Showing 1 - 10 of 12
Northern star rising
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 24/01/2019
» Riding on a horse-drawn carriage around the downtown of Lampang province is like travelling back in time. Nonetheless, this "town of horse-drawn carriages" is famous not only for the old-style travel mode, temples and bowls with chicken motifs. It has just begun to promote its community tourism, artistic, romantic and challenging destinations and street festivals under the new campaign "Lampang: Dream Destination".
Destination waterfall
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 13/12/2018
» A 4 minute 36 second film clip showing the happy time spent by the young King Bhumibol Adulyadej and Queen Sirikit at the stunning Phrom Lok Waterfall in Phrom Khiri district, Nakhon Si Thammarat province, in 1959 brings smiles and tears of joy to almost everyone who views it. This has inspired many to visit tambon Phrom Lok, which is now easy to reach by car unlike when the royal couple travelled by Jeep on a 10km dirt road.
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.
Making the most of the land
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 05/12/2018
» King Bhumibol Adulyadej passed away in October 2016 and left behind countless legacies for his people, including over 4,000 royal projects. To keep the royal principles and practices going -- especially the sufficiency-economy philosophy -- a group of more than 20 academics, led by Asst Prof Phichet Sowitthayasakun of King Mongkut's Institute of Technology Ladkrabang (KMITL), is establishing the Institute of Sufficiency Economy Philosophy (ISEP) to teach "the King's principles".
Beauty and the beasts
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 07/11/2018
» Once upon a time, not long before the Siamese Revolution, there was a princess who was born in a palace but had to leave home, and who lived happily ever after as an artist in a faraway land.
A social disease
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 24/09/2018
» One of my favourite actors recently left this world prematurely due to frail health caused by chronic excessive drinking. It is sad, because Warut Woratham, once the country's No.1 heartthrob, had managed to quit drinking and opted for a healthy lifestyle a few years prior to his death, but the alcohol-related damage to his health had been done. Warut was just 49 when he died.
Preserving history
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 30/04/2018
» Ruins and ancient sites are always under threat from time and disaster. The great flood of 2011, for instance, damaged 128 archeological sites on and around the city island of Ayutthaya. After the incident, the government provided a budget of 600 million baht for the clean-up and restoration work, and there was also financial and technical aid from Unesco, as well as certain foreign countries.
Exploring Thailand in one day
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 26/04/2018
» Thirty-six years ago, the 10-year-old me felt excited to see the replicas of more than 100 historic monuments, life-sized and smaller, in one place. Many other Thai students must feel the same since one of the must-sees on any school study trip is Muang Boran (Ancient Siam) in Samut Prakan province. Nowadays, Muang Boran has become a Thai art and culture learning centre and also a popular setting for the filming of TV series and movies.
Going traditional at Songkran
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 16/04/2018
» Over two years ago, I wrote about my contentment with a new trend in which a number of Thais wear traditional costumes in everyday life. Today, I feel happier since so many Thai people opt for traditional outfits and the style is even recognised and promoted by the government. I must note this was ignited by the craze for the periodical TV series Bupphesanniwat (Love Destiny), which was about the time journey of an archaeologist to the reign of Ayutthaya's King Narai the Great over 300 years ago.
Two centuries of Thai-American friendship
Life, Pichaya Svasti, Published on 20/02/2018
» To commemorate the bicentennial of diplomatic ties between the United States of America and the Kingdom of Thailand, the US government and the US Embassy and Consulate in Thailand have been organising various activities in celebration of the important occasion.