TEARS WERE shed when the iconic Prince Rama cinema in Bangkok’s Bang Rak district closed down in 2010 and today they are being shed again – this time with joy – as the Prince bounces back to life, this time as a brand-new contemporary hostel called Prince Theatre Heritage Stay.

Tucked away in an alley off Charoen Krung Road, the original structure remains the same, though it has been reinforced to ensure safety, while a new layout provides modern facilities and common spaces for urban living.

The brand-new, cinema-themed Prince Theatre Heritage Stay hotel evokes memories of the good old days. 

Part of Thailand’s Treasury Department’s conservation and development project to promote age-old communities as heritage tourist attractions, the makeover of the old cinema is down to Montara Hospitality Group and its subsidiary Heritage Stay, which spent Bt60 million transforming the historic building into a chic cinema-themed hotel that really works.

“My family started in the hospitality business by opening the luxury Trisara Phuket Villa & Residences. We have now broadened our portfolio to include a luxury boutique hotel and hostel. In 2016, we refurbished and restored an old Lanna wooden house in Lampang to serve as an art centre operated by the Niyom Pattamasaevi Foundation. It was a success and we want to continue our architectural conservation project in Bangkok,” says Kittisak Pattamasaevi, chief commercial officer of Montara Hospitality Group, which also owns the Phraya Palazzo boutique hotel next to the Chao Phraya river.

The Cinema Social Scenes offers daily screenings of classic blockbusters, starting at 6.30pm. 

“The Treasury Department set up a conservation and development programme to help residents in many communities renovate their houses and landscapes. The department is also very open to having the private sector take part in developing local properties, so we proposed turning the Prince Theatre Heritage Stay into a sustainable business model.”

This historic building was built in 1912 and first served as a royal casino – one of Bangkok’s last five gambling houses in the reign of King Chulalongkorn. It became a major entertainment venue surrounded by Thai-style taverns, pawnbrokers, opium dens, fresh markets and brothels but became a little too raucous and was eventually shut down.

The Montara Hospitality Group invested Bt60 million to refurbish and restore its newest property.

In 1917, with the film industry expanding its reach to Thailand, Payon Pattanakorn Company converted the building into the Prince Theatre and screened classic silent and black-and-white movies.

In 1957, it fell into the hands of entrepreneur Sa-ngob Hetrakul and was renamed Prince Rama in reference to the widescreen process known as Cinerama. It quickly became popular, screening Hollywood, Hong Kong and Thai blockbusters that drew movie-goers of all ages.

The Prince Rama encountered a new set of challenges when shopping complexes started popping up around town incorporating the multiplex cinema and causing stand-alone cinemas to go bust. The owners responded by turning into a cinema showing nude and porn movies but even that wasn’t enough to help it survive.

Old movie tickets

“King Chulalongkorn wanted to abolish slavery in Thailand, so he gradually closed hundreds of betting houses in an attempt to stop the practice of selling wives and children to pay a debt. The Bang Rak royal casino moved here and operated until films arrived and the casinos were turned into cinemas,” says Chittipan Srikasikorn, managing director of Heritage Stay.

“The Prince Rama could seat about 700 and the tickets were priced at Bt7. The original building had one and a half floors made of wood and was covered with an old zinc roof, once abandoned became a residence for the homeless. We spent a full year on the renovations, doing everything we could to conserve its charming architecture and the vintage atmosphere.”

The Box Office Bar and Cafe spoils movie lovers with an exclusive creation of classic film-inspired cocktails and mocktails. 

The two-floor hostel, which opened in February, spans 1,400 square metres and its entrance transports guests back to the good old days with colourful Art Deco style windows and high ceilings.

Smart and functional, the ground floor is home to a lobby and the Cinema Social Scenes equipped with a large screen and a collectible laser projector, which can be turned into a stage or auditorium for talk shows and art workshops.

Alongside, a vintage office-like gallery displays black-and-white photographs and collectibles from the 1910s to the 1990s and guests can learn about the history of the former landlords, the community and then latest refurbishment while the staff check them in.

The lobby shares space with an exhibition of collectible antiques and photographs depicting the Prince Rama, the Bang Rak community and the hotel construction. 

Also on view is a collection of old cinema tickets, movie rental contracts from Warner Brothers and other film studios, vintage flatirons, old-fashioned stereos and construction images depicting how the theatre has changed.

Focusing on convenience and comfort, the hotel offers 28 guestrooms in the categories of private suites and shared rooms. The four luxury suites are decorated in different designs to reflect the building’s history.

The cinema manager’s chamber has morphed into an elegant Prince Theatre Master Suite. 

The Prince Theatre Master Suite took over the manager’s chamber and its interior design draws on the days of black-and-white film, while the Prince Rama Master Suite is adorned with vintage handbills and uses a palette of red and black to create a sexy look in the style of a nude movie.

The posh duplex-level suite Casino Loft brings to mind a scene in a James Bond movie, where 007 and a sexy girl huddle in a casino’s private room while the Chinese Opera Loft suite takes guests back to the glory days of a Bang Rak gambling house.

Luxurious and airy, all suites offer a living space with 40” LED TV, working table, a king-size bed, coffee and tea making facilities, wardrobe, safety box and a private bathroom with hot shower complete with all amenities. They’re priced at a very reasonable Bt4,200.

. Guests can choose between a variety of shared rooms, adorned with old-fashioned handbills.

The hostel style accommodation, meanwhile, ranges from a shared duplex with six beds, a shared room with single beds, a shared room with double beds and shared rooms of four and six beds for ladies only. Entrance is with a key card and each attractively decorated room comes with hangers and lockers and an en-suite bathroom with separate shower and toilet and kitted out with a hair dryer, towels, shampoo and shower gel.

And while each corner of the shared facilities is on the small side, they are also comfortable, coming with a privacy curtain, reading light, electric sockets and a private locker at the head of the bed. Prices range from Bt1,000 to Bt1,200.

The Sky Fall mocktail pays tribute to James Bond.

All-day dining room the Box Office Bar and Cafe serves a choice of continental-style breakfast or guests are free to order dishes from popular stalls and restaurants around the neighbourhood and eat in.

In the evening, the bar offers a selection of creative cocktails and mocktails inspired by several of the classic movies that were screened here. For example, Borsalino (1970) is blended with rum, amaretto, jasmine syrup and lemon, Romeo & Juliet (1964) mingles rose-infused vodka, infused Bianco Vermouth and chocolate butter and the Sky Fall mocktail is a healthy mix of tomato juice, Thai spice syrup and lime.

“The hotel is a short walk from Taksin BTS station, Sathorn pier and the Creative District. Bang Rak is famous for its delectable street food, some of which appears in the Bangkok Michelin Guide. Staying with us, guests can indulge in the charming theatre atmosphere and during the day we offer a walking tour programme to explore the bakeries, restaurants and important places in the community,” Kittisak says.

And, of course, there’s movie night with a bill of fare that changes every day. Among the golden oldies showing this month daily except Sunday at 6.30pm are “Doll Face” (1945), “The Stranger” (1946), Charlie Chaplin’s “The Immigrant” (1917), “The Women in Green” (1945), “Suddenly” (1954), “D.O.A” (1949) and “The Little Princess” (1939).

SCREENING TONIGHT

Prince Theatre Heritage Stay is located at 441/1 Charoen Krung Road of Bangkok.

For more information or reservations, call (02) 090 2858 or visit http://www.PrinceHeritage.com.

“We are thrilled to host the Backstage Festival again this year and excited to double the fun with two nights of high-energy performances from local and international headliners. They include Thai favourites Thaitanium and Tensnake from Germany. Six DJs each day will be manning the decks and adding an extra vibe to outdoor activities in our tropical beach setting. We would like to invite and welcome everyone to join our shows and activities, no matter where they are staying,” says Daniel Simon, general manager of W Koh Samui.

The lineup for the opening day includes Thaitanium, Mendy Indigo, DJ Dede, T Gecko, DJ Tobi, Kate Sara, and BKK Revolution, while the second day features Tensnake, Armando Mendes, Darragh Casey, DJ Orawan, Nick Taylor, DJ Valente, and Andrey Belkin.

German DJ Tensnake is best known for his 2010 track “Coma Cat” with a disco-influenced style, which appeared on at least 15 compilations that year.

Born in Hamburg in 1975, Marco Niemerski, to give Tensnake his real name, grew up listening to disco, soul, boogie, funk and 80s pop. In 2005, he launched his Mirau label with friends released “Around the House”, “Restless” and “I Say Mista”. He has also released EPs on other labels such as “Dust” at Players Paradise in 2007, “Fried Egg” at Radius Records in 2007, and “Keep Believin’” at Endless Flight in 2008.

Tensnake’s first taste of critical acclaim came with the release of “In the End (I Want You to Cry)” EP on the label Running Back in 2009. It was voted number one on djhistory.com’s end-of-the-year list, and was the main driver behind Tensnake’s breakthrough success. The release of “Coma Cat” in 2010 was the defining moment of his career to date. The track entered four charts published by the Official Charts Company, including number 85 on the UK Singles Chart.

In 2014, he released his debut album, “Glow” in collaboration with Fiora, Stuart Price, Jamie Liddell, MNEK, Jeremy Glenn, Gabriel Stebbing (Nightworks) as well as Nile Rodgers.

W Koh Samui, located between Maenam and Bo Phut, is offering a special room package with two complimentary tickets per day for the Backstage Festival 2018, with a 3-day-2-night weekend escape in the Jungle Oasis pool villa going for Bt44,000-plus for two persons. This includes daily breakfast at The Kitchen Table restaurant, roundtrip airport transfers, and one time 90-minute couple spa treatment with traditional Thai massage or aromatherapy massage at Away Spa. It is valid for guests booking their stay during August 2-6 only. For reservations, email reservations.wkohsamui@whotels.com and mention “Backstage Festival Package.”

Tickets for the festival are Bt1,500 for one day, including one complimentary drink. Limited early-bird tickets are now available at Bt700 per ticket per day. To book, visit http://www.eventpop.me or http://go.eventpop.me/BF2018. Complimentary shuttle service is available every 30 minutes from Chaweng area to the hotel.

For more information, call (077) 915 999 or email bf.wkohsamui@whotels.com.

AFTER introducing the magnificent architecture and historical significance of the forgotten Wang Na (The Front Palace) through the digital exhibition “The Architectural Ensemble of Wang Na” at Bangkok Art and Culture Centre, Khun Sirikitiya “Mai” Jensen, the youngest daughter of Princess Ubolratana, has opened a new chapter in her project by tracking the real sites that formerly were part of the Front Palace.

Co-organised by lifestyle website the Cloud, the recent walking tour provided broader insights into the palace that was constructed in 1782, about the same time the Grand Palace was built, and which was one of the very first structures to be erected at the start of the Rattanakosin Era. The site encompasses the land now occupied by Thammasat University, the National Museum Bangkok, the National Theatre, the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute and the northern part of Sanam Luang.

Khun Sirikitiya Jensen, second right, talks about the significant architecture of the Buddhaisawan Throne Hall, seen behind, and other dismantled buildings of the Front Palace.

The Front Palace served as residences for five viceroys and one second King from 1782 to 1885 (the reigns of Kings Rama I to V). The title “the Front Palace” was replaced by that of Crown Prince following the death of viceroy Vichaichan in 1885. Since then, the palace area has been used in part as the Royal Museum (1893-1926) and the Royal Guards’ Camp (1893-1926) while its outer court was demolished to give more space to Sanam Luang.

“Wang Na is not a dead site like the historic cities of Sukhothai and Ayutthaya but integrates the layers of historical context between the old and the modern. Many buildings have been renovated and changed their functions from time to time. The history of Wang Na was also complicated because after the death of a viceroy, the King might not bestow the new occupant immediately. In some cases, this title was vacant for 10 to 20 years,” said Sirikitiya who is an official at the Office of Architecture, Fine Arts Department.

The historical bodies of the Front Palace were reinterpreted into visual language for the digitally engaging exhibition “The Architectural Ensemble of Wang Na” at BACC last month.

To recall the past and recreate old feelings but without force-feeding the information, Sirikitiya assimilated and reinterpreted the historical and textual collection based on the Office of Architecture’s project “The Study of the Front Palace (Wang Na): A Digital Revitalisation of the Palace’s Past”. The interactive exhibition, which wrapped last month, used Google maps, 3D models, maps and moving images on double screens to attract the attention of the young generation.

Sirikitiya also partnered with the website The Standard (thestandrad.co) to run a series on different aspects of the Front Palace as a digital handbook for interested persons. The information, rare pictures and old maps gathered for the project will be uploaded to the project’s website (WangNaProject.space) and will be open for consultation next month. The complete, full-scale version of the project will also be displayed at Issaravinitchai Throne Hall of the National Museum Bangkok in December.

Sirikitiya leads a walking tour to discover the architectural wonders that once formed part of the Front Palace.

For the walking tour, Sirikitiya was joined by noted art historian Santi Leksukhum, Fine Arts Department’s landscape architect Pornthum Thumwimol and Chulalongkorn University’s architecture lecturer Pirasri Povatong to provide different dimensions of the palace to the 70 participants. The pilot route covering Thammasat University, the National Museum Bangkok and the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute is easy to follow and should become popular with history buffs.

Thammasat University

The trip started at Thammasat University’s Tha Phra Chan campus, once part of the palace’s inner zone. At the riverside canteen of the Economics Faculty, visitors can still see the ruins of the base of the city walls built in the reign of King Rama I and which were unearthed in 1997.

Ruins of the city walls 

“The city walls were made of bricks transported from the dismantled Ayutthaya Kingdom. They measured 5.40-metres wide and 2.5-metres high and stretched along the Chao Phrya River. As suggested by its title, Wang Na was situated at the north of the Grand Palace, opposite the mouth of Bangkok Noi Canal and near the city moat. Due to the strategic location, it served as a protector because Burmese invaders usually came from the north,” Pornthum explained. “Wang Na and the Grand Palace were almost equal in size.”

The iconic Dome Building of Thammasat University was built by connecting the military buildings.

The university’s iconic building the Dome was constructed by connecting two military buildings built in the reign of King Rama VI when this area of the Front Palace was turned into the Royal Guards’ Camp. The wall of the university along Phra Chan Road is the only remaining section of the Front Palace’s wall.

The wall of Thammasat University along Phra Chan Road is the only remaining section of the Front Palace’s wall. 

The northern part of Sanam Luang, opposite the university’s auditorium, was formerly part of the Front Palace and it used to house the Phlup Phla Soong (High Pavilion), which King Rama IV ordered to be built in honour of his younger brother King Pinklao, who was dubbed the second King of Siam, so he could observe and inspect military training.

A rare photo of the Phlup Phla Soong was found a few years ago and the Fine Arts Department’s architects translated its structure to a digital format to reveal all its aspects.

A rare photo shows Phlup Phla Soong located at the Front Palace’s eastern wall, which is today the northern part of Sanam Luang. 

A map designed by Kritthapat Cheuntrakul displays the Rattanakosin Island with the former territory of the Front Palace marked in white grid and the site of Phlup Phla Soong highlighted in white .

National Museum Bangkok

The surviving structures of the Front Palace that can still be seen today are mainly located within the site of the National Museum Bangkok, next to Thammasat University. The Buddhaisawan Throne Hall built in 1787 is the most significant building, as it enshrined the scared Phra Buddha Sihing brought from Chiang Mai by Krom Phra Rajawang Bovorn Maha Surasinghanat, the first viceroy of Siam.

The Buddhaisawan Throne Hall in the compound of the National Museum Bangkok houses Phra Buddha Sihing and its murals reflect the characteristic styles of artisans in the third reign.

“The mural in the Buddhaisawan Throne Hall was also a rare gem, evoking the exquisite skills of the artisans in the reigns of Kings Rama I and III,” noted art historian Santi. “The upper parts of the murals depict the gathering of deities while the bottom features the Lord Buddha’s life. The murals painted by artists of King Rama I were created in light hues while the parts created by the artisans of King Rama III were truly delicate in dark palettes of green and reddish-orange.”

The now-demolished Kotchakam Pawet Pavilion was the one and only building in the Front Palace that was built with a prasat-style roof – a style traditionally reserved for the monarchy. 

In front of the Buddhaisawan Throne Hall was the former Kotchakam Pawet Pavilion, which was similar in style to Aphorn Phimok Prasat in the Grand Palace. The prasat-style (tier-spire roof) buildings and the exquisite decoration with gold and glass mosaic were traditionally reserved only for the monarchy and the Kotchakam Pawet Pavilion was the only building in the Front Palace to be built with a prasat-style roof.

King Rama IV constructed this building for his brother King Pinklao as a symbol of equal honour to himself. The wooden pavilion fell into disrepair over the years and all that remains today is the concrete platform once used to climb on elephant back.

The two-storey, Western-style Issaresrajanusorn Throne Hall in the compound of the National Museum Bangkok was formerly the residence of King Pinklao, who was dubbed the second King of Siam during the reign of King Rama IV.

The museum’s compound also houses the two-storey, Western-style Issaresrajanusorn Throne Hall – the residence of King Pinklao. The building has a gable decorated with King Pinklao’s royal emblem – a hairpin surrounded by leaf motifs. The ground floor served as the dwelling place of his servants while the upper floor was sectioned into five rooms for his living quarters –dining, reception, dressing, bedroom and library.

Wat Bovornsatharnsuthavart

Like Wat Phra Kaew (the Temple of the Emerald Budha) in the Grand Palace, Wat Bovornsatharnsuthavart – also known as Wat Phra Kaew of Wang Na – has no resident monks nor living quarters. There is only an ubosot-style building (ordination hall) that was built by Krom Phra Rajawang Bovorn Maha Sakdipolsep, the viceroy of King Rama III, but he died in 1832 before its completion. Nearly 20 years later in the reign of King Rama IV, the second monarch King Pinklao had the temple restored.

Wat Bovornsatharnsuthavart, known as Wat Phra Kaew of Wang Na and now in the compound of the Bunditpatanasilpa Institute, boasts the stunning murals painted by artisans in the reign of King Rama IV that depict the legend of the scared Phra Buddha Sihing.

“This hall was built on the higher land of Wang Na – a strategic location overlooking the Chao Phraya River. The structural plan was done in a cross pattern that I have never seen in any ubosot built during the reigns of King Rama I to Rama IV. While most Thai temples mark out sacred ground for the boundary of the ubosot with eight small sema stones, Wat Phra Kaew of Wang Na has none. I can only assume that this building was not built as an ubosot,” Santi told participants.

Oral history would indicate that Krom Phra Rajawang Bovorn Maha Sakdipolsep intended to construct this building with a prasat-style roof but was warned against it by King Rama III, who said it would be inappropriate.

“Take a look at the roof structure, you can see that it was designed to support the prasat-style roof,” Santi continued.

“In the reign of King Rama V, this building was used as Phra Meru Bhimarn (the Royal Crematorium) for Prince Maha Vajirunhis, Siam’s first Crown Prince, rather than building a temporary crematorium that would later be taken apart,” added Pirasri.

The hall’s main standing Buddha image was built by the viceroy of King Rama III. The murals depicting the legend of Phra Buddha Sihing are still in fine condition and show off the characteristic styles of artisans in the fourth reign. King Pinklao wished to relocate Phra Buddha Sihing from the Buddhaisawan Throne Hall to here but passed away before he could do this.

“The painting style was inspired by the Western technique of perspective to create an illusion of space and distance on a two-dimensional surface by playing with the dark and light palettes. To depict the legend of Phra Buddha Sihing that was assumed to have been built in Sri Lanka, the artisans used landscape images of foreign countries as the basis for the painting of the Western-style buildings.”

There are 700,000 free tickets available for both domestic and international flights, though taxes and fees may apply.

Fly from Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi International Airport to Krabi, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Hai Phong or Da Lat. You can also go from Chiang Mai or Phuket to Ho Chi Minh City.

The airline is also giving away tickets on other routes, such as Vietnam to Hong Kong, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur, Yangon, Phnom Penh and Siem Reap, Osaka in Japan, Seoul, Busan and Daegu in South Korea, Kaohsiung, Taipei, Taichung and Tainan in Taiwan, between August 14 and December 31.

The travel period for Nha Trang-Siem Reap starts on September 21. The Hanoi-Osaka route will have daily return flights starting on November 8.

The promotional tickets are available on all sales channels from noon to 2pm Thai time every day. Go to http://www.VietJetAir.com (https://m.VietJetAir.com on a smartphone) or http://www.Facebook.com/vietjetvietnam (click the “Booking” tab).