The BigChilli January 2015 by The BigChilli Co., Ltd.

January 2015 Cover Story (see page 46)

111

08 INSIGHT News, gossip, business and more 16 BLAST FROM THE PAST Stories, pictures and people from the past - how many do you remember?

79 WHAT’S ON An extensive round up of exhibitions, performances, sport, and more 95 SOCIAL Last month’s best events in pictures

23 GOURMET A round up of all the best restaurant deals and gourmet news in Bangkok

111 DIPLOMATS The Ambassador of Austria to Thailand talks about his work

55 EXPAT WOMEN Shopping, advice, and business

118 TRAVEL Find out what’s hot in Pattaya & Hua Hin

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The BigChilli team wishes all our readers a

Happy, Healthy, Prosperous, Successful, Peaceful & United 2015 READ THE BIGCHILLI FOR FREE ONLINE www.issuu.com/thebigchilli www.thebigchilli.com

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Publisher Colin Hastings editorbigchilli@gmail.com MANAGiNG editor Adam Purcell adambigchilli@gmail.com editor Nina Hastings ninabigchilli@gmail.com AssistANt editor Chutinanta Boonyamarn nanbigchilli@gmail.com sAles & MArketiNG MANAGer Rojjana Rungrattwatchai sendtorose@gmail.com AccouNt executives Thana Pongsaskulchoti thanabigchilli@gmail.com Sakuna Nupinrum nokbigchilli@gmail.com AccouNtiNG MANAGer Saranya Choeyjanya fatcatbigchilli@gmail.com AccouNtiNG AssistANt Janjira Silapapairson janbigchilli@gmail.com Art & ProductioN Arthawit Pundrikapa, Jaran Lakawat PhotoGrAPhy Mini Bike Gang, WJ coNtributiNG Writers Anette Pollner, Johanna DeKoning, Judith Coulson, Maxmilian Wechsler, Paul Hewitt

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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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Expat

News Echoes of LM scandal

New investment scam hits British investors in Hua Hin Millions of pounds lost in huge ‘Ponzi’ fraud  DOZENS of British expats in Hua Hin have lost millions of UK pounds in a failed investment scheme reckoned to be one of the biggest frauds in recent British history. Police in the UK are investigating Joe Lewis, a 59-year-old British currency trader who has vanished along with £130 million in investors’ cash in an alleged scam run by his company, JL Trading. Lewis, a regular visitor to Hua Hin and well known personality among the resort’s foreign community, sent an email to his clients last month admitting that JL Trading had ceased operating in 2009 after suffering heavy losses on disastrous foreign exchange deals. But over the following five years he had continued taking people’s money in an attempt to turn his fortunes around, but that all those attempts had failed. In an email sent a month earlier – in response to growing concern from investors trying to get their money out – he claimed that his company was having “a stressful time” releasing $197 million (£126 million) from American brokers because of US red tape, according to the Telegraph newspaper. Lewis, who traded from a smart condominium penthouse in Istanbul, has gone missing. One report suggested he may now be in the Far East. In the email sent on Dec 3, Lewis wrote: “Dear investor, I am writing to inform you that JL Trading is ceasing to carry on business. Contrary to the impression that I have hitherto given, the business has lost almost all of its assets, and there appears no prospect of those assets being recouped. “I can only apologise unreservedly for any losses or unfulfilled expectations of profit. I have tried to recover the position for a considerable period of time, but it is now clear that I will be unable to do so. I sincerely regret that I have not been able to do better on your behalf.”

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Investors had been attracted through word of mouth with the promise of monthly returns on his currency trades of between one and three per cent, added the newspaper. They were also enticed through golf days in exotic locations such as Thailand. The BigChilli has learned that there were more than 30 investors in Hua Hin, some of whom have lost hundreds of thousands of pounds. One of the victims said that he

had got involved in the scheme because Lewis wanted to buy his Hua Hin-based company. “So while negotiations were going on I thought I’d put the minimum $25k in to see if the returns were really as good as he said. “But to me it was obvious there was a problem from about April 2013 when the trades suddenly took on a uniform look. Each trade seemed to make or lose the same amount. Previously they had all been different. That’s the sign that showed me it was a Ponzi scheme. I told my mate to take his money out and he got almost all of it, but my other buddies are deep in it.” Victims also include members of a small group of golfers whose suspicions about JL Trading surfaced at a meeting held last August. “It was clear back then that the prevarication was more than the technical problems JL was alluding to,” explained one of the golfers. “Amazingly, even then more than half attending the meeting still believed that Joe was honest and the delays in getting their money returned was simply because of US regulatory authorities.

“When I met Joe, he seemed a very plausible chap but as the negotiations to buy my business progressed it became quite clear to me that he didn’t have a lot of money as he kept insisting that I would do much better if I took shares in the greater company. “Anyway he walked away from the deal but before then I had put in the minimum $25k because I wanted to see whether it was legit. For the first year all seemed above board but in early 2013 the monthly statements changed and I immediately became suspicious and withdrew all but the minimum $10k. “During the 18 months I was involved, monthly profits ranged between 5 – 10 per cent a month; everyone got excited as the 15th of the month approached to see how much we would make this month. It was amazing, so you can see why people were reluctant to withdraw their funds. “One of the things that persuaded people that it was legit was that he gave out ATM cards to the early investors so they could just go and withdraw up to $5k a month. It gave everyone confidence. It was a very clever scam.”

Expat

News

Hot Gossip • Tapeworm video not for the squeamish

FOREIGNERS tempted to sample the dubious delights of “som tum pla ra,” a spicy Thai salad containing a combination of papaya and fermented ﬁsh that is widely revered in the Northeast, will no doubt have second thoughts after viewing a Thai language video now doing the rounds on the Internet. In full view of the camera, doctors and nurses at Siriraj hospital in Bangkok are operating on the intestines of an un-named patient; their conversation is a mixture of professional seriousness, mirth and disgust – and it’s easy to see why. For they’ve opened a small opening in his guts and, using a long prong, proceed to extract from within what looks like spaghetti. This process continues with a doctor squeezing the intestine at regular intervals and more of this ‘spaghetti’ being pulled out in great clumps. In fact, there’s enough to ﬁll three metal bowls.

Of course, what is being removed is an enormous amount of tapeworm infestation that has caused the patient incredible discomfort and digestive problems for some time. The source of these parasitic worms, the medical team suggests, is “som tum” which has been infused with the larvae of raw ﬁsh that is left to ferment for months in huge barrels in the open air. Other possible culprits are said to be raw sashimi and uncooked meats. Tapeworms are normally treated with medications taken by mouth, so one can only speculate that this case was so extreme that doctors decided on manual extraction.

• Billy’s back in action WORD is that Billy Brunsdon, Bangkok’s most famous publican, will be returning to active service after a sabbatical to take the reins of The Robin Hood pub (Phrom Phong BTS, Exit 5). That’s right, the follicly challenged banter-master best-known from his days at the old Bull’s Head will be back doing what he

• Everything costs in Phuket PHUKET’S hotel industry is booming with room rates far exceeding those achieved by Bangkok hotels. It’s little wonder therefore that taxis and food vendors on the island feel justiﬁed in charging more their services and products than their counterparts in the Thai capital. Phuket’s all about money, money, money.

• Dirty pillow talk

does best – serving ice cold pints and tasty international food and no doubt dishing out hilarious stories too. Other good news: Robin Hood is fast becoming a great venue for cider, with four draughts and countless bottles and options ranging from sweet to dry, and scrumpy to oak aged.

MOST hotel guests prefer not to know who their room’s previous occupants were, where they came from, and what they got up to. But sometimes tell-tale signs are left behind, and they’re not always very pleasant, as one extremely disgruntled regular visitor recently discovered at his Bangkok five-star hotel. The pillows on his otherwise fine bed were too hard for this man’s liking, but rather than disturb the housekeeping staff late at night, he decided to strip out the pillow from its case and fill it with a couple of towels. What was revealed truly shocked him – an inner pillow stained with most colours of the rainbow, left behind by a succession of hotel guests with an assortment of ailments and bad habits. Housekeeping was called, of course, and given a good dressing down before they replaced his pillow with a clean one, while an embarrassed manager was left to utter a few very unconvincing explanations. The guest checked out of the hotel the next day, while vowing to investigate the inner pillows of every room he stayed in thereafter. It’s a policy all hotel guests should follow.

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Expat

News

Guns, nightclub and a pop-up market: The barrage of noises that are wrecking my neighbourhood A Bangkok resident gets angry

 RECENT articles have discussed the increase in the noise levels in Bangkok, and not just the regular city hum: this is an essay which covers needlessly generated noise that blights lives. Noise that is created by those who don’t give a fig about the external effects of their activities – as long as they make a dollar or a Baht, why care about what other people think? We live in the Yen Akat area not far from busy Sathorn. Most know the area as a leafy and quiet enclave not far from the business district of Sathorn but the reality can be quite different. There are several sources of noise that have become increasingly bothersome over the past few years: First, and probably the most egregious, is the shooting range that started nearby. About three years ago they constructed a roof (but no walls) so that soldiers (and apparently, and unbelievably, some members of the public) can practice. If it were only relatively small guns then that might be acceptable – almost – but some of the shots are so loud they sound like explosions. It’s extraordinary to imagine what’s going on in some people’s minds if they think that shooting live ammunition in a residential area is a good idea. A five-star hotel has just been constructed nearby, and it will be interesting to see if the guests also enjoy the sound of gunfire while lounging beside the swimming pool. It is ridiculous that they ignore local residents’ views – who have complained, and when polled, over fifty per cent said they could hear it on a daily basis – even asking if they could stop shooting at the weekends. Or they could build soundproofing and make it less intrusive.

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Ask yourself, would you enjoy hearing gunshots intermittently at home through your day? We all know the jokes about men who need to play with something big to validate their masculinity, but how do you explain that to your six year-old daughter? Second, a nightclub/bar on Nang Linchee whose owners think it’s a great idea to throw open the doors late at night so that all the neighbourhood can enjoy the loud music they pump out. The club alternates between a talentless live band and taped music – to have the bass shaking your ceiling isn’t pleasant. This sometimes goes on until 2am which, particularly mid-week, is beyond being acceptable. There is an alternative to the noise – calling the police – and that works well. But should residents really have to do that just to enjoy a good night’s sleep? What’s wrong with those people that they just don’t care about their neighbours? Why can’t they keep their noise to themselves? They could do it 24/7, we wouldn’t care then. Another annoying source of noise, air and rubbish pollution is the thrice-weekly pop-up market on the corner of Nang Linchee and Yen Akat. This starts mid-afternoon until around 9pm and brings traffic congestion, noise and light pollution. Oh, and did I mention the rubbish? After the market is finished there are piles and piles of rubbish: food as well as plastic packaging and the like. Admittedly, they do a pretty good job of cleaning up the next morning, but not before some very well-fed rats and pigeons have had their fill. So the market makes a Baht or two for some vendors and keeps the local vermin in good shape

too – with the concomitant health risks that brings. One thing these have in common is a lack of law enforcement. It can’t be legal – surely – to have a live firing range in such close proximity to dwellings. Or at least they could make it quiet (which would involve some modest expenditure). For the nightclub, the police have visited so many times but nothing more permanent happens. It’s only a few metres from a nearby school and a university; aren’t there laws about selling alcohol so near to those establishments? The market is more a case of mission creep: it was once a week, then twice, now thrice. Local residents dread the day it becomes more frequent – and hope that it never will. Of course there’s nothing there that can’t be bought in any market anywhere else in Bangkok – but that’s beside the point when people stand to make a Baht or two. As it is, Bangkok is such a noisy city that many people simply don’t notice – or care – that things are getting worse. Groups such as Quiet Bangkok (www.quietbangkok.org) do an excellent job, but what with guards blowing whistles non-stop and noisy neighbours, where do they start? In our own building, many years ago we stopped the guards blowing whistles – we have light-sticks instead – and there have been no accidents or misunderstandings when people are driving in and out of the building. Who actually understands what the whistles mean anyway? It can be done; we all have to start somewhere. If we don’t then we are simply continuing to worsen our living conditions, rather than trying to improve things for ourselves and our children. – J.O.

Expat

Entrepreneur Awards 2015 Recognising the foreign community’s contribution to the Thai economy The categories include: •Charity •Consultancy •Discount Trade •Entertainment •Fashion •F&B Drinks •F&B Food •Graphic Design •Health And Fitness

•IT/Tech •Manufacturing •Media & PR •Property •Retail •Tailoring •Travel And Hospitality •Others (TBA)

If you are an expatriate entrepreneur with a business story worth telling, or you know someone whose company deserves recognition, please let us know. Entry to the awards is free. Company or business being nominated must be expat owned or managed, and based in Thailand.

Submit your company today! Contact thebigchillimagazine@gmail.com for more info.

Expat

Quiz

Q1. Who is Thailan d’s “New Be er Baron” in this article?

Q2. Name this famous model.

Blast From

The Past! Q3. Na me these two sociali tes.

We’re celebrating our 15th anniversary with a quiz! Put your expat knowledge to the test and see how many of these people, stories and pictures you remember… Q5. These are gentlemen rs of all membe ous which fam Bangkok club? Q4. Who is this?

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Q10. N a this au me thor.

Q9. W ha this pl t is ac and w e, hen did it open?

Q11. Name social anybody in this r answer page. Send you agato thebigchillim for a zine@gmail.com a bottle chance to win e ﬁrst of Campari (th tries ﬁve correct en ) will win a bottle TheBigChilli

Expat

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Q12. Name these anyone in nd your photos. Se thebigchil answer to m @gmail.co limagazine ce to win for a chan ampari C a bottle of correct e v ﬁ (the ﬁrst l win entries wil a bottle)

the Q14. Name ed by club launch n, e these two m nd a a r t Paris M. Ba anna Sanya Souv Phouma.

dly, Q17. Sa wn as n kno this ma Builder’ e ‘Bob th way in a passed s hat wa 2005. W name? l his rea 18

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Q13. Who is this man and what does he do?

Q15. Who wrote this highly succ essful novel abou t Bangkok’s nightlife?

Q16. What year did this article appear in The BigChilli?

Q19. When icle did this art he appear in T BigChilli?

Q18. Name the couple who celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary in 2005 (and are still going strong nine years later)

Q20. Name this longterm resident (photo from 2010).

hat Q21. W ng ngi was bri s to es happin oungthese y sters? Q22. What is the current name of this Bangkok pub?

Q23. Who is this media mogul and soccer clu b owner?

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h Q27. Whic do country ely v these lo il ladies ha ? from Q26. Nam e the Bang kok restaura nt r by Dylan un and Duangpo rn Q25. W this p ho is opu artist lar ? A1. Charoen Sirivadhanabhadi A2. Metinee Kingpayom “Luk Ked” (July 2002) A3. Dr. Parichart Jumsai Na Ayudhya and Jennifer Su A4. Clown Eckie (Eddie Hawarth in April 2002 issue of The BigChilli) A5. Rotary Club Bangkok South (photo: March 2003) A6. David Lyman (April 2002) A7. December 5, 1999 A8. November 1999 A9. The ‘original’ Q Bar (1999) A10. Chris (Christopher G) Moore A13. Jonathan Head, BBC corre spondent based in Bangkok A14. Bed Supperclub (2003-2013) A15. Stephen Leather A16. 2010 A17. Bob Kervorkian A18. Mr and Mrs Paddy Dickson A19. 2007 A20. Danny (Daniel) Poole A21. Operation Smile, a charity that fixes facial deformities A22. Molly Malone’s A23. Brian Marcar (owner of BEC-Tero) A24. Eric Levine A25. Elsie Evans

e Nam Q24. nce this o us famo ru. s gu ﬁtnes

Quiz

A26. Bo.lan A27. The Philippines

Answers

Expat

Gourmet Restaurant news & deals | Serving up | Recipe | Reviews

All in Thai taste Explore the culinary regions of Thailand without leaving Bangkok at Mode Sathorn Hotel page 24

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Gourmet Bangkok’s hottest dining deals and news

Weekday Buﬀet Special EVERY MON-THURS AT ATELIER RESTAURANT

Tapas by the river

AVAILABLE NOW AT SAMBAL BAR & GRILL

RELAXING by the river is always a joy, especially in the cool season. Royal Orchid Sheraton Hotel and Towers’ trendy waterside venue is a good option for doing just that this month – especially as you can now tuck into a new tapas menu featuring highlights such as Suckling pig spring rolls with sweet and spicy sauce; Vegetable tempura with wasabi mayonnaise; and Seared wagyu beef with roasted pepper, and caper berries. Prices start at B180++ per dish.

GRAND Millennium Sukhumvit’s popular international buffet restaurant is offering a weekday promotion featuring a generous spread of Indian, Chinese, Japanese, European and American cuisines for the special price of B1,400++ per person (add B680++ per person for free-flow wines and beer). Best of all – it’s ‘Come 2 Pay 1.’ Available every Mon-Thurs from 6pm-10.30pm. 30 Sukhumvit 21 (Asoke) Rd.

☎ 02 204 4161 :grandmillenniumskv.com

2 Charoen Krung Rd Soi 30 (Captain Bush Lane) 02 266 9214 :royalorchidsheraton.com

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Unlimited Thai cuisine EVERY TUES-SAT AT RICE & CHILLI RESTAURANT

LOVINGLY prepared by a brigade of chefs in an open kitchen, the ‘Gourmet One Unlimited Set’ dinner at Mode Sathorn Hotel isn’t short on theatre. Presenting gourmet renditions of traditional Thai dishes (think Tasmanian salmon spicy salad; Roasted crispy duck leg curry; Stir-fried marinated chicken with roasted chestnuts), it’s a great way to explore the different culinary regions of Thailand, and excellent value at just B1,900 for two(available every Tues-Sat from 6.30pm-11pm).

Saturday Seafood Brunch AVAILABLE JAN 10 ONWARDS AT UP & ABOVE RESTAURANT

THE Okura Prestige Bangkok has kick-started the year in delicious fashion by introducing a new Saturday brunch featuring a buffet of Thailand’s finest seafood and shellfish – including the nation’s favourite Ayutthaya giant river prawns – as well as a range of dishes cooked fresh to order. B1950++ per person, or B2,650++ per person with selected free-flow wine, beer and cocktails. Served Noon-4pm. The Okura Prestige Bangkok, Park Ventures Ecoplex, 57 Wireless Rd. 02 687 9000:okurabangkok.com

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Mode Sathorn Hotel (next to Surasak BTS Station). 02 623 4555:modesathorn.com

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Food from the heart

AVAILABLE NOW AT THE KITCHEN TABLE

FETTUCCINE and Maine lobster with dill-scented Pernod cream sauce, sliced organic fennel and Japanese salmon roe; Slow-roasted duck breast with orange sauce and a touch of Asian herbs; 48-hour braised beef short ribs – these are just a few of the highlights on Chef Thaneht Naovarat’s new ‘Food From The Heart’ menu at The Kitchen Table (W Hotel Bangkok). Well worth a look if you like comfort food cooked with love. 106 North Sathorn Rd. ☎ 02 344 4000 :wbangkok.com

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Gourmet Bangkok’s hottest dining deals and news

Dine in the Dark at BarSu AVAILABLE NOW AT SHERATON GRANDE SUKHUMVIT

PIONEERED in Zurich in 1999 by a Swiss socialite and trendsetter, who happened to be blind, the Dine in the Dark (DID) concept has since spread to Germany, Paris, London, and now Bangkok. Challenging, thought provoking and fun, DID takes place in total darkness (no luminous phones or watches!) allowing diners to get in touch with all of their senses – except one. Hosted by visually impaired guides, who welcome each guest with a brief introduction about the concept, the DID experience includes a choice of four fourcourse set menus (Asian, Western, Vegetarian, or a surprise) 250 Sukhumvit Rd. ☎ 02 649 8888 :sheratongrandesukhumvit.com

Steakology at amBar

UNTIL APR 30 AT FOUR POINTS BY SHERATON BANGKOK, SUKHUMVIT 15

STEAKS in all their juicy glory are the flavour of the next four months at this popular rooftop restaurant, whose new meat-focused special menu features fine cuts of beef from Australia, Canada, and Argentina cooked just as you like and served with all kinds of mouthwatering sides. Make sure you take a healthy appetite; portions are more than generous.

☎

Sukhumvit 15 02309 3000 :fourpointsbangkoksukhumvit.com

Sundowners at Octave AVAILABLE NOW

BANGKOK Marriott Sukhumvit Hotel’s stylish rooftop lounge and bar has launched a new Sundowners Promotion that makes easing the stress of work away that little bit easier. Simply order a signature Sundowners Cocktail (available daily between 5pm-7pm) and you’ll receive a cocktail of your choice at the same or lesser value for free. Teamed with some creative Asian tapas, it’s a great way to cap a long day at the office. Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit, 2 Soi Sukhumvit 57, 02 797 0140 :bit.ly/1COpipF

☎

Fisherman’s Market

Wine Tuesdays

EVERY Mon-Thurs evening The Square Restaurant is offering a special seafood buffet that features a selection of international cuisines and a variety of fish cooked fresh to order. Mackerel, sword fish, sea bass and grouper are among the grilled options, while barracuda, kingfish and red snapper are all available at the roasted station. Available from 6pm-10pm, the buffet is B960++ per person. Holders of selected credit cards benefit from a “Come-2-Pay1” offer.

TWO great deals await wine lovers every Tuesday night at Nest Rooftop and Lounge at Le Fenix Hotel Sukhumvit Bangkok. All-you-can-drink house wine is priced B600++ from 9pm-Midnight, and

UNTIL FEB 26 AT NOVOTEL BANGKOK PLOENCHIT SUKHUMVIT

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566 Ploenchit Rd. 02 305 6000 :novotelbangkokploenchit.com

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Royal Hyderabadi Fest JAN 12 - FEB 12 AT MAYA

NIZAMI cuisine in Hyderabad is steeped in history and rich with flavour. Good news, then, that you can sample it for yourself this month in Bangkok at Maya Indian Restaurant, which is offering a special menu featuring highlights such as Um Ka Murgh Haleem (a specialty cooked with meat and lentils), Hyderabadi Marag (a traditional thin soup of goat meat), and Pathar Ke Kebab (Kebabs cooked on lava stone), and many more. Holiday Inn Bangkok Sukhumvit, 1 Sukhumvit 22. 02 683 4888:holidayinn.com

☎

AVAILABLE NOW AT NEST ROOFTOP LOUNGE

there’s 20 percent discount on all wine bottles. A great excuse for a mid-week get together with friends. Nest Rooftop Lounge, 33/33 Sukhumvit Soi 11 02 305 4000 :thenestbangkok.com

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Scrapbook Last month’s foodie functions in focus

Mejico opens with a feast

CONTEMPORARY Mexican restaurant Mejico celebrated its soft opening at Groove at CentralWorld by inviting a group of VIP guests to experience its cuisine and drinks. Divided into three main zones with 135 seats, the restaurant includes a dining room, terrace, and tequila bar featuring more than 170 tequila brands from around the world. Open daily from 11am-Midnight. More info at: www.mejico.asia

Strip AD_New Zealand_Jan15_M4.pdf

12/20/14

8:43 PM

Italian wine showcase

GREAT Wines of Italy Bangkok, Thailand’s largest premium Italian wine tasting event, united world famous wine critic James Suckling with more than 40 of Italy’s most renowned winemakers, 58 leading Italian vineyards and boutique wineries, more than 120 of the finest Italian wines and more than 800 Bangkok wine lovers in a superb event at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok. The event was capped in grand fashion with a sold-out 11-course wine dinner.

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Scrapbook Last month’s foodie functions in focus

Belgian flavours at PRIME

EXECUTIVE Chef Koen Lefever from the Belgian restaurant group that manages Brasserie Pakhuis in Gent, Docks Café in Antwerp, and La Quincaillerie in Brussels, recently arrived in Bangkok for a guest stint at the Millennium Hilton Bangkok’s award-winning restaurant, PRIME, where he delighted guests with his famous Brasserie influenced cuisine (think Cod fillet with crushed potatoes, buttermilk and leeks; North Sea shrimp accompanied with beer mousseline; and grilled North Sea sole and fresh fries, carefully balanced with water cress and mayonnaise – all paired with Belgian beers).

Ceretto Wine Dinner at Fireplace Grill FIREPLACE Grill’s Executive Chef Leslie Stronach presented a five-course wine dinner featuring his signature dishes paired with wines from Ceretto, one of Europe’s most distinguished winemakers. Highlights of the menu included Roasted foie gras, confit croquette, rhubarb jus; and Roasted Wagyu beef short rib, Swede fondant, horseradish cream. Located at The InterContinental Bangkok Hotel, the restaurant regularly hosts wine dinners. Keep up to date at www. icbangkok.com.

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Scrapbook Last month’s foodie functions in focus

Casillero del Diablo in the spotlight

SEÑOR Marcelo Papa, Head Winemaker of Casillero del Diablo – one of Chile’s best known wines – was guest of honour at a special wine appreciation dinner hosted by Siam Winery at Blue Sky Restaurant of Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok. During the course of the evening Señor Marcelo presented wines from his vineyard and also briefed guests on the fascinating history of the Casillero del Diablo label.

PATA/SKAL Christmas Charity Party

MEMBERS of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) and SKAL Bangkok Club capped the year in true festive fashion with a Christmas Charity Party at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre. Nominated charities for the event, which featured a luncheon and silent auction, were the Good Shepherd Sisters Fatima Centre Bangkok and the PATA Foundation.

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Meet the Chef One thing you learned about cooking which amazed you? That technique is everything. If you know the technique and method – nothing can stop you! Your favourite cuisine and food? Three years ago I would have said French, two years ago Mexican, and today it is all about Thailand. The food here is so amazing and inspirational. I am learning new and exciting flavours and textures every day. Most influential chefs? This is a hard question, there are so many! Julia Child, Marie-Antoine Carême, Auguste Escoffier, Alice Waters, Ferran Adrià.

SERVING UP Chef Autumn McTaggart

The Executive Chef of The Gardens on her latest recipe, cooking philosophy and favourite comfort food

Have you cooked for any VIPs? A lady never tells!

Your all-time favorite restaurant? There was a restaurant near my house in Seattle called Cremant. It served the most amazing blue cheese and endive salad, chicken liver parfait and chocolate mousse you could imagine. Many nights my husband and I would go there, open a bottle of Rose and imagine we were in the south of France. So lovely!

Your favourite TV cooking show? Julia & Jacques: Cooking at Home.

Your newest recipes? Ginger fried turkey thigh and yeast raised lemon thyme wafﬂe. Black pepper maple syrup and sautéed king mushrooms & onion. What’s your cooking philosophy? The importance of using the best ingredients, the signiﬁcance of attaining clarity in a dish, and the value of using technique along with knowledge and love. Sounds so serious right!

What is your biggest culinary guilty pleasure, something that other chefs would maybe frown upon? I love chicken strips with a passion! Straight up panko crusted chicken with a side of honey mustard. It is my comfort food! Biggest culinary myth? That great food has to come from expensive ingredients. Some of the best dishes come from truly humble beginnings. Take a tough piece of beef, sear it, add some wine, aromatics, seasoning and stock and braise for a few hours. What emerges from the oven is a true transformation. A great braised beef dish is hard to beat!

About the chef

AUTUMN grew up on a farm in the tiny town of Custer, Washington, where she learned how food was produced at an early age. As her grandparents were commercial fishermen who dealt in Dungeness crab, shrimp, cod, salmon and rock fish, she also cultured a keen interest in seafood and its various flavours and textures. After graduating Edmonds Community College’s Culinary Arts Program as “Student of the Year,” she immediately hit the road to embark on an exciting career that has seen her cook her way through Ireland, Scotland, Austria, Czech Republic, Italy, Spain, France, England, Mexico, Barbados, Malaysia, Myanmar, Laos and much of North America, where she also starred, and landed third place, on the 2005 PBS reality show “Cooking Under Fire.” Prior to joining The Gardens in Bangkok as Executive Chef, she was chef de cuisine at Crush, one of Seattle’s premier fine dining establishments. Beef short ribs, BBQ pork ribs, crispy skin salmon and yeast raised waffles – these are some of Autumn’s favourite childhood foods, and she is constantly thinking of ways to reinterpret the dishes of her childhood in new, modern and creative ways utilizing the produce and products of Thailand. 

The Gardens Bangkok. 1217/2 between Sukhumvit Soi 59 and 61 (about 500m from Thonglor and Ekamai BTS stations).  02 714 2112 :thegardenspalace.com

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Salmon Oasis (Neo-Moroccan style) Enjoy your own gourmet experience at home by following this delicious recipe by Prathomrat Rakkanam, Executive Chef of Marrakesh Hua Hin Report & Spa Ingredients (1 serving)

stock and let it simmer for 15 minutes until all ingredients thicken before seasoning it with salt and pepper.

• 250g salmon fillet • 150g finely chopped baby spinach • 10g chopped red onions • 10g chopped garlic • 20ml yoghurt • 20ml orange juice • 50g couscous • 20g dried chopped apricots • 50ml olive oil • 50ml white wine • 500ml vegetable stock

Fry marinated salmon fillet

1. Add olive oil to a heated pan and fry both sides of the salmon fillet. 2. When cooked, leave the salmon fillet to the side.

For couscous

Herbs and Spices

• 10g onion powder • 10g ginger powder • 15g caraway seeds • 10g cinnamon powder • 15g fennel seeds • 5g curry powder • 15g cumin powder • 20g paprika

Method Salmon fillet

1. Clean and cut the salmon fillet into 2 or 3 pieces. 2. Place the salmon fillet in the mixing bowl and add onion powder, ginger powder, fennel seeds, salt and pepper. 3. Leave the marinated salmon fillet in a clear plastic wrap for 10 minutes.

Seasoning

• 20g salt • 20g pepper

Garnish

• Italian sweet basil • Yellow lemon • Red chilli

Moroccan spinach stew 1. In the preheated saucepan, add olive oil, chopped red onions, chopped garlic and stir well for a few minutes. 2. In the same pan, place chopped baby spinach, onion powder, caraway seeds, cinnamon powder, cumin powder, curry powder, fennel seeds and paprika. 3. Pour in the vegetable

1. Bring the vegetable stock to boiling and add salt and pepper. 2. Place dried couscous and dried chopped apricots in a bowl. 3. Pour the boiled vegetable stock in the couscous bowl then cover the bowl with the clear plastic wrap for 5 minutes.

Plate decoration

1. Lay the spinach on a plate. 2. Set the pan-fried salmon fillet on top. 3. Put some yoghurt on the salmon fillet. 4. Garnish the plate with sweet basil, lemon, and red chilli.

Chef in focus

akkana Chef Prathomrat R 34

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PRATHOMRAT Rakkanam (Pie) was raised in a home of passionate cooks and knew from an early age he wanted to pursue a career in the kitchen. After earning a degree in gastronomy from the Technical and Further Education (TAFE) College in Sydney, Australia, he spent five years honing his skills at the city’s renowned Rossini Italian restaurant. He then returned to Thailand and furthered his career with stints at some of the country’s leading hotels, such as Krabi Beach Resort, The Zign Hotel Pattaya, and the Dusit D2 Pattaya. Over the years he has taken part in many culinary competitions and was a silver medalist in the Pattaya City Culinary Cup 2013, and bronze medalist in the Thailand Ultimate Chef Challenge 2013. Now executive chef of Marrakesh Hua Hin Resort & Spa, he delights diners with authentic NeoMoroccan style cuisine at the Al Hamra Restaurant and Al Janna Beach Bar. Marrakesh Hua Hin Resort & Spa. 63/411 Petchkasem Road, Hua Hin.  032 616 777 marrakeshresortandspa.com

cut out and keep

Recipe

Dining out

Guest review by

Bangkok Beefsteak & Burgundy

Enoteca Italiana Bangkok Veal tongue and Langoustine tartare just two of the highlights at this popular Italian restaurant

T was a full house of 24 for our 7th consecutive visit to Enoteca. The weather was unseasonably overcast and even a few drops of rain fell during our celebration of our final lunch and the impending end of the year. Proceedings commenced with a choice of Campari and Soda or Prosecco Follador Dry from Veneto (our wine spokesman for the day, Oliver Schnatz, was positive about both) and a delicious canapé of cheese, truffle and potato. The increasing humidity prompted all but the die-hard smokers to seek refuge in the restaurant. As in the past, we reclined in comfortable widely spaced chairs as we awaited the arrival of Langoustine

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tartare (‘on the bark’) served with Prosecco. We were told to eat the tartare with our fingers as a spice impregnated napkin added extra flavour. It was very tasty and went well with the Prosecco. Next came Veal tongue in green sauce and Planeta La Segreta Bianco Sicilia IGT 2013 (Sicily). The wine was crisp, dry, and is very popular with Italian wine enthusiasts. We learned from Proprietor Nicola that the sauce (parsley, anchovy, garlic, olive oil and bread) originates from Piedmont and the dish is traditional for this part of the country. To quote our erudite Mark Guthrie (our food spokesman for the day), it was ‘exquisite.’ Continuing with Spaghetti (al dente and prepared with juice from tomatoes) and Burrata cheese, our next wine was Moda Montepulciano D’Abruzzo Tamellini 2012 (Abruzzo, Central Italy). I thought the pasta was excellent but we found a minority who apparently prefer their pasta soft. Oliver tried the bianco and the abruzzo, finding a reasonable match with both whilst giving an edge to the white. There followed Panzanese beef with hay sauce and celeriac purée. Nicola had given us advance notice that the beef would make firm eating but the taste of the beef and its sauce was great. Mark was able to tell us that the principle ingredient of the sauce was indeed grass harvested from a high pasture and that Dario Cecchini, an Italian beef gourmand, says that this is a medieval cut of beef from

the thigh that he revived in 2007. The matching wine, Conti Zecca Donna Marzia Primitivo 2012 (Puglia, Italy), was found to be a little young and, with 13.5% ABV, well short of some Primitivo wines. Notwithstanding, Oliver thought it was the better of the two reds, with adequate tannin and taste. It would not be a complete BB&B lunch if cheese was not served and here we found a cheese, Pecorino, from Tuscany made from a recipe 2,000 years old, hard, crumbly and very tasty enhanced by candied melon. Finally, Chef Stefano presented a colourful open Sicilian cannolo to accompany coffee. Mark was heard to express a wish for a second helping (making two cannoli?) but instead we were offered a choice of liqueurs by fellow guests to celebrate no less than four birthdays due to be celebrated around this week. As we have come to expect, the waitresses from Enoteca performed their duties extremely well and it was a pleasure to share with them our thanks and the customary gratuities. A great way to conclude our 2014 dining year! Enoteca, Soi Sukhumvit 27. Tel: 02 258 4386 www.enotecabangkok.com

Jumbo crab sandwich Oyster with pearl

Served up daily at aLL Six To Twelve Cafe and Social Bar on Sukhumvit 39. See http://bit.ly/1wvjOHU

Just one of the creative dishes available at Phuket's Aziamendi. See http://bit.ly/1AcVj8N

Dining Out Succulent beef

Perfect with a glass of wine at Wine Pub, Pullman Bangkok King Power See http://bit.ly/1AYkQm9

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Gyuniku Nikomi Slow-cooked Australian beef short rib coated What’s Cooking with “Miso” BBQ sauce, available at Hagi Hua Hin. A round up of this See http://bit.ly/1AYlQGY

month’s best gourmet deals. Yummy! Page 32

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Se cti on !

Ne w

Chef’s Table

Bangkok’s high end restaurant boom Four new venues to please food lovers

THE city’s dynamic dining out scene has gone into acceleration mode with the launch of four restaurants that gastronomes are already rating amongst Bangkok’s top venues. They include J’Aime, conceived and created by three-Michelin Star recipient Jean-Michel Lorain, who is making his business debut in Asia. After overseeing the construction and pre-opening of the restaurant, JeanMichel has left the kitchen in the capable hands of Amerigo Sesti, who has worked with some of the world’s most renowned chefs, as well as his daughter Marine Lorain, the restaurant’s maitred. J’Aime brings a new element to meals by combining the best in both innovative and classic French cuisine with the familiar comfort of the shared Asian table, giving families and friends the chance to sample a number of dishes on offer. The restaurant is located at the newly opened U Sathorn Bangkok hotel.

SET in the MahaNakon Cube on increasingly important Narathiwat Road is L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon, the latest addition to this highly decorated chef’s growing chain of stylish restaurants. Chefs working under Head chef Olivier Limousin experiment and create, combining different concepts in front of customers seated around a high bar that surrounds the open kitchen. Traditional tables and private dining room are also available.

J’aime by Jean-Michel Lorain, U Sathorn Bangkok, 105, 105/1 Soi Ngam Duphli, Sathorn Rd. Bangkok, Thailand. Tel. 02 119 4888 ow.ly/CU2t8

Joel Robuchon was instrumental in leading French cuisine away from the excesses – and excessive reductionism – of nouvelle cuisine. In particular, his cuisine was seen as harking back to a more authentic, even bourgeois French cuisine, which focuses on making each ingredient taste of itself. L’Atelier de Joël Robuchon 5/F, Mahanakhon Cube. 96 Narathiwat Ratchanakharin Rd., Silom, Bangrak Tel. 02 001 0698, reservations@robuchon-bangkok.com

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ON the sixth floor of the same building is the world’s first Vogue Lounge, a classy new destination for top quality food, classic cocktails and contemporary music. The cuisine here is presented in bite-sized servings created by Michelin award-winning chef Vincent Thierry. Vogue Lounge is owned by Sorapoj Techakraisri of Pace Development, who has hooked up with Conde Nast International Restaurants, part of the company that publishes Vogue, GQ, Tatler and Vanity Fair. The lounge is not connected to the Thai edition of Vogue. Highlights of this 400 sq m venue are the marble top bar and the valuable prints and paintings that adorn the walls. Vogue Lounge, MahaNakhon Cube, 6th Floor, 96 Narathiwat Ratchanakharin Road, Silom, Bangrak, Bangkok. Tel. 02 001 0697

PART of the Oriental Residence Bangkok on Wireless Road is Savelberg Thailand, a gourmet French restaurant founded and owned by Henk Savelberg, the man behind Restaurant Savelberg, an internationally acclaimed restaurant in Holland, which has been awarded one Michelin star annually, from 1997-2014. A 25-year veteran, Henk is the only Dutch native to be awarded a Michelin star in his four different restaurants. It is against this background that he has insisted on sourcing the freshest ingredients and paired them with hand-picked French wines to deliver a wonderful, palate-pleasing gastronomic event. 110 Wireless Road, Lumpini Tel: 02 252 8001 www.savelbergth.com Strip AD_Accidential Butcher_Jan15_M4.indd 1

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India’s home-grown sparkling wine MOET-Hennessy has launched a new line of sparkling wine grown and produced in India in a bid to create a new “consumption culture” among young, affluent and sophisticated Indians. The French wines and spirits house is launching an aggressive marketing campaign for ‘Chandon Nashik’ in a country where wine consumption is still low and the potential for growth very high, said Mark Bedingham of MoetHennessy Asia Pacific, in an interview with Harpers.co.uk. Produced in the Nashik region of western India, the home-grown bubbly benefits from the drier, more moderate temperatures of the area which is located inland and at a higher altitude, he told the publication. The Chandon Brut is a mix of Chenin Blanc, Chardonnay and Pinot Noir and is described as having a fresh aroma and “subtle complexity.” The Rosé, made from Shiraz, is ripe with red fruit aromas and a full flavoured palate. The luxury brand’s marketing strategy, meanwhile, is to catch both the demographic and the wine market while they’re still young. That means engendering brand loyalty among young, cosmopolitan and social Indian consumers while the wine-sipping culture is just beginning to find its feet. Chandon Nashik India is rolling out in wine shops, restaurants, bars, hotels and nightclubs across the country starting this month. India is the latest international market eyed by the French luxury group. Moet-Hennessy also announced plans last year to produce red wine in a Chinese vineyard in Deqin county in South-western Yunnan Province. – AFP

French vineyards in the doldrums FRENCH wine is having another bad year. Sales of Bordeaux abroad have fallen 18% to €1.8 billion ($2.3 billion) in the year to July, according to the Comité interprofessionnel des vins de Bordeaux. Wine from Bordeaux accounts for half the value of French exports, so it’s a good indicator for the rest of the country’s storied wine regions. Sales also fell in 2013, a long way off the heights of 2012 – when revenues from Bordeaux totaled €4.3 billion. The reason for the decline is both a poor 2013 harvest and reduced demand from buyers in China, where sales (by both value and volume) fell by a quarter. Hong Kong’s demand for wine from Bordeaux declined by 9% by volume. Until recently, wine was a status symbol among Chinese – to drink, and to give as gifts. Many Chinese buyers have also been snapping up vineyards in Bordeaux, Burgundy, and other appellations in France. But as a luxury good, wine has been hit hard by two factors: the economic slowdown, and the anti-corruption campaign spearheaded by president Xi Jinping. Officials are banned from buying or consuming big-ticket items, such as Burberry handbags or that Chateau Margaux from 1787. As a result, the South China Morning Post reported that China’s overall wine consumption shrank in 2013 for the first time in 10 years. Another reason the French hope the Chinese will resume quaffing wine in large quantities: they’re not drinking much themselves. In 1980, more than half of French adults were consuming wine almost on a daily basis; today, less than a fi fth do so. French wine consumption fell 7% in 2013 to 2.8 billion litres, according to the International Organisation of Vine and Wine – which means the US is now the biggest market world. – for wine in the world. Quartz 44

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Kurniawan’s private wine collection to be used to repay victims FOLLOWING Rudy Kurniawan’s conviction for mass wine fraud in the US, experts are set to inspect his private cellar to see if wines can be sold to compensate victims owed nearly $30m. Inspections of Kurniawan’s personal collection are due to begin this month. It is hoped they will go some way to repaying the millions of dollars owned to those who bought purportedly rare wines from Kurniawan – only to find they had been duped. Kurniawan, known as Dr Conti, is now serving a 10-year prison sentence and has been ordered to repay victims in what is known as the “Wine fraud of the Century.”

Contents of Kurniawan’s own wine cellar are said to be “amazing.” For years, Kurniawan was active in wine circles as one of the world’s wealthiest, collectors and dealers. Originally from Jakarta, Indonesia, 35-year-old Kurniawan was spending at his peak as much as one million dollars a month on wine. Most of that money went to buying the most expensive and sought after wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy. At the time, he was the world’s most active wine buyer and owned 50,000 bottles of very expensive wine. A search by FBI of Kurniawan’s residence led to the discovery of a wealth of materials that were used in the counterfeiting of wine bottles. Agents discovered several bottles of moderately priced California wine that were used in place of more expensive Bordeaux wine. Also discovered was a vast array of wine labels that could be placed on wine bottles from many of the world’s most expensive and in-demand wines from Bordeaux and Burgundy ranging from Château Lafite Rothschild, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Château Lafleur and Petrus. Kurniawan took possession of collectible empty bottles after the wines were opened at a myriad of wine tasting events and dinners. In 2006, he sold at least 35 million dollars of fake wine at auction.

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Feature

Richer & poorer

In this special report, Maxmilian Wechsler looks at Thailand’s wealthiest individuals and how they own almost half the country’s assets – then focuses on the poorest members of society and how they rely on loan sharks to survive

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At the top of the Thai Money Mountain The combined wealth of Thailand’s “50 Richest” is half a trillion baht greater than the national budget

“

total wealth of the remaining 69 million Thai citizens stacks up against those at the very top, but these figures are not readily available. A 2012 study by the National Economics and Social Development Board found that the top 0.1% own nearly half (46.5%) of the country’s total assets. A 2009 report from the United Nations Development Programme says that while the wealth inequality gap in Thailand has shrunk in recent decades, the divide remains stark, as indicated by the ratio between the average income of the top fi fth of households and the bottom fi fth. “In societies which value egalitarianism, such as Japan and Scandinavia, the multiple is around 3-4. In the rest of Europe and North America, it is 5-8. Among Thailand’s Southeast Asian neighbours, the figure is around 9-11. In Thailand it is around 13-15,” the report said. Forbes’ list of the country’s 50 wealthiest doesn’t take into account debts that may be owed to financial institutions within Thailand and abroad, but it is known that ordinary Thais are facing a heavy debt burden. According to www.countryeconomy.com, Thailand’s per capita debt in 2013 was $2,569, or 84,006 baht per person. The Bank of Thailand reported in July 2014 that in the second quarter of 2014 household debt stood at almost 10 trillion baht, about 83% of the Gross National Product.

A 2009 report from the United Nations Development Programme says that while the wealth inequality gap in Thailand has shrunk in recent decades, the divide remains stark, as indicated by the ratio between the average income of the top fi fth of households and the bottom fi fth.

“

“THAILAND’S 50 Richest” individuals and families are ranked annually on the Forbes website in order of their net worth. The latest list, published in June 2014, showed a combined wealth of US$97.2 billion, which comes to about 3.178 trillion baht. To put this in perspective, Thailand’s national budget for the 2015 fiscal year is 2.575 trillion baht. Heading the list for the first time is the Chirathivat family, o wners of Central Group, with a net owners w orth of $12.7 billion (415.29 billion worth b aht), while the poorest chap in baht), 550th position 0th position is Prateep Tangmatitham, a property developer worth a mere $305 million (9.97 billion baht). The total wealth of the 10 richest Thais and their families is $62.9 billion, about 80% of the 2015 national budget. According to Forbes, there are 26 people or families in Thailand with a net wealth exceeding US$1 billion. Most of the richest Thais are of Chinese descent whose forebears migrated several generations back. Some were able to become super rich partly through affiliations with powerful government and military officers. Many women from ethnic Chinese business families married high-ranking civil servants to cement mutually beneficial relations. This has been going on for decades and is woven into the fabric of Thai high society. It would be good to know how the

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Feature

CHIRATHIVAT FAMILY

• Net worth: US$ 12.7 billion (415.29 billion baht) • Source of wealth: Retail, real estate, hotels The Chirathivat family jumped from second place in 2013 to top the list for the first time. The family-operated Central Group (CG) is Thailand’s leading department store retailer, and family members are involved in many other businesses. The most visible are Suthikiati Chirathiwat, vicechairman of CG’s Supervisory Board, and Tod Chirathivat, now CEO of the Central Retail Corporation. Background: Tiang Chirathivat (born Cheng Ni-Tiang) reportedly emigrated with his family from Hainan in China, where he was a rice farmer. He worked in his father-in-law’s store before opening his own small shop in Thonburi in 1928. In 1947, Tiang moved to a large site on Sri Phraya Road and established Central Trading, a landmark step for the Chirathivat family. Anticipating a demand for foreign goods, Tiang stocked imported clothes, cosmetics, books, magazine and other periodicals. His business strategy proved to be very successful and he moved again to a building in Soi Oriental adjacent to the Oriental Hotel. In 1956, he opened the Central Department Store in the Wang Burapa district with his eldest son Samrit. The store was the first of its kind in Thailand and revolutionized the concept of retailing here. Among the innovations it offered was the introduction of fixed pricing to consumers accustomed to bargaining over every purchase.

countries, leaving Seow Whooy to manage the Thai operation. Following the communist takeover of China in 1949, the brothers decided to base their operations in Thailand, and adopted the surname Chearavanont. The CP Group has evolved into a conglomerate of hundreds of companies in many countries, including China.

CHAROEN SIRIVADHANABHAKDI

• Net worth: US$ 11.3 billion (369.51 billion baht) • Source of wealth: Beverages, real estate, finances Charoen Sirivadhanabkakdi, 70, is chairman of Fraser & Neave Ltd and also owns Pantip Plaza in Bangkok, Hotel Plaza Athénée in Manhattan and other hotels in Asia, the United States and Australia, plus residential, commercial and retail buildings in Singapore and Thailand. Background: Like most Thai tycoons, Charoen Sirivadhanabkakdi is ethnic Chinese, from a family of 11 children who migrated from southern China. His father was a fried mussel vendor in Bangkok’s Songwad district, and Charoen left school when he was nine years old to contribute to the meager family finances.

10 The Top

DHANIN CHEARAVANONT & FAMILY

• Net worth: US$11.5 billion (376.05 billion baht) • Source of wealth: Agribusiness, food The Forbes list drops Dhanin Chearavanont, 75, CEO & Chairman of Charoen Pokphand (CP) Group, to second place after being on top of the list for four consecutive years. However, a November 25 Bangkok Post newspaper article asserted that Dhanin is still the richest man in Thailand. Background: The roots of the CP group date back to 1921, when 18-year-old Chia Ek Chor and his 10-year-old brother Chia Seow Whooy arrived in Thailand from Shantou in southern China, and began peddling vegetable seeds from a cart. Shortly thereafter, they opened a seed, fertilizer and insecticide trading business in Bangkok’s Chinatown. In the early years, Ek Chor spent much of his time establishing new markets in neighboring

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CHALERM YOOVIDHYA

• Net worth: US$ 9.9 billion (323.73 billion baht) • Source of wealth: Beverages

Chalerm Yoovidhya, 64, jumped from 31st place in 2013 to the number four spot in the latest list. He is the oldest son of Red Bull cofounder Chaleo Yoovidhaya. When Chaleo died Chalerm and his brother Saravoot, Red Bull’s managing director, were left in charge of divvying up the vast family estate that includes a 49% stake in the iconic energy drink as well as interests in healthcare businesses, property and a sports team. Background: Chaleo Yoovidhaya moved from Pichit province to assist his elder brother in the operation of a pharmacy in Bangkok. The brothers eventually established their own pharmaceutical company in 1965. The Yoovidhya family’s extremely profitable entry into the energy drinks sector came in 1978.

KRIT RATANARAK

• Net worth: US$ 5.1 billion (166.77 billion baht) • Source of wealth: Media, finances, real estate

Media magnate Krit Ratanarak, 68, got a boost to his wealth after Japan’s Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group acquired a controlling stake in the Bank of Ayudhya, in which Krit holds 16%, to keep the 5th spot in the Forbes list. Background: Krit Ratanark’s father was Chuan Ratanarak, who was born in 1920 as Bak Chuang Sai Lee in the Teowcheow district of southern China. After arriving in Bangkok in 1926, Chuan worked as child laborer at the river port in Chinatown and later on small barges (lighters) on the Chao Phraya River. He founded Bangkok Lighters Co. in 1959, and his fortunes flourished in part because of a friendship with the politically powerful Field Marshal Praphas Charusathien, who served as chairman of the company. In mid-1950’s Chuan began a profitable association with the Bank of Ayudhya.

VANICH CHAIYAWAN

DR PRASERT PRASARTTONG-OSOTH

• Net worth: US$ 2.3 billion (75.21 billion baht) • Source of wealth: Hospitals, airline Dr Prasert Prasarttong-Osoth, 81, moved up from the 9th spot in 2013. The former surgeon is the founder of Bangkok Dusit Medical Services, Thailand’s largest private healthcare group. He is also founder & CEO of Bangkok Airways, Thailand’s largest privately owned airline. Background: Prasarttong-Osoth Co. was set up in 1927 to produce and distribute traditional herbal medicines. Prasert inherited this enterprise and, while maintaining his status as a resident and instructor in surgery at Bangkok’s Siriraj Hospital, he concentrated on three main lines of business – hospitals, pharmaceuticals and aviation.

• Net worth: US$ 3.9 billion (127.53 billion baht) • Source of wealth: Insurance, beverages Vanich Chaiyawan, 82, is chairman of Thai Life, the country’s second-largest life insurer. His net worth increased dramatically after he sold a 15% stake to Japan’s Meiji Yasuda in 2013. Background: Vanich Chaiyana began his entrepreneurial career at age 14 by selling cigarettes in Nakhon Pathom province, which he left six years later for Bangkok’s Chinatown. His first job in the city was for a commodities company where he worked until 1958 before setting up the New Vanich Partnership, whose main activity was trading rice. At about the same time he became an agent for Thai Pattaya Bank (later renamed and now merged with Krung Thai Bank), which provided financing for traders. His dealings with insurance companies led him to realize the potential of that sector and to buy Paiboon Insurance in the 1960s. In 1970, Vanich and close friend Kamron Tejapaibul acquired control of Thai Life Insurance Co.

SANTI BHIROMBHAKDI & FAMILY

• Net worth: US$ 2.8 billion (91.56 billion baht) • Source of wealth: Beverages Santi Bhirombhakdi, 68, is the head of the family that made its fortune off the popular Singha and Leo beer brands. The family dropped one place from the 2013 list, and there are those who say this was due to a boycott of the beers in the Northeast of Thailand during the anti-government demonstrations. Santi’s niece, Chitpas, was a strong supporter of the anti-government faction, and it’s alleged that she made remarks that offended rural people loyal to the now deposed former government. Very little is known of Santi’s background. *Source Forbes. All ages correct as of July 2014 Exchange rate at time of writing: US$1 = B32.70

VICHAI MALEENONT & FAMILY

• Net worth: US$ 1.7 billion (55.59 billion baht) • Source of wealth: Media Ranked at No. 8 in 2013, media magnate Vichai Maleenont, 94, saw his fortune decline somewhat as shares of his BEC World took a hit amid a floundering advertising market. Background: Vichai Maleenont was born in Chachoengsao Province east of Bangkok. At the age of 17 he launched a mini-bus service to provincial destinations out of Bangkok’s Hualamphong railway station. The business grew rapidly, as did Vichai’s reputation. He began expanding his interests with a small 2-star hotel known as the Tong Hua, a grocery store and a gold shop, all in the Hualamphong area of Chinatown. However, these businesses were all completely destroyed during World War II. Undeterred, he briefly entered into the money changing business and operated a service station. In the early 1950s he became an agent for Thailand’s state lottery. Taking the proceeds from this lucrative business, Vichai entered the property development sector and capitalized on military connections to win contracts for residential housing.

10.

THAKSIN SHINAWATRA & FAMILY

• Net worth: US$1.7 billion (55.59 billion baht) • Source of wealth: Investments Former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, 65, ousted in 2006 coup remains in the 10th slot with his fortune valued approximately the same as in 2013. While Thaksin now lives in Dubai, the family owns a controlling stake of SC Asset, a property developer formerly owned by Shin Corporation. Background: The roots of the family in Thailand reportedly date back more than 100 years to when Chinese migrant Ku-Cheng settled in Chantaburi Province in eastern Thailand. The family later moved to Chiang Mai, where the second generation established trade links with Burma and later entered the silk business. With Thaksin at the helm, the family expanded into other enterprises, most notably telecommunications. TheBigChilli

Feature

In debt and desperate, poor people turn to loan sharks as their last hope Using threats of violence and charging exorbitant interest rates, Thailand’s unofficial moneylenders are a growing menace By Maxmilian Wechsler WHENEVER a new government takes over, there are invariably pledges to crack down on loan sharks and help debtors. Promises and speeches are made, a few arrests make the headlines and maybe even some new legislation is passed, but nothing really changes. Loan sharks continue to operate as they have for decades, charging interest rates that are expressly prohibited by the law. The victims are mostly working people trying to make ends meet who find it difficult to get loans from financial institutions. But although the loan sharks offer temporary relief, the debtors’ financial problems are soon exponentially worse and they’re in over their heads just trying to make the interest payments. The problem is deeply-rooted in Thai society. Ironically, many people see the loan sharks as their last hope, especially in rural areas. Money lenders advertise vigorously to get new customers by posting flyers in various places targeting people in need of quick cash. What the flyers don’t say is that these lucrative illegal businesses charge sky-high interest rates, typically 20% a month, week or even a day. According to Commercial and Civil Code, the maximum interest allowed is 15% per annum. Here are some media headlines over the years telling of various government programs to help debtors:

T 50

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• “Projects help food vendors escape from loan sharks” (1999) • “AMLO seeks help for poor debtors” (2005) • “Helping poor settle debts” (2009) • “Loan sharks face government crackdown” (2010) The latest plan was announced by the Finance Ministry in November, following the self-immolation of Sangvean Raksaphet at a consumer protection office in October. Mrs Sangvean, 52, is a poor farmer from Lopburi who owed around 1.5 million baht to a local creditor after she was unable to keep up interest payments. She had put up her land as collateral. In an act of desperation, on October 16 she soaked her clothes with fuel and set herself on fire with a lighter at a People’s Service Centre opposite Government House while filing a plea for help. She was rushed to Vajira Hospital with burns over 50% of her body. The news was reported extensively in local and international media, sometimes accompanied by disturbing photos. This prompted promises of assistance from various government officials, including the Lopburi governor, the interior minister, the provincial police chief, senior military officers and even Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, who was in Italy at the time to attend an international summit. He instructed officials to help her. The creditor reportedly wrote off

Ten richest on the planet

The total wealth of the ten richest people in the world is an astronomical $554.2 billion, more than 18 trillion baht. Eight are from the United States.

her debt, but that won’t heal the scars on Mrs Sangvean’s body. As a first step, the new government plan would register people in debt to “underground” lenders in a nationwide database. The authorities would then design a response to reduce the debt burden of the borrowers. Details have yet to be fleshed out and it’s not yet clear if this proposal, unlike its predecessors, will be made a government priority. In recent months there have been warnings that the country’s household debt problems are starting to have a negative impact on the economy as a whole. The Bank of Thailand reported in July that in the second quarter of 2014 household debt stood at almost 10 trillion baht, about 83% of the Gross National Product. As regulated lending channels are closed to them, more people are turning to loan sharks to survive, which is a bit like a drowning man grabbing hold of an anchor to stay afloat.

1. Bill Gates (59) Net worth: $82.2 billion Nationality: United States Source of wealth: Microsoft

6. Charles Koch (79) Net worth: $43.6 billion Nationality: United States Source of wealth: Koch Industries

How the media report predator y lending

In Pathum Thani on February 16, youths aged from 8 to 14, ten boys and six girls, were rescued from a gang of money lenders. The gang forced the boys to collect debts from debtors and would beat them up if they resisted. At least one girl was forced to work to pay off interest on her loan. Some of the youngsters were the children of parents who owned money to the loan sharks. In July, police arrested five members of a ring that charged 20% interest a month and intimidated people who didn’t pay on time. Six members of an alleged loan shark gang were arrested by joint police and military team in Udon Thani in October. They charged very high interest and intimidated borrowers who failed to make daily payments. Also in October, a combined police and military team arrested three men in Banglamung (near Pattaya) who operated an illegal money lending business charging high monthly interest rates. The authorities seized, among other items, three handguns, ammunition and five motorcycles. The suspects were providing loans to customers in Pattaya and surrounding areas. The alleged kingpin of a money lending gang was shot dead while driving his car in November. The wealthy victim was said to be outspoken and have many investments in Trang province.

2. Carlos Slim Helu (74) Net worth: $79.9 billion Nationality: Mexico Source of wealth: Telecom

3. Warren Buffett (84) Net worth: $71.9 billion Nationality: United States Source of wealth: Berkshire Hathaway

7. David Koch (74) Net worth: $43.6 billion Nationality: United States Source of wealth: Koch Industries

8. Christy Walton & Family (59) Net worth: $41.1 billion Nationality: United States Source of wealth: Wal-Mart

Russian sharks in Pattaya

It is not only Thais running loan shark gangs – foreigners are involved as well. In 2013, Russian national Ayrat Khabiryanov was arrested in Pattaya and charged with predatory lending and working illegally in Thailand. He was alleged to be part of a gang lending to impoverished Russian compatriots and charging them extremely high interest rates. The gang had no dealings with Thai nationals. Police seized passports that had been kept as collateral. There are unconfirmed reports that Russian loan sharks continue to operate in Pattaya. With so many Russians visiting and living there, it wouldn’t be surprising.

4. Amancio Ortega (78) Net worth: $61.6 billion Nationality: Spain Source of wealth: Retail

9. Jim Walton (66) Net worth: $40 billion Nationality: United States Source of wealth: Wal-Mart

An official’s view

A law enforcement official with extensive knowledge of the illegal money lending business agreed to talk to The BigChilli on condition of anonymity. He said that most if not all Thai loan shark gangs are run by “mafia types” who are also involved in the illicit drug trade, casinos and other illegal activities. They operate in groups of five to eight people. He said there is also a set of ‘Thai-Indian’ lenders who tend to be friendlier and more reasonable than the mafia types. They lend only small amounts, mainly to slum dwellers or other very poor people, who often use the money to buy relatively inexpensive items like fans or other electrical appliances. They charge very high interest which increases if payment isn’t made on time. They won’t threaten people, but if there is a problem collecting money they will hire gangsters to do it for them, said the official.

5. Larry Ellison (70) Net worth: $51.8 billion Nationality: United States Source of wealth: Oracle

10. Alice Walton (65) Net worth: $38.5 billion Nationality: United States Source of wealth: Wal-Mart

Source: Forbes (http://www.forbes.com/thailand-billionaires/list/#tab) About Forbes: Forbes.com Inc., (www.forbes.com) is a leading media company and among the most trusted resources for the world’s business and investment leaders. Forbes is well known for its lists of wealthiest individuals in various countries. TheBigChilli

Exchange rate at time of writing: US$1 = B32.70

Feature

Here is the list of the richest people by their net worth in Southeast Asian countries. • Brunei: Sultan of Brunei (68), Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar Ali Saifuddien Sa’adul Khairi Waddien, net worth of $20 billion (oil, natural gas).

• Indonesia: R. Budi (74) and his brother Michale Hortono (73), $15 billion (tobacco industry).

• Cambodia: Kith Meng (46) $0.6 billion (television and telecommunication networks).

• The Philippines: Henry Sy (90) and family, $12.7 billion (diversified).

• Malaysia: Robert Kuok (91), $11.5 billion (palm oil, shipping, property).

• Singapore: Robert & Philip Ng brothers, $12.8 billion (property).

• Myanmar: Tay Za (50), his net worth is not known (Htoo Group of companies).

• Vietnam: Pham Nhat Vuong (46), worth about $1.6 billion (property developer and mall operator).

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• Laos: General Khamtai Siphandon (90), estimated net worth $800,000860,000 (miscellaneous business activities).

“

Most loan sharks have wealthy backers. They are rarely arrested, and to find evidence against them is often not easy. People are afraid to call police because this could cause conflicts with the loan sharks. They prefer to make an arrangement for repayment.

“

ASEAN’s wealthiest

Some loan sharks attach leaflets advertising their services to electric polls, bus stops, on the walls, telephone booths and so on. They often give them away near pedestrian bridges such as the one near Central Plaza Bangna; some even distribute them at markets. The leaflets usually say something like: “If you need cash, call this number.” At the bottom there is a mobile number. Photos taken at two separate locations in Bangkok show identical blue leaflets that say in Thai: “Express Cash” and “If you have no credit we can give you.” (See photos). Oddly enough, one of them was posted next to a leaflet giving information about Thonglor police station. “There are loan sharks everywhere. The typical borrower might be a vendor or lowincome villager. They turn to loan sharks because banks have rejected them for reasons like not having assets to use as collateral or not having a steady income. The average customer borrows from 3,000 to 10,000 baht and spends it on mobile phones or household appliances. Some people borrow more to pay off gambling debts or buy a motorcycle. “When people come to borrow money, the loan sharks will copy their ID and sometimes come to see where the borrower lives. If the customer cannot pay them back they will use gangsters or ‘people in uniforms’ to threaten them. In order to repay high interest loans some people become criminals, for example drug dealers,” said the official. “Loan sharks know they are running a risky business because the borrower may sometimes default and run. Therefore, they seek to increase their volume of customers. Debt collectors are employed by the loan sharks. They usually wear black motorcycle helmets and are paid a salary of 8,000 or 9,000 baht. They also usually receive 20% of the debts they collect from debtors who are late with their payments. Normally, loan sharks prefer to lend to customers they know but some will accept strangers and do some vetting before granting a loan. This includes a visit to their home. The official said calling the police if a loan shark resorts to intimidation is a waste of time because they know “influential people,” who may include local police. Bribes aren’t paid to government officers; instead they are hired to collect money or confiscate goods from the clients or their relatives and on top of what they are paid they will receive a ‘reward.’ The official said that the busiest period for loan sharks is usually before the new school terms in May or June, when parents are scrambling to find tuition money. “Most loan sharks have wealthy backers. They are rarely arrested, and to find evidence against them is often not easy. People are afraid to call police because this could cause conflicts with the loan sharks. They prefer to make an arrangement for repayment,” the official said. The period allowed for repayment could be 24 hours, 24 days, one month or longer. For short-term loans the client must return the principal and interest at the same time. If the amount is over 10,000 baht, a personal verbal guarantee from another family member may be needed unless it is an old customer. Guarantees like original title deeds or a car are usually required for large sums. With some types of loans the debtor may have months or years to pay back. Installments are collected daily unless another arrangement is agreed to. “The loan sharks prefer repayments to be made over a long period of time because they can charge more interest and make more money. “Often if a large amount is sought by the customer, a contract is inked, but it won’t say that cash was given but rather that some product was sold, like rice, and the debtor will pay in installments.”

The official said that every loan shark has their own set of rules for borrowing, interest rates and making payments. Sometimes after the debtor makes payments for a long time and then defaults the money lender won’t take any action. This depends on the money lender and it only happens after the principal has been recouped, usually several times over. However, many loan sharks are much more ruthless when the debtor defaults. “Most debtors pay back on time, but some double the interest when the debtor cannot pay on time. If they still don’t pay, they may be watched in a very obvious way by officials. They will be aware they are being watched. Someone may take their photo. This tactic usually scares the debtor into finding some way to make a payment. If none of this works, the loan shark will send people, including officials, to their home to seize items like notebooks, electrical appliances, motorcycles or jewelry. If they can’t find anything of sufficient value they demand money from relatives,” said the official. “Some loan sharks operate casinos. They will give credit to the gamblers, who might put up a car or motorcycle for collateral. If the gambler loses, the loan shark keeps the collateral until he is repaid, plus interest.” The official also remarked that as part of the current clean-up campaign, late last year workers from the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration were seen removing all kinds of leaflets attached to electricity polls, billboards, buildings, bus stops and even attached to ATM machines.

Looking for sharks

Finding loan sharks wasn’t difficult, even without the flyers. Most street vendors in Nonthaburi and Phra Khanong as well as ladies of the night on Sukhumvit Road know where to find one or more. Two Thai women who had previously borrowed from underground money lenders volunteered to make visits to offices they knew of and relate their experiences to The BigChilli. Here are their accounts:

Visit to loan shark #1

From the outside there’s nothing unusual about the two-storey townhouse in Nonthaburi that one loan shark has allegedly made his office for many years. When our undercover woman came to call there were three motorcycles parked outside, used by debt collectors. On the modestly furnished ground floor of the townhouse seven people, some of them debt collectors, were watching a DVD of a Chinese soap opera. They

kept black helmets with shields on them nearby. They ride motorcycles to the debtors’ homes or workplaces or they might meet in a restaurant or other public place. This loan shark lends amounts from 3,000 baht to more than one million baht. Most clients borrow five or ten thousand baht. “He will lend to most people because the profit is high and he doesn’t care what the customers do with the money. Sometimes foreigners with Thai spouses take short-term loans, but normally he doesn’t lend to foreigners. Interest rates range from 20% to 60%, depending on the amount borrowed and the repayment period. The longer the repayment period, the more interest is charged,” said the woman.

Visit to loan shark #2

The second moneylender, a woman, lives and works in a modest house inside Sukhumvit Soi 62. She is well known in the area which includes several slum communities and large apartments where poor people live. She lends between 2,000-5,000 baht to people she knows well. Local vendors can get a loan up to 10,000 baht. She lives in the house with her children and husband. You won’t see debt collectors hanging around, she calls them when needed. She charges 20% interest for loans with a repayment period of up to one month, the normal rate for most illegal lenders. Payments are collected daily, according to a regular schedule. If the debtor is a man, the collector will be a man, and if the debtor is a woman the collector will be as well. Customers must come to the house; she won’t go to see them. Normally only regular customers will get a loan. A stranger walking in will be refused unless accompanied by a known customer, who must make good on the loan if the borrower defaults. The woman copies both the borrower’s and the guarantor’s IDs.

Visit to loan shark #3

One of several loan sharks on Sukhumvit Soi 3 operates from a shop that is familiar to local sex workers and is open 24/7. Business is brisk and they don’t have to advertise. The woman in charge lends customers up to 10,000 baht. Payments are collected every day, usually 200 or 300 baht. The loans are for a short time only, usually up to ten days. The interest is 20% for loans with a repayment period up to one month. As is the case with the operation on Soi 62, a new customer must be introduced by someone she knows, and must act as a guarantor for the loan.

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Expat WOMEN p Put your feet up and indulge

In 2015, it’s all about the #jazztag. Find out why on page 58.

Book review

A short story collection by the Bangkok Women’s Writers Group Page 56

School report News and updates from the kingdom’s best international schools Page 60

Shopping

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Expat Women

Fiction

Monsoon Midnights: Buy it online! Turn on your Kindle and fire up Amazon – The Bangkok Women’s Writers Group’s latest work of fiction is now online and well worth a download  MONSOON Midnights is different.

It’s in the cover, a stunning modern image of fabled beings, flooded under the Monsoon moon, it’s in the title, it’s in the dreamy and evocative illustrations. But mostly it is in the stories themselves. Monsoon Midnights is a short story collection, 18 stories by 12 authors from the Bangkok Womens’ Writers Group (or BWWG). But it’s not your ordinary short stor y collection, either. The whole book reads like a novel. A mysterious, disembodied voice takes the reader on a journey through the air, through the water, on a racing motorbike or tuktuk, to each of

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the locations in the city where the stories are set. These locations are not your typical tourist venues either. An intriguing story map shows them spread out all over Bangkok, from Pak Kred and the Bang Sue canal in the North, along the river bank, to seldom visited historic places in Silom and sites hidden in plain view on Sukhumvit to obscure back sois in the East of Bangkok that even a local would have trouble finding. Some stories interpret the word ‘location’ in a wider, non-linear sense, including the air above and the ancient muddy foundations below. Monsoon Midnights was launched at the British Club on 14 December 2014 by an impressive line-up of six of the 12 international authors in front of a smart and stylish audience of book lovers (an achievement in itself). The show (it was a lot more than a mere author reading) started with a display of the hauntingly beautiful illustrations – teasers that will never be seen again except inside the book itself. ‘How can you make an author reading dramatic and entertaining?’ wondered one of the smartly dressed ladies in the audience next to me. I didn’t know either, and was a little apprehensive, since listening to a long string of spoken words can be quite exhausting. But I need not have worried. The six authors took us on a fascinating tour through their book, a sparkling display of their skill and imagination. The BigChilli’s Managing Editor Adam Purcell suavely hosted the event on behalf of the publisher (all stories appeared in The BigChilli Magazine as a monthly series before). Anette Pollner, BWWG leader and editor of this book, then introduced each story with a snippet from the connecting narrative, ‘under the Monsoon Moon’ in her notorious ‘neopsychedelic’ style. And, to my surprise, it was quite dramatic. Our journey took us from ‘The Lounge Singer’ by Mariejoy San Buenaventura to ‘A Night at the Library’ by Tracey Martin, ‘A Mystifying Evening’ by Bhavna Khemlani, ‘What Goes Around…’ by Morgan Pryce, ‘Benjakiti Park’ by M. S. Khan and finally ‘My Name is Mud’ by Anette Pollner. Ghost stories, haunting dialogues, achingly gorgeous and darkly dangerous cityscapes, mosquitoes, boats and crocodiles. Landslides and creatures from the bottom of the sea. Altogether, this is literary writing of a quality rarely seen in books about Bangkok, polished, stylish and often ‘with a twist’ or more than one... Listening to the six author voices, I could even imagine the book becoming

an alternative travel guide to the Bangkok tourists (and many locals, to be honest) never see but long to encounter. Just follow the map… After a refreshing afternoon tea, we reconvened for ‘Bangkok’s First Download Party’. As soon as the words ‘download it to your device’ were spoken, the audience of wellseasoned and well-informed readers whipped out their smart phones, iPads and even laptops, and hit the link. After about two minutes – success! Monsoon midnights was in their hands. People compared their versions (a great networking opportunity!) and started looking around in the book, there and then. After so much interactive audience participation, we were rewarded by the ‘reading with a twist.’ This turned out to be a ‘story medley’ – the authors read brief fragments from their second stories in the collection, remixed and all swirled up together, creating a soundscape, almost like a musical puzzle. The different voices, themes and moods formed a mosaic of the Bangkok night. Yes, an author reading can be entertaining!

The authors looked relieved and happy when they delivered their final farewell jumble – two years of hard work and inspiration had come to fruition. As for the smart audience, they left with a beautiful book, and not a gram more to weigh down their bags and pockets. Monsoon Midnights can be read like a novel, following the mysterious voice from story to story, from place to place, or you can just dip in and out between individual stories, creating your own medley remix every time. Did I say this book was different? In fact, it’s unique. There is no book like this about Bangkok anywhere. Read it and be surprised. Finally, the author bios at the end of the book are a bit of an eye opener: the BWWG writers include bestselling novelists, award winning poets, magazine editors (including the US, the UK, Australia, Chile and Germany) and creative writing tutors at local universities. It’s quite amazing how much talent there is in one little book about this big city. Don’t miss out and have your very own Download Party right now: http://amzn.to/1tj8fJr

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Expat Women

Profile

A Big Year for Jazziam In 2015, it’s all about the #jazztag

 WHEN singer and voice-over artist

Athalie de Koning founded her band Jazziam in December 2012, she had a vision: to bring old-fashioned jazz to haute-couture audiences. In a world where smooth auto-tune sets the trend for mainstream listeners and interactive live bands are increasingly replaced by cool lounge-beat DJs, Athalie strives to bring back the love of raw, real, unpolished jazz. #nofilter, please. With four traditional instruments at its core – vocals, piano, double bass, and drums – Jazziam focuses on connection rather than competition. The band has collaborated with other music groups, such as the Dutch horn section B2F and the Thai band Barbie Blues, and regularly invites solo musicians join in their sessions. Athalie believes that in the true spirit of old-school jazz, the most beautiful moments happen when you improvise, inviting playful connection in a back-andforth game of musical chairs. #jazztag, if you will. The original members of Jazziam all have daytime jobs next to their band career, meaning that they have to juggle performances with a full time workload. Pianist Paul Bebington teaches piano at Shrewsbury International School, bassist Jadesada “Jade” Kulphaisal has invested in several large franchises, and drummer Sarun “Nu” Ganyl teaches at SBS. During the first year, this meant a lot of schedul-

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A combination of the words “jazz” and “Siam,” it should come as no surprise that Jazziam has a deep connection with Thailand. Two of the band members are Thai – Nu hails from Chiang Mai and Jade is Thai-Pilipino – and Athalie spent her early years in Isaan, returning two decades later to live in Bangkok. This year, Athalie plans to explore Thai-language songs and sounds to incorporate into their style. Jazziam is releasing its first full-length album of original material in a few months, with a special Album Launch concert at the Royal Dutch Embassy. While the band will continue to base its operations in Thailand, they are keen to connect with the international jazz scene in order to keep expanding and improving. In July of this year, they will tour around Europe for one month, with performances scheduled in the Netherlands, Germany, Switzerland, England, and France. In the meantime? Jazziam wants to keep meeting real, trendy audiences like you to share the true jazz experience with. Tag, you’re it. #jazziam

Find Jazziam ing conflicts and missed opportunities. Athalie was part time professor of voice at Mahidol College of Music and worked as Choir Master for Opera Siam before giving up these jobs to manage Jazziam full time in March 2014. Since then, the band has been making ripples in Thailand’s jazz scene, playing at high-profile weddings, formal dinners, swing dance events, and giving back to the community through charity concerts. In the past six months alone, Jazziam has played in Pattaya, Krabi, Phuket, and all over Bangkok.

• Sunday Jazzy Brunch: 12.15pm3pm at The Living Room, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit • Monday evening: 9.15pm-Midnight at The Living Room, Sheraton Grande Sukhumvit • Thursday evening: 7.30pm10.30pm at Rouge Bar, Hansar Bangkok • On other nights they continue to perform in various collaborations and events around town. Check www.facebook.com/jazziaminfo or www.jazziam.com for the latest updates.

News

Education

School Report Winter Wonderland Picnic

Bangkok Prep offers A level scholarships

BANGKOK International Preparatory and Secondary School (Bangkok Prep) is offering an A level scholarship scheme for entry to Year 12 in August 2015. The scholarship is open to students of all nationalities aged 16 years with outstanding achievement in academic studies, sports and music. A total of three scholarships will be given, with a total combined value of up to over 3 million baht for the two years duration. The deadline for application is Jan 30. Successful scholarship placements will be announced on Mar 16. For more info about the scholarships and application details see: www.bkkprep.ac.th/scholarship

New degrees available at Stamford

STAMFORD International University, a leading tertiary institution in Thailand, has introduced new pioneering degrees, a flexible postgraduate MBA, and updated its programs across all faculties. Among the new offerings are the Bachelor of Arts in Creative Media Design; Bachelor of Science in Information Technology; and Human Resource Management course. Find out more at www.stamford.edu.

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FAMILIES with young children are invited to join a morning of wintertime excitement at KIS’s Winter Wonderland Picnic on Sat Jan 17 from 9.30am12.30pm. The picnic features arts, crafts, a scavenger hunt, entertainment, drinks and food, including snow cones. The planned activities are ideal for children from 2 to 6 years old. Entry is B300 per family. A free courtesy van will run to and from the MRT at the Thailand Cultural Centre, Exit 2. Tel: 02 2743444 ext 4125 email: robert@kis.ac.th

IPN event

One Million Baht Scholarship available at KIS

KIS International School is inviting ambitious students to create their own success story by applying for the coveted IB Diploma academic scholarship, also known as the “One Million Baht Scholarship,” for the academic year 2015-2016. The IB Diploma scholarship winner will be granted full tuition for the duration of the two-year IB Diploma programme, valued at around 1.5 million baht. The “One Million Baht” scholarship is open to applicants of all nationalities who are fluent in English and currently in Grade 10 (Year 11). Applicants should be academically strong and well-rounded. Candidates may be eligible for a partial scholarship. Applications are welcome until Feb 17. Academic scholarships for other secondary school grades are also available. For more info email: admissions@kis.ac.th www.kis.ac.th

Tips to help strengthen your relationship with your child – by Dr Thomas E. Dellario

THE International Parenting Network (IPN) will gather on Jan 27 at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand to hear guest speaker Dr Thomas E. Dellario discuss the importance of developing a closer bonding relationship between children and parents at home and through the school and how this can be easily achieved. Topics covered will include: The importance of family communication; How to convey family values to children; Disciplining children in school and home; and Drug education and peer pressure. 6.30pm-8.30pm. Free for IPN cardmembers; B600 for nonmembers (includes presentation, handouts, light dinner, one glass of wine and soft drinks). Tel: 081 826 2399 www.ipnthailand.com

School Report

Harrow

How Harrow InternatIonal ScHool Bangkok IS creatIng world leaderS of tomorrow Harrow Bangkok is known for its academic curriculum, with most of its students destined for top universities. What readers may not know is that Harrow’s Pre-Prep pupils are also developing essential skills to enable them to become the next generation of world leaders  “WE want all our pupils to become

creative, resilient problem solvers equipped with the skills to make them great people and future leaders,” says Mr Nicholas Prockter, Head of the Lower School at Harrow International School Bangkok. To that end, Harrow Bangkok’s PrePrep pupils (aged 6 to 10) are encouraged to develop a range of vital skills to ensure their success in later life, as part of the school’s co-curricular activities. This is closely aligned with the focus of its partner school, Harrow on the Hill in the UK, where 23 princes of the Royal Household of Thailand were schooled. As part of the core curriculum, students are immersed in the Leadership in Action programme of co-curricular opportunities, which is unique to Harrow Bangkok. Mr Prockter explains: “We have devised a programme of activities that take pupils out of their comfort zones. Whether it be rafting, trying to earn the minimum wage by cutting sugar cane or conquering a jungle trek, younger pupils are increasingly able to develop key Harrow leadership attributes.”

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The many Pre-Prep Leader positions, such as Head Boy and Girl, also allow pupils to be actively involved in school leadership. Whether it’s leading a school assembly, or showing prospective students and their parents around the school, the Pre-Prep leaders do so with confidence. Harrow Bangkok also believes that enterprise skills are instrumental to success, and visitors to the school will find students’ products sold in the school shop, as part of a project focusing on design, marketing and profit. Serving the community is a vital

aspect of the programme – and perhaps the most rewarding for students. Take, for example, the visit from less advantaged children from Klong Toei, where Harrow Bangkok students spend the day sharing the school’s state-of-theart facilities with them. “We are proud of the fact that our students consider their place in the world, the privileges which are theirs and their ability to improve the lives of others,” commented Mr Michael Williams, Head of Pre-Prep. www.harrowschool.ac.th What makes a Harrovian leader The six leadership attributes at Harrow • Contributing positively to the community • Applying knowledge with compassion • Solving problems collaboratively • Solving problems creatively • Making just choices • Facing challenges with determination

School Report

Traill

Traill inTernaTional School: a unique learning environmenT  TRAILL was founded in 1966 by the

late Anthony Traill whose vision was an outstanding British school set in a warm and caring family environment. The homely feel continues to this day and can be felt upon entering the campus. This school community is a happy place with many students calling it their second home. Students are nurtured to reach their potential with the individual attention offered by a student:teacher ratio of 8:1. The academic results over the years speak for themselves with students achieving places in the world’s leading universities. The particular highlight are the scholarship places that are offered to our students to some of these universities. Our sports teams reflect a very competitive team spirit with multiple BISAC Championships in sports such as basketball, football and tennis. There are regular tours overseas and the teams take

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part in the biggest regional tournaments in Asia. The school has always been able to attract the highest calibre of staff who share the school’s vision – that is to have a real interest in the development of the child and to make them the best they can be. However, what sets us apart is the ‘opportunity’ offered to all students to fully take part in their area of interest, regardless whether they are gifted or not. The support of talented teachers has resulted in the successes produced by a small school comparable in number to far larger schools. With another major development in the construction facilities about to take place, we look forward to another year of progress and consolidation of success, as guided by the founding vision and principles set by the founder 49 years ago. Traill International School, Ramkhamhaeng Soi 16. Tel: 02 718 8779 www.traillschool.ac.th

News

Education

Last Night of the Proms: The Night of Love

SHREWSBURY International School in Bangkok staged its annual Last Night of the Proms concert on October 30. The sell-out event, generously supported by sponsors British Airways and Bentley, proved a magnificent centerpiece in the school’s busy musical calendar and a great advertisement for the depth of musical talent that is nurtured at Shrewsbury International School. After a fantastic buffet dinner laid on in the school grounds, the audience was treated to an exciting and varied musical programme and the theme tunes of ‘The Night of Love.’ The concert culminated in the traditional suite of quintessentially British anthems with the sounds of Rule Britannia accompanied by an ever enthusiastic crowd, singing and waving their flags in the stalls.

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Expat Women

Shopping

MARC JACOBS MIDNIGHT IN PARIS  INSPIRED by the beauty

TOW SKIM

and allure of Paris, Marc Jacobs Beauty has released a limited-edition collection of make-up comprised of dark, blacquer and bleu colours – the perfect homage to the style and femininity of The Parisienne. Highlights include Enamored Hi-Shine Nail Lacquer in Midnight in Paris (US$30); The Sky-Liner 7-piece Petites Highliner Collection (US$56); and Blacquer and Bleu 5-piece Eye Essentials Collection ($99). Available now at SEPHORA, select Marc Jacobs stores, and on Sephora.com and marcjacobsbeauty.com.

 DEVELOPED by Australian

expat Mark Breit together with his three young sons, Jack, 10, Connor, 8 and Tyson, 5, this new product is a beach board with a rope attached that enables kids of all ages (as long as they have another kid or adult to pull them) to speedily skim across the shallows of the beach anywhere in safety. It promotes coordination, balance, confidence and fitness – and it’s a lot of fun too. Three colours are currently available: O-wesome! Orange, Go-Faster Green, and Blast-Off Blue. Available to purchase online for US$99.95. www.towskim.com

TEFAL ON SALE

Talking

Shop Hot products and stores demanding your attention

 KITCHEN equipment looking a bit shabby? Check out Tefal’s

premium cookware. Until the end of the month the brand is offering special deals on items such as the Bread Lover Set (B1,490), which includes a toaster and a sandwich maker; the Tea Time Set (B1,690), which includes a kettle and a sandwich maker; the Metal Series Set (B2,190), which includes a kettle and a toaster; and the Double Plancha Set (2490 Baht), which features two electronic BBQ grills. Available at participating department stores and authorized dealers while stocks last. www.facebook.com/TefalThailand

THAICRAFT FAIR  EXPECT to find all kinds of interesting products at

this month’s edition of the ThaiCraft Fair at Jasmine City Building (Sukhumvit Soi 23, near Asok BTS). As well as a range of handmade products direct from the villagers who create them, the Fair will also have a workshop where you can learn how to transform water-clogging weeds into a useful basket. Sat Jan 24. Open 10am-3pm. www.thaicraft.org

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Q&A

Business

Thai One Mall: Linking Thailand and China through business Vivacious entrepreneur launches online portal featuring top Thai products for Chinese consumers BORN in China, raised in Thailand, entrepreneur Gegee (Rui) Guo is passionate about bringing the two countries together through business. As the managing director of Jiaranai Entertainment Co., Ltd and Thai One Mall Co., Ltd., she oversees @MANGU Magazine (the first Chinese language magazine in Thailand) and last month launched Thai One Mall – an E-commerce venture linked with Alibaba (one of the world’s largest online retailers) – which offers Thailand’s most popular food, beauty and other products to consumers in China.

at Sainampeung School and then took an entrance exam to enter the Faculty of Humanities at Kasetsart University. I graduated with 1st Class Honors with a Major in Chinese language, and then worked for three years as a Chinese language teacher at Kasetsart University and University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce.

Q: How about Thai One Mall? A: Thai One Mall is a new E-commerce website which sells the best of Thailand’s products to Chinese customers. My team and I are working hard to create a good relationship between Thailand and China and we are very proud to promote this website. Q: It sounds like you are ver y busy. What do you like to do in your free time?

Q: Please can you tell us more about your background? A: I’ve been living in Thailand since I was young and studied at a Thai school as my family wanted me to get used to the Thai way of life. I studied high school

Pictured (from second left to right): Wendy Sun, Head of Business Development Alipay-International Business (Alibaba Group); Gao Wenkuan, Distinguished Economic and Commercial Counselor of China Embassy to Thailand; Gegee (Rui) Guo, CEO, Jiaranai Entertainment Co.,ltd and Thai One Mall Co., Ltd.; Siwat Luangsomboon, Head of Regional Investment, Kasikorn Research Center

Q: What are your current businesses? A: After graduating I also started working in the media industry – which I still do now – and I also look after the family business, which involves selling musical instruments. Q: What motivated you to launch Jiaranai Entertainment Co., Ltd? A: I previously worked with a Chinese language TV program and I found that Chinese language media in Thailand has yet to fully meet the demands of Chinese expatriates and tourists. I wanted to follow my dream and open a company using my cumulative experience and expertise to meet the needs of Chinese people who are interested in news and events in Thailand. This led to the launch of @MANGU magazine – a modern publication with extensive content and pictures, different to traditional Chinese newspapers, which has been receiving great feedback. 70

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A: I rarely have free time because I also work during the weekends, but if I do manage to grab a quick break I like to enjoy handicrafts, such as mending or altering old clothes, making custom ornaments, etc. I’ve been really busy recently, though, so if I’m free I mostly stay at home and read books. Q: What are the secrets of your success?

A: First of all I have to thank my parents who cultivated the importance of education in me. My parents never sent me to an international school because they wanted me to speak Thai well. I think that my ability to speak and understand both Thai and Chinese helps to support my success in business, and I also think it is because I love Thailand and I want Chinese people to love Thailand too. Q: Do you have any tips for budding entrepreneurs? A: Question your motivations. Are you doing something because you want to do it, or because you see others doing it? If you commit to something you really want to do, success is within your reach. www.thaionemall.tmall.hk

Expat Women

Advice

Ask the experts

Send your problems to: thebigchillimagazine@gmail.com

Expat life getting you down? Don’t suffer in silence. Send in your problems and get advice from professional counsellors Anette and Johanna

Open relationship too hard to handle

Dear Emil,  I think only you can answer this

question, but I can help you to reflect on your situation and ask some questions of my own. First of all: what were the agreeI’M NOT the kind of person who ments the two of you made when you would normally write in to a column married? Did you agree to be faithful to like this but I desperately need help each other? If yes, you need to ask yourself the question “am I for an issue I’m struggling with. willing to change this deal and still stay married?” My wife and I have been marSecond: are you and your wife willing to improve your ried for nine years. Like all married couples we have had marriage relationship? Maybe your wife is not willing to go for our ups and downs. One of the downs came early in our counselling, but in that case you could start going by yourself. marriage when my wife was working abroad and I fell in Explore what dreams you have for your life and your marriage love with a woman at my workplace. and what values you want to hold on to. I did not pursue the relationship but told my wife If the two of you went for counselling together, you would honestly about my feelings. I asked how she would feel if certainly also have to address the fact you fell in love with someI explored my relationship with the lady from my workone else, although you did not pursue it. Often such knowledge place further. My wife said that this would damage our has a damaging effect on a marriage. A woman can start to marriage and she could not tolerate it. doubt herself and compare herself with the competitor. And it I respected her and refocused my attention on our seems that you were not able to reassure her that she is your marriage. ‘chosen one’ even though you did not pursue a relationship with But it seems that my wife could never forget this incithe other woman. dent. Not that our relationship went completely sour, but Thirdly: what is/was your sexual intimacy like? Your wife somehow it was no longer warm and loving. wanted to have sex with someone whom she found attractive, so About three years after this incident my wife began was there something missing in that aspect? Frequency, tenderto be ver y withdrawn and then, nine months later, she ness or excitement? finally told me she wanted more from life than what we The fact that you write “I cannot live with a wife who sees had together. someone else” gives your answer. She asked for my permission to have sex I would like to ask you if you dare to just one time with a guy she found claim your own territory, and set your own attractive. I wanted her to be hapboundaries, or do you always want to please py so I agreed, but after wards I felt the other person and sacrifice self? Do you devastated and told her “I cannot live feel guilty about claiming your own wishes with a wife who sees someone else.” and desires or do you still feel guilty about She told me she would stop but a few your ‘falling in love”? weeks later she had another encounter In order for both of you to restore your with this man. relationship you both need to be willing to I asked whether we could go for marforgive past issues and learn communicariage counseling but she is not willing. tion skills and openness. It takes two to Now I am torn: should I give her tango, so both of you need to be willing. freedom in our relationship and have an If not, then you will have to deal open marriage, or is my request that she with the consequences that might occur tor ical Direc commits to our marriage reasonable? is the Clin ned in the S when you state your boundaries. M g in DeKon She trai • Johannaounseling Center. I wish you strength and wisdom C . ia S al C tr N of ds and Aus Emil, 43, from Denmark Netherlan for this.

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Expat Women

Advice

No joy at Christmas

I want to ask about something that some people may find difficult to hear, so I completely understand if this letter is not published. Here it is: I went home to England for Christmas and I hated it. I hated the whole holiday frenzy, I hated the weather, but, much worse, I hated the whole event, the fake togetherness, the pretense of harmony, and, worst of all, I ended up hating my family. I was shocked. At first I didn’t even want to admit it. After all, I miss my family all year round (I’ve been in Bangkok for five years), and I paid a whole lot of money to be with them over Christmas, plus taking time off from my employers. I thought there would be a lot of support but instead I realised that my family understand me less and less the longer I live abroad, and although they have visited me in the past, they seem really narrow-minded to me. They are not even really interested in my life. Now I am back in Bangkok, and on the one hand I am relieved, but on the other hand I feel ver y low. It’s almost as if I’ve lost my family, somehow. It’s hard to explain. All I can think of is the one Christmas, three years ago, that I spent in Thailand, and how relaxing it was. Am I a terrible person? How can I feel better?

Poppy, 26, from England

Dear Poppy,  Some people might find this shocking,

perhaps, but I am pretty sure than many more can relate to your experience. Somehow, when we live abroad, many of us cling to the fiction of a perfect family back home. And going home for Christmas is such a ritual (and such a great effort) for foreigners in Bangkok that we feel it has to be worth it. And of course, through that, we create even more hypocrisy. I suppose Christmas is the kind of time in any family where the cracks will show and, if we’re unlucky, open up the deep divisions that exist anyway but are usually smoothed over. But when you are visiting from afar, you suddenly have to spend many days, or even weeks, with people whom you only see once a year. There is something artificial about this family intimacy, but again nobody is supposed to say so. Silence in families is generally considered toxic. Conflicts that could be resolved are pushed under the carpet until they explode. Important issues are allowed to fester. ‘But it’s Christmas…’ If you have a family tradition of pretending everything is fine, that’s a problem in itself and maybe the real cause for your low mood. 74

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It could be worth investigating your past for clues. I can see two additional issues here: for you, the family at home is a static image, like a photograph, that you can take out and look at to comfort yourself far away, but of course their lives continue and they continue without you. Maybe your family is narrow minded, or maybe they just naturally focus on what is important in their own lives, and that is close to home. This is painful. Moving abroad and visiting seldom will divide you. It will change your relationships from everyday contact to ‘special occasions,’ and of course the most special of those occasions is Christmas where many people feel that they have to play a part rather than be themselves, as if the whole season was one big piece of theatre. The other issue could be that, at your age, you haven’t properly separated from your family in psychological terms. You are no longer a child, and your parents are, in some ways, just other adults who live their own lives. The parental function of support and emotional closeness is not as strong, and the relationship is more equal. That means you see each other much more how you really are. And it seems you can’t talk about it... Maybe you should take your low mood seriously and ask yourself if going home for Christmas is really the best thing for you and your family. Now I’ve said something shocking. Maybe it would be better for them to visit during their holidays, when expectations are not so high and activities can be more spread out. Because one thing is clear: it’s your life. You are on your own. In a way, your family is unintentionally helping you to grow up. Maybe not what you wanted to hear, but I • Anette Pollner consider it good news. of seven internatiAdv. Dipl. Couns., is one Counseling Centeonal counsellors at NCS Happy New Year! r in Saphan Kwai. in

London and the She trained counsellor at Bart’sUS and worked as a staff Hospital in Lond on.

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

Expat

Business

By Kittima Sethi

What’s in a brief? About to embark on a marketing campaign with a PR agency? Follow these top tips for maximum results

 I REMEMBER watching an episode of a home improvement TV show where a couple returned home from a weekend holiday to find that the painter had chosen the wrong shade of colour to paint their bedroom, and what they’d hoped would be a new beach-themed bathroom looked like a kid’s bathroom! Now that’s a double whammy, isn’t it? Of course, this led to arguments with each party blaming the other for not providing clear instructions and details. Did the contractor show the owner the shade of colour he was to use for painting before starting the job? Did the owner give the contractor a clear outline on what he expected the bathroom to look like? We often receive calls or emails from potential clients requesting marketing and PR support for their products or services. On many occasions during the initial meetings, clients are either teeming with excitement because

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they have so much to share or are apprehensive because they do not know what is possible. Our magical tool to help clients focus is the briefing sheet. This is a crucial document for marketing and PR agencies as it forms the foundation for creating a successful marketing or PR campaign. A clear brief helps agencies deliver work that meets the clients’ expectations. From the clients’ perspective, a brief helps to keep them focused on what actions they want to roll out, what they want the agencies to contribute and what they are looking for as a return for their investment. It’s a win-win for both parties as it creates clarity, produces an effective work process and most importantly, builds a trusting working relationship. And like the word itself, it’s called a “brief” because it’s meant to be concise, clear and coupled with all relevant information.

A brief also serves as a reference point for both parties. Once the client has defined the objectives and written this down, it becomes easier for both parties to stay focused. Here are some tips to ensure that the agency is receiving a good brief to help them come up with a campaign that will excite you and deliver great results.

Provide a background of your business Give the agency an overview of your business and what makes you unique. Be honest and open so that the agency understands both the strengths and challenges of the company.

Clearly define your goals and objectives Explain to the agency what has led

you to a campaign or project you want to embark on. What do you want to communicate to the public? Be clear with your objectives and what your expectations are. Do you want to launch a new product or service in the market? Do you want to improve your brand image? Do you want to make a public announcement? Explain where you are now and where you want to be.

Know your target audience The target segment is important as not every person is attracted to the same products or services. Who do you want to influence and what’s the psychographic and demographic of the target market? Do you want to reach different groups for different reasons? What are the needs and wants of the target market that are to be addressed in this project? Have you conducted market research or will this be part of the brief to the agency?

Types of marketing and PR support required What’s the best way to reach out to your target audience, based on your experience with a previous

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communication channel. There are both offline and online marketing and PR support available, whether it is through media relations (press releases or interviews), events, direct marketing, online engagement, etc. If you’re unsure, a formal or informal research can provide the needed information.

Timescale Inform the agency when you want to start and how long you want the campaign or activity to last. This will allow time for the agency to prepare and work backwards for the roll out.

Budget The budget is critical as it affects the choice of activities and scale of campaign and work. Providing a budget gives the agency parameters to work within and

makes sure that creative ideas fit the allocated budget.

How will you measure success? Agencies want to know how you’ll measure the results. Share with them what your KPIs are and what you want to achieve by the end of the program. Now that you have shared this information with the agency, remember to review it once again with them to avoid any misunderstandings. With a detailed brief, the agency should be well on its way to propose a campaign to meet your needs. Kittima Sethi is a PR consultant at Brand Now Co., Ltd. Now that you know how to create a good brief, email her at kittima@ brandnow.asia to see how you both can create a captivating campaign!

8/31/12 2:58:57 PM

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Y O U R U L T I M A T E W H A T ’ S O N G U I D E F O R J A N U A R Y 1 5

What’s on

pArt pPerformance pSport pFootball pMovies & Albums pBooks

City living and its effects on the psyche are examined in thought-provoking fashion in Urban Corner. Page 80.

The 1975

The UK’s indie rockers will make their Bangkok debut on Jan 25 Page 82

Michael Bublé Run for it The chart-topping Canadian crooner returns on Jan 24 Page 82

Athletes have a wealth of marathons and running events to chose from Page 84 Page 84 TheBigChilli 79

What’s On|Exhibitions

Art

3/2 15/3

Urban Corner

CITY living and its effects on the psyche are examined in thought-provoking fashion in this new series of paintings by Saitle Ngaorsai, who brings to life the rat race of Bangkok through a range of faceless characters in familiar settings. DOB Hualamphong Gallery, DOB Building 4F, 318 Rama 4 Rd. Open Tues-Sat 10.30am-7pm; Sun at 10.30am-5.30pm (closed Mon). 02 237 5592-4 :ardelgallery.com

☎

7/2 5/3 Fluid Abstraction Until 31/1

A TEXTILE artist by training, John Martono’s approach to his art is experimental and intuitive. For his debut exhibition in Bangkok, the Indonesian artist presents a series of abstract compositions featuring acrylic paints on high quality silks, with textural effect added through embroidery. La Lanta Fine Art, 245/14 Sukhumvit Soi 31. Open Tues-Sat 10am-7pm. 02 204 0583 :lalanta.com

☎

Pastorale

22/1 8/3 Kurosaki Akira

KUROSAKI Akira, one of Japan’s leading contemporary printers, presents three collections of prints at Ardel Gallery of Modern Art. The Forbidden Zone explores the aftermath of the 2011 Tsunami in Japan; The Eight Views of õmi celebrates the country’s natural beauty; and Man’yõ is inspired by Japan’s traditional poems. Ardel Gallery of Modern Art, Boromrachachonnanee Rd. Open Tues-Sat 10.30am-7pm; Sun at 10.30am-5.30pm (closed Mon). 02 422 2092 :ardelgallery.com

☎

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HELD at G 1 Contemporary, H Gallery’s new art space at Gaysorn Shopping Center in Bangkok, this exhibition of paintings by Chiang Mai-based artist Mit Jai Inn has been specially created to reflect on the rapid growth of the Ratchaprasong intersection, and comprises large canvasses with the artist’s characteristic repetition of bold passages of colour.

G 1 Contemporary by H Gallery (ground floor of Gaysorn), 999 Ploenchit Rd. Lumpini. Open daily 10am-8pm :hgallerybkk. com :gaysorn.com

Until 17/1

Hope: Me My Mind: Part 2

SUFFERING and disappointment are part and parcel of life, but one should never give up hope. That’s the concept behind Manit Srisuwan’s second series of striking paintings which explore how true happiness is simply a state of mind. Number 1 Gallery, The Silom Galleria Building, Silom Rd. Soi 19. Open Mon-Sat 11am-7pm. 083 445 8333 :number1gallery.com

☎

What’s On|Performance

Stage

The 1975

25/1

THE UK’s indie rockers will make their Bangkok debut with a round of Sex, Chocolate, Girls and other catchy tracks from their chart-topping self-titled debut album.

Centerpoint Studio Thailand (Sukhumvit 105). Tickets: B2,000 or B3,000 :thaiticketmajor.com

Michael Bublé

24/1 27/1

NINE years since his last performance in Thailand, the chart-topping Canadian crooner will return to Bangkok this month to perform songs from his new album, To Be Loved, as well as ballads from his favourite artists, such as Frank Sinatra’s Make Me Feel So Young, the Bee Gees’ To Love Somebody, and Elvis Presley’s Have I Told You Lately – all rearranged and delivered in Bublé’s trademark style. Impact Arena (Muang Thong Thani). Doors open 7.30pm. Tickets range B2,000-B6,500 :thaiticketmajor.com

Zimerman Plays Brahms

AWARDED First Prize in the Chopin Competition at the age of 18, pianist Krystian Zimerman has since enjoyed a world-class career working with the world’s most prestigious orchestras and giving recitals in top international concert halls. Catch him as he joins The Bangkok Symphony Orchestra, under the baton of Charles Olivieri-Munroe (the Principal Conductor of Philharmonie Südwestfalen in Germany), to perform Brahms Piano Concerto No 1. Thailand Cultural Center, Main Hall. Performance at 8pm. Tickets range B800-B4,000 :thaiticketmajor.com

14/2 Deers

FANCY a dose of low-fi garage rock with hints of ‘60s girl-group pop this Valentine’s Day? This all-female Spanish group will serve up just that – and for free! To get your hands on a ticket spend B1,000 or more at the new SUPERSWEET x moumi Concept Store (Soi Thonglor, The 49 Terrace, opposite Grease) from Jan 15 onwards. The concert will be held at Grease. SUPERSWEET x moumi Concept Store is open daily. 02 662 5535

☎

Avenged Sevenfold

20/1

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THE American heavy metallers behind headbanging hits such as Afterlife, Nightmare and Seize The Day are hitting Bangkok as part of their Asian tour – their first in the region since 2012. The tour supports the band’s latest album, Hail to the King, which topped the Billboard Top 200 Albums chart upon its release, making it the band’s second consecutive No. 1 debut. Impact Arena (Muang Thong Thani). Tickets range B1,500-B2,700 :thaiticketmajor.com

30/1 1/2 Thailand International Jazz Conference

BRINGING together renowned jazz performers from Thailand and abroad, the TIJC features a solo competition, an instrument exhibition, live performances, and a series of jazz workshops (topics range from performance and solo improvisation, to hosting shows and arranging recording sessions). By the time you read this full details should be available at: www.music.mahidol.ac.th. College of Music Mahidol University, Salaya Campus. Tickets range B500-B3,000 :msticket.music.mahidol.ac.th

8/1 TAKEN 3

Screen

IT’S a case of third time unlucky for ex-covert operative Bryan Mills (Liam Neeson), whose reconciliation with his ex-wife is cut short when she is brutally murdered. Consumed with rage, and framed for the crime, he goes on the run to find the true killer and clear his name.

INTO THE WOODS

EXPECT fantasy aplenty in this comedy musical featuring characters from several classic Grimm fairy tales. Cinderella (Anna Kendrick), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy), and beanstalkclimbing Jack (Daniel Huttlestone) are just a few of the familiar characters encountered when a baker and his wife (James Corden and Emily Blunt) set out to lift a curse put on them by a wicked witch (Meryl Streep).

15/1

THE WOMAN IN BLACK 2: ANGEL OF DEATH

29/1

8/1

SET 40 years after Arthur Kipps (Daniel Radcliffe) ﬂed the desolate and eerie Eel Marsh House, this sequel sees the haunted dwelling occupied once again – this time by a group of orphaned children and their caretakers Eve (Phoebe Fox) and Jean (Helen McCrory) who soon realize they are not alone.

THE IMITATION GAME

ALREADY released in the west, this critically acclaimed movie stars Benedict Cumberbatch as Alan Turing, a brilliant and complicated man who famously leads a miscellaneous group of scholars, linguists, chess champions and intelligence officers to crack the so-called unbreakable codes of Germany’s World War II Enigma machine. Movie screenings are subject to change. Keep up to date at majorcineplex.com

MEMORY LANE

New albums Dengue Fever The Deepest Lake (Release date: Jan 15)

Mark Ronson Uptown Special (Release date: Jan 27)

Fall Out Boy American Beauty/ American Psycho (Release date: Jan 20)

Diana Krall Wallflower (Release date: Feb 3)

Gaz Coombes Matador (Release date: Jan 26)

Estelle True Romance (Release date: Feb 17)

The Dodos Individ (Release date: Jan 27)

Jose Gonzales Vestiges & Claws (Release date: Feb 17)

TOPPING THE UK CHARTS JAN 1975

1. Pilot – January 2. Glitter Band – Goodbye My Love 3. Carpenters – Please Mr Postman 4. Mac & Katie Kissoon – Sugar Candy Kisses 5. Helen Reddy – Angie Baby 6. Johnny Wakelin & The Kinshasa Band – Black Superman (Muhammad Ali) 7. Dana – Please Tell Him That I Said Hello 8. Wigan’s Chosen Few – Footsee 9. Elvis Presley – Promised Land 10. Johnny Mathis – I’m Stone In Love With You TheBigChilli 83

What’s On|Outdoor fun

Sport

Ultra and Trail Unseen

27/2 28/2 BITEC Half Marathon

1/2

31/1

STARTING and finishing at Wat Salak Phet School on Koh Chang, this exciting trail run will showcase the island’s natural beauty in a choice of three thigh-burning distances – 10km, 35km, and 66km. :goadventureasia.com FEATURING a half marathon (21.1km), mini marathon (10.5km), and micro marathon (5km), this new running event starts and ends at the Bangkok International Trade and Exhibition Centre (next to Bang Na BTS Station) with a course that takes runners along Bangna-Trad Road to a turnaround point just beyond Mega Bangna Shopping Mall. :bitec-halfmarathon.com

11/1 The North Face 100 Thailand

SET in the picturesque district of Amphoe Pakchong, adjacent to the Khao Yai National Park (around 150km north east of Bangkok), this adventurous and hilly trail run takes participants through mango and manioc plantations and various Thai temples. Seasoned athletes can opt for the whopping 100km solo or duo route. 50km, 25km, and 15km routes are also available. :goadventureasia.com

Buriram Race 2015

CYCLISTS and runners of all nationalities will hit the asphalt of Buriram United International Circuit to speed their way around the circuit in pursuit of the fastest times. Strap on your trainers and tackle one of the following distances – 13.5 km (4 laps), 4.5 km (1 lap), or a 400m sprint. The bike criterium is 36.5 km (8 laps). :facebook.com/BuriramRace2015

12/2 15/2

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14/2 Chombeung Marathon

18/1

FOUNDED in 1986, the annual Chombeung Marathon (Ratchaburi Province, 80km west of Bangkok) is one of the nation’s best attended marathons and attracts runners from all over the world. The course starts and ends in front of the swimming pool at Chombueng Rajabhat University. Quarter marathon and half marathon distances are also available. :goadventureasia.com

Thailand Classic Tournament

Nutrilite Health Run SHIFT some of the excess weight piled on from your month of festive feasting by signing up for this health-focused fun run. Held in Lumpini Park, the event offers three distances – 3km, 6km, and 12km – and offers the perfect way for kick-starting those New Year’s resolutions to get fit. :goadventureasia.com

THE first event co-sanctioned between The Asian Tour and European Tour to be permanently based in Thailand, the US$2million Thailand Classic will welcome the best players from the European Tour and Asian Tour at the Black Mountain Golf Club in Hua Hin. The event will form part of the European Tour’s International Schedule, with prize money earned to count towards The 2015 Race to Dubai, a year-long competition currently led by World Number One Rory McIlroy. Black Mountain Golf Club, Hua Hin. Tickets range B400-B1,200 :thaiticketmajor.com

What’s On|Soccer

Football Focus By Paul Hewitt

Thais Triumph!

THERE can only be one topic for this month’s column: the triumphant fourth AFF Suzuki Cup success achieved by the Thai National Team in December. Head coach Kiatisak “Zico” Senamuang led the side through a tough group, a tricky looking semi-final and a perilous final before returning to a manic and jubilant Bangkok. Just as pleasing as winning the trophy was the silky, sexy, swashbuckling football played by the team throughout much of the tournament against the usual backdrop of low expectations and scant pre-tournament preparation. The team was placed in Group A along with 2010 winners Malaysia, ever-improving Burma and defending champions, and co-hosts, Singapore. Group B, comprising the Philippines, Vietnam, Indonesia and Laos, seemed to contain less quality than Thailand’s group, and having to take on Singapore in their new National Stadium in front of 55,000 Singaporeans isn’t a fixture that Zico would have chosen to open the Thais’

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Tiki-Taka play jusT one of The highlighTs of Thailand’s aff suzuki Cup suCCess

campaign. Nevertheless, his charges demonstrated their new found resilience, which would become a trademark as the tournament progressed, as they beat Singapore 2-1 in their own backyard thanks to a 89th minute Charyl Chappuis penalty. Another tough test for Thailand in their second group game as they faced off against Malaysia. The five-goal thriller that ensued deserved a better stage than the 8,000 capacity Jalan Besar Stadium in Singapore as the mesmerising Chanathip “Messi-Jay” Songkrasin dragged his team to a 3-2 victory. The youngster from BEC Tero didn’t get on the score sheet but he was involved in every goal and left leaden-footed Malaysians in his wake as he marauded through their midfield and defence. Thailand twice came from behind thanks to goals from Charyl Chappuis and Adisak Kraisorn before the latter scored a 90th minute winner for the Thais. The victory guaranteed Zico’s men a place in the semi-finals with a game

to spare whilst Malaysia’s qualification hopes hung by a thread after taking only a point from their opening two games. In the final group game, Thailand fairly comfortably saw off Burma 2-0, again at the Jalan Besar Stadium, thanks to goals from Tero’s Tanaboon Kesarat (his first international goal) and Prakit Deeprom, newly of Buriram United. In the other final group game, Malaysia left it very, very late to secure their place in the semi-final as they beat Singapore 3-1, but they had to wait until the 93rd and 95th minutes for their second and third goals dumping out the co-hosts and cup holders at the group stage. In Group A, Vietnam topped their group with seven points, the Philippines finished second on six points meaning that Indonesia and Laos made an early exit. Thailand would be pitted against the Philippines in the two-legged semi-final, the second leg being in Bangkok. Had this tie taken place five or six years ago, it would have been a comical mismatch, but

the Philippines have made great strides in recent years and are currently the highest ranked ASEAN nation in the FIFA rankings. That lofty placing would prove to be a little misleading, but there’s no doubt that their policy of recruiting foreign-born mixed-race players is paying out. In the first leg in Manila, Thailand’s tournament looked like it might be starting to unravel as they lost striker Kirati Keawsombut to injury in the first half, and then saw his replacement Adisak Kraisorn correctly dismissed (despite the usual, predictable, boring online wailing about “injustice” and “cheating”) for throwing an arm at Filipino defender Amani Aguinaldo in the 68th minute. Despite the handicap, Thailand held on for a more than respectable 0-0 draw. The second leg was the cheese to the first leg’s chalk; Thailand, roared on by a sell-out crowd at the Rajamangala Stadium, never looked anything other than winners as soon as Messi-Jay had given them a sixth minute lead. Further goals arrived in the second half both scored by Kroekrit Taweekarn, as Thailand’s makeshift frontline made light work of the Philippines. The visitors’ misery was complete when defender Martin Steuble was sent off about ten minutes from time. In the other semi, Malaysia

lost the first leg 2-1 on home soil against Vietnam, but then surprisingly won 4-2 in the reverse fixture in Vietnam. So having been just a couple of minutes away from elimination in the final group game, Malaysia had made it to a final showdown with the Thais. On paper, Thailand had had the better tournament and seemed more consistent, but on the other hand, the Thais would have the difficult assignment of having to go to Malaysia for the second leg. It was therefore crucial that Zico’s men take a lead to the peninsula. This they achieved in front of another sell-out Rajamangala crowd with a 2-0 win as another Charyl Chappuis penalty and another goal from unlikely goal machine Kroekrit put the trophy tantalisingly within reach. They just had to get through that second leg in Malaysia… Fast-forward: it’s now 9:15pm on December 20 at the heaving Bukit Jalil stadium, 60 minutes of the second leg have been played, and Thailand are 3-0 down. One hundred thousand manic Malaysians have roared their team to the point of triumph as Thailand look more like bewildered rabbits than War Elephants. But we shouldn’t be surprised. We’ve seen it so often in the past: Thailand, capable of giving any team a run for their money on home soil, become uninterested bystanders, shadows of their true selves, on hostile foreign soil. Or so we thought. But that resilience and knack of scoring late goals shone through again as Charyl Chappuis scored on the rebound from an unnecessarily theatrical save by Malaysian keeper Farizal in the 82nd minute. Thailand now trailed 3-1 but led the tie overall on the away goals rule. As the hosts tired and lost hope, Thailand seized their chance to put the tie beyond doubt as player of the tournament (not “MVP” – not in my world) Chanathip curled in a beauty with four minutes left on the clock. There was no way back for Malaysia as a small red and blue corner of the vast stadium erupted, as did rather larger parts of Bangkok, Korat, Chiang Mai and Ayutthaya, Ubon and Udon, Petchaburi and Petchaboon. There’s no doubt that Thailand thoroughly deserved the trophy. They scored the most goals, conceded the fewest, kept the most clean sheets and won all their group games. But never mind the statistics, they played the best football; a free-flowing, fearless, passing and moving game that left opponents dizzy. If you think I exaggerate then search “Amazing Tiki-taka play by Thailand” on YouTube as Zico’s men befuddled Malaysia in the first leg. Head coach Zico has worked wonders with a young, inexperienced squad and, of course, without his star striker Teerasil Dangda who spent the whole tournament in Spain with his club side Almeria. Now, Zico must be given time, and he must be given full support both by the FAT and by the TPL clubs who must release their players for National Team duty without equivocation or complaint. Zico and his side are going places. Let no one hold them back.

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Expat Sport

Flying Farangs hold cha charity game for Rudy Pospisil Ice Hockey special recognizes ﬁreﬁghter’s epic bike ride in aid of cancer research

Words SCOTT MURRAY Photographs TADASMA NAGAYAMA

THE Flying Farangs annually hold a charity game for the Thai Red Cross, but they recently did something different, as they staged a game in honour of Rudy Pospisil and his round-theworld bicycle ride to raise cancer awareness. The Farangs also veered from tradition when instead of holding a Team Canada vs. the World match, they split up the two sides regardless of nationality into two teams called the “Guess Whos” W hos” and the “Bachman Turner Overdrives.” When it was all played and done, the BTOs won the game 112-7, 2-7, outshooting the Guess Whos 33-21. BTO had a breakout ssecond econd half of the game when they scored seven unanswered goals g oals with their first line of Geoff McInytre, Andy Brine and Michael White scoring six of those markers. The Guess Whos top line of Henrik Olofsson, David Blomquist and Alexandre Gilbert had kept them in check for the first part of the game. Nationalities represented in the game were Canada, the US, the Czech Republic, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Japan, Thailand, Germany, England, and New Zealand. Thai nationals Vanchalerm “Top” Rattapong and Pratch Siri took the opening face-off, representing the Guess Whos and BTOs, respectively. Dropping the ceremonial puck was Rudy, who attended the game with his son Adam, and Canadian Ambassador Philip Calvert. Young Czech Jan Plisek and Czech Ambassador Victor Grepl tended goal for the Guess Whos while the Thai tandem of Neng Ohana and Rabbitboy Tongchai played net for the BTOs. Texan Rachel Baird, ironically the only woman playing in the game, took the only penalty on the night – for hooking no less (she took a lot of kidding for that). Before the game the teams lined up on their respective blue lines to listen to the Thai and Canadian national anthems, with the latter being belted out by Phil Haegeman as has been the custom in the last few charity matches. Scoring for the Guess Whos were David “Boomer” Blomquist with two, Henrik Olofsson, Justin St. Denis, Ralf Dittmer and Top with Janne Kaanaapa scoring a highlight breakaway goal as well. BTO goalscorers included Geoff McIntyre with the hat-trick, Andy Brine with two while Kyle McCartney, Steve Sproule, Michael White, Ernesto Bauer, Zac Garofolo and Mike Walker added singles. A Canadian firefighter’s charity cycle around the globe Firefighter Rudy Pospisil has now cycled 2,500 km from Chiang Mai to Singapore as part of his global trek. He has ridden halfway around the world; if all goes well, he’ll reach 24,000km this year guaranteeing him a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. Rudy says, “My aim is to make a difference, to share my story,

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inspire many and raise money for cancer research. This journey is not so much for fundraising as it is to draw people around the world together to finally end a disease that effects one in three of us. I hope to do this by inspiring others to do similar events, promote awareness of these diseases and start ongoing events in places I visit. “What I am asking is not only a donation or sponsorship, but to join my journey. Write me and tell me about yourself, cycle with me in your city or country, ask me to help you start an ongoing fundraiser. My goal is not only to cycle around the world but to reach out to as many people as possible because it will take more than me to accomplish my goal.” On his trips, Pospisil contacts fire departments around the world to host fundraisers, knowing how important cancer is to those in his profession. “We have up to a seven-time greater risk of contracting almost a dozen different cancers than the average person because of our occupation,” says Pospisil. “Firefighters will

come out and ride with me in cities around the world and help arrange fundraising events. It’s always great to meet fellow firefighters from around the world and work together for a common cause and share stories. The hard part is to not have too much of a party the night before I ride.” Rudy also rides with a lot of people who have survived cancer and are actively fighting it, something that continues to give him inspiration. “I have met many cancer patients on my rides that came out,” Rudy says. “Many were terminal and would not live much longer. The strength and optimism and little fear they had near the end was inspiring to me to carry on. I have the easy part, cycling around the globe; they have the hard part battling this disease or facing their own mortality.” You can contact Rudy at rudypospisil75@hotmail.com, or check out the progress he’s making on his trip by visiting his website at www.firefightercycle.com.

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Expat Sport Phuket King’s Cup Regatta closes in style

WITH around 130 boats competing from 40 countries, the 28th Phuket King’s Cup Regatta sailed into action last month featuring a gripping contest on the waves as well as a superb line-up of evening parties. Living up to its reputation as the premier sailing event in all of Asia, the Regatta attracted sailors from far and wide who relished the opportunity to meet other globetrotting sea dogs and experience Phuket’s renowned hospitality. Pictured here is the Regatta’s Closing Party at Kata Beach Resort & Spa, Kata Beach, which featured free-flow drinks, an extensive buffet, an awards presentation, and live music. With Royal Patronage, the Regatta is organised by the Phuket King’s Cup Regatta Organizing Committee under the auspices of the Royal Varuna Yacht Club, in conjunction with the Yacht Racing Association of Thailand, the Royal Thai Navy and the Province of Phuket. For more info see www.kingscup.com.

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XCITE GOLF CORPORATE EVENTS Xcite golf is not only Bangkokâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s top indoor golf location for lessons and practice, their venue is also perfect for corporate events. With great food from the Marriott M Cafe, free parking, convenient location and lots of golf activities and space for large groups or small groups we see why so many companies and other groups use Xcite Golf to host their corporate parties and team building sessions. "Xcite Golf's venue with all the latest golf technologies made a great location to mix business and golf. Their team of professionals made it a successful and enjoyable evening." Justin Strafford The Riviera Group. Check out Xcite Golf next time you want to swing up some fun!

For Corporate Event Bookings, Please Contact : Chris (095-075 0368) Xcite Golf Indoor Academy (Sukhumvit Soi 24) Tel. : 02-260 8818 www.xcitegolf.com

Social

 Last month’s best events in pictures

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

KANDY CLUB OPENS IN STYLE

TRENDY new Pattaya nightspot Kandy Lounge & Club celebrated its grand opening with a chic party featuring free-ﬂow drinks, tasty tapas, and a night of top draw entertainment. Read more about the club on page 130.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

WHISGARS ARRIVES ON SILOM

HIGH-end single malt whisky and premium hand-rolled cigar lounge Whisgars celebrated the launch of its Silom branch by treating guests to a night of whiskies, cigars and creative canapés. Situated in the Holiday Inn on 981 Silom Road, Whisgars Silom is the brand’s fourth branch in Bangkok and has two exciting additions – a smoke free speakeasy themed cocktail mixology lounge and a vodka ice bar.

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Social|Last Monthâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Best Events

CAMPARI COCKTAILS AT OCTAVE

OCTAVE Rooftop Lounge & Bar at the Bangkok Marriott Hotel Sukhumvit launched its new Signature Cocktail, the Campari Slushy, with a festive party featuring servings of the new concoction alongside all kinds of other Campari cocktails.

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JUNGLE FEVER AT KU DÉ TA

TROPICAL décor, innovative cocktails, and headlining sets by DJ Ono and DJay Buddha from Bangkok Invaders ensured there was plenty to go wild about when Ku Dé Ta hosted its Amazonia Jungle themed party.

SYDER IN THE SUN

BOON Rawd Brewery’s latest beverage, Syder Bay, was unveiled in grand fashion at the ‘Be Your Own Sun’ party at Surface on Thonglor. Guests enjoyed performances by Squeez Animal, Tul Apartment Khunpa, and Parkinson. The fruit-based drink has 3.5 percent alcohol content and is available in stores now.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

COOL PARTY IN KRABI

SOFITEL Krabi Phokeethra was packed with Thai music lovers when it held its ‘Cool Party’ featuring a special concert by Bie Sukrit. Held under a ‘Chic and gold’ concept, the event also featured DJs spinning dance-ﬂoor-ﬁlling tunes late into the night.

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SIZZLE AND SIP WINE DINNER

WORLD-class wines from Napa Valley’s Beringer Winery and delicious meats fresh from the barbecue proved to be the perfect pairing at the Sizzle and Sip Wine Dinner, hosted by Independent Wine & Spirit (Thailand) at Le Méridien Bangkok Hotel.

ALL IN THE NAME OF SANOOK

GALLERIA 10 Hotel Bangkok launched its new retro-themed room category, gSanook, with a party for media and travel industry specialists. The 28 rooms are each named after a famous celebrity (such as Gloria Estefan and George Michael) and come with music and décor to match.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

KTC AND FICO JOIN FORCES

KRIT Srichawla, CEO of Fico Corporation, together with Rathian Srimongkol, President and Chief Executive Ofﬁcer of Krungthai Card Public Company Limited, held a celeb-studded launch event to introduce the “KTC-FICO” credit card, which offers many lifestyle privileges at hotels, restaurants and fashion boutiques afﬁliated with FICO (think Iron Fairies, Clouds, Fat Gutz, Domino’s Pizza, Kyochon Chicken, and Mr. Jones’ Orphanage).

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ELECTRIC MANGO OPENS WITH A FEAST

IMPORTED steaks, free-ďŹ&#x201A;ow drinks, live music and traditional Thai dance shows set the scene for a great night of wining and dining when the new Electric Mango Steakhouse and Grill celebrated its grand opening in Hua Hin. Read our review of the restaurant on page 122.

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Social|Last Month’s Best Events

CLASSIC CAR SHOWCASE

VINTAGE car lovers got to feast their eyes on all kinds of wonderful motors at the 12th Hua Hin Vintage Car Parade. One of the highlights of the event, and pictured here, was the car showcase and cocktail party at The Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa’s newly opened “The Chandelier” ballroom.

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WONDERFRUIT HITS THE SPOT

AMAZING light installations, performances by international and local bands, pop-up dinners cooked by some of the kingdom’s top chefs – Thailand’s ﬁrst Wonderfruit Festival delivered the lot with aplomb. And they were just a few of the highlights at this superb three-day event. Roll on next year!

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JAZZ ON SUKHUMVIT

CHECKINN99’s all-day Jazz Festival featured a fabulous line up of 15 bands and over 40 international and local jazz musicians, including acts such as The William Wait Quartet, Karla Silvestre Suzuki san, John Gordon, Bangkok New Trio, Jazziam, Keith Nolan’s Ham, Cheese, & Tomatoes, and many more. Checkinn99 now hosts a regular Sunday afternoon Jazz Jam. Keep up to date at www.checkinn99.net. Photographs by Ken Sieczkowski

MEINHARDT’S CHRISTMAS COCKTAILS

EXPATS new and old ﬂocked to the Ballroom of the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok for the annual Meinhardt Christmas Cocktails party, where free-ﬂow drinks and tasty nibbles fuelled the fun till late into the night.

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Social|Around town

KRUNGSRI HEADS TO THE BORDER

BANK of Ayudhya or “Krungsri” launched its fourth “Simply to Share” campaign by taking Thai celebs to discover the rich heritage of Ban Ton Mamuang, Amphoe Sai Yok, in Kanchanaburi province. Among the group were artists from Academy Fantasia such as Tao, Settapong Piangpor, Kacha, Nontanun Anchuleepradit, Zo, Wongsapat Tungniyom and Frame, Watcharakarn Buaban. As well as donating education and sports equipment, the celebs helped build a house for teachers in the border area and held a mini-concert.

CHIVAS PARTNERS WITH BREMONT

PERNOD Ricard Thailand, importer of Chivas Regal Scotch whisky, and Pendulum, importer and distributor of the quintessentially British watch brand, Bremont, invited VIP guests to the Pendulum store at Gaysorn Plaza Shopping Center to celebrate the launch of the latest Chivas12 limited edition gift box, which features a meticulously designed limited edition Chivas 12 Tin Box ‘Made for Gentlemen’ By Bremont, inspired by the craftsmanship of Bremont chronometers. Available now at leading supermarkets and convenience stores in 70 Cl. bottle at the price of B1,429 and 1 L. bottle at B1,589.

SANSIRI UNVEILS NEW DESIGNS

PROPERTY agents and designers were out in force for the launch of Sansiri’s latest home concept – ‘L-Shape: The Shape of Privacy.’ Each house in the limited collection has been specially designed to ensure all areas of the home are utilized for optimum use – the L shape, meanwhile, helps to create a feeling of privacy. Initially, only twelve ‘L-Shape’ homes will be available at Setthasiri Krungthep Kreetha. Find out more about them at www.sansiri.com.

THAILAND’S MOST CHARMING DESTINATIONS REVEALED

AFTER eight weeks and nearly 10,000 votes, global travel search engine Skyscanner announced the most popular and charming destinations across the Kingdom as voted by avid travel lovers across Thailand. The winners, announced at the Charming Land of Smiles Awards Event at Siam Discovery, included: Most Fascinating Natural Attraction : Lipe Island, Most Fascinating Historical Attraction : Sukhothai Historical Park, Most Fascinating Cultural Attraction : Ubon Ratchathani Candle Festival, Most Fascinating Recreational Attraction : Chiang Mai Walking Street Market; and Most Fascinating Province : Chiang Mai.

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Social|Around Last Month’s town Best Events

Festive Fun at amarin Plaza

amarin Plaza kick-started the festive season in style with a special campaign entitled “amarin Christmas and new Year 2015.” Held under an “amarin Factory of Happiness” theme, the campaign featured various art installations decorated with Christmas lights and proved a big draw to shoppers of all ages.

BiG win For soFitel kraBi PHokeetHra

soFitel krabi Phokeethra Golf & spa resort won the “asia’s top 5 Family Hotels” category of the now travel asia awards 2014. the award was received by miss meeporn oeawpanich, director of marketing & Communications, on behalf of the hotel. now travel asia awards is a recognized annual program of the luxury travel magazine, now travel asia, and can be voted for online at www.nowtravelasia.com/vote.

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tHailand elite Partners witH PHuket international Boat sHow

orGanisers of the Phuket international Boat show (PimeX), held Jan 8 to 11 at royal Phuket Marina, confirmed a strategic partnership with thailand elite, the world’s first country membership programme, to showcase Phuket and thailand’s yachting lifestyle to thailand elite members and provide a marketing and networking platform for the island’s wealthiest tourists and residents. For more details about the show see www.phuketboatshow.com.

Diplomats p Meet the people uniting nations

His Excellency Enno Drofenik The ambassador of Austria to Thailand talks about his work and life Page 112

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Diplomats

His Excellency Enno Drofenik|Austria

Ambassador from the Land of Mozart finds harmony in Bangkok Words MAXMILIAN WECHSLER Portrait photographs JARAN LAkkANAWAt

HIS Excellency Enno Drofenik, ambassador of Austria to Thailand, gave this interview at his beautiful residence inside the embassy compound in the appropriately named Soi Nantha-Mozart, off Sathorn in Bangkok. Also present was the ambassador’s charming wife, Juri Sekiguchi-Drofenik, who joined the conversation at times and later led a fascinating tour of their home. Asked about the name of the Soi where the embassy is located, Mr Drofenik launched into a subject clearly dear to his heart: “Austria has given the world some of the best classical music composers, not only Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart… there’s also Gustav Mahler, Franz Schubert, Joseph Hayden and Johann Strauss. Ludwig van Beethoven was born in Germany but moved to Vienna in his late twenties and worked there until his demise. The Vienna Philharmonic and Vienna Symphony orchestras are world renowned, as is the Vienna Boys Choir. “The New Year concerts of the Vienna Philharmonic are broadcast around the world on the morning of January 1. It is very difficult to obtain tickets for this concert because they are always sold out many months, even years, ahead. Another big event is the Music Festival in Salzburg held in August.” Mr Drofenik added that music is also important to the current generation of Austrians, noting that Austrian-born Conchita Wurst won the Eurovision Song Contest held in May 2014 in Copenhagen. The ambassador’s pride in his country’s cultural legacy is understandable. This relatively small nation in Central Europe has consistently produced giants of the arts. Besides composers, these have included countless masters in other traditions, sculptors and painters like Egon Schiele, Oscar Kokoschka and Gustav Klimt. Moreover, Austria is full of splendid architectural wonders in the form of cathedrals, monuments and palaces, many of which are set against spectacularly beautiful mountains, rivers and lakes. “Among the numerous magnificent palaces in Vienna is Schönbrunn (‘Beautiful Spring’), formerly the summer residence of the emperor, an unforgettable sight. Other architectural masterpieces in Vienna include Hofburg Palace, St Stephen’s Cathedral, and many others in cities throughout the country,” said Mr Drofenik, who at 43 is relatively young for an ambassador.

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On neutral ground The ambassador described Austria as a “neutral country,” explaining that the country was occupied after the Second World War for ten years by the allied forces, with the Soviet Union occupying the eastern part. “In 1955 – after negotiations with Moscow – Austria declared its status of permanent neutrality paving the way to become again an independent country. That means that it is written into our constitution that we will not take part in any military alliance, so for example we aren’t a part of NATO. The neutrality is still in force and it is a part of the identity of the Austrian people we do not want to change. “Austria is a member of the European Union and the United Nations, however. Austria joined the EU in 1995. We had a referendum in which almost 66% of the voters voted in favor of joining. We are an enthusiastic member-state. Being a part of this big common market, especially with the inclusion of eastern European countries, has been good for us. Austria has traditionally acted as a gateway to Eastern Europe, and this has resulted in a lot of investment. Joining the EU has been very positive for us,” Mr Drofenik said.

Background The Ambassador was born about 25 kilometers southwest of Vienna in Giesshübl in 1971. “It is a small village of about 2,000 people in the Vienna woods, mainly residential due to its proximity to the capital. I come from a family of teachers. Both of my parents were teachers, and so is my little sister, who is also a painter. I have two brothers. The younger one is also a teacher and the older is an electrical engineer, first teaching at the technical university Zurich and now doing research work for a big company in Switzerland.” Asked why he chose a career with the foreign ministry, Mr Drofenik replied: “It was something I always wanted when I was growing up because I loved to travel and wanted to see new places, meet new people and do new things. Maybe it’s because I came from such a small place. “I joined the foreign services in January 1997 and worked

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Diplomats

His Excellency Enno Drofenik|Austria

at the Department for Multilateral Development Cooperation as a desk officer. In 1999 I moved to the Austrian Mission to the United Nations in Vienna, where I was the First Secretary. My first posting abroad was in Tokyo, Japan, where I was also the First Secretary. “In fact, it was there I met my wife, at a French National Day reception on July 14, 2006,” said Mr Drofenik. At that moment Mrs Sekiguchi-Drofenik, who had been sitting quietly next to him, began to laugh. In something of a departure from the usual pattern, she was invited to join the interview. The couple seemed very comfortable with the idea. “From 2003-2006, I served at the United Nations in New York. I was in the Budget Committee negotiating with the representatives of 190 countries on UN expenditures. It wasn’t often an easy process. It was very intense, month after month. My daily routine was to go to the UN office in the morning and normally we held negotiations from 10am until very late, even close to midnight. There were a couple of occasions when we spent the whole night at the UN negotiating. It is a long process, a kind of shadow-boxing that takes a long time before people are ready to really bargain and reach an agreement. It was almost non-stop.” About his life in New York, the ambassador said: “I lived in midtown, on 53rd Street and 2nd Avenue. It was in a nice area not too far away from the UN headquarters, about a 10-minute walk. Our office was quite close. “New York is great if you like going out and meeting people. In that respect it is one of the best places in the world. Vienna Opera House

But I was working hard, so I did not see much of the city. Often I came home close to midnight and just slept until it was time to get up the next day. It was a very sober and very intense lifestyle. At that time my wife was working for the World Bank in Washington DC, so on the weekends I commuted there by car or she came to New York. “When you work at the UN headquarters you meet many diplomats and other people. Several thousand people work there. You are together the whole day and often into the night for months, so you get very familiar with colleagues and you get close to them. It is actually like a family. I still consider a lot of former colleagues to be friends. “My last position before coming to Thailand was in Vienna, where I was the Chief of Staff of the Secretary-General of the Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs. The Secretary-General is the highest ranking civil servant at the ministry.” “I visited Thailand for the first time in 2000. I just traveled for two weeks around the country, going to Phuket, Ayutthaya, Kanchanaburi and other places. The place that most impressed me was actually Sukhothai. I rented a bicycle and pedaled around, through the rice fields and so on. It was beautiful. The second time I came here was as ambassador in August 2013. “My term is four years, until 2017. I am also ambassador to Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia. In dealing with these three countries, I try to stay informed by reading newspapers, both the hard copies and online. I travel to Myanmar once a month and to Laos and Cambodia on a quarterly basis. It is not a perfect arrangement, but it is as good as can be managed.” Besides his native German, Mr Drofenik is fluent in English, Spanish and French and can speak some Japanese. “When it comes to writing, Japanese seems to be more difficult than Thai, but I find both languages much more difficult to learn compared to Romanesque languages like French or Spanish,” he said.

Austro-Thai relations “The relationship between our two countries is very friendly and my working relationship with the Thai foreign ministry is very good. They are very professional. Vienna Opera Ball

Johann Strauss monument

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Austrian village in winter

City Hall at night

Vienna Secession

Castle Belvedere

“Thailand and Austria established a consular relationship in 1865. Next year we will celebrate the 150th anniversary. The first Austrian diplomat was sent here in 1867. Thai diplomats began going to Austria in 1883. “The first Austrian embassy was opened in Bangkok in 1912 in what is now the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. If you go to the old part of the hotel you will find a small sign saying it was the site of the Austrian embassy. “The embassy compound where we are now was bought 40 years ago. It consists of the embassy and ambassador’s residence. We are now doing reconstruction. The old chancery building was pulled down and we are constructing a new one. It will be two storeys high and use environmentally friendly materials and methods. The building will be very energy efficient, a showcase of Austrian ‘green’ housing construction” “The architect,” noted Mrs Sekuguchi-Drofenik, “is an Austrian and the workers are Thai.” A total of 20 people work at the embassy compound and the Austrian embassy also maintains a trade office (in another location) with another 10 employees. Mr Drofenik said that about half of the staff was recruited locally and the rest came from Austria. “It is an active embassy with all the necessary components. There is cultural and political cooperation as well as a lot of business going on. With 100,000 Austrians coming here as tourists each year, we also devote a lot of effort to consular affairs. “I am very satisfied with the performance of the Thai staff. Most of them have a university degree and they have to speak German if they work for the consular service because they have to deal with native Austrians. “We don’t really know how many Austrians live in Thailand.

Hallstatt

We always ask them to register with the embassy but not all do. Now we have about 600 people registered which cannot be correct. My guess is that around 3,000 Austrians reside in Thailand.” Turning to bilateral trade, he said: “Austria actually has a trade deficit with Thailand, meaning we import more than we export. Using last year’s figures, we imported goods valued at roughly €500 million (20.3 billion baht), while our exports amounted to about €280 million (11.4 billion baht). We mainly export machinery, green technology, medical equipment and chemicals. We import from Thailand textiles, cars, electronic parts and agricultural products like seafood and shrimp. “Austrian companies have invested about €500 million here and they employ around 20,000 people. There are hundreds of small investors and big ones as well, for example in the rubber industry in the South. Another large investor is the famous crystal-maker Swarovski, which produces crystal products here. “Last year about 110,000 Austrian tourists visited Thailand. About 37,000 Thai nationals visited Austria in 2013, which is a pretty decent number. They come mainly for our cultural heritage and natural beauty. They want to see the lakes and many go during winter to see the snow-covered mountains. “It is certainly up to the preference of the individual tourist, but what I personally recommend is Vienna and Salzburg for the cultural heritage. We certainly have beautiful Alpine scenery. You can go hiking and do all sorts of adventure sports like rock climbing or kayaking. Of course skiing is also very big in Austria. But many people just go to the mountains to relax. Our lakes are very clean – you can drink from most of them. And you can find excellent food at a lot of mountain huts. “I travel back home at least once a year,” said Mr Drofenik.

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Diplomats

His Excellency Enno Drofenik|Austria

CurriCulum Vitae of He enno Drofenik • Born in 1971 • Married to Juri Sekiguchi-Drofenik • They have one son • 1989-1993: Studied at the University of Vienna, Austria; majoring in Law and Jurisprudence • 1993: University of Vienna, Austria; Master of Law • 1994-1995: Legal Clerkship • 1997:Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs; entered the Austrian Diplomatic Service • 1997-1999: Department for Multilateral Development Cooperation • 1999-2000: Austrian Mission to the United Nations in Vienna, First Secretary • 2000-2003: Austrian embassy in Tokyo, First Secretary • 2003-2006: Austrian mission to the United Nations in New York, Counselor • 2005: Chairman of the United Nations Committee on Conferences • 2006-2010: Office of the Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs, Austrian Ministry for European and International Affairs • 2009-2010: Member of the Supervisory Board of the Austrian Development Agency • 2010 – 2013: Director of the Office of the Secretary-General for Foreign Affairs, Austrian Federal Ministry for European and International Affairs • August 2013 to present: Ambassador to Thailand, Myanmar, Laos and Cambodia

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“I must attend the ambassador’s conference which is held at the beginning of September. Last year the family went to Austria for Christmas and to do some skiing in the mountains, and I went home with my son in the summer. He likes to keep in touch with friends there.” Mr Drofenik enjoys travelling around Thailand, and he often does so with his wife. “We went to Krabi and Phuket and to Khao Yai and Pattaya. I really like the area around Kanchanaburi as well.” His wife added that they had gone to Nan province on a very interesting weekend trip organized by the Ministry of Culture for the diplomatic community. “One of my colleagues said to me when I came here, ‘If you don’t like it here then you have only yourself to blame’, and I think he was right. Maybe there are too many cars on the roads, but this comes with a city of 10 million people. It’s part of the package. “My profession is very interesting, so I enjoy my work in Thailand. Personally, what I really love about the country is the weather. It is always warm. Even in the rainy season it rains a little bit but it is still pleasant. I like the beautiful vegetation and beaches. “My favourite thing to do in Bangkok is to sit on the terrace and have coffee and read The Economist or The BigChilli and look at the garden. Then I am happy,” said Mr Drofenik. “We have a number of different animals in the embassy garden, including three peacocks – two males and one female. One male peacock originally belonged to the Danish embassy, but now spends most of the time with his two friends at our compound. They are very big birds. Normally they are around but I don’t see them now. They are kind of free animals who sometimes fly over to the neighboring German or Danish embassy compounds, and sometimes to other places in the vicinity. Now is mating season which means the males have big beautiful feathers. They sleep on the tree tops.” The peacocks venture close to the residence and sometimes even try to get inside. “We feed them. They eat everything – pasta, cat food, cereal, cake and meat. The secret is that we feed them Sachertorte, the famous Austrian chocolate cake,” said Mr Drofenik. “We have all kinds of wildlife here. Yesterday I went to the reception hosted by the German ambassador, my neighbour. I just go from one garden to the other, with a small gate in-between. Anyway, on the way back from the reception it was nighttime. When I tried to lock the gate, I saw something on my left. It was a pit viper and it was looking at me! It was green with a red tail and a triangle-shaped face, a very poisonous snake. We also have monitor lizards, but they are not so large.”

T Free time

“When I have the chance I like to spend time with my wife and son. He is seven years old and goes to school here. Otherwise, I always like to do new things. For example, when I came here I started to play golf and learn to play guitar and speak Thai. This keeps me busy and happy in my free time. “I also like sports. I have a black belt in full contact karate. I have been doing this sport for over 20 years. I am now doing some Thai boxing, working out daily, one hour in the morning. I have a Thai trainer who comes here once a week who is a former Lumpini champion. We do some sparring as well.”

Mr Drofenik then announced plans for what may be the cultural event of 2015 in Bangkok, a Viennese Ball organized by the Austrian embassy. “In Vienna, balls usually take place in January and February. It is very social and very typically Viennese and people dress very nicely. My wife loves ballroom dancing and she asked me to organize a Viennese Ball in Bangkok. It will be on May 8, 2015 at the Siam Kempinski Hotel. We will fly in some performers and musicians from Austria together with dancing instructors who can teach the guests beforehand,” Mr Drofenik. His wife added: “The planned Viennese Ball in Bangkok is for charity and it is linked with other interesting events. Firstly, it coincides with the 150th anniversary of Thai-Austrian consular relations. Secondly, Her Royal Highness Princess Bajrakitiyabha Mahidol, eldest child of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, has a trust fund devoted to assisting women’s issues and we want to donate revenues from the ball to her project. The ball will take place in the evening and maybe we will also arrange an Austrian food festival. We will offer dance classes beforehand.”

Vienna skyline

The Ambassador’s wife While Mr Drofenik was occupied in a photo shoot with The BigChilli’s photographer, his wife spoke about her life in Thailand “For me every day is a learning experience because this is my husband’s first ambassadorial posting. It is a different role and it keeps me very busy being the mother of a seven-year-old son Salzburg at twilight

Wine harvest

and the wife of an ambassador. I’m busy every day attending various social and charitable events. I am also learning German and working, so I have more hats to wear. This year I will be the president of the Ambassadors’ Wives Club, which includes spouses of ambassadors from 30 countries.” Mrs Sekiguchi-Drofenik said her husband especially likes Italian and Japanese food, the latter a taste acquired even before they were married. “For good Japanese food you need fresh ingredients. It is very simple but it must be fresh. I cook Japanese food frequently here because it is very easy to buy all the ingredients. This wasn’t the case when we were in Vienna. After the Fukushima nuclear accident in March 2011, there was al-

Perfect conditions for skiing

most nothing on the shelves in Vienna as imports from Japan were banned. I couldn’t buy anything. In Bangkok you can buy anything you need, and there are even Japanese supermarkets here.” She then showed me around the ambassador’s residence, which incorporates a Japanese motif in the interior design. There are Samurai swords and armor and Japanese cutlery and furniture. There were also several nicely framed prints of fish caught by her father. “After my father caught the fish he placed it on the paper and used calligraphy ink to make a print, which he then framed. It is a fish-print,” she said. Moving out on to the terrace, a favourite place for both Mrs Sekiguchi-Drofenik and her husband, she said: “You can sit outside the house on comfortable chairs and wait for the peacocks and other exotic animals. It is heaven for the animals because they have a huge space and plenty of good food supplied by the three embassies.” Asked if she would like her husband to be ambassador to Japan one day, she said with a smile: “When this happens my husband will have more gray hairs. Austrian ambassadors are assigned to different categories of countries depending on their seniority. The highest category is Brussels, as the headquarters of the EU. In the second tier are G8 countries, which includes Japan, and then there are midsize countries like Thailand. It is unlikely that my husband could be posted in Brussels because he doesn’t have the relevant working experience in EU affairs,” she added. Since Mr Drofenik has many years to go before he reaches 65, the retirement age for public servants in Austria, there is a good chance he will be ambassador to Japan some day.

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Hua Hin

Cha Am • Pranburi • And beyond...

Barbecue on the beach Children’s Day feast at Dusit IN celebration of Children’s Day on Jan 10 Dust Thani Hua Hin will host a family feast at Rim Talay Bar & Grill. Held under the moniker of ‘Dek Dee’s Dinner Date,’ this barbecue buffet dinner will feature all kinds of grilled meats for the special price of B1,300++ per adult (free for kids under 12 when accompanied by mum or dad). What’s more, children dining on burgers or pizzas from the regular poolside menu will receive a free can of Coke or Sprite. ☎ 032 520 009 dusit.com/dthh

Golf tournaments at Banyan Golf Club FOUR special events await golfers at Banyan Golf Club Hua Hin this month. First up, on Jan 10, is the ‘Grand Final Golf Citizen Thailand Pairs Series.’ This will tee off at noon and be capped with a gourmet dinner (B3,500 per person for non-qualiﬁed players inclusive dinner). Then, on Jan 18, the ‘Afternoon Golf Tournament’ will feature tee times from 12.30pm followed by a sunset BBQ at Mulligan’s Pub (B3,600 per person for golf and dinner; B900 for dinner only). Not to be missed, on Jan 24, is the club’s signature ‘Golf & Wine Dinner’ (B4,300 per person inclusive green fee and gourmet dinner; B2,200 per person for dinner only). And capping the month, on Jan 28 from noon, is the Power Tee Competition (B2,100 per person for golf and snack after the game). ☎ 032 616 200 banyanthailand.com

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CAP the month in style on Jan 31 by joining Putaharacsa Hua Hin’s Seafood and Wagyu Beef Beach BBQ. Starting at 6.30pm, the dinner will feature a wide selection of wagyu beef and seafood dishes, various appetizers and main courses, prepared just as you like at live cooking stations. Adding to the atmosphere will be the smooth sounds of DJ Bond. B1,999 per person. ☎ 032 531 470 putahracsa.com

Exclusive wine dinner at Centara Hua Hin CENTARA Grand Beach Resort & Villas Hua Hin served up some great wine dinners last year and 2015 looks set to be just as exciting. Head to the resort’s Palm Pavilion on Jan 29 (7pm-10pm) and you’ll ﬁnd a ﬁve-course menu paired with premium Delicato Heritage wines from California. Great value at just B2,400++ per person and a great start to the hotel’s foodie calendar. ☎ 032 512 021 centarahotelsresorts.com/centaragrand/ chbr

Luxury for less in Pranburi FEATURING a collection of five Asian-styled villas and a modern family villa set within beautiful tropical gardens by the beach, the Away Hua Hin - Pranburi Boutique Resort is a great place to experience the finer side of Thai culture. Until March 31, the resort is offering a ‘Thai Thai Promotion’ which offers 60% off normal rates and includes daily breakfast, a daily Thai lunch or dinner set, and free-flow Thai herbal drinks all day long. Rates range from B3,398++ per night for a One Bedroom Garden Villa to B9,346++ per night for a Two Bedroom Thai House. ☎ 032 825 080 awayresorts.com/away-resorts-hua-hin

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Andreas Italian Restaurant & Grill New Italian restaurant offers one of the best value lunch deals in Hua Hin

AFTER five and a half years of cooking exquisite Italian cuisine at La Grappa, Andreas Bonifacio, one of Hua Hin’s foremost Italian chefs, has now opened his own restaurant at the front of The Lapa Hua Hin Hotel. Featuring a ground floor café, first floor restaurant, and rooftop terrace, the new venture is something of a departure from the fine dining trappings for which Andreas is renowned. Not that you can’t expect top-notch food – Andreas’ philosophy of using only the finest ingredients remains intact – but he has opted to eschew crisp white table cloths in favour of a more modern approach – think polished concrete floors, pillars splashed with a riot of colour, dark wood tables, and funky light fixtures made from recycled cardboard. While the ground floor is given over to breakfasts, superior coffees, and Thai lunches, the first floor of the restaurant is the real heart of the operation. Here,

in an open kitchen, Andreas can be spied tending to pots and pans, chopping meats and seafood, and rolling dough for the wood-fired pizza oven. But don’t stand there gawking. Head up to the rooftop for an apéritif or two, maybe a plate of cold cuts, then come back down to commence dining proper. And you’re in for a real treat. Andreas’ carefully consider menu is all about quality and seasonal produce, and features a selection of salads and soups, pastas and risottos, pizzas, and meat and fish charcoal broiled to perfection on the Josper grill (highlights include the 300g Australian Wagyu beef (B880), grain fed for 400 days and with a marbling grade of 6-7, at B1,900, and Filet of premium tuna loin grilled and served on a bed of wild rocket at B650. A one-page specials menu, meanwhile, changes weekly and on our recent visit featured tantalizing options such as Fetuccini fresh homemade

pasta with clarified butter, 36 months aged parmesan cheese, and shaved fresh white Alba truffle (B1,000), and Tasmanian salmon filet oven baked and served on top of sea asparagus and light mashed potatoes (B650). With wines starting at just B180 per glass and B900 per bottle, great value permeates the whole dining experience. This is especially the case at lunch, when Andreas offers a superb Set Lunch Menu priced at just B380 for three-courses (a choice of starter or soup, followed by pasta or pizza, and dessert) with a bottle of Peroni or glass of wine or soft drink. A steal. Another lunch deal features one pizza and a bottle of Peroni or a glass of wine or soft drink at B280. Again, a steal. Ultimately, for top quality Italian food served at reasonable prices, it doesn’t get much better than this. We can’t wait to return for more.

Andreas Italian Restaurant & Grill, The Lapa Hua Hin, 4/91 Soi Mooban Nongkae.  099 910 1018 :andreas-ristorante.com

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Electric Mango Steakhouse and Grill Top quality meats and a tranquil atmosphere make this new restaurant well worth a visit

OPERATING under the slogan ‘Great Steaks, Great Prices,’ this new restaurant on Hua Hin Soi 112 is a great place for carnivores looking for their next meaty feast. You can, for instance, tuck into a 300g rump steak served with corn on the cob and a choice of sides along with a glass of white or red wine for just B499. Or Australian strip loin starting at B550 for 200g, or American tenderloin at just B650 for 200g (although we suggest you go all out and order the hunger-busting 400g option for just B975). Think your appetite rivals the Incredible Hulk’s? Then head straight for the Electric Mango Steak Challenge. This beefy contest features a whopping 1,000g prime steak – that’s a whole kilo of meat! – grilled to your preference and served with one sauce, two sides, and

a litre of ice cold beer. Finish the lot in under an hour and your name will be etched on the wall of fame. Better yet, you’ll get 50 percent off your bill (so B900, instead of B1,800). Top quality steaks from America and Australia aren’t the only options to whet your appetite here. There are also signature burgers made with prime meat (B399), as well as a wide selection of soups and salads, cheese and cold cut platters, a selection of Thai dishes, and chef specials from the grill – including an excellent Lamb chop served with ratatouille and garlic cream (B750) and Salmon steak served with seasonal vegetables and lemon sauce (B490). Family friendly (there’s an on-site play area), the restaurant also offers a kids’ menu with dishes such as Chicken nuggets (B179) and Fish fingers (B179).

The brainchild of Danish entrepreneur Lars Castenlund, Electric Mango is the first stage of an ambitious project to create a comprehensive entertainment center that, once completed by the middle of this year, will include a lagoon-style pool, adventure playground, a live music venue, luxury bungalows, and a small market featuring top quality products from Hua Hin’s best-known artisans. With several well-attended parties already held at the restaurant (check out the pics from the grand opening night on page 105), Electric Mango has certainly lived up to the first part of its moniker by generating lots of buzz. Serving tasty dinners in the tranquil atmosphere of its thatched wooden sala, the restaurant should have no trouble maintaining it.

Electric Mango Steakhouse and Grill, Hua Hin Soi 112. Open daily 6pm-midnight.  086 175 1209 :facebook.com/electricmangohuahin

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Banyan The Resort

Get away from it all at this wonderful resort on the outskirts of Hua Hin

PEACE and quiet. That’s the first thing you’ll notice when arriving at Banyan The Resort. Located just a 10 minutes’ drive from the center of Hua Hin (and located on the fringes of the awardwinning Banyan Golf Club) the resort is a lush oasis of calm where commerce and commotion is notable by its absence. And it’s lovely. Set in a beautifully landscaped environment, the resort is akin to a gated community and features a range of luxurious two and one bedroom villas set within tropical gardens. The villas are arranged in small clusters around shared lagoon-style infinity pools, and located far enough away from each other to offer privacy. Providing a generous 120 square metres of living space, each villa is tastefully decorated in contemporary Thai fashion and offers a real homeaway-from-home experience – think large living rooms with comfy couches

and satellite TV, luxury bathroom amenities, and private terrace with sun loungers and an outdoor shower – and the two bedroom villas (one double room, one twin room) are just perfect for families. On-site facilities include a fully equipped fitness center, a spa offering all kinds of massage and beauty treatments, and two excellent dining options – Lemongrass Restaurant, which serves an enticing buffet breakfast and offers an all-day-dining menu of Thai and Italian cuisine, steaks and burgers, complemented by a good selection of wines, cocktails and ice-cold beers; and Splash Pool Bar, which serves a range of tempting snacks, burgers, pizza and Thai dishes in a relaxed setting. The Lemongrass Bar, meanwhile, is a great place to while away time playing pool, darts and Nintendo Wii video games (international and Thai snacks are also available), and you can even arrange

to host your own private barbecue at your villa, where the Resort’s chefs will sizzle steaks and seafood to your preference out on the terrace. One of the biggest draws to the resort, of course, is the adjacent Banyan Golf Club, which offers special rates to anyone who stays at the resort. And golfers can combine pleasure with business thanks to the resort’s meetings and events facilities, which are fully equipped with the latest audiovisual and video conferencing equipment and can accommodate up to 120 people. Proof that the resort is just perfect for events – This month the resort will host the Banyan Mercedes-Benz Road Cruise 2015, featuring an exhibition of Mercedes-Benz SLS Sports cars (Jan 30, free entry) plus a full day of dining and entertainment (Jan 31) which includes a performance by Bird and Heart, and a fashion show by Khun Goong Vipavee Jaruenpura. Don’t miss it!

Banyan The Resort, 68/223 Mooban Hua Na, Tambol Nong Gae, Hua Hin.  032 538 888 :banyanthailand.com

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Hu aH i n

S ocial

Classic cars and vintage glamour THE 12th edition of the annual Hua Hin Automobile Concourse rolled into town at the end of November featuring a fun-filled programme of fundraising activities and gourmet dinners as well as car parades throughout Hua Hin. Highlights of the event included a car showcase and lunch at Banyan Golf Club Hua Hin, the Great Gatsby Gala Dinner at the Venezia, and a glamourous â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cocktail Hats and Bowtiesâ&#x20AC;? themed gala dinner at the Colonial Pool of Centara Grand Beach Resort and Villas Hua Hin, where over 360 guests enjoyed a fantastic night of live jazz, auctions, and a fashion show by Krit Siriphan. Money raised during the event was donated to the Chaipattana Foundation.

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COAST CO PATTAYA

Kok Chang • Wong Amat • Jomtien • Bang Saray • Sattahip • Rayong

Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa is offering an accommodation deal just perfect for love birds. Page 130.

News & Deals

The Eastern Seaboard’s hottest dining and hotel promotions Page 130

Kandy Club

The Kandy Lounge & Club is now open at the Chateau Dale Complex Page 130

Mate’s Rates Friends or family visiting Thailand? Let them know about these deals Page 132

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Pa tt a ya

N ews and Deals New on the scene:

Romantic escape at Rayong Marriott SPECIALLY tailored for couples, a ‘Beachside Getaway Romance’ package is currently available at Rayong Marriott Resort & Spa with rates starting at B5,850++ per room per night (includes daily breakfast for two, spa treatment for two, a candlelit set dinner for two, High Tea served in-room, and in-room honeymoon set up). Offer ends March 1. ☎ 038 998 000 bit.ly/1vf1SBf

Mercure makes a splash THE newly-built Mercure Pattaya Ocean Resort is now open for business in North Pattaya featuring 210 guestroom and suites, three dining outlets, and a mini water park just perfect for kids and the young at heart. Until March, a special introductory rate is available at B1,890++ per night when booked online (www.accorhotels.com or www.mercure.com). ☎ 026 592 888 bit.ly/16TE1Tk

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KANDY Lounge & Club

The Columbia Trail Masters Episode VIII THE 8th edition of this exciting trail running race will take place at Khao Mai Keaw on Jan 11. Split between four distances (50 km trail run, 25 km trail run, 10km trail run and 3 km fun run/walk for children and families), the event will take competitors on scenic trails exploring the mountains, farmlands and greenery of the Pattaya countryside. Stunning. ama-events.com

KANDY Lounge & Club, the new trendy night venue at the Chateau Dale Complex (just off Thappraya Rd.), is now open offering not only tasty tapas and cocktails but also an exciting roster of entertainment that includes everything from house and soul music to Latin beats and live saxophone performances. Tuck into creative dishes such as Cacao prawn slammer, Clucking wasabi ﬂoss and Yucatan salted caramel pork, wash it all down with an Emerald Yakuza cocktail or two, and you’ll be perfectly fuelled for a night of partying on the dance ﬂoor. ☎ 038 364 611 weluvkandy.com

Luminous Spa opens with a deal CAPE Dara Resort Pattaya’s brand new spa is celebrating its grand opening by offering a special deal on its signature ‘Luminous Signature Massage.’ Opt for this 90-minute traditional Thai massage and you’ll also receive a complimentary 15 minutes in the steam room or sauna followed by a 30-minute body scrub. B3,000++. Open daily from 10am9pm. ☎ 038 933 888 capedararesort.com

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Tr a vel

D ea ls and Promotion s

s ’ e t a M s rate

Private Pool Villas at Civilai Hill Khao Yai: This newly opened

hotel is offering introductory rates starting at B7,600++ per night for a One-Bedroom Pool Villa, inclusive of breakfast for two. ☎ 092 972 7529 theuniquecollection.com

family r o s d n Frie land? i a h T g visitin now about k Let them e deals thes

Phuket Panwa Beachfront Resort: Throughout Jan the hotel is offering 47% discount on all room types. Rates start at B4,036 per night, inclusive of breakfast for two. ☎ 076 302 900 phuketpanwabeachresort.com

OZO Chaweng Samui: Until June 2015, the ‘OZO Samui Long Stay Package’ offers 14-nights’ accommodation starting at B40,525++, inclusive of daily breakfast, one set dinner, round-trip airport transfers and more. ☎ 077 915 200 ozohotels.com/chaweng-samui Amari Palm Reef Koh Samui:

X2 Samui: Until Mar 31, the ‘Holiday Celebration’

Until Mar 31, a ‘Bounce Back Spa Package’ offers rates starting at B24,750++ for three nights in a Deluxe Thai Village. Package highlights include a round-trip transfer from Samui Airport, and complimentary spa treatments. ☎ 077 300 306 amari.com/palmreef

promotion starts at B4,928++ per night and comes with a choice of either a B500 cash rebate or B500 credit to spend at the restaurant or spa. Online booking only. ☎ 077 233 033 X2LOBBY.com

The Peninsula Bangkok:

Centara Grand at Central Plaza Ladprao Bangkok: Until

Feb 28, the hotel’s “Rejuvenating City Retreat Package” offers rates starting at B4,500++ per night and includes daily breakfast for two, a 90-minute massage per person per stay, and a set Thai lunch per person per stay. Must stay a minimum of two nights to qualify. ☎ 02 5411234 centarahotelsresorts.com/CGLB

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Celebrate the Chinese New Year with the hotel’s ‘The Year of the Ram Package: Special Privileges to Symbolise Good Fortune.’ Valid for stays from Feb 18-28 (must be booked before Feb 15), the package offers three nights’ accommodation in a Deluxe Room at B38,000++. Package highlights include daily breakfast, one Afternoon Tea for two, and a round-trip transfer to Bangkok’s China Town. ☎ 02 861 2888 bangkok.peninsula.com

Away Koh Kood Resort: Perfect

for couples, a three-day-and-two-night ‘Island Escape’ package is now available with rates ranging from B4,503++ per night for a Duplex Bungalow to B5,140++ per night for a Deluxe Oceanfront Bungalow. Price includes round-trip ferry transfers between Trat and Koh Kood, daily breakfast for two, and 10% discount on F&B. Offer ends Mar 31. ☎ 02 696 8239 AwayResorts.com