Bangkok_101 July2012 by Talisman Media

bangkok 101

july 2012 100 baht

FlorESSENCE | Travel George Town | Food & Drink Arabesque | Shopping WWA

wireless road, bangkok

10330

thailand t.

+66 (0) 2687 9000

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www.okurabangkok.com

july 2012

park ventures ecoplex,

ESSENCE

Sakul Intakul’s wo nd er ful way with flowers

Wat Khema

Wat Soi Thong

reference | B angk o k cit y M ap 8

Province Border

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BTS Silom Line

Sightseeing a

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Map 8 Bangkok

Hotels 1

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Phra Khanong

Publisher’s letter Our photofeature this month is a flowery affair inspired by a recent meeting with Thailand’s “baron of the blossom”. Later this month, Sakul Intakul will cut the ribbon on his Museum of Floral Culture, an exploration of Pan-Asian flower making traditions housed in a century-old teak mansion and surrounded by a verdant garden teeming, as you’d expect, with rare tropical plants. Not only will this be a first for Bangkok, but also the world. To give you an idea of what you can expect, we present highlights from FlorESSENCE, a book showcasing his recent commissions and meta-exploration of natural forms through foliage design. Put some flowers in your hair and enjoy. On the shopping scene, the biggest opening of recent months has been Asiatique, a huge outdoor lifestyle and entertainment located in and around some renovated old warehouses on the river. On p.12 we chat with the project’s director to find out why he thinks it marks a turning point for urban planning. Also in City Pulse, we check-in at one of the new luxury hotels to have opened here, The Okura Prestige Bangkok – and, as always, bring you news of all the biggest happenings this month in Metrobeat. Our travel section this month finds us heading down south to two heritage-packed cities: the Deep South’s rarely visited Songkhla and Penang’s Georgetown. Both are well worth a weekend break, but George Town is especially buzzing right now, what with its annual festival of arts and culture currently invading venues all over town. Meanwhile, our art section includes a Q&A with Christian Dveleter, the Belgium artist behind just about the coolest looking art space we’ve come across, warehouse-near-the-river Warp 54. Plus, we profile up-and-coming street artist Alex Face, whose pieces are inspired by, believe it or not, his two-year-old. Topping this all of is the usual hodgepodge: from reviews of avant garde clothing stalls and restaurants new and old to a round-up of the best local fabric shops. We also welcome a new book serialisation to the family. Scatalogical connotations aside, Cooking with Poo, you’ll discover on p.63, is much, much tastier than it sounds. Don’t forget that all this – plus the 101 archive and extras that didn’t make the print edition – can be found online at www.bangkok101.com.

TXT

Enjoy.

Mason Florence Publisher

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A work by Sakul Intakul taken from FlorESSENCE

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.

Table of COntents city pulse

food & drink

8 metro beat 12 riverside revolution: asiatique 16 aiming high: the okura prestige bangkok 18 very thai 17 chronicle of thailand

55 food & drink news 56 meal deals 57 restaurant review: bourbon street,arabesque, jim thompson, ozono café 62 gourmet food-to-couch: urban pantry 64 eat like nym 65 street food hotspots 66 restaurants 74 wine review: sip

Sightseeing 20 22 22 23 24 26 27

museum focus histroric homes shrines temples museums parks & flora muay thai

nightlife 76 one night in bangkok 78 pub review: five 80 clubs 81 hotel bars & clubs 82 bars with views 83 bars 86 live music 88 jazz clubs 90 pub review: durty nelly’s 91 nightlife areas

t r av e l 28 upcountry now 30 hotel deals 32 upcountry escapes: songkhla city 36 over the border: george town

shopping

a r t s & c u lt u r e 42 exhibition highlights 44 in space: warp 54 46 artist profile : alex face 47 reading & screening 48 photo feature: floressence

92 new collection: kwankao 94 stuff: local threads, traditional fabrics 97 unique boutique : wwa 98 market focus : khlong thom 99 jatujak & jj gem of the month

wellness 100 massage & spa 101 signature treatment: king of oasis massage

reference 102 getting there 104 maps 112 my bangkok

on the cover

A kaleidoscopic modern flower design by Sakul Intakul. Photo by Jirasak Thongyuak. j u ly 2 0 1 2

H o t el Par t ners

Contributors

publisher

Mason Florence editor-in-chief

Dr. Jesda M. Tivayanond associate publisher

Parinya Krit-Hat Sakul Intakul is an internationally renowned Thai floral artist.

His portfolio includes royal commissions for HM Queen Sirikit of Thailand and the red-carpet floral installation for the Rome International Film Festival. He has also authored several books on floral art and is a regular magazine and newspaper columnist. Later this month he will open his Museum of Floral Culture here, the first and only one of its kind. www.sakulintakul.com 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. 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 coffee-table book Flavours: Thai Contemporary Art. When not musing, he is often found travel writing. 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. She is the author of several travel narratives, and her work appears in magazines including ELLE, Elle Decoration and GM.

managing editor

Max Crosbie-Jones art director

Tawan Amonratanasereegul editorial assistant

Adul Waengmol strategists

Nathinee Chen Sebastien Berger contributing writers

Annette Heile, Scott Coates, Julia Chinnock, Philip Cornwel-Smith, Leo Devillers, Korakot Punlopruksa, Steven Pettifor, Howard Richardson, Noy Thrupkaew, Cassandra Beckford contributing photographers

Dejan Patic´, Jatuporn Rutnin, Paul Lefevre, Ludovic Cazeba, Leon Schadeberg, Marc Schultz, Niran Choonhachat, Frédéric Belge, Somchai Phongphaisarnkit director of sales & marketing

Jhone El’Mamuwaldi

director of business development

Erika Teo

administrative asssistant

Peeraya Nuchkuar 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 2012. 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.

bangkok101.com

CITY PULSE

Performance

Theatre

Medieval dance from northern India arrives in Bangkok in a performance called An Evening of Kathak at the Siam Society (02-661-6470) on July 18 . This ancient artform of the rotal courts and temples features Ustad Matloob Hussain Khan (sitar), Ustad Vasi Ahmad Khan (tabla) and Anjana Jha (dance). The performance starts at 7.30pm. Admission free.

Comedy Wannabe stand-up comedians are cracking jokes the Bangkok Comedy Collective at the Londoner Brew Pub (02-261-0238), which includes open mike spots every first and third Monday of the month.

The two-hour show includes Brits, Australians, Germans, Brazilians, Americans and Thais performing in English. B200 entry includes a drink and 20% off all food. Show starts at 8pm. If you think you’re funny, email comedybkk@gmail.com to book a spot.

Bfloor Theatre’s production of Oxygen by Teerawat Mulvilai is at the Pridi Banomyong Institute from July 5-16. The dance-theatre performance is the final installment of the director’s trilogy, following Flu-O-Less-Sense (2010) and Fool Alright (2011). It asks the question: “If freedom is vital to democracy like oxygen is to life, isn’t the air we’re breathing diminishing?” This is the premier before Oxygen appears at the Undergroundzero Festival in New York. Tickets (from bfloortheatre@gmail.com or 089-167-4039) are B500. Shows start at 7.30pm; no shows on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Pop & Rock K-Pop returns to Bangkok in the shape of MBLAQ live at the Bangkok Convention Centre (02-541-1234) on July 7. The boy band developed by Korean pop star Rain arrive as part of the BLAQ% Tour of Asia , which the organisers claim will “make them conquer more than 100% of your heart”. Tickets are B1,500-B3,500 from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, www. thaiticketmajor.com).

h owa r d Richardson by

Cl assical Japanese-American violinist Ryu Goto plays the Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto in D Major at the Thailand Cultural Centre (02-247-0028) on July 31 accompanied by the Bangkok Symphony Orchestra. According to the New York Times he we will treat us to “expressive playing, sweet tone, impressive technique and musicality”. Buy tickets (B500-B2,500) from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, www.thaiticketmajor.com). 8 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

US Thrash Metal band

Megadeth come to BITEC (02-749-3939) on August 1

on the Asian leg of their world tour to promote the latest album Thirteen. They should get a better reception than Croatia in June, when the band were forced from the stage after singer Dave Mustaine was pelted with rocks. Get tickets (from B1,500) at Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, www.thaiticketmajor.com). Brit-poppers Suede headline the music festival Sonic Attack 2012: 90s – The Best at BITEC (02-749-3939) on August 4 . Backup comes from another 12 bands, including Modern Dog and Blackhead, there will be an archive of 90s photos to browse and a market selling period memorabilia. Tickets are B1,500 from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, www.thaiticketmajor.com). bangkok101.com

C I T Y P U L S E | metrobeat

Exhibitions The National Museum Bangkok (02-224-1333) celebrates the year of HM King Bhumibol’s 84th birthday with the exhibition Dharmarajadhiraja: Righteous King of Kings , which runs until July 26. The star attraction among the 84 items displayed is the miniature gold royal regalia of a Dharmarajadhiraja placed in the crypt of Wat Ratchaburana, Ayutthaya by King Borommarachadirat II. Other items sourced from 15 of Thailand’s National Museums include the palm leaf Sutra of the Pali Tipitaka of King Rama I, which he authorised at the 10th World Buddhist Council. Many exhibits have never before been seen in public. CentralWorld Live presents Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition , which commemorates, until September 2 , the

100th anniversary of the sinking of The Titanic in 2012. There are hundreds of artifacts conserved from the debris after the ship hit the iceberg, claiming more than 1,500 lives. The exhibition also has information about the trip, such as there being only two bathtubs for the 700-plus third-class passengers, who paid the equivalent of $900 each to share a room with nine people. Tickets to the show, available from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, www.thaiticketmajor.com), are B500 and B350 for children.

Jazz Lisa Ono and Fourplay headline the last day of the River Jazz Festival 2012 at the waterfront mall Asiatique on July 1 . Tick-

ets are B1,500 from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, www. thaiticketmajor.com).

Family The American Chamber of Commerce (02-254-1041) holds its annual Independence Day Picnic at KIS International School on July 7. Among the entertainment from noon-8pm are family games, bands and stalls with the foodstuffs Americans crave, like hot dogs, ribs and apple pie. There’s a free shuttle running from Huay Kwang MRT station. Tickets are B300; children under 12 free.

According to allaboutjazz.com American Dan Phillips is “one of the most original guitarists and composers currently on the jazz scene”. He’s currently working on his fourth album, and plays with a quintet at Niu’s on Silom (02-266-5333) on July 6. Admission free.

Entertainment Bangkok welcomed Flight Experience recently, the city’s first flight simulator, located in the Sibunruang Building, better known as the car park behind Starbucks on Soi Convent. Flights run from the 30-minute Scenic Flight (B4,350) to the 90-minute Ultimate Experience, which includes tricky weather conditions and dealing with an in-flight emergency (B9,350). There’s more info at 02-2379895 and www.flightexperiencethailand.com.

Film The Moviemov Italian Film Festival 2012 showcases films made in the last 12 months at SF World Cinema @ CentralWorld from July 3-7, along with workshops and panel talks. The programme also includes recently restored movies in a retrospective dedicated to Sergio Leone, plus Q&A sessions with Italian actors and directors. Admission free. For the full schedule see www.italianfestivalthailand.com. The Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (02-214-6632) presents the second film in a series called Cinema Diverse on July 28 . Each movie comes from a different country, with the second being August Drizzle, from Sri Lanka. Each will be followed by a Q&A session with director, cast, and/or crew member. Show starts at 5pm; all films have English subtitles; entrance free. bangkok101.com

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CITY PULSE

Art Jonathan Anderson and Edwin Low, official artists for the London Cultural Olympiad Festival, exhibit Endure:

An Intimate Journey with the Chinese Gymnasts at Serindia Gallery (www.serindiagallery.com) until August 19 . The photos of the backstage life and train-

ing routines of China’s gymnasts, from child novices to Olympic gold medalists, appeared at last year’s Venice Biennale.

The Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (02-214-6632) shows Comics, Manga & Co: The New German Comics Culture with genres including surreal, historical and fantastical. It runs until July 29.

Thailand’s master of floral design Sakul Intakul hosts Flowers of Asia workshops on July 7 and 8 as part of a pre-launch of The Museum of Floral Culture (02-669-3633), which officially opens in August. The workshops draw on the floral art of India, Japan, Bali and Thailand. The Dark Side of Stephff includes 20 graffiti drawings and paintings by the editorial and political cartoonist Bangkokians know best from his work with the Nation newspaper, but who also appears in publications around the world. Stephff is at Thavibu Gallery (02-2665454) from July 28-August 25 . Attic Studios (02-662-0224, www.attic-studios.com) has Children’s Summer Camps from Tuesday to Friday every week in July with art workshops for

kids aged six to 16 in a variety of media, including charcoal, acrylic and oils.

networking In a fascinating departure from overblown speech making PechaKucha brings quick-fire presentations to the Nest, on the rooftop of the Le Fenix Hotel (02-305-4000) on July 9 . The format sees speakers allowed to use only 20 slides, each one on-screen for just 20 seconds. With topics ranging from mobile art exhibits to back-alley Bangkok by bike and the ordeal of going gradually blind, it promises to be inventive, inclusive and eclectic. And if you get bored it’s over in minutes. PechaKucha was launched in Japan, where it apparently means “chit chat”, and is now a global phenomenon appearing in 500 cities. The first of eight to ten speakers will start at 6:30pm. For more details visit www.facebook.com/ PechaKuchaBangkok.

Food & Drink The Sheraton Grande hotel (02-649-8353) has launched PrimoVino by Rossini’s in its Italian restaurant, offering “the art of experiencing top shelf wine at cellar prices” to complement the menu developed by Michelin-starred chef Alfredo Russo. Wines include New Zealand Framingham Sauvignon Blanc (B1,200), Penfolds labels from B1,500 and Barolo Massolino (B2,300).

Three-star Michelin chef Bau from Victor’s Gourmet-Restaurant, in Schloss Berg takes over the kitchens at Le Normandie in the Mandarin Oriental hotel (02-659-9000) from July 2-7. One of Germany’s youngest three-star winners, he will Christian

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prepare his Franco-Asian inspired food for both lunch and dinner. Grab a last chance to visit the lovely old townhouse of Crepes & Co (02-653-3990) on Sukhumvit Soi 12, where Serge Bruttin and before him his brother Philippe have served Greek, North African and, of course, crepes, for nearly 20 years. They close on July 31 . While this is sad, there’s a silver lining for staffers at Bangkok 101 – they will move soon to Langsuan, very close to our office. Watch this space. The blind will celebrate the blind on July 8 , when lightless restaurant Dine in the Dark (02-676-6676) stages a night of food and music in honour of legendary blind opera tenor Andrea Bocelli. Two opera singers will headline two sittings; the first a wine and cheese pairing for B750 (7pm), the second a four-course Italian dinner for B1,200 (9pm). bangkok101.com

C I T Y P U L S E | metrobeat

restaurant

Park Society

The capital recently welcomed only the second opening in the world of the Sofitel’s new luxury ‘So’ brand with the launch of Sofitel So Bangkok. And what a stylish baby it is, from the open fronted chocolaterie on the ground floor to the “Hi So Only” (joke) Cuban bar on the roof. The signature restaurant is Park Society, a mix of indoor and al fresco dining options with 29th floor views across Lumpini Park to the bright lights of Ratchaprasong. It’s an impressive depiction of Bangkok as a sparkling modern city. And the interior rises to the challenge. 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 with gnocchi and baby vegetables (B1,400/half, B2,600/whole). The well chosen wine list, with most bottles between B2,000 and B4,000, has 12 wines and four sparkling by the glass. To finish, there’s a choice of three desserts or cheese plates. The outdoor section doubles as a bar with a lounge getting there soundtrack and, if you don’t want to eat there, is a good stop for aperitifs or a nightcap. Either way, inside or out, this is a Park Society [MAP5 / M7] terrific setting for a romantic dinner.

รร.โซฟิเทล โซ ถ.สาธร bangkok101.com

Sofitel So Bangkok, 2 North Sathorn Rd | 02-624-0000 Daily 5pm-1am (bar), 6pm-10pm (restaurant).

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CITY PULSE

RIVERSIDE REVOLUTION The project director of Asiatique, Bangkok’s newest shopping and entertainment behemoth, tells Luc Citrinot why it’s a defining step for urban development here in the capital.

n many cities, converting a waterfront into an attractive zone where people come to shop, dine or just enjoy themselves is nothing short of an urban revolution. Over the last 30 years, cities such as Seattle, Boston, Lon-

don, Sydney, Auckland, Tokyo and Singapore – to name just a few – have all spruced up theirs, converting rundown histori-

cal structures such as warehouses into swank new districts. Only Bangkok and its banks along the busy Chao Phraya Riv-

er seemed to have escaped the trend. Why has reclaiming the riverside proved so difficult here? The main reason: most of it is private property owned by people reluctant to give it up.

This is why Asiatique The Riverfront is something of an historical step for the capital: an outdoor lifestyle and shopping complex occupying a prime stretch of the Chao Phraya River.

Going against the grain of most real estate developments in Bangkok – forgoing the graceless towers, sprawling shopping

malls and grey parking lots – it’s nothing less than the first planned, public urban landscape along the river.

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bangkok101.com

C I T Y P U L S E | A siati q ue

“Charoen and Wanna Sirivadhanabhakdi from the TCC (Thai Charoen Corporation Group) own this huge piece of land, but for a long time it was difficult to envision what could be done with it,” admits project director Napat Charoenkul when speaking of Asiatique’s long gestation period. One of the reasons it was so hard was because of the site’s historical value, he explains. Located a few hundred metres from Thaksin Bridge, on a bend in the Chao Phraya River, the old warehousestudded site is considered one of the cradles of Thailand’s modern trade. The area was created when King Rama V of Siam asked Danish businessman Hans Nille Andersen to build a series of warehouses beside a pier on the river offering modern facilities to trade goods. The East Asiatic Company was then born and remained active until the early 1980s. Then, for 25 years, the pier stood idle until TCC acquired it. “To develop the land into commercial properties such as condominiums and a mall requires a huge investment, probably estimated at B10 billion [US$ 330 million]. And there were also infrastructure constraints to consider, such as very narrow Charoeng Krung Road, which, apart from the river, is the

bangkok101.com

main entry point. Also, as Asiatique is located near Sukhumvit and Silom, on the edge of Bangkok’s commercial heart, this added to the difficulty of development,” adds Mr. Charoenkul. Finally, a dose of pragmatism (and probably the need for a goodpublicity-garnering CSR exercise) helped to preserve the more than 100-year-old area, with its huge warehouses built mostly between 1890 and 1940. “Eventually the TCC owners decided to give this piece of land back to the public by turning it into a semi open-air area for all with wonderful views on the river,” explains Mr.Charoenkul. “As over 80% of the structures at Asiatique are of historical value, we also made great efforts to restore all of them to their former glory,” he adds. Beyond the extensive shopping and dining facilities, Asiatique makes the difference by creating a cultural dimension rarely seen in Bangkok. “We developed the project at the right moment. Many tenants of design and craft shops from the defunct Suan Lum Night Bazaar were looking for a new location. Given Asiatique’s old-world site, these seemed a good

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CITY PULSE

fit and suddenly gave an identity to our project. We were also blessed to be able to attract two of the city’s prestigious entertainment institutions to join us: the Joe Louis Puppet Theater and Calypso Cabaret,” says Mr. Charoenkul.

Asiatic Company. Later, there will also be a hotel, a multipurpose conference, an exhibition hall and, probably a modern shopping centre packing in all the shops you find everywhere.

Once completed, Bangkok’s newest magnet for both locals and tourists will have 1,500 handicraft and souvenirs shops, some 40 restaurants, brasseries and bars, two theatres (Calypso, the ladyboy cabaret that Lady Gaga visited on her recent visit, opens this month and the Joe Louis Puppet Theatre should be delighting tourists again by year’s end). But for now, the highlight for most visitors is the riverside promenade. Running at 300 metres, it is by far the longest one along the Chao Phraya yet. Adding to its wow-factor are lots of photo-ready props that play on the old-world history of the site, such as statues and a reconstructed old tramway. For now, a charming atmosphere of romantic innocence prevails down at the river’s edge.

But, says Mr. Charoenkul, future development will not obstruct the visitor’s view on the river. And TCC is committed to preserve the remaining trees along the Chao Praya, some of which are over a hundred years old. In fact, according to Napat Charonkul, TCC has even grander plans to give the Chao Phraya River back to the people: “We own other sites along the river, some of which are also of historical value. We are considering opening them to the public too and linking them all together”.

Will it last? Possibly not: according to Mr. Charoenkult, these warehouses along the river are just the first phase of some very ambitious plans. Three more phases are due to be added. In Phase II, additional parking spaces, a giant Ferris wheel and more restaurants will open. There are also plans for a museum that covers the history of the East 1 4 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

เอเชียทีค เดอะ ริเวอร์ฟร้อนท์ ถ.เจริญกรุง (ซ.72-76) getting there

Asiatique – The Riverfront [MAP2 / D10] 2194 Charoenkrung Road | 02-108-4488 www.thaiasiatique.com | 5pm-midnight daily note: due to the heavy traffic on Charoeng Krung Road the best way to reach Asiatique is by hopping on one of the free shuttle boats. Services depart from Sathorn Pier near BTS station Saphan Thaksin, with four boats per hour between 5pm and midnight. bangkok101.com

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bangkok101.com

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CITY PULSE

Hotel review

Aiming High:

The Okura Prestige Bangkok

o, here we are, yet another luxury hotel. Why should thinning shape inspired by the wai, the traditional Thai hand we be excited about this one? greeting. This being a very upscale address, Embassy Row in fact, it faces banks, luxury residences, embassies and shopNot only is it the first that the Japanese luxury hotel ping centres (including the forthcoming Central Embassy group Okura Hotels and Resorts has opened here – it’s Complex). also the first in the group’s new Prestige collection. Over the next five years, they plan to open another twenty of these Ride the lift, step out on the 24th floor and you’re in the supremely upscale digs, beginning with The Okura Prestige high-ceilinged lobby. Here a chic, masculine sophisticaTaipei, but for now The Okura Prestige Bangkok is one-of-a- tion prevails, with grey-earthy tones, futuristic backlit wall kind. The hope is that the collection’s “Best ACS” philosophy panelling, oversized lamps, veined black marble floors and – best accommodation, best cuisine, best service – will create floor-to-ceiling windows framing the Bangkok skyline being hotels that are seen as peerless not only in their home loca- the standout features. It feels like a debonair business man’s tion, but also around the world. kind of hotel – somber yet inviting, swish yet understated. That’s a tough ask anywhere, even more so in Bangkok’s bloated luxury hotel market. How are things looking so far? Located on one corner of the Ploenchit/Wireless Road intersection, the 240-room hotel occupies thirty-four floors of the sleek glass and metal Park Ventures Ecoplex Building, with its 1 6 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

Guestrooms begin on the 26th floor and are accessed via a central atrium crowned by a bird’s nest sculpture – one of only a few artistic touches scattered here and there. Available in myriad shapes and sizes and featuring simply elegant, grey-earthy colour schemes, each one comes equipped with bangkok101.com

C I T Y P U L S E | T h e O k u r a P r esti g e B a n g k o k

myriad neat touches/amenities: Egyptian cotton sheets; a note, for instance), the location (a walkway connects to the 40 inch flatscreen with pay-per-view movies; a Philips coffee Ploenchit BTS station), and, for the time being, the opening packages. Currently, the Okura Discovery Package offers you machine with complimentary sachets; to name just a few. a night in a deluxe room with breakfast and free internet for Views of Bangkok’s thrusting skyline are another highlight, B5,800++ (until September 30). And for just B500 more, the making you feel part of the city – as are the triple glazed Okura Prestige Package offers you two extras from a choice windows that cut out every last decibel of noise pollution (no of three: dinner at Up & Above, a one hour massage, or early being rudely awaken by car horns and security guard whischeck-in and late check-out (until August 31). tles here). Controlling everything from the electric curtains to the alarm clock and ambient lighting is a nifty touchscreen รร.โอกุระ เพรสทีจ กรุงเทพ ถ.วิทยุ bedside control panel. Sleek, spacious marble bathrooms have separate bathtubs and rain showers; while the toilets are very Japanese, independent of the bathroom, with automated washlets that blow dry your posterior at a button push. Breakfast is served in your choice of two very stylish places, both of them on the lobby floor. All-day diner Up & Above, with its floor-to-ceiling windows and half-moon shaped outdoor ‘sky bar’ (5pm-1am daily), serves a very handsome international buffet comprised of everything from smoked salmon to fresh juices and rice congee, as well as à la carte eggs-to-order options. And signature Japanese restaurant, Yamazato, with its origami-inspired ceiling and separate teppanyaki and sushi bars, serves a bento box. However, it’s the third venue in Okura Prestige’s dining triumvirate, Elements, that we predict will create the biggest stir among foodies (see Food & Drink news on p.55 for more on what they’re calling ‘Modern Logical’ cuisine). Leisure facilities include a cantilevered infinity pool with yet more uninterrupted city views, a slick fitness centre and spa where they offer Japanese treatments, such as the very sensuous hot-bamboo stick massage, in addition to the local ones that we know and love. Up on the 33rd floor, there’s also a Club Lounge, packed with plush nooks and offering all-day coffee, tea and refreshments. And, down on the lower floors, over 1,000m2 of impressively versatile product launch, business meeting or swank party space. What distinguishes The Okura Prestige out from all its ultra luxurious competitors, of which there are many? For us, it’s the city views (they’re everywhere), the little touches (the little origami bird that sits on the bed, along with your welcome bangkok101.com

getting there

The Okura Prestige Bangkok [MAP4 / L5] 57 Wireless Rd | BTS Phloen Chit | 02-687-9000 www.okurabangkok.com j u ly 2 0 1 2 | 1 7

CITY PULSE

Photos by John Goss

Longtail Boats & Barges Very Thai

River Books | with photos by

John Goss & Philip Cornwel-Smith 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 mini-chapters, we present a different excerpt every month. Prepare yourself properly for the sideways logic in what seems exotic, and snap up a copy of Very Thai now at any good book shop.

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Just as hooking a motorbike to a rickshaw created the tuk-tuk, so bolting an Isuzu pick-up engine to a boat made the reua hang yao. Named ‘long-tail’ after a trailing drive shaft that can reverse or churn through 270°, the long, sleek craft is tailored to cramped shallow waterways. Made of takian wood lacquered with go-faster stripes, the hull tapers like a scimitar to a raised, needle-sharp prow. Its roof displays the telltale arc of all Siamese boat canopies, only made of deckchair-hued plastic rather than bamboo, thatch or galvanized iron. The passengers shelter behind plastic sheeting to avoid spray as the unmuffled engine rips through turbid khlong or salty shoreline, scattering swimmers and rattling nerves as the sound reverberates off cliffs and buildings. Serving as bus or taxi, large and small longtails weave deftly between barges, which glide imperceptibly by. The humped carapace of a fully loaded barge resembles a beetle swimming, with eyes painted on the stubby bow, and water lapping at the gunwales. Handsomest among these wooden cargo vessels are the twin-ruddered reua iamchun (salt boat) and dumpier reua kracheng (rice barge). Since the mid-1990s, the latter has gone from scrap timber value to prized antique. Converted barges moor permanently as guesthouses or restaurants. Others chug sightseers along the waterways or host students on an ecological floating classroom. Some even sit on river-bank lawns to be used as a house extension. bangkok101.com

C I T Y P U L S E | C h r o n icle o f t h a il a n d

18 July 1994

Beloved mother of Kings

Princess Mother dies at the age of 94 Her Royal Highness Princess Sri Nagarindra, the Princess Mother, much beloved by the Thai people, died peacefully at Siriraj Hospital, where she had been since 3 June. She was 94 years old. His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, Queen Sirikit, Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn and other members of the royal family were at the hospital when the Princess Mother took her last breath. The Princess Mother was born a commoner in Thonburi. After attending nursing school she married Princess Mahidol of Songkhla, son of King Chulalongkorn. The couple had a daughter (Princess Galyani) and two sons (the late King Ananda and King Bhumibol). Almost her entire life was devoted to the poor, sick and disabled living in rural parts of Thailand. The Princess Mother’s Volunteer Flying Doctors Service sent volunteers to respond to medical emergencies in private aeroplanes and operated mobile clinics. Even at the age of 80, she was walking up and down mountain trails visiting hilltribe people or climbing in and out of helicopters during visits to isolate areas. Thousands of people filed past the Princess Mother’s casket in the Grand Palace to pay their last respects. Outside, people lined the streets through which the motorcade containing the casket passed.

bangkok101.com

Chronicle of Thailand

EDM Books | editor-in-chief Nicholas Grossman | B1,450

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 vivid eye-witnessaccount of Thailand’s development through the major news events of the last 64 years. Alongside a grandstand view of events as they unfolded 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.

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Sightseeing

A bust of Italian-turned-Thai Corrado Feroci, or Silpa Bhirasri 2 0 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

bangkok101.com

sightseeing | xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Thai

Meet the Father of

odern Art By Amornsri Tresaranukul

Museum Focus: Silpa Bhirasri Memorial Museum that cubism and surrealism had a big influence on mid 20th century Thai art. Also on display in glass cases are some of the professor’s belongings: his glasses, stationary, work implements, even some old watercolour palettes. And displayed on plinths dotted around the room are sculptures by Ajarn Silpa and some of his students, includCorrado Feroci, to give him his real Italian name, arrived ing a famous, flow-flowing figure of a lady by Kien Yimsiri. here after quitting his job as a professor at The Academy of Fine Arts in Florence. Though it was a dramatic move, In the office next door, more objects conjure a sense of the he did so with good reason, after winning a contest con- austere, focused life he lived. Centre place sits the desk ducted by the Italian government on behalf of King Rama and chair he used when reviewing his students’ work. VI. This reformist monarch was on the lookout for a west- The Olympia typewriter he used to pen letter and his art erner who could come and help decorate Siam with exalt- textbooks on is also here, as is a framed copy of the picture ed, Italian-style sculptures, and Corrado Feroci was the that all Silpakorn students know as his signature portrait, and even a copy of a love letter to his wife. Silpa Bhirasri perfect man for the job. remains a revered figure, especially among Silpakornians, He fulfilled his duties with aplomb, giving Bangkok many and this museum is a hallowed space that all Thai art of its most iconic monuments, including statues of King buffs should visit. Rama I, King Rama VI, and King Taksin, all of which still stand proud today. But aside from these works of art, this kruu farang, as his students respectfully called him, is also getting there credited with single-handedly fostering the country’s contemporary art scene, and so rightfully earning his sobri- There are a lot of entrances in to Silpakorn University. To avoid getting lost, we recommend using the door into the quet as “The Father of Modern Art in Thailand.” Fine Arts Department, which is opposite Sanam Luang, the He founded the School of Fine Arts in 1933, and went on royal grounds near the Grand Palace. Another way to get to establish the country’s first university of fine arts, in is via the Au Bon Pain located in one of the shophouses Silpakorn, in 1943. It was in his free classes, given in the on Na Phra Lan road. Walk out through the café and you’ll office which today houses this museum, that the foundasee the yellow building on your left. tions for a new Thai aesthetic, one that moved away from the old obsession with the Indian and Khmer styles seen in religious paintings and architecture at that time, were Silpa Bhirasri Memorial Museum [Map 7 / C8 ] also laid. Having changed his name to Silpa Bhirasri after World War II (reputedly to avoid being captured), he went Registered Heritage Building, Thailand Fine Arts on to teach until shortly before passing away at the age of Department, Naphrathat Rd | 02-223-6162 | Mon – Fri 9 am – 4 pm, closed Sat, Sun + public holidays | free 69, a fully fledged Thai citizen. Have you ever looked up at one of Bangkok’s regal monuments and wondered who made it? For the answer you need to go back eighty-nine years, to 1923, when the first farang (western) artist arrived in Thailand and shook up the local art scene forever.

In the narrow room that houses the free museum in honour of this influential immigrant, paintings by his graduates, many of whom are now legendary Thai artists, hang on the mustard yellow walls. Looking at them it’s clear bangkok101.com

พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ ศิลป์ พีระศรี อนุสรณ์ ถ.หน้าพระธาตุ

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Sightseeing

historic homes

M.R. KUKRIT’S HOUSE [map 5 / H 8] 19 Soi Phra Pinit, Sathorn Rd BTS Chong Nonsi | 02-286-8185 Sat, Sun & Holidays 10 am – 5 pm, ANANTA SAMAKHOM PALACE Mon – Fri by appt. only | B 50 / B 20 kids Throne Hall [map 8 / F 8] Kukrit Pramoj was one of Thailand’s mostUthong Nai Rd, opp. Dusit Zoo loved statesmen of the 20 th century. A natural Tue – Sun 10 am – 6 pm | B150 all-rounder, he was a poet, a writer and dress politely even served as prime minister. His peaceful Located at the tail-end of Dusit district's abode with its lovely gardens is a terrific stately ceremonial boulevard, Ratchadam example of traditional Thai architecture. noen, this stately parliamentary palace was built during the reign of Rama V and com- บ้านหม่อมราชวงศ์คึกฤทธิ์ pleted by Rama VI . Cast in white Carrara ซ.พระพินิจ สาทรใต้ 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 mounted on a horse that is still worshipped today.

พระที่นั่งอนันตสมาคม ถ.อู่ทองใน ดุสิต

JIM THOMPSON HOUSE [map 4 / A 3] 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama I Rd BTS National Stadium | 02-216-7368 www.jimthompsonhouse.com 9 am – 5 pm | 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, and brimful with art and antiques he acquired during his many trips around Asia. Tour guides discuss these exquisite treasures and the much-mythologised life of the man himself. There’s also a shop selling his trademark designs, an art gallery and a café. Ban Krua, the silk-weaving community he commissioned, is also nearby.

บ้านไทย จิมทอมป์สัน ซ.เกษมสันต์ 2 ตรงข้ามสนามกีฬาแห่งชาติ 2 2 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

VIMANMEK MANSION [map 8 / F 8] 139 / 2 Ratchawithi Rd 02-281-1569 | 9:30 am – 4 pm | 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. Inside, many of his acquisitions from international trips are on display, including possibly the first bathtub in the kingdom. Regular tours in English are held daily.

พระที่นั่งวิมานเมฆ ถ.ราชวิถี เขตดุสิต

Shrines

ERAWAN SHRINE [map 4 / G 5] 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, which performs for a nominal fee.

พระพรหมเอราวัณ ถ.ราชดำ�ริ

GANESHA SHRINE [map 4 / G 3] 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.

พระพิฆเนศวร หน้าห้างอิเซตัน

SUAN PAKKAD palace [MAP8 / K11] Si Ayutthaya Rd, Ratchathewi BTS Phaya Thai | 02-245-4934 www.suanpakkad.com | 9 am – 4 pm | 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.

TRIMURTI SHRINE [map 4 / G 3] 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.

พระตรีมูรติ หน้าห้างอิเซตัน

วังสวนผักกาด ถ.ศรีอยุธยา ราชเทวี bangkok101.com

s i g h t s e e i n g | t e mpl e s

TEMPLES

WAT PO (reclining buddha) [map 7 / D 12] Chetuphon, Thai Wang Rd 02-226-0369 | www.watpho.com THE GRAND PALACE & 8am – noon; 1 pm – 9 pm | B100 WAT PHRA KAEW [map 7 / D 10] The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is Na Phra Lan Rd, near Sanam Luang the oldest and largest wat in Bangkok. Tha Chang Pier | 02-222-0094 Originating in the 16 th century, it houses the 8:30 am – 4:30 pm | B 400 incl. entry to largest reclining Buddha statue in Thailand Vimanmek Mansion | dress respectfully as well as the greatest number of Buddha Bangkok’s most beloved temple (and images. Wat Po is also the centre for traditop tourist site) is a fantastical, mini-city tional Thai medicine and a learning centre sized royal complex enclosed by quaintly for Thai massage (see p.101). crenulated whitewalls. Building began in วั ดโพธิ์ ถ.เชตุพน 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 a Thai hat" – is worth seeing, and there are some state halls and rooms open to visitors. The highlight, though, is the Emerald Buddha – Thailand’s most sacred Buddhist relic – and the temple purpose-built to WAT MAHATHAT [map 7 / C 8] house it, Wat Phra Kaew, where hundreds Tha Prachan, Sanam Luang, Maharat Rd 02-221-5999 | 9 am – 5 pm | free pay their respects each day. An amulet market is situated near this 18 th พระบรมมหาราชวัง และ วัดพระแก้ว century centre of the Mahanikai monasถ.หน้าพระลาน (ใกล้สนามหลวง) tic 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 and herbal potions. Courses on Buddhism are given in English. WAT ARUN [map 7 / B 13] Temple of Dawn | Arun Amarin Rd Arun Pier | 02-465-5640 www.watarun.org | 8 am – 5 pm | 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 almost entirely in pieces of colourful porcelain and designed as a representation of Mount Mehru, the Khmer home of the gods. The temple is believed to have been named by Rama I on his first sunrise visit, but in contrast with its name, it is best visited at sundown.

วัดอรุณราชวราราม ถ.อรุณอัมรินทร์ ผั่งตะวันตกของแม่น้ำ�เจ้าพระยา bangkok101.com

วัดมหาธาตุ ท่าพระจันทร์ สนามหลวง

WAT RATCHANATDA [map 7 / K 8] Mahachai Rd | 02-224-8807 9 am – 5 pm | free This striking temple on the corner of Ratchadamnoen and Mahachai Road features the bizarre Loha Prasat, a multi-tiered 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.

วัดราชนัดดา ถ.มหาชัย พระนคร

WAT SAKET [map 7 / L 8] Chakkraphatdiphong Rd 02-233-4561 | 7:30 am – 5:30 pm | B10 Referred to as the Golden Mount, this wat on a small hillock is worth the hike up 318 steps for the views of China town 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.

วัดสระเกศ ถ.จักรพรรดิพงษ์

WAT SUTHAT & the GIANT SWING [map 7 / H 9] Bamrung Muang Rd | 02-222-9632 9 am – 5 pm | B 20 Surrounded by perhaps the greatest concentration of Buddhist supply shops in Bangkok, 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 catch a bag of gold coins in their teeth during annual harvest ceremonies, sits out front.

วัดสุทัศน์ ถ.บำ�รุงเมือง พระนคร ตรงข้ามเสาชิงช้า

WAT TRAIMIT [map 6 / L 3] 661 Mittaphap Thai-China Rd, Charoen Krung Rd | 02-6231226 | 8 am – 5 pm | B 20 Housed safely in this unassuming Chinatown temple is the world’s largest solid gold Buddha. Weighing over five tonnes and standing over three metres high, its worth has been estimated at over 10 million US$ . The interesting Yaowarat Heritage Museum (p.27) is located on the floor beneath.

วัดไตรมิตร หัวลำ�โพง (เยาวราช)

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Sightseeing

BANGKOKian museum

Museums – in town There’s a museum for every interest here – hundreds in fact. Here, some of our favourites, both in town and just outside it.

BANGKOK DOLL MUSEUM [map 8 / L 11, 12]

madame tussauds

Madame tussauds [map 4 / C4] 6th F, Siam Discovery Center Rama 1, Phaya Thai Rd BTS National Stadium | 02-658-0060 www.madametussauds.com/Bangkok/ 10 am – 9 pm | B 800 / B 600 kids / 15 % discount for online 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, famous monks, poets and statesmen. And once you’ve finished talking human rights with Aung San Suu Kyi, or admiring Angelina Jolie’s Khmer tattoo, there are lots of interactive games to stave off waxwork-fatigue too.

85 Soi Ratchataphan (Soi Mo Leng), Ratchaprarop Rd 02-245-3008 | www.bangkokdolls.com Mon – Sat 8 am – 5 pm | 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 มาดามทุซโซ สยามดิสคัฟเวอรี่ ชั้น 6 traditional costumes based on designs lifted from museum originals, temple murals MUSEUM OF COUNTERFEIT and illustrations from antique books. GOODS [MAP 2 / E 12] 26th F, Supalai Grand Tower Bldg บ้านตุ๊กตาบางกอกดอลล์ ถ.ราชปรารภ Rama III Rd | BTS Surasak | 02-653-5555 www.tillekeandgibbins.com bangkokian MUSEUM [MAP 5 / E 3] Mon – Fri 10 am – 4 pm / App. required 273 Charoen Krung Soi 43, for textile and computer collections Si Phraya Pier | 02-233-7027 In 1989, Thailand’s oldest international law Sat & Sun 10 am – 4 pm | free Smack in the middle of Bangrak, one of the firm, Tilleke & Gibbins, decided to convert most traditional districts of the city, find their evidence of counterfeit goods into this oasis of four traditional Thai houses, educational tools for law students. To help one of them lovingly converted into a pri- spread the word about the perils of buying vate museum by the compound’s charm- fake it's open to Joe Public too. Over 3,500 – from Ferrero Rocher chocolates ing owner, Ms. Waraporn Surawadee. items She decided to dedicate the place to the to antimalarial tablets and a fake Ferrari memory of her family and bygone daily motorbike – are neatly laid out, forgeries life of Bangkok everymen – and open it to next to the originals. While its well off-thethe public. While visitors shouldn’t expect beaten track location means it doesn't see breathtaking revelations here, the displays too many drop-in visitors, it's an eye-openare nevertheless surprisingly fascinating. ing experience, one that would make even They include antiques, traditional house- the thriftiest market-goer think twice. hold utensils and ceremonial items.

พิพิธภัณฑ์ชาวบางกอก ถ.เจริญกรุง 43

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พิพิธภัณฑ์สินค้าปลอมและเลียนแบบ ถ.พระราม 3

museum of siam

Museum of Siam [map 7 / D 13] 4 Samachai Rd | Rajini Pier 02-622-2599 | www.ndmi.or.th Tue – Sun 10 am – 6 pm | 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, replacing the usual ‘don’t touch’ signs and dreary text with pop graphics and interactive games galore. Entertaining highlights include dressing up as a 20 th century nobleman, blowing up Burmese soldiers on elephant-back with a canon (a bit tasteless that one), and mapping out the borders of your own Siam using a touch screen. Tellingly, the place teems with the usually museum-shy – Thai teenagers. Afterwards, enjoy the open-sided corridors and elegant Renaissance-stylings of the building itself, which was designed by Italian architect Mario Tamagno.

พิพิธภัณฑ์การเรียนรู้แ้ห่งชาติ ถ.สนามไชย THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [map 7 / C 6] 5 Chao Fa Rd, Sanam Luang 02-224-1333 | www.thailandmuseum.com Wed – Sun 9 am – 4 pm | 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. Free tours by the Natonal Museum Volunteers group are given in English, French, German and Japanese and take place on Wednesdays and Thursdays at 9:30 am.

พิพิธภัณฑสถานแห่งชาติ ถ.เจ้าฟ้า ใกล้ท้องสนามหลวง

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s i g h t s e e i n g | M u s e um s

RATTANAKOSIN EXHIBITION SIRIRAJ MEDICAL MUSEUM [map 7 / A 7] HALL [map 7 / K 7] Siriraj Hospital | 2 Prannok Rd 100 Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd, Thonburi Railway Pier next to Wat Ratchanatda | 02-621-0044 02-419-7000-6363 | www.si.mahidol.ac.th www.nitasrattanakosin.com Mon – Sat 9 am – 4 pm | B 40 Tue – Fri 11 am – 8 pm; Located on the west bank of the river, in Sat, Sun & Holidays 10 am – 8 pm | B100 Thailand’s oldest and most prestigious hosThis multimedia museum a short walk pital, the Siriraj Medical Museum is chiefly from Khao San Road offers a skillfully an educational facility where trainee mediabbreviated introduction to an area that cal students come to take notes and harden many admire, but few truly understand: Rattanakosin Island, Bangkok’s glittering their stomachs. However, fans of the macabirthplace. Wandering its eleven rooms – bre can also pay a visit. Of its many chilling free of relics but rich in models, dioramas, displays, far and away the most famous is interactive videos, text and audio clips in the crisped cadaver of Si Ouey, Thailand’s Thai and English – brings the area’s hard- notorious child killer, stood in a phone to-fathom history, arts, communities, archi- booth. Other stomach-churning exhibits tecture and traditions into much clearer include the mummified remains of murfocus. One highlight is the room showcasing der victims, and deformed human foetuses Thai performing arts; another sheds light embalmed in formaldehyde. Best come on the trade specialities of local shop- before lunch, just to err on the safe side. house communities. Up on the fourth floor พิพิธภัณฑ์การแพทย์ศิริราช ถ.พรานนก there's also an observation balcony from which you can peer out over the area you YAOWARAT CHINATOWN now have a more in-depth grasp of. HERITAGE CENTRE [map 6 / L 3] นิทรรศน์รัตนโกสินทร์ ถ.ราชดำ�เนินกลาง Wat Traimit, 661 Mittaphap ThaiChina Rd, Charoen Krung Rd |MRT ROYAL BARGE MUSEUM [map 7 / B 4] Hua Lamphong | 02-225-9775 80/1 Rim Khlong Bangkok Noi, |Tue – Sun 8 am – 4:30 pm | B100 / B140 Arun Amarin Rd | Thonburi Railway Pier incl. visit to the Golden Buddha 02-424-0004 | 9 am – 5:00 pm For Bangkok’s Thai-Chinese the story of B 30 / B100 photo / B 200 video This collection of ornate royal barges, some how their forefathers fled here on leaking of which are up to 50 metres long, is housed junk ships and rose to become an affluent on the Thonburi side of the river in a series and fully integrated force in Thai society is of elaborate sheds near the Pinklao Bridge. likely familiar, having been drip-fed to them The barges are best seen in action during over the years by their elders. But for the rare ceremonial processions on the Chao rest of us, the Chinatown Heritage Centre Phraya where the colourful crews can num- is the next best thing, presenting an engagber up to 64, including rowers, umbrella ing history of Bangkok’s Chinese commuholders, navigators and various musicians. nity and their bustling focal point, Yaowarat. Beautifully and ornately decorated, these Highlights include recreations of a magnificent long craft were completely leaking junk ship and bustling street market, renovated and restored to their former a miniature model of Yaowarat during its glory by the present King, who also comGolden Age, and a room commemorating missioned the newest boat for his golden the community’s high-achievers. It's located jubilee in 1996 . within Wat Traimit temple (p.25).

พิพิธภัณฑ์เรือพระราชพิธี ถ.อรุณอมรินทร์

Royal Barge Museum bangkok101.com

ศูนย์ประวัติศาสตร์เยาวราช ถ.มิตรภาพไทย-จีน

yaowarat heritage centre

out of town ANCIENT SIAM (MUANG BORAN) [map 1 / F 6] 296/1 Sukhumvit Rd Samut Prakan province | 02-709-1644 www.ancientcity.com B 400 / B 200 kids / B1,500 private guide in English for 2 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. Teakwood, stone and brick abound; everything looks authentically aged; and amidst the scaled-down and life-size copies are lots of salvaged original buildings.

เมืองโบราณ จ.สมุทรปราการ THAI FILM MUSEUM [MAP 1 / E 5] 94 Moo 3 Bhuddhamonton Sai 5, Salaya Nakorn Pathom province www.nfat.org | 02-482-2013-15 Sat & Sun tours: 10 am, noon, 3 pm; Mon – Fri: by appointment | Free The good folk at the National Film Archive of Thailand are fighting to preserve the country’s meager 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 – for free. Thai film fiends will love inching around this nook-filled two-storey space modeled after the old Sri Krung film studio and filled with old cameras, projectors, props, costumes, posters and waxworks. Guides only speak Thai, so take a translator if possible.

พิพิธภัณฑ์ภาพยนตร์ไทย ถ.พุทธมนฑล สาย 5

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Sightseeing

parks – Flora LUMPINI PARK [map 8 / K,L 16] Entrances on Rama IV, Sarasin, Witthayu and Ratchadamri Rd 5 am – 9 pm; cycling / skating 10 am – 3 pm free The biggest and most popular slice of public space in Central Bangkok, Lumpini Park is 142 acres of trees and grass sewn together with wide, meandering concrete paths. Busy as soon as the sun rises and again around sunset, Bangkokians of every ilk take advantage of its relative cool and quiet to practice Tai Chi, do aerobics, hold hands or jog around the picturesque lakes. A surprising number of animals also like it here – from turtles and giant monitor lizards, to flocks of crows and the occasional stray cat. Activities include taking a Swan-shaped pedal boat out onto the water for a quick spin and pumping iron at the outdoor gym, while live concert recitals and film screenings take place here during the cool season. There are entrances on each of its four sides, all of them open till 9pm, but the most impressive is the one at the corner of Rama IV Road and Ratchadamri Road, where a grand statue of King Rama VI stands sentinel.

bang krachao

Benjasiri park [map 3 / L 7] Sukhumvit Rd, btw. Soi 22 / 24 BTS Phrom Pong | 5am-9pm Next to the Phrom Phong BTS Skytrain station and Emporium shopping mall, this is a great place to escape the Sukhumvit rat race – amble around lakes, find shade under a tree, or admire modern Thai sculptures.

สวนเบญจสิริ อยู่ระหว่าง สุขุมวิท ซ.22 – ซ.24 JATUJAK & QUEEN SIRIKIT PARKS [map 8 / M, N 1, 2] 820 Phahonyothin Rd, Ladyao 02-272-4358 | 5 am – 6:30 pm | free These two parks situated not far from the mayhem of the weekend market offer some much-needed respite. Jatujak Park hosts a collection of old railway engines and ancient automobiles. Nearby, Queen Sirikit Park has a botanical garden.

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RAMA IX ROYAL PARK [MAP 2 / K11] Sukhumvit Soi 103, behind Seri Center Pravet | 02-328-1972 | 5:30am – 7 pm | B10 Bangkok's biggest park spans 200 -acres and features a small museum dedicated to the King, set amongst pleasant botanical gardens with soothing water features.

สวนหลวง ร.9 ถ.สุขุมวิท 103 (หลังพาราไดส์ พาร์ค) ประเวศ Suan Rod Fai PARK [map 8 / M, n 1] Kamphaeng Phet 3 Rd | BTS Mo Chit / MRT Chatuchak Park | 02-537-9221 5 am – 9 pm | free Also just north of JJ Market, this huge park has lots of open space and wild trees, plus a lotus pond, playground, basketball and tennis courts, and a butterfly garden (see opposite). Young locals flock here on weekends to hire a bike and cycle along its wide paths, and with prices for rental only B20 we highly recommend you copy them.

สวนจตุจกั รและสวนสมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิรกิ ติ ์ิ สวนรถไฟ ถ.กำ�แพงเพชร 3 จตุจักร ถ.พหลโยธิน จตุจักร 7

Sarasin

6 Radio Station

Lumpini Head Office

5 Glas House

Raja

dam

สวนลุมพินี เข้าได้ทาง ถ.พระราม 4 ถ.สารสิน ถ.วิทยุและ ถ.ราชดำ�ริ BANG KRACHAO [map 1 / E 5] Bang Krachao, Phra Pradaeng, Samut Prakan | 02-461-097 6 am – 8 pm | Free It’s hard to believe that this oasis of lush orchards and mangroves is just opposite the concrete jungle of Klong Toey. Included within it is the 200 -rai Suan Klang Central Park with a large pond where you can rent paddle boats for B30 . Or rent cycles for the same rate and ride a bike around the park then head down to the Bang Nam Pueng Floating Market.

Rama IX Royal Park

Food Court

Elderly Center

k 7.56

Playground

Yaovarach Pavillon

Lumpini School

Youth Center

Aerobic Octagon Pavillon

Lumpini Park

Lanna Thai Pavillon Library

Witthayu

lumpini park

Entertainment Building Lily Pond

4 Rama VI Statue

Silom

Thailand China Friendship Pavillon Lumpini Youth Center

Lumpini Hall Chinese Pavillon

Indoor Stadium

Ram

a IV

Bodybuilding 3

Playground Clock Tower

20o ft 100 m

Lumphini

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s i g h t s e e i n g | P ark s & Spor t s

ROSE GARDEN RIVERSIDE (Suan Sampram) [map 1 / D5] 32 Phet Kasem Rd, Yai-Cha, Sampran, Nakhon Pathom Province | 03-432- 2544 www.rosegardenriverside.com 10 am – 4 pm | Garden B 50, Show B 500 Take an hour’s drive out from the city and explore this 70-acre property located beside the Ta Chine River, which includes a hotel resort, golf course, spa, organic farm and botanical gardens. The cultural shows here are as popular as the lush gardens.

โรสการ์เด้น ริเวอร์ไซด์ สวนสามพราน ถ.เพชรเกษม SARANROM PARK [map 7 / E 11] Intersection of Rachini / Charoen Krung Rd Phra Nakhon | 5 am – 8 pm | free This ‘green belt’ within the city is located opposite the Grand Palace, built in 1866 during the reign of Rama IV as a royal garden of the Saranrom Royal Palace. It is now a botanical garden and public park, featuring a glass house, and royal bugle pavilion.

สวนสราญรมย์ แยกราชินี ถ.เจริญกรุง

DUSIT ZOO [map 8 / F 8] 71 Rama V Rd, opposite Chitralada Palace 02-281-2000 | 8 am – 6 pm | B100 / B 50 kids The city’s main zoo, situated to the north of Rattanakosin, is home to a large selection of mammals, reptiles and other animals. There’s also a lake with paddle boats, and playgrounds that the kids can run wild in.

สวนสัตว์ดุสิต ถ.พระราม 5 QUEEN SAOVABHA MEMORIAL INSTITUTE (SNAKE FARM) [map 5 / K 4] 1871 Rama IV Rd, Henri Dunant BTS Sala Daeng / MRT Silom | 02-25201614-120 | Mon – Fri 8:30 am – 4 pm, Sat & Sun 9:30 am – 12 pm (shows at 11am & 2:30 pm) | B 200 Mainly developing antidotes to poisonous snake bites, this research facility is open to the public. There’s an informative slide show followed by displays of live venom extraction.

สถานเสาวภา (สวนงู) ถ.พระราม 4 สภากาชาดไทย

muay thai Thai boxing or Muay Thai is very popular in Bangkok with most major bouts held at either the Lumphini or Ratchadamnoen stadiums. This brutal but graceful martial art has been practised in Thailand for centuries. Past Kings are reported to have been champion fighters and one, King Naresuan, introduced the sport as part of military training in the 16th century. Due to the high incidence of deaths during combat, the sport was banned in the 1920s but reintroduced soon after under the more safety-conscious Queensbury rules. Bouts consist of three five minute rounds during which the fighters use every part of the body (except the head) to bludgeon the opponent into defeat. Before the bout begins, a graceful and mesmerising ritual dance named ram muay is performed by both fighters to placate the spirits and show respect to the art and its teachers. Bouts are extremely boisterous, noisy affairs and should be witnessed for the spectacle alone. Be warned though, this isn’t the WWF and the blows are hard hitting and real. Another sore point (albeit a figurative rather than literal one) that puts off some: the price to watch a fight for foreigners is five or six times what the locals pay.

SAMPHRAN ELEPHANT GROUND & ZOO [map 1 / D 5] Petkasem Rd km 30, Samphan parks – Fauna Nakhon Pathom Province | 02-295-2938 | www.elephantshow.com 8:30 am – 5:30 pm | B 600/ B 350 kids BANGKOK BUTTERFLY GARDEN & Apart from The Elephant Theme Show, insectarium [map 8 / M2] watch the Crocodile Wrestling Show or Lumpini boxinG Stadium Suan Rot Fai Park | Kamphaeng Phet 3 Rd ride on an elephant’s back through the Rama IV Rd | MRT Lumphini BTS Mo Chit / MRT Chatuchak Park tropical gardens and waterfalls. 02-251-4303; 02-252-8765 02- 272-4359 | Tue – Sun & Holidays ลานแสดงช้างและฟาร์มจระเข้สามพราน Fights Tue & Fri 6:30 pm – 10:30 pm; 8:30 am – 4:30 pm | free Sat 5 pm – 8 pm; 8:30 pm – midnight This dome-enclosed sanctuary not from ถ.เพชรเกษม สามพราน B1,000 / B1,500 / B 2,000 JJ Market houses over 500 species of butterflies fluttering freely in the mazes of the SIAM OCEAN WORLD [map 4 / D4] สนามมวยลุมพินี ถ.พระราม 4 landscaped gardens, with their wild flowers, BI F, Siam Paragon | 991 Rama 1 Rd canopied benches, ponds and waterfalls. 02-687-2001 | www.siamoceanworld.com Ratchadamnoen Stadium Besides butterfly watching, visitors can 10 am – 7 pm | B 900 / 700 kids Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue picnic or rent a bicycle for around B 30. It's One of Asia's biggest aquariums. If you're 02-281-4205; 02-280-1684-6 located within Suan Rot Fai Park, a great not put off by the dual-pricing policy (we Fights Mon, Wed, Thu 6:30 pm – 11 pm, big park with open spaces as well as lotus are, quite frankly), there’s fun to be had Sun 5 pm – 8 pm; 8:30 pm – midnight ponds, playgrounds, and basketball and ten- inside, with 8 m high tanks, glass tunnels to B1,000 / B1,500 / B 2,000 nis courts. walk through, and shark-feeding shows. เวทีมวยราชดำ�เนิน ถ.ราชดำ�เนิน

อุทยานผีเสื้อและแมลงกรุงเทพฯ สวนรถไฟ สยามพารากอน ถ.พระราม 1 ถ.กำ�แพงเพชร จตุจักร

Dusit zoo bangkok101.com

Samphran Elephant Ground

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Upcountry now!

July 15 Pattaya International Marathon

Joggers from all over the region will flock to the hedonists’ haven for the Pattaya International Marathon on July 15. The annual lung-burner includes various classes of race (half-marathon, quarter marathon, wheelchair, etc) and kicks off on Beach Road, beside CentralFestival Shopping Centre, before the blazing sun rears its head. Check www.pattaya-marathon.net for the times and so on.

July 18 -22 Phuket Raceweek

Sponsored by the Cape Panwa Hotel, this international regatta will host six classes of sailing races in and around Phuket Island’s Chalong Bay. Spanning four days and five nights, there will also be glam beachside regatta parties open only to participants and featuring free-flow beer, wine and spirits. Fees for boat entry are B12,000 and B4,200 for crew tickets. If you are keen to race, register online at www.phuketraceweek.com.

July 21-22 Hyatt Open Golf Tournament 2012

Golf enthusiasts should swing down to the Banyan Golf Club in Hua Hin over this weekend, as they’ll be able to compete in an amateur yet competitive tournament and then retreat to a luxurious guestroom at the nearby Hyatt Regency Hua Hin afterwards. A two night stay, welcome dinner, two rounds of golf (including golf cart and caddy), awards luncheon and complimentary transfers starts from B17,900 net for one player and B24,800 for two. To reserve a place or find out more, call 02-254-6200 or email reservations.hrhuahin@hyatt.com.

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July 21-27 Phuket Amateur Golf Week

Enjoy daily tournaments at some of the island’s best courses, including the Laguna Phuket Golf Club and the Blue Canyon Country Club. Prices for competing range from B34,060 to B48,490 and include airport pickup, six nights accommodation, welcome party and farewell dinner, transfers and all course fees. Go to www.golfasian.com and click ‘Golf Holidays-Golf Tournaments’ to find out more and reserve your spot.

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t r av e l | U p c o u n t ry n ow

Until July 31 Peoples of the Mekong

The walls at Chiang Rai’s Le Meridien Resort (221/2 Moo 20 Kwaewai Road, Chiang Rai | 053-603-333 | www.lemeridien. com), which is located on the lush green banks of the Northern city’s Mae Kok river, are currently lined with portraits of ethnic minority people living across the Greater Mekong region. They were shot by Dutch photographer Kees Sprengers and African-American photographer Blue Johnson, both of whom have a long history of documenting the lives of hill tribes such as the Akha, Karen, Lisu, Muser, Hmong and Yao.

Through July Butterfly Watching Festival

Sa Kaeo, a province to the east that borders Cambodia, is the place to head if you’re a butterfly fan. At this time of year, rains fall over the province’s Pang Sida National Park, causing hundreds of rare species to emerge fluttering from their cocoons. Possible at any time of day, watching them is the most popular eco-tourism activity here until the end of July. And, once you’re done chasing these graceful flying insects of kaleidoscopic hues, the other big draw in Pang Sida, which is located just 25km north of Sa Kaeo city, is its waterfall of the same name.

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Until Aug In Bloom

A pinkish-purple flower known as the Siam Tulip, or dok krachiao, will brighten up the Northeast’s Chaiyaphum province until the end of August. These wild blooms, with their lotus-leaf like petals, are a popular tourist attraction during the rainy season and are most easily spotted in the misty meadows of Pa Hin Ngam (Forest of Beautiful Rock) National Park. 044-890-105; B100 entry fee for foreigners.

Until August 31 Nikki Beach Wine Season 2012

Until the end of August, Nikki Beach Koh Samui is staging monthly expressions of viticulture passion in association with Fin Wines (a Thai-based wine distributor). At each Wine Season evening, Nikki Beach guests will be able to savour a hand-chosen selection of showcase wines paired with a banquet of spectacular food – and all while enjoying Koh Samui island’s gorgeous sunsets. Every month will feature a different theme, country and host winemaker, with weekly specials on individually-selected wines available, plus unique pairings with à la carte food. www.nikkibeachthailand.com

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Hotel Deals

Until July 31 Family on the Beach Package

Until Oct 31 Summer Super Saver Rates

Until Oct 31 From Hua Hin to Chiang Mai

Siam Bayshore Resort & Spa 599 Moo 10, Beach Rd, Pattaya 03-842-8678 www.siamhotels.com/siambayshore

Centara Hat Yai 3 Sanehanusorn Rd, Hat Yai, Songkhla 074-352-222 www.centarahotelsresorts.com/nch

Sandwiched between Pattaya’s Walking Street and Bali-Hai Pier, the awardwinning Siam Bayshore Pattaya is now offering the ‘Family on the Beach’ package for a winning B6,300++. For that you get two nights in a deluxe room (free upgrade to deluxe ocean wing room), international breakfast for two adults and two children (under 12), free extra children’s bed and unlimited ice cream for the kids.

The Centara Hat Yai, in the Southern border town of Hat Yai, is offering discounts of up to 20% if you book online. A one night stay in a superior room is just B1,440++ from Sun-Thurs, and B1,800++ from Fri-Sat. Alternatively, a more spacious one-bedroom apartment comes in at B4,280++ or B5,350++ per night during the same periods. Two kids under 12 can share your room and bedding for free.

Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin Damnernkasem Rd, Hua Hin 03-251-2021-38 www.centarahotelsresorts.com/chbr

Until Oct 31 Great Time in Krabi

Until Oct 31 Hakuna Matata Golf Escape package

Until Dec 22 City Escape

Beyond Resort Krabi Klong Muang Beach, Krabi 075-628-300 www.katagroup.com/beyond-krabi

Avista Phuket Resort & Spa Kata Beach, 4/1 Leam Sai Rd, Phuket 07-629-8888 katabeach.avistahotelsandresorts.com

Krabi’s newest upscale beach resort is offering a two night stay in one of its beautiful cottages for just B7,500 net per couple. That price includes breakfast, free one-way shuttle to Aonang, round-trip transfer to Krabi airport, a Thai set dinner, free Wi-Fi, 10% and 20% discount on food and spa treatments. Guests can upgrade to a villa for an extra B1,000, or a deluxe seaview room for B2,800.

Make your fantasy golf holiday a reality with the Hakuna Matata (‘No Worries’) package from the hillside Avista Phuket. From B10,999+ per night for one golfer, or B15,999 per night for two, you can enjoy buffet breakfast, rounds of golf at the Loch Palm and Red Mountain golf clubs (transfers, green fees and caddy included), Thai massages and late 4pm checkout from your deluxe or grand deluxe room.

InterContinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort 295 Moo 3, Taling Ngam Beach Koh SamuiI | 07-742-9100 www.ichotelsgroup.com

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Hate having to choose between Hua Hin and Chiang Mai? Now you can enjoy both with this dual destination concept: book into the Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin for two nights and receive a voucher for a onenight stay in a Lanna deluxe room at the award-winning Khum Phaya Resort & Spa Chiang Mai. Prices start from B14,550 net for three nights.

Couples looking for a relaxing getaway to Koh Samui could do a lot worse than this weekend spa and dinner package for two starting from B8,650++ a night. It includes: an overnight at the new InterContinental Samui Baan Taling Ngam Resort, plus breakfast in your suite or private villa, free round-trip airport transfers, a 60-minute spa treatment and a set Thai dinner at the resort’s signature restaurant, Amber.

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Songkhla City Southern Thailand’s heritage jewel

eard of Songkhla? If you have, chances are you associate this province with Hat Yai, Southern Thailand’s largest metropolis. But Songkhla is also the name of a middle-sized city, located a mere 28km away, or 30 minutes car-drive, from Hat Yai. Despite their proximity, the two cities are miles apart. Hat Yai has a population of a quarter million. It is brash, crowded, polluted and has very little charm with countless buildings showing the very worst of 70s and 80s architecture. It is, however, bustling with life, attracting Southern Thais looking for work and Malaysians, who come mostly for the cheap goods and fun. Songkhla City, by contrast, has a mere 80,000 inhabitants and seems to have been frozen in time, as if there was a need to redress the excesses of its bigger, brasher neighbour.

by Luc Citrinot

sea, face out towards the Gulf of Thailand, others back on to Thailand’s largest inner lake) and historic charm in spades.

Its old port was a busy centre of trading for 300 years. In the

latter half of the 17th century, towards the end of the Thai King-

dom of Ayutthaya, Hokkien Chinese traders settled, bringing

prosperity to the city. They then received the endorsement of

various Thai Kings. Today, the heritage of these Chinese traders is still very much alive and Songkhla City can probably be con-

sidered the best preserved and most authentic Chinese enclave in all Thailand.

Some of the area’s old shophouses back to the King Rama III-era (around 1840). Most, however, were built eighty to hundred

years ago, and – with their mix of western and oriental styles,

Don’t expect high-rise buildings, nor fancy shopping centres or wooden balconies and carved facades painted in fading colours trendy ‘hi-so’ shops. Instead, what you will find is a quiet city – bear a striking similarity with the shophouses found in Penwith a breezy coastal location (parts of it are nestled along the ang and Phuket. 3 2 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

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t r av e l | S o n g k h l a C i t y

The old quarter is demarked by Nang Ngam looking like a gate. The most stunning building in Road, Songkhla’s main street, as well as Na“Don’t expect the city centre, though, is the Songkhla National Museum (Wed-Sun 9am-4pm). Built between 1879 khon Nai, Nakhon Nok, Yala, Yaring and Pathigh-rise tani streets. Walking between these roads, buildings, nor and 1894 in traditional Chinese-style, the former venturing into the old-school shops, is like fancy shopping residence of Songkhla’s governor has recently been restored and now hosts a very comprehensive colentering a time-warp into a by-gone age. centres or Restaurants with multi-coloured tiles are trendy ‘hi-so’ lection of art from across Southern Thailand. still cooled by their original fans; old ladies shops” Not all of Songkhla’s charms are man-made. There sell cakes in front of their houses; and more are also pristine beaches near the city centre – ones than a few coffee shops double up as antique that have been spared the concrete eyesores that shops. A few batik (traditional textile) workshops also survive. plague many a Thai coastal city. The only man-made element Amidst this living heritage, there are a couple of structures not to be missed. In the heart of the old town stands Wat Matchimawat, a temple built during the late Ayutthaya period. The complex is an eclectic mix of styles, the main chapel (Phra Ubosot) decorated with exquisite frescoes depicting life in the old port. Nearby is the City Pillar shrine, a typical Chinese structure bangkok101.com

you are likely to come across, in fact, is likely to be on Samila beach, where bronze statues of a mermaid, and a cat and mouse, both inspired by Thai folklore, draw tourists with cameras.

What could be the secret of Songkhla City’s resilience to overdevelopment? Maybe is has something to do with General Prem Tinnasulanonda. The former Prime Minister and President j u ly 2 0 1 2 | 3 3

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ko yo island

of the Privy Council of Thailand, a body of appointed advisors to His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is Muang Songkhla’s most famous citizen and the driving force behind Songkhla’s preservation. The Pathammarong Museum – a simple structure – displays memorabilia owned by him and his family. Finally, a sojourn in Songkhla City could not be complete without spending a few hours exploring the neighbouring Island of Ko Yo. Located in the midst of Songhkla’s great lake, Ko Yo Island is populated by fishers’ communities who live in wooden houses with a distinct architectural style. Also, dominating the island in the vicinity of the Tinnasulanon Bridge, is the Institute of Southern Thai Studies. As well as a small museum depicting the lifestyles, folklore and customs of Southern people, it offers stunning views of the island and Muang Songkhla.

country’s travel advice so you can make an informed decision) are holding back Songkhla’s desire to become a major tourist destination. But, given the city’s unspoilt history, nature and culture and laidback character, it’s surely only a matter of time before this southern jewel gets to shine?

Getting there

They are a dozen daily flights between Bangkok and Hat Yai as well as scheduled flights from Chiang Mai and Phuket. Check the websites of Nok Air, Orient Thai, Thai AirAsia and Thai Airways. From Hat Yai, mini-buses commute to SongkhThere is no question that the distance from Bangkok, lack of la City in 30 minutes, with buses departing almost every 30 world-class hotels and the slow-burning Muslim separatist minutes from locations in Hat Yai City centre and the airport. violence that has plagued the region for years now (check your Sleep

Rajamangala Pavilion Beach Resort The only boutique style luxury hotel in Songhkla City. Located on Chalatat Beach, it offers spectacular ocean views of the Gulf of Thailand and is a few minutes drive from the town centre.

1 Rajdamnoen Nok Road | 07-4487-222 | info@pavilionhotels.com Pavilion Songkhla A high-rise structure offering colonial-inspired interiors with decent rooms.

17 Platha Road 07-444-1850 | songkhla@pavilionhotels.com

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over the border

Mirrors Georgetown (until july 15)

Bangkok

George Town in a Day by Gabija Grusaite

n the 226 years since Captain Francis Light established Malaysia’s George Town, the city has undergone a remarkable transformation – from remote tropical outpost, to commercial jewel of the British Empire, to UNESCO World Heritage

Gulf of Thailand

site. For most visitors, the main attraction is (and probably always will be) its streets lined with pre-war Chinese shophouses, British colonial buildings, historical churches, mosques and

temples. And yet, this highlight of the Straits of Malacca is now keen to show the world that it has more to offer than just coloni-

al-era nostalgia. Central to this drive is the annual George Town festival, a month long feast of arts and culture that began as a

celebration of its inauguration as a UNESCO World Heritage Site on the 7th of July 2008 but has since grown into much, much

more than that. This year’s edition runs until July 15 and, with its well-balanced blend of local and international acts, looks set to

cement George Town’s place on the regional arts and culture map.

George Town

MALAYSIA

Here’s a suggested one-day itinerary interspersing its living her-

itage and culinary treasures with highlights from the festival. Click on to www.georgetownfestival.com for the full list of programmes, and www.airasia.com to book your last minute flight.

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t r av e l | G e o rg e tow n

sketching george town (july 10 - july 22)

Morning Get an early 8am start and grab a hearty breakfast. Festival director Joe Sidek’s favourite is Mews Café, which is secreted in a shady courtyard on Muntri Street. Alternatively, grab some dim sum at the famous Tho Yuen Restaurant (92 Campbell St). Once you’ve had your fuel, it’s time to explore – the best way to do so is on foot or by trishaw (three-wheeled bicycles with a cab for two). Before setting off, though, grab a copy of the festival’s Art & Heritage Walk map. Not only is it packed full of interesting short stories and Penang factoids, it also plots the location of street murals by up-and-coming young Lithuanian artist Ernest Zacharevic. Commissioned for the festival, this project entitled Mirrors George Town is a playful fusion of modern street art and heritage preservation, with the portraits of a multi-cultural cross-section of locals intended to remind us that it is the people – not only the buildings – that make a city. Mirrors Georgetown (until july 15)

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Lunchtime

Afternoon

There are hundreds of places to feast in George Town. So many, in fact that there’s no way you could sample all of its delicacies on one visit (unless, that is, you’re up for doing the impossible and squeezing in three lunches or five dinners a day). Don’t get too carried away reading articles and guidebooks listing places to try. For now all you need to know is that you can’t go wrong with the food here, be it an elaborate eleven-course Hakka Chinese dinner or selection of cheaper-than-cheap street hawker fare. To name just a few (and commit the sin of leaving out so many), recommendations include the nasi birayani at Indian curryhouse Restoran Kapitan (49 Chulia Street), the delicious local Chinese fare at TekSen (Carnarvon Road), and Amelie Café (Armenian St), which is a nice spot for a frothy cappuccino and good plate of pasta.

Beat the sweltering heat by enjoying some art. There is a diverse selection of exhibitions, workshops and talks lined up for the festival, some of which will continue their run after it finishes (an exhibition by the Penang Teacher’s Art Circle at the Penang State Gallery, for example). Once you’re galleried-out, seek refreshment just like the British did in days of yore: with high-tea at the historic Eastern & Oriental Hotel (www.eo-hotel.com). Since its opening in 1885, Penang’s grandest place to stay has welcomed the glitterati of the literary and entertainment worlds including Mary Pickford, Douglas Fairbanks, Rudyard Kipling and Hermann Hesse. Alternatively, more bohemian spirits should head for Piknik Café on Nagore road. A popular hang-out for twenty-somethings, its owner Wei Ming is a blogger (ownlypenang.com) and filmmaker who is more than happy to share news of the latest happenings or reveal the best place to enjoy rojak (Penang’s fruit and vegetable salad dish), durian ice-cream or a late supper (his specialty, as he goes for one every night after Piknik closes at 2am).

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the manganiyar seduction (july 6-8)

Night-time

STAY

Dinner is serious business around here. Some Singaporeans even fly here just for it. Try a steam boat dinner on Nagore road; indulge in a feast of hawker delights at the Gurney Drive Food Court; or wine and dine at the trendiest place for well-to-do locals and expats – China House (155 Beach Street | www.chinahouse. com.my). Owned by an Australian businesswoman, the latter is a traditional compound of three heritage buildings linked by an open-air courtyard and converted into 14 spaces: shops, cafés, restaurants, galleries, etc. Once your belly’s full and happy, hit one of the festival’s music, dance, theatre or street performances – and, once it’s over, see if you can’t blag your way into the accompanying after-party. Alternatively, if you feel like dancing there is a strip of nightclubs on Penang road offering the usual disco, pop and R&B fare. Or, for a quiet and romantic night, grab yourself a bottle of wine and go to Chew Jetty at the breathtaking waterfront settlement along Weld Quay – the view of the bay with sparkling lights and sea breezes goes together like bread and butter.

Clove Hall

sketching george town (july 10 - july 22)

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Set in a tropical oasis, this Edwardian Anglo-Malay bungalow is a charming amalgam of George Town’s Chinese, Malay, Indian and English heritage. http://clovehall.com

The Straits Collection Run by the same owner as China House and it shares the same unique sense of style. Each of four residences is an individually furnished two storey Chinese merchant house set in a trendy Armenian street. By staying here you also support a non-profit organisation that takes care of local stray animals. www.straitscollection.com.my

Muntri Mews Formerly used as stables, this delightful two-storey building was converted into nine elegant and modern suites. Restored and run by award-winning hotelier Christopher Ong, Muntri Mews is an affordable boutique aimed at today’s flashpacker and with one of the best cafés in town for breakfast. www.muntrimews.com

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A R T S & C ulture

‘PORNSAK Sakdaenprai’ at kathmandu photo gallery 4 0 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

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ARTs & c u l t u r e | E x hibi t i o n s

Arts & Culture If the prospect of lots of Thai art in one place appeals, the place to check out is the recently opened Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), out in the northern outskirts. Housing the private collection of former DTAC chairman, Boonchai Bencharongkul, the expansive six-storey museum boasts by far the capital’s most extensive display of contemporary Thai art – over 400 pieces. Notable exhibitions carrying over from last month include Insane, painters Krit Chantranet and Verapong’s examination of young people’s computer gaming obsession over at Numthong Gallery. Another is a group show over at the Bangkok Art & Culture of the 200 prints and drawings that made the finals of The 3rd Bangkok International Print and Drawing Exhibition. Elsewhere, controversial Thai photographer Manit Sriwanichpoom is involved in two shows: one a debut of two new collections of his work at H Gallery; the other a retrospective of mid-1960s studio photography from a village in the Northeast at Kathmandu (pictured opposite). Also worth catching: Endure at Serindia Gallery, a display of photographs of Chinese gymnasts shot by British-Malay photographers Anderson and Low in the run up to this month’s London Olympics. More into street art? If so, check out the second studio exhibition by thirty-one year old talent Alex Face over at Artery – but not before reading our profile on p.46. bangkok101.com

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exhibition highlights Insane Numthong Gallery [MAP8 / L7] 72/3 Aree 5 (North), Phahonyothin Soi 7, Phahoyothin Rd BTS Ari | 081-918-5067, 02-617-2794 | www.gallerynumthong.com Mon – Sat 11am – 6pm Jul 14

In a world where people increasingly indulge their fantasies in a virtual realm of CGI, painters Krit Chantranet and Verapong Sritrakulkitjakarn draw attention to the potential long-term fallout of such behaviour. As younger generations turn their backs on the world outside for cocooned flat-screen comfort, the artists ponder whether this detachment from reality will lead to global madness.

Absolute Truth Tang Contemporary Art [MAP5 / D5] Unit B-28 (Basement), Silom Galleria 919/1 Soi 19 | BTS Surasak 02- 630 -1114 | www.tangcontemporary.com | Mon–Sat 11am–7pm; closed on holidays Until Jul 14

This three-person exhibition of emerging Chinese art explores the perennial notion of truth and what this means in contemporary society. Cui Jie uses two-dimensional painting to examine fabrication and authenticity, Tang Yuhan looks to ancient geomancy or earth divination for inspiration, while Gao Jie uses spatial illusion and sensory disorder as entry points.

The 3rd Bangkok Triennale International Print and Drawing Exhibition Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (BACC) [MAP4 / B4] 939 Rama I Rd | BTS National Stadium | 02-214-6630-1 www.bacc.or.th | Tue–Sun 10am–9pm Until Jul 29

Located on the 8th floor, this tightly hung exhibition crams in over 200 works by finalists selected from nearly 3,000 prints and drawings. Despite entries from some 60 countries, the lion’s share of the art view comes from local artists, who display great technical virtuosity.

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ARTs & c u l t u r e | E x hibi t i o n s

Obscene H Gallery [MAP5 / F6] 201 Soi 12 Sathorn Rd | 081-310-4428 | 10am-6pm, Tue by appointment | www.hgallerybkk.com I BTS Surasak Until July 30

Controversial Thai photographer Manit Sriwanichpoom makes his H Gallery debut with two collections, both linked by his interest in the masculine vices of greed and lust. The first consists of semi-abstract black and white photographs of traditional Thai lingams, which are fertility symbols widely used as sacred offerings. The second is a collection of Baroque nudes confronting the garish vulgarity of present-day Thai politics.

Indigo Monsters Project La Lanta Fine Art [MAP3 / J4] 245/14 Sukhumvit Soi 31 | 02-260-5381, 02-204-0583 Tue-Sat 10am-7pm; Sun by appointment | www.lalanta.com BTS Phrom Phong Until Aug 1

Three artists from Thailand, Japan and The Netherlands present collaborative drawings inspired by their meeting in the home of blue and white porcelain, the Chinese city of Jingdezhen. Depicting monsters, the works were created using the ‘exquisite corpse’ method, with each artist adding one element and then passing it on to the next, and address the cross-cultural power struggles between the three nations.

Pornsak Sakdaenprai Kathmandu Photo Gallery [MAP5 / G5] 87 Soi Pan, Silom Rd | 02-234-6700 | Tue-Sun 11am-7pm www.kathmandu-bkk.com l BTS Chong Nonsi Until 27 Aug

For the latest in its ‘Seeking Forgotten Thai Photographers’ series, the bohemian photo gallery presents 30 black and white prints of young villagers from the Northeast posing as their favourite luk thung (Thai country-music) gods and goddesses. Shot by Pornsak Sakdaenprai at his photo studio between 1965 and 1967, the images stand as poignant reminders of the idolatry the Golden Age of Thai country music inspired.

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Enjoy these highlights from our sister publication the Bangkok Art Map. BAM is a free city map containing insights into Thailand's blossoming art scene. www.bangkokartmap.com

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A R T S & C ulture

in space

Warp 54

“These warehouses have a lot of potential – this soi could be a fantastic creative destination. My hope is that more artists and designers will rent a space here”. So says Christian Dveleter, the Belgian tenant of one of the studios helping turn an unassuming little soi only a short stroll from the river into a Soho-like artistic enclave. Entitled Warp 54, the structure – a teakwood warehouse built by the Japanese during World War II – is first and foremost a workspace where Dvelter, an internationally known artist, creates his vivid, oversized oil pantings of Asian characters. But pop-up events ranging from dance performances to magazine launches and gourmet sit-down dinners occupy its rough teakwood floors now and again too. www.warp54.com

warp 54

What is Warp 54 exactly? It’s a raw spacious work place, just the way I like it.

How did you find it? Our friends, also from Belgium, found the space through their dad, who has an amazing antique place opposite our studio. They have a furniture design studio further up in the soi called P. Tendercool (ptendercool.com). I paint on large canvases and tend to lose myself in my space, so when I saw it I immediately imagined it as my atelier. It was a quick decision. What was the building used for previously? After being built during World War II, it was used for storage of various items. The space hasn’t changed a lot since those days .We cleaned it up and restored the warehouse feel. It’s rare to still find a space like this so near the river. 4 4 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

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ARTs & c u l t u r e | w a r p 5 4

"My hope is that more artists and designers will come here and rent a space "

The name – any link to Studio 54? We came up with it when we were having some drinks whilst renovating the place. The ‘warp’ part comes from warp speed from Star Trek – we found it a fun name. The ‘studio’ because it’s my studio and ‘54’ is the number of the warehouse. And yes, there’s a wink to New York’s Studio 54 in there, although we haven’t had any white horses in here, yet. Describe your work. Most of my paintings tend to be huge portraits based on Asian subjects. I decide on the colour scheme while painting by putting opposite colours next to one another. It’s more or less a mathematical process.

We first encountered Warp 54 at a magazine launch party. What other events do you host here? Our best event so far was an amazing pop-up dinner with Dusit and Chef Mc Daeng. And we also staged a contemporary dance performance inspired by Jean Genet during the floods. What’s next for Warp 54? For the next few months I’m going to focus on my new collection, which is based on facial tattoo’s from the Chin tribe in Myanmar. It’s painstaking work but a very exciting project. My urban and tribal paintings have also inspired the next collection of local fashion label Tube Gallery. There will be a full fashion show here at Warp when it’s launched towards the end of this year.

Why use such big canvases? Because it best suits my technique. I prefer to paint a stroke with my whole arm and feel the tension then scribbling on a Are you open to the public? small piece. I feel more interaction when I paint in a physi- Whenever I’m working in the studio I leave the gate open, and cal way, it’s something personal. It’s also more a pain for my I’m usually available by appointment if I’m not traveling. copy cats. Do you exhibit other people’s work here? Yes, when it’s complementary to my work and the artists are as committed to their work as I am to mine.

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Warp 54 Studios [MAP5 / C2] Charoen Krung Soi 30 (turn left into the gate before the Portuguese Embassy, third warehouse on the left) | Si Phraya Express Boat Pier | 081-867-5002 www.warp54.com | Open by appointment only

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Artist Profile

Alex Face

Thirty-one year old street artist Alex Face, or Patcharapol Tangruen to give him his Thai name, is well known among the local graffiti community, but now looks set to get wider recognition with his second solo exhibition, showing at Silom’s Artery gallery this month. “When I was small, I used to love walking along the paddy fields at the back of my house,” he says, “venturing as far as I could go and watching my house get smaller and smaller.” Later, while studying architecture at Bangkok’s King Mongkut Institute of Technology, this same exploratory spirit and fascination with perspective led him to start wandering Bangkok’s streets and alleys in search of abandoned buildings – only this time with a bag of spray paint on his back. For him, street art is more than just a creative outlet; it’s also a good way of interacting with people he wouldn’t have met otherwise, many of them from Bangkok’s underclass. His signature: the face of a quizzical smoking baby who looks wise beyond his years. Coming across like the Thai graffiti art equivalent of Stewie from Family Guy, this cute motif is, he says, inspired by his two-year-old child.

The Underground Adventure

July 13 – August 2 ARTERY POST-MODERN GALLERy [MAP5 / D5] 2/2 Silom Soi 19, Silom Rd | 02-635-3133 Mon-Sat 9am-7pm, Sun by Appointment www.arterybangkok.com I BTS Surasak 4 6 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

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ART S & Cu l t u r e | r e a di n g & s c r e e n i n g

Navigating The Bangkok Noir

ADDRESSES

Chris Coles | Marshall Cavendish

Joe E. Harvey | Tuttle Publishing

These memoirs recount the formative years of Teddy Spha Palasthira, the “only Thai in the world,” he tells us in the opening pages, “named after an English copper.” Son to a prominent diplomat and his attractive wife, Teddy’s childhood is a well-to-do albeit dislocated one spent drifting from posting to posting, address to address (each of the twelve he lived in denotes a different chapter). The book has more than its fair share of breezy drives through the English countryside, and balmy strolls along Rome’s wide boulevards, and yet it’s no picnic either. Born in England shortly before World War II erupted, Teddy and his family survived the Blitz. His and his family also suffered the ignominy of being labeled enemy aliens when Thailand declared war on Britain in January 1942. It would be easy to dismiss Addresses as just a story about how the other half lived, but the book is enlightening, warm and guilelessly sentimental.

As the numbers of foreign pugilists flocking to kick-boxer training schools across the Kingdom suggests, muay thai is one of the world’s fastest growing martial arts. And behind every sporting phenomenon, a glut of howto-master manuals always follows. With over 200 colour photographs, diagrams and easy-to-follow, detailed breakdowns of all the basic movements, strikes, defences and intricate combinations, this chunky effort will have you thinking you’re the next Tony Jaa in no time. One caveat, though: if you’re looking to learn about the sport’s history, rituals and notions of honour, as well as its techniques, look elsewhere (there is no mention of the strangely hypnotic wai kruu ceremony that precedes fights here in Thailand, for example). An excellent illustrative book, then, about muay thai: the speed, strength and cardio-vascular improving sport – not muay thai: the ancient artform.

253pp | B590

128pp | B500

Love it or loathe it, Bangkok’s notorious nightlife industry is infamous around the world. It is into this netherworld that American artist and filmmaker Chris Coles explores. Using an exaggerated cinematic approach, Coles uses expressionist-style watercolour paintings to portray the City of Angel’s vibrant yet upsetting nightlife, using thick bold lines and clashes of colour to blur the lines between real emotion and performance art. One question continually arises: what’s really behind those smiles? Unlike the exhibition that accompanied this work, the book answers that question with clarity as Coles provides background stories and anecdotes – without disclosing a full biography – about his subjects. Neither callous nor demanding sympathy, this book allows you to navigate one man’s ambivalence to the self-proclaimed ‘Land of Smiles’.

MASTERING MUAY THAI

Teddy Spha Palasthira | PostBooks

192pp | B796

reading

& screening

King of the White Elephant (Phra Jao Chang Pheuk)

Pridi Banomyong | 1941 | B350 | www.thaifilm.com

A thinly veiled message to Western powers before the advent of World War II, this English-language B&W addresses the age-old Thai-Burmese conflict, with a different bent. Instead of the usual bone-gnashing, nationalistic gore that fuels films about Thailand‘s historical enemy, it posits a benevolent and progressive Thai king who grapples with a Burmese invasion and larger philosophical questions, including: What is the line between national pride and militaristic jingoism? How does a just ruler balance the need for self-defense with an overarching philosophy of peace and forgiveness? Its director, brilliant statesman Pridi Banomyong, was the father of Thailand‘s WWII resistance to the Japanese and to its transition towards democratic governance, but was forced into fleeing the country after being accused of Communist, anti-royalist conspiracy. The movie is occasionally quaint and hammy as historical curios can be, but is nevertheless an important rumination on timeless – and timely – questions of good governance. bangkok101.com

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ESSENCE

Sakul Intakulâ&#x20AC;&#x2DC;s exploration of form through flowers Photography by Jirasak Thongyuak

At the entrance to the home of Thai architect Boonlert Hemvijitraphan, the undulating horizontal plane of a river surface is recreated using wire mesh. The uneven hanging metal wires create ripples of water upon which the pink lotus flowers appear to float.

y the end of this month Bangkok will have its very first museum dedicated to the beguiling things that Thais and other Asians do with flowers. But for now, revel in these shots of the work by the Museum of Floral Culture’s founder Sakul Intakul, all of them taken from his second book, FlorESSENCE. Since giving up his career as an engineer, Thailand’s ‘baron of the blossom’ has gained a reputation for his modern flower arrangements inspired by natural forms and floral traditions from around the world. Commissions have come from private homes, resorts wanting to jazz-up some swanky party, even Her Majesty Queen Sirikit. And it’s no surprise: his works – with their distinctive geometry, sculptural quality and explosion of colours – are hard to take your eyes off. Sakul will host a workshop at the Museum of Floral Culture between Saturday July 7 and Sunday July 8, and the official museum opening be held towards the end of July. Contact him at sakulintakul@yahoo.com or visit www.sakulintakul.com for more.

These wire-mesh foliage columns covered with lotus leaves and encircled by bands of orchids were displayed at the annual flower show at the Swissotel Nai Lert Park.

Chrysanthemum hybrids set in floral squares appear to float in the corridor of Chiang Maiâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Rachamankha Hotel. Delicate bamboo frames form the backbone of this installation, which achieves a dynamic spatial effect through its use of various frame sizes and angular positioning.

For this floral installation at Alden Biesen in Belgium, green spider chrysanthemums were placed on two layers of mesh-wire sheets suspended in a black box, all four sides of it lined with mirrors. The resulting visual effect gave the illusion of an illuminated floral field floating in air and stretching as far as the eye can see.

These oversized woven bamboo baskets holding rings of orchids were inspired by silk cocoon baskets from the northeast.

Natureâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s vertical beauty inspired this arrangement of orange Heloconia blooms aligned in floral foam. Swirling, bare white branches positioned horizontally add linear amusement to the display.

Pink globe amaranths and lily pads were combined to create flower sculpture cubes that look like a bio-mechanical organism from another planet.

An intricate circular arrangement designed for villas at the Bulgari Resort in Bali. Deep-coloured leaves were loosely coiled to create foliage upon which voluptuous pink orchid blossoms and purple amaranth flowers can rest.

FlorESSENCE: Essence of Modern Flower Design

Purple Press | Sakul Intakul with photos by Jirasak Thongyuak | 224pp | B1,236 at Asia Books

FOOD & DRINKS

Goong Ma Praow Thod at Jim Thompson 5 4 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

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* so tasty

Food & Drinks news New Openings

By the time you read this Quince, a new, produce-driven designer eatery and bar on Sukhumvit Soi 45 helmed by acclaimed Aussie chef Jess Barnes should, after months of dish-testing and delays, be open for business. Before you head down there though, best check their Facebook page (Facebook: quincebangkok) just to make sure. A couple of sois down, Smith (1/8 Sukhumvit Soi 49 | 02-261-0515 | www.smith-restaurant.com) is now bringing the latest flavour of the day – nose-to-tail dining – as well as sustainable practices and a sleek, rustic style to a reclaimed 40-year-old warehouse. It’s got the same culinary and creative team behind the popular Hyde & Seek Gastro Bar behind it (including celebrity chef Ian Kittichai) so probably can’t fail.

Two other hotel venues that we’re keeping an eye on include L’Appart, a rooftop champagne bar and restaurant at the new Sofitel Sukhumvit; and 25 Degrees, a sophisticated burger bar with links to a chain from Los Angeles over at the Pullman G (188 Silom Road | 02-238 1991 | www.pullmanbangkokhotelg.com). Countdown to close at Crêpes & Co.

If you’ve long been a fan of the original Crêpes & Co. (18 Sukhumvit Soi 12 | 02-653-3990 | www.crepesnco. com), just a gentle reminder that this is the last month you have to enjoy it before it uproots and moves to new premises on Langsuan Road. The new incarnation will attempt to recreate the lush garden house atmosphere of Heading east, two swank restaurants at the two-month old, and be located just before Soi 1 and the Centrepoint old The Okura Prestige Hotel (57 Wireless Rd | BTS Phloen building, behind Calderazzo and The Ninth restaurants. Chit | 02-687-9000 | www.okurabangkok.com) have us counting down to payday. Being a luxury hotel brand from Japan, we expect good things from its Japanese Eat Responsibly every month

restaurant Yamazato, especially as veteran Okura chef Shigeru Hagiwara is helming it. The specialty: kaiseki ryori (Japanese haute cuisine presented in rustic earthenware). The other is Elements, an international finediner with a bold design and even bolder food. We tried some of what they call Modern logical cuisine during a recent stay there, and were impressed. Our ‘Micro tasting’ set menu was all molecular techniques, top-notch product (from home and abroad) and eye-popping plating. The foodies will be queuing up here soon, especially for the open-kitchen facing chef’s table. bangkok101.com

The Eat Responsibly Day Farmer’s Market over at Bo.Lan (42 Sukhumvit Soi 26 | 02-260-2962 | www.bolan. co.th) is now a monthly fixture, taking place on every first Saturday of each month. Last month’s was the busiest yet, the highlight being a cook-off between Chef Pete Pitakwong of Smith’s and Hyde and Seek, and Chef Jess Barnes of the soon-to-open Quince (see above). No news on if they’ve another lined up for the next one on July 7, but you can expect to find lots of friendly local producers flogging pesticide-free fruit and veg, ethically raised meats and artisanal hand-made products. j u ly 2 0 1 2 | 5 5

FOOD & DRINKS

MEAL Deals July 3 – 16 – Sweet Taste of Japan Shintaro at Four Seasons Hotel [MAP4 / G6] 155 Rajadamri Rd | BTS Rajadamri | 02-126-8866 | www.fourseasons.com Shintaro’s Chef Sawada will work with a Japanese favourite ayu, a river fish regarded as one of the tastiest and known for having a sweet distinctive flavor with aromas of melon and cucumber. Dishes will include ayu shioyaki (grilled sweet fish with sea salt and date vinegar dip) and ayu no arai (ice shocked slice sweet fish sashimi served with mustard miso and plum sauce). Prices from B520-B980. July 4 and 14 – Raising the Patriotic Flag The Square, Novotel Bangkok [MAP4 / D5] Siam Square Soi 6, Rama I Rd | BTS Siam | 02-209-8888 ext. the Square www.novotelbkk.com For the US’s July 4 Independence Day festivities and France’s July 14 Bastille Day celebrations, the Novotel Siam Square is offering a B899++ buffet dinner featuring patriotic favourites. American favourites will include corn crab chowder, smoked Texas pork ribs and roasted turkey with traditional stuffing; the more genteel French celebrations star pork rillettes, duck confit and bouillabaisse, among other classics.B1,230 per person Mon-Fri, B1,430 Sat-Sun. July 15 – 21 – French Lamb Set Menu Déjà Vu, Pullman Bangkok King Power [MAP8 / K10] 8/2 Rang-nam Rd | BTS Victory Monument | 02-680-9999 www.pullmanbangkokkingpower.com Head to Déjà Vu at the Pullman Bnagkok King Power between these dates to enjoy a mouthwatering four course set menu of French-style cooked French lamb: oven baked lamb shoulder with Dijon mustard, roasted stuffed lamb saddle and pan roasted lamb rack, among others. The price is B2,200 net per person and they are throwing in a free bottle of house wine for every full paying couple. Until July 30 – New ways to enjoy Rock Lobster Tenface Bangkok Hotel [MAP4 / M8] 81 Soi Ruamrudee 2, Wireless Rd | BTS Phloen Chit | 02-695-4242 www.tenfacebangkok.com Through July Wanara Eatery’s executive chef, Thanatorn Sukrat, is cooking three mouthwatering dishes using rock lobsters from Australia. They are: stir fried rock lobster with fresh pepper corn and avocado cubs; golden brown rock lobster and new linguine with avocado; and grilled rock lobster with avocado and spring chipotle salad. Everyday from 6pm-10pm, with prices from B650++. Until Aug 26 – Seafood Every Sunday Centara Grand at CentralWorld [MAP3 / F6] 999/99 Rama I Rd | BTS Siam/Chit Lom | 02-100-1234 www.centarahotelsresorts.com The World and Ginger, the International and Asian buffet restaurants at the Centara Grand, are hosting a Sunday seafood dinner from 6-10:30pm. Australian and Atlantic Ocean seafood such as blue swimmer crab, rock lobster, Pacific oysters and sea crab will accompany hot dishes, a carvery station and decadent desserts. B1,490++ per person, including free flow red and white wine selected by the sommelier. Until Aug 31 – The Great SteakOut Challenge amBar Steakhouse at Four Points by Sheraton [MAP3 / E6] 4 Sukhumvit Soi 15, Sukhumvit Rd | BTS Asok/MRT Sukhumvit 02-309-3201 | www.facebook.com/amBarBangkok Red meat eaters rejoice! The rooftop venue at the Four Points by Sheraton is daring gluttonous carnivores to take up ‘The Great SteakOut Challenge’: finish two kilos of premium Australian or US beef within one hour and it is totally free. The fine print: 24 hours booking in advance is essential; it’s an individual, not group challenge, so it’s definitely not ok to slip your friends the gristly bits. 5 6 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

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F o o d & D r i n k s | r e s ta u r a n t r e v i e w

Bourbon Street Restaurant review by Max Crosbie-Jones

- Cajun-Creole upgrades from backstreet to mainstreet Since we last visited the capital’s 26-year-old home of Cajun and Creole cuisine things have changed for the better. After a long period of will-they-moveor-won’t-they, Bourbon Street finally moved from Washington Square (a seedy, rundown entertainment strip dating back to the Vietnam war-era) to a prime, seven-storey slice of Ekamai (Sukhumvit Soi 63) real estate earlier this year. How has the relocation panned out? If you spot the Hawaiian-shirt donning proprietor, Louisiana native Doug Harrison, walking around his gleaming new restaurant, complete with 18 hotel rooms on the middle floors and extra bar space on the top floor, he’s clearly happy about it… and so are we. The wrong-side-of-the-tracks feel that the original Bourbon Street shared with New Orleans’ legendary, anything-goes party strip may be gone, but this is now a restaurant that we’d be happy to bring the family too. More wholesome location aside though, the basics haven’t changed that much. Inside you’ll find the same colourful, casual, big-heated vibe of old, the most notable differences being the high-ceilings and mezzanine offering extra dining space. Seating ranges from hefty chairs to cushioned banquettes to a long old-school bar – while the kids will probably make a beeline towards the big central fish tank. Timothy Westay, an American chef who’s worked the Ritz Carlton is now helming the kitchen, but otherwise not an awful lot has changed in the food department too (and that’s the way it should be: after a quarter of a century of dishing up American-sized portions of no-nonsense Louisianan fare for reasonable prices, it would be downright reckless to start messing with the merchandise now). bangkok101.com

Kick off your artery-clogging feast with a few appetisers – a plate of well battered popcorn shrimp (B180++) or buffalo chicken wings served with a moreish blue cheese dressing (B160++) perhaps – before moving on to the richer, starchier fare. As you’d expect, the Cajun classics come thick and fast: hearty gumbo stews, zesty homemade sausages, blackened fish, steaming bowls of jambalaya, the list goes on and on. One must order: the BBQ baby back pork ribs (B370++) glazed in a thick BBQ sauce and served with refried beans and slices of cornbread. As for dessert, if forced at gunpoint to pick a favourite, we’d opt for a slice of the rich pecan pie. Judging by our weeknight visit, Bourbon Street’s shift from backstreet to mainstreet is working out well – it was busy, with more middle-class Thais than nostalgic Americans, something you’d never have dreamed of seeing at the original. Other draws that might encourage you to join them: free Wi-fi, fresh oysters, potent margaritas (B155++), five house wines by the glass, Skytrain proximity (we clocked our walk at 5 minutes), efficient and friendly service, and the legendary Tuesday night Mexican buffet (B315++).

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getting there

FOOD & DRINKS

Arabesque

Restaurant review by Max Crosbie-Jones

- Fine-dine like an Egyptian Another Middle Eastern restaurant in an area packed with them… put it like this and Arabesque doesn’t sound that attractive a proposition. However, two things distinguish this Egyptian restaurant from your typical Nana area joint: (1) its location deep inside quiet Sukhumvit Soi 2, away from the traffic and streetwalkers; (2) its fine-dining ambitions.

and a fresh, finely diced mixed salad in a vinegary/lemony dressing. Both were excellent, especially when scooped up using strips of the fresh oven-baked pita bread. As for mains, plenty of grilled meats (shish kebab, kofta, etc) are offered but we gravitated towards Egypt’s hearty, ovenbaked dishes. One was fattah, a stodgy yet satisfying rice dish that’s similar to tajine expect for the scraps of bread that are mixed into it. That might not sound appealing, but it works: to our Mozah Meat Fattah (B250) the bread added a chewy texture that worked well with its soft boiled rice and hunks of tender lamb shank. The other was a mixed mahshi platter: a big plate of grape leaves, zucchini, eggplant, tomatoes and green peppers stuffed with rice, herbs and green leaves (B250). There were no fireworks, but we enjoyed everything.

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. Saturday night’s belly dancers and buffet sounds like an open invitation to boisterous tourist buses, but otherwise Unlike most of its competitors, the menu is as pure Egyptian Arabesque offers something its nearest competitors don’t: as the fixtures (and the imported goodies sold in the on-site no-nonsense Egyptian cooking in an elegant and low-key bazaar, which occupies the other half of the curtained off insetting. Expect it to become the go-to restaurant for Middle terior). As well as dishes that fans of Middle Eastern cuisine Eastern diplomats and businessmen out to impress very soon. will know well, such as hummus, mousaka and tajine (clay-pot stews), it includes some they probably won’t. Koushary, for อราเบสค์ สุขุมวิท ซ.2 example, is an Egyptian staple of lentil, macaroni, rice, fried getting there onions and chili tomato sauce that we’ve never seen on the Arabesque [MAP3 / B7] menu anywhere else. 68/1 Sukhumvit Soi 2, Sukhumvit Rd (500 m from JW After munching on the free plate of pickled vegetables Marriott) | 02-656-9440 | www.facebook.com/arabeswith spicy dip, we opened with a plate of hummus (B120) querestaurantbangkokthailand | 11am - 2am 5 8 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

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F o o d â&#x20AC;&#x2030; & â&#x20AC;&#x2030;D r i n k s | x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

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Jim Thompson Restaurant review by Yvonne Liang

- a tourist-luring thai restaurant that delivers 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.

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. Another hallmark dish is the wonderfully textured pla ga pong sam rod: crunchy deep fried sea bass drizzled in a perfectly balanced savoury, sweet and fiery sauce. To bring your taste buds back to balance, we suggest finishing off with a plate of fresh mango and sticky rice. The difference with this ubiquitous There are typical Thai dishes, yes, but there are also lots dish: it’s dyed with indigo blue butterfly pea flower. that aren’t. For a new taste sensation try the intensely spiced sang wah goong kub pla duke foo, also known as old We were skeptical too, but pop by for an elegantly plated fashioned grilled prawn salad with traditional herbs, fresh lunch or dinner and you’ll all leave sated and happy. vegetables and crispy catfish. Not only is this dish served in an intricately carved pumpkin, but each and every con- จิม ทอมป์สัน เรสเตอร์รอง เกษมสันต์ ซ.2 (ถ.พระราม 1) diment is prepared with an artistic flair that does late silk tycoon Jim Thompson’s artistic legacy proud. Ok, so it might getting there be difficult to differentiate what’s decoration and what’s ed- Jim Thompson House and Museum [MAP4 / A3] ible, but rest assured even the pretty flowers on this plate 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Rd | BTS National Stadium can be nibbled on. 02-612-3601 | www.jimthompson.com, A restaurant that works for groups of diners with diverse tastes, other notable dishes here include the pleasantly mild 6 0 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

www.facebook.com/jimthompsonrestaurants.thailand noon – 5pm, 7pm – 11pm bangkok101.com

F oo d & Dr i nks | r e st a u r a nt r e v i e w

Ozono Café

- pet-friendly fusion café The whole family is welcome at Ozono Café. And by all the family, we mean even your pooch. This funky little, tucked away bar restaurant is located in one corner of Ozono Place, a grassy speck of a community mall where patrons are allowed to sashay around with their pet dog at their heel.

unctuous chili sauce at its side. Lovers of northeastern food will recognise it as a less spicy and offal-packed variant on yum naem; those who don’t will probably do a “where the hell have you been all my life?” as they savour its fragrant flavours and crunchy texture. There are sure to be some more hits (and probably the odd misfire) on the menu, but the dishes That bombshell out of the way, what is the appeal for your we spotted some coming out of the kitchen all looked bold average punter? Though a little hard to reach, this is a pleasant and well plated. spot for quiet post-work dinner and drinks. There’s a simple modern dining room with proper sit-down dining inside, and Our tip: If put off by dish titles such as Bangkok bruschettas a tree-shaded al fresco terrace with low wooden tables and and The Lost Cowboy, ask them to recommend what seacushioned chairs outside. A modest wine wall over near the food they have in stock. It’s a strong point here, as the owner kitchen stocks a range of Pinots, Shirazs, Cabernet, Proseccos travels down south, to his hometown Surathani, once a week, and other decent bottles ranging in price from B1,050-3,500. and always lugs kilos of fresh tiger prawns, red snapper, oysAnd the bar, given half a chance, will have a go at most cocktail ters and whatever other fruits of the sea he can get his hands requests you throw at them. But the real surprise for us was on back with him on his return. the chow, which they unashamedly call Thai fusion but can’t, in our opinion, be summed up (or dismissed) as easily as that. โอโซโน คาเฟ่ สุขุมวิท ซ.39 As promised the meat on the New Orleans pork ribs (B150) was fall of the bone soft. The glaze had a pleasant chili kick to it. Even tastier was the I-Sarn Bomb (B160), a cylindrical column of toasted rice mixed with finely diced pork sausage, ginger, peanuts, scallions and coriander with a blob of dark,

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getting there

Ozono Café [MAP3 / K1] Ozono Zone, Soi Prompong, Sukhumvit Soi 39 BTS Phrom Phong | 02-662-1656 | www.facebook.com/ ozonowinebar | 11am - 2pm, 5pm - midnight

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Gourmet Food-to-Couch:

Urban Pantry

While most sane people are agreed that Thailand never being colonialised by the French is a good thing, there are downsides to this, namely a dearth of good bread. Fortunately, however, over the past couple of years a few locals dismayed by the abominations posing as bread at the local S&P or 7-Eleven have said enough is enough and begun baking it themselves. There are others out there, but we’re talking mainly about Urban Pantry, an artisanal bread delivery company with a cult following. “We strive not to make breads that are already available in Thailand,” says co-founder Benjamin Lord. “We offer mostly rustic loaves using a variety of flours including white, whole wheat and rye. Many of them incorporate fresh herbs, vegetables, imported cheeses and are packed with bold flavours.” As well as breads veering from fragrant rosemary and olive batards to sun-dried tomato and garlic sourdough, they also rustle up other pantry essentials: marinated vegetables and tapas-type items, pickles, natural nut butters, salad dressings, dips and sauces, fruit infused cream cheeses, etc. Ordering is pretty simple once you get the hang of it: clients on their mailing list are sent an email every Monday morning listing what’s on the menu for that week (usually about ten breads and a few of the aforementioned). But Lord stresses that Urban Pantry is not your average speedy home delivery service. “Our clients order at the beginning of the week and, after a few days of production, we deliver to them towards the end of it, usually Thursday or Friday. Therefore we are more like a personalised once-a-week fine foods service that can supplement your shopping at the local supermarket.” Orders over B700+ are delivered free of charge to the Silom, Sathorn, Narathiwat Rd and Sukhumvit (up to and including Ekkamai) areas; those under it incur a B50 delivery fee. Need some bready goodness in your life? Email urbanpantrybangkok@gmail.com and ask to be added to the mailing list, or follow them on twitter: @urbanpantrybkk.

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F oo d & Dr i nks | c ook i n g w i t h poo

Cooking with Poo Stop sniggering at the back! Poo is actually Thai for ‘crab’ and the nickname of one of Bangkok’s most in-demand cooks, Saiyuud Diwong. A long-time resident of Bangkok’s Klong Toey slum, Poo runs her own cooking school as part of the Helping Hands initiative, a community self-help program she started with other residents. The profits help street businesses get on their feet. Each month we bring you a recipe from her cooking book, copies of which are available via her website www.cookingwithpoo.com.

Yam Som-O | ยำ�ส ม้ โอ (Pomelo Salad)

Pomelo Salad is often referred to as ahaan chaw-wang, in other words, the food of the Royal Family. It has many ingredients, many of them quite expensive, so you won’t find this dish in street stalls, and it is scarce in our community. Despite this, when the opportunity to eat it arises, most Thai people consider it a delicious treat. This recipe serves four people.

• 1 tbsp deep fried onion (crispy) • 1 tbsp deep dried garlic (crispy) • 2 tbsp dry fried coconut (crispy) • 2 tbsp peanuts (chopped) • 2 tbsp cashew nuts

• 10 mint leaves Preparation

• Boil water in a pot • Add chicken and cook until cooked (approx 10 minutes) • Drain water away, let cool and tear ingredients chicken into small pieces • Put palm sugar, fish sauce, tamarind, • 2 cups water chilli paste in to a small bowl and mix • 100g chicken or prawns • Gently mix pomelo, onion, garlic, • 1 tbsp palm sugar • 1 tbsp fish sauce or a pinch of salt if you coconut, peanuts, and chicken in a bowl • Add palm sugar mixture and garnish don’t want a fishy taste • 4 tbsp tamarind sauce (don’t use if you with cashews and mint leaves are using grapefruit) • 1 tsp chilli paste (more for taste) • ½ a pomelo or 1 ripe pink grapefruit (peel and separate flesh into small pieces)

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COOKING WITH POO

Saiyuud Diwong | UNOH Publica-

tions | 112pp | www.cookingwithpoo.com | Aus $20

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FOOD & DRINKS

ealtike

Nym

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 …

Roast Duck by the Mosque Every time I think I know this city, I turn a corner and am surprised by what I see. Be it soaring skyscrapers juxtaposed with ancient wooden houses, or temples standing alongside mosques, Bangkok possesses an inimitable character like no other city. For instance, I recently stumbled across an amazing new place to eat while walking around near the intersection of Charoen Krung and Chan Roads. I’d heard about an interesting mosque in this area called Darulabidin, meant to be one of Bangkok’s oldest (and most charming). It’s a modestsized building, but is filled with delicate design details that run all the way from the floor to the roof. For instance, there is an intricately carved wooden inlay that runs along the exterior of the masjid, and an ancient cabinet inside the prayer hall that contains important religious texts. The area’s exciting blend of Thai, Chinese and Muslim influences makes the local atmosphere far more exciting than more modern (read sterile) areas in the city, a facet that naturally extends to the food scene. Not far from the mosque, on the opposite side of the road, stands a little corner restaurant that hangs several Cantonese-style roast ducks and crispy three layer pork (moo krob) in its kitchen window display. Despite its location in an old neighbourhood, Mong Ped Yang (Mong Roast Duck) actually only opened just over a year ago. The roast duck served here follows a Hong Kong recipe because both the chef and owner previously worked in a Cantonese restaurant.

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The important thing about cooking roast duck is that the skin has to be crispy and also fall easily off the meat when chopsticks touch it. Sure enough, the variety served at Mong Ped Yang is done to perfection. I also devoured a plate of moo krob over rice with BBQ sauce, and ordered a wanton soup because the table next to me did (if in doubt, always order what the regulars do). It was yet another delightful discovery.

หมงเป็ดย่าง ซอยจันทร์ 59 (หัวมุม) getting there

Mong Ped Yang [MAP2 / D10] Mong Ped Yang is at the corner of Soi Chan 59. Open daily for lunch and dinner. bangkok101.com

F oo d & Dr i nks | S tr e e t F oo d

Street Food Hotspots

SUKHUMVIT SOI 38 [map 3 / S 7] Directly beneath BTS Thong Lo station, the mouth of this soi fills up with food vendors selling late-night delicacies to passing commuters. Sample the delicate, handmade egg noodles, or Hong Kong noodles; and never head home without trying the sticky rice with mango. SURAWONG [map 5 / J 4] A long row of street vendors offers special noodle dishes along this street near Patpong Night Market. Be sure to try the stewed chicken noodles in herbal soup in front of the Wall Street Building. Stalls are open from 10 pm until 4 am. CORNER OF SILOM / CONVENT [map 5 / J 5] The stalls at the mouth of Soi Convent are popular with inebriated night crawlers; but it’s the B10 sticks of moo ping (grilled pork) served by one rotund, Zen master vendor that are justly famous. Go before the bars close (about 2 – 3 am) to avoid the queues. PRATUNAM [map 4 / G 2] Midnight khao mun gai (Hainanese chicken rice)! There are two shops at the intersection of Pratunam (on corner of Petchaburi Rd, Soi 30); the first one is brighter and good, but if you like your sauce authentic – with lots of ginger – go to the second one. Also, try the pork satay with peanut sauce.

CHINATOWN [map 6 / H, J 3] Shops fill the streets after dark. There’s an amazing range to sample, but a must-try for seafood fans is the vendor at the corner of Soi Texas. A bit farther on the other side of the street you can get delicious egg noodles with barbecued pork. For dessert, try fantastic black sesame seed dumplings in ginger soup next door. SOI RAMBUTRI (NEAR KHAOSAN) [map 7 / F,G5] Many a hangover has been stopped in its tracks after a pre-emptive bowl of jok moo (rice porridge with pork) from the stall in front of the Swensen’s ice cream parlour. Popular among tipsy Thai teenyboppers, this is just one of Soi Rambuttri’s many late night food stalls.

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FOOD & DRINKS

CURRIES & MORE BY BAAN KHANITHA

Thai CURRIES & MORE BY BAAN KHANITHA [MAP3 / Q5] 31 Sukhumvit 53 | BTS Thong Lo 02-259-8530 | www.curriesandmore.com 11am - 11pm Curries & More is a contemporary update of traditional favourite Baan Khanitha, which has branches on Sathorn and Sukhumvit 23. Befitting its location off Thong Lor (it’s only a few minutes walk north of the BTS station), Curries & More is split into three distinct venues: restaurant, wine bar and lounge, and dessert café. These are spread across two buildings, which occupy the large site of a former garden residence. The restaurant décor is simple yet classic, with parquet floors and a warm colour palette accentuated by black and white French photography and delicate Thai art. The menu, meanwhile, contains a host of local and Western favourites with an occasional touch of fusion, such as the unusual but pleasing the tom yum-flavoured Caesar salad (B230). We also enjoyed an excellent northern-style gaeng hang lay (pork curry, B240++) served with roti. For dessert, exhibitionists should go with the mango flambé crepe served with vanilla cognac ice cream (B190), though we wouldn’t have changed our order of perfectly made strawberrydrizzled panna cotta (B160++). Afterwards, head over to the wine bar for a glass or two (house wines B250 by the glass and B500 by the carafe), or the signature red and white sangrias (B790 per carafe, enough for four people), which you can enjoy on the quiet terrace, sat underneath lantern-lit trees.

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LE LYS

LE LYS [MAP5 / H8] 148/11 Nang Linchi Soi 6 (Soi Keng Chuan) Sathorn | BTS Chong Nonsi | 02-287-1898~9 www.lelys.info | 11am - 10:30pm | $ Though it sounds French bistro-ish, Le Lys is actually a Thai restaurant – a very distinctive and welcoming one. Run by a disarmingly friendly Thai-French couple, it’s a true insider’s secret tucked down a quiet residential soi just off Nang Linchi. The relaxed setting is the most conspicuous of its charms: the spacious 1960s-era house features a lush garden, outdoor dining patio with gazebo and chunky wooden bar, an indoor dining area strewn with family keepsakes, plus the much loved pétanque court. Even more importantly the inexpensive Thai food tastes like it’s been made with love and includes dishes you won’t find everywhere else: like the flavour-packed mieng salmon (cube of deep fried salmon in betel leaves with herbs), the sour-spicy wingbean salad with shrimp and boiled egg, and peppery soft-shell crab. Turn down Nang Linchi Soi 6 and it’s about 100 metres down on your right.

เลอ ลิซ ถ.นางลิ้นจี่ ซ.6 KHIN LOM CHOM SAPHAN [MAP7 / G2] 11/6 Samsen Soi 3, Samsen Rd | 02-6288382~3 | www.khinlomchomsaphan.com 11am - 2am | $ Bangkok’s white collars flock nightly to this big open-air seafood restaurant with, on a busy night, the bonhomie of a German beer hall. Smart white pavilions provide shelter during tropical squalls; otherwise, wait for a table on the breezy wooden terrace with photogenic views of monolithic Rama VIII Bridge. It’s convivial and it’s casual. Feast on succulent seafood, quaff beer; and raise a cheer – as the locals do – when the live acoustic strummery hits the spot. The

KHIN LOM CHOM SAPHAN

aromatic tod man pla (Thai fishcakes) are excellent. But there’s a hundred-plus dishes of more adventurous sea fare worth trying, dishes like the sprightly yum sam sub (prawn, oyster and squid salad), and pla krapong neung manaw (steamed tender barramundi in a spicy lemon sauce). A sweet yet faintly tart gaeng som bpuu khai (soft crab in a compulsive tamarind soup) also impressed. Two caveats: orders taken from foreigners are marked thus and the kitchen tones them down accordingly (if you like the sweats, tell them); secondly, bring your camera.

กินลมชมสะพาน สามเสน ซ.3 THONKRUENG [MAP3 / Q2] 239 Soi Thong Lo 13 (Sukhumvit Soi 55) BTS Thong Lo | 02-185-2873 www.thonkrueng.com | 11am - 10:30pm | $ Low ceiling, tables set too close together, a simple red awning – the street view of this place gives no indication of the fantastic sprawl of its menu or its outside dining area. Walking through the hectic front portion and head out back, until you reach fairy lights and boisterous Thai families fighting each other over haw mok khanom khrok, soufflé-ish steamed seafood bites nestled under little clay lids; enormous fried fish topped with spicy green mango salad; a pomelo salad fat with fruit and chillies. The plus-sized menu ranges through more uncommon Thai offerings, including regional delicacies like sulfurously funky sa-toh, and then tacks on pages of Chinese plates. Perfect for raucous groups. Before you push back from the table, sample the Western desserts from the attached bakery, or soothe that burning tongue with Thai ice creams and shaved ice-sweets.

ต้นเครื่อง ซ.ทองหล่อ สุขุมวิท 55 bangkok101.com

F o o d & Dr i nks | r e S t a u r a nts

Somtum Bangkok

Surface

NORTHEASTERN THAI

FRENCH

Somtum Bangkok [MAP8 / L6] 9 Ari Soi 3, Paholyothin 7 | BTS Ari 02-619-8659 | www.somtumbangkok.com 11am - 11pm The food coming out of the kitchen at this converted two-storey house is undeniably Isan, but the flavours you’ll be enjoying off their converted, vintage sewing-machine tables have clearly been given a Bangkok spin. Always on the short list, along with staples like pad thai and tom yum, on any argument over Thailand’s “national dish”, som tum has its army of rabid followers, and this eatery, located down a leafy lane off Soi Ari, will leave you spoiled for choice with about a dozen spins on the papaya salad, introducing ingredients like shrimp, roasted pork, salted eggs or cucumber. You can’t go wrong with the classic but if you’re feeling brave give the som tum with fresh crab a try. And yes, fresh equals raw. Other nifty dishes include deep fried laab, a creative take on the sour and spicy salad with minced meats, and the juicy and tender sticks of pork roasted with coconut cream.

Surface [MAP4 / P2] 107 Soi Renu, Sukhumvit 53 (enter through Samitivej Parking lot Thong Lo Soi 11) | BTS Thong Lo | 02-258-2858 11:30 am – 2pm; 6pm – 11:30pm Tucked away at the backend of a carpark near Thonglor Soi 11, well out of sight of passing car and foot traffic, no one is going to stumble across Surface. This is a shame: the setting at this recently opened French bistro is laidback, idyllic even, and the food by coowner Charlee, a chef with six years experience at the French Ambassador’s residence, decent (if a tad pricey). The gentrified 1960s townhouse features a posh, six-table dining room with bar, but we were more drawn to the outdoor area, with its range of garden seating and comfy limegreen sofas, candlelight, soft lamps and herb garden flanked by a row of smart blue daybeds. Cliché inter and Thai food usually features at these sorts of low-key townhouse setups, but here it’s classic French all the way, albeit with the odd fusion-y flourish (think foie gros with pomelo and hoisin sauce). Everything’s made with imported proteins and local veg and herbs,

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Restaurant and Wine Bar

rink with the legend

join us every evening from 4:30 until 7:30 for a special 1 for 1 House wine, house pour and draught beer Jim Thompson House and Museum

6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama 1 Road, Bangkok 10330 Tel: (66) 02 612 3601 www.jimthompson.com

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FOOD & DRINKS

Kuppadeli

plated with modern flair, and to back things up there’s a small selection of Australian and Californian wines and an even smaller cocktail list. We enjoyed all our choices, but were a bit taken aback at some of the price tags. Our opener, a tasty enough black risotto stuffed calamari, came on a bed of ratatouille and spinach (B280), on an odd-shaped plate with a pipsqueak of garnish. Mains were simple, hearty, comforting dishes, like lamb rack on a bed of spinach and potato puree (B790), and tenderloin truffle risotto (B470). Is such rich food the perfect fit for such a chill

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setting? We’re not totally sold (the tapas they ‘All Day Brunch’ section is the biggest, starhave planned is a good idea), but this is still a ring tried-and-tested Kuppa stalwarts like scrambled eggs with Tasmanian smoked worthy addition to the area. salmon (B 295), and pinto beans ciabatta เซอร์เฟส สุขุมวิท ซ.53 (B180). Portions are generous. Pop in for a quick bite by yourself and salads like the fruity fig, rocket and chicken salad (B 250) and sandwiches are manageable, but much of the rest is better suited to sharing. Gourmet INTERNATIONAL coffee and sumptuous cakes are a highlight, the smell of freshly ground beans emanating from the roaster, and the display counter Kuppadeli [map 4 / E2] worth a second glance. Seating ranges from 219/1A The Pride, Sukhumvit Soi 21 chic, modern tables and chairs stretching the BTS Asok / MRT Sukhumvit | 02-664-2350 length of the long counter with open kitchen, www.kuppadeli.com | 7 am – 10 pm to a slim outdoor terrace, and a cosy mezA restaurant in an office block is not somezanine with banquettes perfect for lingering thing we usually get excited about, but when on. Free parking in the building available. that restaurant is a spin-off by Kuppa, one of เดอะ ไพร์ด สุขุมวิท ซ.21 Bangkok’s top all-time brunch spots, we had to sit up and take notice. Fans of the original will be pleased to hear that, while the location is less leafy and the menu shorter, the Mezzaluna [map5 / c 5] main components are the same: bright and 63rd F, The Dome at Lebua | 1055 Silom Rd. stylish chic café interior, comfy furniture, 02-624-9555 | www.lebua.com | Tue – Sun lots of glossy magazines, and, the big draw, 6pm – 1am (Last order 10:30 pm) affordable comfort food. The slim menu Our favourite view from the 200-metre high comes divided into pies, salads, sandwiches, Mezzaluna is looking north along the meanburgers, tapas, meat and fish, each section ders of the Chao Phraya River, past ancient offering between two and eight punter- temples towards the Grand Palace, but friendly dishes. Unsurprisingly, the opening wherever you sit you get a stunning Bangkok

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panorama. The inside’s slick, too – a highceiling grandeur, where silk shades soften the light from ornate chandeliers, and a multitude of stout candles on slender metal rails send a cathedral flicker around the room. Add crisp white table linen, a string quartet, and huge faux Greco-Roman pillars outside the windows and you have an imposing, although comfortable, formality. You wouldn’t want to come here in a T-shirt and shorts, even if they didn’t have a dress code (which they do).Twin brothers Thomas and Mathias Sühring run the open kitchen, where Challans duck, Allaiton lamb and Nova Scotia lobster are typical of the items that make the store rooms. The mantra “top quality product” is much quoted in restaurant circles everywhere, but at Mezzaluna they mean what they say. They have a choice of a three course menu (with four picks each of starters, mains and desserts, B 3,900++) or a six course tasting menu (B 4,900++), also available with a wine pairing (B 6,900++). Both change daily, according to the product in hand. The twins add subtle treatment to fine product and show great consistency and balance, both to individual plates and to the meal as a whole. This is one of Bangkok’s most impressive restaurants, and a shoe-in for special occasions.

รร.เลอบัว แอท สเตททาวเวอร์ ถ.สีลม

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SAM’S FISH & CHIPS [MAP5 / H6] 146 Phiphat Soi 2, Soi Convent 02-234-7333~5, 089-115-2789 | BTS Chong Nonsi | Daily 5pm - 10pm | $$ Located down quiet Phiphat Soi 2 off Convent Road, this fish ‘n’ chip mecca is located on the roof of – guess who – Sam’s house. Bored by the idea of retirement, and looking for something to keep him busy in the evenings (he still has a fulltime consultancy job during the day), Manus ‘Sam’ Surapisitchat struck upon the idea of opening his own restaurant. Rightly, he reasoned that his own home (he was actually born in it) would make the ideal location, and set about converting the unused rooftop into a fully functioning eatery, complete with open kitchen, landscaped garden, and wealth of rustic charm. Although the menu contains a number of Thai dishes, the largely expatriate clientele mostly come here for the Western favourites, including dishes such as pan-fried prawns (B98), lobster soup (B69), New England style clam chowder (B69) and John Dory (B98) with chips (B39). The latter is without doubt one of the best value – and best tasting – fish ‘n’ chips you’ll find in Bangkok. However, the true attraction here is Sam himself, a gregarious and generous character always willing to share a story (such as how, during the Vietnam War, he

Mezzaluna

SAM’S FISH & CHIPS

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MEDICI

2046: The Izakaya Nouveau

was stationed in the American state of is of a different time and place – the luxuriColorado) and a drink. ous underbelly of Prohibition-era New York perhaps. Classy, button tufted black leather แซมส์ ฟิช แอนด์ ชิปส์ ถ.คอนแวนต์ chairs and circular banquettes dot the elongated, cellar-like dining room. Wooden beer casks line the brick walls, wrought iron girders prop up the ceiling, and wine racks near the bar act as columns. Industrial overhead ITALIAN lamps cast a crepuscular light. The food might not be as adventurous as the film-set perfect setting (think Boardwalk Empire), but BELLA NAPOLI [MAP3 / K6] 3/3 Sukhumvit Soi 31 | BTS Phrom Phong it’s certainly hitting the spot. And not outrageously pricey, either, given the quality on 02-259-0405 | 6pm-11:30 | $ Forget about flair for a sec. Think of that offer. Helming the kitchen is Tuscan-born perfect Naples-style pizza and its crispy Francesco Lenzi, a young chef who raves pasthin crust. Now grab a cab or hoof it just sionately about his artisanal produce, most a few minutes walk from BTS Phrom Phong of it imported from the motherland. Already to Bella Napoli. This quaint and casual, long popular is his good value lunchtime set standing eatery is packed out nightly with a menu, with its choice of antipasti, like arufun crowd, but ask a local foodie and he’ll gula salad with grilled Tuscan sausage, a spapoint out the Italian five-star chefs working ghetti, fish or meat-based main, plus optional in Bangkok – and they’re all devouring those dessert (B 379 for 2 courses, B 450 for 3). pizzas. If you haven’t made reservations you The à la carte menu ups the ante with startmight be forced to wait outside, but it’s ers like the cold cuts and cheese platter (B well worth it for the pizzas! Try anything 490): a wooden rack arrives piled high with you feel like; from the simple, spicy Pizza moist slices of palma ham, salami, biroldo and Diavolo to the Penna Lungha with its Parma other hard to find imported cold cuts, plus ham tree, these are – for most Bangkokians, a few rare soft cheeses. As well as risottos anyway – among the best pies in town. and perfectly al dente pastas, Francesco’s sigThe meaty mains, pastas and the imagina- natures include foie gros ravioli doused in a tive antipasti buffet are worth a try, but we rich, thick truffle sauce, and Filleto alla Rossini (grain-fed Australian beef tenderloin on a come here for one thing only. bed of spinach and sliced black truffle and เบลล่า นาโพลี ถ.สุขุมวิท 31 topped with foie gros; B1,290). Both were excellent, immaculately plated and decadentMEDICI [MAP3 / I6] ly delicious. Rotisserie dishes include roasted Hotel Muse, 55 / 555 Soi Lang Suan, quail stuffed with prosciutto di parma and Lumpini | BTS Chit Lom | 02-630-4000 saffron risotto, and there are over 120 labels, www.hotelmusebangkok.com | 12am – over 75 % from Italy, the rest Old and New 2:30pm, 6pm – 11pm / Drink 6pm - Late Located at the bottom of a staircase lined World, to choose from. with ornate wrought iron balustrades, Medici 7 0 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

รร.โฮเทล มิวส์ ซ.หลังสวน

JAPANESE 2046: The Izakaya Nouveau [map 3 / p6] 2nd F, Rain Hill | Sukhumvit Soi 47 | BTS Phrom Phong / T hong Lo | 02-261-7278 www.facebook.com/2046.Bangkok 11am - 2pm, 5pm – midnight The new Rain Hill boutique mall right on the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 47 hosts a clutch of dining outlets, among them 2046: The Izakaya Nouveau. It’s another cutelydesigned venture from the team behind the popular Japanese diner In the Mood For Love, and like its predecessor named after a Wong Kar-Wai movie, 2046. The room is a pleasing wedge shape with arched wooden window frames. Reproduction glass lampshades hang over tables, chairs and bar stools of unvarnished wood, crescent moon sofas and a tiled floor with flourishes of Art Nouveau. The overall feel is Victorian lounge or a cultured absinthe bar in Degas’ Paris. Outside leads to a wooden deck and slender streetlamps with moon-shaped lights, tables and wrought iron chairs that overlook Sukhumvit Road from their first floor perch. The skytrain rumbles overhead. As the name suggests, this is an izakaya, where people traditionally meet over drinks and tidbits. The food we tried was all sweet, including jellyfish (B100), shredded like short flat noodles, with good bite and a dressing of sesame and sweet acidity; and a baked scallop dish in a sauce of crab guts and mayonnaise (B380). These are small portion snacks to taste with drinks including sakes, cocktails (from B160), wines (from B220/glass, B950/bottle) and imported beers (from B220), including Estrella Inidit, Latrappe and London Pride. Competition will be fierce here from three other Japanese bangkok101.com

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FOOD & DRINKS

Tadaima

NADIMOS

outlets and a new Wine Connection situated below, but 2046 is a smart, relaxed Middle Eastern neighbourhood hangout with a foot-tapping electro soundtrack and a romantic edge that could just put you in the mood. NADIMOS [MAP3 / N9] 2046 ดิ อิซากายะ นูโว สุขมุ วิท ซ.47 (เรนฮิลล์) 99/397 Sukhumvit Soi 24 (opposite the Davis Hotel) | BTS Phrom Phong 02-261-9816-7 | www.nadimos.com 11:30am - 11:30pm | $$ Tadaima [map 4 / R3] Dishing up authentic Lebanese in pleasant LG F Eight Thong Lo | Thong Lo Soi 8 surrounds, the original Nadimo’s became our BTS Thong Lo | 02-714-9883 go-to for Middle Eastern food in the Silom Facebook: Tadaima | Mon-Fri area after a chance discovery a couple of years 11am - 3pm, 5pm - 11pm, Sat-Sun back. Spurred by its word-of-mouth success, 11am - 11pm | B88 for every dish the owners recently opened up this bigger Tadaima, or “I’m home”, is just the latest branch deep inside thrusting high-rise lined new casual Japanese to roll up on Thong Lor. Sukhumvit Soi 26. Like the original, it’s a more After years of studying and running a res- sophisticated and adeptly run joint than most taurant in the Land of Rising Sun, the owner of its shisha smoky brethren. Keen staff in Khun Krit decided to try his luck here in his white shirts and black slacks walk around the homeland. Whether he picked the lucky expansive modern steel and glass shell taking number 88 – every dish costs a ‘plus-plus’ orders and straightening cutlery. Out front is free B88 – to increase his chances of suc- an al fresco decking area where you can puff cess isn’t clear, but what is clear is that this on a flavoured shisha pipe and order cockis a very natty stab at an izakaya, especially tails from the bar. Despite this sleek patina, for one in a mall. Concrete floors and chic Nadimos’ food doesn’t deviate from tradition. walnut wood tables, chairs and funky tubular Shawarma fans will be reassured to see spits lamps are the rather minimalist motifs. Don’t of beef and lamb spinning in the open kitchen, be afraid to order in a few dishes: portions while the menu features all the usual suspects, may not be huge, but they’re good value from little plates of mezze to glasses of homeconsidering given the quality.Our pick of the made ayran (a sour yet refreshing yoghurt signatures was the Sushi Sandwich: salmon drink) to wash them down with. Standouts wrapped in an elongated triangle of sticky from the reliable kitchen for us were the rice topped with tobiko and crunchy fried falafel (crunchy, fragrant, moreish), and, best tempura flour. Two other dishes that had of all, the kafta (juicy skewers of charcoalus scheduling our return visit – not some- grilled minced lamb). thing we do likely at a mall diner – were the aburi yakibuta (grilled pork with soy sauce) นาดิมอส สุขุมวิท ซ.24 and buta bura (pork belly with miso sauce). Want to do the authentic izakaya thing? Wrap a tie round your head and miss the last train home? Drinks include the obvious, sake and glasses of beers like Asaki, as well as fruit flavour beers (B118) and sour Sawa cocktails.

Charley Brown’s Mexicana

MEXICAN Charley Brown’s Mexicana [MAP3 / C5] Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana| 02-651-2215 www.charleybrowns.asia | Tue – Sun 11:30 am – midnight; Mon 5pm – midnight One of the best loved Tex-Mex food joints in Bangkok, Charley Brown’s Mexicana, in the subsoil down Sukhumvit 11, has had a wall-to-wall face lift since our last visit. The 8 year old restaurant is now glowing with rich purple and striking pink walls covered with paintings done in equally kaleidoscopic colours. Comfortable sofas and booths have replaced the rickety wooden benches, creating an excellent casual dining experience where you can really sink in and enjoy your meal. It’s a great place for a fun first date, as long as you don’t choke on the home made hot sauce that you’ll be tempted to drizzle all over your enchiladas, fajitas and tacos. Don’t leave without sampling their freshly made Margarita, with its power to instantly catapult you into party mode. Our favorite promotion: Margarita Madness Tuesdays, which starts from 5pm onwards, giving diners a killer half price deal on the sinfully sweet drinks. Other special promotions give diners something to look forward to every evening. On Sundays, the ‘Cheap Charley Brown’s’ deal offers B70 beers and spirits or wine at only B100 a glass. ‘Street Food and Nibbles’ on Wednesdays is the best time to try Charlie Brown’s light bites and appetizers which are buy three, pay for two.

ชาร์ลี บราวน์ส เม็กซิกาน่า สุขุมวิท ซ.11

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FOOD & DRINKS

Sip Wine Bar

Winebar review by David Swartzentruber

– Spreading wine appreciation one sip at a time – Victor Gomez opened Sip with a goal of bringing affordable wine to Thailand. He is especially interested in reaching the twenty-to-thirty crowd and exposing them to new tastes from different wine-producing countries. In his opinion wine is still perceived as being an elitist beverage in Thailand, and his hope is that Sip, with its wine at reasonable prices, will help change that by providing an alternative to the Kingdom’s entrenched whiskey culture.

Sip has two floors. The lower floor can accommodate 32, while the upper floor is for the smaller groups such as wine clubs and corporate groups that often reserve the room. A recent visit showed that older Thais, as well, are discovering the unique flavours that wine has to offer.

As for food, Gomez opened Sip with the intention of only serving cheese and cured meat platters but soon realised that this was not enough and now offers pasta dishes such Sip has an inventory of 140 different wines representing as lasagna. Every four to six weeks a wine buffet is also ofmany countries. Twenty wines are priced at B99 and anoth- fered featuring seven wines. er twenty are priced at B149 per glass. This pricing scheme allows customers to taste a number of different wines with- ซิป ไวน์ บาร์ ถ.เอกมัย (ตรงข้าม เอกมัย ซ.6) out racking up a huge bill. Gomez developed interest in wine during his nine years of education in the important U.S. winegrowing states of California and Oregon. He works during the day in the logistics sector and describes Sip as his “hobby.” Sip has now been in operation 17 months and may well be on its way to becoming a fixture on Ekamai. 74 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

getting there

Sip Wine Bar & Tasting [MAP3 / T4] 33/32 Sukhumvit Soi Ekamai (Soi 63) | BTS Ekkamai 02-714-2223 | www.sipwinebar.com Tuesday - Sunday 5pm - midnight bangkok101.com

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NORTH: The Connections of Cultures

CUISINE ART

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Ruen Urai, “the House of Gold,” combines fine Thai culinary art with the elegant ambience. Inspired by Thailand’s diverse regions, cultures, and lifestyles, our gastronomic creations vary from royal Thai cuisine to refined home-cooking. Our Thai gourmet journey starts at the top of the country in Northern Thailand, once was “the Kingdom of Lanna” -the Land of Million Rice Fields. As crossroads of cultures, the locals have blended Burmese, Lao and Chinese influences with their own. The Northern culinary and artistic styles seamlessly mix all strong characteristics into a wealth of lavishness. Enjoy sumptuous “Hors d’oeuvres Lanna” with tomato chilli relish, spicy pork sausage, and curly crispy pork cracklings. Casual dinning and bar from ono to 11 p.m. Plus happy hours from 3 to 6 p.m. daily. Ruen Urai at the Rose Hotel 118 Soi Na Wat Hualumphong, Surawongse Road, Tel: 66 (0) 226-8268-72 Fax: 66(0) 2266-8096 www.rosehotelbkk.com www.ruen-urai.com

Thai Gourmet Journey Ad Series No.1

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Nightlife

LEVELS Opening this month on Sukhumvit Soi 11 7 6 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

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Nightlife | xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

one month in Bangkok Nightlife NEWS One-off events

New Openings

Imports this month on the decks at Bed Supperclub (p.80) include Lil’ Louis on July 12. The Chicago-born producer and DJ was one of the definitive sounds of the house music scene in the 80s and 90s, best known for the hit ‘French Kiss’. Londoner Mat Zo, who has remixed for Andy Moor, Markus Schulz, and Tiesto, takes the reins on July 19 with tracks that range from trance through progressive house to drum n bass.

One of Bangkok’s earliest and best-loved electronic music venues Café Democ left its home in Rattanakosin last month, apparently for new premises at Silom Plaza, Silom Road. The crew behind it also recently opened up shophouse dance den Dickinson’s Culture Café not too far away, on Phra Athit Road, next door to Jazz Happens.

free flow cocktails (tricksy molecular ones featuring foams, nitrogen oxide and even popping candy as well as traditional ones) between 9pm-1am every Friday and Saturday night. However, for round two of this generously elongated happy hour they’ve upped the price slightly, to B699 net, which is still a good deal by our reckoning. It runs until August 31.

Also on Soi 11 is Levels, a sexy nightclub cum lounge located in the bowels of the Aloft Hotel. After months of delays it should have its official opening and be open for late-night shenanigans sometime this month. www.facebook.com/levelsclub

Spurred on by the success of their first venture, the owners of Soi Ari’s slick bar restaurant Salt have opened up a bar opposite, simply entitled Aree. Located on the corner of Ari Soi 4, this one is more of a Thai-style pub hangout (think Zuma on the Terrace whisky sodas, wooden stools and cover bands) but we’ll be Zuma, the excellent Japanese restaurant attached to the checking it out nonetheless. St. Regis hotel, will have DJs Tom Funky Gangster, Felix Over on Sukhumvit, the second branch of bar entrepreneur Moreno, Monsieur Markus and Alex Fischer at Zuma on the Ashley Sutton’s sleek maritime-themed saloon, Fat Gut’z, Terrace (02-252-4707) every Sunday until August 5. There has opened up on the ground floor of Thonglor Soi 13 comare special prices on food and drink from 2pm to 7pm, DJs munity mall Seenspace. start at 8pm, and cocktails are B100 after 9pm. Already drawing regulars on Sukhumvit Soi 11’s buzzing sub-soi is The Alchemist, a stylishly stripped W XYZ’s Cocktail Marathon returns down, Paulo Coelho novel inspired hole-in-the-wall After luring droves of Soi 11 clubbers through the door with low prices (how it could not with Cheap Charlie’s the last time round, hotel bar W XYZ (p.82) has revived opposite?), strong cocktails and friendly owners. its cocktail marathon deal. Like before, they’re offering www.facebook.com/thealchemistbkk

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And here’s one over on good-bar-deficient Lang Suan Road that slipped past us: All Six to Twelve is a lofty space getting props for its cocktail list. If driving down Lang Suan Road look for the Fraser Place Urbana serviced apartments sign on the left and head up the drive way.

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Nightlife

FIVE

bar review by Max Crosbie-Jones

– cocktail alchemy comes to the community mall – Five, a new bar in Sukhumvit Soi 26 community mall K Village, isn’t an Ashley Sutton owned venture, and yet his fingerprints are all over it. Its owner, Pattriya Na Nakorn, invited the heavily tattooed Australian behind Bangkok’s most theatrical, and successful, drinking holes of recent years (Fat Gut’z, Clouds and Iron Fairies) to work his magic with a vacant plot on the ground floor. And, completing her dream team is Joseph Boroski, the same New Yorkbased cocktail ‘mixologist’ that Sutton uses.

and bites, many of which tie in to Five’s theme by appearing to be the work of a modern-day Dr Frankenstein. Created by a former chef from the Mandarin Oriental, creepilymonikered eats include fried bat wings (herb-coated chicken wings) and baked to the bone (tender baked bone marrow with breads; B360). But the must-try for us was the more normal sounding Five Fondue (B380): a gooey medley of five melted cheeses and quail eggs paired with black foccaccio bread.

His bars always engage the day-dreamy part of your brain and this black magic themed one is no different. We can picture the professors from Hogwarts seeking refuge from their incompetent wizard-pupils here, enjoying a few tipples in one of the bar’s crepuscular nooks, amid all the clanking pulleys, monumental iron piping (sourced from Suvarnabhumi airport, apparently) and flickering candles. Indeed, even the staff look like they’ve stumbled off the set of Harry Potter (one in particular, with his sweeping black cloak and long, pencil-straight locks, looks like a Thai Lucius Malfoy).

Boroski potions worth necking include the Prescription Brandy Suzerac, which is a strong, earthy mix of Italian brandy, lime, honey and cinnamon served in a small poison bottle. Another is the Warlocks’ Nightcap (B350): a carefully weighed out blend of gold and silver rum, orgeat, fresh lime, apricot brandy and undisclosed ‘botanicals’. After being shaken in a long spouted teapot, it’s served in chilled metal goblets. Not up for gambling on a pricey signature pick-meup? Mainstream drinks include three varieties of sangria, a handful of wines, and decent local brew, Phuket beer.

The centerpiece downstairs is a backlit bar where the bar- It’s far from cheap, but Five casts an intoxicating spell – tenders balance out cocktail ingredients using a big pair of and adds a welcome wand blast of gothic whimsy to an cast iron scales. And upstairs, Sutton has somehow managed otherwise aesthetically uninspiring community mall. to squeeze in a trio of 6 to 10 seater metal pods, or “opera ไฟว์ เควิลเลจ สุขุมวิท 26 booths”. Reached by a passage that anyone over about 5 foot tall has to crouch down to navigate, these offer a differ getting there ent perspective on Five – not to mention can’t-keep-yourhands-off-each-other privacy (reservations are not essential, FIVE – Gastronomy & Mixology [MAP3 / O9] we’re told, but advisable). Room 103, K Village, Sukhumvit Soi 26 | BTS Phrom Phong | 088-524-5550 | www.facebook.com/fivebkk | Film-set quality design and whimsical touches – so far, so Sut6pm-1am daily ton-esque. Happily, the same can also be said for the potions 7 8 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

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Nightlife

BED SUPPERCLUB

clubs BED SUPPERCLUB [map 3 / C 4] 26 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-651-3537 www.bedsupperclub.com | 7:30 pm – 1 am With its uber-modern oval spaceship design, Bed Supperclub is a hugely successful hybrid, and a Bangkok icon: fine dining on what may be the world’s largest sofas on one side, and an adjoining bar on the other. For the past eight years, Bed has attracted a fashionable crowd, and with its à-la-page white interior is definitely a place to see and be seen. The food is world-class on the cosy restaurant side, and the sleek design extends to an all-white bar on the club side. Bed has talented resident DJ s and brings over top-notch talent (including some very eclectic art) for special events. Big-name DJ s tend to spin on Thursdays, house and mash-up hip-hop rules on Friday, and Sunday mixes 1980 ’s pop hits with house music.

Demo

DEMO [map 3 / R 1] Thong Lor Soi 10 (next to Funky Villa) BTS Thong Lo | 02-711-6970 8 pm – 1 am | 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 hipster-ville. 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.

เดโม ทองหล่อ ซ. 10

Funky Villa [MAP 3 / R 1] Thong Lor Soi 10 | BTS Thong Lor 08-5253-2000 | 6 pm – 2 am 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 เบด ซัปเปอร์คลับ สุขุมวิท ซ. 11 BMWs and chic lounge-deck area, and you’ll hit a swish one-storey house, more posh CLUB CULTURE [map 7 / J 7] than funky. Some of Bangkok’s gilded youth chill on sofas and knock pool balls around in Ratcha Damnoen Klang Rd the front room; but most hit the fridge-cool (behind Rattanakosin Exhibition Hall) 089-497-8422 | www.club-culture-bkk.com dancehall to boogie away the week’s woes to live bands and hip-hop DJs. Forget edgy Wed – Sat 8 pm – late Club Culture comes from the same brains sounds – here it’s all about clinking whisky behind the city’s annual dance music festi- glasses and getting down with the CEOs of val, Culture One. After being evicted from tomorrow. its original home, a former Thai theatre on ฟังกี้ วิลล่า ทองหล่อ ซ.10 Phaya Thai Road, it relocated to this gritty four-storey warehouse hidden away in the GLOW [Map 3 / G 5] backstreets of the Old City in early 2010, 96/4-5 Sukhumvit Soi 23 much to the relief of its regulars – a cross- BTS Asok / MRT Sukhumvit | 02-261-3007 cultural mix of hipster Thais and discern- www. glowbkk.com | 6 pm – 1 am / bar challenges Bang ing expats. Like the old days they promote This boutique club new talent, while still bringing in the big kok’s biggies when it comes to delivering guns, ensuring an eclectic roster of indie innovative music from the world of underrock, drum’n’bass and house music of all ground electronic pleasures. An intimate, stylish cave is decked out in dark walls, genres. funky seating, innovative lighting and a คลับ คัลเจอร์ ถ.ราชดำ�เนินกลาง dramatic bar. The music palette changes night-tonight but always excludes hip-hop (หลังนิทรรศ์รัตนโกสินทร์) 8 0 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

route 66

(hurrah!). For details and regular updates, check Glow’s cool website.

โกลว์ สุขุมวิท ซ. 23 INSOMNIA [Map 3 / F 7] Sukhumvit Soi 12 (between Times Sq and Soi 12) | BTS Nana / Asok www.clubinsomniagroup.com In this busy after-hours joints, LED lasers spin and twirl around a huge main room with a giant disco ball at its centre, and DJs spin electro house out of a throbbing mounted speaker system. Some shady ladies and their hangers-on do head here (do we need to spell it out?), but unlike most of the competition Insomnia is not wall-to-wall swarming with them. Guys pay slightly more than the girls: B300.

อินซอมเนีย ซ. สุขุมวิท 12 MIXX DISCOTHEQUE [map 4 / h 4] B1 F, President Tower Arcade (next to Gaysorn Plaza), 973 Ploenchit Rd www.mixx-discotheque.com B 350 | 10 pm until late Most of Bangkok’s after-hours clubs are slightly dodgy affairs, tucked away at the back of car parks or squalid backstreets. But Mixx, in the basement of an annex of the Intercontinental Hotel, is a bit classier. Inside it’s more sophisticated than the competition too: a dimly lit, two-room affair with chandeliers and paintings hanging here and there, and billowing sheets on the ceiling lending a desert tent feel. A mix of banquettes, stools and tall tables surround its two heaving dancefloors, one playing 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 is B350 for guys and B300 for girls. That includes a drink and, as long as things go smoothly, the ability to make whoopie until nearly sunrise.

มิกซ์ ดิสโก้เทค กรุงเทพฯ ถ.เพลินจิต ROUTE 66 [Map 8 / Q 12] 29/33-48 Royal City Avenue MRT Phetchaburi | www.route66club.com bangkok101.com

N i ghtl i fe | cl u bs & H o tel B ars

q bar

B 200 foreigners incl. drink / free for Thais Rammed with hordes of dressed-to-kill young Thais on most nights of the week, ‘Route’, as its 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, all-lasers-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).

รูท 66 อาร์ ซี เอ TAPAS [Map 5 / J 5] Silom Soi 4 | BTS Sala Daeng / MRT Silom 02-632-7982 | www.tapasroom.net 8 pm – 2am On the groovy little enclave of Silom Soi 4, Tapas is a party institution and one of the few mixed hang-outs on a heavily gay strip of lively bars and clubs. For more than 10 years it’s been pumping out excellent house music and live, bongo-bangin’ percussion sets as well. Multi-levelled, with a dark, Moroccan feel, it’s easy to chill here, whether lounging or dancing your tail off! Like Soi 4 in general, weeknights can be hitor-miss (usually miss, it has to be said), but weekends are always hopping from about midnights onwards. And if it’s not, there’s always the outside terrace: a great spot to enjoy a few cocktails and some of the best people watching in town. The tipples are mixed strong, and watching this soi’s comings and goings an, erm, eye-opening experience to say the least. The B200 entry fee on Fridays and Saturdays includes a drink.

ทาปาส สีลม ซ. 4 THE CLUB [Map 7 / F 5] 123 Khaosan Rd, Taladyod 02-629-1010 | www.theclubkhaosan.com bangkok101.com

cm2

The informal yet sleek and minimally 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, house, hip hop and techno are banned; in house DJs spin soul, funk, rock, vintage 70s, 80s and world music. An audacious dining concept features a menu of sophisticated bar snacks created by a Belgian two-star Michelin chef. Joining this premium finger food is a menu of creative cocktails priced at B 400 net, live music every Friday and Saturday from 10 pm, plus a slew of specials. Drinks between 5:30 – 8:30 pm on weekdays go for B 250 and include free hors d’ oeuvres, and ladies enjoy drinks for B150 net per glass each Wednesday from 9 pm.

6 pm – 2 am | 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 fairy-tale vibe, while the lasers, visuals and UV lighting hark back to mid 1990s psy-trance. Music-wise, it’s a loud, banging รร.เชอราตัน แกรนด์ สุขุมวิท house serving up the full range of 4/4 beats, usually cranium-rattling electro house and ระหว่างสุขุมวิท 12 และ 14 techno. The drink prices are kind to your walCM2 [map 4 / D 5] let and UV glowsticks handed out for free. B1 F, Novotel Siam Square เดอะคลับ ข้าวสาร 392/44 Siam Square Soi 6 | BTS Siam 02-209-8888 | www.cm2bkk. com Q BAR [Map 3 / C 4] 10 pm – 2 am 34 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana The Novotel Siam Square Hotel’s sub 02-252-3274 | www.qbarbangkok.com terranean party cave still packs them in six8 pm – 1 am teen years after it first opened, especially on Long-standing, New York-style night spot weekends when it heaves with tourists and Q Bar is well-known for pouring stiff drinks nocturnal beauties. The big and quite 1980s (there are over 70 varieties of top-shelf disco looking (black and metal and neon lightvodka!) and its strong music policy, with ing rule) complex has lots of lounging space big name international DJs leading the way. facing the dancefloor, plus a sports bar with Q Bar raised the ‘bar’ for Bangkok nightlife pool tables, smoking room, and an Absolut twelve years ago and is still going strong, Vodka Lounge. It’s mainstream all the way. with a flirty crowd every night and a recent DJs play what the crowd wants, when they top-to-bottom renovation giving the venue a want it, usually the latest electro, funky house maximalist style injection. Now, there’s also or hip-grinding R&B tune, while the rotating more room to dance and more lounge space, line-up of live bands from Canada, Europe especially at QUP, the more downtempo and Asia perform as if every song is a potenupstairs area. Some relative solitude and a tially life-changing audition. International / Thai pick ‘n’ mix of the expat and jetset scene can food and a huge cocktail list is served, as is usually be found up here and on the outdoor what they claim is Bangkok’s biggest pour – all terrace, which is perfect for a breather, peodrinks feature double shots for no extra ple watching and a late evening snack (includcharge. Check out their Facebook page for ing burgers brought over from the Firehouse news of their popular monthly theme parties restaurant opposite). In an inspired piece of and drinks promotions. marketing excellence, ladies get in free on รร.โนโวเทลสยามสแควร์ สยามสแควร์ ซ. 6 Wednesday nights – and two free drinks!

คิว บาร์ ถ.สุขุมวิท ซ. 11

hotel bars & clubs BARSU [map 3 / F 6, 7] 1st F, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit 250 Sukhumvit Rd | 02-649-8358 www.barsubangkok.com | 6 pm – 2 am

ST. REGIS BAR [map 4 / G 7] 12th F, St. Regis Bangkok Hotel 159 Rajadamri Rd | BTS Ratchadamri 02-207-7777 | www.stregis.com Mo – Fr 10 am – 1 am, Sat & Sun 10 am – 2 am At 6:30 pm each day a butler struts out onto 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 j u ly 2 0 1 2 | 8 1

Nightlife

W XYZ

gently out onto the terrace. Come for this, and 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 whisky in hand. The special promotions come thick and fast here: Tuesdays is jazz night, with Johnnie Walker Black Label for B1,990++ per bottle (7 – 11 pm); Wednesdays is two for one martinis (6 – 8 pm); and ladies get free Bellinis on Thursdays (6 – 9 pm).

รร. เดอะ เซนต์ รีจิส กรุงเทพฯ ถ.ราชดำ�ริ W XYZ [MAP 3 / D6] Aloft Bangkok | 35 Sukhumvit Soi 11 BTS Nana | 02-207-7000 alofthotels.com/bangkoksukhumvit11 Smack bang in the centre of Sukhumvit partyland, the funky Aloft hotel is going after the club crowd craving warm-up cocktails with W XYZ, their laidback lounge bar on the lobby floor mezzanine. This colourful space featuring funky modular furniture, colour changing glass pane floors, and lots of vivid LED lighting has a talented mixologist who specialises in ‘molecular’ cocktails made using all manner of gels, powders, foams and spray mists. More reasons to swing by W XYZ include decent finger foods and Thai-style tapas, the happy hours (50% off select drinks and snacks between 5 – 7:30 pm daily), and, for the budding DJs among you, Tuesday’s Pod Play session, when you get to pump your own iPod through the speakers.

รร.เอลอฟท์ แบงคอก

Bars with views Bangkok offers a clutch of dramatic high-altitude bars (both indoor and outdoor) from where to survey the glittering skyline below … 8 2 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

leapfrog

AMOROSA [Map 7 / C 12] 4th F, Arun Residence Hotel 36-38 Soi Pratoo Nok Young, Maharat Rd (near Wat Po) | 02-221-9158 www.arunresidence.com | 6 pm – 1 am Amorosa is a sultry, Moroccan-style open-air bar featuring balmy river breezes, whisper-soft Latin Jazz, 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 onto the Chao Phraya River and, on the far banks beyond, Wat Arun, the stunning Temple of Dawn. 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.

อรุณเรสสิเดนซ์ ซ.ประตูนกยูง ถ.มหาราช Leapfrog [map 3 / F 7 ] 8th F, Ramada Encore Bangkok 21 Sukhumvit Soi 10 | BTS Nana 02-615-0999 www.ramadaencorebangkok.com The latest addition to the scores of venues perfect for rooftop drinking sessions, Leapfrog is a swank, lofty space where you can sit back and nibble on delicious California-Asian cuisine, such as salmon bites with spicy dip, marinated “Bilbao” baby octopus, and mozzarella cheese balls. In line with its Californian cuisine, the interior and exterior was designed by San Franciscan designer Kevin Christison. You’ll find playful reptilian details throughout the bar and restaurant, from cute and practical metal frog purse hangers to a giant dinasour egg light fixture inside the restaurant. Just outside the restrooms a princely frog complete with a jeweled crown tempts female visitors to give it a kiss. Diners who book the space for private events can also take a dip in the outdoor whirlpool.

รร.รามาดา อังคอร์ สุขุมวิท ซ.10 LONG TABLE [Map 3 / H 8] 25th F, 48 Column Bldg | Sukhumvit Soi 16 BTS Asok / MRT Sukhumvit | 02-302-2557-9 www.longtablebangkok.com

red sky bar

11 am – 2:00 am Top-end Thai food isn’t the only thing drawing Bangkok’s nouveau riche to this impossibly swish restaurant-cum-bar in droves. There’s also the trend-setting twist: a sleek communal dining table so long it makes a 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. A Sukhumvit high point.

อาคารคอลัมน์ สุขุมวิท ซ. 16 MOON BAR [Map 5 / K, l 8] 61st F, Banyan Tree Bangkok 21/100 South Sathorn Rd | 02-679-1200 www.banyantree.com | 5 pm – 1 am 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 surroundings. Banyan Tree’s Moon Bar is a romantic hideaway. 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. Stay until the wee hours, nibble on sophisticated snacks, take in the light jazz – and never ever forget your camera.

รร.บันยันทรี ถ.สาทรใต้ NEST [Map 3 / C 4] 9 th F, Le Fenix | 33/33 Sukhumvit Soi 11 BTS Nana | 02-305-4000 www.lefenixsukhumvit.com | 5 pm – 2 am Nest is the rooftop bar of choice for bangkok101.com

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Sukhumvit’s international party crowd. An urbane open-air oasis on the ninth floor of the sleek Le Fenix Hotel, it’s a loungey and laid-back spot on weekdays and early evenings, with couples enjoying signature martinis and upmarket bar food from the comfort of Thai-style swing beds and Nestshaped 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, you ask? With buildings looming above you, not below you, here you feel part of the cityscape rather than detached from it.

พระนครบาร์ ซ.ดำ�เนินกลางใต้ ถ.ราชดำ�เนิน

RED SKY [Map 4 / F 3] 56th F, Centara Grand at CentralWorld Rama 1 Rd | BTS Chit Lom / Siam 02-100-1234 www.centarahotelresorts.com | 5 pm – 1 am Circling the 56th floor turret of CentralWorld’s adjoining Centara Grand Hotel, the al fresco Red Sky offers city 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 to black, 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 slow-cooked เลอฟินิกซ์ สุขุมวิท ซ. 11 baby back pork ribs, and martinis, cocktails and wines are on hand to keep you comPHRANAKORN BAR [map 7 / G6] pany while your eyes roam the scenery. Soi Damnoen Klang Tai, Ratchadamnoen Daily happy hours (50 % off selected wines, Rd. | 02-622-0282 | 6pm-1am beers and cocktails between 5 – 7 pm) and When backpacker ghetto Khao San Road prompt, smooth service make the experiwears thin (and it will) flee in search of ence all the more enjoyable. this multi-level boozer only a five minute walk away. It’s an old favourite of local รร.เซ็นทาร่าแกรนด์ แอทเซ็นทรัลเวิลด์ art students and creatives, mostly for ถ.พระราม 1 its indie/80s/90s worshipping playlist and mellow trestle-and-vine rooftop SKY BAR / DISTIL [map 5 / C 5] offering splendid views, over rickety old- 63rd F, State Tower | 1055 Silom Rd city rooftops, towards the floodlit Golden 02-624-9555 | www.thedomebkk.com Mount temple. The booze and Thai food 6 pm – 1 am is also cheap as chips, as is most of the High fliers hankering after a taste for the modern art hanging on the second floor. dramatic can head over to The Dome Tried to find it before but failed? You at State Tower. Among the world’s highwouldn’t be the first. From the Burger est outdoor bars, Sky bar – attached to King end of Khao San Road, turn right onto Med restaurant Sirocco – offers panoRatchadamnoen, right again and it’s down ramic views of the city and river below, the first soi on your left hand-side. In the earning its popularity with visitors new evenings there’s usually at least one vintage to the City of Angels and those intent on VW beetle parked outside. rediscovering it. Indoor-outdoor Distil

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boasts a roomful of comfy sofas, beyondpremium 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. Given this policy, then, you might think it somewhat ironic that the venue featured recently in the gross-out American comedy hit, The Hangover Part II.

สเตททาวเวอร์ สีลม

BARS BARLEY BISTRO [map 5 / H 5] 4st F, Food Channel | Silom Rd, between Soi 5 and 7 | BTS Sala Daeng 087-033-3919 | www.barleybistro.com 5 pm – late This multi-level resto-bar, hidden up some stairs within an enclave of franchise-like restaurants, is one very slick, snazzy spot. The design is chic (blacks and greys, white-onblack 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. Though not quite worthy of our ‘Bars with a View’ section – it’s boxed in by buildings – it’s littered with cooling fans, huge bean bags and funky barley-stalk sculptures and perfect for post-work/pre-club cocktails. Live bands play in the bar most nights.

บาร์ลี่ย์บิสโทร ฟู้ดชาแนล ถ.สีลม

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CAFÉ TRIO [map 4 / H 6] 36/11-12 Soi Lang Suan | BTS Chit Lom 02-252- 6572 | 6 pm – 1 am, 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 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 Modigliani-esque, Vietnamese inspired paintings – have a few drinks and don’t be surprised to find yourself taking one home. To find it, look for the Chinese restaurant across from Starbucks and head 50 m down the road.

คาเฟ่ทริโอ ซ.หลังสวน CHEAP CHARLIE’S [map 3 / D 6] Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana 02-253-4648 | Mon – Sat 5 pm – 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 Subsoi (first on the left as you walk down from Sukhumvit) packed with restaurants and a short walk from hallowed Bangkok gin-palaces Q Bar and Bed Supperclub.

ชีพ ชาร์ลีย์ ถ.สุขุมวิท 11 (ซอยแรก)

clouds

cians’ in white overalls, and later on a DJ spins acid jazz while a female dancer sits atop one of the blocks, calmly polishing her gun and blowing bubbles. They also serve tasty misshapen pizzas, which are cooked in a gas-oven and served in steel trays. It’s not yet a big crowd-puller, but the result is enjoyably bizarre: part ultramodern mausoleum to nature, part space-station drinking hole.

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 – and here’s the rub – after famous WWII shipwrecks. This nautical theme loosely ties in with the short menu, from which the most popular order is, of course, the fish ‘n’ chips (B320 for one person, B600 for two). Made คลาวด์ โครงการการซีสเปซ from an old family recipe, it comes served ซ.ทองหล่อ 13 in a wooden tub, turning a takeaway staple into finger food. Tucking in as we listened FACE BANGKOK [ Map 3 / S 7] to the blues band play on the tiny stage, and 29 Sukhumvit Soi 38 | BTS Thong Lo observed the hi-so crowd sipping politely on 02-713-6048 | www.facebars.com their aquatic-inspired cocktails, it was obvi11:30 am – 1 am ous that this bar is an unusual, albeit successJim Thompson, move over. Face’s visually ful blend of ingredients. stunning complex is reminiscent of Jim’s former mansion, with Ayutthaya-style buildings แฟท กัซ สุขุมวิท ซ.55 and thriving flora, it’s just bigger and bolder. The Face Bar is a dimly-lit place that sum- HYDE & SEEK [Map 4 / L5] mons deluxe drinkers with its cosy settees, 65/1 Athenée Residence, Soi Ruamrudee ambient soundscape, and giant cocktails. BTS Phloen Chit | 02-168-5152 Though often empty, the big drink list will www.hydeandseek.com | 11 am – 1 am stop your body clock pretty fast. The three This stylish downtown gastro bar is a deadrestaurants – Hazara serving Northern ringer for those chic London haunts that Indian, Misaki serving Japanese, and Lan Na draw the after-work crowd for pick-meThai serving traditional Thai – are full of fab up cocktails and good food that doesn’t all-Asian decor; they’re romantic and invit- break the bank. Heading the kitchen is Ian ing, but you might be let down by the tiny Kittichai, the brains behind the successportions, and the flamboyant prices. Stay ful Kittichai restaurant in New York, while in the Bar and order from the snack menu the bar is helmed by the boys behind Flow, instead. And have another Japanese Slipper. the cocktail consultancy that inspires much drunken fun around the region. The sleek, เฟซแบงคอก สุขุมวิท ซ.38 Georgian-influenced décor has panelled walls, clubby chairs and a large central bar, FAT GUT’Z [map 3 / Q 2] where snacks like beer battered popcorn 264 Soi 12, Sukhumvit Soi 55 (Thong Lor) shrimps and baby back ribs glazed with 027-149-832 | www.fatgutz.com chocolate and chilli go well with fancy, 6 pm – 2 am custom-made cocktails or Belgian ales. A place to see and be seen, this sleek saloon Outside, there’s a spacious terrace with is packed nightly with a crowd of beautiful swing seats and a mini-maze of tea plants to people, there to listen to live blues, indulge partition dining areas. In sum, Hyde & Seek in carefully crafted drinks, and, perhaps, is a rare entry into the huge market for high catch a glimpse of its in-demand owner, Ashley Sutton, the Australian behind the quality drinks and food at middle prices. It’s already legendary Iron Fairies. Unlike his first busy with the rich and powerful looking bar, Fat Gut’z displays a less obvious sense most nights, so best book ahead.

CLOUDS [ Map 3 / Q 2] 1st F, SeenSpace | 251/1 Thong Lor Soi 13, (Sukhumvit Soi 55) | BTS Thong Lo 02-185-2365 | www.cloudslounge.com Having shaken up Thonglor’s bar scene with his first two concoctions, Iron Fairies and Fat Gut’z, his third 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 Thong Lor’s SeenSpace has a living tree encased in glass in one corner, and concrete blocks, topped with lumps of translucent leaf-encasing acrylic, for tables. Vodka-based cocktails (B 280) by New York mixultant Joseph Boroski are prepped by ‘NASA techni- of whimsy – here, the random fittings and 8 4 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

face bangkok

แอนธินีเรซซิเดนซ์ ซ.ร่วมฤดี

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N i ghtl i fe | B ars

Marshmellow

MARSHMALLOW [map 3 / C 5] 33/18 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana 02-254-1971 | Facebook: Marshmallow 11 am – 1 am You’d expect the first bar by one of Bangkok’s best known DJs, long-time Bed Supperclub resident Fred Jungo, to be a loud, pumping house, but that’s not the case. “I don’t want Marshmallow to be one of those bars where the DJ gets more and more carried away until customers can’t hear themselves speak,” he says. Occupying the corner building where Soi 11 turns left towards Q Bar, the space has a raised terrace that wraps around its perimeter, beside tall steel and glass doors that are fully retractable. To evict the ghosts of ventures past (previous incarnations Diva and Welfare were both dismal failures), they gutted the interior. Dark wood-planks line the walls and pillars; there’s a mezzanine; a mirror and 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,” Fred told us. However, judging by the dishes we tucked in to – three Fine de Clares (B 290) with condiments, a bright and fresh haloumi cheese salad, a slab of Australian tenderloin with mash and boiled veg (B 550) – it could, with a little tweaking, become their forte. Marshmallow is an affordable and brilliantly located (in Soi 11 clubber terms) spot for drinks and bites.

มาร์ชเมลโล่ สุขุมวิท ซ.11 OSKAR BISTRO [map 3 / D 5] 24 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana 02-255 3377 | 4 pm – 2 am; kitchen open till 11:30 pm 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. A venue for all seasons, with tables jammed, inside and out, and brown paper menus that set a tone of streetsy nonchalance where anyone might feel at home. The food choice includes sandwiches, bangkok101.com

oskar bistro

the Oskar burger (wagyu beef – what else?), pizzas and a section of cocottes (French-style individual dishes slow cooked and served in the same pot). 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 (start at 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.

ออสการ์ บิสโทร สุขุมวิท ซ. 11 ROLLING BAR [Map 7 / J 5] Wanchat Rd | 081-867-6568 Mon – Sat 6 pm – 2 am A big lit up marquee sign on Wanchat Road beckons you to find out what is going on below the street line. Descend a few stairs and in a quiet corner by the water you will find Rolling Bar, a small open space filled with a mixed assortment of retro decor and various model Cadillac cars. Here, every night you can hear familiar old folk and rock covers unplugged. The bar draws a mixed crowd all in the comfort of T-shirts and jeans and ready to throw back a couple of drinks. The menu’s got all the popular Thai favourites, but the bar offers you a little bit more. Owner Khun Sheeva has whipped up his own personal sweet rum, Sheeva Wop; a must try.

โรลลิ่งบาร์ ริมสะพานเฉลิมวันชาติ TUBA [Map 8 / S 1 4] 34 Room 11 – 12A, Soi Cham Chun (Ekkamai Soi 21) | 02-711-5500 www.design-athome.com | 11 am – 2 am Some come to this two-storey furniture store to snag a comfy sofa, vintage sign or goofy tchotchke. Others come for the big menu of Italian and Thai dishes tweaked for the local palate. But for us, Tuba works best as a bar, as the unusual setting and generous Happy Hour (buy one get one

free between 5 -8 pm daily) mean there really are few cooler places in town to kick back after work with a sweet cocktail in hand (or two hands in some cases – the glassware can be that big!). Owned by the same hoarders behind Lad Phrao furniture warehouse Papaya, it features room upon room of haphazardly arranged eye-candy, all of which you’re free to skulk through at your leisure. A word to the wise: one cocktail too many and you may leave with more than you bargained for. Another caveat worth bearing in mind: smokers are allowed to puff away at Tuba, and many seem to come here to do just that.

ทูบา ถ.สุขุมวิท 63 (เอกมัย 21) THE IRON FAIRIES [Map 3 / Q 2] 394 Thong Lor (Sukhumvit Soi 55), Thong Lor Soi 12 | BTS Thong Lo 084-520-2301 | www.theironfairies.com Bangkok’s most bizarre bar is a functioning iron foundry – yes, you can actually buy the eponymous iron fairies themselves – that just happens to serve booze. Drawing heavily from the steampunk genre, it has the labyrinthine otherworldliness of a Terry Gilliam film-set. Walls are daubed black, silent movies are projected on the walls upstairs, an in-house magician tours the tables, and Doris Day classics are belted out from the cast-iron spiral staircase. Beers start from B 120 a bottle, a well mixed dirty martini goes for B 280 and the burgers, served pinned to a wooden chopping board with a steak knife, divine. The moneyed Thong Lor set fill it nightly.

ดิไอรอนแฟรี่ส์แอนด์โค ซ.ทองหล่อ SHADES OF RETRO [Map 8 / s 1 4] Soi Tararom 2, Thong Lor | BTS Thong Lo 081-824-8011 | 3 pm – 1 am | 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 store-café, Shades provides a quiet hangout for the writer/designer/artiste crowd by day, fun people-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 humanizes the hip, thankfully.

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Nightlife

WONG’S PLACE [Map 8 / L 17] 27/3 Soi Sri Bumphen, Soi Ngam Duplee, near Malaysia Hotel | MRT Lumpini 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?). Come after the other bars close – it’s a mere hop skip and a jump from Silom – and watch the night unfold.

วองส์ เพลส ซ.งามดูพลี VIVA AVIV [map 5 / C2] River City – Unit 118 | 23 Trok Rongnamkhaeng, Charoen Krung Soi 30 02-639-6305 | www.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 pleasant riverside promenade, inside there’s also a hip designer interior in full effect. Think tropical maritime chic meets dashes of outright whimsy. In the main room, pulleys hang over the central bar made of salvaged wood, yards from a huge mounted moose’s head. And the other, with its leather sofas, rusting anchors and other nautical knick-knacks, could pass for Jaco Sparrow’s front room (if he had one). 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. Weekly specials go for B199, along with wine by the glass, during the daily 4-8pm happy hours. Food tip: the risotto-filled croquet balls with yoghurt dip are a must. Keep an eye on their Facebook page for news of new specials and ‘Kolour Sundays’, their shadesdown and racuous Sunday DJ barbeques.

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WTF

WTF [Map 3 / Q 6] 7 Sukhumvit Soi 51 | BTS Thong Lo 02- 626-6246 | www.wtfbangkok.com Tue – Sun 6 pm – 1 am / gallery from 3 pm 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 artscensters to chew the fat with.

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VIVA AVIV

BRICK BAR [Map 7 / G 6] 265 Khaosan Rd | 02-629-4477 www.brickbarkhaosan.com Mon – Sun 7 pm – 1am | Mon – Thu free / Fri – Sat B150 incl. one drink Found at the rear of the Buddy Lodge shopping arcade, this dark and airy redbrick vault features benches downstairs, an upstairs terrace for people or band watching and plenty of nooks and crannies to party in. A magnet for young live music lovers, it’s jumping most nights of the week with freshfaced twentysomethings out to catch some of Thailand’s biggest ska, reggae, funk and blues bands, many of whom play their own material. Perfect for friends who’ve just hit town, expect to be clinking whisky glasses with new friends all night.

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COSMIC CAFE [Map 8 / Q 12] RCA Block C | Rama IX Rd | MRT Rama 9 The rebel in RCA’s ranks, Cosmic Café LIVE MUSIC serves a mixed diet of sonic eclecticism in a grungy, open-sided corner bar with outPerformances by top international door seating and a small dance floor. On bands might be thin on the ground here, one night you might the place jumping, but there are a clutch of venues where as the Paradise Bangkok DJs host a rare decent live music can be heard. Much, live performance by mor lam legend Dao if not all of it, is world-class. Bandon. On another a house band dishing out some surf guitar, ska, electronica TH ADHERE the 13 [Map 7 / G 3] or blues. The edgiest joint on the block, it 13 Samsen Rd (opposite Soi 2) draws a lively, musically discerning crowd, 089- 769-4613 | 5 pm – midnight from skinny jeaned art-school hipster types Funky, jammy, bare – one of Bangkok’s to teddy boy expats. An insider’s must. coolest hangouts is nothing more than an คอสมิค คาเฟ่ อาร์ซีเอ aisle packed with five tables, a tiny bar and instruments. It’s a joint you’d expect to find THE ROCK PUB [Map 4 / C 2] on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, except for 93/26-28 Radchatewee, Phaya Thai Rd, the Chang beer. North of Khao San Road (opposite Asia Hotel) | BTS Ratchathewi (ask for ‘Ad Here’, once in the quarter), this www.therockpubbangkok.com down-to-earth, bohemian hang-out packs 9:30 pm – 2 am ’em in nightly. On weekends, young Thais, If Def Leppard, Aerosmith or Wayne and expats and tourists spill out on the sidewalk Garth were in town you’d find them reliving when the joint is jumpin’. The resident band the glory years here, at Bangkok’s very own churns out cool blues, Motown and Janis Castle of Rock. A tacky faux-turret exterior, Joplin; Georgia, the city’s only true Blues visible from the Ratchatewi BTS Station, Mama, has a voice and figure to match, and makes you wonder what kind of weird, would never sing Hotel California. 1980s theme-park ride you’ve stumbled on,

แอดเฮีย 13 ถ.สามเสน บางลำ�ภู

while inside local metal bands with Brian bangkok101.com

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Live vividly amidst world-class facilities. Immerse yourself in the truly vibrant lifestyle. Grande Centre Point Hotel & Residence Sukhumvit-Terminal 21 2, 88 Sukhumvit Soi 19 (Wattana), Sukhumvit Rd., North Khlong Toei, Wattana, Bangkok 10110 Telephone: +66 2 681 9000, Fax: +66 2 681 9100-1 Website: www.grandecentrepointterminal21.com bangkok101.com

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Nightlife

BRICK BAR

saxophone pub

SAXOPHONE PUB [Map 8 / K 10] 3 / 8 Phaya Thai Rd BTS Victory Monument | 02-246-5472 www.saxophonepub.com | 6 pm – 2 am Just a stone’s throw from the Victory Monument Skytrain Station, this cozy, unpretentious place is a Bangkok landmark when it comes to solid live jazz and blues. เดอะ ร็อคผับ Attracting youngish Thais and the odd foreigner, the spacious joint can pack up to 400 RAINTREE PUB [Map 8 / K 10] people on its homey, low-ceilinged, wood116 / 63 - 34 Soi Ruamjit, Rang Nam Rd filled floors. Each night, two talented Thai BTS Victory Monument bands belt out sincere jazz, jazzy funk and 02-245-7230, 081-926-1604 R&B while the crowd feasts on hearty Thai www.raintreepub.com | 5 pm – 1 am and Western fare. All the local live music This rustic Thai ‘country’ bar is a sort of scene greats have played here and many still all-wooden, pre-consumerist age timepop by when they can. capsule. Raintree hosts musicians playing Pleng Peua Chiwit (Songs for Life), the once แซ๊กโซโฟนผับ ถ.พญาไท phenomenally popular 1970’s folk protest music and soundtrack for Thailand’s politi- Sonic [MAP 3 / T 2] cally disaffected. On a stage decorated with 90 Ekamai (Sukhumvit Soi 63) the movement’s trademark buffalo skulls, BTS Ekamai | 02-382-3396 two artists strum nightly: a long-haired facebook: sonic.ekamai | 6 pm – 2 am singer croons plaintive songs at 8:30 pm, Hip, mural-splattered Sonic is dedicated to a grizzled band steps up at around 11 pm. bringing you assorted musical jollies. Not Owner Porn Pimon opened Raintree 19 the same old Thai bands or David Guetta years ago and has changed little since. And wannabes, but nights that sit at the more why should she? The people are friendly, alternative end of the spectrum, with a the beer snacks cheap and tasty, and the tilt toward the indie side. There’s a big music, made famous by household names semi-outdoor seating area with DJ booth, an indoor bar and deeper in is the main like Caravan and Caribou, soul-stirring. room. On quieter nights stools and tables เรนทรีผับ ซ.ร่วมจิต ถ.รางน้ำ� fill this high-ceilinged, warehouse-like space with a bar in one corner and funky brass PARKING TOYS [MAP 2 / G5] lamps dangling overhead, but for gigs and 17/22 Soi Maiyalap, Kaset-Navamin other crowd-pullers they strip it bare. Since Highway, Bang Khen opening, Sonic has blasted its way into the (pier 135-136 on left hand side) affections of the city’s hard-to-please nightLat Phrao district | BTS Mo Chit life clans with a string of unusual live gigs, (then taxi) | 02-907-2228 | 6 pm – 1am including mor lam legends Wong Dontri Inside this ex-garage out in the northern Molam Theppabut and US indie shoegazers suburbs it’s pure sensory overload. Wall- The Pains of Being Pure at Heart. See their to-wall retro furniture becomes instant Facebook page for the next. eye-candy, while chairs without upholstery โซนิค ซ.เอกมัย (ระหว่าง ซ.10 และบิ๊กซี) dangle from the ceiling. Here, there is a band for every alternative music lover; in TAWANDAENG GERMAN just one weekend night you can catch reg- BREWERY [MAP 2 /E11] gae, electronic, rockabilly, and metal. It’s a 462 / 61 Rama III Rd | Yan Nawa district hike and not easy to find, but worth it. 02- 678-1114 | www.tawandang.co.th May hairdos thrash out note-perfect renditions of everything from Black Sabbath to Sweet Child O’Mine and Motorhead’s Ace of Spades. Fans of the extended drum interlude or lightening fast guitar solo will not be disappointed – or able to resist doing the Devil’s Horn.

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The one place that every taxi driver seems

Sonic

to know, this vast, barrel-shaped beer hall packs in the revelers nightly. They come for the towers of micro-brewed beer, the Thai, Chinese and German grub (especially the deep-fried pork knuckle and sausage), and, not least, the famous Fong Nam houseband. It’s laidback early on, but by 10pm, when the Thai/Western pop, luk krung and mor lam songs are at full pelt, everybody is on their feet and the place going bananas. Great for large groups, especially birthday parties and office outings, but make sure you reserve ahead for the best tables nearest the stage.

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Jazz clubs Click your fingers like a hepcat at one of the following respected live jazz venues. Some are all elegant and sultry, others as raw and gritty as that old crooner’s voice.

BAMBOO BAR [Map 5 / B4] The Oriental Bangkok | 48 Oriental Ave 02-659-9000 | www.mandarinoriental.com Sun – Thu 11 am – 1 am, Fri & Sat 11 am – 2 am This Bangkok landmark is a symbol of past glories of the East. Situated in one of the city’s most sophisticated hotels, the 50-year-old bar oozes class, sophistication and style. Reminiscent of a tropical film noir-setting, it features a jungle theme – bamboo, palm fronds and furry patterns. Small and busy, it’s never theless romantic and intimate – balanced by the legendary Russian jazz band that’s been on the stage here for ages. Monday through Saturday nights catch the sultry sounds of their current resident songstress, Cynthia Utterbach. Everybody’s sipping on faultless cocktails, mixed by skilled old-school bar tenders and served by a superb staff. Ideal for a boozy night on your honeymoon. A definite big Bangkok must.

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N i ghtl i fe | L i ve m u s i c & j a z z cl u bs

Brown Sugar [Map 7 / J 5] 469 Phrasumen Road | 089-499-1378 www.brownsugarbangkok.com | 6 pm – 1 am Little over a month after it closed down, one of Bangkok’s oldest cosiest jazz venues was back with a new, bigger location near Khao San. Now a restaurant and coffee house by day, it morphs into a live jazz haunt where renditions of bebop and ragtime draw an audience of locals and visitors by night. There’s also be a 200-seat space on the second floor that can host art exhibitions, film screenings, plays, poetry readings, concerts and “whatever else you can think of ”. And a monthly ‘Brown Sugar Showcase’ features live performances by international touring acts on the last Friday or Saturday of each month.

THE LIVING ROOM [Map 4 / F6] Sheraton Grande | 250 Sukhumvit Rd BTS Aso / MRT Sukhumvit | 02-649-8888 www.sheratongrandesukhumvit.com 10 am – 12:30 am 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 still a stylish place, and the usually middle-aged patrons live it up on great wines, champagne and strong cocktails in a quiet way. The high-ceilinged foyer offers perfect acoustics for the fabulous jazz band. Be prepared to be well-entertained. Worldclass talents are booked in continuously, guaranteeing top-notch jazz and always a warm audience rapport. Throughout Feb, The Living Room plays host to Alice บราวน์ ชูการ์ ถ.พระสุเมร Day alongside the Shawn Kelley Trio, performing every Tuesday through Thursday DIPLOMAT BAR [Map 4 / K7] nights from 9 to 11:45 pm, plus Friday and Conrad Bangkok Saturday nights from 9:30 pm to 12:15 am. 87 Witthayu Rd | BTS Ploen Chit 02-690-9999 | www.conradbangkok.com You can also catch them during the Sun – Thu 6 pm – 1 am; Fri & Sat 6 pm – 2 am Sheraton Grande’s legendary Sunday Jazzy An architecturally striking hotel bar, mixing Brunch. a funky, stylish décor with soft teak sofas รร.เชอราตันแกรนด์ สุขุมวิท and an arresting chandelier hanging over the massive round bar. Bronze silks and wood Niu ’s on Silom [Map 5 / E5] dominate this dark, contemporary, but 2nd F, 661 Silom Rd | 02-266-5333 always relaxed place. A boozy, high-profile www.niusonsilom.com | 5 pm – 1 am crowd fills the Diplomat Bar nightly, espe- This New York-style lounge – with its hot cially during the elongated, buyone-get-one- jazz, old leather armchairs and roses on free Happy Hour from 4 – 7 pm (standard candlelit tables – has a house band with drinks only). It’s very hip among the diplo- some of Bangkok’s better local talent. matic corps (Witthayu is stuffed with embas- They provide the backbone for various sies), trendy guys in suits and glitzy society international acts who perform regularly. ladies – ideal for people-ogling. But the main There’s also a jazz jam every Sunday and attraction here is more aural than visual and occasional concer ts featuring established exceptional jazz acts are de rigueur. overseas visitors. Niu’s is a class act, but

รร.คอนราด ถ.วิทยุ

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dy; and you can eat bar snacks or dine formally in the impressive Concer to Italian restaurant upstairs. Outside seating also available.

นิวส์ ออน สีลม บ้านสีลม Tokyo Joe’s [Map 3 / N8] 25/9 Sukhumvit Soi 26 | BTS Phrom Phong 02-661-0359; 087-925-4105 8 am – late / music Thu – Sun from 9 pm When Tokyo Joe’s closed at the end of 2009 it left a huge hole in the Sukhumvit blues scene, so there was much rejoicing when it reopened last October. Bands play on a stage at the back of the room and there’s a forecourt out front with bar. Furnishings inside are sparse, with a few functional tables and, on the walls, posters of musicians and events Tokyo Joe’s hosted in the past, such as the annual Bangkok Blues Festival. The current line-up includes a rotating headliner on Fridays and the Soi Dog Blues Band on Saturdays. Sundays is an open jam session. The food menu includes fancy items like duck confit and spaghetti al salmon as well as typical bar snacks like sandwiches, fries and Thai salads.

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still casual, comfor table for beers or bran-

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Nightlife

DURTY NELLY’S pub review

Durty Nelly’s follows the winning formula that has seen Irish pubs thrive the world over. First, décor. Use dark wooden furnishings, put up vintage alcohol posters (those with the Guinness toucan work best), and incorporate a ubiquitous symbol within your logo (a leprechaun, say, or a four-leaf clover perhaps). Second, drinks. Line up the usual selection of ales and stouts on tap (Guinness and Kilkenny, for example), and supplement with beers popular in your local market (such as Singha, Tiger and Asahi). Third, dining. Put out a simple menu with runof-the-mill staples. Except that this last point doesn’t apply at Durty Nelly’s. Instead, what you find is one of the most extensive, impressive and downright delicious menus in Bangkok. It’s obvious they take their food seriously here, so much so they’ve brought in a chef from Northern Ireland to run things. Executive Chef Sam Reid heads up a large kitchen team of 11 and makes almost everything in-house. The Weekend Roast (B300/ two courses, B350/three courses) is an especially fantastic deal for families as children eat for free. With such a large menu to maintain, you’d think Chef Reid might struggle to maintain standards across the board – but you’d be wrong. Everything from the fish cake with horseradish veloute to the lamb shank in red wine sauce to the panna cotta with pineapple ‘salsa’ is surprisingly good. Is Durty Nelly’s ‘Pure Irish’? Not really. But with a menu this good it doesn’t even matter.

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DURTY NELLY’S [MAP3 / U5] 56-56/1 Soi Sukhumvit 63 (Ekkamai) | BTS Ekkamai 02-714-2692 | www.durtynellysasia.com | 10am-1am 9 0 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

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N i ghtl i fe | P u b C rawl

PUB Crawl

pubs 101 HANRAHANS [Map 3 / C 7] Sukhumvit Soi 4 l BTS Nana 02-255-0644-5 | 9 am – 1am JAMESON’S [Map 5 / D 5] Gr. F Holiday Inn Silom 981 Silom Rd | BTS Surasak 02-266-7703-5 | 10 am – 1 am MOLLY MALONE’S [Map 5 / J 5] 1/5-6 Soi Convent, Silom BTS Sala Daeng | 02-266-7160 9 am – 1 am

SILOM AREA

Hidden among the salacious delights of Silom Road, you will still find some of the “grand old men” of libation locales. O’Reilly’s [ Map 5 / K5 ] is a slightly dingy affair whose décor matches its demeanour – grizzled, but down-to-earth. Even so, it’s popular due to nightly drinks specials, live music, and an outdoor seating area to view the exotic sights of Silom. Just down the street is The Barbican [ Map 5 / K5] a multi-level contemporary concoction of granite and steel where the mixed crowds of expats and locals enjoy superior food and a wide choice of imported beers. With Kilkenny and Guinness on tap, Molly Malone’s [Map 5 / J5] offers a real taste of Ireland. Drop in during their extended happy hour (5 pm – 9 pm) for live music and multiple big screens for sport. Friendly staff and excellent food (especially their Sunday roast) means this place is always busy. A short stroll down from the infamous Patpong stands basement boozer The Pinstman [Map 5 / J5] . Its look and feel is nothing you haven't seen before, but it does have Asahi, Guiness and Kilkenny on tap and lots of imported Belgian brews available by the bottle. Jameson’s [Map 5 / D5] sat under the Holiday Inn is a cavernous place but still packs in the punters thanks to fantastic happy hours, including ladies’ night on Tuesday featuring Margaritas for a ridiculously cheap B 29 a glass.

SUKHUMVIT AREA

Sukhumvit Road, a haven for expats, is jammed with joints catering to ale aficionados. Beside BTS Phrom Phong station, The Robin Hood [Map 3 / L6] offers daily happy hour and drinks specials, including draught Kilkenny and Guinness, as well as live music and sports. Even so, it can sometimes seem a little sedate. Down a nearby alley is The Royal Oak [Map 3 / L6], whose oak-panelled walls and low ceilings give off a cosy feel. The Londoner [Map 3 / L6] is a vast subterranean hideaway that brews its own real ale and lager, has good food and a regular house band. Opposite is the ever-popular Dubliner [Map 3 / K7], a three-storey edifice. Though slightly pricy, the superb food (try the sausages), live music and Guinness pull in the punters. Up the road in the shadow of Asok BTS, is The Black Swan [Map 3 / G6], a proper British booze abode. No bands. No happy hours. Just snug escape offering a warm atmosphere and a wise-cracking landlord. Tucked down a pedestrian sub-street of Soi 11 lined with international restaurants is The Pickled Liver [Map 3 / C5]. A shrine to soccer and suds, the décor is unfussy with a focus on big screen sports. But with friendly staff and daily happy hour it’s not just the sport that makes it worth a visit. Finally, Hanrahans [Map 3 / C7] offers a genuine reason to be seen in Nana. Light and airy it ticks all the right boxes with regular music, special drinks deals and daily happy hour. bangkok101.com

O’REILLYS [Map 5 /K 5] 62/1-4 Silom Rd BTS Sala Daeng, MRT Silom 02-632-7515 | 9 am – 2 am The BARBICAN [Map 5 / K 4] 9/4-5 Soi Thaniya, Silom Rd BTS Sala Daeng, MRT Silom 02-234-3590 | 11:30 am – 1 am THE BLACK SWAN [Map 3 / G 6] 326/8-9 Sukhumvit Rd BTS Asok, MRT Sukhumvit 02-229-4542 | 8 am – midnight The Royal Oak [Map 3 / L 6] Sukhumvit Soi 33/1 BTS Phrom Phong | 02-259-4444 11:30 am – 1 am BULLY’S [Map 3 / B 7] Sukhumvit Rd, btw. Soi 2 / 4 BTS Nana | 02-656-4609 | 11 am – 1am THE DUBLINER [Map 3 / K 7] 440 Sukhumvit Rd, btw. Soi 22 / 24 BTS Phrom Phong | 02-204-1841/2 9 am – 1 am THE LONDONER [Map 3 / L 6] Basement, UBC II Bldg., Sukhumvit Soi 33 | BTS Phrom Phong 02-261-0238/9 | 11 am – 1am THE PICKLED LIVER [Map 3 / C 5] Sukhumvit Soi 7/1 | BTS Nana 02-254-3484 | 2 pm – 3 am THE PINTSMAN [Map 5 / J 5] United Center Blg., 323 Silom Rd, btw. Soi Convent / 3 | BTS Sala Daeng 089-012-9922 | 11 am – 1 am THE ROBIN HOOD [Map 3 / L 6] PB Bldg., Sukhumvit Soi 33/1 BTS Phrom Phong | 02-662-3390 10 pm – midnight j u ly 2 0 1 2 | 9 1

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bangkok101.com

SHOPPING | XXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

A familiar face in the entertainment industry, Kwankao Svetavimala is an actress-cum-designer whose life is obsessively speculated about by the gossip magazines. However, this much we know is true: she graduated in music and performing arts from Chulalongkorn University and attributes her recent career change to a passion for fashion that she’s had since a very young age. This is only the second year of life for her eponymous fashion label Kwankao, and yet she’s aiming for the skies with Terra Tiara, her restrained yet whimsical 2012 spring-summer collection. Cosmically inspired by the Grecian goddess of harvest, Demeter, its pastoral motifs invoke thoughts of warm soils and earthy grains and, she says, even draws links with global warming.

available at:

1st Floor, Siam Paragon Department Store | Rama I Rd 1st Floor, The Emporium Department Store | Sukhumvit Rd (near soi 24) Kwankao

02-539-3970 | kwankao.com

Although earthy with its browns and organic prints, this collection is definitely not going for the carefree, gypsy look. These bohemian prints are executed in body-fitting silhouettes, with a lot of skin exposure (making them a great choice for global warming). The Dune top, for example, is a pearlescent beige spandex tube top combined with loose chiffon draping on the front. And then there’s the very sensual and feminine Chivvy Jumpsuit, with its clever cut-and-paste look paired with a soft, subtle palette. Pythagorean patterns are also incorporated into the design with sharp graphic strips and trims in periwinkle and seafoam green. Other pieces are a continuous dissection of repeated patterns, as if someone detonated the dress and tenderly stitched it back together with a genius dash of draping and ruffles. By far the highlights of this collection, though, are the jewelry and accessories. The brass pieces are elegant, classic and versatile. Featuring agricultural motifs such as barley, the intricate earrings and woven necklaces in particular are just plain gorgeous. bangkok101.com

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Stuff

local threads the modern

Think Thai fabrics and what do you think of? Silk, naturally. However, these days even the main players in the modern silk industry dabble with different materials, such as cotton, hemp and linen. Rather than spooling off the same old designs, the patterns have evolved too. The following batch of neo-traditional fabric shops are all creating covetable new things using old threads and weaving methods.

Jagtar

[ M A P4 / G6]

The Peninsula Plaza, 1st floor, 153 Ratchadamri Rd BTS Ratchadamri / Chit Lom | 02-255-7380-88 www.jagtar.com

Specialising in contemporary silk scarfs for the luxury market, Jagtar was founded in 1985, although its founder Insaf Jihas has been in the textile business ever since he and his family emigrated from India back in 1947. Inspired by everything from Cubism to Central Asia, their highly exclusive silk items can be seen in Chanel, Cartier, Louis Vuitton boutiques and stores around the world, as well as many gift stores at five-star resorts in the region, such as the Chiva-Som down in Hua Hin.

เพนนินซูล่าพลาซ่า ถ.ราชดำ�ริ

Almeta

[ M A P4 / G 4 ]

Gaysorn Plaza, 3rd floor, 999 Ploenchit Road 02-656-1070 | www.almeta.com

With its own workshop in the Northeast offering total flexibility, Almeta is one of the most creative players on the contemporary silk scene. One of its main calling cards is its bespoke ‘Silk à la Carte’ service, which lets you have items woven to order after you’ve selected from over 1,000 different colours. Another is its trademarked, fully machine-washable ‘Lazy Silk’ – perfect for casual wear and silk bedding! The Gaysorn showroom is also a dream fabric-buyer destination, packed full of sumptuous silk sarongs, fishermen‘s pants, scarves, shawls, throws and cushions.

เกษรพลาซ่า ถ.เพลินจิต

Jim Thompson

[ M A P5 / K4 ]

9 Surawong Rd | BTS Saladang/MRT Silom 02-632-8100 | www.jimthompson.com

It would be remiss to tackle Thai fabrics and not mention Jim Thompson. Today the company that pioneered the modern industry stays relevant by collaborating with local and international designers on its collections of high-quality home furnishings, fabrics and fashion. Another development that’s keeping the company fresh: it recently launched its first ever collection of gorgeous, silk-inspired wallpaper, House on the Klong. The main branch is on Surawong Rd, but there are shops in most of our upscale malls too.

จิม ทอมป์สัน ถ.สุรวงศ์

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SHOPPING | local thre ads

The Loom

Khomapastr [ M A P3 / P2]

275 Soi Thonglor 13, Sukhumvit Soi 55 | BTS Thong Lo 02-7127823 | www.theloombangkok.com

Struggling to find a right silk scarf you like? Believe it or not, at Thonglor 13’s The Loom you can actually weave your own. And quickly: using modified hand looms, simplified weaving techniques and the huge array of colourful silk yarns, the silk-industry family who runs it promises that you will be able to weave one within only two hours. Weaving courses cover the basics (how to mix multicolour yarns, create geometric patterns, etc); and, if you’re looking to pass off someone else’s handiwork as your own, there are finished scarves, bags and other silk goodies for purchase.

เดอะ รูม ทองหล่อ ซ.13

Nandakwang

[ M A P3 / H5]

Originating from Chiang Mai, Nandakwang’s minimalist yet playful shop interior is filled with cotton textile items sporting up-to-date designs: flamboyantly hand-embroidered cushion covers, quaint patterned rugs, super-cute animal tissue cases, etc. They also stock fabric handbags, stationery (notebooks, photo albums and organizers) as well as cushions, slippers, quilts and bed throws. Nandakwang dates back to 1951, but its aim to bring something fun and different to market goes down well with modern shoppers. Also have a second shop on Siam Discovery’s 4th Floor.

bangkok101.com

Miracle Mall, Sukhumvit 41 | BTS Phrom Phong 02-260-8889 | www.khomapastrfabrics.com

At Khomapastr it’s all about durable and comfortable cotton. This has been the case ever since its founder, his Royal Highness Prince Bovoradej, worked out how to screen-print traditional Thai designs onto the natural fibre back in 1948. It’s signature Lai Pa Kiao, or gold hand print, design has been worn by the Royal Family and remains a bestseller, but Khomapastr’s clothes, accessories and homewares feature lots of others too, from twists on Thai motifs, literary characters and mythological creatures to natty European. Most fabrics are available by the metre.

มิราเคิลมอลล์ สุขุมวิท 41

110/1 Sukhumvit 23 Rd | BTS Asok/MRT Sukhumvit 02-259-9607 | www.nandakwang.com

นันทขว้าง สุขุมวิท ซ.23

[ M A P3 / N5]

Pakamian

[ M A P2 / H6]

Festival Walk, Kaset-Navamin Rd | 086-344-5059 facebook.com/pakamian

Giving pa khao ma (multi-purpose sarongs beloved by country folk up and down the land) a muchneeded makeover is Pakamian, a shop on the town’s outskirts. This fledging company saw the need to rekindle pride in this iconic patterned fabric from the northeast, and has since created quite a buzz among the Thai media with their actually quite urbane looking cushions, notepads, clutch bags and dapper scarves. The northern suburbs too far for you? You can also find their items at Siam Jingjai, a crafts store at new riverside shopping complex Asiatique (275 Zone 2, Soi 2).

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Stuff

local threads

Looking to buy by the metre or pick up some authentic hill-tribe pieces? Head for one of these old-school fabric shops.

the traditional

Ban Krua Thai Silk

Anita

SOP MOEI ARTS

Sarochinee

[ mA P5 / E5]

298/2 Silom Rd | BTS Surasak | 02-234-2481 | www.anitasilk.com

In the silk business since 1959, Pornsan Tonavanik flogs silk by the metre, tailor-made dresses, cushions, curtains and other homewares and garments out of a small shophouse.

อนิตา ถ.สีลม

Ban Krua Thai Silk

[mA P4 / A3]

834 Soi Phayanak | BTS National Stadium | 081-243-9089 | http://phamaibaankrua.com

Located just across the canal from the Jim Thompson House, the old slum at the vanguard of the Thai silk industry back in the 1960s still has a few manufacturers using traditional teakwood looms, some with showrooms.

ผ้าไหมบ้านครัว ถ.พญานาค

Roi

[ M A P8 / M 3]

[ M A P5 / B2]

Millennium Hilton Bangkok Charoennakorn Rd 02-442-2145 | www.sarochinee.com

Sarochinee stands out from other silk tailors due to its attention to detailed stitching and cutting. Have a second store on the 2nd floor or O.P. Place Shopping Arcade (30/1 Charoenkrung Soi 38).

รร.มิลเลนเนียม ฮิลตัน กรุงเทพฯ ถ.เจริญนคร

Sop Moei Arts

[ M A P3 / N2]

8 room 104, Racquet Club, Sukhumvit 49 Rd BTS Phrom Phong | 02-714-7269 | www.sopmoeiarts.com

Stocking luxurious takes on Thai tribal designs, this modest store run by volunteers aims to earn income for the Pwo Karen, a marginalised ethnic minority from the North.

แรคเก็ทคลับ สุขุมวิท ซ.49

Soi 3, Section 26 Jatujak Market | 02-272-5844

No need to head north for lovely hill-tribe textiles. Naturally dyed cotton skirts, tops, trousers, shoulder clothes, table runners and bags with a durable feel and traditional weave patterns abound at this popular JJ Weekend Market store.

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bangkok101.com

S H O P P I N G | w wa

Unique Boutique

WWA review by Thitipol Panyalimpanun

WWA is not your average clothing shop. For starters, there’s no proper signage, only a picture collage of previous collections lining the stairwell. Then there’s the classical music, playing softly from behind the black floor-to-ceiling curtains that spit this stark, warehouse-style space into four areas. “What is it?” you may ask yourself. “The meeting place of some revolutionary secret society, or a hip boutique in the heart of Siam Square?” A bit of both, perhaps. Established in 2000 by a trio of trendy likeminds, WWA is an underthe-radar clothing label with a free-spirited and somewhat anarchic ideology – to ignore the usual definitions, concepts and boundaries that the fashion world places on itself.

hanging on the racks, for example, intrigues thanks to its off-piste stitch lines. Be it dress, trousers or t-shirt, most items are made in numbers small enough only to please WWA’s adventurous band of followers and a trickle of newcomers. And hanging on the racks alongside WWA’s left-of-centre offerings are the likes of Anti-Utopia, Curated, Sadudee, The Alchemists and Trimode, among other local fashion rebels. The boutique also serves desserts & drinks, the chef ’s menu printed, guerillamarketing style, on plain A4 paper; and a 3-room boutique hotel by WWA is due to open on the floor above sometime next year.

Stop moaning about the formulaic fashion world and come What does that mean for you, the casual fashion hunter? scan the racks here instead! Firstly, it means that if you’re looking for mainstream glamour you should go elsewhere, as you won’t find any seasonal ดับบลิว ดับบลิว เอ สยามสแควร์ ซ.7 or runway influence here. Instead, what you will find are getting there WWA’s conceptualised garments, with their radical designs WWA [MAP4 / C5] that somehow retain a pleasing balance of form despite be- Shop 428, 3rd-4th Floor, Siam Square Soi 7 ing far from conventional. A blue dress (B5,900) currently BTS Siam | 02-658-4686 | www.wwa.co.th bangkok101.com

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Market Focus

KHLONG THOM This city’s obsession with all things retro may be most in evidence at hipster markets like Talad Rot Fai and Ratchada, but Klong Thom is still the original Saturday night flea market. And arguably the source of the best bargains (many vendors at the former buy their vintage wares here). Its name means ‘landfill canal’, a reference to its location on the site of an old one that was paved over. Few can tell you exactly where it starts and ends, but roughly speaking the market occupies a square area boxed in by four main roads on the northern fringes of Chinatown: Luang, Worachak, Charoengkrung and Sieuh Pah. All taxi drivers know it, but many avoid it, as the traffic can be terrible and often stays that way until the small hours of Sunday, when it ends. Come here on Saturday afternoon and you’ll find its already bustling, as there are many electrical appliance stores in the vicinity, but it’s not until 8 or 9pm that the secondhand side of things really gets going. While the outskirts are quieter, good to roam down, some alleys and sidewalks get clogged with bargain hunters waving flashlights (many know it as 9 8 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

the flashlight market). You never know what you’re going to find here...Battered 1950s signage. Some beautiful teak gables salvaged from an old house. A pristine copy of Whitney Houston’s first LP buried in a box of obscure Thai folk and pop. Starwars figurines still in their original packaging. A banana shaped home telephone from the 1980s. Some old grandpa’s watch or coin collection. What really gives mass appeal though is its unpretentiousness. Unlike the aforementioned Saturday night markets, Khlong Thom is not such a hipster that it frowns on the knick-knacks and essentials the city’s downhome types actually need too, like cheap underwear, shonky Chinese-made stereo equipment, or even a spare hose and noozle for your toilet’s leaky butt-sprayer. คลองถม getting there

Khlong Thom [MAP 6 / C,D 2] Between Luang, Worachak, Charoengkrung and Sieuh Pah Roads | 6:30pm-dawn every Saturday bangkok101.com

S H O P P I N G | J at u j a k

JJ gem of the month

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.

Taking 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 they desire.

DEFY

by Amornsri Tresarannukul

Jet black walls, gold gilt frame display cases and one very creepy skeleton mannequin. Defy, with its three branches scattered around JJ, is clearly not your average girly jewelry store. To complete your emo rock chick makeover, this rebellious version of Harry Winston is a must visit, flogging chunky gothic pieces made from brass, such as skull or moose’s horn rings, and bullet or axe pendant necklaces. Each one is a snip, costing only in the B250-350 range. You know where you can go stick your diamonds. Here at Defy brass is a girl’s best friend.

Section 2 Soi 1 | 086-809-9973 | www.thedefy.com

ตลาดนัดจตุจักร

The Jatujak market of Bangkok

Amber House Books | hardcover | B1,950 The Jatujak Market of Bangkok presents photographer Simon Bonython’s visual interpretation 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.

bangkok101.com

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WELLNESS

BA-YA HEALTH AND SPA

Massage & Spa BA-YA HEALTH AND SPA [map 5 / G7] 23 Sukhumvit Soi 87 | BTS On Nut 02-311-4772 | www.bayaspa.com 10:30am - 9pm | $$$ Lying a bit beyond the usual tourist track, Ba-Ya spa is popular with native Thais and Asian tourists, who like the affordable prices and down-to-earth spa menu. The spa is set in a cute house, giving it a cozy, comfortable feel. Spa offerings are well-priced and avoid gimmicks, and are focused more on massages and other kinds of bodywork rather than high-frill aesthetic services. Massages are fairly standard – therapists follow the usual circuit quite well, but don’t seek out and destroy problem areas the way a true tailor-made rubdown might encourage. Service is also a bit on the sweet but informal side – the front may not have change, but they’ll run and get it for you. A potential choice for those staying on the outskirts of the city, perhaps, or those wanting a spa experience at a more affordable price. Those seeking intensive, individualized work or luxe touches may want to explore elsewhere.

RUEN NUAD

facials, body, foot and oil massages, spa packages as well as more funky treatments such as stone massages. They also offer a variety of body scrubs with everything from coffee to seaweed, salt and apple. The B1,600 baht oil massage is splendid, your 90 minute professional massage including a choice of your favourite oil scent, a private massage room with a shower attached and a bathrobe. Honestly, it doesn’t get much better than this. The spa also offers cheaper solutions that won’t rip quite as big a hole in your wallet, a traditional Thai massage going for B600 baht for 1 hour. Yes, that’s more expensive than you pay at most, but it’s also more reverent.

ชีวิตชีวามาสสาจแอนด์สปา สุขุมวิท ซ.19

RUEN NUAD [map5 /i6] 42 Convent Rd | BTS Saladaeng 02-632-2663 | 10am - 9pm | $ Set off Convent Road, a century-old house shelters a boutique spa that gives you oodles of atmosphere and world-class massages for prices you’d pay in the dingiest Silom parlours. There’s no menu to speak of. Just choose between the length of a traditional Thai, aromatherapy of foot reflexology massage – that’s it. Once upstairs, you’ll pause to settle into peaceful surroundings. บาหยาเฮลท์แอนด์สปา สุขุมวิท ซ.87 A labyrinth of semi-private rooms have been installed into the highceilinged second floor (inspired interior ideas from the Chivit Chiva Massages & Spa serene décor). Two VIP rooms are breath[map 3 / F5] taking. The Glass Room has a private out16/1-2, Sukhumvit Soi 19 | BTS Asok, door shower amid a tiny tropical garden; MRT Sukhumvit | 02-253-0607-8 www.chivitchivaspa.com | 10am – 11pm | $$$ the Room with the Downstairs Shower is self-explanatory. The therapists here enjoy Enter this soothing spa, close the door to a good reputation for their knowledge and Bangkok behind you and wave the chaos of the Asok intersection area goodbye. At friendliness – a standard massage can turn into a medical Q&A. The studio next door this top-notch day spa, there are five spa offers excellent facials. Few come here just rooms and four Thai rooms, all simple yet once. This is one place you’ll still be thinking exotic, some with private shower. All 12 staff are expertly trained and the menu of about on your way to the airport. available treatments is extensive, featuring เรือนนวด ซ.คอนแวนต์ 1 0 0 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

PRANALI WELLNESS SPA

PRANALI WELLNESS SPA [MAP4 / D4] 3rd F, Unit 334, Siam Paragon | BTS Siam 02-610-9596 | www.pranaliwellness.com 10am – 9pm | $$$$ The lonely walk, to the pin-drop quiet end of Siam Paragon mall’s third floor, is worth it. Award -winning Pranali delivers ancient techniques in what resembles a shiny Zen spaceship (albeit one that’s landed next to a Martha Stewart furniture store). Past the storefront selling Pranali’s luscious takehome ointments, milkyglass corridors lead to seven private treatment rooms, each named after one of the seven chakras (Visuddha, Anahata etc). Beside your massage bed, tassels of fibre-optic lighting or artinstallation like bamboo arrangements– not to mention mystical muzak – lend a serene, futuristic quality. Many, eager to get back to the shops no doubt, opt for a warp speed foot rub or facial; but Pranali’s well worth a linger. The accurately titled Marvelous Herbal Compress is but one of the menu’s detoxifying many. What’s more the masseuses, in their spick white Buck Rogers-esque uniforms, are models of spa professionalism: smiley, strong and communicative from start to invigorating finish.

สยามพารากอน ถ.พระราม 1

Spa costs

$ :: under B600 $$ :: B600 – B1,000 $$$ :: B1,000-2,000 $$$$ :: B2,000+ bangkok101.com

W E L L N E S S | spa

King of Oasis Massage Signature treatment

Spa success stories don’t get much more meteoric than Oasis Spa’s, a company that started out in 2003 with a branch in Chiang Mai and now has ten scattered all across the land. Their latest is a wonderful Sukhumvit neighbourhood day spa formerly known as Being Spa. Since taking it over they haven’t changed all that much – and that’s a good thing. A path still leads past a serene courtyard pond, and the lobby reception still has the ‘home of a bohemian Thai’ look that we love, done out as it is with Chinese lacquer and Moroccan cushions. There are still eleven treatment rooms fashioned with rustic wood floors and tasteful ethnic décor. However, one thing isn’t the same here: the menu. Now Oasis spa’s full armory of finely tuned treatments are at your disposal, all of them delivered by a coterie of masseuses who have been trained up at Oasis’ very own Chiang Mai-based spa school. The extensive range of treatments range from scrubs, massages, facials and body wraps to packages that stretch a combo of all the above into a sensual, two to four hour body-odyssey. Alternatively, pick one of the five signature massages that have set Oasis Spa apart from the rest. The Voyage of Golden Lanna (B5,900 for 90 mins), for example, is a four-hands massage with a difference – the two masseuses use aromatherapy oils infused with flakes of purest gold, and work in sync with an evocative, specially written Northern Lanna Thai soundtrack. This time around though we opted for the King of Oasis, and were rewarded with two hours of hot herbal compresses and Swedish meets Thai moves – a real stress-relieving humdinger of a massage. As well as soothing our muscles, getting there the aromatherapy oil was just too delicious to wash off, left Oasis Spa Bangkok [MAP3 / P4] us smelling like a walking talking air-freshener. The title don’t 88 Sukhumvit 51 Rd | BTS Phrom Phong | 02-262-2122 lie: this treatment is truly fit for a king. www.bangkokoasis.com | 10am-10pm B3,900++ for two hours โอเอซีส สปา แบงกอก สุขุมวิท ซ.51 bangkok101.com

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getting there

RIVERSIDE BANGKOK by Dejan Patic 1 0 2 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

bangkok101.com

RAIL

SKYTRAIN (BTS) The Bangkok Transit System, or BTS, is a twoline 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 40; 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 Chatuchak Park / BTS Mo Chit stations. Subway fares range from about B15 to B 39. www.bangkokmetro.co.th Airport Rail Link 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 as part of a drive to increase passenger numbers. http://airportraillink.railway.co.th bangkok101.com

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, motorbike taxi drivers gather in groups. As with CANAL BOAT Khlong Saen Saep tuk-tuks, fares should be negotiated canal boats operate from Phan Fa beforehand. Leelard bridge, on the edge of the Old has thousands City, and zip east to Ramkhamhaeng TAXI Bangkok University. However, you have to be of metered, air-con taxis availquick to board them as they don’t able 24 hours. Flag fall is B 35 (for usually wait around. Canal (khlong) the first 2 k ms) and the fare climbs boats tend to be frequent and cost in B 2 increments. Be sure the driver around B 9 to B19. Tickets are bought switches the meter on. No tipping, onboard. Note that the piers are a lit- but rounding the fare up to the neartle hidden away, which makes them est B 5 or B 10 is common. Additional passengers are not charged, nor is sometimes difficult to find. baggage. For trips to and from the EXPRESS RIVER BOAT Bangkok’s airport, passengers should pay the vast network of inter-city waterways expressway toll fees. When boarding offer a quick and colourful alterfrom the queue outside the terminative for getting around the city. nal, an additional B 50 surcharge is Express boats ply the Chao Phraya added. River from the Saphan Taksin Bridge up to Nonthaburi, stopping at some TUK-TUK Those three-wheeled taxis 30 main piers altogether. Fares range (or samlor) are best known as tukfrom B 9 to B 32 depending on the tuks, named for the steady whirr distance, while tickets can either of their engines. A 10-minute ride be bought on the boat or at the pier, should cost around B 40, but always depending on how much time you bargain before boarding. Beware: if have. Boats depart every 20 minutes a tuk-tuk driver offers to deliver you or so between 5:30 am and 6 pm. anywhere for B 10, it’s part of a setup Cross-river services operate through- that will lead you to an overpriced out the day from each pier for just B 3. souvenir or jewellery shop.

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REFERENCE

Map 1 Greater Bangkok A

Greater Bangkok & the Chao Phraya Map 2 >

c 1

a 1

20 km 20 miles Country Border Boarder Crossing Province Border

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

Nightlife 1 2

Parking Toys Tawandang German

Hotels

1 Anantara Bangkok Erawan Museum Riverside Resort and Spa House of Museum 3 Thai Film Museum 4 Museum of Counterfeit Goods 1

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Map 3 Sukhumvit Road A

4 3

5 12

11 8

5 6

2 7 9

4 11

15 13

3 5

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200 m 1 000 ft Canal Boat BTS Silom Line BTS Sukhumvit Line Subway Line Railway

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Hotels

malls

1 Robinsons Conrad Bangkok 2 Terminal 21 2 Sheraton Grande 3 Emporium 3 Seven 4 JW Marriot Markets 5 Rembrandt 6 Four Points 4 Sukhumvit 7 Aloft Sukhumvit 11 8 Ramada Encore 9 Imperial Queen’s Park 10 Westin Grande Sukhumvit 11 Marriott Executive Sukhumvit Park 12 Grande Centre Point Terminal 21 13 Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit 1

Arts & Culture 1

Japan Foundation Koi Art Gallery 3 Attic Studios 4 La Lanta 5 TCDC (Thailand Creative & Design Centre 6 Nang Kwak 7 WTF 8 The Pickture Gallery 2

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25 24

21 20

22 23 6

3 8

5 7 19

6 PH

Clubs 1

Q Bar 2 Bed Supperclub 3 Insomnia 10 Glow 24 Demo

pubs 11

14 15

The Hanrahans The Pickled Liver The Robin Hood The Royal Oak The Londoner Black Swan

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Long Table 5 Beervault 6 Diplomat Bar 7 The Living Room 8 Cheap Charlie's 9 Barsu 19 WTF 17 Tokyo Joe's 18 Club Perdomo 20 The Iron Fairies 21 Clouds 22 Fat Gut'z 23 Shades of Retro 25 diVino

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

17 ID

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NZ QA

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Hotels 1

Pathumwan Princess 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 2

200 m 1 000 ft Canal Boat BTS Silom Line BTS Sukhumvit Line Railway Airwalk Market

BACC – Bangkok Art and Culture Centre 2 Tonson Gallery

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Sightseeing

malls

Embassies

MBK 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

Jim Thomson House 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 b

Nightlife a CM2 b

Red Sky Bar Balcony Humidor & Cigar Bar d P&L Club e Café Trio f Hyde & Seek c

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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DE DK

Hotels 1

bars with views

a Threesixty The Peninsula 2 Millenium Hilton d Sky Bar 3 Shangri-La o Panorama 4 Center Point Silom p Moon Bar 5 Mandarin Oriental 6 Royal Orchid Sheraton Nightlife 7 Lebua at State Tower 8 Holiday Inn b La Casa Del Habano 9 All Seasons Sathorn c Bamboo Bar 10 Sofitel f Niu's on Silom 11 Le Meridien g Barley Bistro & Bar 12 Crowne Plaza j Eat Me k Tapas Bangkok Lumpini 13 Banyan Tree 14 Dusit Thani Pubs 15 The Sukothai 16 Sofitel SO e Jameson's h The Pintsman l Molly Malone's m The Barbican n O'Reilly's

Arts & Culture 1

AT Austria

Shopping

MY Malaysia

Robinsons 2 River City Shopping 3 Silom Village 4 Silom / Patpong Night-Market 5 Jim Thompson Store

AU Australia BE Belgium

200 m

BT Bhutan

1 000 ft

CA Canada DE Germany DK Denmark GR Greece FR France MX Mexico

River Ferry River Cross Ferry BTS Silom Line Subway Line Market

MM Myanmar PT Portugal SG Singapore TW Taiwan

Sightseeing a b

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Serindia Gallery 2 Silom Galleria: Number 1 Gallery, Tang Contemporary Art, Taivibu Gallery, Gossip Gallery 3 H Gallery 4 Bangkokian Museum 5 Alliance Francaise

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Map 6 Yaowarat / Pahurat (Chinatown & Little India ) A

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j 9 1

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Hotels Grand China Princess Bangkok Shanghai Mansion 1

200 m 1 000 ft 1

River Ferry River Cross Ferry Subway Line Railway Market

Arts & Culture 1

Chalermkrung Theatre Samphanthawong Museum 3 Yaowarat Chinatown Heritage Centre 2

Temples

Markets

1 Long Krasuang Market Wat Ratburana School 2 Ban Mo ( Hi-Fi Market) Wat Pra Phiren c Wat Bophit Phimuk 3 Pak Khlong Talat d Wat Chakrawat (Flower Market) e Wat Chaichana Songkhram 4 Yot Phimai Market f Wat Mangkon Kamalawat 5 Pahurat –Indian Fabric Market g Wat Samphanthawongsaram 6 Sampeng Market 7 Woeng Nakhon Kasem Worawiharn h Wat Traimit (Temple of (Thieves Market) 8 Khlong Tom Market the Golden Buddha) 9 Talat Kao (Old Market) 10 Talat Mai (New Market) Sightseeing a

j Chinatown Gate at the Odient Circle

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Pan Pan Narkprasert m y b a n g ko k

Meet Pan Pan Narkprasert, the performing artist, curator, choreographer and drag queen championing the avant-garde side of Thai art. A few years back, this 23-year-old UCLA art graduate made his provocative debut with a multimedia exhibition in which he portrayed his sexual angst through Reer, the fictitious, artificially-inseminated offspring of a lesbian deer and a gay rabbit. Later, he was seen donning a head-to-toe golden costume and dancing in platform shoes at Lumpini Park while playing another fictional character, ‘Nang Gwak’. And currently, he is at the forefront of creative expression again with his latest passion – the frenetic, arm-flailing dance form that is waacking. Best place for a drink? Lately I have been craving a mellow and easy-going experience where I am able to converse and don’t have to scream over blasting bass systems. My favourite place currently being Barley Bistro, an alfresco rooftop beer garden/shisha lounge haven. Here I can often be found lazily sunk into a bean bag, enjoying an icecold Asahi beer tower whilst basking underneath the neon lights of adjacent buildings and being tickled by the night breeze.

THE SHORTLIST: Barley Bistro & Bar [MAP5 / H5]

Silom Rd (between Soi 5-7) | BTS Sala Daeng 087-033-3919 | www.barleybistro.com 5pm – 1am Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm [MAP2 / H16]

555 Moo 7, Taiban Rd, T. Taiban, A. Muang, Samutprakarn | 02-703-4891, 02-703-5144-8 7am – 6pm Platinum Mall [MAP4 / H2]

222 (Platinum) Petchaburi Rd | 02-121-8000 www.platinumfashionmall.com | Wed, Sat, Sun 8am – 8pm; Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri 9am – 8pm Green Leaf Relaxing and Wellness [MAP5 / K5]

60/4 Silom Soi 2/1 | BTS Sala Daeng 0-2632-8323, 0-2632-8351 | 1pm – 1am Bed Supperclub [MAP3 / C4]

26 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana | 02-651-3537 www.bedsupperclub.com | 7:30pm – 1am BACC [MAP4 / B4]

939 Rama I Rd | BTS National Stadium 02-214-6630-1 | www.bacc.com Tue – Sun 10am – 9pm H Gallery [MAP5 / H6]

201 Sathorn Soi 12 | BTS Surasak | 081-310-4428 www.hgallerybkk.com | 10am – 6pm, Tue by appointment RMA Gallery [MAP3 / L9]

238 Soi Sainamthip 2, Sukhumvit 22 BTS Phrom Phong | 02-663-0809 www.rmainstitute.net | 11am – 7pm 1 1 2 | j u ly 2 0 1 2

Best place to eat out? Every Thai local knows that real Thai food is served on the street. My favourite places to eat range from shuffling my way through to the famous fish cakes on Soi Lalaisub to food-touring in bustling China Town at night all the way to the Huay Kwang night market, where one can get seafood and a 2am nose-job at the same time. Best place to take visitors? Granted Peta will probably not approve, and some find it a culturally daunting experience, but I take mine to the Samutprakarn Crocodile Farm. Here you can ‘fish’ crocodiles with raw chicken from a bamboo stick; and where else can one see apparently sane Thai guys insert their heads into a crocodile's mouth or a dog in the same cage with two tigers? Apparently, since they were raised together since birth, they won't eat the pup. Best place to shop? Hands down Platinum Mall. It’s shockingly cheap and surprisingly safe. One of my Canadian friends got robbed their once but the security caught the thieves within half an hour and got their money and property back. Best place to relax? Lumpini Park for water-pedaling fun with monitor lizards circling you like swans. A kick-ass massage at Silom’s Green Leaf is a good way to rejuvenate the soul. Outside of Bangkok, Samed Island for the beach and for the boys. Best place for nightclubbing? Bed Supperclub to live out that Sex and the City episode where the girls went to the club with all the beds. DJ Station for a night of drag queens and dancing queens. And Route 66 for some hip hop battles. Best place for art? The BACC is Bangkok's very own art museum; H gallery is where Thailand's top artists exhibit; and RMA gallery gives a platform to young blood. Best place for a real Bangkok experience? Take a stroll down Silom Road at night. From good streetfood to great clubbing in Soi 4 and Soi 2, Silom encompasses all the qualities of the side of Bangkok I love: its grimy, shady underbelly. bangkok101.com