Editorial
We all want something, whether it is a new iPhone or world peace. As wonderful-sounding as Buddha’s teachings on the cessation of desire are, I have yet to ever meet anyone who doesn’t have them. It is in our nature, and, I suppose, nurture. And no one likes not getting their way. It can hurt, insult and frustrate. But that is part of growing up in life. We learn how to manage the lack of re … Continued
Holiday Events Listing
Getting Into the Spirit Christmas & New Year’s Eve 2013 Saturday, 7th December Christmas Charity Dinner Party @ Seven Fountains Spirituality Centre (Huay Kaew Road) For reservations call 053 365 349 or 091 141 8720 Support the Education Sponsorship Fund while indulging in an International Buffet Dinner and entertainment. Wander stalls selling goodies and partake in the silent auction. Ad … Continued
Clients’ Spot
Café de Oasis Thailand’s renowned spa chain, Oasis, boasting nine locations and counting, has now expanded their golden touch to a new venture: a fabulous new café with a decidedly spa-like atmosphere. Located on the cross street just before the massive new convention centre off Canal Road, this is a great new addition to a developing area of the city, perfect for a quick stop on your way to … Continued
Citylife Old Site – 22 – 12 –
Café de Oasis Thailand’s renowned spa chain, Oasis, boasting nine locations and counting, has now expanded their golden touch to a new venture: a fabulous new café with a decidedly spa-like atmosphere. Located on the cross street just before the massive new convention centre off Canal Road, this is a great new addition to a developing area of the city, perfect for a quick stop on your way to … Continued
City Guide: Chiang Mai Old City
What are the defining characteristics of your neighbourhood? What makes it special? The old city is the most historical area of Chiang Mai city. Surrounded by crumbling terracotta walls, one can easily go back in time and imagine how this old capital of the kingdom of Lanna once appeared. What do you like most about this neighbourhood? The history. I love the old teak wood houses turn … Continued
Music Box
Yuna – Nocturnal Malaysian folk-pop singer Yuna Zarai has been steadily rising in international fame since 2011, thanks to the strength of her super popular MySpace page, two lauded indie label releases and an appearance at last year’s Lollapalooza. Here is her debut for American jazz label Verve, where she continues her line of catchy, easy-going tunes that live somewhere between the worlds of No … Continued
City Talk
Pooja Kothari, 22 Intern, Indian I would like Santa to give me an amazing job once I leave my internship at Citylife and return to India! Shana Kongmun, 40-something Editor, American Can Santa fix the traffic lights on Nimmanhaemin so they don’t last 20 minutes? That’s what I want for Christmas. Saran Dolpipatpongm, 23, Writer, Thai I want lot of movie tickets so that I never have to buy the … Continued
Where the Wild Things Are Building a Second Chance for Thailand’s Trafficked Animals
In 2010, a Thai woman named Piyawan Palasarn drugged a two-month-old tiger cub and packed it into a suitcase. She piled in stuffed toy tigers alongside it, as though they would prevent airport security from detecting the real, live, endangered animal she was illegally trying to smuggle out of Thailand in her carry-on luggage. Piyawan was caught by authorities at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and, … Continued
Destination: Art
What would you do if you had the time, the means and the passion? Write a book? Travel the world? Set up an orphanage? Vichit Chaiwong, founder and past owner of the iconic Chiang Mai design company Gongdee Gallery, has spent the past two years indulging in his passion: art. After selling his business, he converted his ex-factory and warehouse into a massive art gallery – surely the largest … Continued
Holiday Gift Ideas
Thai, American, Italian Marisa Marchitelli is ridiculously prolific; she is a travel writer, photographer, filmmaker and now bespoke tour guide based here in Chiang Mai. If you are into shopping, get in touch for a private tour of some of Chiang Mai’s best kept secrets – outlets, boutique shops, and of course yummy places to eat to keep the energy going while credit cards get depleted. If you want … Continued
Christmas Cheer in Chiang Mai, Without the Sprouts!
I say we hand the job of celebrating Christmas in Thailand over to whatever genius committee or quango came up with Loy Krathong and Songkran. Just imagine what the Thais would do if the baby Jesus has been Buddhist. Unfortunately, in a nation that does festivals centred on blowing stuff up and chucking water at each other so very well, the celebration of a baby being born in a shed with a donkey, … Continued
Food for the Future
Getting a job as a young, inexperienced person is hard. But imagine how much harder it is when you’re also an undocumented immigrant with no money or job training? This is the problem that OYORI Asia, a social enterprise based in Korea, has set out to address. Having successfully operated their flagship restaurant in Seoul since 2009, the global social franchise has been dedicated to providing job … Continued
And the Creativity Oscar Goes To…
We’ve all seen the logo – a colourful, fat and funky city moat – on t-shirts, stickers or as a sponsor of one creative event or another. But even after having written about Chiang Mai Creative City (CMCC) a few times in Citylife, and in spite of its huge following on Facebook and solid brand recognition, many people still scratch their heads over what exactly it is. Simply put, it is an initiative … Continued
What’s Happening?
ARTS AND EXHIBITIONSBAM THAI LANNA ARTS COMPETITIONNow – 4th December@ CMU Art Centre053 218 280, 053 944 833BAM Thai Lanna Arts Competition is being held by the Faculty of Fine Art CMU.NON STILL LIFE BY MAKHA SANEWONG NA AYUTHAYANow – 7th December@ Pongnoi Community Art SpaceArt exhibition that questions the meaning and function of subjects around us – when changed, are they still the same things … Continued
City7: Sandwiches
O joy, thy name is sandwich. In what other form can you pack every one of your favourite foods between two slices of carbohydrate and shove it directly into your mouth? While Thai culture (unlike Vietnamese, see page 54), has not fully boarded the sandwich train, there are plenty of Western-friendly establishments in Chiang Mai that are sure to satisfy your cravings. Here are just a few to check o … Continued
This is Thailand
For those of you with questions regarding Thailand, Thai culture, history, tourism, laws, rules, food, nightlife, subculture, dating, or generally anything as long as it is relevant, we have a panel of experts ready to respond to your enquiries. Email: hilary@chiangmaicitylife.com Everyone seems to be smoking electronic cigarettes lately. Where can I find one in Chiang Mai? Hilary: Indeed, e-cigar … Continued
Editorial
We Thais celebrate with gusto and flamboyance. Chiang Mai claims the world’s biggest water fight as well as the most mind-blowing khom loy releases (it is interesting though that a festival born in homage of the rivers has morphed in the past decade to become one which lights up the skies). We eat moon cakes during Chinese New Year (even though we aren’t sure why), we fall hard for the comme … Continued
Your Say
Ajarn Citylife You wouldn’t believe if I told you that I’ve been using Citylife (“Chiang Mai Newsletter” back then) issues since 2000. My reading classes in particular are much more fun with sections like “Thai Tales” as reading passages. We’re skimming, scanning and reading those tales, extensively analysing the words, sentences and expressions; we even do tests on those texts! Every part of the … Continued
City Buzz
What’s buzzing now? Tonnes of fabulous new restaurants, coffee shops and hotels all over the city for you to check out and enjoy this holiday season! Magnolia and Pinn Food Society Part of the ever-growing Wine Gallery empire, Magnolia is a charming restaurant serving up freshly baked goods and aromatic coffees and teas in the mornings (well, all day, if you wish), classic Thai and European dishes … Continued
Special Scoop: Rimping Supermarket
Phairoj Phatsorpinyosakul of Rimping Supermarket Talks Veggies and Values An interview with Phairoj Phatsorpinyosakul, Chief Executive Officer of Rimping Supermarket, Chiang Mai, about expanding a well-known local brand without losing sight of core values. ————————————– Citylife: Rimping has long held its customers in high esteem, which is evident from the way t … Continued
From India with Love
Tradition and glamour: Indian weddings are a mix of both. Although they tend to stay rooted to their customs, beliefs and backgrounds, Indians are also known for throwing some of the most lavish weddings in the world. In short, nobody does a big fat wedding the way Indians do. While they are, naturally, very important occasions, they are also most often sheer fun. Growing up in Mumbai, India, I a … Continued
Special Scoop: Chez Marco
When you’re looking for a seriously delicious meal in Chiang Mai, you needn’t look much further than Chez Marco.A taste of the French Riviera in the middle of Loi Kroh Road, the restaurant is known for its fun and lively atmosphere, its “handsome chef and beautiful staff,” and of course, it’s fabulous food! Developed by the friendly French-Japanese chef Marco and his Japanese father Tsuneo (a.k.a. … Continued