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Advice for modern city-dwellers

19/10/2021

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Despite our best efforts, life in the big city can get pretty complicated, trying to juggle work, social life, personal problems—not to mention the never-ending stream of stressful traffic. We can talk to friends and family, but their involvement might be a little too close to home…sometimes a professional opinion really helps to put things into perspective. Calling our concrete therapists from New Counseling Service (NCS) to the rescue for some solid advice! 

 Do you have a question for one of our counsellors? We will never print your real name; you can ask anything anonymously. Just send your problem to: info@ncsbkk.com or message @ncsbangkok on IG, FB, or Line. 
Dear NCS,

  I have a friend who has been my "drinking buddy" since college. Whenever something big happened in our lives, we would always get together and open a few bottles of wine to celebrate or commiserate. In college, we found a reason to drink every weekend, but as we got older, I thought we both grew out of it. We meet up every other month or so and I enjoy the occasional glass of wine, but I've noticed that my friend still drinks a lot. During our last catch-up, she confessed that she can't fall asleep unless she drinks something. After pressing her for details, I discovered that she drinks one bottle of wine every single night, whether she has company or not. I'm beginning to think she may be an alcoholic. How serious is this and should I address it with her?

 
- Sober Friend
Dear Sober Friend,

Your concern for your friend’s drinking is understandable, as her level of alcohol consumption is potentially dangerous, according to several international agencies. Expert health organisations in the USA, UK and Australia recommend that drinking more than 4 standard drinks in one day, or 10 standard drinks in one week, means there is increased risk of health damage due to alcohol. A bottle of wine contains around 7 standard drinks, so your friend’s consumption would be considered well beyond the recommended safe level.

Whether her drinking is problematic to her or not could be a different matter. The use of any substance is generally considered to be problematic when it has a significant negative impact on one or more aspects of a person’s life, such as relationships, work, social life, parenting, etc. It may be that her drinking is not noticeably affecting any key areas of her life at this time, meaning she may not consider her drinking to be a problem. However, from a health perspective there is certainly a potential risk and the longer her current pattern of use continues, the more significant that risk becomes.

Ultimately it is your decision whether to raise this with her or not. It may be that she’s not fully aware of the health risks to which she’s exposing herself, and so may welcome some insights about this. However, it’s also possible she will not welcome another person’s perceived judgement of her drinking, even from a good friend. You know her best so you are more likely to have a sense of how she might respond.

If you decide to raise it with her, I suggest taking a gentle approach and avoid using the word alcoholic, as it can be an emotionally loaded term that could provoke a defensive response. Maybe start off by asking how she feels about drinking a bottle of wine every night and whether she has any concerns about it, and then gently share your concerns. It might be worth asking how reliant she is on the alcohol to sleep or otherwise cope with her current situation, because having that need or reliance is an indication that an addiction could be developing.

If she expresses concern about her drinking and wants to change, then any support you can offer her with this will be helpful. If she can reduce her drinking to safer levels by herself then that would be a good outcome (there are many resources on the internet that would help her with this). If she’d like some more professional support, then that is certainly available also. However, if she believes her drinking is not problematic and she doesn’t wish to change, then ultimately that is her decision and it’s probably best to respect that for now. It’s possible that just raising this with her will prompt her to re-evaluate her drinking, which may change her behaviour down the track. Either way, I wish you and your friend well in handling this situation.

 

David Ogden

Counsellor

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Thai Sailors Showcase Skills at Nationals

11/3/2021

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The 2021 Thailand ILCA National Championships saw a record fleet of 55 Laser sailors on the water, with a new generation of serious contenders stepping up to the plate to showcase their skills in sparkling sailing conditions.

By Stephen Marsh

■ Hosted by the Royal Varuna Yacht Club and sponsored by Thailand-based Element 6 Evolution (E6), a newly appointed manufacturer of the one-design class boats, the event featured light to medium winds alongside a strong tide, wind shifts and gusts.
Competing for titles were sailors ranging in age from 10 to 80 years, hailing from four Thai sailing clubs and ten countries.
The real thrill was in watching the next generation of top Thai sailors jockey for position on the podium, with Thailand’s Olympic sailors sidelined - two-time male Olympian and decade-long national champion Keerati Bualong now coaching the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand’s ILCA 4.7 fleet, and female Olympian Kamolwan Chanyim off the water due to temporary injury training for Tokyo 2020.
In the ILCA Standard, serious contenders for future Olympic qualification Chusitt Punjamala and Arthit Romanyk did battle in each race, but Chusitt was able to finish in the lead in all but two races. The two have been training partners and respectful competitors on and off the water for most of the past year and both have their hopes on being able to do Thailand proud in a final Asian qualifying event for Tokyo 2020 later this spring, pending re-scheduling by World Sailing as Abu Dhabi was unable to proceed with its postponed championship due to Covid-19 restrictions. Pom Green, director of E6, sailed to an impressive third place.

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Needles & Ink

15/9/2020

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If you haven’t already got one or more, there’s a good chance you will have seriously considered getting a tattoo. Here’s some good advice from one of Bangkok’s best tattoo studios before taking the plunge and decorating your body for life

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Tattoos were not popular when I was growing up in Canada, but after 15 years in Japan where the massive full-body tattoos popularized by a certain group there first shocked and then awed me, I have come to appreciate how beautiful these creations in ink can be. It’s also made me think it would be neat to get one.

But it did get me wondering why we see so many today, where to get one, if they’re safe, and what design will look great, not only today, but long into the future.

So, I went over to visit two friends at All Day Tattoo to learn more with ten questions in hand.

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ANOTHER STORY & ANOTHER MAN STORY Feature items from exclusive brands around the world Colorizing the closet with shades of the season

22/4/2019

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​ANOTHER STORY & ANOTHER MAN STORY, lifestyle concept store featuring stylish yet modish clothing brands including bags, accessories, etc. for both men and women from around the world, made its way back with the new concept “Back to Fashion” inspired by “Back to Life” from the legendary British brand “Soul || Soul,”  
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“Back to Fashion” presents style nostalgia and spruce-up spree with brands selected from around the world. To begin with, ESSENTIEL ANTWERP serves the best essential pieces for a sleek and fresh city everyday look, combining soft and noble fabrics with a great sense of style, available for both men and women. 
​Launched in 1998, STELLA FOREST presents an emblematic French style in best hippie chic concept, bedazzling with folk prints and long fluid shapes that are perfect for a stylish weekend sneak away.

Introducing in French label, LA PETITE FRANCAISE was firstly launched in 1991, and has been proposing the best affordable and stylish pieces for the Parisian different looks ever since. 

Originating from South of France, GENESIS pulls through the love towards nature and designer’s passion towards Bali prints. Made in Indonesia, the brand developed tight relationship with a Bali-based familiar atelier for its handcraft and hand printed Resort collection, season after season.

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Still only 11, fashion designer Minnie has already launched ten collections

11/2/2019

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Her Purisa Glitzy is a brand to watch
When a Thai girl just eleven years of age tells you her hero and inspiration is Coco Chanel, you take notice. And immediately wonder why.

But then Purisa ‘Minnie’ Hengtrakulsin is no ordinary youngster. Incredibly, this little lady is already an established designer of fashion clothes for children with ten collections to her credit under her own well-known brand ‘Purisa Glitzy.’

So how did she become such a fan of Coco Chanel, France’s legendary fashion designer, especially as she passed away some four decades before Minnie was born? “My mum and dad took me to a book fair when I was seven years old and I came across a book about Coco Chanel, and I loved it,” explained Minnie in her self-taught flawless English. “I read that book many times and loved all of Coco’s designs, and I decided that I wanted to be like her. Coco is my inspiration.”
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Suitably motivated, Minnie, aged just eight, launched her first collection ‘Purisa Glitzy’ in 2016. It quickly caught the eye of several buyers and showed she was on the right track. But it was her second collection that really propelled her career. This came about after watching a famous Thai musical drama called Four Reigns based on the life of a lady in waiting in the Grand Palace.

After researching popular fashion designs from that period of Thai history, Minnie sketched her own ideas – a mixture of Thai and Victorian clothes - and matched them with carefully selected fabrics and textiles from the leading suppliers in Bangkok. Called ‘PLOY’ after the heroine
in the historical drama, the collection  of all-white outfits attracted interested from around the world. Meticulously styled and beautifully made by a respected dressmaker, her clothes are a wonderful evocation of the complex designs favored during the reign of four Thai kings.

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Celebrating a Name Born in 1894

8/2/2019

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Named After a Movement
 
Before it was called OMEGA, our company was first established in 1848. At that time, the business existed only as a small workshop, opened by the young watchmaker Louis Brandt in the Swiss city of La Chaux-de-Fonds.
 
Louis Brandt was passionate about precision and he set about developing the most accurate watches he could. Within a few years, his reputation for high quality watches was established within Switzerland, and then shortly after, throughout Europe.
 
After Louis Brandt’s death in 1879, his two sons – Louis-Paul and César – took over the family business, inspired by their father’s love of watchmaking and precision. Little did they know, they were destined to change the industry forever.
 
The big moment came in 1894 when the Brandt brothers released their new movement known as the 19-ligne calibre. Marking an enormous leap forward, the 19-ligne calibre was produced in series using revolutionary new methods and it instantly set a new standard within watchmaking. It was not only extremely accurate, but every component could be replaced without modification by any watchmaker in the world. The perfected combination of winding and time-setting via the stem and crown was also ground-breaking and is still widely used today.
 
The brothers crowned their new achievement “Omega”.
 
Like the last letter of the Greek alphabet, the “Omega” movement symbolised an ultimate accomplishment. They considered it to be the “final word” on watchmaking success.
 
They also knew that precise, series-produced movements were the future of watchmaking, and it didn’t take long for the public to realise this too, with the reputation of the company quickly growing around the globe.
 
The success of the 19-ligne “Omega” calibre was so great that the brothers eventually changed the name of their entire company to OMEGA Watch Co in 1903. By then, OMEGA had become the largest manufacturer of finished watches in Switzerland.
 
This year, we celebrate the 125th anniversary of our name. Not only as a reminder of that movement in 1894, but also because it continues to symbolise the quality, superiority and “ultimate accomplishment” that we always aspire to achieve.
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The 19-ligne “Omega” Legacy
 
What was so special about just one movement?
 
Ingenuity: The 19-ligne calibre introduced revolutionary mechanisms into watchmaking. For example, it perfected a method for winding your pocket watch and setting the time by only using the crown. This system was patented by the company on the 1st of August 1894 and became a true success.
 
Industrialisation: The methods used to actually build the 19-ligne calibre were just as impressive. For the first time, the watchmakers used an “industrial scale” production line. This was divided into sections, where each component was crafted to very precise specifications. This meant that all the parts were interchangeable, making the assembly of the movements much more streamlined and efficient. The idea was so progressive that it was soon adopted by the entire Swiss watch industry.
 
Precision: The 19-ligne calibre is a true symbol of OMEGA’s quest for precision. The accuracy of these movements was renowned around the world, including on the Canadian railways, where they were often trusted to officially keep time in the early 20th century.
 
Decoration: There have been many different and captivating decorations used on the 19-ligne calibre. One of the most well-known is the “DDR” damaskeening style that enjoyed huge popularity amongst discerning customers in the USA. Even today, this technique remains very difficult to achieve.
 
Success: The success of the 19-ligne calibre drove OMEGA to new heights of quality and production. In fact, they rose from this achievement to become Switzerland’s largest manufacturer of finished watches by 1903. It launched the brand as we know it today and the spirit of innovation that has built a watchmaking dynasty. 

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Piaget’s pre-SIHH collection unites core watchmaking strengths with a celestial touch

3/1/2019

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Three new Altiplano timepieces, each featuring iconic areas of Piaget expertise, comprise this year’s pre-SIHH models.

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Ultra-thin watchmaking, exceptional gem-setting and an expanded focus on hard stones, illustrated with meteorite, enliven these three models, which will be formally presented at the 2019 Salon International de la Haute Horlogerie in Geneva.
From the heart of the earth to the heart of a galaxy
One of the key areas of savoir-faire associated with the Maison Piaget is the technique of gem-setting. As one of the very few traditional watchmaking manufactures with an equally strong focus on jewellery, Piaget is uniquely placed to create pieces that blend watchmaking with the precise skills associated with working in precious stones. These stones, formed under tremendous heat and pressure and extracted from deep beneath the earth’s surface, highlight the eternal brilliance of a Piaget timepiece.
 
The 36mm Altiplano High Jewellery is an essential model in the elegant collection of Piaget, speaking to the feminine wearer and those who appreciate classic watch proportions alike. For the first time, it comes set with baguette diamonds on the bezel and dial, and a sunray-brushed dial in Piaget Blue, limited to an edition of 88 pieces.
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G0A44076
The baguette cut is known for its discretion and refinement. In the pre-SIHH 36mm Altiplano High Jewellery (G0A44076), the baguette diamonds frame the watch and mark out the dial quarters, allowing the intense dial hue to truly shine. This particular shade of deep blue, somewhere between cobalt and midnight blue, has defined the maison through the decades and most recently anchored the anniversary collection of Piaget Altiplano watches shown at the 2017 SIHH. Like the sky itself, the dial reveals different aspects of appearance under varying levels of illumination, the sunray finish creating a hypnotic play of light and shade that is almost alive in its brilliance.
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G0A44051
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G0A44053
The celestial influence becomes even more pronounced in the 41mm white-gold Altiplano Tourbillon (G0A44053), distinguished by a blue meteorite dial encircled by diamonds. Hours and minutes are indicated via the hallmark Piaget Altiplano baton hands and indices at eight o’clock, while the whirling dance of the flying tourbillon at the two o’clock position recalls the rotation of planetary bodies in a dark blue firmament.
 
The distinctive lines on the surface of the meteorite are known as Widmanstätten patterns, typical of the crystallised nickel-iron structures found within iron meteorites. This type of meteorite is speculated to date from the very beginnings of the cataclysmic events that result in the creation of solar systems. Just as diamonds are crystallised records of conditions deep within the earth, meteorites are crystallised records of the birth of galaxies.
The 41mm Altiplano Tourbillon, limited to 28 pieces, represents the height of Piaget’s prowess in gem-setting, decorative stone dials and ultra-thin high watchmaking. Completing the trio of Piaget’s pre-SIHH creations is, fittingly, a watch that embodies the purest expressions of essential Piaget — the pink-gold 40mm Altiplano with grey meteorite dial (G0A44051) and a simple distillation of time told in hours and minutes, with a date window at three o’clock.
 
The combination of pink gold with the grey meteorite and pink-gold indices is a step removed from the high-contrast beauty of the 36mm and 41mm models, but more fully showcases the subtle nuances of the meteorite as a material. The 40mm Piaget Altiplano in pink gold with grey meteorite dial is limited to an edition of 300 pieces.

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ALL DAY Tattoo - for five-star service, hygiene and designs

27/11/2018

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Opened in 2016, ALL DAY Tattoo has already achieved its goal of becoming the best tattoo studio in Bangkok by bringing together world class artists, strict hygiene standards and western-style ‘Five-Star’ service.
 
“We started with just one artist, but thanks to great feedback and a growing reputation, we added more and more artists until we eventually ran out of space and had to move into our own dedicated space to house 10 artists,” explained founder Luca.
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Convenient New Location
ALL DAY Tattoo now occupies a dedicated four-story shop house, making it the only tattoo studio located directly on Sukhumvit Road in central Bangkok ​, just metres from Phrom Phong BTS station and Emporium mall directly. Getting there is easy by Skytrain or taxi.
 
Solving a problem
Luca has travelled the world observing and collecting tattoos from some of the best studios and artists.
 
In Bangkok he was able to find great artists and studios but nowhere that brought both together to extremely high levels of service with impeccable artwork.
 
“It often feels as though clients are intimidated by a tattoo studio’s ‘hardcore’ atmosphere. With tattoos becomes more mainstream, I felt Bangkok needed a studio that welcomes people from all walks of life,” says Luca.
Strict levels of Hygiene
From the outset, Luca made sure ALL DAY Tattoo used 100% imported inks, needles and aftercare products from the USA, with hospital levels of hygiene.
           
Fully Licensed
It’s a common misconception that Thailand doesn’t have any health and safety regulations – but that’s not the case at all! Thai tattoo studios need to be licensed by law and getting this license requires a huge amount of effort and paperwork on every element of the tattoo process, from artist competency and supplies used to customer safety.
Adds Luca: “ALL DAY Tattoo is one of the very few studios who has taken the effort to go through this process and become fully licensed, so clients can feel comfortable we’ve taken all necessary steps to keep them safe.” 
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Fluent English Speaking
“We offer fluent English service both in store and if someone contacts us online,” continues Luca. “We feel this makes them comfortable and relaxed so they can really enjoy the experience of getting tattooed without worrying whether they’ll be properly understood.
“There have been many examples online of poorly spelled or executed designs caused by a lack of understanding on both sides. Our staff and processes ensure this is never an issue.”

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Snowflake collection

20/11/2018

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Frosted diamonds
In tune with the seasons, Van Cleef & Arpels contemplates the wonders of nature and celebrates them in highly poetic creations. Evoking the beauty of a snow-covered landscape, the Snowfl ake collection has for several decades reinterpreted the “fl ocon” motif introduced by the Maison in the 1940s. Entirely set with diamonds, these pieces embody Van Cleef & Arpels’ taste for White High Jewelry. This winter, the Snowfl ake collection is enriched by two clips and two transformable necklaces. Timelessly elegant, they combine the luminosity of platinum with the sparkle of diamonds in keeping with a Maison’s tradition. 
The elegance of the Snowflake collection comes to life with this necklace, a homage to the world of couture. Its curved lines of round diamonds trace out an ethereal Claudine collar adorned with sparkling snowflake motifs. The setting – entirely articulated and crafted in openwork – suggests delicate lace, gracefully caressing the contours of the neck. To provide varied styling options, the necklace’s main motif can be worn alone, as a pendant on a chain. 

Enthralled by the beauty of diamonds, the Maison showcases their purity in dazzling High Jewelry creations, like this slender snowfl ake. Radiating out from its heart, precious snow crystals seem to bloom in a diaphanous star, fringed with a frosty garland. With a design infl uenced by the Maison’s 1948 Cristaux de neige clip, this refi ned piece can be worn as a clip on a jacket lapel, or slipped onto a chain as a pendant. 

Explored by the Maison ever since its foundation, the couture theme also takes pride of place on this bow clip, which recalls the models created by Van Cleef & Arpels from the 1930s onwards. On these creations, the gold’s delicate openwork evokes the lightness of precious fabrics. This Snowfl ake clip traces a bow in platinum and diamonds, bound by a rounded jewelry motif entirely set with stones. Endowed with subtle energy, this asymmetric three-dimensional piece will adorn either an outfi t or the hair like a ribbon of light. 

​I n keeping with Van Cleef & Arpels’ tradition of transformable jewelry, this sparkling necklace can be worn in up to nine different ways to suit any mood. Thanks to discreet fastenings, its various elements can form three bracelets and six types of necklace, from a choker with a single strand of diamonds to a two- or three-row necklace. On each side of the piece, twin half moon-shaped jewelry motifs link these delicate streams of diamonds. The creation’s fully articulated structure enables it to gently hug the neck or wrist, like freshly fallen snowflakes.

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H&M unveils MOSCHINO [tv], the collection of the year that everyone has been looking for

6/11/2018

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MOSCHINO [tv] H&M: exclusive news on the men’s collection
Bold, fearless, loud and fun: the men’s collection from MOSCHINO [tv] H&M is the pure essence of creative director Jeremy Scott. The collection is true MOSCHINO, whether it's a down jacket covered in gold sequins, a black hoodie embroidered with gold chains, extreme oversized jeans, or one of the pieces with the iconic MOSCHINO logo. Every look reveals Jeremy Scott’s deep love of MOSCHINO’s heritage, and the fierce pop energy he’s brought to the brand since becoming creative director in 2013. It’s exclusive to H&M, and will be launched on November 8.
 
Fierce fashion
Live life loud with the MOSCHINO [tv] H&M collaboration - a collection full of statement pieces that subvert ideas of cut and scale.
- A black leather biker jacket is punctured with braided gold chains, and black leather biker pants are turned fashion with hidden pockets at the knee. Meanwhile a hybrid jacket mixes together a blazer with a hoodie. It has zip-off lapels, a faux leopard hood, different coloured front panels and the back covered in silver sequins. MOSCHINO believes in sequins for daywear, like a below-the-waist down jacket covered in gold sequins, or slim-cut silver sequin pants that are perfect for partying.
 
Maximum street
It’s all about attitude, with Jeremy Scott’s signature playful take on the streetwear pieces that have become today’s essentials.
-A padded bomber jacket is printed with a repeat image of CDs, its hood like a peak cap that reads MOSCHINO. A hooded anorak is printed with a clash of leopard print and MOSCHINO, while a black hoodie is embroidered with multiple chunky gold chains. For hitting the street, oversized stonewash denim JEANS have an extreme high waist and long fly, playing with codes and making a statement.
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