“Whereas in the past the Halal economy was solely dedicated and focused on Muslims, today, as seen by the rapid growth of the industry, we can firmly say that it is Halal for all,” said Associate Dr. Winai Dahlan, Founder Director of the Halal Science Center Chulalongkorn University, during a recent visit to Chiang Mai.

After two years in Brunei, both Proud and Chef Dan were sick of their monotonous lifestyle and craved a more western style of living which he was used to in Australia. Every weekend they would fly to new regional locations and explore cities, taste food and become inspired.

This is an open forum for you to express your opinions.

Looking at the domestic picture, it’s commonly agreed upon that the best education in the country is found in Bangkok — where the curriculum is designed — whereas the quality of education appears to lessen in proportionate size to population, becoming worse the smaller the town or village.

There are many reasons why one would decide to make a commitment to veganism. Some do so for ethical reasons, believing that animals should not be killed for food while others do so for health reasons.

A short drive out of the city will find you wending your way up a meandering mountainous road overshadowed and squeezed in by the thick luscious green jungle, eventually arriving at Mae Kampong Village.

Whereas acute pain can be felt by anyone at any age and is the body’s natural alert system to warn of possible injury, chronic pain persists and is in itself the disease, not merely the symptom.

Paul Eenhoorn sits down at a table in the open air restaurant and orders us a coffee. The sun is softly shining through the layers of green bamboo towering over the entrance and the sounds of birds’ wings flap around us. We are here to experience the one and only Monoceros Resort — a small tree-filled haven in northern Thailand.

The task of following Thai politics, particularly from an outsider’s perspective, can be quite daunting. Historically, Thai politics have been highly unstable, having had 17 different charters and constitutions since becoming a democracy in 1932.

“Our vision is for Chiang Mai to be a coffee destination,” said Surapon Plumjai, the director of Industrial Promotion Center Region 1, explaining his vision of having people from all over the world one day fly to Chiang Mai for our coffee.

Getting your teeth done is never a fun experience. The drill whirring on your enamel, the weird tasting pink mouthwash, the inevitable drain on your bank account. If you’re anything like the Citylife staff, avoiding the dentist is a number one priority.

Feel like getting your adrenal glands pumping? Well Chiang Mai, while being no Queensland, still has a great range of thrilling activities for you to dive into.

f you live in Chiang Mai and love this city (with eyes wide open to her many flaws), and have an interest in really getting to know this part of the world and sharing your experiences and knowledge with our thousands of daily readers, then this is the job for you. We want someone who is active, who is social, and who is compassionate and well-read. We are looking for a team member who understands the changing media-scape and who can help drag me out of my old world doldrums and bring our media firmly into the 21st century. We want a go-getter who will spend days talking to someone fascinating whose stories and experiences can be shared far and wide, yet is also able to drum up a quick video clip about their favourite som tum vendor. We are looking for enthusiasm, creativity, internet technology know-how, ability and interest in writing — and of course passion.

Lots of cool new places for you all to check out this month from our new favourite chicken joint, a great hotpot, street grills, chocolate bon bons to a socially and environmentally conscientious hotel.