Features on Asian Art, Culture, History & Travel
Features
Finding Inner Peace in Bangkok
Story by Joe Cummings / CPA Media (8 December, 2022)
Bangkok’s mass weapons of distraction make it all too easy to fill one’s life without sparing even a moment for self-reflection. That’s a pity, because beyond the grit and glitz lies one of the city’s greatest charms – the opportunity to slow down, turn inward, and find some stillness at the heart of chaos through meditation.
Buddhas with Attitude
Story by Ron Emmons / CPA Media (15 October, 2021)
Buddhas with attitude? Surely that’s a contradiction in terms. Though we often hear of politicians with attitude, singers with attitude or athletes with attitude, the notion of a Buddha (or Buddhist) with attitude just doesn’t fit.
Loy Krathong In Laos
Reasserting a Tai Cultural Heritage
Every November at full moon people gather by stretches of open water throughout Thailand to celebrate Loy Krathong. Small but elaborate lotus-shaped creations bearing traditional offerings of flowers, incense, candles and a coin are floated in countless numbers on streams, rivers, lakes, ponds, and even the open sea to reverence and pay homage to Mae Khongkha, the goddess of rivers and waters. Each tiny float also carries with it the dreams and aspirations of the sender.
A Fruit For All Seasons
Story by Ron Emmons / CPA Media (11 March, 2022)
From durians to jackfruits, from mangoes to mangosteens, from lychees to longans, the bounty of Thailand’s orchards seems to know no limits. So let’s take a look at a few of the tastiest seasonal fruits.
Languid Lamphun
Exploring Northern Thailand’s Oldest City
The quiet, provincial town of Lamphun just 26 kilometres south of Chiang Mai, is generally promoted as an enjoyable side trip from the northern capital. A combination of tranquil, lotus-filled moats, some of the most distinguished religious buildings in Thailand, and the story of Queen Chamadevi, combine to attract Thai and overseas visitors alike.
A Season In Mae Hong Son
Thailand’s "Valley Beyond The Clouds"
Nowadays it may be difficult to believe, but Siamese officials once dreaded being sent to work in Mae Hong Son, the Kingdom’s most distant - and until recently most inaccessible - province. On consideration, however, past fears of being sent to "Thailand’s Siberia" are easier to understand. Hidden in a long and narrow valley several mountain ranges beyond Chiang Mai, the region had few attractions and numerous afflictions - endemic malaria, banditry and a plethora of troublesome spirits, to name but a few.
Thai Teak
Story by Ron Emmons / CPA Media (18 December, 2021)
Teak, a hardwood synonymous with the Tropics, and native to North Thailand, has a colourful history. Here our correspondent, Ron Emmons unearths some fascinating stories.
The Rhythms of Rice
Story by Ron Emmons / CPA Media (11 August, 2021)
Throughout Southeast Asia, rice is the staple food; and yet it is more than just food – it has shaped the history, culture and economy of the entire region, and the area now known as Thailand is thought to be where it was first planted.