On a Mission from God: Meet these lifelong Missionaries to Chiang Mai

  “In few counries did the missionaries meet with so little opposition and yet achieve so little in their efforts to propagate Christianity.” This quotation is taken from The Eagle and the Elephant, a book about Thai-American relations since 1833 and published by the Royal Thai Embassy in the United States. “Their achievement rests instead on removing Thai mistrust of westerners, and convinci … Continued

Visiting Taiwan’s Legendary Museums

When Chiang Kai Shek’s Kuomintang army fled Mao Tse Tung’s China in 1949, they took with them an extraordinary collection of some of China’s most treasured artefacts. While many on mainland China today still smart at the loss of such bounty, calling the goods looted, students of history will know that these treasures would have faced great risk under Chairman Mao’s Four Olds campaign during the cl … Continued

The Greta Thunbergs of Chiang Mai: How young activists are pushing for change in Northern Thailand

As a young child, I envisioned my future as bright and sustainable. However, now the future looks bleak and apocalyptic to me — all thanks to a lack of climate action. During the summer of 2018, I decided to take climate action more seriously when I happened to read a CNN headline “UN: Earth has 12 years to avert climate change catastrophe”. My first reaction was to panic and contemplate my existe … Continued

The Tipping Point: Chiang Mai on life support

A firm belief that Chiang Mai is the city that defeats the experts (muang prab sien), is a sentiment that’s been around for decades. It refers to the difficulty of any outsider’s attempt to start a business here that becomes successful. The saying is both humble and proud: on one hand it admits to the undoubted expertise of the outsider, on the other hand, it also claims that the outsider is doome … Continued

City Art Beat: Culture is the Classroom

I sit around a table with Sunadda “Nok” Sa-nguandech and Julian Huang at Weave Artisan Society while the grinding, whistling sounds of closing time from their coffee shop punctuate our conversation. We’ve been discussing culture as an entry point for learning. Nok leans over with a bright smile. “Often people experience design solely through the end product, without any insight into the craft it t … Continued

The Digital Nomad Visa: a Solution to Thailand’s Startup Woes?

Chiang Mai’s digital future. Where it’s going, what’s holding it back, and what happens when the government’s left hand doesn’t speak to its right. It’s the laptops. They’re everywhere. Never before have work and life been so mobile, and Chiang Mai is home to the leading edge of this movement. You’d have to avoid the city centre and Nimmanhaemin entirely to ignore the fact it’s been steadily colon … Continued

Three Spaces, Three Completely Different Designs

Whether you’re looking for a luxurious restaurant of impeccable taste and design, a barely minimal grunge café or the burst of shameless exuberance that is this art café and restaurant, we’ve got you.   The Bridge From the owners of the exquisite antique aficionados De Siam, comes this uber luxurious hotel, restaurant and café, which sits just a stone’s throw from Nawarat Bridge. You know you … Continued

Juicy steaks, sizzling grills and exotic spaces

Check out some of Citylife staff’s favourite finds this month — whether it’s a sexy night out in the old town with sophisticated cocktails and fusion fine dining, a luxe dinner with prime meats grilled to perfection by candlelight, or a sizzling roadside steak cooked to simple mouthwatering bites.   Spice Garden The historic quarter is the venue for a rather spectacular street party on Decemb … Continued

Alt House Gallery: home/ wine bar/ kitchen/ a great place to go

We think it is charming at first sight. A white picket gate invites us to enter a small, candlelit courtyard featuring a jaunty red umbrella and some low, comfy-looking chairs. The house, made of wood and glass, is subtly lit to highlight glimpses of the treasures within. The Receptionist is a black cat who sits on the stairs whisking its tail to jazzy blues as Nanti Leoni arrives like a whirlwind … Continued

Ready for the Future: Prem’s annual Careers, College and University Fair

“It is perfectly ok for a student to not know what they want to do,” said Rachel Keys, Prem Tinsulanonda International School’s new Head of School. “They are still in school and the choices for their future can be bewildering. So the important thing is for schools to offer them opportunities to experience many different areas, then you encourage them to follow what they love, their passions and in … Continued

Client Spot Dec 2019

Fah Lanna Massage by the Night Bazaar 10th Anniversary Fah Lanna Massage by the Night Bazaar has recently undergone a complete transformation. This original branch of the award-winning Fah Lanna brand first opened 10 years ago with just six massage beds and four massage chairs. And just in time to mark this special anniversary, the branch was rebuilt from the ground and has almost tripled in size. … Continued

Editorial December 2019

I had a rather spicy editorial lined up about our current police-military state of affairs. But as I sit here in November, I am reminded that I am writing for the holiday issue and you all don’t want to flip open the magazine to see my glum face and dire warnings, so let’s get chirpy and positive! While Loy Krathong ended with a bit of a whimper, our Citylife Garden Fair, went off with a massive b … Continued

Detoxifying the Body and Soul at Absolute Health

It is astounding how many negative substances and impurities we are in contact with or worst, ingest, in our modern lives. Each and every day we have physical contact with dangerous chemicals, whether they are embedded in the processed, and even organic food we ingest, or our skin absorbs toxic metal substances, such as lead, mercury, cadmium, arsenic, and pesticides. Then there is the noxious air … Continued