Showing 1 - 9 of 9
Tales of queer migration
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 19/06/2023
» There is a border that defines the contour of his identity. Only by crossing it can Jaokhun Promchana be the man he wants to be. After moving to the US, he studied a new language and toiled in the kitchen. Holding a dream close to his heart, he went the extra mile to join the US Navy and police. Currently, he is running a restaurant with his wife. From the outside, he looks no different from other men, but in his expired documents, a name and its title are a reminder of the former self that he already shed.
Struggling to survive
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 23/05/2023
» You are what you eat, but some do not have the privilege to choose. Nai, who is skinny and short for his age, lacks more than just a proper diet. He has been abandoned by his mother, and his father is serving a jail term. As a result, his uncle has kindly taken him into his own family. But like others, he is living from hand-to-mouth, so providing his nephew with a balanced diet from the five food groups is difficult. Due to a lack of variety in their diet, slum children, though not starving, are suffering from malnutrition.
Curtains for Chinese opera?
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 27/02/2023
» "Hurry up," shouted a crew member who climbed up onto a makeshift stage. Casting sidelong glances, performers, half-clad, looked in the mirror and concentrated on applying layers of make-up. Nearby, a motley bunch of musicians and technicians double-checked their instruments. A stream of chatter from a growing audience -- without any partition between the theatre and real life -- put unintended pressure on the band.
Nationalism is not the answer to land woes
Oped, Thana Boonlert, Published on 04/11/2022
» Resistance to the controversial foreign land ownership bill is giving rise to the term khai chat -- used to denounce traitors who sell the motherland -- being used in political discourse. Whether a person is a government critic or supporter, he or she believes their ancestors fought very hard to protect our land and it should not be given away to foreigners.
No quick fixes
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 14/02/2022
» Birth control became the subject of debate when the National Health Security Office (NHSO) started offering free contraceptive pills earlier this month, which will be followed by condoms in April at its service points -- including clinics, pharmacies and private hospitals -- to people aged 15 and above to prevent unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases.
Waiting for change at Din Daeng
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 04/10/2021
» It was after dusk when the first bang went off somewhere in a war-like zone. "They are just warming up," said a young dropout waiting for his friends amid an explosion near the bridge at Din Daeng intersection in Bangkok.
Joy amid hardship
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 10/05/2021
» Rusty tin shacks sprawl under high-rises and billboards. Rubbish scatters and floats down the foul-smelling river. Last year, fire broke out near a local mosque. With the third wave of the coronavirus outbreak, the Klong Toey neighbourhood is hanging by a thread.
When party and play goes wrong
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 05/04/2021
» Ten years ago, Pong* went to a party that would change the course of his life. Inside the dim-lit room were a group of five people who were drinking alcohol and taking drugs. When Pong got high on meth, he was caught off guard and ended up having condomless sex.
Debate host a model in cool
News, Thana Boonlert, Published on 15/03/2021
» With her intense gaze and a pen in her right hand, Jomquan Laopetch has become a household name as she moderates heated debates between those on different ends of the political spectrum. The termination of her contract with Thairath TV at the end of January made headlines and prompted widespread speculation about her next move. She is now host of new programme The Matter every Friday.