The Bangkok BigChilli. April 2013.

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FIND OUT WHAT’S HOT IN BANGKOK

April 2013 08 INSIGHT News, letters, gossip and more 26 CORRUPTION IN THAILAND Why a new initiative involving the private sector believes it can be stopped 29 EXPAT WOMEN Health, shopping, people, and advice 36 SCHOOL REPORT A round up of news from Bangkok’s best international schools 51 GOURMET A round up of all the best restaurant deals and gourmet events in Bangkok 68 FOOD AND WINE PAIRING What to drink with what you eat 74 TRAFFIC IN BANGKOK A veteran policeman gives his view from the inside lane 79 WHAT’S ON Exhibitions, performance, sport, networking – we’ve got this month’s best events all wrapped up 95 SOCIAL Last month’s best events in pictures 117 DIPLOMATS Maxmilian Wechsler talks to H.E. Michelangelo Pipan about Italy’s interests in Thailand 123 TRAVEL Deals and news from Thailand’s hottest destinations

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If Bangkok’s badly congested now, what about in 30 years’ time?

WHAT kind of city are we leaving to future generations of Bangkokians? The answer doesn’t bear thinking about.

If the past 30 years is anything to go by, it’s clear and obvious that in 30 years’ time Bangkok will be an urban nightmare, unlivable and unlovable. Today’s traffic woes will pale into significance by comparison; towering and thoroughly soulless condominiums will blight every street, as will countless struggling shopping malls; the sidewalks that aren’t already completely taken over by vendors day and night will be fast lanes for motorcyclists; the mass transit system in central areas will require ‘packers’ to cram as many passengers as possible into carriages; noise and fume pollution will be at nauseating levels; flooding will be a regular occurrence; and with no new parks and open spaces, but acres and acres of additional concrete and glass, the place will be furnace all year round.

Meanwhile, in the chronic absence of proper zoning and city planning, any building with even the slightest architectural value will be in danger of demolition for redevelopment – despite the valiant efforts of a few courageous conservation groups.

It’s a bleak prospect. And it’s our children and our children’s children who will have to live here.

Sure, tourists will continue to visit this chaos and believe it’s a fun city. But they will also realize that Bangkok has none of the charm and attractiveness of cities such as London, Paris and Rome that really do care about the future.

For the sake of those who will inherit Bangkok, today’s leaders must exercise greater control over the way the city develops. It’s not enough to leave it mainly to the forces of supply and demand. Strong action is urgently required to make Bangkok less unlovable and more livable.

Only people can lose when banks lend to governments

BANKERS must be salivating at the prospect of the trillions of baht the government wants to spend on infrastructure mega-projects. The profits will be colossal. Of course, it’s the taxpayers who will be picking up the bill, but that’s politics. But it does beg the question, why don’t governments learn from others’ mistakes? The past month has seen near riots in Cyprus, where the government has proposed ‘taxing’ people’s bank accounts as a way of collecting money it needs to pay back loans it has with the banks in Cyprus and Germany. Other European countries are facing similar problems with massive government overspending, especially Greece, though Spain, Portugal and even Italy are also considered vulnerable.

Banks, meanwhile, can throw up their hands and say they’re blameless. They only lend money; they don’t spend it.

Governments do that. And since it’s always been believed (until recently) that countries cannot go bust, the banks

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invariably hand over the cash.

Governments and banks of course enjoy a cosy relationship.

And it’s not unreasonable to believe that the wily old bankers do their best to encourage ministers to borrow, borrow, borrow.

They probably help with feasibility studies to demonstrate how a certain project will eventually pay for itself. They may even actually come up with the idea itself! To be fair, some of these projects do result in big gains for the country as a whole.

At the end of the day, however, the banks will get their money back, regardless of the success of the project. Often that will translate into higher taxes all round. If and when that happens, the bankers will have long gone; so too will the politicians. And all of them will no doubt be much better off from the experience. The rest of us will be left to foot the bill.

Against the odds, a new campaign to end corruption

CORRUPTION is rampant in Thailand. In fact it is now so bad that the kingdom has slipped to 88th among 176 other nations in terms of corruption, putting it alongside some of the most corrupt regimes in Africa. Some here would argue that corruption is in Thailand’s DNA, with both sides of the divide embracing it as a way of life.

There’s no doubt, for example, that street vendors expect to pay off officials to overlook their indiscretions; and those same officials expect to boost their meager salaries with some ‘under the table’ payments. In the same way, many people are happy to grease a palm in order to jump the queue so their application is quickly dealt with. Companies are happy to pay a ‘bung’ to ensure they win a bid. The list goes on and on. And it really is widely accepted.

Seen this way, it is difficult to believe the cycle of corruption can be broken. That’s what makes a new initiative by a former deputy governor at the Bank of Thailand to stamp out corruption all the more remarkable. Dr Bandid Nijathaworn’s Coalition Against Corruption (CAC) has met with considerable early success, recruiting 157 companies and some major trade organizations, all of whom have pledged to eradicate corruption from their own business practices and refuse to work with those where it still exists. Among his many other objections to corruption, Dr Bandid emphasizes that it does not produce a “level playing field,” which is of course a major stumbling block for many companies here.

Despite the odds stacked against him and his initiative, Dr Bandid believes that corruption can be brought under control and cites the example of countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, where it was once common.

Read more about Dr Bandid’s CAC on page 26.

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Publisher Colin Hastings editorbigchilli@gmail.com MANAGING Editor Adam Purcell adambigchilli@gmail.com Editor Nina Hastings ninabigchilli@gmail.com Sales & Marketing Manager Rojjana Rungrattwatchai sendtorose@gmail.com Account Executive Thana Pongsaskulchoti thanabigchilli@gmail.com Accounting Manager Saranya Choeyjanya fatcatbigchilli@gmail.com Art & Production Arthawit Pundrikapa, Jaran Lakawat Photography Mini Bike Gang and WJ Contributing Writers Anette Pollner, Johanna DeKoning, Judith Coulson, Maxmilian Wechsler, Paul Hewitt, Siobhan Kennedy

Our online handle is ‘thebigchillimagazine’. Simply type this into Facebook’s search box, find the image of our magazine, then just click add.

We are now on Twitter. Find out what’s happening around town, which events to attend, parties to be seen at, and read all the juicy gossip!

Follow us at ‘TheBigChilliMag’ No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from The BigChilli Co., Ltd. The opinions and views of the writers are not necessarily the views of the publishers. All details are deemed correct at the time of print, the publisher, the editor, employees and contributors can not be held responsible for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions that may occur. The editor reserves the right to accept, reject or amend any submitted artwork, photographs, illustrations and manuscripts.

The BigChilli welcomes unsolicited contributions but assumes no responsibility for the safe-keeping or return of such materials damaged or lost in transit.

The BigChilli Company Ltd., 1/7 5th Fl. Room 504, Siboonrueng Bldg. 2, Convent Road, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500 Tel: 02 233 1774-6, 02 266 7141 Fax: 02 235 0174 e-mail: thebigchillimagazine@gmail.com AD Foodland_March13.indd 1

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GOOD RIDDANCE TO ‘BANGKOK’S STONEHENGE’

TIME TO EDUCATE THE PARENTS ■ I’VE just read ‘Working to protect little heads on bikes’ (March 2013) and I am amazed at the lack of responsibility motorcyclists have when they carry young children on bikes. The parents always wear helmets but there is no protection for the youngsters. I’d hate to think what would happen if there is an accident. Stricter laws should be put in place and hefty fines should be imposed on motorcyclists who carry children without helmets. Schools should educate the parents on the dangers of not wearing helmets. It’s good to know someone is trying to do something about the problem but it really does come down to the parents.

Mel J

■ REGARDING the story “Bangkok’s ‘Stonehenge’ to disappear” in the March issue, I was so thrilled to read that the hideous concrete pillars will be removed! While I do have some happy memories linked to the pillars – such as the time when I was younger and my family’s driver told me that the pillars were planted by aliens who wanted to keep track of misbehaving school kids – for the most part I actually find the sight of them quite depressing – just another ugly sign of a promising project gone wrong. The faster they’re removed the better.

TG, Don Muang

THE TOUGH BUSINESS OF FOOD ■ THE amount of new restaurants

mushrooming all over Bangkok is wonderful from a foodie’s perspective (‘New in Town.’ Feb and March 2013), but what about the poor restaurateurs’?

Increasing taxes, rising food costs, and bourgeoning competition all mean that each new restaurant that opens already has a lot on its plate before it even gets going – and you know I’m not talking about the food. The stress and worry of trying to operate a successful restaurant here must be immense. I applaud all those who are brave enough to give it a go.

Bangkok Foodie

LETTERS WANTED FOR ART PROJECT ■ Hi BigChilli. I saw this on Facebook and thought it might be interesting for your readers. Kat Jones who works at Attic Studios is collecting letters for display in an installation she plans to hold. She wants people to send in letters (hand-written only) to someone they once loved, to a parent lost or living, to a hero or to a friend saying how they feel. They have to be honest letters written from the heart. For more info, check out Facebook: “I Wrote You a Letter – An installation of honesty.”

NH, BKK

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Heard on the street

Tawandang for Silom ■ A NEW branch of the immensely popular

Tawandaeg German Brewery is set to open on the junction of Silom and Narathiwat roads.

The format is expected to be the same as the other Tawandang outlets on Rama 3 and Ram Indra roads, with German brewery, restaurant and cabaret show. Its presence in this central part of Bangkok is being welcomed, especially since the decline of the Patpong entertainment district.

Emporium expands on Sukhumvit ■ THE huge site now being prepared on

the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 39 will become Emporium 11, while the original Emporium opposite will be temporarily close for renovation and update. The owners of both projects also own the recently demolished Washington Square. This will eventually feature a hotel and community mall. All three projects will be linked by a Skywalk to the Phrom Phong BTS station.

Condos up and down ■ BANGKOK’S property continues to behave

erratically and unpredictably in terms of cost.

A new high, for example, has been set by Sansiri on its Sukhumvit Soi 39 condo, which is apparently being sold at 300,000 baht per sqm. Meanwhile, the cost of second-hand property continues to dip with units at the 20-year-old riverside Suprakan condo near Sathorn Bridge going for 75,000 baht per sqm.

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Top Italian award for Oriental’s Chef Norbert

After 38 years, the hotel’s legendary culinary master set for new role ■ ANOTHER milestone will be marked at Bangkok’s Mandarin Oriental in June when Chef Norbert Kostner makes way for his successor after 33 years as the hotel’s Executive Chef.

Italy-born Chef Norbert, who actually joined the Oriental 38 years ago, will become the property’s Culinary Director while his assistant Stefan Trepp, a Swiss national, takes overall charge of the hotel’s restaurant and catering operations.

In his new role, 68-year-old Chef Norbert will continue to cook on special occasions, including visits by Thai and foreign royalty, assist during the hotel’s high season and liaise with Mandarin Oriental’s head office.

“I expect to be at the hotel for seven or eight months of the year,” explained Norbert. “So I’m not retiring – only half retiring. The rest of the time I plan to take it easy, and enjoy the long walks I’ve always wanted to do in Europe.”

Norbert’s remarkable career was recently recognized by his countrymen

when he was awarded Italy’s prestigious ‘Cavaliere dell’ Ordine della Stella d’ Italia,’ by H.E. Michelangelo Pipan, the Italian Ambassador to Thailand. This ‘knighthood’ was bestowed in recognition of Chef Norbert’s contribution to the promotion of the Italian image and relations between Italian and Thai people through his work.

For the past 20 years, he has also been an honorary advisor to the Royal Projects in northern Thailand, helping to source various products including vegetables, Bresse chicken and even rainbow trout.

Chef Stefan, who has been with the Oriental for three years, officially takes charge on June 15.

Norbert admits that he’s a sentimentalist and the thought of a leaving party “brings tears to my eyes.”

Another Oriental legend and longtime colleague of Norbert, former general manager Kurt Wachtveitl, retired in 2009 after 42 years with the hotel.

TheBigChilli

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Zing for Songkran

■ BUDDING singers looking for an outlet for their talents in Bangkok usually end up hitting karaoke bars or crooning alone in the shower, but thanks to a new singing group set up called Zing Choir, they now have an outlet where they can meet like-minded people and hone their skills in the process.

Unlike any other choir in Bangkok, Zing Choir is Glee for grownups – bringing together men and women of all abilities and experience and giving them the chance to sing professionally arranged hits from the ’60s through to today.

Led by music maestro Rodel Rivera, practice sessions take place on Tuesday evenings from 8pm on the third floor of The Royal Oak, Sukhumvit 33/1. The next term starts on Tues Apr 23.

For more info email: info@zingchoir.com or call Lucy on 089 884 6417

Sally stands down after 50 years with St Patrick’s ■ MOST people consider themselves loyal and hard-working when they

volunteer their time to join a committee or board for two or three years.

Longer is unusual.

So when Sally Voravorn stepped down from the committee of the St Patrick’s Society Bangkok, it was an occasion to be savored. For this popular Irish lady had served this group continuously for no less than 50 years!

Her contribution was recognized last month at the annual St Patrick’s Society Emerald Ball where she was given a huge bouquet of flowers and a standing ovation. “It was lovely,” she says. Her name also appeared over the bar built specially for this ball, and all future Society balls will have a ‘Sally’s Bar.’ Sally arrived in Thailand in 1961 and two years later set up the St Patrick’s Society. Some 40 people from Ireland joined.

“These days we have Irish people from all over the world, but back then only Irish people from Ireland were members. Everybody loves to be Irish, especially during March,” she says.

Sally, 73, will continue to run the Witch’s Pie Factory on Sukhumvit Soi 65, which allows her to meet the many friends she’s made over the past 53 years in Thailand.

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Obituary: Dacre Raikes

■ BRITAIN has lost a

unique link to Thailand’s past with the recent passing of Dacre Raikes OBE. Dacre arrived in Thailand in 1951 and initially worked for the Borneo Company in the northern city of Chiang Mai. Chairman of the British Chamber of Commerce in Thailand (BCCT) from 1967 to 1969, Dacre played a major role in the chamber’s development from the 1950s through to the 1980s.

He was widely respected and a familiar face at the BCCT’s annual Christmas lunch. Last year’s event was the first he had missed.

Dacre was an Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire and a Member of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thailand.

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Affordable art for all at

Stephff’s Gallery Artist offers great value on his modern tribal graffiti ■ BIGCHILLI cartoonist Stephff has proved he’s got more than just an eye for satirical humour with the opening of his own art gallery on Soi Yenakat, where he creates and sells his own tribal graffiti for as little as 2,000 baht.

Originally opened to sell items from Stephff’s vast collection of tribal art, including masks, shields, sculptures, and jewelry, the store is now

also stocked with Stephff’s own vibrant inked images of medicine men, alien looking creatures, and abstract swirls that would look great hanging on any house or condo wall.

“One day I just decided that I would give it a go,” explains French national Stephff, “So I basically picked up the ink and all these images started flowing. I really don’t know where they come

from, but I guess it’s got to do with collecting tribal art for so many years.”

Tribal art has had a huge influence on many abstract artists, most notably Picasso, whose work between 1906

– 1909 was very much influenced by African sculptures, and is referred to as his ‘African Period.’ But while Picasso’s work sells for the price of a luxury yacht, the maximum Stephff sells his work for is 5,000 baht.

“I’ve been hooked on tribal art for a long time but I’m not arrogant enough to

say that I’m like Picasso,” he says with a laugh. “But I am passionate about art and I love working in this graffiti style.

Ultimately, I just want to give people access to modern art that’s actually affordable – and that, I think, is something that is definitely lacking here in Bangkok.”

Stephff’s Gallery is open Mon-Fri, 2pm-7pm; Sat-Sun 1pm-7pm (or by appointment).

Stephff’s gallery, Supreme Ville, 38/56 Yenakat Road Tel 02 6713535 email: stephff@loxinfo.co.th

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Want to interact with your favourite magazine?

Check out our new website!

■ THE BigChilli website recently underwent a digital makeover and we’re so happy with the results that we thought we’d brag about it here.

Still a work in progress, the website will just keep getting better every day – filled with more juicy pictures of Bangkok’s best parties, and more videos of events, travel, musicians, and personalities on our brand new BigChilli TV. Exciting events and promotions will be posted on the site’s What’s On pages, and we even plan to feature additional content on top of our usual features – extended Q&As, audio clips and the like.

If you want to read the latest issue of The BigChilli you’ll

find our emag waiting for you on the website’s homepage. Click on the top banner and you’ll even be directed to Issuu.com, our online newsagent, where you can also read back copies for free.

Best of all – we’re shifting the focus of the website to be less about us and more about you, our readers. We want to give you a platform where you can share your thoughts, comment on stories, and easily get in touch with us and other expats. The new BigChilli Forum is perfect for this, allowing you to sign in as a member and share your views and post classifieds – for free!

We look forward to interacting with you. The BigChilli

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News|The BigChilli Dinner

The BigChilli ‘Swiss Night’ Gourmet dinner sees veteran Swiss hoteliers Peter Gautschi and Kurt Rufli get together again after 40 years ■ TWO of Asia’s most distinguished Swiss hoteliers greeted each other for the first time in more than 40 years when they attended the latest in the BigChilli-JW Marriott Bangkok series of Gourmet Dinners at the hotel’s chic new Manhattan Bar. It was indeed a poignant and emotional moment when Peter Gautschi, legendary 30-year veteran of the Peninsula Group and now head of the Swiss-Belhotel International chain, and Kurt Rufli, former long-time MD of Amari Hotels and Resorts, finally put aside past differences and shook hands. The pair were almost inseparable thereafter as they exchanged unique memories of Asia’s hotel industry over the past five decades.

“That handshake between Kurt and Peter after 41 years will go down in hotel history,” remarked one of the guests at this BigChilli Swiss Night Dinner.

Happily, the hoteliers also had an opportunity to meet up with several other old friends from Thailand’s Swiss community, including long-time Bangkok resident Mr Marco Casanova, Philip Baechtold of Baechtold Jewelry, and Mr Brian Sinclair-Thompson, of Swiss Air Lines.

Also at the dinner, held in the hotel’s popular Manhattan Bar on the first floor, were JW Marriott General Manager Peter Caprez and Colin Hastings, Publisher of The BigChilli.

The hotel’s Executive Chef Michael Hogan and his team produced yet another superb dinner with an appropriate Swiss theme.

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The menu Buendner Gerstensuppe (Beef Barley Soup) Zurcher Geschnetzeltes mit Roesti (Veal stew, chardonnay cream, rosti potatoes & young beans) Schokolade Mille Feuille mit Beeren (Swiss chocolate mille feuille with berries)

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Business|Public Relations

How to plan a successful marketing campaign From project brief to media blitz, Marketing Consultant Pacharee Pantoomano-Pfirsch explains how to get a marketing campaign off the ground ■ I AM sure you have heard

of the saying “If you fail to plan, then you plan to fail.”

This expression applies to planning a successful launch.

Like any project, a marketing and PR plan involves many members of the organization.

When bringing a team together, a project brief is required so everyone gets on the same page and moves forward at the same pace to see the project to completion.

Prior to the creative process, a solid foundation has to be created and to do that, market research is required.

Market research gives us insight into consumer preferences and behaviors.

As many researchers will tell you, consumer preferences are constantly changing and are therefore a moving target.

There are two approaches 1) quantitative and 2) qualitative. Market survey, or quantitative research, is deductive and it tests a hypothesis, which is identified before research begins. Qualitative research, or focus group, is inductive and a hypothesis is not required to start the research process. For many companies, market research is an annual process, especially in the area of customer satisfaction.

As part of the research, brands will also conduct a self-evaluation and create a SWOT (strength, weakness, opportunities and threat) chart. The same is also created for competitors which make and offer similar products or services that address the same target market. At this stage, potential challenges are identified.

It’s an opportunity for you and the team

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to create contingency plans. It is through this process that brands carve out their unique positioning and selling points which make their products or services distinctive.

The next step is to determine the objective(s), budget, milestones and the return on investment your organization wants from the campaign. Every company measures its success by a different yard stick. For some, it is about gaining more share of voice and brand awareness in the media. Other companies may select to measure the number of business leads the campaign generates for the sales team. How you plan to measure your success will determine both the

above and below the line activities carried out during the campaign period.

For example, a media relations blitz will create awareness for your products and service. However, it may not likely generate sales leads. If your product is low touch, an advertising campaign with a call to action could be the ticket to generating sales leads.

If your service or product is high touch, an event is a good forum for you to engage your target audience.

An event gives you time and opportunity to present and address inquiries from potential customers.

As with every plan, periodic reviews should be scheduled to review the milestones. The milestones help the team to evaluate if the campaign is on course or if the campaign should be adjusted. The earlier the issues are detected and addressed the better. It keeps things on track and assures a successful outcome.

Pacharee Pantoomano-Pfirsch is a Marketing Consultant at Brand Now, a boutique marketing and PR agency helping clients to communicate their brand. If you’d like to plan a successful marketing campaign for your product or service, she may be reached at pacharee@brandnow.asia.

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Fighting the odds: Muay Thai champ Nili Block From bouts with boys in Israel to landing a gold medal in Bangkok, this sprightly 18 year old boxer explains how dedication and perseverance helped her to realize her dreams

By Maxmilian Wechsler

D

DEDICATED, motivated, strong, humble and fiercely competitive – these are all accurate descriptions of American-born Israeli athlete Nili Block. Add another word to that list of adjectives – multitalented. On March 1 she came first in the women’s 16-19 age group, 10km leg, of the Jerusalem Marathon, beating 500 runners in her category and covering the distance in 44 minutes.

Just a little more than two weeks later, on March 16, she was awarded a gold medal in the 54kg division of the 10th Amateur-Pro Muay Thai Championships in Bangkok, winning the title bout against a Bulgarian boxer.

Adding to her sporting achievements is a four year stint (2008 – 2012) as a member of the Israeli national flag football team, for whom she played abroad

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in many countries, including France and Germany. She started playing the game − a version of American football in which the ball-carrier is stripped of a flag instead of tackled – when she was 11.

When we met Nili in Bangkok for this interview, a couple of days after her fight, we also had chance to catch up with her coach and corner man in Bangkok, Shuki Rozensweing, the Israeli boxer known as ‘White Lion’ who won the World Muay Thai Association and World Muay Thai Federation unified title in April 2011 in Bangkok (see the April 2012 issue for the full interview).

“Nili is amazing − slim and tall, she’s built for this sport, and she possesses quite an array of weapons. She can devastate an opponent with her hands, knees and feet, and she has perfect technique,” said Shuki. “She is a complete fighter with a high IQ for the sport. She has a very good future if she chooses to continue to box. Everything comes naturally for her, and she’s just getting started.

“A fight is not only won on strength. Nili won all three rounds against the Bulgarian girl, who was physically stronger, by virtue of her superior technique,” said Shuki, adding: “The Thai referee was excellent.

Everyone says that they are the best and I agree.”

N Nili’s background

“I have been practicing Muay Thai as an amateur for five years in Israel.

This is my first trip abroad and my first international tournament. I would like to fight a Thai woman but there weren’t any at the championship in my weight category. However, there are many Thai professional women in my weight class.”

Brilliant moment in Bangkok Nili said that during her stay in Thailand she had been treated very well, and really enjoyed the friendly nature and culture of the Thai people.

“It was an unforgettable moment when I was given the gold medal during the awards ceremony and was able to listen to the Israel national anthem in

friend of Rabbi Gavriel and his wife Rivka, who were both murdered when terrorists attacked the Chabad House (Jewish community centre) in Mumbai in November 2008. Out of solidarity with the Jewish people, Sarah’s entire family converted to Judaism and migrated to Israel in 2009. Sarah took up Muay Thai while studying in a religious school.

Shuki is confident that Sarah, also 18, has a great future in Muay Thai if she so desires.

Nili’s dilemmas Nili says her big dream is to box in the Olympic Games, but this is a bit of a problem since Muay Thai is not an Olympic sport at this time. ‘‘I would have to switch to the international boxing style, and I am not so sure I want to do that – I love Muay Thai so much. It’s a totally different style than international boxing which, of course, has no kicking – and this is my strong point.”

She will be conscripted to the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) this year, which presents another big dilemma. “If I serve two years as is the usual period of conscription [men serve three years], then I won’t be able continue to box unless I request and receive a special athletic status from the IDF. “To be in the military is a one-time opportunity and experience, so I am not sure if I want to be a special athlete and continue Muay Thai during my service with the IDF or to serve like everybody else and start a boxing career after leaving the IDF. This is the decision I must make.”

Shuki said he believes her chances of receiving the special athletic status are very good thanks to her recent success in the Jerusalem Marathon and now scooping the gold in Muay Thai – if she makes the request to the IDF. “If accepted Nili will be able to box with assistance and support from the IDF and to represent Israel internationally and maybe even in the Olympic Games. It is up to her to decide what she wants to do in the future. My advice to her would be to continue boxing.’’

“Nili is amazing − slim and tall, she’s built for this sport, and she possesses quite an array of weapons. She can devastate an opponent with her hands, knees and feet, and she has perfect technique.”

Nili was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in the United States and her family moved to Israel when she was two years old. She started learning Muay Thai at the age of 10. ‘‘My mum was at that time a volunteer police woman attached to the Jerusalem police department and she was looking for some kind of martial arts which would be beneficial for her work,” said Nili. “I went with her as she looked for a Muay Thai training camp and I started to train with her. I stopped training for two years while going to school and resumed when I was 13. My father (an orthodox Jew and a dentist by profession) supports and encourages me to box.”

Currently a 12th grade high school student, Nili says her teachers also support her. “They see my success as a good thing for the school, especially because I am a girl.” She is doing well in her studies and believes that participating in athletics fosters academic success because it motivates a person to be successful in everything they do.

Bangkok,” said Nili. In fact, the anthem was played twice because her teammate, Sarah Avraham, also won a gold medal in the 63.5kg category after defeating her British opponent on points.

The third boxer in the team was Noam Corland, who is only 12 years old and boxed in the 30kg category with a Thai girl. She lost on points. Shuki said that many people who saw the match believed Noam was the better boxer and should have won the gold medal. ‘‘She is strong and she was amazing. Everybody was surprised by the decision,” said Shuki.

Sarah wasn’t available for an interview, but she also has quite an amazing story. Born into a Hindu family in Mumbai, India, her father was a

Israeli women have uphill fight “Women’s Muay Thai is very popular in many places, for example in Australia, Holland, Russia and of course Thailand, but that’s not so in Israel,’’ said Nili. ‘‘I

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News|Sport Nili training with her coach and corner man in Bangkok, Shuki Rozensweing

tell someone I do Muay Thai and they look at me like ‘what is that?’ Hopefully, with Sarah’s and my world titles here we will contribute to making the sport more popular in Israel.

“There are very few Muay Thai girls in Israel, so I sparred with Sarah and with Adi Roten, another female boxer, a few weeks before I came here. Most of my fights in Israel were against boys – which tells you how many woman there are − and I beat them all,” said Nili, adding, “I haven’t fought a Thai female boxer as yet but I hope to fight one soon.”

Adi, a professional and very successful international kick boxer, is the

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top-ranked women’s Muay Thai boxer in Israel. She fought and trained in Europe and came to Thailand some years ago to learn Muay Thai because “it has a lot of similarities with kick boxing.”

Nili didn’t have a sponsor for her trip to the tournament in Bangkok, and paid all expenses herself, including air tickets and accommodation. “If you compete in the international boxing style, which is very well known, it is easy to find a sponsor. But in Israel Muay Thai boxers have to pay from their own pockets.

Queen of the ring: Nili celebrates her gold medal achievement in Bangkok

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Maybe now, after I have won the medal and people look at me as a real athlete, someone will offer me sponsorship. It also depends on publicity. No potential sponsors have contacted me as yet. In fact I have only spoken on the phone with my mum.”

Nili said she hadn’t gone to see any professional Muay Thai bouts at Lumpini Stadium because “I can’t afford it.” She did buy some Muay Thai gear at shops near the entrance to the stadium. She says the equipment is much cheaper here than in Israel and is much better quality as well. After winning the 10km event of the Jerusalem Marathon she received a trophy and a coupon to purchase a wellknown brand of running shoes, but no cash.

She also pays for her training back home at the Muay Thai Academy Team Yusopov, where she trains five times a week for two hours at a time. “My coach there is Eddie Yusopov. The training camp is about a 30 minutes drive from my home. I don’t go out too much, just to school or to the camp,” said Nili.

When asked about her future plans, she replied: “Of course, I would like to fight Muay Thai professionally. There are a few professional men in Israel, but no women at this moment so I would have to fight abroad.”

Whatever happens, says Nili, she will continue with Muay Thai and take every opportunity that arises to compete and do her utmost to win as she did in Bangkok.

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News|Corruption

CORRUPTION THE GROWING THREAT

By Colin Hastings

Despite a worrying downward trend, a new initiative involving the private sector believes corruption can be stopped. Former deputy governor at the Bank of Thailand Dr Bandid Nijathaworn explains how ■ IT probably won’t come as a surprise to anyone to learn that corruption – the big ‘C’ of business, government, politics and even the moral fibre of society – is on the increase in Thailand. We all sense its growing presence, and sometimes experience it on a personal and business level.

What is surprising, however, is that the majority of people here apparently don’t give a

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hoot. A recent poll showed that 63% of Thai people view corruption in government as acceptable as long as the population benefit from it.

Apathy evidently reigns and, as a consequence, Thailand continues its downward spiral and now ranks 88th among 176 other nations in terms of corruption, putting it in the same boat as countries like

Malawi, Morocco, Suriname, Swaziland and Zambia.

There’s no shortage of organizations trying to stamp out this scourge – National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC) or the Anti-Corruption Network (ACN), which was recently renamed to Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand (ACT) to name just a couple – but corruption, it seems, is

now a way of life, incorrigible and deeply entrenched.

But help may be at hand.

A new non-government initiative known as the Coalition Against Corruption (CAC) has been launched with the aim of tackling the problem in a different and more effective way.

At its helm is Dr Bandid Nijathaworn, a former deputy governor at the Bank

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of Thailand and presently chairman of the Thai Bond Market Association, as well as president and CEO of the Thai Institute of Directors.

Through his extensive connections, Dr Bandid has succeeded in recruiting an impressively large number of like-minded people and companies from the private sector to assert collective pressure and combat corruptive behavior. He says the main goal of CAC is to change the general attitude towards corruption rather than the more common practice of punishing specific individuals.

In this exclusive interview with the BigChilli, Dr Bandid outlines the hopes and aspirations of CAC. Please give us the background to CAC Corruption is a major problem in Thailand, and we need to tackle it urgently through collective action.

Our aim is to promote clean business and integrity when conducting business. This requires voluntary action from big companies working together and collectively saying ‘NO’ to corruption.

By enlarging the network of companies now involved in CAC, we hope to promote integrity and a level playing field when doing business in Thailand.

What is the motivation?

It’s related to the question above. If we don’t address this corruption problem, it will be a key factor in preventing the Thai economy from moving forward to the status of a developed economy.

To achieve a transition to a higher level of economy, we have to ensure a fair, efficient and competitive system. And corruption stands against this.

To move forward, Thailand should reduce this problem.

It prevents the economy from realizing its full potential and robs future generations of opportunities.

What is your personal knowledge and experience of corruption in business?

My professional background is in the government sector, and I’ve only recently moved into private sector activities. So I hadn’t previously come across levels of corruption people are now talking about. According to surveys and analysis

amongst Thai companies, I think the feedback shows things are not improving, and are actually getting worse.

This is certainly the case with a survey of business executives conducted by the Thai Institute of Directors (IOD).

‘abuse of entrusted power for personal gain.’ So in terms of companies, things need to be done according to the law, while ensuring that the conduct of that business leads to fair dealing and a level playing field.

What is the definition of corruption?

The best definition is

What kind of companies and businesses are involved in this CAC initiative?

Basically we want to invite companies to join this coalition who say no to corrupt practices and promote clean business, which is the key to economic sustainability in the long term. Companies join on a voluntary basis, and then should commit themselves to the project’s aims. Involvement is not a photo opportunity.

To this end, companies participating should declare through a board-level policy that they will comply with the aims of the CAC and not adopt corrupt practices. In addition, they should introduce internal controls to ensure there is no corruption. And they should focus on doing business with other companies who adopt the same goals. Finally, they should be seen to be implementing such policies.

Once companies fulfill all the commitments, they will be certified by the CAC committee as a full member of the CAC that have achieved a higher level of corporate governance. The award will be publicly recognized and the awarded companies will be promoted as being Thailand’s truly ethical companies. My hope is that as more and more companies get awarded and their commitments to zero tolerance to corruption is valued by the public, the momentum will be set and the coalition for clean business will grow.

“Corruption is a major problem in Thailand, and we need to tackle it urgently through collective action. This requires voluntary action from big companies working together and collectively saying ‘NO’ to corruption.”

Dr Bandid Nijathaworn

How many companies have joined the CAC? Last year 53 had joined.

Today we have 157 companies, big and small from all over the

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country, including 64 listed on the Stock Exchange of Thailand as well as members of trade organizations such as the Thai Bankers Association, Association of Investment Management Companies, Association of Thai Securities Companies, Thai Life Insurance Association plus Thai units of major international companies like Mercedes Benz, Boots, Siemens, Toshiba, etc. The CAC initiative also enjoys the support of the Thai Chamber of Commerce, the Joint Foreign Chambers of Commerce in Thailand, the Thai Listed Companies Association, Federation of Thai Capital Market Organisations and the Federation of Thai Industries. Clearly momentum is building and highlighting the role of the private sector in trying to solve the problem of corruption.

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problem of corruption around.

Is the government doing enough to tackle the problem?

The government frequently mentions corruption as a key policy and one of its main priorities, but even though some measures have been implemented, we’ve yet to see results. Law enforcement has had no serious effect. Personally, I think the situation is getting worse.

So it’s no wonder people are skeptical of any move to stamp out corruption.

Whenever the issue of corruption is mentioned in any political campaign, it gets a lot of attention. Many people are indeed skeptical, but more and more are willing to contribute.

Are the laws in Thailand against corruption tough enough?

Yes. The severity and strength of the law are sufficient, but the weakness is in implementing them.

That’s why corruption seems to be on the rise. Increasingly, people are less fearful of the laws, so corruption merely expands. One way to solve this problem is to make punishments permanent, so there’s no escape through statute of limitations.

Do you really believe it’s possible to stop corruption in Thailand?

I think so. Anyone who’s been here longer than ten years will know that corruption wasn’t this bad back then. According to the Transparency International’s Corruption Perception Index, Thailand was ranked 58th a few years ago. Today, as more countries have been added and as Thailand itself failed to improve, it’s now in 88th position. I have my hopes. If we’re really serious enough, we can achieve our goals.

What is the broad philosophy of CAC? Our campaign is based on three legs. One, it is voluntary. Two, there’s no finger-pointing, since we believe in building clean business by setting an example, which is a more comfortable approach for most companies. And three, we’re absolutely non-political.

If we work together, in the spirit of the “collective action” in our name, we can turn the

But isn’t Thailand’s socalled patronage system too deeply entrenched and corruption is therefore bound to flourish?

It’s not a way of life – business can be conducted without this level of corruption. If you look at other countries like Singapore, Hong Kong, Taiwan and South Korea, when the problem became systemic as it is here, the government and private

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Dr. Bandid in focus Dr. Bandid Nijathaworn is presently chairman of the Thai Bond Market Association, president and CEO of the Thai Institute of Directors, and member of the Council of trustees and the board of directors of Thailand Development Research Institute.

Dr. Bandid was formerly a deputy governor at the Bank of Thailand where he held the position of Deputy Governor for Monetary Stability from January 2004 to October 2010, and spent a brief period between 2006 - 2009 as Deputy Governor in charge of financial stability, financial policy and banking supervision.

Prior to joining the Bank of Thailand in 1992, Dr. Bandid was an economist at the International Monetary Fund where he joined as a young professional in the IMF’ s Economist Program. Earlier in his career, he taught as an assistant professor in economics at Thammasat University, Bangkok, Thailand.

Dr. Bandid graduated with a B.A. (Hons.) in Mathematical Economics from the University of Essex, Colchester, England, and holds a PhD in economics from La Trobe University Melbourne, Australia.

In 2011, he attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University, Boston, USA. sector turned the situation around. But you need strong law enforcement to catch the big fish. In Thailand, that’s yet to happen.

So, if they’ve been successful dealing with this problem elsewhere, it can also happen here. But it all depends on the government, and how serious it is. Also, government economic policy needs to be based on an open market, which leads to a level playing field. The government’s procurement policy, for example, should be

transparent and accountable.

What other hurdles is CAC facing?

Our biggest hurdle is communication, getting the message across. The Institute of Directors (IOD) is currently holding two training courses – one on how to lay down company policy against corruption, and a second on how to implement the compliance. These can help.

In the end, no one wants to do business in a corrupt country.

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Expat WOMEN p Put your feet up and indulge

Dancing for a good cause: Bangkok’s second One Billion Rising event. Page 45

Shopping

Hot new products and stores demanding your attention Page 34

Health

Judith Coulson reveals how you can nourish your skin from the inside out Page 46

Agony aunts

Professional counselors Anette and Johanna help readers with problems Page 48 TheBigChilli

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Insight|Q&A

She’s a character: Edith Stewart MBE From delivering babies at BNH Hospital and becoming the St. Andrews Society’s first Lady Chieftain, to being awarded an MBE and being known as the longest serving female member of The British Club, Scottish expat Edith has led a life full of achievements. Here she tells Siobhan Kennedy what first brought her here, how Bangkok’s changed over the years, and why Baxter’s Soup made two special tins with her picture on them

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BANGKOK institution Edith Stewart MBE RGNSCM (UK) RNM (Thailand) will be known to many readers of the BigChilli. As Matron at the Bangkok Nursing Home from 1975 to 1999, she witnessed and took part in a great deal of births – too many to count, at what was then the only real expat hospital – and experienced Bangkok at a time when it was rare for a young lady of her age to be working in a foreign land.

Not only is she most probably the most senior female expat, she is the longest serving lady member of the British Club (she joined five days after landing in Bangkok); the longest serving member of the St Andrew’s Society; and the St. Andrew’s Society’s first ever Lady Chieftain. She was awarded an MBE in 1996. She is now retired.

About Edith Born at 16, Castle Street, Dumfries, Scotland on 26 April 1935, Edith Margaret Stewart was the youngest of three siblings – her eldest brother Charles, sister Ann, and brother Peter. She attended primary school in Dumfries and was then sent with her sister to a Church of Scotland all-girls boarding school, which she hated (she called it Mad Dog’s College for Mentally Deficient Children).

After finishing school, Edith actually trained to be a cook, studying Household and Institutional Management (she admits that she can barely boil an egg now!). She failed to get into nursing school because she was too underweight

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brother Charles. He originally came over with a trading company, D. Cooper Johnson, in 1952, but eventually ended up working with Singer sewing machines until his retirement. At the time of my visit there was a job going at the Bangkok Nursing Home but I felt I couldn’t leave the NHS so soon after them helping me with my training. However, once back home in the UK, and about eight months later, I received a letter offering me a job as a nursing sister in Bangkok. I would never have done it if my brother had not been here but ten months after my first visit, I came back to Bangkok to live and work.

so her first job was working at a primary school up the road for two years. This was followed by a stint at the domestic science college, Athol Crescent in Edinburgh, for almost two years, and then a few months in Whitehaven, Cumberland.

Her family knew her first love was still nursing so supported her move to Western General Hospital in Edinburgh where she began her nursing training. A holiday to visit her brother Charles in Thailand in 1968 was a turning point, and in 1969 she took up her position as a Nursing Sister at the Bangkok Nursing Home. Edith worked at BNH for thirty years.

What brought you to Thailand in the first place?

I came to Bangkok in 1968 to visit my

Coming from Scotland as a young lady, what was it like to live and work in Bangkok in those days?

It was very different – the nurses all looked the same to me in white uniforms and hats, with black hair and unpronounceable names. I could only shout ‘Nurse!’ in the early days. The Doctors didn’t have white coats or stethoscopes either, and I upset a few by not recognizing them. Slowly these problems were resolved as I settled in.

How many babies do you think you delivered when you were Matron at the Bangkok Nursing Home, and was it strange to see some of these people in a social context?

I delivered quite a few babies – I never counted but quite a few! Once I became Matron not so much though, as my responsibilities changed. Of course, I

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was on hand to help the nurses if called for.

I’ve had a few strange occasions – I was at a cocktail party onboard a ship one time and a lady approached me.

She asked if I remembered delivering her baby and when I said no and that I didn’t recognize her, she asked that if she took off a certain item of clothing, would I remember her then. Apparently I was there at the birth but I didn’t actually deliver her baby…

It was mainly the fathers who I saw in a social context. I would come off shift and head to the Churchill bar at the British Club and would end up with two gin and tonics – one in my hand, and one waiting on the bar, from fathers who recognised and knew me from when their wives had had their babies. I was definitely a well-known figure in those days.

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You must have seen a lot of change, both socially and in the standard of care at hospitals?

Socially there have been changes mainly due to traffic difficulties – I remember going to two cocktail parties and one dinner party in one evening – all in different parts of Bangkok!

I spent 30 years working at BNH. Looking at it now, it has some of the best medical treatment – the Doctors are first class. However, I feel that basic nursing care is not as good now that candidates are coming straight out of university. To my mind it is not as professional. This is a worldwide thing, not just Thailand. The training seems to be all about the machines, not the basic care of the patient.

You are ver y proud of your Scottish heritage aren’t you?

I am absolutely proud of my Scottish heritage and was actively involved when I first moved here. I was the first lady Chieftain ever. To begin with, we had ladies’ privileges, but then in 1993 the rules changed and I was able to become the first lady Chieftain. Not only a tremendous honour but actually quite something, as men

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were rather chauvinistic at that time! Baxter’s even made two cans of soup in my honour – “Royal Game Soup.’ I still have a can of it today.

St. Andrew’s is not just the oldest society out of the Loyal Societies, it is the oldest society in Thailand. I am no longer involved on the committee now but attend functions throughout the year. I am the longest serving member of the St. Andrew’s Society as I was a part of it right from the beginning.

What are a few of your proudest moments and achievements?

Obviously becoming the first Lady Chieftain, but also meeting and shaking HRH King Bhumipol Adulyadej’s hand at the palace in 1991 when we celebrated the St. Andrew’s Society centenary. And receiving my MBE at Buckingham Palace.

I have no idea how it happened – I just received a letter at my mother’s address in Scotland. I went to Buckingham palace with my brother Peter, his wife and my cousin.

Group. We all have our own specialities and responsibilities – some make the crackers, the bows, the boxes, do the shopping, fetch and carry etc. The crackers are made to be sold before Christmastime and any money made goes to a children’s charity – always a children’s charity. This year, we are supporting Sister Louise at the Fatima Centre, and Clown Eckie.

You have done and still do a lot for charity don’t you?

I worked on Granny’s Attic which was originally started solely for the Ploenchit Fair by the British Women’s Group. We

the third largest amount of money raised for the Ploenchit Fair one year! It is now something smaller, run by the BWG – the Glory Hole. All money raised now is used to buy things to make the Christmas crackers.

What’s the best thing about living in Bangkok/Thailand?

The friendly people and warm weather. The cost of living, although rising, is better than many countries. I love all Thai food apart from clotted blood and innards!

And the worst thing?

Traffic and flooding.

Since retiring, what do you spend your time doing?

I’m a Dog lover – I have my Mimi – she’s a little fat thing. Sleeps a lot of the time but she’s great company. Everyone knows my Mimi. I take her regularly for walks through Garden International School and the kids come over and say hello.

I also like to knit, and I make Christmas crackers.

You are part of the ‘Cracker Ladies’ aren’t you? Who are they and what do you do?

The Cracker Ladies are a group of about 20 ladies from the British Women’s

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had to call it that as you couldn’t call it a White Elephant stall due to the Order of the White Elephant. It just grew and grew and I was given it to run for a few years. It was easy to do when I worked at the Nursing Home because people could drive in and drop off things easily. Once I retired, it became harder to get people to drop things off and also fit things in my apartment, so it was taken over by others for a while.

In one of the years I worked on Granny’s Attic, we raised a record amount of money – over 200,000 baht – which was

Something many people would not know about you?

I was almost teetotal before I came to Thailand! Then I went to Chiang Mai on holiday with Charlie and his staff at the time. Out for dinner one night, all of his Singer staff were drinking beer as it was the most expensive drink at the time and I was drinking orange juice. I think my brother was disgusted with me. When we got back to the hotel, without asking, I had a whisky and water put in front of me. I must have been thirsty because I drank all of it! When I was taught to drink beer it was Singha beer and I haven’t drunk any other beer since!

I still like a drop of whisky, but only in the evenings with water in it – unless it’s malt whisky, when I put in just a touch of water. I don’t drink it neat. I put a lump of ice in it here but never when I’m back in Scotland. You don’t ask for ice in your whisky in Scotland!

Do you have a life motto?

Yes – a Scottish and Stewart motto – ‘Nemo Me Impune Lacessit’, or in the Scottish language – ‘Wha Daur Meddle Wi Me’ – No one attacks me with impunity.

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Expat Women

Shopping|New products

SHAKE IT BABY! ■ “IT’S getting hot in here, so take off all your clothes”…Sound advice Nelly, but not everyone’s got the body to pull off such a stunt. And doing something like that is bound to land you with a dodgy reputation. If, like us, you prefer a less risky way of beating the summer heat, we suggest you check out Roger & Belle’s new bartender set. Providing you with all the tools you need to make brain-freeze inducing cocktails, this kit is portable and stylish and great for poolside parties. B1,100 per set. www.rogerandbelle.com

MUSIC ON THE MOVE ■ ANYONE born in the ’80s will be familiar with the English heavy/rock band Motörhead, who re-energised heavy metal in the late 1970s and early 1980s and sold more than 15 million albums worldwide.

Rock music fans will be glad to ‘hear’ that Lemmy Kilmister, the founding member of the band, has just launched a headphones and earphones collection under the brand Motörheadphones. If you like your music to rattle your skull (in a good way), these headphones promise to deliver everything louder with the sort of range and clarity you’d expect from a band of warriors. www.motorheadphones.com www.krusell.se

Talking

Shop Hot products and stores demanding your attention SPECS FIT FOR ALL SWEET DREAMS ■ THERE’S nothing like sinking into

a bed and wrapping yourself in good quality bedding. The comfort and warmth it provides has you heading off to dreamland quicker than you can say sleep – and that’s never a bad thing in a city as hectic as Bangkok.

A good quality brand to look out for in Thailand is Pasaya, whose latest collection of bedding, ‘Symphony No.5,’ comes in two designs and seven colours representing different gemstones and musical notes in an octave.

Check out Pasaya’s latest collection and more at their flagship store on Level 3 Siam Paragon or at leading department stores.

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■ NOT every face is the same shape – button noses, Roman noses, big cheeks, and pouty lips are just a few of the features which make us all unique. Spectacles, however, tend to be a one-size fits all – which, for many people, doesn’t always look so good. If this sounds like you, you may want to check out the new range of frames from Luxottica Group. Featuring big brands

such as Ray Ban and Vogue Eyewear, as well as licensed partners like Prada, Miu Miu, D&G, Coach and Burberrry, the new range features a wide variety of sizes and styles with something to suit any shape of face.

Find your match at leading eyewear dealers nationwide.

TheBigChilli

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Expat Women

School Report

A Brit Rock Invasion – at Harrow

Circus fun at Bangkok Prep

OVER 100 people recently attended Bangkok Prep’s annual Circus Party, which featured a wide range of circus-themed arts and crafts activities for children between the ages of 18 months to 6 years old. Activities included decorating cupcakes with a clown face, clown face painting and a show by Bangkok’s famous British clown ‘Eckie,’ who delighted and entertained the children with his magic shows, jokes and tricks.

For more info about the school see:

HARROW International School will host “The Benefit Bash Rock Concert” on Apr 31. Held to raise funds for music programmes for underprivileged children in Thailand, the event will feature performances by 15 student rock bands, with special guests Endorphine. The gates open at 3pm and there will be a fireworks finale at 9pm. Tickets are B350.

For more info contact Elizabeth Hammond at Tel: 087 991 7323 or email: benefitbash@harrowschool.ac.th

www.bkkprep.ac.th

NIST Summer Camp open for applications

NIST Summer School (academic) and Sports Camp will open for applications on Apr 17 (NIST parents can apply from Apr 2). For Academic courses students can attend the full 4 weeks or the first or last two weeks.

For the Sports Camp students can sign up for 1, 2, 3 or 4 weeks.

For four weeks, the full price is B35,000.

The early bird discounted price is B29,900 (only for students who sign up for 4 weeks.

Must be registered by May 24 and the fee must be paid in full by May 31). Prices include lunch, snack, T-shirt, certificate and medal (for Sports Camp only).

For more info: http://summerschool2013nist. wikispaces.com

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Songkran Camp at St.Andrews Sathorn

ST. Andrews International School Sathorn will hold a Songkran Camp for kids from April 8 – 12. Activities include weaving paper crafts, felt crafts, jewelry, mosaics, basketball, dodgeball, hockey, swimming, pool games, and more. Open daily 9am-2.30pm. B6,500 per week, B1,300 per day. The cost includes all equipment, a T-Shirt, sport prizes, and a nutritious snack and lunch.

Early drop off starts at 8.15am (supervised free play).

For more info www.standrews-schools.com

IPN EVENT

Parenting Tips by Jason Perkins

ON Apr 30, The International Parenting Network will welcome guest speaker Jason Perkins, who will provide parents with examples of open-ended questions and effective questioning strategies which will help to support and enhance your child’s development.

FCCT, The Penthouse, Maneeya Centre, Ploenchit Road (BTS Chidlom).

6.30pm-8.30pm.

Free for IPN cardmembers and B550 for nonmembers (includes presentation, handouts, dinner, soft drinks, juices and wine) Tel: 081 826 2399 RSVP:ipn@ipnthailand.com

TheBigChilli

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Expat Women

School Promotion|Harrow

Entrepreneurial talent shines at Harrow Students finish second in prestigious Asia-Pacific competition ■ FOLLOWING its first place finish in Thailand, Sleepy Monkey, a business enterprise formed by a group of Harrow Students, has been awarded overall second place in the Asia Pacific Junior Achievement Company of the Year Competition 2013.

Held in Kuala Lumpur from Feb 25 to 27, the competition brought together a total of 17 student-led companies from 10 countries around the Asia Pacific region.

During the three-day event, students participated in a trade fair where they sold their products to the public, delivered a presentation about their business, and were interviewed by a panel of judges. As well as being assessed on their business acumen, participants were also judged on their leadership skills, problem solving

skills and ability to work as a team.

Sleepy Monkey, which is made up of 28 students from Years 10 to 13, designed, produced and sold an innovative multipurpose ‘I to U’ pillow which transforms a bolster pillow into a neck pillow. Using capital raised from the sale of shares,

Sleepy Monkey sold almost 500 units generating a net profit of over 60,000 baht. A large portion of this profit was donated to Operation Smile, to fund operations for children suffering from cleft lip and palate, and the remainder has been retained in the business to be used for the future expansion of the company. Sleepy Monkey has ambitious plans to expand its business by selling pillows in Harrow School shops around the world during the next academic year.

Sleepy Monkey’s President explains what the team learnt from the programme: “To create our product we went through many processes, starting with doing R&D on our product and brand, to assembling the product, going through many prototypes, and delivering the final version to our customers.

“Every process took a huge amount of effort and commitment. Other than gaining more understanding in business, we have had so many valuable lessons from this programme. We discovered that we gained the most satisfaction from spending hours and hours working tirelessly on our interest, which ultimately led to our success.’’

For more information about the school see www.harrowschool.ac.th

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Expat Women

School Promotion|KIS

Learning through the arts at KIS ■ “THE arts are not mere diversions from the important business of education; they are essential resources.” – Elliot W Eisner, “The Role of the Arts in Cognition and Curriculum” (2001) Music, visual arts, dance, drama – as Elliot W Eisner says, the arts form an essential part of a well balanced education.

At KIS International School, the arts are valued as a means of communication and self-expression, and as a way for students to develop an understanding of the world around them.

But art isn’t just a way to become a better student. Studying art can be a pathway to a successful career. Design and creativity are fast growing industries, with more new employees in these fields than other

fields. A degree in the Arts provides a broad foundation for many career choices.

KIS students have been accepted with scholarships into prestigious art universities such as San Francisco Art Institute, Savannah Collect of Art and Design and School of the Art Institute of Chicago.

There are more reasons for doing the arts. In a digital age, art is valuable in offering students the opportunity for fine motor skills development, keen observation and an alternative means of communication. A student fluent in the arts will have more success at making connections and also develop intra-personal understanding. The arts also provide an outlet for students whose strength is in using their hands or bodies to express ideas

more ably than in written form. It’s a different way to be successful.

Throughout their journey at KIS, each child participates in many art activities.

There is a special “Artigras” week, there are plays and performances, art exhibitions and competitions, a film festival, visiting artists, busking day, talent shows and more.

There are ways for children to express themselves which go beyond writing essays. Each child should be given the opportunity to try various forms of expression, and to engage with the arts to become well-rounded, creative, international citizens. KIS allows each student, through their particular talents and thoughts, to be a star and shine.

For more info about the school see www.kis.ac.th

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Expat Women

School Promotion|Webster University

Earn an American degree – in Thailand!

Webster University offers courses in Bangkok and Hua Hin ■ THERE are numerous options when it comes to higher education, but one that may not have crossed your mind is remaining in Thailand and receiving an American degree. Many students look abroad for opportunities; however, with the rapid approach of the 2015 ASEAN economic integration, Thailand is fast becoming an important key player in the region.

William J. Burns the Under Secretary for Political Affairs in the U.S. Department of State said it best when he noted: “Thailand serves as a key strategic pivot between territorial and maritime Asia and is a natural bridge between India and East Asian countries, with which India seeks stronger relations. Amidst the significant changes and upheavals of the Asia-Pacific regional order, Thailand has remained a key driver of ASEAN’s evolution, and a proponent of economic growth grounded in democratic institutions. Thailand’s importance in regional stability at a time of

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significant change cannot be overstated.”

In 1999, Webster University established its Thailand campus and it is the only American University in Thailand.

Webster University Thailand is ranked in the top 10% of universities in Thailand and is dually accredited by both the USA and Thailand. Students are given the opportunity to study at a university that was founded in 1915 in the USA and has the amenities of a large university, while being small enough to provide personal attention for students to excel in their studies.

The professors are noted not only for their academic achievements, but also for their work in the industry that enhances the learning experiences for students.

With a student body consisting of 57

different nationalities, this provides practical experience working with numerous cultures and using intercultural communication skills, which will increasingly be important in the future.

A Webster University degree is recognized worldwide and available in the focal point of the ASEAN integration where many opportunities await.

Cha-am/Hua Hin Campus (Bachelors Degree), 143 Moo 5, Tambon Sampraya, Cha-Am, Phetchaburi. Tel: 032 456 162-8 www.webster.ac.th Bangkok Academic Center (Masters Degree), Maneeya Center (E1) 10th Floor, 518/5 Ploenchit Road, Bangkok Tel: 02 652 0705 www.webster.ac.th

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Expat Women

Good advice from the doctor ■ MEMBERS of the joint BCCT/ AustCham/NZTCC Professional Women’s Group got some useful health tips from Dr Tanom Bunaprasert who gave a speech entitled ‘Fifty Shades of Grey – Staying Young & Healthy’ at Le Meridien Suriwongse. The event was sponsored by Samitivej Hospital.

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Dancing for a good cause ■ ON International Women’s Day, Bangkok’s second One Billion Rising event saw around 150 women taking part in a flashmob at the Siam BTS and Paragon Parc. Even when authorities attempted to end the dance by pulling the plug, the group danced on, singing “Break the chain, oh yeah, break the chain!”

One Billion Rising, a movement launched by Eve Ensler’s organization Vday, aims to educate the public about the severity and prevalence of violence against women and children while making the statement that one billion women, worldwide, are saying let the violence stop – it is time to break the chain!

Photographs by Dennis Thern

Bambi sale a big success ■ THIS year’s edition of the popular BAMBI Bring & Buy Yard Sale at NIST brought in another big crowd of shoppers who enjoyed snapping up bargains on a wide range of secondhand clothes, toys, books, household goods, and more. The charity table raised over 30,000 baht and the entrance fee raised over 20,000 baht, all of which will go to charity.

For more info: www.bambiweb.org (Photos by Jaci Kohl Photography)

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Expat Women

Health|Nutrition

Goodbye pimples, hello smooth and healthy skin!

Nourish your skin from the inside out with these handy tips from Judith Coulson, Executive Director of BKK-Health.com ■YOU cannot control your family history or genetics, nor can you manipulate the timing of your hormonal fluctuations at any age, but two factors you can control when it comes to healthy, acne and irritation free skin – your water intake and diet.

Just as food affects your heart, your cholesterol level and your blood pressure, food also affects the health of your skin.

Potions and lotions can do their best to help you look better from the outside in, but eating a balanced diet can truly nourish the skin from the inside out.

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In a study published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, (Hogeveen et al., Volume 109, Issue 7), researchers concluded a strong link between skin irritations, pimple and acne in relation to: 1. Water deficiency: not drinking enough pure water on a daily basis 2. Nutrients deficiency: mainly Vitamin A, C, E and the Omega fatty acids 3. A diet too high in simple sugars and carbohydrates, salt and trans fats

4. Contact with skin irritating cosmetics, body and face cleansers, and hair products 5. The use of pharmaceutical drugs such as antibiotics and steroids For a head to toe beauty boost for any age, be sure to eat a wide variety of foods from all the food groups, with a focus on unprocessed food free of trans fats, salt and sugar. Some particularly super skin foods include:

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Plain water Water is central to your well-being given that the average adult is made up of about 70% water. Unfortunately, most of us don’t drink enough of it and live in a constant state of dehydration.

Water revitalizes, hydrates, oxygenates and detoxifies skin, and also regulates and controls its natural pH balance. Without water, the body is unable to get rid of harmful toxins that get trapped in the tissues causing irritations and blockages and a deterioration of one’s complexion.

Fruits, vegetables, fish, nuts and seeds Many orange vegetables and fruits provide high concentrations of the A vitamin, beta-carotene, which supports a healthy immune system as well as vision and skin. Vitamin A has similar effects on skin as retinol medications, which are commonly used to treat acne, with fewer side effects. Vitamin A helps clear breakouts by drying excess oil and reducing inflammation.

Vegetables and fruits that are rich sources of Vitamin A include pumpkins,

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“Water revitalizes, hydrates, oxygenates and detoxifies skin, and also regulates and controls its natural pH balance.” carrots, sweet potatoes, papayas, cantaloupes, apricots, peaches, nectarines and mangoes.

Foods rich in Vitamin E are important in maintaining healthy skin, eyesight and mucus membranes. Similar to Vitamin C, it also contains antioxidants which help protect the skin as well as cell membranes against damage. Vitamin E is commonly used for acne treatment because of its ability to protect the skin and because it helps regulate the use of Vitamin A in the body. Vitamin E rich foods include nuts, seeds, spinach, kale, broccoli, red bell pepper, asparagus, and avocado.

Extra Tips!

Use Vitamin E on affected parts of your skin to reduce scaring and improve wound healing. (Just cut a supplement capsule and drop the Vitamin E on the skin).

Kiwis are high in Vitamin C and can help maintain the skin’s collagen. Collagen is the most plentiful protein in the skin, providing its scaffolding. Collagen is what gives the skin its strength, to help it repair damage and keep it strong and elastic.

One study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition found that women with higher Vitamin C intake from foods had significantly fewer wrinkles and skin irritations.

You probably know that Omega fatty acids are good for your heart – but did you know they’re good for your skin too?

They’re found mainly in cold water fish, walnuts, almonds, flaxseed and green leafy vegetables such as kale. Omegas help the skin increase its ability to hold water, which leads to softer, wrinkle and irritation free skin. Fish high in omegas include salmon, mackerel, cod and tuna.

To find a complete list of skin healthy foods and a list of easy to use home remedies to treat skin irritations and acne visit: http://bkk-health.com/skin-health

2/22/13 10:49:28 AM

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Expat Women

Ask the experts Advice|Problems solved

Send your problems to: thebigchillimagazine@gmail.com

Real Problems Real Solutions

Expat life getting you down? Don’t suffer in silence. Send in your problems and get advice from professional counsellors Anette and Johanna • Anette Pollner Adv. Dipl. Couns., is one of seven international counsellors at NCS Counseling Center in Saphan Kwai. She trained in London and the US and worked as a staff counsellor at Bart’s Hospital in London.

Retirement blues hard to handle

W

HEN I came here with my wife a few years ago, it was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.

Our country is cold. We wanted to spend our retirement under a warm sun, by the seaside, surrounded by friendly people. Thailand seemed perfect - we knew it from previous visits; the climate suits us and the atmosphere seemed so nice.

Now, a few years on, the climate is still the same (we love the heat, after all those decades of Scandinavian winters), but everything else feels very different. The smiles of the locals now seem fake to me, and we have had enough experience to realize that what they like is our money. Many of the foreigners living here are retired, as we are, and many are angry and disappointed, a fact that no amount of sea and sun can hide. My wife and I also feel the hollowness of our dream. Maybe we were dreaming of something that is not real.

The problem is, we are old. We don’t have time for many more experiments, for new beginnings. My wife has started to say that she wants to see more of our family, which would mean moving back to Sweden, but I remember too well how miserable I felt there. I don’t want that again. But lately I have felt that, wherever I am, death is coming close. Although I still love to feel the sun on my skin and smell the sea, there are days when Hua Hin looks like a big open coffin to me. Help?

Olle, 76, from Sweden and Hua Hin

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Anette says: ■ Dear Olle, I won’t try to sweet talk you out of your experience and in fact I agree: no place is a paradise and, as you have found, people take themselves and their life issues to every place they go. And one of your issues is your advancing age.

The aging process is, for many people, a difficult experience, and even those of who, like you, are fortunate enough to escape poverty and, so far, illness, often suffer from the awareness that time is limited and therefore every day counts even more than before.

So – have you made the right choice?

The truth is that you don’t know.

There is no way of going back in time and trying various options several times over.

But I can see several factors that may contribute to your present disenchantment and unhappiness.

First, you say Thailand was a lifelong dream, born from holidays in the sun. I can understand that you don’t want to endure the dark winters of Scandinavia, but each day life is never a dream, anywhere.

Cultures look very different when you actually live in a place you first experienced as a visitor. Retirement is also not a holiday, and living in what is, at least partly, a retirement community, can bring the grim reality of our mortality home.

There are of course communities like this everywhere in the world, and they seem to affect people similarly. Maybe it’s the contrast between the beauty of nature and the knowledge that this will be the final home for many of the residents (the ‘open coffin’ you are talking about).

Another factor is the disagreement with your wife. Are you planning to be together all the time or would it be possible for her to spend part of the year with your family back home?

And then there is the fact that your life doesn’t seem to have a purpose any more. Although your time may be limited,

you are not dead yet, and therefore you need to connect in a meaningful way with the world around you. For some people, a hobby can fill that space, maybe something you always wanted to do but never had enough time for. Others need to engage more with the community around them, and if you want to establish a different kind of relationship with your host country, you could get to know Thai people much better by volunteering for a charity. The local expat community may also offer some interesting activities.

If your life becomes more meaningful, your mood will lift. But the proximity of death, your journey’s end, will still be there. No one can take that away. You could take up the challenge and confront your fears about death straight on. You could try to live more in the present moment; after all, there is nothing but the present anyway, at any age. And if you really feel very strongly that you are in the wrong place, well, what are you waiting for? Do you want to give up on your choices while you still have them?

Maybe there is another dream beyond the dream, something you never dared to live. Maybe it’s time to be bold. What do you have to lose? You are old, and therefore you are free.

Frustrated in the bedroom

I

AM in a stable relationship and everything is going well, but there is one problem: my partner doesn’t seem to be interested in being intimate with me anymore. We have lived together for about a year now and until a couple of months ago our sex-life was ok, pleasant and intimate.

For me, enjoying sex together is an expression of my love for him and I miss this aspect in our relationship. When I try to address this topic, my partner gets irritated. He has told me that his lack of interest in intimacy was connected to his divorce, which was very

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• Johanna DeKoning MS is the Clinical Director of NCS Counseling Center.

She trained in the Netherlands and Australia.

Johanna says: ■Dear Linda, I understand your concern, particularly in the light of your partner’s life history. Of course, an interruption in your sexual relationship now doesn’t necessarily mean that it will never resume again, but your partner has lived without intimacy inside a relationship for a long time once before, and so I think that the two of you need to look into the subject.

A good place to start would be to talk about what sexual intimacy means to each of you. For you it is a way of expressing your love, but it seems that for your partner, it means something different. You could ask him what intimacy with you means for him. Is it a special experience?

What does he feel? What is he concerned about? What would he like to happen if he could have anything he wanted?

Approaching the issue from the opposite direction, ask him what his way of expressing his love for you is.

You might be surprised at his answer, and you could both

complicated, and that everything “will be alright again soon.� He says that I make this into a big issue, bigger than it needs to be, and he feels misunderstood.

I know that he didn’t have a sexual relationship with his ex-wife for 12 years and I am now beginning to worry that our relationship will go the same way.

I don’t want that to happen. I want to have a healthy physical relationship with my partner but I’m not sure what I can do to make this happen.

Loveless Linda, 33, from the US

explore your love in the way he prefers at this time. If you can accept that sexual intimacy is not the only way he can express his love for you, most likely the atmosphere between the two of you will become more relaxed. If both of you feel more relaxed, accepted and appreciated, intimacy becomes less intimidating and the sexual part of the relationship might develop naturally.

You could ask him if he sometimes feels sexual desire although you are not intimate together. What happens when he feels sexual? For men, there is also always the possibility that sexual performance might become an issue, and that can happen at any age. And, like women, men can also be affected by insecurities around body image. Low desire is in itself a worry for many men.

If your partner feels that most of his intimacy issues relate to his previous marriage and divorce, then this is really something he needs to sort out for himself. Maybe he could benefit from brief counseling to free himself of the past so that he can join you, intimately, in the present.

Intimacy is important to you, so it is only honest to let your partner know that you miss it. Of course, he has every right to be honest with you, too.

Most importantly, you both want to be happy in this relationship. And while having a sexual relationship is not always the same as love, a deepening of love can give a new meaning to your sexual relationship.

For more info: www.ncs-counseling.com Email: anette.p@ncs-counseling. com, Tel: 02 279 8503 Send your problems to: thebigchillimagazine@gmail.com

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Expat Women

Insight|Opinion

How your ‘future’ self can help your ‘present’ self Karen Hochauser explains a great method for reducing stress and putting life into perspective ■ THEY say hindsight is 20/20 and while that may be a reality, it does not necessarily provide help, guidance, or support during those challenging moments in life. It is interesting though how time can become the great healer or great source of perspective.

I recently read something that brought this concept new perspective, especially as a daughter, sister, wife and mother. The title of the article was ‘A Letter To My 51 Year Old Self.’* In it, the author writes a letter to her future self. In the letter, which is intended to be read 20 years from now, she reminds herself that though she was frequently overwhelmed (as many of us can empathize), she did love her children with all her heart and did take time to appreciate the little things and moments.

She also was acutely aware of how quickly time was going by and how she wanted to slow it all down. Too often, it is only after-the-fact that we think back and realize all that we took for granted when we were younger.

Interestingly, around the same time of reading this article, I had started doing something similar, but in the reverse. My

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future self started giving advice to my current self. Instead of waiting 20 years to look back and re-evaluate all that has passed, my future self advises my current self to stop, take stock today, and put everything in perspective. It really is the best advice I have ever received.

The future Karen reminds me to enjoy the fact that the biggest fights I currently have with my boys are ONLY about who sets the table or reminding them to take their vitamins or brush their teeth. My future self enlightens me that I will look back at these issues with a wise

My future self advises my current self to stop, and put everything in perspective.

laugh and wonder why I was so stressed and tense. The future Karen guides me that these problems will seem insignificant and everything is relative.

My future self also reminds the current Karen that these really are the “good times.” My boys still want to speak to me and play games or sports together. My parents, while aging, are still available to talk, share a story and a laugh. The future Karen guides me not to worry so much about how tired I am because some day I will look back and be appreciative that my children wanted to spend time with me – even if that meant breakfast every day at 6am, even on weekends.

So when life seems overwhelming and challenging, when you feel like you want to scream your head off, just stop for a second, take a deep breath, and have a short conversation with your future self who will help put everything into perspective and remind you that everything will be alright. *www.babyrabies.com/2012/07/a-letter-tomy-51-year-old-self Karen Hochhauser is Business Development Manager, APM Group Solutions.

Email: Karen_H@apm.co.th

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Gourmet  Wine and restaurant news

D FOO INE W ANDIRING PAee page 68 S

Blue Sky’s new snowfish menu is a must try for fans of this deep sea favourite.

Page 52.

What’s Cooking A round up of this month’s best gourmet deals. Yummy!

Page 52

Meet the chef We speak to Chef Rodolphe Onno from Le Cordon Bleu Page 60

Dining out

Our favourite restaurants reviewed and listed Page 72 TheBigChilli

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Gourmet

Dining|News

What’s Cooking

Bangkok’s hottest dining deals and news Wet & Wild Songkran Barbecue Party LIQUIDE POOL BAR, APR 13, 20, 27

■ SOFITEL Bangkok Sukhumvit’s sizzling Songkran Party will serve up a wide selection of gourmet barbecue treats specially created to complement ice-cold beers, wines, and cocktails.

The rooftop retreat combines glamour and French elegance with a modern cosmopolitan vibe.

Pool Ambassadors escort guests to comfortable lounge chairs and are always nearby to provide attentive service.

B900 per person for non in-house guests.

189 Sukhumvit Road Soi 13-15 02 126 9999 sofitel.com

☎

A taste of Sakura KISARA , APR 4 – 21

All-you-can-eat Sushi

NOVOTEL BANGKOK BANGNA, UNTIL JUNE

■ HIIRAGI Japanese Restaurant is set to reel in plenty of foodies with its ‘All-You-Can-Eat Sushi’ deal, which comes with free-flow beer for just B750 per person. Available for both lunch and dinner, the deal includes sushi selections such as Salmon, Sea Bream, Tuna, Sea Bass, Crabstick, Avocado, California Maki, and much more.

☎

333 Srinakarin Road 02 366 0505 ext.1470, 1471 novotelbangkokbangna.com

■ ENJOY Japanese flavours with a flowery twist at Conrad Bangkok’s stylish Japanese restaurant, KiSara, where Japanese Master Chef Kenji is using his native country’s famed cherry blossoms (Sakura) to create dishes such as Foie gras mousse Sakura; Sakura rolls; and Sakura Barachirasi sushi. Order a la carte or enjoy a special set lunch for B888 per person.

All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Road

☎ 02 690 9999 conradbangkok.com

Snow fish sensations BLUE SKY, APR 10 – 24

■ ADDING to the gourmet treats available at Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok’s rooftop restaurant this month is a brand new Snow Fish Menu featuring Wrap roasted Chilean snow fish with San Daniel ham, rocket leaves and white balsamic dressing; Roasted herbs snow fish served with a cold oriental Tabouleh with olive caper tomato sauce; Warm carpaccio of snow fish with black truffle shaving asparagus fleurette salad; and many more. Prices start at B450++.

Open daily 6pm-2am.

1695 Phaholyothin Road

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☎ 02 541 1234 ext. 4170 centarahotelsresorts.com

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Sangria Chill Out HARD ROCK CAFE BANGKOK, UNTIL APR 30

■ APRIL’S soaring temperatures may be oppressive, but at least they provide you with a cracking excuse for imbibing some ice-cold boozy treats.

You’ll find a good option on offer at Hard Rock Cafe Bangkok, where especially for summer you can now enjoy Sangria (mixed with either white or red wine) at B300++ per glass and B850++ per pitcher.

☎

Siam Square Soi11 02 658 4090-3 facebook.com/hardrockbangkok

I Heart Songkran Dinner RADISSON SUITES BANGKOK SUKHUMVIT, APR 13 – 17

■ MAUVE restaurant is celebrating Songkran by offering a choice of fourcourse set menus featuring traditional Thai favourites such as Vegetable spring rolls, Tom yum, Thai green curry, Roast duck curry, and more. B599 per person.

Open 6pm-midnight.

23/2-3 Sukhumvit 13  radisson.com

☎ 02 645 4999

BBQ Pool Party

CROWNE PLAZA BANGKOK LUMPINI PARK

■ FOR Songkran fun with a tasty twist, head to this pool party on the hotel’s 13th floor and you’ll get to indulge in an unlimited BBQ together with free flow draught beer, cocktails and wines – all for only B900++ per person. Party from 3pm-9pm.

Thai New Year’s feast

RAMADA PLAZA MENAM RIVERSIDE BANGKOK, APR 12 – 15

■ TAKE a group of friends to enjoy the Songkran International Buffet feasts here and you may qualify for some free accommodation – for every B5,000 spent in a single receipt you’ll receive a complimentary stay in a Deluxe Room inclusive of breakfast. Senior citizens and kids aged 5-12 receive 50% discount when dining at the buffet.

☎

2047 Charoenkrung Road 02 688 1000 ramadamenamriverside.com

☎

952 Rama IV Road 02 632 900 crowneplaza.com

Songkran Specials

NOVOTEL BANGKOK ON SIAM SQUARE, VARIOUS DATES

■ LOK Wah Hin Chinese restaurant is marking the arrival of the hot season with a month-long seafood promotion featuring dishes such as Crab claw pumpkin soup, and Sea scallops steamed with garlic (or pan fried with X.O. sauce, or stir fried with black bean sauce), and much more. Dishes start at B600. From Apr 12-16, an all-you-can-eat dim sum lunch is B620++ per person (dine four/pay two). During the same dates, The Square Restaurant will offer a Songkran Festival Dinner Buffet, highlighting traditional dishes such as Khao Chae, for B950++ per person (dine four/pay two).

Siam Square Soi 6

☎ 02 209 8888 novotelbkk.com

Mi Michelin Star flavours at Colonnade

THE SUKHOTHAI BANGKOK, APR 23 – 28

■ CHEF Alain Passard, owner of the three Michelin Star Arpège Restaurant in Paris, is returning to Bangkok to present his innovative French cuisine at The Sukhothai Bangkok. For six days you’ll be able to enjoy his dishes as part of special set menus available for lunch and dinner at La Scala Restaurant. Other highlights of his guest-stint include a Wine Dinner Night on Apr 23, and a Sunday Brunch at Colonnade on Apr 28. At time of writing prices weren’t set, but they should be available from the hotel by the time you’re reading this.

13/3 South Sathorn Road

☎ 02 344 8888 sukhothai.com TheBigChilli

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Gourmet

Dining|News

Confrerie du Sabre d’Or Gala Dinner

REMBRANDT HOTEL BANGKOK, APR 26

Masquerade Brunch

THE IMPERIAL QUEEN’S PARK HOTEL, VARIOUS DATES

■ EVERY Sunday from Apr 28 – May 26, ‘Bangkok’s Biggest Sunday Brunch’ is taking on a Masquerade theme.Turn up wearing a mask and not only will you get free-flow Mangin & Fils Champagne, but you’ll also have the chance to win two tickets for the Phantom of the Opera, which will be performed at Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre from May 7 – June 2. Spread across three of the hotel’s signature restaurants, the brunch features over 300 dishes imported from 20 countries across the world. Served 11.30am-3pm. B1,800 per person (food only). Add B700 for free flow Champagne (free if you wear a mask!), wines, and draught beers.

☎

Sukhumvit Soi 22 02 261 9300 ext. 5004, 5059 or 5111-2 :imperialhotels.com/imperialqueenspark

■ SWORDS will be drawn for a night of bubbly entertainment at this popular annual dinner at da Vinci Italian Restaurant. Hosted by the Bangkok Chapter of Confrerie du Sabre d’Or, an association that promotes the art of opening a properly chilled Champagne bottle with a sword, the event will highlight gourmet food and specially selected Champagnes and wines. Each guest can also attempt to open a bottle of Champagne with a sabre. B5,500 per person. Starts 7pm with canap s and wines in the lobby.

Sukhumvit Soi 18

☎02 261 7100 ext. 7550

Italian Artichokes BRIO, UNTIL APRIL 21

■ ANANTARA Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa’s popular Italian restaurant is offering special lunch and dinner menus featuring seasonal dishes prepared using “Carciofo Romanesco” artichokes imported from Italy. Tempting diners to the Thonburi side of the river are highlights such as Salad of Italian braised artichokes dressed in their own cooking liquor, with crisp parma ham and king prawn (B880++); A rich velvet veloute from Roman artichokes, calamari and squid ink, finished with a few drops of lemon oil (B400++); and Maine lobster poached in shellfish broth, scented with fresh ginger, oyster leaf and hand pressed lobster oil (B1,650++).

257/1-3 Charoennakorn Road

☎ 02 476 0022 :bangkokriverdining.com

New deals at Novotel Bangkok Platinum Surf and Turf at Café 9

CENTARA WATERGATE PAVILION HOTEL BANGKOK, UNTIL APR 30

■ OCEAN meets the land at the recently opened Caf 9, where a Surf and Turf Buffet features a choice of salads, seafood, meats, and dessert, plus a special corner devoted to Khao Chae – Thailand’s traditional summertime treat of cold jasmine-scented rice served with six tasty side dishes. B850++ per person for lunch (11.30am-2 .30pm); and B1,250++ per person for dinner (6pm-10.30pm) 567 Rachaprarop Road

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☎ 02 625 1234 :centarahotelsresorts.com

THE SQUARE, UNTIL APR 30

■ EVERY Wed-Sat a selected Asian Buffet Dinner is now available at the Square Restaurant priced just B300++ per person (half price for kids aged 5-12). Another tempting dinner alternative is the 25% discount from the a la carte menu (food only), which includes a wide range of Thai, Chinese, international, and vegetarian dishes.Visit on a Fri from 6pm-10pm and you can enjoy a BBQ at the Pool Bar starting at B999++ (with free flow drinks and a Dine 4/Pay 3 promotion).

220 Petchaburi Road

☎ 02 160 7100 ext. 8702 :accorhotels.com

TheBigChilli

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Gourmet

Dining out|Liu Chinese restaurant

Review

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Creative tastes at Liu

A brand new chef and new signature dishes keep things fresh at the Conrad Bangkok’s elegant Chinese restaurant

“IF you become a chef, you’ll never go hungry. Plus you can see the world for free!” – this was the advice dished out to a 16-year-old Raymond Wong by his father, who then handed him a wok, took him to the family kitchen, and introduced him to the joys of cooking. For Raymond, preparing and tasting his own food for the first time, it was love at first bite.

Now, a little over 20 years later, Raymond stands in the kitchens of Liu, the Conrad Bangkok’s neo-classical gourmet Chinese restaurant, where he’s charged with bringing the restaurant’s menus bang up to date by introducing a range of innovative Chinese dishes that you won’t find elsewhere in Bangkok. It’s a long way from the humble kitchen of his childhood home in Kuala Lumpur, and Chef Raymond is proud to bring with him a wealth of experience gained from working in high-class restaurants in Mauritius, Australia, Vietnam, Singapore, his native Malaysia, and, prior to joining Liu, Cambodia, where he worked at the Intercontinental Phnom Penh Hotel.

“My father’s advice was spot on,”

says the chef with a laugh. “I have been so lucky to travel to all these places and meet so many talented chefs who have influenced me and my style of cooking. I now look forward putting my experiences to good use by shaping the culinary experience at Liu.” On our visit to the restaurant, Chef Raymond has only been working at the hotel for a few days but his deft touch is already apparent in a new range of contemporary Shanghainese, Sichuan and Cantonese dishes which are presented with oodles of creative flair.

First out of the kitchen is the Fried prawns with mixed fruits in wasabi cream (B500), which features three king prawns within a lattice of shredded pastry, topped with tiny cubes of strawberry and mango, and finished with a wasabi infused mayonnaise. Soft, crispy, and meaty, the dish is a treat.

The ‘shredded’ theme continues with Stir fried shredded pork served with Peking bun (one set serves three), which turns the traditional breakfast favourite inside out by serving the meat and bun

Conrad Bangkok, All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Road

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separately for some enjoyable dipping action.

“I like to be creative with presentation, and shredding the ingredients makes for a visually appealing dish and offers a good feel on the palate,” explains Chef Raymond.

Other new dishes he’s introduced to the menu include Duo of sticky rice with taro dumpling; White rice stuffed with salted egg yolk and minced chicken, topped with taro dumpling; and signature dim sum selections such as XO Sauce Sui Mai; Steamed dry scallops har gao; Crystal spinach with crab meat dumpling; and Pork floss with black pepper puffs.

The a la carte menu is rounded out with a selection of fresh seafood, chicken, duck and beef specialties. And while it’s not one of Chef Raymond’s unique creations, you must try the restaurant’s famous “Dong Po Pork” (B320) – stewed pork belly with dark soy sauce served with Chinese buns (‘Manto’). Simply delicious.

Liu is open for lunch and dinner and welcomes guests in smart casual attire.

☎ 02 690 9999 :conradbangkok.com

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"For A Healthy Life Style"

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Gourmet

Dining out|Yellow Tail Sushi Bar

Review

Yellow Tail Sushi Bar

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VIE Hotel’s new Japanese restaurant serves sushi and sashimi in style

WHILE most Japanese restaurants get their inspiration purely from the Land of the Rising Sun, VIE Hotel Bangkok’s new venue, Yellow Tail Sushi Bar (YTSB), takes its cue from the trendy sushi bars found in New York’s Manhattan Island.

The idea, according to the restaurant’s slogan, is to offer ‘Freshness in Style,’ a concept which applies both to the food – as fresh as it gets and presented with artistic flair – and to the restaurant’s design, which takes contemporary cool and gives it a Japanese spin.

Located on the third and fourth floors of the VIE 39 building in front of the hotel, the restaurant is split between an indoor dining room, seating 50, and a cozy outdoor terrace. Indoors is where most of the action’s at, though, for here you can watch the chefs slicing and dicing fish at the open kitchen (complete with sushi bar seating 10), and soak up the cozy ambience of the dining room, which boasts neat touches such as mahogany chairs upholstered with a hodgepodge of

floral prints imported from Japan; and an eye-catching ceiling of wooden beams shaped to resemble a wave.

The key to any good sushi restaurant, of course, is freshness, and YTSB does not disappoint. Japanese Master Chef Yoji Kitayama uses live fish imported three times a week from Tokyo’s famous Tsukuji Market to create his dishes, and ensures that his food lives up to both aspects of the restaurant’s ‘Freshness in Style’ concept by turning this fresh produce into miniature works of art.

Order his innovative Rossini Roll Sushi, featuring Teriyaki foie gras and Kagoshima wagyu beef sirloin with white truffle miso sauce (B800++), and it’s immediately apparent that this is no ordinary Japanese dining experience, and that Chef Yoji is no ordinary Japanese chef. The elegant presentation and rich tastes of this dish have their roots in European cuisine, and offer a glimpse into Chef Yoji’s background which includes stints working alongside chefs in Australia

117/39-40 Phaya Thai Road. Open daily 6pm - 11.30 pm (opening for lunch soon!)

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and Denmark.

“I’m also trained in French cuisine and I like to bring that French philosophy to the kitchen,” explains Chef Yoji. “But what’s on offer here isn’t fusion. It’s simply a stylish, modern take on traditional Japanese cuisine made with the freshest ingredients I can get my hands on.”

For straight up sashimi, there’s the superb Sakura Set, which includes blue fin tuna, salmon, Alaskan crab, Japanese scallops and more (B2,800++. A sushi set is also available). But it’s not just fresh fish that’s the imported highlight – you can also sink your teeth into a plump, juicy, and sweet Japanese fruit tomato, a refreshing appetizer drizzled in honey soy sauce, for B380++. Some luscious Japanese strawberries are also available.

For a meaty main, the Cedar wood grilled black cod Saikyo-style (Gindara Saikyo Sugi-ita yaki. B900++) is a must try. And keep your eyes peeled for regular specials – including this month’s selection of imported oysters.

☎ 02 309 3939 Facebook: viebangkok

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Gourmet

Chefs in focus|Rodolphe Onno Most useful kitchen utensil A sharp knife.

Also pen and paper.

All-time favorite restaurant Auberge de Kerlenn, in Guern, a small village in Brittany. It’s where I first learned to cook, with great people.

SERVING UP

Chef Rodolphe Onno

Cuisine Chef Instructor at Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School talks about his love of food from his hometown of Brittany

Favourite wine Château BASSANEL 2004, vin rouge du Minervois

Favourite TV chef Thierry Marx, from the Mandarin Oriental in Paris, and jury member of Top Chef.

Favourite Bangkok restaurants De Sens, Baan Kanitha, & Bankara.

Most overrated dish Beef tenderloin and foie gras. Easy to prepare, tender, but really bland. You find it in most restaurants and it’s usually served with everything and anything.

Best loved food Any kind of vegetables, especially aubergine.

And fish such as Dover sole, and red mullet.

Favourite cuisine other than French Japanese, Middle East, and now discovering Thai food.

How do you keep so slim Genetics and lots of swimming.

Chef Rodolphe in focus ■ BORN in Brittany, France, Rodolphe Onno began his professional career in 1986 as Chef de Partie at L’Esperance and Jacques Le Divellec, three Michelin-starred and two Michelin-starred restaurants respectively.

Later he worked as restaurant manager and executive chef at Val Joly hotel restaurant in Saint Gervais, France.

Rodolphe also studied at Saint Ivy College and Saint Marc College in Brittany as well as the Paris Chamber of Commerce and Industries – Ferrandi School.

Based in Bangkok for a year, Rodolphe is Cuisine Chef Instructor at Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School, a joint venture between Le Cordon Bleu International and Dusit International which opened in 2007 and is now recognized as Thailand’s leading centre for the teaching of gastronomic excellence.

He has a great passion for the specialties of Brittany, including roasted turbot in hazelnut butter, and sea-flavoured vegetables, along with milk chocolate pistachio. Another favourite is sea bass fillets with seaweed pasta waves, garlic cream cheese and shallots.

Favourite dish to make Sea bass fillet, cooked at a low temperature, brushed with a strong brown sea bass roasted juice, and garnished with seaweed pasta waves, garlic cream cheese, sauce marinara.

Why does France produce such good chefs We are a lucky country – different climates, long coast, mountains, rivers and fertile lands. The perfect recipe for good food.

Best compliment ever given to you When a customer ate a dish he normally doesn’t like, but enjoyed it so much he said he’d definitely order it next time.

www.cordonbleudusit.com 60

TheBigChilli

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Gourmet

Pics|Events

Gourmet scrapbook

Last month’s foodie functions in focus

Theodore showcases its new range of nonseafood products with help from a top chef from Germany ■ HAVING earned itself a worthy reputation as an importer of high quality seafood products, Bangkok-based Theodore International recently expanded its portfolio to include vegetables and a wide range of non-seafood products from mainly France and Australia.

The family-run business illustrated this growing range by inviting one of Germany’s top restaurateurs, two-star Michelin chef Wolfgang Becker, to cook a series of gourmet dinners at Elements at Okura Hotel using products imported exclusively by Theodore.

The menu, with a selection for wines by ‘fin’, at one of these dinners featured: • Gillardeau oyster (textures of root vegetables) Fillet of beef Rossini 2013 2010 Les Vignes Metissees Rose, Roc des Anges, Roussillon, France • Diver scallop (smoked bone mar-

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row, peanut and broccoli) 2010 Les Vignes Metissees Rose, Roc des Anges, Roussillon, France • Wild turbot (gentle poached in ginger oil, pumpkin, carrot and citrus fruit) 2009 Iglesia Vella Domaine Le Roc Des Anges Pyrenees Orientales Blanc • Aveyron lamb (soft and crispy, spiced bulgur and coriander) 2010 Segna de Cor, Cotes-du-Rousillon AOC, Roc des Anges, Roussillon, France • Pina colada dessert 2009 Maury Fagayra Blanc Domaine les Terres de Fagayra, Roussillon, France A skilled vintner, skilled chef and hotel manager, Wolfgang Becker is clearly one of Germany’s leading culinary experts.

He owns two restaurants, the Michelin two-star Becker’s and Weinhaus in the district of Olewig just a few minutes outside of the urban centre of Trier.

While in Bangkok, he spoke exclusively to the BigChilli about his background in the restaurant trade and what it’s like to be awarded a Michelin star.

Who gets Michelin stars – the chef or the restaurant?

It’s always the restaurant.

When did you start in the restaurant business?

I opened my first restaurant in 1997 and four years later, in 2001, we were awarded our first Michelin star. In 2009, we got the second star. Germany has the third highest number of Michelin-starred restaurants after France and Japan.

Having a Michelin star, does it put you under more pressure than restaurants without a star?

It’s a pleasure and it certainly doesn’t hurt. 99% of our customers come and expect a good experience, excellent food and a nice evening – they’re not looking for mistakes. Difficult customers are rare. Michelin says what counts is what is on the plates. So the food is important,

Who or what has influenced you as a chef over the years?

I haven’t been influenced by anyone else. But I am influenced by everything.

There’s no such thing as “can’t do” or “must do.” Many things come together on a plate.

Is a third Michelin star a possibility?

I’m happy doing my own thing and don’t think about it. If it happens, then of course it will be welcome. In Germany, >>

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Gourmet

Pics|Events

we’re 40th in the San Pellegrino ranking. We’ve never come down in the rankings, only up.

Is this your first time in Thailand?

No. We were here 18 months ago at the Mantra restaurant in Pattaya, where we held a number of different events, including wine dinners and cooking classes.

Is there such a thing as German ‘haute cuisine’?

Only a small percentage of restaurants in Germany focus on what can be termed German ‘haute cuisine.’ During the past ten years, we’ve had many TV shows about cooking, so customers are now better informed about what they’re eating.

Have you had any ‘enlightening’ culinary experiences recently?

I was in Finland last year, somewhere north of Helsinki, and had a dinner in a farmer’s house, with his wife cooking bear, reindeer, local vegetables and home-made sauces. This was a new and very interesting experience for me. We even ate straight from the wooden kitchen table – no plates!

On your menu at Elements, you served beef before lamb.That’s unusual, right?

That’s because the beef course was an interpretation of beef Rossini, usually a main course. But in this case, it was served at a temperature between cold and warm, and therefore it was more of a starter.

How do you find Theodore products?

They were a reason for me to come back to Thailand. I made a list of what I needed and after about 1,000 emails, Andreas (the owner and MD) organized the products and they turned out to be equal in quality to anything I use back in Germany.

Will you come back here again?

Yes, provided I work with Andreas again.

What trends in cooking do you detect?

Uniqueness and individuality are on the up, while totally mainstream is on the way down. So many things, from sausages and beer to bakery products are now so much alike nowadays.

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Farmers’ Market launched ■ A NEW initiative aimed at promoting wholesome, locally produced foods called the Bangkok Farmers’ Market was launched at the Four Points by Sheraton. The daylong event attracted plenty of exhibitors as well as a big crowd of buyers from the city’s expatriate community.

New Zealanders have a Ball ■ THE Imperial Queen’s Park was packed with diners dressed to the nines when the New Zealand Society and New ZealandThai Chamber of Commerce (NZTCC) hosted the 2013 edition of the popular annual ‘Black and White Charity Ball.’ The event was presided over by H.E. Mr Tony Lynch, Ambassador of New Zealand to Thailand, and featured a Kapa Haka performance and music from a live band and DJ.

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Dining|BB&B

Gourmet

Bangkok Beefsteak & Burgundy The BB&B dining group enjoys Black Pudding, Seared Scallops, Beef Tenderloin, and more gourmet treats at Napa on 26

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E returned to Napa on 26 for the March lunch with 18 diners in attendance.

We started the wine quaffing with another sparkling prosseco from Bottega: Superiore (Italy). Both the shapely bottles themselves and the contents were adjudged very acceptable (the wine: dry, with barely a hint of sweetness on palate and a refreshing finish).

Before the first course, we rose to propose a final toast to William Schillinger, who had led the restaurant from inception until his untimely passing away last year. Attention to detail, which was William’s forte, still is the cornerstone of the success of the restaurant with the team now in the capable hands of Chef Christophe Moulard.

The amuse bouche comprised Tomato Gazpacho,Tuna, and peach Basil Pearl. It was enjoyed, but was thought by most to be nearly overpowered by the strong flavours and bouquet of Toi Toi Marlborough Riesling 2010.

The next appetizer was Napa’s Sweet Corn soup with Chorizo.

Again the Riesling proved to be the undeserving victor in the contest with the food, though I thought it rather better matched to the soup than to the tuna.

Our food spokesman for the day, Pieter van Roon, had commenced his commentary in Dutch but his rapid fire delivery left even the Swiss (present in large numbers on the day) bemused.

We did learn, however, that he had enjoyed the meal, as had most of those present, and that Pieter enjoys ‘Black Pudding.’ The principal ingredient of this next dish (enjoyed by one and all) was

Seared Scallop, accompanied by that Blood Sausage, French Green Lentil, Heirloom Carrot, Smoked Bacon, Mushroom Crostini, and topped with Red Beet Foam. This was an imaginative way of serving the scallop and was nicely complemented by Trinity Hill Chardonnay 2009 (NZ). Even those professing not to enjoy chardonnays (and also the Aussies present) found this one to be very drinkable.

The main course of the day was Pan fried beef tenderloin, red Wine sauce, Confit Shallot,

Spinach, and Parsnip fries. The beef was well cooked and very tender, and the confit shallot especially flavoursome. My only (very personal) grumble was the modest serving of parsnip which does not appear too often on Bangkok dining tables. Our wine master had recommended Best’s Great Western Shiraz 2005 to accompany this and it proved to be a good choice. Full of flavours, a decent finish and 14.5% alcohol; one could not ask for better!

The cheese course was Pecorino Toscano DOP (Denominazione di Origine Protetta), with Roasted Capsicums,Aragula coulis, and Wild Rocket. This was another inspired choice by our Chef and topped off with Kilikanoon The Medley Grenache Blend 2004.

Having expected that nothing better would top the shiraz, Jock Tulloch came up with yet another great wine with “aromas of blueberries, dark plums and currants with chocolatey notes of vanilla oak, preceded by a smooth, juicy and sweetly fruited palate that retains elegance and balance.”

This was a good lunch and a fitting tribute to William and his legacy. As ever, our servers performed well and received both deserved praise and tips in abundance.

115 Sukhumvit Soi 26, Nihonmachi 2 floor (behind K-Village). Closed Mon 02 258 2622 :napaon26.com

☎

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Dining|Recipe

cut out and keep

Gourmet

Recipe of the month Goat cheese mille-feuille Executive Chef Cedric Chudzik of Chez Papé restaurant, Sukhumvit Soi 11, shares his recipe for a summertime classic Ingredients(serves 1) • Tomato 45g • Eggplant 10g • Zucchini 10g • Goat cheese 45g • Parma ham 15g

Method 1. Wash the vegetables and slice the tomato (not too thin). Slice the zucchini and the egg plant very thinly.

Slice the goat cheese and parma ham.

2. Lightly panfry the slices of zucchini and eggplant with a drop of olive oil and salt until it becomes golden.

3. To prepare your mille-feuille on the plate, first add the sliced tomato, then the sliced eggplant, followed by the sliced zucchini, then the sliced goat cheese, then the parma ham. Repeat this process for a second time and then finish with the sliced zucchini.

4. To garnish, top your mille-feuille with two or three basil leafs and a drop of olive oil. Serve with some greens, and enjoy!

About the chef

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CHEF Cedric Chudzik kick-started his culinary career in 2002 at the Restaurant Mantel in Cannes, France, where, under the guidance of head chef Noel Mantel, he learned all the skills necessary to create top quality French cuisine. In 2006, he moved to Washington DC where he worked for a year as chef de partie at Le Paradou French Restaurant. After returning to France to work once again at Restaurant Mantel as sous chef, in 2011 he moved to Bangkok to further his career as Executive Chef of the popular Chez Pap Restaurant. Here he delights diners with delicious French dishes such as the one as you see here, as well as his signature Beef flank with goat cheese ravioli.

Chez Papé, Sukhumvit Soi 11 ☎ 02 255 2492 chezpape.com

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Gourmet

Feature|Dining scene

Food & Wine: What is the Perfect Match?

Confused, intimidated or downright dumb when it comes to choosing a wine to go with your food?

Howard Richardson goes in search of answers from the experts “Quickly, bring me a beaker of wine, so that I may wet my mind and say something clever.”

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WE don’t all have the wit of Aristophanes, but most know that a lubricated mind helps the conversation flow. And wine has an added bonus: a good pairing lifts both the wine and the food, and creates completely new flavours. But how to achieve this magical effect? What are the secrets of matching food with wine?

We spoke to sommeliers at leading Bangkok restaurants about pairing wine with different foods: Thai, at Nahm; French, at Le Beaulieu; and seafood at Lord Jim’s. And, amid the fast changing wine landscape, we’ve also checked out some super wine deals, including Rossini’s “top shelf wines at cellar prices.”

Of course, the staggering tax on wine in Thailand is a barrier to full enjoyment for most of us who don’t have access to wads of cash. And it also affects restaurants. Quentin Fougerou, general manager at Le Beaulieu, says, “To put together a good wine list is not difficult, but, with the wine tax, creating one that makes commercial sense is trickier. Whereas in Europe you make your money on wine, the situation in Thailand means pricing wines to make only a small profit.”

Let’s face it, a small profit at some restaurants means a markup of 100% or more, but there’s no doubt that over the last few years the Bangkok wine scene

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Quentin Fougerou

has become far more consumer friendly.

Much of this is down to the expansion of Wine Connection, whose business model is to source from small independent wineries, import the product themselves, and sell in their bistro outlets at very close to wholesale prices. The quality of the wines may be erratic, but the result is bottles from B500 to wash down decent food, including burgers, steaks and pasta. Take three courses and a glass of wine at one of these places and you can be out with change from B700.

The format is so successful it has

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spawned a new genre in the city of wine-themed venues including the likes of Wine Republic, Wine I Love You and Cellar 11. Naturally, most are oriented towards western cuisine, which has partnered wine for centuries.

But Thailand and Asia in general are fast increasing their consumption with Asian foods. And this brings challenges, mainly because of the common practice of food sharing.

Troy Sutton, the sommelier at Nahm, which recently made the cut in the World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards, acknowledges, “It’s difficult to match a single wine with Thai food.” At Nahm for instance, its popular tasting set (B1,700) starts with four canap s to be followed by another five dishes, one each from five sections. That means never less than four dishes on the table at once with contrasting flavours from spicy to sweet, salty to sour.

“Alsace is a good starting point,” says Troy. “It has aromatic varieties like Riesling and Gewürztraminer that work.

Gewürztraminer is low in acidity, so an

(Above, right, and bottom left): Le Beaulieu in all its glory.

(Below): Nahm’s stylish interior

acidic salad can lift it. We did a tasting at Nahm in London to find the ideal wine, and ended up with Pinot Gris from Alsace as the best general partner. It has a nice mouth feel. I’m not going to say honey, but a good texture.”

Nahm has several Alsace wines by the glass, from dry to off dry, and I tried a few with the tasting menu, sitting amid the restaurant’s stepped laterite pillars based on old temple architecture. Outside is a pool viewed through full wall windows.

Drinking with exceptional tastes ranging from pungently sour to richly sweet in dishes from grilled prawn and shrimp paste relish with sweet pork, to aromatic curry of wagyu beef, the 2005 Zind-Humbrecht Pinot Gris (B550/glass,

B2,750/bottle), as predicted, paired with everything. Or, nearly everything. A smoked fish and shredded prawn soup with sour leaves – smoky-sour with flavours in the pla raa, rotting fish range – flattened even the Pinot Gris. “Some dishes are impossible to match,”Troy admits.

“Also, we’ve found that oaked wine has a reaction to spicy or coconut based Thai food. You get a burning in the mouth. Oaked Chardonnay doesn’t work, whereas unoaked Chardonnay does. Red wines mainly have the same problem.

Pinot Noir is a good option, though. It’s softer, quite fleshy and light, so you don’t have to use much oak in its production.”

Troy says it’s always a case of trial and error. “When Opus One winery asked us to do a wine pairing we had a bottle to experiment with, and found that venison with cumin and chilli worked really well. It was a surprise. Even after all this time we still have to do tastings like this.” That stir fried venison dish – on the menu at Nahm – also works with the 2011 Little Yering Pinot Noir (B400/glass, B1800/bottle). Not Opus One, but you have to start somewhere.

Some of the principles discovered at Nahm extend to other Asian cuisines.

South Korean Jeannie Cho Lee became the first Asian Master of Wine in 2008 and is a contributing editor for Decanter UK. Her website AsianPalate.com has taste profile charts describing what wine characteristics to look for with a range of Asian flavours, from bitter gourd to fermented beans; palm sugar to shrimp paste.

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Gourmet

Feature|Dining scene

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Le Beaulieu has a good range of wines (B1,250-B21,800), with eight by the glass (B245 -B520). For my starter of Plancha of Scallops (B1,450), a delicious carpaccio with basil oil, rocket and shavings of Parmesan, Quentin recommends Sancerre Jean-Max Roger (B520/glass).

“It’s dry and mineral,” he says, “with not too much fruit and good acidity that cuts through the fattiness of the scallop.”

For a superb Roasted Anjou Pigeon (B1,850) with rich firm meat and truffle sauce, he picks a big, round, soft Chateau Meyre, from Graves (B380/glass, B3,25/ bottle).

Wines are such a part of French culture that the reds are famously cited as a reason for the country’s low incidence of heart disease, possibly because of antioxidants. However, Bad Science author Ben Goldacre notes that some trials were stopped early because the people getting antioxidant pills were in fact dying faster than those on placebos. So we shouldn’t get too carried away.

Another health tonic, they say, is eating more seafood, so I settled in at Lord Jim’s, at the Mandarin Oriental, sitting beside large bay windows and a splendid river view of gliding boats and fairy lights twinkling in the trees.

Nahm and a selection of its most popular dishes

Asian food has its challenges, but at the opposite end of the spectrum, classic French, the home of gourmet western cuisine, has tradition on its side.

“There’s a big connection between wine and food in France because of the terroir,” says Quentin, chatting in Le Beaulieu’s minimalist interior. The concept of terroir – an area’s characteristics, including soil, climate and geology – was developed in Ancient Greece, where amphorae containing wine would be stamped according to the region of origin. It became a badge of quality and now forms the root of the appellation controlée system in France and other countries.

Quentin maintains that, on tasting: “Old World wines show terroir; New World wines show grape characteristics.”

As an example of the effects of terroir he cites the prime region of Bordeaux, where wines have distinct nuances depending on which side of the Gironde Estuary the grapes grow. “On

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the left bank is Graves, which means gravel. It’s good for planting Cabernet Sauvignon. On the other bank, St Emilion is clay and good for planting Merlot.

Imagine a handful of clay and a handful of gravel. Clay is round and smooth and richer; so is Merlot. Gravel is more complex, so is Cabernet Sauvignon.

“Alternatively, Pinot Noir, from Burgundy, has a nose of pencil lead because of the chalk terroir. Imagine chalk screeches on a blackboard. Pinot Noir is not as friendly and is difficult to understand.”

Quentin says Bordeaux reds go with steak because the tannin breaks down the protein. “A rich beef is more easily digested with a tannic wine like Cabernet Sauvignon, whereas it won’t do any favours to a Pinot Noir because the meat is big in the mouth with a long finish, and the wine is light. To match the smokiness of a barbecue, look for a similar flavour: wine not too young.

Something with heavy oak.”

The seafood at Lord Jim’s is always delicious. But which wine should it be paired with?

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Chianti Riserva Da Vinci at B220/glass, B1,150/bottle.

Other hotel food outlets with attractive wine deals are Panorama at the Crowne Plaza (from B95/ glass), Bar@494 in the Grand Hyatt Erawan (from B99/glass until 10.30pm), and Wine Pub at the Pullman Bangkok (bottles paired with food from B900net).

Quentin Fougeroux suggests, “With corkage usually between B500 and B1,000, if you want to drink an exceptional wine it makes sense to take your own.” And you can beat that price, too, at places like Gianni’s (corkage B300) and Paris Bangkok, where there’s no corkage charge at all.

One thing I’ve learned is that Sommelier Sunthorn Lapmul has ideas about matching wines with bounty from the deep.

“First consider the weight of the food.” he says. In the lighter range he includes seabass “because it’s not oily”; heavier are snowfish and cod, “because they have a little oil.” And salmon? “I would say it is not oily, but has a heavy texture.

“The weight refers not just to the meat, but also to the sauce and the way it’s cooked. Sushi and sashimi and poached fish are light; grilled or pan fried are heavy.

Then, look for wine of the same weight.

Heaviness can come from oaking, blending, ageing and the terroir, but the majority of the weight comes from the grape.

“You can’t make heavy wine from Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc or the Pinot family. For heavier whites, you’re looking mainly at Chardonnay.”

Sunthorn says it’s fine to drink red wine with seafood, “But something fresh that’s low in tannin, for example a Gamay or Pinot Noir.”

He selects Sauvignon Blanc Villa Maria Private Bin 2011 from New Zealand (B4,000/bottle) to drink with Atlantic Lobster Salad, a beautifully conceived plate, with deep yellow nasturtium blossoms as highlights against a wide smear of green pea pur and the pink poached lobster.

“The wine has a nose of tropical fruit – guava, passion fruit, grapefruit and a little bit of grass,” Sunthorn says. “Eighty percent of perception comes from the nose. And the acidity fights against the sweetness and juiciness of the dish.”

Also visually smart, with fresh, subtle flavours, Citrus Zest Marinated Black Eye

Tuna with avocado mousseline (B1,130) comes with Chablis Premier Cru, Joseph Drouhin 2009 (B5,900). “The Chablis, being Chardonnay, suits the heavier tuna,” Sunthorn explains. “It has a few months in oak, and because Burgundy has shell fossils in the soil, the wine has good mineral content. It has a nose of ripe gooseberry and round acidity, but is still powerful.”

Sunthorn sees Thailand becoming a big wine drinking country. “The new generation in Thailand drinks wine instead of hard alcohol,” he says. “Five years ago people asked mostly for Chardonnay, but now they’re being more adventurous.”

And the market is responding both in range and pricing as venues look for an edge against increasing competition.

A high-end example is the Primo Vino concept at Rossini’s, where they promise “top shelf wines at cellar prices.”

The Sheraton Grande’s Food and Beverage Director Robert Wittebrood says, “Instead of an entry level of B1600 to B1800, we start at B950 with by-the-glass from B220.

Guests like it, and it’s been positive for us too. People now either have a premium level wine or order an extra bottle.”

For such an upmarket restaurant, with food designed by Michelin starred chef Alfredo Russo, there are real wine bargains here, including the 2011 Sauvignon Blanc Sileni Estate Selection (B280/glass, B1,300/bottle). Drink it perhaps with Fresh Burrata Cheese with Pesto and Tomatoes (B590), in which the dish is served under a burrata dome created with liquid nitrogen. And possibly for Duck Breast with Braised Radicchio and Balsamic Vinegar (B1,260), the 2008

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sommeliers differ on many things, but they all stress that what you like is what you like. Be adventurous. Luckily, in terms of quality, choice and pricing, this could be a vintage era for Bangkok wines. *Unless otherwise stated, food and wine prices above also carry tax and service charges

Twelve to count on WHEN it comes to restaurant dining choosing a three course meal is a cinch. But wine? It’s too often a mystery. To help, we asked our sommelier friends to recommend wine producers you can count on, with wines at various levels. These are all well represented in Bangkok, and not a Penfolds in sight.

• Antinori (Various, Italy) • Chapoutier (Rhone Valley, France) • Domaine Leflaive (Burgundy, France) • Joseph Drouhin (Burgundy, France) • Joseph Phelps (California, USA) • Marqués de Riscal (Rioja, Spain) • Schlumberger (Alsace, France) • Sileni (Hawkes Bay, New Zealand) • Telmo Rodriguez (Various, Spain) • Villa Maria (Various, New Zealand) • Yering Station (Yarra Valley, Australia) • Zind Humbrecht (Alsace, France)

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Gourmet

Where to eat

Recommended restaurants and bars Asian cuisine

Peking Restaurants

•Located in the basement of

the President Tower Arcade (next to the Intercontinental Bangkok), Peking Restaurants’ largest branch (they have 10 in town) continues the trend of offering a wide range of tasty Chinese food at wallet friendly prices. The focus here is on northern Chinese specialties, with plenty of seafood, meat and vegetarian dishes to choose from, as well as countless Dim Sum selections and, of course, the famous Peking Duck (700 baht).

Peking Restaurants, President Tower Arcade, Basement (next to Intercontinental Hotel Bangkok) 971 Ploenchit Road, Bangkok 10330 02 656 1615 (Ploenchit BTS)

☎

Kongju

•

Kongju first opened its doors as Bangkok’s first hotelbased Korean restaurant 15 years ago, and Madam Kim, the restaurant manager and master chef who’s been with the restaurant since the start, takes pride in offering cuisine just like you’d find in the best restaurants in Korea. In fact, the wide range of appetizers, main dishes, soups, rice and desserts on offer all arrive at the table looking like they’ve been beamed directly from Seoul. If you’ve never tried Korean cuisine but are looking to give it a go, you couldn’t find a better place to start.

Pathumwan Princess Hotel, 444 MBK Center, Phayathai Road, 02 216 3700 ext. 20230, pprincess.com, Open: Lunch (11.30am-2pm) and Dinner (5.30pm-10pm)

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Shui Xin

•

For Chinese food, Shui Xin is the real deal. You’ll find no Thai-Chinese fusion, no westernization of dishes, and no greasy imitations. What you will find is a superb selection of authentic Szechuan and Cantonese dishes prepared by a talented team of master chefs using only the finest ingredients. The restaurant’s menu is designed to cater to groups of diners sharing rather than individuals eating alone and the large platters served always look impressive. As with most Chinese restaurants, the most popular choice here is the Peking duck (999++ baht with pancakes), and it’s a triumph.

Novotel Bangna Bangkok Hotel, 333 Srinakarin Road, Nongbon, Pravet 02 366 0505. Open daily for lunch 11.30am to 2.30pm, and dinner from 6pm to 10.30pm.

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China House

Vientiane Kitchen

House is one of the city’s best hotel-based Chinese restaurants. Aside from an incongruous clump of glass out front, the design of China House is as exciting as anything done recently in the Big Mango. The food could be horrible - it’s not - and people would still flock to the restaurant. The interior somehow manages to combine Chinese elements with a two-story central vault that is reminiscent of a medi-

food served in a bamboo restaurant constructed around a giant tree. Wildly popular with Japanese and Korean tourists who enjoy the beer, funky Isaan music and dance, and the chance to nibble on Laos-style eats. Although the spice level is toned down, the ingredients are from up country. Items like frog, duck’s beak and ant’s eggs are readily available should you be interested. This restaurant is always

•Without doubt China

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Dragon Xpress

•Chinese Indian restaurant

Dragon Xpress, while being a charming place to go and eat itself, is now actually more famous for its delivery service.

The reason? Well, imagine being famished and receiving an American-style takeaway box packed with delicious Chinese Indian cuisine which you won’t find anywhere else in Bangkok.

With delivery charge at just 20 baht and meals starting at 89+ baht, it’s a bargain. What’s more, orders arrive within 45 minutes – meaning the food is always piping hot. A full menu can be viewed on dragonxpress.com Dragon Xpress Restaurant and Take Away, Sukhumvit 21 02 204 0588-9 dragonxpress.com

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•Upmarket Laos and Isaan

eval cathedral. Exciting stuff that’s going to be hard to beat.

The Oriental Bangkok, (BTS Saphan Taksin, then take the hotel’s shuttle 02 659 9000 boat)

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fun and a great place to take someone from out of town.

Sukhumvit Soi 36 (BTS 02 258 6171 Thonglor),

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International Cuisine

Jameson’s

•

Offering an extensive selection of hearty, traditional pub grub, Jameson’s is a great place to enjoy an authentic taste of the West. Burgers, fish and chips, and spicy hot wings score good marks here. For brave diners, there’s also the pub’s ‘Hot Wings Challenge.’

This offers prizes to anyone who can eat eight spicy chicken wings in under ten minutes.

The spice level: a whopping 200,000 on the Scoville Scale – which is probably like dipping your tongue into malten magma. Ouch. Other draws at the pub include four pool tables, 12 widescreen TVs, and the Minus 5 Ice Bar, where you can sip vodka in a large freezer room.

Woodstock Bar & Grill

•

The descendent of a restaurant once popular at Nana Plaza, this version is much more upmarket, but the music and food remain the same.The menu contains a smattering of items popular in US pubs and restaurants. Great burgers, Mexican dishes, Stews and Argentinean steaks.The ground floor features comfy booths and a snazzy copper bar; it’s suitable for the family and smoke free until 10pm.Upstairs is more casual and devoted to serious drinking, pool, and watching sports on giant TVs. There is parking around back.

Thonglor Soi 13, 300m from Soi Thonglor (BTS Thonglor) 02 715 0202 woodstockbkk.com

Circle

Hanrahans

able-feeling spot is packed into a compact and cozy building.

There are three floors, two bars, an outdoor terrace, a walk-in wine cellar, and a walkin cigar humidor. The cuisine is modern USA with Cajun/ Creole dishes and some items best described as ‘Californian.’

The blackened halibut and the shellfish bisque with prawn and crab cake garnish make a visit here worth the effort.

Circle is popular with locals who drop in after work for drinks and tasty eats.

rant is located in the middle of all the nightlife action on Soi Nana. It’s an ambitious venue with three floors, pool tables, sports TVs, free wireless Internet for customers, and a kitchen that churns out traditional pub favourites like Bangers and Mash and Shepherd’s Pie. There is a typical 50% off happy hour, plus loads of other specials.

Don’t worry about the pub’s location; Hanrahans is all about good, clean fun and the atmosphere makes it a good choice for couples.

•This modern, but comfort-

Ruam Rudee Village, Soi Ruam Rudee (BTS Ploenchit) 02 650 8047 circlebangkok.com

•This Irish pub and restau-

Sukhumvit Soi 4, near Nana Plaza (BTS Nana or Ploenchit), 02 255 0644-5

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☎

☎

Jameson’s Irish Pub and Minus 5 Ice Bar Bangkok, Holiday Inn Bangkok, 02 266 7703-5, 931 Silom Road, email: info@jamesons-bangkok.com jamesons-bangkok.com minus5bangkok.com

Voilà!

☎

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Wine Connection Deli & Bistro

•Combining a wine shop,

wine bar, deli and restaurant, this place has everything a wine lover could need under one roof. There’s a choice of international wines for as little as 100 baht per glass (500 baht per bottle), a superb selection of cheeses and cold cuts, daily baked breads, scrumptious homemade desserts, and a Mediterranean inspired food menu. All served in a trendy coffee shop atmosphere, there’s nothing pretentious about what’s on offer. It’s simply hearty, tasty food that’s supposed to be enjoyed in the

American cuisine

company of friends. Book in advance on weekends – the restaurant is invariably packed.

K Village Ground Floor, Sukhumvit 26, Bangkok. Open daily 10am - midnight.

02 661 3490-2 wineconnection.co.th

☎

HE Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit’s signature all day dining restaurant Voilà! serves international buffet lunch and dinner to a superb ‘Cuisine on Stage’ concept – which basically means you can order most of your food from live cooking stations, including a Parisian-style rotisserie and an artisan La Cornue stove.

The amazing selection of dishes on offer ranges from fresh seafood and oysters on ice to Parisian bistro selections (soups and casseroles), flame grilled rotisserie meats, Italian pasta, fresh pizzas, Asian favourites, and decadent desserts. A cheese room boasts a wealth of premium quality cold cuts and delightfully pungent cheeses from around the world, and there are even 100 bottles of wine to choose from, including 25 choices by the glass. Spoilt for choice? You bet it.

Buffet lunch is B995; dinner is B1,450; and Sunday Brunch is B3,200 with free-flow champagne, cocktails and house wines; or B2,250 with free flow soft drinks.

Every Fri and Sat night a Seafood Buffet is just B1,999.

Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, 189 Sukhumvit Road Soi 13-15 (between Nana and Asok BTS stations).

02 126 9999 ext. Voilà! sofitel.com

☎

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Feature

Insight|Traffic woes

With the city’s congestion getting worse by the day, a veteran policeman gives his view from the inside lane

By Maxmilian Wechsler

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BANGKOK’S traffic congestion gets worse by the day – and there’s no doubt the government’s first-time car buyer scheme launched in late 2011 to boost auto sales after floods had decimated production is largely to blame.

Under the program, first-time buyers receive a tax rebate of up to 100,000 baht for passenger vehicles and pick-up trucks with small engines. The buyers must maintain ownership for at least five years.

It’s unashamedly a populist move that’s resulted in a buying frenzy with most car brands reporting record sales. Insurance companies and repair shops are making money as well. The economic boost, along with the added traffic pressures, extend to five provinces adjacent to Bangkok – Nonthaburi, Pathum Thani, Nakhon Pathom, Samut Prakan and Samut Sakhon.

In January Somchai Pulsawas, director-general of the Excise Department, said that a total of 1.25 million cars and trucks had been sold under the first-time car buyer scheme as of December 31, 2012. The total tax rebate of 91 billion baht was three times higher than original estimates by the authorities as car buyers took advantage of the scheme. Mr Somchai also said that the Finance Ministry has set aside 40 billion baht for rebate payments for the 2013 fiscal year, with the same amount allocated for 2014. The program will be extended through the 2015 fiscal year, guaranteeing that hundreds of thousands of new cars will be on the roads, driven by people who might have otherwise decided against buying a private vehicle. It seems certain, therefore, that the traffic situation in Bangkok and surrounding provinces will turn even more nightmarish.

This is also the prediction of one traffic police sergeant who agreed to talk with the BigChilli on condition of anonymity about the effect of the scheme on traffic.

The policeman, who has been attached for almost 10 years to a central Bangkok station, is married and has a young child. He is paid a salary of about 10,000 baht a month plus allowances, and receives a percentage of the fines for tickets he issues to offenders. His family lives behind his station and they are entitled to free medical care.

“With so many cars on the road, traffic policemen like me are powerless to do much to make it better,” said the officer. “More vehicles on the roads directly relate to the increasing accident rate.

There are more multi-vehicle crashes, mainly on expressways, which might involve three, four, five or even more cars.

“People drive so close to the car in front of them that if it suddenly brakes for any reason they don’t have time to stop, and this starts a chain reaction. And of course any accident, especially one involving several vehicles, results in a traffic stoppage. It takes a long time to remove the vehicles and debris, especially on expressways.”

As he said this I was nodding my head in agreement, as I am frequently and increasingly delayed by multi-vehicle accidents on my daily drive from Pathum Thani to Bangkok. I try to keep a safe distance from the vehicle in front of me, but it seems that many drivers regard this as an opportunity to swerve into the space. It’s very annoying – and dangerous.

The officer said the first-time car buyer program is just one of many factors making driving in the Bangkok metropolitan area more nerve-wracking and more dangerous. Bad driving habits such as tailgating are also to blame for accidents, as are inexperienced drivers and undisciplined drivers who willfully break the laws.

He believes the traffic jams themselves contribute to lawlessness, as they make people impatient and desperate to get where they’re going. Bad roads and a shortage of underpasses, bypasses, bridges and tunnels are also partly to blame, and it all gets worse during the rainy season when roads are often flooded.

Another big problem is people driving too slow in the fast lanes, and these are often new inexperienced drivers who have taken advantage of the first-time buyer program. Drivers talking on mobiles, and especially texting (breaking the law in both cases), are especially dangerous.

The officer admitted that some of his colleagues contribute to the chaos on the roads by acting without coordination with their fellow policemen, for example, in stopping the flow of traffic for various checks and operating traffic lights inefficiently, letting the lights stay red too long at certain intersections.

“Some years ago we were informed that a very expensive computerized system to control the traffic flow in Bangkok had been purchased and installed at many intersections to ensure smooth traffic flow. But traffic policemen are still pressing the switch button manually at almost every intersection. I don’t know what happened to the computerized system,” the sergeant said.

Overall, he added, the national traffic management strategy has many faults, and there are built-in obstacles to improving it.

“I would characterize the current traffic situation in the Bangkok metropolitan area as very bad. There are already too many cars on the road and they are increasing daily. The road system is inadequate and construction projects are going at a slow pace. Add to this the gridlock from construction related to extensions of the city’s rail systems. In my opinion these projects are going very slowly.

“There is a need for more overpasses, bridges and tunnels, but in some cases this just isn’t feasible because of the obstructions it would create. There just aren’t any alternate routes to accommodate the vehicles. There was a suggestion many years ago to construct a roadway above Asoke Road. Maybe this would have been possible before, but it is now impossible as it would paralyze traffic in the centre of Bangkok,” the policeman said.

“Also, there are a lot of railroad crossings in Bangkok where the flow of traffic is disrupted. One such trouble spot is at Yommarat intersection, where trains frequently cross causing traffic jams that often stretch onto the expressway. Trains should be completely banned from crossing city streets and Hua Lamphong railway station should be moved out of central Bangkok.

“There should be overpasses or tunnels constructed for the trains or vehicles to avoid this situation. In fact, this should have been done decades ago. If we do it now it will result in more big disruptions for long periods of time.”

Nevertheless, new construction is necessary and it will inevitably result in more bottlenecks on some roads. The officer said that the most congested parts of the city are around Pratunam, Sathorn and Chinatown.

Many traffic cops deserve great sympathy because they stand in the middle of busy intersections while so many motorists whizz by, ignoring them. “To be a traffic policeman is a hard and dangerous job,” said

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Feature

Insight|Traffic woes

the sergeant. “You have to stand for hours at intersections during morning or evening rush hours when the traffic is the most congested. The face mask can’t really protect you from inhaling fumes.

“Many traffic policemen suffer from lung cancer and respiratory problems. You also have to worry about being hit by a car or motorcycle.

“Some motorists don’t obey my signals and just hurry by. Sometimes they even shout abuse at me. But others are more respectful and might honk and wave in a show of appreciation for my work.”

The policeman talked about the administrative structure of the traffic police, explaining that those attached to the Traffic Police Division (TPD) under the Metropolitan Police Bureau wear white helmets with an orange band.

“Traffic police attached to 88 district police stations throughout the metropolitan area wear white helmets with a red band. The police patrolling the expressways are under the TPD. They are assisted by officers in blue uniforms and white helmets with a blue band. They have no authority to arrest anyone or issue a ticket. They can only control the traffic,” the sergeant said.

“Concerning checkpoints, there are two kinds: One is for crime control, operated by regular police searching for weapons or drugs. The second type is manned by the traffic police checking for traffic and vehicle violations, for example, whether the vehicle has proper registration, the driver has a valid driving license, or a motorcycle rider is wearing a helmet.

“On the expressway, we can set up checkpoints only at toll gates,” he added. “It would be too dangerous on the highway and cause long traffic jams.

“The roads in the capital are generally in a very poor state, especially side streets,’’ said the policeman.

“During recent years, very few repairs have been made in comparison to the past. The city roads are under the BMA. They are responsible for road repairs, traffic signs and traffic lights.”

Roads in the provinces are under the jurisdiction of the Highway Department. A few months before the election of the new Bangkok governor, it was noticeable that they finally started to repair some major Bangkok streets.

“The police can request that the BMA make road repairs, for example, when there’s a crack in the road that is a traffic hazard. I will inform my superior and it usually gets fixed within a few days. Sometimes motorists who have influence may contact the BMA themselves and have them take action immediately.”

When asked where the money from fines goes, the officer said this is somewhat complicated as it depends

on the offence and whether it falls under the Land Traffic, Motor Vehicle or Land Transportation acts. A percentage of the fine paid by the offenders will go to the BMA or the Ministry of Finance, as well as to the police. The maximum amount going to the police is 95 percent.

“As for parking violations, according to Land Traffic Act B.E. 2522 (1979), 50 percent will go to the BMA, five percent to Ministry of Finance and 45 percent to the policeman who issues the ticket. This is the official policy. However, in reality the chief of the police station will collect all of it and divide it among officers at the station, with some also going to his superior officers.

“As for traffic offences falling under the Motor Vehicle Act B.E. 2522 (1979), for example if the car is not registered, has no license plate or the driver doesn’t possess a driving license, the Finance Ministry gets five percent and the police get the rest. That’s why the police prefer to issue tickets for these offences,” the sergeant explained.

Recent daily activities of the traffic police in Bangkok have included a major focus on ‘dek wen’ (boy motorcycle racers) who have competitions on weekend nights, usually outside the city but also on Kallaprapruk Road in Bangkok.

As for the passenger minivans licensed by the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), which are notorious for breaking traffic laws and driving dangerously, the policeman said that they often block traffic by stopping at inappropriate places to let passengers disembark or wait a long time for passengers to board. However, they are rarely stopped for violations of the law.

“No one has ordered us to go easy on them, but in practical terms, instead of arguing with them and further aggravating the traffic situation, we let them go. We will tell them to move on. That’s all. We prefer to stop and give tickets to company truck drivers because they will not argue with us.

“I won’t give a ticket to a public servant, even if it is just a teacher, because we all work for the government,” the policeman added. “For others, I have no mercy.”

He denied that there is any policy to allow traffic on some major roads to flow more smoothly than on others, but said this may be the intention of the particular policeman in charge of changing the traffic lights.

“Also, we don’t favor luxury cars like Porsche, MercedesBenz or others and aren’t instructed by our superior officers to do so. On the contrary, I will always stop them if they violate the law, partly to show the drivers they are not above the law. I can’t speak for all traffic policemen, but neither I nor my colleagues from my station show any partiality to drivers of luxury cars.”

Asked if it is legal for policeman to hide behind a tree

“I won’t give a ticket to a public servant, even if it is just a teacher, because we all work for the government,” the policeman added.

“For others, I have no mercy.”

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or building and watch for motorists committing a traffic offence, the sergeant said: “This is perfectly legal. It may look foolish but it’s effective because it serves as a warning for motorists that they may be observed at any time. We like to keep an element of surprise.

“On the other hand, when people see a police checkpoint in front of them, then they will hurriedly try to comply with the law − for instance, put on a motorcycle helmet.”

The officer said that when police make random checks for drunk drivers it is important that the filters for the breathalyzers are changed after every test, which some officers do not do, out of laziness. If the filters aren’t changed it leads to contamination of the equipment and can result in false readings. This is very unfair to the driver, who is taken to the police station. Usually there is no second test given there.

As for the widespread allegations that Bangkok traffic police take bribes from motorists who wish to avoid getting a ticket, the sergeant admitted that some officers are guilty. He said that policemen who collect bribes will usually keep the money for themselves and not share with their superiors.

“Often when I stop a vehicle, the driver will offer me a bribe, just to get on the way and save a trip to the police station. But I always issue a ticket when I spot an offence.

“I don’t think that I am corrupt, but sometimes there is pressure from my superiors to generate some funds,” he added. “I don’t like to talk too much on this subject. My wife is also working and we have free rent. We can get by all right. Of course, we can’t afford to buy luxury items, but we can live without them.”

What improvements would he suggest to make the traffic flow better?

“All drivers who park their cars illegally should be punished, without exception. However, there aren’t enough traffic police to monitor and issue traffic tickets. Sometimes a row of taxis are illegally parked. When you approach the first one the others will immediately take off and return after you’ve gone. We need more officers to issue tickets to all offenders.

We should hire volunteers to help also.

“In addition, we should establish a traffic court for offenders instead of dealing with them through the criminal courts. There should also be a traffic TV channel to teach drivers traffic rules and to inform people of the traffic situation in Bangkok and nearby provinces. Finally, our main problem is a lack of staff. We need more people, whether police officers or volunteers, to help us keep the traffic flowing more smoothly and prevent accidents.” Despite an overall straightforwardness in answering my questions, the sergeant didn’t want to talk about some apparently sensitive matters; for example, why certain vehicles, including trucks, are allowed to park on roads where parking is supposed to be strictly prohibited. When asked he refused to answer and said with a smile: “You can figure it out for yourself.”

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Y O U R U L T I M A T E W H A T ’ S O N G U I D E F O R A P R I L 1 3

What’s on pArt pPerformance pSport pFootball pMovies & Albums pBooks

The Phantom of the Opera is coming to Thailand with an international touring cast! Page 82.

Indie rock

Scottish alternative rockers Primal Scream set to rock BKK Page 82

Delphic

The festival favourites bring their electro-pop show to Thailand Page 82

Set sail

The Top of the Gulf International Regatta looks set to be huge Page 84 TheBigChilli 79

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What’s On|The Arts

Exhibitions

UNTIL MAY 18 NUMBER 1 GALLERY

UNTIL APR 28 AT ARDEL’S THIRD PLACE GALLERY

GRADUATED EMERGENCE

ABSTRACT FORMS FROM THAI ARCHITECTURAL ORNAMENTS

DECORATIVE Thai architecture is the subject of Suriya Namwong’s latest body of work, an abstract tour-de-force that explores patterns, forms, and colours with visually exciting results.

Sukhumvit 55 (Thonglor Soi 10). Open Tues-Sat 10.30am-7pm; Sun 10.30am-5.30pm (closed Mon) 02 422 2092 ardelgallery.com

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UNTIL MAY 9 LA LANTA FINE ART

SHOWCASING a range of paintings, photography, and mixed media installations by seven leading Thai contemporary artists (Sutee Kunavichayanont, Tawatchai Somkong, Arin Rungjang, Kornkrit Jianpinidnan, Kritsada Duchsadeevanich, Lek Kiatsirikajorn, and Piyasuk Ausap), Graduated Emergence explores the notions of memories, what they mean, and how we store them.

The Silom Galleria Building (room401-402), Silom Road 02 630 3381

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PARALLEL

FEATURING the work of two of Thailand’s most recognized names in the art industry, Elizabeth Romhild and Sumet Jumsai na Ayudhya, Parallel offers the perspective of two artists who are complete opposites: Elizabeth is a European self-taught painter who expresses her art through visuals of femininity; while Sumet is an Asian academicallytrained architect whose take on art is structural and masculine. By juxtaposing the artwork of the two genres, the exhibition explores the trait differences of its creators while embracing the common features apparent in their work.

UNTIL APR 28 ARDEL GALLERY OF MODERN ART

NANG SONGKRAN 2013

SOMPOP Budtarad presents a series of paintings of Songkran goddesses whose characters were inspired by the 2013 predictions of the Gregorian calendar. He uses these delicately crafted characters to explore Thai culture, traditions, lifestyle, and faith.

Boromratchonnee Road. Open Tues-Sat 10.30am-7pm; Sun 10.30am-5.30pm (closed Mon) 02 422 2092 ardelgallery.com

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245/14 Sukhumvit Soi 3. Open Tues-Sat 10am-7pm 02-204-0583 lalanta.com

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UNTIL MAY 12 DOB HUALAMPHONG GALLERY

JOURNEY

IN this series of snapshots from his extensive travels, photographer Anak Navaraj puts forward plenty of evidence that the ultimate goal of a journey doesn’t always have to be about reaching a destination, but instead about having great experiences along the road.

DOB Building, 318 Rama IV Road 02 422 2092 ardelgallery.com

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What’s On|Performance

5 hot choices Apr 17 Checkinn99

Night of Noir

MEET Bangkok fiction writers Christopher G. Moore, Dean Barrett, James Newman, John Gartland, Chris Coles, Thom Locke, Tom Vater, and others, when they come together to read and sign their latest editions.

The night will be the first of its kind featuring entertainment, dinner and an adventure into the world of the very best of Bangkok Fiction. Checkinn99 (formally The Copa) predates the Vietnam War R&R period and has been used as the backdrop to several thriller novels – one of which is based on true events.

May 10 CentralWorld Live

Primal Scream

THE Scottish alternative rockers have been wowing audiences around the world with their indie-pop gems for 30 years, and they show no signs of slowing down – next month they will release their 10th studio album, More Light.

Supported by special guests Agrikulture (Indonesia) and Getsunova (Thailand), their Bangkok show should be a cracker.

Tickets: B1,800 :Thaiticketmajor.com (Show starts 8pm)

97 Sukhumvit Road Email: checkinn99bkk@ gmail.com (modest but minimum cover on drinks and meals will apply.

May 7 – June 9 Muangthai Rachadalai Theatre

The Phantom of the Opera

BROADWAY’S most famous musical is coming to Thailand with an international touring cast. With spectacular sets and more than 230 costumes by the late Maria Björnson, the musical contains some of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most famous music, including “The Phantom of the Opera” and “Music of the Night.”

Tickets range B1,500-B5,500 :Thaiticketmajor.com

May 18 Siam Society

The Dodos Day Fest

KNOWN for their high energy performances fuelled by rapid guitar strumming and galloping drum rhythms, American duo The Dodos are coming to town to play top tracks from their four studio albums, Beware of the Maniacs, Visiter, Time to Die, and No Color. With special guests Basement Tape, Bear-garden, Beforechamp, and Dok Mai Baan. Acoustic music from 2pm-6pm; electric from 7pm-11pm.

Tickets: B1,000 in advance; B1,200 on the door :supersweetlive.com/tickets

Apr 29 Route 66 RCA

Delphic

INSPIRED

by Factory Records, acid house, and the golden days of their Manchester hometown in the ’80s, alternative dance band Delphic are a firm UK festival favourite thanks to the electro-pop splendor of their hit singles Doubt, Halycon, and Counterpoint. Expect to hear these tracks as well as R&B-tinged tunes from the band’s recently released sophomore album, Collections.

Tickets: B1,500 :Thaiticketmajor.com

(B1,800 on the door) Show starts at 8.30pm

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What’s On|Outdoors

Sport May 3 – 7 Ocean Marina Yacht Club, Jomtien Beach

Top Of The Gulf International Regatta

ATTRACTING large keelboats and multihulls, dinghies, beach catamarans, and youngsters sailing Optimists, the annual Top of the Gulf Regatta has become one of the biggest sailing events in Asia and this year is expected to welcome more than 600 sailors in more than 300 crafts. The event is supported by the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand (YRAT) and awards the international standard from International Sailing Federation (ISAF). :tourismthailand.org

July 7 Bangkok

Sahaviriya Bangkok Triathlon

NOW in its fifth year, the International Bangkok Triathlon will return to the Capital for what promises to be its biggest event yet. Featuring swimming in the Chao Praya River, biking on a traffic-free expressway, and a final run along the magnificent Rama VIII Bridge, the course looks set to provide participants with stunning views of the city. :bangkoktriathlon.org :goadventureasia.com

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June 9 Laguna Beach Resort, Phuket

Laguna Phuket Triathlon

BUDDING athletes have just over two months left to get in some last minute training for this popular international triathlon, which is expected once again to attract over 4,000 participants from around the world. Marathon and Half Marathon runners follow the course out of Laguna and then head north through local villages, and pineapple and rubber plantations. Other categories include 10.5km and 5km runs, and a 2km kids run. :goadventureasia.com

May 24 – 26 Phuket

Phuket International Rugby 10s

THE 2013 edition of this popular tournament will be held at the Thanyapura Sports & Leisure Club (located 10 minutes from Nai Yang beach near the airport). Both the Coffin Dodgers Vets and main competitions are filling up fast so interested teams should sign up soon to avoid missing out. :phuketrugby10s.com

May 25 – June 1 Chaweng Beach, Koh Samui

Samui Regatta

LANDLUBBERS and sailors alike flock to this annual regatta which, alongside the final of the Asian Yachting Grand Prix, features some superb cocktail parties and lifestyle events on Chaweng Beach. :samuiregatta.com

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What’s On|Sport

Thai football in focus

Soccer pundit Paul Hewitt examines what’s happening in the world of Thai football

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Tobacco leaves a bad taste in the mouth

TTM FC (that’s Thai Tobacco Monopoly FC) have emerged as frontrunners for this year’s ‘crisis club of the year’ award. The team from…er…from – well, that’s just the problem: where are TTM FC from?

Since 2008 they have played in Bangkok, Samut Sakon, Phichit, Chiang Mai, Lopburi and, now, back to Bangkok.

They have shamelessly – illogically – relocated from province to province each year overseeing, in the process, a steady decline in attendances.

TTM in their Samut Sakon and Phichit guises were relatively well-supported.

After two fairly successful seasons in Phichit the odd decision was taken to move to Chiang Mai for the 2012 season.

The locals rightly snubbed the travelling TTM circus and continued supporting their own Chiang Mai FC. Gates for ‘TTM Chiang Mai,’ a TPL team at the time, were down into the low three figures.

Relegation was as predictable as TTM’s decision to up sticks again and look for a

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new province to descend upon.

They found Lopburi, and the province’s Regional League team, Lopburi FC, was even mothballed to allow room for the nomadic newcomers. However, at the time of writing, TTM have yet to play a single competitive match in Lopburi as the stadium there doesn’t meet the required standards for a League 1 club. The necessary improvements were said to be in the pipeline but little has been done and the local government there is understandably reluctant to lend a helping hand. As such, TTM are playing all their league matches away from home until the ground at Lopburi is brought up to code or until they can find yet another ‘home’ venue.

The latter option could prove tricky as they found out when they were drawn at home to BEC Tero Sasana in the League Cup first round. TTM originally hoped the tie could be played in Lopburi as it wasn’t a league game. That was quickly ruled

out though. They then said that the game could go ahead in Saraburi, but those plans were also rebuffed. Then Tero’s own stadium in Minburi was considered before they settled on the 60th Anniversary Stadium in Pathum Thani. They won’t have to go through that rigmarole again though as Tero soundly beat them 4-1.

TTM’s problems go beyond stadium issues though. Several members of last season’s squad made official complaints to the TPL to the effect that wages were still outstanding from 2012. Some of the unpaid players have accepted a settlement whilst a group of three is taking the club to court in an attempt to receive all of the outstanding earnings.

All in all it leaves one wondering why the club bothers to continue to exist at all.

Could it be that football is one final outpost where the company behind the club can continue to legally promote its name and therefore, albeit indirectly, its products?

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Barmy BG give Stubbins the boot

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LAST month’s column, which previewed the 2013 season, was partially out of date before the magazine even reached the shelves thanks to the latest goings on at Bangkok Glass.

The March column noted that coach Phil Stubbins “looks to put his stamp on the TPL’s biggest underachievers.” That won’t happen now though as BG and Stubbins parted company on March 6 in rather murky circumstances.

The team didn’t get off to the best start to the season as Stubbins oversaw an insipid performance and a 1-0 defeat away to Songkhla on the opening day – which turned out to be just three days before his departure – but no one expected him to go.

It was originally reported that Stubbins had been sacked. Then it was said he was being kicked upstairs into a ‘director of football’ role. The story now is that the parting was by “mutual consent,” though detail is still lacking.

Stubbins is said to be currently negotiating a settlement with BG. Meanwhile, on the pitch, the chasm between the club’s ambitions and the team’s efforts on the field continues to grow. The Glass Rabbits glass jaw and soft underbelly were again exposed as Regional League minnows Phrae dumped BG out of the League Cup in late March.

Thammasat Stadium

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PART six of our series is the first to look at a stadium outside Bangkok proper: the Thammasat Stadium at the Rangsit Campus of Thammasat University in Pathum Thani.

Like the Rajamangala National Stadium, Thammasat was purpose-built for the 1998 Asian Games. It was designed and constructed by Christiani & Nielsen, the same company that built the Democracy Monument. But whereas Rajamangala is all brutal, dominant, uncomplicated concrete, Thammasat is soothing steel and clever detail. It is best viewed from the outside where a network of crisscrossing beams, struts and wires clearly demonstrate exactly how the structure is held together. Also note the floodlights which seem to hold onto the outside of the stadium with outstretched limbs – giant praying mantises in metal form. Superbly engineered, there’s nothing quite like them at any other stadium in Thailand.

Within, and things are not quite so satisfactory. There are no fewer than forty vomitories (entrance and exit points) in the stands. If each large side-stand is ably served by ten vomitories, then why are ten required at each, much smaller, end? This profusion of exits produces a messy, cluttered effect when the stadium is empty.

This messiness is exacerbated in the

f o a i d a t S d n a l i a h T

main stand. Just over half of the stand is given over to spectator seating, but the other portion is taken up by a – surely far too large – press area and an athletics judges’ viewing box. These features give the stand a horribly uneven look. To the left and right are two near-identical uncovered ends.

The stand opposite the main stand is the same as that which it mirrors but without all the irritating intrusions, just

part

a large, covered bank of seating. The stadium was considerably brightened up last year thanks to the addition of red and yellow seats to both side stands in place of the previous grey, which are still in place at either end.

Thanks to the dazzling exterior, Thammasat is Thailand’s most architecturally compelling stadium.

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What’s On|Screen And Stereo

Movies & music May 1 Action

Iron Man 3

WHEN brash-but-brilliant industrialist Tony Stark/Iron Man (Robert Downey Jr) finds his personal world destroyed at his enemy’s hands, he embarks on a harrowing quest to find those responsible. Left to survive by his own devices, Stark discovers the answer to the question that has secretly haunted him: does the man make the suit or does the suit make the man?

Apr 11 Sci-Fi

Oblivion

A COURT martial sends veteran soldier Jack Harper (Tom Cruise) to a distant planet, where he is to destroy the remains of an alien race. The arrival of an unexpected traveler causes him to question what he knows about the planet, his mission, and himself.

Apr 11 Comedy

Vamps

MODERN-day vampires Goody (Alicia Silverstone) and Stacy (Krysten Ritter) are addicted to the night life - clubbing, hooking up and always looking for the next thrill. But even with lifetimes of dating experience behind them, the duo realizes they still have a lot to learn about love when Stacy unexpectedly falls for the son of a vampire hunter, and Goody runs into the man of her dreams from decades earlier.

May 9 Horror

Evil Dead

PROMISING to be “The most terrifying film you will ever experience,” this remake of the 1981 cult-hit horror film will once again see five twenty-something friends become holed up in a remote cabin. When they discover a Book of the Dead, they unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left to fight for survival.

Movie screenings are subject to change. Keep up to date at movieseer.com

Memory Lane

New Music My Shame is True Alkaline Trio

Save Rock and Roll Fall Out Boy

10 New Kids on the Block

#willpower Will.I.Am

Machineries of Joy British Sea Power

More Light Primal Scream

Mosquito Yeah Yeah Yeahs

Time Rod Stewart

(Release date: Apr 1)

(Release date: Apr 1)

(Release date: Apr 9)

(Release date: Apr 16)

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Topping the UK charts APR 1983

(Release date: Apr 16)

(Release date: Apr 23)

(Release date: May 6)

(Release date: May 7)

1. Spandau Ballet – True 2. New Edition – Candy Girl 3. Heaven 17– Temptation 4. F R David – Words 5. Culture Club – Church Of The Poison Mind 6. Human League – (Keep Feeling) Fascination 7. Beat – Can’t Get Used To Losing You 8. Michael Jackson – Beat It 9. Galaxy featuring Phil Fearon – Dancing Tight 10. Elton John – I Guess That’s Why They Call It The Blues

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WHAT’S ON BARGAINS GALORE

Tradeshows Until Apr 7 Impact

Three shows in one

BRINGING together the Furniture Show 2013, Fashion & Jewelry Show 2013, and Bangkok Wedding Show 2013, this huge event is a must visit for shoppers looking for any products within these categories. Open each day 11am-9pm.www.worldfair.co.th

Until Apr 7 Impact

Bangkok International Motor Show

VIEW top of the range vehicles from some of the world’s leading brands at this always popular motor show.

Open weekdays Noon-10pm; weekends 11am-10pm. www.bangkok-motorshow.com

Until Apr 8 QSNCC

National Book Fair and Bangkok International Book Fair

BOOK lovers will find a myriad of premium quality local and international books at the 41st National Book Fair and 11th Bangkok International Book Fair 2013, hosted by the Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand (PUBAT). Open each day 10am-9pm. www.thailandbookfair.com

Apr 19 – 23 BITEC

BIG+BIH

BRINGING together a wide

range of products and services, this popular shopping fair will once again feature a tantalizing selection of gifts, decorative items, home textiles, stationery, toys, handicrafts, household products, and more. www.bigandbih.com

Apr 20 – 28 QSNCC

Furniture Grand Sale

FIND everything you need to deck out your condo or home with a wide range of furniture of all kinds – all on offer at special prices. Open each day 10am-8pm. www.homeshow.co.th

Apr 25 – 28 QSNCC

Thailand Online Expo

OVER 300 booths will display cutting-edge services and technologies offered at event-only low prices. Adding to the offerings will be a program of seminars, conducted by renowned experts, covering over 10 hot online topics. Open each day 10am-8pm. www.thailandonlineexpo.com

Apr 27 – May 6 BITEC

ers, the event will bring together numerous reputable real estate operators offering all kinds of properties in various locations, including ready-to-live-in houses, condominiums, commercial buildings, and resort & golf course projects, all in a variety of price ranges. Experts from leading banks and financial institutions will be on hand to offer purchase guidance and tips. Open each day 10am-8pm. www.housecondoshow.com

May 16 – 19 QSNCC

Thailand Travel and Dive Expo

EXPECT travel deals and accommodation packages galore at this big exhibition specially arranged to boost tourism within the kingdom.

As well as deals to great destinations for diving, the event also features a good selection of packages tailored to golfers and spa enthusiasts.

Open each day 10am-8pm. www.thailanddiveexpo.com

May 23 – 26 QSNCC

Shopping Power Buy Expo Paradise Fair 2013 A SHOPAHOLIC’S dream ELECTRONIC appliances and IT products from over 200 leading brands go on sale at special prices at Power Buy’s annual sale. www.powerbuy.co.th

May 9 – 12 QSNCC

House and Condo Show

come true, this shopping extravaganza features a wide range of products (fashion, beauty, gifts, decorative items, gadgets, electronics, and much more) all on offer at specially reduced prices. Open each day 10am-8pm. www.mac-exhibition.com

May 23 – 26 QSNCC

Thailand Mobile Expo

LOOKING to upgrade your mobile? You’ll find plenty of options to choose from at this big fair, which features handsets and accessories from the world’s leading brands.

Alongside viewing the mobile phones, you can explore new software in the Software Zone, check out cool new speakers and peripherals in the Hardware Zone, and learn more about mobile technology and trends in the Meeting and Conference Zone. Open each day 10am-8pm. www.thailandmobileexpo.com

May 25 – June 2 BITEC

Home & Décor

HEAD here and you’ll not only find great deals on furniture and home decorative items, but also on home electronic appliances, health and spa products, fashion and jewelry, and more. www.worldfair.co.th

The details: • Impact Convention Center, Muang Thong Thani, 99 Popular Road, Banmai Subdistrict, Pakkred District, Nonthaburi. Tel: 02 833 4455 www. impact.co.th • BITEC, 88 Bangna-Trad Road (Km.1), Bangna, Bangkok. Tel: 02 749 3939 www.bitec.co.th • Queen Sirikit National Convention Center, 60 New Rachadapisek Road, Klongtoey, Bangkok. Tel: 02 229 3000 www.qsncc.co.th

AIMED at new home hunt-

READ THE BIGCHILLI FOR FREE ONLINE www.issuu.com/thebigchilli www.thebigchilli.com

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Entertainment|Humour

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Send your jokes to thebigchillimagazine@gmail.com

Just for fun

Entertainment|Humour

Jokes JOKE OF THE MONTH

SCOUTING TALENT

HTS THOUG E H OF T MONTH

AN army fort in the Wild West is about to be attacked by renegades. The captain sends for his trustiest Indian scout. “Use all your tracking skills to estimate the sort of war party we’re up against,” orders the captain. The scout lays own and puts his ear to the ground. “Big war party,” he says. “One hundred braves in warpaint. Two chiefs: one on a black horse, one on a white mare. Also a medicine man with a limp.”

“Good God!” exclaims the captain. “You can tell all this by listening to the ground?” No, sir,” replies the scout.

“I’m looking under the gate.”

BUSINESS AT A GLAN CE

HELIUM was up, feathers w ere down. Pape was stationary r . Fluorescent tubing was dimmed in lig ht trading. Kni ves were up sh ly. Pencils lost arpa few points. E levators rose, while escalato rs continued th eir slow declin Mining equipm e. ent hit rock bo ttom. Diapers remained unch anged. Balloon prices were inflated. Scott T issue touche d a new botto m.

1. What was the rush to get to space? We landed a man on the Moon before someone thought about putting wheels on a suitcase – Karl Pilkington 2. I had this really strange dream last night, in which I just kept repeating, “Hobbit, Hobbit, Hobbit!” My wife said I’d been Tolkien in my sleep.

3. I went to an Usher concert the other day. It was very disappointing. Not once did he show anyone to their assigned seats.

4. I was working in a supermarket deli when a Greek girl came in and said, “Do you have any Feta cheese?” I replied, “I’m quite into gimp masks and bondage.”

5. I’m selling my pet python on eBay. Some bloke just rang up and asked, “Is it big?” I said, “Massive.” He said, “How many feet?” I said, “None, it’s a snake.”

FIGHTING TALK IT’S A GAS

A MAN walks into the doctor’s.

“Doctor, I’m suffering from silent gas emissions. All day at work I have these silent gas emissions.

Last night during a movie I had 10 silent gas emissions. On my way to the office I had five silent gas emissions. And while sitting in your waiting room I had three silent gas emissions. As a matter of fact, I’ve just had two more.” The doctor replies: “Well, the first thing we’re going to do is check your hearing.”

AN admiral is standing on the deck of his battleship when the enemy is spotted on the horizon.

“Fetch my red shirt,” says the admiral to a nearby midshipman. “If I’m wounded fighting this enemy ship I don’t want the men to see that I’m bleeding.” “Excuse me, sir,” says the midshipman, “but it’s not one ship, there are fi fteen.” “In that case,” replies the admiral, “forget the shirt and pick up my brown trousers.”

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Social  Last month’s best events in pictures

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

MOVERS & SHAKERS’ PATTAYA NIGHT The first quarterly Movers & Shakers charity networking night in Pattaya was a huge success, with over 240 guests turning up at the Holiday Inn Pataya’s Havana Bar to enjoy a night of drinks, eats and conversation by the beach.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

BACARDI NAMES ITS WINNER

THE Bacardi Legacy Cocktail Competition returned for the second year running to put the country’s top bartenders to the test in a series of specially tailored events and exams.

Claiming the top spot this year was Ms.Suwincha Singsuwa (Chacha) from The St. Regis Bar.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

E-type and Triumphs at Life & Style party THE grounds of the British Embassy were the venue for the annual Life & Style Garden Party showcasing the best of British culture. Presided over by Ambassador Mark Kent, the party featured all kinds of food and beverages, live music and a spectacular display of new and vintage British cars, including a pristine Jaguar E-type from the 1960s loaned

by Mr Gary Biesty. Also on show were the latest Triumph motorcycles.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

BELGIAN ROYALS ATTEND CHAMBER ANNIVERSARY

In the presence of HRH Prince Philippe of Belgium and Princess Mathilde of Belgium, more than 600 guests attended the 20th anniversary of the Belgium-Luxembourg/Thai Chamber of Commerce at the Grand Hyatt Erawan. Prince Philippe gave the keynote address while Dr Surin Pitsuwan, Secretary-General of Association of Southeast Asian Nations, spoke about his vision of the ASEAN.

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Rotary golf for charity ROTARY Club of Bangkok South recently held its annual charity golf day at Thana City with over 160 golfers taking part.  The event sponsors were Kingdom Property and in excess of 700,000 baht was raised for the Club’s charity projects.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

SALLY HONORED AT IRISH BALL POPULAR expatriate Sally Voravorn was honored at the annual St Patrick’s Society Emerald Ball for the 50 years she has spent on the society committee in Thailand. Recognition of this astonishing achievement was one of the many highlights of this annual event, held this year at the Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel.

Providing the live music were the all-lady band Unicorn from Titanium, and the Beatlenuts. Proceeds went to the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, whose children put on a traditional Irish dance show.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

CHOICE PARTY AT VIE

VIE Hotel Bangkok celebrated the launch of new Thai movie “Choice” with a special party attended by the film’s stars, Way Thaitanium and Bank Clash. Held at the hotel’s fashion-forward VIE Bar, the event was also attended by many Thai celebs, actors and actresses.

NOVOTEL SAYS THANKS David Baldwin, General Manager of Novotel Bangkok on Siam Square, together with his sales team, recently hosted a Thai-themed ‘Our Thanks…

Your Night’ party at the hotel’s Concept CM2 nightclub to thank the hotel’s loyal clients and suppliers for their valued support throughout 2012. Highlights of the event included a performance by Thai diva Nadda Viyakarn, as well as many fun events and games.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

ALL IRISH AT THE PINTSMAN LIVE rockabilly music by “Trix OTreat” and lots of green-coloured drinks set the scene for a great night of partying when The Pintsman pub on Silom Road celebrated St. Patrick’s Day. For details about the pub’s upcoming events and deals see www.facebook.com/ thepintsman

BEERVAULT GOES GREEN FOUR Points by Sheraton Sukhumvit 15’s popular pub celebrated St’ Patrick’s Day with a week of parties fuelled by drinks such as Dirty Hoe and Black Velvet and Irish eats like Guinness stew. Guests also had a chance to win some great prizes from a ‘Leprechaun’s Lucky Dip.’

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IT’S ALL FUN AT ST PATRICK’S SHINDIG Members and friends of Bangkok’s Irish community enjoyed a St Patrick’s Shindig at the JW Marriott Hotel, with lots of good food from the Emerald Isle, endless pints of Guinness and hours of craic. Top Irish golfer Paul McGinley was the guest of honour.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

Everybody’s Shuffling Bangkok foodies turned up in large numbers for the grand opening of Shuffle Rustic Cuisine and Bar, located at Rain Hill Community Mall, Sukhumvit 47. The party, hosted by Krisada Chintakananda, Managing Director of Good Gourmet Co., Ltd., featured lots of free helpings of the restaurant’s American-inspired food.

Hotel talent at Starwood

Starwood Hotels & Resorts in Thailand recently organized and participated in the Starwood Asia Pacific Recruitment Day, an innovative division-wide event attracting top talent interested in hospitality across multiple functions in Starwood properties. The event was led

by Mr.Lothar Pehl, Senior Vice President Operations and Global Initiatives of Starwood Hotels & Resorts Asia Pacific, together with all General Managers from the brand’s 11 properties in Thailand.

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Disney magic at Ramada As the Official Partner of Disney On Ice 2013, the Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside Bangkok organized a special Sunday Brunch at The Terrace@72 Buffet Restaurant, where diners had the chance to meet their favourite characters from Disney On Ice! Princesses & Heroes.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

WINE PUB TURNS SIX The popular Wine Pub at Pullman Bangkok King Power celebrated its sixth anniversary in style with a night of free-flow wines and nibbles, and a mini concert by Viyada ‘Tuk’ Komarakul Na Nakorn.

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THE BIG 10 FOR CONRAD CONRAD Bangkok celebrated its 10th anniversary with an elegant party entitled “The Luxury of Being Yourself.� The event attracted over 400 loyal Conrad guests which included corporate professionals, Thai celebrities, and representatives from multiple embassies.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

River Kwai Adventure The River Kwai Trophy International 2013 saw athletes from all around the world descending on Kanchanaburi to tackle a grueling mix of biking, running, swimming, and kayaking, in a one day adventure race. Organized by Active Management, the race began at the world-renowned Bridge Over the River Kwai and passed through scenic trails and farmland.

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Rocking entertainment at Aloft Motorhead’s Motorheadphones made their first foray into the Asian market by launching in Thailand with a special event held at Aloft Bangkok – Sukhumvit 11. Rock loving Thai celebs were out in force for the party, which featured a DJ set by DJ Cleo.

Siam@Siam’s cocktail spectacular

COCKTAIL fans were given a boozy treat at Siam@Siam Design Hotel & Spa last month, when Mr Aizu Toshiaki, the winning bartender from popular Japanese television show ‘TV Champion,’ took control of the bar at Bar Eleven to create innovative cocktails such as the hotel’s new signature concoction, “Siam@Siam Returner.”

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Social|Around Last Month’s town Best Events

Uniqlo heading to Chiang Mai

Accor introduces two hotels in one

Accor announced the opening of the Group’s latest Bangkok properties, Mercure Bangkok Siam and ibis Bangkok Siam, at a media reception showcasing each property’s highlights. The hotels, both newly built, are situated within the same building in the central Siam area. With 189 guestrooms each, the two hotels provide a total of 378 international-standard rooms that cater to business and leisure travellers alike

PROMENADA Resort Mall Chiang Mai announced its partnership with UNIQLO, Japan’s leading apparel retailer, which will open its first store in Thailand’s Northern region on 7 June 2013. Chiang Mai shoppers can expect to see the latest LifeWear collection which was recently launched in Bangkok, as well as T-shirts produced in collaboration with world famous designers and artists.

Steve Jobs immortalized in wax APPLE founder and IT genius, the late Steve Jobs, has been immortalized in a new wax statue that’s now on display at Madame Tussaud’s Bangkok until June 15. The figure was unveiled in a special ceremony conducted

by Mr Noppadon Prapimpunt, Head of Bangkok Cluster, Merlin Entertainments Group, together with IT TV host Chatpawee Trichachawanwong.

Singapore on song

SINGAPORE Tourism Board (STB) launched a music video for the song “The Last Single” – written and sung by Stamp Apiwat Eurthavornsuk and directed by director Es Komkrit Triwimol. As a sequel to the story in the music video, a three-episode online series named Infinite Love will also be released. Both the music video and online series will showcase Singapore’s iconic sights and attractions, and unveil hidden gems not commonly known to the Thailand traveller.

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SBrand celebrates at Siam@Siam

KLA Kitchakarn, Managing Director of Siam@Siam Design Hotel & Spa, and Sanya Saengboon, the hotel’s Executive Director and General Manager, joined with Pinit Krisanavanit, General Manager of Mode Sathorn Hotel managed by Siam@Siam, to congratulate Pranai Phornprapha, Managing Director of Siam SBrand Co.Ltd, on the occasion of his company’s first anniversary.

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Diplomats p Meet the people uniting nations

HE Michelangelo Pipan

The Italian Ambassador talks about his country’s relationship with Thailand Page 118

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Diplomats

HE Michelangelo Pipan|Italy

Italian connection in Thailand built on artistic foundations HE Michelangelo Pipan talks about his time in the kingdom and reveals how some of Bangkok’s most famous landmarks were

By Maxmilian Wechsler designed and built by his fellow countrymen

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IT’S a veritable Little Italy when you visit the Italian Embassy on the 40th floor of CRC Tower on Wireless Road. The language here is Italian, even amongst the Thai staff.

“There are about 30 people working at the embassy including local staff,” explained the Ambassador, HE Michelangelo Pipan. “All Thai personnel can speak Italian. It is a condition of employment. They are working mostly at the consular or in the economic sections.

“We moved from the old embassy on Nang Lynchee Road to here in 2011. This location is much better and more convenient due to mass transport systems and for other reasons. We designed the interior according to our specifications.”

Italy’s influence on Thailand is sometimes overlooked, and yet it is significant in many areas, particularly in terms of architecture. Italian architects and builders are responsible for some of Bangkok’s most impressive buildings such as the Apisek Throne Hall, Audience Hall at Phya Thai Royal Residence, Hua Lamphong railway station and even Villa Norasingh (now the Government House).

An Italian sculptor, Corrado Feroci, lived here for many years, eventually taking on Thai citizenship. His Thai name, Silpa Bhisari, is now synonymous with great architectural projects like the Democracy and Victory monuments in Bangkok.

“Diplomatic relations between Italy and Siam were established on October 3, 1868 when both countries agreed to the Treaty of Friendship, Commerce and Navigation. We will celebrate the 150th anniversary in five years’ time,” he said.

The Ambassador explained that when His Majesty King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) went to Europe for the first time in 1897, his first stop was Venice in Italy. The King established very good relations with Queen Elena and the Italian Royal House, and became a great fan of Italian art. He invited Italian artists, architects and engineers to Siam, and their work endures.

In 1898, the Siamese Ministry of Public Works hired Italian architects and builders to design and supervise construction

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of numerous landmarks. In addition to those mentioned above, Italians were responsible for the Makawan Rangsan Bridge (completed in 1900); Amporn Sathan Royal Villa (1902); Ananta Samakhon Throne Hall (1908); Royal Turf Club (1921); and Mrigadayavan Palace (1923).

“If you go to my home town of Turin,” said the Ambassador, “you will see a railway station that resembles Hua Lamphong, only bigger. Many of the Italians involved in the construction of Hua Lamphong were from Turin.”

The strong links that blossomed between Italy and Siam at the turn of the 20th century were very much shaped by the arts, and that Italian influence contributed to the transformation of the old Bangkok into a contemporary capital city; other Italians

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who came to Siam in those days contributed to the creation of the military academy and the country’s first military band.

“This is a very good legacy for us to build upon. In fact, we had a very big exhibition in 2008 featuring the work and personal history of Galileo Chini, who painted all the frescos in the Ananta Samakhon Throne Hall. We are most likely going to have another exhibition on Chini this year.”

The Ambassador said that aside from artistic considerations, Siam cultivated relations with Italy and other European powers at that time because it was under pressure from the French on the east border and the British on the west, and the former Kings were keen to establish friendly relationships with other European countries, particularly those without colonial aspirations in this part of the world.

The road from Turin to Thailand “I come from Turin, the first capital of Italy and a town famous for its Fiat factory and car designers among other things,” added Mr Pipan. “We hosted the Winter Olympics in 2006, and Turin is also well-known for its universities and strong scientific traditions that produced many physicists, mathematicians, and medical doctors of world renown. Moreover, Turin is the capital of Piedmont, the region of famous wines (Barolo, Barbera, Asti Spumante) and of the celebrated Alba truffle.

“I have been a career diplomat for the last past 35 years, and have been posted in many countries all around the world, not confined to a particular region. I think having a wide range of experiences gives you a better perspective professionally.

“I arrived in Thailand as Ambassador in August 2009, but I’d been here before when I was posted in the Philippines. I used to go through Bangkok on my way back to Italy. Of course the place has changed a lot,” he remarked.

“My first posting abroad was in the Philippines back in 1981.

Then I was in Vienna and Nairobi. I was in London in the mid ’90s. Of course, in between various postings I served at the Ministry in Rome.

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“My last overseas assignment before Thailand was as Ambassador to Georgia. I opened the Italian Embassy in Tbilisi in February 2000, which was quite an experience. This has probably been my most challenging post. It is one of the small countries emerging from the shadow of the former Soviet Union, and the economic situation at that time was very bad. Likewise, security was a problem and the power supply was very erratic; the same is true of petrol. The roads were very bad…I could go on, but in fact it was a very good experience because the country is beautiful and the people are really very nice.

“Because they lived in relative isolation for so many years under Soviet rule, they were really keen to meet foreigners, and they have a special passion for Italian culture. They actually had a very good educational system, so they were very eager to have a chance to savour some of the activities we organized, or just to talk about cultural things.

“After leaving Tbilisi I was back in Rome for a while, in charge of the 2006 Winter Olympic Games in Turin for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. All the aspects of protocol for the games, like taking care of visiting heads of state, were under my responsibility. Later I was diplomatic adviser to the Mayor of Rome, which was an extremely interesting job, given the high international profile of the city,” said Mr Pipan.

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Reaching out to Thailand The Ambassador spoke extensively of his duties in Thailand and of the relations between the two countries. “As all my colleagues do, I look after the embassy, I meet visitors from Italy, businessmen and others. I plan activities, coordinate the work of my colleagues and prepare reports.

“Above all, I try to reach out to the Thai society as much as possible, relating with authorities, business people and academia, entertaining guests in my Residence, organizing our annual Cultural Festival, which is becoming more popular every year, with a range of activities, from a festival of the most recent Italian films to concerts and exhibitions.

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Diplomats

HE Michelangelo Pipan|Italy

“One aspect of our culture I am very keen to promote is the scientific/technological one, and I make sure we offer the Thai public an insight into some of our achievements in these fields through lectures and conferences.

“Italy and Thailand enjoy an excellent relationship. Trade has been thriving and growing in recent years, and has reached its record in 2011 with over US$4 billion, but there is plenty of room for improvement. Our main export items, which grew 4.8% last year, are high-tech products, such as machine tools, instruments and chemicals/pharmaceuticals, while we import products like jewelry, air conditioning units, computer parts and frozen food.

“A few Italian manufacturing companies have established themselves in Thailand. For example, Danieli, a market leader in its sector, manufactures whole steel plants and exports them.

They design and build them here, and they also employ quite a number of Thai engineers, which is a good thing. Ducati

recently opened their first plant for producing their famous motorcycles outside Italy with an eye on the ASEAN market and have recorded excellent results from the outset.”

When asked to compare the presence of Italy in Thailand with that of other European nations, the Ambassador said: “We are not much different in terms of trade, and we do have some large investments in Thailand, though probably not as many as Germany or France. Certainly there’s room for expansion.

We believe that the ASEAN region has a very bright economic future, and we think that Thailand is a very good springboard for our presence in this area. So we are trying to attract the attention of Italian businesses about the opportunities offered

by Thailand.

“As for tourism, there are many Italians coming to Thailand, almost 300,000 a year. This seems like a small amount compared to the number of visitors from northern Europe, many from smaller countries than Italy. This may be because in Italy we have plenty of beaches and sun, which are what draw many northern Europeans here. But Italians come here primarily for the culture and because the people are so friendly.

A growing number of Thais visit Italy nowadays and we issue

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“

This is true of the euro currency as well − the euro is here to stay, and it is sometimes a little disappointing to see the way it is perceived in this part of the world because the information may not be first hand.

“

about 30,000 visas a year.

“There is quite a sizeable Italian population living in Thailand, close to 4,000 people, who are registered with the embassy. We estimate that there is almost a similar number that spend the better part of the year in the country.”

Mr Pipan said that although his work usually keeps him in Bangkok, he very much enjoys travelling around the country and does so fairly often. “I think in order to know the social, economic and cultural aspects of a country well you have to travel. I have been in the North several times and visited the border regions around Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Pai, Chiang Rai and other places, including the refugee camps. As for the South, I have visited the area quite extensively, including Phuket and Krabi, which are very beautiful. I have been to cities in the Northeast as well and visited various industrial areas on the Eastern Seaboard.

“I have had only good experiences here. The most memorable event I witnessed was the Royal Barge Procession along the Chao Phraya River on November 9 last year. This was a really remarkable sight.

“Thailand gets under your skin,” said the Ambassador. “It is an easy going, friendly country and life is very pleasant. The combination of the natural and cultural richness with these things, especially the people, is very important.”

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In his spare time Mr Pipan likes to play golf, meet with friends and does a lot of reading. “I also like to take photos, especially when I travel. My favourite sport, actually my passion, is skiing. I have been skiing since I was young, as my home town is next to the mountains. If you ask me how I can cope with living in a tropical country, so far away from my favourite element, the answer is simple: I take my holidays during the European winter, so I can ski!”

Global economy is win-win Asked whether Europe is in decline and will be eclipsed by Asia, the ambassador replied: “I don’t really like this way of putting things, but of course, Asia is on the rise. It has a great human capital, it has a lot of thrust for growth; but at the same time Europe is strong thanks to its own special qualities. European countries excel in services, technology, production of various specialized goods, and these things are here to stay.

“This is true of the euro currency as well − the euro is here to stay, and it is sometimes a little disappointing to see the way it is perceived in this part of the world because the information may not be first hand. Sometimes the information that comes through other channels has a slant which is not right. The euro is very strong and deep in the minds of Europeans.

“I was reading just today some articles about the global supply chain. It is not as if suddenly everything will be produced in one part of the world and not in another and all the trade will be one-sided. Many products nowadays are comprised of many components which are produced in a variety of locations and put together in one place. So, many countries specialize in producing not the final product, but rather the components. Take Thailand, which specializes in producing hard disk drives. It is the world’s largest supplier, which is why the price of computers around the world went up when you had the floods here.

“Very few goods are really produced in a single country. This is a worldwide market where ideally everybody is in a position to profit and to thrive. In the present so-called globalized world, your advantage is my advantage and vice versa. If I do well, you do well. China needs a thriving Europe and US. Every country contributes to wealth and to security and there’s an advantage for everybody. I am quite convinced of this and hope that it will usher a future of shared prosperity and stability.”

He is confident that Italy can upgrade its presence in Asia, and sees a lot of opportunities to do so. “We are working in order to achieve it. For example, last year our minister of foreign affairs invited his counterparts from all ASEAN nations to attend a meeting with business and associations in Italy in order to present the opportunities in this part of the world to them. It was a very successful event.

“Former Prime Minister Mario Monti met with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra at the 9th Asia-Europe Summit (ASEM-9) held in Vientiane, Lao PDR in November. They agreed that facilitating business to business in various sectors is an important and necessary step.”

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Italian food in Thailand The influence of Italian architecture is prominent in Bangkok, and the same is true of Italian cuisine. What is the ambassador’s take on Italian food here? “I know good and even excellent Italian restaurants in Bangkok with very authentic, contemporary and interesting menus, and quality ingredients. Pizza and spaghetti are of course on offer, but there is much more.

However, he added, just putting spaghetti on the menu doesn’t make it authentic. This means the restaurant must have

H.E. Michelangelo Pipan in focus • Ambassador Michelangelo Pipan was born in Turin on 25 January 1949 and has a Degree in Law from the University of Turin (1972).

• Fellowship from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs at the ISPI (Institute for Studies in International Politics) in 1975/76. Entered the Foreign Service by public examination on 4 May 1978 and after the course at the Diplomatic Institute, at the Office for Asia at the Department for Economic Affairs.

• First diplomatic posting in Manila as Second (later First) Secretary from 15 March 1981; Charge d’Affairs for nearly a year, from September 1981 to August 1982. Promoted to First Secretary, on 1 June 1983 he was transferred to Vienna, where he worked mainly in the multilateral sector.

• Deputy Head of Mission and Acting Counsellor in Nairobi from 27 June 1986, he was promoted to Counsellor on 1 May 1988.

After returning to Rome in September 1989 he headed the Office of the Department for Development and Cooperation responsible for cooperation in education, training and cultural heritage.

• Counsellor in London from 27 April 1993, handling the cultural and political sectors. Promoted to the rank of First Counsellor on 1 January 1996 and on September 9 of that year he was posted to the Ministry of Public Education, University, Scientific and Technologic Research, as Diplomatic Advisor for International Affairs of the Hon. Minister.

• Posted in Tbilisi on 15 February 2000 where he opened the Embassy of Italy and stayed as Ambassador until May 2003. Upon his return he was appointed Head of multilateral events, Department of Protocol, handling among others the organization of the signing Ceremony of the European Constitutional Treaty and was then responsible for coordinating the activities of the Ministry in relation to the Winter Olympics in Turin.

• Promoted to the rank of Minister Plenipotentiary on 2 January 2005. Starting in July 2007 he served at the City of Rome as Diplomatic Adviser of the Mayor. Returning to the Ministry in April 2008 he took up the position of Coordinator for the Olympic Games in Beijing. From November 2008 he was also entrusted with the position of Coordinator of economic and cultural initiatives in Japan.

• Ambassador Michelangelo Pipan is married to Mrs. Laila Novello (architect) and they have one son, Tommaso, born on 28 August 1980. an Italian chef and use authentic Italian ingredients.

“There’s a very interesting initiative from the Italian government to certify Italian restaurants abroad which offer genuine Italian ingredients in their dishes, like if they use Parmesan cheese from Italy, real Parma ham, mozzarella and extra virgin olive oil that has been flown from Italy. This applies also to the wines. Only restaurants offering a high percentage of authentic ingredients are certified,” said the ambassador.

When asked which Bangkok Italian restaurant is his favourite, Mr Pipan said: “It is hard to say and in any case I don’t want to make enemies or to advertise. I think that the public in Bangkok knows where the better Italian restaurants are. The awareness of Thai consumers about Italian food is in fact proven by the easy availability of excellent Italian food products in big department stores,” he added.

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Travel

p Deals and news from Thailand’s hottest destinations

Centara Grand at CentralWorld is welcoming the summer season with a deal. See page 140.

Mate’s Rates

Friends or family visiting Bangkok? Let them know about these deals!

Page 140

Hua Hin

Read more about the town’s best resorts and restaurants Page 126

Pattaya

A round up of hot news and deals from the Eastern Seaboard Page 136 TheBigChilli 123

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Travel|Bangkok Villas for less in Phang Nga

GLOW Elixir Koh Yai Resort in Phang Nga launches its ‘Island Discovery’ promotion this month, offering accommodation in a Superior Villa plus breakfast for two at B3,000 per night. Valid for stays between Apr 20-Oct 31. The resort is located 15 km east of Phuket (30 mins by speedboat).

Bangkok

and Beyond

☎087 808 3838 email: rsvn.kohyaoyai@glowbyzinc.com

Samui Fine Dining Festival

THE third annual Samui Fine Dining Festival, which kick-started on March 1, draws to a close at the end of this month.

If you’re heading to the island make sure you check out participating restaurants where you’ll find special six-course gourmet menus offered at wallet-friendly festival prices – ranging from just B2,800 to B3,500. : samuifinediningfestival.com

Phuket’s top chefs cook for charity

Yasothon Bun Bang Fai Rocket Festival (May 11-12)

THIS ancient local festival in Phaya Thaen Park, Yasothon Province, is associated with Thai traditional beliefs in the supernatural powers that help promote the production of rice crops for the coming planting season. During the festival, the locals dress up in colourful costumes and head to the park to launch home-made rockets – a noisy and vibrant spectacle which they hope will please the rain gods into providing them with plentiful rain for rice cultivation. : tourismthailand.org

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SIX top chefs from some of Phuket’s premier resorts and restaurants are joining forces for the annual “Six of the Best” charity dinner at ‘Millionaire’s Mile’ hideaway, Paresa Resort, in aid of underprivileged women and girls.

Held on May 25, the event will see each chef creating one dish each for a six-course gala dinner matched with fine wine.

The resorts and restaurants participating in the 2013 event are Paresa Resort, Anantara Resort, The Pullman Arcadia Resort, Taste Restaurant in Surin, Vset Restaurant, and Joes Downstairs restaurant.

The team of chefs is being supported by their suppliers who will donate all the menu ingredients and wine – ensuring all proceeds go to “The Good Shepherd Sisters” charity.

Songkran with an Isaan twist

IF you thought the Thai New Year’s celebrations in Bangkok were big, wait until you see the watery fun in Isaan.

From Apr 13-15, head North East to Isaan’s renowned Khao Niao Road (Si Chan Road area) and you’ll find a whole host of cultural activities and attractions to enjoy, such as merit making, flower wagon contests, demonstrations and sales of OTOP products, and, of course, the customary water throwing. : tourismthailand.org

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Travel|Hua Hin

Gourmet golf at Banyan Golf Club

ENJOY a round of golf followed by a gourmet dinner with wine on Sat Apr 20 at Banyan Golf Club. Tee times from 12.30pm. B4,200 for golf and dinner, B2,100 for dinner only. :banyanthailand.com

School Holiday deals at Hyatt Regency

UNTIL May 15, Hyatt Regency Hua Hin is offering special School Holiday rates starting at B5,500++ per night. The offer includes one night’s accommodation in a Hyatt Guestroom with daily international buffet breakfast for two adults and one child (under six years old), a welcome drink upon arrival, participation in a variety of recreational activities (such as Carp Feeding, the Basics of Thai Boxing, Beach Volleyball and Water Aerobics) a free welcome gift for children (one set per room), and 50% discount on buffet breakfast for kids aged 7 - 12. Children can enjoy the hotel’s Camp Hyatt while parents relax and enjoy themselves. :huahin.regency.hyatt.com

Intercontinental launches Royal Hua Hin Wedding Packages New in town!

Le Bistro

GOURMET French cuisine is the order of the day at this new French restaurant which prides itself on offering authentic cuisine made using only the finest imported and local ingredients. A sign of how far they’re going to create the real Français experience – even the butter that’s served with the freshly baked bread (a basket free with every order) comes from La Rochelle, near Bordeaux.

We’ll review the restaurant in a future issue of the BigChilli, but in the meantime we’ll leave you with a little food for thought: Duck leg confit cottage pie, black truffle olive oil (B450). Try it and you won’t be disappointed.

214 Phetkasaem Road

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☎ 032 900 143

New in town!

Front Café

BAAN Laksasubha Resort’s new coffee shop serves up a delicious range of home-made cakes and cookies and keeps tiredness at bay with its freshly brewed Lavazza coffee. Open from 10am-9pm, it also serves daily brunch, lunch and dinner specials, gourmet fresh toasted sandwich wraps, a nice selection of hot and cold pastas, salads and more. Sit in air-conditioned comfort or out on the terrace watching the world go by. Free wifi for all guests.

Baan Laksasubha Resort Hua Hin, 53/7 Naresdamri Road, Hua Hin Tel: 03 2514 525-3 :baanlaksasubha.com

InterContinental Hua Hin Resort now offers two new packages for couples looking to tie the knot – The Beachside Vow Ceremony and the Authentic Thai Water Blessing Ceremony.

Guests choosing the Beachside Vow Ceremony make their vows under an impressive floral arch, where a bottle of the finest Champagne and a three tier wedding cake await.

The Authentic Thai Water Blessing Ceremony is presided over by nine monks and features a long drum procession, floral decorations, a choice of wedding cake or traditional Thai dessert platters, and a Sai Mongkhol for the bride and groom.

Both packages include a stay in a Grande Deluxe Room, a candlelit dinner, a sixty minute massage, and in-room champagne breakfast.

Both packages are priced at B170,000. :intercontinental.com/huahin

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Hua Hin

Resort review|Baan Laksasubha

Review

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Baan Laksasubha Resort Superbly located and bursting with character, this lovely resort is a must visit

IN an age obsessed with international branding and the standardization of the accommodation experience, it’s wonderfully refreshing when you come across a familyrun resort such as Baan Laksasubha, which manages to offer a five-star accommodation experience without sacrificing any of its unique Thai character.

Steeped in history, the resort stands today on a foundation of prime beachfront lands first discovered in the early 1900s by HRH Prince Nares, who established the first Royal Residence & Bungalows (known at that time as Sansamran – Sukaves) and actually gave Hua Hin its name.

Since then, the land has been passed down through the family generations to HRH Prince Nares’s great granddaughter, ML Laksasubha Kridakon, who first developed a holiday home here in 1994, and then opened the resort in December 2007.

A well-seasoned traveler with a keen eye for detail, ML Laksasubha is renowned for her bubbly personality and passion to get things just right.

This translates into an accommodation experience that surprises guests with something new on every visit – including recent additions such as a beachfront infinity swimming pool, and the cute and cozy ‘Front Café,’ which is open to outside guests and serves brunch, Lavazza coffee, home-made cookies and cakes, and light bites, daily from 10am-9pm.

Superbly located in the heart of Hua Hin’s main beach, the resort offers a choice of five room types, from two and three bedroom Garden and Veranda villas to Studio apartments, all set within beautifully manicured gardens and equipped with all the mod-cons you could need. (Room rates vary depending on room type and season, so it’s best to

Baan Laksasubha Resort Hua Hin, 53/7 Naresdamri Road, Hua Hin

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call the resort for the latest prices).

At the sands edge, the resort’s Oceanfront Restaurant serves up a wide range of international and Thai dishes (don’t miss the Pork green curry – spicy and delicious!), available to eat outdoors overlooking the beach or in air-conditioned comfort, and which can be washed down with a good selection of beers, wines, and cocktails from the Beachfront L Bar. You can also enjoy drinks by the side of the Central Pool Bar, which is located in the heart of the resort by a swimming pool surrounded by lush plant life.

Taking the best bits of western hotel philosophy and blending it with Thailand’s world-renowned hospitality, Baan Laksasubha ultimately provides an accommodation experience that’s got plenty of heart and character – just like the lady the resort is named after.

☎ 03 2514 525-3 :baanlaksasubha.com

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Hua Hin

Dining out|La Paillote

Review

La Paillote French Restaurant

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This longtime expat favourite continues to wow diners with its generous portions of hearty French cuisine

FOR just over eight years this cozy bistrostyle restaurant has been satiating diners’ appetites with some of the best-value French food to be found in Hua Hin. Owner and chef Gaston Pousset, a Belgian businessman with a love of the finer things in life – namely delicious food and golf – is one of the most generous men you’re ever likely to meet. Heaven knows how he makes a profit with the hefty portions he puts out – hungerbusting treats made with high quality ingredients and cooked with care and skill

by Gaston and his trusty sidekick chefs.

Featuring an outdoor terrace and an indoor dining room open on two sides, the restaurant has a modern-yet-homely feel thanks not just to its design (exposed brickwork, shelves stocked with novels and magazines, a warm colour scheme which blends, whites, reds and browns) but also to its well-trained team of service staff, many of whom have worked at the restaurant since it first opened and

who greet each diner as though they’re welcoming them to their own home – much like a family business.

Chalkboards hung on the restaurant’s walls are scrawled with eye-catching three-course specials such as the Seafood menu (featuring lobster bisque, sole filets, and fresh fish salad. B490), French menu (onion soup, duck confit “Calvados,” and chocolate mousse. B550), and Chef ’s menu (gazpacho soup, pork filet with pepper sauce, and chocolate mousse.

B390). Great value for money, the special menus are available for both lunch and dinner.

Gaston likes to take a no-nonsense approach to cooking with a focus on rich, buttery flavours – true comfort food for the soul. His regular a la carte menu features highlights such as Sautéed SaintJacques sea scallops with saffron sauce (B380); Duck confit with flambéed apples “Calvados” (B360); and Roscoff rock lobster Thermidor, shelled and

174 Naresdamri Road, Hua Hin. Open daily 7am-11pm

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gratinated (B390).

There are huge salads like the La Paillote mixed salad (B180) which are perfect for sharing; refreshing entrées such as the Shrimp cocktail “à la Parisienne” (B220); and meaty options like the Grilled Australian fillet steak (B470).

If your tastes are more local, Gaston also offers a good selection of Thai dishes, with stand-out selections such as Chicken satay, made with succulent chicken breasts, and La Paillote blue crab, yellow curry, gratinated (B340), which comes served in the shell and is packed with piquant flavour.

Wash your food down with a good French wine (around 20 bottles on offer for under B1,000), indulge in a dessert such as the Paris-Nice pancakes with vanilla ice cream (B210), and maybe even finish with a plate of French cheeses, and you’re sure to leave the restaurant with a smile on your face and a pledge to return for more.

☎ 032 521 025 :paillote.net

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Travel|Hua Hin

Birthday surprise for M.L Lak ML Laksasubha Kridakon, owner of Baan Laksasubha Resort, was treated to a birthday to remember when staff and guests at the resort joined her family to surprise her with a poolside party, where they sang Happy Birthday and presented her with flowers.

The Stammtisch returns to Hilton The Hua Hin Brewing Company re-introduced its popular ‘Stammtisch’ networking night with a fun event attended by Hua Hin’s most influential male residents, who got together to exchange stories about everything and anything, enjoy traditional German food, and sip good beers – including three home-brewed varieties. The Stammtisch will now be held every last Friday of the month with personalized invitations.

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TRAVEL

HUA HIN

Hua Hin Where to eat Oceanside Beach Club Cocktails ■ Set in the beautiful Putahracsa Hua Hin resort, this relaxing beachfront restaurant offers a great selection of international food, drinks and music. You can tuck into seafood with piquant Thai sauces or devour huge slabs of meat fresh from the grill.

The Jumbo Tiger prawns, Rock lobster, and New Zealand lamb chops score particularly good marks here. Other bonuses include a great sea view, and a long list of delightfully boozy cocktails. Open 5pm onwards.

Hua Hin Where to drink Lotus Sky Bar

■ This vibrant roof top bar at the Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa serves up a great variety of innovative and classic cocktails and boasts superb panoramic views of Hua Hin and the Gulf of Thailand. Live DJs keep the atmosphere upbeat and draw in a young, lively crowd every night of the week. The bar is open daily 6pm-11pm.

Tel: 032 538 999 email: fb.huahin@hilton.com www.facebook.com/lotusskybar

22/65 Nahb Kaehat Road, Hua Hin Tel: 032 531 470

Beach Mondo Cafe Restaurant Vino

■ After a hard week of work in Bangkok you deserve a treat!

Watch the perfect day on the beach transcend into a unique candlelit dining experience with your loved one. The restaurant offers excellent steaks and seafood plus an unrivaled choice of cocktails and outstanding wines at reasonable prices. The only non-hotel affiliated restaurant on Hua Hin’s main beach offers great value for money.

Soi Hua Hin 75/1 by the sea, Prachaubkirikhan 77110, Open Mon – Sun 10am – 10pm. www.beachcaferestaurant.com

White Lotus

■ The Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa’s signature Chinese restaurant serves up a wide range of authentic Szechuan and Cantonese dishes, including a signature Roast Peking Duck with pancakes, which is a must try. Factor in the restaurant’s elegant contemporary design and breathtaking views of the ocean and mountains, and it’s no surprise that it never fails to impress first time visitors. Dinner is served Tues-Sun 6pm-10.30pm; Dim Sum Lunch on Sat, Sun and Public Holidays from 11.30am-2.30pm.

Mondo Vino

■ This stylish-yet-casual wine bar should be the top of any oenophile’s list of places to visit in Hua Hin. You’ll find a large range of wines from new and old worlds (with an emphasis on Italian brands), available by the glass or bottle at more than reasonable prices. Accompanying the premium wines is a selection of cold cuts, cheeses, fresh hams, pizza, and pasta. Monthly promotions and wine tastings mean there is always something exciting going on here – simply check the website to keep up to date.

Tel: 032 531 493 www.mondovino.co.th

Dune Sky Bar

■ Located on the rooftop of the boutique Dune Hotel, the Dune Sky Bar offers sweeping views of Hua Hin and is a great place to drop by for boozy cocktails and tasty international eats. Recently given a New York-inspired overhaul, the bar is stylishly furnished with eco-friendly furniture, including dining chairs made of recycled plastic bottles. Chilled out beats and subdued lighting make this one of the hippest relaxed hangouts in town.

Dune Hotel Hua Hin, Tel: 032 515 051-3 email: md@dunehuahin.com

Tel: 032 538 999 Email: fb.huahin@hilton.com

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Travel|Pattaya Cheesy delights at Flow

FANS of cheese may want to take a trip to Flow Café at Holiday Inn Pattaya this month – a “Long Table” promotion is now on offer featuring international cheeses such as Gorgonzola D.O.P Dolce, Pecorino Sardinia, and French Brie, all paired with selected wines. Available nightly every Mon-Fri from 7pm – 8pm. B399 per person. Deal ends Apr 31.

: dining-experience.com/pattaya

Flare goes traditional with flair

THE popular Flare Restaurant at Hilton Pattaya has just launched a special menu featuring a range of dishes combining traditional flavours found in Thai food with some of the finest imported produce (think Main lobster, French oysters, and Australia filet). Highlights include Massaman curry; Sweet clam curry betel leaves; Sun-dried Kurobuta pork and palm heart salad; and Spicy minced beef tossed with lime and roasted crushed rice. In addition, wine from Thailand’s fledgling vineyards is available to complement the subtle flavours. : 3.hilton.com

Meat meets foie gras at Flames

FROM now until end of April, Flames Restaurant at Centara Grand Mirage Beach Resort, Pattaya, is serving up a ‘Meat meets Foie Gras’ menu featuring dishes such as Australian beef tenderloin on baby spinach and mixed berry balsamic sauce; Grilled duck confit with foie gras terrine and grilled French beans; and Braised pork belly with foie gras and rich herb sauce or Grille black cod with foie gras terrine on a light white wine sauce. Prices start at B510++ per dish. : centarahotelsresorts.com/CMBR

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Amari Orchid Pattaya makes a splash

AMARI Orchid Pattaya is offering a ‘Songkran Splash Package’ for Thai New Year starting at B5,186 for a minimum of two-nights stay in a Superior Garden Room or Deluxe Tower Room. The deal includes breakfast, 10% discount on additional nights booked, a complimentary room upgrade to the next category, free internet access throughout your stay, 20% discount on any Breeze Spa treatments, one set lunch or dinner per stay at Tavern by The Sea restaurant, and an Amari Lion Doll welcome gift. Deal is valid April 10-17. : amari.com/orchid

New flavours of the sea at Radius

RADIUS Restaurant at Cape Dara Resort Pattaya has launched a new seafood menu featuring prawns, crabs, scallops, and more, all cooked fresh to order. Make sure you leave room for dessert – the restaurant has also introduced new cakes and seasonal fruits to its dessert selections. Both menus are available for lunch and dinner. : capedarapattaya.com

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Travel|Pattaya

The United score a winner MULITINATIONAL boy band The United put on an awesome show when they took to the main stage of the Pattaya International Music Festival last month to perform in front of 20,000 spectators. The boys, travelling as a unit to Thailand for the first time, followed up the gig by dashing off for another fun-packed show at the Hard Rock CafĂŠ Pattaya. For more details and news about the band check www.theunitedofficial.com

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Travel|Bangkok

s ’ e t a M s rate

• Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa: Until May 31, the hotel’s

amily f r o s d Frien kok? g n a B visiting now about k Let them e deals thes

“Splash & Spice 2013 Eat Well, Sleep Well” package offers rates starting from just B6,500++ per room per night for a Deluxe room, with a host gourmet benefits. Rates apply to a minimum booking of two nights and include two dining experiences.

Tel: 02 476 0022 ext 1505 or email bangkokriverside@anantara.com

• Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit 15: From April

12-19, the hotel is offering rates starting at just B2,556 per night (only 56 rooms available at this rate).

Tel: 02 309 3000 www.fourpointsbangkoksukhumvit15.com

• Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside Bangkok: Until May 15,

• Northgate Ratchayothin: A ‘Room and

Dinner Deal’ offers studio rooms at B2,800 per night, including complimentary breakfast and dinner for two persons.

Deal ends Oct 31. Tel: 02 939 7949 www.northgatebangkok.com

• Centara Grand at CentralWorld: From Apr 5-21, • Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok: The ‘Indulge and Relax

Together in Bangkok’ package includes a stay in a Deluxe Suite for a minimum of two nights at B4,450++ per night (for two adults and two kids up to the age of 12). Package includes daily breakfast, 20% discount on all dining bills, 20% discount on spa treatments, and more. Online booking only at www.centarahotelsresorts.com/Indulgerelax-together-Bangkok.asp

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Thailand residents and holders of valid work permits can book a Superior World room for the special price of B2,888 per night. Tel: 02 100 1234 www.centarahotelsresorts.com

the hotel’s ‘Songkran Family Fun Package’ starts at just B1,900 per room per night. Take a family member aged 60 years and above to enjoy a minimum two nights stay in a Deluxe Room, and special benefits will include two complimentary Asiatique Sky tickets for every two nights stay, two complimentary Calypso Cabaret show tickets for every three nights stay, 30% discount at all dining outlets, and more.

Alternatively book a room for B2,900 per night (inclusive of breakfast and the aforementioned benefits) plus a one room upgrade to a spacious Plaza Suite for every two rooms booked. The package is offered to Thai residents and holders of valid work permits. Bookings must be made by Apr 30. Tel: 02 688 1000 www.ramadaplazamenamriverside.com

• Grande Centre Point Hotel & ResidenceTerminal 21: Until Oct 31, the

hotel’s ‘21st Carpet Package’ offers three consecutive nights’ accommodation for B12,000+. Rate includes breakfast for two, limousine airport pick up, 3pm check out, and a chance to add an extra night for B4,000+. www.centrepoint.com

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