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Young apprentices at Ban Don temple in Rayong win accolades for reviving Nang Yai Grand Shadow Theatre

Every second year, UNIMA (Union International de la Marionette) a wards the “Prix Michael Meschke” to outstanding performers in puppetry. This year, this Swedish award was presented to a group of young performers from Rayong in recognition of their extraordinary efforts to preserve and renew the Nang Yai Grand Shadow Theatre tradition.

Last month, this group of young theater apprentices from the Ban Don temple in Rayong took Thailand’s oldest performing art form to partidpate in Lund’s international Puppet Festival, Sweden. The group then traveled to Greece on a special invitation from Athens University to introduce its students to the very unique theatre from Thailand where the marriage of the two theatrical art forms of dance and shadow play are simultaneously staged.

In Thailand, the Nang Yai theatre can be found in three provinces – the Wat Khanon troupe in Ratchaburi, the Wat Sawang Arom troupe in Singburi and the Wat Ban don troupe in Rayong. Despite the long establishment and widespread reputation of the former two, the Ban Don group was especially picked by Interdock, the festival’s organizers, because they were impressed by the spirit of the temple boys performing the Nang Yai in Rayong.

“Over 30 years, I have promoted the dying Nang Yai tradition. I found more hope in these boys than elsewhere among qualified players because they represent such tender ages and they do these studies out of free will, without payment and using their spare time after school” Michael Meschke said. Meschke is a professor emeritus in theatre and founder of the International Puppet Museum in Stockholm, Sweden.

These eight young amateurs represent many provincial youngsters across Thailand who are prepared to dedicate themselves and their time for this art form. Often unrecognised by authorities and suffering from a lack of resources, they are the living proof that anyone can safeguard cultural heritage, even within a small community. Indeed, with zero financial support from governmental agencies, the temple abbot, Phra Khru Burakethwuthikorn and teacher Amnat Maneesaeng founders of the troupe are hoping that the boys’ efforts would one day be appreciated more widely in Thailand and beyond.

There has been much discussion on how to revitalise traditional art forms as well as how to promote love and appreciation for traditional living treasures in the new generations. In Thailand and elsewhere, performing artists are facing similar challenges: what are the best possible solutions for preserving traditional arts, while, at the same time making them appeal to the contemporary audience? How much can traditionalists accept changes in their conventional practices and how far should modern artists go with their changes?

Bhanbhassa Dhubthien, a graduate in directing from Actors Studio and currently a lecturer in dramatic art at Chulalongkorn’s Arts Faculty, has made an attempt to prove that modern directing can be used to revitalise traditional plays. She has assisted the troupe to develop artistically and helped them present a revised Ramayana repertoire at the festival.

“For dramatists, we put an emphasis on the art of narrating a story. When I had a chance to attend the Nang Yai performance, I reckoned that the way in which it was presented had barely changed from what had been practiced 200 years ago. Audiences, nowadays, are less enthusiastic about the show. As a director, I find this very challenging in the sense that how much modern narrating techniques can be applied to create excitement as well as rejuvenate the attractiveness of the art of Nang Yai for contemporary audiences,” Bhanbhassa said.

Based on this assumption, several theatre techniques are adopted such as reworking on the “Ramayana” by elaborating more details in selected scenes, concentrating on plot development, instead of repetitive narration and action as in the past, dramatising a puppet’s manipulation techniques.

By working on the characterisation of each puppet character, puppeteers, like normal actors, should portray emotions and feelings of the character while manipulating the puppet. Additional movements from the Khon masked dance-drama are used to heighten emotions and actions.

Traditionally, music is played before actors can act out scenes. To follow this process, actors wait a long time for musician to complete their musical pieces.

The slow plot development resulting from this musical convention is replaced by applying the universal use of music in drama where appropriate selected parts of musical tunes are performed to support actions or emotions of the characters.

However, one must be aware of the negative impact on traditional practices. Professor Meschke said one has to avoid modernising traditional art forms that they look superficial. This often happens when traditional arts are presented to time-pressed Western tourists who require high speed entertainment. A more appropriate way may he to bring the traditional arts closer to their religious origin during the modernisation process.

Bhanbhassa agreed, “One thing I never dare to change is the use of the Na Phat music and dance [the revered musical tune and dance steps exclusively used by students who only passed the high-level teacher-initiation ceremony or the Wai Khru]. We must respect such beliefs and learn from it.”

The dying breath of Thailand’s old traditions and arts may be a race against time. Amidst pessimism and lack of resources, little star-lights are creating same hope. In a small community of the industrial city Rayong, the art of Nang Yai is still alive and meaningful to many youngsters. Perhaps, for an endangered art to survive, the cultural defenders are no longer from the top but are the ordinary people who hold it dear to their hearts.

KUSUMA VENZKYSTALLING
SPECAIL TO THE NATION

The British Treasury may appoint its own representatives to the boards of the country’s biggest banks as it begins buying stakes in them over the next few weeks, a government official said.

Policy-makers need to consider how to protect taxpayers’ interests when taking significant stakes in lenders, the official said.

Governments in Europe and North America are preparing plans to buy stakes in banks to alleviate the credit freeze threatening to tip the world into a recession. UK’s plan contrasts with the United States, where T Secretary Henry Paulson said two days ago that American authorities would have non-voting shares.

The UK government last week said it would invest at least £50 billion (Bt1.73 trillion) to recapitalise Royal Bank of Scotland Group, Barclays and at least six others.

Britain’s programme may be big enough to give the government a controlling stake in some lenders.

RBS, with a market capitalisation of £11.9 billion, will seek about £10 billion from investors and the government, a source said. Barclays’s market capitalisation is £17.4 billion.

UK Treasury officials have been working with the lenders on the programme and will today begin outlining details of a related plan to guarantee as much as £250 billion of interbank loans though an insurance system.

Once it has unveiled how it will price the insurance policies, regulators will begin talking to banks about capital injections and what share of their business is nationalised.

“We are working hard toward implementation,” Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling said. “We will be doing something pretty quickly. It is essential we take action here in the UK.”

BLOOMBERG
Washington

Lender plans rights offering as part of bail-out plan for UK banking industry

Royal Bank of Scotland Group, the UK’s fourth biggest bank, plans to raise at least £10 billion (Bt590.99 billion) from investors and the government as the credit crisis worsens, a source said.

The bank may arrange a rights offering underwritten by the UK government as part of the rescue plan for the banking industry announced last week, the source said. RBS has not ruled out the government’s offer to buy preference shares, the source said.

RBS would be the first UK bank to use the government’s offer to spend as much as £50 billion buying stakes in the country’s banks to help them raise capital.

RBS needs to absorb more credit write-downs and meet the government’s criteria to be eligible for insurance on its short and medium term loans as part of Britain’s plan to help unlock capital markets.

“It is not an unrealistic possibility that RBS will need to raise about £10 billion,” Collins Stewart analyst Alex Potter said.

“It is difficult to know whether it is enough. They have raised very little in their disposal programme and things have since got worse,” he said. RBS spokeswoman Linda Harper did not comment.

RBS had planned to raise about £4 billion from asset disposals in addition to the £12.3 billion it raised in a rights offer earlier this year.

The bank abandoned plant to sell the Australian and New- Zealand investment-banking units of ABN Amro in August after failing to find a buyer, and struggled to sell its UK insurance unit for about £7 billion.

RBS, which has written down £5.9 billion of assets this year, slumped 62 percent in London last week amid concern about capital and further write-downs.

BLOOMBERG
London

Grandpa Yen, a 108- year-old man who had been living alone in his small boat for years, died here of natural causes yesterday morning.

Yen Kaewmanee was pronounced dead at the Prachao Klao Hospital at 10.40am following heart failure.

Neighbors found him unconscious on his boat in the morning and rushed him to a hospital. Doctors tried but failed to resuscitate him.

The old man became famous when a documentary programme aired his story. He had been living alone on his small boat on a river in the province for years and mostly lived on fishing.

On learning about his story, Her Majesty the Queen granted a boat for the old man to live in. Yesterday, the Queen donated Bt200,000 for his funeral arrangements.

Although Yen was a Muslim - who was supposed to be buried within 24 hours after death - his body had a special funeral rite under the Queen’s patronage at a mosque in Ban Laem district. Another special rite will be conducted again today at 9 am before burial at l0am in the mosque.

He cried for 3 months

Before becoming known following the TV programme, Yen lived on a boat for more than 10 years after his wife Erb, a Buddhist native of neigh bouring Prachuab Khiri Khan, died over a decade ago. The couple had no children but adopted two daughters, who have lived separately.

In the TV programme, Yen, then 98, said he cried for three months after Erb died. Then he decided to move from his rented house into a small boat down the Phetchaburi River.

He made a living solely from fishing. He later received personal support from the Queen and be came a public icon for those admiring His Majesty the King’s self- sufficiency economy principle.

DAILY XPRESS
Petchaburi

Australian captain Ricky Ponting faced a tricky decision on a likely target for India after the hosts clawed their way back into the first cricket Test yesterday.

The tourists will start the final day’s play today with an overall lead of 263 with five wickets in hand on a deteriorating wicket that is making batting difficult. Ponting, whose team closed the fourth day at 193 for five in their second knock, has three sessions left in the match to force a result by giving his bowlers enough time to dismiss India again.

India not only prolonged their first innings to 360 to narrow Australia’s lead to 70 runs, but slowed their rivals’ bid for quick runs by grabbing wickets at regular intervals.

Zaheer Khan led India’s fight back with an unbeaten 57, his teams top score, and then removed the dangerous Matthew Hayden for 13 when the Australians batted for a second time.

Hayden was given out leg before to Zaheer by Pakistani umpire Asad Rauf for the second time in the match, but TV replays indicated the ball would have missed the leg stump.

Ponting, who made a century in the first innings, was snapped up low at short mid wicket by VVS Laxman off seamer Ishant Sharma for 17.

Opener Simon Katich (34) put on 50 for the third wicket with Michael Hussey when he was caught by Laxman at silly point off Harbhajan Singh to make the tourists 99 for three.

AFP, Bangalore

Modernform taps some clever minds for its new Designer Series

A sleekly feminine reclining chair devised by actress Khemupsorn Sirisukha is among the eye-catching pieces in Modernform’s new Designer Series, which celebrates “the Elegance of Simplicity”.

Pichaya Puttorngul, Noppachai Pujirakasem, Pimdao Sukhahuta and Bun Boriboon have also come up with creative yet fully functional furniture for the modern urban home.

New York-based Pichaya offers ‘Nect: Connectable”, a table that brings people together with built-in wiring, telephones and a computer.

This year’s Silpakorn University Designer of the Year Noppachai is fascinated with the wood of rubber trees.

“I’m the son of a rubber farmer and, to me, flexibility is important in everything. My contribution to the series is called ‘Wavy’, and it’s inspired by sound waves. It can be used as a wall decoration or a seat, depending on your imagination and needs.”

Pimdao of fashion house Sretsis has concocted a mystery-filled “Pandora’s Box”.

“When you open it, you don’t know what will come out - Pandora herself, or maybe just chess pieces!”

The box can be a table, complete with four stools resembling riding saddles.

Professional chef Bun, who’s dreamed up dishes for the restaurant Vanilla Industry and co-hosts television’s “Indy Kitchen”, has created - what else? “Independent Kitchen”.

“I’ve worked in a lot of kitchens, and often the design just isn’t practical. Here, all the equipment is stored neatly but it’s handy and ready to use.

“There’s lots of space and it’s easy to clean, I’ve added a note board to write down recipes, and there’s a music player to keep this kitchen happy.”

All of the creations will be sold for a year starting at the end of November, and Modernform CEO Thaksa Busayapoka says 3 per cent of profits will be donated to the new Bangkok Arts and Culture Centre.

By Kupluthai Pungkanon
DAILY XPPESS

Love scope on October 13 to 18, 2008

ARIES March 21-April 19

You’ll be tempted to go out with someone off-limits. The chemistry may by strong but the time spent mending a broken heart wilt stifle your ability to recognise someone who is interested in you and is much better for you in the long run.

TAURUS April 20-May 20

You’ll attract partners but question what hear she has to bring to the table and what you have to offer in return. If the balance isn’t fair, you are likely to get fed up and experience a one-night stand. Don’t let your heart rule your head.

GEMINI May 2l-June 2O

Disillusionment may cause you to misjudge someone’s actions. Be careful not to lead someone on when you aren’t really interested. Build the friendship and t will give you time to consider how intimate you want to become.

CANCER June 21-July 22

Physical contact will be better than you imagined. You’ll be swept off your feet and ready to make a commitment. However, as soon as you start to share intentions, you will realise you have little in common. Slow down before it’s too late.

LEO July 23-August 22

Don’t give in to the demands someone puts on you in order to keep the peace. A force play will lead to emotional deception that will not be conducive to building a long-lasting relationship. Focus on friends, not Lovers, for the time being.

VIRGO August 23-September 22

Get involved in Internet dating or Let a friend set you up on a blind date. The time to make a worthwhile connection is now. You can plan a trip that will allow you to spend a little time with someone you want to get to know better.

LIBRA September 23-October 22

You may be tempted to get involved with someone at work or who may not be available. Before you decide to take your chances, consider the consequences that may change more than your personal life. Deception is apparent.

SCORPIO October 23-November 21

You are hot, in the mood and looking for a life-tong arrangement. Your relentless determination coupled with your mysterious ways will tempt someone who can fit your every need. Play the game of love and you will win.

SAGITTARIUS November 22-December 21

You are overdue for an adventure. Sign up for an extravaganza that will allow you to be challenged by someone who can match your every move. Love is in the air and, with the right surroundings, you will find someone special.

CAPRICORN December 22-January 19

Your interest in helping others will lead to a love connection. You’ll attract someone who appreciates your talents and ability to get things done. Make plans to spend some intimate time at home where you are in your element.

AQUARIUS January 2O-Febuary 18

Be careful not to fall for someone you cannot have. Temptation will be great and the ability to steer clear of people with personal attachments or problems a must. Look at the big picture and keep a clear head when it comes to love.

PISCES February 20-March 18

You’ll have a change of heart regarding someone from your past. Before you lump back into an old relationship, remember what happened in the past. Be prepared to set new rules and stick to them if you want things to work out this time.

By EUGENIA LAST

Every time there’s a Cabinet shuffle, ‘Sapha Joke’ has to go hunting for a new cast

The violence at Government House last Tuesday prompted an urgent meeting across town in Lat Phrao: Television producer Paakpol Bunyaprakarn needed a script revamp for his popular parliamentary parody “Sapha Joke”.

He had an episode almost ready to tape the next evening, but changes seemed to be in order.

“This is how life at ‘Sapha Joke’ has been for the past five years,” says Paakpol, the managing director at Khonthai Entertainment, which produces the show.

The week before, Paakpol had been busy searching for someone who looked like new Prime Minister Somchai Wongsawat. A Bang Khuntien pharmacist fit the bill and was “sworn in” just in time.

“Sapha Joke” - the name translates into English as “Humorous Government House” - is famous for its political dead ringers spoofing the legislature. Whatever s making news in politics ends up as a gag on the show - as positively as it can be spun.

“We never directly depict the violence,” says Paakpol.

The nasty parts of reality are coded into jokes. One script about Somchai’s emergence on the scene included a whole squad of extras playing the People’s Alliance for Democracy.

The show is meant to be neutral, of course says Paakpol. “We just want people to look at things from a different perspective.”

Educating the electorate

Behind the chuckles is an ambition to educate the viewers about democracy and its Thai variant, It’s difficult, but it’s not as hard as finding look-alikes who can act, says the show’s publicist Tanat Nitisatik.

They have to have a great sense of humour and comic timing to go with the resemblance, he says, adding that more than 1,000 people have applied for the cast.

Boonsri Sikong is a talkative guy, but ironically, when he’s playing brash Samak Sundaravej, he becomes reserved, and needs to be goosed along.

One of the most popular characters is “Por Yai Jew”, played by a near-perfect Chavalit Yongchaiyudh impersonator.

But when they thought they’d found a great Sonthi Boonyaratglin, he turned out to be a police officer, and they decided it might be risky having a cop play such a senior civil servant.

By Rachada Dharapak and

Tippimol Kiatwateeratana

SPECIAL TO DAILY XPRESS

Striker nets brace in England victory; Spain, Germany win to top groups

European champions Spain beat Estonia 3-0 to extend their unbeaten streak to 25 games, and England outplayed Kazakhstan 5-1 in another World Cup qualifying game after being booed off the field by their own fans at half-time.

Struggling France hit back from two goals down to draw 2-2 in Romania and eased the pressure on coach Raymond Domenech, and Germany edged Russia 2-1 to stay at the top of their group.

England needed 52 minutes to break down Kazakhstan before the goal rush started. Wayne Rooney scored twice, forced a Kazakh player into an own-goal and stand-in captain Rio Ferdinand and Jermain Defoe also scored. But Kazakhstan punished a casual back pass by defender Ashley Cole to make it 2-1 in the 68th.

Ukraine and Croatia got a 0-0 draw to also help England, who have perfect nine points from three games.

World Cup champions Italy survived the absence of half of the regular starters through in jury to draw 0-0 in Bulgaria and stay in the lead of Group 8, although Marcello Lippi’s team lost their perfect start.

The Italians have seven points from three games, three clear of Ireland, who did not play this weekend.

“The guys played with authority and good personality,” Lippi said. “We tried everything we could to win. But [Bulgaria] has good players and we’re content with this result.”

Juanito Gutierrez and David Villa put Spain in control at Estonia and Caries Puyol added a third as they stayed at the top of Group 5 and maintained their two-point lead over Turkey and Belgium.

Turkey edged Bosnia Herzegovina 2-1 and Belgium overcame Armenia 2-0.

Down in fourth place in Group 7, France looked in more trouble when they fell two goals behind Romania inside the first 17 minutes in Bucharest. But Franck Ribery began the comeback in the 36th and Yoann Gourcuff equalised in the 69th with a dipping shot from 35 metres.

The draw means that France moved a point closer to the lead and that should keep coach Raymond Domenech in charge for a little longer despite the team’s dismal show.

Serbia beat Lithuania 3-0 and both teams are level with six points with Austria, France and Romania at four each.

Lukas Podolski and Michael Ballack scored in the first 28 minutes against Russia in Dortmund and although Andrei Arshavin replied in the 51st, the Germans he on to stay at the top of Group 4.

“We played at a very high pace in the first half but we struggled in the second and if Russia had equalised it would not have been undeserved,’ captain Ballack said.

AP, London

Rio Ferdinand has told England’s fans they should be ashamed of themselves for booing Ashley Cole after his mistake in the World Cup qualifier at Wembley.

Cole was jeered by sections of the 90,000 crowd when his woeful back pass presented Zhambyl Kukeyev with the chance to score Kazakhstan’s first away goal for eight games.

Although Fabio Capello’s team eventually ran out 5-1 winners, stand-in captain Ferdinand felt the incident left a sour taste.

“As regards [to] the booing of Ashley, a lot of the fans will go home - and I hope they will be ashamed of what they were doing, Ferdinand said.

“You want your fans to be behind you. Everyone is human, and people make mistakes. We are big enough to hold our hands up when we have made a mistake, but it is not made any easier when you have got your own fans booing you.

“I hope people on reflection will make sure they don’t do that again. A lot of the fans did try to clap Ashley, and I think you’ve got to rally round as players and supporters when anyone makes a mistake.”

It is not the first time the fans have turned on their team since the rebuilt Wembley opened last year, with David Bentley and Frank Lampard also booed by the supporters.

Chelsea midfielder Lampard fears the hostile reaction of the supporters could damage England’s attempt to make Wembley into an intimidating arena for opposing teams.

“It was disappointing when Ashley, who I think is the best left-back in the world, made one mistake and got booed,” he said. “I get fed up of talking about it. People have to realise that if we want to make Wembley a performance we need the support the crowd can give.”

AFP London