What’s Happening?
8th-16th May ‘BEFORE 30’ @ Rachamankha Hotel 087 817 2734, [email protected] Come see a Lanna contemporary arts collaborative show and exhibition with music, dance and painting from three new wave artists. The exhibition will run from 8.30 a.m. – 9.30 p.m. (free admission) while the collaborative performance will only be on Saturday 8th May from 6 p.m. onwards. Tickets are 700 baht (for a seat) a … Continued
City Buzz
If like most folk up north residing betwixt this wall of mountains you occasionally pine for the beach, you’ll be happy to know you no longer have to waste cash flying to over-priced islands: there’s now a ‘perfect’ beach in Chiang Mai, where even the most intrepid pseudo-hippy has not yet juggled with fire. When sitting at Hua Had at night it’s not so far from the real thing at all. With i … Continued
The Dawn of the Dude
I’ve always found it funny that adding the word ‘time’ to another word suddenly imparts the latter with an inflated sense of importance. At least, this is what pop culture would have us believe. For instance, when Mike Myers declared “party time!” in the movie ‘Wayne’s World’, getting wasted and listening to heavy metal was instantly transformed into a meaningful endeavour. And the Fantastic Four’ … Continued
City Vibes
Artist: Autechre Album: Oversteps Rating: Oversteps is yet another fine output from a Sheffield-based imprint (Warp) whose ever-reliable releases make reviewing them superfluous. I only do so here to draw attention to this incredible label and its army of talented signings. Autechre are one such division, blasting out the barracks for nigh on two decades. Musically, they drift on minimalist synths … Continued
City Sport
[right][/right] Chiang Mai Cricket Sixes A fantastic display of cricket once again saw the UN Irish Pub Gang Green almost victorious at the Cricket Sixes this year in Chiang Mai, easily reaching the semi-finals of the cup, the only local team to do so. Unfortunately they were licked by the Lik Lik Wombats who went on to lose the cup to the Bangladeshi Cricketeers. A sea of green supporters showed … Continued
Community Service
• Care for Dogs – Dog of the Month for May – Ernie Ernie is a very gentle, loving boy who desperately wants someone to love who is all his own. Ernie would make any family a wonderful, loyal companion though would be better suited to a family with female dogs only. He is a healthy sterilised 2-3 year old male and is ready to go! Contact Care for Dogs, English (084 752 5255) Thai (086 913 8701) or … Continued
A Retiring Attitude
Not long ago I read letters in the ‘Your Say’ section of Chiang Mai Citylife from several readers bemoaning the fact that they have not been able to find Thai people to have intelligent conversations with about any subject more interesting than what they have eaten lately. It is a common complaint. I wondered about this since I have no problem having fulfilling conversations with my Thai friends, … Continued
Your Say
[right]Your say is an open forum for you the reader to express your opinions. Write to: [email protected], 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[/right] • Where are the Biblical Rains? I have heard parts of Bangkok and Pattaya being … Continued
This is Thailand
[right]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: [email protected][/right] 1. I’m afraid my relationship with my wife has ended. I suspect she is cheating on me as she m … Continued
Editorial
With temperatures hot and tempers high, what to do but swelter and simmer or, better yet, escape? Like many Thai people, I always wanted to explore the world far far away from home and in the first three decades of my life I did just that. I traversed the Bandiagara cliffs of Mali’s Dogon country, dog sledded across Canada’s Algonquin park, skied the Swiss alps, galloped astride pummeled saddles a … Continued
The One and Only ‘Chiang Mai Gym’
As I sat with a couple of chums enjoying a dish of exotic cigarettes freshly shipped in from Mae Sai, washed down with an amusing little vintage from the cellars of Chateau Chang, the conversation turned to the ugly subject of exercise. I was astonished to learn that a staggering 66 percent of us had actually paid to go to a place called a ‘fitness centre’ with a view to lifting heavy things and m … Continued
An Odd Bet of the Nags
Imagine Royal Ascot as the lavish, unashamedly effete father of the family, the Grand National as the eccentric, mercurial uncle, and maybe the Kentucky Derby would be the boorish capitalist cousin who has more money than sense . . . If this were a horse racing family then the weekly Chiang Mai Horse Race would have to be the bastard son, disowned youngest brother, sequestered in Asia and given a … Continued
CNX-TREME
‘STUNT’ RIDING Each evening at dusk along a small tarmac road not far from the 700 Year Stadium a group of teenagers do things to their little Kawasaki Multi-Supersport bikes you’d never believe. The extreme sport is called ‘stunt’ riding, a sport that has become increasingly popular in Thailand. There are three teams in Chiang Mai at the moment that practise at the Irrigation Canal Road spot as w … Continued
Bollywood Ending
If you love the fiery tang of vindaloo, the earthiness of butter chicken and the fragrant warmth of a good naan bread, you might find yourself hopelessly addicted to Chiang Mai’s newest Indian restaurant, Spicy Bollywood. Set smack in the heart of town, opposite (fittingly) Spicy nightclub, this little gem serves up arguably the best and most authentic Indian cuisine in the city. Owners Vicky and … Continued
The Datai Experience: lush jungles of Langkawi
In hindsight we probably didn’t have to scream at the driver until he screeched to a halt so that we could scramble out of the car on our way from the airport, to take pictures of a family of dusky leaf monkeys leisurely nit-picking by the roadside. But as we wended our way through the centuries-old virgin jungle of north western Langkawi, one of the world’s oldest rainforests, towards our hotel, … Continued
Courting Kings
“Kinky!” enthused one of my friends when I told her I’d be sleeping with king cobras. I hadn’t thought of it in quite those terms but I had to admit – the concept of spending the night in Ban Khok Sang Nga did have a freakishly Freudian element to it. I’d stumbled across the name of this remote Isaan village (population 641) on the net: According to a handful of web reviews – mostly regurgitated – … Continued
‘To Be or Not To Be?’ LOL
The first time I saw Boy George of Culture Club singing ‘Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?’ (Top of the Pops, 1982, for those that are interested), I thought he was a girl. My taste in women has always been a bit strange (ducks to avoid a left hook from Mrs. D). Culture shock ensued the next day when I found out that he was a bloke. To someone whose ordinariness is the rock on which his boringness cl … Continued