Pornchai Sereemongkonpol
Guru section Editor
Guru section Editor
Email : pornchais@bangkokpost.co.th
Double Fun with Tinglish
As a Thai who writes in English for a living, I'm a bit of a language nerd who's naturally inclined to spot Tinglish in everyday life.
Thai tongue twisters
Happy National Thai Language Day! July 29 has been designated by the Cabinet as Thailand's National Thai Language Day since 1999. Although it isn't a day off, we should take some time off to appreciate how rich and beautiful the Thai language is. And to celebrate Thailand's mother tongue, here are a few Thai tongue twisters to practise with friends for some guaranteed fun, from noob to god level.
Thailand's kookiest competitions
Every country has its own share of kooky competitions, and that's also true for Thailand. From the search for a Guanyin avatar to the Peta-would-surely-disapprove swimming competition, here are a few for your entertainment.
Curious vintage Thai ads
It's always fascinating to look back at print ads from yesteryears as they serve as a window into the past and what values and attitudes were acceptable back then. Even though I think you shouldn't judge work from the past with today's value (look up presentism), I'm going to do that anyway with some of the following vintage ads for your entertainment.
Blasts from the past with Thai film posters
Thai posters of Hollywood films have rightfully gained something of a cult following (movie pun intended). They are an art form in their own right since Thai artists took the liberty of creating local versions of famous Hollywood films and reimagined them in a new light by hand, often adding key moments from the plot almost to the point of revealing spoilers as opposed to the subtle approach of their originals, which depicted just enough to pique your curiosity.
(Un)masking 101
The mask mandate has been lifted in anticipation of downgrading Covid-19 to an endemic, which comes into effect today. The biggest question you may have right now as we're going through this transitional period, heading back to the old normal, is probably when and where you can unmask. However, if you think you can free your face from any coverings and leave your mask at home, you should read the following first. Here's what you need to know before you mask (or unmask).
What's in a (soi) name?
At the front of practically every soi in Bangkok, you'll notice a pole with a blue sign with white letters at the top proclaiming its name. However, if you look closer you may find many sois in Thailand can brighten your day with their curious names. Here are a few for your entertainment.
No more casual sexism
Last Friday, PM Prayut Chan-o-cha made another insensitive verbal blunder. You may say, "Hey, Pornchai, aren't you used to this by now?" but I would argue that this latest (and hopefully last one) merits a response from yours truly, delivered with the utmost respect as always.
Tips on getting Thai tattoos
Earlier this week, a French Muay Thai champ went viral not for his killer moves but for his tattoo of the Thai word for Thai boxing spelled wrong. Instead of มวยไทย (muay Thai) being inked on his arm, his tattooist mistakenly inked ฆวยไทย.
