NEW DELHI: Madame Tussauds unveiled a waxwork of Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan ahead of the museum’s opening later this year in the Indian capital of New Delhi.
Bachchan, 74, is one of Indian cinema’s most influential actors and has been a mainstay on screens for five decades.
“We looked at the culture and of course, we have a lot of Indian visitors in our existing attractions as well. Their feedback is so positive ... that we said we need to be there,” Marcel Kloos, Merlin Entertainments’ director of new openings in emerging markets said.
Guests at the unveiling photographed themselves alongside Bachchan, as well as with a waxwork of American popstar Lady Gaga.
The Delhi branch above the city center’s famed Regal Cinema is India’s first Madame Tussauds, the museum’s 23rd globally and its ninth in Asia, where a growing middle class are prepared to pay to see wax figures of their favorite stars.
Wax statues of leading figures from Bollywood, sports and politics will feature in Delhi including one of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi — who is already in the London branch — as well as cricket icon Sachin Tendulkar.
Madame Tussauds unveils Amitabh waxwork for Delhi opening
Madame Tussauds unveils Amitabh waxwork for Delhi opening
Thai coffee chains cut default sugar content in coffee and tea drinks in a new health push
- The Health Department says Thais consume 21 teaspoons of sugar daily, far exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended six teaspoons
- Officials warn this increases obesity and diabetes risks. A survey found iced coffee and bubble tea contain high sugar levels
BANGKOK: For many Thais, a meal doesn’t feel complete without an iced coffee or tea so sugary it could pass for dessert. The government, concerned about the health consequences, wants them to dial it back.
Starting Wednesday, nine major coffee chains across the country have pledged to cut the default sugar content in some of their drinks by half in a government initiative aimed at tackling excessive sugar consumption.
According to the Health Department, Thais consume an average of 21 teaspoons of sugar per day, more than three times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of six teaspoons. Health officials warn that such high intake increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and other diseases.
The initiative is the first significant step to change consumers’ sugar consumption behavior, said Amporn Benjaponpitak, the director general of the department.
Pakorn Tungkasereerak, the department’s deputy, said 2025 data show that about 45 percent of Thais aged 15 and older are obese, while 10 percent of the population has diabetes.
A survey by the Bureau of Nutrition found that a 22-ounce (650-milliliter) iced coffee contains an average of nine teaspoons of sugar, while a 10-ounce (300-milliliter) serving of bubble milk tea — an iced milk tea with tapioca pearls known as boba — can contain as much as 12 teaspoons.
Sirinya Kuiklang, an office worker, said she approves of the changes. She already orders her drinks at just 25 percent of the standard sugar level, but she is aware that many others consume too much sugar.
“It’s good for Thai people,” she said.
Another office worker, Porwares Tantikanpanit, said he has enjoyed his non-coffee beverages at their current sugar levels but is willing to adjust if shops reduce the sweetness.
However, putting the policy into practice may prove challenging. Officials have said each brand can apply the initiative as they see fit.
Some customers have expressed confusion in response to social media posts promoting the initiative, asking how to order drinks with the level of sweetness that they prefer. Several brands said that the reduction applies only to certain menu items.
