BESIDES ITS natural charms of the sea and surrounding islands, Phuket retains its own unique appeal for those staying ashore, with a rich history, amazing cultural diversity and palate-pleasing food.

Phuket Old Town packs in a lot of history all on its own, with a continuous stretch of more than 140 shophouses, some beautifully restored and many still inhabited.

The venerable commercial centre is lined with impressive Sino-Portuguese architecture. The Portuguese and British left their imprints on the island when they came to mine tin in the 16th century, and the Chinese did the same 200 years later.

Part gallery, part boutique hotel, Woo occupies a century-old Sino-Portuguese shophouse in Phuket Old Town.

Newly opened on Thalang Road is a gallery- boutique hotel called Woo, whose owner spent two years renovating a 130-year-old Sino-Portuguese shophouse, returning it to its original grandeur.

The row house boasts intricate European neo-classical and Renaissance details in its stucco cornices and arched window frames, while the main door and mother-of-pearl-inlaid wooden furniture are beautifully carved in the Chinese manner.

Phuket’s shophouses are normally about five metres wide and extend back some 50 metres. This one, though, is an astounding 106 metres long and seven metres wide and contains a vast collection of antique furniture, watches, record players, typewriters, sewing machines, porcelain and glass-blown containers.

“My grandfather immigrated from Mainland China through Singapore and Penang and finally settled down in Phuket,” says owner Padet Wuthicharn. “He bought this house in 1915 and set up Moh Seng & Co, selling imported watches and household utensils. It kept going until after World War II.”

Padet says his building in 1910 became the second property in Thailand for which a title deed was granted, nine years after King Chulalongkorn (Rama V) set up the Land Department. The first – which received title deed No 1 and is in Bang Pa-in in Ayutthaya province – belonged to the King.

Padet spent Bt15 million to renovate the structure and add a new building at the back, connected to the house with its 12 guestrooms. The old house is now mainly a gallery with a cafe where guests have their breakfast.

Supported by wooden beams, the original house has walls of compressed soil that carried the vertical and lateral loads. Just as striking is a wooden staircase built with mortise-and-tenon joints.

“I reinforced the structure with steel columns and a layer of cement walls set two centimetres from the originals so as not to ruin the original structure,” says Padet.

All of the artefacts on display are from the family collection. A navigator’s antique sextant is seen among typewriters bearing the first Thai font and old fire extinguishers with mounting brackets.

Padet shows a blown-glass epergne imported from England, a type of table centrepiece that was popular gift for Phuket people to present to the newlyweds.

Admission to the Woo museum is Bt100 (Bt200 for foreigners, Bt50 for children and students) and 90-minute guided tours in Thai and English can be arranged.

The restaurant Charm earned a Bib Gourmand in the latest Michelin Guide for its culinary diversity and value for money.

Phuket is esteemed for its tummy treats, the legacy of centuries of cultural mixing. The year-old restaurant Charm on Deebuk Road mingles Chinese and Peranakan cuisine in with its Southern Thai, earning it a Bib Gourmand award in the second Michelin Guide Bangkok, signifying good value for money. Indeed, you pay no more than Bt1,000 for a three-course meal.

Decked out in a century-old Sino-Portuguese shophouse with vintage-style furniture, a notable Chinese feel and beautifully sculpted porcelain dinnerware, Charm is meant to be a place where you feel as though you’re “dining in the home of a wealthy family”.

Mu hong and Kien tod 

That’s the aim of owner Bhuritphat Phucharoen, whose family also runs a seafood restaurant in Phuket.

“Growing up in Old Town I always accompanied my parents when they visited well-to-do families,” he says. “I wanted to revive those memories and at the same time elevate Phuket-style dining to new heights.”

He serves dishes based on family recipes, beginning with Kien tod (Bt220), a local sausage with minced pork and shrimp, crabmeat, taro and turnip seasoned with five-spice powder. It’s steamed, deep-fried and served with a chilli-tamarind dip.

 Gaeng pla tumee 

Mu hong (pork stew, Bt250) is another favourite local dish that originated with the Peranakans – descendants of Chinese settlers who married Siamese – so it’s a mix of Chinese and local spices and ingredients.

“The soy sauce we use comes from Penang and is very flavourful and slightly sweet,” says Bhuritphat. “The pork comes from the forelegs and belly and is simmered for three hours and seasoned with garlic, ginger, cinnamon and star anise.”

The influence of Penang, practically a neighbour of Phuket despite being in Malaysia, is also found in Gaeng pla tumee (sour fish curry, Bt250). The curry paste from Penang is similar to gaeng som but without the turmeric. It’s cooked with seasonal fish and ladyfingers and seasoned with tamarind sauce.

Pla tao iew 

Also worth trying are Pla tao iew (Bt250), which is fried fish fillets topped with seasoned brown sauce and garlic, and Nam chub yum (Bt200) – shrimp paste dip with poached shrimp, sliced shallots and chillies and pungent with kumquat and bigarade orange.

Another Bib Gourmand recipient is Ta Tuay near Sarasin Bridge in Thalang district, a friendly place occupying two houses with corrugated iron roofs, surrounded by a garden with gurgling water.

Homey eatery Ta Tuay, another Bib Gourmand recipient, uses ingredients mostly from its own organic farm.

Nakhon Si Thammarat native Sittichai Khongseejan quit a job in construction and moved to his wife’s hometown to establish a 100-rai organic farm, all of whose produce – including edible flowers – goes into the dishes at Ta Tuay, which they opened 18 years ago.

The menu blends the family recipes of both husband and wife – his southern style and hers Chinese.

“I can tell you where every ingredient comes from, like the seafood from Baan Tha Chat Chai, a Moken fishing community,” says Sittichai. “I think it’s important to know where the food we eat comes from and how it’s grown or produced.”

 Sea-grape-seaweed salad with som tum and Pla insee tod 

He claims his eatery was the first in Phuket to serve sea-grape-seaweed salad with som tum (Bt150). That was seven years ago, after his elder sister, who worked at the Department of Fisheries, told him about this so-called “green caviar”.

“This dish made the name of our eatery well known. The little bubbles popping in the mouth with a sea-fresh, slightly salty taste go well with som tum cooked in the Central style so that it’s somewhat sweet.”

Gaeng som (sour curry, Bt150) with sea bass and bamboo shoots retains the distinctively strong southern flavour and pairs perfectly with Pla insee tod (Bt150), which is three thick fried fillets of spotted mackerel that tone down the curry’s spiciness.

Tom kati bai lin han (Bt120) is a bowl of coconut-milk curry with shrimp, egg yolk and a leafy herb called lin han due to its long stem, which resembles a goose’s tongue.

Tom kati bai lin han

“The Michelin award helped draw more foreign visitors, but it’s also brought the Revenue Department, which frequently visits to inspect our accounts,” Sittichai laughs. “The award is a reminder, though, that we always have to try and do better to meet the expectation of our customers.”

The writer travelled as a guest of Tourism Authority of Thailand’s southern office.

THREE NOT TO BE MISSED

Woo Gallery & Boutique Hotel is on Thalang Road in Muang district. Call (076) 353 719 or visit “@woogalleryhotel” on Facebook.

Charm on Deebuk Road in Muang district is open daily except Wednesday from 11am to 9.30pm. Call (076) 530 199 or visit “charmdeebukphuket” on Facebook.

Ta Tuay near Sarasin Bridge in Thalang district is open daily from 11.30am to 9pm. Call (086) 470 4807.

The Association of Siamese Architects under Royal Patronage and NCC Exhibition Organiser are determined to set that right and be more mindful of the natural environment and sustainable living choices. Their latest effort includes the “Architect ’19” on the theme, “Living Green”, which created an awareness regarding social roles and responsibility among architectural practitioners in solving these pressing environmental problems while urging the changes through design and architecturerelated materials.

The recently held Architect ’19 offered a “green experience” through both the thought-provoking exhibitions and the design of the expo itself. At the expo, the green exhibition structures became a focus of attention. The Paper Tube Pavilion was built of eco-friendly, cost-saving materials and could be reinstalled and recycled while the effective management of the exhibition showcased the best pieces of advice about environmentally conscious practices and solutions to environmental problems.

For instance, the shuttle van service was arranged to reduce the use of personal cars, contributing to less energy consumption. To register for attending the expo, visitors were asked to scan the QR Code and update the programme schedule on their ASA mobile application. The aim was to go paperless with the use of digital technology.

Food at the expo was served in containers that are either reusable or biodegradable. Another attempt to reduce plastic waste was to provide the drinking water refill stations so that visitors could bring their own cup or bottle to avoid single-use bottled water and energy use for waste disposal.

The expo also considered energy efficient air conditioning. By not setting the temperature too low, the power generation capacity from the air conditioning system could be reduced. These small eco-friendly practices employed in every detail of the event helped alleviate the environmental problems.

The exhibitors at the Architect ’19 willingly endorsed this green concept, showcasing green products and innovative technologies while embracing this year’s Expo concept in their booth design.

Architect ’19 also featured wide-ranging highlights, aimed at raising environmental awareness, among them the Green Building Showcase which exhibited green building initiatives from Thai and international designers selected from 21 Arcasia member countries.

Held by the Thai Health Promotion Center, the Zero Waste exhibition revealed customer behaviour and information on waste management. It encouraged individuals to be conscious of trash they make and find ways of reducing and sorting their trash each day. The goal is to decrease CFC gas caused by waste and to reduce the ocean and water source waste. The Innovative Green Product zone, meanwhile, showcased ecofriendly building material innovation.

The exhibition of ASA International Design Competition 2019 this year was dedicated to the theme “Uncanny Sustainability” aiming to seek sustainable, transformative design ideas that can be further developed. Besides, the Expo offered a consultant corner to give advice and share expertise in energy-saving and eco-friendly housing design and construction.

Architect’20 will return next year between April 28 and May 3 on the concept “Heritage”.

For more information, visit http://www.asa.or.th/architectexpo or Facebook: ASA CREW.

Titled “Auspicious Path”, the oversize oeuvre is a colourful representation of the Tribhumi (Three Planes of Existence), the three worlds of karmic cycles and rebirths in the Theravada Buddhist Cosmology. Paintings and sculptures by other well-known local artists dot the public areas and rooms, signalling your arrival in this vibrant city and a luxury boutique hotel that takes art seriously.

137 Pillars Hotels & Resorts properties are known for offering timeless experiences involving music, fashion, art culture and history with a personal guest interaction. Earlier this year the Art Rotation Series was launched, which brings some of the hottest names from the Kingdom’s art world to the hotel through curated exhibitions that rotate every two months.

Now a new creative initiative inspires deeper exploration and more intimate participation in the Bangkok art scene with the newly launched Private Art Tour by 137 Pillars. The tour is the first of its kind in the city and is exclusively curated by Bangkok’s leading art guru Panu “Eddie” Boonpipattanapong for the hotel. It invites guests with a heart for art to dive deeper into the local art scene with special access to locations most travellers never see. Tours are conducted privately for a couple, or up to four persons maximum if joining with friends. The tours are also available for nonhotel guests, subject to availability.

According to the hotel, art is not about trends or fashions, but how we value and interpret each artists’ work and the stories and thoughts behind them. Bangkok’s art scene is a unique multihued palette of the different movements, bouncing from Expressionism to Abstract, Conceptual, Pop Art and much more, that attracts both local as well as renowned artists. The Private Art Tour by 137 Pillars thus opens the door to another fascinating dimension of the city.

From collectors in search of their next masterpiece, newbies wanting to take the plunge, or tourists looking for an invaluable insight into the local art scene, The Private Art Tour by 137 Pillars is suitable for anyone with an interest in the fine arts. A respected columnist and author on the intersection of art, design, film, and popular culture, art guru Eddie accompanies guests on the tour giving them valuable information and insights about the artists and their works. The experience includes private visits to the homes of artists and collectors, galleries, fun workshops at select locations around the city, and a gourmet 137 Pillars picnic basket to enjoy enroute. No tour is the same as each one is specially curated to ensure access to the best of the best on the date of booking.

The private visits to the ateliers and personal meetings with significant art players, in addition Eddie’s unique take on the city’s art scene will not only leave guests wanting more, but also create a lifetime of memories.

The Private Art Tour package includes welcome drink, a twonight stay in a luxury suite, daily breakfast, access to the Baan Borneo Private Club and rooftop infinity pool, halfday Private Art Tour with art guru Eddie, and 137 Pillars butler.

The package is priced from Bt46,500 and is subject to applicable service charge and government taxes. Rates are based on double or twin occupancy with an additional supplement for additional person. A 7day advance booking is required and additional nights are available at best available rate for extended stays.

For nonguests, the tour is priced Bt15,000 per couple, who may also invite friends at an additional cost of Bt1,500 per person when sharing the same transport, with a maximum of four persons per tour.

For more information and reservations, call (02) 079 7000, email: stay@137pillarsbangkok.com, or visit http://www.137pillarsbangok.com and http://www.slh.com/pillarsbangkok.

Running from 11am to 8pm, this year’s fest sees the participation of 120 wellknown shops and restaurants from around the country offering all kinds of popular local delicacies and sweets. Both local and foreign epicureans can enjoy cheftable-style Chinese dishes by Jok Kitchen from Yaowarat, scrumptious pancakes from Crepes of Pa Chuay from Lat Phrao and worththewait drinks by Midnight a Cocoa from Saphan Phut night market.

Top bites from all the regions include the baked goodies from Chiang Mai’s Nana Jungle, steamed buns from Songkhla’s Go Uan, kanom sen nam yoi from Phrae’s Kad Nam Thong Jo Yok. Also answering present is Michelin-starred eatery Methavalai-Sorndangand, which is bringing its popular beef stew.

Street food highlights include deep-fried dough stick from Patonggo Savoey of Yaowarat, seafood treats by Elvis Suki and chicken stirfried noodles from Kua Gai Suan Mali Nai Hong.

Find out more by calling 1672.

Based on the concept “Asian Lifestyle Journey”, the event saw more than 1,100 runners, among them celebrities Chompoonuch “Jeab” Piyatamchai and Pongsiree “Pookhai” Bunluewong, arriving in the early morning at Mahaprutharam Girls’ School before making a start on the KM part at 5am. This was divided into the L Run over a 10-kilometre distance and a 6-kilometre M Run, which kicked off 20 minutes later.

Runners, who hailed from several countries including Vietnam, Japan, Malaysia, England, Belgium, and the United States, made their way through Bangkok’s old town, passing such tourist attractions as Talad Noi, the Odeon Roundabout, home to Royal Jubilee Gate and a Chinatown landmark on Yaowarat Road, Wat Traimit Wittayaram Worawiharn, home to the world’s largest solid gold Buddha image, the General Post Office in Bang Rak, and Bangkok Railway Station, aka Hua Lamphong Railway Station, which opened in 1916.

Some walked or jogged while others ran and the winners of the 10km leg were eventually named as Assoc Prof Paitoon Rashatasakhon, who works at the Department of Chemistry, Chulalongkorn University, and Narumol Sirirungruangkul. Danaithep Limsakul and Pornyamol SaeLim topped the times in the 6km race. Each received a prize of two AirAsia tickets.

The afternoon was devoted to the KG part of the event and draw some 400 participants, including Dome Pakorn Lam. We were divided into small groups at the starting point of the girls’ school and moved towards Yaowarat Road, where some restaurants proved unable to cope with the large numbers.

Two signature dishes awaited us near the starting point – rice with roast duck and fried rice vermicelli with water mimosa and crispy chicken. After a reasonably short jog, we queued up for dim sum served with Luo Han Guo (monk fruit) juice, followed by salted egg lava bun with iced milk tea and ice cream made of soy sauce from Dek Somboon. We also stopped and queued at Khrua Lamai for crispy chicken noodles. Re-energised by Lod Chong, we then enjoyed egg noodle and shrimp wonton with roast pork. The run-and-eat event ended with custard toast bread and “kuichai” (steamed chives dumplings).

While many of the participants complained of abdominal discomfort, the winners were finally declared with Suwat Tanwattana and Surapong Hatkaru, who consumed 2.6 kilograms each, topping the male category and Rapeepan Turapipak, who downed 2.8 kilograms, picking up the ladies prize.

The next events will be held in Osaka, Japan, on October 22, and in Chiang Rai on November 24. Early bird tickets are now available at http://www.Kilorun.com. For more information and reservations, visit Kilorun 2019’s Facebook, Line, Twitter and IG feeds.

Onstage will be Keng Tachaya, Poojarn Microphone Checker, Got Chakrapan, Yingyong Yodbuangam, Mild, the Rube, Thai Youth Orchestra, Tata Young, Mai Charoenpura and NewJew. Find out more at TAT Contact Centre 1672.

Naems rolls out ‘big room’

Austria-based DJ-producer Naems (Niclas Michenthaler) has become a household name in the EDM scene thanks to his powerful “bigroom”. Hear it for yourself tomorrow night at Insanity Nightclub on Bangkok’s Sukhumvit Soi 11. Naems enjoys support from big hitters like Hardwell, David Guetta and Ummet Ozcan.

Admission is Bt400 for men and Bt300 for women with one drink. Learn more at (082) 731 8885 or info@clubinsanitybangkok.com.

Etchings in my room

The annual Hotel Art Fair conceived by Farmgroup returns on June 22 and 23 with another assembly of interesting pieces from Thai and foreign galleries at the W Bangkok.

You tour the hotel’s rooms to view the artworks, all selected to complement one another and the atmosphere of each room. Check out https://HotelArtFair.com.

Baby’s in for a treat

The massive shopping fair BBB Baby & Kids Best Buy at Challenger 3 from June 6 to 9 will have more than a million items, from baby strollers to breast pumps to allorganic products, plus discounts of up to 80 per cent.

It sounds like fun, too, with a Baby Gadoob Gadoob for toddlers six to 12 months old, Baby Vroom Vroom for 12 years and Baby Dance Dance for 13 years.

Synthesisers ready

Leo Lemix is presenting the Dontri Festival of Thai electronic music at ChangChui on Saturday. The concept is “The Creation of the Galaxy” and there’ll be seven stages, each one devoted to a different genre of electronic music.

Get your passes at http://www.Ticketmelon.com.

The joy of attending an international arts festival, like Singapore International Festival of Arts (Sifa) even in a city which hosts performances all year round, is that you can watch a variety of shows and even take in more than one on a single day, especially on a Sunday, without feeling exhausted.

Bedtime Stories

Last Sunday, I started at School of the Arts (SOTA) studio theatre where UK collective Curious Directive, presented a coming-of-age detective drama “Frogman” with the help of VR technology. As  new evidence surfaced in case of her childhood friend’s murder in the Great Barrier Reef, Meera, effortlessly performed live by Annabel Betts, was back in a court after more than two decades. The audience, in the role of jury members, listened to her accounts and watched in our personal VR headset videos of past events both in Meera’s bedroom and under the sea. Swivel chairs allowed us to explore these in 360 degrees. Although the scenes from Meera’s childhood would have had a stronger effect on the play had they been shot like a documentary in an actual house instead of a film set with props and child actors, “Frogman” showed how artists can give their audience a new experience when they start working with scientists.

Frogman

Later on that afternoon, at the Esplanade Annexe Studio, Sifa’s affiliate festival Flipside continued to delight and surprise the audience with Dutch collective Smartphone Orchestra’s “The Social Sorting Experiment”. With our mobile phones on and connected to the collective’s website via free WiFi throughout this 45-minute experience, we were first assigned a standing slot among 108 squares, then asked to socialise with another person nearby. We were later informed to shift to a certain numbered slot and answer short questionnaires about people we just met, the results of which were then analysed and presented back to us. It proves solidly, and the master of ceremonies stated this at the beginning, that whatever we do online can always be accessed and analysed by others, mostly for their benefit, and that privacy and secrecy are decreasing. Plus, having met five new Singaporean friends – none of whose names I can recall now – it also shows how we can hook up with new people more easily than before. Of course, there is no indication of how long or whether those “friendships” would last, as the only thing we may have in common is internet access.

Frogman

My day ended in the evening on a nice lawn in Gardens by the Bay, after a short chartered bus ride from the National Library, with another Dutch collective URLAND. Against the backdrop of Singapore’s CBD buildings, Thomas Dudkiewicz singlehandedly portrayed various characters and deftly narrated stories, most of which would not give us good dreams, making use of sound technology to create a unique atmosphere. In other words, he reminded us that in this highly mediatised and visually overloaded post-modern era, we still go to a theatre performance to exercise our imagination, and a great actor can indeed stir much of it.

The Social Sharing Experiment

Special thanks to Esplanade’s Gina Koh and Huntington Communications’ Charmaine Lau for their kind assistance.

Dancing and Discussions

– “SIFA 2019” continues until Sunday. Dance lovers will not want to miss French choreographer Gisele Vienne’s “Crowd” or “Korper” by German dancemaker Sasha Waltz, who’ll also give a talk on Saturday afternoon. There’ll also be a panel discussion “But…is it dance?” on Saturday morning.

– On Sunday, film lovers will flock to the Oldham Theatre to watch Tsai Ming Liang’s double bill “Light” and “Your Face” showing in the region for the first time, as part of SIFA’s “Singular Screens”.

– For more details and ticket reservations, visit http://www.Sifa.sg.

– Meanwhile, “Flipside” also presents many free-admission dance, theatre and music programmes at various corners of the Esplanade—Theatres on the Bay. Some ticketed programmes include the critically acclaimed puppet show “The Pigeoning” by Robin Frohardt from the US and multi-award winning Korean work “Giant’s Table”. There’s also a late evening 90minute tour, starting at 11pm, of the unseen Durian. For more information, go to http://www.Esplanade.com/flip¬side.

They will work together to measure happiness and quality of life at the two sites.

Loei, Nan old town, Uthong ancient city, Pattaya city and Koh Chang are among other designated sites of Dasta where happiness will be measured.

The Memorandum of Understanding signed recently by the two organisations provides a framework for the delivery of training to enable 30 Dasta staff to begin deploying the Happiness Index in destination communities. Faculty members of tourism studies from the universities of Srinakharinwirote and Mahidol, researchers from Thailand Science Research and Innovation (TSRI) and members of the Pacific Asia Travel Association (Pata), also joined the training.

The initiative aims to show that measuring destination wellbeing and happiness is as important as counting GDP, profits and income and provides a more rounded and assured pathway to sector sustainability. The Happiness Index survey for Dasta in Sukhothai and Ayutthaya includes indicators for satisfaction with life, access to nature and arts, community engagement, standard of living, lifelong learning, and health.

“Planet Happiness will help Dasta and its partners by deploying what is perhaps the best, most progressive, adaptable and easy to use Happiness Index survey on the planet,” said Laura Musikanski, author, lawyer and co-founder of Planet Happiness, a project of the Happiness Alliance, a non-profit organisation with eight years’ experience in happiness and wellbeing measurements.

After  igning the MOU, Dr Chumpol Musiganont, deputy director-general of Dasta, told reporters that the long-term viability of tourism sites depended on tourism improving the quality of life of host communities and engaging local people more directly in tourism issues. Over time, the survey will help measure how well this is being done.

“Dasta will measure the quality of life for tourism communities in Thailand, and then take corrective action to enhance wellbeing, where we can,” said Chumpol.

Co-founder and director of Planet Happiness, Dr Paul Rogers, welcomed Dasta to the initiative, saying it was Planet Happiness’s first government agency partner and that Happiness Index surveys were already up and running in 10 tourism destinations in Turkey, Nepal, Indonesia, England, Mozambique, Vietnam and Laos. Thailand is the latest edition.

Rogers said that following Dasta’s example, Planet Happiness can provide governments and destinations anywhere in the world with the model and survey tools to accurately measure tourism community wellbeing. This would help avoid issues and problems associated with over-tourism, he said.

“Planet Happiness aims to work with tourism organisations and universities to promote Gross National Happiness in Thailand and beyond,” Rogers added. “We want to move beyond the narrow tourism dollar and GDP agenda. Dasta promotes sustainable and quality tourism objectives in Thailand.”

The unused 11-rai plot of land on Sukhumvit Soi 77 and another three-rai area in Hua Hin that both are not yet under construction are being developed as chemical-free farms to inspire city dwellers to improve their quality of life.

The projects are based on its 3Gs principle; Green – making use of an empty land by turning it into a green space, Grow – farming vegetables and fruits on that empty land, and Give – revenue from selling part of the produce will be used as a shared resource for the society. The products from the farm will go to restaurants in the Siri House project in Bangkok and the Escape hotels in Hua Hin and Khao Yai.

“This is another major step forward in our ‘For Greater Wellbeing’ vision. Our aim is for Sansiri Backyards become the city’s green communities and contribute towards sustainable urban living,” says Jariya Janjerdsak, Sansiri’s assistant executive vice president of product development.

Jariya adds that Sansiri begins to build up the green mind among its employees by giving each a table farm kit to plant on desks. The Sansiri Backyard will also be introduced to other properties.

Singer Note Panayanggool, who joins the project launch, says a liveable city should contain a good balance between prosperity and green space.

“In the big cities of Thailand, we disconnect from nature. We can help make green spaces by taking responsibility for our planet. When people understand the importance of nature, our cities will be more liveable.”

Jongsarid Cunvong of Kamnan Chul Farm adds: “I am proud that we have produced organic crops that are eco-friendly, and have helped creating a balanced nature through rotation farming under the concept of zero-waste management. I am delighted that a private sector developer like Sansiri gives priority to life quality for city dwellers, who long for green spaces and a healthy life resulting from having access to natural organic food. It is good not only for people but also for our planet.”

Jate Sopitpongstorn is among the young generation concerned about the quality of life and has started his own organic farm.

“Happiness gained from organic farming is so worthwhile you cannot put a price on it. Sufficiency agriculture enables a balanced lifestyle; a life lived in moderation with the self, doing everything in harmony with nature. I am happy to play a part in not harming our planet. Few people living in cities understand this concept.”

Sansiri Backyard @T77 Sukhmvit and Sansiri Backyard @ HuaHin expect to be ready for the public to explore in October.

The research was conducted with 16,500 football fans around the world, including 500 football fans from Singapore between February 25 and March 25.

According to the survey commissioned by Expedia Group, Brand Expedia and Hotels.com with 500 Thai respondents, 49 per cent of Thai travellers have planned holidays around sporting events at least once.

Forty-eight per cent of male and 50 per cent of female respondents confessed to planning their holidays around their favourite team. Showing their dedication, 36 per cent admitted to actually changing holiday bookings to make sure they don’t miss a match.

As avid travellers with the excuse of catching their favourite football team, 51 per cent of Thai football fans travel out of their home country to watch one to three football matches per season, with 61 per cent having skipped work to go to a football game.

Forty-six per cent of the respondents said they are willing to travel up to four hours to an away match to see their team up close.

“Muay Thai is Thailand’s national sport and people come together to watch it on weekends. European football is by far a different level of interest among Thais. So just like in neighbouring countries like Malaysia and Singapore, the preferred football league of Thais is the European League. In our study, more than one third of them even changed their travel plans before to make sure that they don’t miss a match,” said Lavinia Rajaram, head of communications, Asia Pacific, Brand Expedia.

“At Expedia Group, we go to great lengths to ensure that travellers get access to a wide range of flights, accommodation and activity options at great prices, so that they can enjoy their football adventures to the fullest without needing to fuss over the travel booking and planning processes.”

Among all the famed football stadiums in the world, Manchester United FC’s Old Trafford topped the list of most desired destination to watch live football, as voted by 31 per cent of Thai football fans. This was followed by Liverpool FC’s Anfield which came in second (24 per cent), and England’s Wembley Stadium (8 per cent) in third place.

Footie fans are also serious about their match companions, with ex-professional footballers topping their celebrity wish lists. Former Brazilian forward Ronaldo was voted the most desirable celebrity to join fans travelling to a football game (34 per cent). Former English midfielder David Beckham came in a close second (29 per cent), while American actor Brad Pitt came in third (8 per cent).

When it comes to booking travel for an overseas football game, 65 per cent confirmed they book their travel for a trip as soon as their team’s fixtures are announced, with women (72 per cent) being more likely to do so immediately than men (63 per cent).

In terms of the top consideration factors for their choice of accommodation, more than half (63 per cent) of Thai football fans identified proximity to the stadium as the most important factor in their choice of accommodation, followed by the availability of free breakfast (43 per cent) and third is the distance to transportation; train or bus stations (43 per cent).

In terms of the accommodation type for football-related trips, almost one-third (29 per cent) prefer three-star hotels, 18 per cent prefer four-star hotels, and 15 per cent prefer five-star hotels.

Many football fans also see travelling for football as an opportunity to explore a new city. Aside from watching football, 67 per cent prioritise sightseeing when visiting someplace new. Shopping is the second most popular pasttime, with 57 per cent hoping to bag a bargain.

Wanderlust becomes wanderlunch with food playing a meaty role on football-related travels –

49 per cent would visit street food markets, 52 per cent would search out restaurants, while 43 per cent would try out local coffee shops.

In terms of the sacrifices that Thai football fans were willing to make for the beautiful game, when asked, close to half (48 per cent) would give up a holiday, 41 per cent would sacrifice drinking for a month, while skipping desserts for a month came in third at 30 per cent.

In terms of actual spend for an away match, a quarter (24 per cent) are willing to spend more than Bt20,000 for a match considering tickets, accommodation (if applicable), travel, food and/or drinks per person.

Additionally, searches for the destination also tend to grow in the leadup to the football event, as seen in the 30 per cent increase in searches for Madrid as a destination in the leadup to the 2019 UEFA Champions League Final on June 2.