Indorama Ventures Limited (IVL) the parent company of Indorama Polymers Plc (IRP) reported a sharp increase in its earnings for the 9-months period ending September 2009 thanks to the company’s exposure to the Pure Terepthalic Acid (PTA) business.
“The performance of IVL has been good because the margins for PTA has remained stable while those for the PET (polyethylene terephthalate) has seen decline during the previous quarter,” Dilip Kumar Agarwal, the chief executive officer of IRP said during the analysts conference to announce the results of IRP’s third quarter and give some indication of IVL’s performance.
IVL which is in the process of buying out IRP from the retail shareholders in a share swap which would see IVL list on the local bourse by Mid-February reported its 9-months net profits of about 4.5 billion baht against 3.5 billion it had seen at the end of June this year.
The 4.5 billion in profits was more than 160% increase from those seen during last year, which the company attributed to the higher ‘integrated spreads’ between the PTA and PET business. The spread for the 9-months ending September for the two businesses stood at $397/tonne against the Asian published spreads of $316/tonne.
As for IRP, which handles only the PET business, the company saw a slight decline in its margins as it has been evident from most Asian operators on the back of seasonal factor and weaker demand. The PET spreads for the quarter stood at $170 against $222 seen during Q2 2009. The third quarter’s spreads in Asia stood at $142/ton.
“Our margins are still better than those of the benchmark industry standards,” Mr. Agarwal said while adding that IRP during the past quarter was slightly ‘aggressive’ in its sales which had caused the margins to decline as well.
He said that the lower margins has meant that the company has managed to increase its market share globally and excluding China the company’s global market share has reached around 13% from blow 10% seen at the start of this year.
“During the fourth quarter we are expecting our spreads to be above $200 per ton,” Mr. Agarwal stressed during questions raised by some analysts on whether the squeezed margins would be the strategy going forward.
This prompted IRP to report a net profit of 239 million baht down from 276 million baht seen during the third quarter of 2008. As for the 9-month operations IRP reported a net profit of 1.58 billion against 933 million baht on sale of 32.85 billion baht against 30.92 billion baht seen during the same period of 2008.
Commenting on the demand side Mr. Agarwal said that there continues to be a shortage of about 1-million ton in the European markets and with many of the incumbent players in not such a strong financial position the situation could further intensify.
He said that IRP and IVL were looking at various options to cater to the European market but none have been very concrete yet to make a formal announcement.
Sunday, November 22, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Paws for thought
SCAD (formerly known as Soi Dog Rescue) and BNOW (Bangkok Network of Women) are holding a garage sale at New International School of Thailand on Sukhumvit Soi 15 this Saturday from 9.30am-1pm.
Up for grabs at bargain prices will be everything from appliances, and furniture, to kids toys, clothing, books, sports equipment and much more.
Part of the proceeds will be donated to SCAD.
For more information, visit ScadBangkok.org.
For help with directions, call the school Monday through Friday during school hours at (02) 651 2065.
Up for grabs at bargain prices will be everything from appliances, and furniture, to kids toys, clothing, books, sports equipment and much more.
Part of the proceeds will be donated to SCAD.
For more information, visit ScadBangkok.org.
For help with directions, call the school Monday through Friday during school hours at (02) 651 2065.
Magnificent seven
In the most important, most revered event since the invention of the brontosaurus trap,Microsoft shipped the most incredibly fabulous operating system ever made; the release of Windows 7 also spurred a new generation of personal computers of all sizes at prices well below last month's offers.The top reason Windows 7 does not suck: There is no registered website called Windows7Sucks.com
Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.
Kindle e-book reader maker Amazon.com and new Nook e-book reader vendor Barnes and Noble got it on; B&N got great reviews for the "Kindle killer"Nook, with dual screens and touch controls so you can "turn" pages, plays MP3s and allows many non-B&N book formats, although not the Kindle one;Amazon then killed the US version of its Kindle in favour of the international one, reduced its price to $260(8,700 baht), same as the Nook; it's not yet clear what you can get in Thailand with a Nook, but you sure can't (yet) get much, relatively speaking, with a Kindle;but here's the biggest difference so far,which Amazon.com has ignored: the Nook lets you lend e-books to any other Nook owner, just as if they were paper books; the borrowed books expire on the borrower's Nook in two weeks.
Phone maker Nokia of Finland announced it is suing iPhone maker Apple of America for being a copycat; lawyers said they figure Nokia can get at least one, probably two per cent (retail) for every iPhone sold by Steve "President for Life" Jobs and crew via the lawsuit,which sure beats working for it -$6 (200 baht) to $12(400 baht) on 30 million phones sold so far, works out to $400 million or 25 percent of the whole Apple empire profits during the last quarter;there were 10 patent thefts, the Finnish executives said, on everything from moving data to security and encryption.
Nokia of Finland announced that it is one month behind on shipping its new flagship N900 phone, the first to run on Linux software; delay of the $750(25,000 baht) phone had absolutely no part in making Nokia so short that it had to sue Apple, slap yourself for such a thought.
Tim Berners-Lee, who created the World Wide Web, said he had one regret:the double slash that follows the "http:"in standard web addresses; he estimated that 14.2 gazillion users have wasted 48.72 bazillion hours typing those two keystrokes, and he's sorry; of course there's no reason to ever type that, since your browser does it for you when you type "www.bangkokpost.com" but Tim needs to admit he made one error in his lifetime.
The International Telecommunication Union of the United Nations, which doesn't sell any phones or services, announced that there should be a mobile phone charger that will work with any phone; now who would ever have thought of that, without a UN body to wind up a major study on the subject?;the GSM Association estimates that 51,000 tonnes of chargers are made each year in order to keep companies able to have their own unique ones.
The Well, Doh Award of the Week was presented at arm's length to the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development; the group's deputy secretary-general Petko Draganov said that developing countries will miss some of the stuff available on the Internet if they don't install more broadband infrastructure; a report that used your tax baht to compile said that quite a few people use mobile phones but companies are more likely to invest in countries with excellent broadband connections; no one ever had thought of this before, right?
Sun Microsystems , as a result of the Oracle takeover, said it will allow 3,000 current workers never to bother coming to work again; Sun referred to the losses as "jobs," not people; now the fourth largest server maker in the world, Sun said it lost $2.2 billion in its last fiscal year; European regulators are holding up approval of the Oracle purchase in the hope of getting some money in exchange for not involving Oracle in court cases.
The multi-gazillionaire and very annoying investor Carl Icahn resigned from the board at Yahoo ; he spun it as a vote of confidence, saying current directors are taking the formerly threatened company seriously; Yahoo reported increased profits but smaller revenues in the third quarter.
The US House of Representatives voted to censure Vietnam for jailing bloggers; the non-binding resolution sponsored by southern California congresswoman Loretta Sanchez said the Internet is "a crucial tool for the citizens of Vietnam to be able to exercise their freedom of expression and association;"Hanoi has recently jailed at least nine activists for up to six years apiece for holding pro-democracy banners. Iran jailed blogger Hossein "Hoder" Derakshan for 10 months - in solitary confinement.
Wednesday, October 14, 2009
Pit bulls maul elderly woman
Five pit bull terriers attacked an elderly woman at a Bangkok housing estate yesterday morning.
Taweeporn Rujimora, 74, was walking home when the dogs suddenly pounced. Although neighbours rushed to help, the victim sustained injuries to her face, chest and other parts of her body.
"I heard shouting, then I saw people trying to force the dogs into a house while the woman lay on a bench screaming in pain," said Pol Sub-Lieutenant Damrong Kritchukiat. Damrong managed to video the aftermath of the incident and said the footage could be used as evidence against the dog owner.
Taweeporn's son, Kanok, lodged a complaint with police against the dogs' owner, Preecha Arunmahat, yesterday. "He has refused to pay for a private room in hospital for my mother. It is useless to talk to him," said Kanok, a news editor at Channel 5.
Bites, dislocated bones
Doctors at the Kasemrad Bangkae Hospital say Taweeporn is being treated for bite wounds and dislocated bones caused by the fall.
"Residents are considering petitioning the director of Bang Khae District Office to have the pit-bulls expelled from the housing estate," said Kanok, adding that Preecha's dogs have attacked many people before.
Lak Song Police Station superintendent Colonel Sunthorn Torod said Preecha had already been summoned for questioning.
"He claims he cannot afford to pay for a private room because Taweeporn is at a private hospital. But he has promised to pay Bt40,000 towards Taweeporn's treatment," said Sunthorn.
Taweeporn Rujimora, 74, was walking home when the dogs suddenly pounced. Although neighbours rushed to help, the victim sustained injuries to her face, chest and other parts of her body.
"I heard shouting, then I saw people trying to force the dogs into a house while the woman lay on a bench screaming in pain," said Pol Sub-Lieutenant Damrong Kritchukiat. Damrong managed to video the aftermath of the incident and said the footage could be used as evidence against the dog owner.
Taweeporn's son, Kanok, lodged a complaint with police against the dogs' owner, Preecha Arunmahat, yesterday. "He has refused to pay for a private room in hospital for my mother. It is useless to talk to him," said Kanok, a news editor at Channel 5.
Bites, dislocated bones
Doctors at the Kasemrad Bangkae Hospital say Taweeporn is being treated for bite wounds and dislocated bones caused by the fall.
"Residents are considering petitioning the director of Bang Khae District Office to have the pit-bulls expelled from the housing estate," said Kanok, adding that Preecha's dogs have attacked many people before.
Lak Song Police Station superintendent Colonel Sunthorn Torod said Preecha had already been summoned for questioning.
"He claims he cannot afford to pay for a private room because Taweeporn is at a private hospital. But he has promised to pay Bt40,000 towards Taweeporn's treatment," said Sunthorn.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
FLYING COLOURS
Sarawut Kreedumrongsak always smiles happily whenever his friends refer to him as khon bah nok (bird maniac)."I never get angry when I hear that term since it truly reflects who I am and what I like most. In fact, it is my favourite nickname," he said, laughing.
His present home, widely known as Ban Nok Mee Ngon (House of Crested Birds),resembles a large aviary, with 200 birds living in harmony with their human friends.But things were completely different a decade ago.
"Previously,my parents always kept complaining about my hobby. Now my mother and sister are extremely happy to take care of the birds.My mother enjoys feeding them," said the bird lover.
Although Mr Sarawut is a bird fancier,he doesn't keep several species. He has the only strain that suits his lifestyle and personality. After experimenting with rearing various breeds, he eventually settled on with what he calls his "dream birds".
"I am in love with cockatiels because of their striking traits and gentle temperament. Compared with other kinds of parrots, cockatiels are less aggressive. In fact, they are rather quiet. I don't like to live in a noisy environment.The sounds made by cockatiels are melodious," he said.
By profession, Mr Sarawut is a lawyer.He is also a skilful chef. Breeding cockatiels is his hobby. But he doesn't breed just for fun or for commercial purposes. What he is trying to do is to develop the members of this avian category to be stronger and more colourful.
He started his breeding scheme with the Normal Grey, regarded as the most ordinary strain due to its plain characteristics. But this species is famous for its big,well-built body and physical strength, and these favourable genetic properties can be passed down to descendants.
"Generally, cockatiels are divided into two main groups - high-colour and lowcolour. The former includes birds with
rare and sophisticated colours while the latter features feathered specimens with basic colours such as black and brown. I just match the former and the latter together and the result is a stronger and more colourful breed," he said.
Mr Surawut's birds come in various tones,and many of them are hotly sought after by bird connoisseurs.However, most collectors are often disappointed as not all of them can have their desires fulfilled.
"The more birds I breed, the more of them I keep for myself. I rarely sell them to others. I really love all of my birds. They all have names and I remember them all," he said.
Mr Sarawut treats his birds as if they were his own children. All fledglings must be hand fed by him because most mother cockatiels are not good at raising their babies.
"The most difficult and challenging task in taking care of the nestlings is hand-feeding as even a minor mistake can kill a baby bird.
"For example, the food temperature must be just right, and all the feeding equipment must be clean. On top of that,the feeder must be highly skilful. The fledgling will die if food gets into its windpipe and lungs."
Mr Sarawut says a cockatiel makes good company and its lifespan is rather long,about 15 to 20 years if properly looked after. This means that his responsibility and commitment to his birds is virtually endless, but he is happy to trade his time and energy for his feathered friends' wellbeing. All his birds live in a long, spacious aviary since by nature a cockatiel flies horizontally and low.
Mr Sarawut is also an early bird. He usually wakes at 5am to monitor the condition of all his birds, feeds them, cleans the aviary and all the feeding equipment,rubs the fledglings' feathers and records the history of all the birds, including their egg-laying and hatching particulars. When he returns home at midnight, the first place he visits is the aviary, and he spends at least two hours there to make sure that all of his children sleep well.
"The greatest enemy of nestlings are rats. They often comes at night, gnaw the net of the aviary and forage for food,which in their case is a helpless baby bird.
"I have to strengthen my aviary occasionally," he said.
From time to time, he participates in pet fairs and takes his beautiful birds to the outside world. Some of them have won beauty contests.
"I just want to meet new friends who share the same interest as mine. Through competitions, I can learn both the positive and negative traits of my birds. In that way, I can improve on my breeding programme," he said.
After having been a leading figure in the cockatiel arena for more than a decade,Mr Sarawut is often invited by pet magazines to write articles on cockatiels, and he is always more than willing to share his experiences and knowledge with the like-minded, especially greenhorns who have no idea how to keep their birds healthy and happy throughout their lifetime. He also provides tips on how to hand-feed fledglings.
"Some bird keepers simply follow the trend but have no basic knowledge of how to take care of the young animals properly. I hope that my articles can help raise awareness among bird owners to see value in animal life and treat the creatures with respect," he said.
At the end of every day, Mr Sarawut looks happy in his world full of colour and melody. And whatever he does, he does it wholeheartedly, as can be seen in the glowing health of all his birds.
"I enjoy all of my roles. They keep me healthy and happy," he said with a wide grin.
His present home, widely known as Ban Nok Mee Ngon (House of Crested Birds),resembles a large aviary, with 200 birds living in harmony with their human friends.But things were completely different a decade ago.
"Previously,my parents always kept complaining about my hobby. Now my mother and sister are extremely happy to take care of the birds.My mother enjoys feeding them," said the bird lover.
Although Mr Sarawut is a bird fancier,he doesn't keep several species. He has the only strain that suits his lifestyle and personality. After experimenting with rearing various breeds, he eventually settled on with what he calls his "dream birds".
"I am in love with cockatiels because of their striking traits and gentle temperament. Compared with other kinds of parrots, cockatiels are less aggressive. In fact, they are rather quiet. I don't like to live in a noisy environment.The sounds made by cockatiels are melodious," he said.
By profession, Mr Sarawut is a lawyer.He is also a skilful chef. Breeding cockatiels is his hobby. But he doesn't breed just for fun or for commercial purposes. What he is trying to do is to develop the members of this avian category to be stronger and more colourful.
He started his breeding scheme with the Normal Grey, regarded as the most ordinary strain due to its plain characteristics. But this species is famous for its big,well-built body and physical strength, and these favourable genetic properties can be passed down to descendants.
"Generally, cockatiels are divided into two main groups - high-colour and lowcolour. The former includes birds with
rare and sophisticated colours while the latter features feathered specimens with basic colours such as black and brown. I just match the former and the latter together and the result is a stronger and more colourful breed," he said.
Mr Surawut's birds come in various tones,and many of them are hotly sought after by bird connoisseurs.However, most collectors are often disappointed as not all of them can have their desires fulfilled.
"The more birds I breed, the more of them I keep for myself. I rarely sell them to others. I really love all of my birds. They all have names and I remember them all," he said.
Mr Sarawut treats his birds as if they were his own children. All fledglings must be hand fed by him because most mother cockatiels are not good at raising their babies.
"The most difficult and challenging task in taking care of the nestlings is hand-feeding as even a minor mistake can kill a baby bird.
"For example, the food temperature must be just right, and all the feeding equipment must be clean. On top of that,the feeder must be highly skilful. The fledgling will die if food gets into its windpipe and lungs."
Mr Sarawut says a cockatiel makes good company and its lifespan is rather long,about 15 to 20 years if properly looked after. This means that his responsibility and commitment to his birds is virtually endless, but he is happy to trade his time and energy for his feathered friends' wellbeing. All his birds live in a long, spacious aviary since by nature a cockatiel flies horizontally and low.
Mr Sarawut is also an early bird. He usually wakes at 5am to monitor the condition of all his birds, feeds them, cleans the aviary and all the feeding equipment,rubs the fledglings' feathers and records the history of all the birds, including their egg-laying and hatching particulars. When he returns home at midnight, the first place he visits is the aviary, and he spends at least two hours there to make sure that all of his children sleep well.
"The greatest enemy of nestlings are rats. They often comes at night, gnaw the net of the aviary and forage for food,which in their case is a helpless baby bird.
"I have to strengthen my aviary occasionally," he said.
From time to time, he participates in pet fairs and takes his beautiful birds to the outside world. Some of them have won beauty contests.
"I just want to meet new friends who share the same interest as mine. Through competitions, I can learn both the positive and negative traits of my birds. In that way, I can improve on my breeding programme," he said.
After having been a leading figure in the cockatiel arena for more than a decade,Mr Sarawut is often invited by pet magazines to write articles on cockatiels, and he is always more than willing to share his experiences and knowledge with the like-minded, especially greenhorns who have no idea how to keep their birds healthy and happy throughout their lifetime. He also provides tips on how to hand-feed fledglings.
"Some bird keepers simply follow the trend but have no basic knowledge of how to take care of the young animals properly. I hope that my articles can help raise awareness among bird owners to see value in animal life and treat the creatures with respect," he said.
At the end of every day, Mr Sarawut looks happy in his world full of colour and melody. And whatever he does, he does it wholeheartedly, as can be seen in the glowing health of all his birds.
"I enjoy all of my roles. They keep me healthy and happy," he said with a wide grin.
Monday, September 21, 2009
All the best of Japanese luck
Loft, the Japan-based chain,has just blown out the candles on its 12th-burtgdat cake and come up with a fresh collection of decorative items, gifts and stationery that capture the cultural charms of the Land of the Rising Sun.
Auspicious animals roam the new line, promising to bring good fortune. There's the lucky cat Maneki Neko Sekiguchi the monkey and a turtle and owl, all in vivid colours.
Teens who love flowers and manga will find the beautiful Sakura and pouplar Totoro cartoon characters.
There are Daruma Piggy banks, bubble-head Daruma dolls, Oni devil masks, Totoro music boxes and Tamagotchi electronic pets, plus key rings, luck cat calendadrs, comfy cushions and ceramic ware painted by celebrated artist Shinzi Katoh.
You can also get pink lunchboxes with chopsticks,Sakura notebooks and cosmetics cases and cardholders and notebooks made from printed Japanese textile.
THE NATION ON SUNDAY
LOOK WAY UP
Loft is on the third floor of the Siam Discovery centre and at Chamchuri Square. Call(02)658 0328 or (02)160 5161-3.
HERE'S A pink lunchbox with chopsticks and a strawberry motif for Bt285.
THIS DARUMA piggy bank costs Bt790.
SAKURA notebooks range in price from Bt95 to Bt280.
LIGHT UP your desk with a lucky cat calendar for Bt3,900.
TGUS CYTE music box bears the popular cartoon character Totoro. It's Bt1,670.
Auspicious animals roam the new line, promising to bring good fortune. There's the lucky cat Maneki Neko Sekiguchi the monkey and a turtle and owl, all in vivid colours.
Teens who love flowers and manga will find the beautiful Sakura and pouplar Totoro cartoon characters.
There are Daruma Piggy banks, bubble-head Daruma dolls, Oni devil masks, Totoro music boxes and Tamagotchi electronic pets, plus key rings, luck cat calendadrs, comfy cushions and ceramic ware painted by celebrated artist Shinzi Katoh.
You can also get pink lunchboxes with chopsticks,Sakura notebooks and cosmetics cases and cardholders and notebooks made from printed Japanese textile.
THE NATION ON SUNDAY
LOOK WAY UP
Loft is on the third floor of the Siam Discovery centre and at Chamchuri Square. Call(02)658 0328 or (02)160 5161-3.
HERE'S A pink lunchbox with chopsticks and a strawberry motif for Bt285.
THIS DARUMA piggy bank costs Bt790.
SAKURA notebooks range in price from Bt95 to Bt280.
LIGHT UP your desk with a lucky cat calendar for Bt3,900.
TGUS CYTE music box bears the popular cartoon character Totoro. It's Bt1,670.
Sunday, September 13, 2009
IT'S HARE RAISING
Rabbits of all species require the same attentive care by, and tender love from, their owners.
"Many breeds of rabbits have been brought into Thailand, and they have become indomitable rivals of other household pets as their popularity continues to soar," said Tananya Chaiyarith, a veteran rabbit breeder.
Many greenhorns find themselves in a cul-de-sac when it comes to the proper feeding, treatment and care of rabbits. Others lose their young fluffy friends because of negligence and/or ignorance of companionship issues. Holding a rabbit the wrong way can cause the animal to go blind, and only a few rabbit keepers are aware of the life-and-death repercussions of this action as it probably seems to be a trivial matter.
"Seeing people grab a rabbit's ears and carelessly pulling them up when they want to carry it is a common occurrence. This action can hurt the animal because many nerves run through its ears, thus making them become a most-vulnerable part.
"The safest way to handle a rabbit is to gently grasp its fur around the upper neck with one hand and support its buttocks with the other hand," suggested Ms Tananya.
According to the rabbit enthusiast, bunny owners must pay much attention to their pets' well being, including their reproduction process, their living quarters, their food and the diseases they are liable to be afflicted with as all these factors play a vital role in keeping the bunnies happy and healthy throughout their life, which is about a decade.
"Like humans, rabbits also want to be comfortable, whether physically or mentally. So, it's our responsibility to provide our pets with all the life-supporting amenities that they need as their survival and safety lie in our careful hands and caring heart," advised Ms Tananya.
By nature, a rabbit's reproductive period occurs every 16 days. Consequently, it's necessary to control the bunny population by neutering the females if the rabbit owner is not in the business of breeding rabbits for commercial purposes.
On average, pregnancy lasts about one month, and one litter consists of one to 10 leverets. But the mother rabbit has only eight breasts to feed her babies, so rabbit keepers have to help the mother take care of her offspring.
Following delivery, the mother should be kept with her babies, while the father is moved to another cage because he can distract the female. Under these circumstances, the loving mother may feel tense, turn aggressive and attack her litter.
"For the safety of all the leverets, two cages are needed so as to keep the male away from the female. By nature, the male doesn't help the female raise their children. On top of that, he will also try to mate with the female all the time," she explained.
During this period, the rabbit owner should cover the mother rabbit's cage with cloth or cardboard to shield her from any disturbing noise or sight.
"Don't forget to line her cage with straw or grass to keep all leverets warm. Normally, it takes about 20 days for the young rabbits to become healthy and strong. The mother is very possessive of her children," said the rabbit admirer.
The most desirable and safest cage has a fine-mesh floor to prevent the rabbit's legs from getting struck in the gaps. Line the floor with grass so the creature can sleep happily and comfortably.
"The cage must be kept clean all the time because the rabbit is also vulnerable to poor hygiene. Owners who have a big garden should allow the rabbits to exercise regularly and play in the natural environment," she said.
Food should be available in the cage all the time because the rabbit is a nocturnal animal, and so it likes to come out to forage for food at night. As for drinking water, it should be put in a commercially manufactured bottle specially designed for rabbits.
"The food must be nutritious, and the water clean. They must be changed daily as germs can accumulate in the feeding bowl and the bottle. Preferably, these containers should also be washed and cleaned daily," she said.
Generally, a rabbit's food can be divided into three main categories - rough, concentrated, and commercial.
Rough food provides high levels of fibre and normally comes from grass stalks and blades. Rabbits of different ages need different kinds of grass. Dried grass is suitable for very young rabbits. Rabbits aged one to four months enjoy eating alfalfa, while grown-ups are normally fed on pangola grass.
"The grass must be free of chemicals. Any grass that is green and yellow in colour is harmful to the animals because it contains pesticides. Apart from grass, their favourite menu includes fresh fruit and vegetables," she said.
Commercial food consists of both concentrated and rough components, and it is rich in calories and protein. It helps the animals to grow rapidly and to stay productive.
When it comes to disease, rabbits can be affected by many ailments, and the most common are ear and skin diseases, colds and diarrhoea.
When a rabbit shakes its head or scratches its ears more frequently than usual, something wrong has happened to its ears, and urgent attention is needed as their ears are now home to mites. If the ears are smelly and ooze pus, the animals are infected with bacteria. Clean their ears, their cage and all the equipment connected with their care regularly and constantly to prevent ear problems.
Mites can also be found on skin. If they are present, they cause hair loss and skin crust. The best treatment is to apply sulphur ointment on the infected areas.
Rabbits often catch cold, which results in sneezing and breathing difficulties. Their front legs will become wet because they tend to use their front legs to wipe their face to get rid of the nasal mucus. As a result, the virus can be spread easily and quickly and contaminate their food and/or water. If such a situation arises, the pet owner should take the sick animal to see a vet immediately.
Rabbits can suffer from diarrhoea when they eat food that has become rotten as a result of having been left in the cage for several days. They will become dehydrated, so the rabbit owner should give them an oral rehydration solution before taking them to a vet.
"Rabbits owners must keep a close watch over their bunnies all the time so that they can become aware of any abnormalities in the shortest time possible. We have to take good care of them constantly and wholeheartedly as their lives are just as precious as ours," Ms Tananya said.
"Many breeds of rabbits have been brought into Thailand, and they have become indomitable rivals of other household pets as their popularity continues to soar," said Tananya Chaiyarith, a veteran rabbit breeder.
Many greenhorns find themselves in a cul-de-sac when it comes to the proper feeding, treatment and care of rabbits. Others lose their young fluffy friends because of negligence and/or ignorance of companionship issues. Holding a rabbit the wrong way can cause the animal to go blind, and only a few rabbit keepers are aware of the life-and-death repercussions of this action as it probably seems to be a trivial matter.
"Seeing people grab a rabbit's ears and carelessly pulling them up when they want to carry it is a common occurrence. This action can hurt the animal because many nerves run through its ears, thus making them become a most-vulnerable part.
"The safest way to handle a rabbit is to gently grasp its fur around the upper neck with one hand and support its buttocks with the other hand," suggested Ms Tananya.
According to the rabbit enthusiast, bunny owners must pay much attention to their pets' well being, including their reproduction process, their living quarters, their food and the diseases they are liable to be afflicted with as all these factors play a vital role in keeping the bunnies happy and healthy throughout their life, which is about a decade.
"Like humans, rabbits also want to be comfortable, whether physically or mentally. So, it's our responsibility to provide our pets with all the life-supporting amenities that they need as their survival and safety lie in our careful hands and caring heart," advised Ms Tananya.
By nature, a rabbit's reproductive period occurs every 16 days. Consequently, it's necessary to control the bunny population by neutering the females if the rabbit owner is not in the business of breeding rabbits for commercial purposes.
On average, pregnancy lasts about one month, and one litter consists of one to 10 leverets. But the mother rabbit has only eight breasts to feed her babies, so rabbit keepers have to help the mother take care of her offspring.
Following delivery, the mother should be kept with her babies, while the father is moved to another cage because he can distract the female. Under these circumstances, the loving mother may feel tense, turn aggressive and attack her litter.
"For the safety of all the leverets, two cages are needed so as to keep the male away from the female. By nature, the male doesn't help the female raise their children. On top of that, he will also try to mate with the female all the time," she explained.
During this period, the rabbit owner should cover the mother rabbit's cage with cloth or cardboard to shield her from any disturbing noise or sight.
"Don't forget to line her cage with straw or grass to keep all leverets warm. Normally, it takes about 20 days for the young rabbits to become healthy and strong. The mother is very possessive of her children," said the rabbit admirer.
The most desirable and safest cage has a fine-mesh floor to prevent the rabbit's legs from getting struck in the gaps. Line the floor with grass so the creature can sleep happily and comfortably.
"The cage must be kept clean all the time because the rabbit is also vulnerable to poor hygiene. Owners who have a big garden should allow the rabbits to exercise regularly and play in the natural environment," she said.
Food should be available in the cage all the time because the rabbit is a nocturnal animal, and so it likes to come out to forage for food at night. As for drinking water, it should be put in a commercially manufactured bottle specially designed for rabbits.
"The food must be nutritious, and the water clean. They must be changed daily as germs can accumulate in the feeding bowl and the bottle. Preferably, these containers should also be washed and cleaned daily," she said.
Generally, a rabbit's food can be divided into three main categories - rough, concentrated, and commercial.
Rough food provides high levels of fibre and normally comes from grass stalks and blades. Rabbits of different ages need different kinds of grass. Dried grass is suitable for very young rabbits. Rabbits aged one to four months enjoy eating alfalfa, while grown-ups are normally fed on pangola grass.
"The grass must be free of chemicals. Any grass that is green and yellow in colour is harmful to the animals because it contains pesticides. Apart from grass, their favourite menu includes fresh fruit and vegetables," she said.
Commercial food consists of both concentrated and rough components, and it is rich in calories and protein. It helps the animals to grow rapidly and to stay productive.
When it comes to disease, rabbits can be affected by many ailments, and the most common are ear and skin diseases, colds and diarrhoea.
When a rabbit shakes its head or scratches its ears more frequently than usual, something wrong has happened to its ears, and urgent attention is needed as their ears are now home to mites. If the ears are smelly and ooze pus, the animals are infected with bacteria. Clean their ears, their cage and all the equipment connected with their care regularly and constantly to prevent ear problems.
Mites can also be found on skin. If they are present, they cause hair loss and skin crust. The best treatment is to apply sulphur ointment on the infected areas.
Rabbits often catch cold, which results in sneezing and breathing difficulties. Their front legs will become wet because they tend to use their front legs to wipe their face to get rid of the nasal mucus. As a result, the virus can be spread easily and quickly and contaminate their food and/or water. If such a situation arises, the pet owner should take the sick animal to see a vet immediately.
Rabbits can suffer from diarrhoea when they eat food that has become rotten as a result of having been left in the cage for several days. They will become dehydrated, so the rabbit owner should give them an oral rehydration solution before taking them to a vet.
"Rabbits owners must keep a close watch over their bunnies all the time so that they can become aware of any abnormalities in the shortest time possible. We have to take good care of them constantly and wholeheartedly as their lives are just as precious as ours," Ms Tananya said.
Sunday, September 6, 2009
RABBIT RAISING
When it comes to choosing rabbits to keep as pets,many bunny lovers often reach an impasse as they have no idea of how to pick the right breed that best suits their lifestyle and personal tastes. Their predicament is aggravated by the wide range of adorable bunnies that have made their way to the Kingdom.
Like dogs and cats, rabbits have become popular household pets due to the availability of many species and because they are easy to look after and care for. In addition to these two factors, these fluffy friends make a long-lasting, positive impression wherever they are, just as other traditional pets do.
Rabbit breeder Sumanthip Vachiravarakan said that about 45 breeds of bunnies have been recognised by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (Arba).
Many of these are bred in Thailand, and most of them have no problem winning the hearts of rabbit enthusiasts quickly due to their cute looks and personalities.
"At present, a rabbit is as popular as a dog or cat mainly because it requires very little space and is easy to take care of. Besides, the rabbit is a sociable animal, and can develop an attachment to humans in a short time," added the rabbit lover.
Of the 45 certified breeds, the most-popular categories that receive a warm welcome from bunny devotees in Thailand include the Giant Angora, Jersey Wooly, French Lop, Holland Lop, English Lop, Giant Chinchilla, Flemish Giant, Harlequin, Mini Satin, Mini Rex and Netherland Dwarf.
According to Mr Sumanthip, foreign bunnies are categorised into four main sizes: Small, middle, large and giant.
To help potential owners make up their minds when faced with a choice, here are a few of the external features of the well-known domesticated breeds.
SMALL-SIZED BREEDS
(WEIGHT ABOUT 0.9 TO 2.7KG)
The Jersey Wool is the smallest longhaired strain with fluffy fur. Its undercoat is curly and covered with guard fur that is about three inches long. It weighs less than 1.6kg. Its coat comes in various tones.A lighter-coloured coat can be found in the areas of the head, ears and feet. Its hairy ears are small and straight.
The Mini Satin is comparatively small,hitting the scales at between 0.7 and 1kg.It comes in several colours including bluish grey, black, chocolate and lilac. With its long front legs, the Mini Satin likes sitting up straight rather than crouching on the floor.
The Holland Lop is the smallest droppedear rabbit and has a weight of about 1.2kg.Its fur is usually multi-toned. Muscular and having a beautiful body structure,the Holland Lop is very popular in Thailand.
The Mini Lop has strong muscles and a compact size. Its fur is thick, smooth and glossy. It has wide shoulders and thick buttocks. Located on the highest part of the head, its ears are folded down and flank its cheeks.
The Mini Rex has a proportionate,compact and tapered structure. Its thick fur is straight yet flexible. The desired coat thickness should be about 1.6cm. In close proximity to each other, the two ears are straight and upright. The fur of
the Mini Lop comes in different colours.
The Netherland Dwarf is termed a dwarf due to its compact body and short yet straight ears. Though small, the Netherland Dwarf is somewhat fluffy. It is one of the most-popular breeds owing to its cuteness and smallness.
MIDDLE-SIZED BREEDS
(WEIGHT ABOUT 2.7 TO 4.1KG)
The English Angora weighs between 2.3 and 3.2kg. With its long, thick and silky fur that makes it look much like a fluffy ball, its body is short and its chest solid.Its shoulders are well balanced with its hips.
The French Angora is bigger than the English Angora and weighs about 3.4 to 4.8kg. Its shoulders are narrower than its hips, making it more slender. Its head is oval and proportionate with its body. Its fur has darker tones than that of the English breed.
The Harlequin has V-shaped ears. What also make it remarkable are the beautiful markings along its body. Normally, its face is white on one side and bluish grey on the other. Its back, body and legs bear white and bluish-grey stripes, too.
The Satin Angora has the silkiest and most beautiful coat compared with other Angora breeds, hence its name. The Satin has a tapered body and an oval and proportionate head. It weighs about 3 to 4.3kg.
LARGE-SIZED BREEDS
(WEIGHT ABOUT 4.1 TO 5KG)
The English Lop has the longest dropped ears, which make it look lovely and striking.Normally, its ears, about 21 inches long or longer, flank its head in an outward stretching fashion. Both the male and the female have wattles. This breed has a well-structured shoulder, stomach part and rear legs.
The Giant Angora is the biggest longhaired breed. Its weight varies from about 3 to 5kg. This breed has a three-layered coat. The inner coat is smooth and soft.The guard hair is hard and straight. The downy hair between the guard hair and the inner coat is rough and curly.
The Satin has comparatively transparent fur, making it more noticeable and magnificent. A preferable coat thickness is about 2.5 to 2.9cm-long. Its hairy ears are straight. The Satin has a mediumlength body and a highly-curved back.
The American Chinchilla has a silky and gleaming coat. The ideal coat thickness is about 1.25 inches. It has a round body, a chubby face and chin and big round eyes.The tone of its eyebrows is pearl while the tip of its tail is black.
GIANT-SIZED BREEDS
(WEIGHT MORE THAN 5KG)
The French Lop is the biggest droppedear bunny with a muscular body. Its hips are longer and thicker than the shoulders.Only the female bunny has wattle under its chin. Its head is broad and strong. It weighs about 5kg or more. Its colours are varied.
The Giant Chinchilla is categorised in the group of giant rabbits in view of its weight of about 7.3kg. This breed has a robust and muscular structure. It also has a long body with round buttocks. Its back is highly curved.
The Flemish Giant has a big and long body but it is very proportionate. Straight ears make the breed conspicuous. Their length is about 6 inches long, or longer.The female has a very large wattle.
Next week's Pet Page will feature a story on how to carefully select a rabbit from among the many breeds available and take proper care of it.
Like dogs and cats, rabbits have become popular household pets due to the availability of many species and because they are easy to look after and care for. In addition to these two factors, these fluffy friends make a long-lasting, positive impression wherever they are, just as other traditional pets do.
Rabbit breeder Sumanthip Vachiravarakan said that about 45 breeds of bunnies have been recognised by the American Rabbit Breeders Association (Arba).
Many of these are bred in Thailand, and most of them have no problem winning the hearts of rabbit enthusiasts quickly due to their cute looks and personalities.
"At present, a rabbit is as popular as a dog or cat mainly because it requires very little space and is easy to take care of. Besides, the rabbit is a sociable animal, and can develop an attachment to humans in a short time," added the rabbit lover.
Of the 45 certified breeds, the most-popular categories that receive a warm welcome from bunny devotees in Thailand include the Giant Angora, Jersey Wooly, French Lop, Holland Lop, English Lop, Giant Chinchilla, Flemish Giant, Harlequin, Mini Satin, Mini Rex and Netherland Dwarf.
According to Mr Sumanthip, foreign bunnies are categorised into four main sizes: Small, middle, large and giant.
To help potential owners make up their minds when faced with a choice, here are a few of the external features of the well-known domesticated breeds.
SMALL-SIZED BREEDS
(WEIGHT ABOUT 0.9 TO 2.7KG)
The Jersey Wool is the smallest longhaired strain with fluffy fur. Its undercoat is curly and covered with guard fur that is about three inches long. It weighs less than 1.6kg. Its coat comes in various tones.A lighter-coloured coat can be found in the areas of the head, ears and feet. Its hairy ears are small and straight.
The Mini Satin is comparatively small,hitting the scales at between 0.7 and 1kg.It comes in several colours including bluish grey, black, chocolate and lilac. With its long front legs, the Mini Satin likes sitting up straight rather than crouching on the floor.
The Holland Lop is the smallest droppedear rabbit and has a weight of about 1.2kg.Its fur is usually multi-toned. Muscular and having a beautiful body structure,the Holland Lop is very popular in Thailand.
The Mini Lop has strong muscles and a compact size. Its fur is thick, smooth and glossy. It has wide shoulders and thick buttocks. Located on the highest part of the head, its ears are folded down and flank its cheeks.
The Mini Rex has a proportionate,compact and tapered structure. Its thick fur is straight yet flexible. The desired coat thickness should be about 1.6cm. In close proximity to each other, the two ears are straight and upright. The fur of
the Mini Lop comes in different colours.
The Netherland Dwarf is termed a dwarf due to its compact body and short yet straight ears. Though small, the Netherland Dwarf is somewhat fluffy. It is one of the most-popular breeds owing to its cuteness and smallness.
MIDDLE-SIZED BREEDS
(WEIGHT ABOUT 2.7 TO 4.1KG)
The English Angora weighs between 2.3 and 3.2kg. With its long, thick and silky fur that makes it look much like a fluffy ball, its body is short and its chest solid.Its shoulders are well balanced with its hips.
The French Angora is bigger than the English Angora and weighs about 3.4 to 4.8kg. Its shoulders are narrower than its hips, making it more slender. Its head is oval and proportionate with its body. Its fur has darker tones than that of the English breed.
The Harlequin has V-shaped ears. What also make it remarkable are the beautiful markings along its body. Normally, its face is white on one side and bluish grey on the other. Its back, body and legs bear white and bluish-grey stripes, too.
The Satin Angora has the silkiest and most beautiful coat compared with other Angora breeds, hence its name. The Satin has a tapered body and an oval and proportionate head. It weighs about 3 to 4.3kg.
LARGE-SIZED BREEDS
(WEIGHT ABOUT 4.1 TO 5KG)
The English Lop has the longest dropped ears, which make it look lovely and striking.Normally, its ears, about 21 inches long or longer, flank its head in an outward stretching fashion. Both the male and the female have wattles. This breed has a well-structured shoulder, stomach part and rear legs.
The Giant Angora is the biggest longhaired breed. Its weight varies from about 3 to 5kg. This breed has a three-layered coat. The inner coat is smooth and soft.The guard hair is hard and straight. The downy hair between the guard hair and the inner coat is rough and curly.
The Satin has comparatively transparent fur, making it more noticeable and magnificent. A preferable coat thickness is about 2.5 to 2.9cm-long. Its hairy ears are straight. The Satin has a mediumlength body and a highly-curved back.
The American Chinchilla has a silky and gleaming coat. The ideal coat thickness is about 1.25 inches. It has a round body, a chubby face and chin and big round eyes.The tone of its eyebrows is pearl while the tip of its tail is black.
GIANT-SIZED BREEDS
(WEIGHT MORE THAN 5KG)
The French Lop is the biggest droppedear bunny with a muscular body. Its hips are longer and thicker than the shoulders.Only the female bunny has wattle under its chin. Its head is broad and strong. It weighs about 5kg or more. Its colours are varied.
The Giant Chinchilla is categorised in the group of giant rabbits in view of its weight of about 7.3kg. This breed has a robust and muscular structure. It also has a long body with round buttocks. Its back is highly curved.
The Flemish Giant has a big and long body but it is very proportionate. Straight ears make the breed conspicuous. Their length is about 6 inches long, or longer.The female has a very large wattle.
Next week's Pet Page will feature a story on how to carefully select a rabbit from among the many breeds available and take proper care of it.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Pooch master painter
In her Brooklyn studio the artist stretches, gazes passionately - then plunges her teeth through the canvas.So begins another masterpiece by Tillamook Cheddar, or Tillie, a Jack Russell terrier some see as rivalling the big beasts of the two-legged contemporary art world.
Switching from teeth to claws, Tillie scratches intensely at the paper, covered with vellum lathered in scarlet paint,and protected by Mylar film.
Occasionally she pauses to examine her work. Her body trembles with excitement, eyes shine, tongue lolls. Then with a growl and a bark she's off again,tearing, scratching, licking.
Sometimes frenzied, sometimes in a trance, she appears oblivious to an entourage of six humans, including a sculptor and painter, and two dogs.
After about 20 minutes, owner Bowman Hastie, who describes himself as the artist's assistant, snatches the work to safety.
The Mylar and vellum sheets are removed, revealing an unequal storm of red lines raging across the canvas.
The visiting artists, who've never seen Tillie in action, are awestruck.
"She seemed possessed. It was scary,"gasps Juan Doe, a painter and comic book illustrator."The piece," he says,surveying the still wet paper,"is awesome. It looks like two human lungs,"an astonished Ward Yoshimoto, who sculpts and works as a commercial photographer, exclaims.
The 10-year-old pooch, named after Hastie's favourite childhood cheese, has built a career that New York's army of struggling artists could only dream of matching.
She has collaborated with major established artists including Tom Sachs and Jon Kessler of the US.
Her paintings, which sell for more than $1,000(34,000 baht), just had a
solo show in Florida and are now part of an animal art exhibition in Ottawa. In October, Yoshimoto and Doe are including her alongside human painters when a gallery they run shows at a Paris art fair.
But is Tillie an artist? Or does she just enjoy savaging paint-covered paper?
Not everyone thinks the canny canine should swap her kennel for an atelier.New York's Village Voice newspaper pithily labelled Tillie "a sham".
Fans point out that Tillie's work strongly resembles the output of human conceptualists selling canvasses for a million dollars, or far more, at major auctions.
Her works have been likened to those of abstract expressionists such as Jackson Pollock and the surrealist school of automatic drawing in which experimental artists tried to express their subconscious.
Hastie,40, is not an artist and says he stumbled across Tillie's mania for scratch-painting when she was a puppy and began tearing at a yellow legal pad.
As Tillie rose to become top dog in the growing world of animal art - which includes painter elephants, chimpanzees and turtles - Hastie realised something special was happening.
Renowned Belgian artist Wim Delvoye told him Tillie compared favourably to Cy Twombly from the US, a favourite at Sotheby's and Christies auctions.
"It's like Twombly", Hastie recalls Delvoye saying when he saw his first Tillie,"only it's better than Twombly!"
What's clear is that the white-bodied terrier enjoys art, while most other dogs,including her own six puppies, do not.
Doe,36, said Tillie's intense concentration closely resembled "the dreamlike state" artists aspire to when diving into imaginative worlds.
"I'm almost jealous. I have to work so hard to prepare everything in life to get where I can concentrate like that," Doe said."She is so intense."
Yoshimoto,49, said Tillie was more focused than half the students he saw while studying art at Brooklyn College.
Her paintings, he said, are consistently interesting."I'd say you'd put them up anywhere and no one would ever say a thing, not in any museum in the world."
Hastie, an editor and writer, said Tillie's ability often made human art aficionados uncomfortable, perhaps because her work does so closely resemble the more rambling efforts of expensive artists.
"Some suspect that this is a ploy on my part to subvert the art world," he said.
"People don't buy a painting based on what it looks like. They want to have something by a genius and no one wants to say a dog is a genius."
Tillie's own views remain a mystery.She took time to calm down after the ecstasy of the painting process. Her body still shook as Hastie fed her a morsel of chicken.
Then, while the humans debated her level of genius, she settled onto a sofa,burying her nose into a ragged soft toy.
There she lay, immobile, staring into space. Perhaps thinking of great things to come. Perhaps not.
Switching from teeth to claws, Tillie scratches intensely at the paper, covered with vellum lathered in scarlet paint,and protected by Mylar film.
Occasionally she pauses to examine her work. Her body trembles with excitement, eyes shine, tongue lolls. Then with a growl and a bark she's off again,tearing, scratching, licking.
Sometimes frenzied, sometimes in a trance, she appears oblivious to an entourage of six humans, including a sculptor and painter, and two dogs.
After about 20 minutes, owner Bowman Hastie, who describes himself as the artist's assistant, snatches the work to safety.
The Mylar and vellum sheets are removed, revealing an unequal storm of red lines raging across the canvas.
The visiting artists, who've never seen Tillie in action, are awestruck.
"She seemed possessed. It was scary,"gasps Juan Doe, a painter and comic book illustrator."The piece," he says,surveying the still wet paper,"is awesome. It looks like two human lungs,"an astonished Ward Yoshimoto, who sculpts and works as a commercial photographer, exclaims.
The 10-year-old pooch, named after Hastie's favourite childhood cheese, has built a career that New York's army of struggling artists could only dream of matching.
She has collaborated with major established artists including Tom Sachs and Jon Kessler of the US.
Her paintings, which sell for more than $1,000(34,000 baht), just had a
solo show in Florida and are now part of an animal art exhibition in Ottawa. In October, Yoshimoto and Doe are including her alongside human painters when a gallery they run shows at a Paris art fair.
But is Tillie an artist? Or does she just enjoy savaging paint-covered paper?
Not everyone thinks the canny canine should swap her kennel for an atelier.New York's Village Voice newspaper pithily labelled Tillie "a sham".
Fans point out that Tillie's work strongly resembles the output of human conceptualists selling canvasses for a million dollars, or far more, at major auctions.
Her works have been likened to those of abstract expressionists such as Jackson Pollock and the surrealist school of automatic drawing in which experimental artists tried to express their subconscious.
Hastie,40, is not an artist and says he stumbled across Tillie's mania for scratch-painting when she was a puppy and began tearing at a yellow legal pad.
As Tillie rose to become top dog in the growing world of animal art - which includes painter elephants, chimpanzees and turtles - Hastie realised something special was happening.
Renowned Belgian artist Wim Delvoye told him Tillie compared favourably to Cy Twombly from the US, a favourite at Sotheby's and Christies auctions.
"It's like Twombly", Hastie recalls Delvoye saying when he saw his first Tillie,"only it's better than Twombly!"
What's clear is that the white-bodied terrier enjoys art, while most other dogs,including her own six puppies, do not.
Doe,36, said Tillie's intense concentration closely resembled "the dreamlike state" artists aspire to when diving into imaginative worlds.
"I'm almost jealous. I have to work so hard to prepare everything in life to get where I can concentrate like that," Doe said."She is so intense."
Yoshimoto,49, said Tillie was more focused than half the students he saw while studying art at Brooklyn College.
Her paintings, he said, are consistently interesting."I'd say you'd put them up anywhere and no one would ever say a thing, not in any museum in the world."
Hastie, an editor and writer, said Tillie's ability often made human art aficionados uncomfortable, perhaps because her work does so closely resemble the more rambling efforts of expensive artists.
"Some suspect that this is a ploy on my part to subvert the art world," he said.
"People don't buy a painting based on what it looks like. They want to have something by a genius and no one wants to say a dog is a genius."
Tillie's own views remain a mystery.She took time to calm down after the ecstasy of the painting process. Her body still shook as Hastie fed her a morsel of chicken.
Then, while the humans debated her level of genius, she settled onto a sofa,burying her nose into a ragged soft toy.
There she lay, immobile, staring into space. Perhaps thinking of great things to come. Perhaps not.
Opening old wounds
Senators clash over new regulations to permit cockfighting on Saturdays and weekdays
A Senate committee yesterday |criticised a new Interior Ministry policy that permits cockfighting on more weekdays and every Saturday in addition to every Sunday, saying it encouraged animal cruelty and gambling.
Animal cruelty, gambling
Truengjai Booranasomphob, head of the panel on religion, ethics, arts and culture, said the cockfighting policy would create greater public obsession with gambling. "The ministry should have sought input from animal rights activists to prevent issuing such a one-sided policy to permit the blood sport," she added.
Former senator Wallop Tangkhana-nurak, however, said gambling on blood sports was no longer a problem among teenagers, who had turned their attention to illegal betting on football, leaving cockfighting to the older generation.
"Fewer and fewer people are interested in cockfighting or horseracing. I think the increase in the number of days permitted for cockfighting will not affect youth," he added.
Wallop said he was more worried about children's boxing, which he compared to cockfighting's status as a cultural phenomenon rather than a profit-driven practice. He said rules concerning age limits, health and welfare of child boxers would need to be altered to prevent children being exploited or endangered physically and mentally.
Possible tax windfall
Senator Warin Thiamjaras was of a different opinion, saying that though the policy might increase gambling, legitimate cockfighting events would generate more revenue at both national and local levels. "Tax income could be increased by issuing a regulation that all betting be done through den operators rather than owners of the gamecocks," he proposed.
Issued on August 6 after Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul visited an event promoting cockfighting, the new policy came into effect on Monday and permits cockfighting every Saturday in addition to every Sunday, and on national holidays which have no religious or royal significance.
Unlike previous rules, which allowed open-ended fights to the death, the new rules stipulate that fights must last no longer than eight 20-minute "rounds" with a 20-minute break bet-ween each. Fish fights are also allowed in cockfighting dens, which can |operate a number of rings as per the approval of local authorities on a case-by-case basis.
A Senate committee yesterday |criticised a new Interior Ministry policy that permits cockfighting on more weekdays and every Saturday in addition to every Sunday, saying it encouraged animal cruelty and gambling.
Animal cruelty, gambling
Truengjai Booranasomphob, head of the panel on religion, ethics, arts and culture, said the cockfighting policy would create greater public obsession with gambling. "The ministry should have sought input from animal rights activists to prevent issuing such a one-sided policy to permit the blood sport," she added.
Former senator Wallop Tangkhana-nurak, however, said gambling on blood sports was no longer a problem among teenagers, who had turned their attention to illegal betting on football, leaving cockfighting to the older generation.
"Fewer and fewer people are interested in cockfighting or horseracing. I think the increase in the number of days permitted for cockfighting will not affect youth," he added.
Wallop said he was more worried about children's boxing, which he compared to cockfighting's status as a cultural phenomenon rather than a profit-driven practice. He said rules concerning age limits, health and welfare of child boxers would need to be altered to prevent children being exploited or endangered physically and mentally.
Possible tax windfall
Senator Warin Thiamjaras was of a different opinion, saying that though the policy might increase gambling, legitimate cockfighting events would generate more revenue at both national and local levels. "Tax income could be increased by issuing a regulation that all betting be done through den operators rather than owners of the gamecocks," he proposed.
Issued on August 6 after Interior Minister Chaovarat Chanweerakul visited an event promoting cockfighting, the new policy came into effect on Monday and permits cockfighting every Saturday in addition to every Sunday, and on national holidays which have no religious or royal significance.
Unlike previous rules, which allowed open-ended fights to the death, the new rules stipulate that fights must last no longer than eight 20-minute "rounds" with a 20-minute break bet-ween each. Fish fights are also allowed in cockfighting dens, which can |operate a number of rings as per the approval of local authorities on a case-by-case basis.
Saturday, August 22, 2009
FELINE ATTRACTION
One bright moonlit night, while hurrying drivers were speeding their cars over Phan Fa Bridge to reach their respective destinations, a tiny life was struggling hard to reach its destination, too. Lost, scared and hungry,he was trying to find his way home.
Stuck on the pedestrian island, the dirty kitten tried to make itself as noticeable as it could to the pedestrians waiting to cross to the other half of the road by mewing and getting close to their legs.Finally, its efforts to draw attention to itself paid off, but the person who came to its aid was not among the people closest to it.
Quite unbelievably, the good Samaritan turned out to be a driver who had by chance pulled up his car near it while waiting for the traffic lights to change. In a move to get some fresh air, he wound down his car window. He heard the soft,plaintive, distinctive miaows. Unhesitatingly, he opened the car's door and quickly whisked the small helpless animal into his car before the lights turned green.
"When I saw it for the first time, I was totally shocked. It was so tiny, and it was in very bad shape indeed. Its scruffy hair was full of lice. In my eyes, it looked like a small ragged doll," recalled Nibondh Songsang, who is now the lucky feline's foster-parent.
Mr Nibondh named his diminutive cat Phan Fa after the location where he had found it.
Phan Fa has grown into a very handsome and healthy tomcat. He is now the centre of the Songsang family, and whenever they go out on a family outing, they never leave Phan Fa alone at home.
"He has been an integral part of our family for a year now. I look after him as if he were my own son. I see no difference between humans and animals when it comes to love, understanding and care. I really do love him, and I believe he loves me, too," said 69-year-old Mr Nibondh.
What makes Phan Fa stand out lies in the fact that he belongs to one of the most-popular Siamese breeds known as khao manee , which has white fur and blue or yellow eyes, or one blue eye and one yellow eye.
"Normally, the chances of spotting a stray pure-bred Siamese cat on the streets are practically zero as they are kept by a specialised group of cat devotees. On top of that, they are considered a rare species as their population is far fewer than the foreign breeds that have made their way into Thailand," explained Mr Nibonbh.
At any pet fair, it is not uncommon to see Mr Nibonbh endearingly carrying his beautiful white cat to join in the activities organised exclusively for animal fans.
Recently, Phan Fa brought great pride to his owner by winning the prize for the most beautiful and healthiest cat in a contest sponsored by a leading cat-food manufacturer. A vet who was one of the judges on the panel was immensely impressed by Phan Fa's healthy look."Phan Fa is truly a very healthy cat. His nose,eyes and ears are those of a healthy cat.His glossy and smooth fur shows that he is healthy from the inside out," said Dr Danai.
Many of the owners of the contestants at that particular event marvelled at the fact that Phan Fa had been picked up from along a street instead of being the product of a famous pet-breeding farm.
"My eyes brimmed with tears as Uncle Nibonbh told all of us at the event how he had rescued Phan Fa from the streets and how happy he was to have had the opportunity to get a pet who has now become his closest and most-loyal friend,"said one of them.
However, a healthy life doesn't happen by chance. It is the result of healthy food,healthy care, a healthy lifestyle and healthy relationships, and Mr Nibonbh never ignores these cardinal rules. Also, whenever Phan Fa has a cold or a running nose, or sneezes, Mr Nibonbh never waits to see if his cat will get well by itself.
"I put Phan Fa on a nutritious diet and I bathe him regularly. I make sure that he receives his full and annual shots. If and when he is sick, he is under the care of a vet. At the end of every day, I usually take Phan Fa for a walk in the park. It's vital to play with him from time to time in order to tell him that I love and care for him,"he explained.
Phan Fa is not the first cat that Mr Nibonbh has adopted, though. Previously,he took in three stray cats that had been dumped in a deserted building.
"I am willing to keep more cats, but on the condition that they must be strays.My aim is to help homeless animals. I won't buy pet animals from a farm as there are still countless strays waiting for our help and kindness," said the animal lover.
Mr Nibonbh would like to drive home the important message that love is not enough when it comes to the keeping of pets.
Responsibility is also crucial because now numerous animals, including cats and dogs, are being dumped on the streets and temple grounds every day, clearly reflecting how irresponsible some animal keepers are.
"Animals are not like humans. They are helpless, especially young kittens and puppies. Their survival depends solely on the mercy and sympathy of humans.
"If you want to keep an animal, you must keep it until its last day arrives. But if you are not sure whether you can take care of it throughout its life, don't commit a sin. Don't keep one unless you are fully and truly committed to its well-being,"he recommended.
Stuck on the pedestrian island, the dirty kitten tried to make itself as noticeable as it could to the pedestrians waiting to cross to the other half of the road by mewing and getting close to their legs.Finally, its efforts to draw attention to itself paid off, but the person who came to its aid was not among the people closest to it.
Quite unbelievably, the good Samaritan turned out to be a driver who had by chance pulled up his car near it while waiting for the traffic lights to change. In a move to get some fresh air, he wound down his car window. He heard the soft,plaintive, distinctive miaows. Unhesitatingly, he opened the car's door and quickly whisked the small helpless animal into his car before the lights turned green.
"When I saw it for the first time, I was totally shocked. It was so tiny, and it was in very bad shape indeed. Its scruffy hair was full of lice. In my eyes, it looked like a small ragged doll," recalled Nibondh Songsang, who is now the lucky feline's foster-parent.
Mr Nibondh named his diminutive cat Phan Fa after the location where he had found it.
Phan Fa has grown into a very handsome and healthy tomcat. He is now the centre of the Songsang family, and whenever they go out on a family outing, they never leave Phan Fa alone at home.
"He has been an integral part of our family for a year now. I look after him as if he were my own son. I see no difference between humans and animals when it comes to love, understanding and care. I really do love him, and I believe he loves me, too," said 69-year-old Mr Nibondh.
What makes Phan Fa stand out lies in the fact that he belongs to one of the most-popular Siamese breeds known as khao manee , which has white fur and blue or yellow eyes, or one blue eye and one yellow eye.
"Normally, the chances of spotting a stray pure-bred Siamese cat on the streets are practically zero as they are kept by a specialised group of cat devotees. On top of that, they are considered a rare species as their population is far fewer than the foreign breeds that have made their way into Thailand," explained Mr Nibonbh.
At any pet fair, it is not uncommon to see Mr Nibonbh endearingly carrying his beautiful white cat to join in the activities organised exclusively for animal fans.
Recently, Phan Fa brought great pride to his owner by winning the prize for the most beautiful and healthiest cat in a contest sponsored by a leading cat-food manufacturer. A vet who was one of the judges on the panel was immensely impressed by Phan Fa's healthy look."Phan Fa is truly a very healthy cat. His nose,eyes and ears are those of a healthy cat.His glossy and smooth fur shows that he is healthy from the inside out," said Dr Danai.
Many of the owners of the contestants at that particular event marvelled at the fact that Phan Fa had been picked up from along a street instead of being the product of a famous pet-breeding farm.
"My eyes brimmed with tears as Uncle Nibonbh told all of us at the event how he had rescued Phan Fa from the streets and how happy he was to have had the opportunity to get a pet who has now become his closest and most-loyal friend,"said one of them.
However, a healthy life doesn't happen by chance. It is the result of healthy food,healthy care, a healthy lifestyle and healthy relationships, and Mr Nibonbh never ignores these cardinal rules. Also, whenever Phan Fa has a cold or a running nose, or sneezes, Mr Nibonbh never waits to see if his cat will get well by itself.
"I put Phan Fa on a nutritious diet and I bathe him regularly. I make sure that he receives his full and annual shots. If and when he is sick, he is under the care of a vet. At the end of every day, I usually take Phan Fa for a walk in the park. It's vital to play with him from time to time in order to tell him that I love and care for him,"he explained.
Phan Fa is not the first cat that Mr Nibonbh has adopted, though. Previously,he took in three stray cats that had been dumped in a deserted building.
"I am willing to keep more cats, but on the condition that they must be strays.My aim is to help homeless animals. I won't buy pet animals from a farm as there are still countless strays waiting for our help and kindness," said the animal lover.
Mr Nibonbh would like to drive home the important message that love is not enough when it comes to the keeping of pets.
Responsibility is also crucial because now numerous animals, including cats and dogs, are being dumped on the streets and temple grounds every day, clearly reflecting how irresponsible some animal keepers are.
"Animals are not like humans. They are helpless, especially young kittens and puppies. Their survival depends solely on the mercy and sympathy of humans.
"If you want to keep an animal, you must keep it until its last day arrives. But if you are not sure whether you can take care of it throughout its life, don't commit a sin. Don't keep one unless you are fully and truly committed to its well-being,"he recommended.
POUR YOURSELF A GLASSFUL OF GARDEN
Aquariums are a fixture in many homes, bringing the serenity of the natural world into the living room. And that aquariums are to water, terrariums are to earth, now making their way into many homes as more and more people seek to "go green".
"If your love gardening but don't have a lot of time or the space for an outdoor garden, a terrarium may be an ideal option for you," says Indonesia's terrarium pioneer Anie Kristiani.
And because these pretty miniature gardens are enclosed in glass, you can control everything from moisture to lighting with relative ease.
"You can bring plants in comventional plastic pots into your home, but most of the time, they're dirty," Anie says during a workshop. "Besides, they're less artistic and you can get bored with them pretty easily."
Terrariums, on the other hand, "are dirt-free and can be a great way to add a beautiful decoration to your home," she adds.
And not only for your home: If your office needs a touch of green, terrariums can make lovely desk ornaments there, too.
Terrariums were first used as study aids in laboratories. Dr Nathaniel Ward, an Englihs physician and amateur botanist, created a terrarium by accident in the early 1800s. After going out gathering insect cocoons, he placed them in a covered glass jar. Several days later, Ward noticed that there were tiny plants growing in the jar, next to the cocoons. Enthralled by what he saw, he began to construct terrariums to study ecosystems in miniature.
But you don't have to be a scientist to create a little world of your own - even children can do it, creating their own tiny dreamland in a little jar, while learning about about ecosystems at the same time.
The first thing is to decide on the type of glass container you want your plants to grow in. If you're a beginner, or prefer simplicity, you can choose a small glass, jar or vase. For a more adventurous option, you can choose a wineglass or even a bottle. If you want a bigger terrarium, try a fishbowl.
The next thing to do is to prepare your minigardening tools: chopsticks, plastic frok (your rake), water sprayer and brushes. Then there is the soil, in this case horticultural charcoal, moss, compost and zeolite sand - all of which can be found in any gardening store.
These mediums cash have slighly different properties, Anie explains. Moss works to absorb excess water. Charcoal does the same, but has the extra job of absorbing toxins. Zeolite sand consists of volcanic minerals that absorb air from the surroundings. The compost, which Anie says should be made from plant not animal waste, works as a natural fertiliser.
Once you're set up, you're ready to get creative, with the "landscaping". Designng your terrarium garden will provide you with hours of entertainment as you decide on its theme and how it will look. You can choose all kinds of different themes: an undersea grotto with seashells; spring garden with insects, butterflies and brids; colourful playground full of figuries; or a warm desert with a cactus or two. Decide how you will arrange the plants, flower, rocks and other decorations.
At this stage, Anie says, it's important to decide what kind of terrarium you prefer: A wet one, or a dry one. The difference between the two lies in the type of plants. If you prefer a dry terrarium, choose cactus, cryptanthus (or earth stars) and succulents like aloe vera and sansevieria.
A wet terrarium, on the other hand, is for plants that thrive in humid conditions, such as small leafy verieties like calathea and maranta (both are popularly known as "prayer plants" because of their habit of folding their leaves closed each night, like hands joined in prayer), miniature ferns, small palms, dracacna, fittonia, gesneriaceae, peperomia, scindapsus and synogium (or arrowhead vine).
There are as many options as there are gardeners. You could even combine water-loving plants like bamboo with alyssums, or miniature African violets. Or look around and see if you can find some ultra-mini roses. If your terrarium is large enough, you can try growing herbs such as parsley.
"For terrariums, look for plants that are slow growing with rather small leaves," says Anie, author of "Making Terrariums: A Tiny Garden inside a Glass". "You'll want to find plants that are tolerant of living indoors and small enough to fit comfortably in your terrarium."
"If your love gardening but don't have a lot of time or the space for an outdoor garden, a terrarium may be an ideal option for you," says Indonesia's terrarium pioneer Anie Kristiani.
And because these pretty miniature gardens are enclosed in glass, you can control everything from moisture to lighting with relative ease.
"You can bring plants in comventional plastic pots into your home, but most of the time, they're dirty," Anie says during a workshop. "Besides, they're less artistic and you can get bored with them pretty easily."
Terrariums, on the other hand, "are dirt-free and can be a great way to add a beautiful decoration to your home," she adds.
And not only for your home: If your office needs a touch of green, terrariums can make lovely desk ornaments there, too.
Terrariums were first used as study aids in laboratories. Dr Nathaniel Ward, an Englihs physician and amateur botanist, created a terrarium by accident in the early 1800s. After going out gathering insect cocoons, he placed them in a covered glass jar. Several days later, Ward noticed that there were tiny plants growing in the jar, next to the cocoons. Enthralled by what he saw, he began to construct terrariums to study ecosystems in miniature.
But you don't have to be a scientist to create a little world of your own - even children can do it, creating their own tiny dreamland in a little jar, while learning about about ecosystems at the same time.
The first thing is to decide on the type of glass container you want your plants to grow in. If you're a beginner, or prefer simplicity, you can choose a small glass, jar or vase. For a more adventurous option, you can choose a wineglass or even a bottle. If you want a bigger terrarium, try a fishbowl.
The next thing to do is to prepare your minigardening tools: chopsticks, plastic frok (your rake), water sprayer and brushes. Then there is the soil, in this case horticultural charcoal, moss, compost and zeolite sand - all of which can be found in any gardening store.
These mediums cash have slighly different properties, Anie explains. Moss works to absorb excess water. Charcoal does the same, but has the extra job of absorbing toxins. Zeolite sand consists of volcanic minerals that absorb air from the surroundings. The compost, which Anie says should be made from plant not animal waste, works as a natural fertiliser.
Once you're set up, you're ready to get creative, with the "landscaping". Designng your terrarium garden will provide you with hours of entertainment as you decide on its theme and how it will look. You can choose all kinds of different themes: an undersea grotto with seashells; spring garden with insects, butterflies and brids; colourful playground full of figuries; or a warm desert with a cactus or two. Decide how you will arrange the plants, flower, rocks and other decorations.
At this stage, Anie says, it's important to decide what kind of terrarium you prefer: A wet one, or a dry one. The difference between the two lies in the type of plants. If you prefer a dry terrarium, choose cactus, cryptanthus (or earth stars) and succulents like aloe vera and sansevieria.
A wet terrarium, on the other hand, is for plants that thrive in humid conditions, such as small leafy verieties like calathea and maranta (both are popularly known as "prayer plants" because of their habit of folding their leaves closed each night, like hands joined in prayer), miniature ferns, small palms, dracacna, fittonia, gesneriaceae, peperomia, scindapsus and synogium (or arrowhead vine).
There are as many options as there are gardeners. You could even combine water-loving plants like bamboo with alyssums, or miniature African violets. Or look around and see if you can find some ultra-mini roses. If your terrarium is large enough, you can try growing herbs such as parsley.
"For terrariums, look for plants that are slow growing with rather small leaves," says Anie, author of "Making Terrariums: A Tiny Garden inside a Glass". "You'll want to find plants that are tolerant of living indoors and small enough to fit comfortably in your terrarium."
Serious HOBBY
On entering a house decorated with wall-to-wall enamel signs and illuminated panels, and floor-to-ceiling collectable toys and bottles, one may well think that the place is a museum. In this case, however, it's the private residence of collector Snitvong Thongplengsri in the Pracha Chuen area.
RARE PIECES: Snitvong Thongplengsri with his collectable toys and bottles.
"I wish I could open up my house as a museum," says Mr Snitvong, a property developer, whose enormous private collection lines the walls and spills over onto the floors of the first and second floors of his house and three rooms in his apartment building nearby. His collection is so huge that he can hardly keep track of all the items, and it is actually worth such a lot of money that he can't run it as a museum on his own. Consequently, it remains private property for showing off to personal guests.
Inspired by his wedding designer's private collection 15 years ago, Mr Snitvong started to go through his old garage, only to find nothing from his childhood days. He then started to collect old soda bottles worth a few hundred baht each before going on to search for other rare items.
"It's a lot easier to be a collector these days. Everything from around the world is available on eBay if you can afford it," says Mr Snitvong, remembering the tiring walks through Khlong Thom night market and Wat Suan Kaew in Bangkok, and the garage sales in the US during his MBA studies. But his shopping in bricks-and-mortar markets is a thing of the long-gone past, and in the last decade, websites like eBay and http://www.cokethai.com have allowed him to find the best offers.
Mr Snitvong soon became a regular on eBay, where he sought rare pieces and also offered to international bidders what he had found in the local market. "The only trick is, you need to find the object on the right forum at the right time," he says. The different time zone makes it difficult for some Thai e-shoppers to bid for an item on eBay, as most auctions end in the early hours in Thailand.
Numerous walks and clicks later, his collection now ranges from bottles to glasses, from picture records to porcelain signs, from figurines to battery toys. Lemonade and soda bottles are kept in a cabinet while old-style coffee glasses are arranged in a traditional coffee bar. Many of them are top-quality products in their own categories. His "Ajarn Thong", an old snuff mascot produced by the now-giant pharmaceuticals and food company, Osoth Sapha, is believed to be one of the very few pieces in good condition, and is well-preserved in a showcase.
The walls are totally hidden behind much-sought-after enamel signs like Raleigh, Michelin, Goodyear, Singer (sewing machines), Harley Davidson, and "Sam Taharn" (petrol stations) (Three Soldiers - now part of PTT), and illuminated signs featuring beer brands that turn his living area into a small, alcohol-free pub at night.
Mr Snitvong is fascinated by the original technology used in making the signs that keeps them in such good condition despite the passage of several decades. A replica of an enamel sign can be made to order for about 10,000 baht, he says, but it isn't very popular among serious collectors. Such a replica is the result of multilayers of airbrush paints, which make the sign look like an original metal plate coated with porcelain.
According to Mr Snitvong, the decades-old porcelain signs are easier to take care of, unlike delicate stamps or printed materials. He simply applies white oil on the surface of the signs regularly to keep the rust away.
Due to their complicated maintenance needs, not included in his enormous private collection are easily-damaged items that require a high degree of protection like fragile porcelains, stamps, banknotes, printed materials and amulets.
Printed materials are not only hard to store, but, thanks to advanced technology, they are easily duplicated, and it is hard to identify a fake. Many are stolen from libraries or archives and can't be put on public display. "What's the point of collecting something you can't show to the world? It's a pity," Mr Snitvong says.
For most collectors, such priceless items are meant only to be kept out of reach or touched only with gloves on, to prevent any possible damage caused by the handlers' sweat. But Mr Snitvong wants things that he can not only put his hands on without wearing gloves but also can play with.
"I'm not Sotheby's or Christie's. These items are meant to be touched and played with," says the 42-year-old collector while taking several toys out of their boxes. A like-new tin model of a Jaguar XK-E made in Japan is also regularly taken out of the showcase and passed around by his guests' hands - without gloves on.
Unlike other collectors who often hesitate to let a collectable item out of its box, Mr Snitvong is proud to demonstrate how a battery-powered Charley Weaver Bartender mechanical toy, produced in 1962, shakes his cocktail mixer, pours the drink into his cocktail glass, and his body moves excitedly. Smoke is then released from the ears.
To most collectors, the motto is to pass collectable items on to a new collector to keep them alive. A professional collector is not emotionally attached to the collection. Out of 10 pieces, a collector should keep only one piece. Keeping eight out of 10 items bought from the market isn't good practice, he says.
Investing in collectable items for a living isn't recommended, says Mr Snitvong, unless you can afford to not regret splurging away a disposable fortune. Or unless you can turn a really large collection into a museum and make a living out of it. Now, the money he spends on his collection comes from income from apartments and his family's housing estate projects.
Many people in the US invest their money on antique items for sale at garage sales after their retirement. Today, Mr Snitvong only collects and keeps them for his enjoyment.
"But I can't say that I'll never sell an item [even though I love it very much]," he admits.
He is willing to let go of his prized articles if he is happy with the offer, he says. For example, he is more than happy to give up his large collection of enamel signs for a Mercedes-Benz sports car.
Relate Search: Snitvong Thongplengsri, Pracha Chuen, Khlong Thom night market, Wat Suan Kaew in Bangkok
RARE PIECES: Snitvong Thongplengsri with his collectable toys and bottles.
"I wish I could open up my house as a museum," says Mr Snitvong, a property developer, whose enormous private collection lines the walls and spills over onto the floors of the first and second floors of his house and three rooms in his apartment building nearby. His collection is so huge that he can hardly keep track of all the items, and it is actually worth such a lot of money that he can't run it as a museum on his own. Consequently, it remains private property for showing off to personal guests.
Inspired by his wedding designer's private collection 15 years ago, Mr Snitvong started to go through his old garage, only to find nothing from his childhood days. He then started to collect old soda bottles worth a few hundred baht each before going on to search for other rare items.
"It's a lot easier to be a collector these days. Everything from around the world is available on eBay if you can afford it," says Mr Snitvong, remembering the tiring walks through Khlong Thom night market and Wat Suan Kaew in Bangkok, and the garage sales in the US during his MBA studies. But his shopping in bricks-and-mortar markets is a thing of the long-gone past, and in the last decade, websites like eBay and http://www.cokethai.com have allowed him to find the best offers.
Mr Snitvong soon became a regular on eBay, where he sought rare pieces and also offered to international bidders what he had found in the local market. "The only trick is, you need to find the object on the right forum at the right time," he says. The different time zone makes it difficult for some Thai e-shoppers to bid for an item on eBay, as most auctions end in the early hours in Thailand.
Numerous walks and clicks later, his collection now ranges from bottles to glasses, from picture records to porcelain signs, from figurines to battery toys. Lemonade and soda bottles are kept in a cabinet while old-style coffee glasses are arranged in a traditional coffee bar. Many of them are top-quality products in their own categories. His "Ajarn Thong", an old snuff mascot produced by the now-giant pharmaceuticals and food company, Osoth Sapha, is believed to be one of the very few pieces in good condition, and is well-preserved in a showcase.
The walls are totally hidden behind much-sought-after enamel signs like Raleigh, Michelin, Goodyear, Singer (sewing machines), Harley Davidson, and "Sam Taharn" (petrol stations) (Three Soldiers - now part of PTT), and illuminated signs featuring beer brands that turn his living area into a small, alcohol-free pub at night.
Mr Snitvong is fascinated by the original technology used in making the signs that keeps them in such good condition despite the passage of several decades. A replica of an enamel sign can be made to order for about 10,000 baht, he says, but it isn't very popular among serious collectors. Such a replica is the result of multilayers of airbrush paints, which make the sign look like an original metal plate coated with porcelain.
According to Mr Snitvong, the decades-old porcelain signs are easier to take care of, unlike delicate stamps or printed materials. He simply applies white oil on the surface of the signs regularly to keep the rust away.
Due to their complicated maintenance needs, not included in his enormous private collection are easily-damaged items that require a high degree of protection like fragile porcelains, stamps, banknotes, printed materials and amulets.
Printed materials are not only hard to store, but, thanks to advanced technology, they are easily duplicated, and it is hard to identify a fake. Many are stolen from libraries or archives and can't be put on public display. "What's the point of collecting something you can't show to the world? It's a pity," Mr Snitvong says.
For most collectors, such priceless items are meant only to be kept out of reach or touched only with gloves on, to prevent any possible damage caused by the handlers' sweat. But Mr Snitvong wants things that he can not only put his hands on without wearing gloves but also can play with.
"I'm not Sotheby's or Christie's. These items are meant to be touched and played with," says the 42-year-old collector while taking several toys out of their boxes. A like-new tin model of a Jaguar XK-E made in Japan is also regularly taken out of the showcase and passed around by his guests' hands - without gloves on.
Unlike other collectors who often hesitate to let a collectable item out of its box, Mr Snitvong is proud to demonstrate how a battery-powered Charley Weaver Bartender mechanical toy, produced in 1962, shakes his cocktail mixer, pours the drink into his cocktail glass, and his body moves excitedly. Smoke is then released from the ears.
To most collectors, the motto is to pass collectable items on to a new collector to keep them alive. A professional collector is not emotionally attached to the collection. Out of 10 pieces, a collector should keep only one piece. Keeping eight out of 10 items bought from the market isn't good practice, he says.
Investing in collectable items for a living isn't recommended, says Mr Snitvong, unless you can afford to not regret splurging away a disposable fortune. Or unless you can turn a really large collection into a museum and make a living out of it. Now, the money he spends on his collection comes from income from apartments and his family's housing estate projects.
Many people in the US invest their money on antique items for sale at garage sales after their retirement. Today, Mr Snitvong only collects and keeps them for his enjoyment.
"But I can't say that I'll never sell an item [even though I love it very much]," he admits.
He is willing to let go of his prized articles if he is happy with the offer, he says. For example, he is more than happy to give up his large collection of enamel signs for a Mercedes-Benz sports car.
Relate Search: Snitvong Thongplengsri, Pracha Chuen, Khlong Thom night market, Wat Suan Kaew in Bangkok
Vets use stem cells to treat animals
Five-year-old Lucy the Labradoodle's back limbs have been rendered unusable by rheumatoid arthritis, and she must scoot along the ground with her front paws to grab a bone. Her owners believe that a costly stem-cell treatment is the reason she's even lived as long as she has.
In fact, they say, she seems to be improving.She no longer yelps or whimpers in pain, and she needs far less medicine than before. Lucy's owners credit the stem cell treatment, despite what experts say is a lack of evidence such treatments work.
"We didn't think she'd live anywhere near this long, and I know it's because of the stem cells," says owner Carol Fischman,57, of Vero Beach.
Thousands of dogs and horses with degenerative arthritis have had stem cell treatments,costing around $2,500 to $3,000(85,280 to 102,378 baht) per procedure.
University of Florida veterinarian Kristin Kirkby,who performed Lucy's procedure, said that the outcomes on five similar treatments have all been positive. But that's from owner-reported results, not scientific scrutiny.
Owners tell her their dogs have an easier time getting around the house and getting into position to urinate. Mostly, they just report their dogs appear to be more comfortable overall.
To get hard results, Kirkby says the university plans to start taking a pain inventory of each animal at the beginning of the process, followed by an evaluation and checkups afterward to measure changes.
"I think it's an exciting field. Undoubtedly the future of scientific research is going this way,"Kirkby said."It's early on, especially in the small animal side, to know what the results can be."
Vet-Stem, a California company, is developing the stem cell therapy and began treating horses in 2003. It derives stem cells from fat samples taken from dogs and horses across the country.
The procedure has been used mainly to treat osteoarthritis, which involves loss of cartilage in the joints, but Vet-Stem is researching treatments for other diseases. Vet-Stem claims the therapy enables animals to replace cartilage and other tissue.
Since 2003, the privately held company has treated 3,500 horses and 1,500 dogs and plans to begin treating cats later this year. More than 1,500 vets are licensed to use the procedure.
Dr. Bob Harman, veterinarian and Vet-Stem founder, said it made sense to use these fatbased adult stem cells, which the body uses to create scar tissue and repair damage, to treat chronic disease in animals.
"Really, all we're doing is harnessing the existing repair machinery in the body, concentrating it,and putting it right where an injury occurs, where healing is needed, to heal naturally," he said
Adam Gassel has used stem cells to treat almost 40 dogs at his Irvine, California, veterinary clinic during the past two years.
"I was pretty sceptical," he said."I was hoping that dogs would just be more comfortable."
But for about 25 percent of dogs, their owners report they are like puppies again, able to get back to normal activities, he said. Another 25 percent are able to stop taking medicines they were dependent upon.
In all, Gassel said, all but 20 percent of the animals show some positive response to the therapy, according to their owners and the requests for pain medicine.
One peer-reviewed study by researchers at Cornell University, published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research and sponsored in part by Vet-Stem, found that tendinitis in horses was improved by injection of the adult stem cells.
Two other studies published in Veterinary Therapeutics found that dogs with osteoarthritis showed improvements in lameness after stem cell injections. Those studies also were sponsored by Vet-Stem and conducted by Vet-Stem researchers and other veterinarians.
Jonathan Slack, director of the University of Minnesota's Stem Cell Research Institute, said adult stem cells from fat can become cartilage in a laboratory cell culture.
Conclusive results on whether the stem-cell injection process actually makes new bone cells in animals don't exist, to his knowledge.
"I guess from the dog's point of view," Slack said,"it's good if it does work."
Whatever the scientific merits of the therapies,Lucy's owners say they would do it again for the Labradoodle - a cross between a standard poodle and a Labrador.
She's had her stem cell treatments through an IV three times, and the Fischmans want to give her a fourth one soon, despite the $3,000-perprocedure cost.
"I like the dog as much as I like my kids," said Dr. Charles Fischman,59, who is an immunologist."People will spend more on their dogs than they will on themselves."
In fact, they say, she seems to be improving.She no longer yelps or whimpers in pain, and she needs far less medicine than before. Lucy's owners credit the stem cell treatment, despite what experts say is a lack of evidence such treatments work.
"We didn't think she'd live anywhere near this long, and I know it's because of the stem cells," says owner Carol Fischman,57, of Vero Beach.
Thousands of dogs and horses with degenerative arthritis have had stem cell treatments,costing around $2,500 to $3,000(85,280 to 102,378 baht) per procedure.
University of Florida veterinarian Kristin Kirkby,who performed Lucy's procedure, said that the outcomes on five similar treatments have all been positive. But that's from owner-reported results, not scientific scrutiny.
Owners tell her their dogs have an easier time getting around the house and getting into position to urinate. Mostly, they just report their dogs appear to be more comfortable overall.
To get hard results, Kirkby says the university plans to start taking a pain inventory of each animal at the beginning of the process, followed by an evaluation and checkups afterward to measure changes.
"I think it's an exciting field. Undoubtedly the future of scientific research is going this way,"Kirkby said."It's early on, especially in the small animal side, to know what the results can be."
Vet-Stem, a California company, is developing the stem cell therapy and began treating horses in 2003. It derives stem cells from fat samples taken from dogs and horses across the country.
The procedure has been used mainly to treat osteoarthritis, which involves loss of cartilage in the joints, but Vet-Stem is researching treatments for other diseases. Vet-Stem claims the therapy enables animals to replace cartilage and other tissue.
Since 2003, the privately held company has treated 3,500 horses and 1,500 dogs and plans to begin treating cats later this year. More than 1,500 vets are licensed to use the procedure.
Dr. Bob Harman, veterinarian and Vet-Stem founder, said it made sense to use these fatbased adult stem cells, which the body uses to create scar tissue and repair damage, to treat chronic disease in animals.
"Really, all we're doing is harnessing the existing repair machinery in the body, concentrating it,and putting it right where an injury occurs, where healing is needed, to heal naturally," he said
Adam Gassel has used stem cells to treat almost 40 dogs at his Irvine, California, veterinary clinic during the past two years.
"I was pretty sceptical," he said."I was hoping that dogs would just be more comfortable."
But for about 25 percent of dogs, their owners report they are like puppies again, able to get back to normal activities, he said. Another 25 percent are able to stop taking medicines they were dependent upon.
In all, Gassel said, all but 20 percent of the animals show some positive response to the therapy, according to their owners and the requests for pain medicine.
One peer-reviewed study by researchers at Cornell University, published in the American Journal of Veterinary Research and sponsored in part by Vet-Stem, found that tendinitis in horses was improved by injection of the adult stem cells.
Two other studies published in Veterinary Therapeutics found that dogs with osteoarthritis showed improvements in lameness after stem cell injections. Those studies also were sponsored by Vet-Stem and conducted by Vet-Stem researchers and other veterinarians.
Jonathan Slack, director of the University of Minnesota's Stem Cell Research Institute, said adult stem cells from fat can become cartilage in a laboratory cell culture.
Conclusive results on whether the stem-cell injection process actually makes new bone cells in animals don't exist, to his knowledge.
"I guess from the dog's point of view," Slack said,"it's good if it does work."
Whatever the scientific merits of the therapies,Lucy's owners say they would do it again for the Labradoodle - a cross between a standard poodle and a Labrador.
She's had her stem cell treatments through an IV three times, and the Fischmans want to give her a fourth one soon, despite the $3,000-perprocedure cost.
"I like the dog as much as I like my kids," said Dr. Charles Fischman,59, who is an immunologist."People will spend more on their dogs than they will on themselves."
Stanley Gibbons eyes China, Dubai
Stanley Gibbons Group, the stamp and autograph dealer founded in 1856, will expand into China and Dubai after welthy collectors and investors in Asia, including Thailand, helped boost sales.
"India has been a big emerging market for us in terms of wealthy collectors," CEO Michael Hall said in a phone interview last week. China will revolutionise the stamp collecting market.
Stanley Gibbons began trading in Bahrain and Thailand this year. Overseas sales helped drive first-half revenue up 18 per cent to pond9.6 million (Bt553 million), the company said in a statement last week.
"The sales that we're making overseas are predominantly of higher value stamps, which we're selling through international agents," said Hall. "We're also doing more international business online than we ever did. Next year we're going to launch foreign language websites, because that's a current barrier to trade."
Net income climbed 22 per cent to pond1.28 million in the six months ended June 30. Stanley Gibbons remains confident of growing fulllyear sales and profit, the St Helier, Jersey-based company said in the statement.
Stanley Gibbons' stock has dropped 1.5 per cent this year, giving the company a market value of pond32.9 million.
The company has maintained the dividend at 2 pence per share and has said it appointed Donal Duff chief operating officer.
"India has been a big emerging market for us in terms of wealthy collectors," CEO Michael Hall said in a phone interview last week. China will revolutionise the stamp collecting market.
Stanley Gibbons began trading in Bahrain and Thailand this year. Overseas sales helped drive first-half revenue up 18 per cent to pond9.6 million (Bt553 million), the company said in a statement last week.
"The sales that we're making overseas are predominantly of higher value stamps, which we're selling through international agents," said Hall. "We're also doing more international business online than we ever did. Next year we're going to launch foreign language websites, because that's a current barrier to trade."
Net income climbed 22 per cent to pond1.28 million in the six months ended June 30. Stanley Gibbons remains confident of growing fulllyear sales and profit, the St Helier, Jersey-based company said in the statement.
Stanley Gibbons' stock has dropped 1.5 per cent this year, giving the company a market value of pond32.9 million.
The company has maintained the dividend at 2 pence per share and has said it appointed Donal Duff chief operating officer.
Just what Mama needs
Mother's Day is three days off, and if you haven't bought your mum a gift get, well, it's a good thing you're reading The Nation. We've got a rack of ideas here that ought to keep you in her good books for at least another year. Just pick the shop and the items that you think suit her best and get your wallet out.
Patploy
Conceived on a trip to Japan and born in Chiang Rai, this store-full of cotton patchwork and quilted bags and accessories is in the Zen zone on the second floor of CentralWorld.
Designer Panida Powsrisornjit and her sister draw inspiration from flowers and cartoons and frill up the cotton with colourful imported yarn and zips.
"The best thing is our bags can be washed, and I guarantee they won't lose their shape," sayd Panida, who's on the job daily from 10 to 10. Call (080) 135 3895 or (081) 649 8606 or dial up www.PatPloy.com or wwww.Goodddd.com.
Liken
This star attraction at the Bangkok gift and houseware fairs can completely refurbish your home with Japanese-influenced decor in animal shapes with floral and marine paterns.
Eco-minded owner Gullayanee "Kat" Jiamisnkul sells ceramics, denim bags and tablecloths and hardwood and teak furniture at 866/15 Soi 28, Lad Phrao 101. She's open daily except Sunday from 9 to 6. Call (02) 729 2568-9.
Goose
More terrific scrapbooks and photo albums are on offer at Goose on the fourth floor of Siam Discovery Centre. Stationer sisters Penpunnee and Kesinee Horrungrueng cater to cool people with simple, functional, charming designs using materials brought in from the US, Holland and France.
They've also got notebooks, organisers, binders, storage boxes and marking pens in any colour you want, and those Acme Studio pens featuring desings by Frank Lloyd Wright and Todd Falkowsky. There are antique brass seals and rubber stamps from America, wrapping paper from Nepal, stickers from Canada and Les Deglingo's cotton dolls from France.
Be there any day from 10 to 9. The phone numbers are (080) 201 9421 and (086) 622 3094.
Phonthip Jeweller
One of Fon's Code 10 neighbours is 27-yera-old Phonthip Tangviriyamate, who makes dazzling silver bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings and brooches.
Resin, refined silk and leather mix in with the precious metals in designs inspired by plants and coral.
The shop's also open daily from 10 to 10. Call (081) 620 3809 or see www.PhonthipJwewller.com
Flow
Valaipan "Fon" Chupan often outshines the other young designers in the Code 10 zone at Siam Paragon with fantastic yellow-gold brass jewellery.
The "Be Flow" collection inspired by Thai architecture mingles silver and Jim Thompson silk in an array of pearls, with "Geo Flow Metric" gets natural in wood grain and water lines.
Be there any day from 10 to 10 ro investigate via (086) 977 8381 or www.FlowOrnament.com.
Guate
Mana Promrat's little piece of Chaktuchak Weekend Market boasts a splendid collection of leather bags and accesories that are complex in the cutting and stitching but still simple and functional.
Most of the designs are in geometric shapes, with an eye, says Mana, to "conserving Thai-style handicrafts".
He's in Section 23, Soi 33, from noon to 7 every weekend. Phone (081) 444 9144 and (081) 818 6911 or visit www.GuateMana.com.
Amitie
If Mum likes rustic French wooden furniture, Panomporn Tresukosol and Wannipa Keatkajohnjumroen say, "Bienvenue!"
They've got two floors cosily stocked with hand-painted hardwood gear and zinc garden tools, plus lots of decor items with flower and animal designs that are made primarily, fro New Zealand pinewood. Don't miss the corner laid out with camel carpets from Egypt.
The store is 933 Soi Thonglor and open from 10.30 to 6.30 six days a week and 10 to 3 on Sundays. Call (02) 712 8335-6 or visit www.AmitieFurniture.com.
Nancy J's Factory
The best (and safest) gift is a card, and the ones at this store in the Atrium zone on the third floor of CentralWorld are handmade. Hobbyists and students crowd in here to see what Chatchaya Watcharaporn's come up with.
There are also fancy scrapbooks made materials imported from the US, and you can customise your own, with expert advice if needed, In fact, the Factory's focus is on do-it-yourself, so all the bits and pieces are first rate, in prices ranging from Bt60 to Bt1,000.
Drop by any day from 10 to 9.30 or call (081) 773 7888.
Patploy
Conceived on a trip to Japan and born in Chiang Rai, this store-full of cotton patchwork and quilted bags and accessories is in the Zen zone on the second floor of CentralWorld.
Designer Panida Powsrisornjit and her sister draw inspiration from flowers and cartoons and frill up the cotton with colourful imported yarn and zips.
"The best thing is our bags can be washed, and I guarantee they won't lose their shape," sayd Panida, who's on the job daily from 10 to 10. Call (080) 135 3895 or (081) 649 8606 or dial up www.PatPloy.com or wwww.Goodddd.com.
Liken
This star attraction at the Bangkok gift and houseware fairs can completely refurbish your home with Japanese-influenced decor in animal shapes with floral and marine paterns.
Eco-minded owner Gullayanee "Kat" Jiamisnkul sells ceramics, denim bags and tablecloths and hardwood and teak furniture at 866/15 Soi 28, Lad Phrao 101. She's open daily except Sunday from 9 to 6. Call (02) 729 2568-9.
Goose
More terrific scrapbooks and photo albums are on offer at Goose on the fourth floor of Siam Discovery Centre. Stationer sisters Penpunnee and Kesinee Horrungrueng cater to cool people with simple, functional, charming designs using materials brought in from the US, Holland and France.
They've also got notebooks, organisers, binders, storage boxes and marking pens in any colour you want, and those Acme Studio pens featuring desings by Frank Lloyd Wright and Todd Falkowsky. There are antique brass seals and rubber stamps from America, wrapping paper from Nepal, stickers from Canada and Les Deglingo's cotton dolls from France.
Be there any day from 10 to 9. The phone numbers are (080) 201 9421 and (086) 622 3094.
Phonthip Jeweller
One of Fon's Code 10 neighbours is 27-yera-old Phonthip Tangviriyamate, who makes dazzling silver bracelets, necklaces, earrings, rings and brooches.
Resin, refined silk and leather mix in with the precious metals in designs inspired by plants and coral.
The shop's also open daily from 10 to 10. Call (081) 620 3809 or see www.PhonthipJwewller.com
Flow
Valaipan "Fon" Chupan often outshines the other young designers in the Code 10 zone at Siam Paragon with fantastic yellow-gold brass jewellery.
The "Be Flow" collection inspired by Thai architecture mingles silver and Jim Thompson silk in an array of pearls, with "Geo Flow Metric" gets natural in wood grain and water lines.
Be there any day from 10 to 10 ro investigate via (086) 977 8381 or www.FlowOrnament.com.
Guate
Mana Promrat's little piece of Chaktuchak Weekend Market boasts a splendid collection of leather bags and accesories that are complex in the cutting and stitching but still simple and functional.
Most of the designs are in geometric shapes, with an eye, says Mana, to "conserving Thai-style handicrafts".
He's in Section 23, Soi 33, from noon to 7 every weekend. Phone (081) 444 9144 and (081) 818 6911 or visit www.GuateMana.com.
Amitie
If Mum likes rustic French wooden furniture, Panomporn Tresukosol and Wannipa Keatkajohnjumroen say, "Bienvenue!"
They've got two floors cosily stocked with hand-painted hardwood gear and zinc garden tools, plus lots of decor items with flower and animal designs that are made primarily, fro New Zealand pinewood. Don't miss the corner laid out with camel carpets from Egypt.
The store is 933 Soi Thonglor and open from 10.30 to 6.30 six days a week and 10 to 3 on Sundays. Call (02) 712 8335-6 or visit www.AmitieFurniture.com.
Nancy J's Factory
The best (and safest) gift is a card, and the ones at this store in the Atrium zone on the third floor of CentralWorld are handmade. Hobbyists and students crowd in here to see what Chatchaya Watcharaporn's come up with.
There are also fancy scrapbooks made materials imported from the US, and you can customise your own, with expert advice if needed, In fact, the Factory's focus is on do-it-yourself, so all the bits and pieces are first rate, in prices ranging from Bt60 to Bt1,000.
Drop by any day from 10 to 9.30 or call (081) 773 7888.
JUST FOR PLEASURE
Choose from an array of products to enhance your life of happiness with your pets
By Chompoo Trakullertsathien
At the 6th Pet Expo Thailand 2009 held recently at the Queen Sirikit Convention Center, a vast variety of pet products and accessories made their debut, out to pamper both pets and pet owners alike. The response to the Trendy Fashions and Lifestyle Exhibition for Pets and Pet Lovers event was overwhelmingly positive.Most of the edible products on display were manufactured primarily for the sake of the physical and mental health of canines, although many were also suitable for felines. A lot of them came in the form of snacks that double up as functional toothbrushes to keep teeth clean and healthy if fed to the animals properly.
Beauty products, like shampoos, deodorant sprays, and serum nutrient lotions were available in a multitude of packaging and containers. All of them were for the same purpose: To keep dogs' coats glossy and smooth. More importantly, they were made from natural ingredients that are environment- and animal-friendly.
Items to keep dogs amused and entertained, like toys, were also produced from natural materials. In this regard, rubber occupied the front position.
The hottest commodities at the expo turned out to be pet accessories,because of their distinctive and adorable designs. Pet owners could not help but be attracted by them, and they were snapped up by the dozens.
Here is a partial list of the products that are selling like hot cakes.
MUNCHIES
Paragon snacks are suitable for dogs of all ages and sizes. They are high in fibre but low in protein. A bit softer than Paragon, Petory chewable edibles are suitable for young and advanced-age dogs.
Imported from the US, Pegetable is a supplementary food. Besides helping to clean a dog's teeth, it is rich in beta-carotene, minerals and vitamins, all of which are important nutrients in pets' diets.
ACCESSORIES
Devil headbands are popular as most, if not all, dog owners tend to consider their pets as lovely devils at one time or another. They come into various sizes.
To protect dogs from eyeirritating ultraviolet rays and strong winds, pet glasses are supplied with interchangeable lenses. Available for all sizes of dog, the eyewear are stylish as well as functionally beneficial.
GROOMING
Milk shampoos are in high demand because they contain milk and refreshingly fragrant natural substances.
Gone are the days when unwell dogs cannot be given a shower or a bath. In the market is a new grooming product that can keep sick dogs clean. The pet owner simply sprays this product onto the dog's coat and then wipes it off with a towel. The spray produces tiny bubbles, so it does not leave behind any residue on the dog's hair.
When dog owners have no time to comb their dogs, they can make use of coatenhancing lotions that get rid of dirt and smoothen their pets' hair.
DRESSING UP
As far as apparel is concerned, pet owners like to follow the trend. Giant silkscreened T-shirts are much sought after for their cool and chic styles. Moreover, they carry cute messages like "I love Mom and Dad" and "Super Dog". Tiger-stripe patterns and military-uniform imitations are at the top of the shopping list in this category.
Special pyjamas and nightgowns meant for pet lovers who want to show their closeness to their animals can choose to wear "mine and my pet's" costumes with the same pattern.
Luxury accessories like necklaces, fashionable collars and body harnesses for dogs receive a warm welcome from owners who are enthusiastic followers of fashion. The necklaces come in sets for owner and pet to share their commonality.
TOYS
Toys are indispensable when it comes to keeping dogs occupied during leisure. Playthings that produce a sound when squeezed attract the attention of dog enthusiasts as they are fun items in the eyes, and to the ears, of humans and animals. Eye-catching and wide in range,the choice is practically unlimited.
By Chompoo Trakullertsathien
At the 6th Pet Expo Thailand 2009 held recently at the Queen Sirikit Convention Center, a vast variety of pet products and accessories made their debut, out to pamper both pets and pet owners alike. The response to the Trendy Fashions and Lifestyle Exhibition for Pets and Pet Lovers event was overwhelmingly positive.Most of the edible products on display were manufactured primarily for the sake of the physical and mental health of canines, although many were also suitable for felines. A lot of them came in the form of snacks that double up as functional toothbrushes to keep teeth clean and healthy if fed to the animals properly.
Beauty products, like shampoos, deodorant sprays, and serum nutrient lotions were available in a multitude of packaging and containers. All of them were for the same purpose: To keep dogs' coats glossy and smooth. More importantly, they were made from natural ingredients that are environment- and animal-friendly.
Items to keep dogs amused and entertained, like toys, were also produced from natural materials. In this regard, rubber occupied the front position.
The hottest commodities at the expo turned out to be pet accessories,because of their distinctive and adorable designs. Pet owners could not help but be attracted by them, and they were snapped up by the dozens.
Here is a partial list of the products that are selling like hot cakes.
MUNCHIES
Paragon snacks are suitable for dogs of all ages and sizes. They are high in fibre but low in protein. A bit softer than Paragon, Petory chewable edibles are suitable for young and advanced-age dogs.
Imported from the US, Pegetable is a supplementary food. Besides helping to clean a dog's teeth, it is rich in beta-carotene, minerals and vitamins, all of which are important nutrients in pets' diets.
ACCESSORIES
Devil headbands are popular as most, if not all, dog owners tend to consider their pets as lovely devils at one time or another. They come into various sizes.
To protect dogs from eyeirritating ultraviolet rays and strong winds, pet glasses are supplied with interchangeable lenses. Available for all sizes of dog, the eyewear are stylish as well as functionally beneficial.
GROOMING
Milk shampoos are in high demand because they contain milk and refreshingly fragrant natural substances.
Gone are the days when unwell dogs cannot be given a shower or a bath. In the market is a new grooming product that can keep sick dogs clean. The pet owner simply sprays this product onto the dog's coat and then wipes it off with a towel. The spray produces tiny bubbles, so it does not leave behind any residue on the dog's hair.
When dog owners have no time to comb their dogs, they can make use of coatenhancing lotions that get rid of dirt and smoothen their pets' hair.
DRESSING UP
As far as apparel is concerned, pet owners like to follow the trend. Giant silkscreened T-shirts are much sought after for their cool and chic styles. Moreover, they carry cute messages like "I love Mom and Dad" and "Super Dog". Tiger-stripe patterns and military-uniform imitations are at the top of the shopping list in this category.
Special pyjamas and nightgowns meant for pet lovers who want to show their closeness to their animals can choose to wear "mine and my pet's" costumes with the same pattern.
Luxury accessories like necklaces, fashionable collars and body harnesses for dogs receive a warm welcome from owners who are enthusiastic followers of fashion. The necklaces come in sets for owner and pet to share their commonality.
TOYS
Toys are indispensable when it comes to keeping dogs occupied during leisure. Playthings that produce a sound when squeezed attract the attention of dog enthusiasts as they are fun items in the eyes, and to the ears, of humans and animals. Eye-catching and wide in range,the choice is practically unlimited.
Dog "origin of pneumonic plague outbreak"
A dog is suspected to be the origin of an outbreak of pneumonic plague in northwest China that has killed three people and left 10,000 under strict quarantine, state media reported.
Ziketan, a remote town in a Tibetan area of Qinghai province, has been locked down since Saturday in an effort to contain the spread of the highly virulent disease.
One patient was in critical condition and eight others were infected, most of them relatives of the first fatality, a 32-year-old herdsman, Xinhua news agency said.
Initial tests had shown the herdsman's dead dog was the likely origin of the outbreak, Xinhua reported on Wednesday, quoting Professor Wang Hu, director of the Qinghai disease control bureau.
Prof Wang said it was likely that the dog died after eating a plague-infected marmot and that the man became infected when he was bitten by fleas while burying the dead dog. He died three days later.
"The first victim buried the dead dog without any protection. After he became infected, his relatives and neighbours were in close contact with him without taking any protective measures, leading to their infection," Prof Wang was quoted as saying.
The World Health Organisation says the bacteria which causes the plague is endemic in some rodents in the region,such as marmots.
Meanwhile, residents of Ziketan said on Wednesday scared people were trying to leave despite the strict quarantine to contain the virulent disease.
"Some of my hometown folks left,they are afraid of pneumonic plague,"said a businessman who works in the town but hails from neighbouring Sichuan province.
"There are checkpoints in the street and the roads are strictly controlled so they can only leave on foot," the man,who refused to give his name, said by telephone.
"I heard many migrant workers have left, they may go back to their hometowns," he said.
"Those who left without permission lack responsibility. I will not leave."
Health Ministry officials yesterday told Xinhua no one had escaped from the quarantine zone and that no new cases had been reported.
Ziketan, a remote town in a Tibetan area of Qinghai province, has been locked down since Saturday in an effort to contain the spread of the highly virulent disease.
One patient was in critical condition and eight others were infected, most of them relatives of the first fatality, a 32-year-old herdsman, Xinhua news agency said.
Initial tests had shown the herdsman's dead dog was the likely origin of the outbreak, Xinhua reported on Wednesday, quoting Professor Wang Hu, director of the Qinghai disease control bureau.
Prof Wang said it was likely that the dog died after eating a plague-infected marmot and that the man became infected when he was bitten by fleas while burying the dead dog. He died three days later.
"The first victim buried the dead dog without any protection. After he became infected, his relatives and neighbours were in close contact with him without taking any protective measures, leading to their infection," Prof Wang was quoted as saying.
The World Health Organisation says the bacteria which causes the plague is endemic in some rodents in the region,such as marmots.
Meanwhile, residents of Ziketan said on Wednesday scared people were trying to leave despite the strict quarantine to contain the virulent disease.
"Some of my hometown folks left,they are afraid of pneumonic plague,"said a businessman who works in the town but hails from neighbouring Sichuan province.
"There are checkpoints in the street and the roads are strictly controlled so they can only leave on foot," the man,who refused to give his name, said by telephone.
"I heard many migrant workers have left, they may go back to their hometowns," he said.
"Those who left without permission lack responsibility. I will not leave."
Health Ministry officials yesterday told Xinhua no one had escaped from the quarantine zone and that no new cases had been reported.
Going gaga over Guru
Launchedin 2007 as an online shopping site, Guismono, featuring weird but funky dolls by Thai designer Piyanch "Tonn" Sirikulchayanont, quickly drew thousands of browsers.
Today, fans of his signature Gugu doll with its wide orane mouth and playful accessories, can shop in real time, a the store he opened last year in the hig-end Crystal Mall on Ekamai-Ramindra Road as well as at his recently opened boutique at Navamin City Avenue.
Tonn came up with the idea for his Gugu doll several years back while preparing for a textile art project in Sweden. He returned home to Bangkok in 2001 and started selling the dolls, along with T-shirts, mugs and canvas bags under the name Guismono, marketing them through Propaganda and Zen then online on a Japanese website.
"The name comes from worlds the Swedish use when referring to a ghost's voice," he says.
His products received such a warm welcome that in 2008, he teamed up with friends and opened the Crystal Mall store. It's stocked not just with Gugu dolls and his other accesories but also decorative items by other Thai labels and funky miorts from the West.
The new branch at Navamin City Avenu on Nawamin Road area has more space and offers a wide range of toys and collectible items along with gadgets from Korea, Japan, the US, Taiwan and China.
"We also stock design products by Applique, ETC and Propaganda," says partner Anocha Chanyaem. "Our store facuses more on smallers stuff like gadgets, clock, toys and collectible items from aboard."
Tonn's fans will find plenty of Guismono's products too, including Gugu dolls, plastic tote bags, pencil cases, bottle and canvas bags. It's a great plce to shop for home and for friends, with a selection of splendid products such as ETC's paper clips and glass vases, Propaganda's colourful bins, quality toothbrushes by One Morning as wellas Lenarai's iconic figures inspired by the songs-for-life and Carabao.
Also on sale are iPod cases and speakers from Korea, Lego-like lapms, wire holders form Hong Kong, King Banana stationery, snake & shooter ladder games from Japan plus bubble-head figures inspired by President Obama, Spiderman and Demonique form the US, cigarette-shaped lighters, wall clocks, wooden chess games and music boxes from Taiwan.
>> AT A GLANCE
Guismono is on ground floor of Navamin City Avenue mall on Kaset-Nawamin Road and is open daily form 11am to 10pm. Visit www.Guism.com
Today, fans of his signature Gugu doll with its wide orane mouth and playful accessories, can shop in real time, a the store he opened last year in the hig-end Crystal Mall on Ekamai-Ramindra Road as well as at his recently opened boutique at Navamin City Avenue.
Tonn came up with the idea for his Gugu doll several years back while preparing for a textile art project in Sweden. He returned home to Bangkok in 2001 and started selling the dolls, along with T-shirts, mugs and canvas bags under the name Guismono, marketing them through Propaganda and Zen then online on a Japanese website.
"The name comes from worlds the Swedish use when referring to a ghost's voice," he says.
His products received such a warm welcome that in 2008, he teamed up with friends and opened the Crystal Mall store. It's stocked not just with Gugu dolls and his other accesories but also decorative items by other Thai labels and funky miorts from the West.
The new branch at Navamin City Avenu on Nawamin Road area has more space and offers a wide range of toys and collectible items along with gadgets from Korea, Japan, the US, Taiwan and China.
"We also stock design products by Applique, ETC and Propaganda," says partner Anocha Chanyaem. "Our store facuses more on smallers stuff like gadgets, clock, toys and collectible items from aboard."
Tonn's fans will find plenty of Guismono's products too, including Gugu dolls, plastic tote bags, pencil cases, bottle and canvas bags. It's a great plce to shop for home and for friends, with a selection of splendid products such as ETC's paper clips and glass vases, Propaganda's colourful bins, quality toothbrushes by One Morning as wellas Lenarai's iconic figures inspired by the songs-for-life and Carabao.
Also on sale are iPod cases and speakers from Korea, Lego-like lapms, wire holders form Hong Kong, King Banana stationery, snake & shooter ladder games from Japan plus bubble-head figures inspired by President Obama, Spiderman and Demonique form the US, cigarette-shaped lighters, wall clocks, wooden chess games and music boxes from Taiwan.
>> AT A GLANCE
Guismono is on ground floor of Navamin City Avenue mall on Kaset-Nawamin Road and is open daily form 11am to 10pm. Visit www.Guism.com
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)