Dateline

May 19

Birthday wishes go out to English actress Rebecca Hall (1982).

In 1962, actress Marilyn Monroe famously sings “Happy Birthday” for US President John F. Kennedy at his birthday event at Madison Square Garden, New York City.

May 20

In 1873, Levi Strauss and Jacob Davis receive a US patent for blue jeans with copper rivets.

In 1983, the first information about the discovery of the HIV virus that causes AIDS is published in Science journal by Luc Montagnier.

May 21

In 2005, Kingda Ka, the tallest roller coaster in the world, opens at Six Flags Great Adventure amusement park in New Jersey.

In 1972, Michelangelo’s famous Pieta sculpture in Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome is damaged by mentally disturbed Hungarian geologist Laszlo Toth.

May 22

Until June 15 at 100 Tonson Gallery on Ploenchit Road, see Capturing Moments, an exhibition of abstract teak sculptures by Utai Nopsiri. The gallery is open Thursday to Sunday from 11 am to 7 pm. For more details, call 02 684 1527.

In 1980, the Japanese video game company Namco releases the extremely popular arcade game Pac-Man.

May 23

In 1934, American bank robbers Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow are killed by police in Louisiana. The legendary couple is later the subject of the famous 1967 film Bonnie and Clyde, directed by Arthur Penn and starring Faye Dunaway and Warren Beatty.

In 1995, the first version of the Java programming language is released.

May 24

See local pop crooner Boy Trai perform at his Cat Live Boy Trai concert. Boy will sing his hits during the three-hour concert starting at 7 pm at Bangkok Convention Center, Central Ladprao. Tickets are 800 to 2,000 baht at Thai Ticketmajor. For more information, call 02 565 3456.

In 1992, Thai dictator General Suchinda Kraprayoon resigns following pro-democracy protests.

May 25

In 1969, the American drama film Midnight Cowboy opens in New York. The film later wins three Academy Awards and is considered by many to be one of the greatest American movies of all time.

In 2008, NASA’s Phoenix spacecraft lands in the Green Valley region of Mars to search for environments suitable for water and microbial life.