Showing 1 - 10 of 15
Imagining a new world
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 17/01/2023
» A few days after the dawn of the new year, I found myself on the move earlier than usual. It is not usually until the second week we hit the ground running. After all, who would fly to Singapore just for an art exhibition? But I took it on because, given the pandemic, its theme seemed timely and powerful. Despite a brief downpour, it was a rewarding experience. Made of earthy materials, some pieces evoked a refreshing sense of self-renewal.
From nature to your wrist
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 16/12/2022
» In the rural Japanese town of Shizukuishi in Iwate Prefecture, a new wooden studio for Grand Seiko blends with its natural surroundings. A swooping roof and clear glass window offer a sublime view of Mount Iwate, over 2,000m in height, where rocks unfold their true colours when snow melts. Set in lush landscape, the studio bears witness to wild creatures, including antelopes and foxes. In the midst of nature, craftspeople, known as takumi, are breathing life into mechanical watches. It is a place that embodies the brand's philosophy of the nature of time, in an environmental and technological sense.
Reviving a lost art
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 28/06/2022
» Sitting in the front row of an independent movie house, Piak Poster, 90, looks at a photo of his original work on screen -- the pulpy handmade bai pid or film poster of Fah Talai Jone (Tears Of The Black Tiger, 2000). However, he could not remember how he made it, let alone its tear-jerking storyline and characters.
Tunes of the forest
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 08/02/2022
» It is a heavenly radio broadcast that reminds villagers twice a day -- morning and late afternoon -- of their feathered companions under threat of extinction. Despite being hampered by lockdowns, artists have managed to imitate birdsong for public announcement systems to promote human-animal relationships.
Dr Dolittle Prayut does little but talk
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 27/12/2021
» Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha made ludicrous headlines again when he broached the subject of animals during his official visit to southern border provinces. It is not surprising that the macho general again doted on creatures. A few years ago, he shared a photo of him in casual clothes and a cuddly dog on his lap. However, his interaction with animals in provincial trips often lands him in hot water.
Bangkok urged to go green
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 17/12/2021
» Surrounded by high-rises, large trees offer shade to urban residents, protecting them from all kinds of pollution. Nevertheless, the expansion of green space in Bangkok remains a tough nut to crack now that vacant land is harder to come by. But an environmental expert believes building pocket parks around corners and turns can help increase green cover and make the city more sustainable.
Giving new life to canals
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 01/11/2021
» Once known as the Venice of the East, Bangkok has seen its vast network of rivers winding through the capital vanish due to urban development. Construction has filled in klongs (canals) for roads and houses and the remaining waterways have become neglected and clogged with rubbish.
Joy amid hardship
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 10/05/2021
» Rusty tin shacks sprawl under high-rises and billboards. Rubbish scatters and floats down the foul-smelling river. Last year, fire broke out near a local mosque. With the third wave of the coronavirus outbreak, the Klong Toey neighbourhood is hanging by a thread.
Striving for a greener future
News, Thana Boonlert, Published on 01/06/2020
» While Germany transitions to a low-carbon, nuclear-free future, it is working to encourage other countries, including Thailand, to jump on the environmental bandwagon.
Cops sharpen skills in drills
News, Thana Boonlert, Published on 24/02/2020
» "Calm down," a police officer shouts as he tries to negotiate with a madman brandishing a knife, hurling abuse and threatening innocent people at a bus station in Nongsarai district of Nakhon Ratchasima.