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From Rags to Riches: The B2 Hotels Success Story

Pichai Chawla, 46, is the owner of the B2 hotel group, a successful chain of budget hotels, soon to number 23 branches throughout Thailand and beyond.

Chiang Mai Sign City ภาษาไทย

คูเมืองของเราตอนนี้ดูสวยงาม ล้อมรอบไปด้วยต้นไม้ที่แผ่กิ่งก้านสาขาในทุกช่วงฤดูร้อน เจ้าหน้าที่ตกแต่งสวนต่างปฏิบัติหน้าที่จัดแต่งและแต่งเติมแปลงดอกไม้รอบๆ คูเมือง เขตเมืองเก่ากำลังจะถูกบูรณะให้กลับมาดูดีขึ้นในไม่ช้า สิ่งเหล่านี้เป็นผลมากจากการบังคับใช้กฎระเบียบต่างๆ นั่นเอง ไม่ว่าจะการจัดระเบียบการควบคุมความสูง การออกแบบและแนวทางการใช้สีของอาคาร สิ่งเหล่านี้กำลังจะถูกปรับปรุงให้ดีขึ้น และเงินภาษีของประชาชนกำลังถูกใช้ไปกับการพัฒนาเชียงใหม่ในหลายๆ ด้าน

Waewdao Sirisook: Lanna and the Mirror

“No matter where I go, or what I do, I always want to come back here,” explains Waewdao Sirisook fondly, gesturing to the sunny, bustling streets of Chiang Mai that surround the coffee shop where we meet. Waewdao has been dancing for over 20 years, a passion that has jettisoned her around the globe, a skill that can be seen in the slightest of her movements, a connection to her body evident in the nonchalant but elegant wave of her hand. “The people here, no matter how I perform, no matter what kind of dance it is, come out and support me. I will always come back to show them what I’ve learned, no matter what.”

The Adventures of Tom: July 2015

I begin this month with an apology. Once again, an eagle-eyed reader has spotted a glaring error in my scribblings. I thank that reader for taking time out of what I can only assume is a very busy life for pointing out that witches do not have claws, as I suggested in last month’s article, but hands – because they need opposable thumbs for gripping their broomsticks, apparently. I would like therefore to publicly apologise to that reader – and of course all witches. Am I an idiot or what?

Chiang Mai Sign City

Our moat is looking pretty, lined with beautiful trees which explode into vibrant hues every summer. The city’s gardener is doing a fine job setting up and maintaining flower beds in little pockets every where. The old city is being polished and shined, thanks to the many new rules and regulations being enforced such as height restrictions, design controls as well as colour palette guidelines. Good things are being done and in many cases the public money is being used wisely. But what is the point of planting beautiful trees, setting up flower beds, renovating architecture and cleaning up the city if all of it is overshadowed, literally, by billboards?

Zudrangma Records & Paradise Bangkok Molam International Band: 21st Century Molam

In my relatively short time here in the Kingdom, Thai music is one thing that interests me greatly, yet it seems to be, for me at least, a very difficult genre to really sink my teeth into. The few stores at Kad Suan Gao that I’ve found that have LP’s have a limited selection and the records aren’t exactly cheap. But every now and then I’ll hear a dusty radio in a som tam restaurant with some catchy music and I can appreciate the musical heritage of this place. But these are deep waters.

24 Hours in Mae Sot

Chocks away! We shook tentatively on the breeze in a small 12 seater Cessna 208B Grand Caravan as its tyres kissed the tarmac goodbye and we slowly climbed into the candy floss cloud filled sky. The flight was to be one of two in just 24-hours, after Citylife was invited to experience Mae Sot; a hidden gem on the border of Burma, with beautiful secrets, often missed by your local and international traveller alike.

Design Ideas: Nipan Chawcharernpon

Nipan Chawcharernpon, 26, Video Producer and Video Post-Production shows us some of his move favourite items.

Golden Years in a Flawed Paradise

On the surface Chiang Mai appears to be a wonderful place to retire. But as Sawang Kaewkantha, Executive Director of the Foundation for Older Person Development pointed out, there is another side to the coin. Beneath the sabai life, the tropical weather, and all the pleasantries that make Chiang Mai attractive to retirees are a number of issues that make the city a challenging place to live out the autumn of life.

Editorial July 2015

We are inundated by advertising; and no, the irony is not lost on me. Whether by emails, in text messages, on Facebook, online, on television and radio, or in print, everywhere we look, we are told that we need to whiten our skin, blacken our hair, de-yellow our teeth. We’re urged to detox, retox and get botox. We’re seduced by images of luxury cars, penthouses, trips to Europe, if only we’re willing to put ourselves just that little further into debt. Temptations, temptations…

Dazzling Jewellery Displays

Dazzle and sparkle with some new jewellery or add some ornate decorations to your home from one of these three exquisite jewellers in the city.

Stores That Have Everything

Check out these three stores that are bound to serve you whatever you are looking for, no matter how wacky and weird it may be. Party accessories, fancy dress hire and a sea of second hand ‘stuff’ means nothing, however amazing, is beyond reality here in Chiang Mai.

New City Menus

Sink your teeth into some exciting new menus our city’s chefs are producing inspired by world cuisines ranging from Spanish tapas, Japanese curries to all American burgers.

City7: Workspaces

Brainstorming? Conceptualising? Banging heads together? You need a place to work! This month we’ve found the seven best work spaces to buckle down and get serious with your team, or pull up your boot straps and hit the books. With plenty of brain food to go around and the focused, productive atmosphere you need, it’s time to get stuff done!

Feeling Board?

There I was, stuck in a gas station, zombies banging at the door and only a pile of garbage and a small knife to determine my fate. The atmosphere is tense and tentative. One false move and I’ll lose the last bag of medical supplies that I desperately need to get back to camp. I roll…I get bitten and I die. The medical supplies are lost; a harsh blow to our remaining zombie apocalypse survivors. I pass the dice to the right, bringing my disastrous turn to an end. I order a coffee, take a breather, and begin to hatch a new plan for my only surviving character, vowing to make up for my poor choices that left me dying in a pool of zombie blood.

A Fundamental Good: All Saints Inclusive Church

Matters concerning gender and sexual orientation have not been easy for the Christian Church. The church is still divided on what’s fundamentally the right way to be, just as sections of the hoi polloi – after all this so-called cultural modernisation we’ve ostensibly embraced – still denounce or renounce the way some people just are. It’s a sin, say some denominations such as the Evangelical Covenant Church, concerning homosexuality; while the Roman Catholic Church has merely called being gay a ‘moral disorder’ that is part of the devil’s wicked scheme. And while some progressive measures have been taken in the name of LGBT rights and the church, such as an actual ‘Inclusive Church’ being formed; the acceptance of gay marriage (notably, recently in Ireland), or denominations forming their own branches of the church that are more in tune with human rights, it looks like in many good church-goers’ eyes you are destined for an afterlife in the eternal fire simply for loving or lusting after someone whom they say you shouldn’t.

More From Citylife

Culture Shock

What is culture? It’s certainly something not easily definable, it’s negotiable – when it suits us – and it’s unashamedly versatile. Nevertheless, we live within it, and occasionally die for it; we argue for its global ascendancy in the pub and cry for its plight when it moves on without us. Culture is a well worn word these days in Thailand as the government’s grip on the nation loses its strengt … Continued

Chang Cantonese food ร้านอาหารจีนสไตล์กวางตุ้งย่านช้างม่อยเก่า ที่แปลกใหม่ด้วยรสชาติและการนำเสนอ

นอกเหนือจากตึกรามบ้านช่องเก่าแก่ ร้านรวงและคาเฟ่เก๋ๆ ที่ก่อตัวขึ้นภายในบริเวณ ในย่านช้างม่อยยังมีร้านอาหารจีนขนาดหนึ่งคูหา อย่าง ‘ฉาง’  ที่หยิบจับเอารสชาติจากมณฑลกวางตุ้ง มาเล่าใหม่

Chiang Mai International Airport packed over the weekend

Tue 5th Jul

Chiang Mai International Airport joined others across Thailand over the weekend in receiving tourists, sans restrictions, for the first time since the start of the pandemic.   One flight from Singapore landed with 160 people, the largest group of international visitors to arrive in over two years. Due to the change in system for arrival, not all passengers had the correct documents on them, leadin … Continued

CDSC Forest Planting Day Pupils planted 600 trees.

Wed 29th Jun

Since 1961, an estimated two-thirds of Thailand’s forests have been cut down. Students from the CDSC countered this by planting 600 trees. This will 8 tonnes of CO2 from the air each year to offset the school community’s carbon footprint. In addition, the trees will be part of an ecosystem that will provide a new home for many different species of animals. The CDSC Forest School Project was launch … Continued

PM Prayuth faced protesters in Chiang Mai today

Wed 29th Jun

As Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha arrived at the FTI EXPO 2022 Shaping the Future Industry event at the International Convention Centre before noon today, he was greeted by a group of sign-bearing protesters.  The group left without incident after the prime minister drove past. There are reportedly 2,000 police patrolling the city today.

ปลุกชีวิตให้ซาบซ่า กับ Craft Soda Workshop ที่ Spoon – Professor of Soda

สนุกกับ ‘Crafted Soda Workshop’ กับคุณสนุ๊ก คลาส 1 วันเต็มๆ ที่อัดแน่นความรู้เกี่ยวกับการทำความซ่า แบบไม่มีกั๊ก

ภัตตาคารเจี่ยท้งเฮง อาหารจีนที่ติดโผมิชลินในถิ่นล้านนา

กับเอกลักษณ์ในแบบฉบับจีนแต้จิ๋วที่ชูรสชาติและดึงธรรมชาติที่แท้จริงของวัตถุดิบออกมาได้อย่างดีเยี่ยม อาหารจีนของเจี่ยท้งเฮงจึงเข้าถึงได้ไม่ยาก กับหลายเมนูที่ส่งต่อกรรมวิธีการทำจากรุ่นสู่รุ่น พร้อมความอร่อยที่การันตีโดยมิชลิน ไกด์ 

SYN Boutique Hotel ผสมผสานการพักผ่อนเข้ากับศิลปะและอาหารหลากสีสัน

SYN Boutique Hotel ก็ผนวกมนต์เสน่ห์และความงดงามให้เข้ากับยุคสมัย ผ่านความคิดสร้างสรรค์ในการออกแบบสไตล์ Modern Craft Rustic กับความหลากหลายในรายละเอียด ที่จะปลุกให้เราออกมาใช้ชีวิตท่ามกลางบรรยากาศแปลกใหม่ ที่จะเติมเต็มสีสัน ชีวิตชีวาให้กับการพักผ่อน

Nekoemon Café: Little Japan in Chiang Mai

Nekoemon Café จะพาเราวาร์ปไปอยู่ท่ามกลางสวนสวย ฟังเสียงน้ำตก นกร้อง เพลิดเพลินกับอาหารญี่ปุ่นจานอร่อย ที่ให้ฟีลเหมือนกำลังอยู่ที่ประเทศญี่ปุ่นยังไงยังงั้น

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