Fah Thai Magazine Nov/Dec 2017

BANGKOK SPACES
HOW TO FIND THEM
T
he BTS skytrain from the east side at
Bang Chak station to the city centre
stop at Siam Square is over too
quickly. With its super efficiency,
there’s no point to open a book and read – or
even post something on social media. Such is
Bangkok’s modernised transportation that’s
changed life and timetables and made the
once impossible possible. Zipping along on
the rails allows the duration of journeys to
be bearably shorter, with more time each day
to work, run errands, or tour the city more
effectively and beyond. More than that, it
opens travellers to the energy of forgotten
neighbourhoods.
Top Left to Top Right
Merchandise
displays and art
benefit from
large wall spaces
in warehouse
architecture. Little
work has been done
to tamper with the
As a fan of public transportation,
my daily life constantly takes me
on journeys to discover Bangkok. In
addition to the skytrain, the Khlong
(canal) Saen Saeb boats and the
Chao Phraya River express boats are
favourite modes of transport. They
take me to experience Bangkok’s
constant boom in creativity in very
unique ways, by chance and by choice.
original steel
features and
framework. These
buildings may be
converted, but the
design concepts pay
homage to their
industrial heritage.
Right
Prepared on the
spot, the food
at both modern
warehouse
spaces is a sure
palate-pleaser
in freshness and
presentation.
This time, the boats plied a
path straight to Warehouse 30 and
Yelo House, Bangkok’s newest
creative projects. Both underwent
similar renovation bound by a
concept and desire to rescue and
revive old warehouses, turning
them into modern stimulating
spaces that respect and preserve
the architectural wonders in the old
neighbourhoods. Warehouse 30
greets all those who visit on
Charoen Krung Soi 30, close to
the Chao Phraya River while Yelo
House brings something new that’s
opposite the National Stadium and
close to Khlong Saen Saeb.
MODERN CULTURE RISES
BY THE RIVER
Over the past 5 years, I have been
going to the river area around
Khlong San pier and Si Phraya pier
for a fix of the arts in all its forms.
Things started out with The Space,
located on the second floor of the
low-rise building next to the pier
overlooking the Chao Phraya River.
The Space was the first creative
venue along the river, initiated
and supported by world-renowned
photographer James Nachtwey,
where any form of creation had
a ‘space’ in which to happen:
photography exhibitions, miniconcerts,
performances, pop-up
dinners, workshops and more. Then
came (and still is) the next-door
compound of The Jam Factory, run
by Duangrit Bunnag, a top-tier
Thai architect who revived a set of
dilapidated old warehouses into a
chic space that’s home to a café,
restaurant, showroom, event space,
and his architecture firm.
A similar approach was applied
to his newest project across the
river, adding more hues to Charoen
Krung’s already colourful and
vibrant art scene. The Warehouse
30 complex is a stunning compound
of World War II-era warehouses
that have been resuscitated into
concept stores with local designer
clothing brand Lonely Two-Legged
Creature, the floral shop Wallflower,
handsomely-made furniture maker
P. Tendercool, as well as purveyors
of collectable vinyls, vintage
cameras, photography books,
and more.
The former editor of Thailand’s
Elle Decoration magazine, Rungsima
Kasikranund, joined Duangrit in
sourcing the desired objets d’art
alongside offerings for wellbeing
such as the juice bar Raw & Real.
One of the warehouses is a hall of
food and drink, home to The Fox
and The Moon, serving delicious
light salads and soups, and fresh
brews of coffee can be sipped at
A Coffee Roaster by LI-BRA-RY.
Events that give you real food for
thought can be found in the same
warehouse at the Doc Club Theater
with top documentaries from around
the world being shown with guest
speaker talks and seminars. With all
that, an old storage facility becomes
an integrated, modern culture haven.
A bonus is the presence of
delicious Muslim restaurants and
community nearby where I stop in
for some mouth-watering Thai-
Muslim food before heading to the
Thailand Creative & Design Center
(TCDC), which is less than a 5
minute walk from there.
HANDIWORK BY THE KHLONG
Soi Kasemsan 1 has never been
known for anything beyond its
budget hotels or convenience to a
skytrain stop, a Khlong Saen Saeb
boat stop, and the Jim Thompson
House and Museum in the next
soi (street) over. Then this past
August, Yelo House launched yet
another innovative space in an
unexpected spot.
Unusual in its location and
unmatched in its offerings, Yelo
House is tucked inside the end of the
soi, away from the ever-busy traffic
and mobs of people at the shopping
Above
Original exposed
beams at
Warehouse 30
provide an airy area
to leisurely shop in
comfort for clothing
from independent
designers.
WAREHOUSE 30
52-60 Charoen Krung Rd,
Bang Rak, Bangkok.
map
YELO HOUSE
20/2 Soi Kasemsan 1 (Opposite
MBK shopping mall) on Rama 1
Road, Bangkok.
72 73