Nov 28 2011
In a fantastic departure from the way that nationalism (as a concept of nationhood, not a political system) was traditionally explained, Benedict Anderson posited that nations are nations because we, collectively, decided to believe in them as nations. It’s easy to see the logic in that as you travel around Southeast Asia. While the ethnic … read the full post
Oct 13 2011
Dates seem to vary slightly according to the source — one of which is here– but our usually reliable man on the ground in Yunnan reports that two Chinese cargo vessels travelling on the Mekong between Jinghong, Yunnan and Chiang Saen, Thailand were hijacked at around midday on October 10. The particularly brutal hijacking took … read the full post
Aug 31 2011
Due to Chiang Mai’s location and its role as the kingdom’s second city visitors often expect more substantial consular presences in Chiang Mai than there actually are. Yes, it’s close to Burma and Laos, for example, but neither have consulates here. And while it’s nowhere near it, Austria has a consulate — but, say, Switzerland … read the full post
