Showing 1 - 10 of 19
The history of Siamese erotica
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 18/10/2025
» In high school, Artyasit Srisuwan saw his friends bring erotic books to class. Teachers confiscated the material and scolded them, but Artyasit did not take the genre seriously until over a decade ago when he got to know Luang Vilaspariwat, known as Kru Liam, a pioneer of erotic literature in the early 20th century, and wanted to write a thesis about it. Due to the lack of primary sources, his adviser convinced him to change the topic.
Promoting co-existence
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 12/05/2025
» While parents were sitting on picnic blankets, kids were romping with laughter reverberating across the yard. Stationed according to their own age in an arcade, players hit flashing buttons to create notes as fast as possible -- hence rearranging popular songs with melodies of different generations.
A forgotten heritage
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 03/08/2023
» To the layman, Paniat is unheard of. It is an ancient town that lies in the eastern province of Chanthaburi. It sits at the foot of Khao Sa Bap, a square settlement that was once guarded by walls but levelled out, buried and forgotten to make way for an orchard village. However, the site retains remnants of Khmer culture that highlight the dynamic interaction between Siam and its neighbours.
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.
Letting go is key to moving forward
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 27/02/2023
» Some humans desire to transcend their biological limits. Such pursuit of immortality is expressed through art or architecture, or living through their descendants. I have been in touch with a number of artists who struggle to preserve their craft amid changing times. A succession crisis occurs when one cannot find anyone to continue his or her artistic legacy and only some can let go, though not easily.
MP casts doubts over Upakit's assets
News, Thana Boonlert, Published on 21/02/2023
» Move Forward Party MP Rangsiman Rome on Monday accused Senator Upakit Pachariyangkun of making a false asset declaration after the senator filed a 100-million-baht defamation lawsuit against him last week following the general debate.
Opposition MFP doubles down on prohibition
News, Thana Boonlert, Published on 11/11/2022
» The Move Forward Party (MFP) petitioned the Ombudsman on Thursday to seek an injunction from the Administrative Court to suspend a ministerial announcement removing cannabis from the list of narcotic drugs, pending a more thorough law on cannabis control.
Riding the green wave
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 27/06/2022
» Only two weeks after decriminalising cannabis, Thailand is experiencing a green rush. Since June 9, when the legalisation of marijuana for home and commercial use took effect, almost 1 million people registered to grow it with food and drug officials, while more than 40 million have checked out the registration platform. There's a growing public interest in the cash crop -- though some farmers remain doubtful -- and it is paving the way for "cannabis journalism".
Complicated history and a comeback
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 02/06/2022
» On the partition of a quiet seaside wood house is more than an old photo from circa 1881. It is hard evidence that King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) and his entourage, including his half-brother Prince Damrong Rajanuphap, visited the island in the easternmost province of Trat before it was subject to French rule. Despite the withdrawal of troops, colonial legacies remained for years.
Dr Dolittle Prayut does little but talk
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 27/12/2021
» Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha made ludicrous headlines again when he broached the subject of animals during his official visit to southern border provinces. It is not surprising that the macho general again doted on creatures. A few years ago, he shared a photo of him in casual clothes and a cuddly dog on his lap. However, his interaction with animals in provincial trips often lands him in hot water.