Get a Taste of Art and Delicious Food at SIAM

By livingasean
December 22, 2018
Bangkok Art Biennale 2018,EXPLORE,JOURNEY,SPECIAL SCOOP

Most people probably think of the “Siam” neighborhood as a collection of super-modern shopping centers. Since it’s a giant commercial center in the heart of the city and a hub for convenient transport to everywhere else, it’s also true that many “trends” and “currents” start out here.

Today we’re going into the Siam district not for fashion or shopping, but to get a taste of art works on display at Bangkok Art Biennale (BAB) 2018 international festival of contemporary art, and focus on getting some great eats while we’re there!

We’ll start out at MBK Center, a huge shopping center in the heart of the city, and a close match for the nearby Siam shopping area. Getting there is easy, just hop off the BTS SkyTrain at National Stadium Station and walk across the bridge.

MBK is right across the street from the Bangkok Art and Culture Centre (BACC), an art exhibition hall and place to meet and exchange ideas, building knowledge and understanding about art. It is also one of the venues for the BAB 2018 exhibits on today’s tour.

Name: Basket Tower
Artist/Nationality: Choi Jeong Hwa (South Korea)
Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

Name: Genetic Manipulation
Artist/Nationality: Heri Dono (Indonesia)
Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

Name: Good Girls Go to Heaven, Bad Girls Go Everywhere
Artist/Nationality: Imhathai Suwatthanasilp (Thailand)
Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

Name: Tape Bangkok
Artist/Nationality: Numen For Use Design Collective
Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

Name: The State of suffering
Artist/Nationality: Sunanta Phasomwong (Thailand)
Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

Name: The Check Point
Artist/Nationality: Nge Lay (Myanmar)
Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

Name: Hope and courage, Human compassion, Love and values of beauty in the way of life
Artist/Nationality: Muslimah Collective (Thailand)
Display Location: Bangkok Art and Culture Centre

The first eats shop we’ll take you to is Mont Nom Sot (“magic fresh milk”), the celebrated name of a place of legendary flavor which has stood in front of Bangkok City Hall for fifty years. This shop is unique for dishes of concentrated milk with toast and sweet-smelling steamed buns. Mont Nom Sot has expanded into other locations, with branches in Chiang Mai, at Itsaraphap Road, here in MBK Center, and other places.

Menu/Price: Steamed buns with coconut custard (75 Baht) / Red sweetened milk (37 Baht)
Shop: Mont Nom Sot
Location: 2^nd Floor, Ma Boon Khrong Building (MBK Center)
Hours: Every day 11:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
Phone: 02-048-4898

Another establishment is on the 4^th Floor of the BACC, and you shouldn’t miss this on: IceDEA, a tiny ice cream shop bursting with creativity, one of the BACC landmarks spots that everyone’s talking about. The dessert menu is exotic and looks scrumptious. Our dish for today is mango sticky rice ice cream and/or durian ice cream on a stick, easy to walk around eating, and it looks like the real fruit dessert, not this ice cream version, cool to upload and show folks social media.

Menu/Price: Sticky Rice Mango Ice Cream (79 Baht) / Durian Ice Cream (89 Baht)
Shop: IceDEA
Location: 4^th Floor, Bangkok Art and Culture Centre
Hours: Tuesday – Sunday 11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Phone: 08-9834-5950

OK, great art at the BACC, delicious treats at MBK, but now let’s cut through to the Sky Plaza, which connects trade centers and major buildings around the Pathumwan intersection.

Remarkable street art by famous artists

Coming into the Siam Center, on the ground floor you’ll see more Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 international festival of contemporary art exhibits.

Name: Shot Guns
Artist/Nationality: Choi Jeong Hwa (South Korea)
Display Location: Siam Center

Name: Happy Happy Project: Alchemy
Artist/Nationality: Choi Jeong Hwa (South Korea)
Display Location: Siam Center

Good spots to nosh on great food in Siam Center? You must definitely not miss the amazing choux cream item served at the Japanese find at Croquantchou Zaku Zaku, which just recently opened here.

Choux Cream on a stick, crispy soft, sweet, with a great custard filling

Menu/Price: Croquantchou Zaku Zaku (75 Baht)
Shop: Croquantchou Zaku Zaku
Location: Floor M, Siam Center
Hours: Every day 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Phone: 09-1916-4224

When we’ve filled up on this, we can cut through Siam Center to Siam Square One, where there’s a famous shop servicing the taste for bubble tea that’s become all the rage in our country. Let’s definitely get over to The Alley and get in line to check out this great taste from Taiwan.

Milk tea with a sweet taste and scent: Bubble tea, with its chewy pearls

Menu/Price: Brown Sugar Deerioca & Fresh Milk (100 Baht)
Shop: The Alley
Location: 4^th Floor, Siam Square One
Hours: Every day 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.
Phone: 06-1414-2222

And then there is . . . the light touch and soft taste of the springy pancakes served in many flavors at the well-known Eat The Street shop, in a comfortable price range. And there’s not even a very long line!

Menu/Price: Choco Soufflé Pancake (89 Baht)
Shop: Eat The Street
Location: 2^nd Floor Siam Square One
Hours: Every day 00 – 21.00 น.
Phone: –

Stepping out of Siam Square One, we immediately run into something we’re well used to in this Siam district: a tantalizingly delish selection of street food, for example . . .

Delicious soft oden, served with Tom Yam or an original soup

Menu/Price: Oden (70 Baht)
Shop: Anyong Korea
Location: Siam Square, Soi 7
Hours: Every day 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Phone: –

Legendary Siamese dessert: soft coconut cups with pandanus leaf scent

Menu/Price: khanom khrok bai toei (“Coconut pandanus cups”) (40 Baht)
Shop: Siam Pandan
Location: Siam Square, Soi 7
Hours: Every day 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
Phone: –

To finish up our art tour today, there’s a big pumpkin “sculpture” exhibit by the “mother of contemporary polka dot art,” Yayoi Kusama, creating excitement right in the middle of Central World with a major transformation of the space.

Name: 14 Pumpkins
Artist/Nationality: Yayoi Kusama (Japan)
Display Location: CentralWorld

There is more installation art nearby, this time featuring huge inflatables, calling out smiles and happiness all around. If you have time, get over to see Happy Happy Project: Fruit Tree: it’s not too far away.

Name: Happy Happy Project: Fruit Tree
Artist/Nationality: Choi Jeong Hwa (South Korea)
Display Location: Central Embassy

One Day Trip: Chao Phraya River Bangkok Cruise

By livingasean
November 29, 2018
Bangkok Art Biennale 2018,EXPLORE,JOURNEY,SPECIAL SCOOP

People tend to think of the Chao Phraya as a nice place to take a boat ride to visit an old temple or flea market that’s kept its fascinating architecture. On this trip we’ll add to that, taking you to see new lifestyles and great art, as well as stopovers guaranteed to fill your Bangkok holiday with enjoyment.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: favforward.com /// Photography: Tanakitt Khum-on, favforward.com, Rithirong Chanthongsuk, Methee Samantong, Singhanart Nakpongphun, Soopakorn Srisakul, Media Hub, Courtesy of the Artist

Wang Lang

We begin in a district with a long and storied history: Wang Lang. More than an old market known for its famed rare and mouth-watering treats, it offers great shopping bargains, especially in new and used clothing of every style. Wang Lang once was the palace of His Royal Highness Prince Thong-In, Deputy Vice King of Siam during the reign of Rama I, but now it’s the site of Siriraj Hospital. A common sight in this neighborhood is of teenagers searching for good-quality second-hand clothes in favorite styles, and throngs of people come for the interesting vintage goods available everywhere here.

Bank of Thailand Learning Center (BOT Learning Center)

This large learning center once originated the nation’s first printed bank notes. Now it is a place of opportunity and inspiration, a place for learning and individual research that facilitates exchange of ideas and opinions, driving creation of knowledge and love of learning and sharing in an integrated learning center with state-of-the-art learning media and a multitude of learning activities. You’ll find a museum of national heritage that hosts exhibitions in various fields, such as rare money that can transport you into the past just with a look. You’ll hear stories about the evolution of money through various periods of civilization, and about what the money of the future may be like. This is also a Bangkok Biennale 2018 Art Fair site, where works by two artist groups can be seen: “Memory House” by Alex Face and Souled Out Studios (SOS), and “Dragon Boat” by Huang Yong Ping.

Dragon Boat is an installation created by Chinese avant-garde artist Huang Yong Ping, founder of the Xiamen Dada art movement. Standing 4.2 meters tall, the sculptural work that measures 16 by 4.2 meters depicts a journey by the people who migrated from China’s Fuxian region to settle in Thailand more than a century ago. Huang is passionate about the art of storytelling. Huang is originally from Xiamen, a port city in China’s southeast. He now lives and works in France. One of his masterpieces, Dragon Boat, is currently on show at the Bank of Thailand Learning Center.

Bangkok Biennale 2018 — Thailand’s well-known graffiti artist Alex Face is a member of the street art troupe SOS, which is short for “Souled Out Studios”. The group includes, among other things, visual artists, videographers, and ceramic sculptors who explore questions about the end of life. Alex participates in the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 by presenting little Mardi, a three-eyed baby character with an aged face filled with disillusions. The sculptural installation shows the baby’s eyes opened wide in shock and rabbit ears crashing through the roof. Is he trying to call attention to a worrisome problem that’s happening to the Chao Phraya River? It’s left to your interpretation.

Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchanon Mahawihan

Wat Arun’s massive stupa can be seen as an artistic work of the highest beauty. It is adorned with a covering of tiles and pieces of rare ancient and gorgeously patterned Benjarong crockery imported from China. The temple has undergone continuous restoration from the reign of Rama 5 until the present. This is another Bangkok Biennale 2018 Art Fair site, featuring works such as “Across the Universe” by Sanitas Pradittasnee and “Giant Twins” by Komkrit Tepthian.

“From the World Inside / Across the Universe” is a site specific installation entered into the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 by Sanitas Pradittasnee. The artist got her inspiration from miniature mountain landscapes that she saw at Wat Arun or the Temple of Dawn. Her new work comes in handy as an invitation to search the mind to understand the inner self, so as to become knowledgeably aware of the goings-on in the world outside. It sends a message that’s in line with “Loka-witu”, one of nine rules in Buddhism. The installation consists of acrylic panels painted a bright shade of red that changes hue as time passes, a reminder that things change, people change, feelings change.

Giant Twins by Komkrit Tepthian — Thai contemporary artist Komkrit Tepthian is well known for creating beautiful works using Lego blocks. His past works included the reconstruction of Buddha statutes that had been decapitated and the heads smuggled out of the country and sold as ornaments on the black market. His entry into the 2018 Bangkok Art Biennale is “Giant Twins”, an installation featuring conjoined twin brothers — a Chinese warrior stone sculpture and the likeness of the iconic Giant of Wat Arun in full regalia.

Tha Maharaj

After visiting Wang Lang, you can take a ferry across to Tha Maharaj, a super-chic “community mall” right on the river for capital city denizens. Come evening, you’ll drink in the beautiful view all the more, enjoying shopping and the many famous restaurants and fabulous street food.

Tha Tian

Tha Tian is easy to get around. A neighborhood unique for its two-storey bright colonial-style yellow buildings from the Phra Nakhon riverside’s early days. Tha Tian can be a district to pass through on the way to somewhere else, but itself is full of classic charm of an old community that has survived, and temples such as Wat Pho that have been part of Phra Nakhon since ancient times. Scattered all about are attractive cafés, outstanding restaurants, and sight-seeing walks where you can view art works. The nearby Pak Khlong neighborhood and flower market sound an irresistibly seductive call for us to fall in love with this district.

Wat Phra Chedi Phonwimonmangkhlaram Ratchawong Maha Wihan, or Wat Pho

His Majesty King Phra Phutthayotfa Chulalok, first king of the Chakri Dynasty, presided over the founding of Wat Pho in the city of Bang Kok, and this premier monastery was his designated temple. As in the Ayutthaya period, the temple is next to the Grand Palace, and under the altar is a statue of the Buddha. The principal Buddha image in the hall contains ashes of the Buddha, and contributing to the temple’s worldwide fame also are the green and red “Wat Pho Giants” set at arched entryways to the Phra Mondop scripture hall, their form like the giants depicted in that classic of Thai literature, the Ramakien. The Bangkok Biennale 2018 Art Fair also has a presence here, showing works of Jitsing Somboon and Pannaphan Yodmanee.

Wat Prayurawongsawat Worawihan

This temple was built during the reign of the third Rattanakosin monarch, King Phra Nangklao Chaoyuhua, who gave it the name Wat Prayuruwongsawat, but the people knew it as “Wat Rua Lek” (Iron Fence), since some sections of its wall and arched gates were made of iron. For sophisticated preservation work requiring deep technological understanding, at the 2013 Asia-Pacific Awards for Cultural Heritage Conservation the temple chedi received the Award of Excellence, first prize out of 47 entries from 16 countries worldwide. This project brought to surrounding communities a greater awareness of the value of cultural heritage conservation. Works of Bangkok Biennale 2018 artists Krit Ngamsom and Nino Sarabutra are on display here, as well.

Turtle Religion by Krit Ngamsom — Krit Ngamsom likes to mix his childhood experiences with the sense of humor that has come to characterize good-natured people in the provinces. His ability to turn ordinary materials into amazing works of art arouses the admiration of many art lovers. For the 2018 Bangkok Art Biennale, the Thai contemporary artist presents “Turtle Religion”, a mixed media installation that seeks to communicate, in a cheerful and happy way, that there’s more to life than just living. Rather, it’s about being useful and honorable. Such is manifested in the sculptured turtles that carry the iconic Buddhist shrines on their back. The thought-provoking exhibition is on view in the Khao Mo zone of Wat Prayurawongsawas.

What will we leave behind? by Nino Sarabutra — Is it a question? Or an art exhibition? It’s both. Right now, at this moment, the ambulatory around the Main Stupa of Prayurawongsawas is playing host to a gripping exhibition by Nino Sarabutra. The artist’s entry into the 2018 Bangkok Art Biennale is a site specific installation consisting of 125,000 ceramic pieces that look like a pile of miniature human skulls. They fill up the circular walkway around the sacred hemispherical structure that’s the temple’s main attraction. It begs the question about life and the purpose of existence. Precisely, what if today is our last? What will we leave behind after we’re gone?

Museum Siam

If you have time, wander around Museum Siam, our first “learning museum,” unique for innovations that encourage learning, with displays telling stories through accessible modern technology that arouses interest in visitors. Techniques are used to tell stories by raising questions, inviting visitors to use imagination. Certain spots are intentionally designed for maximum benefit, suggested in creative, enjoyable formats involving various activities that move the narratives forward. Items and devices used within the museum are to be touched so as to convey meanings and create perfect connections.

Yaowarat

This venerable haunt of Chinese people and civilization has long been here. Yaowarat is especially colorful at night, with topflight food to be found everywhere. There are a number of noteworthy points along Yaowarat Road, such as Odeon Circle, Charoen Krung Road, Ratchawong Road and Chakkrawat Road. Not-to-be-missed eating spots are Kuey Chap Nai Ek, Khua Kai Than Tao, and Kuey Chap Uan Phochana (in front of the Chinatown Cinema). Hidden away nearby are Khanompang Sai Thalak, Sweet Time, for incredibly delicious desserts, and Pa Jin Hoi Khlaeng Luak, which specializes in shellfish prepared in absolutely delicious ways, and is one of the oldest restaurants in Yaowarat.

Lhong 1919

Renowned for decorative architecture, Lhong 1919 is a popular new tourist spot, well worth visiting and taking a slew of pictures of. Here once was a location called “Huai Jung Lohng,” Chinese for “steamer pier,” and now is also known by the name “Wang Li godowns.” Its history and architecture go back 167 years and really make one aware of its architectural value. Recently a major restoration was done on the pier, which had deteriorated over a long period, and now it is a tourist destination with a remarkable heritage that tells of its history through art and architecture.

The Jam Factory

The Jam Factory is a warehouse space along the Chao Phraya River revamped as a hub for super-hip lifestyles. Besides beautification of a funky old godown, the environment was made especially charming by preserving its large trees for a shady atmosphere extending to a riverside restaurant, a chic furniture shop, and a bookstore where serious bookworms can come stuff their heads with knowledge found in rare books from Thailand and abroad.

Warehouse 30

Warehouse 30 is a creative space with a distinctive industrial style, renovated from an old factory. This newly born community is located in Soi Charoen Krung 30. It’s a place to hang out. There’s a restaurant. There are shops offering hip home furnishings. There are many spots to take beautiful pictures, even a cinema! All this, and then the “co-working space,” too! People can shop, munch, chill, or have fun with various activities, either during the week or on weekends.

East Asiatic Building

The East Asiatic, a fine example of Renaissance revival architecture, is located on the banks of the Chao Phraya River next to the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. Not only is it gorgeous, it gives us a look back to more than 100 years ago as a rare historical treasure showing the prosperity of the Danish community in Siam at that time. Right now it is also home to Bangkok Biennale 2018 Art Fair works by Lee Bul, Sara Faviau, and Elmgreen & Dragset.

Mandarin Oriental Hotel

The beauty of its carefully maintained architecture has long contributed to recognition of the Mandarin Oriental as one of the greatest hotels in the world, and it is generally agreed that since opening in 1870, Bangkok’s first hotel has also been one of its most important landmarks. Though the hotel has undergone many renovations, even today it retains its classic nature. It is also a perfect venue for Bangkok Art Biennale 2018’s showing of such works as “Lost Dogs,” by Aurèle Ricard.

If you have time in your scenic boat ride along the Chao Phraya, you can stop in to see heretofore unknown artistic works tell fascinating stories about culture and society, sparking ideas which we can use to improve our own lives.

An international festival of contemporary art, Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 is held between October 19, 2018 and February 3, 2019 at 20 important Bangkok locations.

30 Works of Art You Can’t Miss at BAB 2018

Great Bangkok Spots to Explore by BTS

Plan Your Trip: Ways to View BAB at Landmark Spots along the Chao Phraya River

Great Bangkok Spots to Explore by BTS

By livingasean
November 19, 2018
EXPLORE,JOURNEY

Want to get the most out of your time in Bangkok? Sure, there are great shopping malls, but where else to go? Here are some Living ASEAN recommendations on enjoying Thailand’s capital city. For comfort and convenience, we suggest using the BTS system for your weekend jaunt to see new lifestyles and interesting art works, or spend time with gods and angels at sacred sites all around town.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: favforward.com /// Photography: Sitthisak Namkham, favforward.com, YAYOI KUSAMA Courtesy of Ota Fine Arts, Tokyo, Courtesy of Artists

Start out on the Sukhumvit Line

>> BTS National Stadium

Where’s the largest art exhibition space in the “Big Mango?” Easy. It’s right here at the Bangkok Art & Culture Centre: exhibitions, music, films, literature, education, and, on the 5^th floor, handicraft art. Then there’s the BACC souvenir shop for buying art show mementos, works by the artists themselves, and plenty of other things. Shows here aren’t just uplifting, but inspire our own creative instincts. Right now BACC is one of the prime locations for Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 Festival l, showing such works as “Basket Tower” by Choi Jeong Hwa and “Tape Bangkok 2018,” by Numen For Use Design Collective.

>> BTS Siam

This location is a sort of urban landmark, not merely a place for teenagers to hang out, but a showplace for the modern age. There’s a center for technology and innovation, plus a bezillion shops and outlets: Siam Discovery, the Siam Center, Siam Paragon, and Siam Square, each distinct area offering its own select products and product selections.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 shines here, too, featuring works of various prominent artists brought in from abroad. One such is Yayoi Kusama, an 81-year-old Japanese known as the “Princess of Polka Dots.” She has extended her love of that quirky blob into many branches of creativity: sculpture, painting, arrangement art, and many more, to become one of the world’s most highly esteemed contemporary female artists, giving exhibitions and receiving top international awards in many countries.

You can see some Kusama signature works on display at Central World: the beautiful arrangement art piece “Inflatable Pumpkins Balloons” hangs suspended from high above and polka dots adorn escalator handrails, changing this massive space into an art gallery where you yourself are a participant in the creation. More Kusama is seen at nearby Siam Paragon in “I Carry On Living With The Pumpkins,” where you’ll find the polka dot theme continued on a silver pumpkin with mosaic-style skin.

The exhibits listed above are the works of Yayoi Kusama, Japan’s most prominent contemporary artist. The red pumpkin with black polka dots and the silver fruit with multiple colors are part of a collection titled “I Carry on Living with the Pumpkins”. Sometimes called “The Princess of Polka Dots”, Kusama works mainly in sculpture and installation and is widely known for her obsession with endless dots, nets, and mirrored space. The 89-year-old artist continues to create amazing works of art, most notably installations.

>> BTS Chit Lom

Walking along the skywalk between the BTS Chit Lom and Siam stations you can reach a lot of great locations: Central World, Central Chit Lom, Gaysorn Village, and a lot of famous hotels. The Erawan Shrine is right below, where pilgrims come to pay homage to six divinities believed to grant blessings to worshippers petitioning for success in work, money, love, or various other realms.

At Central World is yet another Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 Festival display: an exhibition featuring the beloved Miss Mamuang, by artist Wisut Ponnimit, cartoonist and illustrator. Stop by to meet Miss Mamuang and take pictures with these rare art works.

>> BTS Ploenchit

The Ploenchit area has not only major office buildings and governmental locations such as embassies, but also department stores and hotels. And near here is a major passenger boat pier for connections to Pratu Nam (the Watergate district) and various locations along Phetchaburi Road.

Getting off at the BTS Ploenchit Station gives you additional access to Bangkok Art Biennale 2018. Famous art works are shown nearby at Central Embassy, Nai Lert Park Heritage Home, One Bangkok, and Alliance Française Bangkok. One especially interesting collection features the work of Marc Schmitz, whose fascination with the relationships between people and spaces has produced paintings, large arrangement art pieces, and video art. Mr. Schmitz looks to challenge the limits of communication on many fronts, giving us works that really make us think. His goal is to stimulate a continuing conversation between observer and art piece that at some point becomes like real personal communication. His later work contemplates commonly known relationships between people and history by means of large works installed in public spaces, filling the gap between art history and contemporary art in useful ways. You can see his works at Nai Lert Park Heritage Home from Oct. 19 to Feb. 3.

>> BTS Asoke

Asoke: district of prosperity, and one of the capital city’s major communication and transportation hubs. From the Asoke Intersection, where Asoke Montrii, Rathchaphisek, and Sukhumvit Roads meet, a network of streets and alleys can whisk us to important areas all over Bangkok. The super-fast, convenient, and comfortable BTS and MRT rapid train systems connect here, helping efficient time management. The Airport Link train is just one stop away by MRT, adding convenience for foreign travel. Directly by the rail stations is the Terminal 21 shopping complex, each floor designed with many shops and services mimicking a different international airport, and with a giant food center where you can partake of different lifestyles, all open for your daily enjoyment.

>> BTS Phrom Phong

Here the “EmDistrict,” meaning EmQuartier and the Emporium, flanks Sukhumvit Road on both sides. EmQuartier has three shopping complexes. The Helix Quartier, or Building A, is distinctive for its “floating garden” starting on the 5^th floor. From here you’ll walk up and around, up and around on a helical ramp where you can dine at luxury restaurants and visit shops along the way.

The Glass Quartier features high-end outlets, fashion shops, a Virgin Active Fitness center, and the Bhiraj Tower (Sammachawanich Building 3) is a 30-storey office building. The Bhiraj has a central reception hall on floor M from which you’ll take a high-speed elevator up to the 15^th floor, where you’ll find a helipad and a roof deck with a stunning view. Be sure not to miss the hall on the 45^th floor, home to the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 Festival’s display of works by artist Kawita Vatanajyankur.

6 Famous Artists You Can’t Miss at the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018

Silom Line

>> BTS Sala Daeng – MRT Si Lom – MRT Sam Yan

We arrive here after changing to the Silom Line. This district is replete with businesses and office buildings, colorful department stores, and hangout spots, with public parks scattered here and there. At the corner by MRT Sam Yan Station a new “lifestyle community” is soon to be completed: the Samyan Metrotown Life Expansion, a mixed-use building complex conceived under a concept called “three friends.” Lifestyle choices and personal enjoyment are coupled with learning and expanding perspectives with the aim of unlocking personal and community potential over the long term. The motto here is “learning is built around friendship”: “smart” spaces are designed to promote learning and be user-friendly under the concept of an “urban life library,” or “treasury of food and learning,” as a new chapter is added to the legend of Sam Yan. Three districts, three libraries, complete and unique in all of Thailand.

>> BTS Chong Noni – BRT Thanon Chan

The BTS Chong Nonsi Station is located in the Silom district between the Sathorn-Narathiwat and Silom-Narathiwat intersections, pretty much the city’s financial center. Full of office buildings, embassies, and condos, and with quick SkyTrain access, Chong Nonsi is especially popular with foreigners. The byword here is “mobility,” as Chong Nonsi is easily accessible by public and private transport. Besides BTS there’s the BRT Express Van Sathorn Station, and if you want to escape the clogged streets there is nearby Sathorn Pier, where you can catch an express boat: just hop on BTS and glide down to Taksin Station for that. There you can also easily cross to the Thonburi side of Bangkok: both coming in and exiting the city is convenient. Also, a quick ride to the BRT Thanon Chan station brings you to yet another Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 Festival installation: the Theater of Indulgence, where the work of many fine artists is featured.

If you have time to use BTS to get beyond the normal tourist activities, why don’t you check out some of these great locations? See art works unseen anywhere before tell inspiring and trendsetting stories through reflections of culture and society, lighting fires of thought we can use to improve our daily lives. Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 is held between October 19, 2018 and February 3, 2019 at 20 locations in Bangkok.

(Download here)

Link: https://favforward.com/lifestyle/art/49226.html

30 Works of Art You Can’t Miss at BAB 2018

Mahanakhon SkyWalk; Best place to see the breathtaking skyline of Bangkok

By livingasean
November 18, 2018
EXPLORE,JOURNEY

Mahanakorn SkyWalk is poised to become a popular global landmark destination. The new vantage point with breathtaking panoramic city skyline is located at the top of King Power Mahanakhon. Dubbed Thailand’s highest rooftop, the lookout with fantastic views is now officially opened.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Nawapat D. /// Photography: Soopakorn Srisakul ///

A place of interest for both local and international visitors, the SkyWalk’s main attraction is an observation deck that sits 310 meters (1,017 feet) from the ground. The rooftop destination affords 360-degree panoramic views of Bangkok city skyline. It boasts a spacious 63-square-meter floor space that ranks among the world’s biggest glass observation decks.

Mahanakhon SkyWalk facilities include:

1st Floor: The Lobby experience is about creating a warm, welcoming atmosphere as visitors arrive at the Main Entrance and Mahanakhon SkyWalk Ticket Counter. It’s conveniently linked to the elevator lobby via a Bangkok-themed digital corridor. Feel the excitement of Thailand’s fastest elevators that are capable of reaching the 74th floor in just 50 seconds.

74th Floor: The Indoor Observation Deck affords 360-degree panoramic views of landmark destinations around Bangkok. It comes complete with interactive windows and Augmented Reality screen experience to capture and send postcards to loved ones direct from Thailand’s highest mailbox!

75th Floor: The Mezzanine offers restroom facilities and access to the glass elevator lobby.

78th Floor: The Rooftop and Outdoor Observation Deck comes alive with the adrenaline-fueled excitement of “The Glass Tray”, a floor space that sits 310 meters from the ground. The spacious viewing deck ranks among the world’s largest glass floors. The Mahanakhon SkyWalk experience culminates in “The Peak”, which is a vantage point set at 314 meters up from the ground. Take your time as you take in the awe-inspiring panoramic view of the city skyline. It’s home to the highest rooftop bar with plenty of signature drinks and alluring cocktails.

Mahanakorn SkyWalk , King Power Mahanakhon — Aiyawatt Srivaddhanaprabha, CEO of King Power Mahanakhon, stands on the Glass Tray

If you travel on BTS Skytrain, Mahanakhon SkyWalk is easily accessible via Chong Nonsi Station, Exit 3 while Siam BTS Line is located 3 stations away). The SkyWalk is open daily from 10 a.m. to midnight, the final admission being 11 p.m.

Ticket Information:

Ticket Type: Mahanakhon SkyWalk
Description: Indoor Observatory Deck (74th Floor)
Adult Admission: 850 THB and 250 THB for *Children under 12 years of age / *Seniors over 60 years of age

Ticket type: Mahanakhon SkyWalk & Rooftop
Description: Indoor and Outdoor Observatory Deck (74th and 78th Floors)
Adult Admission: 1,050 THB and 450 THB for *Children under 12 years of age / *Seniors over 60 years of age

Good news! To celebrate the official opening, special promotions include a complimentary upgrade to the Rooftop with the purchase of a Mahanakhon SkyWalk ticket at just 765THB (a 1,050 THB value) from today until 31 January 2019*. (*Terms and conditions apply.)

Mahanakhon SkyWalk is part of the “King Power Mahanakhon” project. Set in the heart of Bangkok on Naradhiwas Road, the mixed-use development includes:

King Power Duty Free and Retail Shop (Floors 1 to 4): One of Asia Pacific’s leading centers for duty free goods, world-class brand name products, exclusive Mahanakhon SkyWalk souvenirs, international quality Thai products and creations, and a rich array of lifestyle products.
King Power Hotel (Floors 1 to 18): More details will be announced in the next phase.
The Ritz-Carlton Residences (Floors 23 to 73): Luxury living at its best. A total of 209 luxurious freehold residences, ranging from 2-5 bedrooms; from 125 square meters to 844 square meters of space, with exclusive amenities and legendary service by the Ladies and Gentlemen of The Ritz-Carlton.
Mahanakhon SkyWalk (Floors 1, 74, 75 and 78): Bangkok’s newest iconic landmark destination, Mahanakhon SkyWalk is Thailand’s highest observation deck, offering 360-degree panoramic views of Bangkok. Sitting 314 meters from the ground, it ranks among the world’s largest glass tray floors, and is home to Thailand’s highest rooftop bar.
Mahanakhon CUBE provides some of Bangkok’s best dining experiences, with a showcase of leading international restaurants, café and gourmet products including Dean & Deluca’s flagship store, M Krub, and L’Atelier by Michelin star chef, Joël Robuchon.
Mahanakhon Square: Over 1,000 square meters of available space for exhibitions, performances and events in central Bangkok.

Link: www.KingPowerMahanakhon.co.th

Plan Your Trip: Ways to View BAB at Landmark Spots along the Chao Phraya River

By livingasean
November 12, 2018
ART,Bangkok Art Biennale 2018,CULTURE,EXPLORE,HAPPENING,JOURNEY,SPECIAL SCOOP

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, (BAB) is an art fair which will transform Bangkok into a city for art lovers. Famous artists from many corners of the world have brought their works here to be shown at 20 landmark sites.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Favforward.com /// Photography: Rithirong Chanthongsuk, Methee Samantong, Anupong Chaisukkasem, Singhanart Nakpongphun, Soopakorn Srisakul, Media Hub, Courtesy of the Artist

The show spreads over two zones: 1) the Chao Phraya riverside and 2) the heart of the city. Shows in the urban zone are easily accessible by public transport such as BTS or MRT. The Chao Phraya riverside zone is also easy to get to, but for comfortable travel, easy on the physical body and with no worry about getting lost, we’ve prepared a guide – including parking suggestions – for getting around to see that great art down by the riverside.

(Download here)

30 Works of Art You Can’t Miss at BAB 2018

BTS Saphan Taksin, your starting point

BTS Saphan Taksin Station is the perfect connecting point between urban and riverside zones, so if going by BTS or other public transport you’ll want to make this your destination for catching the Chao Phraya Express Boat. Arriving on BTS, take Exit 2 and it’s a quick walk to the pier where the Chao Phraya Express Boats, which you’ll recognize by their orange flags, dock. Fare is 15 baht per person.

Going by private car? There’s a parking lot close by the BTS Saphan Taksin, next to Wat Yannawa at the end of Charoen Krung Soi 52, a very convenient walk to the Express Boat. From 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. the charge is 60 baht per day; every hour after 5 p.m. costs an additional 10 baht.

The East Asia Building

We recommend taking the Chao Phraya Express Boat from Taksin Station and getting off at Oriental Pier (Tha Oriental). Just a short walk from there brings you to the beautiful Renaissance Revival architecture of that venerable old building.

It’s less convenient to drive your car here, as the East Asia Building has no parking lot. Leaving the car at the Soi Charoenkrung 52 lot and going by boat is a much better idea.

Zero by Elmgreen and Dragset / Venue: The East Asiatic Company Building

Diluvium by Lee Bul / Venue: East Asiatic Company Building

Mandarin Oriental Hotel

This is quite close to the first destination, so if your plan is to admire the fantastic art work at the East Asia Building, you should stop by the Oriental as well.

Taking the Chao Phraya Express Boat, get off at the Oriental Pier just as for the East Asia Building. The Mandarin Oriental also has its own boats that can be hired for pickup and drop-off.

Parking? The Oriental’s parking garage is free for guests only, so those using it for convenient access to the art show have to pay the Hotel’s standard service charge. Remember, it has limited space, and so might be full.

O.P Place

An old trade center and a fixture in the Phra Nakhon locality since 1908, O.P Place is one more BAB art venue that’s accessible by Chao Phraya Express Boat and the Oriental Pier. You’ll find it by walking just 270 meters from Tha Oriental, and, of course, it’s convenient to the BAB exhibitions at the Mandarin Oriental and the East Asia building.

O.P. Place has a parking lot which is free for three hours with a parking ticket stamped by one of the shops, services, or restaurants in the trade center. Without a stamp it is 200 baht per hour.

The Peninsula Bangkok

With the Express Boat, again you get off at the Oriental Pier. This time, since the Peninsula Hotel is on the opposite bank, you should take the free boat service between the Mandarin Oriental and the Peninsula.

For those of our readers who must take your own cars, the Peninsula Hotel provides free parking for art lovers. Simply tell the parking official that you’ve come for the BAB art fair, and there’s no charge. We’re keeping this a bit on the Q.T., because the BAB fair lasts a full 4 months and we anticipate that this special service may change before long.

Wat Prayurawongsawas Warawihan

This is one of the three temple locations chosen for BAB art exhibitions: take the Express Boat to the Memorial Bridge/Saphan Phut Pier and it’s right across the bridge, a short pleasant walk with some great river views.

For the automobile-bound, Wat Prayurawongsawas Warawihan has its own parking lot, free for pilgrims and worshippers. Others need to pay 20 baht per hour, but we have no information for our readers on parking there specifically for Bangkok Art Biennale viewing.

Very close by, on the Chao Phraya riverside, there is also the Municipal Sanitation Officials’ parking lot, or on Thesakit Soi 1, where there’s free public parking but it’s rather limited, so a bit chancy. Cars may also be left at Wat Kallayanamitr Woramahawiharan (Wat Kanlayanamit): to get to BAB from there you’ll have to walk through the Kudeejeen District.

Another choice would be to drop the car at the Pak Klong Market parking lot behind Yodpiman River Walk. There’s an automatic system here which can hold as many as 360 cars. Service charge for 4 hours is 40 baht, and it’s open 24 hours. From there you’ll have to cut through to the Chao Phraya and cross Memorial Bridge to reach Wat Prayurawongsawas Warawihan. It’s a bit of a hike, but definitely a secure and easy place to leave your car.

Phra Chetupon Vimol Mongkolam (Wat Pho)

Coming from Wat Prayurawongsawas Warawihan you’ll have to cross back over and catch the Chao Phraya Express Boat at either Memorial Bridge/Saphan Phut or Yodpiman Pier, and go to the Wat Arun/Tha Tian Pier, where there is also a boat crossing to the next destination of Wat Arun.

To go straight to Wat Pho by private car, there’s the “Soi by Wat Pho” parking lot at the Chetuphon Street fork, which charges 20 baht per hour, but there’s so little space there you won’t be able to count on it, so make sure you have a backup plan.

Nearby is also the Tha Maharaj Pier parking lot, but this also has limited space and is always full. There’s sometimes also parking at the Navy Club, if there is no event scheduled there.

Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan

Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchawaramahawihan

When you’ve viewed the art work at Wat Pho to your heart’s content, take the boat back across the river to Wat Arun.

Driving in on Arun Amarin Road, it’s pretty hard to find parking by Wat Arun. It’s common to park on the side of the soi by the Temple (Soi Wang Derm), but we don’t recommend it because 1) space is limited, and 2) it’s not very safe. Our suggestion is to leave the car elsewhere, e.g. back at the Pak Klong Market, Soi by Wat Pho, or the Navy Club, and just take the Chao Phraya Express Boat and/or a boat that crosses to the other side.

Bank of Thailand Learning Center

Going by Chao Phraya Express Boat, we recommend getting off at Thewet Pier.

If bringing your car here, just use the Bank of Thailand Learning Center parking lot. The Learning Center has free parking for 4 hours with a stamped parking ticket. If you’re staying longer, or don’t get your ticket stamped, it’s 20 baht per hour.

Dragon Boat by Huang Yong Ping / Venue: BOT Learning Center

This is just a rough plan for readers interested in visiting the Chao Phraya River Zone exhibitions of Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, an international festival of contemporary art held from October 19, 2018 until February 3, 2019 at 20 important Bangkok locations.

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6 Famous Artists You Can’t Miss at the Bangkok Art Biennale 2018

3 Places You Have to Experience At Lhong 1919

An Architectural Masterpiece, the East Asiatic Building Opens its Doors: Wow, Look What’s Inside!

By livingasean
October 15, 2018
EXPLORE,JOURNEY

The East Asiatic Building is a gem of Renaissance Revival architecture, a popular reprise of 14^th through 17^th century European design, and still new to us even though it’s been more than a hundred years since Italian architect Annibale Rigotti graced the Thai nation with this work. It is the former office building of a world leader in international trade, the East Asiatic Company (Thailand), founded by Captain H. N. Andersen, a Danish seaman. Andersen found work in Siam as a young man and rose to be captain of the Royal Navy during the reign of H.M. Chulalongkorn before becoming manager of the incomparably luxurious and world-renowned Oriental Hotel and going on to commission the East Asiatic Building.

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Nawapat Dusdul /// Photography: Soopakorn Srisakul

The East Asiatic Building represents one of Thailand’s most significant historical periods in international trade. In 1984 it received the Architectural Conservation Award from the Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage, and the Fine Arts Department has registered it as a historic site. As its last face-lifting repair was done back in 2001, this building is not normally open to public use, although it is occasionally rented out for banquets or advertising photo shoots. The Bangkok Art Biennale 2018 Festival (BAB 2018) marks the first time the general public will be able to go inside and fully appreciate the beauty of the East Asiatic Building – one of twenty sites where BAB 2018 festivities will be held between October 19, 2018 and February 3, 2019. The festival here offers not only an education in the hidden charms of old-style architecture, but a view of aesthetic wonders in masterworks created by world-class artists who are gathering here to create an experience you won’t be able to find anywhere else.

The overall impression of the building’s interior is of an imprecise beauty, a kind of charm no new building can offer. Despite the renovation of arched doorways following along the lightweight walls, 2^nd floor openings show a framework of long wooden beams resting on main pillars, secured with knots and screws. You can see cracks, incrustations, and lichen stain discolorations of wall surfaces alongside piled-up and disintegrated remnants of compressed wood panels once used as space separators in the long-abandoned office building. The artists all expressed the opinion that this environment was perfect: no improvements or alterations needed. They want to display their work at this site just as it is.

This imprecise beauty brings to mind the Japanese “wabi-sabi” acceptance of transience and imperfection. Wrinkles and blemishes born of change and temporal deterioration show a beauty reflective of Zen Buddhist wisdom and reinforces our sense that the older the architecture, the more value it has. It is also all the more appropriate as a setting for art that values such flawed beauty, and exciting that all the Bangkok Art Biennale artists, whatever their methods of presentation or communication, are in harmony with the rich historical context of this building.

The lineup of both Thai and foreign artists displaying works at the East Asiatic Building – and the Festival this time also has showings at the OS Building – includes Lee Bul, a female Korean artist acknowledged as cutting-edge in performance art, sculpture, and installation art. Then there are Elmgreen & Dragset, a Danish and Norwegian contemporary artistic duo, who, though neither has completed a course of study in art, produced the widely acclaimed installation art piece “Van Gogh’s Ear.” Another presenter is “Tay,” Patiphat Chaiyawithate, a young artist of the new generation who pays close attention to the changes taking place around us, integrating them into many types of work: sculpture, installation art, and woven fabrics. His show includes lab rooms of the future and sculptures of animals foraging in a river basin. Another featured female artist with startlingly eye-catching work is Praew Kawita Vatanajyankur, who uses her own body as a primary subject in video art, much of which will be premiered in this fantastic building.

Source: http://www.baanlaesuan.com/122223/arts/east-asiatic/

Colorful Changes in Bangkok: 6 spots welcome the new year with color

By livingasean
December 25, 2017
EXPLORE,JOURNEY

In this final month before the New Year, wherever you look in Bangkok you’ll see joyous festivities with colorful lights. Come with Living ASEAN to six of them!

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Gott /// Photography: Rittirong Tongjunsuk, Tanakitt Khum-on

Thailand Illumination Festival 2017 – Ratchada

This garden of more than 15 acres bustles with fascinating activities under the brilliantly glowing light of more than a million bulbs. Here you’ll find a tunnel of many colors, a Christmas tree festooned with lights, models of the 12 constellations of the zodiac, and an indoor sound and light show featuring songs composed by H.M. Rama 9. Open to visitors free of charge Monday – Thursday from 6 to 10 PM, and Friday – Sunday 6 to 11 PM until January 6, 2018: Ratchadapisek Road Soi 8, opposite the Esplanade shopping center.

festival of lights — Thailand Illumination Festival 2017

Beautiful Bangkok – Magnolia Ratchadamri Boulevard

Here a “3-D projection mapping” light show by the artist group “Limelight” paints a 60-story building with images depicting Bangkok ways of life, culture, and history. Shows from Dec. 14 – 31 2017 five times daily, at 7, 7:15, 7:30, 7:45, and 8PM. On New Year’s Eve (Dec. 31) there’s a special additional show for the 2018 countdown at 11:55 PM.

LIGHT UP CHRISTMAS TREE CELEBRATION – Central World

CentralWorld Shopping Plaza has set up an amphitheater in front for a wondrously decorated “land of music” featuring world-famous Argentinian artist Javier Gonzales Burgos. The huge Christmas tree surrounded by statues including Santa, polar bears, and reindeer is a visual highlight.

Harry Potter: Christmas in the Wizarding World – Siam Paragon

The space fronting on Siam Paragon has become a magical country, giving muggles a not-to- be-missed photographic opportunity under the theme “Christmas in The Wizarding World,” put on by Warner Bros. Consumer Products and GES,
organizers of the international show “Harry Potter: The Exhibition” on its first visit to Thailand.

Let’s Celebrate 2018: The Holidays Bring Me Here – Central Embassy

A ten-meter Santa Claus, largest in Southeast Asia, rises majestically above Central Embassy shopping plaza, this year brilliant with more than a million Christmas lights. Here also is “Santa Playland,” designed to take everyone back to a fun-filled childhood atmosphere.

Winter Wonderland the Grand Celebration – The Emquartier – EMPORIUM

The Emquartier – EMPORIUM has transformed the trade center to be a miraculous land of winter under the theme “Winter Wonderland: the Grand Celebration,” with a 12-meter white bear and an army of small white bears beaming smiles at all
passersby. There is also a light show with content changing each week.

Link: http://www.baanlaesuan.com/88727/design/directory/5-light-up-bangkok/

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WORLDWIDE AIRPORT RANKING 2017: THE BEST AND THE NOT SO GOOD

3 Places You Have to Experience At Lhong 1919

By livingasean
December 20, 2017
EXPLORE,JOURNEY

The culturally historic Chinese-Thai Huo Chuan Laung Steamer Pier built on the Chao Phraya in 1850 was reborn in 2017 as “Lhong 1919.”

/// THAILAND ///
Story: Taliw /// Photography: FavForward.com

The charm of original Chinese architecture and murals on 167-year-old walls have been preserved, and it’s already an everyday Bangkok tourist destination where locals relax and take pictures. Don’t forget to sample the delectable tastes and fantastic décor at these three dining and coffee-drinking establishments:

RONG SI

We start with a premium Chao Phraya riverside Thai restaurant at Wharf No. 41, the former site of a rice mill. Billed as “Rong Si seafood, intense Thai tastes in a modern Chinese atmosphere,” the original building was reinforced and preserved, with some worn-out components kept for décor: old roof tiles liven up the walls; a refurbished wooden banister serves as room divider.

Menu Suggestions

Stuffed lotus petals (miang kleep bua) with roasted tidbits – coconut, nuts, dried shrimp, etc. – and a unique and fresh dipping sauce.
Crab stew (lon pu yai): a true Thai taste featuring the very freshest crab catch
Stir-fried crab in curry sauce (pu phat phong karee): full-flavored, thick with fresh crab meat
Deep-fried snapper in fish sauce (pla kaphong thawt nam pla) with a fine hidden sweetness
From the drinks menu, iced black tangerine and honey yuzu

NAI HARNG

Nai Harng, a first-rate “street food” eatery, mixes old-fashioned with contemporary. The décor is full-on “Yaowarat” Chinese, with bright neon lights and the Chinese community of old Siam represented in murals and the open-kitchen design of the building itself. A grilled pork/river shrimp vendor cart out front emphasizes the street food theme.

Menu suggestions

The famous signature dish, “Nai Harng fried rice,” from Patara Fine Thai Cuisine, a Thai chain with branches worldwide
River shrimp baked in agar noodles (goong ob wun sen)
Papaya salad (som tam), an intense Thai taste served with crispy-skinned, succulent barbecued chicken and hot sticky rice
Healthy, colorful drinks made from organic butterfly-pea (anchan) flowers
Anchan iced coffee, iced anchan and lime, and sugarcane juice with grass jelly

Anchan iced coffee and iced anchan and lime

PLEARNWAN PANICH

For a very special atmosphere plus drinks and sweets you’ll find nowhere else, we finish our tour at the Huo Chuan Laung Pier branch of Plearnwan Panich dessert shop, a restored wooden building connecting to an ancestral mausoleum. The flavor of this eye-catching retro-style café is based around antique Chinese-style furniture and ornamentation.

Menu suggestions

“Half-breed” (luk khrueng) coffee combines old-style Thai boran or oliang with international coffee beans for a mellow taste, sweetness added with cold fresh milk
Healthy dark iced sesame tofu coffee for the lactose-intolerant
Sangkhaya: egg and coconut custard

Address: https://goo.gl/maps/41yVSRfTqeq
Link www.facebook.com/LHONG-1919

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SEVEN OF THE HIPPEST NEW PLACES EVERYONE IN BANGKOK SHOULD CHECK OUT

Seven of the Hippest New Places Everyone in Bangkok Should Check Out

By livingasean
September 20, 2017
EXPLORE,JOURNEY

Here are seven newly opened spots you should make a point of seeing next time you visit Bangkok. They are not only great tourist spots, but museums of knowledge where you can enjoy yourself the whole day long.

/// THAILAND ///

Story: Weena Baramee /// Photography: Nantiya Busabong, Tanakitt Khum-on, Sitthisak Namkham, Soopakorn Srisakul, Ritthirong Chanthongsuk

Changchui

The new Changchui Creative Space on Sirindhorn Road sprawls over 4 acres (11 rai) with restaurant, coffee shop, and a wide variety of other shops scattered about. Inside you’ll see a collection of buildings often set at unusual angles and built mainly with recycled materials: corrugated iron, glass, wood panels, wrought iron, and old doors and windows such as you might see in Bangkok communities. The eclectic beauty of this mix is what gives Chanchui its unique identity. Here are all sorts of beautiful spots where it’s fun to pull out your phone and take selfies.

Link : www.changchuibangkok.com

YELO House

For 40 years a Ratchathewi district warehouse for printing equipment, after that this building sat abandoned and lifeless, but it’s now been transformed into a creative space for inventors, designers, artisans, and support personnel. The 480-square-meter indoor space holds an art gallery, office, meeting hall, co-working space, photo studio, and an area for holding workshops and organizing events. The name YELO comes from “You Ever Live Once,” expressing how the old warehouse has come back to life and vitality once more.

Link : https://www.facebook.com/yelohouse/

Warehouse 30

Creative Community Mall is the brainchild of Duangrit Bunnag, famous Thai architect and teacher. Here he has transformed an old warehouse from the mid-1940s into an exciting creative space stretching over 600 square meters and divided into rooms where visitors can dig in and indulge themselves in whatever catches their fancy at a co-working space, art exhibition, clothing store, flower shop, bookshop, hip coffee shop, and on and on. The space also includes the Warehouse 30 flea market for homemade articles and a multi-use space for setting up exhibits, workshops, or various events.

Link : https://www.facebook.com/TheWarehouse30/

Baan Bangkhen

Here’s a new vintage-style spot where the visitor can chill out and travel back in time to old Thailand, with lots of places with murals and scenes perfect for picture-taking. Almost every corner holds a treasure trove of knowledge from the past. The café and restaurant are open 24 hours, and also there’s a new building nostalgically designed as an old-style Thai commercial house full of an exciting collection of antique furniture and ornamentation.

Link : https://www.facebook.com/baanbangkhen/

TCDC Charoenkrung

TCDC has moved to a spiffy new location: the central post office building on Charoenkrung Road. An 8,700-square-meter area five stories high holds a general library, material library, makerspace, co-working space, workshop, and an area for small or large exhibitions. The building was built in 1940 C.E, Throughout the building and especially on the front, you’ll see beautiful period art deco works commissioned by the Department of Architecture.

Link : https://www.facebook.com/tcdc.thailand/

Bangkok City Library

The Bangkok City Library at the Khok Wua Intersection is a true learning center. Filling a space of more than 4,590 square meters, its light-colored walls, high ceiling, glass windows, and skylights give a feeling of spacious comfort that simply invites you to sit down for a good read. The library is 4 storeys high, books arranged by category on each storey, with comfortable seating in every corner.

Link : https://www.facebook.com/bangkokcitylibrary/

Siam Serpentarium

This repository of knowledge about the lives of snakes offers a mixed media exhibition light and sound show suitable for people of any age and gender. The building is in three main sections: the “virtual museum” zone which holds the mixed media show with lifelike models and 3-dimensional pictures, a “snake garden” with more than 50 species of snakes both common and rare, and the “Naga Theater.” In this last zone snake doctors demonstrate how to extract snake venom from live specimens, and there is a stage play about naga and garuda legends.

Link : https://www.facebook.com/siamserpentarium/

Jatujak Isn’t Just for Weekends

By livingasean
August 30, 2017
EXPLORE,JOURNEY

If two days is not enough time for the weekend, you still have plenty of hours to shop on weekdays.

/// Thailand ///
Story: Samutcha Viraporn /// Photography: Soopakorn Srisakul

Situated near the MRT Kampaengpet Station, Jatujak Plaza is open on weekdays, too, except either Monday or Tuesday depending. It’s a popular marketplace for not only furniture, home furnishings and decorating items, and souvenirs, but also plenty of pet animals from dogs to cats to fishes. And the list goes on.

The Plaza at Jatujak Park sits right next to a vast built-up area set aside for the weekend market. Furniture, home décor items, and a plethora of lifestyle goods combine to give the Plaza its distinctive character. The marketplace had been the hub of pet lovers before it was transformed into rental spaces for businesses, notably art and craft retailers.

As time went by, Jatujak Plaza continued to attract more and more business people from makers of furniture and home décor items to architects, interior designers, and fashion stylists. Over the years it has become a popular rendezvous for homeowners as well as hotel and hospitality business entrepreneurs who are in the market for cool furniture and décor supplies. Some furniture makers have retail businesses here, while others import decorating goods from regional sources, notably Indonesia and the Philippines.

The plaza’s advantage lies in its proximity to an MRT station and business hours on weekdays. The marketplace is open from 10 AM to 6 PM daily, but you have to pick the right day to shop. Most retail businesses here are closed on Monday, while others choose to stay closed on Tuesday, too. Some shops don’t open exactly on the hour. For your convenience, it is recommended that you be there around 11 AM. There is a pet zone located at the further end.

Blog : JOURNEY

Wang Lang

Bank of Thailand Learning Center (BOT Learning Center)

Wat Arun Ratchawararam Ratchanon Mahawihan

Read more: Wat Arun Ratchawararam, a Must-See Thai Historical Site

Tha Maharaj

Tha Tian

Wat Phra Chedi Phonwimonmangkhlaram Ratchawong Maha Wihan, or Wat Pho

Wat Prayurawongsawat Worawihan

Museum Siam

Yaowarat

Lhong 1919

The Jam Factory

Warehouse 30

East Asiatic Building

Read more: An Architectural Masterpiece, the East Asiatic Building Opens its Doors: Wow, Look What’s Inside!

Mandarin Oriental Hotel

Mahanakorn SkyWalk is poised to become a popular global landmark destination. The new vantage point with breathtaking panoramic city skyline is located at the top of King Power Mahanakhon. Dubbed Thailand’s highest rooftop, the lookout with fantastic views is now officially opened.

Bangkok Art Biennale 2018, (BAB) is an art fair which will transform Bangkok into a city for art lovers. Famous artists from many corners of the world have brought their works here to be shown at 20 landmark sites.

In this final month before the New Year, wherever you look in Bangkok you’ll see joyous festivities with colorful lights. Come with Living ASEAN to six of them!

Thailand Illumination Festival 2017 – Ratchada

Beautiful Bangkok – Magnolia Ratchadamri Boulevard

LIGHT UP CHRISTMAS TREE CELEBRATION – Central World

Harry Potter: Christmas in the Wizarding World – Siam Paragon

Let’s Celebrate 2018: The Holidays Bring Me Here – Central Embassy

Winter Wonderland the Grand Celebration – The Emquartier – EMPORIUM

The culturally historic Chinese-Thai Huo Chuan Laung Steamer Pier built on the Chao Phraya in 1850 was reborn in 2017 as “Lhong 1919.”

RONG SI

NAI HARNG

PLEARNWAN PANICH

Here are seven newly opened spots you should make a point of seeing next time you visit Bangkok. They are not only great tourist spots, but museums of knowledge where you can enjoy yourself the whole day long.

Changchui

YELO House

Warehouse 30

Baan Bangkhen

TCDC Charoenkrung

Bangkok City Library

Siam Serpentarium

If two days is not enough time for the weekend, you still have plenty of hours to shop on weekdays.