Showing 1 - 10 of 10
The fifth Meliá in Thailand
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 13/10/2025
» Meliá Pattaya Hotel, the fifth Meliá in Thailand, is a 12-storey building on Pattaya Sai Song. Grand Sole Pattaya has been given a major glow-up and emerges anew as Meliá Pattaya Hotel. Had I not been told, I would have thought it was a new property built from the ground up.
Tiny and cosy
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 06/11/2023
» 'PPAL49 X Sardine @Scope Promsri' is a joint effort between PPAL Cafe, the homeware brand Sardine and the luxurious condo Scope Promsri on Sukhumvit 49.
Nitori's first branch to open Aug 31 at CentralWorld
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 29/08/2023
» Japanophiles in Thailand rejoice! Another major brand from Japan is setting up shop in Thailand. Following a two-hour pre-opening on Aug 26, furniture and home furnishing brand Nitori will open its flagship store on the fifth floor of CentralWorld on Rama I Road on Aug 31.
A staycation for pawrents
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 29/10/2021
» Standing 40-storey tall amid leafy surroundings, Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok celebrates its first anniversary this month. An oasis in the city where you (and your pet) can escape to for a green respite.
Afterlife wish list
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 05/02/2021
» Chinese New Year next Friday is a special one since it'll be the first time it's approved as a public holiday in Thailand by the Cabinet. We may as well make it a tradition, given the huge population of overseas Chinese here. As a third-generation Thai with complete Chinese ethnicity, I grew up with a lot of quirky traditions that my Thai Thai friends may not be aware of. Burning paper offerings on important occasions like Qingming Festival or CNY is at the top as it's a gesture of taking care of departed loved ones in the afterlife with creature comforts. Over the years, I've seen the evolution (and irony) of paper offerings from banknotes with 12 digits (hyperinflation much?) to treadmills so ama and agong can stay in shape. Here are a few of the most creatives offerings for your entertainment:
For the (curious) records
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 13/09/2019
» It seems like not a month goes by without Thailand being recognised on a global scale. Recently, Bangkok beat Paris and London as the most visited city in the world for 2018, for the fourth consecutive year, according to a MasterCard ranking. Thailand's capital hosted 22 million overnight travellers. In the midst of the flattering and not-so-flattering world titles Thailand has received, you may not be aware of the times we receive recognition for rather peculiar feats. If your curiosity is piqued, allow me to present the strange/cool world records in the Land of Smiles.
Thai-style Maths Problems
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 01/03/2019
» How good are you with numbers, dear readers? Let's put you to the test in this mathematics quiz which -- and I can't state the following sentence strongly enough -- has not been inspired by any real-life incidents. (Cough cough cough, sorry almost choked there!) They are completely fictional, purely for your entertainment. The answers are at the end. No cheating!
Life in Equations
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 01/06/2018
» Here are a few funny equations to summarise the Bangkok way of life to lighten the mood, when the weather is grey and gloomy.
Guru's Weekly Pick: May 18-24
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 18/05/2018
» Every week, we sift through tonnes of activities, shows, art exhibitions and things to do. Here is our especially curated list of what's hot this week in Bangkok and beyond. Enjoy!
#watchgate
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 26/01/2018
» There is this ongoing "watchgate", which started in December when Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon, aka Uncle Pom, held up his hand to shield his face from sunlight during a photo shoot with his fellow ministers at Government House. What caught people's eyes was a Richard Mille watch on his wrist and a giant diamond on his ring finger.