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Bit more info on that stamp exhibition

Bangkok is hosting "The 20th Asian International Stamp Exhibition", opening today at Siam Paragon's Royal Paragon Hall.

Foreign posting

On display are rare stamps from around the globe. The "Top of the World" display features rare and antique collections that include

Greece's first stamp, dated to 1861; Mauritius Island's 1848 Post Paid collection, Afghanistan's first stamp, from 1873; Brazil's 1867 Bull's Eye collection and the 1833 Soros issue from Thailand.

Along with an international stamp competition, philatelists can look forward to Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhon's collection of Soros and Phra Pak Pien stamps from the King Rama V period and a display sponsored by Her Majesty the Queen that showcases a line of handmade handicrafts. These include hand-made postcards of silk, silver, leather and bamboo depicting icons of Thai culture.

Stamps from over 20 countries, among them Bhutan, Serbia, Gibraltar, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, will be on sale.

The exhibition runs until August 12 from 10am to 9pm.

Fore more information, call (02) 831 3856 or visit www.thailandpost.com

The Nation

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A PASSION FOR STAMPS
Philately is a fascinating and increasingly popular hobby
PIYAPORN WONGRUANG


The handwriting of allied soldiers held captive in Thailand by the Japanese during World War Two is blurred on yellowing letters and envelopes, but the stories of their hardships are clear in Yaovanee Nirandara's mind.

Often, their stories move Ms Yaovanee so much that she drives over 200km to a war cemetery in Kanchanaburi to look for the owners of those compelling stories.

''I want to know whether they are among those lying underground or not, but so far I have never found any familiar names. This makes me even more curious, because that could mean they are alive and well somewhere,'' said Ms Yaovanee, a stamp collector and president of the Philatelists Association of Thailand.

For years, philatelists _ people who collect stamps and postal items _ have begun their journeys in places they are unfamiliar with, discovering fascinating stories in the blurred words of postcards and letters.

Thailand's first post office opened during the reign of King Rama V, over 100 years ago. But collecting postal items, especially stamps, became popular during the reign of King Rama IX when printing technology was more available, according to the state-run Thailand Post.

According to several philatelists, beginners usually start collecting when they are young. They tend to collect used stamps before turning to more serious collections of new stamps. Some may open bank accounts with Thailand Post to buy every collection launched by it, so they will not miss any. Some of these amateur collectors might join the Philatelists Association, the only official group for stamp collectors in the country.

Stamp collecting appears to be gaining in popularity. An increasing number of people have opened bank accounts with Thailand Post and more collections have been presented in national competitions, which have jumped from six to over 15 in recent years, said Ms Yaovanee.

Collections might take several years to complete.

Jenwit Apichainunt, a two-time champion of stamp collection competitions on the popular TV show Fanpantae (True Fan), said philatelists collect various types of postal items, but what they really look for are letters and lines that appear on them. The older the items are, the more precious they will be.

Often, the letters and lines on them form unique designs _ markings of the post offices that items were sent from and to _ or show other details such as postage rates, the locations of post offices and more.

Some philatelists concentrate on collecting items showing postage rates, while others prefer collecting markings or items showing postage routes. Other philatelists may collect items with a similar theme, such as rare Olympic stamps.

But the most challenging are collec tions concerned with the history of postal items and stamps, in which philatelists try to get initial designs and prototypes of the items, said Mr Jenwit.

''That is called a traditional or classic collection, for which philatelists will chase everything involved with the production of a particular stamp. This requires a lot of effort and a lot of knowledge to complete the collection,'' said Mr Jenwit.

Some people might wonder why philatelists are willing to spend a lot of time and money _ sometimes six-digit prices _ for ageing pieces of paper. But philatelists like Ms Yaovanee and Mr Jenwit say collecting stamps and postal items has a number of benefits.

It requires great care as the items are often old and fragile, so collectors, especially children, are trained to be cool and patient. Above all, the mysterious blurred letters and lines will encourage them to seek more knowledge to fulfill their curiosity.

The association, in collaboration with Thailand Post, often holds exhibitions and competitions. Its next major event is the 20th Asian International Stamp Exhibition, which will be held from tomorrow until Aug 12.

Bangkok Post