วีรวรรธน์ สมนึก

Weerawat Somnuk is an independent journalist based in Northeast Thailand. He regularly writes for the online-magazine The Isaander. He is a cofounder of Khon Kaen's bookshop Abdul Books.
Opinion

Folk ballads, prophecies, and ideologies: The arms of the Holy Man’s Rebellion in war with Bangkok

The Thai-language side of The Isaan Record has been publishing a series on the “Holy Man Rebellion” of 1901-02. We are sharing select pieces to our English-language readers. In this article, Weerawat Somnoek looks at the most powerful weapon used in the “Isaan Phi Bun Rebellion” against the dominance of Bangkok. It was not their swords or spears, but their ballads that helped spread and strengthen a certain ideology among the oppressed that inspired them to stand up against authority.

Culture

Remembrances of Red Trauma (9) – Awakened in May 2010

“Awakened” is a graphic novel by Claudio Sopranzetti telling the story of Nok, a manual laborer with a yearning for true democracy and rights. In the end, Nok was defeated by a single bullet in the May 2010 clashes. Though the bullet blinded him, it is not clear whether he also lost sight of his ideals.

Features

Being homeless in Khon Kaen amidst the COVID-19 crisis

Homeless people in Khon Kaen city are one of the most vulnerable groups among the urban poor. How are these people dealing with the COVID-19 outbreak and what measures are the government taking to protect the most vulnerable members of society?