Showing 1 - 10 of 11
Signal interference
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 23/02/2026
» Akkara Naktamna and Manit Sriwanichpoom are intertwined by two similar events.
Bridging the gaps
Life, Story: Suwitcha Chaiyong, Published on 06/01/2026
» Organised by the National Research Council of Thailand, Thailand Inventors' Day 2026 runs until Friday at Event Hall 102–103, BITEC Bangna Exhibition and Convention Center. Instead of presenting scientific innovations, Life interviewed two researchers -- Prof Dusadee Ayuwat and Assoc Prof Prajak Kongkirati -- who are among 15 researchers from nine fields who received the 2026 National Outstanding Researcher Awards as part of Thailand Inventors' Day 2026. While Prof Dusadee received the award in Sociology, Assoc Prof Prajak received the award in Political Science and Public Administration.
Giving evidence
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 20/03/2023
» Under authoritarian rule, truths are silenced, censored and mutilated. Yet, many people find ways to tell their stories. It is an irony, though, that a repressive regime is a precondition of creative resistance.
All for pride, pride for all
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 27/06/2022
» Silom Road was packed. I don't think anyone -- not even the organisers -- anticipated such a scene. What a turnout it was on the first Sunday of June when crowds flocked to the area to join the Pride parade. There was music and dancing. Lady Gaga's Born This Way blasted from the stereo. Feathers and sequins sparkled in the late afternoon sun. And in the midst of all the fun, there were voices of the people calling for marriage equality, sex workers' rights and the fall of patriarchy. For equal rights. For equality.
Remembering the history that some want forgotten
Life, Chris Baker, Published on 11/03/2022
» Royalist history paints 1932 as a coup by a self-interested clique which thwarted King Prajadhipok's wish to introduce a constitution and led Thailand to militarism and fascism. In 2017, the plaque commemorating 1932 was ripped out of the Royal Plaza -- symbolising the wish to cancel all memory of the event. Democratic history claims 1932 as a revolution which launched Thailand towards democracy and a modern society in which the majority can participate and benefit. In 2020 the youth activists reinstalled the plaque in cyberspace and called themselves the New People's Party. The event matters, one way or the other, down to today.
Pitfalls on path to equality
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 28/02/2022
» In the future, the family frontier will be expanded. The declining population is posing a challenge to the country in the midst of a brain drain due to political conflict. Given the demographic crisis, public health officials are seeking an amendment to allow commercial surrogacy. However, the slow progress of the marriage law for same-sex couples can put their desire for parenthood on hold.
The fight for equality continues
Life, Thana Boonlert, Published on 21/06/2021
» All eyes are set on the Constitutional Court who will soon decide whether to accept a watershed case in the battle for marriage equality. Permsap Sae-Ung and Puangphet Hengkham have lived together for over 10 years but their marriage registration request was rejected by the Phasi Charoen District Office. In response to this, they filed a complaint with the Central Juvenile and Family Court, which forwarded the case to the Constitutional Court for ruling on Section 1448 of the Civil and Commercial Code that allows only heterosexual couples to tie the knot.
In the land of the blind
Life, Suwitcha Chaiyong, Published on 26/11/2020
» Watjanasin Charuwattanakitt, curator of Palette Artspace, was upset by the news that authorities couldn't find any sex workers in Pattaya's infamous Walking Street or Soi Pan Suk in Pathum Thani, and that the director of the Government Lottery Office couldn't find any overpriced ticket-selling on streets. He wondered why the authorities pretended to not see these problems.
A kiss is still a kiss
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 23/12/2019
» What's a better way to send off 2019 than a big smooch? The gay kiss at parliament last week shook the entire country. Outcries about the inappropriateness of such a public display of affection at a "sacred" place were loud. The symbolic expression was met with polarising responses, even from LGBTI people themselves. Even liberal politicians who called for equal rights apologised for it. Honestly, saying sorry for a kiss seems ironic under a roof where far worse things have taken place. Unfortunately, the public reaction has been mostly negative. The message was inadvertently lost, and many people forgot why the couple kissed in the first place: to advocate for marriage equality.
The song remains the same
Life, Melalin Mahavongtrakul, Published on 26/08/2019
» It seems as if each day brings new challenges for the LGBTI community in Thailand. So what's new (or old) this month?