The BigChilli October 2018 by The BigChilli Co., Ltd.

THE HOT LIST

11 great things ahead to see and do in and around Bangkok

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Guangzhou Acrobatic Arts Theatre

5-7 Oct & 9-14 Oct, 2:30pm and 6:30pm Thunder Dome, Muang Thong Thani “The Legendary Swordsman” is a masterpiece by Louis Cha. The story uses political satire and a hint of romance to recall the time China was going through drastic social changes under the Communist party. Tickets B700-B1,500 www.thaiticketmajor.com

Mayday Global Life Tour

6 Oct Impact Arena, Hall 1 Mayday, the Taiwanese band dubbed “The Chinese Beatles” and “Kings of the Rock Concert”, arrive in Thailand with an amazing production with spectacular visuals and sound following performances to 200,000 people Beijing Bird’s Nest Stadium. Tickets from B1,800 www.thaiticketmajor.com

Nutcracker Moscow Classical Ballet

6 Oct, 2:30pm Thailand Cultural Centre The Nutcracker mixes dreams and imaginative powers of childhood creating a spectacle of virtuosic dance, inspired comedy and unbridled visual extravagance. This sparkling ballet is a family favourite: it underlines the magic of Christmas and lets imaginations run wild. Tickets from 1,500-4,000 baht http://www.bangkokfestivals.com/en/ nutcracker/

Ambar Pool Party

6 Oct, 2pm - 8pm amBar Bangkok Take the plunge into one of the best pool parties, spending a lively afternoon and evening poolside at rooftop amBar. No under 20s. Tickets from 300 baht ticketmelon.com/946/ambarpoolparty0ct18

Muangthai Marathon

7 Oct Rama 8 Bridge Bangkok’s Marathon on car-free road from Rama 8 bridge along Borommaratchachonnai Road and back to the bridge. http://www.muangthaimarathon. com/

Swan Lake & The Ugly Duckling Moscow Classical Ballet

7 Oct, 2:30pm Thailand Cultural Centre This retelling of the famous Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale, The Ugly Duckling, is the perfect opportunity for children and families to enjoy live ballet and theatre together. Apart from the ballet dancers, this performance stars 18 children from the ages of 5 to 8. Tickets from 1,500-4,000 baht http://www.bangkokfestivals.com/en/ the_ugly_duckling/

09 Michael Jackson Tribute Moscow Classical Ballet

8 Oct, 7:30pm Thailand Cultural Centre The ‘King of Pop’ is reborn in this special tribute concert that marks the 60th birthday of the world’s greatest entertainer. The stunning theatrical concert is backed by an amazing band and dancers, with a sensational set list of his greatest hits, spectacular show effects, and impressive dance choreography Tickets from 1,000-3,000 baht http://www.bangkokfestivals. com/en/michael-jackson-tribute/

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Bangkok Breakfast Network

9 Oct, 8:30am Café Tartine The Bangkok Breakfast Network is a morning networking event for professionals to meet new people for a delicious breakfast, tea and coffee, fresh juice, seasonal fruits and the chance connect with Bangkok’s professional community. https://bangkok.oneplace.events/ eatdrink/bangkok-breakfastnetwork-9-october

Worlddidac Asia 2018 10-12 Oct Queens Sirikit Exhibition Centre Worlddidac Asia is the gateway to the education market in 10 ASEAN countries, gathering

executives, educators, lecturers, trainers and education professionals for an extensive line-up of talks, workshops, and international conferences. www.worlddidacasia.com

Yoga Workshop

12-15 Oct Robinson Club, Khao Lak This three day session includes daily yoga flows, workshops, with relaxing and rejuvenate on an endless beautiful beach or a splash in gorgeous swimming pools or the fresh ocean. Full board experiences with unlimited healthy food and drinks and a variety of other fun-filled activities. Tickets from 18,000 baht ticketmelon.com/flexilexifitness/ yoga-khaolak

A Midsummer Night’s Dream Karlsruhe Ballet

14 Oct, 7:30pm Thailand Cultural Centre The German State Ballet of Karlsruhe performs Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night Dream, a magnificent work that brings together dancers from 14 different countries. Choreographed by Youri Vámos, the ballet is a magnificent work with stunning sets and decorations. Tickets from 1,500-4,000 baht www.bangkokfestivals.com/en/ a-midsummer-night/

Insight

Paul Spurrier on the set of 'Eullenia' Photo by Mark Hammond

Profile

Paul Spurrier Name: Paul Spurrier Age: 51 Born: Lowestoft, England Nickname: The only nicknames I have are used by my wife when she’s angry, and those can’t be repeated here. Where do you live? Above the Friese-Greene Club, Sukhumvit Soi 22 How long in Thailand? First came in 1999. Moved here permanently around 2004. What brought you here? I split up with a girlfriend in 1999, and found myself with no plans for the Millennium New Year. So when a friend at the BBC offered me a job on a documentary about elephants in Thailand, it seemed like a great idea. I had never been to Thailand, and had only ever had Thai food once in my life. It was a massive

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eye-opener, and I determined right then and there that I would return to make films. Your profession? Film-maker Company: Commercial Films Siam What does it do? Most westerners involved with production in Thailand find work from the international productions that come to shoot here. Last year, 80 films and many more commercials and TV series used Thailand for part of their shooting. Obviously, there’s more money to be made from international productions. Anybody who refuses this work, and all the money that goes with it, and the more sociable hours and the proper contracts and credits must be a stupid buffalo. So my wife tells me. But I enjoy working in the local industry. My first film in Thailand – ‘P’ - was shot entirely in Thai language, and my

much importance on festivals. There are now over 3,000 film festivals in the world. I’ve been to festivals where there are only ten people in the audience. There are a lot of films that play even at Cannes or Berlin, but never find a decent audience. The most important thing is to get the films out to an audience. We were very pleased to get ‘P’ and ‘The Forest’ onto Netflix, where over 110 million people can view it.

Any roadblocks when you first started working in Thailand? There are always a myriad of roadblocks.

Paul Spurrier directs Alec Newman as Hammond in 'Eullenia' Photo by Mark Hammond

second film ‘The Forest’ was shot mostly in Isaan dialect. The only problem nowadays is that the Thai film industry is having a hard time.Of the top ten box office films last year in Thailand, not a single one was Thai. The Thai film share of the local box office has gone down from 30% to under 10% in the last five years. So our latest project ‘Eullenia’ is still shot in the same way, with Thai crews, Thai cast, but we brought in one English actor, and shot partially in English language. Nowadays, Thai productions are having to consider the international market. What made you go into filmmaking? I was a child actor. There are only ever three stories ever written about ex-child actors. Either they are now drug addicts or alcoholics. Or they blame their entire life problems on their parents forcing them to go on the stage. Or they fall into the category of ‘Where are they now?’ I suppose that since I still get along with my parents, and am far too scared of Thai prisons to take drugs, making obscure local language films in Thailand probably puts me squarely in the third category.While acting, I always loved watching how the film was actually put together, so when I became a teenager, got spots, and didn’t look quite so angelic any more, it was an obvious choice to learn more about how films get made. Any credits or awards? We’ve been lucky to win some festival awards. But I don’t think one should place too

Investing in a film is probably the highest risk investment in the world. I’m sure you would be statistically better off taking all your money and putting it on black at the roulette table. It certainly doesn’t get easier to raise investment for a film when you’re a film-maker from Norfolk in England wanting to make an art-house ghost film in rural Thailand in Isaan dialect. The upside is that making films in Thailand is much cheaper than in the west, so you don’t have to raise so much money, and the investment level is much lower. Which filmmaker inspired you? When I grew up, I loved Spielberg’s films. I always dreamed of making real ‘Hollywood films’. But not anymore. I am bored to death of superheroes, robots, dinosaurs and fast cars. Even the Bond films bore me. Have I changed, or have the films really just got dumber?

Cast and crew of 'Eullenia'

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Insight What was the inspiration behind Alec Newman’s character in ‘Eullenia’? After the reasonable success of ‘P’ and ‘The Forest’, we decided to take a leap forward. Our latest project is a three-part international television series – ‘Eullenia’. We could see that some of the best drama these days doesn’t seem to be coming to the big screen; it’s coming from the premium and subscription channels.’Eullenia’ is a dark thriller about a multi-millionaire expat who runs a financial institution, but who hides a dark secret. (And for once it’s got nothing to do with Soi Cowboy).It’s certainly meant to be a fun and sometimes scary ride, but we’ve also tried to make a statement about the ‘1%’, about the power that can result from wealth, and about the inequities in society.We were very lucky to be able to use the talents of a British actor Alec Newman, who is very experienced. (British viewers may remember him as the headmaster of Waterloo Road.) He brought an authenticity and sincerity that makes the character truly chilling. There is a core question at the heart of ‘Eullenia’, which is ‘can money buy happiness? ’Speaking personally, as someone who left a thriving company in the UK, many people thought I was quite mad. But I’m fortunate in that I have a great quality of life, and have found incredible creative inspiration. I think a lot of expats in Thailand came to the conclusion that there was ‘another way’ to seek happiness. What else takes up your time in Thailand? There are always going to be some things that we miss from our birth countries, though I have to say in the last 19 years,

Vithaya Pansringarm and Apicha Suyanandana in 'Eullenia'

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that list has been reduced dramatically. But I did find myself missing the diversity of films that were available to see in the U.K. A choice of ‘Transformers 67’, ‘Jurassic Park 12’, ‘Avengers 23’ and ‘Fast and Furious 17’ doesn’t seem like a great choice. So, just over five years ago, I opened the Friese-Greene Club, a tiny club where film fans, film students, and film-makers can come and watch old, foreign, cult, obscure and classic films.We have a nineseat cinema, and we play films every night except Monday. We never play the same film twice in a year.

Any famous movie stars or producers hang out there?

When we know that there are visiting film-makers in town, we are always keen for them to come and screen a film or give a talk at the club. So, we’re fortunate to have been visited by a number of directors, cinematographers and actors. How do you rate actors and movie stars? When you try to promote or sell a film, still one of the first questions is always “who’s in it?”. Stars still have value. Even actors whose careers you might think are in decline can still do well. If you know their name, they still have value. Dolph Lundgren acted in five feature films and a TV series last year. This year John Travolta will be in at least four films. I often get asked ‘Why do actors get paid so much?’ And it’s actually very simple – producers need them. So they have to pay them.But then the next argument is, “But their last five films bombed!” Well... of course everyone would have preferred if the films had hit, but the truth is that the

Alec Newman as Hammond in 'Eullenia

'The Penthouse' from 'Eullenia' with Vithaya Pansringarm Photo by Parimon Wongmaneesai

film found investors, the producer got paid, the director and crew got paid, and the film actually got made. That’s at least a partial success.And actors (usually) have real talent.Where I think it all gets a bit ridiculous is the whole celebrity culture when people get famous because they’ve been in a reality show! It seems there’s a whole group of celebrities who are famous simply for being famous! Personal motto? I have to quote ‘Kung Fu Panda’ “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, and today is a gift… that’s why they call it the present”

Aomkham Kamonrattananan and Saichia Wongwirot in 'Eullenia'

High and low points in Thailand: When I first came to Thailand, everything was strange, intriguing and fascinating. Now, I’ll walk down the street, prance around an open hole in the pavement, dodge a food-cart, ignore a tailor shop tout, and never notice any of it. Even the massage shop ladies take one look at me and don’t bother to offer me a massage.When I first started to learn Thai language, the taxi-drivers would always tell me I spoke good Thai. I didn’t at all of courseThen I noticed that after a year or so, they started to tell me that I spoke very ‘clear’ Thai. The other day I realized that no Thai taxi-driver has complimented me on my Thai for years.So, the lesson is that if taxi-drivers compliment your Thai, it means that it is very bad!I sometimes wish that I could return to see Thailand with the same fresh eyes that I did 19 years ago. Now the strangest, most alien place that I visit is England! Most interesting person you’ve met here? I remember Jerry Hopkins who sadly passed away recently, once saying to me that he still loved Thailand because it could always find new ways to surprise him.That’s very true.I went to a birthday party a couple of years ago. A friend asked me how it was.I said, quite truthfully, without even thinking about it, “Oh, it was fun. Good food. Interesting people. But it stopped a bit early because the host became possessed by the spirit of a demon child!” Biggest bore? People who come to Thailand, but are still obsessed with the politics back home. Don’t they realize that the incredible luxury they have is that they don’t have to give a damn anymore? LAST WORD: My friend Al Eberhardt always greets me with the words, ‘What are you up to? It’s Friday night.’It sometimes takes me a couple of moments to realise, ‘But it isn’t Friday night!’Whereupon he always says,’Hey, every night is Friday in Bangkok, Thailand!’ Alec Newman as Hammond in 'Eullenia TheBigChilli

Insight Sarah Smith, General Manager of Jamie’s Italian in Siam Discovery

Why the lady behind Jamie’s Italian restaurant loves her job University wasn’t for her, so Sarah Smith started work in a café – and instantly fell for the “back-breaking, smelly and thoroughly sociable hospitality life” of catering. Today she runs a top Bangkok restaurant

ORN in 1984 and educated in Plymouth, UK, Sarah won a place at Cardiff University to read mechanical engineering. “My Mum’s family are all from that area of South Wales and I felt perfectly at home in Cardiff. Unfortunately, I didn’t get on with my course, and switched to a pure physics degree, which wasn’t a much better option. “Over the summer I got a job working at the National Marine Aquarium in Plymouth in its café, where for some reason I fell for the back-breaking, smelly and thoroughly sociable hospitality life! “After spending my summer scrubbing pots, serving hordes of families and working a few silver service events I returned to university to a part time bar job and a full-time university course. It ended up the other way around! I worked full time and left my studies to a part time basis. “Needless to say, my exam results reflected this and I took the decision to work fulltime in the industry I’d dropped into and to leave the studying to those more suited to it. Since then I’ve worked in a number of well-known UK branded restaurants, as well as a fairly long stint with Premier Inn and a few hellish months in a call centre!” Tell us about your current job – why you chose Jamie’s, how long you’ve been with the company. “I’m currently the General Manager for Jamie’s Italian in Siam Discovery. I first started working for the company in 2009, when prompted by the then-husband that

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a new restaurant opening in Cardiff just before Christmas would be good money. I’d applied for a supervisor job, but they were only hiring waitresses, so I took it. I got my supervisor position within six months and a management position within nine months. I loved it, learnt more than I ever knew was possible about food and operating a restaurant.

Thailand has had much fewer gender barriers than I expected of Asia when I first moved to this side of the world. It’s interesting when I go to regional GM meetings though, as I am the only girl! “After a few years I took some time out when my husband and I split up, and ended up working back in a Jamie’s Italian in Threadneedle Street in London, but again as a waitress. It was a beautiful restaurant doing a crazy number of covers every day, and weekends off as it was in the central business district. “I was there for about six months before moving to the Bath restaurant

as an assistant manager. During my time there I trained the General Manager and the Bar manager for the restaurant that was to open in Singapore. A friend of mine then offered me a job working for a wellknown French chain back in Cardiff. It was a great learning experience but I missed the passion and craziness of working at Jamie’s Italian. “Then one morning I woke up to several messages from the Singapore General Manager, my now Head Chef and our group Executive Chef asking. what I was doing with my life and ever thought of Asia? The rest, as they say, is history. “I was Bar Manager in Singapore for a year, then moved to Bali for the pre-opening and first year of operations, then Bangkok in June 2016 to take charge of the operations here.” Have you ever met Jamie Oliver? Is he planning to visit Bangkok? “Met is a strong word, I’ve been at event with him and said a quick hi. Although he does video messages for the restaurants and I’ve had a shout out, and been given two Jamie’s Italian International awards collected by our Executive Vice President on my behalf! He’s exactly how he is on the TV. We’re working with the international team to see if we can schedule a visit out here, but he’s diary is booked up well in advance!” Were you responsible for preopening as well as the launch? How was it? “Oh Yes! We had a fantastic project team who took care of all the

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Insight

My team tends to treat me like ‘mummy’ which can be wearing and endearing in equal measures. Our local partner is Siam Piwat, whose The CEO of our local partner is a woman, so my being a woman in a position of power in Thailand hasn’t been much of a challenge. building and fitout, but Alex, my head chef, and I did everything else! It was hilarious, trying, stressful, and incredible!” How many staff do you have at the restaurant? “We’ve now got a team of 70, including two expats!” Has it been challenging as an expatriate lady to manage a restaurant in Thailand? “It’s definitely a challenge, whatever gender you are! There’s the tendency of my team to treat me like ‘mummy’ which can be wearing and endearing in equal measures. We are a JV company whose local partner is Siam Piwat, whose CEO is obviously a woman, so I don’t think being a woman in a position of power in Thailand has been much of a challenge. I’ve definitely had plenty of support. “Thailand has had much fewer gender barriers than I expected of Asia when I first moved to this side of the world. It’s interesting when I go to regional GM meetings though, as I am the only girl!” How do you get on with your Thai staff? “I think they’re still trying to work me out! We have our challenges, especially with language, but generally we get along well, I never trust the Thai they teach me though – it’s all the naughty words!” What are the major challenges? “Language is a massive challenge for me, I’m struggling with the pronunciation a lot. The culture is really interesting and based around family and respect, but after Singapore and Bali, I had a fair idea of what to expect. Running a business in

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Thailand has been a massive culture shock though.” How’s the restaurant doing? After a rocky start we’re finding our place in the market now. Hospitality is such a competitive business here; you can barely walk 100 yards without finding someone selling food, be it a restaurant or a street vendor! “We hit the market at a difficult time in November 2016, and didn’t give the team enough time to settle down before we started promoting that we were open, but with lots of hard work, the team we have now are doing really well at producing amazing food and great service. Consistency is the key and something we are really striving for.” Any special promotions we shouldn’t miss? “Our Weekend Roast! Giant Yorkshire puddings, roasted parsnips and bottomless gravy! And the meat of course, which is free-range or higher welfare.” What are the restaurants most popular dishes? “Pizza, of course, as it’s an easy option for everyone, and our homemade pasta is a big hit. Our cheesecake has its own following too!” Your recommendations “Meatball Pappardelle – the meatballs are from Sloane’s and our pappardelle pasta is something completely different! My go-to lunch is the Roasted carrot & avocado salad, but our Fish stew is also one of my favourites.” When not working, where do you hang out?

“Not that I have much! I’m on the Board of directors for the British Chamber of Commerce and also on the committee for the BCCT Young Professionals. We’ve had some brilliant events so far this year, the last one at my restaurant. Other than that, I’m working my way through the many restaurants in Bangkok. I’ve been exploring more around Ploenchit, where I’ve just moved to, and love all the little cafés and places to chill with a book and endless coffee.” Have you had a chance to explore Thailand? “I’ve been North to Chiang Mai and Chiang Rai, and then the usual suspects of Pattaya and Hua Hin. I loved the White Temple in Chiang Rai, and next up want to visit Ayutthaya, Khao Yai and maybe see some of the Islands.” What do you like most / dislike most about living and working in Bangkok? “I love that it’s so accessible, there’s so much to do, and there’s always something new going on. It’s such a juxtaposition of old and new, I like that Bangkok has kept so much of the old, as well as the skyscrapers and malls.” Do you like Thai food? “I’m trying more and more different Thai food, but I think my favourite at the moment is Duck Laab with black sticky rice and salted egg som tam.” What’s next for you? “I’m happy in Bangkok right now, and still have plenty to do here. I’ve still got 20 months more on my contract and then we’ll see what Jamie is up to then! Who knows!”

CWL Lighting Ian Potter, Founder IN the 27 years since he founded CWL Lighting, Ian Potter has seen the enterprise go from a design and equipment supply company in Phuket to a Bangkok studio providing lighting design services to the hospitality sector across the Asia Pacific. With clients including the Hilton Group, Intercontinental, Indigo and Holiday Inn brands from IHG, together with properties from the Dusit and Accor portfolios, we can certainly say the future is looking bright for Ian. www.cwl-lighting.com

Andragogy Kate Jackson, Founder and Managing Director BASED on the principles of adult learning for the long-life learning sector, Kate Jackson founded Andragogy to offer tailor-made communications training in business English, customer service, as well as leadership communication and presentation coaching for businesses of all shapes and sizes and learners ranging from C-suite executives to low-level staff. Over the years, Kate’s bespoke training programs have worked for clients such as Colgate-Palmolive, Jaymart, Srichand, David Yurman, Tesco Credit Card Services, and Airbus Asia-Pacific. www.andragogy-learning.com

BO Interiors Patricia Isaac, Founder NOT content to follow her husband’s career from country to country, Patricia Isaac decided to make her own. Patricia found opportunities everywhere she landed, leading to the establishment of her boutique interior design and decoration studio. She describes her studio as a niche business that creates personalised homes with Western décor styles that can be infused with Asian influence. From decoration and furnishing, to renovations and specialised property seach, the company provides services for current and future home owners in Bangkok, Hua Hin, or Phuket. www.bo-interiors.com

Civil Master International (CMI) Matthew Harrison, Co-founder and Managing Director AFTER 19 years at the helm of the Bangkok-based company Civil Master International (CMI), Matthew Harrison couldn’t be happier with his professional and private life in Thailand. His architectural contracting company specialises in virtually anything that involves builiding renovations, including inspection, facade renovation, repainting, and repairs. www.civilmasterinter.co.th

BKKSUN Jeff Amato, Founder BKKSUN was founded by US businessman Jeff Amato, a full-time Thailand resident for the last 14 years. After a trial and error period and several start-ups later, he launched Thailand’s first full-service tanning salon. BKK SUN has faced its share of obstacles and yet succeeded against all odds. Opening a tanning salon in one of the world’s sunniest places and where fair skin is highly praised is no small feat. The company is proud of its efforts to responsibly promote a new trend, unequivocally distinct from everything else across the country. www.BKKSUN.com

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NomineeS Thailand International Business Awards

2018

InVision Hospitality Kevin Beauvais, CEO KEVIN arrived in Thailand in 1997 and spent 25 years with Marriott International before deciding to venture on its own. Now, as CEO of InVision Hospitality, the hotel management company he founded 10 years ago, American hotelier and entrepreneur Kevin Beauvais runs two successful hotel brands offering over 1,000 rooms in 12 properties operating in Thailand, Malaysia and Vietnam. InVision’s two hotel brands comprise of GLOW – a spirited mid-tier chain which he says competes with the likes of Holiday Inn Express and Marriott Courtyard – and MAI HOUSE – a more cultural five-star experience with the first property open on Patong Hill in Phuket soon to be joined by Ho Chi Minh City this year and Hoi An Beach in 2019, capturing the diverse market of leisure and business travellers in Southeast Asia. www.invisionhospitality.com

X2 Resorts Group and BHMAsia Anthony McDonald, Founder and CEO AUSTRALIAN national, Anthony is a successful serial entrepreneur, who after years of experience in property investment and services industries embarked on an innovative strategy in 2008 forming X2 Resorts(CrossTo) Resorts Group. A personal endeavour aimed at satisfying the needs of design-focused travellers looking for something different to the traditional tropical resort designs that, while well executed, proliferate the Asian region. X2 Resorts have since gone on to win many international awards. In 2011, Anthony added another string to his entrepreneurial bow by establishing Bespoke Hospitality Management Asia (BHMAsia), a regional Asian Pacific management, development and consulting group specialising in all aspects of the hospitality business, which, like X2, has also proved a big success. www.BHMAsia.com, www.x2resorts.com

Smiling Albino Daniel B. Fraser, Adventurer-in-Chief SMILING Albino is a luxury adventure and tour company in Thailand founded by Daniel Fraser, an entrepreneur and television host from shows like Long Krung (Thai PBS) and Farang Song Thai (Ch 5). Daniel’s Tourism Authority of Thailand video went viral and won a film award in Germany, and helped Daniel win MThai media’s “Most Talked about media personality” in 2014. Smiling Albino is a team of travel enthusiasts in Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Nepal. Adventures are built from continuous travel, innovation and refinement. “We host billionaires, celebrities and discerning travellers seeking an authentic, original experience,” says Daniel. “Through community-based tourism and industry-leading ethical touring standards, Smiling Albino connects socially-conscious travellers with the real life of the peoples of SE Asia. We don’t just connect dots, we create them.” www.smilingalbino.com

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NomineeS Thailand International Business Awards

2018

NEON Infotech SEA Co. Ltd Harsh V. Sethi, CEO and Founder NEON Infotech SEA Co. Ltd provides engineering software solutions and specialized design and analysis services for continuous process industries like oil and gas and power and energy. The company was launched in 1997, during the economic downturn (Tom Yum Koong Crisis), and for five years did not have any breakthrough. Today, however, almost all the major companies in Thailand and Southeast Asia use Neon Infotechâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s services, making the company a huge success story. www.neoninfotech.com

2C2P Aung Kyaw Moe, Founder and CEO IN 2003, Burmese founder and CEO Aung Kyaw Moe came to Thailand and ventured out into the world of startups, becoming an entrepreneur at the age of 26. His mission was to provide efficient payment solutions tailored to the local needs of not only Asian but international businesses operating in the Asia Pacific. Since then, his company 2C2P has become the leading SEA payment service provider for major banking institutions as well as many large merchants in the region. Based in Singapore, 2C2P has a staff of just over 85 people spread across offices in Singapore, Thailand, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Myanmar, Indonesia, Philippines and Malaysia. www.2c2p.com

Andovar Conor Bracken, CEO ORIGINALLY from Dublin, Ireland, Conor first came to Thailand in 1993, fell in love with the country and became fluent in Thai. Like many newcomers, his first job was as an English teacher but when Internet and email came to Thailand he saw the opportunity to create a translation company using websites and email to connect clients and translators around the world while leveraging the lower costs of living here. In 2006, he struck out on his own and with the backing of the Thai Board of Investment founded Andovar, a full service translation and localization provider which handles not only all types of text translations, but also audio recording (with on-site recording studios), subtitling, desktop publishing and Flash engineering in all languages. Growing steadily since then, the company now has additional offices in Medellin (Colombia), Singapore, and Miami. Conor is also a founding director of the Irish-Thai Chamber of Commerce. www.andovar.com

HotelQuickly Christian Mischler, Co-Founder HOTELQUICKLY is one of the largest and most popular last-minute hotel booking apps in the Asia Pacific. The app features more than 2,000 hotels in 12 countries and is fully localized to six languages including Thai, Vietnamese, Bahasa, traditional and simplified Chinese, and English. The app is available for free for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry 10 devices. HotelQuickly App Co. Ltd is a BOI certified company registered in Thailand. The entire IT development is being done out of Thailand and serves the region. The head office, including four out of five co-founders, is based in Bangkok (Silom). www.hotelquickly.com

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Siam Costumes Darryl, Sebastian, and Alex Kent-Morris, Owners FOR over 30 years Siam Costumes has been manufacturing costumes in Thailand for all areas of the entertainment industry, including over 35 Hollywood motion pictures and more than 25 TV series and productions. The company has worked for many Academy Award-winning costume designers and its reputation in the industry is very highly regarded. What’s more, Siam Costumes has supplied most of the world’s premier opera houses and worked on many productions for Broadway and the West End, including four productions for Andrew Lloyd Webber. Siam Costumes is run by Darryl Kent-Morris, together with his sons, Sebastian and Alex. www.siamcostumes.com

Absolute Hotel Services Group (AHS) Jonathan Wigley, Founder

Web Courses Bangkok

UK-born Jonathan Wigley went from a junior hotelier to a major player in the highly competitive international hotel industry. In 2008 Jonathon founded Absolute Hotel Services Group (AHS), which has already become one of the fastest growing hospitality management/ branding companies in Asia. Through its brands, such as U Hotels & Resorts and Eastin Grand Hotels, AHS controls more than 7,500 keys in almost 70 hotels worldwide. www.absolutehotelservices.com

Carl Heaton, Managing Director LIKE a lot of expats in Thailand, Carl started out teaching English and IT. But it was while working as a project manager for a small web design company that his entrepreneurial spirit came to the fore. Frustrated by the lack of web design skills among local businesses in Bangkok, Carl combined his knowledge of IT and his teaching experience to set up Web Courses Bangkok (WCB). Driven by Carl’s high standards and attention to detail, WCB grew rapidly from a humble beginning with just one staff to become a leader in the field of IT training, offering courses in web design, graphic design and online marketing. WCB’s clients include everyone from homegrown startups to Coca-Cola and the United Nations. www.webcoursesbangkok.com

Maeping Mango Riverside Resort David Armstrong, Founder AFTER eight years and lots of hurdles, former Bangkok Post Managing Director David Armstrong and wife, Nichapa opened Maeping Mango Riverside Resort in Kamphaeng Phet. The resort, which was architecturally inspired by the blending of Thai and European styles characteristic of the reigns of Kings Rama V and Rama VI, is the materialisation of a dream. www.maepingmangoriverside.com

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NomineeS Thailand International Business Awards

2018

Elizabeth Romhild Artist ELIZABETH Romhild, a Bangkok-based Danish-Armenian painter, sculptor and designer, has lived and worked in Bangkok since 1988. Born in Denmark to an Armenian-Iranian father and Danish mother, she spent her childhood in Iran and as an adult, hopped through Saudi Arabia, America and Indonesia before settling in Thailand nearly three decades ago. From a successful career in painting and sculpturing, she has now embarked on showing her style on fine porcelain through Elizabeth Romhild Design. Along with her gallery in Denmark, Elizabeth’s work can be found in Bangkok at her ‘home’ gallery, La Lanta Fine Art. www.elizabethromhild.com

Les Walsh Entrepreneur LES Walsh is an entrepreneurial executive from Canada who has made Asia his home for more than three decades and with his wife, Kulthilda, has raised two sons in Thailand. Although Les has enjoyed success in a diverse array of industries including trade and investment, retirement communities, product development, event management, marketing and music, he’s probably best known for organising some of this country’s leading golf tournaments.

Trepax Innovation Company (TIC)

The Beaumont Partnership

Paul Greenhalgh, Co-founder

Tim Beaumont, Founder and Managing Director

COMING to Thailand in his mid-20s by way of Dubai, Paul Greenhalgh says that adjusting his personal philosophy and attitudes allowed him to adapt to a country that at first overwhelmed him. Paul and his Thai partners at Trepax Innovation Company (TIC) in Samut Prakan – which he describes as a specialist contracting company that works on the principle of selling solutions – have watched the enterprise grow from a struggling local operation to a global player. www.trepax.co.th

Sally Eubbani

TIM Beaumont has run the award-winning architectural, interior, and landscape firm The Beaumont Partnership for almost a quarter of a century with remarkable success. Born in Norfolk, England, the naturalised Thai is also the founder of the Beaumont Partnership Foundation and the Beaumont Ruam Pattana School, a thoroughly modern, architect-inspired project whose primary aim is to provide free quality education to underprivileged children in the Northeast of Thailand. www.thebeaumontpartnership.com

Entrepreneur ARRIVING in 1966, Sally dedicated her early years in Thailand to family life, bringing up three children. After the birth of her third child, the ambitious entrepreneur chose to venture out and see the possibilities of employment for young expatriat women. In the 1990s, she and her husband Salim decided to open their own trading and property company and Darvick Enterprises, an extension of the family businness from Hong Kong, and Ban Siam Impex, came into existance. Looking to further extend her activities, Sally later branched out on her own, this time into buying condominum units. As the business grew, it became multi-faceted encompassing sales, brokerage, decor and rentals. Among her clients are big businesses, embassies, as well as private owners.

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Susan Field Entrepreneur SUSAN Field is one of the few female expats who actually live up to the term ‘Old Asia Hand’. For three decades, this Brit used her base in Hong Kong to work around the region as a travel writer and owner of a public relations company. One of her latest ventures was The Palms Retreat, a ‘bijou’ resort on the island of Samui in southern Thailand. She has now moved on to being one of the directors at Lavaliere Samui, a tasteful design-led villa development by Impact Samui, a company specialized in designing and developing attractive properties with great investment and living potential.

Class Act Media Simon Samaan, Founder

Capital Television Raine Grady, Co-founder NOW in its 24th year of operations, Capital Television has produced several thousand expat focused and English language television programs for broadcast in Thailand, across Asia and throughout the world. From humble beginnings, its TV shows have been seen by millions of viewers via platforms such as STAR World, CNBC, FOX, MCOT & TRUE Visions. The Bangkok-based production team have been airing their Expat focused TV shows in Thailand for more than 19 years, with a small but dedicated team of reporters, producers and production staff. Today, Capital TV undertakes all regional video production for Australia’s biggest e-commerce group, Aussie-Commerce, and its Luxury Escapes video magazine, and has a partnership with the Bangkok Post. www.capitaltv.co.th

CLASS Act Media started in 2009 publishing a small monthly magazine. In early 2011 it started publishing ‘The Phuket News,’ a weekly English newspaper, and has since grown to include ‘Live 89.5,’ Phuket’s most listened to English radio station; ‘Novosti Phueketa,’ Thailand’s only weekly Russian newspaper; ‘The Phuket News TV,’ weekly English TV; ‘Phuket Ticket Master,’ Phuket’s

Vivaldi Seasons Joseph Henry, Founder

only online ticketing solutions for events; as well as a host of other publications and services including ‘The Phuket Colouring book’ and ‘The Phuket FC match guide’. www.thephuketnews.com

NOW in its 15th year, led by CEO, Joseph Henry, a long-time Canadian expat, Vivaldi has transformed itself into a digitally integrated PR agency in Thailand. Vivaldi's award-winning communications team blends human interactions and digital engagement seamlessly to produce results for leading international brands in the market. The firm, which continues to be a strong provider of strategic consulting, media publicity and events, has integrated into its campaigns for clients host digital services which include SEO, digital marketing and more. www.vivaldipr.com

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NomineeS Thailand International Business Awards

2018

ECHO - GRAND OPERA THAILAND Stefan Paul Sanchez, Artistic Director and Founder

IN 1992, London’s Royal Academy of Music alumn Stefan Paul Sanchez founded The European Chamber Opera a dynamic company that prides itself on its diversity of repertoire, quality of performance and commitment to innovation. For the last 25 years, ECHO has toured throughout the UK, Europe, Asia, UAE, The Gulf and the USA and has given many young singers, directors, and orchestral musicians a professional platform at the most crucial stages of their development as international artists. Sanchez decided to bring his many years of experience in the entertainment industry to Thailand in 2012 and founded The Grand Opera Thailand, introducing to Bangkok and the rest of SEA a variety of sell-out performances that bring to life legendary stories such as Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables. www.grandoperathailand.com

Checkinn99 Chris Catto-Smith, Co-owner BANGKOK’S oldest operating nightclub, steakhouse and bar originally opened in 1960. Four years ago – just hours before its scheduled demolition – it was saved by current owner and entrepreneur Chris Catto-Smith and his wife Mook, who, with no prior experience running bars and restaurants, took on unknown spiralling losses to successfully turn the business around. Steeped in history and with a colourful past, Checkinn99 now hosts one of Bangkok’s most progressive live music programs (60 hours a week of live entertainment including cabaret, jazz and theatre entertainment) and has a unique profit share arrangement with staff and its resident band, Music of the Heart. www.checkinn99.com

9FilmFest Brian Bennett, Founder BUDDING filmmakers looking to be recognized in Thailand’s public sector have the perfect platform with Brian Bennett’s 9FilmFest – a hybrid film fest and film contest that started in 2014. Thanks to its easy to enter guidelines (all types of cameras can be used from cell phones to DSLRs), interesting themes, and fabulous prizes, the 9FilmFest has proved an important player in supporting creativity in Thailand. www.9filmfest.com

Karma Sound Studios Chris Craker, Founder AWARD-WINNING musician and producer Cris Craker has operated at the very forefront of the music industry for over 30 years. Chris has worked with many of the world’s finest artists on the music and film industry. Most recently, he produced the soundtrack for the Oscar-nominated ‘Interstellar’. After climbing to the top of the British music industry, he picked the sleepy fishing village of Bang Saray to build his world-class music studio. www.karmasoundstudios.com

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BOUNCEinc Thailand Mark Jobling, Managing Director MARK Jobling enjoyed great financial success with investments in the power generation industry, but it wasn’t until he became involved with BOUNCEinc and found a new home for the innovative trampolining recreational enterprise in Thailand that his dreams finally came together. The first BOUNCE in Thailand and the largest in Asia opened at The Street on Ratchadaphisek in December 2015, while the second one is located on the 4th floor of the EmQuartier. www.bounceinc.co.th

Luzi A Matzig Entrepreneur

Risk Protection (Thailand) Graham Murrell, Founder and CEO DOING business and making Thailand a safer place is British entrepreneur Graham Murrell. His company, Risk Protection (Thailand), was formed in early 1997 as a joint venture with Security Systems (F.E.) Ltd which was established in 1973 in Hong Kong. Risk Protection is now a leading provider of well-trained security guards and sophisticated security equipment for a wide range of clients that go from embassies to jewellery stores. www.risk-pro.com

SWISS-born Luzi Matzig came to Thailand in 1971 while barely out of his teens to take a job as office manager in a Bangkok travel agency. He became a Thai citizen in 1993, and today, he is one of the country’s most successful businessmen, with interests in a wide variety of companies. As chairman of the Asian Trails Group, he’s also recognised as one of this country’s most experienced and influential travel professionals. His company is a Thailand-based destination management service that provides client-focused expertise for travellers to Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Vietnam and Thailand. The group has 33 offices, including one in Australia, and the 69-yearold expat entrepreneur employs more than 700 people full-time, nearly a third of them in Thailand. Mr Matzig also has private investments in five hotels operating in three countries, a cruise boat on the River Kwai, and a retirement home in Chiang Mai. Among his achievements is becoming a licensed pilot, which allowed him to build a private airline that provides mainly international medical emergency transfers.

Shrimp Asia Patrick Gauvain, Founder and Managing Director HE’S been called a hedonist, eccentric and at least in his younger days, a playboy, but since his arrival in Thailand in 1968, artist and photographer Patrick Gauvain can also rightly claim to be one of this country’s most durable and successful entrepreneurs. Called Shrimp because of his diminutive size, it was his skill behind the lens that led to the amazingly popular Shrimp Calendar featuring a bevvy of scantily-clad Thai beauties. Today he runs Thailand’s longest established branding, design and communications firm, focusing on brand engineering. www.shrimp-asia.com

BKK Kids Karmen Chandontrikij, Founder BKK Kids is a leading online resource for English speaking parents living in or visiting Bangkok. The business connects parents with events, activities, classes, schools, healthcare providers and services to entertain and enrich the lives of children. Parents can search over 500 listings including everything from sports programs and learning specialists to weekend outings. The website’s blog is updated weekly with posts on topics of interest to the community, and advice and guidance on raising bi-lingual, bi-cultural and third culture children in this dynamic city. www.bkkkids.com

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NomineeS Thailand International Business Awards

2018

Paul Spurrier Screenwriter and Film Director BRITON Paul Spurrier was the first foreign filmmaker to direct a full-length Thai-language feature movie, the 2005 supernatural P. He appeared in more than thirty different roles, with credits including Anna Karenina and The Lost Boys for the BBC, and settled in Thailand over 10 years ago. Release in 2016, The Forest was praised internationally and won awards overseas. Paul’s most recent work, Eullenia, is a dark psychological tale about the power that can result from wealth and was the successful opener of this year’s Bangkok Asean Film Festival.

Wildlife Friends Foundation Edwin Wiek, Founder WFFT was founded in 2001 by Edwin Wiek with the help of the local people from Petchaburi province, including the Abbot of Wat Khao Look Chang who loaned a large piece of land to the foundation to house rescued animals. The NGO is a nationwide effort involved in rescuing domesticated/captive wild animals. With the help of full-time staff, mostly from the local village, and a team of international volunteers, Edwin heads the project made possible by joining passionate people on a mission to rescue and rehabilitate animals as far as is feasible, allowing them to live the rest of their lives in a safe environment and as close to nature as possible. www.wfft.org

LawtonAsia

Big Mango Productions

Jerome Kelly, CEO

Mike Bridge, Principal

WHEN Jerome Kelly formed LawtonAsia some 20 years ago, it was a tiny independent newcomer in a market totally dominated by large internationals. Today, the company is one of the leading independent insurance brokers in Thailand specializing in employee benefits. In the early years, Jerome focused on what he knew best: the expatriate insurance market. By understanding the needs of expats he was able to work with insurers to put together products that catered specifically to their needs. As the company grew, he used the same formula to branch out into the employee benefits market. Now, LawtonAsia employs 35 multi-lingual staff, covering the full spectrum of specialized skills, and has carved out a niche for itself and become an innovative leader in its chosen field. www.lawtonasia.com

MIKE Bridge shows it’s never too late to go for your dream job. At 68 years old, he has embarked on a new Producer career in the show business. Mike’s late father Peter was a successful impresario in the 60’s and his brother Andrew was a lighting designer for Phantom of the Opera and won several Tony Awards. Together with a fellow semi-retiree, Mike started Big Mango Productions, a UK/Thailand based concert promoter. Their first production, London’s West End Men in concert with the Royal Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, will debut in 2019 and bring together stars from Les Misérables, Wicked, Miss Saigon and Phantom of the Opera all singing with 45 top musicians for one night in Bangkok.

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P.Tendercool Pieter Compernol and Stephanie Grusenmeyer, Founders and Design Directors PIETER and Stephanie arrived in Thailand 14 years ago, and what was supposed to be a one-year sabbatical took a very different turn. They established P.Tendercool, a Bangkok based, Belgian run design studio specialized in bespoke handmade furniture for interior designers, hospitality and private clients. Established in 2010, the company uses antique or reclaimed wood to create tables of all shapes and sizes, leather chairs & stools and recently developed their first collection of sofas and daybeds. Their gallery sits in a heritage building in the middle of the Creative District in Bangkok, Warehouse30, next to the Thai Cultural Design Centre, a must visit for all things creative. www.ptendercool.com

Happy Radio

The Barbecue Store

Steve Johnston, Programme Director

Brad McElroy, Founder

HAPPY radio is the only FM radio station in Chiang Mai broadcasting in English, and produces live local Breakfast and Drive shows as well as a syndicated Asia Pop 40. Reporting local news, traffic and travel, sports and BBC World News exclusively, Happy Radio keeps those living in the Northern city up to date and entertained. After 36 years, the station’s original owner has recently passed the rights to broadcast to Steve Johnston, an expat with over 25 years of experience in the broadcasting industry that has worked all over the world from the Falkland Islands to Iraq. www.happyradiochiangmai.com

BRAD McElroy’s The Barbecue store has been importing, distributing and retailing barbecue grills and accessories for 20 years. The exclusive agents for top-end brands such as Weber, Barbeques Galore, Kamado Joe and Outback, they have stores and outlets in Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin and Samui and deliver Thailand-wide. Their Sukhumvit 39 location has recently opened Thailand’s first Weber Grill Training Centre. www.bbqthai.com

LATE NOMINEES Jens Oreel Company: Octotrip Categor y: Travel and Hospitality

Jon Nutt Company: Kingdom Co. (Full Metal Dojo) Categor y: Entertainment

Gulu Lalvani Company: Royal Phuket Marina Categor y: Others

David Jacobson Company: Smalls Categor y: F&B: Drinks

Irina Afonina Company: Cresittel Categor y: Tech and IT

Shannon Frandsen Company: Wanderlust Categor y: Media & PR

Blake and Judee Sibbitt Company: BKK BestLife Real Estate Categor y: Property

Aiden Killian Company: “Magner’s Comedy Festival” Categor y: Entertainment

Susan Usher Company: Lady Pie Categor y: F&B: Food

Mark Abbott Company: Thai Top Fitness Categor y: Health & Fitness

Paul Poole Company: Paul Poole (South East Asia) Co., Ltd. Categor y: Consultancy Bao-Quoc Nguyen Trung Company: Weeboon Categor y: Media and PR Alfiah Strohal Company: Kiidu Categor y: Others Jostein Aksnes Company: Find Your Space/ Property Flow Categor y: Property

Thank you for submitting your nominations for the 3rd Expat Entrepreneur Awards and Thailand International Business Awards 2018 (TIBA). TheBigChilli

News

HEADLINES AND Australian journalist Alan Parkhouse spent six years running newspapers in Cambodia. He was the Editorin-Chief of The Phnom Penh Post and Khmer Times, the only two English-language newspapers now published in Cambodia. Parkhouse, who worked in Thailand for many years at the Bangkok Post, The Nation and Asia Times, talked to The BigChilli about his time in Phnom Penh. When did you first go to work in Cambodia, and why? I worked at The Phnom Penh Post from 2011 to 2014 and at Khmer Times from 2016 to 2018. My first job in Cambodia was as Managing Editor of The Phnom Penh Post in 2011. I was offered that job by my good friend Bernie Leo, a former colleague at the Murdoch organisation is Australia who had just moved to Cambodia from Shanghai and been hired as Editor-in-Chief. At that time The Phnom Penh Post had recently been sold to new owners, who took the paper from a fortnightly to a daily, published from Mondays to Fridays. There was a lack of experienced production journalists there and Bernie needed someone who had worked on daily newspapers, and I had a lot of experience as a sub-editor. I’d worked on daily newspapers in Sydney, London, Hong Kong and Bangkok. On a paper that only comes out once every two weeks, there is time to play with headlines and captions, rewrite stories, choose photos etc. You don’t have that time on a daily paper because every night you have a deadline.

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At the time I was offered the job in Cambodia, I had been the chief subeditor of the Sunday Bangkok Post, which I really enjoyed. I was offered more money to go to Cambodia, but it was the challenge of working on an iconic newspaper like The Phnom Penh Post that was a major factor in accepting the job and I somewhat reluctantly left the Sunday Bangkok Post. I’d also known Phnom Penh Post founder Michael Hayes since he started the paper and a lot of my friends had worked on it and it was a highly-respected publication.

When did you take over as editorin-Chief of The Phnom Penh Post? A couple of months after I started. The paper was majority owned by Bill Clough, a very wealthy mining magnate from Western Australia, and his minor shareholder was Ross Dunkley, another West Australian. Ross was also publisher of the paper and divided his time between The

Phnom Penh Post and the Myanmar Times, the newspaper they had in Yangon at the time. Ross could be a difficult man to deal with and one night started sending Bernie angry emails from Yangon, questioning some of the decisions that had been made. By the following morning Bernie had resigned and that day I was appointed as Editor-in-Chief. Sadly, Ross is now making headlines in Myanmar for all the wrong reasons. I was Editor-in-Chief for almost four years and am the second-longest serving Editor-in-Chief after Michael Hayes, who founded the paper and ran it for 16 years. What was it like running a newspaper in Cambodia? A challenge. At The Phnom Penh Post there was a staff of about 250 as we did a Khmer-language edition every day as well as the English-language edition. One of my first tasks there was to redesign the sister Khmer-language edition, which I did with a Cambodian colleague. That was hard because I’d never worked on a paper I couldn’t read. But I like to think we did a good job and even today, most of those designs are still used by that paper.

News Khmer Times staff at a farewell party for Editor-in-Chief Alan Parkhouse in February, 2018.

Bangalore in India for the awards night - the trophy looks like an Oscar! Sadly, when I later joined Khmer Times, the publisher didn’t allow us to have the same freedom to report those sorts of stories. The Phnom Penh Post had been independent and we had a free hand during my time there, but at Khmer Times the publisher was very pro-government and had close ties to the ruling party and put a halt to any stories that made those in power look bad. One of our biggest achievements at The Phnom Penh Post was a series of stories we did about Cambodian maids being abused after they were sent to Malaysia to work. We won a major international award for our reporting on the maids and what they suffered, and eventually Prime Minister Hun Sen put a halt to the business of exporting maids to Cambodia. It’s not often that newspaper stories make a difference, but that series of stories did.

challenging the facts in a story, I published his letter on the opinion page. I always believed that both sides had a right to express their opinions.

Did you have any trouble with the government in Cambodia?

he main government spokesman was actually a nice guy on a personal level and I did a video interview with him once for Khmer Times. He had a job to do, the same as I did. I remember one day when I was running The Phnom Penh Post and my landlord came to warn me before I went to work that Hun Sen had blasted me on TV and radio, repeating my name over and over during speeches he made at a number of functions that day and sounding very angry over a story that had been in the paper. I expected to be arrested when I went to my office, and the whole newsroom was on edge, but nothing happened. He’d made his displeasure known and thankfully left it at that. Did you ever get sued or taken to court for defamation or libel?

Sure. Nobody likes bad publicity or criticism. The Cambodian government spokesman often sent letters to me complaining about our coverage of various issues when I was at The Phnom Penh Post. The government also had their spies in the office – Hun Sen has spoken about this publicly. Every time the government spokesman sent a letter to me complaining about a story or

No, but I came close a few times. The closest I came was at The Phnom Penh Post over a story about a very wealthy French property developer, of all things. The guy had bought one of the classic old French mansions in Phnom Penh and planned to redevelop the site this beautiful old building was on. Our property writer learned that the developer had been given permission to build a condominium on the site.

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Photo: Alan Parkhouse

The story in our paper did not say the old building would be pulled down, but the developer claimed it did and threatened to sue and engaged one of Cambodia’s leading law firms. The CEO and I were summoned to a meeting at the law firm. After asking the rather irate Frenchman to point out the lines in our story saying the old building was going to be torn down – our story didn’t say that – the angry property developer said the offending words appeared in the writer’s private blog on the internet. The CEO and I didn’t even know our property writer had a blog. The lawyers then stepped in and explained that the blog was not owned by the newspaper and eventually the Frenchman sued the writer and not the paper. I don’t think he ever got his money and the old building is still there, with a condo next to it. It sounds like you had an interesting time at The Phnom Penh Post. How about the other paper, Khmer Times? I’d quit The Phnom Penh Post after nearly four years and returned to Thailand and the Sunday Bangkok Post kindly gave me a job again. Around the time I left Cambodia a new English-language newspaper called Khmer Times had started, but it looked very amateurish and no challenge to the Post or the other little English-language publication, The Cambodia Daily.

A bit over a year later more than 12 of the Cambodian staff at The Phnom Penh Post quit and joined the new paper, Khmer Times. This group included some of the most talented Khmer reporters, page designers and photographers at the Post. They started sending me messages asking me to join them and in the following six months three of them came to Bangkok on junkets and we met for drinks and dinner. The three also asked me to come and help them at the new paper. They told me they’d been unhappy at the Post and the new editor who took over from me had put foreign news on page 1 – something I never did – and made it look like the Cambodia Daily. They were also unhappy with the way the Cambodian reporters had been treated. Eventually the publisher of Khmer Times contacted me and offered me a job. I liked the idea of working with the old team from the Post and accepted. What was it like Khmer Times like when you started there? Amateur week! I had one old friend, a Canadian, in the newsroom who had been working hard trying to set up a proper production system. I sorted that side of it out reasonably quickly. Previously, reporters had been writing stories on their laptops, emailing them to the sub-editors, who would then email the edited stories to the people designing the pages. Things were getting lost and it was chaotic. I set up a system that connected everybody – a proper newsroom system. The publisher paid for it, but he had no idea how a newsroom was supposed to function.

there for the money. People said I’d gone to the dark side etc. People I’d never met criticized me on social media, but I just ignored it. I went there to work with a bunch of people I knew and respected, to try and make Khmer Times a decent newspaper. By the time I left the newsroom had a well-oiled production system in place, the paper looked good, the stories read well and it was beating the Post in a number of areas.

Our court reporter had been a child soldier and carried an AK-47 into battle with his father when they fought with FUNCINPEC battling Hun Sen’s troops and the remnants of the Khmer Rouge.

What was the reaction when you joined a newspaper in opposition with your old paper?

At the Society of Publishers in Asia (SOPA) Awards in Hong Kong with, from left, The Phnom Penh Post's Video Editor Nikki Majewski, Publisher Ross Dunkley and major shareholder Bill Clough. Photo: Alan Parkhouse

t was a bit difficult. Because Khmer Times was seen as a progovernment paper, plus the fact that the Malaysian publisher had been caught plagiarizing opinion pieces a few months before I started and he copped some really bad publicity on local social media, a lot of people thought I’d sold out and just went

It was a much smaller operation than the Post – a total staff of about 50 compared with about 250 when I was at the Post. I hired some experienced people, including some former colleagues from the Bangkok Post, and we also let the Cambodians do all the reporting, instead of young westerners, as they did at the Post.

No one knows a country better than the people from that country. Why did you leave after almost two years? I became fed up with the publisher, to be honest. When I started at Khmer Times, he was managing a palm oil plantation and spending most of his time there, a couple of hours out of Phnom Penh. He’d also promised a hands-off role after the plagiarism scandal. In my second year he lost the job at the palm oil plantation and became more involved in the day-today running of the newspaper. The thing that infuriated me and the sub-editors the most was he would change stories after they’d been edited and many times I would pick up the paper in the morning and find things changed after signing off on it the night before. Even Rupert Murdoch didn’t do that! At the same time my young brother in Australia had some health issues, so I resigned and went to Australia briefly before returning to Bangkok. I now write stories for the Asia Times website, working with a team of people I first worked with in Bangkok in the mid ’90s. How do you see the future of newspapers and the media in general in Cambodia, in terms of financial viability and censorship? Dismal. Neither of the newspapers I worked for make money and I hear their circulation is dropping. Both are now run by people with close ties to the government and neither now do the hard-hitting stories that won the Post about 30 international media awards. There’s no need to censor them as their owners or publishers already do that. I’m not sure how long either paper will last as they’re both losing money and switching to online, or just doing a website, is something they already have and also make little money from. Like newspapers everywhere, the future looks bleak and the only ones surviving are those publishing good, honest journalism and breaking stories. Neither of the newspapers in Cambodia now do that.

TheBigChilli

Waldorf Astoria debuts in Bangkok

WALDORF Astoria Bangkok announces its official opening within the 60-storey Magnolias Ratchadamri Boulevard in the heart of Bangkok. The hotel spans the top three floors, and features three unique restaurant concepts, a lounge and two bars, including the Bull & Bear on level 55 which specialises in grilled meats and seafood, and features a live raw bar along with a custom-made grill designed for smoking, slow roasting, baking and grilling. 02 846 8888 www.waldorfbangkok.waldorfastoria.com

Effortless Korean Charm

CHARM, a refined Korean barbecue restaurant, has opened with table-side cooking, offering a premium medley of meat options for grill, options for kimchi soups, Bibimbap rice and to finish off, a bowl of cold noodles, plus plentiful imported Hite beer from South Korea and a new dessert menu. Besides Charmâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s signature whole rib-eye and beef ribs, a special premium whisky brand will soon make its Thailand debut.

New

on the scene Hot new restaurants, bars & cafes in Bangkok

Cali-Mex Taqueria at Silom

CALI-MEX Taqueria has opened its doors at the Holiday Inn Shopping Complex on Silom Road, hot on the heels of Cali-Mex Bar & Grill in Sukhumvit Soi 22. With the same top-quality ingredients, welcoming ambience, and classics like Tacos, Enchiladas, Burritos, Quesadillas, Nachos and zesty Saladas, the Cali-Mex Taqueria serves Mexican favourites and drinks with many choices which are gluten-free and delicious options for vegetarians and vegans. 084 901 9669

Cosy Ambience Bistro Dining

COAL Bistro has arrived at 26 Ratchaphruek Rd, Taling Chan to offer an unexpected and cosy dining experience. At COAL Bistro, young multi-talented chefs use top quality ingredients with meat and seafood being cooked in a traditional custom-made brick grill using 6 different types of charcoal and wood, in a modern open kitchen station so you can watch your food being prepared and savour the actual taste of the food.

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Scrapbook Last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foodie functions in focus

World Gourmet Festival

Thanpuying Varaporn Pramoj was the guest of honour at the opening of the 19th World Gourmet Festival. This year, thirteen chefs representing nine countries presented an international culinary feast to the esteemed guests with proceeds donated to HRH Princess Soamsawali AZT Fund for Pregnant Women of the Thai Red Cross Society. www.WorldGourmetFestival.asia www.siam-bangkok.anantara.com

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Jazz and Wine Evening

A feast of oral and aural delights was held in Pathumwan recently, showcasing an exotic range of Spanish wines Familia Torres and Cono Sur which included Moscatel, Chardonnay, Tempranillo, Cabernet Sauvignon and Pinot Noir. Quite simply, a delicious evening!

Air France Lunch

Air France continues to delight passengers with exceptional cuisine, offering Michelin starred menus in the Business Cabin and a gastronic experience including an Appertif and Digestif in Premium Economy and Economy on long haul flights from Paris.

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Scrapbook Last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s foodie functions in focus

Gastronomy and Viniculture

The Wine Room, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit launched Sofitel Wine Days, a series of events covering all aspects of gastronomy and viniculture, and provided guests with extensive knowledge on types of French wine, the wine making process, and food pairing, by wine experts. Tapas and freshly imported oysters were served to accompany the selections of wine. +6689 200 3096

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Open up Oyster!

Red Sky Bangkok presents a series of “Open Up – All About Oysters” classes. Until 9th December, learn how to open, or ‘shuck’, oysters correctly. All guests will taste Cap Horn, Tasmanian and Icelandic varieties of oysters, and a paired glass of Champagne, white wine and Bloody Mary cocktail. Take home an oyster shucking certificate, a recipe book, and a carved wooden oyster knife. Classes, priced at 2,955++ baht per person must be booked a week in advance. 0-2100-6255 diningcgcw@chr.co.th

a life style kitchen where rustic food meets passion and imagination open daily 11.30 am - 11.30 pm. Sukhumvit 49. contact : + 66 (0) 2-662-6117, +66 (0) 96-882-1543 email : mallardbangkok@gmail.com FB/IG : mallardbangkok Strip AD Mallard oct18_m2.indd 1

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Food& Drink Bangkok’s hottest dining deals and news

Seafood Buffet at Up & Above UP & Above Restaurant on the 24th floor of The Okura Prestige Bangkok presents the Friday & Saturday Night Seafood Buffet. Fresh seafood on ice includes shucked oysters, mussels, prawns, crab and rock lobster, and hot highlights include grilled scallops, traditional seafood paella, grilled river prawns, grilled oysters, a pot of steamed green mussels, a selection of succulent sushi and more! Available every Friday and Saturday from 2 November, 6:30pm - 10:30pm, priced at 1,800++ baht. 02 687 9000 www.okurabangkok.com

Unlimited Dim Sum

SUAN Bua Restaurant at Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao, presents difficult-tofind enticing Thai dishes, available until 30th December. The selection includes Thai samphire and crab-meat salad, braised New Zealand lamb shank in massaman curry, hot and sour soup with Wagyu beef flank or Kurobuta pork, and grilled river prawns with spicy clam meat, complemented by organic Hom Mali or Sangyod Phatthalung rice. Prices from 390++ baht.

SUI Sian Restaurant on 10th floor The Landmark Bangkok presents its fantastic “ALL YOU CAN EAT” Cantonese Dim Sum buffet lunch. The menu includes steamed shrimp dumplings, bean curd shrimp spring roll, steamed rice noodles rolled with BBQ pork, deep-fried mashed taro with BBQ pork, steamed pork spareribs, black bean sauce, plus Chinese soup, fried rice and noodles, choice of dessert and much more. From only 690++ baht per person.

+66 (0)2 541 1234 ext. 4151 fb_office@chr.co.th

0-2254-0404 ext. 7777 fb@landmarkbangkok.com

Authentic Thai signature dishes

Klong Klone Crab extravaganza ATRIUM Restaurant, The Landmark Bangkok’s Executive Sous Chef Francesco Bettoli presents Crab Roe that he’s personally selected from Klong Klone in Samut Songkhram, prepared in styles such as Steamed and Stir-fried with pepper. Other seafood includes King Crab, Blue Crab, and imported oysters served on ice. Every Night and Sunday Brunch until 31st October. Special Promotion - Come 4 pay 2! From 2,200 net per person. +66(0) 2254 0404 ext 7777

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Jam & Herb cocktails at Octave Rooftop OCTAVE Rooftop Lounge & Bar’s mixologist Khun Korn has created two cocktails for October with an unexpected twist, based on herbs and homemade marmalade, a tasty combination: “Bobby & Vera” - made with gin, aloe vera, lemon and yuzu jam, lychee and Thai basil; “My Honey” – made from ginger infused Nusa Cana, grapefruit, honey, lime and turmeric jam, lemongrass and kaffir lime leaf. Priced at 360++ baht per glass from 5pm – 2am. 02 797 0000

Classic Cantonese flavours

Vegetarian Festival GRAND Hyatt Erawan Bangkok offers a huge variety of vegetarian dishes for lunch and dinner from October 8-17 at Erawan Tea Room on the 2nd Floor. Choose from Tao hoo sa-rong at 210++ baht, Yum dok ka jon bua luang at 290++ baht, Gaeng pha maprow-on at 280++ baht, Bamee phad yod tum lueng at 290++ baht, Mok hed yang at 250++ baht, and much more. 0 2254 6250 restaurants.bangh@hyatt.com

Savour the flavours from Osaka

Traditional Cantonese cuisine ENJOY the stunning new menu at China Table on the 3rd floor of Radisson Blu Plaza Bangkok. The new à la carte dishes reflecting the true spirit of traditional Cantonese cuisine include featured dishes like “Double Boiled Black Chicken with Ginseng Soup”, or “Braised Prawns with Tofu and Mushroom”, or “Pan- Fried Hokkikai with XO Sauce”, and many delicious others. 02 302 3333 chinatable.bangkok.blu@radisson.com

DYNASTY Restaurant at Centara Grand is ideal for large groups to enjoy classic Cantonese flavours and its Group Set Menus make dining out with friends, family, and colleagues easy and affordable. Each group set menu features appetisers, soup, rice or noodles, some signature seafood and meat mains, and dessert. Recommended dishes include sautéed Conch shell Sichuan style, braised abalone with sea cucumber, roasted duck Peking style, and many more. Prices start at just 7,300++ baht www.centarahotelsresorts.com/ centaragrand/cgcw/restaurant/dynasty

THE Swissôtel Bangkok Ratchada announces visiting Master Chef Yamashita from Osaka’s Autumn Seasonal Menu until 7 October at Takumi Restaurant on the Lobby Floor. Highlights include delectable seafood and fruit experiences including Soft Boiled Pike Conger with Plum Soy Sauce, the rarely seen Sautéed Threadfin Bream with York Vinegar Sauce, Seared Mackerel Sushi, and Chestnut Rice. Chef Yamashita’s culinary passion is to “make the most of the original taste of seasonal ingredients.” Catch it while you can. 02 694 2222 ext. 1216, 1214

Fine Cheese & Wine Buffet AVAILABLE at Amari Watergate Bangkok on the last Thursday of each month from 18:00 to 20:00 hrs, Amaya Food Gallery invites you to enjoy an exquisitely curated selection of legacy-grade cheeses from Europe with varieties like Saint Nectaire, Comte 36 months, Raclette, Fourme D’ambert, Crottib de Cavignol from France, along with Swiss Appenzeller, English Stilton and Spain’s renowned Manchego … plus many more. 3 packages available starting at 500++ baht +66 (0) 2653 9000 ext. 355 www.amari.com

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Guest review by

Bangkok Beefsteak & Burgundy

Brasserie 9, elegant décor and excellent cuisine

RASSERIE 9 was uncharted territory for many of the 20 diners but all found it to be an excellent choice. Luca Sigg, F&B Manager and his team performed outstandingly and left all very satisfied by their efforts. Proceedings started on the ground floor with tasty nibbles and lots of Valentin Zusslin Crémant d’Alsace NV. Some found this “Brut Zéro” sparkling wine a little too dry for their taste, though most enjoyed the crisp and fresh flavour profile offered by this blanc de blancs blend of mainly Pinot Auxerrois with Chardonnay and Pinot Gris. Moving upstairs, we settled into a spacious dining room with a refreshingly simple but elegant décor, and were served an amuse bouche, King Crab Filled Egg with caviar topping. Jim Morrison, our first-time food spokesman, enjoyed this and, even more so, the “B9 Pan Seared Foie Gras” with grapes, jus and brioche. Paired with these dishes came Two Paddocks Riesling 2016 (NZ) and wine spokesman, Kim Walker, in a

much-appreciated Riesling which some of us thought might have made an even better match for the Foie Gras than the Two Paddocks. This delicious, off-dry Riesling, popped with energetic, high-toned and freshly spicy flavours to go along with pure fruit and succulent savour.

characteristically witty exposé accused vineyard owner Sam Neill “Lime, loquat, spicy wild flower aromatics followed by a warm, citrus driven flavour profile showing great length, texture and drive” of confusing this with the taste of a Snickers Bar or worse, Ronaldo’s underwear. Becoming more serious he found the wine excellent. We next enjoyed Chef Kenny’s Lobster bisque, earning high praise from Jim, which came with Koehler Ruprecht Kallstadter Riesling Spätlese 2015 (Pfalz, Germany), a

A palate-cleansing Passionfruit Delight followed, the tartness of which left many puckering their lips not just in anticipation of the main course: Slow Braised Wagyu cheek served with baby carrots, onion and mashed potato. This was prepared faultlessly and the serving a generous one. To accompany the beef we had Domaine Charvin Chateauneuf du Pape 2015 (Rhône, France). It took me a few sips to decide if I really liked this but once the food arrived, I found it quite acceptable. Kim took us in a

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totally different direction; his research revealed that historically wine was made in monasteries and measured in “butts” - both now figuring rather too frequently in the press. Our sweet course was Warm Valrhona Chocolate Tart served with homemade vanilla ice cream and it was again adjudged by Jim, not normally a dessert lover, to be excellent. Finally, Mark Guthrie generously treated us to a wonderful selection of fine cheeses from the USA. These were a soft ripened goat-milk cheese (Humboldt Fog) from Cypress Grove CA, and four award-winning offerings from Jasper Hill Farm in VT (the washed-rind style cheeses Oma and Willoughby, Bayley Hazen Blue, and bark-wrapped bloomy rind Harbison). Each was more than a match for European versions of similar cheeses, and we enjoyed them together with Howard Park Miamup Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 (Margaret River, WA). A tower of Assorted Mignardises, Coffees & Tea completed a really excellent meal. To show our appreciation, we invited Mark to present our thanks to the remaining members of the team and a collection of contributions from those present.

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School Report

Outrigger Laguna Phuket’s English Camp

Outrigger Laguna Phuket Beach Resort recently supported local children, helping boost their English language skills with an English Camp day activity at the Baan Khok Wat Mai School in Thalang, Phuket. Activities such as teaching greetings, small talk, singing English songs, matching everyday words, playing “Simon Says” and “thinking creatively” were included. The English Camp was the latest in a series by Outrigger to support the school and advance the wellbeing of its 150 children, seeing the number of students rising from 80, increasing from two teachers to seven, and attracting additional government funding. In the last few years, pupils’ O-net test scores have improved, with substantial improvements in Grade 3 students’ scores also.

Phuket’s First School Mindfulness Centre

UWC Thailand (UWCT) has added a purpose-built, student-centric Mindfulness Centre to its campus, highlighting its commitment to integrating mindfulness into campus life. The centre is used by classes ranging from Nursery to Grade 12, where students explore how to ‘pay attention to the present moment, on purpose, with kindness and curiosity,’ while UWCT’s boarding students also use it for meditation and yoga in the evenings. Mindfulness at UWCT is embedded into how the school’s teachers teach, with an attitude of non-judgment, kindness, and curiosity. The school also offers mindful parenting sessions so that the community can support the students’ mindfulness practices at home.

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Buddhist scholar and teacher B. Alan Wallace will be at UWCT on November 17th and 18th to deliver a two-day seminar on his four aspects of mental balance

framework from 9am to 3pm each day. Spaces are limited. +66 6-5061-4780 rsvp@uwcthailand.ac.th

SHREWSBURY’S NEW PRIMARY SCHOOL

British Ambassador H.E. Mr. Brian Davidson, together with Sir David Lees, Chairman of the Board of Governors of Shrewsbury International School Bangkok, inaugurated Thailand’s newest international primary school, Shrewsbury International School Bangkok – City Campus. It is located on a 15-rai (2.4 hectare) site between Sukhumvit Road and Rama IX Road catering for primary school children aged 3 to 11 years.

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School Report

Basketball Triumph in Taiwan

HIS month, Traill’s U19 boys basketball team travelled to Taiwan to take part in a tournament organised by one of Taiwan’s best

universities. The competitors in the tournament were the top nationally ranked school teams from Taiwan and China includingNeng Ren whose team was comprised mostly of Taiwanese national players. As the only team from Thailand taking part, it was up to our school to represent Thai basketball. Given the caliber of the teams involved we knew that this would not be an easy tournament for us. Our players would have to use all the training learned in our elite basketball programme, if we were to stand a chance at being successful.

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In the second game against Nan Hu the 3rd nationally ranked team, nerves got the better of our players and we fell behind. Just for a moment it looked like we might not recover. But as everyone in sport will attest, these are the moments which define a team: does the game slip away or does the self confidence that coaches instill in their players boost their game? For our players, the latter was true and we not only drew level but won the game. The next three games were against very strong opposition, with one game going to extra time. It was in these games that our players’ superior fitness and stamina shone through. Incredibly after four games we were the only undefeated team. In our last two games the team started to relax and played some incredible basketball. The crowd

certainly enjoyed the numerous Alley Oop dunk shots by our players, as many of them had not seen a dunk live before. Most of the other teams stayed long after their scheduled matches to watch us play. At the end of four highly competitive days, Traill U19 boys remained undefeated and were crowned tournament champions. The tournament was exhausting but the excellent training our players receive gives them the skills they need to meet challenges such as these. We are so proud of our players and the coaching staff whose hard work both on and off the court is the reason we continue to triumph at tournaments.

www.traillschool.ac.th

Run for Kids Mini-Marathon

AccorHotels Southern Thailand has successfully raised 650,000 baht to support and improve the education and well-being of underprivileged children in Phuket and nearby provinces through the exciting and challenging event: 4th AccorHotels “Heartbreak Hill” Mini Marathon at Khao Khad, Phuket, as part of Yim Kids Thailand Project. 1,500 runners joined the 6 kms “Fun Run” and 1,000 runners participated in the 13 kilometres “Mini Marathon” in Phuket. www.facebook.com/HeartBreakHillPhuket

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Social

p Last monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best events in pictures

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“ALL YOU EVER WANTED”

Lazada has officially launched LazMall, Southeast Asia’s biggest mall providing shoppers across the region with reliable services and product quality assurance to get their hands on all they ever wanted, with more than 300 brands available for Thai shoppers. With “All You Ever Wanted”, shoppers can enjoy greater discounts and bargains with more than 10,000 blockbuster deals and discounts of up to 90 per cent up for grabs. https://bit.ly/2MKFjti Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LazadaThailand

OCEANFRONT RESIDENCES LAUNCHED

Situated on Phuket’s Kamala hill-side, Ramada Plaza Grand Himalai Oceanfront Residences construction is underway by Blue Horizon Developments (Thailand). Consisting of 426 investment studio units (33.96 sq m) starting at 3.9 million baht, each unit offers modern contemporary designs to maximise ocean views and best comforts. The development also features glass edged ocean view swimming pools, tennis court, modern sauna, an exotic luxury spa, and kids club. +6676-341045 http://www.bluehorizon-thailand.com/

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Rayong Marriott Weekday Special

Add @Clubmarriott on LINE application and book a Deluxe Mountain View Room at Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa at the special price of 3,400 baht net per night when booking a minimum of 2 nights Sunday to Thursday only. Club Marriott members get an exclusive free upgrade to Deluxe Ocean View Room. Offer applies for reservations made until 30 September for stays until end November 2018. +66 38 998 000 www.rayongmarriottresort.com

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Family offer at Sheraton Hua Hin

Take time out with Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa, book before 31st October, and bring your little ones or special someone. Dive into our lagoon-style pool, play some tennis, experience some delicious local dishes and recharge at our Shine Spa. Special “Family Offer” per night rates: Garden View 4,200 baht net, Garden Terrace 4,600 baht net, Lagoon View 5,200 baht net, Lagoon Access 5,800 baht net.

MATES’ RATES Need a quick cheap getaway? Check out these great offers

032 708080 www.sheraton.com

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Opening rates at Modena Buriram

A sleek blend of functionality and style, Modena by Fraser Buriram has all the comforts of home and is ideally located for sports fans. With 152 units to suit every type of traveller, the hotel’s comprehensive amenities include complimentary WiFi, home entertainment system, swimming pool, gym, ballroom, launderette, all-day dining showcasing the region’s Isaan cuisine, and a restaurant bar. Modena by Fraser Buriram, from 1,200++ baht. buriram.modenabyfraser.com

Chilling out in Kanchanab-

uri

Away Kanchanaburi Dheva Mantra Resort & Spa offers a three day-two night package “Chilling out in Kanchanaburi” with many special perks: dinner set for two persons at the Tiara or Rice Barge, private cooking class, 2 complimentary tickets from Malika R.E.124, a complimentary 60-minute massage at Le Dheva Spa, and 30 minutes work out with personal trainer. From 6,900 baht net per package. +66 3461 5999 https://awayresorts.com/offers/3-days-2-nightspackage

Exclusive opening offer  The stunning new Mövenpick Asara

Resort & Spa Hua Hin offers 30% off your stay in Suites & Pool Villas including daily breakfast, nightly set dinner for 2 persons with soft drinks, as well as an extra $20 restaurant voucher. Rates start at 5,036 baht net per room per night. Available for bookings directly from www.movenpick. com/hua-hin for stays until 30th November. + 66 (32) 520 777 resort.huahin.reservation@movenpick.com

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“Suite Experience” package

Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok’s presents “Suite Experience” until 30th December for two consecutive nights stay or more in Club Deluxe, Club Deluxe Suite, Premium Deluxe Suite and Executive Suite, and includes complimentary Club Executive privileges, access to the Club Executive Lounge with breakfast and evening cocktails, spa or dining credits, one signature cocktail at Blue Sky Bar, unlimited and late check-out (subject to room availability) plus other discounts for Spa and F&B. +662 541 1234 ext. 4116-19 reservationcglb@chr.co.th

Dual Brand Novotel & ibis  AccorHotels launched Novotel ibis Styles

Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 in the heart of Sukhumvit from October with a range of dining options, spectacular city views and a panoramic swimming pool. An ideal choice for travellers, the hotels are located in trendy Sukhumvit neighbourhood, renowned for glitzy shopping malls, dining and nightlife. Opening rates at Novotel Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 start from 2,776++ baht and ibis Styles Bangkok Sukhumvit 4 start from 1,448++ baht. +66(2) 659-2888 novotel.erawan@accor.com

Beyond Bangkok

A fresh take on seafood dining Azure Restaurant at InterContinental Hua Hin Resort has launched its new cuisine concept, a fresh take – in every sense – on seafood dining in Hua Hin. The restaurant now emphasises not only fresh-caught seafood from the area’s surrounding fishing villages, but also locally grown fruits and vegetables as well as premium meats produced at nearby farms.

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Beyond Bangkok

Glass-bottomed Sky Deck Vana Nava Sky has been officially launched as a world-class bar destination, with its glass-bottomed sky deck and legendary mixology. Vana Nava Sky presents a unique vista of Hua Hin from its 60 sq m glass-bottomed observation deck on the highest floor of Holiday Inn Vana Nava Hua Hin, more than 110 meters above the ground.

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Beyond Bangkok Into the Sky at Costa Well

Costa Well Resort Pattaya, the Santoriniinspired resort, launches Into the Sky Package offering an exclusive stay in Sky Terrace or Two Bedroom Duplex Jacuzzi, including breakfast in bed, one seafood BBQ set, one afternoon snack set, free mini-bar, and free late check out for Sunday to Thursday, with welcome drinks upon arrival, Tuk Tuk shuttle to nearby area, 2 rooftop swimming pools, and massage service at Costa Spa. The promotion is valid for booking and staying from now until 24 December 2018. +66 (0) 33 679 885 www.costawellresortpattaya.com

Hilton Pattaya announces F&B Masters Winners

EXCITING DINING & SPA PROMOTIONS

Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa has unveiled its latest line-up of dining and wellness promotions for October 2018, including Phuket Lobster Feast (1st - 31st October, 17.00 – 22.30 hrs), Dine Along the Beach (25th October 17.00 – 21.00 hrs), Sunday Family Roast (28th October 12.00 – 15.00 hrs), Beach n’ Vine: Wine Trade Dinner (5th October 18.00 – 21.00 hrs), or Brew-Spa Inspiration Package (1st - 31st October 10.00 – 21.00 hrs). +66 (0) 32 904 666 huahinrestaurants@marriott.com

TENDER AUSTRALIAN VEAL

Until the end of October Infiniti Restaurant, InterContinental Pattaya Resort invites you to try the signature dish of pan-roasted veal rack with pistachiorosemary crust, complemented by roasted potatoes with garlic and morel-port wine cream. Other recommended dishes are veal & Jerusalem artichoke salad, veal ossobuco, and veal steak with brandypepper sauce. Tender and light, this veal is unmissable, prices starting at 890++ baht. +66 (0) 38 259 888 swww.pattaya. intercontinental.com

“DONBURI” - JAPANESE GOURMET DELIGHTS

Centara Grand Hua Hin presents Japanese gourmet delights “Donburi”, a simple Japanese one-dish meal topped with premium ingredients, at Hagi restaurant throughout October and November. Every Tuesday to Sunday for dinner you can try a range of tasty Donburi dishes including Unadon or Unagi Donburi, Gyudon or Japanese Beef Donburi, or Foie Gras Donburi. Prices start at 450++ baht. +66 (0) 3251 2021

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Hilton Pattaya has announced the winners of the 5th Hilton South East Asia & India F&B Masters 2018/2019 Hotel Level competition. The Hilton F&B Masters is an annual food and beverage competition among the Hilton hotels in South East Asia & India in 5 disciplines: culinary, dessert, barista, bar and sommelier. All contestants have to showcase their passion and creativity in each plate and drink as presented to the judges. facebook.com/PattayaHilton

It’s Soft-Shell Crab Season!

Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa has selected the best ingredients for their special soft-shell crab menu at C-Salt Café and Fish Bar Restaurant. Available until the end of October, these Thai and Western style delicacies await your enjoyment: Phu Nim Phed Ron, Phu Tid Koh, Som Tam Yum Phu, Soft-Shell Crab Salad, Crustaceans Bisque with Soft-Shell Crab Croutons, Soft-Shell Crab Risotto. +66 38 998 000 www.rayongmarriottresort.com

FRESH FINE DE CLAIRE OYSTERS

Until November, Radius Restaurant at Cape Dara Resort Pattaya exclusively presents how to enjoy oysters in many different ways with Executive Chef Kittisak Khuengthi, such as Fresh from France served with Thai herbs and roasted chilies, or Tom Yum Oyster cream soup, or Crispy Oysters with XO sauce. Join us for these delicious dishes every day from 11am to 10pm. 038 933 888 reservation@capedarapattaya.com

Gastronomic experience At Cape Fahn

Mouth-watering Mud Crabs Oyster Mania at Baan Dum Beachfront Seafood

Discover the hidden tastes of the succulent, juicy meat of oysters fresh from the ocean on your table as selected by Baan Dum Beachfront Seafood Hua Hin’s talented team of chefs. Served with Baan Dum’s secret spicy sauce and chilli sauce and condiments such as Thai Chilli Paste, Deep Fried Shallots and Wild Tamarind, this succulent platter is at 450 baht and is available everyday. + 66 (32) 520 777 resort.huahin@movenpick.com

Sheraton succulent selection

Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa presents their October promotion. At InAzia from Tuesday to Saturday, succulent blue crab dishes start at 220 baht net, while every day at Luna Lanai by the Sea you can enjoy delicious Northern Cuisine from 190 baht net. The Sundara Sports Lounge offers Finger Lickin’ Ribs from 990 baht net, and the Salas have Beautiful Burrata Cheese selections from 250 baht net. Don’t miss out!

Sheraton Hua Hin Pranburi Villas invites you to enjoy their promotion specials at Luna La Pran Restaurant every day during October. The mouth-watering Mud Crab dishes, at their tastiest and most succulent now, are prepared in several exotic Thai styles and start from 650 baht net, while the Pranburi Hot Pot set for 2 people prepared with premium ingredients and freshly caught sea treasures starts at 888 baht net. 032 909900 ext.3135

The Crest restaurant at Cape Fahn, Private Islands, Koh Samui invites you to experience an exclusive Omakase Dinner on 29 October 2018, created by Michelin-Starred Master Chef Tsutomo Ito from Kyoto, Japan. The best Wagyu beef will be prepared at 12,000 ++ baht per person, served at 5.30pm and 8.30pm. An exclusive Omakase Experience Package including dinner and accommodation is available from 28,500 baht net per person. 077-601-301-2 www.capecollection.com

PRETTY IN PINK AT THE MUSEUM

This month, The Pink Heritage Afternoon Tea is part of Centara Grand Hua Hin’s Pink October initiative to raise awareness of breast cancer and generate support for Queen Sirikit Centre for Breast Cancer Foundation. Every day in October from 10.00 – 18.00 hrs, indulge in a scrumptious assortment such as classic Mille-feuille, Pétale de Rose Macaron, Raspberry and Cream Éclair, Pink Raisin Scone, and many more. Prices from 500++ baht +66 (0) 3251 2021

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Beyond Bangkok

The Return of AOF Thank You Concert Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa presented “The Return of AOF Thank You Concert” starring celebrated Thai singer Aof Pongsak, as a reward for the resort’s great customers. DJ A, aka Peerawat Manamontrisakul, also performed at the four-hour fun gathering hosted at Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa. www.sheraton.com

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