Showing 1 - 10 of 21
Straddling two worlds
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 11/12/2025
» When I visited Istanbul for the first time, I learned a joke from Gocke, my local guide, who goes to work by undersea train every day. "But you can't see anything," she laughed. For her, it takes only four minutes to cross from Asia to Europe, under the Bosphorus Strait that divides the ancient city.
Designing age-friendly cities
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 04/10/2025
» 'Over 45% of all districts across the country have already entered a completely aged society. Three districts with the highest ratio of seniors are in Bangkok," said Assoc Prof Niramon Serisakul, director of the Urban Design and Development Centre (UDDC).
The euthanasia debate
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 25/02/2025
» A request for euthanasia from a terminally ill patient -- a controversial practice that remains illegal in Thailand -- inspired Dr Isaree Siriwankulthon, a palliative care physician-cum-author, to write a popular novel in 2023.
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.
A cosmopolitan kingdom
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 18/08/2022
» A ferry sailed through the confluence of two rivers that form the heart of Bang Kacha, the ancient capital of Ayutthaya (1351-1767). Its gigantic fort was once the first sight of friends and foes. Remains of foreign settlements overlook the bank of the river, a reminder of how cosmopolitan the city was.
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.
The healing power of art
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 05/04/2022
» Seated at an easel, a boy put his heart and soul onto blank paper. With bold brush strokes, he painted a red house with six yellow fish. As Tommy put it in Kazuo Ishiguro's Never Let Me Go, art says what is inside of you. Little does anybody know this is part of art therapy for patients with rare diseases.
Debunking the endgame theory
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 18/01/2022
» Like all viruses, SARS-CoV-2 adapts for survival. First identified in South Africa in November, the new variant of concern, Omicron, has now swept across the world. It carries a large number of mutations, including those on the spike protein, which are thought to increase transmissibility. However, studies have found that it causes milder infection than previous variants.
The metaverse: Will it consume my life and soul?
Oped, Thana Boonlert, Published on 03/12/2021
» Donning cumbersome headsets, I can jack into the new "digital oasis" where thousands of others will likely migrate. At my fingertips, I can do practically anything from work and play to hanging out and shopping when in fact I am alone in a room. This is the metaverse, or the virtual world that will be the next chapter of the internet.
Defeating an earlier pandemic
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 07/06/2021
» In London, Sompol* can know his HIV status almost immediately. He registers on a website and fills out a questionnaire. Even illegal immigrants can avail themselves of this free service because it doesn't require ID and visa status checks. In two days, a white parcel of self-test kits arrives on his doorstep.