Bangkok 101 - July 2010 by Talisman Media

bangkok 101

july 2010 100 baht

the final curtain A last look at Bangkok’s Joe Louis Puppet Theatre Photography by Aloha Lavina

t h r o u g h t hthe e efinal y e s curtain of his kingdom

1 on 1: DJ MAFT SAI Metrobeat: WTF Very Thai: TRUCK & BUS ART Daytrip: TALING CHAN Upcountry Escape: SANGKHLABURI Making Merit: SOI CATS & DOGS

july 2010

HISTORY & CULTURE ■ SIGHTSEEING & EXCURSIONS ■ DINING & NIGHTLIFE SHOPPING ■ SPAS ■ LISTINGS ■ EVENTS CALENDAR ■ CITY MAPS & MORE

publisher’s

letter

Joe Louis Puppet Theatre

july 2010

This month we take some time-out from tooting our vuvuzela horns to bring you some much needed counter-programming: not everyone’s glued to the World Cup in their local boozer. In our photofeature, The Final Curtain, shutterbug Aloha Lavina goes behind-the-scenes with Bangkok’s puppetmasters: the famous Joe Louis Puppet Theatre Troupe. Watching elegant puppets tell mythical Thai tales through a languge of expressive, graceful gestures has been a tourist favourite for 8 years, so you’d be forgiven for asking why we’re taking a closer look now? Long story short, after August 29 they’ll be leaving their home, at the Suan Lum Night Bazaar, for good. Here’s hoping that someone steps up with the funding to ensure this traditional high art, this cultural treasure is preserved. More homespun, but somewhat less refined, Thai culture is commemorated in our 1 on 1 interview with Maft Sai, a DJ whose bag of dusty wax has been responsible for sparking global interest in crackly old Thai folk music, more popularly known as luk thung and, it’s jauntier cousin, mor lam. If insights into Thailand’s diverse cultural tapestry don’t grab you, take the road less travelled with one of our lesser known escapes: often skipped in favour of nearby Kanchanaburi, Sangkhlaburi on the Burmese border is rich with rugged lakeside scenery, ethnic diversity and rickety bridges. Meanwhile, let our daytrip to Taling Chan inspire you to check out the least touristy of Bangkok’s floating markets. Raining outside? If the unpredictable monsoon weather has washed out your best-laid plans, put your feet up and expand your Thai mind with our three tantalising book excerpts on the Kingdom’s culture, history and design. This month, Chronicle of Thailand recalls Miss Pook’s rise to become Miss Universe back in 1965, and Very Thai looks at Thailand’s mobile art canvases, i.e. trucks and buses. Reviews this month span the usual heady hotchpotch of spas, bars and restaurants, old favourites and fresh finds, including the city’s latest rs It bar WTF (which, if you were wondering, stands for Wonderful 101 cate , Bangkok an what they d se ia b n Thai Friendship). If you are football mad, we also profile of the best u ent and r more th er Independ rs who yearn fo s. It brings togeth , places to catch the last remaining World Cup nailbiters on p.87; lle k rs e o te v o a ri tr d guideb city residents, w to savvy and, if not, we’ve got the best of the rest covered in Metrobeat. lt hty, date su f ig o re e o w e h h in T find Who’s W commentators. So, from staying in to staying out, from cheering on your e l v e ti v a ta tr ri nthly an autho ers and cultural rid of mo nd off the team to ogling arts and culture, we’ve got this month in Bangkok b y h h p t ra n g e tellig on a photo e ct and in e that takes you and beyond well and truly covered. a compa mploys th

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is gazin 01 e d city ma track. Bangkok 1 no smut and no guide an st u ri tou no fl ff, ught. well-worn al standards, with nt cannot be bo , ri te rs o n e it o d d c a e l re a st ri r n ou edito highe als. Our e focus o adver tori usly maintain th to ensure ro We rigo nd our mission is ity as much a at c y this gre they enjo love living in it. as we

Enjoy.

Mason Florence Publisher

no ht. s,

contributors Aloha Lavina

Aloha came to Bangkok in 1992 and hasn’t left since. She can often be found looking for light and doing heavy lifting with Nikon equipment. Aloha’s work can be found at www.alohal. com and www.pointofutterance.com.

Philip CornwelSmith

Very Thai author Philip Cornwel-Smith is a writer, editor and curator specialising in 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 mobile phone guide for Nokia. Born in England, he has also written for Eyewitness: Thailand and international magazines.

Howard Richardson

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 on Bangkok events and trends in Sawasdee, the Thai Airways inflight magazine. He also wrote the travel guide Bangkok Step by Step, published by Insight Guides.

Brian Mertens

Author Brian Mertens helped spotlight Thailand’s new wave of textiles and furniture in his recent coffee table volume Bangkok Design. Previously he wrote Architecture of Thailand: A Guide to Traditional and Contemporary Forms. He writes on culture, travel and current affairs for such publications as New York Times, Art AsiaPacific and Forbes. A former resident of New York City and Tokyo, he has lived in Thailand since 1997, the year he won the Citibank Prize for Excellence in Journalism.

Tom Mintier

From covering the Vietnam War as an army photographer to heading up CNN bureaus in London and Bangkok, Tom Mintier is one of the most recognised and respected media figures in Thailand today. An Emmy award-winning television news journalist, Tom covered many events live for CNN, including the 1989 student uprising in Tiananmen Square and the fall of the Berlin Wall. Currently a consultant at AMATA Corp and professor at Thammasat University in Bangkok, Tom continues to train local journalists.

Steven Pettifor

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 regular commentator on the local art scene, contributing to several international and domestic newspapers and journals. In 2004 he published the coffee-table book Flavours: Thai Contemporary Art. When not art musing, he spends his time travel writing.

Korakot (Nym) Punlopruksa

N a t i v e - B a n g k o k w r i t e r, photographer and incurable travel addict, Nym believes in experiencing the world through food. She can usually be found canvassing the city for the best eats around. Nym has been a host for music and film programmes, a radio DJ, a creative consultant for television and a documentary scriptwriter. She is the author of several travel narratives, and her work appears in myriad magazines including ELLE, Elle Decoration, GM and Home & Décor.

Cheryl Tseng

An avid epicurean, Cheryl’s foodie credentials can be traced back to L.A., where she was a regular fixture at the tables of Wolfgang Puck and Nobu before their rise to culinary fame. She later brought her experienced palate to Bangkok, where she thrives on the new and delectable in the night-out culinary experience. Cheryl contributes to numerous magazines and her website, www.chicasia.com, gives the latest on Bangkok’s hippest venues.

Publisher Mason Florence Editor-in-Chief Dr. Jesda M.Tivayanond Managing Editor Max Crosbie-Jones Staff Writer Nattaphol Suksuyuth Graphic Director Yuthtaya Sangnak Art Designer Narong Srisaiya Editorial Assistant Piyakwan Mettaprasert Strategists Nathinee Chen Sebastien Berger Contributing Writers Cheryl Tseng, Noy Thrupkaew, Steven Pettifor, Nick Measures, Joel Quenby, Korakot Punlopruksa, Liz Smailes, Leo Devillers, Philip Cornwel-Smith, Cassandra Beckford, Chirayu na Ranong, Ashley Simcox, Brian Mertens Contributing Photographers Jatuporn Rutnin, Christian Phongphit, Paul Lefevre, Ludovic Cazeba, Austin Bush, Leon Schadeberg, Marc Schultz, Niran Choonhachat, Frédéric Belge, Somchai Phongphaisarnkit,TAT Director of Sales & Marketing Jhone El’Mamuwaldi Sales & Marketing Manager Haluethai Wattanapathomvong Administrative Assistant Peeraya Nuchkuar Circulation Pradchya Kanmanee Published by Talisman Media Group Co., Ltd. 113 Soi Tonson, Ploenchit Road, Bangkok 10330 T: 02-252-3900 F: 02-650-4557 info@talisman-media.com Designed by Letter Space T: 02-386-7181 F: 02-386-7182 letter_space2000@yahoo.com © Copyright Talisman Media Group Co., Ltd 2009. 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.

table of

contents

june 2010

snapshots 8 10 11 12 14 15 16 17

101 picks 1 on 1: maft sai events calendar metro beat history chronicle of thailand customs very thai: truck & bus art

sightseeing 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 26 28 29 30 32 33 34 36 37 38 39 40 42

orientation riverside route101:rattanakosin route101: chinatown route101: silom & sathorn route101: sukhumvit route101: pathumwan siam and pratunam temples historic buildings kids in the city & shrines museums the great outdoors what next? day tripping in the neighbourhood feature daytrip: taling chan national parks upcountry festivals upcountry escape: sangkhlaburi over the border: vientine

arts 44 45 46 54 55 56 57

contemporary art exhibitions photo feature: backstage at the joe louis pup pet theatre performing arts cultural centres cinema reading & screening

36 46

A c B t

B E a

C D

On the cover: Two dancers at the Joe Louis Puppet theatre, at Bangkokâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Suan Lum Night Bazaar, demonstrate the inseparableness of puppeteer and puppet.

F B

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table of

contents

july 2010

food & drinks 58 59 60 61 62 63 68 72 73 74 75 76 77 78

dining in bangkok meal deals thai cuisine thai sweets street eats thai restaurants neighbourhood nosh: langsuan road dim-sum brunching tea late dining sweet treats all you can eat wine

accommodation 106 boutique bangkok

health & wellness 108 109 110 111

nightlife 80 82 84 86 88 90 92 94 96

one night in bangkok nightclubs bars with a view hotel bars bars jazz clubs live music nightlife areas pub crawling

body & beauty spas wellness centres medical tourism

sports

112 spectator sports 113 active sports

business 114 business 115 real estate

shopping 98 99 100 101 102 103 104 105

unique boutique stuff shopping tips bangkok design mall crawl chatuchak market markets sidewalks

couses & services

116 cooking, meditation & thai massage, courses 117 making merit: soi cats & dogs

106

reference 118 survival thai 119 contacts 120 getting around

108 62

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101 picks

Before dashing off to a tropical island or the mountains, scratch beneath the city’s gritty surface to discover gems that’ll keep you here longer. We’ve compiled our Bangkok favourites here.

one night in bangkok

shopping

thai style

food heaven

open air

■ Chatuchak A huge, sprawling village of a market, selling everything under the sun. Cramped, steamy and lots of fun (p.103).

■ Making Merit Donate food to monks, release birds, or light incense sticks at a temple – and pray for good karma (p.117).

■ Beautiful Brunches L a ze a r o u n d w i t h friends, newspapers for those great late breakfasts (p. 73).

■ Dusit District Filled with lovely airy boulevards, a big zoo & Vimanmek Mansion’s gorgeous greener y (p.28).

■ Bars & Clubs Sleep all day. Party all night. Never grow old. It’s fun to be a Bangkokian (pp.80-92).

■ Suan Lum Night Bazaar A pleasant evening market with arts, crafts and textiles. And a massive beer garden (p.104).

■ Thai Massage A cracking good time – though not for the faint hearted (p.108).

■ Food Courts Love cheap Thai food but love air-con more? Get thee to a food court.

■ On the River Take an express boat up to Nonthaburi or explore the canal communities of Thonburi (p.19).

■ Cabarets Wow, she is beautiful. Such a graceful dancer. And what a figure! Eh… what do you mean “he”? (p.83).

■ Siam Square All the young dudes head to this cradle of cool for the latest flicks and threads (p.102).

■ Thai Cooking Classes Learn to pound a proper paste like a pro (p.116).

■ Riverside Dining The Chao Phraya River makes for an awesome backdrop.And there are plenty of good restaurant options (p.20).

■ Cycling Tour Maybe not an obvious choice, but these tours are surprisingly popular (p.113).

■ High Attitude Bars Slinky cocktails at eight miles high. Not cheap, but well worth it (p.84).

■ Patpong A thin strip in the CBD jam-packed with market stalls and, er, go-go bars (p.105).

■ Thai Boxing The brutal, quintessentially Thai form of kickboxing (p.112).

■ Meal Deals Take advantage of special offers to eat at some of the city’s best restaurants (p.59).

■ Ancient City Cycle round the museum park of Muang Boran, and see Thailand in miniature! (p.34).

■ Dining Cruises Stuff your face as you wind your way along the Chao Phraya (p.59).

■ Panthip Plaza The ultimate computer-geek mecca. If you can’t find it here you just haven’t looked hard enough (p.102).

■ TCDC Cool, creative learning space for Thai designers (p.55).

■ Street Food Pull up a plastic stool and get ready to point and shoot (p.62).

■ Lumpini Park A huge green space in the heart of the city. Perfect for jogging, picnics and boating on the ponds (p.32).

■ Carnivalesque Get wiggly on Khao San, jiggly at RCA or giggly on Soi 11 (pp.94-95).

■ Paragon Two of the swishest mega-malls you’re ever likely to encounter. Fancy a Ferrari? That’ll be the third floor (p.102).

■ Jim Thompson House & Silk Shop This former spook rebuilt the Thai silk trade then disappeared. Nice house though (p.28).

■ Affordable Gourmet Food If you prefer foie gras to fried insects, Bangkok needn’t break the bank (p.63).

■ Flower Market Close your eyes and inhale deeply. 24-hour marigold madness. (p.104)

■ Theatre TraditionalThai wooden puppet shows, classical Thai drama or breathtaking extravaganzas – no tux required (p.54)

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bangkok 101

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1 on 1

DJ MAFT SAI

Meet Maft Sai, the Thai DJ spicing up Bangkok’s samey nightlife scene with an exotic stew of old-school Thai folk and funk. This UK-trained designer turned vinyl junkie spends roughly half his waking life sifting through stacks of dusty old 45s and LPs in forgotten recordshops, and the other half sharing them with the world via his club nights, weekly radio shows and record label (www.zudrangmarecords. com). Fresh from his first DJ tour in Japan, he waxes lyrical about the music, it’s newfound club ‘cred’ and where the casual listener can find it. Why do you spin old Thai music and not the latest bleep-bleep sounds? I used to collect and play jazz, soul, rare groove, disco etc. But the more I collected, the more I realised that world music is what I’m really into – be it African, Ethiopian, Indian, Cuban or others. Not long after I found out about Southeast Asian music, especially Thai music between the 1950s and 1970s. Luk thung and mor lam music is considered unsophisticated, low-class by many and yet your parties teem with hipsters.When did folk music for rice farmers become ‘dope’? When people started listening to the music itself, not where it came from. Soul music started with black African slaves, so I don’t see why music made by poor countryside people could not also be thought ‘cool’. Do you feel responsible for introducing Thai folk to a younger global audience, proud even? I’m happy for its success but I can’t take all the credit. Everyone who is involved with Thai folk music – the artist, records labels, music collectors, press, people who have open mind for it – all played their part in one way or another.

Tell us about ZudRangMa Records and your radio show. ZudRangMa Records is a platform for people interested in old Thai and other world music. The radio show ‘Radio Zudrangma: Operation Bangkok’ enables me to review the musical connections between different genres and countries. Your Thai funk compilations are a joy. Any more in the pipeline? Yes, me and my DJ partner Chris Menist are working on another two compilations, one for UK record label Finder Keeper and the other for Soundway. We’re also working on a project for Zudrangma Records – edits of old Thai beats and breaks. You tend to only play the older stuff. Why? I prefer the older stuff as the elements in music are more raw, odd and obscure compared to the new luk thung and morlam. The sound of the old is very different to the new isn’t it? Why is that? Like in every style of music, the genre has its own revolution, reflecting each era and movement that came with it.

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Where can people get their hands on the good stuff? Mae Mai Pleng Thai shop, a branch of which is on the 1st floor of MBK shopping mall, sells reissues of the classics. And there are many record shops in Bangkok, most of them still in the same location as 50 years ago. What three luk thung records should no collection be without? Sao Ban Pok Pap by Panom Nopporn; Ding Dong by Waipod Petchsuphan; and Mae Jom Kalon by Dao Bandon. Which performers took the music into the mainstream? For Thai funk it was The Impossibles; for mor lam the Petch Pin Thong Band. As for luk thung, there are many but Kru Mongkon Amarttiyakul, leader of the Jurarut Band, was one of the first. Any good live luk thung joints in town? Never seen a dope one in Bangkok yet unfortunately; most of the good ones are in small villages up in Isaan. What are your views on Bangkok’s live music and club scene? It still needs more time to grow, and its artists and promoters need to start caring more about the music. bangkok 101

july calendar

8-11 Thailand Golf & Dive Expo 2010 July Calendar 2010 Thu 1 – Sun 4: Pantomime in Bangkok Muang Thai Life Assurance Auditorium | 02-274-9400| www.thaiticketmajor. com | B800-1,000 See Metrobeat ‘Theatre’

Thu 1 – Aug 30: Amazing Thailand Grand Sale 2010 Various venues | 02250-5500 ext. 2951| www.tourismthailand. org See Metrobeat ‘Shopping’

Until Sun 4: Liberation 100 Tonson Gallery | 02-684-1527 | www.100tonson gallery.com | free See Metrobeat ‘Art’

Every Friday and Saturday throughout July: Hanuman the Mighty Sala Chalermkrung Theatre | 02-2244499 | www.thaiticketmajor. com | B1,000 – 1,200 See Metrobeat ‘Theatre’

Mon 5: Straight No Chaser Q Bar Sukhumvit Soi 11| 02-252-3274 | www.qbarbangkok.com | B500 incl. 2 drinks. An evening of fine malts and fine cigars straight from the Perdomo humidor.

Tue 6 – Sun 11: World Cup 2010 Live Q Bar Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-252-3274 | www.qbarbangkok.com | Sun – Thu B500, Fri – Sat B700 incl. 2 drinks.

Thu 8: DJ Steven Porter Bed Supperclub, Sukhumvit Soi 11| 02651-3537 | www.bedsupperclub.com | B900

Thu 8 – Sun 11: Thailand Golf & Dive Expo 2010 QSCCN |02-203-4221 | www.thailanddiveexpo. com | free Predominantly a trade fair, but there’ll be scuba gear for grabs.

Wed 14 – Sun 18: Book Festival for Young People 2010 QSCCN |02-9549560-4 | www.thailandbookfair. com | free Storybooks, comics, young-adult fiction… and fun activities for the kids too.

Sat 24 – Sun 1: Thailand Grand Sale Impact Mung Thong Thani | 02-504-5050 | www.impact.co.th | free See Metrobeat ‘Fair’

Wed 28 – Aug 1: 9th Amarin Book Fair QSCCN |02-422-9999 ext 4142-49 | www.momypedia.com| free Over 2,000 fiction and non-fiction titles at must-clear prices.

Funked-up house beats jams from one of the US’s best DJs.

Wed 21 – Sun 25: Bangkok Used Car & Super Car Show 2010 Challenger Hall 3, Impact Mung Thong Thani | 02-522-1731~8 | www.impact.co.th | free Lots of pretty models… and a few cars too.

Sat 31: Bangkok Symphony Orchestra Thailand Cultural Centre | 02-262-3456 | www.thaiticketmajor. com | B400 – 2,000 Orchestral takes on the Broadway duos repertoire, including The Sound of Music and Oklahoma!

bangkok 101

Every Friday: Studio Pop Met Bar, at the Metropolitan Hotel | 02-625-3333 | www.metropolitan. bangkok.como.bz See Metrobeat ‘Nightlife’

Thu 8: ThaiCraft Fair Trade Jasmine City Building, Sukhumvit 23 (BTS Asok/MRT Sukhumvit)| 081-808-7666 | Home décor, accessories, gifts and toys made by artisans in 50 local villages.

Enjoy the semis, play-offs and final on a massive projector screen in Q Bar’s Lounge.

Tue 14 – Sun 18: Bangkok International Student Film Festival - BISFF Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre | 089-215-7751 | www.bisff.com | free Film screenings, a competition, seminars with industry guests and more.

Thu 29: 2010 Bangkok Chefs Charity Gala Dinner and Auction Mandarin Oriental Hotel | 02-659-9000| www.mandarinoriental. com/bangkok | B7,990 per person See Metrobeat ‘Food & Drink’

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Every Saturday throughout July: Wachirat Thoumthed Niu’s on Silom, Silom Rd. | 02-266-5333 | www.niusonsilom.com See Metrobeat ‘Music’

Thu 15: Piano Seven M Theatre, New Petchaburi Rd. | 02319-7641| www.thaiticketmajor. com | B1,000 – 2,000 See Metrobeat ‘Music’

Trade Fairs Performance Live Music Shopping Festivals/Events Food & Drink exhibition Sport Nightlife

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metro beat

The pick of Bangkok’s hottest news, trends, events and openings, by Howard Richardson.

nightlife

food Nineteen executive chefs from Thailand’s top hotels will meet at the Mandarin Oriental (02659-9000) on July 29 for the 2010 Bangkok Chefs Charity Gala Dinner and Auction. The chefs will work in teams to prepare nine courses, including dishes like Japanese Sea Scallop and Fennel-leek; and Confit Foie Gras with Spiced Chocolate and Wild Hibiscus Flower. The dishes will be paired with fine wines and champagne. Tickets are B7,900 per person. HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn will preside over the dinner, to be held in aid of Border Patrol Police schools and underprivileged children in northeast Thailand. Last year’s dinner raised nearly 3.5 million baht.

fairs According to the organisers, if you combine five trade fairs – Furniture Grand Sale; Wedding Grand Sale; Fashion, Jewelry and Food Grand Sale; Family & Child Grand Sale; and Beauty, Spa & Health Grand Sale – the result is Thailand Grand Sale. It should mean there’s a bewildering range of items to browse at Impact Arena (02-504-5050) from July 24-Aug 1, daily 10.30am-9pm.

art 100 Tonson Gallery (02684-1527) holds its second exhibition by Utai Nopsiri, a series of six abstract teak sculptures titled Liberation, until July 4. Meanwhile, abstract artist Somboon Hormtientong shows The Nature of Solace, a collection of works in oil and acrylic on canvas in a joint exhibition at H Gallery (081-310-4428, www.hgallerybkk.com) and the Four Seasons hotel (02-250-1000) until July 31.

Met Bar, at the Metropolitan Hotel (02-625-3333) has launched a new party night called Studio Pop, every Friday from 9pm. Named after resident DJ Pop, also heard on FM 106.5, the theme is 80s music, and there’s a new tapas menu to help the cocktails go down. Meanwhile Barsu, in the Sheraton Grande hotel (02-649-8888) has introduced an after work cocktail menu priced at B250 net per drink, with tapas snacks such as cheese, sushi and cold cuts thrown in free. Every weeknight from 5.30pm-8.30pm. One of Bangkok’s most popular nightlife spots, Club Culture has its official launch this month in its new Banglamphu location, very close to Khao San Road. They have three floors with a capacity of over 1,000 people for visiting overseas artists and homespun DJs like Sweet, Kristian and Gene Kasidit. A fourth floor space is reserved for exhibitions and parties. The full contact details are Club Culture, Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd, 089-497-8422, www.club-culture-bkk.com.

shopping Many shopping malls and department stores around the country are participating in the annual Amazing Thailand Grand Sale, which runs until August 31. There are promises of “up to 70% discounts” on kitchenware, crafts, clothes, decor and fashion accessories and many other items. In addition, outlets such as spas and golf courses and King Power duty free shops have bonus prices, and there are good deals, too, on travel packages and hospital medical check-ups. For more information contact the Tourism Authority of Thailand (02-250-5500 ext. 2951).

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bangkok 101

Food & drink

music Jazz pianist and regular Bangkok visitor Francois Lindemann brings an unusual outfit to the capital with Piano Seven playing at M Theatre, New Petchaburi Rd (02-319-7641) on July 15. Lindemann is joined by six other pianists, Michel Bastet, Olivier Rogg, Pierre-Luc Vallet, Valentin Peiry, Audrey Vigoureux and Fabrizio Chivetta, plus violinist Stepanie Decaillet and Levon Maret on percussion, in a blend of classical and contemporary European music. Tickets (B1,000-2,000) are available from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, www.thaiticketmajor.com). Wachirat Thoumthed throws some Nora Jones tunes into her repertoire of jazz standards at Niu’s on Silom (02-266-5333) every Saturday, from 9.30pm. She’s backed by a tasty band featuring pianist Mauro Monti, Tew Tunboot (bass), Dan Phillips (guitar) and Chris Sweeney (drums).

theatre Mime artists from Thailand, Japan and Korea gather for a show called Pantomime in Bangkok at the Muang Thai Life Assurance Auditorium (02-274-9400) from July 1-4. Get tickets (B800-1,000) from Thai Ticketmajor (02262 3456, www.thaiticketmajor.com). Sala Chalermkrung Theatre (02-224-4499) performs Thai classical masked dance theatre, called Khon, every Friday and Saturday throughout July. The show, called Hanuman the Mighty, tells the story of Hanuman, the monkey god with four faces and eight arms. He’s a principal character in the Thai classic The Ramakien, which is based on the Indian epic The Ramayana. Shows start at 7.30pm. Tickets (Bt1,000 and B1,200) are available from Thai Ticketmajor (02-2623456, www.thaiticketmajor.com). Joe Louis Theatre (02-252-9683, www.thaipuppet. com) has announced it will close down, as the longrunning contract problems regarding the surrounding Suan Lum Night Bazaar have finally ended. They say there will be one 8pm show each day until Aug 29, and that will be it. Tickets are B900. bangkok 101

WTF

“It’s just like a bar in Barcelona-Berlin-Brooklyn” (take your pick), say punters when they enter WTF. The shophouse – WHERE 7 Sukhumvit Soi anticipated by graffiti 51, 02-626-6246 on a corrugated tin wall OPEN Tues-Sun 6pm-1am in the street opposite – (gallery open from 3pm) has a bar on the ground floor, decked out with mirrors along one wall, a pack of posters on the other, and found items like wooden screen doors and chairs apparently salvaged from an old Czech café. It works. They’ve made a good fist of cocktails (from B130) with rye whiskies and unusual bitters in the mix, while plates are (inevitably) tapas. Here they consist of Thai and Euro choices such as Portuguese chorizo, feta salad and pork fried-rice steamed in lotus leaf. There will be occasional music performances to watch as you eat. The top two floors are bare white rooms for film, photos, installations and paintings. The opening exhibition Wonderful Thai Friendship, had artists like Sakarin Krue-on and Sutee Kunavichayanont, and some edgy works that point to this developing into a serious art space. The Thai-farang owners – art manager, hotelier, photographer – have all the skills needed to make an art café work, and they’ve handled already that hard-to-achieve trick of designing a place that’s just comfortable to sit in. Plus, this is a neighbourhood bar; and they live in the neighbourhood.

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history

Grand Palace

angkok became the capital of Thailand in 1782, when the royal court relocated from the city of Ayutthaya, which had been left in ruins following years of conflict with the Burmese. After settling temporarily on the western banks of the Chao Phraya River in Thonburi, the capital moved again, this time to the area of Rattanakosin in present-day Bangkok. Almost entirely surrounded by water, the new location was easier to defend against potential attacks. The final move marked the beginning of the Chakri Dynasty. Rama I named the new capital Krung Thep (City of Angels) in reference to the past glories of Ayutthaya, and he ordered the construction of two of the Kingdom’s most illustrious religious monuments, Wat Phra Kaew and the Grand Palace, to consolidate the new capital’s ruling status. During the subsequent reigns of King Mongkut (Rama IV) and his son King Chulalongkorn (Rama V), the city developed rapidly, culminating in the modernisation and explosive growth of the 20th century. After visiting European capitals, Rama V moved the royal family to the leafy enclave of Dusit. The modern architectural monuments built in this neighbourhood include the Thai Parliament Building, the impressive marble Wat Benchama Bophit and the enormous teak Vimanmek Mansion. Greater Bangkok now occupies nearly 1.5 square kilometres and is home to some 12 million residents. Rattanakosin remains the spiritual centre of the city, graced by the dazzling splendour of the Grand Palace, Wat Phra Kaew and nearby Wat Po. Modern downtown Bangkok stretches southeast of Rattanakosin and looks very much like many other Southeast Asian capitals, with gleaming skyscrapers, deluxe apartment projects and lots of snarled traffic. The core of the new city encompasses the Sathorn/Silom

districts and Sukhumvit Road, which include upscale shopping plazas and leafy public parks. These major downtown neighbourhoods are connected by the BTS Skytrain and the MRT subway systems. These gradually-expanding public transpor tation networks, with their

bright, snaking trains carrying wideeyed tourists and weary commuters alike, have not only helped relieve the city’s notorious traffic congestion and pollution, but given this City of Angels a modern, 21st-century feel.

Take a deep breath Thais rarely call their capital ‘Bangkok’ but instead refer to it as ‘Krung Thep’ (City of Angels), an abbreviated version of the full ceremonial and official name. This can be translated as ‘The city of angels, the great city, the residence of the Emerald Buddha, the impregnable city (of Ayutthaya) of God Indra, the grand capital of the world endowed with nine precious gems, the happy city, abounding in an enormous Royal Palace that resembles the heavenly abode where reigns the reincarnated god, a city given by Indra and built by Vishnukarn.’ It is no surprise that The Guinness Book of Records registered it as the world´s longest name for a capital. snapshots

bangkok 101

chronicle of thailand

25 July 1965:18-year-old Pook Wins Miss Universe

high school student, Apasara ‘Pook’ Hongsakula, 18, won the 1965 Miss Universe competition in Miami, Florida. The 162 cm, 53 kg, dark-haired beauty from Bangkok became the first Thai to win the title. ‘I never dreamed of this. I pray to Buddha every night before I go to sleep. Last night I prayed, not to win, but that I might be one of the top five,’ she said. The daughter of Air Force Group Captian Perm Hongsakula, Pook had previously won the 1964 Miss Thailand competition. Though her nickname translates as “fatty” in Thai, her Miss Universe success indirectly boosted the confidence of many Thai women. Pook said she was inspired by Queen Sirikit. ‘I could never be as lovely as she,’ Pook said. A Thai government official said the Thai teenager’s victory ‘had done the work of 10 goodwill missions’ and ‘stirred a new interest in Thailand, awakened by the 1960 state visit of Their Majesties to the US’. On 10 August, Pook arrived home to an enthusiastic reception that some considered the greatest welcome ever seen in Bangkok. An estimated 150,000 people, cheering and waving, thronged the streets to greet her and catch a glimpse of the most beautiful woman in the world.

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 eyewitness account 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. In each issue, we serialise a news story that sheds light on this month in history. Chronicle of Thailand – EDM Books | B1,450 | editor-in-chief Nicholas Grossman | www.chronicleofthailand.com bangkok 101

snapshots

Snapshots

customs

oreign visitors to Thailand are not expected to understand all the intricate subtleties of Thai customs, but by learning something about them and trying to incorporate them into your behaviour, you will show respect for local people and avoid some potentially embarrassing situations. In Thailand, two institutions take on particular importance: the monarchy and religion.

Did you know?

Every day has a corresponding colour in Thailand, and throngs of locals will don a yellow shirt to show their respects and celebrate the 80th birthday of the King, who was born on the yellow-themed Monday.

The Monarchy Thai people love their king with deep reverence for the monarchy. By way of proof, portraits of their majesties are displayed in most shops and businesses. Like anybody else, you are expected to be respectful towards members of the royal family.Therefore, stand quietly when the national anthem is played, which happens daily at 8am and 6pm in parks and other public places. Social hierarchy Age, social rank, lineal descent, salary and education are all considerations for social conduct. Such hierarchy is demonstrated 16

at every moment of the day, even the way of greeting.Thais don’t usually shake hands but rather wai (a prayerlike gesture with hands clasped in front of the face).This action means ‘hello’ and ‘goodbye’ but also shows respect and humility.The higher the hands are raised, the more respect is being paid.

Losing face Thais are known to be patient and calm. Being jai yen (coolhearted) is highly admired in Thai culture. Any impulsive reactions that may show annoyance (i.e. raising your voice) are considered unseemly, counterproductive and can make you ‘lose face’. Losing your temper should be avoided; things will work themselves out much better if you remain calm. Practise the words mai pen rai (meaning “never mind”). Body parts The head is considered to be the most sacred par t of the body while the snapshots

feet are the lowest, hence the most impure. For this reason, it is impolite to pat or touch somebody on the head (this applies even to children) and it is particularly rude to point your feet at somebody or to place them on a table or a chair. Pointing the finger at other people is also considered impolite – best to gesture with an open hand.

Temple Etiquette

As temples and Buddha images are considered sacred, certain rules of respect should be followed when visiting temples: ■ dress properly (long trousers or dresses, covered shoulders) ■ remove your shoes at the entrance of temple buildings ■ don’t step on the threshold ■ don’t sit pointing your feet towards a Buddha image ■ avoid touching Buddha images or chedis (funeral monuments) ■ be considerate when taking photographs ■ Buddhist monks are forbidden to touch or be touched by women. So, if a woman gives something to a monk, she must first pass it to a man or put it on a piece of cloth

bangkok 101

very thai Philip Cornwel-Smith

Truck & Bus Art

Customising vehicles both beautifies and protects

Photos by John Goss & Philip Cornwel-Smith

ot often does a lorry lift the spirits, but Thai traffic overcomes grimness through frivolity. Bus, truck, tuk-tuk and songthaew (pick-up minibus) beguile the eye with grace, colour and art. Their handmade coachwork spans the range of Thai illustration. Some aspire to high art, most show folk stylisation, and others interpret imported graphics. Looking beautiful may be important, but meaning matters as much. With spirits underwriting any accident, drivers pay extra premiums for divine protection through décor. Chassis metalwork plays shrine, cabins act as altar, talisman-shaped bolts physically hold the trailer together. Like temple trimmings, lacquer cabinets and fruit carvings, truck art displays lai thai, a visual language of traditional patterns with infinite applications. Drawn from plants and animals, it scales up to intricate oceans of texture, or scales down to the core motifs. Inspiration for the metal truck bolt meanwhile is, unbelievably, the flower petal. Joining superstructures of timber and steel struts, the four-pointed prachamyaam flower evokes security from the word yaam (guard). Augmented by more petals into diamonds and chevrons, it adorns painted door lintels, window frames, wire luggage racks. The latest way to see the world – as a wide-eyed manga cartoon – also emblazons trucks and especially buses. And another enduring pop icon glowers from many truck mudflaps: the painted image of Al Pacino from the movie Serpico. The character Serpico busted corrupt police – a subtle warning to officers not to extract bribes from the driver in exchange for allowing common violations like overloading or reckless driving. Truck and bus art thus adapts to changing conditions. Heroes, patterns and talismans continue to keep vehicles safe and beautiful. 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, 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 each month. Prepare yourself for the sideways logic in what seems exotic. Snap up a copy at any good book shop. Very Thai – River Books l B995 l hardcover, with photos by John Goss and Philip Cornwel-Smith bangkok 101

snapshots

Sightseeing

orientation

greater bangkok Cha

Thewet & Dusit

ph r a

Ko Rattanakosin Ch

hray

Thonburi

Chinatown

Siam Square & Pratunam

Sukhumvit Chaophraya

– steel towers, snarled traffic and snaking expressways – that is Modern Bangkok. Silom and Sathorn are busy business arteries linking the riverside’s old colonial style mercantile buildings and posh hotels to the city’s green lung, Lumpini Park. Seething Sukhumvit Road and its branching sois (where internationals tend to live, work and play) offer few sights but untold opportunities for drinking, dining and debauchery. And Pathumwan (p.24) is

meared over the flat, floodprone Chao Phraya river plain, Bangkok at first appears about as organised as a bowl of spaghetti. The fact that there isn’t one all-singing, all-dancing city centre doesn’t help matters. Delve in though and you’ll discover a sprawling megalopolis with a series of distinct neighbourhoods that have evolved over the centuries and have different, tourist-luring attributes. On the west side of the river, glimpses of the Venice of the East survive down the criss-crossing canals of former capital Thonburi. On the east, historic monuments like the Grand Palace are sprinkled like gold dust through former royal HQ Ko Rattanakosin (p.20) – the city’s most revered neighbourhood by far. Fringing it are the old shophouse communities of Phra Nakorn and Banglamphu, the latter of which includes backpacker ghetto Khao San Road. South of Ko Rattanakosin is the city’s congested, chaotic and must-see Chinatown. And crowning Banglamphu is royal and government enclave Dusit with its grand, tree-shaded boulevards a la 19th Century Europe. When temple fatigue strikes head east for the urban hurly burly

where it’s at for shopping, be it at glitzy mall or gritty market. All these neighbourhoods (and the city’s intermittently interesting ‘burbs) can be reached using the city’s roads. But the Skytrain (BTS) and Underground (MRT) networks are better allies – whiz above or below the gridlocked streets in fridge-cool comfort! When these can’t help you (when heading from downtown Bangkok to the Old City for instance) hop on a river expressboat, accessible via Saphan Taksin Skytrain station (see opposite). Alternatively, seek out a pier along smelly Klong Saen Saeb (p.120) and clamber (carefully) aboard one of its zippy boats. Other tips include avoid scammers (p.26), carry small change and, if visiting temples, dress properly. In a city as potentially aggravating as Bangkok, it’s also worth planning. Do you really want to be traipsing round temples all day? Exactly. For ideas check out the following Route 101’s – these itineraries introduce the most notable sights in the city’s most colourful neighbourhoods. Don’t follow them to the letter however – getting hopelessly lost as you wander down one interesting looking sidestreet after another is half the fun.

Riverside

Pathumwan& Lumphini

Silom & Sathorn sightseeing

bangkok 101

ban

the riverside

N16-N30 Head north and concrete seques into greenery as expressboats sprint up to their terminus at Nonthaburi, a charming provincial town.

N13 : Phra Athit Bkk’s young bohemians pensively sip coffee in the cute shophouse cafes that line this leafy old street. There’s a quiet park and the hedonistic madhouse that is Khao San Road is around the corner.

N10

N15 :Thewet Feed the catfish, peruse a flower and wet market, or dine overlooking the nearby Rama VIII suspension bridge. Stately royal district, Dusit, is a short taxi ride away.

d. tR ra

N9 : Tha Chang Thai icons ahoy! Turn left for Wat Mahatat and the Amulet market. Walk straight ahead for the Grand Palace and Sanam Luang. Hungry? The pedestrian area in front of the jetty is packed with old-school food stalls.

Na Phra Lan Rd.

Rd. arat Mah

Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha)

Ratchada

mnoen K

Kalayang Matri Rd.

lang Rd.

N5 : Ratchawongse Bangkok’s Chinatown! Taoist temples, mazy backstreets, mottled shophouses and no end of Sino sights, noises Rd. Muangand smells make it a must. Bamrung

Royal Grand Palace

d. ng R i Wa Tha Wat Po

Chinatown

Pak Klong Talad

Pahurat

Kl Phr ao a P Br ok id ge

N1 : Oriental The old western quarter. Admire neglected neoclassical edifices and Oriental object’s d’arts at OP Place, then take tea at Bangkok’s most illustrious hotel, the Mandarin Oriental.

Millenium Hilton

Wongwian Ya

ksin R

N6 : Memorial Bridge/ Saphan Pood Venture left for decrepit godowns (warehouses) teeming with veg and flowers; i.e. Pak Klong Talad, the 24-hour fresh market. Head straight for Bangkok’s Little India, Pahurat. At night there’s a clothing market popular with teens.

tc ha wo n

N6 Wat Arun

N2 : Sri Phaya On the left is River City: 4 barren-floors of SE Asian antiques, ethnic reproductions, tailors and tat. To your right, the Royal Orchid Sheraton.

Charoen Krung Rd.

ai Rd. Sanam Ch

N15

N13

Amulet Market

Wat Mahatat

N8 :Tha Tien Lovely King Rama V-era shophouses sell dried fish but Wat Po – home of the reclining Buddha – is the main attraction. Wat Arun (p.26) looms large on the far bank. Catch a cross-river ferry to it for B3.

Ratc hada mno Sana en N m ai Rd Luan . g

N10 : Wang Lang Wat Rakhang, the macabre Forensic’s Museum, a teenfashion clothing market and Patravadi Theatre (p.54) are all in the vicinity.

ra ge Ph id et Br o mdla So K n Pi

101

Though tall ships no longer sail into Bangkok, its churning river – the Mae Nam Chao Phraya – remains important to city life. Long tails, tug boats and pleasure cruisers ply the water, while sunburnt temples, neoclassic buildings, mottled warehouses, stilt homes and a fair few modern monstrosities (hotels, office blocks etc) look on. The best way to encounter all this is by expressboat, which courses a 33km route from Wat Rajsingkorn in the south to Nonthaburi in the north. Fares (usually no more than B13) are payable on board, and during rushhour the boats thronged with office-workers, students and saffron-robed monks. Read up on most interesting piers here then hop aboard! For more about routes, fares and timetables click on to www.chaophrayaboat.co.th

bangkok 101

o Ta Cha Phra Som det

Saphan Taksin Accessible via the Skytrain’s Saphan Taksin Station. Alight here for shuttle boats back to Mandarin Oriental, Pennisula and Millenium Hilton hotels. Or if staying in Silom, Sathorn or Sukhumvit.

Penninsula

Wongwian Yai

Krung Thonburi Rd. KrungThonburi

N1 Taks

in Br

idg

e SapanTaksin

sightseeing

Sightseeing

route 101 Whether your stay in Bangkok is for a few hours, a few days or more, absolutely any itinerary should include the ‘old city’ of Rattanakosin. From exquisite temples to ancient Thai massage, it’s all here.

Rattanakosin

elcome to Rattanakosin Island: birthplace of modern Bangkok and spiritual epicentre of the Kingdom. King Rama I located the capital here in 1782 because he thought it would be easier to defend than previous site Thonburi. Rows of peeling old shophouses and glittering temple complexes – all gently curving roofs and soaring spires – pepper this hallowed area hemmed in by a bendy stretch of the Chao Phraya River and man-made canals. Start off at Wat Arun (p.26), also known as the Temple of Dawn.Though it actually predates the Rattanakosin era, it’s a cornerstone of Thai history. To get there, ride the Skytrain to Saphan Taksin then, once at the river, jump on an express boat heading right, upriver (ask someone to point one out). Get off at Tha Tien pier and catch one of the numerous boats that cross to the other side. Wat Arun, with its soaring central Khmer-style spire, is easy to spot. Khin Lom After admiring the sweeping panoramas from the top, cross Chom Saphan back to Tha Tien pier and make your way to the city’s oldest ad temple complex, Wat Po (p.27). Here, see the immense reclining Ro it th A a r Buddha and have your muscles de-knotted at the famous Thai Ph massage school. BANGLAMPHU Your temple initiation over, now head north for the National Kao San Ro ad Museum granddaddy of Bangkok sights: the Grand Palace (p.26) and Wat 4 Phra Kaew, the Temple of the Emerald Buddha (p.26). Ignore Democracy Thammasat Monument University the touts telling you it’s closed, and take plenty of time to boggle Sanam Wat Luan at the imagination that could give rise to such an ethereal royal g Thipsamai Mahathat complex (note: the B300 ticket is also valid for Dusit’s Vimanmek PHRA NAKHON Tha Chang Food Market Mansion, p.28). Getting into this Thai culture stuff? Then exit and 3 head north across ancient ceremonial park, Sanam Luang, veer Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha) left and delve into the National Museum (p.30). The Grand Palace Depending on your body and foot fatigue, you will probably find it is early evening. The rest of your evening is up to you – Rattanakosin has plenty of options. A good place to unwind over 2 Wat Po a drink or a meal is at one of the artsy eateries near the fort, The Deck 1. Wat Arun (Temple of Dawn) along Phra Athit Road. Alternatively, grab a beer and some pad 1 Wat Po (Wat Phra Chetuphon) PAHURAT 2. Wat Arun 3. Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of Dawn) thai noodles with the backpackers on Khao San Road. Back near 4. National Museum Wat Po, cocktail bar Amorosa, with its picture-postcard views Phra Buddha Yodfa Monument over the river of lit-up Wat Arun, is another failsafe old city walking tour closer. ad

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sightseeing

Ch a

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Tha Thien Pier Tha Rachinee Pier

bangkok 101

ban

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tap

Trongsawat Rd

Yaowaphanit Rd

11 Rd Soi Yaowarat

Mit

Phadung Dao Rd

Plaeng Nam Rd

Soi Charoen Krung 16 Rd

Soi Yaowarat 6 Rd

Mungkorn Rd

Soi Yaowarat 8 Rd

Mittraphan Rd

Phlap Pla Chai Rd

Suapa Rd Soi Charoen Krung 14 Rd

at 15 Rd

Mungkorn Rd

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P ha

Soi Yaowar

Ratchawong Rd

Soi W anit

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bangkok 101

Old market

Soi Wanit 1

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Yaowarat Rd

Song Wat Rd

China Town Scala restaurant

Chaloem Buri Intersection

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Shangarila restaurant

Wat Kunmatay

Mai market

ara ow

Wat Bamphen

Kwang Tung Shrine

HUA LAMPHONG

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Grand China Princess Hotel

Charoen Krung

Wat Traimit Witthayaram (p.27) and, 50m further on, the Odeon Circle Gate, an enormous structure that serves as the entrance to Chinatown proper. Turn right and check out the San Chao Poy Sien shrine, before crossing over onto Yaowarat Rd and exploring the Thian Fah Foundation complex. Continue along Yaowarat and, when you’re suitably disgusted/impressed by all the restaurants advertising bird’s nest and shark’s fin delicacies on Yaowarat, duck down Yaowaphanit Rd. Then turn right onto Sampheng Lane (officially Wanit 1 Rd). This narrow wholesale shopping treasure trove used to be full of opium dens and brothels, although there’s not much more illicit than Hello Kitty hairclips and schoolbags on offer now. Emerging like a new born calf onto Ratchawong Rd, you’ve got a choice to make. Head left towards the river to explore the old colonial-style warehouses and catch a river taxi from Ratchawong Pier; jump in a cab and mumble “Pak Khlong Talad” (p.104) to explore the 24-hour flower market; cross the road and continue the market mayhem as Chinatown segues into Little India with all its fabric shops and samosa stalls; or turn right and head up to the other main Chinatown artery, Charoen Krung Rd. As you approach Charoen Krung you’ll cross over Yaowarat Rd, passing the Grand China Princess hotel on your left. Turn left when you hit the main drag and walk about 500m to get to Nakhon Kasem, the old Thieves’ Market (p.104), or turn right and cross over to visit the wonderful Mangkorn Kamalawat temple complex. Opposite the Hua Lamphong temple, about 20 metres on, there’s Railway Station a tiny, jam-packed lane, Soi 16, that connects with Yaowarat Rd. Rama IV Rd Ch If you’ve timed it well, when ar oe nK 1 ru 7 you come out of Soi 16 (Yaowarat ng Rd Yaowarat Rd 4 2 Rd Soi 6) night will have fallen and the 3 neon-lit optical orgy that is Yaowarat Information Rd will be in full flow. Squeeze past all the chestnut vendors and satay grillers 1. Wat Traimit Witthayaram 2. San Chao Poy Sien shrine and slip into an appealing restaurant d Auphairat 3. Wat Thian Fah Foundation at R gW or find a table at a streetside eatery 4. bamrung Canton House Son 5. Wat Mangkorn Kamalawat Wat Sampheng like T&K Seafood to give your feet a Song Wat Rd 6. Hua Seng Hong 7. T&K Seafood well-earned rest. Kr

cHINATOWN

101

aowarat as it is known locally is a sprawling, neon-lit enclave of tiny lanes, fabulous food, incense-shrouded Chinese shrines and wiry old men sitting on plastic stools staring through thick-rimmed glasses. It’s a fantastic place just to wander around during the day, stuffing your face with weird fried things and trying to figure out just what the hell is being displayed in those pharmacy windows. And at night Yaowarat Rd itself, Chinatown’s main stretch, comes alive when fold-up-table restaurants spill out over the pavements, and a million and one gold shops, with their ridiculously ostentatious facades, flick on their neon switches. The best way to get there is by the underground. Take Exit 1 from Hua Lamphong MRT and on your right you’ll spot Bangkok’s main, Renaissance-style train station. Head straight on from Exit 1 and cross over a couple of roads and the canal until you hit Mittraphap Thai-China Rd. Down here you’ll find one of the most imposing temples in Bangkok,

Lan

Wat Ko

Chao Phraya River sightseeing

Sightseeing Lumpini Park

route 101

he Sathorn/Silom area personifies Bangkok’s split personality. The white-collar crux of Bangkok’s business world by day, this bustling area kicks it up a gear after office hours, with a jiving scene of clubs, expat pubs, some very shady characters, and one oh-so-notorious little lane. Set the alarm and beat the sun to the punch; there’s much to be done today. Take the MRT to the Sam Yan stop. Walk towards Silom and take a venomous venture into the Snake Farm (see p.32) and watch wranglers extract poison from serpents. If you dare you can even pet a cobra or kiss a python! If you’re still alive, continue on for a nice stroll in Lumphini Park, Bangkok’s largest public open area. If it’s the weekend take a taxi into the past with former P.M. Kukrit’s Heritage House (see p.28). By now you’re probably famished, so go back down Convent Road, a tree-shaded soi peppered with Mexican, Japanese, Italian and various other foreigner-orientated eating establishments. After filling up follow the throngs of office workers into Soi Lalai Sup (“the soi that melts your assets”), squeezing through the chaos, hunting down bargains on clothes, gifts and other knick-knack paddywhacks. Ram

a IV

Further down Silom on Thanon Pan, you will come across Wat Mahamariamman. Referred to by locals as Wat Kaek, it is the most famous – and colourful – Hindu temple in Bangkok, incense-shrouded rituals performed here daily at noon. Right across the street is Kathmandu Gallery featuring great photo exhibits, and also Silom Village which is a nice spot to pick up some handicrafts. Just before sunset hits, head up to the top floor of the Banyan Tree Hotel and grab a clubby bar chair at the aptly titled Moon Bar (see p.85). Two hundred metres above the pavement, this bar’s main attraction is the completely unobstructed 360° Bangkok panorama. Sarasin Rd.

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sightseeing

1. Snake Farm 2. Lumphini Park 3. Soi Convent 4. Soi Lalai Sup 5. Wat Mahamariamman 6. Lumphini National Boxing Stadium 7. Suan Lum Night Bazaar 8. Patpong

The night is still far too young. Cab it to Lumpini National Boxing Stadium (see p.112) around the corner, which will guarantee adrenaline rushes. For something less violent, Suan Lum Night Bazaar (see p.104), a pricier but less sweaty version of Chatuchak, is just seconds away. The Joe Louis Puppet Theater (see p.54) here is great for a cultural show. There’s also a good beer garden. Time to think about wrapping the day up. If you’re a jazz-lover a class act can always be found at Niu’s on Silom, as can superlative Italian food and service. Or, if wine’s your thing, head to suave oenophile hangout Opus. If you’re looking for something more youthful and hip, the bars and clubs in Silom Soi 4 will suffice. If you’re gay, look no further than same-sex central, Silom Soi 2. And if you’re feeling frisky and don’t mind being harassed by aggressive touts, immerse yourself in the decadent not-so-underworld that is Soi Patpong. Here jaded street vendors sell cheap trinkets and knockoffs yards from grubby girly bars. Be careful around here and do not follow strangers offering you free shows. But don’t hold back, because whatever you choose to do in this part of town at this time, you’re most likely to wake up with absolutely no recollection of it.

bangkok 101

Emporium

Sukhumvit

Ital Thai

i) ama oi Ek 63 (S mvit ukhu Soi S

THONG LO

EKAMAI

adapis

vit Rd Eastern Bus Terminal (Ekamai)

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Soi 20

Benjasiri Park

Ratch

bangkok 101

1 Benjakitti Park

phong)

(Soi Prom umvit 39 Soi

Soi 18

PHROM PHONG

Rembrandt Hotel

Thailand Tobacco Monopoly

Soi Sukh

Soi 31

Soi 33

Rasayana Retreat 49

Soi 14

SUKHUMVIT

Soi S

Soi 12

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Crêpes and Co

Divana Divine

Uomasa

Shades of Retro

Soi Sukhumvit 71 (Soi

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Soi Prom

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Soi 23

Westin

Soi 25 Soi 29

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Soi 26

Soi 10

Soi

Cheap Charlie’s

PHETCHABURI

Soi Sukhum

Nest

Thong Lo

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Benjakitti Park Siam Society Emporium J-Avenue Soi 15

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Amari Boulevard

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Benjasiri Park will remind you there’s more to life than luxury brands. Shopaholics should probe Thong Lo, staking out this unabashedly minted neighbourhood for designer clothing, jewellery, furniture and books. Or, should you be toying with matrimony, wedding garb. Hop on over to J-Avenue, Bangkok’s little slice of neon Tokyo. Once dinnertime rolls around check out “Japan Town” in Thong Lo Soi 13, where a clutch of great Japanese restaurants like Uomasa lurk. Finally, when it comes to Sukhumvit, nighttime is definitely the right time. Drinking, dining, dancing, debauchery – it’s all here. Perfect for a puff on a shisha pipe, Sukhumvit Soi 3 is Bangkok’s very own Little Arabia. Those looking to see how the city’s young upper crust like to par-tay should head to one of the jumping joints along Thong Lo or Coffee Beans by Dao Ekamai. Sukhumvit Soi 11 – home of nightclub veterans like Bed Supperclub and Q Bar (p.82) – meanwhile draws the international clubbers. Looking for the best of Sukhumvit’s beau monde haunts? Then head on up to Long Table (p.84): a cocktail at this 25th floor design bar, with its movers and shakers and electric panoramas, is not easily forgotten.

of upper Sukhumvit, that shrine to nouveau riche Thai consumerism, Emporium. While you can easily get your shopping fever quietened with the bevy of established, worldclass designers here, an interesting alternative is the Thailand Creative and Design Center (TCDC) on the 6th floor, which continually stages thought-provoking, and usually free, exhibitions. Afterwards, a jaunt among the modern sculptures, trim greenery and cooing pigeons of adjoining P

vit 3 (N

ana N

ua)

ike Ridley Scott’s Blade Runner, Sukhumvit Road is a futuristic thriller – a flawed, frenetic, yet often compelling urban streetscape. Hotel, condominium and office blocks smother its skyline, while down below a Who’s Who of world races moves anonymously amongst them. Along its hi-octane main stretch traffic, pollution and noise assail the senses, while down its many flanking sois calmer, more serene atmospheres unfold. Get a quick jump on the day with a morning stroll around the lake in Benjakitti Park. Located adjacent to the Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, which hosts world class expos weekly (see calendar p.11), it is easily accessible via the centre’s MRT stop. Next head to the Siam Society for a quick shot of culture. On Asok Road (the unofficial “border” die-hard Sukhumvit dwellers rarely cross), it’s an organisation dedicated to the preservation of Thai heritage, art and culture through study trips, lectures and exhibitions. And out back is a stunning Northern Lanna teak house/ ethnological museum. After Asok, it’s on the Skytrain and off to Phrom Phong station. Here Hapa Spa will find the cultural epicentre you

PRAKANONG

Crystal Spa

sightseeing

Sightseeing

route 101 BACC

Pathumwan

Siam and Pratunam

Then head back south to Phetchaburi Road and turn right. After a few minutes’ walk, on the other side of the road is the computer geek paradise of Panthip Plaza. Chockful of gadgets and some highly suspicious software, Panthip is worth visiting but it is truly a place where the ‘buyer beware’ motto should be kept in mind. Double back on yourself once more and head back to the junction. Turn south to where you previously crossed the canal. It is time to give your feet a rest and take a boat ride on Klong Saen Saeb. Get on a boat heading west and get off at ri R

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1. Erawan shrine 2. Pratunam market 3. Baiyoke Tower 4. Panthip Plaza 5. Jim Thompson’s House

Grand Hyatt Erawan

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Royal Bangkok Sport Club (R.B.S.C)

Four Seasons

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lthough much of Thailand’s biggest shopping complex CentralWorld was burned to the ground by arsonists at the tail-end of the recent political protests, the nearby Siam Square and Pratunam areas are still Bangkok shopaholic central. From the chaos of the shop4-all places like the Mahboonkrong Center (MBK) and the Pratunam clothes market to the elegance of Siam Paragon Mall and Central Chidlom shopping centres, the range of goods is staggering. And, hidden among these mammoth malls and markets are some very Thai activities that should not be missed. Start the day off with a visit to a popular spot if you wish to pray for good fortune from the four-faced Hindu God Brahma. On the corner of the junction with Ploenchit Road and Ratchadamri, the Erawan Shrine is renowned for bringing good luck. Then cross over Ploenchit Road and head north up Ratchadamri Road. Just after you cross the khlong (canal) is another major junction with Phetchaburi Road. On the other side of this road is the legendary Pratunam clothes market (see p. 105), reputedly the largest market of its kind in Thailand.

Jim Thompson’s House (see p.28). Thailand’s second most popular tourist destination is a wonderful, meditative place to wander around and perhaps indulge at the café. Take a right out of here and turn left at the end of the soi. Walking toward Siam Square and on the left corner of the junction, between Rama I and Phayathai Road, you can’t miss the sinuous concrete curves of the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC). Called the “Guggenheim meets a shopping mall” by our very own art critic, this is Bangkok’s new modern-art scene central. Next up is Siam Paragon. This up-scale shopping and entertainment complex houses scores of great dining options, a world-class cinema complex and an impressive array of luxury and high street fashion bands from around the world. On a tight budget? Don’t worry. Every night (except Mondays) after 9pm, the footpaths along Siam Square on Rama I Rd transform into a mini-Chatuchak Weekend Market. Bangkok teenagers and young adults alike war over cheap but trendy T-shirts, jeans, dresses, accessories, brand new (and sometimes secondhand brand named) leather goods like bags, wallets, and shoes. Choose wisely if you opt for secondhand items.

Ratchadam

Siam Paragon

Lumphini Park

Sightseeing

temples THE GRAND PALACE & WAT PHRA KAEW (map A3, #10) Na Phra Lan Rd, near Sanam Luang | 02-222-0094 | daily 8:30am-4pm | B350 includes entry to Vimanmek Mansion | dress respectfully The granddaddy of all Thai sights. Don’t let the touts who mill around outside put you off a visit to this, the Kingdom’s most beloved keepsake – a fantastical 218,400m² royal complex that comes enclosed by quaintly crenulated whitewalls, and at night sparkles like the jewel in some Oriental fairytale. Building began in 1782, the year Bangkok was founded, and every monarch subsequent to King Rama I has expanded or enhanced it. Today, despite being able to visit many stunning sights on its grounds, much of it remains off-limits. Though King Bhumibol now holds court at Chitralada Palace, in the northern district of Dusit, the Grand Palace is still used for major ceremonies or royal functions. The Chakri Mahaprasat Hall – colloquially known as the “Westerner in a Thai hat” due to its blend of Thai and European architecture – is worth seeing, and there are some state

Wat Arun

The Grand Palace & Wat Phra Kaew

rooms and halls open to visitors.These include the Amarin Vinitchai Throne Hall, where the King still delivers his birthday speech, and a small weapons museum. The highlight is the Emerald Buddha – Thailand’s most sacred Buddhist relic – and the ornate temple purpose-built to house it, Wat Phra Kaew, where hundreds pay their respects each day. Completed two years after the capital was moved from Thonburi to Rattanakosin in 1784, this forms the north-eastern corner of the complex. The Emerald Buddha was discovered in 1434, when lightning is said to have struck a chedi in Chiang Rai in the north of Thailand. It was originally covered in stucco which peeled off over time to reveal the brilliant green stone beneath. After being moved around Northern Thailand by a succession of Thai kings and then taken by the Lao to Vientiane, Rama I retook the statue in 1779 and placed it at the centre of his new capital. Apart from the amazing architecture, gilded statues and the majesty of the temple, the walls of Wat

Phra Kaew’s cloisters feature examples of Thai mural art documenting the life and travels of the Buddha and scenes from the Ramakien, the Thai version of the Ramayana epic. Remember to dress respectfully as a strict no shorts or sleeveless shirts policy is enforced. WAT ARUN (map A3, #12) Temple of Dawn | Arun Amarin Rd | 02- 465-5640 | www.watarun.org | 8am- 5pm | B20 Across the river from Wat Po is Wat Arun, or the Temple of the Dawn, one of the city’s most important and beguiling 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 dusk when the setting sun forms a stunning backdrop.

วัดอรุณราชวราราม ถ.อรุณอัมรินทร์ ผั่งตะวันตกของแม่น้ำเจ้าพระยา

Beware!

Bangkok has its share of brilliantly choreographed and well-practised street scams, often active in the area around the Grand Palace. Typically these involve being “befriended” by a seemingly straight-up local, and with true sophistication they often result in travellers not reaching their intended destination, but instead visiting an alternative temple and eventually a jewellery outlet. The bottom line is, if anyone, no matter how official they may appear (and this includes uniformed guards!), tells you that the palace or Wat Pho, for example, is closed, you are likely being set up. Our advice: politely decline any such offers and proceed directly to the actual ticket booth (presuming, of course, that you have arrived during official opening hours).

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The Giant Swing

WAT SAKET (map B3, #7) Chakkraphatdiphong Rd, Sattruphai | 02-233-4561 | 7:30am-5:30pm | B10 Raised on a small hillock, and thus referred to as the Golden Mount, this wat offers great views of Chinatown to the south and the Old City to the north. The hill is all that is left of the fortifications for a large chedi that Rama III planned to construct on the site that gave way under the weight. Rama V built a smaller chedi on top, which was subsequently expanded to house a Buddhist relic inside. The temple is worth a visit for the view if you are prepared to hike up the 318 steps.

วัดสระเกศ ถ.จักรพรรดิพงษ์

WAT MAHATHAT (map A3) Tha Prachan, Sanam Luang, Mahratch Rd | 02-221-5999 | 9am-5pm| free An amulet market is situated near this 18th-century centre of the Mahanikai monastic sect and an important university of Buddhist teaching. On weekends, market stalls are set up on the grounds to complement the daily vendors of traditional medicines and herbal potions. Wat Mahathat is one temple in Bangkok where courses on Buddhism are given in English.

วัดมหาธาตุ ท่าพระจันทร์ สนามหลวง

WAT SUTHAT and THE GIANT SWING (map A-B3, #8) Bamrung Muang Rd, Phra Nakhorn, | 02-2229632 | 9am-5pm | B20 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 some excellent examples of bronze sculpture, a blend of Thai and Chinese-style mural art and a 14th-century Sukhothai period statue. The wat used to be the site bangkok 101

for annual harvest ceremonies where brave men would swing up to great heights to catch a bag of gold coins in their teeth. However, the practice proved a bit too dangerous and was banned in the 1930s. Today the huge red structure, named the Giant Swing, still stands in front of the temple.

วัดสุทัศน์ ถ.บำรุงเมือง พระนคร ตรงข้ามเสาชิงช้า

WAT BOWONIWET VIHARA (map A3) Phra Sumen Rd, Banglamphu | 02-281-2831-3 | all day long | free Home to the respected Maha Makut Buddhist University, this temple is par ticularly important to the monarchs of the Chakri Dynasty as Rama VI, Rama VII and the present king were all ordained as monks here.

วัดบวรนิเวศวิหาร ถ.พระสุเมรุ

WAT BENCHAMA BOPHIT (map B2, #3) 69 Rama V Rd, Dusit | 02-6287947 | 8am-6pm | B20 This white Italian Carrara marble wat dates from the 19th century. Alms are brought here by generous Buddhist families in the early mornings. วัดเบญจมบพิตร ถ.พระราม 5 WAT RATCHANATDA (map B3) Mahachai Rd, Phra Nakhorn | 02-2248807 | 9am-5pm | free This temple, a centre for buying amulets, features the bizarre multitiered Loh Prasat. Collecting amulets sightseeing

is popular in Thailand and many believe these miniature images of Buddha possess spiritual powers, protecting the wearer and bringing good for-tune. วัดราชนัดดา ถ.มหาชัย พระนคร WAT TRAIMIT (map B3, #13) 661 Hua Lamphong, Charoen Krung Rd | 02-623-1226 | 8am-5pm | B20 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 US$10 million.

วัดไตรมิตร หัวลำโพง (เยาวราช)

WAT PO (map A3, #11) Reclining Buddha | Chetuphon/Thai Wang Rd | 02-226-0369 | www.watpho.com | 8am-noon, 1-9pm | B50 The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is the oldest and largest wat in Bangkok. Originating in the 16th century, it houses the largest reclining Buddha statue in Thailand as well as the greatest number of Buddha images. Wat Po is also the centre for traditional Thai medicine and a learning centre for Thai massage, where you can both enjoy and learn this ancient healing art. The 45m-long statue depicts the Buddha entering nirvana and is impressive both for its size and the mother-of-pearl detail on the soles of the feet, a blueprint revealing the 108 auspicious signs of a genuine Buddha.

วัดโพธิ์ ถ.เชตุพน

Sightseeing

historic buildings JIM THOMPSON’S HOUSE (map C3, #16) 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama I Rd | BTS National Stadium| 02-2167368 | www.jimthompsonhouse.com | daily 9am-5pm | B100 (B50 students) One of the things to do in Bangkok is visit the home of Jim Thompson, the American businessman largely responsible for the global popularity of hand-woven Thai silk. Found in a sun-dappled tropical garden, beside a pungent canal, this complex of six traditional teak houses from around the country is testament to his commitment to preserving regional art and culture. Each brims with art and antiques rescued from around Asia: everything from limestone Buddha torsos to a cat-shaped porcelain bedpan. Free 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.

บ้านไทย จิมทอมป์สัน ซ.เกษมสันต์ 2 ตรงข้ามสนามกีฬาแห่งชาติ

M.R. KUKRIT’S HOUSE (map C4,#20) 19 Soi Phra Pinit, Sathorn Rd | BTS Chong Nonsi | 02-2868185 | Sat, Sun & Holidays 10am – 5pm, weekdays by appt. only | B50 (B20 kids) Kukrit Pramoj was one of Thailand’s most-loved statesmen of the 20th century. A natural all-rounder, he was a poet, a writer and even served as prime minister in the 1970s. His peaceful abode with its lovely gardens, now on show to the public and off the tourist trail is a terrific example of traditional Thai architecture. บ้านหม่อมราชวงศ์คึกฤทธิ์ ซ.พระพินิจ สาทรใต้้

VIMANMEK MANSION (map B2,#1) 139/2 Ratchawithi Rd, Dusit | 02-281-1569 | daily 9am-4pm | B100 The world’s largest teakwood building was originally built on the island of Koh Si Chang, in 1868, and then moved, piece by piece, 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, antique photographs and fine porcelain. Regular tours in English are held throughout the day. พระทีน ่ ง่ั วิมานเมฆ ถ.ราชวิถี เขตดุสติ WANG SUAN PAKKARD (map C3, #15) Si Ayutthaya Rd, Ratchathewi | BTS Phaya Thai | 02-245-4934 | www. suanpakkad.com | 9am – 4pm | B100 A former market garden that was converted into a residence and garden by Princess Chumbot. Consisting of five reconstructed Thai wooden houses, Wang Suan Pakkard pays testament to her dedication to collecting Thai artefacts and antiques. Of note are the examples of Buddhist and Hindu art, the ceramics from old Ban Chiang and the delightful lacquer pavilion depicting scenes from the Ramayana. วังสวนผักกาด ถ.ศรีอยุธยา ราชเทวี ANANTA SAMAKHOM PALACE Throne Hall (map B2, #2) Uthong Nai Rd, Dusit, opp Dusit Zoo | 8:30am-4pm | B50 This stately parlimentary palace was built during the reign of RamaV and completed by Rama VI. Cast in white Carrara marble, it is still used for the ceremonial opening of the first parliamentary session. Influenced by Renaissance architecture, the interior is decorated with detailed frescoes, by Italian Galileo Chini, of royal ceremonies and festivities. พระทีน ่ ง่ั อนันตสมาคม ถ.อูท่ องใน ดุสติ

Jim Thompson:The Man behind the Mystery Check this out for a CV: a Princeton graduate and former US spook turns Bangkok socialite, silk revivalist and Asiaphile antiques collector before disappearing mysteriously in Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands in 1967. Jim Thompson’s strangerthan-fiction life story makes for a twisting, ultimately tragic tale.This, along with the sheen of his famous silks, his entrepreneurial skills and impeccable taste, has made him Thailand’s most famous farang (westerner).Today he’s a brand gone global.You can visit his stunning home (see above), buy his trademark fabrics in Argentina or Australia, and read a slew of gossipy biographies peddling myths that only seal the legend. But it’s perhaps at Ban Krua, the Muslim silk-weaving community found near his home, where his legacy is most lasting. Here the cottage industry he resuscitated continues to thrive – a testimony both to the skill of the weavers who live there, and the visionary American who believed in them. 28

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Kids in the city

Negotiating Bangkok with kids needn’t be the nightmare many parents presume. The single biggest plus point is that Thais absolutely adore children, meaning there are always people around ready to help out. Skytrain guards will drop what they’re doing to help you haul that stroller down the stairs and waitresses will gladly whisk junior off for a tour of the kitchens while you enjoy a coffee. Most of the big shopping malls (see p.102) have play areas set aside for kids, with two of the best being Kiddy Land, which has slides, a ball pit and a balloon room on the 6th floor of CentralWorld; Jamboree on the 3rd floor of Emporium; and the huge indoor playground Funarium (see below). Plus, of course, most of the shopping malls have cinemas and enough ice-cream stores to sate a homesick Eskimo. There are also a fair few attractions that appeal to wee ones.The city’s parks (see p.32) offer a chance to let off steam, especially Rot Fai Park near Chatuchak Weekend Market (p.103), where you can rent bicycles; and Dusit Zoo (p.32) is a sprawling, chaotic afternoon’s worth of fun. Although expensive, Siam Ocean World (p.32) is a great way to entertain the kids while you shop at Paragon department store. On a more scholarly note, there’s a cracking museum aimed at inquisitive young minds. The Children’s Discovery Museum has a science and nature theme and is handily located near to Chatuchak. And if you’re sticking around town for a while, Bangkok Dolphins (www.bangkokdolphins.com) offer swimming classes from three months old. The Children’s Discovery Museum (map C1) Kamphaeng Petch 4 Rd, Chatuchak | 02-6157333 | www.bkkchildren museum.com | Tue-Fri 9am-5pm, Sat-Sun 10am- 6pm | B150 Near the Chatuchak weekend market, this interactive museum aimed at younger guests covers science, nature and the environment. It also hosts regular courses and activity camps. พิพิธภัณฑ์เด็กกรุงเทพมหานคร

Funarium (map D4) 111/1 Sukhumvit 26 | 02-6656555 | www.funarium.co.th | 8:30am-8:30pm | kids: B180/300; adults B90 Basically 2,000m2 of slides, ball pits, trampolines, obstacle courses, cycling tracks and basketball courts, with a decent café and a small branch of Mothercare.

ฟันเอเรียม สุขุมวิท 26

สวนสมเด็จพระนางเจ้าสิริกิติ์ ตรงข้ามสวนจตุจักร

SHRINES

Apart from the many Buddhist temples across the city, there are lots of small shrines where devotees pay their respects to Hindu deities, Animist spirits and even errant spooks. Many of the most famous – and visited – are centred around Ratchaprasong, the mall-cluttered central district. Here it’s not unusual to see a Thai wai a God while on their way to the Gucci store. ERAWAN SHRINE (map C3, #17) Ratchadamri Rd, near Grand Hyatt Erawan | 02-252-8754 | 6:30am10:30pm | 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 bangkok 101

performs for a nominal fee. Fancy making an offering? Buy a set from the surrounding stalls, and starting with your back to the main entrance walk around it clockwise, offering 3 incense sticks, a candle, garland and a piece of gold leaf to each of the four faces.

พระพรหมเอราวัณ ถ.ราชดำริ

Ganesha Shrine

TRIMURTI SHRINE (map C3) Outside Centralworld and Isetan Department Store, Ratchadamri Rd If your love life is ailing then this shrine is for you: at 9.30pm each Thursday it’s rumoured that Lord Trimurti descends from the heavens to answer prayers of the heart. To maximise your chances of meeting your dream beau you should offer nine-red incense sticks, red candles, red roses and fruit. Alternatively, you could try saying hello to the person next to you.

GANESHA SHRINE (map C3) Outside Centralworld and Isetan Department Store, Ratchadamri Rd Perhaps the most recognisable Hindu deity, a silent 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.

พระตรีมูรติ หน้าห้างอิเซตัน ศูนย์การค้าเซนทรัลเวิลด์ sightseeing

พระพิฆเนศวร หน้าห้างอิเซตัน ศูนย์การค้าเซนทรัลเวิลด์

Sightseeing

museums THE NATIONAL MUSEUM (map A3) 5 Chao Fa Rd, Sanam Luang| 02-2241333 | www.thailandmuseum.com | Wed-Sun 9am-4pm | B200 Previously a palace during the reign of Rama V, the National Museum features extensive displays of Thai artefacts from the 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 on display. Free English tours are given on Wednesdays (about Buddhism) and Thursdays (on art/culture) which start at 9:30am. Photography is not allowed inside the museum galleries.

พิพธิ ภัณฑ์สถานแห่งชาติ ถ.เจ้าฟ้า ใกล้ทอ้ งสนามหลวง

MUSEUM OF SIAM (map A3) 4 Samachai Rd., Pra Nakorn | 02622-2599 | www.ndmi.or.th | Tue-Sun 10am-6pm | free A truncated history of Thailand unfurls through this down-with-thekids discovery museum, taking in prehistoric Suvarnabhumi, the foundation of Ayutthaya and the country’s modernisation. Design company Story! Inc delivered the content and conceptual design, replacing the usual ‘don’t touch’ signs and turgid text with pop graphics and interactive gizmos galore. Among the many edutaining activities, highlights include dressing up as a 20th century nobleman, mapping out the borders of your own Siam using a vibrant touch screen and firing cannonballs at Burmese war-elephants. Tellingly, the place teems with the usually museum-shy – Thai teenagers. Afterwards, enjoy the polished teak floors, open-sided corridors and elegant Renaissance stylings of this gorgeously 30

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restored former government building, designed in the 1920s by Thailand’s best-loved resident Italian architect, Mario Tamagno.

สถาบันพิพิธภัณฑ์การเรียนรู้ แห่งชาติ ถ.สนามไชย

ROYAL BARGE MUSEUM (map A3) 80/1 Rim Khlong Bangkok Noi,Arun Amarin Rd,Thonburi | 02-424-0004 | 9am5pm | B100 (photo B100, video B200) This collection of royal barges, some of which are up to 50 metres long, is housed on the Thonburi side of the river in a series of elaborate sheds near the Pinklao Bridge.The barges are best seen in action during rare ceremonial processions on the Chao Phraya where the colourful crews can number up to 64, including rowers, umbrella holders, navigators and various musicians. Beautifully and ornately decorated, these magnificent long craft were completely renovated and restored to their former glory by the present King, who also commissioned the newest boat for his golden jubilee in 1996.

พิพิธภัณฑ์เรือพระราชพิธี ถ.อรุณอมรินทร์

BANGKOKIAN MUSEUM (map B3-4) 273 Charoen Krung Soi 43 | 02-2337027| www.bma.go.th/bmaeng/bangrak | Sat&Sun 10am-5pm | free Bangrak is one of the most traditional districts of the city, bustling with traffic and markets. Smack in the middle of it, find this oasis of four traditional Thai houses, one of them lovingly converted into a private museum by the compound’s charming owner, Ms. Waraporn Surawadee. She decided to dedicate the place to the memory of her family and bygone daily life of Bangkok everymen – and open it to the public. While visitors shouldn’t expect breathtaking revelations here; the displays can nevertheless be surprisingly fascinating. They include antiques, traditional household utensils and items used in ceremonies. The real highlight is the owner herself who is willing to give you a highly personalised tour (if you call ahead), filled with anecdotes about a city long since vanished.

พิพธิ ภัณฑ์ชาวบางกอก เจริญกรุง ซ.43

Bangkokian Museum

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Oddball Museums

RATTANAKOSIN EXHIBITION HALL (map B3) 100 Ratchadamnoen Klong Road, next to Wat Ratchanadda | www.nitasrattanakosin.com | Tues-Fri 11am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-8pm | 02624-0044 | adults B200, kids B50 This brand new multimedia museum tackles a part of town we all admire but few understand – Rattanakosin island, Bangkok’s glittering birthplace. Once you’re done oggling the Grand Palace and Wat Po etc, it’s a great place to expand your knowledge of this most hallowed part of the city beyond that pithy paragraph in your guidebook. Wandering its seven rooms – free of relics but rich in dioramas, interactive videos, text and audio clips in Thai and English – brings the area’s hard-to-fathom history, arts, communities and traditions into much clearer focus. Learn about its creation in 1782; ancient royal ceremonies; fine performing arts like lakhon nai (court drama); evolving architectural styles and much more. Also includes an observation balcony with views over the old city.

นิทรรศน์รัตนโกสินทร์ ถ.ราชดำเนินกลาง

Several museums in and around Bangkok delve into Thailand’s wacky and idiosyncratic side. Definitely the most macabre, the Si Quey Forensics Museum revels in pickled body parts and cadavers of serial killers. A close second, the Corrections Museum recreates the rough justice meted out to crims in the not so old days (you’ll think twice about that sly toke after a trip here). The Museum of Counterfeit Goods displays Thailand’s best forgeries; as long as you call ahead (and don’t use it as a means to spot that fake handbag on Patpong the next day), you’re welcome. On the outskirts, the weekends only House of Museums is a two-storey sprawl of retro curiosities. Finally, if you’re interested in Thai cinema, walk among recreated film sets, old 16mm cameras and waxwork figures of local cine heroes at the Thai Film Museum in Nakhom Pathom. Si Quey Forensics Museum (Official Name ‘Siriraj Medical Museum’) 2 Prannok road, Bangkoknoi | www.si.mahidol.ac.th | 02- 419-7000 ext 6363 | Mon-Sat 9am – 4pm | B40

พิพธิ ภัณฑ์การแพทย์ศริ ริ าช ถ.พรานนก

Corrections Museum 436 Bangkok Remand Prison, Mahachai Rd., Samranrat, Phra Nakhon | Mon-Fri 9am - 4pm | 02-226-1704 | free

พิพธิ ภัณฑ์ราชทัณฑ์ เรือนจำเก่า ใกล้กบั สวนรมณีนาถ

House of Museums 170/17 Moo 17 Soi Klong Po 2, Salathammasop Rd., Taweewattana | 089-666-2008 | http://houseofmuseums.siam.edu | Sat-Sun 10am – 5pm | B30 บ้านพิพธิ ภัณฑ์ ซ.คลองโพ 2 ศาลาธรรมสพน์ Thai Film Museum 94 Moo 3 Bhuddhamonton Sai 5, Salaya, Nakorn Pathom| www.nfat.org | 02-482- 2013-15 | weekday: appointment only, weekend tours: 10am, noon, 3pm | free หอภาพยนตร์แห่งชาติ 94 หมู่ 3 ถ.พุทธมณฑลสาย 5

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bangkok 101

sightseeing

Sightseeing

the great outdoors

FLORA LUMPINI PARK (map C4) Entrances on Rama IV Rd, Sarasin Rd, Witthayu Rd and Ratchadamri Rd | free Want shades of green instead of drab slabs of grey? For most in the city Lumpini Park, the inner city’s largest green lung, is the solution. Busy as soon as the sun rises and again around sunset, Bangkokians of every ilk take advantage of the relative cool and quiet to practice Tai Chi, do aerobics, hold hands or jog around the picturesque lakes. Other activities include taking a pedal boat out onto the water for a quick spin. The most reliable entrance is the one near Silom at the corner of Rama IV Road and Ratchadamri Road, at the front of which a statue of King Rama VI stands sentinel. สวนลุมพินี เข้าได้ทาง ถ.พระราม 4

ถ.สารสิน ถ.วิทยุและ ถ.ราชดำริ

RAMA IX ROYAL PARK (off map) Sukhumvit 103 Rd, behind Seri Center, Pravet 02-328-1972, 02-328-1395 | 5:30am-7pm | B10 This 200-acre park features a small museum dedicated to the king, set amongst pleasant botanical gardens with lots of soothing water features. สวนหลวง ร.9 ถ.สุขุมวิท 103

(หลังเสรี เซ็นเตอร์) ประเวศ

Rama IX Park

CHATUCHAK and QUEEN SIRIKIT PARKS (map C-D1) 820 Phahonyothin Rd, Ladyao Sub-district, Chatuchak | 02-2724358~9 | 5am-6:30pm | free These two parks situated not far from the mayhem of the weekend market offer some respite. Chatuchak Park hosts some art exhibits and a collection of old railway engines and ancient automobiles. Nearby, Queen Sirikit Park has a pretty botanical garden with lotus ponds.

สวนจตุจกั รและ สวนสมเด็จ พระนางเจ้า สิรกิ ติ ์ิ 820 ถ. พหลโยธิน จตุจกั ร

FAUNA DUSIT ZOO (map B2) 71 Rama V Rd, opp. Chitralada Palace, Dusit | 02-281-2000 | 8am-6pm | adults B100, kids B50 The city’s main zoo, situated to the north of Rattanakosin, is home to a large selection of mammals, reptiles and other animals. Spread over a large park, there’s also a lake to paddle around. สวนสัตว์ดุสิต 71 ถ.พระราม 5 QUEEN SAOVABHA MEMORIAL INSTITUTE (Snake Farm) (map C4, #18) 1871 Rama IV Rd, Thai Red Cross, Henri Dunant | 02-252-0161~4 ext.120 | Mon-Fri sightseeing

8:30am-4pm, Sat-Sun 9:30am – noon (Shows at 11am & 2:30pm) | B200 A centre for developing antidotes to poisonous snake bites, this research facility is also open to the public. The idea behind this is to educate visitors about the dangers of poisonous snakes in Thailand and what to do with the victim of a snake bite. There’s an informative slide show followed by a display of live venom extraction from some of the deadliest serpents in the kingdom. สถานเสาวภา (สวนงู)

ถ.พระราม 4 สภากาชาดไทย

Siam Ocean World (map C3) B1F Siam Paragon, 991 Rama I Rd | 02-687-2001 | www.siamoceanworld. com | 10am-7pm | B650/850 Such a pity that this tourist attraction – reputed to be the largest aquarium in Southeast Asia – operates a dual pricing policy. If you’reThai you pay B350; if you’re not you pay B850. This irritating iniquity aside, there’s certainly fun to be had inside, with 8m-high tanks, glass-tunnel walk-throughs and shark-feeding shows – although a ride on a glass-bottom boat to see sharks and rays costs extra and is wholly unremarkable. Reckon on an hour to get round the whole thing. สยามพารากอน ถ.พระราม 1 bangkok 101

Stood rapt in front of the Grand Palace? Check. Got your neck clicked at Wat Po? Check. Survived the scam artists? Just about. Ok, now you’ve lost your sightseer ‘L’ plates it’s time to explore some less tourist-thronged Bangkok addresses.

what next?

1 For a cycle tour around the parts most tourists never reach, give Spice Roads (www.spiceroads.com) a shout. Alternatively, borrow a bike for free from one of 8 counters scattered around the Old City, courtesy of the Bangkok Metropolitan Association (www.bangkoktourist.com). 2 Volunteering is a great way to give back to this city we all get so much out of. Don’t know where to look? Idealistic expat initiative In Search of Sanuk (www.insearchofsanuk. com) signposts ways you can have fun helping people. 3 Did Jim Thompson’s House? Gorgeous but groaning with tourists, you say? Fortunately it’s not the only stilted teak house oasis in town. Suan Pakkard Palace offers a similarly beguiling set-up off the tourist trail; as does M.R. Kukrit’s House (both p.28). Other teak fetishists swear by Amantee (www.amantee.com) out in the northern suburbs.

4 Just across from MBK mall, the Guggenheim-like Bangkok Art & Culture Centre lures in dandyish creative types (and the odd curious shopper) with its mixed-bag line-up of Thai contemporary and itinerant global art. Want to know where the best Thai art is at? Then pop a copy of our Bangkok Art Map into your totebag on your way out.

5 Tour company Smiling Albino (www.smilingalbino.com) offers well thought-out, culturally-attuned excursions in and around the capital. Definitely its most intriguing is its two-day rollick through authentic old neighbourhoods and markets reminiscent of Bangkok circa 1910.

6 Housed in a beautifully restored old government building only five minutes stroll from Wat Po, the Museum of Siam (www.ndmi.or.th) traces the evolution of the Thai people in a funky, hands-on fashion.Touch-screen videos and interactive gizmos galore replace the usual dusty relics and stress the country’s multiculturalism and modernisation. 7 Once the city is licked, time to see what marvels lurk just outside it. Popular daytrips close to home include Bangkrachao, a lush peninsula of undeveloped land just across from Bangkok’s Klong Toey district; and Ko Kret, a man-made island in the river famous for its snacking, temples and kilns churning out cheap pottery. See Daytrips (p.34) for more.

bangkok 101

sightseeing

Sightseeing Lop Buri

Uthai Thani

day tripping

Chai Nat Nakhon Ratchasima

Ang Thong Saraburi

Suphan Buri

It’s easy getting around in Thailand, and there are plenty of worthwhile excursions within easy reach of Bangkok; some one-day affairs, others overnight. Organise a trip yourself or book through your concierge or a local travel agent. AYUTTHAYA The capital of Siam from the 14th to 18th century, Ayutthaya was one of the richest cities in the East, until it was plundered by the Burmese in 1767 and its ruins left to nature. Today a Unesco World Heritage Site, its remnants – all Khmer-esque stupas, crumbling bricks and Buddha faces entwined in tree roots – make a wonderful daytrip. The 85km journey is best done by river. The major hotels organise trips (usually to Ayutthaya by coach and then back by boat), while independent tours run from River City. Many combine the trip with a visit to the Bang Pa-in Summer Palace.A former royal garden retreat, this presents a mélange of different architectural schools, mostly reflecting King Rama V’s love for all things European. Once at Ayutthaya, hop on a bike and scoot round highlights like Wat Phra Si Sanphet, Wat Mongkhon Bophit and Wat Ratburana at your own pace. . LOPBURI Lopburi’s illustrious ruins date back over 1,000 years and can done on foot. During the Dvaravati period (6th-11th centuries) the city was known as Lavo until the Khmers took over the region during Angkor’s 10th century heyday. The Thais took control during the powerful Sukhothai and Ayutthaya periods. And in the 1600s, King Narai made the city the second capital and fortified it against the Dutch navy 34

Ayutthaya

Kanchanaburi

Nakhon Pathom

Koh Kred

Pathumthani

Nakhon Nayok

Sa Kaeo

Nonthaburi Bangkok

Ratchaburi

Samut Sakhon Samut Songkhram

Samut Prakan

Chachoengsao

Chon Buri

Phetchaburi

threatening Ayutthaya. The remnants of the palace he built now serve as a public museum. The city is also littered with crumbling wats (temples) blending Khmer and Thai styles. Watch your belongings: the most famous – threeprang shrine Phra Prang Sam Yot (a prang is a spire-like vault) – is home to some mischievous macaque monkeys.

monuments and buildings. Built by the same benefactor, the smaller Erawan Museum features a towering threeheaded elephant sculpture. Inside are antiques and a stucco chapel, but most Thais come for the fantastical gardens and to pray for good luck at the esteemed shrine.-

NAKHON PATHOM The star attraction in this ancient Thai town is the 120m high chedi (or stupa), the tallest in the Kingdom, which was erected on the site of a 6th-century version. Situated around 55km west of Bangkok, the town is widely thought to be the oldest in Thailand, but apart from the chedi there are few clues as to its history.The other big draw is the Rose Garden, a picturesque 70-acre park featuring botanical gardens and mock-Thai village cultural shows.

KANCHANABURI Made famous by the film The Bridge on the River Kwai, Kanchanaburi town is a popular weekend getaway, offering great scenery and a host of river-based activities. Most foreigners are attracted by the area’s history – namely the “Thai Burma Death Railway,” built by POWs under Japanese occupation during World War II. Riding the railway is possible with three daily trips from Kanchanaburi to Nam Tok. The lush countryside around Kanchanaburi is home to many of the country’s most impressive waterfalls, with nearby Erawan National Park offering great trekking.

SAMUT PRAKAN Just down the road – 29km away – Samut Prakan has three big draws.The Crocodile Farm offers daily croc wrestling and elephant shows. Muang Boran (the Ancient City) is an open-air museum park featuring over 100 replicas of landmark Thai temples,

KHAO YAI NATIONAL PARK Home to wild elephants, deer, boar, tigers and innumerable species of birdlife, Khao Yai (2½ hour’s drive from Bangkok) is one of Thailand’s most impressive national parks. Hike through the jungle to altitudes of over 1,000m. Hire a

sightseeing

bangkok 101

guide as it’s easy to get lost – the park is over 2,000km2 in size, and local maps are not to be trusted. Fancy staying the night? There are state-run bungalows in the park and luxe resorts nearby. Wine lover? Some of Thailand’s top wineries – Chateau des Brumes, Granmonte Estate, PB Valley – are also in the vicinity. NAKHON RATCHASIMA (KORAT) Both a silk and trade hub, Nakhon Ratchasima is the country’s largest province and home to Korat, its second largest city.The moated town with city gates is rewarding; and the countryside has a surfeit of Khmer ruins left over from the Angkor period, the best being in the recently restored Phi Mai Historical Park (60km north of Korat). Pak Thong Chai (30km north of Korat) is Thailand’s leading silk village. And for horse-riding and the chance to milk cows, visit Farm Chok Chai, a working farm popular with Stetsonwearing agro-tourists. KOH KRED Highly recommended, this ickle car-free island sits on a kink in the Chao Phraya River and is home to a Mon community renowned for their ancestral red-clay pottery skills. Seriously sleepy during the week, the palm-clad place goes into commercial overdrive on weekends. Bangkok cityslickers stroll its narrow footpaths, past working pottery warehouses, old Buddhist temples and homes selling hand-finished ceramics and tasty Mon kanom (snacks). By the time they’ve gone full circle, a few hours later, they’re smitten. Take a regular express boat up the Chao Phraya River to Nonthaburi and hire a long-tailed boat (B500 approx). Alternatively, on Sundays, the Chao Phraya Express ferry offers a guided tour for B300 (www. chaophrayaboat.co.th). bangkok 101

SARABURI Though often overs hadowed by neighbouring Lopburi, this central province, 108km north of Bangkok, still packs a thrill or two. Its 1½m-long Buddha footprint makes Wat Phra Putthabhat one of the most important temples in the region. And caves, like Tham Phra Pothisat, draw crowds thanks to their beautiful stalactite formations and Buddhist bas-reliefs, as does Chet Sao Noi Waterfall. The main attraction though is definitely out in the fields – from Nov-Jan bright sunflowers blanket the land, providing vibrant photo opportunities galore. PHETCHABURI Sacred Buddhist caves, neoclassical palaces, a quirky provincial market town – there’s more to Petchaburi province than the beach resort town of Cha Am. Best savoured over a long-weekend, sights include Wat Yai, a beautiful 17th century temple complex; and the stalactite and sculpture strewn Tham Khao Luang cave. To the west is also the scandalously underrated Kaeng Krachan National Park, where camp sites, butterfly and bird watching, water rafting and a stunning reservoir fringed by undulating hills await. CHACHOENGSAO An hour’s drive to the east, Chachoengsao rarely make the travel guides but is popular with locals. Smothered along the banks of the Bang Pakong River, the town boasts the temple Wat Sothon and 100-year old market Talad Baan Mai, where vendors flog traditional delicacies from within wooden King Rama V-era shophouses. Renting a boat to go see the old teak and stilted houses that line the sightseeing

sides – and the dolphins who migrate here between Nov and Feb – is also popular. RATCHABURI Ratchaburi’s Damnoen Saduak floating market is the hokiest in the land. But “The Land of the Kings” does have other qualities: unspoilt klongs (canals), hot stream Bo Khloung, the cascading Kaew Chan waterfall, and stalagmite and stalactite caves. For artsy-boho types there’s also the Suan Silp Baan Din Arts Centre, staging performances of old Thai arts and workshops. And at Wat Khanon temple, NangYai puppetry (an evocative but dying artform where puppet silhouettes are projected onto fabric screens) survives. Performances are on Saturdays. CHON BURI When it comes to this industrialised province on the eastern seaboard, we say skip Pattaya, Thailand’s Sodom-onSea, and head for Koh Si Chang, a small fishing island a mere 40-minute/B40 ferry hop across the Gulf of Thailand from Si Racha Town. King Rama V loved it there; and after a few hours exploring its hillside temples, summer palaces and pebbly beaches, so will you. On the way home, Baen San is a local, bucket-and-spade beach; and Talad Nong Mon, in Chonburi town, offers toothsome regional snacks like khao lam (sweet sticky rice in bamboo tubes). SUPHAN BURI This is where it all went down: where the legendary King Naresuan fended off Burma and rid Thailand of foreign occupation, freeing it from the Pegu Kingdom way back in 1592. At the Don Chedi, 30km from central Suphan Buri, there is a statue erected in his honour, as well as an exhibition hall and museum. Other draws include the Thai Rice Farmer’s Museum, Bueng Chawak Aquarium (64km out of town), and ancient temples dating back almost 1,000 years.

Sightseeing

NEARBY ISLANDS/BEACHES

No time to jet down to Koh Samui or Phuket? A handful of beach resorts and islands close to Bangkok are perfect for last-minute escapes.These span the gamut from lonely beaches offering the odd reggae shack and driftwood sign, to cosmopolitan beach resorts that have adopted the ‘built it and they will come’ philosophy with mixed results. ■ PATTAYA/JOMTIEN Most famous for its seedy nightlife, Pattaya’s been trying – well, sort of – to re-establish itself as a family destination. Hundreds of hotels and eateries ensure competitive prices; and while the surfeit Koh Chang of self-enclosed resorts means it’s easy for those with kids or a sleaze intolerance to avoid the girly bars, sister beach Jomtien is still a better option. ■ KOH CHANG A large jungle-clad hilly gem that’s been found by the deluxe hotel industry. Spending the night in hammocks is impossible, but fantastic beaches are still here, some hiend touristy, some budget backpacker-y. Catch a bus from the Ekkamai bus station (approx 5 hours) or fly here with Bangkok Air via Trat (approx 2 hours). ■ KOH SAMET A retreat for hip Thai youngsters who invade the island to

FLOATING MARKETS

Amphawa

Floating markets offer an idyllic taste of the Bangkok of the days of yore. The experience depends largely on which market you choose. n DAMNOEN SADUAK Considered “the” floating market for visitors, this bustling stretch of waterway 100km southwest of the capital is two hours by car or bus, plus a 1530 minute boat ride. Arrive before the horde of tourists descend upon the market at 9am – it closes up midday. For a less-crowded option, head south to Talat Khun Phitak via water taxi from the pier on the east side of Khlong Thong Lang. 36

spend days swimming in clear waters and nights sipping Thai-whisky buckets or playing the guitar on the superclean beaches. It’s worth booking ahead on weekends and public holidays, lest you want to be a source of amusement as you trudge up and down the beach desperately looking for an overpriced room. ■ HUA HIN/CHA-AM The royal summer residence town receives hordes of Thai families and package tourists. The long beach is satisfying, and is dotted with plenty of top-notch resorts like Chiva Som, the Evason, Hyatt Regency, Hilton and more. The piers filled with seafood restaurants are more of an attraction, as is the addictive night market. Nearby Cha-am is Hua Hin’s smaller, less developed sister. Coach loads of Thai townies come here on weekends to fly kites, ride ponies and generally lark around in the ocean. ■ KO SI CHANG Located a cheap 45 minute ferry journey from Si Racha Town, in Chonburi province, scenic Koh Si Chang is seldom visited by foreign tourists. More fool them – though its more of a sightseer island than a sunbather island, it’s got picturesque lookouts, King Rama V era palaces and Chinese temples to explore.Those wanting to overnight can pick from a few cheap resorts and bungalows.

GETTING THERE By bus: to Damnoen Saduak from the Southern Bus Terminal every 40 minutes from 6am (02-435-5031 or 434-5558). n TALING CHAN For a kinder, gentler introduction to the world of floating markets, Taling Chan is a destination often overlooked on most tourist itineraries. Built by former Bangkok governor Chamlong Srimuang in 1987 to honour HM the King’s 60th birthday,Taling Chan also offers live performances of traditional Thai music from 11am-2pm. The market only opens on weekends from 9am-4pm, so make sure to plan accordingly.

n AMPHAWA Night owls can have a slice of floating market action too. This one – only open Friday to Sunday – sets up at 4pm, allowing the luxury of a lie-in. This little-known treasure is not often on the itineraries of the tourists who flock to more famous markets. Make sure to take a boat down the canal after dusk, when the lights from the riverhouses gleam and the fireflies come out to play, especially during the rainy season. GETTING THERE By car: Drive one hour south from Bangkok to Samut Songkhram.The market is nearby Wat Amphawan Jatiyaram.

GETTING THERE By bus: Take bus #79 or #83 to Taling Chan district (02-424-5448 or 02424-1712). Damnoen Saduak

sightseeing

bangkok 101

very other picture one sees of Thailand seems to be taken at Damnoen Saduak, the famed floating market. Guidebooks, brochures, calendars, you name it, the vendor boats that ply these waterways south of Bangkok are world famous. Only problem is when one actually gets to Damnoen Saduak, one realises that the rest of the tourist world is there right next to you, camera in hand, shoving you aside to get their “been there done that” shot. The hassles at Damnoen Saduak are large, prices are high, and face it, this is no longer a traditional local market, but one aimed strictly at foreign tourists. The picture perfect postcard is now looking pretty darn posed. Thus, it is a breath of fresh air for the expat or adventurous visitor to get out to one of Bangkok’s other floating markets, Taling Chan. Taling Chan market is a small, mainly Thai affair, although a few foreign tour groups now throw it on their itinerary as a far more realistic market experience than Damnoen Saduak. Located along Bangkok’s Chakphra Canal, on the Thonburi side of the city, it takes place on weekends, getting going around 9am and running into the late afternoon. Though trinkets and flowers are sold, the focus is on food, food, and more glorious food, with probably every type of Thai snack, sweet, and main dish ever created on offer. Arriving at the market, there is a long street leading up to the Khlong Chak Phra Canal, where vendors hawk

bangkok 101

featured daytrip Dave Stamboulis

Taling Chan:

The Other Floating Market fresh flowers and a colourful array of tropical fruits such as durian, dragon fruit, star fruit, and other delicacies. Also on sale are cakes of palm sugar, nut and honey concoctions, and coconut sweets. It would be easy to linger on this entryway street and never get to the floating market area at all, but to do so would be to miss out on the photo ops and one of the best seafood bargains to be had in the Kingdom. Many visitors come solely to eat in the canal-side restaurants, beside which vendors sit in small boats cooking excellent cheap meals. Charcoal-grilled snakehead fish is a top seller, with an entire fish going for B140 and served piping hot to the small waterside tables. Giant prawns are also a favourite, and fresh crab is also available, along with mussels, cockles, and catfish. In addition to the seafood, there are dozens of vendors in boats whipping up pad thai, satay, and plenty of spicy som tam. Hungry Bangkok residents descend in droves by mid afternoon, and one vendor told us she sells over 60 kilograms of shrimp every weekend. sightseeing

Besides eating and shopping, there are boat tours around the Thonburi canals that leave from the market regularly. The tours pass by orchards, gardens, and traditional wood houses on stilts, giving a glimpse as to what life really was like in the Bangkok of old. Getting there The Taling Chan Floating Market takes place on Saturdays and Sundays. It starts at 9am and finishes around 4pm. The cheapest way to get there is to catch the number 79 bus in front of CentralWorld which travels across the Pin Klao Bridge before arriving at the market, which is at the intersection of Chimphli and Chak Phra roads. Alternatively, take a taxi or, better still, rent a long-tail boat from the River City pier and show your captain the Thai address below.

จากถนนจรัญสนิทวงศ์เลีย้ วเข้าแยก บางขุนนนท์ไปตามเส้นทางหลัก ถึงแยก ตลิง่ ชันเลีย้ วซ้าย ขับไปตามทางหลักเรือ่ ยๆ จะเห็นป้ายสำนักงานเขตตลิง่ ชันอยูด่ า้ นหน้า

Sightseeing

national parks

asily Thailand’s most untapped and untramelled tourist assests are its national parks, of which there are no less than 116 dotted all around the country. They’re a refreshing escape from breakneck Bangkok life – not to mention the hokey hill-tribe tours and Westerner-thronged (and thonged) beaches that most tourists make a beeline for. In addition to hiking trails through the forest, most offer a host of eco-tourism activities too: waterfalls you can splash around in, streams raft upon and campsites snooze under the stars in. There’s one out there for every taste, from those offering great diving (Khao Sok National Park) to those blessed with lofty, mist-shrouded mountains perfect for watching sunrises off (Phu Kradung National Park). Debatably the best all-rounder (and definately the most visited and easily accessible) is Khao Yai, a tropical rainforest fringed by wineries, golf courses, cattle ranches and resorts, and only an hour and a half ’s drive northeast of the big smoke. Entry for foreigners usually costs B200, though expats with a copy of their work-permit pay the same as Thais: B40. www.thaiforestbooking.com has them all covered, even includes a foreignerfriendly accommodation booking system. Below we spotlight one each month perfect for right about now.

Erawan National Park: Mother Nature’s Waterpark

It’s a 65km drive from Kanchanburi, home of the worldfamous Bridge Over the River Kwai, to this popular national park. Hundreds of tourists do just that every weekend. What makes it worth the short schlep is the Erawan Waterfall that cascades 1,500 metres down a limestone hill over seven seperate levels, each one more difficult to reach than the previous. Many visitors walk no further than the 700 metres or so it takes to reach the first tree-shaded pool, while others test their hiking mettle by resolving to climb the rocky trail all the way to the seventh level summit, rewarding themselves along the way with a dip in each one. Easily the most Eden-like and dramatic is level three, (pictured here), where water cascades off a u-shaped cliff into a luscious, emerald green pool teeming with fish and surrounded by gnarled trees. Aside from waterfalls (and free, insufferably ticklish fish pedicures – yes, really!), Erawan also boasts a good line in caves and has bungalows and a campsite, though most find a few hours of frolicking here is enough. 38

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bangkok 101

Thailand is a vast area adorned with year-round festivals that are surely not limited to the capital city. Many, if not most, nationally celebrated events originate in other provinces and the chance to go to the root of these annual festivities should not be passed up.This month don’t limit yourself to the wonders of Bangkok. Instead go out and explore the endless possibilities of Thailand.

upcountry festivals

1 – 31 July

International Candle & Wax Sculptures Festival, Ubon Ratchathani

Ah, Ubon Ratchathani: fiery som tam, stunning national parks… and great big garudas carved out of wax! Yes, that’s right, candle fans, the nerve centre of Isaan gets ready for Buddhist Lent, or Khao Phansa, with its very own candle carving festival. Menfolk sharpen their knives and set about creating some really rather impressive sculptures which are then presented as merit making offerings. Festivities take place at Thung Sri Muang Park and the Ubon Ratchathani National Museum. Call 045-243-770 or E-mail tatubon@tat.or.th for more details.

23- 24 July 18 July

Pattaya Marathon

Right, put down that icy beer and get off the beach! It’s time to throw on your runners and hit the road for Pattaya’s annual lung-burner. Every year people head to the hedonists’ haven from all over the world (seriously, they do!), for the event that kicks off from CentralFestival Pattaya Beach Soi 9. There are various classes of race (half-marathon; U15s; wheelchair etc) but they all have one thing in common: they all start very early in the morning, before the blazing sun rears its head. Check www.pattaya-marathon. com for the times and so on.

bangkok 101

Candle Festival Parade, Nakhon Ratchasima

Nakhon Ratchasima province or Korat, the gateway to northeastern Thailand, will hold its annual Candle Festival Parade at the Municipal Stadium in Chokchai district on July 23-24. Hundreds of ornately carved giant candles will be paraded around the city in a retelling of the story of Lord Buddha. Apart from that, one of the joys visitors love when visiting Chokchai is to try its famous roasted noodles. There’ll be a noodle making competition as well as other fun activities throughout the festival. TAT Nakhon Ratchasima 044-213-666. sightseeing

Until – 31 August Blooming Krachio Flower Festival, Chaiyaphum

Fans of seasonal flowers should head for Pa Hin Ngam (Forests of Beautiful Rock) National Park, in the northeastern province of Chaiyaphum, sometime between now and the end of August. During these months – the early part of the rainy season – the dok krachio, or Siam tulip, dutifully blossoms, their pinkish-purple and lotus-leaf like petals bobbing above a blanket of lush green grass.The best time to see them is in the early morning, when a blanket of dense fog lends an otherworldly atmosphere and the crowds at their slimmest. Call the TAT Northeastern office on 044-213-666. 39

Sightseeing

upcountry escape Words and Photos by Dave Stamboulis

Off the Map in Sangkhlaburi

ven expats seem to scratch their heads or give you this kind of blank look when you tell them you have just returned from a marvelous weekend in Sangkhlaburi. “Whichaburi?” they ask in confusion. Probably best to not give away too much, but sleepy Sangkhlaburi, a small town on the Burmese border remains one of Thailand’s best kept secrets. Mainly known for the Three Pagoda Pass (where the Japanese Death Railway passed through during WWII) which sits on a mountaintop outside of town, Sangkhlaburi is a town full of ethnic diversity. Traditionally inhabited by Karen, today it is home to a large Mon population who inhabit the Wang Kha district, separated from the Thai and Karen parts of town by Thailand’s longest wooden teak bridge across the picturesque Vajiralongkorn Lake. Much of Sangkhlaburi’s history is recent. The town of Sangkhlaburi itself is new, as the original city, a few kilometers down lake, was completely submerged when the Vajiralongkorn

Dam was completed in 1984. The former Mon temple and some surrounding edifices are all that remain of the old town, which poke out of the lake when water levels are low, giving the appearance of an Atlantis-like sunken city. The 400 metre wooden bridge was built by villagers in 1984, when the damn project separated them from the town, and had to be rebuilt again after it collapsed in1993. The wooden bridge is very atmospheric. Handmade, with planks roughly nailed together, it towers above rickety bamboo poles webbed together to support it. In the early morning, the lake is covered by an eerie fog, and hundreds of Mon make their way back and forth across the bridge to market, balancing goods on their heads, making for some very photogenic scenery. One of the world’s more perfectly located coffee shops sits just above one end of the bridge, and is a prime spot for watching the morning procession or magical light on the lake at sunset.

sightseeing

bangkok 101

Accommodation Sangkhlaburi is mostly off of the Thai fancy resort radar, but does have several comfortable and atmospheric places to sleep. Many Thai groups opt for floating rafthouses on the lake, which can get noisy on weekends. Better yet, try:

The Fang Mon village across the bridge was formed by Mon refugees from Burma and offers a glimpse into an unchanged Burmese atmosphere. Dawn is a magical time to come here, with the community rising to give the Mon monks food on their morning alms rounds. Small vegetable gardens dot the banks of the lake, men work on boats and process logs to be used for bridge repairs, and children fish and frolic in the water. Wandering around the village, locals attired in sarongs and tanaka paste (Burmese face chalk) sell Mon curries and cheroot cigars, along with jade obtained from the nearby border markets. The submerged Wat Sangkhlaburi has been replaced by the glitzy Wat Wang Wiwekaram, more commonly known as Wat Mon. The temple, a mix of Thai, Burmese, and Indian architectural styles, is a surreal glittering gold plated beehive made up of intricately patterned sections

containing Buddha statues, and is visited by throngs of pilgrims, as the spirit of the temple, Luang Phaw Utama, is said to have major healing powers. The lake affords endless opportunities for exploration and relaxing, whether it be renting a boat or canoe to go out to the submerged temple ruins or taking an entire floating raft house out for an afternoon barbecue or swim. In addition to the city sights, the area of Sangkhlaburi is rich in trekking opportunities and national parks. There are elephant camps near town which all the guesthouses can connect visitors with, and Sangkhlaburi is the staging post for visits to the Thung Yai Naresuan Wildlife Sanctuary, Thailandâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s largest conservation area, inhabited by tapirs, gibbons, elephants, as well as the last tigers to be found in the wild here.

Wat Sangkhlaburi

bangkok 101

n P Guesthouse: an ambient country style inn perched over the lake, offering all sorts of trekking and eco tours, popular with Thai groups on weekends. Rooms from B500-750, packages available. 034-595-061 | www.pguesthouseresort.com n Samprasob Resort: up on a hill, with nice views of the bridge and Mon town. Rooms range from B900-2500. 034-595-050 | www.samprasob.com n The Burmese Inn: an atmospheric spot with a garden in a secluded corner of the lake, just a short walk from the bridge. Rooms range from B400-1,000, and there is an excellent restaurant onsite. 034-595-146 | burmeseinn@yahoo.com Getting There Sangkhlaburi can be reached by infrequent buses from Bangkok (7-8 hours), more regular connections as well as minivans go from Kanchanaburi (3-5 hours) Wat Mon

sightseeing

Sightseeing

over the border

Vientiane

f you need a break from frenetic Bangkok, Vientiane is the place. Located on the Thai border at a bend of the Mekong River, the capital city of Laos is an amazingly relaxing city, and just a one-hour flight from Bangkok. Two days are usually enough, but you’ll want to stay longer to enjoy the placid atmosphere and the food. Unlike Bangkok, here you can easily ride a bike or stroll the streets unhurriedly! After being occupied by the Khmer, Burmese, Chinese and Siamese, the French made Vientiane the capital in the late 19th century. They left their trace mainly in the city planning and architecture, with structures such as Patuxai (Victory Monument) – reminiscent of the Arc de Triomphe and located on Lane Xane Avenue, Vientiane’s Champs Elysées – and the French Beaux Arts-style Presidential Palace on Samsenthai Rd. For traditional architecture, don’t miss 190-year-old Wat Sisaket, the oldest Buddhist temple in Vientiane. It contains over 6,800 Buddha statues, with more than 2,000 of them nestled in the cloister wall. About 100m from

sightseeing

bangkok 101

food in a nice atmosphere, try Kua Lao or Khop Chai Deu Food Garden. If you’re looking for old-world French cuisine, don’t leave Vientiane without dining at Le Na Dao or Le Silapa. For a continental breakfast, we highly recommend Le Banneton. After all this food, you’ll want to get rid of a few calories. Take a short ride to Wat Sok Pa Luang (not another temple) and go for an herbal steam bath followed by a massage. The wooden steam room is rustic to say the least (basically a fireplace with a pipe) but one feels united with nature… and it’s so very quiet!

Wat Sisaket is Hwa Pha Kaew, the former royal temple now converted into a museum of art and antiquities which houses a particularly striking Buddha in the “Beckoning Rain” pose. If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Haw Pha Kaew in Vientiane once housed the Emerald Buddha before it was stolen by the Siamese in 1779 and brought to Bangkok, where it now resides in a temple of the same name. To feast your eyes on some gold, check out Pha That Luang, Laos’ national symbol and most important religious building. Located one-anda-half kilometers east of the city centre, you can’t miss it: just look for the 45 meter-high golden stupa. For something different, visit Xieng Khuan (“Buddha Park”). Just 25 km south of Vientiane on the Mekong, this garden features a collection of quirky cement sculptures representing different Hindu and Buddhist deities. A mystical version of Jurassic Park, it was created in the 1950s by Luang Phu Boonlua Surirat, an eccentric, self-styled shaman who wanted to establish his own philosophy. The most notable sculpture resembles a giant pumpkin. It’s easy to work up an appetite, and Vientiane is known for its excellent cuisine. The list is long but there are a few you can’t miss. To discover Lao bangkok 101

EAT n Kua Lao 111 Samsenthai Rd,Vientiane (85621) 215 777 n Khop Chai Deu Food Garden 54 Setthathirat Rd, Nam Phou Square (+856) 21-251-564 n Le Na Dao Sibournheuang Rd (on the Patuxay square) (+856) 21-213-174 n Le Silapa 17/1 Sihom Rd (+856) 21-219-689 n Le Banneton Nokeokouman Rd (856-21) 217 321 STAY

GETTING THERE n By plane Thai airways: two direct flights daily | 02-356-1111 | www.thaiair.com Lao Airlines: three direct flights daily | (856-21) 212057| www.laoairlines. com n By Train - From Hua Lamphong: overnight sleeper train from Bangkok to Nong Khai (12hrs). - Eastern & Oriental Express: A journey of three days with two overnights from Bangkok to Vientiane | +65 6395 0678 | www. orient-express.com

n Vayakorn Guesthouse

n By Bus - From Morchit: overnight bus from Bangkok to Nong Khai (10hrs). - From Nong Khai to Vientiane, A/C bus/Lao PDR bus 4 times a day (30min)

Arts

contemporary art Steven Pettifor

hat could be a better memento of a stay in Thailand than hanging an original piece of contemporary art in your home? Bangkok’s shops and markets teem with nostalgic Buddhistinfluenced paintings and sculptures, but there are also numerous commercial and non-profit galleries that exhibit the fruits of Thailand’s growing artistic presence. Bangkok has a small, vibrant and highly resourceful contemporary art circle, which is slowly beginning to make waves within the international art arena, aided to some extent by the Western ar t world’s recent penchant for all things Asian. The trend has been for ambitious installation and multimedia projects, proving popular with the younger generation of artists. Spirituality and Buddhism have been, and still are , major themes in contemporary art, whether coming from neo-tr aditionalist painter s including Thawan Duchanee and Chalermchai Kositpipat, whose late 20th-centur y paintings resurrect traditional perceptions of the Thai identity – as pure, harmonious, Buddhist, monarchist and patriotic – or aromatic meditative installations during the 1990s by the late Montien Boonma. Away from the spiritual, the economic collapse of 1997 has fuelled many local ar tists to question the effects of globalisation upon the Thai populace. A return to an innocent agrarian existence became one common call, while more contentious artists like Vasan Sitthiket highlighted their disdain for national policies through faux-political electioneering. Conceptual photographer Manit Sriwanichpoom satirised local urbanity’s consumerist obsessions with his engaging Pink Man series. Ironically, as leading artists question the ceaseless and unconditional absorption of all things American and

Ardel Gallery

European, many of Thailand’s freshfaced generation of artists are infatuated with the street-style, urban iconography of pervasive Asian cultures like Japan, Korea and increasingly China. An indicator of the growing profile of Thai art could be in the proliferation of new commercial galleries that have opened in the last couple of years, with Bangkok gaining over a dozen new venues in different areas across the city. These include artist -run spaces such as printmaker and sculptor Thavorn Ko-Udomvit’s grey cube Ardel, and Rirkrit Tiravanija’s hotbed of young conceptualists at Gallery VER. While Thailand’s ongoing political debacle has complicated ar tistic planning, the decade-plus wait for the new Bangkok Art & Culture Centre, opposite MBK shopping mall, is over. For news of its exhibitions, performances and the like log on to www.bacc.or.th GALLERIES The majority of contemporary art on view in Bangkok is produced by domestic practitioners, several of whom are now receiving significant international exposure, though there is ar ts

an increasing number of regional Asian artists displaying their works, at prices often cheaper than in countries like Singapore, China and Vietnam. Whether hoping to peruse some emerging local protagonist, or purchase something a bit more commercial or traditional, one thing’s for certain – prices for art in Bangkok are more realistic and reasonable than overinflated, fashionable ar t centres in America, Europe and increasingly China. You’ll soon realise that the city doesn’t have a concentrated artistic enclave; rather, there are small pockets of galleries, auction houses and antiques shops randomly dispersed throughout the city. Commercial galleries are spread across town and a little route planning is advised before embarking on a day of gallery musing. On the following page is a selection of noteworthy galleries about town. Steven Pettifor is the editor of the Bangkok Art Map (BAM!), and author of Flavours: Thai Contemporary Art. He is available as a consultant to art buyers; stevenpettifor@hotmail.com bangkok 101

Enjoy these selected highlights from the current issue of the Bangkok Art Map. BAM! is a free-folding city map containing the latest information and critical insights into Thailand’s burgeoning contemporary arts scene. Grab a copy and participate in the promotion of art in Thailand.

art exhibitions

On the Edge

The Nature of Solace

DOB Hualamphong Resident One Property Co, Ltd, DOB Building 24F, 318 Rama IV Rd | 085-482-3566 | 10am7pm I MRT Hualamphong Line as a pictorial device is the focus of this exhibition, which features eight artists from Thailand, Britain and America. Placing emphasis on the methodology of art making, these artists use line in a variety of manners to structure their images, from the expressive to the decorative, or the descriptive to the symbolic. Until July 8

H Gallery & Four Seasons Hotel - H Gallery 201 Soi 12 Sathorn Rd | 081-310-4428 | 10am-6pm,Tue by appointment | www.hgallerybkk.com I BTS Surasak - Four Season Hotel 155 Rajadamri Road | 02-126-8866 | www.fourseasons.com/bangkok | BTS Ratchadamri Somboon Hormtientong’s painterly style vies between controlled geometric harmony and expressive swathes of compositional fluidity inspired by the region near his studio overlooking the Mekong River in Chiang Khan. The expressive canvases are discomforting in their deliberately awkward jarring of space and colour form, while the more geometric renderings are constructed with readily identifiable layering that is cooler in mood. Until July 31

La Lanta 245/14 Sukhumvit Soi 31 | 02-2605381, 02-204-5083 | Tue-Sat 10am7pm; Sun by appointment | www. lalanta.com | BTS Phrom Phong Displaying sculpture is often a problem within the spatial constraints of Bangkok, so an exhibition of limited scale sculptures allows for greater representation, with the inclusion of works by some 50 students and professors from KMIT. Aside from the gallery, the exhibition is also displayed at KTC Touch at UBC II Building on the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 33. Until August 4

How to be an Angel

Eat Me1/6 Spoi Phiu Phat 2, Convent Road | 02 238 0931 | Mon - Sun 6pm-1am | BTS Sala Daeng The debut exhibition by Bangkok based Spanish artist, The Raf (Rafael Andres), Phylum is a fantastical series of 30 monochromatic bestial prints evoking the pioneering 19th century British naturalist Charles Darwin. Incorporating real and bogus mythologies and urban legends, The Raf’s twisted genus of critters and parasites are born from a self-absorbed society preoccupied by a myriad of contemporary indulgencies. Until July 31

Thavibu Suite 308, Silom Galleria F3, 919/1 Silom Rd, Soi 19 | 02-266-5454 | Mon-Sat 11am7pm | www.thavibu.com l BTS Surasak In his first solo exhibition in five years, contentious Vietnamese artist Truong Tan’s new lacquer paintings continue to highlight his sexuality, but through a more tempered and reconciliatory approach than his cultural history. Until July 11

Free

EVERY MONTH

Bangkok Ar t

For the latest scoop on Bangkok’s art scene, pick up a free copy of BAM! citywide at art galleries, cultural centres or from your hotel concierge.

Map

www.bangkokartmap.com bangkok 101

ar ts

This wax effigy of Sakorn depicts him with the first puppet he created, The Hermit. Sakorn grew up learning about the art of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Hun Lakhon Lekâ&#x20AC;? or drama with puppets, which is inspired by Thai classical dance, or Khon. He made his first puppet in 1942, when he was just 20.

Photo Feature

the final curtain A last look at Bangkok’s Joe Louis Puppet Theatre

Photography by Aloha Lavina/CNNGo

Watching ornate puppets act out mythical tales has been a tourist favourite since 2002, when the late master of this performing art, Sakorn Yangkhieosod, opened a theatre at the city’s Suan Lum Night Bazaar. Night after night, year after year, crowds of tourists took a break from this popular after-dark market to see dead-eyed puppets clad in shimmering Thai finery and manipulated by skilled dancers come to life. But no longer: on August 29 the curtain will fall on this refined, yet heartwarming, show for good. We knew this was coming. Suan Lum is earmarked for redevelopment and the lease for the theatre due to expire soon. The recent political protests, during which visitors to the capital basically stopped coming, surely didn’t help either. And yet we’re still in a state of shock at the imminent loss of one of Bangkok’s most beguiling, family-friendly tourist attractions. To commemorate the Joe Louis Puppet Theatre – and the art of ‘Hun Lakhon Lek’ it has helped preserve – Bangkok 101 proudly presents a behind-the-scenes look at one of these performances. Let these images, shot by Aloha Lavina and kindly provided to us by the team at CNNGo.com, inspire you to catch one last show before it’s too late. Tickets, B900, can be bought at the box office shortly before the 8:00pm showtime (more on p.54).

Puppets are based on the Chinese cylindrical puppet, which is made of bamboo. Puppeteers control them using levers for the joints and sticks connected to the hands.The parts are moveable, so the three puppeteers controlling a single puppet can change the puppet’s expression and movement, for example making the puppet ‘wai’ in the traditional Thai greeting, nod its head or even clap.

Faces are painted on and a lot of the clothing and the faces of the puppets have precious gold leaf intricately woven or mixed in with the paint. Gold thread is used for the costume.

As well as stories from the Ramayana epic, the show also reenacts some of Sakhornâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s life. Here we see him as a young man, crafting puppets under his mosquito net late into the night.

The faith and dedication of Sakhon Yangkhieosod made him a guardian of traditional Thai art, and he was awarded the prestigious National Artist title by HM the King Bhumibol Adulyadej in 1996.

After World War II, puppetryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s popularity waned, but Sakorn kept the art alive by teaching his children and grandchildren the art of making and performing with puppets. Though he died in 2007, his legacy is kept alive by his children and grandchildren.

Most of the stories performed at the theatre, like this one involving nagas, centre around the Ramayana epic, or Ramakien in Thai.

In this dance, two artists from the theatre demonstrate the inseparableness of puppeteer and puppet.

A scene depicting how Sakhonâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s house burned down, taking with it all his handcrafted puppets but for one.

Arts

performing arts

RAM THAI (Thai traditional dance)

Bangkok’s performing arts scene may not throb like in other cities, but look under the surface and you’ll find it there, beating to its own rhythm. No, there aren’t many plays, stage shows or performance pieces being staged, and sometimes it’s as if mainstream pop and rock acts are the only things that captivate the masses. Still, fans of the performing arts can find diamonds and everybody will appreciate the low ticket prices. For more information on what’s happening, visit these sites for event information: www.thaiticketmaster.com, www.bangkokfestivals.com, www.bangkokconcerts.com

Theatres

Aksra Theatre (map C3) King Power Complex 8/1 Rangnam Rd, Phaya Thai|BTS Victory Monument | 02677-8888 ext 5678 | Tue-Fri 7pm, Sat-Sun 1pm&7pm In this spectacular new 600-capacity theatre, lined with fabled wood carvings, bear witness to hypnotic performances by the Aksra Hoon Lakorn Lek (Aksra Small Puppets) troupe. Intricate Thai puppets, given life by puppeteers swathed in black, act out Thai literary epics. Family entertainment of the most refined kind.

โรงละครอักษรา คิงพาวเวอร์ คอมเพล็กซ์ ถ.รางน้ำ

PATRAVADI THEATRE (map A3) 69/1 Soi Wat Rakhang, Arun Amarin Rd, Thonburi | 02-412-7287~8 | www. patravaditheatre.com Outside of university art departments, this is one of the few places in Bangkok to see contemporary performing arts. Its founder, the well-known Patravadi Mejudhon, created not only a theatre, but an entire arts complex, comprising classes, artists’ residencies and international exchanges. Performers are trained in classical as well as modern traditions; and the shows are world-class.

โรงละครภัทราวดี ถ. อรุณอมรินทร์

A live puppet show might sound like it’s aimed at kids, but this one is intriguing for all. The one-hour show follows the story of the Ramakien. The large puppets are incredibly lifelike; the scenes are colourful and fun to watch – so even adults enjoy the show. Arrive early to observe the production of traditional masks.

โรงละครนาฏยศาลา หุน่ ละครเล็ก (โจหลุยส์) สวนลุมไนท์ บาซ่าร์

SIAM NIRAMIT (map D2) 19 Tiam Ruammit Rd | 02-649-9222 | www.siamniramit.com A breathtaking, record-breaking extravaganza, hailed as “a showcase of Thailand”. Using hundreds of costumes and amazing special effects, more than 150 performers journey whirlwind-like through seven centuries of Siamese history. Up to 2,000 guests experience this spectacle nightly; eyepopping poignancy to some, detached fantasia to others.

สยามนิรมิต ถ.เทียมร่วมมิตร

Traditional Thai theatre and dance takes many forms. The most accessible is khon, which depicts scenes from the Ramakien (the classic Thai epic based on the Hindu Ramayana), in graceful dances. Originally reserved for royal occasions, it’s now performed mainly for tourists in five-star hotels or at cultural shows across the city. At the Erawan Shrine (p.31), pay the colourful troupe a couple of hundred baht to see them perform. When visiting Vimanmek Mansion (p.28), don’t miss the performances there. More popular amongst Thais is ligay, a lively blend of comedy, dance and music, often with contemporary subject matter. Due to its improvised nature, non-Thais find it very difficult to follow. Puppet theatre, which nearly died out, has made a comeback at the Joe Louis Puppet Theatre and Aksra Theatre. It also borrows heavily from the Ramakien (as do most soap operas on Thai TV), substituting human dancers with paper and wire puppets dressed in elaborate costumes. There are regular performances of contemporary theatre in Bangkok, predominantly at the Patravadi Theatre and the Thailand Cultural Centre. Also, though more influenced by Broadway than indigenous dance, don’t miss Bangkok’s gender-bending ladyboy cabarets (p.83).

NATIONAL THEATRE (map A3) 2 Rachini Rd, Sanam Luang | 02-2241342, 02-225-8457~8 Along with the National Museum, the imposing theatre forms an island of high culture. Classical Thai drama, musicals and music performances – all elaborate affairs, sometimes strange to foreign eyes and ears – are staged on a small side stage and the open-air sala. The season runs from November to May, but you can catch classical Thai dance and music on the last Friday and Saturday nights of each month.

โรงละครแห่งชาติ ถ.ราชินี สนามหลวง ar ts

bangkok 101

TCDC (Thailand

Creative & Design Centre)

Perhaps the most active players on Bangkok’s arts scene are its cultural centres.These ensure that the scene stays booked with top-notch exhibitions (conventional and experimental) and performances from the world of visual arts, drama, dance, music, fashion, film, design, literature and more. The foreign contingent regularly put on events showcasing international talent. Ring up, check their websites or just drop by to find out what’s on.

cultural centres

Alliance Française (map C4)

his hip design learning and resource facility, plonked atop the Emporium shopping mall, aims to stimulate creativity and innovation among young Thai designers. Everyone, however, is free to attend its workshops, talks by prominent international designers and exhibitions. These are particularly WHERE 6F,The Emporium good at opening your Shopping Complex, mind and eyes to Sukhumvit 24 (map D4) BTS curious international Phrom Phong, 02-664-8448, design concepts; be it www.tcdc.co.th OPEN Vivienne Westwood’s 10:30am-9pm closed Mon fearlessly nonconformist fashions, or Le Corbusier-influenced Modern Thai architecture. Don’t miss permanent exhibition, “What is Design?” a look at how 10 countries have interpreted their cultural uniqueness to create 20th century design classics; or a peek at the swish, state-of-the-art library. With over 16,000 rare books, a large selection of multimedia, even a textile centre, this is where the city’s fresh-faced art, fashion, design and film students rush to the day before their final paper is due – only to end up distracted by the obscure arthouse DVDs and glossy tomes on modern Scandinavian architecture. Fortunately in-centre café Kiosk, with its strong Italian coffee and all-day-brunch, is on hand to keep the Kingdom’s next big things on track.

ดิ เอ็มโพเรียม ชอปปิ้ง คอมเพล็กซ์ สุขุมวิท 24

29 Sathorn Rd | BTS Saladaeng | 02-670-4200 | 10am6pm close Sun | www.alliance-francaise.or.th

สมาคมฝรั่งเศสกรุงเทพ ถ. สาทรใต้

BRITISH COUNCIL (map C3)

254 Chulalongkorn Soi 64 Siam Square, Phaya Thai Rd, Pathumwan | BTS Siam | 02-652-5480 ext 108 | www.britishcouncil.or.th

บริติช เคาน์ซิล สยามสแควร์

Goethe Institut (map C4)

18/1 Goethe, Sathorn Soi 1 | MRT Lumphini | 02-2870942~4 ext.22 | 8am-6pm | www.goethe.de/

สถาบันเกอเธ่ 18/1 ซ. เกอเธ่ สาทร ซ. 1

Japan Foundation (map D3)

Serm-mit Tower, F10, Sukhumvit Soi 21 | BTS Asok, MRT Sukhumvit | 02-260-8560~4 | Mon-Fri 9am-7pm, Sat 9am-5pm | www.jfbkk.or.th

เจแปน ฟาวน์เดชั่น ชั้น 10 อาคารเสริมมิตร สุขุมวิท 21

Check also: ■ Bangkok Music SocietY (BMS) 02-617-1880, www.bms.in.th ■ Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, 02-223-0871-5, www.bangkok symphony.net ■ The Belgian Club of Thailand (BCT) www.belgianclub-th.com

BACC (map C3) 939 Rama I Rd, Pathumwan | BTS National Stadium | 02-214-6630-1 | Tue-Sun 10am-9pm | www.bacc.or.th The eleven-storey Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC) structure is engulfed by neighbouring shopping malls and looks out towards the city’s elevated skytrain.The Guggenheim meets a mall, the parabolic white concrete design has an interior defined by a circular atrium accentuating smooth curves around which exhibitions are hung. Potentially an important player in Thailand’s contemporary cultural development, the centre plans to nurture a scope of creative fields including theatre, film and design, with the upper levels boasting 3,000sqm for hosting art. Combine a trip here with a shopping assault at the nearby malls, which it’s linked to via a raised concrete walkway.

หอศิลปวัฒนธรรมแห่งกรุงเทพมหานคร แยกปทุมวัน

bangkok 101

ar ts

Arts

APEX Lido and Scala (retro 1960s) Siam Square, Rama 1 Rd | BTS Siam | Lido 02-252-6498, Scala 02-251-2861, โรงภาพยนต์ลโิ ด และสกาลา

cinema

angkok boasts world-class, stateof-the-art movie theatres showing the latest Hollywood and Thai blockbusters. A select few cinemas, notably House and Lido and the city’s cultural centres (p.55), screen less common independent and international films. Thai films are usually, in downtown Cineplexes at least, shown with English subtitles; foreign films with subtitles in Thai. Seats are reasonably priced at around B100-180. The best place to check screening times is on the daily-updated www.movieseer.com.

Please

Thai Cinema

stand while the king's anthem is played in respect to Thailand’s beloved monarch.

Noy Thrupkaew

Judging from the city’s movie posters, Bangkok visitors might assume that Thai filmic fare is limited to elephantine historical epics, maggoty horror flicks and the offerings of culture-colonising Hollywood. But sandwiched in-between the mainstream movies are a number of idiosyncratic indies that are winning a name for Thai cinema abroad. Thailand’s most internationally renowned director, Apichatpong Weerasethakul, has made a career out of bending genres, as in his bewitchingly strange Cannes-winning feature, Tropical Malady (Sat Pralad, “Strange Beast”, is the original title). Other Thai filmmakers have emulated Weerasethakul’s border-transgressing ways, steeping Thai tales in Western cinematic influences, or working with international backing. Despite Thai film’s increasing acclaim, impatient distributors often pull small pictures within days. Audiences eager to support emergent cinema should track movies at the Thai Film Foundation’s website www.thaifilm.com or at Thai film critic Anchalee Chaiworaporn’s www.thaicinema.org, and gallop to theatres soon after opening day.

cinema dine

If you don’t fancy watching a movie at the local cineplex or on your living room couch, there’s another option that falls snugly between the two. Monday is Cinema Dine night at Bed Supperclub (p.84), where staff serve creative chef Cameron Stuart’s gourmet popcorn and unique Thai cocktails while you watch a ! classic or cult flick (B1,450++). All this while reclining on fluffy white divan beds to eat: the perfect position for watching a movie. All films screening this month fit a “Cult Classic” narrative theme, beginning on July 5 with 1950s sci-fi Attack of the 50-Foot Woman about an heiress who, after encountering an alien, grows to a height of yep, you’ve guessed it, 50ft, and then lumbers around the countryside in search of her cheating husband. On July 12, watch unintentionally hilarious evil aliens set about enacting their terrible plan to conquer the Earth by resurrecting the dead in Plan 9 from Outer Space. Softcore auteur Russ Mayer’s 1965 exploitation classic Faster, Pussycat! Kill! Kill! will then screen on July 19. Bed Supperclub will be closed on July 26 for Asarnha Budcha Day. Films start at 9:30pm. 02-651-3537, www.bedsupperclub.com 56

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สยามสแควร์ ถ. พระราม 1

EGV Metropolis (Gold Class) Big-C Ratchadamri (opp. Central World Plaza), Ratchadamri Rd | BTS Chitlom | 02-812-9999 บิก ๊ ซี ราชดำริ ตรงข้ามเซ็นทรัล

เวิลด์พลาซ่า ถ. ราชดำริ

HOUSE (Boutique art film cinema) Royal City Avenue (RCA), Petchaburi Rd | 02-641-5177 เฮ้าส์ อาร์ซเี อ ถ. พระรามเก้า Krungsri IMAX Theater (features the world’s largest movie screen) 5th Fl., Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd | BTS Siam | 02-129-4631 สยามพารากอน ถ. พระราม 1 PARAGON CINEPLEX 5th Fl., Siam Paragon, Rama | Rd l BTS Siam | 02-129-4635-6 or Movie line 02-515-5555 สยามพารากอน ถ. พระราม 1 SF CINEMA CITY MBK (VIP Class) 7th Fl., MBK Center, Phaya Thai Rd | BTS National Stadium | 02-611-6444 มาบุญครองเซ็นเตอร์ ถ. พญาไท SFX CINEMA CITY Emporium (Cineplex) 6th Fl., Emporium, Sukhumvit 24 | BTS Phrom Phong | 02-260-9333 เอ็มโพเรียม สุขม ุ วิท 24 SF WORLD CINEMA 7th Fl., Central World Plaza, Ratchadamri Rd | BTS Chit Lom | 02-268-8888 เซ็นทรัลเวิลด์พลาซ่า ถ. ราชดำริ

SF World,CentralWorld

bangkok 101

reading & screening

In Print

Bangkok is home to an eye-popping array of excellent bookshops, small, large and sprawling. Just head for any major mall – Siam Paragon, Emporium, All Seasons Place, CentralWorld or Central Chitlom, to name a few (see mall listings on p. 102) – and look for chain favourites like Asia Books, Kinokuniya, B2S, Nai-In or Bookazine. Plenty of other stand-alone local book stores across town offer the latest in print, new and used. THE NAGA’S JOURNEY Tew Bunnag | B595 (Kinokuniya) | Orchid Press | 258pp This Cambridgeeducated author hails from one of the most eminent Thai families (the current queen is from Bunnag stock). His debut novel explores pet themes, like the death of tradition, and the moral decay of contemporary Bangkok, in weaving a tale about an unlikely relationship between three people thrown together by a dramatic event. Literature from this region often harks back to religious moralistic fables, which, although sophisticated, can also appear shallow to western sensibilities, though Bunnag proves a compassionate writer gifted with critical insight. And, given that environmentalists have predicted that Bangkok will be drowned by rising sea levels, the plot device of a portentous flood threatening the city feels like a valid and ominous harbinger.

On DVD

Thai theatres are notorious for their rapid turnover rates, making DVDs one of the best ways for visitors to explore Thai film. Thai DVDs are readily available in Mang Pong outlets in major malls, but before purchasing check the back for English s u b t i t l e s a n d DV D r e g i o n compatibility, if you don’t have an all-region DVD player. Englishsubtitled versions are also often available as exports from Hong Kong at websites such as www.hkfilm.com or www.yesasia.com. bangkok 101

MISS BANGKOK: MEMOIRS OF A THAI PROSTITUTE Bua Boonmee with Nicola Pierce | B525 (Asiabook) | Maverick House | 288pp In Thailand, polygamy became taboo only recently – and unfortunately one of the things the Kingdom is best known for is its sprawling, ubiquitous red-light industry. Estimates of the number of prostitutes swing widely, although a 2003 study valued trade at $4.3 billion per year (about 3% of the Thai economy). This tale – a forlorn account or grinding rural poverty, casual spousal abuse, soul destroying familial and social indifference, and utter lack of choice – is, sadly, a typical account of the determining factors driving the statistics. Occasionally, mindboggling bedroom anecdotes serve as vague distraction from a hopelessness encapsulated by the way Bua sees her best hope of salvation in reincarnation. Miss Bangkok is likely to be of interest to anyone who’s visited Thailand.

BURMA CHRONICLES Guy Delise | B641 (Kinokuniya) | Drawn & Quarterly | 263pp Merely owning an unlicensed fax machine can land you in jail in Burma, so it’s little wonder few outsiders are in touch with day-to-day life there. There are the NGO reports: those joyless cataloguings of political and ethnic persecution, negligible health care and Orwellian state control. But little of the everyday gets through. And your only other option is going there – something many Burma watchers will gleefully tell you still isn’t conscionable. However all is not lost: this engrossing comic book by Guy Delise – a French illustrator who spent a year living in Rangoon with his aid-worker wife – is rich with local colour, despite its minimal grey monotones. Delise’s culture shock as he wheels his child’s pram around the city in househusband guise forms a large part. But for every Burma for Dummies or cute-baby vignette, there is another that takes you closer to the country’s quirks, characters and often disturbing realities.

YAM YASOTHON (Hello Yasothon) Petchtai Wongkamlao | Singapore export | 2005 | US$8.5 (www.ethaicd.com) Ah, the ever-present Petchtai Wongkamlao, aka Mum Jok Mok. The Three Stooges compressed into one moon-faced monstrosity -- is this the new Luk Isaan, or Child of the Northeast? Ever since that 1982 portrait of the povertystricken region, the image of Isaan has traded down in critical relevance and up in comedic caché. But we’ll take anything that has a whiff of critique, even if it mostly stinks of cack humor. Wongkamlao directs and stars as Yam, who subjects his mole-afflicted admirer Joei to more cuffing than courtship. The happier couple in this foursome, Thong and Soy, are the picture of drooly love – at least until Soy’s hi-so haughty aunt sends the girls to Bangkok to break up Soy’s status-inappropriate match. Yam Yasothon is typically crass about class, skewering auntie’s abuse of English and Joei’s skin-whitening regimens in the big city, but provides a hint of satire amidst the slapstick. ar ts

Food&Drinks

dining in bangkok

Flow

Food is of the utmost importance here. Locals have been known to brave the beast of Bangkok traffic and make cross-town journeys with the sole purpose of sampling a bowl of noodles at a famous local shop. Thais often ask each other “Gin Kao Leu Yung” or “Have you eaten rice yet?”. This shouldn’t be understood in the literal sense, but almost as another way Thais say hello. It’s how Thai people socialise. Whether the occasion calls for family, friends, business, or anything in between, there’s usually food nearby. The Thai dining experience requires that all dishes be shared - real evidence of the importance of dining to the Thai sense of community.

taste of Bangkok doesn’t just stop at Thailand’s world-famous national cuisine; flags of all nationalities fly here, and the results can be amazing. Tom yum soup and creamy curries can be found alongside seared foie gras, crispy tempura and heart-stopping steaks. It won’t be a challenge to find some culinary dynamite for your palate. You’d be better off compiling a list of what the city doesn’t have on offer.You’re bound to eat very well, whether it is at the sexiest, high-end locales, or at the origin of most local food - the streets, where you can get a very tasty, hearty meal at a nondescript stall, or even crackling grasshoppers and worms! Fantastic food is also available round the kitchen clock, although choices narrow as it gets closer to midnight. Many restaurants have closing times at 9pm or earlier. However, plenty of them feed late-night appetites (see p.75). If you really want to bump elbows with the locals and get to the heart of things, Bangkok’s street food culture doesn’t acknowledge the concept of time, with some vendors even carrying on into the wee hours. If a business can survive by trading when everyone is asleep, then it must be good, right? So whether you’re a night owl or an early bird, slightly picky or a try-anythingonce daredevil, you’re in for a non-stop gastronomical journey.

BANG FOR YOUR BAHT

The price guide to the right indicates what you can expect to pay per-person for a meal, not including drinks. Many restaurants run special deals so don’t be shy when asking about promotions, especially at lunchtime when many of the more upmarket restaurants offer set-menus at great prices. Lastly, to avoid any nasty surprises be sure to read the menu carefully. When prices are followed by “++”, the so called “plus plus”, this means 10%) and government tax (typically 7%) will be added to your bill.

$ under B400 $$ B400 – B1,000 $$$ B1,000 – B2,000 $$$$ over B2,000 a service charge (typically

Butt Out

Smokers beware. Lighting-up indoors is forbidden at all air-conditioned restaurants and bars citywide – you risk being fined B2,000 (US$60), and subjecting the restaurant owner to a lashing B20,000 (US$600) penalty. Exempted are outdoor areas, and, in practice, many Japanese and Korean restaurants. 58

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meal deals

2010 Bangkok Chefs Charity Gala Dinner, Mandarin Oriental

30-Course French Tasting Menu, Pullman Bangkok King Power

An epicurean dreamteam – 19 executive chefs from Thai five-star hotels – will rustle up a nine course dinner, served with fine wine and champers, at this glam July 29 fund-raiser. All proceeds to benefiting needy Thai children. More on p12. 02659-9000 ext 7302.

Start starving yourself now, French gastronomy fans: the Pullman’s Déjà vu is serving a 30-course tasting menu in celebration of Bastille Day (July 14). Created by executive chef, Marshall Orton it runs from Tues 6-Tues 20 and costs B3,000 net per person. 02-680-9999

River Dining Cruises

3 Specialties, Renaissance Bangkok Ratchaprasong Hotel

Barbequed Peking Duck, Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square

Surely the best value Peking Duck in town right now? Until end of July, enjoy one of these big (and we mean big) golden brown birds for B650++ instead of the usual B980++. The crispy skin is served with pancakes, spring onions and Hoisin sauce and the meat then prepped as you like it. 02-209-8888

Yet another new Italian restaurant and wine bar, La Tavola is laying on three lure-‘em-in deals: 2 course lunch with starter and pasta or pizza for B500; a signature steak Florentine with bottle of wine; or a special 6 course tasting menu for B1,500 including wine. 02-125-5000

Grand Pearl

A cruise along the legendary Chao Phraya can only be topped by combining it with exquisite Thai food. Although touristy, a gastro-cruise is one of Bangkok’s most romantic outings, the chance to take in the river sights while getting stuffed. Most riverside hotels offer lunch and/or dinner cruises, some on large, modern ships seating hundreds (ShangriLa) or on smaller, refurbished antique rice barges (Apsara, Manohra, Oriental). Whether you are looking for a peaceful romantic sojourn, traditional dance shows or a blaring disco dinner buffet, you won’t be disappointed. Cruises range from B700 to B1,700 pp, depending on how well you dine, and last two to three hours. Most include a full buffet or set dinner. It’s wise to make advance reservations. Manohra

bangkok 101

food & drinks

Food&Drinks

thai cuisine

Did you know?

Pad Pak Ruam Mitr (Stir Fried Mixed Vetgetables)

he chance to sample some authentic Thai cuisine is one of the best reasons to visit (and linger in) Bangkok. Its astonishing variety of flavours and textures, which comes from a marriage of centuries-old Western (namely Portuguese, Dutch and French) and Eastern (think Indian, Chinese and Japanese) influences, ranks Thai as one of the best cuisines in the world. The traditional Thai way of living unified people with their environment. Meals were communal events uniting families with the seasons. Rice is the main staple, accompanied by myriad curries and side dishes made from local ingredients.The pre-industrial custom of wrapping foods in natur al Eating is a materials per sists communal t o d a y ; l a b o u rand intensive desser ts social affair in or savoury mousses Thailand. are wrapped in banana leaves and the tops of coconuts are chopped off for a quick and refreshing elixer. Eating is a communal and social affair in Thailand. Once Thais sit together, they automatically take care of one another. No Thai dish is an independant one; they’re all meant to be shared. 60

Thai beliefs about the cooling and heating properties of different foods – particularly fruits – are influenced by Chinese concepts of yin and yang. Excessive consumption of heating fruits like durian (the fetidly fragrant “King of Fruits”) can lead to fever, cold sores, and a sore throat, according to traditional beliefs; overindulgence in cooling fruits like pears can result in dizziness and chills. So if you are feasting on durian, make sure to eat plenty of mangosteen, the cooling Queen of Fruits, to balance everything out.

food & drinks

Thai Food 101 ■ Popular Thai Dishes Here’s a sampling of great local dishes to look for – and it’s just the tip of the iceberg: Tom yam goong........spicy shrimp soup Tom kha gai.....chicken in coconut soup Phad thai............Thai-style fried noodles Mu/gai sa-te.........pork/chicken skewers Som tam.......spicy green papaya salad Yam nua.......spicy beef salad Gai yang..........grilled chicken Phanaeng............curry coconut cream Kaeng phet pet yang.........roast duck curry Kaeng khiao wan gai.....green curry chicken Phad kaphrao.........stir-fried meat with sacred basil Gai phad met mamuang himmaphan .......stir-fried chicken with cashew nuts ■ Drinks Most street vendors offer a range of normal drinks but there are always some surprises available. Try any of these liquid specialties when eating on the streets. Nam ma prao.......................coconut juice Nam krajeab .............rosella flower juice Nam matoom ....................bael fruit juice Nam ta-krai ...................lemongrass juice Nam tao hoo.................hot soy bean milk Cha yen............................Thai iced tea with condensed milk bangkok 101

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thai sweets Kanom Thai

‘Polamai’: Thai Fruits

It’s often a strange land for foreign eyes, but weirdness is all relative. To you those fuzzy, furry, spiky, hairy, sometimes humongous obscure items are just downright bizarre. But to the locals well, it’s just good ol’ healthy nutritious fruit. Having unfamiliar names like rambutan, mangosteen and durian only lends to the mysterious, perhaps even scary, stigma surrounding Thai fruits. Fruits are often eaten as a snack or transformed into a dessert, or featured in meals. Particularly coconuts. Street carts patrol the sidewalks with ice-chilled offerings of seasonal fruits. However these vendors don’t exactly uphold hygiene standards, so proceed at your own discretion. All fruits are almost always available year round in supermarkets, but some are better at certain times of year. Here’s a look at what and when to eat.

Durian (Tu-Rian) Seen as the “King of Thai Fruits” it would seem to be very forceful rulers, as everything about it is overpowering. Its humongous size, its intimidating spikes and that awful crippling scent.This fruit definitely divides the population with some reacting with ecstasy while others cringe till they cramp. Its meat, buttery and almost avocado like in texture can be consumed on its own, though other variations are popular, such as Kao Niew Tu-rian, Durian with Coconut Creamed Sticky Rice, Tu-Rian Guan, a sort of Durian Toffee, dried into little Durian Crisps, and sometimes Durian Ice Cream as well. Available all year.

The word Kanom is much too schizophrenic to be summed up as Thai desserts. Although most anything that’s sweet will be categorized as a Kanom, anything that you would normally snack on would be considered one as well; a pack of chips or crackers would qualify. You may not be too familiar with traditional Thai desserts as you’d often have to go to specialty stores or stalls to find them. Restaurants often omit them from the menu, partly due to the specific ingredients and preparation time required and also because it isn’t customary to have a dessert to end your meal. To the uninitiated the sights of shocking green foods of any kind may scare you off but this is only a reflection of the age-old traditions of using ingredients, like pandan and coconut, which are indigenous to this region and provide to its intense colours.

Try This!

Tago saku These little Thai puddings consist of two layers, with the bottom jellylike base made from dried tapioca pearls boiled with sugar and topped off with whipped coconut cream. They are wrapped in a banana leaf cup, and are often flavoured with pandanus or sometimes corn. Try also: Kanom Krok – Mini coconut cream hotcakes Kanom Bueng – Crispy crepes with coconut whip filling Thong yip/Thong yod/Foi Thong – Golden Egg Pinches (Yip)/Drops (Yod)/ Shreds (Foi)

Try also: Coconut (Ma-Praow), Guava (Farang), Banana (Kluay), Papaya (Malakor), Mangosteen (Mong-Koot), Durian (Tu-Rian), Mango (Ma Muang), Rambutan (Ngoh), Lychee (Lyn-Chee) Tago

bangkok 101

food & drinks

Food&Drinks

street eats

Street Food Hotspots

treet food is a central ingredient in the stew of Bangkok’s culture. So much so that if you took away the city’s rot khen (mobile vendor carts) it would begin to taste rather bland. Some open for lunch only; others open all night. Though common to every street, knowing which carts sell what, when and where is a skill many Bangkokians pride themselves on. Short on time? Then make for one of the following hotspots, where clusters of vendors sell good feeds for pocket-change.

ealikte

Nym

Our roving street-food 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 next delectable morsel. From roadside vendor stalls to hidden restaurants, serious foodies would be well advised to follow her trail.

Khao Chae

A seasonal summer dish that I always look forward to is khao chae: cooked rice served soaked in cold water alongside various side dishes and condiments. Khao chae has its roots in the ethnic Thai-Mon tribe, but it only became popular during King Rama V’s reign, when it spread outside of the palace. Making it is something of a high art. It’s not just a case of boiling rice and putting it in cold water, no siree, it requires days of preparation to make the fragrant rice and the side dishes that will accompany it. To infuse aroma into the rice, a combination of three summer flowers and the smoke of a candle is used to perfume the water. And making the side dishes to eat with the perfumed rice is time-consuming, to say the least! So, where to try it? Typically this chilled rice porridge is served in the midst of summer, which falls in April here. But for those who missed it, I’ve tracked down a place that serves it year round: Baan Ya. Not only does this Sukhumvit restaurant (a good place for an authentic Thai meal) go through the khao chae making rigmarole daily, Baan Ya also makes the white rice more interesting than normal by using butterfly pea flowers to lend it a pretty violet hue. For me khao chae is a dream dish, happiness in edible form: the brilliant colour, fragrant scent and delicate taste gets me everytime. Give it a try and see what you think, but do call ahead first – Baan Ya only makes five sets a day. Baan Ya is on Soi Sukhumwit 7, near BTS Nana Station. Walk 200 metres past the strip of beer bars and it’s the little white house on your right-hand side. Open for lunch and dinner. 02251-6468 or 081-812-8282

food & drinks

Sukhumvit Soi 38 Directly beneath BTS Thong Lo station, the mouth of this soi fills up with food vendors selling late-night delicacies to revellers. Sample the delicate, hand-made egg noodles, or Hong Kong noodles; and never head home without trying the sticky rice with mango. Surawong 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 10pm until 4am. Corner of Silom/Convent Road 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 2-3am) to avoid the queues. Pratunam Midnight khao mun gai (Hainanese chicken rice)! There are two shops at the intersection of Pratunam (on corner of Petchaburi Road 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 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 Khao San Road) 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 Swenson’s. Popular among tipsy Thai teenyboppers, this is just one of Soi Rambuttri’s many late night food stalls. bangkok 101

restaurants

Tummy Yummy

THAI TUMMY YUMMY (mapC3) Soi Tonson, Ploenchit Rd. | BTS Chid Lom | 02-254-1061 | www.tummyy ummytonson.com | Mon – Sat 11am -2:30pm, 5:30pm – 10pm | $ Tummy Yummy is an elegant reprieve from Ploenchit Road's hurly burly: a simple European style heritage house serving simple Thai food in one very leafy setting. Cars and motorbikes gaily whiz past it and little foottraffic bar the odd Lang Suan housewife with pram in tow makes it down this far – end result? A whisper-quiet place suited to the discreet lunch or dinner, perhaps with that new 'gig' you’re not ready to be seen out with just yet. Like the simple, woody setting, the fare isn’t exactly adventurous – a pork rad na made with deep fried rice noodles, adding a pleasing crispy texture to the gravy dish, is about as inventive as things get here – but freshly prepared and not at all blah. Our picks include the green curry roti sandwich (B220) and the red duck curry thick with basil, lime leaves, peppercorns and pineapple. Seek it out after shopping at the nearby Central Chidlom department store, and do check out their rear patio – one of only a few tropical garden sanctuaries in the area.

ทัมมี่ยัมมี่ ซ.ต้นสน

bangkok 101

CHAI KARR (mapC4) 312/3 Silom Road | 02-233-2549 |11:30am-10pm, closed Sun | $ The long-running Chaii Karr on Silom Road is keeping the folksy-diner dream alive. On entering the tiny, rather lived-in shophouse interior – with its teak-panelling, wicker chairs, old clocks, herb jars and vintage Pepsi signs – you’re time-warped to a Bangkok where sleek surfaces and designer furniture never did catch on. A slim band of regulars, office workers and passersby come here to revel in this, its timewarp nostalgia, while they guzzle dishes off an unpretentious menu of cheap, unadulterated, if unremarkable Thai food. Well worth a visit if you’re in the vicinity, especially at lunchtimes when a rice-curry-soup combo goes for B55-70, it includes dishes like the very herbally/healthy gaeng leang soup, freshly ground coffee and a homemade coconut ice cream with rich flavour and slivers of fresh jackfruit. Dinner times are quiet, making it a cosy escape from traffic snarled Silom. To find it, head for the Holiday Inn Silom, cross Silom road, veer left and walk about 100 yards.

ชายคา ตรงข้าม รร.ฮอลิเดย์ อินน์ สีลม

food & drinks

Taling Pling (map B4) 60 Pan Road, Silom | BTS Surasak | 02236-4830 | 11am – 10pm | $ Hit Taling Pling for a Thai meal that’s neither chi-chi nor curbside. The standalone two-storey house roughly midway down Pan Road is part of its enduring, 24-year appeal among just about everybody. Lowceilings, silkbacked chairs and vibrant walls hung with old sepia Bangkok photographs lend an understated stylishness to proceedings. However, not until the thick orange menu thuds onto your table do Taling Pling’s true talents become clear: pure-bred Thai food at sane prices. If there is a more photogenic menu in town, we haven’t seen it. And the dishes themselves rarely disappoint. A musttry is the meang taling pling: a plate of rustic chicken paste, raw garlic, peanuts, chilies, and pieces of the sour namesake fruit that you wrap in betel leafs and pop in your mouth. That usual suspect, beef green curry, is also praiseworthy. In its herbilicious depths lurk hunks of chewy beef and whole birds eye chillies – proof that an elegant Thai meal doesn’t always mean betraying your spice-thrillseeker ideals.

ตะลิงปลิง ถ.ปั้น

Taling Pling

Food&Drinks

INTERNATIONAL V9 (map C4) Sofitel Bangkok Silom, 188 Silom Rd, 02-238-1991 | 6pm-11:30pm (bar open 5pm-2am | $$$ V9 is one of the funkiest bar-restaurants in town, with full wall windows giving fantastic views to the Chao Phraya River on one side, and downtown Silom on the other. A central island bar separates the two wings. As you enter, the floor is scattered with wine bottles displayed in warehouse packing cases, a sign that wines are available at retail prices. And the choice is from unusual boutique wineries, rather than mainstream labels. It’s a great pioneering concept that gives diners a very decent bottle from as little as B800. Wines are also served tasting style, in ‘wine flights’, each having three selected labels by the glass. The food, too, is imaginatively served. As well as a la carte, there are ‘tasting trees’, consisting of six dishes presented in a tower, starting from B950 (suitable for one or two people). There are four tree themes, with dishes including seared ostrich carpaccio with panfried foie gras and Norwegian salmon tataki with Ponzu sauce. The resident DJ plays chilled lounge music as an atmospheric backdrop.

รร. โซฟิเทลสีลม ถ. สีลม

Bed Supperclub (map D3) 26 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana 02651-3537 | www.bedsupperclub.com | 7:30pm-1am | $$$ Bed Supperclub needs no introduction, but new chef Cameron Stuart might. He’s a graduate of Neil Perry’s Rockpool restaurant, in Sydney, and his approach is squarely modern Australian, i.e., an easy and unashamed mixing of flavours from different cultures. Because we love labels, he calls it modern eclectic, although in private, and being Australian, he just calls it cooking. The menu structure is the same – a three-course set with choices from a trio of starters and desserts, and five mains, with options, such as oysters, foie gras and wagyu

food & drinks

beef, should you want to splash out a bit. The dishes change every four weeks. The one we had was rooted in the Mediterranean, starting with a bouncy salad of zucchini ribbons, goat cheese, pine nuts and fresh berries, splashed with a lightly sharp palm sugar dressing. Mains included Moroccan cous cous with tuna steak coated in the North African marinade chermoula, and lifted by the spicy tang of chilli jam. The space-age tubular building, with multi-media floor shows, funky sounds, and all-white décor with beds to lie on, ensure a venue of cheekbones and bohemian chic, firmly on the radar of Bangkok’s young and beautiful.

เบด ซัปเปอร์คลับ สุขุมวิท ซ.11

bangkok 101

Concerto

VEGETARIAN

jim Thompson

JIM THOMPSON’S SALA DAENG (map C4) 120/1 Sala Daeng Soi 1, Silom Rd | 02266-9167 | www.jimthompson.com | 11am-11pm (last order 10pm) | $$ Bangkok’s mythologized CIA spook turned silk revivalist never grasped more than a desultory couple of words of Thai while here, yet his celebrated evening soirees feed a local gastronomic legacy that lives on to this day. This bustling family friendly eatery, decorated with framed black and white prints of Marilyn Monroe and other stars of Hollywood’s golden era, has indoors and outdoors seating. Despite the constant trail of punters and lively atmosphere of kids’ parties, the service, from waitresses stylishly attired in Jim Thompson silk, is remarkably prompt. Expect an aromatic mix of traditional Thai, Western and newfangled fusion dishes, like steamed mussels in deep fried red curry or Caesar salad with pan fried salmon, to tantalise your taste buds.

จิมทอมป์สัน ศาลาแดง คาเฟ่ ศาลาแดง ซ.1 bangkok 101

NA AROON (map C3) 65 Sukhumvit Soi 1, Sukhumvit Road | 02-254-8880 | BTS Ploenchit | www.ariyasom.com | 6:30am – 11pm (last order 10pm) | $ A treat awaits at the tail-end of Sukhumvit Soi 1. Overlooking the Ariyasomvilla boutique hotel’s exotic canalside garden, this retro-fabulous vegetarian restaurant offers an atmospheric 20th century interior – rotating ceiling fans, crystal chandeliers and tall teak shutters whisk you back to the 1930s. Lunchtimes are often humming with hotel guests, trysting couples and BMW-driving hi-socialites, all noshing on the fresh, affordable, often seasonal homemadeThai and international fare. Grab a few moments with chatty owner/devout vegetarian David Lees and you’ll realise he knows a thing or two aboutThai food’s medicinal properties and loves to mix things up – pad thai malakor (stir-fried papaya instead of noodles) may appear on the menu one month; kanom jeen (fermented rice noodles), homemade quiches or khao chae sets the next. They also serve fish and do a good line in freshmade desserts, from rustic rhubarb and apple crumbles to seasonal Thai fruits like mayong chit served in iced syrup. Healthy, intriquing and delicious, vegetarianism never seemed so seductive as it does when you're grazing here.

อริยศรมวิลล่า สุขุมวิท ซ.1

ITALIAN CONCERTO (map C4) 661 Fl 1-2 Silom Rd | 02-266-5333 | www.niusonsilom.com |5pm-1am | $$$ Concerto, the upstairs part of jazz-blues complex Niu’s on Silom, recently became Thailand’s first independent restaurant to gain the SGS international standard for food and service. Eating there, it’s easy to see how they reached a distinction normally in the realm of posh hotels. Chef Marco Cammarata plates up fantastic dishes like pumpkin and lentil soup flavoured with salted cod and a drizzle of basil oil; or warm sea scallops, the sweet flesh bristling with the dark acidity of balsamic reduction and the juicy pop of fresh grapes. The good, mainly Italian wine list has some 300 labels, with several by the glass, from B280.The modern classical room includes a mural of da Vinci’s Justice on one wall; there’s a jazz trio tripping light improvisations in the corner, and windows that overlook an evocative European-style plaza, complete with fountain and fairy lights. A classy joint, with plenty of parking, and well placed for river hotels.

คอนแชร์โต้ ถ.สีลม

Na Aroon

food & drinks

Food&Drinks

Isao

SAMBUCA (map C4) 139/3 South Sathorn Road | BTS Chong Nonsi | 02-286-8805 | 11:30am-2:30pm, 5pm-11pm | $ Something “a bit more classy” than your average homey pizzeria was what the father-son team behind Enoteca, one of Bangkok’s trustiest ristorantes, were after. And walking into Sambuca – a detached converted townhouse on a residential backlane in Sathorn – it’s clear they followed through. Choose from the elegant private dining room set with Liberty chairs, or the capacious tiled dining room with its fresh Italian summer villa feel, well-spaced tables, and the sounds of dough-slapping and raw pizzas being slung into a wood fire oven emanating from one corner. Out of it comes thin, crispy discs like the Capriccioso, generously draped in cooked ham, mushroom & artichokes and with hints of the eucalyptus wood they burn here. A selection of classic Italian fare, and 2, 3 or 4 course lunch set menus on weekdays is also offered. These are great value – a salad, rich taglionlini lobster main and dessert costs only B340++, for example. Nicola, the in-house sommelier, is usually on hand to recommend a merlot or some other fine bottle from Sambuca’s enviable wine cellar. If our long-lost Italian grandpa turned up gesticulating wildly, demanding a true slice of home, this is where we’d confidently take him.

แซมบูก้า ถ.สาทรใต้

JAPANESE ISAO (map D3) 5 Sukhumvit Soi 31 | BTS Asok, MRT Sukhumvit | 02-258-0645-6 | Mon- Fri 11am-2:30pm & 5:30pm-10pm, SatSun 11am-11pm | $$ Although a bit tucked away, ISAO is a word-of-mouth favourite where staff from nearby offices flock for hefty takeout orders. Based on a popular no-frills lunchtime eatery in Chicago, it was named after the Japanese chef who makes his maki there. The restaurant provides an innovative twist on the city’s glut of Thai-styled and oh-

food & drinks

so-traditional sushi bars. The modern minimalist décor has a cosy diner-style setup, with bench seating, bamboo slats adorning the walls, an open kitchen, a welcoming atmosphere, and a genuine rarity: a female sushi chef. From the newfangled stuff, try the Volcano – a scallop baked in its shell with a spectacularly hued spicy mayonnaise sauce, washed down with an oyster shooter perhaps. Set dishes offer a good way for groups to share and sample various pickings.

อิซาโอะ สุขุมวิท31

bangkok 101

FRENCH

Hachi

HACHI (map C4) Soi Suan Plu, Naradhiwas Raajanagarinda Rd., Sathorn | BTS Chong Nonsi | 02-287-4904 | 11:30am-2pm & 5:30pm-10pm | $$ Hachi wears its Japanese motifs lightly – a faux Nippon house exterior here, a kimono-clad waitress doing the rounds with the green tea there. Not that it’s a problem; the groups of Thais who come to this two-storey house each evening (and, with their askew ties, are Sathorn’s very own salaryman) are too busy feasting to care about the lackadaisical design. Most head upstairs for the shabu-shabu buffet, which offers unlimited meat and three tasty soups (shabu shabu, sukiyaki and spicy miso) for B349 (Salmon and unlimited

bangkok 101

Heineken cost B39 and B199 extra). The more interesting – and, yes, pricey – fare though is served in the teppanyaki area downstairs, where chairs huddle around five grill bars. Sashimi is fresh, well-cut and sinewless, and the spicy tuna rolls drizzled in thousand island so moreish we just had to take some home with us. Best of all, though, are the teppanyaki sets. Spatula-rattling chefs sizzle and season your vegetables, meat, seafood and rice to salty, garlicky or peppery perfection. Opt for the Australian beef set – it’s over B1,000 cheaper than the Kobe and the meat ultra-tender.

LE BANYAN (map D3) 59 Sukhumvit Soi 8 | 02-253-5556 | www.le-banyan.com | Mon-Sat 6:30pm – midnight (last order 9:30pm) | $$$ String up the garlic and break out the Gauloises: you might get away with a crafty puff between courses at this unpretentious Gallic restaurant. Le Banyan is set in a converted house nested amid a jungle-y garden, run by a brace of cheery characters – manager Bruno Bischoff and Serge Gainsbourgalike chef Michel Binaux – who claim their establishment of over 21 years is the longest running French restaurant in Southeast Asia. It’s also one of the only eateries to serve pressed duck in the original Rouennaise style. This involves squeezing a strangled duck in a custom bronze mangle to extract the blood for a sauce with port or Armagnac for B1,100 per person; or white or black truffle juice at B1,400 per head.

เลอ บันยัน สุขุมวิท ซ.8

Le Banyan

ฮาจิ ซ.สวนพลู

food & drinks

Food&Drinks

Neighbourhood Nosh: langsuan road Pleonjit

Each month we stake out one of the city’s best neighbourhoods for eating out, and serve you the nitty gritty in an easily digestible, bite-size format.

Road

Calderazzo

Road

mri Road

Soi Tonso n

Ratchada

Langsuan

Soi Langsu

an 1 6 Soi Langsuan 2

Soi Langsuan

Soi Langsuan 5

Soi Langsuan 6

9 10

Soi Langsuan 7

Sarasin11Road King Kong

Leafy Langsuan (a pencil-straight strip of neat tree-lined pavements, gleaming offices and dapper condos just south of the main Ratchaprasong shopping precinct) is packed with international fare, ranging from cheap sidewalk food stalls to trendy eateries and posh serviced apartment dining. It’s not wrong to say that in every crack between buildings along this affluent one-way street there’s a kitchen. Hop off the Skytrain at Chidlom Station and take exit 4. Just a stone’s throw from the top of Langsuan, King Kong (1) offers a good deal for all you yakiniku (D.I.Y. Japanese BBQ grill) fans. For B450 per person, you get two hours to grill endless plates of fresh meat, veg and other add-ons. Tucked away in a tiny alley on your 68

right hand side, Madam Krok (2) makes (arguably) the most delicious tom yum kung in the neighbourhood. Besides generous portions of Thai à la carte and Isaan (northeastern) dishes, the big pull is the prices (B35-70).Try the yum keow krob (spicy seafood salad with crispy wonton strips) for a start. And please note this is spicy Thai-for-Thais food. A little further down on the main street, Yankie’s Pizza (3) has alfresco seating and is often packed with white collar workers winding down after work and devouring fresh-out-of-theoven pizza along with a pitcher (or more) of draught beer. For the intimate dinner or business meal, head to fashion boutique-cum-fusion restaurant The Ninth Café (4), or, for even swankier, glass-encased Italian restaurant with world-class wine list Calderazzo Bistro (5), at the front of the Mayfair Bangkok Marriott Executive Serviced Apartment. For an after-dinner treat, pop to Parisian-style hotel café Le Nôtre (6) just across the street for a Mille-feuille, éclair or some other gloriously decadent French pastry. Just a couple of corners away sits faux-King-Rama-V era townhouse To Sit (7). The menu of standard Thai and kap klaem (drinking snacks) is decent, and the prices reasonable; but it’s the chill, funky courtyard with live acoustic strumming most evenings that makes it stand out from the pack. This foodie guide would be incomplete without mentioning the food & drinks

tasty-but-sweaty food market that turns narrow Langsuan Soi 6 (8) into a sea of ravenous office workers every weekday lunchtime.The same goes for creative Vietnamese Thang Long (9): a recent face-lift has transformed it into a moody, à la mode eatery done out in wood and black slate. Next door, Home Kitchen (10) or Krua Nai Baan serves up popular Thai and Chinese dishes in not one, but two converted Thai townhouses. Aside from excellent seafood and authentically spiced classics, a special treat for every dinner is a complimentary starter which varies each day. The dim sum also gets a thumbs-up. In a dilapidated warehouse-like edifice on the corner of Langsuan, old-timer Ngwan Lee (11) serves superlative Thai Chinese food until 3am. The seafood dishes are especially memorable… and cheap to boot. Try the oyster fried in egg batter (aor soon), clams stir-fried with chilli sauce and Thai basil (hoy laay phat nam prik paow), and fried crab with curry powder. If in the area for dinner and in search of something a little more upbeat after all that food, walk to the end of Langsuan and turn right onto Sarasin Road, where you’ll find a short strip of small bars and music venues. If you’re not sure which one to pick, we recommend some post-prandial tipples at Brown Sugar (12), where resident jazz bands take the stage every night from 11pm.

To Sit

bangkok 101

Baan Somtum

MOO KATA: Thai-style

buffets make mealtime merry Oliver Benjamin

Isaan Eats

Isaan food, Northeast Thailand’s unadulterated cuisine, is everywhere. Bangkok’s streets teem with rot khen (vendor carts) and no-frills restaurants serving comfort foods to the city’s huge Isaan migrant population: dishes like laab (ground-meat salad), gai yang (grilled chicken) and som tum (green papaya salad). Not that they’re the only fans. Though many draw the line at nibbling insects, every strata of Bangkok society – from homesick taxidrivers through to their Prada-clad passengers – has its fans. Indeed, many rank this sweat-raising blend of Lao and Thai cooking (which uses sticky rice, fresh vegetables, chillis, herbs and whatever creature’s within grasp) as just about the best Thai culinary creation going. Almost every sidewalk has a lip-smacking Isaan kitchen (here gastrogems spring from the grittiest of setups), but a meal at one of the following will have you vowing that your days of tart-sweet Thai food are over. n Baan Somtum 9/1 Soi Srivieng, nr Sathorn Road | BTS Surasak | 02-6303485 | 11am-10pm | $ This squat but smart townhouse serves a staggering 22 types of somtum, as well as haunting Isaan soups, at pocket-friendly prices. n Café de Laos 19 Silom Soi 19 | 02-635-2338 | 11am-2pm & 5-10pm | $$ Who said you have to forgo ambience entirely? At Café de Laos you get a posh setting and rustic Issan nosh.You’ll pay more than you would streetside, though. n Isaan Rot Det 3/5-6 Soi Rangnam | 02-246-4579 | BTS Victory Monument | $ The best northeastern fare on Rangnam (a soi renowned for it) is served at this no-frills shophouse. Explosive som tum, crisp vegetables and lots of spice-flushed local faces. n Café Chilli Ground Floor, Siam Paragon | 02-610-9877 | www.cafechilli. com | $ Zingy Isaan delights with hi-so ambitions (think grilled lamb rack with nam jim jaew dip) meet air-conditioned mall. Perfect for when a sweaty you won’t do. n Soi Polo Fried Chicken 137/1-2 Soi Polo,Th Withayu | 02-655-8489 | $ Golden-brown, succulent and blanketed in crisp-fried garlic, their gai thowd (deep fried chicken) is legendary. Also recommended: their catfish laab and tom saep soup. bangkok 101

It’s no secret that Thai people love to dine in big groups. Whereas Westerners tend to order individual plates and might offer little tastes to our friends,Thais are suppertime socialists, with dishes being passed around willy nilly, or big pots fished into by all concerned. One of the most interesting modes of communal chowing-down in Thailand is moo kata. Though it’s probably a remote descendant of Mongolian barbecue, and similar in some ways to Korean barbecue, it has evolved over the eons into something quintessentially Thai. No visitor should leave the country before engaging in one of these fun, frenzied communal cookouts, which are especially abundant in and around Bangkok. Moo kata literally means “skillet pork,” though it’s a bit of a misnomer as pork is only one of the many foodstuffs that end up in the mix. The skillet itself is a sort of dome-shaped metal pan with a trough running around its outer edge – like a derby hat for a robot. The entire thing sits upon hot coals in the centre of the table and is laden with all variety of meats and seafood. The trough is filled with hot water and rapidly becomes broth as the meat juices run down the side of the dome. Leafy green vegetables are dunked in the clear soup as well. No moo kata would be complete without a hunk of pig fat placed on top like a cholesterol cherry: it helps flavour the skillet and turns from white to black in the course of the evening. Moo kata may be the best meal (usually dinnertime only) deal on the planet at anywhere from B70 to B140 for a delicious all-you-can cook smorgasbord. n Plathong Moo Kata Close to Century Movie Plaza, Phayathai Rd. | BTS Victory Monument, Exit 2 | 084-354-8282 | 5pm-midnight | B99++ n 36 Moo Kata Thong 1582/1 Sukhumvit Rd. Soi 50 | On Nut BTS | 02-7427288 | 4pm-midnight | B99++ 69

Food&Drinks

VIETNAMESE

Lok Wah Hin

Chinese Lok Wah Hin (map C3) Novotel Siam Square, Siam Square Soi 6 Rama I Road | BTS Siam | 02-2098888 | 11:30am - 2:30pm, 6:30pm - 10:30pm | $$ Of the myriad eating options at the Novotel Siam Square, Lok Wah Hin is hands-down it’s classiest – a Chinese with an opulent, faux-traditional village interior that works and some bangon Shanghai, Canton and Szechwan cuisine by a decorated Hong Kong chef.There’s an a la carte menu starring yummy sino-treats like sauteed crab with stir-fried brocolli, plus a suki yaki menu featuring one of the most beguilingly fragrant soup stocks in town. But most of the lunchtime hordes (Thai-Chinese mostly alongside a smattering of Pan-Asian tourists) pass over the arched wooden entry bridge and into the elegant dining room – all dark wood accents and red birdcage lanterns – to gnosh on all-you-can-eat dim sum (B520++). Fresh and plump, these steamed morsels are of a good quality, even if the busy kitchen means they sometimes aren’t quite piping hot. Other tables opt for the Peking Duck... and so they should: the golden crispy skin is divine with hoisin-drizzled pancakes, the meat done as you like it. Moreover, one big bird currently goes for B650++ instead of B980++ (until end of July). Smiling staff that 70

border on the telepathic round off this elegantly appointed, but upbeat and cheery, Chinese. Book one of the six banquet rooms for the ultimate in mid-range opulence.

โนโวเทลสยาม สยามสแควร์ ซ.6

INDIAN Mrs. Balbir’s (map D3) Sukhumvit Soi 11/1 | BTS Nana | 02651-0498 | Tue-Sun noon – 11pm| $ “Good Curry No Hurry” is this trusty curry house’s motto, run by the lady chef / owner / local celebrity Vinder Balbir. It could just as well be “It’s so Yum, who Cares about Carbs?” – not that the Northern Indian delicacies would be unhealthy, but guests simply stop counting those calories once the cute platters and pots arrive on the narrow table. Guests neatly mirror the microsociety that is Bangkok, from confused Korean tourists to the lunching ladies pack. Mrs Balbir satisfies those cravings for chicken tikka, sag or palak paneer, black dahl, stuffed nan and kulfui icecream - all made with love and care, super-fresh, well-priced and good enough for kinky foreplay (if you’re so inclined). Upstairs, a dream dollhouse with pillows and beckons Bombay Barbies. This is perfection, down to the cardamom on the cappuccino.

Thang Long (map C4) 82/5 Soi Lang Suan | BTS Chit Lom | 02-251-3504 | daily 11:30am-2pm & 6pm-midnight | $ Here on one of Bangkok’s swankiest restaurant strips sits the city’s coolest Vietnamese joint. And suddenly, after an expensive makeover, it’s even cooler (or is that cooler-than-thou?), with black slate, wood, iron latticework and deep house toons now filling this moody, faintly cubist-inspired two-leveller. Diners can elect to sit in this dim, yuppie cocktail lounge like setting, eating by candelight, or go al fresco on the streetfront patio – a parcel of sexy bliss on cool winter nights now punctuated by a big copper water sculpture. The fare is neo-Vietnamese, staples like chao tom and banh xeo outnumbered on the slick pictorial menu by Thai-tongue pleasing fusions like soft-shell crab, as well as the odd French Vietnamese dish. Staff can be hovery and a little aloof looking, but one shouldn’t let this detract from Thang Long’s trump cards, namely its killer designer looks and creative concoctions – deep-fried fish with lemongrass served with raw herbs and dips; a tender beef steak slathered in a delicious peppery glaze, etc.

ทังลอง ซ.หลังสวน

Thang Long

มิสซิส บาลบีร์ส สุขุมวิท ซ.11/1 food & drinks

bangkok 101

featured

restaurant

RUEN URAI

One minute you’re in Smuttsville, navigating lewd and rude Suriwongse Road, the next you’re standing in a lush garden oasis, the sinuous curves of a century old teakwood house rising before you. Such is the pleasantly disorientating charm of Ruen Urai: a trophy Thai restaurant serving food that lives up to the promise of its gorgeous setting; a dolled-up place for out-of-towners that even finicky locals love. Inside, the ground floor has a contemporary feel, plate-glass windows on one side oggling the azure blue of the Rose Hotel’s swimming pool. But upstairs is where the ancient heritage of the house is most alive, with weathered antiques and heirlooms from the proprietor’s family adorning an intimate teak panel room, above which a gabled Ayutthean roof rises to a high and sharp crescendo. WHERE The Rose Hotel The food doesn’t betray this (map C4), 118 Surawong Rd, historic location, though it does riff 02-266-8268~72, BTS Sala on it. Not least, there’s an emphasis Daeng, MRT Sam Yan OPEN on fragrant and medicinal Thai herbs 11am-11:30pm PRICE $ – a nod to the original owner, a herbal practitioner during King Rama V’s reign it’s thought. Chaphlu (betal nut) leaves grace red crabmeat curries; spicy seared tuna salad is studded with lemongrass and mint; chicken satay with tamarind sauce comes skewered on sticks of fragrant lemongrass; and so on. This is traditional Thai remixed, artfully presented, graciously served; herby (rarely fiery) food that tickles those tastebuds, even when venturing into unorthodox territory, like the lamb chops with tom yum glaze. Best of all, there isn’t a coconut-milk sodden dish posing as the real deal in sight. Five degustation menus affords a chance to sample a broad selection. “For a first foray into Thai cuisine it may just spoil you for life,” we wrote when it opened back in 2006. We’re going to stick by that… and add that Ruen Urai is also one of the finest places in town to rediscover why you first fell so hopelessly in love with it.

เรือนอุไร

bangkok 101

food & drinks

Food&Drinks

IsAan/Lao

MIDDLE EASTERN

Isan Rot Det (map C3) 3/5-6 Rangnam Road (opposite King Power Duty Free complex) | 02-2464579 | BTS Victory Monument | 10:30am –10pm | $ Steering clear of shabby restaurants is downright bonkers in Bangkok – a city where the best food often hails from carts-on-wheels. Proving our point is this gritty, open-sided Isaan (northeastern cuisine) restaurant with zilch-atmosphere but a lot going on in the taste department. Ask for the English menu or just point at what the locals nursing whisky sodas are gobbling. And don’t be surprised when a boat of raw crunchy herbs and veg arrives unannounced on your table: munching these takes the edge off – and enhances – the kitchen’s darn fiery spicings. Every dish suggests this is one of the most unadulterated Isaan joints in town; whether it’s the gai yang (grilled chicken), the gaeng om (a cleansing, earthy herbal soup),

NADIMO’S (map C4) Aug 09 Baan Silom, Silom Soi 19 | BTS Saladaeng | 02-266-9081 | 11am – midnight | www.nadimos.com | $ Look and yee will find! While on an exotic food finding mission in the Silom area we stumbled across this cheap new Lebanese restaurant. Sukhumvit Soi 3 is Bangkok’s Middle-Eastern food Mecca, but Nadimo’s offers an elegant alternative in a less earthy part of town: a shisha-smoke free dining room with stone-walls and an al fresco frontage overlooking the quiet, faux-colonial mall strip Baan Silom it’s a part of. The waitstaff and flick-through photo menu here are a godsend for mezze novices. Both are quick to throw up suggestions – be it lamb schwarma, juicy skewers, stuffed vine leafs or glass of arak, the country’s anise-flavoured tipple, to wash them down with. Standouts include the mousakka made with eggplants and tomatoes. The hummus is also good, if too smooth and not garlicky or lemony enough for these lips. And you know you’re onto a good thing when a giganto bowl of fresh and pickled veg lands on your table with dips – for free!

IIsan Rot Det

the shallot and mint-leaf studded laab moo (spicy minced pork salad), or one of the many varieties of blistering hot som tum (spicy papaya salad). Easy on the wallet, if not on the eye, Isaan Rot Det is the ideal place for Thai food daredevils bored with flavours tamed. An invigorating spice-high (and sweaty brow) is guaranteed.

อีสานรสเด็ด ซ.รางน้ำ

dim-sum featured

นาดิโมส์ บ้านสีลม สีลม ซ.19

Nadimo's

LEE KITCHEN

Though the décor of this ageing white linen restaurant is about exciting as its fourth floor Thaniya Plaza location (ie. not at all), that doesn’t change the rub: the dim sum here is good. Very good. There’s nothing day-old or soggy about Where 4th Floor, Silom these dumplings. From the siew Road BTS Sala Daeng mai to the minced prawns with ho-koa Open 10am-1pm, 6pm-11pm flower, every morsel is a hot, succulent Price B50 per dim sum/ à la one steamed to perfection. Standminute serving out feature: the fresh prawns. The kitchen’s chefs also serve an à la minute menu, starring dishes like steamed scallops in a scrumptious crab meat curry. No wonder the PM and untold politicians have all dined here over the years – unlike the nation’s politics, there can be no arguing about Lee Kitchen’s food! B50 per basket. Note that other branches serve dimsum but not the à la minute menu.

ตึกธนิยะพลาซ่า สีลม

food & drinks

bangkok 101

runching is big in Bangkok. All five-star hotels and respectable cafés do them. Some are kid-friendly, others are strictly adult.You can get tipsy at some, while others focus on music. Curing a hangover? Need to eat al fresco? We offer you a sampling of Bangkok’s best.

brunching

featured

Chesa

brunch

While the food at Chesa’s Swiss brunch looks fantastically fattening, the small, full-flavored portions keep bloat at bay. Instead of languishing under heat lamps or steam trays, individual items are prepared in the kitchen and brought out as they’re ready – a welcome concept that keeps everything fresh and high quality. The spread’s not cheap, but definitely feels worth the price. You can order whole flights of dishes from an expansive all-youcan-eat menu – raclette cheese with rôsti potatoes, smoked salmon with zippy-smooth horseradish cream, and foie gras are among the winners. Follow those weekend whims and get one of each item on the menu, or twelve WHERE 5 Sukhumvit Soi 20 rounds of the same dish – the food just BTS Asoke (map D3), 02keeps coming, with nary an eyebrow 261-6650, www.chesa-swiss. raised. Atmosphere is cottage-y cute, but com OPEN Sunday Brunch La Chesa’s popularity with guffawing 11am-3pm PRICE1,200++ Continental gents may make it less than for adults and 680++ for serene. Luckily the restaurant is big children (age under 12) enough for you to retreat into your corner and eat as much of the hand-hewn roast as you like. Wait staff are cheerful with explanations and quickly whisk away all those tiny plates before they turn into a pile of embarrassing evidence. Make sure to leave room for dessert – the rhubarb and the silky rich chocolate mousse are must-orders. Super satisfying.

ร้านอาหารสวิส เชซ่า สุขุมวิท ซ.20

bangkok 101

food & drinks

Food&Drinks

tea

or a break from the bustle of Bangkok, what could be more soothing than sipping a cuppa? Most upscale hotels and a growing number of stand-alone tea rooms serve afternoon tea. Some provide the traditional tray of sweets and savouries; others offer buffet or à la carte options for the hungry or the choosy. Mid-city or riverside, cosy or contemporary, whatever you choose, eat a light lunch or plan for a late dinner – these tea spreads are their own dose of decadence.

tea

featured

ERAWAN TEA ROOM

Though it overlooks seething crosstown traffic, a high tea at the Erawan Tea Room equals inner-city bliss, especially after a romp around the area’s megamalls – a classic contemporary room, cosy upholstered chairs, opium-mat smoked wooden tables, five-star service, floor to ceiling glass windows onto Erawan, Bangkok’s busiest shrine. And lovely loose-leaf tea there is – no less than 40 plus varieties, ranging from black teas like smoky Assamica to herbal brews like the Roibosh Lemon. Served in little Burmese silver teapots, all are available for purchase. And yet it’s the bite-size snacks that make this perhaps the best value – and enlightening – high-tea set in town. For a very easy on the pocket B220, each person gets two small but filling platters filled with an eclectic hotchpotch of indigenous kanom (snacks). WHERE 2F, Erawan Think savouries like the Thai style curry puff, Bangkok Mall, Ploenchit Road, solitary stick of pork satay, and steamed and 02-254- 1234 BTS Chit flower-shaped dumpling filled with crab meat; Lom OPEN 2:30pm-6pm and delectable sweets like the banana dumpling PRICE Tea Set B220net in banana leaf, crispy rice pudding and mango with sticky rice. Quite frankly it’s an education in exotic Thai eats as well as a light, snack-y meal-cum-high-tea. As a concession to the old-school, the set also includes a scone with Chiang Mai strawberry jam and clotted cream. Conclusion: only your innovation-averse high-tea purist would be disappointed.

เอราวัณ แบงคอก ถ.เพลินจิต

food & drinks

bangkok 101

ban

101

■ Sukhumvit Q BAR 34 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana | 02-252-3274 | www.qbarbangkok.com | 8pm-2am The ever popular Sukhumvit nightclub serves mighty tasty quesadilla, burgers, ribs, khao mun gai, beef jerky and schwarma and has a cool, al fresco terrace area perfect for enjoying them on with friends.

Took Lae Dee Foodland Supermarkets Nana Branch | BTS Nana | Sukhumvit Soi 16 Branch | BTS Asok | open 24 hours Means “cheap and good” and it is for the most part. Round-the-clock diner serves Thai and Western food and is attached to a supermarket that never closes either. Sunrise Tacos 236/3-4 Sukhumvit (btw Soi 12 and 14) | 02-229-4851 | BTS Asok | open 24 hours | www.sunrisetacos.com A little take-out joint serving Mexican fare and margaritas “by the yard” where you can get a super-sized halfkilo burrito. The presentation is a bit sloppy but by now, so are you. Royal Kitchen 912/6 Soi Thong Lo (opp. Soi 25) | BTS Thong Lo | until 1am | 02-391-9634| www.royalkitchengroup.com Congee, standard roast duck and BBQ pork along with a full Chinese menu. ■ Silom Eat Me Off Convent Rd In Pipat 2. | 02238-0931 | BTS Sala Daeng | until 1am Half restaurant, half art gallery with innovative Thai and Pacific Rim cuisine.

dishes like curried crab crêpes. Ramen Tei 23/8-9 Soi Thaniya | Silom Rd | 02-2348082 | BTS Sala Daeng | until 2am Ramen noodles in Soi Thaniya. Good Evening Restaurant 1120 Narthiwas-Ratchanakarin Soi 17 | 02-286-4676 | BTS Chong Nonsi | until 1am | www.goodeveningbkk.com Stylish Thai cuisine ■ Lang Suan Ngwan Lee Corner of Soi Lang Suan & Soi Sarasin | BTS Ratchadamri | 02-250-0936 | Until 3am This Soi Lang Suan stalwart is popular with clubbers; and the humdrum décor doesn’t distract from the reason why: excellent Thai/Chinese fare. ■ Khao San Padthai Thipsamai 313 Mahachai Rd (near the Golden Mountain) | 02-221-6280 | open 5pm3am | www.thipsamai.com If you’re around Khao San log in to this hole in the wall considered by most to have the best pad thai in Bangkok. And oh yeah, it’s probably the only pad thai with a website.

hais usually have dinner fairly early, on average around 6-7pm so visitors to Thailand may be surprised by the early closing times at restaurants which quite often take their last orders around 9:30-10pm. So what do you do when you’ve just come out of that show or late-night movie? Or what if all that club-hopping has gotten your stomach growling? No worries, as there’s food to be had at all corners at all times. Obviously most hotels have 24hour restaurants, pub kitchens usually stay open till midnight (see Pub Crawling p.96) and certain areas are bustling all night (see Street Eats p.62). But with all due respect to the above we’ve come up with a list of excellent, independent establishments where you can settle in and tuck into a meal ‘round midnight and beyond.

Coyote on Convent Sivadon Building | 1/2 Convent Rd | 02631-2325 | BTS Sala Daeng | until 1am Tex-Mex Fare with an endless list of margaritas.

The Old PraAthit Pier Restaurant 23 Phra Athit Rd | 02-282-9202 | until midnight Thai food on a wooden deck right beside the pier.

Bug and Bee18 Silom Rd. | 02-2338118 | BTS Sala Daeng | open 24 hours | www.bugandbee.com Four storey café offers up Thai and fusion

Silk Bar and Restaurant 129-131 Khao San Rd | 02-281-9981 | Food until 2am, Closes at 6am | Thai and International Food

bangkok 101

late-night dining

food & drinks

Sunrise Tacos

Bug and Bee

Food&Drinks

sweet treats

ookies, Cakes, Pies, oh my! Thais surely love it sweet, taking every opportunity to lace their foods with sugar or syrup whether it is noodles or teas. Kids even drink sweetened milk! So it’s no surprise that almost everywhere you look there are bakeries or sweet shops selling sugary, creamy, crusty goodies for all. Of course with everything there’s good and bad. Though it’s hard to complain about desserts in general one has to keep in mind that not all are created equal. Rest assured the decadent little treats at these spots are surely from the upper crust.

desserts featured

Parferio by Sfree

Counting those calories? But unwilling or simply unable to kick your cake forking habit? If so, say hello to your new best friend: this cute glasshouse parlour with seating indoors and outdoors dabbles in healthy sweets made with low-fat yoghurts, cream cheese and ice-creams and an abundance of fresh fruit. Chef Ikeda Kazuto, a sweet specialist hailing from Tokyo’s Ice Cream City themepark, has created no less than 150 such beauties. Enter the sleek all-white interior, sit up at the dessert bar and you’ll find him slaving over such innovations as his 8-10 layer parfait with crystal fruity granita, Thailand’s one and only Bento Dessert Box, and fluffy crepes à la Mode – there truly is something to satisfy every sweet tooth. Do try the Matcha-O: a slice of Japanese green tea cheese cake paired with a Matcha granita, hand-whipped cream and slices of imported strawberries. Simply luscious. Also worth trying is his Chocolate Fondant, the fruit sandwiches, and a traditional Japanese shaved-ice dessert called Kakikori. But obviously, as the name suggests, the parfaits are the highlight here, Where Sukhumvit 24, notably the Mint Jang parfait, a light infusion of opposite The Davis Bangkok mint, chocolate, milk topped with crispy tuile Hotel, 02-661-0800 Open cookie; or the Chocolate Mania parfait, with it’s 10am-11pm Price $ over 12 different kinds of Belgian chocolate in one tall-glass. A tip: to fully enjoy the parfait, dig into all the layers at once and enjoy them in one gluttonous spoonful; the flavours, as it melts in your mouth, are sensational. For those after lighter, guilt-free alternatives, premium Japanese coffee, Matcha green tea and smoothies are also on offer.

พาเฟริโอ สุขุมวิท 24 ตรงข้ามรร.เดอะเดวิส

food & drinks

bangkok 101

ban

101

Buffet Venues ■ TASTE Westin Grande Sukhumvit | 02-2078000 | 6am – 11pm | Breakfast B650++, Lunch 790++, Dinner B1,100++ ■ DINING ROOM Grand Hyatt Erawan | 02-254-1234 | Mon-Sat 12pm-2:30pm (3pm on Sat), Mon-Thu 6pm-10pm, Fri-Sun 6pm-10pm | lunch B780++, dinner Mon-Thu B1,150++, dinner Fri-Sun B1,499++ (seafood) ■ COLONNADE The Sukhothai 13/3 South Sathorn Rd | 02-344-8888 | noon-2.30pm | B980++ ■ ESPRESSO InterContinental Bangkok, Ploenchit Rd | 02-656-0444 | daily noon2:30pm, 6pm-10:30pm | B790++ (lunch) B990++ (dinner) ■ Panorama Restauarant Pan Pacific Bangkok | 02-632-9000 | 6:30am – 10:30am, 11:30am – 2:30pm | Breakfast 695 net, Lunch 690++ ■ No.43 BISTRO Cape House Serviced Apartment, Gr Fl, 43 Soi Langsuan| 02-6587444 ext.285 | daily 6am-midnight ■ Lord jim’s buffet Oriental Hotel Bangkok, Oriental Avenue | 02 - 659-9000 | Mon-Sat noon-3pm sun 11:30am-3pm | B1,295 net (Mon-Sat) B1,648 net (Sun) Booking advised. Smart casual dress code. ■ THE BRASSERIE Holiday Inn Silom, 981 Silom Rd | 02-238-4300 | daily noon-2:30pm and 6pm-10:30pm | lunch B707 net, dinner B824net, Friday Seafood Night B941net ■ Orchid Café Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit | 02649-8888 11:30am-2:30pm & 6:30pm10:30pm | Lunch 760++, Dinner (Mon-Thu) 1,050++, Dinner (Fri - Sun) 1,250++ ■ Citi Bistro Pathumwan Princess Hotel 1st Fl., near MBK | 02-216-3700 | 11:30am – 2:30pm, 6pm – 10pm | lunch B650net, dinner B1,300net

angkok bites off way more than it can chew. We all know this is a great city for very high quality dining, but it’s also excellent for the gluttons among us, drawn to food in quantities. From street side moo krata joints that give you a sizzling skillet and let you loose on a pile of meat for less than B100, to the city’s ever-growing legion of fivestar hotels that offer up the utmost quality along with quantity, it’s a wonder how Thais stay in such good shape. Here is a sampling of Bangkok’s best eat-till-you-burst buffets.

all you can eat

featured

buffet HACHI

Japanese barbecue and hotpot shabu shabu joints are a dime a dozen in this city with most offering an all-you-can-eat option for hungry diners looking to fill up while getting a great bargain. Of course when you’re only paying a couple hundred baht for endless quantities of meats and seafood, one can’t expect too much in the quality and freshness categories. So it was a very pleasant surprise to visit Hachi, a somewhat off the tourist path restaurant on the far end of Rama IV which injects much needed flavour into the field of carnivourous feasts. The restaurant itself is not much to look at from the outside and it might take some extra effort to get to it considering there’s not much else around WHERE Glouynam Thai there despite being just a stones throw away from Intersection (near Bangkok Thong Lor and Ekkamai, but this is one tasty trip University) BTS Thong that will definitely leave you satisfied. Though Lo, then taxi, 02-249-8506 the chefs can slice up some premium items off OPEN 11:30am-2pm & the à la carte menu, like Kobe Beef and River 5:30pm-10pm PRICE B349 Prawns, almost every diner opts for one of two buffet options. At 349 baht per person, one can take their pick from a couple dozen items from the Shabu Shabu menu. Of the four choices of broth you can pick from, the strangest, Soya Milk Soup, gets our backing as the most flavourful. For just an extra B50, however, you can have the Shabu buffet as well as a run through the Teppanyaki menu featuring about a half dozen choices of quality Australian beef as well as numerous made-to-order Japanese rice bowls and appetizers. If that’s not quite enough to keep your belly happy, a free flow of beer is also available for a only B99.

ฮาชิ แยกกล้วยน้ำไท ใกล้มหาวิทยาลัยกรุงเทพฯ

bangkok 101

food & drinks

Food&Drinks

wine

Siam Winery

‘New Latitude’ Thai wine featured

The Lake House

wıne bar

The name might mislead you think that somehow a larger body of water was awaiting behind the fence in the middle of this crowded Sukhumvit neighourhood, though frankly “The Pond House” doesn’t have quite the same ring to it. This quickly proves to be a forgivable minor detail once you set foot inside this enchanting century-old property, with its small central lake hemmed in by wild tropical gardens, wooden rowboats, and romantic lakeside gazebos. It’s a scene that mesmerizes from the moment you lay eyes on it. That’s even before you meet the gigantic, 80-year-old resident Burmese Soft-shell Turtle, or learn of the characters that have inhabited the property throughout its history, most notably the Italian scribe and self-professed guru, Tiziano Terzani, who called it home during the early 1990s and affectionately dubbed it “The Turtle House” in one of his books. Though it now offers a full menu of European and Thai tapas-style dishes, customers come here for their handsome WHERE 18 Soi selection of Australian labels in the cellar Prommitr, Sukhumvit Soi and their free wine tasting on Friday nights 39 BTS Phrom Phong, that showcases a different winemaker each 02-662-6349 week. The three Aussie owners have some OPEN 5pm-midnight ambitious plans for the near future, including a weekend brunch, and, possibly, the unveiling of their very own line of Lake House Wines. Still in its infancy, it has already garnered a loyal following, and its best seats in the house, the aforementioned gazebos, are already booked out on a nightly basis, so reservations are essential.

เลคเฮาส์ ซ.พร้อมมิตร สุขุมวิท 39

food & drinks

Thai cuisine is considered one of the world’s best, and deservedly so – fresh ingredients, complex flavours, and tangy, tongue-teasing dishes. One thing gourmets rarely expect to drink over a Thai meal is wine, for fear that the food’s piquancy would overpower any subtle flavours. But in recent years several Thai vineyards have sprung up; and they are fast beginning to make their mark in a market dominated, as one would expect, by the usual array of old and new world wines. Thai-made “New Latitude Wines” are mostly blended from grape varieties like Shiraz, Chenin Blanc and Cabernet Sauvignon. The result is a tendency towards light to medium-bodied dry wines, which balance well with the richness of spicy Thai dishes. Several Thai wineries are within easy driving distance of Bangkok – around two hours away. Head for Hua Hin, or the favourable altitude, rich soil and microclimate around Khao Yai National Park. Learn more at: www.thaiwine.org bangkok 101

...live the Italian lifestyle 64 Thanon Pan Soi Wat Kaek, Silom, Bangkok

(BTS Surasak) info@wbopus.com www.wbopus.com

open every day 18:00 - 24:00 For reservation please call 02-637-9899

Nightlife

one night in bangkok

Q Bar

angkok’s vibrant nightlife offers an almost infinite Cowboy (btw sois 21 & 23). And voguish but affordable amount of options – so much more than just the hotspots (all tall tables, live hip-hop and whisky-sippin’ naughty male’s One Night in Bangkok wet dream. urban youth) abound in the hot-to-trot sois of Thong A night out here can easily have you flitting between Lor and Ekamai (sois 55 & 63). Northeast of the Sukhumvit conventional, cutting-edge and downright surreal, and usually in “Sukhumvit, Bangkok’s major area, Royal City Avenue – or thoroughfare and its myriad RCA (p.95) – features a malla matter of steps, or, failing that, a short taxi ride. It’s little wonder that adjoining sois, hosts many of strip of megaclubs where hordes of young, flir ty Thais congregate, Bangkok pulls in so many revellers the city’s best nightspots.” especially on weekends. Other from across the city – and beyond. Glitzy bars and cocktail lounges attract the well-heeled notable hot spots include Bang Lamphu, the hedonistic and fabulous for slick drinks and smart design. Innovative backpacker hub that is legendary Khao San Road (p.94), nightclubs thrill international clubbers with rave-scene/ and the bohemian café/bar scene on Phra Athit Road. hip-hop culture sounds. Folksy jazz, blues and rock venues The Chao Phraya River has yet to live up to its please live music fans. Alternatively, sports junkies and the true potential as a nightlife centre. However, many of homesick have pubs… heaps of them, many as welcoming the city’s top hotels (The Oriental, Peninsula, Shangri-La, and well-stocked as your local boozer. Want to party till Millennium Hilton & Royal Orchid Sheraton) offer fivesunrise or thereabouts? Despite party-pooping official star cocktails, riverside. Alternatively, for bird’s-eye views closing hours (most venues must shut between 1-2am), of the river and high-altitude cocktails, turn to p.84. On and as long as you’re cool with doing it in a louche back- the following pages we list the cream of the crop – from lounges to live music venues, wine bars to nightclubs – street style, you can. The lively Silom/Sathorn commercial district is a to help you achieve that perfect night out. throbbing nightlife centre. From Irish-themed pubs to Patpong’s glaring go-go scene, right through to pumping DJs and bars-in-the-sky (p.86), there’s something for all. Nightlife Nous The city’s gay scene is also busiest here, with the pink flag Want the scoop on Bangkok’s notoriously under-theflying proudest around Silom sois 2 & 4, and the sleazier radar nightlife scene? Keep your eye on these websites Surawong Road. and before long you’ll be tipping off the locals. Sukhumvit, Bangkok’s major thoroughfare, and its n www.bangkokgigguide.com – jazz, rock, reggae… myriad adjoining sois host many of the city’s flashest all the live music bases are covered in comprehensive, (and debauched) nightspots. On Soi 11, Q Bar and Bed night-by-night detail here. Supperclub (p.82) lead the way in international-style n www.lastnightinbangkok.com – club scene listings & nightlife. The more degenerate side of Bangkok nightlife post-party galleries. shines in Sukhumvit’s two adults-only streetscapes – n www.bangkokrecorder.com – their gossipy forum is Nana Plaza (off Soi 4), and the more carnivalesque Soi where news of upcoming DJ fly-ins often breaks. 80

nightlife

bangkok 101

Nightlife

nightclubs

Bed Supperclub

Clubbing in Bangkok? Stand-alone clubs are required by law to close at 1am, though many manage to stay open later; officially hotel nightclubs can stay open until 2am. The legal drinking age is 20. All patrons must carry proof. No ID, no entry. No joke. And as of late, smoking inside bars is a no-no. Q BAR (map D3) 34 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana | 02-2523274 | www.qbarbangkok.com | 8pm-1am Long-standing, New York-style night spot Q Bar is well-known for pouring stiff drinks (there are over 70 varieties of topshelf vodka!) and its strong music policy, with international DJs leading the way. Q Bar raised the ‘bar’ for Bangkok nightlife nine years ago and is still going strong, with a flirty crowd every night and many big name guest DJs. Best nights: Sunday’s Gin & Juice hip-hop party, Wednesday’s Block Party with hip-hop & funk classics (ladies enter free), and Friday’s Houseduction. Upstairs at Q a chic, remarkably different vibe resounds in the bar/lounge, especially on Mondays when jazz music rules the speaker system (and the downstairs dancefloor takes a rest). Some relative solitude and a choice pick ‘n’ mix of the expat and jetset scene can usually be found here and on the outdoor terrace, perfect for a breather, people watching and a late evening snack (including tasty meat wraps from a shawarma station).

คิว บาร์ ถ.สุขุมวิท ซ. 11

TAPAS (map C4) Silom Soi 4 | BTS Sala Daeng, MRT Silom | 02-632-7982 | 8pm-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. Multilevelled, with a dark, Moroccan feel, it’s easy to chill here, whether lounging or 82

dancing your tail off! Like Soi 4 in general, weeknights can be hit-ormiss, but weekends are always hopping . ทาปาส สีลม ซ.4 The Club (map A3) 123 Khao San Rd,Taladyod, Phranakorn | 02-629-1010 | www.theclubkhaosan. com | B100 (including 1 drink) The walk-in crowd of young Thais and backpackers must surely be amazed to find they’ve entered a castle on Khao San Road. The spiral staircase of the central DJ platform and sky-high windows lend a fairy-tale vibe that would make Rapunzel want to let her hair down and hang loose. Musicwise, it’s a loud, banging house serving up the full range of 4/4 beats, from psy-trance to full on, cranium-rattling electro and techno. Ladies night on Thursdays treats the crowd to live percussion, and dancers entertain on Friday and Saturday nights. The drink prices are kind to your wallet and UV glowsticks handed out for free.

เดอะ คลับ ถ. ข้าวสาร nightlife

BED SUPPERCLUB (map D3) 26 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | BTS Nana | 02651-3537 | www.bedsupperclub.com | nightly 7:30pm-1am ‘Bed,’ with its über-modern elliptical spaceship design, is a successful hybrid: fine dining on what may be the world’s largest sofas on one side, and an adjoining bar on the other. For the past seven 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, where bartenders blend cocktails using everything from local herbs to cutting-edge foams and sorbets. Bed has talented resident DJs and brings over topclass world talent (including some very eclectic art) for special events. Tuesday’s hip-hop party Pop Champagne packs ‘em in while Wednesday’s Model Night throbs with Latin house music. Big-room house and mash-up hip-hop rules on Friday, and Sunday mixes 80’s pop hits with house music.

เบด ซัปเปอร์คลับ ถ.สุขุมวิท ซ. 11

bangkok 101

Demo

Calypso

Cabarets DEMO (map E4) Thonglor Soi 10 (next to Funky Villa) | BTS Thong Lo | 02-711-6970-1 | 8pm1am | free (except one-off parties) Is Demo a sign of clubs to come in Thonglor? Or just a blip on the slickly gentrified area’s cookie-cutter nightclub factory line? Time will tell. In the meantime, we strongly suggest you check out this ramshackle tenement building turned gritty warehouse. Not only does it look like a venue you’d find in shabby, hipster-heaving East London. It sounds like one too: instead of mainstream hip-hop and live-bands, Demo’s DJs blast trendy nu-disco, house and electro through a kicking sound-system. And when they do go hip-hop, on Wednesdays, they keep it old-school. Further boosting its streetcool hip quotient, 1980s Brooklynstyle graffiti covers the brick walls and a vintage white Toyota Celica gleams in one corner. They offer a huge range of (quite expensive) beers, shots and cocktails and, though it’s only recently opened, weekends are already packed out with an international crowd.

เดโม ทองหล่อ ซ.10

808 (map D3) RCA, block C | 02-203-1043 | MRT Pra ram 9 | www.808bangkok.com | 9am-late This slick nightclub – all imposing red lighting, exposed brick and steelcladding – has been a hit with clubbers bangkok 101

ever since it landed on RCA in 2007. The reason: the consistently worldclass line-up. Grandmaster Flash, James Lavelle and Derrick May to name but a few global DJ giants, have all rocked this post-industrial warehouse, aided in no small part by the ear-drum/ body/table rattling sound-system (watch that drink dance!). Head up to the balcony for a comfy leather perch, or gyrate with the diehards on the dancefloor. Entrance prices vary depending on who is gracing the decks that night.

เอท โอ เอท อาร์ซีเอ บลอกซี

GLOW (map D3) 96/4-5 Sukhumvit Soi 23 | BTS Asok, MRT Sukhumvit | 02-261-3007 | | 6pm-2am This boutique club/bar/lounge challenges Bangkok’s biggies when it comes to delivering innovative music from the world of electronic pleasures. An intimate, stylish cave is decked out in dark walls, funky seating, innovative lighting and a dramatic bar. The music palette changes night-to-night, with deep-house and electro looming large and no hip-hop (hurrah!). Foxy coyote girls, dancing on the bar, make queuing for drinks here something of a guilty pleasure. For details and regular updates, check Glow’s cool and up-todate website.

โกลว์ สุขุมวิท ซ.23

nightlife

MAMBO (map C4) 59/28 Rama 3 Rd | 02-294-7381-2 | show time 7:15pm, 8:30pm, 10pm (please reserve for 10pm) | B800, VIP B1,000 The mother of Bangkok drag cabarets, tongue-in-cheek Mambo is still going strong, thanks to its fab ensemble of the city’s most glam kathoey giving their all amid rather drab décor. The very popular show is somewhat mainstreamy, but its professionalism keeps you entertained. The gals are so good they’ve even toured London. Be prepared for mimed pop tunes, Broadway evergreens, glitz and big, big melodrama.

แมมโบ ถ.พระราม3

CALYPSO (map C3) Asia Hotel | 296 Phaya Thai Rd | 02-216-8937| daily 8:15pm & 9:45pm | www.calypsocabaret.com | B1,200 (includes 1 drink) Bangkok’s biggest drag show cabaret features more than 50 kathoey (ladyboys) in a gender-bending and dazzling show twice a night. The show’s a rollercoaster of fun: envisage Madonna and Marilyn mimes, Nippon kitsch and the Paris Folies. Their Spice Girls are frighteningly good. Calypso offers an intriguing blend of the comic, the sexy and the bizarre. Don’t be afraid to take the kids along.

คาลิปโซ่ รร.เอเชีย ถ. พญาไท

Nightlife

bars with a view

Fed up with Bangkok’s fume-filled streets? Fancy a breather? Take to the skies. Bangkok offers a clutch of dramatic high-altitude bars (both indoor and outdoor) from where to survey the glittering skyline below.

Panorama

THREESIXTY (map B4) 32F Millennium Hilton Hotel |123 Charoennakorn Rd | BTS Saphan Taksin | 02-442-2000 | 5pm-1am A beacon over Bangkok’s night sky is ablaze. Picture a gorgeously moody, sexy place with world-class jazz, awesome cocktails and hear t-stopping views. Sprinkle this with the fact that you’ll be par t of the international trendsetter scene just because you’ve managed to cross the Chao Phraya. Sound inviting? Head over to the Millennium Hilton and take the glass elevator to the 32nd floor. Up in a glassed-in, UFO-like construction 130 metres high, Three Sixty perfects a circle. Soft couches and smooth cocktails enhance a dizzying view: Bangkok’s downtown and a row of riverside hotels spread out in front of you. Good thing this place doesn’t revolve. It’s a grown-up crowd which values Osetra on blinis with their drinks. Pure Post-Millennium Magic. And do check out the hotel lobby.

รร.มิลเลเนี่ยม ฮิลตัน ถ. เจริญนคร

Balco (map B4) 5th FL River City Shopping Complex, Yota Road, Charoen Krung 30 | Si Phaya Pier | 084-928-6161 | 6pmlate, closed Mondays If coasting along the Chaophraya River on a dinner cruiser leaves you wanting, after disembarking the boat at the River City Shopping Complex, pop up to Balco Bar on its rooftop. This airy alfresco hangout offers farreaching views of all the action on this busy waterway, a good mix of friendly locals and tourists, and soothing music from bossa nova tunes to house beats as the night rolls on. Reasonably priced drinks (beer B80, cocktails B180, whiskey B1, 200) include interesting cocktail choices created by the bar’s owner. If your favorite drink is off the menu, request it and they’ll be happy to mix it for you. A good place for lovebirds and flocks of friends to sit back on the funky nest-shape chairs or couches, catch a breeze and that memorable Bangkok riverscape.

บัลโค ศูนย์การค้าริเวอร์ซิตี้ nightlife

Long Table (map D3) 48 Column Bldg, Sukhumvit Soi 16 | BTS Asok, MRT Sukhumvit | 02-3022557-9 | www.longtablebangkok.com | 11am-2am Top-end Thai food isn’t the only thing drawing Bangkok’s in-crowd to this impossibly swish restaurant-cum-bar in droves. There’s also the trendsetting 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 fine wines with the best of high-flying Bangkok: a glitzy hotchpotch of celebrities, models and power players; hair-tousling breezes; and – best of all – widescreen city vistas. A Sukhumvit high point.

อาคารคอลัมน์ สุขุมวิท ซ.16

Panorama (map C3) Pan Pacific Bangkok, Rama IV Rd | BTS Saladaeng | 02-632-9000 | www.panpacific.com | 11.30am2.30pm, 6pm-10.30pm Ideal for interminably hot or drizzly nights, the Deck Bar is a low-slung little bar counter found in the partitioned area at the rear of the Pan Pacific’s upmarket Panorama restaurant. Perfect for pre-dinner, the wine-list here is a facsimile of the restaurants (i.e. expansive and top-notch), and on cool nights the windows are open to the night air and a 23rd floor view across Bangkok. Plonk yourself on one of its stools, order in a scotch and some fancy tapas, and let your eyes wander across the grounds of the Royal Bangkok Sports Club and up over downtown – not quite breathtaking, but still very Bangkok.

รร. แพนแปซิฟิค ถ.พระราม 4

bangkok 101

Amorosa

V9 (map C4) 37F Sofitel Silom Hotel | 188 Silom Rd BTS Chong Nonsi | 02-238-1991 | 6pm-2am Smart V9 is a funky space, one-third comfy bar, one-third slick restaurant, one-third huge wine retail shop. Oenophiles undergo orgiastic experiences once they walk past the dozens of wine crates lining the entrance. All of the wines can be bought at supermarket prices and consumed on the premises with no corkage fee.The in-house Sommelier’s pairings are exquisite, with 15 house wines to tempt you by the glass or short carafe.The French food served up is faultless (try their snack trees), as are the cocktails – dozens of signature blends in a long menu. It’s all very Sex and The City, especially on Friday & Saturday nights.The music is good, and the view through the floor-to-ceiling glass walls wrapping V9 is heart-stopping – that’s what really counts. Perfect for those rainy nights.

รร. โซฟิเทลสีลม ถ. สีลม

MOON BAR (map C4) 61F Banyan Tree Hotel | 21/100 South Sathorn Rd | 02-679-1200 | www.banyantree.com | 5pm-1am As the name suggests, 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 bangkok 101

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 telescopes 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. สาทร

SKY BAR / DISTIL (map B3-4) State Tower, 1055 Silom Rd | 02624-9555 | www.thedomebkk.com | 6pm-1am High fliers hankering after a taste for the dramatic can head over to The Dome at State Tower. Among the world’s highest outdoor bars, Skybar – attached to Med restaurant Sirocco – offers panoramic views of the city and river below, earning its popularity with visitors new to the City of Angels and those intent on rediscovering it. Indoor-outdoor Distil boasts a roomful of comfy sofas, beyond-premium liquor nightlife

and The Dome’s signature breathtaking view. These places are definately not spots for the casual beach bum; so be sure to leave your flip-flops and shopping bags at home – a strict smartcasual dress code is enforced.

สเตททาวเวอร์ ถ. สีลม

AMOROSA (map A3) Arun Residence Hotel, 36-38 Soi Pratoo Nok Young, Maharat Road (near Wat Po temple) | 02-221-9158 | www.arunresidence.com | 6pm-1am Balmy breezes, soft Latin Jazz, sour-sweet cocktails and passable wine list: all the ingredients for an agreeable open-air bar are in place at the Mediterraneanish Amorosa.The show-stopper though is the view: perched on the roof of a four-storey boutique hotel, it overlooks the weaving Chao Phraya River and Wat Arun, the stunning Temple of Dawn. Go before sundown and gaze out as the sun disappears behind it. Or come later, when spotlights make it glow amber against the night sky. Wat Po is just around the corner, so a tipple here is an easily attainable – and fitting – reward after a day of temple hopping. And if you fall for the view, the hotel’s restaurant,The Deck, and 6 lovely suites mean you can prolong the love affair.

อรุณเรสสิเดนซ์ ซ.ประตูนกยูง ถ.มหาราช

Nightlife

hotel bars & nightclubs

Zuk Bar

CM2

CM2 (map C3) Basement, Novotel Siam Square, Siam Square Soi 6 | BTS Siam | 02-255-6888 | www.cm2bkk.com | 6:30pm-2am The Novotel Siam Square Hotel’s party cave par excellence still packs them in over a decade after it opened, especially on weekends when it heaves with tourists and nocturnal beauties. Gone is the old karaoke complex, making room for pool tables and lounging space overlooking the big and quite 1980s looking (black and metal and neon lighting rule) dancefloor. It’s mainstreamy all the way. DJs play Club 18-30-style dance-pop and bubbly live bands perform as if every song is a potentially life-changing audition (Simon Cowell would be impressed). Cheesy? Maybe, a bit; but still a fun (and always eye-opening) experience. International and Thai food, as well as a whopping great cocktail list that includes some made with Amaltery’s alcoholic ice-cream, is served.

รร.โนโวเทลสยามสแควร์ สยามสแควร์ซ.6

Bamboo Chic (map C4) Le Meridien Bangkok 4F, 40/5 Surawong Rd | 02-232-8888 | BTS Sala Daeng | www.lemeridienhotelbangkok.com | 6pm-1am Dim-tones and giant chandeliers set the tone for haute Sino-Nippon cuisine at Bamboo Chic: Le Meridien hotel’s dashing designer resto-bar. But Bangkok’s jetset have also taken a shine to what’s being served over at the arresting lime-florescent bar – innovative cocktails like the Kyoto martini: a delectable blend of dry gin, midori, dry vermouth and lemon juice, served in a fishbowl glass. Highwattage smiles and slick service rounds off this voguish venue, as apt for postwork or pre-dancefloor tipples as it is a swanky dinner. Just steel yourself for a blast of cognitive dissonance on arrival… Patpong, the neon sleazepit cum night market, is Bamboo Chic’s unscrupulous neighbour.

Zuk Bar (map C4) The Sukhothai, South Sathorn Rd | MRT Lumpini | 02-344-8888 | MonSat 5pm-1am, Sun noon- midnight Hotel guests and clued-up suits enjoy zesty cocktails, creative canapés and an air of ultra-sophisticated tranquillity at this classy hotel bar. Drinks are on a par with the rooftop bars (in price and panache), but here you’re paying for the understated exoticism of it all: the sultry look, mood and service. The barely lit interior, with its dim nooks and raw silk couches, is perfect for heart-to-hearts. The underlit outdoors area, flanked by huge oriental jars and cooled by overhead fans, a sociable spot where a ring of plump divan sofas invite you to plant your posterior. Quietly solicitous lady staff clad in silk serve while a DJ from Tues to Sat spins soulful tunes.

รร.สุโขทัย ถ.สาทรใต้

รร.เลอ เมอริเดียน กรุงเทพ ถ.สุรวงศ์

Bamboo Chic CM2

nightlife

bangkok 101

BARSU (map D3) Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, 250 Sukhumvit Rd | 02-649-8358 | www.barsubangkok.com | 6pm-2am 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. In all fairness, calling this premium fare “bar snacks” is doing it a disservice: it’s finger food designed to be shared – sushi, sashimi, tapas and “wapas” (world tapas) – although not finger food as you know it. Ladies get a free standard drink on Wednesdays and the chance to win a bottle of Baileys.

รร.เชอราตัน แกรนด์ สุขุมวิท ระหว่างสุขุมวิท 12 และ 14

Club 87 Plus

Spasso

Club 87 Plus (map C3) Conrad Hotel, 87 Wireless Rd | BTS Phloen Chit | 02-690-9087 | 6pm - 2am Bigger, sleeker and sexier, the Conrad hotel’s recently relaunched flagship nightspot has targeted its audience from the get-go. Don’t be expecting minimalist jungle or Ibiza-style foam par ties, but if you like to cut a little rug to tunes from the 80s and 90s, this joint should do just fine. The main draw here is the band, Citybeat (Tues-Sun, 10pm-2am). They know how to get a party going with their tried and tested repertoire of funked-up pop classics. DJ 90 provides the soundtrack for the daily buy-one-get-one-free Happy Hour (6-9:30pm), and takes centre stage on Monday evenings. Thursday is Ladies Night and Sunday’s Latin. There’s also a nifty new smoking lounge adjoining the venue.

โรงแรมคอนราด ถ.วิทยุ

SPASSO (map C3) Lower lobby, Grand Hyatt Erawan Hotel, 494 Ratchadamri Rd | BTS Ratchadamri | 02-254-1234 | www.bangkok.grand.hyatt.com | noon2:30pm, 6:30pm-2am After going strong for more than a decade, the mother of all live venues still doles out fantastic Italian food and cool bands.The food is so good lunches and brunches teem with high society types.Thai execs and bubbly after-work expats turn up from 7pm onwards to tuck into simple-soundings but firstclass Italian specialties; it’s a pretty good value, especially considering this is a five-star hotel joint. Whatever you’ll try, have it with what must be Bangkok’s best sangria. Come 10pm, diners thin out when the live band starts pumping out high-energy songs which get the dance floor heaving with a mixed, grown-up crowd – weekend nights can see people queuing up to get in.

แกรนด์ไฮแอทเอราวัณ ถ.ราชดำริ

Where to Watch the 2010 FIFA World Cup During early July toot a vuvuzela for your team (or adopted team – we’re into quarter final stage now) amongst other footy fanatics in a venue that suits your style. Time difference allowing, games kick off at 9pm and 1:30am Bangkok time. In addition to a big screen and loud English commentary, pretty much every pub and sports bar along Sukhumvit (p.97) and Silom (p.97) is offering Happy Hour promotions on food and booze all night long. If you don’t fancy being cooped up indoors with the city’s expats, hit one of the open-air bars along Khao San Road (p.94) instead, where the commentary will probably be inaudible above the din of hollering young locals and travellers. Not especially fond of pubs or backpackers? Bangkok’s city centre has two official 2010 FIFA World Cup watch spots: Siam Paragon shopping mall’s Siam Parc and Suphachalasai National Stadium near MBK (even the late games will be screened on massive LED screens). For a more comfortable, clubby experience visit Q Bar on Sukhumvit 11 (p.82), which will be beaming matches from July 6 until the final on a large projector screen upstairs (Sun- Thu B500, Fri-Sun B700 incl. 2 drinks). bangkok 101

nightlife

Nightlife

bars BARLEY BISTRO (map C4) 4/F Food Channel, Silom Road | BTS Sala Daeng | 087-033-3919 | daily 5pm-late | www.barleybistro.com Before this multi-level resto-bar popped up on our radar, bars in gritty Silom were limited to gay haunts, girly bars and cheesy Irish pubs. No longer: Barley Bistro’s arrival means it’s now possible to have a quiet drink here without encountering cruisers, sleaze-balls or barmaids in Leprechaun hats. Hidden up some stairs at the Food Channel, an enclave of franchise-like restaurants, its one helluva slick, snazzy spot. The design is chic (brooding blacks and greys, white-on-black stencil art); the drinks funky (lychee mojitos, testtube cocktails etc); the food newfangled (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 postwork/pre-club cocktails. Live bands play in the bar most nights.

บาร์ลี่ย์บิสโทร ฟู้ดชาแนล ถ.สีลม

The Iron Fairies

THE IRON FAIRIES & CO (map E4) 394 Thonglor (Sukhumvit Soi 55) | 084520-2301 | BTS Thong Lor | www.theironfairies.com This recent arrival injects a healthy dose of creativity into the city’s nightlife scene and is probably the coolest bar in Bangkok right now. It’s an oddball cross between a curiositycum-antiques shop — yes, you can actually buy the eponymous iron fairies themselves — and homage to the 1920s. Walls are daubed black, silent movies are projected on the walls upstairs, an in-house magician tours the tables impressing inebriated revellers with his slight of hand, and Doris Day classics are belted out from the cast-iron spiral staircase.The venue has the labyrinthine otherworldliness of a Terry Gilliam set with a touch of the bordello. Beers start from B120 a bottle, a well-mixed dirty martini goes for B280 and the burgers, which are served pinned to a wooden chopping board with a steak knife, are divine.

ดิไอรอนแฟรี่ส์แอนด์โค ซ.ทองหล่อ

CHEAP CHARLIE’S (map D3) Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-253-4648 | Mon-Sat 5pm-12:30am This shabby open-air streetside joint is a real Bangkok institution, bringing the charm of a rickety island hole-inthe-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 inthe-know to fill up on B70 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. CC’s is the kind of place where it’s easy to fall into conversation with other patrons; whether it’s because you’re sheltering from a rain shower together or end up sharing one of the few tables. 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)

Barley Bistro

nightlife

bangkok 101

CAFÉ TRIO (map C3) 36/11-12 Soi Lang Suan | 02-2526572 | BTS Chit Lom | daily 6pm-1am, closed on the 2nd and 4th Sundays Tucked into a narrow alley off Soi Lang Suan, this cozy jazz bar & art gallery is a welcome alternative to Bangkok’s raucous pubs and haughty lounge bars. Café Trio is overflowing with plush couches, the lighting is delightfully soft, and the music is always subdued. The tranquil atmosphere helps to make it a true neighbourhood place. The vivacious owner and bartender Patti holds court nightly and the walls are plastered with her Modigliani-esque, Vietnamese-inspired paintings – have a few drinks and don’t be surprised to find yourself taking one home. Resident regulars come for live jazz (often toward the end of the month). For drinks, expect to pay what you would at better known, yet more generic, venues.The service is laid-back, like the bar in general. To find it, look for the Chinese restaurant across from Starbucks and 50m down the road.

คาเฟ่ทริโอ ซ.หลังสวน

LOLLIPOP (map A3) 1 Mahannop Soi 1, Mahannop Road, Pra Nakorn | 086-339-1390 | Tue-Sun 5pm-1am Lime green walls, fiery red couches and hippie bead curtains – this old wooden house in the old city district of Phra Nakorn looks like it has been ripped from a Tim Burton fantasy. Just like the building’s previous tenant, rock-pub Lullibar, young indie-hipster Thais flock here for the juxebox indie tunes and house bands, cheap brews and kap klaem (beer snacks). One bad thing: Lollipop is hidden deep within the relatively unknown Soi Mahannop, a roughly five-minute walk from the city’s Democracy Monument. But then again, if you’re cool enough to frequent a place like Lollipop, you’re cool enough to hang with the kids who can get you there.

โลลี่ป๊อป มหรรณพ ซ.1

bangkok 101

Lollipop

PHRANAKORN BAR (map A3) Soi Damnoen Klang Tai, Ratchadamnoen Rd. | 02-622-0282 | 6pm-1am When Khao San Road’s obnoxious bars wear thin – and they do – flee in search of this cool, multi-level boozer tucked just off Ratchadamnoen Road. It’s an old favourite of local art students, mostly for its indie/80s/90s worshipping playlist and mellow trestle-and-vine rooftop offering splendid views, over rickety old-city rooftops, towards the floodlit Golden Mount temple. The booze and Thai food is also cheap as chips, as is most of the modern art hanging on the second floor. Tried to find it before but failed? You wouldn’t be the first. From the Burger King end of Khao San Road, turn right onto Ratchadamnoen, right again and it’s down the first soi on your left hand-side. In the evenings there’s usually at least one vintage VW beetle parked outside.

พระนครบาร์ ซ.ดำเนินกลางใต้ ถ.ราชดำเนิน

ROLLING BAR (map A3) Wanchat Rd | 081-867-6568 | MonSat 6pm-2am 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 décor and various model Cadillac cars. Here, every night nightlife

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

WONG’S PLACE (map C4) 27/3 Soi Sri Bumphen/Soi Ngam Duplee, near Malaysia Hotel | 02286-1558 | MRT Lumpini | Mon – Sat 10pm till 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 serveyourself beer fridges and is not much bigger than a living room. Put it this way: if you’re looking for a chocolate Martini and a plate of tapas, you’re in the wrong place.Yet it attracts a fiercely loyal crowd of expat journalists, English teachers 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 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

Nightlife

jazz clubs

Bamboo Bar

THE LIVING ROOM (map D3) Sheraton Grande, 250 Sukhumvit Rd | BTS Asok, MRT Sukhumvit | 02-6498888 | www.sheratongrandesukhumvit. com | 10am- 12:30am Perhaps the cosiest of all Bangkok’s luxury hotel bars, the leather couches at The Living Room are so snug it’ll be hard to get up again once you’re seated. It’s a stylish place, and the usually middle-aged patrons live it up on great wines, champagne and strong cocktails in a quiet way. The high-ceilinged foyer offers perfect acoustics for the fabulous jazz band. Be prepared to be well-entertained. World-class talents are booked in continuously, guaranteeing top-notch jazz and always a warm audience rapport. Currently The Living Room plays host to Trio Live, performing every Tuesday jazz clubs through Thursday nights from 9pm to 11:45pm, plus Friday and Saturday nights from 9:30pm to 12:15am. You can also catch them during the Sheraton Grande’s legendary Sunday DIPLOMAT BAR (map C3) Jazzy Brunch. Conrad Bangkok, 87 Witthayu Rd | BTS Ploen Chit | 02-690-9999 | รร.เชอราตัน แกรนด์ สุขุมวิท www.conradbangkok.com | Sun-Thu ระหว่างสุขุมวิท 12 และ 14 6pm-1am, Fri-Sat 6pm-2am An architecturally striking hotel bar, The Living Room mixing a funky, stylish décor with soft teak sofas and an arresting chandelier hanging over the massive round bar. Bronze silks and wood dominate this dark, contemporary, but always relaxed place. A boozy, high-profile crowd fills the Diplomat Bar nightly, especially during the elongated, buyone-get-one-free Happy Hour from 4-7pm (standard drinks only). Very hip among the diplomatic corps (Witthayu is stuffed with embassies), trendy guys in suits and glitzy society ladies – ideal for people-ogling. But the main attraction here is more aural than visual and exceptional jazz acts are de rigueur. รร.คอนราด ถ.วิทยุ 90

nightlife

BAMBOO BAR (map B4) Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, 48 Oriental Ave | 02-659-9000 | www.mandarinoriental.com | Sun-Thu 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 11am-2am This Bangkok landmark is a symbol of past glories of the East. Situated in the city’s most fabled hotel, 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 nevertheless 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. Everybody’s sipping on faultless cocktails, mixed by skilled old-school bartenders and served by a superb staff. A definite big Bangkok must. รร.โอเรียนเต็ล ถ.โอเรียนเต็ล

bangkok 101

Niu’s on Silom

THREESIXTY (map B4) 32F Millennium Hilton Hotel |123 Charoennakorn Rd | BTS Saphan Taksin | 02-442-2000 | 5pm-1am Dizzying 32nd floor views across the Chao Phraya. Bangkok’s downtown flickering in front of you. Well worth crossing the river for, Threesixty is Bangkok’s most jaw-dropping jazz venue. Since July its dressy crowd has been soaking up that camera-grabbing panoramic alongside the sounds of Micki L Murphy. Her sultry renditions – spanning jazz to bossa nova to RnB – make this glassed in, flying saucer-like construction seem gorgeously moody. And the wan blue lounge lights, soft couches and smooth cocktails help. Requests are welcomed. รร.มิลเลเนี่ยม ฮิลตัน ถ.เจริญนคร Niu’s on Silom (mapC4) F1-2, 661 Silom Rd | 02-266-5333 | www.niusonsilom.com | 5pm-1am This New York-style wine bar – with its hot jazz, old leather armchairs and roses on candlelit tables – has a house band with some of Bangkok’s better local talent. They provide the backbone for international guest vocalists, and trumpeter Steve Lowry and guitarist Dan Phillips, who rotate nightly. There’s also a jazz jam every bangkok 101

Sunday and occasional concerts featuring overseas visitors. Niu’s is a class act, but still casual, comfortable for beers or brandy; and you can eat bar snacks or dine formally in the impressive Concerto Italian restaurant upstairs. Outside seating also available. นิวส์ ออน สีลม บ้านสีลม BROWN SUGAR (map C4) 231/20 Sarasin Rd | BTS Ratchadamri | 02-250-1826 | Mon-Sat 11am-1am, Sun 5pm-1am Sarasin Road, bordering Lumphini Park, hosts a strip of teeming bars. The best one is definitely this long-standing, smoky jazz club.The joint evokes a jazz haunt of yesteryear with dark woods, tight benches and a tiny stage. Newsweek called it ‘Asia’s Number One Spot’ and to prove the point, it’s packed every night. If you care for seats, arrive early, before the brilliant band starts at 9pm. You can have some decent pub grub, but it’s pricier than one might assume from the look of the haunt – same goes for the strong drinks. Sunday nights are the best – it’s the night off for most hotel bar singers, who all congregate here to let their hair down and jam with local pros.

บราวน์ ชูการ์ ถ. สารสิน

nightlife

Niu’s on Silom Jazz Club Is Bangkok’s newest and brightest jazz club location, Where you can enjoy live performances daily, which include International musicians and some of the hottest local musicians.

Niu’s on Silom Jazz Club

Wine Bar & Restaurant 661 Floor 1-2 Silom Road (cnr Soi 19) Tel: 0 2266 5333-4 Daily 5pm-1am; Free valet parking reservation@niusonsilom.com www.niusonsilom.com

Nightlife

live music

Brick Bar (map A2-3) 265 Khao San Rd, Taladyod, Phranakorn | 02-629-4477 | Mon-Sun 7pm1am | free entry (Mon–Thu), B150 incl. 1 free drink (Fri-Sat) 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 freshy 20-somethings 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.

บริค บาร์ ถ. ข้าวสาร

Overtone

AD HERE THE 13TH (map A2) 13 Samsen Rd, Bang Lamphu | 089769-4613 | 5pm-midnight Funky, jammy, bare – one of Bangkok’s coolest hangouts is nothing more than an aisle packed with five tables, a tiny bar and instruments. It’s a joint you’d expect to find on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, except for the Chang beer. North of Khao San Road (ask for ‘Ad Here’, once in the quarter), the down-to-earth, bohemian hang-out packs ‘em in nightly. On weekends, young Thais, expats and tourists spill out on the sidewalk when the joint is jumpin’. The resident band churns out cool blues, Motown and Janis Joplin; Georgia, the city’s only true Blues Mama, has a voice and figure to match, and would never sing Hotel California. People from around the globe drop in for a quick jam; you’re bound to meet more nationalities than you can list. Down some crazy cocktails, or do theThai-style whiskey-soda-ice thing, along with some super-cheap booze munchies. An insider’s must.

แอดเฮีย 13 ถ. สามเสน บางลำภู

OVERTONE (map D3) 29/70-72 RCA Zone D | 02-2030423 | www.overtone.tv | Closed Mon/Tues Overtone has what every venerable rock club needs: a wall of fame. And it’s a good one. Megadeth and Jimmy Page have both graced Overtone with their straggly-haired presence, as has pretty much every lightening fingered axe-grinder in the Kingdom. Not bad for a live music cave tucked along RCA, a club-strip that usually does a good line in brash hip-hop superclubs. Inside, bands rock out while vintage Les Paul and Fender Stratocaster guitars, presented like hallowed museum pieces in backlit wall alcoves, look on. The orange-themed décor is a little more suave than your average rock dive, but the steady line-up of hard rock acts intermingled with the odd night of jazz, indie, blues or ska one of the most intriquing in town. Check their website for the latest.

โอเวอร์โทน ถ.อาร์ซเี อโซนดี nightlife

Bangkok Rocks (map D3) The Key Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 19 | BTS Asok | www.bangkok-rocks.com | 6pm-late Covers of Hendrix, U2 and Santana are the staples from rotating bands at this new bar dedicated to live “classic” rock music. There’s potential in the decent acoustics, a mezzanine with good views of the stage, and beers and wine that start at B100. The downsides are a lack of character in the small boxy room of featureless white walls, and a soulless soundtrack. The Saturday night band we saw, 61 Highway, were competent but a little too harmless to drag across town for. This is a drop-in beer and boogie spot if you’re in the area, but Bangkok will only truly rock here if they attract stronger acts.

รร.เดอะคีย์ สุขุมวิท ซ.19

Bangkok Rocks

Brown Sugar

bangkok 101

Raintree Pub (map C3) 116/63-34 Soi Ruamjit, Rang Nam Rd | BTS Victory Monument | 022457230, 081-926-1604 | www.raintreepub.com | 5pm-1am This rustic Thai ‘country’ bar is a sort of all-wooden, pre-consumerist age timecapsule. Raintree hosts musicians playing Pleng Peua Chiwit (Songs for Life), the once phenomenally popular 1970s folk-protest music and soundtrack for Thailand’s politically disaffected. On a stage decorated with the movement’s trademark buffalo skulls, two artists strum nightly: a long-haired singer croons plaintive songs at 8:30pm, a grizzled band steps up at around 11pm. Owner Porn Pimon opened Raintree 19 years ago and has changed little since. And why should she? The people are friendly, the beer snacks cheap and tasty, and the music, made famous by household names like Caravan and Caribou, often soul-stirring.

ร้านจามจุรี ซ.รางน้ำ อนุสาวรีย์

Parking Toys (off map) 17/22 Soi Maiyalap, Kaset-Navamin Highway, Bang Khen (pier 135-136 on left hand side) | BTS Mo Chit (then taxi) | 02-907-2228 | 6pm-1am It’s quite unusual for a business to go out of its way not to be noticed, but Parking Toys seems to do just that. With a dark, dismal exterior, the venue’s “We Accept Visa” logo is surprisingly larger than the actual bar sign. Once you finally do manage to get inside the ex-garage, it’s a sensory overload. Wall-to-wall retro furniture becomes instant eyecandy, while chairs without upholstery dangle from the ceiling. But if the funky furniture creates the space, the live music definitely defines it. Here, there is a band for every alternative music lover; in just one weekend night you can catch reggae root, electronic, rockabilly, and metal – now that’s what we call a variety pack. It’s a hike, but well worth it. So get off your couch and sit on someone else’s – the secret’s out!

ปาร์คกิ้งทอย ซ.มัยลาภ เกษตรนวมินทร์

Raintree Pub

Tawandaeng German Brewery (map C4) 462/61 Narathiwat Rama 3 Road | 02-678-1114 | www.tawandang.co.th | If there’s one place that slaps you round the chops and screams “you’re in Thailand!” it’s Tawandang. This humungous, barrel-shaped beer hall with decent micro-brewed beer takes its cue from Deutschland. But the live music and unchecked sanuk up to 1,600 lary revelers enjoy here each night here is something very Thai. Its laidback early on, with everyone chomping on plates of the famous deep fried pork knuckle and German sausage, among other decent Thai, Chinese and German dishes. By 10pm though, when bellies are full, the lager’s kicked in and the Thai/Western pop, luk krung and mor lam performances by the famous Fong Nam houseband and guests are at full pelt, everybody is on the feet and the place going bananas. Tipsy tourists clink glasses with every stranger in reach, while middle-aged mums shake their tooshes beside ladyboys. Great, goofy, love-for-Bangkok reaffirming fun. Reservations a must for big groups.

โรงเบียร์เยอรมันตะวันแดง พระราม 3

THE ROCK PUB (map C3) 93/26-28 Radchatewee, Phayathai Road, (opposite Asia Hotel) | BTS Ratchathewi | www.therockpubbangkok.com | 9:30pm-2am If AC/DC or Def Leppard were in town you’d find them reliving their glory years here. A tatty faux-castle exterior, visible from the Ratchatewi BTS Station, makes you wonder what kind of weird, 1980s theme-park ride it is you’ve stumbled on, while inside house bands with Brian May hairdos thrash out everything from Van Halen to Motorhead covers. Bands get going at 10pm weekdays, 9:30pm on weekends, as they have done for the past 22 years.

เดอะ ร๊อคผับ ถ.พญาไท

TITANIUM ICE BAR (map D4) Sukhumvit Soi 22 | BTS Phrom Pong | 02-258-3758 | www.titanium-club.com | 6pm-1:30am Well folks, and now for something different. Picture this: congenial hostesses clad in Bangkok-Zeitgeist ao dai. A gifted all girl rock ‘n’ roll band, Unicorn, jamming six nights a week (with two male bands filling in for them on Sundays). Bangkok’s widest selection of vodka – 70 varieties to choose from.An intimate atmosphere, especially in The Vodka Room, chilled to a nipple-raising minus 10 degrees. Not exactly a place to bring Mum, but a fun night out on the slightly wild side.

ไทเทเนียม ไอซ์บาร์ สุขุมวิท ซ. 22

bangkok 101

nightlife

Nightlife

nightlife areas

Hemlock

PHra athit rd

Police Station

Khao San Road

The streets around Khao San Road – that famed budget travellers’ mecca – are buzzing with a frenetic mix of dek naew (trendy teens) and bronzed backpackers. Found at the rear of the Buddy Lodge complex, Brick Bar [1] is a red brick cavern where young locals bounce along to excellent live ska. A few doors down, Lava Bar [2] is a dark hip-hop dungeon, while Sunset Street [3] is an architecturally interesting conglomerate of bars, but mostly attracts sweaty backpackers. Down the alley opposite, Zest [4] focuses on live Brit Rock, while Hippie De Bar [5], tucked down another alley, is a retro-cool cocktail house. More full-on, The Club [6] is a popular techno palace offering free UV glowsticks and a huge dancefloor. Just off the strip, Gazebo [7] is an open-sided rooftop featuring live reggae, hubbly-bubblies and DJs till the wee hours. For a more laid-back, cool evening, head to nearby Phra Athit Road, lined with trendy hole-in-the-wall bars, cafés and restaurants. Often compared with NYC’s Greenwich Village, it’s a favourite for young Thais going “beat” and the odd expat. Stop for a cheap caffeine intake at Coffee & More [8] in a beautifully restored colonial mansion. Elegant Hemlock [9] is invaded nightly by artsy folk, drawn to the eclectic Thai food at 1 6 3 2 rock-bottom prices. Minimalist but friendly Joy Luck Club Burger kHao sanroad rd Khao San [10] also deserves a mention. King 5

Ekkamai/Thonglor

Funky Villa

new phetchaburi rd

Ekkamai Soi 28

Soi 20

Soi 16

Thong Lor Soi 10

Ekkamai Soi 10

Soi 1

Sukhumvit RD

Soi 21

In recent years these parallel boulevards have embraced sweeping gentrification and emerged as upmarket playgrounds for the young, studiously cool zeitgeist follower, be they celebrity, model, arty type, uni student or slick professional. Aside from their surfeit of luxury condos, boutique lifestyle emporiums, designer spas and restaurants both are studded with trendy nightspots catering to a predominantly Thai clientele. New ones pop up every few months, as if to keep hipsters on their toes and match that season’s colours. For now Muse [1], FunkyVilla [2] and Demo [3] – three giganto clubs on Thonglor Soi 10 – are all the rage. Meanwhile, scattered about are old-timers like Song Saleung [4], a recently refurbished and often heaving live music joint, and Shades of Retro [5] – a combo furniture-store café and hangout for the writer/designer/artiste crowd. Ekkamai’s main drag and side-streets are even better endowed party-wise. Curvaceous Curve [6] and glamorous Jet Metropolitan [7] are big, top-shelf joints offering the usual failsafe blend of live Thai music and DJ’s spinning R’n’B. As the scene stands both are big draws, though the crowds are so gleefully fickle that could change in a Bangkok minute. Track them to the cool club of the moment. Or try two that have achieved longevity: nightclub Nunglen 4 BTS Thong Lor [8] and scruffy little bar Happy Monday [9]. Pretty Soi 55 (Thong lor) young things bounce along 5 to Thai tunes in the former; 1 2 while media types (25+) 3 hobnob while enjoying low6 8 key indy-rockstar DJ sessions Soi 63 (Ekkamai) (May T from Modern Dog 7 9 etc) and slouchy sofas in the BTS Ekkamai latter. nightlife

bangkok 101

ROYAL City Avenue (RCA)

road AL LO C

road

For a night of clubbing,Thai twenty-something style, jump in a taxi and say “RCA” to your driver. On arrival, follow the stream of high-heeled and well-coiffed onto Royal City Avenue: a flash, brash, neon-charged nightlife strip much cherished by the city’s dressed-to-kill urban youth. Boasting a slew of swish bars and sprawling split-room clubs – many elbow room only after 11pm – it offers the perfect adventure for indecisive club-goers. Go in and out as the mega-decibel music takes you (making sure to flash your ID card as you go), as most venues have no cover charge and flaunts a different genre of music. Hip-hop haven Slim [1] is never short on crowds gettin’ jiggy to Biggie, while other room, Slim Live, offers live music in a more sane setting, and glam alter-ego, Flix [2] bangs out bass-thumping trance and house. Next door, slick granddaddy Route 66 [3] seethes with spaghetti-strapped students and baseball-capped boppers, who flit between its three glam zones and outdoors chill-out zone. Despise radio rap? For edgier dance-music (and funkier Thai/farang crowds) hit 808 [4], a red-brick warehouse with a crisp sound system and sets by global DJ gods. And opposite sits Cosmic Cafe [5], where indie types catch up with pals and nod appreciatively to live bands. Few foreigners venture further, but they should: Old Leng [6] is a rickety wooden pub great for warm-up drinks; while music cave Overtone [7] hosts some of the best rock, reggae or blues nights in town. There’s also Zeta [8], a live-music bar with a girls-only policy. Seriously: no men, gay men, drag queens or peeping Tom’s allowed.

5 RCA road

1 2

Sukhumvit Soi 11

On the global nightlife radar Bangkok now registers a strong, steady bleep. And this buzzing soi – with its cosmopolitan collective of hotels, restaurants, pubs, bars and nightclubs tucked off Sukhumvit Road – is one of the reasons. Go here tonight and you’ll rub shoulder straps with hedonist expats, slinky Singaporeans and the odd urbane local, among many other breeds of clubber. Would they all be here if it weren’t for Q Bar [1]? Unlikely.This beat lounge was the first to bring international design, DJs and drinks to the club scene – and, against the odds, 10 years later it still is. Just around the corner is the other Soi 11 superstar, Bed Supperclub [2]: a spaceship-like club-cum-restaurant that attracts a dressy international crowd every night. Many just rock up at one of these, ID card in hand, at around 11pm. Better, though, to make a night of it and start out early evening. Kick off with bargain al fresco beers at Cheap Charlies [3], a countrified bar only a tad bigger than a broom cupboard. Nest [4], a 1 breezy rooftop bar atop the sleek Le Fenix hotel, is a more upscale option 4 offering laid2 Bed Supperclub back, bird-nest seating and music that matches (think Sade’s Smooth Operator). Not quite the racy, subterranean 5 Bangkok you were after? Then sheepishly make your way 3 to the backend of the Ambassador Hotel’s basement carpark, where thumping after-hours nightclub Climax (5) lures in the good, the bad, the beautiful and the ugly till the wee hours. Soi 11

Q Bar

SUKHUMVIT road

bangkok 101

nightlife

Nightlife

featured

pub Balcony Humidor

Cigar Lounges

The Crossbar

As the pun-inspired name suggests, this is a place where sport is king. If you’re less familiar with soccer lingo, then the sporting theme is spelt out by a glance at the walls. They are a shrine to athletic endeavour, filled with images of sporting legends – from retro photos of 1960’s footballers, to modern prints of the greats of motor sport, cricket and rugby. It’s not the largest pub around but, even with the dark wood finish, the place is still bright and airy. This is partly due to the very red cushions covering the benches and stools but also to the bar which is backed by a large window offering a glimpse of reality through the WHERE Soi 23, assorted spirits. Sukhumvit Rd (map Aside from three big screens for D3-4) BTS Asok MRT sports it also boasts the additional Sukhumvit, 02-664-3399 distractions of a pool table, free OPEN daily 11am-1am wi-fi, a good international/Thai menu and three draught beers on tap. Despite opening just a couple of months ago, it already has a nice lived-in feel, helped by the attentive staff and growing team of regulars. This is a pub that avoids own goals by rejecting fancy gimmicks in favour of a homely haven for sport fans to sup a pint and take in the match.

เดอะ ครอสบาร์ สุขุมวิท ซ. 23

Cigar lounges are slowly catching on in Bangkok, with a handful of venues now providing outstanding facilities for lovers of quality coronas and fine figurados. As well as cigars from Cuba, Ecuador and beyond, the lounges typically feature luxurious leather sofas, rich wood accents, discreet staff and stellar selections of wine and single malt whisky. Some, like Club Perdomo, operate on a members-only basis, with membership granting access to their worldwide network of lounges. Others, like the Balcony Humidor & Cigar Bar at the InterContinental hotel, are open to guests and the general public. The members-only Pacific Cigar Company opened its first lounge, La Casa del Habano, at The Oriental hotel in 1997, and now operates another four venues in Bangkok, as well as one in Pattaya. One of PCC’s more interesting venues is the P&L Club which incorporates a traditional barber shop and what is billed as Thailand’s largest collection of single barrel malt whiskies. n Balcony Humidor & P&L Club Cigar Bar Lobby level, InterContinental Bangkok, 973 Ploenchit Road | 8am-1am | 02-656-0444 n Club Perdomo Bangkok 3/1 Sukhumvit Soi 28 | 02-661-3220 | www.clubperdomobangkok. com | 6pm-midnight n La Casa del Habano The Oriental Bangkok, 48 Oriental Avenue | 02267-1596 | Mon-Thu: 10am-10pm, Sat-Sun: 10am-11pm, Sun and public holidays: noon-6pm | www.pacificcigar.com n P&L Club GF Conrad Bangkok, All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Road | Mon-Thu: 10am-10pm; Fri-Sat: 10am-11pm, Sun: noon-6pm | 02-685-3898

Club Perdomo

nightlife

bangkok 101

Pubs 101

Silom AREA PUBS

Hidden among the salacious delights of Silom Road, you will still find some of the “grand old men” of libation locales. O’Reilly’s [1] 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 [2] a multi-level contemporary concoction of granite and steel where the mixed crowd of expats and locals enjoy superior food and a wide choice of imported beers. Molly Malone’s [3] offers a real taste of Ireland. Drop in during their extended happy hour (5pm-9pm) for live music and multiple big screens for sport. Friendly staff and excellent food (especially their Sunday roast) means this place is always busy. Opposite the infamous Patpong stands The Duke of Wellington [4]. Its open plan layout makes it a bit sterile, but it does have good beer, a daily happy hour 4pm to 9pm and uninterrupted views of the four screens for sport. Jameson’s [5] sat under the Holiday Inn in the heart of the gem district is the newest kid on the block. It’s a cavernous place but still packs in the punters thanks to fantastic happy hours, including ladies’ night on Tuesdays featuring Margaritas for a ridiculously cheap B29 a glass.

BTS Surasak sathorn road

Thaniya

patpong

1 Convent road

Surasak road

silom road

BTS Sala Daeng

Silom area

Sukhumvit AREA PUBS

bangkok 101

soi 39

sukhumviT road

BTS Asoke

soi 22

soi 12

BTS Nana

soi 6

soi 4

sukhumviT road

soi 35

soi 11

soi 13

soi 33

soi 33/1

Sukhumvit Road, a haven for expats, is jammed with joints catering to ale aficionados. Beside BTS Phrom Phong station, The Robin Hood [13] offers daily happy hour and drinks specials, as well as live music and sports. Even so, it can sometimes seem a little sedate. Down a nearby alley is The Bull’s Head [12], whose oak-panelled walls and low ceilings give off a cosy feel. It’s notable for a top jukebox and occasional comedy nights featuring international stand-ups. Sundays it’s “Toss the Boss”; call the flip of a coin right and the pub pays for the round. The Londoner [11] 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 [10], a three-storey edifice. Though slightly pricy, the superb food (try the sausages), live music and Guinness pull in the punters. Just around the corner, behind the old Mambo Cabaret, Bourbon Street [9] backs up its Cajun/Creole dining with a well-stocked bar and good atmosphere. Up the road in the shadow of Asok BTS, is The Black Swan [8], a proper British booze abode. No bands. No happy hours. Just a snug escape offering a warm atmosphere and a wise-cracking landlord. Tucked down a dead-end street of Soi 11 is The Pickled Liver [7]. 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 [6] 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.

BTS Phrom Phong

nightlife

Shopping

shopper scene

As clichés go, “shop till you drop” could have been written after a demanding spending spree in Bangkok’s sweltering heat. And while we’re dispensing mindless platitudes: there’s something for everyone in this town, however peculiar your peccadilloes may be. For locals, conspicuous consumption in one of the myriad swish mega-malls is the name of the face-gaining game, while foreigners often prefer to dig for buried treasure at the bustling street markets. Whatever your angle, stamina is a must, especially when it comes to pressing sticky flesh with the perspiring masses at the sweltering citysized jumble sale that is Chatuchak Weekend Market. So brush up on your bargaining patter, arm yourself with Nancy Chandler’s invaluable shopping map - and prepare for sheer retail overload.

UNIQUE boutique

Sop Moei Arts

The most ground-breaking of Bangkok’s many textile shops, Sop Moei Arts turns out luxurious takes on Thai tribal designs. Founded back in 1988 by Kent Gregory, this non-profit organisation pays the Pwo Karen, a marginalised ethnic tribe from Sop Moei district of Mae Hong Sorn, to produce textiles and other interior furnishings woven and sewn by their skilled hands. Upon entering the compact showroom at the Racquet Club, you’ll be greeted with the fruits of their labour – wall-hangings Where 104 Racquet Club, made from wooden-loom woven silk and Sukhumvit 49,02-714-7269, wool, puffy cushions, ornate table runners www.sopmoeiarts.com and serviettes, etc. There are also baskets BTS Phrom Phong Open in sundry shapes and sizes for sale, each 9:30am -6pm one woven by a Pwo Karen tribesman using bamboo, rattan, tree fern stems and other natural materials they’ve harvested from the mountains. To increase their saleability in Thailand’s tribal-textile sodden market, Sop Moei Art’s designs are loose reinterpretations – not faithful reproductions – of traditional Pwo Karen and other regional arts and crafts. Thus, for example, traditional basket-weaving skills are used to fashion stylish wine bottle holders, and bamboo and old Pwo Karen blouses are the main materials in their chic new handbag collection. This is top notch ethnic homeware with modern design panache… and a conscience: 60% of revenue goes to the villagers and the remainder, after overheads, to a scholarship fund for Pwo Karen students.

แรคเก็ทคลับ สุขุมวิท 49

shopping

bangkok 101

stuff Want to find the best deals in town? Read on and we’ll tell you where to go and what to buy. Not the global brands you can find anywhere, or the tat you will soon regret ever having wasted your money on, but the cool, home-grown “stuff” that Bangkok is justly famous for. Papercut & The Pencil Sharpener

Silk/apparel Thai silk only started getting international attention quite recently, but quickly became renowned for its thickness and lustrous sheen. Jim Thompson is the legendary American silk revivalist who – with the help of a small community of weavers – pioneered the modern industry. Since then the brand has branched out from ties and cushions into a fully-fledged fashion label that even dabbles in Zen furniture design, as you’ll see if you visit one of their many sleek stores. LP Silk and Shinawong are two exporting wholesalers who can be trusted to fix you up with the whole nine yards (or more). n Jim Thompson Paragon F1; King Power Duty Free; Jim Thompson House Museum; Surawong Rd | www.jimthompson.com n LP Thai Silk Silom Village Trade Centre, 286 Silom Road | 02-234-4448 | www.lpthaisilk.com n Shinawong No C500 , C501 Ayudthaya Soi 8 Suan Lum; No27, 6F MBK Centre| www.shinawong.com Handicrafts Beyond triangular pillows and woven shoulder bags, there are hordes of native trinkets up for grabs, with stiff competition keeping prices down.The main markets all bristle with goodies made from bamboo, coconut, rattan, wicker, wood and water hyacinth. As does Narayanaphand, an indoor bazaar offering ceramics, hand stitched fabrics and artisan goods; Silom bangkok 101

Village; and the 6th floor of mazy MBK. The monthly, OTOP-approved ThaiCraft Fair is a place to pick up that bulrush basket for less (while ensuring its maker also gets a fair price). For Celadon and Benjarong ceramics (a form of Thai porcelain originally made for royalty), try one of Siam Ceramic Handmade’s showrooms. n ThaiCraft Fair Third floor, Ambassador Hotel’s Tower Wing, Sukhumvit Rd Soi 11 | www.thaicraft.org n Narayanaphand InterContinental Hotel GF, 973 Ploenchit Road | BTS Chidlom | 02-656-0173-4 n Siam Ceramic Handmade Room 325-326, River City Shopping Complex F3; 202 Sukhumvit Soi 10 | www.thaibenjarong.com

Fashion Spotted the local trendies yet? Then you’ll be wondering where it is they get their cool indigenous fashions. Several malls and markets around town act as little fashion hatcheries, giving you the chance to snap up dazzling pieces by local up-and-comers. Section 3 of Chatuchak, for starters, is jammed with fecund fashions. Here, amidst piles of vintage and aisles packed with kids who know how it wear it, you’ll find next season’s trends. Suan Lum and Siam Square are also spotted with dainty designer boutiques; while youth-orientated shopping mall Siam Centre and Gaysorn offer homespun high fashions by labels like Jaspal and Greyhound.

Jewellery/gems Some of the world’s best lapidaries are based here, stocking cut and uncut domestic and regionallymined precious stones. The best local jewellers can also turn wondrous tricks with gold, silver and platinum. Assuming, that is, you can find them – the city is, sadly, alive with shysters out to lure you away from legit dealers and into an intricate gem scam. There are a few diamonds in the rough, though. Lambert Industries, with their friendly and reliable service, has been coming up with the goods for 35 years. n Lambert Industries (807-809 Silom Shanghai Bldg 4F, Silom Rd Soi 17, 02-236-4343).

OTOP: One Tambon One Product One of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s more laudable legacies is his instigation of OTOP, a government initiative that markets handicrafts made in one of Thailand’s 7,000 tambons (subdistricts). These quality gifts, snacks, handicrafts, toys, gems, textiles and jewellery, can be purchased at fairs at the city’s exhibition halls, Narayanaphand and the monthly ThaiCraft Fair. By choosing OTOP products you’ll be helping preserve local crafts and ensure that the villager who made them can earn a fair living.

shopping

Shopping

Antiques Thai, Burmese and Cambodian antiques are among Asia’s finest – but all that glitters ain’t gold, so you’ll often be hard-pressed to find the real deal among the look-alikes. Unless, that is, you’re willing to shell out, in which case you’ll love the River City Complex, the sprawling, mother-of-allantique centres (p.102). Auctions are on the first Saturday of each month with viewings the preceding week. Alternatives include period antique centre OP Place (p.102); Amantee, a gorgeous Thai house offering Oriental and Tibetan antiques on Bangkok’s outskirts; and L’Arcadia. And who can say what treasures the dustier straits of Chatuchak and Chinatown hold in store for the determined? n Amantee 131/3 Chaeng Wattana 13, Laksi, 10210 | 02-982-8694-5 | www.amantee.com n L’Arcadia 12/2 Sukhumvit Rd Soi 23 | 02-259-9595

Aromatherapy & Spa One of Bangkok’s more fitting titles is “Spa Capital of Asia”. The following slick local product lines should get you fragrant, gooey and purring with pleasure in next to no time. Panpuri offers Asian-inspired sensory purification – pricy but wonderful combinations of holistic spa-inspired treatments and products. Worldly mixtures for washing, moisturising, cleansing and relaxing can be found at Thann; while Karmakamet specialise in long-lasting lotions, gels, incense and candles that create the perfect bridge between scent and soul. Finally, Anyadharu offers health-imbuing natural oils, bath body gels and perfumes that are designed to give you much more than just a whiff of indulgence. n Anyadharu Chatuchak (Section 3); Isetan (MBK F4) | www.anyadharu.com n Karmakamet CentralWorld F2; Chatuchak Market, Section 2, Soi 3 | www.karmakamet.co.th n Panpuri

Shopping Tips

n Bargaining: This is a way of life when shopping on the streets in Bangkok. The key is not to act too interested. They know you can find it further down the street, and if they want to make the sale they’d better be prepared to drop their price. If they ask B500, offer B350. You might get it for B380-400. Don’t be shy: it’s expected. Most importantly when haggling over price: keep a smile on your face and a cool head.

n Counterfeit Stoners: Bounders running gem scams are ubiquitous on Bangkok’s streets. Beware anyone (tuk-tuk drivers especially) offering free rides to nearby “stockists” – they’re conmen on the make. The TAT provides quality assurance through the Jewel Fest Club; look for their ruby-ring logo on shop-fronts.

n Keep it Real: As elsewhere in Asia, counterfeit goods abound in Bangkok. From the latest DVDs to luxury brand clothes, watches, handbags and fragrances, it’s all here – at a fraction of the price. But, tempting though it may be, remember that the quality never matches the original and you’ll struggle to get refunds. Perhaps scarier, you risk getting busted at customs back home; and by purchasing fake goods you inadvertently sponsor organised crime. So, just keep it real. 100

shopping

Duty Free – Duress Free Much more civilized than sprinting through the long corridors of Suvarnabhumi is a visit to King Power. At this glassy, space-port like complex on Soi Rang Nam (BTS Victory Monument, then catch a free tuk-tuk from Century Plaza), you can do your duty-free shopping at your own pace, days (instead of minutes) before your plane takes off. Peruse products such as cosmetics, clothes, computers and more – all at tax-free prices. Find what you want, order it and it will be waiting for you at the airport on your way out. Just be sure to bring your air ticket and passport. www.kingpower.com Paragon F1; King Power Duty Free; Central Chidlom F4; Gaysorn F7 | www.panpuri.com n ThanN Central Chidlom F4; Central Ladprao F5; Isetan Plaza (CentralWorld) F5; Siam Discovery Centre F5; Emporium F4 | www.thann.info n VAT: Look out for signs advertising “VAT Refund or Tourists”. At these places, they should have the paperwork (ask for a PP10 form) to enable you to claim back 7% on purchases when you leave the country on an international flight. The deal is you have to spend at least B2,000 at the same store on any given day, and you can only claim back on totals of B5,000 or over. It’s worth doing if you have a department store blitz, or fancy splashing out on electronics, jewellery or other expensive goods. Have your passpor t and tickets with you when you buy, and prepare to have your purchases, PP10 forms and receipts inspected when you claim back at the airpor t VAT refund counter. Be aware: if you are making big purchases and not paying VAT, you aren’t guaranteed quality products. For more info, check out www.rd.go.th

bangkok 101

INSPIRED BY EARTH:

UDOM UDOMSRIANAN of Planet 2001

bangkok design Brian Mertens

Udom Udomsrianan is a painter and sculptor who has turned to creating playful, tactile furniture based on plant, animal and mineral forms. His animated shapes might recall the design trend toward strong biomorphism that first emerged in Europe and the United States in the 1960s. Back then, designers explored curvilinear forms to take advantage of advanced plastics, injection molding and other technologies that could produce almost any shape. Udom’s works, however, are handmade from natural materials like rattan, jute and liana vine. Despite their highly sculptural form, Udom dares to put his designs into regular production, rather than just producing one-offs as most art-furniture makers do. Udom says he takes inspiration from anything that makes people smile or feel happy: modern art, pop culture, cartoons like the Jetsons and Flintstones. Often he seeks ideas from the world of nature, like the shapes of river stones. During his typical Bangkok upbringing as one of seven children of a printing shop owner in Chinatown, Udom spent vacations in the countryside, near the floating market where his grandmother worked as a hawker. Inspired by his father’s love of art and music, he excelled at sculpture from a very early age, studied painting at Silpakorn University, and worked as a graphic artist and interior designer before founding Planet 2001. Udom says art school helped him become a better designer. “The professors give you openended questions, and you have to find out for yourself. This taught me to think. How do you produce a chair different from what’s been done for the past 100 years?” Contact n Panta - 4th Floor, Siam Discovery | 02-658-0415 - 4th Floor, Siam Paragon | 02-658-0417 Bangkok Design:Thai Ideas in Textiles and Furniture is the first book to explore Asia’s new wave in design creativity. Award-winning author Brian Mertens profiles 36 of Thailand’s top designers, showing how they translate their own culture and experiences into unique furnishings that have won international awards and museum exhibitions. Typically handcrafted from natural materials, the best contemporary Thai designs celebrate wit, warmth, sustainability and alluring form. Bangkok Design – published by Marshall Cavendish – B1,200 - hardcover, written by Brian Mertens, with photos by Robert McLeod. bangkok 101

shopping

101

Shopping

isitors to Bangkok will be amazed at how prevalent mall culture is in the weave of modern Thai society. Malls are not just places to shop for designer labels; there are restaurants, cinemas, bowling, aquariums and more! Bangkok’s retail mall epicentre is around the Siam and Chit Lom areas.

mall crawl MBK BTS National Stadium Perpetually packed shopper’s paradise; a mind-boggling, onestop bargain. Always busy, on weekends half of Bangkok’s teens converge here, hunting for the latest mobile phones and more.

SIAM DISCOVERY BTS Siam Light, pleasant and never too busy. Inside it’s international hip young brands (Diesel, Replay, Armani Exchange) and impressive interior stores (Loft and Mae Fah Luang).

JIM THOMPSON HOUSE

BTS National Stadium

MAJOR HOTELS 1 Pathumwan Princess 2 Novotel Siam 3 The Four Seasons 4 Grand Hyatt Erawan 5 Intercontinental 6 Holiday Inn 7 Conrad 8 Plaza Athenee 9 Royal Orchid Sheraton 10 The Oriental 11 The Peninsula 12 Shangri-La

SIAM CENTER BTS Siam The mall that started it all in 1973 hauls in trendy teens and young adults who shop for Euro-fashion and innovative local brands like Jaspal and Soda.

BTS Siam Elevated rama 1 rdWalkway

Phaya Thai rd

uri rd

SIAM SQUARE BTS Siam Bangkok’s heart for trendsetters, this maze of narrow streets has heaps of tiny boutiques carrying local up-and-comers, gastrogems and indie cinemas.

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Phaya Thai rd

PANTHIP PLAZA Bangkok’s one-stop shop for any and all computing needs: hardware, software and gadgets. It’s a loud, brash mecca for technogeeks.

SIAM PARAGON BTS Siam This gigantic shopping complex is legendary among Bangkok hi-sos. Home to Siam Ocean World aquarium, too.

ERAWAN BANGKOK BTS Chid Lom Posh boutique mall adjacent to the Erawan Shrine. Think Burberry.

RIVER CITY Four well laid-out floors of stores selling antiques, plus ethnic and tribal ar t from Southeast Asia, with a bit of the South Pacific, Indonesia, Nepal, Tibet and Bhutan thrown in.

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OP PLACE This fine objets d’art shopping plaza across from The Oriental Bangkok corresponds well to the classy hotel. 12

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To Emporium shopping mall, get off at BTS Phrom Phong

EMPORIUM BTS Phrom Phong Ver y chic mall with the most amiable atmosphere, thanks to its airy architecture. Look for TCDC, the neat Thailand Creative Design Center.

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CENTR A L CHIT LOM BTS Chit Lom Seven floors of clothes, shoes and accessories from all the major labels, plus some eye-catching Thai designers. Food Loft is Bangkok’s deluxe food court.

phetburi rd

ploenchit rd

ALL SEASONS PLACE BTS Ploen Chit The sleek mall in a skyscraper complex is known more for its battery of eateries than its shops although the high-end retail range is impressive – art galleries, cigar shops, tailors and Euro-fashion.

GAYSORN BTS Chid Lom All-white interior of glitzy, top-class brands – expect Vuitton, Dior and Givenchy.

s ilo

bangkok 101

chatuchak weekend market

Forget designer malls. JJ 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 get lost – literally.

JJ Gem

aking a wrong turn’s almost a given in this sprawling, city-sized marketplace, upon which zillions descend every weekend, to trade everything from Burmese antiques to pedigree livestock. Originally a flea market, 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 during ‘Nam; and tasty pickings conveniently punctuate every which way. Additionally, the exotic pet section supports the theory that JJ has somehow evolved its own diverse eco-system (albeit one that periodically gets busted for peddling endangered species). 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, with many stalls opening for business on Friday, you can come for a leisurely browse before the real deluge hits - although only the weekend gig gives ardent shopaholics the fullyblown, unadulterated fix.

ตลาดนัดจตุจกั ร

Chatuchak Map Rd . 1 n io ct

Jipata Antiques

Simply the best JJ antique shop we’ve come across. Yes, others are more orderly, but none have the dusty grandpa’s attic feel of Jitapa. The fun here is in the foraging. The place is brimful with fine Chinese, European and Thai antiquities in need only of a good spit and polish, from Benjarong ceramics and Nang Kwak figurines to bronze Samurai statues, hefty old irons and crystal drop chandeliers. Most date back to the mid 20th century or earlier. More affordable WHERE Section 26, (and practical, for the tourist Soi 3 | 02-618-2622 with airline weight allowance to worry about) are the vases and wooden boxes – betal nut, Buddhist and decorative – that sit unloved on row after row of shelves. Running the show is Mr. Chairat Pongpha, an octogenarian from Nakhon Sawan who hobbles around on his walking stick barking prices at anyone who dares ask – but in the sweetest possible way. 14. Clothing, miscellaneous 15. Pets and accessories 16. Clothing, miscellaneous 17. Ceramics 18. Clothing, miscellaneous 19. Ceramics 20. Clothing, miscellaneous 21. Clothing, miscellaneous 22. Home utensils and décor, furniture 23. Clothing, miscellaneous 24. Home utensils and décor, furniture 25. Home utensils and décor, furniture 26. Antiques

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JIPATA ANTIQUES SHOP

1. Books, antiques, collectibles, food & drink 2. Hip fashion boutiques, plants, food & drink 3. Hip fashion boutiques, plants, food & drink 4. Hip fashion boutiques, plants, food & drink 5. Second-hand clothing 6. Second-hand clothing 7. Art, food & drink 8. Handicraft, home décor and miscellaneous 9. Pets and accessories 10. Clothing, accessories, miscellaneous 11. Pets and accessories 12. Clothing, miscellaneous 13. Pets and accessories

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Chatuchak Station

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Shopping

markets

NAKHORN KASEM Known locally as the “thieves market”, this smallish street-side market in Chinatown offers a curious blend of second-hand goods, the odd antique, and a seemingly random assortment of household appliances. As its nickname would suggest, ample bargains await patient, eagleeyed shoppers - though don’t expect a receipt, let alone a refund.

นครเกษม

Ratchada Night Market Fri-Sat Nights (busiest on Saturday) | parallel with RatchadapisekLadprao intersection | MRT Ratchadapisek or Ladphrao Vendors at this nighttime (and teen-thronged) flea market flog all sorts of retro and secondhand stuff, from art deco lamps and ghetto blasters to Polaroids and vintage clothing. Somewhat like a country fair, it’s open-air and most wares are laid out on the ground, so expect to squat a lot. Besides the used items, lots of handmade products, such as paintings and women’s accessories, also squeeze into this small-city sized market; as does a live band, lots of local food and a mini motor show of classic cars and bikes (nope, those VW vans and pastel-coloured Vespas aren’t for sale unfortunately). So worth the schlep, but bring a torch and your bargaining skills!

PAK KHLONG TALAD (Flower Market) Wake up and smell the roses, as next to Saphan Phut (Memorial Bridge) lies Bangkok’s main flower market, a 24-hour hive of floral activity bristling with blooms carted in from around the country. Horticulturalists and those with a well developed olfactory sense will enjoy strolling around these fragrant surrounds.

ปากคลองตลาด

THEWET Not far north from the flower market is the riverside plant market. The street is lined with small shops selling a wide selection of tropical potted flora. It’s easiest and most scenic to access Thewet by river taxi, thus evoking the waterborne glories of the days when Bangkok was hailed as “Venice of the East”.

SUAN LUM NIGHT BAZAAR (map C4) The official (read: tourist authorityrecommended) civic night bazaar is far more manageable than JJ - and mercifully less sweaty and intimidating. In fact, as Bangkok markets go, this amiable though sanitised effort probably ranks as the most consistently civilised – and its lively food court and expansive German beer garden offer extra incentive to linger. Bear in mind, however, that the market is mainly geared to separate tourists from dollars, with the standardised mix of crafts, textiles and knick-knacks offered at inflated prices. Don’t take that as reason not to come, because wandering round “Suan Lum” makes for a pleasant early evening stroll, before moving on to the nearby entertainment zones. In fact, endeavour to visit while you can: Lumpini Night Market’s days are numbered, after the powers-thatbe auctioned off its multifarious charms to make space for yet another redundant addition to the city’s obsessive collection of modern shopping malls.

สวนลุมไนท์บาร์ซาร์

Thewet

เทเวศน์

ตลาดนัดกลางคืนถนนรัชดา

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shopping

bangkok 101

sidewalks

Sidewalks are where it’s at for cheap presents to take back home. Oddities unfound in other lands, funny T-shirts, wooden carvings, paintings and much more crowd the side streets of the city. Most of the stuff on offer can be picked up in the malls and markets – but where’s the fun in that? And why pay more? Bargain! Khao San Road Along every budget traveller’s favourite sidewalk, stallholders do a sterling trade in “novelty” T-shirts and cigarette papers, not to mention phoney degree certificates, driving licenses and press passes. And yes, if you must, you can still get your tie-dye and fisherman’s pants, your hair dreadlocked, or eat B20 noodles from a polystyrene plate. However, these days post-millennial Khao San has been gentrified into somewhere bearing scant resemblance to its humble past as a tropical haven for wandering hippies. And you’ll find no better proof than night times here, when whole mounds, suitcases and racks of young-at-heart stuff (frayed t-shirts, handbags, polka dot dresses etc) are dragged down and splayed on the street for sale by the city’s babyfaced entrepreneurs.

ถ.ข้าวสาร

Silom Road/Patpong Both sides of Silom Road, just off Sala Daeng BTS station, offer day and night time shopping, but it really gets going between 6pm and 2am, when stalls set up here and along the notorious strip of sleazy gogo bars known as Patpong. This is a bizarre but uniquely ripe set-up that sees vendors plying busy nightly trade on the doorsteps of the bars concurrently plying an open trade in flesh; and young families rubbing shoulders with a motley crew of pimps, johns and scantily clad strippers. Among the illicit booty of pirated DVDs and designer knockoffs, the market actually does offer some decent local crafts, t-shirts and souvenirs – although, with prices naturally tilted towards the tourist end of the scale, robust bargaining skills are essential here.

สีลม/พัฒน์พงษ์

bangkok 101

Silom Soi 4

Sukhumvit Road The choices start around Soi 4 near BTS Nana station, on both sides of the major thoroughfare, and stretch nearly to Soi 20. In amidst the streetfood shacks and fortune tellers, you’ll find its mostly bogus tat all the way – polyester football shirts, DVDs, blown-up prints of long-tail boats moored on idyllic southern beaches. Although, right past Soi 6 is a group of deaf merchants who are always eager to find you something nice to remember beloved Thailand by. Velvet oil painting anyone?

Spreading out from the base of the looming Baiyoke Sky Hotel, it attracts a multinational mix of fasttalking traders, all on the make, and continues around the intense indoor fashion market, Platinum Fashion Mall, where everything is available at discounted rates for bulk orders. Buy three or more and save yourself anywhere from B150-300 per item.

ประตูนำ้

ถ.สุขมุ วิท

Pratunam A ten-minute walk from CentralWorld, this sidewalk is famed for its bulk clothing deals. Loaded with knock-offs, and crowded with tourists shopping for all things casual, you’ll find textiles, fabrics, fancy dress (Catwoman mask ensemble anyone?) and great jeans at affordable prices (never pay more than B600!). shopping

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Accommodation

boutique bangkok

In each new issue Bangkok 101 brings you the best of Bangkok’s new breed. Each month we uncover those quirky, elegant, or downright luxurious lodgings that fit under the trendy boutique hotel banner.

Somerset Sukhumvit Thonglor

Every time we drive along Thonglor, a roughly mile-long stretch of unfettered affluence, some trendy new-build construction catches our eye. This glossy 31storey serviced residence is just the latest, its bold façade reminiscent of contemporary German architecture wowing at first glance. There are 262 sleek, roomy studios, one- and two-bed room suites (40-85m²), all with kitted-out kitchen, iPod dock, DVD player, HiFi, etcera. The one-bed room executive suites boast floor-to-ceiling soundproofed glass panels and addictive views overlooking the cosmo cityscape, even when you’re sprawled on your bed plump with hi-ply cotton. Décor-wise, cutting-edge muted grey and white hues reign, the look softened by earth toned furniture. End result: a fresh, homely abode in spite of the hard-edged minimalism. Facilities are superb. The infinity edge swimming pool on the 9th floor is a beauty. And, on the same floor there’s a state-of-the-art fitness centre, pool bar, MAI Japanese Restaurant (where your buffet breakfast is served) and other cushy fringe goodies. Here on business? Yep, there’s a business centre on the 8th floor too. Exceptional, cant-do-enough-for-you service from the doorman, waiters, housekeepers, everyone, is the cherry on top.

WHERE 115 Sukhumvit 55 (Thonglor) | BTS Thong Lo | 02-365-7999 | www.somerset. com PRICE Starting from 2,600++ per night, 60,000++ per month.

โซเมอร์เซ็ททองหล่อ ซ.ทองหล่อ 5

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accommodation

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H e a l t h & We l l n e s s

body & beauty

angkok offers more places to indulge in massage than any other city on earth. A great Thai massage can cost just B100 per hour, while posher spas can easily cost 10 times that. Like any place else, spa value can be gauged by the quality of the therapists, oils, atmosphere and so on. In each issue we introduce several local spas in different price categories to help you find the best rub-down for your baht (see p.109 for this month’s listings) – no need to break the bank to get a good treatment. Reservations are always recommended.

Thai-massage

What could be more quintessentially Thai than the world-renowned practice of traditional Thai-style massage? Known in Thailand as nuad pan boran – literally ‘ancient style massage’ – Thais have been practising this time-honoured, therapeutic custom for over 2,500 years, dating back to the life of Buddha. Traditional Thai massage is performed without oil, with people typically wearing light-weight, loose-fitting pyjamas. By way of acupressure points that stimulate muscles and nerves, and assisted yogic stretching, skilled Thai massage practitioners employ their hands, elbows, knees, as well as their own body weight, to apply various degrees of pressure and mobilisation to different parts of the body. This ancient form of healing can do wonders for all of the body’s organic systems by helping to align and balance the energies of the body. By enhancing blood circulation, Thai massage can help to break down and release toxins trapped in the body, in turn strengthening the immune system. Though Thai massage can at moments be a bit painful, the after-effect is not one of fatigue, but calm. Common remarks are of relief to aching muscles, an increase in flexibility and higher general energy levels. Others report better sleep, a decrease in stress and an overall boost, both on a physical and emotional, as well as a spiritual level.

signature treatment

Men Facial Program

Want to eliminate those pesky fine lines? But not ready to start along the risky botox, collagen injection, chemical peel or other invasive anti-ageing procedure route just yet? Then slap on a cap and make like a crinkly celeb to NYC: a little anti-ageing facial centre specialising in non-invasive treatments that feel pretty good to boot. Its catalogue flaunts some impressive credentials, WHERE 3rd Fl., Bead Passion including NYC’s own line of anti-deep-wrinkle repair serums, Building Thong Lo Soi 13 BTS Thong eye revival gels and other anti-aging potions and lotions, all of which are Lo, 02-712-9890, www.nycantiage.com available to buy. But most impressively NYC is run by a doctor who’s OPEN 10am – 8pm Price B3,450 treated “well-known Hollywood stars” and is now stationed at Bumungrad, (40% off for Bangkok 101 readers) one of the best private hospitals in town, if not Asia.The treatments have you in and out in next to no time, as we discovered during our Men Facial Program: a brisk 50-minuter that kicks off with the somewhat aggressive sounding Silkpeel Microdermabrasion. It’s actually pleasurable not painful, however, with a little nozzle attached to a dial machine gently hoovering away, exfoliating, while also infusing agents into the skin. Next, the RF with multivitamin infusion emits little pulses of heat into your skin through a pen. Some residual redness can result, but again, there’s no discomfort from this skin smoothening and tightening procedure. Finally, your therapist slathers your chops in a cooling vitamin infusion (read: collagen mask) before gifting you with a mini-face massage. And that’s it! No need to wear that cap on the way out – be proud of your glowing fresh skin, about as smooth as the day you were born! Sounds worth a bash? Simply say you’re a Bangkok 101 reader and enjoy 40% off.

อาคารบีดส์แพสชั่น ทองหล่อ ซ.13

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health & wellness

bangkok 101

typical SPA cost range

$ under B600 $$ B600 – B1,000 $$$ B1,000-2,000 $$$$ B2,000+ Credit cards accepted unless otherwise noted

Being Spa

BEING SPA (map E4) 88 Sukhumvit 51 | 02-662-6171 | www.beingspa.com | 10 am-10 pm | $$$ A serene courtyard pond leads the way into Being, one of the Sukhumvit area’s best neighbourhood day spas. This thoughtfully converted, two-storey house accommodates 12 private treatment chambers fashioned with rustic wood floors and tasteful ethnic décor, as well as rooms with shower beds, needle jets and a floral bath. Being’s host of revitalising treatments range from 30 minute body scrubs (using everything from coffee beans and seaweed to Thai herbs and pepper) to more comprehensive, 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 hour spa packages combining various medleys of massages, baths, facials, body wraps and scrubs. Recommendable is their signature fusion massage, the Being Ultimate Body Massage (B1900), a 90 minute rubdown blending aroma therapy oil massage with stretching and bending elements of traditional, medium pressure Thai massage.

บีอิ้งสปา สุขุมวิท 5

bangkok 101

PALM HERBAL RETREAT (map E4) 522/2 Thong Lo Soi 16, Sukhumvit 55 Rd | 02-391-3254, 02-381-1373 | www.palmherbalspa.co.th | 10am10pm (last appointment 9pm) | $$($) A small spa deep in Thong Loh one of the oldest business in Bangkok? And still running so strong that reservations are necessary? What’s their secret? It can’t be the interior of the modernist-like house – although warm and inviting, with large, clean, finely decorated rooms, it won’t strike anybody as extraordinary. What will strike you are the innovative menu with an Ayurvedic slant (which a lot of other spas have copied from) and the therapists’ expertise. The retreat’s facials and massages are the crowd pullers. You’ll feel relaxed after a Four Elements Aroma Massage, but nothing beats their Palm Ayurveda Massage, an invigorating blend of Thai and sports massage that is truly effective. After you’ve tried one of these, you’ll be ready for one of the retreat’s wellpriced packages. An instant favourite.

ปาล์มเฮอร์บัลรีทรีท ทองหล่อ ซ.16

Palm Herbal Retreat

health & wellness

spas Mulberry Spa

MULBERRY SPA (map C4) 346/10 Silom Rd | BTS Sala Daeng | 02-630-9888 | 10am-11pm | $$$ Despite having being enlarged and affectionately redone, this often booked-out spa’s still feels quite intimate, thanks to its labyrinthine layout. The lush reception is only the beginning – seated in the neat “library”, you won’t mind waiting. Spread over two floors, each homey room (they all come with their own shower) is dotingly styled in a different way, but a slight Arabian atmosphere and appealing ornaments pervade throughout. The owners take a refreshingly different approach to its service: therapists are not chosen for their looks but for their skills. The range of treatments is limited but all the essentials are there. You get way more than you’ve paid for – the prices are quite low for the high-quality massages masks, scrubs and facials. So indulge and spend half a day here.

มัลเบอร์รี่สปา สีลม

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H e a l t h & We l l n e s s

wellness centres YOGA & PILATES The Pilates Studio (map C3) 888/58-9 Mahatun Plaza | Phloen Chit Rd | BTS Phloen Chit | 02-6507797 | www.pilatesbangkok.com Bangkok’s first dedicated Pilates studio also offers pre- and postnatal breathing classes, vinyasa yoga, and gyrotonic expansion in well-lit, airy studios. First-timer sessions (Wed & Sun, B400) include mats and towels. Check the website for schedules. พิลาธีสสตูดิโอ มหาทุนพลาซ่า เพลินจิต Yoga Elements (map C3) 29 Vanissa Bldg, Soi Chit Lom | BTS Chit Lom | 02-655-5671 | www.yogaelements.com | 7am-9pm (Mon-Fri), 9am-6pm (Sat-Sun) Bangkok’s first vinyasa / ashtanga yoga studio specialises in dynamic yoga techniques. The large practice studios are bright, quiet and ideal for small classes. Learning methods include four levels, so absolute beginners will feel at ease with popping ’round for an “Elements” class of the foundational techniques of breathing and body opening postures. Single classes are B500; you can simply drop by (check their website for schedules). โยคะ เอเลเม้นท์ 29 อาคารวานิสสา ซอยชิดลม (หลังเซ็นทรัลชิดลม)

Urban lifestyle taking its toll? Fear not for there are plenty of wellness centres around ready to rejuvenate your mind, body, and soul. Lock it all out and feel free to throw away the key to the rest of the world as these holistic havens will pamper you to the edges of hedonistic bliss. Tria Integrative Wellness (map D3) 998 Rimklongsamsen Rd, Bangkapi | 02660-2600 | www.triaintegrativewellness. com | 7am-10pm Embrace your wellness at this urban retreat. With state-of-the-art equipment coupled with expert specialists, Tria is ready to carry out its philosophy of caring for what it believes to be the three most crucial health components – the elemental, structural and emotional states. These three elements, when integrated will provide complete harmony and true wellness for you.

ศูนย์สขุ ภาพองค์รวม TRIA (ตรัยยา) ถ.ริมคลองสามเสน (หลังโรงพยาบาลปิยะเวท)

Hydrohealth (map C3) 494 Erawan Bangkok, 4th Fl, Phloen Chit Rd l BTS Chit Lom | 02- 250-7800 | www.hydrohealth.co.th | 10am-8pm The first hydrotherapy colonic centre in Thailand has some of the most innovative equipment around. The colonic procedure not only rids you of all the unwanted toxins in your intestine but has shown it can improve overall health and other conditions such as allergies and skin problems. The centre also has massage packages and infrared sauna, along with organic food and supplements available.

S Medical Spa

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ไฮโดรเฮลท์ เอราวัณแบงคอก ถ.เพลินจิต

S Medical Spa (map C3) 2/2 Phakdi Building,Wireless Rd | BTS Phloen Chit | 02-253-1010 | www.smedspa.com | 10am-10pm The world of science and art collide ensuring you get a fully-fledged treatment as eastern traditions are combined with western technology to lift you up physically and mentally. The highly qualified staff consists of certified health & wellness

physicians, psychiatrists, dermatologists, gynaecologists and many other -gists ensuring you the most skilled and efficient service available.

เอสเมดิคัลสปา อาคารภักดี ถ.วิทยุ

Rasayana Retreat (map D4) 57 Soi Prom-mitr, Sukhumvit 39 | BTS Phrom Phong | 02-662-4803-5 | www.rasayanaretreat.com | 9am-8pm Specialists in deep cleansing programmes and hydrotherapy colonics that leave you refreshed and reborn and also a little bit lighter. Also the Raw Food café at Rasayana is definitely worth stopping by as they promote raw fresh foods using organic fruits and vegetables to help your body stay as clean as possible.

รัสยานา รีทรีทต์ ซ. พร้อมมิตร สุขมุ วิท 39

Amruth Wellness Center (mapE4) Sukhumvit 55,Thong Lo Soi 8 | BTS Thong Lo | 02-715-9440 | 7am - 10:30pm Get treated for everything from sexual dysfunction to back problems at this fully-fledged Ayurvedic medical centre – Bangkok’s first. Every patient at this leafy garden townhouse gets a consultation with Keralan Doctor Baspin K., whether you’re in for a drop-in, dropout treatment, a yoga sesh or to embark on a life-changing panchakarma package. Stocked with medicines imported from the Subcontinent, holistic highlights include a hanging massage and the head oil-dribbling odyssey that is a shiro dhara.

อมฤต ศูนย์สขุ ภาพต้นตำรับอายุรเวท ศาสตร์ ทองหล่อ ซ.8

BANGKOK MEDIPLEX (map E4) 2/70 Sukhumvit 42, Phrakanong | BTS Ekkamai | 02-713-5555 | www.bangkokmediplex.com | 9am – 8pm Visible from the Ekkamai Skytrain Station, this gleaming steel and glass fronted lifestyle mall comprises 35 leading healthcare centres and trendy medi-lifestyle stores. There’s a clinic offering live cell therapy (a treatment to repair weak cells), a traditional Chinese medicine centre, a chiropractic centre, top notch eye-care and Thailand’s first organic supermarket. Ample parking.

แบงคอก เมดิเพลกซ์ สุขมุ วิท 42

bangkok 101

edical tourism is huge business in Thailand; a billion dollar industry. In 2007, Bangkok’s Bumrungrad Hospital alone reckoned to have treated over 400,000 patients from nearly 200 countries. And while Bumrungrad may be the market leader, there are plenty of others – such as Samitivej, BNH Hospital and Bangkok Hospital – who are increasingly courting international trade. The price is right Reasons for the popularity of travelling to Thailand for medical attention are manifold, but essentially come down to price. Healthcare in your own country may be prohibitively expensive, or maybe your insurance does not cover a procedure you need. Or maybe you’ve decided that for the same price as an operation in your home town you could fly to exotic Thailand, have the operation then recover on a warm beach with a mango shake in one hand and a paperback in the other. When you consider that procedures like heart bypass surgery in the USA can cost anywhere in the region of $70,000, while in Thailand it’s be more like $15,000, the numbers start to make sense. Especially when you consider your doctor here is likely to be foreign trained anyway. And it’s not just major surgery that provides the draw. Cosmetic surgery such as breast enhancement and liposuction is readily available at attractive prices, as is dental work and Lasik eye surgery. In fact, you can grab a Botox shot while you cruise the Bangkok malls. Four star treatment Some of the hospitals here have to be seen to be believed. When you walk into Samitivej Hospital, for example, the lush décor, cute cafes and chic boutiques give it an almost resort atmosphere. And back at Bumrungrad, once you’ve been met at the airport, sped through customs and situated in your private room, they have their own immigration department and

bangkok 101

a team of translators to take all the hassle out of your trip. You have to do your homework, though. Is the hospital you’re considering properly accredited? What are your doctor’s actual qualifications? Will you really be ready to go scuba diving only three days after a back operation? How soon after your operation is it safe to fly long-haul? And what happens if complications arise when you’re back home in Tulsa? These are all the kind of questions you should think about and take advice on before committing to treatment.

FEATURED medical treatment

medical tourism Recommended hospitals n Bumrungrad International

33 Sukhumvit 3 (Soi Nana Nua) | 02667-1000 | www.bumrungrad.com n Samitivej Sukhumvit 133 Sukhumvit 39 | 02-711-8000 | www.samitivejhospitals.com n BNH Hospital 9/1 Convent Road | 02-686-2700 | www.bnhhospital.com n Bangkok Hospital 2 Soi Soonvijai 7, New Petchburi Road | 02-310-3000 | www.bangkokhospital.com

Laser Hair Removal

Unwanted hair in all the wrong Yoskarn Clinic places – one of the most annoying, and most common, of afflictions. Whether it’s your face, lips, back, chest, or those unmentionable regions, it can be a jungle all over. Of course you could just shave it, but that’s tedious and always seems to grow back with alarming speed (hours for some). Waxing is another possibility, though a far-more painful one and, like shaving, you find yourself the unwilling gardener of a fuzzy growth that never goes away. Looks like its time to succumb to the way of the gun. The laser gun, that is. Wave goodbye to Gillette and hello to Marvin the Martian. Set your phasers to vaporize and zap all those unwanted follicles into the deep reaches of space. Laser hair removal is a safe, permanent and, best of all, painless process of ridding yourself of any undesirable furriness. It’s not quite as easy as it sounds though – depending on the body part and hair density, it may take quite a few sessions, particularly for sensitive areas like the face. And it’s not an effective option for everyone as it works better for people with light skin and dark coarse hair. In a process called selective photothermolysis, the laser light targets melanin, which gives hair and skin its colour. Due to its selective absorption and the laser’s attraction to dark pigment, only black and brown coarse hair can be removed. So blondes and redheads may not have more fun, at least when it comes to being under the gun. n Yoskarn Clinic | 89/203 Ratchadamri Rd (Behind Big C Superstore) | 02-253-8901 | BTS Chit Lom | www.laser-surgery-bangkok.com n Bumrungrad International Hospital | 33 Sukhumvit 3, Wattana | 02-667-1000 | BTS Nana | www.bumrungrad.com health & wellness

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Sports

sports MASTER MUAY THAI! Many a champ started out punching mitts at one of Bangkok’s many muay Thai schools. Some are livein training camps, others geared towards drop-in sessions, but all will train you up and teach you how to deflect – and deliver – the basic moves, be it kick, jab, elbow, foot thrust or standing grapple. Beginners and female pugilists are welcome, though they often receive inordinate attention from the coming-of-age combatants. n Chacrit Muay Thai School Washington Square next to Sukhumvit Soi 22 | 02-260-5816 www.chacritmuaythaischool.com n Fairtex Muaythai RCA 149 3rd Fl. RCA Driving Range, Local Rd. | 02-203-1443 | www.muaythaifairtex.com n The International Muay Thai School 22/8 Moo 8, Soi 10, Pracharaj Sai1 Road, Bangsue | 02-585-6807 www.geocities.com/maimuangkorn/ eng_mai.htm n Muay Thai Institute 336/932 Prahonyothin 118 Vipravadee Road, Rangsit | 02-9920096-99 | www.muaythai-institute.net n Muaythai Sasiprapa 401 Soi Ladprao 130 Klongchan, Bangkapi | 02-378-0270 | www.muaythaisasiprapa.com

Muay Thai Institute

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THAI BOXING venueS Lumphini Boxing Stadium Rama IV Rd, next to Suan Lum Night Bazaar | MRT Lumphini | 02-251-4303, 02-252-8765 | Fights Tue & Fri from 6:30pm10:30pm, Sat 5pm-8pm, 8:30pmmidnight | B1,000 B1,500 B2,000) สนามมวยลุมพินี ถ.พระราม 4

ติดกับสวนลุมไนท์ บาซ่าร์

Fairtex

MUAY THAI (Thai Boxing) Thai boxing, or muay Thai, is very popular in Bangkok with most major bouts held at either the Lumphini or Ratchadamnoen stadium. 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 safetyconscious 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, the blows are hard hitting, the blood real. spor ts

Ratchadamnoen Stadium Ratchadamnoen Nok Avenue | 02-281-4205, 02-280-1684-6 | Fights Mon, Wed, Thu 6:30pm11pm, Sun 5pm-8pm, 8:30pmmidnight | B1,000 B1,500 B2,000

เวทีมวยราชดำเนิน ถ.ราชดำเนิน

TAKRAW (Kick Volleyball) Go to Lumphini Park (see p.37) on any given day and watch sweaty Thais combine the skills of volleyball, football and gymnastics. As many as two dozen men pair off to leap and dive through the air with one objective in mind: without using their hands, keep a rattan ball from hitting the ground on their net side. The diverse mix of players – tuk-tuk drivers, security guards and students – says much about the widespread Thai love of takraw, the most beautiful Asian game. Played since the 11th century, it has spread throughout the region, but nowhere is it played with as much relish as here, where it fills stadiums.The sport’s killer move, the somersault scissor kick, can send the ball hurtling back over the net at amazing speeds. Watch in awe. bangkok 101

Spiceroads

Active Sports AEROBICS It might be hard to imagine, but every day, busy Bangkokians find the time for some energising aerobics – out in the open. Many practise graceful, meditative t’ai chi moves just after sunrise. And head to any park in the city around 5-6pm and you’ll spot large groups of office workers, kids and the elderly doing a hi-energy, Jane Fonda style workout in synch with blaring pop-techno songs and an enthusiastic coach clad in spandex. The best places for the free classes are the centrally located Lumphini Park and the smaller Benjasiri Park (next to The Emporium, Sukhumvit Rd, BTS Phrom Phong). Others, a bit off the beaten path, include Rommaninat Park (Siriphong Rd, near the Giant Swing), Saranrom Park (Thaiwang Rd) near the Grand Palace and Santiphap Park (Soi Rangnam). Never mind the possibility of fainting – simply join in! BOWLING Bowling is a favourite pastime among Thais. Most shopping malls have topof- the-line tenpin alleys on-site and many of these teeter dangerously close to being a nightclub with full bars and closing times after midnight. During after-hours, bowling alleys often have a DJ blasting thumping tunes, and they’ll often kill the lights and flood the halls with black light for a particularly psychedelic experience. Great spots to get your bowl on include trendy Blu-O at Siam Paragon and Esplanade, which also has platinum rooms for rent for your own private area and lane for your party. Also worth mentioning is the Major Bowl atop posh J-Avenue in Thong Lor, and also SF Strike Bowl in good ol’ MBK.

CYCLING SpiceRoads 14/1-B Soi Promsi 2 | Sukhumvit 39 | 02-712-5305, 089- 895-5680 | www. spiceroads.com This company has been organising bicycle tours in Southeast Asia for over 12 years, and it offers extraordinary day tours in the outskirts of Bangkok. The daytrips take you to the Damnoen Saduak Floating Market, Koh Kred, around Bangkok’s old city, Chinatown or along atmospheric canals through Bang Krachao, an unspoilt rural peninsula just across the river. They usually start early in the day (pick-up from your hotel is included). The rides, organised throughout the week, are demanding but fun. Groups are held small (two to 16 participants), but private tailormade itineraries are also possible, even for seriously adrenalineparched mountain bikers who are up for a technical 30km nailbiter. SpiceRoads also offers two-and three-day trips around Kanchanaburi, Ayutthaya and in the Mae Khlong Delta south of Bangkok; it also organises much longer trips in Thailand and its neighbours. ICE SKATING SUB-ZERO ICE SKATE CLUB (map D2) Ratchadaphisek Rd, Esplanade 4F | MRT Thailand Cultural Centre | 02354-2134 This isn’t a boring sterile rink, more

bangkok 101

spor ts

like a nightclub on ice. Popular among youngsters, its 682m2 of fluorescent ice lights up at night when Sub Zero morphs into an “Ice Bar” with DJs and strobe lights blasting the floor. For the novice, there are pros on hand with lessons ranging from speed skating, figure skating, ice skating and even hockey. Lessons are B900-2,400 and the complex has a fully stocked pro shop if you want brand new blades of glory. Even if you just want to have a look there are bars ringside, and of course they are made of ice! And this is Thailand so of course there’s karaoke on-site. TENNIS Lumphini Park Youth Centre (map C4) Soi Klang Racquet Club Sukhumvit Soi 49-9 (map E4) National Stadium Rama I Rd (map C3) Smash it down the line as tennis has become one of the most popular sports in all of Thailand, with local ace Paradorn Srichaphan bearing much of the responsibility for inducing hordes of Thais to pick up the racquet and start practising their serves. Many of the leading hotels offer an in-house court for you but if you’d like to get out among the people, there are quite a few public courts around town that you can use for free or for a small fee. Also towards the end of their respective seasons Bangkok hosts two tournaments, the ATP’s Thailand Open and the WTA’s Bangkok Open. 113

Business

business In Bangkok on business? Rest assured it brings a lot to the table. Convention centres, ritzy hotels, world-class wine-and-dine spots... it’s little wonder it’s a regional hub for MICE (Meetings and Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions), especially when you factor in the myriad down-time attractions. We dig up all the basics so that you don’t have to. Business Travellers Top on the list after you’ve touched down is, of course, a hotel.There are lots to choose from, in every location, but those that tick every business-traveller box include The Conrad, Sofitel Silom, Westin Grande and Sheraton Grande. Bangkok’s traffic has a justifiably miserable reputation, but having a car at your disposal can be handy. Try Limousine Thailand (www. limousinethailand.com). And if your hotel room isn’t cutting it as a makeshift office, then contact temporary office providers Regus (www.regus.co.th) or Servcorp (www.servcorp.net).

Business spotlight

Where 43 Sukhumvit Soi 15, 02253-9451, www.royalpresident.com BTS Nana Prices Deluxe Studio B13,854, Sapphire Suite B15,114 (rates per week) 114

There’s rarely a quiet moment on the local trade fair scene. For a rundown, see www.thaitradefair.com. Or perhaps you’re considering staging your company’s big meet or team get-away here? If so, talk to the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (www.tceb.or.th). They say it’s who you know – not what you know. To get your face out there, join one of the networking events hosted by Bangkok Young Professionals (www.mobyelite.com/byp) or others. If you’re short on business cards – and you will be after a night at the aforementioned – try one of the many one-stopshops at MBK shopping mall. It’s also worth reading up on Thailand’s face-saving and, often quirky, business culture.Try Working with the Thais: A Guide to Managing in Thailand by Henry Holmes and Suchada Tangtongtavy (White Lotus, B495). Finally, note that any foreigner working, or doing business here, must have a non-immigrant B visa and a work permit. If your company hasn’t arranged both, go to www.immigration.go.th and find out what you need. Or contact a business solutions provider like Sunbelt Asia – they’ll do all the paperwork so that you don’t have to. Starting Up Frequently voted one of the world’s best cities, it’s no surprise that so many look to set up shop in Bangkok. However, bear in mind that although Thailand opened it doors wide to foreign investment after the Asian Financial Crisis of 1997, it can still be a tricky place to establish a business. The best advice is to find local experts to help you clear the regulatory hurdles. Business solutions provider Sunbelt Asia (www.sunbeltasia.com) offers everything from upfront legal advice to business brokerage and serviced offices. Similarly, Bangkok Base (www.bangkokbase.com) is a 360° provider of business support. Chambers of commerce can also offer advice and assistance in finding partners. There are also a few books on the market. One of the best is Philip Wylie’s How to Establish a Successful Business in Thailand. In it you will find the essentials on the minutiae of business in Thailand, from negotiating baffling bureaucracy and legal peculiarities to cultural codes and social etiquette.

ROYAL PRESIDENT

Sukhumvit Soi 15’s Royal President may not be the fairest serviced apartment of them all. But, couple this 186 room property’s new face-lift with its competitive weekly rates and you have a very attractive proposition for longstayers. Studios and suites across its three wings have been upgraded, with their Executive Studios and Sapphire Suites in particular now looking very of-theminute – new upholstery, new furniture, new ovens etc. A week’s stay in the latter currently costs B15,114: great value considering it comes with a spacious living area, kitchenette and bedroom and includes buffet breakfast and free Internet access. Facilities include a fitness centre, outdoor pool with Jacuzzi and a freshly refurbished meeting room good for a meeting of up to 40.Those who like to play as hard as they work will also like the long list of guest privileges and discounts. Flash your keycard at Bed Supperclub’s doormen, for example, and you’ll gain free entry for you and a guest (15% discount on special DJ nights).

รอยัลเพรสสิเดนท์ สุขุมวิท ซ.15 business

bangkok 101

Ideo Morph 38

bangkok 101

Another method to acquire land is through a loan/lease agreement, whereby you loan money to a Thai citizen under a contract specifying they must use it to buy a property. Your Thai business partner will then buy the property and legally own the land. Simply put, you then get your lawyer to draw up an agreement giving you – the lender – a leasehold agreement on the property. However you decide to approach the acquisition of property, be sure to shop around and proceed with caution. Research the developers’ track record, the location, the average rate of return, and the likelihood of a super-skyscraper popping up and blocking that achingly beautiful view of the Chao Phraya River. Also, be aware that tales of relationships suddenly souring once deeds are signed are all too common. The best advice is to exercise common sense and find local experts you can trust. International brokerage firm Sunbelt Asia (www.property.th.com) has plenty of listings and English-speaking consultants on hand, while Property Report magazine (www.property-report.com) will give you a good overview of the whole scene. business

Photo courtesy of Ananda Development

Buying Property Many visitors decide they want to buy property in Bangkok: some because they fall in love with the city and all its eclectic idiosyncrasies; others because they jet in and out of the city on business and want more than a hotel room can offer. Whatever the reasons, buyers can find a wide range of accommodation at very favourable prices. From simple US$18,000 studio apartments to lavish million-dollar condos, there are options to suit most budgets. Non-Thai citizens looking to acquire property in the country will most probably be looking to purchase apartments rather than houses; as the law currently stands, foreigners are permitted to buy condos providing at least 51% of the building’s units are Thai-owned. Land (and therefore houses) is a different matter. Technically foreigners are not allowed to own land in Thailand, though if you are a foreigner married to a Thai citizen, then it is quite straightforward to draw everything up in your partner’s name.

real estate

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Courses&Ser vices

courses

apron, knives and wok, each student works at a personal cooking station in a spacious kitchen after short, informative demonstrations. Lunch consists of your own cooking plus additional dishes. No reason to limit yourself to just tom yam goong and phad thai – each session includes four innovative dishes; the selection changes daily. Perfect for tourists on a short Bangkok stint. บลู เอเลแฟนท์ ถ. สาทรใต้

Baipai

COOKING CLASSES BAIPAI COOKING SCHOOL (map C4) 150/12 Soi Naksuwan, Nonsee Road, Chong Nonsi | 02-294-9029 | www.baipai.com No sitting back and just watching at this leafy two-storey townhouse. Shortly after being picked up from your hotel, passed an apron and given a brief demonstration of how to cook four dishes it’s over to you. Fortunately the breezy open-plan workshop, individual cooking stations and pre-prepped ingredients mean cooking here is no chore. Plus the staff are smiley and professional, as they answer your questions (“But what if I can’t find kaffir lime leaves?” etc) and ensure you don’t singe your spring rolls. Later you get to feast on the fruits of your labour – so do your research on the seven set menus if you’re allergic to tom yum. Some takehome recipes and a souvenir fridge magnet featuring a snap of you in action completes the four-hour morning or afternoon experience; one so palatable and productive and, gasp, fun that many come back for seconds.

รร.สอนทำอาหารไทยใบพาย ถ.นนทรี

BLUE ELEPHANT (map B4) Thai Chine Building, 233 South Sathorn Rd | 02-673-9353 | www.blueelephant. com | from B2,800 The class offered at this classy restaurant is very hands-on and easy to follow. The morning class is preferable since it starts with a visit to the Bang Rak market with the chef, where you’re shown the ingredients you’ll use later. Equipped with 116

(รถไฟฟ้าสุรศักดิ์)

THAI MASSAGE CLASSES WAT PO THAI TRADITIONAL MEDICAL SCHOOL (map A3) 2 Sanamchai Rd | 02-622-3551, 02622-3533 | www.watpomassage.com | daily 8am – 5pm | B8,500/30hrs Any good spa therapist will have undergone their training in traditional Thai massage at this temple school. Constructed in a concealed building away from the tourist-infested but peaceful Wat Po temple grounds, the instruction area is more functional than stylish, but the efficient course run by competent instructors more than makes up for the missing luxury. Thai massage, an ancient form of healing, uses pressure application on the various body meridians. Your costudents will mainly be Thai and Japanese, along with the odd Westerner. The 30hour course can be completed in five, six or ten days; a foot reflexology course and other instruction are available too. The tired tourist can also get Bangkok’s best Thai massage in fan-cooled, opensided salas for just B360/hour.

โรงเรียนแพทย์แผนโบราณ วัดพระเชตุพน ถ. สนามชัย

CHIVA-SOM INTERNATIONAL ACADEMY (map E4) Modern Town Bldg, 87/104 Ekamai Rd, Sukhumvit Soi 63 | BTS Ekkamai | 02711-5270-3 | www.chivasomacademy. com | from B9,000 Asia’s premier training centre for spa and holistic therapies offers intensive courses covering all aspects of spa-ing, from anatomy and Thai massage to stress management. Held in peaceful surroundings and conducted by skilled cour ses & ser vices

Wat Po

international instructors, half the time is spent on theory and practice, the other half is filled with case studies. The academy takes its instruction seriously; students receive internationally accepted accreditation on completion of courses. The high but justified prices range from B9,000 (two-day reiki course) to B59,000 (spa development course). Most courses are too long for a usual holiday (two to four weeks), but there are one-week courses available in reflexology and shiatsu. ชีวาศรม อินเตอร์เนชันแนล อะคาเดมี

โมเดิร์นทาวน์ 87/104 ถ.สุขุมวิท 63

MEDITATION CLASSES INTERNATIONAL BUDDHIST MEDITATION CENTRE (map A3) Wat Mahathat, Na Phra Lan Rd | 02-2226011 | www.mcu.ac.th/mcu/eng | free This is the most traditional, noncommercial meditation class, based on Vipassana (‘insight’) mindfulness. For Buddhists, meditation is essential to cleanse the mind and accomplish clarity and inner peace. Close to Sanam Luang, the atmospheric temple complex is the teaching centre of Mahachulalongkorn Buddhist University, one of Thailand’s highest seats of Buddhist learning. Daily classes conducted in English (1pm-4pm, 6pm-8pm, 7pm-10pm) are mixed; you’ll find monks, locals and tourists here. Participants can stay on the compound in simple, quiet rooms; complimentary meals are provided. Bring offerings of flowers, a candle and nine incense sticks for the opening ceremony. Donations are accepted. Retreats of three or more days are available as well. Perfect for a serious, but short stint into Buddhist meditation.

สำนักกองกลางวิปัสนา วัดมหาธาตุ ถ. หน้าพระลาน

bangkok 101

making merit Want to shore up your karma reserves? Even if you’re only visiting Thailand for a short time, there are plenty of worthwhile causes that rely on public support for their services. In each issue of Bangkok 101, we highlight the work of a local charitable organisation, along with details on how you can help.

Soi Cats & Dogs (SCAD)

Amidst the splendour of Bangkok’s temples and its busy streets, thousands of cats and dogs endure a miserable existence. Their plight is largely ignored. Soi Cats and Dogs (SCAD), a non-profi t volunteer organization established in 2002, helps to change that by improving the lives of Bangkok’s strays. Through realistic programmes of animal birth control, education and adoption, SCAD works to reduce the number of homeless dogs and cats humanely. Run by a handful of enthusiastic staff, SCAD welcomes volunteers to meet rescued dogs. By offering them training and socialising them, it gives rescues the chance they deserve to become pets. You can visit the rehoming centre to see the cats and dogs at play and you can add your support by shopping at the store, ReTails Too, or enjoying some delicious home baked cake and a cup of coffee at Scoffees cafe. Here you can also donate money, supplies (cat and dog food, bowls, toys, blankets etc), or your skills through volunteering. You’ll find ReTails Too, Scoffees cafe and the Rehoming Centre at 289 Soi Pridi Phanamyong 42, Sukhumvit Soi 71 (nearest BTS Phra Kanong, then taxi). If you would like to lend regular financial support to SCAD’s cause, why not become a ‘virtual’ adopter by sponsoring a needy cat or dog through the SCAD’s Muttketeer sponsorship programme? You’ll find more details at: www. scadbangkok.org/sponsorship

Photo courtesy of SCAD

Soi Cats & Dogs www.scadbangkok.org | 02-713- 3354

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cour ses & ser vices

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Reference

survival thai Numbers 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 20 21 22 30 40 100 101 110 200 1,000 1,100 5,000 10,000 15,000 50,000 100,000 1,000,000

˘ soon nèung ˘ song ˘ saam sèe hâa hòk jèt pàet kâo sìp sìp èt ˘ sìp song yêe sìp yêe sìp èt ˘ yêe sìp song ˘ saam sìp sèe sìp (nèung) rói (nèung) rói èt (nèung) rói sìp ˘ rói song (nèung) phan (nèung) phan nèung rói hâa phan (nèung) meùun nèung meùun hâa phan hâa meùun ˘ (nèung) saen (nèung) láan

Basics yes no I you

châi / khráp / khâ mâi châi ˘ / (di)chán phom khun

Communication I don’t understand I can’t speak Thai never mind possible / impossible

mâi khâo jai phôot thai mâi dâi mâi pen rai dâi / mâi dâi

lthough it is not really necessary to learn Thai for a short stay in Thailand, as most Thais who deal with tourists speak some English, you will have an undoubtedly more enjoyable experience if you make the effort to remember a few words. Basic Thai grammar is considerably simpler than the grammar in western languages. Sentences are reduced to the basic subject-verb-object format (no tenses, plurals, genders or subject-verb agreement). The main difficulty comes from the fact that Thai is a tonal language, meaning that words can have different meanings depending on how they are pronounced. Five tones are used: low tone ( ` ), middle tone (unmarked), high tone ( ´ ), falling tone ( ˆ ) and rising tone ( ˇ ).

Did you know? khráp and khâ You should end your sentences with khráp if you are a man and khâ if you are a woman: this is the polite way of addressing people in Thailand. Both words are also used to say “yes”.

Thai script Thai script was introduced during the reign of King Ramkhamhaeng in 1283, and has hardly changed since then. Like English, the Thai language has an alphabet and is written from left to right. The main difference is that there are no spaces between words, no punctuation and no capital letters. Moreover, the Thai alphabet consists of 44 consonants and 32 vowels.

Greetings and civilities

Adjectives and adverbs

hello / hi / goodbye how are you? I’m fine and you? pardon? sorry / excuse me thank you (very much)

beautiful big / small expensive good here/there hot / cold a little a lot / much / very

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sa-wàt dee sa-bai dee réu sa-bai dee láew khun lâ arai ná ˘ thôt kho khòp khun (mâak)

reference

˘ suay yài / lék paeng dee têe nêe/ têe nân rón / yen nîtnòi mâak

Transportation canal street, lane pier road temple

khlong soi thâa ˘ (th) thanon wát

to... please pai... mái > the ... hotel > rong raem ... ˘ > the airport > sa-naam bin ˘ > the train station > sa-taa-nee rót fai > the bus station > bo ko˘ so˘ ˘ ˘ > the police station > sa- taa-nee tumruat > this address > têe yòo née ˘ ... > the ... restaurant > ráan aahaan use the meter turn left / right go straight on stop here please

chái mée-têr ˘ lée-ow sáay/ khwaa trong pai jòt têe nêe

Shopping how much is it? an-née thâo rài that’s (a bit) too expensive paeng pai

Food rice fried rice water tea coffee spicy is it very spicy? not spicy without chilli delicious

khâo khâo pàd náam plào chaa kafae phèt phèt mâak mái mâi phèt mâi sài prik arròy

Questions where? when? what? which? (thing) where is / are...? how much / many?

˘ têe nai mêua-rài ˘ arai ˘ an-nai ... yòo têe nai thâo rài

bangkok 101

USEFUL PHONE NUMBERS Metropolitan Mobile Police 191 Crime 195 Traffic Control Centre 197 Fire 199 Tourist Assistance Centre 02-281-5051 Tourist Police 1155 Highway Police 1193 Medical Emergency 1669 LOST CREDIT CARD CALL CENTRES American Express 02-273-5544 (8am8pm) / 02-273-5522 (after 8pm) MasterCard 02-260-8572 Visa 02-273-1199 or 02-273-7449 MEDICAL EMERGENCY Bangkok Hospital 02-310-3000 BNH Hospital 02-686-2700 Bumrungrad Hospital 02-667-1000 Samitivej Hospital 02-711-8000 St. Louis Hospital 02-675-5000 Thai Nakarin Hospital 02-361-2727 Dental Hospital 02-260-5000/15 TELEPHONE SERVICES Bangkok Directory Inquiries 1133 Domestic Long Distance 101 International Long Distance 100 Overseas Subscribers Call 001 TOURISM OFFICES TAT Call Centre 1672 (8am-8pm) TAT Tourist Information 4 Ratchadamnoen Nok Rd; 02-282- 9773, 02-2505500 | daily 8:30am- 4:30pm Tourism Authority of Thailand 1600 New Phetchaburi Rd | 02- 250-5500 | www.tat.or.th; www. tourismthailand.org Bangkok Tourism Division 171/1 Phra Athit Rd | 02-225-7612/4 | www. bangkoktourist.com IMMIGRATION DEPARTMENT 507 Soi Suan Plu, off South Sathorn Rd | 02-287-3101 | Mon-Fri 8am- 4pm EMBASSIES Australia 37 South Sathorn Rd | 02344-6300 | www.austembassy.or.th Canada Abdulrahim Place 15F, 990 Rama IV Rd | 02-636-0540 | www.bangkokinternational.gc.ca bangkok 101

Cambodia 185 Ratchadamri Rd | 02957-5851-2 | RECBKK@hotmail.com China 57 Ratchadaphisek Rd, Din Daeng | 02-245-7043/4 | www.chinaembassy.or.th India 46 Sukhumvit Rd Soi 23 | 02258- 0300/5 | www.indianembassy. gov.in/bangkok Indonesia 600-602 Phetchaburi Rd | 02-252-3135/40 Japan 177 Wireless Rd | 02-696-3000, 02-207-8500 | www.th.emb-japan.go.jp Laos 520, 502/1-3 Wang Thonglang Rd | 02-539-6667 | www.bkklaoembassy.com Malaysia 33-35 South Sathorn Rd | 026296800 | ww.kin.gov.my/perwakilan/ bangkok Myanmar 132 North Sathorn Rd | 02233-2237, 02-234-4698, 02-234-4789 | mebkk@asianet.co.th New Zealand M Thai Tower, 14F All Seasons Place, 87 Witthayu Rd | 02-254-2530 | www.nzembassy.com Philippines 760 Sukhumvit Rd | 02-259-0139/40 | www.philembassybangkok.net Singapore 129 South Sathorn Rd | 02-286-2111 United Kingdom 1031 Witthayu Rd | 02-305-8333 | www.ukinthailand. fco.gov.uk U.S.A. 120-122 Witthayu Rd | 02205-4000; www.usa.or.th/embassy Vietnam 83/1 Witthayu Rd | 02-251-5836 TRANSPORT PLANE Suvarnabhumi Bangkok Airport Call Centre 02-132-1888 Bangkok Airways 02-265-5555 | www.bangkokair.com Air Asia Suvarnabhumi International Airport A1-062 FG, Concourse A | 02-5159999 | www.airasia.com Thai Airways Int’l Suvarnabhumi International Airport F4, Row F | 02-356-1111 | www.thaiair.com TRAIN State Railway | www.railway.co.th Bangkok Railway Station (Hua Lamphong) Rama IV Rd | Call Centre 1690 reference

contacts

Hua Lamphong

SKYTRAIN/SUBWAY BTS Skytrain Call Centre 02-612-2444 | www.bts.co.th MRT Subway Call Centre 02-354-2000 BUS Call Centre 02-576-5599 Northern & Northeastern Bus Terminal Phahonyothin Rd, Mor Chit Southern Bus Terminal Boromrat Chonnani Rd Sai Tai Eastern Bus Terminal Sukhumvit Rd (Ekkamai)

Surfing BKK There’s a million websites out there, all desperate for a good quick click – but these are the only ones we would take home to meet our mum. n www.1stopbangkok.com Everything you wanted to know about Bangkok but were afraid to ask. n www.thaivisa.com General, boring, immigration type stuff and an entertaining messageboard. n www.bangkokartmap.com Find out where the pretty pictures and free wine’s at. n www.paknamweb.com Blogs, blogs and more blogs. Everything from the Thai lottery to sizzling streetfood. n www.movieseer.com Popcorn? Check. Emergency sweater? Check. Showtimes? Check here! 119

Reference

getting around

angkok’s heaving traffic is legendary, presenting a constant challenge for residents and visitors to the city. River and canal boats, along with the BTS skytrain and MRT subway systems, offer some reliable alternatives to getting jammed on the road. Nonetheless, traffic remains horrendous, particularly mid-week. Below is a layman’s guide to inner-city transport options.

also provides free shuttle buses which transit passengers to and from stations and nearby areas. www.bts.co.th

ROAD TAXI Bangkok has thousands of metered, air-con taxis available 24 hours. Flag fall is B35 (for the first 2kms) and the fare climbs in B2 increments. Be sure the driver switches the metre on. No tipping is required, but rounding the fare up to the nearest B5 or B10 is common. Additional passengers are not charged, nor is baggage. For trips to/from the airport, the passengers should pay the expressway toll fees. When boarding from the public taxi queue outside the terminal, a B50 surcharge is added to the metered fare. TUK-TUK Those three-wheeled taxis (or samlor) are best known as tuk-tuks, named for the steady whirr of their engines. They are popular amongst tourists and can be fun for short trips around town. A 10-minute ride should cost around B40, but always bargain before boarding. Beware: if a tuk-tuk driver offers to deliver you anywhere in town for as low as B10, it’s part of a setup that will lead you to an overpriced souvenir or jewellery shop. It would be wise to decline any such offers. MOTORCYCLE TAXI In Bangkok’s heavy traffic, motorcycle 120

taxis are the fastest, albeit most dangerous, form of road transport. Easily recognisable by their colourful vests, motorbike taxi drivers gather in groups by department stores, at the end of long sois or by tourist spots. As with tuk-tuks, fares definitely have to be negotiated beforehand. BUS Bangkok has an extensive and inexpensive public bus service. Both open-air and air-conditioned vehicles are available, respectively for B5 and B7.50-23 Pink-white mini-buses are a little more expensive (B25 per person) but seats are guaranteed. As most destinations are noted only in Thai, it is advisable to get a bus route map (available at hotels, TAT offices and bookshops). RAIL SKYTRAIN The Bangkok Transit System, or BTS, is a two-line elevated train network covering the major commercial areas. Trains run every few minutes from 6am to midnight, making the BTS a quick and reliable transport option, especially during heavy traffic jams. Fares range from B15 to B40; special tourist passes allowing unlimited travel for one day (B120) is available. BTS reference

SUBWAY Bangkok’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is another fast and reliable way to get across town. The 18-station line stretches 20kms from Hualamphong (near the central railway station) up to Bang Sue in the north. Subways run from 6am 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 B15 to B39. www.bangkokmetro.co.th RIVER (also see River Tourism on p.24) EXPRESS RIVER BOAT Bangkok’s vast network of inter-city waterways offer a quick and colourful alternative for getting around the city. Express boats ply the Chao Phraya River from the Saphan Taksin Bridge up to Nonthaburi, stopping at some 30 main piers. Fares range from B9 to B32 depending on the distance. Tickets can either be bought on the boat or at the pier. Boats depart every 20 minutes or so between 5:30am and 6pm. Cross-river services operate throughout the day at each pier for the modest sum of B3. CANAL BOAT Khlong Saen Saep canal boats operate from Banglamphu across the city to Ramkhamhaeng University. Canal (khlong) boats tend to be frequent and cost around B8 to B18. Tickets are bought onboard. Note that the piers are a little hidden away, which makes them sometimes difficult to find. bangkok 101