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: [email protected] or message @ncsbangkok on IG, FB, or Line. 

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

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.

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

​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.

​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,”  
​
“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.

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.”

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.

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. 

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

​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.

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.

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.

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.