• THAILAND

  The politics of change

  Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 18/03/2019

  » It is less than a week until the much-anticipated general election. For the first time in the history of Thailand, we are seeing a huge turnout of LGBTI candidates from different professions and backgrounds, jumping on the political bandwagon and representing sexual diversity. Out and proud, many of them are standing as candidates or are working with political parties in order to make their voices heard.

• LIFE

  The one-man band

  Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 30/04/2019

  » It was Sunday. The traffic was bad. We could've stayed indoors and binged on TV series to escape the heat. But where did we go? Across the city to a concert, of course. Ed Sheeran was back, now for his Divide Tour 2019 at Rajamangala Stadium, and we couldn't have been more excited.

• LIFE

  An empathetic view

  Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 26/07/2016

  » Imagine a room full of red-lace bras, packs of condoms and a dancing pole -- did we just wander into an illicit, red-light district somewhere? No, these items are brazenly displayed at perhaps one of the most unusual museums in the country: This Is Us -- Empower Foundation's Museum of Sex Works in Thai Society.

• THAILAND

  Dancer in the light

  Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 25/08/2015

  » Kanyanan Jittreenit performs traditional Thai dance for a living. It's a relatively safe job, unless you perform at the Erawan Shrine. Though rare, there are a few occupational hazards for <i>nang ram</i> -- female dancers -- at this world-famous, four-faced Lord Brahma shrine on the corner of Ratchaprasong intersection, a site of many political demonstrations and, most recently, a bomb attack.

• OPINION

  How to make transit truly for the masses

  Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 28/03/2016

  » Monday is always the source of predicaments. Last Monday, especially, was chaos for many Bangkokians. No, we're not talking about Gen Prayut's birthday, even though it fell on the same day.  What happened last Monday was the infamous Airport Rail Link (ARL) incident. And all the news and headlines have already informed you of how over 700 passengers were stuck inside a train for an hour due to electrical problems, leaving them practically suffocated under Bangkok's trapped heat.

• LIFE

  Happy and gay

  Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 23/12/2014

  » A year is coming to a close, and it has been quite a good one for the LGBT community worldwide, so to speak. More countries and states are starting to legalise same-sex marriage — a sign of more acceptance and understanding from the public. Though that list still has yet to include Thailand, the movements by Thai gender activists are ongoing, and we wait for the day everyone can stand proudly and equally next to one another regardless of sexual orientation and gender identity.

• LIFE

  A second-class union

  Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 26/11/2018

  » The prospect of marriage equality has always brought excitement and joy for LGBTI communities worldwide. In Thailand, the possibility of the civil partnership bill -- viewed as a step closer to coveted equality -- has been discussed frequently in our society lately, especially after a draft of the bill was released earlier this month on the Rights and Liberties Protection Department (RLPD) of the Ministry of Justice's website. But the initial excitement quickly faded when people read the fine print of what the bill really entails, and began questioning whether it really spells out equal rights.

• LIFE

  Double jeopardy

  Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 24/09/2018

  » Of the 370,000 held in the Thai prison system, 4,500 of them are transgender people.

• LIFE

  Image is everything

  Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 08/08/2017

  » You are entitled to your own opinion but when you're a public figure, do prepare for the consequences.

• LIFE

  Stuck on you

  Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 23/09/2015

  » Varanon Thongkame and Kosol Thongduang make stickers for a living. Not the kind that can be peeled off and stuck on random surfaces -- the pair make and sell virtual cartoon stickers for the popular messaging app, Line.

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