BK Magazine 812

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Old Eats How one couple keeps traditional Thai-Portuguese recipes relevant Shoe Nuff A former shoe factory gets a second life as a boutique hotel Eat This Now The best places to eat on the streets across Thonburi Kit Tueng Photographer Graham Meyer documents Thonburi in transition

NO. 812 SEPTEMBER 03, 2021. www.bkmagazine.com

The Thonburi issue

food & drink

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 03, 2021

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ADVERTORIAL

FEAST OF A DEAL

Treat Yourself Get that paycheck ready, and dive in.

Thai Niyom Though this restaurant specializes in dishes from all the kingdom’s regions, we love it for a simple reason: its incredible sai oua (Chiang Mai sausage). The owners follow their own recipe, ensuring a juicy and unique flavor. A glistening gold and red sign welcomes you into the two-level space, where you’ll also find pork ribs in Isaan tom saep (spicy soup), Chiang Mai deepfried pork belly, southern classics and more.

Mahatun Plaza, 888/28-29 Phloen Chit Rd., 02-044-1010. Open daily 10am-7:30pm

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get 10% discount on food only when spending THB 1,500 or more /sales slip (Applicable for takeaway) 1 Feb – 31 Dec ’21

Somtamnua Known for excellently prepared Northeastern food with powerful flavors, Somtamnua often saw long queues of both tourists and locals lining up around the door to get inside. They would come clambering for dishes like papaya salad, spicy pork soup and grilled pork jowl. The real hit here is their fried chicken—beautifully marinated and with perfectly crispy skin—and tam-mua (somtam with Thai pork sausages and crispy pork rind). You can still order takeaway if you want a fiery Isaan feast, so long as you are in delivery distance of Siam Square.

392/14-15 Siam Square Soi 5, 080-068-1022.

Open daily 11am-7:30pm

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get 15% discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages when spending THB 1,200 or more / sales slip

Chim Chim

This vibrant art-inspired social diner opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner, but also operates as an art gallery. Comfort food gets clever twists across the menu plus a boost from ingredients sourced from local-all stars like Roots, Monsoon Tea, Kad Kokoa’s chocolate and Sloane’s meats. Dishes are colourful, generously plated, wholesome and geared towards sharing.

Siam@Siam Design Hotel Bangkok 02-217-3000. Open daily 8am-8pm (last order 7:30pm)

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get 20% discount on food and non-alcoholic beverages (Applicable for takeaway)

Thai Niyom

2 Jan – 31 Dec ’21

JHOL Coastal Indian Cuisine This contemporary southern coastal Indian restaurant in the heart of Sukhumvit is known for its bhel puri (puffed rice and vegetable chaat) served in a wooden som tam khrok and ghee (Indian clarified butter) roast chicken with crispy cone dosa. You’ll also find exotic, Thai-leaning cocktails like Mehkong whiskey with torched bite-size kanom jak.

Chim Chim

7/2 Sukhumvit Soi 18, 02-004-7174.

Open daily 6-10pm

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get 20% discount on a la carte menu only (not applicable for tasting menu) (Applicable for takeaway) 1 Aug ’21 – 31 Jul ’22

(Applicable for takeaway) 1 Jun ’21 - 31 May ’22

Brought to you by Citi

Somtam Nua

JHOL Coastal Indian Cuisine

page 3 Who's in charge?

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BK EDITORIAL

one day in...

Managing Editor Craig Sauers

History, heritage, and hipster haunts in Thonburi

Senior Writers Alisha Pawa, Porpor Leelasestaporn Contributors Megan Leon, Graham Meyer GROVE: COCONUTS MEDIA BRAND STUDIO Head of Grove Juhi Bimbhet

What happens next?

In an advertorial published in Reuters last year, CBRE Thailand’s managing director proudly declared: “[Thonburi] had always been a quiet district, off the radar of real estate developers. Now it’s become a golden area.”

Business Director Dietrich Neu Account Manager Summer Lee Digital Account Manager Nuttajuk Kittichailuk Senior Project Manager Sirinart Panyasricharoen Project Manager Sawanya Chantarakana Art Director Vatanya Bongkotkarn

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Production Supervisor Komkrit Klinkaeo Senior Graphic Designer Umporn Jiaranai

photo essay

Senior Business Development Manager Orajira Sukkasem

Photographer Graham Meyer captures a side of life in Thonburi that often gets overlooked

Business Development Manager Tassanee Mahamad, Chalida Anuwattanawong, Joseph Toh, Ain Zulkifni, Waranuch Thaneerat Business Development Executives Palita Nueangnit SOIMILK Editor Noranartta Chaikum Senior Writers Rujiyatorn Choksiriwan, Kristiya Chaisri Publisher, Printer, and Editor Tara Rattanaphas On the cover The Merry Kings Department Store in Thonburi by Graham Meyer

The opposition groups secured an injunction against the river promenade last year, but they haven’t been able to kill it entirely. Let alone prevent other developments from fundamentally altering the make-up of Thonburi. The construction of IconSiam, the Magnolias waterfront condos, and the BTS Gold Line—a so-called “people mover,” because it’s just a bus on an elevated track—have reimagined the neighborhood as a sanctuary for the elite. Their very existence is like a crystal ball offering a look into the future.

10 food & drink

7 can’t-miss street food spots

It isn’t the future everyone wants.

BK Magazine is a Coconuts Media publication.

Founder and CEO Byron Perry Coconuts TV Head of Content Vim Shanmugam Operations Manager Clarissa Cortes

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coconuts.co Advertise with us advertising@coconuts.co

food & drink

Where to get great coffee in the neighborhood

Where to find us!

Coconuts BK Limited

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BK Magazine is edited by Tara Rattanaphas and published 24 times a year, twice a month by Coconuts BK Limited. Copyright © 2020 Coconuts BK Limited.

The titles “BK Magazine” and their associated logos or devices, and the content of “BK Magazine” are the property of Coconuts BK Limited. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is strictly prohibited. Article reprints are available for THB50 each. The magazine may not be distributed without the express written consent of Coconuts BK Limited. Contact the Advertising Department for ad rates and specifications. All advertising must comply with the Publisher’s terms of business,copies of which are available upon request.

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That it has. But did anyone ask Thonburi residents if they wanted their neighborhood to become a golden area? Recall the Chao Phraya Promenade project, a blueprint that would have given us a 10-meter-wide elevated highway for foot traffic on the water—the one that was going to displace a bunch of communities living in Thonburi. More than 30 groups have joined in opposition to it. In doing so, many have cited the way it would uproot families from their homes and pave over centuries of history. Almost everyone agrees that there hasn’t been adequate public participation in the planning of the project, either. Somehow the stakeholders most affected by commercial development in Bangkok never seem to have their voices heard.

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feature

the last word

A local shop gets a new lease on life

Kanittha “Tan” Sakulthong

For Thonburi residents like Graham Meyer, a photographer who has lived in the area for more than a decade, change within Thonburi has occurred gradually, almost quietly, until finally it has become overwhelming and undeniable. In a photo essay he produced for this issue, his shots capture a neighborhood in transition—raw, real, at times funny and absurd, at times sad.

Other residents have in their own, quiet ways pushed back against the forces of development by drawing on their heritage. In one story, you’ll meet a woman named Tan who is keeping century-old Thai-Portuguese family recipes alive inside her wooden home located in the Kudeejeen community. In another, you’ll hear from Monpen, one of six siblings who renovated the shophouse where their grandfather ran his shoemaking business for six decades, turning it into a boutique hotel that highlights their family’s history.

Heritage sites in Thonburi date back centuries. The Klongsan district has existed for 100 years. Nothing here is new, yet developers and government leaders behave as if manifest destiny compels them to spread their dominion across this long-occupied land. As you flip through these pages, take a moment to think about that. For better or worse, this golden area is getting a lot more than a fresh coat of paint. Five years from now, Thonburi won’t look the same.

ONE DAY IN…

Thonburi

This old town community may be in the midst of widescale transformation, the landscape now dotted with luxury malls and condos. But along Thonburi’s snaking alleyways and riverside paths, close-knit communities that blend the new with the old and a smattering of exciting small businesses still give the neighborhood enduring charm. Here’s how to experience it.

By BK Magazine

MORNING Thonburi boasts a handful of brekkie spots and cool cafes for early risers. Head to Lynx Specialty Coffee for a quality cup of coffee. If you have such a ferocious sweet tooth that you want cake for breakfast, you can satisfy the itch here with its scrumptious array of desserts. Or head to Hint Coffee for a signature, Korean-style dalgona coffee (equal parts coffee, sugar, and hot water whipped until it’s creamy and poured over cold milk, B130). For a cozy spot to sip and read, visit Walden Home Cafe and indulge your inner bookworm, or relish in the fresh-baked pastries and heartier bites, like club sandwiches (B120), at Siam Ratana Bakehouse.

LUNCH & DINNER Thonburi’s street food scene is jam-packed, especially if you venture as far as Talad Phlu. Wongian Yai’s Mae Sariang is known for its authentic khao soi (B60) while Pad Thai Narok Taek offers well-balanced, perfectly wok-fried noodles with shrimp. But there’s more to try here. Feed the Beast serves quality Texas-style barbecue with craft beer, and 35 Dry Aged Beef satisfies meat cravings with a menu of Asian and international dishes centered on, you guessed it, premium beef. If you’re craving a burger, check out Sorry I’m Hungry.

For upscale meals, head to IconSiam. Here, Blue by Alain Ducasse, newly minted with a Michelin star, offers contemporary French cuisine and Masa serves premium Hokkaido-style sushi. The Avani Riverside, meanwhile, has a handful of worthy venues, including the Belgian beer and Sichuan-focused Spice & Barley and rooftop bar-restaurant Seen. On ground level, visit The Never Ending Summer at the Jam Factory, whose rustic Thai dishes remain enduringly popular.

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 03, 2021

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AFTERNOON For those looking to avoid inner Bangkok’s mall-strewn concrete cityscape, Thonburi can be a great escape, dotted with historical buildings that tell stories of overlooked communities. Explore the history of the early Portuguese settlers at the Kudeejeen community where you can sample their famous khanom farang kudeejeen (Portuguese-inspired cakes) freshly baked at Thanusingha Bakery. Here you can also take a cultural tour at either the Santa Cruz Church. If you head further down the river, you can find another Christian relic in the Samray Church. Built in 1849 then recreated in its current location in 1910, now in a field next to the Anantara Riverside hotel, it’s the oldest Protestant church in Bangkok.

Thonburi is filled with other temples, mosques, and heritage sites dating back to the 1600s. Arguably the most famous are Wat Arun and the Thonburi Palace, the former seat of power under King Taksin. The old palace now sits within the site of the Royal Thai Navy Academy. Near the Kudeejeen community, you’ll find riverside heritage sites Wat Kalayanamit and the small, faded Kuan An Keng shrine. Down the road, next to Memorial Bridge, there’s Wat Prayun with its all-white stupa and further in the ornate Wat Phichai Yat. Thonburi’s Muslim community dates back centuries, and there are a few mosques that speak to its rich history. Check out the all-white, 200-year-old Bang Luang Mosque in the Kudee Khao community and the Tonson Mosque down the road. The latter was built in 1688 and is likely the oldest mosque in Bangkok, if not all of Thailand. All of these sites are easily visited on your own, but you can also join tours that will lead you around on bikes, by foot, or in tuk tuks.

Local Alike and Smiling Albino put together great community-focused tours. The eccentric Uncle Jeab, meanwhile, can also take you further into Thonburi on canal boat tours (book by calling 081-812-4019). You can also splash out on the Manohra dinner cruise through the Anantara Riverside.

Want to pray to the gods of wealth? Go to the towering IconSiam, a luxury mall standing in stark contrast to its working-class surroundings on the riverside (i.e., where Louis V bags meet coffee in a bag). Though currently deserted, the renovated Lhong 1919 up the river is a fine example of restoration work. The centuries-old warehouses have been converted into high-end shops and restaurants, while Chinese architectural flourishes and an old shrine speak to the history here.

NIGHTLIFE Thonburi has a handful of rooftop bars boasting majestic views of Chao Phraya. Swing by Three Sixty Lounge at the Millenium Hilton or Seen for jazz, cocktails, and panoramic views. Get a ground-level perspective at The River Bar at the Peninsula hotel.

Beer geeks can drop by Save Our Souls for rotating taps of craft beer. Want something different? Check out S’amuser, a secret bar-restaurant built into a tailor shop near Wongwian Yai or Lost & Found, the inclusive event space at the Avani Riverside.

feature | disappearing district

Goodbye Thonburi As photographer Graham Meyer, 33, prepares to move away from Bangkok, he has taken to the streets to document Thonburi, the neighborhood he has lived in for more than a decade. In the process, he has not only bid his own farewells. He has also peeled back the curtain on the spaces, rituals, and communities that are disappearing as Thonburi gentrifies.

Over the last half of the 2010s, Thonburi has experienced an increasingly rapid transformation. Markets have been razed and malls erected, most glaring among them IconSiam, the luxury landmark by the river. Rail lines now cut through communities, extending further and further west as young white-collar workers seek affordable property away from the city center. Bars, restaurants, and houses that once lined the river have been replaced by high-rises. Recently, Klongsan Plaza tenants were told to vacate after the building’s lease expired. The space now seems destined to become another condo, hotel, or shopping center.

Unless you live in Thonburi, you may not have noticed these events. They’ve largely transpired with mechanical efficiency, as they often do in Bangkok, even if time seems to have hardly moved at all. “Without [distinguishable] seasons, time moves in a different way in Bangkok. It feels as if it never passes,” says photographer and Thonburi resident Graham Meyer.

For more than 10 years, Meyer has called Thonburi home, but he admits he never felt compelled to document the landscape around him until last year, when the pandemic put plans to move to Japan on hold. It also left him, like all of us, largely bound to the confines of his community.

Knowing a departure date loomed, even if it was further off, Meyer picked up his camera and started photographing the people and places around him over a series of long walks—a personal way to say goodbye. ”I started shooting things I walk past every day but never thought to photograph,” he says. “Things that were disappearing but special.”

Shot mostly on film, his images reveal a side of Thonburi overshadowed by breakneckpace development: a man stretching in a park with a cigarette in hand, kids skipping over a makeshift jump rope fashioned out of shoes, a fake ivy wall outside a flattened stretch of land set to become a condo. They’re often funny and absurd. “I’m interested in things that are silly, off-putting, or out of place,” he says.

“I like asking questions with my pictures.”

Sometimes, however, they’re foreboding.

In many images, the Four Seasons Residences across the water rise up like the monolith in “2001: A Space Odyssey,” offering a look into the future for this valuable land along the river.

As Meyer has said goodbye to Thonburi, he has revealed a neighborhood losing parts of itself, too—an unwitting documentarian of a district in transition.

Meyer says the construction of the BTS Gold Line wreaked havoc on the neighborhood, making already busy roads nightmarishly congested as lanes were reduced to one on each side of Charoen Nakhon Road.

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 03, 2021

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According to Meyer, the pandemic has accelerated the pace of change in Thonburi. It has also cast the wealth divide, and who the neighborhood is being developed for, into new light. “IconSiam, the new BTS line—it was all built for tourists. Not for people who live here.

Everyone bet on IconSiam [to bring tourist dollars to Thonburi],” he says. “I used to eat at a noodle shop on Charoen Nakhon. But it got bulldozed. Now it’s just an empty plot of land.”

“I try to show what everyday life is like in Thailand without the National Geographic gloss that Western audiences are accustomed to. It’s a local community, not a zoo.” says Meyer.

feature | disappearing district

Meyer says he’s drawn to “absurd things,” like this shot of a man stretching before exercise with a cigarette between his fingers. But he also likes asking questions, both literally and with his camera.

He explains that for years he saw men gathering to play takraw in a riverside park, but only last year did he finally ask them about it. Once he spoke to them, he learned that one of the players is a former muay Thai champion from Isaan, and most were blue-collar workers in the community: security guards, newspaper deliverymen, factory linemen.

“They’re normal people but kind of local legends when it comes to takraw,” Meyer says.

“Many of the people living here [in the local community] are from Isaan. They work in the factories here,” says Meyer. “Some never even leave their soi.”

But he adds that a Japanese man who runs a factory on this street organizes return trips to Isaan for his workers every year, and he has converted an empty building into a community hall, with a ping pong table and room to unwind after work.

The kids jumping rope (above) all live in this community. Meyer says he celebrated Songkran with them and their families each of the six years prior to the pandemic.

Most, though not all, of Meyer’s Thonburi photos are shot on film. He cites several reasons for this. For example, “film makes you think about the next shot you take, not the one you just took,” he says. But he also compares film to memory and thinks this quality isn’t something digital cameras can replicate. “It’s grainy and imperfect, like the way we dream, or how we remember things.”

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 03, 2021

The shot at the top also appears on the cover of this issue. Meyer says it’s of a building called The Merry Kings Department Store, an abandoned mall at the Wongwian Yai roundabout. “Supposedly it was one of the first large malls in Bangkok. When I first moved here, only the first floor was open and they sold deadstock goods from the 80s. The reflective film on the windows are falling off and every day at sundown they create these interesting patterns,” he says. It’s more than a prop for him, though.

“I bought a Kodak film coffee mug there which I still use every morning.”

A few years ago, the mall was finally closed. “Even when it was open, they almost never had any customers,” Meyer says. “I’d imagine it was a bit of a fire hazard in it’s current state, too.”

It’s still standing, a memory fading in real time that’s bound to be bulldozed before long. But in Meyer’s photos, it will live on, like so many of Thonburi’s disappearing spaces and communities.

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food & drink | 7 must-try street eats in Thonburi

THONBURI’S FINEST Somsak Pu Ob

When hunger strikes, Thonburi provides.

Here are some street stalls and shophouses in the area to satisfy your cravings without breaking the bank. By BK Magazine

Khao Soi Ni Kala If you’re craving a decent bowl of khao soi, look no further. They serve it with beef (B80-B100), a rare find in Bangkok, as well as chicken and pork (B60-B80). Don’t forget to try their other northern Thai classics like khanom jeen nam ngiaw (rice noodles with pork), gaeng hang lay (pork belly curry), and sai oua (northern Thai sausage).

1345 Charoen Nakhon Soi 21, 092-574-9681. Open 9am-9pm.

Somsak Pu Ob The focus at this Michelin-recognized stall is steamed prawns and crabs baked with glass noodles, or pu ob woonsen (B310). It draws a long line of customers with its perfectly seasoned and smoky woonsen—and it’s worth the wait. The seating fills up pretty quick, so come in early.

Khao Soi Ni Kala

2 Charoen Rat Rd., 081-400-0542. Open Tue-Sun ​​3:30-9pm.

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 03, 2021

Tabtim Grob Wongwian Yai (Mae Duangporn) A street food stalwart in Wongwian Yai, this dessert shop has been serving the community for over 40 years. Here you’ll find refreshing bowls of tabtim krob (starting at B40) with water chestnuts and sweetened coconut over shaved ice. The portions are small, so you might want to order the bigger size.

184 Lat Ya Rd., 02-438-2118.

Open daily 8:30am-8:30pm.

Pad Thai Narok Taek Hunting down a well-balanced pad Thai can be a chore, but Narok Saek is a surefire bet.

The stir-fried noodles here are subtly sweet, with the ideal char from the hot wok (from B40). If you’re a prawn or mussel fan, it’s a no-brainer to pay extra for a larger portion (B70).

286 Lat Ya Rd., 081-351-9390. Open Tue-Sun 4:30-10pm.

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Sunee Khao Moo Daeng A local favorite, this street food stall was run

by Aunt Sunee for over 50 years and now is under the stewardship of the family’s next generation. The barbecued meat is sliced in a way to provide more meat and less fat, the Chinese sausages are made in-house, and the signature toasted white sesame seed gravy beautifully contrasts the crispy pork. A plate of khao moo daeng (B35-B40) comes with red pork, crispy pork, and Chinese sausage with boiled egg, or order a plate of just the three meats with signature sauce (B100).

854/8 Thoet Thai Soi 25 (Talat Phlu), 081-700-5226. Open 6:30am-8pm.

Heng Hoi Tod Chaw Lae This retro-style shophouse is famed for serving some of the crispiest hoi tod (oyster omelet) in town, plus pad Thai in a variety of forms. Try the best-selling hoi tod (B120-B150). It’s brimming with goodies yet fluffy. Or try the unique specialty, fried crab meat with egg (B200-B300). If you’re down for a feast, you won’t want to miss out on their pad Thai with prawns (B90-B120), either.

Heng Hoi Tod Chaw Lae

1301 Charoen Nakhon Rd., 02-114-7434.

Open daily 9:30am-10:00pm.

Khanom Bueang Yuan Su Arpa

Sunee Khao Moo Daeng

Khanom bueang Yuan (crispy Vietnamese-style pancakes) are a rare treat. This auntie still makes a version of them. She uses some of the finest ingredients in her fillings, like the shredded coconut with shrimp heads—all wrapped inside a hearty, wok-fried egg batter. Try the signature (B50) or customize your own according to your taste. The stall often has a queue, but it’s worth the wait.

Thoet Thai Soi 18. Open Tue-Sun 6-9pm; Sun 11am-7pm.

Pad Thai Narok Taek

Tabtim Grob Wongwian Yai

6 great thonburi cafes

Walden Home Cafe

TABLE TALK

OOTOYA

NEW AND NOTED

Vi Plaza, Vibhavadi Hospital 02-120-7463 Open daily 10 am-8 pm (during lockdown period) This massive Japanese food chain has its roots in a tiny Tokyo restaurant that opened in 1958. Today, Ootoya has more than 250 branches in Japan alone and 40 more in Thailand. The brand is still famous for the authentic, homestyle Japanese food it started making all those year ago, like charcoal grilled shima hokke, charcoal grilled saba, chicken with black vinegar sauce (kurozu) and tonkatsu in egg soup.

There is also a kid’s menu for the little ones with the likes of omurice and soba/udon sets.

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members

Get 15% discount when spending THB 1,200 or more /sales slip Or Get 10% discount when spending THB 800 or more /sales slip on food and non-alcoholic beverages (Applicable for takeaway)

1 Aug – 31 Oct ’21

TBT- ootoya_.indd 1

Walden Home Cafe

Li-bra-ry

Vacation

This minuscule shophouse-turnedretro Parisian cafe calls out to bookworms looking for a cozy place to sip and read. The ground-floor space is filled out with handsome wood furniture and potted plants, and the menu is written in marker on the mirror behind the counter. The second floor boasts the owners’ book collection for your perusal (or bring your own).

For coffee, try their house blends. The bright, acidic Walden features beans from Thailand, Ethiopia, and Colombia, while the Classic offers a full-bodied, nutty brew with beans from Laos and Brazil. They also serve baked goods, from banana bread to croissants. 51 Somdet Chao Phraya Rd., 062-362-9915

Jam Factory’s riverside compound next to Klong San pier is one of the city’s most attractive cultural hubs.

This hideaway cafe, situated within the complex at Candide Books, makes a perfect place to either enjoy a coffee and have conversations with your friends or work comfortably.

Some come for the Thai or foreign single-origin beans—all roasted by Libra-ry, which boasts several branches across the city—others for the filling options like the Very Berry smoothie (B105). But don’t leave without indulging in the signature pandanflavored Library Waffle (B110).

41/1-41/2 Charoen Nakhon Rd., 02-861-0968

Part boutique hotel, part specialty coffee shop, Vacation oozes homey vibes. The ground-floor cafe is filled with family tables, sofas, and familiar accents like framed pictures hanging on brick walls. Select your beans and brewing method and settle in for an hour or two with a coffee how you like it. Grab a slice of cake, including berry-topped cheesecake, too. If you want to spend a little more time in Thonburi, check out the hotel on the second floor, styled after the cafe downstairs (from B2,000/night). 764 Charoen Rat Rd., 02-162-0166

20/8/2564 BE 15:49

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 03, 2021

Hint Coffee

13

Gu Slow Bar Coffee

TABLE TALK

BLACK CANYON Hint Coffee

The Kafe by Mha Art and Craft

Gu Slow Bar Coffee

This minimalist, Korea-inspired cafe is like a Kinfolk feature brought to life: a palette of beige, gray, and white, wicker chairs, small art pieces as accents, and an attached studio for photo shoots. The coffee, of course, is very photogenic. The signature is the dalgona coffee, equal parts coffee, sugar, and hot water whipped until it’s creamy and poured over cold milk—a popular drink in Seoul.

Their studio is available for rent, including the cafe space, a bedroom, and an office, to host workshops or take shots. Before you leave, you can take a snap at their photobooth (B130), too. 178 Krung Thonburi Rd., 080-937-8762

Perched inside Mha arts and crafts school, The Kafe offers more than just coffee. The shop is known for its leather work classes. You can join one of the workshops before you settle in over an on-trend orangano (B120) or a classic Thai iced tea (B110). Tucked away down a residential soi, the cafe itself boasts lots of white and black tile accented by bright, loud, and attractive accessories—even the exterior draws you in with neon lettering over a plain-looking shophouse entrance.

75 Charoen Rat Soi 4, Krung Thonburi Soi 1, 081-937-0778

If you have an almost intuitive knowledge of how the washed and honey processes affect the flavor of your coffee, this place is for you. This small coffee shop is all about specialty coffee and exceptional beans, many of them rare finds in Bangkok. They emphasize hand-brewing methods— for instance, drip, Moka pot, siphon, and Aeropress. The menu is straightforward, with options of coffee (e.g., latte, all made with the medium-roast house blend), non-coffee, singleorigin filter, and coffee drinks, like the Brightest Day (cold brew coffee with lime; B120). 561 Prachathipok Rd., 081-622-7257

All branches that accept Credit Card, (call center) 02-370-1707. Open Mon-Fri, 1– 6pm. info@blackcanyonthai.com This Thai-owned coffee and eatery chain is one of the largest in Southeast Asia. “Black Canyon'' finely selects quality coffee beans from the Agricultural Projects under Royal Patronage and combines them with those imported from coffeeproducing sources all over the world. The place is literally a melting pot for all cuisines and culture, from Western staple dishes to tasty Thai food. Expect Thai specialties like Tom Yum Kung, Pad-Thai, and chicken green curry, and wash it all down with healthy Italian ice cream from Gelatoni.

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get 5% discount when spending THB 400 or more /sales slip Discount on regular priced food and beverages.

(Applicable for takeaway)

1 Apr ’21 – 31 Mar ’22

TBT-blackcanyon_.indd 1

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feature | a second life for the family business

All in the Family Inside Wongwian Yai’s Trok Thongbai, there is a building where time seems to have stood still for almost six decades.

This is where Chinese immigrant Piangyoon Sae Jia opened a shoemaking factory in 1959, and today where his grandchildren carry on his legacy with their boutique hotel, Shoes Maker Home.

We talked with co-founder Monpen Kityingsopon about the rich history behind the family business and how they’re keeping it alive, even if they no longer make shoes.

By Porpor Leelasestaporn

“You can’t replicate touches like these,” says Monpen Kityingsopon, referring to thick, brown layers of glue evident on a wall behind her. “Workers in the past would leave these scuffmarks on walls when they tried to wipe the shoemaking glue off their hands.”

Along with her siblings, including sisters Ranee and Monthip, Monpen runs Shoes Maker Home, a threeroom boutique hotel set in her family’s former shoe factory in Thonburi. In 1959, her grandfather, a Chinese immigrant named Piangyoon Sae Jia, opened the shop—the kind of small, family-run venture that once defined Bangkok’s economy. In its heyday, the factory employed more than 20 workers, and the business thrived, selling women’s sandals and leather boots in bustling marketplaces like Sampeng for decades.

After the Tom Yum Kung crisis in 1997, however, sales suffered, and the market became more competitive as big businesses working at scale began to dominate the industry. In 2014, the family closed their factory doors for good. But the dream to keep the family business alive lived on. Instead of fanning out to work for large companies in other industries, the second and third generation family members rallied together to open a small hotel that would reflect their grandfather’s work.

Their story is a quintessentially Bangkok tale: a Chinese immigrant works to save money and opens a business; through tireless effort and grit, it flourishes; as time wears on, future generations adapt while keeping the business in the family.

“We were rather accepting of the situation, but we also didn’t want to part with things like the wooden shoe models we kept from decades ago,” Monpen recalls.

After discussing it together, members of the Kityingsopon family came to the conclusion that they wanted to turn their old factory into a hotel.

Instead of turning it into a hostel, with many beds in one room rented for cheap—a popular business model—they aimed for something more. They redecorated each of the rooms to preserve the memories they cherished of the former business.

They painted images that spoke to the district’s past as a shoemaking hub on the walls and placed their

old wooden shoe models on shelves. They hung up black-and-white family photographs. The three rooms—42, 44, and 46—are named after the shoe sizes the business most often produced. In these, they stripped the walls down to highlight the aesthetic of old shophouses It took them almost a year to finish the renovations.

But like many other hotel owners, Monpen admitted they didn’t foresee the pandemic situation becoming what it has. Since April 2021, the hotel hasn’t welcomed any new visitors and has closed its doors for the time being.

“As our hotel is located near other people’s houses, we are concerned we might cause unwanted problems to the people in the area if we brought in outside guests,” she says. “If we had known about this, we might have halted the renovation.”

When asked about the future of their hotel, Monpen says the family didn’t have any definite plans to change course during the pandemic, but she does voice concern about how the current situation might affect the mindset of the tourists.

“Even megaprojects like condominiums are losing sales. People might change their traveling preferences, and it might take a tremendous amount of time before things go back to normal.”

Just like the Tom Yum Kung crisis, the economic downturn that delivered fatal blows to many businesses and corporations, Covid-19 has devastated people and businesses in the tourism industry. While its effects have proved stubbornly hard to shake, leaving tourism in chronic distress, many businesses like Monpen’s are showing incredible resilience in the face of crisis.

Shoes Maker Home may not be able to share Piangyoon’s story with visitors now, but Monpen and company are still honoring their late grandfather, even if it isn’t obvious. They are drawing on his perseverance in uncertain times, and through that, they might keep the family working together long into the future.

the last word | home cooking

This couple revives ancient recipes from Thonburi’s Thai-Portuguese community When Kanittha “Tan” Sakulthong, 44, was young, her childhood was largely confined in the kitchen where her grandmother taught her to hold a knife and take on the family’s traditional craft. Those years of forced training would come in handy when she and her husband decided to open Baan Sakul Thong, a restaurant in the Kudeejeen community that highlights their families’ two-century-old recipes.

We talked with her about the history of the craft and her hope to enrich the community with her food.

By Porpor Leelasestaporn

W

hat did you do before opening the restaurant?

My husband and I used to work in an office.

He was a bank officer while I worked as a secretary. After working for seven years, we had an idea to open a business together. “Why don’t we start a restaurant that makes people think of us when they want to eat something?” That was what we thought at the time.

At first, we thought that we might open our restaurant in a mall. While discussing the matter, my husband’s grandmother walked in and served us some of her traditional Portuguese dishes. This gave us an idea of opening a restaurant that can cherish the culture we have in our community.

Where do your recipes come from?

Our samrab (set menu) combines both of our families’ recipes.

During the reign of King Rama V, my great grandparents Vicharnthanakorn Smitinand and Chiedbua Didsayavanich served the Royal Court as culinary and confectionery chefs.

My husband’s family, meanwhile, descended from the early settlers of Kudeejeen. This means the dishes we serve at Baan Sakul Thong are steeped in over 250 years of history, and we still follow almost the same level of authenticity as when they were made in the past—though we have adjusted the level of sweetness since some dishes might be too sweet for modern tastes.

What do you like most about the work you do now?

To me, it’s when you see the food you make land on the table. Spending a lot of time in the kitchen may make you all sweaty [laughs], but it gives you a sense of accomplishment when you see the final product. Before all this, I used to work alone. Now younger people are more enthusiastic to learn about our [Thai-Portuguese] cuisine. I can’t help but smile when I show them the ropes.

How do you think your food can help your community?

Food can really tell you a lot about people’s identity. In the past, people didn’t know much about our community except for the famous khanom farang Kudeejeen (Portugueseinspired cakes). I was one of those people. Before marrying into the Sakulthong family, I had never heard of dishes like jeep tua nok (bird-shaped Thai dimsum) or tom mafaad (Portuguese vegetable stew). These dishes may not be unfamiliar to Kudeejeen residents, but to many outsiders, they’re often new and exciting. Since we opened our restaurant, more people are eager to learn about our community. These visitors flock to sample our dishes and, in turn, help strengthen our community. For years, I have seen many new shops emerge, and that’s a good sign.

With all the development happening nearby, do you feel worried that urban development will affect the community?

Personally, I don’t think we have to worry about this. You may see new condominiums going up all over the place, but our community will thrive—be it another 10 or 100 years.

Ever since our ancestors inherited the land [from a treaty between King Taksin and Portuguese settlers], people have passed on their passion and love for the community down the generations. Sure, many people here may move to condominiums for the sake of convenience, but eventually, they will want to come back. As long as people stick together, our community will only get stronger and attract more crowds who wish to learn about our ways of life.

tk

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2020

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