Give people what they want vs. what they should know. This is a delicate balance for a news organization that prides itself on thoughtful, values-based reporting. Especially when readers gravitate toward the stories that surface in their feeds by algorithms that favor the salacious and scandalous.
While we would love for your to read our choices of our best work from this past year, these are the stories that won the popularity contest, got named homecoming royalty, married too fast, and then aged poorly.
2022: The feature stories you really should have read
Here’s where to buy cannabis right now in Bangkok (Weed Map)
It was weed you wanted, and it was weed we provided. With a regularly updated map on where to buy weed in Bangkok and all the relevant and useful information on all the dispensaries we could track down, file this one under “news you can use.”
High spirits: Thai stoners celebrate legal weed smoking (Photos)
Competitors dissed us as “fake news” as far back as January when we reported weed would be fully decriminalized, but the joke was on them. Our reporters got it right and rode the high all year, providing the best coverage of Thailand’s weed revolution.
Tangmo boat companion to tell truth about her death: reports
Tangmo. If you didn’t hear about the actress’ tragic death, you must have spent the year inside a Faraday cage.
Chatuchak Fish Market reels customers in with tank babes
Somehow we go all the way to fourth place before arriving at a “babes” story. That gives us hope. (But don’t worry, we still delight in bodacious babes and hot dudes.)
You can carry weed on domestic flights: Airports of Thailand
We thought this would be a good one to get a definitive answer to before our next domestic flight.
No Thai royals at Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral
Yep, nope.
BTS warns Bangkok commuters to stop booty-clenching the pole
We all know this guy. Please don’t be this guy.
At least 2 revelers confirmed dead at Wonderfruit Festival
A post-pandemic, year-end blowout turned tragic when two revelers died at the Wonderfruit festival
Monkeypox! Thailand quarantines 12 on flight with infected passenger
Just when we thought it was safe to get together again. Fortunately the worst did not come to pass.
Busty Buriram somtam vendor ignores criticism of lucrative racy pics
Somtam. Before her tragic death from lupus at 30, megastar singer Pumpuang Duangjan might have put it best:
Pound the chili peppers with a mortar and pestle, it smells fantastic.
Lemon, fish sauce, and granulated sugar, but just a pinch of sugar if you have it.
Be sure to season it, add the papaya.
Don’t forget to add dried shrimp and pound it well.
Eat it with sticky rice, go out and share it with everyone
It’s an arousing fragrance, everyone will be drooling.
Full marriage equality bill gets surprise nod from Thai Parliament
The electorate, frustrated by years of not being heard or seen, saw a number of surprises this year. Beyond the decriminalization of cannabis, homebrewing was almost decriminalized, and unexpected hope for true marriage equality blossomed – all in the month of June.
