Sparklette Magazine » Thailand

Chiang Mai, Thailand – Wat Phan Tao in Old City

Veron Ang — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 05:14:50 +0000

If I was to ask you, where would you find a field of tulips in bloom? You will probably say, Holland. Would you believe me if I said that you can find it in Thailand?

From browsing Flickr photos on my Lenovo laptop, I chanced upon this particular shot of a tulip garden in Chiang Mai surrounding the golden Buddha statue. I have never seen a tulip field before. Excited, we hurry down to the site — Wat Phan Tao. Finding this temple is easy enough; it is situated in Old City directly next to Wat Chedi Luang, one of the biggest temples in Chiang Mai.

Wat Phan Tao is relatively small. At the Sunday Walking Street Market, we manage to spot the striking white stupa with its golden tip peeking out above the short buildings.

Credit

Built in 1846, the temple is constructed with teak wood. At its front façade is the image of a mosaic peacock standing over a dog, the zodiacal animal for the birth year of King Chao Mahawong who ruled from 1846 to 1854.

But our main purpose in coming here is to see the tulip garden, possibly the one and only in Thailand.

In this Flickr photo taken in February 2011, it looked like this:

Credit

To our utter dismay, it now looks like this on our visit in March:

Where have all the beautiful flowers gone? The lone Buddha statue looks desolate in that newly barren spot.

Whilst it is rather disappointing that we don’t get to see the tulips, we can still admire the teak building and beautiful white stupa.

For anyone that happens to be terrified of dogs, you may wanna stay away from Wat Phan Tao. Within the temple compounds we have seen as many as a dozen dogs roaming around freely, including a few muzzled ones, that are looked after by monks.

Have Your Say!

What other must-see temples are there in Chiang Mai? Tell us in the comments!

Wat Phan Tao
Old City
Phra Pok Klao, Sri Phum, Mueang
Chiang Mai 50200
Thailand
Opening hours: 7am – 5pm daily
Admission: Free

(A) Wat Phan Tao | View larger map

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Chiang Mai, Thailand – Vieng Joom On Teahouse, Possibly the World’s Pinkest Café

Veron Ang — Mon, 28 Mar 2011 03:00:36 +0000

Ladies and gentlemen, today you are going to see the pinkest eatery in Chiang Mai, and quite possibly the world. The Vieng Joom On Teahouse, or simply VJO, occupies a striking pink building on the eastern bank of Ping River. Under this gorgeous setting you can enjoy a wide assortment of western teas and cakes. What a wonderful way of spending an idyllic afternoon.

VJO Teahouse is located within a five-minute walk of The Riverside Bar & Restaurant. I would give you proper directions, but you probably won’t need that when the building stands out like a beacon.

Whilst doing research on my Lenovo laptop for places to go in Chiang Mai, I learn that this is one of those eateries that locals would bring their foreigner friends. After all, it’s not everyday that you get to hang out in an all-pink tea house, is it?

Upon entering the building, you pass through the shopping section that sells tea blends, teapots and other accessories that are beautifully wrapped in specially designed paper bags and tins.

Then, you arrive at the spacious dining area and finally see what everyone has been raving about. This place looks like a dream!

Under a fuchsia canopy, the lounge area is attractively decked out in floral décor and water features on the dark wood floor. Obviously much attention to detail has been paid to the interior design.

Soothing English songs play in the background as you settle into the cushioned seats of varying hues of pink. A well-stocked magazine rack is available for your reading pleasure. For those of you with your wireless devices, there is free wi-fi, too.

The breezy outdoor area with umbrellas overlooks Ping River.

We pick a cosy spot and go about our orders. Even the menus featuring the cursive logo are pretty.

VJO high tea for two
495baht + 10% service charge
Rating:

The VJO high tea for two is presented in a three-layered cake stand filled with cakes, sandwiches and fruits. All the pastries here are made in-house.

For the cakes, you get a range of petit fours that taste as good as they look.

The mini sandwiches come in two varieties — cucumber and some form of egg custard. Notice the cute little beaded picks that are stuck in each one.

As for fruits, they arrive as a colourful salad of dragonfruit, green apple, pineapple and strawberry.

Rose tea
Rating:

To wash down the delicious treats, the high tea set includes a large pot of tea, for which we choose the rose tea.

How very quaint, and so very girly! We see mostly locals, a few tourists, and even an all-male group at one point. The tea, desserts, soothing music and laid-back garden setting all make for an incredible way to chill out. By the time we have to leave the place reluctantly, it feels as though we have enjoyed a lengthy spa treatment!

Have Your Say!

How do you find the all-pink concept at VJO Teahouse? Guys, would you come here? Are there any other similar establishments out there? Share with us in the comments!

Vieng Joom On Teahouse
53 Charoenraj Road
T.Watgate A.Muang
Chiang Mai 50000
Thailand
Tel: +66 5330 3113 | Website

Operating hours: 10am – 7pm daily

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Chiang Mai, Thailand – Wat Chedi Luang, Temple of the Big Stupa in Old City

Veron Ang — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 03:00:44 +0000

Two of the largest temples in Chiang Mai — Wat Chedi Luang and Wat Phra Sing — are located within a ten-minute walk of each other in Old City, the historic and cultural district of Chiang Mai. Here’s how we have planned our visit to Old City. We would first hit the popular Sunday Walking Street Market. Then, once we tire of the shopping, we would hop into a temple for some history juice. Sounds like a plan, right?

Built in 1441, the chedi (monument housing a Buddha) was one of the tallest structures and the grandest chedi in the city in its heyday. Even as it lies in partial ruins, it still remains a majestic sight to behold.

Notice that part of the summit has collapsed. It toppled during a severe earthquake in the 16th century. Originally it was around 80 metres tall. Today, it measures about 44 square metres at the base with a height of just 60 meters.

The multi-headed naga (mythical serpent) sculptures guard a stairway to the stupa housing a Buddha image. If nagas were real, they would be totally fearsome creatures, wouldn’t they?

Five elephant sculptures stand on the pediment on the southern side of the chedi. It seems that elephants are much revered animals in Thailand. At the same time, elephant rides are widely advertised as a tourist attraction in the country. From a conversation I had with a few friends recently, they feel that these animals are being exploited and are at times ill-treated and malnourished. Do you agree? Would you refrain from taking part in such tourist activities?

In a nearby pavilion lies an eye-catching statue of a reclining Buddha measuring almost 9 metres long and 2 metres high. Made of gilded brick and plaster, it is believed to have been created during the reign of King Phra Muang Kaeo (1487 – 1517), the eleventh monarch of the Mang Rai Dynasty. The head of the statue is orientated towards the south and faces the chedi.

An image of a sitting Buddha dressed in red robes is located within the same pavilion.

If you are entering Old City through the eastern Tha Phae Gate, keep going straight and soon you would approach Wat Chedi Luang (Temple of the Big Stupa) on your left. Don’t forget to also drop by the beautiful Wat Phan Tao directly next to it.

Have Your Say!

What other must-see temples are there in Chiang Mai? Tell us in the comments!

Wat Chedi Luang
Old City
Phra Pok Klao, Sri Phum, Mueang
Chiang Mai 50200
Thailand
Opening hours: 6am – 5pm daily
Admission: Free

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Full Moon Wine Coolers from Thailand – Cheaper than Water

Veron Ang — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 03:00:26 +0000

Have you ever seen wine that is cheaper than water? I sure have not, until I decide to walk into a convenience store in Chiang Mai.

On this trip, our hotel is conveniently located near a convenience store, manned by a local that I enjoy having little conversations with and polish up my Thai at the same time. One night, while browsing for some interesting snacks and drinks, these wine coolers catch my eye. (Okay, so they are wine coolers, not wine per se, but still!)

As you would see here, the labels look quite attractive with a vintage feel. The bottle caps are the screw-on variety so there is no need to hunt for a bottle cap opener.

Full Moon wine cooler
28baht

These wine coolers come from the Thai Full Moon brand and are available in two flavours — red and white. Each 300ml bottle has a 5% alcohol content which is hardly detectable in taste, but it’s there all right if you know what I mean.

The drink tastes mostly sweet, almost exactly like grape juice. I like it so much that I’ll go back for a second round.

And can you believe that it only costs about a dollar each? At that price, it really is cheaper than water.

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Chiang Mai, Thailand – Sunday Walking Street Market & Night Bazaar

Veron Ang — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 03:00:33 +0000

If you happen to be in Chiang Mai on a Sunday, do not miss the Sunday Walking Street Market. This unique shopping experience in Old City is a major attraction for both tourists and locals. The roads are closed off in the late afternoon as hundreds of vendors set up shop to sell their crafts, foodstuffs and clothing.

The shopping street starts from the entrance at Tha Phae Gate, stretching through the entire length of Rachadamnoen Road and its side streets.

Comparing between this and the Chatuchak weekend market in Bangkok, the Chiang Mai Sunday market is of a relatively smaller scale, although decidedly less congested. Many of the products sold in the two markets are quite similar.

The Thais are an artistic bunch and you can see it in their paintings and handicrafts, such as wood carvings, leather sandals, and ornamental animals made from some form of string.

Should you tire of shopping, hop into one of the temples, eateries or the Black Canyon Coffee joint located at the eastern gate. Plus, many makeshift massage stalls along the alleys provide foot massage services on the cheap.

Or, you can simply grab a stamina-boosting snack from one of the food stalls.

Here’s something I really love:

Satay! The meat skewers are pork, not chicken. But at the incredibly low price of 20 baht (less than a dollar) for ten sticks, I would eat anything. Except for those Thai fried insects, that is.

Each set of satay includes a packet of peanut sauce, cucumber, chilli and onion slices, plus a packet of relish that I haven’t seen in the Singapore version. This additional sauce is made from vinegar, sugar and salt and complements the cucumber extremely well.

We spot a number of vendors selling tiny partridge eggs.

I have no idea how these taste. Like regular eggs?

One stall is dedicated to selling just strawberries!

If you wish to shop in as little human traffic as possible, you can beat the crowd by coming here just after 4pm. That’s when the roads are blocked off to vehicles and the vendors start setting up shop.

At night, you can take a stroll or a tuk-tuk to visit the Chiang Mai Night Bazaar along Chang Klan Road. You would find mostly the same type of products and foodstuffs sold here.

I mentioned yesterday that the locals love animals. Seen here near the night bazaar are a couple of dogs lying casually along the roads, oblivious to the traffic whizzing dangerously close by.

One common joke among farangs is that vehicles do not stop for pedestrians, but they would screech to a halt when they see a dog crossing the road!

Have Your Say!

Have you ever been to the Sunday Walking Street Market or Night Bazaar in Chiang Mai? Share your experiences with us in the comments!

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Found: Gorgeous Coffee Art at Black Canyon Coffee, Chiang Mai

Veron Ang — Wed, 23 Mar 2011 03:00:16 +0000

On every visit to the Land of Smiles, I make it a point to visit Black Canyon Coffee. This is a popular home-grown coffee chain in Thailand that is as ubiquitous as Starbucks is in Singapore. A wide range of coffee, chilled drinks and hot meals are served here.

This time round, in Chiang Mai, I notice that the café does coffee art. The staff recommends it with cappuccino. And it looks absolutely gorgeous! Move over, Oriole Cafe; check this out!

Cappuccino
65baht + 7% VAT
Rating:

The froth is drizzled over with really thick chocolate syrup. It not only looks pretty but tastes divine, too. Even if the drinks here are obviously much pricier than those from street vendors, I do appreciate the small touches of detail.

One trademark of Black Canyon Coffee is that every cup of joe is served with a teeny container of cute biscuits in the shapes of alphabets and numbers. I really like the taste of those.

There’s free wi-fi here, too. Perfect for checking mail and doing some quick research on the travel itinerary while you’re enjoying a caffeine pick-me-up.

This is the Black Canyon Coffee joint at Chiang Mai Old City, located just within the eastern Tha Phae Gate. The café has an L-shaped row of seats on the outside where many tourists can be seen sipping coffee, using laptops and people-watching.

Have Your Say!

Have you ever visited any Black Canyon Coffee outlet in Thailand? Share your experiences with us in the comments!

Black Canyon Coffee
Website

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Chiang Mai, Thailand – Old City & the Magnificent Tha Phae Gate

Veron Ang — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 03:00:10 +0000

If you happen to pick up a map of Chiang Mai, you would notice that it centres around a distinctive square-shaped district. This is the Old City, the historic quarter that was once a walled square surrounded by a moat.

Today, this area is brimming with tourist attractions, temples, restaurants, backpacker accommodation and shops. From the east, the Tha Phae Gate opens the way into Old City.

We head here on a Sunday with the intention of checking out the popular Sunday Walking Street Market, an event not to be missed if you are a tourist and/or bargain hunter. The Sunday market stretches along the entire stretch of Rachadamnoen Road before spilling outward through the gate.

Wherever you are in Chiang Mai, it is as though all major roads lead to the Old City! Armed with a map, it is easy to navigate around. Taking a walk along Tha Phae Road, we spot several interesting buildings that we use as landmarks.

Here’s one three-storey building with a prominent L letter on it.

Passing by a beautiful wat (Buddhist temple). I forget the name of this one. When you have visited Thailand enough times, you do get sort of “templed” out.

One thing that strikes me about the locals in Chiang Mai, even more so than in Bangkok, is how kindly they treat animals. There are many “temple dogs” that get looked after at temples. Cats aren’t seen that often around here, although we do chance upon one kitten taking an afternoon nap on an ice cream container. Neither the shopkeeper nor the customers seem to mind, and that makes me smile.

Nearing the Tha Phae Gate, there are a couple of shops that are impossible to miss, thanks to all the greenery outside. They sell handicrafts made by people from hill tribe villages.

Here’s something for you coffee geeks — a three-storey Starbucks located at the end of the road.

Then, we spot the wall. Actually, we spot it from hundreds of metres away. Even from a distance, the orange bricks are unmistakable.

The wall is quite a sight in itself. Built 700 years ago, it still remains well preserved, complete with arrow slits that were used to protect against invading armies.

On Sundays, street vendors start setting up shop at around 4pm, peddling their wares, crafts and foodstuffs.

Check back soon for the interesting sights located within Old City!

Have Your Say!

Ever been to Old City? Tell us what’s interesting there in the comments!

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Chiang Mai, Thailand – Dinner Cruise at The Riverside Bar & Restaurant, a Unique Way to See Ping River

Veron Ang — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 03:00:59 +0000

Having had a memorable dinner cruise experience on Chao Phraya River in Bangkok, I know it would be a good idea to do the same in Chiang Mai. After all, Ping River is an important part of the city, separating the popular western side that includes the Old City, and the less visited eastern side.

From my research done on the Lenovo V470 laptop that I brought along on this trip, there are a few river cruise operators in Chiang Mai, including at least two that provide dinner on board. I quickly decide on The Riverside Bar & Restaurant, mainly due to their large variety of menu items and boats that don’t look too shabby. I placed a dinner reservation through email, to which the restaurant confirmed within a day.

The dinner cruise runs nightly with two boats plying the river. All passengers pay a fee of 110 baht each for the boat ride, and extra for food and drinks. Each boat accommodates about 40 diners — ten tables of 4 — and is even equipped with a toilet!

We board the boat at 7:15pm, then place our orders. There is an impressive galore of Thai dishes and a large selection for liquors and cocktails; this is a bar after all.

(Warning: Shoddy photos ahead. The boat is very dark except for some candles and a couple of dim ceiling lights!)

Stir fried chicken with basil leaves
95baht
Rating:

At any Thai restaurant, one of my must-order dishes is stir fried chicken with basil leaves. The minced chicken is extraordinarily tender, the flavours marvellously intense, totally tickling one’s taste buds. What a great way to start a Thai meal.

Spicy green curry with chicken
95baht
Rating:

By this time, I am dying for some authentic Thai green curry chicken. After having my expectations built up, this one turns out to be somewhat of a letdown. Sure, there are ample slices of chicken in it. But the curry is overly salty and lacks that balance between sweet and salty.

The Riverside special fried rice
115baht
Rating:

To go with the dishes, I highly recommend the “special” fried rice. This is a savoury combination of chicken, ham, sausage and pineapple, with a tinge of curry, and crowned with fried egg. The result is mouthwatering!

When placing our orders initially, we had deliberated over whether to get an additional dish. Turns out there’s no need for that as the portions are delivered with a generous hand.

All food and drinks are served promptly. By the 8pm departure time, most passengers have finished their food. Once the journey begins, all lights are switched off and the boat is pitch black except for the lone candle placed on each table.

The dinner cruise goes at a leisurely pace up north, drifting past riverside eateries and passing under bridges at times. Seen here is the iron bridge, which bears a resemblance to the famous bridge over River Kwai, more popularly known as the Death Railway in Kanchanaburi.

The journey lasts a little over the hour and gets quite chilly. You get to see what’s happening on both sides of the river — mainly stretches of music bars intersected by total darkness, and a surprising number of people fishing. At some point, the boat turns around and goes south, right past the dock, before heading back. Piece of advice: Pack a sweater and wear shoes! I made the mistake of having my feet clad in skimpy sandals and got bitten by pesky mosquitoes underneath the table.

If you have a couple of hours to spare in the evening, definitely go for the dinner cruise. It is an affordable and unique way to see the city of Chiang Mai.

Have Your Say!

What is your most memorable dining experience in Chiang Mai? Share with us in the comments!

The Riverside Bar & Restaurant
9-11 Charoenrat Road
Chiang Mai 50000
Thailand
Tel: +66 5324 3239 / +66 5324 6323 | Website

Boarding time: 7:15pm daily
Departure time: 8pm
Duration: 75 minutes
Admission: 110 baht per adult; 55 baht per child aged 5-10 years

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Chiang Mai, Thailand – Street Scenes

Veron Ang — Sun, 20 Mar 2011 05:39:11 +0000

Sa wat dii kha! I am blogging live from Chiang Mai, a former capital of Thailand. While I am not new to Thailand, having visited Bangkok several times,this is my first time in the largest city of northern Thailand.

View from my 17th floor hotel room at Centara Duangtawan Hotel

This trip is sponsored by Lenovo. Thanks to the powerful Lenovo IdeaPad V470 laptop computer, I can quickly process all the photos that I have taken and write this post from Thailand. Over the next few days, you would get to see some of the interesting sights and eats within the city of Chiang Mai.

Getting internet access here is easy enough; many restaurants and cafés, even bars, provide free WiFi.

The air here is distinctly a few degrees cooler than in Bangkok. When you’re walking along the streets before noon or late in the evening, it feels as though there’s a perpetual gentle breeze blowing at you! It gets slightly chilly at night, too.

We are staying at the Centara Duangtawan Hotel, located at the popular Night Bazaar area. Every morning when we get out, we would pass by familiar brands like Burger King, McDonald’s and Starbucks.

While many people find that the pace of life here is slower than bustling Bangkok, that’s not necessarily true; just try crossing the road at any junction. Even if you’re at a zebra crossing when the light is in your favour, you may find yourself having a hard time getting across with the traffic whizzing past and no one slowing down. Often, we have to make a mad dash and hope for the best.

Tuk-tuks are a common mode of transportation around here, and so is the songthaeaw, or what the locals refer to as the “red cab”. This is a modified pick-up truck with a roof and two rows of seats at the back.

Located near the Night Bazaar is the Warorot Market, an indoor marketplace with stalls closely packed together. Many local produce can be bought at a bargain here, but it’s certainly not as colourful or eclectic as the Sunday Walking Street Market or Night Bazaar.

Stalls along the streets sell fruits at rock-bottom prices. Now, here’s an interesting one:

See what these are? Try not to barf.

I’ve seen street vendors selling fried insects in Bangkok. But it’s the first time I’m seeing bugs this big. Look at the size of those grasshoppers (or are they praying mantises)! There would be no food review, all right? I had a hard time just getting close to take a picture! There were even flies hovering over these dead, crispy insects.

Sometimes, colourful graffiti can be seen on the walls along the soi (small side streets).

The Mae Ping River is one of the two main contributary streams of Chao Phraya River which runs through Bangkok.

Several bridges are built across Ping River, so vehicles and pedestrians can easily get across. The riverbanks are lined by many restaurants and bars, and the occasional sight of people fishing from the murky water.

That’s all for now for a quick introduction to the typical street scenes in Chiang Mai. Excuse me as I head out to the Sunday Walking Street Market. Do check back here soon for more scenes and food reviews from the cultural city of Chiang Mai!

Have Your Say!

What are the must-see places and restaurants in Chiang Mai? Let us know in the comments!

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Sirocco, Bangkok – Cocktails on Top of the World

Veron Ang — Thu, 03 Dec 2009 05:49:59 +0000

One place that I have long wanted to check out in Bangkok is Sirocco, the sky bar at lebua Hotel. What makes this bar particularly awesome is that it is perched open-air on the hotel rooftop, more than 60 floors above the ground! Imagine having a drink here with the wind in your face and the world at your feet. Now, isn’t that a thrill!

There are at least two such bars in Bangkok, the other being Vertigo at The Banyan Tree. Between the two, Sirocco boasts a bigger and higher sky bar, with a view of the Chao Phraya River as a bonus!

Directly adjacent to the bar is a restaurant with rather pricey food. So our plan is to simply go there, have a drink and enjoy the marvellous view. Apparently many people, expatriates and tourists alike, have the exact same idea.

Which is why even with just standing room available, the bar is crowded with people. The restaurant on the other hand has just a handful of customers!

And this is the view from the second tallest building in the city, 66 floors above the ground. The tallest would be the Baiyoke Sky Hotel.

Here, you get a good view of the Chao Phraya River and the other side of town. There is netting by the edge of the bar, so if anyone gets overly excited and drops their glasses, they would simply fall right into the net.

Our drinks (beer and kahlua on the rocks) are rather expensive even by Singapore standards. But this is exactly the kind of place where you pay for the experience more than anything else. I am glad I can finally check it off my list!

Sirocco
lebua Hotel at State Tower
1055 Silom Road
Bangkok, Thailand
Nearest BTS/mrt: BTS Saphan Taksin
Tel: +66 02 624 9555 | Website

6pm – 1am daily

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Kaiton, Pratunam Bangkok – Cheap, Good, Possibly the Best Khao Mun Kai in Bangkok

Veron Ang — Mon, 30 Nov 2009 06:04:56 +0000

At first glance, Kaiton in Pratunam looks like any other street food vendor in Bangkok. A small stand fronts the eatery, where staff busily prepare plate after plate of food to be served to customers.

Yet, beyond its nondescript facade lies possibly the best Khao Mun Kai (chicken rice) in Bangkok.

Kaiton is one place where I would always make a stop at on all my trips to Bangkok. For the past five years that I have visited, the portion always remained the same, the food remained as good, and the price never increased.

Chicken rice
30baht
Rating:

The food is similar to the Hainanese chicken rice we have here, but certainly much healthier and less oily. The dish comes with a serving of chicken, a bowl of soup, and a small bowl of dark spicy sauce.

And at 30baht, it converts to just a little over a dollar!

The dark sauce is sour, SUPER fragrant and bombastic, enough to give you a high. No joke! The chopped green chilli makes it extremely spicy and ups the excitement factor.

On its own, the chicken rice would have been quite ordinary. But with the sauce poured all over it, it transforms into something out of the world!

Even the soup is good, too. Unlike most chicken soup that very often turns out bland, this one is peppery and very tasty.

If you’re visiting Kaiton for the first time, look out for the stall with staff wearing white caps and clad in bright pink t-shirts with a chicken logo at the back.

When I take a cab there, very often the taxi driver immediately knows what I am talking about when I mention khao mun kai along Petchburi Road. It’s a favourite haunt especially among the locals. During chow hours, the place is packed, although the staff always manage to find you a seat somehow.

Kaiton
Petchburi Soi 30
Bangkok, Thailand
Tel: +66 02 252 6325

5:30am-3pm, 6pm-3am daily

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11 Gallery, Sukhumvit Bangkok – Old World Thailand

Veron Ang — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 08:38:43 +0000

If you are looking for a memorable dining experience in Bangkok, head to 11 Gallery in Sukhumvit.

The moment you enter the restaurant, it is as though you have walked through the gateway to old world Thailand. The waitress, clad in traditional Thai clothing with the sabai (shoulder cloth) ushers you in. You have the choice of outdoor seating amongst greenery, or indoor at the old wooden houses.

For the latter, you dine barefoot at a double-story gallery building and make yourself comfortable with the triangle pillows. (I learned how to use those pillows at Jim Thompson House.) If you prefer to keep your shoes on, there is also a little wooden house further down that provides a homely ambience.

The decor is done in generic Thai style. Simple wooden furniture, antiquities, and sensual lighting all around, perfect for an intimate dining experience with loved ones.

We quickly order some wine, curries and spicy dishes. 20 minutes later, our food arrives in a pinto, the traditional tiffin container that stacks dishes in separate tiers. The accompanying rice is served in banana leaves topped with a purple orchid.

Green curry chicken
120baht
Rating:

The spicy green curry is simmered in coconut milk with pea eggplant and sweet basil leaves. With the first taste of it, it feels as though time has stood still, and that phrase takes on a whole new meaning at a place like this.

Red curry chicken
130baht
Rating:

I would also recommend the red curry, which may not be as delicious as its green counterpart, is still extremely gratifying to a curry-craving soul. The servings here are smallish, and I find myself slurping up every last bit of both curries in delight.

Shrimp with chilli and basil
145baht
Rating:

Our seafood item for the night is stir-fried shrimp with chilli and basil leaves. The dish comprises a few juicy, fresh prawns in a soy-based sauce. It is not terrific and I have tasted better.

Halfway through the meal, the power goes out, and restores itself some moments later. But during the blackout, the staff calmly lights up some candles and we have ourselves a candlelit dinner! This is truly a meal from the past.

The restaurant oozes the mystical charm of an old world Thailand. Finding the place gets a little tricky though. It is situated on a sidelane that runs parallel to Sukhumvit Soi 11. Just look for Ambassador Hotel; the restaurant is directly opposite its main entrance.

11 Gallery
1/34 Sukhumvit Soi 11
Bangkok, Thailand
Nearest BTS/MRT: BTS Nana
Tel: +66 02 651 2672 | Website
Service:

10am-1am daily

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Koko, Siam Square Bangkok – Lovely Flavours in Siam Square

Veron Ang — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:36:32 +0000

Siam Square is an area that appeals to tourists and locals alike with its eclectic mix of shops and boutiques that sell local designer-label apparel. When it comes to chow time, aside from the big players like the Bangkok Hard Rock Café, you can also choose from small café-restaurants like Koko.

Koko is a Thai eatery that caters to vegan palates, with a sprinkling of meat dishes.

Most importantly, they have Thai curries. Well, once you have set your mind to slurping down a bowl of curry with the lovely flavours of sweet basil and lemongrass and lime leaves, it’s hard to put that thought away.

Sweet curry pork
95baht
Rating:

Many Thai restaurants offer you a choice of meat for the curries. Over here, however, it seems that only pork curry is available on the limited English menu. But that alone is enough to curb the curry craving. It goes wonderfully with steamed white rice (15baht).

The bowl of piping hot flavourful curry arrives with chunky pieces of tender pork flesh. Rather than being chilli hot, Thai curries are more about a harmonious blending of sweet and slightly sour flavours, tamed with coconut milk and sugar. The whole dish is sinfully satisfying, even if not very good for the heart.

Deep fried fish with sweet and sour sauce
170baht
Rating:

Another Thai delight is any deep-fried item with “sweet and sour sauce”. This, in the local context, simply refers to the famous Thai sweet chilli sauce.

The fish, in this case, is totally bland. I mean lacking in any flavour, the kind that my Mom has promised to cook for our kitten Snowy many times. They must be very confident about their sauce, I thought.

And well, the sauce does help a lot. What was originally flavourless turns out to be palatable after all.

Chili fried shrimp
190baht
Rating:

The fried shrimp with chilli certainly offers more of a kick. The crunchy pieces of shrimp with the combination of sweet, spicy and garlicky flavours make for a wonderful sensation on the palate.

The prices here are steeper than that of most other Thai restaurants. Take for example the fish and shrimp. Similar dishes cost the same at Lerk Thai in Singapore.

Koko
262/2 Siam Square Soi 3, Rama 1 Road
Bangkok, Thailand
Nearest BTS/MRT: BTS Siam
Tel: +66 02 658 4094

11am-9pm daily

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The Offshore, Sukhumvit Bangkok – Fish-and-Chip Shop in a Red-Light District

Veron Ang — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:16:03 +0000

On a recent trip to Bangkok, I stayed in the Sukhumvit area and visited what is perhaps the best-known chippy in Bangkok — The Offshore. It is situated in Soi Cowboy, the red-light district in Sukhumvit that is notorious for its strip bars and risque sex shows.

The Offshore first started out as a bar, and expanded into the fish-and-chips business with a unit next door. I may be wrong, but I think the owner is a Brit, if he’s the same elderly male who is seen supervising his female Thai staff.

Most customers buy their fish and chips as take-outs, waiting at the stainless steel front counter while the staff deep-fry their orders. You can dine here as well, in the rather dingy-looking backroom, and order a drink or two from the bar. The place is run-down, yes, and lacking in any decor whatsoever. But the food speaks for itself.

Red snapper & cod
100baht & 150baht
Rating:

We order both the red snapper and cod. These arrive as chunky, square-shaped fillets, lightly coated in batter. Both are moist and tender, and thankfully devoid of that unwelcome fishy stench. Of the two I actually prefer the cheaper red snapper; it has somewhat of a more delicate taste.

The fish certainly do not sport a heavy jacket of batter. Rather, the texture is light, crispy and tasty. None of that cheese-stuffed glitz, too. Just simple, wholesome English food.

The accompanying tartar sauce, home-made perhaps, and a whole jar of it, is served cold straight from the fridge. Hmm.

If you’re wondering, where are the chips? They come only as a separate order. But in this case we opt for the rings of gold instead:

Onion rings
35baht
Rating:

Jumbo-sized onion rings! You see, I have an unconditional love for onions, however pungent or breath-polluting they may be. Sure enough, this is one appetiser that we find extremely enjoyable. Once again, they get the batter right. The dish is light and crispy and bursting with sweet onion flavour.

For a complete experience, wash down all the deep-fried calorific goodness with imported beers like Tetley’s (170baht) and John Smith’s (150baht) from the bar.

To avoid all the naughty action of the area, visit Soi Cowboy in the day. It is a short walk from the Sukhumvit MRT and Asoke BTS stations.

The Offshore
7/8 Sukhumvit Soi 23
Bangkok, Thailand
Nearest BTS/MRT: BTS Asoke / MRT Sukhumvit
Tel: +66 02 661 7830

11am-2am daily

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Bangkok (Day 9) – Homebound

Veron Ang — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 13:16:53 +0000

when we first arrived at the Bangkok suvarnabhumi international airport, I was marveled by the vast difference it was from the rundown don muang airport. At that time though, we were in a rush to start exploring the city, eager travellers that we were, and didn’t linger.

Now that we were leaving (boy, do 8 days whiz right past!), we got to spend a bit of time here and grab some quick bites before our flight. You know that feeling when you’re waiting for your flight home after a vacation. It’s kind of bittersweet.

The airport is practically made out of glass, like our Changi T3!

Even in mid January, Christmas trees are still abundant in the city of Bangkok. No one’s complaining though. They are cheery :)

There is a whole row of nice restaurants at the terminal. But we didn’t have much of a choice, left with pittance having spent all our money on shopping. Fortunately, we’re in Bangkok! A couple of hundred baht can still buy a 3-course meal for two.

Starters: two skewers of chicken kebab. These were awesome! I sank my teeth into them, expecting to tear into dry and tough chicken flesh, and was surprised at how tender and succulent the meat was. Yummy!

Main course: crispy chicken rice. The sweet chilli sauce was great.

Dessert: a couple of vanilla cream waffles. Bonus drink: a piping hot cup of Blue Mountain coffee. And we’re all set!

Looking at the map of the airport terminal, I noticed a few cute icons on the floor plan. Look where the pink arrows are pointing. One red pavilion on either side and what appears to be a dragonboat in the middle. How unusual! So we set out to find these.

The first pavilion that we stumbled upon had a roof in blue and gold. Nope, this isn’t the one from the map.

There’s our dragon!

As with every major airport, the duty-free zone has designer boutiques like burberry, cartier and chanel.

Ta-da! The red pavilion from the map! It’s also a shop that sells stuff to the tourists.

There’s a certain futuristic and clinical feel to the airport. It seems pretty cold especially when few people are around. Or maybe I just felt sad to be leaving.

Notice the symmetrical arch-shaped design, a defining characteristic of the airport.

One last look at the airport from the plane. This is the only exterior shot that I managed to get that has most of the terminal in it. And thus began our flight back to the lion city. Home sweet home!

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Bangkok (Day 8) – Shop, Eat and Relax!

Veron Ang — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 04:28:40 +0000

Our last day in Bangkok was spent shopping and using up our remaining baht, because those are no good back home. Bored of MBK and all the malls in the Siam area, we made our visit to the platinum fashion mall in petchaburi.

It was an excellent choice. The mall is literally packed to the brim with hundreds of fashion shops spread over 5 or 6 levels! It’s like a bigger version of far East plaza, with more to look at and way cheaper to boot.

We also noticed that there’s practically a Black Canyon Café on every level! No complaints from me though — I like Black Canyon, especially the Blue Mountain coffee. What do you call Blue Mountain coffee from Black Canyon Café? Why, black mountain of course.

The coffee was presented very nicely, with a saucer big enough to hold cute little tubs of biscuits shaped like alphabets and numbers. I loved these so much when I first had them, and I’m glad they still continue the practice of serving these sweet and salty biscuits today. The sugar sachets came in pretty floral packaging too.

Then it was shopping, shopping and more shopping! Of all the purchases I made, my favourites are the Juicy Couture charm bracelets! i love charm bracelets. The great thing is that because the charms are the miniature version of something, you can wear a different one to suit each and every occasion!

For instance, when catching a game at the sports bar, I would wear the soccer-themed charm bracelet, complete with soccer ball, club crest, jersey and world cup trophy. Isn’t it creative that they have girl-ed it up by substituting the gold ball on the world cup trophy with a pearl?

This lucky charm bracelet with a mint green four-leaf clover and a diamante-studded horseshoe would bring some luck during a job interview or when buying lottery!

What about this beach-themed charm bracelet? Doesn’t the coconut tree look gorgeous with those diamante leaves and pearl coconuts?

The adorable lobster charm bracelet would be a perfect accessory when visiting a seafood restaurant!

I was impressed that some of these charms even have movable parts! The butterfly and bee wings flap, the heart-shaped locket opens, and the lobster’s tail wiggles! I went crazy and bought a whole ton of these bracelets!

Our last proper meal in Thailand was at a casual restaurant beside the food court. (hey, we had to conserve all our remaining cash for shopping!)

After all that shopping, there’s nothing quite like gulping down a tall glass of refreshing watermelon juice!

The plump breaded prawns came with a delicious sweet chilli sauce.

If there’s one kind of rice I love, it has to be the oh-so-fragrant pineapple rice. It’s usually served in a pineapple, from which you can scrape off the flesh of the fruit as well.

The rice comes with yummies like cashew nuts, pork floss and egg. Some restaurateurs cut costs by leaving out the cashew nuts. Then in that case, the rice tastes only half as good.

I was not a fan of the green curry, unlike the one from the previous day. It wasn’t the sweet version that I like, but was tending towards the salty and sour variety.

While walking back to our hotel, we saw the terrible rush hour traffic. (to the right is the skytrain station.) that’s a long jam! It doesn’t help that it takes a long time for the traffic lights to turn green in Bangkok. Boy were we lucky we decided to make our way back on foot instead of taking the taxi.

That’s it for our last day. With little cash left and luggage bags full, we’re ready to fly home the next day!

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Bangkok (Day 7) – Forensic Museum, Temple of Dawn & Chao Phraya Dinner Cruise

Veron Ang — Tue, 03 Feb 2009 15:38:59 +0000

We had planned the entire day’s activities down to a tee! In the day, we would explore the sights along the Chao Phraya River. At night, we would take a dinner cruise whilst admiring the city lights! Doesn’t that sound wonderful?

The bustling river runs through Bangkok and several other cities, with river taxis providing an important mode of transport for both locals and tourists alike. After travelling around on taxis and skytrains for the past days, it was refreshing to be commuting on boats for a change :)

A few types of boats ply the river. This “airy” and open kind is probably the cheapest. A boat ride from one bank of the river to the other costs just 3 baht!

With very few seats on board, people usually end up standing around and holding on to the hand rails. It took us to our first destination of the day: Siriraj Hospital, the oldest hospital in Thailand.

If you’re wondering why the heck we’re visiting an old hospital on our vacation, this particular hospital houses six small museums. The one we’re looking for in particular is the forensic museum that showcases various states of human death with actual… Specimens. As far as curiosity goes, we were pretty psyched up about visiting the museum.

(For obvious reasons, photography isn’t allowed here. I did manage to sneak a few photos with the intention of displaying them on this blog. Ultimately, I’ve decided not to. It makes me feel too uncomfortable.)

The exhibition area wasn’t huge. Picture a large room with fluorescent lighting, row after row of glass cabinets with jars of preserved body parts and organs, and that very heavy and gloomy hospital atmosphere. The entrance corridor is lined with photos of people that died from hangings, being mashed in machinery, cut wrists, etc. It was all very depressing.

The saddest sight, though, has got to be the jars of dead babies and fetuses, including some very well-developed ones. One particular jar had an infant that died from drowning. We noticed that someone had left a couple of sweets by its side.

There is also an entire section dedicated to executed criminals (rapist murderers and the likes) with their mummified corpses.

Obviously, the experience wasn’t a pleasant one, but I can’t deny that it was an eyeopener. For those of you that are curious to see exactly what the exhibits look like, here’s a 360 degree view within the exhibition.

Forensic Museum
Siriraj Hospital
2 Prannok Road
Bangkoknoi
Bangkok 10700
Thailand
Tel: +66 2419 7000 (ext. 6363/6440)
www.si.mahidol.ac.th

Nearest pier: Wang Lang

Opening hours: 9am – 4pm (Closed on Sundays)
Admission: 40 baht

You would think that a visit like that would take the appetite out of anyone. But my stomach was rumbling after that. Street hawkers like this were aplenty, but it was at a cosy little restaurant where we had our meal.

A colourful plate of chicken pasta!

I’m a big fan of Thai green curry, although the only version I’ve had was from Lerk Thai. I thought the green curry in Thailand would probably taste different. It was actually very similar to Lerk Thai’s. I guess Lerk Thai does serve authentic Thai food!

Our next destination was the beautiful temple of Wat Arun. This time round, we had to take a different type of river taxi, the Chao Phraya express boat.

Look how crowded it is! The boat is much bigger than the one before and has more seats too.

Even on a boat with passengers almost smashed together, there was someone going around to inspect everyone’s ticket.

From the boat, we saw the silhouette of Wat Arun.

And finally, we arrived at the Temple of Dawn!

The prangs are decorated with thousands of multicoloured porcelain pieces and must have looked magnificent in the temple’s heyday.

This was my second time to the temple. I made my first visit in 2005, though my memories of it are fuzzy at best.

What I do remember vividly are the very steep and scary steps leading up the 80-meter-tall main prang. Not only are the steps narrow, with a width of less than 20 centimeters, each one is easily a foot tall! Aren’t people shorter in the past? They must have had found those steps even more challenging!

Just watch these people struggling up the stairs! I, for one, was terrified! A very narrow landing separates the two flights of stairs. So if anyone was unfortunate enough to trip over, he would probably tumble all the way down!

After braving those killer steps, we reached the balcony where we got a panoramic view of the Chao Phraya River and the surrounding sights. Can you spot the Grand Palace in the distance?

Well, that’s it for the Temple of Dawn!

Wat Arun
34 Arun Amarin Road
Kwang Wat Arun, Khet
Bangkok Yai
Bangkok 10320
Thailand
www.watarun.org

Nearest pier: Tha Tien

Opening hours: 7:30am – 5:30pm daily
Admission: 50 baht

We made our way to the river once more to pamper ourselves with a sumptuous dinner on a cruise. That seems a perfect way to end the day, does it not?

One advantage of cruising along the river is that you get to see many landmarks and bridges, such as the rama VIII bridge. This is a beautiful single tower asymmetrical cable-stayed bridge, easily my most favourite bridge at the Chao Phraya River.

And that’s the Grand Palace.

Of the many dinner cruises available, most are buffets that typically cost a bomb. We picked riverside Bangkok as they offer Thai/chinese ala carte dishes at very reasonable prices.

The cruise is a baby blue double-decker, possibly the biggest passenger boat on the river. It sails off at 8pm, making a trip up and down the river before disembarking at 10:30. That gives diners a nice 2.5 hours on board.

(and no, I did not digitally change the colour. The sky was really that gorgeous shade of pink!)

A colourful balloon arch welcomes people on board. At times the staff would offer to take pictures of passengers standing underneath those balloons.

Both indoor and alfresco dining are available. Seats for the alfresco area are the first to run out so it’s better to make your reservations fast! We neglected to make advance reservations and sat indoors instead.

A live band entertains the diners on the stage, which transforms into a disco dance floor during the later part of the night.

Our first chang beer!

For starters, we ordered my favourite chicken satay. The gravy is quite similar to the satay peanut gravy in Singapore.

What’s different is that slices of toasted bread are served instead of the lontong (rice cakes) that we are familiar with.

A surprise find on the extensive menu was the roasted duck in coffee sauce. It reminds me of the delicious coffee pork ribs at Tung Lok zhou’s kitchen. Sure enough, there’s the same delicious coffee aroma, although I would have enjoyed it better if it was chicken.

I thought the shrimp in coconut cream would be something like the one at mustard, where the prawns are served in a whole coconut. (coconuts are all over Bangkok!) I felt a tinge of disappointment when it came in a small bowl. Still, the shrimp tasted great — sweet and creamy with a touch of spice. Yum.

The fried pork ribs were dry and stiff — not good. It convinced me that ribs are never meant to be fried.

But anyhow, the main cool thing about being on a dinner cruise is that you get an ever-changing scenic view. You can stand by the railing and feel the breeze in your hair. You can even fly like jack and rose if you wish.

There are easily a dozen bridges stretching across the river banks, and each time the cruise passed underneath one, all on board would erupt in cheers just for the heck of it :)

Bangkok is not exactly a dense skyscraper city. You don’t really get to see the grandeur of a brightly lit skyline unlike other urban cities.

We did spot the golden dome of the state tower. It felt surreal to see it from so far away when we were just there the night before, having a couple of drinks at Sirocco the rooftop bar.

That’s the Temple of Dawn again. It looks magnificent even at night.

Riverside Bangkok
195 Ratchawithi Road
Bangkok 10700
Thailand
Tel: +66 2883 1588

Nearest pier: Krung Thon Bridge

Dinner hours: 8pm – 10:30pm
Admission: 120 baht

Once again, this was a thoroughly enjoyable and rewarding day. All the places we visited are on the West bank of the river. There was a mild scare when none of the taxis we flagged down were willing to take us back to our hotel in the main land of Bangkok and it was getting pretty late by then. But eventually one did agree. Phew!

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Bangkok (Day 6) – Muang Boran the Ancient City

Veron Ang — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 11:21:11 +0000

Muang Boran, the ancient city, is one fascinating sight that is missing from every traveller’s guidebook and website. After a day trip to this amazing park/outdoor museum, it feels as though we have toured the whole country. Honestly — and I’m not exaggerating here — Muang Boran is hands-down the best place I’ve ever visited in Thailand.

First of all, the place is so huge, it is a city in its own right! You can explore more than 100 historic landmarks all in one place! Not only is the park in the shape of Thailand, the landmarks are placed according to their actual location. This meticulously-designed museum is literally a miniature Thailand!

The ancient city is located in Samut Prakan province outside Bangkok. We hired a cab to take us there and back to our hotel. It was an hour’s drive to get there. And — I can’t stress this enough — it was so totally worthwhile!

The sheer size of the park makes it practically impossible to explore on foot. But you can drive your car in (for a fee), rent bicycles and even buggies! Boy do we love the buggies. It sure brings back memories of Bintan Lagoon Resort!

With that, we’re ready to begin our journey back to the past!

Most of the landmarks here are replicas that have been painstakingly constructed to accurately match the originals. The bell-shaped stupa is a third smaller than the actual monument at Nakhon Si Thammarat. Do they deliberately give it a faded paint job? Because it sure looks every bit as aged as the original that was built in 555 A.D.! In fact, it looks just like the stupas from the ruins of Ayutthaya!

The masterpiece of ancient city is the beautiful Sanphet Prasat Palace from the early Ayutthaya period. What’s incredible is that the palace was completely destroyed in 1767 when Ayutthaya fell to Burma. But through extensive study of archaeological and historical evidence, plus sheer determination, the palace has been rebuilt in Muang Boran.

Isn’t it remarkable how Muang Boran has made it possible for us to walk amongst the buildings from centuries ago, even the ones that have been completely destroyed? Centuries from now, would anyone build a miniature Singapore?

One particularly famous Buddha head at Wat Mahathat in Ayutthaya has tree roots growing around it but, strangely, never quite covering the face. Similarly, this image of a Hindu deity also has tree roots growing around it. (Gotta say that the Buddha head is more intriguing though.) Doesn’t he look like he’s waving?

The original statues are kept at the Nakhon Si Thammarat National Museum.

The Phra Mahathat of Chaiya is one of the most sacred and important monasteries in the South of Thailand. The design of the mud-red stupa was inspired by the most ancient form of stupa found in Java, Indonesia.

This model of the Stupa of Phra Mahathat in Ratchaburi province is duplicated to scale at three quarters the original size. “Mahathat” sure is a popular name for temples! There seems to be a “Wat Mahathat” in every province!

The Buddha’s posture, seated with his feet resting on the floor, so called the teaching posture, is a distinct artistic style of the Dvaravati kingdom that existed from the 6th to 11th centuries.

Religious structures and Buddha images constructed during the Dvaravati period tend to be large. With only broken pillars left standing, the wihan (assembly hall) above is not much of a hall anymore. The Muang Boran architects have certainly done a great job in making the monument replicas look as realistic as possible.

If you have seen the Grand Palace, you should probably recognise this landmark. The Dusit Maha Prasat Palace is the most easily identified structure on the palace grounds. The replica in Muang Boran is meant to recreate the original state of the palace when it was first built in 1806, so it is not exactly identical to the one in the present day, which has seen some modifications over the decades.

As we’ve already learned from the trip to the Bangkok National Museum, King Naresuan was an outstanding warrior. This monument commemorates the Great Battle of Yuthahathi, in which he defeated the son of the Burmese king in 1592. Kings that can physically fight and win a war simply make my knees go weak.

The pair of feet at the foot of the staircase offers a clue as to what this place is. Climb up the steps and you would get closer to the footprint of… Lord Buddha. Considered one of the most sacred places of Thailand, the original structure is on the top of a hill in Saraburi province. As the legend goes…

A hunter named Phran Boon followed a deer that he had shot to the ridge of a low hill. There, he saw the wounded deer drinking water from a small pond. Astonishingly, the wounds on the creature’s body suddenly disappeared. When the deer fled, the hunter came to look at the pond and found that in fact the pond was the footprint of the Buddha. Being reported and investigating the site himself, Phra Chao Song Tham (1620-1628) found the ancient Buddha footprint of which its appearance in Siam was foretold by Ceylonese monks in a Ceylonese scripture.

If you’re wondering whether this replica actually houses any footprint, the answer is yes. It belongs to an Indian president.

Speaking of deer, we spotted some of them grazing in a barricaded area. They were so adorable!

This monument represents the courage of the people of Bang Rachan from the late Ayutthaya period. They were a group of villagers that fought bravely and eventually sacrificed themselves to defend their community from a Burmese siege.

It kind of reminds me of the Heineken Christmas tree.

The Grand Hall of Wat Mahathat in sukhothai province now lays in ruins. Imagine what it was like, back in its heyday when the pillars belonged to a whole building. This replica is smaller than the original hall by three quarters.

Standing behind the Buddha image is the main chedi (stupa in Thai) of the temple.

Notice that its square base is accented with little motifs of walking Buddha images.

Along the way, we spotted some big birds by a lake. Those are geese right? Anyway I got off our buggy to get their pictures. When I squatted down, they looked about the same height as me. And then those darn birds came after me! If I wasn’t quick enough I would have been pecked!

This fruit-shaped tower is modelled after Wat Mahathat, Sankhaburi in Chai Nat (there, another Mahathat!). If you were to ask me what fruit it is, cucumber immediately comes to mind. The actual fruit that gave it its name is actually starfruit (!!!).

The tower goes way back to the pre-Ayutthaya periods, around the 13th century. The unusual thing about this 20 metre tall, 12 metre wide structure is that no plaster was used to hold the bricks together. So how does the whole thing not collapse?

Even older than the fruit-shaped tower is the Chedi of Cham Thewi at Wat Ku Kud, dating back to the 9th and 10th centuries. Quick math question: the stupa bears a pyramidal shape that is divided into 5 levels. On each level there are Buddha images, 3 on each of the 4 sides. How many Buddha images are there altogether?

Although most of the monuments here are replicas, some are actually originals that were obtained and refurbished for the park. This bell tower came from Wat Yai, Bang Khonthi in Samut Songkhram province.

Another original is Wat Chong Kham, a temple-monastery that came from Lampang province. Much care was taken to preserve all the details of the teak building, modelled after pagan architecture.

Chedi Chet Yod, the seven-spired pagoda, is currently situated at Wat Photaram Mahawihan in Chiang Mai. The stone arch opening on the main chedi leads to a rectangular hall 10 metres wide and 22 metres deep, with a seated Buddha image. It was built sometime in the 15th century.

Stucco motifs of Indian celestial beings adorn the base walls.

The Reclining Buddha. He has kind of a curvy figure.

This group of stupas above are replicas of the Sikhoraphum stone sanctuary of Surin province, dating back to the 12th century. They were originally Hinduism stupas, but were eventually converted to Buddhism stupas in the 15th century.

The Phimai stone sanctuary, located in Nakhon Ratchasima province, is the largest Buddhist monument in Thailand.

You recognise her, don’t you? Kuan-Yin, the Goddess of Compassion, used to be male until after the Tang dynasty! I didn’t know that!

Many locals were spotted praying around kuan-yin. Hanging from the trees around the statue were these red cards with little bells, written with prayers and wishes.

Besides replicas and restored originals, creative designs of the Muang Boran architects can be found here too. Take for instance the Phra Kaew Pavilion above. The octagonal structure was built in the Ayutthayan style to represent Ayutthaya as a centre of Buddhism in the past.

The Pavilion of the Enlightened is very popular with the Thais. As these elaborate pavilions and temples with their green roofs and gold fringes are built upon a lake, they can only be accessed via a bridge.

Spot the jolly laughing Buddha!

Look, this beautiful ship has eyes! In the past, Bangkok and Ayutthaya benefited from their strategic locations along the Chao Phraya River, the same way Singapore benefited from the Singapore river.

Back then, traders would bring Thai goods overseas using such ships, called Thai junks. They gradually disappeared some 50 years ago.

Altogether there are 116 monuments in Muang Boran so this is just a small sampling of them. Eateries and drinks stalls are littered around the park. There are also a couple of markets selling souvenirs.

It’s hard to believe that this incredible place is really the creation of just one man who had a deep passion for Thai culture and architecture. Today, his heirs continue his legacy. I heard that this magnificent project isn’t even financed by the government. Labor of love indeed! I encourage everyone to go visit it if you can. It would be an experience of a lifetime.

Muang Boran
296/1 Sukhumvit Road
Bangpoo
Samut Prakan 10280
Thailand
Tel: +66 0 2709 1644
www.ancientcity.com

Opening hours: 9am – 5pm
Admission: Adults 300 baht; Children 200 baht

Back to Bangkok, we had our lunch/dinner at a nice Japanese restaurant in MBK Center, above the Tokyu department store.

Some of the set meals were extremely value-for-money.

The set meal I had came with the unadon, udon, salad and tofu.

The curry katsu don wasn’t too shabby either. This is one of those places I would return for a meal if I was to visit Bangkok again.

We end the day with drinks at Sirocco, one of the highest bars in the world.

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Bangkok (Day 5) – Thailand Cultural Centre & National Museum

Veron Ang — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 14:15:17 +0000

Being huge fans of museums, we dedicated the day to exploring some of the museums in Bangkok. Before embarking on our cultural journey, we made a stop at MBK Center for some cake and coffee.

Gateaux house is a little bakery café at the first level of the mall, near the tokyu department store. I still remember having some snacks there with my Mom during our first trip to Bangkok in ’03. We both agreed that the cakes were yummy and affordable.

This time round, what attracted my attention was this purple, bizarre-looking pastry which resembles some sea creature that I can’t quite put a name to. It’s fluffy and yam-flavoured, and tasted surprisingly good! The waitress even warmed it up for us! I was so in love I wanted to buy a couple more to bring back to our hotel.

We noticed that the café was crowded with Westerners. Actually most of MBK was crowded with Westerners. Compared to Singapore, it sure seems like Bangkok is much more popular with the Western expatriates!

This strawberry sundae was bought from KFC. (or was it McDonald’s?) notice the oreo cookie on top and the layer of oreo bits in the middle. It was yummy!

And with that, we were ready to brave the hot weather and travel to our first destination: Thailand Cultural Centre. To get there, we took the BTS skytrain to silom station and made a transfer to the MRT line. It’s something like our northeast line, except that it’s not quite as seamless — you have to fully exit one line before you can use the other.

Besides being newer than the BTS skytrain system and fully underground, the MRT line is also pretty darn strict. Just check out all their rules!

I distinctly remember 4 years ago when I tried to bring in a balloon. A security guard stopped me and promptly pointed to the “no balloons” sign. I was so amused they even have a sign for that!

What’s also amusing is that 4 years later, they are still using these round black easy-to-lose tokens as ticket passes. Instead of scanning cards at the sensor gates, you scan these tokens!

We exited from the Thailand Cultural Centre MRT station and soon realised that the name of the station is misleading as the Thailand Cultural Centre is nowhere near it. It was sort of a blind 20-minute walk for us as there was hardly any sign to guide the way. The map we had was mostly useless too. In that hot and sunny weather, the long walk really kills! So everybody, do pack your sunblock for such trips.

Along the way, we saw familiar names like carrefour hypermarket and robinson department store.

Finally, we reached the Thailand Cultural Centre, a quiet and tranquil place that resembles a university.

If not for the odd number of people that walked past occasionally, the place seemed peaceful, almost deserted.

These wooden rocking chairs put a whole new meaning to the term “wheelchair”!

Our main purpose in dropping by the cultural centre was to visit the thai life permanent exhibition. It showcases the traditions and history of Thai civilisation, something like the Asian civilisations museum in Singapore.

From the exterior, the exhibition hall appears deceptively small. But the actual exhibition area is large, divided into five topical areas:

evolution of the Thai nation
rice and the Thai way of life
thai language and literature
thailand and the world
heroic deeds and major events in Thai history

The museum targets students, researchers and locals, which explains why the exhibits have descriptions in Thai with minimal English translations. I did enjoy the miniature models very much (probably the same reason why I love polly pockets and lego).

The models above depict the varying physical attributes of housing in the different parts of Thailand.

Barges out at sea.

The models come in handy in illustrating certain things accurately, particularly those that are hard to explain clearly in words. For instance, I had always thought that when carrying such sedan chairs, the two guys in front would walk side by side, likewise for the two at the back. But the model shows otherwise.

The streets of Thailand gradually opening up to foreigners.

In this exhibit, the trading routes of Thailand in the past are lit, including the silk road of China.

If you have visited the Grand Palace, you would find this familiar. This is a miniature Wat phra kaeo, the temple of the emerald Buddha on the palace grounds.

The royal ploughing ceremony. Do you know what this ceremony is for?

These Thai inscriptions looked really cool and mysterious (mostly because I have no idea what they mean). It’s also here in the Thai language and literature section where the curator came out and had a chat with us. He said that he has visited Singapore before and was impressed with our Asian civilisations museum! He also kindly offered to write our names in Thai script :)

The painting portrays the nine Thai kings of the chakri dynasty, from the first king naresuan to the current king bhumibol adulyadej (rama IX). I also noticed that King Rama VIII (on the bottom right) was very handsome. Little did we realise that we were about to learn so much more about them in our following visit to the Bangkok National Museum.

Thai Life Permanent Exhibition Hall
Thailand Cultural Centre
Ratchadapisek Road
Bangkok 10320
Thailand
Tel: +66 0 2247 0028 (ext. 4223/4224)
www.culture.go.th

Nearest MRT: Thailand Cultural Centre

Opening hours: 9:30am – 4:30pm (Closed on weekends & PH)
Admission: Free

To get to the bangkok National Museum, we had to take a taxi as it has no skytrain or MRT station nearby. Once again, here’s a reminder to all: always make sure the driver uses the meter!

The Bangkok National Museum is the main branch of all the National Museums in Thailand.

A small café within the museum grounds sells drinks and beer to visitors, so that’s where we sat down for a cappuccino.

Just like the Thai life exhibition previously, miniature models are also featured heavily in this museum. The Thais must love this form of exhibition mechanism. So do i!

Many of the models depicting battles are tributes to king naresuan the great, the fearless warrior king that fought and won numerous battles.

Here’s one of the city of Ayutthaya, the former capital of Thailand with parts that now lay in ruins. It’s surrounded by a moat of water, with an elaborate network of rivers that run through the city.

Thinking back, I wish I had visited this museum before making my trip to Ayutthaya in ’04. It certainly would have helped me appreciate the place more, having learned a bit more about its history. Moreover, it would have made a whole lot of sense why I had to cross the river back then.

More Thai inscriptions.

A pipe with a lion’s head and a pistol in the shape of a, uh, snake-like creature. Aren’t these cool?

An entire section that takes up more than half the museum is dedicated to the nine kings of Thailand in the chakri dynasty. There are detailed descriptions, life stories and relics of each king. King viii, in particular, became king at the tender age of 9! He also died young when he was assassinated at age 21. Following his sudden death, his brother, the current King Rama IX, was crowned.

It’s obvious that the Thais hold the king with great respect. Even without having to visit the museum, I have learned from my Thai friends and the media that the king is very much loved, especially for the way he cares for his people. He is also currently the world’s longest-serving head of state.

Unlike the Thai life exhibition that appears small on the outside but is huge on the inside, the National Museum is the reverse; it is housed in a nice building but the actual exhibition is pretty small. Still, it’s a great place to learn about the basics of Thai history and the nine Thai kings from past to present.

Bangkok National Museum
Naphra That Road
Bangkok 10200
Thailand
Tel: +66 2224 1404
www.thailandmuseum.com

Opening hours: 9am – 4pm (Closed on Mon, Tue & PH)
Admission: Adults 40 baht

Outside the museum, we spotted a nice-looking bus stop. It was very eye-catching as it was particularly green, with potted plants stacked in rows.

It certainly was refreshing!

Not too far away, there was also an entire street of roadside stalls selling one common thing: Buddhist amulets. Wow! Do they actually make profits? Everyone is selling the exact same thing!

View the original article and join the discussion at:
http://sparklette.net/travel/thailand/bangkok-day-5-thailand-cultural-centre-national-museum/ | 11 comments

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Bangkok (Day 4) – Jim Thompson House & Suan Pakkad Palace

Veron Ang — Fri, 16 Jan 2009 04:14:52 +0000

Following a weekend of shopping and dining, it was time for some serious sightseeing. Having visited the usual sights like Grand Palace and the Floating Market, you would think that there’s nothing more to see. That might have been true if the city wasn’t filled with so much culture and diversity. But having culture and diversity is exactly the strong point of Bangkok. As a matter of fact, we paid visits to several new spots for the rest of the trip!

Jim Thompson House

Our first stop was at Jim Thompson House which used to be the home of James H.W. Thompson, the “legendary American of Thailand” recognised for his exceptional contribution to the development of the Thai silk industry. This is a great place for people that wish to explore a traditional Thai house.

The house combines six traditional Thai-style buildings made of teak. Even though it was constructed in 1959, some of the buildings were at least two centuries old. They had been purchased from different parts of the country, dismantled and brought to the present site.

The house was a fine example of Thompson’s keen eye for design and colour, and became the “talk of the town”. Sadly in 1967, he disappeared mysteriously while holidaying with friends in Cameron Highlands, Malaysia. Until today, no one knows what happened to him there. But the Jim Thompson legend lives on.

Visitors are only allowed into the house in groups, brought around by tour guides. So after paying the admission of 100 baht an adult (I paid only 50 baht for being under 25!), everybody would wait around until the guide brought us into the house.

Near the ticket counter was a pond with some fish in it, plus the biggest stingray I’ve ever seen! It’s gigantic! And I certainly wouldn’t want to fall into the pond with it.

Before going up the stairs into the house, we had to take off our footwear, following Thai tradition. The house was elevated a full storey above the ground to avoid flooding during the monsoon season and prevent animals from getting in.

We were brought from room to room in the house, with our guide giving us an overview of the various furniture. For example, the dining table was actually formed by joining two heavy mahjong tables. (I doubt mahjong here refers to the game!)

This drawing room is the oldest part of the house, dating from around 1800. It originated from the silk weaving village of Ban Krua. Hanging from the ceiling is a crystal chandelier that came from an old palace. On both sides of the room, you can see Burmese figurines of Nat (good spirits) from Amarapura that decorate the niches, which were originally windows.

All the things were obviously pretty old, so no photography was allowed. Some of the colourful porcelain wares were exactly like those we’d seen at the Peranakan Museum in Singapore.

Interestingly, in both the master bedroom and the guestroom, we found potties, or what they call “pee-pee pots”! Haha! One was shaped like a cat, the other, a frog, with lids on them.

Due to the elevation, there’s a vast open space beneath the house. Ornate carvings and sculptures decorate the area.

This statue of the Buddha has the head missing. It’s centuries old, and was highly priced by Thompson himself.

The beautiful patterns on this wood panel are used as a stencil for making sarong.

The octagonal table features a highly unusual circular blue painting.

Following our tour, we stopped by the Jim Thompson restaurant and bar. It’s a nice looking place that serves Thai food and drinks.

See these triangular cushions? From our guided tour we learned that you’re supposed to turn them sideways so that you can rest your arm(pit) on it.

That’s exactly what I did whilst enjoying a singha beer. It’s interesting to note that in many places in Bangkok, the beers cost almost the same or just slightly more than the coffees and fruit juices.

Jim Thompson House
6 Soi Kasemsan 2
Rama I Road
Bangkok, Thailand
Website

Nearest BTS: National Stadium

Opening hours: 9am – 5pm daily (last guided tour at 4:30pm)
Admission: Adults 100 baht; Students 50 baht

Suan Pakkad Palace

Our second stop for the day was another traditional Thai-style house, the Suan Pakkad Palace. This was the private residence of Prince Chumbhot Paribatra, a grandson of King Rama V.

The lacquer pavilion below was originally from a temple in Ayutthaya, the former capital of Thailand.

The prince brought it here as a 50th birthday present to his wife, although he never lived to see the completion of its refurbishment.

We were allowed to go up to the second level of the pavilion, where magnificent mural paintings in gold on black lacquer decorate the walls. The murals depict the life of the Buddha.

The eight houses in the palace are connected via bridges. Again, we would take our shoes off to explore within the houses. As the trail starts from one house and ends at another, we were provided plastic bags to carry our shoes as we explored the place.

The darker area on the wooden floor are actually tables! They can be brought up when needed, and retracted into the floor after use.

That’s Baiyoke Sky Tower in the background, the tallest building in Bangkok. You can actually go right up to the rooftop and enjoy the night scenery on a rotating open-air platform.

Can you guess what this is?

And with that, we’re done with our sightseeing for the day!

Suan Pakkad Palace
352-354 Sri Ayudhya Road
Ratchathewi
Bangkok 10400
Thailand
Tel: +66 2245 4934 | Website

Nearest BTS: Phaya Thai (Exit 4)

Opening hours: 9am – 6pm daily
Admission: Adults 100 baht; Students 50 baht

Steamboat dinner at Siam Center

During my trips to Bangkok, I would always make a stop for steamboat buffet at coca suki at Siam Center. The buffet used to cost just 99 baht, and you can select all the food you want from a conveyor belt, just like the sushi restaurants in Singapore.

This time round, we went there and found that the price has increased to 219 baht! Nonetheless, it was still cheap by buffet standards, and there was better variety of food than before.

I like that the juices are served with pretty flowers. There’s nothing like a watermelon juice to cool one down after a whole afternoon walking in the sun.

Coca Suki
Siam Center
Rama I Road
#430-432
Bangkok 10330
Thailand

Nearest BTS: Siam

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