Flowers in September
Nai Lert Park Bangkok will be bursting with colour as the International Flower Show 2013 is held from tomorrow to Sunday.
This year’s theme ‘‘Larger than Life’’ will feature surrealistic and over-sized floral installations to mark the hotel’s 30th anniversary.
Guests will be enthralled by the creative, intriguing and exhuberant designs of tropical rainforest foliage and flowering plants from floral designers and participating companies that will line every open space of the hotel.
The opening of the flower show will be graced by HRH Princess Srirasm tomorrow at 3.30pm.
Apart from flower showcases and gardening ideas, the four-day event features culinary experiences such as an exclusive dinner at The Conservatory Restaurant created by world-class guest chef Werner Martin from Restaurant Martin, Basel, Switzerland for 4,900++ baht per person (food only) and 6,900++ baht per person for the set dinner with wine pairing.
Swissotel chefs from Switzerland, China, India and Thailand will pool their expertise at The ISO Restaurant’s lunch and dinner buffet, as well as Sunday Brunch.
A Tea Master from Singapore will present afternoon tea and tea-making demonstrations at the Syn Bar for 395++ baht per person.
For those interested in arts and crafts, there will be a combined afternoon tea and wooden tray painting class by Nualnit Vasuvat on Saturday at 2pm at Syn Bar for a limited attendance of 10 participants. The cost is 3,000 baht inclusive of all materials.
The floral environment also provides a unique setting for a dynamic yoga class by Master Kamal from Kryoga on the weekend at 500 net per person per class.
The highlight of the floral extravaganza will be a gala dinner at Lert Wanalai Ballroom on Saturday, with an auction of the paintings created by guests artists, most notably His Royal Highness Prince Dhipankara Rasmijoti, as well as wellknown artists and celebrities such as ML Chiratorn Chirapravati, Chantawich ‘‘Ter’’ Thanasewee, Arak ‘‘Pae’’ Amornsupasiri, Manasnan ‘‘Donut’’ Panlertwongskul, Se Siwat, Rasri ‘‘Margie’’ Balenciaga, Pop Thanawan, Ranee ‘‘Bella’’ Campen, Urassaya ‘‘Yaya’’ Sperbund, and Prin ‘‘Mark’’ Suparat.
The painting by Prince Dhipankara, titled Chompoopanthip, is a study of a pink tecoma branch with flowers and leaves executed under the guidance of an art teacher, and has already received a opening bid of 200,000 baht.
JSL Global Media will produce a mini concert with popular singers Teerapat ‘‘Tui’’ Satjakul, Fonthip ‘‘Pooklook’’ Watcharatrakul, Puthida ‘‘Eve’’ Sirachaya, and Pimdao ‘‘Mutmee’’ Panichsamai. Glamorous gowns by Tirapan will be paraded by celebrity models Nathasedh ‘‘Top’’ Poonsapmanee, Varavuth Laohapongchana, Kwanta and Tisana Choonhavan, Rattanaprapa Disavatana, and Nai Lert Park Bangkok’s own Naphaporn Bodiratnangkura Narongdej, to name but a few. Tickets are priced at 4,000 baht net per person.
The flower show is open from 10am8pm daily, with an entrance fee of 120 baht for adults, and 50 baht for students and children below the age of 12, inclusive of one plant to take home. The flower show was started 27 years ago by the hotel’s founder, Thanpuying Lursakdi Sampatisiri, who was taught to love plants and flowers since she was a child by her father, Nai Lert Sethaputra (Phraya Bhakdi Noraseth). The family home, next to the hotel, is surrounded by a lush, beautiful garden, and the hotel itself is set in 3.2 hectares of landscaped parkland.
The flower show is also aimed at raising funds for charity, and this year organisers hope to exceed last year’s total of 4.2 million baht. Proceeds will be donated to The Association for the Promotion of Education in remote areas under the Patronage of Her Royal Highness the Princess Mother, The Foundation for the Welfare of the Mentally Retarded of Thailand under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty the Queen, and The Foundation for Development of Children in non-developed and remote areas under the Royal Patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.