Showing 1 - 10 of 35
A vanishing heritage
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 10/07/2023
» If it were not for a handful of visitors, the Chao Mae Thap Thim Shrine would completely vanish. Flanked by metal sheet fences, a narrow alley leads to the remnants of age-old communities. An entrance is adorned with red lanterns. A facade is painted with mythological figures. A roof is embellished with tile dolls. The smell of burning incense wafts through the open gate. Inside, deities are worshipped on an altar with a gilded frame.
Helping kids in need
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 08/05/2023
» Growing up in a business family, Janphen Phiromlapha set her sights on making money until she took a young girl, who is not related by blood, into her family.
Pin-up stars
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 18/04/2023
» In the erotic novel Hom Dok Praduan (1968), Rong Wongsawan hints that a teenager fondled his flesh in front of her. “On the door is a cover photo of a socialite in Bangkok. Clad in her swimsuit, she allows waves to break on her thighs. But someone with restless hands drew overgrown grass so that he can rub it gently until it is torn. (In Mathayom 4, he often fantasised about her. The first syllable of her name begins with the mor letter. He feels thankful whenever she comes into his mind [...]).”
Giving evidence
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 20/03/2023
» Under authoritarian rule, truths are silenced, censored and mutilated. Yet, many people find ways to tell their stories. It is an irony, though, that a repressive regime is a precondition of creative resistance.
A creative accounting
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 13/02/2023
» Sophie, a young pianist, dreams of performing at a concert hall. When she gets an invitation letter, she feels overjoyed and begins to prepare for a debut, though with a sense of foreboding. On concert day, the sound of music comes from nowhere. She finds that it is created by the ghosts of past performers, yet continues to play her instrument. Her performance brings the ghosts peace, and they gradually disappear. As time goes by, Sophie becomes a successful pianist, but she never forgets the event.
Challenging the norm
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 07/11/2022
» Yaoi or Boys' Love (BL) has grown from an underground to mainstream fictional genre. It emerged from women's manga comics in Japan in the 1980s, which portrayed the relationship between young boys based on the seme (active) and uke (receptive) dichotomy. Through an informal fan network, the transnational phenomenon came to Thailand in the early 1990s and a subculture was formed online.
A call for help
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 23/08/2022
» We pull on layers to protect our vulnerable core. When they break, we are exposed and desperate for new shells, but they take time and do not come easily. Sometimes, we borrow them from the dead.
Time is on our side
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 15/08/2022
» Win or lose, a protest is a process of trial and error. To put it simply, it is disruption, innovation, or something in between, just the way the now-defunct but shape-shifting Future Forward Party was in 2019 because it is born out of a spirit, not a person or a party. If the student-led demonstration goes down in history for demanding the boldest political reform, including the role of the monarchy, its resurrection last week proves that the pro-democracy movement is coming of age.
Chiva-Som Hua Hin
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 11/08/2022
» After hours, I switched off the computer and left my cubicle. When I looked out the office's window, I saw high-rise buildings and winding motorways. Cars were stuck in a traffic jam day in, day out. It dawned on me that something was missing in life. I did not know what it was, but I would like to sort out my mind. A few days later, I took a break and left the city for a tranquil retreat.
Recalling Bangkok's dark side
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 16/06/2022
» Many places are veiled in darkness. Arguably, they were once -- or still -- a reminder of things that should be left unsaid. You may entertain the thought of them, but should not make them known. Who wants to hear of social evil and death? But these places can offer a deeper understanding of what our city is made of.