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Now showing
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 08/10/2021
» Cinemas are back! After another semi-lockdown that forced cinemas to close, we can finally enjoy a proper movie-going experience again. Sure, it might be capped at 50% capacity and you can only sit with one person beside you instead of the classic cinema experience of having your girlfriend on your left while a dude who munches popcorn loudly is on your right. Sigh, nostalgia! But we'll take what we can get for now. Though it's easy to simply go to the nearest mall to go to the cinema, we're spotlighting places that offer a different experience. These indie cinemas deserve as much love as any of the multiplexes do. After losing iconic places like Scala and Bangkok Screening Room, we should do what we can to keep these cinemas alive. Get the popcorn and settle in. It's time to go back to the movies.
Get social
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 26/02/2021
» It's 2009. Barack Obama was sworn in as US president. Protesters are on the street (different protesters though, not like the ones protesting now). Your iPod contains hits like Boom Boom Pow, I'm Yours and even though you hide it, you also listen to that new blonde girl's song called Love Story because it's a bop. And then there's this new thing called Facebook that people seem to be using more and more. You don't know if you're willing to give up your pimped out Hi5 profile complete with a glittery background and a MP3 player loaded with Big Ass' Len Kaung Soong but you decide to give it a shot. More than 10 years and a number of privacy issues later, you're still using Facebook along with a number of other social networking apps, but perhaps you may be looking for other ways to build a community and meet new people. Perhaps you want to meet like-minded people like you who share you love for entrepreneurship or memes, and maybe you even want to get on platforms that will actually make you some dough. Facebook isn't your only avenue. We've got you sorted on where else you can build or find a community that's right for you.
The other WFH
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 29/01/2021
» The light at the end of the proverbial tunnel seems to grow brighter and brighter each day as Covid cases begin to somewhat falter and vaccinations are set to soon begin. But as we look forward to the day when we can finally and truly put all of this behind us, we're not entirely out of the woods yet. That means we're still facing a few more days of enduring working from home just to be safe. That might be great news for some, but for others who are sick of the same desk, same chair and same four walls, fear not. If you're looking for a change of work scenery, these hotels in Bangkok and nearby provinces are offering their rooms so you can WFH or "Work From Hotel".
Holiday in the sun
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 19/06/2020
» Welcome to Phase 4! No, I'm not talking about the Marvel Cinematic Universe's Phase 4, which hasn't kicked off yet because Black Widow is postponed to November. I'm talking about the easing of restrictions nationwide as the country goes back to "normal". Monday saw the lifting of curfew so we can finally go back to staying out late and sneaking back home, as well as the lifting of the ban on sales of certain refreshments in restaurants. It also means the reopening of a number of places and attractions all around the country, and if you're like me, you've been itching to get out of Bangkok, head to the beach for some vitamin sea or go on a road trip with your pals. This week, Guru's got a list of places you can visit on your post-quarantine domestic travel.
The new normal
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 22/05/2020
» The curfew has been shortened. The booze ban has been lifted. Malls have reopened and so have restaurants. Bangkok is going back to normal! Or is it? As citywide measures start to ease up, Guru checks out what has changed in this city of ours. Welcome to Bangkok's new normal.
Viral innovations
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 08/05/2020
» This pandemic has revealed a lot of things. For starters, booze is apparently a necessity and we were this close to rioting on the streets when it seemed like the ban wasn't about to be lifted. People who didn't give a crap about others were exposed but thankfully that was overshadowed by news of people helping out and being kind, decent human beings. We've realised just how much we rely on those who deliver our food, how much we miss travelling and whether we like to admit it or not, we actually miss going to work. To top this, the ingenuity of people has also been revealed and a bunch of new innovations have been created to help out as we try and recover from this life-altering state. This week, we've got innovations from Thailand that have sprung up in response to Corona time.
Behind the mask
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 13/03/2020
» Coronavirus -- you've been hearing about it, reading about it, but knock on wood you haven't been infected by it. The world has been sent reeling these past few months because of the virus. Everyone is in a state of panic. Masks are in short supply, sneezing in public places garners dirty looks and everyone is convinced they're living in Raccoon City and the Umbrella Corporation is behind it all (get the Resident Evil reference?). But let's all chill for a sec, which may be difficult to do given the circumstances, but we need to get our facts straight which, apparently, is hard for the Thai Ministry of Public Health to do. Let's talk about Covid-19 and how it affects us in Thailand.
The 2020 Guru awards
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 31/01/2020
» We know it's the last day of January -- and if you weren't aware, it's February tomorrow -- but as a tweet said, we'll consider January the free-trial period and start 2020 properly on the first day of February. A bunch of stuff has already happened, not all of them good, but before we move ahead and put the past behind us, Guru would like to take one last look at the year that was. "The Guru Awards" have been held for the past two years but so much has happened that we decided it would be best to do a full feature in 2019 instead of just a few paragraphs in the Editor's Note. Seeing that the Academy Awards are also coming up, we couldn't think of a better time to give out our snarky, passive-aggressive accolades. So, ladies and gentlemen, we'd like to welcome you the 2020 Guru Awards -- no monologues, no opening numbers from Neil Patrick Harris. Just pure unadulterated cynicism.
The plastic-less revolution
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 17/01/2020
» The first day of 2020 saw a major change in the lives of those who live in the Kingdom of Thailand: the (almost total) disappearance of single-use plastic bags. It's a huge change but a seemingly necessary one. According to the United Nations Environment Programme, Thailand is one of the four countries responsible for half of all plastic in the oceans in Southeast Asia. While 2019 saw a drastic drop in the use of plastic bag, the plan is to eliminate 225,000 tonnes of plastic waste per year. Single-use plastic bags are just the beginning though as bottle caps, cups and straws are next on the list. So what exactly are people saying about the ban? Is it absolutely necessary? What does it mean for customers who go grocery shopping? Are there ways to help lessen plastic waste? Hopefully, this clarifies some things and answers some of your questions.
Fill 'em Up
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 11/01/2019
» The war on plastic has been waged in Thailand with plans to do away with single-use plastics by 2022 and single-use plastic bottles and straws by 2025. It's been a long time coming and is a little way away, but we're hoping this change sticks. A few days ago, I bought stuff from a Tesco Lotus Express and they used a paper bag -- change is afoot, people. Instead of being cynical and wondering why they couldn't ban plastic sooner, we can choose to be part of the solution now. The concept of refill stations or refilleries is growing in Europe and North America. It's basically a grocery store where you take your own containers to fill them up, which drastically lowers plastic waste. Think of all the plastic you throw away after using detergents and soaps. Fortunately, a number of refill stations have also been popping up around the Kingdom, providing us an opportunity to cut plastic use. Even better, these places are spread out all over Bangkok and two are in Chiang Mai so there's no excuse not to avail of their environmental-friendly services. Get your containers ready -- Guru's about to get eco-friendly up in here.