Showing 1 - 10 of 10
A fond farewell to the poster people
Oped, Roger Crutchley, Published on 08/02/2026
» For a couple of months the streets in Bangkok and throughout Thailand have been decorated with posters of political candidates. But now the Big Day has arrived and soon the posters will disappear. In a strange sort of way, I will miss their presence as they were at least something to look at when stuck in the traffic. They generally appeared to be a cheerful lot, beaming at us with big cheesy grins as one would expect in the Land of Smiles.
Feline stardom doesn't come easy
Roger Crutchley, Published on 17/11/2024
» In the final credits of many American films you often see the "no animals were harmed" disclaimer, meaning representatives of the American Humane Association were present to ensure no animals were mistreated during the course of filming.
From Fleet Street to the Big Chilli
Roger Crutchley, Published on 05/05/2024
» It came as a shock to learn that long-time friend and colleague Colin Hastings died on Monday in Bang Saray when he suffered heart failure and the car he was driving collided with a wall. He was 73. Here are a few personal memories of Colin, best known as publisher of Big Chilli magazine.
The soggy socks and sandbags month
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 02/10/2022
» Judging from the pervading sense of dampness experienced during the past week we are entering the annual soggy socks season so beloved by the populace. The meteorological office has been getting into the spirit of things with forecasts of heavy rains brought by what began as Typhoon Noru.
You can't beat mangoes and sticky rice
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 08/05/2022
» I was tucking into some delicious khao nieo mamuang (mangoes and sticky rice) at a friend's house the other day and the conversation inevitably turned to teenage Thai rapper Milli, (Danupha Khanatheerakul) and her eye-catching performance at the Coachella music festival in California.
In defence of the Yank chimney-sweep
Oped, Roger Crutchley, Published on 20/03/2022
» A Londoner who lives in Bangkok has made a spirited defence of Dick Van Dyke's much-maligned cockney accent as a chimney-sweep in Mary Poppins, which was mentioned in last week's column.
Experiencing the 'Self-Isolation Blues'
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 22/03/2020
» I had been hoping not to mention THE VIRUS this week, but it is impossible to escape from it as it has become so overwhelming. The saturation coverage on international TV channels is enough to make you ill, even if you were feeling fine. It's almost like all those dreadful dystopian films we've been subjected to in recent years have come to be a grim reality
Animals to stop naughty activity in Lumpini
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 26/08/2018
» No hanky-panky in the park, if you don't mind.
A commuter's lot is not a happy one
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 01/07/2018
» Commuting in Bangkok has never been much fun and last week it got a whole lot worse if you happened to be a regular traveller on the BTS. The word "frustration" springs to mind, with perhaps a touch of "exasperation", "agitation" and a general feeling of "disgruntlement". It was definitely not good for the blood pressure.
Taking a strong stance on doughnuts
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 22/04/2018
» It was Oscar Wilde who famously observed "the only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it," which is my excuse for munching on a free doughnut proffered by staffers at a bakery in Bangkok last week. It was only a little one and wasn't that tasty -- too much sugar -- but I still scoffed it down, quietly cursing Mr Wilde's seductive bon mot.