• OPINION

  Thailand's kookiest competitions

  Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 22/07/2022

  » Every country has its own share of kooky competitions, and that's also true for Thailand. From the search for a Guanyin avatar to the Peta-would-surely-disapprove swimming competition, here are a few for your entertainment.

• OPINION

  Thai-Style Xmas

  Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 24/12/2021

  » Despite the fact that a majority of the Thai population claim to be Buddhists, they go all out to celebrate Jesus Christ's birthday every year. Even though they may not be aware that it's his birthday and Xmas isn't even an official holiday despite all the lights and Christmas trees that pop up across the country. I've gone down Bangkok Post's archive (Xmas pun intended) to present a few quirky and local twists on the worldwide holiday. While they may not be unique to Thailand, they are definitely memorable. Merry Christmas, everyone!

• OPINION

  Popcat fever

  Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 20/08/2021

  » How many pops have you made? Popcat website/game took Thai internet by storm over the weekend. And the furry frenzy was still going strong at the time of going to press. ICYMT, here's a summary of the online feline phenomenon so far. Yes, cat pun very intended.

• OPINION

  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.

• OPINION

  Dealing With A Covid-19 Side Effect

  Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 22/01/2021

  » One side effect of the Covid-19 pandemic that you may have overlooked (besides amassing a vast collection of hand sanitisers and exposing govt inefficiency -- kapow!) is more waste, especially plastic. Inevitably, it is exacerbated by our appetite for food delivery while we're WFH during this quasi-lockdown. The first wave saw an increase of plastic waste by 60% in Bangkok due to the higher demand for food delivery as estimated by Thailand Environment Institute in May last year. Thailand Research Development Insitute also claimed that one such order can contain up to seven pieces of plastic waste (so opt-out of utensils when you order please).

• OPINION

  Travel Struggles Thais Can Relate To

  Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 01/11/2019

  » If you're fortunate enough to travel on a regular basis, you may start to pick up on little quirks that come with it. While I don't consider myself consumed by wanderlust, I would like to think that I've travelled enough to be able to share a few amusing quirks and struggles I discovered along the way. For your entertainment (and in some cases, our common commiseration), here are travel titbits Thai can relate to.

• OPINION

  Letter to Santa for Thais

  Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 20/12/2019

  » Your year-end schedule is probably pretty hectic, trying to get everything done so you can have a worry-free break during Christmas and New Year. You may be so busy that you may forget to write the annual letter to Santa Claus (indulge me, readers). To make it easy for you, I have created a template that you can fill in to secure your gift at the last minute, despite having being naughty or nice. Don't forget to send it to SantaClaus@NorthPoleMail.com when you're done. Merry Xmas, everyone!

• OPINION

  Baht Better Spent

  Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 28/08/2020

  » On Monday, the Royal Thai Navy defended its controversial purchase of two Chinese submarines at a humungous price tag of B22.5 billion (that's 11-digits, if you're wondering). The purchase incited online backlash for its inopportune timing, given the severe impact of Covid-19 on the economy. Not to mention, speculation of good ole corruption synonymous with a procurement project.

• OPINION

  Predictions for 2020

  Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 03/01/2020

  » We're less than 72 hours into 2020 and I would like to help you, dear readers, ease back into your routines. Here are a few of my somewhat educated guesstimates of what this year has in store for us.

• OPINION

  Thank You!

  Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 06/07/2018

  » Thailand breathed a collective sigh of relief on Monday night after a team of 12 teenage football players and their coach were found alive inside Tham Luang Cave in Chiang Rai after 10 days of being trapped inside. Though we may be able to sleep sound, there's still a long way to go (and many more dramas, rumours and photos of handsome rescuers to come) before they are evacuated to safety. It's already been reported that they may have to stay there for months so let's keep our fingers crossed and our hopes alive.

1 2 Next Last