Textiles as a Material Lexicon of Tributary Relations in the Lao-Tai world

255th INTG Meeting – A talk and presentation by Patricia Cheesman Background Patricia Cheesman has done in-depth field research in the Laos PDR and Thailand over the past 30 years. She published numerous books and articles on Lao and Tai textiles and has been lecturing at Chiang Mai University in the Thai Art Department since … Read more

Introduction to the History and Significance of Champa

254th INTG Meeting – A talk and presentation by Michael Vickery What was Champa? Champa no longer exists as a separate entity. There was an officially recognized Champa (recognized at the time by China, Vietnam and Cambodia) under that name along parts of the coast of what is now central and southern Vietnam from at least the 7th century … Read more

Protected Areas in the Lao PDR

253rd INTG Meeting -A talk by Klaus Berkmüller About Klaus: A German national, Klaus Berkmüller holds a BSc. and a MSc. in Natural Resources, both from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor. He is the author of the books ‘Guidelines and Techniques for Environmental Interpretation’ and ‘Environmental Education about the Rain Forest’. He is co-editor of the … Read more

Chiang Mai Tourism – Its Problems and Solutions

252nd INTG Meeting – A talk and presentation by Jack Kelly Summary of Jack’s Talk Compiled by your Convenor, Brian Hubbard Using Thomas’s brand spanking new LCD projector and other associated bits of technological paraphernalia to illustrate his talk, Jack started by outlining the background and the current situation of the tourism market of Chiang … Read more

Reflections on 40 Years of Research about Thailand

251st INTG Meeting – A talk by Niels Mulder Summary of Niels Mulder’s Talk In the last days of the year 2000, when I finished writing ‘Southeast Asian Images – Towards civil society?’ (Chiang Mai, Silkworm Books, 2003), I knew it would be my last work based on field research. That being the sign of … Read more

The Impact of Air Quality on Chiang Mai Residents

250th INTG Meeting – A talk and presentation by Dr. Duangchan Charoenmuang Dr. Duangchan writes “Chiang Mai air quality has been worse than you may have thought. The critical period is in dry season. At this time the air contains an increased amount of fine particulate matter (PM10), much more than the allowable amount. Statistics … Read more

Say What, Mr. President?

249th INTG Meeting – A talk by Gary Sue Merritt Suwannarat Gary Suwannarat writes – Here’s a little bit of my background regarding American politics. I have been a member of Democrats Abroad-Thailand for something like 15 years, served as the Vice-Chair in 1996, and then found myself Chair as the elected Chair moved to Great Britain. Between the … Read more

Masks and Selves in Contemporary Java:The Dances of Didik Nini Thowok*

248th INTG Meeting – A talk by Jan Mrázek The arts scene in contemporary Java evades easy characterization: it is a diverse and unpredictable landscape, and focusing on a single force, agent, or movement risks concealing the multiple forces, contradictions, transformations, and the variety of creatures in that landscape. Traveling in the confusing landscape is … Read more