Citylife Vol. 25 No.10 October 2016 by Citylife

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VOL.25

No. 10 October 2016

ChiangMaiCitylife.com

TRAVEL Editorial City7 City Talk City Buzz Client Spot Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Happening? City Events

Local Bites Excite Global Palates: Northern Food Valley's push to promote Lanna food innovation

What Has the Army Ever Done For Us? Read On...

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Design Ideas Music Box

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Grand Canyon Water Park

Guardians of our Gates

A Slice of Si Satchanalaiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Paradise

38 Your Say Adventures of Tom

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Editor in Chief/Director Pim Kemasingki Consultant John Shaw MBE Production Manager Nitkanung Watanakun Deputy Editor Aydan Stuart CityNow! Editor Chalida Supasaen Media Executives Supanat Nantisang, Pattama Wongjan, Chidchanok Tangsongpaibool Head of Graphic Design Pongsak Inthano Graphic Designers Sarinnaphat Chartperawong, Priyawit Nikornpant Photographer Pichaya Choeychom, Apiwat Singharach Photo Contributor Steve Yarnold Interns Sureeporn Tridsadeerak, Jinjutha Ardharn, Sarah Rigby, Jinhutha Ardharn, Seerapan Jarudecharat, Peerattapong Somrang, Chonticha Kuntamoy, Sanhathai Sukayan, Pitsinee Khadsai

Company Contacts: Photographer for social events: knot@chiangmaicitylife.com Editorial Team: editor@chiangmaicitylife.com, aydan@chiangmaicitylife.com Sales: salesadmin@chiangmaicitylife.com, Administration: admin@chiangmaicitylife.com Citylife is published by Trisila Company Limited 5 Soi 3/2 Kaewnawarat Road, T.Wat Kate, A.Muang, Chiang Mai 50000 Thailand

60 Fax: 053 241 362 Tel: 053 241 360 6 Citylife October 2016 E-mail: info@chiangmaicitylife.com www.chiangmaicitylife.com

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w w w. c h i a n g m a i c i t y l i f e . c o m

I’m embarrassed to say that we are a kind of fly-by-the-seat-of-our-pants kind of magazine when it comes to content, rarely planning more than a month in advance. I would like to say that this is part of our strategy to provide you with only the most up to date and topical of contents, but that would be nonsense. So it came as a surprise to me today as I sit and write this editorial hours before deadline (as usual) that I’ve just noticed that our three main feature articles this month are all about various branches of the government, a topic we have been trying to avoid for months since the era of government criticism has become, well, risky business. Sitting here a month or so ago grumbling about the lack of freedom of press and pointing fingers of blame where we felt it was due, our 15 year old intern piped up that her father was a colonel in the army and that he spent his life helping people. Feeling slightly ashamed of our rather indelicate editorial chatter we learned that he led a rural development unit and decided to find out more. Aydan Stuart spent a day with him in his mountain headquarters and you can read all about the very progressive and hardworking unit which quietly toils away helping to build roads, schools, dams, hospitals and generally aiding those most in need. It was most enlightening and frankly very heartening to see another side of the army, far from the madding politics. At the same time we had been receiving emails, phone calls — in fact we even had two

irate gentlemen walk into our office demanding action — about the persistent problems at Chiang Mai Immigration. Unlike the average Thai person, who have no knowledge of the workings of, nor problems within, the Immigration Department — why should they? — I employ foreign workers and also have many foreign friends. I know of the frustrations encountered by so many foreigners living here and while I empathise and often share their frustrations, I’m also very aware that this is a delicate issue to tackle, requiring some degree of sensitivity (that pesky risky business again). The Immigration Department, part of the Royal Thai Police, have rules and regulations by which they must abide, many of which are not only out of touch with the modern world but with the more progressive policies of our government. I have attempted this month to air some of your grievances and point out avenues of improvement within the system, and sat down to a very friendly, open and dare I say hopeful, interview with the head of the 5th region Immigration Division, however, there are no quick solutions as most of the personnel and financial limitations of the Chiang Mai office, as well as the archaic policies, are dictated from Bangkok. Following our admittedly weak tackling of that intractable problem, I headed to another department for an interview. My old school, Regina Coeli, had told me of an alumna who was leading the Northern Food Valley project and suggested I interviewed her. Ambivalent about the subject (but decades after graduation still in awe of the nuns), I soon found myself

scribbling into my notebook with mounting excitement as she laid out the workings of one of the most exciting government initiatives I have encountered in some time. With the aim to promote Thai agro-food products to the world, Northern Food Valley has become an incubator of innovation; a fast working, effective, cross-sector government funded organisation which is leap-frogging bureaucracy hurdles and bearing rapid and tangible results. Khao soy ice cream anyone? It has been fascinating comparing these three government branches. To me they represent Thailand in a coconut shell. One foot rearing to race towards the future and one being dragged behind. We live in frustrating and exciting times. Citylife this month: Our recent intern Edie Wilson, a Fulbright Scholar who worked with us over the summer, returned to her teaching job in Si Satchanalai and writes what reads almost like a love letter to this small, and generally ignored historic town. Aydan takes a day off work to splash and frolic at the Grand Canyon’s new Water Park, which will likely solicit some heated emails next month and our cheeky columnist Tom Clegg spends a day at the races the only place in town where you can legally gamble.

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LOCAL

Kao soy ice cream

Pranom Chesubumroong

Local Bites Excite Global Palates: Northern Food Valley's push to promote Lanna food innovation By Pim Kemasingki

Along with times, thinking is changing. For a country long entrenched in traditions and norms, for decades bogged down by the quagmire of bureaucracy and the slow stubborn wheels of officialdom, there have, of late, been some forward thinking initiatives which should not be just studied and emulated, but extolled for their successes. Culinary Diplomacy You may recall that ex-Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, the advocate of all things hub, had declared Thailand to be the Kitchen of the World, a lofty ambition, which is surprisingly bearing some rather juicy fruits through the efforts and energy of Pranorm Chernbumroong, Director of Northern Thailand Food Valley Command Centre. The Thai Global Programme launched the Kitchen of the World in 2002 with the intention of promoting Thai cuisine as well as increasing the number of Thai restaurants worldwide. According to the government, the number of Thai restaurants around the world increased

from 5,500 in 2002 to more than 10,000 by 2013. Another aim of this programme was to dramatically increase Thai food industry exports which accounts for around 7.5% of exports, the total of which contributes to 65% of the GDP. Bountiful Valley This is where Northern Food Valley (NFV) has come in. A decade after the advent of the Thai Kitchen policy, the Thailand Food Valley project was launched through the joint initiatives of the Ministries of Industry, Science and Technology, and Agriculture and Cooperatives. Out of four pilot projects in various regions of the country, the Northern Food Valley, founded in 2013, is the only one not only still in existence, but thriving. An independent organisation, but funded by the government, NFV was inspired by the Food Valley Netherlands to assist food industry businesses in developing food processing technologies and creating added value for agro-food products by acting as a facilitator between government, the private sector and research institutes as well as fostering links between the food industry, technology and innovation.

“To get a downstream farmer in a village in Chiang Rai to market a product to Europe is almost impossible,” Pranorm told Citylife from her office at the Northern Industries Promotion Centre. “But with the Northern Food Valley, this dream has already been realised by dozens of small and medium business owners.” “I look for ideas, for innovation,” said Pranorm. “If you have a business, however small, and you come up with a great idea, I can help you turn it into a reality, something that most business owners would struggle to find channels or funding for.” “We receive applicants, we screen them then invite a committee of about ten researchers, scientists, industry experts and government representatives, and we interview them about their ideas and their expectations. Next we sit them down with scientists in various fields and they discuss turning their ideas into products, we then look into costing and that is when the government steps in. We don’t touch any of the 25 million baht received so far from the government, money goes directly to service providers.

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LOCAL We use research facilities and food scientists at local universities to conduct research and development and it can take anywhere from months to years. We then hire designers to create packaging and assist them in gaining certifications, whether it is organic, halal or other food safety regulations required by target markets. Once done, we do business matching, sometimes taking them to meet businesses in other countries, others matching them with buyers within Thailand.” A tentative goal of a 10% annual growth in exports was set by the Ministry of Industries at the inception of the project, and according to Pranorm, NFV’s annual growth is now at around 9%, a number she expects to increase in the coming years.

month to Japan. My business has grown by 20% since NFV stepped in. I’m now trying to come up with new ideas!”

excited about this opportunity and am going to be applying to be a recipient of their next batch of funding.”

Pranorm, a career bureaucrat who worked in the Industries Promotion Centre for over three decades, says that this is not only a highly rewarding job, but something she is really enjoying. “I am from Chiang Mai and graduated with a master’s degree from Chiang Mai University. I was posted in Pitsanulok before my retirement so when they asked me to head this office I was a little reluctant. But I can’t be happier with my job. I get to meet some really amazing people who have exciting ideas and I get to help them, what more can I ask for? I am always on the lookout for new products to develop.”

One of the Northern Food Valley’s greatest success stories is when a young single mother learned that banana blossoms had long been a traditional plant in helping to stimulate breast milk, according to Lanna lore. Interested in giving her child the best care possible, she began to look into how she could share this cheap and ubiquitous plant with other mothers in areas with no access to the blossom. “This took a good three to four years of research,” said Pranorm. “We found extracting and organic experts and finally we had a product, a package and we helped her to enter various markets. Today she exports and sells around one mil-

Chayanon Chumsawat, a 23 year old recent graduate from a musical school is the biggest fan of his mother’s Lanna home cooked dishes. One of his favourites is an ancient but little known rice dish topped with marinated slices of liver, sticky pork, intestines and pork neck. Over the past few months he has taken this dish to various fairs around the city. Now packaged trendily and with a catchy logo, ‘Chum Lanna Curry’, they have been selling like hotcakes. Early in September he set up a stall on the way up Doi Suthep during the annual walk up the mountain, intending to feed hungry and tired freshies.

lion baht’s worth of her Banana blossom bilk, Plee Acme Drink, per month, and business is growing.”

Bursting Meatballs & Curried Ice Creams “I’ve had a small meatball factory here in Chiang Mai for ten years,” Tosspol Bhatiyasevi, owner of Tha Pae Meatballs told Citylife. “We had always made and sold them to fresh markets. I had always wanted to expand my business, but didn’t know how to make my meatballs last longer. I heard about Northern Food Valley and decided that I needed a good idea to pitch them. Sometimes looking at people eating meatballs on a stick, sauce dripping all over their hands, I thought it would be good to find a way to make it easier to eat. So I thought about putting the sauce inside the meatball instead.” Tosspol was immediately accepted by NFV and was soon working closely with researchers at Chiang Mai and Mae Jo Universities. “I wanted the sauce to retain its flavour, but it must not seep through the meatballs, so we now use sodium alginate to coat the sauce within the meatball. Then we thickened the meatball itself a little to hold it all in.” A natural product often used in modernist cuisine, sodium alginate combined with calcium salts produces spheres with liquid inside that bursts in the mouth. “I invested around 50,000 baht in this research but the government funded the rest, a total of around 400,000 baht I think, which included R and D, gaining all the correct certifications as well as package design. NFV invited me to showcase my products at a number of important fairs and I made numerous contacts, we now sell in all Rimping and Tops Supermarkets and as of next year we will be exporting 1,000 packs a

“A van stopped by my stall and some people got out,” he said. “One lady seemed very interested in what I was doing. The next thing I know she said that she was the Director of the Northern Food Valley and invited me to a seminar on processing food. Now I’m beginning to think that I can turn my mum’s many Lanna curries into something I can export. I am very

“Mountain Plus, a company in Chiang Rai does organic bake-dried pineapples,” Pranorm continued. “It was OK for export, because foreigners understand that organic produce can’t look as colourful and fresh as those using chemical preservatives, but the Thai market wanted bright yellow pineapples. We asked Chiang Mai University’s Food Innovation and Packaging Centre (FIN) to help us resolve this issue. We now have fully organic bake-dried pineapples which are pretty and yellow. Another example is that we have many lamyai farmers. The Chinese market likes sun-dried lamyai, but to enter the Singaporean or Malaysian markets, we sent some marketeers there to do research and found out that they don’t want simple sun-dried fruits, they wanted more sophisticated products. So now we are helping to develop lamyai teas, lamyai coffees, lamyai

Durian icecream mix

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LOCAL

Now I’m beginning to think that I can turn my mum’s many Lanna curries into something I can export Plee Preme Banana Blossom creams, even an alcoholic beverage for colder climates called Lamyai Heat, sold in shot jars.” Another recent success story is that of a company selling honey. Wanting to differentiate themselves from the competition, they infused lemon flavour into the honey so that instead of having to purchase both honey and lemon, consumers simply pour hot water to this mix for an instant alcohol-free hot toddy. Spotting Innovation The Northern Food Valley also organises numerous seminars and workshops, with over 300 participants having attended over the years, many of whom have gone on to become recipients of their funding and support. They organise trips to meet buyers abroad, which businesses must pay for themselves if they can, but can also ask for subsidies if they are small or startups. For all its support, there are no strings attached; the government does not require any monetary compensation nor shares in future profits. “My aim is also to help reduce inequality,” Pranorm explained. “Yes, we help big businesses, but I make sure that we always help the smaller ones too. Sometimes if we help a big company we will insist that they in turn take on and help mentor or support smaller ones in their sector. I want us to help the entire body of water, from downstream producers to upstream success stories. I only have two staff and a part time worker, so it is all very challenging, but I think that we are really gaining momentum and I hope that we can expand and achieve much more in the future.” When asked what exciting innovations she has recently discovered, she said, “Khao soy ice cream. Yes, I know, it sounds awful, but trust me, you have to try it; it’s delicious.”

Citylife called D Cup, the producers of what surely must be the world’s first khao soy ice cream, and the next day they came to our office and offered our staff free cups. “There are three of us, two of us are computer engineers and one studied home and communities,” said Netnapa Kuntaudomm one of the owners. “We started selling ice cream part time, and went to various fairs and festivals. In November last year we joined the Northern Food Valley Fair and by March we had a shop in front of Chiang Mai University and Maya Lifestyle Shopping Centre had invited us to open another shop, it all took off so fast! We have all just recently quit our jobs and are now being exhibited in shows all over the country; the Thailand Industries 4.0, the Thailand Startup, SCB Expo, Thailand Innovation, and many more. We haven’t even had time to register our company yet! But we are doing that now, and once we are legal, we will apply for support from the Northern Food Valley to develop our ice creams to expand our markets.” D Cup sells over 3530 flavours of ice cream, with all ingredients personally sourced by its three shareholders to guarantee only the best quality. Their ice creams include wasabi, beer, spy wine, red bull, marshmallow and other intriguing flavours. Their most exciting ice cream to date is the khao soy ice cream, which they hope to be able to export one day. The flavour is sweet with hints of local spices and cinnamon. The iconic crunchy egg noodles have been baked with cheese flavours to turn the savoury aspect of the dish into a dessert and the chicken drumsticks are even recreated with flavoured baked flour. A sprig of coriander garnish completes the look.

Rice berry crisps

Sticky rice crisps in Lanna Lartern Packaging

“I think that they will do very well with us,” said Pranorm excitedly. Pranorm encourages any agro-food business with an innovative idea to contact her, adding that year on year she is finding more excellent products which she believes will not only succeed in the global markets, but help realise the Kitchen of the World policy, considered by many to be the world’s first government sponsored gastrodiplomatic initiative, after all the way to win hearts is supposed to be through the stomach.

New spread for toasts

www.northernfoodvalley.com

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Citylife SOCIETY

Guardians of our Gates Text by Pim Kemasingki and Illustrated by Yutthaphong Kaewsuk

Over the past few months Citylife has received numerous emails, and even had personal visits, from expatriates who have expressed frustrations over the ongoing problems at Chiang Mai Immigration Office. Online forums and social media groups have been overflowing with criticism of the department, which so many rely on. We have heard of long queues, all-night vigils, allegations of corruption, overworked staff and a mounting number of people given wrong (or not being given) information, causing them to go to great expense to pay overstay fines or having to leave the country to redo their visas, and these are just some of the more frequent gripes. In early September, in order to hear more on this matter from our readers, we conducted an online survey, asking our readers to give us a few insights as to their experiences at immigration, and to also suggest improvements to the services. Nearly 300 respondents offered up alarming, heartbreaking and outrageous anecdotes of their own experiences, as well as some more understanding and helpful suggestions which we will forward to immigration in hopes they will be of help to the beleaguered department. For the past year, Citylife has been requesting an interview with Chiang Mai Immigration, but have yet to receive a response. This may be due in part to a 2013 interview we conducted with Police Colonel Prachak Awaiyawanont, the then-newly appointed chief of the Chiang

Mai Immigration. Unfortunately, following his extremely candid interview [Immigration Frustrations, ChiangMaiCitylife.com] during which he told us that he was greatly understaffed, that budget from the Treasury Department wasn’t forthcoming for new facilities, the fact that only 20% of the annual 100 million baht collected in fines and fees was sent back to Chiang Mai, and his suggestion that we all write to complain to the Prime Ministers’ office, he was quickly removed from office and I am sorry to say I don’t know what has happened to him. Before he left, he called me in for a ceremonial knucklerapping, photographed by his staff, to be sent to Bangkok to imply that I had misquoted him. I hadn’t. He did say before the interview that he was soon to retire and that was why he was willing to be so forthcoming. For months, we have been umming and aahing about writing this story, afraid to get not just ourselves, but anyone we talked to, into trouble. Our office has been visited by immigration staff over the years, often intimidating, and on occasion, asking for bribes. A few months ago, during a conversation with a well-placed source in the Chiang Mai Consular Corps, we were pleased to hear that the corps, comprised of consuls and honorary consuls from 19 countries, had placed immigration reform as one of their priority issues, having met with members of the immigration department, the governor as well as their own ambassadors to discuss this issue.

“At times the response is enthusiastic,” said our source in the consular corps. “We come out of meetings feeling really good, accomplished. But then nothing happens. We have been invited by the [immigration] department to form an advisory group, but they keep pulling the carpet from under our feet.” So it was with great excitement that our longshot request to interview the head of Region 5 (northern Thailand) immigration, which oversees Chiang Mai Immigration, was granted.

From the Top Armed with questions from our readers, we went to the new office along the canal road and met Commander Pol. Maj. Gen. Bundit Tungasreni, who disarmingly announced at the beginning of our conversation that he wasn’t privy to the day to day runnings of Chiang Mai Immigration, as his office was an overseer of all things immigration in the north, including all border crossings. His major focus, he explained was on national security, not on visa service. As we were about to layout the grievances submitted by our readers, he cut us short, “I know. It is personnel. I have heard so many complaints recently and realise that that is our biggest shortage right now, leading to so many other problems. Let me explain.” “Times have changed,” he continued. “Before we used to only look after borders and major ports. Now there are foreigners all over Thailand and this year has been a big year of change

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Citylife in our department. We are in the process of branching our offices out to nearly all provinces in the country. In the north alone, 16 provinces out of 17 will soon have their own immigration offices, with Phrae being the only province we won’t open in. For instance, Pitsanulok has many Filipino teachers, I bet you didn’t know that. So we have to open an office to support and serve them. We really are trying to look into the future and support trends, anticipating potential needs. Soon expats and tourists throughout the north will no longer have to come to Chiang Mai for their visa requirements, this will greatly lessen the burden for Chiang Mai. The problem is that we are in the process of change, and that is causing many problems.” The Chiang Mai Immigration Office, over crowded with ever-increasing numbers of not just expatriates and tourists, but labourers from Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, rather progressively made a deal with Promenada Shopping Mall in 2015, moving some services, such as retirement, medical and tourist visas as well as 90 day reporting to the mall. Over the ensuing months, more services were moved to the mall including business and volunteer visas, reentry permits and general admin. Initial reports were positive, with people reporting of easy parking, mall entertainment during long waits and efficient service. Over the past four to five months however, things have become dire. “I’m 70 years old, been here most of my life,” wrote one resident of his recent experience. “I have a wife, children and grandchildren and I used to own a company which employed dozens of Thais. Last week I woke up at 3am to start queuing at Promenada at 4am. There were no toilets, it was dark and extremely uncomfortable. I didn’t receive my visa until 3pm that afternoon. Dealing with immigration is the worst part of my life in Thailand, which I love.” “It is a humanitarian crisis,” agreed our source in the consular corps. “Chiang Mai is very much a retirement capital and a large number of people suffering are the elderly and handicapped. Thais no longer have to queue for government services; look at drivers’ licenses, ID cards, passports, no one queues for more than half an hour. It makes one wonder why they can’t have the same efficiency for foreigners.” “With so many new offices opening up in the north over the past and coming few months,” explained Pol. Maj. Gen. Bundit when we posed this question to him, “experienced personnel had to be drawn from ports such as Chiang Mai and Suvarnabhumi to set them up. This has led to a drastic shortage of staff here in Chiang Mai. I have heard that it was becoming a serious issue and I promise you that we are taking action. I am not in charge of Chiang Mai Immigration, but what I can do is immediately recall personnel from other provinces to help with any shortages. There are 600 staff in the north and I will do it right now after we finish talking,” he promised. “I also just singed a special fast track service for people over 60 years old, the disabled and pregnant women. This will be in effect immediately,” he added. “The national policy for immigration now is ‘keep the good guys in and the bad guys out’,” he explained further. “Because of recent terrorism and pressure from the international community, as well as from our own government, to track terrorists who come through our country, or use us as a base, many of our officers are terrified of being blamed if anything

goes wrong. This may explain why they are being extra diligent in their application of the rules, which can often lead to the impression that they are being unhelpful. Instead of solving problems, they are instead busy covering all bases so that they do not get into trouble.” “While our mission is to serve, it is also to protect. Think of Thailand like a party. We need to screen people who come into our party as we don’t want unwelcomed guests who could mess up our party. If our guests are good, then we all enjoy ourselves, but if they take advantage then they can ruin the party for everyone.” Late last year Chief of Chiang Mai Immigration Police Colonel Rutjapong Saravanangkool set up three committees to solve ongoing problems. The first was the consular corps advisory committee, working under their respective embassies, who were set up to advise the department on how to improve efficiency. An executive committee comprising top immigration officials was also set up as well as a working committee to find solutions to the online appointment system. This last technology working committee was led by Chiang Mai University’s College of Arts, Media and Technology with input by private sector software companies. By early this year they had built an online appointments system which was tested and green lighted for use, to be given for free to Chiang Mai Immigration. “As with our own committee,” said our consular corps source, “at the last minute everything stopped, the plug was pulled. We kept getting hurdles thrown at us. Nothing has been done since.”

Corrosive Corruption Apart from internal problems, there has been much rumbling, especially online, about corruption. An interesting result of Citylife’s survey showed that 16% of respondents claim they had either paid, or been asked for bribes from immigration staff, a claim we at Citylife can corroborate and which Pol. Maj. Gen. Bundit admits to. “Of course our policy is to stamp out corruption,” he said. “But the truth is that it is harder said than done. We cannot control everyone, but I am hoping to bring in technology to stem this. If we use more technology in every day dealings, as well as put CCTVs in place, I expect the channels for corruption to reduce dramatically. Corruption is the rust that is eroding the foundation of our future development.” Another more ominous complaint is that of private businesses who appear to have the power to cut queues at immigration…for a price. Especially a company next door to Promenada’s immigration office, G4T. Citylife was unable

SOCIETY

Graffiti on wall reads 'immigration mafia active'

Waiting in line at 7am to ascertain the ownership of this company, though an unnamed source in immigration told us that they had a contract with Chiang Mai Immigration to assist in the documentation process of applying for a visa. When asked, Pol. Maj. Gen. Bundit said that he had just heard about them the previous week and had already put an investigation team on it. “Though to be honest, I am seriously considering outsourcing many of our services. If we had a budget, maybe we will do what many of the embassies are now doing, outsource the paperwork. But if we do this it will be structured, transparent and well thought out,” he insisted. “While the hassles at immigration has been great for business, I would rather lose money than have this problem persist,” said Christopher McAleer, manager of Chiang Mai Buddy, a one-stop visa service which puts a man in line and assists clients through documentation process so that, for a fee, their immigration experience is a breeze. “Ours is a legitimate professional service. More and more people are willing to pay to avoid the immigration experience.” Those who can’t afford such companies, however, cry foul. “How is it fair that I am forced to queue from 4am only to be denied service because some company cuts in with five visas to process and takes my spot?” asked a reader. Tensions have certainly run high.

The Big Picture While the general was adamant that he was going to attempt to solve these immediate problems, he also talked about the big picture. “We now have many retirees who live here on a small stipend, do not contribute to our economy and are often without medical insurance,” he said of the retired expats, whose numbers, he says is the highest amongst expatriates here in Chiang Mai. “It doesn’t mean that we don’t welcome retirees, but we need to be judicious about who and how we accept them. Right now all they need is 800,000 baht in the bank

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and they can retire. I think that we need to follow models such as Malaysia whereby retirees have to have mandatory medical insurance in order to retire as well as a financial means of returning home should there be an emergency. I think that that is fair enough, so that they do not cause an economic burden to our country.” Our source in the consular corps agrees. “The number of retirees this year has increased by 25%, higher than the annual increase of around 20%. If they want to change the laws then I think there is some validity to that, but for those already here, why not treat them better?” “The current situation at immigration is not helping to meet policy goals,” said Martin Venzky-Stalling, of Chiang Mai Creative City. “The development goals of Chiang Mai has been articulated by the government. Creative economy, smart city, and a digital economy are all the stated futures for Chiang Mai. The government is now promoting MICE tourism and desires to see more international festivals. All these things require expertise on the ground, often by non-Thais. There is also a strengthening trend of investment by digital nomads. No one sits in Hamburg and thinks, ‘I would really like to invest in Chiang Mai!’ But many digital nomads are coming here and seeing Chiang Mai as a good place to set up business and invest. We need to integrate these people and offer them clear-cut avenues to do business here.” When asked about digital nomads, Pol. Maj. Gen. Bundit looked surprised. Quickly scribbling down the words digital nomad, “I didn’t know about this,” he said. “They sound like an attractive group, I need to find out more about them. But then there is the issue of taxation. We can’t tax people who are not legitimately running a business. This is an issue for the national level. We are here to enforce the law, and if the law doesn’t allow these groups of people to work, there is nothing to be done about it on our part.”

“It is a fine balance between pleasing our foreign customers and enforcing the rule of law,” he sighed.

Fingers Crossed Readers may be frustrated at the lack of facts in this article and that is because Pol. Maj. Gen. Bundit is not involved in the minutiae of the Chiang Mai Immigration and we were unable to gain a meeting with Police Colonel Rutjapong Saravanangkool, the man in charge of both

It is a fine balance between pleasing our foreign customers and enforcing the rule of law the Promenada and aiport offices. However, looking at the bigger picture, there is hope for improvement. “Just two weeks ago, we received the budget to build a new immigration building at the airport location,” beamed the major general. “It will take just over a year to build and once completed we will move out of Promenada and become a one stop efficient service. Unfortunately parking will continue to be a concern, but at least we will have a building large enough to house everything.” It is not all doom and gloom at immigration, with most of our surveyed respondents insisting that the staff they deal with on a daily basis are

helpful and polite, but clearly overwhelmed by the broken system. “This leads to the impression that foreigners are not welcomed in this country,” said one respondent. “Might there be a way for retirees who are financially stable to be treated with more respect and efficiency?” asked another. “Feeling unwanted is awful, feeling helpless is even worse,” bemoaned yet another. “I see how overworked they all are, I really feel for them, I wish their big bosses would spend a day there and see for themselves what a burden they are putting on their subordinates and the rest of us,” suggested a long term resident. Pol. Maj. Gen. Bundit promises that all provincial offices will be open in the next few months, saying that this will offer immediate relief to the problems of shortage of personnel. As to questions from readers regarding policy and law, this is not a regional issue, but one of national policy, which must be taken up with policy makers in Bangkok. As we go to press, Citylife’s source in the consular corps told us to ask our readers to be patient; that change is coming. Our talk with Pol. Maj. Gen. Bundit held promise, and we will keep our fingers crossed that mounting pressure will lead to reform and efficiency so that so many of you who have chosen to make Chiang Mai home not only feel welcomed by the guardians of our nation’s gates, but no longer have to undergo the regular frustrations of dealing with a department which appears to be struggling to do its job. The time is now for the Chiang Mai Immigration to listen to the cacophony of noise, not just complaints from the people they are there to serve, but to the government whose policies they have yet to align themselves with and to the taxpayers of Thailand who welcome, and benefit from, the globalisation which will only increase the number of people choosing to make Thailand their new home. The immigration department stands at a crossroads. Will they be the department of obstruction or the department of heroes at the gates of the Land of Smiles?

Survey Results

Asked to or offered to pay a bribe to help with the visa process. 84% - No 16% - Yes

Length of time spent at Immigration during one day (excluding 90 day check-ins).

Type of visa

36% - 6-10 hours 20% - More than 10 hours 20% - 3-5 hours 15% - 1-2 hours

43% - Retirement Visa 15% - Marriage Visa 13% - Non-Immigrant B Visa (Busineess) 12% - Non-Immigrant O Visa (Volunteer/other) 6% - Non-Immigrant ED Visa (Education) 6% - Toruist Visa

9% - less than 1 hour

5% - Other

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Citylife Citylife FREE TRAVEL TIME

Grand Canyon Water Park

by Aydan Stuart

The Chiang Mai Grand Canyon has for many years been a not-so-secret watering hole jealously guarded by many of us here in Chiang Mai. This dramatic looking man-made canyon was created when land was quarried to extend the Chiang Mai International Airport runway. Sheer cliffs of up to fifteen metres, off which truanting kids used to enjoy heady afternoons jumping into the azure deep waters which now filled the old quarry. As it became better known and more popular, accidents and deaths have led to frequent headlines, just in the past few years alone, there have been six reported deaths. So, Citylife was highly sceptical when invited by the new Grand Canyon Water Park to review its new facilities. By now, many of you will have likely heard of the flashy new Water Park, which opened to much fanfare in August. At this point we need to make it clear that the Water Park is in no way responsible for the recent death at the Grand Canyon, as it is set further down the road in its own area dotted with professionally trained lifeguards that hold awards from the Thai Life Saving Society — every square foot of water was covered. The cliff faces, popular with jumpers, and where most of the deaths and accidents have occurred, is in another zone managed by the local village chief. So, to be fair, we thought we would simply review the Water Park itself, not the entire — and contentious — canyon.

A mascot greeted us on arrival and as we wandered down the paved concrete entrance, we saw the backdrop of inflatable fun floating in the watery distance, beckoning. The path led towards the locker rooms where you can change into your swim stuff and exchange a ticket for a life vest — something that all visitors are required to wear regardless of swimming ability or masculine bravado (I did try my best). After suiting up, we headed for the café, the home base for visitors with the entrance to the water jutting from its balcony. The cliffs of the Grand Canyon merely serve as a backdrop to the bouncy and kaleidoscopic aqua fun, with all the entertainment being inflatable and manmade. The surface of the inflatables is wet, slippery, and unpredictable, but any fall would simply see you landing in the water just a foot away. Frankly, I was more in the water than on the inflatables, and with the sun heating up the plastic surface something rotten, a regular dive into the cooling waters was a welcome relief. With adventure rope swings, gaps to jump across, climbing walls to scale and podiums to jump from, the inflatables give you a place to get personal with the water without any fear of rocky cliff faces or hidden boulders below the surface. The highlight of the park is the huge semi inflatable cushion that, after a lot of effort climbing onto the thing without slipping off, is great for shooting your friend high in the air by jumping onto the other side. When it was my turn, I shot up like a rocket and ungracefully landed splat, belly first into the water.

It is hard work climbing the slippery inflatables, and combine that with hysterical giggling from the slap-stick shenanigans, I spent most of my time in the water. There is a kids’ zone with miniature water slides, balls, balloons, and water fountains which was also more fun — and certainly less exhausting — than the adults’ area, so we pretty much took over that when our energy depleted some. A 300 baht ticket lasts the full day (free for kids under 90cm), but it was just three hours before we were so exhausted that we just had to go home. Cheeks numb with laughing so hard, sore body parts from topflalopping over the slippery plastic, and still damp from not bothering to change our shorts, we headed home. So, for the time being at least, I would like to give a tentative nod towards the Grand Canyon Water Park and say that it’s not bad at all… in fact, it’s pretty damn fun, and I felt that the safety standards were rather good too. As we go to press the army has announced that the Grand Canyon part of the quarry will be closed permanently, so if you want to go and have some fun at the quarry, it looks like the Water Park is your only option now too. Open 10am – 7pm Facebook: Grand Canyon Water Park 063 6724007

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Citylife READER

This is an open forum for you to express your opinions. write to: editor@chiangmaicitylife.com Subject: Your Say. Letters can be on any topic but priority will be given to those under 200 words. Letters may be edited for clarity or conciseness.

Grand Canyon Gripes

Before you publish your articles you should check the veracity of your rap. Grand Canyon is not closed. I am sitting here with a cuppa j. Sloppy irresponsible journalism. Amazing Thailand. Ham [Ed. At the time of publishing that news (on our website), the army had gone in and closed it down. If it is still open, that’s a new news story – however we have just been informed that the army has now shut it down permanently. We reported on facts given by authorities and the owner of the property.] There is obviously no supervision in this water hole to prevent this from happening again. My advice would be to close it until they can guarantee their safety has improved to international standards. How many people have died in other water parks in Thailand, I would be confident to say none. This is a death pit and should be closed forever. Muddles Found the quarry years ago on a motorcycle ride with friends. Known only to locals and some students, it was a ‘cool find’ shared with friends by word of mouth and, sadly, an occasional drowning. I was sceptical when the construction of the now restaurant in the currently well developed ‘adult’ area began but must say it is now an excellent attraction, safe and well managed. The newer so-called ‘Water Park’ will completely change the whole area for the worse. It will become a place to exploit for profit with more people, more traffic, more parking, more accidents and a once great swimming hole will be no more. This is Thailand. Benji Cogswell

Saving Public Green

Your article about the empty land in Chan Klan District [August 2016: Breathing Space] was wonderful. Very often we see the little guy getting more/less crushed by ‘big government/business’ and it was inspiring to see such a diverse community come together for the greater good. I loved reading about the group's enthusiasm, involvement, and it makes me want to know more about what is going on in the city. Thank you so much for this piece, it was truly a breath of fresh air. Sarah

Bravo on winning the battle against the Treasury Department. Such a great success and an inspirational story. It is heartening to see media with such, well, heart. You guys can do so much and I am glad to see that you realise the weight of that responsibility and take it seriously. Much respect. Arthur Paige Now that the piece of land has been saved, what’s your next project Citylife? I see you have been on a few crusades of late…the sign campaign, the illuminating story about public transportation, your efforts over the decades to push for conversation over the annual pollution and the failed attempt at taming immigration. If I may, I would like to suggest revisiting the immigration issue. Just read ThaiVisa and you will see that this is a huge huge huge issue amongst foreigners right now. We are not happy. We are being treated like lepers. They talk about keeping the good guys in and the bad guys out. All I see is them pushing everyone out. Where is the service that Thailand is (rapidly losing its) famed for? What is being done to keep us good guys in? I am not going to sign my name here because frankly I am afraid some corrupt official is going to come and harm me. This isn’t a way to behave. Deeply unhappy in San Sai

From Russia with Love

What an extraordinary story about your visit to St. Vladimir Russian Orthodox Church!!!! [August 2016: St. Vladimir in the Heart of Lanna] I just can’t imagine why there would be a need for such a place in Chiang Mai? We don’t have Russians here, do we? And even if we do, are there are enough to flock to this church? I also can’t imagine Thais converting to such a strict religion. Blows my mind. I suppose I had better stop by to find out more about it. Atheist Don

Garden Festivities

I remember your first Garden Fair in, what was it, 2005? The one for the tsunami victims. And I’ve been coming to most of them ever since. It is one of the highlight events of the year and while I miss your old beautiful garden, I think that last year’s fair was the best yet. Very much look forward to this year and all the great entertainment (the bands were awesome) as well as the food! Keep it up and see you there. Pat McGill

Last Minute Mail

It has had no national coverage that I am aware of but we have a situation in Chiang Mai where expats wishing to extend their yearly retirement visa or attend to other immigration matters are forced, due to the offices stubborn determination not to employ more staff, to arrive at 4am and wait in line hoping to get a ticket to be seen that day. Chiang Mai has seen an unprecedented increase in expats, many of who are retirees, but only one officer is employed to process their applications. Its total joke and demeaning for elderly people especially to be put through this ordeal. Waiting in total darkness akin to a refugee camp and then if lucky enough be seen to spend the rest of the day awaiting approval. The alternative is to hire an Agent and spend a few thousand baht on top of the annual fee to fast track the process. Just so happens one has opened next door to the Immigration office, how convenient to cash in on peoples misery and frustration. What was a simple task to adhere to the countries requirements has now, and for some months, become a total nightmare and nobody in authority could care less. Anon

Pokemon Go Home!

This Pokemon thing is extraordinary. After reading your piece last month about the Pokemon hot spots in Chiang Mai, I was still surprised to see, as I was driving past the Three Kings Monument one evening, the space crawling with hand-held gripping teens and youths rushing around, I suppose, catching monsters. I still don’t understand it to be honest and your article didn’t quite explain the concept in full. But I suppose I am getting old. Most odd. Bart Simpleton ;-)

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Natural textiles for Eco lifestyle

Check our Opening house, activities & workshop schedules at www.studio-naenna.com

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Design Ideas Chaiyaporn â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Nuatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; Sodabunlu, 35 Photographer

a. CD Rasamee Isan Soul by Penguin Villa Fair Rasamee is my favourite singer; her music style is new, mesmerising and her songs are charming. Price: 300 baht b. Recycle Bag by Tua Pen Not Studio This bag is the first design of Tua Pen Not Studio. Price: 1,450 baht c. Cat painting at Penguin Villa Fair This painting was made by a close friend, and I am a cat lover. I just had to have it. Price: 15,000 baht

c d

d. Coffee Tree Cup by 3.2.6 Studio I love the name and I use this cup almost every day. Price: 750 baht e. I Was Born and Die in 90s by Rubber Killer Bag by Sonic Attack 2012, Bangkok Rubber Killer is a famous band from Chiang Mai. This bag was made especially for the Sonic Attack 2012 event as a souvenir. Price: 900 baht

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Citylife TRAVEL

Photo by Wikimedia Commons Author Naparat45109

A Slice of Si Satchanalai’s Paradise by Edie Wilson

Si Satchanalai is heart. It is the heart of Thailand on the map. The heart of food that feeds more than just a rumbling belly; it nourishes a hungry soul too. The heart created by generous people that truly envelope the sabai sabai lifestyle. Si Satchanalai is love and life twisted and bundled into one tight ball of yarn sitting smack dab in the middle of the country.

the airport. And the local zoo. Combined into one because the airport owner liked animals. Or perhaps the zoo owner liked planes. But I’ve been told it’s the former, and, either way, a combination zoo airport is unique enough that people will travel miles simply to spend an afternoon at the airport zoo combination without even having a booked flight.

I arrived in late October, fresh off a plane from the humid oppressiveness of Bangkok skyscrapers and taxi cab exhaust to the Sukhothai Airport, which is unlike any airport I’ve ever seen before. Airports are supposed to be ugly gray enclosures bordered by traffic jams of honking taxis, buses, rental cars and such. Airports are supposed to be stressful, chaotic, and unpleasant. The Sukhothai Airport isn’t how an airport should be. Planes land three times a day along the single stretch of runway. When I landed the first time, I was shocked to get off the plane, greeted by fresh air and a ride to an open-air shelter next to two massive giraffes.

My first drive from the airport to my new home, Hatsieo, Si Satchanalai, was overwhelmingly green. I’ve since decided that the roadsides around Si Satchanalai Province remind me of the Garden of Eden.

“What is this place?” I asked my friend. She was confused as me. This place was actually

In the twelve months I have been here, Thailand has become my own Eden. And it’s grown from unfamiliar exotic to familiar comfort. The sunsets that fall over far distant mountains illuminate the sky in swooping pinks, oranges, and purples creating a cool blanket for flat swathes of baby rice fields, have now become my own cool blanket of protection. The maze of roads behind the school used to lead me off on wild bike riding adventures among cornfields, past a random house that is labeled Montana, towards

the temple and the primary school, among the buffalo taking an afternoon bath in the mud hole, and through the endless rice fields. These landmarks now have become my guide home. And as I ride home, I am thankful for my bike because the best way to see Si Satchanalai is from the seat of a bicycle. Outside of town, are the parks. Si Satchanalai National Park and the two Si Satchanalai Historical Parks. One of which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The other is a collection of temples amidst trees and greenery. The UNESCO World Heritage Site is smaller and sits directly next to the Yom River. This small site is lovely to see in the early morning or late evening, when the sun hangs low in the sky. But the real beauty of the Eden is the park down the street. This park consists of a number of old temple ruins and pathways lined by shady trees — perfect to bike or stroll around on a quiet cloudy afternoon. There are signs written in Thai and English at each of the temples explaining Si Satchanalai’s history. Si Satchanalai was the city of residence for the

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Citylife TRAVEL prince during the Sukhothai era, in the 13th14th centuries, and served as the protectorate city to the north of the capital against Lanna invasion. After many years of successful rule, the kingdom of Sukhothai fell due to southern invasion. Sukhothai, including Si Satchanalai, was absorbed by Ayutthaya. Unlike the Sukhothai Historical Park, the Si Satchanalai Park is often empty, and it feels magical this way. When my sister came to the park we sped our twenty baht rental bikes from temple to temple. We rode to the top of the big hill and climbed up to the highest point possible, scratching our knees along the way. It was late December, so we could see through the barren tree branches. As we looked out toward the Yom River, it felt like we were on top of the world. A world where the present and the past clashed together, but somehow made room for one another. Anything seems possible standing in the pure beauty of this park. A challenging, scenic day hike winds through the forest and across some small streams to a secluded waterfall, and a shorter trek concludes at a swimming hole. Hiking, swimming, scenic views, what more could an outdoors connoisseur desire? While this piece of nature is perfection, it is virtually unvisited by the masses. Unlike treks in Chiang Mai, which, while lovely, often involve throwing elbows to establish dominance on the trail, the Si Satchanalai Park is often empty. Climbing through the forest, I feel like an epic explorer. Upon reaching the waterfall I feel a chilling peace. When you are done adventuring in the jungle, be ready to taste the food of Si Satchanalai. I could write a love letter to the delicious food. When I left town for two months on our summer vacation to move to Chiang Mai, I spent endless evenings telling my friends how I missed the food. “There’s Thai food here though,” they would say, confused. “You don’t understand! The food in Si Satchanalai is different. It’s amazing.” My mouth would water as I said this, but my appetite for the plate of rice laid before me in Chiang Mai would disappear. They say the Fulbright teacher always gains ten pounds in Si Satchanalai. There have been nine teachers. That’s ninety pounds, and I will attest for all of us that every ounce is worth it. The first weekend I moved here, my American friend came to visit from the neighbouring town and we walked across the street from the school to Baan Café. She ordered coffee.

I ordered green tea. And we met Bom. He’s a fearless soul, and he marched right over and started a conversation in English — his nonnative language. I was impressed with his gumption. We became fast friends and by Sunday we were in his car on the way to a “very good place for lunch.” The very good place for lunch turned out to be particularly far away and involved several confusing wrong turns. We started to worry we might never make it, but somehow we ended up at a restaurant eating traditional Sukhothai khao berb that can only be found authentically in this region. Spontaneity, friendship, and unexpected journeys like that have been how I’ve found most of the delicious food in Si Satchanalai. Fellow teachers introduced me to my favourite, Pasong Restaurant, and my favourite food, gaeng som. A bike ride along the river led me to my Sunday lunch spot. Convenience led me to 108, a restaurant with the talent to make a simple fried egg taste like a bite of heaven. The penang gai makes my tongue melt in satisfaction. A long bus wait caused me to walk across the street to Love Smootty and order the best fusion of western and Thai food — spaghetti tom yum — to grace my palate, along with

a yummy mango smoothie mixed with fresh chunks of mango. Festivals have become my time markers. I’ve almost come to expect them once a month. Everyone always speaks about Loy Krathong in Sukhothai’s Historical Park, which is positively magical. Light shows, massive krathongs, and fireworks that surrounding the park and making one’s heart beat a little louder. It is truly spectacular affair. Yet my favourite festival has been a local one held in December at the Si Satchanalai Historical Park with old time clothing, Thai music, and edible delicacies. The festival was slower paced, and felt homier. I went two nights of the weeklong event. The first night was with my roommate. We sat down to eat at her family’s food stand on a mat stretched out by the main path. Her mom offered me some straight whiskey in a cup, and before I really knew what I was doing, I was taking a gulp because she told me it was delicious. It wasn’t. Thankfully the regrettable taste was chased with sweet coconutty kanom. Si Satchanalai is truly unique in its multiple cultural influences woven together and unique access to the best of Thailand’s natural scene and interesting facets of Thai history.

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Citylife FREETIME

by Aydan Stuart

Reggae Rasmee

Reggae, Rasmee, Soul…What’s not to like about the new single released last month by the Srirajah Rockers? From humble beginnings in her hometown as a young girl to now appearing on almost every entertainment news channel and being booked up for months in advance by those craving her Isaan soul vibes, Rasmee has been taking Thailand’s alternative music scene by storm. So much so, she has had to send her regrets for being unable to join our Citylife Garden Fair this year… shame. Well, at least we caught her last year just before she took off! For those unsure of who the Srirajah Rockers are, just search their name in Google and open your eyes to the world of Thai reggae that sits on a plethora high above the sounds of the tourist anthem Doo, Doo, Doo, Doo Ter Tum. Their new single released before their upcoming album features Rasmee as the main vocalist, singing in her unique soulful countryside style in the single titled Don’t Cry. Waxing her lyrics across the melodic 2/4 beat of the reggae backing, she warbles her voice just like a Thai Isaan singer should, repeating the words “ya hai dae,” Isaan for don’t cry. Alternative, quality music is emerging in Thailand and, despite often being snatched up by the bigger corporations with attractive record deals and the likes, these artists on the whole are maintaining their unique styles in favour of becoming electronically whitewashed. What is even more apparent is the changing tastes of people in this area of the world, with the rebirth of mor lum, the boom of noncommercialised reggae and the huge fan base that 80s style bands such as Polycat are drawing — things have changed. Sure EDM, pop, rock and the usual radio edits are still very much at the forefront, but the interest is there, just take a look at all the hippie/rustic/vintage/alternative concerts and festivals popping up across the country despite the difficulties they bring with them when dealing with authorities. Chiang Mai is home to this scene, with the recent Jai Thep festival featuring very British style festivities, the recent reqqae party in Mae Rim (featuring Rasmee and Srirajah Rockers) and a range of other rustic style events and parties cropping up across the province later this year, it is no surprise that the cooler weather, slow life attitude and small communities of the north are where these alternatives wish to be, because who would want to be swallowed up and be left unheard in the dense belly of Bangkok?

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Check out the new single by searching Srirajah Rockers feat. Rasmee [Don’t Cry] on YouTube.

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Citylife READER

The Adventures of Tom

A Day at the Races The gee-gees, the Sport of Kings or simply the races; there is no better way to waste a lazy Saturday afternoon in Chiang Mai than to pack a picnic, gather up some chums and head down to the Nong Hor Racing Track to bet your shirt on a filly named Potato. The fabulous thing about the gee-gees for me is that, unlike say cricket or quidditch, there are relatively few rules one needs to be aware of to enjoy this noble sport. A bunch of nags gather at a starting line and, after the firing of the starter’s pistol, are cajoled around a welldefined track by little people in colourful shirts brandishing whips. The first horse to cross the line wins. Arrival at Nong Hor requires the visitor to hand over 30 baht to get into the car park. I know what you are thinking — 30 baht to park a motorbike! That’s six times as expensive as parking a bike at Kad Suan Kaew Shopping Mall. Well, worry not, that 30 baht is the price of entry too. Try getting an Access All Areas ticket to any other racecourse on the planet for that. Come to think of it one would find it difficult to get Access All Areas to a public toilet in most countries for that. Chiang Mai horse racing is less Royal Ascot more east London dog track. No elegant bonnets or spiffy trousers here. This is a place where real men in jeans and t-shirts go to hang out with other real men in jeans and t-shirts, swap tips, discuss form and gamble. Yes gamble. Again, I know exactly what you are thinking — gambling is strictly a no no in the Land of Smiles. That’s generally true, but the military run horse-racing is exempt, for reasons I’m pretty sure you can work out for yourselves. As is the government regulated lottery. Oh, and perhaps the string of regional casinos touted to spring up across the country in the near future by them what knows best. But, I digress. Horse racing

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without the thrill of a flutter would be a little like travelling all the way to the seaside and not dipping ones toes in the water. Like going to a theme park and not having at least one go on the rollercoaster. Not that I’m advocating gambling, but a 20 baht wager on an imaginatively nag named Banana or James Bond adds an extra element to a day at the track. Even the complete novice immediately becomes something of an instant expert with a compulsion to start talking nonsense about whether the track is hard, good to firm or a bit sloppy and use the terms Yearling, Filly, Stallion and Gelding as if they actually have a clue what you are talking about. Having placed a bet, gamblers also somehow earn the right to look at other people’s betting slips, suck air through their teeth and suggest that a place-bet would have been the sensible option rather than backing Mr Chuckles to win. This is all done whilst showing the other gambler how clever they have been by investing in an accumulator bet (combining several selections into a single wager), that, when it comes off, will finally allow them to buy that little vineyard in the Loire. Don’t get me wrong, the sight and sound of a dozen horses thundering past the stands is tremendous in itself, it’s just that the added frisson of being able to collect enough money after the race to buy an ice cream is a delicious prospect, and also causes one to understand why playing the ponies is up there with internet pornography and The Great British Bake Off on the list of potentially unhealthy fascinations. For first-time visitors to the racing in Chiang Mai everything is well laid out. Nong Hor is a 15-minute drive north of the old city on the way to Mai Rim (just past the signs for the Tribal Museum). Racing takes place each Saturday between 12.30 pm and 5.30 pm. There are between eight and 10 events at each meet with enough time between the races to study the form, grab a bite to eat and have a

by Tom Clegg

natter with fellow aficionados. Visitors pass the paddocks, where the horses and riders show themselves off before the races, on the way in, and the stands are capacious enough to hold several hundred spectators, with more than enough room for a good-sized picnic. And don’t worry if you forgot the hamper, as with every well-established public venue in Thailand there are plenty of food and drink stalls in the cavernous hall immediately behind the stands. To the rear of the hall are the all-important betting counters. Having a first time flutter can be intimidating as nobody wants to look like they have no idea what they are doing in front of an eager crowd of seasoned gamblers. Worry not — as is the case around the globe the cashiers at any gambling venue are well versed in making you feel right at home handing over your hard earned cash. Simply pick a race, as well as a horse running in that race, and ask the lovely lady behind the betting counter to take your money in exchange for a printed betting slip. Bets are usually for the horse to win (come first) or to place (come first, second or third). But, as I have already said, nearly everyone becomes an instant expert almost immediately after receiving their first betting slip. There are racing lists available at the course — although these are only printed in Thai, or you can peruse the starter’s names from the comfort of the internet by clicking on the link below. Now, there have been suggestions that the races may be rigged, but have no truck with such cynicism. Who ever heard of a horse race being contrived? Rigging a race would require the participation of riders, owners and the powers that be, and that just smacks of nonsense — even if various international studies suggest the contrary. I also abhor the rumours that buying a couple of beers for the right race official can lead to a dead cert tip on the winner. I visited the paddock and saw these resplendent beasts up close (the horses, not the officials). They are far too noble and proud to ever consider throwing a race. Although I have suggested that a Saturday afternoon speculating on these fine looking ungulates is geared towards hard working gentlemen seeking some respite from the drudgery of whatever it is hard working gentlemen get up to during the week, Nong Hor is a fabulous place for all the family. There is cheap food and drink galore, a shop in which to buy the colours of your favourite jockey, toilets and plenty of space in front of the stands for the kids to muck about. And who of us doesn’t enjoy settling back with a bottle of a popular beer brand to contemplate a group of surprisingly voluptuous dancing-girls bob up and down while having twenty-baht notes popped into their cleavages between races? Yes indeed, an afternoon at the Chiang Mai races has something for everyone. For more details: www.chiangmai-horseracing.com

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LOCAL

What Has the Army Ever Done For Us? Read On… By Aydan Stuart

To paraphrase Monty Python’s question of the Romans, ‘What has the army ever done for us?’ With 20 coups under their belts since the start of constitutional monarchy in 1932, endless meddling in politics, massive (and controversial) spending on military equipment and regular posturing over border issues, we often forget that the Royal Thai Army does in fact do a lot of work, especially in times of disaster and for those most in need for rural areas. We were soberly reminded of this fact when sitting in our office one day, grumbling about the lack of freedom of speech under the current government, when our 15 year old intern quietly spoke up, “My dad is in the army, and he does a lot of good.” Rather embarrassed, we apologised for our insensitivity and soon learned that her father is Special Colonel Apirash Ramanat, Head of the Mobile Development Unit 32. Intrigued, we asked for a meeting and met up for an evening drink one day, learning that he heads a massive development unit whose prolific work we had to see for ourselves. So, one day in late September I joined Col. Apirash at his headquarters in Chiang Dao to learn more about non-political aspects of the men in green. Boys in Blue On arrival at a remote outpost in Chiang Dao, I was confused to be greeted by men clad not

in green, but blue. The North’s blue army, was founded in 1973 during the national campaign to eradicate communism through the hearts and minds of potentially sympathetic and often neglected people of the northern mountains. Today’s objectives is to bring communities together, giving access to otherwise isolated villages and offer education to people whose access to knowledge and technology are limited. The Armed Forces Development Unit based in Bangkok has, since 1973, been working without guns and without camouflage. “Our weapon is a tractor; you’ll see no rifles here,” said Col. Apirash as we walked around his post. “Our unit covers three provinces in the north of Thailand; Chiang Mai, Lamphun and Lampang.” The reason the unit broke from traditional colours of green drab and camouflage was to separate themselves from what many at the time saw as an oppressive, anti-communist army. “At that time, there was a war going on between the state and the communists in the hills,” said Col. Apirash as he briefly explained the history of his unit. “We needed a peaceful way into the north, into the hills, to draw our community together as one country and to bring peace to the then unstable nation.” Suited up in uniforms that look similar to those of technical college students, they aimed to portray a unit of friendly, handyman-like officials, willing to roll up their sleeves and help out.

Special Colonel Apirash Ramanat “Our unit is one of the best in Thailand,” boasted Col. Apirash, who has led the development of several projects unique to Unit 32. Their overarching objectives focus on road building, agricultural education and development, water access and storage, community development, health care, education, public relations, and social welfare or ‘others’ which is basically responding to the needs of those he serves. Road to Success “This year we will have successfully completed all of our projects in the five border districts,” said Col. Apirash as he went on to say that

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those villages on Thailand’s border need the most support, supervision and defence. “Now pretty much every village in Chiang Dao, Fang, Mae Ai, Wieng Haeng and Chai Prakan is accessible by roads that we have built, and no village is without water.” For Unit 32, road building is a big deal. Unlike other regions in Thailand, the north is full of isolated villages, sometimes without access by even a simple dirt track. Each year Unit 32 ensures that they build at least two or three concrete roads, and dozens of new dirt tracks, often winding through very rough mountain terrain. Road access is crucial to development as it offers access to markets, jobs, education, health and other necessities and opportunities. This year, in celebration of HM the King’s 89th birthday, the Armed Forces Development Unit decided to build nine additional roads and nine schools in nine remote areas in His honour. Unit 32 was tasked with building two roads out of the nine, a fact that seemed to please Col. Apriash terribly. “One of these roads leads to a famous forest temple in Chiang Dao, and because it was so important, I decided to pave it all the way from the temple car park to the nearest concrete road.” Unit 32 also provides water tanks, towers and pipelines to remote villages, and, upon request by village headmen, can refill the towers as and when needed — which becomes a daily routine during the drought season. “We even set up mini water treatment facilities so those in remote areas have access to clean drinking water without having to travel to buy bottles,” added Col. Apirash. A document listing the amount of water they gave to villages affected by drought throughout April and May this year showed a total of two million litres of water delivered to just two sub-districts in Chiang Dao…and that was just on page one. While I was being offered quick glimpses at official documents, Col. Apirash began to list some of his other duties and initiatives, which fell under the ‘other’ category; basically whatever he deemed necessary. Last year alone, his unit dug reservoirs and pools for fish farming, repaired and extended electrical lines, provided free haircuts and free medical check-ups, donated warm coats and blankets during the cold season, and gave away livestock and seeds so that communities could become self-sustainable. This year they have already built over 1000 weirs along rivers that help prevent flooding and slows down water speeds to reduce the effects of erosion which could lead to mudslides. “Although we encourage people who were once inaccessible to venture out and trade with the towns and cities, we still focus on helping villages become self-sustainable first, just like my King suggested.” 8000 Rai of Development The Mobile Development Unit 32’s base covers over 8000 rai of land in Chiang Dao, and is covered in a vast range of development programmes that are free and open to the public to come and use, study and enjoy. An affable and calm man, Col. Apirash had an air of friendly openness which I found quite disarming. There was no rigid army posturing which

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LOCAL

President boys practice their marching I had come to expect and I passed a most pleasant day visiting schools, nodding sagely at weirs and admiring his roads. “To be a serviceman at Unit 32, you need to have a special qualification that is suited to the projects we are working on,” said Col. Apirash, going on to say that the majority of staff at the unit are far more qualified than your average army grunt. “We bring in those with a background in agriculture, education, health and other kinds of unique fields of study so that our projects are not only successful but also enables us to teach and educate those who need it — further developing the country.” Spanning across thousands of rai, exists a fully working set of agricultural projects ranging from livestock breeding, fish farming, plant growing and fertiliser production. Local communities are able to apply for education in, or the products of, these projects such as seeds, livestock or saplings. Every year, thousands of chickens, pigs and fish that are bred onsite are given away to those who ask for them, along with guides as to how to breed and increase livestock output resulting in both self-sufficiency and a chance to sell what is left to food companies and at markets. Owners of cattle can even call in the army’s own inseminator to help cross-breed healthy, strong offspring. “We offer a members’ card, ten sperms and you get a free gift,” laughed Col. Apirash at what surely must be one of his ‘others’ initiatives. He went on to say that this programme had been so successful that they have now opened up special ‘sperm stations’ in Lamphun and Lampang. “We even have attractions for visitors,” he said, pointing to rather run down cabins and surrounding gardens. “We have a beautiful flower garden and reservoir that people can canoe or boat on, a few cabins for those wanting to stay overnight, and I even built a motocross track to help get the bike gangs off the streets.” The winter is the best time to visit, he explained, as the area gets spruced up in anticipation of visitors. Unit 32 also has an onsite boys’ primary school, with 124 resident students that have come from hill tribes across the provinces. “Priority is given to those without much Thai language skill and for orphaned boys, for the rest a test must be passed to get into the school,” Col. Apirash explained. “It’s not a big school so we can’t take everyone but we make sure to have kids from all types of hill tribes, and we make a special effort to maintain and promote their unique cultures.” Each boy is dressed in his own tribe’s traditional dress, and they are encouraged to share their cultures with each other to help

promote cohesion and understanding between themselves and with Thailand as a whole. When I first pulled into the unit, I saw a parade of the school children marching Thai goosestep to the beat of a drum and a military melody. In perfect time, they suddenly halted before one of the older boys hopped towards the colonel headmaster of the school to salute him, only to then turn and shout a series of commands to the ranks. While Col. Apirash touts the inclusivity of the school, it is important to recall that decades before, the purpose of these schools were the exact opposite, they were formed to homogenise minorities and bring them into the standard central Thai fold. It is interesting to see how attitudes have changed, for the better. “We teach the boys a regular curriculum interspersed with things like agriculture, breeding and the benefits of sustainable crop growth such as coffee instead of opium,” Col. Apirash added. “As opium growing is pretty much eradicated, the new focus is on deforestation. Although promoting self-sufficiency and improving access to hill tribe villages is a very good thing to be doing, it has led to the rapid growth of these communities that if left unchecked could destroy acres of forest though a simple lack of education. These boys are the village leaders of the next generation and must be educated in more than just their ABCs.” A Good State of Affairs What is clear is that the Armed Forces Development Unit does a lot of good for the people that arguably need it the most. Unit 32 is a beaming success story, often receiving the biggest budgets (the good colonel was a tad cagey as to his annual budget, professed to be in the tens of millions) and having the most projects out of any of the other units nationwide. Founded during a time when the hill tribes and the communists that had escaped to the hills were considered enemies the state, the unit still displays strong pro-state, pro-army undertones that pave the way for criticism and suspicion that their motives are not as altruistic as they may try to suggest. But when it comes down to pure results there is no denying that The Armed Forces Development Unit has left thousands of the North’s most needy people better off, better educated and in much better health. So apart from the sanitation, the medicine, education, irrigation, roads and fresh water system, and public health, what has the army ever done for us? The Romans still have one up, according to Monty Python…they did give us wine.

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Organic Farmstays Organic lifestyles are all the rage these days, and where better to go than a hidden farm tucked away somewhere in the foothills of the mountains. Get to know the locals, experience new craft and farming techniques and stay away from the city for a few days at these super cool farmstays.

1. Hmong Hilltribe Lodge

3. Phrao Organic Farm

6. Baan Hom Samunphrai

For a real Hmong experience, check into the lodge that teaches you the history, and introduces you to the lifestyle of the Hmong. Sit around fire pits, while learning traditional dancing and dress of the Hmong.

Take a day trip to learn about planting, growing and harvesting your very own organic vegetables. Accommodation will soon be available for those wanting to stay longer too.

Live in a farm surrounded by Thai herbs and plants that are used in the farmstay’s main objective — to get people cooking organic Thai food. They even use the herbs in their massage and herbal therapy courses if you’d prefer.

111 Moo 4,Tambon Mae Raem, Amphur Mae Rim info@hmonghilltribelodge.com www.hmonghilltribelodge.com 081 993 1416

217 Moo 3,T. Wiang, Phrao mal@phraoorganic.com www.phraoorganic.com 081 274 5656, 093 184 8194

4.Daradalay Banndin Farm 2. Mindful Farm

93/2 Moo 12 Tawangtan, Saraphi www.homprang.com 053 817 362, 053 817 356

7.Youdin Kindee Farm Stay

Only open during the winter months, this simple farmstay offers a heartwarming experiThis place is for people who want to enrich ence in community life and sufficiency economy the mind and go organic. Meditation is a vital concepts. Stay in mud huts and eat local organic part of this farmstay retreat, with lots of other food around a campfire. activities from dharma study to farming to keep you active and open minded. 107, Ping Khong, Chiang Dao www.facebook.com/daradalay 123 Moo 4 Pang Term Village, Maesap, Samoeng www.daradalay.com mindfulfarmers123@gmail.com Line ID: daradalay www.mindfulfarmers.org 089 499 2878, 086 378 3837 086 196 0304 (English and Thai) 086 184 4480 (English and Japanese) 5. Thung Dong Farm Stay Learn Thai cooking, go hot air ballooning, study farm animal care and float lanterns at night around a fire. A true local farm experience with a variety of exciting experiences awaiting you.

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Huai Kaeo, Mae On District www.thungdongfarmstay.com 084 363 7504

Join the farmers in the height of the harvest and learn how to collect, prepare and cook with fresh organic vegetables. Spend the night in the heart of the farm and enjoy the fresh green air around you. 83 Moo12, Baan Mae Nai, Mae Ram, Mae Rim Closed March-April www.youdinkindee.com 091 479 8687

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Citylife LOCAL

What in Chiang Mai reminds you of your home town?

Kevin Cristi, 33 American, Content consultant

There’s always good English music which is surprisingly good and reminds me of my home town.

Anggello Machuca, 32 Paraguay, Professional football player

My football fan club always made me feel so welcome like I was back with my family and friends at home.

Sunisa Inda, 30 Thai, Ethnic Lanna

Chiang Mai reminds me of my hometown because of nice people here and the nature is beautiful.

Alexandre Alain Jules, 29 Cameroon, Senior fitness instructor

I will say the food and weather are almost the same. The way people care and share and are respectful reminds me of my culture and my country.

Jorden Roberts, 25 English, English teacher

Chiang Mai reminds me of my hometown due to the weather and the markets. I love that the weather gets cold up here in December. The markets with good authentic food and shopping also reminds me of the markets in my home town of Bury and Manchester.

Jose Thomas Boston, 36 American, Technology consultant

I grew up in Boston most of my life, but spent my childhood in Kerala, India. Chiang Mai offers the best of both worlds. Like Boston, Chiang Mai has all the conveniences of the west. Beautiful nature all around, amazing food and the freshest fruits, like Kerala.

Hyojin Noh, 28 Korean, Student at CMU language school

Korean food, Korean fashion, Korean cosmetics, Korean language schools, Korean music is everywhere! It’s like being back home!

Lawrence ‘Binkey’ Tolefree, 35 American, Host of all things dope!

Chiang Mai & Chicago! Anybody that knows me here knows how hard I rep my city! I was only supposed to be here three months. That was a year and a half ago. Chiang Mai captured my heart and hasn't let it go. Both places have a beautiful chill about it that makes it easy to sit in and even easier to breathe! Both also have an upper echelon variety of talent! Therefore, it's easy to grow here as an artist. I found the love of my life here. I’m a better artist, a better leader and a better man. None of that would’ve been possible without both places! I now know that my home is where I take it.

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Chiang Mai Green Property Chiang Maiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tailored Property Solution.

www.facebook.com/cmgreenproperty/ www.CMGreenProperty.com At Chiang Mai Green Property we provide a bespoke all-in-one sales and rental service in and around Chiang Mai. We offer a broad spectrum of properties and land to suit all of our customers needs and, if we donâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t have exactly what you are looking for, we pride ourselves on working closely with our clients to track down the property of your dreams.

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From Superfoods to Supertaste Healthy? Check. Tasty? Check. Cheap and cheerful? Check. Check.

Salad Terrace

Each morning the freshest of veggies and salads arrive straight from Mae Rim Hydro Farm, the restaurant’s very own farm, where it is prepared and served up, as fresh as just picking it from your garden. With a focus on healthy eating, the owner makes an effort to perfectly balance meals, matching two parts veg to one part protein. They also provide large and extra-large salad portions for those wanting to meet their recommended 600g of veg per day quota. Salads are packed with superfoods like quinoa, flaxseed, chia seeds and Job’s tears and the protein parts are to die for. Try the olive oil pan fried dory fish or the quinoa salad and grilled salmon with balsamic dressing for a real treat. Pastas, rice dishes and kids’ dishes are also popular with patrons, along with vitamin boost drinks that are pure fruit and veg juice for that healthy pick-me-up. 11am – 9pm Branch 1 inside Tops Supermarket Chotana Branch 2 at Suan Dok Park Email: saladterracesuandok@gmail.com Line: saladterrcekutao 083 570 3954 / 094 615 1888

Kuakai Nimman

Mama's Chinese Kitchen

Around for almost half a decade, this is a local favourite, jam packed with students, tourists and locals to the Nimmanhaemin area every day. Famous for its hotplate noodles with chicken and an onsen egg, people flood in craving the delicious steamy plate of food, plastered with their very own homemade chili sauce. Apart from their signature dish they also have a wide range of dishes such as khao soy with slices of tender boiled beef, chicken suki (with their own lip-smacking homemade suki sauce), crispy deep-fried noodles with a soup on the side and a range of rice dishes that leave regulars enjoying something new with each visit. Their second branch will be opening in Jet Yod soon, with copious amounts of parking, a coffee shop and an even bigger menu! If you want, you can even sit and enjoy an ice cold beer with a delicious pork hotpot before you head out to party.

As the name suggests, this kitchen is the home to a Szechuan mother who has spent over 40 years in Thailand honing her skills at spicy, amazing Chinese food. Now she has opened her very own kitchen, serving up zinging flavours and sizzling dishes that are packed with punch. With help from Szechuan Chef Weiyong, they piece together some amazing flavours influenced by the latest trends from Beijing and Taipei. Their signature dish must be the Szechuan mala dry pot served with a choice of chicken, pork, beef or shrimp. For Chiang Mai locals, their mala grill may be a familiar sight but the flavours will be new and exciting, as the spicy, salty, intriguing flavours dance around your mouth. Prices are super reasonable and will leave you with plenty of change.

Open 9am – 9pm 9-9/1 Soi Sai Nam Phung, next to iBerry, just off Nimman soi 17 Facebook: kuakai nimman 082 180 1177

Open 10.30am – 2.30pm and 6pm – 10pm 189 Huay Kaew Road, just opposite Maya on the main road Facebook: MamaChineseKitchen 081 531 0698

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Tea, Coffee or Vodka? Drinking in Chiang Mai is a must, whether it be cold bubble tea in the morning, hot coffees to stay awake after a big lunch or a lazy Sunday brunch with bloody Marys.

Marocchino

A lovely coffee shop just off Kaew Nawarat Road, Marocchino is decorated in a minimalist loft style with ornamental plants giving you a warm and airy atmosphere. Enjoy your coffee in a private corner indoors or sit outdoors with a large group of friends. The signature coffees are their hot latte with fun cartoon art, and the Marocchino, shot of espresso, cocoa powder and milk froth. The hot coffee is made with 100% Arabica, and they also serve up other drinks and homemade cakes. Don’t miss the "Le Mar de Choux Creme", which comes in two flavours, Madagascan vanilla and Belgium chocolate. In October, buy 3 cakes and get 1 free and there is a 10% discount off all drinks. Open 7.30am – 5.30pm (closed every Thursday on the 2nd week and 3rd week of each month) 31/4 Kaew Nawarat Road, Wat Gate Facebook: Marocchino Chiangmai 081 9509 188

Chakuma

Le Méridien's Sunday Brunch

Buy eight get one free when you grab the delicious Chakuma bubble tea that has finally made its way to Chiang Mai! This franchise bubble tea shop, found across the country, has now been opened by Kad, who as an avid bubble tea fan, searched for the best and wanted to share it with we city dwellers. Just off Kaew Narawat Road (the same soi as the Citylife office), the bubble tea shop is open daily serving up a range of tea fusions such as the yogurt bubble tea, Taiwanese tea, banana tea and coco tea. But with over 37 flavours to choose from and extra jellies or puddings added for just five or ten baht, it’s a steal. Stop by to grab a copy of Citylife or Spoon&Fork and have a leisurely read with some bubbly sweetness.

Sunday bloody Sunday is no longer just a song about a horrific day in recent history. It is Le Méridien’s super special Sunday brunch which now comes with a free-flow bloody Mary station! Let’s get the food out of the way; its superb. Cheeses, coldcuts and patés, pastas, roast lamb and beef, Alaskan king crabs, gravlax, oysters, salad bar…the list goes on, and don’t get us started on one of the most decadent and delicious desserts stations to be found in the city. But if you too like a good bloody Mary, then this is the place to go. Bacon or herb infused vodka as well as plain vodka can be picked to go with up to 20 condiments, so you can custom order your very own bloody Mary to taste. A great way to while away a Sunday afternoon with some good friends.

10am – 6pm 12 Soi 3 Kaew Narawat Road 088 259 1906

Le Méridien Signature Brunch every Sunday except the first Sunday of the month, 1,399 baht from 11.30am – 3pm Favola Exclusivo Brunch on the first Sunday of the month only, 1,999 baht from 11.30am – 3pm 108 Chang Klan Road 053 253 666

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A Day Out With the Family Start off with a healthy lunch of Thai food that suits all palates, grab a cheap sweet Bingsu then head off to Central Festival for an afternoon showing in the 4DX cinema!

4DX Cinema-Major Cineplex Central Festival

Rumble, whoosh, splash, shake. What if your film came alive when you watched it? Bullets and glass jump out towards your face in 3D. Your face is sprayed the instant a villian jumps into the water. Your chair shakes along with the sound of an explosion, and you get a quick jab in the back as the hero on screen is punched in the kidneys. Major Cineplex’s 4DX Cinema, the only one of its kind in the north of Thailand, is an experience that will make you feel as though you are part of the movie. Packed with mostly-action films for best effect, hold onto your popcorn and prepare for a roller-coaster experience that takes you deep into the heart of the film, immersing you with the feelings and the excitement on a whole new level. Check the weekly schedules online or at the cinema itself to find out what exciting film is showing on 4DX today. 4DX Cinema, Major Cineplex CentralFestival top floor www.majorcineplex.com 025 155 555

Panwa Kitchen

SnoowinG

With so much fusion and many international offerings in the city it is sometimes refreshing to dig into a truly traditional Thai meal. At Panwa Kitchen, classical central Thai dishes, some rarely found outside the capital, are meticulously cooked using not just local ingredients, but traditional methods. Don’t miss their delicious signature dishes, crab meat with wild betel leaf in hot curry, pomelo wrapped in salad leves served with Thai herbs, lemongrass wrapped in salad leaves and served with Thai herbs, crab meat in a creamy coconut stew and much more. In addition, there is 10% discount promotion for anyone who checks into the Panwa on Facebook or Instagram.

Bingsu, the soft milk snow dessert from Korea, is all the rage in Chiang Mai now, but for most of us, one bowl is too much on the stomach… and the wallet. But now we can all enjoy Bingsu from just 30 baht a pop! Just bring a few coins and you’ll be able to tuck into a range of toppings such as strawberry, mango, Oreo, red bean and cracker nuts. Each topping is homemade (apart from the Oreos) and chemical free, and perfect for kids! SnoowinG uses traditional Bingsu bowls and spoons imported from Korea, as is the machine that makes the famous milk snow. If you are with a date, why not share a large bowl of Love Story, topped with strawberry and moulded into a heart shape. And if that wasn’t enough to tempt you, don’t forget the hidden buttery crumble found in each and every bowl.

Open 10am – 10pm 20 Boon Ruang Rit Road Facebook: panwachiangmai 053 270 622

Open 10am – 8pm Floor B1, Lad Suan Kaew lot no. 21, near Hot Pot Facebook: SnoowinG Milk Bingsu 088 269 5562

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Citylife LOCAL

CLIENTS’ SPOT Timeless Present Moment by MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum Lovers of art will be pleased to hear that Chiang Mai’s most exciting art venue will be holding a new exhibition by famous local artist Kamin Lertchaiprasert, ‘Timeless Present Moment’. This solo exhibition is a retrospective with selected artworks from two periods in the artist’s life. For the past thirty-six years, Kamin has “created art as a means to find value and meaning in life. Not only as a form of meditation, the artist also considers art as a process to discover human values within oneself and the absolute truth”. Kamin is a prolific artist, having worked with an array of creative mediums and activities including drawing, painting, reading, meditating, pottery making, wax sculpture, and live and recorded performance. For him, “the learning process underlying these activities contributes to the understanding of the present moment as the point between the past and the future. Everything that happens, happens only in the present moment, neither in the past nor in the future. This concept has rendered the latest collection of his work under the name ‘Timeless Present Moment’.” The exhibition will continue until February 6th, 2017. Admission fee is 150 baht for adults, 100 baht for students. MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum 122 Moo 7, Sankampheang District Open 10am-6pm (closed Tuesdays) info@maiiam.com Facebook: MAIIAM Contemporary Art Museum www.maiiam.com

Le Crystal’s Fine Ping-side Dining With so many new restaurants opening up all over the city, we sometimes forget that time tried and tested restaurants are still here for a reason — quality. Le Crystal has been one of the city’s finest restaurants since it opened its doors nearly a decade ago. A purpose built restaurant with a wooden and floor-to-ceiling glass structure with generous verandas for diners to take in the views, it is the consistent standard of excellence that has made Le Crystal a recipient of Thailand Tatler’s Best Restaurants for over a decade. Impeccable service, tasteful and elegant décor and a classic French menu with all the favourites cooked to perfection: bouillabaisse, boeuf bourguignon, escargots, pan-fried foie gras, lobsters, wagyu and many more mouthwatering dishes. Le Crystal is not just a special occasion restaurant, as they also offer great deals with set dinners and lunches, so even if you are in the mood for a quiet and quality lunch on your own between meetings, or a simple dinner with family, you are guaranteed the best of classical French cuisine. Le Crystal Restaurant 74/2 Patan Road Open daily 6-10.30pm Tel.053 - 872 - 890 - 1, 084-177-6599 Facebook: le.Crystal.Restaurant Website: www.lecrystalrestaurant.com

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Clubs and Societies

Concerts and Shows

Democrats Abroad 5th October @ The Pub A Vice-Presidential candidate debate party. Starts 7.30pm. Please reserve your seat at cmdems@ gmail.com if you plan on going.

Chiang Mai Ginastera International Music Festival 10th – 15th October @ Chiang Mai Tel. 053 224 444 ext 19008, 084 043 9821 Facebook: ChiangmaiInternationalMusicFestival www.chiangmai-imf.com An international music competition to widen the perspective of young, local classical musicians. They also aim to bring awareness of classical music to the people here, and pursue the goal of putting Chiang Mai on the map as Thailand’s musical capital.

Thai Freedom House Evening at Sangdee Gallery 6th October @ Sangdee Gallery Welcoming friends and the famous Free Bird Cafe Lisa Byrd for a fun talk to find out more about what important work they are doing, why they are doing it and what we can do to help. From 8pm onwards. Breakfast Buffet & Coffee Morning 7th October @ River Market Restaurant Info@ChiangMaiExpatsClub.com Great place to meet old friends, make new friends and talk about expat life in CM. No sales pitches, promotions or programmes, but you can join CEC if you'd like. 300 baht for guest and 205 baht for CM Expats Club members or just coffee/tea 120 baht for guest and 80 baht for CEC members. From 9.30 to 11.30am. Understanding Thai Culture 8th October @ Chiang Mai Community Church Centre www.thewellintl.org Understanding the Dos and Don’ts of a culture is a significant part of settling into a new location. However if you don’t understand the roots of the cultural practices, you may feel awkward and confused. Join to gain insight into Thai heritage and how it affects daily life. 9.30–11.30am.

Down Town Dixie Society Thailand Tour 2016 Live in Chiang Mai 27th October @ Imperial Grand Hall, The Imperial Mae Ping Hotel The Down Town Dixie Society is in Chiang Mai. Ticket Price 550 net baht per person (include international buffet dinner and drinking water). From 7 to 10pm. For reservation calls 053 283900 or buy a ticket at the hotel's reception counter.

Fairs & Festivities URCOOLZ Nimman Street Art 16th October @ RushBar Facebook: BARBERCREWCNX Graffiti competition in Chiang Mai. Meet street artist, shop for street art products, get a free haircut by Barber Crew, eat from food trucks and much more. Free admission!

Staying Healthy in Chiang Mai 8th October @ Chiang Mai Community Church Centre www.thewellintl.org What can you do to protect your family’s health while living in Chiang Mai? Learn about – hygiene, food preparation, eating out, vaccinations, how to access medical care in Chiang Mai, and cultural patterns which affect delivery of health care. 1-3pm.

Parties and Nightlife

Wine Tasting by HeyBottle 9th October @ Peaberry Hotel www.meetup.com Taste four fine wines with finger food all for free! After wine tasting is over, wine will be sold at club prices. All wine connoisseurs and happy amateurs are welcome. Tasting from 7pm to 10pm, bar open afterwards. Call Poonthip Andersen 083 7669365 for more information.

Santana Party at Mo’C Mo’L 1st October @ Mo’C Mo’L Surprise!!!! Put your hats on – it’s time for fun! From 6pm onwards, free bar at 7-8pm.

The Communist Party of Thailand: Hmong Experiences and Perspectives 11th October @ The Alliance Française A talk by Ian Baird. Starts 7.30pm.

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Latin Dance Party “Arabian Nights” 1st October @ Lobby Lounge at Shangri-La Hotel Tel. 053 253 888 ext 6437 restaurants.slcm@shangri-la.com Enjoy a night of fun with special drinks, a free dance lesson, live music by house DJ, and professional dance performances! 7.30pm to Midnight.

Fashion Kings’ 5th Bollywood Spicy 15th October @ Holiday Inn Hotel Tel. 053 275 300 ext 1083 Dance and musical charity evening in aid of Wat Pranon School, water project phase 2-3. Start at 6pm. 1,000 baht per ticket includes international and Indian buffet, free Indian henna and free studio photo. The Mad Hatter’s Tea Party 22nd October @ 137 Pillars House Enjoy a truly scrumptious afternoon tea. Sip a cocktail or a chilled glass of champagne from the cash bar. Space is limited over so buy your tickets now and join in Alice's Wonderland. Available at 700 baht from sallyward.uk@gmail.com or Dominique at dleutwiler@yahoo.com. 3 to 6pm.

Citylife Wine Crawl 28th October @ Around Nimmanhaemindha Road Get your teams and come join for a fantastic night out on Nimmanhaemin. Teams of 2-6 will meet at Tengoku Bar at the middle intersection of Soi 5 where you can buy drinks and mingle. You will then be given a map to go and – at your own pace – visit up to a dozen bars around Nimman on foot to play games and sip or slurp wines and other drinks. From 6.30 to late. Please email aydan@chiangmaicitylife.com with your team name, contact details and number of players.

Promotions Gekko Books 10% Discount Now – 31st October @ Gekko Books Take a photo and post on any social media when you are at Gekko Books, receive extra 10% discount. Favola Brunch Exclusivo 2nd October @ Favola on 2nd floor of Le Méridien Tel. 053 253 299 favola.chiangmai@lemeridien.com Join for a culinary journey across the world with favola brunch exclusivo. Price 1,999 net baht per person, Champagne at 1,999 net baht per bottle and 999 net baht per glass. 11.30am – 3pm. Sparking at Le Meridien 7th October @ Latitude 18, Le Meridien Tel. 053 253 666 A refreshing selection of cocktails crafted by expert mixologists. Entrance is free! Theme TBA. Continuous-flow beverage package is available 499 baht for ladies and 699 baht for gentleman. Join from 8 to 11pm.

Sports LMCM Run to Give 2016 16th October @ Front Lawn, Le Méridien Tel. 053 253 666 Facebook: lemeridienchiangmai A charitable race with proceeds from the event going towards building the country's first comprehensive long-term care centre for dependent elderly people. Registration at 7am and race starts at 8am. Ticket fee 300 baht including LMCM Run to Give tshirt. The 6th Suebnathitham Mini Marathon 29th October @ Suebnathitham Church Starts 6 am. Ticket 100 baht for student and 250 baht for adult. For information visit facebook: runningevent or www.wingnaidee.com.

Workshops Traidhos October Camp 2016 9th – 22nd October @ Traidhos camps www.camps.threegeneration.org Activities and English camp. Traidhos camps can also organise family and group camp programs for you. Contact jaytanat@threegeneration.org for more details.

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Openings

Opening of Cuisine De Garden Rustic Grill and Wine Bar

Promotion of the upgraded Lampang â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Lamphun â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Chiang Mai train line

Opening of Mama's Chinese Kitchen at The Pub on Huay Kaew Road

Opening of the Central Plaza Chiang Mai Airport Fun Park

Opening of the Architecture and Environmental Design Exhibition 2016 at Central Festival

Chiang Mai Design Week 2016 by Thailand Creative & Design Centre

Parties and Celebrations

Phraya Night at Horn Bar Dhara Dhevi

Good Wine with B & G at Le Bistro Rimping Supermarket Promenada Resort Shopping Centre

Ornellaia Wine Dinner at Magnolia Cafe by Pinn Food Society

Pink and Blue Latin Tunes at Le Meridien

Pre-launch party at the soon-to-open Tengoku Bar

CLBS 11th Anniversary party at Shangri-La Hotel

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Around Town

Shangri-La Hotel, Chiang Mai building a new canteen, store and repair wiring system in the Wat Lan Thong School, San Kamphaeng.

The 2nd Thailand Breastfeeding Day by Pigeon at Maharaj Nakorn Chiang Mai Hospital

Kantary Hills Hotel welcomes Sammo Hung, the actor and director from Ip Man

90th Anniversary Prince Royal Alumni press conference

GM Syahreza Ishwara and press at the Buddhist Blessing of Anantara Chiang Mai Serviced Suites

Wedding reception for Saranakorn Chutima and Wilailuck Manachotipong at the Grand Ballroom Le Meridien Hotel

Central Festival and Central Plaza Chiang Mai Airport joined the Car Free Day 2016 at Three Kings Monument

A show by Regina Coeli College’s students, “Pun Sib” A Decade of Mae Jo Architecture at Central Festival

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Tourism Authority of Thailand give Chinese visitors a Dos and Don'ts billboards at a range of Chiang Mai tourist attractions

Krungsri IMAX Cineplex Central Festival Chiang Mai invited the press to tour the @IMAX. And a beautiful planet scene opened the event in 3D.

Healthy Chiang Mai Fair press conference

Quarterly Consular Corps and Governor of Chiang Mai meeting

Chestnut seminar presided over by HSH Prince Bhisadej Ranjani at the Doi Kham Meeting Room

Peter Schnyder, GM of Imperial Mae Ping Hotel and team donates sports equipment and a new roof to Ban Mae Krai School in Mae Taeng District

Le Coq d'Or welcomed Dr. Sukhum Rungkasiri and family for dinner on Dr. Porn-A-Nake Tardthongâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s birthday

The opening of first Olympus Photo Gallery and showroom in northern Thailand at Central Festival

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HOUSE FOR SALE Spacious family home right behind Rimping Supermarket at Kad Farang in Hangdong 12.5 million baht or nearest offer. 4 very large bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, 5 toilets, 1 maids room and pool pump room, 1 Buddha / Prayer room or Office / study. 4 air con units, laundry, Back undercover patio with 35 sq/m area overlooking the pool.Curtains in all rooms. Underground water tank and high volume Mitsubishi water pump. Ceiling fans in all rooms, Fire extinguishers and fire alarms. Built in 2012, chanote. Land size 193 sq/wah, House size 350 sq/m, 2 car carport with Winfloor stamped concreted Italian electric gate with 3 remotes. Salt water swimming pool 8.5M X 4.5M. Built in wardrobes, Solid oak kitchen by Homikitch (550,000 baht) with hot water at sink, Full gutters all around the house by Alti Gutters (with 15 year warranty (140,000 Baht) Swiss made), landscaped garden and lawn. Partly furnished. Already has 3BB fibre optic super fast internet. Close to Satit Ragsit and Grace International schools (1km / 10 mins walk). Rimping Supermarket (450M / 8 mins walk)

15 minutes from airport You can contact my wife (Oi) in Thai on 0890546539 or myself (Adam) on 0895609886

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Next month’s Spoon&Fork will be the swansong issue of our founding editor Mariem Boonmaleerat, and she leaves us with a bang! The issue will be all about our city’s Chef Tables, a new trend which is being led by some of our greatest chefs. Chef Matteo Verini of Le Meridien offers a special Chef’s Table at the hotel’s signature Favola Italian Restaurant. Simply book your dinner and Chef Matteo himself will call you to ask you about all of your preferences, likes, dislikes. He will then design a special dinner to suite you and your guests’ palates as well as special occasion. Like having your very own five star chef at home…but without having to do the dishes! We will be meeting Spoon&Fork’s new editor, Auntie Spoon, Nitkanung Wattanakun, in November who has been at Citylife since 1999 and will now graduate from Production Manager to Editor. She has big shoes to fill! See you for a yummy October.

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