This time, the project isn’t limited to just Bangkok but all over the country.

“We want people to send us pictures of the trees that they bond with. It can be a tree in your community, school or near your house that has a story. The idea is to raise awareness that we need to cherish the trees around us,” Oraya Sutabutr, one of the Big Trees organizers, told us.

She said the project was inspired by Singapore’s Heritage Trees campaign, which saw important historic trees around the island listed on a map to encourage people to cherish and admire them.

“Singapore recognized those trees as important property of the country. If anyone damages them or hits them with a car, they will be punished with fines.”

You can submit your tree by posting a picture at http://on.fb.me/1ff4nRI from now until May 14, 2014. They will announce the winner on World Environment Day, June 5. Keep up-to-date about their event at www.facebook.com/BIGTreesProject

To be a part of the movement, you can also use the following hashtags: #บิ๊กทรี #ต้นไม้แสนรัก #bigtreesproject #crowdsourcing #LOVEheritagetrees #thailand

Your family’s love can help you get through storms in life. Love can give you the strength to move on no matter what you’re facing.

My mom had a breakdown after she broke up with my dad. She fell into serious depression, and couldn’t take care of simple things like cooking for us. I was nine then. I went to my neighbors and asked them if they could talk to her. When she saw what I’d done, I think she realized how much her kids really loved her. She picked herself up and moved us all to the US.

Hardship made me grow up fast. I used to be a self-centered kid who would get everything I wanted. But seeing my mom and my sister work so hard to earn a living in the US, it made me realize that our lives weren’t the same as when we were in Thailand. So I started working part-time with them.

I feel for students who work part-time in Thailand. The minimum wage here is so low compared to the work. They won’t be able to send themselves to school or college like those who work in the US. I sent myself to college and I graduated in animation. But here, it’s nearly impossible.

Singing wasn’t my thing at the beginning. I just sang for fun at my friend’s restaurant until it became a job. 

I love R&B from the Motown era. I love to listen to old songs. Those songs are really charming and sincere. It’s the base of every musical genre that exists today.

Life is a rollercoaster, not a space rocket. It’s impossible for your life to get higher and higher and more successful all the time. I always remind myself of this fact to stay humble, sane and happy no matter where I am today.

The highest peak of my existence was when I was chosen to sing with Boyd Kosiyabong in Los Angeles, where he arranged a Christian concert. He then asked me to sing for him on “What Will I Do” on the album Rhythm & Boyd E1EVEN1H in Thailand. I jumped at the opportunity right away. 

I nearly gave up on music. I had no job for months after I worked with Boyd. I was so stresssed out, I even thought of going back to the US. I’d go for long walks to clear my thoughts. One time I ended up walking from BTS Phra Khanong to Rama 9 Road.

Don’t let yourself be buried in fear. You must put yourself up to what you want to do, and do it to the end. If you don’t give up, it will happen someday. 

Never stop improving. Don’t let yourself be flattered with compliments saying you’re already good at what you do. If you keep doing the same thing, people will eventually pass you by. 

I love performing. It’s lucky that my work isn’t really work. It fulfills me every time. It’s a natural high.

Touring is dangerous for artists in Thailand. We need to go everywhere by van and everything depends on the driver. There was a night that we finished a concert at 3am and had to come back to Bangkok. Our driver was nodding off, his head dropping several times, so I asked him to stop. 

Once, I was on stage when I hit the microphone so hard, one of my front teeth cracked into small pieces. I ran to the dentist the next morning but I’m still afraid of bringing a microphone too close to my mouth!

I cherish honesty in friendships. I don’t have many friends here with whom I can talk openly. So I always cherish those I have as they always stand by me every time I need someone to talk to.

Guys must be the one to yield in relationship. I heard that from a pastor I met at a wedding. I think it’s true, but to be honest, I’m still trying to be that kind of guy.

Making something worth being remembered for is exceptional. I wish I could do something like that, even if it’s on a small scale. 

Life is short. Don’t work too hard to the point where you have no time to enjoy your beautiful life with the ones you love, especially your parents. You don’t want to look up one day and realize they’re gone.

Spending money alone is useless. Sharing it with others and giving it away will make your life meaningful. 

Kanchanaburi is back in the headlines again with the recent Hollywood release of The Railway Man, a film based on the bestselling autobiography by Eric Lomax, a British POW who was put to work on the infamous death railway during WWII. The town hosted its annual River Kwai Bridge Festival last month, but there are many other ways you can explore Kanchanaburi’s fascinating past.

War Memorials

Upon arriving in Kanchanaburi, you will be confronted with many reminders of World War II. Firstly, there are several museums you can visit. Start with the JEATH War Museum (Chaichumphol Alley, open daily 8:30am-4:30pm, B10 for Thais and B30 for foreigners) at Wat Chaichumpolchanasongkhram, or Wat Tai as locals call it. Founded by the abbot of the temple, this u-shaped one-storey bamboo shack is intended to resemble the shelters where prisoners of war (POW) from England, Australia and Holland were forced to live while building the Thai-Burma railway for the Japanese Army. Inside are various photos and paintings detailing their plight, as well as everyday items. JEATH takes its name from each of the countries involved in the construction of the death railway: Japan, England, Australia, Thailand and Holland.

Another similar exhibition can be found at the World War II & JEATH War Museum (Maenamkwai Road, open daily 8am-5pm, B40, 034-512-596, 034-513-478), which is near the River Kwai Bridge. Here things go into considerably more detail with quite eerie touches like an old Japanese army locomotive, old guns, sculptures of WWII world leaders and skeletons believed to be POWs’ displayed in a dark room of a temple-like building. In the next wall, it is home to Japanese cemetary which is always visited by Japanese families and officials annually. 

Perhaps the most informative museum, the Thai-Burma Railway Centre (next to Don Rak Cemetery on Saeng-Chuto Road, open daily 9am-5pm, B120, 034 512-721, www.tbrconline.com) offers well-designed exhibitions covering the construction of the railway as well as the post-war situation, including models, video and dioramas.

Another option is Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum (open Mon-Sat 9am-4pm, free), which specifically explores the brutal conditions of the eponymous railway cutting here. Apart from the exhibition, you can also take a 15-minute trek down to Chong Khao Khad, aka Hellfire Pass.

One other famous stop is Don Rak Cemetery or Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery on Saeng-Chuto Road. You can also visit Chungkai War Cemetery, the site of the original POW camp and hospital during WWII. Though the war has been over for more than 60 years, these two cemeteries are still often visited and not just by surviving POWs. “I recently met a family from the UK who came to visit Don Rak cemetery as their relative was buried there. During their stay, the grandson visited the cemetery to lay flowers and sat next to his grandfather’s grave for 30 minutes every day. He never met his granddad but the connection is still strong,” says Michael Newbatt, Manager of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission in Thailand. 

Historic Road

Apart from all the museums, there are more lively ways to dive head-first into Kanchanaburi’s history, like heading to Pakprak Road to visit the 170-year-old community there. Once you reach this road, the first thing you will notice are the beautiful century-old buildings. Each building has a sign detailing its special history and unique design. This road was once a dense commercial area, so the Japanese army came here to do business during their occupation. Here, you can learn about the extraordinary story of a merchant named Boonpong Sirivejjabhandu, who risked his life to secretly help POWs stationed in the area. “He joined with Sir Ernest Edward Dunlop, a POW at the camp, to smuggle in medicines and food, and lend money without knowing whether he would ever get it back. His wife was totally against these actions as she feared what would happen if the authorities found out. But then she saw how bad the POWs had it,” Boonpong’s sister-in-law Lamyai Sirivejjabhandu explains. “His courage has been widely honored by POWs, especially the Australians and English, but sadly very few Thais know his story.” Today, there is a small exhibition devoted to the heroic acts of Boonpong in an old building named Siri Osot (สิริโอสถ).

This nostalgic road is also home to beautiful cafés sat in century-old structures. First stop is Baan Sitthisang (141 Sitthisan House, Pakprak Road, open daily 8am-6pm, 034-514-514), a colonial-style house turned retro café that occasionally hosts small art workshops at the weekend. Another worth a visit is Hua Hong Coffee (154 Pakprak Road, open daily 8am-6pm, 034-511-577), which is decorated in a colorful Chinese-Viet style including vibrant flower-print chairs. Their treats include homemade brownies and banana chocolate chip muffins. The best way to take in this street is by cycling, easily done by renting a ride at one of the many neighborhood bike shops.

Train Hopping

One image forever associated with Kanchanaburi is of a train on a wooden bridge right by the River Kwai. In order to capture that iconic moment yourself, you’ll have to plan your trip carefully to reach to the scenic spot of Krasae Cave. You can start by catching a train at Thonburi Station in Bangkok at either 7:45am (train No. 257) or 1:55pm (train No.259). Last stop is Nam Tok Station at Sai Yok Noi Waterfall but you need to hop out at Tham Krasae Bridge Station to take the famous shot of the train running along the cliff and the river. Travel is free for Thai citizens and B100 for foreigners. If you go by car, you can simply drive to Krasae Cave—just make sure to time your arrival to coincide with the train’s.

Essentials 

Memorial Services

There are two annual memorial services at Kanchanaburi Allied War Cemetery, the Remembrance Service held by the Royal British Legion on Nov 11 and Anzac Day held by the Australian Embassy on April 25. The Anzac event also includes a moving dawn service at Hellfire Pass Memorial Museum.

Where to Stay

U Inchantree Kanchanaburi Hotel (443 Mae Nam Kwai Road, 034-521-584, 086-368-7014, http://bit.ly/1dxN8Ge). Room rates start at B3,000 for a superior room.

Dheva Mantra Resort and Spa (9/99, Tha Makham district, 034 527-666, www.dhevamantra.com) at B4,500 for superior room. 

How to get there

By car

From Bangkok, take Highway No.4 (Phetkasem Road) before turning onto Highway 323 at Ban Pong district and then drive until you reach Kanchanaburi.

By train

From Thonburi Station catch train No. 257 at 7:45am or train No. 259 at 1:55pm. Return trains from Kanchanaburi Station leave at 7:11am and 2:37pm.

I’m in love with books. I love to do anything related to books. That’s why I’m a writer, editor, publisher and bookshop owner.

Good manuscripts drove me to launch Rawang Bantad [Between the Lines] Publishing. I worked as a freelance editor and received many manuscripts to edit, one of which was Prabda Yoon’s Pab Mai Ning [Moving Pictures]. My friends encouraged me to start a publishing house to offer an alternative to readers.

Publishers must be at the center of all book circles. We need to know the writers, meet the financial backers, and negotiate with distributors. We need connections.

My joy at exploring the journeys in each book made me jump into the bookshop business. My work used to end at the printers or with the distributors. But with Candide Bookstore now I actually get to put those books in readers’ hands.

Independent bookshops give readers more choice. Candide tries to push books that are interesting and which people might not know exist. It helps small publishers, too. They can produce books in small runs of about 1,500 copies instead of the 5,000 copies that big chains demand.

Running two businesses by myself was really exhausting. I was editor of my publishing house and running the bookshop at the same time. I had less and less time to edit work. So when our lease at the old place came to an end, I decided to close Candide.  

Book publishers are to blame for people not loving to read. Make books to serve readers, not your own needs. We need to do everything we can to make books attractive to them. 

I love books that move me in some way. I used to love Haruki Murakami because the messages he communicated were so right for me. I would feel run-down after reading one of his book. His works sucked up all my strength. He’s not my favorite now, though, as his recent books are pretty mainstream.

Paperbacks won’t disappear, even though this is the digital age. E-book sales are really slow here. Readers still love the real thing.

E-readers are just gadgets. I used to be excited about e-books and would buy many for my iPad. But in the end, I wouldn’t read them all. It’s too much! I’ve stopped reading them.

Value readers no matter what they are reading. Many people think teen novels like Jamsai Publisher or Dek-D.com are rubbish but I don’t see it that way. You don’t need to read serious novels to be a good reader. It’s about nurturing people to read. One day, they will move on to another level to read about other topics. 

There is no profession that needs freedom more than writers. Freedom of expression is a writer’s biggest tool. That’s why I signed the petition to fix article 112, which protects the monarchy, because it’s nearly impossible to express our ideas on the topic of politics. Some people try to twist this by saying we’re against the monarchy. 

Thai society needs the monarchy, myself included. I still enjoy watching the royal news every night. But in terms of expression, we need to change the law.

There is no space to be neutral in politics. It’s pretty sad that we’re pushed to the other side if we don’t agree with the red shirts or yellow shirts. Each side thinks that people have to fall in line with one way of thinking. That’s why nothing comes of it. 

Reading can solve political problems. Reading opens your mind, so if each side starts reading up on each other’s thoughts, we can start talking. But the problem is each side wants to shut down the other side’s opinions. Anyone can just go to the police station and say you’re against the monarchy.

I’m disappointed by our politics. I used to admire ex-prime minister Chuang Leekpai, but I lost all my faith in the Democrat Party after the killings during the 2010 protests. 

We’re at the lowest point of democracy now. It’s ridiculous that we are in 2014 and we still need to beg people to go to vote. 

Democracy has shown over time that it’s the best option. You pick the representatives who work for you. If they do poorly, wait another four years to vote new ones in. But now it seems many Thai people can’t wait. On the other hand, many people will fight for Thaksin, not because they love him, but because he was ousted by a coup d’état. 

I might vote for the Democrats in this election, if they run. I want them to know how graceful it is to win an election fairly.

It’s distressing that the fate of our country is now in the hands of the Constitutional Court. No matter if something’s voted in by parliament, it still comes down to the court to decide. The parliament, as voted for by the people, should wield ultimate power.

See every day as a challenge. What’s the point of living if you wake up and it’s just another boring day?