Local news

Sports to go

Advanced Info Service (AIS) and Samart Info Media have introduced a sport channel offering live football and other sports for mobile phones. Match schedules, news, football analysis and goal highlights will also be available, along with golf, boxing, tennis, basketball, American football and Formula One. Downloads, available at wap.mobilelife.co.th, are 5 baht each or 150 baht per month for unlimited access.

Fashion school offers Asian alternative

Short, competitive course should attract international interest

Story by Nareerat Wiriyapong

The government-sponsored Bangkok Fashion School is expected to begin operating in June, aiming to attract fashion talent not only in Thailand but also from other Asian countries.

The 250-million-baht school aims to provide training in design, merchandising and branding to 600 professionals within 18 months.

�The fashion school will provide a short-cut, price-competitive curriculum for Thai and Asian entrepreneurs, instead of having to fly to Europe to take courses in France or Italy,� said Panlert Baiyok, vice-minister for Industry.

The school is part of the government�s 1.8-billion-baht programme to build Thailand�s presence in the international fashion arena.

Panlert said high-profile industry professionals from France, Italy and the United States would be recruited to teach at the school.

�Initially, the government will be the sole investor in the project, starting with the facilities. Private organisations will then be invited to enter joint ventures with us in later stages of project development,� he said.

Panlert said the government aimed to operate more than one fashion school. The first one will occupy two floors of Siam Tower, the office complex at the Siam Discovery shopping complex, with a total area of 2,000 square metres.

As well, the Central Group has provided 1,000 square metres at Central World Plaza for another fashion school, he said.

Since the Bangkok Fashion City programme began in February, Panlert said it had drawn a good response from the industry.

�However, we still have a long way to go. France and Italy, for example, spent a century becoming the world fashion centres they are at present,� he said.

�Survivor� test for Nok Air stewardesses

Finalists in reality TV series to be offered job

Story by Nondhanada Intarakomalyasut

Nok Air, the budget airline venture spearheaded by Thai Airways International Plc, is taking the unconventional approach of using a reality TV show to recruit flight attendants.

The selection process will take place as a television series called Nok Hunt. A total of twenty contestants will participate in a variety of tests, with the 10 finalists offered positions as Nok Air flight attendants.

Viewers can vote for their favourite hostess by sending an SMS to the show, to be broadcast on UBC Inside channel 35 every Tuesday until May 11. The six episodes include a tour rally, entertainment tests and a lifeguard challenge.

Patee Sarasin, Nok Air�s chief executive, said the airline wanted �air hostesses to take on the personas of movie stars� and promised a dress code that would be clearly different from the what is normally worn.

�We will continue our reality programme and make the show become something like the popular Survivor programme,� Patee said.

Sugar junkies to be hit with health warning

Government�s war on food focuses on labels, advertising

Story by Aphaluck Bhatiasevi

Manufacturers of sweets and snacks may soon be forced to put health warnings on their products in a move aimed at discouraging children from gorging on food that is high in sugar or salt

content.

Food and Drug Administration secretary-general Dr Supachai Kunaratanapruk said a committee would review current regulations covering the advertising and labelling of junk food popular with children.

Supachai was speaking after holding talks with representatives of advertising agencies and snack manufacturers. The meeting was arranged after research by the Thai Health Promotion Foundation found children spent up to 160 billion baht nationwide per year on junk food. Supachai said the FDA would also revise penalties for advertisers of sweets and snacks.

All dolled up

Two Barbie dolls outfitted with 126 orange sapphires and Padparadscha gems and priced at 500,000 baht each are among the attractions at the Bangkok International Toys Show 2004 at The Mall Bang Kapi. � Jetjaras Na Ranong

Vocabulary

merchandising (n): the activity of selling goods, or of trying to sell them, by advertising or displaying them
branding (n): the activity of promoting a certain brand name
curriculum (n): the subjects that are included in a course of study or taught in a school, college, etc.
arena (n): in this use, an area of activity that concerns the public, especially one where there is a lot of opposition between different groups or countries
recruit (v): to find new people to join a company, an organisation, the armed forces, etc.
unconventional (adj): not following what is done or considered normal or acceptable by most people
lifeguard (n): a person who is employed at a beach or a swimming pool to rescue people who are in danger in the water
persona (n): the aspects of a person�s character that they show to other people
junkie (n): in formal use, somebody addicted to drugs; in other uses, somebody addicted to any substance or activity
gorge (v): to eat a lot of something
regulation (n): an official rule made by a government or some other authority
revise (v): to change your opinions or plans, for example because of something you have learned
sapphire (n): a clear, bright blue precious stone

gem (n): a precious stone that has been cut and polished and is used in jewellery