Showing 1 - 10 of 12
Growing chorus of prejudice
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 28/03/2022
» Transgender beauty queen's immigration trouble in Dubai is yet another reminder of how Thai law has failed.
Going for gold
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 28/08/2020
» A young gymnast reached out her hands and grabbed a bar. With the aid of an instructor, she swung herself a few times to gain momentum before finally doing a handstand. She held that position for a while before swinging down and coming back to the ground. All around the large open space, children were engaged in various artistic gymnastic pursuits. From swinging on the uneven bars to skipping on a balance beam or leaping over a vault.
Restaurateurs adapt to new normal
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 20/05/2020
» For Somsak Rattanawanwimon, the owner of Kuai Tiao Pak Mor Yon Yook, a vintage-style steamed rice dumpling noodle restaurant in Bang Yai market, running a food business during the pandemic has been challenging. Once filled with diners and people queuing outside on a busy day, at one low-point during the pandemic, his shop had no customers at all.
Plastic still proliferates
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 17/02/2020
» Several retail chains have taken the initiative to cut down on plastic waste by not giving out plastic bags, and people find themselves carrying their own tote bags when they shop at malls and convenience stores.
Something in the water
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 04/03/2019
» Rows of small glass containers fill multiple shelves along the wall. Inside them, swimming leisurely and living separately in their tiny, private space are colourful Siamese fighting fish, popular among various crowds. Some keep them as pets for their pure eye-candy pleasure, or get them on a fish spar to make quick cash, or selectively breed them for commercial purposes.
Unshackling gentle giants
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 07/05/2018
» After trading our sneakers for knee-length boots, we trotted down to the riverbank where a boat was waiting for us. It was a short crossing to the other side of Nam Khan River to meet the elephants that happily approached us for bananas and sugar cane. They had no chains around their ankles. The mahouts stood nearby, keeping watch with no hooks in their hands. Later, they guided the gentle giants to walk along with the humans trailing nearby on muddy ground. The atmosphere was very friendly and calm, with a picturesque landscape of jungle, river and sky surrounding us.
Nang Loeng neighbourhood is no longer a banana republic
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 02/03/2018
» Figures in colourful aprons weaving through traffic selling bags of banana fritters have long been a familiar sight in Nang Loeng neighbourhood of Bangkok. But today, the roads felt almost empty without their presence.
A view on the new zoo
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 03/01/2018
» When news broke last month that Thailand's oldest zoo, Dusit Zoo, will be relocated from its present location in inner Bangkok to a new home in Pathum Thani province, it sent shock waves through the hearts of generations of Bangkokians. Back before shopping malls, cinemas, skating rinks, aquariums and wax museums took over as the capital's popular destinations, Dusit Zoo was a favourite attraction for the entire family -- a place where countless such families have had their photographs taken.
At the animal café
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 10/04/2017
» How do you like the idea of eating bakery and sipping on soda, all the while playing with cats, dogs, rabbits and more? It may sound off to some, but for many animal lovers, the experience feels just like heaven -- and can now be accomplished at animal cafés all over the country.
Quick financial fix
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 02/05/2016
» Inside an air-conditioned room, a man with a grim face sat behind a tall counter with a metal barrier separating him from incoming clients. Suddenly, someone approaches him with a piece of jewellery in hand. After inspecting the item, the man names his price. After a negotiation, a contract is then signed as a promise for the client to pay back his loan plus interest and reclaim the item. Then, the client walks out with a handful of cash. The entire process lasts only a few minutes.