Showing 1 - 10 of 32
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.
A capitalist nightmare
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 25/07/2025
» Thump thump bump. Netflix's psychological thriller Wall To Wall envisions a dystopian contemporary South Korea. It is a cautionary tale of late-stage capitalist society fraught with economic volatility, mental breakdowns and class divide.
Rising rents threaten the vibrant street food scene of the once-booming Banthat Thong Road
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 09/06/2025
» As night fell, neon signs gradually lit up Instagrammable restaurants and cafes. Despite pouring rain, tourists were taking photos of a dessert shop's logo of a boy holding a bun at an iconic intersection. Some eateries were teeming with customers, with a long queue of them spilling onto the sidewalk. Some, less popular, saw staff sitting idle. Others put up advertisement for lease.
Dough therapy
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 21/04/2025
» Oranong Chanasit, an activist, took a bakery course to learn how to knead dough in the hope of teaching hilltribe children, but encountered a life-changing experience.
The power of boycotts
Thana Boonlert, Published on 24/07/2023
» Soon after Move Forward Party (MFP) leader Pita Limjaroenrat failed to gather enough support for the premiership, some voters launched retaliatory campaigns with the hashtag #senatorbusiness to boycott business networks of handpicked junta senators who rejected him or abstained. Senators then took legal action against those who they believe harass them and their families. Voters are not only cutting off social relations but also punishing senators for committing crimes against democracy.
Pin-up stars
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 18/04/2023
» In the erotic novel Hom Dok Praduan (1968), Rong Wongsawan hints that a teenager fondled his flesh in front of her. “On the door is a cover photo of a socialite in Bangkok. Clad in her swimsuit, she allows waves to break on her thighs. But someone with restless hands drew overgrown grass so that he can rub it gently until it is torn. (In Mathayom 4, he often fantasised about her. The first syllable of her name begins with the mor letter. He feels thankful whenever she comes into his mind [...]).”
Curtains for Chinese opera?
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 27/02/2023
» "Hurry up," shouted a crew member who climbed up onto a makeshift stage. Casting sidelong glances, performers, half-clad, looked in the mirror and concentrated on applying layers of make-up. Nearby, a motley bunch of musicians and technicians double-checked their instruments. A stream of chatter from a growing audience -- without any partition between the theatre and real life -- put unintended pressure on the band.
Marshmello teams with Coke on limited-edition collectible can
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 18/08/2022
» An international electronic music producer wearing a white bucket for his head, Marshmello is now performing on a beverage can.
Democracy gets graphic novel treatment in 2475
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 06/07/2022
» After two years of researching and brainstorming ideas, creators are crowdfunding a historical fiction project to convey the spirit of change in the 1932 Siamese Revolution.
Food as rebellion
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 05/07/2022
» 'Eating food is our right. If our tongues aren't made of free will, it will be difficult to establish democracy. If we aren't allowed to eat our favourite food, how can we have desired politics?" said Asst Prof Chatichai Muksong, lecturer in history at Srinakharinwirot University, who has studied the topic of food for over two decades.