Meet Apichanat Lohanakakul. His nickname is Mart. In September he will start his third year in Urban Studies. How is he doing, and what does he notice in his city?

Where are you now, and why?

I’m currently living in Bangkok, Thailand. At first, I did not plan to come back here in this summer. But in the middle of March, after more people in the Netherlands got infected, I was asked by my parents to come back to Thailand. At least, being here could calm their minds.

How is it for you to follow the online classes from where you are?

We are five hours ahead here in Thailand, so it does not affect me in terms of time managements. However, it is still difficult for me to study from home because studying from home makes me have a lack of motivation to study sometimes. Studying at the campus among hardworking students makes me feel more energetic and motivated.

What do you see changing in Bangkok, from the perspective of studying Urban Studies?

Well, I can say that Bangkok has changed a lot! Many social movements have been brought up for discussions in the social media. The freedom of speech is one of the viral topics in Thailand now because political censorship in the country is more and more intense, so Thai people start fighting for their own rights and privacies. From my perspective as a student of the Urban Studies programme, I think it is quite surprising to see how my own city changes each year. Many topics that we discussed in the programme are very useful to make me understand how the authorities are shaping the city, how they want to control us by using space and power.

In the time of corona crisis, we have the measures called ‘new-normal’ which many services and shops apply while they are reopening again. We are still practicing social distancing and checking the temperature strictly. Moreover, it is obligatory to wear a mask wherever you go. Even while it is quite a controversial topic whether a face mask is able to protect you from the virus or not, but for my society at least, it is considered true that wearing a mask can prevent the spread of COVID-19 in case infected people are in the incubation period.

How do you think we can learn from this Corona Crisis?

I think having Corona crisis allows me to have more time with myself. Although I am introverted, I still found it tough to stay at home all the time. I wanted to have a social life in the real world with my friends which was not possible at the beginning (during the announcement of emergency decree and curfews). It depressed me sometimes that even when I already came back home to Bangkok, but still couldn’t meet anyone. But I could say that it is the best time to notice what you value, what you really want to do in your life.

Are you looking forward to coming back to The Hague?

Of course, I would like to go back to The Hague. Although I love spending time in a metropolitan city like Bangkok, I still find The Hague fascinating. Slow life, historical buildings, and nice city views can be found in The Hague. Especially in spring and summer, that is the best time to be in the Netherlands!