I remember before given up alcohol a few years back I worried about managing life in Thailand. This was my main pastime and life without it seemed dull. In fact the one thing that really attracted me to Thailand in the first place was that it seemed Read full story >>>

It's “tsch” not “sch” you no good… This topic has caused many a debate in the world of Thai grammar and language. Like one of those all-too-common Asian government gang fights they pass off as legislation debates… Read full story >>>

Following the launch of CNN’s acclaimed app for the iPhone and iPod touch in the United States last year, CNN today announced the availability of the international version of the CNN App on the App Store. I was very pleased to read that CNN have just released an international… Read full story >>>

Some weeks ago Richard Barrow made an mobile blogging tour to some attractions in Chonburi province. Reporting live on Twitter on his trip, once he reached the Phra Phutthasihing Pavilion close to the government offices I wondered whether the city pillar shrine isn’t located close … Read full story >>>

This is the second post about my recent trip to Koh Si Chang; you can read the first part here. The Tuk-Tuk driver took us to his favourite restaurant; I hadn’t done my research so had nothing better to suggest. I felt a bit … Read full story >>>

Welcome to The Wednesday Photo – a new picture each week highlighting something of interest in Thailand. Click on the picture to see a larger version. Earth Mother Goddess, Doi Suthep You may recall the statue of the Earth Mother Goddess, Ubon Ratchathani from last December. One of my favorite temples in Thailand … Read full story >>>

The Southeast Asian Write award is the most significant literary award in the eponymous region (given the small possibility that any regional writer winning one of the large international literary prizes in the foreseeable). This year’s award will be given in the field of poetry (the genre rotates) and the… Read full story >>>

The Thai phrases you use most often… Moving to a county with a new foreign language to tackle, I depend on two sure-fire phrases. The first phrase I learn is ‘I don’t understand’ . And the second phrase is ‘this does not work’ . I also practice my blank stare. Why these three?… Read full story >>>

Earthquakes have been rumbling through the news of late.  Every now and then we get a report that there has been an earthquake somewhere close to Thailand, be it Burma, Indonesia or somewhere in the middle of the Pacific Ocean.  Since the tsunami of 2004, people tend to keep … Read full story >>>

This post is the latest in our travel language specials for  Travelfish . You can plan to go to all the fantastic and wonderful places you can dream of (or find in the pages of Travelfish) but without the language to get there you’re going to be a bit stuck … Read full story >>>

Since the release of Nymph last year, Pen-ek Ratanaruang’s been earning cash by making TV commercials . But he’s also been at work on his new movie, Fon Tok Kuen Fah ( ฝนตกขึ้นฟ้า ), which is among the projects slated to receive money from the Culture Ministry’s controversial Thai Khem Kaeng (Strong … Read full story >>>

The second annual Samui Film Festival will have its grand-opening party at Beach Republic in Lamai on Thursday, August 5. “Meet and mingle with film lovers, directors and VIPs … at the chic and uniquely designed ocean club,” says the festival press… Read full story >>>

It is a new term for us and that means, for me, twice weekly trips out here to the main Pathum Thani campus. Going back and forth is mostly rather tedious and time-consuming but there is a compensation in getting away from the city for a… Read full story >>>

Grokking the writing system by doing things youʼre not supposed to… Iʼve seen a lot of posts on this site about how learning the writing system is essential if you want to pronounce Thai correctly (it is) and how itʼs really not that hard (itʼs not), but what seems… Read full story >>>

Despite having many of the same culinary resources and origins as neighbouring Thailand, the people of Laos subside on a markedly more basic diet. Considering Laos’s poverty and lack of both infrastructure and large-scale agriculture, this shouldn’t come as much of a surprise. But the … Read full story >>>

Rosetta Stone* Methodology… *After the stone and not the expensive software In her interviews of Thai speakers , Catherine likes to ask if we have ever had an “Ah ha” moment in our Thai studies. An “Ah ha” moment is sort … Read full story >>>

There is a new Thai phrase that’s been bugging me these last few days: กระชับความเหลื่อมล้ำ /krà-cháp khwaam-lùeaam-lám/. What the hell does it mean? And who was the genius who coined it? (I couldn’t help wondering.) Read full story >>>

Well, they announced the results of the Top 100 Language Blogs of 2010 . Drum roll? We came in at #31! I am incredibly (and I mean incredibly ) surprised at this. I was not expecting this at all; I wasn’t even thinking we were going to make … Read full story >>>

A Rose (กุหลาบ /gù-làap/) by any other name… I find that place names in Thai are quite difficult to remember. Well, I should say that I find names of any kind difficult to remember and it isn’t just because of the language or my advancing age. You can tell me your… Read full story >>>

The “terrorism” charge against Thaksin Shinawatr carries the death sentence for anyone found guilty — under Article 135 of Thailand’s Criminal Code. Thaksin promptly reacted with a firm denial. He said back in 1976, authorities charged anyone against the government as a “communist.” Now, it’s “terrorist” instead. Of course, upon closer scrutiny, it’s not … Read full story >>>