Showing 21 - 30 of 81
Thailand's Miseducation
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 06/09/2019
» The conventional notion is that you can rely on textbooks as your source of basic knowledge on a subject matter that you're interested in, but that it isn't always the case in Thailand. You see, some Thai books or educational materials don't seem to care much about being factually correct and, sometimes, politically correct, too. Here are some recent examples for your miseducation.
No sugar, no cry
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 23/08/2019
» Bangkok has seen many alternative diets. You can go vegetarian, vegan, paleo, gluten-free and now you can add ketogenic diet to the healthy/picky bunch. Ketogenic or keto for short, is high in fat, adequate in protein and low in carbohydrates. The diet is used to treat epilepsy but it's also known for forcing the body to burn fat for fuel rather than carbs. If the ratio between fat, protein and carb of the diet is a bit much to wrap your head around, then you should consider a visit to Club No Sugar for an introduction. It's not just a keto-centric restaurant but feels more like an institute of sort. Launched in April, Club No Sugar stands where Green Republic restaurant was and the structure remains pretty much the same (Rama III is my turf).
Beam me up!
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 23/08/2019
» Interest in extraterrestrial things (and beings) make a comeback to the Thai collective consciousness, thanks to asteroid 2006 QQ23 flying by and a viral video in which a local man, who claims to be a medium of Pluto God, warns humanity of 2020 doomsday in an alien tongue. This got us thinking about the local interest in UFOs and aliens, and how Thailand is linked to alien stories in a way that you may not be aware of. We aren't saying we believe in Pluto God or trying to convince you one way or another but there are many pieces of evidence (of varying degrees of credibility) of alleged alien visits to the Land Of Smiles and they are too fascinating not to share.
Turning art into life
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 16/08/2019
» Illustrator Phannapast "Yoon" Taychamaythakool took on her biggest canvas to date at MRT Wat Mangkon where she created murals for Nescafe. Beautiful Chinese imageries fit the station's location in Yaowarat and come alive via AR technology. Her illustrations have adorned various canvases from mooncake packaging to a hi-end speaker. She had a major exhibition earlier this year at Gaysorn Village, while Gucci and Instagram are among the leading brands that have commissioned her. Guru spoke to Yoon about her journey as an artist.
New Kids on the Block
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 26/07/2019
» The wet season may want to make you hole up and wait out the rain (perfect bed weather and all that) but it doesn't seem to slow down new venues popping up in Bangkok. From a new upscale dining destination to a low-key night market in the city centre, here are five new and upcoming venues that are worth braving the rain for.
Disrobing Ghosts
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 12/07/2019
» Software engineer by profession and photographer by passion, Akkara Naktamna is best known for his street photography. The co-founder of Street Photo Thailand and proud dad has taught himself how to take pictures and was selected a finalist in international competitions such as Miami Street Photography Festival 2013, Singapore Photo Festival 2016 and Photo Bangkok Festival 2015-2018. He also founded e-magazine "CTypeMag" in 2016 to promote interesting photo series from the unknown photographers around the globe. Akkara is having his solo exhibition titled "Demonic" to satire the unsavoury sides of monkhood in Thailand. It runs until Aug 31 at Kathmandu Photo Gallery. We talked to him about his photographic journey and his need to disrobe fake monks.
Doodler dream
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 01/02/2019
» They say a picture is worth 1,000 words but perhaps this classic idiom needs an update. Let's go with, "a Line sticker is worth 1,000 words and some cash too if you know how to make them". Mouthful, I know, but read on and all will become clear.
What's in a Thai name?
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 02/11/2018
» One aspect about Thai culture that many visitors may be curious about or find fascinating is how we are named, as there seem to be some unwritten rules governing it. This week, I would like to shed some light on this unique aspect of Thai culture while airing my grievances with my fellow Thais who have encountered incidents regarding their names. Our struggle is real.
Sacred Figures Thai Mediums Should Channel Next
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 08/06/2018
» Unless you've been living under a rock (or just back from a meditation retreat), you can't really avoid news or posts regarding khon song jao (mediums) on your news feed. These people claim to be able to channel Hindu deities, past Thai kings (uh-oh, 112), characters from classic Thai literature and Doraemon.
The art of poking fun
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 01/06/2018
» Tanawat "Pop" Prakammanu, 26, works as a graphic designer at an advertising agency in Bangkok and runs his Facebook page Prakammanu (fb.com/Prakammanu), where he showcases his drawings in his spare time. He went viral after publishing an action-filled Avengers-inspired comic with a cast full of figures in Thai politics from PM Prayut Chan-o-cha to student activist Netiwit Chotiphatphaisal. Pop poked fun at them with sharp humour (even though he insists he's a casual observer) and witty dialogues. His latest effort has been shared more than 100,000 times. His page isn't the first to poke fun at Thai politics but we think it's definitely worth checking out especially if you want to see Uncle Tu having a fist-fight with Thaksin Shinawatra. We talked to Pop about his serious art of poking fun but at, his request, no serious political comment.