• OPINION

  Enjoying the delicate sound of thunder

  News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 10/10/2021

  » Something you get accustomed to in Bangkok at this time of the year is the distant sound of thunder, Mother Nature's way of reminding us of her power and also not to forget the umbrella if we are going out. I emphasise "distant" because the "flash, bang wallop!" thunderclaps directly overhead can be extremely scary and dangerous. But observing thunder and sheet lightning from a comfortable distance can actually be quite relaxing, almost like listening to the timpani tuning up at the Albert Hall.

• OPINION

  Mandalay and other magical places

  News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 11/04/2021

  » Thanks to many readers who came up with their own memories in response to last week's column about places that sounded quite magical as a kid. Mandalay and Kathmandu were definitely the front-runners at grabbing children's imaginations in the old days.

• OPINION

  A chimp that became a space pioneer

  News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 31/01/2021

  » Today marks the 60th anniversary of the first chimpanzee in space. Not a lot of people know that.

• OPINION

  It's important to know your onions

  News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 12/02/2023

  » There was a news photograph recently in which a Filipina bride in Iloilo on the island of Panay carried a bouquet of onions down the aisle rather than flowers. She explained that while flowers would soon be thrown away the onions would last and ensure the newlyweds have something to eat in the ensuing weeks. Now that is a practical housewife.

• OPINION

  Bangkok still tangled up in 'sky spaghetti'

  News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 14/08/2022

  » Earlier this week I was sitting in the customary traffic jam on Sukhumvit near Phra Khanong Bridge and found myself gazing at the tangled mess of overhead cables which have decorated Bangkok's streets for so long. It was not a pretty sight, especially dangling in front of ageing shophouses and filthy iron grilles that are not exactly a vision of splendour themselves.

• OPINION

  When protesters wore duffel coats

  News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 25/10/2020

  » There seem to be daily protests going on around the world at the moment for multifarious reasons and it got me thinking about the first street demonstrations I witnessed first-hand in England as a teenager back in the Stone Age.

• OPINION

  Thailand through the looking glass

  News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 06/01/2019

  » I trust everyone is recovering from the silly hats and hangovers season. Soon it will be back to the grim reality -- hangovers without the silly hats.

• OPINION

  When whistling could be music to the ears

  News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 19/01/2014

  » When all this stuff in Bangkok is finally over _ if it ever is _ there are going to be tens of thousands of people with a full command of that popular unmusical instrument, the whistle. But when the whistle-blowing stops, what are they going to do? They can't all become football referees. And most of those other cherished whistling jobs, such as train guards or car park attendants, already have long waiting lists. So we are going to have on our hands an awful lot of extremely frustrated whistle blowers.

• OPINION

  Wheels of fortune can be a taxing problem

  News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 23/06/2013

  » The most encouraging news of the week was the senior Thai politician being quickly cleared by the Customs Dept of tax evasion charges concerning a Rolls-Royce. Well that's alright then. The gentleman, a well-known advocate for the downtrodden masses, can now drive around the city in his luxury limousines with a clear conscience.

• OPINION

  Police help crooks - to jail

  News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 24/06/2012

  » One of the more intriguing stories of the week makes you wonder about the thought processes of certain criminals. Two motorcyclists were cruising around Chon Buri when their bikes ran out of fuel on a fairly deserted road. For two hours they tried to flag down passing vehicles, to no avail. I mean, would you stop for two motorcyclists on a remote road?

1 2 Next Last