Showing 1 - 10 of 11
Andalusian dreams
Life, Kong Rithdee, Published on 15/02/2024
» Two Middle Eastern tourists looked excited as they held up a phone to an exquisitely carved arabesque in Nasrid Palace at the Alhambra. No, they're not taking photos. They're comparing the Arabic text on their screen with the 8th century stone calligraphy. I hear them mumble in Arabic -- here's the translation:
Deep in the paradox
Life, Kong Rithdee, Published on 25/05/2022
» In Cairo, a religious student at the prestigious Al-Azhar Islamic University is recruited by secret police to infiltrate a Muslim Brotherhood cell. In Mashad, a holy city in Iran, a serial killer prowls a seedy suburb and strangles head-scarfed prostitutes. In the first film, bloodlust officials torture dissidents with abandon. In the second film, religion is evoked and the name of God is cited as a justification for murder. This begs the obvious question: Will Boy From Heaven be banned in Egypt, and Holy Spider Iran?
A new spirit of Malaysian horror
Life, Story: Kong Rithdee, Published on 22/06/2021
» The Malaysian film Roh (on Netflix) is a pagan horror with clear Koranic references, a work of foreboding menace set entirely in a nameless forest somewhere deep in the Malay peninsula.
TAT extends 'Phuket Great Time' offer
Life, Published on 11/02/2021
» The Tourism Authority of Thailand's (TAT) Phuket office has extended the "Phuket Great Time" campaign.
Terrain for talent
Life, Yvonne Bohwongprasert, Published on 11/12/2019
» For nine days, Malaysia's capital city Kuala Lumpur was ablaze with creativity, representing art in all forms at Urbanscapes 2019, the longest-running creative arts festival that celebrated its 17th edition late last month.
Rescuing the past
Life, Karnjana Karnjanatawe, Published on 10/07/2019
» A team of researchers controlled a drone to take pictures of the 56m-tall bell-shaped stupa of Wat Phra Mahathat Woramahawihan in Nakhon Si Thammarat. It slowly flew in a cycle from the base to the top of the golden spine while capturing the high-resolution images of the structure.
Looking for redemption
Life, Kong Rithdee, Published on 23/05/2019
» Young Ahmed believes he's a true Muslim, one of the few in his Muslim neighbourhood in Belgium. He refuses to shake hands with women, quotes verses from the Koran, berates his mother when she drinks, and condemns Jews and pretty much everyone else as infidels. Fellow Belgian-Muslims who do not subscribe to his imam's rigid interpretation of Islam are branded heretics unworthy of uttering the prophet's name. Young Ahmed, 13, is packed tight on the assembly line of Islamic radicalisation, fired up by a sense of self-righteousness so extreme and narrow that we wonder if it leaves room for something else in him, like love, forgiveness or humanity.
A month of many traditions
Life, Yvonne Bohwongprasert, Published on 21/05/2019
» Ramadan, the ninth month of the Muslim calendar and the holy month of fasting, is practised by Muslims around the world, including Thailand. Having begun earlier this month, it is a time for Muslims to practise self-restraint, by not just fasting from dawn to dusk from food, drink, sexual activity, impure or unkind thoughts, and more. Ramadan is also a time of reflection.
Les Miserables: The simmering rage of Paris
Life, Kong Rithdee, Published on 17/05/2019
» Cannes Day 2 witnesses the rage of Paris -- not the yellow wrath of gilets jaunes, but the brown-and-black anger of rundown suburbs that makes up the complex social structure of modern France.
Bring yourself to Bang Rak
Life, Karnjana Karnjanatawe, Published on 16/05/2019
» Behind the busy street of Charoen Krung in Bang Rak district, there are some places where you can enjoy peace and seclusion, although this part of Bangkok is known as a prime commercial area.