Showing 71 - 80 of 85
From train whistles to monkey chatter
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 08/01/2017
» In the final hours of New Year's Eve, I was sitting with my wife on the porch of our abode in the middle of Nakhon Nowhere.
Thailand through the looking glass
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 01/01/2017
» Well, here we are on the first day of a brand new year. It is customary at this time for newspaper columnists and other bores to predict what's going to happen in the world in the coming 12 months. Let's just hope it's a bit more cheery than the past year, which has been quite awful.
An appreciation of a remarkable king
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 16/10/2016
» Not being Thai, whatever I say concerning His Majesty the King will be inadequate. But having lived in Thailand for the past 47 years, I feel like he has also become my king and I would like to at least attempt to express my admiration for what he achieved in his 70-year reign.
There must be something about Hawaii
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 09/10/2016
» The most reassuring news of the week was that the leader of a much-discussed Thai delegation to the US-Asean conference in Hawaii only ate noodles and rice aboard the chartered aircraft.
Messing about with monsters in the park
Oped, Roger Crutchley, Published on 25/09/2016
» The most entertaining story of the week has been the round-up of monitor lizards in Lumpini Park, featuring diligent officials and a posse of perspiring newsmen stumbling about chasing after some 400 or so reptiles estimated to be residing in the park.
Seeing red as Sgt Nop takes over lights
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 04/09/2016
» Reports that Bangkok police have been ordered to abandon computerised traffic lights and return to manual handling have not exactly been greeted with dancing in the streets by the city's long-suffering motorists.
Reaching the finish line in Rio's Games
Oped, Roger Crutchley, Published on 21/08/2016
» Because of the 10-hour time difference, it's been quite gruelling following that sporting event down in the land where "coffee beans grow by the billions" -- I still can't get that song out of my head. I can safely claim to have dozed off while watching swimming, boxing, badminton, golf (sorry Ariya) and missing far too many gold medal performances.
Fond memories of Brazil's coffee culture
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 07/08/2016
» With the Rio Olympics finally under way, I can't get out of my head the old Frank Sinatra song that starts: "Way down among Brazilians/Coffee beans grow by the billions …" It was entitled The Coffee Song and a big hit when I was a kid back in the Stone Age. In fact, that song just about summed up my knowledge of Brazil in those days.
Great snakes! Or maybe, not so great
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 24/07/2016
» Anyone who has lived in Thailand for a while will have experienced some kind of unscheduled meeting with a snake. I've had a few close encounters over the years and have not exactly covered myself in glory. Just like crocodiles, I think snakes are best left to their own devices -- preferably as far away from me as possible.So what was I doing last week sitting face to face with a King Cobra?
Stairway to a kind of heaven in Bangkok
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 10/07/2016
» The recent case in which Led Zeppelin's Jimmy Page and Robert Plant were cleared of stealing the opening riff of their massive hit Stairway to Heaven reminded me of the first time I heard a Thai band play the song in Bangkok.