21 Day Metamorphosis
How does one survive deep betrayal? For most of us there is no forgiveness. There certainly isn’t understanding, and we are lucky if we can move on at all, let alone become all the better for it. So, as was to be expected, when Adele Theron’s husband of seven years admitted to having had 18 affairs in the past three years of marriage, her world collapsed. Remarkably, less than a month later she … Continued
Yangon: Off the Beaten Track
Burma is back on the tourist trail, with the authorities hoping to welcome up to three million visitors this year. Many will spend only a day or two in Yangon before heading to some of the country’s best-known attractions – the spectacular temples of Bagan, the majestic Inle Lake or the sun-kissed beaches of the south. This is a pity, as Yangon – with its rich, cosmopolitan history and imposing co … Continued
Behind the Curtains: Chiang Mai’s Love Hotels
It’s naughty, it’s sexy, it’s everywhere – if you know where to look. Chiang Mai is home to dozens of short term hotels, euphemistically called love hotels. They range from the seedy drive-in and curtained-off rent-by-the-hour dives to some exquisite playgrounds of love (ok, lust) where couples (even oddly enough, families) can go and stay for a night or two, enjoying a variety of themed rooms and wholesome (…or not) sexual fun.
Migrant Blues
In early September, 36 migrant workers on a Chiang Mai building site went on strike. The men, from Burma, claimed they had been paid considerably less than the minimum wage and had not received passports and work permits they had paid for. The matter was eventually resolved but the rare incident highlighted the problems faced by migrant workers in northern Thailand, which experts say have worsened since the May 22 coup.
The School of Endless Hobbies
I arrive at Ramby’s School to find founder and director Sahrah Boeck lying on the grass outside with her face covered in gold leaf. She looks up at me and jovially apologises. “It’s a new beauty treatment that I’m testing, so I can perhaps teach it if anyone wants to learn it!”
Oodles of Noodles
Oodles of Noodles We all love a bowl of hot, fragrant and sometimes spicy Thai noodles, so here are three noodle shops that are worth the visit – be it to cure a morning hangover, or fill that empty working belly. Million Words of Happiness This new and homely noodle restaurant offers not only great noodles but also an exciting menu for all tastes. Located next to China Chic Hotel in Jet Yot, the … Continued
CityGuide: Chiang Mai University Area
Resident Expert: Boontawee “Hee” Russameenin, 38 Nationality: Thai Occupation: Freelance Photographer Neighbourhood: Chiang Mai University area What are the defining characteristics of your neighbourhood? People respect each other’s privacy. Why did you choose this neighbourhood? It is located in the centre of Chiang Mai, taking only 10 minutes to Chiang Mai Airport, Chiang Mai University, and th … Continued
The Adventures of Tom: October 2014
Hospitals, love them or hate them (and if you love them then a hospital is precisely the place you need to be to get a prescription to sort that out), if you live in Chiang Mai then they are as inevitable as the immigration office. Obviously not only bad things happen in these places. Babies get born, people get bionic limbs and others are told they are not dying, they are just a bit lactose intol … Continued
Editorial: October 2014
Pretty foreign ladies, so warned our Prime Minister, should not be wearing bikinis if they wish to be safe in Thailand. Sigh. There is nothing at all surprising about this statement, if you have lived in this country for any amount of time. When there is a violent crime against a foreigner, authorities seem to go into blind panic mode. It is a “protect Thailand’s reputation at all costs” mentality.