Clients’ Spot
Antiquing is a popular pastime here in Chiang Mai. While for some, collecting is as personal as it comes, others have an eye for future value. Antiques are valuable due to a number of factors; their historical or nostalgic value, their age and origin, their quality and of course their condition. De Siam opened nine years ago, selling only 17 pieces of antique furniture in its Hang Dong store. Thes … Continued
Community Service
01 Informal Northern Thai Group On 14th June, Louis Gabaude on Twisting Buddhism Through the Christian Lexicon: ‘Ordination’. For further information please call 053 117 319 or gabaudel@loxinfo.co.th. 02 Dog of the month: Callie This cute little girl is 1-2 years old, is a small-medium size and has a lovely short chocolate brown coat. She is very active and would need some patience and training to … Continued
City Sport
• GOLF PTIS International student qualifies for prestigious golf tournament in the USA Es and Smart, PTIS students and Team Elite players from the Three-Generation Golf Academy, made impressive finishes at the final 2011 Optimist Championship Qualifier held in Patana, Chonburi. Es took second place (79, 72, 75, 75) in the Boy’s 16-18 division; the winner of the event was an eighteen year old boy f … Continued
City Talk
City Talk What’s the most memorable thing you’re read or seen in Citylife since you frist started reading the mazazine! The photograph taken in 1968 from the Rincome looking up to Doi Suthep – nothing to be seen. Inside front cover of the old Newsletter. I first started reading this magazine since its very first issue (and many years before it was called Chiang Mai Citylife) so that’s hard to answ … Continued
City Women
Turning 30 was a big deal for me. I was no longer a 20-something girl with her whole life ahead of her… In my mind, I was fast approaching 40 and could literally see a new wrinkle every time I looked in the mirror. Needless to say, I took it quite badly! I know I’m not quite over the hill yet, but without wanting to sound too melodramatic, a significant part of my life (my youth) was now over. I … Continued
Home Idea
20th Anniversary Gift Ideas For our 20th issue, we are going to be a bit self indulgent! Let’s see what pressies our friends here in Chiang Mai would give us…We are not asking for presents, (honest!), simply soliciting fantasies! 1. Sirijiwan Curtain Sweeta Srisakulchawla (Marketing Manager of Sirijiwan Curtain) Acrylic Painting from Suriyanchandra, Nimmanhaemin Soi 1 053 212 777 or www.suriyanc … Continued
City Buzz
Sister Sandwich is a sandwich bar offering a very varied menu. The cafe provides order sheets on each table should you wish to create your own sandwich masterpiece, however they also have a list of ‘special’ sandwiches such as the pork hung-le northern curry and the beef panang Thai curry, both include French fries and salad (129 baht each). All day breakfast is served with everything from waffles … Continued
What Happening?
• ARTS & EXHIBITIONS • Now- 31st July ART EXHIBITION @ Siripanna Villa Resort and Spa You are welcome to an art exhibition named “Chuenta Chuenjai” featuring 10 Lanna artists. The exhibition will show Lanna traditions and beliefs. Now – 30th July ART FILM @ Media Art& Design Building, Chiang Mai University Art Museum 053 944 846 Starts at 6.30 p.m. This month will be the month of fantasy … Continued
The Life of Wine
At the end of October last year, the canny marketing people at Chateau Lafite of the most sought after and most expensive wines on the planet – one announced that their 2008 vintage would go into bottles with the Chinese symbol for the number eight etched on the neck in red. The result was phenomenal. Customers in Hong Kong and China went nuts for it. It sold out everywhere, even though the price … Continued
Citylife In-house
Citylife Next Issue: The Sunshine Issue All things bright and beautiful. Beach visits, fun entertainment, bubbly personalities, and feel good stories…all to brighten up your monsoon season. Citylife Wins National SME Award! There are three million small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand. Small and medium basically means that enterprises employ under 200 people and generate under 20 … Continued
Your Say
• Amazing Chiang Mai Just caught the tail end of a segment on CNN this morning on human sex traffic, pedophiles in Chiang Mai….Raid on a Swiss guy’s home full of little boys half naked, etc. I’m sure the segment will play several times. Also mentioned a monk who received 20 years for this stuff. Great for Chiang Mai tourism! Best Regards, Charlie Thompson • Cracked Rose Tinted Glasses Again, I m … Continued
City Vibes
Artist: Burial Album: Street Halo Rating: Dubstep producer Burial is without doubt one of modern music’s true enigmas. Releasing his first two albums under anonymity, his unique interpretation of a genre that exploded into relevance impressed even the staunchest of critics. Burial’s 2007 album ‘Untrue’ was tipped to grab the much coveted Mercury Music Prize in 2008. Although the album didn’t win, … Continued
Chiang Mai on the WWW
www.atnimancm.com www.atnimancm.com This new website featuring the new conceptual home slash hotel, At Niman tells all about this exquisite property. Drawing from Himalayan and oddly enough Moroccan designs, while utilising the highest of international standard facilities and conveniences, At Nimman is both traditional and modern. This super cool boutique hotel is right in the middle of the equall … Continued
This is Thailand
1. I just relocated to Chiang Mai from Bangkok and am missing all the ‘international’ radio stations ‘down south’ that play decent music. I can’t tune into any here. Any secret? Jane (intern): There is a station in Chiang Mai called T.I.T.S. (This is Thai Style) Radio which broadcasts over the frequency 1.605 MHz. T.I.T.S. Radio plays a large variety of music genres throughout the day and has ‘fla … Continued
Interview with Richard S. Ehrlich, journalist/foreign correspondent
Who are you? What is your background? I’m from San Francisco and came to Asia in 1972 riding public transport, on a trail from Europe to Kathmandu to East Africa. It took several months without maps, and no idea what was out here. In 1975, I travelled back to India via Seoul, Hong Kong, Thailand, Laos and Burma. I did my Bachelor’s degree in literature and creative writing at San Francisco State U … Continued
A New Routine?
“Zoom. What was that? That was your life, mate. Oh. That was quick. Do I get another? Sorry mate, that’s your lot.” A quote from John Cleese as Basil Fawlty in the great comedy TV show, Fawlty Towers. In a moment of melancholy following another argument with his wife and an irascible guest, he pondered where his life had gone. I’m sure we all know how he feels. Twenty years is a long time. 3,705 d … Continued
Testimony of Aliens
Foreigners soon learn once they move to Chiang Mai that it is a hot bed of aliens living – sometimes in the open, other times in deep cover – amongst the native Thais. Hilltribes like the Akha, Lahu, Karen, Hmong/Miao, Mien/Yao and Lisu in their precise Wikipedia order, and these highlanders mingle with Chinese, Burmese, and farang. The Lanna purist would throw the Thai-Chinese from Bangkok into t … Continued
Beauchamp Rides Again
Mike Atkins was deputy editor at Citylife from 2004-2005. Among his many stories Mike wrote a regular column titled Henry Beauchamp remembers… in which an ageing colonialist and his loyal staff, manservant Boonlert, got up to all sorts of naughties. Mike left Citylife to work for the Irrawaddy, followed by the Bangkok Post. He now works for The Times in London and misses Chiang Mai dreadfully. W … Continued
The Best of Both Worlds
Recently there has been a spate of illness in the expat community, and an important issue to arise from it concerns Health Insurance. Choice of health insurance depends upon economy, age, lifestyle, physical condition, and attitude towards risk. Health insurance enables us to pay our medical bills when they fall due; it is not an alternative to preventative medicine and healthy living. Many expats … Continued
Out in The City
Chiang Mai is an extraordinary city that attracts extraordinary expatriates who have an enormous pride and affection for their new hometown and who rightly claim to be different from those who have chosen to settle in Thailand’s resort destinations. Among the western gay men is an army of culturally sensitive and amazingly talented individuals. Filmmaker, artist and photographer, Galen Garwood is … Continued
Citylife Wins National SMEs Award!
There are three million small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs) in Thailand. Small and medium basically means that enterprises employ under 200 people and generate under 200 million baht per year. Citylife (or to be correct, our company, Trisila) is an SME. Last year, we heard about the national SMEs award, a highly prestigious and coveted award which the government had been handing out for two … Continued
Inequality Beckons!
Pana Janviroj, a native of Chiang Mai, is the President of The Nation Congratulations to Citylife on your anniversary. You amplify what a niche location-based unit could do in a wider world – using knowledge, technology and creative endeavour to add value to Chiang Mai. But you are in a ‘small’ minority in a society dominated by a one-track national development mindset. It is a particular area, a … Continued
Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow
Denis Grey joined Associated Press in 1972 during the Vietnam War era covering war and postwar issues. In 1976 he was appointed Bureau Chief of AP in Bangkok covering Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Myanmar. He resigned as bureau chief in February this year when he was appointed roving correspondent for AP in Asia, focusing largely on environmental issues. Years ago, I was certain I had found what ev … Continued
Investigating Lives
Ah Chiang Mai, the “land of mists and mellow fruitfulness, close bosom friend of the maturing sun”. That may be Keats’ ‘Autumn’ in England but had he lived here wouldn’t he be saying something like this? I am always drawn to northern Thailand, Chiang Mai, and more particularly the hills beyond, so what a delight to contribute to ‘Citylife’, formerly the ‘Chiang Mai Newsletter’ and celebrate its 20 … Continued