publisher’s letter
H
ere at Bangkok 101, we definitely take advantage of Bangkok’s status as one of the greatest cities on the planet for eating out. One of the joys of this town is discovering a new restauarant or a new dish. It’s even more satisfying when we’re able to eat for a good cause, which is exactly what’s on offer during this month’s Bangkok Restaurant Charity Week (p12). Some of Bangkok’s finest chefs are pitching in to raise money for the Royal Project, one of the King’s most successful initiatives, which allows hill tribes in the northern provinces to produce top-quality produce while also earning a living. We can’t wait to get involved. We’ve also been soaking up some of the city’s best live music, finding out all about the Bangkok Blues (p16), before heading to Sala Rattanakosin (p10) for a cracking meal. Check out our food and drink section for other reviews of Bo.Lan, Sirocco, Mandopop, Crepes & Co., as well as our visit to Mei Jang at The Peninsula Hotel, where we sat front-and-centre at the Chef’s Table, set up close enough to the action that we can still hear that ginger sizzling. On the travel front, we’ve been taking it easy in Koh Samui (p34) and exploring Manila (p38). We also checked out the brilliantly challenging Unwrapping Culture (p46) and chatted to Ian Kittichai (p70) as part of our brand new In The Kitchen section. After all that, we went for a well-earned drink at House of Beers (p82) and a glorious rub-down at the Away Spa at W Bangkok (p99). All this and our 101 archive and extras can be found online at bangkok101.com. A couple of clicks is all it takes to keep in touch with what’s happening. If there’s something you feel we’re not covering but should, then please drop us a line at info@talisman-media.com.
Enjoy.
? What is
Bangkok 101 Independent and unbiased, Bangkok 101 caters to savvy travellers who yearn for more than what they find in weighty, dated guidebooks. It brings together an authoritative who’s who of city residents, writers, photographers and cultural commentators. The result is a compact and intelligent hybrid of monthly travel guide and city magazine that takes you on and off the well-worn tourist track. Bangkok 101 employs the highest editorial standards, with no fluff, and no smut. Our editorial content cannot be bought. We rigorously maintain the focus on our readers, and our ongoing mission is to ensure they enjoy this great city as much as we love living in it.
Mason Florence Publisher
bangkok101.com
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Open on Sun - Thu from 18:00 - 24:00 hrs, Fr i - Sat from 18:00 - 01:00 hrs.
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Contributors
publisher
Mason Florence editor-in-chief
Dr Jesda M. Tivayanond associate publisher
Parinya Krit-Hat editor
Tom Sturrock contributing editor
Bangkok-born but internationally bred, Dr Tom Vitayakul has a background in communication and branding but now runs his family’s boutique hotel and Thai restaurant. An avid traveller and a bon vivant, he has contributed to magazines including Lips, Lips Luxe and the Bangkok Post ’s the Magazine, and has also helped edit several books on Thai subjects.
Very Thai author philip cornwel-smith is a writer, editor and curator specialising in the areas of culture and travel. He has lived in Thailand for over a decade, editing its first listings magazine and the Time Out Bangkok guides, updating Thailand: A Traveller’s Companion, presenting Noodle Box: Bangkok on Discovery Channel, and squeezing Bangkok into the city’s first phone guide for Nokia.
Food and travel writer howard richardson lives beside the Chao Phraya River in downtown Bangkok, from where he’s spent 12 years exploring the city as magazine editor and freelance writer. He’s contributed to publications such as GQ, the BBC’s Olive magazine and the New York Times online, and written a monthly column in Sawasdee, the Thai Airways inflight magazine.
Max Crosbie-Jones editorial assistant
Chaweitporn Tamthai strategists
Nathinee Chen Sebastien Berger contributing writers
Gaby Doman, Urasa Por Burapacheep, Luc Citrinot, Philip Cornwel-Smith, Leo Devillers, Korakot Punlopruksa, Isabelle Kallo contributing photographers
Dejan Patic´, Jatuporn Rutnin, Paul Lefevre, Ludovic Cazeba, Leon Schadeberg, Marc Schultz, Niran Choonhachat, Frédéric Belge, Somchai Phongphaisarnkit group director sales & marketing
Jhone El’Mamuwaldi
director business development
Itsareeya Chatkitwaroon
director sales and marketing
British-born writer-artist steven pettifor stopped over in Thailand 13 years ago on his way to Japan, but never left. An authority on contemporary Thai art, Steven is a commentator on the local art scene, contributing to international and domestic newspapers and journals. In 2004 he published coffeetable book Flavours: Thai Contemporary Art . When not musing, he is often found travel writing.
AVAILABLE AT:
bangkok101.com
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Native-Bangkok writer, photographer and incurable travel addict, korakot (nym) punlopruksa believes in experiencing the world through food. She can usually be found canvassing the city for the best eats. Nym has been a host for music and film programmes, a radio DJ, a creative consultant for TV and a documentary scriptwriter. Her work appears in magazines, including Elle, Elle Decoration and GM .
Nowfel Ait Ouyahia circulation
Pradchya Kanmanee published by
Talisman Media Group Co., Ltd. 113 Soi Tonson, Ploenchit Rd Bangkok 10330 T 02-252-3900 | F 02-650-4557 info@talisman-media.com
© Copyright Talisman Media Group Co., Ltd 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written, prior permission of the publisher. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher, which accepts no responsibility for them.
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CONTENTS
b a n g k o k 1 0 1 Pa r t n e r s
16
city pulse 6 metro beat 10 metroplates: sala rattanakosin 12 best of bangkok: bangkok restaurant charity week 16 out and about: the bangkok blues 34
s n a p s h ot s
67
20 tom’s two satang 22 very thai 23 chronicle of thailand
Sightseeing 24 historic homes
nightlife
and shrines
80 nightlife news
26 museums
82 review: house of beers
t r av e l
84 nightlife listings
28 king’s cup elephant
51 cheat notes
polo in hua hin
52 photo feature:
shopping
30 upcountry now
the nightmare remains
92 new collection:
32 hotel deals
monrissa couture
34 island escape:
food & drink
94 market watch:
koh samui
58 food & drink news
asiatique
38 over the border:
60 meal deals
97 jj gem: kham luang
manila
61 restaurant reviews: bo.lan, sirocco,
wellness
a r t & c u lt u r e
mandopop, crepes & co.,
99 spa review:
42 exhibition highlights
mei jiang
away spa at w bangkok
46 performance:
68 street eats:
unwrapping culture
young d
comm u nit y
48 interview:
70 chef profile:
100 making merit:
anurak thangsomboon
ian kittichai
dream project foundation
71 eat like nym bangkok 101
august 2013 100 baht
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xxxxxxxxxxxx | Food & drink
xxxxx
love or money?
| Shopping xxxxx
Taking the pulse of Thailand’s social angst
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72 all you can eat:
reference
the square
102 getting there
73 specials:
104 maps
mother’s day
112 my bangkok:
74 restaurant listings
chanin donavanik
on the cover Paisal Theerapongvisanuporn presents surreal photographic images to offer a blistering critique of Thai society. Check out p52
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by Howard Richardson
ROCK & POP
The Platters The Platters were pop royalty in the 1950s and 60s for classic rock and roll ballads like Only You, The Great Pretender and Smoke Gets In Your Eyes. Catch them at the Thailand Cultural Centre (Thiem Ruammitr Rd, 02-247-0028) on August 18. Tickets (B500-2500) are at Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com). With three songs in NME magazine’s 50 best tracks of 2012, and debut album In Love named “the finest British debut of the year”, UK pop band Peace should play a cracking gig at Sonic Ekamai (90 Ekamai Rd, 02-382-3395) on August 7. Tickets are B1000 in advance, B1200 on the door. For advance payment details call 087-600-0036.
Super Junior K-Pop boy band Super Junior bring their world tour, Super Show 5, to Impact Arena (99 Popular Rd, Pakkred, 02-5045050, impact.co.th) on August 3-4. They’re here to push their sixth album, Sexy, Free & Single, which won Album of the Year at the 2012 Mnet Asian Music Awards. Tickets cost B12005500 from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com). On August 6, Prart Group present US guitar player Steve Vai, a former collaborator with Frank Zappa, Ozzy Osborne, and David Lee Roth. The Grammy winner and founder of G3 with Joe Satriani will be at CentralWorld Live (991 Rama 1 Rd, 02-640-7000, centralworld.co.th) plugging his 2012 album The Story Of Light. Tickets are B1490 and B2490 from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com).
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Over 30 acts take to six stages for Sonic Bang, billed as the ‘Ultimate International Music Festival Experience’, at Impact Arena (99 Popular Rd, Pakkred, 02-504-5050, impact.co.th) on August 24. Jason Mraz, The Pet Shop Boys, Placebo and Pitbull are among the international headliners, with back-up from local bands such as Slot Machine, Scrubb and Room 39. Tickets are B4000 from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com). For schedule updates see sonicbang.net. Japandroids are Canadians Brian King (guitar/vocals) and David Prowse (drums/ vocals), who describe themselves as “a two-piece band trying to sound like it’s a fivepiece band”. They’ll kick out songs from their two albums, Post-Nothing and Celebration Rock, on August 14 Japandroids at Route 66 (RCA, 48 Soi Soonvijai, Rama IX, 02-2030936, route66club.com). Tickets are B1400 from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com) or B1500 at the door. The Grammy Happy Face Tival Party Reunion Concert celebrates 30 years of operations for GMM Grammy, Thailand’s biggest entertainment conglomerate with a host of artists, from Bell-Wah Wah to Zaza, at Impact Arena (99 Popular Rd, Pakkred, 02-504-5050, impact.co.th) on August 31. Tickets cost B1000-3500 from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com). bangkok101.com
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CULTURE The Siam Society (131 Sukhumvit Soi 21, 02-661-6470, siam-society. org) has an outing on August 18, in which assistant professor Sone Simatrang will study the Thai Concept of Tribhumi and Cosmology, as shown in late 18th to mid 19th-century mural paintings at three Bangkok temples, Wat Dusitaram, Wat Suvarnnaram and Wat Rajasitaram. A contribution payment of B1850 (B2050 for nonmembers) includes transportation, lunch and temple donation.
CLASSICAL
Chan Klang Fah: Chinese Instrument Concert features Li Yang playing the gu zheng (ancient Chinese zither) and Li Hui on the fiddle-like erhu. They perform at the Thailand Cultural Centre (Thiem Ruammitr Rd, 02-247-0028) for four nights, from August 5-8, at 7.30pm. Tickets are B1000-2500 from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com). The soloist Rodolfo Mederos stars on a South American concertina called the bandoneon in The Best of Tango Argentina at the Thailand Cultural Centre (Thiem Ruammitr Rd, 02-2470028) on August 17. The Bangkok Symphony Orchestra provides backing. Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor. com) have tickets priced B500-2500. bangkok101.com
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FILM The 17th Thai Short Film and Video Festival presents local and international competitions, plus special programmes at the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (939 Rama I Rd, 02-214-6632, bacc.or.th) from August 22-September 1. Highlights include Shorts for Kids, Queer Shorts, S-Express (featuring films from Malaysia, Indonesia, Philippines, Singapore and China), and the Best Selected from Clermont Ferrand Short Film Festival. Indian filmmaker Umesh Kulkarni will also present her latest work and give a masterclass. Films run daily except August 26, from 5pm on weekdays and 11am at weekends. Not all Thai films have English subtitles. The schedules are at facebook.com/thaishortfilmvideofestival from August 16. And it’s free to get in.
SHOPPING The Thai Craft Fair sells handcrafted products sourced from 50 village artisan groups around Thailand at the Jasmine Executive Suites Hotel (2 Sukhumvit Soi 23, 02-204-5885) on August 10. The products range from home decor and furnishings to accessories, toys and gifts, and there will be workshops where you can develop your own crafting skills. The stalls are open 10am-3pm. Check out facebook.com/ThaiCraft.org. AUGUST 2013 | 7
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Mural Painting – Retrospective
ART & DESIGN There are five decades of work by national artist Chalood Nimsamuer included in the exhibition Mural Painting – Retrospective at the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (939 Rama I Rd, 02-214-6632, bacc.or.th) until August 18. The show has installations, drawings, paintings, and Chalood’s latest collection, Mural Paintings. This year’s Creativities Unfold, Bangkok Symposium is titled Meet the Unmet: From Hidden Needs to Business Growth at
TRAVEL
the Thailand Creative & Design Centre (TCDC, Fl 6 Emporium Shopping Complex, 622 Sukhumvit 24, 02-664-8448, tcdc. or.th) from August 1-September 9. The events are aimed at matching design initiatives to new business opportunities and include workshops and networking sessions with local and international industry experts. There is also an International Symposium at Scala Theatre (Siam Square Soi 1, 02-251-2861) on September 7-8, with eight speakers, including the Muji designer Naoto Fukasawa and Yoon C Lee, head of the product innovation team at Samsung Electronics America. See cu-tcdc.com for schedules and ticket info.
SPORT Frequently voted the world’s best footballer, Lionel Messi will show his skills on August 7 when he appears in the Chang Champions Cup FC Barcelona Asia Tour 2013 at Rajamangala Stadium (2088 Ramkhamhaeng Rd, 02-318-0940-4). New Brazilian signing Neymar should also play in the game between Barcelona and the Thai national team, along with Iniesta, Xavi and Fabregas. Kick-off is at 7pm, tickets are B1000-B3500, or B4500 if you want to attend Barcelona’s open training session. All are available at Thai Ticketmajor (02262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com).
Space Expedition Corporation Holidays for Thai travellers could literally be out of this world following the announcement that Bangkok-based Khiri Voyages (02-950-7134, khirivoyages.com) are now offering Space Tourism. Khiri are the Thailand agents for the Space Expedition Corporation (SXC), whose first space flights are planned for later this year. The packages include training in Holland, take off in the Mojave Desert and a state of weightlessness at 338,000 feet above Earth. For more see spacevoyages.asia. 8 | AUGUST 2013
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Lionel Messi bangkok101.com
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FOOD & DRINK
Bangkok Restaurant Charity Week Major chefs from Bangkok restaurants will gather for the Bangkok Restaurant Charity Week 2013 at various venues around the city from August 7-11. With talents like David Thompson (Nahm), Ian Kittichai (Issaya Siamese Club) and Gaggan Anand (Gaggan), this will be worth supporting for the food as well as the good cause, which is the Royal Project. See bkkrestaurantweek2013.com and our feature on page 12. On August 12, Thailand celebrates Mother’s Day and many hotel restaurants will have dining specials. Fifty Five, for instance, at the Centara Grand hotel (999/99 Rama I Rd, 02-1006101, centarahotelsresorts.com) has a ‘Come Four with Mum, Pay for Three’ deal for its Seafood Extravaganza lunch, priced B1888 per person. See page 73 for more great deals.
Sambal Bar & Grill
Sambal Bar & Grill at the Royal Orchid Sheraton (2 Charoen Krung Soi 30, 02-266-0123, royalorchidsheraton.com) has launched the Cheese and Wine-lovers’ Paradise from 6.30pm8.30pm on the third Friday of each month. The riverside venue promises “a wide selection of gourmet cheeses and free flow wines from around the world”, all for B599. Meanwhile, Distil Bar, at The Dome (1055 Silom Road, 02-6249555, lebua.com) chills out with a range of Ice Cocktails, using flavours in the ice that seep into the drink as it melts. In the mix are items like Devil’s Advocaat (house-made advocaat and B-52 jelly with vanilla scents) and Sinor (a revisited Margarita on chilli ice cubes with grapefruit, rosemary-agave scents and red wine flavoured sea salt). Zuma in the St Regis Bangkok (159 Ratchadamri Rd, 02-2524707) has a new Business Lunch, starting at B490 for main course selections such as teriyaki chicken and barbecued pork ribs, moving to signature main courses (from B780), including spicy beef tenderloin and saikyo miso marinated black cod. Both come with miso soup, zuma salad and steamed rice. bangkok101.com
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hot plates
Sala Rattanakosin by Howard Richardson
T
he Temple of Dawn at sunset is one of Bangkok’s best views and a terrific place to catch it is the boutique hotel Sala Rattanakosin, a 90-year-old former Chinese warehouse tucked down the alleys of Tha Tien Market in the Old City. The restaurant serves traditional Thai and modern European food with Asian touches but it’s best to start with a trek up the winding staircase to the roof bar, an intimate space that’s ideal for a romantic date or pre-dinner cocktails. With vistas not only across the river to Wat Arun but also towards the spires of Wat Pho and the Grand Palace, everyone here has a drink in one hand and a camera-phone in the other. Later, head down to the two-storey restaurant, and, if possible, grab a window table upstairs or beside the river on the wooden deck outside. Executive Chef Tony Wrigley describes his menu as comfort food and that pretty much fits the bill. Typical Thai dishes include tempura fried soft shell crab (B290), with a good strong zip of sour and spice in green mango salad that cuts through the crispy batter, and the northern Thai favourite khao soy (B280). The latter, served as a main course, has a thicker, more curry-like consistency than usual and the complexity loses out slightly to the more dominant palm sugar in a heavily reduced sauce. The menu has fewer Euro items but there were good flavours to the twice-cooked crispy pork belly (B590). It’s roasted for three hours and then finished in the oven for 20 minutes with a tamarind glaze. On the side are roast pumpkin puree, apple and young ginger marmalade, and stir-fried morning glory, which works very well cooked in typical local style, flash-fried with oyster sauce, garlic and chilli. A major plus is the list of 25 wines by the glass, starting at B190 and a very drinkable standard with the clean, acidic Teddy Hall Chenin Blanc from South Africa. I only have a single visit on which to judge but my hunch is the food quality here – particularly Thai – will vary nightly. The spectacular setting and wine list alone, though, will get me back. It’s a great spot for Old City tourists and might even make a few townies hot for a river breeze.
sala rattanakosin bangkok
[MAP 7/c12]
39 Maharat Rd, Rattanakosin Island 02-231-2588 | salarattanakosin.com | 7am-10pm
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food fit for a king Bangkok’s top chefs join forces to help support the Royal Project, the King’s agriculture programme that has changed lives and produced some amazing food.
C
hefs are a notoriously competitive bunch but, this month, some of the city’s most gifted, most celebrated cooks, including Gaggan Anand and David Thompson (main image) will come together for common cause. The Bangkok Restaurant Charity Week and its Destination of Gastronomy programme kicks off with a gala dinner on August 7 and continues until August 11, with all proceeds going toward the Royal Project, an astonishingly ambitious and successful agriculture programme in the northern provinces. Founded 43 years ago by His Majesty The King, the Royal Project gave hill tribes the means and the expertise to grow produce that was otherwise being imported, helping them earn a living and support their communities. 12 | AUGUST 2013
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BY TOM STURROCK
“We now have 200 kinds of vegetables as well as coffee and tea and we’re always trying to improve the produce,” says Rithee Bunnag, a volunteer with the Royal Project. “There’s also a lot of development and research – knowing what we can grow in different places. There are 38 stations and each station helps many villages. In total, it helps about 30,000 families.” The Royal Project is a masterstroke of market-driven philanthropy but there is an ongoing challenge to persuade the hospitality industry that the produce is of serious high-end quality. This is another objective of the Restaurant Charity Week – raising money is important but it also serves as a valuable platform to promote the food. “We have temperate crops, mostly ingredients used bangkok101.com
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The Royal Project in Thai and European food,” Rithee says. “We want to promote local produce and show that the farmers can grow things that can be used in beautiful dishes in the best restaurants. A lot of chefs didn’t know what we could grow so we brought them to Chiang Mai to show them.” Among the chefs who made the trip to Chiang Mai was Anand, whose progressive Indian restaurant in Chidlom is unanimously regarded as one of Bangkok’s finest and most innovative places. Anand is aleady a fan of the Royal Project and its produce but seeing it operate first-hand allowed him to develop an even greater appreciation. “We saw everything right at the source, the way the fisheries work, the way they farm sturgeon,” he says. “All the chefs loved it, we all said how great it would be to open a restaurant right at the centre – with that land and all that produce, it would be ideal. “The way they do it and organise it, for a non-profit organisation, is absolutely perfect. Everything down to the way the packing centre operates. As a chef, you know that what you’re getting is fresh. For instance, everywhere else, strawberries are a summer fruit but in Thailand, they’re a winter fruit, so for that half of the year you know you can still get strawberries.” Although Anand’s specialty is Indian food – admittedly, it’s not quite like any other Indian food – he draws inspiration from countless sources, including Thai food, bangkok101.com
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best of bangkok
The Royal Project packing station and his approach to food and cooking continues to be shaped by his experiences in Bangkok. “In many ways, Thai food has some similarities to Indian food – the spice and the sourness, particularly southern Indian,” he says. “And the way Buddhism brought the two cultures together – there is always room for me to find more inspiration. “Also, Bangkok has the blessing of being a great transit point – you get a lot of people coming through – and people here believe in eating out. There are very few places you would travel to just to eat; in Asia, maybe Hong Kong, Tokyo and Bangkok.” Thompson, whose Nahm Restaurant is one of the few in Bangkok to rival Gaggan for unanimous acclaim, is one of the world’s most influential Thai chefs. Thompson’s insight into Thai cuisine is as refined as anyone’s, making his endorsement of the Royal Project all the more significant. “I use their chicken, their game birds, their yabbies,” he says. “It was set up to help the farmers in the north but there’s some real merit behind it – it’s good quality, so it becomes a very attractive option. I’ve been using them for the last three years.” Like Anand, Thompson is an expat who has found his niche in Bangkok. And, given his success cooking Thai food, his connection to the country and its culinary traditions is probably even more acute. “Thailand is home to me,” he says. “Where else could be better than Bangkok? And the access to Thais ingredients makes my job much easier. A cook is nothing without his markets and I remain stringently Thai in my cooking. “When I’m out in the provinces I still come across new things. I was down south recently and discovered a succulent herb called pacmui – I use it as a side for my southern-style pork curry.” 14 | AUGUST 2013
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bangkok restaurant charity week August 7: Gala dinner opening at JW Marriott, with nine different chefs preparing nine different courses. Tickets are B9999. August 8: Cocktail workshop at Hyde & Seek, hosted by Nath Arj-Han, revealing the secrets of mixing the perfect tipple. Tickets are B2000. August 9: The Modern Classic Cuisine workshop at Le Cordon Bleu Dusit, with Gaggan Anand. Tickets are B5000. Also a special dinner at Blue Elephant, with David Thompson, comparing authentic and modern Thai. Tickets are 4999. August 10: Molecular X dinner at Aston Restaurant and Bar showcases the latest theory and technique associated with fine dining. Tickets are B6500. August 11: Awards ceremony at the Renaissance Bangkok, recognising Bangkok’s best chefs and restaurants. For more information, call 02-991-3031 or visit bkkrestaurantweek2013.com Thompson has spent vast amounts of his professional life in Thailand and has watched Bangkok’s restaurant scene transform. “Bangkok is a great food destination,” he says. “It’s changed a lot. When I came here 20 years ago, it wasn’t like that at all. It’s grown up and is now a contender on the world stage. And it’s a generous city – it lets people do new things.” bangkok101.com
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HUNGRY FOR EXCITEMENT? Time To Spice Up Your Days In Sumptuous New Ways.
Indian (North, South, East & West) | Thai | Indo Chinese | Sweets & Savouries Jain Food Is Also Available
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THE
BANGKOK
BLUES
Bangkok is a long way from the Deep South but that doesn’t stop the blues resonating, even elbowing DJs off the stage at some of the capital’s live music venues.
T
he colour and commotion of Sukhumvit Soi 11 is so enmeshed that it can be hard to know where the honk of taxi horns stops and the pop music blasting out of street bars starts. It all mixes together – it’s part of the appeal, part of the energy. It can be just as intoxicating as the buckets of paint-stripper cocktails. But at the top end, just as you turn left toward Q-Bar, a peculiar thing happens. The cacophony of Soi 11 dies down and the sound of blues, emanating from Apoteka, cuts through the night. Apoteka has been open for less than a year and made the decision to focus on live music – blues, in particular – even more recently. “Everyone else is doing DJs and we saw there was a niche in the market for blues,” says manager Neil Sutton, a Geordie with a long hospitality CV. “There are some great blues clubs in Bangkok but not 16 | AUGUST 2013
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BY TOM STURROCK
so much around here and a lot of them are in hotels, which sometimes aren’t so relaxed or comfortable.” And Apoteka is certainly comfortable. The square bar is prominent enough but the stage is even more central, illustrating perfectly that, at Apoteka, it really is all about the music. Its high ceilings are dotted with old glass vials repurposed as over-sized light bulbs and its cocktail selection includes some particularly punchy drinks. “My music director, Danny California (main image), came in and immediately said it’s made for live music,” Sutton says. ‘‘When we first started, people would walk by and have a look and there’s a real energy that comes out on to the street.” Tonight, the Soi Dogs are responsible for generating that energy. The lead singer, Jeff Thomsen (far right), towers over his Thai rhythm section and, as Black Cat bangkok101.com
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out and about
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top spots for blues, jazz and soul Brown Sugar [Map 7/J5]
at around 11pm. Owner Porn Pimon opened Raintree decades ago and has changed little since.
469 Phrasumen Road | 089-499-1378 | 6pm-1am
Little over a month after it closed down, one of Bangkok’s oldest cosiest jazz venue was back with a new, bigger location near Khao San. Now a restaurant and coffee house by day, it morphs into a world-class, jazz caféstyle haunt (pictured) where renditions of bebop and ragtime draw an audience of locals and visitors by night. Its exterior is impressive, resembling a ritzy old cinema house. And inside, it’s huge, with a daytime coffee shop up front, a versatile 200-seater ‘Playhouse’ upstairs, and the big, open-plan jazz pub and restaurant out back.
Le Bar de l’Hôtel [Map3/G9] Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, 189 Sukhumvit (btw Soi 13-15) | 02-126-9999 | Daily 11am-midnight
Hotel lobby bars are as safe and predictable as Justin Bieber. Which makes the Sofitel Sukhumvit’s introduction of Chai, one of Bangkok best blues guitarists, particularly welcome. And neither have they stuffed him in a suit. Dressed in jeans and T-shirt, his shaggy ZZ Top beard on full display, Chai throws the sleepy cool of Howling Wolf. And when he cranks up the guitar it sounds like grating steel. For these gigs, Chai calls his band The Blues Delivery, a seven-piece line up of guitar/vocals, sax, trumpet, bass,
SAXOPHONE PUB [Map 8/K10] 3/8 Phaya Thai Rd | 02-246-5472 | 6pm-2am
drums, keyboards and percussion. The only thing missing from a traditional blues night is the grungy venue. Le Bar is hotel chic: an intimate 38-seat venue with a laidback vibe.
RAINTREE PUB [Map 8/K10] 116/63 34 Soi Ruamjit, Rang Nam Rd 02-245-7230 | 5pm-1am
This rustic Thai ‘country’ bar is a sort of all-wooden, pre-consumerist age timecapsule. Raintree hosts musicians playing Pleng Peua Chiwit (Songs for Life), the once phenomenally popular 1970s folk protest music and soundtrack for Thailand’s politically disaffected. On a stage decorated with the movement’s trademark buffalo skulls, two artists strum nightly: a longhaired singer croons plaintive songs at 8.30 pm, a grizzled band steps up
Just a stone’s throw from the Victory Monument Skytrain Station, this cosy, unpretentious place is a Bangkok landmark when it comes to solid live jazz and blues. Attracting youngish Thais and the odd foreigner, the spacious joint can pack up to 400 people on its homey, low-ceilinged, wood-filled floors. Each night, two talented Thai bands belt out sincere jazz, jazzy funk and R&B while the crowd feasts on hearty Thai and Western fare.
THE LIVING ROOM [Map 4/F6] Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, 250 Sukhumvit 02-649-8888 | thelivingroomatbangkok.com 9am-midnight
Perhaps the cosiest of all Bangkok’s luxury hotel bars, the leather couches at The Living Room are so snug it’ll be hard to get up again once you’re seated. It’s a stylish place and the usually middle-aged patrons live it up on great wines, champagne and strong cocktails in a quiet way. The highceilinged foyer offers perfect acoustics for the fabulous jazz band. Be prepared to be well-entertained.
Bone segues into Look At Little Sister, his growling vocals straight out of Dixie, it’s natural to assume he’s a farang troubadour revelling in a tropical blues odyssey. After wrapping up the set, though – “We’re Soi Dogs, ruff, ruff, ruff” – Thomsen wanders over and confirms that he is, in fact, Thai. His accent comes from an international school and a lifetime of travel, while his fascination with the blues and Americana can be attributed to BB King. “When I heard BB King singing Sweet Little Angel for the first time, that was a defining moment for me,” he says. Thomsen wasn’t always a blues man – he worked as a DJ in the 1980s, spinning Rick James and Michael Jackson tracks at the legendary Studio 54. He’s reluctant to share all the hedonistic details, simply confirming that “it was exactly what you imagine it was like”. “I was just a Thai boy but I could mix the shit out of any US DJ and the Brits didn’t stand a chance,’’ he adds. It wasn’t until 12 years ago that he formed the Soi Dogs – named because the soi dogs have no home – and the band has been his main gig since. Bangkok, of course, is a long way from the blues heartlands of the Deep bangkok101.com
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CITY PU LSE
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The Soi Dogs South – places like Mississippi, Georgia and New Orleans. Thomsen, though, insists that geography is no obstacle; the Thais understand the blues just fine, pointing to his exquisitely talented bandmates as evidence. “The Thais play the blues,” he says. “A song like Jao Choo – it’s about a guy whose girlfriend thinks he has another girlfriend when he doesn’t, so leaves him. That’s the blues. The Thais suck it up like anywhere else and a handful of Thais play at a real world-class level. I’ve seen a few and thought, ‘holy shit – it’s not just my boys’. Some of the Thais are really gifted. Thais are really good at musicianship. “People appreciate real music by real people and the blues resonates. It’s Chuck Berry, that 12-bar sound. It’s rock’n’roll but slower. You cannot not move to that.” Still, there are different shades of the blues from different places, where different ingredients are added to the musical melting pot. Perhaps, given the creative chaos of Bangkok – the way the city is able to embrace, adapt and reshape its own and any imported cultures – it’s not so stange that the blues should find a home here. “The blues has no borders,” Thomsen says. “The blues are the blues no matter where you are. Maybe the Bangkok blues is a mixture of them all.”
apoteka
[MAP 3/E7]
33/28 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 090-626-7655 | Facebook: ApotekaBangkok Mon-Thurs 5pm-1am, Fri-Sat 5pm-2am, Sun 3pm-midnight
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coloured clothing retains symbolic power
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ToTwmo ’Ssatang
Join Bangkok-born but internationally bred aesthete Dr. Tom Vitayakul as he gives his own unique take on Thailand and its capital. Each month he tackles a different aspect of the local culture – from art and festivals to 21stcentury trends – in a lighthearted yet learned manner
On colours
I
n different cultural contexts, colours can evoke emotions, represent moods and meanings, and symbolise various things. Colours matter greatly to most Thais, who are still superstitious about them. Basically, each day of the week brings out different colours. Influenced by Hindu mythology and Vedic astrology, each day is ruled by a god who represents a planet, a colour, an animal as a mount, a direction, a season, a gemstone, meanings for auspiciousness and professions, etc. For instance, Wednesday is ruled by Budha, a Vedic version of Mercury. He is the god of intellect, intelligence, senses, communication, research and analysis, science, mathematics and business. A person who was born on Wednesday should be eloquent and excel at commerce, communication and travel. But, more importantly, this god’s body is green and his gemstone is emerald. Just wear any shades of green on Wednesday. It is not for this year’s spring trend, military style or looking eco-chic but for good luck. However, the history and complexity of seven-day colour schemes have diverse guidelines. If you follow the seven-day rules, it is easy: red for Sunday; yellow for Monday; pink for Tuesday; green for Wednesday; orange for Thursday; blue for Friday; and purple for Saturday. But I find this too elementary and it only works for certain skin tones and the right occasions. Sawasdiraksa – or ‘beneficial protection’ – was written by Soonthornphu, a court poet during King Rama II’s and III’s reigns, to help one of King Rama II’s children observe the right codes of conducts. There is advice about which day they should wash their hair and when to make love. Given it was a time of war, wearing certain colours on certain days was also regarded as helping soldiers win battles – and, of course, the horses had to be dressed accordingly as well. The courtiers in the middle of Rattanakosin Era wore even more intricate and sophisticated colour combinations that could have made Yves Saint Laurent look twice. The seven-day colour scheme and the ones from Sawasdiraksa are mainly used and worn in the bottom half. As a model, on Wednesday, one should wear olive green with orange-yellow on top. Back then, when
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Pink is for Tuesdays in mourning, black was not the colour of choice because, unlike with modern chemical dyes, ebony was not able to yield black. So deep purple would be worn on the bottom half and ivory would be on top. Over five years ago, I was introduced to a new chart that shows the colours for power, fortune, and support and the ones that may bring bad luck for each day. I don’t know which astrologer devised this method but it works well for me since I have been looking for some systems with neutrals and not so many rainbows. For example, if one doesn’t feel like wearing green on Wednesday, look up three other colours or more. According to this plan, black, grey, brown also bring good fortune for Wednesdays. Recently, colours have beome enmeshed in political feuds and factions. Wearing red may identify someone as supporting the former prime minister. However, as a royalist who likes wearing most colours, I remind people that red has been and is still on the Thai National flag. It represents blood and the nation while white is for purity in all religions and royal blue is for monarchy. Red should not be reserved for Christmas, Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day. Red, when combined with the other two colours, represents unity and patriotism, like on a piece of Paa Khoaw Mah, checked pattern multi-purpose cloth. We should show our true colours through our actions, not what we wear. AUGUST 2013 | 21
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S N A P S H OT S
very thai
O
ghost
in the machine
fear of supernatural casts long shadow
ld wooden houses set the Westerner swooning with nostalgia but cause many a Thai to freak out. No wonder refined mansions are so readily demolished in ‘Cement Age’ Thailand – they’re presumed to be haunted. The same goes for beautiful old furniture. Suspicion that a stranger died horribly on the bed or the chest belonged to a drowned aunt sends exquisite teak heritage into the trash in favour of new plastic or chipboard replacements. Haunted houses are hardly unique to Thailand. What’s unusual is the number of them and how much phii (bad spirits) affect day-to-day perceptions. Ghosts are a mainstay of newspapers, magazines, soap operas and movies. Spine-chillers spin a major thread through Thai literature, from the mid-20th-century ghost yarns by Hem Wejakorn and pulp horror booklets through to today’s comic strip ghouls. Most potent remains the oral tradition. A purported 80 percent of Thais believe in the supernatural, taking seriously those who’ve experienced a visitation or someone who knows someone who has. Some believe that dogs howl at night on seeing a ghost, others that you can see a ghost’s true form when looking back between one’s legs. Even sophisticated urban Thais who pooh-pooh superstition find themselves assuaging the phii “just in case”.
> Very Thai
River Books | with photos by John Goss & Philip CornwelSmith | B 995
Very Thai – Everyday Popular Culture is a book that almost every foreigner living in Bangkok has on their bookshelf, a virtual bible on Thailand’s pop culture. For page after colourful page, city resident and author Philip Cornwel-Smith guides readers on an unconventional tour of the quirky everyday things that make Thailand truly Thai. From the 60-plus minichapters, we present a different excerpt every month. Prepare yourself for the sideways logic in what seems exotic, and snap up a copy of Very Thai now at any good book shop. 22 | AUGUST 2013
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chronicle of thailand
S N A P S H OT S
august 3, 1972:
thailand and china ping pong diplomacy
Squad heads to beijing for international DRUG tournament in effort to improve relations
LO
OUST
armed fo
T
hailand and China literally entered into ping pong from diplomacy in a bid to improve relations. Beijing invited Chiang Rai Thai forces Bangkok to send a delegation of ping pong players against drug lord Khun to slap paddles in an international tournament in China. his 200-mule opium ca US-backed Bangkok opposed communist China’s efforts to spread its political ideology in Thailand and elsewhere Several thousand by planes and helicopte in Southeast Asia, but the games were designed to ease stronghold at Ban Hin T hostilities. Thailand joined 25 other teams from the Middle (SUA). At least 1,000 re East and Asia in the first Asian Table Tennis Championship. asofficial fierce fighting flared The Thai squad entered China on August 27, the first contact between the two nations since communists seized After Thai and SUA a truce proposal put for Beijing in 1949. Outstanding issues between the two nations Tinsulanond stated: “A included Beijing’s alleged support for communist guerrillas narcotics trafficking, fac in Thailand and Thai trade deals with Taiwan. En-lai its drive again Thai officials met with Chinese Prime Minister Chou continue destroyed.” It was estim in a historic meeting in the Great Hall of the People, moving of the region’s heroin. T the nations toward trade and other bilateral relations short extensive headquarters of full diplomatic ties. and equipment as casu Thai ping pong team leader Gen Chumphol Lohachala, In July, Khun Sa’s however, seemed more concerned with the local entertainment hot spots than international diplomacy. troops, “We fought against t side of Doi Lang mount felt rather lonely. There was no nightlife,” he said. Chronicle of Thailand is the story of Thailand during the reign of King Bhumibol Adulyadej. Beginning on the day he was crowned, 9 June 1946, the book presents a vivide eye-witnessaccount of Thailand’s development through the major news events of the last 64 years. Alongside a grandstand view of events and quirky aspects of daily life that just happened to make the news, the book features thousands of rare and fascinating pictures and illustrations, representing one of the most comprehensive photo collections of Thailand ever produced.
> Chronicle of Thailand
EDM Books | editor-in-chief
21 January Nicholas1982 Grossman | B1,450
all
EDM Books | editor-in-chief Nicholas Grossman | B1,450
Chronicle of Thailand is the story o Adulyadej. Beginning on the day h presents a vivid eye-witness accou major news events of the last 64 y as they unfolded and quirky aspec the news, the book features thous illustrations, representing one of t Thailand ever produced.
still life in moving vehicles
together T
> Chronicle of Thailand
Chiang Rai provinces. T displaced hundreds of v Border Patrol Police. In Sa’s new base on Doi L constructed 200 buildin
now
hai style often involves an unlikely combination of things that typically don’t go together. Thais are experts at taking incongruous elements and blending them together to suit their personal taste, all the while keeping in mind the principle of harmony. Even though this still life on the taxi dashboard includes an unusual mix of creatures, together these plastic, glass, and ceramic figures with a few metallic accents somehow form a well-balanced grouping.
CiTy vS. COUNTRy This cabby literally wears two hats. He dons a baseball cap when he’s driving his cab and puts on this straw hat when he’s farming. This is not uncommon in Bangkok as many cabbies here come from the countryside to drive a taxi between rice plantings and harvests, or when extra income is desperately needed. I asked the driver of this taxi which job he prefers and he told me that he would much rather do farming than drive in this city full of traffic jams and crazy people. Visual artist and academic, Dale Konstanz snaps photos of the sacred decorations and other bits and bobs he finds in Bangkok taxis, then writes about them on his blog, Still Life in Moving Vehicles (http://lifeinmovingvehicle.blogspot.com). Published by River Books, the spin-off book, Thai Taxi Talismans, is available at bookstores around town for B995. AUGUST 2013 | 23
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listings
HISTORIC HOMES ANANTA SAMAKHOM PALACE Throne Hall [map 8/F8] Uthong Nai Rd, opp Dusit Zoo Tue -Sun 10am-6pm | B150 Located at the tail-end of Dusit district’s stately ceremonial boulevard, Ratchadam noen, this stately parliamentary palace was built during the reign of Rama V and completed by Rama VI. Cast in white Carrara marble, it is still used for the ceremonial opening of the first parliamentary session. Influenced by Renaissance architecture, the interior is decorated with detailed frescoes by Italian Galileo Chini of royal ceremonies and festivities. Out front stands a statue of King Rama V still worshipped today.
JIM THOMPSON HOUSE [map 4/A3] 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama I Rd BTS National Stadium | 02-216-7368 jimthompsonhouse.com | 9am-5pm B100 / B 50 students American Jim Thompson was the Princeton graduate and former spook who revived the hand-woven Thai silk industry before disappearing mysteriously in Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands in 1967. One of the things to do in Bangkok is visit his tropical garden home beside a pungent canal: six traditional teak houses from around the country kept exactly as he left them.
M.R. KUKRIT’S HOUSE [map 5/H8] 19 Soi Phra Pinit, Sathorn Rd | 02-286-8185 Sat-Sun 10 am-5pm, Mon-Fri by appt B 50 / B 20 kids Kukrit Pramoj was one of Thailand’s mostloved statesmen of the 20th century. A natural all-rounder, he was a poet, a writer and even served as prime minister. His peaceful abode with its lovely gardens is a terrific example of Thai architecture.
VIMANMEK MANSION [map 8/F8] 139 / 2 Ratchawithi Rd | 02-281-1569 9:30 am-4pm | B100 The world’s largest teakwood building was originally built on the island of Koh Si Chang, in 1868, and then moved to Bangkok for use by King Rama V. Its 81 rooms spread over three floors overlook a beautiful garden.
SUAN PAKKAD palace [MAP 8/K11] Si Ayutthaya Rd, Ratchathewi BTS Phaya Thai | 02-245-4934 suanpakkad.com | 9am-4pm | B100 A former market garden that was converted into a residence and garden by Princess Chumbot. Consisting of five reconstructed Thai wooden houses, Wang Suan Pakkard pays testament to her dedication to collecting Thai artefacts and antiques.
ERAWAN SHRINE [map 4/G5] Ratchadamri Rd, near Grand Hyatt Erawan BTS Chit Lom Don’t expect serenity here. This is one
of Bangkok’s busiest intersections: the crowded shrine to the Hindu creation god Brahma and his elephant Erawan is filled with worshippers lighting incense, buying lottery tickets and watching the traditional dancing group.
GANESHA SHRINE [map 4/G3] Outside CentralWorld and Isetan Department Store | Ratchadamri Rd A prayer in front of this pot-bellied gold elephant – the son of Shiva and Parvati – is said to help get the creative juices flowing, as well as protect you from harm. Aside from marigold garlands, bring bananas, ripe mango or sticky rice-flour Thai desserts – Ganesha has an eternal appetite.
TRIMURTI SHRINE [map 4/G3] Outside Centralworld and Isetan Department Store | Ratchadamri Rd If your love life is in the doldrums then this shrine is for you: at 9:30 pm each Thursday it’s rumoured that Lord Trimurti descends from the heavens to answer prayers of the heart. To maximise your chances you should offer nine-red incense sticks, red candles, red roses and fruit.
SHRINES THE GRAND PALACE & WAT PHRA KAEW [map 7/D10] Na Phra Lan Rd, near Sanam Luang Tha Chang Pier | 02-222-0094 8:30am-4:30pm | B 400 Bangkok’s most beloved temple and top tourist site is a fantastical, mini-city sized royal complex enclosed by quaintly crenulated whitewalls. Building began in 1782, the year Bangkok was founded, and every monarch subsequent to King Rama I has expanded or enhanced it. Today, despite being able to visit many sights on its grounds, much of it remains off-limits. The Chakri Mahaprasat Hall – the “Westerner in
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a Thai hat” – is worth seeing, and there are some state halls and rooms open to visitors.
WAT ARUN [map 7/B13] Temple of Dawn, Arun Amarin Rd 02-465-5640 | watarun.org 8am-5pm | B 20 Across the river from Wat Po is Wat Arun, or the Temple of the Dawn, one of the city’s most important religious sites. Before being moved to Wat Phra Kaew, the Emerald Buddha was temporarily housed here. The five-towered structure is covered in colourful porcelain and designed as a representation of the Khmer home of the gods.
WAT PO (reclining buddha) [map 7/D12]
Chetuphon, Thai Wang Rd 02-226-0369 | watpho.com 8am-noon, 1pm-9pm | B100 The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is the oldest and largest wat in Bangkok. Originating in the 16th century, it houses the largest reclining Buddha statue in Thailand as well as the greatest number of Buddha images.
WAT MAHATHAT [map 7/C8] Tha Prachan, Sanam Luang, Maharat Rd 02-221-5999 | 9am-5pm | Free An amulet market is situated near this 18th century centre of the Mahanikai monastic sect and an important university of Buddhist teaching. On weekends, market stalls are
set up on the grounds to complement the vendors of traditional medicines.
WAT RATCHANATDA [map 7/K8] Mahachai Rd | 02-224-8807 9am-5pm | free This striking temple on the corner of Ratchadamnoen and Mahachai Road features the bizarre Loha Prasat, a multitiered castle-like structure with 36 steel spires. Climb the spiral staircase to the top for good views of the Old City and its many temples.
WAT SAKET [map 7/L8] Chakkraphatdiphong Rd 02-233-4561 | 7:30am-5:30pm | B10 Referred to as the Golden Mount, this wat on a small hillock is worth the hike up 318 steps for the views of Chinatown to the south and the Old City to the north. The hill is all that is left of the fortifications for a large chedi that Rama III planned to construct on the site that gave way under the weight. Rama V later built a smaller chedi on top.
WAT SUTHAT & the GIANT SWING [map 7/H9] Bamrung Muang Rd | 02-222-9632 9am-5pm | B 20 Wat Suthat is one of the most important Buddhist centres in the kingdom and home to excellent examples of bronze sculpture. The city’s iconic Giant Swing, where brave men used to swing up to great heights to
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catch a bag of gold coins in their teeth during annual harvest ceremonies, sits out front.
WAT TRAIMIT [map 6/L3] 661 Mittaphap Thai-China Rd, Charoen Krung Rd | 02-623-1226 | 8am-5pm | B 20 Housed safely in this unassuming Chinatown temple is the world’s largest solid gold Buddha. Its worth has been estimated at over US$10 million.
MUSEUMS – IN TOWN BANGKOK DOLL MUSEUM [map 8/L11, 12]
85 Soi Ratchataphan (Soi Mo Leng). Ratchaprarop Rd 02-245-3008 | bangkokdolls.com Mon-Sat 8am-5pm | free Since opening in 1956 the Bangkok Doll Museum has continually attracted tourists, students and aficionados alike with its remarkable collection of hand-made Thai dolls. Founded by Khunying Tongkorn Chandavimol after she completed a doll making course in Japan, it showcases collections of dolls produced by a small team of artisans in the atelier out back, and clad in traditional costumes based on designs lifted from museum originals, temple murals and illustrations from antique books.
bangkokian MUSEUM [MAP 5/E3] 273 Charoen Krung Soi 43, Si Phraya Pier | 02-233-7027 Sat-Sun 10am-4pm | free Smack in the middle of Bangrak, one of the most traditional districts of the city, find this oasis of four traditional Thai houses, one of them lovingly converted into a private museum by the compound’s charming owner, Ms Waraporn Surawadee. She decided to dedicate the place to the memory of her family and bygone daily life of Bangkok everymen – and open it to the public. While visitors shouldn’t expect breathtaking
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revelations here, the displays are nevertheless surprisingly fascinating. They include antiques and ceremonial items.
Madame tussauds [map 4/C4] 6th F, Siam Discovery Centre Rama 1, Phaya Thai Rd BTS National Stadium | 02-658-0060 madametussauds.com/Bangkok 10am -9pm | B 800 / B 600 kids Probably the best thing about Bangkok’s version of Europe's famous waxwork museum is the line-up – it’s clearly designed to keep tourists and locals alike snappy happy. About as common as international sporting legends, world leaders in sharp suits, pouting Hollywood A-listers, and sequined global pop stars here are wax likenesses of Thai and regional musicians, soap stars, sportsmen and women.
MUSEUM OF COUNTERFEIT GOODS [MAP 2/E12] Supalai Grand Tower Bldg Rama III Rd 02-653-5555 | tillekeandgibbins.com Mon-Fri 10am-4pm ( App required for textile and computer collections) In 1989, Thailand’s oldest international law firm, Tilleke & Gibbins, decided to convert their evidence of counterfeit goods into educational tools for law students. To help spread the word about the perils of buying fake it's open to Joe Public too. Over 3,500 items – from Ferrero Rocher chocolates to antimalarial tablets and a fake Ferrari motorbike – are neatly laid out, forgeries next to the originals.
Museum of Siam [map 7/D13] 4 Samachai Rd | Rajini Pier 02-622-2599 | ndmi.or.th Tue-Sun 10am-6pm | Free A truncated history of Thailand unfurls through this down-with-the-kids discovery museum, located in a beautifully restored former government building that dates back to the 1920s. Design company Story Inc! delivered the conceptual design with 26 | AUGUST 2013
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pop graphics and interactive games galore. Entertaining highlights include dressing up as a 20th-century nobleman, blowing up Burmese soldiers on elephant-back with a canon and mapping out the borders of your own Siam using a touch screen.
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [map 7/C6] 5 Chao Fa Rd, Sanam Luang 02-224-1333 | thailandmuseum.com Wed-Sun 9am-4pm | B 200 | no photo Previously a palace during the reign of Rama V, the National Museum features extensive displays of Thai artifacts from all of Old Siam's main historical periods, encompassing the Lanna, Ayutthaya and Sukhothai kingdoms up to the present day. Thai culture is well documented in sections on dance, music and drama. The first example of Thai literature and the Thai alphabet, inscribed by King Ramkhamhaeng on a black stone during the Sukhothai period, is also displayed.
RATTANAKOSIN EXHIBITION HALL [map 7/K7] 100 Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd, next to Wat Ratchanatda | 02-621-0044 nitasrattanakosin.com | Tue-Fri 11am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-8pm | B100 This multimedia museum a short walk from Khao San Road offers a skillfully abbreviated introduction to an area that many admire, but few truly understand: Rattanakosin Island, Bangkok’s glittering birthplace. Wandering its eleven rooms – free of relics but rich in models, dioramas, interactive videos, text and audio clips in Thai and English – brings the area’s hardto-fathom history, arts, architecture and traditions into much clearer focus.
ROYAL BARGE MUSEUM [map 7/B4] 80/1 Rim Khlong Bangkok Noi, Arun Amarin Rd | Thonburi Railway Pier 02-424-0004 | 9am-5pm B 30 / B100 photo / B 200 video This collection of ornate royal barges,
some of which are up to 50 metres long, is housed on the Thonburi side of the river in a series of elaborate sheds near the Pinklao Bridge. The barges are best seen in action during rare ceremonial processions on the Chao Phraya where the colourful crews can number up to 64, including rowers, umbrella holders, navigators and various musicians.
MUSEUMS – OUT OF TOWN ANCIENT SIAM (MUANG BORAN) [map 1/F6] 296/1 Sukhumvit Rd, Samut Prakan province | 02-709-1644 | ancientcity.com B 500 / B 250 kids / B1500 private guide in English for two hours Samut Prakan province’s Ancient Siam crams reproductions of over a hundred of the Kingdom’s most venerable palaces, temples, stupas, stone sanctuaries and traditional houses into a huge map-of-Siam shaped plot of land only an hour’s drive from the capital. Don’t come expecting a tacky themepark. Its late founder, eccentric culture preservationist Prapai Viriyahbhun, demanded that every replica look and feel like the real thing.
THAI FILM MUSEUM [MAP 1/E5] 94 Moo 3 Bhuddhamonton Sai 5, Salaya Nakorn Pathom province nfat.org 02-482-2013-15 | Sat-Sun tours: 10am, noon, 3pm; MonFri: by appointment | Free The good folk at the National Film Archive of Thailand are fighting to preserve the country’s meagre film heritage, whether it be by restoring ragged reels of 16mm film to their former glory, screening rare films in its cinematheque, or guiding anyone interested around their museum. Film fiends will love inching around this space, modelled after the old Sri Krung film studio and filled with old cameras, props and costumes. bangkok101.com
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king’s cup elephant polo in hua hin
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king’s cup Elephant polo
Hua HIn O
nly in Thailand can you find the combination of the regal sport of polo with a herd of gigantic pachyderms. If you have a hard time imagining it, don’t be too hard on yourself because it’s something you have to see in person. Since 2001, the King’s Cup (anantaraelephantpolo. com) has become one of the most beloved events in the country. Every animal is treated with the utmost care, as elephants are sacred to the Thai. If you’ve never seen a polo match then this would be the place to start. This year, from August 28-September 1, 12 teams will compete in a tournament of elephantine proportions. The World Elephant Polo Association established the governing rules for Elephant Polo in 1982; the association has its headquarters at the Tiger Tops Jungle Lodge in the Royal Chitwan Park in Nepal, where the World Elephant Polo Tournament is played every year on a grassy field in Megauly. Each team has three players, riding his four-legged friend, and the match takes place on a 100m x 60m pitch with two seven-minute halves – or ‘chukkas’. Elephants are not allowed to lie down in front of goals nor pick the ball up in their trunks.
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T R AV E L
up country now
August 6-12 Hua Hin Regatta The annual Hua Hin regatta is back again with more exciting boat races in honour of His Majesty The King Bhumibol Adulyadej. If you’re an avid boater or just want to spend the day watching catamarans battle the waves, get down to Hua Hin’s Rajamangala University of Technology on August 6. There’s an application form online at the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand (yrat.org.th) if you feel like getting your feet wet.
August 10-11 Fried Dried Squid Festival and Pranburi Bossa Concert If you enjoy the funky sounds of Bossa and don’t mind topping the night off with seafood and dried squid, then head down to Pranburi on August 10. Located just a few kilometres from Hua Hin. Pranburi is home of the wonderfully named 2nd Fried Dried Squid and Seafood Bossa Concert featuring the likes of Tattoo Color, Room 39, Musketeer and other popular local artists over two days of festivities. If that doesn’t ring your bell, perhaps the 4km of seafood stalls along Pranburi beach just might. Tickets cost B900 each.
August 21 Full Moon Party Ask any foreigner about the Full Moon Party in Thailand, and they’ll tell you the exact same thing; you haven’t partied until you’ve partied in Koh Phangan. Be prepared for all kinds of wacky hijinks and heavy drinking on the beach. There’s plenty of room to mingle with the crowd, and you might even run into a friend or two. Make sure you keep your wits about you – more than the occasional traveller has woken up after a Full Moon Party full of recrimination.
August 23-24 Por Tor Festival The Por Tor (Hungry Ghost) Festival in Phuket is an annual merit-giving ceremony celebrated by the locals to honour their ancestors. Fear not, the festival is more celebratory than foreboding. Local residents offer food to their ancestors, who on this particular day are allowed to visit the living. The most common of these offerings is the big red turtle bun, as turtles are believed to be the link between heaven and Earth, and will bring good luck and fortune to those who offer them.
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August 24-28 Thing Kra jard Festival Suphanburi Among the rice paddies and low river plains of ancient Suphan Buri on August 24, locals can be seen literally throw offerings into baskets on the floor such as rice, bottles of water, instant noodles etc. The Thing Kra Jard Festival honours spirits with no relatives and the donations are later given to the poor. You can also join in on the prayer along with the Buddhist monks, or partake in the burning ceremony where ornaments made of gold and silver paper are burnt at a 10m-tall statue of what many believe to be the guardian of hell.
August 25 Hua Hin Triathlon Is there anything that doesn’t happen in Hua Hin? The breathtaking Triathlon is back, covering over 1500km of swimming, running and biking across the beautiful palm beaches and fields of Hua Hin. Watch individuals and teams compete for top prizes from the comfort of your hammock or pay a small fee and enter for a chance to test your mettle. For more information and an application form, visit huahintriathlon2013.com.
Until August 31 Candle Festival Ubon Ratchathani The beautiful Candle Festival in Ubon Rachathani is celebrated right before the Buddhist lent, in which locals visit their temples with offerings. The festival is held in many provinces but the one in Ubon Ratchathani outshines them all in terms of scale. Giant candles are carried through town and the more elaborate ones depict scenes of Buddhist and Hindu mythology. These are accompanied by dancers and representatives of the institutions being honoured and household supplies are donated to monks, including candles to illuminate their quarters.
Until September 30 Ahka Swing Ceremony The indigenous Ahka people celebrate the fruits of their labour in a rather unique way. Living high up in mountainous areas of Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, the Ahka tribe are predominantly farmers, and every year between August and September for four days, they celebrate the plantation of new crops and make offerings to the spirits. The main attraction is a giant swing, where women of the tribe take turns to show off the clothing they’ve spent all year making, as a sign of maturity and availability for marriage.
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hotel deals
Until Aug 31
30 percent discount Holiday Inn Pattaya Pattaya Sai 1 Rd, Nongprue, Banglamung, Chonburi | 038-725-555 | holidayiin.com/pattaya
Holiday Inn Pattaya offers its getaway package ‘Thailand All Smiles’ with 30 percent off your stay. Make sure you book in advance, though, to enjoy the discount on room rates including breakfast, late check-out until 4pm and complimentary internet during the stay. Special, priority club members can earn points for every stay.
Until Aug 31
mother’s day special Le Méridien Koh Samui Moo 4, Lamai Beach, Koh Samui | 077-960-888 | lemeridien.com/kohsamui
Take your mum to this private hideaway, with a 105sqm pool villa (B9999 per night) or 165 sqm ocean-front pool villa (B15,999 per night), at Koh Samui. The package includes a round trip airport transfer, B2000 resort credit per day, a wide range Wi-Fi, breakfast for two, and a scheduled shuttle services to island attractions.
Until Aug 31
twice the good times for expats Cape Panwa Hotel, Phuket Moo 8, Sakdidej Rd, Cape Panwa, Phuket | 076-391-1235 | capepanwa.com
This is an offer specially for expats living in Thailand, allowing them to stay two nights in the hotel’s suite or villa for the price of one. The room accommodation starts at B4900 or, for even more value, guests can earn rewards by staying four nights for the price of two to receive a free room at one of nine other destinations across Thailand.
Until Sep 30
introductory offer Rayong Marriott Resort and Spa Moo 2, Pae-Klaeng-Kram Rd, Rayong | 038-998-000 | marriottrayongresort.com
Enjoy the sea and sun on the playground beach at Rayong. Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa offers introductory rates for guests to spend their vacation. You can stay in a deluxe mountain-view, which stars at B3299. Spend the night relaxing before trying out their indulgent spa and treatment the next day.
Until Oct 31
just the two of us Amari Vogue Krabi Tubkaak Beach, Krabi | 075-607-777 | amari.com/Krabi_Vogue_Resort In a Lanna-inspired setting, Amari Vogue Krabi invites couples to spend a romantic getaway on the beach overlooking the Andaman Sea. A three-night accommodation package comes with daily breakfast and seaside dining experience for two, a bottle of wine upon arrival, and a 60-minute signature massage. Rates start from B35,477 for a grand deluxe room.
Until Dec 15
Three nights, two more free Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai | 053-784-084 | anantara.com
For every four nights or more spent in Anantara Golden Triangle Elephant Camp & Resort, get two nights complimentary accommodation on any of the other eight properties of Anantara’s all across Thailand. The rates start at B28,000. Book three nights and receive two free nights with breakfast on any property excluding Anantara Phuket Villas.
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Koh Samui may be famous for its luxury resorts but there’s also plenty of local atmosphere if you can tear yourself away from your swimming pool BY SARAH CUIKSA
T
owering palm trees and flamboyant orange blooms of the Poinciana tree line the road in the less popular, southeast portion of Koh Samui. No construction shrills are heard here, just cicadas and birds singing overhead. Unlike most of the island’s developed areas, this road has few tourists, fewer resorts, and signs giving directions only in Thai. At a main intersection, my bike ride is interrupted by almost a dozen imposing piles of coconuts. In one mountain, fibrous coconut husks decompose. In another, fresh green ones are stacked. Locals are picking, splitting, peeling the fruit – they’re readying the crop for processing, maybe to be pressed into oil or sold in a market. Here, coconuts don’t just decorate the landscape, they’re a means of livelihood. This is the real Samui – culture unaffected by all that surrounds it. It’s present again in Hua Thanon’s Muslim village, where a narrow road of wooden shophouses runs the length of a fishing community. Instead of a barrage of hoisted resort advertisements, bamboo cages hang, housing birds for birdsong competitions. Instead of spas and first-class dining establishments, food carts are parked along the road and roosters peck at scraps left behind. When enjoying the beauty of Samui’s landscape through the luxury of a resort, it’s easy to forget people actually live here; that for some, this isn’t a vacation but a home. Further along the road, long-tail boats dot the shore, amid crab pots and buoys. These boats aren’t for carting tourists around the island or providing photo-ops; it’s a fishing fleet integral to the island’s sustenance. And it’s another symbol of the way Koh Samui combines the local with the international – because there’s a likelihood the prawns, fish and squid these boats bring ashore will be served for my dinner later. Tourism trumps fishing in this economy but when backpackers discovered the island in the 1970s, coconut and rubber production were the drivers. World-renowned resorts and restaurants have since dug their heels in. While visitors have the option of never leaving their indulgent, idyllic resorts, there are attractions unique to Samui that make doing so worthwhile. Samui’s best-trained monkeys put a German Shepherd to shame but come with more attitude and less slobber. The main character of the island’s famed monkey show is perched on a tree stump, looking a bit disinterested, his trainer nearby. Neither speak English but both seem to be smiling. The trainer gives an instruction, and in an instant, the monkey is off, scrambling up a sturdy tree. High above me, he examines a cluster of coconuts. Down drops one, then another. The monkey is taught to weed out the ripened coconuts, strip them from the tree AUGUST 2013 | 35
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island escape STAYING THERE:
With its ultra modern décor and minimalist style, X2 Samui’s (+66-7723-3033; x2resorts.com) vibe is unpretentious and the staff puts a priority on your privacy. Its open-air plan, constructed largely from polished concrete and natural materials, gives a unique sense of space. Yet the resort oozes luxury. Whether or not there’s a pool in your private escape, head to the one on the beachfront: it’s Koh Samui’s deepest.
If a home-away-from-home is more your thing, try The Sea Koh Samui (+66-7796-0567; TheSeaSamui.com). The resort was constructed to function as private residences, so each villa comes with a spacious living area with complete kitchen facilities – and a private jacuzzi with views of neighboring Koh Pha Ngan. The landscaping that blends with the tropical environment and make sure you try a coconut, honey and rice body scrub.
X2 Samui
The Sea Koh Samui
and then throw them to the trainer. When he’s done, he settles back on the stump, perhaps expecting a raise. A slash in the dislodged coconuts creates a lid, a straw goes in, and the freshest coconut water is served. Not without getting a photograph with the star of the show first: the monkey is allowed to sit on my shoulder and complete a quick inspection for bugs in my hair. Travellers to Samui also flock for photographs with another subject – one less animated and considerably larger. The Big Buddha, seated and gleaming gold, is one of Samui’s biggest attractions, in both a literal and figurative sense. Standing 12 metres, he commands my attention immediately – as do the unrecognisable exclamations from the bevy of tourists surrounding the monument. Ornately decorated dragons serve as handrails, steadying the elderly locals who make the long ascent to Big Buddha’s platform. At the top, a series of iron bells border the statue. The sun illuminates the Buddha’s golden exterior as he looks solemnly ahead. Burning incense at the base of the platform perfumes the air with sandalwood. It’s the top tourist attraction but there’s still an air of reverence. On the drive back to the resort, we pass countless signs for beachside barbecues and skewered seafood. These ads blur together but my dinner that evening stands out. At X2 Samui’s Asian fusion 4K Restaurant, the prawn carpaccio oozes a buttery citrus scent and a lightly seared scallop warms the bed of guacamole it sits atop. There’s also pad cha talay, a traditional Thai stir-fry of spicy seafood, served here in a Vietnamese spring roll. The salmon ceviche combines the expected citrus flavours with the sweetness of a passionfruit sauce. A shot of milky coconut sorbet cleans my palate before the main course, prawn coconut risotto, is delivered. The grains of rice are light, almost reminiscent of sticky rice drenched in coconut milk. In many ways, this fusion cuisine is symbolic of Koh Samui’s appeal. Locals and tourists alike pay homage to the Big Buddha; coconut plantations provide a livelihood for some and entertain others; and the seafood feeds us all. There is a connection between people, culture and industries – you just have to look for it. 36 | AUGUST 2013
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Manila makeover
The Filipino capital has plenty to offer despite not being the most obvious destination for cosmopolitan travellers BY LUC CITRINOT
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sk travellers in Bangkok to name you an alternative regional metropolis that’s worth visiting, and most would suggest Singapore, Hong Kong Seoul or maybe even Kuala Lumpur. Few, however, would think to recommend a long weekend in the Philippines’ sprawling capital. Why is Manila given the cold shoulder? Despite being only three hours away by air, some travellers are put off by its location, well out of the Southeast Asia traveller loop; others by its reputation for being an unattractive, perhaps even dangerous destination. While both these notions may have been warranted in the past, times have definitely changed. Although Manila remains a developing metropolis where the infrastructure struggles to cope with a population estimated at over 11 million people, the last decade has seen a big drive by the national and local governments, along with private partners, to scrub up the capital and its image. Unless you go flashing your cash in a bad part of town, crime these days is rare. Most importantly of all, although the Filipino capital lacks the cosmopolitan character of, say Hong Kong or Singapore, visitors enjoy a more relaxed atmosphere than in its Asian counterparts. This comes from the festive nature of the Filipinos. Influenced by centuries of Mexican-Spanish rule, Filipinos enjoy poetry, romance but also karaoke and generally letting their hair down. Nightlife in the districts of Malate and Makati is among the best in the region. And thanks to over 50 years of colonial rule by the United States – a period euphemistically referred to as the ‘Commonwealth time’ by most Americans – over 90 percent of Filipinos are fluent in English. With its chaotic traffic and crowded streets, brash Manila doesn’t make the best first impression. However, this densely populated city, divided into districts, each of them with their own power to administrate, readily reveals its treasure to curious visitors. The first destination for most is the oldest district, Intramuros, where the city’s historical heart still beats. The first settlement along the Pasig River, Intramuros at the peak of its powers had the reputation for being invincible, all thanks to a 4.2km long network of thick defensive walls. Despite being heavily bombed during World War II, it retains much of its authentic atmosphere, all thanks to the reconstruction that has taken place since the 1970s. Fort Santiago, with its superb Spanish gate, was faithfully rebuilt. The fort has since been converted into a Shrine for Freedom, with an exhibition retracing the life of Filipino hero and poet Jose Rizal, who was locked up inside it in the days before his execution in 1896. Many new houses were also constructed following historical plans, while the Ayuntamiento Building (City Hall), next to Manila Cathedral, has been rebuilt. Perhaps the most superb example of a “new” ancientstyle building is the Casa Manila, next to San Agustin Church. The brainchild of Imelda Marcos, the notorious shoe-hoarding former wife of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, Casa Manila is a superb Spanish mansion fitted out with authentic furniture and décor salvaged from vanished ancient Manila houses. The complex also hosts a small hotel – and the Barbara bangkok101.com
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Chaotic traffic and crowded streets
Parts of the city retain their character restaurant, where you can enjoy typical Filipino shows with your dinner. Next door, San Agustin was the only building which survived the inferno of bombs that rained down during WWII. Today, the church is listed by Unesco world heritage as being one of the best-preserved examples of Filipino baroque architecture. Walking along the thick walls of the fortress, visitors arrive at another well-preserved gate, the Puerta de Isabell II. Facing the grand and palatial former Customs House (or Intendencia), the majestic structure sits in ruins, waiting in earnest to host the National Archives. Across the Pasig River, the Binondo district also boasts some interesting heritage. Traditionally home to the Chinese community, Binondo retains an old-fashioned character. There’s a magnificent Baroque church. And on aimless strolls along its streets, lined with old shops, one encounters a small number of buildings from the early august 2013 | 39
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Baroque churches remain
Manila is a developing metropolis US years, each one graced with art nouveau or art deco details (especially in Juan Luna Street). Manila Bay is also a testimony to the profligate Marcos years. On reclaimed land, the Philippines’ most infamous couple built a series of gigantic constructions, including the Philippines Cultural Centre, the International Convention Centre and the Sofitel Philippine Plaza. The latter is a grand, elegant structure with a unique resort atmosphere thanks to its gardens, its huge swimming pool and open views over Manila Bay. However, the district has become increasingly popular thanks to the presence of the Mall of Asia. As the grandiose name suggests, this shopping centre piles on the superlatives: it’s the third-largest in the world, and the first in Asia to have over 400,000m² of space spread over four floors. More discerning travellers might prefer shopping in the city’s moneyed Makati district. Showcasing Manila’s middle-classes and their growing purchasing power, Makati is the ‘Wall Street of the Philippines’, housing most
of the country’s financial institutions and international headquarters. Despite resembling a typical American downtown, its main artery, Ayala Rd, with its glitzy towers, swish shopping centres and fancy chain hotels, such as the Shangri-La, is the sophisticated hub for Manila’s jet set. Greenbelt Mall is the most pleasant of its shopping centres. Here, shoppers stroll under the shade of the trees that line the heart of the mall. And in the evenings, Manila’s youth swarm the restaurant’s terraces as hundreds of bulbs hanging in the trees envelop the night with their soft glow. Another highlight of Greenbelt – one not to be missed – is the superb Ayala Museum, with its extraordinary collection of preColonial gold pieces. Two other museums can also be visited in the district: the Museum Ng Makati, located in an old mansion, traces the history of the district through temporary exhibitions; and the Museum Yuchengco displays the collections of distinguished Filipino businessman, diplomat and patron of the arts Alfonso T Yuchengco. At night in the Greenbelt area a more hip and free city emerges. Regulars of Bangkok’s Bed SupperClub will enjoy the white minimalist ambience of Bed Space Club. And Temple Bar offers you the chance to get to know a more metrosexual Manila.
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Hot Summer Specials Stay at any Dusit hotel or resort and receive 35% credit on your total accommodation towards dining or massage treatments. Make your stay feel even more special and upgrade to a suite for as little as 1500 THB. Offer is valid only for stays until 30 September, 2013. Book now at:
Email: booking @ dusit.com • Tel: +66 (0) 2636 3333
Destinations: Thailand: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Hua Hin, Korat, Pattaya, Phuket Philippines: Manila • U.A.E.: Abu Dhabi, Dubai • Egypt: Cairo • Maldives Photograph Dusit Thani Bangkok
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the road of excess leads to the palace of wisdom at eat me
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the road of excess In his exhibition, The Road Of Excess Leads To The Palace Of Wisdom, Richard Skeene has managed to convey a clear picture of the contentment and debauchery of Thai society in what can only be described as a study of the Yins and Yangs that are presented to us every day. Using a range of mediums from graphic design to video, and an inspiring piece of philosophy from poet William Blake, Skeene delivers an unforgettable touch of reality, spirituality with a keen eye for the contradiction between the teachings of Buddhism and self-indulgence. The Road of Excess leads to the Palace of Wisdom can be seen at Eat Me Restaurant and Gallery (20 metres off Convent Road in Soi Pipat 2; 08-6533-0402; eatmerestaurant.com) until August 30.
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mara
Jamjuree Art Gallery
exhibitions
[MAP 4/a6]
Chulalongkorn University, Jamjuree 8 Bld, Phayathai Rd | 02-218-3709 Chamchuriartgallery.blogspot.com | Mon-Fri 10am-7pm, Sat-Sun 12pm-6pm
Until August 7-20 Inspired by the Maravijaya in the story of Buddha’s life, artist Neti Phikroh displays a talent for detail and storytelling through the variety of brushstrokes in every scene. With an almost tattoo-like quality to them, the paintings tell of the power of evil and is a trove of emotion and thought meshed together to form a convoluted and wonderfully representative illustration of Mara.
Passion – lust
Ardel’s Third Place Gallery [MAP 3/t7] Sukhumvit 63 (Thonglor 10) | 02-714-7929 thirdplacebangkok.com | 10am-7pm
Until August 25 The exhibition presents fine art using oil on canvas and charcoal drawings, reflecting the realistic approach of Watchara Klakhakhai, Thailand’s prominent artist. His inspiration came from the concept of human beings as being full of passion and lust. His work has a certain charm but the craftmanship behind is also evident.
happiness in simplicity Sombat Permpoon Gallery [MAP 3/d9] Sukumvit Soi 1 | 02-546-0406 sombatpermpoongallery.com | 9am-8pm
Until August 25 Artist Pongsiri Kiddee lets his emotions run free in his aptly named exhibition. By combining different shapes together, he blends them into something other worldly and mystical. Like the murals of ancient Mesopotamia, his use of geometric shapes expertly woven into the canvas instills a sense of wonder that plays with our perception of reality; that all things shape the world around us.
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exhibitions
A R T & C u lt u r e
Spiritual Ties: A Tribute to Montien Boonma
Art Centre, Chulalongkorn University [MAP 4/c6] 7/F Centre of Academic Resources, Chulalongkorn University 02-218-2965 | car.chula.ac.th/art | Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-4pm
Until September 7 Montien Boonma was a legendary figure in the art world, and has left a lasting impression on Asia’s contemporary art scene. His use of primitive materials inspired others to look at the world in a different light. The exhibition aims to honour his life and work through the eyes of his former students and associates, by complementing Boonma’s work with their own inspirations from their former master.
under construction wtf gallery [MAP 3/q10] Sukhumvit 51 | 02-662-6246 wtfbangkok.com | Tues-Sun 6pm-1am
Until September 15 Progressive art is hard to come by and the end of the true avant garde era left a hole in the wall big enough to demand a rebirthing of the basics. Bangkok-based artist Eiji Sumi’s contemporary work of collating paint with objects found at a construction site presents a unique blend of conceptual dystopia; one incorporating the carnage of realism and the surreal quality of the imagination.
My Journey With Monsters Studio Miu Art [MAP 3/r8] Sukhumvit 55, Home Place Office Building 02-712-7878 | studiomiu.co.th | Tues-Sun 10am-7pm
August 10-October 11 Thai artist Kamonchok Panuwed presents a vivid picture of the banality of life through a series of ceramic sculptures straight out of a Tim Burton film. His use of ceramics in the form of ambiguous creatures and figures attempt to stimulate minds to reach for their dreams. The sculptures retain a dream-like quality, as the artists tries to incite in us a sense of adventure and desire that we once had as children.
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Pichet versus the dinosaurs The latest show by Thailand’s most irreverent dancer is a damning state-of-the-nation address. BY MAX CROSBIE-JONES
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performance
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“Pichet aims his slingshot up at all the giants running amok in his beloved Kingdom and fires with relish”
P
itched as a one-man show, Unwrapping Culture actually features a cast of hundreds. Roaring T-Rexes and Hello Kitty figurines – these are just some of the cheap, tacky toys joining classically trained Thai dancer Pichet Klunchun on stage for what is, without doubt, one of the shows of the year. It’s 90 minutes of deranged, irreverent, thought-provoking performance art. What is he trying to say? And why the hell has he been shopping at Toys‘R’Us? When you first walk into 100 Tonson Gallery, nothing is clear. Pichet appears relaxed and almost off-duty, nonchalantly milling around the square floor area arranging his lighting, toys and other tacky props. But then, just when you start thinking he may not have noticed you’re there, he walks to the back, flicks on a YouTube video and his relentless, socio-political sandstorm of a show whips into life. Projected on the rear wall, the first video shows Thai monks enjoying themselves a bit too much on holiday in Amsterdam. Within this context, the toys start to assume their roles, especially when Pichet starts arranging them around a small shrine. Next, he picks up a Hello Kitty cuddly toy and imbues it with life, makes it dance to khon, traditional masked dance. On his head is a theatrical chada, or crown, and his mouth is taped up. These two mordant little skits, the first critiquing Thai Buddhism, the second about the cheapening of the Kingdom’s performing arts, are just the beginning. Over the next 90 minutes, Pichet aims his slingshot up at all the giants running amok in his beloved Kingdom and fires with relish. Another highlight is when the show morphs into a vaudevillian act. Pichet wheels out a bicycle loaded with souvenir trinkets and assumes the role of a travelling salesman who claims to “sell everything, even my country.” He gives us his pitch in an insincere, debased form of Thinglish that makes it clear that he doesn’t care a jot bangkok101.com
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about you, nor the Thai culture he peddles. Another highlight is when he picks up a stick of chalk and writes long, garbled trails of Thai on the floor. Traditional ranad-ek (xylophone) music plays frantically in the background and the strobe lights pulse. The effect is jarring and intense, especially when Pichet begins smudging his words using his feet, tosses coloured rubber bands wildly into the air and begins launching T-Rexes into the scene. As they march across the floor while roaring ferociously, you are left in no doubt – this is fake plastic Thailand in microcosm. The chaos, the din, the colour and the dinosaurs all combine to create a a living picture of modern Thai society, with its plurality of opinions, interests and beliefs, and different players all shouting and struggling to assert their power. Aimed at local audiences but likely to get an international tour, the show at times feels more like a piece of highly conceptual installation art than contemporary dance. Instead of honing dance techniques (something he has already spend years doing), Pichet spent months deep in thought and manhandling his ready-made props. “I put everything in my studio and just walked around picking up objects and looking for the meaning,” Pichet says. “I think then put it together and then cut cut cut and said ‘OK, this is good, this is meaningful, this is beautiful’.”
unwrapping culture Until august 24 100 tonson gallery
[MAP 4/j7]
100 Soi Tonson | 0843-881-488 Each Friday at 7pm and Saturday at 2pm | Tickets B1500
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interview
Anurak Thangsomboon
A
nurak Thangsomboon, 46, is better-known as the man behind Thai fashion label ANR but has also been making regular forays into the art world of late. Now on display at RMA Institute, his latest body of work, Big Bang, is surprisingly bold and confident for someone who has no formal training – a series of insectlike mixed-media sculptures made from common kitchen implements. His reasons for creating this swarm of strange mecha-insects are more heartfelt than you might think. You say that Big Bang is your most personal work yet. What do you mean by that? Big Bang demonstrates my current state of mind, which up until now has been so strongly repressed in every way possible that it finally exploded. Where did you get idea to create creatures out of ready made objects? I choose to work with kitchenware because each item has its own distinct characteristics. Using different pieces together to create an ‘assemblage’, these creatures manifest out of my imagination. When did you make your first artwork and why? My first artwork was Tee Noi Pagoda. It was a tribute to my beloved golden retriever, Tee Noi, who was my companion for nine years before he passed away.
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What first drew you to art? I started my journey into art blind. I knew nothing theoretically and technically about the art world. ‘Installation,’ ‘Pop Art,’ ‘Abstract,’ and ‘Surrealism’... these words might as well have been Chinese to me. All I knew was that I had this drive and inspiration. What do you get from creating art that you don’t get from your fashion? I create art with my heart and soul without any expectations. Fashion was my first love, and is my livelihood. What is your main inspiration? Painful feelings. As for fashion, what are you working on at the moment? I’m taking on a new direction when it comes to my designs. Art has become the main influence in my clothes now. I do more hand-painted designs on my T-shirts and shirts. I guess you could say that each one that I paint is now as one-of-a-kind as a piece of art. BY MAX CROSBIE-JONES
rma institute
[MAP 3/m13]
238 Sainamthip Soi 2, Sukhumvit Soi 22 02-663-0809 | rmainstitute.net | 11am-7pm
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The net income after expenses deducted from the event will be charitably donated to the Royal Project Foundation. Gala Dinner Opening 7.8.2013 The Modern Classic Cuisine with Asian Flavours. 9 chefs, 9 Course, 9 Wine Price: 9,999 Thai baht Special Wine Dinner 8-10.8.2013 • Bistro Amarone, Thanya Park Srinakarin Concept: The Miracle 8 WL • Blue Elephant, Sathorn Road Concept: Thai Modern vs Thai Authentic • Aston Restaurant & Bar, Sukhumvit 31 Concept: Molecular X–Treme Dining
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Restaurant Partners
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cheat notes
THAI FOLK WISDOM
ladyboys
Tulaya Pornpiriyakulchai & Jane Vejjajiva | B500
Susan Aldous & Pornchai Sereemongkolpol | B420
Words don’t just describe the world – they also shape it. This is especially true in Thailand, where sage proverbs, passed down from generation to generation, are more venerated than in most countries. Anyone interested in discovering them – thus improving their grasp of the Thai vernacular and mindset – should snap up this meticulous new coffee-table stunner with prose in English and Thai. Pairing notes on 50 common proverbs with illustrations by top Thai artists, it’s an enlightening or diverting read, depending on your mood. Proverbs span from the intuitive (“riding an elephant to catch a grasshopper”) to the culturally obscure (“tigers eat lying down”). And keeping proceedings from seeming too didactic is a dovetailing story, by SEA Write Award winner Jane Vejjajiva, about the trials of a young girl and her family.
The life of nine lady boys is laid bare; and the reading, unlike many of them, ain’t pretty. Some of these monologues are inspiring (like that of Thailand’s first transgender air hostess Nicky), others unremittingly bleak. Meet Patchara for instance, a streetwalker who feels she was destined to sell her body to strangers. Or Lily, a grand-motherly type who prowls Khao San Road luring backpackers for lessthan-innocent massages. These and other tawdry tales offer sordid details galore for prurient readers (especially about body parts hidden, added, taken away or enhanced). But that’s not why this unflinching book succeeds. Candidly and respectfully, it offers rare insight into what life for many Thai transsexuals, especially those disowned by their family, is really like – a confused, hard-up, loveless car-crash of an existence.
A R T & C u lt u r e
A JOURNALIST IN SIAM
Andrew A. Freeman | B595
“For God’s sake don’t go to Bangkok,” plead Andrew A. Freeman’s friends in the opening pages of this sumptuously written travelogue from the 1920s. Thankfully for us he ignored them, because what follows is a Merchant Ivory movie in waiting – a lyrical, steamship-era account of his time here as editor at The Bangkok Daily Mail, an English-language daily owned by King Pradjadhipok. It’s Orientalist to the core, with sepia-toned exoticism spilling off its pages as native’s eyes “sparkle with childlike wonder” and ceremonial elephants stomp through the city. But even more gripping than Freeman’s wonderment is his flair for sympathetic reportage. This he uses, like a crowbar, to pry open the paranoid, racist attitudes of the gin-sipping Europeans – a cloistered white colony whose life is one long struggle not to be laughed at. It’s a joy to read; Bangkok’s nonfictional Burmese Days.
Khan Kluay Kompin Khemkamnerd | 2006 | B195 This film starts off charmingly enough – a forest idyll, a loving mother elephant, and her adorable baby, the sweet-tempered Khan Kluay himself. Cue gruelling rite of passage – after being separated from his herd, tender Khan Kluay finds himself training as a war elephant for the conflict against the Burmese. The film soon places Khan Kluay within the royal palace itself, where he is chosen to serve as King Naresuan’s battle elephant. The last 20 minutes devolve into a jingoistic snuff film that will surely scare any tots, or any adults who’d like to think that such naked nationalism has little place in a children’s film… or anywhere else. bangkok101.com
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glimpses of
terrible beauty A new photographic exhibition at Kathmandu Gallery deploys a colourful palette to hold an unsettling mirror up to the darker side of Thai society. WORDS BY CHAWEITPORN TAMTHAI
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P
aisal Theerapongvisanuporn started out as a painter and always had an obsession with vivid colours. As his focus shifted to photography, that obsession survived and remains present in The Nightmare Remains, his collection of surreal images that goes on show at Kathmandu Photo Gallery on August 17. “I first started this project in the year of 1977,” he explains. “At that time, I just wanted to reflect the society and portray its problems in my own terms. Now the problems still exist in the society, even worse, with more acceptance or ignorance from the people living in the society. This is how the nightmare still remains. “I see life as a chessboard. A person as a pawn and every move it takes, it is used, played, and then dies.” Paisal makes striking use of bright, bold colours despite his work offering a commentary on society’s dysfunction. There is also a regularity to some of his images: eggshells lined up like a grid, each creating a larger image like pieces in a jigsaw puzzle.
“People were once used to breastfeeding their child,” Paisal says. “Now they use money to feed or fulfil a child. Most people take something artificial over nature-made. It is how society has become these days, when the economic is more important than the morals of a person. “There was an era when neat and well-crafted drawings and paintings, although they are beautiful, could be used to deceive. So many artists became more deviant with their artworks. But for me, I like both realistic portraits and surrealism. For something to be beautiful it does not need to look beautiful but it can be beautiful in the mind.” “Each photograph is meant to have its own meaning. When people see it, they might have different interpretations. It does not matter if a person sees it in another way from how I see it. As long as the photography portrays something, then I’m cool with it.”
The Nightmare Remains can be seen from August 17-September 29 at Kathmandu Photo Gallery (87 Thanon Pan; 02-234-6700; kathmandu-bkk.com)
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A Pan-seared australian beef with black pepper at mei jiang (p67)
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AROy when life gives you lemons
A new branch of Limoncello Ristorante Italiano (60 Soi Langsuan, Ploenchit Rd; 02-650-4725; limoncello.co.th) has opened, offering a selection of Italian tapas and signature pizzas. Limoncello has also cultivated a reputation for the quality of its meat and seafood dishes, prepared according to traditional Italian recipes but updated with a modern twist. In a city with a short attention span, it’s heartening to see some places sticking to their successful approach.
your very own man cave
There’s no shortage of Ladies’ Nights in Bangkok but finally Avenue New York Grill (Sukhumvit Soi 16; 086-050-6355; steakhousebangkok.com) is going some way to squaring the ledger, offering free beer and house spirits from 7pm-8pm on its weekly Wednesday Men’s Night. And, if you show up during happy hour, any day of the week between 6pm-7pm, you get two-for-one on beers and spirits, as well as free steak sandwiches.
heaven for food fans
Excitement is building here at the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok as this year’s 14th annual World Gourmet Festival (155 Rajadamri Road; 02 126 8866; fourseasons.com/bangkok) is fast approaching. This year’s festival will be held from September 2-8, and a number of high-profile chefs and food experts from around the world are already confirmed, including winemaker Pascal Jolivet and legendary chef Hirohisa Koyama from Japan.
smart new indian hotspot
New rooftoop bar and Indian restaurant Maya (Holiday Inn Bangkok Sukhumvit 22, Sukhumvit Soi 22; 02 683 4888) opened last month and promises to attract quite a following with its panoramic views of central Bangkok. With three unique areas – modern fine dining, outdoor cigar lounge and contemporary bar – Maya shapes as a unique addition, serving classic northern Indian dishes and exotic cocktails from a particularly well-stocked bar.
bangkok101.com
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FOOD & DRIN K
meal deals
Until Aug 31
buy one, get one free the district [MAP 3/s10]
Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit, Sukhumvit Soi 57 | 02-797-0000 | marriott.com At the District Grill Room and Bar, buy one main course and get another of the same or lesser value for free. Choose from the succulent Diamantana Angus beef tenderloin with grilled lobster accompanied with mashed poptatoes, spinach and truffle sauce (B2400); tiger prawn in pepper sauce (B1590); or scallop and prawn in pea puree and carrots and red wine sauce (B1900).
Until Aug 31
Isan Promotion ambar restaurant [MAP 3/g9]
Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit Soi 15 | 02-309-3288 | ambarbangkok.com The amBar Restaurant has given a selection of Isan dishes to choose from. Explore northeastern cuisine whether it’s a papaya pok pok (somtum salad), laab (spicy minced pork or meat mixed with lime juice and mint leaves), Isan sausage (a sour sausage), kor moo yang (grilled marinated pork neck) or nam tok pla (fried fish with Isan herbal and spice). Every Isan dish is B250.
Until Aug 31
australian lamb buffet Centara Grand at CentralWorld [MAP 4/g4] Ratchadamri Rd | 02-246-6898 | centralworld.co.th
Every Wednesday night from 6pm-10pm, the World & Ginger Restaurant offers the finest Australian lamb in different styles. Along with the lamb, enjoy a wide selection of international buffet food, including fresh seafood, Japanese’s teppanyaki and sushi, dimsum and desserts. Plus, diners can enjoy free flow of Australian wine, all for the price of B1490 per person.
Until Oct 31
luxurious nine-course Chinese Set imperial china [MAP 3/m11]
Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Sukhumvit 22 | 02-261-9300 | imperialhotels.com Chef Chu has been working at the Imperial China for more than 10 years and his nine-course Cantonese set menu (10 people maximum) includes two kinds of hot and cold prawns hor’s d’oeuvres, braised abalone with fish maw in brown sauce, guitar duck, poached sea conch and squid with Yunnan ham. All for B10,000 per table.
Ongoing
mexican brunch buffet senor pico [MAP 3/k11]
Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok, Sukhumvit 18 | 02-261-7100 | rembrandtbkk.com Sate your appetite with a Mexican brunch buffet every Saturday from 12pm-3pm at Señor Pico restaurant. This is authentic Mexican dishes served out of special food stations. Live Mariachi music will bring you to the world of Mexicano, while kids can also enjoy the piñata. El Brunch is B599 net per person.
Ongoing
freshly shucked oysters The Oyster Bar Bangkok [MAP 2/e11]
Narathiwas 24, Yannawa | 02-212-4809 | theoysterbarbangkok.com It’s open every night for dinner and there are a couple of special offers, giving you the chance to enjoy sustainable seafood produce, particularly the fresh oysters in American style. On Sunday, lunch is noon-2.30pm and it’s 50 percent off on fresh oysters and 20 percent off all chef specialties. On Monday nights, enjoy 20 percent off on all crustaceans.
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review
FOOD & DRIN K
bo.lan
- Authentic tastes and style Since setting up shop on snug cul-de-sac running off Sukhumvit soi 26, Bo.Lan has carved out a niche for itself among the myriad restaurants promising authentic Thai food. Whereas some restaurants have adapted Thai flavours to suit western palates, at Bo.Lan, the commitment to tradition is as unswerving as the all-wood Lanna-style furnishings are gorgeous. It’s a welcoming atmosphere and the menu immediately intrigues. The Bo.Lan Balance menu (B1880) offers customers a selection of mid-sized dishes, beginning with an impressive amuse bouche that includes a particularly satisfying mouthful of Thai noddles with dumplings, where a slow-burn spice sihouettes a refreshing zest and the delicate presentation does not detract from intense flavours. The main selection of dishes coms out in a flurry – there’s beef with organic mangosteen and a chili-mint dressing, relish of salty duck egg in coconut cream, with mince prawn and grilled squid, as well as a stir-fried pork with santol. It’s high-quality produce and the attention to detail throughout is striking, although the bolder notes of chilli and lime risk overshadowing more subtle undertones. The highlight, among the dishes served on the tasting bangkok101.com
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menu, is the mon-style khi lek curry with daily ocean fish. Khi lek leaves are bitter but when combined with the sweetness of coconut milk and the mild spice of a curry, it delivers a brilliant complexity that still leaves room for the natural seafood taste. There’s more than enough going on in this dish to sustain it over a much larger portion, making it the stand-out offering from the tasting menu. If you want to stray from the set menu and branch off a la carte, the grilled pork salad with rambutan, herbs and red chilli (B420) is a winner, as is the northern-style hot and sour soup with banaa blossom and chicken on the bone (B240). It’s worth sticking around for dessert though – Thai sweets can sometimes be a bit too super-sweet and gloopy to really hit the spot but the immaculately presented selection of fresh fruit, Thai toffee and edible decorations, all served on a rustic wooden platter, is a fitting symbol of Bo.Lan’s modus operandi: essentially Thai, delivered with panache.
bo.lan
[MAP 3/o12]
42 Sukhumvit 26 Soi Pichai Ronnarong Songkram 02-260-2962 | bolan.co.th | Tues-Sun 6pm-10.30pm
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review
sirocco - A feast for the senses There’s no getting around the obvious at a place like Sirocco – no matter how well-made the cocktails or impressive the food, the view is undeniably the star of the show. Perched like a bird’s nest in the crook of an enormous tree, Sirocco offers a panoramic view of the Chao Praya River and Bangkok’s entire southern sweep. Hanging out at the Sky Bar as the shadows lengthen stirs the irresistible feeling that one has truly arrived in Bangkok. Importantly, the cocktails are inventive enough to stand on their own, although the lavish setting certainly adds to the price tag. The Sunset 63 (B550) combines Bulldog gin with carrot, orange juice and lime, while the Havana Royale (B650) indulgently muddles Seleccion de Maestros rum with apple, grapes and aloe vera juice. To the food, Sirocco’s menu could be broadly described as modern European, with an emphasis on quality produce and presentation. For example, the jumbo prawn (B990) is so massive it comes out in its own glass jar, eventually served with lemongrass, pomelo salad and orange-ginger sauce. The prawn, presumably wild, is one of the firmest, freshest pieces of seafood around. The foie gras (B990) is also first-rate, alongside a brulee and nuts crumble, terrine and banyuls jelly, with a serve of ginger bread. There’s almost an after-dinner sweetness to the accompaniments, offsetting the richness of the foie gras. If seafood is your weakness, you might also be tempted by 62 | AUGUST 2013
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the Alaskan scallop (B1090) served with sautee sugar snaps, Pernod sauce and ossetra caviar. Of course, it goes up a notch for the mains – those unable to withstand the lure of a good cut of meat will struggle to go past the Wagyu beef sirloin (B2780) with pickled shallots and potato mousseline or La Garrigue lamb rack (B1990) with thyme ashes, wilted spinach and garlic puree. At Sirocco, the carnivore is handsomely rewarded. These are serious cuts. Sirocco smashes it out of the park on desserts. The sweet pizza, combining red bell pepper and strawberry, is the curveball, while the Opera 2013, hits all the right creamy notes of chocolate, almond and coffee. It’s not the place you’ll go on a lazy Tuesday night but it’s impossible to tuck into the food here, the skyline twinkling like a canvas of a million neon candles, without being impressed.
sirocco
[MAP 5/c5]
63/F, Tower Club at Lebua, Silom Road 02-624-9550 | lebua.com/sirocco | 6pm-1am
bangkok101.com
7/18/13 5:10 PM
review
FOOD & DRIN K
mandopop - Spectacular foie gras Restaurants styled as modern – be they Thai, Italian or, in Mandopo’s case, Chinese – have a brief to retain a connection to building blocks of the cuisine they serve while also demonstrating a point of difference that elevates the whole shebang. It’s not an easy task to pull off, essentially trying convince customers, ‘here’s food you’re familiar with but with combinations and presentation that exceeds your expectations’. Still, at Mandopop at the Oriental Residence, they make a pretty decent fist of it, with a particular emphasis on elegance and technique. For example, the steamed scallop dumplings (B160) come wrapped in the thinnest wonton, one side tinted purple with beetroot and the other green with spinach. It’s a dish with very little margin for error – eating it is also a test of one’s chopsticks skills – but the crucial scallop flavour is never overwhelmed by the seasoning. The pan-seared foie gras served with crispy duck skin (B450) is perhaps even more ambitious, served on a bed of curd and cress with a drizzle of sweet chilli and mango dressing (above right). It’s a perfect balance of flavours and textures, he velvety richness of the foie gras offset perfectly by the crunch of the duck skin, mixed in with the spice and joyous zing of the dressing. An absolute triumph. The seafood hot and sour soup (B235) is undoubtedly less innovative but still satisfying – a thick, warm broth packed with bangkok101.com
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prawns, scallops, Chinese herbs and tofu. It’s remarkably filling despite a smallish serving – just watch out for the chillis. It brings us to the mains – often the stumbling block for restaurants pushing a modern concept. The tenderloin beef in black pepper sauce (B550) is well-executed in its own right – the meat is tender and gives off exactly the right tangy bite that customers expect from this dish. However, after the foie gras, the presentation falls short, the beef served more or less on its own, or with rice. Given the exquisite, elegant presentation of other dishes, this is surprisingly plain. There’s a spectacular return to form for the desserts, though. The yam paste with coconut cream and white gingko nuts (B150) mixes savoury sweet to winning effect, while the chilled mango pudding (B180) delivers a sensationally clean, fruity encore to an overall impressive performance.
mandopop
[MAP 4/k6]
Oriental Residence Bangkok, 110 Wireless Road 02-252-8001 | mandopop-bangkok.com | 5pm-midnight
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review
crepes & co.
- Anything crepes can’t do? Almost as much as hotels, shopping malls occupy a place of rare importance and visibility in Bangkok’s food and drink scene – it can take some getting used to but there’s real variety and quality on offer in the capital’s gleaming, sprawling retail plazas and the seventh floor of CentralWorld might well be the most pleasant space to make that disovery. Flooded with natural light that pours in from all angles, it’s perfect for people-watching and, more or less, for whatever kind of cuisine you’ve got a hankering for. It’s an ideal setting, then, for Crepes & Co.’s first foray into mall dining. After starting out in an old shophouse many moons ago, they’ve now got well-established restaurants in Chidlom and Thong Lor – as well as an ambitious offshoot in Shanghai. Here, Crepes & Co.’s foodie expat owners have scaled down their intoxicating blend of Mediterranean, north African and European flavours to cater to shoppers on the go. Crepes are often associated with sweet fillings – and, indeed, there are some smashing dessert options on offer – but Crepes & Co. also tick off a string of savoury options. They’re lighter than your stock-standard doughy sandwich but are heavy enough on the fillings to still feel like a meal. 64 | AUGUST 2013
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And, as one might expect from a menu that takes plenty of its cues from French cuisine, there’s some real cheese – the Crepe Tintin (B149), for example, rolls bacon, mushroom, tomato, feta and oregano up in a crispy package, while the Crepe Supreme (B169) goes a step further, adding cream cheese and bechamel sauce with a fried egg over the top. That one needs to be washed down with their apple cider. If meatier fare is a bit too much in the middle of the day, the Crepe Pat (B129) offers a lighter option – spinach, tomatoes and chopped onions topped with salty-sweet gruyere. As appetising as the savoury bites are, it’s hard to resist the desserts and, in that department, the Crepe Triple Mango (B135) is the show-stopper. Chunks of fresh mango, with mango-flavoured ice cream and sauce deliver the different textures in the same mouthful, shot through with that inimitably light, flavourful mango burst. Proof that there really is no limit to what you can do with a crepe.
crepes & co.
[MAP 4/f4]
L7 CentralWorld, Rama 1 Rd (also Langsuan Soi 1 and Thonglor Soi 8) | 02-653-3990 | crepesnco.com | 10am-10pm
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refinement complexity intrigue www.pastebangkok.com
info@pastebangkok.com PHONE +66 2 392 4313 Su 120/6 Sukhumvit Soi 49 (Across from Samitivej Sukhumvit Hospital)
Colin says -
“You’re SPECIAL Mate!” Scan Colin’s QR code or visit our website at
www.snapper-bangkok.com to print off our unbelievable in-store specials and you’ll be loving Snapper even more!
THAILAND TATLER
NEW ZEALAND
BEST RESTAUR ANTS
1/20-22 Sukhumvit Soi 11, Ph. 02 651-1098
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CUISINE ART
The Fine Art of Thai Cuisine Ruen Urai, “the House of Gold�, combines Thai culinary art with elegant ambience. Inspired by Thailand's diverse regions, cultures and styles, our gastronomic creations vary from royal Thai cuisine to refined home-cooking. Discover the secret oasis of Ruen Urai. Casual dining and bar from noon to 11pm. Ruen Urai at the Rose Hotel 118 Soi Na Wat Hualumphong, Surawongse Road Tel: 66 (0) 2266-8268-72 Fax: 66 (0) 2266-8096 www.rosehotelbkk.com www.ruen-urai.com
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FOOD & DRIN K
mei jiang chef’s table - In the thick of it Open kitchens are in vogue but Mei Jiang at the Peninsula Bangkok has taken it a step further with the newly launched Chef’s Table concept. Already regarded as one of Bangkok’s top Cantonese restaurants, Mei Jiang is giving customers the chance to go behind the scenes and observe their star head chef Jackie Ho (main image) prepare for an exciting dining experience. Mei Jiang has built a private room with a window looking directly into the kitchen. It’s an immersive experience, the muffled clatter of pots and pans providing an authentic soundtrack – diners are so close they can almost smell the ginger sizzling in the woks. Ho started out in Hong Kong when he was 13 and built a prolific career before moving to Mei Jiang. Unlike some chefs who have a narrow focus, Ho delivers a broader selection of Chinese flavours, presenting seafood imaginatively and introducing an element of traditional Chinese medicine, creating food that has restorative powers as well as satisfying the tastebuds. Of course, the Chef’s Table needs to have the food to make the idea work and Ho delivers a set menu (B6800 or B7600 including matching tea selections) that combines strikingly elegant presentation with flavours that reveal themselves slowly but linger on the tongue. bangkok101.com
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First off the line is the savoury crab claw with white custard and ginger. It’s a surprising combination that has become one of Ho’s signatures – and can prove a challenge even for confident chopsticks-users. The highlights keep coming: in sautéed prawns with black garlic and wolfberries (above), Ho combines contrasting flavours in one mouthful that also lowers cholesterol. The poached red garoupa with rice sauce and sun-dried pickles settles the stomach and Ho’s special fried rice with fresh scallops leaves the emphasis entirely on the scallops – when the produce is this good, it’s entirely sensible. The winner, though, may still be the pan-seared fillet of Australian beef with black pepper paste – it’s something that shows up in most Chinese restaurants but Ho has created a dish with truly refined, long-lasting flavour. The beef is perfectly cooked but it is the slightly fiery sauce, handed down through Ho’s family, that is truly spectacular.
mei jiang
[MAP 8/e17]
The Peninsula Bangkok, 333 Charoennakorn Road 02-861-2888 | peninsula.com | 11.30am-2.30pm, 6pm-10.30pm
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street eat
young d
- Late-night street food Anyone who’s hung around Bangkok for more than a few months will insist on telling you in hushed tones about this ‘secret’ place they know, or this out-of-theway joint that they miraculously discovered. There’s nothing secret about Young D – rather, it sits smackbang in the middle of Sukhumvit Soi 11, one of the liveliest, most diverse little stretches in Bangkok. Although, there are hundreds of spots to get more distinctive and undoubtedly cheaper Thai street food, Young D has the advantage of offering front-row seats to the rich tapestry of Nana nightlife, a mix of expats, tourists, Thais and – let’s keep it real – the odd working girl. Against this backdrop, Young D offers an extensive selection of Thai staples – the service can be chaotic when it’s busy but remains relentlessly cheerful, even when the young staff are dashing back and forth with plates piled high. Any veteran of Thai street cafes has likely put away a fair bit of morning glory and here, it’s served with fire pork for B120. It’s right kind of morning glory – still fairly fresh and not soaked through with oil. Served with a larb moo (B120), it’s a perfect one-two punch to soak up a couple of Chang beers in the warm nights, as the traffic builds up on either 68 | AUGUST 2013
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side. Alternatively, you can chow through a pad thai for B80 – there’s undoubtedly a premium for the location. Moving beyond the most obvious of selections, the vermicelli and baked shrimp (B150) has a deceptively amount of spice which will have you needing a refill after a couple of mouthfuls. If you’ve got a group, the fried fish (B300) is quite a serious dish, with enough to feed more than a couple. It’s obviously about the food but there’s also entertainment value out of watching the cooks prepare the dishes – their little cart is stacked with produce, which gets loaded in handfuls into a sizzling wok, sending plumes of steam into the air, leaving it heavy with that distinctive smell of Thai food being prepared. If Bangkok is at its best after midnight, then Young D is not a bad place to soak up every inch of its slightly unhinged afterhours atmosphere. There’s plenty of choice along soi 11 but Young D manages a consistent quality with friendly service that ensures plenty of return custom.
young d
[MAP 3/f8]
Halfway up Sukhumvit soi 11 | 8pm-late
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in the kitchen
ian kittichai talks to Howard Richardson
Chef Ian Kittichai is a global trailblazer for Thai food who’s launched operations in cities like New York, Mumbai and Barcelona. Internationally, his dessert bar, Spot, will get more outlets in New York, and expand to Boston and San Francisco, and he still hopes to open a restaurant in London. “But of all the restaurants, this is where I feel most at home,” he says. We’re in Bangkok’s Issaya Siamese Club, which Ian describes as “reinterpreting Thai dishes that I first cooked with my mum” – a reference to his earliest culinary years helping the family sell streetfood after school. He dons his black chef’s jacket as we head to the kitchen to prepare one of his signature dishes, red chilli-glazed baby back ribs (right). “This recipe goes back to New York,” he explains. “I wanted to do something from the barbecue, but couldn’t buy a smoker because of safety regulations. Then a tom yum version came to mind.” He adds garlic and black peppercorns to the traditional ingredients of a tom yum – coriander root, kaffir lime, galangal and lemongrass – and tosses them into a large roasting tray with the rack of ribs, and covers with water. Over a gas burner, the chef brings to a boil, then covers and simmers for a couple of hours. “The meat is infused with the tom yum, so the flavours are there but not too strong,” he says. “The ingredients should 70 | AUGUST 2013
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be not too crowded, then the ribs cook evenly.” After the simmer, the ribs cool in the fridge to get a good clean cut when slicing. Chef blends salted yellow beans, red curry paste and palm sugar and brushes on to the ribs with the back of a spoon. He puts them under a salamander, “on a high heat, but a low shelf, to get a nice glaze”. At the dining table, the taste in the mouth is sweet, salty, then spicy, with the creep of tom yum, particularly kaffir lime and garlic. It’s fall-off-thebone tender. Kittichai is probably the busiest chef in Thailand. In quick succession before we meet, he was in Singapore, New York and London; the following week he leaves for Australia; then there’s the TV show, The Golden Hand Chef, showing in 70-plus countries; and ever more restaurants to launch. “We’re starting in Phuket, Khao Yai and Hua Hin, and Hyde and Seek 2 will open towards the end of the year in the new dining complex at Central World,” he says. “But I’m a chef, not an F&B guy. Each day I’m cooking something different, whether it’s an event like the Taste of London or developing new dishes. I’m not greedy; not hungry; but I don’t take it easy. The passion is what drives me.”
Issaya Siamese Club
[MAP 8/m17]
4 Soi Sri Aksorn, Chua Ploeng Rd 02-672-9040 | issaya.com | 11.30am-2.30pm, 6pm-10.30pm
bangkok101.com
7/18/13 5:10 PM
ealtike
Nym
Y
Our roving eater Nym knows her local grub inside-out and thrives on the stories behind the dishes. Each month, she takes an offbeat tour in search of the city’s next delectable morsel
Yaowarach (china town)
aowarach or China Town is one of my favourite places in Bangkok, although it may soon be eliminated by a new subway station. In the backtreets of China Town, you’ll find the Charoenchai community – also known as Trok Mai Phai or bamboo. The name comes from the shape of the long, narrow road that cuts straight through. It is well-known for selling Chinese origami paper, which is folded into different shapes for Thai-Chinese to use in various ceremonies when paying respect to their ancestors and Gods. On both sides of the road, ancient shop houses are filled with this colourful paper that brightens the scene. Halfway down, there is a small museum called Baan Kao Lao Rueng – or ‘Story Telling Home’. Locals have maintained the original architecture and display old brica-brac that illustrates the way they once lived. Food is taken seriously in this old community – after all, the vendors have spent their whole lives in the neighbourhood. They now have to squeeze themselves behind construction fences to set up their stalls but if you look for the ‘Soi Charoenkrung 23’ sign, you’ll find a parade of food that locals love. I always grab a stool and mingle with the locals. My favourites here are the Chinese springroll (po pia sod)
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with sweet tamarind gravy on top, and the steamed flat noodles with black se-iw sauce (kouy tiew lord). Or try the fish stomach in gravy with young bamboo shoots (kra proa pla ). I often eat backwards here, starting with the paeng tod – a fried pancake dessert – while waiting for the savoury dishes to arrive on the table. The pancake comes stuffed with beans or taro. They’ve been fried slowly on a flat, open pan, ensuring they’re crispy on the outside and tenderly sweet in the inside. Who needs a new subway station? This is civilised enough for me.
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all you can eat
The Square Restaurant
If you’ve already built up an appetite by mid-morning, The Square Restaurant – the signature restaurant at the Novotel Bangkok Platinum – has an international buffet certain to send you out with a full belly. The buffet is particularly appetising this month due to the 50 percent discount, meaning you can get your fill, sampling the delights from all corners of the open kitchen, for a very reasonable B499. It’s easy to be discombobulated at a buffet – there can be so many options that it’s hard to know where to start. At The Square, it’s easy – go with the dim sum from the Chinese counter (right). It’s light, delightfully short on oil but still with that distinctively satisfying flavour. Before you know it, you’ll be on to your eighth or ninth won ton. The Thai staples are well-represented but many diners will likely be tempted by the Japanese sushi section – it’s always impressive when a buffet section manages to deliver sushi to a high standard and The Square hits its mark here. Just as impressive is the grill section – if a weakness of a buffet is the sense that everything has been preferred earlier, then its emphatically dispelled by picking out a beef skewer or a lamb burger and having flame grilled on the spot. It’s properly a la carte, illustrating the way modern buffets have lifted their game. And there’s some serious dessert, including a mountain of pralines, chocolate fondues, mousses and cakes. 72 | AUGUST 2013
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the square Restaurant
[MAP 3/B7]
Novotel Bangkok Platinum, 220 Petchaburi Rd | 02-160-7100 ext 8702 novotelbangkokplatinum.com | Buffet open Mon-Sat 11.45am-3pm
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specials
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Mother’s Day Head to the Banyan Tree (02-679-1200). For every family of four, mum’s meal will be taken of, whether you dine at the Thai restaurant Saffron (four-course Thai set B1399), international buffet at Romsai (buffet brunch B1700 with free-flow bubbly; dinner buffet B1500, add B499 for unlimited wine), Chinese restaurant Bai Yun (dim sum buffet B1400) or on board the hotel’s Apsara river boat (Thai set dinner B2200 net). Nearby, Dusit Thani Bangkok (02-200-9000) welcomes all mothers with homemade snow moon cakes and jasmine flower garlands at their Mayflower restaurant. At the hotel’s Vietnamese restaurant, Thien Duong, all mothers also receive a complimentary serving of Haagen-Daze ice cream. In a group of at least three people, one mother aged at least 55 dines free at Hamilton’s Steak House (four-course set lunch B1600 net per person including a glass of wine).
Shangri-La Hotel Bangkok (02-236-9952) offers a Mother’s Day Jazz Brunch with 50 percent off for all mothers at Next2 Café. At Angelini, where there’s 50 percent off the set menu. The Royal Orchid Sheraton (02-266-9214) provides some different options, including an international and BBQ buffet at Feast for B1780, including free flow non-alcoholic drinks, and B2180 for free flow draught beer, sparking and house wines. At Giorgio’s, the Italian buffet is B1200 per person, while Thara Thong offers a royal Thai set menu for B1000 each. At the Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit (02-649-8888), mums get 50 percent off when dining with one guest or more at the brunch buffet (B2200 for adults and B999 for children). It’s 50 percent of for mothers at Orchid Café where there’s brunch (B1490) or a seafood dinner buffet (B1690).
Novotel Siam Square (02-209-8888) lets mums dine free when accompanied by three or more paying adults; or enjoy 15 percent off on the dim sum lunch buffet and a la carte. Also, it’s 20 percent off on a la carte dinner at Lok Wah Hin Chinese Restaurant.
Just down the road, St Regis (02-207-7777) has some interesting deals for mothers. VIU invites mums to their New York bistro, featuring an open kitchen, where it’s B2950 for brunch. Over at hotel’s Italian restaurant Jojo, groups receive one bottle of sparkling wine when reserving a table for four.
Check out the Okura Prestige Bangkok (02-687-9000), where mothers can eat lunch for free with a party of four or more. There’s a high tea buffet priced from B840 from August 10-12 at Elements.
If money is no object, the Crowne Plaza’s (02-632-9000) chef Lam Kok Weng will prepare his set menu (B15,000 per table of 10 at Xin Tian Di). Or enjoy the Mother’s Day buffet for B900 at the hotel’s Panorama Restaurant and Deck Bar.
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listings
Chon
Jim Thompson House
Paste
THAI Chon [Map 8/E6] The Siam Hotel, 3/2 Khao Rd, Dusit 02-206-6999 | thesiamhotel.com Noon-11pm The signature Thai restaurant at the exquisite Siam hotel sits in one of three beautifully preserved wooden houses once owned by Connie Mangskau, a friend of silk pioneer Jim Thompson. A wooden statue of mother and child greets as you enter, lying on a table to resemble a reclining Buddha. There are orchids and candles on the tables, old mirrors on the walls, and slender standing lamps that cast light from delicate grilled metal shades. Viewed through wooden shuttered windows, the river flows beyond the palms. Blair Mathieson, who was previously chef for three years at the Chedi, in Chiang Mai has designed a small home-style menu, with food far more impressive than the slightly insipid Siam Mojitos on the list of cocktails (B390). Dishes worth returning for include the pomelo salad, Yum Som O (B320), which has the textural addition of water chestnut and occasional pieces of toasted coconut to add interest. For luxury, a sliver of lobster
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tail lies on top. Sa Lat Phed Todd (B350) has juicy soft, almost pâté-like slow roasted duck flesh contrasting with light crispy skin, gained by flash frying in a wok. It’s a delicious dish, served with a sticky sweet tamarind sauce like melted toffee. Another stand-out is Gaeng Chapoo Poo (B460), an enticing bowl of dark red curry with large meaty gobs of crab and those beautiful tangles of green chapoo leaves that lift from the surface like healthy pond life.
Jim Thompson House and Museum [MAP 4/A3] 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Rd | 02-612-3601 jimthompson.com | Noon-5pm, 7pm-11pm Pity the hungry tourist who arrives at the Jim Thompson house hoping for authentic Thai food. Or so you would think – believe it or not, our number two tourist attraction is home to a restaurant that pairs a sumptuous, silk-and-fabric strewn setting with some surprisingly unusual Thai food. Add drinkable white or red house wine at B200 a glass, and a daily 4:30-7:30pm happy hour (buy one get one on house wine and draught beer) and there’s absolutely no reason to be sniffy about the place. There are typical Thai dishes, yes, but there are also lots that aren’t. For a new taste
sensation try the intensely spiced sang wah goong kub pla duke foo, also known as oldfashioned grilled prawn salad with traditional herbs, fresh vegetables and crispy catfish. Not only is this dish served in an intricately carved pumpkin, but each and every condiment is prepared with an artistic flair that does late silk tycoon Jim Thompson’s artistic legacy proud. A restaurant that works for groups of diners with diverse tastes, other notable dishes here include the pleasantly mild kaeng khao puak, or crispy wispy fried taro; as well as more adventurous options like the rarely seen tom som pla gra pong khao, sea bass fish soup laced with a savoury tinge of tamarind. Be warned: it’s so moreish that you can expect to lick your soup bowl for every last drop.
PASTE [MAP 3/P6] 120/6 Sukhumvit Soi 49 | 02-392-4313 pastebangkok.com | Tues-Sun noon-2.30pm, 6pm-late One of the most talked about and innovative new Thai restaurants of 2013, Paste is tucked to one side of soi 49 in the backstreets of Thong Lor. But if the entrance is easily overlooked, the modern Thai food inside is unlikely to be forgotten.
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listings For entrees, the dry-spiced chilli squid, topped with vinegar and tomato relish (B240) is a winner. Among the mains, the prime cuts of Australian red meat stand out invitingly from the local produce – the braised beef ribs with ginger rice, tamarind leaves and mushroom soy (B380) are perfect if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty. The roast duck salad with lychee and Vietnamese mint (B380) packs an immediate punch but it is the hint of banana blossom that delivers a surprising, sensational finish. And then there is the tamarind and caramel pork belly with moonflower, red okra and green chilli pickle (400). It’s an inspired combination, the pork belly coming apart effortlessly while its outer layer retains a rainbow of flavours, its richness lightened perfectly by the moonflower and okra. Overall, Paste is a triumph, fusing tradition and innovation with a confidence and craft that never veers into showiness. Good food is often described as “tasty” or “delicious” but these descriptions are fleeting – the best meals go a step further and stay with us long after the plates are cleared. And, on that score, Paste delivers with exceptional panache, serving food that is not just instantly gratifying but truly memorable.
NORTHERN THAI (ISAN) SOMTUM DER [MAP 5/K6] 5/5 Saladaeng Road, Silom. Bangrak 02-632-4499 | Mon-Sat 11am-10pm With mae kaa (female vendors) rustling up plates of the stuff on every street corner, the restaurant serving somtum (spicy green papaya salad) in upscale surroundings, and
charging a price to match, has always struck us as a risky venture. Still, there are a few that succeed at doing just that. Will Silom’s Somtum Der be one of them? Having only been open a couple of months, it’s too early to tell, but certainly it has the potential. Neither fine-dining nor kerbside, the setting is relaxed and inviting. As well as the mandatory air-conditioning, the converted shophouse on Sala Daeng Soi 1has an outdoor decking area and an upbeat almost art café feel, with lots of light wood and accents of red and orange. Bamboo fish net and rice basket lampshades cast a warm glow both downstairs and upstairs, where photos of pastoral Isan life line the walls. As for the food – about 20 varieties of the restaurant’s namesake dish, plus 15 or so other Northeastern dishes – we think this could well become a word-of-mouth hit. Not only is it reasonably priced (the cheapest dish is B55, the most expensive B105), it’s also no mere copy of what’s served on the streets. One of Somtum Der’s nine partners, Korn from Sakhon Nakorn, is responsible for making sure all of the dishes “stick to their roots”, as they put it.
AMERICAN BOURBON STREET [MAP 8/S16] 9/39-40 Soi Tana Arcade, Sukhumvit 63, Ekamai | 02 381 6801 | bourbonstbkk.com | 7am-1am New Orleans, the Big Easy, is famed for many things – its music, its nightlife and, of course, its distinctive Cajun food. There are bits and pieces borrowed from western Europe, particularly France and Spain, mixed
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Bourbon Street up in a giant gumbo pot with Creole – itself a mixture of European and African-American influences - and infused with the brassy flavours of the American south. For the uninitiated, it’s a baffling cuisine, partly because it hasn’t been exported wholesale from Louisiana to the rest of the world. That said, washed down with a couple of particularly zingy margaritas at Bourbon Street in Ekkamai, it starts to make a whole lot of sense. The menu is vast, so fortunately the proprietor, Doug, who has been preaching the Cajun gospel in Bangkok for 30-odd years, is on-hand to offer his recommendations. No Cajun banquet is complete without a gumbo, which, on first appearance, looks like a simple working man’s stew - in Cajun cuisine, gumbo is a versatile dish that can contain more or less whatever the chef fancies. Here, it’s chicken and sausage (B140) in a rich broth – whatever spices or thickeners are being expertly employed at Bourbon Street, the flavour jumps off the spoon. An early highlight, undoubtedly. But they come thick and fast thereafter. The buffalo wings (B160) and the barbecue ribs (B370) are perfect for those with big appetites who aren’t afraid to get stuck in.
49 Sukhumvit soi 49 - Terrace 49 Building 2nd floor - reservation +6622041731
LA
OTTEGA
www.labottega.name
private wine room - open lunch and dinner Photography for La Bottega by Studio NUMA bangkok101.com
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CHINESE
Imperial China
an an lao [MAP 8/q17] Sukhumvit Soi 26 | 02-261-8188 | ananlao. com | 11am-10pm With its overhead strip lighting, you’d struggle to call the canteen-like setting pretty, but no one cares, a tribute to the quality of the food. An An Lao’s is a descendant of the food that has resulted from immigration in Thailand’s Deep South. Khun Roongnanpa and her Thai-Chinese family hail from Betong, a mountainous district in Yala province; and it is the not-too-puritanical style of homestyle Chinese cooking that they grew up with down there that has made An An Lao such a fixture among families, businessmen, expats, even celebrity masterchef McDang. Since the big move, the menu has been bolstered by the addition of more seafood and Thai dishes (the family also owns a Thai restaurant, Baan Rap Rong, out near Suvarnabhumi Airport). It’s so sprawling that you could dine here ten, fifteen, maybe even twenty times and never encounter the same dish twice. That said, there are some signatures that we, and most regulars, order in as a matter of habit. The steamed betong chicken is the one that no table spread should be without (and the reason why a backlit chicken logo looms large over the entrance). Served in a garlic and soy sauce, initially you’re taken aback by the toughness of the lean, free-range meat (KFC chicken this ain’t); but most are won over by its flavour and sinewy goodness. Coming in a close second is the peking duck, which is An An Lao’s best seller (and loss-leader) due to its pricetag: B350 for the whole bird. On weekends, punters have
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An An Lao been known to queue outside the door for one of these beasts, which are air-dried for two days before being roasted, and skinned in view of your table.
IMPERIAL CHINA [MAP 3/M11] Imperial Queens Park Hotel, 199 Sukhumvit Soi 22 | 02-261-9000 | imperialhotels.com/ imperialqueenspark | Daily 7am-10pm You might think you have a pretty firm idea about Chinese food – after all, it’s one of the most widely available cuisines all around the world, and is everywhere in Bangkok. Still, if this city has one constant – apart from the traffic – it is surely it’s ability to surprise and the expertly prepared offerings at Imperial China might force you to rethink what you think you know about Chinese food. That is due in large part to Chef Chu, who has been running the kitchen at Imperial China for 10 years – indeed, the restaurant is celebrating his anniversary with a range of special dishes. If you’re after a Cantonese feast, there’s plenty on offer – we’ll get to that – but if you fancy the lighter fare, then the dim sum is sensational; the light, bite-sized portions or ornate seafood and pork will have you and your friends fighting each other for control of the Lazy Susan.
As delicious as the dim sum is, it’s the main courses where Chef Chu really fires – everyone is familiar with spring rolls, but the ones at Imperial China, made with snowfish and avocado, (B750) are unlike any you’ve had previously, the ingredients off-setting each other perfectly and the texture of the pastry excquisite. The seafood extravaganza continues with baked tiger prawn with salt egg (B950) and stir-fried Hong Kong scallops with macadamia (B850). The scallops, in particular, hit exactly the right note and will remind seafood lovers precisely why they love their food fresh from the sea.
FRENCH EVE [MAP 4/H6] Hansar Hotel, Mahadlekluang 2, Ratchadamri Road | 02-209-1234 | hansarbangkok.com/eve 6.30pm-11pm It seems that not a week goes by without another restaurant opening up in one of Bangkok’s gleaming hotels – for the uninitiated, it takes a little while to get used to the idea of dining regularly in a hotel. Still, places like Eve make it a whole lot easier, from the luxurious foyer to the high-ceiling
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listings
Eve dining rooms and open-air decking. It’s heavy on style and the food is no different. The concept is contemporary European food served with Asian presentation – it’s not intuitively obvious what that means until the food starts to arrive, laid out on rectangular plates, minimally but artfully garnished. Still, the proof has to be in the pudding – or, at Eve, in the amazing French foie gras (B650) served with dehydrated raspberry and Xeres jus. It adds a refreshingly tart tang to the foie gras, lightening it in a way that really works. The chargrilled stockyard Wagyu beef striploin (B1950) is exceptional, one of the best steaks in Bangkok, served with potato mousselin, morel cream, baby root vegetables and pinot noir jus. A steak on a plate might seem fairly straightforward but Eve’s offering makes it tough to go back to more standard fare elsewhere. The seafood mains are also spot on. The Pacific Ocean snowfish (B1100) comes with green pea puree, wild rocket and pomodoro sauces, a combination that heightens the seafood taste rather than working against it. The Tasmanian salmon (1050), with escalivada and red wine reduction is just as successful, ensuring Eve finishes with a satisfying bang that should attract plenty of returning customers.
INTERNATIONAL HEMINGWAY’S [MAP 3/J10] Sukhumvit Soi 14 | 02-653 3900 | hemingwaysbangkok.com | 11:30am-late (kitchen closes 10:45pm) Choosing Ernest Hemingway as a concept for your bar-restaurant may not be the most original idea but the archetypal He-Man is associated with so many locations – from the Spanish Civil War to hunting rhinos in the Serengeti – that he gives you plenty to play with. It’s ideal fodder to fill this sprawling 1920s-style golden teak house. Arriving from the soi, you enter the Spanish Garden with its own fountain and lanterns in the trees, and proceed through various rooms themed according to episodes from the author’s life. The Havana Bar dispenses bangkok101.com
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Hemingway’s Hemingway’s favourite spirits in generous 45ml pours; the Key West Café is a large dining area with waxed teak floors, lots of plants and period lampshades styled after oil lamps. We chose (very) dirty Tanqueray martinis from a long drink list (B195), including special cocktails (B220) and beers from their own system served at a reliable minus-two degree. There are 20 or so wines (B1000-B2400 a bottle), including eight by the glass (B150-B350). The food menu moves from bar snacks – try the tasty and tender chilli salt-fried squid with Hemingway’s own tartar sauce (B165) – through soups, entrées and New York pizzas. Among the short list of mains are sea bass with Hemingway’s oyster and absinthe broth, steamed mussels and braised lettuce (B450) and grass-fed lava coal Australia grilled sirloin with sautéed kale, hand-cut chunky fries with a choice of sauce.
Park Society [MAP 5/M7] Sofitel So Bangkok, 2 North Sathorn Rd | 02-624-0000 | Daily 5pm-1am (bar),=, 6pm10pm (restaurant) A large walk-in kitchen as you enter has a generous chef’s table stacked with cured meats, where you can choose to dine. It leads to a curiously shaped dining space with those beautiful views through full wall windows. The walls themselves and ceiling are rhomboid mirrored panels reflecting Victorian style lamps, hexagonal marble dining tables and waiters in Christian Lacroix-designed, Thai-influenced uniforms, complete with cummerbunds, knee socks and traditional wide-thighed pantaloons. The whole has an almost art deco angularity, the effect pleasantly disorienting, like a fairground hall of mirrors. The modern international menu changes daily according to available produce and starts with a mix of stalwart and exclusive items like oysters (six for B700), Hokkaido scallops (B900) and Aran Valley caviar (B4,999 for 30g). Mains are well presented, the off-kilter square plates adorned with smears and blobs of colourful purée are an arty backdrop for dishes like pigeon AUGUST 2013 | 7 7
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listings
La Bottega di Luca
with gnocchi and baby vegetables (B1400/ half, B2600/whole). The well chosen wine list, with most bottles between B2000 and B4000, has 12 wines and four sparkling by the glass.
italian La Bottega di Luca [MAP 3/P8] The 49 Terrace, Sukhumvit 49 | 02-260-2258 | the49terrace.com | 10.30am-11.30pm Nestled in a smallish mall on soi 49, La Bottega di Luca is an immediately welcoming space, effortlessly combining indoor-outdoor seating and cultivating a relaxed vibe that makes it a neighbourhood favourite with real panache. The antipasti start at B290 and the grilled scamorza (B390) – that’s smoked mozzarella – wrapped in speck ham with mushrooms and red wine sauce is a delight. It’s a simple idea but the evident care taken in preparation elevates this to a gorgeous starter, reminding diners just how much they’ve come to miss cheese in Bangkok. And that sauce – you’ll be tempted to lick the plate clean. There’s a sizeable menu and it can be tricky to know which direction to take. The most eye-catching salad is the seafood combination (B220) with steamed prawns, baby squid, mussels and clams seasoned with garlic. But who are we kidding? We’re here for the rustic, filling, flavoursome Italian cooking, delivered with real passion. The paccheri with saute Italian sausage and fennel seeds certainly doesn’t disappoint. There’s a rich, full flavour, meaty enough to eat with a glass of red wine but with a complexity of seasoning and ticklish spice at the end of each mouthful.
japanese Elements [MAP 4/L5] Fl25 The Okura Prestige Bangkok, Park Ventures Ecoplex, 57 Wireless Rd | 02-6879000 | 6pm-10.30pm Elements is an imposing space, where heavy ship’s lanterns loom overhead from 78 | AUGUST 2013
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Elements
a high ceiling lined with the inevitable exposed piping. It’s perhaps a bit large to fit the ‘living room’ atmosphere described in the marketing bumph, despite the sofa style and armchair seating. The décor is predominantly black and brown, low lit, with full wall sculptures of black charcoal at each end of the room that – as well as providing an arty backdrop – apparently filter out cooking smells from the open kitchen. To wind down grab a sake cocktail (maybe ‘sakura’, with plum wine, cranberry, and syrups of rose apple and sakura, B350) as you choose from a list billed as ‘modern logical cuisine’. The menu is divided into a la carte, with main meat courses largely in the B900-B1500 range, and four tasting menus, including a vegetarian option (B1200). We opted for the five-course Moments set (B2400), starting with excellent quality gravlax and lightly smoked tuna with wasabi vinaigrette and soy jelly. Other dishes included a mushroom infusion poured over sautée mushrooms, hazelnuts and thyme flavoured croutons; and slow cooked wagyu done two ways, as 24-hour sous vide short rib, with truffle mash, celeriac and apple, and beef cheek hachée.
Hama-Ichi [MAP 3/J6] Legacy Suites, 12 Sukhumvit Soi 29, Klongtoey-Nua | 02-662-3376 | Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight (last order 11:30pm), Sun 4pm-11pm (last order 10:30pm) If you’re ok with dining side by side with the salarymen, grab a stool at the long bar, behind which the staff prep the food while dressed in bandanas and loud t-shirts emblazoned with the restaurant’s mangastyle fish logo. Or, for more intimacy, ask to be seated at one of the tables sectioned off from each other by bamboo screens. While clearly aimed at – and mostly catering to – a Japanese clientele, the menu is easily deciphered by English readers, with a short description and small but salivating pictures accompanying the names of each of the almost 300 dishes. Dive straight in – we did, and didn’t regret any of it. The mixed tempura was done just
Zuma
right, not overly battered. Our pick of the sushi, the aburi-zushi gokan (seared salmon, mackerel, yellow-tail; B460), was devoured in minutes. And our bowl of kaisendon (sashimi on rice) with accompanying blob of wasabi, a sumptuous table-pleaser.
Zuma [MAP 4/G6] Ground Fl, 159 Rajadamri Road | 02-2524707 | zumarestaurant.com | 12pm-3pm, 6pm-11pm The style and presentation of the dishes is unmistakably contemporary – authentic but not traditional – exemplified by a particularly snazzy range of cocktails, including the Rubabu (B295), which blends sake and vodka with fresh passionfruit, and a spectacular lychee rose martini. But, of course, it’s the food that really matters and, in a format that might take a little getting used to for those accustomed to a starter, then a main, then a dessert, Zuma is a bit more free and easy than that. Dishes come out in no precise order and can be shared or eaten individually. The technique required to execute the smaller dishes is truly impressive and, because of Zuma’s three open kitchens, customers can watch the chefs at work. There are several highlights, though, including the sliced yellowtail served with green chilli relish, ponzu and pickled garlic (B410) – the effect is stunning, a mouthful of the most delicately textured seafood packed with light but still intense flavour. No less impressive are the plates of nigiri sushi and selected sashimi (B1100) – Japanese food has become so ubiquitous that it’s easy to forget how it’s meant to taste when it’s done with absolute precision and attention to detail. Some diners may be nervous about eating raw beef (B490) but at Zuma, served with citrus dressing, it goes down so well that any apprehension soon evaporates. Combining teriyaki and fish can backfire – the tangy flavour of the sauce can easily overwhelm the taste of the seafood but Zuma’s salmon and teriyaki with sliced cucumber (B480) is perfectly executed, the sauce flavours understated enough to let the salmon retain centre stage. bangkok101.com
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listings
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Arabesque
CHEZ PAPE You would have to be in France to nd a MORE AUTHENTIC FRENCH BISTRO
El Diablo’s
MEXICAN EL DIABLO’S [MAP 8/P17] 330 Sukhumvit Soi 22 | 02-663-8646 Tues-Sun 11.30am-11pm The bottom end of soi 22 – the funny little dog-leg where it kinks back toward soi 24 – is not an obvious place for a Mexican cantina. The bold, brightly coloured facade of El Diablo’s is flanked by Thai thrift shops and mini-marts. Restaurateurs here cannot rely on foot traffic, on customers happening past and popping in. That’s why El Diablo’s has gone out of their way to make sure they have the kind of food that persuades people to make the trip. Here, at El Diablo’s, the burritos are the stars of the show – quite simply, they’re enormous, ranging from B120 for the basic combination to B225 for the snazzier carne asada – or grilled beef. They make their own tortillas on the premises and while they are delightfully fresh, it’s the liberal servings of roasted salsa that really deliver. If the burritos are too much for you to tackle, there’s plenty of smaller fare worth sampling. The tacos (B70-90) are particularly impressive. Again, the salsa and the toppings are light, refreshing, with just enough spice to blow out the cobwebs, while the varieties – chicken, pork, beef and chorizo – all retain enough of their distinct tastes that the different tacos never blur into a hotpotch of cheese and guacamole – although the guacamole here is also top-notch. It’s a winning combination – if you’ve struggled to find fresh, flavoursome Mexican food, these tacos are the way forward.
El Osito [MAP3/C10] 888/23-24 Mahatun Plaza, Ploenchit Rd 02-650-9581 | Mon-Sat 11am-11:30pm New York meets Madrid at Billy Bautista’s new place El Osito, less than a minute’s walk from Ploenchit Skytrain station. San Franciscan Billy and his wife Oh also run Bangkok’s go-to Mexican, La Monita, which is right next-door. El Osito is decked out with photos of their families, including a full-wall shot of Uncle Pablo in his full matador outfit, bangkok101.com
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and the Spanish recipes largely come from Billy’s dad, a native of Madrid. The polished concrete walls, exposed wires and bare bulbs hung from the ceiling hold to the prevailing warehouse/factory ambiance of modern Bangkok diners, but they did most of the work themselves, and so avoided the cookie-cutter predictability, and managed a homier vibe than many. The toilets have a pastiche of Picasso’s Guernica, painted by Billy, Oh and friends over a few inspirational beers. A neighbourhood Dean & DeLuca during the day with its own smoker and churro machine and deli stalwart sandwiches such as Reuben and home-made pastrami (B190-B250), El Osito morphs into a Spanish tapas bar-cum-restaurant at night.
The Very Best of Traditional French Country Style Food At Attractive Prices
MIDDLE EASTERN Arabesque [MAP 3/B7] 68/1 Sukhumvit Soi 2 | 02-56-9440 | facebook.com/arabesquerestaurant bangkokthailand | 11am-2am The hostess in traditional garb that greets you on the street is the first indicator that Arabesque wants to make a good impression. The ‘Arabesque’ motifs – the Egyptian-made wood and seashell doors, window frames and pillars – that give the restaurant its name and accent the sandy orange dining room are another. It’s all very tasteful and classy, with, to our delight, not a tacky model Sphinx, pyramid or Tutankhamun’s mummy in sight. Enjoy a toke on a shisha pipe? For that, there’s a leafy front patio. Unlike most of its competitors, the menu is as pure Egyptian as the fixtures (and the imported goodies sold in the on-site bazaar, which occupies the other half of the curtained off interior). As well as dishes that fans of Middle Eastern cuisine will know well, such as hummus, mousaka and tajine (claypot stews), it includes some they probably won’t. Koushary, for example, is an Egyptian staple of lentil, macaroni, rice, fried onions and chili tomato sauce that we’ve never seen on the menu anywhere else.
Quality Wine from around the World and Yummy Homemade Desserts!
Sukhumvit Soi 11 - Conveniently located only 100 meters from Nana BTS Station
02 255 2492 (after 4pm) or 089 89 75 282
info@chezpape.com
www.chezpape.com
OPEN daily 5pm - 11pm Saturday & Sunday 11.30am - 2.30pm
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Nightlife goodnight to bed supperclub
It’s your last chance for a night on the tiles at Bed Supperclub (26 Sukhumvit Soi 11; 02-651-3537; bedsupperclub.com), as the nightclub – and absolute landmark on the Bangkok scene since it opened – closes its doors on August 31. Highlights of the final month include the UK’s DJ Hype (August 11), nostalgia with the Rehab vs Futon Reunion (August 15) and The Last Banquet (August 30). Of course, there’s still talk of it reopening elsewere but Soi 11 won’t be quite the same without it. Thanks for the memories.
fairies settling into new digs
When The Iron Fairies first opened on Thong Lor (Sukhumvit Soi 55), it was the talk of Bangkok, Ashley Sutton’s latest curious addition to his ensemble of off-beat watering holes. But earlier this year, it closed its doors, only to reopen last month a few doors down (394 Soi Thong Lor; 02-714-8875; theironfairies. com) in a bigger space. The concept remains – part workshop, part apothecary – and, if anyhing, it has more room to breathe. Stay tuned for a review.
bursting into song
Following its grand opening last month, Apoteka Thong Lor (Thong Lor Soi 12; 0906-267-655; facebook.com/ApotekaThonglor) steps it up a gear in August with the introduction of regular live music. It promises to be a mix of visiting bands and guest DJs, and their regular Thursday night line-up, called Kontraband and featuring DJ Azek and DJ Delorean, could quickly become a favourite for fans of drum and bass. And entry is free, which is good of them.
suiting up on gig night
Floridian rockers The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus roll through Bangkok this month, playing at Hollywood Awards (72/1 Ratchada soi 8 Huaykwang; 02 246 4311; hollywoodbangkok.com) on August 23. It’s a pretty stacked bill at a venue that has made an impressive commitment to hosting live music. Apart from the lead act, Sweet Mullet, Scarlet Heroes and Heart Attack will also be playing. It promises to be a suitably angsty affair.
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house of beers
- Beer balcony with a view -
R
ain Hill, the boutique mall on the corner of Sukhumvit 47, has quickly carved out a niche for itself as an attractive food and drink destination between the chic pockets of Thong Lor and the rowdier bars of Nana and Asoke. There are at least half a dozen bars and restaurants already housed in this welcoming complex but the newish House of Beers (Hobs) might be the first proper bar that combines a charming al fresco vibe with a serious approach to food and booze. The interior is Oktoberfest-lite, plenty of dark wood, long tables and decorative beer barrels but, thankfully, no grown men in lederhosen. But it’s the balcony, a spacious, slightly irregularly shaped area overlooking Sukhumvit, that is the real asset. If you’ve been getting by exclusively on Heineken and Chang beer in Bangkok, the good news is that Hobs has a vast selection to choose from. It’s big on Belgian beers – but with the USA, Germany, Spain and the UK also represented. It’s mostly ales, although there’s also a cheeky range of fruit beers and cider as well. It’s clear there’s a skew toward premium beers but it’s not exorbitant – basic cocktails go for B220 while the beers max out at a touch over B300. It’s hard to go past a bottle of Chimay, especially if someone else is buying. Inevitably, after you’ve had a few frosties, some food will be needed to soak up the beer. The spicy Thai salad, served with a choice of pork knuckle, beef striploin or sausage (B250-B350) is an absolute winner, packed with 82 | AUGUST 2013
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flavour, attractively presented and prepared with more technique than you might expect from a place where the beers are the most obvious selling point. Likewise, the Australian fillet mignon (B720) delivers a great fix of red meat, while the lamb burger (B350) will please anyone pining for a decent slice of cheddar. Long tables are ideal for big groups and on one of those hot, madcap Bangkok nights, it will be an excellent space to knock back a few beers and eat too much. We’re certainly counting on it.
house of beers
[MAP 3/p10]
2/F Rain Hill, Sukhumvit Soi 47 02-260-7447 | rainhill47.com | 11am-1am
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Bash
Nightclubs BASH [ma p 3/F8] 37 Sukhumvit Soi 11 (entrance next to the Australian Pub | bashbangkok.com | Midnightvery late Open till “very late”, Bash is brash. American owner Daryl Scott, a well-known club scene figure, has spliced strands of global clubbing DNA with the usually sleazy after-hours club concept. There are burlesque dancers ranging from midgets and robots on stilts to cross-dressing whacker Pan Pan (the shows bring to mind risqué superclub Manumission at times); the fixtures and furniture are of the very glam sort (gleaming Louis IX furniture, etc); and the DJs are often big names. Head up the stairs lined with misshapen mirrors and you’ll find three floors of fun, two of them taken up by the main room and the mezzanine which overlooks it.
DEMO [map 3/R1] Thong Lor Soi 10 (next to Funky Villa) 02-711-6970 | 8pm-1am | Free Easily the grittiest discoteca in the swish Thong Lor area is Demo: a squat former tenement building turned graffiti daubed brick warehouse. Featuring a terrace and bar outside, and lots of dark corners inside, not only does it look like a venue you’d find in East London or some other hipsterville; it sounds like one, too: instead of the usual mainstream hip-hop and live-bands, Demo’s DJs blast zeitgeisty nu-disco, house and electro through a kicking sound-system.
Funky Villa [MAP 3/R1] Thong Lor Soi 10 | 08-5253-2000 | 6pm-2am The name Funky Villa conjures images of roller-blading babes in bikinis, all partying at a Hugh Hefner-owned villa in the Med. The reality’s different. Steer your way through the fairground-sized car park, past the BMWs and chic lounge-deck area, and you’ll hit a swish one-storey house, 84 | AUGUST 2013
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Q Bar more posh than funky. Some of Bangkok’s gilded youth chill on sofas and knock pool balls around in the front room; but most hit the fridge-cool dancehall to boogie away the week’s woes to live bands and hip-hop DJs. Forget about edgy sounds – here it’s all about getting down with the CEOs of tomorrow.
MIXX DISCOTHEQUE [MAP 4/H4] President Tower Arcade 973 Ploenchit Rd mixxdiscotheque.com | B350 | 10pm-late Located in basement annex of the Intercontinental Hotel, Mixx is classier than most of Bangkok’s after-hour clubs, but only slightly. It’s a two-room affair decked out with chandeliers and paintings and billowing sheets on the ceiling lending a desert tent feel. The main room plays commercial R&B and hip hop, the other banging techno and house. Expect a flirty, up-for-it crowd made up of colourful characters from across the late-night party spectrum. The entry price: B350 for guys, B300 for girls. That includes a drink and, as long as things go smoothly, the chance to party until nearly sunrise.
ROUTE 66 [Map 8/Q12] 29/33-48 Royal City Avenue | route66club.com B200 foreigners incl. drink / free for Thais Rammed with hordes of dressed-to-kill young Thais on most nights of the week, ‘Route’, as it is affectionately known, is RCA’s longest surviving superclub. There are three zones to explore (four if you count the toilets – probably the ritziest in town), each with its own bar, unique look and music policy. ‘The Level’ is the huge, alllasers-blazing hip-hop room; ‘The Classic’ spins house and techno; and Thai bands bang out hits in ‘The Novel’. Route is not a good place to lose your friends but can be a blast if you all get crazy around a table, be it inside or out on the big outdoors area. One sore point: unlike the locals, foreigners are charged a B200 entry fee (but get a free drink).
THE CLUB [Map 7/F 5] 123 Khaosan Rd, Taladyod | 02-629-1010 theclubkhaosan.com | 6pm-2am B 100 (incl. one drink) The walk-in crowd of young Thais and backpackers must surely be amazed to find they’ve entered a techno castle on Khao San Road. The sky-high windows and raised central DJ turret lend a fairytale vibe, while the lasers, visuals and UV lighting hark back to mid 1990s psy-trance raves. Music-wise, it’s a loud, banging house serving up the full range of 4/4 beats, usually cranium-rattling electro house and techno. The drink prices are kind to your wallet and UV glowsticks handed out for free.
Q BAR [Map 3/C4] 34 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-252-3274 qbarbangkok.com | 8pm-1am Long-standing, New York-style night spot Q Bar is well-known for pouring stiff drinks (there are over 70 varieties of top-shelf vodka!) and its strong music policy, with big name international DJs appearing regularly. Q Bar raised the ‘bar’ for Bangkok nightlife twelve years ago and is still going strong, with a flirty crowd every night and a recent top-to-bottom renovation giving the venue a maximalist style injection. Now, there’s more room to dance and more lounge space, especially at QUP, the more downtempo upstairs area. Some relative solitude and a pick ‘n’ mix of the expat and jetset scene can usually be found up here and on the outdoor terrace, which is perfect for a breather, people watching and a late evening snack.
hotel bars & clubs BARSU [map 3/F6] 1st F, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit 250, Sukhumvit Rd | 02-649-8358 barsubangkok.com | 6pm-2am The informal yet sleek and minimally bangkok101.com
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St Regis Bar
Long Table
CM2 styled BarSu features the tagline ‘eat, play, dance,’ and appeals to the over-30 Bangkok crowd who feel disenfranchised by the city’s current nightlife offerings. To this end, there are five live bands for each night of the week. Comprised of students from Silpakorn University’s Faculty of Jazz, Tenon Round’ are a gifted young quartet who perform every Tuesday from 8 to 10pm. The other bands, JazzPlayground, P.O.8, Rhythm Nation and Hot Gossip, play from Wednesday to Saturday respectively. In between sets, the multi-talented DJ D’Zier spins an infectious blend of house, r&b, soul, latin and whatever else keeps you movin’. As well as creative cocktails (our pick: the tom yum yum - a cold cocktail version of the iconic hot and spicy soup), a ‘Night Bites’ menu of delicious premium finger food is also on hand to keep those energy levels up.
CM2 [map 4/D5] B1 F, Novotel Siam Square, 392/44 Siam Square Soi 6 | 02-209-8888 | cm2bkk. com | 10pm-2am The Novotel Siam Square Hotel’s subterranean party cave still packs them in sixteen years after it first opened, especially on weekends when it heaves with tourists and nocturnal beauties. The big and quite 1980s disco looking (black and metal and neon lighting rule) complex has lots of lounging space facing the dance floor, plus a sports bar with pool tables, smoking room, and an Absolut Vodka Lounge. It’s mainstream all the way. DJs play what the crowd wants, when they want it, usually the latest electro, funky house or hip-grinding R&B tune, while the live bands from Canada, Europe and Asia perform as if every song is a potentially life-changing audition. Currently that includes the impressive Crush Crew, who perform their renditions of modern hip-hop, R&B and other charting hits daily except Tuesday from 10:45pm onwards. International / Thai food and a huge cocktail list are served, as is what bangkok101.com
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they claim is Bangkok’s biggest pour – all drinks feature double shots for no extra charge. Currently the entrance fee is B550 (2 drinks included). However ladies during the popular ‘Ladies Night’ every Monday and Thursday girls get in free, plus two standard drinks. Stalk their Facebook page for news of their popular monthly theme parties and drinks promotions.
ST REGIS BAR [map 4/G 7] St Regis Bangkok Hotel, 159 Rajadamri Rd | 02-207-7777 | stregis.com | Mon-Fri 10am-1am,
Sat-Sun 10am-2am At 6:30pm each day a butler struts out on to the terrace of The St Regis Bar, a saber in one hand, a bottle of Moet & Chandon in the other. He then flicks at the collar until ‘pop!’, the cork flies off and bubbly spurts gently out on to the terrace. Come for this, stay for the view. Stretching along a plate glass window, the rectangle venue – with its suave masculine vibe, long bar, clubby sofas and high-ceilings – eyeballs the city’s Royal Bangkok Sports Club. It’s a lovely spot at sunset, even better on every second Sunday afternoon, when you can spy on the horseracing with a fine malt whiskey in hand.
Bars with views Above Eleven [MAP 3/C4] 33rd Fl Fraser Suites Sukhumvit Hotel, 38/8 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-207-9300 aboveeleven.com | 6pm-2am A west-facing 33rd floor rooftop bar with beautiful sunsets, Above Eleven is a winning combination. The outdoor wooden deck bar with glass walls for maximum view has a central bar, dining tables, lounge areas and huge daybeds for parties to slumber on. Tip: choose a seat on the north side – it gets windy to the south. There’s a great view, an impressive cocktail list, an electro soundtrack and this is Bangkok’s only Peruvian restaurant.
AMOROSA [Map 7/C12] 4th F, Arun Residence Hotel, 36-38 Soi Pratoo Nok Young, Maharat Rd (near Wat Po) 02-221-9158 | arunresidence.com | 6pm-1am Amorosa is a sultry, Moroccan-style balcony bar offering balmy river breezes, sour-sweet cocktails and a so-so wine list. The showstopper, though, is the view: perched on the roof of a four-storey boutique hotel, guests gaze out from its balcony terrace on to the Chao Phraya River and Wat Arun, the stunning Temple of Dawn, on the banks beyond. Go before sundown and enjoy watching the sun sink slowly behind it. Or come later, when amber floodlights make it glow against the night sky.
LONG TABLE [Map 3/H8] 25th F, 48 Column Bldg, Sukhumvit Soi 16 02-302-2557 | longtablebangkok.com 11am-2am Top-end Thai food isn’t the only thing that draws Bangkok’s nouveau riche to this impossibly swish restaurant-cum-bar. There’s also the trend-setting twist: a sleek communal dining table so long it makes the medieval banquet bench look positively petite. However, it’s what happens at the end of the room that propels this place deep into the nightlife stratosphere. Where the long table ends, a tall plate glass window and huge poolside patio, complete with bar, begins. Out here, 25 floors up, you can glug signature ‘long-tail’ cocktails or new latitude wines with the best of high-flying Bangkok: a glitzy hotchpotch of celebrities, models and power players; hair-tousling breezes; and – best of all – wide-screen city vistas.
MOON BAR [Map 5/K8] 61st F, Banyan Tree Bangkok, 21/100 South Sathorn Rd | 02-679-1200 | banyantree.com 5pm-1am This is one place that will get you closer to the moon. The open-air bar lets you take in the urban Moloch from up-above in smart AUGUST 2013 | 85
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Nest surroundings. With stunning 360° views, the hotel’s rooftop has been turned into a slick grill restaurant; one end is occupied by the bar. Nothing obstructs your view here, almost 200 metres high up. It’s the perfect spot for honeymooners – take a seat on the smart sofa stations, sip on a classy Martini or a yummy signature cocktail and feel romance welling up. For voyeurs, the telescope and binoculars come in handy. Glamour girls and unwinding business guys feel right at home here, too.
NEST [Map 3/C4] 9th F, Le Fenix, 33/33 Sukhumvit Soi 11 02-305-4000 | lefenixsukhumvit.com 5pm-2am An all-white and urbane open-air oasis on the ninth floor of the sleek Le Fenix Hotel, Nest is a loungey and laid-back spot on weekdays and early evenings, with couples enjoying signature martinis and upmarket nibbles from the comfort of Thai-style swing beds and Nest-shaped rattan chairs. But on weekends, a more up-for-it crowd ascends, especially during special party nights. These include Mode, a shindig every second Saturday of the month that pumps hip-hop and house beats rather than the usual smooth Balearic sounds. What are the views alike? With buildings looming above you, not below you, here you feel part of the cityscape.
PHRANAKORN BAR [map 7/G6] Soi Damnoen Klang Tai, Ratchadamnoen Rd 02-622-0282 | 6pm-1am Only a five-minute walk from Khao San Road, multi-level Phranakorn Bar is an old favourite of local art students and creatives, mostly for its indie/80s/90s worshipping playlist and mellow trestle-and-vine rooftop offering splendid views, over old-city rooftops, towards the floodlit Golden Mount temple. The booze and Thai food is cheap, as is most of the modern art hanging on the second floor. Tried to find it before but failed? You wouldn’t be the first. From the 86 | AUGUST 2013
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Red Sky Burger King end of Khao San Road, turn right onto Ratchadamnoen, right again and it’s down the first soi on your left hand-side.
RED SKY [Map 4/F 3] 56th F, Centara Grand at CentralWorld Rama 1 Rd | 02-100-1234 centarahotelresorts.com | 5pm-1am Encircling the 56th floor turret of CentralWorld’s adjoining Centara Grand Hotel, the al fresco Red Sky offers panoramas in every direction. Just before sunset is the time to come – plonk yourself down on a rattan chair or oversized daybed and wait for the lightshow to begin. When daylight fades and the city lights up like a circuit-board, a live jazz band kicks in and Bangkok takes on a glam cosmopolitan aura. Upscale bar snacks like slowcooked baby back pork ribs and martinis, cocktails and wines are on hand to keep you company while your eyes explore the scenery. It’s not cheap, but the daily happy hours (buy one get one drink on selected wine, beer and cocktails from 5pm-7pm).
The Speakeasy [MAP 4/J6] Hotel Muse, 55/555 Lang Suan Rd 02-630-4000 | hotelmusebangkok.com 6pm-1am One of the newest al fresco rooftop bars, The Speakeasy has several sections, all radiating from the Long Bar, which you enter from the elevator. As the name suggests, the complex evokes the glamour of Prohibition Era USA, with fusion Deco details, mirrored wall panels and carved wood screens. Everything’s distressed, the parquet floors unvarnished – it’s a well-oiled joint with a warm, lived-in feel. On the wooden deck Terrace Bar people fill the lounge areas and tall tables that hug the classical balustrades overlooking Lang Suan. A long international snack menu stands out for decent portions at reasonable prices; spirits (from B270) include luxury cognacs and malts; wines are B300-B600 a glass, while cocktails (from B 290) include home-made vodka infusions.
Three Sixty
SKY BAR / DISTIL [map 5/C5] 63rd F, State Tower, 1055 Silom Rd 02-624-9555 | thedomebkk.com | 6pm-1am Among the world’s highest outdoor bars, Sky bar – attached to Med restaurant Sirocco – offers panoramic views of the city and river below, earning its popularity with visitors new to the City of Angels and those intent on rediscovering it. Indoor-outdoor Distil boasts a roomful of comfy sofas, beyond premium liquor and The Dome’s signature breathtaking view. Adjacent to Asian seafood eatery Breeze, Ocean 52 sports yet another stunning view from the 51st – 52nd floors. These places are definitely not spots for the casual beach bum, so be sure to leave your flip-flops and shopping bags at home – a strict smart casual dress code is enforced.
threeSixty [map 5/b2] Millennium Hilton, 123 Charoennakorn Road 02-442-2000 | hilton.com | 5pm-1am High above the glittering lights of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River, ThreeSixty is the only Bangkok venue to enjoy unhindered views over the entire, dazzling metropolis. It also hosts live jazz musicians every day, all year round. A private glass lift takes guests all the way up to the 32nd floor which boasts panoramic vistas from its 130m tall, circular lounge. Guests can feast on a range of miniature culinary experiences, from foie gras to caviar or risotto, or sip on fine wines and cocktails as the sun sets in a blaze of colour behind Wat Arun. Just as gently, the soft lounge lights come on to create an atmosphere of casual intimacy. As the first stars appear from every corner of the sky, the city’s coolest jazz sounds will set the mood which true aficionados will not be able to resist.
woo bar [map 5/g7] W Bangkok, 106 North Sathorn Road 02-344-4131 | whotels.com/Bangkok Sun-Wed 9am-1am, Thurs-Sat 9am-2am Located on the ground floor of the bangkok101.com
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xxx Apoteka xXxx W Hotel, Woo Bar has all of the flair and emphasis on design that has come to characterise the hotel franchise. It’s chic and low-lit without being cold or inaccessible, spacious enough to find a seat without being echoey and without atmosphere. And, most importantly, the cocktails pass with flying colours, some inventive signature drinks rubbing shoulders with well-executed standard tipples. The Bliss (B325), which comes from the bartenders at W Hotel in New York, combines Ciroc vodka, elderflower liqueur, lime, mint and fresh ginger. You might struggle to stop at just one.
BARS THE ALCHEMIST [map 3/e8] 1/19 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 083-549-2055 Facebook: thealchemistbkk | Tue-Sun 5pmmidnight Fitting somewhere between Soi 11’s swank cocktail bars and the rickety dive bar aesthetic of the legendary Cheap Charlie’s, which it neighbours, The Alchemist is a stylishly stripped down drinking hole. Nothing more, nothing less. We approve, and so too, it seems, do the punters. Not only does it attract the spill-over from Cheap Charlie’s, it also draws a loyal crowd of its own, who savour the intimate atmosphere, occasional live music, proper his and her toilets (Cheap Charlie’s are infamous for their dinginess) and, above all, drinks prices. Currently rocking the drinks list are assorted martinis (dry, passionfruit and espresso), classic cocktails, random shooters, and some of the best mojitos you’ll find on this end of Sukhumvit.
Apoteka [map 3/e8] 33/28 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 090-626-7655 apotekabkk.com | Mon-Thurs 5pm-1am, Fri 5pm-2am, Sat-Sun 3pm-midnight As you may have guessed, the name is based on an outdated word for pharmacist bangkok101.com
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xxx xXxx and the place is meant to emulate a 19th century apothecary. Unsurprisingly, it has an old-school feel. There are high ceilings, red brick walls and Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde being projected onto the wall. Indoor seating is a mix of tall tables with studded chairs, and long tables for larger groups along the main wall. Large cases filled with vintage-coloured bottles of medicine flank the bar. The outdoor seating is mellow – a wooden patio with some cozy furniture that could be a nice place to curl up on a date or meet some friends for a smoke and a beer. Drink selection includes a nice selection of beer (the Framboise Ale at B250 is delightful), Heineken for just B135, and custom cocktails cost you B230. Keep your eyes peeled for the whisky and cigar lounge: a room hidden off to the side of the staircase. With muted green brocade on the walls, low leather couches, and Johnnie Walker in glass cases, this space is available for private parties or just chill sessions.
Badmotel [MAP 3/R6] 331/4-5 Soi Thonglor | 02-712-7288 5pm-1am | facebook.com/badmotel The name Badmotel may conjure up something kitsch and grimy but, in fact, this three floor bar and restaurant is extremely sparsely decorated and painted a bright white, giving it the feel of a pre-decorated house. The top two floors can feel a little lacking in atmosphere, especially if it’s a quiet night, but the ground floor’s buzzing bar and tree-lined garden make a very pleasant spot to sip on the venue’s ‘Creation Cocktails’, all B220. The imaginative drinks menu includes locally inspired must-tries like the Hahaha Martini (made from Ketel vodka, homemade chilli liqueur, galangal, cumin powder and pickled grapes), Teenager’s Iced Tea (made using traditional Thai tea with four sprits and liqueur) and the Never Say Never (a rumbased cocktail served with Thai dessert condiments).
xxx xXxx Cheap Charlie’s
BARLEY BISTRO [map 5/h5] 4/F Food Channel, Silom Road | 087-033-3919 daily 5pm-late | barleybistro.com Hidden up some stairs at the Food Channel, an enclave of franchise-like restaurants, Barley Bistro is slick and snazzy. The design is chic (blacks and greys, white-on-black stencil art); the drinks funky (lychee mojitos, testtube cocktails etc); the food new-fangled (spaghetti kimchi etc); and the clientele wholesome (Thai office workers mostly). Do check out the open-air rooftop. It’s littered with cooling fans, huge bean bags and funky barleystalk sculptures and good for postwork/ pre-club cocktails.
BREW [map 3/Q6] Seen Space, Thonglor Soi 13 | BTS Thonglor 02-185-2366 | brewbkk.com | Mon-Sun 4pm-2am It wasn’t so long ago that the beer selection here was comprised entirely of the ubiquitous local lagers and the Heinekens and Carlsbergs of this world. The fact that it doesn’t anymore is largely thanks to Chris Foo, the owner of this beer bar tucked away on the ground floor of Thonglor Soi 13’s happening mini-mall Seenspace. Depending on what time of year it is, Brew stocks between 140 and 170 bottles of ales, lagers, ciders, you name it. Currently, the setting in which you sip them is hip in Thonglor circles. That’s not so much down to Brew’s tiny interior, with its exposed piping and bar flanked by kegs of beer and brick walls, as the buzzing outdoor area it shares with futuristic cocktail bar Clouds and the nautically themed Fat’r Gutz.
CAFÉ TRIO [map4 / H6] 36/11-12 Soi Lang Suan | 02-252- 6572 6pm-1am, closed on the 2nd and 4th Sun of the month Cafe Trio is just about the only bar worth seeking out on Lang Suan Road. Tucked down a narrow alley just off the upmarket residential street, this cozy jazz bar & art gallery is a welcome alternative to AUGUST 2013 | 87
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Clouds Bangkok’s raucous pubs and haughty lounge bars – a true neighbourhood place. Cafe Trio overflows with plush couches, the lighting delightfully soft, the music always subdued. The vivacious owner and bartender Patti holds court nightly and has plastered the walls with her Modiglianiesque, Vietnamese inspired paintings – have a few drinks and don’t be surprised to find yourself taking one home.
CHEAP CHARLIE’S [map 3/D6] Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-253-4648 Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight This joint is a Bangkok institution, bringing the charm of a rickety hole-in-the-wall bar to one of Sukhumvit’s swankiest Sois. A no-brainer meet-up spot, Cheap Charlie’s draws crowds of expats, NGOers and tourists in-the-know to fill up on B 70 beers and pocket-change G&Ts before heading off to eat and party – though don’t be surprised if you end up here all night. Its location is a winner, situated as it is on a cool little sub-soi (first on the left as you walk down from Sukhumvit) packed with restaurants and a short walk from hallowed nightspots Q Bar and Bed Supperclub.
CLOUDS [Map 3/Q2] 1st F, SeenSpace, 251/1 Thong Lor Soi 13, 02-185-2365 | cloudslounge.com The third bar by Australian Ashley Sutton – the mad scientist of Bangkok’s bar scene – is, as we’ve come to expect, something entirely unexpected. Evoking a future where ‘there are no more natural resources’, this slim concrete shell at the rear of hip lifestyle mall SeenSpace has a living tree encased in glass in one corner, and concrete blocks, topped with lumps of translucent leafencasing acrylic, for tables. Vodka-based cocktails (B 280) by New York mixultant Joseph Boroski are prepped by ‘NASA technicians’ in white overalls; and the food offerings tasty misshapen pizzas, cooked in a gas-oven behind the bar and served in steel trays. 88 | AUGUST 2013
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Face Bangkok
ESCAPADE [MAP 7/E3] 112 Pra-Artit Rd, Pranakorn | 08-7363-2629 Tue-Sun noon-midnight | facebook.com/ escaburgersandshakes Unlike most bars in the Khao San Road area, the owners of this bohemian holein-the-wall, Khun Karn and Khun Van, are the sorts of locals you might actually strike up a conversion with. Karn, a former bartender at the Shangri-La and Mandarin Oriental, mixes creative, tasty and strong cocktails to order for only B140-B200. Tell him your wildest alcohol-sodden fantasies and he’ll deliver you the tipple of your dreams in minutes. Van, meanwhile, rustles up lip smacking bar grub: hot dogs buried in jalapeno peppers and sizzling bacon; baskets of honey-glazed deep-fried chicken, etc. Perhaps the most memorable thing about Escapade, though, are its proportions: you have to squeeze past strangers to enter, a quirk which makes it more intimate than most.
FACE BANGKOK (map3/S7) 29 Sukhumvit Soi 38 | 02-713-6048 facebars.com | 11.30am-1am Jim Thompson, move over. Face’s visually stunning complex is reminiscent of Jim’s former mansion, with Ayutthaya-style buildings and thriving flora, it’s just bigger and bolder. The Face Bar is a dimly-lit place that summons deluxe drinkers with its cosy settees, ambient soundscape, and giant cocktails. Though often empty, the big drink list will stop your body clock pretty fast. The two restaurants – Hazara serving Northern Indian and Lan Na Thai serving traditional Thai – are full of fab all-Asian decor; they’re romantic and inviting, but you might be let down by the tiny portions, and the flamboyant prices. Stay in the Bar and order from the snack menu instead. And have another Japanese Slipper.
FAT GUT’Z [map 3/Q2] 264 Thong Lor Soi 12 027-149-832 | fatgutz.com | 6pm-2am
Fat Gut’z This sleek saloon is packed nightly with beautiful people, there to listen to live blues, indulge in carefully crafted drinks, and, perhaps, catch a glimpse of its in-demand owner, Ashley Sutton, the Australian behind the legendary Iron Fairies. Unlike his first bar, Fat Gut’z displays a less obvious sense of whimsy – here, the random fittings and industrial decor are replaced by straight lines and black-coloured, modern furnishings. It all feels rather serious, until you open the drinks menu. Sutton brought in master New York mixologist Joseph Boroski to create 16 unique cocktails (B285 each), all named after famous WWII shipwrecks.
FIVE Gastronomy & Mixology [MAP 3/O9]
Room 103, K Village, Sukhumvit Soi 26 088-524-5550 | facebook.com/fivebkk 6pm-1am daily Five brings a welcome wand blast of gothic whimsy to K Village, an otherwise aesthetically uninspiring community mall. Its owner, Pattriya Na Nakorn, invited bar entrepreneur Ashley Sutton to work his magic with a vacant plot on the ground floor. And, completing her dream team is Joseph Boroski, the same New York based cocktail ‘mixologist’ that Sutton uses. His bars always engage the day-dreamy part of your brain and this black magic themed one is no different. Think clanking pulleys, monumental iron piping and flickering candles. Indeed, even the staff look like they’ve stumbled off the set of Harry Potter. Creepily-monikered eats include fried bat wings (herb-coated chicken wings). And Boroski potions worth necking include the Prescription Brandy Suzerac: a strong, earthy mix of Italian brandy, lime, honey and cinnamon served in a small poison bottle.
HOUSE OF BEERS [map 3/r6] Penny’s Balcony, Corner of Thong Lor Soi 16 02-392-3513 | 11am-midnight If you fancy something that suits your palate bangkok101.com
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listings
Marshmallow a little more than the limited selection of Thai beers, there are ubiquitous, crowded “Irish” and “British” theme pubs or several sprawling German beer gardens around town. But the most varied and numerous quality beers in the world are brewed in Belgium – and it’s been that way since Belgian monasteries started doing so in the Middle Ages.House of Beers, in the corner of Penny’s Balcony on Thong Lo, offers all sorts of them, from pale ales, like Leffe Blonde and Hoegaarden, to esoteric, doubly fermented specials, like Kwak, plus fruit beers. The liquid refreshment also comes augmented by Belgian fries and Tapas-style bar snacks, like steamed mussels in various sauces.
HYDE & SEEK [Map 4/L5] 65/1 Athenée Residence, Soi Ruamrudee 02-168-5152 | 11am-1am | hydeandseek.com This stylish downtown gastro bar is a deadringer for those chic London haunts that draw the after-work crowd for pickmeup cocktails and good food that doesn’t break the bank. Heading the kitchen is Ian Kittichai, the brains behind the successful Kittichai restaurant in New York, while the bar is helmed by the boys behind Flow, the cocktail consultancy that inspires much drunken fun around the region. The sleek, Georgian-influenced décor has paneled walls, clubby chairs and a large central bar, where snacks like beer battered popcorn shrimps and baby back ribs glazed with chocolate and chilli go well with fancy, custom-made cocktails or Belgian ales. Outside, there’s a spacious terrace with swing seats and a mini-maze of tea plants to partition dining areas.
MARSHMALLOW [map 3/C5] 33/18 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-254-1971 Facebook: Marshmallow | 11am-1am Occupying the corner building where Sukhumvit 11 turns left towards Q Bar, this gastro bar has a raised terrace that wraps around its perimeter, beside tall steel and bangkok101.com
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Moose glass doors that are fully retractable. Dark wood-planks line the walls and pillars; there’s a metalwork-backed bar; and a bohemian touch, bird cage lamps, dangling over the tables at one end. Cocktails come in at a very reasonable B190; champagne and sparkling cocktails B 220; local beers B90. “Food was never meant to be the focus,” the partner Fred Jungo, a resident DJ at nearby Bed Supperclub, told us. However, judging by the dishes we tucked in to – a bright and fresh haloumi cheese salad, a slab of Australian tenderloin with mash and boiled veg (B 550) – it could become their forte.
Moose [MAP 3/S3] Ekamai 21 | 02-108-9550 facebook.com/moosebangkok Tucked away behind Tuba and up a shabby looking staircase, Moose is one of the most talked about new bars in the city. The same team behind Cosmic Café and Sonic have revamped this warehouse-sized space into the latest retro-inspired hipster bar. Brick walls, a small tree here and there, flickering candles and an alarming number of mounted animal heads create a relaxed, living-room-esque ambience. A DJ spins unobtrusive tunes while authentic and delicious Thai food, such as salted pork neck (150 baht) and southern style curry (B160) ensures the bar consistently draws a young, local crowd who know their food. Cocktails are just as appealing. The refreshing Smirnoff vodka-based Melon Cooler and the fresh mango and Tanqueray gin-based Yellow Submarine is thick like a smoothie and strong, like any great cocktail.
OSKAR BISTRO [map 3/D5] 24 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-255 3377 4pm-2am; kitchen open until 11:30pm Lively Oskar has the electro music and low ceiling cellar dimensions to qualify as clubby; and, with a dominant central bar, it’s perhaps more brasserie than bistro. The food choice includes sandwiches, the
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xxx xXxx Oskar Oskar burger (wagyu beef – what else?), pizzas and a section of cocottes. Almost all are under B300, which for food of this surprising quality is a steal. Most people come here though not for the food but for a pre-club libation or two: be it glass of wine (from B145 a glass), imported bottle beer, or reasonably priced cocktail. Close to Bed Supperclub and Q Bar, its own ambient, loungey sounds crank up as the night matures, and – although there’s no dance space – many of the mixed Thai-farang crowd are happy to linger. It’s a good meal and drinks option for a date or business, but also a lively pick-up joint without the pressure of full-on dress-to-kill. Book ahead if you want a table.
SALT [MAP 8/L7] Soi Ari (near Soi 4) | 02-619-6886 6pm-midnight Worth heading to Soi Ari for, Salt is a hipster-luring gastro bar with a post-modern finish. Seating is either out on an outdoor terrace or in a minimalist concrete shell – a former condominium sales office no less – with a bar at the far end and lots of raw marble, stone and wooden furniture. Behind them sits an old wooden house which is used to project digital animations on and offers extra seating. This is the sort of ubertrendy space that the editors of Wallpaper* and other design bibles kneel down and kiss the floor at, but what makes Salt is the global cuisine that’s coming out the kitchen, from fresh sashimi platters to generously dressed thin-crust pizzas cooked in a proper wood fire.
SHADES OF RETRO [ Map 8/s14] Soi Tararom 2, Thong Lor | 081-824-8011 3pm-1am | Cash only Hipster attic, here we come – Shades of Retro is a hidden Thong Lor spot awash in neo-nostalgia and stuffed with vintage furniture, vinyl records, old rotary telephones. A combo furniture storecafé,Shades provides a quiet hangout for AUGUST 2013 | 89
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listings WTF
Viva Aviv the writer/designer/artiste crowd by day, funpeople-watching at night, and nice jazz at all times. Curl up on a nubby couch, flip through a Wallpaper* magazine and soak up the atmosphere, which flirts with being too ironic for its pants. A cool, friendly crowd and bracing cocktails or coffee served up with popcorn humanises the hip.
TUBA [Map 8/S14] 34 Room 11-12A, Ekkamai Soi 21 02-711-5500 | design-athome.com | 11am-2am Owned by the same hoarders behind furniture warehouse Papaya, Tuba is a Bangkok classic: room upon room of haphazardly arranged kitsch, all of which you’re free to skulk through at your leisure. Some come here to snag a comfy sofa, retro sign or goofy tchotchke. Others come for the big menu of Italian and Thai dishes tweaked for the local palate. But for us, it works best as a bar, as the setting and generous happy hours (buy one get one free between 5-8pm daily) mean there really are few cooler places to kick back with a sweet cocktail in hand (or two hands in some cases – the glassware can be that big!). One glass too many and you may leave with more than you bargained for.
VIVA AVIV [map 5/C2] River City-Unit 118, 23 Trok Rongnamkhaeng, Charoen Krung Soi 30 | 02-639-6305 vivaaviv.com | 11am-midnight, later on weekends Viva Aviv reminds us of one of the hipper bars along Singapore’s Clarke Quay. Not only does it have the bar tables and stools jutting across a riverside promenade, inside there’s also a hip designer interior in full effect. Think tropical maritime chic meets dashes of outright whimsy. While the owner, Khun Ae, is responsible for this rustic look, the bar is being looked after by the cocktail designers behind popular gastrobar Hyde and Seek. Their ‘Rough Cut’ Signatures, many of them underpinned with rum (tequila is so last year, apparently), come in slightly cheaper than over at Hyde & Seek, B250. 90 | AUGUST 2013
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Water Library
Water Library @ Grass Grass Thonglor, 264/1 Thong Lor Soi 12 02-714-9292 | Mon-Sat 6:30pm-1am Aside from its upmarket, inventive set menu dining on the first floor restaurant, The Water Library also has three lounge and wine bar areas downstairs with funky food, cocktails and live music at not audacious prices. A set menu of three cocktails paired with tapas bites at B790 is a pleasant surprise to many, and their wine list starts at a mere B900 a bottle. Water Library is one-to-watch on the regional drinking and dining scene. The very talented mixologist Mirko Gardelliano was Germany’s Cocktail Champion in 2003, while the wine bar chef Urs Lustenberger worked with Michelin three star chef Juan Amador.
WONG’S PLACE [Map 8/L17] 27/3 Soi Sri Bumphen, Soi Ngam Duplee, near Malaysia Hotel | 02-286-1558 Mon-Sat 10 pm-late It’s amazing how Wong’s Place stays in business. It’s not near any public transport; opens when it wants, closes when it wants; plays crackly videos from Top of the Pops in 1985; has a couple of serve-yourself beer fridges and is not much bigger than a living room. Yet it attracts a fiercely loyal crowd of expat journalists, English teachers, hipsters, creative Thais and professional barflies who have been coming here for years and regard owner Sam as a kind of benevolent dictator, knowing better than to take advantage of the beer fridges honour system. Come before midnight and it’s usually pretty dead (the Wong’s Place at the wong time?).
WTF [Map 3/Q6] 7 Sukhumvit Soi 51 | 02- 626-6246 | wtfbangkok.com | Tue-Sun 6pm-1am This tiny shophouse – signposted by graffiti on a corrugated tin wall in the street opposite – has a bar on the ground floor, decked out with mirrors along one wall, old Thai movie posters on the other, and
found items like wooden screen doors and chairs. It works. The Thaifarang owners (an art manager, hotelier and photographer by trade) have made a good fist of cocktails (from B130) with rye whiskies and unusual bitters in the mix, while plates of tapas consist of Thai and Euro choices such as Portuguese chorizo and feta salad. Expect occasional live gigs, art exhibitions upstairs and a mix of indie hipsters, journos and art scenesters chewing the fat.
LIVE MUSIC ADHERE the 13TH [Map 7/G3] 13 Samsen Rd (opposite Soi 2) 089-769-4613 | 5pm-midnight | Funky, jammy, bare – one of Bangkok’s coolest hangouts is nothing more than an aisle packed with five tables, a tiny bar and instruments. It’s a joint you’d expect to find on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, except forthe Chang beer. North of Khao San Road (ask for ‘Ad Here’, once in the quarter), this down-to-earth, bohemian hang-out packs ’em in nightly. On weekends, young Thais, expats and tourists spill out on the sidewalk when the joint is jumpin’. The resident band churns out cool blues, Motown and Janis Joplin; Georgia, the city’s only true Blues Mama, has a voice and figure to match, and would never sing Hotel California.
COSMIC CAFE [Map 8/Q12] RCA Block C | Rama IX Rd | MRT Rama 9 The rebel in RCA’s ranks, Cosmic Café serves up a mixed diet of sonic eclecticism in a grungy, open-sided corner bar with outdoor seating and a small dance floor. On one night you might the place jumping to a rare live performance by mor lam legend Dao Bandon, on another a house band dishing out some surf guitar, ska, electronic or blues. The edgiest joint on the block, it draws a lively, musically discerning crowd, from skinny jeaned artschool hipster types to teddy boy expats. bangkok101.com
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MONRISSA COUTURE Words by Gaby Doman
I
f fashion was food, Monrissa Couture would be our favourite treat to uncontrollably gobble up while no one’s watching. The latest collection, Sour, has all the ingredients of really decadent, really delicious eveningwear. Getting dressed up should be fun and, with its drapey fabrics, cheeky flashes of flesh, bright colours and detailing, Monrissa Couture, the pricier sister of Skin on Skin by the same designer – Bow Monrissa Leenutaphong – ticks all the boxes for a beautiful collection. While it might sound like a peculiar fusion, the collection’s merging of Grecian-inspired drapery in luxe fabrics with sporty styling really works, helping to balance out the overdone dreaminess of the Grecian Goddess look and the usual lack of sex appeal of sports luxe. By combining elements of both, Sour gives eveningwear a young twist. The sporty component is evident in the bandeau tops, halter necks and our favourte piece: skin-tight stretched satin black tights, worn as leggings – which you may not want to attempt if you have a body fat percentage higher than a prawn’s. Seriously – these things are so tight and shiny that even Rihanna might feel a bit self-conscious to step out in them. But, if you’ve got the super lithe limbs, this sportylooking legwear is going to get you some major attention. The rest of the collection is made up of draped silk chiffon dresses and tops with Swarovski crystal detailing that are a bit more forgiving for the general population. What could be a very cute collection is made sassy and stylish with the label’s trademark colour-blocking in acid tones (hence the collection’s name). Hot pinks and searing yellows heat up the powdery greys and silvers that dominate the collection. Sure, the collection’s high-quality fabrics and finishing and its colour palette are sure to get your attention but, the real design highlight is the slightly risqué element of the collection: asymmetric dresses reveal plenty of leg, while the layered tops offer teasing flashes of midriff and bare acres of back.
available at: In store at 3/F of Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (939 Rama 1 Road; 08-7799-0781) monrissa.com
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SHOPPING
market watch
Asiatique
I
f you haven’t already explored Asiatique, the sprawling shopping and dining complex on the banks of the Chao Praya River, there’s a golden opportunity this month. The mid-year sales run August 2-12 in warehouses 5-9, giving customers a chance to get as much as 50 per cent off clothing, jewellery and accessories at a range of outlets – there are hundreds of boutiques set up in Asiatique’s repurposed warehouse space, catering to the whole spectrum of tastes. Muzina, (warehouse 9, H32-34) is a Japaneseinfluenced shop also selling in Asoke and Chiang Mai. It’s designer-led with a definite high-fashion ring but also some more casual streetwear items, incorporating felt finishes, polka dot prints and floral patterns. It’s brimming with his-and-her knick-knacks, like bags, hats and accessories. It’s also a great spot to pick up a pair of custom-made shoes. Round the corner at Magnifique et Moi (warehouse 9, H49), they’re channelling The Great Gatsby into a line of vintage women’s accessories. There’s a classic period style infusing the butterfly brooches, pearled clutch purses and flowing pastel dresses. The designs are delicate and ornate – if you’re ever in need of a headdress with a lace fascinator, this is definitely the place to start. If you venture even deeper into Asiatique’s retail labyrinth, you’ll come across Tar Mafia, which sells unique, urban streetwear – there are a lot of studs and worn denim, as well as a mirror-balled army helmet with matching bra. It’s a blaze of colour, from the oversized hipster glasses to the cheeky earrings styled like lightbulbs that switch on and off. After you’ve had your fix at the Asiatique sales, sit back by the river and knock back a few cocktails.
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Muzina
Magnifique et Moi
Tar Mafia
asiatique the riverfront
[MAP 2/d10]
2194 Charoenkrung Rd, Wat Prayakrai | 02-108-4488 thaiasiatique.com, facebook.com/Asiatique.Thailand | 5pm-midnight
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d
jj gem
SHOPPING
Kham Luang Located in section 25, opposite the Bangkok Bank, this ramshackle two-storey shop is a poster child for recycling. For the last 17 years, Khun Aree and her brother have transformed all manner of waste into an incredible array of environmentally conscious home décor items. These include flowers made from recycled paper, tribal-looking masks that were once toilet rolls, and used seeds converted into musical wind chimes. Remarkably, every single item on sale was handmade by the pair. Prices vary, with nothing costing over B500.
Kham Luang Section 25 Soi 3/1 Room 182-183 | 02-735-1325
Jatujak Market
Forget designer malls. Jatujak weekend market is Bangkok’s true paragon of retail. This is shopping as survival of the fittest: only those with finely tuned consumer instincts shall persevere. The rest can go and get lost – literally aking a wrong turn’s almost a given in this sprawling, city-sized marketplace, upon which thousands descend every weekend, to trade everything from Burmese antiques to pedigree livestock. Originally a flea market, Jatujak (also spelled as Chatuchak) quickly outgrew the confines of the insect world to become much more than the sum of its disparate parts. These days, young Thai designers take advantage of the low onsite rent to punt their creative wares; if you so desire, you can peruse piles of customised Zippos that once belonged to American GIs; and tasty pickings conveniently punctuate every which way. Additionally, the exotic pet section particularly supports the theory that Jatujak has evolved its own diverse eco-system (albeit one that periodically gets busted for obviously illegal activites). All this can be a bit overwhelming at first, but persevere and a semblance of order should begin to crystallise from the chaos. Go in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the worst of the heat and the crowds. Or come for a leisurely browse on Friday before the real deluge hits; although only the weekend gig gives ardent shopaholics the fully blown, unadulterated Jatujak fix. bangkok101.com
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> The Jatujak market of Bangkok Amber House Books | hardcover | B1,950
The Jatujak Market of Bangkok presents photographer Simon Bonython’s visual inter pretation of Bangkok’s world-famous weekend market, giving particular emphasis on candid snaps of the general public and the characters who work there. In spite of the dark alleys and typically poorly lit stalls, Simon avoided using a tripod or flash, making for spontaneous, natural shots that capture the heat, buzz and colour of this labyrinthine treasure trove. AUGUST 2013 | 97
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treatment
Crystal Spa
Crystal Spa [MAP 8/T18] 1541 Sukhumvit Road | 02-382-445 crystalspathailand.com | 10am-10pm | $$
Clamber down the steps of BTS Phrakanong station’s exit 3 and you’ve pretty much arrived at this small innercity spa. If you’re a regular in these parts you’ll know Crystal Spa’s look well – lots of warm-toned woods and muted silks, silk-clad staff with orchids in their tied-up hair, low-lit corridors that make you feel sleepy before you’ve even taken your shoes off. Thai massages are done in quasipublic but thick curtains guarantee some privacy, while foot massages happen in ultra-comfy upholstered armchairs. Compact treatment rooms come with little telephone-cubicle sized herbal steamers and hydrotherapy baths, both good for relaxing your aching muscles pre-rub. As well as body and facial treatments, manicures and pedicures, lots of inexpensive packages are offered.
BANYAN TREE [MAP 5/K8]
Banyan Tree
you make it to the massage table. The live band in the lobby plays gentle blues, helping to slowly empty your head of the day’s problems – or at least begin the process. Then it’s up to the spa on the 21st floor for a serving of iced tea while you choose from a laundry list of treatments. Once you’ve decided, you descend a spiral staircase and make your way through a forest of translucent, glowing bamboos before arriving at your own massage quarters. While your feet are cleansed, you choose which oil you would like to be used. That’s if you are having an oil massage, of course. Each oil has its own distinct benefits – it’s hard to go past the bergamot oil for its soothing pick-me-up qualities. A Thai Classic massage combines the authentic Thai massage with the application of oil. The treatment begins with a gentle stretching process, loosening the body before the next hour spent in a dreamy haze.
MULBERRY SPA [MAP 5/C5]
21/100 South Sathon Rd | 02-679-1052 banyantree.com | 10am-10pm daily
346/10 Silom Rd | 02-630-9888 mulberryspa.com | 10am-10pm | $$$
At the Banyan Tree Hotel Spa, your luxuriant experience begins long before
Despite its labyrinthine layout, this often booked-out spa still feels quite
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Mulberry Spa
intimate. The lush reception is only the beginning– seated in the neat “library”, you won’tmind waiting. Spread over two floors, each homey room (they all come with their own shower) is dotingly styled in a different way, but a slight Arabian atmosphere and appealing ornaments pervade throughout. The owners take a refreshingly different approach to its service: therapists are not chosen for their looks but for their skills. The range of treatments is limited but all the essentials are there. You get way more than you’ve paid for – the prices are quite low for the high-quality massages masks, scrubs and facials. So indulge and spend half a day here.
ROYAL NATURAL SPA [map 5/J4] 878 Rama 4 Rd | 02-637-1032-3 royalnaturalspa.com | 10:30am–8pm | $$$
Hmm…opulent or over the top? Royal Natural Spa takes its moniker seriously, which results in Thai décor with an ornate, “royal European” touch – brocade, jacquard, chandeliers, you name it. The spa is expansive, with huge, luxurious rooms –once you start steaming away in your own gilded birdcage of a shower-sauna, you may decide…opulent, indeed. Services make good use of the natural part of the name, drawing on Thai herbs and fruits – you may get scrubbed down with plai, lemongrass, and ginger, and then basted with a tamarind paste. Packages are creative, well-conceived and change on a monthly basis, so there’s always something new for the spa fanatic. Spa costs $ :: under B600 $$ :: B600-B1000 $$$ :: B1000-B2000 $$$$ :: B2000+
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treatment
WELLN ESS
Prepare to
sail away
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n keeping with its reputation for being one of the most design-savvy of chain hotels, the W Hotel’s in-house spa is predictably chic and comfortable, custom-made to have cutomers breathing easier from the moment they arrive. The interior is sleek and minimalist and ticks many of the boxes you’d expect in an Asian-style spa facility, all the way down to the pan flute soundtrack. Some snazzy spas have an unnecessary air of formality, which can be suffocating rather than relaxing, but at the Away Spa, the staff are unfaultingly friendly and welcoming in a way that never seems scripted or rehearsed. Their signature treatment is the Away Massage Metamorphosis (B2900 for 60 mins; B3900 for 90 mins) but before you settle in, you also need to choose how you want your room lit – different colours, as spa aficionados may already know, have different effects. My masseuse is a tiny little Thai lady so, when I’m offered a choice of pressure – between light, medium and firm – I invite her to go as hard as she likes, assuming she won’t have the muscle to really work me over. But once I’m on the table it turns out that, despite her petite build, my masseuse has the grip of a boa constrictor. After the initial surprise, though, my muscles begin to yield – as she works her way along my neck, back and shoulders, bangkok101.com
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they relax to the point where I’m only one or two wellplaced knuclkles away from losing shape altogether and decompressing into a puddle. After she finishes flexing and stretching my legs and feet, I leave the Away Spa feeling thoroughly relaxed and refreshed and totally impressed.
away spa
[MAP 5/G7]
6/F, W Bangkok, 106 North Sathorn Rd 02-344-4000 | whotels.com/Bangkok | 10am-10pm
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comm u nit y
making merit
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the dream project:
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giving kids a second chance
he Dream Project Foundation was founded back in 2011 to support Dream House, an orphanage and children’s home based near the isolated town of Sangkhlaburi, near the border with Myanmar. Although the organisation aims to end human trafficking, Dream House is its main ongoing project, and currently money from donations go to keeping the home running and providing over 30 children with an education, shelter and food. The house is run by a lady called Khun Vhic, and all the children have different stories. Some are orphans, their parents killed due to issues in Myanmar; others have been handed over to Vhic by their own parents as they are not able to look after them; and some were found wandering around a market and were picked up by a caring local. However, one thing these children all have in common is they have nowhere else to go. The majority of them are originally from hill tribes in Myanmar, which aren’t recognised by the government there, and so they are 100 | AUGUST 2013
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regarded as stateless, with absolutely no entitlements. They have no belongings or passports and most of them don’t have last names or know when their birthdays are. Dream House exists to keep these children safe, the hope being that this allows them to grow up and lead a life free from the fear of having no food, no family, or of being trafficked. Currently a new Dream House is being built, which will be able to house up to double the amount of children in a safe and loving environment, allowing more children to be given a second chance at life. Currently the Dream Project Foundation are urgently working to fundraise the US$180,000 needed to complete the new house, so these children can continue to have a safe place to live.
dream project foundation dreamprojectfoundation.org
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RAIL
Chatuchak Park / BTS Mo Chit stations. Subway fares range from about B15 to B 39. www.bangkokmetro.co.th
SKYTRAIN (BTS)
Airport Rail Link
The Bangkok Transit System, or BTS, is a two-line elevated train network covering the major commercial areas. Trains run every few minutes from 6 am to midnight, making the BTS a quick and reliable transport option, especially during heavy traffic jams. Fares range from B 15 to B 55; special tourist passes allowing unlimited travel for one day (B120) are available. BTS also provides free shuttle buses which transit passengers to and from stations and nearby areas. www.bts.co.th
SUBWAY (MRT) Bangkok’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is another fast and reliable way to get across town. The 18-station line stretches 20 kms from Hualamphong (near the central
railway station) up to Bang Sue in the north. Subways run from 6 am to midnight daily, with trains arriving every 5 – 7 minutes. The underground connects with the BTS at MRT Silom / BTS Sala Daeng, MRT Sukhumvit / BTS Asok and MRT
RIVER
EXPRESS RIVER BOAT Bangkok’s vast network of inter-city waterways offer a quick and colourful alternative for getting around the city. Express boats ply the Chao Phraya River from the Saphan Taksin Bridge up to Nonthaburi, stopping at some 30 main piers altogether. Fares range from B 9 to B 32 depending on the distance, while tickets can either be bought on the boat or at the pier, depending on how much time you have. Boats depart every 20 minutes or so between 5:30 am and 6 pm. Crossriver services operate throughout the day from each pier for just B 3.
CANAL BOAT Khlong Saen Saep canal boats operate from Phan Fa Leelard bridge, on the edge of the Old City, and zip east to Ramkhamhaeng University. However, you have to be quick to board them as they don’t usually wait around. Canal (khlong) boats tend to be frequent and cost around B 9 to B19. Tickets are bought onboard. Note that the piers are a little hidden away, which makes them sometimes difficult to find.
ROAD BUS Bangkok has an extensive and inexpensive public bus service. Both open-air and air-conditioned vehicles are available, respectively for B 5 and B 7.50 – B 23. As most destinations are noted only in Thai, it is advisable to get a bus route map (available at hotels, TAT offices and bookshops).
MOTORCYCLE TAXI In Bangkok’s heavy traffic, motorcycle taxis are the fastest, albeit most dangerous, form of road transport. Easily recognisable by their colourful vests, bangkok101.com
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A 28 km long monorail links the city’s main international airport, Suvarnabhumi, with three stops in downtown Bangktok and four stops in the eastern suburbs. Trains run from 6am to midnight every day and follow two lines along the same route. The City Line stops at all stations (journey time: 30 minutes) and costs B15-45 per journey. The Express Line stops at downtown stations Makkasan (journey time: 13-14 minutes, trains leave every 40 minutes) or Phayathai (journey time: 17 minutes, trains leave every 30 minutes), the only one that intersects with the Skytrain. One-way Express Line tickets cost B90 while roundtrip tickets are available at the promotional fare of B150.
motorbike taxi drivers gather in groups. Fares should be negotiated beforehand.
TAXI Bangkok has thousands of metered,
air-con taxis available 24 hours. Flag fall is B 35 (for the first 2 kms) and the fare climbs in B 2 increments. Be sure the driver switches the meter on. No tipping, but rounding the fare up to the nearest B 5 or B 10 is common. Additional passengers are not charged, nor is baggage. For trips to and from the airport, passengers should pay the expressway toll fees. When boarding from the queue outside the terminal, an additional B 50 surcharge is added.
TUK-TUK Those three-wheeled taxis (or samlor) are best known as tuk-tuks, named for the steady whirr of their engines. A 10-minute ride should cost around B 40. AUGUST 2013 | 103
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Map 1 Greater Bangkok A
B
Greater Bangkok & the Chao Phraya Map 2 >
C
D
E
F
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L MYANMAR
Uthai Thani
1
UTHAI THANI
CHAI NAT
2
Chiang Mai
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Nakhon Ratchasima c
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9
PRACHUAP KHIRI KHAN 10
Trat
Gulf of Thailand
M YA N M A R
Ko Chang
Prachuap Khiri Khan
11
Ko Kut
N
20 km 20 miles Country Border Boarder Crossing Province Border
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Sightseeing a
Bang Krachao b Rose Garden Riverside c Samphran Elephant Ground & Zoo d Ancient Siam (Muang Boran) e Safari World f Rama IX Royal Park
floating Markets Damnoen Saduak 2 Amphawa 1
Museums 1
Erawan Museum 2 House of Museum 3 Thai Film Museum 4 Museum of Counterfeit Goods
night bazaar 1
Asiatique The Riverfront [free shuttle boat from Sathorn pier everyday 4.00-11.30 pm.]
Nightlife 1 2
Parking Toys Tawandang German
Hotels 1 Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort and Spa
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A
B
C
D
E
F
G
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F
Tanya Tanee
PAK KRET
Don Mueng
2
Don Mueng Int. Airport
Ko Kret
Sai Mai
F
Royal Irrigation Dept.
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Lak Si
F
F
Rajpruek
The Legacy
F
Northpark
4
e
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Royal Thai Army Sport Center
F5
1
Thanont
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Chatuchak Bang Sue
Bang Phlat
Bueng Kum
8
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10
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Khlong Toei
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60th Anniversary Queen Sirikit Park
Krungthep Unico Kreetha Grande
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7
Wang Thong lang
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Mini Buri
F
Navatanee
Phayathai
Taling Chan
6
Khan na Yao
Mo Chit
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Bangkok Noi
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Bang Sue
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Phasi Charoen
1
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f
11
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Suvarnabhumi Int. Airport
Bang Na
12
F
Summit Windmill
Bearing
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13
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Thung Khru
14
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Green Valley
15
PHRA SAMUT CHEDI
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16
F
d
17
Bangpoo
Gulf of Thailand
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Map 3 Sukhumvit Road A
B
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Phra Ram 9
1
Ram
H
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a IX
K
L
M
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Arts & Culture 1
Japan Foundation 2 Koi Art Gallery
4
Sukhumvit
malls 1 2
Robinsons Terminal 21 bangkok101.com
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Sukhum
6
BTS Silom Line
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Marriott Executive 3 Attic Studios 4 La Lanta Sukhumvit Park 12 Grande Centre Point 5 TCDC (Thailand Terminal 21 Creative & Design 13 Sofitel Bangkok Centre 6 Nang Kwak Sukhumvit 14 Le Fenix 7 WTF 15 Radisson Sukhumvit 8 The Pikture Gallery 15 Marriott Bangkok 9 We*Do Gallery 10 RMA Sukhumvit
i 39
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Q Bar 2 Bed Supperclub 3 Insomnia 10 Glow 24 Demo 26 Levels 27 Funky Villa
pubs 11
The Hanrahans The Pickled Liver 13 The Robin Hood 14 The Royal Oak 12
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13
15
16
The Londoner Black Swan
Nightlife 4
Long Table 5 Beervault 6 Diplomat Bar 7 The Living Room 8 Cheap Charlie's 9 Barsu 19 WTF 17 Alchemist 18 Club Perdomo 20 The Iron Fairies
21 Clouds
22
Fat Gut'z 23 Shades of Retro 25 diVino 28 Le Bar de L'Hotel 29 W XYZ 30 Face Bar 31 Marshmallow 32 Oskar Bistro 33 Tuba 34 Sonic 35 Apoteka 36 Water Library 37 Gossip Bar 38 Nest
39
Above Eleven
Embassies IN
India
IR Iran LK
Sri Lanka
PH Philippines
Qatar Ukraine NO Norway QA UA
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Map 4 Siam / Chit Lom A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
J
K
L
M
5 Soi 3
Soi 31 Soi 33
Soi 25
Soi 29
12
Soi Tonson
Henri Dunant
Soi Lang Suan
NL
13
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Soi Nai Lert
Soi 2 Soi 3
Royal Bangkok Sports Club
8
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9
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6
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9
N
Hotels 1
200 m 1 000 ft Canal Boat BTS Silom Line BTS Sukhumvit Line Railway Airwalk Market
Pathumwan Princess 2 Novotel Siam 3 Siam Kempinski 4 Baiyoke Sky Hotel 5 Amari Watergate 6 Novotel Platinum 7 Grand Hyatt Erawan 8 The Four Seasons 9 The St. Regis 10 InterContinental 11 Holiday Inn 12 Swissôtel Nai Lert Park 13 Conrad Bangkok 14 Centara Grand at CentralWorld 15 Hotel Muse 16 Okura Prestige
Arts & Culture 1
BACC – Bangkok Art and Culture Centre 2 Tonson Gallery
KH
BR
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Soi 6 Soi Ruam Rudi
Soi 7
Sarasin Lumphini Park
Sightseeing
malls
Embassies
a
MBK 2 Siam Discovery 3 Siam Center 4 Siam Paragon 5 Panthip Plaza 6 Platinum Fashion Mall 7 CentralWorld 8 Zen @ CentralWorld 9 Pratunam Center 10 Gaysorn 11 Erawan Plaza 12 The Peninsula Plaza 13 Amarin Plaza 14 Central Chidlom 15 All Seasons Place
CH
Jim Thomson House b Museum of Imagery Technology c Madame Tussads d Queen Savang Vadhana Museum e Siam Ocean World f Ganesha and Trimurti Shrine g Erawan Shrine h Goddess Tubtim Shrine
Nightlife a CM2 b
Red Sky Bar Balcony Humidor & Cigar Bar d P&L Club e Café Trio f Hyde & Seek c
1
Switzerland
BR Brazil FI Finnland ID Indonesia KH Cambodia NL Netherlands NZ
New Zealand
QA Quatar UA Ukraine UK
United Kingdom
US USA VN Vietnam
Shopping 16 17
Siam Square Pratunam Market
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Silom / Sathorn Map 5 E
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Map 6 Yaowarat / Pahurat (Chinatown & Little India ) A
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Map 7 Rattanakosin (Oldtown) A
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104-111_map.indd 111
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M Y B A N G KO K
Chanin Donavanik A highly respected figure within the Thailand hotel scene and the travel industry, Donavanik witnessed seismic decades in Bangkok and the tourism industry. He is head of Dusit International Group, one of Thailand’s first hotel brands to have gained international recognition for its legendary service – especially at its flagship property, the Dusit Thani in Silom – and still wants to be a kind of “ambassador for the Thai art of service”.
What comes to your mind when you talk about Bangkok? Bangkok is certainly one of Asia’s most fascinating cities. We have everything: modern architecture, centuries-old buildings, traditions, slums, great food and a 24-hour non-stop life. Traffic is messy but at the same time we have a great and efficient public transit system. What I also find fascinating is the way this city integrates all culture. Why do you think that cultures are so well-integrated? There is a great deal of tolerance among Thais, who are easily accepting other communities. It is a great factor of integration. Just look at Chinatown in Yaowarat and how Chinese communities have been totally integrated into the Bangkok melting pot. Westerners have also been here for 200 years and influenced our lives. But the best is that although we integrated numerous cultures, we managed to retain our own lifestyle. Where do you think that Bangkok melting pot is at best expressed? I like to visit the Thonburi side with this juxtaposition of old Thai temples surrounded by various religious communities. I love also Wat 112 | AUGUST 2013
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Rajabophit, the 'Benjarong Temple. It is not only extremely serene but it also expresses Thailand’s art of design with its delicate ceramic frescoes, its doors adorned in mother of pearl and its Western influence with some of the statues and stupas bearing distinctive Western characters. I am also very fond of Chinatown with its great food. Which parts of Bangkok do you visit for food? Ban Lamphu, near Khao San Rd, is one place I love to visit. There are just fantastic restaurants and food stalls near the river. Markets are great with fresh food to be smelt and tasted. It's hard to be disappointed. Have you got any favourite spots around town? For quality Chinese food – especially dim sum – I like to go to Lee Kitchen at Thaniya Plaza. When looking at Western Food, Le Beaulieu remains a top address for excellent French classical dishes [Athénée Tower, Ploenchit] while I Gianni stands probably among my favourites when coming into Italian cuisine [34/1 Soi Tonson]. For Southern food, my daughter likes to eat in Thonglor at Klu-Kling Pak-Sod Restaurant [Thonglor Soi 5] or Baan Ice Restaurant at Somerset Thonglor.
What do you regret the most about Bangkok? Prosperity is affecting us in positive ways of course. But it also has its negative side. I feel sad to see that despite our wisdom by travelling abroad and learning also from others, Bangkok has not learned how to nurture its heritage or at least make it coexist better with modern structures. The value of the day seems now only to maximise profit to the detriment of a certain quality of life. I am not sure that developers are building today the city that Bangkokians would like to have. I feel sometimes sad to see a street such as Sukhumvit slowly lined up with condominiums all looking alike. We should be able to do better. If we are not more careful about our development, Bangkok will lose its soul and its essence. How do you position Dusit company today? We like to be considered as a reflection of Thai culture around the world as Thai people have a quite unique sense and feeling about the art of service. Thailand has very strong brands and it can compete on the world stage. We want to be part of that move and are currently planning to open 10 to 14 new hotels over the next two years. BY LUC CITRINOT bangkok101.com
7/17/13 7:16 PM