Showing 1 - 8 of 8
The year ahead
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 01/01/2021
» 2021 is finally here and we can finally put "The Year That Must Not Be Named" behind us! Though we're not entirely out of the woods yet, the fact remains that a new year means we can turn a new leaf and look forward to the things yet to come this year. Here is a list of things that are in store for us, which hopefully -- fingers crossed -- may actually take place this year.
Fruity delicious
Guru, Kankanok Wichiantanon, Published on 12/06/2020
» Battle the year-round heat in Thailand with these cafes that offer a zesty range of food and drink options, all focused around a single fruit
Welcoming a new decade!
Guru, Eric E Surbano, Published on 03/01/2020
» For those of you who may have missed it, we are in a new decade. Yes, you read that right. No, you are not hallucinating. Yes, we are all old. Welcome to the beginning of the 2020s where films like Back To The Future and Blade Runner are not just classics but the future worlds depicted in them are now effectively in the past; where years like 2050 and 2060 no longer sound ridiculous like they did back in the early 2000s and where those born in 2000 are 20 years old. It's a lot to take in, that's for sure. With every new year also comes the declarations of "New year, new me" posted all over social media and vocally announced at dinner tables everywhere. Resolutions are made and kept for a good two weeks or so before being thrown out the window. So instead of trying to expect things to happen that we aren't even sure will happen, let's take a look at the stuff that we're fairly certain will happen this year. Here's a couple of things to look forward to this 2020.
Gold and glam
Guru, Pasavat Tanskul, Published on 16/11/2018
» Last weekend, eager Bangkokians finally got a chance to wander through the massively enchanting Iconsiam retail and entertainment centre. Co-developed between Siam Piwat, Magnolia Quality Development Corporation and Charoen Pokphand Group, Iconsiam is the biggest retail complex in Thailand, featuring majestic architecture and global stores with luxury brands to provide a shopping experience unlike any other (minus the heavy traffic that comes with it).
Beyond the ropes
Guru, Pasavat Tanskul, Published on 19/10/2018
» In Bangkok's Charoen Krung area, tucked within an alley lies Maison Close, a dark bar/art gallery and home to some of the more uncommon tastes in art from abstract calligraphy to ero guro. However, as you enter the venue on some nights, art isn't the only focus but a blindfolded woman hung in suspension with ropes. The ropes have been tied up by a rope artist and her model serves as a canvas for elaborate and intricate patterns. Despite looking uncomfortable, the model, dubbed a rope bunny, is in a state of stillness and relaxation, with the ropes symmetrically wrapped around the curves of her body -- something beautiful or mesmerising. This is shibari or the art of Japanese rope bondage. Enter at your own risk.
Perils of police reform
News, Postbag, Published on 08/07/2017
» I'm glad that PM Prayut Chan-o-cha is reforming the police at long last, but he shouldn't reinvent the wheel. In 2006, then-prime minister Gen Surayud Chulanont, former army chief and member of our beloved King Rama IX's Privy Council, appointed retired Pol Gen Vasit Dejkunjorn, former chief of police, to head a distinguished commission for this very purpose.
Livin' La Vida Mocha
Guru, Lydia Bilton, Published on 10/03/2017
» Here's a Friday fun fact for you. Did you know that Starbucks (that world-famous green and white coffeehouse you Bangkokians love) failed miserably in Australia? In 2003, the American coffee giant opened eighty-four stores Down Under, and eight years later, sixty of those closed.
Fond memories of Brazil's coffee culture
News, Roger Crutchley, Published on 07/08/2016
» With the Rio Olympics finally under way, I can't get out of my head the old Frank Sinatra song that starts: "Way down among Brazilians/Coffee beans grow by the billions …" It was entitled The Coffee Song and a big hit when I was a kid back in the Stone Age. In fact, that song just about summed up my knowledge of Brazil in those days.