City Talk
01 Rosilda Clark, 24, Traveller, British I love spinning, mainly because of how intense it is. It’s kind of a love/hate relationship because you have someone barking at you to go harder, but it’s so rewarding at the end. . 02 Anupong Sangmeneekam, 22, Student, Thai My best activity is riding motocross into the jungle with my father. I love it not only because I love riding but also becau … Continued
Everybody’s Bees-ness
“Once the bees have left the earth, man will have four years left on the planet.” According to an April 2013 article in Al Jazeera, this chilling statement was made by none other than Albert Einstein, near the end of his Nobel Prize winning life. While some have questioned the source of this now famous quotation, the message itself is bona fide: the disappearence of bees spells catastrophe for man … Continued
Editorial
Kreng jai. This ubiquitous verb is uniquely Thai, though its sentiments (in spite of Thailand’s claim to it), are universal. The word itself can be interpreted into many layers of meaning, but roughly it is expressed as a kind of self-conscious awareness of others, a sense of consideration, manners, fear of imposition or respect. Better writers than me have tried and failed to succinctly define it … Continued
Timeless Luang Prabang
The first time I visited Luang Prabang, I hitched my way down the Mekong on a rice barge. It was 1993. My boyfriend and I had no idea where we were going, but we knew it would be an adventure. We played cards with boatmen on the barge’s roof, occasionally waving at people on the banks from the rare villages we cruised past. We spent a night at some illegal logging camp being wined and dined by a g … Continued
Ten Hours of Eternity
My morning begins with a brisk walk to Wat Ched Yod. Most people have no idea how to get to my house, and I have no idea how to give directions in Thai, so Wat Ched Yod is a pleasant compromise. The sun hangs slack in the sky as if just waking, casting golden light on a monk seated on a guardrail. About one hundred yards past him stands King Tilokarat’s Madha Chedi, the stucco statues stare fore … Continued
Design Ideas
Marisa Marchitelli For the past year I’ve been working on Handmade Chiangmai as the project’s creative director. Searching for a wide-ranging showcase of the richness and variety of craftsmanship in Chiang Mai, I’ve visited makers and designers working in different mediums with an array of techniques. These are some products I love. To see more visit www.handmade-chiangmai.com. For more informatio … Continued
City Buzz
Citylife has settled comfortably into our lovely new neighbourhood just east of the Ping. A bit of exploring the tree-lined soi that surround our office has revealed a variety of prime lunch spots, and we’ve all got new favourites. Here’s a few we think you might enjoy… “When your eye is in pain, you need to gaze upon the tree. Why?” This is the rather enigmatic slogan for this eccentric little … Continued
Welcome to the Thai-light Zone
Some are creepy, others fascinating; some are inspiring, and some are downright horrifying…but one thing is for sure, Thailand’s history is filled with some very unique individuals and some very bizarre situations. Here, we introduce you to just a few of them. Harn Raksajit, the mad monk So there was this guy named Harn Raksajit, or Nain Ae amongst friends. As a novice monk in 1995, he was arreste … Continued
Grassroots Shoot for the Stars
All in a Day’s Work Songsri ‘Oy’ Ruankaew is a busy but contented lady. At 39, she has a fledging business, multiple places of work, an adopted 12-year-old son, a car, a motorbike, and best of all, no debt. Life never handed her any of these things. Born to one of the poorest farming families in a farming village in Mae Rim, Oy learnt early in life that if she wanted something, it was up to her to … Continued
Destination Fitness: Chiang Mai’s Coolest Workouts Revealed
We’ve all heard it before, the benefits of working out: more energy, better endurance, reduced stress and anxiety levels, better overall health and, of course, the chance to look better naked! Chiang Mai’s sticky heat and crazy traffic make it tough to run or cycle much inside the city (and plus, that stuff can get a little boring on the best of days), so, I set out on a mission to find out what e … Continued
City 7: Vegetarian Restaurants
Who needs meat? Chiang Mai is a prime destination for vegetarian goodness. Here are seven of our favourite veg-eateries, listed in no particular order. Enjoy! 1. Brown Rice Organic Bistro Now in a new open-air space in the middle of the Old City, Brown Rice Organic Bistro is a lovely place to linger over healthy juices (G.O.D. – featuring chlorophyll, honey and coconut water – is the perfect refre … Continued
Music Box
Femi Kuti – No Place for My Dream As the son of Africa’s greatest music legend, Femi Kuti has spent the years since father Fela’s death proving he’s every bit as much of an artist and international star in his own right. While his live show maintains the high energy, big band Afrobeat sound of his father’s groups, his albums have included dalliances into hip-hop, electronica and free-jazz. No Plac … Continued
Your Say
This 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 but priority will be given to letters under 200 words. Letters may be edited for clarity or conciseness. Name and contact details must be supplied. • Controversy, or Something Like It As a former female expat who lived and taught English in … Continued
The Life of Wine
While I was trying to come up with a suitable subject for the column this month, I turned to a chum and asked whether there were any questions he’d ever wanted to ask about wine, but had always been too lazy to Google. He came back, quick-as-a-flash, with: “Yeah, corks. What are they about?” An excellent topic for discussion, and far better than the pros and cons of the champagne enema, a subject … Continued
What’s Happening?
Now – 12th June LIFE AMIDST THE RUBBISH @ Pongnoi Community Art Space www.jeffsjournalism.com This photography exhibit by Jeffrey Warner provides a chronological, hour-by-hour window into the daily life of Burmese refugees living on a rubbish dump located on the outskirts of Mae Sot, Thailand. 7th – 27th June THE 3RD BANGKOK TRIENNALE INTERNATIONAL PRINT & DRAWING EXHIBITION @ CMU Art Museum T … Continued
This is Thailand
For those of you with questions regarding Thailand, Thai culture, history, tourism, laws, rules, food, nightlife, subcultures, dating; generally anything as long as it is relevant, we have a panel of experts ready to respond to all your enquiries. Email: hilary@chiangmaicitylife.com 1. I’m kind of broke this month, but I can’t think of a weekend without going out. Where can I have a good time with … Continued
Clients’s Spot
Born to be wild? Get fast and furious without risking your life at Chiang Mai Speedkart, where you can hop into a high-powered professional grade go-kart with a 270 cc engine that will reach speeds of 80 to 90 kilometres per hour. Chiang Mai’s most exciting new adrenaline rush is located on 11 rai of land just off Canal Road, near Royal Park Rajapruek. Here, a 700 metre track is your open road, wi … Continued
Love or Something Like It
I still recall one of the first times I felt genuinely afraid for my safety while travelling. I was in Kuala Lumpur, and a few friends and I were waiting to catch a night bus to Thailand. I excused myself to run to a drugstore I had seen a few blocks away. As I walked, I became acutely aware of the stares I was getting, particularly from a group of men I’d need to pass on my way, and felt afraid. … Continued
Chiang Mai Then and Now
Citylife’s photo editor, Boontawee Russameenin, started working at Citylife in 2000. He left for a few years to go to Australia to gain his diploma degree in photography, then came back to us. He then left again for six months when he had a family emergency, but like a boomerang, he came bouncing back. This time he insists that he is leaving for good, off to become a freelance photographer and spr … Continued