Showing 1 - 10 of 28
Centara to debut in Japan, new details revealed
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 16/02/2023
» Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand’s leading hotel operator, will make its Japan debut with the launch of Centara Grand Hotel Osaka. Based on what we know so far and our previous reports, Centara's first property in Japan looks to be a grand and promising foothold.
Getting Food at Bangkok Malls in 2021
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 06/08/2021
» On Sunday, the Centre of Covid-19 Situation Administration (CCSA) announced 29 provinces as dark red zones, up from the previous 13, along with strict measures to control the spread. Bangkok is, of course, a dark red zone and most of the prohibitions and temporary closures of certain venues are understandable. One prohibition, in particular, at the time of going to print has left me (and many others) scratching their heads.
When the Streetlights Go On
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 18/06/2021
» Lampposts have posed a lot of questions since last week. If you've been around Thailand, you're bound to spot fancy lampposts that are equipped with sculptures at the top. These sculptures represent something unique about their locality like what a province is known for or simply are mythical creatures. They are nothing new in Thailand but become the new talk of Thai town after people raise questions, rightfully so, about their costs and necessity. Some suspect good old corruption and collusion between local govt officials and the contractors who built them. They are paid for by the taxpayers' money, after all.
Wake Up And Smell the Durian
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 21/05/2021
» You know it's summer when boob/moob sweat stains appear on your clothes when you go out for a quick lunch. You know it's summer when khao chae floods your newsfeed and 7-Eleven feels like a sanctuary from the sunlight. You also know the hottest time of the year has arrived when you smell the durian.
Doable Halloween Costumes
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 30/10/2020
» Halloween will be upon us in less than 24 hours and it's an excuse for you to dress as supernatural beings, popular characters from movies, celebs, generic archetypes and even food items. And if you still have no idea what costume should you wear for Halloween party tomorrow, you're in luck. Here's my costume idea that you can easily pull off.
Hairy situation
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 10/07/2020
» Schools are back in session and so is the debate over the student hairstyle. A new batch of pictures of students whose hair got cut or shaved poorly against their will, as a form of punishment, by their teachers has been recently circulated online. We're probably getting another set once the next hair inspection day comes. Last Friday, student activists submitted a petition to the Ministry of Education asking for clarity over the hairstyle rule. You see, the ministry has already allowed students to wear their hair long so long as it's neat and complies with other conditions. However, a few schools still take it upon themselves to cut students' hair that they deem "inappropriate".
Forces of nature
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 24/04/2020
» From India's Ganga River to Italy's Venice canals, you can't deny that Mother Nature is doing well in our absence. The same could be said for Thai national parks (which have been closed since March 25 until further notice) as rarely-seen creatures show up and our seas show every shade of blue. Here's some for you to get in touch with nature while WFH.
Laughing in the face of Covid-19
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 27/03/2020
» Laughter is definitely not the best medicine for coronavirus, but perhaps, in difficult times like this, we all could use it the most. While we're all practising self-isolation, social distancing or working from home, I present you examples of people who find humour in the Covid-19 climate to brighten up your days.
555 Headlines
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 29/11/2019
» Looking at your newsfeed can give you a sense of doom and gloom these days. Venice faces its worst flood in 50 years. Koala becomes "functionally extinct" because of the (at the time of writing) ongoing bushfires in Australia. Another Thai factory was shut down and workers were laid off en masse. If you need a break from bad news like I do, you're in luck. Here are three funny headlines -- unintentionally or not -- to lift up your mood.
Beam me up!
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 23/08/2019
» Interest in extraterrestrial things (and beings) make a comeback to the Thai collective consciousness, thanks to asteroid 2006 QQ23 flying by and a viral video in which a local man, who claims to be a medium of Pluto God, warns humanity of 2020 doomsday in an alien tongue. This got us thinking about the local interest in UFOs and aliens, and how Thailand is linked to alien stories in a way that you may not be aware of. We aren't saying we believe in Pluto God or trying to convince you one way or another but there are many pieces of evidence (of varying degrees of credibility) of alleged alien visits to the Land Of Smiles and they are too fascinating not to share.