The other day, as I reclined in a bamboo hut contemplating the bathers frolicking in the waters of Huay Tung Tao, the sun casting its dying rays across Doi Suthep and a young girl trying to sell me a Doraemon toy, I fell into conversation with a young couple visiting Chiang Mai for their holidays. Having exhausted curious topics like the state of world politics and why Thai tea comes in a bag, something else struck each of us as being a little odd. We had ice cubes in our beer. For the couple, fresh off the ‘plane from the UK, it was odd to be served a glass of amber lager with ice cubes floating in it.

Like millions of Thais, however, I have seen him dozens of times. As a child, I used to run excitedly up to the road at the end of our lawn, frantically waving a mini flag, hoping for, and occasionally getting, His Majesty’s attention, as the royal motorcade swept its way to and from Phuping Palace each winter.

Providing a space to share works with one another, receive critique and talk about literature, writers from all backgrounds with varied experience can get involved. Whether you’re published or just write for fun, all are accepted and embraced. If you’re looking for some direct and honest (but overall positive) feedback on your work, I think it’d be really worthwhile to go along to a meeting.

Hazing in Thailand is institutional. Most university students will face hazing of some sort or another, from the benign to the deadly. It is a time honoured tradition for freshies at university to undergo weeks, even months, of intense hazing from their seniors. While there have been reports of hazing deaths and torture, on the most part it is an uncomfortable, time consuming, often painful experience which many students go through in the name of bonding with their faculty class mates.

Every now and again I get a handful of promotional CDs that bands from all over the country send to various publications, Citylife being one of them. I usually try to use this space in Citylife to talk about new music and live events in Chiang Mai, but as the nation mourns the loss of His Majesty the King, parties and events have all but vanished, an important part of the mourning process. Although it has left me with an empty space to fill this month, I quickly realised that it was perfect opportunity to dig through the stacks of CDs Citylife gave me and see if any of these singles were worth covering.

Imperial Mae Ping is now introducing the brand new Garden Bar, packed with delicious food, amazing drinks, live music and a great atmosphere.

How much does it take to send you into a fit when someone in front of you is swerving between lanes or a nudging their way into your path? Do you blast your horn? Flash a high beam at the lane trespasser? Do you roll down your window and scream obscenities?

Whether you are looking for a super personalised boutique experience in the trendy heart of Nimman, an exotic getaway at the mouth of the Mae Sa Valley or a succulent lunch of Dim Sum to induce that afternoon nap, Chiang Mai has it all.

Thailand is in mourning, as are we. So instead of our usual colourful City 7 page, we thought we would take a look at some of the colour-appropriate dishes to be found in the city.

Grilling meats on the side of the road with an ice cold beer, tucking into freshly steamed crab or cheese baked lobsters with a glass of wine or blanching the meats of your choice over a shared hotpot – take your pick and turn your dinner into something exciting!

If you are anything like our Thai CityNews editor, you’ll love these three places in town which are rustic, delicious and make the perfect Instagram post with #nofitler needed.

For truly different Thai culinary flavours and a new dining experience, visit the Rim Tai Kitchen by Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai. Traditional Thai cooking techniques are applied by expert chefs in this beautiful kitchen named after the green natural surroundings of the Rim Tai sub-district of Chiang Mai that the resort is located. Their kitchen is wide, spacious and even offers up cooking classes for those interested in learning more about exquisite Thai cuisine.