Wedding Fair 2014
What: Discover over 30 hotels and more than 100 presentations for outstanding weddings and luxurious honeymoons at the Wedding Fair 2014. For example, Ambassador Hotel Bangkok will present an exclusive offer for every couple who books a wedding package during the wedding fair, including a romantic one-night stay at the Ambassador Honeymoon Suite inclusive of buffet breakfast, 20–50% discount on “Bride & Groom Treatment Package” at The Ambassador Spa, free membership at the Health Centre, cocktail menu special prices starting at THB 750 net per person, and Chinese set menu starting at THB 9,000 net per table for 10 people.
When: June 5 –8, from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Where: Plenary Hall 1–3, Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre; Ambassador Hotel Bangkok, booth P52
How much: Varies
More info: www.thaiweddingfair.com, 02 254 0444 ext. 1620, bq1bkk@amtel.co.th
Win a Stay at Grand Mercure Phuket Patong!
In order to always bring the very best to you in every issue of Lookeast magazine, we invite you to share with us your opinions and feedback by answering our online survey. If you participate, you might be the winner of a complimentary night stay including breakfast at Grand Mercure Phuket Patong!
What: Visit our Facebook page and look for Lookeast’s annual survey. Participate
When: From now until June 26
Where: www.surveymonkey.com/s/Q6L2HQK
How much: Free
More info: www.facebook.com/LookeastMag
What: Ministers of 63 countries will gather in a conference in Bangkok to discuss sustainable development, climate change, disaster risk reduction integration. There will be panel discussions, cultural shows, and a video clip competition. Thailand is holding this conference for the first time; the biennial conference was earlier held in India, China Korea, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
When: June 22–26 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: Grand Centara Bangkok, Central World (999/99 Rama 1 Road, Pathumwan)
How much: Free
More info: www.6thamcdrr-thailand.net
What: Grab a Lunch Bento Set featuring a variety of Japanese dishes plus dessert at The Eatery, Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok. The Bento Box Menu is available in four options: Pork Tonkatsu, breaded fried pork with Japanese barbecue sauce, steamed rice, and cheese cake; Beef Yakitori, skewered beef, grilled vegetables and teriyaki sauce, garlic fried rice, and sliced fresh fruits; Hibachi Chicken, sautéed chicken, zucchini and mushrooms, garlic fried rice, and carrot cake; Salmon Teriyaki, salmon teriyaki, steamed rice, and sliced fresh fruits. All sets are served with miso soup and house salad.
When: Ongoing, daily from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Where: The Eatery, Four Points by Sheraton Bangkok, Sukhumvit 15
How much: THB 450 net per set
More info: 02 309 3201, fbadmin.sukhumvit15@fourpoints.com
What: Bangkok receives its second Whisgars location in early June 2014, with a New York-inspired speakeasy concept premier whisky and cigar bar at Mahatun Plaza, Ploenchit. ChindAsia Capital Partners Limited, the investment group behind the unique Whisgars brand, launched the first Whisgars bar on Sukhumvit Soi 23 last year. Following its popularity and strong revenue performance in its first year of operation, ChindAsia will open Whisgars Ploenchit as a franchised outlet. The new venue will carry the full range of Whisgars’ whiskies and cigars. Several other Whisgars outlets will be opened in the next 18 months.
When: Early June 2014
Where: Mahatun Plaza, Ploenchit
How much: Varies
More info: www.chindasia.com
Siam Niramit, A Journey to the Enchanted Kingdom of Siam
by Maia Kara
Siam Niramit (Bangkok: 02 649 9222, reservation@siamniramit.com; Phuket 76 335 000, reservationphuket@siamniramit.com; www.siamniramit.com) is not just a must-see show, but also a cultural complex that gives visitors a unique chance to learn about and experience Thai history, culture, and arts in one place.
The Siam Niramit show takes place on a gigantic stage that holds a place in the “Guinness Book of World Records.” It takes 100 performers, 500 costumes, spectacular set designs, and state-of-the-art special effects technology to create a “world-class performance of Thailand’s arts and cultural heritage” that will take your breath away. The 80-minute performance starts with a journey back in time to the Ancient Kingdom of Lanna in the North, followed by a trip to the South Seas together with traders from overseas. The audience witnesses the Legacy of Khmer Civilization, who lived in Issan in Northeast Thailand. From there the show heads to the Central Plains to Ayutthaya, the Mighty Capital.
The second act, “Journey beyond Imagination,” takes the audience through the Fiery Hell, ruled by Phrayom, to the Mystical Forest of Himapaan, populated by magical creatures, to the Blissful Heaven, where Lord Indra, the God of Gods, presides atop Mount Phrasumera at the center of the universe. The third and final act of the show depicts joyous festivals that take place in Thailand throughout the year.
Although the show is the highlight of the evening, spectators should definitely arrive to the cultural center before the show starts to appreciate all the facilities it has to offer. The doors of the cultural center open at 5:30 p.m. and spectators are invited to visit a village of four regions of Thailand to learn about traditional Thai lifestyle, arts, and crafts. They can enjoy elephant feeding and rides, relax with the traditional Thai massage, and buy handicrafts from all regions of Thailand. Be sure to savor the Thai-Western buffet dinner before the outdoor pre-show entertainment with traditional Thai music and dance.
The show won the prestigious Thailand Tourism Award in 2008 and 2010 for a reason, and it’s not to be missed. The Siam Niramit experience is available daily in both Bangkok and Phuket.
What: From May 2014, and for just three months, Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok has introduced a brand new dining concept in the Parichart Court, the Pop-Up Charcuterie Room. The new Pop-Up will be the place to stop for a glass of wine or two enjoyed alongside the best cold cuts from around the world. With a wide selection of hams, salamis, chorizo, saucisson, speck and much more, served in a casual, cozy environment. Wines will be selected from different regions around the world to pair well with the day’s charcuterie selection, with an extensive selection available both by the glass and the bottle.
When: Monday to Saturday from 5 p.m. onward
Where: Four Seasons Hotel Bangkok
How much: Varies
More info: (02) 126 8866
What: In cooperation with the Embassies of the Federal Republic of Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and the Czech Republic, the Goethe-Institut Thailand will host a three-day Festival to remember Franz Kafka on the occasion of his 90th death anniversary. The festival will feature an exhibition, selected film screenings as well as a scenic reading and a skit. Professor Thanomnuan O’charoen, from the German Department, Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University, will give a keynote speech on the Kafka-perception in Thailand on the opening day.
When: June 3–5, opening ceremony June 3 at 6 p.m.
Where: Auditorium, Goethe-Institut Auditorium
How much: Free
More info: www.goethe.de
What: Back by popular demand, The New Broadway Company will once again take the stage at the St. Regis Bangkok with some of Broadway’s biggest hit musicals all this year, and a medley of stage favorites including CATS, Fiddler on the Roof, My Fair Lady, Chicago and much more. During June, don’t miss the presentation of Miss Saigon.
When: June 27 at 8:30 p.m.
Where: St. Regis Bangkok
How much: THB 1,650++ including tapas and unlimited white, red, and sparkling wine, and selected cocktails
More info: 02 207 7777, fb.bangkok@stregis.com, www.stregisbangkok.com
What: For some, a new school year is beginning. For others, the long summer vacation lies ahead. But, from start to finish, there are always good reasons for giving and receiving, and at ThaiCraft, you can do both by supporting fifty artisan groups nationwide while having fun buying accessories, textiles, home decor, baskets cosmetics, toys, and much more.
When: June 7, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Where: Jasmine City Building, basement bloor, Sukhumvit Rd, at the entrance of Soi 23, BTS Asok station exit 3, MRT Sukhumvit station exit 2
How much: Free entrance
More info: www.thaicraft.org
What: Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa invites you to join a culinary journey across Thailand. The chefs at InAzia, its Pan-Asian specialty restaurant, have prepared traditional dishes from four different regions, using typical spices and ingredients of each distinctive cuisine. From northern style pork curry to marinated and grilled chicken from the south, and black mussels cooked in red curry with betel leaves from the central region to steamed ruby fish with spicy sauce from the East.
When: Daily from 6:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m.
Where: InAzia, 1st floor, Sheraton Hua Hin Resort & Spa
How much: Varies
More info: 032 708 000 ext. 4303
What: Created in France in 1982, La Fête de la Musique is a worldwide not-to-miss event. The Bangkok edition will rise over the city from the 17th floor of ZEN World, at Zense, offering a unique view of the Thai capital. For one dazzling evening, La Fête de la Musique brings together Thai bands and the French duo Systaime/Kantes, an explosive and corrosive VJ and DJ mix, combining electronic music and live video projections.
When: June 6 from 8 p.m. onward
Where: ZEN World, at Zense
How much: THB 500 (including two drinks)
More info: www.lafete-bangkok.com
EVENT PREVIEW
Discovering Thai Spirit Houses and Invoking Land Guardians
by Pandit Bhikkhu
English speakers are invited to a very special event on Monday, June 16, explaining everything you didn’t know about Thai spirit houses. The event is free of charge at the Neilson Hays Library (195 Surawong Road, Silom, Bangkok, BTS Chong Nonsi or Sala Daeng).
You can see these tiny spirit houses everywhere, yet they are a total mystery to most people. Wonderful icons of spiritual fusion, they blend ancient nature worship, Hindu rituals, and Buddhist faith.
On this special evening, visiting expert Marisa Cranfill Young will reveal to us the hidden layers of deep meaning within the spirit house tradition through a vivid explanation of the symbols, myths, and rituals that Thais continue to adapt to modern lifestyles. She will show what the spirit houses mean to Thais and their beliefs.
Marisa Cranfill Young has lived and studied in Thailand and Asia for more than 16 years. She is fluent in Thai and ran a large and successful business exporting high-end Thai silk fashion to the U.S. under the label Marisa Baratelli. In stark contrast to all this glamour, she yearned to develop the more personal, spiritual side of life. Young became a yoga, Qi Gong, and Vipassana meditation teacher, and is currently writing a novel about the Thai spirit house tradition. She is one of only a couple of Westerners who have studied the Thai spirit house and shaman tradition in depth.
For more info and a growing library of short videos on local Thai shrines, visit www.spirithouseconnection.com. There is no need to book. Details on this event, including a map and directions, are on www.littlebang.org.
