Crypto Fervour: the Chiang Mai crypto-currency subculture
It was therefore probably utterly idiotic of me to attempt this article on the crypto-currency scene in Chiang Mai. But after interviewing Michel Bauwens last year and hearing him tell of how the elusive Satoshi Nakamoto had first publically posted the launch of his new crypto-currency, Bitcoin, on Bauwen’s p2pfoundation.org website in 2008, I was intrigued. And as more and more Facebook feeds inviting me to various crypto-meetups around town kept popping up, my curiosity was peaked enough to have me start to explore the scene, soon diving head first down the rabbit hole.
Our Journey to becoming a UNESCO World Heritage City
You may be surprised to learn that Chiang Mai is well on its way to submitting its final dossier to UNESCO in our bid to become Thailand’s first living heritage city. It has involved an extraordinary amount of work by people from many sectors. And while UNESCO suggests an indicative timeframe of ten years for the preparation of nominations, and we have been at it for just over three years since we were placed on the tentative list in 2015, those leading the charge say that they may be ready to submit in as little as a year’s time.
Defiant Young Blood: Lanyim Creative Group
His enthusiasm and passion have earned him funding from the USAID…as well as getting him in some trouble with the military which almost saw him put in jail. As it is now his last year as a college student, he is focusing on turning this student group into a future career.
Pride and Prejudices: The ongoing LGBT fight
With the modest success of 2008’s event, organisers and supporters of the 2009 event were aiming for something far more ambitious. Thailand was ready for a big and beautiful shout-out by the gay community, they thought. A total of 22 different organisations in various fields of LGBT activism had come together to organise this parade. As the day drew near, rainbow flags were being made, guest speakers lined up, fancy costumes designed and all accoutrements of celebration were being prepared.
Dheva Spa and Wellness Centre
First impressions count and as we were driven through the beautiful grounds of the Dheva Spa and Wellness Centre, we were expecting to be impressed. We were however blown away by the beauty of the spa buildings and the complete serenity we felt when we entered the spa reception. We felt completely removed from the bustle of daily Chiang Mai life.