Showing 1 - 7 of 7
Pollution taints seaside community's prosperity
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 09/02/2020
» Bangkok's seaside neighbour Samut Sakhon is known for many things -- as a fishing hub, a thriving seafood market, and also as the largest location of Myanmar's migrant community in Thailand.
Not your average neighbourhood watch
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 05/08/2019
» Violence across Thailand's restive southern provinces is grabbing public attention once more, after having declined from its peak in 2007 when a string of attacks claimed 892 lives, according to the Ministry of Defence.
Is Bangkok savvy enough to become a 'smart city'?
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 24/03/2018
» The "smart city" has become a new buzzword for development policy in the Thailand 4.0 initiative, which would see big cities in the country like Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Khon Kaen and the Eastern Economic Corridor, transformed into technology hubs. The government has established the National Smart City Committee and invited various agencies and experts to join. Sarinee Achavanuntakul was one of the experts invited to sit on the committee, but she turned down the military-led invitation. A Harvard graduate economist, Ms Sarinee had worked in banking and investment before opening Sal Forest Co. Ltd, a research firm on corporate sustainability. She has also launched and operates the respected online investigative news Thai Publica website. Her latest research project is about the current capacity of cities in Thailand to handle increasing levels of tourism. Ms Sarinee spoke to City Talk about how unsustainable Bangkok is and how big data and modern technology can help.
Bangkok's secret weapon in war against floods
News, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 21/10/2017
» When the torrential rains of Oct 13 caused heavy flooding in Bangkok, several parts of the city were swamped, including Chulalongkorn University Centenary Park in Sam Yan. However, as the park slowly filled with water, Kotchakorn Voraakhom, the landscape architect who designed the project, remained unconcerned. She even expressed her satisfaction in a Facebook post that the park had finally delivered on one of its purposes -- the detention of flood water.
Solving a problem, organically
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 17/01/2017
» Organic products are known to promote safety to human health and the environment. While demands have increased, organic products are still considered non-mainstream, partly because of limited supply and higher retail prices, which are around 20-30% more than farm products harvested using chemical fertilisers and pesticides.
Razing 'cane
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 30/03/2016
» March and April are months of haze. The white-grey smoke may be just a seasonal nuisance that exists only in the northern and southern regions in Thailand, but in a sugar plantation in Dan Chang of Suphan Buri province, haze has long been a part of the people's daily lives and of the worrisome harvesting cycle. Villagers in Dan Chang get used to dry-coughing. Smoke hangs over the roofs of their houses and seeps indoors.
Floating fiction
Life, Anchalee Kongrut, Published on 25/02/2015
» Some of the most enduring images of Thailand are of the country's floating markets. Regardless of their authenticity or practicality, the postcard-perfect setting is a boon for international and domestic tourism. While the famous Damnoen Saduak and Amphawa markets continue to attract visitors from all over the world, Bangkok has been treated to its own "temporary" canal bazaar this month, during the Talad Nam Festival at Khlong Phadung Krung Kasem.