CityNews, Chiang Mai’s first daily-updated English language online news site brought you the city’s biggest news events last month, as well as some hard-hitting feature stories that we hope you enjoyed.
Last month was Loy Krathong, and though plenty had fun during the festival many people weren’t so impressed with the festival’s attendant noise and traffic problems, as well as the accidents. We reported how people died and lost limbs from using fireworks. Let’s hope it’s safer in the future.
Safety has been on everyone’s mind lately as news that a girl died of food poisoning after eating at a moo kata shocked the city. Right now the powers that be are trying to placate the hungry masses that apparently aren’t eating out as much.
It’s also the Chaing Mai Games, or National Games. We will keep you updated with results as it is still ongoing. And there are plenty of other games and events this month of December, and going into January. It’s the cold season and it’s great to be outdoors. Here are a few pieces that caught the eyes of many last month. Happy New Year!
Eating Moo Kata is Safe! – says the mayor of Chiang Mai
The people of Chiang Mai were panicking after the tragic death of a 23 year old student.
‘The mayor told the press during the event that moo kata was part of the lifestyle of Chiang Mai people. He expressed concern that since the tragedy, moo kata restaurants had complained of low numbers of customers.’
Kill it Kid, Hugo, Abuse the Youth Play Chiang Mai – big things happening in the Thai music scene
Three big bands playing in Chiang Mai on the same night! Yes, and what great performances they put on for us. Let’s hope we get more live bands coming from all over the world to play in Chiang Mai.
“The songs are ready for the next record,” Chris of Kill it Kid explained, and we can expect the third Kill it Kid album in January or February next year. Their future, they hope, is “to keep touring. To make a living, to pay the rent.” Soon they’ll have three weeks off to do nothing in Thailand. Life is good at the moment for Kill it Kid. “We’re honoured to be invited here, more than glad we came,” they all agreed.
Interview with Novelist Christopher G. Moore
Interesting interview with one of the few fiction writers to export his work from Thailand all over the world. He gives some insights into how to become a writer – one that actually gets paid!
“If you ask most professional writers (give them a couple of loosening up drinks first) why they had success and the next person didn’t, they will tell you it comes down to chance or luck. It is the same in acting or the music business. There is a reasonably large pool of talent in the arts. There is also a sizeable pool of committed, disciplined and experienced artists. A producer buys a pirated copy of a novel on the street of Saigon so a street urchin will stop pestering him. He reads, buys the rights and remakes The Quiet American. The chance meeting at a party, through a friend, on an airplane, or at a club puts the author in contact with a person who will forever change their life. This isn’t something he can predict or strive for; it comes out of the blue. It is blind, dumb luck. Right place, right time and right story. Stirling Silliphant and Barney Rosset were two huge creative forces that influenced my career and without either one in my life I wouldn’t be doing this interview.”
Meeting with Mayor…Almost A Waste of Time
We’ve reported on lots of developments in Chiang Mai, and there is much more to come. But are profits blinding people to what might be the destruction of our beautiful city? Some people think so. Here, environmentalist Ricky Ward writes about a meeting with the mayor.
“Eventually the mayor gave a response. Or perhaps one could say launched into a filibuster, for as one participant said, “He spoke for a long time and said practically nothing.” I for one found it difficult, unschooled in Thai as I am, to follow what he said, however he did mention two subjects worthy of report. The mayor pointed out that the constitution was the highest law in the land. Why did he say so? I wondered after the meeting, because since he came to office three years ago there has been no sign that the council officers follow the requirement that the community be informed of proposals which may affect the natural resources of the country and given the opportunity to participate in their protection. I had written to him two years ago complaining about this after his staff had bulldozed a community tree planting site, but received neither an apology nor compensation. Perhaps the message has sunk in at last? The mayor also mentioned poor drainage at the Rincome corner. Oddly, when a Nimman delegation went to visit the local Roads Dept chief to demand the scrapping of plans to widen roads here, he also mentioned this issue. Do these gentlemen happen to be friends?”
In honour of the holidays, we won’t highlight all the bad news. Watch out for our blogs, and if you have an idea for a blog, or even an opinion piece, please get in touch with us at editor@chiangmaicitynews.com.