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Thongchai Sridama, Acting President of Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau, TCEB
My favourite spots: Top three restaurants:
Blue Elephant: Housed in a 100-year old building, Blue Elephant is not only an innovative restaurant but also a cooking school. Featuring both set menus and a banqueting option it is perfect for small business conferences. With an all-Thai menu, Blue Elephant serves historic dishes from the ‘Forgotten recipes’ section, present-day options labeled 'Blue Elephant Classics', and futuristic dishes known as 'Our Chef's Creations'.
Bo lan: Set up with the intention of celebrating the best Thai food has to offer in chic surroundings, Bo lan definitely delivers. Housed in a beautiful renovated Bangkok house with a balcony and a low-lit, romantic atmosphere (who says the best Thai food has to come from a hole-in-the-wall?), you know from the minute you set eyes on the place that you're in for something special. The drinks are statements of intent: a potent Thai whisky sour for example and there's an intriguing wine list.
Sala Rim Naam at The Mandarin Oriental Bangkok: Set on the west bank of the Chao Phraya River, Sala Rim Naam serves delectable Thai set dinner, accompanied by classical Thai dance and mock battle performances. The Thai-style pavilion is reminiscent of an elaborate northern Thai sala, with high ceilings, pitched, sweeping roof and polished teakwood finishes. Enjoy your meal amidst this elegant backdrop and an unfolding scene of river ferries chugging up and down the river.
Top three bars:
Sirocco: Of the rooftop bars that crown the city, Sirocco's perch is truly breathtaking. An outdoor staircase seemingly ascends into the heavens and arrives at an open-air deck divided into an outdoor restaurant on one side and the Sky Bar on the other. The oval-shaped bar juts out over the edge of the building with barely a barrier to separate the imbibers from the street some 800ft below.
Red Sky at Centara Grand at CentralWorld: With the stars above your head and the bustle of downtown Bangkok far below, Red Sky sets the scene for a romantic evening. Cosy up on the sofa with a glass of wine from a selection of 200 labels or try an imaginative concoction from the martini bar. The food menu is one of the most creative in Bangkok’s gourmet dining scene. Live jazz and unrivalled 360°-view from the 55th floor top off the experience.
Bed Supperclub is the ultimate 'dining in bed' experience best described as a unique combination of upscale restaurant, club, art gallery and stage merged into one. Bed showcases the best of contemporary culture. Each night has a different story to tell to each of the five senses. Each week offers a different way to spend an evening. Housed in the futuristic-looking elliptical tubular stunning building and set in a modern all-white environment, Bed crosses the divide between dining and cutting-edge entertainment meanwhile world-class DJs spin the best in lounge and chill-out.
Top three hot spots:
Ananta Samakhom Throne Hall: Located within Dusit Palace in Bangkok, the picturesque hall is an Italian Renaissance building with a sleek white Carrara marble exterior. The interior of the hall is decorated with detailed frescoes of royal ceremonies and festivities by Italian artist Galileo Chini. The Throne Hall is a former reception hall and now still in use for the ceremonial opening for the first parliamentary session. It is also a recommended place for those who admire exquisite Thai craft as the ‘Arts of the Kingdom’ permanent exhibition is held inside the Hall.
The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaew (Temple of the Emerald Buddha): Bangkok’s top tourist site is definitely worth visiting. It is a royal complex which is made up of numerous buildings, halls, pavilions set around open lawns, gardens and courtyards and covers a total area of 218,400 square metres. Even though the Grand Palace is partially open to the public as a museum, the highlight of the compound – the Temple of the Emerald Buddha – welcomes hundreds of visitors each day. The temple was purposely built to house the Emerald Buddha.
Jatujak Weekend Market: Also named as Bangkok’s true paragon of retails, Jatujak Weekend Market (or Chatuchak) is the largest market in Thailand. The 35 acres area holds more than 5,000 stalls which sell everything you could ever think of, from antique wooden chest to exotic pets. On a typical weekend, Jatujak welcomes more than 200,000 enthusiastic shoppers from all over the world so if you have one weekend in Bangkok, squeeze in a day trip to Jatujak Weekend Market and you will not be disappointed.
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