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CityGames: Connecting with Chiang Mai’s Gaming Scene

Once confined to the family rumpus room or occasionally dusted off to help while away the time during long school holidays, board games and card games are enjoying a global renaissance. Even geek staples like Dungeons & Dragons and myriad other role-playing games have burst forth from angst-ridden tween and teen bedrooms to hold sway over cafes and other newly declared ‘gaming locations’, with Chiang Mai being no exception.

Voluntourism: the good, the bad and the ugly

Nicole’s fingers hovered above the keyboard and a blank Google search awaited her inquiry. With a few keystrokes, the words ‘volunteer in Southeast Asia’ appeared into the search bar. She pressed enter, and within seconds, nearly 800,000 results popped in to view. Work with Orphans in Cambodia, one beckoned, while another told her to Build Homes in Bali! As a university student studying early education, the choice to volunteer as an English instructor was easy. A few short months later, she found herself boarding a plane from Michigan to Chiang Mai to teach at a Thai school for four weeks.

Korean Grill, Mountain Burger and All Things Rice

Just an eclectic cluster of cool little eateries we discovered this month.

Exotic Cuisines

Some exotic restaurants for those of us needing a respite from somtam and noodles.

Do We Have a Flood Problem?

It had been a relatively mild summer. The odd storm offered some respite from the unbearable heat and choking pollution, and by mid-May there were signs of the imminent monsoon season. Reports from the Meteorological Department assured us that we would have a healthy amount of rain this year, and that the droughts of 2015-16 was a thing of the — temporary — past. Many of us went to bed on the 18th of May happily surprised to be woken up by the sounds of torrential rains in the middle of the night. By 7am, however, the honeymoon with the monsoon was over for some as numerous areas in the city were up to a metre deep in water. As authorities rushed around setting up pumps and building sandbag banks, social media led the blame game, with digital fingers pointing at an assortment of targets. It was to take around 24 hours for the city to be drained of its excess water and for authorities to begin to explain how they were caught so unaware. Since then there has been fear of another flood; many of us remembering the great damage caused in 2005 when the water spilled out of the Ping River causing around 5 billion baht in damage to the local economy.

What Sex Workers Want You to Know

On its surface, Can Do Bar seems like your average after-hours watering hole. Shelves of liquor bottles shimmer under neon signage, and the latest pop chart-toppers drift out from the loudspeakers. Despite its comfortingly nondescript appearance, it is the only bar of its kind in Chiang Mai: it’s run entirely by sex workers.

Absolute Wellness with Absolute Health

About 70-80% of our immune system is most active in the gut and digestive tract. That is how important our digestive system is. It not only feeds us by extracting all the things it needs from our food, but also is the place where all the bad stuff is kept at bay. But with great power, comes great responsibility. Everything we eat affects the behaviour of our immune system and how our body works, from chewing all the way to digestion. Good eating habits promote a heathly body and strong immune system, and food with poor nutritional value can quickly cause our body to deteriorate, along with our immune system too.

My Thai Driving Licence

This month I thought I’d present my lecture on something useful. Last month I finally decided to go all legal and get myself a proper Thai motorcycle licence. The below might be helpful for those who are perhaps thinking of doing the same.

7 things to do after midnight that does NOT involve alcohol!

Although Chiang Mai is still holding onto its vibrant, lively nightlight despite the midnight Cinderella curfew, sometimes a night off the booze is just what you need. Whether you’re a night owl or just not looking for a drink, here are some things you can do after midnight that does not involve alcohol.

An Unexpected Hemp Revolution in Thailand

As Western countries edge closer and closer to hemp and cannabis legalisation, Thailand is quietly and tentatively following suit. Following the vilification of cannabis and hemp caused by the American presence in the region in the late sixties, Thailand and her neighbours introduced harsh prison sentences, and even death penalties for the consumption and dealing of the drug. Almost half a century later, new, and more progressive attitudes are finally sprouting up like toadstools across Thailand. This year, laws have already been passed that will see hemp become a fully commercial crop within the next three years, and legislation regarding decriminalisation and re-classification of cannabis is currently under review, with positive results predicted within the next two years. Northern Thailand has been given the honour to lead the hemp revolution, with a rich history of cultivation among Hmong and other highland cultures making this the logical locale to begin, and starting with those who know best.

The Coffee Club

Beginning its life in Brisbane in 1989, The Coffee Club has grown and grown, finding its footing in Thailand back in 2010. Finally, we northern locals can get a taste of one of Australia’s favourite all-day cafes without trekking to the capital, a place which brings world-renowned hip café culture to compete in Southeast Asia’s coffee capital, Chiang Mai.

An interview with the US Consul General, Jennifer Harhigh

It has been almost a year since Jennifer Harhigh was appointed the United States Consul General for Chiang Mai. We were curious as to what she has been working on during this time and thought it was time we sat down for a chat.

Editorial: July 2017

Who’s a litterbug? Well, judging from the vile amount of gunk and gore being dredged out of our drains and from our city canals over the past few weeks, far too many of us.

A Revolutionnary Innovation: Protein-Free Botox

Aesthetic medicine is developing at a rapid pace, with new research and technology offering physicians training and tools to better care for their patients’ beauty and skin requirements. It can sometimes therefore be quite bewildering and intimidating for the novice client seeking aesthetic treatments in a great sea of clinics, doctors, treatments and medicine.

More From Citylife

ROBINSON HOME SALE: Year-End Mega Discounts Up to 70% Off!

Fri 10th Oct

Get ready for the ultimate home shopping spree at ROBINSON HOME SALE, featuring unbeatable year-end deals with discounts of up to 70% and prices starting from only ฿89! Discover must-have home essentials such as: CENTRAL HOME 8-piece food container set – only ฿89 HAVEN 10-inch wall clock – only ฿99 ZEBRA 18-piece family dining set TEFAL 2-piece cookware set and many more special offers throughout … Continued

Chiang Mai police tighten security as gold prices soar

Fri 10th Oct

Pol. Col. Pratchaya Thisala, superintendent of Chiang Mai City Police Station, led officers in launching enhanced crime prevention measures targeting gold shops, particularly around Warorot Market—an area busy with tourists and shoppers. With gold prices rising to about 62,000 baht per baht weight, police noted increased risk of theft and related crimes. In response, all local police stations are … Continued

Roti stall still attracting queues after 35 years in business

Fri 10th Oct

If you aren’t up on local Chiang Mai social media then you may have missed the fact that Lung Pom Roti, a roti stall along Chang Klan Road which has been open for 35 years, is receiving a lot of netizen love, with daily queues waiting for roti. Lung Pom, the stall’s owner, is now 63 years old and says that he opens his stall every evening and normally runs out of rotis around 2am. He says that the … Continued

Free entry into the zoo for children and elderly on 13th Oct 

Fri 10th Oct

The Chiang Mai Zoo has announced that the elderly and children under 12 years old will have free entry into the zoo on the 13th October. This will also include any child under 135ms. All of this is in honour of the public holiday which marks the passing of HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej.  The zoo promises a multitude of family fun and friendly activities throughout the day.

Samoeng intersection to get a massive surface lift

Fri 10th Oct

Samoeng Intersection will begin construction of a new overpass which will cover the 121 and 108 intersection in Hang Dong.  The project was signed off on the 5th of September and the handover is to be delivered on the 19th August 2028. The total area of construction will be around 3.3kms in length. The 919 million baht project will face a 2,299,102 baht per day fine should it extend beyond the pro … Continued

Chiang Mai voted by Condé Nast Traveller as world’s 4th best food destination 

Fri 10th Oct

Conde Nast Traveller’s readers have voted and Chiang Mai sits pretty high up the list of best cities for food in the world, at number 4. Tokyo was voted the best, followed by Madrid, Santa Fe and then us. “Ambles through Chiang Mai’s streets are soundtracked by sizzling woks and scented by fiery chillies. Backpackers, locals and high-flying business travellers sit shoulder-to-shoulder in buzzy str … Continued

Plai Boonsaen dies at 61 years old

Wed 8th Oct

Plai Boonsaen, a beloved male elephant, died peacefully at age 61 years old earlier this morning. He was a teak logging elephant born in 1964 and last worked logging teak in Petchaboon Province before being sold into the tourism trade when teak logging was banned. He worked at a tourist attraction in Surat Thani for many years before an animal activist monk, Kru Aod, collected 350,000 baht from hi … Continued

CMU Faculty of Medicine opens international-standard intensive care units for heart and stroke patients

Wed 8th Oct

The Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, has unveiled newly renovated Intensive Cardiac Care and Stroke Critical Care Units at Sripat Building, designed to meet international hospital standards and provide comprehensive patient care. Assoc. Prof. Dr. Narent Chotirassniramit, Dean of the Faculty, said the renovation was necessary after years of continuous use had deteriorated the facilities … Continued

Governor asks businesses organising events to help Chiang Mai become low carbon city 

Wed 8th Oct

Governor Thotsapol Phueanudom made an announcement today asking the tourism industry here in Chiang Mai to get ready for the high season. He said that Chiang Mai is now officially a festival city and expects to attract year round tourists to come to featured festivals being highlighted every month as well as the many others occurring in any given day. “We will use the soft power of Chiang Mai’s ri … Continued

Mini Tokyo pancake rolls with a multitude of fillings

Wed 8th Oct

Tokyo Siam serves up mini Tokyo pancake rolls from Chiang Mai 89 Plaza and they are drawing in the crowds with their smorgasbord of fillings which cover sweet and savoury favourites as well as some unique new filling recipes. Follow the scent and you will soon be offered a plethora of rolls with prices starting from a very sensible 18 baht each. You can order classic sweet rolls such as the pandan … Continued

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