Hard days night

BANGKOK: Prasert Saisamphan’s home used to be a breezy space, surrounded by trees. Now, the 65-year-old finds it hard to breathe, surrounded by confining concrete and the dust of a growing city. “When I was about 20 years old, condominiums were not built here yet. The weather was nice and cool. We only used a fan in the evening. No one had an air-conditioner in my house,” he said. “Now, there’s less air. It feels like I can’t take a deep breath.” The view from Prasert’s house in Klong Khlang in central Bangkok is dominated by the towering pylons of an expressway, and in the distance, seemingly ever-growing residential towers. “It’s hot this year. It’s so hot that the electricity charges significantly rise. It’s so hot that I installed water sprinklers on the roof. It’s so hot that I need water spray. It feels doubly hot compared to last year,” said Jurairat Kruephimai, another local resident. The heat they feel is not imagined. The effect of a phenomenon known as the … [Read more...] about Hot in the city: Rising night temperatures a potentially major health issue in Asian metropolises

LONDON: Arsenal's fans had waited nine long months to return to the club's north London stadium but the 2,000 people sprinkled across the red seats had to wait only nine minutes to enjoy the thrill of celebrating a goal in the flesh again on Thursday (Dec 3). Appropriately, it was Frenchman Alexandre Lacazette who struck the opener in a 4-1 victory over Rapid Vienna - the same player who 272 days earlier had scored the winner against West Ham United, days before the COVID-19 pandemic swept in. Lacazette described it as "amazing" while his team mate Ainsley Maitland-Niles said: "We've waited a long time. It's just great to have that sound back and have our 12th man back." While English football re-started in June following a three-month hiatus, the country's gleaming Premier League stadiums have since been eerily silent and sad places on match days with fans watching from afar on TV. With the capital placed in the government's Tier Two restrictions following the end of … [Read more...] about Football: Night of cheer as fans return and Arsenal win big

SINGAPORE: The first day of redemption of the SingapoRediscovers vouchers drew mixed responses from Singaporeans, with several of them queueing on Tuesday morning (Dec 1) to book their staycations, attraction tickets and tours. The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) announced in September that every Singaporean aged 18 and above in 2020 will receive S$100 in vouchers in a bid to bolster the local tourism industry that has been battered by the COVID-19 pandemic. The vouchers can be used between December this year and June next year, with a S$10 subsidy provided for children and youth tickets for attractions and tours. Besides redeeming the vouchers online, those who require help doing so can go to locations across Singapore for assistance. More than 11,900 bookings totalling about S$1.86 million in vouchers and payments were made as of 4.30pm, said STB in a statement on Tuesday night. "There was a good mix of bookings across the hotels, attractions and tours industries, as well … [Read more...] about First day of SingapoRediscovers voucher redemption draws mixed response, some unable to get tickets for attractions

Source: Sarah Kilian/Unsplash It should have been a great evening. I was nicely wedged into the couch with a bowl of popcorn and two slavering dogs, and I was working my way through the entire series of The Queen’s Gambit . I was alone, and it was divine. Brian, my husband, had both our boys on a long day-trip involving socially distanced basketball. He was due to arrive soon, and I felt rested and rejuvenated after indulging in some badly needed alone time. An introvert mom’s longing for alone is never done. And then, they came home. The kid part was fine. They are my children and I missed them and I hugged them hard. I’m not a monster. The husband, however, was a different story. I leaned in to kiss him and I sniffed. And sniffed again. My husband had been drinking. To make a few things clear: Brian is not the alcoholic in the room. I am. He is a totally normal drinker with an annoying ability to have a beer every once in a while without subsequently wanting to … [Read more...] about How to Be Sober and Not Hate Your Spouse

REVIEW : A babble of discussion rapidly spread amidst patrons as they left New Plymouth's Repertory Theatre after the opening night of Rough Justice. One woman declared: "I felt like I was in the courtroom for a moment." I agreed with her, except I actually felt I was in the courtroom for the entire length of this gripping play written by Terence Frisby. I just couldn't decide if I was in the public gallery or part of the jury. As the enactment of James Highwood's court case for killing his son proceeded I listened to many clever debates. I was swayed by one legal argument after another. One moment I thought the defendant was guilty, the next not guilty. I couldn't make up my mind what sentence this main protagonist should receive, but I definitely knew I was witnessing some excellent, powerful, thought-provoking drama. Congratulations must go to director Heather Harrison for being brave enough to take on the challenge of presenting some really serious, hard core theatre. It … [Read more...] about Review: Rough Justice a show you don’t want to miss