Exit to the North

Any excuse to go up to Chiangmai is a good excuse and MTV Exit's invitation to Chiangmai to stay at the Four Seasons Mae Rim and do the backstage interviews at the MTV Exit, Live in Chiangmai concert definitely fits the bill.

Despite the rain and the gloom, the Four Seasons is still lovely, we had a really spacious pavilion overlooking the rice paddies. The view onto the rice paddies is sublime, it is a very manicured rice paddy but they have kept the little wooden rice huts in the distance and buffaloes roam around. It is like living in another time with the comforts of the Four Seasons, I could probably get used to it! Especially as the food is rather good, I had a bite of the Club Sandwich, defo not a traditional one, a little bit Italian inspired but still good and I loved the gnocchi.

room

view from room

gnocchi

water buffaloes Tong and Tae x me

MTV Exit is MTV's campaign vs. human trafficking. MCOT happens to be their media partner for the campaign with the documentary premiering tonight! July 5th at 11.45 pm on Modernine. It is an informative, honest and very well made documentary about human trafficking, it raises awareness as to how shattering and widespread the crime is, especially in SE Asia and is hosted by Ananda (who is the ambassador for this campaign). The concert was an awareness raising event coupled together with major entertainment with the finale being the Korean phenomenon Super Junior M. It was pretty amazing what the turn out was considering the fact that it rained and rained all day and that the stadium is outdoors. We are talking 20,000 people in blue ponchos watching shortfilms made about the perils of human trafficking by students from Chiang Mai universtity and around the region between sets from ETC, Thaitainium, Slot-Machine and Kate Miller-Heidke.

Lee, Ananda and P'Jeab backstage

Thaitanium, Southside and I

the audience during Super Junior M set

Super Junior M paparazzi shot

There is this kind of craziness that comes with Korean pop stars, this idol worship and devoted fan behaviour which until that night I have never seen. I mean, properly, fans running through the rain to get prime spot, fans fainting, fan club gifts, this obsession. The managers are able to safeguard the artists' personalities to the point that they are untouchable, that probably adds to their appeal. I got a tiny little glimpse . . . then got thrown off the side stage, then went to hang out with the cops on the other side stage. I kinda get it but not really. Oh well, not gonna fight against millions who just love them to ask why. The concert special (with my little backstage interviews) will air on Modernine TV too, on July 17th at 21.30. Should be fun!

The next day, we just hung out, it's nice to be in the mountains, grey skies, and that kind of forest jungle feel. It's sleepy and calm. The little Wawee coffeshop and gallery on the hill is really nice, there were brother and sister cats hanging out in the little shrine too.

And its nice to know that you can walk out of the Four SEasons grounds to get a little bit of local action. The local action on that day were fans, lots of them, plotting a way to enter the Four Seasons to meet Super Junior, talk about determination. We witnessed a fan who was able to convince the security guard to take her bouquet of flowers to Super Junior. Sweet.

Back to the Four Seasons.

The weekend ended with a lovely wrap party at Ratree bar by the pool (the MTV crew all ended up in the pool, I did not) nicely done and thank goodness for the 24 hour room service.

K Yanisa, Ananda, K Titiya, Kate Miller-Heide and Ruici

Then finally time to leave, short little northern escape, without going to North Gate and Huanpen! I think that warrants as an excuse to go back very soon.