About the site
This is a blog site of life in the country and the community's cooperative online store for the best products from the region. The site also aims to provide as a source of information for affiliated charity projects centered around nature and cultural conservation, community-based developments and creativity.
Based in Chiangmai, in northern Thailand, we are deeply connected with our beloved homeland and its sister territories, the people and their cultures. We are passionate about preserving and promoting the good, old ways we once lived.
Originally created as a personal blog by its founder, it's now a community of chefs, artists, farmers, designers, travelers, writers, craftspeople, educators and locals - who commonly share an appreciation for a slower and more meaningful way of life.
We also share the hope to help improve the lives of those in the region, and encourage them to add their perspectives, enriching our journey as we go along.
Contributors
Talay
Creator/Site Founder
Talay was born by the Mekong River, in the foothills of the
Himalayas, but her spirit is distilled through seeing the world. A true Indochine by birth and a world citizen by heart, she is multi-lingual, including some minority dialects.
Talay is creative, with a special adoration for beautiful, far-flung places and home making; appreciates poetry and the old world cultures and traditions that are fading.
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She is the Founder of The Mountain Foundation, and creator and the main contributor of this site.
Aarya
Contributor
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Aarya is a designer and seasoned hospitality professional. Also a trained chef, she cooks well in both her native and Southern European cuisines -increasingly likes to go back to the basics and loves "rustic food everything!".
Finally back in the country and to her roots - after nearly 30 years of roaming the world and having a modern corporate life - she now devotes herself to the subjects she cares most about.
Anantika
Contributor/Administrator
A true Lanna born and bred with Bachelor Degree in Agriculture and Master Degree in Environmental Science from Chiangmai University, with extensive experience in working in the forest fields through out Thailand's northern region, Anantika is an ideal person when it comes to insight knowledge on environment and countryside relavence!
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She is manages the enterprising section of our online store.
Learn more about The Mountain Foundation
and how you can contribute:
Learn more about the unique culinary hospitality that is closely linked to The Mountain Foundation
Phrakru Worawanwiwat (PhD)
Advisor/Contributor
A revered Buddhist monk of Lanna, a community leader, a historian, a philanthropist, an award winner as the Founder of Thailand's first and most successful forest
conservation project, Lhongkod Model that is now continued on as Sri Lanna National Park Conservation
Project, Phrakru Worawanwiwat (Dr.) has been tirelessly dedicating his life to helping others.
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A nature lover and Lanna culture conservationist, he currently serves as the abbot for two temples in Phrao, Chiangmai, where he was born.
His main temple, Wat Doiwiang Chaimongkol, is also a free-learning school, a working farm, a heritage Mahawan Museum and the main office for various community projects.
His incredible life journeys and the teaching of Dharma that inspire countless people are a major part of our site and all that we believe in.
Palom
Contributor
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Hails from Nova Scotia, Canada, the love of nature and country life comes naturally for Palom.
Arrived in Thailand more than a decade ago, the Kingdom
is now home. Palom teaches at Silpakorn University.
With an education gained from Dalhousie University, OCAD University and the Royal Conservatory of Music- in English Literature, Painting (honours) and Classical Voice - Palom is a true artist with a varied scope of vision and expression. Thesis year in Painting was done in Florence, Italy; surrounded with art, history and opera. Culture and nature are the muses for all creativity.
Palom has special affinity for growing iris- a hobby he’s had from an early age in Canada-; now the lush gardens of Thailand are calling.
An opportunity to participate as a contributor in In the Country excites him. He's also taking on the challenge of becoming a hospitality professional, so we can almost predict the subjects of his blog posts as he embarks on this pursuit!
Vince
Guest Contributor
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Vince was recipient of the Architectural Association School
of Architecture London (AA) Scholarship and the Design
Singapore Scholarship.
He left Singapore in 2003 to pursue Architecture in London
and graduated with RIBA/ARB Part II (Royal Institute of British Architect/Architect Registration Board) in 2009.
The former Foster+Partners architectural designer also worked for award-winning WOHA Architects upon his return to Singapore in 2011. Vince is currently founder/principal designer at EBON Designs since 2012 and is also Design Associate to Design Singapore Council.
Vince has been involved in various charity projects including Project Love Asia where he's personally responsible for building homes and schools for under-privileged orphans of Myanmar and Northern Thailand.
He discovered northern Thailand upon having been invited as a guest by Aarya, and has ever since been captivated by Lanna culture, architecture, the creative sense of the people and the hidden treasures of the region.
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