Showing 1 - 10 of 55
Down with comics
Life, Kanin Srimaneekulroj, Published on 21/08/2015
» From the 1970s onwards, a huge number of Thai children have grown up reading Japanese comic books that formed a big part of their pop-cultural upbringing. Thai publisher Vibulkij led the charge by becoming the first to actually acquire licenses to publish comic books in Thailand in 1992. Adopting the Japanese model of releasing weekly magazines containing single chapters from various series, Vibulkij launched Friday, Thailand's first weekly manga magazine. These magazines gave readers the advantage of reading ahead of the collected volumes, of which only several were released each year for each series.
The 8-bit allure
Life, Kanin Srimaneekulroj, Published on 11/09/2015
» The pixelated 8-bit joy of youth: Super Mario Bros, Mega Man, Punch Out!!. Who would've thought, however, that there'd be so many people who are still into those old video games? Certainly not Dhyan Ho, the current organiser of 8-Bit Bangkok, a gathering of like-minded adults who enjoy playing the video games of their childhood over some cold beer and good conversation.
I'm working from boat today
Life, Kanin Srimaneekulroj, Published on 28/09/2015
» James Abbot left his office life in 2004 and hasn't looked back since. During his travels to other countries while working on his own projects, the Brit came across a co-working space called Hubud in Bali and was immediately touched by the energy and innovative passion that came from the like-minded travelling freelancers working within the shared space. Finding himself in Thailand later, the experience prompted Abbot to found KoHub, a co-working space located right by the picturesque ocean at Koh Lanta, Krabi.
No game no fame
Life, Kanin Srimaneekulroj, Published on 06/11/2015
» When Pawat Ampaporn began playing League Of Legends at the age of 15, the thought of becoming a professional, internationally-recognised player never even occurred to him. Like most boys his age, Pawat was content with just playing the game for fun, unaware that it would eventually become his gateway to fame.
Let's get board
Life, Kanin Srimaneekulroj, Published on 13/11/2015
» In a surprise revival, board games have enjoyed a new surge of popularity, testified by the rise of board game cafés and stores being opened everywhere in Thailand. There are at least 20 in Bangkok alone, with numerous more in cities like Chiang Mai, where there is a healthy population of expatriates and tourists.
Fish for a compliment
Life, Kanin Srimaneekulroj, Published on 11/12/2015
» When talking about Thai pla thu (better known around the world as short mackerel), it's difficult not to mention the famous catches of Mae Klong in Muang district of Samut Songkhram province.
Treasuring the humble tuk-tuk
Life, Kanin Srimaneekulroj, Published on 28/12/2015
» The three-wheeled tuk-tuk, along with temples, elephants and tom yum goong, is a top symbol of Thailand. Recognising the significance of this small, boxy vehicle to the country's cultural legacy, Thailand's contestant for the Miss Universe 2015 pageant -- 21-year-old Aniporn "Nat" Chalermburanawong -- took to the stage in Las Vegas last week wearing a tuk-tuk costume, a mix of experimental Thainess and extraterrestrial thingumajig. The dress, designed by Hirankrit Pattaraboriboonkul, won her the Best National Costume award from the international competition (see side story).
Face of a survivor
Life, Kanin Srimaneekulroj, Published on 12/01/2016
» At first glance, few people would ever expect 51-year-old taxi driver Subin Samart to be as happy as he is today. Subin's story made waves on social media late last year when a photo of him was posted by one of his sympathetic passengers, accompanied by his story of rejection from various jobs and passengers due to his disfigured face, the result of a childhood accident when he was five years old. This attention has earned him the support of various organisations, most recently GrabTaxi, which late last year approached Subin to recruit him as a driver.
Click to send
Life, Kanin Srimaneekulroj, Published on 29/01/2016
» With traffic often crawling to standstills on the busy Bangkok streets, motorcycle taxis have become a necessary alternative for the population, especially during rush hours. But calling a motorcycle taxi in this city is not always easy, especially if there isn't a motorbike taxi station in the area.
A bridge too far
Life, Kanin Srimaneekulroj, Published on 15/02/2016
» The game of bridge has made unlikely headlines. Ten days ago policemen and soldiers as well as local government officials in Pattaya raided a Jomtien & Pattaya Bridge Club get-together, arresting 32 foreign bridge players on gambling charges. Police reported finding a computer and score sheets at the scene, but no money, leading them to suspect that the players were transferring money online.