Showing 1 - 10 of 14
Memes of dissent
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 14/08/2023
» It is not as whimsical as it seems. After the onset of the largest pro-democracy movement since the military coup in 2014, university and high school students cuddled hamster dolls and ran around in circles. "Delicious tax!", hundreds of them sang, from a cartoon jingle at Democracy Monument in late July 2020. Crowdsourced from a social media platform, Hamtaro, a shorthand for caged mice demanding freedom, spawned many internet memes, including a greedy caricature of junta leader Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha.
Temperatures soar, headaches rise
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 01/05/2023
» Like other early birds, Dao Dul, 35, goes on duty at first light. For her, time is literally money. Her office is not a well-built weather-proof skyscraper. It is a makeshift cart that provides affordable dishes to hundreds of community residents from dawn to dusk.
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.
Facing uncertainty head on
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 14/11/2022
» What do you feel at 25? Many young adults are struggling to navigate through a muddle of insecurities, whether it be jobs, relationships or something in between. Similarly, so does the 25th edition of the Singapore Writers Festival. After two years of being digital, the annual literary event is back full scale. Despite grappling with a quarter-life crisis, she is laughing out loud, celebrating the time of her life.
Bringing paper to life
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 29/08/2022
» Many months ago, I took up a forsaken hobby. I drew and painted an adaptation of my childhood cartoon. A rough sketch in watercolour smudge is a reward in itself, but it opens up new possibilities. I have just discovered an inspiring creative pursuit. Paper art can provide a much-needed refuge from distraction.
Graffiti artist follows his rebellious roots
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 06/06/2022
» A daubed wall marks off a rundown area where makeshift houses were put up for rent, a stone's throw from a luxury condominium in the heart of Bangkok's Sathon. A 40-year-old man exits his car with pink luggage. He puts on a black hat and ties a small cloth around his head. He's wearing a long-sleeve checked shirt, shorts, and black sneakers and his socks are printed with cannabis patterns. Mue Bon, literally translated as "restless hands", opens his arsenal and begins to spray paint a rough sketch of the flightless black bird on the wall.
Symbols of eternal love
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 01/03/2022
» 'We teach them humans are not friends, but foes," said Tanet Uttaraviset, an animal scientist at Nakhon Ratchasima Zoo, while opening the door of the nursery for young sarus cranes. Inside this leafy circular enclosure is a green puddle where his words echo the conflict between humans and tall waterbirds under threat of extinction.
Tunes of the forest
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 08/02/2022
» It is a heavenly radio broadcast that reminds villagers twice a day -- morning and late afternoon -- of their feathered companions under threat of extinction. Despite being hampered by lockdowns, artists have managed to imitate birdsong for public announcement systems to promote human-animal relationships.
Exhibition explores the impact of air pollution
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 07/01/2022
» From open burning to toxic emissions, clouds of smoke curl and drift before entering our bodies. Thai artist Supmanee Chaisansuk has launched her new exhibition of semi-abstract paintings to explore the impact of air pollution.
Card collectors chase possible fortune
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 02/11/2021
» Clutching a large tote bag, a collector is looking for someone to trade a wide range of anime toys from cards to stickers in the new craze for rare items that cost over 100,000 baht per piece.