Showing 1 - 10 of 11
Lush life
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 21/09/2020
» As the night descended, we went out with binoculars in hand. Amid tall trees, flashes of light illuminated a pair of red eyes, which experts quickly identified as belonging to nang ai -- or Sunda slow loris -- a nocturnal primate native to southern Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Singapore. The animal, perching on a faraway branch, is currently listed as "endangered" on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List.
Raising the Pride flag
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 31/08/2020
» Alongside anti-government demonstrations, protesters are raising their voice for equality and LGBTI gender rights.
The message of the medium
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 28/08/2019
» When the chipmunks Chip and Dale sailed into the bustling floating market in the recent viral Disney short Our Floating Dreams, both the world and local people were fascinated by the images of Thai culture. Busy canals and pineapple fried rice brought about onscreen exoticism watched by millions around the world.
Coming to terms
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 20/11/2017
» A man with short hair -- wearing a sarong around his chest the way a woman would -- is seen frolicking alone happily on a crowded beach. Lost in his own world, he seems unfazed by the scrutiny and strange looks from children, women in hijab, and men in skullcap. In the background, the sound of Islamic prayers can be heard.
A trip down South
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 13/09/2017
» The audiences looked on eagerly as throngs of classical musicians from the Thailand Philharmonic Orchestra (TPO), all smartly dressed in black, slowly filed onto the stage of Yala Rajabhat University's auditorium. Once the men and women in black were seated, and the conductor flicked his baton, the first melody struck. The powerful sounds of Russian composer Dmitri Shostakovich's Symphony No.5 soon engulfed the hall, filled with locals of Thailand's southernmost province.
Screening LGBTI hope in China
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 06/04/2017
» Fan Popo handed out two postcards to those he talked to. One of them has a picture of two women -- both dressed in wedding gowns -- in each others loving embrace. The other was a group picture of drag queen performers.
Beyond the bullets and bombs
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 27/09/2016
» The morning breeze was cool on our faces as we cruised past a gleaming mosque. Traffic was light and the town was quiet and peaceful, except around the fresh market occupied by women in hijab. Local shops selling bak kut teh and dim sum were opening their doors. It was a typical, lazy Sunday morning in Yala -- known to the rest of Thailand as the land of insurgency and unrest.
From the ground up
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 16/05/2016
» A sufficiency economy is a concept very close to Thais' hearts. But, as widely known as it is, not many seem to realise its potential and possible application, especially in the world of business.
Nature's call
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 03/05/2016
» With steady hands and quickening steps, we carried the green sea turtles one-by-one to the beach. The turtles were flapping their flippers impatiently, as if sensing their imminent release. We placed them down carefully at the point where the waves hit the sand. Soon, the water embraced their bodies -- nature's call for them to return to their natural home. They dashed into the sea, and, after a few minutes, disappeared from our sight.
Mystery bird
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 05/08/2015
» One minute, the rain was pouring down. The next minute, it stopped and the skies cleared. That was how our early morning search for the endangered Gurney's pitta began.