BK Magazine 819 by BK Magazine

it's free! Ex-con Artist Drug dealer finds a second chance in his passion for painting The King of Bangkok Exploring the city's political history through graphic novels Reefer Madness What we know about legal weed so far and what we don't Voodoo Sherlock What's new now that booze is back in Bangkok bars

NO. 819 FEBUARY 25, 2022. www.bkmagazine.com

Walking blues.

page 3 Who's in charge?

BK EDITORIAL Managing Editor Tyler Roney Senior Writers Alisha Pawa, Porpor Leelasestaporn Junior Writer Thanut Manthanasarnchai

cover story

GROVE: COCONUTS MEDIA BRAND STUDIO Business Director Dietrich Neu Head of Business Development Shernan Plameras

Reefer madness

Bangkok wants safer streets for pedestrians

Weed is decriminalized in Thailand but the rules are complicated—especially if you’re stoned. Do you have an annoying, red-eyed friend who just won’t shut up about it? This might help.

Senior Content Strategist Andre Frois Associate Thai Editor Ittipol Jungwatanawong Senior Thai Writer Witthawat Pukkhabut

Can I get high? Yes!

Senior Project Manager Sirinart Panyasricharoen Senior Account Manager Hafiz Rasid Digital Account Manager Nuttajuk Kittichailuk Project Manager Sawanya Chantarakana Art Director Vatanya Bongkotkarn

Production Supervisor Komkrit Klinkaeo Senior Graphic Designer Umporn Jiaranai Senior Business Development Manager Orajira Sukkasem Business Development Managers Chalida Anuwattanawong, Akarat Boonbumroong, Danial Heng, Joseph Toh, Stanley Yeo Business Development Executive Palita Nueangnit

feature

Drug dealing ex-con finds success with his brush

SOIMILK Editor Noranartta Chaikum Senior Writers Rujiyatorn Choksiriwan, Kristiya Chaisri Publisher, Printer, and Editor Tara Rattanaphas

But really? In a bit. The rules mark decriminalization 120 days after being published in the Royal Gazette. But can I get really, really high? Like really? Sorta. It’s been decriminalized for personal use, technically only for “approved uses” such as medical use—a rule everyone will follow. Lame. I’m gonna grow my own. That’s cool, right? Technically, yes. The fine is B20,000 for growing without notifying the authorities, the incorruptible, trustworthy authorities. Ugh. Can I buy it on Lazada? No. Pro-weed groups are still fighting this battle but they’re easily distracted. Also, there’s a more or less zero chance coming laws won’t favor monopolies—you know, Chang Ganj, Leo Kush, CP Hashish.

08 food & drink

Sarnies tunes, Barbie brunch, and everything new

Can cops harass me for being high after decriminalization? They’re cops. They do whatever they want. But there will likely be a cap on carrying, so don’t go carting around a kilo. The law says 0.2% THC. Why are you a liar, liar? This is a gray area. It applies to extracts, not, for example, just lighting up a big ol’ fatty.

BK Magazine is a Coconuts Media publication. Founder and CEO Byron Perry Coconuts TV Head of Content Vim Shanmugam

food & drink

Head of Operations and Talent Clarissa Cortes

Bangkok booze is back, from voodoo potions to Sherlock spirits

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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. Printed by Sunthorn Film Company Limited, 13/11-15 Soi Wat Phraya Yang, Urupongtadmai Road, Thanon Phetchaburi, Sub-district, Ratchathewi District, Bangkok.

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13 the last word

Political history through graphic novels with Claudio Sopranzetti

But what is an extract? Anything could be an extract? Secondary products. Oils, waxes, resins—that sort of thing. They’ll change their mind over and over again, no doubt. Will there be more dumb rules? In a place where you’re only allowed to drink alcohol under a paper umbrella on Thursdays at 5:34am, what do you think? Why can’t you just tell me if I can get high? You have been high this whole time. Everyone has been high. It will probably be easier to get high. That’s all we really know. Now, let’s watch the Blade trilogy and eat Doritos with chopsticks.

upfront BY THE NUMBERS…

1ST

in Asia to decriminalize marijuana

20,000

Baht

fine for growing without a license

0.2% the amount of THC permitted in extracts

Around

300

cannabis clinics in Thailand

2018

Thailand legalized weed for medical purposes

billion baht

value in medical cannabis by 2025

Sources: Chayanit Itthipongmaetee, “High spirits: Thai stoners celebrate legal weed smoking,” Coconuts Bangkok. January 25, 2022 Thai PBS World Business Desk. “Multipurpose marijuana could light up another economic engine for Thailand.” March 1, 2021.

YOU SAID WHAT?

“It’s frankly ridiculous. Every time there’s a spike in cases, our industry is often the first to have restrictions imposed and the last to see them lifted.” Bartender Susan van der Mespel says of the 11pm drinking restrictions in Bangkok.

“Further opening of regulations will help grow the entire industry and more and new products will emerge.” Pat Taechanarong at Bloom.express on the decriminalization of marajuana in Thailand.

“Through these neat and cutting-edge presentations, we want to encourage people to see that there are various ways you can enjoy eating insects.” Athivach “Boom” Pongsattasin, co-founder of Exofood Thailand, on using tech and design to promote the eating of insects.

HOT OR NOT

HIGH-LELUJAH Thailand’s top narcs declared late last month that marijuana possession for personal use would no longer be a crime. However, weed aficionados throughout the Kingdom were still left questioning some of the specifics of the rules, which are, in classic fashion, notoriously difficult to interpret from an enforcement perspective. Still, the consensus is that Thailand is ready to toke—and entrepreneurs can’t wait to make their mark.

SQUID SHOTS

WFH Thailand’s maddening alcohol laws were set for a little loosening with a bill that first entered parliament on May 29, 2020 to revise the excise act on alcohol. But the bill, spearheaded by craft beer brewer MFP MP Taopiphop “Tao” Limjittrakorn, stalled because, yet again, Thailand’s MPs decided they’d rather work from home. Only 234 members showed, failing to reach the quorum of 238 of the 475 MPs, the 15th time this has happened since 2019. Later the next week, both the booze bill and same-sex marriage were kicked into limbo.

People who want to be on TikTok more than they want to not have parasites have been chugging squid shots—which are exactly what they sound like: shots with whole live squids inside. That’s right, live. The spicy drinks are all the rage online, because what isn’t? The squids suffer unnecessarily when they are dunked into a spicy shot, and Thailand health officials have warned that eating a squid in such a manner can result in a number of health problems including parasites.

KOLOUR ME SAD Despite hopes that everyone was just going to ignore omicron, one of the biggest music festivals in the city, Kolour in the Park, didn’t make the cut. Scheduled at the end of February, the organizers failed to secure proper approvals for the festivities just north of the city. Kolour in the Park used to be an annual electronic music festival in the open space of Thai Wake Park in Pathum Thani province’s Lam Luk Ka district, but it is now two years since the festival has taken place.

cover | walking blues

MEAN STREETS Pedestrians struggle for safety and walkable streets in Bangkok

“This? No. This? No.” Ann Pronchon, 38, stands on a Thonglor crosswalk waiting for cars to let her cross to a Burger King on the other side of the pedestrian heavy street. Ann can make her way across the street in a mad dash or wait for a car to stop. After about half a minute, one finally does. “Just a few days and it is the same again.” Bangkok is looking more carefully at its pedestrians after the tragic death in late January of 33-year-old Waraluck “Doctor Kratai” Supawatjariyakul, who was struck by a motorcycle cop at a crosswalk and killed. Condemnations soon followed—of the police, of the driving test system, drivers, invisible crosswalks. “We don’t have a clear solution yet as everything is still in progress,” Thanaphong Jinvong, manager of Road Safety Thailand, tells BK Magazine. “Traffic lights are needed to reduce speeds so people have enough time to cross without being in a hurry. On the other hand, pedestrians will have to speed up, so it works both ways.” The social media storm over the high-profile accident caused, anecdotally, more cars and motorcycles to obey pedestrian etiquette, but after just a few short weeks the crosswalks of Bangkok are far from safe. A study by ThaiHealth and the ThaiRoads Foundation found that 90% of motorcycles and cars failed to stop at crossings just after the incident (January 25-27).

zebra crossings. Bangkok officials also announced they would install traffic lights and surveillance cameras at 100 crosswalks over the course of a month. Violators will be charged a fine of B1,000 to B4,000.

BEWARE THE ZEBRA

“We have AI surveillance cameras installed to capture people who are breaking the rules,” says Jinvong. “Even though we created the fine, I don’t see any actions being taken when the rules are broken. We still have to figure out what works and what doesn’t.”

In the aftermath of the doctor’s death the immediate culprits were the crosswalks, or zebra crossings. In theory, crosswalks are where cars and motorcycles are meant to slow and stop for pedestrians—pure fantasy in Bangkok. Despite this, police and authorities are making it their mission to restore more than 2,000 of 12,000 zebra crossings, which they claim are in disrepair.

Heavy fines alone won’t do the job. Pedestrians of the city face stolen city planning flubs and crumbling sidewalks and infrastructure. Worse yet, for the elderly and the disabled certain areas of the city are impassable. “There should be more safety precautions for pedestrians. In fact, more people should adapt to walking rather than using vehicles,” says Adisak Guntamueanglee of GoodWalk Thailand, an organization that strives to make Thailand more walkable. “There should be stricter restrictions to follow the traffic light signals as most riders completely ignore them.”

HUMAN TRAPS It’s like something out of a cartoon—falling into a manhole. But this event is more dangerous and more common than many expect, as was the case of an office employee in front of the Ratchadapisek MRT who fell a full three meters into sewage in 2019. A similar incident in Chonburi ended in the death of a four-year-old girl. Problems with infrastructure are often more common in lower-income neighborhoods, but everyone in Bangkok knows to keep one eye on the ground when they walk.

Solutions remain elusive. Everything from the width of the sidewalk to maintenance and funding present problems. “It all starts with the design of the road,” Adisak says.

Authorities tried a number of response measures, including literally painting over the problem at

76% of roads lack pedestrian crossings

1,900

12,000 crosswalks in Thailand, 2,000 need repair

accidents with serious injuries in January 2022

3:1 male to female road fatalities

Sources: Global Road Safety Facility, “Thailand’s Road Safety Country Profile,” 2022 Statista, “Total number of local road accidents in Thailand as of February 2022, by type of injury,” 2022 Tanskul, Nicky, “Transport agencies to repaint Thailand’s faded crosswalks this week,” Coconuts Bangkok. 31, January, 2021

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, FEBUARY 25, 2022

BK MAGAZINE SPEAKS WITH PEDESTRIANS ON THE STATE OF THEIR STREETS NARININTARAKUL “NIN” NA AYUTHAYA is the photographer behind the 70youngtaew Instagram in which he chronicles his mother, Archara “Taew” Na Ayuthaya, and her battle with dementia. Nin shares his thoughts on making the roads better for him and his mother.

MOTORCIDE Pedestrians may make up 8% of Thailand’s traffic deaths but those on two wheels make up the majority. The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration announced plans earlier this month to build designated motorcycle lanes, to which a caustic city replied, “They already have one, it’s called the sidewalk.” In February a man who tried to slow down the bikes—including with well-placed buckets of water—and was threatened with an ice pick for his trouble.

Taew, Nin's Instagram famous mother.

“Putting the uneven walkways aside, there aren’t enough trees for our streets. My mom, despite reaching 71 this year, loves to walk and excels at it. But the walkways are too hot as we don’t have enough tree cover. I understand that they needed to cut all the trees back so they don’t get in the way of [electric] wires. But now they are planning to put all those wires underground, Bangkok’s officials should get more serious about replanting trees that would lend a beautiful backdrop to the city. By trees, I don’t mean the short bushes or small trees that we can find along the pavement. [The government] should consider the larger and more beautiful ones just like other countries. As a photographer, I believe if we plant more trees and add more benches along the street, they could be beautiful landmarks for both locals and tourists alike. They’d be an investment in the long run.”

SIDEWALK JUNGLE Up, down, jump, tread softly—Bangkok’s sidewalks are notorious for their Escherian design and poor upkeep. Quite apart from being useless to people with disabilities, high foot traffic areas are often crowded with hawkers and street stalls. Oh, and pedestrians get to play minesweeper every time it rains. The only thing that seems to manage on Bangkok’s sidewalks are the scooters.

CONCRETE RAIN Holes below, falling sky above. Bangkok’s construction sites can be deadly, and construction near major pedestrian areas puts those on foot in danger. Falling cement, collapsing pillars, and crumbling cranes, all put commuters in danger. Already this year, a crane fell and crushed a pedestrian in Thonglor.

IT’S ELECTRIC According to none other than the city’s favorite tourism expert, Russell Crowe, Bangkok is a mess of chaotic, tangled cables. Sure, it’s a beautiful mess, but it’s also a danger—as was the case with an unlucky lottery ticket seller in Lad Krabang who was electrocuted. The city is on a never ending chore to clear the nests of wires, most recently with the Prime Minister himself claiming he was working with the National Telecommunications Commission to fix the problem.

1,494 years of life affected due to disability from road injuries (per 100,000 people).

NALUTPORN “NOO” KRAIRIKSH is a journalist and founder of the disability platform Thisable.me. She has used her wheelchair to explore places like Bangkok’s coming Chong Nonsi Canal Park and Victory Monument.

“I don’t think our walkways are friendly to anyone. When you see people falling into manholes or getting hit while walking on the streets, mostly the victims are ordinary people, not people with disabilities—well, we can’t even access them. When I wrote about my wheelchair experience roaming Chong Nonsi Canal Park or Victory Monument, people asked me why I didn’t use skywalks or overpasses. Those are options, but they shouldn’t be necessities. In fact, a lot more people, not just people with disabilities, cannot use overpasses. There are eldery people who have to climb those steep stairs, street vendors who have to carry heavy things to sell, or those with heavy luggage. Our main, fundamental walkways should be the pavements. They should be smooth, large, safe, and practical, and they shouldn’t make anyone feel disconnected. The change I wish to see is increased accessibility that lets [people with disabilities] live our life without help from others. Once people with extreme difficulties like those with wheelchairs can roam the streets with ease, everyone can enjoy the same safety and convenience. Everyone benefits from more accessibility.”

460

road deaths reported by February

8% of road fatalities involve pedestrians

feature | second chance

Jailed twice for selling drugs–and then art set him free Wannawat “Bomb” Harnrungruangkit, 39, spent almost a decade in prison for dealing drugs. Today, Bomb is an aspiring artist whose commissioned works are booked to 2023. BK Magazine speaks with Bomb about how art has given him the second chance he needed. By Porpor Leelasestaporn Photo Credit Poonsawat Suttama

In 2006, Wannawat “Bomb” Harnrungruangkit was 24 when he was first arrested. While there were many charges that Bomb could have possibly faced, his first arrest, he claims, was a stitch up. “I was framed,” Bomb tells BK Magazine. “I admit I was selling drugs. But it was the Thai police who brought them to me.” He claims the police would seize drugs from other dealers and find someone to sell those drugs for them. Bomb first became involved in a drug dealing network at 17. He excelled at it and worked his way into a small drug empire. Everything should have run smoothly, he claims, but then everything began to unravel. “It all started with just a small bribe,” Bomb recalls. “But then that tiny amount would mushroom into B4-5 million per month, so I refused to strike a deal with them.” He was cautious but eventually his network allegedly set him up to get busted for theft. Bomb was sentenced to 18 years in prison: Klong Prem Central Prison. He lost his house and his wife, the mother of his child, found a new lover while he was inside. But, for a drug dealer, prison was a new beginning. “Prison has everything you could imagine—except for the women, of course,” Bomb says. During his early years at the prison, Bomb gathered the necessary resources and bonded with other big names in narcotics. “You’ll find many suppliers who are willing to do business with you there,” Bomb says. “Since there are only sellers in prison, all you need is to find clients for them once you’re out of prison.”

On the morning of March 31, 2012, a court ruled that Bomb’s prosecutor failed to provide sufficient evidence to support his conviction. Although Bomb was due civil damages from his case of up to around one million baht, he refused. “No matter how much they paid me, the damage was already done.” With his prison connections, Bomb slowly accumulated more wealth than he had ever had before, but in 2016 his career as a drug dealer reached its end when he was arrested yet again. “I thought I would be mad at the world when they caught me this time,” Bomb tells BK Magazine. “But this second arrest forced me to reevaluate my whole situation…I was lucky that I was caught with a small amount of drugs. Had it been [a large amount], I wouldn’t have had the chance to turn my life around.” During his second jail term, Bomb was sentenced to serve four years at Thonburi Prison. Unlike other prisons in Thailand, Thonburi Prison follows the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners (The Nelson Mandela Rules). Prisoners there are eligible for career-building programs, ranging from basic carpentry and baking to professional painting and sculpture. Bomb applied for the painting class, known for the better treatment and the luxury of air-conditioners. However, his plan almost failed, and it had nothing to do with his artistic skills. “They were reluctant to accept me because of my tattoos,” Bomb says while showing off his hands covered with Thai sakyant. “The class has many VIP visitors and they thought I would ruin their image.”

BK BKMAGAZINE MAGAZINEFRIDAY, FRIDAY,FEBUARY MARCH 25, 12, 2022 2021

Refusing to accept their decision, Bomb calligraphed his name on his ward’s walls, on the toilet, on the tables. It took weeks of this civil protest before his art teacher finally relented. “My calligraphy impressed him,” Bomb recalls. “He told me I made him change his view on people with tattoos: ‘Everyone deserves a second chance, tattoos or not.’” Although Bomb had been accepted, things didn’t go as planned. In the first eight-month period, Bomb attended four basic classes and failed all of them. Each week the art trainees completed at least one assignment, and bomb was responsible for painting a temple’s door. “At first I thought he would praise me, but he told me to give up and enroll in boot making classes instead,” Bomb says. In front of his training hall, there was a statue of Ganesha. Bomb had never been any kind of believer, but there was nothing left to lose. He lit incense and placed it at the altar: “If you truly exist, can you please guide me out of this mess? If I succeed, I will worship you every day from now on.” Bomb then chose Ganesha as his next subject, carefully studying the lighting and anatomy of the statue and then spent six months drafting his work. “Despite what he said, my art teacher kept watching over me,” Bomb recalls. “He is one of those strict figures that will corner you to the limit while helping you when you don’t notice.” Without notifying Bomb, his art teacher sent the Ganesha piece to 2019’s Thonburi Prisoner Craft Product Exhibition. Bomb won first prize. “During that exhibition, there was this client who really admired my works. He approached and said, ‘just keep on painting like this’ and told me if I couldn’t find any jobs he would buy all of my paintings.”

Bomb was 36 when he gained his freedom a second time. Like many ex-cons, Bomb struggled not to succumb to his old ways.

His son changed his mind. The fear of losing a chance to be with his boy, he says, is what took him away from that dark life.

“Around 70% of people I knew from prison would return to a life of crime, and about 30% of them actually manage to settle down.”

“My biggest regret is not having watched my son grow. During those years in prison, I used my fingernails to scratch on the walls to count the days until I could meet my son. When I met him, he wouldn’t let me hug him at first. I was devastated as a father. Never again would I let that happen.”

It was hard, Bomb admits, to start over when people looked at him with disdain. “All I want is for you to see me for who I really am—not by who I used to be. Sometimes, people avoid me after having a glance at my tattoos.” Bomb admits that he almost fell back into old temptations. “When I was released from prison, I literally had nothing. I was less than a person. After my release, my friends offered me one last gig, an easy job that would make all my worries about the painting equipment costs go away. With this one job, my dream of opening a gallery would come true.”

Using the new connections he gained from painting classes, Bomb succeeded in opening his small shop on Soi Khok Mah, both a working space and personal gallery. But it’s not just for him. “As a former inmate myself, I couldn’t sit back and ignore what my friends have to go through. I’m planning to turn the first floor of this shop into a place where former inmates can open their businesses.”

food & drink | news

Marie Guimar digs into Phetchaburi flavors

NEW FOCUS

Inspired by Maria Guyomar de Pinha who introduced Portuguese-influenced desserts to Thailand, Marie Guimar is running a new menu to celebrate the culinary heritage of Phetchaburi. Found on the 28th floor of the Wyndham Bangkok Queen Convention Center, the Phetchaburi menu will be available from February 15 to March 31. Known for authenticity and centuries-old recipes, the restaurant will also be featuring a special khao chae (B590) beginning March 1.

LET’S GO PARTY

SAKE ANYONE?

QUICK EATS

Are you a Barbie girl in a Barbie brunch? Aesop’s gets into themed brunches

Sindhorn Kempinski opens Ki Izakaya with stylish bites and saké galore

Bardo Social Bistro and Bar offers new lunch bites

Aesop’s, the high-end Greek eatery south of Lumpini, is having its first Barbie Brunch on February 27, calling on all Barbies and Kens for 80s and 90s hits, good food, and special photo ops for the Instagrammers out there. The B990 food and entry package for the event will see guests through the Barbie doll themed brunch, complete with a “prosecco pong’’ competition and a Barbie box for anyone who fancies themselves worthy of the Barbie name. This marks the first themed brunch for Aesop’s and the March version will swap Barbie for Bollywood. Aesop’s is well-known for the quality of its Greek eats, but anyone who has ever been there late knows they can pull off an ouzo-fueled party.

Ki Izakaya finally opened on the 9th floor of the Sindhorn Kempinski Hotel Bangkok, a mix of luxe and lively. In the kitchen is Chef Hiroyuki Yokoyama, serving up izakaya faves with a fine dining twist. Sure, you’ve got the chicken yakitori, A5 wagyu ribeye, and salmon yukke—but you’ve also got a little bit of adventure in the dashi liquid burrata and a chicken liver pâté. For the saké lover, Ki Izakaya features a flight of saké ranging from Hiroshima, Aichi, and Ishikawa prefectures—all accompanied by a resident saké master who can take diners through the reasons behind the flavors.

This French bistro known for their busy brunches has launched a new two-course set menu (B390) for lunch. Some of the highlights include the salmon tartare, chicken cordon bleu, kofta wrap, and their classic cheesecake—as well as coffee brewed from Sarnies. Mocktails like pineapple mojito (B120) and lemongrass lychee (B120) are also available during lunch, and Bardo’s social hour from Tuesday to Friday from 4pm-7pm serves spirits, cocktails, and wines. Bardo Social Bistro and Bar is known for their high-end Mediterranean fare and as a hip after-work hang in the CBD.

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, FEBUARY 25, 2022

It’s aperitivo hour somewhere

SARNIES NIGHT LIVE

Sarnies stays open late for live music Everyone knows Sarnies Bangkok, the Singapore-born coffee sensation boasting some of the city’s best bean blends—along with a growing and inventive menu. Well, now the popular eatery is aiming for something a little cooler: live music. It’s not exactly a club scene, as it closes at 9:30pm, but starting at 7:30pm for Friday and Saturday, the java magicians will be putting on Sarnies Night Live (SNL) for some friendly vibes to accompany their high-end bites. There’s also a new alcoholic beverage menu by Pae Ketumarn to accompany the tunes.

COCKTAILS AND CICCHETTI THEY’RE BACK

The big guns at Tropic City turn on the creative cocktails Starting on March 1 and continuing on the first Tuesday of each month, Tropic City, Charoen Krung’s premier tropical cocktail bar, will be bringing their Swedish co-founders, Philip Stefanescu and Sebastian De La Cruz, behind the bar. The two bartending legends will be mixing, stirring, and jazzing up cocktails just like old times, and now they’ll be experimenting with off-menu and on-the-fly concoctions all night long.

Having snagged award-winning Milan-born mixologist Federico Balzarini only a few months ago, Vesper launched “aperitivo hours” (5pm to 8pm) in February for three non-stop hours of sipping crafty Italian cocktails with choices of five cool drinks. Try the pomelo Garibaldi (Campari, pomelo juice) or strawberry sbagliato (strawberry-infused Campari, Cocchi Rosa, prosecco) if you have a sweet tooth. Each drink comes with three chef’s selection cicchetti Italian bites (B500).

food & drink | new & noted

Masa Garden

TABLE TALK

PATARA FINE THAI CUISINE 375 Soi Thonglor 19, Sukhumvit 55, 02 185 2960. Open Mon-Sat 10:30am-2pm; 5.30-9pm

008 Bar

NEW AND NOTED

Masa Garden opens zen garden-style sumibiyaki in Phrom Phong

Nintendo Tango or Tonic Sonic? Bangkok barcade is back in business

The game’s afoot: Sherlock-inspired spirits at 008

(Excluding other promotions)

For Suki Masa and Sushi Masa fans, the Masa Group is opening Masa Garden for your sumibiyaki fix. Found in the Phrom Phong area, the concept is that of a traditional Kyoto house and zen gardens. Although Sukhumvit Soi 39 is an awful long way from Honshu, Masa Garden is boasting its best in wagyu beef. With existing branches at Thonglor and Siam Paragon, this third space is more spacious and private, a sleek, careful design to go with the Japanese eats. For the moment, the new venue is still under the auspices of a soft opening, serving only Suki Masa’s menu, including Kansai-style sukiyaki, shabu shabu, and nabe kimchi.

1 Feb ’22 – 31 Jan ’23

120 Soi Phrom Chit, Khlong Tan Nuea, Watthana, 02-123-8581

Open and closed and open and closed again, 100-Bit Barcade has been weathering the Covid-19 pandemic storm but is now happy to once again be open to patrons who like a little Mario Kart and Mortal Kombat with their buzz. The bar now offers games not just at the classic arcade stations, but also projected on giant screens with punch ‘em up competitions between patrons. The drinks are fittingly game themed. The Mario Sour is a real treat, a mix of strawberry, lime, and whiskey. All cocktails and Suntree beer are B200 and Leo beers run B100. It’s not just about the video games here; 100-Bit knows how to party when the lights go down.

You get to 008 bar through the unmarked door on the 11th floor of Akyra Hotel in Thonglor. Though it’s not exactly a mystery anymore, the bar has a new menu that’s anything but elementary: Sherlock Holmes-inspired cocktails. The drinks draw references from Sherlock Holmes and everything that revolves around the character, like the 7th July (B420) to pay homage to Dolye’s last day. It’s a mix of Scotch whiskey, French herbal liqueur, and lady gray tea, topped with a chocolate bar for depth of flavor. Then there’s A Study in Scarlet (B420), a tribute to Sherlock’s first appearance, blending vodka, maraschino liqueur, grenadine syrup, and a slice of peach.

831 Charoenkrung 31, 085-919-1692

88/332, 11 Soi Sukhumvit 55, 02-392-8959

This globe-spanning Thai fine-dining restaurant actually opened its first location in London in 1980, and has since stretched around the world to places like Beijing, Geneva, Singapore, Vienna, and, of course, Bangkok. Don’t worry, the venue is Thai owned and operated. The vast menu reflects its international origins, with nearly every mainstay Thai dish on display—think pomelo salads, seabass with lemon grass and pad see ew with chicken, among probably over a hundred others. The ingredient selection is less localized, however, so you’ll find plenty imported this or that when browsing the meats and poultry.

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get 10% discount on food only when spending THB 1,000 or more /sales slip

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, FEBUARY 25, 2022

The White House

TABLE TALK

SRI TRAT Do that voodoo that you do so well. Something Wicked comes to On Nut

New Da Tang Hot Pot opens its doors and turns up the heat

The White House Bangkok brings new flavors to Klong Toey

Well hello, Baron Samedi. Something Wicked, a voodoo-themed cocktail club in On Nut, had a soft opening in early February and is now open Wednesday through Sunday starting at 7pm. With Mikkeller founder Mike MacDonald and bar manager Susan van der Mespel, Something Wicked is decorated in bedazzled skulls and bedraggled voodoo dolls—the same goth chic that made Hair of the Dog such a must-see for the craft beer fans. This elegant cocktail spot features bayou blues, cocktail “potions” made on a ouija board, and a snake—yes, a real snake. Something Wicked is a swampy, sexy cocktail hang sandwiched between shop houses. Look out for a blood red door and listen for the frogs.

Hot pot isn’t just for family reunions anymore. From the wallets behind Nice Two Meat U and Mil Toast House, this spot asks, “Can hot pot be cool?” Da Tang Hot Pot isn’t just about the food. The floors are decked out for the Instagram generation. The first floor is in modern Chinese vibes featuring red neon Chinese characters, and the second is Chinese brothel style, with offwhite lanterns above and blue-green wall lights. The third floor is decorated like a Chinese palace with golden walls and a private table for parties. Try the A5 wagyu (B1,190) and kurobuta pork belly (B380). To really heat up your hot pot, dip the kurobuta pork chili (B380) in the spicy mala soup.

Latvian chef Aleksandrs Nasikallo has returned to the scene with The White House Bangkok and a culinary journey through a 10-course dining experience (B4,000). Expect creative yet subtle flavor combinations with theatrical presentations like tia marra, a fatty cut of tuna in a giant sphere of ice; catfish roe on a petal-like charcoal tartlet; and a wooden chest filled with Nasikallo’s homemade chocolate. The cocktails are overseen by ex-Salon Du Japonisant bartender Kei Sawada, who is now using cutting-edge tech like a rotary evaporator to extract eccentric flavors from various ingredients; think wasabi whiskey sour or sadashi and miso gin.

621 On Nut 10 Alley, Khwaeng Suan Luang

Siam Square Soi 3, Rama 1 Rd., 063-898-8998

The White House. Sukhumvit 16, Klong Toey. Open Tue-Sun 7pm-11pm, 097-694-9898.

90 Sukhumvit Soi 33, 02-088-0968. Open daily 10:30am-11pm (last order 9:30pm) Luxurious rooms of azure, button-backed leather sofas and louvered wooden panels welcome a buzzy, high-end crowd to dine on recipes drawn from Thailand’s eastern provinces: spicy sour relish made with crab roe; pickled jelly fish with Thai mustard greens and peanut brittle sauce; and pork rib soup, simmered with young galangal. The drinks menu steers you in the direction of cocktails with a Thai twist, like the Thai coffee-spiked “O-Liang” with its mix of whiskey, port, apricot brandy and spice.

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get a complimentary Malva Nut & Young Coconut Jelly in Fresh Coconut Milk Sauce valued THB 120 when spending THB 1,500 or more /sales slip Or Get a complimentary Assorted Thai Dessert Platter valued THB 350 when spending THB 3,000 or more /sales slip (limit 1 set /card /table /sales slip)

1 Nov ’21 – 31 Oct ‘22

food & drink

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, FEBUARY 25, 2022

ADVERTORIAL

FEAST OF A DEAL

Best of the West

Powerful flavors and delicate notes from across Europe and America Aesop’s

Carne

Bangkok’s first-ever plate-smashing authentic Greek restaurant and all-round party zone on Saladaeng is still as strong as ever. Feast on the likes of flaming cheese saganaki (imported kefalograviera cheese with honey, lemon and brandy flambeed tableside) or delve into a classic grilled octopus tentacle served on a sizzling plate.

From the group behind The Local and Crab and Claw comes Carne, a flame-focused, South Americanleaning restaurant that dares to be different. The food draws heavily on South American influence, while the cooking features fire in all forms—smoking, flamegrilling, charcoal grilling.

120 Sala Daeng Soi 1/1, 062-567-7751. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight; Sun noon-11pm

23 Sukhumvit Soi 23, 066-069-2288. Open daily 5:30-10:30pm

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get 10% discount on food only (Sunday – Thursday only) 1 Nov ’21 – 31 Dec ’22

Enoteca

Enoteca has been among the top of Bangkok’s Italian restaurant scene for all the right reasons: delicate food bursting with traditional flavors, rustic dining room, huge wine list and personable service. The restaurant has kept up the reputation for comfortably priced degustation menus that aim for Piedemontese flavors. 39 Sukhumvit Soi 27, Bangkok, 02-258-4386. Open daily 6-10:30pm

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members

Get a complimentary Panna Cotta valued THB 460++ (limit 1 dish /card /table /sales slip) And Free corkage charge when spending via Citi Credit Card

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get 10% discount on food only 1 Jan – 30 Jun ’22

Lenzi Tuscan Kitchen Dark wood and starched tablecloths project an upscale Italian moodiness, but the tone is lightened by the charismatic head chef Francesco Lenzi, who works the room offering recommendations and doling out the occasional sample. Cured meats and cheeses from Lenzi’s own family farm in Tuscany star alongside creative pasta dishes and wood-fired meats.

Aesop’s

Carne

Ruamrudee Soi 2, Wireless Rd., 02-001-0116. Open daily 11:45am-2pm, 6-10:45pm

Exclusively for Citi Credit Card members Get a complimentary Tiramisu valued THB 230 when spending via Citi Credit Card (limit 1 dish /card /table /sales slip) 1 Jun ’21 – 31 May ’22

1 Jan – 31 Dec ’22

Brought to you by Citi

Enoteca

Lenzi Tuscan Kitchen

Brand-new bars and restaurants, breaking news, top stories, deals, and more. https://bk.asia-city.com/bk-newsletters

the last word | all hail the king

Taking a graphic look into Bangkok’s political history First Italian, then Thai, and now finally in English, The King of Bangkok is an “enthographic” novel from Claudio Sopranzetti, Sara Fabbri, and Chiara Natalucci mapping the complex personal politics and trauma of Thailand’s recent political history. BK Magazine speaks with Claudio Sopranzetti about his research journey and what this graphic novel can tell us about the city’s present.

an you tell our readers a little about the story The King of Bangkok hopes to tell? The King of Bangkok came out of a real story of a few characters I met while I was studying anthropology—and in particular started with one character who was the driving force of the story. This guy was a motorcycle taxi driver in the early 2000s and got shot during the Red Shirt protests and was blinded. It’s a really fascinating and interesting story. It all started in some small ways from that but I didn’t just want to put one person on the spot for the consequences of Thailand’s political movements. I basically blended three or four characters I interviewed into one character. The story is a very ordinary story in Bangkok, frankly—the story of a guy who is from the northeast who slowly becomes more accustomed to the city. It’s the people we see in the streets of Bangkok: the workers, taxi drivers, street vendors. I wanted to tell the story of a whole portion of Thai society. In some ways it’s the story of a city through an ordinary man.

Why did you choose a graphic novel to tell this type of a story? The answer is in the three people who are the authorial team of this book. I think what’s important to mention is it’s not the classic one writer, one person doing the editing, one person doing research. It was really a collective project. Every word and every image was discussed. For me, it was frustrating that my academic life involved writing books that took a lot of work and then no one read. It was the frustration of reaching no one and screaming in an empty room. I had a conversation with Chiara (Chiara Natalucci) and she was working with publishing in London and she thought we should go in that direction. From there we reached out to artists to find one we liked. When we translated the book into Thai, it did really well, sold a lot of copies, and won prizes. But initially the response from many of the big publishers was that comics are for young people, children. And they said there was no market in Thailand for a heavy political comic. It was really nice to see that this was not the case. There was this attempt on one side to have a bigger audience, on the other to experiment with a new type of narrative. The format is more common in the US, Europe, or Japan, but in Thailand it’s in the process of emerging, so we are really happy to be part of that process. It’s 2022 now. We’ve had a rough few years. What lessons can people today take from the story of The King of Bangkok? I think what a graphic novel allows is multiple levels of interpretation and analysis. It’s kind of built into the format. In terms of messages, I think thematically there are layers. You know, a lot of our readers in Thailand are middle class and this is not necessarily a story they are familiar with. This is not the story of politics that they experience. So the first step and the first message is to show that different parts of society were going through a political transformation—a change in the way they understand their relationship with the state, with the country. One thing we did was show the way news comes into contact with the people. In the beginning they come to a radio and they kind of distractedly listen to it, then TV where they pay attention, and then they become part of the national news. Another thing, especially in relation to the contemporary protests, is a memory of faces of political protests. What’s interesting is what the government has been doing over the course of the last 10 years and what military governments always do: erase memory. Memory itself in Thailand is a very contested territory. It’s a territory where erasure is a big force. So part of what we want to do is say, okay, what if we create a story that is readable and combats this process of erasure. So, what’s next for you? What’s the next big project? Oh, well, that’s quite complicated. You know, because of Covid I haven’t been back to Thailand in like two years. That’s my second home so it’s a very strange sensation for me. My own work now is a lot more historical because I can do it from far away. I think my work is very responsive, so it depends a bit on what happens next in the political movements there.

hit list | new reasons to love bangkok

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MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO. MORE THAN A CONTENT STUDIO.

BK MAGAZINE FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2018