts".
Of the two-story, 18-room, plain-looking building, five exhibit Hou's treasures: about 100 paper cuts, folk paintings and embroidery works.
"This is my favorite work", Hou said satisfied, pointing to one of her works depicting a woman riding a donkey with her husband running along.
"In the past, there were no other transportation tools but donkeys. Thus if a new bride wanted to go back home, she would have to ride the animal. Usually the husband would accompany the wife in demonstration of his love. This inspired me to create such a special painting", Hou explained.
The art family
As many women in Ansai in the past, Hou Xuezhao started learning paper cutting with her mom and grandmother when she was very young. But not every woman shows such skills towards Shaanbei folk arts as this now 56-year-old grandma.
Hou's works characterize ordinary Shaanbei people's lifestyle, representing the strong flavor of Huangtu folk culture which mainly concentrates in Shaanbei.
However, it was not until 10 years ago that Hou's works spread internationally. In 1994, under the recommendation of the Culture Affairs Bureau of Ansai County, Hou was invited to Austria for cultural exchange. About 10 years later, in 2005, Hou had the chance to bring her works to Thailand. The well-received folk arts exchange activities brought Hou confidence to continue her folk arts career. Since 2002, Hou's works have won her many awards, including the first place at the China's Second Grand Exhibition of Peasant Paintings and Calligraphy, the silver medal of China Paper Cutting Expo.
Not only Hou, other six members from her family are known for their talents on Shaanbei folk arts. Chen Piliang, Hou's husband, is an excellent dancer of Ansai Yaogu (Waist Drum). Currently, Chen not only trains people Ansai Yaogu in his homeland, but is also frequently invited for performances and training by other cities around the nation.
The couple's five children- 3 sons and 2 daughters- were all trained from their early ages for a certain skill within folk songs, Yaogu and paper cutting.
"My mom and my mom's mom (no longer among us) are all smart women. My mom taught me paper cutting and painting while my dad was my Yaogu teacher. I learned paper cutting when I was six, and at the age of eight, I could already cut a butterfly. ", Chen Hongmei, the fourth child of the couple said proudly.
"Most of my mom's works depict her life in Ansai, which is sometimes not familiar to me: the post-80 generation. I'd like to add some more modern elements to my works. In the future, of course I would definitely teach my children these skills,” the 23-year-old girl told the Global Times.
About 100 meters from the office building of Ansai government, a county in Shaanbei，northwest China's Shaanxi Province, is situated a folk arts gallery, whose owner is Hou Xuezhao, a 56-year-old woman dubbed Ansai's "master of folk arts".
Of the two-story, 18-room, plain-looking building, five exhibit Hou's treasures: about 100 paper cuts, folk paintings and embroidery works.
"This is my favorite work", Hou said satisfied, pointing to one of her works depicting a woman riding a donkey with her husband running along.
"In the past, there were no other transportation tools but donkeys. Thus if a new bride wanted to go back home, she would have to ride the animal. Usually the husband would accompany the wife in demonstration of his love. This inspired me to create such a special painting", Hou explained.
The art family
As many women in Ansai in the past, Hou Xuezhao started learning paper cutting with her mom and grandmother when she was very young. But not every woman shows such skills towards Shaanbei folk arts as this now 56-year-old grandma.
Hou's works characterize ordinary Shaanbei people's lifestyle, representing the strong flavor of Huangtu folk culture which mainly concentrates in Shaanbei.
However, it was not until 10 years ago that Hou's works spread internationally. In 1994, under the recommendation of the Culture Affairs Bureau of Ansai County, Hou was invited to Austria for cultural exchange. About 10 years later, in 2005, Hou had the chance to bring her works to Thailand. The well-received folk arts exchange activities brought Hou confidence to continue her folk arts career. Since 2002, Hou's works have won her many awards, including the first place at the China's Second Grand Exhibition of Peasant Paintings and Calligraphy, the silver medal of China Paper Cutting Expo.
Not only Hou, other six members from her family are known for their talents on Shaanbei folk arts. Chen Piliang, Hou's husband, is an excellent dancer of Ansai Yaogu (Waist Drum). Currently, Chen not only trains people Ansai Yaogu in his homeland, but is also frequently invited for performances and training by other cities around the nation.
The couple's five children- 3 sons and 2 daughters- were all trained from their early ages for a certain skill within folk songs, Yaogu and paper cutting.
"My mom and my mom's mom (no longer among us) are all smart women. My mom taught me paper cutting and painting while my dad was my Yaogu teacher. I learned paper cutting when I was six, and at the age of eight, I could already cut a butterfly. ", Chen Hongmei, the fourth child of the couple said proudly.
"Most of my mom's works depict her life in Ansai, which is sometimes not familiar to me: the post-80 generation. I'd like to add some more modern elements to my works. In the future, of course I would definitely teach my children these skills,” the 23-year-old girl told the Global Times.
Thailand postpones new 3G license auction | News | Rapid TV News
Thailand postpones new 3G license auction | News | Rapid TV News
Thailand’s telecommunications regulator is postponing 20 September's 3G licence auction following confusion in the courts over its legal authority to allocate wireless spectrum.
In response, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has pledged his government will speed up drafting a new bill in an attempt to establish the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to oversee the matter.
The Supreme Administrative Court has instructed the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) that the Constitution Court must rule on its authority, or a new regulatory body – the NBTC – must be formed before the auction can begin.
The NBTC should be established, as prescribed under the 2007 Constitution, according to the Central Administrative Court. The NTC, however, has appealed the matter, saying it does have the legal authority to offer the 2.1 gigahertz frequency, and cited the detrimental effects on Thailand’s social and economic development if 3G bidding is not allowed.
The stock of Advanced Info Service (AIS), DTAC and True Move - the three companies involved in the bidding - dropped on Friday after the court ruling was announced.
This proposed 3G auction is not the first. CAT Telecom and TOT Pel (formerly the Telephone Organisation of Thailand) have already been allocated 3G frequencies by the NTC.
“3G is much more than [a] mobile phone service,” said Col Natee, NTC Commissioner told the Thai News Agency. The NTC gives importance on [a] broadband internet service which will speed up the country’s development and the NTC has prepared the 3G bidding process for over four years as the existing network is not sufficient.”
Col Natee said Thailand’s current internet accessibility is only two per cent. However, by 2014, once the 3G network is rolled out, 80 per cent of the country will have internet access.
The NBTC Bill has already passed readings in both the House of Representatives and the Upper House of Parliament, before being revised by the Joint Parliamentary Committee. It will now be brought for consideration by parliament again.
Thailand’s telecommunications regulator is postponing 20 September's 3G licence auction following confusion in the courts over its legal authority to allocate wireless spectrum.
In response, Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has pledged his government will speed up drafting a new bill in an attempt to establish the National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) to oversee the matter.
The Supreme Administrative Court has instructed the National Telecommunications Commission (NTC) that the Constitution Court must rule on its authority, or a new regulatory body – the NBTC – must be formed before the auction can begin.
The NBTC should be established, as prescribed under the 2007 Constitution, according to the Central Administrative Court. The NTC, however, has appealed the matter, saying it does have the legal authority to offer the 2.1 gigahertz frequency, and cited the detrimental effects on Thailand’s social and economic development if 3G bidding is not allowed.
The stock of Advanced Info Service (AIS), DTAC and True Move - the three companies involved in the bidding - dropped on Friday after the court ruling was announced.
This proposed 3G auction is not the first. CAT Telecom and TOT Pel (formerly the Telephone Organisation of Thailand) have already been allocated 3G frequencies by the NTC.
“3G is much more than [a] mobile phone service,” said Col Natee, NTC Commissioner told the Thai News Agency. The NTC gives importance on [a] broadband internet service which will speed up the country’s development and the NTC has prepared the 3G bidding process for over four years as the existing network is not sufficient.”
Col Natee said Thailand’s current internet accessibility is only two per cent. However, by 2014, once the 3G network is rolled out, 80 per cent of the country will have internet access.
The NBTC Bill has already passed readings in both the House of Representatives and the Upper House of Parliament, before being revised by the Joint Parliamentary Committee. It will now be brought for consideration by parliament again.
'Red Shirts' mark anniversary of 2006 coup in Thailand - CNN.com
'Red Shirts' mark anniversary of 2006 coup in Thailand - CNN.com
More than 10,000 anti-government demonstrators gathered in the heart of Bangkok's shopping district Sunday to mark the fourth anniversary of a bloodless coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The peaceful demonstration lasted about four hours under scattered rain. One of the city's main intersections was again flooded with "Red Shirt" demonstrators -- so named for the color of their clothing -- resembling the picture when the group occupied the area from March to May until a crackdown by the government's security forces that left 91 people dead and more than 2,000 injured.
The crowd chanted "there are deaths here!"
Several symbolic activities were performed by the demonstrators, including tying red robes and forming a giant spider web, lying on the street to represent the dead, and lighting red candles around the area. Balloons tied with letters were released into the sky.
Red Shirt leader Sombat Boon-ngamanong, who organized the demonstration, told his supporters to leave the area around 5 p.m. (6 a.m. ET), although some people lingered. The demonstration ended peacefully.
Similar activities were held in Chiang Mai, Nong Khai, and in the north and northeastern parts of the country, according to local media.
Bangkok and six other provinces remain under emergency rule, which the government imposed in April. The decree allows authorities to detain suspects without formal charges up to three months.
The Red Shirts support Thaksin, who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006 while he was attending a U.N. assembly. His supporters protested for weeks, demanding that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva dissolve parliament and call new elections.
Thaksin briefly returned to Thailand to fight a corruption charge, but fled again in 2008. He left before Thailand's Supreme Court convicted him of abusing his power and purchasing land owned by his wife.
More than 10,000 anti-government demonstrators gathered in the heart of Bangkok's shopping district Sunday to mark the fourth anniversary of a bloodless coup that ousted Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
The peaceful demonstration lasted about four hours under scattered rain. One of the city's main intersections was again flooded with "Red Shirt" demonstrators -- so named for the color of their clothing -- resembling the picture when the group occupied the area from March to May until a crackdown by the government's security forces that left 91 people dead and more than 2,000 injured.
The crowd chanted "there are deaths here!"
Several symbolic activities were performed by the demonstrators, including tying red robes and forming a giant spider web, lying on the street to represent the dead, and lighting red candles around the area. Balloons tied with letters were released into the sky.
Red Shirt leader Sombat Boon-ngamanong, who organized the demonstration, told his supporters to leave the area around 5 p.m. (6 a.m. ET), although some people lingered. The demonstration ended peacefully.
Similar activities were held in Chiang Mai, Nong Khai, and in the north and northeastern parts of the country, according to local media.
Bangkok and six other provinces remain under emergency rule, which the government imposed in April. The decree allows authorities to detain suspects without formal charges up to three months.
The Red Shirts support Thaksin, who was ousted in a bloodless military coup in 2006 while he was attending a U.N. assembly. His supporters protested for weeks, demanding that Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva dissolve parliament and call new elections.
Thaksin briefly returned to Thailand to fight a corruption charge, but fled again in 2008. He left before Thailand's Supreme Court convicted him of abusing his power and purchasing land owned by his wife.
Asia-Pacific destinations marketed at travel forum | guampdn.com | Pacific Daily News
Asia-Pacific destinations marketed at travel forum | guampdn.com | Pacific Daily News
Visitors bureaus from Guam and Yap last week used the Pacific Asia Travel Association Travel Mart 2010 in Macau to not only market their individual destinations but also the Micronesia region as a whole.
"We understand that our duty as chapter members is to not only market our individual islands among potential visitors in the Asia-Pacific, but to market our region as a whole," said PATA Micronesia Chairman Darin De Leon. "Our hope is that by making our region more desirable, our airline partners will help make it more accessible. If that happens, the individual economies of our island partners will improve, and visitor arrivals to our region will get a boost."
The Guam Visitors Bureau and Yap Visitors Bureau utilized the event -- known to be an influential networking and contracting event in the Asia Pacific region -- to make contacts in the area, as well as in nearby Hong Kong, where both entities have worked to increase exposure among potential visitors for several years, the release stated.
"We hope to generate more business out of the Hong Kong/Macau area as well as use PATA Travel Mart as an opportunity to meet with international buyers from our other source markets," said De Leon.
PATA Travel Mart 2010 featured a full day of seminars covering topics including prospects for Asia Pacific tourism, PATA's Strategic Intelligence Centre, and human resources issues in the industry, as well exhibit space for networking opportunities.
Visitors bureaus from Guam and Yap last week used the Pacific Asia Travel Association Travel Mart 2010 in Macau to not only market their individual destinations but also the Micronesia region as a whole.
"We understand that our duty as chapter members is to not only market our individual islands among potential visitors in the Asia-Pacific, but to market our region as a whole," said PATA Micronesia Chairman Darin De Leon. "Our hope is that by making our region more desirable, our airline partners will help make it more accessible. If that happens, the individual economies of our island partners will improve, and visitor arrivals to our region will get a boost."
The Guam Visitors Bureau and Yap Visitors Bureau utilized the event -- known to be an influential networking and contracting event in the Asia Pacific region -- to make contacts in the area, as well as in nearby Hong Kong, where both entities have worked to increase exposure among potential visitors for several years, the release stated.
"We hope to generate more business out of the Hong Kong/Macau area as well as use PATA Travel Mart as an opportunity to meet with international buyers from our other source markets," said De Leon.
PATA Travel Mart 2010 featured a full day of seminars covering topics including prospects for Asia Pacific tourism, PATA's Strategic Intelligence Centre, and human resources issues in the industry, as well exhibit space for networking opportunities.
Thailand August Vehicle Output, Exports Rise On Year
Thailand August Vehicle Output, Exports Rise On Year
BANGKOK -(Dow Jones)- Thailand's vehicle production and exports continued to increase in August from a year earlier on the back of the improving economy, the Federation of Thai Industries said Thursday.
August vehicle output in Thailand, a regional manufacturing hub for many of the world's biggest automakers, shot up 67.6% on year to 141,043 units, the federation said in a statement.
The number of units exported in August was 77,750, up 80.4% on year, with increased shipments to every market.
The value of car, truck and bus exports--including detached engines and automotive parts--totaled THB51.96 billion ($1.68 billion) in August, a 54.5% rise from August last year.
If motorcycles and motorcycle parts were included, the total value of exports would have been THB55.21 billion, up 52.2% from a year earlier.
In the first eight months of this year, vehicle production surged 92.6% to 1.06 million units.
The federation forecast vehicle production will reach 426,354 units in the September to November period, up 25.6% on year but down 2.1% from the June to August period.
Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201009160028dowjonesdjonline000004&title=thailand-august-vehicle-outputexports-rise-on-year#ixzz100XbvMEF
BANGKOK -(Dow Jones)- Thailand's vehicle production and exports continued to increase in August from a year earlier on the back of the improving economy, the Federation of Thai Industries said Thursday.
August vehicle output in Thailand, a regional manufacturing hub for many of the world's biggest automakers, shot up 67.6% on year to 141,043 units, the federation said in a statement.
The number of units exported in August was 77,750, up 80.4% on year, with increased shipments to every market.
The value of car, truck and bus exports--including detached engines and automotive parts--totaled THB51.96 billion ($1.68 billion) in August, a 54.5% rise from August last year.
If motorcycles and motorcycle parts were included, the total value of exports would have been THB55.21 billion, up 52.2% from a year earlier.
In the first eight months of this year, vehicle production surged 92.6% to 1.06 million units.
The federation forecast vehicle production will reach 426,354 units in the September to November period, up 25.6% on year but down 2.1% from the June to August period.
Read more: http://www.nasdaq.com/aspx/stock-market-news-story.aspx?storyid=201009160028dowjonesdjonline000004&title=thailand-august-vehicle-outputexports-rise-on-year#ixzz100XbvMEF
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