December 19th, 2012 — 2:54am
I’ve been hanging around with dodgy Buddhist cults again. Well, I have to do something to entertain myself. While in Chiang Mai I attended a gathering organised by the Dhammakaya Foundation which is said to be Thailand’s fastest growing religious movement. They have a fondness for large scale events and an even greater liking for liberating members
December 13th, 2012 — 5:26am
I’ve been traveling almost constantly for weeks. I’m back home for a few days after a great launch parties for Enchanting Myanmar at Monument Books and The Strand in Yangon, followed by two weeks motorcycling around northern Thailand. While in Chiang Rai I was lucky enough to witness a fascinating spirit ceremony for the wife
November 16th, 2012 — 2:41am
I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend the Royal Barge Procession in Bangkok last week on what was, unfortunately, a very overcast day. It was the first time the event has been held for five years, and was part of the celebrations to mark the king’s 85th birthday. The Royal Barge Procession is one of
November 1st, 2012 — 5:51am
I’m pleased to be able to tell you that ‘Enchanting Myanmar’ is out now in Asia Books and all good bookshops in Thailand. You can also order on Amazon. I am very happy with this one and consider it to be the best in the series so far. And of course it is being released
July 26th, 2012 — 5:03pm
Just a quick posting of a Buddha image snapped in a small Chinese temple tucked away down a side street in downtown Kuala Lumpur.
July 26th, 2012 — 4:51pm
I really enjoyed being back Kuala Lumpur again last week. Although I wouldn’t want to live there because it lacks the energy and chaos that I so love about Bangkok, I am still very fond of it. This is because 16 years ago it was my first experience of Asia. Over the years I’ve made many
July 23rd, 2012 — 3:42pm
I took a quick trip to Malaysia last weekend to attend a lecture and demonstration by a couple of Japanese ceramic artists at Universiti Teknologi MARA in Shah Alam. I was there about 16 years ago for a couple of months as part of an artists’ cultural exchange so it was good to return
July 20th, 2012 — 9:20am
I have some good news to share. I’m delighted to say that my photography is now represented by Gallery Stock. I signed with them a few months ago but of course it’s a lengthy process getting these things up and running but my work is slowly coming online. The first batch of images can be
July 9th, 2012 — 11:48am
There was another mass monkathon in Bangkok on Saturday, once again organized by the distinctly dodgy Wat Phra Dhammakaya, a Bangkok temple known for its aggressive fundraising. The mantra seems to be, ‘give us your money and your good deed will be rewarded with personal riches in the future’. It’s a technique you’d expect from
June 29th, 2012 — 10:27am
Following the first opium war which ended in 1842, the British opened a concession in Shanghai by way of a forced treaty with the Qing Dynasty. Each concession within the city was governed by an occupying country, namely the Brits, the French, and the Americans. Fuelled by international trade in silk, tea and porcelain, Shanghai
