Showing 1 - 10 of 12
Heritage on trial
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 14/01/2026
» For some, the Chao Mae Thapthim Shrine is a beacon of resistance against a larger force.
Micro oases in the concrete jungle
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 07/08/2023
» Created from a scrap of land, a pocket park is a micro oasis of landscaped nature that can breathe new life into grey Bangkok. Spread across a lawn, flowers, shrubs and trees provide respite from the hustle and bustle. The use of solar cells does not cause any pollution. Its universally designed walkway is well-catered to all groups of visitors, including the disabled and elderly. Inside, there is a small space for exercise and leisure.
The many tastes of rice
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 10/04/2023
» For several decades, cracked ground in Isan or the Northeast of the country captured the public's imagination. In the 1970s, readers submitted their poems to Satri Sarn, the country's first women's magazine, recounting tales of drought, crop failure and hardship. Some were forced to eat leaves and grasshoppers, not rice, while others who fled their villages in search of jobs in Bangkok were duped or exploited by agents.
The elusive objects of truth
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 06/03/2023
» The recent shooting down of flying objects, identified and otherwise, over the US and Canada has spurred interest in extra-terrestrial life further afield. Here in Thailand, ufologists have taken to social media and presented evidence of sightings while describing their personal experiences as well as theories about alien lifeforms.
A slice of Andaman paradise
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 31/10/2022
» After six months of closure for the rainy season, Koh Lanta is now reopening to the outside world.
Abode of the gods
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 04/08/2022
» Cicadas sang a chorus as the forest opened out. I peered into the darkness and traced the distant contour of a monumental religious complex, a remarkable feat of human civilisation. Keyed up with my first visit, I crossed a floating bridge, a soon-to-be-dismantled construction, over a large moat in the midst of lush vegetation. Before dawn, I arrived at Angkor Wat.
Preserving traditions
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 16/05/2022
» Hidden in an alley near a train station, Kongleechongsun School had been out of use for years. For outsiders, it could easily go unnoticed. Founded over a century ago by merchants of Chinese descent, the school experienced many interruptions including state control. It was not until the end of World War II that descendants rebuilt the now-defunct school.
Reviving old traditions
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 15/12/2021
» Despite face masks, local artisans put their heart and soul into the annual creative festival amid the rush of the winter breeze. Amid Covid-19, the 7th Chiang Mai Design Week brought the northern city back to life. Shedding its superfluous layers, the subdued event finally came to fruition by exploring its roots.
A win for health security
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 08/11/2021
» What is inside a tube can be the matter of life and death. Scientists carefully transfer each patient's sample into a microplate and put it in an automated box-shaped extraction instrument. After processing it for 10 minutes, it isolates ribonucleic acid (RNA) from coronavirus cells for an RT-PCR test.
Growing climate of fear
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 25/05/2021
» Like other immigrants, Chutikan Hoover remembered the thrill of stepping foot in the US -- the land of opportunity -- for the first time nearly two decades ago. She now lives with her husband in Raleigh, the capital of North Carolina, and runs a licensed spa business.