WOT A LARF

Heard the one about the former US dishwasher who washed up in Shanghai before setting up base in Myanmar looking for a laugh?

The big news is that for a mere two bucks, Reapers can check out this joker and get the last laugh on Sunday with the return of the monthly Comedy Club at the Warehouse, starting at 8pm.

Myanmar-based US comic William Childress will be the main attraction backed up by rib ticklers Sam Thomas and Kiira Gustafson, with host of the night Stephen Halcrow who may or may not cook up a few cackles.

Star of the night, William Childress, commenced his comedy caper at Kung Fu Komedy in Shanghai, and has performed throughout China and in Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia. He also featured in the historical first international comedy show in Myanmar, and was a finalist in the 2013 Hong Kong International Comedy Competition. He has opened for several international headliners, but on Sunday night he’ll be the headliner.

BIRD PAINTING EXHIBITION AT CKS

Art lovers have just a few days left to check out “nine beautiful bird paintings” on exhibition at the Center for Khmer Studies’ Conference Hall at Wat Damnak.

The paintings are the result of a Power of Art workshop on the theme of endangered bird species. The paintings are the work of American University of Wisconsin-Madison students in town for a course on “Buddhism and Service Learning in Siem Reap” at the Centre. The students took time out from the course to participate in a workshop on how to teach children through art, under the watchful eye of Siem Reap artist Oun Savann.

The workshop also included children from Wat Damnak Primary School and Elma School, an NGO located in Sombuar Village.

According to the Centre, “Children participating in the workshop learned about nine different endangered bird species in Cambodia from Savann and his friend Mony, a Khmer birder who also came to speak to the group. While learning the stories of endangered birds, children also received the message that their artwork could educate and influence other people to care for the environments.

“The 18 participating children and UW Madison students were divided into nine groups, each team focused on producing a collaborative painting on a different endangered species. Each team chose a name for their group, such as ‘Team Yellow Sun,’ and worked together to finish a painting on canvas within two hours.”

The workshop was also supported by the Sam Veasna Center for Wildlife Conservation.

ANGKOR WAT, BAYON ARE TOP WORLD 10 LANDMARKS

Siem Reap scores twice on TripAdvisor's World's Top 10 Landmarks Travelers' Choice. It’s certainly no surprise that Angkor Wat makes the listing, coming in at number 6, after St. Peter's Basilica, Vatican City at number 5.

The Bayon Temple gets a number 7 ranking, ahead of Church of Our Savior on Spilled Blood, St. Petersburg, Russia at number 8.

Earlier in the month, on June 4, the New Zealand government signed a deal to provide US$3.7 million for the preservation and protection of Angkor Wat. Bun Narith, director general of Apsara National Authority, and Brent Rapson, first secretary of New Zealand Embassy to Bangkok, signed a cooperation agreement for the Angkor Community Heritage Enhancement Project.

ÉCLAIR CAMPAIGN DECLARED

Le Meridien Angkor has unveiled its ‘éclair program,’ and will sell éclairs in six flavors – chocolate, vanilla, coffee, black sesame, kafir lime and peanut butter.

Éclairs are available packs of three for $10, or $19 for a six-pack. Ten per cent of éclair profits will go to Egbok Mission, and the campaign runs until October 31.