Showing 1 - 8 of 8
A missing item in the rural soundtrack
Roger Crutchley, Published on 18/01/2026
» As usual at this time of the year I have been enjoying life in the Northeastern province of Chaiyaphum for several weeks. However on this visit there was something slightly different which I couldn't immediately put my finger on. It took a few days before realising I was not being woken up by the usual early morning chorus of roosters or chickens of any sort.
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 Early Bird has made his last flight
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 08/03/2020
» Over the years there have been many talented foreigners who made Thailand their home. One such person was Australian Jim Davison who pioneered English language radio broadcasting after arriving in 1966 and continued for five decades. I am sad to report Davison passed away in Australia recently at the grand age of 104.
You can't beat that old black magic
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 02/06/2019
» It is well-known that superstition is deeply ingrained in Thailand, from the poorest farmers to the richest businessmen, politicians and even prime ministers. If things go wrong, malevolent spirits often get the blame and the only way to solve the issue is to indulge in exotic ceremonies to appease them. It makes sense really -- in Thailand you won't get anywhere until you've got the ghosts and the supernatural on your side.
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.
The message is definitely in the song
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 06/05/2018
» While having a chat with friends about those misheard song lyrics (mondegreens) that appeared recently in this column, the conversation got around to another intriguing realm of the musical world -- country & western songs. It almost has a language of its own.
Time is on your side … if the watch is fast
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 28/01/2018
» Recent debate about fancy timepieces had me thinking about my first ever watch, which my dad bought when I was a kid. He was a stickler for punctuality and hated being late for anything. When he gave me the watch it came with sage-like advice. He told me to always set it a few minutes fast so I wouldn't be late, and to this day it has proved wise counsel. Of course it didn't stop me being late, but at least I was two or three minutes earlier in my lateness than I would otherwise have been, if that makes sense.
Possibly time to look on the bright side
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 07/01/2018
» Having just about scraped through the Year of the Chicken, here we are seven days into 2018 and wondering what's in store during the Year of the Dog. It probably won't be all that great, but we'll leave the gloom and doom to the experts. Let's just hope it's a least a bit more enjoyable than the past couple of years which have really been quite awful, and almost of an annus horribilis nature.