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Muse, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 21/01/2017
» When Nalin Vanasin, a 43-year-old entrepreneur and mother of two, volunteered to work for Neilson Hays Library, she remembered seeing many eyebrows raised. A few of her friends even asked whether people still go to the library. Such a condescending attitude is somehow understandable. In our digital world, physical books are going out of date. Libraries, known as the fortresses of intellectuals for over two millennia, have become relics of the past.
Roiling on the river
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 11/10/2016
» Yossapon Somboon is staring out at the Chao Phraya. He's standing at Phra Sumen Fort on Phra Athit Road, with its green park that offers one of the best spots to look at the river. There is a giant cork tree. There are slopes and well designed terraces where visitors come in the evening to rest, picnic or just look at the water. Nearby is the ancient fort, a traditional community -- a tranquil scene, a pocket of peace in the bustling capital.
Waterworld
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 19/09/2016
» Once deserted and useful only to drain Bangkok's floods, Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem is now abuzz with people. During rush hour, passengers queue up to board free boats running from Thewet pier to Hua Lamphong. In the morning or after work, boats get crowded and passengers sit all the way to the back.
From salt to solar
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 14/09/2016
» If this year's severe drought returns next dry season, Uncle Wai Rodtayoy and other salt farmers in tambon Koek Kharm of Samut Sakhon, known as the country's largest sea-salt-farming area, will see mounting debts.
Banana split
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 17/08/2016
» High on the list of fruits Thais cannot live without is kluai namwa, or cultivated banana, a tropical strand only grown in South and Southeast Asia. The cultivated banana has long been an affordable, ubiquitous food staple for Thais, the same way apples are for Westerners.
A place among the dead
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 26/07/2016
» Cemeteries are a sanctuary for the dead and the mourners. But the Bangkok Protestant Cemetery on Charoen Krung 72/5, known as Soi Susan Farang, has been known as a tourist attraction, due to the beautiful architecture of the memorial sites and splendidly carved gravestones. The cemetery, besides being one of the oldest burial grounds that remain unaffected by the urban development of the city, has a cultural value as a testament of foreign cultures present in Thailand from the mid-19th century until the present day.
Photographic preservation
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 22/06/2016
» Underwater photography is all about otherworldly charm; the deep-blue opacity and aquatic animals can transport us into another realm. But those exquisite images are not the style preferred by Sirachai "Shin" Arunrugstichai, a 28-year-old marine conservationist and photographer whose work is not just about beauty but about man's obligations toward the ocean.
The reluctant activist
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 25/04/2016
» The reign of the current government is not the perfect time for protesting. Anyone who raises voices against the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) might be summoned by the army for "attitude adjustment". Still, there are a few activists who dare to defy the military government -- among them is Somnuck Jongmeewasin.
Against the flow
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 17/02/2016
» Songkhram River is a little-known tributary of the Mekong River. Yet staying under the radar has turned out to be a blessing in disguise, for the placid 420km river has been left untouched from development projects such as dams and major construction. Compared to other waterways in the northeastern region such as the Chi and Mun rivers, which are straddled by dams, the Songkhram -- known as a source of delicious freshwater fish -- is the only tributary of the Mekong which runs free and unobstructed.
Inventors with a revved up edge
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 10/02/2016
» What image comes to mind when you think of a car race? Perhaps fast and furious steeds or gasoline guzzling engines steered by daredevil drivers?