SIEM REAP, Cambodia – Cambodia’s ubiquitous rice paddies and lush green jungles provided a stage for three decades of war, genocide and civil conflict until peace finally took hold in 1998 and tourism began to sprout. But the legacy of those years of bloodshed stubbornly lurks under the surface of the picturesque scenery in the…
Read moreWoman with wow
You can’t not recognise Kathaleeya McIntosh’s face. She co-hosts a popular talkshow, stars in a soap opera, emcees at all the right parties and squeezes in some modelling in between. Even if you’re the type who sticks to reading newspapers, you’ve probably seen her there too, in her role as an envoy for Unicef. And…
Read moreYuki Srikarnchana: Marking time
Some people know what they want in life, and they chase their ambition relentlessly. Others, it’s reassuring to know, take their time when it comes to finding their passion. For Yuki Srikarnchana, taking her time has had something of a literal meaning. Since 1992, she’s beenthe managing director of exclusive watch retailers Pendulum. Locals with…
Read moreSpeaking his mind
Chanin Donavanik might be impressed with the Thaksin administration’s vision for improving Thailand’s tourism industry, but he’s not happy with the way things have gone so far. "They have a good vision but they have not implemented the vision well. Instead of trying to solve problems, they’ve made them worse." So what has the executive…
Read moreHelen’s newest role
She?s a supermodel, VJ, businesswoman, spokesperson, celebrity, but there?s one role that one of Thailand?s favourite faces isn?t quite used to yet: that of mother. Helen Berger gave birth to daughter Haley D?iana Berger in May this year. ?Everyone?s asking me, ?How does it feel to be a mother?? I don?t know how to answer…
Read moreRelaxing with Rika
Rika Dila doesn’t look like the busy businesswoman and mother of two young sons she is. "I tell people I’m 28," jokes the half Filipino, half-Japanese representative of Sotheby’s in Thailand. "And after a while I start believing it!" The white lie wouldn’t be difficult for anyone to believe. Rika wears no makeup, but there’s…
Read moreA mad time for Mamee
It’s a hectic time for Naphakpapha "Mamee" Nakprasit. Still reeling from the recognition that her role in Mae Bia has brought, the 20 year-old actress has just finished her second film, Butterfly Man, and is about to head to the US to shoot her second TV drama. In fact, Mamee needs to call several times…
Read moreCandid with Kara
Don’t bother asking Kara Polasit about what elegance means to her; she’s the human embodiment of it. The height, posture and understated dress of the popular model, MC, TV host and actress, reflect a person who’s got style but who doesn’t need to flaunt it. If you do ask her what makes an elegant woman,…
Read moreAn equal partnership
He’s the youngest son of Chokchai Bulakul – Thailand’s best-known cowboy – so it’s not surprising that he looks perfectly comfortable in a cowboy hat, white T-shirt, blue jeans, and well-worn leather boots. Neither is it surprising that his fiance – and by the time you’re reading this, his wife – looks utterly chic wearing…
Read moreBeauty and brains: Areeya ‘Pop’ Chumsai
Areeya ‘Pop’ Chumsai might be best known as a former Miss- Thailand-turned-military-officer, but she’s a journalist by trade and it certainly shows. “I guess you’ll want background information first,” she says thoughtfully when the interview starts. “I’m thinking, how many column inches do we have here? What should be the focal point of the story?…
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