Nordic News and Business Promotion in Asia and humanitarian—stood before the press with a different purpose: to speak for those without a voice Known for her roles in Thai dramas and the hit series White Lotus Praya (also known as Praya Suandokmai) has become just as celebrated for her work off-screen as the UNHCR’s first Goodwill Ambassador from Southeast Asia and now as an advocate for animal rights with PETA Born Nataya Lundberg on 28 March 1989 to a Swedish father and a Thai mother she grew up in Bangkok and attended International School Bangkok (ISB) later earning a bachelor’s degree from Oxford University in the UK Her acting career began at a young age in Thai television dramas and she has since appeared in both Thai and international films as well as on the covers of top fashion magazines around the world Praya is deeply passionate about humanitarian causes Appointed as the first Goodwill Ambassador for the UNHCR in 2017 she has continued to use her voice to make a difference she often participates in charity runs and wellness events and launched her own wellness brand During the press conference on 24 April at the elegant Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel in Bangkok I had the chance to ask Praya if she spoke Swedish which I must admit I didn’t fully understand but her main message came through clearly: don’t buy pets—adopt them instead I had imagined her arriving dressed like an angel from a Victoria’s Secret show but she appeared casually in jeans and a T-shirt bearing the PETA logo two large posters featuring Praya dressed as an angel with her dog Praya married Vietnamese-American businessman Quoc Cao at Hotel Bel-Air in Los Angeles attended by 200 guests from around the world saw her wearing a Valentino wedding gown and a Vivienne Westwood dress for the reception the couple asked for donations to the “I Stand With My Pack Dog Rescue” charity They plan to have one child in the future—and a PETA representative who has worked with the organization for 20 years PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) is an American animal rights group advocating for better legal protection and treatment of animals worldwide The audience was mostly Thai media—I’m fairly sure I was the only non-Thai journalist present A delightful vegetarian and vegan buffet was served prepared by a German chef formerly of the magnificent Hotel Bürgenstock in Lucerne While waiting for some media colleagues who had mistakenly gone to the other Kempinski hotel near Siam Paragon I had the pleasure of chatting with the chef in German I’m probably one of the few who haven’t seen White Lotus I’m curious—I just might have to watch it now Author at ScandAsia and blogger on other websites as well and website in this browser for the next time I comment Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" 新派港式中菜廳 The Praya 最近聯乘老字號 麥文記麵家，打造名為「港式雲吞麵的新蘊演繹」的期間限定企劃。今次合作以五道創新菜式為主軸，結合攝影展覽，將地道港味以當代手法重新包裝，呈現一場由味覺延伸至視覺的多重體驗。喺藝術氛圍濃厚的三月，The Praya 用一碗雲吞麵講一個屬於香港的故事。 The Praya 一向主打將傳統中菜加入現代烹調元素，廚房團隊早前特別走訪麥文記，由淥面到包雲吞逐步學習，吸收老店多年來嘅精髓。劉祿餘師傅透露，最花時間嘅其實唔係創作新菜，而係研究點樣保留麥文記特色之餘，又能融合自己團隊嘅想法與手法。經反覆試煮後，終於誕生咗五款菜式，各有個性，又互相呼應。 第一道「炸雲吞水餃伴果香醬」，選用麥文記嘅全蝦雲吞同鮮蝦水餃，以高溫炸至金黃酥脆，配上自家調配嘅果香醬，酸甜之間帶出蝦嘅鮮味。另一道「魚湯雲吞」，由鄭胤龍師傅主理，以16公斤紅衫魚熬製五小時成魚湯，配搭全蝦雲吞，湯頭濃郁滑順，入口即見誠意。喜歡叉燒嘅話，不妨試試「黑毛豬叉燒撈粗麵」，用低溫慢煮16小時嘅黑毛豬叉燒，再炭燒增添焦香，配搭麥文記粗麵同九龍醬園嘅古法豉油，鹹香得宜，令人回味。 講到陣容最華麗嘅，就要數「薑蔥龍蝦銀絲兩面黃」，以西澳龍蝦球配上煎至外脆內嫩嘅銀絲麵，淋上The Praya 秘製龍蝦上湯，香濃飽滿。壓軸之作「砂窩雲吞雞」則以三黃雞熬湯七小時作基底，再加入全蝦雲吞，濃郁雞香與海鮮鮮味互相輝映，層次豐富。 今次合作不單止係一場美食交流，更是一趟文化傳承之旅。麥文記第二代掌舵人 Lesley Mak 表示，雲吞麵唔只係一道菜，而係一段香港歷史嘅縮影。佢希望透過是次企劃，令更多年輕人重新認識這道地道經典。為進一步延伸這個主題，The Praya 邀請資深攝影師謝浩然為五道新菜創作攝影作品，運用同色系佈景與極簡構圖，捕捉食材本身嘅質感與特徵，例如蝦身紋理、銀絲麵條張力等，同時拍下The Praya團隊與麥文記交流過程中真摯又專注的畫面。 攝影作品現正於The Praya店內展出，食客可以邊食邊睇，感受每一道菜背後的手藝與情懷。是次企劃靈感亦來自剛出版的《麪麪俱緣——麥文記的故事》，由李林風及林君宜合著，記錄麥文記70年來經歷香港社會變遷的故事，反映本地小店如何在城市中堅持初心，亦展現咗香港精神：傳承與創新，缺一不可。 The Praya x 麥文記 「港式雲吞麵的新蘊演繹」期間限定時間：即日起至2025年3月31日地址︰石塘咀干諾道西 181 號粵海 181 酒店 3 樓電話︰3181 1666網站︰thepraya.hk 訂座連結︰sevenrooms.com/reservations/thepraya查詢電郵︰reservation@thepraya.hk Swedish-Thai actress Praya Lundberg, known internationally for her role in White Lotus, will unveil a new campaign with PETA tomorrow, Thursday 24 April 2025, at the Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel in Bangkok. In the media invitation, it says that Praya will appear dressed as an angel, holding her adopted dog, Pirate Arthur, to highlight the importance of adopting pets and promoting spaying and neutering. The campaign message is clear: adopt, don’t shop. According to PETA, tens of thousands of animals are homeless in Thailand, often facing disease, injury, or abuse. Spaying, neutering, and adoption are key steps in addressing this crisis. Editor-in-Chief • ScandAsia Publishing Co., Ltd. • Bangkok, Thailand Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Your Ads Privacy ChoicesIMDb Marine biologist Alan Deydan witnessed an amazing phenomenon off the coast of Malta - he managed to capture a giant siphonophore of the species Praya dubia Information about this unique find was published by the Lovin Malta portal the rare marine creature was photographed at a depth of about 25 meters Praya dubia is considered one of the most impressive living organisms on the planet - individual specimens reach 50 meters in length second in size only to the marine worms Lineus longissimus It is important to note that the poison produced by siphonophores for hunting poses a potential danger not only to marine inhabitants but also to humans Praya dubia attracts attention not only for its size but also for its hunting strategies It is an active swimmer that uses bright blue bioluminescent glow to attract prey the siphonophore stops and unfurls a network of tentacles covered with nematocysts - special cells that secrete a powerful toxin Contact with them can paralyze or even kill the victim The diet of this marine predator includes jellyfish-like marine creatures The amazing feature of siphonophores lies in their structure - they are not a single organism but a complex colony of thousands of miniature specialized clones after which others absorb and digest the prey distributing nutrients throughout the colony another significant find was reported - the underwater vehicle of the Schmidt Institute of Oceanology recorded a siphonophore of the genus Apolemia off the coast of Australia The official Twitter account of the institute noted: "It is quite likely that this is the largest specimen known to science" Russians have created a real frenzy around the kefir that Vladimir Putin offered to journalists in a recently released documentary film twin sisters Audra and Alice Fernandez play in a fishing boat at Praya Lane in Melaka with multiracial neighbours adding to its colourful past where history lingers in narrow lanes and ancient buildings the Praya Lane neighbourhood stands as a reminder of the once-vibrant Portuguese Eurasian holds a rich tapestry of memories that its former residents are determined to keep alive spent his childhood in this close-knit neighbourhood He recalls the warmth and camaraderie that defined his formative years “Growing up in Praya Lane was more than just about location; it was about community,” he reflects Theseira, now the president of the Melaka Portuguese Eurasian Heritage Arts and Cultural Society (MPEHACS) reminisces about the spirit of cooperation that was deeply ingrained in the community when people from all walks of life – Chinese and Eurasian Catholics – came together to build a Wall of Friendship at the Church of the Assumption to protect the land surrounding the church from coastal erosion Clement Pereira (on a friend’s shoulders) and childhood pals enjoy a Praya Lane seaside dip in the 1950s “The community spirit was very strong then,” he says “But that spirit has changed in many ways because of the environment we live in – nowadays people are more committed to their work and their own family life We have less time for voluntary community service or simply gathering together for festivities But I believe this spirit can still be revived.” In an effort to capture what made Praya Lane special and to share these stories with a younger generation, the Melaka creative cultural hub The Bendahari and the University of Nottingham Malaysia are collaborating with Theseira and MPEHACS to present a community-driven exhibition titled Stories Of Praya Lane UITM Creative Arts students and an NUS Architectural Conservation MA student also lent support It will take place at Melaka venues such as The Bendahari Jalan Bendahara (for the school programme) and two old houses - Praya Lane No 6 - will serve as the pop-up gallery spaces features a mix of free admission and ticketed (workshop) events The exhibition will highlight not only the broader history of the neighborhood but also the personal stories of its unsung heroes – shopkeepers and food vendors who played integral roles in the community Theseira notes the importance of remembering these everyday individuals who gave Praya Lane its soul Many of them were not of Portuguese descent but could speak Kristang (language) fluently Praya Lane was more than just a place; it was a community where traditions were born and lives were shaped,” says Theseira The project has also brought together a team of passionate contributors who share their own narrative and voice to the exhibition These include Dutchman Frits Van Walsem of nature-based outfit Mataburung, French historian Serge Jardin seen in a family photo taken in Praya Lane in 1955 They will be involved in the Stories Of Praya Lane programme on Sept 14-16 including the “Kampung Treasures Self Discovery Trail” daughter of the late community leader Bernard Sta Maria grew up on Praya Lane and lived in the neighborhood from the age of nine until she left Melaka at 18 She recalls a strong sense of identity and belonging as a descendant of the Melaka Portuguese among the multi-racial communities of Malaysia “My father was born and raised inside the kampong at 112 Lorong Bandar Hilir,” says Natassa “Although the houses in that area did not contain ‘Lorong Praya’ in their address the residents were considered part of the wider Praya Lane community I always had the sense of being special and unique,” she shares Natassa was struck by how much the community had changed when she began working on the Stories Of Praya Lane project and a significant portion of the neighbourhood “I really feel that the lives and times of Praya Lane people should be properly documented so that it won’t be lost on generations to come,” she says “What made Praya Lane so special was that it was once an organic community not just comprised of the Melaka Portuguese but also mixed with Chinese and Indian neighbours.” Supporting the exhibition’s narrative are independent researchers Dennis Ong and Sabine Ferrao who have spent the last four months gathering oral histories from over 35 individuals who lived or still live in Praya Lane was fascinated by how the Bahasa Malaysia language absorbed many Portuguese words “I sometimes joke that you are already speaking Portuguese or Kristang without even knowing it!” he says Ong adds that the narratives that they have collected for the exhibition offer a glimpse into the daily lives traditions and communal interactions of the community providing a deeper understanding of its cultural identity – an aspect that official histories might not fully capture “Melaka is a city built on hybridity and cultural intermingling and the Portuguese Eurasians are a key part of that tapestry The stories featured in this project enrich what has already been told As more documentation and storytelling continue the history will become even more complex and nuanced.” discovered a surprising personal connection during the project she found out that she was related to one of the aunties interviewed a revelation that linked her own family roots to the neighbourhood “This was indeed a big find for me as I had been searching for my great-grandmother’s roots in Melaka and now I know she was a girl from Praya Lane!” she shares in T-shirt) is pictured with two friends draining dirty water from a freshly dug well at his old Praya Lane home in 2002 As the exhibition prepares to open in September the organisers are hopeful that this revival of memories will inspire others to document and cherish their own cultural histories we hope Stories Of Praya Lane will spark interest in safeguarding this cultural legacy for future generations,” says Ong this is a race against time – once a generation passes the opportunity to collect first-hand accounts and voices on certain subjects is lost forever This urgency has driven us to see this project through to completion motivated by how deeply these stories are connected to defining us as Malaysians.” Stories Of Praya Lane promises to be a meaningful experience not only for former residents of the beloved neighbourhood but also for history buffs researchers and visitors who wish to learn more about the Portuguese Eurasian culture of Melaka It is a testament to the power of community-driven initiatives in preserving and celebrating cultural heritage More info on how to share your own story about living on Praya Lane, or to learn more about the exhibition here. We would love to keep you posted on the latest promotion Thailand’s target of drawing up to 9 million Chinese tourists by 2025 is under threat attributed to safety concerns raised by the kidnapping a Chinese actor in the country Bangkok (VNA) – Flight cancellations from China to Thailand spiked 94% in January with Japanese ski resorts and hot springs becoming the preferred choice for the Lunar New Year Flights to Thailand in the first two weeks of February dropped significantly compared to the same period last year while many Chinese travelers redirected their choice to safer destinations like Japan and Singapore Bloomberg’s Eric Zhu noted that safety fears are a significant deterrent for Chinese visitors overshadowing the measures implemented by Thailand to ensure safety He warned that if Thailand does not promptly address safety concerns even the lower target of 8.8 million Chinese tourists will be difficult to achieve the number of Chinese visitors may struggle to exceed 7.5 million noted that the Thai government and tourism industry should not only focus on curbing scam activities but also expand tourism development beyond well-known spots like Bangkok He observed that many Thai residents prefer destinations in Japan to domestic ones like Phuket Thailand must enhance its offerings and introduce a wide array of attractions among the 260 individuals from 20 countries who have been rescued from call centres in Myanmar 258 have been identified as trafficking victims Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn affirmed Thailand's commitment to deepening law enforcement cooperation with China and its neighbouring countries pledging strong and decisive actions to combat cross-border crimes including online gambling and telecom fraud Thailand and China will work together to combat fast-growing networks of illegal call centres along Thailand's borders with Myanmar and Cambodia no country could have helped Cambodia overthrow the bloody Pol Pot genocidal regime The state visits by Vietnamese Party General Secretary To Lam to Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan are expected to further strengthen relations between Vietnam and the Central Asian countries He said the negotiations will be held virtually led by Deputy Secretary-General (trade) MITI Mastura Ahmad Mustafa as Malaysia’s chief negotiator alongside the Assistant US Trade Representative for Southeast Asia and the Pacific Jakarta Governor Pramono Anung has stated that harmony among religious communities is a vital foundation supporting the capital’s ambition to become a global city ASEAN has a vital role to play in shaping a world order grounded in legal frameworks and a stronger foundation of democracy and justice said President of the Cambodian People's Party and President of the Cambodian Senate Samdech Techo Hun Sen The Indonesian economy grew by 4.87% in the first three months of this year marking the slowest growth pace since the third quarter of 2021 The amendments aim to align Thai aviation regulations with international safety standards including those set by the International Civil Aviation Organisation and will apply to both domestic and international air carriers The move aims to prevent potential transshipment practices by certain enterprises seeking to reroute goods through Malaysia to third countries Anthrax is an infectious disease caused by Bacillus anthracis which occurs naturally in soil and mainly affects livestock and wild animals People can get sick with anthrax if they have contact with infected animals or contaminated animal products The five-year Strengthening Climate Resilience of Lao Health System project will support the implementation of Laos’ national health and climate change adaptation plan Thailand has become one of BRICS's 13 official partner countries from January 1 following an earlier invitation by Russian President Vladimir Putin when Russia chaired the bloc in 2024 It added that the Cambodian Government will continue cooperating with the US to develop mutually beneficial trade and investment relations Indonesia is projected to have a rice surplus of 1.68 million tonnes through May 2025 was signed at a significant time following the publication of the US’s National Trade Estimate Report 2025 The Global New Light of Myanmar cited the Myanmar Fire Brigade's report as saying that in Mandalay major roads affected by the earthquake have been cleared of debris to prevent obstacles and ensure the safety of commuters The statement of the ASEAN+3 countries also reaffirmed their commitment to a rules-based fair and transparent multilateral trading system Digital Economy and Society Minister Prasert Jantararuangtong who also serves as deputy chairman of the committee said on May 1 that the committee has developed a comprehensive plan to prepare Thailand across various dimensions particularly focusing on the development of a skilled AI workforce Malayan tigers are a subspecies found only in the southern forests of Thailand and on the Malaysian Peninsula They differ from the more commonly known Indochinese tiger (Panthera tigris corbetti) which inhabits the central and western forest regions of Thailand The 4th Meeting of the ASEAN Task Force on Fake News (ASEAN TFFN) will be held virtually on July 23 while the 10th SOMRI Working Group on Information Media and Training (10th SOMRI WG-IMT) is scheduled to take place from October 5 - 8 This strategic pivot comes as ASEAN deepens regional integration through the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) initiative 2008 by the Ministry of Information and Communications Email: vietnamplus@vnanet.vn © Copyright belongs to VietnamPlus, VNA. Reproduction in any form is prohibited without written consent. SUNDAY, JUNE 07, 2020|The Nation PlayLoading... Thai actress and UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Praya Lundberg has come under fire for her silence on the abduction of a Thai dissident in Cambodia and many are accusing her of failing in her duty to speak up.Netizens have posted on her Instagram and asked her to do something to help Wanchalearm Satsaksit, 37, a political activist who was kidnapped in Phnom Penh on Thursday (June 4). Health Ministry warns of deadly 'Deafness Fever' outbreak DPU trains 98 game designers to promote Thai-made games as new soft power NEPC sets electricity price cap at 3.99 baht per unit until end of 2025 RTAF scrambles F-16s to intercept aircraft near Thai-Myanmar border More troops deployed to deep South following surge in violence, says PM arrow leftarrow rightarrow rightPower & Purpose   |   Asia's Most Influential THPraya LundbergActress Model and actress Praya Lundberg has found success in Thailand and abroad Praya Lundberg (also known as Nataya Lundberg or Praya Suandokmai) is an actress and model who has made a mark in Thailand and abroad on the TV series Rak Dai Mai Thar Hua Jai Mai Pean appearing in her first film role two years later in Maa Kap Phra Lundberg has also maintained a successful international modelling career through the years appearing on the covers of magazines includig Vogue She has also been an ambassador for brands such as TRESemé She is also the first Thai woman to appear on the runway for the globally renowned fashion brand Dolce & Gabbana Lundberg has also served as a goodwill ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) Desperate to restore the Chao Praya River to a pristine state an abbot in the Thai capital began recycling in his temple Now he has a floating ally in his efforts to clean up the river nothing swims in it any more,” says Wat Chak Daeng temple’s abbot as he looks out over Bangkok’s Chao Praya River he remembers seeing children playing in the river and people scooping up handfuls of water to drink But when he became abbot of Wat Chak Daeng more than 25 years later those bucolic images were a thing of the past when he arrived at the 240-year-old temple he was saddened by the sight of the dirty river and the rubbish-strewn grounds surrounding it Dhammalangkaro knew that if nothing was done He built a recycling centre in the temple grounds which evolved from collecting a handful of bottles to upcycling 300 tonnes of plastic a year His biggest problem was that he was unable clean the river itself But then he met Tom Peacock-Nazil, chief executive of Seven Clean Seas an organisation that finds solutions for plastic pollution which aims to remove 1.4m kilos of plastic a year from Bangkok’s busiest waterway The founder of Seven Clean Seas at the ceremony to launch the Hippo project in Bangkok last month“I want to take the waste from the river before it goes to the sea,” says Dhammalangkaro The Chao Phraya River is the largest waterway flowing through central Thailand It stretches more than 230 miles from the northern Nakhon Sawan province to the Gulf of Thailand and is home to critically endangered species such as the Siamese tigerfish Plastic can be washed from the land into the rivers with the rain and floods but even with penalties of up to 10,000 baht (£220) there are still people illegally dumping rubbish The Hippo’s design is simple and effective A boom on the vessel funnels the floating plastic from the river on to a solar-powered conveyor belt This then hauls the rubbish out of the water and drops it into a dumpster hidden under its roof plastic bottles and bags is then sorted by hand and recycled at the plant in the temple Phra Mahapranom Dhammalangkaro in the grounds of Wat Chak DaengAs well as removing rubbish from the river a director of the Marine and Coastal Resources Research Centre believes the Hippo’s presence will have an important impact by raising awareness of plastic waste She views it as a welcome addition to its network of river booms and rubbish-collection boats “They will want to know what it is and why it’s there.” Thailand is aiming to have all plastic recycled by 2027 according to the Pollution Control Department Volunteer workers at Wat Chak Daeng sew orange robes for monks from fabric made from recycled plasticThe Hippo team will work up to eight hours a day on the boat they know when the high tide will arrive – and increase their workload Free newsletterGet a different world view with a roundup of the best news While sponsorship has helped cover the running costs of the Hippo, future expenses and maintenance will be paid for with plastic credits which companies can use to offset their plastic footprint some of the plastic is sent to a factory to be converted into fabric The fabric is then sewn by volunteer seamstresses at the temple into saffron-coloured robes for the monks Folding and packing the orange robes made from recycled plastic at Wat Chak DaengDhammalangkaro has a novel way to encourage people to send the monks their waste “People can make [Buddhist] merits by giving us plastic bottles which can help determine the quality of the person’s next life The monks can upcycle multilayered plastic, which is seen as challenging to recycle, thanks to a new machine that uses a chemical recycling method known as pyrolysis to break plastic down into oil. Any organic waste is converted into fertiliser using two industrial composters. Read moreThe Hippo has created the final link in Wat Chak Daeng’s circular economy Now the aim of the team is to build more Hippos to tackle other polluted rivers elsewhere in Thailand and south-east Asia Peacock-Nazil says that addressing rivers alone is not the solution “We need to work onshore and in riverside communities to make sure they have the infrastructure needed to stop plastic leaking into the environment in the first place,” he says plans to create educational programmes at a local level and would like to offer the Hippo as a floating laboratory for universities in the future “I really hope that one day we are made redundant and we don’t have to exist as an organisation and Hippos don’t need to float in the river but until that day we will continue to do what we do the best way we can do it,” Peacock-Nazil says Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon The best of Hong Kong straight to your inbox We help you navigate a myriad of possibilities Sign up for our newsletter for the best of the city By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news Sign up for our email to enjoy Hong Kong without spending a thing (as well as some options when you’re feeling flush) Our newsletter hand-delivers the best bits to your inbox Sign up to unlock our digital magazines and also receive the latest news By entering your email address you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy and consent to receive emails from Time Out about news, events, offers and partner promotions. Hong Kong A post shared by Time Out Hong Kong (@timeouthk) The Praya is One-Eight-One Hotel's all new contemporary Cantonese restaurant Head chef Samuel Ng combines Western and Asian culinary techniques in order to create elevated and reinvented takes on Hong Kong cusine such as their sourdough spring onion pancakes with pickled onion salad and fermented bean curd sour cream The Praya has also crafted a selection of signature cocktails based on the five elements such as Hot Century Egg which represents gold and is a spicy twist on a classic Negroni or the Dragon & Phoenix which represents wood and pairs salted kumquat with lemon and aged tangerine peel.  Thanks for subscribing! Look out for your first newsletter in your inbox soon! twitteryoutubeinstagramAbout us Contact us who happened to sit next to Quoc at a hair salon After getting into conversation with this nice young man Praya’s mother discovered that he was single – like her daughter – so she set them up “I agreed to speak with him on the phone to see if there was any chemistry,” Praya reveals “We instantly connected and continued our relationship with the pandemic making things even more difficult “We kept in touch by writing and phone calls where we would share our hopes and passions to fill up time during quarantine,” Praya remembers “We really got the chance to get to know each other in the old-fashioned way and I guess that was true because we are now married after a long courtship.” Quoc was sure to nod to Praya’s matchmaking mother when it came to his proposal we always held Rome as a special place in our hearts and one that brings luck,” Praya reveals “My mom would take me to visit Rome as a kid and I really fell in love with the culture the people and architecture.” Praya suspected engagement might be on the cards after Quoc asked her about her ring preferences but was still surprised when he got down on one knee at the rooftop of the Six Senses hotel it was the exact time when all the cathedral bells started ringing She complemented her elaborate bridal look with Piaget jewellery from the HJ collection (“the gorgeous diamond rose design went perfectly with the floral theme of the wedding, and my Valentino lace veil”), and a simple updo and make-up, focusing on a natural no-make-up make-up look with defined eyes. “One of the most magical moments for us was seeing both of our parents celebrating on the dancefloor,” Praya concludes. “How many times in our life do we get to have every single person that is special to us in the same room to celebrate with?” John & Joseph1/32Native ShareAt my Valentino fitting in Rome. John & Joseph2/32Native ShareAt the rehearsal dinner with my parents. John & Joseph3/32Native ShareThe rehearsal dinner. John & Joseph4/32Native ShareWith my friend and wedding planner, Lisa Lafferty. Following a smooth 45-minute drive from MOPA I find myself sitting in the cabana of my 4-bedroom villa I am enjoying all that surrounds me–the green expanse of the garden outside the villa the breathtaking sight of the glistening sea and the sound of the gentle waves The sun is about to set and the beach is calling out to me But I held on to the thought of heading there as I had just begun my relaxed getaway at Praya Villas I headed downstairs to revel in the beauty of the gorgeous villa I had all to myself just footsteps away from the Olive Ridley turtle nesting site Praya Villas is a luxurious stay that makes you feel at home Mumbai-based couple Neesha and Fritz D’Silva Praya (which means ‘the beach’ in Portuguese) draws its design and decor inspiration from nautical elements Unparalleled luxury and serenity welcomed me from the moment I arrived A large wooden door opened into a space inspired by Indo-Portuguese architecture The generous living-cum-dining room includes custom-made furniture with polished finishes that look weather-worn antique pieces reminiscent of an art collector's home carpets and soft furnishings that evoke colours of the beach A private pool for you to dip into any time of the day a 24x7 butler who will take care of all your needs as well as social and private spaces to unwind The sea view villa which I stayed in came with a good balance of greenery with an expansive garden outside outlined with lush trees as well as a seating area perfect to enjoy an afternoon tea or a sundowner “We have taken great care in planning our landscape design to include indigenous varieties of plants that thrive in the beach environment The lush tropical plants create a sanctuary for different species of birds that visit and some which are resident at Praya,” Neesha shares Waking up to the sound of sweet chirping birds is something I’ll choose over the blaring honking of cars in the city A room on the ground floor is perfect for families travelling with senior citizens Head up the stairs and find three bedrooms on the first floor The one on the right is the master bedroom which comes with a sitting area and a balcony that faces the lush garden and lets in ocean breeze although smaller comes with a similar view perfect for a girl who loves good lighting while decking herself up My personal favourite is the room opposite the master bedroom It’s a cosy cocoon with a small balcony opening into a canopy of trees unravelling a whole new level of privacy in the already tropical surroundings And above the first floor is where the cabana with those wondrous panoramic views lies A post shared by Praya Luxury Villas Goa (@prayavillas) Repurposed elements compliment the villa’s elegant design “All our wooden doors are reclaimed old Burma teak doors sourced from various antique dealers in Mumbai and Ahmedabad The grills are old cast iron lots which we have used for our staircase railings and balconies There are some beautiful doors with intricate cast iron ventilator details which are used in the facade of the sea view villas,” Neesha tells me Praya Villas offers direct access to Morjim beach much cleaner and lets you enjoy the sound of waves rather than the cacophony of shacks and people that’s otherwise prevalent in most of the beaches of North Goa simply sit and stare at the sea and savour the moment You can choose to enjoy a lavish meal in the privacy of your villa or head to the property’s seaside restaurant Baracca where you can enjoy good food with a good view My picks include the Chilli Garlic Lobsters and Rawa Fried Prawns and the traditional Goan preparation Ros Omelette A post shared by Praya Luxury Villas Goa (@prayavillas) Beer isn’t the only way to beat the heat; chaat lovers must try Praya’s vodka and tequila pani puris the perfect afternoon snack in the hot and humid weather; or head to the bar at Baracca where the mixologists will prepare a refreshing cocktail of your choice A post shared by Praya Luxury Villas Goa (@prayavillas) There’s lots to do for outdoor enthusiasts From cooking demonstrations and feni tasting to nature walks Praya curates tailor-made experiences for you As the villas are close to the turtle nesting site you can head there and try your luck in spotting the hatching of turtle eggs during their nesting months you can still take a break from the villas and head out to experience Goa’s thriving nightlife and busy restaurants A post shared by Praya Luxury Villas Goa (@prayavillas) And once you come back from your Goan adventure, you can indulge in a little spa therapy. The resort’s in-house therapist will come to your villa, create a spa-like atmosphere in your room with peaceful music, and ease every knot in your muscles to give your body that much-needed TLC. Opulence, comfort, privacy and nature converge to create an exceptional experience at Praya Villas. If I could, I would make it my permanent home; even working from here is more enjoyable. But it was time to get back to reality. I left feeling refreshed, with cherished memories, and of course, a bag full of cashews and Goan masalas as mementoes.  Volume 8 - 2017 | https://doi.org/10.3389/fpls.2017.00400 APETALA1 (AP1) encodes a key MADS-box transcription factor that specifies the floral meristem identity on the flank of the inflorescence meristem and determines the identity of perianth floral organs in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana one of the largest families of angiosperms Although the expression patterns of a few AP1-like genes in orchids have been reported their actual functions in orchid reproductive development are so far largely unknown we isolated and characterized an AP1 ortholog DOAP1 was highly expressed in reproductive tissues including inflorescence apices and flowers at various developmental stages Overexpression of DOAP1 resulted in early flowering in Arabidopsis and was able to rescue the floral organ defects of Arabidopsis ap1 mutants we successfully created transgenic Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile orchids overexpressing DOAP1 which displayed earlier flowering and earlier termination of inflorescence meristems into floral meristems than wild-type orchids Our results demonstrate that DOAP1 plays an evolutionarily conserved role in promoting flowering and floral meristem specification in the Orchidaceae family Through mainly examining their expression patterns and their effects on heterologous systems most of these genes have been suggested to affect either the flowering process or floral organ formation and characterized its function through examining its expression patterns and investigating its biological effects in both transgenic Arabidopsis and orchid plants Our results suggest that DOAP1 may play a conserved role in promoting flowering and floral meristem development in the Orchidaceae family Wild-type Arabidopsis thaliana ecotype Columbia (Col-0) and 35S:DOAP1 transgenic plants in both wild-type and ap1-10 Col-0 backgrounds were grown under long-day conditions (16 h light/8 h dark) at 23 ± 2°C Total RNA was extracted from inflorescences of Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile using the RNeasy® Plant Mini Kit (QIAGEN) 5′-CAGCTGARGCGRATMGAGAAC-3′ and 5′-GCKMAGCATCCAWGGYGG-3′ were manually designed based on the conserved regions among AP1 orthologs in various plant species Based on the partial cDNA sequence obtained the full-length cDNA of DOAP1 was further amplified using the SMARTERTM RACE cDNA Amplification Kit (BD Biosciences Clontech) The full-length DOAP1 cDNA fragment was cloned into pGreen0229-35S under the control of two CaMV 35S promoters (Yu et al., 2004) The resulting construct was introduced into Agrobacterium tumefaciens GV3101 competent cells by electroporation 35S:DOAP1 transgenic Arabidopsis lines were created by Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation and selected by 0.3 g/L Basta on soil Genetic transformation of Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile was performed according to the reported L-methionine sulfoximine (MSO) selection system with minor modifications (Yu et al., 2001; Chai et al., 2007; Ding et al., 2013) Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile calli were cut into small pieces 3–5 mm in diameter and then cultured in modified KC liquid medium supplemented with 2% (w/v) sucrose 15% (v/v) coconut water and 4.4 μM BA Agrobacterium pellet was re-suspended in KC liquid medium to be co-cultivated with prepared orchid calli Acetosyringone (100 μM) was added to induce transformation calli were placed on solid KC medium in the dark for three nights Agrobacterium-infected calli were rinsed by water containing 200 mg/L cefotaxime to remove the bacteria and grown on solid KC medium containing 0.5 μM MSO as a selection agent Surviving calli were subcultured onto fresh solid medium every 20 days green calli were transferred to modified KC solid medium containing 2 μM MSO for lethal selection putative surviving transgenic lines were cultured on modified KC solid medium for further investigation Genomic DNA isolated from wild-type and 35S:DOAP1 transgenic orchids was digested by EcoRI for 16 h, resolved on 1.2% (w/v) agarose gels, and then transferred onto nylon membranes. Blots were hybridized overnight with the specific digoxigenin-labeled DNA, washed and detected in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions (DIG Application Manual for Filter Hybridization, Roche) as previously reported (Yu and Goh, 2000b) To isolate AP1-like genes from Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile we designed a pair of degenerate primers based on the conserved amino acid sequences of AP1 orthologs in various plant species A partial cDNA fragment was obtained by reverse transcription PCR using RNA extracted from inflorescence apices of Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile Since this fragment showed high sequence similarity with other AP1-like genes we further designed primers based on this fragment and obtained the corresponding full-length cDNA sequence using the rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) method DOAP1 cDNA is 897 bp in length with a 639 bp coding region. The deduced DOAP1 amino acid sequence contains a highly conserved MADS domain and a less conserved K domain, and a diverse C terminal region as found in other AP1-like genes from various plant species (Figure 1) Multiple sequence alignment showed that DOAP1 shared the highest sequence identity with other orchid AP1 orthologs such as CeAP1 (Cymbidium ensifolium; 69.95% identity) and PjAP1 (Phalaenopsis japonica; 62.56% identity) DOAP1 also had higher sequence identity with monocot AP1 orthologs such as TaAP1 (Triticum aestivum; 58% identity) OsAP1 (Oryza sativa; 56.72% identity) and ZmAP1 (Zea mays; 54.59% identity) Alignment of the amino acid sequences of DOAP1 and its orthologs from other plant species Dashes indicate gaps to maximize alignment The conserved MADS and K domains are indicated The species names are shown behind their corresponding protein names as follows: DOAP1 Cymbidium ensifolium; PjAP1: Phalaenopsis japonica; ZmAP1 Non-AP1-like proteins that are encoded by other MADS-box subfamily genes were used as outlier in this alignment as follows: DEFICIENS-AGAMOUS-LIKE2 (DAL2) of Picea abies and two SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS 1 (SOC1)-like proteins from Rosa hybrid cultivar (RosaSOC1) and Picea abies (PaSOC1) Phylogenetic tree of AP1/AGL9 -like MADS-box proteins Amino acid sequences of AP1/AGL9 –like MADS box genes were obtained from the NCBI database DOAP1 investigated in this study is highlighted in blue The multiple sequence alignment was performed via Clustal Omega The tree was constructed with MEGA6 using the neighbor-joining method Genus names of respective species are given in the parentheses behind the corresponding protein names Bootstrap values (>50%) in 1,000 replicates are shown below the nodes These expression patterns indicate that DOAP1 function may be closely associated with flowering time control and flower development in Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile Expression of DOAP1 in various tissues of Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile (B) Quantitative analysis of DOAP1 expression in various tissues and different floral developmental stages of Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile Transcript levels were determined by quantitative real-time PCR analyses of three independently harvested samples The levels of gene expression normalized to the orchid polyubiquitin gene (DOUbi) expression are shown relative to the highest level set at 100% Asterisks indicate statistically significant differences in the expression level of DOAP1 in IA or Rt as compared to its expression levels in any other tissues examined (two-tailed paired Student’s t-test suggesting that overexpression of DOAP1 promotes the formation of floral meristems but does not affect floral organ identity in Arabidopsis Overexpression of DOAP1 in Arabidopsis results in early flowering (A) Flowering time of 35S:DOAP1 in wild-type and ap1-10 backgrounds The left panel shows the distribution of flowering time in T1 transgenic lines harboring 35S:DOAP1 in wild-type and ap1-10 backgrounds grown under long day conditions while the right panel shows the average flowering time of various transgenic lines Asterisks indicate statistically significantly differences in flowering time of 35S:DOAP1 and ap1-10 35S:DOAP1 compared to wild-type and ap1-10 respectively (two-tailed paired Student’s t-test (B) Progenies of a representative 35S:DOAP1 line (right) flower earlier than wild-type plants (left) under long day conditions (C) Examination of DOAP1 expression in representative 35S:DOAP1 and ap1-10 35S:DOAP1 lines by semi-quantitative RT-PCR (D–G) Floral phenotypes of 35S:DOAP1 and ap1-10 35S:DOAP1 There is no visible difference in floral morphology of wild-type (D) and 35S:DOAP1 (E) plants whereas deficiency in petal formation in ap1-10 (F) was partially rescued in ap1 35S:DOAP1 (G) Red arrowheads indicate petals in ap1 35S:DOAP1 substantiating a causal link between the observable phenotypes and overexpression of DOAP1 in ap1-10 35S:DOAP1 To understand the endogenous function of DOAP1 in Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile, we created transgenic orchids bearing 35S:DOAP1 in a pGreen vector (Figure 5A) using an integrated orchid gene transformation and in vitro orchid culture system (Yu et al., 2001; Chai et al., 2007; Ding et al., 2013) Generation of 35S:DOAP1 transgenic orchids (A) Schematic diagram of the T-DNA region of the pGreen0229-35S:DOAP1 construct nopaline synthase terminator sequence; bar Cauliflower mosaic virus 35S promoter sequence; TCaMV Cauliflower mosaic virus terminator sequence; RB (B) Genetic transformation of Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile using the MSO selection system After lethal section on the solid medium containing 2 μM MSO (left panel) green surviving calli were further subcultured onto fresh medium every 20 days (right panel) (C) PCR genotyping of DOAP1 transgenic orchids shows the presence of 35S:DOAP1 transgene in nine independent lines of Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile The specific primers from the 35S promoter and DOAP1 The 35S:DOAP1 plasmid and the genomic DNA of wild-type orchids were used as a positive control (+ve) and a negative control (WT) These results imply that the phenotypes of 35S:DOAP1 transgenic orchids are associated with overexpression of DOAP1 in these plants Overexpression DOAP1 in Dendrobium Chao Praya Smile causes early flowering (A) Comparison of flowering time of wild-type and 35S:DOAP1 transgenic orchids The left panel shows that all 9 transgenic lines produce inflorescences (indicated by the visible inflorescence stalk) earlier than 29 wild-type plants while the right panel shows the comparison of the average time to produce visible inflorescences of 35S:DOAP1 and wild-type orchids Asterisk indicates a statistically significant difference in flowering time between 35S:DOAP1 and wild-type (two-tailed paired Student’s t-test (B) One representative 35S:DOAP1 transgenic orchid (#1) shows earlier flowering than a wild-type (WT) orchid at 16 weeks after in vitro culture under our growth conditions (C) Close views of two independent 35S:DOAP1 transgenic lines (#1 and #2) (D) Southern blot analysis of the presence of the 35S:DOAP1 transgene in transgenic orchids The genomic DNA extracted from wild-type and two 35S:DOAP1 transgenic lines (#1 and #2) was digested with EcoRI and the DNA gel blot was hybridized with the digoxigenin-labeled probe that was synthesized from the bar gene The sizes of the DNA markers are given on the left in bases (E) Examination of DOAP1 expression in wild-type and 35S:DOAP1 (#1) orchids by semi-quantitative RT-PCR Total RNA was extracted from inflorescence apices and DOActin was amplified as an internal control it would be interesting to investigate whether DOAP1 also has a similar role in orchids in future studies These diverse expression patterns of AP1-like genes indicate that AP1-like genes may evolve with multiple functions in regulating flowering and flower development in orchids Further investigation of these orchid AP1-like genes through knocking down or knocking out their expression in orchids will shed light on their endogenous functions in orchid reproductive development All authors read and approved the manuscript The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest This work was supported by Academic Research Fund (MOE2015-T2-1-002) from the Ministry of Education-Singapore and the Singapore National Research Foundation Investigatorship Programme (NRF-NRFI2016-02) and the intramural research support from National University of Singapore and Temasek Life Sciences Laboratory NS was financially supported by Development and Promotion of Science and Technology Talents Project (Royal Government of Thailand Scholarship) a bZIP protein mediating signals from the floral pathway integrator FT at the shoot apex Overexpression of TaVRN1 in Arabidopsis promotes early flowering and alters development The 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This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY) distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited in accordance with accepted academic practice distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms *Correspondence: Lisha Shen, bGlzaGFAdGxsLm9yZy5zZw== Hao Yu, ZGJzeXVoYW9AbnVzLmVkdS5zZw== Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher 94% of researchers rate our articles as excellent or goodLearn more about the work of our research integrity team to safeguard the quality of each article we publish UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador’s visit to Colombia with regard to the Venezuela situation organized a special interview with Praya “Pu” Lundberg UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador (seen on the right) following her mission to Colombia the country hosting the largest number of Venezuelan refugees and migrants in the world Praya visited Colombia between 23 – 27 September 2019 to better understand UNHCR's response in addressing the protection needs of Venezuelan refugees and migrants and to collect information and footage to develop a short documentary to raise funds for UNHCR The interview also featured Arunee Achakulwisut (seen on the left) Associate Private Sector Partnerships Officer who provided information about the Venezuela refugee and migrant situation at WeWork Thonglor By subscribing, you accept the terms and conditions in our privacy policy By subscribing, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Located in the Indonesian state of West Praya, the Maleo Residence is designed to blend into its hillside setting and offer a luxurious retreat for its owners. Designed by Mitchel Squires & Associates the geometric house offers views across the nearby ocean on one side as well as a 180-degree view of the surrounding Jabon hills on the other The design of the house places a strong focus on wellness with an outdoor spa for each suite and a semi-enclosed space purpose designed for yoga and exercise Other notable features include a large swimming pool and an understated Take a look at the Maleo Residence in the gallery above A post shared by Hollow Tree’s Resort, Mentawai (@htsresort) and the boat promptly began to break apart leapt into the water and swam to the beach The wave wraps around the southern end of the island and into a sheltered bay before unloading on a section of reef called The Office shallower section known somewhat ominously as The Surgeon’s Table The Surgeon’s Table was the kill shot for the Praya Mentawai “It’s a nightmare,” Teiki Ballian, the owner and manager of Hollow Tree’s Resort He was standing in the sand staring out at the wreck when we talked “No one got hurt — they got off the boat pretty quickly — it’s just that everything happened so fast.” The lineup was nearly empty at the time of the accident thanks to a side-shore wind that shredded the wave into an unsurfable state The captain of the boat decided to pull the anchor “The captain left the wheel,” Ballian explained “They were pulling up the anchor and there was a side shore wind and a side current pushing them towards the waves… but then the anchor was stuck and he left the wheel and went to the front to see what they were doing the anchor released and the boat drifted super quickly onto the reef By the time he ran back to try and motor away He didn’t calculate that it would drift that quick Literally two minutes and it was done.” and tried to tug the floundering vessel off the reef but the boat just starting cracking so quickly,” he said “I saw the boat completely crack in the middle and there was smoke coming out of the sides I thought ‘it’s full of gasoline,’ so I let the rope go A post shared by Praya Mentawai (@prayamentawai) as it was broken apart by the waves and the reef it’s nearly all gone — not because it was washed into the sea in tiny bits but because the crew and a group of locals worked extraordinarily hard to bring it to shore The remains of it — what small parts are left — are now halfway between The Surgeon’s Table and the beach “It is with immeasurable sadness that we inform you all that the Praya Mentawai ship has been lost forever,” they wrote on Instagram “Now is our time to surf the wave that facts brought us and accept all we can no longer change… Our efforts are currently focused on cleaning the scene of the incident and clearing the debris.” the group hadn’t run a charter in two years and had recently invested some $50,000 into the operation And since wooden boats can’t be insured in Indonesia “Human error happens,” he said with a sigh for sure it pisses us off that this happened Ballian told me that the day before our conversation The Praya Mentawai’s remains are out of the way completely and thanks to the hard work of everyone involved The boat was pieced apart and given to the village taking everything they can find and loading it onto a boat and the diesel that spilled wasn’t a huge amount The water is clean and the beach is pristine and a cargo boat is on the way to remove the heaviest parts the one at Hollow Trees was a relatively easy one No huge amount of oil and fuel spilled and the boat deteriorated quickly into mostly manageable pieces Ballian knows from experience how much worse it could have been and they tend to stay on the reef forever,” he said attended the grand opening of the redesign of “The Tiffany & Co Landmark” located at Fifth Avenue in Manhattan she was joined by many worldly-known celebrities from all over the world in both the opening ceremony and special gala dinner Lundberg was presented in black two-piece dress underneath the long leather coat in Mahogany color she wore the Small Wrap Necklace in Yellow Gold by Tiffany & Co Lundberg has appeared and been recognized in the Western entertainment industry more Lundberg’s residence is based in California Kanlayakorn 'Princess' Pengrattana is a freelance writer at ScandAsia