Boys in the Ring: The Controversy of Muay Thai’s Youngest Fighters
Picture two prepubescent boys soaking with sweat, slugging it out in a ring under blinding fluorescent lights as spectators cheer and taunt them. This image evokes immediate questions about the morality and intentions behind a sport which pits the most fragile of humans, some as young as seven years old, into battle. For some, this form of entertainment could not possibly be seen as acceptable or … Continued
Spiderwoman Seeks Tarantulas
Dr Emma Shaw, 38, is a British expert on spiders. She came to Citylife’s attention when she refuted claims that deadly brown recluse spiders were on the loose in northern Thailand. Now she’s on the lookout for a population of tarantulas to further her research. “I don’t want anybody to collect them; I just want to know where they are,” she tells me. When I meet Shaw for a cup of tea in a noisy sch … Continued
Creature Comforts
Creature Comforts This month, give your furry friends a bit of love (and a dash of luxury) with these hand-picked hotspots for those on four legs. Bokk Maow Going on vacation and need to leave Fido and Mittens at home? We’ve got just the place. Bokk Maow, located near Thai Watsadu on the Chiang Mai-Lampang Road, offers an exclusive chance for your beloved pets to get away from it all. Offering 24 … Continued
CityGuide: Mae Hia
Why did you choose this neighbourhood? I have always loved visiting temples and driving along the Samoeng Road and I chose to live close to my favourite temple, Wat Ton Kwen, in Nong Kwai. It has beautiful architecture with a homespun Lanna style and is in a perfect location. Many hotels in Chiang Mai have copied its design to create new builds around the city. However, the temple is small, with … Continued
Picnic Spots
1. Suan Son Bor Kaew This stunning forest of pine trees with wide grassy areas in between is worth the 150 kilometre trip out of Chiang Mai on the Hot – Mae Salong Road. With a beautiful atmosphere and cool breezes, the location is perfect for a romantic picnic or family outing. A small caf? is there if you need a cool drink but best to bring your own wicker basket and chequered blanket for … Continued
Into the Woods, Into the Fire
I am lost, hopelessly lost. The kind of lost that has you checking your gas gauge every five minutes lost. As impressive as Thailand’s 3G coverage is, I am struggling to find my location. To complicate matters, it appears as though I have lost myself in the late to middle Lanna period, 1300 CE or so. There is not a motorcycle to be seen. Not a car or truck. I left those long ago. The only reminder … Continued
One World, One Goal
Social change never comes easy. There are divisions in religion, resource disputes and an abundance of corruption that runs rampant in many parts of the world. Yet, there is a human element that is able to transcend religious and economic boundaries…and that’s the need for fun. This is where One World Futbol Project comes in, a company aimed at bringing impoverished communities together through a … Continued
The Adventures of Tom
As I pottered home the other evening with my beloved Suzuki “Superb” purring between my thighs, the words of environmental activist David Suzuki (no relation to my classic bike, as far as I know) popped into my head: “The human brain now holds the key to our future. We have to recall the image of the planet from outer space: a single entity in which air, water and continents are interconnected. Th … Continued
Dazzled by the Light
It began on a regular Chiang Mai afternoon. I was sitting at local hippy haunt Tea Tree Caf้e, sipping a cup of chai and minding my own business when I noticed something interesting going on around me. One by one, people were taking turns under a flashing box of light, and emerging blissed out and calm. Curious, I asked what was going on. As it turns out, these people were receiving an innovative … Continued
Editorial: November 2014
Calendars are filling up. Days are getting not only literally, but figuratively, shorter. So much to do and so many places to be as Chiang Mai gears up for our favourite season. Here at Citylife, we too have been busy planning all sorts of festivities. We have also had a bit of fun these past few months, with our, ahem, Grape Appreciation Walk, which saw about 110 readers traversing and sipping th … Continued
Unseen Survivors Living with Disabilities in Thailand
Orapin Paiponganurak was seven years old when she became afflicted with Rheumatoid Arthritis, a debilitating autoimmune disorder that attacks the joints. Born to a poor Karen family of farmers in a remote village in Mae Sariang, she was left with few options.