Showing 1 - 10 of 22
An iconic Christmas
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 04/12/2025
» It was around 8.30pm on Thursday when I braved the cold to catch a spectacular display at Selfridges London. Hovering above the Queen of Time, Tinker Bell sprinkled an over-100m trail of pixie dust that traversed across the purple-and-blue facade, with a magical tune from Cinderella. It culminated with the 11m-tall Disney Castle, the largest installation to feature on the store for over half a century, in the corner.
The gift of literature
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 08/09/2025
» Hailing from a rural village, Hin Pa toils back-breaking hours until he runs into his childhood friend, Bak Berd, who makes a living as a parasailor in Phuket. Spurred by his invitation, Hin Pa relocates to the island for better opportunities. In a memorable scene, a traveller hands him a book midair. Who would foresee that it inspires him to read more, venture into painting and cycle around the world?
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.
Snowy peaks and vibrant culture
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 07/09/2023
» Debris remains the lingering evidence of a massive earthquake in Nepal in 2015. With the epicentre in the northwest of Kathmandu, followed by hundreds of aftershocks, the natural disaster killed around 9,000 people, injured over 100,000 and impacted around 8 million. As Nepal began to recover, the coronavirus pandemic brought the world to a complete standstill and tourism cracked and collapsed like people's homes.
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.
The right to clean air
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 05/06/2023
» In 2009, Smog In The City envisioned a not-too-distant future for Chiang Mai. Set in 2019, Fah returns home to find her family and villagers suffering from air pollution. Following a critical level of toxic haze, the government orders a state of emergency and immediate evacuation. After her mother dies of smog-induced acute coronary syndrome, she rushes to take her family to an airport like other evacuees. While her father and brother deteriorate, a couple approaches her car for drinking water.
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.
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.
Hom is where the heart is
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 10/01/2022
» In Nakhon Phanom, rice fields in yellow-gold are gone with the wind. Late in the year, farmers expect to reap the fruits of their labours only to be broken by substantial loss. Harsh winds damage some rice crops, resulting in everything from bills to unpaid tuition fees. Year in, year out, nothing changes.
Artists try to show the way
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 03/01/2022
» Last spring, thousands of butterflies fluttered yellow-green wings over the mud fields in Nakhon Ratchasima. The massive outbreak of these chartreuse creatures, though a common sight in the summer, made headlines after officials said the lush forest had nourished and multiplied caterpillars at an unprecedented scale.