Boonthavorn opens a Kitchen Studio along with launching a Kitchen Festival from now until 31st October 2016.

A lazy Sunday brunch with good friends indulging in fabulous food and a tipple, or two, is an indulgence we all enjoy. For a city this size, there are surprisingly few quality Sunday brunches, but if you enjoy a decadent Sunday, then head to Le Meridien for a feast which now comes with a free-flowing bloody Mary buffet!

We at Citylife have had more than a handful of emails of late asking us where the popular Prince Royal’s College Flea Market has disappeared to. This weekly flea market, held every Saturday for as long as I remember, was like a walk down nostalgia lane, with its stalls lining both sides of the shady streets selling all sorts of flea items such as clothes, shoes, books, jewellery, old CDs, old tapes, gramophones and much more.

Let me be frank. The Jai Thep festival last weekend was outstanding. Hailing from the southwest of England, I have had my fair share of festivals, hippies and healing circles in my time. Each year I would hear the reverberating bass echoing from Glastonbury Festival (the biggest festival in the world) from my home and my festival experiences have been wide and varied. The point is, I can be critical of festivals and think that I have enough experience to be a fair judge. But today, criticism failed to materialise as the latest alternative music event to grace Chiang Mai opened its doors to a new era of festival life in the north of Thailand.

Why must Wednesday’s child be full of woe? Looking at this straight forwardly, I suppose people are excited to start the week on Mondays and always celebrate TGIF on Fridays, while Wednesdays are just there, in the middle, neither exciting nor offensive. Safe, boring. Like many families with three children. The oldest child, Monday’s child, receives all the love and hope as it is the first to expand a couple into a family. The Friday child, has a whole solid family unit to care for him or her and never lacks attention or care. The middle child is often considered the self-reliant child, the easy going one, the one that doesn’t cause problems. He or she is expected to learn from the eldest and teach to the youngest, often failing to gain the same attention as his or her siblings.

Bangkok-native and internationally influential film producer and artist, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, has completely reshaped the conceptions of contemporary art to that of his own, recently releasing his exhibition “The Serenity of Madness” at Chiang Mai’s newly built Maiiam Contemporary Art Museum. With short-films, prints, 3-D artwork and a variety of other platforms that touch on his recollections and experiences with spirituality, memory and class, Apichatpong’s world-class collection is one not to be missed.

“We are the key to peace”, states Htoisan Hpauchyang, an office intern originally from Myanmar and member of the recently formed IWPG Peace Committee in Chiang Mai. She is addressing the audience at the launching ceremony of the first branch of the International Woman’s Peace Group to be based in Thailand.

Last week, I needed something new. I was in desperate need of a weekend trip that didn’t offer the comfortable lifestyle I have been experiencing over the last two months in Chiang Mai. Although I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time here, going on weekend adventures in Northern Thailand, I felt like I was just falling into the cushioned and predictable path that every tourist takes. I was looking for a place that would be both a challenge and a cultural awakening, so I booked a flight down south to Bangkok to see what trouble I could find.

Yesterday I wrote about my wanderings in the city in the early morning hours, a lovely time of the day to really explore the local life in the old moated city. After posting the photos, I decide to go for an exploration at night to see how the cityscape contrasts with its morning rhythm. I took my camera and simply wandered the streets, chatting to whoever whould talk t me. Here are a few people I met.

Since I was young, I’d always been the type to listen to as many different genres of music as possible; you’d be shocked to see how many songs I have in my itunes library, from Nirvana to Mozart’s Marriage of Figaro. I barely say no to anyone who introduces me to a new band or an album. A few months ago I was about to enter the annual TISAC Battle Of The Bands and since I was the youngest and the newest member of the band, I wanted to impress the members since what the band played was so different to what I usually listen to, so when they started suggesting song ideas I listened to every single one of them, it was definitely at least 25 songs in there. I was rushing, my internet was dying, my mum was yelling at me, my sister was crying and then I came across one of the suggestions, ‘Solitude Is Bliss’, the first thought in my mind was that it was a pretty cool name, I tried to rush through it, it wasn’t possible, I ended up downloading the whole album. It’s so different and foreign. They’re not famous; they are just different. If it was a month ago and I saw this on my YouTube suggestion list I probably wouldn’t have listened. It’s like this door that opened up, letting me into this whole new level of music.

We are all born with the hope of a successful life; we believe that we must be clever and aim for a higher education. Many parents, then, focus their attention on bettering their children’s education, sending them to study outside classes and gain as much knowledge as possible. In Thailand, tutorials outside the classroom are a norm and many parents and students spend much time and money on these extracurricular studies. As a fourth year student in Chiang Mai University’s Faculty of Humanities, and a part time English tutor, I cannot stop wondering whether it is right that so much of the children’s free time is spent studying, and how good it really is for them and their families.

The mornings, are a time when monks walk the sois going from house to house looking for alms, workers set up their carts and shops, ready for the day’s sales, students ready for school, and mothers and fathers wander the markets finding the best deals on vegetables for their families at home. Most tourists tend to visit attractions by day and only really get to explore the city at night. They tend to overlook the early mornings in Chiang Mai, a few hours where the genuine local life pops its head out before once again disappearing behind the swarms of tourists.

Street art is polarising and controversial. While some regard graffiti as vandalism, it’s undeniable that there are really beautiful pieces of art out there, many of them even delivering a political or social message. I’m no expert on street art and frankly only really know Banksy, who everyone else knows too, but I can honestly say that I find good graffiti really enjoyable. I believe that a few rogue murals here and naughty graffiti there spices up a city’s appearance in a very special way. After all art is significantly influenced and inspired by the culture and the vibe of its city. Over the past couple of months of my summer here in Chiang Mai, I have come to really appreciate the al fresco art of this city.

Although Japan may seem like one of the countries leading in both innovation and technology, have you ever wondered what they went through to get to this point? The “Metamorphosis of Japan After The War” is a photography exhibition of Japan during the post war period brought to you by Japan Foundation and Chiang Mai University Arts Centre and curated by Tsugo Tada and Marc Feustel. The exhibition is a collaboration of 11 of Japan’s Most talented photographers including Ihee Kimura, Yasuhiro Ishimoto, Ken Domon, Eikoh Hosoe, Hiroshi Hamaya, Kikuji Kawada, Shomei Tomatsu, Takeyoshi Tanuma, Shigeichi Nagano, Ikko Narahara, Tadahiko Hayashi.

From 2015, Thailand had entered the Asian Economic Community (AEC) as part of developing towards a unified ASEAN community. With borders with Burma and Laos not far from Chiang Mai, it is unsurprising to learn about the rich trade history that Chiang Mai has with our neighbour states. Today, these trade routes are growing, along with more modern forms of industries such as tourism. One part of Thailand that is rarely visited is the long, sprawling borders with Burma, something which both the Thai and Burmese tourist offices are keen to promote, especially the village of Keiw Pha Vok in Chiang Dao, Luck Teng village of Wiang Haeng and San ton Doo village in Mai Ai. Welcome to the new era of Thai-Burmese border tourism.

Chiang Mai is an important city. Full of historical importance, ancient traditions and stunning views, it is a destination that both locals and tourists strive to visit as often as they can. Whether you are a visitor to the north or a local resident, escaping the stresses of work and the busy pace of adult life can be difficult – so that is why the Tourism Authority of Thailand is teaming up with the Thai Lanna Spa Association to bring a special spa deal that extends to almost all of Chiang Mai’s most amazing and professional spas.

As we develop an understanding of the world through the problems we face, it’s our human reaction to resort to our fantasies; fantasies that we fight so hard to make reality despite hardship. Emerging artist Thepmetha Thepboonta, a graduate from the Faculty of Fine Arts at Chiang Mai University, gives us a glimpse into his fantasy in his first solo art exhibition “Under My Gender” at Seescape Gallery. As an activist for bisexuality through his artwork, Thepmetha will be opening up his work for viewing for the whole month of July.

This weekend, why not check out some of Chiang Mai’s hottest Rooftop Bars for a change to your regular haunt and enjoy the city from way up high.

Chiang Mai has only a few parks where you can have a rest from the city’s hustle and bustle. There is for example Suan Buak Haad in the southwest corner of the old city or Kanchanpisek Park not far outside the square. But there is also the lesser known Huay Kaew Arboretum next to Chiang Mai Zoo. An Arboretum is like a park but without all the flowers or bushes – simply put, it is a collection of trees only. As a Luk Krueng spending most of my lifetime in Germany, there are barely few places in Chiang Mai I remember– but the Huay Kaew Arboretum is one of them. Actually it is a nice place to get a tiny impression of Thailand’s huge range of exotic trees and hide under their protective shades. That’s why this location was quite popular in the past. Even now local people like to go there especially in the mornings or evenings, mostly to get in a bit of exercise.

As a luk krung they say you get the best of both worlds. Growing up in Germany the great land of gateaux, cookies and pastries – I got pretty pampered with heavenly desserts. The mere thought of delicious Berliner and my grandma’s plum cake makes my mouth water. Nevertheless Thailand has a huge variety of sweet dishes as well, but I never really had the pleasure of experiencing their taste. So I am eager to explore this unknown territory. Since I was born in Chiang Mai but never spent a lot of time here, this might also be a good opportunity to learn something about my “other” roots. And seriously, is there anything better than trying sweet treats the whole day?

Having not ventured out of the states until this summer, I was quickly greeted by an overwhelming wave of culture shock the minute I stepped foot in Chiang Mai. I was overwhelmed by its hectic and stressful traffic, overwhelmed by the amount of food options offered at every corner, and most of all, overwhelmed with the diversity of Chiang Mai while I observed a mix of locals and tourists from all over the world walking the streets going about their day. After I settled into my hotel, I found myself with a full day before I started my summer job writing for Citylife, so I decided to hit the streets to see just how much culture shock I could experience.

Being new to Chiang Mai with very little knowledge of my whereabouts, I was in desperate need of an application that not only told me what all the city offered, but also where everything was located relative to my location. In response to my tourist needs, I was told to get the KlaiKlai application on my smartphone.

The Tourism Service Industry is an important service to the economy of Thailand, it helps to increase more profits from tourism and also involves other businesses.

Dining out in the city is not difficult anymore, hasn’t been in a long time, since so many fantastic restaurants have opened up, creating an exciting foodies scene to rival the best in the country. And it’s not just city venues; some of our best restaurants make you earn your dinner! Opening up by waterfalls, in paddy fields, in forests and up mountains, Chiang Mai’s restaurateurs know that if they serve it, you will come!

On an island buzzing with tourists reminding one of everything but the destination, I felt a need to stay at hotels that are in sympathy with their surroundings and express a feeling for Thailand rather than the many others that are simply smart but bland. I wanted the exotic experience with all my senses awakened by water and smells, birds and animals.

We in Thailand have long taken elephants for granted. They have always just been ‘there’, taking our kings into battle through history, sung about in nursery rhymes, seen begging on the streets and as a tourist magnet. Elephants have lived amongst us and with us for so many generations that today’s trend to ‘free’ elephants, calling for a return to the wild, can be quite bewildering to we Thais.

This time of year, its difficult to appreciate the natural beauty of our city. With the thick smog and crippling heat, its hard to even leave the house. But if you do gather the courage to step outside, take a moment to notice the flora and fauna that appears this time of year. If the smog and the heat is just too much, we here at CityLife have done the noticing for you. Enjoy these pictures taken around our blooming city.

I sport silver elephant earrings and cotton elephant pants on the regular, and I have several off hand facts I can spew off at you about why they’re the coolest mammal on planet earth. For example, elephants live in matriarchal family groups and elephants can use their trunks to get a little tipsy. However, until recently I have to confess I didn’t know a lot about the plight of elephants specific to Thailand. This changed when I had the opportunity to ride my bike alongside Bring the Elephant Home (BTEH) staff and volunteers this week in their first Bike4Elephants Beehive Expedition in Loei.

In 1907 American missionary Dr. James W. McKean officially asked the then-ruler of Chiang Mai, Chao Inthawarorot Suriyawong, to donate land to found a leper colony, a much maligned, and socially unaccepted disease which was fairly common in those days. Chao Inthawarorot therefore donated an island in the Ping River, which was where the rulers used to keep their elephants, and where locals didn’t like to venture in fear of spirits of white elephants, called Baan Koh Klang, a 300 rai piece of land which in 1908 became the McKean Leper Asylum. McKean started off with six patients but it didn’t take long for lepers far and wide to hear about it and come seeking treatment, soon there were thousands of residents on this island.

USAC (University Studies Abroad Consortium) is currently responsible for 63 American students who are studying abroad in Chiang Mai for the semester at Chiang Mai University. In addition to the multiple field trips that USAC organises for its students, certain courses require students to attend these trips, all of which are followed up by assignments reflecting on our experience. Amongst the culture shock, food poisoning and weird dreams that students on my trip were experiencing in the midst of being immersed into a completely unfamiliar culture, students were thrilled to further push their boundaries by paying an overnight visit to the Mae Sa Mai Hmong village in the Mae Rim district.

We had never head of Pickleball until we got a friendly email from Chiang Mai’s Pickleball players to join them one day for a session. Pickleball is basically a sport that combines the three skills of tennis, ping pong and badminton played on a badminton-sized court and with a tennis style net. You use a paddle a bit larger than a tennis racquet to hit a ball which has holes through it like a whiffle ball. This sport can be played on every hard surface and requires two teams which have two players each to hit against each other. It’s good fun, good exercise, not that hard to master and a great way to meet new people. Confused? It’s actually pretty easy, so pop by by Suan Buak Haad Park any Monday, Wednesday and Friday between 8am and 10am to give it a whirl. Look out for John Bayer, the organiser and he will give you some intro into this new sport and you can get cracking with your Pickleball skills. For more information, Tel: 082 982 9396 or E-mail johnbayer25@gmail.com

“I’m not sure I am worthy of an interview. My life is not particularly interesting,” said Dr. Christopher Fisher. I beg to differ. I mean, how many western guys do you know that left their home at 18 to move to Asia and become a monk? According to Fisher, a lot. Well, maybe in his friend circle.

The US Consulate, Chiang Mai University Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration, American Corner-CMU, and Pepsi-Cola Thailand hosted a mock presidential debate at UNISERV CMU, preempting “Super Tuesday” in the United States. The Mock Debate was an all day affair, starting off with an exhibition in the morning, food, and culminating with an afternoon of debate, trivia, and voting.