After spending his life as a crime boss, Joey ‘The Salami’ Ciccone suffered a near death experience after an assassination attempt and decided to change his life.

This is an open forum for you to express your opinions. write to: editor@chiangmaicitylife.com Subject: Your Say. Letters can be on any topic but priority will be given to those under 200 words. Letters may be edited for clarity or conciseness.

Given how much this city is growing, it is no surprise that more and more hotels are appearing. What’s good about this is that there are now styles and prices to suit all needs.

Although the exact cause of autoimmune disease remains somewhat of a mystery, there are many things we do in our daily lives that could cause the weakening or confuse the immune system, opening the gate to this chronic illness to attack. Stress, lack of sleep, bad nutrition and toxicity in blood, are all causes that could open that gate which leads to an abnormal immune response.

As one of Nimman’s newest hostels, Alexa wanted to make an impact. Though still establishing itself as a hostel, workspace, cafe and bar, the modern, casual and social style of the open-aired venue seems to be making a hit with travellers, nomads and locals alike.

With the current craze for ancient temples and traditional Thai dress thanks to the hit Channel Three tv series Buppesannivas, people from across the nation are reviving their interest in Thailand’s historical city of Ayutthaya. Flocks of people, often in splendid traditional garb, arrive at the ancient city and pose in front of temple ruins to recreate their favourite soap opera. Even our dear Prime Minister has joined the craze, occasionally adorning a jaunty sash around his waist. This madness (although possibly short lived) has made Ayutthaya busier than it has been in decades and despite being in my late-20s, but I have an air of ‘ageing National Trust member’ about me, which is why I like to visit my ruins in peace. So for those like me who are put off by hordes of tourists getting in my way, Sukhothai is a pleasant alternative.

In a bold move against single-use plastics, Taiwan became the first country in the world to issue a blanket ban that will eliminate the use of plastic straws, cups, lids and bags by the year 2030. The act has been termed aggressive by media outlets and doubt is widespread as to the effectiveness of such a ban.

Whether you want to up your dance game or just spend a fun night dancing with friends, these seven low-cost or free classes for the casual learner are a perfect introduction to many diverse dance styles.

This multiple award winning city spa has been a leader in Chiang Mai’s booming spa industry for over a decade, setting standards not just for the ambiance but also service and elevating the overall spa experience for its many guests.

Paranin Kummata has always been passionate about jewellery. From a young age, she’s been fascinated by her family business which is among Thailand’s largest manufacturers and exporters of jewellery for many local and international brands. Today, she is the founder of two jewellery brands of her own, employing hundreds of women from underprivileged communities, including several ethnic minority hilltribe villages in Northern Thailand and even sex workers in Bangkok, for whom Paranin has set up alternative vocational training in the art of silver jewellery-making.

On the 28th July 1969 Sanongpanyakun Yomcharoen, now 77, along with a company of infantry made up of Thais, Australians, Koreans and Americans, stood poised ready to run as soon as the carrier plane doors opened on a Vietnamese airstrip. As the rear door dropped, the dinging sounds of bullets on metal signaled to the troops that the Viet Cong had opened fire.

Chiang Mai has some amazing Japanese restaurants and they come in all shapes and sizes. This is a list of our absolute favourites. Enjoy.

Dressed in their Sunday bests, Chiang Mai’s Kachin residents filled a church in Doi Saket recently, sounds of hymns echoing across the quiet Buddhist village. After service, little girls in princess dresses, women clad in traditional Kachin sarong and men with jaunty turbans, poured out of the church and into the spacious compound that belongs to the community. As the women sat down to a feast cooked and served by their men, they chattered and laughed while being serenaded with song in honour of Mother’s Day.

There is a lot of buzz about public transportation these days with new bus services setting up pilot projects, talk of massive international investment in a monorail system and even finally a glimmer of a promise from the central government that some funding may be heading our way to set up…well, something. Call me cynical, but having edited these pages for nearly two decades and featured dozens of stories and breathy announcements for impending transportation solutions, I’m no longer holding my breath. Millions of baht have been given to various university departments over the years to conduct research on mass transit systems, with talks of double decker buses, trams, monorails, underground and above ground trains, electric buses and even upgrading the pesky songtaews and corralling them into some semblance of a transit system.

The RatiLanna Riverside Spa Resort is a beautiful property overlooking a quiet stretch of the Ping River. Infused in the essence of Lanna, from its architecture to décor, the resort offers international standard of amenities, facilities, and service, while retaining a northern charm.

Okay, so there is no real betting going on here but these three places require you to take a gamble, be it with your skin, your dice roll or your stomach. Have some fun and do something extraordinary this month!