Showing 1 - 10 of 14
Snowy peaks and vibrant culture
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 07/09/2023
» Debris remains the lingering evidence of a massive earthquake in Nepal in 2015. With the epicentre in the northwest of Kathmandu, followed by hundreds of aftershocks, the natural disaster killed around 9,000 people, injured over 100,000 and impacted around 8 million. As Nepal began to recover, the coronavirus pandemic brought the world to a complete standstill and tourism cracked and collapsed like people's homes.
Homage to nature
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 03/02/2023
» A mechanical watch is not just a timepiece, but a reminder of the unfinished mission of Seub Nakhasathien, who laid down his life for conservation in 1990. At the helm of Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Uthai Thani, he suffered numerous setbacks from deforestation and poaching to poverty. And after eight months of stewardship, he cleared his decks, made a will and shot himself in his quarters out of frustration in a bid to raise public awareness of environmental protection.
Imagining a new world
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 17/01/2023
» A few days after the dawn of the new year, I found myself on the move earlier than usual. It is not usually until the second week we hit the ground running. After all, who would fly to Singapore just for an art exhibition? But I took it on because, given the pandemic, its theme seemed timely and powerful. Despite a brief downpour, it was a rewarding experience. Made of earthy materials, some pieces evoked a refreshing sense of self-renewal.
Buzzing with creativity
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 13/12/2022
» The eighth edition of Chiang Mai Design Week, a nine-day cultural festival that wrapped up last week, was a manifesto of the melting pot that is this northern province. At an out-of-use warehouse in Chang Moi, a group of local artists who took part in a homecoming project exhibited objects from their neighbourhoods in the style of Renaissance curiosity. Here, Achariyar Rojanapirom and Ratthee Phaisanchotsiri curated personal items from their cupboard, including a bowl of stir-fried salted chilli from a nam ngiao shop in the old town, to show how they remain contemporary.
Remnant of the past
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 06/09/2022
» Satun was once submerged in the southern hemisphere until the movement of tectonic plates pushed the terrain up. Covering an area of 2,600km² in four districts, its geopark is home to the region's most ancient marine fossils such as nautiloids dating back to the palaeozoic era (between 500-250 million years ago).
Abode of the gods
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 04/08/2022
» Cicadas sang a chorus as the forest opened out. I peered into the darkness and traced the distant contour of a monumental religious complex, a remarkable feat of human civilisation. Keyed up with my first visit, I crossed a floating bridge, a soon-to-be-dismantled construction, over a large moat in the midst of lush vegetation. Before dawn, I arrived at Angkor Wat.
Muay Thai boxers enter the global arena
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 20/07/2022
» After over two years of the coronavirus pandemic, Thai boxers are getting ready to flex their muscles and stun the world. Many adrenaline-pumping programmes are running for local and international fans, seeking to promote the sport on the global stage.
Weaponising Thainess with numbers
Oped, Thana Boonlert, Published on 03/06/2022
» The feud over an online campaign calling for Thai numerals to be scrapped in official documents isn't just about pragmatism -- it is a clash between the two ideologies which underpin Thai society.
Preserving traditions
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 16/05/2022
» Hidden in an alley near a train station, Kongleechongsun School had been out of use for years. For outsiders, it could easily go unnoticed. Founded over a century ago by merchants of Chinese descent, the school experienced many interruptions including state control. It was not until the end of World War II that descendants rebuilt the now-defunct school.
Heritage is not soft power
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 02/05/2022
» Harvard University Professor Joseph Nye coined the term "soft power", or the ability to obtain preferred outcomes by attraction, rather than coercion or payment, in his book Bound To Lead in 1990. However, he has since seen his brainchild, scribbled out on his kitchen table, grow in scope of application and distance.