Daulat Kebawah Duli Tuan Patik. Happy 69th Birthday to His Majesty the Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam. A special holiday has been declared on 15th August to celebrate His Majesty’s birthday. Image courtesy of Dean Kassim.

Liverpool FC Foundation, the club’s official charity, with Standard Chartered Thailand and the students from the Bangkok School for the Blind in a group photo session yesterday. Image courtesy of Liverpool FC.

It was a very interesting moment to see how a football clinic was conducted especially for the blinds. We all paid a visit to Bangkok School for the Blind and it was quite an eye opener for me. Apparently the particular school is a long-term partner of Standard Chartered in terms of their local employee volunteering programme. So far they have 193 students in the school and the school provides free education, training and materials to the visually impaired. The school is also under the Royal Patronage of Her Majesty the Queen of Thailand.

So the intention for the visit was the football clinic. As you know Standard Chartered Thailand partners with Liverpool FC Foundation in organizing a simple football session with the students and for Standard Chartered Thailand, this is considered as a football clinic-cum-Financial Education workshop. For Standard Chartered, this is another way to create a meaningful life skills session where the children can at a young age and potentially prepare for the future. Hence it’s important for students at the young age to learn what they are potentially good at and that can unlock their dreams and future.

Standard Chartered has also been active in the volunteering programme where 40 of their staff from Bangkok showed up for the football clinic to dedicate their time to help the visually impaired children. Awesome!! As you know, this is part of Bank’s commitment to be “Here for Good” and sustaining the impact in the local community.

It was also the first time I was introduced to Lyn Kok, the CEO and President of Standard Chartered of Thailand and the Greater Mekong (Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Yunnan Province, China). She’s a very nice lady and she is very passionate about her vision for the Bank’s value especially in financial education and other SCR projects such as educating on AIDS awareness and Seeing is Believing. She shared how the level of awareness for “Seeing is Believing” has been very encouraging and it has been around for 10 years. They have raised as much as USD 70 million worldwide and they are not far away from their target. I was also impressed that Lyn was able to know all the terms for sight deficiency and how it can be prevented. Thank you for your time and I admire your leadership in the Bank and continuing the values that Standard Chartered believes in.

Now for the juicy part. The Liverpool FC Foundation visited the Bangkok School for the Blind and conducted a football clinic for the children. The Liverpool youth coaches came by and ran a few sessions such as shooting and dribbling. It was priceless to see the kids celebrating after scoring a goal and I’m pretty sure the coaches enjoyed the clinic too. Also present were Liverpool Legends – Ian Rush and Dietmar “Didi” Hamann.

I was a bit cheeky that I asked Didi Hamann on Raheem Sterling’s departure but a Liverpool staff was quick to shut him out from talking. I’m not sure what’s wrong with the question since Channel News Asia was able to get a quote from another Liverpool FC Legend Robbie Fowler. Nonetheless it was great to see Liverpool FC getting involved in such clinics and also for Standard Chartered for continuing their objectives on the financial education side of things.

Perhaps the biggest challenge for me was withstanding the hot weather especially since it’s Ramadhan. It was my first morning sweat of Ramadhan but I survived 😀

Bangkok School for the Blind

With Didi Hamann.. An attempted selfie 😀

Students in the group photo with Liverpool FC Foundation and Standard Chartered Thailand

A photo opportunity with Lyn Kok, the CEO and President of Standard Chartered of Thailand and the Greater Mekong

Standard Chartered employee volunteering to help the children during the football clinic

Did you know that the balls have bells inside for the benefit of the blind?

Spot the Mighty Red mascot

The coaches giving away caps to the children

Ian Rush being mobbed by fans. Image courtesy of Liverpool FC.

Spot me? Image courtesy of Liverpool FC

Luis Garcia, a Liverpool Legend indeed, during the press conference with the media yesterday

A moment with Luis Garcia. We had a special press conference organised by Standard Chartered where a small group of media has a special chance to interview a Liverpool Legend Luis Garcia. I would have to say that he still looks in great shape despite being 37 years old. He is currently joining the Liverpool FC tour in the capacity as a Liverpool ambassador and it is wonderful to see that him taking that role.

When I asked him if Liverpool is good enough for a top two finish, Luis Garcia reckons that it won’t be easy because Liverpool have many new young players – hungry of games, hungry of showing things in the Premier League. This is because he felt that in the 2005-2006 season when he was still young. He believed that Jordan Ibe will be one of the promising stars for Liverpool after watching him play last season.

He was put in the spotlight on who would he picked as his first eleven and he chose the following – Didi Hamann, Stevie G, the Brazilian Ronaldo, Messi, Maldini, Cafu, Roberto Carlos, Zidane, Romario, Puyol. The only one he forgotten was the goal keeper but his choice of his 11 will definitely be invincible in the Football Manager 2015 game 😀

There is just something about Luis Garcia that I like about. He’s calm and welcoming which made it easier for the media to bombard him with questions. Liverpool FC surely chose an almost perfect ambassador and I do hope that this will be an annual thing because he can create a first good impression that will last.

On the funnier side of things, David McMahon of The Straits Times, asked Luis Garcia if the “goal” was indeed a goal (referring to the Champions League semi-final against Chelsea in 2005 where Liverpool were eventual champions). He laughed it off and answered “yes” and it was his frequently asked questions by the fans.

Definitely a great short session with Luis Garcia but of high quality. Thank you once again to Standard Chartered for organizing this special press conference. We are indeed privileged and honoured.

Q&A with Luis Garcia

Chun and I were honoured to have a picture with Luis Garcia. A very humble and down to earth person.

I got them signed 😀

 

Members of the regional media with regional Head of Corporate Affairs of Standard Chartered before heading to catch Liverpool FC match

Chun smiling outside the stadium

Some games for the public to play

First time I would come across at 7-Eleven tent

Didn’t know Honda was the one of the sponsors

Promoting SCB Cashcard

The Standard Chartered Booth

Just look at the crowd. Total of roughly 35,000 fans watched the match. Image courtesy of Liverpool FC.

Entering the media centre

The most sought for items were wifi password and water

Danny Ings had an alright friendly debut. Image courtesy of Liverpool FC.

Chun at work. Don’t play play.

It rained in the second half.

Rained quite heavily

Yay!! Liverpool won 4-0. Image courtesy of Liverpool FC.

The guys behind Liverpool FC so internet is a must 😀

The press conference area

Our late supper after the match. Thank you Standard Chartered for this rare opportunity. Much blessed.

 

Yesterday was quite interesting… Why? Because I learnt about cooking authentic Thai food 😀 Apparently many restaurants especially the ones outside Thailand that serves Thai dishes in Thai restaurants do not follow the actual procedure of cooking Thai dishes. This was shared by the head chef of Naj Thai Cooking School.

I noticed how important certain ingredients are to make a good Tom Yum Goong. Oh, for your info, Goong means prawn or shrimp. So when you order Tom Yum Goong, you are ordering Tom Yum with Prawn 😀 Apart from the ingredients and spices, it is also important to apply the right technique for a better tasting experience.

So the dishes we prepared and cooked were Pad Thai, Thai Beef Salad, Spring Roll and Tom Yum Goong. I have to say among the lot, I was impressed with my Tom Yum Goong and a few of my friends already requested me to cook for them to test my culinary skills. Perhaps the taste won’t be the same to begin with because of the local Thai spices that will be hard to get in Brunei. Then again, I will just use what’s available in Brunei and make the best out of it.

So if you happen to be in Bangkok and have time to spare, I highly recommend you to try out the Naj Thai Cooking School. The going rate is 2,500 Baht per person which is roughly BND 100 and it is a four hour program and they offer it twice a day. The venue is located near BTS Station (Sala Daeng). For more info, you can view their website. A hundred dollars is definitely worth it to invest your time learning make Thai cuisine 😀

The head chef of Naj Thai Cooking School, Watpusit Ayasanond

The ingredients and spices for our cooking materials

Preparation for the media

There’s also a technique for the pounding bit

Observing the head chef on the techniques

Making Pad Thai

Pui showing off his culinary skills

I’m impressed with my Tom Yum Goong 😀

Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has a bigger obligation to reach and that is to revive the tourism industry in Thailand. Following year 2013’s lifting of the nationwide curfew, TAT is confident that the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2015 will boost its tourism industry and the campaign will end by 15th August 2015.

Even before the launch, most of the shopping outlets are already offering major discounts at popular malls. This is a good sign for Bruneians who love to shop, shop and shop. You will also be surprised that the prices are cheaper than Malaysia and Singapore if you know how to hunt. Just imagine that more than 15,000 of shopping places that offer discounts and you will have a hard time, compromising your excess luggage by the time you fly back home.

The Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2015 launch was held at Gaysorn Mall yesterday. It was launched by Mrs. Vilaiwan Twichasri, TAT’s Deputy Governor for Tourism Products and Business and Mr. Somboon Krobteeranon, Country Manager, Visa Thailand.

This year campaign will return with “Travel 365 Days in Thailand” grand prize, whereby The winners are entitled to bring a friend to visit Thailand for up to 10 days in each month of the entire year, with round-trip air tickets and hotel accommodation provided. Awesome!! This is applicable for those paying by Visa and you will entitled for a draw for every 500 baht you spend.

They have added some twist to the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2015. If you wear traditional Thai dress to shop at selected participating stores, you will have the privilege to get major discounts up to 80%. This includes places like Siam Paragon, Siam Center, CentralWorld, Gaysorn, Amarin, Terminal 21, Emporium, Mega Bangna, Central Chidlom, Central Embassy, ZEN, EmQuartier, Platinum Fashion Mall, MBK Center, River City Mall, Krung Thong Plaza, and Intra Square in Bangkok.

So peeps from Brunei, what are you waiting for? Fly to Bangkok and shop, shop, shop. I’m coming back again in July for another shopping experience. Who’s coming with me? 😀

Group photo after the launch of the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2015 at Gaysorn Mall. Image courtesy of Richard Lim.

Group photo with Mr.Wiboon Nimitrwanich. Director Department of Tourism Invest, Tourism Authority of Thailand (4th from left) with the media from Brunei and Malaysia. Image courtesy of Richard Lim.

Guests registering for the event

The most comment picture on my IG post yesterday. He’s a celebrity in Thailand and one of the models for the Grand Sale launch.

Some of the models of the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2015 launch and they are local celebrities

The media from 11 different countries to spread awareness of the campaign

The short press conference before the launch

The fashion show to showcase the products and services from Thailand

Swinging in action. Image courtesy of Richard Lim.

Posing for the crowd. Image courtesy of Richard Lim.

Some of the participating outlets of the Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2015

 

Yesterday it was more of a pampering session. The morning session we paid a visit to Dermaster. It’s Thailand’s premier beauty and anti-aging service and it sounds like a niche market but when you compare with the services in Singapore, the prices are pretty reasonable and competitive against the regional countries.

What impressed me first is the service and the facilities Dermaster provides. It’s huge, three storey high and it even has a royal suite and specifically rooms for exclusive members. This show that they really take care of their customers.

They have 10 certified professionals ranging from different specialists (skin, hair, aesthetic, hair) and they will provide you a thorough consultation to tailor to your needs.

What caught my interest is the aesthetic and body center. I have heard of Thermage but never much of it until yesterday. It does wonder to your skin and the procedure is non-invasive, using radio frequency cosmetic procedure. Normally this will costs a bomb in Singapore but at Dermaster, it’s almost half the price.

Another that caught my eye is the “cool sculpting”, a revolutionary non-surgical body contouring treatment that eliminates stubborn fat (like mine) *lol* Yes, I do have a lot of side handles but of course, I have myself to blame for the poor control of food consumption on a daily basis. When I saw the presentation of “coolsculpting”, I was like… yes… finally..

However, an international officer consultant advised me that cool sculpting will be more effective after you tried all possible ways of losing weight such as exercising and dieting. If all natural methods seem to fail, then “cool sculpting” would do the trick. Oh well, but I’m quite impressed that Dermaster’s consultants don’t simply take in customers for the sake of earning but they will give their best advice possible and that’s how you win the trust of the customer. Thumbs up to Dermaster on that.

There is so much I can talk about Dermaster but I will leave it to you to do your homework. You can visit their website here for more details. By the way, there are also some Bruneians who used Dermaster’s services. Interesting!!

We went through a presentation on what Dermaster is all about

Something that I need to look at *lol*

One of the treatment rooms and they have plenty

The members area

The room for the exclusive members of Dermaster

This is quite a big place. It’s like all in one beauty center.

Wing getting her face scanned

Impressive technology to get a 3D picture of her face. And it’s quite detailed

They even have a small cafe to cater for their clients. They even have menu written in arabic. This is because they have high volume of Middle East customers.

Group photo with the lady in charge and the media. Thank you for hosting and showing us around.

Now this is the best experience massage I had in a long time. Maybe it was the first time I was given a body scrub as well as aromatherapy. The experience lasted at least two hours and it was so good that I fell asleep when Pui told me that he heard me snoring like a baby *lol*

After a heavy lunch, we were rewarded with a spa treatment. The service was pretty good. We were served with a soothing tea and a wet towel. They will of course take down details and preference so we will get the best experience within that two hours. The rooms were impressive with sufficient amenities to make you feel comfortable and like home.

I highly recommend you to give Divana Virtue Spa a go and mind you, you will have to do advance booking because of the popularity of the spa. It even bagged many awards internationally so you can tell how high of quality it offers. You can check out their website for more details and it even has a high rating on Tripadvisor with over 100 reviews. You can’t go wrong with Divana Virtue Spa. I feel whole after the treatment. So can you.

A nice cooling entrance at Divana Virtue Spa. It’s good to relate with nature.

Drinks were being served before treatment

The Divana staff taking down our profiles and also asking for oil preference

The rooms I had with Mr. Pui

I feel so blessed and pampered yesterday. A wonderful 2 hour experience.

We were served mango sticky rice after the session

With the owners of Divana Virtue Spa. Thank you for the experience.

 

Click image to enter website

 

Download SnapFeed app on your smartphones and check out the latest deals in Brunei and also get rewarded from respective merchants such as BurgerKing, KFC and Sushi Tei to name a few and also check out the new movie listings as well.

 

Happy Birthday Nisaa @ Bonita Suresh and sorry, I couldn’t make it to your advanced celebration. Hope you like the lame video greetings 😀 Thanks for being part of my life and I truly treasure the friendship since Day 1 (e-circles) haha..

The Surprise celebration. I wonder if the gang pulled it off :p

My current trip to Bangkok is to help expose and share with you guys of places to shop around Bangkok. Have you heard of Emporium and Emquatier? There are both new shopping malls under one roof, The District EM and shared among three buildings. The shopping experience is crazy there because there are more the 400 iconic brands at District EM. I was even confused with my bearings as I easily lost track of my directions. You might need an in-house map to get to wonder around.

Of course, if you happen to be in Bangkok, now it’s a good time to give these places because of the mid year sales. If you are familiar with Siam Paragon and Terminal 21, I would highly recommend you to try out the EM District. It’s even located at a BTS station (train) so you won’t have to walk from the station to District EM.

Even though the said malls have been operating for a few months, they have spent a hefty sum on promotion and marketing, a whooping USD 500,000 alone. You can see how serious the shareholders of District EM are. Give it a few more months and exposure, Emporium and Emquartier will be the top attraction for the shopping crowd especially from overseas.

Check out the pictures I posted below and I couldn’t include all because they were simply too many 😀

During the grand opening a few months ago

At the Emporium

The SL Coupé was launched a few days ago at the Mercedes-Benz Cafe at Emporium. The first of its kind concept in Thailand and this is to give more hospitality to their clients. Awesome stuff!!

The Mercedes-Benz Cafe

They even have prayer rooms at District EM

I have to try this premium cinema at Emporium on my next trip

If you own a super car like these, you can park with them

The garden upstairs

The imported area of the supermarket

I almost bought some grapes :p

The scarlett room, only applicable to members only and you need to spend at least BND 80,000 within a year

The logo for Emporium. The British flag pin indicates that the person can speak in English if you need any assistance. Cool!

Different range of clothes

The guys who brought us around. Thank you 😀

Group photo

 

Deputy Minister of Finance, Dato Paduka Awang Haji Bahrin bin Abdullah presenting the championship trophy to ITB’s captain. Image courtesy of Fadhil Yunus of Borneo Bulletin.

A well deserved victory for ITB. Two years ago, they lost the inaugural tournament in the hands of UBD. This year, they almost lost it when they were down 2-0 against IGS College in the finals last Saturday of the BIBD At-tamwil University Cup 2015.

All was not lost. Md Farrizz Saralfari and Ak Md Naqib scored two goals to put IGS College in the lead only for ITB to reply with confidence through Md Hafiy and Norfaez before half time kicked in to make a competitive score line of 2-2 by half time.

I actually felt pity for IGS College as they had the upper hand. A 2 goal lead with a poor field conditions due to the rainy weather, IGS could have held the game for their first title. However, ITB had other plans. They know that they have been in the finals before and experience did matter in this situation.

Right after the break, ITB quickly took the lead in the 47th minute from Ak Md Haikal which proved to be the winner. The match ended in a 3-2 victory for ITB and they have what it takes to be a champion. Hats off to IGS College for the great fight and let it be a good experience for them and also for the rest of the teams that were involved in the tournament.

The matches have always brought high energy towards the stands where fans will be supporting their own team. Even the crowd attendance can put other local leagues to shame. Great effort from BIBD At-tamwil for taking the lead and teaming up with ITB as co-organiser.

This year also see inclusion of local colleges and an invitational team representing Curtin University. A big thanks for Fazizul Haqimie for taking all the pictures since Day 1 and he was even soaked in the rain that night. Great photos and keep it up!

The VIPs watching the finals of the University Cup 2015

ITB vs IGS College

ITB vs IGS College

ITB vs IGS College

ITB vs IGS College

Celebration from the ITB bench

Consolation for the head coach of IGS College

A sad moment for the IGS player

ITB team celebrating their success

ITB the new champions of the BIBD At-tamwil University Cup 2015

Team IGS have their heads high and it has been a great journey

The rain didn’t hamper their mood on the field

 

Vincent Pao, General Manager of Concepts Computer with Zul And Rahman, Marketing Executive of Concepts Computer during the unveiling of the Acer Revo at Consumer Fair last weekend. You can have a closer look at their Concepts Computer showroom

Acer is playing it’s Ace with the release of the new Acer Revo RL85-2957W8 mini PC at the ASEAN Consumer fair 2015. Launched by Concepts Computer, the compact computing solution, is a perfect powerhouse of features despite its small size.

The micro personal computer is an excellent addition to the household, with two terabytes of onboard storage, which can be extended with additional hard disks.

The unit also comes with HDMI making it easy to plug into a projector and speakers or a television as a media player, streaming high resolution visuals smoothly and great sound quality.

The Revo also comes with a pre-loaded Acer BYOC (Build Your Own cloud apps to make it the centre of your personal cloud. It automatically backs up all files stored in phones or tablets, making it accessible through all connected devices. Another nifty feature is that users can navigate the mini PC with their smartphones, provided their phones come with the remote control application.

The Acer Revo RL85-2957W8 is available at Concepts Computer at the price of $458.

For more information on the latest mini PC by Acer, visit the fair or head to Concepts’ nearest branch. You can also call 2233551, 2233552 or 2233553.

Check out the small size of the Acer Revo

Quite portable as well

Check out the plug-ins from the Acer Revo. Image courtesy of Pocket-lint.

Image courtesy of Pocket-lint

 

Listen to my latest podcast on Jurassic World with special guest Jessie Tey

 

I’m back here again in Bangkok. So far this is my second visit this year, the previous was back in April 2015 where I spent more time in Hua Hin (love that place). Now my trip will be focusing more on Bangkok where I will exploring new places for Bruneians to shop, shop and shop 😀 I came with two other media from Brunei – Pui from United Daily and Syazwani from Borneo Bulletin. We were joined with the media from Malaysia – Lauren Christie, Jasnitha Nair and Ng Wing Yik Yin. A big thanks to Richard Lim from Tourism Authority of Thailand (Malaysia) for this opportunity to be back in Thailand.

Currently we are being hosted by Dusit Thani Bangkok and it’s such an amazing hotel. I have the privileged to be placed at their club room level. The room is pretty huge and it’s like a mini-suite. Maybe too big for me but then again, I love the rooms here. I shall sharing my experience with Dusit Thani further later in my postings. I also met Sommai Yocapajorn (Director of Marketing Communications) and Stanley Lo (Resident Manager) and thank you for showing us around.

Our visit itinerary was to go on the Wonderful Pearl Cruise @ Rivercity. Now this is one thing that we Bruneians should be doing – taking dine-in cruises during the evening to enjoy the entertainment, the music and the atmosphere. This is such a brilliant idea to have such cruise and it’s quite popular in Bangkok. Apparently there are many cruises that offer this package and the ones we experienced was the latest one in Bangkok, the Wonder Pearl Cruise. For only 2,500 baht, you can enjoy the 2 hour experience. I don’t mind doing this again on my next trip with my friends if I happen to be in Bangkok.

That’s it for my post today and have a great week ahead. This is RA, reporting from Dusit Thani Bangkok 😀

Thank you Royal Brunei Airlines (RB) for taking us to Bangkok

Loving the speed for AIS network. I would recommend you this line.

A warm welcome from Dusit Thani Bangkok. Love the Jasmine flower scent.

With the media gang from Brunei and Malaysia with Richard Lim and Sommai. Image courtesy of Richard

Nice scenic view with the hotel of Dusit Thani

The Wonderful Pearl Cruise. Highly recommended if you are in Bangkok.

Dinner is also served at the Wonderful Pearl Cruise

 

In conjunction with the upcoming month of Ramadhan and Hari Raya celebration, Jati Transport will be having exclusive offers on their Mercedes-Benz C180 and E200 as part of their two-day Mercedes-Benz Star Weekend Promotion and today (Sunday) is the final day.

Alongside the Weekend promotion, the CLS 400 AMG Line and the B200 AMG Line were announced the new additions into the Mercedes-Benz showroom. The CLS-Class embodies a compelling, sporty design with the added space convenience of a four-door sedan.

Meanwhile, the B-Class makes the perfect family car for those looking for the best practicality, comfort and safety whilst also having a sporty edge to design and driving dynamics.

The CLS-Class features MULTIBEAM Led headlamps for the first time. Its high-resolution precision LED modules, each with 24 individually controlled high-performance LEDs, automatically illuminate the road with a hitherto unsurpassed, precision-controlled distribution of exceptionally bright light – without dazzling other road users.

There are also having promotion for their Mercedes-Benz merchandise items. So today’s the final day (Sunday) for you to grab this opportunity. Do drop by Jati Transport showroom in Beribi.

The new facelift CLS 400 AMG Line

The new B200 AMG Line

Mercedes-Benz merchandise on promotion

Mercedes-Benz merchandise on promotion

Mercedes-Benz merchandise on promotion

Mercedes-Benz merchandise on promotion

The Minister of Industry and Primary Resources at the Takaful booth during the opening of the ASEAN Consumer Fair

The popular short term investment is back!! Takaful Brunei Keluarga (TBK) previously held this special promotion two years ago back in 2013 and it was a big hit. This time round, the stakes are way better. For those who are not aware of Nur Savings from TBK, it’s basically a short term investment (maximum two years) where you will be insured and also gain interest from the savings at a profit of 2% per annum for two years.

The single minimum payment os BND 2,000 and there is no cap for the payment. Previously it was capped at BND 50,000 but now interested parties can inject any amount they feel comfortable with. The 2% interest is a pretty high return as compared to the banks in Brunei. Hence not only you save and get protected, you also earn the extra 2% from your savings. So imagine yourself investing BND 500,000 or even BND 1 million. That would be a great returns in a space of two years only. Awesome returns!!!

This promotion is open to all residents of Brunei Darussalam which means as long as you have an IC (green, purple or yellow), you will be eligible. For those interested parties, you can call TBK’s Certified Financial Planners at 223 1100 during office hours.

For now, you can also sign register at their booth at the ASEAN Consumer Fair at ICC and today’s the final day. There will have certified Islamic financial planners to assist you. Take advantage of the Nur Savings from TBK.

Check out the awesome deals from Takaful at ASEAN Consumer Fair. Today is the final day.

Check out the Tivoli

TCY Motors the sole distributor of SsangYong Motor in Brunei officially launched the “Tivoli”, which is expected to be a game changer in the compact SUV market with innovative style and remarkable product competitiveness. The launching ceremony was held at the Kiarong showroom.

Since an increasing number of global consumers are favoring compact SUVs with high performance, great fuel economy, practicality and price competitiveness, SsangYong plans to tap into its new model to meet such demands while solidifying its position as a leading SUV maker.

Tivoli, applied with sensuous design, outstanding spatial utility of SUVs, first-of-its-kind safety and convenience features offers an attractive experience as “My 1st SUV” to customers who want both style and practicality in their cars.

When it comes to styling, SsangYong’s new model blends the beauty of youth, energy and robustness in its overall design, aspiring to be “My 1st SUV” of young people in the world. Furthermore, as a starter of “Nature-born 3Motion”, SsangYong’s design philosophy, it expresses modern and urban images through “Urban Dynamic Style” based on a motive of “Rhythmical Motion”.

Rhythmical elements such as harmony of tension and composure, the whole and details are fully expressed on the front of Tivoli. And the reversed-trapezoid bumper, which underscores the air intake contrasts with crisp hood lines, maximizing tension.

Stable and balanced rear completes the design language of SsangYong Tivoli. While the rear, which resembles muscular shoulders symbolize confident youth itself, it also emphasizes rhythmical features through style lines. In the mean time, the cheerful clear-type rear combination lamps unleash liveliness.

The interior design of the new model pursues “Compact Deluxe Style” which creates smart and practical space where passengers can feel modern, yet roomy luxury lounges. Most notably, a future-oriented image is emphasized with a theme of “Moving IT Space” through bar-type switches and expanded use of touch screen controllers which are the result of analysis of user behaviors.

The Tivoli in red, being featured during the official launch last Friday

The Tivoli in white

The rear view of the Tivoli

The interior view

Tivoli’s optimized spatial design provides excellent passenger convenience and storage. Based on overall width of 1,795mm (widest in the class), its roomy two-row cabin maximizes riding comfort, and 423ℓ (largest in the class) of storage makes it the only car among its segment that can carry up to three golf bags.

Moreover, the full-flat folding second-row seats, not seen in compact sedans, provide enough storage for multiple-use, maximizing the original features of SUVs.

A D-cut steering wheel, mostly used in sports cars, together with a cylinder-type six-color cluster.

A D-cut steering wheel, mostly used in sports cars, together with a cylinder-type six-color cluster (Optional) not only satisfies drivers’ emotional needs but also boost their pride. Clusters with 3.5 inch display that shows various information offers great intuition.

2015 Tivoli’s interior comes in three colors: black, beige, and red. Red interior, in particular, is expected to be much favored by customers who want unique and sporty look, as it blends beautifully with the D-cut steering wheel, a standard feature.

Award-winning semi-bucket seats, which are ergonomically formed with fine materials provide superb comfort and postural stability during driving and cornering, and the quilting stitch design applied to the seats makes them exclusive and luxurious.

Tivoli’s P/T (powertrain), which SsangYong unveils for the first time is remarkably efficient and reliable. And the e-XGi 160, a newly born engine after three years of development period, delivers 126ps maximum power and a maximum torque of 16.0kg•m. Combined fuel economy is 12.0km/ℓ for A/T and 12.3 km/ℓ for M/T (based on the Korean standard).

AISIN’s 2nd-generation A/T, which is widely used by global auto makers is placed on Tivoli. Recognized for its quality and performance of power transmission, the transmission delivers dynamic driving performance with shifting response that is as fast as DCT.

Every trim of the new SUV includes Smart Steer, which controls steering effort in three modes (normal, comfort, sport.) depending on driver’s taste. Also, NVH performance is much improved by applying dual-structure dash panels to the engine room, resulting in minimized engine noise, and effectively blocking noise from intruding inside cabin.

For a highly rigid body, SsangYong Tivoli uses high-strength steel (HSS) for 71.4% of its body, and Advanced High-Strength Steel (AHSS) for 40%, which makes it unique in the segment.

To improve the safety of passengers, 10 major areas use ultrahigh-strength materials, manufactured by hot press forming process. The materials are two times stronger (1500Mpa) than the usual UHSS (600Mpa), thus minimize deformation of car body in a crash.

In the mean time, big-sized disc brakes are applied to the front and rear wheels for quicker brake performance, and multiple safety features are used such as multi-functional ESP (Electronic Stability Program), TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System), and LED daytime running lamps. Tivoli’s excellent safety is proven by its near-perfect ratings in AE-MDB (Advanced European Mobile Deformable Barrier).

The core of Tivoli’s infotainment system lies in maximized usage of smart devices. The HDMI connection allows passengers to enjoy clear images and sounds from smart devices on the seven-inch display which is connected to the rear camera. Furthermore, the six-speaker sound system provides excellent sound.

The new compact SUV is the only car in the segment which uses fully-automatic dual air-conditioning system. The AC system not only maintains the optimal temperature of the cabin, but also offers memory function which remembers preferred air volume, air direction, and temperature in three modes, guaranteeing pleasant driving all year round.

Moreover, It is more convenient and safer when parking, thanks to the obstacle detection system with camera and four sensors on the rear. Include at the back is a luggage screen, automatic washer switch, and automatic hazard lights make the car unique in the class, offering great convenience.

SsangYong provides dual-tone body and roof option in Tivoli for the first time to maximize expression of driver’s personal taste. By applying colors that are different from body to the roof, wing mirrors, and rear spoiler, it reveals urban and dynamic look.

So, ladies and gentlemen, after all the comprehensive write-up, you can check out the new Tivoli at their Kiarong Showroom and it’s gonna be a big hit indeed because of its affordability and what the Tivoli can offer. You can check out at their website or their Facebook Page for more details.

Another interior view angle

Annison, Sales Manager of SsangYong (T.C.Y. Motors) and he’s such a nice lad

The low spec of the Tivoli

The most sought version of the Tivoli. Two-tone colour

Recently SsangYong Brunei ran a competition and now Ang Kok Khiong is the winner of the Samsung Galaxy S6

 

 

I’ve been to Bangkok quite a few times but this was my first familiarisation trip organised by Royal Brunei Airlines and Tourism Authority of Thailand and I’m very fortunate and privilege to be part of this experience. Whatever you see in the news about the political situation in Thailand doesn’t reflect what I saw with my own eyes in Bangkok. Business is as usual and perhaps what we read in the papers or online only affects a tiny portion of the country. Even with the recent martial law by The Royal Thai Army, everything is still going as usual.

I have to thank Royal Brunei Airlines for the opportunity and our ground handler (Richard, Pinky, Nora and Melissa) for helping us throughout the 5 days experience. We had two night stay at Hua Hin and two night stay at Bangkok and I learnt quite a lot of things that Thailand has to offer.

I will share some pictures of my recent adventure in Thailand and there will be more of them in my later post. Thank you once again for the opportunity. I would really love to explore more places in Thailand for sure.

The hotel that we stayed in Hua Hin was Amari Hua Hin and the prices are quite competitive as well. I was just checking on booking.com and you can get a good deal for less than BND 300 for two nights. That’s a great deal indeed.

The rooms are pretty spacious and I kinda enjoyed my stay at Amari Hua Hin. I regretted not to have swam in the main pool but then again, there’s always next time 😀 For you info, Hua Hin is about 300km or 3 hours from Bangkok. You will be surprised to see how they offer great rates as I was checking on booking.com. The prices do vary but the current one that I check is estimated below BND 300 for two nights. Awesome deal!!

It’s a ten minute drive to the Hua Hin City and night market and it has great facilities and I would recommend the Amari Hua Hin if you happen to drop by this area. I also like jogging at Hua Hin since it’s not that heavy of a traffic as compared to Bangkok. The hotel is not far from the beach shoreline but beaches in Brunei are much better.

Highly recommend the Amari Hua Hin

The rooms are spacious and lots of amenities and of course, free wifi

The reception area of Amari Hua Hin. Taken from their website.

The exterior view of Amari Hua Hin. Taken from their website.

Chatsila Night Market. It is located in a small square though it was quite a fair walk around. Inside the square, they sell cheap clothes, handicrafts and other novelty stuff. This market is ideal when visited at night. Of course, when I say night market, you will get cheap due to the inferior branded products. For instance, you get a branded name sunnies for only 100 baht or less. That’s like 3-4 dollars. I prefer to shop around the Hua Hin Floating Market because of its uniqueness. Refer the story below for more details.

The community and the people have high respect for their King

Chatsila night market at Hua Hin, Thailand

T-shirts are selling as low as 120 to 100 baht (3-5 dollars) each

Cheap sunnies every where

How the interior looks like

Hua Hin Floating Market. If you are bored of the usual night market, then try out the Hua Hin Floating Market which is an interesting place for tourist. The market features a man made lake and there are plenty of shops as you walk around the lake. Clothes are cheap, cheap, cheap and great place to buy souvenir as well. I kinda like the concept which has this 1920s feel to it and it has a circular layout with the man made lake in the middle. So do visit the Floating Market if you have the chance.

The Floating Market Hua Hin

I realised that the anchor design t-shirts are a plenty in the market

You can get a short boat ride to tour around the lake of the Floating Market

This colourful century eggs are eye catchy

The texture is softer according to one of the travel agents

Now have you seen a poached version of quail eggs? This seems to be double the cholesterol and one plate only costs 20 baht which is like 5 cents or less. Damn….

Gek feeding the goat at the Floating Market

You can buy the bottle of milk to feed them

 

Check out our review of the current blockbuster Godzilla (2014). Click play to listen to our podcast with co-host Del Goh and special guest Seng Yee

 

Representatives from Royal Brunei Airlines travel agents and members of the local media and bloggers before heading off to Bangkok and Hua Hin, Thailand

Hello peeps!! I’m currently outstation once again (nothing surprising there). This time, it’s the trip sponsored by Royal Brunei Airlines @royalbruneiair and I’m traveling with local media, one blogger and representatives from travel agents of RB. I will be away for a few days and be back shortly before I stay put in Brunei for another ten days before I head off again. Yea, this year, it seems I’m a certified jet setter.

I won’t be posting much pictures just yet but I shall tease you with a few. The FAM (Familiarization) trip focuses on Hua Hin and Bangkok. Yea, we all are familiar with cities such as Phuket or Pattaya outside of Bangkok but not so much on Hua Hin. I went there once back in 2010 and stayed at the Six Sense Hua Hin which was such a great experience (and pricey too).

Hua Hin is quieter than Bangkok and Pattaya but it’s slowing developing into one of the tourist destination. The last I recalled my visit to Hua Hin, it was a pretty relaxed and chill city and there aren’t many shopping places either. Fast forward to 2014, the city has definitely changed in terms of development but not so much on entertainment.

I shall update on my journey in my next post. I’m out of here. Adios.

Always happy to bump into my sister who’s busy on duty at the Brunei International Airport

It was almost a full flight. Most of the passengers were from our group and another by Brunei Unicity group.

I managed to get a DTAC sim card for my data prepaid plan while in Thailand. Only costs me 299 baht for a week of data. That’s roughly BND 10 and it comes with the sim card as well. Service was efficient as I had my line activated and all that help in less than 3 minutes. Do find this counter at the arrival area of the airport.

We had a quick lunch and this restaurant is pretty good indeed. It serves halal food and located nearby the airport. Ideal for groups and families and the restaurant is called Al-Hilal Restaurant

Pretending to drive the cart with everybody’s luggage upon arrival at Amari Hua Hin *huhu*

Loving the room at Amari Hua Hin. Not exactly sure of the price but it’s pretty reasonable I heard.

Always in my messy state after a day or so 😀

One of the night markets called Chatsila and things are pretty darn cheap

Yea, tons of fake stuff here. Sunnies selling as low as BND 2 to 3 each.

Looks like voodoo dolls to me