Category Archives: Thailand

Souvenir from Thailand

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Delicious, functional or junk? It’s time to review the items I bought from Thailand, starting from the edibles:

Lemongrass tea – I love lemongrass tea, not only does it smell good, it also tastes very refreshing. It is natural and full of antioxidants: it is detoxifying, good for digestion and can lower high blood pressure. Since I avoided caffeine drinks in the evenings, lemongrass tea has become one of my favourite drinks after an evening meal.

Mulberry tea – I bought this tea for my father, who suffers from diabetes… Apparently it is also full of antioxidants, it strengthens the immune system and reduces bad cholesterol. But best of all, it prevents the body from absorbing many common sugars and helps manage diabetes. My father seemed pretty impressed when I explained the benefits to him, but whether he will drink it is another a matter!

Instant vegetables – whenever I travel, visiting local supermarkets is a ‘must’ on my itinerary and I usually need at least 30 minutes to wander around ( unless it’s a really crappy one). I was quite curious when I saw the Urban farm instant vegetables packs ( don’t be put off by the word ‘instant’) at a high-end supermarket in Bangkok. They are actually all natural, without MSG nor preservatives, and can be cooked with rice, noodles and soup etc. There are 5 different flavours and seem pretty convenient, hence I bought a stack and gave some to a friend who doesn’t like to cook.

Coffee – Coffee shops are everywhere in Chiang Mai, so I was determined to bring home some local roasted coffee. I found Duang Dee hill tribe coffee in a large local supermarket, what attracted me was the fact that it is organically grown, hand picked and roasted in the nearby mountains by tribal farmers. There are three blends available and I went for the 100% Arabian. I then found out that a percentage of the coffee sales would contribute towards other tribal development projects, which was quite a nice surprise.

At Chiang Mai‘s Herbs basics ( which I mentioned in the previous entry), I bought a range of gift items, including a herbal massage compress for my mother, incense sticks for my father and body butters for myself and friends. I thought the kaffir lime body butter is quite fantastic, although it has a slightly sweet smell, the texture is just right ( I think it’s even better than L’Occitane’s). My friend also texted to tell me how much she ( and her boyfriend) love the Lavender body butter, so I am quite impressed with this brand and their ‘low’ priced but high quality products.

Greeting cards & note pads – these lovely cards and note pads were bought from Chiang Mai‘s Things called art ( see my previous entry). I just love the elephant-inspired illustrations and products, they are so cute!

3-d greeting card – In my previous entry, I mentioned Nancy Chandler‘s maps of Chiang Mai, but since the company is a graphic design studio, it’s not surprising that they would also produce greeting cards. I esp. like this unqiue 3-d illustration of a local house.

Rubber stamps: I love rubber stamps, and when I saw this Japanese inspired set of rubber stamps, I couldn’t resist them even though I am not sure when I will get to use them!

Credit card holders – Good job is a Thai lifestyle brand that sells modern and unique stationery, home and fashion accessories. Founded by an architect and two designers, the company has received many international design awards since they started in 2005. I was looking for a credit card holder, and I like their simple but practical card holders, so I bought one in YELLOW and one in boring black…

Stamp sets – Last but not least, these lovely stamp collections are probably my favourite souvenirs from the trip and I gave one set to my brother who like me, used to collect stamps. I spent a long time at the Chiang Mai Philatelic Museum, examining the large collection, including ones on folk tales ( created by well-known local artists), the Royal family and Buddhist archaeological sights etc. Not exactly useful but really beautiful.

 

Disappointing gift fairs in Bangkok & Hong Kong

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I must be the slowest blogger out there, I have a backlog of entries that I started but never quite finished, including this which was on supposed to be published after the trade fairs last month…

I visited the biannual Bangkok International gift and household fairs a few years ago, and I decided to return because of my interest in Thai design. Although I am not a fan of trade fairs, it is however, the easiest way to meet suppliers under one roof, to see new products and understand what the upcoming trends are.

 

 

Compared to a few years ago, I was quite disappointed because there were hardly any new names and the new products from the more established designers or brands were not so different from what I had seen before. As a frequent visitor to design shows and fairs, I get to see more ‘designed’ products than those who are not in the industry; but what prevents me from walking around like a zombie is when I see products that are inspiring or unique. Sadly, I saw very few at the fair this year, and was told by local Thais that the show was quieter than usual this year, with notably less foreign buyers.

 

 

The Thai contemporary design scene boomed around the mid 2000s, and what made their products unique was their eco-conscious and sustainable way of ‘designing’ by using local materials and traditional methods to create beautiful craft-like designs esp. lighting, furniture and household products.

Hopefully, the slip in standard was due to many design studios and designers opting out of the gift fair rather a reflection of the overall Thai design industry. But if this fair was a showcase of the best in the Thai design industry, then the organiser needs to try harder in the future.

 

 

Hong Kong gift fair is the largest gift fair in the world, but being the largest does not make it the best. Depending on what you are sourcing, but for those sourcing for innovative, inspiring and cool products, then you are most likely to be disappointed.

Most of the local design brands were located on the ground floor, but two issues bothered me incredibly after the fair. The first was that many brands were very trend-driven, with mostly iphone or mac-related accessories. My question to these designers and companies is that “what happens if Apple releases iphone 5 that is round in shape? What will happen to all these ‘outdated’ accessories? Since most of them are made of plastic, how will they recycle or dispose of them?”

Hong Kong has always been viewed as one of the ‘least’ creative cities in Asia, but it’s not because there are no talented designers there, it has more to do with the local market. When most mass consumers only care about being ‘trendy’ and ‘in’, designers and companies simply respond to the market needs by giving them what they want. Hence, trends come and go quickly, while many local designers and companies are being criticised for having no identities. And this was exactly what I observed at the fair… design for design’s sake is hardly good design.

My other concern was to do with the exhibitors’ attitude problem… perhaps I didn’t look like a major buyer and so many weren’t very helpful when I enquired about their products, while others just chatted among themselves, ignoring me completely. This was a huge contrast to the Thai exhibitors, who were mostly friendly and informative.

The one positive note regarding the fair was seeing more companies switching to environmental materials and methods in the production of their products, but could this be another fad? Only time will tell.

 

Shopping in Chiang Mai

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Chiang Mai has many interesting arts and crafts shops; on Charoenrat Road, there is Colour Factory, a shop that sells painted art elephants from the Elephant Parade, an organization that supports Asian elephant conservation. Over the last few years, their open air art exhibitions which took place in different cities ( including London in 2010) has created worldwide attention and awareness. Many well-known artists and designers have taken part in this project, you can support the project by purchasing the art elephants, which I think are great gift ideas for friends and families.

On this road, there is also a ceramics outlet called Earth and Fire, where you can buy locally made ceramics at bargain prices. Further down, there is Circle source paper, which sells handmade paper and paper products.

 

 

Not far from the Wat Phra Singh, there is another handmade paper shop called HQ paper maker. There is a large collection of mulberry paper and paper products, but what is interesting is that they host one-day paper making workshops outside of the city centre, where participants can learn and understand the process of paper making from the beginning to the final stage. I hope that I will be able to try it when I am in town next time!

 

On Prapokklao Rd, I stopped by at Herbs basics, a local shop that sells natural and herbal skin products. Compare to many natural skincare brands or spa lines in Bangkok, the products here are much cheaper, yet the ingredients are similar, so I took the opportunity and stocked up products for myself and friends.

On the same road, I walked into a cute-looking shop and gallery called Things called art, that sell art work and merchandise by two artists, Supachet Bhumakarn and Siriwan Lohacheewa. I was particularly intrigued by Supachet‘s elephant art work and started chatting to Siriwan, who was in the shop at the time of my visit. No, I didn’t purchase Supachet‘s art work but I did buy a few of his lovely greeting cards because they are just too cute…

Like I mentioned before, there are many cool shops including many fashion shops around Nimmanhaemin Soi. My favourite one is Kit-bit-s, a local fashion brand set up by three sisters. They use cute and colourful fabrics to create simple but youthful pieces that remind me of the French label, Paul & Joe sister at very reasonable prices!

 

Personally, I think shopping in Chiang Mai is more interesting and cheaper than Bangkok, perhaps there are less recognisable brands, but I love the locally made products which are individual and not trend-driven. So if you visit Chiang Mai, do remember to spare a bit of time and support these local designers, artists and businesses!

 

Graffiti in Chiang Mai

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I have a strong interest in graffiti, but I didn’t expect to see such ‘high quality’ graffiti artwork in the city centre of Chiang Mai. I was especially amazed when I stumbled upon several walls covered with graffiti art outside a car park next to a large shopping mall. I am sure there are many hidden gems in the city, here are just some that I accidentally ‘discovered’…

 

 

 

Chiang Mai’s museums & art galleries

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Museum of the past: Wat Ket Karam

 

Chiang Mai is known for its art and culture, it’s no surprise to find cool art galleries here, but I was esp. delighted to find two rather quaint museums that are off the beaten track. Apart from the Chiang Mai city arts & cultural centre, I never saw other visitors during my visits ( and hardly any staff for that matter), so overall it was a very unique experience:

 

Chiang Mai city arts & cultural centre – Established in 1997, this centre is located in a beautiful historical building constructed in 1924. It traces the history of Chiang Mai back to the ancient Lanna Kingdom; although its layout and concept is similar to Museum of Siam in Bangkok, it is not as detailed and well thought out. However, it is still worth a visit if you are interested in the history of Chiang Mai.

Chiang Mai Philatelic Museum – located not far from the flower market, the 100-year old colonial building used to be a post office before being turned into a museum in 1990. I am not sure if many tourists would visit this museum, but it is rather quirky. I love how they have preserved the old communication tools as well as the furniture, walking around the museum made me feel like I was caught in a time warp. I also bought some beautiful sets of stamps ( which I will blog about in another entry), which are great as souvenirs for friends!

 

 

Wat Ket Karam Museum (also known as Uncle Jack’s Museum) – I love this museum! I stumbled upon it while I was walking along Charoenrat Road. Located in the compound of the 15th century Wat Ket Karam temple, I was a bit hesitant before stepping in but once inside, I felt like I was transported to another era, it was just amazing…

Founded in 2001 by Jarin Bain or Uncle Jack ( who is over 90 years old now), this free museum only came about because its building ( a 100 year-old ex residence of the monks) was in danger of being demolished by the senior monks of the temple. Hence, Uncle Jack decided to self-finance and conserve the building as well as its contents and turned it into a community museum. With donations from the Wat Ket community and his antique dealer friend, Uncle Jack single-handedly created a mesmerising heritage treasure trove that is more personal and interesting than the official cultural centre!

The museum has a large collection of ancient Thai scripts and literature, artefacts, collectibles and a room full of old black and white photos of Chiang Mai. Wandering around the museum (alone), I felt like I was in an antique collector’s house rather than a ‘proper’ museum. My only wish is that someone will  take over Uncle Jack‘s job when he is no longer around, someone who will dedicate as much time and care to this unique place…

 

 

Lanna Architecture Center  – this beautiful building in the city centre is now used as a research and exhibition center for Lanna architecture. The exhibits were not as interesting as the building itself, but it was still quite pleasant to wander around if you happen to be in the area.

 

 

On Charoenrat Road, there are many interesting art galleries, cafes and handicrafts shops. One of them is Comedara Art Gallery & restaurant, which is housed in a beautiful colonial building and exhibits artwork by local artists.

 

 

The ‘hippest’ area in Chiang Mai is Nimmanhaemin soi, where most cool shops, cafes and art galleries are located. I walked by Gallery SeeScape and was attracted by its laid back and accessible vibe. If only all galleries are as unpretentious as this…

 

 

2 days in Chiang Mai

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My Thai friends have been urging me to visit Chiang Mai for a long time as they know that I have an interest in arts and crafts. I am not sure why it has taken me so long to make this trip, but after spending only 2 nights here, I realised that I would like return again and spend more time here. My impression of the city is that it is artistic, friendly, quirky, eco-conscious and laid back, rather different from Bangkok.

Stay – For my entire trip in Thailand, I have chosen to stay at small B & Bs instead of hotels, which I think was the right decision because not only did I receive more authentic and personal service but I also met many interesting and like-minded people. In Chiang Mai, I chose to stay at Baan BooLoo, a friendly and eco-consious B & B within the old city wall.

As eco tourism becomes more popular, many hotels now claim themselves to be eco-friendly, but how many of them are truly authentic? What I like about this family-owned B & B is its effort to be as sustainable as possible. The staff work as a team to create an unique oasis in the middle of the city where travelers can enjoy authentic Thai hospitality and lifestyle. While I was there, I found out that not only the guests all happened to be from London, but one of the family member/owner also lives in London, which was an interesting coincidence!

Map – If you need a guidebook/ map in Chiang Mai, then I highly recommend Nancy Chandler‘s Map of Chiang Mai (there is also one on Bangkok). I bought this in Bangkok for 250 baht, a bit pricey for Thai standard but it is really worth it. Nancy Chandler is an American artist who has spent decades living in Thailand; her maps are fun, informative and beautifully illustrated. I only wish that every city would have a map like this!

Transport – I love taking public transport when I am in different cities ( I even managed to do it in Los Angeles); in Chiang Mai, songthaews ( a shared taxi) is a convenient and cheap way to travel around the city. Most of the time, I was the only passenger, so it was fun to sightsee from the back of the truck for around 20-30 baht per trip…

Temples – There are many amazing temples within the old city walls, but the recently-restored Wat chedi (Jedee) Luang is probably the most impressive. Originally constructed in 1401, the massive pagonda was destroyed in an earthquake in 1545. Apart from the huge chedi ruin, there are also other smaller halls, including one which houses a 30-foot-long reclining Buddha.

 

Markets – I love visiting food markets when I travel, so instead of going to the night bazaar, I went to Warowat and flower markets by the river. I love the vibe, smell, colours and variety of food markets, they are also great places for (local) people-watching. I was particular thrilled when I saw a coffee stand at one of the entrances, shame that he doesn’t sell takeaway coffee beans… The area around the market is also very busy with stalls selling food, fruits ( even strawberries), flowers, fabrics, gadgets and handicrafts etc, it is a very interesting area and not at all touristy.

 

 

To be continued…

 

Sukhothai historical park

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If I have to choose the most wonderful and sustainable airport in the world, Sukhothai airport would be on the top of my list ( see below)! It is privately owned by Bangkok airways and serves only two arrivals from Bangkok daily. Not only it is beautifully designed in traditional Thai style, it also has an organic farm as well as a small zoo with animals like zebras and horses! I was so distracted by its beauty that I left the airport without my luggage! I had to return to the airport an hour later and an officer just grinned at me as if he had been expecting me… and when I identified my luggage, he insisted on carrying it all the way to the car for me. Would I receive this kind of service at airports elsewhere? I doubt it!

Since I started traveling independently at the age of 19, I have made a few mistakes by picking the wrong travel season i.e. visiting Morocco/ Sahara and Egypt in the summer. And finally, cycling around Sukhothai in their hottest season…

Not only it was boiling, I was also given a ‘PINK HELLO KITTY’ bicycle by the owner of my guest house who rents bikes to their guests! He spoke little English but insisted that it was right for me… All I could think of was that I wouldn’t be seen dead in this if I was in London, yet reluctantly I accepted and tried to see the hilarious side to it…

 

 

I have been warned by my B & B owner, Tong not to cycle around the park before 4pm, but I couldn’t resist the temptation… Though not long after cycling in the heat, I had to escape to the Ramkhamhaeng National museum because it was too unbearable! Looking around, I only saw foreigners cycling in the heat, the Thais were nowhere to be seen…

Considered as the ‘first national capital’ and an Unesco world heritage site, the Buddhist temple sites and statues at Sukhothai are truly spectacular, especially the restored 13th century, Wat Si Chum ( the temple of the bodhi tree – see below). There are secret passages between the outer and inner walls with depictions of Buddha’s life, where devotees were able to climb up to get a glimpse of the seated Buddha statue ( this experience has now been recreated at the museum).

 

 

The historical park itself overs an area of 70 square kilometres with just under 200 ruins, but there are many sites outside of the park that are rarely visited by tourists. For safety reasons, Tong warned me to stick within the area shown on the map and not to venture too far out, which I did follow.

Strangely, there are hardly any cafes or rest areas within the park, and when I eventually found one, I was happy to pay the ‘tourist’ price for an iced lemon tea and downed it within a few minutes!

At around 6pm, cars started to appear at the park and groups of (wise) Thais with fans and cameras in their hands emerged enthusiastically. While I sat there exhausted and dehydrated, I realised I must have looked like an idiot to them with my pink bicycle parked nearby…

However, watching the sunset, I felt incredibly moved… Was it worth the sweat and energy? Yes, but if I ever return again, I would do it the Thai way…

 

 

 

Si Satchanalai historical park

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Si Satchanalai historical park is a World Heritage site and the former vassal town of Sukhothai, though it is not as popular as the Sukhothai historical park. Located in the northern part of the Sukhothai province, travel information and transport to this park is surprisingly limited. Hence I had to prearrange a driver through the B & B to take me there and drive me around the park, stopping at different temple sites ( there are about 200 in total, but not all are accessible or in good conditions).

Even with a car, it wasn’t exactly pleasant to visit the park when the temperature was around 40 degrees, but I had little choice ( I was sure that the driver thought I was insane). Although the site is smaller (213 square kilometres) and more dilapidated than the Sukhothai historical park, there are still many interesting sites to visit.

 

 

It is true that this park is not as ‘dazzling’ as the one in Sukhothai, yet precisely because of this and its derelict state, it has a more authentic, somber and poignant ambience. There were many occasions when I was wandering around the monuments or ruins alone, and they triggered my imagination as I tried to imagine how prosperous the town used to be over 650 years ago.

 

 

At the Celadon Kiln Site Study and Conservation Centre, more than 500 kilns have been excavated, with evidence showing that ceramics were being shipped as far as China, Malaysia and Indonesia ( see the photo below).

The tour around the park took less than 3 hours, excluding some that the driver skipped. I would recommend making special journey to this park if you are planning to visit Sukhothai and try to visit when the weather is not so hot!

 

 

Maison de Sukhothai

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This blog entry is dedicated to Tong, the artistic and lovely owner of Maison de Sukhothai.

I love traveling, and what I love about it is not so much the sightseeing but the people I meet while traveling. It is usually through them that I have a better understand of their culture and customs. On this trip, I met many interesting and nice people but one particular person stood out from the crowd.

Even though Sukhothai is a major tourist attraction, the accommodation choices are still quite limited. Hence when I found this b & b online, I ignored its slightly off location ( it is about 30 mins’ drive from the historical park) and booked myself one night there.

 

 

As you can see from the photos, this b & b is rather special, and so is the owner, Tong. Fluent in French and English, Tong used to work in Bangkok but decided to return to her home town to start her own b & b when her health deteriorated due to work reasons. Not only is she a hospitable host who makes you feel at home, she is also very interesting and extremely talented ( she is a decorator, cook, baker, gardener, hat maker etc). However, it is her passion, generosity and sincerity that really touched me.

 

Breakfast by the river with homemade bread and jam

 

 

I can write for hours on the delicious food she cooked for us, the tranquil surroundings and conversations we had; but the most blissful moment of my stay was when we watched the birds building a nest in a tree by the river, which will stay with me for a long time. I have stayed at countless accommodations around the world, but only a handful of them made me want to return again. Yet after spending only a few hours here, I already knew I wanted to come back again and one night is definitely not enough…

If you ever visit Sukhothai, be sure to book yourself a room here for at least 2-3 nights, honestly, you will not be disappointed!

 

 

 

Art & design venues in Bangkok

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Giant art work outside of the Bangkok art & culture center

 

If you are interested in the art and cultural side of Bangkok, it is best to pick up the monthly guide, Bangkok art map, where you will find listings of the art and photography exhibitions in town. Since I didn’t have much time to visit many galleries, I am only recommending the ones that I have visited, probably suitable for those whose time is limited like me.

Bangkok art & culture center – located in the shopping district, Siam, this Guggenheim-like centre has regular exhibitions throughout the year. Although the layout is slightly confusing with many emptied shop spaces, it is still worth visiting if you happen to be in the area. Personally, I find the building slightly soulless, however, it is the contents that count after all.

If you like photography, then you must visit the small and quirky Kathmandu Photo Gallery, housed in an old pre-war shop opposite Sri Mariamma, a Hindu temple in Silom. This wonderful green (green again? I am starting to love green walls now!) gallery is owned by Thai photo-artist, Manit Sriwanichpoom ( the guy dressed in a shocking pink suit below). In the room downstairs, there are framed photographs taken by Manit and many interesting art and photography books; while the room upstairs is airy, minimal and hosts temporary photography exhibitions by other artists or photographers. What is particularly interesting is the surrounding area/ neighbourhood, which is full of Indian shops and restaurants, showing the culturally diverse side of Bangkok.

 

 

Normally, I dislike glossy shopping malls, but in Asia, shopping malls are where local people hang out especially in the summer when the it is roasting outside. Yes, I get it… because it is not exactly pleasant to walk around Bangkok when it is dusty and extremely hot (37 degrees)! Luckily, on the top of the luxury shopping mall, Emporium on Sukhumvit Road houses a top-notch design center called, TCDC ( Thailand Creative & design center). The center hosts a permanent exhibition called, ‘What is design?‘ and temporary design-related exhibitions on regular basis. There is also a cool shop where you can find contemporary Thai design products by local designers.

 

 

Though the best is yet to come…  it is the Resource center and Material ConneXion hidden at the back of the center that are not to be missed. Don’t be put off by the procedure of leaving your belongings at the entrance and filling out forms by the reception, because the center is like a sanctuary where you can get away from the hussle and bussle of Bangkok (and for free). The huge Resource center has a cafe, a magazine section, film rental section, and more than 25,000 books on art, design, films, photography and architecture. There are reading, meeting, music and film rooms, as well as access to database for conducting international market research.

And if like me, you are interested in materials, then you can ask to visit the Material ConneXion ( the first in Asia) at the back of the center. I spent over 20 minutes ( I wish I had more time) alone wandering up and down the aisles touching different fabrics and materials ( there are over 4500) and it was so much fun! This is a truly inspiring place for all designers, I wonder when it will come to London?

London is home to internationally renowned designers and design schools, yet we don’t even have one design center that provides the range of facilities like TCDC! Will the new Design Museum be THE place? Let’s wait and see. In the mean time, I can only envy Bangkok‘s designers and design students! Oh, they are so lucky!