Features and long-form coverage of culture, travel, food, and tradition
The spectacular Ork Wa Festival returns to the Shan-speaking communities of the small and sleepy town of Mae Sariang in Thailand’s Northern province of Mae Hong Son this month with parades, traditional dances and midnight alms giving. Legend has it that the Lord Buddha spent three months in heaven with his mother before returning to
What’s your typical routine when travelling to a new place, especially a beach city? Do you wake up to a room-service breakfast, take a morning stroll by the sea, then chill by the pool until it’s time for dinner by moonlight? That’s all very restful but if you happen to be in Songkhla on a
Mention Charoenkrung and images of one of Bangkok’s oldest neighbourhoods immediately springs to mind. The area is currently being revived as a Creative District and has become known for its hip cafes and restaurants, street art and riverside community malls. But it also offers much more to the savvy shopper with a taste for food.
Almost 50 years have passed since Thai textiles, particularly Thai silk, and exquisite handcrafted treasures found their way back into the spotlight and all the credit for their revival must go to Her Majesty Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother. Thai silk and craft-related trade has been fostered by the Foundation for the Promotion of Supplementary
Since the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic, many events have been forced online. Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) is about to become the exception, with the organizer deciding to make it a physical reality albeit one that conforms to strict public health measures to avoid spreading Covid-19 while hoping that the overall situation here will have
For some people, finding passion and true happiness in life can be a lifelong journey. American Matt Lucas found his through Muay Thai and moved to the sport’s motherland to live out his dream. Matt, 38, from Upstate New York, is a commentator at Max Muay Thai and the social media manager for Fairtex Training
Just about every subject can be controversial in the digital era. This time, it’s the way rice is cooked. A video in which Malaysian comedian Nigel Ng, who goes by the name “Uncle Roger” mocks (read criticizes) the method for cooking rice as shown on the BBC Food Chanel, has gone viral, receiving several million
Had Andy Warhol not died prematurely in 1987, he would be turning 92 this August. He never came to Thailand and neither did his artworks, though his famous pieces like Campbell’s Soup Cans or Marilyn Manroe silkscreen painting (Marilyn Diptych) are known to most Thais. “Andy Warhol: Pop Art” is the first exhibition of original
Most Thais will recognize the name Pichet Klunchun but few will have seen this master of Khon (Thai classical dance) perform on stage and even fewer will understand the oneness he has with this art he has been practicing for most of his life. In short, he embodies the dance and the dance embodies him.
The coronavirus has upended all our lives one way or another. The Government has imposed strict social distancing measures, one of which is the temporary closure of all nurseries and schools across the country. This measure severely impacts many parents, especially mothers with young children, and their lives have become more complicated. There are, however,
Training in masks, two metres apart, Thailand’s professional fighters are battling a new reality — shuttered gyms and cancelled tournaments after the coronavirus pandemic left them suddenly out of work. Thailand’s brutal version of boxing, Muay Thai, features jabs, punches and kicks, with striking techniques using shins, knees and elbows. But Thailand’s strict social-distancing rules
The traditional family get-together for the April 13-15 Songkran holiday is extra special for Krissana Pongbhai – April 14 is also her birthday. However, this Thai New Year she will receive no flowers or cake or even youngsters pouring water on her hands. For the first time ever, the government has postponed the three-day holiday,
