Showing 1 - 7 of 7
What's in a (soi) name?
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 24/06/2022
» At the front of practically every soi in Bangkok, you'll notice a pole with a blue sign with white letters at the top proclaiming its name. However, if you look closer you may find many sois in Thailand can brighten your day with their curious names. Here are a few for your entertainment.
A staycation for pawrents
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 29/10/2021
» Standing 40-storey tall amid leafy surroundings, Kimpton Maa-Lai Bangkok celebrates its first anniversary this month. An oasis in the city where you (and your pet) can escape to for a green respite.
Discrimination, Locally Spread
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 14/08/2020
» Covid-19 has a curious and puzzling side effect, namely flagrant discrimination against foreigners who live in Thailand.
555 Headlines
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 29/11/2019
» Looking at your newsfeed can give you a sense of doom and gloom these days. Venice faces its worst flood in 50 years. Koala becomes "functionally extinct" because of the (at the time of writing) ongoing bushfires in Australia. Another Thai factory was shut down and workers were laid off en masse. If you need a break from bad news like I do, you're in luck. Here are three funny headlines -- unintentionally or not -- to lift up your mood.
The Polish Japanese chef
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 29/09/2017
» Polish Pawel Viktorek moved to Thailand this year in February, joining Zuma Bangkok as the executive chef. The izakaya Japanese restaurant with a fine-dining twist is world renowned, with branches in major cities and the Bangkok branch recently celebrated its fifth anniversary. And you may be wondering what a Polish guy is doing in a Japanese kitchen. Originally from a small village where Japanese food was unheard of, the 33-year-old chef cultivated his passion, fascination and deep respect for the cuisine over years of travelling to Japan in search for the best ingredients. We talked to him about his culinary journey thus far.
Questioning Media Reform
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 12/05/2017
» Over the past few weeks, to much of my dismay, the National Reform Steering Assembly (NRSA) has been making progress in pushing for a draft media bill. First, they proposed an idea to levy penalties on unlicensed reporters with up to B60,000 fines and three years in prison, with the companies who hired them also facing similar consequences. Semi-fortunately, the harsh punishments were later dropped, but people who work in media still need to obtain certificates from their employers.
Driving Test: Bangkok Edition
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 14/10/2016
» In a bid to make the roads safer, the Department of Land Transport recently announced a plan to raise the pass mark from 90% to 100% on the multiple-choice driving exam. Soon you'll have to answer all 50 questions correctly to obtain a driving licence. Of course, people can appear responsible on paper but they can actually, in real life, be jerks on the road. But if that extra 10% somehow makes the roads 1% safer, don't you think it's worth our collective effort to strive for full marks? This new requirement is expected to be in effect next year so, in the meantime, you can take my very own driving exam to find out how responsible a driver you can be (or whether you should never be allowed on Bangkok's roads, for the sake of everyone else).