Showing 1 - 10 of 24
A bittersweet farewell to Life
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 25/02/2019
» Amid the downturn and lower popularity of mainstream media, as opposed to fast-speed online channels, coupled with the deprivation of press freedom under the junta, it comes as no surprise to see newspapers and magazines ceasing publication.
Deliver us from apathy
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 10/12/2018
» It became the talk of the town when social-media posts last week unveiled a sign saying: "Using the postal service of Thailand Post means repaying the debts of gratitude that you owe to your country". The message led to widespread negative criticism. Many people were upset and complained the state enterprise should not have demanded people's gratefulness when it offers a poor service.
A modest, model life
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 16/10/2017
» When I was a little girl, I loved fairy tales about a handsome prince and a beautiful princess falling in love and living happily ever after. In fairy tales, kings and queens live luxury lives in castles. That didn't happen in Thailand throughout the 89-year lifetime of King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who passed away last year.
Royal funeral books to cherish
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 15/09/2017
» A heart-wrenching day for Thailand -- that of the royal cremation of King Bhumibol Adulyadej -- is only about one month away. The beloved monarch is in the hearts of Thais always, and many are in pursuit of memorabilia associated with His Majesty. Almost everything, ranging from coins and medals to stamps, was sold out or fully reserved within a day.
Precious lessons for protecting our nature
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 13/06/2016
» Last week, there was good and bad news about the environment. I learnt a lot about environmental protection measures during my June 6-7 visit to Japan's Yakushima Island, of which 20% of the total area is registered as a World Natural Heritage Site by Unesco. Later on June 9, I was happy to hear that various groups of people planted trees on some parts of deforested land in Nan and many other Thais planted trees elsewhere and also at home.
For biosafety or business?
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 27/11/2015
» Questions about food safety and stability in Thailand have arisen after the Cabinet on Tuesday approved the draft law on biosafety to legalise and regulate genetically modified organisms (GMOs). If endorsed by the National Legislative Assembly, this draft will become effective a year after being published in the Royal Gazette.
Roads are a dammed hindrance
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 25/09/2015
» Earlier this month, I visited the Thai-Danish Dairy Farm and Training Centre in Saraburi province and heard some terrible news. A guide told me that the farm's Burmese Rosewood (Pterocarpus macrocarpus) forest, home to over 10,000 naturally grown trees would soon be gone as it has been marked for land expropriation under a motorway project.
Stressed? You're having a laugh
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 25/08/2015
» A few months ago, I read a funny post on Facebook about laughing on social media in different languages. Thais prefer "55555" while the Japanese type "www", which is derived from the word "warai". Korean people write "kkkkk", the Spanish "jajaja" and the Portuguese "huehuehue" or "rsrsrsrs". For people in Denmark and Iceland, they use "ha ha, hi hi, hae hae, ho ho, ti hi" while Russians use "haha xaxa, hihi xnxn, hehe xexe" and it is "xa xa xa" in Hebrew. Interestingly, French people laugh "hahaha, héhéhé, hihihi, hohoho" or "MDR" (mort de rire) meaning "dying of laughter".
Slaying the beast of human-elephant conflict
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 23/07/2015
» A Thai proverb says, "You can't hide a dead elephant with a lotus leaf". This means a guilty conscience needs no accuser. It is absolutely true. The consequences of last week's brutal killing of a family of three wild elephants at a meditation centre in Hua Hin district, Prachuap Khiri Khan, prove the rule of karma does exist. The tragic deaths made headlines and raised public concerns. Officials later found the three pachyderms were electrocuted. An employee of the meditation centre was finally arrested for erecting the electrified fence that killed the elephants. He was charged with hunting protected animals and faces up to four years imprisonment and a 40,000 baht fine under the Wildlife Conservation Act if found guilty.
Friends across the border
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 21/05/2015
» Last week was the third time I have visited Myanmar in the last three years. There have been a few changes caused by the influence of materialism and capitalism, but things seem fine, in general.