Author: Eryk Michael Smith

Eryk Michael Smith is a journalist with over a decade of experience working for local and international outlets. He is also the co-host of The Taiwan History Podcast: Formosa Files, and co-founder of Plum Rain Press. The Kaohsiung Times is Smith's latest project, and aims to provide more southern Taiwan-centric news in English.

By KHT Staff. AI-generated illustration image. KAOHSIUNG — An 18-year-old scooter rider was rescued after falling down a roadside slope near Shoushan (壽山), also known as Chaishan Mountain (柴山), in Kaohsiung, police said. According to social media accounts, the rider was in a “bad mood” and had gone to the area to clear his head, though this has not been independently confirmed. The incident occurred on a steep section of road near Shanhai Temple (山海宮), where the rider, surnamed Yang (楊), lost control of his scooter while descending and struck a guardrail before sliding down the adjacent slope. Authorities said…

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By Eryk Michael Smith/Pingtung County Govt. PINGTUNG — Officials are hopeful about the prospects of a long-dormant industrial site in Pingtung (屏東) becoming one of southern Taiwan’s most ambitious new art spaces. The Pingtung Art Museum (屏東縣立美術館) was once Warehouse No. 14 at the former Pingtung Tobacco Factory (屏菸). On Friday, March 27, it reopens as part of the Pingtung 1936 Cultural Base, another milestone in the county’s journey to turn its industrial heritage into facilities that serve the public. County Magistrate Chou Chun-mi (周春米) got an early look this week, walking through the space with architect Shih Chao-yung (石昭永)…

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By Eryk Michael Smith/Staff KAOHSIUNG — Additional details have been released for Kaohsiung’s upcoming Children’s Day “Dinosaur Park” (恐龍酷樂園) event at the National Kaohsiung Center for the Arts (Weiwuying, 衛武營國家藝術文化中心), including confirmation that all activities will be free to attend. Organizers said the four-day event, running April 3rd to April 6th, will feature a full-day program across multiple themed zones, with activities beginning around 11 a.m. and continuing into the evening. The headline attraction, a performance by Japan’s DINO-A-LIVE troupe, will run three times daily, with shows scheduled at 3:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., and 7:20 p.m. Each performance lasts approximately…

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By Eryk Michael Smith/Staff. AI image for illustration only. KAOHSIUNG — Kaohsiung International Airport (高雄國際機場) is easily reached by the city’s MRT Red Line (紅線), which also links to TRA trains at Kaohsiung Main Station (高雄車站), as well as the Zuoying High Speed Rail Station (左營高鐵站) further north on the line. One major inconvenience, however, is the lack of in-town airport check-in services, which means travelers must carry their luggage onto the Kaohsiung MRT (高雄捷運). A report from UDN says local officials and transport observers are asking why Kaohsiung doesn’t have the same services as the Taoyuan Airport MRT (桃園機場捷運),…

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