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A Year of Free Hugs

It all happens quite seamlessly. You’re at Tha Pae Gate on a peaceful Saturday morning. The square is mostly empty save for a few stray tourists, some street vendors, and a flock of pigeons. Then a frail old man with a puffy gray beard casually rides along your line of sight on his three-wheel bicycle. He stops, looks at you, smiles, and opens his arms wide, revealing the design on the oversized t-shirt he’s wearing, which reads “free hugs” in over a dozen different languages. You know what you’re supposed to do next, but understandably you might hesitate a bit. He’s a scruffy man in his early 50s, and looks like he might be homeless. But he has kindness in his eyes, and gives you a head nod to let you know it’s alright. You open your arms and it happens: a hug. Stepping back, returning to your day slightly changed, you may wonder why people don’t do that sort of thing more often. It’s kind of nice.

Gifts That Keep On Giving

1. Art Relief International ARI offers Chiang Mai’s struggling social groups the opportunity to create as a form of expression and therapy.  Browse a variety of prints and paintings by participants, featured in their online Art Shop. Every piece is unique and the proceeds change lives. www.artrelief.net 2. Healing Family Foundation With a lovely studio near Wat Gate, this nonprofit seeks to provid … Continued

Salad Mania, Holiday Staycations and Mum’s Day Out

If you need a break from the heavy holiday feasting, why not jump on Chiang Mai’s recent salad train with one of these delicious and nutritious eateries (or just say you’re going to a salad restaurant but secretly order a steak, up to you).

Editorial: December 2014

‘Tis The Gift Issue. Not that we need the weather to change to start giving, but conditioning (and marketing) has made it so. December is no longer just a month in which one religion’s spiritual head’s son was born, it has become a global exclamation point to the end of the year. Presents! Fun! Joy! And all of these warm and fuzzy feelings evoke largess, hence all the giving. Like many of you, I g … Continued

Citylife’s Super Duper Gift Guide

  For you, dear readers, a glorious gift guide just in time for the holiday season, curated by Citylife’s expert editorial team. We’ve got something special for even the most difficult person on your list. Happy Holidays! Snazzy dad: An old-fashioned shave and a haircut Let your father channel his inner Mad Man with a trip to The Cutler, where true gentlemen stay a cut above the rest with tra … Continued

The Adventures of Tom: December 2014

Of the odd jobs many expats get involved in here, being a movie extra, shot up by machine guns and hacked to death by machete-wielding rebels on the roof of a hotel, has to be one of the more exciting. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

Gotta Cache ‘Em All

In this month’s edition of Stuff White People Like, we explore geocaching, which I just recently learned was a thing.What is geocaching, you ask? A fair query. According to the official geocaching website, it is “a real-world, outdoor treasure hunting game using GPS-enabled devices” that has been going on under our noses since the year 2000.

What’s in a Thai Name?

For me, names are permanent. Whatever tickled your parents’ fancy decades ago is pretty much what you are stuck with forever. Yes, forever. Think headstones. The only times in my life I would consider changing my name would be if I switched sexual orientations and got married or if I converted to some odd religion. But for many Thai people, names are more than just an identity, they are indicators of luck, prosperity, and sometimes the sole reason for all the good or bad fortune in your life.

Holiday Getaway: Phuket

December in Thailand means lots of long weekends and, if you’re lucky, some time off for Christmas and New Year’s. So why not take advantage and plan a coastal holiday getaway to Phuket, where stunning vistas, white sand beaches and balmy blue waters are served up with a dose of style and luxury.

A Leg in a Day

When Therdchai “Chai” Jivacate graduated from medical school 50 years ago, he came to Chiang Mai to work in a hospital treating people with physical deformities. Most were poor farmers who had been injured on the land. Chai grew sick of having to amputate patients to save their lives, knowing that there was no chance of them receiving any kind of aftercare. Today, Chai is secretary general of The … Continued

Fashion Meets Compassion

It all started a few years ago when Mark Weber was at his local Trader Joe’s grocery store in America. He and his now-wife and business partner, Alana Hitchcock, were at checkout one day buying their usual brand of fair trade coffee, which costs about 70 cents extra than the regular kind.

A Look Back at 2014

As we come to the end of another jam-packed year at Citylife, we decided to get back in touch with some of the fascinating people we’re interviewed over the past year, to see how things have been since we last saw them and check up on their plans for the future.

Hello Festival Season!

It’s “winter” once again in Thailand and that means not only an influx of tourists but also lovely weather and a plethora of local and national festivals. Here are a few, in Chiang Mai and beyond, that are worth checking out!

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Miss International Queen 2025 officially kicks off in Chiang Mai

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The Miss International Queen 2025 competition has officially launched in Chiang Mai, reinforcing Thailand’s status as a premier cultural tourism destination and enhancing the country’s soft power on the global stage. This year, 23 stunning contestants from 23 nations received a heartfelt Lanna-style welcome as they embark on a series of pre-pageant activities designed to immerse them in Thailand’s … Continued

New Chiang Mai Governor seeks blessings for a good start

Tue 9th Sep

Thotsapol Phueanudom, the newly appointed 42nd Governor of Chiang Mai Province, and his wife paid their respects to sacred objects inside the Chiang Mai Provincial Hall to seek blessings for good fortune. The worship began at the Singh Monument, regarded as the city’s lion, and continued to the Chiang Mai Provincial Government Center, where they paid homage to the royal monument of King Chulalongk … Continued

Nurse daughter joins pilot father in first flight as a volunteer Sky Doctor 

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Lt. Col. Yongyuth Sawangthong, commander of the Pha Muang Task Force, and his daughter, Thachaphan “Khaimook” Sawangthong, a nurse in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit at Nakhon Ping Hospital, proudly serve together as part of the Thai Sky Doctor team. On her very first mission, Thachaphan joined her father who piloted the helicopter to safely transport a patient by air. Working side by side, they … Continued

Maejo University develops eco-friendly artificial stones for sustainable landscaping

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Maejo University has developed an innovative and eco-friendly artificial stone made from recycled materials to replace natural stone in landscaping. The Faculty of Architecture at Maejo University, in collaboration with architecture students and interested parties, has developed lightweight and environmentally friendly artificial stones made from recycled materials, including fabric scraps, foam, … Continued

Many Buddhists complain about lazy monks who won’t walk to receive alms

Mon 8th Sep

In the early morning at Chiang Mai Gate Market, Buddhist monks can be seen standing and waiting for people to offer them food, instead of walking on alms rounds as is customary. Each monk remains in place until his alms bowl is full, then transfers the food into a bag and continues standing until late. Local residents reported that monks have been collecting alms at Chiang Mai Gate Market for many … Continued

Three victims get money back following cyber scam 

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Pol Lt. Gen. Trairong Phiwphan, Commissioner of the Technology Crime Suppression Division (TCSD), presented refund checks totaling 424,168 baht to three victims of call centre scams. In the first case, a victim was lured through a Facebook page offering free tea and invited to a Line group promising rewards for money transfers. Police arrested a suspect in Chiang Mai and froze 194,480 baht of the … Continued

Concert in Bangkok raises money for northern forest project

Sun 7th Sep

Thailand Cultural Centre hosted “Concerto of Giving: Virtuoso, Voices and Vision” raising over 400,000 baht for northern projects. This charity concert was organised by the Piano Academy of Bangkok in collaboration with the 159 Chamber Orchestra, the RoLD Fellows network, the Design for Society Centre at Chulalongkorn University (CUD4S), and sponsoring partners. The performance featured 20 interna … Continued

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