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Artist: Burial Album: Kindred EP Rating: Burial is without doubt one of the most exciting artists in modern music. Not only does he keep fans on tenterhooks with a dearth of releases, his output is so next-level it crushes the valiant efforts of its contemporaries in its wake. There are three mighty tracks on this EP, each is mind-blowingly creative, esoterically dark and hauntingly emotive. The d … Continued

Out in The City

Older gay friends eulogise about the ‘good old days’. When, in London, the constabulary spent themselves, zealously pursuing homosexuals to notch up Victorian convictions that were easily prosecuted in courts that were presided over by public schoolboys who really did know better but who could do no better than hand out jail terms. There was a secret underground of gay networking and basement club … Continued

Community Services

01 Informal Northern Thai Group Tuesday, April 3: ‘From print publishing to the global digital marketplace: A travel writer’s perspective’ by Mohezin Tejani. For further information, please call 053 117 319 or email: gabaudel@loxinfo.co.th. 02 Nicotine Anonymous Want to stop smoking? It works! Meetings on Wednesdays and Saturdays at 1 p.m. at The 7 Fountains, Huay Kaew Road. For more information p … Continued

This is Thailand

1. I do a lot of travelling to and from Thailand for business and pleasure, have you got any tips for jet jag? Grace: I would advise people not to worry too much, the main thing is that your body will eventually re-adjust itself to the time zone of your new location, even if it takes a week or more. Don’t get too worked up about losing sleep it won’t kill you, being anxious about the problem will … Continued

Your Say

++ Grumpy with Songkran ++ Every year I read articles written by foreigners, advising that at Songkran you should let people throw water at you and accept it with good grace. If the water throwers were doing anything remotely resembling the original traditions of the festival, i.e. sprinkling water over the shoulders of family elders, then I could accept this argument. However these louts can righ … Continued

The Baker’s Dozen

I asked some Thai friends the other day, who they thought was responsible for the appalling air quality. Mushroom growers, apparently…and nobody else. Floored by the assignment of all blame upon one, seemingly small group, I disputed the poor shroomers’ sole culpability, but my friends remained unmoved, and unconvinced. We agreed on the need for wider education and the enforcement of existing la … Continued

City Events

The Feminisation of the Social Network

Whether it’s a business-focused power lunch, a mummy-and-baby play group, or girl talk over a couple of chai lattes, women who get together love to talk. Yet a growing number of studies show that, in the digital age, women also love to post, ‘like’, comment and tweet. Yes, it’s true – women are the new face of the social network mainstream. According to a 2011 Pew Research Center report, significa … Continued

Home Ideas

Leaving Cityllife

“Nostalgia (Sehnsucht) refers to the moral pain of the expatriate when he is overcome with the obsession of return,” said Johannes Hofer, a Swiss doctor back in the 17th century. He wrote that some of his subjects, having been removed from their families and friends more or less wasted away and died suffering from memories of the past. “The mysterious presence of absence,” that defined nostalgia, … Continued

City Buzz

Yummy Pizza Yummy Pizza is a little out of town, but there are a few good reasons why it is worth the short drive. Firstly, it is next to a driving range so if you fancy a spot of golf it is a nice place to eat afterwards, then you have the live music on Wednesday nights, which is really something, of course the food is also very good, and if you live in the moo baan-heavy area of Mae Hia, then th … Continued

Sabina Fay Braxton: Coming Home

Having been a nomad of sorts all her life, Sabina Fay Braxton has, after nearly forty years, come home to Chiang Mai…well, one of her many homes. As we settled in for a chat over a coffee in the lounge of the spanking new 137 Pillars House Hotel in Wat Gate, Sabina assesses her old home. “That was my bedroom,” she points to the hotel’s meeting room, “and my parents’ bedroom was where the bar is … Continued

Puak Taem’s Ancient Craft

In the dappled sunlight of Wat Puak Taem, Lan sits cross-legged on a low plastic chair. In front of her is a chunky wooden chopping board on which rests a pile of golden leaves, Lan meditatively embosses each leaf with a decorative mark using a metal stamp and hammer. Lan is one decendent in a long line of brass crafts people living in the Puak Taem area down a soi off Singharat Road, behind Suan … Continued

A River Less Travelled

In his book ‘Slithering South’, awarded by The Nation as the ‘best travel book ever about Thailand’, Steve Van Beek recounts his modest one-man-journey in a canoe navigating 720 miles of river from the Golden Triangle to the Gulf of Thailand, in 1988. Reading this unique tale and meeting in person with the author was the inspiration for one Chiang Mai expat’s own intrepid journey in a self-made 20 … Continued

Opium: Curse or Cure?

The US led ‘war on drugs’ in Southeast Asia has been trying to stamp out opium cultivation since the 1970s. But the UN drug agency records that Laos and Myanmar opium cultivation is rapidly increasing. One alternative to killing the poppies in Laos and Burma that screams out for urgent consideration is the pharmaceutical solution: to harvest the opium as much-needed morphine-based pain-killers. Th … Continued

Editorial

Our editors, over the past twenty odd years, have generated a vast amount of content. Each month we have published at least seven or eight feature articles as well as various columns and reviews. Some we have been proud to have seen published in respectable international media, some we are ashamed to say have been spotted in quite disreputable tabloids. We have created online and offline content. … Continued

International Conference Centre

For the past many months, as I have driven past the upcoming International Convention Centre along the Irrigation Canal Road, my head has been turned to gawp at the dramatic new skyline – virgin mountain views obstructed by goliath Lannaesque buildings – dozens of traversing trucks leaving billowing volumes of dust and lots and lots of men at work. For just as long, I have been writing official, o … Continued

Chiang Mai Icons

When thinking of Chiang Mai, be it as a resident or someone who visits, there are certain iconic places that spring to mind; a night out dancing at Riverside or Warm Up, eating French fries at The Boat or slurping milkshakes accompanied by toast cut up into eighths at Milk Zone. We have taken a nostalgic look at a selection of iconic long standing businesses which are synonymous with Chiang Mai, a … Continued

Clients’Spot

Paak Dang Restaurant Already popular for its spicy noodle soup, Paak Dang has many other qualities worth a look. The restaurant serves a range of Thai and international cuisine so there is something to satisfy everyone’s fancy. Situated in an antique wooden house with original Thai Lanna features on the Ping River this eatery has an undisputable romantic atmosphere, especially at nighttime when th … Continued

City Talk

Finding an old copy of the Chiang Mai Newsletter (Citylife’s old name!). No ads for Boutique Hotels or Spas. Reminds me of a quieter city when there were never traffic jams if you rode a motorbike! Remember seeing people carrying their songteaw fare in their ear…! 01 Rufus Nicholson English, 45, Teacher trainer Driving past my old school, The Sacred Heart College, reminds me of the after-school … Continued

What’s Happening?

ARTS & EXHIBITIONS 3rd – 27th April THE TWO JOURNEYS 2 @ CMU Art Centre The retro exhibited by two artists displaying the ‘Nature and Dhamma’. Opening will be on 3rd April at 6 p.m. 2nd – 27th April COMMERMORATION OF SUPREAM ARTIST @ CMU Art Centre The auspicious occasion of His Majesty the King’s 7th Cycle (84th) birthday anniversary exhibition by national artists in Visual Arts. FAIRS & … Continued

Special Scoop: Panwa Hotel, Phuket

Located on the southeastern tip of Phuket, Cape Panwa Hotel is one of the island’s most renowned hotels. Fronted by a secluded beach and turquoise ocean and surrounded by green hills, the resort occupies a truly inspiring location for a rewarding family holiday. The excellent facilities include a fitness centre, sauna, and swimming pool with adjacent children’s pool, beachside pool, water sports, … Continued

The Life of Wine

Last month we took a little look at a famous Portuguese footballer, erratic driving and tarts. This month, not because I’ve run out of ideas or anything, we are taking a left over the border into the north of Spain and having a quick peek at Rioja. Rioja is fascinating on at least two levels. Firstly it produces some of the finest red wines on the planet, and secondly the name has a ‘j’ where ther … Continued

More From Citylife

All hands on deck to rebuild Ban Pang Ung village

Fri 5th Sep

The cleanup of residents’ homes and the entire waterway at Ban Pang Ung in Mae Chaem, after the recent flood and landslide, has made progress. Forty households in disaster-prone areas have requested relocation. The Forest Resource Management Office No. 1, Provincial Office of Natural Resources and Environment Chiang Mai, Chiang Mai Irrigation Office, Chiang Mai Department of Public Works and Town … Continued

Tourism declines in Chiang Mai, authorities prepare new campaign

Fri 5th Sep

The number of tourists in Chiang Mai has declined. From April to June 2025, the number of Chinese tourists dropped by over 30 percent, raising serious concerns within the local tourism sector. Phatthanong Na Chiang Mai, Deputy Governor for Asia and South Pacific Marketing at the Tourism Authority of Thailand, stated that approximately 6.7 million tourists visited Chiang Mai in the first six months … Continued

Artistry in bloom at Anantara Chiang Mai Resort

Fri 5th Sep

As one of the Lanna capital’s most beautiful hotels – with tranquil lawns that front the Mae Ping River, Zen courtyards, and a magnificent teak mansion that once served as the British consulate – Anantara Chiang Mai Resort is the perfect stage for artistry. On 6 and 13 September, music scholars and students from Prem International School will serenade guests at The Verandah at 1921 House. Highligh … Continued

Mandarin ducks, coy fish and Pygmy goats now added to the flock

Wed 3rd Sep

Following the success of the geese at the moat and the swans at PAO’s park, the PAO has now added ten pairs of mandarin ducks to the park. The ducks were donated by Pa Miang Sub-district in Doi Saket. Not only that the Zoo Aquarium has now donated 100 coy fish to the same lake as the mandarin ducks, in hopes of pleasing the public even further.  As to the Pygmy goats also added to the park by the … Continued

Pioneering soy bean research by Chiang Mai University picked up by anti-ageing industry  

Wed 3rd Sep

Regional Science Park North, Chiang Mai University held a press conference to announce the licensing of its soy extract tablet and skin cream to Winona International Co., Ltd. The university also signed an MOU with the company to enhance research and development of health innovations for practical use in industry and society. Assoc. Prof. Supanimit Teekachunhatean, M.D., Ph.D., Head of the Clinica … Continued

Mother seeks justice after son dies in cow-related road accident

Mon 1st Sep

Kalong Sukjui, a 56-year-old woman, is calling for accountability after her 21-year-old son was killed in a car accident involving a cow. The incident occurred when a cow suddenly ran in front of his motorcycle, causing him to fall and be struck by another vehicle. The accident happened on the Chiang Mai – Hang Dong Outer Ring Road 3, opposite the PTT gas station, at around 7.20 pm on August 26, 2 … Continued

90% of 13,698 votes say yes to the geese staying in the moat 

Mon 1st Sep

After a poll which ran for 48 hours saw 13,698 people from all over Chiang Mai and beyond vote on whether or not to keep the ten geese on the moat, following a week long experiment to house the geese moatside while they spent their days eating the overgrown duckweed, 90% said yes. As the city waited for the results of the poll, the geese have been taken away for a health check, vaccination and mic … Continued

Rescue helicopters and personnel descend to help Ban Pang Ung flood victims 

Mon 1st Sep

A flash flood and landslide occurred in Ban Pang Ung in Mae Chaem District, resulting in the deaths is currently seven people. Rescue teams continue to search for two missing 5-year-old boys. The search for the remaining two missing used a backhoe from the Chiang Mai Provincial Administrative Organization to excavate the area where the bodies were previously found. The Department of Disaster Preve … Continued

The largest international book fair in Northern Thailand runs from 29th August – 7th September 2025 at Chiang Mai Hall, Central Chiang Mai Airport

Sat 30th Aug

Plan for Kids Co., Ltd., a leading publisher and distributor of children’s books and learning resources for families, together with Big Bad Wolf Books, the renowned international book fair organiser with a track record of hosting events across 34 cities in 13 countries, and Central Chiang Mai Airport, proudly present the “International Book Sale Featuring Big Bad Wolf 2025.” Book lovers across Chi … Continued

Monks pulled across raging river to attend funeral of flood victims in Mae Chaem 

Sat 30th Aug

Residents of Pang Oong Village in Mae Chaem District, released images showing images of a recent landslide, carrying earth and uprooted trees, which surged down into the village without warning. It has now been three days since the devastating flash floods and resulting landslides struck the area, claiming six lives. As of today, rescue teams from multiple agencies, together with local villagers a … Continued

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