Showing 1 - 10 of 105
Spirit of Siam
Life, William Niall Morris, Published on 14/03/2026
» In Thailand, family is sacred and mothers above all are revered. Perhaps this is why the tale of Mae Naak -- the young mother who dies giving birth -- has resonated so deeply within the national psyche for well over a century.
Royal memory honoured with Mozart
Life, William Niall Morris, Published on 07/03/2026
» At the end of last month, I had the honour of attending a performance that felt less like a regular concert than a moment briefly lifted out of history. Presented by the Siam Society, "Concert In Memoriam" brought Mozart's Requiem Mass to the private throne room of Phaya Thai Palace -- the Deevaraja Sabharamaya Hall -- in commemoration of the centenary of the passing of King Vajiravudh (Rama VI), who died on Nov 25, 1925.
A Thai odysseyin good voice
Life, William Niall Morris, Published on 26/12/2025
» Taking a pair of scissors to your own work is a difficult task, but when you're the director, cinematographer, and writer of a movie, it's downright impossible. Every shot, every word, every emotion is infused with the unconditional love of a parent. To cut anything must feel like an act of betrayal.
Tackling Thai-Cambodian border row
Oped, William Roth, Published on 12/11/2025
» The tragic landmine injuries on Monday to two Thai soldiers have cast doubt on whether the ceasefire agreement with Cambodia will hold. But, even if it does, one also has to wonder whether either country really wishes to have lasting peace along this border. After all, for over 70 years, both countries, for domestic political purposes, have periodically used the continuing uncertainty about the actual boundary line to whip up nationalist sentiment.
Wall Street risks shorting freedom in HK
Oped, Mark L Clifford, Published on 31/10/2025
» In early November, Wall Street's big guns will head to Hong Kong for a global financial summit, dining at the Palace Museum (featuring Chinese imperial works on loan from Beijing) before meeting at the nearby Rosewood Hotel -- one of the city's swankiest. There, the top brass from Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, JPMorgan and another 100 financial firms will enjoy delicious food and breathtaking views as Hong Kong's leaders pitch them on the profits to be made in the former British colony.
An intimate secret plays out in Jomtien
Life, William Niall Morris, Published on 11/10/2025
» At the end of a quiet Jomtien lane sits an unassuming villa that, once a month, becomes Thailand's most intimate concert hall. With a seating capacity of just 50, Ben's Theatre is the inspired creation of Ben Hansen, a Dutch photojournalist turned cultural host who now runs his music venue as a charitable venture.
Terminal volunteers can save lives
News, Peter Singer & Benjamin L Sievers, Published on 13/09/2025
» At the University of California, San Diego (UCSD), a programme called Last Gift offers terminally ill patients the opportunity to help create more effective treatments. Their special circumstances transform the usual risk-benefit calculus of joining a clinical study of an untested drug. Researchers can ask them to consider consenting to being research participants in ways that they would not ask healthier people with long life expectancies, and terminally ill patients may choose to give that consent when others would be less likely to do so.
Israel's Gaza campaign is making it a pariah state
Oped, Thomas L Friedman, Published on 03/09/2025
» I will leave it to historians to debate whether Israel is committing genocide in the Gaza Strip. But what is absolutely clear to me right now is that this Israeli government is committing suicide, homicide and fratricide.
Audacious, vivacious talent
Life, William Niall Morris, Published on 30/08/2025
» Back in 2021, a group of intrepid Bangkok music students decided to create their own opera company, undeterred by the fact that this is the most difficult art form to produce.
A night of prodigies
Life, William Niall Morris, Published on 23/08/2025
» In 1978, composer John Williams won the Best Original Music Oscar for his work on the movie Star Wars. We've all heard the main theme countless times over the years, but listening to it performed by a live symphony orchestra is a whole new intergalactic experience. Such was the intense power of the Siam Sinfonietta as it swept over the Main Hall of the Thailand Cultural Centre that my nine-year-old nephew, Hummer, was pinned to his seat with wide-eyed wonder.