กี่ครั้งกี่คราที่เราอ่านข่าวหน้าหนังสือพิมพ์ หรือข่าวในสื่อออนไลน์ แล้วรู้สึกเป็นเดือดเป็นร้อนจนต้องส่ายหน้าด้วยความไม่พอใจ และถอนหายใจด้วยความสิ้นหวัง? เพราะความคิดของรัฐเริ่มไปในทางที่ไม่ดีนัก เรารู้สึกหมดหนทางที่จะทำให้มันถูกต้อง ทำได้เพียงแค่จดมันไว้ คนส่วนใหญ่อาจจะไม่ลงมือทำอะไรเลย แต่ไม่ใช่กับผู้หญิงกลุ่มนี้ ที่ใช้เวลาเพียงไม่กี่สัปดาห์หยุดยั้งโครงการที่ไม่เป็นที่ยอมรับไว้ได้ อีกทั้งยังได้นำชุมชนและองกรค์ต่างๆ มารวมตัวกันเพื่อปกป้องป่าสีเขียวผืนใหญ่ใจกลางเมือง

Since it opened its doors in 2005, the exquisite riverside property that is now home to Anantara Chiang Mai Resort, has maintained its standards as one of Chiang Mai’s most acclaimed city resorts. While urban and sophisticated, luxurious with world-class service, the resort also manages to ooze history, being the home of the Old British Consulate, the dilapidated historical teak building having been brought to life and celebrated at the heart of the property as the resort’s restaurants and bar.

It was surreal. As I was getting out of my car down a quiet soi in Chang Klan, slumbering dogs yawning in the sun and a lonely vendor pushing a cart of noodles, bells ringing periodically in invitation, I looked up at an extraordinary building. It was an honest to goodness a Russian Orthodox Church, complete with onion domes and glittering gold crosses.

Garbage, like beauty, it seems, is in the eye of the beholder. What is junk to us can be invaluable to someone else. To Somsak Nontagrankij, 59, bottles, cans, scrap metal, plastic, aluminium, wheels, things we leave outside our houses, for late night recyclers to rummage through, are all treasures to him.

Who would have thought that after a hiatus of over a decade, Pokémon would once again be the talk of the town, if not the whole planet. With children and adults alike trading, sharing, exploring and obsessing over creatures that are now entirely in the virtual world.

As we all have surely witnessed, Chiang Mai is home to some very talented people. Be it art, music, fashion, or food, Chiang Mai owes its diverse culture to a number of different influences. Chaing Mai is a crossroads of sorts, where people from all over the world meet and intermingle with the local scene and it’s because of this that there is an opportunity for some wonderful collaborations.

Fortune telling has been practiced for hundreds of years. Since the beginning of time, humans have yearned to know their destiny. While the activity may have died out in many countries, anyone who’s spent an extended period of time in Thailand will know that it still exists as a part of everyday life. Seers can be found all over the cities — from hotel lobbies to temples.

The South of Thailand, the Deep South that is, is shamefully overlooked as a tourist destination. Beaches are yet to be spoilt, islands are as pretty as any further up the coast, there is a rich culture, lush and plush nature and fabulous food, and the people are genuinely welcoming and friendly.

I have been a small cog in what I believe to be a massively important wheel this month and it has been enlightening, empowering and extremely exciting. If you follow local affairs (or our web site and social media) you will know that there has been a huge furore recently over the proposed development of a piece of land owned by the Treasury Department. You can read the details in my feature article this month, but as this is my soapbox, I thought I would wax pontification on my experiences over the past few weeks.

Fitness can be very ‘same same’ so why not try something ‘but different’ this month and sign up your body and mind to one of these more unique gyms in Chiang Mai and get fit for the winter holidays.

Be it freshly blended black coffee or dainty three minute brewed English teas, we locals of Chiang Mai seem to obsess over these caffeinated drinks that see us through the day, so why not expand our horizons with some new haunts to try out this month.

Even though Chiang Mai is packed full of fancy restaurants and arty cafes, we still need those local haunts to fall back on when we are craving that spicy salad or rich noodle broth for just a few baht. Here are three we love.

This September is seeing a boom in new places to eat. Gearing up for the winter months, why not test some of these three top locations and add to your list for that rainy day dinner or treat on a Sunday afternoon.