South by Southeast: In Bangkok? Head to the mall!

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Bangkok means many things to travelers. The backpacker ghetto of Khao San Road. The sublime temples of Wat Pho and Wat Phra Kaew. The seedy go-go bars of Patpong. But after visiting this crazy Southeast Asian capital for the first time, I’d like to suggest a new highlight in Bangkok: the malls.

You’re probably going to tell me I’m a spoiled Westerner, too acclimated to the comforts of home to get my hands dirty with some authentic Thai culture. But, perhaps it’s time we all take a closer look at what Bangkok is really like these days. The famed “anything goes” destination of old is still there, hiding down back alleyways and puttering along on Bangkok’s diesel spewing tuk tuks. But there’s also an entirely new Bangkok under construction. An emerging city of modern mass transportation and shiny new temples of capitalism.

So what is it about Bangkok’s malls that makes them so special? Like many malls back home, they’ve got all the usual amenities – the department stores, the food courts and the electronics boutiques. But there’s also plenty that makes Bangkok malls entirely unique: outstanding and inexpensive food courts filled with authentic Thai cuisine, special events and top-notch cultural institutions. Sound interesting? Here’s three reasons why you should head to the mall during your next visit to Bangkok. Click below.

The food courts are amazing
When I think of a mall food court back in the U.S., my stomach starts to churn. Greasy Sbarro pizza, unappetizing McDonald’s and gluttonous portions of Cold Stone Creamery. Bangkok food courts are a completely different animal. In fact, one of the best places to experience affordable, delicious Thai cuisine is at the mall.

Whether you want egg noodles with pork and dried shrimp, a big glass of Lemongrass juice or some Thai sticky rice dessert, the food court is where it’s at. Average price for your meal? About $3 U.S. per person. In addition to all the Thai favorites you’ll find plenty of great Japanese, Korean and Vegetarian cuisine, along with a few good old American favorites.

Air conditioning is your friend
Spend more than five minutes outside in Bangkok, and you will be attacked. Your fresh clothes will be drenched in sweat. Motor scooters, tuk-tuks and huge buses belch smoke from all directions. Monsoon rains deluge down from the heavens. Angry and persistent mosquitoes buzz and itch in your ear. It’s enough to make even the most hardened travelers beg for mercy. Bangkok malls will become your oasis from this chaos. The cool chilled air feels like a gift from above. Even if you have no intention of buying anything at the store, Bangkok’s malls offer an easy, cheap way to chill out.

Surprising attractions
Bangkok malls aren’t just for shopping. They boast top-notch culture, special events and surprising creativity. A great example is the Thailand Creative & Design Center (TCDC), located in The Emporium Shopping Complex in Bangkok’s Sukhumvit area. The center boasts rotating modern art exhibits from Thai artists, typography exhibits, film screenings and a huge library of design books and magazines. On a recent Sunday, I found myself hanging out in TCDC’s slick coffeeshop, enjoying the stellar Bangkok city views while a live jazz band jammed out onstage. Cheesy mall this is not.

The next time you find yourself in Bangkok, take a closer look at what this amazing city has to offer. In addition to awe-inspiring temples and cheap backpacker street food, you’re likely to find a city that has “come of age” on the world stage.

Gadling writer Jeremy Kressmann is spending the next few months in Southeast Asia. You can read other posts on his adventures “South by Southeast” HERE.

Fun with your global positioning system: GPS drawing

by Grant Martin on

GPS systems are everywhere these days, thanks largely in part due to ubiquidous iPhones and Blackberries. The technology, proper, isn’t very cumbersome either — one can get a GPS chip small enough to uplink into a laptop computer or even to tie to a dog. That’s what Jeremy Wood did in the below video, creating a virtual map of two dogs running around a park in Oxford.

Me and You from Jeremy Wood on Vimeo.

It’s all part of his project over at GPS Drawing where Mr. Wood has collected oodles of drawings created by adventurous GPS owners and a lot of spare time. Excellent examples are the Elephant in Brighton, UK and Mosquito (!) from Bangkok, Thailand. See if you can do better next time you’re out on the road.

Skybar: the best rooftop bar in Bangkok

by Grant Martin on

Nothing out in the urban landscape can blow your mind quite like a well done rooftop bar. Remember Lost in Translation? The whole dynamic between Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson unfolded in the New York Bar on the top floors of the Park Hyatt Tokyo, backdropped against the smooth jazz singer, a few stiff drinks and the Tokyo Skyline. It’s hard for amazing things not to happen in a setting like that.

Bangkok’s version of the New York Bar is called Skybar, the beverage component of Sirocco at the top of lebua at State Tower. Taking the elevator up to the concrete, roman-stlye dome that overlooks the outcropping, it’s easy to see why Skybar and Sirocco are so popular: they’re gorgeous. The color changing ring in which the bartender serves drinks juts out against the hotel and over the infinite city, and as the hue shifts from pink to blue to green it’s hard to choose among staring at the people, the bar and the skyline.

As the live jazz band plays on, those longing for a bite to eat can sample Sirocco’s fine Mediterranean fare as they bask outdoors in the city night. Others visiting for the drinks and the sights alone can both spend time socializing around the Skybar ring or wander up to Distil, an indoor/outdoor mecca for premium spirits. Here, they can sample the rarest of Johnnie Walker scotch whiskies, the most exclusive Cognacs and a wide selection of hand rolled Cuban Cigars.

Skybar, Distil and Sirocco can be found at the top of lebua at State Tower, 1055 Silom Road, Bangrak, Bangkok 10500. Make sure you dress sharply, no sandals or troublemakers are allowed.

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Disclaimer: lebua sponsored our trip to come check out their hotels, though our opinions and experiences were all of our own design.

Thailand Hitler billboard draws controversy

by Jeremy Kressmann on

A Hitler billboard in Thailand promoting a local wax museum has locals and foreign governments up in arms. The billboard campaign, which features photos of famous dead people, included a photo of Hitler making the infamous Nazi salute along with the tagline “Hitler is not dead.” The ad was part of a promotion for Louis Tussaud’s Waxworks, a wax museum based in Pattaya.

Since the billboard’s unveiling two weeks ago it has caused a firestorm of complaints, prompting museum officials to have it covered and to apologize for the offense. Both the German and Israeli embassies in Thailand filed formal complaints. Wax museum director Somporn Naksuetrong has emphasized the campaign was not meant to glorify the Nazi leader.

Not surprisingly, this isn’t the first Adolf Hitler wax museum incident to draw controversy. In 2008 a German man rushed into the new Madame Tussaud’s in Berlin, ripping the head off the museum’s Hitler figurine and shouting “Never war again!”

The use of Hitler’s likeness, whether as a wax dummy or in advertising, never fails to attract criticism. But that hasn’t stopped museums and brands from capitalizing on Hitler to draw attention, a decision that almost always ends poorly. Anyone hoping to draw tourist dollars from Nazi imagery in the future would do well to keep this in mind.

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Inside of Bangkok’s five star luxury hotel, lebua at State Tower

by Grant Martin on

Perched at the top of the second tallest tower in Bangkok among the skyscrapers, steel and concrete is the strangest sight. Twenty Ionic columns, white stone and glass come together to form a Roman styled building, as if the center of the Pantheon was picked up and moved halfway around the world.

The structure is called The Dome, it’s home, the lebua hotel at State Tower. As one of the finest five star hotels in Bangkok, lebua operates restaurants and bars in and adjacent to the dome, from where dazzled gastronomers can admire the glowing city below.

It’s all part of the lebua package, an opulent, luxury experience that begins when you step out of the airport. Indulgent and VIP visitors will have access to the new BMW 730 and Mercedes-Benz S-Class during their stay, and it’s a quick, twenty minute ride from Suvarnabhumi Airport into Silom, the financial and burgeoning cultural quarter of the city.

Situated near the banks of the Chao Phraya River, lebua takes up the top floors of State Tower, the second tallest building in Bangkok and a massive stone-faced structure in the skyline. An all-suite hotel, each room has balconies from where visitors can gaze out into the endless landscape and watch the city breathe.

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Suites also offer the finest in amenities, from Bvlgari shampoos and lotions to robes, slippers and premium luxury sheets. You can even have a masseuse sent up to your room for a private, Thai massage.

Those willing to tear themselves away from their rooms have seven restaurants to choose from including sky bar, the highest bar in Bangkok, and Café Mozu an Indian/Lebanese fusion restaurant with a top notch breakfast and lively club scene.

The pinnacle of the entire property, however, is The Dome. Dining outside at Sirocco, at the base of the dome is a surreal experience. With the ancient columns above, the sweeping views around you and the city below, it’s easy to feel awed by the grandeous setting around you. If for nothing else, visit lebua for this.

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Disclaimer: lebua sponsored our trip to come check out their hotels, though our opinions and experiences were all of our own design. No animals were harmed in creating these blog posts.