Showing 71 - 80 of 160
Call me by her name
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 13/07/2018
» While the interest and market for gay-themed stories continue to grow -- on online channels, on television series and in cinemas -- the sub-genre of lesbian movies has still got some catching up to do, especially in Thailand. Once in a blue moon, a lesbian film would drop on our cinema or TV screens, and the ones that had an actual cultural impact can be counted on one hand. At last week's LGBT Film Festival, which saw an enthusiastic turnout, there was then just one lesbian film among a dozen gay-themed international titles. All of this seems to signify that truly fair representation of gender and sexuality in the media still has quite a way to go.
The scourge of fake news
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 09/07/2018
» Last week before the 12 boys and their football coach trapped in Tham Luang cave had been located, dubious online news sources proclaimed they had been found, prompting cheers on Facebook -- only to be dismissed minutes later. The next day, the cycle repeated. Later in the week, there was even "news" of a body being found, believed to be one of the boys. It spread and was later snuffed, since it simply wasn't true.
Inspired by love
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 20/06/2018
» Oestrogen hormone gel, taxidermied moth, Braille paper, instant photography, colourful strokes mixing acrylic, oil and charcoal -- all of this makes up Thai abstract artist Sudaporn Teja's latest conceptual collection, "LGBTQ: Loves Get Better With Time Quietly", now on display at Serindia Gallery in Charoen Krung.
Rainbow on the silver screen
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 28/05/2018
» Some of the many LGBTI films now playing or coming soon to Thailand
Finding a new voice
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 23/05/2018
» Into its seventh season, The Voice Thailand, once a pioneer of the genre, now finds itself among a glut of television singing contests.
Second spotlight
Muse, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 19/05/2018
» Virahya "Gina" Pattarachokchai has kept the same Instagram profile picture since January 2016. It was a picture of herself standing next to her supermodel coach and mentor Metinee "Lukkade" Kingpayome, during the final round of The Face Thailand Season 2 -- the modelling-themed reality TV show. That night, the aspiring model and actress was declared the show's runner-up, not the winner as she hoped.
Paradise or paradox?
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 15/05/2018
» The theme of this year's International Day Against Homophobia, Transphobia and Biphobia (Idahot), which falls on Thursday (May 17) is "Alliances For Solidarity". On the day, events will be held worldwide to celebrate gender diversity, and to raise awareness for LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) rights violation.
A fund for Thailand's bravest
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 05/04/2018
» Life as a forest ranger is undeniably tough, and certainly not one with comfort. They spend half their time trekking and living in the woods to protect the country's natural resources. And in light of the killing of the black Indochinese leopard, the spotlight now shines on these brave rangers who risk themselves catching powerful men. Their sacrifices draw sympathetic souls who wish to support these unsung heroes.
Time traveller
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 04/04/2018
» Period dramas, the sources of romanticisation of the bygone, continue to transfix viewers everywhere. From the South Korean culinary tale Dae Jang Guem, to the dramatisation of UK royalty in The Crown, or the court of Louis XIV in Versailles, or even Thailand's own See Pandin (Four Reigns), these fusions of history and fantasy offer an outlook to the past -- glorified or critical -- while also sparking interest and debate over the portrayals of historical accounts.
Laying down the law
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 19/03/2018
» The image of an attorney of law is traditionally that of a formal, reserved figure in a suit and tie who mostly works from behind the scenes. But in recent months in Thailand, the spotlight has been cast on a number of lawyers who have become a kind of celebrity -- the face of their own cases, the stars in their clients' dramas -- when they make frequent appearances on TV and social media. Many are famous for posting their comments online, taking to Facebook Live to communicate with thousands of fans, and offering legal punditry on high-profile cases, including their own.