Lanna International School (LIST) is one of the oldest international schools in Chiang Mai, having been founded in 1993. The school’s modest setting near the Chiang Mai International Airport has served its numerous classes of alumni well, sending graduates to some of the finest universities in the world.

Throughout my stay in Mae Kor, a Karen village northwest of Chiang Mai city, villagers often emphasised the importance of the forest to their lives. “In the city, you have supermarkets. In Mae Kor, we have the forest. In the forest, we can gather vegetables and hunt animals for meat.” Paet, a 34 year old villager, quips. “Everything is free! No money is needed!” he added, grinning widely.

With the number of tourists out-doing itself every year, the population on a steady incline, and major development projects dominating the landscape, Chiang Mai definitely has its fair share of modern growing pains. To help us take a step back and get a feel for simpler days, we put together a list of some of our favourite timeless Chiang Mai classics.

Time can be magical; it can erode the valuable into rubbish while also turning something worthless into something priceless.

The growth of the city’s coffee culture has been quite spectacular with coffee shops, from the trendy to the homey, opening up all over the city. Here are some of our faves this month.

We all grumble about losing weight, feeling tired and fatigued; we talk about making changes, kick-starting our lives. But most of us don’t do anything about it. So when The Pavana Chiang Mai Resort invited Citylife to experience their famed detox programme, I jumped at the opportunity.

Time for a change of scenery? Run out of jokes to tell your local bartender? Here’s some new friendly spots around town that are as welcoming as they come, and the perfect drinking holes to hang out with old pals and make some new ones.

Spanking new businesses perfect for your special needs, whether your wee one needs a nursery or a baby sitter, your family is coming to visit and needs a no-frills accom which is easy on the wallet or you are on a health drive and wanting to change your lifestyle, these new business have something a little special for you.

We are heading into the silly season when schedules are as busy as a traffic policeman’s before payday. We here at Citylife also have a few exciting events lined up, and since writing about a certain government department that has people waiting in line from 2am – which I really really want to do – will cause me more pain than I am able to absorb, I am going to make this edition the EditorialLite and take this opportunity to make sure that we get our events booked into your calendars before anyone else!

When ex-urban designer cum podcast host and author Ash Hoden set off on a solo motorcycle trip around Myanmar, it was nothing more than that. He had no reason to be there, no real destination in mind, and almost no knowledge of the country whatsoever.

Surasi Chuenarom, barber at The Cutler barbershop, takes us on a small tour of some of his favourite products.

Two pairs of hands rest upon a table, illuminated by an afternoon sun that softly filters through the curtains. One set of hands belong to Terdpong Sripet, or kru Pet, who’s long, angular fingers gently clasp the soft, playful palms of Lucca, an 11 year old Thai boy with glimmering eyes and a face that seems to only switch from a loving smile to a smirk of curiosity. For the moment, Lucca has calmed, transfixed by teacher Pet’s careful touch and smile. Kru Pet slowly begins to count, and Lucca’s brow twists into furrowed concentration.

Once again I’d like to venture down to the kingdom’s capital and highlight a group of promoters who are not only leaving their mark on Bangkok’s nightlife but also making waves throughout Asia and the world. In a city of so many bars and nightclubs, promoters scratch and claw their way to gaining notoriety in the city and making a name for themselves.