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CNNGo – Silverlake Music Festival Contest

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 03:34:17 +0000

Congratulations to the winners!

Kitsanachai Kraibavornwish

Prangie Songtieng

LANCHUKORN SRIWIMON

Vi Nguyen

Mor Lam and Luk Thung: A guide to Bangkok's Thai folk music scene

Maher Sattar — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 21:55:51 +0000

by Maher Sattar

Khao San Road’s bars and clubs might paint a different picture, but the most popular form of music in Thailand is actually Luk Thung, or Thai country music.

You’re most likely to come across it in Bangkok during a taxi ride as many drivers -- who typically come from up-country –- keep their radio stations set to listen to a steady stream of Luk Thung and its folk music cousin, Mor Lam.

Here's a guide to the history of Thai country music and where to experience it in Bangkok, proving that a night of loud, rowdy entertainment does not have to preclude new cultural experiences.

The music might sound jarringly foreign at first but that’s the point, no?

What are Luk Thung and Mor Lam?

Luk Thung developed in the early 20th century in central Thailand in the provinces just north of Bangkok. Suphanburi province in particular became the Memphis of Luk Thung, producing multiple hitmakers in the 1960s including the "Thai Elvis" Suraphol Sombatcharoen, the most influential Thai country musician of that era.

Where to celebrate New Year's Eve in Bangkok

Than Rassadanukul — Sun, 25 Dec 2011 10:44:11 +0000

by Than Rassadanukul

It's been a rough few months for Thailand, with the recent flood crisis affecting millions of people.

Many are now looking ahead to better times in 2012, so expect Bangkok to be jumping with New Year's Eve revelers. Here are a few of the most popular ways to celebrate.

1. Hit the open spaces

At midnight, fireworks will be going off all over the city. To take it all in up close, there are a few free family-friendly outdoor events going on.

Now-synonymous with Bangkok New Year's Eve countdowns is CentralWorld's annual celebration, which has been named "Smile Up 2012" (BTS: Chidlom). Nearby, Siam Paragon is having its own "Make a Wish Countdown 2012" at Park Paragon (BTS: Siam).

Asiatique, a new riverfront community mall at 2194 Charoenkrung Road, is also having a festival and fireworks display, though the property doesn't officially open until April, 2012.

Where to quench your after-hours thirst in Bangkok

Maher Sattar — Wed, 14 Dec 2011 21:55:12 +0000

by Maher Sattar

Bangkok’s reputation as a city of sin means a lot of tourists are left scratching their heads when almost all of the city’s bars and clubs start politely ushering out their customers around the 1:45 a.m. mark.

But a handful of the Bangkok's late-night establishments manages to escape enforcement of the government’s official 2 a.m. curfew -- most nights, anyway -- and party people head to these places when they feel that need to draw out the fun.

More on CNNGo: The complete guide to Bangkok nightlife

Tapas

Despite the name, there's no tapas at Tapas. Just drinks. Arguably the most respectable looking establishment of this lot, Tapas is within walking distance of infamous Patpong Road.

The place has a bit of an indoor cabana club vibe and the color scheme is strong on the browns.

World’s 50 most delicious drinks

Tim Cheung — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 22:05:48 +0000

by Tim Cheung

We all know, as suggested by our wait staff, that drinks come before foods.

So we’ve probably violated a fundamental dining law by serving up the world’s 50 most delicious foods article before this one.

Read here: World's 50 most delicious foods

But the drinks list has now arrived. Take a swig, or the chug the lot in one.

Then let us know which drinks you love by voting on our Facebook poll.

Contemporary Japanese restaurant Zuma opens in Bangkok

Tue, 06 Dec 2011 04:03:11 +0000

Famed contemporary Japanese restaurant Zuma has just opened in Bangkok, with the new St. Regis Hotel becoming the sixth venue for the global brand.

Though the chefs say the food is an interpretation of the Japanese izakaya style of informal eating and drinking, Zuma is the kind of place you take someone you want to impress. As in, the food is beautiful and so are the people who go there.

The Bangkok menu features all the signature dishes found in the Zuma kitchens of London, Hong Kong, Istanbul, Dubai and Miami.

There's Suzuki No Osashimi (thinly sliced sea bass with yuzu, truffle oil and salmon roe), Gyuhire Sumibiyaki Karami Zuke (spicy beef tenderloin with sesame, red chili and sweet soy), Dynamite Spider Maki Roll (soft-shell crab, chili mayonnaise, cucumber and wasabi tobiko sauce) and Tsubumiso Gake Hinadori No Obun Yaki (baby chicken marinated in barley miso, oven-roasted on cedar wood).

And in true izakaya style, just as much importance is placed on the drinks as the food. The cellar is stocked with 1,500 bottles of top wines, Champagne and sake.

Where to party: The complete guide to Bangkok nightlife

Tina Hsiao and Jules Kay — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 21:55:14 +0000

by Tina Hsiao and Jules Kay

Anyone who thinks Bangkok nightlife is all about sleaze and bad karaoke either hasn't bothered to look beyond the clichés or actually seeks out such places.

In reality, this is one of the most diverse and happening cities in Asia when the sun goes down.

Whether you want to see and be seen, chill with friends to retro beats, catch a kicking live band or hit the dance floor crumping, Bangkok's bars, pubs and clubs are a colorful tribute to relentless revelry.

When it comes to choosing the right style and atmosphere for your evening, the range of designs and diversions on offer is as eclectic as the clientele that frequents them.

Follow the links to the different categories that highlight the best of Bangkok's current nightlife hit list.

Bangkok's hottest ladies' night: Dusit Thani's MyBar

Thu, 17 Nov 2011 05:01:03 +0000

Ladies' night at Dusit Thani Bangkok's MyBar is gaining quite the reputation among members of the city's after-work crowd.

In terms of marketing, it's pure genius. Every Friday, MyBar lets women drink designer cocktails for free from 7 p.m.-9 p.m., and makes the men pay a 500-baht cover charge to join them. Everyone's happy.

Have no fear, the drinks aren't watered down. We've heard reports of more than a few damsels finding themselves in distress after consuming too much free liquor and having to be carried out of MyBar by kind-hearted friends.

Insalubrious drinking habits aside, ladies' night revelers can also donate to Thailand's flood relief efforts as the Dusit Thani Hotel has set up a donation tent right in front of the property.

For more info or to reserve a table, call +66 (0) 2200 9000.

Bangkok, New Orleans, Florence voted tops for food and wine

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 06:55:47 +0000

Travel website Tripadvisor.com has announced the winners of its 2011 Travelers' Choice Food and Wine Destinations awards, with New Orleans, Florence and Bangkok taking top honors in the United States, Europe and Asia, respectively.

The inaugural Travelers' Choice Food and Wine Destinations award winners are based on traveler ratings and TripAdvisor reviews.

For many, Bangkok edging out Hong Kong to claim top prize in the Asia category comes as a surprise, given Thailand's high taxation rate on imported wine, and all imported alcohol.

Though Bangkok might be making great strides in wine appreciation, it's definitely the food and not the drink that earned this street food mega-city its top spot on the list. For an eatery on the upper end of the price scale, check out this list of Bangkok's top high-end Thai restaurants.

World’s 50 best beach bars

Anthea Gerrie — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 15:28:29 +0000

by Anthea Gerrie

Anyone can stick up a shack on the sand, stock it with beers and call it a beach bar.

But what makes a great beach bar?

It could be the sand-in-your-toes factor, or the washing and hissing of the waves nearby, or the sunsets or the people you meet.

But the truth is there’s no formula, no magic ingredients that will guarantee a place in a list of the world’s best beach bars.

We’ve included spots that range from the chic and the elite with smooth lines and mesmerizing cocktail waiters, to the haphazard, thrown-together shacks constructed from scavenged driftwood.

Bangkok’s top 4 private member clubs

Greg Jorgensen — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 04:30:37 +0000

by Greg Jorgensen

For anyone in search of a more exclusive leisure experience, a cluster of Bangkok private member clubs provide an alternative to the usual embassy groups, expat organizations and chambers of commerce.

At the front of the pack are these four private clubs. They keep a tight lid on who they let through their doors but if the conditions are right, you just may qualify.

Club Perdomo

Frank Sinatra croons softly from hidden speakers at Club Perdomo. Entrepreneur Hillman Lentz has been a fan of cigars all his adult life, and only smoked the much-heralded Cubans. Then, one day he stepped outside his comfort zone and lit up a Nicaraguan Perdomo.

“It was much better constructed, better tobacco, longer draw –- it was an entirely different experience,” he says.

In fact, he was so impressed with the then little-known brand that he negotiated the rights to their sale in Asia, the Middle East and Australia, then opened a club that would let him indulge his passion.

Chandelier grandeur: Bangkok’s vintage hotel lobby bars

Brian Spencer — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 21:59:11 +0000

by Brian Spencer

Long before downtempo beats in hyper-minimalist lobby bars became the bland norm of modern hotel cool, the glamorous aesthetic of the watering holes for the world’s travelers dazzled with gleaming brass, white-crystal chandeliers and shiny faux-marble walls. Full bands performed nightly as guests lounged in leisure suits and miniskirts.

Bangkok circa 1979 had style.

Though many of those bars have disappeared as the years have ticked by and hotels have renovated, there are still a few spots left in the city to experience that fading glory of the late-1970s and early-1980s. Harvey Wallbangers may or may not be served.

Asia Hotel Bangkok

Bangkok's Asia Hotel has done a fine job of preserving its 1970s splendor. Asia Hotel Bangkok’s unique charm is found in its meticulous preservation of 1970s-era splendor.

To walk through its wonderfully obsolescent lobby, worn marble and sparkling teardrop-shaped chandeliers reflected in a massive panel of mirrors that stretch to the ceiling, is to step back into another time.

8 Bangkok cocktails inspired by Thai culture and cuisine

Dwight Turner — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 21:59:22 +0000

by Dwight Turner

Bangkok's barflies, boozers and other alcohol enthusiasts are raising their glasses to the latest drinks trend -- giving cocktails a supersonic boost with Thai-style makeovers.

As a result, mixologists around the city are continuously experimenting as they attempt to translate the bold, complicated tastes of Thai cuisine into great drinks for their customers. Others are drawing inspiration from Thai culture itself.

Some work, some don’t. Here are eight specialty drinks that pack a tasty punch.

Passion Fruit Caipiroska

Where: Zuk Bar, Sukhothai Hotel

Price: 350 Baht

New to the the Zuk Bar menu, this rush of fresh locally grown saowarot -- aka passion fruit -- lime and vodka gets the evening started with a sweet kick. Simple yet satisfying.

13/3 South Sathorn Road, +66 (0)2 344 8888. www.sukhothai.com

Party animals take note: This weekend will be booze-free in Bangkok

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 09:30:03 +0000

It’s been a rough few weeks for Bangkok bar owners. Coming right on the heels of two booze-free Saturday nights due to the Thai elections, no alcohol will be sold from July 15-16 in observance of two religious holidays.

All establishments, including restaurants and convenience stores, have been told not to sell liquor on Asalha Puja Day (Friday, July 15) and Buddhist Lent Day (Saturday, July 16). Friday is a public holiday so government offices, schools and many businesses will be closed.

According to Thaitravelblogs.com violators will face a jail-term of six months, or a fine of up to 10,000 baht, or both.

The ban on alcohol sales is nation-wide and foreigners are not exempt, though some smaller establishments have been known to quietly ignore the law.

Bed Supperclub’s ‘Circus’ act: The most entertaining meal in Bangkok

Wed, 13 Jul 2011 04:31:14 +0000

In spite of its name, Bed Supperclub isn’t known for gourmet dining. Rather, it conjures images of international DJs spinning house and hip-hop as Bangkok’s beautiful people writhe on the dance floor.

Which is unfortunate, as Bed offers one of the city’s most unusual dining experiences by combining performance art with gourmet cuisine. The latest theme is “Circus Eclecticus,” on until the first week of August.

Performers in the animalistic show move themselves up, down and around a custom-made two-tower set of scaffolding in the center of the restaurant between courses, sometimes breakdancing, sometimes trotting on top of the tower while wearing eerie horse masks.

The set is right in the center of the restaurant, giving diners on both levels a prime view of the enviable demonstrations of strength.

The star of the show is muscular aerial performer Leng Rajanikara Kaewdee, who trained at the National Circus School in Montreal and is now a resident teacher and performer at Bangkok's Patravadi Theatre.

Worth the ride: 5 outta town Bangkok nightspots

Maher Sattar — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 21:55:58 +0000

by Maher Sattar

For every 10 Bangkokians unenthusiastic about a night out on Khao San Road or Thonglor, there’s an even pickier one carping about how Lat Phrao hipster hangout "Parking Toys" is played out now that the expats have discovered it.

For this more -- shall we say "discerning" -- reader, here are five unspoiled neighborhoods outside the city center for you to go out and, let’s face it, spoil. Grab a taxi and head over before anyone else does.

1. Ramkhamhaeng - Khlong Saen Saep

A good place to start the night is at one of the charming coffee shops at the Ramkhamhaeng University stop off Khlong Saen Saep, Bangkok’s main canal which runs all the way from Democracy Monument to Bangkapi in the eastern end of the city.

Take in the sunset over the east-west oriented khlong at one of the tables for two by the pier. There’s a sense of escape from the Bangkok madness that lasts at least until an express boat roars by.

Canal stink in the hot season is a bit of a con, although you’ll be surprised by what you can get used to.

Bed Supperclub's July 4 Bourbon Dinner

Sun, 26 Jun 2011 06:57:20 +0000

Given that no alcohol will be served the weekend of the July 3 Thailand elections, expect more Independence Day revelers than usual in Bangkok this year.

Bars and restaurants all over the city will get into the 4th of July spirit with Americana-themed dinners and drink specials. One of the more unique events is Bangkok nightclub and restaurant Bed Supperclub's "July 4 Bourbon Dinner."

To celebrate the Kentucky-born whisky, Bed will serve Independence Day classics paired with four quality bourbons: Jim Beam, Jim Beam Black, Maker's Mark and Knob Creek.

The price of the July 4 Bourbon Dinner is 1,450 baht, which includes four bourbon cocktails.

For bookings, call +66 (0)2 651 3537 or e-mail info@bedsupperclub.com.

CNNGo Bangkok - Drink RSS Feeds

CNNGo – Silverlake Music Festival Contest

Mor Lam and Luk Thung: A guide to Bangkok's Thai folk music scene

Top CNNGo Bangkok stories of 2011

Where to celebrate New Year's Eve in Bangkok

Where to quench your after-hours thirst in Bangkok

World’s 50 most delicious drinks

Contemporary Japanese restaurant Zuma opens in Bangkok

Where to party: The complete guide to Bangkok nightlife

Bangkok's hottest ladies' night: Dusit Thani's MyBar

Bangkok, New Orleans, Florence voted tops for food and wine

World’s 50 best beach bars

Bangkok’s top 4 private member clubs

Chandelier grandeur: Bangkok’s vintage hotel lobby bars

8 Bangkok cocktails inspired by Thai culture and cuisine

Party animals take note: This weekend will be booze-free in Bangkok

Bed Supperclub’s ‘Circus’ act: The most entertaining meal in Bangkok

Worth the ride: 5 outta town Bangkok nightspots

Bed Supperclub's July 4 Bourbon Dinner