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  • News & article

    Music Is A Weapon

    Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 30/04/2021

    » Last Friday, singer-songwriter Trai "Boy" Bhumiratna released a song in support of the medical frontliners in the ongoing battle against Covid-19. He later said in a Facebook post that someone had criticised him for not reflecting on the government's shortcomings. He replied, in gist, that music isn't a weapon but is healing and consoling, and he doesn't think of politics with every breath he takes. This didn't sit well with netizens who brought up his past involvement with the PDRC movement that ultimately led to Prayut Chan-o-cha's premiership.

  • News & article

    Thailand: The Land of...

    Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 06/11/2020

    » I'm sure, I'm not the only one who has been rethinking Thailand's nickname The Land Of Smiles. According to Win Lyovarin, two-time S.E.A. Write winner and 2013 National Artist for Literature, Britisher David Lander, creative director at an ad agency, should be credited for coming up with the phrase. Lander came up with the slogan in a pitch for the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Fun fact: The Land Of Smiles is also the title of a German operetta, which premiered in 1929.

  • News & article

    If Thai Politics Were Good...

    Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 24/07/2020

    » A new round of student-led protests against the government erupted last Saturday in Bangkok and Chiang Mai. They demanded the dissolution of parliament, no harassment of government critics and amendments to the military-written Constitution, which they deem to secure premiership for Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha in elections last March. They gave the government two weeks to respond or else they would ramp up their protests.

  • News & article

    (E)Special(ly) (Ironic) Days

    Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 06/12/2019

    » The point of setting up holidays and special days is to celebrate or observe a cause, a thing or an event of significance. But as I scan through the 2020 calendar (to plan to use all of my days off in advance), I can't help but find that some special days in Thailand have taken an ironic turn.

  • News & article

    Ironic Special Days in Thailand

    Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 14/12/2018

    » Have you received your company or uni's list of annual holidays for 2019? I bet some of you have strategically planned to use all your vacation days throughout the next year already. But have you ever counted holidays and special days in Thailand? Of course not, why would you do such a nerdy thing like that? But I have!

  • News & article

    Loy Krathong and Other Thai Ironies

    Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 03/11/2017

    » At the risk of sounding like a party pooper, Loy Krathong always comes across as a very ironic festival. You ask for forgiveness from the water goddess for polluting her all year round by dumping more things in her on one particular night. It's like asking your mum to do an extra big pile of laundry for you on the Mother's Day. Am I right?

  • News & article

    Thai Politics -- English Dictionary; 2017 Edition

    Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 24/02/2017

    » The Thai language can be very tricky. Mai pen rai can mean so many things from "it's alright", "we're cool" to "you're welcome". But when it comes to the use of the Thai language by Thai politicians, you may need to dig deeper. For your entertainment (and at the personal risk of being asked to go in for some attitude adjustment), here are nine of the phrases and words used in Thai politics and what I think they really mean.

  • News & article

    Thai-style "Solutions"

    Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 10/02/2017

    » Have you ever tried to solve a problem but ended up only making it worse by not really addressing its root cause? If so, don't be too hard on yourself. Apparently many of our supposedly upstanding officials and leaders have done the same.

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