Showing 1 - 9 of 9
Empathy and difficult choices
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 17/04/2017
» That skinny woman clad in a sari carrying an infant in her arms waited for me in front of the bus door. A few small children wearing dirty torn clothes gathered around my legs looking up at me. Like robots, they repeatedly uttered words "Sawasdee, Maharanee [meaning a queen]. Khob khun kha", begging me to give them money. These sights and sounds were common at all pilgrimage sites in India I visited recently. Initially, I felt pity for them until I asked the guide and friends if I should give them money. They warned me against more beggars' arrivals.
At the edge of Bangkok
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 02/02/2016
» Food, literature, music, performances, creative workshops and social discussions -- all of this in the picturesque neighbourhood of the capital. Bangkok Edge, branded as the city's first "ideas festival", will rock the old town area of Tha Tian from noon to midnight on Feb 13 and 14, with a wide variety of activities.
Angel delight is a passing fad
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 28/01/2016
» Angel child dolls, or luk thep in Thai, have become widely known since the middle of last year and increasingly popular, especially among those in the entertainment business who believe the dolls bring them good fortune. The trend for luk thep -- dolls with added spirits of angels that are believed to have the power to fulfill the wishes of their owners -- has become a centre of criticism since a number of owners treat their dolls as if they are real infants in public.
The circus comes to town
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 04/12/2014
» During last month's Harmony World Puppet Carnival Bangkok Thailand 2014, audiences had the rare opportunity to experience the art of puppetry from 80 countries in one place — Rattanakosin Island, the old quarter of Bangkok. More than 100 stages and street shows were inspired by history, pop culture, social situations and used traditional forms of puppetry as well as influences of other performing arts such as circus. Many shows brought smiles, laughter and tears, and many were thought-provoking.
Animal rights should be human instinct
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 18/11/2014
» Day after day, I hear sad stories about tortured or abandoned animals and shed tears. With a weary heart, I have long hoped Thailand would pass a law to combat animal torture and ensure proper care for animals. Fortunately, the long fight for animal rights is almost over, as the draft law on animal protection passed all three readings by the National Legislative Assembly last week.
Food for thought
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 23/05/2013
» One evening last month, I went to a cinema on Sukhumvit Road to watch a Thai ghost movie. While waiting for the movie, I decided to have a quick dinner. Stepping into a fast-food restaurant and queuing up in front of a woman cashier, I was taken by surprise to see a young couple awkwardly using sign language with her. At first, I thought the couple was mute, but I was wrong.
Opening our eyes to the plight of the blind
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 15/03/2013
» Never before had I experienced and understood the difficulties faced by the blind until last week. My left eye became badly infected and had to be covered with a dressing for four days. Technically, I was temporarily half blind except when I sometimes felt so uncomfortable I tried to peek at things through the gap between the gauze and my cheek. To relieve some of the embarrassment about wearing a big gauze pad over my eye, I donned big sunglasses, even at night, during those four days.
Saving man's best friend from the butchers
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 04/12/2012
» Hundreds of dogs crammed into tiny cages on trucks or boats travelling across the border and the Mekong River have been a common sight over the past few years. They were on their way to dog meat markets and restaurants in Vietnam via Laos.
More than just a list
Muse, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 10/04/2010
» Almost every movie lover knows the Oscar-winning film Schindler's List, which simplifies the true story of Oskar Schindler, the German industrialist and member of the Nazi party who saved the lives of more than 1,000 Jews by hiring them in his factories during World War II. Lists changed throughout the wartime. Yet, the official one is dated April 18, 1945, three weeks before the German army surrendered. Three copies are being kept in museums in Jerusalem, Washington D.C., and in Orange Country, New York. The only copy in private hands is now for sale for $2.2 million (71.4 million baht).