Showing 11 - 20 of 21
Monks of a different gender
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 18/01/2017
» On one side, male monks, or bhikkhu, file towards Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall to pay respect to King Bhumibol Adulyadej's royal urn. On the other, a group of 72 bhikkhunis, female monks, and novices were barred from going any further. They weren't allowed to go inside and pay respect to the late king -- at least not through the monk's gate, and not in their saffron robes.
The burden of giving
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 26/10/2016
» For someone who's been living and working near the Giant Swing of Bangkok for 15 years, Prajin* -- a middle-aged restaurant worker -- said he has never seen his neighbourhood in such a messy state.
Pleasure at the fairground
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 24/11/2015
» Forget hazardous flying lanterns of the North. This Loy Krathong Festival, make your way to the old-school ngan wat, or temple fair, and while many temples around the country have put up fairgrounds to celebrate the Full Moon night of the 12th lunar month, none can beat Bangkok's oldest and most legendary ngan wat Phu Khao Thong.
Bangkok's Islamic quarters
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 27/10/2015
» Five times a day, the sound of prayers can be heard around the 200-year-old community surrounding the Chakrabongse Mosque. The yellow building -- under constant repainting and renovation -- has been the centre of this Muslim community for over a century. From its peaceful ambience, not many expect that the neighbourhood is just a few blocks away from Bangkok's most tourist-infested and alcohol-filled area, Khao San Road.
The new Brahmins
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 12/10/2015
» A man dressed in white blew into a conch as if it were a horn. Joss sticks were burning. Heads bowed but people's lips were praying. A screenplay on a golden tray was engulfed in a cloud of white smoke. Surrounding the tray was a feast which included a pig's head, Thai golden desserts, fruit, boiled eggs and seafood.
Blind devotion to books
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 24/09/2015
» Yoshimi Horiuchi -- the founder of Always Reading Caravan Association (ARC), an NGO that sets up mobile libraries in rural Thailand -- is passionate about reading. Nothing in this world can quench her love for literature, not even the fact that she is blind.
Old school
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 06/05/2015
» In the morning, everyone in the house gets ready and leaves for school or work. Tarn Sethaya, 77, also leaves for school — as do most of the people his age who live in Cheongdoi municipality in Chiang Mai.
Colours of India
Muse, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 14/02/2015
» ‘So many parts of India are beautiful, with all their colour and decoration. There are other areas which are grey, ramshackle and dilapidated, but out of these, beautiful visions can appear,” wrote James Wellings, author of India: Living In An Ornate World.
Chiang Mai by design
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 15/12/2014
» At the mention of the northern province of Chiang Mai, most people think of a tourist hub filled with temples, coffee shops and a long walking street for shoppers. But deep inside, hiding around corners and turns are pieces of local art and design — both contemporary and traditional. To highlight and showcase these hidden works by local artists and craftsmen, as well as mobilising the creative industry to promote tourism, the Thailand Creative and Design Centre (TCDC) recently piloted its first Chiang Mai Design Week.
Tropical treasures
Muse, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 25/10/2014
» 'This is really the most vibrant, the most contradictory, the most exciting land I know," writes former diplomat Philip Coggan in the introduction of A Journey Through Indo-China by David Bowden and Mick Shippen.