The BigChilli Nov 2012 by The BigChilli Co., Ltd.

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FIND OUT WHAT’S HOT IN BANGKOK

November 2012 08 INSIGHT News, letters, monthly planner, and more 37 EXPAT WOMEN Health, shopping, people, and advice 51 GOURMET A round up of all the best restaurant deals and gourmet events in Bangkok 56 HOT PLATES Four leading restaurants raise standards with some interesting and innovative culinary ideas 62 CREATIVE GENIUS Meet the man behind Bangkok’s most amazing restaurants 84 COPY CARS The search for Thailand’s elusive replica supercars goes on 91 WHAT’S ON Exhibitions, peformance, sport, networking - we’ve got this month’s best events all wrapped up 103 SOCIAL Last month’s best events in pictures 125 DIPLOMATS Bangladesh’s ambassador talks about his country’s relationship with Thailand 131 TRAVEL Deals and news from Thailand’s hottest destinations 132 GOLF IN THAILAND How the kingdom became the world’s third most popular golf destination

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BigChilli – 100% pure Thai content

PICK up a magazine published in Thailand and you may well observe that a certain proportion of its editorial, photography and design comes from sources outside Thailand. It’s the same with the majority of publications here; some have as much as 80% of their content from overseas. There’s nothing wrong with this, of course, and it’s not illegal, except in cases where an article is copied or translated into Thai from another magazine without permission. Buying the rights to stories by foreign writers and photographers is a widely used practice which, it could be argued, merely mirrors the globalization that is changing the nature of virtually every other business. Sharing the same information and design concepts among publishers in different countries also helps to control costs. The downside is that magazines circulated in Thailand often carry stories and articles that have nothing to do with this country. What you’re reading may be well-written and interesting, it has to be said, but it is most likely to be on a subject that has little or no relevance here. At the same time, publishers who use material produced outside of Thailand are hampering the development of local talent. This is especially true of magazines that are nothing more than localized versions of established overseas publications. Forced to follow strict editorial guidelines set down in another country, writers, graphic designers, photographers and even editors based here in Thailand have little or no chance to express their craft or develop their ideas. The BigChilli is one of a small handful of magazines in Thailand whose content is 100% Thai. All of our writers, photographers and designers are based here. And every article, story and photograph focuses on some aspect of this country and the people living here. We recognize that it would be easier and more cost effective if we filled many of our pages with stories purchased from overseas publishers. But this does not fit with our philosophy of being a magazine that features

exclusively this exceptional country of ours. For us, being Thai is a great source of pride and satisfaction.

Thaksin’s brotherly advice has precedents

SOME of his opponents are suggesting that Thaksin Shinawatra shot himself in the foot recently when he admitted in a rambling (and hopefully unedited) interview with Forbes magazine that he speaks regularly to his sister, Prime Minister Yingluk, and advises her because she is “new” (to the job). This, claim his critics, is tantamount to saying he’s behind everything she does. Of course, Thaksin defends his position. Is he right to do so? Possibly. After all, Yingluck is not the first leader of a country to call on close relatives for advice and guidance. For sure, George W Bush got a helping hand from his dad, an ex-US president. And almost certainly John F Kennedy listened to his diplomat father Joe on all sorts of issues. The list is endless. So you can hardly blame Thailand’s current PM for asking her older brother how to run things, can you? In the same interview, Thaksin did himself no favors by having a swipe at “two English newspapers” in Thailand, accusing them of prejudice and bias against him. Is that why he allegedly attempted to buy into both of them on different occasions, so they’d toe the line?

Where are our parks, Mr Governor? THERE’S no doubt Bangkok Governor MR Sukhumband Paribatra has had his hands full over the past year or so because of the devastating floods and the huge clean-up job. It’s probably why nothing has been heard of his promises (before the floods) to open five new city parks and to construct a Skywalk under the BTS from Bang Na to Ploenchit. If he’s re-elected next year, hopefully Sukhumband will make these projects.

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PUBLISHER Colin Hastings editorbigchilli@gmail.com MANAGING EDITOR Adam Purcell adambigchilli@gmail.com EDITOR Nina Hastings ninabigchilli@gmail.com SALES & MARKETING MANAGER Rojjana Rungrattwatchai sendtorose@gmail.com ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE Thana Pongsaskulchoti thanabigchilli@gmail.com ACCOUNTING MANAGER Saranya Choeyjanya fatcatbigchilli@gmail.com ART & PRODUCTION Arthawit Pundrikapa, Jaran Lakawat PHOTOGRAPHY Mini Bike Gang and WJ CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Anette Pollner, Howard Richardson, Johanna DeKoning, Maxmilian Wechsler, Michael Moore, Paul Hewitt

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

We are now on Twitter. Find out what’s happening around town, which events to attend, parties to be seen at, and read all the juicy gossip! Follow us at ‘TheBigChilliMag’ No part of this magazine may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without prior written permission from The BigChilli Co., Ltd. The opinions and views of the writers are not necessarily the views of the publishers. All details are deemed correct at the time of print, the publisher, the editor, employees and contributors can not be held responsible for any errors, inaccuracies or omissions that may occur. The editor reserves the right to accept, reject or amend any submitted artwork, photographs, illustrations and manuscripts. The BigChilli welcomes unsolicited contributions but assumes no responsibility for the safe-keeping or return of such materials damaged or lost in transit.

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

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INSIGHT INBOX

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MASS FISHING MEANS CHEAP SEAFOOD

I NEED A RECORD PLAYER

■ MR BILL MARINELLI of the Seafood Bar has some interesting comments on “sustainable fishing and sustainable seafood.” (October issue. P.10) He says that we should ask more questions about the source of the seafood we eat and whether it was caught in a sustainable manner. What he fails to mention, though, is that mass fishing techniques have provided a cheap source of protein to millions of people. What would happen to these people if we returned to simple hook and line fishing? Jason Pritchard, London

■ I’M trying to find a shop in Bangkok that either repairs or sells old-fashioned record players/turntables. Can your readers suggest such a place? Thanks. Jill Roberston

REMEMBERING PATPONG’S GREAT DAYS

PAVEMENT ARTIST DESERVES RECOGNITION ■ THANKS for a great magazine which is really informative. There is a very elderly, homeless artist that I’m sure many readers know and have seen who sits outside the Villa supermarket (or near it) every day where he makes animals out of rope or string. He always smiles and is cheerful although he has clearly little to smile about - thin, homeless, no healthcare, unreliable income etc etc I was wondering if the BigChilli would do an article on this inspirational man - he really is an icon in the area and each time I pass him, it reminds me of my privileges and how many blessings I have. I am sure that a raised awareness of his trade and of his presence would provide him a welcome ‘leg up’ in terms of donations etc. He is a colourful character and would definitely make a good story - he speaks English surprisingly reasonably well. Linda

■ YOUR editorial about the decline of Silom brought home memories of the area’s heyday back in the early 1980s when Patpong – and I know this from personal experience – was the MUST place to visit on Friday and Saturday nights. Nowadays people tend to think of Patpong as a sleazy place, but back then it was not unusual to see Thai hi-sos, expatriate businessmen and tourists frequenting its relatively harmless bars and discos until the early morning hours. It was when the road became a night market sometime in the mid-80s that the rot set in, not just for Patpong but the entire area. Then it became sleazy. Although I’m glad to see Central upgrading its shopping complex, I don’t think it’s going to make any difference while the owners of Patpong, a private road, continue to allow vendors to operate there and thus deprive this once thriving entertainment of the levels of business it once enjoyed. David James, Bangkok

VOLUNTEER POLICE ARE THE REAL FAKES ■ RE: Thailand’s Fake Police

You write about the clothes, hats, badges and accessories anybody can buy to look like a Thai police man, but you have overlooked the real ‘fake’ police agents – those numbskull foreigners who act as volunteer ‘policemen’ in Pattaya and, I believe, elsewhere in Thailand. What do they think they’re doing? Strutting the streets with a mean look and lofty attitude, these self-important dimwits are a real embarrassment to themselves and other foreigners. If they have nothing else to do, why don’t they volunteer their time to some worthwhile cause or charity? Unless any of them are fluent in Thai, they’re not going to be much use as translators in difficult situations, right? J-P Delon, Chonburi

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INSIGHT NEWS

Dutch Master takes on Bangkok Michelin star chef Henk Savelberg opens restaurant and private club in traditional Thai setting ■ TOP Dutch chef Henk Savelberg, owner of the Michelin-star Restaurant & Hotel Savelberg near the Hague in Holland, is about to compete in Bangkok’s vibrant dining out scene with a new joint venture featuring an upmarket restaurant and a private club in the dramatic setting of one of Sukhumvit’s last remaining traditional Thai housing compounds. Scheduled to open before the end of this year, the ambitious 40-plus million baht project takes full advantage of four beautiful antique Thai houses and mature gardens, complete with fountains and ponds, to create a unique and distinctly different dining venue. A new entrance, currently under construction, includes a three-meter vertical garden, behind which is a contemporary building for a champagne bar, roof terrace and underground wine-cellar. Once the home of a prominent Thai family, the leafy 1,000 sq m compound known as Baan Himaphan is located at the end of Sukhumvit Soi 41. Chef Henk will be in town every month to oversee the 65-seat Restaurant Savelberg Bangkok, which occupies the ground floor of one of the Thai houses. His team of three expatriates chefs will focus on classic “but not old fashioned” French cuisine. Although a modern open kitchen and chef’s table are planned, the building’s original structural features will not be disturbed. While the restaurant itself will be open to the public, the rest of the project is reserved for members – called

‘Enthusiasts’ – of The Private Club at Baan Himaphan, whose highlights include separate dining rooms, library, board rooms, a barista club, regular events such as visiting musicians, singers and wine tastings, chocolate parlour, cigar club and priority booking at the main restaurant. Chef Henk, a regular visitor to Thailand, admits that his motivation to invest in the project was due to a significant slowdown in the restaurant business back in Europe. “Five years ago, top restaurants like Savelberg would be full of quality customers – politicians, bankers and

Herve’s cooking!

■ RESPECTED French chef Herve Frerard is back in action following the re-opening of Le Beaulieu late last month after a break of 10 months. Herve, who achieved spectacular success in only four years at his previous restaurant on Sukhumvit Soi 19, believes his new project will quickly replicate its popularity because of the loyalty of past customers. “Although we’ve been closed since January, most of my old friends have either already booked or confirmed they will be coming to the new Beaulieu,” said the chef. “Of course we also expect to attract lots of new customers from nearby offices, hotels and spillover from other restau-

Popular French chef opens the new Le Beaulieu

international executives, people like Al Gore and Silvio Berlusconi. But because of Europe’s financial problems, that’s no longer the case, unfortunately. “But Asia’s economies are doing well, so this is the place to be,” says 59-year-old Henk, the only chef in his home country to be awarded a Michelin star in four different restaurants. Membership of The Private Club is by invitation, and comes in a variety of options, starting at a minimum investment, or fee, of 400,000 baht, which is converted into credits for use at the facilities provided, including the restaurant, over a ten-year period. Corporate memberships are offered at 600,000 baht and an administration fee of 30,000 baht is payable annually after the first year. “We’re aiming to attract 200 Enthusiasts, with a ratio of about 65-35 Thais to expatriates,” explained Mark L’abee, the club’s pre-opening general manager. “Right now, we already have 38 people signed up.” Among the other membership benefits are room discounts at affiliated hotels in Thailand, Cambodia and the Maldives. The venture itself is part of The Lifestyle Brand, a management company whose portfolio in Thailand includes Praya Palazzo, a stylish 17-room mansion recently renovated into a boutique hotel located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River. Group Director of Operations and Founder of the Lifestyle Brand, Remon Alpheaar, is a veteran of Thailand’s hospitality scene, having served at Group F&B Director and Chef of Six Senses from 1988 to 2011. For more info email: remon@the-lifestyle-brand.net rants and bars in this part of the city.” Many of the features from the old restaurant have been incorporated into Herve’s latest venture, including the private rooms on the mezzanine floor and the popular long table. The wine cellar has increased in size and now offers more than 85 wines from the main wine-producing countries. Entirely new is the outdoor wine bar. Like the interior section, this seats 60 guests, including 4 private salas. Le Beaulieu is now located in bespoke premises on the ground floor of the Athénée Office Tower, adjacent to the Hotel Plaza Athénée, between Wireless Rd and Soi Ruamrudee, and a two minute walk from BTS Ploenchit. Tel 02 168 8220

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INSIGHT BUSINESS

Know my company: Vencap

Without one of these to predict the future, what’s the next best thing for an insurance company? ■ MANY people in Bangkok are asking why they are seeing such huge increases in their insurance premiums. And whilst everyone knows how devastating the Thai floods were to both the people and businesses affected, we are only beginning to see the financial implications trickle down from the insurance industry and on to the business community that uses these insurance companies’ services. But really the Thai floods were not the sole cause of this dramatic rise in premiums; they were just one of many factors that have been gradually building up over the last few years.

A culmination of factors In essence, we have seen a whole series of events including the banking crisis, natural

catastrophes on an unprecedented scale, the Eurozone crisis, stock market malaise etc., and all these events have led to a fundamental shift in the way insurers need to operate in the future. Historically, insurers would make their money from the investment profits using the premiums received from policyholders. But those days are gone in Europe and are beginning to fade here in Asia. So now insurers have to manage the challenges of remaining competitive in the market without relying on these investment returns to offset the losses from their insurance claims. Furthermore, Regulatory changes require all insurance companies to demonstrate they have sufficient capital (or solvency) to withstand an extremely bad year for claims and other negative factors happening at the same time. In Europe this is called Solvency Two (SOL II), but in Asia, every insurance Regulator is adopting similar schemes and these are commonly known as Risk Based Capital regimes (RBC). This allows the Regulator to test the insurers’ ability to withstand an extremely bad year and have sufficient cash in the bank to cover all its debts and carry on trading. RBC was introduced in Thailand in 2011, but in many other ASEAN countries they have been in existence for some time, e.g. Singapore in 2004 and Malaysia in 2009.

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INSIGHT BUSINESS

Calculating the risk So, how does an insurer know what this solvency sum should be in Thai baht? This is where the use of Dynamic Financial Analysis (DFA) comes in. DFA is a software modelling tool that allows an insurer to input all their risk factors; underwriting, market, credit, economy, liquidity, etc. and then the DFA software runs thousands of simulations to produce a range of results from the most likely to the least likely. If you think of DFA as a huge cup full of dice; each dice representing a different risk element for that business and then throwing the dices 100,000 times and recording the scores. Eventually you will get a graph like a bell with the most likely being at the top and the least likely stretching out at the bottom. Along that curve is the point where the Regulator requires you to show you have enough cash.

out of markets that no longer fit with their risk appetite or corporate profile. Regulators are also beginning to use Risk Explorer; indeed the OIC (the Regulator for the Thailand insurance industry) has been trialling Risk Explorer for over a year and the Philippines Regulator is also using the product.

ASEAN Liberalisation – 2015 Another factor that will influence insurance premiums over the next couple of years is the ASEAN liberalisation in 2015. This will allow insurers to sell across borders and consumers will be able to be purchase from anywhere in the region, regardless of where they live or work. The free movement of persons and labour will offer insurers a range of challenges and opportunities that technology can support.

In this example, Company A and Company B is equally profitable.  But Company A is much more stable and would be preferred by Rating agencies, Regulators, Reinsurers and Investors. Since its launch, Risk Explorer has become the leading independent DFA software supplier and is used by some of the most respected insurers, reinsurers and brokers across the globe. As a result of this usage, insurers are beginning to assess which business sectors are profitable, what areas require the most amount of reserves and other key factors that when combined, allow an insurance company to be able to set premiums based on a greater understanding of risk and not based largely on the average price in the market. The consequence of all this means insurers will now price premiums appropriately for the risk or price themselves

About Vencap The Risk Explorer DFA software is just one of a range of highly sophisticated software products that are distributed by Vencap. Set up approximately two years ago, Vencap has been developing a boutique business focused purely on providing highly innovative IT solutions for the Asian insurance industry. Clients include JLT Re, Munich Re, Willis Re, Allied World and Asia Reinsurance Brokers. Vencap also distributes GuardTime – “the lie detector for data”. A new technology for the insurance industry (or any industry for that matter) that allows a business user to put a “seal” on any electronic file (Word, Excel, Email, PDF, Video, Photo, etc.) and be able to refer back to that data file at any time in the future and know if it has ever been tampered with since it was created. This has tremendous potential for the insurance and financial services industry as a whole and has already received support from many industry and government leaders, including an award from SWIFT in 2011, who selected GuardTime as the world’s most innovative start up in banking and finance. Read more about Risk Explorer and GuardTime by checking www.venvell.com  For further info contact Chris Venvell, Managing Director of Vencap, via email: chris@venvell.com Tel: 08 7101 6266

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INSIGHT BUSINESS ADVICE

Media Relations: Top tips for maximum exposure Kittima Sethi, a PR Consultant with Brand Now Co. Ltd., reveals how you can boost your brand by establishing a good working relationship with the media

which writer is covering your industry news. For instance, if you are pitching a story on a recent medical breakthrough, you should be contacting the reporter covering medical and health issues and not a financial reporter. Alternatively, you may also want to contact the lifestyle reporter by pitching the story from a lifestyle angle. It is possible to present different angles of the same story to reporters of different sections of the same publication or a different publication. Remember your goal is to maximize the coverage of your product or service. Keep in mind that if you have offered exclusivity to one publication, you must honor that or else you risk ruining your relationship with the media. 2. Offer to make comments or statements about current news that may be relevant to your products or ser vices. If you are able to share an insight or expand on current affairs news, then this is your golden opportunity. Here is an example: In January this year, the Thai government embarked on a campaign announcing the importance of English language in the approaching Asean Economic Community (AEC) 2015. Wall Street Institute Thailand, an English language institute, took this opportunity to announce its new campaign in persuading Thais to recognize the importance of improving English skills for AEC. Furthermore, it announced its expansion plans to build two more language schools and to introduce specialized courses for using English in professional situations — all in line with the government’s objective.

■ MEDIA Relations is simply defined as your relationship with the

media. If used correctly, it can be one of the most effective ways of reaching your target audience. It can even change your target audience’s perception of your product, services, practice and policies. Media is in the business of selling stories to their readers. So in addition to featuring hard core content on truthful facts and figures, they are also looking for content that can stimulate, entertain and interest their readers. As a business owner, your role is to educate the media about your product or service so that they are interested in featuring it in a story. It is crucial for companies to build and manage relationships with the media to get the exposure that they want. One way is to maintain regular contact with the reporters who write about your industry and send them updates on your products or services. Likewise, reporters also know that they can rely on you for honest or any in-depth industry or product information you can provide them with. Here are some helpful tips in managing a successful relationship with the media. 1. Know your reporters. Do your research and get to know the reporters and editors that cover your industr y. Call the publication and enquire or read that publication to see

3. Be a trustworthy and responsive source for media. If the media knows you are an expert in a certain field and if you have regularly provided articles and comments to them, they are most likely to call you for further information. Having you quoted in their article adds great credibility to you and your organization. Because the media works on tight deadlines, you must be able to respond to reporters’ queries and provide the information they want quickly. This is the only chance you have to build a relationship with them. Ask when their deadline is and get all the information. Remember that if you have promised to get back to them, you must do so and follow up. It takes time to build and cultivate relationships with the media, and in the same way, it takes time for the media to trust in you and your credibility. Remember that media relations is not advertising and you should not attempt to hard sell to reporters. Offering yourself as a credible source and showing how a product or service is going to improve or have an impact in daily life will likely get the media’s attention. Kittima Sethi is a PR Consultant with Brand Now Co. Ltd., and, unless she is busy managing her relations with a multitude of reporters, she can be contacted at Kittima@brandnow.asia

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INSIGHT BUSINESS

The Brit who added colour to a Thai bank How CEO of Krungsri Mark Arnold has raised the bank’s profile with a dash of yellow ■ THE Thai obsession with colour coding virtually anything that moves has now gone beyond products, politics and people to embrace that once mighty bastion of conservatism – the banking industry. As if choreographed, the country’s major banks suddenly shed their traditionally dowdy images and began to market themselves in the same ambitious way as any other modern consumer company. And by emphasizing a certain colour combination, they seem to have achieved their goal of building greater awareness as well as individual recognition.   So, today in Thailand, green is for Kasikorn, light blue for Krungthai, purple for Siam Commercial, dark blue and red for Thai Military, pink for Government Savings Bank, and so on. Yellow belongs to Krungsri, the country’s fifth largest bank and one of the most profitable. It’s also become very visible of late, thanks in no small measure to the new corporate colours and a brilliantly simple logo depicting three stylized Thai roofs. The bank’s head office on Rama 3 is no shrinking violet either, with a giant neon-lit Krungsri sign on its frontage dominating the surrounding area. But stand-out hues are clearly not the only reason for the company’s higher profile. In 2011, the bank completed a process of integration called ‘One Krungsri,’ which brought

together a vast range of diverse products and services under one banner. This included more than 600 retail branches and hundreds of other micro finances businesses, all of which now carry the Krungsri prefix on their titles. The name itself is actually a major component in the bank’s rebranding

By Colin Hastings

initiative. Although still officially called The Bank of Ayudhya, locals have always known it as ‘Krungsri’– denoting the first word in the Thai version of the bank’s name. Indeed, ask a taxi driver to take you to the Bank of Ayudhya and you’ll get a blank stare. But if you say Krungsri, you’re on your way. These changes have been accompanied by some impressive financial results, says the bank’s President and CEO Mark Arnold. “Profitablity has gone from zero to nine billion baht, even when losses from last year’s floods are taken into account. Return on equity is 14% and recovery on bad loans is up massively.” Mark, a British national, joined Krungsri three years ago from GE Capital, which holds more than 25% of the bank’s equity. His main brief is to use the synergy of the two organizations to enable Krungsri to become a leading

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universal bank in Thailand. This has included overseeing the company’s rebranding, the majority of which has been handled internally by bank staff.  “As a result of this process, we’ve now got a much cleaner image and greater visibility. In the past, the bank had 33 different entities – but now, four years later, they’re all under the same brand, most with the Krungsri prefix.”     It hasn’t been all plain sailing for Mark, however. Earlier this year, he faced a prickly challenge when Krungsri acquired the retail banking business of HSBC in Thailand. Some HSBC customers, especially ones with a long association with the bank, were upset by the suddenness of the sale and to be told their accounts were being closed, despite the option of a reasonably seamless switch to Krungsri. “There were some teething problems,” admits Mark. “In the early days, we had daily meetings with HSBC executives to discuss the complaints and other nuts and bolts issues. Anyway, I’m pleased to say the situation is much better now.” Mark, who worked in Portugal and Hungary before moving to Asia, oversees a staff of 18,000, half of whom are female. The bank also employs around 12

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foreigners, including nationals of Indonesia, India, Malaysia, French, US and the UK. Despite a grueling work schedule that often runs to 18-hour days, Mark’s happy with his current job and its heavyweight load of responsibilities. “I much prefer being a banker here in Asia than in Europe right now,” he says in response to a question about the general disenchantment with worldwide banking practices.  “Bankers have done themselves no favours in the past few years. In the UK, they’re lambasted in the press almost daily. Basically, what is needed is more transparency. And banks need to clean up their acts. “Asia has learned its lessons from past mistakes like the financial crash of 1997, and as a result regulations here are very strong with regard to such things as banks’ balance sheets and capital levels to ensure stability of the financial system.” Thai banks are the healthiest in the region, he says “That’s due to good

governance and regulations.” He’s less enamored with the government banking sector, which is less regulated and also enjoys certain tax advantages. “It’s a source of worry.” In preparation for ASEAN’s economic integration in 2015, Krungsri is planning to open branches in Myanmar and Cambodia, while expanding its presence in Laos, where it currently has two offices. Krungsri is also represented in Hong Kong and the Cayman Islands.

12/27/11 1:21:00 PM

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BUSINESS Q&A

MEET THE GM: MICHEL SERRANO The general manager of the Centara Grand At Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok – the only ﬁve-star hotel in the Ladprao area – discusses the hotelʼs highlights and the deals on offer for its members Apart from being the only five-star hotel in the Ladprao area of Bangkok, what are the main attractions of the Centara Grand? Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao is conveniently located beside the Central Plaza Ladprao Shopping Mall & Bangkok Convention Centre. It’s also right opposite to the famous Chatuchak Park and Sunday Market. The hotel is a five-minute drive from Don Muang international airport and 40 minutes from Suvarnabhumi international airport. Please tell us about your restaurants and any loyalty cards you offer customers. We have nine distinctive food and beverage outlets, all which have been completely remodeled and launched with new menus supervised by our Executive Chef, making the hotel a haven for epicureans in search of unique dining adventures. We also offer a ‘Gold Card’ to guests who want to become our member and qualify for special discounts on both accommodation and dining. What conventions and exhibitions have been held recently at the hotel? Highlight events this year include: 2012 POAI TAKEDA Meeting Asian CIO Forum 2012 Asia Media Summit 2012 Pirap Jabiru Thai – Australia 2012 Geosynthetics Asia 2012 The 11th International Conference on Bioinformatics 2012 7. The 8th Congress of Toxicology in Developing Countries (CTDC) 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Has the hotel undergone any recent renovations/upgrades? During the past year, we have carried out a complete overhaul, from top to bottom, from the back of the house to the front of the house, complete with new design and décor to enhance the ambience and atmosphere. It was extremely motivating.

How many staff do you have? Approximately 675 persons. Are your room rates comparable to, say, hotels in the Sukhumvit area of Bangkok? Yes. Most definitely. Please tell us about yourself, and your experience. My career spans 30 years and 10 different countries, so you can say I am a seasoned hotelier. I am a French citizen with Basque origins, and I have been involved in the management of international brand hotels such as Sheraton, Hyatt, Sofitel, Novotel, and Concorde.

Who do you regard as your most important colleagues? Every single employee has a very important role to play in the hotel. We are all connected and our success comes from a team effort and not from a single person. The alliance of talents and experience is the right recipe to manage an important hotel such as ours. Centara Grand At Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok 1695 Phaholyothin Road, Chatuchak, Bangkok 10900 Tel : +66(0) 25411234 Fax : +66(0) 25411087 Email : cglb@chr.co.th

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NLT12119BO210X292 26/10/55 BIGCHILLI

BUSINESS INVESTMENT

THAI STOCKS OFFER GREAT BENEFITS FOR INVESTORS Looking for the right opportunity to boost your savings? Itʼs easy for foreigners to invest in the Stock Exchange of Thailand

DESPITE facing a number of internal and external problems over the past few years, including H1N1, political upheavals, the world economic crisis, and last year’s floods, the Thai market has remained resilient and has continued to attract investors from all around the world. Signs of the Thai market’s health can be seen in the graph opposite, which shows the Stock Exchange of Thailand (SET) Index since 2008. Khun Kesara Manchusree, Group Head Product Business & Development – The Stock Exchange of Thailand, says there are many benefits of investing in the SET. “Focusing on the returns SET provides, in 2012 SET ranked first place in the Southeast Asia stock market with the highest in returns at 26.67% (YTD),” she says. “The past three years and five years average returns are 21.89% and 8.96% respectively. In the world financial market, SET has always been in the op three in terms of highest return over the past three years. “SET has a variety of investment choices; investors enjoy many benefits, such as dividends, capital gains from performing Thai listed companies, and even income tax refunds from the Long Term Equity Fund (LTF) and Retirement Mutual Fund (RMF).

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INDEX SET

1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 n

08 r 08 y 08 08 08 v 08 09 r 09 y 09 09 09 v 09 10 r 10 y 10 10 10 v 10 11 r 11 y 11 12 12 v 12 12 r 12 y 12 12 12 p p p p p l l l l l n n n n Ma Ma Ju Se No Ja Ma Ma Ju Se No Ja Ma Ma Ju Se No Ja Ma Ma Ju Se No Ja Ma Ma Ju Se

“Experienced investors can opt to open an account and deal with transactions themselves, while less experienced investors – or people with less time on their hands – can use a fund manager to help manage their wealth by buying mutual fund units. “Opening a securities account is simple; there are thirty eight security companies licensed by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), offering their services to foreigner investors. Only a few documents are required, including your passport, bank passbook and work permit. An online trading account is recommended for foreigners as it takes less commission and allows you to invest from anywhere, anytime around the world.”

Investment information is now accessible through settrade.com which can also be accessed via smart phones and tablets. Anyone interested in investing in the stock market should not miss SET in the City 2012, which will be held November 22-25 at Royal Paragon Hall, Siam Paragon. The event will feature over 100 booths showcasing a wide variety of financial opportunities. Fifty seminar sessions, featuring talks by the country’s top financial gurus, will also be held. What’s more, take along your documents and you can open a fast track online account that allows you to trade within a day (offer only available during

Kesara Manchusree, Group Head Product Business & Development – The Stock Exchange of Thailand

the event). All the SET group and financial company booths will have English speaking representatives. Any transaction you make at the event will see you entered into a lucky draw to win a variety of prizes, ranging from the new iPad to fund units with an overall value of more than five million baht. “They say that nothing in the investment world comes without risk,” says Khun Kesara, “but they also say that with high risk you also get high returns.”

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INSIGHT LIVE MUSIC

STAR POTENTIAL: ERIKA CUMMINGS Royal Orchid Sheratonʼs new diva steals the show with dazzling renditions of all your favourite songs THE Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers has spiced up its entertainment offerings by enlisting the services of KPN Award Thailand finalist Erika Cummings. The 20-year-old diva, who wowed KPN audiences last year with stirring renditions of smash-hit singles such as Christina Aguilera’s ‘Beautiful,’ now performs at the hotel’s Lobby Lounge every Tues, Thurs, Fri and Sat from 8.30pm-midnight. KPN Awards Thailand, the kingdom’s equivalent to Britain’s Fame Academy, seeks out new singers and musicians and gives them a chance to shine on stage, something which Erika certainly did last year when an adoring public voted her into the show’s finals and a respectable second place finish – an achievement which brought her dad to tears. “When I was growing up, he never really wanted me to be a singer,” explains Erika, who was born in England and raised between Abu Dhabi and Thailand. “My family’s quite academic and they wanted me to excel in the sciences. But I just chased my dream and proved that I could do it, and when they saw me sing in the finals they were overjoyed – even my dad! I guess that’s the power of music.” Erika’s exotic looks (she’s half-Thai, quarter Brit and quarter Arab) and powerful voice saw her become a firm favourite with Thai fans who couldn’t get enough of her raw talent. “She is the next Thai superstar!” comments one YouTube viewer on her KPN final performance. “Sensational! She has the COMPLETE PACKAGE to progress to stardom!” gushes another. But Erika doesn’t let such comments go to her head. “Of course I’d love to be a superstar,” she says, “and it’s great that some fans compare me to big pop stars. But to become the next Rihanna or Beyonce requires a lot of hard work, patience and perseverance. I’ve still got a long way to go. But I will get there!” Currently half-way through a four year degree in music at Rangist University, Erika spends her days absorbing music theory and honing her singing skills. At night, she then unleashes her inner diva, dressing to the nines to take to the stage and showcase her vocal talents at Royal Orchid Sheraton’s Lobby Lounge, where she and the house band perform a mix of jazz, pop,

R&B and soft rock favourites from artists new and old, all in a jazz-pop style. On our visit, the same magic which won over audiences at the KPN Awards becomes evident as soon as Erika takes to the stage and begins her first song, a rendition of Adele’s Someone Like You. The audience falls silent, mesmerized. And we’re hooked too – her voice and stage presence are intoxicating. Half way through her set, we want to hit YouTube and leave a gushy comment all of our own. “While I’m out there singing I just want to make sure everyone has a great time listening,” says Erika. “I want to bring my passion for music to the stage; I want people to fall in love with their favourite songs all over again. Being able to do that is a joy.” Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel & Towers, 2 Charoen Krung Soi 30 (Captain Bush Lane. Free shuttle boat from BTS Saphan Taksin). Tel: 02 266 0123 www. royalorchidsheraton.com

About the Bar THE Royal Orchid Sheraton’s Lobby Lounge is open daily 8am-1am. A food menu is available from 12.30pm onwards, featuring a selection of light bites, snack platters, burgers and sandwiches (Try the Steak sandwich, featuring Beef sirloin, wild mushrooms, onions, and roasted cherry tomato with mozzarella cheese). The bar’s signature cocktails are another highlight.

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TOUGH TRADE

If condos are such good buys, why are rents falling?

VERY real estate agency, developer and property magazine would have us believe that a condominium in Sukhumvit – and there are plenty of them – is a good buy. Whatever you acquire today will cost you more, much more in the future, so you’d better buy now. Or so they say. What they don’t tell you, though, is that rents on this road are heading downwards, big time. Because of the vast supply of empty units, owners are dumping rents – a mere 10,000 baht per month for a studio/one bedroom apartment in a recently completed mid-Sukhumvit project with direct access to the Skytrain is not unusual. And with all those additional condos coming on to the market very shortly, there’s no hope of owners getting an increase in rental income. Meanwhile, mortgage repayments continue to far exceed whatever can be squeezed from a tenant.

Behind bars, his Lordship is still making waves

OU can’t keep a good, or bad, man down. Take one of this publication’s favourite TRAVEL ISSUES characters – the self-styled ‘Lord’ Edward Davenport, better known these days as ‘Fast Eddie’ after his dodgy IT’S a stone’s throw from Sukhumvit and yet Rama 4 exploits were revealed in a road is so utterly different in character and UK courtroom and earned attractions. While Sukhumvit undergoes an amazing him an eight-year sentence transformation with dozens of condominiums, for his part in a multi-milshopping malls, department stores, offices, bars lion dollar scam. and restaurants, Rama 4 remains the ugly duckling, Despite being behind unable to lure anything like the same interest. CON HEIR bars, Eddie continues to The reason is due mostly, of course, to the capture public attention, first in a recent Channel 4 documentary detailing Skytrain and MRT underground stations serving one, his decadent lifestyle, complete with orgies, dubious business ethics and but not the other. Rama 4 is accessible only by bus celebrity buddies, and last month in a long article in a British newspaper or private vehicle. lamenting his current situation as a jail bird. Is there a reasonably inexpensive solution which Prominent throughout is his Thai girlfriend, the pretty and would not only enliven Rama 4 but also take some of effervescent Monthira, a natural in front of the camera. Shedding a tear the pressure off Sukhumvit? One possible answer, for Eddie’s plight, but vexed when asked whether she has a new love though it would mean losing the central reservation interest in his absence, Monthira looks set to be ejected from her man’s as well as the trees that somehow flourish in all that famous 24-room London house, which is apparently being sold to help carbon monoxide, is a simple two-line tram system pay off Eddie’s debts. running the length of Rama 4 road. Of course there We remember Eddie being discomfited in Bangkok years ago when are obstacles en route, but at one end of the road is confronted about the source of his title (others known to us here had the Phrakanong BTS station, and the Klong Toey tried to raise their status by ‘buying’ a fake peerage that claimed to allow MRT station at the other end. them to use the word “Lord’ before their name). “Don’t ask,” he smiled. Let’s face it, Bangkok’s roads can’t possibly And with that, it was clear his Lordship was nothing of the sort. handle many more cars, so some re-thinking about Moreover, it was also abundantly obvious that someone with so much transportation is urgently needed. And a tram front would one day end up in the clink, where he now languishes for a network would certainly help. couple more years. A colourful con-man is the best we can say of him.

Rama 4 needs a tram system

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INSIGHT CALENDAR

November planner Networking, tradeshows, performances, and sport here’s the month ahead planned and charted

5 6 7 8

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

FCCT: Screening and Q&A of the Asian Premiere of the movie “Montauk Chronicles”, FCCT, 6.30pm

FCCT: The Shan: Refugees without a Camp lunchtime talk with Bernice Johnson and Khuensai Jaiyen, FCCT, 1pm

FCCT: Talk by top homeopathic practitioner Dr. Rajan Sankaran, FCCT, 8pm

Tuesday

FCCT: Mindfulness and Murder (Sop Mai Ngeap) exclusive screening, FCCT, 8pm

Wednesday

Thursday

FCCT: The Best Networking Luncheon in Bangkok, FCCT, 11am

AustCham: Sundowners, 6pm

Thursday

Hotel Equipment Expo (Nov 8 – 11). IMPACT

Friday

13 14 15 16 AMCHAM: Joint HR/ Healthcare/SME: Health Insurance & Obamacare, noon FCCT: Aung San Suu Kyi: The Choice Film screening and Q&A with filmmaker Marc Eberle, FCCT, 8pm

AustCham/BCCT/AMCHAM: Eastern Seaboard Networking Event, The Nova Platinum Pattaya, 6.30pm

AMCHAM: AMCHAM Myanmar Business Summit in Yangon, 10.45am

BCCT: Third Thursday Networking Evening, Sofite So Bangkok, 6.30pm

Skrillex concert featuring 12th Planet & Alvin Risk. Sonic Ekkamai, See p.94

AMCHAM: Social Networking, Imperial Queen’s Park, 6pm

Commart Comtech Thailand (Nov 15 – 18). QSNCC

Beach Fossils, Moonstar Studio. See p.94

21 22 23 24 Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

AMCHAM: Turkey Charity Golf Tournament, Bangpakong Riverside Country Club, 10.30am

AMCHAM: AMCHAM CSR Excellence Recognition Awards/ Monthly Luncheon Metalex 2012 (Nov 21 – 24). BITEC

FCCT: An Evening with Amitav Ghosh, FCCT, 8pm Secret Cinema from Holland. Bed Supper Club. See p.94

Laidback Luke. Levels. See p.94

29 Thursday

BCCT: Half-Day Workshop (Managing Performance), Amari Watergate, 8.30am BCCT: Boardroom Briefing on Indonesia, BCCT, 3.30pm AMCHAM: HR Cmte: Psychometric testing best practices, 8am AMCHAM: Legal Cmte/Greater Phuket Chapter: Doing Business in Thailand, The Royal Phuket Marina, 4pm Simply Barbara and Frank (Nov 29 – Dec 2). Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit. See p.94 Riva Starr. Bed Supper Club. See p.94 Thailand International Motor Expo (Nov 29 – Dec 10). IMPACT

International Dance Festival (Nov 23 – Dec 1). Bangkok Art and Culture Centre. See p.94 Othello: A Match of Jealousy(Nov 23 – Dec 10). Democrazy Studios. See p.94

Saturday

Ploenchit Fair. Bangkok Patana School. See p.30 Laced Up Feat Tony Touch. Q Bar. See p.94

Phuket Soccer 7s (Nov 24 – 25). Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club. See p.96 Modern Furniture Fair (Nov 24 – Dec 2). QSNCC

30 Friday

New Year Gift (Nov 30 – Dec 9). IMPACT

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1 2 3 4

Thursday

Friday

FCCT: Sita Sings the Blues (Animation Film) by Director Nina Paley, FCCT, 8pm

FCCT: Burma’s Reforms through the Generals’ Eyes, FCCT, 6pm

Saturday

Sunday

Health Cuisine and Beauty Festival (Nov 3 – 11). IMPACT

9 10 11 12 Friday

BCCT: BCCT P&I Evening Presentation (Dawei Seaport & Industrial Estate), Eastin Grand Hotel, 6.30pm

Saturday

AMCHAM: Young Professional Networking, Flow House BKK, 7pm

AustCham: Luncheon Meeting with Senator the Hon. Joe Ludwig, noon

BCCT: The Beaver Invitational Charity Golf Tournament, Phoenix Golf & Country Club Pattaya, 10am

Saturday

Sunday

BCCT: Remembrance Day in Kanchanaburi and at British Embassy in Bangkok, Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, 9am Bangkok Blues Brothers. Checkinn 99. See p.95

Monday

AMCHAM: Joint Healthcare/ Travel&Tourism: Medical Hub Strategy, noon

AustCham: Conference Golf Tournament, Thana City Golf & Sports Clubhouse, 9am FCCT: Evening with Journalist, Author, Traveler & Best-Selling Popular Historian Simon Winchester, FCCT, 8pm

Tuesday

17 18 19 20 AMCHAM: Food & Agri Business Cmte: Update of the Thai Food Act, 7.30am

Culture One. BITEC Arena. See p.94 BAMBI Bazaar 2012, Bangkok Prep, 10am. www.bambiweb.org

FIFA Futsal World Cup Thailand 2012. Various stadiums. See p.96

AMCHAM: Travel & Tourism: Global Business Travel Outlook Report 2012-2016, 5pm

Standard Chartered Bangkok Marathon. Bangkok. See p.96

Open Mic Comedy (Nov 19 and Dec 3). The Londoner. See p.94

AMCHAM: Joint BCCT/ AMCHAM TLC: 7.30am

AMCHAM: Energy & Environment: Outlook for Energy: A View to 2040, noon FCCT: An evening with Chalerm Yubamrung Deputy Prime Minister & General Paradon Pattanathabutr Secretary General, National Security Council, FCCT, 8pm

25 26 27 28 Monday

Sunday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Sander van Doorn. Levels. See p.94

Lady Gaga. Rajamangala LagunaStadium. Phuket Triathlon. National See p.88. Laguna Phuket Resort. See p.96 www.Thaiticketmajor.com

Performance

FCCT: Mekong film screening and panel discussion, FCCT, 7pm

Sport

• AMCHAM: American Chamber of Commerce. www.amchamthailand.com • BCCT: British Chamber of Commerce. www.bccthai.com • AustCham: Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce. www.austchamthailand.com • FTCC: Franco-Thai Chamber of Commerce. www.francothaicc.com

Networking

Photo Fair 2012 (Nov 28 – Dec 2). BITEC

Tradeshow

• FCCT: Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand. www.fccthai.com • BITEC: Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Center. www.bitec.co.th • IMPACT: Impact Convention Center. www.impact.co.th • QSNCC: Queen Sirikit National Convention Center. www.qsncc.co.th

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INSIGHT School report

Ploenchit Fair at Patana

THE traditional British fun fair is returning to Bangkok Patana School on Nov 24! With a wide variety of games and activities, food and drinks stalls, shopping booths, and live music, the fair has something to please everybody. Entry is 150 baht for adults, 50 baht for kids. The fair is open 10am – 9pm. For more info: www.bctfn.com

IPC International Kindergarten receives top award

IPC International Kindergarten recently received a Top Nursery in Thailand Award from the Ministry of Social Welfare. Open since 1983 on Sukhumvit Soi 31, IPC International Kindergarten is Bangkok’s longest running and only boutique Nursery & Kindergarten, accepting children 18 months to 6 years old. Pictured here receiving the award is the kindergarten’s co-owner, Katherine Chirathivat. www.ipcthai.com

St. Andrew’s opens new walkway

ST Andrews International School, Sukhumvit 107 Campus, hosted its annual International Day on Friday Oct 12, which saw the British Ambassador to Thailand assist in a ribbon-cutting ceremony to officially open the school’s new walkway. A celebration of over 30 nationalities represented by the school, the International Day event provided an opportunity for pupils, staff and parents alike to proudly display their national colours amidst a warm and welcoming environment. www.standrews-schools.com

NIST welcomes 2008 Nobel Laureate for Medicine

PROFESSOR Harald zur Hausen, the 2008 Nobel Laureate for Medicine at the German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, is heading to NIST School on Mon Nov 26 to host a talk about ‘Cancer prevention as a challenge for global health.’ Held in the school’s theatre at 1.15pm, the event is part of the 4th ASEAN event series “Bridges – Dialogues towards a Culture of Peace” facilitated by the International Peace Foundation. For more info see: www.peace-foundation.net.

Scholarship up for grabs at Raffles

RAFFLES International College is inviting high school students in Grades 10-13 or equivalent to enter its “Mascot Costume Design Contest 2012,” which offers prizes such as a full scholarship for a bachelor’s degree in design or business at Raffles International College (Bangkok campus), the new iPad and iPod, and gift certificates worth more than B2,000,000. Deadline for applications is Dec 28. For more info: www.raffles.ac.th

Shopping fun with BAMBI

THE 2012 edition of the annual BAMBI Bazaar will be held at Bangkok International Preparatory & Secondary School, Sukhumvit Soi 53, on Sat Nov 17. Over 100 tables of new baby, children and family products will be on sale. Handicrafts by ThaiCraft will be featured, along with a wide array of clothes, jewelry, organic products and much more, making this a great opportunity to shop for Christmas and New Year gifts. Free entry. Open 10am to 3pm. Bangkok Prep, Sukhumvit Soi 53. For more info email: yardsales@bambiweb. org or visit www.bambiweb.org

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SCHOOL REPORT KIS

EARLY YEARS AT KIS – WHERE IT ALL BEGINS Specialized center brings out the best in kids with its innovative teaching methods and fun-packed lessons PEEKING into the Early Years Centre at KIS International School, you’ll witness the happy atmosphere of inquiry based learning. The school’s Early Years Center is designed for children from 2 ½ to 4 years old. KIS is a full International Baccalaureate school, so Early Years students learn through the Primary Years Programme (PYP). The curriculum is structured around a framework of Units of Inquiry (UOI’s) or ‘trans-disciplinary themes’ through which the children learn and discover. An example is the UOI: “Who We Are,” which helps students find out about their personal characteristics and abilities. They learn that everyone is unique and people have similarities and differences. One recent activity saw the children watch a short DVD called “My Favourite Pets.” After this they then discussed their favourite animals, made a bar graph to show their thinking, and then wrote their names onto sticky notes which they placed under their favourite animal, discovering each other’s similarities and differences.

At KIS children in the Early Years learn through play. Activities are centred on the UOI, giving a context to the children’s learning. For example, after investigating the children’s favourite pets, their maths activity built on that by counting, graphing and sorting the favourite animals. This all contributed to understanding about “Who We Are” while learning essential mathematics skills in a relevant and exciting way. The IB curriculum doesn’t just focus on academic learning though. Through fun activities children develop important skills such as those for communication, thinking, research, social and self-management, as well as fine and gross motor skills. The programme also helps children develop positive attitudes, such as empathy and open-mindedness, and encourages them to take action based on their learning. The Early Years teachers at KIS are all trained and qualified to teach young students and they are warm, caring people who love guiding young children on their journey of learning. Visiting the Early Years classrooms at KIS you see a combination of the warmth and security of a small kindergarten and the benefits of a full international school. Children have access to great facilities and once enrolled in the Early Years they are guaranteed a place for the rest of their stay, avoiding waiting lists which frequently occur from Grade 1 up. Starting KIS in the Early Years also allows children to bypass the upheaval of changing schools and fitting into a new environment when moving to the “big school”, and of course parents won’t need to pay initial fees for a new school twice. For more info: admissions@kis.ac.th www.kis.ac.th

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SCHOOL REPORT HARROW

HARROW STUDENT SETS THE ICE-SKATING WORLD ON FIRE How eleven-year-old Harriet Levin turned her love of gymnastics into success on the ice SPORTY Harriet Levin was the talk of her school last year when she was named Harrow’s female gymnast of the year 2011. Several months later and she’s fast gaining another reputation – this one for being a star on the ice.

The youngster discovered her love for ice-skating during last year’s floods, when she took to the rink as a means to practise her gymnastics. It was soon evident that many of her gymnastic skills such as balance and strength provided her with a great base from which to work – and she enjoyed her time on the ice immensely. Ice skating quickly replaced gymnastics and daily sessions on the ice furthered her skills and desire to compete. Entering her first competition in December 2011 she won two Gold and one Silver medal – a very promising start after a mere two months of intensive training. Harriet is now trained by Russian champions Alexei and

Maria Federov, allowing her to continue her remarkable journey on the ice. As a level 4 skater she has recently managed to perform one of the hardest jumps in skating known as the Axel. Performing jumps is the most demanding discipline of ice skating (and a good gymnastic background certainly helps) and Harriet is enjoying learning the more complex routines and techniques required as she advances. All of this takes time, and her teachers at Harrow International School have worked with Harriet and her parents to facilitate her school timetable, allowing Harriet to leave school early one day a week in order that she can have individual tuition with her coach. Giving up so much time for sport, Harriet is nevertheless able to continue her other passion of music with Harrow organising specialist music lessons: Harriet is a grade 4 pianist, grade 2 violinist and recently was awarded a distinction in grade 1 ABRSM singing. Giving back to the school, Harriet plays violin in the Prep School Orchestra. Once the school day is over, Harriet heads to The Rink Elite Academy Rama 9, where she also has to train in ballet, dance and athletics. She has a quiet room

there where she can break for a snack and do her homework. Arriving home at about 8pm she does her music practice and is usually asleep by 9.30pm. Saturday is her day off from skating when she can catch up on school work and music. She has to keep to a diet that avoids sugary drinks and junk food but on Saturday she allows herself the luxury of a chocolate bar and a piece of cake of her choice. Harriet has a golden future. By carefully balancing all that she wants to do, working carefully with her school, family and coaches, she is able to achieve at the highest level. We look forward to watching her remarkable progress in the future.

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SCHOOL REPORT SHREWSBURY

SHREWSBURY STUDENTS SCOOP TOP HONORS IN OUTSTANDING LEARNER AWARDS STUDENTS from Shrewsbury International School have achieved stunning success in this year’s Outstanding Learner Awards from the Cambridge International Examinations board. Two Art and Design students are celebrating being awarded Top in the World awards at both IGCSE and AS Level, while Top in Thailand accolades were awarded to six Shrewsbury students. Runn (Fin) Charksmithanonet, who is now in Year 13, was named Top in the World in AS Level Art and Design with Suthipoj (Top) Chaithavornsathien receiving the same award for the IGCSE he sat in June 2011. Graduates from Shrewsbury’s Class of 2012 were among those rewarded for excellence in their A Level examinations. Former Head Girl Sirin (Lee) Charasyosvuthichai, who is now studying at Wharton Business School at the University of Pennsylvania, was named Top in Thailand in A Level Business Studies. Two years ago Lee won Top in the World in her IGCSE

Business Studies exam. Also celebrating success at A Level was Soe Naung (Calvin) Khaing who won the Top in Thailand award for A Level Economics. Calvin, who is from Burma, is currently studying Economics at Cambridge University. Former Year 11 student Emma Valla, who is now continuing her studies in her native Italy, was Best in Thailand across eight subjects at IGCSE. Shrewsbury International School students also received Top in Thailand awards

for IGCSE First Language English, Biology and Chemistry as well as in AS Level Economics. There were also High Achievement awards in AS Level Business Studies, Economics, Geography and English Literature as well as in A Level Geography. School Principal Stephen Holroyd said: “It is always a highlight of the academic year when the accolades from Cambridge International Examinations come through. We are delighted to see those Shrewsbury students with CIE awards progressing to the great universities of the world. This is, in part, what Shrewsbury stands for. Congratulations to students and teachers for another outstanding year with CIE.” These results top an outstanding year for students at Shrewsbury. In the A Level examinations, more than a third (35%) of all exams were passed at A-star grade (up from 26% in 2011), while 82% of exams were awarded a B grade or above. This compares to an

A-star pass rate of 17.4% at UK independent schools and 6.4% in the UK as a whole. Twenty-five out of the 56 students in Shrewsbury’s 2012 Graduating Class gained A-star or A grades in all of their A Level subjects. Nine students gained 4 A* passes, a tremendous achievement which secured their places leading universities around the world – including Oxford, Cambridge and Imperial College in the UK and Harvard in the US. In the IGCSE exams, 37% of 976 exams that were taken were passed at A-star grade, (up from 35% in 2011) and 66% of the exams were passed with an A grade or above. Ten students achieved 9 A* passes or more: Cameron Storah, Emma Valla, Ying Li Toh, Phapimol Yoovidhya, Sarita Pooranawattanakul, Sirada Sripakdeevong, Sahnfun Chittmittrapap, Jenny Kim, Zohar Shoshani and Anek Baweja. www.shrewsbury.ac.th

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Expat WOMEN p Put your feet up and indulge

The American Women’s Club of Thailand’s ‘Rip Roaring’ luncheon was a blast - and here’s proof! Page 44.

Q&A

Bubbly Brit Kate Jackson tells us what she thinks about life as an expat Page 38

Health

Lose weight and look younger - all through the power of sleep! Page 46

Agony aunts

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

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EXPAT WOMEN FEATURE

She’s a character: Kate Jackson Still full of enthusiasm for her adopted home after a decade here, this young lady from northern England is nevertheless unsure about the long term ■ NOW in her 10th year in Thailand, Briton Kate Jackson is one of growing number of young expats who now call this country their home. Born to a family of farmers and raised in a “small, cold town north of Manchester,” Kate decided in her teens to forgo higher education in order to “chase adventure.”   With that in mind, she arrived here in 2001 to work as a volunteer and spent her first year living in a rural area in Rayong.   “I fell in love with the country,” recalls this amiable 29-year-old. “It was a great experience which motivated me to study both a Bachelors and a Masters degree. I am now currently pursuing a PhD in South East Asian studies – so much for the girl who didn’t want to go to university.”   Kate’s career as a soft skills trainer was launched on the island of Koh Samet before emigrating to Bangkok in 2006. Since then she has travelled and worked extensively in the region for KPMG Thailand as well as the International Office of Migration (IOM) based between here and the U.S.   Home in Bangkok has always been Soi Thonglor, which Kate has watched develop and expand over the years. “I feel lucky to live in such a vibrant neighborhood,” she says.   In her spare time Kate loves to hang out with friends and work as a volunteer, championing the rights and awareness of refugees from Burma. Her boyfriend is half Thai and “half Manchester” whom she met here in Thailand.   She’s currently a lecturer at Stamford University and the Lead Trainer at Hello World Language and Work consultants. What do you like most about Bangkok/Thailand?  Every day is different and unpredictable. There is so much going on here that

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one day you can be sipping cocktails at a rooftop bar overlooking an enchanting vista and the next day eating somtam on the side of the road. All the big-name deejays come through Bangkok; there are many amazing bars and restaurants, and there’s an international mix of food, people, culture.  The kindness of Thai people always humbles me. I recall the caring Thai women who mothered me and smothered me when I first arrived here as an 18 year old, and the friendships I have forged.   There have been moments when I catch myself thinking that this girl from Rochdale is here in a very foreign country, sharing a special moment with someone I would never have met if I had lived my life differently. Sometimes the unbelievable happens. For example, bringing an old English sheep dog into my apartment, which isn’t actually allowed, yet the security guard would let us sneak it in underneath a large golfing umbrella which made it all even more conspicuous. Life is full of “only in Thailand” stories. Some of them you can’t publish.  I also like the convenience of Thailand, a regional hub, good transport infrastructure, and despite sometimes the smallest of chores becoming the hardest of tasks, I think that my quality of life and the opportunities presented to me in Bangkok surpass what is on offer in the UK.

What are the biggest challenges for an expat woman here? I actually don’t see any, I think it is quite the opposite. There are actually more opportunities for an expat woman than for an expat man. We are seen as a rarity and people take the time to talk to us and find out more about us and our roles here. I have spent most of my time as a single female, which comes with freedom and the ability to take any opportunity which is presented. Until the recent spate of bag snatching in Bangkok, crime against women went unheard of and I feel very safe living here. I suppose the one challenge I can’t get over is finding good underwear.  Apart from your family, what do you miss most about your home countr y? Top of the list I would have to put bacon! It’s the one thing I love and the meat available here still doesn’t quite match up to my mum’s breakfast bacon sarnies. Autumn in the UK is my favourite season and I do miss the crisp cold air, when I have to snuggle into my jacket. I also miss the build up to Christmas. Having spent so many Christmases on the

beach, I refuse to spend another one here in Asia. I miss the odd bits of British culture, the pub gardens in the summer, the atmosphere that builds before important football matches, village fetes, and the smell of bonfires. What clubs and societies do you belong to?   None, although I appreciate the role that clubs and societies play here, especially for new expats or wives and mothers. I like to go to networking events in the city, and thought about setting up a website specifically for young expat females. I would like to become more involved in charity organizations and do more voluntary work, since that is what first brought me to Thailand in the first place. Do you have a lot of friends here, and are they mainly from your home country? It is about 50/50. I have some very good Thai friends whom I will remain close with forever. I have also very good friends whom I have met here from Mexico, Finland, Norway, Canada, Australia, Nigeria and America.   When I was eighteen I met a Thai girl, who quickly became a good friend, and we’ve remained close even when I went back home to study. She now lives in Geneva, but I am godmother to her daughter and we see each other regularly. I have even been to New York to stay with a Thai friend. There have been many occasions where I was the only ‘white’ one in group. I don’t see nationality or language as an issue. My school friends in the UK are still my closest friends and thanks to the Internet we talk every day.

I like to go to eclectic, funky places such as Tuba, Shades of Retro, Bar 23, Hippie Bar. I don’t like anything too perfect or OTT, I prefer a bit rough and ready, just like myself. Do you ever feel threatened or intimidated by the beauty of Thai women?   It has never even registered on my Richter scale until you asked. No, I have never felt jealous or intimidated; I guess I see us as completely different creatures. Women come in all different colours, shapes and sizes, and you cannot compare one to another. As for men and their choice in women, I also see that as subjective. What works for one man might not appeal to another.  What are your main hobbies?  I am an avid reader; I can spot a Kinokuniya from afar. It’s crazy how long I can spend in a book store, and how much money I can spend. I love to travel and get out of the city as often as possible. I also like to spend time outside, walking, swimming, and getting fresh air, even in the city. What trait do you admire most in people?   To speak frankly, it’s balls. I like people who are motivated, inspirational, creative and who have get up and go and who have taken steps to mold their lives. I also like people with a thirst for knowledge, I like to hear from self-starters and well traveled people. I really like to learn from others. Any unfulfilled ambitions, or regrets? I have lived my life as I wanted and managed to meet all my dreams and aspirations. I think it is now time I need to start looking for some more. Yes I have regrets, not spending enough time with my family, my ailing grandad and missing out on my nieces and nephews growing up. I am currently working on how to manage this. Your favourite restaurant, bar/pub, hangout joints?  I like to go to eclectic, funky places such as Tuba, Shades of Retro, Bar 23, Hippie Bar. I don’t like anything too perfect or OTT, I prefer a bit rough and ready, just like myself. One of my fave hangouts is up Ekkamai-Ramintra way, but I’d like to keep that one

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EXPAT WOMEN FEATURE Your favourite weekend destination? Koh Samet. Having worked there, I feel at home, and I know most of the locals. I also have spent a lot of long weekends partying hard on Koh Pha Ngan. So you might say I am a bit of a beach bum, despite not being able to catch a tan. Nowadays, I spend a lot of time on the coast just north of Cha-am as my boyfriend’s family have a beach house there. It is right on the beach and offers a perfect get away from city life. Who’s the greatest love of your life? Of course, like many girls, I would have to say my mum. Do you have a life motto? I do, it is a quote I once found that resonates with the way I try to live my own life, it says: “This is your world. Shape it or someone else will.”

a secret. During my 20s here in Bangkok, I threw a few spectacular house parties, and often had the security guards coming round and asking us to keep it down. I also like places where I can sit and flip through a newspaper and people watch, down by the river, Khao San or even Silom Soi 4. I love to spend a weekend on Koh Samet, Hua Hin or Chiang Mai. Your favourite place for a haircut or beauty treatment? A good question as I find this a bit of an issue in Thailand. At first, you think you have found a gem; clean, not too expensive, with good service and knowledgeable staff and then all of a sudden the staff or management change and up go the prices and down goes the level of service. I am now looking for that new gem. Recommendations welcome! I do love the way you can pop into a hairdresser and get a wash and blow dry for 200 baht. What a treat – really one of best things about living in Thailand! Favourite place to buy clothes? I hate to shop and try on clothes, so you will rarely find me in one of Bangkok’s malls. I like to shop on the go, so as I am passing a stall in Silom, or Victory Monument, I might just spot something I like and grab it. I am lucky to be small enough to fit into the Thai clothes. But I like the fashions and colours and now baulk at having to pay anything over a couple of hundred baht. With regard to work clothes and smart attire, I always top up when I’m in the UK – on underwear and shoes too.

Can you honestly say you understand the Thai way of life and doing things? After living in a remote Thai town, with a Thai family and devoting post graduate studies to Thai language and South East Asian culture. I can safely say ‘no.’ Due to my own upbringing, my own education, my own experiences and the way I interpret life, I feel it’s impossible to fully understand what it is to be Thai. Yes I can empathize and understand their backgrounds, but I am still not subject to their propaganda. For example, I don’t fall prey to Thai TV advertising and conform to Thailand’s social conformities. I don’t know what it was like to live under Thai rules and laws, go to a Thai school and so on. I am merely a moon, orbiting their world. Can you see yourself spending the rest of your life here? Yes and no. I often think about this question. Yes I am very settled and comfortable here, and I understand what is needed in order for me to stay here and set up the life I dream of. Then again, starting a family would require a little more trial and error, and more consideration. I would like to go back to the UK at some point, but I need to think about my career and the financial and social climate in the UK. Has Bangkok changed for the better or worse during your time here? Over the past five years I have seen small, yet significant changes. I feel that it has become more international and the availability of different products and services has increased. There are more restaurants, nightclubs and bars. And you can study all kinds of subjects. I would like to see more improvements in the infrastructure and more public spending on education. I also feel that there is a real difference between the haves and the have-nots, and it’s increasing at an exponential rate, which saddens me. I would love to have experienced Thailand in the 1940s and 1950s, and I wish Bangkok could have developed in a way which retained its cultural identity, with better city planning and less concrete. Do you speak, read/write Thai? Yes I spent a lot of my free time teaching myself and pressing my Thai friends to help me. I can now get through a newspaper and short stories with about 80% understanding. I used to keep a bilingual dictionary permanently in my handbag and look up any unfamiliar words. On four separate and unbelievable occasions people have even asked if I was Thai! With many more Thais now willing to practice English I am finding that I need to speak Thai less and less. However, my Thai always becomes more fluent the more drinks I have had. Thai or English food? 100% without a doubt, Thai. Breakfast, lunch and dinner. After living in a town where the only option was to go Thai or go hungry, I got hooked. And I miss it whenever I’m away. Yes, I miss my mum’s cooking, but I can always save that for special occasions.

TheBigChilli

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EXPAT WOMEN SHOPPING

LIGHT UP YOUR LIFE

KINGDOM OF JEWELS ■ BOASTING a hint of what the designers call ‘rock and baroque,’ Swarovski’s Fall/ Winter collection is a sparkling departure from the brand’s traditional stylings. Mixing modern and vintage influences, and inspired by electro rock and visual artistry, the collection is aimed at trendy cosmopolitan women who like to embrace their artistic sides. The colours explode in flashes of flamboyant ruby, emerald, deep sapphire, combined with dark tones and opaque effects. Added to this are lacework, embroidery, settings, and metals including gold, silver, and antiqued or polished steel. The collection is available at Swarovski’s flagship store on the first floor of Siam Paragon. www.swarovski.com

■ IF you’re looking to add some festive spirit to your home or condo this Christmas, or simply want to add a touch of elegance, take a peek at the new candleholder collection from Roger & Belle. The range features everything from vintage and country-style traditional designs to pastelcoloured candleholders with funky motifs. With these little exuberant furnishings, you can mix

Talking

Shop

and match the style you like to complement your home. Prices range from B1,550 – B2,550. Roger & Belle, Market Place Thonglor, Sukhumvit 55 Tel: 089 199 9355 www.rogerandbelle.com.

Hot products and stores demanding your attention LIVING IN A MATERIAL WORLD

SCOOT IN STYLE ■ THE most convenient away to get around

Bangkok’s congested streets has always been by motorcycle. If you’re thinking of buying your own bike, check out the new range of scooters by the iconic Vespa. Specially designed for riders to ‘Scoot in Style,’ they’re stylish, sporty, and fun to boot. The new collection’s flagship model, Vespa S 150ie Titanium Matt Series, comes in a rough grey with square-shaped headlights and a 150cc electronic fuel injection system. Price starts at B116,000. Vespiario (Thailand) Co., Ltd Tel: 02 714 7742 www.vespa.co.th

■ BODY contours are stressed to the max in Milin’s Madonna-referencing Autumn/Winter collection, ‘Material Girl, Material World.’ Designed by Milin Yuvacharuskul, who graduated from London’s Central St. Martins College of Arts and Design, the collection was inspired by the geometric edges and bright colours of sports cars. This translates into dresses with graphic prints and layers of shiny materials plus metal straps. If you dare to be different, we suggest you check this funky collection out. The collection is available at Siam Paragon, The Emporium, Central Chidlom, and Central Ladprao. www.milin.com

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EXPAT WOMEN FEATURE

A “Rip Roaring” time at the CWL!

It was the “Bee’s Knees”! Women from all across Bangkok were “Puttin’ on the Ritz” as the American Women’s Club of Thailand (AWC) hosted a “Rip Roaring” Combined Women’s Luncheon (CWL) at the Sofitel Sukhumvit on October 9th. The ladies showed up in their “Glad Rags” ready to party 1920’s style. They enjoyed everything from a very 1920’s menu to games of chance, a Charleston Contest, Mambo Cabaret, champagne and most importantly a celebration of friendship! Joan D’Arcy, who was dazzling in her “Great Gatsby” inspired day wear, was crowned “The Cat’s Meow” in the Best Dressed Contest. The glamorous Brazilian beauties were crowned “Ritzy Dolls” (Best Dressed Table);

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“Hotsy-Totsy”! And no one had the “Heebie-Jeebies” during the Charleston Contest. Dozens of fabulous hoofers kicked up their heels, but in the end, Corinne Slater from ANZWG was crowned our “Charleston Doll”! iCare Thailand was the charity recipient for the day with a school in northern Thailand being the specific beneficiary for the funds which exceed 250,000 baht. That’s the “Berries”! Christy Larson, CWL Chair commented, “The AWC thanks all the “Dolls” who attended. We wouldn’t have raised a “Wooden Nickle” without you! We’re so grateful to be able to generously help iCare Thailand and you’re all a big part of that. You’re all just “Swell”!” AD Foodland_April12.indd 1

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EXPAT WOMEN HEALTH

Lose weight and look younger – all through the power of sleep! Judith Coulson, Executive Director of Bkk-Health.com, explains the benefits of a good night’s kip and shares her tips for a top quality sleep ■ ONE of the questions I ask my clients in every weekly meeting is: “how much and how well did you sleep last week?” Fact is that that more and more people, including kids, teenagers, men and women, don’t sleep enough, not just because of the lack of hours they spend in bed, but also because the quality of sleep they get can be poor. Now why is a good night’s sleep so important? Well, a good rest in form of sleep is just as important as a balanced diet and exercise in keeping your brain and body fit and healthy. A good sleep pattern can boost learning and memory performance, reduce stress (protecting your heart), slow down the aging process, and prevent you from piling on the pounds.

Let’s sleep on it! Your days are filled with a tremendous amount of information and most of us learn something new every day. The same parts of your brain that work and process information during the day continue when you are asleep, repeating and rehearsing, consolidating and improving on the input and knowledge you gained while you were awake. Therefore, having a good night’s sleep

is crucial for you to wake up each morning on top of your game – and stay there.

Get your beauty sleep! There is no doubt that after a good rest you feel more invigorated and energized, but there is much more happening in your body while you take a nap. While you sleep your body releases growth hormones, which not only work to improve your hair and skin health and elasticity, but also prevent skin irritations and pimples, dark eye circles and wrinkles.

Release more weight loss hormones! During a good night’s sleep your body produces more leptin hormones which positively influence appetite, metabolism and body fat distribution. So if you are chronically sleep deprived, your body will be more stressed, produce more fat storing cortisol, and release more hunger stimulating ghrelin hormones.

How to take advantage of the power of sleep? 1. Stick to a sleep schedule for you, or more importantly for your kids, if you

have them. A regular sleep schedule allows your brain to know when it is time to sleep and when it is time to be awake. The more regular your schedule the more likely you are to fall and stay asleep. 2. Stop drinking coffee and alcohol at least three hours before you go to sleep. It takes an average person about four hours to metabolize an alcoholic beverage. Alcohol can make you drowsy but also keeps you out of the deep sleep phases you need to gain the sleep benefits mentioned above. 3. Stop exercising about four hours before you go to bed. Raising your core body temperature a few hours before going to bed can help falling asleep, and regular exercisers get more deep sleep phases. 4. For dinner, eat foods high in sleep promoting trypthopan and melantonin, like green leafy vegetables, fish and shellfish, eggs, soy products, seaweed, chicken, turkey, bananas, cherries or oatmeal. For more information on how to sleep better and deeper visit: http://bkk-health. com/the-power-of-sleep

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EXPAT WOMEN PROBLEMS SOLVED

Ask the experts Send your problems to: thebigchillimagazine@gmail.com

Real Problems Real Solutions

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

Lonely and friendless

feel lonely in Bangkok. I am here with my partner and we both work. We have a great home life, but I miss having close friends, and female friends. When I lived in Europe I had almost the opposite problem: not enough time to meet up with all of my good friends, but I much preferred that! I don’t know what to do: I want to find friends to talk to but I don’t know how. I don’t really fit in with the corporate couples. Once or twice I made a connection with a colleague from work but they moved away soon afterwards. My friends back home are still there, of course, but most of the time we only connect on Skype or by email. And when I talk to them, I feel torn between my life here and my friends back home. What can I do? Anne Grete, 24, from Denmark

Anette says: ■ Dear Anne, It’s no fun having no friends. And you are right: a partner is a partner, but no replacement for a friend, especially a female friend. Unlike our romantic life whose development we tend to be acutely aware of, our network of friendships tends to grow more organically, as it branches out from our family of origin. In the school system,

which most of us attend for at least 11 of our most formative years, friendships are formed from a pre-selected group of peers who we meet almost every day. We bond with them in a similar way we bonded with our family members, particularly our siblings. Here in Bangkok, all of that organic growth is missing for you. Your friendships will have to start from scratch, and all the wealth of relationship you accumulated over your lifetime is no longer there. I really like the fact that you recognize the value of friendship and so I would encourage you to apply your existing skills to this new problem: How did you find your job? How did you find your husband? Building a friendship has elements both of job search and courtship. First you need to identify where the most likely friends would be. Luckily, there are many groups in Bangkok where people congregate who are also looking for friends. Some are based on nationality and/or language, but many are organized around common interests, such as arts, music, theatre, sports, charitable activities, and many are open to new members throughout the year. Just as with experienced job seekers, the true professional expats like, for example, embassy spouses, recommend joining as many groups as possible as early as possible to ‘feel them out’ and see which ones contain the most promising friendship talent. If you are serious about this, you could join such a group tonight. Google whatever your interest is and you will find a group doing it in Bangkok. The added benefit is of course that you will do an activity you enjoy. The next step is more like dating (and like dating it can be much scarier). If you see someone you like, engage them in conversation, and then (this is the big one!) ask them to join you for a cup of coffee or another non-threatening activity. If you do arts or sports, invite people from another group to your events. Of

course, if you do that, you run the risk of rejection, and that is never pleasant. On the other hand, many others will be looking for friends too, and unlike back home, you can’t wait on friendships forever. One tip is to try to go for people who are also relatively new to Bangkok since they won’t have that many friends yet but the main thing is of course to see if you click. If you follow the above steps, you will make friends. But of course, they will all be new friends, and they will also not be family. So in one way, you will probably still be torn a bit between your life here and your life back home, but at least the two sides will be more balanced. Give your life a chance to take root here, even if you are not staying all that long. Maybe those roots can become air roots, and you can take them home on the plane, or with you to the next city.

Bangkok life gets me down

am writing to you because I don’t feel quite myself anymore. I used to just manage my life but since we moved here I feel uprooted and completely useless. This was supposed to be such a great opportunity: good pay, big house, kids at an international school, help with the house work; what more could one ask for? I feel so bad about myself but I am not happy with our move. I miss my relatives, friends and my part time job. My maid cooks and cleans the house and it makes me feel that I fulfill no purpose for my family. I also feel less private now. It is hard for my husband to listen to me, because it makes him feel like a failure. He gets upset and tells me I am never satisfied. He likes it here. I need to get out of this but how? Silvia, 37, from Italy

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• Johanna DeKoning MS is the Clinical Director of NCS Counseling Center. She trained in the Netherlands and Australia.

Johanna says: ■ Dear Silvia, You are in ‘culture shock’ and the promised land is not what you expected. Being a homemaker, cleaning and cooking can give a wife and mother meaning, a recognized position and, of course, also some control. These functions have now been taken over and having someone else permanently in your home can also create the feeling that your personal space is being intruded upon. To overcome all of this you have to look at your own feelings first. What bothers you most and what would you like changed? Are there things you would like to do in your home, with the family or for self development or for others outside your immediate circle? Write them down, so you can make a plan. When you know what you need and want you can talk with your husband and explain it. When he says he feels you are never satisfied, agree that it looks like that but you do want to create purpose and meaning for yourself now. Ask him for his support and try to make it practical. To organize your personal life try to connect with other women, so you can build up your social network again.

You miss family and probably your part-time job that got you out of the house. Invite other families to come over or organize some outings with your husband and/or another couple. Your feelings are not abnormal but they are part of the turmoil of living overseas. Often it is harder for ‘the dependent’ to find his/her niche again. The one with the job has a rhythm, a goal, people to meet/work with, so often their adjustment goes more smoothly. Try to also ask your husband how he is coping. Enjoy his good feelings, but let him know he can share his doubts or struggles too, as you want to stay connected with him in this new period of your family life. If you like to cook and have the kitchen to yourself sometimes, discuss this with your maid and tell her what you would like to happen. In a friendly way tell her how your life was before moving to Bangkok. Let her know that you want to do certain things yourself because you like to do them, not because she does not do a good job. You can also tell her that you sometimes would like to have the house to yourself. Your life is still your own, and you can still make your own decisions!

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

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Gourmet p Wine and restaurant news

Hot Plates: Four leading restaurants raise standards with some interesting and innovative culinary ideas. See page 56.

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Cooking A round up of this monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best gourmet deals. Yummy! Page 52

Meet the chef We speak to Michael Hogan, Executive Chef of JW Marriott Bangkok Page 66

Dining out

Our favourite restaurants reviewed and listed Page 80 TheBigChilli

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GOURMET NEWS

What’s Cooking Bangkok’s hottest dining deals and news Niu’s Jazz & Fizz Festival

NIU’S ON SILOM, DEC 7 – 15

■ NIU’S on Silom turns five years old on December 5, and it will celebrate with nine consecutive days of music, plus food and drink events presented by chef Marco Cammarata. The festival runs in the jazz bar, on the terrace and upstairs in Concerto Italian restaurant from December 7-15. Admission is free on all nights, but seating is limited and reservations are strongly advised. Performing artists include The Joseph Marchione Quartet, Rydsma with the Mauro Monti Trio, The Jerry Byrd Quartet, Keith Nolan’s Love Gone Wrong,

and more big name acts. For a full programme see the restaurant’s website.

Hot choic e!

Niu’s on Silom, 661 Floor 1-2 Silom Road (corner Soi 19) Tel: 0 2266 5333-4 www.niusonsilom.com

Drink and meal combo URBIS CAFÉ, UNTIL JAN 31

■ The AETAS Residence’s newly decorated Urbis is now offering a special deal for beer drinkers – order one of several special dishes on the menu, and you’ll get a complimentary draught Heineken. Soi Ruamrudee. Open daily Tel: 02 618 9388

Foie gras and wine

WINE PUB, AVAILABLE NOW

■ EVERY Wed Night from 6pm-10pm, Wine Pub at Pullman Bangkok King Power is offering a special dinner set featuring four different varieties of French foie gras and a bottle of house wine for B1,290. Tel: 02 680 9999 www.pullmanhotels.com

Scandanavian Food Festival FLAVOURS RESTAURANT, NOV 24 – DEC 2

■ HEAD to the Rembrandt Hotel’s new restaurant during this promotion and you’ll be able to sink your teeth into a wide range of Scandanavian specials prepared and cooked by Chefs Bjorn Ekstrand and Jack Jansson from Indigo restaurant, Finland. A Scandinavian ”Smörgåsbord” buffet and Jazz music will be available from 6pm-10.30pm priced B899 per person. Sukhumvit Soi 18 Tel: 02 261 7100 www.rembrandtbkk.com

Free ﬂow tapas and wine

TWO FORTY EIGHT CAFÉ & BAR, UNTIL NOV 30

■ Every Friday night this month, Two Forty Eight will offer two-hours of all-you-can-eat canapes and tapas (such as guacamole dip, grilled sausage wrapped with bacon and mini barbeque chicken) along with free flow wines and draft beers for two-hour just B599 per person. Northgate Ratchayothin Serviced Residence Tel: 02 939 7949 www.northgatebangkok.com

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GOURMET NEWS

White trufﬂe wine dinner BISCOTTI, UNTIL NOV 30

■ ALL this month, Biscotti chef Daniele Cason, a native of Rome, will cook-up an impressive six-course wine-dinner featuring a range of dishes created using white truffles from Piedmont, and paired with Pio Cesare wines. Highlights include Hokkaido scallop, quail egg, pencil asparagus paired with Pio Cesare Langhe Arneis; and Pan seared foie gras and nutmeg, potato foam paired with Pio Cesare ‘Fides’ Barbera d’Alba .The wine dinner is B7,500++. Special a la carte dishes will also be available, ranging in price from B1,200-4,500++ per dish. Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok, 155 Rajadamri Road Tel: 02 126 8866 www.fourseasons.com/bangkok

Dad dines free on Father’s Day

Michelin tastes at Enoteca

ENOTECA ITALIANA, DEC 12

■ TAKE dad to enjoy a Father’s Day buffet lunch or dinner at Eastin Grand Hotel Sathorn Bangkok’s allday-dining restaurant and, if you’re a group of three or more diners, he’ll eat for free. Lunch is B699++ per person; dinner, B1,199++ per person. Half-price for kids under 16.

■ WINE lovers take note – Enoteca Italian Restaurant will host a wine dinner on Dec 12 featuring wines from Barolo, Piedmont, paired with a five-course dinner specially created by guest chef Massimo Camia from the Michelin star il Borgo Antico restaurant. B3,900++ per person.

Tel: 02 210 8100 www.eastingrandsathorn.com

Sukhumvit Soi 27 Tel: 02 2584386

THE GLASS HOUSE, DEC 5

Loy Krathong Buffet

NOVOTEL BANGNA BANGKOK, NOV 28

■ THE Square Restaurant at Novotel Bangna Bangkok is celebrating Loy Krathong with an international dinner buffet feast priced just B880++ per person (half price for kids). Book before Nov 25 for 20% discount. 333 Srinakarin Road, Tel: 02 366 0505 ext 1470, 1471 www.novotelbangkokbangna.com

Thanksgiving Seafood Bonanza

NOVOTEL BANGKOK ON SIAM SQUARE, NOV 22

■ NOVOTEL Bangkok on Siam Square is promising a huge buffet bonanza this Thanksgiving Day, with an extra-special buffet loaded with fresh seafood, shell fish and crustaceans from the Gulf of Siam and the Andaman Sea, as well as all-American Thanksgiving Day treats. B1,050++ per person. Tel: 02 209 8888 www.novotelbkk.com.

New Dance Studio at Spanish on 4 ■ GOOD news, dance fans. RumPUREE World Dance Studio is now hosting regular classes in Salsa, Bachata, Tango and Zumba (among many others) on the third floor of Spanish on 4 restaurant, Silom Soi 4. The 3rd floor studio has been refurbished by rumPUREE and now features a sprung wooden dance floor. This space is also available on certain evenings for networking events and private parties. Expect more info in next month’s issue. For details about upcoming classes contact rumPUREE Studio, Tel: 087 977 8007

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GOURMET FEATURE

Creative dining reaches new high in Bangkok By Howard Richardson

Four leading restaurants raise standards with some interesting and innovative culinary ideas ■ IT’S been a busy 12 months at the top end of Bangkok’s dining scene, with significant developments in four of Bangkok’s finest creative restaurants – Sra Bua, Gaggan, Water Library and D’Sens. For instance, the impressive Sra Bua, the modern Thai at the Kempinski hotel, this month celebrates its second birthday, having survived mixed reviews ranging from “Astounding” to “This is not Thai food!” and “The only real food might be the steamed rice!”

Chef Morten Nielsen

Sra Bua is the offspring of Kiin Kiin, in Copenhagen, where Morten Nielsen was head chef when it won its Michelin star in 2008. Morten was this year appointed full time chef de cuisine at Sra Bua, and he’s not surprised by the ambiguous response. “We’re doing something to tradition,” he says. “And that’s the dangerous part. We knew it would be a challenge.” So much so, that when guests book they are now warned this is perhaps not the Thai cuisine they were expecting. Sra Bua’s notorious Red curry is

served frozen, as ice cream, in a theatrical presentation involving dry ice released like a puff of smoke across the table. This could be seen as a magician’s misdirection to take your attention away from what they’ve done on the plate, but the cool ice against the chilli spice works beautifully, with sweet firm meaty lobster, creamy avocado and peanuts underneath to add crunchy texture. “It might be frozen, but it’s still a curry. It’s just that the sauce melts in your mouth,” says Morten. Other winners are Tom yum soup with oyster in the shell, lemongrass nage and seaweed; and Deep fried soft shell crab with green mango and nam jim presented as a soft meringue. The light sourness from the mango playing on the sweet meringue followed by a tiny creep of chilli is delightful. There’s a choice of two set menus, six courses (B1,800++) and ten courses (B2,400++), both available with a (very good) wine pairing (five glasses for B2,400++). It’s hard to fault this restaurant other than a room that is high and soulless, with lots of heavy teak. It’s a rather grown up environment for such playful food.

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Morten has a lament, though. “Preparing food in this way is fun, but less fun. It’s not cooking. I became a chef because you can smell the meat caramelizing, scrape the deglaze from the pan, and taste it. It’s a good day for me when I go home with burn marks and smelling like a deep fat fryer.” Maybe we diners (or many of us) are enjoying this more than the chef. So much in dining depends on expectation. Although more restrained, there are flavours at Sra Bua that are unconnected to traditional Thai. It is clearly Thai food. The approach of Gaggan Anand, chefowner of the progressive Indian restaurant Gaggan, is less clear. Perhaps because he’s creatively uninhibited, with a world of flavours and techniques at his disposal. His Spaghetti carbonara, for instance, is the kind of dish you feel you could eat all night. The pasta is perfectly al dente, alla Roma trattoria, but it has a sliver of Iberico ham, and the egg is on top, slow cooked at 62 degrees, so it oozes over the dish when popped to form a sauce. It’s the high dose of pepper that Gaggan says makes it Indian. But, there’s pepper in the original Italian recipe, and it’s hard to see why this is progressive Indian rather than progressive Italian. Gaggan has an a la carte menu presented as a faux hardback book divided into chapters, and a set menu (10 courses B1,600++), broken into scenes, like a theatre programme, reinforcing his belief that: “Food is an expression of art.” Gaggan in all its glory

Before opening in late 2010, Gaggan spent time learning the modern techniques of Ferran Adria at El Bulli, in Barcelona, widely regarded as one of the best restaurants in the Western world. The results are seen in dishes like tiny Lamb burgers based on an Indian kebab recipe. Except that, rather than bread, the bun is made of coriander water prepared with a seaweed-based gel called metil that solidifies the water. It takes on a meringue-like consistency that disappears in the mouth like air. His Chicken tikka masala, cooked sous vide, comes with a light mousselike makani foam. “Outside India, Indian restaurants are judged on their chicken tikka masala,” says Gaggan. “The one that makes the best is regarded as the best restaurant, so this is an important dish for me. I could serve this to my mother and she would like it.” And his mother is not the only person Gaggan wants to impress. “I can’t compete with Ferran Adria,” he says. “I can’t compete with the Pope; I can only be in the church following the Pope. But I want to be the best Indian restaurant in the world.” And his next step in the quest? “I’m building a laboratory here in association with El Bulli. We’re inviting people from various disciplines, including scientists and artists, to see where we can take food; to move further away from conventional cooking. It will be a glass house, so people can look in and see what we’re doing, and at night the lab will turn into a bar.”

If creative cuisine has a running theme it’s in a sense of theatre, and nowhere is this more apparent than at Water Library @ Grass, where there’s a single 12-course menu (B6,600++; B8,400 with impressively well-paired wines; or B16,800++ with superior wines). Chef Haikal Johari and his team prepare much of the food in front of just ten diners seated at a sushi-style counter, revealing dishes over the top – “ta da!” – like puppeteers. As they work they explain the ingredients, giving tips on the best way to eat them. And often you need it – these are complex and unusual plates. The menu changes seasonally, but might include Deconstructed gazpacho, in which tomato jelly and olive oil sorbet are topped with light gazpacho foam in a cute beaker designed like a semi crushed plastic cup complete with finger marks. On the surface are colourful chips of red and yellow tomato and purple edible flowers. It’s an exhilarating dish of creamy smooth textures blasted with the searing cold, sweet-acidic tomato jelly. Next comes a Dunkin Donuts lookalike box printed with the words: “Is It Donut?’ Inside is a Donut of garlic, bell peppers, rosemary and tomato covered in a bacon glaze and dry chorizo floss “blended with

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GOURMET FEATURE

a secret, special powder.” On the side are discs of charcoal grilled chorizo and a garlic aioli. You eat it with your hands (what else); it tastes great, and is a neat iconoclastic junk food reference to make you smile. Early on we’d had Oyster flan as a base for raw shrimp, caviar and a fresh oyster served in the shallow well of a white ovoid bowl. Down in a single bite it had a lovely balance with a smooth lingering taste of the sea. This is very creative fine dining, but the atmosphere is chatty, almost café-like, and despite a lot of culinary showing off, it’s not pretentious or ostentatious. A very satisfying restaurant – and lengthy. Dinner started at 7.30pm; we left at 11.30pm. Soon, this intense experience will be more widely available. Oliver Kramny, F&B general

Chef Christian Ham

manager at The Water Library, says: “We’ve signed an agreement with Juan Amador [Michelin-starred chef of Langen restaurant, in Germany] to develop five more restaurants in Asia and the USA. Most likely two will be in Bangkok, plus Singapore, Hong Kong and New York.” The Water Library also opens in Yangon, Myanmar in December. At the Dusit Thani, D’Sens – a branch of the Michelin-starred restaurant Le Jardin des Sens in Montpelier, France – has completed its first year under chef Christian Ham, who previously reigned at Restaurant Atelier de Joel Robuchon, in Hong

William Blake inspires venison dishes. I don’t know why.” His Lobster served in a Turnip ravioli, with rosemary honey dressing and crispy garden Vegetables is a (Bach chorale?) of close harmony flavours. A lace-fine layer of turnip forms a ‘ravioli’ around the sweet, meaty lobster, joined by almost translucent slivers of carrot, honey dressing and the juicy sweet acidity of tomato. It’s beautifully seasoned, fresh tasting and light: a real hit. Plump scallops from Japan (B1,300++) with bacon, very thinly

Kong. Bangkok gourmands have never had it so good. Christian’s techniques are more traditional, on both his own dishes and the signatures of the Pourcel brothers, who own the Montpelier flagship. But they’re plated with visual flair by a chef who says: “I’m influenced by art and music a lot. I once created something for Christophe Eschenbach [Music Director of the National Symphony Orchestra, in Washington DC] in which the colours of his music inspired the dishes.” How does it work? “I don’t know,” he says, looking genuinely puzzled by the experience. “For instance, Prokofiev is light music with lots of quick tempos. I saw it as orange, and constructed plates where everything was orange.

sliced and pressed to squeeze out excess fattiness, before grilling to a delicate crisp, are served with watercress sauce and tomato marmalade. These are terrific flavours, available both on the a la carte menu and D’Sens seven course taster (B3,100++). All these restaurants have increased Bangkok’s international fine dining standards, and within the context of the Bangkok market, none are poor value for money. But the fact is I can eat similar quality for less outlay in L.A. or London. Which, given rent and staffing costs alone, is ridiculous. Local produce is improving – Christian already uses pheasant, guinea fowl, crayfish and rainbow trout at D’Sens – which will help in the long term, but an immediate improvement would be that old bugbear: lower the tax on wine. More people could afford to eat out more often, existing restaurants would be fuller, and more new places would open and survive. Everybody wins.

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GOURMET NEWS

Farmers market has the right kind of taste Monthly showcase of local products proves immensely popular with expats

Dylan and Duangporn, owners of Bo.lan

■ BANGKOK’S growing taste for local products and sustainable foods is being showcased in a popular monthly farmers market at Bo.lan, a restaurant widely praised for its emphasis on traditional culinary methods. Called ‘Eat Responsibly Day,’ the event focuses on this trend towards greater diversity by featuring organic and artisan products, including homemade breads, sausages, bacon and all kinds of local fruit and vegetables, most of which cannot be found in supermarkets or city shops. Other stall holders range from small-time soap makers and seed producers to independent purveyors of natural health products. The market’s organizers have made some concessions, however, by allowing organic wines imported by FIN and a selection of interesting craft beers from the US.

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REVIEW CONRAD BANGKOK

KISARA – A NEW NAME FOR THE CONRAD’S JAPANESE RESTAURANT WHEN people decide to have Japanese food at the Conrad Hotel they invariably refer to it as ‘the Japanese restaurant at the Conrad’. Its name obviously doesn’t stick. But that’s all in the past. In a small but significant move, the restaurant is no longer called Drinking Tea

Eating Rice. Today, it is known quite simply as ‘KiSara.’ The word Ki when translated to English means modern, sophisticated and elegant, while Sara means continuously growing. What’s more, the menu has also undergone a makeover and the genius

behind the new 180 items is no other than Chef Kenji Shindo. With more than 22 years’ international experience in the hospitality industry, Chef Kenji has added a few modern touches and twists to the menu while ensuring it remains traditional. “In Bangkok,

there are a few modern Japanese restaurants. We wanted the same for KiSara - to be modern yet still traditional,” explained Chef Kenji. Famous for its fresh sashimi and sushi counters, and teppanyaki tables, the restaurant is pleasantly airy and open. But if guests want more intimate and exclusive surroundings, they can opt for the private dining rooms. Chef Kenji’s special creations on the day of this review included Mastuzaka beef roll Kisara style, which was cleverly rolled using seared cheese (B1,780). This was followed by Foie gras crunchy roll filled with pan-fried foie gras, turnip and tofu covered in crispy tempura batter (B880). We were then served Aburi maguro kousou marinated; Tuna seared

and marinated with herbs and oba leaf sauce (B550) and Foie gras Saikyoyaki; Foie gras pan-fried with sweet miso (B870). To top off the lunch menu, Chef Kenji served Steamed snow fish sasamushi with black truffle wrapped in sasa leaves and sakura sauce (B980) and ended the afternoon with Matsuzaka beef stew style with BBQ sauce (B1,780), which literally melted in the mouth. If your memory goes to mush when thinking of ‘the Japanese restaurant at the Conrad Hotel,’ hum the song “Que Sera Sera.” KiSara Japanese Restaurant, Conrad Bangkok, All Seasons Place, 87 Wireless Road, Open daily: Lunch 11.30am-2.30pm and Dinner 6pm-10pm, Tel: 02 690 9417

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With a wave of his hand, he says “it’s a place I created because Bangkok doesn’t have a decent fish and chips shop.” He is, however, much more excited about Clouds and Mr. Jones’ Orphanage, two venues he has opened at SeenSpace, a chic lifestyle mall recently opened on Thonglor Soi 13. Clouds is a bizarre bar that also serves snacks with a mix of high tech items that remind us that plant life is a vanishing object on our planet. There is a tree in the middle and there are acrylic blocks containing leaves preserved in liquid and NASA scientists preparing drinks behind the bar. Sutton dismisses deeper meanings for his creation and insists it is “all about kinetics.” No matter what it is, Clouds creates the impression that it is something from the future, a watering hole that somehow has travelled back in time from the 22nd century. Perhaps Sutton’s most imaginative creation is Mr. Jones’ Orphanage, found on the ground floor at the entrance to SeenSpace. “I first thought about creating a Mr. Jones about six years ago,” Sutton explains, “when I found these boring dessert shops all over the place. I wanted to see kids running amuck where they could have their wildest dreams come true with mountains of chocolate and cake. I married this idea with an orphanage created in a church and run by a nice guy called Mr. Jones who smothered kids with whatever they wanted.” The result is a threequarter sized shop serving loads of icky, gooey items that appeal to the child in everyone with wooden booths, a completely open kitchen and an upstairs area with a decidedly low ceiling where kids can indeed run amuck. Although there are no real orphans about, customers can adopt a secondhand, orphan teddy bear with the proceeds being donated to charity. Sutton has other projects in the pipeline. Among other things, he is creating another Mr. Jones that will open in December in Siam Center where the shop will be housed in an imaginary train station with orphans living in old rail carriages. He also has a plan to eventually open a Mr. Jones branding throughout Asia. Sutton, who has more tattoos than Popeye and tends to swear like a sailor, left school when he was 14. He moved around a lot, working, among other things, as a miner, a job that provided him with inspiration for his children’s books. He eventually got involved in manufacturing industrial products, a venture that gave him enough money to do other things. He always liked to draw and design things which eventually led him to create restaurants and other businesses. He spent five years in New York where he designed a nightclub and opened an Iron Fairies before leaving “when the bottom fell out of the economy.” Sutton eventually plans to return to New York for another go at the Big Apple, but in the meantime he plans to remain in Bangkok finishing projects that he has already started. But no matter where he goes, Ashley Sutton is going to leave his imprint by awakening the imagination and child that continues to lurk in all of us.

Chefs on the move Our gourmet spies track the comings and goings of chefs in Bangkok

Gleneagles experience at La Scala ■ ANDREW Fairlie, chef and owner of the two-Michelin Star Restaurant Andrew Fairlie in Scotland, will cook his award winning dishes at La Scala, The Sukhothai Bangkok, from Nov 21-24. Renowned for his opulent interpretations of the most delicate French and Scottish cuisine, Andrew will present a selection of his Michelin-star masterpieces from his own handcrafted restaurant menu, usually discovered only at the world famous Gleneagles Hotel and Resort. A wine dinner night will be held on Nov 21, and a set lunch and dinner will be available Nov 22-24. 13/3 South Sathorn Road

☎ 02 344 8888 :sukhothai.com Trader Vic’s Michelin magic ■ CHEF Nicolas Isnard, owner of the Michelin Star L’Auberge de la Charme restaurant in France, is coming to town with his culinary sidekick, David Le Comte, to cook their cuisine at Anantara Bangkok Riverside Resort & Spa’s signature Pacific Rim restaurant, between Nov 14-21. During the promotion, a special six-course dinner will be available for B3,600++ per person. An a la carte menu will also be available featuring special creations like Pan fried foie gras with oyster and kaffir lime, Lobster with wasabi hummus and lemongrass broth, and Suckling pig with pineapple and passion jus. An exclusive three-course cooking class with Chef Nicolas will be held on Sat Nov 17 for B3,500++ per person

☎ 02 476 0022 :bangkokriverdining.com

Seafood specialist at Parkview ■ SEATTLE’S acclaimed hero of oyster and fresh seafood-based cuisine is taking a break from his position at The Walrus & The Carpenter restaurant to fly to Bangkok and cook his food at Parkview Restaurant, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, from Nov 20-24. Head to the restaurant during dinner hours to enjoy simple preparations of imported and local fish, shellfish, premium oysters, Royal Project trout, and more. Dinner buffet is B1,500 per person. Add B150 per person for free flow soft drinks, or B700 person for free flow wines and beers. Sukhumvit 22

☎ 02 261 9000 :imperialhotels.com

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GOURMET NEWS

The creative genius behind Bangkok’s most amazing restaurants

By Michael Moore

Iron Fairies, Fat Gut’z, Clouds and Mr. Jones’ Orphanage have added fun and excitement to the city’s dining scene – and it’s all due to Ashley Sutton and his nocturnal visions ■ ASKED to explain his vivid imagination, Ashley Suttons replies: “Ever since I was a kid, I’ve had to battle to go to sleep. My mind keeps thinking and working and I get carried away with thoughts that make me excited. I like to dream about things I can turn into reality, especially restaurants and bars.” Nicknamed ‘Thonglor’s nightlife baron’ by one writer, Sutton has cashed in on his nocturnal visions by creating a series of eating and drinking venues that add verve and excitement to Bangkok’s often ho-hum eating and drinking scene. Sutton, a 37-year-old Aussie from Freemantle, is the creative force behind the weird and wonderful Iron Fairies, Fat Gut’z, Clouds and Mr. Jones’ Orphanage, all found within a couple of blocks of each other in the Thonglor area of town. Iron Fairies on Soi Thonglor was his first inspiration for Bangkok. Based upon a now defunct restaurant he had in New York and inspired by a series of children’s books he wrote about mischievous fairies, eating and drinking here is like being in a medieval blacksmith shop where iron fairies are created. Right now, the original Iron Fairies is closing, but a new and larger version will be opening a few doors away in what was once the Peking Restaurant. Iron Fairies was followed a short time later by a venue a few doors away called Fat Gut’z, a classy fish and chips shop that doubles as a bar.

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Now in its 10th month, ERD has become a monthly ritual for many expatriates who pack Bo.lan’s interior and gardens from 8.30am until 2.30pm. Because of its popularity, restaurant owner Dylan Jones reckons that the event is already near to full capacity. “We have space here for about 40 stalls, and we’re coming close to that number.” Demand for the market’s natural and sustainable foodstuffs means that some stalls run out of products early on. At a recent ERD, two bakers had to call for additional supplies, while Joe Sloane’s sausages were all gone by mid-morning.

“We’d like to run ERD fortnightly, but it actually has nothing to do with the restaurant, even though we pay our staff to supervise the event,” adds Dylan, who worked for five years in London at the Michelinstarred Nahm restaurant under legendary chef David Thompson before moving to Bangkok. “If it continues to grow at this rate, ERD may have to move to bigger premises, which is fine by us. Our aim has always been to begin a dialogue between farmers and producers who are not big enough to justify supermarket shelf space, and their consumers.” Dylan set up Bo.lan with his Thai wife Duangporn (bo), who also worked at Nahm in London, to present their own interpretation of Thai food from old recipes and following traditional cooking rituals. Fresh and seasonal produce, including vegetables and herbs from the restaurant garden, are used as much as possible. ERD is held on the first Saturday of every month. Bo.lan. Soi Pichai Ronnarong Songkram, Sukhumvit 26. ☎ 02 260 2962

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GOURMET MEET THE CHEF

P U G N I V SER ogan Michael H Chef, Executive angkok tt Hotel B io r r a M JW

Favorite ingredients: I love beef, when you combine it with slow cooking.

Favourite dish to eat: That’s tough… but I do love fresh sea prawns from my home area of Brunswick with coconut and mango salad with a crisp Most influential white wine. chef: Petter Gilmor. He has a great philosophy when it Favourite allcomes to food. time restaurant: Quay, Sydney. It’s held its place in the Aussie food scene Favourite for years. local restaurant: Taling Pling Patient or for Thai. impatient in the kitchen: I am very patient in the kitchen as food takes a certain amount of time. Get heated and I start to make silly mistakes

Most overrated food/dish: Molecular cooking. I find it fascinating and fun, but yet to be really satisfied when eating it.

Favourite wine: Art series, from Leeuwin Estate. Never been disappointed.

Most useful cooking utensil: I love my cook’s knife.

Worst kitchen disaster: Being locked out of a Shanghai Museum two hours before a company gala dinner. We finally got in one hour before the event. Talk about pressure. Next culinary trend: Classics, and paddock to plate continues to be strong. Influenced by Farmers’ markets and sustainable products.

Most underrated sauce: Mayonnaise, it is so nice when made by hand. You just Favourite can’t compare it dish to make: to the commercial Cooking beef variety. cheek or slow foods.

■ HAILING from Gold Coast, Australia, Executive Chef Michael Hogan has that languid disposition that’s been wonderfully perfected over the years by his fellow countrymen. It is an illusion, of course, for although you’ll often see him wandering through the hotel chatting to guests, Michael is unquestionably the driving force behind the JW Marriott’s kitchens, including the New York Steakhouse, Tsu and Nami Japanese restaurant and Man Ho Chinese restaurant. His hard work and culinary skills were recently recognized by Marriott International by naming him out of more than 100 nominations Chef of the Year JW Brand 2012. Michael’s career began at the age of 16 when he helped out in restaurants after school and summer breaks. Coming from a family background of raising cattle, he knew his beef – which proved especially useful in his first restaurant, Canobalas in New South Wales. The early part of his career was spent in the Hyderabad Marriott in India Convention Centre, Marriott Resort Surfers Paradise and Conrad Jupiter. Later, he was part of the opening team of Renaissance Ratchaprasong Bangkok where he worked as Executive Chef. His latest challenge at the JW Marriott is the newly opened Manhattan Bar, a classy outlet with more than a whiff of New York in its design, which is not altogether surprising as it’s managed by the New York Steakhouse, just across the lobby.

Best compliment given to you: JW Chef of the Year Global. I get to travel to the USA and meet all the corporate team.

Wine at B99 in Manhattan Bar ■ MANHATTAN Bar has joined the growing movement in Bangkok for cheaper wines. For an extremely reasonable 99 baht++, wine lovers can enjoy a glass of decent red or white in pleasant surroundings reminiscent of a typical New York bar from 6pm until closing time. A selection of four tapas are also available at 100 baht ++

☎ 02-656-7700 ext. 4230

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GOURMET Q&A

Bar Banter This month: Khun Supasit Saetang

Mixology maestro Khun Supasit, acting assistant beverage manager of Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside, takes a break from concocting cocktails to shed light on the hotel’s Illuminous Bar and tell us what he loves about his job When did you first join Ramada Plaza Menam Hotel and what made you decide to work there? I have been with the Ramada Plaza for almost two years now. Before joining this hotel, I worked with many other hotels in Bangkok, but the lure of working with a hotel that has been in existence for more than 25 years, as well as the history of being one of the very first hotels on the banks of the Chao Phraya attracted me. I was also eager to learn and gain more experience from a hotel of this caliber. What is your F&B experience? When did you first become interested in the F&B trade? I have more than 18 years’ experience in F&B, having first started off as a Bus Boy in a Bangkok hotel. I slowly came up the ranks and my big break came when I was promoted to be a bartender. Before I was made a bartender, I would always volunteer to help out with the Bar Service, and when I had the opportunity, I would create concoctions in my head and imagine how the drink would turn out. I have always been fascinated with being able to create beautiful things, and the idea that my creativity could produce not only beautiful looking but tasty drinks made me realize that I would be happy being a bartender. I like meeting with people from all walks of life and I am happiest when I get to see the people I serve happy and satisfied with the service and attention I have provided.

What are you responsibilities at the hotel? I oversee the Bar Service operations throughout the hotel. I also assist the F&B Manager with producing the Beverage & Wine Menus, and I supervise the presentation and service of every drink to ensure standards are met. My responsibilities also include staff training on operation, service and product knowledge.

What do you like most about bartending? I like to think that bartending is a skill acquired through many years of practice and experiments. I love the way I am able to put my creativity and imagination into something that is enjoyed and appreciated by guests. I never stop learning new ways of improving on a cocktail or playing around with a cocktail’s look by changing the garnishing. I love not only the taste of the different liquids, but also the colours; that when mixed together, the result is something amazing. Sometimes the combination does not work, but with a little more experimentation, I can come up with a delightful cocktail!

What are the highlights of the hotel’s Illuminous Bar? The Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside Bangkok’s Illuminous Bar is totally mesmerizing and has a great location on a protruding deck on the Chao Phraya River. Boasting stunning views of the river and complemented by the soft river breeze, the al-fresco Illuminous Bar is a great spot to watch the sunset over the Rama 3 Bridge. Illuminous Bar also lives up to its name as when the sun comes down, this incredible bar radiates with a rainbow of colours, signifying a drinking venue like no other along the river. I am proud to say that my unique cocktails are the signature cocktails at the Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside Bangkok. There is not just one signature cocktail, but four, and these four cocktails were inspired and named after the four rivers that meet to make up the Chao Phraya River – Ping, Wang, Yom and Nan. They can be ordered as a set of four or individually. What nights are best to visit Illuminous and why? The best time to visit Illuminous Bar is when the night sky is clear and you can see the stars. Visit any night though and you can enjoy the gentle river breeze while sitting out in the open overlooking the River of Kings with your favourite drink, made by a bartender who loves what he does! Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside Bangkok Charoenkrung Road ☎ 02 688 1000 :www.ramadaplazamenamriverside.com

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Join us at Jamesons for all live Sports, we have coverage of all major tournaments, including AFL, NFL, 20/20 Cricket, Premier League Football and all major rugby matches from both codes. We have 12 screens and are able to show multiple events at any one time. For the ladies we have a large selection of delicious cocktails to try, designed by a former TGI Fridays Master Bartender. A huge range of food options is available from Sumptuous Australian Rib Eye, to Irish Classics and some of the best Burgers in Bangkok. Look out for special offers all week.. A happy hour from 4-7 Every day, weekly beer offers, and on Thursdays we treat you to Buy 1 get 1 Free on all Menu cocktails and Local bottled beer. Live Music every Wednesday Thursday and Friday, and we even have an Ice Bar to cool you down in Bangkokâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Hottest Weather.

SO TODAY, MAKE YOURS A JAMESONS.

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WHAT’S YOUR GAME?

Jameson’s Bangkok

Shops 6-13, 981 Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok, 10500 Tel: 02 266 77 03- 5 E-mail: info@jamesons-bangkok.com www.jamesons-bangkok.com

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GOURMET Q&A

HOW DIAGEO MOET HENNESSY HELPED BENMORE TAKE GOLD Diageoʼs marketing campaigns for BenMore have helped the Scotch whisky to achieve stateside success – and now theyʼre looking to conquer the Thai market DIAGEO Moët Hennessy (Thailand) Ltd doesn’t have the easiest job when it comes to promoting its products in Thailand. Alcohol advertising is banned, so while the company imports popular products such as Johnnie Walker, J&B, Jose Cuervo, etc, you won’t see them widely publicised on posters, banners, and TV ads like you would in European countries. So how do they go about getting a brand into the national psyche? Well, they have to think creatively and outside of the box – and sometimes this involves actually promoting a product overseas. This strategy certainly worked with BenMore Four Casks Scotch Whisky, which this year won a Double Gold Medal Award at the New York World Wine and Spirits Competition 2012, and a

Platinum Medal Award at SIP Awards International Spirit Competition 2012 in California, USA. Here, Khun Isaress Sundravorakul , Marketing Manager – Whisky, Diageo Moët Hennessy (Thailand) Ltd, explains more about the awards and how the company plans to make BenMore Four Casks the top Scotch whisky in the kingdom.

confidence in the product. Knowing that BenMore is a world class whisky, we entered it into two prestigious competitions which we thought would help boost the brand – the New York World Wine and Spirits Competition 2012 in New York and SIP Awards International Spirit Competition 2012 in California, USA. And I’m delighted to say BenMore won a Double Gold Medal Award What made you decide to enter and Platinum Medal Award, BenMore into the awards? respectively. We have being monitoring the Thai market for Scotch How does winning the whisky for a while and know competitions help boost the that consumers here are most brand in Thailand? concerned about great value Well, we will celebrate the for money. So our strategy success by releasing a special from the outset was to offer limited edition bottle this a reasonable price. We then coming New Year – which needed to create awareness of will highlight the awards on the brand and boost consumer its label. Over the past two

years we have released limited editions and our ‘value for money’ strategy has worked well, resulting this year in a rise of 10% in total sales between January and June, compared with the same period last year. Because the total sales are rising, we expect this year’s limited edition to be a big success and help the brand to grow further. How do you plan to make BenMore the number one Scotch Whisky in Thailand? By maintaining our high standards of service and ensuring that consumers are always getting great value for money. We will also have a real focus on top quality, stylish packaging – a bottle and box which truly reflects the quality of the products contained within.

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GOURMET NEWS

Gourmet scrapbook

Last month’s events in focus

Maven launches in style ■ VIP guests, media and celebrities were treated to a delicious sit down dinner at Surface restaurant when it introduced the personalized catering company ‘Maven.’ Guests got to try specially designed drinks for the occasion and were entertained by live music. The brains behind the company are Chitbhum Bhumichitr, Ronnaporn Kanivichaporn and restaurateur Chalee Kader.

A taste of Chile at Park Society ■ INDEPENDENT Wine and Spirit Thailand marked the launch of Concha Y Toro’s Trio range of premium wines in the kingdom by hosting a wonderful six-course wine dinner at the elegant Park Society Restaurant, Sofitel So Bangkok. A vibrant crowd of sommeliers, F&B managers, VIPs, and wine lovers enjoyed drinking the famous Chilean wines alongside gourmet dishes such as lobster ravioli, red wine marinated halibut, braised black pig and roasted lamb. Introducing the wines on the night was special guest Mr. Mario Aguado, the Concha Y Toro Winery Ambassador from Chile. Today Concha Y Toro is present in over 130 countries, making it one of the world’s most famous wine brands. For more information about its Trio range see: www.trioconchaytoro.com

Wine loft turns five with a deal  ■ IN celebration of its 5th Anniversary, WineLoft will be offering Opus One at the special price of B4,500 per glass. One of the finest and most famous wines available, Opus One was founded by Baron Philippe de Rothschild, legendary proprietor of Chateau Mouton Rothschild, and renowned Napa Valley vintner Robert Mondavi. For details about Wine Loft’s locations in Bangkok see www.wineloft.com

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GOURMET NEWS

Bangkok Beefsteak & Burgundy

A return visit to Niu’s on Silom finds Chef Marco in fine form

t was nice to return to Niu’s on Silom and renew acquaintance with owner/ chef Marco Cammarata, now in his fifth year at the Jazz Club and restaurant. The monsoon shower just after noon left one or two of us rather wet but no lasting dampening of spirits. Marco seemed to be everywhere and the selection of offered was both tasty and filling. I especially enjoyed Duck Liver and Fig Brioche and other treats included Avocado and Crab Millefeuille and roasted Scallops. We followed Marco’s recommendations for the accompanying wines starting with Ribolla Gialla Spumante Brut, Giorgio

Colutta. Visiting member and wine spokesman for the day, Tony Stewart, didn’t like the taste, finding it “overly tannic and lacked the fruit balance to improve with further maturation.” This has not stopped the club from making a further investment in the wine (though we are not certain that the 2001 vintage will still be available). We found our way to the upstairs dining room; Marco is now open for lunch, though on this occasion we had the room almost to ourselves. The appetizer, marinated Veal Triestina Style, with a salad of poached Lobster alla Russa, was beautifully presented and won praise from food spokesman Henny Beeber. The wine recommendation for this, 2010 Sylvaner Valle di Isarco DOC, Abbazia di Novacella, was enjoyed by nearly all present and found to be an excellent match for the vittello and the risotto which followed. Renowned for his risottos, the Club had asked for Marco to nominate one of his own choice and we found awaiting us Artichoke with Tomato Essence, Prawn Tails finished with olive oil. Excellent! The main course, slowly roasted NZ Rack of Lamb flavoured with liquorice, golden potatoes, olives, glazed Ivrea pear onions, Aglianico wine reduction, was cooked to perfection. With this came 2001 Camarato Falerno del Massico DOC, Villa Matilde. Tony had a surprise for most of us; while the majority had already come to the conclusion that this was one of the best wines we had enjoyed for some time, Tony found the taste not to be his liking, being “overly tannic and lacked the fruit balance to improve with further maturation”. This has not stopped the Club from making a further investment in this wine (though we are not certain that the 2001 vintage will still be available). The Chef ’s generous serving of Formaggi accompanied by a selection of home baked breads, fruits and confiture was greatly enjoyed by those with remaining appetite and some started to sip the port which some kind recent visitors had hand-carried from Perth. This was followed by dessert: a bite of Niu’s chocolate cake with a nice arrangement of fresh fruit. There remained the opportunity to thank Marco and the many other members of his team who had made the lunch a great success. I am sure we will be back in 2013 as a Club and some undoubtedly will wish to take advantage of the extended opening hours in the forthcoming high season.

Niu’s on Silom Jazz Blues Bar and Restaurant, 661 Floor 1-2 Silom ☎ 02 266 5333-4  :reservation@niusonsilom.com

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GOURMET NEWS

cut out and keep

Recipe of the month Steamed crabmeat with traditional style glutinous rice Enjoy an authentic taste of China with this signature recipe from Chu Hoi Hong , Executive Chinese Chef at Imperial China Restaurant, Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel

Ingredients • Crabmeat 600g • Glutinous rice 200g • Lotus leaves 2-3 pieces

Sauce • • • • • • • •

Garlic 50g Shallots 50g Dried shrimps 25g Diced pork loin 100g Fermented bean curd 2 teaspoons Fermented soy bean 2 teaspoons Coconut sugar 1 ½ teaspoons Chopped spring onion ½ teaspoon

Method 1. To prepare the sauce: In a saucepan over low heat, cook all ingredients in cooking oil, stir slowly until cooked for about 15 minutes.

2. Prepare glutinous rice a few hours ahead by soaking rice in water for 2-3 hours. Then, in a steamer over high heat, steam glutinous rice until cooked. Mix one part of the prepared sauce into the glutinous rice and stir gently. 3. Gently mix the remaining sauce with crabmeat, and keep in a separate container. crabmeat and bring to steamer for 710 minutes until crabmeat is cooked. 4. In a bamboo basket, place lotus leaves on the bottom, add mixed 5. Once it has cooked, top with glutinous rice, then top with mixed chopped spring onions and serve.

About the chef

ong Chef Chu Hoi H 78

BORN in Hong Kong, Chef Chu Hoi Hong started his culinary career aged 14 at a local restaurant. When he turned 23, he traveled to Thailand and worked at one of the most luxurious 5 star-hotels in Bangkok. In 1997, when Thailand faced a serious Economic downturn, Chef Chu decided to return to Hong Kong and later to Kwangjao. Eventually, Chef Chu was invited to perform a special Chinese cooking show at Imperial China, The Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, where he stayed on to become the hotel’s Executive Chinese Chef. The Imperial Queen’s Park Hotel, Bangkok, Sukhumvit 22 ☎ 02 261 9300 : imperialhotels.com

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GOURMET DINING OUT

Where to eat

Your ultimate dining companion

Recommended restaurants and bars Spanish cuisine

Thai cuisine

Tapas Café

Basil

Tapas restaurant is comfortable and lively and busy every night. Every dish on the menu has its own unique and delicious flavors – Embutidos Mixtos (A selection of Spanish ham and sausages); Gambas al Ajillo (Prawns in spicy garlic sauce); Chiperones Plancha (Grilled baby squid). Simply close your eyes and pick dishes at random; with tastes this good, you can’t go wrong. Daily lunch specials featuring three selections of Tapas are priced at B280++. And daily from 11am - 7pm sangria is two-for-one and all Tapas is buy-two-get-one-free.

a modern interior, but the décor is still unmistakably Thai. There are several private rooms, making it good for a business lunch or small private function. The menu is extensive, but emphasizes light and fresh items that are easy to eat. The menu indicates the level of spiciness of each dish. The impeccable service and pleasant surroundings make this one of the best places on Sukhumvit Road for Thai food. On Sundays, Basil and its neighbouring restaurants participate in the Sheraton’s renowned Jazz Brunch Buffet.

•Bangkok’s first authentic Spanish

Sukhumvit Soi 11 (Nana BTS), Tel: 02 651 2947 www.tapasiarestaurants.com

Rioja

•Enjoy a taste of

northern Spain at this cozy restaurant featuring authentic cuisine from Rioja province. The gazpacho, a cold pureed vegetable soup, is perfect for Bangkok’s hot and humid weather. Other delights include imported Spanish ham and some great seafood. The set lunches are great bargains. A large variety of Spanish wines are available and demonstrate why wines from the Iberian Peninsula are often a bargain.

•This restaurant has

Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit, Sukhumvit Soi 12 (BTS Asoke or MRT Sukhumvit) Tel: 02 649 8888

Patara

•Patara is a well-managed Thai

restaurant with a menu of delicious Thai dishes done in a contemporary style. The restaurant, the Bangkok outlet of a worldwide chain operated by S&P of Thailand, is modern, relatively small and blessed with lots of onsite parking. The spices, flavours and aromas are unmistakably Thai, but the food is unique without going overboard. Salient examples include the Slices of Raw Tuna in a Lime and Lemongrass Vinaigrette, and Braised New Zealand Lamb in Massaman Curry.

Ploenchit Rd, Central department store side, (adjacent to BTS Chidlom), Tel 02 251 5761 www.riojath.com

375 Soi Thonglor 19, Sukhumvit 55, Tel: 02 185 2960 www.patarathailand.com

Spanish on 4

•The flagship restaurant

•

This sister branch of the ever popular Tapas Cafe (Sukhumvit Soi 11) is a great place to enjoy lunch or dinner with friends or a loved one. The menu offers a wide range of Spanish Tapas, imported hams and cheeses, as well as weekly changing regional specials. The restaurant is modern and airy with a busy informal atmosphere and attracts a diverse cosmopolitan crowd. Good value and authentic Spanish food. 78 Silom Soi 4. Opposite Soi Convent (BTS Saladaeng), Tel: 02 632 9955. www.tapascafebangkok.com.

Benjarong

of the flagship hotel in the Thai owned Dusit chain. This place has got to be good and it doesn’t disappoint. The interior is substantial with subdued lighting, heavy chairs and carpeting - definitely not a place for singlets and flip-flops. A large window looks out at a waterfall with outdoor seating surrounding it. The menu consists primarily of Royal Thai cuisine dishes, although less august items are also available. The wine list is excellent and the service impeccable. Dusit Thani Hotel, Junction Silom and Rama IV Rds, (BTS Saladaeng or MRT Silom),Tel: 02 200 9000

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French cuisine

American cuisine

Le Normandie

Hard Rock Café

•The doyen of Bangkok’s hotel restaurants, Le Normandie has •This international icon needs no introduction to anyone. From been serving fine French food to royalty, tycoons and we ordinary folk since the 1950s. Elegant is the best way to describe the interior and there are great views of the Chao Phraya to boot. World famous chef Guy Martin is a consultant and what comes out of the kitchen reflects his standards. The wine list is wide ranging and features some of the world’s finest and most expensive wines. Jackets are required in the evening and children under 12 aren’t permitted. The Oriental Bangkok, (BTS Saphan Taksin, then take the hotel’s shuttle boat), Tel: 02 659 9000

opening until 10pm, the Bangkok version is a restaurant serving casual American food while lots of good music emits from the sound system, and an attached retail shop does a booming business selling Hard Rock memorabilia. But after 10pm, HRC morphs into a different animal. Patrons under 20 have to leave, live music comes on stage and the place begins to rock. Always popular with Siam Square regulars and tourists from all over the world, this is one of those places everyone has to visit at least once. Siam Square, Soi 11, (BTS Siam) Tel: 02 251 0792 www.hardrockcafe.co.th

Lyon

•This French restaurant

keeps chugging along, fuelled by a group of regulars who continue returning to its homely comforts. Although a portion of the menu changes regularly, several signature dishes have remained for years. Favourites with many customers include Rabbit in white wine sauce, and mushrooms and frog legs sautéed with garlic and dry sherry. There is a walk-in wine cabinet where you can select your wine. The restaurant is located in a converted house with parking out front. Soi Ruam Rudee, 250m from Ploenchit Rd, (BTS Ploenchit), Tel: 02 253 8141

Paris Bangkok

•French food lovers should definitely take the time to seek out

this hidden gem on Sala Daeng 1/1. Located in a wonderfully renovated town-house with a modern Asian design, it has a French chef with Michelin star experience in the kitchen and offers up a wide range of traditional French dishes with a touch of creative flair. Highlights include Duck leg confit, turnip with honey and rosemary (B390++) and French foie gras ‘Torchon’, onion and ginger marmelade, homemade butter ‘brioche’ (B520++). 120 Soi Saladeang 1/1, Silom, Bangrak, Tel: 02 233 1990 email: dany@parisbangkok.com www.parisbangkok.com

Roadhouse Barbecue

•Barbecued food

from the American south is a great antidote for the negative impression created by the pap served by American fast food chains. For excellent BBQ ribs, pulled pork sandwiches, hickory smoked beef brisket, and a lot more, try this place. There is a large exhibition kitchen, featuring an open flame BBQ and two wood smokers. Up on the third floor, you can watch sports on big screen TVs, play billiards or throw darts. Lots of fun and loads of good eats. Junction of Surawongse and Rama IV Rds (MRT Silom or BTS Saladaeng) www.roadhousebarbecue.com

Woodstock Bar & Grill •The descendent of a

restaurant once popular at Nana Plaza, this version is much more upmarket, but the music and food remain the same. The menu contains a smattering of items popular in US pubs and restaurants. Great burgers, Mexican dishes, Stews and Argentinean steaks. The ground floor features comfy booths and a snazzy copper bar; it’s suitable for the family and smoke free until 10pm. Upstairs is more casual and devoted to serious drinking, pool, and watching sports on giant TVs. There is parking around back. Thonglor Soi 13, 300m from Soi Thonglor (BTS Thonglor) Tel: 02 715 0202 www.woodstockbkk.com

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GOURMET DINING OUT

Mexican cuisine

Indian Cuisine

Coyote Bangkok²

Bawarchi

•Bawarchi first

equila, Margaritas and Mexican food are what this place is all about. The tequila collection is the largest in Thailand and over 75 different margaritas are served. The menu is diverse and not only possesses the requisite Tacos, Enchiladas, and Burritos, but also more elaborate items like Empanadas Carnitas - cornmeal pastries stuffed with spicy pork and a roasted tomato salsa. Although popular at lunch, the Coyote really howls in the evening when the after work crowd stumbles in for margaritas and a bite to eat. The best news is that there are now two branches – one located on Convent road, and one near the entrance of Sukhumvit Soi 33. Coyote on Convent: Convent Road, about 100m from Silom Road, (BTS Saladaeng) Open daily 11.00 - 01.00 Tel. 02 631 2325 www.coyoteonconvent.com Ladies Night on Wednesday, 6-8pm and Saturday 10-midnight. Coyote Sukhumvit: near the corner of Sukhumvit Soi 33 (BTS Phromphong) Open daily 11.00-01.00 Tel. 02 662 3838 www.coyotebangkok.com. Ladies Night on Thursday, 6-8pm.

Señor Pico’s

•Tacos, enchiladas,

burritos and many other Mexican goodies provide the fuel for a fun night out at this popular restaurant at the Rembrandt Hotel and Towers. The atmosphere here is convivial, and drinking margaritas, having a good time, and dancing to the live Latin music is as much a part of the experience as eating. Not to miss are the appetizers Bolas De Queso Con Chiles (B240++) and Pinchos De Camarones (B290++). For mains, the Burritos at Senor Pico are always good, and we really like the Espetadas (skewers), which come with garlic potatoes and chopped zucchini with cream. Rembrandt Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 18 (BTS Asoke or MRT Sukhumvit), Tel: 02 261 7100

Tacos & Salsa

•Starting out in 2008 as a

small eatery with just four tables, this restaurant fast gained a glowing reputation and had to relocate to a larger premises to meet demand. Boasting full bar service, indoor and alfresco dining, an extensive menu, and spaces to learn more about Latin American / Hispanic culture (music, movies, photography, literature etc.) the restaurant perfectly captures the essence of the expression “Mi casa es tu casa” (my home is yours). Tacos & Salsa, 422 Sukhumvit Rd, Tel: 081 381 5469 www.tacosandsalsa.com

arrived in Bangkok 13 years ago and now operates four restaurants here, as well as three in India. Its menu reflects the traditional Mughlai cuisine in North West India and the food on offer is as authentic as it gets. Skewered tandoori meats (king prawn, lamb, chicken) are a definite highlight, as are the curries – lovely and thick and bursting with flavour. Meals at Bawarchi’s flagship branch in Chidlom average at B700-B1,000 per head and you really do get what you pay for. Bawarchi Chidlom, Intercontinental Hotel (President Tower Arcade) B-level, 973 Ploenchit Road, Tel: 02 656 0102-3. For a full menu see: www.bawarchiindian.com

Himali Cha Cha

•Himali Cha Cha has long

been a popular choice for North Indian and Halal cuisine and now operates four branches in Bangkok. Each restaurant always draws a big crowd of diners looking to enjoy an authentic Moghul curry, and as all food is prepared with freshly ground spices and natural ingredients, they’re not disappointed. Meat from the specially designed tandoori oven is always delicious, too. For those who love their food spicy, try the Mutton Chutniwalla. There are four restaurants in Bangkok: Charoenkrung 47/1, Saphan Taksin BTS; Sukhumvit 31, Phrompong BTS; Soi Convent, Saladaeng BTS; Nana 3/5, Nana BTS. Deliveries also available

Rang Mahal

•Ask a member of

the local Indian community which is the best Indian restaurant in Bangkok and the answer is invariably ‘Rang Mahal.’ The food is primarily from the Punjab with lots of items from the Tandoor oven, including always-popular tandoor chicken and a variety of Indian flat breads. The interior of the restaurant is lavish without coming across as ticky-tacky; the view from the hotel’s 26th floor is one of the best in the city and there is live Indian music to entertain in the evenings. Open for lunch, dinner and Sunday buffet brunch. Rembrandt Hotel, Sukhumvit Soi 18 (BTS Asoke or MRT Sukhumvit), Tel: 02 261 7100

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FEATURE COPY CARS

Search for Thailand’s elusive replica supercars goes on

By Maxmilian Wechsler

Half finished copies of Ferraris, Aston Martins and Lamborghinis fill a secret Bangkok factory

REGULAR readers of BigChilli will no doubt remember the story in September last year about Schönes, the company that manufactures replica supercars in Thailand. Well, I recently received an invite from the company’s owner, Chris Pongpitaya, to visit the company’s newer, bigger premises. As I couldn’t just turn up – the invite read: “You are welcome to visit us, by appointment only”– my curiosity was piqued. Just exactly what are he and his team creating at their new premises? After requesting the address and an appointment, I received further emails from a man I had never met, and who spoke over the phone in a German accent. He later requested that neither his identity nor any background information on him should be published. However, his name, position (listed as automobile engineer), mobile and factory phone numbers, together with the factory address were printed right on his Schönes company name card.   Although the invitation said the factory had moved, it was in fact in the same location in the Lat Phrao area of Bangkok I visited in August last year. On arrival at the factory this time both Chris and the engineer were on hand to greet me and a colleague. It was clear that the pair had been collaborating for some time. The reason for the sudden invitation was never explained, except that a new roof was now almost completed.   During the interview the engineer displayed a sound technical knowledge of sports cars and other types of vehicles, and thanks to his fluency in English he was able to describe details about the company and its products much better than Chris could.   On my first visit to the factory in November 2008, it was a “temporary” premises not too far from the current one. In my five previous visits over a four-year period

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There were more than 30 cars at the factory when we visited last year. Most were in an early stage of assembly. They resembled Aston Martin, Ferrari, Hummer and Lamborghini models. to the two factories I had never seen a completed replica car, so before this visit I specifically requested to be finally shown one. However, while we were allowed to walk around the factory and photograph replica cars in various stages of completion, we were again denied the opportunity to see a finished product. Chris preferred to show us photos of nearly completed cars on the computer in his small office. He promised to email the photos but never did. It is perhaps understandable that Chris is reluctant to show a completed replica before it is delivered to the customer, whether locally or shipped in a container abroad. Yet it was disappointing to be denied once again a look at a finished car. In fact, the only finished replica allegedly produced by Chris that I have ever seen was on YouTube – a yellow Porsche 993 GT2 with Thai registration. The clip was made by a foreign television crew that visited the same factory before the roof was installed. An English commentary on the clip says: “Chris admitted that what he is doing is illegal but he argues he does it for a good cause.” This is the opposite to what he has told me over the past four years. Chris has always maintained that he is doing nothing wrong and is not breaking any Thai laws. In the clip Chris is quoted, in English translated from Thai, as saying: “Having a car like this is a dream for many people but they can’t afford it, so they can drive these replicas instead. God will understand.” A French photo-journalist who has visited Chris’s factories a few times also says he’s always been shown cars under construction and never seen one even close to completion. On this visit there were no finished cars, and Chris said we’d have to wait for a few months to see one. It’s a promise we’ve heard before. Chris mentioned a few years ago that the exteriors of most of his replica supercars are actually made from moulds in the northeastern part of Thailand and then transported to his Bangkok factory. He’s even said in the past he had other premises on Ekamai Road right in the centre of Bangkok.

There were more than 30 cars at the factory when we visited last year. Most were in an early stage of assembly. They resembled Aston Martin, Ferrari, Hummer and Lamborghini models. We didn’t see any interior parts around or painting facilities so it is likely these are in another factory. The ‘farang’ engineer said that there are about ten people working in the factory, the same number as last year. One car – a German supercar ordered by an American customer for three million baht – was still in almost the same unfinished condition. A replica Aston Martin looked pretty good on the outside, but the interior was a real mess. Chris said he had received several orders from foreign customers for this popular British-made car.

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FEATURE COPY CARS

Still a ‘Stranger’; electric secrets Four years ago, Chris said that “his ultimate dream” was to produce a Thaimade supercar. This time he showed us three different prototype shells under the brand name ‘Stranger.’ He says he plans to sell the rights to manufacture the cars to an investor but wouldn’t say if there is such a deal in progress. He did say the three Stranger supercars should be ready within six months and then he’d invite us to see them. I am not holding my breath.

Left: Company owner Chris Pongpitaya. Centre: Chris’ own brand of supercar, called Stranger

“We will use a BMW 12cylinder engine installed in the rear. A second-hand engine costs about 100,000 baht. The final asking price of the car will be over one million baht.” Plans to produce electric vehicles are also underway, and several prototypes based on golf carts were in evidence, but Chris refuses to elaborate on this project. Chris said he sold his house in Germany, where he worked for 14 years for Porsche and Brabus, to raise money for his business here. He says that most of his replicas are ordered by foreigners and exported, and that every customer must make a 30 to 40 per cent advance payment. Chris admits that lawyers and certain car companies have been “after him,”

but insists he isn’t breaking any copyright laws because the cars do not carry a logo. “If you put a logo on a car, this could be a problem. But I can do so with cars like Ferraris, which are out of production, such as the F40 or the Testarosa. “What I’m doing is not like copying 1,000 Moschino bags. I am only making a few pieces.” How can the cars be registered? Chris confesses he doesn’t know. “It is not my problem or responsibility. It is up to the customer. I am only making the cars. However, from what I hear, it is not easy.” He also refuses responsibility for maintenance and doesn’t offer warranty. If a car needs repairs, it’s up to the customer to take it to a garage.

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ENTERTAINMENT HUMOUR

Jokes

Send your jokes to thebigchillimagazine@gmail.com

GIVE ME FIVE: 3. A man managed to get 4. Someone once ON THE JOB 23 pigeons to land on him. called me a shameless I GOT chatting to a girl down the pub last STEWART night and she asked me what I worked as. What a ledge – they should self-promoter. Me? FRANCIS “It’s a very important job,” I said. “I have make a statue of him! Stewart Francis?!

1. The other

day, the wife and I went to a park and she got drunk. She told everyone that she invented the echo. I said, “Listen to yourself... Listen to yourself... Listen to yourself...!”

2. I don’t know

5. I used to

how you got here today. I knelt down, put my head between my legs and leaned forward. That’s how I roll!

be a plastic surgeon. That raised a few eyebrows.

JOKE OF THE MONTH

to finalise deals in the transfer window.” “Wow, you’re a football agent?” she asked. “No,” I replied, “I work in a McDonald’s drive thru.”

HTS THOUG E H OF T MONTH

BATMAN THE JOKER

BATMAN and Catwoman are sitting in the Batcave before going out on a date. “Oh, Batty,” she gushes. “You really are the greatest of all the superheroes.” “Thank you,” replies Batman. “No, really,” she continues. “You’re brave, strong and true. You’re quickwitted and fair. And everyone is scared of you. Plus you’re soooo hunky!” she giggles. “Please,” groans Batman, rolling his eyes as Catwoman continues her praise, saying: “You look so good in your costume and I love your pointy ears. I’m the luckiest cat alive. Now...I’m going to call us a cab and we’re going to have a great evening.” She gets her mobile phone out of her bag, but can’t switch it on. “Oh,” she says. “Can you have a look? You’re so good with gadgets.” “Bad news,” Bats replies. “Your phone will not work because of your bat flattery.”

1. My mate hates it when I put his chocolate bars in different wrappers. It gets his Snickers in a Twix. 2. I hope the actress Jessica Biel names her first-born child Batmo. 3. Maxi Jazz from Faithless isn’t very good at Farmville. He can’t get no sheep. 4. My mate called me last week and said: “Make sure you’ve got nothing on next Saturday, we’re going to my mum’s 50th birthday party.” I’m not sure turning up naked was what he meant. 5. It seems unfair the huge price of my eye test was in the small print. - Milton Jones

DIRTY CRIME

A WOMAN’S house has been ransacked but she doesn’t report the crime till the next day. When a police officer calls round he asks her why she delayed reporting the robbery. “I didn’t know I had been robbed,” replies the woman. “When I came in I thought my husband had been looking for a clean shirt.”

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Y O U R U L T I M A T E W H A T â&#x20AC;&#x2122; S O N G U I D E F O R N O V E M B E R 1 2

Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s on pArt pPerformance pSport pFootball pMovies & Albums pBooks

Elton John is coming to town to celebrate the 40th anniversary of his smash-hit single, Rocket Man. Page 94.

Electro night Skrillex makes his eagerly awaited Bangkok debut Page 94

Culture One

The fifth edition of this annual music festival looks set to be huge Page 94

Kick Off

Fifa Futsal World Cup Thailand brings soccer action to Bangkok Page 96 TheBigChilli 91

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WHAT’S ON THE ARTS

Exhibitions UNTIL DEC 2 THE GARDEN GALLERY

A WOMAN’S DREAM OF THE NIGHT SKY AMERICAN artist Lisa Moses specialises in Cast Acrylic Collage Prints – a unique art media that was invented by her father, Joseph Zirker. Using a polyethylene plate, she layers paint and collage elements to create one-time prints with smooth surfaces that fully integrate the collage elements. The resulting work has distinct vibrant colours and composition. It incorporates the beauty of the galaxies, humanity, and the music and dance of life forms on earth. All works are for sale and part of the proceeds from the sale go to The SOLD Project, whose mission is to prevent child prostitution. Rotunda & Garden Gallery, Neilson Hays Library, 195 Surawong Rd 02 233 1731 : neilsonhayslibrary.com

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UNTIL DEC 8 EAT ME RESTAURANT

UNTIL DEC 2 H GALLERY BANGKOK

SAN-STI

WITTHAYU

IN his second solo exhibition of paintings at H Gallery since 2011, British expat Will Klose presents another selection of deceptively quiet views of spaces and places from his adopted city - this time focusing on his home neighbourhood of Witthayu. The paintings depict interior views, often occupied by this wife who sits or poses before windows and doorways; thresholds that function as the predominant motifs of this series. 201 Sathorn Soi 12 085 021 5508 : hgallerybkk.com

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NOV 22 – DEC 25 GALERIE N

IN CHANGE

EMERGING artist Boonchuay Kerdree presents a series of mixed media paintings exploring his life experiences and the notion that change, over time, is inevitable. The exhibition doesn’t aim to criticize society; it just reflects the reality of change and impermanence that continuously happens in every breath, in every moment. The opening reception will be held on Thurs Nov 22 at 6.30pm. 139/5 Wireless Road, Lumpinee. Open Tues-Sun (closed Mon) 0 2252 1592 : galerienbangkok.com

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EXPLORING philosophies and symbolism derived from Buddhist thought, Tanika ‘Pook’ Panyarachun’s first solo exhibition in Thailand features delicately woven structures that evoke both a meditative process and themes of departure, change and renewal. Eat Me Restaurant/gallery, Convent Road (next to the Carmelite Monastery), Silom. Open 3pm-1am 02 238 0931 : eatmerestaurant.com

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UNTIL NOV 18 SOMBAT PERMPOON GALLERY

HUMAN

SAIYART Semangern, 2008’s Honorary Silpathorn Award winner, presents a series of tabletop sculptures which explore how human beings interact with each other – showcasing feelings of love, greed, anger and passion. 12 Sukhumvit Soi 1, 02 254 6040-6 : sombatpermpoongallery.com

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UNTIL NOV 21 SIAM KEMPINSKI BANGKOK

THE LITTLE MONKS

NOV 16 THE BRITISH CLUB, SILOM SOI 18

ONE DAY WATERCOLOUR WORKSHOP

BANGKOK-based British artist Louise Truslow will help all budding artists brush UNTIL JAN 13 up on their watercolour 100 TONSON skills in her one-day GALLERY SPEECHLESS workshop, held from 9 am-4pm at The British THAI artist Nipan Club. Suitable for Oranniwesna is well beginners and those known on the who wish to refresh international art circuit their skills, the course for his site-specific will cover topics such installation works that as Choice of materials explore issues of - which paints, papers nationalism, memory, cartography, geography and brushes to choose; Colour - how to select and urbanization. His and mix colours; and latest work focuses on Bangkok’s Lumpini Park Basic techniques - washes, wet-in-wet, dry and the actions of its brush - what they are visitors. and how they work. 100 Soi Tonson. Open

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Thurs-Sun 11am-7pm. 02 684 1527 : 100tonsongallery.com

991/9, Rama I Road 02 162 9000 : kempinski.com

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UNTIL NOV 25 ARDEL GALLERY

WAY OF LIFE: NATURE/ CULTURE

THERE’S plenty to feast your eyes on at this exhibition featuring painting, sculptures, prints and mixed media by four different artists. Srijai Kuntawang’s series brings Lanna lifestyle and culture to life; Opas Chomchuen’s paintings explore how life is shaped by nature; Somsak Phromchak’s sculptures deal with childhood memories and experiences; and Ammarin Kuntawong’s series of prints present northern Thailand in all its glory. Boromratchonnee Road. Open Tues – Sun 10.30am-7.30pm (closed Mon). 02 422 2092 : w.ardelgallery.com

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DEC 11 – JAN 27 DOB HUALAMPHONG GALLERY, RAMA IV ROAD

RIM NAN PRINT EXHIBITION

B2,400 including lunch and refreshments. Email: louise@louisetruslow.com

MEMBERS of the Faculty of Painting Sculpture and Graphic Arts, Silpakorn University, join guest artists to present a series of prints created by different techniques, such as mono-print, wood-lithograph and etching. All of the works were created at Rim Nan Gallery for Historical Studies to celebrate the 45th anniversary of Silpakorn University’s Graphic Arts Department.

NOV 15 – DEC 23 ARDEL’S THIRD PLACE GALLERY

PEACE IN MIND UNTIL NOV 30 LA LANTA FINE ART

ROMA AMOR

IN his first exhibition in Thailand, renowned Italian fashion photographer Mino La Franca digs deep into his personal thoughts and presents social critical photographic artwork as a protest to the cultural crises facing Italy over the past 15 years. 245/14 Sukhumvit Soi 31. Open Tues-Sat 10am-7pm 02 204 0583 : lalanta.com

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SENG Sri Suk, an artist from Surin, captures the daily lives of young monks in suburban areas of North-eastern Thailand. Innocence, curiosity, and learning through daily experiences are the essence of this collection. Part of the proceeds will go to the Foundation for the Blind in Thailand.

ART instructor and travel writer Pishnu Supanimit’s latest work features a series of paintings, prints and photographs which explore how visiting scenic spots can not only broaden the mind, but also create inner peace. Sukhumvit 55, Thonglor Soi 10. Open Tues-Sat 10am-7pm, Sun 10.30am-5.30pm (Closed Mon) 02 422 2092 : ardelgallery.com

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For more info contact ARDEL Gallery of Modern Art. 02 422 2092 : ardelgallery.com

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UNTIL NOV 25 DOB HUALAMPHONG GALLERY

ABERRATION

PHYSICAL appearances and human behavior come under the spotlight in Pansa Buddharaksa’s latest series of oil paintings, which explore how many decisions we make are often driven by provocative forces – forces which we’re not always aware of. 318 Rama 4 Road. Open Tues-Sat 10.30am-7pm; Sun 10.30am-5.30pm (closed Mon) 02 237 5592-4 : ardelgallery.com

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WHAT’S ON PERFORMANCE

10 hot choices 1 NOV 16 SONIC EKKAMAI

SKRILLEX

THE hottest electronic artist in the world right now makes his eagerly awaited Bangkok debut. Also featuring 12th Planet and Alvin Risk with support from DJ Octo.

Tickets: TBC : ubradio.net

NOV 17 BITEC ARENA, BANGNA

CULTURE ONE

2 5

THE fi fth edition of the annual Culture One Music Festival is set to be the biggest yet, with five-stages, five different genres of music, and over 30 artists. There’ll be DJ sets from Dash Berlin, 808 State, Godskitchen Boombox, Bare Noize, Graeme Park, and live PA from Rawetta and maraca-wielding dancer Bez (Happy Mondays). Over at the new Popscene stage, you can catch performances by a host of new and inspiring bands from the Bangkok underground, such as Polar Bare Knuckles, Class A Cigarettes, Mattnimare, and The Standards, as well as top indie acts from the Asian region such as Paranoid City (Manila), Free Deserters (Kuala Lumpur) and Brett Newski & The Corruption (US/ Saigon). Headliners are the UK’s Mercury Music Award nominees Young Knives. For a full line-up see: www.culture-one-bkk.com Tickets: B2,000 pre-sale and B2,500 on the door (VIP tickets available) : culture-one-bkk.com Gates open 3pm

4 NOV 23 – DEC 1 BANGKOK ART AND CULTURE CENTRE

INTERNATIONAL DANCE FESTIVAL NOV 16 MOONSTAR STUDIO (701 LADPRAO)

BEACH FOSSILS

THE Brooklyn lo-fi rockers are bringing their sun-drenched riffs to Bangkok for the first time. Support on the night comes from Little Fox and Summer Dress. Tickets: B1,200 on the door; B1,000 in advance from Music Collection shops at Central Ladprao and Bangna; Paragon; Esplanade; and The Mall Bangkapi : beachfossils.com

NOV 23 – DEC 10 DEMOCRAZY STUDIOS

OTHELLO: A MATCH OF JEALOUSY

WILLIAM Shakespeare’s Othello gets given a Thai update in this special adaptation by Damkerng Thitapiyasak. The performance will be in Thai with English subtitles.

NOW in its 12th year, the annual International Dance Festival will once again feature a range of breathtaking performances by dance groups from Thailand, Israel, Switzerland, Korea, Singapore and more. For a full schedule of events see : friends-of-the-arts.info

Tickets: B480. Performances held Thurs-Mon from 8pm; 2pm on Sat. Tel: 080 075 2002 : facebook.com/democrazystudio

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7 NOV 24 Q BAR

NOV 29 – DEC 2 SHERATON GRANDE SUKHUMVIT

LACED UP FEAT TONY TOUCH

SIMPLY BARBARA AND FRANK

THE Living Room at Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit will celebrate two of the world’s most iconic stars of the stage and screen, Barbara Streisand and Frank Sinatra, with two sets of special musical performances – “Simply Barbara” from Nov 15-18, and “Simply Barbara and Frank” from Nov 22-25. Created and performed by acclaimed New York cabaret artist Steven Brinberg, Simply Barbara is a hilarious and affectionate pastiche of a living legend, which has even received praise from Ms. Streisand herself. Simply Barbara and Frank continues in the same vein, seeing Brinberg team up with the gifted Richard Shelton, who’s regarded as one of the best and most accurate tributes to Frank Sinatra today.

AFTER its successful Breathe And Stop Tour in August 2012, adidas has brought together three more legendary Hip Hop DJs to shake down dance floors across Southeast Asia. Here in Bangkok, New York DJ Tony Touch will be spinning his eclectic beats at QBar, where the Breathe & Stop Champion dance crew will also perform.

Tickets start at B1,700 for Simply Barbara, and B1,900 for Simply Barbara and Frank. Performances start at 8.30pm. : sheratongrandesukhumvit.com

DEC 4 BANGKOK ART AND CULTURE CENTER

MARTIN TAYLOR

MULTI award winning guitarist and composer Martin Taylor is coming to town to play a full list of his most famous compositions and arrangements, such as Kwame, Kiko, Down at Cocomo’s and True. To keep things cozy and intimate, and to ensure all guests have the chance to see Taylor’s finger acrobatics in action, the organizers are limiting seating to around 250. Tickets: B1,800 : Thaiticketmajor.com. Doors open 7pm

Tickets: B800 with one free drink. Party from 9pm till late : facebook.com/ BreatheAndStop

DEC 12 IMPACT ARENA

STING: BACK TO BASS

THE Bangkok stop of Sting’s acclaimed world tour will give Thai fans a rare chance to see him perform many of his greatest hits, stripped down (erm, his music, that is), with a five-piece band. Tickets range B2,000 to B5,000 : Thaiticketmajor.com

10 DEC 13 IMPACT ARENA

ELTON JOHN

MUSICIAN, singer, songwriter, pianist and composer Elton John returns to Thailand this month to celebrate 40 years since his top hit Rocket Man was launched. One of the top-selling solo artists of all time, Elton has 35 gold and 25 platinum albums under his belt as well as 29 consecutive US Top 40 hits. Tickets range B2,000 to B5,000 : Thaiticketmajor.com

HOT TICKETS! OTHER TOP CHOICES FOR YOUR CALENDAR • OPEN MIC COMEDY AT THE LONDONER Nov 19 and Dec 3. Entry B200. Show starts 8pm. the-londoner.com

• CHECKINN 99

Nov 11: Bangkok Blues Brothers. Full theme night. Starts 8pm. Tickets B600 – B900. Dec 1: Australian classics and rock tribute. Starts 8pm. checkinnbangkok.com

• BED SUPPERCLUB

Nov 22: Secret Cinema from Holland. B900 with one drink. Nov 29: Riva Starr. B500 with one drink. bedsupperclub.com

• LEVELS

Nov 22: Laidback Luke. Starts 10pm. Nov 28: Sander van Doorn. Starts 10pm. Levelsclub.com

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WHAT’S ON OUTDOOR FUN

Sport UNTIL NOV 18 VARIOUS STADIUMS

FIFA FUTSAL WORLD CUP THAILAND 2012

THE world’s top 24 futsal teams are coming to Bangkok to compete for the title over 52 matches. The four stadiums hosting the action are the Bangkok Futsal Arena, Indoor Stadium Huamark, Nimibutr Stadium, and Korat ChatChai Hall. Tickets range B100 to B900 from : Thaiticketmajor.com

NOV 25 / DEC 2 LAGUNA PHUKET RESORT

LAGUNA PHUKET TRIATHLON AND IRONMAN 70.3

ATHLETES have two great reasons to head to Phuket this month. The first is the Laguna Phuket Triathlon, which will be held at Laguna Phuket Resort on Nov 25 featuring a unique 1.8K swim, 55K bike and 12K run through the island’s spectacular tropical scenery. And if that doesn’t tire you out, you can stay for the second, sure-to-be-grueling event – the inaugural Ironman 70.3 Laguna Phuket, to be held Dec 2. : lagunaphukettriathlon.com : ironmanphuket.com

DEC 14 – 16 RAJAMANGALA NATIONAL STADIUM

RED BULL SINGHA RACE OF CHAMPIONS

NOV 24 – 25 THANYAPURA SPORTS AND LEISURE CLUB, PHUKET

PHUKET SOCCER 7S

KICKING off ten years ago with just two visiting teams playing on a vacant lot between two buildings, the annual Phuket Soccer 7s tournament now draws in more than 93 teams from 20 different countries, and all games take place at the world class Thanyapura sports and leisure facility. This year a women’s tournament has also been added. A full list of teams and more info can be found on www.Thai7s.com

DEC 6 – 9 AMATA SPRING COUNTRY CLUB, CHONBURI

THAILAND GOLF CHAMPIONSHIP

THE second edition of the Thailand Golf Championship will once again feature an impressive field of international and Asian golf superstars, including defending champion Lee Westwood of England, 2012 Masters Champion Bubba Watson, 2012 World Golf Championship Winner Hunter Mahan, and many more big names. For more info see www.thailandgolfchampionship.com Tickets range B300 to B800 from : Thaiticketmajor.com

CATCH some of the world’s best racing and rally drivers going head to head in identical cars over three-days of action-packed racing. Among the competitors taking part in Bangkok are Michael Schumacher, Sebastian Vettel, Ryan Hunter-Reay, and Jamie Whincup. For more info see www.raceofchampions.com Tickets range B200 to B5,000 from : Thaiticketmajor.com. Racing starts each day at 8pm.

NOV 18 BANGKOK

STANDARD CHARTERED BANGKOK MARATHON THE 25th Standard Chartered Bangkok Marathon will see thousands of athletes from Thailand and abroad put their stamina to the test in Thailand’s heat. : bkkmarathon.com

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WHAT’S ON SPORT

Thai Premier League

SOCCER PUNDIT PAUL HEWITT EXAMINES WHAT’S HAPPENING IN THE WORLD OF THAI FOOTBALL

2012 Season Review

THE 2012 Thai Premier League season came to an end on October 28 with one of the capital’s clubs on top of the pile whilst another plunged into the relegation abyss. Here’s our view on how all our teams got on in 2012.

Muangthong United CHAMPIONS again! Muangthong put a miserable 2011 campaign behind them to dominate the 2012 championship from start to finish and claim their third TPL title. Their success was built on the form, and goals, of Teerasil Dangda and Mario Djurovski, but offthe-pitch stability was equally important. The Twin Qilins went through four coaches in 2011, including Robbie Fowler and his now infamous reign, but in 2012 they shrewdly brought in the little known but very successful Serbian coach Slaviša Jokanovi, and managed to get through a whole season without sacking him! This was perhaps Muangthong’s most impressive championship: they scored in every game, went through the whole season without defeat and finished a whopping 30 points ahead of 2011 champions Buriram who had finished 25 points ahead of Muangthong last year. The champions certainly benefitted from not taking part in either the AFC Cup or Champions League. A stern test will await next year in holding onto their TPL crown with involvement in the Champions League and the probable loss of star striker Teerasil to a European club.

BEC Tero Sasana TERO had an excellent season. Not many would have tipped them to finish above Buriram at the start of the year, but that’s exactly what they did largely thanks to the goals of Cleiton Silva. Their third place finish was their best since 2008 and the club isn’t expected to rest on its laurels. Chairman Brian Marcar made a statement of intent with the big money, headline-grabbing acquisition of Sven-Göran Eriksson, and the club hopes to persuade the Swedish technical director to stay on in 2013. It may just have been coincidence, but the Fire Dragons’ results picked up enough after the former England manager arrived for them to leapfrog Buriram into third. Tero still have the financial clout to compete with the big boys and could even have a tilt at the title next year if Silva stays and the squad gets a little more quality in depth.

Bangkok Glass AN utterly disappointing season for the ever fragile Glass Rabbits. Going into the final day of the season, BG could have finished as low as twelfth if results went against them. However, they ended up in eighth thanks to a final day thrashing of Wuachon. That 5-1 win was exactly what BG had failed to do almost all season: beat the teams below them. The green and whites had a depressingly predictable knack of dropping points against relegation battlers whilst simultaneously being able to give the best teams in the country a run for their money. They made it to both domestic cup semi-finals but went out to Buriram on both occasions. Coach Surachai Jaturapattarapong lost his job late in the season and was replaced by Phil Stubbins, who had been at Police United. Like Tero, Bangkok Glass have the wherewithal to challenge for the title, but have fallen desperately short. Stubbins will be charged with taking them a lot higher in 2013.

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Thai Port THE TPL will be a poorer place in 2013 as Bangkok expats’ favourite club Thai Port succumbed to relegation. Fans will find it difficult to understand how a club which finished sixth, fourth and seventh since relaunching as Thai Port in 2009, and won domestic cups in 2009 and 2010, could have fallen so far. The answer lies with ongoing financial mismanagement and infighting between the Port Authority and the club, star players failing to live up to the hype and a poor choice of head coach. True, Port don’t have the financial muscle of most of the capital’s other clubs, but they still had enough quality in the squad to at least finish in mid-table. However, in the end they finished four points from safety, and at the time of writing rumours were surfacing that the club might fold altogether. Let’s hope for the sake of Khlong Toey, Bangkok football fans and the TPL that they are nothing but rumours, and that one of Thai football’s most colourful clubs has a brighter future than its recent past.

Not forgetting… ARMY United may have been aiming for the top six, but any disappointment at finishing tenth will surely be tempered by an FA Cup Final appearance. At the time of writing, that final, against Buriram, has yet to be played. It’s scheduled for November 4, and a victory for Army will turn an average season into a memorable one. Police United were in relegation trouble for much of the season but eventually found form, and saved themselves in style by winning five and drawing two of the final seven games. Police and TOT finished in eleventh and twelfth places respectively, and both on 42 points; that was just five points off sixth-place Esan United. TOT will be relieved that they avoided yet another relegation battle, and to finish just three points behind Bangkok Glass was nothing short of remarkable. They also made it to the semi-finals of the League Cup, becoming the first team to beat Muangthong in any competition in 2012 along the way – Army United also defeated MTU later in the FA Cup. Finally, BBCU. We covered the Pink Panthers in depth in the September issue and things didn’t get any better. Chula failed to win any of their remaining fi fteen matches – a run dating back to July 29 – and they hit a new low on October 17 when they lost 8-1 at home to Muangthong. It’s difficult to tell what the future holds for the men in pink, but it will surely be away from the Rajamangala Stadium.

THERE was also success for Bangkok in the second tier. Bangkok United finished in third place and so gained automatic promotion to the TPL. Head coach Sasom Pobpraserd was the man who worked wonders at Thai Port. Now his “Bangkok Angels” side will be swapping places with Thai Port. Ratchaburi were League 1 champions and Suphanburi finished second. Dropping out of League 1 and into the Regional League are JW Rangsit and Rajpracha. Minnows Rangsit never seemed set for an extended spell in League 1, but it’s a real shame to see Rajpracha, one of the most historic and decorated clubs in Thai football, drop into the third tier. In addition to the on-field problems, there were also financial problems throughout the campaign for The Crowns. Players weren’t paid, and there is now a real chance the club won’t be around next season. At the very least, the royal blues will leave Nakhon Pathom and look for a home back in Bangkok-proper. Chantaburi, Songkhla and Pattalung were also relegated.

Regional League THAI Honda won the Bangkok & Vicinity Division and so progressed to the play-offs, which are currently being contested. Rayong United finished second in the Bangkok Division (there wasn’t room for them in the more geographically appropriate Central & East Division) and so are technically Bangkok’s other representative in the play-offs. At the time of writing, neither looks likely to be playing in League 1 next season. At the other end of the division, Central Lions FC and Nonthaburi FC are likely to be relegated into the non-league Khor Royal Cup and will be replaced by Hua Hin and yet another team from Rayong – the province’s sixth representative in the Thai league pyramid. The “Football Stadia of Bangkok” series will return next month!

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WHAT’S ON SCREEN AND STEREO

Movies & music NOV 29 ANIMATION

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA

DRACULA (Adam Sandler), owner of lavish five-stake resort Hotel Transylvania, invites some of the world’s most famous monsters to celebrate his daughter Mavis’s 118th birthday. For Drac, catering to all of these legendary monsters is no problem – but his world could come crashing down when one ordinary guy stumbles on the hotel and takes a shine to Mavis.

NOV 22 ACTION

NOV 15 ROMANCE

PREMIUM RUSH

THE TWILIGHT SAGA: BREAKING DAWN PART 2

DODGING speeding cars, crazed cabbies, open doors, and eight million cranky pedestrians is all in a day’s work for Wilee (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), the best of New York’s agile and aggressive bicycle messengers. But a guy who’s used to putting his life on the line is about to get more than even he is used to when a routine delivery turns into a life or death chase through the streets of Manhattan.

THE mega-popular vampire series draws to a close, shedding light on all the juicy secrets and mysteries which have enthralled fans around the world.

NOV 29 SCI-FI

CLOUD ATLAS

THIS sprawling Sci-Fi fantasy from the minds of the Wachowski brothers explores how the actions and consequences of individual lives impact one another throughout the past, the present and the future. Stars Tom Hanks, Halle Berry, and Hugh Grant. Movie screenings are subject to change. Keep up to date at movieseer.com

MEMORY LANE

NEW MUSIC UNAPOLOGETIC RIHANNA

The Barbadian sexpot’s seventh album comes complete with a racy cover image (would you expect anything else?) and packed with dance-tinged tunes produced in partnership with Sean Garrett and Swedish House Mafia. (Release date: Nov 19)

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10 GIRLS ALOUD

After a three year hiatus the British quintet is back, and the lovely lasses are celebrating their 10th anniversary with the aptly named 10 – a greatest hits album featuring all of their best singles, including catchy first hit, Sound of the Underground. (Release date: Nov 26)

RIGHT PLACE, RIGHT TIME OLLY MURS

Since finishing runner up on Britain’s The X Factor in 2009, singer-songwriter Olly Murs has gone on to enjoy huge success; to date, he has sold over 4 million records worldwide! His third, ‘funkier’ album, looks set to be another winner. (Release date: Nov 26)

TOPPING THE UK CHARTS NOV 1982

1. Human League – Mirror Man 2. David Bowie & Bing Crosby – Peace On Earth - Little Drummer Boy 3. Culture Club – Time (Clock Of The Heart) 4. Modern Romance – Best Years Of Our Lives 5. Madness – Our House 6. Clannad – Theme From Harry’s Game 7. Lionel Richie – Truly 8. Michael Jackson & Paul McCartney – The Girl Is Mine 9. Duran Duran – Rio 10. A Flock Of Seagulls – Wishing (If I Had A Photograph Of You)

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WHAT’S ON BARGAINS GALORE

Tradeshows Nov 3 – 11 IMPACT

Health Cuisine and Beauty Festival

this tradeshow features new products and services from business sectors such as fashion and jewelry, home and living, leisure and travel, and more. Open each day 10am-9pm. www.TCCEXPO.com

HEALTH, beauty, food and fashion businesses showcase their products and share their Nov 16 – 25 expertise here. Open each day IMPACT 10am – 8pm. Sports www.healthcuisineandbeauty.com

World Expo

Nov 8 – 11 IMPACT

Hotel Equipment Expo THIS one stop shop for hotel owners, operators and staff features a wide range of products and services from many leading manufacturers. www.thehotelexpo.com

Nov 15 - 18 QSNCC

Commart Comtech Thailand

GADGETS and gizmos of all varieties will be available at specially reduced prices. A must visit for anyone looking for a reasonably priced laptop. www.commartthailand.com

Nov 16 – 25 IMPACT

HomePro Expo

HOMEPRO’S big sale features great deals on a wide range of furniture and household accessories. www.homepro.co.th

Nov 16 – 23 IMPACT

TCC Expo 2012 “The Best of Siam”

ORGANIZED by The Thai Chamber of Commerce and Board of Trade of Thailand,

A SHOWCASE of Thailand’s sporting industry, where local and international sporting equipment and accessories, and all sports related products and services of the largest quantities and of the most varieties, will be on sale. Open Mon-Thurs 11am-10pm, Fri-Sun (and holidays) 10am-11pm. www.impact.co.th

Nov 21 – 24 BITEC

Metalex 2012

ASEAN’s Largest International Machine Tools and Metalworking Technology Trade Exhibition and Conference, 26th Edition. www.metalex.co.th

Nov 24 – Dec 2 QSNCC

Modern Furniture Fair

SAVVY shoppers will be out in force for this sale of modern furniture and home décor items at what the organizers say will be ‘unbeatable prices.’ www.unionpan.com

Nov 28 – Dec 2 BITEC

Photo Fair 2012

TOP of the range photography equipment and cameras from many of the world’s leading brands go on sale at special

prices at this popular annual fair. www.photofairthailand.com

Nov 29 – Dec 10 IMPACT

Thailand International Motor Expo

health and spa products, and fashion and jewelry. www.worldfair.co.th

Dec 7 – 9 BITEC

Jim Thompson Sale

JOIN Bangkok’s motor heads to view a wide range of new vehicles from many of the world’s leading brands. Entry is B100. Open Mon-Fri 12pm10pm, Sat-Sun (and holidays) 11am-10pm. www.motorexpo.co.th

TAKE advantage of reduced prices on many of Jim Thompson’s Thai silk products, cotton fabrics and accessories, as well as natural products fresh from the Jim Thompson Farm. www.jimthompson.com

Nov 30 – Dec 9 IMPACT

Dec 13 – 16 QSNCC

New Year Gift

THIS big shopping event features products and services related to food & beverage, home & living, fashion, electronics, health & beauty, and more. Open each day 10am-9pm. www.ditp.go.th

Dec 5 – 9 QSNCC

Asean Silk Heritage

LEARN more about the kingdom’s silk trade at this special event showcasing silk products from Northeastern provinces of Thailand. Open each day 10am-8pm. www.cddkorat.com

Dec 7 – 16 BITEC

Bonjour French Fair

SHOP for all kinds of French products with special prices offered on wines, food, cosmetics, fashion, leather goods, stationery, travel packages and much more. Open each day 10am-8pm. www.facebook. com/BonjourFrenchFair

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

Bangkok Furniture and Houseware Fair

GET everything you need to deck out your business or home – plus a few shopping extras – at this fair featuring furniture and houseware products, electronic appliances,

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Fight Night’s a real Knock Out! Operation Smile’s 2nd Fight Night fundraiser and dinner at The Dusit Thani Bangkok proved another winner for hundreds of spectators, boxers and a thoroughly worthwhile charity. Thanks to generous sponsorship and fun on the night, including a four-course meal, the four amateur bouts helped to raise 2.2 million baht, which will go towards helping Thai children with facial deformities.

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MORE FUN FOR MOVERS AND SHAKERS The monthly Movers and Shakers networking event held at Tetto Lounge, Anantara Baan Rajprasong attracted a lively crowd of business professionals who mingled throughout the evening with drinks and ﬁnger food. The next networking will be held at the Banyan Tree on November 23 followed by the Annual Gala event at Mantra Restaurant & Bar (Pattaya) on November 30.

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SOCIAL LAST MONTHâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S BEST EVENTS

RUGBY LEGENDS AT DHL LIONS DINNER Local rugby fans and players had an opportunity to meet and listen to the highly amusing exploits of former legends Joe Roff of the Wallabies, All Black winger Stu Wilson and Wales No 8 Scott Quinnell at the DHL Lions RFC annual rugby dinner, co-sponsored by Etihad Airways. The event was held at the Conrad Hotel.

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MAKE YOUR EVERY SUNDAY BRUNCH MORE PLEASURABLE WITH YOUR FAMILY

ADULT : 555 THB NET package include buffet food, drinks and open draft beer

KIDS : 150 THB NET with • bouncy playground •

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• clown

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SOCIAL LAST MONTH’S BEST EVENTS

SEVENS HEAVEN FOR ALL AGES

Teams from New Zealand, Hong Kong, Cambodia, Malaysia and Thailand came together for the 18th Bangkok Rugby 7s at the Royal Thai Stadium. In addition to a hard-fought ﬁnal for the Men’s Cup, won by Carlton RFC, the event featured a Women’s competition and a game by the “Ancients,” who were led out on to the pitch by their Superman mascot.

BORDEAUX BONUS AT PRIME A group of knowledgeable diners enjoyed a six-course Premium Bordeaux winner dinner at Prime restaurant, Millennium Hilton, featuring a selection of superb wines from J.M. Cazes Selection and imported by IWS.

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CHEF JEREMY DOES IT AGAIN!

Chef Jeremy Tourret continued his ability to pull off great surprises when he crafted a delicious 4-course Nederburg wine dinner at L’Appart on the 32nd Floor of Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit. The gourmet meal was complemented with award-winning South African wines that combined finesse with fruit-rich flavours.

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JOHNNIE JUST KEEPS GOING

Johnnie Walker Blue Label hosted a luxurious sit-down dinner to launch the “John Walker & Sons Voyager” campaign at St. Regis. The VIP-studded evening was attended by Bangkok’s crème de la crème as they enjoyed a reﬁned menu under candlelight. Highlight of the evening was when the premium whisky John Walker & Sons Odyssey was unveiled for the ﬁrst time.

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AT 15, O’REILLYS STILL GOING STRONG

Popular Irish pub O’Reillys packed in the crowds recently to celebrate its 15th anniversary with some great live music and special drinks deals all night. Located on Silom Road, O’Reillys is a stalwart of Bangkok’s social scene.

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MAD MOONLIT NIGHT San Miguel presented the Moonlight Madnight Party at the Crystal Grand Ballroom at CDC. Partygoers donning all kinds of great outﬁts were treated to live music and drinks.

JACK DANIEL’S REMEMBERED The 162nd birth month of Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey was marked with ‘Jacktember 2012’ at Esplanada Plaza with live performances from Paradox and Billy Ogan. Mr Alan C. Anastacio, Regional Commercial Manager, and Pawin Pongpanpakdee, Sales and Marketing Manager, along with loyal customers celebrated the night with fun games and activities.

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SOCIAL LAST MONTH’S BEST EVENTS

SURPRISE BIRTHDAY BOSS

The General Manager of Novotel Bangna, Khun Prasert Boonchu, was pleasantly surprised when his staff threw him a surprise party at the Kinnaree Poolside and presented him with a golf bag.

PATTAYA BUSINESS LINK WITH BANGKOK A big crowd of businessmen from Pattaya and Bangkok came together for the Eastern Seaboard joint networking night, organized by the British Chamber of Commerce and Australian Chamber of Commerce. Some ﬁne food, wine and beer was provided by hosts the Holiday Inn Pattaya.

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SOCIAL LAST MONTH’S BEST EVENTS

UK AMBASSADOR OPENS HARROW’S NEW-LOOK FACILITY

The British Ambassador H.E. Mark Kent ofﬁcially opened the newly renovated Preparatory School facility at Harrow International School Bangkok. Guests and parents went on a tour of the building, which offers a creative and supportive environment for Harrow’s middle year students, enabling them to progress with the requisite skills into the IGCSE and A Level classes.

ZENSE GOURMET DECK RELAUNCHED

The much awaited relaunch of Zense Gourmet Deck & Lounge Panorama on the 17th ﬂoor of CentralWorld proved a huge success with VIP guests and celebrities who attended the opening party. Everyone sampled cuisines from ﬁve different countries on offer at the restaurant. Flowing drinks and lively music made it an unforgettable evening.

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CHEZ PAPE’S FIRST BIRTHDAY

Chez Pape French Bistro on Sukhumvit 11 celebrated its 1st anniversary with lots of old and new friends who enjoyed free ﬂow wine, soft drinks and food. Motto for the night was: “Old age is like everything else. To make a success of it, you’ve got to start young”.

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DUSIT D2 LAUNCHES JAZZ NIGHTS IN PATTAYA Thailand’s Kenny G, Khun ‘Aht,’ was in Pattaya to help launch Dusit d2 Baraquda’s romantic jazz night on its rooftop with a scintillating performance of great music. The event, attended by guests and regulars, will be held every weekend at the popular Pattaya hotel’s Rooftop Sunset Lounge.

RAMADA PLAZA’S JAZZ ON THE RIVER

Ramada Plaza Menam Riverside Bangkok welcomed a group of VIPs, including M.R. Priyangsri Wattanakun of the Thai Red Cross Society, as guests of honor at the ‘Charity Jazz duet Concert by the River of Kings’ performed by Viyada Komarakul Na Nakorn and Nareekrajang Kanthamas at the hotel’s Menam Grand Ballroom to support the Thai Red Cross Society .

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PULLMAN BANGKOK HOSTS SIAM TO SIEM CHARITY PARTY

Mr Chulchit Bunyaketu, Group Vice Chairman of King Power International Group, together with Mr Paul Dubrule, co-founder of the Accor Group and top management members from Accor hotels around the world attended the ‘Charity Cocktail Party of Accor Siam to Siem Cycle for l’Ecole d’Hotellerie et de Tourisme Paul Dubrule’ at Pullman Bangkok King Power.

REMBRANDT’S TASTE OF ARGENTINA

Visiting Chef Matias Aldasoro prepared a ﬁve-course wine dinner at the da Vinci Italian Restaurant Rembrandt Hotel. Assisted by Executive Chef Andrew Mann, the duo cooked Argentinean dishes such as barbeque style prime beef, which were paired with wines from Santa Julia and Zuccardi.

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PINKTOBER A ROCKING SUCCESS

Hard Rock Cafe Bangkok was ablaze with great music, awesome entertainment and a huge crowd all in the name of raising much-needed money and awareness for breast cancer. Thanks to the enormous support, over 90,000 baht was raised for the Queen Sirikit Breast Cancer Foundation. The pink-themed event, Pinktober, organized by Bangkok Young Professionals (BYP) in conjunction with Hard Rock Cafe, drew guests from all over the capital.

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ROTARY’S BAVARIAN SPIRIT Rotary Club of Bangkok South recently held their Oktoberfest celebrations at Bei Otto Restaurant, Sukhumvit Soi 20.

SCOTS COME OUT TO PLAY Bangkok’s Scottish community came out in force for an afternoon of Highland fun, food and entertainment for kids and their parents at the British Club. Attractions included a bouncy castle, magicians and the odd beer for grown-ups.

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SOCIAL Around LAST MONTH’S town BEST EVENTS

Wild Ginger launch party

KHUN Pornsatid Naruenartwanich, CEO of Paul Mitclell Systems Co., Ltd, celebrated the Thai launch of Paul Mitchell’s “Awapuhi Wild Ginger” product line with a celeb-filled party at R Bar, Renaissance Hotel. The event finished in style with a fashion show by Khun Kree Pasaweepistch Sornakkhrapha.

Samsung releases Galaxy Note II

Efren Reyes at Hustlers

PROFESSIONAL pool player Efren Reyes from the Philippines was a big hit with Bangkok pool sharks when he challenged them to games and showcased his skills at Hustlers Pool Bar. The two-time world champ had no trouble fending off the competition, much to the delight of all who watched him play.

GADGET fans were out in force for the launch of Samsung’s latest addition to the Galaxy family, the “Samsung Galaxy Note II.” Featuring Samsung’s new Advanced S Pen, the Samsung Galaxy Note II is equipped with all kinds of cutting-edge features which help users work freely on their notes and express their creativity.

New riverside brunch for Millennium Hilton

VIP guests and media gathered at Millennium Hilton Bangkok to mark the launch of the hotel’s new ‘Brunch on the River,’ a new leisurely brunch concept featuring food and drinks from the hotel’s various outlets, now held every Sunday at FLOW.

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RarinJinda wins top award

RARINJINDA Wellness Spa Resort Chiang Mai represented by Mr. Narun Wiwattanakrai, Executive Assistant Director, and Ms. Ratpalee Suphawatanakiat, PR Manager received the Best Luxury Boutique Hotel Award from Ms. Marinique De Wet, Director, at the World Luxury Hotel Awards Gala at Pan Pacific Kuala Lumpur.

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Diplomats p Meet the people uniting nations

Mr. Kazi Imtiaz Hossain

Bangladeshâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Ambassador talks about his countryâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s relationship with Thailand Page 126

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DIPLOMAT BANGLADESH

Bangladesh ambassador sees prosperity through partnership in ThaiBangla relations

By Maxmilian Wechsler

IT is always enjoyable to chat with the Bangladesh Ambassador to Thailand, Kazi Imtiaz Hossain, at diplomatic receptions, but unfortunately such opportunities are invariably fleeting because so many diplomats and other dignitaries are standing in the queue to talk with the lively ambassador. So it was great to have an uninterrupted conversation with His Excellency shortly before the 20th anniversary in October of diplomatic relations between the People’s Republic of Bangladesh and the Kingdom of Thailand. The interview was held at the Bangladesh Embassy located in a nice house at Ekamai Soi 30, Sukhumvit 63. During the short wait for Mr. Hossain at the embassy reception area, I looked through some English-language Bangladeshi daily newspapers and was surprised by the variety of news reports (especially local news) and the unbiased content, something expats often miss in Thailand. Mentioning this to the ambassador after we had sat down in his office, he replied: “We have some very good English dailies and weeklies. The media in Bangladesh, both electronic and print, enjoys complete freedom which has allowed the sector to flourish becoming eyes and ears of the society.” Responding to a query on the coverage in local English dailies, the Ambassador felt that the focus and attention to ASEAN and West is quite understandable because of the closer soci-economic linkages with these regions. But natural and manmade disasters attract greater attention and coverage in the local media than many remarkable events and success stories which are transforming the socio-economic landscapes of the countries like Bangladesh, lamented the ambassador. Speaking about his homeland, the ambassador said: “Bangladesh is a country of rich cultural heritage and a model for social and communal harmony where modernity has blended excellently with traditional values and customs. Demographically, with a population of over 145 million, Bangladesh is one of the populous countries in the world. Eighty-eight per cent of its population is Muslim while Hindus constitute around 11 per cent and Buddhist and Christians make up the rest of the population. Bangladesh has an area about one-third of Thailand and with two and half times more people living there makes it one of the world’s most densely populated countries. “This year we will be celebrating 40 years of diplomatic relations between Bangladesh and Thailand. With the establishment of diplomatic relations on 5 October 1972, the

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first Bangladesh embassy was set up in Bangkok in April 1975. Thailand opened its embassy in Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh in 1974 “Our countries enjoy excellent and very friendly relations and are cooperating and collaborating in various areas of mutual interest, bilaterally and regionally, as well as in the multilateral arena. This includes at the United Nations (UN) and specialized bodies such as the World Trade Organization, ASEAN Regional Forum, BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation) and Asia Cooperation Dialogue.”

The Ambassador’s background Mr. Hossain was born in 1962 in Khulna, an important industrial town in the southern region of Bangladesh. The town is only about 20 miles from Sundarbaans, the largest mangrove forest in the world. Growing up near the forest region, he always felt very close to nature and says he still does. After completing schooling in his home town, he went to Dhaka University for his bachelor’s and master’s degrees. He then joined the Bangladesh Foreign Service in 1989 and went to the International Institute for Public Administration in Paris to study International Relations and Diplomacy. “While I was in France I learned a little French,” said Mr. Hossain. “It was a rewarding experience for me as it gave me an opportunity to learn a beautiful and sweet language not commonly spoken in Bangladesh, where English is the most widely spoken and understood language. My sojourn in France has indeed given me an insight into the French society, its values and adoration for culture and tradition.” Since joining the Bangladeshi Foreign Service in 1989 he has served in different capacities in New York, Kolkata, Geneva, Beijing and now in Bangkok. “Although I had transited through Bangkok many times before, the first time I came to stay in this beautiful city and country was in April 2010 when I arrived to take up my responsibility as ambassador. This is also my first assignment as ambassador.” Mr. Hossain presented his credentials to HRH Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn on 23 November 2010. “My principal responsibility is to promote friendship and deepen bilateral relations between Bangladesh and Thailand in

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all spheres – economic, social, cultural, and so on. My objective and primary focus has been to strengthen these relations for the wellbeing of our two peoples and countries. My government has assigned me to seek through all means and avail opportunities that I can to further these objectives.” Since January 2011 Mr. Hossain has also served as the Bangladeshi ambassador to the Kingdom of Cambodia. He is also the Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to the UN Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP). “The unique mix of bilateral and multilateral responsibilities of this assignment in Bangkok makes my job challenging, exciting and enjoyable.” he said. Before taking up his assignment in Thailand Bandarban Golden Temple in he served as Director General in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) and Mustard BIMSTEC Wing. field in w inter SAARC is a regional organization comprising eight countries of South Asia – Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, while BIMSTEC has seven members, namely Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Myanmar, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Thailand. The ambassador believes that BIMSTEC provides a unique platform for regional cooperation among countries from the two economically thriving regions of ASEAN and SAARC. Geographically located in the middle of the two regions, Bangladesh occupies a strategic position and has played a constructive role in furthering the objectives of this regional grouping, he added.

Bilateral Relations The ambassador said that visits between Bangladesh and Thailand at high levels are many and frequent. HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn has graciously visited Bangladesh twice, in February 2010 and in December 2011. Her landmark visits to Bangladesh have added new momentum and generated greater enthusiasm to the existing close relations between the two countries. He felt particularly happy when Her Royal Highness travelled to the Sundarbans during her second visit to Bangladesh, the ambassador fondly recalled . “Ministerial level visits include the Thai commerce minister’s visits to Dhaka in May this year and last year. Ministers of foreign affairs of both counties have made official visits, in 2009 and 2010, and there have also been visits to Thailand by the Bangladeshi ministers of agriculture, education, land, health, and disaster management in the last two years. As for bilateral trade, the ambassador said major export items from Bangladesh to Thailand include chemicals, yarn, fish maws, woven garments and frozen and dried fish. “Bilateral trade is increasing and crossed US$ 1 billion mark last year. During the past three years, it has increased between 30 to 35

Saint Martin

Island

per cent over the previous period. ar The trend is a ed Min Shahe very healthy one.” Bangladesh is seeking reintroduction of tariff concession accorded to some of its exports to Thailand for a short period in 2007 but later discontinued. This concession is needed for greater access to Thai market, he felt. Mr. Hossain said his government believes there is big potential to add more export items to the existing list. “One is pharmaceutical products. We are producing about 97 per cent of our pharmaceutical needs locally worth close to US$1 billion. What’s more, we are exporting pharmaceutical products to over 73 countries globally. Of the 20 big pharmaceutical companies in Bangladesh – only six are multinational and the rest are local. In the last 30 years, the growth of the pharmaceutical industry has been remarkable and it can now compete globally.” “Thai investment in Bangladesh is rather modest compared to investments from other countries in the region such as from the Republic of Korea, Japan and China. “As many as 21 industrial enterprises with 100 per cent Thai investment or in joint ventures with local entrepreneurs are currently operating in Bangladesh. The cumulative investments in these projects is over US$100 million in the areas of poultry and poultry feed, power generation, food processing to name a few. “Recently, Ital-Thai Company was awarded a concession for construction of a 26-kilometer expressway under a publicprivate partnership at a cost of over $1.2 billion to ease the traffic congestion in Dhaka,” said the ambassador, adding that Bangladesh has high potential to become a major destination for Thai investors, especially in the energy and power, textile, agroprocessing, leather and tourism sectors. “Thai investors can take advantage of the low infrastructure costs, affordable labor and natural gas of Bangladesh. Some of the potential sectors for investment are power generation, physical infrastructure, tourism and agro-processing. Oil exploration in the Bay of Bengal offers a huge potential for Thai investment as well. The ambassador said Bangladesh has “a huge reservoir” of affordable, hardworking and easily trainable labour. This coupled with excellent incentives for investment such as tax holidays, repatriation of capital and dividends and duty concessions offer a tremendous advantage for relocating industrial plants in Bangladesh, especially in the export-oriented industries of Bangladesh.

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H DIPLOMAT BANGLADESH

He added that the duty concession extended to Bangladeshi products by the European Union could be an incentive for investment in Bangladesh’s export sector, and with its large population the local consumer market is also significant. As for tourism, Thailand is an attractive destination for Bangladeshi people, said the ambassador, and Bangkok is popular with Bangladeshis seeking medical treatment in Thai hospitals. On the other hand, far fewer Thais travel to Bangladesh. Mr. Hossain said confidently: “I must say that we have some fantastic tourist locations. For tourism, one can approach Bangladesh from two perspectives. To go and discover the soul of the country, one has to visit the country during the period of religious holidays and cultural festivals. Our New Year which falls on April 14 is the time to go and discover the richness of Bangladeshi culture when the entire country welcomes the New Year through traditional dances, musical performances and mask processions. The New Year celebrations bring out the vibrancy of Bangla culture. It is all very colourful. “Another approach for tourists could be the conventional sightseeing of natural beauties and visiting historical places. For example, Cox’s Bazaar, the longest unbroken beach in the world, offers the perfect place to relax and unwind. The scenic beauty of the hill districts of Chittagong Hill Tracts, home to distinct tribal communities of Bangladesh, offers captivating experiences for tourists. The fascinating Buddhist monasteries and archeological sites of Mainamaiti in Comilla and Mahastangarh in Bogra would no doubt enthrall tourists.” Mr. Hossain said Bangladesh has a tourist-friendly visa regime and tourist visas can be obtained with ease. “We are very flexible in this respect,” he added. Dhaka being only two hours’ flying distance from Bangkok and with three daily flights between the two capitals, there is a wide range of traveling options for tourists.” An estimated 800 to1000 Bangladeshis live in Thailand, mostly working in UN agencies, international organizations and multi-national companies. ‘‘A significant number of Thai nationals working in Bangladesh are in the construction and manufacturing sectors and in the hospitality industry,” added the ambassador.

The Ambassador, off duty and on Mr. Hossain said he believes that religion is a very personal matter, adding that he tries to be a good Muslim. As for his favourite pastimes, he likes to play golf, read and listen to music. His wife, Rabab Fatima, is also a career diplomat and a member of the Bangladesh Foreign Service. Currently she is serving as the Regional Coordinator and Advisor for South Asia at the Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific of the International Organization for Migration. They have a 17-year-old daughter who is going to university this year. “My working day starts before I come to the office. The first thing I do is go through the newspapers over three to four cups of tea, and that means I have to get up fairly early. After arriving at the office, I review my tasks for the day and guide my colleagues on the specific tasks assigned to them. Ours is a midsize mission in terms of Bangladeshi missions abroad, with six diplomats, and 20 supporting officials, including 10 Thai staff. “If I am in town, as a matter of principle I will attend every national day reception. I believe that these are very special occasions for every country. Joining them in their celebrations is an act of friendship from my country.” Mr. Hossain said he sometimes travels outside Bangkok, although not that frequently, and mostly on work related trips.

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“My travels have taken me to some very interesting places in Thailand. So far I have visited Ayutthaya, Chiang Mai, Chonburi, Krabi, Nakorn Nayok, Phuket, Saraburi and Udon Thani. I like everything about Thailand and intend to explore more of this country.” When Mr. Hossain arrived here in 2010 he was very impressed by the free flow of traffic. “We used to compare it with traffic in Dhaka which is also very crowded. Now the traffic in Bangkok has become a bit busier, and let me say a little unpredictable, but in any large city you will have traffic problems,” said the ambassador. He describes Thai food as “absolutely fabulous” and thinks the most important aspect of Thai food is that it is very healthy. There’s little use of oil and a lot of vegetables. The presentation is also very unique and beautiful. It is soothing to stomach and pleasing to your eye. “I have had so many memorable experiences in Thailand. What really impresses me is the determination of the people and willingness and sincerity to work. I remember going to one village in the south in Krabi province and seeing people working in the field. It was 3pm and the sun was scorching hot, but even then the people were smiling when we passed by them. Sincerity at work and the pleasant demeanor of the people is most remarkable. Mr. Hossain said he has had no regrets or disappointments in his time here. “In fact, these come with one’s own lack of effort. At times there is a sense of unfulfiment because I have not yet achieved all I hope to, but not disappointment. “To be a representative of your country is the highest honour one can have. It is a privilege and a huge responsibility which I intend to carry out whole heartedly. I want to extend my best wishes to the Thai people for their continuing prosperity. My stay in the Kingdom is completely dpunished with imprisonment noedicated to building and forging stronger relationships between our countries and our peoples, because people are what matter most.”

Brief career history 1989: 1990-1992 : 1992-93: 1993-1994: 1994-98: 1998-2000: 2000-2002: 2002-2005: 2005: 2005-2007: 2007-2010: 2010 to date:

Joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Assistant Secretary in the South Asia Division of the Ministry of Foreign Af fairs, Dhaka Study at International Institute of Public Administration, Paris, France Assistant Secretary, South Asia Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka Vice Consul/Consul at the Consulate General of Bangladesh in New York, United States First Secretary/Counsellor at the Deputy High Commission of Bangladesh in Kolkata, India Director (South Asia), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka Counsellor at the Permanent Mission of Bangladesh to the UN Offices in Geneva, Switzerland Counsellor/Minister at Bangladesh Embassy, Beijing Consul General, Consulate General of Bangladesh, New York Director General (SAARC & BIMSTEC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Dhaka Ambassador of Bangladesh to the Kingdom of Thailand, concurrently accredited to the Kingdom of Cambodia, Permanent Representative of Bangladesh to UNESCAP

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Travel

p Deals and news from Thailand’s hottest destinations

Dune Hotel Hua Hin has launched a special deal which lets guests book out the whole property. See page 138.

Mate’s Rates

Friends or family visiting Bangkok? Let them know about these deals! Page 144

Hua Hin

Read more about the town’s best resorts and restaurants Page 138

Pattaya

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TRAVEL

GOLF IN FOCUS

How Thailand became the world’s third most popular golf destination Golf is big business in Thailand, and growing fast. For an inside view of the local golf scene, Maxmilian Wechsler talked recently to Khun Songsak Limbanyen, general manager of Bangkok Golf Club, and his deputy manager, Antonio Choy, a Canadian national who has been with the club for 15 years.

WITH some 250 quality golf courses and a reputation that covers virtually every aspect of the sport, including a direct family link to Tiger Woods, the most ssuccessful uccessful player in recent times, Thailand T hailand is now one of the world’s top golfing destinations. Introduced in Thailand during the reign of King Chulalongkorn (1853 - 1910), golf was initially restricted to the high society set, but over the years its popularity widened and today people of all ranks as well as expatriates and foreign tourists now fill its links. As many as one million people in Thailand play golf, says Mr Songsak. “We’re also attracting around 400,000 foreign golfers every year from Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea, Singapore, South Africa, Europe and elsewhere. No wonder Thailand has been dubbed the golf capital of Asia.”

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The country’s five major golf destinations are Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Hua Hin, Pattaya and Phuket, though courses can be found in the most obscure places across the country. Many of the lesser-known links are to be found near or next to small provincial airports, presumably to occupy the non-flying time of pilots, aircraft engineers and their bosses. Bangkok and nearby suburbs have the greatest concentration of courses, many of which are the design handiwork of such golfing legends as Nick Faldo, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player. Although too many to mention here, top courses include the Alpine Golf & Sports Club, Amata Spring Country Club, Black Mountain Golf Club, Blue Canyon, Thai Country Club and Bangkok Golf Club, all of which have been chosen for Professional Golf Association (PGA) and Ladies Professional Golf Association (LPGA) tournaments. In recent years, Thailand has hosted world class golf tournaments attracting such players as Ernie Els, Colin Montgomerie and the irrepressible Tiger Woods, whose link to this country is through his Thai mother. The kingdom has a number of home-grown golfers who can compete with the best, notes Mr Songsak. “Thongchai Jaidee has won a handful of international tournaments, and then there’s Prayad Marksaeng, Pornanong Phatlum and Boonchu Ruangkit,

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all great players” Promoting the game amongst male and female amateurs as well as professionals are several golf associations such as the Thailand Golf Association, Professional Golf Association of Thailand, Thaland Amateur Ladies Golf Association and Thailand Junior Golf Courses Association, says Mr Songsak. Apart from boasting a long list of beautifully designed and well maintained courses, Thailand is regarded as one of the world’s best year-round golf destinations because of the gentle climate, high standard of off-course facilities and charming – and amazingly knowledgeable - female caddies. Along with a slew other factors like Thai cuisine, nightlife,

entertainment, low-cost accommodation and all kinds of unique side attractions, it’s perhaps no surprise that the World Golf Travel Agents Association has dubbed Thailand the “Best up and coming destination’ for golf vacations. Ladies golf really took off in 1978 when a number of clubs formed the Thailand Amateur Ladies Golf Association (TALGA), which assists local and visiting players with information. Women living in Thailand can join groups like Bangkok Cosmopolitan Ladies Golf, Scandinavian Ladies Group and American Women’s Club. “Thailand is also a great place to learn golf, with driving ranges and courses employing professionals to teach beginners,” adds Mr Songsak. “There are also a number of golf schools, including Heartland Golf Schools, Hua Hin Golf Academy, Perfect Swing Asia, Wilding Golf and Thailand Golf School. And there are some very good websites focusing on golf here. “Club memberships are available for annual, multi-year and even lifetime categories covering corporate, individual and families. Prices range from 10,000 baht up to one million plus, depending on the conditions of the membership.” Mr Choy added: “Thailand Golf Exchange (thailandgolfexchange.com) offers a variety of golf club memberships throughout Thailand. Prices vary depending on supply and demand. Thailand golf memberships can be owned by overseas residents without any restrictions.”

Colin Montgomerie

Ernie Els

Thongchai Jaidee

Tiger Woods

All the accessories In Bangkok, Thaniya Plaza, off Silom Road, is the most popular mall for golf equipment, especially amongst Japanese golfers. The cost of a set of clubs ranges from an impressively inexpensive 10,000 baht to more than 100,000 baht. Department stores like Siam Paragon, Central Chidlom and the Emporium stock top brand golf equipment, clothing and other accessories. Most golf courses rent equipment and clothing for a nominal fee. “Unfortunately, counterfeit golf products in Thailand are increasingly a problem for the industry. However, this problem is not confined to Thailand; other countries face the same problem,” said Mr. Choy. According to one major manufacturer, fake equipment is often hard to distinguish from the genuine articles, which puts the customer in a difficult position when choosing what clubs to purchase. Other fakes include balls, bags, clothing and even umbrellas. “Identifying fakes is not easy, but you should compare prices – if they are too low then there’s obviously something wrong” says Mr Choy.

Thailand’s golﬁng advantage Thailand’s golf industry was hard hit by the devastating floods last year, with many courses in Bangkok, Pathum Thani and Nonthaburi suffering extensive damage. Thousands of caddies and other staff found themselves temporarily without jobs. Even courses unaffected by the floods were hit due to across-theboard cancellations by overseas operators. Despite last year’s disaster, both Mr Songsak and Mr Choy are confident that Thailand will remain Asia’s market leader in golf tourism. Their optimism is shared by the Golf in Thailand website which quoted Mark Siegel, whose company, Golfasian, will this year bring 6,000 foreign golf tourists to Southeast Asia, mostly to Thailand. He recently told a group of visiting golf journalists that Thailand would stay ahead of rival destinations because of the “special way visitors are welcomed.”

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TRAVEL

GOLF IN FOCUS

About BGC

Mr Songsak Limbanyen

“You can probably find countries with better golf courses, maybe with better value, nicer weather and better infrastructure, but nowhere else matches the genuine friendliness of the Thai people. In Thailand, everyone is treated as a guest. They are considered part of the family as soon as they arrive. The people do it because they are happy, not because it is good business. Kids in Thailand are taught to be nice.” He went on: “This year, 600,000 golf tourists are expected to visit Thailand, an increase of more than 15 percent over 2011, making the kingdom the world’s third most popular golf destination after Spain and the United States. “Visiting golfers experience genuine Thai friendship in many ways, but especially with caddies, who really have fun and are extremely helpful and knowledgeable about golf. They also like their jobs. It’s not an act. They are Thai golf’s secret weapon. Everyone who comes to Thailand to play golf is a winner.” Mr Choy pointed out that Thailand has an advantage over countries with long and cold winters. “We can play all year around here. In my home country of Canada, we can play only five or six months per year.”

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Bangkok Golf Club boasts a 6,812-yard championship layout, dominated by water, flora and fauna. Features include an island tee, an island green and a spectacular waterfall presiding over two greens. Opened in 1993 in response to the boom in golf, BGC is owned by Khun Sirichai Bulakul, who also developed MBK Centre. Chairman of the club is retired Army General Suchinda Kraprayoon, who was briefly a

Thai prime minister. “The course was damaged by severe flooding in late 1995, but was rebuilt, replanted and resurrected. Over a dozen lakes and ponds are now a habitat for both water fowl and golf balls – 17 holes provide extra humidity and humility. Doglegs abound, with six on the back nine and a double dogleg beauty concluding the front,” said Mr Choy. “The club was the first in Thailand to be awarded ISO certification. The year 2000 saw some impressive Mr Antonio developments at the club. The 9th hole Choy (formerly 18th hole), was selected by Golf Magazine USA as one of the best 500 golf holes in the world. “In late 2000 the Bangkok Golf Spa Resort was added and in order to cope with the extra number of players the course the entire course was floodlit in late 2001 to enable night golfing, which is a rarity in Thailand,” said Mr Choy. The BGC has hosted the Kosida Thailand Ladies Open on four occasions, the Thailand Ladies Open (Amateur) Championship, on five occasions, and the Volvo Masters of Asia 2003. “During high season, from December to February, many Koreans come and stay at the hotel and play two rounds of golf every day. Often they bring their coaches with them,” said Mr Choy. The BGC has 500 employees, 300 of these are caddies (all females), and the rest are in operations and management. The club has staff who can speak Chinese, Japanese, Korean and English. Testimonials include one by a teacher from the Harrow International School in Bangkok, which has hosted its Invitational Golf Tournament here for the past five years. “With the course always in good condition and greens, some of the best and fastest in Bangkok, it is always a challenging course to play.” A member of the British Club Bangkok meanwhile remarked: “I am especially fond of the course because I use one special lady caddy whenever I can. To me, she is ‘Miss Efficiency’ – always there, always anticipating, always looking and checking, gives great ‘reads’ on the greens, and always smiling. She makes my day!”

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TRAVEL BANGKOK

Chiang Mai Jazz Festival Nov 24 – 25, Chiang Mai Night Safari

Bangkok

and Beyond

Loy Krathong Festival November 28 throughout Thailand

CELEBRATED annually on the full moon of the 12th month of the traditional Thai lunar calendar, this nationwide festival sees people flocking to their local rivers to ‘Loy Krathong’ – float hand-sized rafts traditionally made from banana leaves and decorated with flowers, candles and incense. Not only does Loy Krathong pay respect to Lord Buddha, but the act is also symbolic of letting go of grudges, anger and sins. For more info: www.tourismthailand.org

Phulay Bay introduces exquisite new villa

PHULAY Bay, A Ritz-Carlton Reserve in Krabi has elevated its already luxury offerings by introducing the most impressive Villa in its collection – The Royal Andaman Sea Villa. Available for booking now, the Villa features an unspoiled, dramatic view of the majestic Andaman Sea’s rugged shoreline and the iconic limestone karsts. Guests can view Phang Nga Bay and a cluster of 42 islands from their double-King-sized bed. The villa has its own infinity pool with hydro jets, and indoor and outdoor bath facilities with rainforest showers. The outdoor space (over 1,475 square meters) provides an expansive and secluded tropical sanctuary complete with private gardens and a veranda with lounge beds. Booking a stay at the villa comes with a long list of perks, including 24-hour butler service, daily breakfast for two, private dinner, complimentary mini-bar, and much more. Tel: 075 628 111 www.RitzCarltonReserve.com

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THE Chiang Mai Jazz Festival returns this month bringing more than 50 diverse musicians from around the globe to perform in the scenic outdoor setting of the Chiang Mai Night Safari. Among the performers are Simone Kopmajer (Austria); Malene Mortensen (pictured, from Denmark); Peter Vandemoortele (Belgium). A full program can be found on Thaiticketmajor.com Tickets: B650 for one day, B1,000 for two days. Available from Thaiticketmajor.com. Performances start each day at 6pm.

10th World Film Festival of Bangkok Nov 16 – 25, Esplanade Cineplex Ratchada

ENJOY a feast of visual aesthetics and meet and greet film directors from around the world at the 10th edition of the World Film Festival of Bangkok. This year, the festival presents a quality selection of 84 films in five categories: Cine Latino, Cinema Beat, Doc Feast, Short Wave and Asian Contemporary. One of main attractions are the Thai films by independent directors whose creative works create new forms of communication art that are able to transcend the boundaries between author and audience. A full schedule can be found at www.worldfilmbkk.com.

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TRAVEL

HUA HIN

Hua Hin Automobile Concours

Consulate of Sweden opens in Hua Hin ■ THE Swedish Ambassador, His Excellency Mr. Klas Molin, and the Governor of Petchaburi, Khun Vinai Buapradit, recently presided over the opening of the new Consulate of Sweden, which is located in the grounds of the Dusit Thani Hua Hin. The ceremony was also attended by senior police officials and almost one-hundred Swedish nationals residing in Petchaburi and Prachuap Khiri Khan who will be able to avail themselves of consular services at the new office.

Dune Hotel launches deal for groups ■ UNTIL Dec 25, the trendy Dune Hua Hin boutique hotel is offering a special deal that’s perfect for large groups planning a Hua Hin getaway. Called the “Be My Hotel” package, it allows groups of 10 guests to fully book out the hotel at special rates. The price for the five rooms (two Superior rooms, two Deluxe rooms and one Suite with a private pool) is B24,000 on weekdays and B26,000 on weekends (per night rate). Include exclusive access to the Dune Bar & Restaurant and rates are B34,000 on weekdays and B36,000 on weekends (per night rate). Rates include breakfast for all, two bottles of Prosecco, dinner for 10, and more.

■ CLASSIC and vintage car fans are in for a treat next month as the Hua Hin Automobile Concours is coming to town from Dec 14-16. Organized by Centara Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin in cooperation with the Tourism Authority of Thailand and other five-star hotels in Hua Hin, the event will feature a parade of 50 classic and vintage cars, a car contest, and a jazz concert (Dec 15). Highlighted cars include Police General Niyom Karnjanawat’s Hub Mobile 1914, the only one in Asia; Sawad Hohrungrueng’s Mercedes Benz 300 SL Roadster 1955; Pot Vijittanont’s Mercedes Benz 300 SL Gull-wing 1955; and Witthawat Sawad-Chutoh’s Ferrari Dino 246 GTS 1974. Part of the proceeds generated from the event will be donated to the Chaipattana Foundation.

Sherazade Hammam & Spa introduces Moroccan beauty spa package ■ ALL this month, Villa Maroc Resort is offering a special 90 minute spa package called “Authentic Hammam Treat for Spa Lovers.” Priced B2,500 per person, it features a 30-mins Moroccan bath, 60 minutes of full body relaxing massage (or 50 mins of ‘Cooling Body Gel’ treatment, and 10 mins Mini Organic Facial Tel: 032 630 771 www.villamarocresort.com

Tel: 03 251 5051-3 email: md@dunehuahin.com

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TRAVEL

HUA HIN

Hua Hin Where to sleep Baan Bayan

The Cape Nidhra Hotel, Hua Hin

■ This fine resort features one of Hua Hin’s finest examples of early 1900’s architectural style. The beachfront resort has been faithfully restored to its former glory by the family who once lived there. Guests staying at Baan Bayan can experience the glory of a bygone era in its colonial style structure, yet without sacrificing the modern day comforts and amenities. It has 21 rooms comprising of three suites, 10 sea view rooms and 16 rooms with views of the courtyard or tropical garden.

■ Located in the heart of Hua Hin right next to the beach, this luxury hotel combines comfort and convenience for the perfect escape. Each suite is well-furnished in stylish décor and each has its own private swimming pool. General facilities include a fitness center, a swimming pool, steam rooms, spa, library, and meeting functions. Rocks Restaurant serves up a wide range of international dishes and local favourites, while the beachside bar, and the cigar and whisky bar, mix up some excellent cocktails.

119 Petchkasem Road. Tel: 032 533 544

97/2 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin Tel: 032 516 600

Sofitel Centara Grand Resort & Villas

Putahracsa Hua Hin

■ Set within 13 hectares of landscaped gardens, the property dates back to 1923 and is one of Southeast Asia’s most renowned hotels. The luxurious colonial-era beachfront resort features 207 beautifully appointed guestrooms and suites, each one offering comfort and convenience. The Pool Villas include four Deluxe Spa Villas with queen sized twin bed, lounging area, bathroom with rain shower, and oversized Jacuzzi bathtub. Refined dining is available at Sala Thai, Hagi, the Railway Restaurant, and Palm Terrace. Guests can unwind in the Elephant Bar or Satchmo Club.

■ This stylish resort skillfully marries Mediterraneaninfluenced villa accommodation with the best contemporary Thai interior design flair to create a unique experience. Putahracsa is a secluded sanctuary with 36 SilkSand rooms bordering a magnificent swimming pool and mini beach. Interiors emphasize the ‘sleek and chic’ approach to modern design. The Oceanbed Villas are truly exceptional, providing some of the highest quality accommodation and service in Hua Hin. The resort features a day spa, and superb dining opportunities at Nahb Talay and Oceanside.

1 Damnernkasem Road, Hua Hin. Tel: 032 512 021-38

22/65 Nahb Kaehat Road. Tel: 032 531 470

Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa

Evason Hua Hin and Six Senses Spa

■ This imposing resort in the centre of Hua Hin is regarded as one of the best family hotels in the region. Accommodation features comfortable rooms and suites, providing guests with a living space that exhibits contemporary Thai design flair and good in-room amenities. There are also 11 Spa Suites available. The award-winning White Lotus on the 17th floor of the Hilton Hua Hin Resort & Spa offers sky-high dining at down to earth prices.

■ This resort-spa is situated at the heart of 20 acres of beautifully landscaped gardens and faces the Gulf of Thailand. Pool villas and guest rooms are connected by a series of wooden walkways that meander between lush greenery. This is a retreat for those seeking time to relax and recharge. In The Restaurant guests can sip exotic cocktails, ice-cold beer or boutique wines while watching chefs cook and construct creative appetizers. The award-winning Earth Spa is one of the most visually striking in Thailand.

33 Naresdamri Road. Tel: 032 538 999

9/22 Moo 5 Paknampran Beach, Pranburi. Tel: 032 632 111

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TRAVEL

HUA HIN

Hua Hin Where to eat Oceanside Beach Club Cocktails ■ Set in the beautiful Putahracsa Hua Hin resort, this relaxing beachfront restaurant offers a great selection of international food, drinks and music. You can tuck into seafood with piquant Thai sauces or devour huge slabs of meat fresh from the grill. The Jumbo Tiger prawns, Rock lobster, and New Zealand lamb chops score particularly good marks here. Other bonuses include a great sea view, and a long list of delightfully boozy cocktails. Open 5pm onwards.

Hua Hin Where to drink Dune Sky Bar

■ Located on the rooftop of the boutique Dune Hotel, the Dune Sky Bar offers sweeping views of Hua Hin and is a great place to drop by for boozy cocktails and tasty international eats. Recently given a New York-inspired overhaul, the bar is stylishly furnished with eco-friendly furniture, including dining chairs made of recycled plastic bottles. Chilled out beats and subdued lighting make this one of the hippest relaxed hangouts in town. Dune Hotel Hua Hin, Tel: 032 515 051-3 email: md@dunehuahin.com

22/65 Nahb Kaehat Road, Hua Hin Tel: 032 531 470

Beach Mondo Cafe Restaurant  Vino

■ After a hard week of work in Bangkok you deserve a treat! Watch the perfect day on the beach transcend into a unique candlelit dining experience with your loved one. The restaurant offers excellent steaks and seafood plus an unrivaled choice of cocktails and outstanding wines at reasonable prices. The only non-hotel affiliated restaurant on Hua Hin’s main beach offers great value for money. Soi Hua Hin 75/1 by the sea, Prachaubkirikhan 77110, Open Mon – Sun 10am – 10pm. www.beachcaferestaurant.com

Ciao

Mondo Vino

■ This stylish-yet-casual wine bar should be the top of any oenophile’s list of places to visit in Hua Hin. You’ll find a large range of wines from new and old worlds (with an emphasis on Italian brands), available by the glass or bottle at more than reasonable prices. Accompanying the premium wines is a selection of cold cuts, cheeses, fresh hams, pizza, and pasta. Monthly promotions and wine tastings mean there is always something exciting going on here – simply check the website to keep up to date. Tel: 032 531 493 www.mondovino.co.th

Sala Wine Bar and Bistro

■ For lovers of Italian cuisine, Ciao at the Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa is a blessing. The charming beachfront restaurant possesses a style and ambience that few resorts can claim to have achieved. A concise one-page menu offers a carefully considered selection of dishes. The antipasti selection is highly recommended. The platter of Italian temptations is the ideal accompaniment for the fine wines from Ciao’s excellent cellar. The restaurant serves delicious appetizers, soups, salads, pasta, thin crust pizzas, main meat and fish dishes, and irresistible desserts.

■ No visit to Hua Hin is complete without a trip up to Hua Hin Hills Vineyard, home of the award winning Monsoon Valley Wines. Here you can journey into the vineyards to learn more about New Latitude Wines, or simply head straight to the winery’s Bistro, which is housed in a beautiful sala and serves a wide range of Thai and international eats and, of course, Siam Winery’s finest wines. An onsite shop sells premium Thai wines, souvenirs and other quality grape-based products.

Hua Hin Marriott Resort & Spa, 107/1 Phetkasem Beach Road. Tel: 032 511 881

www.huahinhillsvineyard.com

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Hua Hin Hills Vineyard, Tel: 081 701 8874-5, 081 701 2222, 081 701 0444

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The BigChilli Company

The BigChilli Company Ltd., 5th Fl., Sibroonrueng bldg., Room 504, 1/7 Convent Road., Bangrak Bangkok 10500, Tel: 02 233 1774-6 Fax: 02 235 0174 e-mail: thebigchillimagazine@gmail.com

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TRAVEL BANGKOK

s ’ e t a M s rate

amily f r o s d Frien kok? g n a B visiting now about k Let them e deals thes

• Aloft BangkokSukhumvit 11: Until

Dec 31, the hotel’s ‘A-List Offer’ has rates starting at B2,300++ per room per night (room only) and B2,800++ per night with breakfast for two. Rates include free entry to trendy clubs Bed Supperclub, Q Bar and Bash.

• Grand Millennium Sukhumvit: From Dec 1

till Feb 17 the hotel is offering 25% discount off its best available rates. Buffet breakfasts are also offered at half-price. Bookings are available now. Tel: 02 204 4000 email: rsvn@grandmillenniumskv.com

• Novotel Bangkok Fenix Silom: Until Dec 31,

• The Sukhothai Bangkok: A “Hidden Bangkok

the hotel’s ‘City Break’ promotion offers special rates of B1,710++ when booking a minimum of two nights stay. Rates include breakfast. Tel: 02 206 9100 email: H7172-RE@accor.com

Package” available from now until Dec 28 includes accommodation in either a Superior Room or an Executive Suite, round trip limousine transfer, daily buffet breakfast in Colonnade restaurant, a ‘Sophisticated Hidden Bangkok tour,’ and a complimentary 2hr30mins spa treatment. B12,500++ per Superior Room per night; B15,500++ per Executive Room per night. Only valid for minimum of three night bookings. www.sukhothai.com

• The Sukosol, Bangkok: Until Dec 31 the

hotel’s “We Are Family” package offers a family room for two-nights at B10,000++. The deal includes accommodation for two adults and two kids (under 12), daily breakfast, two signature drinks, buffet dinner for four, and check-out of 3pm. Tel: 02 247 0123 email: reservations@ sukosolhotels.com

• Rembrandt Hotel Bangkok: A “Family Weekend

Package” is now available offering special rates on family rooms equipped with one King-size bed and two bunk-beds. One Sat night stay is B4,500, two nights stay on Sat (select either Fri or Sun) is B5,500. Package includes family breakfast, 4pm checkout, Sunday Brunch on Sunday stays, and complimentary B500 for in-room mini bar (excluding alcohol). Offer ends Dec 31. Book at www.rembrandtbkk.com via promotion code: FamilyWeekend or Tel: 02 261 7100

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• Vic3 Bangkok: Until Dec 31, the hotel is offering daily rates starting at B1,288++ per night including breakfast for two, complimentary WiFi, and 3pm checkout. Stay a minimum of three consecutive nights and you’ll also get a complimentary one-day BTS skytrain pass that entitles you to unlimited rides. Tel: 02 344 2500, www2.citadines.com/specials/cluster. html?did=15424

• Northgate Ratchayothin Serviced Residence: Until March 31, the

hotel’s “Studio Comfort” promotion offers studio rooms at just B1,980 per night. Tel: 02 939 7949 email: reservation@ northgatebangkok.com

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TRAVEL

PATTAYA

Bruno’s turns 16 with a gourmet dinner

BRUNO’S restaurant and bar will celebrate its 16th anniversary on Nov 11 by offering a special six-course gourmet dinner for just B1,600 per person. Among the menu highlights are Pan fried John Dory fillet on wasabi flavoured mash potato served with lemon sauce and lobster foam; and Australian angus beef on shallot comfit, potato lasagna, cherry tomatoes and snow peas served with red wine sauce. www.brunos-pattaya.com

Cape Dara all set for soft opening

PATTAYA’S move upmarket has been given another boost this month with the soft opening of the luxury Cape Dara Resort. Set amid an exclusive residential section of North Pattaya and surrounded by three-quarter hectares of natural surroundings including the resort’s own private beach, Cape Dara offers 264 guest rooms, suites and villa compounds, and affords open-sky views both up and down the coast as well as inland. Facilities include all-day, seaside alfresco restaurant Radius; fine-dining Cantonese restaurant Ming Xing; Mellow bakery and café; two beach and poolside bars; and Sphere, a chic sky lounge. For entertainment, the resort even has its own high-tech karaoke lounge. Additional facilities include a kids club, two swimming pools, and a luxury spa. www.capedarapattaya.com

Ocean Marina Boat Show 2012

OCEAN Marina Yacht Club and Ocean Property Co Ltd will host the inaugural OMYC Boat Show and open days from Fri Nov 23 to Sun Nov 25. The event will feature marine activities and exhibitions by leading boat manufacturers, brokers, Marine leisure activities and associated groups. Over 60 exhibitors with display their goods in the tropical parklands of Ocean Marina with a further 20 displays of yachts in the water, and all types of water sports and marine leisure items on display on the lawns. In-water displays will be held and you’ll even be able to test sail catamarans, canoes, kayaks and other water craft such as jet skis. A good selection of diving, fishing and related goods are expected, as well as a chance to book a charter cruise in the evenings of the event. Ocean Marina Yacht Club Hotel will serve food and drinks throughout the event.

Movers and Shakers Gala Event 2012 Nov 30, Mantra Restaurant & Bar (Amari Orchid Pattaya)

THE fourth Movers & Shakers Gala looks set to be one of the biggest corporate networking events of its kind ever held in Thailand. Bringing together around 700 entrepreneurs, celebs and movers and shakers from Pattaya and beyond, the event will feature an evening free-flow food and drinks, spectacular live shows and entertainment, a fireworks display, and much more. The fun will kick off at 6pm. For more info see: www.moversshakerscharity.com

For more info: www.oceanmarinayachtclub.com

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