Fieldwork and Documentation

Day 1: Monday Blues

Today was the day we set off from Chiang Mai to Chiang Rai. We made our first stop at a hot springs nestled in the mountains. I was pleasantly surprised as I never knew that Chiang Mai even had mountains, let alone hot springs! My group and I were reluctant to begin the day’s work, but after much…

Day 0: Sunday Highs

Upon stepping foot on Chiang Mai soil, we were greeted warmly by the Le Meridien hotel staff, who presented us with flower garlands and took pictures with us. It occurred to me that this sort of treatment would never occur in Singapore. The Thais’ hospitality shone in stark contrast to Singapore’s jadedness. However, I noticed later…

Post-Trip Reflections

As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end, and with the blink of an eye, our Chiang Mai trip comes to a close. This trip was filled with fond memories as well as several unforgettable events that will continue to be part of conversation topics with USP peers. Prior to the…

Day 5 (8th Jan)

Today’s morning was well spent at the amazing race. It started out kind of slow, as it felt like the usual leadership programme that admittedly people might have gotten desensitised to. It all began with some networking session to encourage us to open up and leave good first impressions. This all did not feel new….

Day 4 (7th Jan)

Today started off with a lecture by a professor at CMU. The first impression of CMU was the older looking structures and the relative simple campus with few facilities. This makes me grateful for what NTU has to offer students. The lecturer proceeded to her lecture of the effects of globalisation in Chiang Mai, covering…

Day 3 (6th Jan)

Day 3 is what some will term the ‘play day’. Apart from a trip to Doi Suthep in the morning, the rest of the day was essentially free and easy. As the tour guide said, Doi Suthep was the place to visit on a trip to Chiang Mai. It was truly a magnificent sight, the…

Day 2 (5th Jan)

Once again, the day started early with the bus trip back to Chiang Mai, but not before a stopover at yet another eye-feasting tourist site, the white temple. It was lined with tons of mirror that caused the mirror to sparkle in sunlight, a sight that no photo can ever do justice to. The main…

Day 1 (4th Jan)

The day started off early with a tiring 3 hours journey to Mae Fah Luang University, Chiang Rai. It was well worth the journey though because we were greeted with a lovely sight as we pulled into the campus. This is the campus that has been voted the most beautiful university in Thailand! What a…

Day 2 [Jan 5]

Wat Rong Khun (The White Temple) The renown White Temple (Wat Rong Khun) was our first stop of the day en route back to Chiangmai. Upon arrival at the temple grounds, we got down to conducting interviews with the people working there, specifically the secretary of the temple and shop owners. I was looking forward…

Post-trip Reflections

The week I spent in Chiang Mai had ups and downs, with some expectations met and some expectations unprecedentedly surpassed. One expectation that was met was that of being challenged to think in new ways, be more open minded to concepts and ideas that are foreign to me. For example, on Day 1, Dr Vithi…