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Surfin’ Lessons

‘Christmas is coming the geese are getting fat’…oh how good old Buddhist Thailand loves a shopping festival! And every year the evil internet is slowly eroding the fun of Christmas shopping, unless of course you dangle tinsel over your monitor, and play those monotonous kids choir Christmas carols from itunes while you shop online. Last year $100 billion dollars was spent in the US alone with the … Continued

City Vibes

Artist: Dizzee Rascal Album: Tongue N’ Cheek Rating: Dizzee Rascal is a charismatic London grime artist who has had a short but notable career. Rascal won the Mercury Music Prize in 2003 for his debut album, Boy in Da Corner and has since proffered two admirable follow-ups, all injected with a creative youthfulness and a mastery of the broken beat. On Tongue N’ Cheek, Rascal veers away from his gr … Continued

A Retiring Attitude

‘Snowbirds’ is a term used in the U.S. and Canada for retirees who flee the cold winters of the northern regions to warmer locales like Florida, Arizona, and Mexico. There is also a European species of snowbird who heads for Mediterranean climes. Today there is a new breed of migratory snowbirds that travel a lot further in their quest for an endless summer. More and more expats come to Thailand d … Continued

Cultural Insight

Starting in the 1970s the north of Thailand underwent rapid and fundamental changes. Rutted laterite tracks turned into superhighways; ox carts were replaced by pick-up trucks, buffaloes by Japanese tractors; electricity and with it television sets, entered the remotest village. The borders of Thailand to the north, for so long closed, are now open, so that Lanna is no longer a dead end but a gate … Continued

Citylife In-house

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City Sport

• FOOTBALL A seven a-side football tournament was held at Prem in November hosted by the Prem Football Academy. Teams from all over Chiang Mai got involved in the two day competition. On the fist day the teams were split up into four leagues of four teams. Only two teams from each league would go through to the knock-out stage the following day. Farangutans put in two teams. Captain Lee stated tha … Continued

Community Service

01 Informal NorthernThai Group Tuesday, December 8th at 7.30 p.m. : ‘Universal Health Care in Thailand’. A talk and presentation by Joseph Harris. For more information please call 053 117 319. 02 Tour de Thailand – Charity Ride Join hundreds of other cyclists on Tuesday December 8th for the first leg of a charity ride that begins in Chiang Mai and ends in Phuket, 2,300kms and 22 days later. Chiang … Continued

Christmas special and Promotions

City Buzz

Not far from Tha Pae Gate, this eccentric little place combines the creativity of a variety of artists, architects, designers, local artisans, and astrologers (Feng Shui) while mixing eastern and western cultures through abstract ideas and concrete techniques. Each of the twelve different box-shaped gallery rooms features an individual artist’s interpretation of their Chinese zodiac sign _ Rat, Ox … Continued

City Events

An Interview with David Unkovich, a Chiang Mai Cartographer

David Unkovich, 56, born in Australia of Croatian extraction, has been in Chiang Mai so long it’s perhaps possible he doesn’t know who the Culture Club is; he missed out on microwave dinners, crimped hairstyles and Max Headroom. . . a well-timed exodus you might wonder. Citylife spent the day with him, doing what he does best, riding through the mountains. 10.30: Hire new Kawasaki ER6 and follow U … Continued

The Lanna Deception

“Yes, what is Lanna?” pondered ajarn Vithi, a remarkably youthful looking man for his sixty plus years, as he fiddled with some slides at his office in the Faculty of Arts, Chiang Mai University, “most people are vague about that . . . It’s become so commercialised, people have lost their way.” Vithi Phanichphant, a dedicated historian and highly respected authority on northern Thai culture is as … Continued

Special Scoop: Rawee Waree Resort & Spa

It’s difficult to imagine a more serene location in Thailand than the lush and verdant valley of Maetaman where the new Rawee Waree Resort and Spa is situated. Only a forty minute drive from downtown Chiang Mai, through to Mae Taeng, and into a blissful pocket of nature you will find a place where elephants and buffalo roam the quiet streets. Afforded the benefits of pristine geography, hardly tou … Continued

City Talk

Reclaiming Space

Formerly a rubbish-filled, forgotten corner of Lanna International School is currently being transformed into a lush organic garden. The garden will be surrounded by walls done in adobe – an ancient, natural building technique that will enable you to actually build almost cost-free mansions out of dirt. [right]by Hakan Jakob Kosar[/right] Up until August this year a neglected corner of Lanna Inter … Continued

Your Say

[right][/right] Your say is an open forum for you the reader to express your opinions. Write to: editor@chiangmaicitylife.com, subject: Your say. Letters can be on any subject and priority will be given to letters under 200 words. Letters may be edited for clarity or conciseness. Name and contact details must be supplied. • Different Folks, Different Strokes Congratulations on your Pink Issue (Oct … Continued

This is Thailand

For those of you with any questions regarding Thailand, Thai culture, history, tourism, laws, rules, food, nightlife, sub-cultures, dating; generally anything as long as it is relevant, we have a panel of three experts who will respond to your enquiries. Email: james@chiangmaicitylife.com. 1. Who do we turn to or what recourse do we have when a medical, surgical, dental, rehabilitative procedure g … Continued

Editorial

Christmas has come early for 82 Thai families who will be having a fantastic December this year; the recipients of Habitat for Humanity’s Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter Work Project: The Mekong Build 2009. The week-long event was a roaring success and now 82 families will be living in a wonderful new neighbourhood, which they helped to build. Christian or not, I am sure they are grateful for the Christ … Continued

Tii Naa

Mightier than the Sword: an interview with post feminist writer and thinker Kham Phaka

Lakkana Punwichai, 37, looks like the woman next door. She has the typically lithe and perfectly compact female form, her face, while attractive, would probably not turn heads, and her casual attire is testament to the fact that she really isn’t particularly bothered about impressing anyone. Arriving for the interview, she accepts my wai and, wasting no time, immediately starts talking…as I scramb … Continued

The Gospel According to Dudeism

BOOK I 1. Longtime residents of Chiang Mai might recall an article I wrote here a few years back about a religion I started called ‘The Temple of Earth’. I have to confess now that it was rather a failure. Turns out it’s easy to start a religion, but not so easy to get people to believe in it. Perhaps I should have arranged a few phony miracles, or at least taken out some ads in Citylife. 2. In re … Continued

Expat Housewives

Is it all chatty coffee mornings, lingering lunches and pretty pedicures? The reality of the lives of these, dynamic rather than desperate, housewives couldn’t be further from their stereotypes. Meet a group of women who live in Chiang Mai’s version of Wisteria Lane – a beautiful moo baan with Doi Suthep as a backdrop – where children have weekly sleepovers, neighbours help themselves to each othe … Continued

Special Scoop: Jin Design

“Whoa . . . another big night, another wild party. The afternoon early winter sunlight just crept in through the window and woke me up. Party over, nothing lasts forever. You take a group of friends, personalities, colours, you add to that a few drops of Johnny Black, a splash of Jack, mix it all up, and voila, in your ‘bowl’ you have perfection. What you get with the right ingredients, the right … Continued

The Eternal Farang

Dovan Daniel (Daniel to friends), like so many of us, is used to being referred to as ‘farang’ in his daily life here in Chiang Mai. And, also like many here in Chiang Mai, he has been called foreigner in many languages, having lived most of his life outside his country of birth. Since he is very experienced when it comes to expat life, and since his life story is quite interesting, I sat down wit … Continued

The Prachenskys

Nikolaus and Sherry Prachensky are a fascinating couple who own a couple of equally intriguing businesses. Niki, as he prefers to be called, is a distinguished looking 53 year old who speaks with a gravelly voice, laced with his Austrian accent on passions du jour; sometimes a vocal proponent for healthy lifestyles, waxing poetic about meditation and qigong, at other times he loves nothing more th … Continued

More From Citylife

Two random spot checks reveal safe arsenic levels in Mae Ai District 

Wed 9th Jul

Following media reports of arsenic levels exceeding safety standards in two children, aged 6 and 2, in Mae Ai District, due to regular consumption of fish from the Kok River, a source cited unusually high levels of arsenic in their bodies, raising public concern. On 8 July 2025, Dr. Kittiphan Chalom, Assistant Public Health Doctor of Chiang Mai Province, held a press conference addressing the issu … Continued

Rental bikes collecting dust waiting for tourists 

Wed 9th Jul

Chiang Mai’s tourism industry is currently facing a significant downturn. The decline in foreign visitors has affected various sectors, particularly car and motorcycle rental services. Reports indicate that vehicle rentals have dropped by more than 70%, forcing some operators to temporarily shut down due to unsustainable operating costs. One clear sign of the downturn is on Moon Muang Road near th … Continued

Eyesore blue streetlights promptly removed following public outcry 

Wed 9th Jul

The project to upgrade lighting poles along Highway No. 2025 (Atsadathon Road) has come under public criticism due to the design of the poles. Many have commented that the sculptures look outdated, with colors and patterns that are neither modern nor representative of the Lanna identity. Additionally, some of which are installed in the middle of pedestrian walkways. Following a wave of public conc … Continued

Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office warns of a handful of monkeypox cases

Mon 7th Jul

The Chiang Mai Provincial Public Health Office is closely monitoring a new situation where monkeypox had been found in the province. Officials are providing information to the public to help with self-monitoring and prevention. They empathise that monkeypox is only serious for those with weakened immune system and that the public should not be alarmed, merely informed.  Dr. Waranyu Jamnongprasartp … Continued

Akha Heritage museum by Akhas and for everyone in Chiang Rai

Sun 6th Jul

https://youtu.be/bP6ugEZxesE   Vorreiter founded the Akha Oral Tradition School, two years ago, as Cultural Crossroads Asia’s first outreach project in an ethnic village.  Every week six master Akha musicians share their knowledge of songs, stories, musical instruments, and instrumental craftsmanship with a class of twenty-two Akha students.   Akha Oral Tradition School https://culturalcrossr … Continued

Serow sighting signals healthy ecosystem on Doi Luang Chiang Dao

Fri 4th Jul

The Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary in Chiang Dao District, has released a video showing a young serow foraging near the cliff edge on the summit of Doi Luang Chiang Dao. The footage was captured by a patrol team during a routine quality patrol this morning. Such sightings are rare, as serows are extremely cautious and elusive animals. Pornnarin Khumthong, head of the Chiang Dao Wildlife Sanctuary, … Continued

Four Rottweilers found shot and abandoned 

Thu 3rd Jul

On 28th June, a Buddhist monk, Phrakru Aod of Wat Chedi Luang, along with an animal welfare volunteer from the ARK Foundation rescued four abandoned Rottweilers found in the forest in the Mae Kam Pong village. The dogs were found in rain-soaked, starving condition and some of which suffered from deep wounds and severely maggot infections that required urgent medical treatment. The rescue team fed … Continued

Hylife Group launches two international innovation platforms

Thu 3rd Jul

Hylife Group launches two international innovation platforms “Hylife Hackathon 2025” and “Hylife Innovation Excellence Awards 2025” to drive Chiang Mai towards becoming a city of innovation, offering over seven million baht in prizes and investment opportunities. Hylife Group officially launches two major international innovation competitions of the year: “Hylife Hackathon 2025” and “Hylife Innova … Continued

Dangerous steroid-laden ‘herbal’ meds being sold across North

Wed 2nd Jul

The Public Health Office has issued a warning against a spread of so called herbal medicine which has been recently sold by vendors at funerals, temple fairs and across rural villagers across Chiang Mai and beyond.  Upon receiving a report of this, the Public Health Office tested the medicine and found them to be heavy with steroids and other harmful properties.  They warn that elderly people may … Continued

70 baht guesthouse hasn’t put up price in 14 years

Wed 2nd Jul

Jay Guesthouse and Restaurant has been around, housing and feeding backpackers on the cheap since it opened 14 years ago.  Its owner says that she charges 70 baht for a shared room with bunk beds, 130 baht for a small single room and 190 baht for a large single room. During the high season she ups the prices by 10-20 baht. “My clients come back again and again over the years, and I want them to ha … Continued

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