Kamala Sukosol is well known as a hotel owner and philanthropist with a passion for jazz. Her annual family concerts have raised millions for charity over the years. She is also known as hostess extraordinaire.
From left: Berli Jucker president Asavin Techacharoenvikun, Khunying Kwanta Devakula, Privy Councillor MR Thepkamol Devakula, Kamala Sukosol, Thanpuying Varaporn Pramoj, ambassador of Argentina Ana Maria Ramirez and Prof Winit Phuapradit, president of the executive committee of the Ramathibodi Foundation.
Guests are always thrilled to be invited to her beautiful home where exquisite table settings and flower decorations create an ambience that is further heightened by delicious food and animated conversation.
These creative flower decorations one day germinated into an idea for a coffee-table book. And after a year or so of photography, there was enough to put together a book that would allow her to share tips with the readers.
The idea was also to raise funds for her favourite charity, the Ramathibodi Foundation under the patronage of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn.
After a few years’ delay, Kamala Sukosol’s Floral Standards: Decorating with Flowers was finally presented to the public at a book launch held at Sapphire Bar, The Sukosol Bangkok. On hand to share her proud moment were members of the diplomatic corps, high society as well as the media.
Daughter Marisa Sukosol Nunbhakdi embraced the role of emcee for the event, inviting first Prof Winit Phuapradit, president of the executive committee of the Ramathibodi Foundation, to address the gathering. He was followed by Asavin Techacharoenvikun, the president of Berli Jucker, the company that owns Asia Books, which published the book and is distributing it without taking any fee.
Mrs Marisa then invited Mrs Kamala up to talk about the book and her inspirations. She told the crowd she started keeping a photo file of her flower arrangements because they were so beautiful, and also for identification purposes. Although she doesn’t create the flower arrangements personally, she knows what looks good and guides her team on how she wants the flowers to look.
Soon she had a large stock of pictures, and that’s when the idea for a book started. The book is divided into themes, each titled with a jazz standard, bringing two of Mrs Kamala’s passions into play. Mrs Kamala and Mrs Marisa took advantage of this concept to entertain the audience with a few of those standards, singing in turn snippets from All of Me, All or Nothing At All, As Time Goes By, What A Wonderful World, As Time Goes By and Summertime, ending with La Vie En Rose.
The book also compiles practical advice, anecdotes and personal observations from Mrs Kamala herself, and tips for those interested in flower decorations for different occasions.
The event ended with a book signing, with many of the guests buying the book, which retails at 1,490 baht. All proceeds will go to the Parent-to-Child Liver Transplant campaign, Ramathibodi Foundation under the royal patronage of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn. n
