AL2_singles

St. Andrews International School Sathorn Sukhumvit 107 Green Valle

10 2012

Issue 2

26 front

www.asialife.asia

06 News & Events 16 Dispatches

getaways

42 Farang Of The North

food

46 Esplanade

style & design

48 Hidden Treasures

17 Street Smart: Thonglor Soi 20 20 Q&A with MissJolanda 22 Photo Essay: Sport of Elephants & Kings

on the cover

26 Bangkok Cook Off

storyboard

32 A Dog's Life

44 Into The Mountains

47 Whale's Belly

52 Table Talk 54 Connoisseur: Wine Glasses

34 Filming The Third Sex

back

36 Jumping On The

56 The List 78 Spotlight 85 The Two Of Us

Japanese Catwalk

86 Pub Quiz

38 Bangkok's Secret Garden 40 Ghost Busters

OCTOBER 2012

22

44

Cover Photography Nick McGrath

asialife Thailand 3

note from the editor Nick McGrath Award winning Australian photographer Nick McGrath worked as an editorial photographer for Fairfax Media before embarking upon a freelance career. Now based in Bangkok, Nick has joined the AsiaLIFE Thailand team as our photo editor. He continues his passion for photographing the world around him as you can see from his photographs of Istanbul published last month as our photo essay.

Mark Bibby Jackson When carrying out interviews for last month’s cover story one thing seemed to be universal among expats – an appreciation for the quality of food available in Bangkok. Whether it be streetfood or top-end restaurants, the local cuisine is excellent. And it’s not just Thai food. French, Italian, Japanese or even molecular, the range and quality of international fare on offer here is quite exceptional.

This month we have decided to put four of the capital’s master chefs to the test. Gaggan Anand from his eponymous restaurant, Nipaporn Nutkasame from Thompson Restaurant & Wine Bar, Marco Cammarata from Niu’s on Silom and Julien Lavigne from Oskar Bistro agreed to participate in our cookoff. They were given B300 from which they had to create a three-course meal made purely from local ingredients. A test of the chefs’ adaptability and creativity rather than a culinary competition, it showed that the spirit of adventure is alive in the capital’s kitchens.

Unfortunately the regional food industry is not unblemished.

One of its most unsavoury aspects is the trading of dogs from Thailand across the border to neighbouring Vietnam. Max Crosbie-Jones talks to John Dalley of the Soi Dog Foundation, an organisation working to combat the horrific business that has now extended from strays to pets. As mentioned in last month’s editorial, AsiaLIFE is not afraid to tackle controversial issues. The running of Max’s article in AsiaLIFE HCMC as well, shows our determination to highlight this despicable trade on a regional basis.

As always, we are mixing our editorial up a bit, with a profile of transexxual filmmaker Tanwarin 'Tannia' Sukkhapisit appearing alongside new fashion trends and an article on Cambodian spirit mediums and exorcisms that we first published in AsiaLFE Cambodia. We also take a journey down memory lane to the old British Consulate building in Chiang Mai with an anecdote about the present British Queen, as well as a motorbike trip around Vietnam.

All in all a bumper pack edition I’m sure you agree, but if you don’t or if there is anything else you would like to share with us then please email me at: mark@asialife.asia.

Follow AsiaLIFE on Facebook at: www.facebook.com/ asialifemedia.

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Group Editor-in-Chief / Director Cambodia: Mark Bibby Jackson mark@asialife.asia

Director Thailand: Nattamon Limthanachai (Oh) oh@asialife.asia

Associate Editor Thailand: Yvonne Liang

Regional Creative Director: Johnny Murphy johnny@asialife.asia

Sales Thailand: Radhika Vitthayagovit (Rina) rina@asialife.asia

Photo Editor Thailand: Nick McGrath nick@asialife.asia

Linny Vo (Linny) linny@asialife.asia For advertising and marketing enquiries please contact: 087 933 1112 or 087 976 4951

AsiaLIFE Group Group Director Sales & Marketing / Director Vietnam: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialife.asia Managing Editor Vietnam: Chris Mueller Sales Vietnam: Jonny Edbrooke jonny@asialife.asia

Managing Editor Cambodia: Ellie Dyer Art Director Cambodia: Steve Tierney Sales Cambodia: Sorn Chantha Chantha@asialife.asia

GROWING UP

expat

Next time you're in Cambodia or Vietnam, check out the latest issue of AsiaLIFE or download it from www.asialife.asia

asialife Thailand 5

NEWS St Andrews International Day

St Andrews Sukhumvit 107 campus will hold its International Day on Oct. 12. Students will wear costumes representing the cosmopolitan nature of the school, and food stalls will be set up over campus for students to try different dishes. There will also be a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new walkway to BTS Bearing, officiated by

EVENTS the British Ambassador. The St Andrews Society will play some bagpipes and there is a kids bouncy castle for the tiny tots.

The event will be from 11am to 1pm.

St Andrews, Sukhumvit 107 campus, 7 Sukumvit Soi 107.

PechaKucha

The latest PechaKucha will be at Opposite, Sukhumvit Soi 5, on Oct. 3 from 6.30pm. Eight to

Beervana’s Wild Flavours

10 speakers present 20 slides in rapid fashion on subjects as diverse as ‘Live by Design, Not by Default’, ‘The History of Thai Shop Houses’, and ‘Building Bamboo Bikes’. “After a very successful event on Jul. 9 at Nest, with 110 guests in attendance, we’ll scale-back the size a bit to make things more personal,” says organiser Scott Coates. “Opposite is a really neat creative space that we’ve admired for a while and they were enthusiastic about being a part of PechKucha Bangkok.”

Space is limited to 60 people.

For tickets email: pechakuchabangkok@gmail. com.

NCompass Opening

Electrolux Thailand, Beervana and Opposite have joined forces for two craft beer and Pacific Northwest food evenings on Oct. 12 and 13 from 7.30pm. Chef Tim Butler of Eat Me Restaurant will prepare a five-course feast (B2,300) in the Electrolux kitchen, using fresh and authentic game ingredients rarely seen in Bangkok’s restaurants. Each course will be paired with five American craft beers curated by Beervana. Courses include smoked gravlax, deviled quail eggs, rabbit rillettes, heirloom carrot confit, beer battered sweetbread ‘wings’ and hazelnut crusted red deer saddle. Only 30 tickets are available each night and can be purchased at WTF Cafe & Gallery.

For more information contact, Soontharee Phuengnoi, Tel: 081 695 4969. Opposite (Opposite WTF Cafe & Gallery), 27/1 Sukhumvit Soi 51, www.oppositebangkok.com.

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To celebrate the opening of its new Bangkok office, NCompass Mobility is holding a complimentary workshop for the HR Community at BNH Hospital on Oct. 3. Supported

by St Andrews International School, the evening will feature well-regarded industry speakers and joined by Tina Blackmon of Thai Property Guide, Gerard Lalande of CEO HEALTH and cross-cultural trainer Marisa Chuawiwat.

BNH Hospital, 3/Floor Conference Room, Zone B, 9/1 Convent Road, Silom from 9.30am to noon, Tel: Toey on 02 104 9121 or 02 104 9122.

Mandarin Oriental Goes Thai

Ittipol Witjitsomboon was recently appointed Director of Food & Beverage at the Mandarin Oriental. The promotion makes Khun Ittipol the first Thai to be given the leading F&B position in the 136-year history of the Oriental.

Khun Ittipol has been working

with the hotel for the past fifteen years, since 2008 as Food and Beverage Manager.

Goethe Chamber Music

The Goethe Institute has a series of classical music concerts this month. On Oct. 26, young string players featuring in the Sixth Beethoven Competition will play before the jury, with the winners’ concert and presentation occurring two days later (Oct. 28). Both concerts are free and start at 7.30pm. There will also be a jazz concert performed by young musicians as part of the Old Masters Ensemble Concert Series, in the auditorium on the Goethe Institute on Oct. 31 from 7pm. Tickets for this concert are B100 or B50 for students.

Goethe Institute Thailand, 18/1 Soi Goethe, Sathorn 1, Tel: 02 287 0942.

Atif Aslam Live

5th String Productions in association with Indorama Ventures is bringing Bollywood singer Atif Aslam to Bangkok for a live show at Centara Grand Convention Centre (Central World) on Oct. 6. The show will also feature Dubai's celebrity DJ ZUBAIR and acts by local Indian stars – Xunny Dey, Strange Idea, and Cactus Terrain.

Ticket prices start at B1,950 and are on sale through: www.

ThaiTicketMajor.com. For more information, Tel: 083 815 2135 or email: info@riseproductions. com.

Cracking Bamboo Concert

A free music event featuring Asian and Western percussionists will be performed at the College of Music, Mahidol University, Salaya on Oct. 5 from 7pm. The percussionists

are collaborating on a one-week festival including workshops and master classes at the Mahidol University. The jointly composed musical programme will be presented at the concert, and again in Hanoi and Ho Chi Min City, Vietnam. The Goethe Institute will be organising a bus transfer to Salaya for the concert leaving from the institute at 5pm.

Costs for the round trip transfer are B100 to be paid on the evening of the concert.

For more information, contact: programm@bangkok.goethe. org.

Clutter Sale

The NewsMakers is organising its Clutter Sale for Charity on Oct. 7 at the Grand Ballroom of the Four Seasons Hotel from 10am to 5pm. Proceeds will benefit Chulalongkorn Hospital’s Hematological Cancer Research Centre under the auspices of the Thai Red Cross. Guests can expect 70 booths of vintage clothes, fashion accessories, crystal and silverware, home decor, toys and sports equipment. This year, a special auction of fine art will

provide a rare opportunity for connoisseurs and collectors to acquire a piece of Thailand’s rich history and other rare antiques.

Preview is from 10am to 2.30pm at the Montathip 1 Room of the Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok.

The actual auction, begins at 3pm, conducted by antique collector and long-time Thailand resident Anders Normann, consul-general of Denmark.

Luca Ciarla Quartet

Kiatsu at the Oriental

Kaoru Kawarabuki, a Kiatsu specialist from Mandarin Oriental Tokyo, will be in residence at the Oriental Spa, Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok from Oct. 17 to Nov. 11 to share the Shiatsu-inspired therapy designed to balance the mind, body and spirit. The treatment takes 1 hour 50 minutes and costs B7,200 ++.

For more information and reservation, Tel: 02 659 9000 x Spa.

My-Mine Art Exhibition

Art students from the Department of Fine and Applied Arts, Burapha University will show their art thesis exhibits at V64 Gallery from Oct. 12 to

Niu's on Silom, Bangkok’s premier jazz and wine bar, will host a couple of evenings of Mediterranean Jazz by the Luca Ciarla Quartet on Oct. 10 and 25. Led by Luca Ciarla on violin, the quartet promises an intoxicating night of music rooted in North Africa and the gypsy rhythms and folk traditions of Italy and Eastern Europe. They incorporate music by Dizzy Gillespie, Duke Ellington and Thelonious Monk, as well as Bach, plus traditional tunes and original material composed by Luca in their repertoire. Both nights start at 9pm and admission is free.

Niu's on Silom, 661 Floor 1-2 Silom Road, Tel: 02 266 5333-4, www.niusonsilom.com.

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Oct. 18. The opening party will be on Oct. 12 from 6.30pm to 11.30pm. The art students will exhibit their artwork based on the knowledge they have gained from their bachelor degree studies in their debut exhibition.

V64, 143/19 Changwattana Soi 1, www.v64artstudio.com.

La Lanta Art Exhibition

An installation and mixed media exhibition by artist Pornpraseart Yamazaki will be held at La Lanta Fine Art from Oct. 6 to Nov. 6. In the exhibition entitled ‘Mistaken Gear Wheel for Lotus’, after a Thai proverb meaning that ignorance can mistake evil

Bangkok Noir

for good, Pornprasert examines how Thais are potentially politically mobilised to believe in certain things through propaganda. The opening reception will be on Oct. 6 from 5pm to 7pm.

For more information, call 02 204 0583 or 02 260 5381 or email: fon@lalanta.com.

San-Sti Exhibition

Eat Me restaurant is hosting the first solo exhibition by Tanika ‘Pook’ Panyarachun in Thailand from Oct.2 to Dec. 8.

The artist explores Buddhist philosophies and symbolism to create intricately woven pieces that exemplify both the process of meditation and topics of departure, change and renewal.

Eat Me Restaurant, next to the Carmelite Monastery on Convent Road, Tel: 02 238 0931. Open from 3pm to 1am.

Banyan Tree’s Vertical Marathon

The FCCT will host an exhibition by artist and filmmaker Chris Coles from Oct. 16 to Nov. 14. Coles is one of the first artists to explore the chaotic and ambiguous world of the Bangkok nightlife. His paintings, in the Expressionist style, are jagged and emotional portraits, revealing a raw and primitive layer of the human experience. A book of his paintings, ‘Navigating the Bangkok Noir’, was recently published by Marshall Cavendish Singapore. It is available at Kinokuniya and Asia Books stores, and also via the Internet (B500 to B600).

The show's opening night on Oct. 19 from 7pm, will feature a talk by Coles on the origins and style of his work titled, ‘German Expressionism and the Bangkok Night’. Philip Cornwel-Smith, author of VERY THAI and Founding Editor of Bangkok Metro Magazine, will introduce Coles and provide some thoughts on Bangkok's nightlife as a source and inspiration for art, music, literature and movies.

For more details visit the Chris Coles Gallery website at: www. chriscolesgallery.com or www.bangkok-noir.blogspot.com.

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Contestants will race, or more likely stagger, up the 61 stories and over 1,000 steps to the Vertical Grill and Moon Bar at the Banyan Tree Hotel on Oct. 14 from 8am. Proceeds from the event will be donated to the HIV Formula Feeding Fund, a Thai Red Cross initiative under the patronage of Her Royal Highness Princess Soamsawali.

The B350 registration fee includes the official marathon t-shirt and a medal if you make it to the top.

Register at Banyan Tree’s Front Desk from now until Oct. 9 or online at: www. goadventureasia.com/VER/ verreg.htm.

A Ride for the Children of Cambodia

David Baldwin will ride nearly 400 kilometers from Siam Square to Siem Reap in Cambodia. Setting off on Oct. 19 the general manager of Novotel Bangkok will arrive at

the home of Angkor Wat two days later. All funds raised will provide educational scholarship for Cambodian children and the opportunity to study hospitality at the Ecole d’ Hotellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule.

For more information visit: http://siamtosiem.com and to make a donation visit: www. fundraiseonline.com.au/ DavidBaldwin.

Retro Night

Mulligan’s on Soi 11 is holding Wednesdays’ 80s and 90s Retro Night throughout October. In addition to all-night music from these decades, there will be special promotions on selected beers, such as draught Chang and Tiger, bottle Carlsberg, Heineken and Singha (B80 to B90) as well as house pour Cosmopolitan (B90) and Santa Julia red and white wine (B90).

Mulligan’s, 22 Sukhumvit Soi 11, Tel: 02 255 5025, www. mulliganspubs.com.

The Country Wife

The Bangkok Community Theatre is bringing William Wycherley’s bawdy Restoration comedy, The Country Wife, to the British Club this month.

Set in 1670s London, the plot revolves around central character Mr Horner feigning impotence in order to hide his clandestine affairs with married women, and the arrival of the inexperienced country wife who discovers the joys of London life, including the young gentlemen.

The Country Wife, The British Club Silom Soi 18, Oct. 10 to 13, 8pm (B800).

Scottish Stand-Up

An evening of Scottish comedy featuring the talents of Raymond Mearns and Gary Little will be held at the ballroom of the Rembrandt Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 18, on Oct. 5. Organised by the Scottish Business Group, tickets cost B2,750 per person

or B25,000 for a table of ten and include a four-course meal, wine, beer, soft drinks and plenty of laughs. All proceeds go to the Gift of Happiness Foundation.

For more information, call 081 824 3157, or email: Andrew. sloan@wctcoltd.com.

NIST's Twentieth Birthday Bash

NIST kicked of its twentieth year with a grand birthday celebration in August. Students from Early Year 1 to Year 13 partook in a school portrait as students and staff created a sky full of bubbles and a cut-out '20'.

Around the NIST oval magicians, acrobats and even stilt walkers

entertained students. To top it all off, there was a whole school assembly complete with a 2,000 cupcake display baked by NIST's elementary school. Additionally, students sang 'Happy Birthday' in nine different languages – Japanese, German, French, Spanish, Mandarin, Korean, Hindi, Dutch and Hebrew. NIST has other events planned to celebrate the School's twenty years, including a grand gala and the release of two commemorative books.

Bo.lan hosts Freedom to Walk dinner

Diners enjoyed a meal for a good cause with free-flow wine pairings sponsored by Wine

Gallery at Bo.lan Restaurant on the evening of Sep. 20.

All proceeds from the dinner were donated to stop human trafficking. Diners contributed a total of B150,000 for Freedom to Walk. The fundraiser aims to raise at least B3 million to combat human trafficking around the world. In November, Freedom to Walk is giving you a chance to participate in a walk that will cover 350km over 15 days, from Bangkok to Myanmar to raise awareness and save the victims of human trafficking – men, women, and children – who are sold for sex and labour on five continents.

For more information or to make a donation, call walk

leaders Tanny (08 1375 3438) or Ali (08 7824 8966) or visit: www. freedomtowalk.org.

French Wine Tasting

The Wine Connection is hosting a wine evening at Wine Connection Silom on Oct. 11 featuring the wines of Gabriel Meffre. In addition to the tasting, there will be a talk from wine aficionado Anthony Taylor.

Tasters will also be able to buy wines such as a La Chasse Shiraz (B449) and the intriguingly titled Fat Bastard Chardonnay and Shiraz (both B579). The tasting will be from 6pm to 8pm.

Anyone interested should call 02 234 0388 (x16) or email info@ wineconnection.co.th.

Netballers Springs into Action

The Bangkok Netball League kicked off its new season last month with a party at the Clubhouse. Sponsored by Lawton Asia, the league has been a mainstay of female sporting activity for the past 12 years.

Twelve teams from amongst others: the Southerners Sportsclub, The Thailand Tigers, Shrewsbury International School and Lawton Asia compete in two divisions concluding in the middle of April. Games, consisting of four 12-minute quarters are played every Monday (excluding school holidays) from 7pm to 9pm at NIST. Although many of the netballers played the sport at school, women from all nationalities and skill levels are welcomed, with current players ranging from their teens to mid-40s. The only restriction is that you should be female, although the League did once have a male umpire, and if a man were to apply that would be a bridge the league would just have to cross.

For more information, visit: www.netballbangkok.com.

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Phnom Penh & HCMC News Download the current issue of AsiaLIFE HCMC and AsiaLIFE Cambodia online at: www.asialife.asia.

Cambodian Bronzes Shown in UK

Three Cambodian bronzes are featuring in a landmark exhibition that opened at the UK’s Royal Academy of Arts on Sept. 15. Bringing together 150 of the finest bronzes from Asia, Africa and Europe, the show includes works spanning 5,000 years. A religious ceremony was held at the National Museum of Cambodia to bless the bronzes prior to their journey to the UK. For more information, visit royalacademy.org.uk/ exhibitions/bronze.

Amrita Accolade

Phnom Penh-based Amrita Performing Arts has gained further international recognition after being given the ZKBPatronage-Prize as part of last month’s Zurich Theaterspektakel Festival. The prize was awarded for Amrita’s work CRACK, co-created by Arco Renz and

performed with the collaboration of Kobalt Works and Caravan Productions. The judging panel commended the performance for the virtuosity of the dancers, the expression of the tension between tradition and modernity and the way in which the cross-cultural collaboration was handled. Amrita Performing Arts was previously acclaimed for its rock opera Elephants Weep.

The Black Wood

As part of the Our City Festival, Romeet Gallery on Phnom Penh’s Street 178 will present The Black Wood, an exhibition

by Battambang artist Mao Soviet and American artist Tim Robertson, from Oct. 3 to Oct. 24. The multi-disciplinary exhibition reflects on ideas of place, shelter, security and how they connect to individuals and communities. Cambodian artists are also gaining recognition abroad this month. Works

by Pen Robit — a previous Romeet exhibitor — are among contemporary Cambodian pieces set to show at The East Gallery in Toronto, Canada, from mid October.

Nothing Will Come Of Nothing

TNT Theatre Britain and American Drama Group Europe is bringing Shakespeare's crowning artistic achievement to HCMC. Join them to see scenes in which a mad Lear rages naked on a stormy heath against his deceitful daughters and nature itself. With some of the finest examples of tragic lyricism, the drama brings to light the relationship between parents and children when Lear decides to divide his kingdom among his three daughters, promising the ‘largest bounty’ to the one who loves him most.

Tickets for the performances at the HCMC Opera House are VND 500,000 for adults and VND 300,000 for students for the 11am show, and VND 600,000 for adults and VND 300,000 for students for the 8pm show. Runs Oct. 25 to 27.

Futsal Frenzy

Beeline Arena is organising its first corporate futsal tournament, set to run until Dec. 6. Part of the funds raised by the five-a-side football games

will go to Operation Smile Cambodia, an organisation that repairs facial irregularities in children and works towards sustainable healthcare for youngsters and their families.

For more information, email: marketing@banzaicambodia. com.

Our City Festival

Phnom Penh and Battambang residents have until Oct. 7 to enjoy the Our City Festival 2012.

Involving more participants, exhibition spaces and ways to participate than ever, the arts festival aims to showcase the best of contemporary Cambodian art and architecture, and to bring people together to collaborate, explore and share ideas. The festival office is based at JavaArts and further information can be accessed at ourcityfestival.org, facebook, twitter and on youtube.

Handy Artwork

Works by Pham Huy Thong will go on display at the Craig Thomas Gallery, HCMC, under the theme, ‘Hands’. In one painting, called ‘A Negotiation’, two hands are dressed in suits, one holding up three fingers, the other holding up four. In another, called ‘With Love and Regards’, a hand takes the place of a man’s head and holds a brick, seemingly window-

Red Dress Run

Saigon Hash House Harriers, the running club with a drinking obsession, will be holding its annual Red Dress Run on Oct. 7.

As usual, the bus will leave at 2pm from the Caravelle Hotel, D1 HCMC. Running and walking trails are planned and all participants are required to wear a red dress. Proceeds raised will go to the charity Operation Smile. Visit www.saigonhash.com for further details.

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Royals in the Buff What happens in Vegas doesn’t stay in Vegas for Harry, and neither for Kate’s peekaboo in Provence

bound. The solo exhibition will run from Oct. 18 to Nov. 11.

More information at 27i Tran Nhat Duat Street, D1, HCMC, www.Cthomasgallery.com, or cthomasgallery@gmail.com.

Charity Bazaar

Animal Rescue and Care will have its first annual charity bazaar in HCMC with anything from jewellery to children’s clothing on offer. It also will be an adoption and awareness day, when you can learn more about the animals that are available for adoption and need animal welfare. Join them Oct. 6 from 9am to 3pm at 47 Thao Dien Street, An Phu, D2, HCMC.

Budget Flights

VietJetAir has a new promotion called ‘Enjoy flying with more flights’, offering 10,000 promotional tickets at VND99,000 on the routes between Ho Chi Minh City to Nha Trang or Danang, as well as between Hanoi and Danang for travel from Oct. 14 to Mar. 31. The mid-October kick-off is promoting the budget carrier’s decision to increase

the frequency of these recent domestic routes to either two or three round trips per day.

This month VietJetAir will also commence a route linking Ho Chi Minh City and the northern city of Hai Phong. Routes currently under consideration include Hanoi to Phu Quoc, Hanoi to Dalat, and Ho Chi Minh City to Hue and Vinh.

Local Art

HCMC’s Galerie Quynh presents new and rare work by acclaimed Ho Chi Minh City-based artists Hoang Duong Cam and Nguyen Trung from Oct. 3 to Nov. 3. See their paintings at 65 De Tham Street, D1, HCMC.

iPhone #5 The latest Apple product hits the shelves around the world, can the brand still innovate without Jobs?

Afghan Sport Their cricketers might have had an early bath at the T20, but football fever is grabbing the nation as the first ever league kicks off

Cartoon Controversy What’s sacred? French magazine publishes Prophet Muhammad cartoons, recalling the 2005 scandal in Denmark

Liverpool FC Now the truth of the 96 who lost their lives at Hillsborough is out in the open, will the clubs on-pitch fortunes turn round?

Rocky Horror

The Lab and Saigon Players are putting on the Rocky Horror Picture Show from Oct. 31 to Nov. 4 at Bon Mua Restaurant, 189A 1 Nguyen Huong Street, Thao Dien, D2, HCMC. Tickets (VND 600,000) are available at ingridberry@gmail.com as well as the restaurant. For more information, visit: www. saigonplayers.com.

Skating to Success

GOING UP GOING DOWN Paris Hilton The blonde heiress features in another shocking recording, with comments even more offensive than her infamous tape

Diplomatic Immunity Attack on American consulate in Libya is fatal for US ambassador and others

Roman Catholic Church The Australian Catholic Church confirms that over 600 children were sexually abused by priests since the 1930s

Card Fraud Local NGO Skateistan Cambodia has opened the country’s largest skate park on a quiet Phnom Penh side street near to the Russian Market. The non-profit organisation forms partnerships with local agencies to provide skateboarding lessons and other creative activities to children aged between five and 17, with a focus on girls and youngsters from low-income families. Skateistan Cambodia is a branch of an international NGO that also operates schemes in Kabul, Afghanistan, and Islamabad, Pakistan.

Hopefully the arrest of two young Estonians in Pattaya in a B10 million indicates a fresh clampdown by police

American Dream Does Romney’s writing off the 47 percent of Americans who depend on benefits mean the American Dream is now officially over?

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OPENINGS Argentinian Steakhouse

Popular Saigon steakhouse El Gaucho arrived in Thailand last month. The two-storey restaurant includes an outdoor terrace and can sit up to 180 diners, offering great views across the soi on to bustling Sukhumvit.

Serving the finest quality steaks, the menu includes tenderloins, tender lamb chops or rib-eye steaks. The restaurant also serves popular pastries, spicey sausages, fresh salads and a complete list of side dishes and desserts.

El Gaucho, 8/1-7 Sukhumvit Soi 19, Tel: 02 255 2864, email: reservation.suk@elgaucho.asia.

Open from 4pm to late.

training, high intensity intervals, core stability, increased range and correctional movement, speed and agility training and weight loss.

The LAB, 3/F RSU Tower, cnr.

Sukhumvit Soi 31, Tel: 02 662 1618, www.tbtlab.com El Gaucho

Bo.lan Goes Gastronom

Bo and Dylan of Bo.lan restaurant have turned over a new leaf. Located on the ground floor of Yunomori Onsen & Spa, this is one place where you can expect the unexpected when it comes to coffee. Specially trained coffee baristas will decorate cappuccinos (B90) with fun images such as local favourite cartoon character Doraemon and other zany animals. Sweets such as peanut butter and caramelised banana on toast (B95) are also available for your enjoyment.

Gastronom Café & Bakery, G/F Yunomori Onsen & Spa, A Square, Sukhumvit Soi 26, Tel: 02 259 6138. Open from 11am to 10pm.

New Concept to Fitness

The LAB, an exciting concept new to fitness training in Bangkok, opened recently in Sukhumvit. The studio is kitted out with state-of-the-art handson fitness training equipment from Olympic bars, dumbbells, kettlebells, TRX suspension trainers, ViPRs to free form tools including big tyres, ceiling ropes and gymnastic rings. Qualified coaches create programmes designed for strength 12 asialife Thailand

The LAB

Mango House

The latest option for visitors and locals alike looking for a place to stay close to throbbing Sukhumvit. Baan Mango is located in Soi 8 close to BTS station Nana, opposite lively Soi 11.

The guesthouse can be rented

for TV, cinema, audio-visual, photo shoots, private parties, business networking, business parties, product launches and, of course, overnight stays during your trip. Prices are not available at the moment, but you can propose a budget to owner Jack.

Baan Mango, 97 Sukhumvit Soi 8, Tel: 087 822 9382, gil3jack@gmail.com.

Thai Coffee Club

Hailing from Australia, The Coffee Club has recently opened its very first branch in the City of Angels. This sleek and modern café is more than just your everyday coffee and sandwich pit stop, it also serves all-day western cuisine along with some local dishes. The menu includes beers and wines.

The Coffee Club, 1239 Unit B, G/F Major Ekamai, Sukhumvit Rd., Tel: 02 381 2736. Open Sunday to Thursday from 6.30am to 10.30pm. Friday and Saturday until 11.30pm.

ment in the wardrobes of local celebs. Look out for their leather lip clutch (B8,800) available in red, orange, and fuchsia.

RougeRouge Surreal Space, 1/F Zen, CentralWorld, Ratchadamri Rd. Tel: 02 258 4230.

Open from 10am to 10pm.

Turning Back the Clock

First Face, the latest beauty clinic to open in Siam Paragon, focuses on laser treatments that promise to turn the clock back on your skin’s ageing with treatments such as the signature dual-yellow laser, which

Oskar’s Double Decker

Oskar Bistro has just opened up its second floor which can be accessed through a staircase on the first level patio space, revealing a second bar and plenty of dining space with indoor and outdoor seating. With the opening of level two, Oskar’s has launched new menu items matching the usual bistro style cuisine with local, Mediterranean and French flair.

Oskar Bistro, 4 Sukhumvit Soi 11, Tel: 02 255 3377, www. oskar-bistro.com. Open daily from 4pm to 2am.

Zen Turns Red

Eccentric bag brand, RougeRouge has recently opened a counter at Zen, CentralWorld. A collaboration between Institute Marangoni Milan graduate Wannaporn ‘Duang’ Poshyanonda and British accessory designer Mark Ketteringham, the bold and sometimes outrageous bags have been making a state-

it’s claimed will generate more collagen under your skin. Take advantage of the soft opening period where first-timers are invited to try a welcome promotion of one laser treatment, one non-laser treatment and one facial mask for B3,999.

First Face, 4/F Siam Paragon, Tel: 02 610 9755. Open daily from 9am to 9pm.

Keeping Swiss Time RougeRouge Surreal Space

Swiss luxury watch brand, Frédérique Constant distributed exclusively by Macrorich Metro is opening its first shop in shop at M floor, Siam Paragon. Other locations where the watch can be found are at leading department stores – Central Chidlom, Central Ladprao, Central Pinklao, Central Rama 3, Central Bangna, Central Festival Pattaya Beach, Zen, Robinson Rama 9 and Robinson Maga Bangna.

Frédérique Constant, M floor, Siam Paragon, Tel: 02 690 1000, Open from 10am to 10pm.

First Face

Tune into Asoke

Frédérique Constant

Located on Sukhumvit Soi 14, Tune Hotel Asoke has 130 rooms comprising double, twinsharing and disabled-friendly rooms. Encouraged by the success of its properties in Hat Yai and Pattaya, Tune Hotels asialife Thailand 13

is opening its first hotel in Bangkok on Oct. 1 to promote its "pay-as-you-use" concept.

To celebrate its opening, rooms at Tune Hotels Asoke, Bangkok are now open for booking from as low as B100 per night up to May 31, 2012.

Tune Hotel Asoke, 7 Sukhumvit Soi 14, www.tunehotels.com/thailand

H&M Opens in Paragon

The world’s second largest clothing retailer, Swedish fashion powerhouse H&M is bringing its cheap and trendy ready to wear clothing to Bangkok with a twostorey flagship store that was due

Beach Bar Bangkok

Spot On Beach Bar & Lounge gives diners the experience of being at a beach in the heart of Bangkok. You can enjoy cocktails, beer, wine and tapas with sand at your feet and real aquariums as tables before heading out to nearby clubs such as Muse, Demo and Funky Villa. With its prime location on the second floor of Opus building, visitors get a bird’s eye view of Thonglor Soi 10.

Spot On Beach Bar & Lounge, 139 Thonglor 10, Tel: 082 488 0169. Open daily from 5pm to 2am. www.facebook. com/SpotOnBeachBar.

Tea for Two

Singaporean high-end tea brand TWG has set up its first Bangkok branch, the TWG Tea Salon & Boutique in The Emporium Shopping Complex.

You may want to try some of their well known teas such as the Silver Moon Tea (B250 for a pot), a green tea blended with berries and vanilla. Tea is a theme that runs through some of the food here as well, try the seared foie gras salad (B790) served with a chocolate teainfused vinaigrette. A patisserie counter and a tea boutique carries various blends (starting at B195) and everything you need to enjoy a cup at home.

TWG Tea Salon & Boutique, G/F The Emporium Shopping Complex, 622 Sukhumvit Rd., Tel: 02 259 9510. Open from 9am to 9pm.

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H&M TWG Tea Salon & Boutique

to open at the end of September as of going to print. Bangkokians who used to travel overseas for the stylish clothes for men, women, teenagers and children that often resulted from famous collaborations with iconic fashion

creators such as Karl Lagerfeld and Stella McCartney can now get all the H&M they want right here in Bangkok.

H&M, Siam Paragon, Tel: 02 690 1000, Open from 10am to 10pm.

Cambodia

Thailand

V ietnam

Crossing borders

dispatches

Travel news from around the region and beyond

Sinatra or Beatles Recreating some of Frank Sinatra’s world-famous recordings, Louis Hoover captures the essence of Ol’ Blue Eyes, assisted by the cream of British musicians. His Salute to Sinatra act has toured the United States, Europe, Japan and now Singapore, where they’ll play at the Sands Theatre, Marina Bay Sands, Oct. 18 to 20. Tickets range from $45 to $100. Or, for the same price, catch The Bootleg Beatles at the same resort’s Grand Theatre, Nov. 8 to 11.

The cover band pays tribute to the greatest pop group in history from top to toe, with four costume changes reflecting The Beatles’ evolution, as well as from note to note, using original instruments and with uncannily accurate vocals. Tickets at sistic.com.sg.

Paintings, Demystified The Chedi Club Tanah Gajah Ubud is lighting a new pathway into Bali’s heritage with an ongoing series of classes on Batuan art and painting. Led by noted art expert and illustrator Bruce Granquist, ‘Art Afternoons’ traces the history and development of the highly regarded Batuan school of art, revealing links between Balinese culture and daily life and the village’s various art forms. The classes aim to demystify Batuan paintings, one of the island’s major art styles, and complement a four-night offer that includes a visit to the Arma Museum, home to a large collection of works from Bali’s three schools of art. For more information, please visit www.GHMhotels.com or contact Esther de la Cruz: ecruz@ balconymediagroup.com.

Yoga and Massage Retreat Vietnam’s Mango Bay Resort on Phu Quoc island is a little piece of paradise overlooking the Gulf of Thailand. The low impact resort is spread along 1km of beach, amid 20 hectares of largely endemic forest and gardens. From Oct. 17 to 21, Michelle Lloyd will lead morning sessions of Vinyasa yoga to energise for the day and the beach will beckon the group for a mellow sunset flow or meditation followed by a dip in the sea. Sarah Martin will treat you to a rejuvenating one-hour deep tissue massage, focusing on your areas of muscle tension, leaving you with a deep sense of wellbeing. Prepare to be pampered in the fresh air. Contact Michelle directly for bookings at michelle@michellelloyd.com

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Thonglor Soi 20 / Ekamai Soi 21 If you're acquainted with Thonglor, you've probably been to Grass Thonglor on Soi 10, Seen Space on Soi 13, and Penny's Balcony on Soi 16, all of which are filled with trendy watering holes and popular restaurants. But like most developed parts of this city there are a few lesser known streets that retain their local Thai flavour. Be warned though, as Thonglor 20 winds its way towards Ekamai it morphs into Ekamai 21. Words by Yvonne Liang, photos by Nick McGrath.

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Rada @ 946/8 Thonglor Soi 20 Start your journey by taking a taxi all the way to Thonglor 20 or if you're ballsy enough, hop on a motorbike (B25) from Thonglor BTS. The street is home to several wedding gown shops. The first one you'll come across is Rada@, located just 100 metres into the soi on your left. The wedding dresses are ready to wear and can either be leased for the special day (from B13,000) or bought (from B65,000). There are about five more shops further inside the soi so don’t fret if nothing catches your eye here. You may also consider bringing a bilingual friend in tow as the shopkeepers speak very little English.

Cheesecake House & Restaurant 69/2 Thonglor Soi 20 Further into Thonglor 20 you will find the unmissable Cheesecake House & Restaurant on your left hand side, just a short walk from Rada @. This was the first cheesecake shop in all of Thailand, serving up mouthwatering desserts since 1983. Don’t worry if you’re lacking in the sweet tooth department because this home-styled restaurant has a full menu offering international cuisine spanning Thai, Italian, Chinese, and fusion dishes such as chicken & pineapple red curry fried rice (B130), braised beef shank in gravy with rice (B180), and minced pork lasagna with spinach and cheese (B200). For

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those who live nearby food delivery is also available, which brings us to the next secret venue.

Wadee Place 67/76 Thonglor Soi 20 Did you ever think you could live within minutes of all the glorious restaurants, bars, and nightclubs of one of the trendiest parts of Bangkok at the more than affordable price of B8,000 per month? Just behind Cheesecake House lies one of the best kept secrets in real estate. Of course you can’t expect five-star luxury at this rate, but we can assure you it’s clean and tidy, complete with some dated furniture, air-conditioning, cable TV, parking, and 24-hour security. The 50sqm studio seems more like a one-bedroom flat with its wall removed. For your convenience a minimart with all the essentials is located right on the ground floor of the condo, as well as a hair salon (B250).

Lek Bar 107 Soi Phasi 1, Thonglor Soi 20 Continue into the soi until you catch a glimpse of an ornate temple with a yellow steeple in the corner of your left eye.

You can either turn left into the alley towards the temple – Wat Phasi – or continue on to the end of Thonglor 20, which becomes Ekamai 21 from here on. If you do turn into the alley, before you reach the temple, there is a local watering hole with the words

“Cocktails Tattoo Body Piercing” scrawled on the window. Body art starts at B500, but surprisingly Lek himself has no visible tattoos. Drinks are priced at the flat rate of B60 whether it’s a soda, beer, or a cocktail – there’s no menu though. The modest bar seats about fourteen inside judged by the misplaced stools lying around, and about ten more on the picnic table outside.

Open every day from 5pm to 2am and closed on Sundays.

Wat Phasee (Wat Phasi) Soi Phasi 1, Thonglor Soi 20 At the end of Soi Phasi 1, past Lek Bar is Wat Phasee, a Tomb Raider-esque temple similar to those in the video game, not the movie. Despite its prime location and breathtaking construction, this temple that dates back to the 1840s isn’t much publicised.

Could it be because it used to be an execution site for prisoners?

In any case, today it serves as a place of worship for those praying for good fortune. In fact, there’s a shrine on the site dedicated to the last person sentenced to be beheaded – the not-so-lucky Boonpeng Heep Lek. Tuba Design Furniture & Restaurant 34 Room 11-12 A Thonglor Soi 20 (Ekamai Soi 21) Now that you’ve visited the temple, turn back to Thonglor 20 and continue deeper into the Soi towards Ekamai. You’ll pass

by several more wedding dress shops on your left and just a bit further down you’ll come across a plaza with a car park.

The establishment on the far left is the retro-styled Tuba – a popular hangout for both locals and expats who enjoy international fare. Cocktails are served in giant margarita glasses, but that’s not all you’ll find blown up. Life-sized action figures of Superman and Darth Vader greet you at the entrance of the restaurant bar. Open every day from 11am to 2am.

Design Option 30, 34 Soi Chamchan (Ekamai Soi 21) A few stores down the right of Tuba is Design option, a shop specialising in wallpaper, curtains, furniture and interiors. At first it may seem like a thrift store since there is a corner showcasing a few pairs of shoes, purses and pieces of jewellery hanging from vanity boxes. As you explore further, you’ll soon realise it’s filled with interior decorations for your home. Animal print sofa pillows (B200), colourful lamps in the shape of the elephant god Ganesh (B1,850) and the naked female figure (B1,500), as well as intricately carved mirrors (B32,000) are just a few of the ornamental items on Get directions display.

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20 asialife Thailand

MissJolanda

.......................................................

Dutch-Thai singer and songwriter Jolanda Van Zeeland (a.k.a. MissJolanda) is making her mark in the local music scene with the launch of her first music video "See Ya". Yvonne Liang gets up close to her. Photo by Nick McGrath. Styling and wardrobe by Sunny Rose.

How did your singing career begin?

I moved here from London at the start of 2010 – my singing career actually began back in 2004 when I was doing the open mic circuits during my university years. My first act was called Van Zeeland Knights. After a few weeks showcasing our work we won a recording studio session at a Hard Rock Café Battle of the Bands in Nottingham. From there, we took our performances to London in venues such as The Troubadour and Copden Club. It was quite something to play at venues that have previously hosted The Rolling Stones in the 70s.

When did you start singing?

My family used to live in Borneo and as a kid there was a limit to finding something entertaining to do with myself out in the sticks. They bought a karaoke machine one day and I started experimenting with the mic at age 7. That lead to joining choral societies, jazz bands and setting up a gospel choir in college before discovering my song writing skills at university. Having said that, apparently

I could whistle before my first spoken word. I doubt it had much musical context though.

When did you realise you had a passion for singing and songwriting?

I think a key moment was when we received live support from an absolute legend and BAFTA winning musician John Altman who stepped onto stage to freestyle over my song 'Lightning' with his saxophone. I suppose that pushed me into the direction of exploring more instrumental sounds and production.

It was a really special moment actually (thanks John!).

Where do you get inspiration for your songs?

Really, my music is mood, rhythm and meaning driven.

The key thing I have found is to not think about it. These ideas find me when I am keeping busy with the most mundane tasks like ironing – I am a terrible ironer – or standing under the shower. Actually if I hear a catchy chord progression I instantly react with a rhythmic and melodic reply. That's the point though isn't it? To create something that can transport

your listener into another world that they can believe in? Song writing is not just musical it's about telling a story.

What opportunities has Bangkok offered you as a singer?

Coming here has been a blessing. I've met so many musicians who are open and willing to collaborate. Initially it was a struggle to find my first partner in crime – Darrel T Kelly – who accompanied me on my acoustic sessions. After my first year here I was introduced to a brilliant character who is now my producer – Paul Romaine, who has opened many creative avenues for me.

What was it like to film your first music video in Bangkok?

Hmmm not sure how much I should disclose about the procedure here. The guys at Invisible Ink were so professional. I threw my song at them, they interpreted the words with a full on story board. The filming took two days – up at dawn and home after sunset. If you've seen the video, it's about 'rush hour'. I actually wrote the main melody and lyrics on the underground

in London during a commute.

The idea behind the video was to create a still consistent with the city moving by at high speed around the main focus.

I can't think of a better city to have used for it than Bangkok – the buzz of Asoke intersection, Siam Square, Chinatown, the sky train. We had two crew members, I did my own styling on set and had friends help with hair and makeup. The guys risked their lives a little for the motorbike scene. They were filming it from an open back pickup hanging out with the camera – that is legal right?

Where do you go for good live music in Bangkok?

It depends what genre of live music you're talking about. If its rock bands – Parking Toys. If it's music DJ events – Bed, Levels, Kolour Sundays parties and the events Champion Sound puts on. If its jazz – Saxophone and Niu's on Silom.

What advice would you give aspiring singers?

Don't be shy. Do it for the joy and think on your own two feet.

It also pays to be genuinely nice to people, honest and fair. asialife Thailand 21

Photo Essay:

Sport of Elephants and Kings Polo enthusiasts from around the world converged last month in Hua Hin for one of Thailand’s biggest sporting and charity events. Hosted by Anantara Hotels, Resorts & Spas, the eleventh King’s Cup (Sep. 12 to 16) saw an exciting

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week of elephant polo at Hua Hin's Suriyothai Army Base, with international teams participating, as well as European and Asian royalty and other celebrities attending. The week’s polo concluded with victory for King Power. How-

ever, polo was not the only star attraction of the week.

The annual Charity Auction Gala Dinner held at Anantara Hua Hin raised B3.3 million to fund a number of elephant charity projects. Photos by Nick McGrath.

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BANGKOK Cook off AsiaLIFE’s Cook Off has become a regular feature of our sister publication in Vietnam, this month we bring the challenge to Bangkok. The rules of the game are simple – four chefs have a budget of B300 to create a three-course meal using 100 percent local ingredients. Our contestants represented the time-honoured Thai cooking of Jim Thompson, to casual yet sophisticated bistrostyle food of Oskar Bistro, the fine Italian cuisine of Niu’s on Silom and the other-worldly molecular gastronomy of Gaggan. Rather than a competition between the chefs, this challenge was more an individual test to see what these expert chefs could create with limited funds.

Words by Yvonne Liang, photos by Nick McGrath.

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Marco Cammarata Niu's on Silom / Concerto Restaurant

Starter: Pork tenderloin,aubergine, snow peas, grape, red onion

Italian born and bred chef Marco Cammarata of Niu’s on Silom first set foot in Bangkok sixteen years ago to head one of the city's most well-known Italian restaurants, Angelini at the Shangri-la Hotel. Since then he owned and operated his own Italian restaurant, Belguardo, before becoming head chef of Niu's on Silom / Concerto four years ago.

Cammarata took his challenge very seriously, inventing dishes especially for the occasion as well as refraining from using imported olive oil and balsamic oil, instead opting for grape seed oil and even creating his own version of a ‘balsamic’ dressing made from local ingredients of coffee and grape. The ingredients were hand picked from Villa Market, as if he were cooking at home.

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Main: Fillet of white snapper cooked in sugar @ 121 degrees

Dessert: Watermelon ménage à trois

His first course was a colourful plate of pork tenderloin bespattered with vivid greens and deep reds. The impromptu balsamic was drizzled over the slow poached pork loin in wild flower honey with tiny dollops of aubergine caviar, bright green snow peas, and sliced grapes making this an eye-catching dish.

For his next dish, Cammarata poached a locally farmed white snapper in sugar syrup.

“The fish takes on a little sweetness of the sugar, but also changes in its texture,” he explained. During test runs, he decided it needed some acidity and that’s where the passion fruit came into play. The fillet of white snapper wrapped in leek and cooked in sugar at 121 degrees was served on a bed of raw cauliflower couscous with a side of bok choi. He chose cauliflower because

it's available all year round in Thailand, as well as being a useful neutral ingredient. “When you want to paint you want to paint on white paper,” he says. Here, the cauliflower acted as a liaison between the fish and passion fruit. Strips of golden sweet potato chips added colour and a wonderful crisp texture to the dish, while a passion fruit emulsion gave the fish a tangy kick and crunch.

Dessert was a ménage trios of watermelon made in three different ways. At the bottom of the mini watermelon tower was a savory layer of watermelon marinated by vacuum-pressing with black pepper and sea salt, followed by a chunk of yellow watermelon, and topped with a refreshing scoop of watermelon granite ice served with a few dollops of a creamy licorice zabaglione.

Nipaporn Nutkasame Thompson Restaurant & Wine Bar

Starter: Kanom jeep Thai (Thai dumpling)

One look at any dish that passes through the hands of Thompson Restaurant’s Chef de Partie Nipaporn Nutkasame will make your jaw drop. Trained in the art of traditional Thai cooking, Nipaporn learned how to make royal Thai dishes that are pleasing to both eyes and palate. With over two decades specialising in traditional Thai fare, she said it was not difficult to stay within the B300 budget because she is familiar with purchasing and cooking with Thai ingredients that are not expensive.

In creating her dishes, Nipaporn was committed to using healthy ingredients. The blue dumpling wrapper for her first dish – kanom jeep Thai (Thai dumpling) – came from butterfly pea flower which helps maintain a healthy blood pressure and also givers hair a natural glossy shine. The bite-sized

Main: Yam som o talay Thai (Pomelo salad with seafood)

dumplings were filled with minced chicken flavoured with local herbs, and came in five different colours all made with natural dyes derived from flowers. The brown food dye came from mulberry, which is known to help reduce cholesterol levels. The intricate procedure of making these tiny dumplings stems from ancient palace cooking lessons where women learned to make dainty and beautiful dishes, she explains. The Kanom Jeep Thai is one of four main royal Thai dishes that chefs have to master.

The main course was an intriguing pomelo salad with seafood (yam som o talay Thai).

Imagine a fish chasing its own tail and eating it just before falling into a deep-fryer.

Nipaporn removed the bones of a mackerel and turned it backwards into an impossible yoga position with the fish’s tail sticking out

Dessert: Ta-ko tabtim grob (Water chestnut with coconut)

of its mouth. The fish comes in a sweet and tangy sauce of coconut milk, chilli paste, fish sauce, palm sugar and lime juice. A juicy pomelo salad served both as a contrast and a healthy supplement to the fish.

For dessert, Nipaporn prepared ta-ko tabtim grob (water chestnut with coconut) – tiny cubes of water chestnut covered with a jelly-like layer of cooked tapioca starch.

Although a common Thai dessert that can be found in local restaurants and dessert stalls, she put a fancy spin on it by adding a carved rose and decorating the dessert with pomegranate seeds. This is her secret to cooking on a budget. A dash of artistic flair can turn a commonplace, inexpensive dish into something that does not look out of place within the restaurant of the legendary Jim Thompson. asialife Thailand 29

Gaggan Anand Gaggan

Starter: Fish and chips

It was a bold move to bring molecular cuisine into a conservative market such as Thailand, but Gaggan’s gamble has proved a success.

On most evenings you’ll find a row of luxury European cars parked outside. However, Gaggan’s recipes come with a cautionary note – do not try this at home. The machinery he uses alone costs hundreds of thousands of baht, just to make one of his dishes. It’s the secret to how he transforms every day ingredients and dishes into masterpieces. In fact, the mad scientist chef claimed the budget was nothing. “I can make ten courses with B300,” he said.

For his first course, Chef Gaggan re-created his signature fish and chips, with fresh fish bought from his supplier at the local Sam Yan market. The dish was made the same way it comes in the restaurant – lightly fried and 30 asialife Thailand

Main: Chicken tikka masala

Dessert: Mango snowball

served with mint-cucumber chutney. Instead of regular chips, Chef Gaggan created a translucent, edible lemon paper which he placed on the plate along with some decorative leaves and flower petals.

Next we had a chicken tikka masala. While the chicken dish looks familiar enough, the process of making it was quite exciting. For the makhani foam, Gaggan placed a mixture of makhani curry sauce, soya protein, and cream in a creamer before spraying it over the plate of chicken, careful not to submerge the meat.

Then he garnished the dish with flowers and cress that provided a colourful touch as well as a bitter taste to draw out the flavour of the main dish. A tiny anise flower also provided an unforgettable sting in the tale.

“Thailand is a country of mangoes,” Gaggan explained his choice of dessert. First he made

a mango purée by pulverising fresh mangoes, which was then mixed with a custard of cardamom. Called “mango snowball” it’s a dish that defies physics. It’s so time-consuming and difficult to make that a maximum of three snowballs are served at the restaurant each night, mostly for special occasions – only two out of four snowballs are a success, confessed Gaggan.

We watched as he squirted the mousse into a balloon, tied it up into a round ball, and then froze it in a container of liquid nitrogen. The balloon was then peeled off bit by bit to reveal a snowball, which was returned to the liquid nitrogen to keep it as cold as possible before serving. White chocolate powder was sprinkled over the plate to create a snow like effect.

The verdict? It tastes like something astronauts consume in outer space – in a good way.

Julien Lavigne Oskar Bistro

Appetizer: Crab salad, green mango & celeriac salad, coriander cream

Chef Julien Lavigne came to Bangkok to work as a sous-chef for the renowned D Sens at Dusit Thani in late 2006. Eventually he worked his way to the position of chef de cuisine. After five years there, he decided to pursue his dream of being a chef in his own kitchen. In November 2011, he joined his friends and partners at Oskar Bistro on Sukhumvit 11 as consulting chef. The bistro has been a huge success, prompting Lavigne and his partners at Oskar’s to open a new gastro bar called Gossip on Thonglor Soi 15.

For the cook off, Lavigne created bistro styled dishes the Oskar way infused with a hint of Thai, Mediterranean and French. “I have learned to know and love Thai cuisine,” he said. “It is a limitless source of inspiration.

The products, the spices, the techniques are so diverse.”

Starter: Grilled scallops, cauliflower espuma yellow curry sauce, bacon and watercress salad

Even with so many tasks on hand, Lavigne managed to make time for the cook off on a busy night at Oskar’s. In less than 15 minutes he had whipped up a crab salad made with green mango and celeriac from the royal farm projects. The salad was held together by a coriander cream made of the local brand of Formost cream – coriander, garlic, grounded cashew nuts, and a dash of fish sauce (nam pla). Lavigne topped off the salad with a quick squeeze of lime explaining that “the sourness of lime juice balances out the powerful flavour of the coriander cream.” The final touch was a swift and strategic placement of tiny red Amarath leaves for presentation.

The result was a refreshing salad perfect for balmy summer evenings.

For his next dish, Lavigne chose to use scallops because they are in season – a

Main: Braised duck legs, pumpkin gnocchi, ricotta cream, duck jus

great way to cook on a budget. The scallops were seared only on one side then served atop mashed potato mounds surrounded by cauliflower foam. The yellow curry sauce drizzled throughout the plate added colour and a taste of Thailand. “The softness and sweetness of the scallops and the cauliflower contrast with the spicy quality of the yellow curry and the peppery flavour of the watercress salad,” he said.

For his final dish, the duck was slowly braised in its jus and red wine – a melting sensation complemented by the gnocchi’s crisp and chewy texture. “This was an incredible culinary opportunity,” said Lavigne of the cook off. “But also a great personal experience which allowed me to exchange ideas with other chefs who all share the same passion.” asialife Thailand 31

A Dog’s Life Currently thousands of traumatised dogs are languishing in shelters across the Kingdom. Max Crosbie-Jones talks to John Dalley of the Soi Dog Foundation about the cross-border trade that put them there and what's likely to happen to them. Photo by Nick McGrath.

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Photo courtesy of Soi Dog Foundation.

The undercover footage is hard to watch. Using nooses or iron tongs, dogs big and small are wrestled off Thai streets or farms, crammed into rusty metal pens and driven northeast to the Mekong River. Then, after being shipped illegally across the river into Laos, usually at night, they are driven hundreds of miles in blazing heat or driving rain to the slaughterhouses of Vietnam – up to half a million dogs a year according to pessimistic estimates.

“The dog meat trade is inhumanity at its worst,” says John Dalley, director of the Soi Dog Foundation, a Phuket-based NGO spearheading the expatled arm of the ongoing rescue and government-lobbying efforts. “The lucky ones suffocate to death on the journey, and the unlucky ones survive and are then killed in accordance with local beliefs – beaten or their legs broken, skinned or boiled alive.”

Vietnam's taste for dog meat is well documented, part of a cultural tradition stretching back centuries. That some people in Tha Rae, an impoverished district in northeast Thailand with a large Vietnamese immigrant population, also eat it and are involved in dog-smuggling syndicates worth millions of dollars is also old news. However it's only recently, after a strings of interceptions by the authorities, that the Thai end of the supply chain has become headline news.

Social media-savvy animal welfare groups like Soi Dog have been exposing the trade and trying to shame the authorities into action, as has traditional media. The aforementioned undercover footage, which surfaced recently in a documentary, Hell on Earth,

that's available to view on YouTube, has also helped. But there's another, more emotive reason that the dog meat trade is suddenly very hard to ignore – pets.

Until recently the dogs sent for export were strays that loiter on streets or on the edge of farms and that many Thai officials were secretly happy to see the back of. No longer, explains Dalley.

“As well as the old fashioned method of purchasing unwanted animals in exchange for plastic buckets from poor parts of the country, gangs are now

For its part, the Soi Dog Foundation is pushing for stronger enforcement of existing laws, with limited success.

“Since we started our 'Trade of Shame' campaign a year ago, more arrests of smugglers have been made than in the preceding 15 years, but they're still not being prosecuted,” says Dalley.

Even when the Thai police, navy or border patrol units do intercept dogs, the law courts often rule that the traders can have them back. Dalley cites a recent case in which 70 dogs were rescued only for the judge to rule that the Tha Rae-bound

“The lucky ones suffocate to death on the journey, and the unlucky ones survive and are then killed in accordance with local beliefs – beaten or their legs broken, skinned or boiled alive.” snatching dogs,” he says. “We reckon as many as 90 percent are stolen pets. You can tell by their collars and how friendly they are.”

Channelling the Outrage A broad coalition that includes the Soi Dog Foundation, Animal Activists Alliance, Thai Veterinary Medical Association, politicians and celebrities is pushing for animal cruelty laws to be introduced.

Online petitions with tens of thousands of signatories and Bangkok demonstrations – the last of which in early September drew 1,000 people – are signs there is widespread public support for such a move, although according to Pheu Thai politician Somsak Kiatsuranont, “it could take two or three years” for animal welfare laws to be ratified by Parliament.

smuggler could continue with his cargo if he paid a B9,000 fine. “Fortunately, he didn’t have it, so we paid it and in effect became their owners,” he says.

Poverty is another reason why the trade thrives.

“Many of those out rounding up dogs are poor rice farmers who need an alternative income source during the rainy season,” says Dalley. “I've heard that the Thai livestock department may start educating them about different ways to make money, … similar to what the Royal Projects did for hill tribes and the opium trade.”

The real underlying reason why this barbaric black-market exists is because demand exists.

And that's not likely to change soon. With the opening of the new highway from Laos direct to Southern China – another

dog meat marketplace – it may even increase in the coming years.

Shouldering the Burden To demonstrate the levels of institutional neglect of man's best friend, Dalley recounts the sorry tale of how 200 dogs died from dehydration at a police station back in July after the authorities refused to take them in.

None of this bodes well for Soi Dog's depleted coffers. The organisation founded in 2003 to look after strays in Phuket is, to an extent, a victim of its own campaign's success. Now supplying food, veterinary care, vaccinations and medicine for over 3,000 dogs at four government-owned livestock shelters (three in the northeast, one in Kanchanaburi), its operating costs are currently running 40 percent higher than normal.

Dalley believes things may soon reach a tipping point. Not just because finances are tight, but also because there's no more shelter space to go round. “If there's another big interception the authorities are going to be stuck for somewhere to house them,” he says.

Adoption offers the best possible hope for a better life believes Dalley. “In the past three months about 300 dogs have been adopted by people in Thailand and overseas, but that’s still only a small minority,” he says.

As for the rest the sad reality is that, having escaped the dinner table, they are destined to grow old in captivity – that is unless they starve, succumb to disease or, worse still, fall back into the clutches of the dog catchers first.

For more information about the Soi Dog Foundation or to make a donation, visit: www.soidog.org asialife Thailand 33

FILMING THE THIRD SEX ..................................................................

Tannia Sukkhapsit’s has generated lots of critical acclaim overseas, but at home she is banned. The controversial filmmaker talks to Vivienne Chen.

Photos by Nick McGrath. ..................................................................

Sitting in her office, with straight, shoulder-length black hair, chiselled brows, and lengthy nails painted with gold polish, Tanwarin “Tannia” Sukkhapisit hardly cuts a controversial figure. But when the Thai Office of National Culture Commission banned her 2010 film, Insects in the Backyard, it cited the movie as a “disruption 34 asialife Thailand

of national order and public morals.”

Far from being resentful about the ban on Insects and subsequent denial for appeal, Tannia says it has enabled her to reflect more deeply upon the issue.

“I realised if I got angry, I’d reduce myself to the same level as those who banned

it,” she says. “Instead, I try to understand those who do not understand.”

In Insects in the Backyard, which she wrote and directed, Tannia plays a cross-dressing single father of a son and daughter whose dysfunctional family life drives them to shady hookups and prostitution. Unlike other Thai films like The

Iron Ladies, in which ladyboys and gays are portrayed as comic sidekicks or stereotypes, Tannia casts herself and other trans actors in dynamic roles with complex, often ambiguous characters.

The oldest of four children, her father died from liver cancer when she was sixteen. (“Too much alcohol,” she says, and with a laugh adds, “me too”.) In school, Tannia wrote, directed and acted in her own stage play, and after graduating from Khon Kaen University, she started acting part-time in TV dramas as a kathoey.

When she saw a contest for short films in the early 2000s, Tannia had no experience in filmmaking – and still has never formally studied it. But she knew she wanted to make a film. So she borrowed her uncle’s bulky Hi8 camcorder with tape deck, roped her friends into the cast, and asked people around her what to do to become a filmmaker.

Their response: “just push the record button.”

A decade later, with festival

accolades and awards under her belt, Tannia still remembers the growing pains of that first short film, Ring.

Despite or because of the ban on Insects, Tannia’s latest film, It Gets Better (2011), has seen considerable success, starring such big names as Thailand’s Got Talent’s ladyboy singer Bell Nuntita.

While not as dark as Insects, It Gets Better certainly does not lack potentially controversial material — especially since one of the gay male characters becomes a monk. Tannia herself entered the monkhood once, and firmly believes that those who are genuinely interested in learning about Buddhist faith should not be criticised because they are not traditional men.

The English title of the film, It Gets Better, is a nod to the international video campaign of the same name, which aims to give hope to young lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) teens who have experienced bullying.

“I liked the idea and how it gives courage to young LGBT

people to live with pride,” says Tannia. She gave the Thai title (Mai Dai Kor Hai Ma Rak) similar significance. “It means ‘You don’t have to love me.’

As in, everyone doesn’t have to love each other, but we need to understand the differences between each other and encourage society to coexist.”

Tannia’s personal experiences and the perspectives of others like her have influenced her philosophy and her filmmaking. A scene in It Gets Better of a young boy dancing in his living room while wearing his mother’s dress and t-shirt over his head like long hair was as much true of Tannia’s childhood as it was of her kathoey friends growing up.

She says that her family has always tried to be supportive of her but that society does not make it easy.

“They have never criticised me,” she says. “But I feel it; they would never say it, but I think if they could choose to have it any other way, they would prefer if I weren’t kathoey.”

Tannia says her mother, who still lives in her hometown of Korat with her two brothers, faces the hardest task of dealing with the social impact of Tannia’s identity.

“She is the one who has to answer to people, to family friends and people on the street, when they ask ‘don’t you have a son?’” says Tannia. “‘Why does he act like a daughter?’”

She has often said Thai culture has a way to go in terms of true acceptance.

“Is Thai society open about gays and kathoeys?” she was quoted last year in the Bangkok Post. “Most people believe so. We're not arrested on the streets. Our rights aren't limited, and we can live fairly happily. But if you ask me if kathoeys are accepted as part of the mainstream 'we' of society, I don't think so. We're still 'the others,’ the insects in the backyard.”

But as they say, it does get better. Or at least, Tannia plans to make it so, one film at a time. asialife Thailand 35

Bangkok certainly has potential. There is a diversity of culture and people are very trendy and very aware of what’s happening but, at the moment, it’s very safe.

36 asialife Thailand

JUMPING ON THE JAPANESE CATWALK While Tokyo has long reigned as the epicentre of Asian style and fashion innovation, Bangkok is better known for its fabulous food, a no-holds-barred nightlife and shopping. Gaby Doman asks what is needed to turn Bangkok into Asia’s next fashion hub. Photo by Nick McGrath.

With its Harajuku street style inspiring the incredible outfits dreamed up by cosplay (manga-style), ganguro (doll look) and ura-hara (emo skateboarder) enthusiasts, Tokyo has fascinated and inspired creative types the world over. It is also proving the inspiration for many designers who see Thailand as Asia’s next fashion powerhouse.

Supported by the Thai government which has allocated B100 million to hire world-class designers from Europe to guide Thailand in developing its own brands, the revitalised Fashion City Bangkok project will rise from the ashes next year, after a three-year hiatus. But can a city best known for its cheap knockoffs and throwaway fashions ever be taken seriously by the fashion world?

“Not right now,” says Bangkok-based designer and stylist Monrissa Leenutaphong, who graduated from Goldsmiths College in London and has set up Skin on Skin in the Bangkok Arts and Cultural Centre. “Bangkok doesn’t have the same energy as big fashion capitals. You need to be able to express yourself without rules and regulations. Here you still have to tone it down so that people understand.”

Parn Archa Nakabutara, a designer in the process of launching a men’s fashion brand produced in Thailand and sold in Myanmar, agrees.

“Bangkok certainly has potential,” he says. There is a diversity of culture and people are very trendy and very aware of what’s happening but, at the moment, it’s very safe. ”

According to Leenutaphong, the main problem is a lack of adequate fashion education.

Without being offered the opportunity and freedom to experiment and create, Bangkok’s industry is seriously stifled.

“Lots of people are trying to challenge the ‘safe’ styles of Bangkok,” she says. “I see improvements in the magazines as they try to be arty and experimental and not play it safe. But magazines are an end product.

The real changes need to be educational. Students need to be free to explore what’s in their heads and not be fed something staid.”

If this education gap were addressed, Bangkok become a breeding ground for up-andcoming designers, capitalising on its proximity to cheap labour in neighbouring countries.

“Bangkok has so many resources, such as materials, craftsman and culture,” says Tatsura I-washita, designer from London Brown shoes, Siam Square. “Moreover, Thai people express an interest in fashion, and the government is supporting fashion businesses and pushing Thailand as the next fashion capital.”

Some things, however, are simply out of the government’s hands.

“The main problem as far as Bangkok being an international or even regional fashion hub is the weather,” says Nakabutara.

“You need to be able to dress for seasons, produce boots and jackets and layers to really be on the map as a fashion destination. Here, we are limited to casual clothing that’s not too hot to wear – to cotton, lace and

mesh kinds of materials. To be truly important, Bangkok needs to really nail casual clothing.””

I-washita agrees this is an important factor in Bangkok’s game of catch-up with the likes of Tokyo. “Bangkok has a narrower range of fashion, whereas in Tokyo and other cities people can enjoy layering their clothes in winter,” she says.

However, there are some Thai brands that are helping to turn Bangkok’s fashion fortunes around.

Central St Martins College of Art and Design graduate, Moo Piyasombatkul’s ceramic vintage glasses frames made worldwide news when Lady Gaga, Fan Bingbing and Cheryl Cole all stepped out in them.

Now Bangkok-based, the designer sees potential in Sretsis, another Bangkok-based brand.

“The designs are fun, they’re not seasonal and they have a very strong identity,” she says.

Disaya is another brand that has really made it big in recent years.

“Amy Winehouse wore one of the dresses on the cover of Back to Black,” says Nakabutara. “And since then other celebrities including Katy Perry and Jennifer Lopez have also been seen in the brand.”

It speaks volumes that Bangkok’s most prominent designers, including Piyasombatkul, I-washita, Disaya, Milin and Pim Sukhahuta from Sretsis, all received their fashion education in some of the finest fashion colleges in London and New York, but whether Fashion City Bangkok will enable Thailand to take on the manga mantle only time will tell. asialife Thailand 37

Bangkok’s Secret Garden

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Tucked away in a side street in the heart of Bangkok, The Secret Garden is a quiet place where Katherine Jones lives the life of an artist to the fullest.

Words by Voicu Mihnea Simandan, photography by Nick McGrath.

“I am no more than what I am and no less than what I want to be,” says Katherine Jones, the 32-year-old Thai-British artist and creator of The Secret Garden, an online paper craft supplies and handmade jewellery store. “I have one fiancé, four pets, a penchant for antiques, an obsession with paper and a love of food and red wine.”

The Secret Garden came out of a realisation that if Kat – as she prefers to be called – wanted to paint and eat she would have to do something that could support her painting habit without putting her behind a desk in an office, working nine to five. “That would drive me nuts,” she admits.

Initially conceived as an online shop where she sold

paper and craft supplies, many of which were handmade, the Secret Garden soon became much more.

“The online shop is just the beginning,” she says. “I want it to evolve into a tangible place where people can find sanctuary and inspiration.”

Although her house contains a bookshop and has a large garden, this was not the initial basis for the name of the establishment.

“It came from the concept that I wanted to combine a sense of magic with a respect for nature,” she says. “The Secret Garden seemed like the perfect choice. The fact that we now have a bookstore and a garden is a complete fluke, which is actually kind of funny. It’s now easier to tell everyone that I named it after the book and the garden.”

The products in the shop are handmade by Kat and bear the “SG brand,” which means that they are part of a line of products that are sustainable and can be appreciated for

their craftsmanship.

“The greeting cards and notebooks are all one of a kind,” she explains. “Many of the materials I use are recycled.

For example, I make corkboards using wine corks that I collect from a restaurant in the area. I also make wreaths from the pages of old books, once they get too tattered to read or sell.”

Although she has lived in Bangkok for 15 years, Kat admits that Thai art isn’t really her cup of tea.

“Like most traditional or religious Asian art, there are a lot of rules that dictate what a painting has to comprise of and how it has to look. So there is not much freedom in it, but a lot of discipline,” she says. “Thai art can be quite beautiful to look at, but I need to find more time to get into the galleries. I feel so guilty when I don’t.”

However, she thinks there has been a positive development in domestic art in recent years.

“I believe Thai contemporary art has branched out wonderfully over the years and I’m seeing more and more work that I can really enjoy.”

The Secret Garden is an eclectic mix of old and new stuff that Kat has collected over the years. Every corner has something to see and the harder you look, the more you’ll find.

Plus, Kat’s always adding new pieces to her knick-knack collection. “I’m constantly moving things around, to try and create the most comfortable and creative space possible,” she says.

Apart from being a budding entrepreneur, Katherine Jones is also an accomplished artist who’s already had three solo exhibitions in Bangkok. She has also illustrated The Rage of a New Ancestors, an anthology of Asian short stories, which was published in 2010 by New Asian Writing.

You can check out the shop’s products at: thesecretgardenbkk. com.

asialife Thailand 39

Ghost Busters Michael Sloan investigates the underbelly of Cambodian folklore and discovers anti-ghost scarecrows, spirit mediums and an exorcism along the way. Translation by Lim Meng Y, photography by Conor Wall.

Five minutes into the exorcism, flecks of blood are visible on 34-year-old Ton Vuta’s skin as he struggles to rise from the pagoda floor beneath the weight of the men holding him down.

Crouched above, with beads of perspiration on his cheeks, Chhoung Seaksat pauses to adjust his grip on a rod of consecrated incense sticks that he methodically beats his patient with. The strokes are little more than a hard tap, but at each blow Ton squirms and cries out in pain.

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A small crowd gathers at the door of Chhoung’s quarters in Phnom Penh’s Wat Botum pagoda to watch as the Buddhist monk approaches the most difficult stage of tonight’s exorcism — convincing the spirit that Ton’s family believes is possessing his body to leave, preferably peacefully or, if necessary, by force.

“To you or me being tapped like this might hurt a little, but if the patient feels pain and suffers greatly it means they are cursed,” explains Chhoung, who began practicing in 2007

and has since become one of Phnom Penh’s leading faith healers. “For the spirit inside them, it hurts like being burned with hot water or stabbed with a knife.”

On the sidelines of the exorcism, Ton’s mother explains that her son has suffered undiagnosed mental health problems for some time. He’s often moody and sometimes violent.

The pair came to the healer as a last resort after exhausting conventional medical treatment.

With every strike Chhoung delivers ultimatums, demand-

ing that the spirit leaves Ton’s body immediately. Ton curses in a voice several octaves lower than his usual tone and the spirit eventually agrees to leave by midnight.

It’s too early to tell whether the treatment was successful and further sessions might be required over the coming days as Ton carries out two weeks of prayer in isolation.

An exhausted Chhoung takes a seat and pulls out his iPhone to display video footage of successful exorcisms, while one of his assistants flips through a large binder containing thumb-printed statements from hundreds of satisfied patients.

“Everything in the world has two natures: The sky and the land, short and long, boy and girl. So with disease as well there is the real disease and spiritual disease,” says the monk. “Doctors can look at a spiritual disease as long as they want and it won’t show up on any of the tests. They can’t see it, but I can.”

Chhoung — who boasts of completing more than 1,500 successful exorcisms on patients that he claims were misdiagnosed by doctors with conditions ranging from stomach aches to cancer and AIDS — is one of many faith healers and spirit mediums working around Cambodia. Those who conduct exorcisms are commonly referred to as krou dors ompeour, while krou thmoub deal in black magic and curses.

Each krou has a different methodology — in Chhoung’s case he simply prays to Buddha and consecrates the sticks he uses to tap patients, allowing him to cajole the spirit out. But such practices can be controversial within the Buddhist faith.

Spiritual Controversy Nearby Wat Botum, elderly monk Yos Hut shakes his head when the ritual is described

to him. For 30 years he has headed up the Khmer Buddhist Foundation, which was formed in the 1970s to train Cambodian monks and keep Buddhist traditions alive in the post-Khmer Rouge exile communities of France and the United States.

Yos Hut says faith healers are distorting religion for their own uses, incorporating practices that are not found anywhere in Buddha’s teachings.

“It’s not part of Cambodian Buddhism. When monks believe in superstition, it’s because they learn and practice too little Buddhism. This is a big problem. Everyone wants

to help others, but first you should help yourself and learn about what you’re doing seriously and correctly,” he says.

Chhoung, however, says that the sangha — the Buddhist community — has not forbade him to do his work and claims to have won the grudging support of some sections of the medical industry.

“A lot of doctors have come to see me and I’ve even had some as patients. Around 99 percent don’t believe me, but when they come here and see the real thing they believe in it.”

Belief in superstition and witchcraft are evident in other parts of the Kingdom. Each year Cambodians are accused of be-

ing sorcerers capable of cursing members of the community.

Such allegations can prove fatal.

A report by human rights group Licadho recorded 17 instances of suspected sorcerers being murdered nationwide between 2006 and 2011.

Some families also seek protection from spiritual maladies in the form of ting mong — wooden scarecrows planted outside the home rather than in a field. The figures are placed to scare away ghosts and often armed, sometimes with machetes and toy rifles.

Official Perspective During his eight-year career as an archivist and field worker at the government’s department of cult and religion, Phum Lie has seen faith healers come and go and heard tales of sorcerers so powerful people only whisper their names. There is no official registration system for faith healers and mediums, he explains, and no figures are available on how many are active throughout the country.

While villagers accused of murdering accused sorcerers are prosecuted to the full extent of the law, faith healers are seen as doing no harm and largely left alone by the local authorities. In the case of a monk like Chhoung, ultimate responsibility for his behaviour rests with senior monks at Wat Botum, says Phum.

Back inside the temple, Soaleak Salak and her 12-yearold son are getting ready for a journey home. The concerned mother originally came to the pagoda to seek treatment for her son’s joint pain.

After a prolonged exorcism and a good night’s sleep the problem seems to have disappeared. “I heard from my family about [Chhoung] and came all this way to see him, so I am glad the treatment works,” she says. asialife Thailand 41

Farang of the North A visit to a hill tribe, an elephant show and traditional dancing, some things are little changed in Chiang Mai since Queen Elizabeth II visited in 1972. With royalty in mind, Mark Bibby Jackson looks at the history of the city’s British consulate, which once housed George V’s polo elephants.

When London merchant Ralph Fitch first visited Chiang Mai in 1586, it took him 25 days to travel overland from Burma to the city then called Jamahey.

He describes the city as “a very faire and great towne, with faire houses of stone, well peopled, the streets are very large,” recounts traveller and writer Richard Hakluyt.

Now the city is a short flight from Bangkok and has become a must for serious travellers to Thailand. Many of them, unlike Fitch, visit the old British consulate, which came to represent the centre for farang activity in the north of Thailand long after merchant’s first steps into the walled town.

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The building known as the old consulate, and now home of the Chedi Chiang Mai hotel, was the second British consulate though little is known of the first building. Built by the consul W A R Wood in 1915 on a plot of land owned by the British government, where a statue to Queen Victoria had stood since 1903, it served as residence for the official, his servants and four of King George V’s polo elephants.

It proved the focal point for expat society, with the King’s or Queen’s birthday party being the main event of the social calendar, until 1978 when it was sold off by the British Government.

While the ground floor was built on a one-metre high rectangular base to protect it from flooding, upstairs spacious verandahs caught the cooling breezes drifting in from the river. In the absence of air-conditioning, the dining room was cooled by a punkah – a wooden board suspended from the ceiling – pulled by a punkah-wallah.

One of the more remarkable elements of the building, as observed by Alberto Cosi in his article about the old consulate published in 1995 in Vimarn magazine, was that the building was precisely 22 yards long, the length of a cricket pitch, although it was

croquet rather than cricket that was played on the consulate’s green lawn.

Despite the consulate housing George V’s polo elephants, the British king never visited Chiang Mai. It was his granddaughter Queen Elizabeth II who became the first reigning British monarch to come here as part of a six-day tour of the country in 1972, accompanied by her regent Prince Phillip.

According to the Chronicle of Thailand, the couple underwent an itinerary that would not appear out of place on the brochures of the many tour companies operating in Chiang Mai now. They met “minority Meo, or Hmong, hill tribes

The second British consulate building taken during a flood in 1953. The consul's residence is on the upper floor with offices below.

Photos courtesy of Chedi Chiang Mai (left) and Boonserm Satrabhaya (above and below)

WAR Wood, British Consul (1913-31) in front of second British consulate building with staff.

who performed a cultural show” before the “rumps of two baby elephants, each painted with the word ‘Bye’ were shown to the royals”.

Clearly the tiger sanctuary was not open then.

However, John Shaw, who has lived in the city for the last 30 years and was honorary consul from 1990 to 1995, recalls that the trip did not go quite according to Whitehall’s best laid plans, with the royal automobile breaking down on the way back from the McKean Leprosarium, which was the first leprosy centre in Thailand.

The royal couple then stayed at the Bhubing Palace where

British consulate selling animals to raise funds for World War I.

Shaw states “the Queen was offended by the attention that her husband gave to the dancing girls – so rumour has it.”

Shaw does not believe the consulate building to be “so very special” in itself, but it was an important meeting place for expat society in Chiang Mai, even after the official sale had gone through. “I remember playing a last game of croquet on the lawn after it had been sold,” he says.

In 2005 the building was converted into the Chedi Chiang Mai, a five-star hotel and spa, now managed by the GHM group. Although the new owners could not have had a worse start with the

CEW Stringer, British Consul (1889-94, 1903-7) with staff in front of the first British consulate building.

whole site becoming flooded shortly after it opened and closed for several months, Shaw says that “the conversion to a hotel has been well done.”

Certainly the integrity of the former consulate building has been maintained, although the dress code of those taking breakfast beside the Mae Ping river is something that W A R Wood might have frowned upon.

Architect firm Kerry Hill states that “the design intention of the scheme was to combine a city location with the atmosphere of a resort hotel, together with the integration of the existing colonial house,

site and hotel using a contemporary interpretation of traditional Thai materials.”

The strong use of dark woods throughout, together with the space created by the L-shaped courtyard facing the river has by-and-large achieved the architect’s aim.

Although for those wishing to seep in the atmosphere of one of the most history-laden buildings in northern Thailand, taking High Tea in the shade of the verandah is an experience not to be missed.

Unfortunately the polo elephants have long since gone, and as for a game of croquet you’ll probably have to borrow a set from John Shaw. asialife Thailand 43

Into the

Mountains Riding in a convoy of vintage motorcycles across the country from Hoi An to the mountainous region near the Laos border, Brett Davis goes on a strange and exhilarating journey.

The sound is immense. Like iron horsemen of the apocalypse, eight vintage Russian motorcycles, complete with sidecars, thunder along mountain roads in Quang Nam province near the Laos border. As we approach our destination for the day’s riding, a small village high in the mountains of central Vietnam, wide-eyed children run from small timber houses to stare at these strange interlopers, their wary parents a few steps behind.

Traversing the last stretch of rutted track, we finally enter Aroh village, home to some of the Co Tu ethnic minority people. The bikes are parked at one end of the village, soon swarmed upon by curious locals.

The journey had started many hours earlier in the beachside town of Hoi An. The General Manager of Victoria Hoi An Beach Resort and Spa, Claude Balland, is a vintage motorcycle 44 asialife Thailand

enthusiast and the driving force behind the unique tours utilising the Russian-made 650cc Ural motorcycles. He purchased his first of these bikes off the local police in 1996, and the resort now boasts 10 of the machines.

Victoria offers guests a range of day tours around Hoi An, as well as longer trips into the

back in the sidecar and enjoy the spectacular scenery flashing by. Being seated so close to the ground makes for an exhilarating ride, particularly on the twisting mountain roads.

Intermittent showers sweep through the mountains and we are forced to stop and don our rain gear a number of times.

"I sleep fitfully, aware there will be blood spilled in the morning." mountains and further north to Hue. They have even done trips across the border into Laos. Balland tells me the trips can really be tailored to whatever the guest desires, although on longer trips a minimum of two bikes making the journey is required.

With an experienced rider taking the controls, you can sit

However, the sun is shining as we pull off the road in front of a dilapidated, abandoned shack to break for lunch. The Gallic presence in the management is reflected in our meal with quiche, baguettes and what seems like a dozen wheels of cheese produced from the support van along with some cold drinks and

even a bottle of wine. All in all a very civilised lunch, giving me time to have a closer look at our transportation.

The Ural story begins shortly before the Second World War when the Russians were looking to upgrade their military hardware. The official version goes that several BMW R71 motorcycles used by the German army were purchased by intermediaries in neutral Sweden and smuggled back to the USSR. There they were completely pulled apart and reverse-engineered with a factory built to produce exact copies. After the outbreak of hostilities, the original factory in Moscow was moved further away from the front lines to a small town in the Ural Mountains, and it is from here that the bikes take their name.

Back at Aroh village, our visit coincides with the annual harvest festival. Celebrations

are getting into full swing as the sun dips behind the surrounding peaks. At the centre of the village is a large clear area surrounded by the small timber houses of the inhabitants and the large communal longhouse perched on two-metre-tall stilts with a steep thatched roof.

In the clearing the Co Tu men dance in a rhythmic shuffle around a kind of totem pole while banging on drums and gongs. In an outer circle the women, also dressed in traditional robes, perform a dance called the ya ya, their hands held high, turning this way and that as they slowly circumscribe their way around the dusty arena.

The Co Tu are renowned for the intricate weaving and beadwork of their traditional costumes, with each taking up to six months to complete. I am also told by one of my travelling companions that they are somewhat more infamously known as one of the last headhunting tribes in Southeast Asia, with their last ‘blood hunt’ taking place in the early 1950s.

After a dinner served on banana leaves in the longhouse, I settle in at one end of the room on the thin mats covering the floor to share some of the local rice whiskey with the village elders. We toast each other with something like the word ‘Om’, which I take to be Co Tu for ‘cheers’, knocking back endless rounds out of small bamboo cups.

Communication is limited but with goodwill and whiskey I manage to ascertain my drinking companions are in their late 70s and early 80s. A quick, hazy calculation leaves me thinking these smiling, polite gentlemen would have been youths during the tribe’s final headhunting days. I think it best to not ask too many questions.

The rain falls softly outside as I settle down on the floor of the longhouse for the night, and the blanket some kind soul throws over me and the mountain liquor keep me warm and help drown out the drumming that continues through the night. I sleep fitfully,

aware there will be blood spilled in the morning.

The village comes to life slowly in the pre-dawn light.

Yet not long after the sun crests the horizon, the drummers and dancers are back in action, circling around the three-metre central pole to which a large buffalo has been tethered. This is the sacrifice to ensure a good harvest and the village’s future prosperity.

The drums and the dancers quicken tempo until the young men of the tribe enter the arena, a number of them carrying long pikes, several times their height and tipped with beaten metal spear heads. Some final incantations are delivered and the crowd moves back. The rope leading from the pole to a ring in the nose of the animal is let out to several metres in length. The buffalo’s large dark eyes may betray an inkling of what is to come, but more likely reflect my own trepidation.

When it does come, it’s quick and frenzied. Four men stand in the circle, and after the first lunges forward to strike with his spear, the snorting hulk of the buffalo careens around the circle tripping up in the rope. Each time it passes one of the men, another strike. In what is probably less than a minute but seems much longer, the deathblow hits home, bright red blood bubbles from the beast’s lungs and it goes down in the mud. The crowd rushes in.

Soon after, the last rites and rituals are completed, and the buffalo is butchered where it lies for the feast to come. An age-old ritual has been played out before us. It is difficult to know how to feel, only that I am certain it is not for me to pass judgment on.

Now it’s time to depart.

Engines roar into life and our gracious and welcoming hosts bid us farewell. Swooping back down the mountains, verdant countryside gives way to the coastal plain. I reflect on what has been an extraordinary couple of days, but am also eager to return to the creature comforts that await us back in Hoi An. asialife Thailand 45

Escapade Those coming by foot might walk right past this hole in the wall diner as the doorway is completely unassuming and rather small. In fact, the space inside doesn’t seem conducive to your typical hamburger consumers. Even the most slender diners have to squeeze through the tiny gap between a row of bar stools and the wall.

Co-founder and chef Van Rohitratana (Chef Van) says the small corridor was designed to force people to interact with each other on a more intimate level since we live in such a detached world. If claustrophobia is a problem for you, there’s plenty of space in the back courtyard for some open air din46 asialife Thailand

Just outside the perimeters of Khaosan’s backpacker heaven lies Pra Athit, the latest addition to this bustling street is a western burger joint with Asian flair.

Words by Yvonne Liang, photos by Nick McGrath. ing. The toilets are also located just beyond this garden of eatin’ and first timers are in for a surprise at the hellish graffiti splashed interior of each loo.

We visited Escapade for lunch and deemed it too early for cocktails, but award-winning mixologist and co-founder Karn Liangsrisuk has put together a unique selection of cocktails.

He’s even created several homemade rums in oddly shaped bottles reminiscent of a pirate’s booty.

For our non-alcoholic afternoon, we opted for the frost orangery (B80). If you like a little tang in your milkshake, this one will stir up your taste buds with an incredible combination

of smooth vanilla ice-cream laced with aromatic elderflower syrup, orange juice, milk, marmalade, and the double crunch of passion fruit seeds and a mystery cracker topping. After several failed guesses we finally learned that the interesting flavour came from bits of crushed durian chips – a nice local touch to the western concoction.

Another dish that has a local ring to it is the BTS burger (B170) which is simply bacon, tomato, and sugarcane shallots sandwiched between specially made wheat buns that definitely pack extra flavour and texture compared to regular buns.

Although we liked both the idea and catchy name, something

was missing. A pile of crispy bacon just doesn’t match up to a real burger patty. Perhaps the “T” should stand for tuna?

On the other hand, Escapade’s signature Angus beef burger with cheddar and toasted rice mayo really hit the spot. Bear in mind though this burger was created in Asian proportions. If you’re looking for something more filling, then try the off-menu quarter cow or half cow which will certainly satisfy a 'farang' appetite.

Escapade, 112 Pra-Artit Rd. Chanasongkram, Pranakorn, Tel: 08 7363 2629, 08 1406 3773, www. facebook.com/Escaburgersandshakes

Whale's Belly With its wavy, skeleton-like pattern hanging from the high ceilings and the overall bright surroundings, this family friendly restaurant may not be your ideal setting for an uberromantic date night. However, the Whale’s Belly is running a tight ship with top-notch service and decent European cuisine favouring seafood aficionados.

Expect your glass to be filled discreetly throughout the meal, with both server and manager regularly checking up on your satisfaction with each dish.

Dinner by candle light inside a whale's belly might sound like a dreamy evening for two, but Yvonne Liang discovers appearances can be deceptive. Photos by Nick McGrath.

Another major plus to this fine dining venue is the presence of head chef Apirawit Chaopo-en (Chef Mai) who was once seafood chef of the legendary Le Normandie, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Bangkok.

We started off with a basket of oven fresh bread rolls served with quality pâté and butter.

It would have been easy to fill up on those, but we had to save room for the actual food.

The pan fried pacific scallop (B550) and seared foie gras de canard (B980) arrived together.

While the foie gras and pomelo

rocket salad was presented on a piping hot plate, the scallops seemed to have lost their heat on the waiting counter.

Still we enjoyed slathering the scallops with the two sauces of cumin scented carrot purée and champagne.

The fiery lobster pasta “rosso” spaghetti with Canadian lobster in arrabbiata sauce (B1,900) is possibly the most expensive plate of pasta we've ever come across in Bangkok.

Although the dish appeared to fit the bill, the spaghetti was cooked beyond the expected al

dente perfection and so was the lobster. Let's hope this was a one-off occurrence.

A warm dark chocolate fondant (B260) boasting 58 percent dark chocolate served with a scoop of silky vanilla ice cream provided an excellent closure to the meal, as long as we avoided the side of thawed mixed berries that sadly did not match the rest of the dessert in taste or quality.

Whale’s Belly, 39 Boulevard, 41 Sukhumvit Soi 39, Tel: 02 160 0333. Open daily 11.30am to 2.30pm, 6.30pm to 10:30pm. asialife Thailand 47

Hidden Treasures Inspired by art, fashion and travel, Jude Smid Jewellery creates pieces that are timeless and luxurious, yet with a modern approach.

The Jude Smid woman is independent, self-confident and adventurous. All the jewellery is made of high-end materials that enhance sophistication and elegance.

From high-society women to fashionistas around the world, everybody loves Jude Smid.

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asialife Thailand 49

50 asialife Thailand

Art Director: Johnny Murphy Photographer: Nick McGrath Website: www.judesmid.com Follow Jude Smid at Facebook: www.facebook.com/judesmid asialife Thailand 51

Imagine the table you’ve always dreamed of and the experts behind p.tendercool will dedicate a staggering 100 hours to create it for you from start to finish.

Hailing from Belgium, the couple behind this Bangkokbased design company – antique specialist Pieter Compernol and architect Stephanie Grusenmeyer – are creating quite a stir in the industry with their tables that preserve the feel and nature of antique hardwood designed with virtues of simplicity and elegance.

The made-to-order tables evoke a warm, classic look combined with a styled metal base all constructed with impeccable craftsmanship by the hands of a multicultural team consisting of the Belgian antiques restorer Eli Vermeulen, Thai designers Ampol Lirapirom and Krit Phutpim, and Italian bronzemaster Armando, with over 50 years of experience in his trade.

The final result of each table is minimalism at its finest raising the bar for urban sophistication. http://ptendercool.com

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Photo by Nick McGrath.

Connoisseur IT'S OK TO LIKE NICE THINGS

Wine Glasses There is much more to the consumption of wine than just the drinking. There is of course the aroma, the colour, the heft of the glass in your hand that all add to the experience. If you are going to invest in even medium quality wine, let alone the more hip-pocket crippling variety, it is worth considering making an investment in the glasses you drink from.

54 asialife Thailand

There are two primary things to consider when choosing the proper receptacle for your wine: material and shape.

Lead crystal is commonly used in the manufacture of high-quality wine glasses. It is heavier so the resulting glasses have a more substantial feeling and it offers more workability during production. Allowing oxygen to interact with the wine

is a key to experiencing its full flavour and character, and as lead crystal is rougher than glass on a microscopic level, it allows the liquid to breathe more efficiently when swirled in the bowl. Lead crystal also has a higher index of refraction which changes the effect of light passing through. This is said to better bring out the colour of the wine.

The main components of the wine glass are the bowl, stem and base. It is generally accepted that when drinking white or sparkling wines that the glass be held by the stem so as not to impart any body warmth to the liquid. The bowl of the glass varies dramatically depending on the type of wine it is designed for.

The theory that the shape of the bowl can influence the taste and bouquet of wine is still the subject of some conjecture and has not been definitively proven, although the concept has some very influential adherents. The idea is that the shape of the glass directs the liquid to the part of the mouth that is most receptive to that particular varietal.

Glasses for red wine are characterised by their rounder, wider bowl, which increases the rate of oxidation. Examples include the Bordeaux glass, which is tall with a broad bowl, and is designed for full bodied red wines like Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah as it directs wine to the back of the mouth. Burgundy glasses in comparison are broader, with a bigger bowl to accumulate aromas of more delicate red wines such as Pinot Noir. This style of glass directs

wine to the tip of the tongue.

White wine glasses vary enormously in size and shape, from the delicately tapered Champagne flute, to the wide and shallow glasses used to drink Chardonnay. To preserve a crisp, clean flavour, many white wine glasses will have a smaller mouth, which reduces surface area and in turn, the rate of oxidisation.

Champagne flutes are an extreme example of this with the very small mouth of the bowl designed to help retain the carbonation. Additionally, the flute design adds to the aesthetic appeal of champagne, allowing the bubbles to travel further due to the narrow design, giving a far more pleasant visual appeal.

Much of the credit for this development in glass-specific shapes for different varietals can be attributed to Claus Riedel. The Riedel family has been in the business of producing fine wine glasses for more than 300 years, but it was about half a century ago that Claus developed, with the aid of master winemakers and other experts, a range of glasses specifically tailored to different grape varieties.

The main Riedel factory in Kufstein, Austria still hand blows the bowls for its premium range of wine glasses.

Legendary wine writer Robert Parker says of Riedel’s products, “The effect of these glasses on fine wine is profound. I cannot emphasize enough what a difference they make.�

Reason enough then to think about what you are drinking out of next time you uncork that special bottle.

Reservation/Ticketing: 02 263 8333 www.asiana-gsa.com

Bangkok Airways (PG) Bangkok Airways Bldg, M.14, Viphavadee Rangsit Rd. Reservation/Ticketing: 1771 Head Office: 02 265 5678 www.bangkokair.com

listings

hotel & travel

British Airways (BA) Reservation/Ticketing: 21/F, Charn Issara Tower, 942/160-163 Rama 4 Rd. Tel: 02 627 1701 www.britishairways.com

AIRPORT INFORMATION Airport Express Service from 5am to 12am Fare is B150 per person. Contact at Airport Bus Counter Level 1, near entrance 8.

Don Mueang Domestic Airport Call Centre: 02 535 1305

Public Transportation Center Shuttle Bus (24 Hours Services) Tel: 02 132 9532 Free Service for passengers and employees working in the airport, within the airport area.

Suvarnabhumi Airport Call Center: 02 132 1888

INTERNATIONAL AIRLINES

Air Asia (AK) (FD) (QZ) 1/F, OSC Bldg, 99 Moo 5 Kingkaew Rd. Call Centre & Reservation: 02 515 9999 www.airasia.com Air Berlin (AB) 17/F, Overawed Bldg., 849 Silom Rd. Reservation/Ticketing: 02 267 1202/4 Air France (AF) 20/F, Vorawat Bldg, 849 Silom Rd. Reservation/Ticketing: 02 635 119 www.airfrance.co.th

Asiana Airlines (OZ) 18/F, Ploenchit Centre, 2 Sukhumvit 2 Rd.

escape

Cathay Pacific Airways (CX) 11/F, Ploenchit Tower, 898 Ploenchit Rd. Reservation/Ticketing: 02-263 0606 www.cathaypacific.com

Emirates (EK) 2/F B.B Building 54 Asoke Rd., Sukhumvit Soi 21 Reservation/Ticketing: 02 664 1040 www.emirates.com Etihad Airways (EY) 11/F, Tonson Tower, 900 Ploenchit Rd. Reservation/Ticketing: 02 253 0099 www.etihadairways.com Eva Airways (BR) 2/F Green Tower, 3656/4-5 Rama IV Rd. Reservation/Ticketing: 02 269 6288 www.evaair.com

Jetstar Airways (3K) (JQ) GSA: Tour East (T.E.T) Ltd., 3/F Charn Issara Tower 1, 942/160-163 Rama lV Rd. Reservation/Ticketing: 02 267 5125 www.jetstar.com KLM Airlines (KL) 20/F Vorawat Building, 849 Silom Rd. Reservation/Ticketing Office: 02 635 2300 www.klm.co.th

Lao Airlines (QV) 491/17 G/F Silom Plaza, Silom Rd. Reservation/Ticketing: 02 236 9822/3 Lufthansa Airlines (LH) 18/F Q. House Asoke Bldg., 66

Malaysia Airlines (MH) Unit 332, 3/F All Seasons Place, Wireless Rd. Reservation: 02 250 6568-74 Ticketing: 02 250 6560-7 www.malaysia-airlines.com.my Myanmar Airways INT'L (8M) 8/F, Unit 3803 BB Bldg., 54 Asoke Road, Sukhumvit 21 Reservation/Ticketing: 02 261 5060

Qatar Airways (QR) Unit 2102, 21/F, 388 Exchange Tower Sukhumvit Rd. Reservation/Ticketing: 02 259 2701/5 www.qatarairways.com Silk Air (MI) Chiang Mai: Duangtawan Hotel, 132, Loykroh Road, Changklan, Muang, Chiang Mai Reservation/Ticketing: 053 904 985/7 Phuket: 101/17 Bypass Square, Chalermprakiat Ror 9 Rd., Tambol Kathu, Phuket Reservation/Ticketing: 076 304 018/20 www.silkair.com Singapore Airlines (SQ) 12/F, Silom Centre Building, 2 Silom Rd. Reservation: 02 353 6000 Ticketing: 02 353 6030 www.singaporeair.com/th

Thai Airways International (TG) 89 Vibhavadi Rangsit Head Office 485 Silom Rd. Reservation: 02 280 0060 www.thaiairways.com

Reservation/Ticketing: 02 231 0300/7 www.thy.com

Vietnam Airlines (VN) 10/F Wave Place Bldg, 55 Wireless Rd. Reservation: 02 655 4137/40 www.vietnamair.com.vn/vnhome.htm

DOMESTIC AIRLINES

Nok Air (DD) 17/F Rajanakarn Building, 183 South Sathorn Rd. Call Centre: 02 900 9955 Reservation/Ticketing: 1318

Thai Air Asia (FD) 1st Flr, OSC Bldg, 99 Moo 5 Kingkaew Rd, Bangplee, Samut Prakarn 10540 Call Center & RSVN: 02 515 9999 www.airasia.com

BANGKOK–DELUXE

Banyan Tree Bangkok 21/100 South Sathorn Road Tel: 02 679 1200 www.banyantree.com Claiming to be a sanctuary for the senses, the Banyan Tree has spectacular views of Bangkok’s cityscape from its lofted Vertigo Bar. Those with no head for heights can enjoy the elegant guest rooms and spa facilities.

Conrad Bangkok All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Road Tel: 02 690 9999 www.conradhotels.com Conveniently located in the heart of Bangkok’s business hub, the Conrad Bangkok offers a combination of modern luxury and innovative design. Enjoy jazz at the Diplomat Bar or practice your Pilates on site.

Tiger Airways (TR) 1091/173-174 7/F, Unit 702 S. Group Tower, Soi Petchaburi, 33 New Petchaburi Rd Reservation: 02 649 9688 www.tigerairways.com

Dusit Thani Bangkok 946 Rama IV Road, Silom Tel: 02 200 9000 www.dusit.com The granddaddy of Bangkok’s luxury hotel scene, with over 40 years of service, the 500 plus rooms and suites, as well as eight signature restaurants, make this a popular place for travellers and locals alike.

Turkish Airlines (TK) 3/F, C.P. Tower, 313 Silom Rd

Four Seasons Bangkok 155 Rajdamri Road

take flight with travel promotions around the region

Fun in Phuket

If you’re looking for pampering, relaxation, romantic interludes and active pursuits, Banyan Tree Phuket Resort is offering an early bird advantage. Book your stay seven days in advance and enjoy 25 percent off the best available rate. Valid for stays through month’s end, if reserved by Oct. 25. In addition, enjoy complimentary all day in-villa dining when staying in a one- or two-bedroom double pool villa. Ask about specials at the Spa Sanctuary. More at www.banyantree.com.

Anantara Hua Hin Package

Pack your bags and head for the beach with Anantara Hua Hin resort just a few hours away from Bangkok. Room rates start from B19,900 for the deluxe garden view up to B36,900 for the Anantara suite. Breakfast buffet for two is included with all rooms as well as a 15 percent discount on food &

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Sukhumvit Soi 21 Reservation/Ticketing: 02 264 2400 www.lufthansa.com

beverage at any of the restaurants and bars, as well as at Anantara Spa. Offer valid until Dec. 24. For more information call 03 252 0250 or visit: http://huahin.anantara.com.

Centra Coconut Beach Offer

Stay at Centra Coconut Beach Resort Samui for just B1,410++ a night for a superior pool view room to B1,890++ for a deluxe villa. Rates exclude breakfast and are on the basis of two adults sharing, although two children under 12 are allowed to share the room with their parents. This offer is valid from now until Oct. 31. For more information or to make a reservation, call: 07 733 4069-70 or visit: www.centarahotelsresorts. com.

Four nights for Three at Sri panwa

One of Phuket’s most loved resorts, the Sri panwa faces the Andaman sea with each villa surrounded by lush greenery. Guests

get a welcome fruit basket upon arrival with complimentary minibar and snacks replenished daily. If you book three nights you get a fourth for free including daily à la carte breakfast and a Sri panwa exclusive gift set. This offer is valid from now until Oct. 31. For more information or to make a reservation call: 076 371 000 or visit: www. sripanwa.com.

Thai Cooking in Chiang Mai

Enjoy the Thai Culinary Package at Four Seasons Resort Chiang Mai, which includes three nights in a luxurious pavilion with daily breakfast and participation in two cooking school classes per person and a visit to a local market. You can also choose an optional fruit and vegetable carving class.

Classes are held Monday to Saturday only. For more information or to make a reservation, call: 05 329 8181 or visit: www. fourseasons.com/chiangmai

Tel: 02 126 8866 www.fourseasons.com/bangkok A mainstay for up-market travellers with almost 400 rooms, suites and cabanas as well as Biscotti and Madison restaurants and M Spa. Noted for its lavish Sunday brunch.

Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok 494 Rajdamri Road Tel: 02 254 1234 www.bangkok.grand.hyatt.com Opposite the Erawan shrine, the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok has 380 rooms and suites and six dining outlets offering plenty of choice to its guests.

Grand Millennium Sukhumvit Bangkok 30 Sukhumvit 21 (Asoke) Road Tel: 02 204 4000 www.millenniumhotels.com Towering above Asoke, the Grand Millennium Sukhumvit has several restaurants, a jazz bar on the first floor, and a well equipped spa for in-city pampering.

Hansar Bangkok Hotel 3 Soi Mahadlekluang 2, Rajdamri Road Tel: 02 209 1234 www.hansarbangkok.com A minute’s walk to the BTS Skytrain, yet nestled in the seclusion and comfort of Rajdamri Road, Hansar has endless views of Bangkok greenery and timeless style, with suites adorned in Jim Thompson silk.

InterContinental Bangkok 973 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 656 0444 www.ichotelsgroup.com Conveniently located at Chitlom BTS Station, the Intercontinental is a short walk away from Bangkok's shopping district.

Even if you're not checking in, the international restaurants and relaxing spa make this a go-to spot for locals.

JW Marriott Hotel 4 Sukhumvit Road Tel: 02 132 1888 Situated right on Sukhumvit Road, the Marriott is well known for its many dining venues, including the New York Steak House and several Japanese restaurants.

The Landmark Bangkok 138 Sukhumvit Rd, Tel: 02 254 0404 www.landmarkbangkok.com This 31-storey hotel offers first-class accommodation and service to discriminating business travellers and tourists visiting Thailand. Only minutes away from the city's Nana BTS, the complex houses the 414-room Landmark Hotel including Club floor with video on demand, internet TV, and laptop connect plus a three-level shopping plaza and a multi-storey car park with space for 600 vehicles. The wide range of dining options include Chinese, and international restaurants, plus a gourmet Rib Room Grill, English-style pub with live music nightly.

Lebua at State Tower State Tower, 1055, Silom Road Tel: 02 624 9999 www.lebua.com All the 357 suites have views of Bangkok and the Chao Phraya River. Those with a head for heights should visit the rooftop Scirocco Bar with sweeping views of the city.

Hotel Muse Bangkok 55/555 Soi Langsuan, Lumpini Tel: 02 630 4000 www.hotelmusebangkok.com A hotel dedicated to fashion and the arts, each of the 170 PIA-designed guest rooms reflect the elegance of Rama V yet with a contemporary and sometimes playful twist.

Mandarin Oriental Bangkok Charoenkrung Soi 40, 48 Oriental Avenue Tel: 02 659 9000 www.mandarinoriental.com Located on the banks of the Chao Phraya

River, the Mandarin Oriental has been an inspiration to a host of world-renowned writers from Joseph Conrad to Somerset Maugham and John Le Carre´. Voted the world’s best hotel by readers of influential magazines, Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok boasts an international reputation for splendid service and facilities.

Metropolitan by COMO 27 South Sathorn Road Tel: 02 625 3333 www.comohotels.com/metropolitanbangkok A cool and contemporary east-west aesthetic with modern Oriental accents is combined with award-winning cuisine, a holistic spa and Bangkok's most chic lounge bar.

The Okura Prestige Bangkok 57 Wireless Rd. Tel: 02 687 9000 www.okurabangkok.com This 240-room hotel occupies thirty-four floors of the glass-clad Park Ventures Ecoplex Building. Its thinning shape is inspired by the wai, the traditional Thai hand greeting.

Plaza Athenee Bangkok 61 Wireless Road Tel: 02 650 8800 www.plazaatheneebangkok.com This Royal Meridien Hotel has seven dining venues including The Reflexions French restaurant and the Rain Tree Café which serves a popular Sunday Brunch.

Pullman Bangkok Hotel G 188 Silom Road Tel: 02 238 1991 www.pullmanbangkokhotelg.com Stylish five star hotel boasts 345 exquisite rooms and suites and tremendous city views as well as some cutting edge restaurants and bars, including Scarlett Wine Bar. Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit 250 Sukhumvit Road Tel: 02 649 8888 www.sheratongrandesukhumvit.com Located on Sukhumvit close to Asok BTS, this five-star hotel has an excellent Sunday brunch with jazz trio. Rooftop pool and garden terrace offer good alfresco dining options.

Sofitel So 2 North Sathorn Rd Tel: 02 624 0000 www.sofitel.com Designed by Thai architect Smith Obayawat, the hotel features works by Pongthep Sagulku and Vitoon Kunalungkarn. Enjoy the Manhattan-like views over Lumpini Park’s tree tops, complete with soaring skyscrapers.

The St. Regis Bangkok 159 Rajadamri Road Tel: 02 207 7777 www.starwoodhotels.com/stregis/ bangkok Experience Bangkok’s splendour from a premier location along Rajadamri Road, with seven dining outlets to choose from.

The Sukhothai Bangkok 13/3 South Sathorn Road Tel: 02 344 8888 www.sukhothai.com Claiming to be a place apart, the hotel fuses the feel of the ancient city of Sukhothai with modern functionality. Various dining options include a chocolate fantasia.

BANGKOK–BOUTIQUE

Aloft Bangkok 35 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 207 7000 www.aloftbangkoksukhumvit11.com With a strong passion for fashion, music and design, Aloft Bangkok is a true one-of-a kind hotel that rattles the cage of convention. Located on Sukhumvit 11 at the heart of Bangkok’s thriving entertainment district, the hotel is close to Nana BTS. Aloft features all the high-tech

facilities including free WiFi in every room and all public areas.

Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa 257/1-3 Charoennakorn Road, Thonburi Tel: 02 476 0022 www.bangkok-riverside.anantara.com Situated on 11 riverside acres of verdant gardens, Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa blends the thrill of urban living with tropical luxury. Imparted with Thai tradition and famous Anantara service, this exotic Bangkok resort offers a respite from the hustle and bustle of the busy metropolis.

Arun Residence 36-38 Soi Pratoo Nok Yoong, Maharat Road Tel: 02 221 9158-9 www.arunresidence.com Seven-room boutique hotel has great views of Wat Arun across the Chao Praya river as well as a small café on the ground floor which serves breakfast.

Dream Hotel 10 Sukhumvit Soi 15 Tel: 02 254 8500 www.dreambkk.com Ancient Siam meets modern, five-star decadence as playful hotelier Vikram Chatwal's avant-garde destination blends the mystique of the East with the essence of the West.

Four Points by Sheraton Sukhumvit Soi 15 Tel: 02 309 3000 www.starwoodhotels.com/fourpoint New upscale Bangkok hotel a five-minute walk from Asok BTS with 68 stylish guest rooms and suites, an exclusive rooftop bar with views of Sukhumvit and one of the best beer vaults in town.

Ramada Hotel & Suites 22 Sukhumvit Soi 12 Tel: 02 664 7025 www.ramadasuitesbangkok.com This boutique hotel provides an usual retreat in the heart of the city for business and leisure travellers alike. A variety of rooms and suites offer contrasting views of the Bangkok skyline, over Benchakitti Park Lake and the hotel’s tropical gardens.

All rooms feature flat screen satellite TV, DVD player and complimentary WiFi/Lan internet access. For long-stay guests there are suites all equipped with small, fully equipped kitchenettes.

Siam@Siam 865 Rama 1 Road (Opposite National Stadium) Tel: 02 217 3000 www.siamatsiam.com Hip boutique hotel in the heart of Bangkok that has a daring contemporary design and a friendly atmosphere, as well as a rooftop champagne and wine bar with great views of the city.

BANGKOK–BUDGET

Baan Dinso 113 Soi Silp, Dinso Road Tel: 02 622 0560 www.baandinso.com Restored, late 1920s townhouse with nine rooms, and oodles of charm, tucked down a tiny soi in the heart of the old city. All the rooms come with cable TV, air-con and fridge, although only the five double rooms have bathrooms but communal washing areas are spotless.

Baiyoke Sky Hotel 222 Rajprarop Rd Tel: 02 656 3000 www.baiyokehotel.com If nothing else, the Baiyoke Sky Hotel has a room with a view, situated in Thailand's tallest building. Fortunately prices are not similarly sky high.

Bangphlat Resort 77/1 Charansanitwong Road,Bangphlat Tel: 02 885 5737 www.resortbangphlat.com

A row of 30-year-old two-storey Thai wooden houses conserved and converted into an urban resort amidst Bangkok. An oasis of calm barely 100 metres away from the chaos of Charansanitwong Road.

Loy La Long 1620/2 Song Wat Road (inside Patumkongka Rachaworawiharn Temple), Chinatown Tel: 02 639 1390 www.loylalong.com Seven wooden, colour-coded rooms designed by Jurathip Intrasai make this an eclectic hang-out. Relax in the open area and float off on the cool river breezes.

Lub d 4 Decho Road, Suriyawong Tel: 02 634 7999 www.lubd.com Voted as one of the 17 coolest hangout hostels by the Observer, Lub d has four types of rooms including dorms. Has another hostel in Siam Square as well.

BANGKOK RESIDENCES

Oriental Residence Bangkok 110 Wireless Road, Lumpini Tel: 02 125 9000 www.oriental-residence.com Epitomising casual elegance and traditional luxury, Oriental Residence Bangkok offers refined accommodation surrounded by a lush enclave in the centre of the city.

The fine service attracts business and leisure guests alike to this Bangkok serviced residence.

TRAVEL COMPANIES

Backyard Travel United Centre Building; 323 Silom Road, Silom www.backyardtravel.com Travel company that offers 16 tours throughout Thailand, visiting Bangkok, Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai and Phuket Island and promising authentic local experiences to provide a deeper, personalised tour of this distinct country.

Exotissimo Travel Thailand 22/F Smooth Life Tower, 44 North Sathorn Road, Silom Tel: 02 633 9060 www.exotissimo.com infobkk@exotissimo.com Leading travel agency and preferred choice for expats living in Bangkok, Exotissimo can organise any holiday from day trips in Bangkok to exciting holidays covering multiple countries with your family. Exotissimo specialises in exploring Asia with experienced staff that can handle any request.

Footsteps in Asia Room 605, Tonson Bldg., 50 Soi Tonson, Ploenchit Road Tel: 02 168 7467/68 www.footstepsinasia.com Independent tour company offering trips around Thailand, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam including cycle tours, full-moon parties and tailor-made tours.

Smiling Albino 2098/414 Ramkamheng Rd Tel: 02 718 9561 www.smilingalbino.com Adventure tourism company offering tours in Thailand, Nepal, Cambodia and Vietnam, whether it's motorcycling over hills in northern Thailand, or dancing with villagers in the Himalayas.

Spice Roads Cycle Tours 14/1 Soi Promsri 2, Sukhumvit Soi 39 Tel: 02 712 5305 www.spiceroads.com Cycle tour company started by passionate cyclists in 1995 now offering tours throughout Thailand and 17 other countries. If your ideal getaway involves being active, discovering cultures, fabulous food and the camaraderie that results from travelling with interesting people, then a SpiceRoads Cycle Tour is for you.

asialife Thailand 57

listings

This popular bar cum restaurant serving cajun and creole cuisine as well as all-day breakfast has recently moved to Ekamai, with a boutique hotel upstairs.

American and European comfort food in between the Martinis, and watch Thailand’s HiSos come out to play. Open from 11am to 1am.

food & drink

Fat Gut’z 264 Thonglor Soi 12 Tel: 02 714 9832 www.fatgutz.com With the best fish and chips in town, you might imagine Fat Gut’z reeking of vinegar, but far from it. A contemporary design mixes up some great cocktails along with music to match. Open from 6pm to 2am.

Iron Fairies 394 Sukhumvit Soi 55, Thonglor Tel: 08 442 5808 www.theironfairies.com An iron workshop converted into Thonglor’s most popular jazz wine bar

by Australian Ash Sutton. Monkey nuts on the floor, crowded tables and rocky chairs make for the perfect combination.

Grab a glass of wine and one of their famous burgers, and soak up the jazz and unique atmosphere. Open from 8pm to 2am, closed Sundays.

BAR RESTAURANTS

The Australian Pub & BBQ 37 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 651 0800 www.theaustralianbangkok.com Claims to be the first pub in Thailand to have a bunch of Aussie beers such as Crown Lager, VB and Coopers at just above freezing point in the specially made fridges. Nine flat screen TVs and two big screens keep Aussie sports fans happy as does the Sunday Barbie. Open from 10am to 1am.

Bourbon St. Restaurant & Oyster Bar 9/39-40 Soi Tana Arcade, Ekamai Tel: 02 381 6801-3 www.bourbonstbkk.com

feast

HOBS G/F Penny's Balcony 522/3 Thonglor Tel: 02 392 3513 www.hobsbkk.com If you like your beer to carry more punch than a Chang or Singha then House of Beer is the place for you. Around 40 Belgium beers, including Leffe on tap, tempt you to become a Trappist monk.

Also has some decent food including the Belgian classic moules frites. Open from 11am to 2am.

Hyde & Seek Gastro Bar 65/1 Athenee Residence, Soi Ruamrudee, Wireless Road Tel: 02 168 5152 www.hydeandseek.com Imagine Mad Men coming to Bangkok and you have Hyde & Seek. Enjoy

On the first Sunday of each month, The St. Regis Bangkok invites guests to enjoy a sparkling Sunday brunch with a continuous serving of Dom Pérignon champagne for B7,900++ (B3,500++ excluding champagne). The regular Sunday brunch at B2,650++ includes free flow of soft drinks, martinis and Bloody Mary. Additional B1,500++ for free flow of red, white and sparkling wines.

The St. Regis Bangkok, 159 Ratchadamri Rd., 02 207 7777, every Sunday of the month from 12.30pm to 4pm.

Eight-course Rang Mahal

Enjoy the northern Indian cuisine of Rang Mahal created by applying modern techniques to classic dishes such as tandoori prawns, Goan Soup, masala crusted scallops and seared foie gras with fennel seed (B3,700++). Each dish is paired with specially selected wines. Private dinners can be arranged on request for a minimum of six guests, reservations at least one day in advance.

Rang Mahal, Rembrandt Hotel, Tel: 02 261 7100 x7532, from 6.30pm to 11pm.

Chef Kesinee Wanta will be showcasing Issan cuisine throughout this month at Basil Restaurant. Dishes will include: somtam pla kai (a spicy papaya salad with crispy Willow Leaf fish), koy pla tuna (an Issan-style tartar), and nahm tok moo

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Soi 8 Pub and Restaurant 25/4 Sukhumvit Soi 8 Tel: 02 653 3144 www.soi8.net One of Bangkok's most successful pub venues. Situated in a central location

Tenderloins 7/8-9 Sukhumvit Soi 33 Tel: 02 258 4529 www.tenderloins33.com/location.html Claiming to be a sports bar and steakhouse, the food at Tenderloins has moved more into the American bracket, although the sports still remain Australian, as burgers and hot dogs vie with the excellent steaks. The set lunch represents excellent value for money.

CAFES

After You Desert Café Thonglor Soi 13 Tel: 02 712 9266 Popular café set in Thonglor renowned for its Shibuya honey toast and other sweet delights. Can get very crowded at peak times. Open from 7am to midnight.

Café Tartine Athenee Residence, 65 Wireless Road Tel: 02 168 5464 www.cafetartine.net Offering breakfast, soups, sandwiches, make-your-own salads and naturally tartines and quiche, Café Tartine focuses on using high quality ingredients. The

broaden your palate with promotions around town

Bubbling St Regis

A Taste of Isaan

Niu’s on Silom 661 Floor 1-2 Silom Road, Silom Tel: 02 266 5333 / 4 www.niusonsilom.com One of the few true jazz and blues bars in Bangkok, Niu’s has live music each night while the upstairs Concerto Restaurant serves the highest quality Italian cuisine. Will be open lunchtimes from September.

just 100 metres from Nana BTS station, it offers good food and a great selection of local and imported draft beers with live sports and music. Open from 8am to 1am.

(spicy grilled pork salad with fresh mint, Thai parsley, spring onions and roasted rice powder).

Basil, Level 1 of Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, 250 Sukhumvit Road, Tel: 02 649 8366, open from 12pm to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 10.30pm.

while their kids play. Champagne and wines start at B2,300++ and B700++ per bottle, with Zonin prosecco at B600++.

Zuma, St Regis Hotel, 159 Rajadamri Road, Tel: 02 252 4707 or email: reservations@zumarestaurant.co.th, available from 11am to 3pm every Sunday.

Vegetarian Festival

The Number Two

Dine along the Chao Phraya River at the Verandah where chef Pierre Rimoneau has created vegetarian dishes especially made for the annual vegetarian festival. Guests can look forward to meals of assorted grilled vegetable salad, crispy tomato and capsicum tart, homemade vegetable ravioli in light cream, flaky potato pie, phad Thai jay (wok-fried rice noodles with vegetables) and protein kaset phad ga-prow (stir-fried vegetables protein, tofu and assorted capsicums, holy basil and mild chillies).

The Verandah, Mandarin Oriental Hotel, Charoenkrung Soi 40, 48 Oriental Avenue, Tel: 02 659 9000

Zuma’s Japanese Brunch

Zuma is now serving brunch (B1,280++ per person) for Japanese cuisine lovers with live oysters, tuna tataki with marinated red onions and chilli ponzu, housemade tofu with barley miso, chilled cold soba noodles and hot appetisers from the charcoal Robata grill. Zuma also has a kids’ corner so grown-ups can continue sampling all the food Zuma has to offer

In celebration of Siam Kempinski Hotel’s second anniversary, Brasserie Europa is offering a set dinner which plays around the notion of number two. Diners will get two appetisers, two main courses and two desserts to choose from, paired with two complimentary beverages for the price of B2,200++.

Brasserie Europa, Siam Kempinski Hotel Tel: 02 162 9000.

Glow’s Longer Sunday

Have you ever wished you could have stayed a little bit longer in bed on Sunday?

Glow at the Metropolitan by COMO Bangkok has recently introduced ‘Glow Sunday’ allowing hotel guests and local residents to enjoy Sunday breakfast up until 2pm. Glow Sunday includes a continental breakfast buffet offering a selection of freshly cut fruit, pastries, yoghurts, cereals and juices, followed by a choice of hot à la carte dishes for B720++ including unlimited coffee or tea.

Glow at the Metropolitan by COMO, 2/F South Sathorn Road, Tel. 02 625 3366 or email: dining.met.bkk@comohotels.com

food has a homemade feel. Open from 8am to 8pm with free WiFi and parking.

Coffee Beans by Dao 47 Sukhumvit Soi 12 (Ekamai) Tel: 02 713 2506 Has a large menu featuring Thai and international cuisine as well as dozens of cakes and pastries. Truly a place with something for everyone, leave room for dessert. Open from 11am to 8pm.

Creamery Boutique Ice Cream U-Center, Chulalongkorn University, Chulalongkorn Soi 42, Phayathai Rd. Tel: 087 909 8080 Ice cream parlour with in-house creations changing with the season. Try the Brit Pop Bacon & Eggs or the Ca.Le.Ho.Yo ice cream, a combination of cardamom, lemon, honey and yoghurt that creates a natural diuretic.

Chu 2/F Floor Exchange Tower, 388 Sukhumvit Road Tel: 02 663 4554 www.facebook.com/chu.bkk Very contemporary coffee bar ideally located just across the pedestrian link from Asok BTS that offers great coffee, hot chocolate, pastries and more substantial bites, such as paninis. Excellent place for meeting up with friends or just gearing yourself up for the rush hour battle of Asok. Open from 7.30am to 9.30pm (Mon-Thu) and from 11am to 8pm (Sat / Sun).

Dean & Delucca MahaNakhon: 92 Naratiwasrachanakarin Road, Silom Tel: 02 234 1434 Park Ventures Ecoplex: 1/F ParkVentures Ecoplex, 55 Wireless Road Tel: 02 108 2350 Sathorn Square: 1/F Sathorn Square Office Tower, 98 North Sathorn Road, Silom Tel: 02 108 1414 www.deandeluca.com International chain of coffee houses with branches in the US, Japan, the Middle East, South Korea and now Thailand that has excellent coffee, pastries and cheese, as well as selling some kitchen accessories. Much more sophisticated than Starbucks.

I Wane 1975 14 Sukhumvit Soi 23 Tel: 02 664 0350 www.iwanne1975.com Japanese bakery that serves very western looking pastries and coffees. Does have a range of Japanese dishes as well such as Yaki Soba and Katsu curry rice. Open from 7.30am to 9.30pm.

Mr. Jones’ Orphanage Seenspace, Thonglor 13 Tel: 02 185 2378 Dessert shop featuring recipes from Amy Hipkin that were published in How to be a Good House Wife in 1902. Pages from the cookbook decorate the ceiling of this fairy-tale eatery, which feels like a life-sized dollhouse, with mini chalkboards providing friendly reminders such as ‘Life is uncertain, eat dessert first.’ Open from 11am to 11pm.

CHINESE

The China House Mandarin Oriental, 48 Oriental Avenue Tel: 02 659 9000 Ext. 7650-1 www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/dining/restaurants/china_house/ Inspired by the vibrant 1930’s Shanghai Art Deco period, this two-storey colonial building has been transformed into an avant-garde culinary destination, reminiscent of old world opulence. Executive Chinese Chef Andy Leong Siew Fye brings over a decade of award winning culinary experiences to a brand new a la carte Cantonese menu.

China Town Scala Shark’s Fin Restaurant 483-5 Yaowarat Road Tel: 02 623 0183-5 We know it’s a horrible trade, but if you have a taste for shark’s fin this is the place to go. There are other options, including fried fish, crab and suckling pig, but it’s hard to escape the 'fin'. Open from 10.30am to 2am Huasenghong Yaowarat Road Tel: 02 222 7053, 02 222 3563-5 Central Department Stores: Changwattana / Rama 2 / Rama 3 / Rama 9 / Ratanathibet Tel: 02 835 3838 / 02 872 4352 / 02 673 5725 / 02 160 2484 / 02 526 8731 Paradise Park Tel: 02 787 2329 Sukhumvit Soi 101 Tel: 02 730 5141 Popular chain of well-priced Chinese food that is in a department store close to you.

Je Ngor 541/9 Maha Set (Charoenkrung Rd.), Si Phraya The original of the multi-outlet Chinese chain looks like a hole-in-the-wall establishment but inside it is bristling with Chinese spice. Open from 11.30am to 2pm and 5.30pm to 10pm.

Liu Conrad Hotel, 87 Wireless Road Tel: 02 690 9999 A neo-classic Chinese restaurant that blends the culture, traditions and cuisine of old China, including Cantonese, Shanghainese and Sichuan dishes, with new and contemporary interpretations. Enjoy Liu's signature dish Dong Po Pork, stewed pork belly with black soy sauce served with Chinese buns, succulent duck dishes to seafood. Open from 11am to 2.30pm and 6pm to 11pm.

OPEN DAILY 9.00am - 2.00am T: 02 664 1376-7 21/1-3 Soi Sukhumvit 23,Sukhumvit Road, Klongtoey Nue, Wattana, Bangkok, Thailand www.theclubhousebangkok.com www.facebook.com/theclubhousebangkok

The Mayflower Dusit Thani Hotel, 946 Rama IV Road Tel: 02 200 9000 (x2799) The grandiose European interior lined with Chinese antiques, leaves guests in no doubt that this is one of Bangkok’s finest Cantonese eateries, with an a la carte menu as well as daily set menus. Also has six private rooms. Open from 11.30am to 2pm, 6pm to 10pm.

SBL Restaurant 710-714 Wangburapha Tel: 02 225 9079 www.sblrestaurant.com Serving traditional Taechew food since 1954, Somboonlarb was initially a small shop selling food to the Chinese people in the Yaowaraj area. Of these dishes, the Taechew sukiyaki is still on the menu.

Refurbished in 1997, the new style is a mixture between classical Chinese and fine Italian. No MSG. Sui Sian 10/F The Landmark Bangkok, 138 Sukhumvit Rd, Tel: 02 254 0404 (x4908) www.landmarkbangkok.com/suisian.html Authentic Cantonese dishes prepared by award-winning Hong Kong chefs, including 10 signature dishes such as deep-fried salmon spring roll and stir-fried giant prawns with salted egg, in a 180-seat restaurant with eight private dining rooms.

Open from 11.30am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10.30pm.

Summer Palace Mezzanine level, InterContinental Bangkok, 973 Ploenchit Road Tel: 02 656 0444 www.dining-experience.com/intercontinental/summer.html Renowned for its traditional Cantonese specialties by Dim Sum master chef, Summer Palace is ideal for special occa-

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sions with its 140-seat dining room and 10 private rooms. Open from 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 10.30pm.

Tang Jai Yoo 85-87 Soi Yaowaphanit, Yaowarat Rd. Tel: 02 224 2167 Open-air seafood restaurant in the heart of Chinatown with whole crabs, lobsters, and fresh fish as well as roast pig skin.

Open from 11am to 2pm, 4.20pm to 10pm.

Xin Tian Di Level 22, Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park 952 Rama IV Tel: 02 632 9000 With a stunning view of the Bangkok city skyline, Xin Tian Di is a good option for either business or a family get-together in one of its seven private rooms. Open from 11.30am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10.30pm.

Yim Yim 89 Yaowaphanit Rd Tel: 02 224 2203/5 Around for some 80 years, Yim Yim is a Chinatown institution. Ignore the décor and gloomy low ceilings and enjoy the great food. Famous for its chicken soup, a flavourful broth and its raw fish. Open from 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 10pm.

FRENCH

4 Garçons 113 Thonglor 13, Sukhumvit 55 Tel: 02 713 9547 www.4garcons.com A journey for gourmands, Le Quatre Garcons mixes classic French chic with a modern twist. For simple French cuisine without any pretension and a touch of je ne sais quoi, this is the place. Open from 11.30am to midnight.

La Colombe d’Or 59 Sukhumvit Soi 8 Tel: 082 489 6164 www.la-colombedor.com Thailand's oldest independent French restaurant has been serving its patrons for 23 years. Famous for its pressed duck, enjoy traditional French cuisine and ambience. Open from 6pm to late, and for lunch on Saturday / Sunday.

Le Bouchon 37/17 Patpong Soi 2 Tel: 02 234 9109 One of Bangkok’s most authentic bistros, this small bar has only seven tables but buzzes with more atmosphere than many grander affairs, offering simple, home French country cuisine. Open from 12pm to 3pm, 7pm to 11pm, closed Sunday lunch.

Le Normandie Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Charoenkrung Soi 40 Tel: 02 659 9000 www.mandarinoriental.com Marbled foie gras, roast Sisteron rack of lamb and line-caught sea bass, the menu at Le Normandie is almost as exclusive as its high-society clientele. Formal dinner has a jacket only dress code but the lunch sets can offer some surprisingly good deals. Open from noon to 2.30pm and 7pm to 11pm.

Le Petit Zinc 110/1 Sukhumvit Soi 23 Tel: 02 259 3033 www.le-petit-zinc.com Chic bistro with a distinct art nouveau feel set on the bend of Soi 23 just after Giusto. Choose between sitting on the wood-decked terrace or inside in air-con comfort. Open from Tue-Sun 11.30am to 3pm, 6pm to midnight (Sundays 11.30 to midnight), closed Mondays.

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Mrs. Balbir's Fine Indian Cuisine 155/1-2 Sukhumvit Soi 11/1 Tel: 02 651 0498 www.mrsbalbir.com One of the first Indian restaurants in Bangkok, Mrs Balbir is still one of its finest despite the increasing competition.

Open from 11am to 3pm, 6pm to 11pm, closed Mondays.

street gourmet

Indus 71 Sukhumvit Soi 26 Tel: 02 258 4900 www.indusbangkok.com Bringing Indian cuisine to the world of fine dining, Indus mixes the contemporary with historical Moghul, alongside its cocktail lounge and outdoor garden terrace. The cuisine is Kashmiri-inspired Mughalai, modified by using fresh local ingredients. WiFi is available on request.

Open from 11.30am to 2.30pm, 6.30pm to 11pm.

Rang Mahal 26/F, Rembrandt Hotel & Towers, 19 Sukhumvit Soi 18 Tel: 02 261 7100 (x7527) www.rembrandtbkk.com/dining/rangmahal Named after a famed pavilion within Delhi’s Red Fort, Rang Mahal’s menu has an appropriately regal air with food covering the sub-continent’s Mughlai, Nawabi and frontier cuisine, alongside service to match. Open from 11.30am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 11pm.

INTERNATIONAL

Above Eleven 33F Frasers Suite Sukhumvit Hotel, 38/8 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 207 9300 www.aboveeleven.com Nikkei, the Peruvian-Japanese fusion food arrives in Bangkok at this most contemporary restaurant, equipped with outdoor wooden deck bar with glass walls and central bar, dining tables, lounge areas and huge daybeds. Open from 6pm to 2am.

The Bar & The Restaurant 24th Avenue, Sukhumvit Soi 24 Tel: 082 222 7474 Classy champagne lounge and restaurant rolled into one, the Bar has an incredible selection of signature Moët & Chandon Champagne cocktails, whisky, cognac, Armagnac and fine wines, while the Restaurant delivers French and Italian cuisine featuring imported ingredients such as lobster, foie gras, black truffle and caviar. Open from 11am to 1am.

Be Your Guest 24, Sukhumvit Soi 53 (Thonglor) Tel: 081 637 9047 www.beyourguest.asia An oasis in Thonglor, La Villa Be Your Guest is a Mediterranean-style villa with private garden and swimming pool that serves gourmet French and Thai food as well as offering outside catering, private chef at home and French and Thai cooking class in French, Thai and English. The 600sqm venue is ideal for private parties, business dinners or birthdays.

The Bistro 33 22 Sukhumvit Soi 33 Tel: 02 260 3033 www.thebistro33.com Contemporary dining venue offering bistro cuisine including a wide range of steaks and pizzas and an extensive selection of wines in a casual and elegant atmosphere. Its quiet, tucked around the corner location and generous gardens makes this a great option for private parties and events.

Crepes & Co. 88 Thonglor Soi 8 Tel: 02 726 9398

Chicken Rice The chicken in kao mun gai or chicken rice (B35) is prepared by boiling a whole chicken in chicken bone stock, reusing the broth over and over to produce oily rice that is packed full of flavour. The meat is chopped and spread over a bed of rice in one swift motion and served with several dipping sauces, including chilli and pounded ginger.

59/4 Soi Langsuan Tel: 02 653 3990 www.crepes.co.th Serving its particular blend of crêpe, pasta, salads and more substantial dishes since 1996, Crepes and Co has become one of the city’s most favoured institutions. The original Soi 12 outlet might have closed, but the franchise has expanded across town, down the coast to Hua Hin and even to Shanghai. Open 9am to 11pm (Sunday from 8am).

Eat Me Restaurant Silom 20m off Convent Road (in Soi Pipat 2) Tel: 02 238 0931 www.eatmerestaurant.com Sleek Australian-owned restaurant and lush garden vie for your attention in this cool, popular expat hang-out. Rotating exhibitions feature both Thai and international artists. Food is modern, international and ‘regional’. Open from 3pm to 1am.

Firehouse Pub & Restaurant 3/26 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 651 3643 www.firehousethailand.com If you like burgers, Firehouse is the place.

From racks of three mini-burgers to an Australian Black Angus beef, it even has a Breakfast Burger, for those who prefer their patty at the crack of dawn – even though this place only opens at 11.30.

Smother with cheese, mustard and pickle, or for the more daring top with avocado and gorgonzola. Open from 11.30pm to 3am (to midnight Sunday), closed Monday.

Gaggan 68/1 Soi Langsuan, (Opposite Soi 3)

Oyster sauce mixed with garlic is a common third option found in Bangkok.

Most dishes are served with sliced cucumber, garnished with parsley, and accompanied by a cup of the chicken broth. For the daring – or foolhardy – solid cubes of pig’s blood are loved by locals. It’s eaten for lunch, dinner and late at night.

Tel: 02 652 1700 www.eatatgaggan.com The creation of El Bulli trained chef Gaggan Anand, this fashionable eatery has an ever-changing menu with fresh produce. The tasting menu is a good option for those who have yet to experience molecular gastronomy at first hand. Open from 6pm to 11.30pm.

Glow The Metropolitan Bangkok, 7 South Sathorn Rd Tel: 02 625 3366 www.como.metropolitan.bz Glow has a strong emphasis on health food, from the fresh fruit, muesli and wholegrain breads for breakfast to the pick-me-up shot of pure wheatgrass for those who partied the night before. The wholesome menu is equally appealing or you can try from the selection of energising juices or organic wines. Once you leave you are sure to have a healthy glow. Open from 6am to 9pm.

Greyhound Cafe 2/F Emporium, Sukhumvit Soi 24 Tel: 02 664 8663 4/F Central Chidlom Tel: 02 255 6964-5 J-Avenue, Thonglor Soi 55 02 712 6547 G/F Siam Centre Tel: 02 658 1129-30 Reliable chain of contemporary restaurants that has been serving a good selection of Thai and international dishes in an unobtrusive atmosphere for 11 years.

Also has a catering branch.

Little Beast 44/9-10 Thonglor Soi 13 Tel: 02 185 2670 A gastrobar serving contemporary Ameri-

can small plates and inventive drinks led

by Chef Nan Bunyasaranand. Opened in July 2012, Little Beast is a place to hang out, enjoy the food and drink well into the night. Open from 5.30pm to 1am, closes at midnight Sunday.

Mezzaluna 63/F The Dome at Lebua, 1055 Silom Rd Tel: 02 624 9555 www.lebua.com Spectacular views of the Bangkok skyline unfold from Mezzaluna perched at the top of the Dome in Lebua Hotel.

Inside ornate chandeliers and string quartet provide an ambience designed for haute cuisine and the food does not disappoint. Open from 6pm to 10.30pm, closed Monday.

Minibar Royale Citadines Bangkok, 37/7 Sukhumvit Soi 23 Tel: 02 261 5533 www.minibarroyale.com The simple black and white interior gives this diner a retro art deco feel. The menu is slight and simple with the set menu scoring high on value though slightly less on quality. Open from 11am to 1am.

The Oyster Bar 394 Narathiwas Soi 24 Tel: 02 212 4809 www.theoysterbarbangkok.com Especially for crustacean lovers, the Oyster Bar has a vast range of fresh seafood, including oysters from the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of America and Japan, Alaskan king crabs and New England clams, washed down with a fair selection of house wines. Open from 6pm to 10pm (til 10pm Sundays), closed Mondays Pla Dib 1/1 Areesampan Soi 7, Rama 6 Tel: 02 279 8185 Renovated house has been turned into this popular Ari local with dishes that are best shared with your fellow diners. Unashamedly fusion, larb sits beside pizza, sushi and soft shell crab on the menu.

Open from 5pm to midnight.

Quince 4 Sukhumvit Soi 45 Tel: 02 662 4478 One of the newest eateries in town, at Quince you can be certain the food is made with the freshest and finest of ingredients. Named after the quince – a perishable fruit that needs care and attention – chef Jess Barnes cooks up home-styled dishes within the modern yet comfortable setting of a 1950s styled home. Open from 11.30am to 1am.

The Roof Restaurant Siam@Siam, 865 Rama 1 Road Tel: 02 217 3000 www.siamatsiam.com Thailand’s first stone grill alfresco restaurant designed to accommodate private dining and various parties or functions of up to 130 seated guests. The Roof offers a variety of international dishes freshly cooked on volcanic stones. This multi-level restaurant provides every seat on the roof top with remarkable angles of Bangkok by night. Open from 6pm to 11pm.

RR&B 138 Sukhumvit Rd Tel: 02 254 0404 (x3100) www.landmarkbangkok.com Located on the rooftop of the Landmark hotel and with breathtaking views of the Bangkok skyline, RR&B specialises in steakhouse favourites, from its Ferrarired open kitchen. Open from 6pm to 11pm (Mon to Thur), and to 11.30pm Fri / Sat, from 12pm to 2.30pm (Sun)

Roast 2/F Seenspace, Thonglor Soi 13 Tel: 02 185 2866 www.roastbkk.com A deliberate attempt to replicate the chilled vibe of an East Coast café, Roast has an indie American menu which it by and large succeeds in delivering. Open from 10am to 10.30pm.

Salt Soi Ari (near Soi 4) Tel: 02 619 6886 This restaurant-cum-bar has a postmodern glean and a menu which screams of the global cuisine appearing from its rear kitchen, from fresh sashimi platters to the thin-crust pizzas cooked in the wood fire. Open from 6am to midnight, closed Sundays.

Seven Spoons 11 Chakkrapatipong Road Tel: 08 4539 1819 Tumbledown Chinese shop house with four tables including a sewing machine and plastic taxidermy mounted to the wall, the atmosphere of Seven Spoons is homely without becoming cloying.

Falling somewhere between Mediterranean and international, the cuisine is born from an era of organic seitan and free-range chicken. Open from 6pm to midnight.

Smith 1/8 Sukhumvit Soi 49 Tel: 02 261 0515-6.

Backed by the people behind Hyde & Seek, Smith is heavy on the meat – even down to the heavy duty butcher’s aprons the servers wear. Vegetarians are accommodated, but this really is an establishment for people who like their pound of flesh. Open from 5.30pm to 1am (kitchen closes at 11pm).

has a strong focus on tapas as well as a wider range of wines than the other branches. With a livelier atmosphere too, this is the place to go in order to get connected with your fellow wine aficianados. Has a wine shop to the rear rather than a deli on the premises. Open from 7.30am to 1am.

ITALIAN

Antonio’s 26 Sukhumvit Soi 31 Tel: 02 662 1001 This Italian diner has a very loyal following largely due to its daily specials menu and top-notch imported ingredients.

Open from 6pm to 11pm.

Basilico 8 Sukhumvit Soi 33 Tel: 02 662 2323 15/1 Sukhumvit Soi 20 Tel: 02 663 6633 34 Phaholyothin Soi 7, Yadsawadee Building www.basilicopizza.com Central wood-fired oven give this pizzeria chain an air of authenticity and enough popularity to see the formula repeated around town. For the non-pizza eater there is also a range of pastas and other Italian dishes as well as 40 different wines.

Biscotti Four Seasons Bangkok, 155 Rajadamri Rd. Tel: 02 126 8866 www.fourseasons.com/bangkok One of Bangkok’s most popular Italian restaurants, Biscotti serves up good yet simple Italian fare in a casual atmosphere. The express lunch menu with an antipasti buffet is popular with business people while the a la carte dinner invites a more intimate occasion. Open from 11.30am to 2.30pm, 6pm to 10.30pm.

Concierto 661 Floor 1-2 Silom Rd., Silom Tel: 02 266 5333 / 4 www.niusonsilom.com Excellent Italian restaurant set above Niu’s on Silom, one of the few genuine jazz venues in Bangkok. If the music doesn’t tickle your fancy, then try some of the most original Italian treats upstairs, before retiring down below for some mellow notes to accompany your grappa.

Will be open lunchtimes from September.

Gianni’s 34/1 Soi Tonson, Ploenchit Road Tel: 02 252 1619 Cosy Italian trattoria that sparked the trend in genuine Italian restaurants. Excellent food and service still make Gianni stand out from the crowd despite the ever-increasing competition. Open from noon to 2pm and 6pm to 10.30pm.

Giusto 16 Sukhumvit Soi 23 Tel: 02 258 4321 www.giustobangkok.com Restaurant and wine bar which serves some of the finest Italian cuisine and wines in an elegant setting. Occasionally invites chefs from the region to showcase their talent. Open from 11.30am to 2pm, 5.30pm to 11pm.

Limoncello 17 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 651 0707 Look no further for excellent wood-fired pizzas than this small diner tucked away just off popular Soi 11 with over 50 types of pie. Also has salads and pizzas in an atmosphere that feels very Italian. Open from 12pm to 3pm and 6pm to 11pm.

Pomodoro 5/F Emporium, Sukhumvit Soi 24 Tel: 02 259 8395

Whale’s Belly 2/F 41 Boulevard Tower, Sukhumvit Soi 39 Tel: 02 160 0333 www.facebook.com/whalesbelly Dine in the Whale’s Belly with its curved ceiling designed to make customers feel underneath the blue ocean and sparkling stars. Has a selection of fresh seafood and premium products and a contemporary French and Italian cuisine ideal for pairing with both new and old world wines. Open from 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 10.30pm.

Wine Connection Deli & Bistro G/F K Village, Sukhumvit Soi 26 Tel: 02 661 3940 The wine connection owners have practically made it their mission to make a glass of vino affordable to the Bangkok middle classes. The K Village branch has an excellent deli and wine shop as well as serving a wide range of steaks and other mains. Open from 7.30am to 1am.

Wine Connection Deli Mille Malle Unit 101-102 1/F Mille Malle Project, 66/4 Sukhumvit Soi 20 Tel: 02 663 4517 / 02 663 4518 More like a smaller version of the K Village branch, but without the steaks, than the tapas inspired Rainhill branch.

The Deli specialises in pizzas, pasta, salads and cold platters including mix and match options – choose yourself and pay per 100g. Aiming for local residents in the area, it has a range of breakfast including a la carte. Like K Village has a wine shop and deli attached to it. Open from 8am to midnight.

Wine Connection Tapas Bar & Bistro G/F, Rain Hill, Sukhumvit 47 Tel: 02 261 7217 The Rain Hill Wine Connection branch

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www.pomodorogroup.co.th Chain of Italian restaurants that serves Italian food made with the freshest ingredients as well as doing catering.

Also, has outlets at Siam Square and on Sukhumvit Soi 5.

imbibe

Rossano’s 116 Sukhumvit Soi 21 Tel: 02 260 1861 The antipasti alone make a trip to Rossano’s worthwhile. Decorated to represent an Italian style taverna, Rossano’s is a refreshing change from the minimalist modern interiors possessed by many new restaurants in Bangkok. This is a place without a lot of frills but is for people who like good food. Open from 11.30am to 2pm, 6pm to 11pm.

Guiltless Pleasure: Dessert Wines of the World

By Darryl Bethea In the pursuit of pleasurable dining experiences, I believe having a dessert, and a wine to go with it, is one the greatest in life. I don’t really have a sweet tooth (my waistline has issues), but occasionally a sweet ending is the happiest ending.

No discussion on dessert wines can begin without explaining Botrytis Cinerea, or ‘noble rot’, a fungal growth that can devour up to fivesixths of a grape’s acidity and one-third of its sugar, feeding on moisture from within the grape. The result is a highly concentrated juice, producing some of the most expensive wine in Bordeaux.

The cultivation of the grapes is the most labour-intensive, low-yield gamble in the world of viticulture. The longer the growers wait for the spread of the fungus, the more the vines are exposed to other environmental effects that can destroy an entire crop. Because of these factors, wines from the appellations of Sauternes, Cerons and Barsac are home to Bordeaux’s most luscious, satisfying and complex wines.

Chateau d’ Yquem (also known as Liquid Gold) is the most famous of these.

In Italy some of the best dessert wines are made using the passito process, in which the grapes are harvested and dried for several weeks, becoming raisins, producing sweet concentrated juice from

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Trebbiano, Malvasia or Muscat grapes. Vin Santo, translated as 'holy wine', is a favourite to pair with an Italian cookie such as biscotti, which is dipped into the wine. Heaven!

In Hungary, Tokaji wine is one of the world’s classic dessert wines. Tokaji wines are also produced with noble rot, and the sweetness levels are measured in puttonyos. Puttony is the name of the wood buckets that help produce the pure nectar from the grape.

The higher the number of puttonyos, the more sugar (3: medium sweet; 6: very sweet).

This wine is relatively unknown and represents a great value in dessert wines.

In Germany and the New World regions, you will find a variety of wines, including Sauvignon Blanc, Chardonnay, Semillon, Rieslings and Icewine (frozen grapes), which all have common traits of over-the-top lusciousness and ripe stone fruit aromas and flavours, yet great acidity, intense complexity and length that seems to go on forever.

Not everyday wines, but wines that will surprise you with so much pleasure.

Darryl Bethea is Group Sales Manager for Fine Wines of the World (09 3378 5005) and is a certified sommelier from the Court of the Master Sommeliers. Contact Darryl at 09 3378 5005 or email Darryl@ finewinesasia.com.

Zanotti 1/F, 21/2 Saladaeng Colonnade Condo, Saladaeng Rd, Silom 02 636 0002 / 0266 www.zanotti-ristorante.com Up-market Italian diner that has been consistently serving excellent Italian dishes for a number of years. The décor is beginning to show its age, but the quality of food and service remains at the highest level. Open from 11.20am to 2pm and 6pm to 10.30pm.

JAPANESE / KOREAN BonChon Chicken 2/F Seenspace, Thonglor Soi 13 Tel: 02 185 2361 Hailing from the South Korean city of Pusan, BonChon serves up healthy chicken with little grease and even less fat, coated in either soy garlic or spicy soy garlic. Open Sunday to Thursday from 11am to 11pm, Friday / Saturday 11am to midnight.

Drinking Tea Eating Rice 3/F Conrad Bangkok, All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Rd. Tel: 02 690 9999 Featuring a Teppanyaki table, sushi counter and tatami rooms, this restaurant serves traditional Japanese food with a special focus on fresh sushi, sashimi, oysters, French lobsters and Kobe Beef.

Has an all-you-can-eat Japanese buffet at weekends. Open from 11.30am to 11.30pm.

Isao 5 Sukhumvit Soi 31 Tel: 02 258 0645-6 www.isaotaste.com A fusion sushi bar which gives traditional Japanese cuisine an international twist, it is the brainchild of chef Isao, who used to run the Green Tea Japanese Restaurant in Chicago. Open from 11am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 10pm.

Zuma 1/F, The St Regis Hotel Bangkok, 159 Ratchadamri Rd, Tel: 02 252 4707 www.zumarestaurant.com The contemporary Japanese restaurant that has proved so successful in London has opened up in Bangkok, and you can tell from the solid rock of the grill counter to blocks of stone at the sushi station that these guys are here for the long run. Zuma delivers an elegant, yet informal, dining experience based on the traditional izakaya style of eating and drinking. Open from 12pm to 3pm, 6pm to 11pm, the bar stays open to 2am on Fridays and Saturdays.

MEXICAN / TAPAS

Charley Browns Mexicana 1/23 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 651 2215 Mexican restaurant that has been pumping out quality food and margaritas for over 20 years on the small pedestrianised sub-soi 11. Has almost nightly specials

– on Sundays get a free complimentary kids meal with each adult meal ordered, 50 percent off for sports clubs members on Mondays, half-price margaritas and sangria on Tuesdays, three for two on light bites and appetisers on Wednesdays, and 20 percent off food for teachers on Thursdays. Open 11.30am to midnight, from 5pm on Mondays.

Coyote 575-9 Sukhumvit Rd. (Near the corner of Soi 33) Tel: 02 662 3838 www.coyotebangkok.com Margarita bar cum Mexican and southwest grill restaurant spread over two floors has much of the décor imported from the USA and Mexico. Its tequila collection is the largest in Thailand and over 75 different margaritas served. Open from 11am to 1am.

La Monita Taqueria 888/26 Mahatun Plaza, Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 650 9581 The five tables, bench seating and window bar creates the informal atmosphere of a little Mexican diner – even the food is served in plastic baskets. The orange interior provides a warm atmosphere for some tasty food. Open daily from 11.30am to 10pm.

Spanish on 4 78 Silom Soi 4 Tel: 02 632 9955 www.tapascafebangkok.com If you like your tapas to come small on price as well as quantity, Spanish on 4 will fit the bill. Jamon iberico, patatas bravas, paella and tortilla: you know the formula by now, but it never ceases to be fun. Open from 11am to midnight.

Tapas Café 1/25 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 651 2947 www.tapasiarestaurants.com On the same sub-soi as Cheep Charlies, this tapas bar makes for a good pit-stop for those who want some food with their drink. The menu changes frequently but the sangria keeps on flowing regardless.

Open from 11am to late.

MIDDLE-EASTERN

Al Majlis Tearoom Praduu Spa Club 83/8, Soi Charoenchai (Ekamai 12) Tel: 02 392 2345 www.almajlis-tearoom.com Replete with shisha pipe and mint tea, Al Majlis has a lanterned garden and tearoom, providing a genuine Moroccan ambience. The food includes that allspice favourite tagine. Open from 4.30pm to 1am, closed Sundays.

Beirut Lebanese Restaurant Ploenchit: B/F Ploenchit Centre, Sukhumvit Soi 2, Tel: 02 656 7377 Silom: 1/F Silom 64 Building, Silom Road Tel: 02 632 7448 Bumrungrad Hospital: 10A/F, Bumrungrad Hospital, Sukhumvit Soi 3 Tel: 08 4466 7576 Thonglor: Level 1, Eight Shopping Building, Thonglor Soi 8, Tel: 02 714 8963 www.beirut-restaurant.com Offering a unique dining experience with food made fresh daily, each restaurant offers a menu of Lebanese and Mediterranean prepared dishes that include a variety of appetisers, salads, soups, vegetarian items, grilled meats and poultry and combination plates.

Nadimo's Baan Silom, 651 Silom Soi 19 Tel: 02 266 9081 www.nadimos.com This much talked of Lebanese restaurant is the chosen place to sample Middle

street gourmet

takes full advantage of the fresh and seasonal produce available. Adopting the slow food philosophy it aims to promote the biodiversity of both wild and cultivated produces. Open from 6.30 pm till late, closed Mondays.

Cabbages & Condoms Sukhumvit Soi 12 Tel: 02 229 4610 Mr Condom’s restaurant has developed a strong international following due to its social cause. Lampshades, sculptures and wall-hangings made from condoms are part of the founder’s campaign to make rubbers socially acceptable. Open from 11am to 11pm.

Mango Sticky Rice One of Thailand’s classic desserts, mango sticky rice (B30) or khao niaow ma muang is great when you feel like having a somewhat guilt-free snack – after all the main part of the dish is mango. Just don’t be fooled by the look of this dish with sticky rice that can be viewed as ‘healthy’ carbs. All the coconut cream that’s drizzled over the dish can do some damage to your diet, but it’s so worth it. The tradi-

tional dessert is prepared first by soaking and then steaming the sticky rice.

Then a sauce of coconut milk, sugar and salt is prepared to be absorbed by the rice. Fresh slices of mango are served over the coconut infused rice and topped with a thicker coconut sauce. Some places will garnish with toasted sesame seeds or fried, salty mung beans. Locals enjoy this dish as an after meal indulgence.

Eastern cuisine in Bangkok. All the classics feature on the menu along with some interesting specials for the more adventurous diner. Open from 11am to 11pm.

two restaurants, features an art gallery exhibiting the paintings of both local and foreign artists as well as the award winning food. Open from 11am to 11pm.

THAI

Blue Elephant 233 South Sathorn Rd Tel: 2673 9353 www.blueelephant.com Renowned for its Thai Royal Cusine, the Blue Elephant serves both traditional and fusion dishes served in carved fruit bowls, clay pots, and folded leaves, such as foie gras with tamarind sauce and lamb chop Kra Paow. Open 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6.30pm to 10.30.

Baan Khanitha 36/1 Soi Sukhumvit 23 Tel: 02 258 4181 www.baan-khanitha.com The original of two award-winning Thai restaurants has been operating for more than 17 years, serving high quality authentic Thai food. Set in a traditional Thai house full of antiques and with an outside terraced area this is one of the foremost Thai restaurants in town. Open from 11am to 11pm.

Baan Khanitha & Gallery 69 South Sathorn Rd Tel: 02 675 4200-1 www.baan-khanitha.com The second of Khanitha Akaranitikul’s

Bo.lan Essentially Thai 42 Soi Pichai Ronnarong Songkram Sukhumvit Soi 26 Tel: 02 602 9612 www.bolan.co.th Believing in following the cooking rituals practised in Thailand for countless years and by utilising the abundance of natural resources Thailand has to offer, Bo.lan

Whale's Belly. Page 47.

The Deck Arun Residence, 36-38 Soi Pratoo Nok Yoong, Maharat Road Tel: 02 221 9158-9 Excellent views of Wat Arun accompany authentic Thai cuisine and international fare at very reasonable prices. Open from 11am to 10pm.

Home Kitchen 94 Lang Suan Rd., Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 281 9228 This charming hole-in-the-wall restaurant is a bit of a steal with its excellent, flavoursome Thai food and good presentation.

Issaya Siamese Club 4 Soi Sri Aksorn, Chua Ploeng Rd, Sathorn Tel: 02 672 9040 www.issaya.com Thai restaurant set in a 1920s building that formerly housed Le Café Siam, has a very relaxed garden ambience almost unique to Bangkok. Open from 11.30am to 2.30pm and 6pm to 1am (kitchen closes 10.30pm), bar open to 2am.

Thompson Restaurant and Wine Bar Jim Thompson House, 6/1 Soi. Kasemsan 2, Rama I Rd. Tel: 02 612 3668 www.jimthompson.com Mastering the fine art of pairing classic Thai cuisine with old and new world wines, the décor is luxurious with iridescent Thai silks used throughout. The restaurant presents the very best in Thai cuisine and hospitality evoking memories of the legendary Jim Thompson himself.

Open from 9am to 11pm.

Lemongrass 5/1 Sukhumvit Soi 24 Tel: 02 258 8637 Set in a traditional wooden house just around the corner from The Emporium, this small diner has tasty Thai food at affordable prices hidden among the antiques.

Nahm Metropolitan by COMO, 27 South Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 625 3388 www.comohotels.com/metropoliatanbangkok Occupying the ground floor of the Metropolitan and overlooking the outdoor pool, this award-winning Thai restaurant is for serious gourmets. Renowned Australian chef, David Thompson values the strong, fresh flavours of traditional Thai cuisine, and he delivers surprising tastes and textures in his creations.

There’s also a private dining room ideal for corporate or social events. Open from 12pm to 2pm (Mon. to Fri. only), 7pm to 10.30pm.

Naj 42 Convent Rd., Silom Tel: 02 632 2811-3 www.najcuisine.com

Set in a building that dates back to the era of Rama V, Naj produces “exquisite Thai cuisine.” The décor is faultless with an outside terrace area and three floors of dining, the top one of which is for VIP guests. Naj has won awards for its cuisine. Open from 11.30am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 11.30pm.

Puangkeaw 108 Sukhumvit Soi 23 Tel: 02 258 3663 Reasonably priced and reliable Thai restaurant tucked around the corner from Giusto that has been serving its customers since 1985. In addition to the compact restaurant there is a small garden area. Open from 11am to 2pm, 5pm to 10pm (11am to 10pm Saturday / Sunday).

Ruen Malika 189 Sukhumvit Soi 20 Tel: 02 663 3211-2 www.ruenmallika.com This large Thai teak house set on two stories oozes with a sense of tradition from the staff who greet you in their northern Thai costumes to the bowl of water in which you wash your hands before dining and the celadon in which the dishes are served. Ruen Malika specialises in Royal Thai cuisine.

Ruen Urai The Rose Hotel, 118 Surawong Rd Tel: 02 266 8268 Set in a 100-year old teak house and surrounded by lush gardens, Ruen Urai is an oasis of a Thai restaurant popular with travellers and locals alike. Open from 11am to 11.30pm.

Sala Rim Naam Mandarin Oriental Bangkok 48 Oriental Avenue Tel: 02 437 6211 www.mandarinoriental.com Located on the opposite bank of the Chao Phraya River to the Mandarin Oriental, this Thai pavilion offers a wide selection of Thai cuisine including a buffet lunch and special set dinner as well as al fresco dining on the Terrace Rim Naam. There is also a performance of classical Thai dancing each night.

Salathip Shangri-La Hotel, 89 Soi Wat Suan Plu New Rd. Tel: 02 236 7777 www.shangri-la.com A quintessential Thai dining experience beside the Chao Phraya River. Savour authentic cuisine in Thai-style teak pavilions while enjoying classical Thai dance performances. Open from 6.30pm to 10.30pm.

Soul Food Mahanakorn 56/10 Sukhumvit Soi 55 Tel: 02 714 7708 www.soulfoodmahanakorn.com Part cocktail bar, part Thai restaurant, Soul Food believes that dining should be both satisfying and fun. It also has a strong heart, sourcing most of its produce from small farms in the northeast of Thailand. The rice is organic and fair trade, the meat is free range and the menu has seasonal daily specials.

Supatra River House 266 Soi Wat Rakhang, Arunamarin Rd., Tel: 02 411 0305 www.supatrariverhouse.net Converted into a restaurant in 1998, Supatra has a magnificent terrace overlooking the river as well as two dining areas, one of which is air-conditioned.

Each Saturday night there is a performance of Thai classical dance by the Patravadi Theatre. Open from 11.30am to 2.30pm, 5.30pm to 11pm.

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master of mixology

Cocktails of the Macabre

By Matt Myers As October arrives, I am remembering upstate New York, where I grew up. Apples are in season. The mornings are just starting to get chilly. Time to pull out those sweaters you haven’t worn in a while and get ready for Oktoberfest.

Flash forward to Las Vegas, where I last worked and where we don’t have these fall time favourites. Instead, we typically focus on Halloween, fused with the influence of Dia de los Muertos, thanks to our majority Mexican population.

When that happens in Las Vegas, you are sure to have an exciting and indulgent time. Half nude girls wear Dia de Los Muertos body paint, competitors come from all over to show off there newest super-hero outfit, ladies wear that Victoria’s Secret apparel usually reserved for their boyfriends or husbands. Just people-watching on the Strip is quite the experience.

In this spirit of Halloween, I have prepared a few recipes so you can throw your own Halloween-themed soiree.

So pop in your fake vampire fangs, watch a few re-runs of True Blood and host your own Halloween House party.

Patzcuero Ingredients 2oz Reposado Tequila 1oz pineapple juice 1/2oz Pimm’s No. 1 1/2oz lemon juice 1oz egg white 5 dashes angostura bitter

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Directions 1. In a mixing glass combine all ingredients (except angostura and Pimm’s) and dry shake.

2. Add ice, shake vigorously and strain into a chilled martini glass.

3. Float Pimm’s to bottom of glass.

4. Spray top with angostura using skull stencil.

“Moar” Ghosts & Stuff Ingredients 1 1/2oz vodka 1oz lychee puree 1oz fresh sweet and sour 3/4oz nigori sake Directions 1. Combine all ingredients in a mixing glass 3/4 full of ice.

2. Shake very vigorously into a chilled martini glass.

For garnish: Skewered Lychee Eyeballs Ingredients 1 can of lychee or rambutan (peeled and pitted) 1 jar of red maraschino cherries (no stem) Directions 1. Drain cherries and rinse off juice.

2. Insert one cherry into each lychee.

3. Skewer sideways to make it look like two eyes looking the same way.

Matt Myers is the director of beverage for MGM Grand Ho Tram.

PUBS / SPORTS BARS

The Ball in Hand The Rajah Hotel Complex, 18 Sukumvit Soi 4 Tel: 081 917 8530 www.theballinhand.com Established in 2004, The Ball in Hand was Bangkok's first professionalstandard pool venue fitted out with 11 of the finest quality Brunswick pool tables, making it not only a playing environment of the highest standards, but also a showroom for Brunswick's vast product line. Has a full bar and food, as well as a sister venue, the Metro Bar which places a greater emphasis on cocktails. Open from 2pm to 2am weekdays and from 11am at weekends.

The Clubhouse 21/1-3 Soi 23, Sukhumvit Tel: 02 664 1376/7 Excellent Australian-owned sports bar and grill specialising in burgers, steaks and pub classics. Wine buffet each night from 6pm to 9pm with unlimited wine and beer and different specials each night of the week. Happy hour 3pm to 9pm. Open from 9am to 2am.

The Dubliner 440 Sukhumvit Road Tel: 02 204 1841 / 2 www.dublinerbangkok.com Irish bar located across the park from the Emporium that serves traditional Irish fare and international food. Live music from 2pm to 5pm on Sundays and from 9pm on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Fridays.

Open from 8am to 1am.

Duke of Wellington 101-103 Soi Suksavitaya, Silom Rd. Tel: 02 235 9518 www.dukepub.com An English pub in the heart of the Silom business district. With a full English menu, breakfast, Thai food, and a large selection of bottled beers and cocktails.

The Duke has four large screen TVs and a digital projector for live sports.

Durty Nellys 56-56/1 Ekamai Tel: 02 714 2692 www.durtynellysasia.com Located on up-and-coming Ekamai, this Irish pub has an extensive menu of Irish, British and European favourites, as well as live sports on multiple big screen TVs. Finnegans Irish Pub & Restaurant Sukhumvit Soi 4 Tel: 02 656 8160 Irish bar with a distinctly local feel to it as well as an extensive menu offering a selection of continental, Thai and Irish specials such as bacon and cabbage.

Happy Hour from 12pm until 8pm, open from 9am to 1am.

Hanrahans Sukhumvit Soi 4 Tel: 02 255 0644 www.hanrahansbangkok.com Set on three floors with a large outdoor patio and bar downstairs showing live sports, a middle floor lounge with comfortable leather Chesterfield sofas, pool table, and an open air roof terrace with decked flooring, heavy wooden outdoor furniture and tropical plants, Hanrahans serves western and Thai food. Open from 8am to 1am, kitchen closes 11pm.

The Londoner Brew Pub Basement of UBC II Building, Sukhumvit Soi 33 Tel: 02 261 0238-9 Famed for brewing Thailand's only pub-brewed English bitter and pilsner lager in its cellar - London Pilsner 33 and Londoner’s Pride Cream Bitter – the Londoner also has a selection of pub food as well as a multitude of screens for

watching Premier League football. Open 11am to 1am Mulligans Irish Pub and Restaurant 22/22 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 255 5025 www.mulliganspubs.com Irish bar set on the ground floor of Citadines Hotel on Soi 11 serves good Irish and Thai food as well as some excellent cold beer. Open 6am to late.

O’Reillys 62/1-4 Silom Road Tel: 02 632 7515-19 www.oreillyspubbangkok.com A modern day take on an Irish bar, O’Reillys shows live sports on its big screens as well as live music from Lee Shamrock on Monday nights and Beatles tribute band, The Betters on Thursdays.

Wednesday night is quiz night.

Pickled Liver Sukhumvit Soi 7/1 Tel: 02 651 1114 www.thepickledliver.com Popular British pub and sports bar that serves pub grub, good Thai food and some devilish Indian curries. Thursday night quiz and Friday night music are particularly popular with expats. Happy hour from 3pm to 7pm. Open from 3pm to late.

The Pintsman Basement United Centre building, 323 Silom Rd. Tel: 02 234 2874 www.thepintsman.com With 10 beers on tap, including Leffe Brune, Hoegaarden and Kilkenny the Pintsman and around 40 imported bottled beers with a definite Germanic Belgian leaning, it’s clear why customers ask for the Pintsman. Each night has a special theme, sometimes with live music.

Robin Hood 507/1-3 Sukhumvit Soi 33/1 Tel: 02 662 3390 www.robinhoodbangkok.com A rustic English tavern located just across the road from the Emporium with wooden floorboards and classic long bar.

Downstairs gets filled up with punters here to watch live sports, so those looking for a piece of privacy should retire to the mezzanine level which also has a pool table. Serves pub grub alongside international and Thai favourites with live music every Wednesday. Open from 9am to midnight.

Royal Oak 595/10-11 Sukumvit 33/1 Tel: 02 662 1652 www.royaloakthailand.com Outside decking on this relative quiet sub-soi provides a good place to chew the fat with a mate over a pint. On the same site as the first British pub in Bangkok, the Oak still has an authentic air with live sport each week. Open from 10am to 1am.

Witches’ Tavern Thonglor (between Soi 8 & 10) Tel: 02 391 7170 www.witch-tavern.com Established in 1988, the newly modernised Witch’s Tavern serves traditional English dishes plus Thai and international cuisine with live bands playing most nights.

VEGETARIAN

Anothai 976/17 Soi Praram 9 Hospital, Huay Kwang Tel: 02 641 5366 Small restaurant in a far northeast suburb of the city where the owner uses his own vegetables grown on his farm.

Many of the pan-Asian dishes are vegan.

Open from 10am to 9.30pm, closed Wednesdays.

Khun Churn G/F Bangkok Mediplex, Sukhumvit Soi 42 Tel: 02 713 6599 The capital’s version of the Chiang Mai veggie classic has been transformed from green fields to a sterile shopping mall. However, the same meat-free renditions of Thai favourites appear on the menu in all their faux brilliance.

Na Aroon Ariyasom Villa, 65 Sukhumvit Soi 1 Tel: 02 254 8880 www.ariyasom.com This hotel restaurant has a great and varied vegetarian menu, including some most original dishes using fresh organic vegetables and fruit. Some fish dishes have slivered their way onto the menu, along with western dishes. Open from 6.30am to 11pm.

Rasayana Raw Food Cafe Rasayana Retreat, 57 Soi Sukhumvit 39 Tel: 02 662 4803-5 www.rasayanaretreat.com Located in Bangkok and Pattaya, the Raw Food Café aims at those who take up vegetarian diet for health reasons.

Fresh fruit and vegetable juices, smoothies, wheatgrass juice, and tonics and enzyme drinks make giving up meat a little less arduous. Opens from 10am to 8pm.

WINE BARS

494 B/F Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok, 494 Rajdamri Road Tel: 02 254 1234

Bustling wine bar in the basement of the Grand Hyatt hotel, gets packed in the evening largely due to cheap wine by the glass during its noon to 10.30pm happy hour. Open from noon to midnight (from 5pm Sundays).

Wine Connection Tapas Bar & Bistro G/F, Rain Hill, Sukhumvit 47 Tel: 02 261 7217 The Rain Hill Wine Connection branch has a strong focus on tapas as well as a wider range of wines than the other branches. With a livelier atmosphere too, this is the place to go in order to get connected with your fellow wine aficianados. Has a wine shop to the rear rather than a deli on the premises. Open from 7.30am to 1am.

nightlife BARS & LOUNGES

See bar restaurant listings for more popular watering holes.

Amorosa Arun Residence, 36-38 Soi Pratoo Nok Yoong, Maharat Rd. Tel: 02 221 9158 www.arunresidence.com Overlooking the Chao Phraya River and Wat Arun, and with balmy breezes, soft Latin Jazz and cocktails Amorosa is a great venue for a sundowner. Open from 6pm to 1am or later if you book a room.

Apoteka Bar 33/28 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 08 3720 5586 www.apotekabkk.com Due to open end of September, this

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Thonglor 8 Thonglor building, ground floor, 88 Thonglor Soi 8 Tel. (662) 726 9398 or 726 9399

multi-roomed luxury bar and gastroeatery has a 19th century apothecary, opium den and laboratory as well as a 20m wide terrace incorporated into its design. Both food and drink are contemporary but with an old medicinal twist using western and eastern ingredients.

Open from 5pm to 1am.

Beer Vault G/F Four Points by Sheraton, Sukhumvit Soi 15 Tel: 02 309 3255 www.beervaultbangkok.com Put your feet up after work with a cold beer and simple snacks. The Beer Vault has a great range of international and local beers with 97 bottled beers and six beers on tap, as well as a few handcrafted beer cocktails. Open from 3pm to midnight.

Cheap Charlie’s Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 253 4648 Doing what it says on the can, Cheap Charlie’s has become an institution for those expats and tourists who like their beer cheap. Situated on Soi 11’s hip sub-soi, customers spill out onto the street where striking up a conversation with the person next to you is mandatory. Open from 5pm to midnight.

Clouds G/F SeenSpace, Thonglor Soi 13 Tel: 02 185 2365 Another venture from Ash Sutton, Clouds is hidden behind a shopping mall off a side-soi. The place’s popularity with HiSos shows that the Australian entrepreneur has not lost his Midas touch although this creation might make you believe you’ve left your spaceship parked outside on the double yellow lines. Open from 6pm to 2am, closed Sundays.

The Dome Lebua at State Tower, 1055 Silom Rd. Tel: 02 624 9555 www.thedomebkk.com.

Almost as death-defying as the heights are the number of bars and restaurants located within the dome. Those with no head for heights should stay within the indoor restaurants Mezzaluna and Breeze, but daredevils should head straight to the Skybar with its quite breathtaking view down to the mere mortals below. Has anyone thought of filming Batman here?

Open from 6pm to 1am, the Skybar closes during stormy weather.

Face Bar 29 Sukhumvit Soi 38 Tel: 02 713 6048 www.facebars.com Chic and trendy, Face is a stunning bar famous for its cocktails. A place where you can socialise in the great tradition of resting places for traders along the silk route, talk, chill out and drink with friends and fellow travellers or just relax on one of the raised Chinese beds.

Nest Le Fenix Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 255 0638 www.lefenix-sukhumvit.com Le Fenix’s rooftop lounge bar attracts top DJs, musical acts and partygoers from across the city. An intoxicating combination of lounge lizard, beach bar and innovative urban jungle hotspot, you can just laze back and enjoy the view. Open from 5pm to 2am.

Oskar Bistro 24 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 255 3377 www.oskar-bistro.com Next to Bed Supperclub, Oskar is the definitive late-night dining option, with pizzas, merguez harrissa, and Asian

Welcome to Crêpes & Co. French and Mediterranean Cuisine

Langsuan 59/4 Soi Langsuan, (Langsuan Soi 1) Ploenchit Road, Lumpini, Patumwan Tel: (662) 652 0208 / 652 0209

Bangkok - Hua Hin - Shanghai

Simply Unique Since 1996

www.crepesnco.com

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classics as well as a large selection of martinis, long drinks and mojitos. Open from 6pm to 2am.

recipes

The Roof Champagne & Wine Bar Siam@Siam, 865 Rama 1 Road Tel: 02 217 3000 www.siamatsiam.com Offers a fine drinking experience with views overlooking Bangkok’s fantastic skyline. Open from 6pm to 0.30am.

Scarlett Wine Bar and Restaurant Pullman Bangkok Hotel G, 188 Silom Rd. Tel: 02 238 1991 Another rooftop bar with an outdoor terrace offering great views of the city’s skyline, but this time with a Michelin-star menu to boot. The tapas menu is great for sharing and can be washed down with some old world wine or a classic cocktail. Open from 5pm to 2am.

Salmon Soufflé (Homok Pla Isan) Serves 1

This light and delicious soufflé comes from the Isan region of northeast Thailand.

Ingredients 30 g/1oz sticky rice 2 cloves garlic (peeled) 1 large red chilli 2.5cm of galangal 2.5cm lemongrass 250g/9oz fresh salmon (filleted)

1½ tbsp fish sauce 1tsp red curry paste 1tsp sugar 2 shallots (finely sliced) 5 stems dill (coarsely chopped) 10 leaves lemon basil 1 banana leaf 1 tsp coconut milk 4 toothpicks Method of Preparation Soak the sticky rice in cold water for 30 minutes, then pound into a paste in a mortar or processor.

Pound the garlic, chilli, galangal, and lemongrass together in a mortar, then mix with the rice.

Cut the salmon into fingers about 7cm long without

removing any skin, then gently mix them in a bowl with the pounded ingredients, adding the coconut milk, fish sauce, red curry paste and sugar.

Stir in the shallots, dill and lemon basil, taking care not to break up the salmon fingers.

Cut four oval shapes about 23cm long and 16cm wide and four rectangles about 12cm by 8cm from the banana leaf, plus a strip about 27cm long and 1.5cm wide.

Place the rectangles lengthways over the ovals to give two thicknesses of banana leaf in the centre. Place a quarter of the mixture in the centre of each of the rectangles. Make a parcel with banana leaves and fasten it at the top with the banana leaf strip and a toothpick.

Bring water to a fast boil in the bottom half of a steamer and steam the parcels for 12 minutes.

Serve hot.

NOTE: This recipe may also be prepared with other firmfleshed fish, such as cod, sole, monkfish or turbot.

Recipe from ‘The Blue Elephant Cook Book’, available at Blue Elephant Cooking School & Restaurant Bangkok and Phuket as well as Thai Brasserie by Blue Elephant at Samui Airport. Also at Asia Books, Siam Paragon and Central Department Store, Chidlom for B900.

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Tuba 34 Ekkmai Soi 21 / Thonglor Soi 20 Tel: 02 711 5500 www.design-athome.com A bar, restaurant and furniture showroom all in one – why not? No complaints about not being able to find a seat, at Tuba you can even take one home with you. Two-for-one happy hours from 5pm to 8pm, decent Thai food and free WiFi make this a hit with the young Ekkamai and Thonglor crowd. Open from 11am to 2am.

WTF 7 Sukhumvit Soi 51 Tel: 02 626 6246 www.wtfbangkok.com A small shop front with the entrance signposted by graffiti on a corrugated tin wall in the street opposite, WTF has a bar lined with mirrors on one side and Thai film posters on the other. Decent cocktails, a tapas menu and occasional live gigs and art exhibitions with an edge, WTF is certainly a bar with attitude. Open from 6pm to 1am, closed Mondays. Gallery open from 3pm.

Vertical & Moon Bar 61/F Banyan Tree, 21/100 South Sathon Rd. www.banyantree.com Vertical is a sophisticated rooftop grill featuring fresh seafood and premium steak while Moon Bar has panoramic views of the city, where you can gaze at the stars while sipping an invigorating cocktail.

Open from 6pm to 11pm (weather permitting), Moon Bar open to 1am.

Music Venues

Brown Sugar 469 Phrasumen Rd, Banglamphu Tel: 089 499 1378 www.brownsugarbangkok.com The reincarnation of Bangkok’s 27-yearold jazz and blues haunt is very different from its granddaddy. Borderline grunge has metamorphosed into a slick, cosmopolitan jazz café. You decide which one you prefer. Open from 5pm to 1am.

Check Inn 97 Sukhumvit Road (between Sois 5 & 7) Tel: 02 252 6706 Mama Noi is as much a Sukhumvit institution as the Inn itself, having worked here for 47 years, when she was not hosting Bob Hope. The Inn has stood at this place since most around was paddy fields, and has live cabaret music every night of the week including a big bash featuring some of the capital’s best expat musicians on the last Sunday of each month.

Niu’s on Silom 661 Floor 1-2 Silom Rd., Silom Tel: 02 266 5333 / 4

www.niusonsilom.com One of the few true jazz and blues bars in Bangkok, Niu’s has some of the best live jazz music in town each night as well as some special nights in a appropriately darkened ambience.

Parking Toys 17/22 Soi Maiyalap, Kaset-Navamin Highway Tel: 02 907 2228 Like an aesthetic Tardis, Parking Toys seems almost non-descript from the outside but inside is all sensory overload. The wall-to-wall retro furniture and unupholstered chairs dangling from the ceiling match the eclectic nature of the music – from reggae through electronic and rockabilly to metal. Open from 6pm to 1am.

Tawandaeng German Brewery 462/61 Narathiwat, Rama 3 Rd. Tel: 02 678 1114 www.tawandang.co.th House band Fong Nam plays this cavernous Thai-German beer keller that can seat over 1,000 diners. Tawandaeng brews its own beer to go with the German sausage and pork knuckle.

When the band’s not playing, a cabaret of hip hop, ballet and magic will give your night a little Oompah. Open from 5pm to 1am.

NIGHTCLUBS BASH 37 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Set to open in mid September, BASH is an after hours night club with a glass steel retro NYC lift to take you up to the VIP seating on each floor for ‘Afterhours’ bottle service, a balcony-style (V.I.P. mezzanine) on the second floor overlooking the dance floor and DJ booth below. Facilities will include five full bars, two dance floor areas, and two LED DJ booths that will control high-tech sound and lighting systems.

Bed Supperclub 26 Soi Sukhumvit 11 Tel: 02 651 3537 www.bedsupperclub.com Bangkok’s prime club since 2002, Bed is designed like a spaceship and unashamedly white. Dine on one of the plush white beds with a friend or do your own thing in the club room, practically anyone who has been anyone has been to Bed. Hell, we even had our prelaunch party there. Open from 7.30pm to 1am. Closed for refurbishment in September.

Levels Club & Lounge 6/F, Aloft Hotel, 35 Sukhumvit Soi 11 Tel: 02 082 308 3246 www.levelsclub.com Situated in the heart of Bangkok, Levels Club hosts a world-class nightlife experience within an amazing audio-visual environment. Open from 9pm to 2am.

Mixx Discotheque Bangkok 973 Ploenchit Rd., Basement of President Tower Arcade Tel: 02 656 0382 www.mixx-discotheque.com The “jewel of Pattaya” – if that’s not an oxymoron – opens it’s doors to Bangkok with two rooms offering the twin delights of Hip Hop and House.

Q Bar 26 Soi Sukhumvit 11 Tel: 02 252 3274 www.qbarbangkok.com Like Bed, Q Bar has been a mainstay of the Bangkok club scene for over ten years now and attracts a similar expat / tourist crowd. International DJs and a renovation or two have helped to keep Q Bar fresh. Open from 8pm to 3am.

listings

culture CLASSES

Attic Studios 45/4 Sukhumvit Soi 31 Tel: 083 301 1314 www.attic-studios.com Workshop-studio established by Scottish artist Elsie Evans holds classes in life drawing, painting, sculpture, mixed media as well as classes for children.

Bangkok Photo School Neilson Hays Library, 195 Surawong Rd., Tel: 084 907 3330 www.bangkokphotoschool.com Photographic classes, tours and workshops led by professional travel photographer Gavin Gough.

Photography School Asia 4/F DOB Building, 318 Rama IV Rd. Tel: 081 363 1859 www.jonathantaylor.net Evening classes, workshops and photography trips for all levels by photojournalist Jonathan Taylor.

CINEMAS

Major Cineplex Tel: 02 515 5555 www.majorcineplex.com SF Cinema Tel: 02 268 8888 www.sfcinemacity.com

CULTURAL CENTRES

Alliance Francaise 29 Sathorn Nua Rd., Tel: 02 670 4200 As well as promoting French culture, the Alliance has regular collaborative events and an interesting and varied cultural programme.

Goethe Institut 18/1 Soi Goethe, Sathorn Soi 1 Tel: 02 287 0942-4 www.goethe.de/bangkok Holds regular concerts and screenings of films in German as well as holding German language classes. Open from 8am to 6pm.

DESIGN

P’Tendercool 48-58 Charoen Krung Soi 30 Tel: 02 266 4344 www.ptendercool.com Art deco building houses a warehouse devoted to the most amazing crosscultural table designs. Open from 10am to 6pm, closed Sundays.

Thailand Creative & Design Centre (TCDC) 6/F Emporium Shopping Complex, 622 Sukhumvit Soi 24 Over 26,00 design-related books and multimedia are available to members from the TCDC’s library at the top floor of the Emporium. Holds symposiums and workshops. Also, has a great little café next to it. Open from 10.30am to 9pm, closed Mondays.

GALLERIES

Art Gorillas 2/F Lido Bldg., Siam Square Soi 3

Tel: 02 658 3975 www.artgorillas.com Small gallery exhibiting the eclectic works of emerging Thai artists.

year-round exhibitions of works by international artists and photographers with an emphasis on the Himalayas. Open from 11am to 8pm, closed Mondays.

Baan Khanitha & Gallery 69 South Sathorn Rd Tel: 02 675 4200-1 www.baan-khanitha.com The second of Khanitha Akaranitikul’s two restaurants, features an art gallery exhibiting the paintings of both local and foreign artists as well as the award winning food. Open from 11am to 11pm.

Thavibu Gallery Suite 308, 3/F Silom Galleria, 919/1 Silom Rd. Soi 19 Tel: 02 266 5454 www.thavibu.com Gallery devoted to the best of contemporary art from Thailand, Vietnam and Myanmar. Also publishes books. Open from 11am to 7pm, closed Sundays.

Bangkok Art & Culture Centre 939 Rama I, Tel: 02 214 6630-1 www.bacc.or.th Eleven-storey arts centre with over 3,000sqm of exhibition space encompassing a broad range of artistic events.

V64 143/19 Changwattana Soi1 Tel: 02 973 2681 www.v64artstudio.com A 30-studio space for artists to create work that can be viewed by the audience, gallery, exhibition space and café.

V64 Art Academy offers art courses.

Open from 9am to 6pm.

Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Thailand (FCCT) Penthouse Maneeya Centre, 518/5 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 652 0580-2 (x11) www.fccthai.com As well as being the drinking hole of choice for journalists popping into Bangkok from around the region, the FCCT has regular photojournalist exhibitions and talks by journalists and non-journalists alike. Open 10am to 11pm.

H Gallery 201 Sathorn Soi 12, Tel: 081 310 4428 www.hgallerybkk.com One of Asia’s leading venues for regional and international art. Established in 2002, the gallery has established a programme of exhibitions and installations aiming to generate critical dialogue on contemporary art in the global context. Open 10am to 6pm (Tuesday by appointment).

Koi Art Gallery 43/12 Sukhumvit Soi 31 Tel: 02 662 3218 koiartgallerybangkok.com A cutting-edge art gallery and creative space that features emerging contemporary Thai and foreign artists. Open from 10am to 7pm.

Jim Thompson Art Centre 6 Kasemsan 2, Rama Rd. Tel: 02 216 7638 www.jimthompsonhouse.com Exhibitions of leading local and international art and crafts are shown within the museum. Open from 9am to 5pm.

Warp 54 Studios Charoen Krung Soi 30 Tel: 081 867 5002 www.warp54.com Teakwood warehouse where Belgian artist Christain Develter creates his vivid oil paintings of Asian characters with a distinct pop art reference. Also has events ranging from dance performances to gourmet sit-down dinners. Open by appointment only.

WTF Bar & Gallery 7 Sukhumvit Soi 51 Tel: 02 662 6246 wtfbangkok.com Gallery set on two floors above this popular café-cum-bar has become one of Bangkok’s most popular art hangout spots. As the organisers say “Seeing art should be as easy as a night out on the town.” Open from 3pm to 8pm, closed Mondays.

PERFORMING ARTS

Patravadi Theatre 9/1 Soi Wat Rakhang, Arun Amarin

Rd., Siriraj Tel: 02 412 7287-8 www.patravaditheatre.com/ The Patravadi Theatre and Performing Arts School teaches classical Thai dances, singing and puppetry, as well as ballet, jazz, piano and classical dance.

THEATRE

Aksra Theatre 3/F King Power Complex, 8/1 Rang Nam, Phaya Thai Rd. Tel: 02 677 8888 (x5602) Six-hundred-seat theatre hosts the Aksra Hoon Lakorn Lek troupe as they perform Thai puppet theatre. Excellent entertainment for the kids. Performances at 7pm (Tuesday to Sunday), with extra performances at 1pm on Saturday / Sunday.

National Theatre 2 Rachini Rd. Tel: 02 224 1342 Classic Thai drama, music and performance staged occasionally from November to May at an outdoor stage. Classic Thai masked dance (khon) is performed at 5pm on the last Friday of each month.

Theatre open for visitors from Monday to Friday, 9am to 4pm.

Sala Chalermkrung 66 Charoen Krung Rd. Tel: 02 623 8148 www.salachalermkrung.com Former cinema houses performances of classic Thai masked dance (khon) on Thursdays and Fridays from 7.30pm.

The theatre is known to put on Thai pop concerts too.

Siam Niramit 19 Tiam Ruammit Rd. Tel: 02 649 9222 www.siamniramit.com With over 150 performers showcasing seven centuries of Siam history, you are sure to be in for quite a spectacle. With a capacity for an audience of up to 2,000 each night at least you should be able to get a seat.

Photo by Nick McGrath.

Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) 499 Moo3, Vibhavadi Rangsit Rd. Tel: 02 953 1005-7 www.mocabangkok.com Imposing 18,000sqm building set on many floors has both permanent and temporary contemporary Thai art exhibitions as well as films and events. Open 10am to 6pm, closed Sundays.

National Gallery 4 Chao Fah Rd., Tel: 02 281 2224 Permanent collection of some of the finest examples of contemporary Thai art.

Also has talks by Thai artist in the annex.

Open from 9am to 4pm, closed Monday, Tuesday.

Rotunda Gallery & Garden Gallery Neilson Hays Library, 195 Surawong Rd., Tel: 02 233 1731 www.neilsonhayslibrary.com Set in the historic library, the Rotunda features exhibitions by both expat and local artists, creating a perfect place to escape the city’s hectic bustle.

Serindia Gallery OP Garden 4-6 Soi Charoen Krung 36 Tel: 02 238 6410 www.serindiagallery.com A gallery of fine arts and photography run by the publishing house, presents

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sports & leisure www,asialife.asia Free download and live-view Free copies available from: Asian Tiger Bacchus Bar Italia Gaysorn Beirut Bolan Brown sugar Chu Crepes & Co Devarana Spa FCCT Finnegans Gaggans Gastro café Giusto Hagendazz Hanrahans Iwane1975 Kinokuniya Aloft Dusit Thani Intercontinental Sheraton Sofitel So

Le notre Neison Hay Library Niu's O'Reillys Oscars PAK Pickled Liver Pomodoro Quince Regina salon Royal Oak The Clubhouse The Dubliner The Londoner Brew Pub The Oasis Spa Thompson wine bar Yoga Fly

Lebua Langsuan natural ville Oakwood Residence Oriental Residence

Harrow International School NIST International School St Andrews International School

COOKERY CLASSES

Amita Thai Cooking Class 162/17 Soi Wutthakat 14, Wutthakat Rd., Tel: 02 466 8966 Half-day hands-on Thai cookery classes set on the bank of the Chao Phraya river culminates with a four-course meal. Pickup time approximately 8am to 8.30am.

Blue Elephant Cooking School 233 Sathon Tai Rd., Tel: 02 673 9353 www.blueelephant.com/cooking-school The school offers courses from novices to professional chefs in the art of Thai cooking, including a five-day private course. Programmes start at 8.30am and 1.30pm each day.

Oriental Hotel Thai Cooking School Oriental Hotel, 48 Oriental Avenue (Soi 38, Charoen Krung Road).

Tel: 02 659 9000 www.mandarinoriental.com/bangkok/ leisure/cooking_school Separate hands-on cookery lessons, preparing different dishes are held each day, apart from Sundays, at the Mandarin Oriental from 9am to 1pm, followed by lunch.

DANCING

BIDA (Bangkok International Dance Academy) 2/F Peninsula Plaza, 153 Rajdamri Rd. Tel: 02 253 9529 www.bidadancebangkok.com Specialising in Latin dance, BIDA also has lessons in waltz, jazz, ballet and even line dancing in addition to the standard cha cha, samba and tango. Open from 10am to 8pm.

Dance Center School of Performing Arts 53/3 Sukhumvit Soi 33, Tel: 02 259 8861 www.dance-centre.com Focusing more on ballet and contemporary dance than some of the other dance schools in Bangkok, the centre also has lessons in tai chi and yoga as well as jazz and hip hop.

La Rueda Dance Studio Soi Sukhumvit 18, Tel: 02 261 9669 www.larueda-ds.com A fun place to learn Latin dances, including Dominican bachata and Cuban salsa in a friendly atmosphere. Has classes for all levels every day of the week. Also arranges social events.

Le Studio Art of Dance Room 9C,9/F Times Square Building, Sukhumvit Rd. Tel: 02 250 0005, 084 211 4408 Classes in ballet, salsa, ballroom, waltz, jazz, hip hop as well as ballet classes for children.

Rumpuree World Dance Studio 96-502 Amarin Plaza, Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 08 1430 6684 www.rumpuree.com Dance school with a distinctly global feel to it – Egyptian belly-dancing meets Argentinean tango. Has dances every

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day of the week for beginners and more advanced dancers.

FITNESS

California Wow 4/F Siam Paragon, Rama 1 Rd. Tel: 02 627 5999 State-of-the-art fitness studio boasting over $1.5million worth of equipment. In addition to a cycling studio, yoga, pilates and kickfit, the gym also has an extreme Group X studio for fitness fanatics.

Open from 6am to 11pm, from 8am at weekends.

Cascade Club Level 6 and 7, The Ascott Sathorn 187 South Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 676 6969 Health club that provides a personal health plan for members as well as yoga and pilates lessons. Those not wishing to take their exercise too seriously can always go to the Mediterranean bistro and wine bar.

Phillip Wain 8/F Pacific Place, 140 Sukhumvit Rd. Tel: 02 254 2544 This women's only fitness club and gym has many classes including aerobics and Tai Chi. True Fitness Exchange Tower, Tel: 02 663 4999 www.truefitness.co.th Set on five floors and spreading over 7,000sqm, True Fitness is the largest fitness centre in Bangkok. It offers members the most comprehensive fitness, yoga and spa facilities as well as True Café, where members can compare their bulging biceps. Sister centres at Central World and the Esplanade.

GOLF - BANGKOK

Alpine Golf and Sports Club Tel: 02 577 3333 www.alpinegolfclub.com Bangkok Golf Club Tel: 02 501 2828 www.bangkokgolfclub.com Bangpoo Golf & Sport Club Tel: 02 324 0320-9 www.bangpoogolf.com Green Valley Country Club Tel: 02 312 5883-9 www.greenvalleybangkok.com Kiarti Thanee Country Club Tel: 02 707 1700 www.kiartithaneecountryclub.com Pinehurst Golf & Country Club Tel: 02 516 8679 www.pinehurst.co.th Riverdale Golf Club Tel: 02 501 2789 www.riverdalegolfclub.co.th Summit Windmill Golf Club Tel: 02 750 2112-20 www.summitwindmillgolfclub.com Thana City Golf Tel: 02 336 0567-8 www.thanacitygolf.com

GOLF - PATTAYA Bangpra Golf Club Tel: 038 341 149-50 www.bangpragolf.co.th

Khao Kheow Country Club Tel: 038 318 000 www.khaokheowgolf.com Laem Chabang International Country Club

Tel: 038 372 273 ww.laemchabanggolf.com Mountain Shadow Golf Club Tel: 038 389 210-4 www.legacygolf.com Pattana Golf & Sports Resort Tel: 038 318 999 www.pattana.co.th St Andrews 2000 Golf & Country Club Tel: 038 030 660 www.standrews2000golf.com

LEISURE / CLUBS

Bangkok Hash House Harriers http://bangkokhhh.org/ The Bangkok Hash runs every Saturday, at 5pm in the summer and 4.30pm in winter. Details of the run are published on the website. The run is male only.

Bangkok Hash House Harriettes http://bangkokharriettes.wordpress.com/ Details of the female equivalent of the Hash can be found at the above blog page.

Bangkok Pool League http://www.bangkokpool.com/ Bangkok’s pub-frequenting expats do love their game of pool. The Bangkok Pool League has regular inter-bar 9-ball and 8-ball competitions arranged in leagues.

For details of the bars involved visit the above website and then buy your nearest landlord a pint.

British Club 189 Suriwongse Rd., Bangrak Tel: 02 234 0247 www.britishclubbangkok.org With over 1,000 members from over 40 countries and having celebrated its centenary in 2003, the British Club Bangkok can rightly claim to be the social and sporting centre for the English-speaking expat community. Cricket, rugby, football, squash, golf, badminton and hockey are included in the sports available here, in addition to the fitness centre. The club also has frequent events as well as more social activities in the Verandah Café and Churchill Bar. The Capitol Club 99/397 Sukhumvit Soi 24 Tel: 02 661 1210

www.thecapitolclub.com At the heart of the Capitol Club is the Fitness Dome where a 10m high rockclimbing wall takes centre stage as well as state-of-the-art cardiovascular and resistance machine. Members can also join in classes in yoga and play tennis and squash or relax in the Ananda Spa and pool. Open from 6am to 10pm.

Tel: 02 391 1944 2/F Mega Bangna Tel: 02 105 1581 www.majorbowlhit.com/ice-skate/ Like Ice planet, this club offers lessons for all ages as well as general figure skating at various rinks around town.

Ice Planet 7/F Siam Discovery Center Tel: 02 658 0071 Ice skating rink in the heart of Siam has classes for all would-be skaters from children to adults as well as general figure skating.

Bangkok Casuals League www.bkkcasualsfootball.com A great way to socialise, the Bangkok Casuals has 18 teams in two leagues.

If you want to do more than talk a good game then click on the website above.

Fortunately the league is sponsored by Bangkok Hospital just in case there are a few too many Vinny Jones moments.

The Racquet Club 6/8 Amara 3, Sukhumvit Soi 49/9 Tel: 02 714 7200 www.rqclub.com With an emphasis on family, corporate and group activities, the Racquet Club has a wide range of facilities from tennis, squash and badminton to futsal and snooker. The complex also has a large gym and swimming pool in addition to a 13-metre rock climbing wall.

Le Smash Club 499/213 Soi 64 Rama 3 Rd. Tel: 02 678 2472 www.lesmashclub.com Le Smash Club and Tennis Academy has seven top class Plexipave courts (the same surface as the US Open Championships) and an international coaching team offering a complete range of training programmes from mini-tennis (4-6 year olds), children’s tennis school (6-18 years old), adult tennis coaching, holiday tennis/ sports camps, private tennis coaching as well as monthly tennis tournaments, leagues and ladders.

Spice Roads 14/1 Soi Promsri 2, Sukhumvit Soi 39 Tel: 02 712 5305 www.spiceroads.com Adventure travel company has half-day bike rides across the river into Bangkok’s lush vegetation, around Chinatown and into the ancient heart of the city for sunset.

Sub Zero Ice Skate Club 4/F Esplanade, Ratchada Rd. Tel: 02 354 2134 9/Floor Major Cineplex Ekamai

SPORT

Bangkok Fight Club 2/F 235/3-5 Building, opposite Rutnin Eye Hospital, Sukhumvit Soi 21 Tel: 089 885 1112 Bangkok Fight Club offers training in, Muay Thai, mixed martial Arts, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Kempo karate and street selfdefence. Open from 9am to 9pm.

Bangkok Ultimate Tel: 089 120 8223, 081 854 4510 One of the fastest growing sports in the world, Ultimate Frisbee is like American Football only played with a Frisbee rather than a ball. Games are played at the Army Base located 200m past the Veterans Hospital on Vihavadi Rangsit road.

Old Bangkok Bangers www.oldbangkokbangers.com Rugby team has training every Wednesday (7pm) at NIST International School (Sukhumvit Soi 15) and on Sundays from 4.30pm at the Patana International School (Sukhumvit Soi 105). For more information, or to join, contact: oldbangkokbangersrugby@gmail.com.

Siam Cricket Club http://siamcc.org/ Bangkok cricket team formed by a bunch of cricket mad expats in 2004 plays in the Bangkok cricket league, as well as going on occasional tours. For more information, or to join, visit the above website Thailand Tigers Australian Rules Football www.thailand-tigers.com Bangkok’s very own Aussie Rules team

plays regular tournaments against other footy teams in the region. For further details contact Saul Morgan on 085 369 2997.

Thailand Tigers Netball Club http://tigersnetball.blogspot.com/ It’s not just the guys who get all the fun, the Tigers netball team plays in the national netball league as well as going on tours, sometimes with the footy team. For more information, email: thailandtigersnetball@gmail.com.

YOGA

Absolute Yoga (Thonglor Studio) 3/F RSU Tower, Sukhumvit Soi 31 Tel: 02-6621733-4, 19/F Liberty Square Building, Soi Convent, Silom Rd. Tel: 02-6311996-7, 086-318-6554 www.absoluteyogabangkok.com Offers one of the most comprehensive variety of yoga styles and classes to meet the needs of all levels of practitioners.

Classes include hot yoga, Vinyasa, hot flow, hatha, ying & yang, Anusara, pilates and yoga pilates. All are taught by certified and qualified instructors. Has seven studios around Bangkok.

Iyengar Yoga 3/F, Fifty fifth Plaza, Soi Thonglor Tel: 02 714 9924 www.iyengar-yoga-bangkok.com The first accredited Iyengar yoga studio in Thailand has classes at five separate levels as well as for children. Classes from 8am to 8.30pm, see the website for the schedule.

Yoga Elements Studio 23/F Vanissa Bldg., 29 Soi Chidlom Tel: 02 655 5671 www.yogaelements.com Several classes based around the principles of Ashtanga Vinyasa yoga from 7am to 8pm.

Yoga Fly The Pilates Station, 3/F Ten/Ten Building, 593/2 Sukhumvit Rd. Tel: 02 662 334 ww.yogafly-bangkok.com Learn how to practice yoga while lying in a hammock. Combining the benefits of the world’s finest fitness methods such as traditional yoga, pilates, dance and aerial acrobatics, it’s a workout that integrates the full body and mind in a holistic way.

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listings

health & beauty BEAUTY PRODUCTS

Bodyshop G/F Siam Paragon, 991/1 Rama I Rd. Tel: 02 610 7745 Popular UK company with its heart in the right place has a selection of skin care, fragrances and general beauty products for both men and women.

Boots Unit 207, 2/F All Seasons Place, 87/2 Witthayu Rd. Tel: 02 251 1617 Unit 2, 1F Amarin Plaza, 496-502 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 256 9946-7 Has a wide range of beauty products from the UK, often with an attractive buyone-get-one-free discount policy.

Erb G/F & 4/F Siam Paragon, 991/1 Rama 1 Rd. 5/F The Emporium, 622 Sukhumvit Soi 5/F Central Chidlom, 1027 Ploenchit Rd. 2/F The Myth Shop, Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 255 5872-3 Thai company that uses local products in the development of its beauty products for skin, bath and body and even for the home. Has now expanded globally but still retains its essential Thainess.

THANNnative 5/F Siam Discovery Centre Tel: 02 658 0550 3/F Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 656 1424 3/F Star Dome Zone, The Emporium Tel: 02 664 7677 www.thannspa.com Products aim to soothe and calm the mind by using natural plant extracts in all its beauty products.

DENTAL

Bangkok International Dental Center (BIDC) 157 Ratchadapesik Rd. Tel: 02 692 4433 / 02 245 0055 Siam Square 205/2-3 Phyathai Rd. Tel: 02 658 4500 / 4774 www.bangkokdentalcenter.com Equipped with the latest dental and medical technology, BIDC has over 20 treatment rooms with 35 dentists and can carry out the full range of orthodontic and dental treatments.

Bangkok Dental Hospital 439/4-5 Naratiwatrajnakarin Rd., Silom Tel: 02 636 9092-5 www.bangkokdentalhospital.com Boutique dental clinic offers a holistic approach to dental surgery such as dental implants, braces, teeth whitening, cosmetic dentistry and dental surgery.

Bangkok Smile Dental 32/5 Sukhumvit 21 (Asoke Road) Tel: 02 664 2800 Ploenchit Bransh, 546/2 Ploenchit Rd., (opposite British Embassy) Tel: 02 251 4982 www.bangkoksmiledental.com Has an in-house dental lab with equipment from USA, Switzerland and Germany and experienced dental technicians offering treatments including dental implants, teeth whitening, dental crowns

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and bridges, dentures, gum treatment, root canal treatment and oral surgery.

Denta-joy Fifty Fifth Plaza, Thonglor Soi 2 Tel: 02 789 3033 / 02 390 2772 The Avenue, Chaengwatthana, Don Muang, Tel: 02 573 7177 / 02 982 5841 Room 4017 4/F Seacon Square Shopping Center Tel: 02 789 3033 / 02 721 9266 www.dentajoy.com Has 40 US-trained and locally certified dentists and specialists providing a range of oral health care needs. All the utilities are American Dental Association certified systems.

Dental Hospital Bangkok 88/88 Sukhumvit 49, Sukhumvit Rd. Tel: 02 260 5000/-15, 02 260 5028/-30 www.dentalhospitalbangkok.com Private modern dental clinic provides complete dental services, such as composite white filling, ceramic veneers and inlays, braces, microscopic root canal treatment, crowns, bridges and dental implants.

HAIR & SALON

Cut & Curl Gaysorn Plaza Lobby Zone, BF-07/1 Phloenchit Rd., Tel: 02 656 1184 Central World F Zone, 4 Ratchadamri Rd., Tel: 02 613 1065 www.cutandcurl.co.th Established in 1984 to provide hair salons in shopping malls, Cut & Curl now has 11 branches throughout Bangkok. In 2005 it set up its own academy.

IDA Art of Hair Dressing Rain Hill Sukhumvit Soi 47 Tel: 02 261 7003, 085 112 4477 Hairdressers conveniently located in the Rain Hill complex for those who want a glass of vino after their precious curls have been snipped away.

Panipa Hair & Beauty Ekamai 19 Tel: 02 392 6218 90/2 G/F Sathorn Thani Building, North Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 233 9255 The Riverine Place 9/280 Moo 7 Phibulsongkram Rd. Tel: 02 965 2807 www.panipa.com Series of hair salons around Bangkok with an emphasis on the latest styles from London and Paris – where Panipa herself used to work in top salons. Uses L’Oreal, Kerastase, Wella, Schwarkkopf and Paul Mitchell products.

Shiseido Professional Thailand Sukhumvit Branch The Emporium, 2F Plaza Zone Tel: 02 664 8544 www.shiseidopro.co.th One of the most famous hair products in the world, Shisedo has its own salon in the Emporium. At least here you can be sure the products are genuine.

The Lounge Hair Salon K Village 93, 95 Sukhumvit Soi 26 Tel: 02 665 6020-1 www.theloungehairsalon.com Run by one of Thailand’s top models, Metinee “Lukkade” Kingpayome, along with two of Thailand’s Top Fashion Hair Stylists Somporn "Kai" Tirin and Porntep "Rang" Wanpate, The Lounge is an intimate boutique where clients can relax and possibly celebrity spot.

Tony & Guy Room 111, 1/F 989 Siam Discovery Centre, Tel: 02 658 0128-9 For nearly 50 years TONI&GUY has dominated London’s hairdressing scene and now its in Bangkok. All the hairdressers are fully qualified, having passed the TONI&GUY Diploma, which includes six weeks intensive training on all the company’s methods and techniques at one of its international academies.

Photo by Nick McGrath.

HOSPITALS

Asoke Skin Hospital 18 Asoke-Dindang Rd., Huaikhwang Tel: 02 246 5111 www.skinhospital.co.th Thailand’s first skin care hospital specialises in dermatologic laser treatment as well as facial plastic surgery and hair and scalp solutions.

Bangkok Hospital (Bangkok) 2 Soi Soonvijai 7, New Petchaburi Rd. Enquiries: 02 310 3344 Emergency: 02 310 3456 www.bangkokhospital.com Bangkok Hospital Group is the largest hospital operator in the country with 13 network locations throughout Thailand and the largest ambulance and medevac fleet in southeast Asia.

Bangkok Hospital (Pattaya) 301 Moo 6 Sukhumvit Road, Km. 143, Banglamung, Chonburi Tel: 1719 www.bangkokpattayahospital.com The Pattaya branch of the Bangkok Hospital has more than 100 specialists, fully trained nurses, well-trained staff and high technology medical equipment.

BNH Hospital 9/1 Convent Rd., Silom Tel: 02 686 2700 www.bnhhospital.com Formerly known as the Bangkok Nursing Home Hospital, BNH provides the highest quality medical service with specialists and general practitioner doctors, from consultation and diagnosis, through to planning and executing treatment, following-up of results and post-operative card.

Bumrungrad Hospital 33 Sukhumvit Soi 3 Appointments: 02 667 1555 Emergency: 02 667 2999 www.bumrungrad.com Founded in 1980, today Bumrungrad is the largest private hospital in southeast Asia, with 554 beds and over 30 specialty centres, state-or-the-art diagnostic, therapeutic and intensive care facilities and the world’s largest private sector outpatient clinic including 150 translators in more than 10 languages.

Naravee Aesthetic Center 16 Udom Suk Soi 30, Sukhumvit 103 Tel: 08 4499 4470 www.naraveesurgery.com One of the premier cosmetic plastic

surgery clinics in Bangkok, its team of internationally trained doctors and nurses perform a wide range of plastic and cosmetic surgical procedures, including fat removal, breast and nose augmentation, face lifts and eyelid surgery.

Paolo Memorial Hospital Phaholyothin Road Tel: 02 271 7000 (x11218) www.paolohealthcare.com A 260-bed, multi-specialty private hospital using state-of-the-art scientific methods and equipment, with a separate heart and liver centre.

Praram 9 Hospital 99 Soi Praram 9 Rd., Tel: 02 202 9900 www.praram9.com Multi-specialty hospital noted for its cardiovascular and kidney transplant institutes. Has pre-wedding and stroke screening programmes.

Rutnin Eye Hospital 80/1 Sukhumvit Soi 21 (Asoke) Tel: 02 639 3399 www.rutnin.com/eng Thailand's first ophthalmology hospital has full-support facilities including an outpatient clinic, day surgery unit, three operating theatres, and an in-patient unit.

Samitivej Children's Hospital 488 Srinakarin Road Tel: 02 378 9000 www.samitivejhospitals.com Thailand’s leading children's hospital, Samitivej offers highly specialised services, such as adolescent psychiatry, down syndrome, weight control and paediatric snoring. It has developed a reputation for its bone marrow transplant and neo-natal intensive care services.

Samitivej Sukhumvit 133 Sukhumvit Soi 49 Tel: 02 711 8181 www.samitivejhospitals.com With 270 beds, 87 examination suites and over 1,200 caregivers, Samitivej Sukhumvit has a comprehensive range of facilities and services from cosmetic to tertiary care. The hospital's range of high-technology medical equipment, complemented with its team of specialists has successfully performed complex surgery from open heart to liver transplant.

Vejthani Hospital 1 Ladprao Road

Enquiries: 02 734 0000 Hot Line: 08 5223 8888 www.vejthani.com Hospital specialises in heart surgery, total joint replacement surgery and plastic surgery.

floor provides the perfect location. All the therapists receive formal training at of the Banyan Tree Spa Academies. Try the innovative Rainmist experience – a combination of steam bath, rain shower and massage.

Vibhavadi Hospital 51/3 Ngamwongwan Rd Tel: 02 561 1111 www.vibhavadi.com/english With over 300 physicians Vibhavadi Hospital has centres of excellence in cardiovascular surgery, orthopoedics, and plastic surgery.

CHI, The Spa Shangri-La Hotel, 89 Soi Wat Suan Plu, New Road, Tel: 02 236 7777 www.shangri-la.com/bangkok/shangrila/health-leisure/chi-the-spa Drawing inspiration from the origins of the Shangri-La legend – a place of personal peace, enchantment and wellbeing – Chi’s award winning therapies include a variety of Asian and Thai options using pressure points, Thai sen (or meridian lines) salts, clay, oils and herbs.

Yanhee Hospital 454 Charansanitwong Rd. Tel: 02 879 0300 www.yanhee.net Specialises in a wide range of cosmetic and plastic surgery from breast augmentation to facelift, and tummy-tuck to liposuction, as well as in transexual surgery.

OPTICAL

Better Vision Emporium 3/F Emporium, 622 Sukhumvit Soi 24 Tel: 02 664 8536 Sells a range of glasses and sunglasses with designer brands, as well as performing eye tests. Has other branches around town.

Isoptik Room 407 4/F, 494 Erawan Bangkok (Grand Hyatt Erawan) Tel: 02 251 0457 / 081 538 4200 www.isoptik.com Has a large range of designer glasses and sunglasses.

TRSC International Lasik Center 6/F U Chu Liang Building, 968 Rama IV Rd., Silom Tel: 02 733 2020 Private-sector ophthalmic surgery centre specialising in the surgical correction of nearsightedness, farsightedness, and astigmatism using a surgical method called LASIK. Open from 8.30am to 8.30pm, until 5pm Sundays.

PHARMACIES

Boots Unit 207, 2/F All Seasons Place, 87/2 Witthayu Rd., Tel: 02 251 1617 Unit 2, 1F Amarin Plaza, 496-502 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 256 9946-7 An institution in its native UK, Boots has sprung up all over Bangkok like a bad rash, fortunately the pharmacy is the perfect place to go to cure rashes. Reliable products at good prices.

South East Pharmacy 207-9 Sukhumvit Road Soi 15 Tel: 02 252 8241 Expat-friendly and helpful pharmacy that stocks pharmaceutical products you can rely on.

Vitoon Pharmacy 246/1 Pradipat Rd. Tel: 02 279 9259 Cheap wholesale pharmacy which has a very wide range of pharmaceutical products. If you can’t fine it anywhere else, then go to Vitoon.

Watsons 2/F All Season Place CRC Tower 87 Wireless Rd. Tel: 02 975 5959 Hong Kong chemist has a chain of pharmacies across Bangkok selling reliable products.

SPAS

Banyan Tree Spa Bangkok 21/F Thai Wah Tower II, Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 679 1052-4 www.banyantreespa.com For those who like their massages on a lofted perch, Banyan Tree’s twenty-first

Devarana Dusit Thani Hotel 946 Rama IV Rd. Tel: 02 636 3596 At Devarana, all treatment rooms provide privacy with double rooms available for those who wish to share their spa experience. The hotel’s chefs also provide a comprehensive healthy selection of spa food that incorporates the daily essential vitamins and minerals required for a well-balanced meal plan.

Open from 9am to 10pm.

Divana Spa 7 Sukhumvit Soi 25, Tel: 02 661 6784 www.divanaspa.com Tucked down one of the smaller of Sukhumvit’s sois, the spa is housed in a post-modern Thai house. With the scent of orange essential oil oozing from its pores, Divana has private spa rooms set on two floors providing excellent massage treatments as well as steam rooms. Open from 11am to 11pm, from 10am at weekends.

Health Land 55/5 Sukhumvit Soi 21 (Asoke) Tel: 02 261 1110 www.healthlandspa.com While the settings are grand and luxurious, Heathland’s services are priced at the same level as in general massage centres rather than high-end hotel spas.

Originally intended as a health centre, Heathland now has a complete spa service, offering sauna, Jacuzzi, facials and body polishes in addition to its massages. Has other branches in Srinakarin, Sathorn, Pinklao, Ekamai, Chaeng Wattana and Rama 2.

King & I 2/1 Sukhumvit Soi 12, Tel: 02 252 5248 Despite its cheesy name, the King & I provides an excellent massage at affordable prices. The rooms might be a bit close together but shut your eyes and let all that pent up tension float away.

Mulberry Spa Sukhumvit Soi 23, Tel: 02 664 1888 Up-market spa and beauty parlour set back from the main street around the corner from the sirens of Soi 23.

In addition to the standard massage treatments, it has hair treatment using Shiseido products and promotional packages. Open from 9am to 10pm.

The Oriental Spa Mandarin Oriental Hotel, 48 Oriental Avenue, Tel: 02 659 9000 (x7440) With 19 private suites, The Oriental Spa is exclusive and luxurious with treatments that blend ancient and contemporary techniques and philosophies from around the world. Each uses 100 percent pure essential oils and herbs.

Phothalai 28 Soi Yothinpatta 3, Praditmanuthum Rd. Tel: 02 508 1238-49 Thai wellness centre that offers massage, body treatment, and facials as well as a number of other programmes including yoga, cookery classes and fruit carving.

doctor in the house

The Ups and Downs of Erectile Dysfunction

By Ruben Toral Last month, Thailand’s Government Pharmaceutical Organization (GPO) announced that it would start producing a Viagra substitute called Sidagra to combat counterfeit products and the brand name drug’s steep price.

The first thing that crossed my mind whilst reading this story was that the GPO knows nothing about branding. If they did, they would have called the new concoction Thaiagra.

The second thing was that there must be a lot of men in Thailand suffering from erectile dysfunction.

I visited Dr. Apichart Kongkand, Urologist at the Bumrungrad International Men’s Center, who is an expert in the field of impotency. According to him, erectile dysfunction is defined as the inability to sustain an erection that leads to successful intercourse, and the number one cause of erectile dysfunction in men is aging. It typically comes into play when men reach their forties – when you first start considering a Porsche – and becomes an issue when men hit their fifties – when you actually buy the Porsche.

The good news is that erectile dysfunction is rarely due to a “mechanical defect”.

The bad news is that drinking, smoking, being overweight, hypertension, diabetes, stress, depression, anxiety or sleeping poorly can trigger erectile dysfunction. That pretty much sums up about every guy I know.

Erectile dysfunction, I learned, is actually a complex condition that usually indicates an underlying lifestyle, medical or psychological issue. Studies have shown that erection problems are an early warning sign of heart disease, because the plaque that builds up and constricts blood flow to the heart also constricts blood to the penis. A 2006 study of 4,000 Canadian men showed men with erectile dysfunction were 50 percent more likely to be diagnosed with diabetes or metabolic syndrome.

Urologists, like Dr. Apichart, are using the “Viagra visit” – the time when a man asks his doctor for a little pick me up – as an opportunity to screen men for heart disease and conduct a proper physical exam. Sexual health, the medical community is learning, is a gateway to men’s health.

Still, there are those odd cases like the 25-year-old patient who came to see Dr. Apichart certain that he had erectile dysfunction because his erections were lasting just 30 minutes. Poor guy. When it comes to sex everything is relative, except of course, your relatives.

Ruben Toral is a healthcare marketing consultant based in Bangkok and former Group Marketing Director for Bumrungrad International. He is the founder of Medeguide, an online doctor directory at: www.medeguide.com

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listings

family ACTIVITIES

Aksra Theatre 3/F King Power Complex, 8/1 Rang Nam, Phaya Thai Rd. Tel: 02 677 8888 (x5602) Six-hundred-seat theatre hosts the Aksra Hoon Lakorn Lek troupe as they perform Thai puppet theatre. Excellent entertainment for the kids. Performances at 7pm (Tuesday to Sunday), with extra performances at 1pm on Saturday / Sunday.

Ancient City 296/1 Sukhumvit Rd., Bangpoo, Samut Prakan Tel: 02 709 1644 Miniature replica of Thai’s cultural history spread over an enormous area of land.

A trip here is both fun and illuminating – and not just for kids.

Attic Studios 45/4 Sukhumvit Soi 31 Tel: 083 301 1314 www.attic-studios.com/junior-workshop Workshop-studio established by Scottish artist Elsie Evans gives art classes for children (age 6-9 and 10-16) on Saturdays.

Bangkok Dolphins Sukumvit 49/9 Racquet Club Wattana Tel: 02 712 9297-8 www.bangkokdolphins.com Programmes aimed at educating parents to teach their children to swim in confidence as well as swimming courses for all levels of swimmers from toddlers to adults. The club also arranges pool and garden parties as well as holiday camps.

Dream World 62 Moo.1 Rangsit-Nakornnayok Rd., Km. 7, Thanyaburi Tel: 02 533 1447 Amusement park for children of all ages with big lots of big rides.

Dusit Zoo 71 Rama V Rd., Chitrlada district Tel: 02 281 2000 Thailand’s national zoo has many animals from around the world.

Funarium 111/1 Sukhumvit Soi 26 Tel: 02 665 6555 Large new children’s playground suitable for children under the age of ten with rollerblade park, sand pit, paddling pool and bicycle circuit.

Gymboree Play & Music Head quarters 145, F/1-3 Racquet Club 3 Bldg., Sukhumvit Soi 49 Tel: 02 762 7890 www.gymboree.co.th/en/index.php Based in the Racquet Club, the Gymboree has classes for children from 0 to 5 years in music and art as well as organising birthday parties.

Ice Planet 7/F Siam Discovery Center Tel: 02 658 0071

Ice skating rink in the heart of Siam has classes for all would-be skaters from children to adults as well as general figure skating.

Tel: 02 398 0200 www.patana.ac.th British Curriculum from primary to secondary school.

Iyengar Yoga 3/F, Fifty fifth Plaza, Soi Thonglor Tel: 02 714 9924 www.iyengar-yoga-bangkok.com The first accredited Iyengar yoga studio in Thailand has classes at five separate levels as well as for children. Classes from 8am to 8.30pm, see the website for the schedule.

The British School Bangkok Ltd 36/ 36-1 Sukhumvit Soi 4, Klong Toey Tel: 02 656 9961 www.bsbangkok.ac British based curriculum from age 2-11.

Le Smash Club 499/213 Rama 3 Rd. Soi 64 www.lesmashclub.com Tel: 02 678 2472 Le Smash Club and Tennis Academy has training programmes for mini-tennis (4-6 year olds) and children’s tennis school (6-18 years old) on its plexipave courts given by its international coaching team.

Safari World 99 Panyaintra Rd. Tel: 02 914 4100 An hour’s drive to the northeast of Bangkok this safari has the Big Five animals and flamingos, as well as an animal show.

Siam Ocean World B1-B2 Floor, Siam Paragon, 991 Rama 1 Rd. Tel: 02 687 2000 The biggest aquarium in Southeast Asia right in the heart of Bangkok has an underwater tunnel as well as plenty of fish, which kids can go and feed.

Siam Water Park 101 Sukhapibarn 2 Rd. Tel: 02 919 7200 www.siamparkcity.com Has x-zone, family world, fantasy world and small world (for kids under 130cm) as well as the biggest water park in Asia.

Sub Zero Ice Skate Club 4/F Esplanade, Ratchada Rd. Tel: 02 354 2134 9/Floor Major Cineplex Ekamai Tel: 02 391 1944 2/F Mega Bangna Tel: 02 105 1581 www.majorbowlhit.com/ice-skate/ Like Ice planet, this club offers lessons for all ages as well as general figure skating at various rinks around town.

INTERNATIONAL SCHOOLS

Anglo Singapore International School Sukhumvit 31 Campus: Sukhumvit 31, Klongtan Nue, Wattana Tel: 02 662 3105, 02 662 3106 Sukhumvit 64 Campus: Sukhumvit 64 Bangchark, Prakanong Tel: 087 694 1654, 090 970 9564 www.anglosingapore.ac.th Singapore Curriculum from Kindergarten to Junior College level.

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Ascot International School Ramkamhaeng Soi 118 Sapansung Tel: 02 373 4400 www.ascot.ac.th British Curriculum for early years to secondary school.

Bangkok Prepa & Grammar School 23 Sukhumvit Soi 53 Tel: 02 260 7890 www.bkkprep.ac.th English national curriculum from nursery school to Year 13.

Bangkok Patana School 643 Sukhumvit Soi 105

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Bromsgrove International School 344 Mu 12 Ramkamhaeng 164 Rd, Minburi Tel: 02 540 7122-3 www.bromsgrove.ac.th English national curriculum from early years to secondary school with boarding school.

Charter International School 36 Chaloem Phrakiat Ratchakan Thi 9 Road, Prawet , Prawet Tel: 02 726 8283-4 www.charter.ac.th British Curriculum from nursery school to Year 10.

Concordian International School 918 Moo 8, Bangna-Trad Highway Km. 7, Bangkaew, Banglplee Samutprakarn Tel: 02 706 9000 www.concordian.ac.th International Baccalaureate curriculum for early years to diploma programme.

Garden International School Rayong 188/24 Moo 4, Pala-Banchang Road, Tambol Pala, Amphur Banchang, Rayong Tel: 038 880 360-3 www.gardenrayong.com England and Wales Curriculum from foundation, to secondary school.

Harrow International School 45 Soi Kosumruamchai 14, Kosumruamchai Rd., Sikun, Don Muang Tel: 02 503 7222 www.harrowschool.ac.th British Curriculum from primary to secondary school.

Heathfield International School 10/22 Moo 4, Sukhapiban 3 Road, Ramkhamhaeng 132/1, Saphansung Tel: 02 372 2679-80 www.heathfield.ac.th British Curriculum for early years to secondary school.

International School Bangkok (ISB) 39/7 Soi Nichada Thani, Samakee Road, Pakkret Tel: 02 963 5800 www.isb.ac.th American Curriculum from elementary school to high school KIS International School 999/124 Kesinee Ville, Pracha-Utit Road, Huay-Kwang Tel: 02 274 3444 www.kis.ac.th International Baccalaureate curriculum from early years to Grade 12.

New International School of Thailand (NIST) 36 Sukhumvit Soi 15 Tel: 02 651 2065 www.nist.ac.th With support from the UN, NIST has received International Baccalaureate certification from primary school to diploma programme.

The Regent's School, Bangkok 601/99 Pracha-Uthit Road, Wangtonglang Tel: 02 957 5777 www.bangkok.regents.ac.th

Extended English National Curriculum, IGCSE and International Baccalaureate Diploma from early years to secondary school.

nationalities and all teachers hold teaching degrees and third of our teachers hold masters degrees. (IB and CfBT Accredited).

Ruamrudee International School 6 Ramkhamhaeng 184, Minburi Tel: 02 791 8900 www.rism.ac.th American curriculum and International Baccalaureate curriculum from preschool to Grade 12.

St Stephen's International School Bangkok Campus: 998 Viphavadi Rangsit Road, Lad Yao, Chatuchak 02 513 0270-1 www.sis.edu/bangkok National Curriculum of England and Wales from early years to sixth form.

Shrewsbury International School, Bangkok 1922 Charoen Krung Road, Wat Prayakrai, Bang Kholame Tel: 02 675 1888 www.shrewsbury.ac.th National Curriculum of England and Wales from early years to sixth form.

PARENT ASSOCIATIONS

Singapore International School of Bangkok Pracha-Utit Campus: 498/11 Soi Ramkhamhaeng 39 (Tepleela 1), Wangthonglang, Wangthonglang Tel: 02 158 9191 Ekamai Campus: 154 Sukhumvit 63, Soi Ekamai 14 Tel: 02 714 4097-9 www.sisb.ac.th Singapore-based curriculum from nursery school to secondary school.

Bangkok Mothers and Babies International P.O. Box 1078, Suanphlu www.bambiweb.org

St Andrews/Cognita International Schools Thailand Sathorn Campus: 9 Sathorn Soi 4, North Sathorn Road, Bangrak Tel: 02 632 1995 Sukhumvit 107 Campus: 7 Sukhumvit Soi 107, Bangna Tel: 02 393 3883 St Andrew's International School, Green Valley Moo7, Banchang-Makham Koo Road, Banchang, Rayong Tel: 038 03 0701 admissions@standrews-schools.com www.standrews-schools.com ww.cognitaschools.co.uk Comprises of three campuses, all owned and operated by British educational management organisation, Cognita UK. Sathorn is a primary specialist campus, centrally located in Bangkok with Sukhumvit 107 and Green Valley Rayong offering education right through to graduation in the I.B Diploma. The Green Valley Rayong campus runs a dual curriculum programme with the Dutch Stream. The education programmes are broadly based on the National Curriculum for England. The student body is comprised of over 50

Attic Studios

kids corner

The International Parenting Network (IPN) 11 Moo Ban Pakamas, Pattanakarn Rd., Kwaeng Suan Luang Tel: 02 382 4175, 089 225 4114 www.ipnthailand.com

PRESCHOOL

Australian International School Bangkok Early Childhood Centre 164 Sukhumvit Soi 20 Tel: 02 604 575 www.australian-isb.com Harrow International School 185/45 Soi Kosumruamjai 7, Si Kan Don Muang Tel: 02 503 7222 www.harrowschool.ac.th KIS International School 999/124 Kesinee Ville, Pracha-Uthit Rd. Huay Kwang Tel: 02 274 3444 www.kis.ac.th MulberryHouse International Pre-School 7 Soi Tonson, Ploenchit Road, Lumpini Sub-district, Pathumwan District, Tel: 02 684 5900 www.mulberryhousepreschool.com New International School of Thailand (NIST) 36 Sukhumvit Soi 15 Tel: 02 651 2065 www.nist.ac.th/

Independence Day

By Gemma Jones What’s that? Your little angel has transformed into a demanding demon and suddenly wants to do everything independently with no help from mummy or daddy?

Welcome to Independence Day — the dawn of a new age when everything becomes an exercise in testing patience.

Strangely enough, my advice is to encourage this behaviour, even if it seems like your child is at an age when you should still be helping him or her.

From the moment we are born, we strive to become independent adults. Remember that even the actions of babies under one year old, such as putting their hands in their mouths, are not completely involuntary actions.

They are doing this because they want to.

As they become more independent, toddlers will still need your reassurance. Getting the balance right between overseeing every move and pushing towards independence too quickly is one that I see parents get wrong time and time again. If your child decides to scramble up the climbing frame then let him try it and perhaps make his own mistakes. But equally, if he gets to the top and asks for help getting down, be sure to give that support.

It is almost impossible to give definite guidelines on levels of independence at certain ages, as it will vary greatly from child to child. But it is very important to make sure your home is child-friendly

from the get-go. It can be frustrating for a little adventurer to have too many obstacles in the way and to constantly be told “no”.

If a toddler shows signs of making choices for themselves, parents will need to set limits on what they can and cannot do. An effective way to do this is by letting your child make a choice between two options. For example, select two outfits appropriate for the day’s activities, but let your child choose which one to wear.

Doing small jobs is another fun way to gain confidence.

Give them a rag to dust the table, ask them to help put their clothes away — they will find such tasks surprisingly enjoyable. Always show them how to do such jobs first and remember to praise their efforts.

Most important of all is showing patience. As parents and care givers we need to understand how confusing it can be to be a toddler. Expect some defiant and disobedient behaviour, but remember that this is a normal part of a child carving her own identity, so offer them plenty of choices and remain supportive whenever necessary.

Gemma Jones has been working in childcare for more than 10 years. She holds an NNEB diploma in nursery nursing and is currently a principal at Cambridge Child Development Centre in Phnom Penh.

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listings

living BUSINESS GROUPS / CLUBS

The American Chamber of Commerce 7/F GPF Witthayu Tower A, 93/1 Wireless Rd. Tel: 02 254 1041 www.amchamthailand.com AMCHAM has over 650 company members comprising over 1,800 professionals including companies, non-profit organisations, and individuals. AMCHAM provides American businesses and businesspeople with a venue for the exchange of ideas as well as frequent networking events.

Austcham 20/F Thai CC Tower 889 South Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 210 0216-8 www.austchamthailand.com Acts as a contact and information point for Australian businesses in Thailand, Australian businesses wishing to trade with or invest in Thailand and for Thai enterprises interested in doing business with or in Australia. The monthly first Wednesday sundowner is a major networking event. A list of members is available online.

British Chamber of Commerce Thailand 7/F, 208 Wireless Road Tel: 02 651 5350-3 www.bccthai.com The oldest foreign chamber, the largest non-Asian foreign chamber in Thailand and the largest British Chamber in Asia.

In 2011, the BCCT had a membership of approximately 600 including 550 companies with nearly 2,700 individuals.

Membership is open to companies of all nationalities and sizes. The third Thursday of the month is networking night.

British Women's Group Bangkok info@bwgbangkok.org www.bwgbangkok.org The BWG has been providing a network for expatriate women for more than 40 years in Bangkok. By joining the BWG, you will be able to attend its regular monthly events which are usually held on Thursdays, and also take part in a variety of day time activities. Regular events include bridge, a photography club and book club.

Foreign Correspondence Club of Thailand Penthouse Maneeya Centre, 518/5 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 652 0580-2 (x11) www.fccthai.com Membership is open to any journalist or photographer working in Thailand as well as correspondents working overseas. The drinking hole of choice for journalists popping into Bangkok from around the region, the FCCT also has regular photojournalist exhibitions as well as talks by journalists and nonjournalists alike. Open 10am to 11pm.

The Lighthouse www.lighthousebkk.com The premier social networking organisation in Bangkok for people involved in property development, including engineering, construction, architecture,

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real estate, investment, law, and related fields. The Lighthouse Club Bangkok raises money for various charities such as schooling for the children of construction workers.

money matters

Rotary Club Secretariat Club address: 975 President Place, Room 1711, Ploenchit Rd., Tel: 02 656 1634 www.rotaryclubofbangkok.org Founded in 1930, Bangkok’s Rotary Club is involved in many philanthropic activities including flood relief, polio immunisation, working with HIV children and English teaching.

CONSULTING APM Group F/7 2 Ploenchit Center, Sukhumvit Soi 2 Tel: 02 656 9310 www.apm.co.th Established in 1992, APM specialises in human capital management, organisational development and assessment consultancy services.

Baker Tilly Thailand Level 21/1 Sathorn City Tower, 175 Sathorn Soi 3 Tel: 02679 5400 Suite 4/5, 10/F RSU Tower 571 Sukhumvit Rd. Tel: 02 662 3415 www.bakertillythailand.com The world’s eighth largest accounting firm, Baker Tilly provides high quality, independent accountancy and business services.

Broadgate Financial 2811 Level 28 Central World, 999/9 Rama 1 Tel: 02 264 5706 www.broadgatefinancial.com One of Southeast Asia’s most diverse corporate consultancy and financial advisory groups, Broadgate specialises in a range of financial services including offshore investment, private banking, insurance, commodity trading, construction and property development.

Coreharbour Ltd. L/9 Zuellig House, 1 Silom Rd. Tel: 02 231 8437 www.coreharbour.com From portfolio management to savings and retirement services, Coreharbour has over 15 years experience in the financial services industry. Coreharbour specialises in investment, insurance, retirement and legal services.

Fame Placement 12831/F Room G /340 Payatai Plaza, Payathai Rd. Tel: 02 612 9536-8 www.fameplacement.com Recruitment company has staff with over 20 years professional experience from diverse commercial and manufacturing backgrounds within multinational companies. Was awarded the title of the best recruitment and search company in Thailand by the Ministry of Labour in 2011.

Grant Thornton 18/F Capital Tower, All Seasons Place, 87/1 Wireless Rd. Tel: 02 205 8222 www.grantthornton.co.th A worldwide leader Grant Thornton blends local knowledge and expertise with international experience specialising in assurance services, business risk analysis, executive recruitment, management consulting and corporate finance.

ISM Technology Recruitment Ltd. 25/Floor Unit B Paso Tower, 88 Silom Rd. Tel: 02 634 3800 www.ismtech.net Established in 1991 as Thailand’s first IT-only placement agency, ISM has be-

Dividends

By Judy Blair Dividend yields may sound complicated, but if you are looking to boost the growth within your portfolio or get some income to augment your retirement coffers, it is worth taking the time to find out more about them.

A dividend is a payment made by a company each month, quarter, six months or annually – depending on the firm – and is based on how well the company is performing. In the good times, dividends are good and the share price is high, in bad, the opposite it the case. It is either win/win, or lose/lose.

The yield depends on the price of the shares and the dividend paid. For example, a share worth £20 with a £1 dividend is yielding 5 percent, which would rise to 10 percent if the share price dropped to £10. The impact dividends have on performance is very clear when you look at the performance of indices with or without income reinvested.

Figures from Trustnetoffshore. com show that the FTSE 100 without income reinvested over the past five years would have lost 7.1 percent of its value, but grown by 12.2 percent when the dividends were reinvested.

To find out what shares are yielding, you can use Bloomberg.com to check the data on specific companies, which includes the gross

dividend yield. Alternatively, to find high-yielding stocks without being specific, go to http://markets.ft.com/ screener/customScreen.asp, which allows you to put in a target dividend yield, and find out which stocks are yielding this or more, and whether the stock is a buy, sell or hold.

If you prefer someone else to do the legwork, then the FT or Wall Street Journal, or other papers and websites, often have articles identifying highyielding stocks which may be worth a look. The advantage of this is you have had a journalist do some of the sifting for you, but the downside is you get the information at the same time as thousands of others.

No matter how or where you get your dividend information, it is important to ensure you know what you are getting into. If you are at all unsure about the best way to invest to augment or create your portfolio, the best thing you can do is get some advice from a professional.

Judy Blair is Marketing Director of Infinity Financial Solutions, which provides impartial, tailor-made, personal financial advice to clients in Southeast Asia. Should you wish to contact Judy, please send an email to: jblair@infinitysolutions.com or visit www. infinitysolutions.com.

come the leading choice for companies looking to find and interview a pool of pre-screened candidates to match a specific technical job description.

MBMG Group F/26 75/56 Ocean Tower 2, Sukhumvit Soi 19 Tel: 02 665 2534-9 www.mbmg-international.com MBMG Group is not authorised to provide financial and investment advice in Thailand. However, it works closely with multi-award winning and top-ranked global money managers – Scott Campbell and Martin Gray of MitonOptimal Guernsey (MOG), whose funds have outperformed the MSCI world index by as much as 240 percent over the last 10 years.

Opus Recruitment Ltd. Abdulrahim Place, 21/F 990 Rama 4 Rd. Tel: 02 636 2323 www.opusasia.net Focusing on executive search, Opus tailors its work to the client’s specific requirements, resulting in the recruitment of the best-qualified candidate. It works with its clients to identify their needs and then develop a strategy tailored according to the specifics of each assignment.

Pacific 2000 8/F M Thai Tower, All Seasons Place, Wireless Rd. Tel: 02 654 0300 www.pacific2000.com Started operations in Thailand in 1998 to assist international and regional companies search and select personnel at middle to high management levels.

Has built up business partnerships with some 100 multinational companies.

RSM Recruitment 26/F Sathorn City Tower, 175 South Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 670 9002 www.rsmrecruitment.com Part of RSM International, the world’s sixth largest organisation of international accountants and business advisors, it specialises in accounting and finance, IT, HR, legal, sales & marketing and general management recruitment.

Siam City Law (SCL) F/20 Rajanakarn Building, South Sathorn Tel: 02 676 6667-8 www.siamcitylaw.com Provides general business law services, such as corporate, securities, banking and finance, corporate recovery services, mergers and acquisitions (M&A), litigation and dispute resolution, taxation, labour, expatriate services and real estate.

EMBASSIES

Australian 37 South Sathorn Rd. Tel: 02 344 6300 www..embassy.gov.au Open from 8am to 4.30pm Monday to Friday except for public holidays.

Cambodia 518 / 4 Pracha Uthit Rd. Tel: 02 957 5851-2 camemb.tha@mfa.gov.kh Open from 8.30am to 4pm Monday to Friday except for public holidays.

Canada 15/F Abdulrahim Place, 990 Rama IV Tel: 02 636 0540 www.gc.ca Open from 7.30am to 4.15pm Monday to Thursday, 7.30am to 1pm Friday.

China 57 Rachadapisake Road, Din Daeng Tel: 02 245 0088 www.chinaembassy.or.th/eng/ Open from 8.30am to 12pm, and 1pm to 5pm, Monday to Friday

European Union 19/F Kian Gwan House II, 140/1 Wireless Road Tel: 02 305 2600, 02 305 2700 Open From 8.30am to 4.30, Monday to Friday.

France 23/F CAT, Soi Maungkae, Charoen Krung Road Tel: 02 657 5100 Open From 8.30am to 12.30pm, 1.30pm to 5.30pm Monday to Thursday, 8.30am to 12.30pm and 1.30pm to 4pm Friday.

Germany 9 South Sathon Rd. Tel: 02 287 9000 www.bangkok.diplo.de Open from 7am to 3.40pm Monday to Thursday, 7am to 1pm Friday.

India 46 Soi Prasarnmitr, Sukhumvit Soi 23 Tel: 02 258 0300-6 http://indianembassy.in.th Open from 8.30 to 1pm, 1.30pm to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Indonesia 600-602 Petchburi Rd. Tel: 02 252 3135-40 www.kbri-bangkok.com Open from 8am to 12pm, 1pm to 4pm Monday to Friday.

Japan 177 Witthayu Road, Lumpini Tel: 02 696 3000 Open from 8.30am to 12.00 pm, 1.30pm to 5.45pm Monday to Friday Laos 520,502/1-3 Soi Sahakarnpramoon, Pracha-Uthit Rd. Tel: 02 539 6679, 02 539 6667-8 www.bkklaoembassy.com Open from 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm, Monday to Friday.

Tel: 02 305 8333 Consular: 02 305 2505 Open from 7.45am to 12pm, 12.45pm to 4.30pm Monday to Thursday and 7.45am to 1.15pm Friday.

United State of America 120-122 Wireless Road Tel: 02 205 4000 Open from 7am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm Monday to Friday. Consular Section / Non-Immigrant Visas: Open from 7am to 9am. Immigrant Visas: Open from 1pm to 3pm American Citizens Services: Open from 7.30am to 11am and 1pm to 2pm.

Vietnam 83/1 Wireless Rd. Tel: 02 251 5836-8 Consular Section: 02 650 8979 Open from 8.30am to 111.30am, 1.30pm to 4.30pm Monday to Friday.

FOOD / WINE

Foodland Sukhumvit Soi 5 24-hour supermarket with imported and local food and groceries, as well as products catering to special diets such as sugar free, fat free, gluten free and organic products.

Fuji Supermarket 593/29-39 Soi Sukhumvit 33/1 Tel: 02 258 0697-9 Japanese supermarket chain with four branches in Thailand, sells Japanese goods as well as having a very good deli.

Gourmet Market Siam Paragon Emporium K Village Terminal 21 Has a good selection of meat, charcuterie, seafood and fresh products from all around the world, as well as gourmet Thai food and wines. Also has a pet shop.

Malaysia 33-35 South Sathon Road Tel: 02 629 6800, 02 629 6836 Open from 8am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm Monday to Thursday, 8am to 11.30am and 2pm to 4pm Friday.

Top Supermarket Central Chidlom Sukhumvit Soi 41 Small supermarket chain selling high quality and fresh products including goods from UK’s Waitrose supermarket.

Myanmar 132 Sathon Nua Road Tel: 02 234 0278, 02 233 7250 VISA section: 02 234 4789, 02 233 2237 Open from 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 3pm Monday to Friday

Villa Market Sukumvit, Between Soi 33 & 35 Has been serving expats with essential goods at reasonable prices since 1974, with an excellent selection of cold meats, cheeses and wines. Another branch is located in the basement of Ploenchit Centre, Sukhumvit Soi 2.

Open 24 hours.

New Zealand M Thai Tower, 14/F, All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Road Tel: 02 254 2530 www.nzembassy.com/thailand Open from 8am to 12pm, 1pm to 4.30pm Monday to Friday Philippines 760 Sukhumvit Rd., Sukhumvit Soi 30/1 Tel: 02 259 0139-40, 02 258 5401 www.philembassy-bangkok.net Open from 8am to 12pm, 1pm to 5pm Monday to Friday.

Singapore 29 South Sathon Rd. Tel: 02 286 2111, 02 286 1434 Open from 9am to 12pm, 1pm to 5pm Monday to Friday.

South Korea 23 Thiam-Ruammit Road, Ratchadapisek Tel: 02 247 7537-9 Open from 8.30 am to 12pm, 1pm to 4pm Monday to Friday.

United Kingdom 14 Wireless Rd.

Wine Cellar G/F Hotel S31, 545 Sukhumvit 31 Tel: 02 662 1355 Wine shop and bar in the lobby area of S31 hotel has a good range of inexpensive wines directly imported by the owners, as well as some cold meats and cheeses. Open from 11am to 11pm.

Wine Connection G/F, Rain Hill, Sukhumvit 47 Tel: 02 261 7217 G/F K Village, Sukhumvit Soi 26 Tel: 02 661 3940 In addition to being a great place to dine, the Wine Connection has a good stock of wine that can be bought either from its K Village branch or from the bottle shop at the rear of the Rain Hill branch.

HOME

Casa Pagoda Cnr. Sukhumvit & Soi 45 Tel: 02 258 1917 www.casapagoda.com Began in 2003 by a young creative team in Belgium, the Casa Pagoda travels around the globe to create unique collections. Combining different European

styles of furniture and accessories with Asian flair, Casa Pagoda offers home furnishings of casual elegance and exceptional craftsmanship – from sofas, club chairs and occasional tables to bookshelves and dining sets – all at affordable prices. Open from 11am to 8pm, closed Sundays.

Chanintr Living Nai Lert Tower, 10/F, 2/4 Wireless Rd. Tel: 02 655 0415 www.chanintrliving.com Sophisticated shop selling international brand name home furnishings as well as providing interior design services for some of the leading hotels in Bangkok.

Chic Republic 90 Soi Yothinpatana, Praditmanutham Rd. Tel: 02 514 7123 Furniture, lighting and home accessories shop aimed to suit a contemporary lifestyle, combining modern and classic designs from around the world in one chic mix.

Goodrich Gallery 58 Ekamai Tel: 02 381 7778 With over 22 branches worldwide Goodrich has an extensive collection of interior carpets, fabrics and floorings, as well as its trademark wallcoverings.

IKEA Mega Bangna 38 Moo 6 Bangna-Trad km. 8.

Tel: 02 708 7999 The world’s largest furniture retailer arrived in Thailand in 2011, bringing its global brand of ready-to-assemble products with a Swedish functionality to the kingdom.

HOUSEWARE / SILKS

Almeta 20/3 Sukhumvit Soi 23 Tel: 02 204-1412 or (662) 258-4227 www.almeta.com Small shop, close to Sukhumvit, stocks over 1,000 different types of hand-woven Thai silk in a wide range of colours, as well as supplying silk to Kiwi designer Octavia Fox. It takes three weeks to custom-make your curtains and the shop will ship internationally. Also stocks a wide range of bedding and cushions, as well as silk wallpaper. Open from 10am to 6pm.

Jim Thompson 9 Surawong Rd. Tel: 02 632 8100 www.jimthompson.com When you think of Thai silk your mind immediately wanders off to Jim Thompson, the man who single-handedly revived the industry. Widely regarded as the best place in town to buy silk, this large showroom has an array of fabrics in various styles, as well as delicate silk cushion covers, ties, and wallets. The third floor of the showroom stocks the higher-end silks that Jim Thompson manufactures for Gaston Y Daniela, Elitis, and Sahco Hasslein.

ME (Modern East) 3/F Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 656 1127 Selling well designed houseware and clothing, ME has a few locations in Bangkok – each themed around a different colour. The Grayson Plaza branch sells only white and beige items, with white linen embroidered tunics and trousers, silver accessories and cushion covers.

Pasaya Flagship Store Unit 32-33, 3/F Siam Paragon Shopping Center, Rama 1 Rd. Tel: 02 610 9338-40 www.pasaya.com The flagship store sells bedding from sheets and pillows to duvet sets with

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people matter

a 420-thread count, and a rainbow of colours. Pasaya also retails silk fabrics and can make custom made curtains and bed sheets with an average delivery time of three weeks.

MALLS

Central World 999/9, Rama 1 Rd., Ratchaprasong Intersection Tel: 02 635 1111 www.centralworld.co.th When constructed, Central World was the third largest shopping complex in the world. It contains a shopping mall, department store, hotel, and office towers.

Open every day from 10am to 22pm.

The Emporium Shopping Complex Sukhumvit Soi 24 Tel: 02 269 1000 www.emporiumthailand.com Distinctly up-market shopping mall with a long list of the who’s who of international designers within its floors. The mall has its own Cineplex as well as the Thailand Creative and Design Center on the seventh floor, and a direct connection to Phrom Pong BTS Station. Open from 10am to 10pm.

Phone Horror Stories

By Gary Woollacott This month’s topic is a hot one in our Thailand office: the frustrations of voicemail and the inability to reach people. For sure, most have gone round and round in the voicemail system. The person doesn’t answer, press zero for the operator, the operator doesn’t answer, press another number and so on. Sometimes it feels like we could die of old age before anyone actually answers.

The sad part is that companies aren’t usually aware of how awful their phone systems are. After all, they don’t really have to call themselves. It’s only us, customers and suppliers, who do. Most already know colleagues’ extension numbers and can easily navigate their own system, but what does it say to those calling the company if they can’t reach anyone? It’s like being told their business isn’t important at all and they should take it somewhere else (and I have a strong suspicion that many do). If you work for a company like that, take a few minutes to test it and see what you find out. If you don’t care, well, that’s another column.

Companies should remember the phone is often the first point of contact. It makes sense, if you can, to have a human being answer calls.

It’s a bit like a reception desk: Would you have an automated

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system greet visitors or do you have a real person? A grumpy receptionist is no good. Companies need someone upbeat, knowledgeable and polite to set a positive first impression.

We take careful notice when we visit potential (and existing) clients because we know our experience will probably be the same as candidates when they go to interview, and if it isn’t favourable that can count against the company being considered as a future employer (or client).

Have you ever called someone and a lazy colleague suggested you send an email rather than take a message?

You've just called, why can’t they pass on a message? Yes it’s modern to email everything, but email is time-consuming and doesn’t convey emotion, essential when dealing with other human beings. Think about that the next time you can’t decide whether to email or simply pick up the phone. It may be old-fashioned, but it does work.

As usual, let me know if you have any particular topic you would like to see covered here.

Gary Woollacott is the CEO of Opus executive search in Vietnam and Thailand. He can be reached at +84 8 3827 8209 or via gary@opusasia.net.

Opus is a partner of Horton International.

Paradise Park 61 Srinakarin Rd., Nongbon, Pravet Tel: 02 787 1000 Paradise Park opened in 2010 to provide eastern Bangkok with shops, restaurants, and a cinema. Villa Market is on the ground floor, along with a food market serving Thai and international dishes and Laem Charoen Seafood that has fresh daily catch. Open from 10am to 10pm.

Siam Paragon 991/1 Rama 1 Rd. Tel: 02 610 8000 www.siamparagon.co.th Opened in 2005, Siam Paragon is one of the biggest shopping malls in Asia, with 40,000 sqm devoted to luxury retail shopping. Siam Ocean World is located in the basement and the top floor has a quite remarkable Imax cinema. Next door is the Siam Centre and Siam Discovery Centre. Open from 10am to 10pm.

Gaysorn Plaza 999 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 656 1149 www.gaysorn.com Opposite Central World, Graysorn Plaza boasts an array of luxury brands such as Burberry, Etienne Aigner, Louis Vuitton, and Prada, as well as local Thai designers. Open from 10am to 8pm.

Terminal 21 88 Sukhumvit Soi 19 Tel: 02 108 0888 With each floor decorated in the style of a different places – Rome, Paris, Tokyo, London, Istanbul, San Francisco and Hollywood – Terminal 21 has reinvented the concept of a shopping mall. The food floor on the fifth floor represents remarkably good value for money, and there is a cinema on the top floor as well. Open from 10am to 10pm.

REAL ESTATE

Acute Realty 216/65 L.P.N. Tower 15/F, Nanglinchee Rd. Tel: 02 285 4645 www.acuterealty.com One of leading real estate agents in Thailand since 2000, Acute offers professional real estate brokerage service, sale and project management, property consultancy and tenancy management for individuals, corporations and investors.

CBRE 46/F, CRC Tower, All Seasons Place, 87/2 Wireless Rd. Tel: 02 654 1111

www.cbre.co.th Has an in-depth knowledge of properties available in Bangkok’s central areas, including condominiums and houses in new and existing projects and individual residential development land plots.

Also advises tenants on leasing office premises in Bangkok.

Colliers International 17/F Ploenjit Centre, 2 Sukhumvit Rd. Tel: 02 656 7000 www.colliers.co.th Global commercial real estate company formed more than 30 years ago in Australia has a diverse range of properties for sale or lease whether it’s an office, retail store, industrial space, rural property, hotel or development site.

Knight Frank 65/192 23/F Chamnan Phenjati Business Centre, Rama 9 Tel: 02 643 8223 www.knightfrankthailand.com A leading real estate service provider in Thailand, Knight Frank specialises in helping clients buying, selling or renting residential or commercial properties.

Urbaan Real Estate F/15, 209/1 K Tower B, Sukhumvit Soi 2 Tel: 02 664 2784 www.urbaanrealestate.com Sells and rents properties in brand new developments, through to luxury penthouse and duplex properties. As a Thailand based real estate agent, it specialises in Bangkok and Pattaya properties for sale and rent.

RELOCATION COMPANIES Asian Tiger Mobility 21/F 3388/74-77 Sirinrat Building Rama IV Tel: 02 687 7888 www.asiantigers-mobility.com Leading provider of international relocations, with 30 offices in 14 countries.

Each year Asian Tiger moves thousands of families to their new homes from every corner of the globe providing a comprehensive end-to-end service tailored to clients’ needs.

Crown Relocations 116/90-91 SSP Tower II, 24/F, Na Ranong Rd. Tel: 02 249 0219 www.crownrelo.com With 250 operations worldwide, Crown’s global team of almost 3,000 professionals delivers a full range of relocation services ranging from international and domestic transportation of household goods, online tracking, storage, transit protection, home and school search and a host of departure and destination services for relocating employees and private expats.

Santa Fe 207 Soi Saeng Uthai, Sukhumvit Soi 50 Tel: 02 742 9890/2 www.santaferelo.com A tried and tested partner for leading corporations, Santa Fe offers comprehensive relocation services from designing relocation policies to finding executive accommodation.

RENTAL CAR

Sawasdee Rent a Car L/L Interchange 21 Building, Sukhumvit Road (Asok) Tel: 02 661 6505 www.sawasdeerentacar.com Provider of short-term and long-term rental cars for both business and leisure travellers in Thailand since 2006. Offers a wide range of models from compactsize to full-size SUV with legal rental car insurance to ensure your comfort and safety when driving. Open from 9am to 5pm, closed weekends.

listings

fashion ACCESSORIES

Again and Again Market Place, Thonglor Soi 4 Tel: 08 9486 5359 With a wide selection of costume jewellery – from chunky gems to show-stopping sparklers – Again and Again dishes up all manner of sparkly vintage items without you having to battle through any second-hand market. Open from 11am to 9pm.

Mob.F 4/F Siam Center Tel: 02 658 1115 Promising trendsetting – rather than trend following – clothing, accessories, bags and shoes, Mob.F describes itself as the ‘Fashion Rebels in Mob We Trust’.

One-off labels targeting the youth and young at heart include suede bags, stripy bow ties, faux jewellery made of silicone, casual evening dress. Open from 11am to 9pm.

BOUTIQUE

anr 3/F Siam Center Tel: 02 252 2762 Acclaimed Thai fashion designer Anurak Thangsomboon has a range of stylish ready-to-wear clothes for both men and women. Fusing western sleek with the spiritualism of the east, anr is designed for today’s multicultural lifestyle. Minimalist and chic, the clothes are practical for everyday use. Open from 11am to 9pm.

Belle Gaysorn Plaza, Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 656 1109, 02 656 1110 The place to go for international designers, this designer boutique stocks Anna Sui, Cacherel, and Stella McCartney.

Cloud 9 2/F, Gaysorn Plaza, 999 Ploenchit Rd. Tel: 02 656 1428 Small boutique stocks top international designers including Orla Kiely, Tracy Reese, Trina Turk, Paper Denim and Cloth, as well as jewellery designer Erickson Beamon.

Code 10 G/F Siam Paragon Tel: 02 610 8312, 02 610 9794 Multi-brand boutique store showcases the latest seasonal designs by wellknown local brands. Also has a good collection of brooches, pendants, earrings and clutches for those who want to add some dazzle to their eveningwear.

Flynow 2/F Gaysorn Plaza Tel: 02 656 1359 One of the leading lights in the local fashion industry, Flynow launched a small women’s collection back in 1983.

The avant-garde style appeals to those opting for a smart, sophisticated look.

Everything from classic modern dresses to accessories, such as leather bags, belts and shoes. Its offshoot brand Flynow by Chamnan caters to a younger and more moneyed clientele. Open from 10am to 8pm.

Friday 27 Nov 3/F Siam Center Tel: 02 658 1179

Fashion veteran Chanachai Jareeyathana’s latest themed brainchild – after 27 Friday, 27 Nov and No.27 – is a mix-and-match style for both men and women. As each design comes in limited quantities the chances of you running into someone with the exact same look is minimal. Open from 11am to 9pm.

femme fashion

Greyhound 3/F Siam Center Tel: 02 658 1179 A fashion institution with more than 15 shops in Thailand, Asia and Europe, as well as five cafés in Bangkok, Greyhound is chic and contemporary.

A reinterpretation of essential Thai, the designs involve a subtle palette, dynamic cuts and innovative fabric combinations. Its sister brand, Playhound by Greyhound, offers casual, street wear for non-working days. Open from 11am to 9pm.

Kai Boutique 2/F Gaysorn Plaza Tel: 02 656 2108 Thailand’s first haute-couture brand is not the place to go for casual everyday wear. Dating back to 1968, the brand stands for quality crafting elegant, feminine eveningwear and devastating wedding dresses. Open from 10am to 8pm.

Sretsis 2/F Gaysorn Plaza Tel: 02 656 1125 Renowned for their use of whimsical prints on delicate fabrics and nostalgic details, these sister designers, first came to the attention of New York fashionistas for their offbeat designs with a girlish twist. After making their name abroad, the designer pair brought their success home and opened their first boutique in Thailand at Gaysorn. As for the name, look at sisters in the mirror. Open from 10am to 8pm.

Zenithorial 2/F Gaysorn Plaza Tel: 02 656 1064 With a strong emphasis on the individual, Zenithorial fuses dynamic cuts, sharp lines and vivid colours. Boring it is not, though minimalist it can be with mostly white, black and grey colour palettes setting the trend for classic menswear.

Open from 10am to 8pm.

RETRO / SECOND-HAND

Chao Chan 1/F, Park Lane Tel: 081 833 3655 If you are looking for secondhand Ralph Lauren shirts, Levis jeans from the 50s or tailor-made leather shoes, Chao Chan is the place. Open from 11am to 10pm.

Cocue Basics 1/F Baan Ekamai, Ekkamai Soi 21, Tel: 02 711 4783.

A warehouse with the feel of a secondhand clothing store in London’s East End, Cocue sells old military jackets, vintage dresses and classic jeans. Also has a Siam Square outlet. Open from 1pm to 9.30pm.

It's Happened to be a Closet Siam Paragon Tel: 08 1754 1791 English teachers look away, but this boutique scores many more points for its retro-style clothing and kitsch knickknacks than it does for grammar. Also has an adjoining café. Open from 10am to 10pm.

The Trapeze Swingers Soi Chana Songkhram Tel: 08 1908 1381 This two-storey shophouse hidden amid all the same same tourist shops along Khao San Road sells male and female clothing from the 60s and 70s with a few retro trinkets added to the melting pot. Open daily 1pm to 9pm.

The Colour Orange

By Christina Yu Let’s play some colour word association. Orange: first thought, Halle Berry, channeling Ursula Andress in an orange bikini in “Die Another Day”. What is happening? Am I turning male? Even though it is definitely more FMH than Vogue, here is the definitive fashion direction of orange: the beach bikini, the sarong, the beach tote, the beach towel, etc. All of the foregoing go well in orange. And the tanner you are, the better you look. It even goes well with all your freckles.

Fortunately, my second thought is Hermes. However, it is the orange box that I love, and I hope like mad that my husband has not bought me an orange outfit or, worse still, an orange handbag, not that Hermes often makes those.

This leads me to the key to wearing orange (and to Hermes). It is fine as an accent, but wearing orange must come with a health warning: Imbibe in moderation. Hermes can get away with orange scarves because they have lots of other colours to confuse you so you do not notice you are wearing an orange scarf.

Orange was popular in the 70s for interior decoration. Lots of restaurants used orange because it is a warm colour and was believed to encourage comfort eating.

Clearly, the Al Fresco group

read this somewhere and took it to extremes (so, as we all thought, it is not the Al Fresco food that is making you hungry). Imagine a tacky diner in any old neighbourhood or remote town, and you can see those easy-towash-down, orange, plastic retro banquets and chairs, just waiting to be featured in the next Tarantino film. And if there is anything fashionable about orange apart from Hermes, it does look great as a Marimekko print on tablecloths and napkins.

Here is what comes to mind with everyday orange: Guatanamo Bay prisoners (makes fugitives easy to spot), traffic cones, monastic robes.

As you can see, orange is a great contrasting colour and is meant to be worn if you would like to stand out. But avoid the colour if you are on the larger side. It is named after a fruit, after all.

Lastly, I’d like to invite readers to send in their best photos of someone wearing orange, to marketing@ipanima.com. Prize is one very tasteful orange and brown Ipa-Nima weekender. Entries close on 31 Oct. Christina Yu is the creative director and founder of Ipa-Nima, an award-winning accessories brand. Email your questions to Christina@ipanima.com or visit Ipa-nima. com.

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Anantara Hua Hin Kings Cup Elephant Polo Championships

Freedom to Walk at Bo.lan Restaurant

French Tuesday

Photos by Nick McGrath.

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Netball League Party at The Clubhouse

Jules & Co Dinner Concert at Bed Supperclub

AsiaLIFE Launch Party at The Clubhouse

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soundfix album review

by Mai Lynn Miller Nguyen

How To Dress Well

Cat Power

Divine Fits

The xx

Sun

A Thing Called Divine Fits

2012 continues to be the year of re-constructed R&B. Following on the heels of the Weeknd and Frank Ocean comes How To Dress Well, the stage name for Brooklyn-based artist Tom Krell. His second album, Total Loss, advances the genre of ethereal R&B pop with his gossamer falsettos layered over minimalist accompaniment.

He’s studied up on the torment-heavy moods of classic nineties R&B, but taken pages from the ambient music handbooks for production.

Krell knows how to manipulate a lack of sound, interjecting thoughtful pauses into his rhythms. Reverb effects create a spatial quality, enveloping the listener in the delicate rainfall of Krell’s music. And it’s a pleasure when a heavier beat kicks in, as on the catchy ‘& It Was U’.

Who says alternative folk can’t have synthesisers? Chan Marshall defies expectations yet again with her ninth record. Performing as Cat Power, Marshall debuted 17 years ago and has built a career upon thoughtful music with a slight edge. Her last album, 2006’s The Greatest, earned critical acclaim for its mastery of simultaneous fragility and strength. Those qualities are also present on Sun, but Marshall focuses on giving new shapes to her work.

Auto-Tune even makes a subtle appearance, an unnecessary tool for such a compellingly raw voice, but proof of her willingness to experiment.

Highlights amongst the overall cohesive album include the gorgeous, sombre ‘Manhattan’, the more upbeat ‘Ruin’ and the inspirational 11-minute ‘Nothin But Time’, featuring an Iggy Pop cameo.

Britt Daniel and Dan Boeckner are like your two friends that you just know would get along.

And then, as you predicted, they actually do hit it off. The first is the force behind Texan indie rock band Spoon and the latter is half of Montreal-based duo Handsome Furs. Their respective sounds draw from similar concepts and rhythms, with Handsome Furs slightly more electronic and Spoon perhaps more emotional. The idea of Daniel and Boeckner collaborating just seems to make sense. Their joint venture, Divine Fits, pairs the two vocalists and songwriters along with a keyboardist and drummer. The result feels like a natural progression of both complementary members’ styles, proof of how healthy a good collaboration can be.

One of the most anticipated albums of the year, Coexist is the second record from London scenesters the xx.

Romy Madley Croft and Oliver Sim provide stunning vocals, but it’s producer Jamie Smith (known in the industry as Jamie xx) who is the group’s creative genius. Coexist follows the same line of the groundbreaking xx debut, with introspective lyrics gently crooned over beats vaguely reminiscent of dubstep. It’s these psychic beats that have made Jamie xx one of the industry’s most desirable producers, particularly after his direction of the Drake and Rihanna hit ‘Take Care’.

Seems he’s worked his magic again with Coexist, producing intimate arrangements that fully capture the human experience of yearning in all its richness.

Total Loss

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Coexist

xoneFM top ten

endorsed

US TOP 10 rank title 1

8

We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together One More Night Whistle Some Nights Lights Blow Me (One Last Kiss) As Long As You Love Me Everybody Talks

9 10

Good Time Too Close

2 3 4 5 6 7

artist Taylor Swift Maroon 5 Flo Rida fun.

Ellie Goulding P!nk Justin Bieber Neon Trees Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen Alex Clare

UK TOP 10 rank title

1 2 3 4 5

8

Hall of Fame You Bring Me Joy Let Me Love You Wings Blow Me (One Last Kiss) I Cry We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together Good Time

9 10

Bom Bom Some Nights

6 7

artist The Script Amelia Lily Ne-Yo Little Mix P!nk Flo Rida Taylor Swift Owl City & Carly Rae Jepsen Sam and The Womp fun.

UK INDIE TOP 10 rank

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

title

artist

Harder Than You Think The xx Language A Girl Like You Last Nite One And Only Everybody’s On The Run Hot Right Now Someone Like You In The House - In A Heartbeat

Public Enemy Angels Porter Robinson Edwyn Collins The Strokes Adele Noel Gallagher’s High Flying Birds DJ Fresh feat. Rita Ora Adele John Murphy

Beetroot

By Claire Jowell The beetroot is hands down the most exquisitely coloured root vegetable. This root’s rough exterior is deceiving.

When halved it reveals the most striking deep pink. As for the taste, you either love it or you hate it. The use of the beetroot dates back to the ancient Romans, who drank the vegetable’s juice as an aphrodisiac, as well as the Greeks, who would offer beetroot on silver platters to Apollo, the god of music. But today many have memories of the pickled jar of beetroot that gathered dust on the shelf, only to be brought out on a Sunday when the fridge was empty.

Others can’t get enough of the stuff, dying many a meal bright pink. This vegetable, though magnificent on its own, does turn everything in its path the same garish colour which, though great in a wine gum, may not seem appetising on a plate.

No one can dispute the great nutritional value of this root however, which now is termed a ‘super food’, by marketers not scientists.

Superfoods have substantially high nutritional value, and their consumption usually is recommended as preventative measures or alternative treatment for cancer. Whether you scoff

at this or nod your head, the dietary benefits of beetroot are undeniable. It contains very high levels of iron, magnesium, potassium, folic acid and vitamins A, B6 and C. Research has confirmed that beetroot can reduce blood pressure due to its high nitrate content.

It is also an anti-oxidant that can stabilise blood sugar, lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of osteoporosis.

Boiled, roasted or raw, beetroot can be served numerous ways. From the Eastern European soup borscht, to the top of an Aussie burger, this vegetable can be juiced, grated, julienned or mashed, and all in a scandalous shade of pink. My personal favourite is a roasted beetroot, feta cheese and pumpkin salad with balsamic reduction and a sprinkling of nuts. Thinly sliced beetroot can also be deep-fried and salted to produce delicious crisps. There are hundreds of recipes online, and the vegetable’s enthusiast range from actors to cyclists, claiming its intake increases their speed. It’s certainly the most trendy root vegetable around.

Beetroots are available at all local markets around Saigon for next to nothing, so get on the beetroot train!

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boxoffice

Taken 2

Looper

Sinister

Finding Nemo (3D)

If you enjoyed the original, you will very much enjoy this sequel. A year after the events in Paris, on a trip to Istanbul, retired CIA agent Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson) gets a surprise visit from his daughter, Kim (Maggie Grace), and his ex-wife, Lenore (Famke Janssen). The happy reunion turns sour when Lenore is taken by Albanian kidnappers working for Murad Hoxha (Rade Šerbedžija). With Lenore held hostage and Kim on the run, Mills must use all his lethal skills to rescue them and eliminate anyone blocking his way.

American science fiction action film set in a futuristic gangland in the year 2042, 25-year-old assassin Joseph Simmons (Gordon-Levitt) works for a mafia company in Kansas City as a ‘Looper’. These kill and dispose of agents sent by their employers from corporate headquarters in Shanghai from the year 2072.

When Simmons recognises his target as a future version of himself (Willis), his older self escapes after incapacitating him.

This failure causes his employers to come after him, forcing him to fight for his life as he hunts his older self.

Sinister follows true-crime novelist Ellison (Ethan Hawke), who purchases a house planning to write a successful book. After moving into his new home, he discovers a box of old home movies depicting previous families who lived in the house – as well as their murders. As Ellison delves deeper, he discovers all the murders have ties to a supernatural entity known only as ‘Bagul’. Found footage helps Ellison realise how and why a family was murdered in his new home, though this discovery put his entire family in danger.

Popular Disney cartoon now appears in glorious 3D. Despite his father's constant warnings about the ocean's many dangers, clown fish Nemo (Alexander Gould) is caught by a boat and sent to a dentist's office in Sydney. While Marlin (Albert Brooks) ventures off to try to retrieve Nemo, he meets a fish named Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), a blue tang suffering from short-term memory loss. While the two are doing this, Nemo and the other sea animals in the dentist's fish tank plot a way to return to Sydney Harbour to live their lives free again.

On General Release Taken 2 (from Oct. 4) Finding Nemo 3D (from Oct. 4) Looper (from Oct. 11) Sinister (from Oct. 18)

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Information correct at time of going to press. Check cinema websites for screenings.

bookshelf Joseph Anton: A Memoir Salman Rushdie Random House

In his latest publication, Salman Rushdie turns away from fiction to recount his years spent in hiding. In 1989, the British-Indian's The Satanic Verses drew ire from Iranian Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, who issued a fatwa against him.

Rushdie spent the following nine years in fear of assassination, living out of public view and constantly on the move.

His memoir, John Anton, explores the personal and political meanings of this challenging experience in his powerful writing style. Written from a third person perspective, the book is entitled with the pseudonym Rushdie used during this period.

NW Zadie Smith Penguin

Set in northwest London, NW tells the stories of four childhood friends adjusting to adulthood. Like in White Teeth, her acclaimed year 2000 debut at age 24, Zadie Smith focuses on strong, compelling characters, within greater social, cultural and philosophical contexts. The idea of identity is at the centre of the story, which ruminates on how we create who we are by the stories we tell ourselves. Each section is told by a different character, offering different perspectives into relationships and the way each sees himself as himself.

Telegraph Avenue Michael Chabon HarperCollins Publishers

The author behind The Amazing Adventures of Kavalier & Clay, Michael Chabon returns with Telegraph Avenue, a comic tale set on the border between Oakland and Berkeley in California. The first city has a large African-American population, whereas the latter is a bastion of white privilege.

Archy and Nat are two best friends, one black, one white, who live in this intersection of worlds. The two men and their families, entangled together in various ways, confront the challenges of modern life. Using prose rich with cultural references, from Barack Obama to Quentin Tarantino, the novel explores themes of race and relationships.

How Music Works David Byrne McSweeney’s Books

It’s a busy year for David Byrne. This month, the Talking Heads front man released an album collaboration with St Vincent, and now the singer-turned-author publishes this meditation on music. How Music Works cannot quite be confined to one category, but encompasses general advice, biography and music history. He recounts the early years of Talking Heads in the 1970s, while also offering a prescription for music business veterans in a technological age. As quirky in prose as he is in music, Byrne offers an interesting look into his complicated mind.

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radar More Useless Stuff

KJB Security Camera Lens Cup

Thisiswhyimbroke.com Thankfully, ordering online is still more effort than it’s worth. Otherwise, websites like Thisiswhyimbroke.com would take even more of our already fleeting amounts of dong. Created by a bunch of self-proclaimed geeks who do entirely too much window-shopping, this website has a seemingly inexhaustible inventory of “cool, useful, funny and unique products”. That means everything from severed fingers soap bars for $5 and $85 giant peanutbutter-cupcakes to $18,000 zero gravity weddings and $100,000 water jet packs. If ever there were a good place to throw away money on impulsive shopping, Thisiswhyimbroke.com is it.

For the Lazy Food Shopper

Supercook.com Do you ever end up with a random assortment of ingredients with no discernable way of using them? This is where Supercook comes in. The website has an easy-to-use, add ingredient function that allows you to make a list of every ingredient you have lying around, and then uses them to find recipe options from content across the web. The site aims to help you concoct a last-ditch meal, but also decrease the amount of wasted food. In a time of soaring food prices and famines across the globe, it only makes sense to use up everything you have, and Supercook offers an easy way to do it.

Five Super Neat Ways to Use a Hooker

Theoatmeal.com The Oatmeal is one of the funniest, well-informed and crassly-expressed webcomics out there. Matthew Inman researches, draws and narrates comics for the site, which he created in 2009. Topics range from how to avoid making annoying grammar mistakes, to lists of pet peeves. After seeing titles like “Six reasons to ride a polar bear to work” and “This is why an octopus is more awesome than your mom”, you’d expect the comics to just be funny, but they also can be surprisingly informative. Of course, there are some, like “Why we should be eating horses instead of riding them”, that are just there for a good laugh.

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THE TWO OF US Raised in Australia and France respectively, Coran Maloney and Vina Charay are the young creators of Kolour Sundays, Bangkok’s most loved day time event. Yvonne Liang finds out how the pair managed to bring their western style of partying to this city. Photo by Nick McGrath.

Coran Maloney (CO2AN)

Vina Charay

The first time I met Vina was at one of her infamous house parties where over 80 people were crammed into a twobedroom condominium having a blast. When I realised that we shared a passion for throwing parties I approached Vina to do an event together. Initially it was meant to be a day party focused on awesome BBQ and quality tunes. However, that was just the blueprint for what became an even bigger project.

As we began planning the ideas flowed rapidly so we decided to go large scale and that’s how Kolour was born.

It hasn’t always been smooth sailing all the way, in fact there is a huge list of challenges that we have faced while hosting parties in Bangkok. Things such as staff timekeeping, finding the right vendors and sound tuning are just a few issues we’ve had to deal with.

It’s definitely been a learning process and I’ve discovered it

I used to host a lot of house parties and that’s how Coran and I became friends. It wasn’t long before we realised that apart from our love of fashion, movies, and burgers, we also loved to get people together for a great time. We both felt like we were missing something from our home countries. Our goal was to find a way to combine the festival atmosphere of parties which Coran used to attend in Australia and the summer parties by the Seine in Paris that I had experienced.

The answer was clear – Kolour Sundays would be a day time party with an awesome line up of DJs and refreshments. In a city where there are dozens of parties every week it is tough to stand out. It can be quite a challenge to please the Bangkok crowd so we always have to renew ourselves and find new ideas.

Due to our experience in

gets easier each time. The best part of it all is that I'm doing my dream job. Getting people together is my passion. I've been a promoter, DJ and marketer for years and throwing an event means I get to buddle them all together.

Of course, Kolours couldn’t work without Vina who has a huge network and is really good at sourcing the best deals on simply everything from our personalised invitation cards to neon wristbands and the Kolour Sundays fans that help our guests cool down. She also adds the much needed feminine touch to our creative planning.

It’s been a great experience making a life here in Bangkok and I feel I’ve settled in quite nicely. I think once you start to understand the differences in culture it becomes easier to adapt to living here. I have travelled to many places in Asia and Thailand still tops my list.

different fields, the two of us focus our energies on various aspects of the party. Coran is the music and marketing expert while I'm in charge of dealing with the F&B and production. While the competition is steep, at the end of the day we are all just a group of friends having fun. The success of Kolour is credited to the support of our DJs, photographers and the entire Kolour crew.

Living and working in Thailand is more like a back to the basics for me. My parents being Thais, I have to admit makes things a lot easier for me. I take advantage of my double cultural background.

While my French side can be picky and annoying, it’s balanced out by my Thai part which reminds me to smile and be kind. I'm trying to adopt the "maipen rai" attitude which is a challenge most of the time.

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pub quiz Rain 1) Which band released Rain as the second single from their album Love? The first single was She Sells Sanctuary.

2) Which film tells the story of Raymond Babbit and his brother Charlie?

3) Rainier III was the ruler of which principality for nearly 56 years?

4) In which film did Steve Martin star as Dr Michael Hfuhruhurr?

5) Which Scottish-built ship was sunk in New Zealand in 1985?

prime minister of the United Kingdom from 1830 to 1834?

20) Agnes Grey was the debut novel of which famous sister?

Leaders

21) Goodluck Jonathan is the 14th head of state and current president of which country?

22) Who is the leader of the British Liberal Democrats?

23) Which European has been a head of state since 1975?

24) Which poet and playwright became the first president of the Czech Republic?

Cold 25) Lee Kuan Yew is widely recognised as the founding 6) Jim Barnes is the lead vocalist father of which state? with which Australian band, who are touring again this year?

Celebrity Hair Don'ts!

7) In the novel Ice Cold in Alex, 26) and the film of the same name, what was ice cold in Alex?

8) Who won the Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role for her performance in Cold Mountain?

9) Who is the lead vocalist for Coldplay?

10) Which novel famously starts, It was a bright cold day in April, 27) and the clocks were striking 13?

Printed by: Eastern Printing Public Company Limited, 51/29, 51/61 Moo 3 Vibhavadi-Rangsit Rd 66. Bangkhen, Laksi District, Bangkok 10210. Tel: 02 551 0533 44 ISSN: 2286-6949 AsiaLIFE is a registered trademark. No content may be reproduced in any form without prior authorisation of the owners. © AsiaLIFE Media (Thailand) Co. Ltd.

Behind the Scenes - Photo by Nick McGrath

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Blue 11) Which US state is known as the ‘Bluegrass State’?

12) In a 12-Bar Blues chord progression, how many different chords are needed?

13) Who played Tulsa McLean in the 1960 film GI Blues?

14) Which piece of technology takes its name from a Danish king, and its logo from his runic initials?

15) At 7 minutes and 23 seconds, which hugely successful single from 1983 starts with a distinctive semiquaver kick drum intro, programmed on an Oberheim DMX drum machine?

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3

5

2

9

8 1

28)

6

9

8

9

2 1

29)

3

4

9 6 8

2 1

3

5 6

Grey

Pub Quiz Answers

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30) 1) The Cult 2) Rain Man 3) Monaco 4) The Man with Two Brains 5) The Rainbow Warrior 6) Cold Chisel 7) The beer or lager 8) Renée Zellweger 9) Chris Martin 10) 1984 11) Kentucky 12) 3 13) Elvis Presley 14) Bluetooth (Harald "Bluetooth" Gormsson) 15) Blue Monday 16) Tarzan 17) Greyhound Lines 18) Lady Jane Grey 19) Earl Grey 20) Anne Bronte 21) Nigeria 22) Nick Clegg 23) King Juan Carlos of Spain 24) Vaclav Havel 25) Singapore 26) Barack Obama 27) Will Smith 28) Brad Pitt 29) Tom Cruise 30) Kevin Bacon

16) Which wild man was the heir to the Earl of Greystoke?

17) Founded in 1914 by Carl Wickman, which American company has more than 2,400 stations in North America?

18) Who became Queen of England for nine days in 1553?

19) Which baron served as