Your ultimate guide to Bangkok

Look, we all know the feeling: your reading list grows taller by the week whilst your phone pings away, pulling your attention in seventeen different directions at once. Actually sitting down with a book properly, without distractions – has become something of a lost art. Which is exactly why Read Me Again's 'Books I Haven't Finished' happens. This Sunday, Nextopia and A Keen House are turning an ordinary afternoon at Siam Paragon's fifth floor from a sacred space for readers who just want to get stuck in without the constant buzz of notifications. Photograph: A Keen House Here's the best bit: you hand over your phone at the door. The whole afternoon becomes genuinely distraction-free – tackling that novel you've been meaning to finish for ages, or cracking open something new you picked up from a book fair. Bring whatever you fancy. Your current read, a sketchbook, even a diary for jotting down thoughts in peaceful silence. It's open to anyone craving a proper break from screens and a chance to remember what paper actually means, surrounded by people who get it. Photograph: readmeagnn If your 'pile of shame' has been giving you grief, or you simply fancy living at a slower pace right in the heart of the city for a few hours, this is your answer. Grab your books and we'll see you at A Keen House, Nextopia 5th floor Siam Paragon, this Sunday April 19 from 11am onwards. Time to turn some pages.

If the idea of standing in the street getting soaked for three days doesn't  thrill you, Bangkok can offer a more inviting option on the water rather than in it .  The Bangkok Water Festival 2026 is running free boat rides across 10 cultural stops in the old town, right along the Chao Phraya. The festival runs April 13-15, with two routes threading through some of the river's most storied neighbourhoods. You can hop on and off as you please, switching between routes at Tha Tien Pier (Wat Pho Pier) on Soi Pratunokyung. Route 1 runs from 9am to 4.30pm, taking you from Wat Rakang Pier through Wat Arun, Wat Kalayanamit, Wat Prayurawongsawat and Yodpiman before finishing at Wat Pho. That stretch of riverbank is dense with history – temples, old communities and the kind of riverside scenery that still manages to feel unhurried even in the middle of a busy city like ours. Route 2 picks up from 10am to 5.30pm, looping from Tha Tien Pier out to SookSiam at ICONSIAM, across to the Kuan Yu Shrine Pier in Khlong San, then back again. A nice contrast – ancient and contemporary sharing the same stretch of water. A couple of extras worth knowing. There’s a paid ferry between ICONSIAM and Sathorn Pier by the BTS running all day for eight baht. There’s also a free shuttle boat from Sathorn Pier to Asiatique, running from 10am to 8pm if you want to stretch the day a bit.

If this world has ‘rights’ for children, here's one that actually saves you money: meet a couple of basic conditions and your kids can travel Bangkok's MRT for free. What do you reckon? From April 13 children under 14 who aren't taller than 120cm get to hop on the Blue and Purple lines without paying. BEM's running the scheme straightforwardly: just rock up to the ticket office with your kid's ID or passport, grab a free ticket and you're sorted.  Here's how it breaks down. Kids aged seven and under can travel free regardless of height. For children between eight and 14, there's a catch – they need to be under 120cm tall. If they've hit a growth spurt and gone over that height, you're back to paying the adult fare. Parents can collect tickets at any station ticket office, just tell the staff you want to use the children's benefit. And if your kid's confident enough to travel solo, they can sort it themselves at the counter. 

Because good health shouldn’t be a privilege saved for those with pricey gym memberships, Bangkok quietly brings back something far more open. Right now, the retro yet classic rhythm of outdoor aerobics makes a proper return, especially around Lumpini Park, which turns into a bit of a haven for beginner burners. It’s easy to reach on MRT or BTS, and once you arrive, the mood stays light, sociable and surprisingly welcoming – no intimidating mirrors, no sign-up desks, just people showing up and getting on with it. Photograph: BMA If you’re thinking of joining at Lumpini Park, you’ve got three main spots to pick from:– Behind the King Rama VI Monument Plaza, with two sessions: 6pm led by Bangkok Metropolitan Administration instructors, then 7pm for late finishers, run by volunteer instructors– In front of the Library, where stepping starts together at 6pm– Palm Garden, ideal if you clock off early, kicking off from 5.30pm Too far from home? Fair enough. Next Learn pulls together a list of 38 locations across Bangkok, so chances are one sits closer than you think. From large public parks to multipurpose plazas tucked near neighbourhoods, you can move along to properly upbeat tracks without spending a single baht. Photograph: BMA At a time when membership fees climb alongside the cost of living, it’s easy to forget that endorphins don’t come with a price tag. ‘Good health’ doesn’t need to read like a luxury item. Park-side dance aerobics proves the point again, with Lumpini acting as a regular meeting ground for anyone keen to shake off a long day with a bit of music. Grab your trainers and check the full list on the Next Learn website. It costs nothing, which still feels rare. And if you haven’t tried it yet, stand near the speakers once, watch the dance leaders work their magic – you’ll quickly realise working out alone isn’t always the most fun option going.

After making Thai 'Deathbat' disciples wait more than a decade, that California roar known as Avenged Sevenfold (A7X) is finally set to return this October – and trust us, they're about to shake things up properly. For over 20 years, this lot have proved they're not just metal icons but legends who refuse to fade. Photograph: Avenged Sevenfold So what sets A7X apart from your standard metal outfit? It's not just Zacky Vengeance's fierce guitar riffs or Synyster Gates' razor-sharp solos. The real magic lives in the spirit and theology woven through their name and lyrics. Since forming in 1999, they've carried the weight of Genesis 4:15 – the story of Cain and Abel – as the backbone of everything they do. Their path hasn't exactly been smooth. Losing drumming genius The Rev in 2009 left a devastating wound that nearly ended it all. But redemption and sheer bloody-mindedness pushed them to new heights instead. Albums like Nightmare and Hail to the King shot straight to number one on the Billboard charts, whilst mega-hits like 'So Far Away' captured hearts across the globe. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Avenged Sevenfold (@avengedsevenfold) This return to Thailand after 11 years – not since 2014 – means more than just another gig. It's a chance to explore that grey area between faith and madness through songs that blend metalcore, progressive and even hints of country rock. Brace yourself for the most powerful show of the year: part metal concert, part celebration of being alive and daring to question the world through every single note. See you at the stage. Catch them at Thunder Dome on October 6-7 from 8pm onwards. Tickets are available now via Ticketmelon.  

We all know the scene – a Sunday afternoon, the smell of freshly printed pages hanging in the air, the soft rustle of book pages as you hunt for your next read, that intoxicating mix of creativity, romance and the brilliant chaos of browsing quirky treasures. If this sounds like your idea of heaven, mark your calendar for April 26, 10am-7pm, Sant Jordi is back at GalileOasis. Photograph: Embajada de España en Tailandia It's a proper tip of the hat to the most legendary day on the Catalan calendar. Traditionally, men gave women a rose tied to an ear of wheat, whilst women returned the gesture with a book, hence why it's also known as 'the Day of the Book'. Now in its fifth year, this festival celebrates books, romance and everything delightful in between. If you've ever caught yourself daydreaming about wandering through Barcelona's streets on Saint George's Day, this is about as close as it gets in Thailand. Organised by Myriam Rueda, the Spanish graphic designer behind MESA 312, together with the Spanish Embassy in Thailand, it's the perfect excuse for bibliophiles and design lovers to shop, indulge and fall head over heels (with a book or two, naturally). Photograph: Embajada de España en Tailandia Beyond the books and crafts on offer, there's a midday treat worth turning up for. Free Spanish paella rice from La Cava Phuket restaurant, served between 1pm and 2pm on the day. The Sant Jordi event happens at GalileOasis (BTS Ratchathewi) on April 26 from 10am-7pm.

Photograph: livenationth/sonymusicthailand If you missed The Kid LAROI last time round, here's your chance to make up for it. Born Charlton Howard in Sydney, the 22-year-old first broke through with Stay, his monster 2021 collab with Justin Bieber – and has kept busy ever since with a string of singles and a world tour.  Earlier this year he returned with Before I Forget, his first full-length album in two years – a raw, emotionally candid record of wistful R&B ballads written in the aftermath of a breakup. The tour takes its name from one of the album's lead singles and Bangkok gets its date on Monday June 29 at Samyan Mitrtown Hall. Photograph: livenationth/sonymusicthailand Tickets Prices range from B2,800 to B3,500 across two standing zones: Zone A and Zone B. The fan club presale opens on April 22 from 10am to midnight via tkl.world.  Live Nation Tero members get their window on April 23, 10am to midnight – sign up free here before then.  General sale follows on April 24 from 10am via here. Six tickets maximum per transaction. Note that each ticket requires a unique full name in English – no duplicates across an order. The Kid LAROI – A Perfect World Tour plays Samyan Mitrtown Hall on Monday June 29. Tickets B2,800-B3,500 via livenationtero.co.th.  

Lumphini Park has quite the moment right now. Recently, there's viral b-boy Da Da leading those massive outdoor exercise sessions that pull in 3,000 people. Now Bangkok's favourite green space gets an artistic makeover for Songkran that's definitely worth making a trip for. This Thai New Year, Trendy Gallery and Amazing Thailand bring a proper outdoor art gallery to the park with the Saneh Art by Songkran Festival. There’ massive character sculptures from Thailand's hottest emerging artists, all displayed among the trees and lakeside paths where you normally see joggers and those famous monitor lizards lounging about. The main draw is the large-scale Character Art installations scattered throughout the park. You spot works from some of Thailand's biggest creative names: Nisa Seekhamdee brings her beloved CRYBABY character, Wisut Ponnimit's Mamuang, Kasemwit Chaweewat's POORBOY, Sirinat Saiprasat's TOMATO TWINS and 2CHOEY (aka Cherdsak Moeikhanmak) with his finger face creation. These aren't your average park decorations – they're statement pieces that demand attention. Songkran water splashing is obviously on the cards, and you can create your own artwork, catch artist talks, collect stamps to win Limited Edition prizes and browse the sculpture display if you want to stay dry. Saneh Art by Songkran Festival 2026, Lumphini Park, April 11-15 (sculptures until April 30). Free.

Still haven't sorted your Songkran plans? Wat That Thong has entered the chat. The temple's beloved fair is back and it's teaming up with the Songkran festival for a proper 10-day celebration, running right through to April 15. There’s retro market vibes, classic street food, fairground rides and live music all rolled into one massive neighbourhood party. The food situation alone is worth the trip. You'll find stalls piled high with traditional Thai sweets and all the savoury street food classics you could want. There's an old-school vibe going on with the retro market section, where vendors are selling everything from vintage finds to modern trinkets.  Fancy a go on some temple fair-style rides? They've got those too. And there are photo spots dotted around if you're after some festival content, and live music to keep things buzzy throughout. The fair sits right next to BTS Ekkamai, so you can hop off at Exit 3 and you're basically there. If you're taking the bus, anything running along Sukhumvit will drop you at the temple's doorstep.

Always, always, there was a time before you had it all figured out. Before you were competent, before you were composed. Photograph: galileoasis On April 18-19, GalileOasis and Film I Trust invite you back to that version of yourself with Summer of Youth, a two-night outdoor screening series. Tickets are priced at B250 and include a free ice cream courtesy of Baan Pad Kajeen. Photograph: galileoasis Kicking things off on Saturday April 18 at 7pm is Billy Elliot (2000): the story of a boy from a working-class mining family who discovers ballet, a pursuit his world tells him is decidedly not for him. Raw, funny and devastating, it's a film about desire, dignity and the courage to want something no one around you understands. Photograph: galileoasis On Sunday April  19 at 7pm, it's The Breakfast Club (1985): five teenagers – the rich girl, the hothead, the jock, the nerd and the loner – are thrown together in Saturday detention and forced to actually see each other. John Hughes at his sharpest. Whatever your story is, come sit in the garden, watch the classics, grab your ice cream and lift it high – for the misfits, the dreamers, the ones who grew into their own rhythm. Tickets are available via the registration link here. Note that all sales are final – no refunds after payment. April 18-19. GalileOasis, 535 Wat Phraya Yang Alley, Thanon Phetchaburi, Ratchathewi, Bangkok.

Sometimes, moments of quiet sensory attention can feel almost radical. Yet scent has a strange way of interrupting that rhythm. A trace of jasmine drifting through evening air. A faint hint of wood lingering in a hallway. The soft sweetness of a room spray that appears without warning and suddenly rearranges memory. Long before sight or touch, fragrance reaches the emotional part of the brain. It reminds us of people, places and moments we thought we had forgotten. Perhaps that is why scent remains one of the quietest forms of emotional therapy. It is also the central language of Ganda Saitum, founder of Ganda Scent & Object. Her practice does not treat perfume simply as a cosmetic product. Instead it functions more like a library of emotions. Each fragrance captures a moment, a mood or a fragment of memory.   “Scent is something very honest, it speaks before we have time to explain it.”   Interestingly, Ganda did not originally plan to become a perfumer. Her career began in publishing, working as a beauty editor during the era when print magazines still held  sway. Those years exposed her to countless products and perfumes. She spent long days reviewing fragrances and analysing trends. Creation arrived later. ‘One day my husband, Surasak Ittirit, joked that maybe I should start making something of my own,’ she recalled. ‘He said: “If you only review things, you will become a very good critic’’.’ The comment stayed with her. Photograph: Ganda Saitum Soon afterwards she enrolled in a half-day workshop about candle making and fragrance blending. The class took place in a modest shophouse studio. Nothing about it suggested a life-changing experience. Her husband soon joined the project. A photographer with a strong interest in fine art, he became responsible for designing the objects and packaging surrounding the fragrances. The partnership felt natural. Together they already run a production house creating advertising and media content, so creative work has always filled their daily life. The brand’s name reflects that partnership with surprising simplicity. ‘Scent is me,’ she said. ‘Object is my husband.’ From there the story unfolded slowly, bottle by bottle, note by note. Photograph: Ganda Saitum Learning to listen to scent Before blending her own fragrances, Ganda thought about perfume the way many people do. It was an invisible accessory. Something that revealed personality or taste. ‘A fragrance could tell you something about a person,’ she said. ‘It hinted at their character.’ That perception changed the moment she began working with raw materials herself. Suddenly, scent felt less like decoration and more like language. ‘Every note has its own voice,’ she explained. ‘Even lavender smells different depending on where it grows.’ Photograph: Ganda Saitum The process requires careful listening. One ingredient may feel bright and optimistic. Another carries warmth or melancholy. A successful fragrance emerges when those voices settle into balance. Ganda describes the act of blending as almost meditative. ‘I smell each ingredient carefully and ask whether it belongs in that moment,’ she said. If the note does not feel right, she simply returns it to the shelf. ‘I believe every scent will eventually find its place,’ she added. ‘Just maybe not today.’ Photograph: Ganda Saitum Why the brand includes objects The name Ganda Scent & Object often raises questions. Why include the word object? At first glance it seems to refer to packaging or fragrance tools. In reality the idea extends much further. ‘Object can be many things,’ Ganda explained. ‘It can be artwork, scent tools or collaborations with other creators.’ Her husband leads that side of the practice. As a photographer and visual artist, he often experiments with materials that people usually overlook. ‘Sometimes he transforms something very simple into something unexpected,’ she said. Photograph: Ganda Saitum The couple have avoided opening a permanent shop for now. Instead their fragrances appear through collaborations and temporary installations. You might encounter their scent in a gallery. A design space. A fitness studio. Even a restaurant. ‘We enjoy presenting fragrance in different environments,’ Ganda said. Those moments create a different kind of interaction. People first notice the scent, then the object that releases it. Curiosity follows. “When someone experiences a small moment of happiness because of a scent, it makes us happy” Photograph: Ganda Saitum Nine scents, nine emotional moments So far Ganda has created nine fragrances for the brand, each representing a specific emotional state. When I asked which one she loves most, she laughed softly. ‘Right now I like this one,’ she said. The answer changes depending on how she feels that day. Each scent carries its own story. Photograph: Ganda Saitum The first fragrance, Gathering Clouds, was inspired by the view outside her riverside home in Nakhon Chai Si beside the Tha Chin river. The name references Ruam Mek Bridge nearby. ‘The feeling was something between happiness and sadness,’ she said. ‘Soft and neutral like clouds moving across the sky.’ Photograph: Ganda Saitum Another scent called Quiet Echo appeared after a high-intensity, interval training workout. Lying on the floor in the resting yoga pose of savasana, Ganda felt completely exhausted yet strangely calm. ‘It became a scent about resilience,’ she explained. ‘About reminding yourself that you are stronger than you think.’ Memory also plays a powerful role in her work. The fragrance Old Picture was created for her father after his passing. ‘I do not believe we must remain sad when remembering someone we love,’ she told me. ‘When we think of them, we meet them again in our memory.’ Interestingly that scent was actually the first perfume she ever blended during a workshop years earlier. She kept it quietly stored until the right moment arrived. Photograph: Ganda Saitum Another fragrance, Evenfall, takes inspiration from The Godfather and its sequel. The scent reflects solitude and quiet confidence. It captures the moment evening arrives and the world grows quieter. Among all nine creations, the most difficult may have been Endless Rose. The concept sounded simple. She wanted to create a rose fragrance that even people who normally dislike rose might enjoy. In practice the process proved surprisingly challenging. ‘I wanted it to express the feeling of liberation,’ she said. ‘But at that time I had not yet experienced that feeling myself.’ Instead she had to imagine it. The result became one of the brand’s most popular scents. ‘Now I think it might be my favourite,’ she admitted. Somewhere in the background she suspects the tenth fragrance may already be forming. Photograph: Ganda Saitum When Scent Meets the Table One of the most unusual collaborations from Ganda Scent & Object appeared recently at XXG Xin Xe Goi. The project is called Scent to Table. The idea sounds experimental at first. Pair fragrance with food. Allow aroma and flavour to unfold together. Photograph: Ganda Saitum The collaboration began when Ganda created three scent variations for the restaurant partners to choose from. At some point the conversation shifted. Instead of selecting only one scent, why not explore all three?   “The restaurant already serves wonderful food and drinks, so bringing scent into the experience felt natural.”   After all, aroma is already part of taste. The fragrances were carefully designed so they never overpower the dishes. Instead they remain light and atmospheric. ‘The scent should stay in the background,’ she said. ‘It supports the experience rather than competing with it.’ During the dinner guests first smell the fragrance. Soon afterwards the dish arrives. Some people return to the scent while eating. Gradually the two sensations merge. Photograph: Ganda Saitum Even the drinks follow the same idea. A small scent card sits on the rim of the glass so aroma and flavour arrive together with each sip. The project introduced three scent identities named XXG001, XXG002 and XXG003. ‘The scent carried the spirit of a fighter,’ Ganda said. From that starting point she developed three variations. Photograph: Ganda Saitum XXG001 remains closest to the original fragrance but includes gentle Chinese herbal notes reflecting the history of Xin Xe Goi Street. XXG002 draws inspiration from the kitchen itself. Ingredients like coriander and basil mirror the playful cooking style that blends Western, Chinese and Thai influences. XXG003 allowed the greatest freedom. It combines airy herbal notes with a hint of smoke that captures the atmosphere of evening gatherings. That final scent eventually became the restaurant’s signature fragrance. The name combines both collaborators. Photograph: Ganda Saitum XXG represents Xin Xe Goi. GD represents Ganda. ‘It reflects both the place and my interpretation of it,’ Ganda explained. Photograph: Ganda Saitum Closing reflections When Ganda reflects on the journey behind Ganda Scent & Object, one thought often returns. She was 46 when she created the brand a year ago. Her husband had just turned 50. ‘Sometimes I wonder what would have happened if I had discovered this earlier,’ she admitted. Then she smiled. ‘But maybe that is also the lesson. It is never too late to begin something you love.’ The work has changed her in unexpected ways. Perfume blending requires precision and concentration. Every drop matters. ‘I used to be quite careless,’ she laughed. ‘Fragrance does not allow that.’ Photograph: Ganda Saitum Looking ahead, she hopes to expand into personal fragrances – many people already wear the brand’s room sprays as perfume. More collaborations are also planned with galleries, artists and creative spaces. For now the most immediate way to experience her work may be through the Scent to Table collaboration at XXG Xin Xe Goi. The fragrance created for the project continues to fill both floors of the restaurant and remains available as a home scent. Special dishes and drinks inspired by the fragrance will stay on the menu until April. Guests can walk in, although reservations are recommended during busy dinner hours. Photograph: Ganda Saitum Those curious about the collaboration can also ask the staff which menu items were inspired by the XXG x GD scent. ‘I really recommend trying them,’ she said. ‘The food and drinks are truly delicious.’ Her fragrances are also available through the brand’s social channels and selected locations across Thailand. In Bangkok they appear at Boundary in Thonglor, Flat No. 8 at Central World and several BFF locations including Central Chidlom, Mega Bangna, The Taste Thonglor and Central Ladprao. Outside the capital the scents can be found at Raya Heritage Hotel in Chiang Mai. Photograph: Ganda Saitum A permanent shop may come one day. But not yet. ‘When the time feels right,’ she said. Until then the scents continue to travel. From studio to restaurant, from memory to table, quietly inviting anyone willing to slow down and breathe.

A few weeks back, a new Afrobeats R&B Amapiano album dropped in Bangkok: Mr. Saxo Love. A genre the city is only just warming up to, Tobii – the artist behind this homegrown soundtrack – debuted its release at a poolside party, banana floats and all, the standout track Banana tying it all together. After the party, we sat with the full album, speakers positioned perfectly, and  came out the other side a little sound-drunk. A little melody-soaked. One song bled into the next, just as you’d expect from good Afrobeats, until the final track. But we were left with questions – quite a few, actually. Next thing we knew, Universal Music Thailand office had Tobii – the man, myth and legend himself – sitting right across from us. Tobii (Tobias Phuwanai Mattmueller) split his childhood between Swiss mountain air and the sweaty, electric sprawl of Bangkok. He taught himself to record music on a borrowed computer running cracked software, which is either very punk or very resourceful. Probably both. Photograph: tressatobii Fast forward a decade or so and Mr. Saxo Love is his latest, freshest, most danceable album yet. Undeniably sexy, his melodies drift somewhere between your hips and your better judgement – teasing, playful and fully aware of their effect. The virality it brought with it was never really a surprise. This is Tobii. To the T. Who exactly is Tobii? Photograph: Universal Music Thailand There's a particular kind of ease about people who've had to reinvent themselves more than once. Tobii has that ease in spades. Born in Switzerland and relocating to Bangkok as a young teen, he’s  now carving out a lane in the city's music scene that nobody’s quite occupied before – an Afrobeats and Amapiano artist in a country where neither genre has deep roots, rapping and singing in a freewheeling mix of Thai and English and performing on stages that range from sweaty clubs to festival main stages. At 26, he seems completely at ease with the unconventional route that brought him here, and honestly, that makes all the difference. Where did it all begin? Photograph: tressatobii Wind back to Tobii at 15. Home alone a lot of the time, with too much energy and nowhere to put it. Figuring out software through intuition and a sense for good music, by 19, he'd found his outlet. 'I just wanted to record by myself,' he says. No fancy setup, no mentor, no plan. Just a borrowed computer, FL Studio on a cracked free download and whatever microphone he could get his hands on. It's the kind of origin story that feels almost cliche in its simplicity – but this bedroom producer stumbled into something far more real than most other wannabes. Photograph: Universal Music Thailand What followed was years of quietly grinding, building a sound in a city that wasn't exactly clamouring for Afrobeats. But Tobii had a secret weapon: a complete lack of ego when it came to unashamed self-promotion. While a lot of his generation were too cool to push their own music, he was simply texting people – friends, acquaintances, whoever – telling them to listen. ‘Some people might feel like they're too cool to text someone and say: yo, listen to my song. I just didn't care. I just sent it to people!’ How did the mic confidence come? Photograph: pparnthepp / tressatobii Before the studio sessions and the label deal, there was the club circuit. Tobii fell into MC work through his DJ friends, who one day just asked if he fancied giving it a go. He said yes, more or less on the spot. Because why would you turn that down, right? 'It gave me confidence,' he explains. 'I didn't really know how to talk on a mic, so it was a good chance to go outside. Explore. Try things out.' It's worth noting that standing in a packed Bangkok club and keeping a crowd alive is no small feat. That kind of on-the-job training – for use of a better word – gives in to raw, unforgiving, and immediate experience, while also giving performers something no studio session could ever achieve. ‘You either hold the room or you don't,’ he says. What's Tobii’s sound and where does it come from? Photograph: tressatobii Here's where Tobii's story gets genuinely interesting. Afrobeats and Amapiano in Bangkok is not an obvious pitch. But for Tobii, the connection is more personal than calculated. He grew up in Switzerland around Black friends from kindergarten – and he'll tell you straight, that it shaped him. The music they listened to, the culture they moved through together, the sounds that filled those early years. 'I think that inspired me a lot,' he says simply. It's not a marketing angle. It's just how he was raised. Photograph: Universal Music Thailand Throw in a deep love for African culture more broadly and the musical direction starts to make sense. Add Chris Brown, Michael Jackson and 50 Cent to the mix – artists he's been absorbing since childhood – and you start to hear where that melodic, Afro-driven sensibility comes from. As for language, Tobii writes in whatever works. English gets the nod for its double meanings and flexibility. Thai, he admits with a laugh, is 'very difficult to write in a certain way.' The solution? Mix both. It's a code-switching approach that feels natural for someone who's always existed between multiple worlds and fits the Bangkok music scene perfectly. Multi-lingual, he speaks Swiss German, English and Thai – though by his own admission, 'I'm not good at Thai, I'm not good at English either.’ His solution is to mix them both – smart.   Mr. Saxo Love hit the internet running – Tobii on why digital culture changes everything for new artists The album has 15 tracks – Banana, Hotel Lobby, Naughty, Phuket, Bad Girls Like You to name a few – and TikTok Thailand has been featuring them all. Bad Girls Like You sitting at close to 3.9 million user-created clips alone, more coming in as we speak. Tobii thinks he knows why. ‘It's nostalgic, passionate, a little sexy – okay, maybe more than a little,’ he laughs.  ‘That 2000s R&B feeling crashed into Afrobeats and Amapiano and came out the other side wanting to dance. No heavy stuff. Just love, groove and good intentions. People felt it. And when people want to move, TikTok dances happen.’ He's quick to share the credit too – throwing big shoutouts to the dancers and choreographers who took the song further than he could have alone. We can’t help but wonder: is digital the necessary path for new artists now? Tobii replies before we can think; 'I think in this day and age, virality is part of the game.’ What's the big moment so far?   Photograph: tressatobii   Ask Tobii about his first festival performance – Rolling Loud – and he deflects the hype slightly. The stage was big, yes. The excitement was real. But it's the backstage moments that he keeps coming back to.'I saw artists I'd only ever seen on TV,' he says. The highlight? Chris Brown, in the flesh, performing live. 'I had my little glasses on. I was crying.' He never did get to say hello. But here's the thing – it was the same stage Tobii would go on to perform on himself. Watching your biggest inspiration from the wings of a festival, then standing on that exact same stage. That's the kind of full-circle moment you don't forget. Going international – was it the plan? Photograph: pparnthepp / tressatobii Not exactly. The English version of Bad Girls Like You featuring Dolla came together less through grand strategy and more through good timing and proximity. The label had arranged a lunch where artists could connect. Tobii ended up in the same room as Dolla, they talked, they clicked and the collaboration followed. 'They came actually,' he says, still sounding mildly delighted by the low-key way it unfolded. Organic, unforced and ultimately a move that started to open doors beyond the Thai market. Clubs, festivals or intimate gigs – where does it hit best? Photograph: tressatobii Put the question to Tobii and he thinks about it properly rather than just giving the diplomatic answer. Clubs are fun – they're where he cut his teeth, after all. But he's candid about the reality. 'If I'm being real, at the club they don't just come to see me,' he says, a smile creeping in. 'They're trying to do other things.' Fair enough – the music gets you through the door, but Tobii himself might just be the reason you stick around. He laughs and we'll leave it at that. Festivals are different. 'People really pay and come to see you,' he says. There's the freedom of the stage itself – the space to move, to breathe, to feel genuinely unrestricted. 'I just feel free up there.' Big stages win. Is Bangkok the forever home? Photograph: tressatobii Tobii moved here at 12 because his parents decided Thailand was where they wanted to be. The music came later. But now, the two things – city and career – feel inseparable. He misses Switzerland sometimes. Of course he does. But Bangkok has something that's impossible to walk away from. 'It just feels like peace,' he says calmly. It's one of those answers that sounds simple but the emotion runs deeper. 'People smiling. You have these big festivals, the UFC, you have mountains – it's just everything in one.' He believes Thailand has a serious case to be made as Southeast Asia's premier festival destination. Tomorrowland has landed. Rolling Loud too. The infrastructure is growing, the energy is right and for Tobii, it was never really a question of going back. What's next? Tobii is still early in the game – and by his own reckoning, we've barely scratched the surface. 15 tracks made it onto the debut album. The vault, apparently, runs deep. If this is just the beginning, the rest of it is going to be very interesting indeed. As fans of the genre, we can’t wait to hear more.

In a world of apps and algorithms, Subhas Kandasamy is betting that four people around a square table – tiles clacking, strangers becoming friends – is still the most compelling thing a city can offer. It started with his grandmother in Singapore. Now it's everywhere, Bangkok included. Photograph: mahjongpalace There is a particular kind of household that stays with you. The kind where the door is always open, where something extraordinary is always being cooked and where, if you look through the right window on the right evening, four people are hunched over a square table, fingering tiles against a wooden surface like a low, insistent percussion.  Subhas Kandasamy grew up in one of those houses – in Singapore, with his grandmother Dolly, in a different era of the city-state, when multi-generational living was simply how things were done and the veranda looked onto a garden of mango and guava trees. That house, those evenings, that grandmother: they followed him everywhere. And eventually, they became a business. Photograph: anoukdbrouwer/mahjongpalace Mahjong Palace, the social club that Subhas founded in New York in September 2023, is not your usual Mahjong club, even for the US, and it’s certainly not a gaming den. It is not a Chinese cultural centre or a wellness concept or a members' club either – although it does borrow something from all of these.  It is, at its core, a reimagining of what it means to play mahjong in the 21st century – stripped of the money, filled with strangers who quickly stop feeling like strangers and roaming – staged wherever possible, inside galleries, museums and cultural spaces. Photograph: mahjongpalace 'It aims to get people off their phones and apps,' Subhas says, with characteristic directness. 'To promote intergenerational interaction. To foster a genuine non-digital community.' Photograph: mahjongpalace The origin story begins, as many good ones do, with a grandmother. Dolly was, by all accounts, a force of nature – 'the template Peranakan matriarch', as her grandson puts it – who ruled the household with the particular authority of someone who knew exactly how to make everything feel abundant.  Peranakan culture, born out of Chinese immigrant communities settling across the Malay Peninsula centuries ago – mixing with local Malay populations and absorbing their spices, textiles, languages and rituals into their own culture – is understandably, and famously an in-betweener. Not quite Chinese, not quite Malay. Something that carved its own distinct identity out of that in-between-ness. Subhas is drawn to that idea. After all, he himself has always straddled worlds – Singapore, Europe, the US, the art world and the domestic, the formal and the spontaneous. Photograph: mahjongpalace It is fitting, then, that the game at the centre of his life shares a similar origin story. Mahjong was born in 19th century China, most likely in the Yangtze River Delta during the Qing Dynasty, before travelling south with the Chinese diaspora across the sea routes of Southeast Asia.  By the time it reached the shophouses and clan halls of Singapore, Penang and Kuala Lumpur, it had already absorbed local inflections, adapted to new hands and new climates and settled into the rhythms of communities that were themselves in the process of becoming something new. It was never purely Chinese. It became, like the Peranakans themselves, something richer for the crossing. Photograph: mahjongpalace At Dolly's table, a mahjong set was always out. Dinner guests would drift from the food to the veranda, where the tiles were waiting. By the age of five, Subhas was standing at his grandmother's elbow during games. By seven, Dolly had – as is tradition – handed him a little money to play with.  'If I lost that money,' Subhas recalls with a laugh, 'she would absorb the loss. If I won money, I could keep the money. This is the best gambling education for children.' Photograph: mahjongpalace But the lesson was not really about gambling at all. It was about consequence, attention and the pleasure of being taken seriously at a table full of adults. Two things stayed with him from those evenings: the warm hospitality and the generous inclusivity. 'These two characteristics,' he says, 'have always influenced my hosting.' Photograph: anoukdbrouwer/mahjongpalace Before Mahjong Palace, there was the art world. Subhas spent years working in high-pressure roles at institutions including Carpenters Workshop Gallery, Superblue and Company Gallery – director of sales, the kind of position that requires both a finely tuned eye and a constitution for sustained stress. He is diplomatic but candid about what that world taught him. 'Aspects of it taught me how to never treat people,' he says. 'The entitlement and bullying that people get away with is shocking… you know who you are.' Photograph: mahjongpalace But he also credits the art world with igniting what he calls 'the hustler in me', which has come in very handy since. He made friends he still considers lifelong. And it gave him an intimate understanding of the smaller galleries and cultural spaces that, he felt, were always being eclipsed by the bigger names – an injustice he would begin to address once he went his own way. Photograph: mahjongpalace The tipping point came through the body rather than the mind. 'My husband, Martin Anderson, could tell from my happiness level in the room whether I was working on gallery work or Mahjong Palace,' he says. In December 2025, he handed in his resignation. He gave a month's notice, went to Sri Lanka for Christmas and came back someone else. 'After such a dramatic decision,' he reflects, 'returning to Asia was like going home.' Photograph: mahjongpalace Mahjong Palace had actually begun the year before, in September 2024, when Subhas emerged from a six-month break between jobs, burnt out and restless – and decided to take the mahjong lessons he had been giving friends on Sunday afternoons out into the world.  The first session: two tables, eight people, a neighbourhood restaurant in Dumbo, Brooklyn. No grand plan. Just a feeling. 'It's just going to be a friend's thing,' he told himself. Photograph: mahjongpalace It was not, as it turned out, just a friend's thing. Within weeks, messages were arriving from friends of friends who had heard about this mahjong club. Two tables became four. Four became six. Six became eight. By January 2024, the Financial Times was on the phone.  'I thought it was a joke,' Subhas says. But a joke, it was not. A cultural moment had arrived and Mahjong Palace was positioned inside it. 'I started Mahjong Palace not because I knew a trend was coming,' he is quick to clarify. 'I just wanted to bring my friends together. The fact that it hit the curve at the right time was an added bonus.' Photograph: mahjongpalace Walk into a Mahjong Palace session and you will find something that feels considered in every detail. Guests receive a welcome email in advance requesting they arrive on time. There are drinks, food, a welcome speech. In gallery and museum settings – the natural home of Mahjong Palace – a tour of the current show is played out by the curator or director before anyone sits down to play.  Then comes what Subhas describes, with evident satisfaction, as the seating plan. Tables are allocated by skill level. But there is also something more intuitive at work. 'I like pairing guests up if I think there is room for a spark,' he says. 'This is my Peranakan aunty side showing.' Photograph: mahjongpalace There is also, it should be said, a dress code – not an enforced one, but an understood one. People show up. They put on something nice. Mahjong Palace has become the kind of evening you get ready for.  'It's very much like date night,' Subhas says. 'People dress up, they come to Mahjong Palace, they know there's going to be a nice bar.' For a game that most people associate with their grandparents' back room, that reframing alone is a minor cultural coup. 'It's a very 360 experience,' he says. 'There's the food and drink, the nice bar, great Asian food. Sometimes, for up to 50 players, I still do the cooking myself – it's kind of like my love language to cook. And then for three hours, you forget about everything else and just be present in the game.' Photograph: mahjongpalace The teaching itself is systematic and also rather elegant. Subhas has designed a method that moves from the hardware to the software – you learn the tiles before you learn the game, because 'if you don't understand the hardware, how can you understand the software?' He breaks the tiles into their three categories – suits, honour cards, flowers – and then shows players the final destination before they begin. The way a driving instructor might show you the route before handing over the wheel. When someone accumulates enough points to earn a place on the leaderboard, he walks through the room and sounds a gong. The whole room erupts in cheering. 'People love seeing their name in lights,' he says. Photograph: mahjongpalace In place of money – which Mahjong Palace famously eschews to the occasional bewilderment of Asian audiences accustomed to the two being kind of inseparable – the leaderboard provides the competitive charge.  Re-educating players on this point has been, he admits, one of the harder parts of expansion. 'When I brought it to Singapore and Bangkok, everyone was like, oh, I don't want to lose so much money,' he says. 'I have to say: we're going to teach you a way to enjoy it so there's no money involved.'  The point, he insists, is that 'you can still enjoy the game immensely without the money aspect.' Photograph: mahjongpalace For someone running sessions across New York, London, Singapore and Bangkok, the logistics are, understandably, a little theatrical. Subhas travels with two mahjong sets in stainless steel cases that he describes, without a trace of understatement, as looking 'like James Bond Roger Moore era cases that carry the Cold War nuclear codes.'  He also packs two neoprene playing mats in Mahjong Palace's signature colourways, so the tables look right regardless of where he has landed. 'I get funny looks at airports,' he says. We’re not surprised. Photograph: mahjongpalace And then there’s the peculiar venues. Why galleries? Why museums? Most people, imagining a social gaming club, would go solely straight to a bar. Subhas's instinct ran elsewhere. Having watched brilliant smaller galleries be perpetually overshadowed by the big institutions, he wanted to give them a new kind of energy and a new kind of audience. 'It just seemed like my natural fit,' he says. 'I now get to engage with art in a different way.' Photograph: Subhas Kandasamy Mahjong Palace has hosted sessions at the Faurschou Foundation in New York (with Ai Weiwei's blessing), partnered with Studio Ashby in London for an early pop-up and played in Bangkok's Siri Sala, Irma Go's lovingly restored canal-side villa in Bangkok Noi. Three century-old teak houses brought back to life as a boutique guesthouse, it marked the club's Thai debut. With guests staying overnight at Siri Sala, conversations stretched into the next morning, creating a kind of intimacy and camaraderie that felt especially rare in a fast-moving city like Bangkok. Photograph: Subhas Kandasamy   Now, in what Subhas describes as a milestone moment for the club, Mahjong Palace is heading to the National Gallery in London on April 17 – a collaboration that feels like a threshold being crossed. 'They have been so wonderful to work with,' he says of the National Gallery, London, 'and their vested interest in community is so legit.'  At the event, he will also be serving Mahjong Palace's first branded ice cream – a collaboration with a company called Baobae, the flavour a meditation on Dolly's garden – pandan and coconut, mango and pineapple. 'Always with a hint of what Dolly would have cooked,' he says. What Subhas is building, at its most essential level, is a counter-argument to the digital age. He talks about the way apps and online communities create the 'false belief' that you are part of something, when true community is still, he believes, found face-to-face. Photograph: mahjongpalace The age range – anywhere from 23 to 86 in New York and London – is something he is proud of. There is now a group in London, strangers who met at a session, ranging from their twenties to their seventies, who go to dinner together, to the cinema. 'It really makes me happy,' he says. He mentions, almost in passing, that people over fifty 'start becoming invisible to the world.' He would like Mahjong Palace to push back against that. Photograph: mahjongpalace He also does not shy away from the fact that competitive games are, among other things, excellent dating tools. 'If you are going on a first date,' he says, smiling, 'you can save time by bringing your date to Mahjong Palace, because they can never disguise their personality when they're playing. It all comes out.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by I am S U B H A S (@subhversive) Bangkok, where Subhas has been spending more time as of late, feels like the next real frontier. He has already confirmed a return to Siri Sala in the first week of June and beyond that he is thinking bigger – a two-day event, his husband flying in from New York to co-host, cocktails, food, more tables.  In three years, he says, he and his husband plan to split their time between Europe and Bangkok exclusively. He already feels at home here. 'It's such a dynamic city,' he says. 'A nice mix of high culture, low culture, everything in between.' Photograph: mahjongpalace If Mahjong Palace were ever to have a permanent home in Bangkok, he knows exactly what it should feel like. 'An intersection of art, culture, food and drink,' he says. An emerging gallery, perhaps. A boutique hotel. Somewhere like the Jim Thompson Art Center.  'I feel that the role of museums has changed,' he adds and you sense he is talking about something larger than venues. 'They should become a meeting point for people to come together, especially in these times where there is so much exclusion and division in the world.' He has been around the block, as he puts it – Singapore, England, Switzerland, New York and now everywhere that two stainless steel cases can be carried through airport security without too much incident. He has worked in difficult rooms and made lifelong friends in them. He made some hard decisions, he says, because he did not want to keep waiting. 'If it doesn't work, I only have myself to blame,' he told himself on that December morning. 'But I leave with a lot of satisfaction in my heart.' That is, it turns out, the Mahjong Palace philosophy in miniature – play with abandon, don't mind losing, learn from the risk and find melody in the clacking of tiles. Mahjong Palace returns to Bangkok's Siri Sala in late May/early June 2025. We’ll share details once dates are announced and follow mahjongpalace.net for all the latest updates.

Just recently, at a whisky event that promised the usual swirl of ice and polite applause, something else cut through the room. Not a saxophone – it was thinner, stranger, almost trembling. I remember turning to a friend and asking, 'What is that?' The answer leads me to Sorrawat 'Ben' Suviporn. Ben is one of the partners behind Studio Lam, the vintage-style bar long considered a sanctuary for Thai musical heritage. For years it's been a meeting point for luk thung devotees, mor lam obsessives, jazz heads and anyone willing to let African rhythms sit beside Latin swing, funk and soul. It's a place where crates matter and curiosity is currency. Yet the sound I hear that evening doesn't come from a record collection. It comes from plants. Under the name Melt and Reform, Ben works with bioelectric signals from living organisms, translating their electrical activity into control voltage, then shaping that data through a modular system until it becomes something like music. Or perhaps something before music. The project grows out of Melt Experience, an earlier collaboration rooted in plant medicine, inner stillness and guided frequencies. Over time, the work shifted from symbolic use of natural elements to actual dialogue with Mother Nature herself. Photograph: prakaanmaltwhisky Melt and Reform feels almost alchemical. Frequencies dissolving, field recordings bending, bioelectric signals reshaped into song. I ask Ben when he first realises sound can be treated as something alive. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sorrawat Suviporn (@benbkk)  'Actually, Melt and Reform didn't begin with plant sound,' he replies. 'It started during a project my friend and I created called Melt Experience, which focused on inner peace and plant medicine.' Within that earlier project, there's a segment dedicated to guiding participants towards relaxation. Music is composed not as entertainment, but as architecture for stillness. 'We wrote four or five pieces built from frequencies, natural sounds, guided meditation elements and melodies we felt personally connected to,' he explains.   Photograph: PlantWave During that period, he encounters a device called PlantWave, a tool designed to translate plant bioelectric signals into sound. The idea lodges in his mind.    “If we are already working with plant medicine physically, consuming it, maybe it would be meaningful to also hear the sound of that plant.”   The shift is subtle yet profound. Instead of composing about nature, he begins composing with it. When I ask how he starts translating mushroom bioelectric signals into something audible, his answer is practical rather than mystical. 'I used a modular system to translate the mushroom's bioelectric fluctuations into control voltage. That signal was mapped to pitch, triggers or modulation within the patch.' Photograph: benbkk At first, it's simply experimentation. Connecting cables. Listening. Observing how unstable, slow or unpredictable the signals can be. 'From there, I gradually shaped it musically, deciding what the mushroom would influence and what I would control myself.' Why mushrooms? 'Honestly,' he admits, 'I just love their shapes and forms.' Rehearsals, he tells me, resemble a classroom more than a band practice. 'I'm still relatively new to this kind of equipment, so we're learning the tools at the same time as we're making the sound.' Photograph: benbkk There's wiring and patching, of course. Technical diagrams, voltage ranges. Yet instinct is just as crucial. 'Sometimes intuition leads to sounds that feel almost unbelievable. And sometimes we, with the plants, create something we can never recreate again which is beautiful… and slightly painful.' The idea of loss sits quietly there. Music that cannot be repeated because the organism will never respond in precisely the same way again. Photograph: benbkk Collaboration without intention How do you compose alongside an organism that has no intention to perform, yet still responds? 'It can be seen as a collaboration between plant and human, shaped by response rather than intention,' Ben replies. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Studio Lam (@studiolambangkok)   There's no narrative imposed upon the mushroom. No assumption that it wants to be heard. Instead, its electrical activity becomes part of a feedback system. A loop between voltage and touch, light and humidity. He's also worked with rice, translating its bioelectric signals into composition. Does that project change how he views everyday ingredients? 'It reframed rice not as an object, but as a dynamic system,' he says.    “The sound isn't hidden energy in a mystical sense, it's measurable electrical activity. But translating it into music changes how we emotionally relate to it.” He shares a story that lingers with me. 'I've had someone listen to the sound of a mushroom and tear up, saying it felt sad. Another person said it sounded cute. For me, that says more about the listener than the organism.' Nature, he believes, acts as a mirror. 'It reflects something already inside you.' In performance, who leads? Him, the modular system or the mushroom? 'It depends on how we design the setup.' Control, then, is fluid.   Has working with living organisms changed how he thinks about authorship? 'I still try to stay in control, but you can't control everything. Sometimes unexpected moments create results that are more interesting than what I originally planned.' Photograph: meltandreform The hardest lesson in merging technology with biology, he admits, is instability. 'Technology likes precision. But plants respond to their surroundings, light, humidity, touch, and sometimes they don't respond at all. You have to learn to work with that sensitivity instead of fighting it.' Photograph: meltandreform You don't 'tune' a mushroom, he clarifies. 'I carefully design how the signal is translated and choose the instruments I pair with the plant. But once it flows, I let the unpredictability shape the performance.'   Changing the plan, as he later puts it, 'is part of the plan.' Photograph: meltandreform Dialogue with DJ SWEED Melt and Reform isn't a solo venture. On stage, Ben is joined by DJ SWEED, whose background leans towards techno's heavier architecture. Photograph: mushroom_music_bangkok 'If I remember correctly, DJ SWEED studied music,' Ben notes. 'I think he majored in classical guitar. His musical background is very broad, and his imagination when it comes to sound is exceptional.' The pairing is unlikely on paper. Organic voltage fluctuations meeting structured sequences and trippy textures. Yet Ben describes the relationship with quiet gratitude. 'He supports me in almost every aspect of music.' Photograph: mushroom_music_bangkok Their performances are built around loose frameworks. 'We usually set a structure and leave space inside it,' he says. Negotiation happens through listening rather than argument. There are moments when the modular rig hums gently and others when percussion cuts sharply across the spectrum. The mushroom may trigger a gate that shifts the mood entirely. At times, Ben reaches a tone he feels content with and allows the organism to take over. 'That's when I feel most at peace,' he writes. Photograph: melt_experience At Wonderfruit in 2023, Melt Experience blends plant medicine, shared mindset and sound. 'People came looking for something,' he recalls. 'Some connected deeply, others less so. But overall, the sound did its work.' I ask whether Melt and Reform feels like meditation for him, or something more unruly. 'In the beginning, it felt calm,' he says. 'Almost meditative. Over time, I've learned to appreciate the raw and unpredictable side of it. It can exist in both states.' Photograph: melt_experience Bangkok's electronic landscape often favours club nights and imported names. Where does experimental, bio-interactive work sit within the city? 'I think Bangkok always seems to have space for creative work.' He doesn't position himself as part of an underground. 'I never really saw myself as belonging to any scene. I've just been living my life and doing what I enjoy. If I've survived, maybe it's just luck.' Photograph: meltandreform The machine, the mushroom and the signal chain For those of us who like to peek behind the curtain, Ben outlines his current setup in precise terms. He uses Instruō Scíon to translate bioelectric signals from plants. Electrodes pick up the organism's electrical activity and send it to Scíon, which converts it into CV and gate. That signal travels into his modular synthesiser, generating and processing sound before reaching the speakers. Photograph: Mutable Instruments Rings One of his most-used modules is Mutable Instruments Rings, often processed through Microcosm or Mimeophon. DJ SWEED's system centres around the Oxi One sequencer, sending MIDI to a 1010 Bitbox Micro and Oxi Coral for samples and synth parts. Basslines and leads are handled by multiple Elements instruments, with occasional monophonic lines from uBraids processed through Topographic Delay. “I use existing modules to translate very small electrical fluctuations into audible sound,' he says. 'I'm not building custom gear.”   How does he arrive at this configuration? 'I gradually added equipment that I thought would work. Sometimes I misunderstood what I actually needed. And yes, sometimes it was an accidental discovery.' The setup is never finished. 'I'm constantly adjusting voltage ranges, sensitivity and signal mapping.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by MELT AND REFORM (@meltandreform) Does he worry that adding more technology might dilute the conversation with nature? 'I see technology as something that can help us understand nature more deeply,' he writes. 'But I don't have plans to add anything at the moment.' On stage, the cables and blinking lights create an atmosphere bordering on laboratory theatre. Is that aesthetic intentional? 'The visual should look like that,' he replies. 'All of those elements are part of playing this kind of instrument.' Photograph: mushroom_music_bangkok There are moments when the mushroom 'plays' solo. Signals redirecting the trajectory entirely. 'Yes,' he confirms. 'Sometimes it doesn't go according to plan at all.' And yet those are often the most compelling passages. 'It reminded me that we need more direct contact with nature,' he says of the broader lesson. Not as metaphor, but as practice. For artists curious about collaborating with living systems rather than simply sampling them, his advice is surprisingly relaxed. 'Sampling the sound is good too. It's just a different way of working.' Photograph: Studio Lam Frequencies and what remains   As Bangkok prepares to say goodbye to Studio Lam this February, I ask how he's holding that ending. 'Everything has its time,' he says. 'Many good memories were created here. I think that's enough.' Is Melt and Reform, in some way, a reforming of roots rather than a farewell? 'Not really. It developed from its own path.' There's no grand narrative of rebirth. Only parallel timelines.   Photograph: Studio Lam Looking ahead, he mentions a new project in April titled City Frequencies with street artist NEV3R. The concept translates the physical act of drawing into sound. As NEV3R marks the canvas, lines become signals. The image transforms into rhythm and melody. 'Bangkok has its own frequency,' Ben says. 'Not just sonically, but in energy, rhythm and movement.' Photograph: Studio Lam Traffic, construction, engines, human breath. Layered, shifting, somehow structured. Extracted and reshaped through modular synthesis. When the last frequency fades at a Melt and Reform performance, what does he hope lingers? “I don't really have expectations. But it would be nice if they felt something, and enjoyed it” That answer stays with me longer than the technical diagrams. Because perhaps that's the quiet radicalism of Melt and Reform. Not that mushrooms can 'play' music. Not that rice contains hidden symphonies. But that listening itself might be an act of reform.  At the whisky event where I first hear his work, the room eventually returns to chatter. Glasses clink. Ice melts. Yet for a few minutes, the space feels recalibrated. As if something small and alive has spoken, and we've chosen, however briefly, to hear it.

An Austrian locksmith. A drive to capture better hiking shots. A lifelong grip on a PlayStation controller.  Simon Frühwirth was 24 when he bought his first drone. Nothing grand about it – he just wanted better shots from his hiking trips. A way to capture the mountains the way they actually felt, not just the way a camera pointed upward would see them. He started with standard drones. Then FPV came along. First Person View (FPV)  is exactly what it sounds like. Goggles on, live feed straight to your eyes. It shifts a bit from control to immersion. From steering to actual flying. View this post on Instagram A post shared by SIMON FRÜHWIRTH ● DRONE PILOT (@simon.frwt) FPV is now his signature. You might not recognise his face – he's almost always behind the goggles, controller in hand – but you've almost certainly seen the work.  A drone moving through Thai hotels in one long unbroken take. Down corridors, across pools, up staircases, entire spaces mapped without a single cut. Effortless on screen. Anything but in practice. Now 31, drifting between cities but always somewhere in Southeast Asia and always booked solid, Simon Frühwirth is still chasing what he calls ‘the flow state’. The same feeling he first found on an Austrian hiking trail with a brand new drone and not a care in the world. This is how the right hobby, in the right hands, under an open sky, can make a life.   Let’s rewind to the moment you first picked up a drone View this post on Instagram A post shared by SIMON FRÜHWIRTH ● DRONE PILOT (@simon.frwt) I was working as a locksmith, spending my free time hiking in the Austrian mountains and playing PlayStation (FIFA specifically). Those were my two things. Then I started wanting to actually capture the trails properly – make little videos of what I was seeing up there. Then it hit me: drones!  I got a normal one first, one of those point-and-shoot ones then FPV came later. So gaming actually trained you for flying drones? View this post on Instagram A post shared by SIMON FRÜHWIRTH ● DRONE PILOT (@simon.frwt) Yes! – more than I realised at the time.  The controller felt natural. I’d been holding a PlayStation controller for who knows how long, so the muscle memory was already there. I didn’t feel like a beginner with the controls because, in a way, I wasn’t. In a weird way, those two things made me really good at this. Hiking sparked the desire for better landscape shots and PlayStation trained my hands. I’ll make a statement here: a lot of serious drone pilots are gamers! The spatial awareness, the reflexes, reading movement quickly, it all transferred.  At what point did this turn from a passion into your profession? View this post on Instagram A post shared by SIMON FRÜHWIRTH ● DRONE PILOT (@simon.frwt) October 2024. I quit my job and bought a one-way ticket to Bali. I was four years into flying drones, two of those seriously on FPV and I kept entering this flow state where it was just me and the drone. It was in Bali that I finally had room to grow into it. Daily flying built discipline and clarity around turning this into a profession.  From Bali's beaches to Bangkok's high-rises – how did that happen? View this post on Instagram A post shared by SIMON FRÜHWIRTH ● DRONE PILOT (@simon.frwt) Bangkok is a completely different conversation from Bali. Bali gives you nature mostly. Bangkok pulls you inside – vertical, dense and layered in the best way.  Hotels, high-rises, long corridors of glass and steel that make every shoot feel alive. The client appetite here is unlike anywhere else – hotels especially – and the mix of commercial work and online coaching has turned into something genuinely sustainable. FPV commercially in Bangkok is still a rare thing. But Bangkok has always had room for everything creative. Your Instagram shows you flying in real time alongside the actual footage in a split screen. What made you start editing it that way? View this post on Instagram A post shared by SIMON FRÜHWIRTH ● DRONE PILOT (@simon.frwt) Honestly, right now I'm mostly flying for work in Bangkok – hotels especially. I'm not flying for fun as much as I imagined I would be. Commercial work has its own discipline. But the thing I always come back to is my editing style on Instagram – that split screen of me in the goggles, controller in hand, working the shot. Because not many people will sit through a long drone take. But show them the feeling behind it, the moment I either catch or crash – that's where the emotion lives. The realness, behind-the-scenes stuff is what people love to see. How long before things actually took off online? View this post on Instagram A post shared by SIMON FRÜHWIRTH ● DRONE PILOT (@simon.frwt) My breakthrough took about a year – 10,000 followers just happened. I was in Bali at the time doing the exact same thing. Once it moves, it moves fast. Do you think about the algorithm or just post? View this post on Instagram A post shared by SIMON FRÜHWIRTH ● DRONE PILOT (@simon.frwt) I don’t study algorithms at all. I don’t care about them. But I do post every day, at any time. I don’t even read the comments haha!   I think when you create consistently people always see something on your page and somehow it gets rewarded. Certain videos don't blow up, certain ones do – nature of the business. The split screen is the real motion though. I just keep showing up and I genuinely think that's what got me here. What actually happens on a hotel shoot when the people in front of your lens aren't always actors? View this post on Instagram A post shared by SIMON FRÜHWIRTH ● DRONE PILOT (@simon.frwt) A lot of the prep is handled by the hotel’s marketing team before I even step on set. They choose the right people, maybe not actors, but well briefed and ready.  By the time we roll, everything is in place. Locations are locked, areas cleared, or guests informed. I focus on flying, chiming in where it helps. Two to four takes usually does it.  How heavy is the responsibility of flying commercially abroad? View this post on Instagram A post shared by SIMON FRÜHWIRTH ● DRONE PILOT (@simon.frwt) Operating through an agency makes it easier. Most importantly, you have to carry the right insurance, you have to learn the rules and you respect them. Working through proper channels is how you build trust, which is everything when you're working with high-end hotel clients who are putting their brand in your hands. The permit process in SEA is more navigable than most people assume. Any drone casualties along the way? Broken a few. More than a few went into a pool. I’d say you don't really lose them – you just find them somewhere they really shouldn't be! What's the most intense flying moment you've had so far?   View this post on Instagram A post shared by SIMON FRÜHWIRTH ● DRONE PILOT (@simon.frwt) There's a video that went a bit viral. I'm flying from the sea and a dog comes charging out of nowhere and could possibly take the drone clean out of the air – no drones or dogs were harmed, for the record! But on top of that, it wasn't even the first take. I'd already crashed before that and switched to the backup drone. Then on that very take, the dog nearly ate that one too. Still makes me laugh. Anyone in the FPV world you genuinely rate? View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kai Kevin Goh (@kaivertigoh) Two creators I follow, @kaivertigoh and @sembler8, produce good videos and have sharp techniques. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Man from Earth 🌎 (@sembler8) If restrictions didn't exist for one day, what would you shoot?  Inside the BTS! Flying straight through the carriages, dodging the poles, going through the whole thing. That would be incredible. And honestly pretty hilarious too.

‘Seven hours,’ she answers. Not seven hours for anything with a mood board sign-off or a production crew – seven hours of concept, outfits, steaming said outfits, filming and then the editing, which is where Jaynjangle truly loses track of time and finds it completely worth it.  ‘The magic is always in the micro details,’ she says. Her comment section would agree. View this post on Instagram A post shared by JJ (@jaynjangle) Before we get into the edits and outfits – and we will – there's one detail that sets the tone for everything else. When Jaynjangle and her partner decided to move to Bangkok, they had never visited Thailand.  Not once. No scouting trip, no cautious long weekend to confirm their instincts, no boots-on-the-ground reconnaissance of any kind. Just a decision, a digital nomad visa and a shared appetite for the unknown. ‘The thought of living in a new country was scary at the time,’ she admits. ‘But when Thailand announced the DTV, it felt like perfect timing – like all the stars aligned.’ She'd been wanting to live somewhere new for years. The idea was always there, waiting for the right conditions to show up. Then they did and she moved. Just like that. Jaynjangle’s career as a content creator back in New York made it logistically possible – the flexibility, the income that travels with her – but framing the move as a lifestyle brand decision would be selling it short. It was more personal than that. A want, held for a long time, finally meeting its moment. Was there a specific moment you realised Bangkok fashion content was going to be your niche? View this post on Instagram A post shared by JJ (@jaynjangle) Fashion was already hers before Bangkok entered the picture. She'd built a niche in the U.S., refined her eye in New York, developed a voice that was less about trend-chasing and more about the quiet confidence of a well-considered outfit. When she landed in Southeast Asia, nothing swerved – it stretched. The lens widened.  ‘My content is not about telling people what to wear,’ she says. ‘It's about creating fun, expressive outfits and showing how style can feel playful and personal.’ There's a distinction in that and she means it. Jaynjangle isn't in the business of authority. She's in the business of invitation – come see what happens when you stop dressing for approval and start dressing for yourself! The city she chose happens to understand that frequency already. Did you have to completely rebuild your wardrobe when you moved? View this post on Instagram A post shared by JJ (@jaynjangle) Not entirely. But it required a ruthlessness she didn't entirely enjoy. Clothing, for Jaynjangle, isn't decor. It's a working tool. Leaving behind her heavier pieces, the dramatic overcoats and chunky knits she'd spent New York winters building a whole visual language around, wasn't sentimental exactly. It was creative. ‘Cold-weather styling has always been something I genuinely enjoy creating,’ she says and you believe her. There's a specificity to how she talks about layering that belongs to someone who misses it not for warmth but for what it allows – the architecture of a look built across multiple pieces, the depth that comes from weight and volume. Bangkok doesn't do that. Bangkok does something else entirely. View this post on Instagram A post shared by JJ (@jaynjangle) ‘Clean silhouettes, breathable fabrics, relaxed tailoring,’ she says of what she's observed in the city's aesthetic. ‘It's that 'I just threw this on’ energy – but elevated.’ She's adopted the logic without abandoning her instincts. In place of volume, she builds with colour and tailoring. In place of layers, strong silhouettes that do the heavy lifting a coat would once have done. It's the same fluency, different vocabulary. She's also been drawn to traditional Thai textiles – silk, handwoven fabrics – but wears them with a contemporary looseness. A Thai silk top with relaxed trousers rather than a full traditional silhouette. Respectful without being reverential.  Has being Korean shaped how you're perceived as a content creator in Bangkok? View this post on Instagram A post shared by JJ (@jaynjangle) This is where the conversation gets interesting. ‘Being Asian definitely shapes how I'm perceived here,’ Jaynjangle says. ‘I blend in more visually, so there's less of that automatic farang influencer label.’ The typical expat-creator in Bangkok tends to arrive loud – exoticising, opinionated, very online about a place they've known for five minutes. Jaynjangle just... isn't that. She moves through the city without friction, isn't read as a novelty and has never had to push back against a label that was never stuck on her to begin with. The quietness she talks about isn't a lack of presence. It's a different kind of freedom. She's a Korean-American creator with a New York-built aesthetic living in a city that's very much in its fashion moment right now – close enough to observe it properly, just far enough outside to see the full picture. That dual perspective runs through her references too. Creators like NYANE and Jizifanfan feed the same visual appetite as the streetwear she pulls from Hong Kong, Vietnam and Japan. A pan-Asian conversation she's genuinely part of, not just passing through. When did the cheeky edits start – and how long does a 20-second reel actually take? View this post on Instagram A post shared by JJ (@jaynjangle) About two years ago, pulled in by the internet's best rabbit hole. 'I started teaching myself after seeing so many cool edits online – the animations, the pop-ins, all of it – and I was instantly inspired,' she says. The logical next step: learn it, do it, make it her own.  

Cookies, comics and collectibles collide one evening at the Time Out Bangkok office. The Super Cookie Friends boxes materialise. Peeking into the bag, the first thing we saw was the top of the box: 'Out here, just trying to be the best cookie I can be.' We went – who said that? Photograph: Super Cookie Friends We took the box out and followed the artwork around. Then this round, beaming Chunk guy showed himself. Oh, it's Chunk. Cookie Town below him. And if you look closely there are clues – products and lines not yet out, hiding in plain sight. Then Chunk again, flying back through space with his gingerbread friend. Photograph: Super Cookie Friends Open it up and you're back with Chunk(s). 'Hello, Friend. You're the proud owner of a special box of cookies, created by hand for you.' Illustrated instructions for getting the most out of them. Then you notice the side flaps – open those and the scene keeps going, extending outward, which is a fun thing to find. Look inside the box itself: Take Me Down To Cookie Town and the link to the rewards community – Super Cookie Friends Friends. We'll get to that. Then the cookies. Lined up left to right at a very deliberate angle, what their creator calls 'tasty soldiers.'  Reader, we demolished them. Chuck got early access to our February 19 to 25 edition of Table Talk in Bangkok, our weekly roundup of the capital’s must-know culinary happenings. But here’s how deep the Chuck cosmos really goes. Photograph: Super Cookie Friends The man responsible for all of this is David Fine – London-born, with the kind of restless creative energy that has a habit of pulling him sideways off whatever path he thought he was on. He has been, at various points in his life, a graphic designer, a tailor's assistant with a Royal Warrant to the Queen, a house and techno DJ, a record label founder, a fashion buyer and a brand strategist. He now makes cookies in Bangkok. But to call it simply that feels like describing Kubrick as a photographer.  'I've always been very detail obsessed,' he says. 'I can become fixated with details and doing things properly and seeing them through to the best version of themselves.' Photograph: Super Cookie Friends The origin story begins, as many good ones do, somewhere completely unrelated. David was running his creative agency out of Greece, helping a pair of American twins who sold gingerbread cookies each Christmas from their bakery. The cookies were popular. Customers kept asking for them year-round. The twins wanted marketing help – funnels, that sort of thing – but David found himself drawn instead to something else entirely: gingerbread characters, mascots, animations, a whole world built around the product. The working relationship ended somewhat abruptly. But something had been unlocked. 'The experience had fulfilled its role as a stimulus for me to change paths,' he says. He was walking around a golf course with his wife, Quali – his nickname for her, used so constantly that, he admits with a laugh, it's basically what she hears all day – when it came to him. He wanted to make his own cookie brand. He wanted to call it Super Cookie Friends. He didn't know exactly where the name came from but he understood what it meant the moment it arrived: 'my love of comics and collectibles and the idea of a group of characters that are positive and friendly with good energy – also on their own path of development. I thought we could use the characters to inspire and also create deeper meanings in a fun way.' Photograph: Super Cookie Friends 'Let's go to Thailand,' he told Quali. They had been coming since 2013, always having to leave each time, always planning to return. 'We said, let's go and make a go of this.' They packed up and got on a plane. Bangkok, as it turns out, was not short of cookies. What it lacked was David's persistence. He spent months trying to find a baking partner, someone whose product he could feel comfortable putting the Super Cookie Friends name on. He tried hundreds of cookies across the city. He did demo tests with three or four different bakers. None of them convinced him. 'The cookies were kind of soft and maybe overly gooey and floppy, or just no interesting textures, not using the finest ingredients. It just fell flat for me.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Super Cookie Friends (@supercookiefriends) Money, he says, is one thing. Soul is another. And soul has always come first – the record labels, the design work, everything has been about the art before the commerce. He was not prepared to compromise on that now. Then, one afternoon, Quali was browsing a Japanese bookstore and pulled a Scandinavian cookbook from the shelf. They took it to a nearby cafe, ordered coffees and David started flicking through the recipes. Somewhere between the pages, the familiar feeling arrived – one of the ones Quali knows to brace for, because they come all day, every day, announced with the same opener: 'Hey, Quali, I've had an idea.' 'Let's figure out how to make the ultimate cookie,' he said. A pale pink countertop mixer in a homeware shop. They bought it on the spot and carried it home. 'I used to mix vinyl,' David says, 'now I mix dough.' Photograph: Super Cookie Friends That first batch, he walked straight down to Tarns coffee in Suan Phlu. The owner had been eating every iteration of his cookies since the beginning – which is why the flagship is named after her. The Atomic Choc Chunk. 'She loved them, told me I was a great baker and I thought I've got it locked.' He pauses. 'But there's a graph, I think.' What followed was months of baking. Testing, throwing things away, giving everything to anyone willing to eat it, adjusting and adjusting again. He knew the cookie he was chasing: the New York style, specifically the kind made famous by Levain Bakery in Manhattan. Biscuity and quite crispy on the outside, chewy in the middle, heavy on the mix-ins. Not the soft, yielding things that had started appearing across Southeast Asia under the New York label. 'There are a lot of people claiming to make New York cookies, but they're not New York cookies. A lot of people calling soft cookies New York cookies – but they're different things.' He didn't want to compete with those. He wanted to bring something that people who had eaten the real thing and couldn't find it anywhere in Southeast Asia would actually recognise. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Super Cookie Friends (@supercookiefriends) David is particular about ingredients. Belgian chocolate, French butter, free-range organic eggs. Sugar dialled back as far as structurally possible whilst maintaining flavour and integrity. He makes the marshmallow by hand. He makes the meringue by hand. 'Personally I don't like sickly, soggy, over-sweet cookies,' he says. 'I want it to be sophisticated.' View this post on Instagram A post shared by Super Cookie Friends (@supercookiefriends) Each recipe follows a process. It starts with balance across the box – a solid mix of flavour profiles: nutty, salty, fruity, chocolatey. Then the season and the calendar come in. Then, crucially, personal inspiration: 'we think about flavours that have touched us personally and are inspired by our backgrounds.' David was born in London. Quali has Japanese roots. Their childhoods and travels move through every recipe, even when that's not immediately obvious. He'll only say 'watch this space' about what the British pudding classics series will bring. Photograph: Super Cookie Friends Once a direction is clear, he sketches the composition – mix-ins, fillings, toppers – and thinks about how it will look and how it will feel to eat before a single gram of flour is weighed. Then the baking begins. 'We will bake a lot of them and make sure they're repeatably good and the flavour and texture is balanced.' Photograph: Super Cookie Friends A recipe is done, he says, 'when it's consistently delicious.' But even then it isn't necessarily finished. He's currently playing around with adding a lemon drizzle to the lemon meringue cookie, which goes by the name 'Zest You Try' – if the tweak works, the recipe updates. Photograph: Super Cookie Friends The marshmallow saga is the best illustration of how his mind works. He started by buying shop-made marshmallows for the double chocolate and hazelnut cookie, but when he read the ingredients list he didn't feel good about it. So he made his own. Home-made marshmallow, it emerged, does not survive the oven – it melts into something 'super chewy and stretchy and fun' but becomes, essentially, extra sugary caramel. The cookie was ruined. He went back to shop-bought for a week. Still didn't feel right. 'I said, there must be another way.' Eventually he landed on the solution: bake the cookie, finish it with sea salt the moment it comes out of the oven, lay the marshmallow on top while the heat is still coming off it, let it begin to melt naturally, then torch it. Campfire effect. Structural integrity maintained. There is also a cookie that hasn't made it yet. In Britain, ice cream vans – known as Mr Whippy – serve soft serve in a wafer moulded into the shape of an oyster shell, filled with marshmallow, chocolate and hazelnuts. It's a childhood thing. David has been trying to translate it into cookie form but the buttercream, stable enough to survive a day or so of delivery, has evaded him. 'But we won't forget it,' he says, in a tone that suggests the Oyster cookie is less a failed experiment and more an unfinished argument. The whole process takes two days. He is fairly confident – his phrasing is 'almost 100% conviction' – that nobody else is using the same recipes or the same method. 'These are not your auntie's cookies!'   Photograph: Super Cookie Friends Super Cookie Friends launched this year with five flavours – Atomic Choc Chunk (choc chunk and walnuts), Double Choc Marsh (double choc marshmallow), Adults Only (double choc granola), Zest You Try (lemon meringue) and Apple Crumble – capped at 100 cookies a week, with a whole lot of creative infrastructure built around the whole thing. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Super Cookie Friends (@supercookiefriends)   The hundred-cookie limit is not a gimmick. It's a philosophy. He watched what happened to brands that blew up – a flood of orders, fulfilment under pressure, quality slipping and then a week later nobody remembers them.     Photograph: Super Cookie Friends   He wants the opposite: slow roots, word of mouth, a community that grows with the brand rather than briefly consuming it. 'We want to ensure a high level of quality control and consistency,' he says. 'And let people tell their friends about them, share the cookies on social, buy for other people as gifts. You will grow steadily, with strong foundations, with people that really care.'     Photograph: Super Cookie Friends The weekly line-up is curated for balance: nutty, salty, fruity, chocolatey and something with a sense of fun. It shifts with the season and the calendar – last Valentine's brought Ruby chocolate, made from a rare natural pink cocoa bean. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Super Cookie Friends (@supercookiefriends) The Chinese New Year special is the Fortune Cup. Finding Reese's Cups in Bangkok is a bit of a treasure hunt – David's words, not ours, but he did claim to have bought them all! Easter will hinge on finding a reliable supply of Cadbury Mini Eggs. Flavours earn their place week by week; at some point the five-flavour line-up will grow, because David knows that cutting a cookie customer’s love is not a decision taken lightly. Photograph: Super Cookie Friends Coming soon and occupying a different register entirely, is the Doughpamine series – bigger cookies, more indulgent, pushing in the opposite direction from the studied restraint of the main range. 'Doughpamine is to Chunk,' he says, 'what Venom is to Spider-Man.' Photograph: Super Cookie Friends The characters deserve their own section, because this is where Super Cookie Friends stops being a bakery and becomes something harder to categorise. David grew up the son of a man who held licences for Thundercats, Transformers, Care Bears and He-Man – waking up to new toys by his bedside, helping his dad decide which characters to back. At 15 he was already designing sticker storybooks for Power Rangers and G.I. Joe for publishers stocked in WHSmiths. The love of characters, of storytelling through mascots and worlds, has been there since before he can really remember. Photograph: Super Cookie Friends Chunk – the cheerful, spherical mascot – was, David says, 'born from love and hope for a better future.' His genesis story will be told in a limited-edition comic arriving in the coming weeks, volume one of what is clearly intended to be a much longer run.  Photograph: Super Cookie Friends Chunk is, technically, Master Chunk – the cookies you eat are his clones, a detail David delivers with barely concealed delight. He is upbeat, positive, happy and 'he wants you to eat him.' His story will follow his progression, his development, his attempt to be the best cookie he can be. The gingerbread characters who appear on the packaging are the workers of Cookie Town. 'They're a bit downtrodden at the beginning,' David says, 'but their time comes when they're recognised for their hard work and can-do attitude.' Photograph: Super Cookie Friends Next in line for an origin story is Biggie Brownie, about whom David has revealed precisely nothing (yet!). View this post on Instagram A post shared by Super Cookie Friends (@supercookiefriends) Photograph: Super Cookie Friends After that: T-shirts. A limited toy run. Bag charms. Keyrings. He has also written the Gingerbread characters' comic and a backstory for the forthcoming brownie range. The universe, as he puts it, is already written – it's just being released slowly. The last thing he talks about is what comes next: a cafe, eventually, a proper Super Cookie Friends experience. Pop-ups. Collaborations. Hong Kong already in conversation. Japan on the horizon. UK and Australia circling. A community rewards programme called Super Cookie Friends Friends, where the highest-earning action is buying a box for someone else – and not a review or a social share. 'I think that's a lovely gesture,' he says. 'And a lovely way to introduce new people to the brand.' Some people just care like that. And it turns out a cookie can hold quite a lot of soul. Super Cookie Friends ships out of Bangkok every week. You can catch them on Instagram for now, while their website is still in the oven.      

Bangkok is evolving into a city where pets can come along for the ride. Cafes are setting out water bowls, shopping centres are relaxing rules and public spaces are beginning to open their gates. Benjakitti Park already has a dedicated dog park and Lumphini Park is preparing one of its own, signs that the capital is slowly learning to make room for our fur babies. In this changing landscape, a few pets have become unlikely ambassadors, none more recognisable than the stars of the page Eyebrows are the Crown of Calorie. The appeal goes beyond dramatic brows, glamorous wigs and runway-ready outfits. At its heart is a story about responsibility, creativity and the bond between a man and his dogs. For Prompirya ‘Black’ Batmabisek, adopting a dog was never part of the plan. He loved fashion and design and pets were new territory, until one ordinary day and an unexpected visit that changed everything. Photograph: nesmailova What inspired you to get your first dog?I’ve always loved fashion, creativity and design, but I’ve never raised a pet before. One day I accompanied a friend to buy a dog and saw a tiny Chihuahua sitting alone with an injured leg. I felt sorry for him and decided to take him home myself. The seller told me he would stay small – which turned out not to be entirely true. Calorie had weak muscles and needed acupuncture for almost a year before he could walk normally. That was four years ago and it was the start of everything. How did the idea of the ‘dog with eyebrows’ begin?I started putting my own personality into Calorie by dressing him up, giving him wigs and most importantly, drawing eyebrows. Unlike the soft, gentle brows many people paint on pets, Calorie’s eyebrows had to be sharp and confident. His face shape and human-like eyes made the look fit perfectly and the eyebrows became his signature. Photograph: nesmailova When did the page ‘Eyebrows are the Crown of Calorie’ start?Before TikTok was popular, I posted photos in a Chihuahua lovers group on Facebook with more than 200,000 members. People kept asking me to open a dedicated page so they could follow Calorie’s fashion and eyebrows every day, so I did. When did the page really become popular?After about a year, the content expanded beyond simple outfits and eyebrows. The turning point was when I started making fashion covers, dressing Calorie like celebrities on red carpets and beauty queens on stage. Because my family already worked with sewing, we could design outfits quickly and people began to follow closely. Photograph: iam.calorie Which post was the biggest?Probably the post recreating Blackpink Lisa’s comeback look. It created a lot of buzz and even some drama and that helped the page reach a much wider audience. How did sponsorships begin?The first real job was a dog shampoo product review. It went viral with around five to six million views in a single day – because at that time no one was making pet content with wigs and eyebrows in this style. Photograph: nesmailova How did Casper join the family?Casper came from a rescue page looking for homes for dogs. He has three legs and was abandoned by a puppy farm. The organisation already knew Calorie’s page and trusted us, so they asked if we would consider adopting him. Casper’s grumpy expression soon became famous, especially after he appeared at Major Dog Day with the Bangkok governor. What’s the relationship between Calorie and Casper like?They connected naturally. Calorie can be a bit aloof, while Casper is playful and often leans on Calorie for comfort. Without any effort, they became inseparable. What is daily life like for them?Every morning they go to the garden, eat fresh meals prepared by mum and walk around the village with dad. We even moved from a condo to a house so the dogs would not feel stressed and have more space. Do they dress up at home too?Yes, they wear outfits almost every day because we enjoy sewing and designing. But at home I don’t usually take photos – I just like seeing them well dressed as I walk by. Photograph: nesmailova What do you think about Bangkok becoming more pet-friendly?It has improved a lot compared with four or five years ago. Back then I was often criticised for bringing Calorie into malls. Now shopping centres, restaurants and even airlines are more open and pets can experience more of the world. How do you balance content creation with the dogs’ mental health?Their wellbeing always comes first. I post less – around four videos a week – and if the weather is hot or they seem uncomfortable at events, I remove the outfits immediately. Any tips on reading dog emotions?It’s difficult, but if they shake and run to be held, that usually means fear. If they approach others calmly and sniff, that means happiness and curiosity. What should a real pet-friendly place be like?There should be clearly separated areas so both pet owners and non-owners feel comfortable and pets do not disturb others. Photograph: iam.calorie How do you travel with them?Only by car. I avoid public transport and would never put them in airplane cargo for safety reasons. What essentials do you bring when going out?Wet wipes, dry wipes, poop bags, water, treats, a leash and a carrier, always prepared for any situation. Photograph: nesmailova What are your (four-legged) future goals?I want to create a YouTube travel channel for dogs and would love to see Calorie appear in a movie or on television one day. Follow the adventures of Calorie and Casper on Facebook and Instagram @iam.calorie

‘I only see red, black, white and a scale of grey.' Fabio Brugnolaro – the Italian-born head mixologist at Penthouse Bar and Grill – tosses this out so breezily you'd think he hadn't just dropped the sort of detail that rewrites human creativity itself. All those jewel-toned cocktails with their fussy little garnishes, yet 'I've never seen the blue sky,' he says. 'When people go on about how blue it is – I haven't got a clue what they mean.' His story starts like this. Photograph: penthousebangkok The revelation arrived on the first day of primary school in Turin, Italy. The assignment: draw your house. Fabio drew his mum, his dog, the garden. The sky came out brown. The floor, blue. The dog, purple. The roof, inexplicably yellow. 'The teacher rang my mum the next day,' he recalls. 'She said, I think your son is colour-blind.' His mum started labelling markers with colour names – teaching him to navigate a world he couldn't quite see the way others did. But when he announced he wanted to be an artist, she drew the line. 'She said no, no, no, you're going to technical school.' Art, she reasoned, was hard enough: 'Art whilst colour-blind?' Fabio did it anyway. He worked nights as a waiter to fund his illustration degree. Tried tattooing for a spell – 'maybe 20 people'. His professor at university noticed his work looked off – too bright, a little discordant. When he explained, she handed him three books on colour theory. Mathematical equations for mixing pigments. Primary colours broken down into percentages. 'It's basically a mathematical calculation,' he explains. 'By that, I can actually calculate mathematically which colour I'm producing. So putting this much of this, I can make colours that you like, that you can see.' The formula stuck. Not just for painting, but for everything that followed. When he transitioned from art to hospitality – floor manager at a Michelin-starred restaurant in Milan, then behind the bar – the logic travelled with him. 'I already know a balance for colour,' he says. 'So for me, percentage, also for liquid, it's been very easy to become a mixologist. Because I can mix anything at the perfect percentage to make it balanced.'  There's a particularly dramatic chapter. A half-Thai girl. A move to Bangkok built on love and slightly reckless optimism. Years grinding through speakeasy bars, even opening his own place for a bit. Now, he's head mixologist at Penthouse Bar and Grill, mixing drinks the way he's done everything else – against the odds. Fabio's new cocktail line-up is called 'A Journey Through Art in Every Sip'. Nine cocktails, each inspired by the art throughout Park Hyatt Bangkok, home to Penthouse Bar and Grill. Let's go glass by glass.   Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill Crimson Illusion takes its cue from 'Party' hanging in the lobby. Bourbon fat-washed with mango and passion fruit, goji berries, honey cordial, Lillet Blanc, finished with a silky pour of Shiraz. 'It captures the balance between profound joy and hidden affliction,' the menu reads.   Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill     'When I create a cocktail, I start thinking which ingredient I want to use and which spirit I want to pair with,' he explains. 'I start making combinations in my mind. Then I go on paper and when I'm thinking of this, I start drawing.'       Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill     His place is all notebooks – sketches of glasses, garnishes, ideas half-formed. 'The drawing process is just for me to work through what I'm going to do,' he says. 'From the drawing, I go through the shape of the cocktail, then the garnish. Which glass, which garnish.' It's almost ritualistic – the way he thinks with his hands before he thinks with bottles.   Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill In Bloom takes inspiration from the lobby's 'Go with the wind, not the bamboo' sculpture.   Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill     A clarified milk punch built on Japanese whisky, Strega Alberti herbal liqueur, cantaloupe, nori cordial and sencha tea. The menu waxes lyrical about creation as inward journey, meditative practice, Buddhist philosophy – the whole transcendental bit.     Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill 'Because I like cooking, I know how many things taste – the spirits and food and fruits and ingredients,' he says. 'I start making combinations in my mind.' It's all connected: the cooking, the drawing, the mixing. A synaesthetic approach to bartending where texture matters as much as flavour.   Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill Dark Horse is a tribute to Fernando Botero, named after the 'Freddy the Horse' sculpture stationed in front of the hotel.   Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill Homemade aguardiente, two types of Plantation rum, star anise, cold brew coffee liqueur, cream. Smooth, sweet, spirit-forward.   Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill       Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill   Ripple Tipple is inspired by paintings of the Thames and Chao Phraya rivers. It brings two waterways together in a gin infused with bael, English Breakfast tea, Earl Grey, apple cinnamon, lime juice and egg white. Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill Served alongside a tiny cracker with homemade apple jam. 'This cocktail connects tradition with playful elegance,' the menu reads. 'Sometimes we have a pairing,' Fabio explains. 'We decide what to pair with the cocktail. In this case, it's served with a mini cracker with apple jam on top of it and the apple jam we do ourselves.' Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill   The pairing is deliberate. Fabio thinks about texture, temperature, the way a bite of something sweet and crisp plays against the warmth of spice. It's the cooking thing again. Everything connects.   Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill Miang Kham takes its name directly from the traditional Thai snack and is inspired by Chatchai Puipia's painting 'Rainy Night'. Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill It's built on coconut rum, golden falernum, betel leaves juice, miang kham syrup – essentially everything that makes Thai street food magic, now slightly tipsy.   Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill Ghost Rider is inspired by the BMW motorcycle parked at the entrance to Penthouse Grill, it's a mashup of two drinks – the Sidecar and the Vieux Carré – served flaming over ice.   Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill Cognac, rye whisky, pear liqueur, vermouth rosso, Angostura bitters. The menu describes it as 'a turning spectacle, capturing attention instantly', which rather undersells how dramatically it arrives at your table in a theatrical blaze. Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill 'The Ghost Rider combines two legendary drinks into one, delivering boldness, vigour and sophistication with each sip,' Fabio says. 'It's served as a turning spectacle. Served warm over ice, it slowly dilutes to release the full fragrance of the refined spirits and is paired perfectly with honeycomb and apple chips.' Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill Jasmine takes inspiration from the Pagoda Mirage – a ceiling installation that floats above the ground floor, often used for wedding ceremonies. Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill The cocktail captures that auspicious moment with jasmine-infused gin, Lillet Rosé, peach and honey cordial, mezcal, lime juice. Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill 'Peach and honey resemble the sweetness and mutual care of a new union, whilst the subtle smokiness of mezcal represents the complexity inherent in shared moments of life.' Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill Snake Bite is Inspired by the Naga ceiling installation, channeling the two-headed Thai serpent – both guardian and tempter. Sotol and bacanora (two obscure Mexican spirits), Isan rum, Thai brown sugar syrup, Campari, strawberry juice and homemade burnt bell pepper and coriander tincture. Topped with Raven IPA beer. Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill To make the tincture, Fabio burns red capsicum whole, completely black, scrapes off the charred skin, blends it with lime and coriander, filters it, blends it again with raw capsicum for intensity, filters again, then reduces it down until it's thick and deeply savoury. The combination with strawberry sounds mad on paper. Sweet fruit meets smoke meets bitter meets umami, all tied together with the hoppy punch of IPA. Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill 'People are really scared to order this,' Fabio laughs. 'But when they do, they will reorder.'  But always, there's a tightrope he walks between innovation and accessibility. Push too far and guests baulk. Play it safe and there's no point. 'Yes, that's a challenge for me,' he admits. 'When people are willing but they don't know, they are a bit afraid they're not gonna like it, I always push to say, try. Because we use some kind of ingredients, but we know how to balance it.' Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill The final drink on the menu is The Penthouse – a New York-inspired riff named after the bar itself.   Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill Bulleit bourbon, clarified orange juice, citrus oleo saccharum cordial, raspberry, Sauvignon Blanc, topped with Johnnie Walker Ruby whisky foam. Photograph: Penthouse Bar and Grill It's designed to reflect the stunning environment of the cocktail bar, the rooftop, The Depth of Blue whiskey bar. A silky whiskey foam crowns it all, delivering a refined Scotch finish that mirrors the sophistication of the space itself. Fabio keeps his menus tight. Never more than 10 cocktails, though this one clocks in at nine. 'It's quite tough to keep the standard and quality high when you have a lot of preparation to do,' The rule at Penthouse is simple: those nine drinks are always available: 'People who come here, at least these nine, they have to always be available.' When he's not at Penthouse, Fabio keeps mostly to himself. 'Not particularly a social guy,' he admits. But when he does surface? There's a map.  For the Thonglor commute, it's Dry Wave or Rabbit Hole – the latter for their classics, which he says fiercely: 'Their classic is legit!' Or it's BKK Social Club in Sathon or Vesper in Silom. And recently, it's Citadel, slipped just behind EmQuartier, owned by a Japanese bartender named Yoshimitsu Obara. 'He reminds me of myself when I have my own bar,' Fabio says, voice going soft and a bit dreamy. 'Super cool energy – he's always laughing, always happy.' Back at his Penthouse, the rooftop and restaurant buzz – but the bar is Fabio's whole world. Things get closer, more intimate. Nine cocktails arranged like gallery pieces. And Fabio, crafting away in his gleaming bar, becomes the tenth masterpiece – the living, breathing kind. Location: 35/F, Park Hyatt Bangkok, 88 Witthayu Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok

GAWDLAND is loud, proud and RuPaul-approved.  The Northern-born, Bangkok-based queen stormed Drag Race Thailand season 3, became a Silom staple and is now the only Thai queen on RuPaul's Drag Race VS The World season 3 – the international all-stars showdown in front of Mama Ru herself. Here's her gag on Thai pride, Gen Z fire and what going versus the world really means. So, GAWDLAND – where does the name come from? Photograph: Laliphat Bumrungkarn   It's from my real name! Tharathep, which in Thai means 'god of the land' – like the big boss of the earth. And then I thought, you know what? Let's make it queer. So instead of 'God' (G-O-D), I made it 'GAWD' (G-A-W-D). Just GAWD-ed it up. What makes GAWDLAND... GAWDLAND? What's your signature? "Loudness. Volume. I'm like a firecracker – you know those little ones we see when Chinese New Year comes around? Small, compact, but the impact is massive." Every time I step into a space, people have to turn and look. Some love it, some find it annoying, some find it jarring – but you will notice me baby! That's guaranteed. People define drag in so many ways – art, activism, entertainment so what is it to you? Photograph: Laliphat Bumrungkarn "All of it. And more. It's art, it's entertainment, it's activism – it's life itself." My entire life is driven by drag. I wake up thinking about it, I go to sleep thinking about it. It's always: how do I become a better drag queen? It's in my head constantly. It's my life force, honestly. It's what keeps me going. I can't even describe it properly – it's just everything. How does a look come together?  It depends on the assignment, really. Whether it's a photoshoot, a fashion moment, a performance – whatever the purpose is. I get the brief, then I pull in my drag identity and weave it into what's being asked of me. Most of the time, I'm working to a brief. There's always a theme. Photograph: Laliphat Bumrungkarn Drag always has parameters, every runway has a theme. You get the creative brief and then it's up to you to interpret it, inject yourself into it and deliver something that's both you and what they're asking for. Tell us about your early creative process. Photograph: Laliphat Bumrungkarn I grew up in the north and my family wasn’t exactly open to queerness. But I remember sneaking around, watching traditional dance performances, trying to copy them in front of the mirror when no one was looking. My parents caught me once and yelled at me for it. But I've always felt connected to performance, especially the local, traditional kind – the Thai classical dances. That really inspired me. I wanted to be a performer from such a young age. And now, here I am, doing it professionally. Thai culture is both deeply traditional and incredibly modern – tell us about your balance. Photograph: Laliphat Bumrungkarn "I'm a Gen Z drag queen, so one foot's in the algorithm, one in the archive." I want that fresh-off-the-timeline energy – to show who I am, to be relatable and reachable, never stale or dated. But I also bow to the queens who built this, who came before me. I take reference from that lineage.   Photograph: Laliphat Bumrungkarn So when I was preparing to represent Thailand on the show, I knew I had to merge the traditional with the contemporary. That's the whole concept: old meets new.  P' Art Araya is my creative director – a Thai drag icon, designer, and stylist who's worked in fashion for three decades and judges Drag Race Thailand. She oversees everything from start to finish. She's older, I'm younger. The collision of those perspectives created something balanced and fresh while honoring roots that run deep and still showing my individuality that couldn't be more Gen Z Thai. "It's a generational crash, but it's all glitter and rainbows and garlands and awesome Thainess. And I'm confident we pulled it off beautifully." And now you're on the biggest stage in drag – RuPaul's Drag Race VS The World. What does that feel like? Photograph: Laliphat Bumrungkarn "It's a huge responsibility. I'm not just representing myself – I'm representing Thailand, Thai drag, the Thai community, Thai entertainers. It's a national thing." Even if I tried not to think about it, it's always there in the back of my mind: I'm here to represent my country. I'm so honoured. I'm proud to do it. And honestly, on an international stage, Thai culture does stand out. It's so rich, so distinct. I felt proud showing that to the world. You remix tradition, dig past the stereotypes. Concerned some won't get it? If people don't get it, they can always look into it themselves – that's part of the journey! Sometimes I'm not doing it straight (pun intended!). I'm taking it, blending it, making it modern, making it campy. It's going to be so queer and so me and so good. That's spreading Thainess in such beautiful ways – making people curious and inviting them to discover it in their own time and on their own terms.   Tell us about the day you got the call about VS The World. Photograph: Laliphat Bumrungkarn I got a call. They asked if I was interested first, because Drag Race Thailand season 3 was still airing. They were worried I might not be ready. But I didn't even think. I just said yes immediately. No hesitation. And when it was confirmed, I was over the moon. For so many drag queens, meeting RuPaul is the pinnacle. And for me, it's confirmation that I'm doing good, going well and making Thailand proud. Pangina Heals was the first Thai queen to step onto this stage. What did watching her journey teach you? She's a legend. The first queen from Southeast Asia to represent us on a global stage – she didn't just crack the door open for Thailand, she kicked it wide for all of us. That's her legacy forever. But I also learnt from her in ways you might not expect – the highs, yes, but also the weight that comes with carrying a whole region on your shoulders. "So yes, I'm representing Thailand. But I'm walking in as myself. To spread love, positivity, to inspire people, to show the art I believe in." I'm going for me – and Thai is already woven into everything I do. That realisation? It lifted so much pressure off my shoulders. One of your most viral moments was going full drag to your graduation at Chulalongkorn University – what's the story there?   Photograph: Gawdland (Laughs) Yeah, that was fun! Chula is a very prestigious institution and I studied journalism, so I learnt critical thinking, how society is constructed, gender, politics, queer art – all of it. Drag is political. Journalism is political. My degree makes my drag better, honestly. Like, no one expected me to show up to my graduation in full drag – but that's a political statement. "Both drag and journalism are about crafting stories that matter"     Photograph: Gawdland     Give us GAWDLAND's guide to going out in Bangkok Massage first. Always. Anywhere. Oil massage, foot massage – I'm obsessed. Then food. Na Rueang Lao (ณ เรื่องเหล้า) near Chao Phraya – super chill, local vibes, the food slaps. Also Tahona in Sukhumvit  for dinner dates – classic Thai flavors reimagined with contemporary cooking methods and plating. For drinks, I'm all about Long Islands at Hippie de Bar in Khao San.  If it’s a day date, we’re starting at a museum or a temple – Wat Pho, Wat Arun, something. Gotta test the vibe!   Now, my queer venue roll call! Photograph: beef.bkk Silom Soi 4, always. That's home. If I'm not performing, I'm in the audience. The list goes: House of Heals, Eau de Toilette, The Stranger Bar, Beef – they're all on this magical stretch of Silom. You can literally stumble from one to the next, like a full gay bar crawl situation.   With all of this coming at you fast and hard – the fame, the scrutiny – how are you feeling right now? The world is bigger than I knew. I understand people better now. Being on screen, being constantly perceived, being visible – you realise you can't make everyone love you. You can't make everyone like you. All you can do is ask yourself: am I happy where I'm standing? Did I come here for the right reasons? And my answer is yes. I get to do the art I love. I get to inspire people and be inspired back. I get to show that dreams do move closer. The world stage once felt far, now it’s in my palm. It’s not impossible. I’m living proof, guys, girls and gays. GAWDLAND is competing on RuPaul's Drag Race VS The World season 3, streaming January  27 2026.

They don't call Thailand the Land of Smiles for nothing. In Bangkok though, those smiles graduate into real laughs when punchlines are attached to mics. The comedy scene's really become its own serious thing – intimate spots, real community, international acts rubbing shoulders with Bangkok's own while you sit close to the action with a cold one watching the barbs land softly here, harshly there. Either way, a good laugh is promised. If this sounds good, here's where to go.

  Photograph: Exotic Originals The interview wrapped, but Dave Milligan of Exotic Originals stuck around to drop his personal poster hall of fame on us. Before anything else, here’s Dave being honest: ‘It’s my personal top ten, though the order isn’t set in stone or anything. It might change tomorrow or even the day after because it's hard to narrow things down!’ With that preface, what follows are Dave’s current right-this-second rankings, courtesy of today’s Dave. Tomorrow’s Dave might shuffle the deck, swap out entries, or flip the order entirely. That restless, ever-shifting perspective is exactly what makes Exotic Originals worth circling back to. 1. Apocalypse Now (1979) Photograph: Exotic Originals Right out of the gate, we’re going nuclear. This is ‘a huge, stunning two-sheet piece by Thailand’s greatest cinema poster artist of all time’ – a certain Tongdee Panumas – and if that sounds like overblown praise, the list will make believers out of you. Quick fact drop before you go hunting on the usual online listings: ‘it was never a regular Thai size one-sheet, that’s a well-known fake’, so if someone’s peddling that story to you, run. Now, about acquiring one of these. Deep breath. ‘It’s extraordinarily rare and has changed hands for crazy money. I’m not going to state a price range here, because I think it’s massively overpriced and I don’t want to qualify this price in any way.’ Dave’s diplomatic restraint is clear here. When the market goes bananas, silence can speak louder than the numbers. But here’s the thing that transcends price tags and auction drama: ‘A lot of prolific collectors across the world have named it as the greatest film poster of all time – from any country.’ Not the best Thai poster. Not even the best Asian poster. The greatest, anywhere. Dave concludes simply, ‘It’s not difficult to see why it’s so highly revered.’  2. Mad Max (1979) Photograph: Exotic Originals   This one’s ‘another Tongdee masterclass and the pride of my collection’ and Dave’s not being modest about it. When something sits on a list this competitive, humility goes out the window and rightfully so. Why does this poster command such reverence? Well, ‘I think the entire poster is incredible,’ he says, ‘but I think the typography of the film’s title is such a standout.’ The lettering ‘is based on the aesthetic of the original international poster’s title font and with Thai script, it looks incredible.’ But it gets better. Tongdee didn’t exactly just copy the Western design and call it a day. According to Dave, ‘I think he’s improved the Western logo’s overall design massively.’ 3. Friday the 13th (1980) Photograph: Harit Three words from Dave on this one: ‘Incredible. The fonts. The colours’. Surprise, surprise! It’s ‘again, Tongdee Panumas – the guy is an absolute genius’. At this point, you start to realise that Tongdee basically owned the late ‘70s and early ‘80s Thai poster scene, churning out masterpiece after masterpiece and this one sits right at the top of that golden streak. This is the kind of poster that stops you cold. It’s not just advertising when it’s really a promise of what’s waiting in the theatre. And few posters have ever promised this hard. 4. King of Comedy (1983) Photograph: Exotic Originals ‘This is one of my favourite films of all time’, Dave says, ‘and I was very surprised that it got a Thai theatrical release’. It makes sense when he explains how ‘it’s pretty offbeat and it’s massively underrated’, though thankfully ‘a lot of fans have made sure it’s got the gold star cult classic status it deserves’. How offbeat are we talking? According to Dave, it’s ‘the most left of centre Martin Scorsese and Robert De Niro film that ever happened’. And that’s saying something from a director-actor duo who’ve never exactly played it safe, wrapping it in that distinctly ‘80s media saturation anxiety that somehow feels even more relevant now. Dave’s clearly stoked about snagging this one: ‘I only recently got one of these – honestly, I never thought I’d get one. So I’m a happy boy right now!’ Oh! And the artist? ‘Again – Tongdee!’ 5. Assault on Precinct 13 (1976) Photograph: Exotic Originals ‘I am a huge John Carpenter fan and I had to pick one.’ So begins this love letter to both director and designer. ‘This one is an absolute beauty and is exceptionally rarely seen’. Dave notes, though, that ‘it’s not my favourite Carpenter film and although the Thai poster for The Thing is perhaps the piece that has collectors salivating far more, given apparently only 50 were ever printed.’ There's a calculated choice happening here. ‘But I'm going by artwork here and this one wins, hands down’. It’s about the visual mastery, the composition, the way ink and paper come together to create something transcendent. Take a wild guess before we reveal the artist: ‘again the artist is Tongdee!’ Shocking absolutely no one at this point. Dave runs through the Carpenter catalogue with obvious affection – ‘Escape From New York, Halloween, They Live all had great posters too and Prince Of Darkness has an absolute acid trip of a poster, which is probably fitting for what is for me, one of the greatest horror films ever made’. He adds that ‘I have never seen a Thai poster for Halloween III: Season of the Witch’ then shares a genuine disappointment: ‘Big Trouble In Little China never had a good Thai poster – they pulled a Star Wars and just slapped Thai texts over the international artwork’ and while that original art is gorgeous, Dave would’ve loved ‘to have seen a Thai take on this one’. 6. Deep Red (1975) Photograph: Exotic Originals ‘One of Italian horror maestro Dario Argento’s greatest films got a simple (by Thai horror standards) yet stunning piece.’  And there’s a story here that makes this entry even sweeter. Dave says he ‘just finally found one of these and it was for French director Gaspar Noé (Irreversible, Enter The Void) who is a regular customer.’ When Gaspar made a film with Argento last year, Dave naturally ‘offered it to him first as he had been asking about it.’ The universe aligned here, with a giallo legend's poster going to a director who had collaborated with said legend. Dave also tells us how Gaspar ‘is a lovely guy – nothing like you’d expect, the sort of character who would make such twisted cinema and a huge poster collector.’ 7. Death Wish (1974) Photograph: Exotic Originals ‘The gun in motion is badass and this is one of my favourite posters of all time.’ This one’s another all-time favourite and in a list this brutal – that means it’s staking a claim on the summit and probably never coming down. ‘I never thought I’d own one,’ Dave says and we can see the appreciation born from longing. He adds, ‘It was one of the top two on my grail list, alongside King of Comedy.’ But acquiring a grail is rarely a clean victory. ‘It’s as stunning as it is rare,’ Dave explains further. ‘It was a bit of a mess when I got it.’ Fifty-plus years had left their mark: grime, wear, all the inevitable entropy of surviving half a century. So Dave did this: ‘I had it professionally restored.’ But not just any restoration. He found Darrell Kobza: 'Darrell and I share an ethos regarding restoration – no repainting. Just a bath in a solution which doesn’t damage the paper to get fifty years plus of grot and grime out, some very minor touch-ups and a linen backing.’ The approach protects the delicate piece, makes it display significantly better, but never fundamentally alters what it is. ‘Darrell Kobza did a phenomenal job,’ Dave says and the image you’re seeing? That’s his actual piece. The gun still frozen in that badass motion blur. The grail, finally home. 8. The Beyond (1981) Photograph: Harit Bold statement incoming: ‘Horror posters do not get better than this’. We’re talking about ‘the most well known and beloved film from maverick Italian director Lucio Fulci’s Gates of Hell trilogy’ and ‘this is an absolute stunner, utterly iconic and has often been imitated, but never bettered’. Here, we get to credit another maestro: ‘This poster was done by legendary Thai artist Noppadol’ and in a list dominated by one genius, it’s genuinely refreshing to celebrate another master of the craft. 9. Psycho II (1983) Photograph: Exotic Originals ‘An incredibly and beautifully detailed piece for the enormously underrated sequel to the Hitchcock classic, Psycho’. Already we’re on interesting ground: sequels to untouchable classics rarely get their flowers, but here we are. Now brace yourself for this hot take: ‘Some people will call this blasphemy, but I far prefer Psycho II over the first film – a comment that would no doubt have Hitchcock spinning in his grave and get a hell of a lot of cinephiles' knickers in a twist’. But as Dave rightly points out: ‘You don’t choose what you like!’ Taste doesn’t arrive via committee approval or critical consensus! 10. Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan (1982) Photograph: Exotic Originals Let’s start with a confession from Dave: ‘I must admit I am absolutely no Trekkie (that’s a name for Star Trek's hardcore fanbase), but I absolutely love this film.’ Sometimes you don’t really need the Starfleet manual to recognise greatness when it beams directly into your eyeballs. Why does Dave love it? Well, ‘it features one of the best sci-fi horror sequences of all time with the ear bugs, I won’t spoil it if you haven’t seen it and the performance from Ricardo Montalban as Khan is incredible. One of the best and most complex on-screen baddies of all time.’ Now, for the poster itself, Dave’s enthusiastic here: the poster is ‘unbelievable, easily the best Thai Star Trek poster and easily my favourite Thai sci-fi poster.’ According to Dave, it's ‘a masterpiece’, though the artist remains to be confirmed.  

Every dish carries a world within it: community, people, whole nations served up in flavour and tradition. Food documentaries do something vital here, showing us not just the dishes but the people who shape them, the ones keeping traditions alive, taking risks to preserve flavours that might otherwise disappear. You see it everywhere: late-night vendors working over blazing woks, home cooks carrying on what their grandmothers taught them. Every scene is thick with work, memory, devotion. Watching these stories unfold, you start to understand something important: street food only looks casual on the surface. Underneath, it’s about survival, identity and how a single, seasoned bite can tell a country’s entire story. These are the docs that speak Thailand.

On Sunday July 6, House Samyan hosted a special surprise screening event where movie lovers gathered to find out which classic film would make its grand return to the theatre. The crowd roared with delight as the first title was revealed to be Heat (1995), the acclaimed action-packed crime thriller not seen since House Samyan first opened its doors more than two decades ago.  After the credits rolled, House Samyan unveiled nine more titles in its House Classics programme, presented under the concept RE:VERB – a celebration of cinema that continues to resonate, no matter how much time has passed. Here’s the full lineup of films screening throughout the second half of the year – cinematic gems that absolutely deserve another round in theatres.

feature debut by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke, emerged from the Critics’ Week sidebar with the Grand Prize AMI Paris in hand. It’s the sort of win that quietly shifts things. Not only for the filmmaker, or for 185 Films, the Thai production house behind it, but for an entire region still largely overlooked in the palmares of European festivals. Only once before has an ASEAN film claimed this prize – Malaysia’s Tiger Stripes in 2023 – which makes A Useful Ghost the second, and possibly the strangest. The story opens with March, grieving the sudden death of his wife, Nat, who succumbed to dust pollution. Soon, he discovers her spirit has returned – in the body of a vacuum cleaner. As he navigates this surreal reunion, his mother’s factory is beset by another ghost, this time a disgruntled labourer who brings operations to a halt. The family, already unsettled, rejects Nat’s lingering presence. But she, determined and oddly practical, offers to exorcise the workplace in exchange for being acknowledged – not just as a ghost, but as a partner. It’s part satire, part seance, and entirely sincere in its portrayal of loss and cohabitation. Photograph: A Useful Ghost Photograph: A Useful Ghost Critics’ Week, dedicated to first and second-time directors, has always been where oddball gems surface. Yet Thai cinema’s presence here has been sporadic. It’s been a decade since Apichatpong Weerasethakul’s Cemetery of Splendour was selected. That absence has made Boonbunchachoke’s entry feel not only like a revival, but a gentle rebellion – one that pairs the domestic with the spectral, the absurd with the intimate, and still walks away with one of the section’s top honours. Photograph: A Useful Ghost For Thai audiences, and indeed Southeast Asian ones, this win is more than a trophy – it’s a quiet reclamation. At a festival often preoccupied with Euro-American prestige, A Useful Ghost serves as a reminder that our stories, however eccentric or dust-choked, carry weight. Boonbunchachoke’s film doesn't pander or explain – it simply arrives, with all its cultural specificity intact, and dares to be taken seriously. It is a ghost story, yes, but also a love letter to what Thai cinema has long done best: blending the surreal with the political, the personal with the haunted, without ever losing its sense of humour or its soul.  

These international films will scratch your travel itch until your next flight east, capturing Thailand’s multifaceted energy from neon-lit Bangkok corners to hidden island paradises you swore you’d keep secret.  Consider this your emergency travel fix until you’re back dodging tuk-tuks and hunting down the perfect mango sticky rice.

A ghostly trace runs through Fathom in Absence, the first in a series of guest-curated film programmes at Bangkok Kunsthalle. These are not just films, but cinematic relics from the early 2000s – forgotten, fragmented and half-remembered, like dreams recalled mid-commute. The programme resurrects four Thai experimental works, each shrouded in its own particular strangeness, screened on Saturday evenings across May (May 3, 17 and 31).  Organised in collaboration with the Thai Film Archive, the series avoids nostalgia in favour of excavation. Here, the past isn’t polished; it flickers, uneven and unsteady. Screened on Saturday evenings throughout May, each film arrives like a message in a bottle from a cinematic era many have tried to forget or never knew existed. They are not tidy cultural artefacts; they are jagged, unresolved and defiantly strange. Their return feels less like a retrospective and more like a séance. Entry is free – an invitation rather than a transaction – and each work will be shown in its original Thai with English subtitles. These are films that resist easy summary and, frankly, demand to be seen rather than explained. But if you're wondering what to expect, here's the lineup: Photograph: The Cruelty and the Soy-Sauce Man+ (2000) May 3, 7pmThe Cruelty and the Soy-Sauce Man+ (2000), directed by Phaisit Phanphruksachat Photograph: Mae Nak (1992) May 17, 5.30pmMae Nak (1992), directed by Pimpaka Towira Photograph: Kon Jorn (1999) May 17, 6.20pm (after a 15-minute intermission)Kon Jorn (1999), directed by Attaporn Thihirun Photograph: Birth of the Seanéma (2004) 31 May, 5pmBirth of the Seanéma (2004), directed by Sasithorn Ariyavicha More details about talks and discussions will be announced soon, though it’s safe to assume this isn’t the sort of programme that wraps things up with neat Q&As. Instead, it gestures towards the elliptical, the marginal and the unresolved. The Kunsthalle isn’t simply screening films – it’s calling them back. And perhaps, in watching, you’re not just a spectator. You’re a witness.

Got some free time for a Netflix night or a daytime movie date?  Here’s a solid list of feel-good Thai films from recent years, with a classic local favourite thrown in for good measure!

While music transcends borders, these Thai artists are gradually breaking down barriers and overcoming language obstacles by creating hits in English and allowing their music to resonate with global audiences. From humble beginnings fuelled by strong ambitions, these musicians are sharing their stories and taking their tracks to the world stage. Here's a snapshot of the multilingual acts from Thailand singing a slightly different tune.

Today, Thai filmmakers are pushing boundaries, addressing thought-provoking social issues and creating universally relatable stories, all while preserving their distinctive cultural voice. From the vibrant streets of Bangkok to the tranquil shores of Pattaya, these films offer a lens into Thailand’s multifaceted identity, blending the local with the global in ways that feel both personal and accessible.  Whether you’re a long-time fan of Asian film or just beginning to explore beyond Western staples, Thai cinema offers a captivating entry into a world where age-old traditions meet modern aspirations, and storytelling takes on bold, new forms.  Here’s a curated list of Thai films on streaming that you won’t want to miss.

Bangkok has no shortage of recognition for its hospitality – there are lists for the best hotels, stars for the best restaurants and awards for must-visit bars. But what if you want it all in one place? This is the first list of its kind: Time Out’s guide to the best hotels in Bangkok, where exceptional dining and bar experiences come together under one roof. We're talking about places where you can check in, drop your bags and have no reason to leave – not because you're lazy, but because everything you want is already there. This is  Time Out’s ‘Ultimate Bangkok: Under One Roof’ 2025 list. Our judging criteria were simple: every hotel on this list offers top-rated rooms, at least two notable restaurants and a bar that goes beyond the basics. These are the stays where you can wake up to a perfect breakfast, spend the afternoon poolside with a cocktail, and end the day with a tasting menu you’ll still be thinking about next week. Whether you’re visiting the city or planning a luxe staycation, this is your all-in-one guide to Bangkok’s most indulgent hotel experiences.

When it comes to hotel awards, Bangkok properties are never far from the spotlight. The city is packed with everything from budget stays to ultra-luxe escapes. This year, the French guide La Liste released its 2025 ranking of the world’s finest places to stay, with Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok standing out as the only establishment from Southeast Asia to make the cut. Known for its annual list of the world’s top 1,000 restaurants, La Liste uses the same algorithm-based approach for its hospitality ratings. The guide compiles thousands of critic reviews, expert insights and guest feedback. It also aggregates and analyses data from over 400 international sources, ensuring an objective evaluation that transcends cultural preferences and regional biases. ‘Our algorithm doesn’t lie: these establishments truly represent the pinnacle of global hospitality,’ said La Liste’s founder Philippe Faure. ‘Each transcends the simple concept of accommodation to offer a transformative experience to its guests.’ For its inaugural year, the accolade crowns ten properties worldwide with a top score of 99.5 – six in Europe, two in the Americas and two in Asia. A big shoutout goes to Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok, which is not only one of just two Asian stays but also the only one representing Southeast Asia.Mandarin Oriental Bangkok is no stranger to international acclaim. Located on the historic Chao Phraya River, it stands as a living legend of Asian hospitality. Despite changes over the years, the place continues to uphold a 145-year tradition of dedicated service that remains Bangkok’s beating heart.Here’s the full list of the world’s best hotels in 2025, according to La Liste La Réserve, Paris The Connaught, London The Savoy, London Cheval Blanc, Paris Il San Pietro di Positano, Positano J.K. Place Capri, Capri Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok The Peninsula, Shanghai The Peninsula, Chicago Rosewood Mayakoba, Cancun

Capella Bangkok has been crowned World’s Best Hotel and Asia’s Best Hotel according to the popular award site, 50 Best. 50 Best is a “best of” site that combines the collective views of hundreds of curated voters worldwide, including travel journalists, hoteliers and travel specialists. Their votes determine the winner of “The World’s 50 Best Hotels,” announced yesterday, Sep 17, at London’s Guildhall. Although a prestigious claim, Capella Bangkok is no stranger to winning awards. Since opening in 2022, the hotel has taken home many awards, notably making it to eleventh place on The World’s 50 Best Hotels 2023.  Today, despite tough competition, Capella Bangkok climbed to the top of the list, claiming the No.1 spot and the title of the best hotel in the world for 2024. Aside from Capella Bangkok, the city earns another three hotels on the list, including Mandarin Oriental Bangkok (No.12), Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River (No.14) and The Siam (No.26). Overall, hotels in Asia performed the best, with 19 hotels making it to the Best 50 list this year, including Rosewood Hong Kong (No.3), Raffles Singapore (No.6) and Aman Tokyo (No.7). 50 Best has long produced rankings for restaurants and bars, with the first awards presented in 2009. Hotels is a relatively new addition to their growing number of award lists, with The World's 50 Best Hotels entering its second year this year.  When it comes to voting, any hotel anywhere in the world is eligible as long as somebody on the voting panel has stayed there at least one night. Hotels cannot pay to be selected and the results are an anonymous list of votes from 600 industry-related individuals, selected by 50 Best for their expertise in the international hotel scene.  You can check the complete list on The World's 50 Best Hotels. 

After decades of sitting idle, the old customs house on the banks of Chao Phraya River is finally getting a new lease of life. The 136-year-old building is getting the refresh it deserves as it transforms into The Langham Hotel, due to open in 2026. Built in 1888, the Old Customs House was once used for royal events, including one to celebrate the return of King Rama V from his travels in Europe. The building was designed by architect Joachim Grassi in a neo-Palladian style, with teak floors, a grand central staircase and a four-storey corridor. The Langham Hospitality Group (LHG), which has more than 30 Langham hotels around the world, is known for its work in preserving old buildings and turning them into luxury hotels. They have partnered with Rabbit Holdings for their first Bangkok project. In parallel with the old Customs House, the Langham Hospitality Group is also restoring the old post office building. The hotel will offer 78 guest rooms. For dining, they are bringing in T'ang Court, a Cantonese restaurant from Hong Kong with three Michelin stars. The Langham wellness retreat, Chuan Spa, will also be available here. This year alone, Bangkok has seen several new luxury developments, including Dusit Central Park; One Bangkok; Aman Nai Lert Residences Bangkok; Porsche Tower Design, which is selling condos starting from B500 million; and EA Gallery atop the Empire Tower, which is bringing Nobu restaurant to the city. Although the rates for this new Bangkok property are yet to be published, prices at other Langham locations around the world range between B8,000 and B40,000 per night.

The slick American boutique brand brings a slice of retro-hip edge to Sathorn.

The thing about COVID-19 is that it still remains largely mysterious. The virus emerged out of nowhere, seemingly around the end of 2019, and then it swept up the entire world in the blink of an eye at the start of 2020. It’s been some time since the pandemic broke out and yet we still can't pin down for sure where and how the virus originated, let alone how it can be cured. And until medical experts can come up with a safe vaccine, COVID-19 will be a huge part of our lives. Thailand, however, has been more fortunate in its dealings with Monsieur C-19 than other parts of the world. The country is gradually easing up on lockdown constraints in its bid to return to “normal”, including constraints on inbound travel. Authorities have recently lifted border restrictions, allowing residents to return, but mostly for necessary purposes like work or to reunite with family. But the one thing Thailand still strictly holds on to is mandating a 14-day self-quarantine in authority-credited locations for all incoming travelers. The government is kind enough to facilitate free accommodations for these returning passengers, but luxury hotels and resorts in Bangkok and other provinces also offer Alternative State Quarantine (ASQ) packages for those who are more particular with their preferences. To help those planning to fly back to Thailand, we’ve rounded up 15 top hotels in Bangkok that offer all-inclusive ASQ packages. Let’s take a look.

The stunning, brand-new Waldorf Astoria Bangkok shoots up from the bustling Rachaprasong intersection like a flower; in fact, it was designed to look like one—a magnolia, to be exact. Inside, design elements by Hong Kong-based architect Andre Fu—such as wrought iron sculptural panels and an assortment of intricate chandeliers—pay homage to local Thai culture as well as the Waldorf legacy. The property boasts 171 rooms and suites, each with interactive entertainment systems, well-stocked mini bars and sprawling bathrooms with rainfall showers, high-tech toilets and toiletries by Salvatore Ferragamo. Guests have access to three restaurants, two bars and a tea room lounge; our favorites are the Front Room, a lobby-level eatery serving innovative Nordic-Thai fare, and the top floor Champagne Bar, offering flutes of bubbly to be enjoyed on plush green velvet couches overlooking the city below. A small (three rooms) but lovely spa sits next to the open air, rooftop pool, scattered with giant wicker chairs and affording one of the best views from the property. There's also a 24-hour fitness center, as well as the aforementioned lounge, Peacock Alley, perfect for whiling away the hours between city exploration and dinner—look for the clock behind the bar, a quiet nod to the storied hotel brand's first property in Manhattan (every Waldorf Astoria has a version of the first location's beautiful wall clock).  Time Out tip: Book ahead at the spa and the Front Room, both popular must-d

W Bangkok integrates twisted Thai culture with quirky Western motifs

The Okura Prestige Bangkok has set a new standard for luxury hotels

Gorgeous views and unique designs are the key reasons you’ll love SO Sofitel Bangkok. Located a few blocks away from Lumpini Park, the enclaves lush greenery can be spotted from most rooms. Room styles are crafted around four different themes: earth, water, wood and metal. The Earth rooms are embellished with playful, curvy walls inspired by prehistoric cave paintings found in Pha Taem National Park in Ubon Ratchathani. Metal rooms are decked out like an urban refuge with minimal, modern decor and pristine white furniture. The Wood room, on the other hand, is inspired by a traditional Northern Thai wooden house, while the Water room—the sexiest room of all—features concrete walls and semi-transparent glasses partitions.

April means Songkran – and if you're in the city, it also means gridlocked roads, water guns at every corner and the kind of chaos that is fun for exactly one day. Either way, there's no better time to get out of the city and discover a more relaxed way to ease into what is about to be a very hot Thai summer. This month's lineup spans Chiang Mai, Koh Phangan and Hua Hin, each offering a different kind of escape. Anantara Chiang Mai makes the case for the staycation done properly – khao chae by the Ping River, a Songkran pool party and an Easter brunch that gives you every reason to get out of the city and see something new.  Further south, Anantara Rasananda on Koh Phangan takes romance seriously with a five-night package designed to make you feel thoroughly swept off your feet. For families, Sheraton Hua Hin Pranburi Villas has thought through the chaos of travelling with kids so you don't have to, with activities for little ones and spa time built in for the adults who need it most. At the Sheraton Hua Hin Resort and Spa, Luna Lanai Restaurant is making a strong case for a table with their Pak Tai Trail menu – a journey through the bold and unapologetic flavours of Southern Thailand, best enjoyed with the sound of waves in the background.  And in Hua Hin, The Standard brings its signature playful wellness energy to the beachfront for anyone who wants to feel good without giving up the fun or opt for a full body reset with expertly trained coaches at Avani+ Hua Hin’s Wellness Wanderer Camp.

If we had to crown Thailand’s most sought-after destination this year, Koh Samui would easily take the title. Thanks to the global buzz around The White Lotus season 3, travellers from around the world are flocking there – whether to soak up a slice of paradise or follow in the footsteps of the show’s characters. Naturally, the island has become a major hotspot. And while Samui offers plenty of places to stay, not everyone’s budget stretches to White Lotus–level luxury. However, the newest boutique escape, NH Collection Samui Peace Resort, brings style without the splurge. Opened earlier this year, it marks the Thai debut of the NH Collection. Known for its upscale stays across Europe and Latin America, the brand gives a fresh perspective to Samui with a full transformation of the former Peace Resort. All rooms, suites and villas have been completely redesigned with earthy tones, modern comforts and an inviting indoor-outdoor flow. Set right on the beachfront of Bophut Beach, the hotel offers a family-friendly energy on one of the area’s most popular stretches of sand. Here is why you should pay NH Collection Samui Peace Resort a visit.   Why stay at NH Collection Samui Peace Resort? NH Collection Samui Peace Resort feels blissfully removed from everyday chaos – even though it’s only an hour’s flight from Bangkok. Direct flights to Samui International Airport are operated by Bangkok Airways or you can take a frequent ferry from Surat Thani, which takes around 1 hour 45 minutes. Even better, the airport is just a quick 15-minute drive from the resort and complimentary return transfers mean you could be sipping your welcome drink by the beach within minutes of landing. The resort embraces a clean, modern beach aesthetic across its 122 rooms, suites and villas. The main pool is lined with loungers for all-day lazing, the activity deck hosts early-morning yoga and ice-bathing sessions and the restaurant and bar offer open views over Bophut Beach. Breakfast is included and guests can take to the water with non-motorised watersports, including kayaks and paddleboards or enjoy on-site facilities such as the gym, cinema room, kids’ club and playground.   What are the rooms like at NH Collection Samui Peace Resort? Following a major renovation of the former Peace Resort, NH Collection Samui Peace Resort now offers 122 stylish rooms, ranging from garden-view terraces to superior villas, pool villas and beachfront pool villas. I stayed in a one-bedroom pool villa and it immediately felt thoughtfully designed. The villa features a plush king-size bed, an espresso machine, a kettle with a mini-bar, high-speed Wi-Fi and a spacious ensuite with both a rain shower and a bathtub. Outside, a private terrace comes with comfy seating, sun loungers and a pool all to yourself. It’s clear the hotel anticipates guests’ needs. There are two TVs – one in the living area and one facing the bed – so you can catch your favourite show before turning in. Even the bathtub comes with a bath bomb. Floor-to-ceiling windows and a soothing earthen colour palette create a serene atmosphere. Designed with families in mind, the rooms comfortably sleep up to four guests. And if you’re particular about pillows, there’s a menu with different firmness options to make sure everyone sleeps well.   Where’s there to eat at NH Collection Samui Peace Resort? The resort offers a few dining experiences. Sea Wrap Restaurant is a beachfront spot serving all-day international comfort food. Starters include classics like nicoise salad (B390), featuring fresh tuna, potato, egg, tomato, anchovy, green beans and vinaigrette. Pasta lovers can try spaghetti frutti di mare (B420) with prawn, mussel, calamari, white wine, chili and cherry tomatoes, while pizza options include pepperoni burrata hot honey (B480), topped with tomato, parmesan, pepperoni, burrata and a drizzle of hot honey. For a local touch, sample Thai favourites such as pineapple fried rice (B390) with ham, squid, prawn and shredded chicken served in a fresh pineapple or spicy thai papaya salad (B300). For drinks, the coconut juice served in a whole coconut is a refreshing must-try. By night, you can also book private dining, including candlelit beachside BBQs.   El Salon transforms from a cafe by day into a bar by night. True to its name, which means ‘a space to unwind’ in Spanish, it’s the kind of spot where mornings start with freshly brewed coffee or fresh juices and afternoons are for a slice of basque cheesecake, homemade pastries or a selection of Spanish cheeses. As the sun dips, the space takes on a new energy, with a cocktail menu that celebrates the resort’s lush gardens and the flavours of Thailand. Highlights include tropical herb cooler (B340), a mix of Thai basil and lemongrass-infused vodka, lime, coconut water, and simple syrup and Samui passion (B350), combining Smirnoff vodka, passion fruit puree, lime, and vanilla syrup, finished with soda.    What is breakfast at NH Collection Samui Peace Resort? Mornings at NH Collection Samui Peace Resort are a real treat. The complimentary breakfast buffet at Sea Wrap Restaurant runs from 7am-10.30am, right on the beachfront. Stations showcase a mix of Thai favourites, fresh salads, pastries and an egg counter where you can order poached eggs, eggs Benedict or your preferred style on the spot. There’s also a wide selection of juices and milk to kickstart your morning. Between the food, the ocean view and the laid-back atmosphere, breakfast here feels more like a slow, indulgent ritual than a routine meal.   What is the service like at NH Collection Samui Peace Resort? While NH Collection Samui Peace Resort isn’t a five-star property, the service almost feels like it is. The staff are genuinely attentive. Every time I walked past, I was greeted with a smile and a friendly ‘hi’. Any question I had was answered promptly and cheerfully. During my stay, if the ‘Do Not Disturb’ sign wasn’t up, they would check in every morning to see if I needed anything, making the service feel personal without ever being intrusive.   What other facilities are there at NH Collection Samui Peace Resort? NH Collection Samui Peace Resort makes it easy to switch between lounging and activity. The main outdoor pool is spacious, lined with sun loungers, while a smaller kids’ pool keeps little ones entertained. Beyond the pool, the private beach invites slow mornings with your toes in the sand. For those who like a bit of movement, non-motorised water activities such as kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding are on offer.    If you want to stay active, the fitness centre is well-equipped with cardio machines, free weights and stretching areas. For something more personalised, private Muay Thai or yoga sessions are available. After your workout or a long day in the sun, you can retreat to the spa and wellness centre for a soothing massage or treatment.    Families are well-catered for here. The kids’ club, playground and splash pool ensure children are happily occupied, while adults can steal a moment of quiet, knowing their little ones are safe and having fun.   What's the area like around NH Collection Samui Peace Resort? NH Collection Samui Peace Resort is set right on Bophut Beach, on Koh Samui’s northeast coast. Its location gives you a calm beachfront escape while keeping you close to local highlights. Within a short, 10-minute walk is Fisherman’s Village. This major attraction offers a historic market area known for its charming wooden shophouses, trendy boutiques and the lively night market, where you can browse crafts, sample street food and catch live music. For dining, you have several choices nearby. You can easily visit Guilty at Anantara Bophut, the resort's sister property. The restaurant offers a South American dining experience, specialising in a fusion of Peruvian-Japanese flavours. For authentic Thai food, the local favourite Khao Hom is accessible via a short drive. This Michelin-recognised venue focuses on bold and traditional Southern Thai cuisine, with reviewers praising its punchy tastes, particularly in its curries. If you are looking to explore some local landmarks and culture, the stunning Wat Phra Yai (Big Buddha Temple) is about 15 minutes by car. This magnificent gold statue is one of the destination's most revered icons.    Why should you book a stay at NH Collection Samui Peace Resort? While Koh Samui offers plenty of places to stay, NH Collection Samui Peace Resort stands out for its versatility and ease. Whether you’re travelling as a couple, with family, or solo, the resort makes it easy to enjoy the island’s charm without stretching your budget. Its beachfront setting and complimentary use of non-motorised watercraft let you float, paddle or simply lounge by the water. At the same time, you’re never far from local highlights. For anyone seeking a mix of relaxation, comfort and accessibility, it’s a stay that ticks all the boxes.   Address: 178, Bo Put, Amphoe Ko Samui, Surat Thani 84320Price per night: From B3,751 per night Closest transport link: It’s just a 15-minute drive to Samui International Airport.    Book now: https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/nh-collection-samui-peace-resort.en-gb.html?aid=2427673 

An urban playground for the young at heart In the heart of Siam, where a veritable forest of modern towers reaches for the sky, Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong rises as a beacon for the perpetually playful. But this isn’t just another new hotel in a city teeming with them – this is a fun hunter’s consummate homebase. The moment the elevator doors open onto the ninth-floor lobby, you're not just arriving at a hotel; you're entering a scene. A full-sized theatre marquee frames a bustling barista counter that doubles as the check-in desk, where a boozy or not-so-boozy welcome drink is pressed into your hand. The air thrums with a hip, energetic pulse. This is Tom Hanks’s loft in Big, reimagined by a tech founder billionaire with a cheeky sense of humour. It’s a place that knows it’s in Bangkok, and it loves every second of it. Why stay at Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong? The ninth-floor loft space is the energetic hub of the entire hotel, an airy, open-plan space framed by large, hand-painted modern Thai murals that fuse street art with local traditions. It’s a living room, a co-working space, a bar, and an arcade all at once. KAWS-inspired art toys and neon signs are tucked into every corner, making the hotel itself an Instagram-worthy destination. This is a social ecosystem where you can plug in to get some work done at the business center amenities in the Library, or challenge a new friend to a game of foosball, pool or air hockey. But what truly sets the Moxy apart is its symbiotic relationship with its location. The hotel is ground zero for the full spectrum of Bangkok shopping, from the endless discount fashions of Pratunam and Platinum Mall to the world-class offerings of CentralWorld, Siam Paragon and Siam Discovery. The genius of Moxy is in how it connects you to this world: you can take an outward-facing glass elevator, reminiscent of Willy Wonka, and be delivered directly to the BTS Chidlom via a covered skywalk. This is a hotel that doesn’t just sit in the city – it’s an integral part of its pulsating heart, offering recreation and immersion from the moment you step out the door. What are the rooms like at Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong? From the cozy Moxy Queen to the spacious Moxy Deluxe, each room is a smart, functional sanctuary that feels straight out of Williamsburg, Brooklyn. I’d highly recommend an upgrade to the Corner Queen room for the sheer sense of scale. The giant picture windows, stretching two meters by two metres, frame epic city views, making you feel like you're sleeping in a suspended art installation. The design is bold but not overwhelming, with a minimalist palette that draws attention to the views outside. The mattress is fantastic, and the plethora of comfy pillows is a detail you don't appreciate until you’ve had a long day of exploring. And after a day of navigating the city’s heat, who could ask for more than a rain shower with a tiled bench? It’s a small, luxurious touch that makes all the difference. The quirky vintage phone and a wealth of well-placed outlets remind you that this is a space designed for modern living. The value for the price is excellent, offering a level of style and comfort that feels far more premium than its price tag suggests. What are the best restaurants and bars at Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong? The Moxy's culinary offerings are surprisingly creative and original. At the Moxy Bar & Restaurant, Chef Phachara crafts international fare with a bold Thai inflection, playing on Japanese, Mexican and Italian influences to create a menu that is anything but predictable. The succulently braised, bone-in short rib massaman curry with a fresh-made roti pancake is a dish that alone is worth a visit. Master mixologist Yumi’s inventive cocktail program is a highlight. I tried her bourbon-based iceberg cocktail – tropical, floral, and so refreshing – and was impressed by her five original Moxy-crafted mocktails, which are a serious step up from the usual non-alcoholic offerings. The energy here is infectious, especially on Friday and Saturday nights when the terrace hosts a lively barbecue, serving everything from local catch-of-the-week seafood to classic baby back ribs and steak kebabs. For those on the move, the 24/7 grab-and-go station is stocked with snacks and beverages, a perfect pitstop for an urban adventure. The breakfast buffet is a sprawling affair, with freshly baked sourdough, eggs cooked to order, a fun Nutella station for a bit of cheeky indulgence and a selection of traditional Thai brekky favourites.  What is the service like at Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong? You won’t find the hushed formality of a traditional luxury hotel here. Instead, you'll find that staff are casual yet helpful and professional while clearly enjoying their work. Their genuine smiles and willingness to help – from offering a welcome drink to assisting with directions – create an atmosphere that feels less like a hotel and more like a clubhouse. What is the gym and what other facilities are there? The Moxy feels like it’s built for urban explorers. While it forgoes a spa and pool, it offers well-thought-out alternatives. The gym, for example, is far from an afterthought. With ceiling-to-floor glass, it’s a modern, bright space filled with everything you need, including kettlebells and a fantastic Thai boxing setup. It's a place to sweat with a view. The hotel's loft event space is a versatile area for social gatherings, and the occasional Moxy Truck pop-up on the terrace adds to the spontaneous, party-like atmosphere. Gaming options and abundant ‘selfie spots’ mean there’s rarely a dull moment. A quiet lounge and library offer a serene retreat from the action. What's the area like around Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong? The Moxy’s location is a hub of recreation and discovery. From the Pratunam pier, you can travel metropolitan Bangkok via canal boat, a fun and authentic way to see the city. On the way, don't forget to indulge in the kuay teow rua at Lung Pratunam Boat Noodles, a Bangkok delicacy served for almost half a century. The skywalk system makes navigating the area a breeze, connecting you to the city's shopping and dining without ever needing to brave the traffic. Why should you book a stay at Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong? Book a stay at the Moxy Bangkok Ratchaprasong if you're a traveller who wants a hotel that feels as alive as the city it inhabits. It's a great choice for those who appreciate style, value and a social, unpretentious atmosphere. The hotel’s commitment to fun and design, its original food and cocktail program and its enviable location make it a standout choice for anyone looking to experience the Big Mango at its biggest. Address: Ratchadamri Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330, Thailand Price per night: From approx B5,000 per night Closest transport link: From BTS Chit Lom station, you can walk via the elevated skywalk directly to The Market Bangkok, where the hotel is located. Book now: [https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/moxy-bangkok-ratchaprasong.en-gb.html?aid=2427673] Time Out makes a small commission from the affiliate links included in this article. These links have no influence on our editorial content, but they do help us to bring you more recommendations every week. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

In late 2020, Capella Bangkok opened to join a string of luxury hotels on the banks of the Chao Phraya River, sharing a private driveway with the Four Seasons in the heart of the trendy Charoenkrung district. Just four years later, an international ranking crowned it the very best hotel on the planet. So, what makes this 101-room city hotel so special? Let’s start with the view. The hotel is designed so that every room faces the same way, out over the Chao Phraya River. Suites have floor-to-ceiling windows serving skyline from every angle – even from the bathroom sinks – or you could stake claim to your own riverside patch with a stay in one of the hotel’s ultra-exclusive villas, complete with a plunge pool and private tropical garden.  Every room and suite is decked out in a soothing Japandi style: think cream and honey tones, wooden partitions, and plenty of space and light. Beds are, of course, ridiculously plush, thanks to pillowtop mattresses and Egyptian cotton sheets. Bathrooms are spa-like, with rainfall showers, a free-standing tub and his-and-hers sinks. There’s nothing too over-the-top here, but it’s clear that a lot of thought has gone into anticipating what a guest might need – and what might make them smile. Take the bedside touchscreen that allows you to control the lighting, the blinds, and pretty much anything else in the room. Or the fragrant ‘bath tea’, or the vanity kits printed with vintage photographs of the river.  Capella Bangkok landed its ‘world’s best’ accolade largely on the grounds of its above-and-beyond service. There’s no doubt a well-studied understanding of the guest experience on display here, from a turn-down service that gifts cakes to your bedside to breakfast bundles for early check-outs. All this is part and parcel of the experience Capella – as a brand – wants to offer its guests. But you’ll find that any interaction you have with a staff member here will be unflinchingly loyal, gracious and warm – in our eyes, the very best of Thai hospitality.= The two on-site restaurants – two-Michelin-star Côte by Mauro Colagreco and the riverfront Phra Nakohn – elevate Capella Bangkok to one of the capital’s most desirable dining destinations. The former is a Mediterranean affair, serving beautiful Riviera-inspired tasting dishes, while the latter offers authentic, flavour-packed Thai food, with a spectacular location right on the water. Breakfast (a mixture of a la carte and buffet bits, with both Western and Thai options) is served on Phra Nakohn’s sun-dappled terrace – an enviable way to spend a morning, that, feeling the day warm up around you while you slurp coconut water straight from the shell. There’s also art-deco cocktail bar Stella, which is pretty much the benchmark for a brilliant hotel bar. It’s decadent and fun, with a menu printed on the plumes of a handheld fan handed to you in a little box, and drinks themed around Bangkok’s neighbourhoods, landmarks and cultural icons.  Auriga, the spa, carries out a range of soul-soothing treatments – many using Thai ingredients like mung bean and Hom Mali rice – plus some unexpected practices, like sound healing. There’s also a tea room (get the coconut matcha) and a pool (with river views, obviously). But one of Capella Bangkok’s greatest offerings is its dedicated team of ‘Culturists’, who design bespoke itineraries for guests to really get to know the side of the city they most want to see, be it spiritual sites or street food. Is it the world’s best hotel? Certainly, it’s without fault. Capella Bangkok manages to achieve something quite elusive: creating, for guests, the warm feeling of coming home, while being extraordinary enough to feel miles away. Nearby   KodTalay seafood buffet: Atop an office building is this most unique of dining experiences: a lively rooftop where you can go all in on an all-you-can-eat barbecue seafood buffet for under B600. Warehouse 30: A converted warehouse space packed with indie galleries, boutiques and coffee shops. Yaowarat Road: The epicentre of Bangkok’s street food scene is a 40-minute walk from the hotel (or a 15-minute drive). Address: 300/2 Charoenkrung Road, Yannawa, Sathorn, Bangkok 10120, Thailand Price per night: From approx B32,838 per night Closest transport link: From BTS Saphan Taksin station, you can walk to Sathorn Pier, where the private pier offers a shuttle boat to the hotel. Book now: [https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/capella-bangkok.en-gb.html?aid=2427673] Time Out makes a small commission from the affiliate links included in this article. These links have no influence on our editorial content, but they do help us to bring you more recommendations every week. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Phuket’s dining and lifestyle scene never stays still and the island’s latest addition proves just that. Rava Beach Club by Banyan Tree Phuket, which soft-launched in August, brings a new kind of beachside energy to Bang Tao, a more relaxed hangout than a high-octane party spot. Spanning 3,500 square metres, it’s officially Thailand’s longest beach club. At first, I imagined the usual bass-heavy beats and crowds of people dancing under neon lights. But the venue turned out to be something entirely different. It is stylish, easygoing and surprisingly serene. My first visit was at night. The air was warm, waves rolled in behind the music and the DJ played tropical house that kept things lively without overpowering the scene. People chatted, danced and enjoyed cocktails under the glow of string lights. It had a smooth and unhurried rhythm.  Returning the next day around noon, the atmosphere shifted completely. Under the bright sun, the pools sparkled and the music slowed to a laid-back tempo. A guest singer performed soulful, beachy tunes while guests lounged with cocktails in hand. It was calm, inviting and in tune with its beachfront surroundings. What stands out most is its sense of space. Despite its size, it never feels crowded or overstated. Its name – Sanskrit for ‘sound’ or ‘reverberation’ – feels fitting, as everything here seems to move in rhythm, whether it’s the hum of conversation, the soft bassline beneath the waves or the gentle clink of ice in glasses. The beach club is divided into three zones. Young & Fun offers sunbeds, three infinity pools and a beachfront dining area for daytime lounging. Master Grill serves as the culinary hub, where chefs work over open flames to prepare steaks and seafood. Prestige, reserved for Banyan Tree guests, features a private infinity pool, indoor dining area and personal facilities. In the open kitchen, Chef Joshua Gray, an Australian known for his fire-cooking techniques, grills wagyu tenderloin over open flames, a fitting preview of what’s on offer. The menu highlights flame-grilled meats, charcoal-roasted seafood and shareable plates such as tomahawk steaks, wagyu tenderloin and wood-fired pizza. The drinks menu is equally impressive, ranging from fresh juices and zero-proof mocktails to signature cocktails such as tropical sunset (dark rum, peach liqueur, passion fruit, yuzu puree and lime) and rava spice (vodka, Cointreau, Malibu, coconut, lime, chili, kaffir lime, lemongrass and soda). Service is attentive and professional, with staff quick to offer recommendations and keep your glass topped up without missing a beat. Whether you’re staying in Laguna or visiting for the day, Rava Beach Club makes a great alternative to the typical party-driven beach venues. It’s the kind of place where you can swim, sip and stay all afternoon – a stylish escape that balances energy and ease in equal measure.

If there were any doubt that Bangkok was the centre of all things in Thailand, you only need to look at the national railway map. The four main lines radiate out from the Thai capital like iron tentacles, stretching over 4,000km.  The Southern Line is Thailand’s longest line at 1,144 kilometres. Northwards, the 13-hour night train to Chiang Mai has become a rite-of-passage for backpackers. But Bangkokians, fear not, you needn’t roll so far in order to experience Thailand by rail, as there are plenty of destinations within easy reach of a wayfaring weekender.

Feeling the Bangkok burnout? It happens to the best of us. Leaving the city, with its Michelin-starred temptations and glorious, beautiful chaos, feels like a betrayal. Here's the secret: you don't have to break up, just take a break. Thailand is packed with ridiculously easy getaways that feel like you've crossed a border, not just a province line. From the cool mountain air of Khao Yai to the sun-soaked beaches of Phuket and the serene shores of Koh Samui, these October getaways are made for slowing down and recharging. Whether you want to explore nature, unwind by the sea, or indulge in a peaceful resort escape, there’s something nearby to refresh your mind and spirit. This October, let these escapes remind you that a little getaway is sometimes all you need.

Have you ever noticed that your inner child never really leaves, no matter your age? Many of us still dream of bedrooms that feel lifted from the movies we adored growing up. At Kitsch Hotel, that little daydream comes alive. Imagine drifting off in a Wes Anderson-style wonderland, feeling the dreamy haze of Sofia Coppola’s Virgin Suicides or tucking into a cosy dormitory that could have been from a storybook. With imagination meeting style, here’s why this hotel is the kind of place that brings your dreams to life while wrapping you in comfort and charm. Why stay at Kitsch Hotel?  Renovated from a 30-year-old property, Kitsch Hotel was founded by Luksorn-Saruti Tuntivithayakul and Um-Boonyanan Raungwong, the creative duo behind Daddy and the Muscle Academy, a lifestyle brand known for its ‘90s-inspired aesthetic and playful products. So when I heard they were opening a hotel, I expected something fun, but Kitsch exceeded that. It’s a fully themed escape that transports you into a vintage-fantasy world. What stood out most was how unique each room feels. With 19 individually styled spaces, each tells its own story, inspired by movies, art and pop culture. One of the signature rooms is the Kitsch Room, with a 1950s Americana vibe. The white and baby-blue wallpaper, paired with a three-tiered birthday cake centrepiece, makes it a space you’ll want to explore and photograph from every angle. For those who dream of staying in a boarding school, the establishment offers six private dorm rooms styled like classic English school dormitories. Each features two bunk beds, evoking the charm of storybook school life. Even before I reached my room, the hotel had already caught my attention. The retro-style exterior is a photo-worthy detail and the lobby continues the mood with Kitschy Kat, a giant white cat sculpture, alongside a bold mosaic tile installation. What are the rooms like at Kitsch Hotel? I stayed in the Pink Pavilion. Located on the fifth floor, it’s the largest accommodation in the hotel and true to its name, everything is bathed in shades of pink. As someone who has always dreamed of being treated like a princess, I was instantly delighted the moment I stepped inside. Inspired by 1980s femininity, the space is adorned with sculptures of Venus and Madonna, while delicate floral motifs grace the ceiling. The layout is divided into three areas: a living area with a sofa, television, tea table and cabinets decorated with small sculptures; a sleeping area with two king-size beds; and a bathroom with a bathtub, shower and separate toilet area. Amenities include fast Wi-Fi, a tea station and a refrigerator, but what stands out is the attention to detail in the decor. Vintage touches, like a fully functional retro telephone and an elegant chandelier, bring a whimsical princess-like charm. Even the small tea table with four chairs makes you feel like you’re hosting a scene from Alice in Wonderland. The bathrobe, with its pink-and-brown checked pattern, adds to the playful theme. The centrepiece is the bathtub. It occupies its own space within the bathroom area and while it might feel a little exposed if you’re sharing with a friend, a large curtain can be drawn to create a private nook. The tub itself is generously sized, with ornate fixtures that make it feel more like a miniature palace spa than a standard bathroom. Where can you eat at Kitsch Hotel? Kitsch might be a boutique hotel, but it still has its own dining option. On the sixth floor is Soup Sip, a rooftop restaurant serving Asian-fusion dishes. The name, which in Thai hints at gathering and chatting, suits the atmosphere well. It feels casual and social. The restaurant is divided into two areas: an indoor dining room and an open-air terrace. On a cool evening, the outdoor seats are great for catching the breeze and taking in the city views, while the indoor space offers the same relaxed atmosphere with the comfort of air-conditioning. As for the food, menu highlights include crispy duck confit with sweet gravy, pickled shrimp with wasabi dressing and grilled beef with signature sauce. The dishes lean into familiar Thai flavours. Drinks include a curated selection of wine, sparkling, champagne, beer and cocktails.  What is breakfast at Kitsch Hotel? If you’re expecting a big buffet spread, you won’t find it here. Instead, Kitsch Hotel offers three curated breakfast sets to choose from. I tried set a: duck wore berry – a confit duck served with butter pancakes, berry sauce, maple syrup and a side dish of the day and set c: fry me to the moon – American fried rice with BBQ sauce and herbs, served with sausages, fried chicken, bacon and California fries. Each set is priced at B335 and comes with your choice of tea, coffee or juice. One thing to note is that breakfast needs to be ordered the night before, along with the time you’d like it served. The meal is then enjoyed at Soup Sip, the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. What is the service like at Kitsch Hotel? The service felt relaxed yet attentive. What stood out to me most was the way the staff, known as ‘Keira,’ dressed in themed outfits that matched the hotel’s quirky aesthetic. They were always approachable and ready to help, whether it was answering a question or offering a small recommendation, without ever feeling intrusive. Seeing them move around, cheerful and approachable, added a lively energy that made my stay feel even more special. What's the area like around Kitsch Hotel? Just a short ride away is the heart of Bangkok's fashion industry, Platinum Fashion Mall and Pratunam Market. This is a shopper's paradise where you can lose yourself for hours in a maze of clothing, accessories and souvenirs. Pratunam Market is a bustling wholesale and retail market known for its rock-bottom prices, while the air-conditioned Platinum Fashion Mall offers a more comfortable experience with a huge variety of trendy fashion. For a taste of local cuisine, head to Go-Ang Kaomunkai Pratunam. Featured as a Michelin Bib Gourmand eatery, this spot is a long-time favourite for its classic Hainanese chicken rice. The tender, succulent chicken and fragrant rice are a simple yet masterfully executed meal. Be prepared to wait in line, as this place is always packed with hungry locals and visitors. A stone’s throw away, Baiyoke Sky Tower rises as one of Bangkok’s tallest buildings, offering sweeping panoramic views of the city from its observation deck and revolving viewpoint. The tower also features several restaurants across its upper floors, some of which offer buffet options, allowing guests to enjoy a meal while taking in the stunning cityscape.  For a quieter pace, Chaloemla Gardens provides a colourful and inviting public space within the neighbourhood. While small, the park is eye-catching, thanks to its street art and murals that line the walkways. It offers a peaceful contrast to the busy shopping and commercial areas nearby. Why should you book a stay at Kitsch Hotel? What makes Kitsch stand out among boutique stays is its playful, themed design. Its location keeps you close to many of Bangkok’s popular attractions, but the real charm lies inside. Each themed room offers a unique experience, whether you’re staying with friends or a loved one, inviting you to step into its own little story. Above all, it lets you live out the dream of staying in a room straight out of a movie – a lighthearted, memorable escape from the everyday. Address: 156/21, 2/F, Phetchaburi Rd, Khwaeng Thanon Phetchaburi, Ratchathewi, Bangkok 10400Price per night: From approx B2,670 per nightClosest transport link: BTS Ratchathewi Station is just a short walk away from the hotel.Book now: https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/kitsch-krungethphmhaankhr.en-gb.html?aid=2427673 Time Out makes a small commission from the affiliate links included in this article. These links have no influence on our editorial content, but they do help us to bring you more recommendations every week. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Wherever you find yourself on Sukhumvit, you’ll likely spot a Mercure nearby. So, it’s no surprise to find one in the historic Surawong neighbourhood. What sets Mercure apart is its concept of being a ‘portal to the destination’. The design, atmosphere, and even the dining are all inspired by local culture. At the Surawong branch, where old-world charm meets modern energy, the hotel strikes a thoughtful balance. It possesses a nostalgic feel without seeming outdated, featuring modern touches that don't detract from its character. With story and style, here’s why Mercure Bangkok Surawong isn’t just another city hotel for a short stay. Why stay at Mercure Bangkok Surawong? The hotel’s location is top-notch if you want to spend hours travelling around the city. Right next door is Silom Road, a lively street that’s all business during the day but comes alive with street food, markets and bars at night. Just a short ride away is Chinatown. And getting to other parts of the capital is easy thanks to nearby public transport, so you can quickly reach the city centre or explore different neighbourhoods without any hassle. But what impressed me is that it’s more than just a place to crash. Surawong itself has a history dating back to the late 19th century when it was a hub along the Chao Phraya River trade routes. Chinese traders and immigrants shaped the area, leaving a lasting mark on its culture, architecture and food scene. Even though many big businesses have moved elsewhere, you can still feel that vibe throughout the neighbourhood. Once I stepped into the hotel, the design caught my eye right away. Reclaimed wood, steel and stone pay homage to the old warehouses nearby, giving the space a stylish, grounded feel that really reflects the area’s heritage. It’s a subtle but meaningful touch that makes your stay feel more special. What are the rooms like at Mercure Bangkok Surawong? Renovated from what used to be an office building, the hotel boasts 219 rooms, including classic, superior with balconies and family rooms. Each room mixes local elements with a modern feel. Traditional weaving patterns are turned into sleek wall details, giving the space a nice balance between heritage and contemporary comfort.  I stayed in a privileged room with a balcony on the 17th floor and the panoramic view of the city’s skyline right from my window was a highlight. The king-size bed was very comfy. It was big enough that I honestly didn’t want to get out of it. The room had all the expected amenities such as fast Wi-Fi, a capsule coffee machine, a tea station and a TV. The shower and toilet are in separate sections, with the sink placed outside. One of my favourite parts was the balcony. It came with a small table and a couple of chairs, offering views over the surrounding buildings, including the British Club and its tennis court. It’s a little spot for a morning coffee or just sitting back in the evening as the city winds down. One small thing to flag, there wasn’t a hair dryer. So if you’re planning to wash your hair, you’ll need to leave time for it to air dry or bring your own. Where’s there to eat at Mercure Bangkok Surawong?  To reflect the neighbourhood’s Chinese roots, the hotel has its own signature restaurant called Yu Her Bao, serving modern Cantonese and Sichuan dishes made with locally sourced ingredients. The concept is inspired by the mystique of jade and the menu puts a fresh spin on traditional Chinese flavours while also making the most of Thai produce. It’s that kind of East-meets-East blend that feels comforting but still a little exciting. If you’re coming with family or want a more intimate dining experience, there’s also a private room available. Menu highlights include crispy charcoal tofu peking duck set, fried wagyu beef with black pepper sauce, Japanese ramen noodles stir-fried hokkien style, poy leng topped with dried scallop and a refreshing chilled sago cantaloupe with coconut milk for dessert. Starlight Rooftop Bar was the highlight of my stay. With sweeping 360-degree views of the capital, it offers the best of both worlds – the buzz of nightlife below and the calm of being high above it all. The vibe is lively but laid-back, with the DJ setting just the right tone for the evening. The cocktail menu, curated by in-house mixologist Gongson Sonti, draws inspiration from traditional ingredients but is reimagined with a creative twist. Try bangkok night, a mix of tequila, krachai and pepper syrup, lavender, yuzu and pineapple or siam sour, a take on a classic with Mekhong whiskey, passion fruit, moringa syrup, lemongrass, egg white and a float of red wine.  What is breakfast at Mercure Bangkok Surawong?  As someone who’s more than happy to wake up early for a good breakfast buffet, I was glad to find that the hotel doesn’t disappoint. The morning spread is served at Yu Her Bao from 6.30am to 11am, with everything from fresh pastries, congee, and dim sum to Thai dishes and eggs done three ways. And if you’d rather sleep in, you can have breakfast delivered straight to your room to ease into the day in bed or enjoy it out on the balcony. What is the service like at Mercure Bangkok Surawong? The service here feels easygoing and genuinely thoughtful. The staff are professional and friendly, offering just the right amount of attention without ever making things feel too formal or stiff. During dinner, they were attentive without being intrusive, always nearby, ready to top up a glass or bring over something extra without even needing to be asked.  What facilities are available at Mercure Bangkok Surawong? Since the top floor is home to Starlight Rooftop Bar, there’s no swimming pool at the hotel. But what they do have is a fitness centre open from 6am-10pm. It features treadmills, an upright and a recumbent bike, an elliptical, a cardio wave machine, weightlifting equipment, a sit-up bench, a regular bench, free weights and yoga mats.  What's the area like around Mercure Bangkok Surawong? Just a short stroll away is the Neilson Hays Library. Built in 1922 and designed by Italian architect Mario Tamagno, it features neo-classical details and holds about 20,000 books, from fiction to children’s titles. After a recent restoration, it won a UNESCO award for cultural heritage. If you’re around in May or November, check out their bi-annual book sale to find unique reads or donate books to support the library. A few minutes down the road is Sri Maha Mariamman Temple, one of the city’s oldest Hindu temples. Locals come here not only for worship but also to take part in colourful festivals and cultural events that bring the community together. Its ornate, colourful façade and intricate carvings stand out beautifully amid the city’s relentless bustle. Nearby, 100 Mahaseth, featured on Time Out Bangkok’s best restaurant list, is a long-time mainstay of the mid-range dining scene in Bangkok, highlighting some of the best and most unusual local ingredients from the North and Northeast. Chef Chalee Kader masterfully blends traditional Thai flavours with modern, elegant presentations. Highlights include Chiang Mai-style sausage served on a brioche bun and herb salads paired with grilled pork heart. Upstairs, Mahaniyom offers expertly crafted cocktails inspired by local ingredients, along with a selection of tasty snacks from downstairs. For those who enjoy a more laid-back afternoon, River City Bangkok is nearby along the Chao Phraya River. This arts and antiques complex combines galleries, shops, cafes and regularly hosts exhibitions and cultural events.  Why should you book a stay at  Mercure Bangkok Surawong?? If you're looking for a well-located base while exploring Bangkok, Mercure Bangkok Surawong ticks all the boxes. Its location puts you within easy reach of some of the city's most iconic neighbourhoods, without the constant noise and chaos. What makes it stand out is how it reflects the charm and cultural layers of the area, giving the hotel a sense of personality you don’t always get with big chains. It’s a stay with style, story and just the right amount of character. Address: 222 Surawong Rd, Si Phraya, Bang Rak, Bangkok 10500 Price per night: From approx B2,250 per night Closest transport link: BTS Chong Nonsi Station is just a short walk away from the hotel. Book now: https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/mercure-bangkok-surawong.en-gb.html?aid=2427673 Time Out makes a small commission from the affiliate links included in this article. These links have no influence on our editorial content, but they do help us to bring you more recommendations every week. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.

Luxury at first glance, heartfelt at every step  The Ritz-Carlton has long been a name synonymous with luxury, with iconic addresses in cities such as New York, London and Tokyo. So, when the brand finally made its Bangkok debut in 2024, expectations were sky-high and – having now stayed there myself – I can firmly say it lives up to the hype. Just to clear things up, this isn’t the same as The Ritz-Carlton Residences at MahaNakhon. This is a brand-new, standalone hotel under Marriott International, reportedly built with a B5 billion price tag – a hint of the opulence inside. Located within One Bangkok, the city’s newest mixed-use development, the hotel enjoys a prime position with uninterrupted views of Lumpini Park. It also subtly blends elements of Thai culture and design, offering an experience that feels both global and distinctly local. Here’s why The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok is worth the splurge. Why stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok? Although it’s located right in the heart of the city, the hotel’s position overlooking Lumphini Park makes it feel like a serene escape from the Bangkok bustle. It’s the kind of place you could happily stay in all day long, with multiple dining options and meticulously designed spaces that invite you to linger. The interiors are thoughtfully curated, featuring artworks by local and international artists sprinkled throughout. While the establishment draws on Thailand’s rich cultural roots, it pairs that heritage with a clean, modern feel. One of my favourite spots is the eighth-floor lobby, where a peaceful pond and delicate glass lotus sculptures by Thai artist Nathakorn Kanitvaranun create an almost dreamlike atmosphere. If you’re there at sunset, the whole space glows with the warm light of golden hour. But what truly sets this hotel apart is the hospitality. From the moment I checked in, the staff made me feel genuinely cared for. Small gestures stood out such as the evening turndown service, which came without needing to ask and how they remembered my name and even what I ordered for breakfast. It honestly felt like they could anticipate what I needed before I said a word. What are the rooms like at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok? Housed in a sleek 216-metre-high tower, The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok offers 260 rooms – some with private terraces, all with floor-to-ceiling windows framing panoramic city views. Room options range from the 50-square-metre deluxe to the spacious 102-square-metre Gardenia Suites and the 127-square-metre Marigold and Amaranth Suites. The deluxe rooms are available with three view options: Lumphini Park to the west, the embassy and downtown area to the north and the Chao Phraya River to the south. I stayed in a deluxe room with a terrace overlooking Lumphini Park on the 21st floor, which also came with club lounge access. The lounge offers services such as a dedicated concierge and five food and beverage presentations throughout the day. The room felt comfortable and well put together. It had everything I needed, including a king-size bed with Frette linens, a coffee machine, electric kettle, high-speed internet, a Dyson hairdryer and a 65-inch TV. The bathroom was one of the highlights. Finished in marble, it featured a separate bathtub and walk-in shower, along with a Japanese-style toilet and remote-control bidet. Bathrobes were soft and breathable and Diptyque bath products added a touch of sophistication. Just a heads-up, if you decide to take the products home with you, there’s a charge of B2,500 per bottle. Of course, the room had everything I needed, but what I appreciated most were the little extras such as the complimentary shoe-shining service for guests. A little warning, though: each room features a fun ‘cabinet of curiosities’, where you can find a selection of drinks tucked away inside the drawers. You might find yourself tempted to enjoy a nightcap here more often than planned.  Where’s there to eat at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok?  There are a few great options to explore. I had a full dinner at Duet by David Toutain and it turned out to be one of the highlights of my stay. The restaurant is set inside a glasshouse with an outdoor terrace and seats just 32 people for both lunch and dinner. The menu is created by French chef David Toutain and Chef de Cuisine Valentin Fouache, focusing on seasonal, farm-to-table dishes. When I visited, it was the summer menu and I got to try dishes like zucchini with lemon balm and pistachio. It’s fine dining, but not stuffy at all – just thoughtful food in an elegant setting. For lunch, I tried Lily’s, the hotel’s all-day dining restaurant that serves a mix of local and international dishes, with a focus on ‘reconsidered classics’. The space feels welcoming and stylish with open kitchens and a mix of seating options, from cosy tables for two to more social sofa setups. On weekdays, the place offers a lunch set with two courses, available from Monday to Friday. The set included starters like A5 wagyu tartare, mains such as khao soi crab curry and desserts like bunny goat milk cheesecake. If you prefer to order a la carte, you can choose from their bites, bowls and single plates, which are available throughout the day. When it comes to drinks, Caleō is a story-driven space where each cocktail draws inspiration from iconic social clubs around the world. Derived from the Latin for ‘being in love’, the bar embraces passion and a zest for life through perfect pairings and personalised moments. Served in vintage glassware and announced by the ring of a bell at sundown, drinks here aren’t just beverages, they’re little rituals. What is breakfast at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok like? Breakfast at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok is absolutely worth getting out of bed for. If you like a calm start to your day, head to the Club Lounge on the 23rd floor. It offers a light spread of pastries, congee, dim sum and a selection of drinks.  But if you’re ready to go all in, Lily’s is where the real breakfast magic happens. There are four stations to explore – Thai dishes, an Arabic salad bar, sides and a pastry corner. It honestly feels like breakfast heaven. You’ll find six kinds of milk, loads of juice options and an egg station that even serves egg siam, a Thai twist on eggs Benedict. If you don’t feel like walking around, you can also order straight from the staff. The must-try is Lily’s Thai tea waffle, a delicious nod to the Thai-Belgian Friendship Bridge visible just outside the window. It’s soft, floral and full of that bold Thai tea flavour we all love. Whether you choose the club lounge or Lily’s, both spots come with a sweeping view of Lumpini Park. Trust me, it’s the kind of morning that makes you want to wake up early even on vacation. What is the service like at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok? As soon as you arrive, The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok makes you feel genuinely cared for. The staff are exceptionally warm and attentive. I stayed for just one night, and many of them already remembered my name. So if you’re staying longer, I wouldn’t be surprised if they remember your daily order too. Throughout your stay, the team is more than happy to show you around and explain the hotel’s amenities. One of my favourite touches was the personalised wake-up service. You can request a simple wake-up call or take it up a notch and have tea or coffee delivered to your room at the exact time you choose. Right on the dot, a staff member arrived with a full tea set and a small snack.  What impressed me most was how the staff often anticipated what I needed before I even asked. When I was taking photos by the pool, the staff brought over a phone tripod without me saying a word. Later, they quietly placed towels, water and even mosquito spray by my lounge chair.  What is the spa and what other facilities are there at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok? The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok offers a good range of wellness facilities. The spa centres around what they call ‘Meaningful Wellness Journeys’, with treatments focusing on mind, body and skin. You’ll find steam rooms, saunas and a jacuzzi. What I found most interesting was the Himalayan salt room, a softly lit space lined with pink salt bricks that’s said to help with relaxation and breathing. It was a pleasant surprise and definitely worth checking out if you want to try something a little different. The hotel has two outdoor saltwater pools, including a small one for kids. The main pool area is peaceful, with views over Lumphini Park, plus plenty of loungers and cabanas. There’s also a poolside bar offering drinks and snacks. It is usually open from early morning until evening, though the bar closes a bit earlier. For families, the Kids’ Club provides fun and engaging activities to keep little ones entertained, giving parents some well-deserved downtime. The fitness centre is open 24/7 and is well-equipped with technogym machines, free weights, cardio equipment and dedicated stretching areas. Personal training sessions are also available.  What's the area like around The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok? The hotel is set in One Bangkok, a new mixed-use development right at the corner of Wireless and Rama IV roads. While parts of the establishment are still opening in phases, you’ll already find stylish cafes such as % Arabica, Gallery Drip Coffee, and boutique spots such as Club21 and King Power City Boutique. The complex also includes pop-up exhibitions, landscaped walkways and open public spaces that make it feel more like a modern urban village than a commercial zone.  Right across from the hotel is Lumphini Park, a peaceful green oasis in the heart of Bangkok where you can enjoy a refreshing morning walk, a jog or simply relax by the lake away from the city’s hustle and bustle. There’s also plenty to eat and do close by. If you look for a place to shop or dine, Central Embassy and Central Chidlom are a short drive away. For something more local, Polo Fried Chicken is a long-time favourite known for its crispy garlic chicken. If you're after more modern spots, theCOMMONS Saladaeng has a good mix of cafes and small eateries and Woof Pack nearby often has art shows and food pop-ups. Getting around is easy too. Both Saladaeng BTS and Lumphini MRT stations are within walking distance, so you can explore the rest of the city without much hassle. Why should you book a stay at The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok? The Ritz-Carlton, Bangkok truly lives up to the luxury it promises. What really sets it apart is the exceptional service. The staff here genuinely care about every detail of your stay, making you feel welcome and looked after as soon as you walk in. It’s that personal touch – the warm smiles, remembering your preferences and anticipating your needs – that turns a stay into a memorable experience. If you’re looking for a place that combines comfort, elegance and heartfelt hospitality, this is definitely worth considering. Address: 189 Witthayu Rd, Lumphini, Pathum Wan, Bangkok 10330Price per night: From approx B16,422 per nightClosest transport link: The Lumphini MRT (underground) station is a short stroll away and access to the BTS Skytrain system is available at nearby Saladaeng station. Book now: https://www.booking.com/hotel/th/the-ritz-carlton-bangkok.en-gb.html?aid=2427673Time Out makes a small commission from the affiliate links included in this article. These links have no influence on our editorial content, but they do help us to bring you more recommendations every week. For more information, see our affiliate guidelines.