Tawanna Square Replaces Suan Lum
March 7, 2008
Popularity: 9% [?]
Goodbye Suan Lum Night Bazaar
March 5, 2008
For those of you that love Suan Lum Night Bazaar like I do take note. Looks like they are finally going to enforce the closing that was supposed to take effect last April. Read more
Popularity: 19% [?]
Mobile Advertising in Bangkok - And I Don’t Mean Cell Phones
February 26, 2008
Here’s a new advertising twist. Put large LCD screens and electronic boards on top of small trucks and then park them at major intersections. Plus you have the bonus of being able to move them throughout the day based on traffic patterns.
That’s exactly what the Hello Bangkok agency has been doing in Bangkok since December and people are now complaining about the new advertising saying that it is distracting to drivers and causes traffic jams.
If it is effective advertising of course it is distracting, that’s the point. As far as creating traffic jams I can’t imagine how much worse things can be in a city that regularly sees gridlock everyday. Have you ever tried to get through Chinatown, Khao San Road or Sukhumvit between the hours of 5pm and 8pm? The roads are so clogged already that it’s almost better to walk.
The CEO of Hello Bangkok claims ”Mobile outdoor advertising is a new development in Thailand’s ad industry. They could help overcome the BMA’s possible ban on oversized billboards, which can be fatally dangerous during heavy storms,” Mr Kitichai said.
Yes, but what about distracting motorists with these new billboards that can be fatally dangerous at any time Khun Kitichai? Last week, a man claimed that he was hit by a mobile unit of Hello Bangkok, further complicating the difficulties already faced by the company.
Wannee Ruttanaphon, chairman of the media buying agency Initiative, said she found the new medium ”interesting” and might introduce it to her clients.
”It’s quite flexible and can reach a target group easily since it is movable. The advertisers can choose locations that are right for their target groups,” Ms Wannee said.
Currently Hello Bangkok has 700 of the mobile units, but can you imagine if this takes off in a big way? Thousands of small trucks with glittering neon all vying for your attention while you’re trying to drive does not sound like a safe scenario to me.
I know America has Times Square and Las Vegas and similar areas, but at least these glitzy areas are stationary. I can only imaging what traffic would like in Manhattan with these distractions. Of course if you’ve been to Bangkok you know that Thai’s love the neon lights. Simply look at the clubs, pubs and restaurants to see that. Or take a look at a Thai website like TeeNee, all flash and glitz galore.
Has anyone seen these mobile ad units in Bangkok? What do you think about them? Will they take off and turn Bangkok’s streets into parking lots during rush hour or will Bangkok clamp down on this type of advertising and remove it from the streets?
Popularity: 8% [?]
Clubbing in Bangkok
February 25, 2008
Today I have another entry from Richard of richardelliots blogspot and it is in my opinion the best he’s written yet. If you like clubbing in the west you will love clubbing in Bangkok. Listen to what Richard has to say because he is right, these clubs have great music, atmosphere and tons of beautiful people.
Bangkok has some of the best nightclubs in the world, fantastic music, stylish interiors and lots and lots of very beautiful boys and girls. As if the locals weren’t beautiful enough, they offer free drinks to models on certain nights of the week to make sure the ultra-glamorous are there. It is my favourite place to go clubbing of anywhere I have visited across the globe! Bangkok ’s clubs can easily rival those from London and New York .
Lets be clear at the start, I’m not talking about any of the venues where you can pick up a bargirl in Nana Plaza or Patpong. These are also not the back packer tourist traps of the Khoa San Road . We’re talking about the Bangkok Super Clubs where middle and upper class Thais hang out. The music scene is mainly hip-hop. There is also almost always a stage or separate room where a live band will play some more rocky numbers during the night.
You actually see comparatively few farrangs in the clubs and I think this is because to unlock their full potential you need to understand a little bit about Thai culture. Lots of travelers arrive with a Western attitude and completely the wrong approach. Let’s be honest, most of us go to nightclubs to have a good time and meet and dance with gorgeous members of the opposite sex. So how do you succeed? Steve has a number of good pieces on the blog about Thai dating and Thai culture. Hopefully this article below will also give you some advice and the inspiration to visit one of the exceptional nightclubs.
Make sure you go with at least one other friend and take some ID even if you look well over the legal drinking age. (If you don’t want to carry your passport around, a colour photocopy will be accepted almost everywhere.) Entry is usually free. When you arrive don’t just buy a drink from the bar, ask for a table. Where you get your table can make or break your night. It is important to get the choice right! Pick a table with a good view over the stage and the rest of the club, more importantly make sure it is near other tables containing hot boys / girls depending on your persuasion. Make sure they are not ladyboys as there will certainly be a couple of tables of katoeys in the club (check the size of their hands
).
At your table the norm is to order a whole bottle of whiskey or vodka and some mixers depending on what you like. If you haven’t finished it by the end of the evening you can hand it back to your waiter and they will give you a ticket identifying your bottle. Next time you go to the club you can drink the remainder for free.
You are at your table and surrounded by beautiful people, now for the flirting! Pale skin is seen as attractive in Thailand and you will be one of the few Westerners in the club so you will stand out. Both good starts. Thai men don’t seem to dance much, so even if you have two left feet, but are prepared to give it a go, you will be one of the best male dancers in the club. Sadly ladies, Thai girls are excellent dancers in my experience.
If you see someone you like, make eye contact and smile. If they make eye contact back and return a smile it is a good sign. The tables are always pretty tightly packed, so start talking to your neighbours. If you didn’t get the position of your table quite right and are making reciprocal eye contact with someone a little further away, ask your waiter to take them a note asking for their phone number. Might sound a bit forward, but it is quite common. If you don’t believe me just watch the waiters and waitresses for a bit! Your waiter will happily do it for a small tip. If they give you their number go over and say hello.
A key piece of advice is don’t overcook it. The worst thing that can happen, is if you are called Choa Shoo or Butterfly. In a country where face is important no one wants to be seen with someone who is choa shoo. If one person calls you chao shoo others will be thinking it and you should change your focus to enjoying the music and club atmosphere for the rest of the night.
What can result in you being called Chao Shoo? Too much physical contact, being obviously drunk or being seen to talk / dance with lots of people who obviously aren’t the friends that you came to the club with. Your flirting needs to be discreet or concentrated on just one person.
So you have met your perfect boy / girl, what do you do next? Public displays of affection are not at all common in Thailand . Kissing in clubs is virtually unheard of. You’ll know if they like you from how closely they dance with you. There may also be a discreet peck on the cheek when they think no one is looking. Ask for their phone number and if they call you the next day they definitely like you, so make sure you ask for a second date when they call!
The clubs are full most nights of the week, being busier at the weekend. The craziest time of all is Songkran when you need to go armed with a water pistol and expecting to get soaked to the skin.
Finally, where are these places? Try four of my personal favourites: SLIM and Route 66 at RCA or Santika and Bed Supperclub (the only club to charge an entry fee) in Sukhumvit.
P.S. The concept that drink driving is a bad idea clearly hasn’t reached Thailand yet and lots of people drive home from the clubs. Be careful on the roads as you jump in a taxi!
Popularity: 19% [?]
Clothes from the Tailors of Bangkok
February 19, 2008
Here’s another wonderful post from Richard of Richard Elliot’s blog about tailors in Bangkok. It’s great that Richard wrote this for us because it’s not a subject I would have touched on since I’m not really a suit and tie kinda guy. Thanks again Richard and all my readers drop by his blog and say hi won’t you?
Bangkok’s Tailors - Where to Go and Where to Avoid
There is no comparison between wearing a beautifully tailored suit that fits you like a glove and a lumpy ill fitting off the peg suit that still seems to cost a small fortune back home. Wearing a perfectly fitted suit makes you feel special, more confident and helps you to walk taller. It can also be very exciting having a suit made while on holiday. Being measured up, describing exactly what you want, choosing the right fabric and attending fittings can be fantastic fun. The tailor is likely to treat you like a king. That might be because he wants your money, but it still makes me feel a bit special! Lucky for us that Bangkok has some great tailors where we can get clothes made for a fraction of the price back home!
Over half of my work / formal wardrobe is from tailors in Asia. I’ve got suits, dinner jackets, trousers and shirts. I’ve also got some tailored casual clothes too.
However, if you have never been into a tailors before it can be a bit daunting, especially in a strange city. How do I get want I want? Will I choose the right tailors? How do I make sure I am not ripped off? Hopefully the below will give you a few pointers to set you off in the right direction.
Most of the tailors in Bangkok are actually just fabric sellers. They sell you some fabric, take your measurements and pass them onto a workshop where you suit is actually made. Your suit will almost certainly been machine sown was well. What you are actually getting is a made-to-measure suit and not the bespoke one advertised in the window. Don’t let this put you off, a made-to-measure suit can still look and feel great and some nice detailed finishes can add a lot of style and distinction to the finished article.
Make sure you choose a good fabric. You will only be able to make a good-looking suit out of 100% high quality wool. Thailand is famous for its silk and cotton, but not wool. The best quality wool’s come from Europe and Japan, I usually buy English wool and that is not just because I am British! In virtually every shop you go to, cheaper fabrics and some mid range ones too will be polyester or wool and polyester mixes, even if the band sown onto the edge of the fabric says “100% Wool, Made in England”. The tailor I visit is open enough to admit what is real wool and what isn’t. If you are not sure ask for a small sample. If it rips easily and melts like plastic with a horrible smell, when you hold a match to it, then it is probably a man made fibre. If it is difficult to tear and burns more slowly with an organic smell, it is probably wool.
Make sure you specify exactly what want. Single breasted? Double breasted? Side vents? Button hole? How many pockets? Real buttons on the sleeve? The list is almost endless. If you are not confident at doing this and have an existing suit that you like, take it along and most tailors will be able to copy it for you. Otherwise get on the internet and do some research or take along a picture of that Hugo Boss suit you want copied.
Next you need to avoid Bangkok Shoulders, as my Australian friend calls them. The Thais seem to love large should pads. Unless you are going for a retro 80’s style jacket, make sure you ask for small shoulder pads.
It takes time to make a decent suit. You will need to find a tailor you are happy with, choose the fabric and have all of your measurements taken. You will then need several fittings. If you are only in Bangkok for 2/3 days then it is probably not worth it, you should allow at least a week.
I hope that all of the above hasn’t put you off! You can still get some great clothes made for you in Bangkok, with a little of bit of care and effort, that will cost you a fraction of what you would pay on Saville Row. The main area in Bangkok is on Sukhumvit road around Nana and Asok Sky Train stations. You’ll need to do a bit of research to find the right place. Don’t be afraid to go in and ask to see some examples of their work, speak to the owner and any other customers in the shop. You get what you pay for, and should budget on spending $300 - $400 USD, after any discounts, for a good suit. In my experience you would expect to get a 30 – 50% discount on the price first quoted to you.
I use Royal Tailors near Nana BTS, opposite the Nana Shopping Centre. I have heard good things about Narin Couture as well.
At completely the other end of the spectrum, if I want the fake jeans I have just bought altered I use the denim shop in the basement of Central shopping centre in Lad Prao. Or for minor repairs you see girls sitting at the side of the road with a sewing machine all over the city.
Popularity: 32% [?]
