Recognised for its innovative approach to wellness while providing a sanctuary for the mind, body and spirit, its new spa at the Park Hyatt Bangkok was bestowed the New Spa of the Year Award.

Established in 2005, the Annual AsiaSpa Awards recognise the leaders in Asia’s dynamic spa and wellness industry. Recently held at the Kerry Hotel Hong Kong, the award ceremony saw 26 spas, hotels and resorts, retreats, personalities and products honoured for their achievements in high-quality standards and innovation. The judging panel consists of health experts, spa gurus, well-being writers and personalities, chosen for their independent opinions and wide-ranging experience.

Opened in May this year, Panpuri Organic Spa at Park Hyatt Bangkok introduces a world of ultimate indulgence on Park Hyatt Bangkok’s 10th floor, With state-of-the-art facilities and personalised services, the 472-square meter urban escape offers guests a suite of distinctive treatments in eight treatment rooms, including two double suites, tastefully adorned to evoke utmost relaxation.

The spa introduces ultimate luxury, comfort, peace of mind, and personalisation.

Guests are transported into a cocoon of private pampering, treated with utmost attention and care from the moment they enter the spa until their departure.

With its motto, “Everything that touches you is organic”, its range of bathrobes, towels, sheets, fresh fruits and refreshments are carefully selected for their organic properties while each luxurious treatment is underscored by the finest natural and organic Panpuri products since its establishment in 2003, that contain hypo-allergenic, natural plant-based ingredients.

Providing a personal spa experience, the double suites afford couples, friends or families an opportunity to retreat in privacy.

Facilities include female and male only lockers, crystal-steam rooms, laconium dry-heat rooms and whirlpools. Also located within the sanctuary of the spa are “experience showers” that combine relaxing acoustics and rejuvenating aromas.

The modern interior features natural wood and marble with an individually hand-sculpted lotus flower taking centre stage in the treatment rooms. Celebrating intricate craftsmanship and symbolising purity, the lotus flower further adds a touch of serenity in each room.

The spa introduces personalized and tailored sensory experiences to suit guests’ preferences and needs. Each unique space in the Spa provides a context for personalised treatments – which may be customised and administered according to type of massages, specific body areas and massage oils.

For more information, visit http://www.Panpuri.com.

The playful comic characters flowing from the pen of graphic designer Seatapron “Bell” Korwanichakul, aka Painterbell, will be adding an extra sparkle to the colourful lights, ornaments, ribbons and bows decorating the six-metre tall Peninsula Plaza Christmas tree and Painterbell himself will be on hand to sketch some quick portraits. There’ll also be shows and live music from Panyarisa “Waii” Thienprasiddhi, jazz vocalist Buntita “Natt” Prachamorn from “The Voice Thailand Season 3” and Darancharas “Data” Sukheviriya from Channel 7.

The bag is crafted in modern glove-tanned cowhide with an iconic turnlock and a chain strap woven through with a slender ribbon of leather and embellished with intricate embroidery, rivets, faux pearls and pyramid studs all on a cool cluster of die-cut flowers

Birkin in the bag

Rebecca Minkoff introduces a new Holiday and Resort collection inspired by actress Jane Birkin’s living embodiment of elegant nonchalance and her fearless, yet feminine allure. Denim balances ’70s floral while Breton stripes give a nautical nod. Studded leather jackets casually drape over anything. And there’s fluidity and structure in all the right places. Handbags come with statement details like studded top-handles and vintage-inspired metal accents to dress up quiet moments.

Wonder for the wrist

Inspired by a strong and unmistakable signature, the Heure H, created in 1996 under the creative impetus of the designer Philippe Mouquet, the new Heure H is a style that does not follow convention. Its case epitomises a bold and joyful sense of companionship. And now, its capital H is filled with black or white lacquer. Its dial, varnished in black or white, has also been treated with lacquer, in this instance translucent so as to better reveal the pigments it protects. The strap colours, eight in all, alternate the depth of black or white with the vibrancy of red, orange, yellow, blue. The watch comes with an interchangeable strap to suit the wearer’s mood and is available in two versions: the Simple Tour (once- round) and the Double Tour (twice round) – a Hermes emblem invented by Martin Margiela. The lacquered Heure H is available in two sizes: medium and small.

Boots in bloom

Countdown to Christmas Day at Boots Thailand with a wide range of special gift collections. Among them is the Laura Ashley Royal Bloom Advent Calendar (Bt1,590) that comes with 24 mini-sized products from several categories hidden in a little drawer for you to open every day. And after the festivities are over, the box can also be used to store accessories. Other premium and affordable gift sets include the Soap and Glory Glow-Ball (Bt890). See more at Boots stores from now until January 24 or while stocks last.

She’ll again by accompanied by the Randy Cannon Group featuring pianist Randy, drummer Willard Dyson, and leading bass players Therdsak Wongvichien and Alex Sergeenko.

Harrisons’ repertoire is deeply influenced by the soul music of her formative years in Harlem and the gospel music she sang as a child in church. Regarded as one of New York City’s finest jazz vocalists, she still draws deeply on her soul roots of Marvin Gaye, Bill Withers, Sly Stone, and Johnny Hartman.

With her burnished, soulful alto voice, striking beauty and distinctive blend of jazz, classic ’70s soul, and her own compositions, she is a fixture on the New York jazz scene and has performed with luminaries such as Roy Hargrove, Dr Lonnie Smith, Johnny O’Neal and Grady Tate. She also opened for Cassandra Wilson at the Charlie Parker Jazz Festival.

In Bangkok, Harrisons will also perform at the Christmas Eve Grande Jazz Dinner Buffet at Rossini’s and The Living Room on Sunday December 24 and at the adults-only New Year’s Eve Jazz Countdown Party at The Living Room on December 31.

Advance reservation is highly recommended to ensure entry to this unforgettable evening at Bangkok’s premier live jazz venue.

Admission fee is Bt300 per person. Guests spending Bt1,000 at any of the hotel’s dining venues will have the fee waived.

Find out more at (02) 649 8353 or email dining.sgs@luxurycollection.com.

There are two back-to-back events in Bangkok today marking a highly anticipated milestone in Thailand’s gastronomic history, when the country’s first-ever MICHELIN stars are announced and awarded to select restaurants and chefs in the Thai capital.

In the afternoon, a press conference will be held at the Grand Hyatt Erawan Bangkok to mark the debut of MICHELIN Guide Bangkok 2018 and to announce the restaurants that will receive MICHELIN stars in the presence of the winning chefs.

Later in the evening, a gala dinner will be held at Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok to celebrate the MICHELIN-starred restaurants and present the chefs with their prestigious MICHELIN Star Jackets.

During the gala event, a six-course dinner will be prepared by famous chefs from MICHELIN-starred restaurants around the world and local talents to celebrate the inspirational journey of Thai gastronomy from ancient cooking techniques and long-forgotten recipes to modern sways.

“Since it first launched in 1900 to guide travellers on their journey, the Red Guide has come full circle and it now acts as a driver for culinary travel worldwide. Bangkok boasts an eclectic culinary scene that is both traditional and contemporary, and as local as it is global. We are delighted to help cement Thailand’s reputation as a major culinary destination,” said Segsarn Trai-Ukos, Country Director – Thailand, Michelin Siam.

The winner announcement and awards will be presented by Mr. Michael Ellis, International Director, MICHELIN Guides.

The gala dinner to celebrate the MICHELIN-starred restaurants and chefs will be streamed and broadcast live from Siam Kempinski Hotel from 7:30 p.m. on MICHELIN Guide Thailand’s official Facebook page.

The MICHELIN guide selects the best restaurants and hotels in the 28 countries it covers. Providing a showcase of gourmet dining around the world, it highlights the culinary dynamism of a country, as well as new trends and emerging young chefs. Creating value for restaurants through the distinctions that it attributes each year, the MICHELIN guide contributes to the prestige of the local gastronomy, thereby making cities and countries more attractive to tourists.  Backed by its rigorous selection method and longstanding knowledge of the hospitality industry, the MICHELIN guide provides customers with unique expertise that enables it to offer them a true quality service.

The different selections are available in both print and digital versions. They are accessible via the Web and on a full range of mobile media that offer navigation capabilities adapted to individual usage as well as an on-line booking service.

With the MICHELIN guide, the Group continues to support millions of travelers, allowing them to live a unique mobility experience.

Father’s Day, birthday of His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej, is a good time to consider the way global business innovators and marketing strategists are interested in building brands that give the world more sustainable economies.

It was a concept championed by the late monarch, who applied his philosophy of a “sufficiency economy” to the 4,000 Royal Projects initiated in his name.

The third “Sustainable Brands Bangkok” seminar last week had as its theme “Redefining the Good Life”. On the first of its two days, Khunying Puangroi Diskul Na Ayudhaya, deputy secretary general of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation under the patronage of Her Royal Highness the late Princess Mother, spoke about “The Good Life according to Thai Royal Wisdom”.

She recalled how the Princess Mother initiated the Doi Tung projects to address chronic illness and poverty among the rural population. “Doi Tung is located in the heart of the Golden Triangle, which used to be a hub for growing opium, and more than 26 hilltribes were involved,” Puangroi said. “Their lives were hopeless.

“Somdej Ya believed that no one sets out to be a bad person, but instead simply never gets the chance to do good. So she initiated projects that allowed people to help themselves and to live more harmoniously with the environment, which is at the heart of sustainability.

“His Majesty King Bhumibol identified the ‘3 S Model’ – Survival, Sufficiency and Sustainability – to raise people’s quality of life. He said people needed to have a sense of ownership before they would be interested in solving a problem at its roots. The forest in those areas was improved and the area even began attracting tourists.”

Khunying Puangroi noted that the United Nations adapted the late King’s ideas into its 15-year global development strategy. “The Mae Fah Luang Foundation is responding to the UN goal of sustainable development in accordance with the wishes of King Bhumibol and the Princess Mother.”

In an address on “How Food Can Sustain Life”, Pipatpong Israsena Na Ayudhya, managing director of Doi Kham, defined “good food” as “anything that has health benefits for the consumer”.

Doi Kham is an experimental farm initiated by King Bhumibol to develop alternative crops for the hilltribes. Its processing plants near the plantations ensure freshness in raw materials and tastier produce.

“His Majesty wished to develop social and environmental entrepreneurship and improve the quality of life of farmers and consumers on a fair basis,” Pipatpong said. “So the emphasis is on sustainable development. After more than 40 years of business, Doi Kham remains determined to continuously innovate and develop international-standard products for sale at reasonable prices.

“Since we are a small-scale company in the food industry, we’re able to operate differently. We know that if everything remains sustainable, we will succeed. If not, no matter how much profit we earn, it would never be enough.”

INSPIRATIONAL speaker Thomas Kolster, another featured guest at the seminar, likes to play with words. He talks about the power of advertising in making people cry or buy, and says marketing is from Mars while sustainability is from Venus.

The author of “Goodvertising”, one of the most comprehensive books to date about the world-bettering power of advertising, Kolster examines the responsibility of advertising and why its role must change.

“My mission is to change brands, to help them focus and play a much bigger role in social contributions. However, so often it is difficult to get that story right. When people talk about a ‘good life’, usually they are already living a good life. They are preserving nature resources already, they’re perhaps even growing the food they eat today. So can sustainability become simpler? For instance, why are food labels so difficult to read? The goal is to make it simple. Wouldn’t it be great if McDonalds said ‘One burger is equal to one hour exercise’. That’s something everyone can understand. So making communication exciting is important.”

Kolster expounded further on this theme in a sit-down interview with The Nation. Excerpts:

TODAY WE ARE TALKING ABOUT ADVERTISING AND SUSTAINABILITY, HOW DO YOU BALANCE THEM?

My background is in advertising and I became very frustrated with the development of the ad industry. It was out of touch with the real world. Sustainability is complex but marketing needs to be simple and emotional. It needs to move you. There is no obvious solution other than to bridge the complex and simple, the rational and the emotional, and measurement versus excitement. Brands are not good enough at creating those bridges. So things had to change.

IS THE TREND OF BRINGING SUSTAINABILITY IN ADVERTISING AIMED AT ATTRACTING

CONSUMER ATTENTION?

Definitely, marketing must do more than just promote brands. Future success depends on how these brands behave across the whole marketing mix. I think the next evolution is going to be sustainable transformation. There are five mega trends that that shaping how brands behave today, namely climate change, resources, urbanisation, population growth and economic change. And some brands are already looking at marketing in the much more holistic way. For example, Phillips no longer sells light bulbs, it sells lighting as a service. Car companies too have moved from selling cars to selling mobility in getting from A to B.

But agencies and clients are still telling us what we need rather than showing us the way to a sustainably abundant future. Agencies should be better at adapting but they still stick to the old styles and stories that have been already been told. That’s the challenge.

CAN CONSUMERS DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE COMPANIES WITH CSR PROJECTS AND THE BRANDS ACTIVELY IMPLEMENTING SUSTAINABLE SOLUTIONS?

I think people are much cleverer than we give them credit for. We can see through what some of the brands are doing. I don’t know to what extent the “Paradise Papers” have been covered in Thailand, but the leaks have obviously damaged brands and led the public to question how supposedly secure companies can be breached. Brands we once thought we could trust have seen that trust eroded. On the other side of the coin, social entrepreneurs are focusing on sustainability and in many cases, practising purpose-driven marketing.

WHICH INDUSTRY YOU THINK FACES THE GREATEST CHALLENGES?

The obvious one would be energy. Everything starts with energy and when you transform the energy system, you change all the surrounding systems. Construction is another challenging industry and developers have to showcase sustainability and energy efficiency in their advertising. Unfortunately, some of energy industry still seems to be in denial.

HOW ABOUT FASHION?

Fashion is a tough one. One of the really important points here is that it is not the responsibility of the company alone. This is a two-ways street. As individuals, we are just way too wasteful, so pointing fingers at the fashion industry is the wrong approach. Sustainability is really between you and I. It’s about changing how we behave and changing how we buy clothes. The same applies to ‘fast furniture’. And that’s why advertising is at the heart of this. If we don’t get better ads that understand and promote responsible consumption. I don’t think we are going to succeed.

HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE A “GOOD LIFE”?

It’s a philosophy that I’ve lived with for quite some time. It’s about pursuing what makes me happy. Because too often you get caught up in convention and you are never challenged. Good life is about daring to aim for what you want at the personal level. It’s about maximising happiness and minimising resources usage. King Rama IX’s sufficiency philosophy is inspiring. In terms of responsible consumption, the company can only do so much, we as individuals also need to think about it.

MAKING DO WITH LESS

•   Organised by SustainableBrands.com, the “Sustainable Brands 2017” seminar aimed to show how innovation can change the shape of business, and with it, the world.
•  Guest speakers included Khunying Puangroi Diskul Na Ayudhaya of the Mae Fah Luang Foundation, Pitpatpong Israsena Na Ayudhaya, chief executive oof Doi Kham,Yuthasak Supasorn, and Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, Auttapol Rerkpiboon of PTT Group.
•  Research conducted in June and July sampled 2,000 people aged between 15 and 65 and revealed that Thai people define “the good life” as happiness both inside and out. Thirty-seven per cent said good health was the most important, followed by a simple life (28 per cent), successful career path (22 per cent), family (21 per cent), own house (21 per cent) , and balanced life (19 per cent). Yet 68 per cent were unable to name products or services that responded to their good life, and 87 per cent pointed out that that they have power over manufacturers and can influence the production of goods and services.
•  For more information, visit http://www.SustainableBrandsbkk.com or Facebook.com/ sustainablebrandsbkk.

AS A GROWING number of people around the world learn simplified Chinese instead of the more complicated traditional characters, young creative types in Taiwan are fighting to promote what they fear will become a dying art.

Introduced by the Chinese Communist Party in the 1950s to boost literacy, the simplified version of the script uses fewer strokes and is now the predominant writing system on the mainland.

Foreigners learning Chinese also tend to be taught the simplified characters, used in official documents by international organisations including the United Nations.

Even in Taiwan, where most people still use traditional characters, there is a growing tendency to opt for the more convenient simplified script. And with an increasing number of the island’s young people pursuing higher education and careers on the mainland, the influence of the simplified system is expanding.

Steve Tsai of Zihun introduces his app during an interview in Taipei. /AFP

Creators of a new Taiwanese app game called Zihun hope to help stem the tide. Players assume the identities of literary figures from ancient China and compete on speed and accuracy in writing traditional characters.

From filling in the blanks to “word solitaire” – using the last word of a phrase to create a new one – or matching simplified characters with their traditional version, players write the answers on their phone screens with their fingers or touch pens.

“We see Taiwan as the sole place to pass on traditional Chinese characters,” says Kevin Ruan, chief executive of tech firm Whale Party, which developed the app with Soochow University.

“We hope the app reflects the cultural implications of the script.”

Predictive and voice-activated messaging on phones is one of the reasons traditional characters are under threat, he adds, but says the initial reaction to the app has been encouraging – more than 5,000 people downloaded a trial version ahead of the official launch this month.

A phone displays traditional characters./AFP

Traditional Chinese script is a mixture of pictograph characters that represent objects and ideographs that depict ideas or concepts.

Different or the same characters can form a compound word – the word “forest” consists of three “wood” characters, for example.

There are rules to the formation of most characters, but learning to write them depends heavily on memorisation.

Critics say the simplified characters lose some of the meaning of the traditional versions. One commonly cited example is the character “love”, which contains the word “heart” in the traditional form but not in the simplified version.

“Traditional characters have allusions and meanings behind them and they reflect the imagination of ancient people. It’s a big loss that such elements are taken out,” says Jung Jeng-dau, head of the Chinese-language department at Soochow University in Taipei.

The use of simplified or traditional Chinese has also become politically loaded in recent years.

In semi-autonomous Hong Kong, where traditional characters still dominate, some see the promotion of the simplified version as symbolic of an assertive China as it tightens its grip on the city.

There are similar sentiments in Taiwan, which China still sees as part of its territory to be brought back into the fold. But for many, the bottom line is pragmatism.

Young Taiwanese design duo Wang Man-lin and Wang Chieh-ying hope their latest invention will make traditional characters easier to learn and fun to use.

Their craft business Lai zi na li, which translates as “where is the origin of words?”, promotes the complex script and a new set of six stamps, embossed with lines and strokes, can together create all traditional Chinese words.

Many customers are Chinese-language teachers or handicraft fans who like using the stamps to write greeting cards or postcards, Wang Man-lin explains.

“Traditional Chinese is considered the most beautiful writing system in the world,” she says.

“We want to offer another way to learn it because writing traditional characters by hand is really difficult for non-native people.”

The stamp set has been available for online pre-ordering since September and sales are more than 10 times their original estimate, says Wang, including orders from China, Malaysia and Canada.

Lin Chen-ling, 40, was among the crowd trying out the stamps at an educational fair in Taipei last month and said the set would make the process of learning traditional characters “more interesting and interactive” for her four-year-old son.

Some young Taiwanese at the fair also pledged to persevere with traditional script. “I never write simplified characters because traditional characters look prettier and more cultured,” said 17-year-old student Chang Yao-shui. “I hope they won’t vanish in future.”

It is the first baan & BEYOND outlet in the city and follows on the heels of stores in Chiang Mai and Khon Kaen. The store brings together all home decor and improvement products under one roof and target residents of Pattaya, Bang Lamung, Bang Saray, and Sattahip.

The launch of new store in Pattaya is part of the economic growth in eastern provinces, comprising Chon Buri, Rayong, and Trat, driven by the development of Eastern Economic Corridor initiated by the public and private sector.

“baan & BEYOND is located in a prime industrial location surrounded by growing businesses, residential and other real estate projects, shopping malls and retail shops, hotels and tourism destinations. With these favourable factors, we believe that the retail business for home products in Pattaya has major growth potential in the future,” said CEO Suthisarn Chirathivat

“We have improved our choice of merchandise and developed our product display methods, offerings customers easier decision making and a chance to mix and match home decor products.”

Products include fittings for bathrooms, kitchens and the bedroom, tiles, wallpaper and home spas. A 3-D service is also available.

To celebrate the opening, the company is offering special discounts of up to 70 per cent. Customers paying by credit card will also benefit from top-up discounts of up to 40 per cent. Until December 27 shoppers receive a cash coupon of Bt1,000 for any purchase of Bt10,000 and The One Card’s members will be able to redeem 600 points for Bt100 cash. Those who pay with the Central The One credit card will receive a return on money credit of up to Bt28,000.

Filled with fairy lights and the Mood Wall, from which guests can choose mood pins as souvenirs, the event sees Santa leading colourful parades to entertain the crowds. Featuring more than 120 booths of local vendors, the fair features a Market zone packed with popular restaurants and food truck as well as a variety of fashion outfits, health goods, antique and home decorative items.

The Santa Factory zone is designed to resemble Santa’s toy factory, where young visitors can play games to win wonderful prizes presented by Bangkok Bank. Under the theme Winter Forest, the Zoolumination space mimics an arctic forest where visitors will be greeted with aurora borealis and animals.

At the Playground corner, children and families will enjoy a variety of playthings that are guaranteed to bring laughter and stimulate imagination in children. There’s also the “Dog Pavilion zone, filled with stalls designed for pet lovers and several stations for dog training sessions.

Visitors can enrol in handcraft classes at the Workshop Spaces and chill out at the Music & Show, where famous artists such as Film Bongkot and the Sqweez Animal Band will take stage on December 16 and Lipta and the Season Five Band will perform on December 17.

The fair runs from 4 to 10pm on both days and a shuttle bus service is available between Onnut BTS Station and T77, leaving from under the pedestrian bridge for BTS Exit 2.

Find out more at http://www.T77community.com.

THE FRUITS have begun to ripen in a Chinese-Thai family’s efforts to revitalise Bangkok’s historic Huo Chuan Laung pier, once a hub of commerce but forgotten for most of a century.

Lhong 1919 – as the new mixed-use development is called – opened last month and continues to draw fresh tenants as well as hordes of customers and the curious.

Huo Chuan Laung, on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River, was where Chinese traders began docking their steamboats laden with goods back in 1850, after Siam opened up to overseas merchants. Today it’s a shuttle boat tying up to the pier to collect and discharge tourists, shoppers and diners.

The buildings of Lhong 1919 are arranged in the traditional Chinese style known as San He Yuan, forming a semicircle around a large courtyard. 

The Wanglee family, which has long owned the property, has lovingly restored the dock area, which includes three attached, two-storey former warehouses arranged in a semicircle facing the river and a shrine to the Chinese sea goddesss Mazu.

The old storage facilities that once held mountains of goods from Singapore, Hong Kong and the Chinese mainland now house restaurants and cafes, arts-and-crafts shops and an events hall.

Rujiraporn Wanglee, founder of interior-design firm PIA, which oversaw the site’s redevelopment, sought to preserve as much authenticity as possible. Teak fittings were repaired with wood from other sections of the buildings. Where moss was growing on the exterior walls, it was left alone.

The historical pier, shrine and warehouses on the Thonburi side of the Chao Phraya River have been restored to their original glory.

“It was the right time to wake the place up from its long sleep,” says Rujiraporn. “The traditional parts represent valuable heritage that should be preserved.”

Phraya Phisansuppaphol built Huo Chuan Laung – the name simply means “steamer pier” – in 1850 for the city’s Chinese community. European and Japanese merchants had their own piers elsewhere, as did the Siamese royal family.

The old warehouses are stocked once more with goods, this time with appealing arts and crafts.

The advent of the Port Authority of Thailand greatly reduced traffic at Huo Chuan Laung, and in 1919 Tun Lip Buey – a Wanglee family forebear – bought the site for storing the clan’s agricultural produce. There were also living quarters for the employees and other labourers.

The renovated  Mazu shrine

The Mazu shrine gave Chinese merchants and immigrants a spiritual anchor in Bangkok. The wooden statue of the goddess, known to Thais as Chao Mae Tubtim, can still be revered on the second floor of the main central edifice.

“I used to come here years ago when the buildings were still in a bad state,” says a Thai-Chinese visitor. “I came to worship Chao Mae Tubtim as a goddess of the sea because I have a water element in my zodiac birth sign. I’m really delighted to see the shrine and the buildings so carefully restored.”

Ceramics shop Poungphet by BPC is the first retail outlet for a Lampang manufacturer.

Crafts shops ringing the ground floor of the conjoined former warehouses include Poungphet by BPC, which sells hand-made ceramic tableware and decorative items made by Poungphet Aungsuthorn. It’s the only retail outlet for BPC Ceramics, which has a factory in Lampang and makes pieces for international brands such as Habitat.

Brand manager Thidarat Pakchanakorn, Poungphet’s niece, says firing at high temperature makes the ceramics extra durable, and they have textures and colours that invoke Mother Earth.

“I also run a film-production house and used to visit Lhong when I was scouting for locations,” she says. “The buildings were in bad condition, but I loved the Chinese-style architecture, which is so rarely seen these days.

“When the site was fully restored and I found out there was space for an art shop, I didn’t hesitate to rent an area to sell my aunt’s ceramics.”

Room5D offers a wide variety artsy items created by a collective of designers plus a painter.

In Room5D next door, a painter and fashion, interior and product designers are showing what they’ve created in apparel, jewellery, home decor, furniture and artwork.

Pravit Sawadviphachai, the clothing guy in the crowd, has glittering evening dresses in metallic spandex and silk satin, handbags woven from paper fibres and cotton thread, and outlandish costume jewellery made of beads, silver, crystals and precious stones. Everything is one of a kind.

“This old building, with its unpainted brick walls and cracks here and there, is a great place to show my luxurious dresses and jewellery,” he says. “It makes for a wonderful contrast – and it makes my pieces that much more beautiful!”

Mine Crafteria sells leather accessories and hosts workshops in the craft.

Mine Crafteria is Ussana Sintanawewong’s first shop selling her leather handbags, totes, shoulder bags and wallets, all rendered in premium calf and sheepskin. She also conducts workshops where you can learn to make your own passport holder (for a Bt900 fee that covers all materials) or a nametag (Bt700).

“I’ve been a freelancer for years, but this is my first venture into retail,” says the Silpakorn University graduate. “What I’m offering at the moment will appeal to people 30 years old or more, but the next collection will target the younger generation with embroidered canvas bags.”

Silver pieces adorned with gemstones are available for both men and women at Nine Accessories.

At Nine Accessories, Anut Wattanaruj – who lost his salaried job in the economic crisis 20 years ago and switched to crafting jewellery, has great silver-gemstone accessories, particularly rings, for both men and women.

“I opened a small kiosk just two months after I lost my job in 1997 and my silver pieces for men sold very well among foreigners,” he says.

He also has shops at creative space ChangChui and at Siam Discovery, all venues also offering the accessories for women created by his daughter Kotchakorn, who learned the trade at Bangkok’s Golden Jubilee Royal Goldsmith College.

“Lots of people these days have good taste and can mix and match items,” Anut says. “They love unconventional designs too, so you should be able to wear any jewellery piece in different ways.”

Rong Si serves Thai classic dishes and seafood.

One of the old warehouses that used to be stocked with rice is now a restaurant called Rong Si (“rice mill”) run by Atchara Burarak, who also owns popular outlets iBeery and Kub Kao Kub Pla.

A chilli dip with crab roe

Rong Si honours its origins by retaining some of the rustic old roof tiles in the interior and rice sacks on the ceiling. It’s a spacious place, with seating for 300, and specialises in Thai cuisine and seafood such as charcoal-grilled river prawns and a chilli dip with crab roe.

Next door is another restaurant, Nai Harng (“big boss”). Pravesvudhi Raiva of the S&P Syndicate chose the name in memory of his late father, business tycoon Suriyont Raiva, whose employees called him that.

Nai Harng is decked out reminiscent of the street stalls in Chinatown.

Inspired by the street-food stalls in Bangkok’s Chinatown, Nai Harng has an open kitchen, signs in glowing red neon, mismatched chairs and tables, and portraits of Suriyont on sheets of corrugated iron. There are scenes of botan blooms too, believed to signify prosperity and happiness.

A five-spice egg with duck thigh and foie gras

The menu at Nai Harng leans to Thai and Chinese dishes and includes a terrific pad thai with crabmeat and five-spice egg with duck thigh and foie gras.

BY LAND OR BY WATER

Lhong 1919 is on Soi Wat Thong Thammachart, off Chiangmai Road and opposite Thonburi Polytechnic College.

The Mazu shrine and arts-and-crafts zone are open daily from 10 to 8. The restaurants stay open until 10.

The free shuttle boat leaves Taksin Pier near the Taksin BTS station every hour every day from 10am to 8pm.  Find out more at (091) 187 1919 and the “Lhong 1919” page on Facebook.