Showing 1 - 10 of 39
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.
Voices of change
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 31/03/2025
» What if a media crew goes to great lengths to construct rather than record an event? With this question at heart, Asst Prof Viroj Suttisima, a lecturer at Bangkok University's Faculty of Communication Arts, illuminates the dark side of media ethics in his short story The Last Night Of A Documentary Filmmaker -- winner of the Phan Waen Fah Award in 2024.
A sustainable retreat
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 21/09/2023
» In the southwest of Phnom Penh lies the region's largest surviving rainforest. After landing, I met other travel companions to spend three nights together at a riverside camp. We were split into two vans and headed for Sihanoukville. Downtown shophouses and heavy traffic gave way to lush scenery. No sooner had the hustle faded into the distance than rice paddies, palm trees and mountains came into sight. Here, Cambodia's nature remains undisturbed. In more or less two hours, we arrived at the camp depot.
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.
Banyan Tree Krabi
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 06/07/2023
» Normally after the rush of high season, few would dare go out and brave the rain. But it can be a good time to make a journey to the southwest. Despite thick cloud and patchy drizzle, I found peace at a remote seaside resort. Only a 40-minute drive from the airport, Banyan Tree Krabi offers soul-searching experience unlike any other.
A bitter farewell
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 15/05/2023
» The Robot Building on Sathon Road is a childhood superhero that comes to life. Standing on staggered floors, the chunky android is studded with nuts and bolts. Its head boasts metallic-lidded eyes and two communication antennae and its frontal body is outfitted with black glass and blue stripes like armour. It is ready to fight a monster in the urban jungle.
Temperatures soar, headaches rise
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 01/05/2023
» Like other early birds, Dao Dul, 35, goes on duty at first light. For her, time is literally money. Her office is not a well-built weather-proof skyscraper. It is a makeshift cart that provides affordable dishes to hundreds of community residents from dawn to dusk.
An oasis of sakura
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 02/03/2023
» The van took such a steep, winding road that I felt nauseous and closed my eyes from the lush view of the Phu Hin Rong Kla National Park out the window. After an indefinite period of time, I breathed a sigh of relief upon arrival at a village. I did not expect that my first trip to Phitsanulok would take me to such new heights.
Imagining a new world
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 17/01/2023
» A few days after the dawn of the new year, I found myself on the move earlier than usual. It is not usually until the second week we hit the ground running. After all, who would fly to Singapore just for an art exhibition? But I took it on because, given the pandemic, its theme seemed timely and powerful. Despite a brief downpour, it was a rewarding experience. Made of earthy materials, some pieces evoked a refreshing sense of self-renewal.
From nature to your wrist
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 16/12/2022
» In the rural Japanese town of Shizukuishi in Iwate Prefecture, a new wooden studio for Grand Seiko blends with its natural surroundings. A swooping roof and clear glass window offer a sublime view of Mount Iwate, over 2,000m in height, where rocks unfold their true colours when snow melts. Set in lush landscape, the studio bears witness to wild creatures, including antelopes and foxes. In the midst of nature, craftspeople, known as takumi, are breathing life into mechanical watches. It is a place that embodies the brand's philosophy of the nature of time, in an environmental and technological sense.