This is Thailand: May 2014
Where can I find real frozen yoghurt in Chiang Mai? Hilary: Despite its years of ubiquity in the West, frozen yoghurt is a pretty new trend here, and has been tough to find up until quite recently. Now, a few places have been popping up to provide you with a healthier, yet equally cool and creamy, alternative to ice cream. Check out The Volcano (www.facebook.com/theVOLCANOtoast) on Suthep Road, ju … Continued
Dai’s Design Ideas
Preedaporn “Dai” Vaidhayakarn Owner of Sabudbob Studio www.facebook.com/sabudbob www.sabudbobstudio.com I do corporate and brand identity, graphic and web design, events and exhibitions. Here are a few of my favourite local design products! a. Painting by Soper Graffiti and graphic artist Christ Soper is part of a new generation of local Chiang Mai artists, and I got this eye-catching work from … Continued
City Talk
Justin Yip, 27 Teacher, American “I have one place in Chiang Mai I like to walk around and think. There’s a small garden to the right of Wat Phra Singh with lots of quotes, sayings and phrases nailed to the trees. It’s a great place to escape and reflect.” Cody Gohl, 23 Citylife Intern, American “My secret spot is definitely Street Pizza, a small artisanal pizza restaurant off Tha Pae Road. It’s w … Continued
Exporting the Elderly
“All the baby boomers have grown up, grown old, and lived longer lives than their parents did before them. Populations are ageing, everywhere in the world, and there are more Alzheimer’s sufferers than ever before.” Marc Dumur’s gaze wanders over the nearly-finished elder care resort beyond the window. “In rich, developed countries, there are so many Alzheimer’s sufferers being taken care of by th … Continued
City Buzz
Lhong-Pa Café Sitting on a windy back road in Mae Rim, Lhong-Pa Coffee Bar and Home Cooking is the perfect place to escape the noise and chaos of the city. Nestled between trees and lush gardens, Lhong-Pa is the definition of serenity – the only sounds that pierce the silence are the whirr of espresso machines and the soft lilt of Thai instrumental music. The outdoor café opened four months ago an … Continued
A Light in the Night The Mysteries and Magic of Thailand’s Fireflies
It’s a moonless night in Amphawa as we rush toward the Mae Klong through a bustling market, tightly packed carts selling steamed mackerel and skewered razor clams, crowded shops hawking sunglasses and t-shirts. We’re looking for a guy named Yut, otherwise known as Teerayud Atiroj, founder and proprietor of one of Amphawa’s first firefly tours. It all started 20 years ago, when Amphawa’s municipal … Continued
Design Ideas
Preedaporn “Dai” Vaidhayakarn Owner of Sabudbob Studio www.facebook.com/sabudbob www.sabudbobstudio.com I do corporate and brand identity, graphic and web design, events and exhibitions. Here are a few of my favourite local design products! a. Painting by Soper Graffiti and graphic artist Christ Soper is part of a new generation of local Chiang Mai artists, and I got this eye-catching work from … Continued
Editorial
Food, food, glorious food! After having reviewed hundreds of restaurants in this magazine (and online) over the past decade and a half, sacrificing my waistline in the name of writing, I have decided that we at Citylife know a thing or two about food in Chiang Mai. In fact, my efforts in sampling Chiang Mai’s restaurants have been so prodigious that I have been appointed contributing judge to Thai … Continued
Growing Up Expat
Test3 Growing up abroad is often seen as a lucky experience reserved for the wealthy: going to expensive international schools, living in big houses and driving fancy cars. And it seems like there are few places better than Chiang Mai to grow up in, combining the tempting mix of rich Thai culture with the development of an increasingly cosmopolitan city. But what are the children of expats really … Continued
Traffick Stoppers
Thailand, we have a problem. The most recent UN Trafficking in Persons Report is quite long and very dry, but its message is clear: human trafficking is a huge issue in Thailand, and not enough is being done to stop it. For anyone even slightly familiar with the culture of human trafficking in Southeast Asia, this statement rings true. Traffickers run rampant and though the government has institut … Continued
Exit, Stage Left
“When approaching the intersection of Chang Klan and Sri Donchai Roads, a sense of loss pervades. Here on the Southeast corner of this busy intersection rests the colossal of Chiang Mai cinemas, rotting mercilessly. Bound like a sedated hostage in the cheapness of billboards and advertisements, the sole surviving relic of Chiang Mai’s movie-going glory days awaits an undetermined, likely grim fate … Continued
This is Thailand
Where can I find real frozen yoghurt in Chiang Mai? Hilary: Despite its years of ubiquity in the West, frozen yoghurt is a pretty new trend here, and has been tough to find up until quite recently. Now, a few places have been popping up to provide you with a healthier, yet equally cool and creamy, alternative to ice cream. Check out The Volcano (www.facebook.com/theVOLCANOtoast) on Suthep Road, … Continued
Up in the Trees
It’s a beautiful drive, despite the fact that our motorbike breaks down on the way and we’re smack in the middle of burning season. The fact that it was still beautiful is a testament to the area, a winding road through Phrao, lined with tall trees stark against the setting sun. We enter a small village about an hour and a half from Chiang Mai, Pasak Ngam, a one gas pump town, and there it is: the … Continued
What’s Happening?
ARTS & EXHIBITIONS 2nd ArtBridge Chiang Rai Art Exhibition Now – 30th May @ ArtBridge Chiang Rai www.artbridgechiangrai.org ArtBridge Chiang Rai opens its second art exhibition. Each ArtBridge member will display a work, and more than 100 works are expected to be displayed during this exhibit at the beautiful new community art co-op in Chiang Rai.Opening daily 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Admission fre … Continued
Music Box
Denney & the Jets – Mexican Coke If this group’s debut album takes off, they’re likely to get praise similar to that of the honky-tonk, country-rock-leaning early work of Kings of Leon. Here’s hoping Denney & the Jets lack the arena-sized ambition of that band and stick to their bread and butter. While the overall motif is that of boogie rock from the American South, they’re a sonic dead r … Continued
Clients’ Spot
Talk Talk Language Looking to truly integrate yourself into Thai culture? Then learning the language is a must! At Talk Talk Language you not only get the opportunity to learn Thai but the two most spoken languages in the world: English and Chinese (Mandarin) as well. You can choose whether you prefer private classes or to learn in groups. At Talk Talk, not only are the teachers well-qualified, bu … Continued
CityGuide: Pong Noi
What are the defining characteristics of your neighbourhood? What makes it special or unique? It’s a close community with a good community spirit. It’s an area with lots of artists and art galleries such as Pongnoi Community Art Space and Rumpeung Art Space and unique shops. (Facebook: pongnoi, rumpueng.artspace.) Why did you choose this neighbourhood? What do you like most about it? My husband … Continued
Your Say
Much Too Much Rubbish I was pleased to read [Dirty Litter Secrets, March 2014] and the list of 10 tips. Number five is a brilliant suggestion but if bags of rubbish are collected in my spare time and then taken home and placed alongside my household rubbish collected by a large smelly truck every Monday, it means I might just be adding to the numerous roadside tips I see around the quieter count … Continued
The Adventures of Tom
I’m a little sad today. Of all the utterly fabulous experiences I have been introduced to by Chiang Mai, my absolute favourite is now over for another year. The greatest celebration of fun in the world ever, the festival of Songkran, is over. My flowery shirt is back in the closet and my water gun stowed in the rack. Even the inevitable physical results of a short dip in the moat are beginning to … Continued