Fah Thai Magazine May June 2018

MAY- JUN 2018 

IN A SHAN STATE OF 

COFFEE 

BANGKOK ART WORLD’S 

NIGHTS OUT 

SAMUI’S GOOD 

DEEDS 

VANN MOLYVANN: 

PROLIFIC AND PROMINENT 

COMPLIMENTARY COPY

OVERTURES 

FEATURES 

16 WHAT’S UP 

Raise your hands up in the air for 

Dua Lipa’s Asian tour. In Cambodia, 

raise your eyes to the sky for the 

Rocket Festival, among the many 

regional events. 

20 YOUTHFUL BEAUTY 

Armed with the right rejuvenating 

products, keep everyone guessing 

your real age. Our beauty experts 

share their list. 

22 TIED TO STYLE 

Polka dots or stripes? There’s no 

need to get tied up in knots in the 

search for the right tie to match the 

outfit and the occasion. 

24 GIVE CHIANG RAI A TRY 

Seek out a gleaming white temple, 

climb scenic hills and know more 

about the wicked history of the 

opium trade in this northern town. 

28 TO YOUR HEALTH 

Make roselle your drink of choice 

as the myriad benefits of this plant 

include anti-oxidant and freeradical 

properties. 

32 DEALS ON WHEELS 

Thailand’s street carts remain a 

reliable source of nourishment and 

snacks. With no two carts alike, we 

show you the differences. 

44 PARADISE 

GAINED 

Lovers of Samui are not 

just visitors but local 

residents who make sure it 

stays a paradise. 

50 ANTHROMORPHIC 

TALES 

In a commissioned work 

for Gucci, a Thai illustrator 

takes to flights of fancy 

with animal characters. 

60 FOR THE LOVE OF 

ARCHITECTURE 

We seek out Phnom Penh’s 

heritage architecture and 

modernistic buildings 

designed by the late 

visionary Vann Molyvann. 

70 MYANMAR BEAN 

TOWN 

Pyin Oo Lwin in Myanmar, 

while known for its 

colonial past, creates 

contemporary history as a 

coffee-producing area. 

78 NIGHTS IN ART 

It’s an active year in art for 

Bangkok as the city preps for 

major art shows, including 

the debut of two biennales. 

Roving photographer Jesper 

Haynes is out on the town 

capturing the art crowd. 

60 

Vann 

Molyvann’s 

Legacy of 

Landmarks 

6 

7

HAPPENINGS 

CORPORATE 

A selection of relevant events around Asia. 

90 BANGKOK 

92 SAMUI 

96 KRABI / PHUKET 

100 CHIANG MAI / 

CHIANG RAI 

101 PATTAYA / 

KOH CHANG 

102 CHINA 

104 HONG KONG 

106 SINGAPORE 

107 KUALA LUMPUR 

108 BATTAMBANG / 

PHNOM PENH / 

SIEM REAP 

110 DANANG / 

HANOI / 

PHU QUOC 

112 LUANG 

PRABANG / 

YANGON 

114 MALDIVES / 

MUMBAI 

118 NEWS 

Bangkok Airways announces collaborations 

and winners. 

127 AIRCRAFT INFO 

128 ROUTE MAP 

CHECKING OUT 

130 YANGON 

The city’s strong spiritual flow lives 

alongside its modern city feel. 

This month’s cover: 

Illustrator 

Phannapast 

Taychamaythakool 

features her 

signature work of 

whimsical animals 

drawn in vivid and 

elaborate detail. 

78 

Bangkok’s 

Artful 

Statements 

8

MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT 

Welcome on board our Bangkok Airways flight. 

Currently, the world faces unpredictable weather 

conditions – from seasonal changes to severe climate 

changes. Because of this, I believe it’s crucial for all of 

us to make our health a priority. For that reason, we’d 

like to introduce and encourage everyone to engage 

in sporting activities, such as the “Bangkok Airways 

Boutique Series 2018” marathon running series, 

held throughout the year of 2018 in seven different 

Bangkok Airways destinations. Furthering our health 

and sports initiative is our latest cooperation with 

Borussia Dortmund, one of the most successful 

football clubs in Europe, which allows us to leverage 

our branding cooperation and tap into the larger market 

in Asia. With this partnership, we see the benefits 

of education and the creation of opportunities; so 

together with Borussia Dortmund, Bangkok Airways 

is planning to organise a special football coaching 

programme for our Thai youth. Other collaborations 

extend to many educational institutions such as 

Bangkok University and Mae Fah Luang University 

with the launch of “Bangkok Airways Open House,” a 

campaign that reaches out to interested youth with 

career goals in the hospitality or aviation industry. 

Another important milestone for us includes 

expanding the airline networking partnership. Recently, 

Bangkok Airways announced a codeshare partnership 

with three leading airlines, namely EL AL Israel Airlines, 

Lao Airlines and Oman Air, to strengthen networks and 

provide passengers more convenient and seamless 

access to popular travel destinations both in Thailand 

and neighbouring countries. 

On behalf of Bangkok Airways, I would like to 

give sincere thanks to all passengers flying with us. 

We truly hope you receive an experience you’ll find 

impressive and convenient wherever the travel may 

be. We are determined to delivering better service, 

and ultimately the best, for our passengers again in 

the future. Thank you. 

ยินดีต้อนรับผู้โดยสารทุกท่านสู่การบริการของ 

สายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส 

ช่วงนี้อากาศเปลี่ยนแปลงบ่อย ไม่ว่าจะเป็นผลมา 

จากภาวะโลกร้อนหรือเป็นเพราะการเปลี่ยนแปลงตาม 

ฤดูกาลก็ตาม ผมคิดว่าการรักษาสุขภาพให้ดีเป็น 

สิ่งสำคัญ เราจึงมุ่งส่งเสริมกิจกรรมด้านการกีฬาอย่าง 

ต่อเนื่อง เพื่อให้ทุกท่านมีสุขภาพร่างกายที่แข็งแรง อาทิเช่น 

การจัดแข่งขันวิ่งมาราธอน “บางกอกแอร์เวย์ส บูทีค ซีรีย์ 

2018” ที่จัดขึ้นใน 7 จุดหมายปลายทางของสายการบินฯ 

ตลอดปี 2561 และล่าสุด ได้มีการประกาศความร่วม 

มือเป็นพันธมิตรกับ สโมสรโบรุสเซียดอร์ทมุนด์ หนึ่งใน 

สโมสรฟุตบอลที่ประสบความสำเร็จมากที่สุดในยุโรป 

นอกจากความร่วมมือทางการตลาดแล้ว เรายังมองเห็น 

ถึงความสำคัญของการสร้างโอกาสและสนับสนุน 

องค์ความรู้ทางด้านกีฬาให้แก่เยาวชนและผู้ที่สนใจ 

ซึ่งถือเป็นหนึ่งในกิจกรรมเพื่อสังคมที่เราให้ความส ำคัญ 

ตลอดมา โดยได้จัดกิจกรรมฝึกทักษะกีฬาฟุตบอล 

ให้กับเยาวชนร่วมกับทางสโมสรฯ อีกทั้งยังมีโครงการ 

“เปิดบ้านสอนน้อง” ที่เปิดโอกาสให้กับเยาวชนที่มี 

ความสนใจ และมีเป้าหมายที่จะทำงานในธุรกิจการ 

บริการ และการบิน โดยเราได้มีการลงนามบันทึก 

ความร่วมมือทางการศึกษาและพัฒนาบุคลากรกับ 

หลายสถาบัน อาทิ มหาวิทยาลัยกรุงเทพ มหาวิทยาลัย 

แม่ฟ้าหลวง ฯลฯ 

อีกหนึ่งก้าวสำคัญของบางกอกแอร์เวย์สคือ 

การขยายเครือข่ายพันธมิตรสายการบิน โดยล่าสุด 

เราได้มีการลงนามข้อตกลงในการให้บริการเที่ยวบิน 

ร่วมกับอีก 3 สายการบินชั้นนำ ได้แก่ สายการบิน 

แอล อัล อิสราเอลแอร์ไลน์ ลาวแอร์ไลน์ และ 

โอมานแอร์ เพื่อเป็นการสร้างเครือข่ายความร่วมมือ 

ทางการบินให้มีความแข็งแกร่งยิ่งขึ้น อีกทั้งยัง 

อำนวยความสะดวกให้กับผู้โดยสารในการเดินทาง 

เชื่อมต่อไปยังแหล่งท่องเที่ยวที่มีชื่อเสียงทั้งใน 

ประเทศไทยและประเทศเพื่อนบ้านอีกด้วย 

ผม ในนามของสายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส 

ขอขอบคุณผู้โดยสารทุกท่านที่เดินทางกับเรา และ 

หวังเป็นอย่างยิ่งว่าท่านจะได้รับความสะดวกสบาย 

และประทับใจในการบริการของเรา เราจะยังคงมุ่งมั่น 

พัฒนาการบริการให้ดียิ่งๆ ขึ้นต่อไป ขอบคุณครับ 

กัปตัน พุฒิพงศ์ ปราสาททองโอสถ 

Captain Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth 

กรรมการผู้อำนวยการใหญ่ | President, Bangkok Airways Public Company Limited 

10

IS THE 

GOLD WINNER 

PEARL AWARD 

2017 

BEST PHOTOGRAPHY 

BANGKOK AIRWAYS PUBLIC 

COMPANY LIMITED 

99 Mu 14, Vibhavadi Rangsit Road, 

Chom Phon, Chatuchak, Bangkok 

10900, Thailand 

www.bangkokair.com 

ADVISORY BOARD 

Mr. Prote Setsuwan 

Vice President - Marketing 

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Vice President - Ancillary Revenues 

Mr. Kridhakorn Sirabhabhoj 

Director - Advertising and Creative 

Mr. Benjamin Sirirat 

Manager - Branding and Creative 

Mrs. Rattanaporn Sa-Nguanjangwong 

Business Services - Ancillary Revenues 

PUBLISHER 

MPMI Group Co., Ltd. 

1 Soi Lasalle 23/2, 

Bangna, Bangkok 10260, Thailand 

Tel. +66 2744 4975 

Fax. +66 2744 5271 

Managing Director 

Chaovanee Ajanant 

Email: chaovanee@mpmith.com 

EDITORIAL 

Email: editorial@fahthaimag.com 

Editorial Director Somtawin Chanyawong 

Editor-in-Chief Anutra Ungsuprasert 

Senior Editor Nawa Acosta Wright 

Deputy Editor Sarita Urupongsa 

Contributors 

Chalotorn Payomyol 

Chusri Ngamprasert 

Jeremie Schatz 

Nawarat A Wright 

Nicola Hil 

Passakorn Hongthong 

Phoowadon Duangmee 

Prachi Joshi 

Richard Augustin 

Ron Emmons 

Sarita Urupongsa 

Sirin P Wongpanit 

Sophia Natasia Powell-Schaffer 

Susan Field 

Thawat Tangtienchai 

Photo Editor Thewin Chanyawong 

Contributing Photographers 

Jesper Haynes 

Kay Choomongkol 

Lesley Fisher 

Permboon Wongpanit 

Ron Emmons 

Sang-arun Champawan 

Thawat Tangtienchai 

Wichit Kongsiangsung 

ART 

Creative Director JyeShen Koo 

Graphic Designer Pongtorn Khaoplag 

Contributing Stylist Saranya Ariyakul 

Contributing Illustrator Arthit Limpong 

PRODUCTION 

Colour Separation: Soontorn Film 

Printer: WPS (Thailand) Co., Ltd. 

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PUBLICITAS JAPAN K.K. 

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MALAYSIA 

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david@majormedia.co.uk 

USA 

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Tel: +14 0790 3500 

fmar@multimediausa.com 

“FAH THAI” is the in-flight magazine of Bangkok Airways Public Company 

Limited and is edited and published by MPMI Group Co., Ltd. All articles and 

photographs published herein are created by the authors and photographers 

at their own discretion and do not necessarily represent the views of the 

airline. Bangkok Airways holds no responsibility or liability arising out of the 

publication of such articles and photographs. 

All information correct at press time. All rights reserved. No part of this 

magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in 

any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Bangkok 

Airways Public Company Limited and MPMI Group Co., Ltd. 

Cover Illustration: Courtesy of Phannapast Taychamaythakool 

12

ESSENTIAL NOTES TO GUIDE YOUR TRAVELS 

Crafting Coffee 

As a beloved Thai beverage, 

coffee always had its own 

artisanal movement. Street 

carts keep the tradition alive, 

with minimal equipment to 

produce that caffeine kick. 

NEWS AND EVENTS 16 / BEAUTY AND HEALTH 20 / STYLE 22 / THAILAND TREASURES 24 / A TASTE OF THAILAND 28 / 

FRUITFUL FINDS 30 / ARTS & CULTURAL MATTERS 32 / CHECKED IN 36 

15

OVERTURES 

NEWS AND EVENTS 

1-8MAY 

2018 

ASIA 

DUA LIPA ‘THE SELF-TITLED TOUR’ 

British songstress Dua Lipa made quite an 

impact during her debut performance in Asia 

back in 2017. This month, the singer/model 

returns to enthral her fans with a solo show 

with major performances in several Asian cities 

including Hong Kong (1 May), Kuala Lumpur 

(3 May), Singapore (4 May), Seoul (6 May) and 

Tokyo (8 May). 

Dua Lipa’s ‘The Self-Titled Tour’ will see the 

artiste perform her hit singles that made her 

one of the most exciting and most streamed 

British female artist in recent history proven by 

her five 2018 Brit Award Nominations. 

Dua Lipa exploded on the scene last 

year with her hit song, “New Rules”, which 

topped the charts in the UK. Riding the wave 

of popularity, she followed-up with several 

popular singles such as “IDGAF”, “Scared to 

be Lonely” and “Blow Your Mind (Mwah)”. 

dualipa.com 

4-8MAY 


LAOS & ISAAN, THAILAND 

ROCKETS FOR RAIN 

In Laos and the northeastern provinces 

of Thailand like Yasothon and Roi Et, no 

aerospace engineer is needed to make rockets 

fly. Spectators will gather to see the master 

creators of rockets, typically monks with skilled 

knowledge of gunpowder and a good sense of 

motion in space that’s more than enough to 

send the rockets hurling upwards to the skies. 

Now the much-loved rocket festival or 

“Boun Bang Fai” returns to the Lao paddy fields 

– where home-made rockets will be launched. 

For visitors travelling to Laos in May and June, 

there’s a good chance you may happen upon 

the festive and colourful rocket processions. 

The festival marks the annual growing 

season in Laos, as the monsoon season is 

expected in June. Ahead of the ploughing 

period, the farmers send up the rockets 

skywards to please and remind the God of Rain 

to send enough to nourish the paddy fields. 

Lao folks leave their routine work a few 

days before the launch day. Then led by local 

monks, who are counted on for genius rocket 

engineering, gunpowder gets put inside a long 

pipe before firing them in the empty field. 

The smaller rockets are fancier in the way 

they shoot up into the heavens while the 

large ones don’t even look like they’re capable 

of flight. The higher the rockets go, say the 

locals, the more rain will come down. But it’s 

no guarantee every rocket shoots upward 

as the God of Rain may have the last word. 

tourismlaos.org, tourismthailand.org 


12MAY 

HO CHI MINH 

RUNNING HAPPY WITH COLOURS 

Think of India’s Holi festival, a 5k fun run and 

dance party mixed into one day for a “messy 

weekend” in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. La 

Vie Color Me Run is uncompetitive fun, and 

a most colourful running race. Runners start 

the event in white clothing, but by the end of 

it become a kaleidoscope of colours having 

run, danced and walked through different 

zones where they’re pelted with vivid corn 

starch-based powders. There will be no hard 

feelings of being a loser mingling in the air. The 

unclocked run has no winners or prizes, but 

runners are showered with coloured powder at 

stations along the way. At the ‘finish line,’ the 

runners become party-goers and are rewarded 

with a DJ-anchored dance. colormerun.vn, 

runsociety.com 

MID-MAY 


KRABI 

CHAO LAY BOAT FESTIVAL 

Lanta island in Krabi is the place where you 

can observe an ancient sea ritual still carried 

out by Urak Lawoi natives of the island. The 

Aboriginal Malay people of Urak Lawoi has 

been living in the islands of Phuket and Krabi, 

and for centuries they have maintained their 

lives circling around the seas with open ocean 

fishing. It is not then a surprise that they 

would carry on colourful rites and celebrations 

at the beginning of each year’s fishing season. 

Loi Ruea (Floating Boats) festival takes place 

twice a year during the 13th to 15th day after 

the full moon of the sixth month or middle of 

May this year. In this elaborate event where 

visitors can witness heavily decorated fishing 

boats — real ones and models — that fishermen 

make especially for this celebration meant to 

ward off all the bad spirits that might affect 

their fishing efforts and work throughout the 

year. These ‘floating boats’ can also be seen 

as a smart solution for fishermen to test the 

conditions of the waters. The event brings 

back family members that might have moved 

further out and here they’ll gather, even for a 

few days during the celebration, as a way to 

catch up and strengthen rare clan ties. 

Tourism Authority of Thailand, Krabi, 

T: +66 (0) 89 201 7985, tourismthailand.org 

26-27 MAY 


& 

2-3 JUN 


SINGAPORE 

WATER DRAGONS 

The sport of Dragon Boat racing dates back 

to ancient China. Today, it is a sporting race 

widely practised in Asia and renowned for 

instilling teamwork, dedication and team 

coordination. Singapore, in owing to its large 

Chinese community, will once again celebrate 

this grand sport with the Dragon Boat Festival, 

which takes place at several venues across the 

island nation. 

Bedok Reservoir and Kallang River will 

host several races in May and June but most 

eyes will be fixed on DBS Marina Regatta. 

Held against the backdrop of the Gardens 

by the Bay, the DBS Marina Regatta, which 

is backed by the Singapore Dragon Boat 

Association (SDBA), will serve up a carnivallike 

atmosphere as teams take to the water 

to compete for honour and glory. Marina Bay, 

Singapore, sdba.org.sg 

1-7JUN 


CHIANG MAI 

INTAKHIN CITY PILLAR FESTIVAL 

Inthakin is a Chiang Mai city pillar believed 

to be first erected by King Mangrai when the 

city was founded in 1296. The sacred pillar 

was moved from its original place at Wat 

Inthakin to Wat Chedi Luang in Chiang Mai’s 

city centre in the 1800s. Each year, Chiang 

Mai celebrates the incoming rainy season by 

worshipping this sacred monument. After 

a period of droughts and dry spells, locals 

welcome the lusher climes with colourful 

celebrations and major merit-making at the 

temple. Wishes for a good year ahead abound 

as the rains approach, meaning a bountiful 

rice crop and healthy harvest. The best spot 

to witness this long-time tradition is at Wat 

Chedi Luang where hundreds of people will 

attend the event either in a formal procession 

or as families and individuals. This Brahman 

tradition usually last seven days beginning 

with ‘Tam Bun Khan Dok’ or flower-blessing 

rituals to be followed by dancing, music 

performance, carnival games and street fairs. 

Wat Chedi Luang, Amphur Muang, Chiang Mai, 

Tourist Hotline 1672, tatcontactcenter.com/en 

16 17

OVERTURES 

NEWS AND EVENTS 

NOW 

GUANGZHOU 

NEW AIRPORT TERMINAL 

Guangzhou’s Baiyun International Airport 

plans to open its new terminal by May 2018. 

At a cost of $2.7 billion US Dollars, the new 

terminal supports Guangzhou’s goal to rival 

Hong Kong as an international air hub and 

economic centre in the Guangdong region. The 

new terminal is projected to handle around 45 

million passengers annually by 2020 and 100 

million by 2025. Growth trends suggest that 

the airport, now ranked 13th internationally 

for airport size, will soon overtake Hong Kong, 

currently in the 8th spot. baiyunairport.com, 

+86 20 3606 6999 

9-11 

MAY 


HONG KONG 

FINE DINING SHOWCASE 

Foodies and gourmands will want to pay a 

visit to the inaugural Gourmet Asia 2018. Part 

tradeshow and exhibition, the event will serve 

up a delicious array of high-end speciality food, 

drink as well as hospitality equipment. Although 

Gourmet Asia’s main intention is to deliver a 

platform for the F&B industry to show off their 

latest ingredients, products and technologies, 

the event also provides visitors and culinarians 

an opportunity to sample exclusive food 

products and items. 

One of the main highlights of the event will 

be the Gourmet Tasting Restaurant, which will 

showcase a mixture of local chefs, talents and 

international award winners. The pop-up styled 

eatery will serve a speciality menu prepared 

exclusively by award-winning talents from the 

culinary field for a truly extraordinary gourmet 

tasting experience. Hong Kong Convention and 

Exhibition Centre, gourmetasia.com 


29MAY 

CAMBODIA 

VISAK BOCHEA DAY 

The end of May sees Cambodians and many 

people in Southeast Asia celebrating one 

of the most important days of the Buddhist 

Calendar – Visak Bochea in Khmer or Visakha 

Bucha Day in Thai. 

Commemorating the birth, enlightenment 

and death of Buddha, Visak Bochea Day will 

see temples across the country come alive with 

candle processions and people offering food, 

alms and flowers in order to make merit. 

A national holiday, the festivities begin in 

the early hours of the morning in temples and 

pagodas with prayer as well as the offering 

of food and sweets to monks. The grandest 

celebration of Visak Bochea Day takes place 

in Oudong Mountain, located some 40km 

away from Phnom Penh, where a golden urn 

containing the relics of Buddha is kept. For visitors, 

this celebration offers a unique opportunity to 

experience the culture and people of Cambodia 

up close. tourismcambodia.com, tourismthailand.org, 

Tourist Hotline 1672 

18

OVERTURES 

BEAUTY AND HEALTH 

SPOTLIGHT 

Tricks and Treats 

If there’s ever been a moment 

or two when you wish to hide 

something, go ahead. Make-up 

tricks and rejuvenating colours 

can bring on a more youthful 

look, and our tips below 

are yours to learn. All you 

beauties out there can use 

concealing techniques that 

hide evidence of less sleep the 

night before. 

Here are some new tools 

for your makeup kit plus goto 

tips when you want that 

ageless glow. So yes, turn the 

clock back a bit! 

STOCKISTS 

Benefit 

MF Siam Paragon 

Tel +66 (0) 2610 7773 

Bobbi Brown 

GF Zen 

Tel +66 (0) 2613 1462 

Chanel 

MF Siam Paragon 

Tel +66 (0) 2610 7685 

BOI-ING 

HYDRATING 

CONCEALER 3.5G 

FROM BENEFIT 

(900 Baht) 

This concealer stick is 

infused with vitamin E 

and apple seed extract 

to keep your skin 

hydrated for up to six 

hours while leaving a 

natural-looking sheer 

finish. 

GALIFORNIA BRUSH 5.0G FROM 

BENEFIT (1,250 Baht) 

A sunny, golden pink blush that blends a 

bright shade of pink with shimmering gold, 

for a sun-kissed glow; complementing all 

skin tones. 

NAIL POLISH 11ML 

FROM BOBBI 

BROWN 

(650 Baht) 

A long-lasting nail 

colour with a high-shine 

gloss. This polish dries 

to a hard finish and 

stays put. 

LE VERNIS NEON 

NAIL COLOUR 

13ML FROM 

CHANEL (1,050 Baht) 

A long-wearing nail 

polish bursting with 

intense, vibrant colours 

and a neon finish. With 

its extra fine, ultra 

shiny formula, each coat 

offers an even, smooth 

and lacquered result. 

PUNCH POP 

LIQUID LIP 

COLOUR 7ML 

FROM BENEFIT 

(800 Baht) 

This liquid lip colour 

combines vibrant hues 

with a shiny finish to 

create the perfect blend 

for lip colours that pop. 

It glides on smoothly and 

contains vitamin E that is 

known for softening lips. 

WORDS PASSAKORN HONGTHONG STYLE SARANYA ARIYAKUL PHOTO SANG-ARUN CHAMPAWAN 

Candy Crush 

Tired of the usual when it comes to your 

everyday makeup? When you have a 

strong desire to break the monotony of 

dark colours and banish the boredom of an 

unexciting pallette of pale faces, be bold 

and give these soft and lively colours a try. 

VELVET MATTE LIP PENCIL 

2.4G FROM NARS 

(1,050 Baht) 

Every colour virtually works on 

everyone. Paired with soft eye 

colours, even the darkest or 

brightest shade of on your lips 

create a striking makeup look 

on its own. 

MARIMEKKO X CLINIQUE 

POP LIP COLOUR + 

PRIMER 3.8G FROM 

CLINIQUE (850 Baht) 

From design house, Marimekko, 

vibrant patterns and cheery hues 

on offer for a limited time only 

and colour stays true, 

making your lips feel 

moisturised for up to 

8 hours. 

PURE COLOR ENVY LIP 

PALETTE 1.5G/EACH FROM 

ESTEE LAUDER (1,900 Baht) 

Sculpt your lips with moisturising 

colour and transform your look with 6 

sweet shades from provocative plum 

to powerful pink and subtle rose. 

SKIN VEIL BASE DOT CUSHION 

SPF 14 PA++ 15G FROM LANEIGE 

(1,200 Baht) 

The Cushion now comes with 

ingredients from the 

Waterbank Essence 

acting as natural 

moisturising agents 

that maintains 

the optimum 

moisture balance in 

your skin. 

METAL CRUSH EYESHADOW 

2.8G FROM KAT VON D (900 Baht) 

Glides smoothly across the lids, 

saturating them with beautiful 

metallic pigments to bring a shock of 

metallic colour to your eyes. 

MARIMEKKO X 

CLINIQUE POP 

SPLASH LIP GLOSS 

4.3ML FROM 

CLINIQUE 

(850 Baht) 

Smile brightly with 

this collection of next 

generation glosses 

that combine a pop of 

colour with a splash of 

hydration, providing 

exceptional moisturise 

for all-day comfort. 

PATENT SHINE 10X NAIL 

LACQUER VERNIS 11ML FROM 

BUTTER LONDON (730 Baht) 

The innovative formula is loaded 

with ingredients proven to promote 

brighter, stronger and healthier nails 

for the best-dressed look. 

SWEET GLAMOUR 

EYESHADOW PALETTE 

0.5OZ FROM ZOEVA 

(1,109 Baht) 

A mix of matte and 

shimmering for dreamy 

daytime looks. Playful yet 

glamorous, this poetic 

palette offers a romantic 

array of pastel shades as 

light as thistledown. 

Tips 

NAKED SKIN COLOR 

CORRECTING FLUID 

6.2G FROM URBAN 

DECAY (1,200 Baht) 

Correct imperfections and 

play up your best features 

– all without having to lug 

around a whole contour kit. 

Go easy – If you have dark circles or some 

sun spots, dot a tiny bit of concealer on the 

inner corners of your eyes or on those spots, 

not just random places on your face. The more 

skin you can leave alone, the better. 

Lighten up – Tinted moisturisers with 

luminescent particles or lightweight liquid 

foundations are best for lined skin. 

Open your eyes – Curling your eyelashes and 

adding a little glimmery shadow as a highlighter 

are the easiest things you can do to make your eyes 

look bigger and best of all, younger-looking. 

Warm it up – A neutral rose colour applied 

to the lips and the apples of the cheeks flatters 

all skin tones and really brightens it up. 

Nail it well – This is one of the classic 

shades that we could never get enough and 

considered to be the best anti-aging colour. 

That’s the ever-so-popular red! Let the bright 

shade take attention away from skin blemishes, 

putting the focus instead on your shiny, bright 

manicure. 

STOCKIST 

Sephora 2F Central Embassy, Tel +66 (0) 2160 5817-8 

20 

21

OVERTURES 

STYLE 

 

 

 

 

 

 

WORDS PASSAKORN HONGTHONG STYLE SARANYA ARIYAKUL PHOTOS SANG-SRUN CHAMPAWAN 

 

 

 

 

Tie It On 

The key to looking dapper in men’s ties lies in 

deliberate choices, like hand selecting a pattern 

to complement the outfit. Choosing a tie with 

care, especially one that goes with an existing 

wardrobe, will be easier in establishing that 

sharp-edged, selected look. Prints and polka dots 

look livelier and possess a more unique touch 

compared to solid colours, yet remain appropriate 

for most business occasions. 

FOR HIM 

POLKA 

DOT SILK TIE 

WITH WOVEN 

TEXTURE FROM 

MASSIMO 

DUTTI 

(2,550 Baht) 

STOCKISTS 

➋ FLORAL 

PRINTS SILK/ 

COTTON TIE 

FROM MASSIMO 

DUTTI 

(2,550 Baht) 

Massimo Dutti 

Central World, 1F, Tel +66 (0) 2646 1465 

➌ RAINBOW 

BIRD PRINTS 

SILK TIE FROM 

PAUL SMITH 

(6,500 Baht) 

➍ BLUE OCEAN 

PRINTS SILK 

TIE FROM PAUL 

SMITH 

(5,900 Baht) 

➎ BEACH 

COCONUT 

TREE PRINTS 

SILK TIE FROM 

PAUL SMITH 

(6,500 Baht) 

Paul Smith 

Siam Paragon, MF, Tel +66 (0) 2610 9770-1 

FOR HER 

WALLET WITH 

DURABLE COTTON 

CANVAS AND 

LEATHER TRIM 

FROM MCM 

(10,900 Baht) 

STOCKISTS 

➋ PINK VELVET 

HEELS WITH GREY 

SATIN AND ROCK- 

COLOUR ELAPHE 

FROM FENDI 

(37,000 Baht) 

Fendi 

Siam Paragon, MF, Tel +66 (0) 2610 9287 

➌ TEEN WITCHES 

CHARM WITH 

MINK FROM 

FENDI 

(29,500 Baht) 

➍ CAN EYE 

METAL OVERSIZE 

SUNGLASSES 

SQUARE SHAPE 

WITH WHITE 

STUDS FROM 

FENDI (20,300 Baht) 

MCM 

Emquartier, GF, Tel +66 (0) 2003 6016 

➎ CROSSBODY 

BAG WITH FINEST 

SPANISH LEATHER 

AND ICONIC LOCK 

FROM MCM 

(18,900 Baht) 

A Colourful 

Touch 

Adding a pop of colour can bring on 

life and the magic touch to complete 

your look. Enhancing colours found 

in accessories or the latest heels can 

be eye-catching, definitely drawing 

attention so you can be fearless in the 

pursuit of colour. 

22 

23

OVERTURES 

THAILAND TREASURES 

Translation Chusri Ngamprasert Photos Courtesy of Tourism Authority of Thailand 

Chiang Rai: 

The Destination 

for All Seasons 

Many people tend to 

think of Chiang Rai as 

a winter haven. In fact, 

the northern province of 

Chiang Rai is a destination 

for all seasons. Here is a 

noteworthy list for a trip 

that’s good all year round. 

Witness the unique beauty of Thai 

architecture at Wat Rong Khun. 

Decorated with silver-coloured-glass, 

you’ll see the fascinating all-white temple 

as designed by a Thai artist. Take time 

to see the display of elaborate murals and a 

separate art gallery with a showcase of fine 

paintings. The temple and the art gallery are 

open daily from 8am to 5pm. 

If you’re someone who loves the active 

participation of agro-tourism and adventure 

travel, add Singha Park to your itinerary. 

Boasting various floras spanning over 8,000 

rai (2,300 acres) of land, Singha Park offers 

numerous beautiful sceneries and a wide variety 

of activities. Enjoy farm tours, biking or get up 

close to the animals from the African continent, 

such as giraffes, zebras, and Watusi cows. 

Venture high up on the mountain of 

picturesque Doi Tung, where three must-visit 

places include the royal villa, Phra That Doi 

Tung and Mae Fah Luang Garden. For the 

coffee aficionado, Café Doi Tung is the place 

to test the body and aroma of highland 

Arabica coffee cultivated in Chiang Rai. 

Drop by the Doi Tung Lifestyle Shop, with 

their varieties of products, made by ethnic 

minorities and people working in the Doi 

Tung Development Project. These include 

hand-woven products such as apparel, 

accessories, and home décor, ceramics and 

mulberry paper products. 

On the cliff of Phu Chi Fa, the spectacular 

views of the valley and sea of mist at sunrise 

are mesmerising. Phu Chi Fa Forest Park 

is about 1,200–1,628 metres above sea 

level, so the weather is mild all year round. 

During wintertime, visitors and campers flock 

there to enjoy the winter retreat, the sea of 

Opposite Page, Left 

and Above 

The beautiful 

all-white creation 

of Wat Rong Khun’s 

exterior and interior 

designed by a Thai 

artist, Chalermchai 

Kositpipat. 

Opposite Page, 

Bottom Left 

Up close with 

the animals at 

Singha Park 

Left 

Spectacular flora at 

Mae Fah Luang 

Garden, Doi Tung 

24 

25

OVERTURES 

THAILAND TREASURES 

Photo Nophadol Kanbua 

clouds at sunrise and the white beauty 

of wildflowers (the orchid tree) in full 

bloom around the peak of Phu Chi Fa. 

A camping ground is available – in town 

and very close to the summit. 

Chiang Rai’s wealth of scenery is 

endless. From the vantage point of Sop 

Ruak, at the confluence of the Ruak 

and the Mekong Rivers, you can see 

the Golden Triangle where the borders 

of Myanmar, Thailand and Laos meet. 

Consider a boat trip, it’s an enjoyable way 

to appreciate the scenery of the Mekong 

River and the infamous Golden Triangle. 

Souvenir shops along the walkway 

offer up clothing, accessories and other 

keepsakes. The Golden Triangle gained 

Top 

On clear days, 

visitors are 

rewarded with 

spectacular views 

of mountains 

shrouded in mist. 

Bottom Left and Right 

At Sop Ruak, you can 

see the countries of 

Laos and Myanmar 

while standing 

on the Thailand 

side, visible at the 

confluence of the 

Mekong and 

Ruak Rivers. 

Tranquil spots 

and less populated 

areas invite 

exploration at the 

Golden Triangle area. 

notoriety for being an opium-producing 

area. Here, you’ll learn more about the 

opium’s history; its origins, the Opium 

Wars, as well as see opium smoking kits 

and instruments used in the opium trade 

from around the world. 

Chiang Rai and the rest of Thailand 

offer plenty of places to explore. Please 

don’t let weather be a deterrent. Come 

rain or shine; well-prepared travellers will 

surely have a blast. 

For more information, contact Tourism 

Authority of Thailand (TAT) Chiang Rai 

Office, Tel: +66 (0) 53 717 433, 

+66 (0) 53 744 674-5 

26

OVERTURES 

A TASTE OF THAILAND 

Red Positive 

When wandering the streets in Thailand, you’ll encounter street vendors with 

pushcarts of colourful herbal drinks. The bright red roselle juice is sure to be one 

of the choices. This drink, with a sweet and sour flavour, is the best option when it 

comes to replenishing one’s body from thirst and fatigue. Resourceful vendors mix 

roselle juice together with the jujube fruit for an even better taste and additional 

health benefits. 

The traditional Thai herbal drink boasts a great number of healthful advantages, 

namely its high content of vitamin C, a natural anti-oxidant known to help with 

improving blood quality, an ability to reduce cholesterol levels, as well as lowering the 

risk of diabetes. Importantly, a roselle drink contains anthocyanins and polyphenols, 

with the former possessing high levels in its anti-oxidant and anti-inflammatory 

properties. Studies claim that the anthocyanin levels can stop irregular cancer 

cells from expanding. For women, the drink is interesting knowledge as it can fight 

against free radicals and slow down the aging process, thanks to the presence of 

polyphenols. However, be careful not to drink too many glasses as roselle works a bit 

like a laxative! 

The whole plant itself can be used for further medicinal purposes, 

contributing to greater benefits. The calyx – which forms around the seedpod – 

when consumed can reduce fatty deposits in arteries while the young leaves 

are favoured by local Thai people as vegetable side dish. The stem also serves as a 

utilitarian purpose; it can be turned into fibre to make rope. 

Ingredients 

• 150g. of roselle 

(fresh or dried ones) 

• 4 cups of water 

• ½tbs, refined salt 

• 1 cup of sugar 

• Small ice cubes 

• Roselle calyxes 

(to decorate) 

Instructions 

WORDS SARITA URUPONGSA 

Wash the roselle with water, avoid 

removing the calyxes. Put the roselle into 

an empty pot. 

Pour water in the pot over the plant, 

leaving it at a medium flame until it boils. 

Lower the heat and continue simmering 

for 15 to 20 minutes. The roselle drink, 

with its beautiful red colour forming, 

is almost ready. 

With its lowered temperature on 

the stove, add sugar and salt. Continue 

simmering the liquid a bit so that the salt 

and sugar melts and produces a wellbalanced 

flavour. 

Once done, filter only the liquid. Keep 

the pot partly covered with the lid as you 

drain. Set aside the rest of the roselle in a 

bowl as it is edible. 

Let the drink cool down a bit, add ice 

cubes, and top the glass with the calyxes. 

28 29

OVERTURES 

FRUITFUL FINDS 

A Gem 

Among Fruits 

The papaya, with its deep and rich colour, 

holds many benefits. Easy enjoyment of its 

smooth and butter-like interior just requires 

a smooth slice. 

WORDS CHUSRI NGAMPRASERT PHOTO KAY CHOOMONGKOL 

With its vivid orangeness, a ripe 

papaya fruit is a real gem of the 

tropics. Even Christopher Columbus 

called it the “fruit of the angels”. 

Served chilled with yoghurt, or a 

simple slice and just a squeeze of 

lime are some of the best ways to 

enjoy its refreshing perks. 

Papaya, known as Pawpaw in 

Australia and New Zealand, is ubiquitous 

in Thailand. Also native to southern 

Mexico and Central America, the 

Spaniards centuries ago took the papaya 

seeds from the coasts beyond Panama 

to Manila and then Malacca. Today it is 

cultivated throughout the tropics. 

Papaya is an excellent source 

of vitamin C, folate, potassium, dietary 

fibre, vitamins A, E and K and papain, 

an enzyme which helps digest 

proteins. In the ancient Mayan 

civilisation, the people honoured the 

papaya tree and called it the “Tree of 

Life”. The Mayans eat papaya to help 

with digestion and use it as a paste to 

heal a skin rash or other skin problems. 

Hawaiian and Mexican are two 

popular varieties of the papaya 

fruit. Both are pear-shaped, but 

the Hawaiian papaya tends to be 

smaller, sweeter and easier to harvest. 

Traditionally, papayas are grown from 

seeds, so the plants are not always 

true to their parents. In Thailand, 

the fruits have been evolving, and 

the four most popular varieties are 

Khaek Dum (green and crisp when 

unripe, yet red when ripe), Khaek 

Nuan (a hybrid from Khaek Dum, 

crunchy when green and sweet 

when ripe with an orange-red flesh), 

Holland (also known as Red Maladol 

from the Mexican variety, crisp 

and sweet when ripe) and Sai Nam 

Phueng (extremely sweet when ripe 

but tends to be mushy). 

While many parts of the world 

don’t consume raw green papaya, 

Thais enjoy it as much as when it’s 

ripe. The famed Som Tam, a salad 

made from unripe papaya combines 

the primary tastes of the local 

cuisine: sour, spicy hot, savoury salty 

and subtle sweetness. 

Papaya seeds are also edible: 

the taste is a cross between mustard 

and black peppercorns and can be 

grounded like black pepper. In India, 

the leaves of the papaya are often 

prepared like spinach recipes, and 

the papaya leaf extract is used to 

fight dengue and malaria. It’s not just 

the apple a day that keeps the doctor 

away – so does a papaya. 

30

OVERTURES 

ARTS & CULTURAL MATTERS 

SOM TAM OR PAPAYA SALAD CARTS 

Many people can’t do without the 

ubiquitous som tam or papaya salad 

carts. Prepped, sliced and chopped in 

a rich display are shredded papaya, 

yardlong beans, cherry tomatoes, and 

Thai eggplants. They find company 

with glass jars containing flavourings of 

dried shrimp, peanuts, and palm sugar. 

Some carts assemble a minimalist 

setup of trays for all the ingredients 

with the key tool: a pestle and mortar, 

and base flavourings of Thai anchovy 

or fish sauce, managing to draw in the 

crowds. The spicy papaya salad carts 

usually come attached with a barbecue 

grill for cooking chicken, catfish, and 

cuts of pork. Another essential feature 

of this type of cart is a large bucket 

where packs of steamed sticky rice 

keep warm. 

OLD-STYLE COFFEE CARTS 

The classic brewing method of traditional Thai coffee begins 

with a large kettle of boiling water, cloth filter bags that strain 

the brewed liquid, and a metal canister to hold the drink. With 

this setup, ground coffee gets pressed into a filter bag attached 

Words Sarita Urupongsa 

Illustrations Arthit Limpong 

It’s not a street food 

scene in Thailand 

without the iconic 

presence of food carts! 

From the early hours 

of dawn to late night, 

vendors attach these 

wheeled workhorses to 

motorbikes or bicycles, 

planting themselves 

at any convenient 

location: sidewalks, 

main streets, and small 

alleys. When hunger 

pangs or cravings hit, 

our primer shows you 

how to spot the right 

set of wheels. 

NOODLE CARTS 

One thing all noodle carts share in common is the round 

pit of a steaming cauldron where sumptuous broths, 

stocks and water settle in an eternal rolling boil to 

blanch noodles, vegetables, and meats. Usually a clear 

glass box sits atop the side of the cart. Here is your 

open glass menu, with a bi-level mouth-watering display 

inside the box. The upper layer is usually reserved for 

assorted proteins, like beef and pork cuts, BBQ meats, 

assorted meatballs, fishballs, and wontons. The lower 

shelf gathers different noodle types: thin rice vermicelli 

BARBECUE CARTS 

For office staffers to 

construction workers – 

skewered snacks serve as 

comfort food. Pork, chicken, 

giblets, or Northern-style 

sausages to grilled bananas 

or corn are their best friends 

as immediate stomach fillers. 

The smoke from the grills is 

absorbed by an embedded 

exhaust hood, which later 

spreads the tantalising smell 

further afield. 

to wide ones, egg noodles, bean sheet noodles and 

even instant noodles within easy reach. Some vendors 

take pride in the already rich, flavourful taste of their 

broth while other places season for you. Not to worry 

though, as every noodle cart comes with its own set of 

seasonings and condiments to cater the dish to your 

own taste. There’s always a seat for you as most places 

provide foldable tables and bright plastic chairs for their 

customers to enjoy 

the vibe of 

street-side dining. 

HAWKERS 

Our special mention includes hawkers on foot who offer 

a form of commerce long familiar in Thai society. The 

authentic tradition has sellers carrying a woven basket that 

perches on both ends of a slim wood plank and balanced 

on a shoulder. In the baskets are usually ready-made 

snacks which customers can grab easily for easy 

consumption on the sidewalk or for takeaway. 

Popular items include sticky rice with sweetened 

pork or shredded pork, a spicy fermented pork 

salad, cooked eggs, steamed peanuts, and 

Thai desserts packed in bags or banana leaves 

of local delicacies from different parts of the 

country. Some hawkers even include handmade 

products crafted from local natural materials; such 

as wicker and other wood products. 

to an aluminium loop with handle. With a firm grip, the vendor 

pours boiling water on coffee grounds and waits for it to filter 

all the way through. To sweeten the rich, dark coffee – sugar, 

condensed milk, and evaporated milk serve as key options 

for both hot and iced old school coffee. This type of cart not 

only offers the aromatic traditional coffee and tea, but also 

other choices such as an iced pink milk for sweet enjoyment or 

Nom Yen (sala syrup mixed with condensed milk), or the more 

familiar cocoa drink or lime soda. Some vendors have modern 

equipment for espresso drinks thereby providing a longer drink 

menu. Expect your drink to be served classic style: in plastic 

tumblers encased in a bag with a handle for sipping enjoyment 

while commuting. At breakfast time, some places even offer 

warm toast with butter and sprinkled sugar in addition to coffee. 

32 

33

OVERTURES 

ARTS & CULTURAL MATTERS 

FRUIT CARTS 

On every busy street, fresh fruit 

carts are assuredly a common 

sight. Easily spotted, thanks to the 

bright colours of assorted fruits 

neatly sitting on ice blocks, check 

out a vendor’s knife skills of swift 

peel-and-slash. The enticing display 

of sliced tropical fruits include a 

selection of mango, guava, papaya, 

rose apple, pineapple, cantaloupe to 

the refreshing coconut. These fruits 

reach another level of tastiness with 

unique condiments. Fruits get dipped 

in regular combinations of salt 

and chilli while some carts 

offer more sophisticated 

dipping options such as a 

sweet shrimp paste, sweet 

fish sauce, or a salt blend with chilli 

and dried plum. 

COCONUT ICE CREAM CARTS 

Coconut ice cream carts consist strawberry, and vanilla. You 

of round or square ice cream know the drill: pick your flavour, 

tubs surrounded by colourful choose your vessel and select 

and chewy toppings in clear toppings ranging from attap 

containers. Customers can fruits, sweetened pumpkins, 

choose to have their ice cream corn, jackfruit bits, sticky rice and 

served in a cone, cup, bread, or roasted peanuts. Evaporated milk 

even in a coconut shell. Apart and chocolate sauce add the rich 

from coconut, sellers offer other tastiness to the ice cream as a 

flavours such as chocolate, final touch. 

ASSORTED SNACK CARTS 

This type of cart usually features a sizzling round stove to cook snacks 

and Thai pancakes galore. From rolled pancakes with fillings, crispy mini 

pancakes, pancakes made of glutinous rice flour and shredded coconut to 

Thai crêpes, the list goes on. Some places feature items such as fried dough 

balls of sweet potato, banana fritters, or snacks requiring a unique cooking 

equipment and stools of coconut rice pancakes or steamed tapioca balls 

with pork fillings. All of these snacks are best sellers when urbanites get 

hungry and crave a light snack before dinnertime. 

34

OVERTURES 

CHECKED IN: PHUKET 

Island 

Spotlights 

We continue our series with first-hand 

accounts on the latest discoveries that 

appeal to the senses. 

Photos Jeremie Schatz 

STAYED: THE NAKA PHUKET 

In the ocean of accommodations in 

Phuket, there are many fishes in the sea. 

They come in all shapes and sizes: from 

petite and humble to expansive and 

opulent. The Naka Phuket has settled 

in nicely to its own niche in the market, 

appealing to guests who prefer peace, 

privacy and tastefully minimalist design. 

Naturally, this exclusive resort has 

all of the amenities one would expect – 

outstanding service, a pampering spa, wellequipped 

gym, Olympic-size infinity pool, 

a tantalising international dining menu, 

boutique shop, shuttle to nearby Patong, 

baby-sitting service, big fluffy pillows and 

all the rest. They even provide you with a 

complimentary smartphone to use during 

Above Left 

and Right 

Balance: the 

minimalist villas 

strike a tasteful 

equilibrium with 

the surrounding 

environment. 

your stay with free local and international 

calls, maps and city guide, and internet. 

However, it’s the architectural style that 

lends to its uniqueness and gives the Naka 

Phuket its soul. 

At the end of a steep meandering 

mountain road, the Naka Phuket’s 95 pool 

villas don’t dominate the landscape, but 

instead compliment the topography of 

the scooped out, steep beachside valley. 

Many of the window-wrapped villas take 

advantage of the geography by being 

cantilevered out over the hillside. Slide 

open the blackout curtains or settle onto 

the balcony and you’re met with an aweinspiring 

feeling of space. 

Commanding views 

of Patong Bay at the 

rooftop bar – an 

ideal sunset spot. 

Below Left 

and Right 

Even the room 

numbers pay 

homage to the 

mountainside which 

the Naka calls home. 

Architect Duangrit 

Bunnag’s unique 

cantilevered design 

has led the Naka 

to be included as 

a member of the 

Design Hotel Group. 

36

OVERTURES 


Clockwise from Top 

The Naka’s 

glass-wrapped pool 

villas offer privacy 

while maintaining a 

feeling of openness. 

The airy Wiwa 

Restaurant has 

nothing lying 

between it and 

the beach except 

an Olympic-size 

infinity pool. 

A true hideaway: 

so close, yet feels 

so far away. 

The Meka Sky 

Lounge serves up a 

delicious view and 

a menu to match. 

Well-known Thai designer Duangrit 

Bunnag threw intricacies out the window. 

However, this is not a barren design but 

one where the less-is-more approach 

found an authentic triumph. The villas are 

primarily concrete, steel and glass with a 

peppering of wood accents and teak floors 

for good measure. A feature that really 

resonates is Bunnag’s decision to work his 

design around established trees thereby 

introducing an organic element. 

The Naka will have a strong appeal 

to those who relish a private hideaway 

feel and find solace in luxurious simplicity 

without distractions. As General Manager 

Sawai Sombat likes to say while gesturing 

skyward at night, “some resorts have five 

stars, we have thousands.” 

The Naka Phuket is a member of the 

Design Hotel group of properties whose 

mission is to “create an unrivalled global 

community for design, architecture, culture 

and become the definite source of original 

hospitality experiences”. 

1/18, 1/20 Moo 6 Kamala, Kathu, 

Phuket 83150 

+66 (0) 76 337 999 

thenakaphuket.com 

Squid ink pasta 

with roe and garlic 

cream sauce. 

38

OVERTURES 


Clockwise from 

Above Left 

The gambas pil 

pil combines fresh 

shrimp and ample 

garlic in a rich chilli 

oil and butter sauce. 

Seafood lovers will 

rejoice over 

the tender, Spanishstyle 

grilled octopus. 

Stay a while: 

Catch’s beachfront 

pool looks out 

over stunning 

Bang Tao Beach. 

The beach club’s 

regulars and return 

visitors will be 

delighted to discover 

new menu items 

every month. 

Although not the 

only beach club 

in Phuket, Catch 

has set the bar for 

what a beach club 

should be. 

TASTED: CATCH BEACH CLUB 

Although probably not the first to 

import the beach club concept to 

Phuket, Catch Beach Club is largely 

considered the island’s quintessential 

elite beach party spot. After enjoying 

several luscious years in Surin Beach, 

the fashionable club hasn’t missed 

a beat since moving to their new 

expansive Bang Tao Beach location. 

Renowned for hosting big-name 

contemporary DJs and champagnepopping 

glitzy parties, Catch has 

another more subdued, yet just as 

glamorous side – in the kitchen. 

With 20+ years of experience 

behind him, Chef Anan has spent 

seven of those masterminding the 

eclectic menu at Catch. Several new, 

thematically-inspired dishes get 

concocted every month to keep the 

popular club at the culinary cutting edge. 

So what medley of Chef Anan’s 

taste-bud-tingling creations might one 

discover? How about grilled Spanishstyle 

octopus in a chili and garlic butter 

sauce. Not overpoweringly buttery, 

with some magical herb mix sprinkled 

on top, this fresh mollusc is cooked to 

40

OVERTURES 


precise consistency. Coaxing octopus 

to just the right texture is a skill that 

separates the cooks from the chefs. 

Another Spanish tapas-derived 

crowd-pleaser is the gambas pil pil. 

Although these fresh shrimp are 

served bathing in a chilli oil and 

butter sauce similar to the octopus, 

the pungent flavours are simplified. A 

fresh baked baguette from the woodfired 

oven soaks up every drop of 

garlicky goodness. 

The codfish à la nage, however, 

has no disguise and is an honest-togoodness 

soup. À la nage translates to 

“in the swim” referring to the way the 

imported Australian cod is poached 

alongside vongole (clams) in a savoury 

broth. The sweet cherry tomatoes and 

tarragon pesto fill out the light flavours 

of this afternoon favourite. 

Chef Anan’s vision led him to tap into 

the culinary traditions of coastal Spain 

where they have found a home in Phuket. 

Where will Chef Anan lead us next? 

202/88 Moo 2, Cherngtalay, Thalang, 

Phuket T: +66 (0) 65 348 2017, 

book@catchbeachclub.com 

Left 

Chef Anan’s 

extensive 

experience with 

Japanese cuisine 

shines through in 

Catch’s sashimi 

offerings. 

Top, Middle to Right 

Any self-respecting 

beach club would 

serve up a mean 

mojito, and Catch is 

no exception. 

With its tarragon 

pesto, sweet cherry 

tomatoes, and fresh 

clams, the codfish à la 

nage makes an ideal 

beachside lunch. 

Below 

Having spent nearly 

half his life in the 

kitchen, Chef Anan’s 

experience is reflected 

in the well-thought 

-out menu. 

42

SAMUI’S GOOD JOBS 

It’s easy to visit Koh Samui and have our days in the sun. 

But behind the scenes of waving palm trees and beckoning 

waters, dedicated locals make their paradise a true haven. 

Making Good 

on the 

Island 

Words Susan Field 

Photos Lesley Fisher 

On the first visit to Koh Samui in 

1986, my mother and I arrived by 

ferry. I promptly fell in love with this 

idyllic island with its azure waters, 

soft white sand beaches, gently swaying palm 

trees, fantastic food and friendly people. 

The love affair continued over 

the years and in 2004, I commissioned 

my first villa which rented out 

successfully for the next ten years, 

giving plenty of excuses to spend 

more time in Samui. And with each 

visit, I became more enchanted! 

In 2015, after selling my busy PR 

company, it was time to leave the 

hustle and bustle of Hong Kong after 

thirty fun, hectic years and settle in 

Samui. With hourly connections to 

Bangkok as well as two direct daily 

flights to Hong Kong and Singapore, 

it made travelling to other places in 

the world very easy. 

While still idyllic, Samui has 

changed and developed so much. 

Those of us who want development 

to be more ecologically and ethically 

sustainable are doing our part. 

Koh Samui has a number of 

active organisations that work 

tirelessly for the greater good, 

care of animals and preservation of 

the island. 

44 

45


Top 

This Page 

The Samui Elephant 

Sanctuary gained 

inspiration from 

the Save Elephant 

Foundation, whose 

founder Sangduean 

“Lek” Chailert, is 

known for being 

at the forefront for 

elephant welfare 

and ethical tourism. 

From a previous 

life of hard labour, 

the elephants now 

thrive in a caring 

environment. 

SAMUI ELEPHANT SANCTUARY 

An experience not to be missed is 

Samui Elephant Sanctuary which 

opened in January this year and 

already has five adorable elephants 

in residence. Getting up close to the 

elephants is a memory you can never 

forget! According to the founder 

Khun Pao, “Here at the Samui 

Sanctuary, we treat our elephants 

with the dignity and respect they 

deserve. We do not allow riding or 

any type of performance; instead we 

work with our herd through positive 

reinforcement via food! Our tours 

follow a very relaxed programme 

which starts with an introduction 

to our work, followed by feeding 

the elephants. Then (it’s) a leisurely 

stroll through the sanctuary – 

accompanied by other elephants!” 

There are two tours each day, 

from 9am-12pm, 2-5pm. 

samuielephantsanctuary.org, 

Tel: +66 95 269 8343, 

email: info@samuielephantsanctuary.org 

SOI DOG FOUNDATION 

Founded in Phuket in 2003, Soi 

Dog (which means Street Dog) 

has an excellent animal welfare 

programme, having efficiently spayed 

and neutered more than 200,000 

dogs since opening its doors. They 

also work tirelessly providing 

medical treatment, sheltering, 

adoption opportunities and 

sponsorship of dogs. 

Funded entirely by donations, 

Soi Dog currently has a mobile 

sterilisation unit in Koh Samui 

which neuters many dogs and cats 

every month. To find out more or to 

donate, please visit soidog.org. 

SISTERS ON SAMUI (SOS) 

Every month, around 50 ladies 

gather for an informal lunch at one 

of Samui’s excellent restaurants. 

Aside from a fun social event, SOS 

supports local charities and has been 

the driving force behind several 

important causes. 

Its current focus is on raising 

funds to renovate the Children’s 

Ward at the government-run 

Nathon Hospital. In addition to 

the refurbishment programme, 

SOS is looking for sponsors and 

donations to provide new pyjamas 

for the children and to install bright 

new cheerfully coloured curtains. 

Details of the work by Sisters on 

Samui can be found at facebook.com/ 

kohsamuicharity. 

SAMUI CLEAN & TRASH HERO 

And where there are humans, there 

is invariably garbage and Samui is 

no exception. Visitors and locals 

to the island can see an increasing 

number of large bins on the beaches 

that encourage disposal of trash 

responsibly and help keep the 

beaches in pristine condition. 

Decorated with the message 

Respect Our Beaches and bright sea 

images, they are the brainchild of 

local artist Idania Lucia Reiss, who 

creates the captivating artwork 

together with other artists. The 

bins are then distributed by Brent 

Jones, founder of non-profit 

organisation, Samui Clean and 

Samui Bins. 

Samui Clean, together with 

another group, Trash Hero, 

organises beach cleaning sessions 

every Sunday afternoon at 3pm. 

They welcome visitors to join 

them. Samui Clean accepts 

donations, however small, to 

finance the bins and the materials 

needed for the artwork. 

Details can be found on 

facebook/samuiclean. 

DOING MY PART 

Two years ago, I co-founded 

Impact Samui with my partners 

Rodney Waller (an established, 

award-winning developer on the 

island), and financial and project 

manager David Birchall. 

With a clear focus on 

responsible development, we do 

new building projects and we 

also carve a niche through our 

restoration of existing, rundown 

buildings. Rather than 

demolishing them and adding more 

development to the island, older 

buildings get beautified and new 

life breathed into them. Whenever 

possible, usable materials get 

recycled before donating the 

remainder to various causes on 

the island – in particular, children 

and animals. Sometimes our 

company sells such materials 

and makes cash donations to 

worthwhile causes. With our first 

project, Lavaliere, we sold all sorts 

of items, and made a donation 

towards the redevelopment of the 

Children’s Ward at Nathon Hospital 

on the island. 

If you’re just visiting, 

consider a bit of volunteer or 

responsible tourism by visiting 

the organisations or sending a 

donation. It’s what keeps Samui 

beautiful. 

Top 

Above 

Respect Our Beaches’ 

Idiana Lucia Reiss, 

an artist who paints 

the cans and Brent 

Jones of Samui Clean 

and Trash Hero 

work tirelessly to 

keep Samui shores 

pristine. 

Left 

Volunteers for 

Trash Hero may 

also be non-Samui 

residents. Jones says 

that many tourists 

ask to help with 

beach cleaning who 

directly contact the 

organisation. 

46 

47


น้ำทะเลสีคราม หาดทรายขาวนุ่ม ใบปาล์ม 

พลิ้วไหวตามแรงลม อาหารเลิศรส และ 

ผู้คนที่เป็นมิตร ทั้งหมดคือความทรงจำ 

ครั้งแรกของฉันที่เกาะสมุยในปี 1986 

ฉันเปิดวิลล่าให้เช่าในช่วงสิบปีหลังจากนั้น 

เลยพลอยให้ได้มาเยือนที่แห่งนี้บ่อยครั้งขึ้น 

จนกระทั่งในปี 2005 ฉันขายบริษัทพีอาร์ 

หนีความวุ่นวายจากฮ่องกงมาอยู่ที่เกาะสมุย 

เต็มตัว จนได้เห็นว่าสมุยเปลี่ยนแปลง 

ไปมาก ทว่าเราก็ได้พัฒนาสมุยอย่างยั่งยืน 

มารู้จักองค์กรจำนวนมากบนเกาะสมุย 

ที่ดำเนินการอย่างไม่เหน็ดเหนื่อยเพื่อสังคม 

คอยดูแลสัตว์และอนุรักษ์เกาะแห่งนี้ 

Samui Elephant Sanctuary 

เพิ่งเปิดทำการตั้งแต่เดือนมกราคมที่ 

ผ่านมา แต่ตอนนี้มีช้างถึงห้าเชือก 

เปิดโอกาสให้คุณได้ใกล้ชิดและสัมผัส 

ประสบการณ์ที่จะจดจำไปตลอดกาล 

คุณเปา ผู้ก่อตั้งกล่าวว่า “เราให้ 

เกียรติและเคารพช้างอย่างที่ควรจะเป็น 

เราไม่อนุญาตให้ขี่ช้างหรือให้ช้างแสดง 

ความสามารถใดๆ ตารางกิจกรรมของ 

เราไม่เร่งรีบ เริ่มจากให้ข้อมูลเกี่ยวกับ 

งานที่เราทำ ต่อด้วยการให้อาหารช้าง 

แล้วเดินเล่นทั่วเขตอนุรักษ์แห่งนี้พร้อมกับ 

ช้าง มีอาหารกลางวันและอาหารเย็นจัด 

ไว้ให้ทุกท่าน 

เปิดให้เข้าร่วมกิจกรรมสองรอบต่อวัน 

9.00-12.00 น. และ 14.00-17.00 น. 

จอง/สอบถามข้อมูลได้ที่เว็บไซต์ 

samuielephantsanctuary.org, 

โทร: +66 (0) 95 269 8343 

ที่ใดมีมนุษย์ ที่นั่นมีขยะ สมุยก็เช่นกัน 

— อิดาเนีย ลูเซีย ไรส์ และศิลปินอีกหลาย 

คนจึงได้คิดสร้างงานศิลปะพร้อมข้อความ 

“Samui Clean and Samui Bins” 

พร้อมกับถังขยะที่จัดหาโดย เบรนต์ โจนส์ 

ผู้ก่อตั้งองค์กรไม่แสวงหาผลกำไร 

Samui Clean and Samui Bins 

กลุ่ม Samui Clean และ Trash 

Hero ยังจัดกิจกรรมทำความสะอาด 

สมุยทุกวันอาทิตย์ เวลา 13.00 น. เปิด 

โอกาสให้ทุกคนเข้าร่วม และรับบริจาค 

เพื่อซื้อถังขยะและอุปกรณ์สำหรับงาน 

ศิลปะ, facebook.com/samuiclean 

มูลนิธิเพื่อสุนัขในซอย (Soi Dog 

Foundation) ก่อตั้งในปี 2003 จัด 

โครงการดูแลความเป็นอยู่ของสัตว์ และ 

ได้ทำหมันสุนัขมากกว่า 200,000 ตั้งแต่ 

เปิดทำการ เพื่อป้องกันการเกิดใหม่ของ 

สุนัขที่ไม่เป็นที่ต้องการ อีกทั้งยังรักษา 

ให้ที่พักพิง และดำเนินการขอรับอุปการะ 

Sisters on Samui (SOS) สุภาพ 

สตรีกว่า 50 ท่านมารวมตัวกันเพื่อทาน 

อาหารกลางวันเดือนละครั้ง นอกจากเพื่อ 

พบปะสังสรรค์แล้ว SOS ยังสนับสนุน 

บน, ขวาล่าง 

ชายหาดและธรรมชาติ 

บนเกาะสมุยจะสวยงาม 

และสะอาดหมดจด 

เหมือนเดิมไม่ได้ 

หากผู้คนละเลยหน้าที่ 

ซ้ายล่าง 

กลุ่มอาสาสมัคร 

ทั้งจาก Samui Clean 

และ Trash Hero 

ร่วมแรงร่วมใจกันจัดการ 

ขยะบนเกาะสมุย 

งานการกุศลในท้องถิ่น และเป็นแรงขับ 

เคลื่อนกิจกรรมสำคัญต่างๆ อีกด้วย 

ตอนนี้สมาชิกของกลุ่มมุ่งระดมทุน 

เพื่อปรับปรุงแผนกผู้ป่วยเด็ก โรงพยาบาล 

หน้าทอน SOS สนับสนุนโครงการก่อสร้าง 

และหาผู้สนับสนุนเงินทุนเพื่อซื้อชุดนอน 

สำหรับเด็ก และติดตั้งผ้ าม่านสีสันสดใส, 

facebook.com/kohsamuicharity 

ร่วมช่วยด้วยมือเรา เมื่อสองปีก่อน 

ฉันได้ร่วมก่อตั้ง Impact Samui กับ 

รอดนีย์ วอลเลอร์ (นักพัฒนามือรางวัลที่ 

ได้รับการยอมรับอย่างกว้างขวาง) และผู้ 

จัดการโครงการและการเงิน เดวิด เบอร์ชอล 

เราได้ทำโครงการก่อสร้างใหม่ และ 

บูรณะอาคารที่ทรุดโทรมเพื่อให้อาคาร 

เหล่านั้นกลับมามีชีวิตอีกครั้งหนึ่ง โดยมี 

เป้าหมายเพื่อการพัฒนาอย่างมีความ 

รับผิดชอบ 

เมื่อมีโอกาส เรานำสิ่งของที่ใช้แล้วมา 

รีไซเคิล แล้วบริจาคส่วนที่เหลือเพื่อประโยชน์ 

ของเกาะสมุย บางครั้งบริษัทของเราก็ขาย 

วัสดุที่ใช้แล้วเพื่อสมทบทุนกับกิจกรรม 

สาธารณะประโยชน์ต่างๆ Lavaliere เป็น 

โครงการแรกที่เราขายสิ่งของต่างๆ เพื่อ 

บริจาครายได้แก่โครงการปรับปรุงแผนก 

ผู้ป่วยเด็ก โรงพยาบาลหน้าทอนเกาะสมุย 

หากคุณมีโอกาสมาเยี่ยมเยียนเกาะสมุย 

ลองมาเป็นอาสาสมัคร หรือท่องเที่ยว 

เชิงอนุรักษ์กับองค์กรเหล่านี้ หรือร่วม 

สมทบทุนเพื่อให้สมุยเป็นเกาะสวรรค์ที่ 

คงความงดงามเช่นนี้ต่อไป 

SAMUJANA’s name comes from the blend of Koh ‘Samui’ and the word ‘Jana’, meaning coral in Moroccan, due to its 

stunning hillside location overlooking a coral cove, with private beach access and uninterrupted views of Samui. 

Samujana’s def inition is very simple – 24 charming villas from 1 to 8 bedrooms, all with oversized private inf inity pools, 

modern Thai architecture and breath-taking views, 5-star hotel services and details that make a world of difference – 

the perfect place for friends and family to gather and have a great time. 

48 

Tel: +66 (0) 7742 3465 

Email: reservations@samujana.com 

www.samujana.com

FASHIONED FANTASIES 

Haute 

Drawings 

Words Phoowadon Duangmee 

Photos Phannapast Taychamaythakool 

for Gucci & Wichit Kongsiangsung 

High Fantasy 

Infused with a sense of fantasy, urban legends 

and popular culture, Thai artist and fashion 

designer Phannapast Taychamaythakool has 

created a unique collection of illustrations for a 

global high house of fashion. 

50 51


Last summer, Phannapast left her 

creative stamp when Gucci unveiled 

their “Le Marché des Merveilles” 

jewellery line. The collaboration 

with the Italian high fashion brand also 

came with a fairytale installation of animal 

portraits at their New York Fifth Avenue 

and Beverly Hills stores. 

In the series of fantastical 

portrayals, an elephant appears 

in an enormous red hat and blue 

dress with floral motifs. Then there 

is one of a loved up couple, a dolphin 

and a panther, in colourful dresses 

with tongues wagging in euphoria. 

These animals stand proud and 

confident in their finery. Odd 

yet magical – the entire set of 

illustrations burst at the seams with 

floral details and patterns, sending 

art and fashion aficionados to 

fantasy land where beauty and the 

beast manages to find a comfortable 

marriage, and wild animals have 

access to high fashion or in this case, 

Gucci’s latest collection. 

In the historic neighbourhood of 

Bangkok’s Chinatown, Phannapast 

shows up at Starbucks Wang Burapha 

on a sunny afternoon with her 

drawing markers and drawing 

logbooks for a private interview with 

Fah Thai magazine. 

Right 

An imaginative 

rendering of 

an unlikely yet 

passionate affair 

between a dolphin 

and black panther 

by Phannapast. 

Bottom 

Armed with 

a degree in 

fashion design, 

the illustrator’s 

personal expression 

is as colourful as 

her work. 

“I come to Starbucks often to 

do some sketching and drawing. 

The daylight is about right to do 

hand drawing,” says the 31-year-old 

Thai illustrator. 

The up-and-coming artist 

appeared in a loose blue shirt, 

super long and over blue jeans and 

sneakers. Her face stands out with 

the distinctive “Beatle moptop” 

haircut and a pair of round, supersized 

hippy sunglasses – like John 

Lennon’s look from the 1960s to 

70s. A prominent mole – similar 

to Cindy Crawford’s signature 

one – occasionally draws attention 

with the people she talks to. Unlike 

her vibrant and quirky works, 

Phannapast’s voice is surprisingly 

gentle and conversations are carried 

out politely like with most Thai 

women, ending every sentence with 

the particle ‘kha.’ 

“Your work is oversaturated with 

a bright palette – pink, red, blue and 

yellow – so vibrant. Do you keep any 

black clothing in your wardrobe?” 

I asked the young fashion designer 

this as many fashion designers wear 

all black. Yohji Yamamoto, Vera Wang, 

Riccardo Tisci, Karl Lagerfeld – to 

name a few. 

“No, I don’t like black,” says 

Phannapast. “I keep a few black 

pieces, but I don’t really put them 

on.” Behind the pair of large hippy 

shades, I could sense some degree 

of shyness. After a few sips of hot 

Cappuccino, an ice breaker moment 

happens. The conversation becomes 

more sensational, with voices rising 

in a series of higher pitches. 

“When I was very young, 

I avoided looking at myself in 

the mirror,” says Phannapast. 

“Something wasn’t right in there. 

The reflection of a schoolboy 

in a typical and traditional crewcut 

was like a stranger to me, and that 

made me feel uncomfortable. There 

was conflict and disgrace. I didn’t 

even glance at my reflection,” 

confesses Phannapast, who is male 

and dresses as a woman. 

Nothing unlocked the conflict 

in her mind except art. It built up 

self-esteem and brought her out 

of a protected shell to eventually 

shine. Phannapast studied fashion 

design at Chulalongkorn University, 

Bangkok, and became a creative 

director of the local clothing brand 

“Kloset”. Being a freelance illustrator, 

she posts her work on Instagram 

occasionally. 

“In my young age when I started 

drawing, no one told me such things 

about creativity. Form and function 

52


Right 

The commissioned 

work from Gucci 

resulted in a set 

of illustrations 

featuring the 

‘Wonder Factory’ 

where gems are 

fashioned. 

Bottom 

In Phannapast’s 

vision, the factory 

is run by all kinds 

of fanciful and 

endearing creatures 

behind ‘Le Marché 

des Merveilles’ 

jewels and charms. 

were very conventional. Leaves had 

to be green, and the branches of 

the tree had a certain form,” says 

Phannapast. 

In art school, Phannapast had 

access to many artistic concepts, 

ideas and inspiration, and found out 

that beauty, indeed, has different 

faces and forms. She started to take 

a hard, long look in the mirror to 

find out her talents. 

“People have been living in a 

conventional world way too long, 

and are way too comfortable to 

recognise the beauty of being 

different,” says Phannapast. 

“When we find something or 

someone unconventional, we keep 

asking too many questions. We tend 

to think that they are misfits and 

alienated. We believe that they need 

to be fixed. 

“In fact, we don’t have to look, 

think, feel or act like our peers. 

Beauty lies in being different – be 

it difference in sexual identity or 

appearance.” In her work for Gucci, 

Phannapast tries to convince people 

of this philosophy. 

In art school, Phannapast had access to 

many artistic concepts, ideas and inspiration 

and found out that beauty, indeed, has 

different faces and forms. 

She also illustrated a book of 

imaginative fairy tales written 

by a friend, Aracha Cholitgul, 

inspired by stories of a personal 

past, and brought into an artistic 

visualisation. The tales in three 

chapters revolve around 

a “Wonder Factory” 

where animals create 

jewellery. 

In the first 

chapter, “A Present 

from the Sky” tells 

a tale of the kitten 

who wears a mask to 

cover up a facial mole. 

One day the little cat 

decides to take off 

the mask when 

it learned that beauty and a feelgood 

experience do not come from 

appearance alone. 

The second chapter, “The Very 

Big New Friend”, Erawan is a large 

elephant having a hard time trying 

to get a job in the factory. 

She is large in size with 

legs as large as the oldest 

trees in the forest. 

Her body is even 

bigger than the factory 

itself and when her 

ears flap, they create a 

small whirlwind. After 

Erawan has been in 

the factory for a while, 

she learns that she 

is a misfit. Every 

54


time the hapless pachyderm tries to 

help, everything she touches breaks. 

In these stories, both artists create 

an unforeseen relationship that 

challenges people’s attitudes. 

In the third chapter, “To Our 

Beloved Siranee from the Wonder 

Factory”, a dolphin has fallen in love 

with the stone statue of a panther 

who guards the jewellery factory. 

These fantastical animal 

stories and Phannapast’s eccentric 

illustrations blend fantasy and very 

human emotions, enhancing these 

stories on self-identify, conflict, 

and love. 

“People are too curious about 

everything, anything. People ask 

too many questions and don’t even 

bother about what they really need 

from the answer – or where the 

answer will take them to,” says the 

artist. “Perhaps they want an answer 

to satisfy their curiosity – or simply 

keep asking just for fun.” 

“In ‘Wonder Factory’, the 

animals don’t ask why or how 

the dolphin could develop such 

a romance with a statue – but 

they help make magic happen by 

appeasing the ‘Lioness Goddess.’ 

For this set of stories, every 

chapter ends like a Han Christian 

Andersen book. It’s so sweet 

that you might need a lemon (to 

counteract it). The stone statue 

of a panther springs to life, 

thanks to the Lioness Goddess 

who gives him a heart and our 

creature takes the dolphin’s hand 

to a romantic, tantric cloud nine. 

Apart from the fantasy story, what 

makes eyebrows raise higher is 

the eccentric illustrations full of 

vibrant colours. 

Drawn with great details, 

Phannapast’s signature touches 

are of animals wearing luxurious 

clothing and posing as humans. 

Influenced by the Chinese shrines 

Top 

“A Present from 

the Sky” 

Right 

A whimsical 

drawing from 

the Thai illustrator 

has unleashed 

creative power. 

she often visits and the tribal art 

patterns that she is fond of, the 

artist creates a mysterious beauty 

in these illustrations. 

“I like drawing animals and 

making them like humans,” the 

Thai artist puts it. “There is some 

degree of animal in a human being. 

When we are mad, sometimes we 

turn into a wild beast.” 

56


หน้าร้อนที่ผ่านมา แฟชั่นเฮ้าส์อิตาเลียน 

ชั ้นสูงอย่างกุชชี่ ได้เปิดตัวคอลเลกชัน 

เครื่องประดับ “Le Marché des Merveilles” 

ที่ผสมผสานกลิ่นอายความอัศจรรย์ 

ตำนาน และป๊อปคัลเจอร์ ออกแบบโดย 

ศิลปินและนักออกแบบแฟชั ่นชาวไทย 

ปัณพัท เตชเมธากุล 

สิงสาราสัตว์นานาชนิด ช้างสวม 

หมวกสีแดง ใส่ชุดสีน้ำเงิน ประดับด้วย 

ลวดลายแมกไม้ หรือจะเป็นคู่รักปลา 

โลมากับเสือดำในชุดสีสันสดใส เปล่ง 

ประกายความสุขล้นบนผืนภูษา เป็นงาน 

ออกแบบที่แปลกใหม่และมีมนต์ขลัง 

นำวงการแฟชั่นเข้าสู่ดินแดนมหัศจรรย์ 

แห่งใหม่ ความมหัศจรรย์แห่งกุชชี่ 

ฟ้าไทยมีโอกาสสัมภาษณ์นักวาด 

ภาพประกอบสุดชิคผู้นี้ที่ย่านเยาวราช 

ด้วยเสียงอันนุ่มนวล ขัดกับการแต่งตัว 

ที่โดดเด่นและดึงดูดทุกสายตาที่มองมา 

ปัณพัทกล่าวว่า เธอชอบมานั่งวาดรูปที่ 

สตาร์บัคส์แห่งนี้เพราะแสงที่นี่เหมาะกับ 

การสร้างสรรค์งานใหม่ 

เพราะงานออกแบบของเธอมีสีสัน 

ฉูดฉาด เราจึงอดสงสัยไม่ได้ว่า ศิลปินผู้นี้ 

จะมีเสื้อผ้าสีกลางๆ อย่างสีดำบ้างหรือ 

เปล่า...คำตอบคือมีอยู่ไม่กี่ชิ้น มีไว้ 

อย่างนั ้นแหละ เธอไม่ชอบ และไม่คิดจะ 

หยิบขึ้นมาใส่ 

เธอเล่าให้ฟังอีกว่า ตอนเด็กๆ เธอ 

ไม่อยากส่องกระจก ไม่อยากมองเห็น 

ภาพตัวเองในชุดนักเรียนตัดผมเกรียน 

ขัดกับตัวตนที่อยู่ภายใน แต่ศิลปะนี่แหละ 

ที่ทำลายกำแพงหนาที่ปัณพัทก่อขึ้น 

รอบตัวเอง แล้วเจิดจรัสขึ ้นมาอีกครั้ง 

ด้วยความมั่นใจ 

ปัณพัทเรียนจบสาขาออกแบบแฟชั่น 

ที่จุฬาลงกรณ์มหาวิทยาลัย ทำงานเป็น 

ผู้อำนวยการฝ่ายสร้างสรรค์ให้กับ 

แบรนด์เสื้อผ้า Kloset พร้อมกับเป็นนัก 

วาดภาพประกอบอิสระ โดยโพสต์งานของ 

ตัวเองลงอินสตาแกรมเป็นครั้งคราว 

เธอเล่าต่อว่า ศิลปะที่เรียนมานั้น 

อยู่ในกรอบที่ไม่เอื้อต่อการคิดสร้างสรรค์ 

ใบไม้ต้องเป็นสีเขียว กิ่งก้านต้นไม้ต้องเป็น 

รูปแบบตามที่เป็น พอคนเห็นอะไรที่แปลกไป 

จากเดิมก็ตั ้งคำถาม และคิดไปเองว่า 

สิ่งแปลกปลอมนั้นต้องได้รับการแก้ไข 

แต่นี่แหละคือความงดงาม ความ 

แตกต่างคือความงดงาม อัตลักษณ์ทาง 

เพศและการแสดงออกก็เช่นกัน 

นักออกแบบมากพรสวรรค์อย่าง 

เธอได้ร่วมวาดภาพประกอบนิทาน 

“Wonder Factory” ที่เขียนโดย อรช โชลิตกุล 

ประกอบด้วยนิทานสามเรื่อง เล่าเรื่องราว 

ของสัตว์ที่ร่วมกันสร้างชุดเครื่องประดับขึ้น 

บทแรก “A Present from the Sky” 

เล่าเรื่องแมวที่ปกปิดใบหน้าเพราะมีไฝ 

แมวตัวนั้นตัดสินใจถอดหน้ากากออกแล้ว 

พบว่า ความงามและประสบการณ์สุดพิเศษ 

ไม่ได้มาจากรูปลักษณ์ภายนอกเท่านั้น 

บทที่สอง “The Very Big New Friend” 

ช้างชื่อเอราวัณพยายามที่จะเข้าทำงาน 

ในโรงงานแห่งหนึ่ง เธอตัวใหญ่มาก 

ปัณพัท เตชเมธากุล 

ศิลปินนักวาดภาพ 

ประกอบและผู้อำนวยการ 

ฝ่ายสร้างสรรค์ของ 

แบรนด์เสื้อผ้า Kloset 

ผลงานซิกเนเจอร์ของ 

เธอล้วนได้รับแรง 

บันดาลใจจาก 

สิงสาราสัตว์ แฟชั่น 

กรุยกราย ลวดลายจีน 

สุดวิจิตร และเรื่องราว 

ที่เสมือนหลุดมาจาก 

โลกแฟนตาซี 

ใหญ่กว่าโรงงานเสียอีก หลังจากที่ 

ทำงานได้สักพัก เธอเริ่มตระหนักว่าเธอ 

ไม่เหมาะกับโรงงานแห่งนี้ เพราะเมื่อเธอ 

แตะอะไร สิ่งนั้นก็พังพินาศไปหมด 

และบทที่สาม “To Our Beloved 

Siranee from the Wonder Factory” 

เป็นเรื่องราวของปลาโลมาผู้หลงรักรูปปั้น 

เสือดำที่ทำหน้าที่คุ้มครองโรงงานแห่งนี้ 

ปัณพัทกล่าวว่า ทุกคนสงสัยทุกเรื่อง 

ตั้งคำถามมากเกินไป ทั้งๆ ที่ไม่รู้ว่า 

ต้องการอะไรจากคำตอบที่ได้ หลายๆ 

ครั้งก็ถามเพื่อความสนุกเท่านั้น 

ใน “Wonder Factory” สัตว์แต่ละตัว 

ไม่ถามเลยสักคำว่าปลาโลมาตกหลุมรัก 

รูปปั้นได้อย่างไร ทุกคนต่างช่วยกัน 

อ้อนวอนขอพรจากเทพสิงโตจนท้าย 

ที่สุด นิทานก็จบลงด้วยความสุขสมหวัง 

ของคู่รักต่างสายพันธุ์ 

นิทานว่าแปลกแล้ว ภาพประกอบ 

ยิ่งแปลกกว่านั้นอีก สีสันสดใส 

ฉูดฉาด รายละเอียดของภาพ 

ล้ำลึก สะท้อนเอกลักษณ์งานของ 

ปัณพัทที่มีสัตว์สวมเสื้อผ้าหรูหรา 

ผสมผสานศิลปะจีน และลวดลาย 

ชนเผ่า สร้างสรรค์เป็นความงามที่ 

ลึกลับน่าค้นหา เธอทิ้งท้ายว่า เธอชอบ 

วาดภาพสัตว์ให้มีรูปลักษณ์เป็นคน 

เพราะมนุษย์ก็มีลักษณะเหมือน 

กับสัตว์ บางครั้งยามที่เรา 

โกรธ เราก็กลายร่าง 

เป็นอสูรกายได้ 

เฉกเช่นเดียวกัน 

A CHINESE GUIDE TO THAILAND 

Tai Guo Zhi Nan or Thailand Guide is a 

custom-made guidebook designed for Chinese 

visitors to Thailand. Packed with insights and 

recommendations, the guidebook is a colourful 

presentation of Thailand focusing on Bangkok, 

Samui and Phuket. 

Tai Guo Zhi Nan is curated and edited by some 

of the most experienced and talented native 

speakers and multi-award magazine designers. 

The image-driven contents open with an overview 

of Thailand followed by events and festivals, 

recommendations to the best places to 

Eat, Shop & Play and close with tips tailored for 

Chinese visitors. The guidebook is divided into 

distinct sections highlighted by bright bold colours 

and section openers. 

Distributed by Bangkok Airways at airports and 

travel agents in China, the guidebook is also 

available at select hotels and resorts in Bangkok, 

Samui and Phuket and at Bangkok Airways 

lounges. The Guidebook also comes in a digital 

format via its website taiguoguidebook.com or 

scan the QR code on the cover. 

Published by MPMI Group Co., Ltd. 

Read Me 

Scan Me 

58

KHMER MODERNISM 

Phnom Penh’s glorious past can 

be seen through some of the still 

functioning buildings designed 

by the late Cambodian architect 

Vann Molyvann. If things had gone 

according to the original plans 

from decades ago, his influential 

urban designs would have defined 

Cambodia’s architectural destiny. 

Words Sirin P Wongpanit 

Photos Permboon Wongpanit 

60 

61


The sun is coming down and the indoor stadium 

of the National Sports Complex in Phnom Penh 

is the best spot to watch the evening’s gorgeous 

amber lights. Completed back in 1964, when 

Cambodia was pitching to host the Southeast Asian 

Peninsular Games, the Olympic Stadium, as it was once 

called, possesses clean and crisp lines of aluminium panels 

that run in parallel with the main balusters. While the 

original function of this fluting façade is to provide the 

needed cross-ventilation to the typically stuffy spaces in 

this stadium, these breathable walls also create stunning 

effervescent screen patterns that play along with the 

glimmering sunlight. I was told that the architect Vann 

Molyvann based the idea of this building on a mushroom 

– with a big core at the centre supporting the entire 

cantilevered structure – all symmetrical and with a stark 

modernist approach. 

Above 

The indoor stadium at 

the National Sports Complex with its 

‘breathable’ interior. 

Below 

Shimmering light passes 

through the indoor stadium of 

the sports complex. 

Opposite Page 

Top Left 

Inspired by a moat, the outdoor 

stadium drew its plan from the 

ancient Angkor Wat complex. 

Top Right 

The stadium showcases 

a design befitting the Khmer 

climate and lifestyles. 

Not too long ago on a 

dusty tuk-tuk ride in and 

about Phnom Penh, I found 

myself inadvertently gawking 

at the beautiful landmark of 

Chaktomuk Conference Hall 

on the busy riverside strip, 

not too far from the Royal 

Palace. Vann Molyvann, as I 

learned again, designed this 

magnificent Phnom Penh 

icon, along with almost a 

hundred other public buildings 

back in the 1960s that could 

have shaped Cambodia into a 

stunning metropolis, if not for 

the tragic interruption by the 

Khmer Rouge that practically 

erased everything. 

Some people told me I should 

not focus on the sad parts of 

Cambodia. Phnom Penh as we 

now know is a capital in big 

transition. Money is flowing in, 

with mega-constructions aplenty 

everywhere in the city. Snarling 

traffic with urban expansions 

are a big part of life here. Office 

workers and urban dwellers don 

to-go gourmet coffee cups as a 

daytime accessory. Those who 

visited Phnom Penh just decades 

ago would never recognise the 

city now. Its dust, prominent in 

memories, is almost completely 

gone. Roads are paved, buildings 

are getting higher, megamalls 

and condominium complexes are 

being built quite rapidly. 

Phnom Penh is letting 

bygones be bygones. But 

then again, there are these 

gorgeous buildings of the 

1960s – collectively referred 

to as ‘New Khmer Architecture’ 

– the ones that constructed 

Cambodian’s Golden Age, that 

took place not too long ago. 

At the Institute of Foreign 

Languages (IFL), another of 

Vann Molyvann’s public 

building that is still standing 

and being used, students are 

reading with some of them 

engrossed in group studies. 

All of them are in oblivion to 

the great architect. Out of 

personal curiosity, I tried to 

quiz some of them, to see 

whether they know of my 

admired architect. Sadly, none 

had heard of his name, except 

for one geek whose job was to 

keep guard of the library – the 

round-shaped ‘bibliothèque 

– whose iconic avant-garde 

design was based on Cambodian 

farmers’ straw hats. 

62 63


For enthusiasts who love to 

scout for awesome buildings, the 

IFL buildings are magnificent 

examples of how the architect 

achieved his own personal 

directives. Vann Molyvann was 

known for his modern designs 

that fit well in the tropical heat. 

Small precise structures, raised 

platforms, cross-ventilation, 

aesthetic “claustra” and “brisesoleil” 

screens are heavily 

featured. In the middle of the 

plaza at the IFL complex is a giant 

banyan tree under which you 

might want to sit down and soak 

in the unique 1960s atmosphere. 

But the highlight from Vann 

Molyvann’s playful mind is in the 

main building’s staircase. Leading 

from the first to the fourth floor, 

the simple and open staircases 

seamlessly form an infinite 

juxtaposition. A flow of pedestrian 

traffic going up and down creates 

Above, Left and 

Right 

The shape of a fan 

provided design 

inspiration for 

the Chaktomuk 

Conference Hall, 

accentuated by 

traditional Khmer 

elements. 

Vann Molyvann 

began work on the 

conference hall, his 

first building, upon 

his appointment as 

chief architect in 

the 1950s. 

Vann Molyvann was known for his modern 

designs that fit well in the tropical heat. 

ever-changing and fluid human 

patterns. It is something genius in 

my opinion – and you have to be 

there to understand it. 

The ‘Golden Age’ of Cambodia 

took place between the 1950s to 

1960s when the country celebrated 

its full independence for the first 

time after almost a century as 

a French protectorate. The then 

King Norodom Sihanouk had a 

great vision to wholesomely uplift 

his country through education, 

arts and culture. Vann Molyvann, 

the Kampot province native, was 

coming back from his years on 

scholarship studying architecture 

in Paris. Heavily influenced by 

Le Corbusier and the like; he was 

appointed the State Architect and 

Head of Public Works. Unlike other 

prestigious architectural projects 

where people would need to pay 

to be able to enjoy the building 

facilities, Vann Molyvann’s 

landmarks were all public projects, 

hence creating a greater impact 

for everyday people. Doing the 

research for this architectural trip 

to Phnom Penh, we wish we could 

have seen the gorgeous 1962 Preah 

Suramarit National Theatre – an 

icon in the cultural landscape of 

Phnom Penh and the host to the 

National Conservatory of the Arts. 

The building had been torn down in 

2008 after a fire severely damaged 

its structure. 

New Khmer Architecture 

in Phnom Penh has become an 

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64 

Scan Me


Above 

A flow of pedestrian 

traffic going up and 

down creates 

ever-changing, 

fluid human 

patterns. 

Right 

A classroom at the 

Institute of Foreign 

Language, with 

its gradient and 

sloped seatings. 

Below 

The circular pattern 

of the library at the 

IFL, intimate and 

book-reading cosy. 

interest among foreign visitors 

and professional architects 

during the past decades. In 2013, 

the Nikkei Asia Prize awarded 

Vann Molyvann in the culture 

category for his significant social 

contribution in Asia. The foreign 

recognition helped perpetuate his 

remaining works too. The Vann 

Molyvann Project, a pro bono 

effort of an international team of 

architects, architectural students 

and researchers, did a great job 

archiving the architect’s precious 

plans and stories. As anyone would 

tell you about the modern history 

of Cambodia, they are mostly oral. 

And Vann Molyvann’s records are 

pretty much the same. 

Then again, one could not 

curb the curiosity of the younger 

generation. Subdued despite obvious 

glories, Vann Molyvann’s works 

are now drawing attention among 

young and aspiring Cambodian 

architects and architectural students. 

His works are not taught in schools, 

yet a lot of people are studying it. 

Special projects and architectural 

tours of the city provide good 

resources for those interested to 

learn more about this historical slice 

of Phnom Penh. 

For me, the students at the IFL 

are the lucky ones. They may not 

know it, but they are spending 

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FOR HIS PHOTO OF THE ZOJILA PASS, 

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featured this photo in our article, 

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66


Above 

Surrounded by 

pillars and 

protruding rain 

gutters, the exterior 

of the International 

Foreign Institute’s 

library becomes 

a spectacular sight 

when it rains. 

New Khmer Architecture in Phnom Penh 

has become an interest among foreign 

visitors and professional architects during 

the past decades. 

time in one of the greatest buildings 

on earth. I sneaked into their 

iconic auditorium-style classroom, 

taking my time sitting on the 

raised platform that from the 

outside looks like a giant box on 

a pair of lady stilettos. The wall 

of the hallway that connects all 

these classrooms is a perforated 

claustra wall that breathes and 

allows sunlight to create beautiful 

patterns that change with the 

hours of the day. 

There are also the active 

teams of aunties and uncles 

who, in colourful and stretchy 

spandex, arrive in droves for 

the evening’s aerobics on 

the raised outdoor arena of 

the National Sports Complex. 

Even now that the area is 

being encroached by mega 

construction, the magnificent 

allure of the whole place 

remains. A landmark of the 

great late architect who just 

passed away late last year at 

the age of 91, this complex as 

well is evidence of the glorious 

past – still perpetuated 

through its actual use by the 

people of Phnom Penh. 

For more information about Vann Molyvann and the Golden Age of Khmer 

Architecture, visit vannmolyvannproject.org. For those interested in the tours 

of Khmer Architecture Tours, browse through ka-tours.org. 

พระอาทิตย์กำลังจะลับขอบฟ้า คงไม่มีจุด 

ชมแสงอาทิตย์อัสดงที่งดงามเทียบเท่า 

สนามกีฬาในร่มที่ศูนย์กีฬาแห่งชาติกรุง 

พนมเปญอีกแล้ว แสงอาทิตย์ระยิบลอด 

ผ่านช่องผนังที่แต่เดิมออกแบบมาเพื่อ 

ระบายอากาศ ดังที่สถาปนิก วัน โมลีวาน 

ออกแบบและสร้างแล้วเสร็จในปี 1964 

ระหว่างที่นั่งรถตุ๊กตุ๊กเลียบฝั่งแม่น้ำ 

รอบเมืองพนมเปญ ไม่ไกลจากพระบรม 

มหาราชวัง สายตาของคุณไม่อาจพลาด 

หอประชุมจักโตมุขแน่นอน ไม่น่าแปลกใจที่ 

หอประชุมแห่งนี้ก็ออกแบบโดย วัน มาลีวาน 

เช่นเดียวกันกับอาคารของรัฐอีกกว่าร้อย 

แห่ง กัมพูชาอาจกลายเป็นเมืองหลวงอัน 

ตระการตา ถ้าไม่ถูกขัดขวางโดยการ 

เคลื่อนไหวของเขมรแดงเสียก่อน 

ถึงกระนั้น กัมพูชาก็ยังเป็นเมืองหลวง 

ที่กำลังเปลี่ยนผ่านและขยายตัวอย่าง 

รวดเร็ว เม็ดเงินไหลบ่าสู่โครงการก่อสร้าง 

ขนาดยักษ์ ผู้ที ่เคยมายังเมืองหลวงแห่งนี้ 

เมื่อไม่กี่สิบปีก่อนคงแปลกใจที่ได้เห็นร้าน 

กาแฟสุดฮิป ห้างสรรพสินค้า ตึกสูง 

เสียดฟ้า และวิถีชีวิตคนเมืองอย่างเต็ม 

รูปแบบ แต่พนมเปญก็ไม่ลืมรักษารากเหง้า 

ของตัวเองเอาไว้ด้วยอาคาร “สถาปัตยกรรม 

เขมรสมัยใหม่” ที่สร้างในช่วงปี 1960 

สถาบันภาษาต่างประเทศ อาคารรูป 

วงกลมแบบอาว็อง-การ์ดเป็นอาคารของ 

รัฐอีกแห่งหนึ่งที่ปัจจุบันยังใช้ในการเรียน 

การสอน แต่ถ้าถามนักเรียนที่นั่นว่ารู้จัก 

สถาปนิกผู้ออกแบบอาคารหลังนี้หรือไม่ 

น้อยคนนักที่รู้จัก วัน โมลีวาน 

สำหรับผู้ที่คลั่งไคล้สถาปัตยกรรม 

จะไม่ผิดหวังเมื่อได้ยลโฉมอาคารแห่งนี้ซึ่ง 

ออกแบบมาให้เหมาะกับภูมิอากาศเขตร้อน 

โครงสร้างขนาดเล็ก พื้นยกสูง ระบบระบาย 

อากาศแบบไขว้ ผนังฉลุลายงดงาม ตัว 

อาคารโอบล้อมต้นไทรที่เติบใหญ่ตรงจุด 

ศูนย์กลาง บันไดที่เชื่อมตั้งแต่ชั้น 1ถึงชั้น 4 

ไขว้ขนานกัน เผยให้เห็นคลื่นมนุษย์เคลื่อนตัว 

ขึ้นลงเป็นสาย 

กัมพูชาเจริญก้าวหน้าสูงสุดในยุค 

ทองหลังจากประกาศอิสรภาพจาก 

ฝรั่งเศส พระบาทสมเด็จพระนโรดม สีหนุ 

ทรงพัฒนาประเทศผ่านการศึกษา ศิลปะ 

และวัฒนธรรม พระราชทานทุนการศึกษา 

แก่ วัน โมลีวาน ให้เรียนสถาปัตยกรรมศาสตร์ 

ที่กรุงปารีส แล้วกลับมารับตำแหน่ง 

สถาปนิกแห่งรัฐ และหัวหน้ากิจการรัฐ 

รังสรรค์อาคารทรงเอกลักษณ์ และ 

สร้างแรงกระเพื่อมแก่ชีวิตประจำวันของ 

ผู้คนกัมพูชาโดยทั่ว 

ปัจจุบันสถาปัตยกรรมของ วัน โมลีวาน 

เป็นที่รู้จักอย่างกว้างขวางทั้งในและต่าง 

ประเทศ คนรุ่นใหม่ให้ความสนใจมากขึ้น 

บน 

ช่องกำแพงโปร่ง 

ที่สถาบันภาษา 

ต่างประเทศ 

กรุงพนมเปญ 

ฝีมือออกแบบของ 

วัน โมลีวาน มีลวดลาย 

แปลกตา สวยงาม 

ยามแสงแดดลอดผ่าน 

ล่าง 

ห้องเรียนของสถาบัน 

ภาษาต่างประเทศ 

รูปทรงแปลกตา ได้รับ 

การออกแบบมาอย่าง 

มีเอกลักษณ์ 

มีการจัดโปรแกรมเที่ยวชมสถาปัตยกรรม 

เพื่อเรียนรู้ประวัติศาสตร์ของกรุงพนมเปญ 

อีกด้วย 

นักเรียนที่สถาบันภาษาต่างประเทศ 

ดูเหมือนจะเป็นกลุ่มคนที่โชคดีที่สุดที่ได้ใช้ 

เวลาอยู่ในอาคารที่ยิ่งใหญ่ที่สุดแห่งหนึ่ง 

ของโลก แสงอาทิตย์ที่ลอดผ่านช่องฉลุ 

ยังความงดงามให้แก่ภายในของตัว 

อาคารจะเปลี่ยนแปลงแตกต่างออกไป 

ตามแต่ละช่วงเวลาของวัน 

หากมองไปรอบๆ ศูนย์กีฬาแห่งชาติ 

ในปัจจุบัน จะเห็นภาพผู้คนจำนวนมาก 

พากันมาออกกำลังกาย คุณลุงคุณป้า 

ออกท่าทางเต้นแอโรบิกอย่างสนุกสนาน 

ท่ามกลางตึกขนาดมหึมาที่ห้อมล้อมอาคาร 

ตระหง่านแห่งนี้อยู่ทุกเมื่อเชื่อวัน จึงเรียก 

ได้ว่า อาคารแห่งนี้เป็นตัวแทนความรุ่งเรือง 

ด้านสถาปัตยกรรมที่ วัน โมลีวาน ทิ้งไว้ 

ให้ประชาชนชาวพนมเปญทุกหมู่เหล่าได้ 

เชยชมอย่างแท้จริง 

68 69

BURMA BREWS 

Colonial 

Vestiges y 

A former British hill station in 

Myanmar provides the ideal setting 

for coffee to thrive. 

Words & Photos Ron Emmons 

70 

71

BURMA BREWS 

When British colonials established Maymyo (literally ‘May’s 

Town’, after Colonel May) in the early 20th century, they 

were desperate to escape the sweltering heat of Mandalay 

in the hot season. At 3,538 feet (just over 1,000 metres) 

of elevation, Maymyo offered a cool retreat, and soon the town had a 

familiar feel to its new inhabitants, with its clock tower, governor’s house 

and botanical gardens. These days Maymyo is known as Pyin Oo Lwin, 

and though the Brits are long gone, their legacy lingers on and attracts 

a steady stream of visitors from Mandalay, just 70km to the west. 

Yet alongside these tourist 

attractions, Pyin Oo Lwin is 

also making a name for itself as 

a producer of fine coffee. Several 

small plantations in the region 

are united under the umbrella 

organisation of the Myanmar 

Coffee Association, and some 

of them, such as Ngu Shwe Lee 

Coffee and Lone Star Coffee, 

welcome visitors to look around 

their estates to see all the 

stages in the preparation of this 

popular beverage. 

I began my exploration of 

Pyin Oo Lwin at the former 

Governor’s House, which is now 

on the grounds of the Aureum 

Palace Hotel. Being a Brit myself, 

I was curious to see how my 

compatriots had lived during 

the colonial era. As I entered 

the grand building, which 

was surrounded by manicured 

gardens, I stopped in my tracks. 

Top Right 

Young coffee plants 

at the ‘butterfly 

stage’, with just two 

leaves. 

Bottom Right 

Raspberry latte 

coffee served at café 

in Pyin Oo Lwin, 

Myanmar. 

Bottom Left 

Old photograph of 

residents and staff 

at the Governor’s 

House, Maymyo 

(now Pyin Oo Lwin), 

Myanmar. 

Opposite 

The Purcell Clock 

Tower in the centre 

of Pyin Oo Lwin, 

erected. 

Sitting and standing around the 

entrance hall were models of 

soldiers and other colonial types 

that were so lifelike, I expected 

them to step forward and shake 

my hand. Once I had got over 

this shock, I looked around the 

mansion’s many rooms, one 

of which included an indoor 

swimming pool, and imagined 

how my compatriots lived at 

the time. 

My next stop was the 

Kandawgyi National Gardens, 

which was based on England’s 

famous Kew Gardens, and I 

was instantly impressed by the 

meticulous order that had been 

established in the midst of a 

tropical jungle. Walkways led 

through colourful flowerbeds, 

past a collection of petrified 

wood, along a raised boardwalk 

over a swamp, through massive 

stands of bamboo, and around 

an elevated timber walkway 

bordered by massive, tropical 

trees. After a couple of hours 

meandering round the lakes 

and pathways, I felt uplifted by 

nature’s beauty and eager to see 

more of this quirky town. 

In the town centre, I smiled 

to see the Purcell Tower, a clock 

tower that would not have been 

out of place in any English town. 

Another throwback to the colonial 

era were horse-drawn carriages 

waiting patiently for passengers 

on street corners; they might 

have been lifted straight out of 

Victorian London. Clearly the 

intention of the colonials was one 

of stamping their own culture 

on the local scene rather than 

adapting to Burmese ways. As 

I wandered around, I realised 

that this place didn’t feel like 

Myanmar at all, as the faces 

were predominantly of people 

with Nepali or Indian descent. 

72 

73

BURMA BREWS 


Top Right 

Grading beans at 

coffee factory. 

Local brands of 

Myanmar coffee. 

Coffee beans 

ripening on 

the bush. 

I presumed that many of those 

who worked for the colonials had 

stayed on after the Brits had left 

and put down roots here. Even in 

the town’s main market, which 

was a riot of noise, colour and 

unusual smells, most of the stall 

vendors seemed to be Nepali 

or Indian. 

I settled into a café to reflect 

on these rich experiences, and 

was delighted to find a fantastic 

range of coffees to choose from. 

I ordered a latte, and while I was 

enjoying it, I got talking to a 

man called Samuel. “Do you like 

our local coffee?” he asked, and 

when I expressed surprise that 

the beans came from the area, 

he explained that the soil and 

climate in the hills around Pyin 

Oo Lwin make it ideal for growing 

coffee. It turned out that there are 

many small coffee plantations in 

the region, all of which are part of 

the Myanmar Coffee Association 

and produce top-grade varieties, 

such as S795, which is much 

sought after by coffee buyers. 

“So how come you know so 

much about coffee?” I asked 

Samuel. “Well, it just so happens 

that I was a manager of one 

of the local plantations for a 

decade,” he answered with a 

grin. “Would you like to take a 

look around one tomorrow? I’ll 

be showing a small group around 

a couple of plantations and a 

processing plant.” I jumped at the 

opportunity; after all, I had drunk 

coffee every day for countless 

years without much idea of how 

the brew was made. 

Samuel picked me up the next 

morning and we drove with his 

small group a few kilometres out 

of town to a coffee estate run by 

a friend of his. The welcoming 

owner, U Kyaw Sein, immediately 

poured us a cup of coffee from 

his farm and cracked open some 

macadamia nuts to nibble as we 

drank. Samuel explained that 

the macadamia tree provides 

excellent shade, which coffee 

bushes need, and the crop of nuts 

(around 12 tons a year) provided 

valuable extra income. 

We hopped into a pick-up 

truck and bounced along dirt 

tracks that led through the 

estate, stopping here and there 

for U Kyaw Sein to show off the 

waxy-leaved coffee bushes laden 

with green berries. He explained 

Somehow the experience of watching 

the process of coffee production all the 

way from seed to cup had given me a new 

appreciation of just how much knowledge 

and hard work goes into producing the 

drink that kick-starts my days. 

that with careful maintenance, a 

coffee bush can keep producing 

beans for up to 80 years, but it 

was evident that this is a labourintensive 

business. As we drove 

around, we passed small groups 

of workers pruning the bushes, 

weeding the area around them 

and adding fertiliser to the earth. 

Apart from coffee, which yields 

about 15 tons of green beans a 

year from around 200 acres, the 

estate also grows dragon fruit and 

avocados. The avocado is another 

tree that doubles as a shade tree 

for coffee and brings an extra 

source of income. 

Samuel then took us to the 

Mandalay Coffee Group processing 

plant on the outskirts of Pyin 

Oo Lwin to see what happens to 

the beans once they have been 

harvested. I was shocked to see 

all kinds of elaborate machinery 

used to soak the beans, throw 

out the bad ones, take off the 

skins and then roast them so that 

they are ready for consumption. 

In one corner of the processing 

plant, a small army of women sat 

grading berries one by one, a job 

that would drive me mad with its 

repetitive nature. 

We couldn’t leave without 

sampling the finished product, 

and I smacked my lips as I supped 

a cup of S795 Arabica special. 

Somehow the experience of 

watching the process of coffee 

production all the way from 

seed to cup had given me a new 

appreciation of just how much 

knowledge and hard work goes 

into producing the drink that 

kick-starts my days. I thanked 

Samuel for allowing me to see 

an aspect of this former colonial 

town that I never knew existed, 

one that complements a colourful 

past with the hope for a bountiful 

future. He smiled and presented 

me with a small packet of Arabica 

to take home as a souvenir, telling 

me that it was his pleasure to 

share the secrets of his home 

town’s rich culture with a 

stranger from far away. 


Top Left 

Burmese worker 

roasting coffee 

beans. 

Ex-coffee 

plantation manager 

Samuel pointing out 

features of healthy 

coffee bush. 

Coffee beans 

being processed at 

processing plant, 

Pyin Oo Lwin, 

Myanmar. 

74 

75

BURMA BREWS 

TAKE ME 

HOME 

Fah Thai is the inflight magazine 

of Bangkok Airways. It is YOUR 

MAGAZINE. It is distributed with our 

compliments on all Bangkok Airways 

flights. We hope you enjoy it . 

READ 

TOO MUCH BAGGAGE? 

ONLINE! 

แต่เดิม พินอูลวิน เป็นเพียงเมืองเล็กๆ 

อากาศเย็นสบาย ที่ทหารอาณานิคม 

บริติชมักหนีร้อนมาพักจากเมืองเมเมียว 

จากศตวรรษที่ 20 จนถึงบัดนี้ มรดกที่ 

ตกทอดจากทหารกลุ่มนั้นได้สร้างเสน่ห์ 

ดึงดูดนักท่องเที่ยวให้มาเยี่ยมชม ไม่ว่าจะ 

เป็นหอนาฬิกา บ้านพักเจ้าครองเมือง 

สวนพฤกษศาสตร์ หรือบรรยากาศ 

สบายๆ ของพินอูลวิน ซึ่งห่างจากมัณฑะเลย์ 

ของพม่าไปทางตะวันออกเฉียงเหนือเพียง 

60 กิโลเมตรเท่านั้น 

ไร่กาแฟเล็กๆ ในเมืองนี้ก็มีชื่อเสียง 

เลื่องลือไม่แพ้กัน พินอูลวินผลิตเมล็ด 

กาแฟชั้นเลิศ อีกทั้งยังเปิดให้นักท่องเที่ยว 

ชมไร่กาแฟและสัมผัสกรรมวิธีการผลิต 

ต้นแต่ต้นจนจบก่อนจะมาเป็นกาแฟหอมกรุ่น 

หนึ่งถ้วยให้เราได้จิบยามเช้า 

เราเริ่มทริปที ่บ้านพักอดีตผู้ครอง 

เมืองในพินอูลวิน ซึ่งปัจจุบันตั้งอยู่บน 

พื้นที่ของโรงแรมออเรียมพาเลซ เราย่าง 

ก้าวเข้าไปในอาคารอันโอ่อ่า ประตูทาง 

เข้ามีรูปปั้นทหารเหมือนจริง ด้านในมี 

ห้องจำนวนมาก หนึ่งในนั้นคือ สระว่ายน้ำ 

ในร่ม ในสมัยนั้นชีวิตของผู้ครองอาณานิคม 

คงจะสุขสบายมิใช่น้อย 

แล้วไปต่อที่สวนพฤกษศาสตร์แห่งชาติ 

กันดอว์จี ผู้ที่มายังสวนแห่งนี้ต้องประทับใจ 

การจัดวางสถานที่ท่ามกลางป่าฝนเขตร้อน 

ทางเดินทอดยาวสู่แปลงดอกไม้หลากสี 

ข้ามหนองน้ำเงียบสงบ ทิวไผ่พลิ้วไหวตาม 

สายลม และต้นไม้เขตร้อนสูงใหญ่โดยรอบ 

ทุกอย่างที่นี่ล้วนเชื้อเชิญให้เราอยากรู้จัก 

เมืองเล็กๆ เมืองนี้ยิ่งขึ้นไปอีก 

ตัวเมืองพินอูลวินส่งกลิ่นอายอาณานิคม 

อย่างชัดเจน หอนาฬิกาแบบอังกฤษตั้ง 

ตระหง่านอยู่กลางเมือง มีรถม้าที่เหมือน 

เดินทางข้ามเวลามาจากสมัยวิกตอเรีย 

ทุกอย่างดูไม่เข้ากันเมื่อเราตระหนักว่า 

ตอนนี้เรากำลังอยู่ในเมียนมา แม้แต่ผู้คน 

ตามเข็มนาฬิกา 

จากซ้ายบน 

ทางเดินบนสะพานไม้ 

สำหรับเยี่ยมชม 

ความงดงามใน 

สวนพฤกษศาสตร์ 

แห่งชาติกันดอว์จี 

ชาวอินเดียและเนปาล 

พากันมาสักการะ 

สิ่งศักดิ์สิทธิ์ที่วัดฮินดู 

แม่ชีน้อยๆ เทินถาด 

บนศีรษะ เดินเรียงเป็นแถว 

กลางเมืองพินอูลวิน 

รถม้ารอให้ 

นักท่องเที่ยวจับจอง 

เพื่อพาชมรอบเมือง 

ที่นี่ก็ดูเหมือนจะเป็นชาวเนปาลหรืออินเดีย 

เป็นส่วนใหญ่ คาดว่าบรรพบุรุษของ 

ชาวเมืองน่าจะเป็นคนงานที่ชาวอังกฤษพา 

มาด้วยในยุคอาณานิคม จากนั้นก็ตั้งรกราก 

ที่นี่ แล้วอยู่อาศัยเรื่อยมาจนถึงปัจจุบัน 

นั่งพักจิบกาแฟสักเล็กน้อย จากรายการ 

กาแฟที่มีให้เลือกสรรหลากหลายรายการ 

ทั้งหมดล้วนแล้วแต่ผลิตในชุมชนแห่งนี้ 

ทั้งสิ้น ชาวเมืองคนหนึ่งเล่าให้ฟังว่า 

พินอูลวินมีดินและอากาศเหมาะแก่การ 

ปลูกกาแฟ ไร่กาแฟเล็กๆ จำนวนมากเป็น 

ส่วนหนึ่งของสมาคมกาแฟแห่งเมียนมา 

ซึ่งสามารถผลิตเมล็ดกาแฟคุณภาพสูง 

อันเป็นที่ต้องการของตลาด 

เราได้พบกับชาวเมืองคนหนึ่งชื่อว่า 

ซามูเอล ซึ่งเคยเป็นผู้จัดการไร่กาแฟแห่งหนึ่ง 

ที่มีประสบการณ์กว่าสิบปี เขาพาเรามาชม 

ไร่กาแฟพร้อมอธิบายว่า ต้นแมคคาเดเมีย 

แก้วมังกร และอโวคาโดปลูกไว้ในไร่เพื่อให้ 

ร่มเงาแก่ต้นกาแฟ ส่วนเมล็ดและผลที่ 

เก็บเกี่ยวได้ถือเป็นรายได้เสริมอีกทาง 

เรานั่งรถกระบะไปตามถนนดิน 

ต้นกาแฟใบเงางามเป็นพุ่ม ผลกาแฟเขียว 

เต็มต้น เมื่อได้รับการบำรุงและดูแลอย่างดี 

ต้นกาแฟเหล่านี้สามารถให้ผลได้ถึง 80 ปี 

เลยทีเดียว หากแต่ต้องใช้แรงงานและเวลา 

คนงานค้องคอยตัดกิ่ง ถอนวัชพืช และใส่ 

ปุ๋ยคอกให้กับต้นกาแฟทีละต้นๆ 

เมื่อเก็บเกี่ยวมาเรียบร้อยแล้ว เมล็ด 

กาแฟจะต้องผ่านกรรมวิธีในโรงงานที่ตั้ง 

อยู่นอกเมืองพินอูลวิน เมล็ดกาแฟแต่ละ 

เมล็ดนำจะต้องบรรจุเข้าในเครื่องจักร 

ขนาดใหญ่เพื่อแช่น้ำ คัดเมล็ดเสียทิ้งไป 

ปอกเปลือก แล้วคั่วให้หอมพร้อมชงเป็น 

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ที่ขาดไม่ได้เลยคือขั้นตอนการชิมกาแฟ 

อาราบิก้าพิเศษ S795 ประสบการณ์ 

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Read more 

76

GALLERY 

It’s a constant busy in the 

city’s indie art world, with 

momentum picking up 

for an inaugural biennale. 

Photographer Jesper Haynes 

makes the rounds on the 

opening day circuit. 

Words & Photos Jesper Haynes 

Ifell in love with Bangkok’s art scene 

back in early 2000, a time when About 

Café was an active experimental 

gallery, with always something fun going 

on. Another place called Gig Groceries 

inspired me to make the book GIG, which 

is a tribute to Bangkok’s indie music and 

art world. 

The continuing energy and passion of 

artistic creations in this city endured. Ten 

years later, my first solo show was at No 

Space gallery in (nightlife destination) RCA. 

At the time it was one of the most fun art 

galleries around. Run by musician Bank and 

photographer Yoko, this followed with 

more of my works exhibited at burgeoning 

art spaces such the Space, Soy Sauce Factory, 

Speedy Grandma and finally, at Jam factory 

last year. So here we are, with an established 

Bangkok scene bursting with artistic 

expressions that can be avant-garde, offbeat 

but always personal. 

I have really high hopes for Bangkok 

becoming a mini Berlin. It has all the right 

ingredients, one of the most important 

being low rent and secondly, lots of big 

available spaces that could easily be 

converted into galleries. 

Many poor artists would probably 

argue we’re not there yet but I do have 

a sense the Bangkok [art] world is still 

evolving. In the last four or five years, 

so many new interesting venues have 

appeared, and there are now many areas 

where clusters of galleries form small 

communities where artists support each 

other, a sweetness that is often missing in 

bigger markets. 

Bangkok’s Chinatown has independent 

galleries like Cho Why, around the corner 

from the original About Café that started it 

all back in the 80’s. 

78 

79

GALLERY 

TOP 

Artist Apiwat Banler 

often puts himself in 

his large paintings: this 

is from the exhibition 

“Maybe Tomorrow” at 

Cho Why Art Space. 

Cho Why (on Soi Nana 

in Chinatown), run by 

David Fernandez and 

Victor Hierro, is one of 

those really cool spaces, 

a converted Chinese shop 

house where anything 

art-related is encouraged. 

BOTTOM 

Justin Mills explains his 

work to a visitor in his 

studio on Soi Nana in 

Chinatown. 

OPPOSITE TOP 

Bangkok-based 

Douglas Diaz’s exhibit 

at Woof Pack Gallery. 

The current work 

of drawings and 

illustrations explore 

his personal definition 

of “Love.” 

OPPOSITE, BOTTOM 

Looking out from the 

entrance to Gallery 

Speedy Grandma, a very 

hip and cool gallery run 

by Lee Anantawat. 

80 81

GALLERY 

RIGHT 

Artist Taweewit 

Kijtanasoonthorn at 

Bangkok Screening 

Room, Woofpack Building, 

that also champions the 

artistic community. He 

stands in front of his work, 

“Up Side Down Town.” 

BELOW 

Miti Ruangkritya’s 

installation at WTF Café 

& Gallery, “Two men look 

out through the same 

bars: one sees the mud, 

and one the stars”. 

ABOVE 

Alex Face, an influential graffiti artist 

whose work is always familiar, even 

outside of Thailand. The work is from the 

group exhibit, SOS-Souled Out at Bangkok 

CityCity Gallery, now one of the leading art 

spaces in Bangkok. 

BOTTOM LEFT 

Street art has enabled a larger community 

to connect to public art and acquaint 

themselves with the creative process of 

an artist. 

BOTTOM RIGHT 

Kittitorn Kasemkitwatana’s 

“Impermanence” at Project Room by 

Gallery Ver. The gallery is founded by artist 

Rirkrit Tiravanija. 

82 

83

GALLERY 

ABOVE 

Japanese artist Wakabuko puts the last few brush strokes on his 

painting at Jam Factory Gallery, another great spot and all around 

interesting place to visit along the Chao Phraya river on the 

Thonburi side. 

BELOW 

Graffiti has been part of Bangkok’s street scene for many years. 

This is on the khlong (canal) next to the Jim Thompson house 

near the Ratchathewi BTS station and a nice way to see Bangkok’s 

waterways. 

ABOVE 

Jeff Gompertz’s space keeps the experimental part of the Bangkok art 

world alive, here with a video installation titled “Public RelationS”. 

BELOW 

An incubating project for Young Artists at BACC (Bangkok Art and 

Culture Centre). This installation is by Kanich Khajohnsri. 

84 

85

CLOCKWISE, FROM 

TOP LEFT 

Bangkok CityCity Gallery 

is a hip young space 

founded in 2015, this is 

from the exhibition SOS- 

Souled Out Studios. 

Artist and curator 

Angkrit Ajchariyasophon. 

He supports young Thai 

artists by introducing 

their work at Angkrit 

Gallery. 

Tew Maneesutham’s 

To Reminisce, at CASE 

Space Revolution, 

located on the second 

floor of vegan restaurant 

Broccoli Revolution, on 

Sukhumvit 49. 

OPPOSITE PAGE 

Works by British artists 

Lucas Price and Mau Mau 

at Bangkok CityCity 

Gallery. 

ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHER 

American/Swedish photographer 

Jesper Haynes was born in Edinburgh, 

Scotland in 1962. When he was 16 

years old, he met Andy Warhol in 

Stockholm who encouraged him to 

come and live in New York. Once in 

the Big Apple, he started working for 

Ralph Gibson printing in the darkroom 

for five years. Days were spent in the 

darkroom and nights at club Area 

while living in American film director 

and photographer Larry Clark’s 

apartment on Hudson and Canal – 

“I never saw daylight.” Jesper has 

since established himself as an artist 

documenting his unique lifestyle 

through photography. 

His photographs are part of the 

permanent collection at the Museum 

of Modern Art in Stockholm, Sweden. He 

shares his time between New York (where 

he is based), Bangkok, Paris and Tokyo. 

86 

87

KNOW BEFORE YOU GO 

Urban farms continue to 

proliferate, and in Bangkok 

diners now can eat within 

plucking distance of their 

greens. Inventive dishes 

and a farm tour are yours 

just a few steps away. 

BANGKOK 90 / SAMUI 92 / KRABI & PHUKET 96 / CHIANG MAI & CHIANG RAI 100 / PATTAYA & TRAT 101 / 

CHENGDU, CHONGQING & GUANGZHOU 102 / HONG KONG 104 / SINGAPORE 106 / KL 107 / BATTAMBANG, PHNOM PENH & SIEM REAP 108 / 

DANANG, HANOI & PHU QUOC 110 / LUANG PRABANG 112 / YANGON 113 / MALDIVES & MUMBAI 114 

89

HAPPENINGS 

THAILAND 

BANGKOK 

SPOTLIGHT 

A Heartfelt Royal 

Exhibit 

The exquisite Phya Thai Palace 

now opens to the public at the 

main Phiman Chakri Hall, also the 

site of the ‘Forever in Our Hearts’ 

exhibition. Poignant and informative, 

it comprises an extensive collection of 

the life story of the late and beloved 

King Bhumibol Adulyadej. It was 

part of the multi-faceted series of 

exhibitions of the Royal Cremation 

Ceremony last year. Now, those who 

missed this invaluable presentation 

can visit Phya Thai Palace and walk 

through the comprehensive series 

packed with information about the 

King’s lifetime of comprehensive 

works and showcase of ancient 

Thai traditions. 

Phya Thai Palace itself is a very 

beautiful historical complex in 

architecture and historical value. 

Once a personal experimental 

farming plot of King Rama V, the 

space was later turned into the 

palace for King Rama VI. Towards 

the end of his reign, King Rama VI 

turned his palace into a luxurious 

MASTER PIECES 

You can find classic pieces from Danish designer Arne Jacobsen to those of German 

conceptual artist Ottmar Hörl in this “boutique of timeless objects” at The Object Room, 

opening at K Village. Enjoy browsing through a wide array of lifestyle products and 

accessories selected for their well-crafted quality and timeless charm from all over the world 

hotel. When Thailand went through 

the 1932 constitutional changes, 

the palace was used by the Bangkok 

military medical division and later 

became King Mongkut Memorial 

Hospital. Phya Thai Palace Conservation 

Foundation, Ratchawithi Road, Bangkok, 

phyathaipalace.org, +66 (0) 2354 7987, 

(0) 2354 7732 

RICE AND SHINE 

After 35 years in Thai cuisine, 

Chef Vichit Mukura has unveiled 

his marvellous menu in a more 

contemporary setting in the heart of 

the bustling street of Ekamai. The 

renowned chef aims at crafting what 

he has gathered and mastered over 

the years into perfect Thai dishes 

accompanied by the magic of rice, an 

everyday staple, hence the name of 

the restaurant Khao (rice in Thai). 

SPOTLIGHT 

Next Level 

Green Dining 

Vegetables get their own 

gastronomic treatment at 

Haoma. The combination 

may not seem so out of 

the ordinary, but with 

executive chef Deepanker 

‘DK’ Khosla’s culinary 

skills and finesse at Haoma 

(pronounced ha-o-ma), 

the vegetables excel. Green 

produce and local organic 

All dishes are wonderfully created 

using premium ingredients from Or Tor 

Kor, the Chef’s favourite market and 

venue for high-quality fresh products. 

Enlivened with blond wood and natural 

light, the space offers traditional à la 

carte Thai dishes, along with Chef’s 

Table options ranging from six, eight, to 

ten-course menus. Advanced booking is 

highly recommended. 15 Ekamai Soi 10, 

khaogroup.com, +66 (0) 2381 2575 

ALL THE SAKURA YOU CAN DRINK 

Inspired by Japan’s Sakura cherry trees, Up & Above Bar is 

introducing cocktails and mocktails to celebrate the beauty 

of cherry blossoms. The delicately-crafted selection includes 

favourites like the floral champagne cocktail Sakura Royale, and a 

Sakura Martini which fuses sake, cherry liqueur, and gin together 

for a delightful twist. New selections include the Sakura 75, an 

alluring combination of champagne, gin, Sakura syrup, and lemon 

juice, and the Sakura Oriental Tonic that tweaks the classic 

Gin Tonic with a Japanese botanical touch. For mocktails, the 

bubbly Simply Sakura is the true manifestation of cherry purée, 

yuzu juice, and soda water, while the Blossoms offers a more 

adventurous experience with cherry purée, black pepper-infused 

syrup, cream and lime juice. Up & Above Bar at The Okura Prestige 

Bangkok, Park Ventures Ecoplex, 57 Wireless Road, okurabangkok. 

com, +66 (0) 2687 9000 

and in Thailand. Originally from Auckland, New Zealand 

and founded in 2011, the multi-brand design store 

understands the desire to combine cutting-edge 

aesthetics with an everyday functional purpose. 

K Village, 93, 95 Sukhumvit 26, +66 (0) 2007 0767, 

facebook.com/theobjectroom 

ingredients create a progressive 

dining experience in line with 

the restaurant’s environmental 

approach. Nestled serenely in 

the corner of Sukhumvit 31, 

the restaurant’s two-storey 

glasshouse embraces the lush 

greenery of the surrounding 

area. Complete with its own 

organic garden, it perfectly sums up the concept 

of an urban farm with the mission to cook only 

what they grow and reap. Also, Haoma has 

drinks crafted by Bacardi’s brand ambassador 

mixologist Mitchell Kai Lum. His creations, in line 

with Haoma’s sustainable approach, feature an 

innovative way of interpreting spirits, fruits and 

vegetables. 231/3 Sukhumvit Rd, haoma.dk, 

+66 (0) 2258 4744 

90 

91

HAPPENINGS 

THAILAND 

SAMUI 

SPOTLIGHT 

The Tongsai Bay Exclusive 

Adding to Koh Samui’s repertoire 

of sophisticated dining options 

is the newly opened Butler’s at 

The Tongsai Bay. 

With the intention of adding 

an exclusive take on dining, 

Butler’s opens its doors only on 

Wednesday and Friday evenings 

from 7pm with a maximum of 20 

guests per evening. Aiming for an 

intimate dining experience, the 

overall setting is informal yet cosy. 

The tempting menu features 

a selection of Pan-Asian and 

Mediterranean-inspired dishes 

from skilfully-trained Chef Eak, 

who attentively curates a menu that changes 

weekly yet maintains a consistency and theme. 

The intimate setting is one not to be missed for 

food lovers visiting the island. Interested guests are 

urged to pre-book to enjoy this tantalising dining 

experience. 84 Moo 5, Bo Phut, tongsaibay.co.th, 

+66 (0) 77 913 750 

BRIDGING COFFEE, HIDDEN NATURE 

Just hidden in the jungle amongst the rolling hills of 

Maenam sits one of Koh Samui’s most unique and 

new hotspots. Opened just a year ago, Tree Bridge 

Coffee is already establishing itself as a ‘must see’ 

on this side of paradise. The attraction begins with 

a wooden bridge whose beautiful design leads out 

to a tree house café. Exposing jungle and ocean 

views, the worthwhile visit becomes an unbeatable 

choice for an afternoon trip. Continuing 

a short 200 metres from the café and 

right into the jungle, patrons will find 

themselves toe to toe with a 20-metre 

high waterfall and the soothing sounds 

of nature. In addition to expanding its 

already impressive offerings, Tree House 

recently started a 400-metre zip line. 

Here’s a chance to sail over the top 

of a dense Samui jungle after having 

sipped a coffee in the treehouse for 

great views all around. Maenam Soi 5, 

samuitreebridgetour.com/en, 

+66 (0) 77 901 175 

COCKTAIL X PIZZA 

CoCo Tam’s, a popular haunt at vibrant 

Fisherman’s Village in Bophut, is famous 

for its oversized cocktails, weekly fire 

dance shows on the beach, swing 

seats, and chill beach bar vibe. With 

the opening of CoCo Tam’s x Peppina 

this past November, this collaboration 

merges expertly-made drinks and 

expertly-made pizza. With several 

branches in Bangkok already, Peppina’s 

beach location still means wood-fired 

pizza skilfully served up: this time from 

a beautiful two-story brick building 

expertly decorated for a Bali-esque feel. 

A variety of lounging option comes in 

the form of CoCo Tam beanbag chairs, 

rattan seating, or any number of beachchic 

seats. If beautiful views of boats 

bobbing on the deep blues of the Gulf 

aren’t enough, Peppina’s game room is 

also well stocked with your favourite 

board games to help pass the time. 

facebook.com/cocotamsxpeppina, 

+66 (0) 77 945 269 

THE GREAT WATER ESCAPE 

For adventure seekers looking to take a break from the 

beach but still beat the heat, High Park Samui is the 

island’s hippest new place to do so. It’s hard to resist 

spending a day swooshing from the 15-metre-high 

water slides while enjoying beats from a live DJ, casual 

bites, and perfectly priced drinks. You can switch gears 

by going from the intense thrill of the water slides to a 

more relaxed dip in High Park’s infinity pool overlooking 

picturesque Chaweng and the mountains. After all that 

high, catch the sun as it goes down, as the sky bursts into 

its beautiful array of colours to provide a dreamy scene to 

end the day. highparksamui.com, +66 (0) 77 961 484 

92

HAPPENINGS 

THAILAND 

SAMUI 

SPOTLIGHT 

The Island Godfather 

of Italian Restaurants 

Koh Samui’s first introduction 

to authentic Italian cuisine 

came from the long established 

island favourite, Prego 

restaurant. Though many 

Italian restaurants now grace 

the shores of Koh Samui, Prego 

holds its place as the best one to 

visit for that taste from the old 

country. Chef Marco’s precise 

ability to transport the flavour 

of Italy straight to Thailand 

draws in long-time islanders as 

well as a wealth of new visitors. 

Pasta dishes are good choices in 

the extensive menu given that it 

is hand made with real semolina 

flour. Their pizza menu is a 

crowd favourite as well, with the 

pies themselves done in a wood 

fire oven. Located along lively 

Chaweng beach road opposite 

Amari resort, Prego continues to 

offers complex Italian flavours 

and a wide selection of drinks in 

an unwavering commitment to 

quality dining in Samui. Chaweng 

Beach Road, prego-samui.com, 

+66 (0) 77 300 317 

(QUAD)RUPLE THE FUN 

What could be a more perfect way to enjoy Samui’s exciting terrain 

and lush nature by way of a quad bike? The multi-national team at 

X-Quad possess sure knowledge of the island’s best spots, creating 

customised nature trails for holiday-goers to fulfil their adventurous 

spirit. Quad bike excursions boast picturesque scenery from Samui’s 

highest hill, the feel of a real jungle, and a mesmerising hidden 

waterfall, with maximum safety provided. No experience is needed, 

just the craving for an adrenaline rush and the usual island gear 

(swimwear, sunscreen, etc) and all is set for the ride. This one-day trip 

of magnificent views, with lunch and beverages, can also be done 

as a private tour provided by X-Quad, depending on the season. 

Maenam Soi 5, xquad-samui.com, +66 (0) 90 980 5401 

IN DEMAND BRUNCH 

If you are looking for a leisurely 

Sunday brunch, look no further than 

Nikki Beach Resort Koh Samui, where 

entertainment, luxury, and gastronomy 

all fuse into one memorable experience. 

Starting from 11am to 4pm, the beach 

club’s Amazing Sundays Brunch offers a 

wide array of gastronomic Western and 

Thai cuisine in a gorgeous setting on 

Lipa Noi Beach. As the restaurant is one 

of the most sought-after brunch spots 

thanks to its pleasing cuisine and four 

different dining/lounging areas, guests 

are recommended to make a reservation 

in advance. Also, mark June 24 as they 

are hosting the Burning Man-inspired 

event “Wild and Free,” an expression 

of art, love, music, and spirituality. 

Combined with entertainment and music, 

the free-spirited event will be another 

lasting memory complemented by the 

spectacular seascape. 96/3 Moo 2, 

Lipa Noi, Samui, +66 (0) 77 914 500, 

nikkibeach.com 

SAMUI’S ITALIAN 

Less than a year into its debut, Two Fishes Italian 

Restaurant has become the talk of Samui town for its 

noteworthy Italian cuisine. Helmed by chef Leandro 

Panza with 25 years of experience in the kitchen, the 

restaurant uses imported Italian ingredients along 

with fresh local produce. Two Fishes offers a sleek, 

modernist vibe along with mouth-watering Italian 

dishes with highlights such as Black Grouper All’Agro 

Dolce – a crispy black grouper fish served in a sweet 

and sour sauce with onions – and the classic Vitello 

Tonnato, a slow-roasted veal fillet with a tuna and 

caper sauce. 79/5 Bophut, 2fishessamui.com 

94

HAPPENINGS 

THAILAND 

PHUKET 

SPOTLIGHT 

Charm of a Restaurant 

UNESCO’s recognition of 

Phuket as a City of Gastronomy 

recently spurred increased 

interest among the local and 

international crowd for the 

city’s local cuisines, especially 

Peranakan food. The latest 

addition to an already vibrant 

and varied food scene is 

‘The Charm,’ a traditional 

restaurant in Phuket Old Town 

that features rarely found 

homemade Peranakan recipes. 

These have been gathered by 

the owner’s family by watching 

and learning over time in 

their ancestors’ kitchens. 

The traditional fusion 

cuisine itself has a long 

heritage that traces 

back to early Chinese 

migrants who settled in 

Malaysia, Singapore and 

Indonesia. Distinctively 

influenced and tasty 

dishes once exclusively 

prepared in the homes 

of Phuket natives are now 

served to diners to satisfy 

inquisitive palates. Gaeng Tu 

Mee or Muslim-inspired fish 

curry, the unfamiliar delicacy 

of Gaeng Plaa Ama (Ama’s 

style fish curry) requiring a 

good quality sesame oil, or the 

Hainanese-style pork steak that 

used to be a favourite among 

Western engineers working 

Phuket’s mines back in the day; 

all are usually hard to find in a 

restaurant. Diners should not 

miss the signature dessert of 

Koi Taa Lam, a Phuket delicacy 

of pandanus-infused custard 

served in a modern style. Open 

Tuesday - Sunday: 11am - 10pm, 

93 Deebuk Road, Amphur Muang, 

Phuket, +66 (0) 96 998 9244 

WORKING THE LAND IN PHUKET 

If you’re looking for a change from 

Phuket’s beaches, just a few kilometres 

north of Phuket Old Town sits Vanich 

Farm where you can learn about the 

farming life. Gain insight on how rice is 

grown, cook Thai dishes and even get up 

close and personal with water buffalos, 

the farmer’s trusty companion in the rice 

paddy. While Vanich farm dedicates a 

large part of the land to growing sweet 

corn, their rice paddy complete with 

tractors and farm animals sets this place 

apart from other destinations in Phuket. 

Visitors can come in and take a stroll 

before retreating to a farm-to-table 

meal at Barn Café where recommended 

dishes include a Mulberry Salad and of course, corn soup. Those 

determined to know more can sign up for packaged tours with 

offers of educational experiences, like the hands-on planting of 

rice seedlings in the comfortable outfit of a farmer’s ‘morhom’ 

shirt, cropped pants and protective straw hat. Workshops on how 

to make salted eggs, and how to maintain a worm farm are also 

interesting choices. Open daily: 10am - 6pm, 19/540 Rassada Road, 

Amphur Muang, Phuket, +66 (0) 98 671 2168, vanichfarm.com 

KNOWING MEE 

Phuket always has its own local 

interpretation of staple foods. An 

example is the ubiquitous rice 

vermicelli known as ‘sen mee’ in 

other parts of Thailand but in Phuket, 

it’s known as ‘mee hun’. Enjoying this 

thinner strand of rice noodle requires 

a quick trip to Talad Lor Rong food 

court a few kilometres away from 

Phuket Town. Expect mee hun noodles 

in Phuket to be served with crabmeat 

curry or stir-fried and served with pork 

rib soup. When ordering mee hun, 

this widely-used name brings to mind 

that the beloved noodle should be 

blanched until perfectly al dente and 

served with myriad dishes. 

Mee hun is cooked up differently 

and also has the novelty of being 

called a ‘mee Thai.’ Although a lesser 

known name of the rice noodle, mee 

Thai is great for those who love a 

meatless dish. The noodle strands 

get stir-fried with coconut cream 

until fragrant, served with crunchy 

beansprouts, julienned cucumber 

and chopped chives with super 

delicious results. Staple condiments 

include toasted dried chillies and 

maybe a spoonful of sugar. It’s a 

great afternoon munch. Talad Lor 

Rong is also the place you can find 

other indigenous Phuket snacks, such 

as their famous spring rolls and rice 

pancakes called ‘A Pong.’ Ranong Road, 

Amphur Muang, Phuket, open daily 

(except Tuesdays): 11am - 3pm, 

+66 (0) 86 814 9772 

96

HAPPENINGS 

THAILAND 

KRABI / PHUKET 

SPOTLIGHT 

Super Bowls 

Lion & Shark, a healthful and veganfriendly 

hub of food and lifestyle in 

scenic Ao Nang is best-known for 

their signature tropical smoothie 

bowls whose unique superfood tastes 

and impressive sizes can easily fill 

up one’s appetite for the entire 

day. The eye-catching bowls are 

named after Krabi’s scenic beaches, 

namely Lanta Bowl (Mango and 

Passionfruit), Railay Bowl (Coconut 

and Pineapple), Poda Bowl (Peach 

and Mango), and Tonsai Bowl 

(Spinach and Kiwi). Apart from their 

offerings, Lion & Shark cares for 

the Krabi environment by arranging 

activities for the public to engage 

in, such as “Ao Nang Trash Hero”, 

“No Straw Movement”, “A Bucket of 

Beach Trash for a Coffee” and much 

more. 247/3 Moo 2, Ao Nang, Krabi, 

facebook.com/LionandShark, 

+66 (0) 87 681 9008 

A 24 YEAR LOVE 

In a town where the main food culture is mostly 

influenced by Chinese and Muslim dishes, Je 

t’aime, Phuket’s longest-standing Vietnamese 

restaurant, has ample reasons to celebrate its 

24th anniversary. They’re the first restaurant 

to break the mould of typical eating out habits 

in Phuket by bringing in Vietnamese and Thai 

selections to their menu. Their popular dishes 

include Naem Nueang, or grilled pork sausages, 

whose do-it-yourself wrapped rolls come with 

a tray of assorted herbs and vegetables. Also 

popular is Chạo Tôm or grilled shrimp wrapped 

around a sugar cane eaten with a sweet and 

tangy sauce and rice vermicelli. If you’re looking 

for something warm and hearty, there is always 

a good bowl of Bánh Canh, a thicker type of 

Vietnamese noodle served with choices of 

meats – typically pork spare ribs. Open daily: 

11am - 10.30pm, 183/93 Phang Nga Road, 

Amphur Muang, +66 (0) 76 219 103, 

facebook.com/jetaimevietnamese 

LAGUNA PHUKET INTERNATIONAL MARATHON 

The ‘Laguna Phuket International Marathon’ from all over the world. The event offers a 

takes place this year from 8 to 10 June at the selection of different races that’s open to people 

Laguna Phuket resort complex in the Cherngtalay of all ages. Kids can join the 2km run, while 

area that’s located north of the island. Held for adults can choose from 5km, 10.5km or half 

13 consecutive years, the event expects to draw marathon (21km), a marathon relay (42km) and 

more than 7,000 runners and enthusiasts full marathon (42km). The races start and finish at 

Laguna Phuket. Runners follow the course out of 

the resort and head north through local villages, 

with pineapple and rubber plantations en route. 

The proceeds of this marathon go to the Laguna 

Phuket Foundation, established back in 2009, to 

support education and social development in the 

Phuket area. phuketmarathon.com 

PERANAKAN FOR THE DAY 

A theme museum where visitors can immerse in the vibrant 

lives of Phuket’s Peranakan clans, the Peranakan Phuket 

Museum showcases the vast and private collection of Phuket 

families in colourful portrayal. From depicting their deep roots 

in the jewellery trade of Phuket to featuring toy size models 

the likes of a traditional Phuket Anglo-Chinese shop house 

adorned with fine details – the exhibit illustrates life as it 

was back when Phuket was the main mining hub of the Thai 

South. Since jewellery plays a big part in the Peranakan tradition 

and spans centuries, stories of these 

precious objects and their creation see 

heavy representation alongside displays 

of traditional clothing like the exquisite 

kebaya, batik sarong, embroidered 

slippers and everyday accessories. The 

entrance ticket comes with guided 

tours available in English, Chinese, 

Korean and German (advance booking 

recommended.) A portrait studio and 

traditional apparel are also available 

for rent. Drop by ‘Ya Ya Kitchen’, a 

restaurant where you can try a Phuket 

-style delicious Peranakan meal, or 

the lovely Piñana Café for coffee and 

sweet treats. Open daily: 9am - 6pm, 

124/1 Moo 1, Thepkasattri Road, Tambol 

Si Sunthon, Amphur Muang, Phuket, 

+66 (0) 76 313 556, (0) 92 224 4574, 

peranakanphuketmuseum.com 

98

HAPPENINGS 

THAILAND 

CHIANG MAI / CHIANG RAI 

THAILAND 

PATTAYA / KOH CHANG 

SPOTLIGHT 

Soy Milk Heaven 

With a menu dedicated to soy milk – ‘slow coffee’ 

bar Yellow Crafts Café – opted out of using a high-tech 

espresso machine and instead makes each shot by 

hand, using the likes of an Aeropress. Expect an 

Americano to be done with the hand-drip method, 

thereby producing a cup of aromatic coffee per 

order. Their cold brew requires an overnight drip 

process that slowly extracts the coffee with cold 

water. Run by soy milk enthusiasts whose soybeans 

are supplied from a trusted farm in Chiang Mai, this 

small café serves vegan-friendly caffeine drinks and 

more. Their signature ‘soy milk coffee’ uses their 

blend of beans especially selected and roasted to 

SAY CHEESE IN CHIANG RAI 

The sleepy town of Chiang Rai has 

become a food destination of late 

with the number of high-profile 

chefs and food establishments 

drawing visitors from everywhere. 

Now it’s time for the spotlight to 

be on creamy cheeses. Made by 

artisan producers Chiang Rai 

Cheese, the cheeses 

rely on the milk of 

cows and goats 

from the area 

and provided by the Chiang Rai 

Dairy Cooperative. The cheese 

makers themselves produce 

original varieties such as ‘Chiang 

Rai Cremoso,’ and ‘Chiang Rai 

Blanco’ which is a blend of 

goat’s milk and cow’s milk, as 

well as ‘Chiang Rai Halloumi,’ 

blue cheeses and much more. 

On site is their factory outlet 

called ‘Baan Cheese’ retailing 

their cheese selections with 

tasting samples. Those looking 

for a new place to have a bit of 

a cool down can also drop by for 

coffee. T: +66 (0) 64 005 2405, 

chiangraicheese.com 

withstand soy milk’s natural 

coagulation keeping the drink 

smooth; there’s also a ‘soy 

milk chocolate’ and a pure 

homemade soy milk available 

hot or cold and served with 

their own soy cookies. Dairy 

is also available as an option 

and can be found in the many 

baked items available, such as 

brownies and biscotti. The place 

is decked out with cheerful spots 

for photo opportunities, hence 

it’s a hangout for selfie-crazed 

teens in the area. 

Open daily: 7am - 7pm, Moo Ban 

Dao Dung Soi 2, Chiang Mai, 

T: +66 (0) 53 278 757 

STITCHED ARTS OF BLACK LAHU 

Bold and spunky abstracts best describes the stitching patterns and signature 

of ‘Cha Arnon Phahompok’ apparel. Handmade by the Black Lahu people, 

find these collections at Cha Arnon café and boutique at Doi Pha Hom Pok 

National Park in Amphur Fang. With a modest start of sourcing hand-woven 

and sometimes raw cotton from the local villages, café owner Cha Arnon 

created designs that the Black Lahu people stitched into life, putting their own 

personalities and style into one-of-a-kind fashion in jackets, dresses, shirts, or 

a super-sized satchel. 8am - 5pm daily, Pha Hom Pok National Park, Amphur Fang, 

Chiang Mai, T: +66 (0) 91 139 5170 

SPOTLIGHT 

A Special Time at Level 34 

If it’s a grand night you’re after, 

consider going high. Special events 

can easily happen at the Horizon 

Rooftop Restaurant and Bar located 

on level 34 of Hilton Pattaya. The 

rooftop restaurant and bar is the 

only place in town with stunning 

panoramic views of the city in 

a stylish setting. The restaurant 

features both indoor and outdoor 

spaces which include private dining 

rooms with floor-to-ceiling glass 

panels to fully appreciate views of 

the city and bay as far as the eye 

can see. Signature dishes of Miso 

Glazed Snowfish, a 48-Hour Lamb 

Shank, followed by a Baked Alaska 

dessert round out a fine meal. Their 

signature cocktail, Horizon 8 Shot 

Tower makes a further impression. 

Bookings for that special night are 

recommended for the best spot in 

the house, guarantee to be a hit 

with your loved ones. 333/101 Moo 9 

Hilton Pattaya, 34th Floor, Pattaya, 

+66 (0) 38 253 000, facebook.com/ 

Horizonrooftoprestaurantandbar 

AWAKEN YOUR SENSE OF ADVENTURE 

Koh Chang as an island destination for everyone 

means you’ll never run out of things to do. 

Perhaps you’ve already chilled at the beach, 

gone diving, or have swum in the waterfalls. If a 

little more adventure is on the list, there’s Tree 

Top Adventure Park. Daredevil fun comes in the 

form of trying out rope bridges, air bikes, tight 

rope walks, Tarzan swings, a flying skateboard 

and expansive zip line courses with the 

abundance of nature. With a constant eye on 

safety, the Park offers packages for both adults 

and children at 1,250 baht. Located beside 

Bailan Bay in the lush forest, it’s the ideal group 

excursion with friends or family for a memorable 

Koh Chang day. 115 Moo 1, Koh Chang, Trat, 

+66 (0) 84 310 7600, treetopadventurepark.com 

BIKINIS ON THE RUN 

History tells us that bikinis are an ancient 

invention first worn by Roman gymnasts. Pattaya 

Beach will also see a sporting event in the 

two-piece swimsuit at the Central Festival Bikini 

Beach Race 2018. 

The event plans to bring sexy back in 

cheeky fun on 19 May 2018 by encouraging 

runners to join and wear their best bikinis to run 

for their health and keep fit. All fitness levels are 

welcomed to join the race – fees are 700 baht 

for the 9km run and 600 baht for 3km. To make 

the event more entertaining, special prizes will 

be given for best outfit, best body and more. 

Summer temperatures are just right to don a 

bikini for a fun run. If running’s not your thing, 

the event is still a spectator-friendly experience. 

facebook.com/CentralfestivalBikiniBeachRace 

100 

101

HAPPENINGS 

CHINA 

CHENGDU / CHONGQING / GUANGZHOU 

SPOTLIGHT 

Stilt Standing 

Complex 

JINSHA SITE TREASURES 

In 2001, archaeologists discovered remnants of the ancient capital of the 

Shu Kingdom that existed 3,000 years ago. In total, the Jinsha site has 6,000 

relics, 63 sacrificial areas, 3 burial grounds, and more than 70 building sites. 

It also contains the largest concentration of ancient ivory and jade from that 

period. Visitors can explore the Site’s Exhibition Hall, Relics Hall, Ecological 

Garden, and Centre for Cultural Heritage Protection. The Exhibition Hall 

has realistic displays on Shu life and compares the Shu Kingdom to the 

contemporary Mayan, Mesopotamian, and Ancient Indian civilisations. 

Take Metro Line 7 to exit C, Jinsha Site Museum, Chengdu. Open daily 8am-8pm, 

May-October. jinshasitemuseum.com 

YOUNG ARTISTS EXHIBIT 

AT REDTORY 

In 2009, the founders of the 

Redtory repurposed the Sovietstyle 

Yingjingqian Canned Good 

Factory and turned it into an art 

centre focused on local revitalisation 

and artistic innovation. Along with 

exploring the factory buildings turned 

galleries, visitors can enjoy three large 

exhibition halls, working studios, 

book and gift shops, and a variety of 

restaurants and small coffee shops. 

Through May 7, 2018, the Redtory 

features Future Life Handbook, 

the first exhibition in its Young 

Artists Program. Curated by Rachel 

Rits-Volloch, the exhibition features 

the artwork of six young artists in 

residence in Berlin and China. 

No. 128, Yuancun Si Heng Rd, 

Guangzhou. Open Tuesday-Sunday, 

10.30am-9.00pm redtory.com.cn 

With unique stilt house 

architecture and views 

over the intersection of the 

Yangtze and Jialing Rivers, 

Hongyadong is a scenic spot 

to enjoy historic Chongqing. 

Converted into a recreational 

and cultural attraction, 

Hongyadong showcases local 

cuisine, folk art, and culture. 

A must-see sight is the 

impressive 11-story wooden 

stilt house that is spectacular 

day or night. Sample 

delicacies like spicy hot pot, 

burning noodles, and fried 

silkworm chrysalis before heading 

up to the stilt house’s top floor 

viewing deck that looks out over 

the waterfront. Free admission; 

open day and night. No. 88, Jiabing 

Road, Yuzhong District. 

LOTUS HILL VISTAS 

Located 12.5 miles southeast of Guangzhou’s city 

centre, Lotus Hill is a huge park with many points 

of interest. It is famously known as the ancient 

quarry that supplied stone for the two thousand 

year old tomb of the Nan Yue King. King Zhao 

Mo ruled from 137 BC to 122 BC over the Nam 

Viet Kingdom, an empire that stretched from 

South China’s Guangdong and Guangxi provinces 

to Northern Vietnam. Today, the remaining 

stone cliff walls rise up imposingly above thick 

forest, tunnels, grottoes, and pools. The park also 

contains a large statue of the Goddess of Mercy, 

Guan Yin, a nine-story pagoda, and a sprawling 

orchard of peach trees. Line 4 to Shiqi, then bus 92 

or 93 to the park. 

DIM SUM IN THE PARK 

Built in 1958, Guangzhou’s tranquil Li Wan Lake Park is an oasis of calm in 

Guangzhou’s historic Lychee Bay. Antique shops along Wenjing Antique Street 

are a picturesque place to find hidden treasures. 

After a stroll around Li Wan Park and nearby antique shops, consider stopping 

at the famous Pan Xi Restaurant for some dim sum. One of China’s largest 

lakefront restaurants, a dazzling array of dining rooms awaits groups of any size. 

Pan Xi, 151 Longjin West Road. 

GET LOCAL WITH LOST PLATE 

With food tours in Beijing, Xian, 

and Chengdu, Lost Plate’s goal is to 

“change the way foreigners eat in 

China by breaking down language 

barriers and taking them off the 

beaten path to eat where the locals 

eat.” Tours are small at no more 

than 10 people each to give the 

group an intimate connection with 

their guide. All restaurants are local, 

family-run, and in places tourists 

would never find on their own. 

In Chengdu, guests can choose 

from two tours: the 6.30pm 

“Evening Food Tour” filled with 

street snacks, Sichuan dumplings, 

chuan chuan hot pot, and noodles; 

or the 4pm “Hotpot, Tea, and Market 

Tour” featuring traditional tea and 

snacks, a visit to a local market, and 

Sichuan hotpot. Both tours end at a 

boutique bar for local wine or beer in 

a relaxed atmosphere. Tours are allinclusive 

with unlimited food, drinks, 

guide, and transportation and are 

highly rated as one of the top food 

tours in China. lostplate.com 

VISIT THE CITY OF GHOSTS 

Known to locals as the “Ghost City,” Fengdu on 

Ming Mountain is a treasure trove of Confucian, 

Taoist, and Buddhist shrines and temples 

spanning two thousands years. Classical Chinese 

works like Apotheosis of Heroes, Journey to the 

West, and Strange Stories from a Chinese Studio 

all mention this eerie place. 

According to legend, during the Eastern Han 

Dynasty imperial officials Yin Changsheng and 

Wang Fangpin came to Fengdu to practise 

Taoism and through their study became 

immortal. Their names combined to “Yinwang,” 

meaning King of Hell, giving rise to Fengdu’s 

ghostly reputation. Within the park is a route 

depicting the Chinese vision of the dead’s 

transition into the afterlife, including, the Bridge 

of Helplessness, the Torturing Pass, and Tianzi 

Palace. While walking this route, visitors can 

explore intricate depictions of the underworld. 

Admission 80RMB; open 9am - 5pm daily. 

About two hours from Chongqing, accessible by 

Yangtze cruise or by car. 

102 103

HAPPENINGS 

HONG KONG 

A SHOWCASE OF PERSIAN ART 

The Liang Yi Museum in Hong Kong will be showcasing 

prime examples of Persian art, some of which are sourced 

from the Ashmolean Museum, the Victoria and Albert 

Museum and the David Collection. The showcase titled, 

The Blue Road: Mastercrafts from Persia, will be held at 

this private museum until 24 June. 

The exhibition stands as one of the most dedicated 

and comprehensive exhibitions surveying different 

aspects of the colour blue in Persian art and history in 

Hong Kong. With materials and categories ranging from 

glass, ceramic, textiles, painting and manuscripts, this 

showcase of carefully selected artefacts illuminates the 

significant role of blue in the visual and material culture 

of Iran and the impact it made on shaping of other 

artistic traditions in Asia and beyond. 181-199 Hollywood 

Road, Sheung Wan, liangyimuseum.com 

SPOTLIGHT 

A Spicy Affair 

Asians have always had a penchant for spicy food but 

Chilli Fagara has taken that concept up by several 

notches. A haven for those with a spicy palate, the 

outlet boasts an eclectic modern and traditional 

Chinese-inspired décor, and dishes out authentic and 

notoriously fiery Sichuan cuisine. 

Established in 2005, Chilli Fagara embraces the 

Ma La Tang concept for numbing (ma), burning (la) 

and neutral (tang) tastes of Sichuan food. Chillies and 

peppers are the main ingredients at this restaurant, 

which should bode well for diners who require a little 

more ‘kick’ to their dishes. 

For those who aren’t daring enough, Chilli Fagara 

does carry ample delicately flavoured dishes that 

won’t have you breaking a sweat. 

Open daily, 11.30am-3pm; 5-11.30pm, 7 Old Bailey Street, 

Soho, Central, chillifagara.com 

SPOTLIGHT 

A Taste of Britannia 

One only needs to venture out to 

popular Gough Street in Hong Kong 

to savour authentic British cuisine. 

Renowned for its style, craftsmanship, 

hospitality and charm, Gough’s on 

Gough has been attracting diners ever 

since its doors opened in July 2017. 

Offering a menu that revisits 

classic British-styled dishes, the 

restaurant injects a modern and 

sophisticated take on these staple 

favourites. Executive Chef Arron 

Rhodes has applied his creative 

approach and philosophy on the 

outlet’s menu, utilising only the 

freshest of ingredients and best in 

season produce. 

Gough’s on Gough not only boasts 

a generously appointed dining room 

but a raw bar as well with fresh British 

seafood, and a selection of bespoke 

crafted cocktails, fine champagnes and 

wines for guests to savour. Open daily, 

12-2.30pm; 6.30pm till late, 15 Gough 

Street, Central, goughsongough.com 

PASSION AND OPERA 

The Opera Hong Kong will host one 

of the world’s most beloved operas 

this May with the staging of Georges 

Bizet’s ‘Carmen’ at the Grand Theatre. 

A story of passion, destiny, freedom 

and liberty, Carmen tells the timeless 

tale of Don José, a soldier who 

forsakes his career, honour and family 

for a doomed love affair with the 

gypsy Carmen. 

Combining Spanish passion with 

French lyricism, Opera Hong Kong 

will inject an air of modernity into 

this classic opera with an innovative 

nested rotating set design. Bringing 

Carmen to life on stage are Jean- 

François Borras, Giancarlo Monsalve, 

Varduhi Abrahamyan, Marie Karall, 

Vittorio Vitelli and Jean-Kristof Bouton, 

six versatile and experienced artists 

who have performed at leading opera 

houses around the globe. 16-20 May, 

Grand Theatre, Hong Kong Cultural 

Centre, operahongkong.org 

104

HAPPENINGS 

SINGAPORE 

MALAYSIA 

KUALA LUMPUR 

RAMADHAN NIGHT MARKETS 

The holy month of Ramadhan from 15 May to 

14 June will see numerous streets around Kuala 

Lumpur come alive with evening markets selling 

signature Buka Puasa (Iftar or breaking of fast) 

chows and delicacies. If you’re in the capital 

city of Kuala Lumpur during the holy month of 

Ramadhan, then this would be the best time to 

savour some of the best Malaysian street food 

and local dishes. 

There are many Ramadhan bazaars to choose 

from during the month, but ask any KL-ite where 

SPOTLIGHT 

Moving to the Music 

The Ultra Music Festival stands as one 

of the world’s most highly-anticipated 

electronic festivals. For two decades, 

UMF has grown to become a global 

phenomenon with up to 45 events 

held internationally. Singapore 

remains one of the stopovers for the 

electronic music festival and this 

June, the Garden City is set to put on 

another epic showcase. 

Ultra Singapore, which is now in 

its fourth year, will see an eclectic 

line-up of DJs take to the stage 

throughout the two-day event. 

Artists such as Tiesto, Dash Berlin 

and Steve Aoki have graced previous 

year’s events. Expect similar big 

name stars to get the crowd rocking 

and pumping this year as well. 

June 15-16, Ultra Park, 1 Bayfront 

Avenue, Singapore, ultrasingapore.com 

their favourite go-to places are and Taman Tun, 

Kampung Baru and Bangsar will surely be on their 

list. All three venues and numerous others provide 

the usual array of favourites such as apam balik 

(turnover pancake stuffed with crushed peanuts), 

bubur lambuk (savoury porridge) and ayam percik 

(barbequed chicken). 

For sheer variety, Kampung Baru should prove 

ideal to whet your appetite, and while you’re in 

there, stroll around the neighbourhood to get a 

slice of the kampung (village) life within a bustling 

metropolis. Bazaar Ramadan Kampung, Jalan Raja 

Alang, Chow Kit, 50300 Kuala Lumpur, open 3-7pm 

SPOTLIGHT 

Foodie Hangout 

NEOCLASSIC SETTING, 

CONTEMPORARY CUISINE 

Chef Robert Chan went on a 

mission to strip back the fine dining 

experience and highlight what 

was most important to him – the 

food. The result of this ideology is 

Tablescape, Singapore’s newest and 

hottest F&B establishment. 

Housed within the luxurious 

Grand Park City Hall, Tablescape 

is a contemporary restaurant and 

bar, focusing on delivering hearty, 

comforting favourites that can be 

paired with artisanal cocktails, and 

extensive premium wine and craft beer. 

Desserts are provided off the trolley 

with an indulgent array of house-made 

sweets. 12-2.30pm and 6-10.30pm 

daily, Level 3, 10 Coleman Street, 

Grand Park City Hall, parkhotelgroup. 

com/en/cityhall/tablescape 

HAIL CAESAR! 

Fort Canning Park will be transformed 

into a stage for the Singapore Repertory 

Theatre (SRT) as they present this year’s 

edition of Shakespeare in the Park. This 

year’s performance of Julius Caesar will be 

directed by London-based theatre director 

Guy Unsworth, who has assembled an 

impressive cast of talents from the region. 

SRT will tap into modern-day 

international relations and global current 

affairs in order to deliver a contemporary 

spin to Shakespeare’s renowned political 

thriller. With an engaging storyline 

presented on a beautiful set under a 

blanket of stars, Shakespeare in the Park 

- Julius Caesar will surely deliver a theatre 

experience like none other. May 2-27, 

7.30pm, Fort Canning Park, srt.com.sg/ 

show/juliuscaesar 

The row of shop houses in Plaza 

Batai, on Jalan Damansara, 

which once housed old 

bookshops, florists, coffee 

shops and a market, has now 

caught a second wind as a hip 

and happening neighbourhood 

hangout. Food choices here 

are abundant and so is the 

variety, thanks to inventive 

and passionate cooks who took 

advantage of the redevelopment 

to set up shop here. 

Eateries such as Yellow 

Brick Road and Beauty and 

the Beast live up to their 

name with creative and 

whimsical creations ranging 

from pancakes to burgers and 

sandwiches to entice diners. 

International cuisine offerings 

include Torii, which specialises 

in Japanese Yakitori and Sitka, 

a modern Asian restaurant and 

wine bar and Ekkamai, which 

serves contemporary Thai. 

The biggest footprint is occupied by Ben’s 

Independent Grocer, which also houses a small 

number of eateries within the supermarket but 

regulars however have a soft-spot for Restoran 

Shangri-La. The outlet maintains a selection of 

food stalls, peddling hawker fare, which adds a 

dash of nostalgia for diners who used to frequent 

Batai all those years ago. Jalan Batai, Bukit 

Damansara, opens daily 7am to 11pm. 

106 107

HAPPENINGS 

CAMBODIA 

BATTAMBANG / PHNOM PENH / SIEM REAP 

SPOTLIGHT 

Classically French 

For the past two decades, Topaz 

has cooked its way into the hearts 

of diners in Cambodia. A landmark 

destination for fine French dining, 

the restaurant located in the heart 

of Phnom Penh celebrates timehonoured 

traditions and cutting-edge 

gastronomy in a stylish surrounding. 

Even the most sophisticated taste 

buds will appreciate the extensive 

menu available at Topaz, especially 

its signature and hearty favourites. 

French staples such as Tartare de 

Filet De Saumon (Salmon Tartare), 

Soupe Élysée Au Truffes (Truffle Soup) 

and Entrecote de Boeuf Black Angus 

(Grilled Black Angus Ribeye) are just 

some of this restaurant’s highlights. 

Diners are guaranteed a complete 

dining experience at Topaz, with the 

best ingredients sourced from leading 

producers and suppliers, ending with 

sublime service. There’s also a wellstocked 

bar on site, complete with 

an extensive and impressive wine 

list to complement each meal. Open 

daily, 11.30am-2pm; 6pm-10.30pm, 

162 Preah Norodom Blvd, Phnom Penh, 

topaz-restaurant.com 

SPOTLIGHT 

Gateway to Khmer Cuisine 

You’re always spoilt for 

choice when it comes to 

dining options in Siem 

Reap but the Embassy 

Restaurant is arguably your 

best bet to experiencing 

authentic Khmer cuisine 

in a fine dining setting. 

Kimsan Pol and Kimsan 

Sok, better known as the 

‘Kimsan Twins’ are the 

creative culinary force 

behind this establishment, 

which elevates Cambodian 

cuisine to new heights. 

The restaurant with 

its tastefully decorated 

dining room and indoor 

terraces that overlooks 

the King’s Road complex 

serves an impressive array 

of gourmet-styled Khmer 

dishes. The twins make it 

a point to regularly change 

the menu to showcase a 

wide variety of flavours so 

no visit to the Embassy is 

ever the same. 

The outlet’s ‘active 

menu’ is changed on a 

monthly basis and there’s 

also a seasonal multiplecourse 

set menu paired with 

matching wines as well. 

Open daily 6pm-11pm, 

King’s Road Angkor Village, 

Siem Reap, embassyrestaurant.com 

ROYAL PLOUGHING CEREMONY 

Every year in May, Cambodians celebrate the 

Royal Ploughing Ceremony or ‘Bon Chroat Preah 

Nongkoal’, which signifies the beginning of the 

sowing and planting season. One of Cambodia’s 

most important royal ceremonies, the main 

celebration takes place at the park in front of the 

National Museum just next to the Royal Palace. 

According to tradition the King, or a chosen 

representative, will till a plot of land with a plough 

pulled by bulls. This customary act signals the 

start of the farming season throughout the 

country. After three rounds with the plough, the 

bulls are allowed to feed on rice, corn, seeds, 

grass, water and wine. It is a belief that the foods 

the bulls have chosen will ultimately decide a 

good harvest for that crop. The Royal Ploughing 

Ceremony also sees local men and women 

wearing brightly coloured traditional Khmer 

costumes to commemorate the event. 3 May, 

National Museum, Preah Ang Eng St. (13), 

Phnom Penh, Cambodia 

A GALLERY OF PORTRAITS 

Humanitarian photographer Joseba Etxebarria 

has amassed an incredible collection of photos 

from his travels around the globe. Now his vast 

and impressive collection can be savoured to its 

fullest at his very own gallery in Cambodia. 

The HUMAN Gallery – Joseba Etxebarria 

Photography brings together some of the best 

portraits of the photographer has taken. The 

gallery located in the city of Battambang, roughly 

three hours away by road from Siem Reap, is 

situated in a century-old house, which offers a 

relaxing environment for visitors to enjoy. 

Monday to Friday, 10am-2pm; 4pm-8pm, Street 1.5, 

No.49, Battambang, josebaetxebarria.com 

108

HAPPENINGS 

VIETNAM 

DANANG / HANOI / PHU QUOC 

THE WORLD’S LONGEST CABLE CAR 

Phu Quoc has the longest non-stop cable car in the world, as confirmed by the 

Guiness Book of Records. For riders, this means a breath-taking scenic journey 

over the sea and islands with a 360-degree view on board. The Hon Thom 3S 

Gondola Lift, also simply referred to as the Phu Quoc cable car, glides between 

Phu Quoc island and the smaller and greener Hon Thom sland. With a debut in 

February during Tet (the Vietnamese lunar new year), the Phu Quoc cable car 

promises riders a thrill and beauty from high up. With a panorama encompassing 

small islands, an emerald-coloured sea and coral reefs during high noon – the 15 

minute ride in nearly 8 kilometres will feel barely long enough. 

phuquocislandguide.com 

THINK PINK 

Travel along Danang’s long strip of beaches in this evolving coastal city from the 

convenience and flexible itinerary of Coco Bus – a hop-on-hop-off sightseeing 

bus. Visitors can choose a one-day ticket (250,000 VND/person/route) and 

enjoy 29 tour stops that are available along Beach Route – or the generous 

choice of 55 stops on the City Route. Passengers can hop on and off on the 

bright pink bus along the routes to discover Danang’s best attractions and 

landmarks in order to sight-see at their own pace, or stay on the bus for the full 

duration of the tour. Coco Bus takes passengers to hotspots like the Museum 

of Cham Sculpture, the Dragon Bridge, May Ann Beach, Han Market, Danang 

Cathedral and Le Duan Shopping Street. +84 236 3954 666, cococitytour.vn 

A GO-TO WATERING HOLE 

If you’re after a well-crafted cocktail or beer and 

interesting conversation, Tadioto Bar is one of the 

coolest places for a nightcap plus a hangout that 

keeps the party going in the Vietnam capital. 

While there may be iconic spots like the 

Sofitel Metropole Legend Hotel, Opera House, 

National Museum of Vietnamese History, and 

other establishments in the French Quarter, it 

can be said that Tadioto Bar has its own cultural 

relevance to make it a destination in its own right. 

Nguyen Qui Duc, a Vietnamese-American 

journalist and former radio commentator who 

relocated to Hanoi, established what is now 

the go-to watering hole. Its roots go way back 

to 2006 in a former artsy location where local 

artists and the creative crowd converged, 

staging poetry readings and other artistic 

performances. 

Like Duc himself, Tadioto has moved 

from place to place following the government 

shutdown of a street where creative types 

used to hang out. People have lost count of how 

many times Tadioto relocated before re-planting 

itself in the city’s French quarter. Duc himself is a 

painter and patron of Hanoi’s art scene. Tadioto 

is a small enough bar to mingle with the local 

crowd. Now you can pop in during the day for a 

quiet coffee and snack or drop in for a drink at 

night and check out what’s happening with the 

local scene. Open for breakfast, lunch and dinner, 

24 Tong Dan Street, Hanoi, +84 24 6680 9124, 

facebook.com/tadiototongdan 

SPOTLIGHT 

Under the Danang Sky 

A growing city like Danang is best 

seen when you’re perched at Sky 

36 Bar observing the skyline. As the 

name suggests, Sky 36 is Vietnam’s 

highest rooftop bar with amazing 

views over the city. Situated on the 

35th and 36th floor of the Novotel 

Danang Premier Han River, the bar 

fills up nightly with beautiful people. 

Swanky interiors showcase curved 

booths with glass and suede while 

a DJ rocks the tunes. Outside on the 

roof deck, it’s all about the neon 

lights, dancing and the irresistible 

glittering views. Drinks at Sky 

36 run the gamut from imported 

beers to premium spirits, as well 

as a selection of wines by the glass. 

Cocktails range from classics like a 

margarita or mojito to contemporary 

ones like ‘Death in the Afternoon.’ 

Try a Vietnamese Sangria with fresh 

fruits. Once fuelled up with music 

and drinks, views of the Han River 

amidst the backdrop of modern 

architecture give you a sense of 

Danang’s future. 6pm to 2am, 36 Bach 

Dang Street, Danang, facebook.com/ 

sky36bar 

110

HAPPENINGS 

LAOS 

LUANG PRABANG 

MYANMAR 

YANGON 

SPOTLIGHT 

Heritage Luxe 

Located in the heart of Luang Prabang, 

brand new hotel AVANI+ Luang Prabang 

sits within walking distance to the 

banks of the Mekong River while being 

strategically close to the Royal Palace, 

Night Market and beautiful temples. 

AVANI+, in a town that’s earmarked 

as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, 

raises the bar on contemporary French 

neo-classical architecture. Blending 

into the historic neighbourhood, the 

French colonial-inspired interiors blend 

with modern elegance in its 53 rooms 

and suites. An intimate, open-plan feel 

with louvre wooden doors open to a 

balcony or terrace overlooking either 

the pool or a private courtyard. For 

guests, AVANI+ offers a stunningly 

contemporary property set within the 

historic riverside zone, and conceived 

for a demanding new breed of traveller. 

After a day spent exploring temples 

or an adventure boat trip to Kuang 

Si Waterfalls or Pak Ou Caves, the 

hotel offers a retreat to AVANISPA for 

rejuvenation before enjoying a dinner 

cruise down the Mekong. Setthathirath 

Road, Hua Xieng Village, Luang Prabang, 

+856 71 262 333, minorhotels.com/en/ 

avani/luang-prabang 

GOOD MORNING, YANGON 

Motivated by fitness, health, and the enjoyment of a morning calm, a mix 

of pro and amateur runners recently got together to share their love for the 

activity and are encouraging those who happen to be in Yangon join them. 

Started by a group of Thai expats, the group meets at 6am near Kandawgyi 

Lake. As a bonus, Yangon’s many angles get discovered in the early morning 

hours while roads are still quiet with a wonderfully agreeable weather. 

The 10km route takes the group downtown and over the Pansodan 

bridge with the beautiful Yangon Central railway station within view. More 

historical and iconic British Colonial buildings mark the route, with 

many of them still in use. This running tour also goes past a local 

wet market and the large People’s Park near 

Shwedagon Pagoda, followed by breakfast. 

BEST BITE OF PIZZA 

Calling themselves Yangon’s 

homegrown slices, Parami 

Pizza serves excellent and 

authentic pizza baked in a 

wood-fired oven. If your 

cravings go beyond that, the 

menu of fine Italian dishes 

tempt children and adults alike 

in a relaxed ambience. Menu 

highlights include authentic 

Neapolitan pizza, antipasti like 

Hokkaido Octopus Carpaccio 

using fresh ingredients of 

pomelo and citrus-chilli 

dressing, homemade Tagliatelle 

with Venetian Duck Ragu of 

slow braised duck, eggplant, 

olives, peppers, and must-have 

desserts like the classic Tiramisu 

and Nutella Pizzette. 

The place is typically busy 

in the evening after work 

hours with its prime location 

on the main road of Parami, so 

advanced bookings are ideal to 

avoid the wait. Open late until 

11pm. 11/C, Corner of Malikha 

Road and Parami Road, 7th 

Quarter, Mayangone Township, 

Yangon, +95 9 261767616, 

paramipizza.com 

NO MORE FOREIGN FOODS FOR MORNING ALMS 

Everyday in the early calm in Luang Prabang, hundreds of monks make their 

way through the streets for morning alms. Recently however, throngs of 

tourists have disrupted the ritual. In the enthusiastic need to participate, 

inappropriate foods have been given. With cameras and smartphones, they 

also clamour for ‘exotic’ photos of monks. Hawkers laden with baskets of 

sticky rice bags also run to tourists to sell their wares. Oftentimes a frenzied 

atmosphere ensues, and morning alms now sometimes give way to camera 

flashes and yelling, with inappropriate food offerings consisting of lollipops 

and ‘khao larm (sticky rice char-cooked in a bamboo tube.) To return peace 

and the true meaning of alms offering, Luang Prabang now puts a ban on 

foreign foods. With local tourism authorities providing guidelines, khao larm 

is forbidden, including pre-packaged offering sets that get inserted with 

imported snacks. The tourism organisation stresses that sticky rice – a staple 

food in Laos – sold during morning alms must be of good quality and freshly 

steamed. More can be learned at tourismluangprabang.org 

112

HAPPENINGS 

MALDIVES / INDIA 

MALDIVES / MUMBAI 

SPOTLIGHT 

Maldivian 

Blue and White 

It’s not surprising that couples 

and seekers of glamorous tropical 

getaways have long had the 

Maldives at the very top of their 

wish lists. Imagine the visual 

impact of islands encircled by a 

lagoon shimmering with crystal 

clear waters and protected by a 

reef structure where spectacular 

underwater life dwells. 

The Maldives prides itself on 

26 natural atolls with 1,190 islands 

formed in unique and circular 

shapes. The word “atoll” comes 

from the Dhivehi language, 

“atholhu.” Ring-shaped reefs 

developed after volcanoes 

subsided and the sea level rose. 

Every resort is on its own island. 

One of the biggest groupings 

of islands is Baa Atoll, consisting 

of 3 separate atolls of 75 islands 

and a protected UNESCO biosphere 

reserve. Several well-known 

5-star resorts operate here. 

While most of the Maldives has great 

snorkelling and diving, the Baa Atoll offers 

outstanding experiences that include 

incredible gatherings of manta rays and 

whale sharks. On clear days of snorkelling 

or diving, you might get lucky in spotting 

marine turtles with at least five species out 

of seven in the world swimming by: the 

green turtle, hawksbill turtle, olive ridley 

turtle, loggerhead turtle and leatherback 

turtle. Frequently sighted on the atoll are 

hawksbill turtles. 

The Baa Atoll can be reached by a 

domestic flight or seaplane direct to 

your island resort. The best time to go 

depends on your budget and timing. It’s 

low season between May and November, 

when storms occur but usually won’t 

disrupt a week-long stay. 

DESIGN & DÉCOR 

The quaint by-lanes of Kala Ghoda, 

Mumbai’s cultural precinct, saw another 

store opening recently. Translate is 

a concept store that celebrates the 

traditional handloom weaving and dyeing 

style of Pochampally Ikat. The brand 

sources directly form regional Ikat artists 

and transforms the material into 

contemporary, everyday apparel and home 

design. Choose tops and tunics in a range 

of classy colours, from aubergines and 

olives to midnight blue and ruby. Home 

décor includes cushion covers, table 

runners, bed sheets, and more. Translate, 

18 Commerce House, Opp. Kala Ghoda Café, 

Fort +917700077338 

114 

115

BANGKOK AIRWAYS NEWS 118 / FLYERBONUS 122 / AIRCRAFT INFO 127 / ROUTE MAP 128 

117

BANGKOK AIRWAYS NEWS 

BANGKOK AIRWAYS 

ANNOUNCES COLLABORATION 

WITH EXPEDIA GROUP 

Bangkok Airways recently 

announced a new collaboration 

with Expedia group, the world’s 

largest online travel company, to 

add a new distribution channel 

and incorporate a marketing 

campaign globally. The airline 

sees a boost in ticket sales through 

various sales channels of Expedia 

and its subsidiaries especially in 

North America, Europe and 

Australasia. Starting today, 

passengers can make reservations 

for all Bangkok Airways flights 

via different Expedia channels 

such as www.expedia.com 

(locally in Thailand through 

www.expedia.co.th,) Expedia’s 

mobile application on both iOS 

and Android or at any Expedia 

customer service centres worldwide. 

Varong Israsena Na Ayudhya, 

Vice President — Sales, Bangkok 

Airways Public Company Limited 

said, “It’s another significant 

milestone for Bangkok Airways 

to collaborate with the Expedia 

group, one of the world’s leading 

online travel companies. The new 

collaboration will enable us to offer 

passengers a broader choice of 

booking channels via Expedia’s 

extensive platforms. Bangkok 

Airways strives to improve 

service provided to our passengers 

to enhance their travel experience 

as well as emphasise our position as 

"Asia's Boutique Airline." 

สายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส โดยนายวรงค์ อิศรเสนา ณ อยุธยา 

รองกรรมการผู้อำนวยการใหญ่ฝ่ายขาย ลงนามสัญญาความ 

สัมพันธ์ทางธุรกิจกับ บริษัท เอ็กซ์พีเดีย อิงค์ (Expedia Inc.) โดย 

นายซานดีป ชาร์มาร์ ผู้อำนวยการฝ่ายคมนาคมและการท่องเที่ยว 

เอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ และอินเดีย เพื่อสนับสนุนการขายและร่วม 

ส่งเสริมการตลาด กระตุ้นยอดจำหน่ายบัตรโดยสาร ตลอดจน 

เพิ่มความสะดวกสบายในการสำรองบัตรโดยสารให้กับผู้โดยสาร 

ของสายการบินฯ ผ่านช่องทางต่างๆ ของเอ็กซ์พีเดีย และกลุ่ม 

บริษัทในเครือต่างๆ ที่มีสาขามากมายอยู่ทั่วโลก โดยเฉพาะใน 

ภูมิภาคอเมริกาเหนือ ยุโรป และออสตราเลเชีย โดยผู้โดยสารฯ 

สามารถทำการสำรองบัตรโดยสารของบางกอกแอร์เวย์สได้ใน 

ทุกเส้นทางบินผ่านเว็บไซต์ www.expedia.com โมบายแอพพลิเคชั่น 

Expedia บนสมาร์ทโฟนทั้งระบบ iOS และ Android และศูนย์บริการ 

ลูกค้าเอ็กซ์พีเดียทั่วโลก ตั้งแต่วันนี้เป็นต้นไป 

นายวรงค์ อิศรเสนา ณ อยุธยา รองกรรมการผู้อำนวยการใหญ่ 

ฝ่ายขาย บางกอกแอร์เวย์ส กล่าวว่า "ความร่วมมือดังกล่าว 

ถือเป็นอีกก้าวสำคัญของสายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์สในการ 

ร่วมมือกับเครือเอ็กซ์พีเดีย ซึ ่งถือเป็นหนึ่งในบริษัทท่องเที่ยว 

ออนไลน์ชั้นนำของโลก โดยความร่วมมือในครั้งนี้จะช่วยให้เรา 

สามารถเสนอช่องทางในการจองบัตรโดยสารได้หลากหลาย 

มากขึ้นผ่านทางแพลตฟอร์มของเอ็กซ์พีเดีย ซึ่งสายการบิน 

บางกอกแอร์เวย์สมุ่งมั่นที่จะพัฒนาการบริการของเราให้ดียิ่งขึ้น 

เพื่อมอบประสบการณ์พิเศษในทุกการเดินทางดั่งสโลแกน 

Asia's Boutique Airline หรือ ความประทับใจแห่งเอเชีย" 

A NEW CODESHARE PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN PG AND EL AL 

Bangkok Airways and EL AL Israel Airlines (LY) have announced 

a new codeshare partnership to strengthen their respective 

route networks. 

This new codeshare partnership with EL AL Israel 

Airlines is yet another important milestone and significant 

development in the continued growth of Bangkok 

Airways. Passengers can now receive convenient and 

seamless access to well-known destinations in Thailand 

and neighbouring countries. Moreover, EL AL's passengers 

travelling on Bangkok Airways will enjoy the boutique 

airline’s unparalleled services, in areas such as lounge 

access and in-flight meals. 

This codeshare agreement will cover 9 routes on 

both domestic and international categories. Codeshare 

flights operated by Bangkok Airways include roundtrip 

routes on Bangkok-Samui, Bangkok-Chiang Rai, Bangkok- 

Chiang Mai, Bangkok-Lampang, Bangkok-Trat, Bangkok- 

Sukhothai, Bangkok-Danang, Bangkok-Phnom Penh and 

Bangkok-Siem Reap. 

สายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส (PG) และ 

สายการบินแอล อัล อิสราเอลแอร์ไลน์ 

(LY) ของประเทศอิสราเอล ประกาศ 

ลงนามข้อตกลงในการให้บริการเที่ยวบิน 

ร่วม เพื่อสร้างความแข็งแกร่งให้กับ 

เส้นทางบินระหว่างสองประเทศ 

การลงนามข้อตกลงในการให้ 

บริการเที่ยวบินร่วมกับสายการบิน 

แอล อัล อิสราเอลแอร์ไลน์ ในครั้งนี้ 

ถือเป็นอีกหนึ่งก้าวสำคัญของ 

บางกอกแอร์เวย์สในการสร้างเครือข่าย 

พันธมิตรการบินให้มีความแข็งแกร่งยิ่งขึ้น 

อีกทั้งยังเป็นการอำนวยความสะดวก 

ให้กับผู้โดยสารของแอล อัล อิสราเอล 

แอร์ไลน์ ในการเดินทางเชื่อมต่อไปยัง 

แหล่งท่องเที่ยวชื่อดังทั้งในประเทศไทยและ 

ประเทศเพื่อนบ้าน ซึ่งผู้โดยสารของ 

แอล อัล อิสราเอลแอร์ไลน์ จะได้รับ 

ความสะดวกสบายและการบริการ 

เหนือระดับเมื่อเดินทางกับบางกอก 

แอร์เวย์ส ไม่ว่าจะเป็นสิทธิพิเศษในการ 

เข้าใช้บริการห้องรับรองผู้โดยสาร 

ของบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส และการบริการ 

อาหารบนทุกเที่ยวบิน 

สำหรับข้อตกลงในการทำเที่ยวบิน 

ร่วมในครั้งนี้จะช่วยอำนวยความ 

สะดวกให้แก่ผู้โดยสารของแอล อัล 

อิสราเอลแอร์ไลน์ ในการเดินทางเชื่อมต่อ 

จากกรุงเทพฯ ไปยังเมืองท่องเที่ยวยอด 

นิยมทั้งในประเทศไทยและต่างประเทศ 

โดยสายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์สจะให้ 

บริการทั้งหมด 9 เส้นทางบิน ได้แก่ 

กรุงเทพฯ-เกาะสมุย กรุงเทพฯ-เชียงราย 

กรุงเทพฯ-เชียงใหม่ กรุงเทพฯ-ลำปาง 

กรุงเทพฯ-ตราด กรุงเทพฯ-สุโขทัย 

กรุงเทพฯ-ดานัง (เวียดนาม) กรุงเทพฯ- 

พนมเปญ (กัมพูชา) และกรุงเทพฯ- 

เสียมราฐ (กัมพูชา) 

118 

119


BANGKOK AIRWAYS SIGNS PARTNERSHIP 

DEAL WITH BORUSSIA DORTMUND 

Bangkok Airways and German football 

club Borussia Dortmund recently 

announced a partnership deal at Signal 

Iduna Park in Dortmund, Germany to 

collaborate on branding opportunities 

and extend market reach by tapping into 

the large Asian market. 

Borussia Dortmund is one of Europe’s 

most successful football clubs with a 

traditionally strong fan base in Asia and 

the world and Bangkok Airways is proud 

to announce itself as a ‘regional partner’ 

of Borussia Dortmund. The collaboration 

includes a variety of advertising and 

promotional components in co-branding 

campaigns in Thailand, other Southeast 

Asian countries, China, Hong Kong, India 

and Bangladesh thereby enhancing the 

airline’s brand recognition across the regions. 

Bangkok Airways’ President, 

Mr. Puttipong Prasarttong-Osoth said, 

“We are proud and excited to partner 

with Borussia Dortmund, who are 

eight-time German champions. With 

Borussia Dortmund’s strong global 

brand presence and huge fan base, 

we believe it will strengthen Bangkok 

Airways’ brand image as Asia’s Boutique 

Airline. This will make the airline better 

known across Asia and Europe – our main 

customer bases." 

"Highlighting this is the BVB Evonik 

Football School for children. It is our way of 

giving back to the community and part of 

our business roadmap for many years. We 

will work with our dedicated CSR team to 

make this sponsorship activation a tangible 

reality,” added Mr. Puttipong. 

Mr. Carsten Cramer, Chief Marketing 

Officer of Borussia Dortmund also stated, 

“We are excited to partner with Bangkok 

Airways who has strengthened their 

award-winning position over the last couple 

of years in Asia. Both of us are ambitious 

and aspiring brands and are looking forward 

to announcing our cooperation across 

Bangkok Airways’ key markets.” 

Bangkok Airways, together with Borussia 

Dortmund, are also in talks with the Sports 

Authority of Thailand (SAT) and the Thai 

FA for the possibility of initiating a special 

coaching programme that implements 

Dortmund's coaching expertise for 

Thailand's national youth teams. 

สายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส โดยนายพุฒิพงศ์ 

ปราสาททองโอสถ กรรมการผู้อำนวยการใหญ่ 

และสโมสรฟุตบอลโบรุสเซียดอร์ทมุนด์จาก 

ประเทศเยอรมนี ประกาศเป็นพันธมิตรร่วมกัน 

ณ สนามซิกนัลอิดูนาพาร์ค เมืองดอร์ทมุนด์ 

ประเทศเยอรมนี ซึ่งเป็นการยกระดับความ 

ร่วมมือในการสร้างแบรนด์ของทั้งสองบริษัทฯ 

ในการขยายตลาดสู่ระดับสากลมากยิ่งขึ้น 

บางกอกแอร์เวย์ส ประกาศร่วมมือเป็น 

พันธมิตรกับสโมสรฟุตบอลโบรุสเซียดอร์ทมุนด์ 

อย่างเป็นทางการ ซึ่งเป็นหนึ่งในสโมสรฟุตบอล 

ที่ประสบความสำเร็จมากที่สุดในยุโรป และมี 

ฐานแฟนบอลทั้งในทวีปเอเชียและทั่วโลก ส ำหรับ 

ความร่วมมือในครั้งนี้มีการร่วมทำโฆษณาและ 

ส่งเสริมแคมเปญพิเศษต่างๆ ทั้งในประเทศไทย 

ในภูมิภาคเอเชียตะวันออกเฉียงใต้ จีน ฮ่องกง 

อินเดีย และบังคลาเทศ ซึ่งถือเป็นการเพิ่มโอกาส 

ในการสร้างการจดจำแบรนด์ให้กับสายการบินฯ 

ในระดับภูมิภาคมากยิ่งขึ้น 

นายพุฒิพงศ์ ปราสาททองโอสถ เผยว่า 

“ในโอกาสที่ปีนี้บริษัทฯ ครบรอบ 50 ปี จึงน ำ 

แบรนด์ก้าวเข้าสู่สากลโดยการจับมือกับสโมสร 

ฟุตบอลโบรุสเซียดอร์ทมุนด์ และถือเป็นความ 

ภาคภูมิใจที่ได้ร่วมเป็นพันธมิตรกับทีมฟุตบอล 

ที่มีฐานแฟนบอลทั่วโลก รวมทั้งชนะการแข่งขัน 

ในลีกเยอรมนีถึง 8 ปีซ้อน เราเชื่อว่าการร่วมมือ 

ครั้งนี้จะช่วยตอกย้ำความเป็นเอกลักษณ์ 

เฉพาะตัวในแบบเอเชียบูทีคแอร์ไลน์ของ 

สายการบินฯ และทำให้เป็นที่รู้จักมากยิ่งขึ้น ทั้ง 

ในเอเชียและยุโรปซึ่งเป็นฐานลูกค้าหลักของเรา” 

"ความพิเศษอีกอย่างก็คือ การมอบโอกาส 

ในการฝึกทักษะกีฬาฟุตบอลให้กับเยาวชน 

โดยสโมสรฟุตบอลโบรุสเซียดอร์ทมุนด์ ซึ่ง 

กิจกรรมเพื่อสังคมถือเป็นส่วนหนึ่งในแผน 

ธุรกิจของบางกอกแอร์เวย์สที่เราให้ความ 

สำคัญและทำมาอย่างต่อเนื่อง” 

นายคาร์สเทน คราเม่อ ประธานเจ้าหน้าที่ 

การตลาดของสโมสรโบรุสเซียดอร์ทมุนด์ 

กล่าวว่า “ทางสโมสรรู้สึกตื่นเต้นที่ได้เป็นพันธมิตร 

ร่วมกับสายการบินที่แข็งแกร่งและได้รับรางวัล 

ต่อเนื่องมากมายอย่างบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส ทั้งสอง 

บริษัทฯมีความตั้งใจที่จะน ำเสนอความร่วมมือนี้ 

เพื่อให้เข้าถึงกลุ่มลูกค้าหลักของสายการบิน 

บางกอกแอร์เวย์สมากยิ่งขึ้น” 

สายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์สร่วมกับ 

สโมสรโบรุสเซียดอร์ทมุนด์ อยู่ระหว่างการ 

เจรจากับการกีฬาแห่งประเทศไทยและ 

สมาคมกีฬาฟุตบอลแห่งประเทศไทยถึง 

ความเป็นไปได้สำหรับโครงการพิเศษที่จัดขึ้น 

เพื่อพัฒนาทักษะกีฬาฟุตบอลให้กับทีม 

ฟุตบอลเยาวชนแห่งประเทศไทยอีกด้วย 

“JUNIOR RUNNING CLINIC” ACTIVITY 

Bangkok Airways, led by the 

Corporate Social Responsibility 

Department, organised a “Junior 

Running Clinic.” This event brought 

50 students from Wat Salak Phet 

School to join Bangkok Airways' 

"Ultra Trail Unseen Koh Chang," 

which was the first of its planned 

7 running events in the Boutique 

Series 2018 programme. This 

activity aims to provide local kids 

an opportunity to learn how to 

run in a professional race and to 

inspire them to see the importance 

of exercise. 

BANGKOK AIRWAYS 

OPEN HOUSE 2018 

Bangkok Airways led by Mr. Tortakul 

Samakul, Regional Director – Sales, 

organised the “Bangkok Airways Open 

House” campaign at Bangkok Airways 

Operations Center (BAOC), Suvarnabhumi 

airport. In addition to that, the airline 

also organised a pioneer visitation trip 

to Siem Reap, Cambodia during 21-23 

February 2018 for professors from 

leading universities in Thailand. 

The Bangkok Airways Open House 

is organised to disseminate knowledge 

regarding the operation of Bangkok Airways. 

The campaign aims to improve the quality 

of learning, increase comprehension skills, 

and exchange knowledge. 

Bangkok Airways has also added 

a further initiative to the running 

series, with their “Shoes For Kids” 

campaign. It provides the opportunity 

for runners to take part, by donating 

a pair of shoes to kids living in the 

provinces where the running races 

take place. Donations are made 

simple via www.teelakow.com. 

Selected students at 7 destinations 

of the Bangkok Airways Boutique 

Series 2018 will get a chance to 

learn some running techniques 

and receive donated running shoes 

from registered runners. 

สายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส โดยนายต่อตระกูล 

สมากุล ผู้อำนวยการส่วนขาย ประจำประเทศไทย 

จัดโครงการ "เปิดบ้านสอนน้อง" ประจำปี 2561 ซึ่งจัด 

ต่อเนื่องติดกันมาเป็นปีที่ 3 ณ อาคารทับสุวรรณ 

(BAOC) สนามบินสุวรรณภูมิ พร้อมจัดทริปนำร่อง 

นำคณะอาจารย์จากมหาวิทยาลัยชื่อดังร่วมเดินทาง 

ไปยังเมืองเสียมราฐ ประเทศกัมพูชา เพื่อศึกษาดูงาน 

ในส่วนของธุรกิจนำเที่ยว ระหว่างวันที่ 21-23 

กุมภาพันธ์ 2561 

สายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส โดยส่วนรับผิดชอบต่อสังคม ได้นำ 

คณะเยาวชนจำนวน 50 คน จากโรงเรียนวัดสลักเพชร มาร่วมทำ 

กิจกรรม “จูเนียร์ รันนิ่ง คลินิค” ภายใต้โครงการ “รองเท้าผ้าใบให้ 

น้อง” ในรายการแข่งขันวิ่ง “บางกอกแอร์เวย์ส อัลตร้า เทรล อันซีน 

เกาะช้าง” ณ อำเภอเกาะช้าง จังหวัดตราด 

กิจกรรม “จูเนียร์ รันนิ่ง คลินิค” เป็นหนึ่งกิจกรรมที่อยู่ภายใต้ 

โครงการรับผิดชอบต่อสังคมของสายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส 

ที่จัดอบรมให้เยาวชนท้องถิ่นได้เรียนรู้เทคนิคการวิ่งที่ถูกต้องทั้ง 

ภาคทฤษฎีและภาคปฏิบัติจากนักวิ่งที่มีประสบการณ์ เพื่อให้สามารถ 

นำมาปรับใช้ในการวิ่งหรือการออกกำลังกายด้านอื่นๆ ได้อย่าง 

ถูกวิธี โดยคัดเลือกเยาวชนระดับชั้นประถมและมัธยมศึกษาจาก 

โรงเรียนที่อยู่รอบพื้นที่เส้นทางวิ่งของรายการแข่งขันวิ่ง “บางกอก 

แอร์เวย์ส บูทีค ซีรีย์ 2018” 

“บางกอกแอร์เวย์ส บูทีค ซีรีย์ 2018” เป็นรายการแข่งขันวิ่งที่ 

จัดขึ้นใน 7 จุดหมายปลายทางของสายการบินฯ ตลอดปี 2561 

ได้แก่ ตราด กระบี่ เกาะสมุย ลำปาง ภูเก็ต เชียงราย และเชียงใหม่ 

โดยแบ่งเป็นรายการวิ่งเทรล 1 รายการ วิ่งฮาล์ฟมาราธอน 5 

รายการ และรายการวิ่งมาราธอน 1 รายการ ซึ่งกิจกรรม “จูเนียร์ 

รันนิ่ง คลินิค” จะจัดขึ้นควบคู่ไปกับรายการแข่งขันวิ่งที่จะเกิดขึ้น 

ตลอดทั้งปี 

โครงการ "เปิดบ้านสอนน้อง" เป็นโครงการของ 

สายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส ที่จัดขึ้นเพื่อเปิด 

โอกาสให้อาจารย์และนักศึกษาในสาขาวิชา 

อุตสาหกรรมการท่องเที่ยว โรงแรม และสายการบิน 

ได้แลกเปลี่ยนความรู้และประสบการณ์ทางสายงาน 

ธุรกิจการบินและการท่องเที่ยว และมีโอกาสร่วมเดิน 

ทางกับสายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์สเพื่อศึกษาดูงาน 

จากการปฏิบัติงานนอกสถานที่ อีกทั้งได้รับฟัง 

การบรรยายเพื่อเพิ่มความรู้และประสบการณ์อีกด้วย 

120 

121

FLYERBONUS 

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OF 2 FABULOUS CAMPAIGNS 

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Feel Unique with Extraordinary Rewards at Your Fingertips 

Whether enjoying a vacation 

at one of our exotic gems 

destination or waiting for 

your flight in one of our 

customised airports, Bangkok 

Airways aims to provide 

members with an exclusive, 

rewards-focused service. 

We’ve now come closer to 

knowing your needs and 

preferences with the help of 

our new FlyerBonus Wallet 

Card technology. 

Before your flight, simply 

download the FlyerBonus 

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bangkokair.com and log in. 

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southern provinces – 

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For more information, 

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ไม่ว่าจะพักผ่อนริมทะเลอยู่จุดหมาย 

ปลายทางที่แสนพิเศษของเราหรือ 

รอขึ้นเครื่องสำหรับทริปธุรกิจ 

บางกอกแอร์เวย์สมีความเต็มใจที่จะ 

เติมเต็มความสุขคุ้มค่าให้กับการ 

เดินทางของสมาชิกด้วยคะแนน 

สะสมฟลายเออร์โบนัส และด้วย 

ความมุ่งมั่นที่จะมอบสิทธิพิเศษที่ 

แตกต่างอย่างสม่ำเสมอให้เหมาะสม 

กับไลฟ์สไตล์ของคุณ เราได้เพิ่ม 

ความรวดเร็วและความสะดวกสบาย 

ในการสะสมคะแนนและการใช้สิทธิ 

ประโยชน์แก่คุณ ผ่าน FlyerBonus 

Wallet Card ทางหน้าจอโทรศัพท์มือถือ 

ก่อนการเดินทาง เพียงดาวน์โหลด 

FlyerBonus Wallet Card ผ่าน 

เว็บไซต์ flyerbonus.bangkokair.com 

ลงชื่อเข้าระบบสมาชิก คลิกแสดง 

บัตรและบันทึกลงบนโทรศัพท์ 

ของคุณเพื่อใช้แสดงที่เคาน์เตอร์ 

เช็คอิน เท่านี้คุณก็พร้อมจะเดินทาง 

เปิดประสบการณ์ใหม่ๆ ตามความฝัน 

ไม่ว่าจะแสงแดด ทะเล และหาดทราย 

ที่เกาะมัลดีฟส์ ล่องเรือบนเส้นทาง 

ประวัติศาสตร์ฮาลอง เบย์ เดินป่าดู 

ทะเลหมอกที่เชียงใหม่ เชียงราย 

หรือลิ้มลองแกงใต้ – เริ่มต้นด้วย 

FlyerBonus Wallet Card ของคุณ 

อัพเดตข่าวสารและอ่านข้อมูล 

เพิ่มเติมได้ที่ 

flyerbonus.bangkokair.com 

Mr. Prote Setsuwan, Vice President for Marketing at 

Bangkok Airways, accompanied by Mrs. Darunee Debavalya, 

Senior Director of Customer Satisfaction and Relationship 

Management, recently had the pleasure of drawing 

winners for two FlyerBonus Lucky Draws, 3D/2N Luxury 

Stay at the Dusit Thani Maldives and the FlyerBonus 

New Year Surprise 2018. Winners enjoy premium 

accommodations plus a pair of round-trip tickets for 

Bangkok and Malé (Maldives) valued at 209,100 THB. 

Congratulations to the lucky FlyerBonus Members! 

Enrol now to earn FlyerBonus Points and reap the benefits 

at flyerbonus.com! 

เมื่อเร็วๆ นี้ รายการสะสมคะแนนฟลายเออร์โบนัส โดยนายพรต เสตสุวรรณ 

รองกรรมการผู้อำนวยการใหญ่ ฝ่ายการตลาด และนางดรุณี เทพวัลย์ 

ผู้อำนวยการอาวุโส ส่วนบริหารความพึงพอใจและความสัมพันธ์ลูกค้า จัดพิธี 

จับรางวัล และมอบรางวัลบัตรโดยสารชั้นประหยัด ไป-กลับ กรุงเทพ-มาเล่ 

(มัลดีฟส์) 2 ที่นั่ง พร้อมบัตรที่พัก 3 วัน 2 คืนที่ ดุสิตธานี มัลดีฟส์ พร้อม 

อาหารแบบ Full Board สำหรับ 2 ท่าน มูลค่า 209,100 บาท จาก 2 

แคมเปญใหญ่ “Fly & Win ชวนบิน 5 ไฟล์ท ลุ้นพักดุสิตธานี มัลดีฟส์” และ 

“FlyerBonus New Year Surprise” ขอแสดงความยินดีกับสมาชิกฟลายเออร์ 

โบนัสผู้โชคดีทุกท่าน 

ท่านสามารถสมัครเป็นสมาชิกรายการสะสมคะแนนฟลายเออร์โบนัสเพื่อ 

สะสมคะแนนจากการเดินทางและรับสิทธิประโยชน์ต่างๆ ได้ที่เว็บไซต์ 

flyerbonus.com 

122 123


AIRCRAFT INFO 

BANGKOK AIRWAYS OPERATES FOUR TYPES OF AIRCRAFT 

AIRBUS A319 

NUMBER OF FLEET : 14 

LENGTH : 33.84 m 

WINGSPAN : 34.1 m 

HEIGHT : 12.17 m 

ENGINE : IAE V2500 

CRUISING SPEED : 

920 km/h 

MAX OPERATIONAL ALTITUDE : 

39,800 ft 

PASSENGER CAPACITY : 

12 seats & 108 seats / 144 seats / 138 seats 

AIRBUS A320 





ENGINE : IAE V2500 


870 km/h 


39,800 ft 


162 seats 

••••• 

ATR 72-500 





ENGINE : 2 x 2,750 hp 

Pratt & Whitney 

Canada PW127F 


509 km/h 


25,000 ft 


70 seats 

ATR 72-600 

PG DIRECT SERVICE FROM CHIANG MAI 

TO HANOI 

On 25 March 2018, Bangkok (Noi Bai International Airport) 

Airways Public Company Limited at 12.00 hrs. The inbound flight 

led by Mr. Varong Israsena Na Ayudhya, PG996 departs Hanoi (Noi Bai 

Vice President – Sales and Mrs. International Airport) at 12.45 hrs 

Chanthip Thongkanya, Vice President and arrives Chiang Mai International 

– Office of the President, joined in Airport at 14.50 hrs. 

the launch of the inaugural flight Hanoi is the third destination 

from Chiang Mai to Hanoi. The in Vietnam for the airline, adding 

event was held at Noi Bai International to Bangkok Airways’ route network 

Airport in the capital city of Hanoi, after successful runs on the 

with a warm welcome from local Bangkok-Danang and Bangkokauthorities 

in Vietnam. 

Phu Quoc flight routes launched 

Bangkok Airways’ new service earlier in May 2016 and October 

offers daily flights between Chiang 2017, respectively. Bangkok 

Mai and Hanoi with a 70-seater Airways is a full-service regional 

ATR72-500/600 aircraft. The airline that provides the best 

outbound flight PG995 departs personalised service to passengers, 

Chiang Mai International Airport under the slogan of “Asia’s 

at 09.55 hrs and arrives Hanoi Boutique Airline”. 

เมื่อวันที่ 25 มีนาคม ที่ผ่านมา สายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส 

นำโดย นายวรงค์ อิศรเสนา ณ อยุธยา รองกรรมการ 

ผู้อำนวยการใหญ่ ส่วนขาย และนางจันทร์ทิพย์ ทองกันยา 

รองกรรมการผู้อำนวยการใหญ่ สำนักกรรมการผู้อำนวย 

การใหญ่ ร่วมเปิดเที่ยวบินปฐมฤกษ์เส้นทางเชียงใหม่-ฮานอย 

(ประเทศเวียดนาม) โดยมีเจ้าหน้าที่ของทางเวียดนามให้การ 

ต้อนรับอย่างอบอุ่น ณ ท่าอากาศยานนานาชาตินอยไบ 

ประเทศเวียดนาม 

สายการบินบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส ให้บริการเส้นทางบิน 

ตรงระหว่าง เชียงใหม่และฮานอย (เวียดนาม) ทุกวัน วันละ 1 

เที่ยวบิน ด้วยเครื่องบินแบบเอทีอาร์ 72-500/600 ขนาด 

70 ที่นั่ง โดยเที่ยวบินขาไป PG995 ออกจากเชียงใหม่ 

(สนามบินนานาชาติเชียงใหม่) เวลา 09:55 น. ถึงฮานอย 

(สนามบินนานาชาตินอยไบ) เวลา 12:00 น. และเที่ยวบิน 

ขากลับ PG996 ออกจากฮานอย (สนามบินนานาชาติ 

นอยไบ) เวลา 12.45 น. ถึงเชียงใหม่ (สนามบินนานาชาติ 

เชียงใหม่) เวลา 14:50 น. 

เมืองฮานอยถือเป็นเส้นทางบินที่ 3 ในประเทศเวียดนาม 

ในเครือข่ายเส้นทางบินของบางกอกแอร์เวย์ส หลังจาก 

ประสบความสำเร็จอย่างสูงในเส้นทาง กรุงเทพ-ดานัง ซึ่ง 

เปิดให้บริการในปี 2559 และเส้นทางบินกรุงเทพ-เกาะ 

ฟู้โกว๊ก ซึ่งเปิดให้บริการในปี 2560 

NUMBER OF FLEET : 9 CRUISING SPEED : 

LENGTH : 27.166 m 

509 km/h 

WINGSPAN : 27.050 m MAX OPERATIONAL ALTITUDE : 


25,000 ft 

ENGINE : 2 x 2,750 hp PASSENGER CAPACITY : 

Pratt & Whitney 

70 seats 

Canada PW127M 

OUR SCHEDULE FLIGHTS AND FREQUENCY 

DOMESTIC FLIGHTS 

Bangkok, Koh Samui, Phuket and Chiang Mai : 

Numerous flights every day from a variety of destinations 

Chiang Mai : 1 flight per day from Phuket ; 

1 flight per day from Koh Samui 

Chiang Rai : 3 flights per day from Bangkok 

Hat Yai : 

1 flight per day from Phuket 

Koh Chang/Trat : 3 flights per day from Bangkok 

Krabi : 3 flights per day from Bangkok ; 


Lampang : 3 flights per day from Bangkok 

Mae Hong Son : 1 flight per day from Chiang Mai 

Pattaya : 1 flight per day from Phuket ; 


Sukhothai : 2 flights per day from Bangkok 

INTERNATIONAL FLIGHTS 

Chengdu : 4 flights per week from Koh Samui 

Chongqing : 3 flights per week from Koh Samui 

Danang : 1 flight per day from Bangkok 

Guangzhou : 1 flight per day from Koh Samui 

Hanoi : 

1 flight per day from Chiang Mai 

Hong Kong : 2 flights per day from Koh Samui 

Kuala Lumpur : 1 flight per day from Koh Samui 

Luang Prabang : 2 flights per day from Bangkok 

Malé : 

1 flight per day from Bangkok 

Mandalay : 1 flight per day from Bangkok ; 


Mumbai : 1 flight per day from Bangkok 

Nay Pyi Taw : 6 flights per week from Bangkok 

Phnom Penh : 6 flights per day from Bangkok 

Phu Quoc : 4 flights per week from Bangkok 

Siem Reap : 5 flights per day from Bangkok 

Singapore : 2 flights per day from Koh Samui 

Vientiane : 2 flights per day from Bangkok 

Yangon : 4 flights per day from Bangkok ; 


126 

127

128 129

CHECKING OUT 

Modern In Its 

Own Way 

Myanmar’s capital Yangon 

moves forward at an even 

pace, making sure its 

traditions remain intact. 

130

Fah Thai Magazine May June 2018

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