publisher’s letter
F
or those of us who live in Bangkok, it’s always a thrill to see Thai creative talent making a splash on the world stage. And that’s precisely what happened at last month’s Salone Internazionale del Mobile – the prestigious Milan Furniture Fair – where seven of the Kingdom’s most innovative, stylish young designers took Thai style to the rest of the world an received a rapturous reception. We tagged along for the ride and also sat down for a chat with curator Eggarat Wongcharit. Speaking of Thai talent, the release of The Last Executioner is only a few weeks away so check out our feature on this very Thai tale of one male’s struggle to balance his grisly work with his life as a devoted family man. Elsewhere, we’ve been eating well – as usual. We paid a visit to Sensi, as well as La VIE, Mondo, Cloud 47 and Blue Sky. We also touched base with Ku De Ta and our editor-atlarge Joe Cummings gives us the lowdown on the changing face of Sathorn. On the travel front, we headed north to Mae Hong Son and ate our weight in ayam percik during our travels through Kota Bharu in Malaysia. So yes, all in all, it was a pretty good month. All this and our 101 archive and extras can be found online at bangkok101.com. A couple of clicks is all it takes to keep in touch with what’s happening. If there’s something you feel we’re not covering but should, then please drop us a line at info@talisman-media.com.
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What is Bangkok 101 Independent and unbiased, Bangkok 101 caters to savvy travellers who yearn for more than what they find in guidebooks. It brings together an authoritative who’s who of city residents, writers, photographers and cultural commentators. The result is a compact and intelligent hybrid of monthly travel guide and city magazine that takes you on and off the well-worn tourist track. Bangkok 101 employs the highest editorial standards, with no fluff, and no smut. Our editorial content cannot be bought. We rigorously maintain the focus on our readers, and our ongoing mission is to ensure they enjoy this great city as much as we love living in it.
Enjoy.
Mason Florence Publisher
b a ngkok 101 Pa r t n e r s
bangkok101.com
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Contributors
publisher
Mason Florence editor-in-chief
Dr Jesda M. Tivayanond associate publisher
Parinya Krit-Hat editor
Bill Bredesen editor at large
Joe Cummings editorial assistant
Pawika Jansamakao Bangkok-born but internationally bred, Dr Tom Vitayakul has a background in communication and branding but now runs his family’s boutique hotel and Thai restaurant. An avid traveller and a bon vivant, he has contributed to magazines including Lips, Lips Luxe and the Bangkok Post ’s the Magazine, and has also helped edit several books on Thai subjects.
Award-winning writer joe cummings was born in New Orleans and grew up in France, California and Washington, DC. Joe became one of Lonely Planet’s first guidebook authors, creating the seminal Lonely Planet Thailand guide. Joe has also written illustrated reference books such as Buddhist Stupas in Asia; Sacred Tattoos of Thailand; Muay Thai; World Food Thailand; Buddhist Temples of Thailand; Chiang Mai Style and Lanna Renaissance.
Food and travel writer howard richardson lives beside the Chao Phraya River in downtown Bangkok, from where he’s spent years exploring the city as magazine editor and freelance writer. He’s contributed to publications such as GQ , the BBC’s Olive magazine and the New York Times online, and written a monthly column in Sawasdee, the Thai Airways inflight magazine.
editorial intern
Amonrada Thamsakul art director
Narong Srisaiya graphic designer
Thanakrit Skulchartchai Watcharee Sadubsoi
strategists
Nathinee Chen Sebastien Berger contributing writers
Gaby Doman, Luc Citrinot, Philip Cornwel-Smith, Keith Mundy contributing photographers
Dejan Patic´, Jatuporn Rutnin, Paul Lefevre, Ludovic Cazeba, Leon Schadeberg, Marc Schultz, Niran Choonhachat general manager
Jhone El’Mamuwaldi director business development
Itsareeya Chatkitwaroon British-born writer-artist steven pettifor stopped over in Thailand 13 years ago on his way to Japan, but never left. An authority on contemporary Thai art, Steven is a commentator on the local art scene, contributing to international and domestic newspapers and journals. In 2004 he published coffeetable book Flavours: Thai Contemporary Art . When not musing, he is often found travel writing.
AVAILABLE AT:
bangkok101.com
Native-Bangkok writer, photographer and incurable travel addict, korakot (nym) punlopruksa believes in experiencing the world through food. She can usually be found canvassing the city for the best eats. Nym has been a host for music and film programmes, a radio DJ, a creative consultant for TV and a documentary scriptwriter. Her work appears in magazines, including Elle, Elle Decoration and GM .
Very Thai author philip cornwel-smith is a writer, editor and curator specialising in the areas of culture and travel. He has lived in Thailand for over a decade, editing its first listings magazine and the Time Out Bangkok guides, updating Thailand: A Traveller’s Companion, presenting Noodle Box: Bangkok on Discovery Channel, and squeezing Bangkok into the city’s first phone guide for Nokia.
partnership development manager
Willem Deenik special projects
Wasin Banjerdtanakul circulation
Pradchya Kanmanee published by
Talisman Media Group Co., Ltd. 54 Naradhivas Rajanagarindra Soi 4, Sathon Tai Road, Yannawa, Sathon, Bangkok 10120 T 02-286-7821 | F 02-286-7829 info@talisman-media.com © Copyright Talisman Media Group Co., Ltd 2013. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without the express written, prior permission of the publisher. Views expressed in this magazine are not necessarily those of the publisher, which accepts no responsibility for them.
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CONTENTS 40
52
44
18
city pulse
a r t & c u lt u r e
73 eat like nym
8 metro beat
48 exhibition highlights
74 restaurant listings
12 hot plates: sensi
52 photo feature:
14 out and about:
thai style hits milan
nightlife
a floral journey
84 nightlife news
18 best of bangkok:
86 nightlife review:
guns and karma
ku de ta
69
88 nightlife listings
s n a p s h ot s shopping
22 tom’s two satang 24 very thai
96 new collection:
25 chronicle of thailand
kemissara
26 joe’s bangkok
98 jj gem: karmakamet
28 bizarre thailand
99 unique boutique:
30 historic homes,
96
temples and museums
the chonabod
wellness t r av e l
food & drink
100 treatment review:
34 up country now
64 food and drink news
virgin active
39 hotel review
66 meal deals
40 up country escape:
67 restaurant reviews:
escapades on the
blue sky, cloud 47,
102 getting there
northwest frontier
la vie, mondo
104 maps
44 over the border:
72 in the kitchen:
112 my bangkok:
spice of life
fernando reyes barba
lawrence osborne
86
reference
bangkok 101
may 2014 100 baht
THAI STYLE HITS MILAN |
CITY PULSE Sensi |
TRAVEL Spice of Life |
SHOPPING Kemissara
Thai Style Hits Milan The Kingdom’s brightest emerging designers take their work on the road
may 2014
on the cover The cover shows a miniature statue of the Thai goddess Nang Kwak welcoming visitors to Slow Hand Design’s Thai Craftology exhibition at the Milan Furniture Fair. She is believed to have a supernatural power to attract customers to shops and businesses. Check out p52 for our coverage of the fair.
4/23/14 1:09 PM
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bangkok101.com
The chic design and modern layout at Chili Hip restaurant and Walk bar create an almost surreal ambiance, Enhanced by an innovative cocktail and an Asian Menu. Enjoy your dining on the rooftop at Centara Watergate Pavillion Hotel Bangkok as you take in stunning views of the city in one of Bangkok’s most elite nightlife destinations
T: +66 (0) 2 625 1234 E : cwbrsvngroup@chr.co.th www.centarahotelsresorts.com centarahotelsresorts mycentara CENTARA WATERGATE PAVILLION HOTEL BANGKOK
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567 Ratchaprarop Road, Makkasan, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400 Thailand
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metro beat Check out the best of Bangkok’s Jamaica connection at the Reggae Ska Concert at Live House Studio (JJ Green, Kamphaeng Phet 3, Chatuchak, 081 930 3633, facebook. com/livehousebkk) on May 11. The bands are Mocca Garden, Deep O Sea, Teddy Ska Band and Gold Red, kick off is 6pm, and tickets are B499 from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com).
by Howard Richardson
ROCK & POP South Korean rock band CNBLUE pitch up at Impact Arena (99 Popular Rd, Pakkred, 02-504-5050, impact.co.th) on May 4 for a gig titled ‘Can’t Stop in Bangkok’ to promote their latest album Can’t Stop. Their name apparently means ‘Code Name’, followed by Burning, Lovely, Untouchable and Emotional, the chosen celebrity personas of the four members. Tickets are on sale at Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com). Prices hadn’t been released at press time.
Children of Bodom Melodic death metal from Finland hits town in the shape of Children of Bodom, who play at Centerpoint Studio (9-11 Sukhumvit Soi 105 (Soi Lasalle), 02-361-9229) on May 16. The guitar-led five-piece will draw on their 10 albums, including Are You Dead Yet, and Halo of Blood, with tracks like Hate Me!, Blooddrunk and You’re Better Off Dead!. Show time is 8pm; tickets are B1500 earlybird and B2000 on the day, from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com). Three duos – Maleewan & Charus, Byrd & Heart and Sumate & The Punk – take centre stage in the Song Kamlang Sam To Dad Concert at the Grand Hall, Thammasat University (2 Prachan Road, 02-613-3333) on May 17-18. There will also be special guests and accompaniment from the Modern Live Orchestra. Tickets are B1500-B3000 from Thai Ticketmajor (02262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com).
Big Ass Genie Records celebrates 16 years in the rock music industry with GenieFest at Lake Side Muang Thong Thani (99 Popular Rd, Pakkred, 02-504-5050, impact.co.th) on May 10. The record label’s stable includes Big Ass, Bodyslam, Paradox, The Yers and Klear, just five of the 14 bands that will appear. Gates open at 4pm. Tickets are B1600 from Thai Ticketmajor (02-262-3456, thaiticketmajor.com). If “summery dreampop for lazy days and dreamy nights” appeals, that’s just how Swedish-Norwegian trio Postiljonen are plugged by their record company. You can skip down to see them at Cosmic Café (Block C, RCA, 081-304-6907, facebook. com/cosmiccafe) on May 10. The three-piece, often likened to the Cocteau Twins and French electro poppers M83, are singer Mia Brox Bøe and multi instrumentalists Daniel Sjörs Joel and Nyström Holm. They released their first album, Skyer, last year, following a bunch of acclaimed singles. Support comes from local bands De Connextor, Cut The Crab and Cloud Behind. The entry price of B500 includes one drink. 8 | M AY 2 0 1 4
Maleewan
ART There are 50 entries in the 3rd White Elephant Art Award Art Exhibition show at the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (939 Rama I Rd, 02-214-6632, bacc.or.th) until May 25. Under the theme ‘My Home’, the works include paintings, sculptures and prints, with no limit on technique or material. As well as the award, the outright winner receives one million baht. bangkok101.com
metro beat
EXHIBITIONS
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FESTIVALS
Royal Ploughing Ceremony
10 Years After What is Service Design? The exhibition What is Service Design? explores the role of service in business at the Thailand Creative & Design Centre (TCDC, Fl 6 Emporium Shopping Complex, 622 Sukhumvit 24, 02-664-8448, tcdc.or.th) until June 29. The organisers say: “Service Design means a holistic improvement of the entire business, instead of only the physical aspect, as it is led by user experience”. The venue is open Tuesday to Sunday from 10.30am-9pm. Admission is free.
CLASSICAL This month’s concert at Sala Sudasiri Sobha (158/20 Ladprao 41, Yaek 7-2, 02-5418662, salasudasirisobha.com) on May 18 is a performance by the owner and designer of the purpose-built venue, Nat Yontararak (piano), and Chatchawarn Atthakijkosol (flute). It starts at 4pm. Tickets are B500, including free parking and a free light meal with Chatchawarn Atthakijkosol drinks. The organisers welcome donations to help the Gift of Life Foundation. The Bangkok Music Society presents music by Handel, Bach, Vivaldi and more in a concert called Musical Gems from the Italian Baroque at Siam Ratchada Auditorium (Fortune Town, Ratchadapisek Rd, 087-706-7256) on May 18. The AU Chamber Music Ensemble provide accompaniment to bangkok101.com
The rice-growing season is welcomed by a series of rituals in the ancient Brahmin Royal Ploughing Ceremony at Sanam Luang on May 9. With a backdrop of chanting monks, cattle are presented with a choice of different foods, including water, beans and rice wine. What they choose to eat is believed to predict the coming harvest. This year’s Music and Art Fest (MAB) at the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre (939 Rama I Rd, 02-214-6632, bacc.or.th) falls on the weekend of May 24-25. The open space in front of the building will be filled with artworks and crafts, while bands such as Slot Machine, Abuse the Youth and Part Time Musicians provide the sounds. You can also pick up a limited edition T-shirt designed by Yuree Kensaku. It runs from 4pm9pm, with free admission. More details are at facebook.com/ baccpage.
the vocal leads, harpsichord, flute and viola da gamba. The concert starts at 7pm; tickets are B500. The Bangkok Symphony Orchestra conducted by Carlo Magni performs Opera Highlight Arias at the Thailand Cultural Centre (Thiem Ruammitr Rd, 02-247-0028) on May 25. The singers are Lucia Conte (soprano), Paola Cacciatori (mezzo-soprano), David Sotgiu (tenor) and Giuseppe Ranoia (bass), with music including pieces from Rigoletto(Verdi), Don Pasquale (Donizetti) and The Barber of Saville (Rossini). The performance starts at 8pm. Tickets are B400-B2000, available at Thai Ticketmajor.
LECTURES Writer Francis Benteux gives a talk titled LAOS Through the Eyes of the Extraordinary Marc Leguay at the Siam Society (131 Sukhumvit Soi 21, 02-661-6470, siam-society.org) on May 14. Leguay was a French painter who entered Laos in 1937 at the age of 27 and stayed until he died in 2001. The event begins at 7:30pm. Admission is free for members and students, and B200 for everyone else. DVDs of the lecture will be available for B300. M AY 2 0 1 4 | 9
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metro beat
SHOPPING
ThaiCraft Fair The ThaiCraft Fair sells products made by village artisans from around the country, adhering to fair trade practices. There are two events this month, from 10am-3pm on May 10 at Jasmine City Building (2 Sukhumvit Soi 23, 02-204-5885), and 9am-1pm on May 17 at the International School Bangkok (39/7 Soi Nichada Thani, Samakee Rd, Pakkret, 02-963-5800). Products include jewellery, fabrics, furnishings, spa products and organic groceries. Entrance is free.
THEATRE
Get your wallets ready for the long-awaited Central Embassy, the latest downtown mall from Central Group, which is slated to open on May 8. Located at the junction of Wireless and Phloenchit roads on former British Embassy land, the 144,000 square-metre “shopping paradise” will have all the usual upmarket brands, including Gucci, Chanel, Prada and Ralph Lauren, plus cinemas, restaurants and the Park Hyatt Bangkok hotel.
WELLNESS Three specialists share their wisdom during Wellness Month at the Metropolitan by COMO (27 Sathorn Tai Rd, 02-625-3333, comohotels.com/metropolitanbangkok) from May 7-31. Pablo Tymoszuk runs Soft Tissue Therapy sessions from May 7-19 (from B5000); Diana Von Cranach presents Asian vegan cuisine at Glow restaurant from May 18-25, including a Gala Vegan Wellness Dinner on May 23 and a vegan cooking workshop on May 24 (B1200 for each); and dietician Eve Persak presents detox and cleansing sessions (B4300) until May 31. Guests staying at the hotel receive discounted rates.
TRADE FAIRS
Compassion The journey from hell to earth for a young demon called Rachel provides the story for Compassion, a tragi-comedy directed by Robin Schroeter at the Pridi Banomyong Institute (Sukhumvit Soi 55, 086-787-7155) on May 22-26, 29-31 and June 1-2. All performances start at 7.30pm, in Thai with English subtitles. Tickets are B480-B500, with discounts for students, available from 099-179-5731. 1 0 | M AY 2 0 1 4
With ever more people taking to bicycles around the city, including along the recently opened 23.5km bike lane at Suvarnabhumi Airport, this could be just the time to visit Bangkok Bike 2014. The trade fair is at Impact Arena (99 Popular Rd, Pakkred, 02-5045050, impact.co.th) until May 4. See bangkokbikeexpo.net. Dubbed the “Shopaholic Super Sale”, the Thailand Fashion & Beauty Fair 2014 promises 300 booths showcasing Thai and international designers of clothes, shoes, and accessories, and the chance to win prizes. It’s at the Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre (60 Ratchadaphisek Rd, 02-229-3000, qsncc.co.th) from May 3-6. bangkok101.com
CUISINE ART
BROWN: CINNAMON Paying homage to the herbal medicine doctor, the original owner of the house, our third Thai gourmet journey explores colourful herbs and spices and their cultural values and medicinal properties. Highly prized among ancient nations and regarded as a gift fit for kings and gods, cinnamon and cassia barks and powder have been widely used as a spice. Native to South and Southeast Asia, cinnamon is principally used as condiment and flavouring material in cuisines from all over the world from savoury dishes to desserts, like chocolate. Besides having high nutrients of manganese, fiber, iron and calcium, cinnamon also gives many health benefits such as helping lower Cholesterol, regulate blood sugar, effect blood-clotting, relief arthritis, and prevent cancer. Its oil can also be used for insect repellent. Ruen Urai at the Rose Hotel 118 Soi Na Wat Hualumphong, Surawongse Road Tel: 66 (0) 2266-8268-72 Fax: 66 (0) 2266-8096 www.rosehotelbkk.com www.ruen-urai.com
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hot plates
Sensi by Howard Richardson
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hristian Martena, formerly the chef at the wine bar Opus, recently opened his own place, Sensi, in the back lanes off Narathiwat. You enter the converted wooden house through heavy double doors, arriving in a handsome main room with a divided section at the back. Another separate area has an open kitchen and a long wooden chef’s table that seats eight to 10 people. This can be booked by a group or shared communally. Pastel pillars and walls faced with grooved wood that look somewhere between candy- and pin-striped wallpaper lend a Parisian elegance, along with mirrors and windows everywhere, all framed in dark wood. Conversation bounces off the glass – a chattering energy that all but smothers the loungey Sade-esque soundtrack. Bold, colourful paintings by Elizabeth Romhild add to the vibrancy. Outside, there’s a cosy area for pre-dinner drinks with a couple of tables under a large tree; the space will be developed into a gastrobar later in the year. Along with the short a la carte menu, Christian also offers a seven-course degustation menu (B1980-B2390) that changes daily, depending on produce and the mood he’s in. Throughout, though, there is a consistent echo from his experience working in some of Paris’s top restaurants, while still adopting a more expansive approach to modern European cuisine. Early courses included seabass carpaccio, presented in a glass storage jar that releases a plume of smoked apple wood upon lifting the lid. Later dishes were even more refined – the Canadian lobster in white wine sauce with homemade pasta has a nice restrained spark of chilli, and looks appetising on the plate, with the pink shell for display but the flesh served loose, and has just enough tasty, light sauce packed with tomatoes and fresh basil. It’s delicious. Firm and meaty Dover sole arrives next, with zucchini, asparagus and artichoke, and a nicely balanced sharp-sweet lemon sauce, followed by a tender, medium-rare New Zealand lamb chop, beautifully cooked, with an a la grilla charcoal quality. The accompanying red grape reduction has halved grapes which offers up pops of fleshy juice, while sautéed spinach adds an intriguing offset. We ended with a dessert of deconstructed tiramisu, well executed, with mascarpone served in a chocolate sphere with amaretti crumbles on the side, the sphere melted by pouring hot coffee over the top. The trick here is to make sure the coffee flavour is concentrated enough – it was – and to not use so much that it destroys the crumbles. It was spot on. Sensi at its best is an impressive, innnovative newcomer, sophisticated but with a relaxed, lively atmosphere. It should develop nicely – alongside an area that is quickly emerging as one of the city’s hottest dining precincts – and is well worth a visit for those eager to stay ahead of the curve when it comes to Bangkok’s restaurants.
sENSI
[MAP 8/H18]
Narathiwat Soi 17, Yaek 5 | 02-117-1618 facebook.com/sensibangkok | Mon-Sat 6pm-midnight
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bangkok101.com
bangkok101.com
M A RCH 2014 | 13
A Floral Journey From the beautiful blossoms in Pak Khlong Talad to the ubiquitous floral motifs in temples and elsewhere, Bangkok is a flower lover’s paradise.
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ne of the first experiences many visitors have when they arrive in Thailand is that of being presented with a malai (flower garland) on a phan (ceremonial tray), along with a cool, refreshing towel and herbal drink. In Thailand, flowers are integral to practically every ceremony, whether religious or cultural. Yet they are seldom just cut and set inside vases. You’ll see flowers draped over or placed near statues of Buddha, Hindu deities and revered former kings, or as garlands hanging around the necks of muay Thai boxers, matinee idols and newlyweds, or behind the ears of puppets. 1 4 | M AY 2 0 1 4
BY SAKUL INTAKUL
When Thai children are born, their mothers are often given floral bouquets, just like in other countries. The child may even be bestowed with a floral name. After a month, the child is typically blessed in a tham khwan duan ceremony bedecked with flowers, and when the child is old enough for school, a wai khru ceremony is performed, with requisite floral offerings for the teachers. When Thai men enter the monkhood, they customarily present the monk who ordains them with a set of floral arrangements on pedestal trays known as kruai upatcha and malai thao. bangkok101.com
out & about
In pre-wedding ceremonies, the groom typically presents his bride’s family with a phan khan mak, asking for her hand in marriage. Along with fresh floral centrepieces and bridal bouquets, the bride and groom also will have traditional open-ended malai draped around their necks. Outside a new home, Thais plant ton champee, ton champa, ton phikul, ton kaew and ton peeb for their fragrant blossoms. We even eat some flowers, such as dok lanthom, dok khajorn, dok kae, dok khilek, dok fuangfa and dok ngiew. In ancient times, jasmine flowers were added to drinking water for their pleasant scent. Nowadays, you still see jasmine added to khao chae, a seasonal cooling rice dish. At the end of life, memorial services for the deceased are festooned with phuang reet (wreaths) at funerals while dokmai chan (folded paper flowers) are bestowed by mourners at cremations. Even in a city like Bangkok, among its modern skyscrapers and freeways, flowers are all around us, intertwined in our lives from birth to death. The Buddha categorised humans into four stages of development. The lotus under the mud is waiting to be eaten by fish and turtles (and therefore is unable to learn). The underwater lotus refers to a person who can be taught bangkok101.com
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but with difficulty. As one continues to evolve spiritually, he or she emerges from the muddy waters of samsara (pain/suffering/attachment) to reach a purer state of consciousness. And over time, one who achieves a state of Enlightenment becomes akin to a perfect lotus blossom. Not only are flowers in Thailand cherished as beautiful and divine but they often hold within them deeper meanings. The most powerful symbolism is the one just mentioned – of the lotus blossom. It explains whey these flowers are often presented as offerings in Buddhist temples. When jasmine flowers are woven together into a malai, they symbolise friendship or a close relationship. Crown flowers, or dok rak, refer to love. Globe amaranths, or dok banmairurouy, symbolise everlasting respect, while marigolds, or dok daoruang, are a sign of prosperity. Whenever someone asks me about Bangkok’s floral highlights, I offer them a list of places they can visit. At the top of my list is Pak Khlong Talad, the largest and most well-known flower market in Thailand, with carts and carts full of flowers heading in every direction. Lotuses, orchids, marigolds and jasmine bloom in countless numbers here. The sweet perfume of champaks fills the air. Bundles of red roses wrapped in sheets of yesterday’s newspaper patiently await lovers. M AY 2 0 1 4 | 1 5
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out & about
On the weekends, Chatuchak Market is famous for its dizzying array of everything under the sun. But on Wednesday mornings, the market offers a completely different vibe: it’s more sedate and much greener. What Pak Khlong Talad is to flowers, this place is to potted plants, transplanted trees and gardening equipment. Hardcore enthusiasts arrive as early as 4am, armed with flashlights to get the first pick of the new arrivals. The Museum of Floral Culture is my lifelong dream come true. It’s a place where I can teach workshops with guest instructors from around the world inside a century-old, colonial-style tropical home with a pleasant garden and tea salon. The Museum of Floral Culture serves as a virtual library of floral arts and traditions for Thailand and Asia. It is my intention for Thai floral culture to keep evolving here. Meanwhile, at the Grand Palace, Bangkok’s most popular tourist attraction, there is much to delight flower lovers, from floral tiles to beautiful murals and well-tended gardens. In my book Floral Journey Bangkok, I describe an 18-part walking tour describing the plant and flower motifs found inside the Grand Palace. Other floral highlights in the Thai capital, to name just a few, include Lumpini Park, Sri Maha Mariamman Temple (sometimes known as Wat Khaek), the Erawan Shrine, Bang Krachao (the city’s “green lung” just across the river), the Jim Thompson House and a host of sights in the Old Town. There are also a number of common plants that you will find growing as potted plants in front of shop houses, noodle shops, restaurants and other business establishments. These small potted plants are popular not only for their beautiful green foliage and occasional 1 6 | M AY 2 0 1 4
flowers, but especially for their auspicious properties. They are called waan mongkhol, or auspicious plants, and they normally have auspicious names. The most common plant for a business establishment is called waan nang kwak, which literally translates to “beckoning lady plant” and is believed to have the power to invite good fortune into a business. There are said to be 108 such kinds of plants in Thailand, all with different names and purported attributes. Waan mongkhol can be categorised according to their auspicious properties, such as bringing good fortune, invoking one’s charms and attractiveness, enabling the ability not to be hurt or killed, undoing curses and incantations and providing protection from harm. Some waan mongkhol also have medicinal properties. During a visit to a traditional Thai home, you will find not only flowering trees such as champee, champa, peeb, kaew and phikul planted in the garden for their beautiful blossoms, but you will also find a number of auspicious trees and plants. Blessings of wealth, health, happiness, power and authority can all be enhanced under the auspices of properly placed plants and trees. Floral Journey Bangkok introduces visitors and longterm Bangkok residents alike to the enchanting world of fragrances and nectars. Through reading the book, you can meet the city in her floral garb of secret wonders, sprinkled with the magic fairy dust of flower petals. This excerpt was taken from Sakul Intakul’s Floral Journey Bangkok, published by Purple Press. Accompanying illustrations are by Maki Fujii.
bangkok101.com
guns and karma In The Last Executioner, Vithaya Pansringarm plays Chavoret Jaruboon, a death-row prison guard who ends lives while remaining a devoted family man.
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havoret Jaruboon, the last employee of Thailand’s corrections system to carry out the death sentence by gun, enjoyed an unlikely pre-prison career as a wayward rock and roller who played guitar in bands entertaining American GIs on R&R in Thailand during the Vietnam War. When the young Chavoret fell in love and started a family, he traded in his troubadour lifestyle for that of a uniformed guard at Bangkok’s harshest prison, Bang Kwang. All prisoners at the infamously nicknamed ‘Bangkok Hilton’ wear leg irons for the first three months of their sentences, while death row inmates wear irons permanently welded around their ankles When a state executioner retired in the 1980s, Chavoret found himself cradling a deadly 9mm automatic rifle instead of a guitar. Peering down the barrel of the gun, 1 8 | M AY 2 0 1 4
BY JOE CUMMINGS
which was fitted with a silencer and mounted on a stand, the devoted family man eventually executed 55 people, including three women, firing up to 15 bullets through their backs and into their hearts. Although not a religious man – Chavoret was born to a Muslim mother and Buddhist father who had three wives – he nevertheless struggled with the ethics of carrying out his duty, and made heroic efforts to keep his family sheltered from the everyday stress, which included incidents where executions went wrong, and death came slowly and painfully. When the state changed the execution method to lethal injection, Chavoret retired, and became something of a celebrity in Thailand as a talk-show guest and author of several books on his time at Bang Kwang, including a comprehensive biography in English called The Last bangkok101.com
best of bangkok
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Tom Waller, right, on set
A young Chavoret in the film
Executioner. Sadly, the ex-executioner didn’t enjoy his retirement and fame for very long. He ordained as a Buddhist monk to atone for his grisly career, but died soon after being diagnosed with stomach cancer. Such a unique life makes perfect movie material, and after producer-director Tom Waller finished reading the straightforward and, at times, chilling account of Chavoret’s transformation from rocker to state-sanctioned killer, he moved quickly to request film rights from Chavoret’s family. “How does a man given the task of taking so many lives reconcile with his karma?” Waller muses when asked why he decided to direct the film. “That’s what initially interested me most in making a film inspired by his story. “After speaking to his widow and family, I realised there were different layers to this man. “Not only was he a dutiful servant of the state, but he was also a wonderful husband and a loving family man. Raising his family was the reason he entered the prison service in the first place. It paid more bills than playing the guitar would but working at Bang Kwang prison ultimately bangkok101.com
The poster for the film led to living with demons inside his head.” Waller commissioned New York-born, Chiang Maibased writer and editor Don Linder for the screenplay. Before he met Waller, Linder had attended one of Chavoret’s a public appearances, where he asked him a series of tough questions on karma and Buddhism. “I spent months interviewing a wide range of people associated with Chavoret,” says Linder about how he prepared for writing the script. “His family – his widow Khun Tew, his daughter Chulee, and his sons – were incredibly generous with their time and gave me access to all kinds of photos and artefacts, including some of the actual cardboard bullseye targets, complete with bullet holes and Chavoret’s notes on the back. “I also interviewed the drummer in his first band, his childhood friends and a monk who was his confidant. Besides reading all his books in English and articles about him, I viewed about 50 hours of video covering TV interviews, news programmes, morning talk shows, home videos and even a game show.” Actor Vithaya Pansringarm – who in the highly stylised M AY 2 0 1 4 | 1 9
CITY PU LSE
best of bangkok
Chavoret with his wife in the film Ryan Gosling vehicle Only God Forgives portrayed a sword-wielding policeman who slices evil characters according to their misdeeds – was an obvious choice to take on the Chavoret role. Now in his 50s, Pansringarm had worked with Waller before as the lead in Mindfulness and Murder, playing an ex-cop Buddhist abbot who investigates corruption and murder in his Bangkok monastery. Based on an English-language novel by author Nick Wilgus, Waller transformed the story into a Thai-language film which won Best Director for Waller, Best Actor for Pansringarm and Best Supporting Actor for Wannasak Sirilar at the ThrillSpy International Film Festival in Washington, DC in 2010. In fact it was while travelling together to a Siberian film festival in support of Mindfulness and Murder that Waller and Pansringarm first talked about making a film based on Chavoret’s life. This was well before Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn cast Pansringarm in Only God Forgives. Asked about the similarities between Chang, the character he played in Only God Forgives, and Chavoret in The Last Executioner, Pansringarm says: “Neither character kills out of hate or anger, but rather out of a sense of responsibility. They are trained killers, but they remain humble and duty-bound.” The soft-spoken Pansringarm, who holds a fifth-degree black belt in kendo and trains regularly with Thailand’s kendo association, could be talking about himself. Music also links both characters with the actor. Chang, the angel of death in Only God Forgives, hits the karaoke stage during his down time and in The Last Executioner Chavoret is not only seen playing in bands as a young man 2 0 | M AY 2 0 1 4
but continues to sing at prison events and karaoke clubs. IndieWire’s The Playlist cited Pansringarm’s karaoke scenes in Only God Forgives as one of the top movie music moments of 2013. “I played guitar when I was younger, and I like to sing, so I was comfortable handling the musical parts for both films,” Pansringarm says. Penpak Sirikul, notorious in the 1980s for her sultry, erotic glamour photos, and more recently acclaimed as an exemplary actress in such Thai films as It Gets Better (2012), plays Chavoret’s wife. Talking about Sirikul’s contributions to The Last Executioner, accomplished amateur chef Pansringarm makes a culinary comparison. “You know how the addition of saffron to certain dishes takes them to a whole new level? Just a little bit completely transforms the overall flavour, adding colour and class. That’s what Penpak did for our film. She’s a veteran actor and was very professional.” A character that shadows Chavoret throughout the film, appearing in various guises, visible only to the executioner and muttering morally pointed, sarcastic one-liners over his shoulder, is played with relish by Thai-French actor David Asavanond. Asavanond wowed audiences in 2012 with his screen-chewing portrayal of a sadistic, drugdealing hipster named Jesus in the New York-set horrorthriller Countdown. The role earned him the Best Actor award at the 2012 Thai National Film Awards. Moving towards international recognition and distribution, De Warrenne Pictures is sending the film to compete in several prominent international festivals. The Last Executioner will premiere in Thailand June 19, 2014. bangkok101.com
young thais must discover the value of learning 22 | XXX 2013
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insight
ToTwmo ’Ssatang
S N A P S H OT S
Join Bangkok-born but internationally bred aesthete Dr Tom Vitayakul as he gives his unique take on Thailand and its capital. Each month he tackles a different aspect of the local culture – from art and festivals to 21st-century trends – in a lighthearted yet learned manner.
On Education
Artwork: Stereotyped Thailand (Students in Rows), 2005, by Sutee Kunavichyanont
E
very mid-May in Thailand students go back to school after their summer vacation. In the morning the students, dressed in pristine uniforms, form perfect lines and sing the national anthem before walking to their classrooms. It is quite a sight. Everyone looks ready, disciplined and determined. However, our education system has not been exemplary. Back in the olden days, children went to temples to learn. Monks taught them to read, write and count, among other subjects. Rote learning was practised since there were neither books nor note pads. All matters were taught on a slate board and then wiped out so that things could be memorised. Back then, young ladies learned to cook, clean and create beautiful things at large estates. Neither schools nor universities existed, so if someone wanted to further his education, he could either become a monk to learn about old languages and religions or go to a larger temple, like Wat Phra Chettuphon Wimolmangkhlaram or Wat Pho, behind the Grand Palace. This place used to be called Thailand’s first university, a place where one could study languages, botany, herbal medicines, massage and more. In 1885, a French missionary established Assumption College, the oldest school in Thailand. This is where many prominent Sino-Thai families sent their children. King Rama VI founded Vajiravudh College, a boarding school à la Eton, in 1910. At the end of the 19th century, King Rama V, realising the importance of a modern education, built several schools, including Chulalongkorn University as Thailand’s first official university. Temples also set up more formal temple schools. From the last century to the present, many more schools and universities have been opened, including international ones. New educational systems, curriculum and languages have all been applied but do today’s students know about their own local heritage? Thailand has been known to adopt foreign influences easily. Sometimes, we assume them without knowing their essence and sometimes we adapt them and mix with our own style. With learning, our literacy rate is high but our educational system lags behind both regionally and globally. There are smart Thai kids out there and many of them have won awards and
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competitions for their academic prowess and creativity. But why don’t our average students make the cut? With our poor foreign language skills and subpar education, are we really ready to be part of the Asean Economic Community? Several factors, from school administrations to society, need to be held liable. Where are the budgets for schools, libraries, learning centres and student lunches? How do we teach the new generations about the value of learning? After studying for a long time, I became an educator. There are many models of teaching and learning. In her book The Smartest Kids in the World and How They Got That Way, Amanda Ripley presents three educational models. Similar to Thai parents, South Korean parents pressure their children about their grades and scores. This is known all over Asia as the pressure-cooker model. It may work well to some degree but these kids might end up lacking social interaction skills. On the opposite end, in Finland, is what Ripley calls the utopia model. This is where schools invest in quality over quantity. While students have less homework, they still achieve in maths, science, reading and critical thinking. Their revered teachers are selected from the most elite universities, bringing with them the advantage of a strong education themselves. This also makes it easier to teach higher-order thinking. The surprise comes from Poland, and their metamorphosis model. In a country with high child poverty and many past troubles and traumas, Poland has radically improved its educational outcomes over the past 10 years. There is hope for change even in tough places. Thai education policy makers could learn and apply some good points from these models. Our future generations represent a significant part of our development as human resources. What they study is how to earn a living, but what they realise is how to live their lives. Lessons are learned in classrooms and also in life. Each lesson prepares us to be ready for the next challenge. As Confucius said: “Learning without thought is labour lost; thought without learning is perilous.” M AY 2 0 1 4 | 2 3
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very thai
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Beauty queens
WITH MORE THAN ONE PAGEANT A DAY, BEAUTY IS A SERIOUS BUSINESS
hais are addicted to beauty. Everyone likes good looks, and ‘face’ cultures prize beauty the most, but Thailand makes prettiness a policy and cultural standard. Beauty contestants are the pride of many a festival and a mascot of each social set, from prim Miss Thailand to cheeky Miss Condom; from fragrant Miss Durian to intellectual Mr and Ms Scientist. Contests aren’t only for women; men outbeautify men to win Mr titles, while ladyboys out-beautify everyone. Pageant fatigue has set in worldwide. In many lands, rating by looks is seen as an anachronism, a bastion of sexism or no longer a TV ratings draw. But pageants plug into this culture’s view that outward appearance expresses inner virtue. Nevertheless, Thais, too, have cut pageants down from 700 Miss Somethings a year at their late-90s peak to a mere 500, but at nine contests a week – that’s a crowning every 17 hours – Thailand remains a hardcore beauty junkie. The acme of Thai femininity, Apasara Hongsakul won Miss Universe 1965. Her victory launched the next pageant era of demure maidens parading gowns, grins and virtue. That style changed after Pornthip Narkhirunkanok regained the title in 1988. LA-schooled, and with a US accent, Pornthip heralded a new ideal: forthright, professionally educated in the West, and often only part-Thai.
> Very Thai
Photographs: Philip Cornwel-Smith
River Books by Philip Cornwel-Smith with photos by John Goss and Philip CornwelSmith | B 995
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Now out in an expanded, updated 2nd edition, ‘Very Thai: Everyday Popular Culture’ is a book that almost every foreign resident has on their reading table, a virtual bible on Thai pop culture. Now with four extra chapters, 64 more pages and a third of the 590 photographs being new, it guides you on a unconventional Technicolor tour of the quirky things that make Thailand truly Thai. From the 70 chapters, we present a different excerpt every month. Prepare yourself for the sideways logic in what seems exotic, and buy a copy of the new edition at any good bookshop. bangkok101.com
chronicle of thailand
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MAY 12, 1982:
communist party defections gather pace
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Rebels weakened as amnesty offer and DRUG counter-insurgency takes its toll on CPT
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t Gen Prayoon Boonnak arm claimed the Communist Party of Thailand (CPT) was in its Chiang Rai Thai death throes and his words proved against drug lor prophetic when a week later nearly his 200-mule op 500 insurgents surrendered in the Several tho area between Loei, Phitsanulok, and by planes and h Phetchabun. Insurgency leaders stronghold at Ba said government operations had > Chronicle of Thailand (SUA). At least 1 inflicted heavy casualties on the CPT EDM Books | editor-in-chief as fierce fighting and hundreds more world surrender Nicholas Grossman | B1,450 After Thai soon. By mid-June, 3000 people had a truce proposa surrendered in the north and northeast. Chronicle of Thailand is the Tinsulanond sta Two months later, 7400 Hmong hilltribe fighters marched down from the mountain in story of Thailand during narcotics traffick Phetchabun province to defect en masse after a long fight against the government. The military the reign of King Bhumibol continue its driv Adulyadej. Beginning on built houses in a new settlement for the Hmong. In September, one of the founding members of the day he was crowned, 9 destroyed.” It wa the CPT, Udom Srisuwan, and his wife ‘Comrade’ Maitri, surrendered to authorities in Bangkok. June 1946, the book presents of the region’s h Udom was the highest ranking CPT member to surrender yet. He had attended the Marxista vivid eye-witness extensive account headq Leninist Institute in Moscow and was the only member of the Thai politburo who could speak of Thailand’s development and equipment Russian fluently. through the major news In July, Kh In a move seen as paving the way for truce negotiations with the government, the CPT had events of the last 64 years. troops, fought a approved Udom Srisuwan as acting secretary-general in March. He shared the post with Alongside a grandstand side of Doi Lang Chang Yuan, who lived in China. Government intelligence sources said heavy losses suffered view of events and quirky by the communist insurgents in both the northeast and the south prompted the CPT to aspects of daily life Chiang that just Rai prov displaced happened to make the news, hundr consider a truce. It was believed that Udom would be the official representative of the CPT in the book features thousands Border Patrol Po any negotiations with the government. of rare and fascinating Sa’s new base o Later in the year, the government scored a huge psychological victory when nearly 5000 21 January 1982 pictures and illustrations, constructed 200 insurgents and sympathisers in Mukdahan and Tak provinces defected en masse on the 40th representing one of the anniversary of founding of the CPT. A veteran jungle fighter who led the surrender said they most comprehensive photo ofever Thailand is th decided to give up because the government agreed to treat them with honour and dignity. collections Chronicle of Thailand Chronicle of Thailand > Adulyadej. Beginning on t The government’s successes came following a succession of directives under the Prem produced. EDM Books | editor-in-chief presents a vivid eye-witne administration that sought to offer amnesties to rebels who laid down their arms. Nicholas Grossman | B1,450
the garuda shows up everywhere O n the dashboard in the taxi last night there was an elaborate multi-layered display with a menagerie of lucky icons. On the lower levels, Thai monk statuettes faced the driver and passengers, and on the top tier there was a Garuda mythological bird figure spreading his golden wings in front of two Buddha images. This set-up goes above and beyond your average taxi dashboard altar in Thai taxis. It’s more like a little pagoda.
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major news events of the as they unfolded and quir the news, the book featur illustrations, representing Thailand ever produced.
still life in moving vehicles
CiTy vS. COUNTRy This cabby literally wears two hats. He dons a baseball cap when he’s driving his cab and puts on this straw hat when he’s farming. This is not uncommon in Bangkok as many cabbies here come from the countryside to drive a taxi between rice plantings and harvests, or when extra income is desperately needed. I asked the driver of this taxi which job he prefers and he told me that he would much rather do farming than drive in this city full of traffic jams and crazy people. Visual artist and academic, Dale Konstanz snaps photos of the sacred decorations and other bits and bobs he finds in Bangkok taxis, then writes about them on his blog, Still Life in Moving Vehicles (http://lifeinmovingvehicle.blogspot.com). Published by River Books, the spin-off book, Thai Taxi Talismans, is available at bookstores around town for B995. M AY 2 0 1 4 | 2 5
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Joean’sgkok B
Award-winning writer Joe Cummings was born in New Orleans but became one of Lonely Planet’s first guidebook authors, creating the seminal Lonely Planet Thailand guide, as well as several other titles and updates for the region. Each month, he picks out his favourite cultural gems throughout Bangkok.
swinging sathorn
Smalls
I
f there is one road in Bangkok that has seen more changes over the city’s history than any other, Sathorn Road might be it. It didn’t start out as a road at all, but rather Khlong Sathorn, a Chao Phraya River-linked canal constructed in the late 19th century by Luang Sathorn Rajayutka, a Chinese businessman and distant relative of HM Queen Sirikit. Soon afterward, roads were established along either side of the canal, and the resulting thoroughfare was eventually lined with large homes built by the Siamese aristocracy, who preferred the relatively uncrowded area over Ko Ratanakosin and Chinatown. Foreign embassies also moved into the area, creating the city’s first embassy row, an enclave which eventually extended northeastward into Withayu Road. Increasing land prices prompted many Thais to sell their family property in Sathorn, and one stately mansion after another was demolished and replaced by modern office buildings. One of the last majestic residences still standing is Luang Sathorn’s home, which following his death became the Hotel Royale in 1911, later changed to Hotel Thailand. In 1925, King Rama VI gave the residence to Bangkok’s first governor, who later sold it back to the Crown Property. In 1948 the mansion was leased to the Soviet Union for 2 6 | M AY 2 0 1 4
use as their Bangkok embassy. Although the Russians let the property go in 1999, many people still refer to it ‘the Russian embassy’ rather than its official name, Luang Sathorn Mansion. It now stands empty. Many city residents still remember Khlong Sathorn, which was finally covered over in 1979. To build parallel bridges across the river, 200 beautiful old mango and mahogany trees lining both sides of Sathorn were felled. Around this same time international backpackers began adopting an area off Sathorn Soi 1, along Soi Si Bamphen and Soi Ngam Duphli, as their Bangkok stopover. Although Khao San Road rivalled and eventually surpassed Sathorn as a backpacker centre, at least one remnant of its glory days remains in the form of Wong’s Place, everyone’s favourite late-night louche. More recently we’re seeing an influx of quirky, independent and very inviting standalones in the neighbourhood. Some say the aggregation of hip newcomers signals a movement away from Sukhumvit Soi, Thonglor and Ekamai, although in truth the trend in Sathorn serves a very different clientele. Lower rents, along with the presence of fewer tourists, have been a huge draw for expats seeking alternatives to Sukhumvit. Many houses and apartments along lanes bangkok101.com
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Rocket Coffeebar
Jam running off Sathorn Tai Rd in particular have proven popular. Once home to Thai immigration headquarters, Soi Suan Phlu is a favoured address for its affordable apartments and Talat Suan Phlu, a charmingly self-contained neighbourhood market. A cluster of cosy eateries along Suan Phlu Soi 8 – notably La Rucola, Nando Kitchen and Uncle John – provide quality Western fare at much lower prices than one will find along Sukhumvit. Beginning late last year, new arrivals in Sathorn raised the ante to provide serious gourmet and entertainment alternatives in the area. Rocket Coffeebar, deep in Sathorn Soi 12 on the north side of Sathorn Rd, serves the besttasting espresso beverages we’ve yet sampled anywhere in Bangkok, with beans supplied by artisan roasters RootsBKK. The building occupied by Rocket also houses Lady Brett, a New York-style tavern under the direction of Chef Rene Michelena serving such sturdy fare as fire-roasted mustard chicken and braised lamb shank, with sides of baked zucchini with onion and cheddar and grilled buttered corn. Neighbourhood bars complete the portrait. In 2012 a bangkok101.com
Lady Brett few art-and-music-minded Thais opened Jam on Charoen Rat Soi 1. A mini Rain Dogs, Jam focuses on indie music and film nights, plus a reliable bar serving comfort food and strong drink. Need more evidence that Sathorn swings? Last month David Jacobson, the American who kicked off the highly successful Sukhumvit 11 club scene when he opened Q Bar in 1999, set up shop in Soi Suan Phlu. Leaving behind the posh dance club world, Jacobson and his French partner Bruno Tanquerel have established the appropriately named Smalls in a three-storey 1960s building at the corner of Suan Phlu Soi 1 that formerly housed the now-defunct Chez Pepin. It’s decorated by artist and architect Tanquerel with a vintage furniture, custom built-ins, quirky found art, and his own sculptures and paintings. And, as at Q Bar, spirits are dispensed in stout New York-style 45-cl servings rather than the wimpy European 30-cl pour. “Sathorn was an obvious new frontier for us, as there isn’t that much out this way, in terms of bars and restaurants,” Jacobson says. “At the same time, a lot of people live in this community. “Why would they have to travel all the way to Thonglor or Ekamai for an evening out, if they have places to go here?” M AY 2 0 1 4 | 2 7
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Bizarre
Thailand
A 20-year resident of Thailand, Jim Algie has contributed to many guidebooks and is also the author of Tuttle Travel Pack Thailand. He compiled tales of the unexpected into a book called ‘Bizarre Thailand: Tales of Crime, Sex and Black Magic’. For more bytes and
pixels check out jimalgie.com.
REPTILIAN MENAGE A TROIS
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utside Thailand’s national parks, only in the northeastern province of Khon Kaen are you likely to see road signs that read, “Warning: King Cobra Crossing”. It’s a sure sign that you’re on the right track to see the ‘Cobra Village’, where most of the villagers breed and raise snakes for a living. At Ban Kok Sa-nga, they also put on daily shows of derring-do where snakehandlers wrestle with king cobras up to 5m long. The majority of the 700 villagers raise snakes, and some even keep them as pets, says Sirisak Noi Lek, the president of the village’s Cobra Conservation Club. “The tradition started back in the 1950s when a man named Ken Yongla from this village began travelling around the countryside selling herbal medicines,” 2 8 | M AY 2 0 1 4
he says. “To attract more people, he started doing regular shows with cobras, but these snakes were too dangerous because they can spit venom for several metres. So he used king cobras instead. “They’re still dangerous, but the venom is delivered through their fangs. Ken trained many of the locals to do the performances and how to raise snakes.” The chiming of cow bells heralds the arrival of a shepherd directing her bovine charges down the dirt road with a bamboo switch as Sirisak leads us to the back of his house. Curled up in a wooden box is a python as thick as a fire-hose. The locals catch them in their gloved hands when the snakes are sleeping during the day. Every few days, Sirisak feeds the python smaller snakes bangkok101.com
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or a frog. Some of the serpents have their gall bladders removed for Chinese potions — even mixed with whiskey for an aphrodisiac. Others are cast as performers in shows that pit man against serpent. Far from the sinister figure in the Garden of Eden that encourages Eve to eat the forbidden fruit of knowledge – thereby bringing about the downfall of humankind – the seven-headed ‘Lord of the Serpents’ (Phaya Nak) opened his hoods to protect the Buddha from the elements as he attained enlightenment while meditating under the sacred ficus tree. For many Thais, Phaya Nak, whose long body forms the balustrades of many Buddhist temples, is a figure of reverence. So it’s not a revelation that the monks incubated a special laboratory to breed king cobras in the Buddhist temple near the zoo and the venue for performances. On this afternoon, sitting in the bleachers surrounding the stage, is a group of Buddhist monks draped with orange robes, among a smattering of Thais and tourists. Behind the stage is a gigantic billboard for Pepsi, framed by photos of the King and Queen of Thailand. To the tape-recorded tune of hand-pummelled drums, the clink, clink, clink of finger cymbals, and an Indian oboe playing melodies serpentine enough to charm a cobra — the same traditional tunes played live during muay thai boxing matches — three dancers take centre stage. Dressed in pink sarongs, each of the young ladies wears live garlands of sinuous pythons, jaws wired shut with string. bangkok101.com
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Shooting off flashbulb smiles and moving as gently as palm fronds in a breeze, the dancers’ slow-motion body language speaks volumes about the tranquility of traditional Thai culture. At the back of the stage, a snake-handler uses a long metal pole with a hook to pull a writhing king cobra out of a box. Black with silver bands, the 3m-long serpent slithers toward the front of the stage. In the crowd, spines straighten and a hush descends. The venom of a single king cobra bite is enough to kill a man — or a hundred rodents — unless treated immediately. Many of the snake-wrestlers take herbal concoctions daily to lessen the possibility of fatalities. Just in case, a local medic equipped with anti-venom attends every show. On his knees, the snake-handler crawls towards the king cobra. The snake rears up into the striking position, its forked tongue flicking the air. Snakes use their tongues for sniffing out their quarry and their enemies. Quick as a whip, the king cobra lunges at him. The snake-handler dodges the attack. Distracting the snake with one hand held in the air, he crawls beside it, lowers his head and kisses the cobra on its head. This is an excerpt from Bizarre Thailand: Tales of Crime, Sex and Black Magic, which chronicles the strange, surreal and supernatural sides of Thailand, as well as the country’s weirdest museums and tourism attractions. M AY 2 0 1 4 | 2 9
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listings
HISTORIC HOMES ANANTA SAMAKHOM PALACE Throne Hall [map 8/F8] Uthong Nai Rd, opp Dusit Zoo Tue -Sun 10am-6pm | B150 Located at the tail-end of Dusit district’s stately ceremonial boulevard, Ratchadam noen, this stately parliamentary palace was built during the reign of Rama V and completed by Rama VI. Cast in white Carrara marble, it is still used for the ceremonial opening of the first parliamentary session. Influenced by Renaissance architecture, the interior is decorated with detailed frescoes by Italian Galileo Chini of royal ceremonies and festivities. Out front stands a statue of King Rama V still worshipped today.
JIM THOMPSON HOUSE [map 4/A3]
M.r. KUKRIT’S HOUSE [map 5/H8] 19 Soi Phra Pinit, Sathorn Rd | 02-286-8185 Sat-Sun 10 am-5pm, Mon-Fri by appt B 50 / B 20 kids Kukrit Pramoj was one of Thailand’s mostloved statesmen of the 20th century. A natural all-rounder, he was a poet, a writer and even served as prime minister. His peaceful abode with its lovely gardens is a terrific example of Thai architecture.
VIMANMEK MANSION [map 8/F8] 139 / 2 Ratchawithi Rd | 02-281-1569 9:30 am-4pm | B100 The world’s largest teakwood building was originally built on the island of Koh Si Chang, in 1868, and then moved to Bangkok for use by King Rama V. Its 81 rooms spread over three floors overlook a beautiful garden.
SUAN PAKKAD palace [MAP 8/K11]
Si Ayutthaya Rd, Ratchathewi 6 Soi Kasemsan 2, Rama I Rd BTS Phaya Thai | 02-245-4934 BTS National Stadium | 02-216-7368 suanpakkad.com | 9am-4pm | B100 jimthompsonhouse.com | 9am-5pm B100 / B 50 A former market garden that was converted into a residence and garden by Princess students American Jim Thompson was the Princeton Chumbot. Consisting of five reconstructed graduate and former spook who revived Thai wooden houses, Wang Suan Pakkard the hand-woven Thai silk industry before pays testament to her dedication to disappearing mysteriously in Malaysia’s collecting Thai artefacts and antiques. Cameron Highlands in 1967. One of the things ERAWAN SHRINE [map 4/G5] to do in Bangkok is visit his tropical garden Ratchadamri Rd, near Grand Hyatt Erawan home beside a pungent canal: six traditional BTS Chit Lom teak houses from around the country kept Don’t expect serenity here. This is one exactly as he left them.
of Bangkok’s busiest intersections: the crowded shrine to the Hindu creation god Brahma and his elephant Erawan is filled with worshippers lighting incense, buying lottery tickets and watching the traditional dancing group.
GANESHA SHRINE [map 4/G3] Outside CentralWorld and Isetan Department Store | Ratchadamri Rd A prayer in front of this pot-bellied gold elephant – the son of Shiva and Parvati – is said to help get the creative juices flowing, as well as protect you from harm. Aside from marigold garlands, bring bananas, ripe mango or sticky rice-flour Thai desserts – Ganesha has an eternal appetite.
TRIMURTI SHRINE [map 4/G3] Outside Centralworld and Isetan Department Store | Ratchadamri Rd If your love life is in the doldrums then this shrine is for you: at 9:30 pm each Thursday it’s rumoured that Lord Trimurti descends from the heavens to answer prayers of the heart. To maximise your chances you should offer nine-red incense sticks, red candles, red roses and fruit.
SHRINES THE GRAND PALACE & WAT PHRA KAEW [map 7/D10] Na Phra Lan Rd, near Sanam Luang Tha Chang Pier | 02-222-0094 8:30am-4:30pm | B 400 Bangkok’s most beloved temple and top tourist site is a fantastical, mini-city sized royal complex enclosed by quaintly crenulated whitewalls. Building began in 1782, the year Bangkok was founded, and every monarch subsequent to King Rama I has expanded or enhanced it. Today, despite being able to visit many sights on its grounds, much of it remains off-limits. The Chakri Mahaprasat Hall – the “Westerner in
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listings
a Thai hat” – is worth seeing, and there are some state halls and rooms open to visitors.
WAT ARUN [map 7/B13] Temple of Dawn, Arun Amarin Rd 02-465-5640 | watarun.org 8am-5pm | B 20 Across the river from Wat Po is Wat Arun, or the Temple of the Dawn, one of the city’s most important religious sites. Before being moved to Wat Phra Kaew, the Emerald Buddha was temporarily housed here. The five-towered structure is covered in colourful porcelain and designed as a representation of the Khmer home of the gods.
WAT PO (reclining buddha) [map 7/D12]
Chetuphon, Thai Wang Rd 02-226-0369 | watpho.com 8am-noon, 1pm-9pm | B100 The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is the oldest and largest wat in Bangkok. Originating in the 16th century, it houses the largest reclining Buddha statue in Thailand as well as the greatest number of Buddha images.
WAT MAHATHAT [map 7/C8] Tha Prachan, Sanam Luang, Maharat Rd 02-221-5999 | 9am-5pm | Free An amulet market is situated near this 18th century centre of the Mahanikai monastic sect and an important university of Buddhist teaching. On weekends, market stalls are
set up on the grounds to complement the vendors of traditional medicines.
WAT RATCHANATDA [map 7/K8] Mahachai Rd | 02-224-8807 9am-5pm | free This striking temple on the corner of Ratchadamnoen and Mahachai Road features the bizarre Loha Prasat, a multitiered castle-like structure with 36 steel spires. Climb the spiral staircase to the top for good views of the Old City and its many temples.
WAT SAKET [map 7/L8] Chakkraphatdiphong Rd 02-233-4561 | 7:30am-5:30pm | B10 Referred to as the Golden Mount, this wat on a small hillock is worth the hike up 318 steps for the views of Chinatown to the south and the Old City to the north. The hill is all that is left of the fortifications for a large chedi that Rama III planned to construct on the site that gave way under the weight. Rama V later built a smaller chedi on top.
WAT SUTHAT & the GIANT SWING [map 7/H9] Bamrung Muang Rd | 02-222-9632 9am-5pm | B 20 Wat Suthat is one of the most important Buddhist centres in the kingdom and home to excellent examples of bronze sculpture. The city’s iconic Giant Swing, where brave men used to swing up to great heights to
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catch a bag of gold coins in their teeth during annual harvest ceremonies, sits out front.
WAT TRAIMIT [map 6/L3] 661 Mittaphap Thai-China Rd, Charoen Krung Rd | 02-623-1226 | 8am-5pm | B 20 Housed safely in this unassuming Chinatown temple is the world’s largest solid gold Buddha. Its worth has been estimated at over US$10 million.
MUSEUMS – IN TOWN BANGKOK DOLL MUSEUM [map 8/L11, 12]
85 Soi Ratchataphan (Soi Mo Leng). Ratchaprarop Rd 02-245-3008 | bangkokdolls.com Mon-Sat 8am-5pm | free Since opening in 1956 the Bangkok Doll Museum has continually attracted tourists, students and aficionados alike with its remarkable collection of hand-made Thai dolls. Founded by Khunying Tongkorn Chandavimol after she completed a doll making course in Japan, it showcases collections of dolls produced by a small team of artisans in the atelier out back, and clad in traditional costumes based on designs lifted from museum originals, temple murals and illustrations from antique books.
bangkokian MUSEUM [MAP 5/E3] 273 Charoen Krung Soi 43, Si Phraya Pier | 02-233-7027 Sat-Sun 10am-4pm | free Smack in the middle of Bangrak, one of the most traditional districts of the city, find this oasis of four traditional Thai houses, one of them lovingly converted into a private museum by the compound’s charming owner, Ms Waraporn Surawadee. She decided to dedicate the place to the memory of her family and bygone daily life of Bangkok everymen – and open it to the public. While visitors shouldn’t expect breathtaking
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revelations here, the displays are nevertheless surprisingly fascinating. They include antiques and ceremonial items.
Madame tussauds [map 4/C4] 6th F, Siam Discovery Centre Rama 1, Phaya Thai Rd BTS National Stadium | 02-658-0060 madametussauds.com/Bangkok 10am -9pm | B 800 / B 600 kids Probably the best thing about Bangkok’s version of Europe's famous waxwork museum is the line-up – it’s clearly designed to keep tourists and locals alike snappy happy. About as common as international sporting legends, world leaders in sharp suits, pouting Hollywood A-listers, and sequined global pop stars here are wax likenesses of Thai and regional musicians, soap stars, sportsmen and women.
MUSEUM OF COUNTERFEIT GOODS [MAP 2/E12] Supalai Grand Tower Bldg Rama III Rd 02-653-5555 | tillekeandgibbins.com Mon-Fri 10am-4pm ( App required for textile and computer collections) In 1989, Thailand’s oldest international law firm, Tilleke & Gibbins, decided to convert their evidence of counterfeit goods into educational tools for law students. To help spread the word about the perils of buying fake it's open to Joe Public too. Over 3,500 items – from Ferrero Rocher chocolates to antimalarial tablets and a fake Ferrari motorbike – are neatly laid out, forgeries next to the originals.
Museum of Siam [map 7/D13] 4 Samachai Rd | Rajini Pier 02-622-2599 | ndmi.or.th Tue-Sun 10am-6pm | Free A truncated history of Thailand unfurls through this down-with-the-kids discovery museum, located in a beautifully restored former government building that dates back to the 1920s. Design company Story Inc! delivered the conceptual design with 3 2 | M AY 2 0 1 4
pop graphics and interactive games galore. Entertaining highlights include dressing up as a 20th-century nobleman, blowing up Burmese soldiers on elephant-back with a canon and mapping out the borders of your own Siam using a touch screen.
THE NATIONAL MUSEUM [map 7/C6] 5 Chao Fa Rd, Sanam Luang 02-224-1333 | thailandmuseum.com Wed-Sun 9am-4pm | B 200 | no photo Previously a palace during the reign of Rama V, the National Museum features extensive displays of Thai artifacts from all of Old Siam's main historical periods, encompassing the Lanna, Ayutthaya and Sukhothai kingdoms up to the present day. Thai culture is well documented in sections on dance, music and drama. The first example of Thai literature and the Thai alphabet, inscribed by King Ramkhamhaeng on a black stone during the Sukhothai period, is also displayed.
RATTANAKOSIN EXHIBITION HALL [map 7/K7] 100 Ratchadamnoen Klang Rd, next to Wat Ratchanatda | 02-621-0044 nitasrattanakosin.com | Tue-Fri 11am-8pm, Sat-Sun 10am-8pm | B100 This multimedia museum a short walk from Khao San Road offers a skillfully abbreviated introduction to an area that many admire, but few truly understand: Rattanakosin Island, Bangkok’s glittering birthplace. Wandering its eleven rooms – free of relics but rich in models, dioramas, interactive videos, text and audio clips in Thai and English – brings the area’s hardto-fathom history, arts, architecture and traditions into much clearer focus.
ROYAL BARGE MUSEUM [map 7/B4] 80/1 Rim Khlong Bangkok Noi, Arun Amarin Rd | Thonburi Railway Pier 02-424-0004 | 9am-5pm B 30 / B100 photo / B 200 video This collection of ornate royal barges,
some of which are up to 50 metres long, is housed on the Thonburi side of the river in a series of elaborate sheds near the Pinklao Bridge. The barges are best seen in action during rare ceremonial processions on the Chao Phraya where the colourful crews can number up to 64, including rowers, umbrella holders, navigators and various musicians.
MUSEUMS – OUT OF TOWN ANCIENT SIAM (MUANG BORAN) [map 1/F6] 296/1 Sukhumvit Rd, Samut Prakan province | 02-709-1644 | ancientcity.com B 500 / B 250 kids / B1500 private guide in English for two hours Samut Prakan province’s Ancient Siam crams reproductions of over a hundred of the Kingdom’s most venerable palaces, temples, stupas, stone sanctuaries and traditional houses into a huge map-of-Siam shaped plot of land only an hour’s drive from the capital. Don’t come expecting a tacky themepark. Its late founder, eccentric culture preservationist Prapai Viriyahbhun, demanded that every replica look and feel like the real thing.
THAI FILM MUSEUM [MAP 1/E5] 94 Moo 3 Bhuddhamonton Sai 5, Salaya Nakorn Pathom province nfat.org 02-482-2013-15 | Sat-Sun tours: 10am, noon, 3pm; MonFri: by appointment | Free The good folk at the National Film Archive of Thailand are fighting to preserve the country’s meagre film heritage, whether it be by restoring ragged reels of 16mm film to their former glory, screening rare films in its cinematheque, or guiding anyone interested around their museum. Film fiends will love inching around this space, modelled after the old Sri Krung film studio and filled with old cameras, props and costumes. bangkok101.com
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PARKS Lumpini Park [map8/K,L16] Entrances on Rama IV, Sarasin, Witthayu and Ratchadamri Rd 5am-9pm; cycling/skating 10am-3pm | free The biggest and most popular slice of public space in Central Bangkok, Lumpini Park is 142 acres of trees and grass swen together with wide, mendering concrete paths. Busy as soon as the sun rises and again around sunset, Bangkokians like to take advantage of its relative cool and quiet to practice Tai Chi, do aerobics, hold hands or jog around the picturesque lakes. A surprising number of animals also like it here – from turtles and giant monitor lizards, to flocks of crows and the occasional stray cat. Activities include taking a Swan-shaped pedal boat out onto the water for a quick spin and pumping iron at the outdoor gym, while live concert recitals and film screenings take place here during the cool season.
Benjasiri Park [map 8/L7] Sukhumvit Rd, btw. Soi 22/24 BTS Phrom Phong | 5am-9pm | free Next to the Phrom Phong BTS Skytrain station and Emporium shopping mall, this is a great place to escape the Sukhumvit rat race – amble around lakes, find shade under a tree, or admire modern Thai sculptures.
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Rama IX Royal Park [map 7/K8] Sukhumvit Soi 103, behind Seri Center, Pravet 02-328-1972 | 5.30pm-7pm | B10 Bangkok’s biggest park spans 200-acres and features a small museum dedicated to the King, set amongst pleasant botanical gardens with soothing water features.
JATUJAK & QUEEN SIRIKIT PARKS [MAP8/M, N1, 2] 820 Phahonyothin Rd, Ladyao 02-272-4358 | 5am-6.30pm | free These two parks situated not far from the mayhem of the weekend market offer some much-needed respite. Jatujak Park hosts a collection of old railway engines and ancient automobiles. Nearby, Queen Sirikit Park has a botanical garden.
SUAN ROD FAI PARK [MAP8/M, N1] Kamphaeng Phet 3 Rd BTS Mo Chit / MRT Chatuchak Park | 02-537-9221 5am-9pm | free Also just north of JJ market, this huge park has lots of open space and wild trees, plus a lotus pond, playground, basketball and tennis courts, and a butterfly garden (see opposite). Young locals flock here on weekends to hire a bike and cycle along its wide paths, and with prices for rental only B20 we highly recommend you copy them.
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ROSE GARDEN RIVERSIDE (SUAN SAMPRAM) [MAP1/D5] 32 Phet Kasem Rd, Yai-Cha, Sampran, Nakhon Pathom Province | 03-432-2544 www.rosegardenriverside.com 10am-4pm | Garden B 50, Show B 500 Take an hour’s drive out from the city and explore this 70-acre property located beside the Ta Chine River, which includes a hotel resort, golf court, spa organic farm and botanical gardens. The cultural shows here are as popular as the lush gardens.
SARANROM PARK [MAP7/E11] Intersection of Rachini / Charoen Krung Rd Phra Nakhon | 5am-8pm | free This ‘green belt’ within the city is located opposite the Grand Palace, built in 1866 during the reign of Rama IV as a royal garden of the Saranrom Royal Palace. It is now a botanical garden and public park, featuring a glass house, and royal bugle pavilion.
BANG KRA CHAO [map 1/E5] Bang Krachao, Phra Pradaeng, Samut Prakarn | 6am-8pm | free It’s hard to believe that this oasis of lush orchards and mangroves is just opposite the concrete jungle of Klong Toey. Included within it is the 200-rai Suan Klang Central Park with a large pond where you can rent paddle boats for B30. Or rent cycles for the same rate and ride a bike around the park then head down t the Bang am Pueng Floting Market.
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Visakha Bucha Pilgrimage to
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arked by Buddhist faithful throughout the world, Visakha Bucha commemorates the life, Enlightenment and death of the Lord Buddha some 2500 years ago. This year the holiday, which is sometimes known simply as Buddha’s birthday, falls on May 13. In what has become a new annual tradition, local Buddhists and others seeking to make merit gather in Chiang Mai on the night of Visakha Bucha and walk together in an 11km pilgrimage from Wat Mou Boon – near the Kruba Srivichai Monument – to Wat Phra That Doi Suthep. The temple is commonly known as ‘Doi Suthep’ although the shorter name in fact refers to the mountain. The journey requires several hours and a good deal of endurance, but it’s often well attended and has the feel of a parade. Upon arrival, pilgrims typically walk three times around the temple’s main stupa before offering alms to the monks at sunrise. Later that day, visitors can witness a ceremony in which the holy Buddha images are sprinkled with special waters. From the temple’s location high on the mountains, awesome views of Chiang Mai can be seen below. If the hike proves too demanding, there are also songtaew that drive up from the city.
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May 2 Miss Tiffany’s Universe Contest Head down to Pattaya to watch around 30 of the Kingdom’s best-looking – or the most surgically chiselled – ladyboys strut their stuff at this world-famous annual beauty pageant. After swanning about the stage in ball gowns, glittering Vegas cabaret-style headdresses and skimpy bikinis, the ecstatic winner will be crowned Miss Tiffany Universe 2014. Visit misstiffanyuniverse.com for more information.
Until May 5 Hua Hin of Yesteryear Forget about the chaotic city for a moment and turn back in time to the beautiful old days of Hua Hin, a town which offers all types of travel experiences. The festival is being held at Hua Hin Queen’s Park, in order to boost local tourism. Highlights include a retro Hua Hin village, folk cultural performances, delicious local food fair as well as a beauty contest. Reward yourself this summer with a trip to this beautiful beach and cool lifestyle.
May 9-11 Bun Bung Fai Rocket Festival One of the noisiest festivals on the calendar takes place in the usually sleepy Northeastern town of Yasothorn. For the Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival, farmers pack giant, ornate rockets (bang fai) full of homemade explosives, drag them on elaborate traditional cart to the launch sight and then, on the third day, fire them high into the sky. Why? According to the folklore, the first raindrops of the rice planting season only fall when the gods are in the mood for love. Firing missiles in their direction is said to stimulate them into action. Lots of rambunctious Isan-style merriment-comedy, fun fairs, beauty contests, morlam folk music-accompany the festivities.
May 13-24 Songkla Seafood Festival A visit to this southern city is in no way complete without having seafood. During a seafood extravaganza, to attract tons of visitors, a variety of freshly cooked local seafood is served for the tourists in this seasonal event including lobsters, crabs, squid and kinds of fish along with fruits and juicy drinks. There are also various activities such as a Miss Samila contest, local products for sale, folk art shows etc.
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May 24-31 Samui Regatta The annual Samui Regatta, also known as Tropical Island Regatta, one of the Asia’s largest regattas and the final of the Asian Yachting Grand Prix, takes place at Chaweng beach in Koh Samui. Join the racing or spectate an amazing event from the comfort of a spectator boat. For more information about race entry forms, ticket details and event schedule, visit samuiregatta.com
May 31 5th Samed in Love Music Festival Bring your sun lotion and go with the crowd at Samed Beach Festival on an island where you can dance on the sand. The festival will feature many various Thai singers and DJs such as Mild, Tatto colour, Paradox, Slot Machine,Gancore Club, Getsunova , Mocca Graden, Polycat, BoomBoom Cach and Dj.Set will be on the stage giving their best performances. The highlight is their huge space of foam for partygoers. Tickets are on sale at Thaiticketmajor for B1000.
Until May 31 Unseen Freshwater Jellyfish at Khao Ko National Park The freshwater jellyfish can only be found in six places of the world. Fortunately, the renowned eco-tourist destination Khao Ko National Park in Thailand’s northeast is one of them. May is the last month of the year in which these living fossils can be found in their natural habitat. Enjoy the deciduous forest with rare plants and diversity of animals on both sides of the Lam Namkeg, as you paddle along, searching for these rare freshwater animals. Check out tourismthailand.org.
Until June 30 Pang Sida Butterfly Watching Festival Observe more than 400 types of butterflies in the Pang Sida National Park of the Sa Kaeo Province. Buy products from different districts at the OTOP market in the city, watch a butterfly parade and butterfly exhibition, with live music, dance, folk sports and more. For more information contact the Pang Sida National Park Office, call 03-724-6100.
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The Stylish
New Way to Sleep in Bangkok
seven design hotel 3/15 Sukhumvit 31 Bangkok 10110 t: +662.662.0951 f: +662.662.3344 e: info@sleepatseven.com www.sleepatseven.com
hotel review
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Sofitel So Bangkok Whether you’re looking for gorgeous park views, creatively designed and comfortable guest rooms, a central location with easy access to public transportation, or the touches and amenities of a five-star luxury hotel, Sofitel So Bangkok has you covered. The hotel’s 238 guest rooms and suites, which have been created by some of Thailand’s top interior designers, vary according to a ‘Five Elements’ theme. Rooms are furnished in classic wood (Wood Element), in modern white and sleek metallic (Metal Element), in rich blue (Earth Element) or in a timeless, sophisticated style with marble walls (Water Element). At Sofitel So Bangkok, you are actually staying in four completely different design hotels. The Elements theme carries over to the fifth element, Fire, which refers to the hotel’s eateries. All guest rooms and suites are outfitted with high-tech (but easy-to-use) gadgets, including a Mac Mini and wireless keyboard, giving you the option of surfing the web on your TV while lying in bed. The shared spaces here are equally inspiring, from the rooftop Park Society, home to a glitzy chef’s table and outdoor cocktail bar, to Red Oven, the worldly “marketstyle” restaurant on the seventh floor. Then there’s the ground-floor Chocolab, a unique chocolate delicatessen, along with MIXO, the lobby bar that enjoys a beautiful view of Lumpini Park. And that’s just the food and drinks. Sofitel So Bangkok also features a stylish 10th-floor pool deck, bangkok101.com
including an infinity pool, a full-service fitness centre (So Fit), a Solarium garden terrace for sun tanning and socialising, and the luxurious So Spa, which recreates a charming mythological forest. Christian Lacroix designed the staff uniforms in the hotel, as well as the swanky 25th floor Club Signature, an exclusive lounge for club-level guests with private meeting spaces, breakfast service and more.
Sofitel So Bangkok
[MAP 5/c2]
2 North Sathorn Road | 02-624-0000 | sofitel.com
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ESCAPADES ON THE NORTHWEST
FRONTIER
Tucked away in the far northwest, isolated from the rest of the country by mountains and forests, Mae Hong Son is an exotic realm unto itself, with highly distinctive character and much exhilarating adventure to offer.
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BY KEITH MUNDY
domain of the Burmese kings until 1775, Mae Hong Son could only be reached on elephant-back until well into the 20th century. High mountains and thick forests impeded easy access right up until the building of a sealed road from Chiang Mai, the northern capital, in 1965, but the circuitous journey still took 10 hours. Mae Hong Son’s beginnings as a Thai fief are redolent of the days when the elephant reigned in Siam’s forests as transport and tractor – and as a status symbol for the wealthy and powerful. The Prince of Chiang Mai, who controlled this remote border area, found it an excellent source of pachyderms. Encircled by mountains, watered by the Pai River, there was a valley with a swampy lake in its midst, ideal for corralling and bathing elephants. Mae Hong Son town began life in 1831 in this spot as an elephant camp where the captured animals were tamed, then taken to Chiang Mai in an arduous four-week trek. There is still a walking trail all the way across the forested mountains to Chiang Mai and hardy trekkers make the journey in one week. Most people these days, however, take the plane from Chiang Mai in a 30-minute hop, or take the excellent highways that wind in from both north and south. Due to the roads and the airport, Mae Hong Son is no longer a neglected outpost but an up-and-running tourist destination; with a full range of accommodation, both within the town or scenically situated nearby. Natural phenomena loom large at Mae Hong Son: misty mornings are its motif, the valleys enveloped in grey shrouds until the sun emerges over the mountain tops and dissolves them with its warmth. Romantically, the province is called the ‘Land of Three Mists’, referring to their different aspects in the three seasons: foggy in the cool season, smokey in the hot season, and rainy in the wet season. Despite the charm and beauty of Mae Hong Son town – described later – for most people the greatest pleasures of the province are in travelling out in the wilds, be it on wheels, on foot, on elephant-back, or on rafts. Mae Hong Son has a wide variety of outdoor pursuits to please all tastes, ranging from soft adventure on the roads and trails to the highadrenaline risks of deep cave exploration and whitewater rafting. Tour companies based in the town offer visits to many surrounding sights, or you can hire your own vehicle for independent exploration. Taking to the road is now full of great trips since the hard surfacing of
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many rural byways in recent years, converting them into excellent two-lane blacktops. The vehicle choices are many: minibus, car, 4x4, jeep, motorbike and mountain bike, all readily rented in Mae Hong Son town. The road south, Highway 108, winds down the Pai valley then up into the hills, switchbacking round hairpins, straining ever higher until the viewpoint over the great ravine cut by the Mae Samat River between lofty, densely forested peaks. The most exciting route lies to the east at about Km 32: Microwave Mountain. A narrow road leads steeply and tortuously upward for about 10km to reach a mountain-top TV relay station (not an oven) and just below it a Hmong hilltribe village, whose colourfully dressed children crowd round to inspect you and your vehicle. The panoramic views from the summit across the mountain ranges are spectacular. Hilltribes are one of the chief draws of Mae Hong Son. These Tibeto-Burman migrant hill-farming peoples have established a colourful presence in the region. Day or overnight trekking tours are a popular, healthy and inexpensive way of visiting the hilltribe villages, but many can be reached by vehicle too, if so desired. Two other road trips are highly recommended. One, quite short, starts just southwest of Mae Hong Son town and runs up and down through wonderfully dense forest to the Karen refugee village of Huay Sua Tao. The other leads off Highway 1095 and runs due north through glorious mountain scenery to the border village of Mae Aw, founded by Chinese Nationalist soldiers of Chiang Kai-Shek’s army who fled the communist takeover in China in 1949. This entails a round trip of about 70km from Mae Hong Son town. For those without their own transport, many kinds of minibus tours are available. On the itineraries are sights such as Pha Sua Falls, which are majestic in August and September; the Fish Cave, where strange blue carp swim in a sunlit rock pool; and the hot springs at Ban Pha Bong. Also much touted are visits to the Karen refugee villages near the Burmese border, in which live women of the Kayan tribal sub-group whose necks have been bizarrely elongated during childhood by adornment with more and more brass rings. 4 2 | M AY 2 0 1 4
Offered close to the town, Mae Hong Son’s most outlandish rides are on elephants and rafts. Elephant-back trekking is provided in the nearby forest; you perch, two at a time, on a broad woodframe seat strapped upon the elephant’s back and jerk and sway along jungle trails. Floating lazily on a flat bamboo-pole raft down a gentle stretch of the Pai River is another very enjoyable way to get close to nature. Despite all these particulars, the glory of Mae Hong Son lies not so much in individual sights as in the overall atmosphere, in the splendour of the natural environment of this remotest and poorest province, and in the otherworldliness of its culture and people. That last element is most readily seen in the town. Mae Hong Son town is peopled predominantly by Shans, or Thai Yai, cousins of the Thais but ethnically distinct, who are much more numerous across the border in the Shan states of Burma. The town’s temples are distinctly Burmese, their chapels square with multiple tiers of roofing edged in silver filigree. Two famously beautiful ones, Wat Chong Kham and Wat Chong Klang, rest together by the side of a small lake in the middle of town, which was once the elephant bathing pool. Another remarkable temple stands high above the town atop Doi Kong Mu hill, a perfect place for viewing the landscape all around. Dominated by two blindingly white chedis erected in the 19th century, Wat Phra That Doi Kong Mu can be reached by a steep stairway or by a winding road. From the temple grounds you can enjoy the exhilarating sight of forested mountain ranges stretching far into the hazy blue distance. An early morning treat is a visit to the market, full of characterful Thai Yai faces, cheroot-smoking women vendors and colourful hilltribe customers. Mae Hong Son is the main trading centre for the ethnically mixed folk of Thailand’s northwest corner. Especially notable are the women vegetable vendors who lay the varied and often unusual produce of their hilly plots on the ground for sale. In town or out, taking it easy or pushing the envelope, Mae Hong Son is a Thai treasure. Whether you like an active time or just relaxing in nature’s embrace, these backwoods of the northwest frontier are one of Thailand’s best escapes. bangkok101.com
Bangkok
Pranburi
Hansar Pranburi is located within a 3 hours drive from Bangkok and is approximately 40 minutes drive south of Hua Hin www.hansarpranburi.com
SPICE OF LIFE When it comes to food and culture, Malaysia’s sleepy northeastern hub of Kota Bharu pulls no punches.
BY MARCO FERRARESE AND PHOTOGRAPHY BY KIT YENG CHAN
over the border
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tretched into his Beer Lao singlet, the guy passes a nervous gaze between me and his girlfriend. We are a dozen kilometres across the border from the troubled southern Thai province of Narathiwas, surrounded by a multitude of women in colourful headscarves and men in Islamic skullcaps. I can smell their ancestral fear of being in uncharted territory: they’re too far away from a beach hut to feel like this is still a holiday. “In that case, that’s your bus, straight to the jetty. Enjoy yourselves,” I say, waving them goodbye. I’m in no rush to get to the Perenthian Islands, two blazoned droplets of sand and palm trees sprinkled at the side of northeastern Malaysia. Their reefs pullulate with baby sharks, leatherback turtles and highways of shining coral among the best in the whole South China Sea. As far as I’m concerned, I’m good where I am. Kota Bharu, capital of Malaysia’s Kelantan state, receives less attention it deserves – particularly among those in a rush to get to the beaches. Basically an inflated Islamic one horse town with opulent mosques, Kota Bharu sat for centuries at the crossroads of the Thai and Malay civilisations. It’s a jumble of cultures and history converging in food. Today it’s the principal seat of the Pan-Malaysian Islamic Party, which explains why development here has progressed with the same morigeration that keeps local women’s hair neatly tucked under veils. If you know Malaysia for artsy Penang or glitzy Kuala Lumpur, a visit here could be shocking. No need to worry, though, as there’s a lot to keep one lingering. The first thing I do is walk across the compact city centre and stroll to Kampung Kraftangan, a small square enclosed by traditional Kelantanese wooden houses
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on stilts. It is here that Zecs, a local Malay artist, sells batik paintings at reasonable prices out of his one-room studio, Zecsman Design. “I have been doing this all my life,” he says with a cordial smile. He teaches batik art to a group of Malaysian tourists on a wooden table in the middle of his shop. A girl is bent over her fabric, adding colour to the scales of a tropical fish. In a four-hour class, which costs around RM50 (roughly 500 baht), Zecs shows how to prepare the paint and master the wax pencil. Students bring home their creations. I continue to the heart of Kota Bharu, where an old circular building hosts a bustling market. Here food, clothes, batik and silk are sold out of tiny four-storey shops. The most impressive feature, however, is the vegetable market: as I enter on the ground floor, I’m greeted by the fragrance of freshly chopped greens and the aromatic puff of dried chillies and curry powders. All around me, mak ciks in colourful baju kurungs and headscarves are hard at work shuttling all colours of the vegetable kingdom from plastic baskets and pans onto long tables. I’m lured into a circular corridor that coils around the market as if it were a python of smells: dozens of people sit at plastic tables, sipping teas and waiting for different fried dishes that are made to order. Big and sturdy women, displaying the results of a life spent on such sultry diets, manoeuvre long spoons into frying pans in such a dexterous way that I’m ready to hear the earth quake and be lifted into space on board this market-spaceship. Here, nasi kerabu – Kelantanese rice with dried fish or fried chicken and crunchy prawn crackers – is just delicious. The food smorgasbord continues at night in M AY 2 0 1 4 | 4 5
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the nearby open-air night market, the cheapest and most enjoyable way to eat in Kota Bharu. I know that I want ayam percik, masterfully barbecued chicken soaked in a special mix of spices and sauces. As I take my first bite, who thinks about the islands anymore? The next day, it’s time to visit the district of Tumpat and its array of colourful Thai-Taoist temples, the real bandaid sticking together southern Thailand and northeastern Malaysia. I team with a local friend to make the short trip by car, as it’s hard to rent scooters in Kota Bharu, and doing so by bicycle requires too much time and energy. First stop is Wat Pothivan near Tumpat town: its reclining Buddha measures 40 metres, making it among the largest in the world. Up next is Wat Mai Suwan Khiri, uniquely shaped as a dragon boat floating over a pool of water. I have rarely seen a shrine so intricate and bizarre. The third wonder of the day is the impressive seated Buddha guarding the entrance to Wat Machimarran Varran. The outside serenity greatly contrasts with the appalling frescoes depicting gory scenes from the Buddhist hell I find inside. Here, demons pull tongues with wrenches, while the damned burn in fires or climb trees covered in thorns, the stomach-turning details enhanced by the psychedelic colours. When we’ve had enough of hell, we drive to Wat Phothikyan in Kampung Balai near Bachok. Besides a giant 100m-high Buddha statue, the temple’s walls are also shaped like twin dragons: facing each other above the gate. Their bodies run around the temple grounds for 600m. “I think you need a nice treat after so much hellish torment,” my friend says, throwing me a towel as he leads the way toward the herbal baths in a corner of the courtyard. 4 6 | M AY 2 0 1 4
“This is great to wash away your sins,” he jokes before disappearing into an aromatic mist. Before I follow, I turn around and notice that, not too far from the feet of Buddha, a most peculiar replica of a Tyrannosaurus Rex is prowling in a garden. Can somebody tell me where I really am? Before we return to Kota Bharu to enjoy another bite of ayam percik, we drive to Bachok town’s seaside. Kilometres of palm-fringed beaches extend empty in the blazing sun, and the sound of crashing waves lures us closer. Walking on the beach, we find a path that snakes inland, and we follow it until we find ourselves in a dried fish farm. Hundreds of wooden planks are exposed under an unforgiving sun, which burns thousands of salted fish until they are flat and crispy. There’s a fully operational industry here. In a nearby building a group of women cut away the inner parts and smear the fish in salt before men carry bucket loads to dry out on the planks. We round the back of the building and walk to a pier where bumboats float on a sea inlet. A couple of shirtless, darkly tanned fishermen appear surprised to see me there. “We are waiting for the night to start the engines and go out to sea,” one of them says between deep cigarette drags. “That’s party time for fish. Do you want to join us?” I’d love to, but there are too many delicious things waiting for me at Kota Bharu’s night market. But wait a minute… didn’t someone tell me there were islands around here? bangkok101.com
CONVENIENTLY LOCATED NEAR EVERYTHING. The Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok hotel is ideally located on Soi 24, in the heart of Sukhumvit's business, shopping and entertainment district. A five-minute walk from the BTS Phrom Phong station, guests can stay on the Sukhumvit line to travel directly to leisure and shopping attractions like Terminal 21, MBK Centre, Central World, Siam Paragon and Jatuchak weekend market. The popular Emporium shopping mall is just a few minutes’ walk from the hotel. For room reservations please visit www.sukhumvitbangkok.hilton.com or call 02-620-6666
11 Soi Sukhumvit 24, Sukhumvit Road, Khlong Ton, Khlong Toei, Bangkok 10110
a r
Jim Thompson Art Center An ongoing exhibition at the Jim Thompson Art Center, TRANSMISSION explores the relationship between cultural heritage and contemporary art. The exhibition takes as its starting point a storied collection of art and artefacts, that of the Jim Thompson Thai House and Museum, a collection almost synonymous with Thai heritage thanks to the museum’s preservation and promotion of Thai culture, old and new. But like other important Thai collections, most of its contents are actually older than Thailand – certainly, older than the modern nation-state inaugurated in the 1930s. Speaking to us from pre-modern and pre-national times, what is the place to which it refers? Taking in centuries of cultural exchange and an area now spanning many countries, what the museum assembles and displays is also a collection of regional art. Offering a glimpse into Thailand’s pre-national unconscious through the looking glass of contemporary art, the exhibition features seven contemporary artists from Thailand and Southeast Asia responding to the Jim Thompson collection in their own terms. Their works show that the past is not just an inspiration, but a challenge, that ‘tradition’ is not just an inheritance of forms and techniques, but a live process of translation and adaptation that is integral to the experience of modernity. The exhibition suggests that ‘heritage’ offers much more than a sense of identity, but also conceptual, spiritual and practical knowledge – renewable resources for thinking, feeling and making. Through new and recent creations in a wide variety of media – from woodwork and painting to video and sound installation – the exhibition raises the question of how knowledge is transmitted, between people and between peoples. How does a culture reach across time and space? What makes it rigid or adaptable? Why do some cultures thrive, while others fade away?
ART & C u lt u r e
exhibitions
Sawatika
Toot Yung Gallery [MAP 8/S17] 12 Ekkamai Soi 2 | 084-914-5499 Tue-Sun 11am-8pm | tootyunggallery.com
Until May 10 The Swiss-born artist Maja Hürst’s new show “Sawatika”, produced while in residence at Toot Yung, offers a discourse on today’s global society and the nearly forgotten traditions and sagas of the past, exploring such themes as daily life, pollution, ephemerality, folklore, mythology and love.
Reframed
Whitespace Gallery [MAP 5/M6] One Sala Daeng 1, Rama 4 Rd | 081-699-5298 Wed-Sun 12pm-6pm | whitesp-cegallery.com
Until May 30 In this exhibition, American designer Dann De Witt’s work is de-contextualised, stripped of the signifiers of its original design purpose, and presented in a way that allows the audience to experience and evaluate it purely as artistic expression.
Four Countries
H Gallery [MAP 5/K7] 201 Sathorn Soi 12 | 085-021-5508 Wed-Mon 10am-6pm | hgallerybkk.com
Until May 25 Created during times spent in Cambodia, Turkey, Thailand and the United States, “Four Countries” is an installation that explores the writer and visual artist Chath PierSath’s interest in relationships between memory, recollection and the qualities of dreaming. Curated by Brian Curtin.
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bangkok101.com
exhibitions
ART & C u lt u r e
Follow(l) Me
Ardel Gallery of Modern Art [MAP 2/A8] Boromrachachonnanee Rd | 02-422-2092 Tue-Sat 10.30-7pm, Sun 10.30-5.30pm | ardelgallery.com
Until May 18 Using owl motifs to represent herself, the young printmaker Kattliya Phantodee employs various techniques to create traditional woodcuts, woodcut prints with watercolours and mixed-media collage works to relay her feelings about love, desire, family, travel and solitude.
General/Tiger/Gun
Rebel Art Space [MAP 3/X10] 10/5 Soi Srijun, Sukhumvit Soi 67 | 02-115-1055 Tue-Sat 10am-7pm | rebelartspace.com
Until May 30 A new group of Myanmar artists steps into the spotlight exploring issues surrounding power in society. “General/ Tiger/Gun” is a play on “Paper/Rock/Scissors”, the popular children’s game that is neither perpetually won nor perpetually lost. There are new winners and losers in Myanmar’s changing political landscape.
Burma: The Quiet Violence
Thavibu gallery [MAP 5/D6] Jewellery Trade Centre, 4F 919/1 Silom Rd | 02-266-5454 Mon-Sat 11am-7pm | thavibu.com
Until May 24 Thirty-eight paintings completed between 1995 and 2005 reflect artist Myint Swe’s concerns about the discouraging socio-political environment in Myanmar during those years. Due to their overtly political nature, the paintings needed to be secretly transported to Bangkok, where they have been kept in storage… until now.
bangkok101.com
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ART & CULTURE photofeature
Thai Style hits Milan Last month marked the fourth year running for Thailand’s pioneering Slow Hand Design initiative at Milan’s trendy Superstudio Piu, the offsite fair during the city’s famed Salone Internazionale del Mobile, the world’s largest and most illustrious design and furniture fair. And this year’s theme – Thai Craftology – proved to be a resounding success and generated an amazing response, providing a unique international stage for the Kingdom’s most vibrant creativity.
ART & CULTURE photofeature
Design Inspiration M L Kathathong Thongyai has worked for the Department of International Trade Promotion, under the Ministry of Commerce, for 23 years. As director of the department’s Thailand Institute of Design and Innovation Promotion (TIDIP), he brings much experience within the field of Thai design marketing, and is a key supporter of Thailand’s Slow Hand Design project, which featured at last month’s Salone Internazionale de Mobile in Milan. A group of Thailand’s hottest designers have been dubbed ‘The Seven Hipsters’ and appear on the following pages alongside images of their creations.
What are the objectives of Slow Hand Design? Our main objective is of course to sell Thai-designed products, but to do this we have had to assist international audiences in understanding and recognising the DNA of Thai design. Based on the history of Thai culture, especially in terms of arts and crafts, handmade designs made from natural materials are what generally distinguish our designs from their Western counterparts. Over the last four years of Thai design presence in Milan, we have done a good job conveying a historical overview of Thai culture and Thai design, and have expanded on that idea to show different aspects of Thai design, reiterating the handmade aspect. What’s different in 2014? Now in our fourth year at Milan, we feel that we have successfully given the foreign market the information they need to recognise Thai design. This year we want them to meet the faces behind Thai design, so we are bringing over seven new-generation designers to interact with the international audience. Our curator Eggarat Wongchari has chosen these designers for their innovation excellence and unique aesthetics. 5 4 | M AY 2 0 1 4
What are your greatest achievements so far? Since Thai designers first began participating in events association the Milan Furniture Week, we have see an increase in orders from abroad. This is especially true with respect to special orders and contract jobs. Products we exhibit now have shifted from imitations of modern products and manufactured abroad to Thaiconcept, Thai-designed modern products. Furthermore, we are beginning to Thai influences on international designs, international design. You might not notice it right away, but if you examine the origins closely it is readily apparent. Our Thai designers travelling to Milan and other exhibitions around the world also carry back inspiration and encouragement. It’s a two-way street. What are the remaining challenges? I personally I feel that Thai design still has a long way to go in terms of creating recognition and being able to compete in a global market that is ever demanding new products and more creativity. We feel that our department has a major role to play in investing in design innovation and in maintaining high standards for Thai design products and services. bangkok101.com
Anon Pairot Anon Pairot anonpairot.com
Dots Studio Krit Phutpim dots-studio.com
Korakot Korakot Aromdee korakot.net
Labrador Anek Kulthaweesup labradorfactory.net
Qualy Teerachai Suppameteekulwat newarriva.com
Srilnlim Sarinya Limthongtip srinlim.com
Thinkk Studio Decha Archjananun and Ploypann Theerachai think-studio.com
ART & CULTURE photofeature
Behind the Scenes in Milan From left: M.L. Kathathong Thongyai (director Thailand Institute of Design and Innovation), Alberto Virgilio (Honorary Consul General of Thailand in Milan), Surapit Kirtiputra (Ambassador for Royal Thai Embassy in Rome), Nuntawan Sakuntanaga (director general of DITP), Duangkamol Jiambutr (deputy director general of DITP), Eggarat Wongcharit (curator and designer of Slow Hand Design), Wanasri Jotikabukkana (director of Thai Trade Centre in Milan)
Nuntawan Sakuntanaga, left, and Krit Phutpim
DITP staff and the ‘Seven Hipsters’ during the fair 6 2 | M AY 2 0 1 4
From left: M.L. Paskorn Abhakorn, Natama Koonpol, Wanasri Jotikabkkana, Saravudh Klinsuwan
The Slow Hand Design Pavilion bangkok101.com
ART & CULTURE photofeature
Krit Phutpim
Eggarat Wongcharit
Anon Pairot
Decha Archjananun, left, and Ploypann Theerachai bangkok101.com
Teerachai Suppameteekulwat
Korakot Aromdee
Sarinya Limthongtip
Anek Kulthaweesup M AY 2 0 1 4 | 6 3
HIGH TEA MONDO p70
AROy Visiting Chef at The District
Working as senior sous support chef for Gordon Ramsay Group in London, Chef Chris Irving is taking time from his busy schedule to visit Bangkok and star as a guest chef at The District Grill Room & Bar (Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit; 02-7970000) until May 14. Every Wednesday, Chef Chris will surprise guests with different delicious menus showcasing his creativity. Chef Chris is a well reputed chef with great experience and achievements and has been featured in the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and elsewhere.
Mango Mania
Chef Sebastiaan Hoogewerf, pastry chef at The Okura Prestige Bangkok (Park Ventures Ecoplex, 57 Wireless Rd; 02-687-9000; okurabangkok.com) has created new delicacies for the hotel’s retail bakery outlet La Pâtisserie in readiness for the upcoming mango season. New items for sale from May 1-31 include mango cheesecake, tango cake, macaroons, choux cream and trifle verrine. Prices start from 120 baht (plus government tax). La Pâtisserie opens from 7am to 7pm on weekdays and 8am to 4pm on Saturdays.
Fragrant and Flowery
Dusit Thani Bangkok’s exquisite Lobby Lounge (946 Rama IV Rd; 02-200-9000; dusit.com) has unveiled a new Fragrant & Flowery Afternoon Tea service to put a spring in the step of locals and hotel guests alike. Vibrant floral decorations and flavours infused with the aura of summer accentuate the delightfully fragranced teas from The Wellness Group (TWG). Through 31st May, the new Afternoon Tea service (B600) offers a delectable new range of sweet and savoury delights, which are complemented by TWG’s fabulous range of flower-infused teas such as chamomile, jasmine and orange blossom.
New Signature Cakes
The Imperial Queen’s Park’s (Sukhumvit Soi 22; 02-261-9000; imperialhotels.com) Master Pastry Chef Palash Gomes is pleased to present four new one-of-a-kind signature cakes: M&M Chocolate Candies Cake, Imperial Green Tea Cake, Caramel Nut Popcorn Cake and Dolly Crepe Cake. Pamper yourself with these delightful, fresh-baked homemade cakes that use only the finest ingredients. They are favourite choices of all, perfect for sweet tooth lovers, good for any special occasion, and perfect as a gift for anyone
bangkok101.com
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FOOD & DRIN K
meal deals
MANGO MANIA AT CHILI HIP CENTARA WATERGATE PAVILLION HOTEL BANGKOK 567 Ratchaprarop Rd | 02-625-1234 | centarahotelsresorts.com Celebrate this mango season with a range of delightful Asian dishes creatively cooked with the juicy tropical fruit. The highlights include pan-fried sea scallops served with mango cucumber salsa and celeriac puree, stir fried prawns with aromatic crumbs served with mango and pineapple salsa. Available until the end of this month at Chili Hip, opens daily from 5pm-11pm.
NEW DISHES AT CRePES & CO. CRePES & CO. 59/4 Langsuan Soi 1 | 02-652-0208 | crepesnco.com New Mediterranean dishes are revealed at both Lansuan and Thong Lor branch. Braised lamb shank with garlic mashed potatoes, grilled vegetables and rosemary jus is offered at B480. Crêpe cream cheese served with strawberry ice cream and hot raspberry sauce (B210) and a chocolate crêpe with home-made strawberry crumble (B195) are also available.
SPECIAL DEAL AT LA VIE VIE HOTEL BANGKOK 117/39-40 Phaya Thai Rd | 02-309-3939 | viehotelbangkok.com Nothing could be better than this ‘Dine 2 Pay 1’ promotion at La Vie, which has just introduced a scrumptious lunch and a dinner set, starting at B599. The classy French menu starts with a variety of soups and salads followed by tiger prawns flambé or wagyu tenderloin and finishes off with dark and white chocolate millefeuille or French crème brûlée. Valid until the end of May.
GIo LuA MONTH AT THIEN DONG DUSIT THANI BANGKOK 946 Rama IV Rd | 02-200-9000 | dusit.com Until the end of this month, Thien Dong Vietnamese restaurant is offering a range of dishes to present the unique flavours of giò lua – known as Vietnamese sausage. Baked Vietnamese sausage in Good King Henry leaves and steamed Vietnamese ravioli filled with pork roll will be available from B250 per dish.
BITE SIZE SAVOURY BY THE RIVER ROYAL ORCHID SHERATON HOTEL AND TOWERS 2 Charoen Krung Rd Soi 30 | 02-660-123 | starwoodhotels.com Mieng Kham is a tasty do-it-yourself dish with different tastes and textures coming together in one bite-sized with a special sweet and savoury sauce. Try the mieng ponlamai (fresh fruits topped with ginger, shallot, coconut and peanut sauce) and the mieng pla salmon kra thong krob (salmon in crispy cups topped with ginger, shallot, cashews and lime with mayonnaise sauce).
GASTRO BISTRO SUNDAYS PLAZA ATHÉNÉE BANGKOK, A ROYAL MÉRIDIEN HOTEL 61 Wireless Rd | 02-650-8800 | plazaatheneebangkok.com A French culinary extravaganza awaits your indulgence every Sunday at a very special price. Enjoy as many dishes as you like from a variety of menus prepared a la minute. Favourites include seabass pescaccio, foie gras crème brulée, Valrhona fondant and Crèpe Suzette. The price is B2400 per person, including free flow wine, draught beer and soft drinks.
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bangkok101.com
review
FOOD & DRIN K
Blue Sky - A fresh view of Bangkok’s skyline Rooftop bars and restaurants in central Bangkok have surged in popularity in recent years, popping up everywhere from Sukhumvit to Sathorn to Silom. Now Ladprao has a name in the mix, with the ultrahip Blue Sky located at Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao. It offers a whole new perspective of the city’s glittering skyline, with a stand-out menu featuring high-quality Asian and Western dishes. On our visit, we sampled five dishes, including two starters, two main courses and one dessert. We also tasted a few cocktails. Our favourites were definitely the two starters, with the stir-fried Burgundy snails (B350) taking the top spot. Snails normally tend to be quite chewy, but the ones at Blue Sky are soft and tender and taste almost like scallops. The combination with chorizo and pesto adds a welcome tanginess. The other starter, Cromesquis scallops (B450) use made of minced scallop meat with a black ink crust reminiscent of the Thai larb moo thod. The combination with a special Spanish pepper and a tasty garlic sauce is particularly satisfying and sets high expectations. The Shepherd’s pie with potato mash and duck confit (B750) is more traditional, although the mushroom sauce had a nice flavour and the presentation is well done. The steamed snowfish (B980) is a notch above and, as with most French dishes, features a savoury sauce that truly bangkok101.com
complements the whole experience. Finally, for dessert, the Mille-feuille (B180 or B320, depending on size) proved faithful to its French providence, served with light bourbon vanilla cream and raspberry sauce. The flaky pastry comes directly from the French pastry chef and is both original and delicious. The atmosphere at Blue Sky allows for relaxed and informal dining – the view over Chatuchak Park is fantastic. Watching the busy roadways below with their long traffic jams gives visitors a sense of being away from the stress of work and the restaurant succeeds in creating a feeling of freedom and untroubled indulgence. The hotel’s executive chef Eric Berrigaud hails from France but has now been in Thailand for 12 years. He recently joined Centara Grand and notes the hotel and its restaurants are popular among locals and expats, including workers in the area. BY WILLEM DEENIK
BLUE SKY
[MAP 8/O1]
24F Centara Grand, Central Plaza Ladprao, 1695 Phaholyothin Rd 02-541-1234 | centarahotelsresorts.com | 6pm-2am
M AY 2 0 1 4 | 6 7
FOOD & DRIN K
review
Cloud 47
- Heavenly views Perched 47 floors above Silom, and enjoying fabulous 180-degree city views, Cloud 47 is a rooftop bar and bistro without any pretensions – cargo shorts and flip-flops are right at home in this casual, easy-going venue. Spanning half of the entire top floor of United Center, Cloud 47 offers seating for 450 people, although the most desirable tables are naturally those enjoying a frontrow seat overlooking the city’s skyline. The dinner menu is a mix of Thai and Thai-fusion dishes. On our visit we tried the Fresh Salmon with Spicy Sauce (B180), served with a traditional green chilli seafood sauce, as well as a lightly fried Chicken Cordon Bleu (B280), stuffed with ham and mozzarella cheese. Finally, we sampled the Pork Knuckle with Sauerkraut (B580), one of the most popular dishes on the menu, featuring a crispy exterior and soft, juicy meat inside. To attain this unique combination of textures, the dish is cooked in three stages: first boiled, then roasted and lastly deep-fried. The pork is also served with the green chilli seafood sauce. The venue strikes us less as a culinary destination and more as a place for friends and co-workers to unwind after sundown. The space is comfortably decked out in white 6 8 | M AY 2 0 1 4
cushioned stools, with white neoclassical pillars stretching up to the roof. Even the pool table is covered in white panelling. The mood changes drastically as vibrant coloured lights fill the space. Splashes of purple, yellow and green – along with disco strobe lights dancing on the walls – give the chilled-out place a bit more of a dynamic vibe. Live musicians and DJs perform seven nights a week, but they play tunes that are distinctly laid-back. The music always remains at the perfect volume for not drowning out conversations. But the real entertainment highlight here – if a bit gimmicky – involves a flying angel inside the two-storey, glassed-in wine cellar. Suspended from the ceiling by wires connected to a harness, she swoops through the air to retrieve bottles of wine, her little show concluding with a bit of aerial acrobatics. Cloud 47 offers more than 250 different wine labels from all over the world. The bar also offers a selection of beers, wines and cocktails. BY BILL BREDESEN
Cloud 47
[MAP 5/j5]
47F United Center Building, Silom Rd | 091-889-9600 facebook.com/thecloud47 | 5pm-1am
bangkok101.com
review
La Vie - Bon appétit French creative cuisine takes centre stage at the elegant new La Vie restaurant on the 11th floor of VIE Hotel Bangkok. The fine dining venue aims to leverage the hotel’s growing reputation as a top local culinary destination, thanks in part to the many chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants overseas who have visited here in recent years. To celebrate the opening of La Vie – technically a reopening as the space was previously home to an international all-day dining venue – it is offering a special promotion through the end of May in which diners can ‘Come 2, Pay 1’. La Vie sets out to combine French flavours with a bold modern approach to presentation, ensuring some welcome surprises along the way. There’s a choice between three-course set lunches (B599) and four- (B1800) and five-course (B2000) set dinners, along with an extensive à la carte menu. It’s hard to go wrong with any of the chef’s signature dishes, such as the snow fish, mushroom ragout, sautéed baby spinach and fish vaelouté emulsion (B800 on the à la carte menu) or the wild mushroom cappuccino with parmesan emulsion (B180 à la carte). Another stand-out is the fragrant Hokkaido scallop carpaccio with cold cappellini salad (B550 à la carte) and the foie gras escalope with raspberry coulis and rocket salad (B650 à la carte). bangkok101.com
FOOD & DRIN K
The five-course dinner menu includes a choice of starter, soup, pasta, main dish and dessert. Desserts including the vanilla ice macaroon with berries compote (B180 à la carte), strawberry yoghurt mousse with berry compote (B150 à la carte) and French crème brulee (B150 à la carte) also draw high marks. With a selection of old-world and new-world wines from the restaurant’s large showcase wine cellar, La Vie also offers the perfect pairing for your meal. The elegant 70-seat space is furnished in salmonhued armchairs and soft dark leather sofas and gently illuminated by flickering candles and graceful chandeliers. The comfortable ambience is matched with subdued electronic music and occasionally the delightful sounds of a live piano. BY BILL BREDESEN
La Vie
[MAP 5/g7]
11F VIE Hotel Bangkok, 117/39-40 Phaya Thai Rd | 02-309-3939 viehotelbangkok.com | noon-3pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm
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FOOD & DRIN K
review
Mondo - International deli deliciousness This open-kitchen eatery on the ground floor of the Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok is styled after popular neighbourhood salumerias (delis) and formaggerias (cheese shops) found on street corners throughout Italy. With its soft mood lighting and mixture of cosy high and low seating, Mondo is a laid-back but quietly elegant venue. The wide-ranging menu features tapas dishes with influences from all over the world but with a marked focus on the Mediterranean and Asia. The food here is bite-sized and meant to be shared, making it a perfect destination for diners looking for upscale variety. Hot starters range from classics like fried calamari with tartar sauce (B90) to the more adventurous rock island lobster fritters with burrata cheese aioli (B200). Cold tidbits include salmon tartar with horseradish dressing (B200) and avocado guacamole, king crab salad and tangy cocktail sauce (B200). On the ‘East Meets West’ fusion section of the menu, stand-outs include the mini wagyu burgers with aioli sambal (B150), juicy bite-sized sliders cooked to perfection, along with oven-baked oysters prepared with a spicy Matsuhisa sauce (B90). Those looking for comfort food might appreciate everyday favourites like Caesar salad (B280 or B320 with Cajun chicken), the Hilton club sandwich (B290) and pad thai (B320). The deli menu also showcases Mondo’s focus on quality ingredients – it’s known as ‘La Salumeria’ and is one of 7 0 | M AY 2 0 1 4
the highlights of dining here. Start with 30g servings of delectable meats like chorizo cular iberico (B90), a Spanish sweet and spicy pork sausage, before moving on to parma ham riserva legato (B150). High-end deli platters include culatello di zibello (B300), a cured pork ham with a sweet, rich flavour, and patanegra de cebo (B300), a top-quality Spanish-cured pork ham. There is also an excellent cheese menu, called ‘I Formaggi’ – a godsend for those with serious cheese cravings. Check out the platter selections featuring a choice of four to eight different cheeses and cold cuts, costing from B700 to B1500. Desserts here are distinctly European, with a delicious pistachio eclair (B80), Verbena panna cotta (B90) and chocolate cappuccino yogurt and coffee jelly (B80) among the best choices. BY BILL BREDESEN
MONDO
[MAP 3/N12]
GF Hilton Sukhumvit Bangkok, 11 Sukhumvit Soi 24 02-620-6666 | hilton.com | 7am-11pm
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FOOD & DRIN K
in the kitchen
FERNANDO REYES BARBA talks to Howard Richardson
Chef Fernando Reyes Barba, born in Mexico City, spent 18 years in the US before alighting in Bangkok at the end of 2012. He stands in his small open kitchen and runs me through some of the menu options at Senor Pico, a restaurant with its focus on fiesta as much as the food. “I make three styles here – Tex-Mex, Cal-Mex and Mexican,” he says, explaining some of the differences. “Americans want big portions and plenty of cheese and other ingredients in their burritos, including rice, beans, meat and sour cream. In Mexico it’s farmers’ food, made using leftovers. And Mexican ceviche is raw. Americans want it fully cooked.” Fernando is about to show me how to prepare Mexican ceviche, in Ceviche de Atun y Huachinango (citrusmarinated tuna and red snapper, B395). “In Mexican versions there are different marinades,” the chef says. In this case I’m using fresh lemon juice, but some people use tomato, coconut milk, or [the carbonated drink] Orange Crush, which actually tastes pretty good. Especially with shrimp.” Fernando, in a white chef’s tunic with his name and the image of a gaucho stitched on the breast, checks over the ingredients – bell peppers, onions, fresh coriander, jalapeno and fish – all fine chopped and laid out in bowls. He mixes them together with lemon juice, tops with shredded cucumber, and seasons with salt and pepper to taste. “You can use any seafood,” he says. “My mother would 7 2 | M AY 2 0 1 4
make this the day before to fully cook in the lemon juice, because you wouldn’t be as sure about the freshness of the fish. When you have the quality of fish we use here, that’s not necessary. Before serving I let it stand for five minutes for the cooking process to begin, so you can see the tuna flesh start to turn from a red colour to grey. “If I make this for Mexicans I will put more jalapenos and lime juice; Spanish guys like a lot of coriander. If you want to use tomatoes it’s OK, but I recommend you take out the seeds.” As it rests, Fernando cooks the tortilla chips, which are made locally by a Mexican guy: “He uses white corn flour from Mexico, which is why I like them.” On eating, the ceviche has that short telltale pinch of jalapenos, which only burns the lips and tongue briefly, and there’s a lot of coriander to back up the zesty lemon. It’s ideal party food, good for sharing to the sounds of the Mexican Band, Maria Cafe, when diners might leave the table to dance a little mambo or salsa. “It’s the kind of dish you’ll find in places like Acapulco and Cancun, sold from a cart in the street, the same as here in Thailand,” Fernando says. “The Mexicans who work in Bangkok are very happy.”
Senor Pico
[MAP 3/k8]
Rembrandt Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 18 | 02-261-7100 facebook.com/senorpicobkk | 5pm-1am
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ealtike
Nym
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Our roving eater Nym knows her local grub inside-out and thrives on the stories behind the dishes. Each month, she takes an offbeat tour in search of the city’s next delectable morsel
An Oasis in Silom
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mid all the bustling activity and commerce on Silom Road sits a wonderful surprise: Wat Khaek, the Hindu Temple. Whenever I come here, I feel like I’m in India, and my eyes are immediately drawn to multi-hued garlands entwined with blue PVC pipes, as well as pink and white lotus flowers, yellow marigolds, scarlet roses and ceramic-white jasmine. The surroundings capture my attention as much as the temple itself does. This riot of colours, along with the smell of sandalwood incense, helps me imagine that I have travelled a long way to get here. Besides this wonderful sensory experience, I also enjoy coming to this neighbourhood because I have discovered here an oasis of Ayurvedic food. If you walk down the lefthand side of Thanon Pan away from Wat Khaek, past the Kathmandu Gallery, you will come to a fortune-teller on the sidewalk. Just past the fortune teller, on the left-hand side, is a small soi, through which a cooling breeze always flows, carressing your face. In this alley is Ayurveda Wellness Center, Suananda. It’s hard to believe that such a cozy outdoor green space could be found here in the hectic centre of the city. And the food and drinks here are amazing. This healthy restaurant and wellness centre springs from the passions of Sukesh, who, along with her staff, is friendly and knowledgeable about the menu and other offerings. Fresh
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vegetarian dishes come in three different sets each day. Each time I return, they offer a satisfying combination of dishes like dal, vegetable curry, salad, rice, whole wheat roti, chapati and idli (rice cake). Pomegranate seeds, sprouts, lentils and the antioxidant-loaded beets play big roles in the taste and also offer many healthy benefits. Finally there are amazingly fresh yoghurt lassis. The menu – all dishes are made from scratch – is exotic, but not strange, even for people unfamiliar with Indian food. The place is a treat, a retreat and truly an oasis. Try it: Suananda is at 109/9 Thanon Pan. The lunch set costs B180. Besides lunch, you can also enjoy Ayurvedic treatments, cooking and massage too.
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listings
Bo.lan
THAI bo.lan [MAP 3/o12] 42 Sukhumvit 26 Soi Pichai Ronnarong Songkram | 02-260-2962 | bolan.co.th Tues-Sun 6pm-10.30pm The Bo.Lan Balance menu (B1880) offers customers a selection of mid-sized dishes, beginning with an impressive amuse bouche that includes a particularly satisfying mouthful of Thai noddles with dumplings, where a slow-burn spice silhouettes a refreshing zest and the delicate presentation does not detract from intense flavours. The main selection of dishes comes out in a flurry – there’s beef with organic mangosteen and a chilli-mint dressing, relish of salty duck egg in coconut cream, with mince prawn and grilled squid, as well as a stir-fried pork with santol. It’s highquality produce and the attention to detail throughout is striking, although the bolder notes of chilli and lime risk overshadowing more subtle undertones. The highlight, among the dishes served on the tasting menu, is the mon-style khi lek curry with daily ocean fish. Khi lek leaves are bitter but when combined with the sweetness of coconut milk and the mild spice of a curry, there’s a brilliant complexity
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that still leaves room for the natural seafood taste. There’s more than enough going on in this dish to sustain it over a much larger portion, making it the stand-out offering. If you want to stray from the set menu and branch off a la carte, the grilled pork salad with rambutan, herbs and red chilli (B420) is a winner, as is the northern-style hot and sour soup with banaa blossom and chicken on the bone (B240).
blue elephant Restaurant & Cooking School [MAP 5/d7] 233 South Sathorn Rd | 02-673-9353 blueelephant.com | 11.30am-2.30pm, 6.30pm-10.30pm The Blue Elephant brand has been wildly successful since it was first established in 1980, introducing Thai food to the world through restaurants dotted all over the place, including those in London, Paris and Dubai. And, of course, there’s one in Bangkok, just under Surasak BTS in a gorgeous oldfashioned Thai building. When you take in the traditional interior, it’s no surprise that Blue Elephant’s food is most confidently presented when they are hewing toward cuisine that, as categorised on their menu, derives from “Thai cooking of the past”. The massaman lamb (B580) is immaculately presented with a sweet, fragrant sauce, while the tom jiew kai (B240) has all the restorative powers of chicken soup, with a deliciously peppery aftertaste. However, Blue Elephant is not content to let the grass grow under them and that’s why, perhaps sensing that Thai food has increasingly been adapted into a more modern, international cuisine, there is also a section of the menu for Thai food “of today”
Blue Elephant
and “of tomorrow”. There are undoutbedly some interesting combinations, as Blue Elephant expands its playbook beyond the more familiar staples. There’s the grilled spare ribs with honey (B380) and a black chicken green curry (B680), using rare black chicken in coconut milk, with sweet basil and pea aubergines. For those interested in trying buffalo, there’s also a starter-sized satay set of Buffalo fillets from Ubon Ratchatanee (B320).
PASTE [MAP 3/P6] 120/6 Sukhumvit Soi 49 | 02-392-4313 pastebangkok.com | Tues-Sun noon-2.30pm, 6pm-late It’s possible for passersby to miss this new addition to Bangkok’s cosmopolitan dining scene, tucked to one side of soi 49 in the backstreets of Thong Lor. But if the entrance is easily overlooked, the modern Thai food inside is unlikely to be forgotten. For entrees, the dry-spiced chilli squid, topped with vinegar and tomato relish (B240) is a winner. Among the mains, the prime cuts of Australian red meat stand out invitingly from the local produce – the braised beef ribs with ginger rice, tamarind leaves and mushroom soy (B380) are perfect if you don’t mind getting your hands dirty.
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Paste The roast duck salad with lychee and Vietnamese mint (B380) packs an immediate punch but it is the hint of banana blossom that delivers a surprising, sensational finish. And then there is the tamarind and caramel pork belly with moonflower, red okra and green chilli pickle (400). It’s an inspired combination, the pork belly coming apart effortlessly while its outer layer retains a rainbow of flavours, its richness lightened perfectly by the moonflower and okra. Overall, Paste is a triumph, fusing tradition and innovation with a confidence and craft that never veers into showiness. Good food is often described as “tasty” or “delicious” but these descriptions are fleeting – the best meals go a step further and stay with us long after the plates are cleared. And, on that score, Paste delivers with exceptional panache, serving food that is not just instantly gratifying but truly memorable.
sala rattanakosin bangkok [MAP 7/c12]
39 Maharat Rd, Rattanakosin Island 02-231-2588 | salarattanakosin.com 7am-10pm With vistas not only across the river to Wat Arun but also towards the spires of Wat Pho and the Grand Palace, everyone here has
a drink in one hand and a camera-phone in the other. Later, head down to the two-storey restaurant, and, if possible, grab a window table upstairs or beside the river on the wooden deck outside. Executive chef Tony Wrigley describes his menu as comfort food and that pretty much fits the bill. Typical Thai dishes include tempura fried soft shell crab (B290), with a good strong zip of sour and spice in green mango salad that cuts through the crispy batter, and the northern Thai favourite khao soy (B280). The latter, served as a main course, has a thicker, more curry-like consistency than usual and the complexity loses out slightly to the more dominant palm sugar in a heavily reduced sauce. The menu has fewer Euro items but there were good flavours to the twice-cooked crispy pork belly (B590). It’s roasted for three hours and then finished in the oven for 20 minutes with a tamarind glaze. On the side are roast pumpkin puree, apple and young ginger marmalade, and stir-fried morning glory, which works very well cooked in typical local style, flash-fried with oyster sauce, garlic and chilli. A major plus is the list of 25 wines by the glass, starting at B190 and a very drinkable standard with the clean, acidic Teddy Hall Chenin Blanc from South Africa.
Taling Pling [Map 3/Q12] 25 Sukhumvit Soi 34 | 11am-10pm 02-258-5308-9 On entering the new branch of Taling Pling, an old-timer whose main Pan Rd branch we were a big fan of until it was demolished, we had to pinch ourselves to test that we hadn’t walked into the Mad Hatter’s De tea party.
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Sala Rattanakosin A black and white checkered floor covers its floor, providing a stark contrast to the fuchsia-pink, faux-rattan chairs. Seating options vary from a private, secluded area at the back of the restaurant to the well-lit dining area with a view of the garden – lending you a landscape for your eyes to feast on. The menu varies from curries to neighborhood nosh such as beef noodles. We started off with a gaeng kiew waan moo (green pork curry) that has been stewed to a succulent, buttery texture that melts in your mouth. It has a fiery flavour that’s sure to set your palette a jittering; but no worries, as the accompanying side dish of crispy fried rotis is enough to extinguish the heat. For the fried options, we opted for another signature dish of theirs: ma karm gai yarng (fried chicken with tammarind) with strips of moist chicken thigh lathered with sweep of tamarind sauce, and topped off with crushed peanuts and fried thin onion slices to give extra crunch and texture. Another spectacular dish was the yum plaa salid taling pling, a fried fish salad that was at once simple yet sophisticated, showcasing Thai cuisine’s five essential flavours and featuring the restaurant’s namesake sour fruit, Taling Pling.
49 Sukhumvit soi 49 - Terrace 49 Building 2nd floor - reservation +6622041731
LA
OTTEGA
private wine room - open lunch and dinner bangkok101.com
www.labottega.name
Photografy for La Bottega by Studio NUMA M AY 2 0 1 4 | 7 5
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Bourbon Street
AMERICAN BOURBON STREET [MAP 8/S16] 9/39-40 Soi Tana Arcade, Sukhumvit 63, Ekamai | 02-381-6801 | bourbonstbkk.com 7am-1am New Orleans, the Big Easy, is famed for many things – its music, its nightlife and, of course, its distinctive Cajun food. There are bits and pieces borrowed from western Europe, particularly France and Spain, mixed up in a giant gumbo pot with Creole – itself a mixture of European and African-American influences - and infused with the brassy flavours of the American south. For the uninitiated, it’s a baffling cuisine, partly because it hasn’t been exported wholesale from Louisiana to the rest of the world. That said, washed down with a couple of particularly zingy margaritas at Bourbon Street in Ekkamai, it starts to make a whole lot of sense. The menu is vast, so fortunately the proprietor, Doug, who has been preaching the Cajun gospel in Bangkok for 30-odd years, is on-hand to offer his recommendations. No Cajun banquet is complete without a gumbo, which, on first appearance, looks like a simple working man’s stew – in Cajun cuisine, gumbo is a versatile dish that can contain more or less whatever the chef fancies. Here, it’s chicken and sausage (B140) in a rich broth – whatever spices or thickeners are being expertly employed at Bourbon Street, the flavour jumps off the spoon. An early highlight, undoubtedly. But they come thick and fast thereafter. The buffalo wings (B160) and the barbecue ribs (B370) are perfect for those with big appetites.
BURGER FACTORY [MAP 3/t2] 3 Soi Ekkamai 10 | 02-714-4249 | facebook. com/theburgerfactory | Sun-Thurs 11:30am11pm, Fri-Sat 11.30am-midnight Stylishly wrought in black metal, the Burger Factory seems to owe more to the ironsmith’s atelier than your typical American-style diner. Not that that’s a bad thing – unlike your typical American-style diner this joint located in the corner of a hip 7 6 | M AY 2 0 1 4
but low-key strip mall on Ekamai Soi 10 looks every inch the after-work hangout, like a stylish gastro-bar. Thanks to the floor-toceiling windows the space is bright, and there’s a small outdoor terrace. So, how do they go down? We chomped on three from the list of eleven burgers, all of them cooked medium, as is the default here. The first, the Patty Melt (B300), was compact and handsome, with a generous layer of caramelised onions and melted gruyere and Gouda cheeses. The second, the Red Devil Burger (B300), was heftier and messier due to its extras: an omelet and thick layer of spicy sauce. Both hit the spot (thankfully, the latter didn’t live up to the menu’s “the most spicy burger on earth” claim); but for us it was the least fancy of the three, the Factory Burger (B290), that impressed the most. Sinking your teeth into this trim bacon cheeseburger, you could taste the homemade-ness, as the patty flaked in the mouth, releasing a succulent burst of flame-grilled flavour. Accompanying it were some squiggly, seasoned curly fries (other options: French fries or homemade potato salad), and washing it down was a vanilla milkshake – a tasty one, albeit lacking the thick, creamy texture we’re used to. Should you want more, there are also grilled meats, tasty BBQ ribs (B300) and a couple of house salads available.
Little Beast [MAP 3/Q6] 44/9-10 Thonglor Soi 13 | 02-185-2670 facebook.com/littlebeastbar | Tue-Sat 5.30pm-1am, Sun 5.30-midnight The interior designers behind this cosy, clubby little gastro-bar are PIA Interior, the same talent who conjured up the enjoyable, Old Siam-style over-the-topness of the recently opened boutique hotel, Hotel Muse. Here, though, the 1920s Prohibition-era feel is not as flamboyant or overwrought, with a concrete rawness marrying with the dimmed lighting, wood accents and button-tufted, black leather chairs. Whether you head upstairs, past the faux-vintage sketches of one of the partners’ pet bulldog – the titular ‘Little Beast’ – to the private mezzanine, or stay downstairs, this is an intimate spot suited to grazing and glugging, or a bit of both. As is the trend these days, it’s a collaborative effort between well-travelled friends with money in the bank. Rustled up by the female chef Nana Bunyasaranand, the food is New American, which essentially means that they serve exotic twists on old world standbys. Thus it is that the steak cut fries come with a truffle aioli, and the tuna tartare a ginger
Moulin
mayonnaise. Little Beast also dishes up heartier specials. We haven’t tried these yet, but confess to being seriously tantalised by the photos, which are posted regularly on Little Beast’s lively Facebook page. Think more adventurous flights of fancy such as chocolate and fig foie gras terrine, or savoury corn panna cotta with chanterelle salad and brown butter vinaigrette. Backup comes from a handful of desserts (our pick: the snickerdoddle and salted caramel ice-cream sandwich) as well as malt whiskies, beers and some creative, oldworld themed cocktails.
moulin [MAP 3/r8] 88 Thong Lor Soi 5 | 02-712-9348 moulinsquare.com | 5.30pm-11pm, Fri-Sun also 5.30-11pm It’s hard to know quite what to expect from this newish arrival to the backstreets of Thong Lor, with a menu that shoots off in a few different directions and a setting that has spliced together a whirlwind of cabaret trimmings. This lack of a clearly identifiable theme may throw some diners but the food – broadly defined as trendy New York fare – does not disappoint in the slightest. If you start with the crispy crab cakes with mango salad (B420) the Big Apple vibe rings clear enough but the scallop carpaccio (main image, B340), served with fresh fruit and chocolate sauce, sets the mind spinning all over. Scallops in chocolate sauce? Crazier still is that it really works. Among the mains, the pan-fried blackened seabass served with dirty rice (B480) takes diners from the east coast on a trip to the Cajun south, helped on the way by the spicy shrimp gumbo (B380). It’s at this point that you really just have to stop worrying about categorising this experience and instead sit back and enjoy, not least because the gumbo is spectacular. It’s got all those amazing elements of a big Louisiana cookup, the fire in the first mouthful all the way through to the peppery, smokey aftertaste. In a menu that’s heavy on experimentation, the gumbo is brilliantly authentic and is worth the visit on its own. bangkok101.com
listings Shang Palace
CHINESE IMPERIAL CHINA [MAP 3/M11] Imperial Queens Park Hotel, 199 Sukhumvit Soi 22 | 02-261-9000 | imperialhotels.com/ imperialqueenspark | Daily 7am-10pm You might think you have a pretty firm idea about Chinese food – after all, it’s one of the most widely available cuisines all around the world, and is everywhere in Bangkok. Still, if this city has one constant – apart from the traffic – it is surely it’s ability to surprise and the expertly prepared offerings at Imperial China might force you to rethink what you think you know about Chinese food. If you’re after a Cantonese feast, there’s plenty on offer – we’ll get to that – but if you fancy the lighter fare, then the dim sum is sensational; the light, bite-sized portions or ornate seafood and pork will have you and your friends fighting each other for control of the Lazy Susan. As delicious as the dim sum is, it’s the main courses where Chef Chu really fires – everyone is familiar with spring rolls, but the ones at Imperial China, made with snowfish and avocado, (B750) are unlike any you’ve had previously, the ingredients off-setting each other perfectly and the texture of the pastry excquisite. The seafood extravaganza continues with baked tiger prawn with salt egg (B950) and stir-fried Hong Kong scallops with macadamia (B850). The scallops, in particular, hit exactly the right note and will remind seafood lovers precisely why they love their food fresh from the sea.
mandopop [MAP 4/k6] Oriental Residence Bangkok, 110 Wireless Rd 02-252-8001 | mandopop-bangkok.com 5pm-midnight The steamed scallop dumplings (B160) come wrapped in the thinnest wonton, one side tinted purple with beetroot and the other green with spinach. It’s a dish with very little margin for error – eating it is also a test of one’s chopsticks skills – but the crucial scallop flavour is never overwhelmed by the seasoning. The pan-seared foie gras served with bangkok101.com
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crispy duck skin (B450) is perhaps even more ambitious, served on a bed of curd and cress with a drizzle of sweet chilli and mango dressing (above right). It’s a perfect balance of flavours and textures, the velvety richness of the foie gras offset perfectly by the crunch of the duck skin, mixed in with the spice and joyous zing of the dressing. An absolute triumph. This brings us to the mains – often the stumbling block for restaurants pushing a modern concept. The tenderloin beef in black pepper sauce (B550) is wellexecuted in its own right – the meat is tender and gives off exactly the right tangy bite that customers expect from this dish. However, after the foie gras, the presentation falls short, the beef served more or less on its own, or with rice. There’s a spectacular return to form for the desserts, though.
shang palace [MAP 8/f17] 3F Shangri-La Hotel, 89 Soi Wat Suan Plu, New Road | 02-236-7777 | shangri-la.com 11am-3pm, 5.30pm-10.30pm The interior is flawlessly elegant and, even more importantly, the food is a glowing reminder of how Chinese food should be executed and presented. Throughout, the food is low on oil, delivering delicate flavours while still being immensely satisfying. The dim sum is the obvious place to start – the scallop siew mai (B120, left bottom) and the deep-fried shrimp and sesame spring rolls (B90) offer both sweet and salty taste, the scallops deliciously tender while the spring rolls add some crunch. The crispy barbecue pork buns (B80) are also a winner, the pastry bursting coming apart to expose the grilled, saucy goodness. But the signature dish is undoubtedly the Beijing roast duck (B1900) that is enough to feed four people and comes in two separate dishes. First, the skin comes off and is served with thin pancakes, green onion and plum sauce. The duck meat is then taken away and minced or stir-fried before returning to the table, seasoned with pine nuts and egg yolk, to be parcelled up inside fresh lettuce leaves. The baked river prawn with butter and black pepper suace (B220, left top) is another highlight – it’s a seriously sized prawn that is a brilliant pink when you manage to crack open the shell. The seafood keeps on coming – this time with a double hit of fresh crab. First, there’s the bird’s nest soup with crab roe (B1300) before the sticky rice with crab (B1800) that comes out in a family-sized bamboo basket. M AY 2 0 1 4 | 7 7
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Chez Pape
the mayflower [MAP 8/k16] Dusit Thani Bangkok, 946 Rama IV Rd 02-200-9000 | dusit.com | 11.30am-2pm, 6pm-10pm At The Mayflower, the flagship Cantonese restaurant at the Dusit Thani Bangkok, authenticity is the name of the game and the results are delicious. You’ve probably seen the liquid-centred buns with salted egg in the centre in various places around Bangkok – even, gasp, in 7-11 and other convenience stores. Of course, there’s none of that at The Mayflower, their gourmet version making a perfect starter (fried or steamed for B150). But the really impressive courses are to come and, although dim sum serving sizes tend to be on the smaller side, the menu at The Mayflower is exceptionally satisfying and interesting enough to start a tug-of-war over the Lazy Susan. The minced shrimp roll comes out wrapped in nori, and topped with ikura, which is salmon roe (B180). But it’s quickly overshadowed by the one-two punch of steamed snowfish with miso sauce (B180) and the crispy scallop, shrimp and crab roll wrapped in seaweed (B150). The popularity of snowfish seems to have skyrocketed in recent years and it is a natural fit for Asian flavours – it retains its light taste
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and texture while also offsetting more potent seasonings. The scallop, shrimp and crab, on the other hand, is an indulgence for seafood fans, three dishes using seriously high-end produce squeezed together. If you’re still hungry after that, the abalone wonton steamed and served with traditional dipping sauces (B300) is a stunning reminder of why we often make the mistake of ‘filling up on wontons’.
FRENCH chez pape [MAP 3/f9] 1/28-29 Soi Sukhumvit 11 | 02-255-2492 chezpape.com | 5pm-11.30pm, Sat-Sun also 11.30am-2.30pm The menu brims with traditional French fare, an indulgent roll call of sauces and great bread, seafood and meat. Those in the mood for a proper French feast won’t be disappointed but that’s not to say Chez Pape feels routine. Rather, there are enough surprises, both in terms of the combinations and the presentation to elevate Chez Pape’s food to something more impressive. Starting with the appetisers, there is a ceviche of barracuda in chilli and citrus (B160) or the tartare of avocado, crab and green apple (above right, B200), both hitting the right notes: light, fresh, seafood flavours offset with the right amount of seasonings. But perhaps it’s in the more provincial dishes that Chez Pape declares its hand, offering a port-marinated foie gras terrine, served with toast and mango marmalade (B285). The early courses are certainly impressive enough to build expectation for the mains without being so concept-heavy that they
L’Appart
create confusion. The pan-seared beef flank, an exquisite cut of meat, comes with goat-cheese ravioli and garnished with virgin sauce (B450) – it’s a deeply satisfying combination. Twisting the formula a little further is the duck breast served with apples, spinach and Japanese citrus dressing (B510). It’s a fine example of Chez’s Pape’s commitment to doing the inimitably French things well while borrowing and augmenting with inspired touches from elsewhere. It may sound like a challenge but leave room for dessert as the poached strawberries in syrup and ice cream (B230), although they sound straightforward, are a highlight.
l’appart [MAP 3/g9] 32F, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, 189 Sukhumvit Soi | 085-924-1565 | sofitel.com 7pm-midnight L’Appart, on the top floor of the Sofitel on Sukhumvit embraces the aesthetic of a Parisian apartment with such conviction that you could ride a bicycle, balancing a baguette on the handlebars, between some tables. The result is that L’Appart has one of the most gorgeous, interesting spaces in Bangkok. Chef Jeremy Tourret may be every inch
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the French master cook but that hasn’t prevented him taking some intriguing chances, adapting a traditional cuisine to create an adventurous menu. The absolute staples are still represented – frog legs with leek and truffle (B480) and a spectacular bouillabaisse (onion soup) with rock fish, puff Japanese pearl and rouille sauce (B550; right).Tourret has dialled down the salt for the Asian palate, with the added benefit of making room for the more complex flavours he has included. He takes it to the next step in the mains. His pan-fried snow fish comes with cauliflower mousseline and Madras curry (B1300) – that’s right, curry. In a French restaurant. It seems risky and may outrage traditionalists but it is testament to Tourret’s technique and imagination that it works – the cauliflower balances the curry so the delicate taste of the snow fish – among the best – is never overwhelmed. And while people might be unexcited by the prospect of roast chicken, it’s a different dish when it comes stuffed with goat cheese, comfit zucchini and organic tomatoes (B900), each mouthful an opportunity to unpick and savour the winning combination. The French restaurant has a delicious difference that keeps people coming back for more.
indian gaggan [MAP 8/l14] 68/1 Soi Langsuan | 02 652 1700 eatatgaggan.com | 11.30am-3pm, 6pm11.30pm Indian cuisine, perhaps more than any other, has been pigeonholed, locked into a narrow idea of heavy curries and spicy tandooris. It’s an inadequate concept, of course, and Gaggan Anand, through his stunningly unique restaurant in Langsuan, makes one of the most urgent cases for these definitions to be reconsidered. It’s ‘progressive cuisine’ anchored in Indian flavours but these lines gets blurred pretty quickly once you’re through the culinary wormhole. The reality is that, at Gaggan, bangkok101.com
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flavours can be drawn from anywhere – as long as they work, there’s little formal structure about what’s allowed to go together. Perhaps the most interesting way to experience Gaggan’s always delicious, often offbeat repertoire is through one of the tasting menus (B1600, B2600 or B4000). One of the more surprising combinations comes out relatively early – it’s called Viagra, freshly shucked French oysters served with kokam nectar and Indian mustard ice cream, and somehow works despite ingredients that don’t intuitively go together. The Egyptian Secret uses foie gras, red onion chutney and raspberry powder to equally stunning effect, the flavours so well-judged that your taste buds are pulled in different directions in one mouthful. There’s the truffle mousse with a pepper infusion and king prawns with fennel Kachumber and charcoal oil. For those who just want a damn fine curry, Gaggan has that covered as well. The apparently simple Who You Calling Chicken (B390) in fact has outstandingly refined flavour and a heart-starting pepper aftertaste.
rang mahal [MAP 3/k11] 26F Rembrandt Hotel, 19 Sukhumvit Soi 18 02-261-7100 | rembrandtbkk.com | 11.30am2.30pm, 6.30pm-11pm The name means ‘palace of colours’ and there is definitely a courtly air about it all, down to the traditional Indian band whose lilting music fills the air. Equally, while Indian cuisine routinely delivers powerful flavours, the refined, almost delicate food served at Rang Mahal is a rarity. Among the appetisers, the papri chaat (B175) and Punjabi samosa (B190) are relatively straightforward but the well-judged lightness and the fact the doughiness is not overdone mean these bite-sized dishes whet the appetite. Proceedings go up a notch when the kebabs come out. The tandoori prawn (B295 per piece, main) is smoked to perfection in Indian spices, while the murgh malai (B425) combines chicken and cream cheese for an extra kick. The house specialty, though, is the raan-e-khyber (B950 for half, B1595 for whole) – a leg of lamb marinated in rum, herbs and spices before being barbecued. It’s an impressive dish, rustic in appearance but perfectly executed, the chunks of lamb peeling effortlessly from the bone, sweet and smokey at the same time. The curries are equally successful in M AY 2 0 1 4 | 7 9
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listings INTERNATIONAL CREPES & Co [Map 8/L14]
Indus delivering a heightened version of familiar dishes. The Goan fish curry (B495) combines a lightly sautéed fish seasoned with a fragrant mix of onions, garlic and spices, cooked in a sauce of tomatoes and coconut gravy, the flavours deftly balanced against each other. In the kashmiri rogan josh (B525, top left), the mutton is irresistibly tender, more casserole than curry, a spectacular rendition of one of the most familiar staples.
indus [MAP 3/p12] 71 Sukhumvit Soi 26 | 02-258-4900 indusbangkok.com | 11.30am-3pm, 6pm-11pm Indian restaurants sometimes run the risk of being slightly same-same – from the decor to the flavours, there seems to be a formula that works and plenty of places are happy to march to the same tune. The most gratifying thing about Indus is that it makes certain well-judged departures – there’s a decidedly modern, well-lit interior with sweeping views of their garden dining area, as well as a lighter menu that still delivers the punch people expect from Indian food while dialling down the stodge and oiliness that sometimes accompany it. Furthermore, most Indian restaurants hew rigidly to northern-style food and although those notes are present in most of Indus’s curries, they all riff more broadly on IndianChinese – or Himalayan – combinations. All in all, it’s quite an ambitious venture in modern Indian cuisine. Still, it begins traditionally enough, with a tandoori platter, including a creamy broccoli (B190), chicken in yoghurt and Shahi Jeera (B320) and tiger prawns in Kashmiri chilli paste, garlic, ginger and coriander. It comes out with that slightly charred goodness that is the hallmark of Tandoori, with that smokey goodness that, done well, heightens rather than overwhelms other flavours. Among the curries, the old favourites are also the stand-outs. If there’s a signature dish, though, it’s the raan. It’s part of an inspired selection of kebabs and requires 24 hours’ advance notice. But it’s well worth the wait. 8 0 | M AY 2 0 1 4
59/4 Langsuan Soi 1, Ploenchit Rd, (also 88 Thonglor Soi 8 and CentralWorld) 02-652-0208 | crepesnco.com | 9am-11pm The business itself is a uniquely Bangkokian success story. It was founded nearly 20 years ago as a family business which quickly expanded and became more ambitious. The crepe may be French in origin, but the flavours and ingredients here take in the entire sweep of the Mediterranean, borrowing heavily from Morocco and Greece, in particular. The menu bulges with savoury options but it’s the desserts that attract a loyal after-dinner following. You can keep it simple by going for the Crepe Josephine (B170), which is a straightforward combination of sugar and lemon zest. But if you’ve got a major sweet tooth, you’ll likely move on to the serious stuff, like the Crepe Framboise (B290), served bulging with vanilla ice cream and lathered in rich, tangy raspberry sauce. These creations are big enough to share – or you can have one all to yourself if you have a real craving. Going down the list reveals some eye-popping desserts – try the Crepe Mango Coconut (B195), which somehow works despite the unusual pairing of fresh mango and coconut slices, or the Coupe de Fraises (B170), with strawberry, vanilla and chantilly. The real show-stopper, though, is the Flambe Calvados (B290), which comes out rinsed in apple liqueur and filled with sautee apple and rum raisin ice cream. And then they set that baby on fire.
maverick [MAP 3/h8] Sukhumvit 21 Soi 3 | 02-665-2772 maverickbkk.com | Mon-Fri 8am-11pm, SatSun 5pm-11pm Broadly speaking, it’s modern European, drawing heavily from French and Spanish traditions. That’s most in evidence in the gourmet tapas (B490-B690 for three). Try the tortilla de patatas, a Spanish omelette with egg and potato foam or the creamy Catalan foie gras served with yuzu and figs. There are molecular touches throughout – bells and whistles aren’t guaranteed to work but here they complement rather than compete with the body of the dish. Once you move on to the a la carte menu, there’s a division between what’s ‘from the sea’ and ‘from the land’. The Bali barramundi (B450) is cooked to perfection, with a crispy skin but soft white flesh, served with an inky risotto negro and a puff of lemon zest.
DiVino Even more indulgent is the foie gras ballotine (B620, pictured below), served with a brioche spliced with pineapple and a plum chutney. It’s increasingly common to see foie gras served with a side of citrus these days but this combination retains a real richness and the brioche bursts with flavour. If you fancy a rack of lamb (B750) – it’s a carré in French – Maverick serves it as a main with eggplant caviar, chickpea purée ratatouille and mustard leaf jus.
ITALIAN divino [MAP 3/r6] Penny’s Balcony, Thong Lor Soi 16 02-714-8723 | divinobkk.com 5pm-midnight, Mon-Fri 11.30am-2pm It’s a curious little set-up, the restaurant split between three rooms that share one corner of Penny’s Corner up in Thong Lor. One section is for private dining, another is filled with stools and high tables, while the newish wine room is a sit-down affair, the walls lined with bottles of gorgeous Italian vino. To get the balling rolling, DiVino offers a selection of cheese (B790 for six different pieces) or imported cold cuts (B700 for the most generous serving). As appetisers, they do precisely what they’re meant to, getting the stomach gurgling away in anticipation for what’s to follow. So there’s enough variety there to keep customers happy if they just fancy a bottle of wine over a few shared platters but the main courses raise the stakes in a way that fancier, more concept-heavy places don’t always manage. It’s hard to recall pasta being this exciting. The linguine with Alaskan crab meat (B420) is a lighter affair – let’s not go too far and call it delicate -– while the linguine all’astice (B580) is their signature dish containing half a Boston lobster Among the prime cuts of meat, the Australian beef tenderloin with a porcini mushroom sauce (B850) is impressive enough but DiVino’s lamb (B640 for a loin, B850 for a whole rack) is the winner, due mostly to a remarkable herb crust that sets off the milder meat spectacularly. bangkok101.com
DATE : Every Saturday, 12:00PM - 3:00PM TELEPHONE : 022617100 LOCATION : Se単or Pico 1st floor, Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok, Sukhumvit Soi 18, Sukhumvit Rd., Bangkok
www.facebook.com/senorpicobkk
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listings
Ten-Sui
La Bottega di Luca [MAP 3/P8] The 49 Terrace, Sukhumvit 49 | 02-204-1731 labottega.name | 10.30am-11.30pm Nestled in a smallish mall on soi 49, La Bottega di Luca is an immediately welcoming space, effortlessly combining indoor-outdoor seating and cultivating a relaxed vibe that makes it a neighbourhood favourite with real panache. Luca, who runs the show, updates the parts of the menu regularly and orders produce in from Italy fortnightly. The antipasti start at B290 and the grilled scamorza (B390) – that’s smoked mozzarella – wrapped in speck ham with mushrooms and red wine sauce is a delight. It’s a simple idea but the evident care taken in preparation elevates this to a gorgeous starter, reminding diners just how much they’ve come to miss cheese in Bangkok. And that sauce – you’ll be tempted to lick the plate clean. There’s a sizeable menu and it can be tricky to know which direction to take. The most eye-catching salad is the seafood combination (B220) with steamed prawns, baby squid, mussels and clams seasoned with garlic. But who are we kidding? We’re here for the rustic, filling, flavoursome Italian cooking, delivered with real passion. That means it’s hard to go past the homemade pasta that gets freshly made every day – the dishes are reasonably priced at B240-490.
japanese ten-sui [MAP 3/k11] 33 Soi Sukhumvit 16 | 088-540-1001 tensui.co | 11.30am-2pm, 5.30pm-10pm Japanese restaurants abound in Bangkok but it’s hard to imagine a more authentic experience – both in terms of the food but also the ambience – than at Ten-Sui. It’s worth noting that this place is highend, with prices to match. The selection of omakase nigiri, for example, goes for B3000. Of course, it’s absolutely delicious and executed with exquisite technique but reinforces the sense of pedigree. This probably isn’t a place where you show up at the last minute for a low-key meal. It’s a 8 2 | M AY 2 0 1 4
bit special. That’s not to say that you have to break the bank here to have an enjoyable meal – you can go for a bento box for B450, which gives you a selection of Japanese goodies, or the special maki (B500). Among the main dishes, the buri nitsuke (B600) is a lip-smacking piece of yellowtail tuna, prepared here with a slightly sweeter, ginger seasoning. The taste of fresh seafood is preserved, along with that light texture, but it’s heightened by an unforgettable honeyed aftertaste. But the highlight is probably the beef houba yaki (B500, below), thinly sliced Australian beef grilled with miso paste on a magnolia leaf, delivering a tangy smokiness that you’re unlikely to find at any other humble barbecue places. It’s a completely satisfying dish, with enough intriguing undertones to reward every mouthful.
ytsb [MAP 8/j12] 3F VIE Hotel Bangkok, Phayathai Rd | 02-309-3939 | facebook.com/YTSB.BKK | 6pm-11pm Naturally, you’ll want to start with a cocktail and YTSB – which stands for Yellow Tail Sushi Bar – capitalises on its location in the VIE Hotel. One of the stand-out signature cocktails is the Ginza Strip (B260), which is a dry sake martini, sweetened with basil and topped with a hint of cucumber. The other lipsmacker is the YTSB Mojito (B260), which, as the name suggests, begins as a straightforward mojito but is elevated by the inclusion of sakura syrup and, more importantly, umeshu, a Japanese plum liqueur that is such a useful ingredient it’s a wonder it’s not more widely used. But it’s all about the sushi here and when the platter of sakura sushi (B1800, pictured right) arrives, it doesn’t fail to impress. There are some well-executed old favourites in there – the yellow tail, the king crab and the giant shrimp – but also a few surprises. The strip of sea eel, for example, has its own distinctive flavour while the sea urchin, wrap up in a seaweed cylinder is rich and delicate all at once. The aburi sushi platter (B960) also has an intriguing selection, the blue fin served up lashed with sauce alongside a tender strip of squid. At the other end of the spectrum, the shirauo salad (B420) delivers some satisfying crunch, combining deep-fried ice fish, salad leaves and white miso dressing. It’s light yet still flavourful, the seafood taste offset deliciously by the miso tang. This dish is an absolute winner – we’ll be scanning all Japanese menus for it in future.
Zipangu
ZIPANGU [MAP 3/h9] 28/2-3 Sukhumvit Soi 19 | 02-651-2180 facebook.com/TheZipangu | 6am-2am With its creative sushi rolls and traditional Japanese fare, along with more than 20 different kinds of sake, Zipangu, the stylish eatery that opened last year near Asoke, is one of the city’s best options for izakayastyle dining. Run by sommelier and sake master Koji Hara, who also owns a wine and sake distributor in Silom, Zipangu takes its drinking seriously, with many of Japan’s best sake labels on offer here. Among the highlights of the sake menu is the effervescent Mizubasho Pure (B2000, 360ml), a hybrid sake-champagne whose sales in Japan have surged since it was served at a dinner party hosted by the Japanese prime minister. Another sake, Time Machine Vintage (B2400/B300), features a lovely light amber glow and a sweet taste, while Tamagawa Gyoku-ryu JunmaiDaiginjo Yamahai (B3900/B850), fruity and full-bodied, is Zipangu’s most popular sake among Thai and Western customers. Tamagawa Junmai Yamahai non-filter NamaGenshu (B2000/B500), served hot, has a slightly higher alcohol content (20 percent) than the others. Zipangu’s other notable spirits include a delightful light citrus yuzu and a range of Japanese whiskeys. Food standouts – and there are many – include a fried Volcano Roll (B320) filled with salmon and cream cheese, and served with tartar sauce drizzled in soy. The Caesar salad roll (thick crispy bacon, crunchy croutons, romaine and Parmesan cheese, rolled inside soft edible rice paper, B290), likewise, had us nodding in admiration. On the traditional side of the menu, you could hardly do better than the black cod fish marinated in miso for three days and then grilled (B490).
SEAFOOD snapper [MAP 3/f8] 1/20-22 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-651-1098 snapper-bangkok.com Mon-Fri 5pm midnight, Sat-Sun noon-midnight bangkok101.com
listings Snapper
New Zealand cuisine is hard to define precisely but it emphasises quality produce, and allows it to speak for itself with uncomplicated presentation. This works particularly well when it comes to seafood. It pays off handsomely. The Nelson Bay scallops, sauteed in white wine, butter and chives (B790) epitomise the approach of not masking the natural goodness of the product with a stack of heavy sauces and extra ingredients. That seafood taste is there in spades, along with a perfectly firm yet tender texture that identifies top-drawer seafood. They’ve got some stiff competition from the mussels, though, served as starters (B200-B300) or in a more substantial sharing platter (B480), topped with spiced tomato that offsets the ocean-infused tang. Snapper has done its darnedest to set itself apart as serving the best fish and chips in Bangkok and it’s pretty hard to argue with
the orange roughie (B480) that just comes apart effortlessly on the plate and, with a squirt of lemon, works spectacularly on the tongue. But if you think the Kiwis are keen on their seafood – they are, with good cause – they’re pretty jazzed about New Zealand lamb and beef as well. And while Snapper’s menu remains heavily seafood-focused, the addition of a small but brilliantly executed meat section is a masterstroke.
the oyster bar [MAP 2/e11] 395 Naradhiwas Rajanagarindra 24 | 02-2124809 | theoysterbarbangkok.com | Mon-Sat 6pm-11pm, Sun noon-10pm You know the owner of a restaurant takes his seafood seriously when there are several pages of the menu devoted entirely to oysters. With Billy Marinelli, owner of the Oyster Bar in a foodie enclave of Chong Nonsi, customers are in good hands. As a seafood wholesaler, Billy has a particularly keen eye for good produce and seems less concerned with turning a profit than with running a place where he likes to eat. If you’ve brought your most serious appetite, move on to the seafood platter (B2000 for two or B3500 for four or more), offering a gorgeous pile of oysters, scallop sashimi, bay shrimp, seaweed salad,
FOOD & DRIN K
The Oyster Bar
Dungeness crab, mussels, clams and caviar. The presentation is impressively straightforward, emphasising the produce without the unnecessary bells and whistles. The portions here are generous but they’re unlikely to last long once they land on the table as every part of the platter positively glows with that slightly briney goodness. A string of highlights follow: the seared Alaskan scallops with mango puree and pickled shallots (B450) adds a fruity tang to the soft, subtle flesh. For some diners, that may be enough but for those prepared to carry on, the rewards are well worth it. The seafood paella (B600 for two) is as good at it gets, rustically presented, steaming with spices and sauce, a mountain of mixed seafood to be ladled out. If that style of communal, hot and hearty dish makes your mouth water, the seafood paella will have you returning several times.
JAPANESE GASTRO BAR KAGUYA THE THIRD PLACE THONGLOR 10
30
Open. 17.30 - 01.00 Tel. 02 714 9974, 086 881 7299
% DISCOUNT
NIGIRI SUSHI
& SASHIMI kaguyagastrobar
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FOR MAY
Kaguyagastrobar
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red sky
Nightlife mini-fest at moonstar
The Godung Mini-Fest will be held at Moonstar Studio (Ladprao Soi 80; 02-539-3881; moonstarstudio.co.th) on May 18 and will feature performances from Architecture in Helsinki, Mystery Jets and Agrikulture. Tickets are B2000 pre-sale or B2500 on the door. Moonstar Studio is an interesting venue – it’s a creative hub and has facilities for a range of creative industries. They just so happen to stage the odd rock concert on the side.
jordan suckley celebrates
Bangkok has a burgeoning club scene and the arrival of Trance Lovers Thailand has been a driving force behind it. TLT will celebrate its third anniversary at Aftermoon 71 (Praditmanootham Rd; 084-700-6333; aftermoonclub.com) on May 16, when Jordan Suckley teams up with local DJ Tann. Suckley first made his name while working for BBC Radio 1 and has since played all over the world, while building a global reputation for his live performances. This promises to be a memorable night.
rise of cairos
To celebrate the release of their first full-length album, Dream Of Reason, Australian indie rock‘n’roll four-piece The Cairos grace Bangkok, playing Cosmic Cafe (RCA Block C 21/66 Rama 9 Rd; 081-304-6907; facebook.com/ cosmiccafe) on May 16. They built a following through Australian youth radio station Triple J and have been taking their tight rhythms to the fans with a steady touring schedule in recent years. They’ll be supported by The Sangsom Massacre and Deadtown Trash.
all Coming together
The Together Festival comes to BITEC Bangna (88 Bangna-Trad km.1; 02-7493939; amiando.com/togetherfestival2014)นon May 31, and while the full-line-up is still being nailed down, Afrojack and DJ Bl3nd are already confirmed. Afrojack is one of the world’s highest-paid DJs and at age 26 is already a Grammy winner. He also enjoyed a smash-hit residency in Las Vegas. DJ Bl3nd, on the other hand, came to prominence via YouTube, building a global following without leaving the US.
bangkok101.com
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review
KU DÉ TA - A nightlife revolution -
T
he upscale nightlife venue KU DÉ TA, which opened to great fanfare last year, has found its stride after hosting a number of Bangkok’s biggest recent parties, including a packed Playboy event in mid-March and a well-attended All Chambers Young Professionals gathering a week later. In the increasingly hip area southwest of Narathiwas Road, the club has proved to be a pioneer. Partygoers at KU DÉ TA enjoy no shortage of entertainment and dining options, with three highly acclaimed restaurants – Izakaya, a traditional all-day Japanese eatery; Signature, a fine-dining spot; and Grill, a classic steakhouse – complementing the numerous other bars, dance floors and VIP areas spread across the club’s 3,700 square metres. Despite being located on the 39th and 40th floors of the Sathorn Square building, the nightclub isn’t about its vistas. Instead, all of the action flows toward the spacious Club Lounge, a long, rectangular party space with tall ceilings and jungle motifs throughout. Above the dance floor, a colourful, kinetic light rack gives energy to the space, while professional dancers groove from the platform limbs of a faux tree and laser lights shoot up from the floor. Aviary, the VIP lounge, is perched above the DJ station, while in the back of the club, behind soundproof doors, lies Soundgarden, an intimate live music hall that hosts everything from Britpop to indie rock. The laid-back Ku 8 6 | M AY 2 0 1 4
Bar, between Izakaya and Signature, offers sweeping panoramic city views, with a beautiful, hand-carved wooden screen from Java on the ceiling. The well-established KU DÉ TA brand currently operates two other locations, in Bali (on Seminyak beach) and Singapore (at Marina Bay Sands), with a Hong Kong project (in Lan Kwai Fong) also said to be in the works.
KU DÉ TA
[MAP 5/g6]
39-40F Sathorn Square Complex, 98 North Sathorn Rd 02-108-2000 | kudeta.com
bangkok101.com
review
bangkok101.com
N IGHTLI FE
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listings more posh than funky. Some of Bangkok’s gilded youth chill on sofas and knock pool balls around in the front room; but most hit the fridge-cool dancehall to boogie away the week’s woes to live bands and hip-hop DJs. Forget about edgy sounds – here it’s all about getting down with the CEOs of tomorrow.
ku de ta [MAP 5/g6] Bash
Nightclubs BASH [ma p 3/F8] 37 Sukhumvit Soi 11 – entrance next to the Australian Pub | bashbangkok.com midnight-very late Open till “very late”, Bash is brash. American owner Daryl Scott, a well-known club scene figure, has spliced strands of global clubbing DNA with the usually sleazy after-hours club concept. There are burlesque dancers ranging from midgets and robots on stilts to cross-dressing whacker Pan Pan (the shows bring to mind risqué superclub Manumission at times); the fixtures and furniture are of the very glam sort (gleaming Louis IX furniture, etc); and the DJs are often big names. Head up the stairs lined with misshapen mirrors and you’ll find three floors of fun, two of them taken up by the main room and the mezzanine which overlooks it.
DEMO [map 3/R1] Thong Lor Soi 10 (next to Funky Villa) 02-711-6970 | 8pm-1am Easily the grittiest discoteca in the swish Thong Lor area is Demo: a squat former tenement building turned graffiti daubed brick warehouse. Featuring a terrace and bar outside, and lots of dark corners inside, not only does it look like a venue you’d find in East London or some other hipsterville; it sounds like one, too: instead of the usual mainstream hip-hop and live-bands, Demo’s DJs blast zeitgeisty nu-disco, house and electro through a kicking sound-system.
Funky Villa [MAP 3/R1] Thong Lor Soi 10 | 08-5253-2000 | 6pm-2am The name Funky Villa conjures images of roller-blading babes in bikinis, all partying at a Hugh Hefner-owned villa in the Med. The reality’s different. Steer your way through the fairground-sized car park, past the BMWs and chic lounge-deck area, and you’ll hit a swish one-storey house, 8 8 | M AY 2 0 1 4
39-40F Sathorn Square Complex, 98 North Sathorn Rd | 02-108-2000 | kudeta.net 6pm-late Ku De Ta set out to add a new dimension to a night out in Bangkok. To some extent, it follows in the footsteps of Bed Supperclub by providing an upscale club experience for the city’s movers and shakers but it has also carved out its own unique aesthetic that is sure to make it one of Bangkok’s top nightlife destination venues. Undoubtedly, the space is the first part of Ku De Ta’s glittering fit-out that catches the eyes. The main club is a vast rectangular area with skyscraper ceilings and a long window running down an entire side, affording an exceptional view of Bangkok lit up at night. Another feature is the lighting set-up – a very snazzy, very modern LED ‘chandelier’ hangs over the dance floor, twinkling a variety of different colours in time with the music.
MIXX DISCOTHEQUE [MAP 4/H4] President Tower Arcade 973 Ploenchit Rd mixxdiscotheque.com | B350 | 10pm-late Located in basement annex of the Intercontinental Hotel, Mixx is classier than most of Bangkok’s after-hour clubs, but only slightly. It’s a two-room affair decked out with chandeliers and paintings and billowing sheets on the ceiling lending a desert tent feel. The main room plays commercial R&B and hip hop, the other banging techno and house. Expect a flirty, up-for-it crowd made up of colourful characters from across the late-night party spectrum. The entry price: B350 for guys, B300 for girls. That includes a drink and, as long as things go smoothly, the chance to party until nearly sunrise.
ROUTE 66 [Map 8/Q12] 29/33-48 Royal City Avenue | route66club.com B200 foreigners incl. drink / free for Thais Rammed with hordes of dressed-to-kill young Thais on most nights of the week, ‘Route’, as it is affectionately known, is RCA’s longest surviving superclub. There are three zones to explore (four if you count the toilets – probably the ritziest in town),
Q Bar each with its own bar, unique look and music policy. ‘The Level’ is the huge, alllasers-blazing hip-hop room; ‘The Classic’ spins house and techno; and Thai bands bang out hits in ‘The Novel’. Route is not a good place to lose your friends but can be a blast if you all get crazy around a table, be it inside or out on the big outdoors area. One sore point: unlike the locals, foreigners are charged a B200 entry fee (but get a free drink).
THE CLUB [Map 7/F 5] 123 Khaosan Rd, Taladyod | 02-629-1010 theclubkhaosan.com | 6pm-2am B 100 (incl. one drink) The walk-in crowd of young Thais and backpackers must surely be amazed to find they’ve entered a techno castle on Khao San Road. The sky-high windows and raised central DJ turret lend a fairytale vibe, while the lasers, visuals and UV lighting hark back to mid 1990s psy-trance raves. Music-wise, it’s a loud, banging house serving up the full range of 4/4 beats, usually cranium-rattling electro house and techno. The drink prices are kind to your wallet and UV glowsticks handed out for free.
Q BAR [Map 3/C4] 34 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-252-3274 qbarbangkok.com | 8pm-1am Long-standing, New York-style night spot Q Bar is well-known for pouring stiff drinks (there are over 70 varieties of top-shelf vodka!) and its strong music policy, with big name international DJs appearing regularly. Q Bar raised the ‘bar’ for Bangkok nightlife twelve years ago and is still going strong, with a flirty crowd every night and a recent top-to-bottom renovation giving the venue a maximalist style injection. Now, there’s more room to dance and more lounge space, especially at QUP, the more downtempo upstairs area. Also, out the back of the venue, through a revolving door from the dance floor, you can find your way bangkok101.com
listings St Regis Bar
Spasso is not so much for Bangkok scenesters – its selling point is that it’s slightly wild and the live band does its best to whip partygoers into even higher spirits.
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Heaven
ST REGIS BAR [map 4/G 7]
into Le Derriere, Q Bar’s very own Parisianstyle absinthe bar that is perfect for chilling out and chasing the green fairy.
hotel bars & clubs BARSU [map 3/F6] 1F Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit 250, Sukhumvit Rd | 02-649-8358 barsubangkok.com | 6pm-2am The informal yet sleek BarSu features the tagline ‘eat, play, dance,’ and appeals to the over-30 Bangkok crowd who feel disenfranchised by the city’s current nightlife offerings. To this end, there are five live bands for each night of the week. Comprised of students from Silpakorn University’s Faculty of Jazz, Tenon Round’ are a gifted young quartet who perform every Tuesday from 8.30 to 10.30pm. The other bands, JazzPlayground, P.O.8, Rhythm Nation and Hot Gossip, play from Wednesday to Saturday respectively. In between sets, tuck into their ‘Goong goong goong’ menu, combining fresh prawns with a variety of international flavours.
spasso [MAP 8/l13] Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, 494 Rajadamri Rd | 02-254-1234 | bangkok. grand.hyatt.com 11.30am-2.30pm, 6pm2.30am There’s no shortage of hotel bars in Bangkok but Spasso, on the ground floor of the Grand Hyatt Erawan has been around for 21 years and remains a favourite among visitors and expats looking to let their hair down. By day, it presents as a sedate Italian restaurant but after hours, after it transforms into a club and cocktail bar, it really hits its stride, revelling in its energetic, uninhibited atmosphere. The layout is unconventional – an open-plan foyer and dining area narrows into a dancefloor, flanked by two horseshoe-shaped bars. It has the effect of funnelling all the action between the bars and on to the dancefloor. bangkok101.com
St Regis Bangkok Hotel, 159 Ratchadamri Rd 02-207-7777 | stregis.com | Mon-Fri 10am-1am, Sat-Sun 10am-2am At 6:30pm each day a butler struts out on to the terrace of the St Regis Bar, a saber in one hand, a bottle of Moet & Chandon in the other. He then flicks at the collar until ‘pop!’, the cork flies off and bubbly spurts gently out on to the terrace. Come for this, stay for the view. Stretching along a plate glass window, the rectangle venue – with its suave masculine vibe, long bar, clubby sofas and high-ceilings – eyeballs the city’s Royal Bangkok Sports Club. It’s a lovely spot at sunset, even better on every second Sunday afternoon, when you can spy on the horseracing with a fine malt whiskey in hand.
Bars with views Above Eleven [MAP 3/C4] 33F Fraser Suites Sukhumvit Hotel, 38/8 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-207-9300 aboveeleven.com | 6pm-2am A west-facing 33rd floor rooftop bar with beautiful sunsets, Above Eleven is a winning combination. The outdoor wooden deck bar with glass walls for maximum view has a central bar, dining tables, lounge areas and huge daybeds for parties to slumber on. Tip: choose a seat on the north side – it gets windy to the south. There’s a great view, an impressive cocktail list and an electro soundtrack.
heaven [MAP 8/k13] 20F Zen @ Central World, 4/5 Ratchadamri Rd | 02-100-9000 | heaven-on-zen.com Mon-Sun 5.30pm-1am It’s heavily dependent on the weather as the design offers precious little protection but on a warm Bangkok night, when the golden backdrop of its feature bar lights up like a metal sun, it feels like one of the most glamorous places in the capital. Crucially, they’ve got the cocktails (all B280-B320) right, using a well-chosen blend of spirits without going overboard and trying to cram every drink with one too many flavours. The Surreal Seduction – slightly cheesey name but we’ll forgive it because it tastes good – combines vodka, apple liqueur, elderflower syrup and pear puree. It’s super fruity but
apple liqueur is one of the more versatile, underused ingredients in cocktails and it sets off the others in a way that’s refreshing but still carries a kick.
LONG TABLE [Map 3/H8] 25F 48 Column Bldg, Sukhumvit Soi 16 02-302-2557 | longtablebangkok.com 11am-2am Top-end Thai food isn’t the only thing that draws Bangkok’s nouveau riche to this impossibly swish restaurant-cum-bar. There’s also the trend-setting twist: a sleek communal dining table so long it makes the medieval banquet bench look positively petite. However, it’s what happens at the end of the room that propels this place deep into the nightlife stratosphere. Where the long table ends, a tall plate glass window and huge poolside patio, complete with bar, begins. Out here, 25 floors up, you can glug signature ‘long-tail’ cocktails or new latitude wines with the best of high-flying Bangkok: a glitzy hotchpotch of celebrities, models and power players; hair-tousling breezes; and – best of all – wide-screen city vistas.
MOON BAR [Map 5/K8] 61F, Banyan Tree Bangkok, 21/100 South Sathorn Rd | 02-679-1200 | banyantree.com 5pm-1am This is one place that will get you closer to the moon. The open-air bar lets you take in the urban Moloch from up-above in smart surroundings. With stunning 360° views, the hotel’s rooftop has been turned into a slick grill restaurant; one end is occupied by the bar. Nothing obstructs your view here, almost 200 metres high up. It’s the perfect spot for honeymooners – take a seat on the smart sofa stations, sip on a classy Martini or a yummy signature cocktail and feel romance welling up. For voyeurs, the telescope and binoculars come in handy. Glamour girls and unwinding business guys feel right at home here, too. M AY 2 0 1 4 | 8 9
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listings threeSixty [map 5/b2]
Octave
octave [MAP 3/s10] 45F Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit, 2 Sukhumvit Soi 57 | 02-797-0000 facebook.com/OctaveMarriott | 6pm-1am Rows of plush seating along the edge of the open-air balcony offer a perfect spot to plot Bangkok’s geography from above while knocking back some of Octave’s punchy, refreshing cocktails. The Thai Mojito (B320) starts things off in a way that’s familiar enough but well-executed, combining the standards of white rum, basil and lime with spicy mango, adding a zingy twist to the established mojito formula. More innovative still is the Bloom Over The Roof (B320), which fuses Red Berry Tea-flavoured vodka with fresh mint leaves and elderflower syrup. It might seem a little flowery but the overall effect is a seriously drinkable concoction that cuts right through the humidity. The winner, though, is probably the Golden Tai (B390) which pairs two kinds of rum – one light, one dark – finished with Grand Marnier and almond syrup.
The Speakeasy [MAP 4/J6] Hotel Muse, 55/555 Lang Suan Rd 02-630-4000 | hotelmusebangkok.com 6pm-1am One of the snazzier al fresco rooftop bars, The Speakeasy has several sections, all radiating from the Long Bar, which you enter from the elevator. As the name suggests, the complex evokes the glamour of Prohibition Era USA, with fusion Deco details, mirrored wall panels and carved wood screens. Everything’s distressed, the parquet floors unvarnished – it’s a well-oiled joint with a warm, lived-in feel. On the wooden deck Terrace Bar people fill the lounge areas and tall tables that hug the classical balustrades overlooking Lang Suan. A long international snack menu stands out for decent portions at reasonable prices; spirits (from B270) include luxury cognacs and malts; wines are B300-B600 a glass, while cocktails (from B 290) include home-made vodka. 9 0 | M AY 2 0 1 4
Millennium Hilton, 123 Charoennakorn Rd 02-442-2000 | hilton.com | 5pm-1am High above the glittering lights of Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River, ThreeSixty is the only Bangkok venue to enjoy unhindered views over the entire, dazzling metropolis. It also hosts live jazz musicians every day, all year round. A private glass lift takes guests all the way up to the 32nd floor which boasts panoramic vistas from its 130m tall, circular lounge. Guests can feast on a range of miniature culinary experiences, from foie gras to caviar or risotto, or sip on fine wines and cocktails as the sun sets in a blaze of colour behind Wat Arun. Just as gently, the soft lounge lights come on to create an atmosphere of casual intimacy. As the first stars appear, the city’s coolest jazz sounds will set the mood which true aficionados will not be able to resist.
walk [MAP 4/g1] 567 Rachaprarop Rd | 02-625-1234
cwb@chr.co.th | 5pm-1am Walk – named to reflect its high-fashion ambitions – is certainly sleek enough and well-lit enough to resemble a runway, its hard lines and glowing surfaces making the most immediate impact. Set back from the square bar that occupies pride of place, sofas line the perimeter, attracting a young, chatty crowd, a mixture of locals and visitors. When it comes to the cocktails, Walk doesn’t pull its punches, embracing a chilli theme wholeheartedly. Spice is no guarantee to work in a cocktail – it’s a powerful flavour that isn’t necessarily easy to balance, which is what drinkers expect from a quality cocktail. At Walk, the addition of chilli works best in drinks where it is properly leavened by lighter, fruitier flavours. For example, the Spicy Mojito (all B300) blends Havana Club, cane sugar, mint leaves, lime and soda water. The chilli provides an explosive first mouthful but the drink’s base then delivers a subtler second and third stage.
woo bar [map 5/g7] W Bangkok, 106 North Sathorn Road 02-344-4131 | whotels.com/Bangkok Sun-Wed 9am-1am, Thurs-Sat 9am-2am Located on the ground floor of the W Hotel, Woo Bar has all of the flair and emphasis on design that has come to characterise the hotel franchise. It’s chic and low-lit without being cold or inaccessible, spacious enough to find a seat without being echoey and without atmosphere. And, most importantly, the cocktails
Three Sixty pass with flying colours, some inventive signature drinks rubbing shoulders with well-executed standard tipples. The Bliss (B325), which comes from the bartenders at W Hotel in New York, combines Ciroc vodka, elderflower liqueur, lime, mint and fresh ginger. You might struggle to stop at just one.
BARS Apoteka [map 3/e8] 33/28 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 090-626-7655 apotekabkk.com | Mon-Thurs 5pm-1am, Fri 5pm-2am, Sat-Sun 3pm-midnight As you may have guessed, the name is based on an outdated word for pharmacist and the place is meant to emulate a 19th century apothecary. Unsurprisingly, it has an old-school feel. There are high ceilings, red brick walls and Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde being projected onto the wall. Indoor seating is a mix of tall tables with studded chairs, and long tables for larger groups along the main wall. Large cases filled with vintage-coloured bottles of medicine flank the bar. The outdoor seating is mellow – a wooden patio with some cozy furniture that could be a nice place to curl up on a date or meet some friends for a smoke and a beer. Drink selection includes a range of beer (the Framboise Ale at B250 is delightful), Heineken for just B135, and custom cocktails cost you B230. Keep your eyes peeled for the whisky and cigar lounge – a smaller room hidden off to the side of the staircase.
Badmotel [MAP 3/R6] 331/4-5 Soi Thong Lor | 02-712-7288 5pm-1am | facebook.com/badmotel The name Badmotel may conjure up something kitsch and grimy but, in fact, this three-floor bar and restaurant is extremely sparsely decorated and painted a bright white, giving it the feel of a predecorated house. The top two floors bangkok101.com
listings piping and bar flanked by kegs of beer and brick walls, as the buzzing outdoor area it shares with futuristic cocktail bar Clouds and the nautically themed Fat’r Gutz.
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Cheap Charlie’s
CHEAP CHARLIE’S [map 3/D6]
Clouds can feel a little lacking in atmosphere, especially if it’s a quiet night, but the ground floor’s buzzing bar and tree-lined garden make a very pleasant spot to sip on the venue’s ‘Creation Cocktails’, all B220. The imaginative drinks menu includes locally inspired must-tries like the Hahaha Martini (made from Ketel vodka, homemade chilli liqueur, galangal, cumin powder and pickled grapes), Teenager’s Iced Tea (made using traditional Thai tea with four sprits and liqueur) and the Never Say Never (a rumbased cocktail served with Thai dessert condiments).
BARLEY BISTRO [map 5/h5] 4F Food Channel, Silom Rd | 087-033-3919 5pm-late | barleybistro.com Hidden up some stairs at the Food Channel, an enclave of franchise-like restaurants, Barley Bistro is slick and snazzy. The design is chic (blacks and greys, white-onblack stencil art); the drinks funky (lychee mojitos, testtube cocktails etc); the food new-fangled (spaghetti kimchi etc); and the clientele wholesome (Thai office workers mostly). Do check out the open-air rooftop. It’s littered with cooling fans, huge bean bags and funky barley-stalk sculptures and good for postwork/ pre-club cocktails.
BREW [map 3/Q6] Seen Space, Thong Lor 13 | 02-185-2366 brewbkk.com | Mon-Sun 4pm-2am It wasn’t so long ago that the beer selection here was comprised entirely of the ubiquitous local lagers and the Heinekens and Carlsbergs of this world. The fact that it doesn’t anymore is largely thanks to Chris Foo, the owner of this beer bar tucked away on the ground floor of Thonglor Soi 13’s happening mini-mall Seenspace. Depending on what time of year it is, Brew stocks between 140 and 170 bottles of ales, lagers, ciders, you name it. Currently, the setting in which you sip them is hip in Thonglor circles. That’s not so much down to Brew’s tiny interior, with its exposed bangkok101.com
Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-253-4648 Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight This joint is a Bangkok institution, bringing the charm of a rickety hole-in-the-wall bar to one of Sukhumvit’s swankiest Sois. A no-brainer meet-up spot, Cheap Charlie’s draws crowds of expats, NGOers and tourists in-the-know to fill up on B 70 beers and pocket-change G&Ts before heading off to eat and party – though don’t be surprised if you end up here all night. Its location is a winner, situated as it is on a cool little sub-soi (first on the left as you walk down from Sukhumvit) packed with restaurants and a short walk from hallowed nightspots Q Bar and the other newer spots that have cropped up recently.
CLOUDS [Map 3/Q2] 1F SeenSpace, 251/1 Thong Lor Soi 13, 02-185-2365 | cloudslounge.com The third bar by Australian Ashley Sutton – the mad scientist of Bangkok’s bar scene – is, as we’ve come to expect, something entirely unexpected. Evoking a future where ‘there are no more natural resources’, this slim concrete shell at the rear of hip lifestyle mall SeenSpace has a living tree encased in glass in one corner, and concrete blocks, topped with lumps of translucent leafencasing acrylic, for tables. Vodka-based cocktails (B 280) by New York mixultant Joseph Boroski are prepped by ‘NASA technicians’ in white overalls; and the food offerings tasty misshapen pizzas, cooked in a gas-oven behind the bar.
FACE BANGKOK (map3/S7) 29 Sukhumvit Soi 38 | 02-713-6048 facebars.com | 11.30am-1am Jim Thompson, move over. Face’s visually stunning complex is reminiscent of Jim’s former mansion, with Ayutthaya-style buildings and thriving flora, it’s just bigger and bolder. The Face Bar is a dimly-lit place that summons deluxe drinkers with its cosy settees, ambient soundscape, and giant cocktails. Though often empty, the big drink list will stop your body clock pretty fast. The two restaurants – Hazara serving Northern Indian and Lan Na Thai serving traditional Thai – are full of fab all-Asian decor; they’re romantic and inviting, but you might be let down by the tiny portions, and the flamboyant prices.
FAT GUT’Z [map 3/Q2] 264 Thong Lor Soi 12 | 02-7149-832 fatgutz.com | 6pm-2am This sleek saloon is packed nightly with beautiful people, there to listen to live blues, indulge in carefully crafted drinks, and, perhaps, catch a glimpse of its in-demand owner, Ashley Sutton, the Australian behind the legendary Iron Fairies. Unlike his first bar, Fat Gut’z displays a less obvious sense of whimsy – here, the random fittings and industrial decor are replaced by straight lines and black-coloured, modern furnishings. It all feels rather serious, until you open the drinks menu. Sutton brought in master New York mixologist Joseph Boroski to create 16 unique cocktails (B285 each), all named after famous WWII shipwrecks.
FIVE Gastronomy & Mixology [MAP 3/O9]
Room 103, K Village, Sukhumvit Soi 26 088-524-5550 | facebook.com/fivebkk 6pm-1am Five brings a welcome wand blast of gothic whimsy to K Village, an otherwise aesthetically uninspiring community mall. Its owner, Pattriya Na Nakorn, invited bar entrepreneur Ashley Sutton to work his magic with a vacant plot on the ground floor. And, completing her dream team is Joseph Boroski, the same New York based cocktail ‘mixologist’ that Sutton uses. His bars always engage the day-dreamy part of your brain and this black magic themed one is no different. Think clanking pulleys, monumental iron piping and flickering candles. Indeed, even the staff look like they’ve stumbled off the set of Harry Potter.
HOUSE OF BEERS [map 3/r6] Penny’s Balcony, Corner of Thong Lor Soi 16 02-392-3513 | 11am-midnight If you fancy something that suits your palate a little more than the limited selection of Thai beers, there are ubiquitous, crowded “Irish” and “British” theme pubs or several M AY 2 0 1 4 | 9 1
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listings staircase and you find yourself in a noodle bar. One that could pass for an old Shaw Brothers movie set. The main decoration – and they are just decoration – are the leggy cabaret girls. Every evening at about 9pm about half a dozen walk out from behind a velvet curtain and proceed to fan themselves while rocking back and forth on swings, or sprawled atop the bar.
Hyde & Seek sprawling German beer gardens around town. But the most varied and numerous quality beers in the world are brewed in Belgium – and it’s been that way since Belgian monasteries started doing so in the Middle Ages.House of Beers, in the corner of Penny’s Balcony on Thong Lo, offers all sorts of them, from pale ales, like Leffe Blonde and Hoegaarden, to esoteric, doubly fermented specials, like Kwak, plus fruit beers. The liquid refreshment also comes augmented by Belgian fries and Tapas-style bar snacks.
HYDE & SEEK [Map 4/L5] 65/1 Athenée Residence, Soi Ruamrudee 02-168-5152 | 11am-1am | hydeandseek.com This stylish downtown gastro bar is a deadringer for those chic London haunts that draw the after-work crowd for pickmeup cocktails and good food that doesn’t break the bank. Heading the kitchen is Ian Kittichai, the brains behind the successful Kittichai restaurant in New York, while the bar is helmed by the boys behind Flow, the cocktail consultancy that inspires much drunken fun around the region. The sleek, Georgian-influenced décor has paneled walls, clubby chairs and a large central bar, where snacks like beer battered popcorn shrimps and baby back ribs glazed with chocolate and chilli go well with fancy, custom-made cocktails or Belgian ales.
maggie choo’s [MAP 5/c5] Hotel Novotel Fenix, 320 Silom Rd 02-635-6055 | facebook.com/maggiechoos Tues-Sun 6pm-2am From the Victorian steam-punk of Iron Fairies to the eco-futurism of Clouds, Aussie entrepreneur Ashley Sutton has already proved himself as the Terry Gilliam of Bangkok’s bar world, conjuring up drinking hole after drinking hole shot through with a magical realist quality. Maggie Choo’s, with its decadent atmosphere redolent of dandyish early 20th-century gambling dens, is no different. Clomp down the 9 2 | M AY 2 0 1 4
Maggie Choo’s
Moose [MAP 3/S3] Ekamai Soi 21 | 02-108-9550 facebook.com/moosebangkok Tucked away behind Tuba and up a shabby looking staircase, Moose is one of the most talked about new bars in the city. The same team behind Cosmic Café and Sonic have revamped this warehouse-sized space into the latest retro-inspired hipster bar. Brick walls, a small tree here and there, flickering candles and an alarming number of mounted animal heads create a relaxed, living-room-esque ambience. A DJ spins unobtrusive tunes while authentic and delicious Thai food, such as salted pork neck (150 baht) and southern style curry (B160) ensures the bar consistently draws a young, local crowd who know their food.
OSKAR BISTRO [map 3/D5] 24 Sukhumvit Soi 11 | 02-255 3377 4pm-2am; kitchen open until 11:30pm Lively Oskar has the electro music and low-ceiling cellar dimensions to qualify as clubby; and, with a dominant central bar, it’s perhaps more brasserie than bistro. The food choice includes sandwiches, the Oskar burger (wagyu beef – what else?), pizzas and a section of cocottes. Almost all are under B300, which for food of this surprising quality is a steal. Most people come here though not for the food but for a pre-club libation: be it glass of wine (from B145 a glass), imported beer, or reasonably priced cocktail.
SALT [MAP 8/L7] Soi Ari (near Soi 4) | 02-619-6886 6pm-midnight Worth heading to Soi Ari for, Salt is a hipster-luring gastro bar with a post-modern finish. Seating is either out on an outdoor terrace or in a minimalist concrete shell – a former condominium sales office no less – with a bar at the far end and lots of raw marble, stone and wooden furniture. Behind them sits an old wooden house which is used to project digital animations on and offers extra seating. This is the sort of ubertrendy space that the editors of Wallpaper* and other design bibles kneel down and
kiss the floor at, but what makes Salt is the global cuisine that’s coming out the kitchen, from fresh sashimi platters to generously dressed thin-crust pizzas cooked in a proper wood fire.
SHADES OF RETRO [ Map 8/s14] Soi Tararom 2, Thong Lor 081-824-8011 | 3pm-1am Hipster attic, here we come – Shades of Retro is a hidden Thong Lor spot awash in neo-nostalgia and stuffed with vintage furniture, vinyl records, old rotary telephones. A combo furniture storecafé,Shades provides a quiet hangout for for the writer/designer/artiste crowd by day, funpeople-watching at night, and nice jazz at all times. Curl up on a nubby couch, flip through a Wallpaper* magazine and soak up the atmosphere, which flirts with being too ironic for its pants. A cool, friendly crowd and bracing cocktails or coffee served up with popcorn humanises the hip.
TUBA [Map 8/S14] 34 Room 11-12A, Ekkamai Soi 21 | 02-711-5500 design-athome.com | 11am-2am Owned by the same hoarders behind furniture warehouse Papaya, Tuba is a Bangkok classic: room upon room of haphazardly arranged kitsch, all of which you’re free to skulk through at your leisure. Some come here to snag a comfy sofa, retro sign or goofy tchotchke. Others come for the big menu of Italian and Thai dishes tweaked for the local palate. But for us, it works best as a bar, as the setting and generous happy hours (buy one get one free between 5-8pm daily) mean there really are few cooler places to kick back with a sweet cocktail in hand (or two hands in some cases.
VIVA AVIV [map 5/C2] River City-Unit 118, 23 Trok Rongnamkhaeng, Charoen Krung Soi 30 | 02-639-6305 vivaaviv.com | 11am-midnight, later on weekends Viva Aviv reminds us of one of the hipper bangkok101.com
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listings LIVE MUSIC ADHERE the 13TH [Map 7/G3]
Water Library bars along Singapore’s Clarke Quay. Not only does it have the bar tables and stools jutting across a riverside promenade, inside there’s also a hip designer interior in full effect. Think tropical maritime chic meets dashes of outright whimsy. While the owner, Khun Ae, is responsible for this rustic look, the bar was initially looked after by the cocktail designers behind popular gastrobar Hyde and Seek.
Water Library @ Grass Grass Thong Lor, 264/1 Thong Lor Soi 12 02-714-9292 | Mon-Sat 6:30pm-1am Aside from its upmarket, inventive set menu dining on the first floor restaurant, The Water Library also has three lounge and wine bar areas downstairs with funky food, cocktails and live music at not audacious prices. A set menu of three cocktails paired with tapas bites at B790 is a pleasant surprise to many, and their wine list starts at a mere B900 a bottle. Water Library is one-to-watch on the regional drinking and dining scene. The very talented mixologist Mirko Gardelliano was Germany’s Cocktail Champion in 2003, while the wine bar chef Urs Lustenberger worked with Michelin three star chef Juan Amador.
WTF [Map 3/Q6] 7 Sukhumvit Soi 51 | 02- 626-6246 wtfbangkok.com | Tue-Sun 6pm-1am This tiny shophouse – signposted by graffiti on a corrugated tin wall in the street opposite – has a bar on the ground floor, decked out with mirrors along one wall, old Thai movie posters on the other, and found items like wooden screen doors and chairs. It works. The Thai-farang owners (an art manager, hotelier and photographer by trade) have made a good fist of cocktails (from B130) with rye whiskies and unusual bitters in the mix, while plates of tapas consist of Thai and Euro choices such as Portuguese chorizo and feta salad. Expect live gigs, art exhibitions upstairs and a mix of hipsters, journos and scenesters. 9 4 | M AY 2 0 1 4
13 Samsen Rd (opposite Soi 2) 089-769-4613 | 5pm-midnight Funky, jammy, bare – one of Bangkok’s coolest hangouts is nothing more than an aisle packed with five tables, a tiny bar and instruments. It’s a joint you’d expect to find on Manhattan’s Lower East Side, except forthe Chang beer. North of Khao San Road (ask for ‘Ad Here’, once in the quarter), this down-to-earth, bohemian hang-out packs ’em in nightly. On weekends, young Thais, expats and tourists spill out on the sidewalk when the joint is jumpin’. The resident band churns out cool blues, Motown and Janis Joplin; Georgia, the city’s only true Blues Mama, has a voice and figure to match.
COSMIC CAFE [Map 8/Q12] RCA Block C | Rama IX Rd | MRT Rama 9 The rebel in RCA’s ranks, Cosmic Café serves up a mixed diet of sonic eclecticism in a grungy, open-sided corner bar with outdoor seating and a small dance floor. On one night you might the place jumping to a rare live performance by mor lam legend Dao Bandon, on another a house band dishing out some surf guitar, ska, electronic or blues. The edgiest joint on the block, it draws a lively, musically discerning crowd, from skinny jeaned artschool hipster types to teddy boy expats.
TAWANDAENG GERMAN BREWERY [MAP 2/E11]
462/61 Rama III Rd | 02- 678-1114 tawandang.co.th The one place that every taxi driver seems to know, this vast, barrel-shaped beer hall packs in the revelers nightly. They come for the towers of micro-brewed beer, the Thai, Chinese and German grub (especially the deep-fried pork knuckle and sausage), and, not least, the famous Fong Nam houseband. It’s laidback early on, but by 10pm, when the Thai/Western pop, luk krung and mor lam songs are at full pelt, everybody is on their feet and the place going bananas.
TITANIUM Club & ICE BAR [map D4) Sukhumvit Soi 22 | 02-258-3758 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 jamming nightly. Bangkok’s widest selection of vodka – 90-some varieties to choose from. An intimate
Brown Sugar 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.
Jazz clubs BAMBOO BAR [Map 5/B4] The Oriental Bangkok, 48 Oriental Ave 02-659-9000 | mandarinoriental.com Sun-Thu 11am-1am, Fri-Sat 11am-2am This Bangkok landmark is a symbol of past glories of the East. Situated in one of the city’s most sophisticated hotels, the 50-year-old bar oozes class, sophistication and style. Reminiscent of a tropical film noir-setting, it features a jungle theme – bamboo, palm fronds and furry patterns. Small and busy, it’s never theless romantic and intimate – balanced by the legendary Russian jazz band that’s been on the stage here for ages. Monday through Saturday nights catch the sultry sounds of their current resident songstress, Cynthia Utterbach. Everybody’s sipping on faultless cocktails, mixed by skilled old-school bar tenders and served by a superb staff. Ideal for a boozy night on your honeymoon.
Brown Sugar [Map 7/J5] 469 Phrasumen Road | 089-499-1378 brownsugarbangkok.com | 6pm-1am Little over a month after it closed down, one of Bangkok’s oldest cosiest jazz venue was back with a new, bigger location near Khao San. Now a restaurant and coffee house by day, it morphs into a world-class, jazz café-style haunt where renditions of bebop and ragtime draw an audience of locals and visitors by night. Its exterior is impressive, resembling a ritzy old cinema house, with a daytime coffeeshop up front, a versatile 200-seater ‘Playhouse’ upstairs, and the big, open-plan jazz pub and restaurant out back. Six house bands fill up the week, and on the last Friday or Saturday of each month they showcase an international act. bangkok101.com
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Kemissara By Gaby Doman
S
pring and summer collections all too often mean a mall overflowing with florals and neons which is very lovely but, let’s face it, it can get a little tedious dressing like a botanical garden every day. While florals are still a huge trend this season, thanks to the likes of Preen, Moschino and Dreis Van Noten, to name a few, thankfully, Kemissara offer an equally feminine alternative.
Spring and its vibrant new life have certainly influenced the SS14 collection, the typical ‘flower’ inspiration of other designers has been replaced by Kemissara with our six-legged friends. After all, spring doesn’t just bring out the flowers. But creepy crawlies aren’t the unlikely fashion muses they may seem. In fact, bugs have been making a regular appearance on the runways in recent years; including Jimmy Choo’s SS14 jungle insectinspired shoe collection, Giambattista Valli’s AW12 beetle cuffs, Alexander McQueen’s SS13 bee-print accessories, Valentino’s AW13 insect embroidery and last year’s ‘entomology’ bags, which were a collaboration between Prada and British modern artist, Damien Hirst. But Kemissara’s nod to the beauty of bugs is less overt than those seen on the international catwalks, which tend to utilize bug icons. Instead, Kemissara takes elements of the insect world to create a collection of fragile-looking, ultra feminine, textural pieces. The resulting collection is surprisingly wearable. Luxe fabrics, such as silk, organza, gold foil thread and bronze foil-printed lace are offset with simple, easy-to wear shapes in muted tones of cream, navy and charcoal, punctuated by metallics. The insect aspect can be seen in the layering of sheer, wing-like fabrics over heavy shimmering beetle-shell metallics, in the rounded shoulders and cocoon silhouettes of its oversized tops, in the tactile black mesh that’s reminiscent of delicate insect legs, the tessellation of recurring patterns and the ragged, ruffled ‘wings’ that adorn the dresses, shorts and, well, just about everything in the collection. While the insect muse might be the same as those used by the likes of Prada and Alexander McQueen, the effect is entirely different to their kitsch and quirky designs. Instead, Kemissara’s layering of fabrics and the fluidity of its cuts creates a collection that is tactile, other-worldly and sublime. Kemissara 1023/49 Pridi Bhanomyong 41, Sukhumvit 71; 02-713-3261
bangkok101.com
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SHOPPING
jj gem
KARMAKAMET The Victorian Frontier town pharmacy look of essential oil company Karmakamet, with its dark wood shelves and chandeliers dangling overhead, provides an elegant atmosphere in which to sniff their nostalgically packaged smellies. Scented glass-candles, perfume diffusers and herb sachets with drawstring cloth pouches are among the best-sellers for the home; while bodily pampering includes massage oils, shower gels and soaps bars like ‘The Embrace’, a luscious orange blossom and mint blend. Helpful staff are on hand to advise if you’re having trouble selecting an aromatherapy oil to go with your new oil burner (our favourite: ‘Moonlight’, a romantic blend of Indian jasmine, Sumatran ylang ylang, rose geranium, English lavender and cedarwood). They have not one but two stores at JJ. The one by the MRT station is by far the biggest and has a teashop and adorable little seating area out front.
KARMAKAMET Store 1: Section 2, Soi 3 | 02-618-7047 Store 2: Exit no. 2 (beside MRT Kampangpetch) | 02-272-5281
Jatujak Market
Forget designer malls. Jatujak weekend market is Bangkok’s true paragon of retail. This is shopping as survival of the fittest: only those with finely tuned consumer instincts shall persevere. The rest can go and get lost – literally
C
aking a wrong turn’s almost a given in this sprawling, citysized marketplace, upon which thousands descend every weekend, to trade everything from Burmese antiques to pedigree livestock. Originally a flea market, Jatujak (also spelled as Chatuchak) quickly outgrew the confines of the insect world to become much more than the sum of its disparate parts. These days, young Thai designers take advantage of the low onsite rent to punt their creative wares; if you so desire, you can peruse piles of customised Zippos that once belonged to American GIs; and tasty pickings conveniently punctuate every which way. Additionally, the exotic pet section particularly supports the theory that Jatujak has evolved its own diverse eco-system (albeit one that periodically gets busted for obviously illegal activites). All this can be a bit overwhelming at first, but persevere and a semblance of order should begin to crystallise from the chaos. Go in the early morning or late afternoon to avoid the worst of the heat and the crowds. Or come for a leisurely browse on Friday before the real deluge hits; although only the weekend gig gives ardent shopaholics the fully blown, unadulterated Jatujak fix. 9 8 | M AY 2 0 1 4
> The Jatujak market of Bangkok Amber House Books | hardcover | B1,950
The Jatujak Market of Bangkok presents photographer Simon Bonython’s visual inter pretation of Bangkok’s world-famous weekend market, giving particular emphasis on candid snaps of the general public and the characters who work there. In spite of the dark alleys and typically poorly lit stalls, Simon avoided using a tripod or flash, making for spontaneous, natural shots that capture the heat, buzz and colour of this labyrinthine treasure trove.
bangkok101.com
unique boutique
SHOPPING
The Chonabod O
nly at The Chonabod would a T-shirt read ‘I love Baan Nok!’, an in-your-face way of saying: “I’m a Thai country bumpkin and proud of it!” For this and lots of other charming little reasons, this bijou boutique, run by a bohemian folk art and graphic design collective, has been one of our all-time favourites ever since we stumbled across it on Phra Athit Road back in 2010. Now at a new location, a wood-shuttered shophouse on Samsen Road, it remains a treasure chest of things 100 percent Thai0made. One wall is full of T-shirts, shoulder bags, cloth screen prints, pillowcases, mugs, aprons, pha khao ma scarves, notebooks, calendars and more – all appearing under the Siam Ruay label. Featuring graphic designs and fonts adapted from old-school Siamese alphabets, flags, prints, maps and adverts, these make awesome souvenirs or gifts. Hanging mobiles strung with crude yet cute flying elephants, monkeys and pigs dangle from the rafters, while tables are loaded with primitive yet ingenious old Thai toys made using coconut shells, palm leaf, bamboo and hemp (and the odd length of string or rubber band). “Nearly all this stuff I commission from different villages up in north Thailand, where elderly craftspeople still have the wisdom needed to make them,” says Khun Tangnet ‘Pooh’ Takrudkaew, the female founder of the Poom-Din label this lot appear under. Highlights include a toy naga (serpent) made from teak segments held together without nails, wooden pop-pop guns, coconut shell turtles that run, and a pull-string monkey door bell.
bangkok101.com
the chonabod
[MAP 8/d9]
131 Samsen Road (near Samsen Soi 3) | 089-494-5669 the-chonabod.blogspot.com | Open 11am-8pm
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WELLN ESS
treatment Yunomori
Refresh
Refresh [MAP 3/n9] 43 Sukumvit Soi 24 | 02-259-7235 refresh24spa.com | 9.30am-1am | $
One of Sukhumvit’s biggest, this 25-room manor of rubdown magic is located just down the road from Emporium mall – head here for a post mall-blitz recovery sesh. Instead of the exotic Thai overkill that prevails in spas here, this slick new-build has a plush neo-vintage look, with Louis XV-style furniture adorning the lobby and Victorian-style skirting boards lining the rooms and corridors. It’s different, but elegant, calming. The menu is similarly understated, dabbling mostly in unflashy rubs and scrubs, though there are packages and a selection of Jurlique and Algoane facials available. Of the offerings, the hot oil massage is our pick – this 90-minuter melds Thai, Balinese and other styles to snooze inducing effect.
lavana [map 3 / F 7] 4 Sukhumvit Soi 12 | 02-229-4510 9am-11.30pm | $$$
Lavana does its treatments right. Spa options are refreshingly clear-cut, and primarily focused on massage. Scrubs and facials are also available, along with
Lavana
Shin Shin the unusual and intriguing Shirodhara oil treatment, in which warm oil is drizzled along the “third eye” in the forehead and massaged into the head and neck. Those seeking a tidier signature option should choose the herbal ball oil massage – Lavana’s dedicated therapists manage to pack a restful eternity into a well-priced 90 minutes. Masseuses combine long Swedish and sports-massage strokes with very detailed work on problem areas – they take computer-knotted shoulders and other ailments as a matter of personal concern, and banish those tweaks and twinges with wonderfully intense kneading and muscle release work.
Yunomori [Map 3/o9] A Square, Sukhumvit 26 | 02-259-5778 facebook.com/yunomorionsen | 10.30am12am | $$$
Yunomori isn’t an onsen (a Japanesestyle hot springs) in the strictest, most traditional sense of the word but rather the souped up inner-city version, with other facilities such as spas, restaurants and bars as well as pools to bath in. In the changing rooms, you strip off, lock away your belongings, take a deep breath and emerge, as naked as a
newborn, into the baths (guys bare all, girls can wear disposable underwear). Once happy in your birthday suit, the bath hopping begins. We counted five, from the warm soda bath featuring water infused with CO2 to the near scalding jet bath and main onsen, both of which use spring water sourced from Ranong. Once you’ve soaked until you can soak no more, head out in your slippers and explore Yunomori’s extras.
shin shin spa [MAP 3/y6] L-floor Jasmine Resort Hotel, 1511 Sukhumvit Rd | 02-335-5022 shinshinspa.com | 10am-8pm | $$
Located at the Jasmine Resort Hotel, on the same floor as the hotel pool and outdoor garden, the recently opened Shin Shin Spa offers modestly priced treatments in a clean, modern, minimally styled space. It’s not a big place by any means – there are two oil treatment rooms and a Thai massage room, and that’s it. However, Shin Shin’s size is no reflection of the quality on offer. In fact, as well as standards such as the wheatgrass welcome drink and aromatherapy foot cleansing ritual, it has a couple of aces up its sleeve that we’ve not come across before. First and foremost is the spa’s signature circular motion massage technique (Shin Shin translates as ‘vortex’ in Japanese). This is said to increase blood circulation and aid the absorption of oils into the skin. Secondly, a ‘silk essence’ lends a, well, silkiness to some of the massage treatments, including our pick: Shin Shin’s self-titled signature treatment. Spa costs $ :: under B600 $$ :: B600-B1000 $$$ :: B1000-B2000 $$$$ :: B2000+
1 0 0 | M AY 2 0 1 4
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treatment
WELLN ESS
Getting
Active L
aunched last month in the new Empire Tower on Sathorn Road, Virgin Active is a health club unlike anything Thailand has ever seen. Sprawling over five levels, and covering some 4,000 square metres, the fitness centre offers a large indoor lap pool, a hydrotherapy spa pool, ice and steam rooms, hot and cold sensation showers, and a salt room using Himalayan rock salt to help detox the body, rejuvenate the skin and purify breathing. The club also features a high-altitude training studio – the first in any Virgin Active location – which will accommodate short-duration group training classes with a simulated altitude of up to 3000m above sea level. All of these are in addition to traditional state-of-the-art fitness equipment. Virgin Active is part of Sir Richard Branson’s empire of brands, and the Bangkok location features six workout studios and over 200 classes per week. It joins over 270 Virgin Active branches in seven countries worldwide. “We have drawn on the best of what we do around the world to redefine the fitness club experience in Bangkok,” Branson says. “The club will cater to everyone and provide them with the supportive and motivating environment they need to achieve their goals. I have no doubt Thais will love getting fit, the Virgin way.”
Virgin Active [MAP 5/g7] 2F Empire Tower, 195 South Sathorn Rd 02-770-9772 | virginactive.co.th
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getting there
Bang Kra chao
RAIL
Chatuchak Park / BTS Mo Chit stations. Subway fares range from about B15 to B39. www.bangkokmetro.co.th
SKYTRAIN (BTS)
Airport Rail Link
The Bangkok Transit System, or BTS, is a two-line elevated train network covering the major commercial areas. Trains run every few minutes from 6 am to midnight, making the BTS a quick and reliable transport option, especially during heavy traffic jams. Fares range from B15 to B55; special tourist passes allowing unlimited travel for one day (B130) are available. BTS also provides free shuttle buses which transit passengers to and from stations and nearby areas. www.bts.co.th
SUBWAY (MRT) Bangkok’s Mass Rapid Transit (MRT) is another fast and reliable way to get across town. The 18-station line stretches 20 kms from Hualamphong (near the central
railway station) up to Bang Sue in the north. Subways run from 6 am to midnight daily, with trains arriving every 5 – 7 minutes. The underground connects with the BTS at MRT Silom / BTS Sala Daeng, MRT Sukhumvit / BTS Asok and MRT
RIVER
EXPRESS RIVER BOAT Bangkok’s vast network of inter-city waterways offer a quick and colourful alternative for getting around the city. Express boats ply the Chao Phraya River from the Saphan Taksin Bridge up to Nonthaburi, stopping at some 30 main piers altogether. Fares range from B9 to B32 depending on the distance, while tickets can either be bought on the boat or at the pier, depending on how much time you have. Boats depart every 20 minutes or so between 5:30 am and 6 pm. Cross-river services operate throughout the day from each pier for just B3.
CANAL BOAT Khlong Saen Saep canal boats operate from Phan Fa Leelard bridge, on the edge of the Old City, and zip east to Ramkhamhaeng University. However, you have to be quick to board them as they don’t usually wait around. Canal (khlong) boats tend to be frequent and cost around B 10 to B20. Tickets are bought onboard. Note that the piers are a little hidden away, which makes them sometimes difficult to find.
ROAD BUS Bangkok has an extensive and inexpensive public bus service. Both open-air and air-conditioned vehicles are available, with fares ranging from B7.50 – B23. As most destinations are noted only in Thai, it is advisable to get a bus route map (available at hotels, TAT offices and bookshops).
MOTORCYCLE TAXI In Bangkok’s heavy traffic, motorcycle taxis are the fastest, albeit most dangerous, form of road transport. Easily recognisable by their colourful vests, bangkok101.com
A 28km long monorail links the city’s main international airport, Suvarnabhumi, with three stops in downtown Bangktok and four stops in the eastern suburbs. Trains run from 6am to midnight every day and follow two lines along the same route. The City Line stops at all stations (journey time: 30 minutes) and costs B15-45 per journey. The Express Line stops at downtown stations Makkasan (journey time: 13-14 minutes, trains leave every 40 minutes) or Phayathai (journey time: 17 minutes, trains leave every 30 minutes), the only one that intersects with the Skytrain. One-way Express Line tickets cost B90 while roundtrip tickets are available at the promotional fare of B150.
motorbike taxi drivers gather in groups. Fares should always be negotiated beforehand.
TAXI Bangkok has thousands of metered,
air-con taxis available 24 hours. Flag fall is B35 (for the first 2 kms) and the fare climbs in B2 increments. Be sure the driver switches the meter on. No tipping, but rounding the fare up to the nearest B5 or B10 is common. Additional passengers are not charged, nor is baggage. For trips to and from the airport, passengers should pay the expressway toll fees. When boarding from the queue outside the terminal, an additional B50 surcharge is added.
TUK-TUK Those three-wheeled taxis (or samlor) are best known as tuk-tuks, named for the steady whirr of their engines. A 10-minute ride should cost around B40. M AY 2 0 1 4 | 1 0 3
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Pathumwan Princess Novotel Siam 3 Siam Kempinski 4 Baiyoke Sky Hotel 5 Amari Watergate 6 Novotel Platinum 7 Grand Hyatt Erawan 8 The Four Seasons 9 The St Regis 10 InterContinental 11 Holiday Inn 12 Swissôtel Nai Lert Park 13 Conrad Bangkok 14 Centara Grand at CentralWorld 15 Hotel Muse 16 Okura Prestige 2
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M AY 2 0 1 4 | 1 1 1
M Y B ANGKOK
Lawrence Osborne
The British author’s new novel The Ballad of a Small Player was released last month to high acclaim. It follows The Wet and the Dry, a drinking memoir, which was named one of the New York Times ’ best books of 2013, and The Forgiven , a novel set in Morocco, which The Economist called one of the best of 2012. Osborne lives in Bangkok.
As a writer you could presumably live anywhere in the world. Why do you choose to live in Bangkok? I think it's an ideal city for a writer. You can be alone without being alone. You can live very well without going broke and you can live in a decent apartment as God intended us to live. You can eat gung ob woonsen (prawns and glass noodles baked in a clay pot) every day and watch incredible sunsets from your balcony. What neighbourhood do you live in here? What do you like about the area? I live at the very end of Sukhumvit Soi 31 Sawatdee behind the university. It's like a jungly village. It's very quiet, a little spooky even. I am surrounded by jungle and abandoned warehouses. No farang in cargo shorts and bad tattoos. Your book The Wet and the Dry is an ode to drinking. What is your favourite bar in Bangkok? Hailiang off Sukhumvit Soi 33. It's the best Japanese whisky bar in Bangkok. Where are some of your favourite places to eat in the city? I go to The Local on Sukhumvit Soi 23 because, well, it's local. I love 1 1 2 | M AY 2 0 1 4
Sorntong on Rama IV for my gung pao (grilled prawn) and pla kapong neung manao (steamed sea bass in lime sauce). I like Bo.lan and Nahm, like everyone else, I guess. I like going to Issaya Siamese Club and sitting in the garden. I am a great fan of Xuan Mai, Meyung Robson's Vietnamese place on Thong Lor, near Soi 17. My favourite Japanese by far is Ten-Sui on Sukhumvit Soi 16. It breaks the bank but I go there every month. I like Appia, because Paolo Vitaletti and Jarrett Wrisley (the owners) are friends and because they do it well. I like Opposite on Sukhumvit Soi 51 because Chris Wise and Som (Somrak Sila) are also old friends and they do it right as well. I give a shout-out to Paste on Sukhumvit Soi 49 for Thai food and to Scala at the Sukhothai. Not many people know it, but they have the best chocolate in Bangkok and some decent grappa. I often go there to partake of both and sit alone by the pool. What’s your idea of a perfect weekend in Bangkok? Watching old Mizoguchi movies at home and making my jasmine bloom. Your travel memoir Bangkok Days remains popular. Have you
thought of setting a novel here? I am currently writing a novel that is set here. In what ways does living in Bangkok inspire your writing in general? It's a very sensual, physical city – I think that does percolate through my skin in some way. I like the sense of the supernatural, the looseness and ease. It makes me feel relaxed and speculative. I love driving around the city aimlessly at night. What other Bangkok-based writers do you enjoy reading? I don't know much of their work, honestly. I think John Burdett is a very good writer of English prose. I like Philip Cornwel-Smith, a lovely guy. Christopher Moore is smart and knows the city amazingly well. Where do you go when you want to escape the city for a weekend? I take a plane to Luang Prabang. What is the best and worst thing about Bangkok’s turbo-charged growth of recent years? The best: the improvement in the dining scene. The worst: the massacre of our trees. bangkok101.com