• By GROVE
  • | May 31, 2016
 
Bangkok’s Northern neighborhood of Ratchada is undergoing a deep transformation set to position it as Bangkok’s newest business district. Free from the permanent gridlock that ensnares the traditional Sathorn/Sukhumvit axes, Ratchada is where upwardly-mobile professionals are redefining the balance of work and play in the capital.
 
 
Ratchada’s big boom is being spearheaded by key projects G-Land and the Super Tower. The latter is a 615-meter-tall, 125-story high-rise that will single-handedly reshape the city’s skyline, becoming its tallest structure. With 24-hour office facilities, LEED platinum energy efficiency and a sweeping observation deck, Super Tower would be right at home in Tokyo or Singapore. The tower is also part of a wider development which includes the G-Land office building, and totals 1.2 million sq meters of constructed space, effectively making Ratchada a regional business center for ASEAN.
 
C-Asean
 
It’s all possible thanks to Ratchada’s unique infrastructure, balancing access and ease of circulation. Positioned just above the Sirat Expressway and the Airport Link’s Makkasan station, Ratchada is also traversed by the MRT’s blue line, which is rapidly expanding and connecting to Bangkok’s ever-growing network of modern metro lines.
 
Greenmade
 
“I feel like the inner city is getting crowded, so Bangkok has to expand a little,” says Wasinee Tapanya co-founder of Greenmade Cafe, a charming little restaurant dedicated to healthy eating. “In a couple of years, Ratchada will become a prime location especially after the opening of the Super Tower. With the rise of numerous offices, condos, and convenient transportation, we are investing in our cafe’s future here.”
 
 
It’s not all work for the booming neighborhood, though. Greenmade Cafe shows how, on the sidelines of Ratchada’s productivity offerings, a new crop of businesses have popped up to offer busy professionals the stress release they seek after a hard day’s work. The cafe’s wooden furniture and brick walls befit its menu of fresh dishes like its pomelo prawn salad and miang kham salad, alongside cold-pressed juices and smoothies.
 
Holy Shrimp
 
The area’s well-traveled urbanites have also been pushing for a dose of global imports like Ratchada’s Rod Fai Market’s Holy Shrimp, a Cajun-style seafood kitchen doing buckets of shrimp, mussels, scallops and clam. Splashed with melted butter, garlic sauce, lemon pepper sauce or Thai seafood sauce, Holy Shrimp’s messy treats can be washed down by a cold beer or a classic cocktail.
 
Mustache
 
Speaking of drinks, Ratchada is a neighborhood that believes in playing as hard as it works. At Mustache Bar, you can end your workweek to thumping electronic dance music (think Glow and BEAM) with enough space for you to actually get your moves on (there are two floors, and a rooftop soon to turn into a dining venue). And by “play hard,” we mean the place stays open till very late hours.
 
The Street
 
Bounce
 
Balance is everything. So after your Friday night excesses, Ratchada will also lure you into a bit of healthy activity with fun, new offerings like Bounce, which claims to be the biggest trampoline park in Asia (5,600 sq meters). The play zones in Bounce vary from different activities to levels of difficulty such as Free Jump (for newbies and kids), Slam Dunk (where you can channel your inner Michael Jordan), and Wall Run (for pros who have mastered trampoline jumping). 
 
“In terms of location, we wanted to open the biggest branch in Asia, thus, we chose this area,” says Bounce CEO Somporn Namsuetrong. “And Ratchada also has convenient transportation options like the MRT, which is important to reach a younger crowd.”
 
Fitfac Muay Thai Academy
 
For something a little more intense, Fitfac Muay Thai Academy is unlike any other boxing clubs, as it focuses on boxing for fitness and weight loss. The boxing trainers are retired professionals and sports science experts, customizing workouts to correspond with individuals’ body mass index. And unlike other gyms, there are no additional fees for trainers.
Greenmade Cafe. 2/F, AIA Capital Center, Ratchadaphisek Rd., MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, 098-832-4590. Open Mon-Fri 11am-9pm and Sat-Sun 11am-8pm
Holy Shrimp. Ratchada Rod Fai Market (behind Esplanade), MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, 095-694-0060. Open Tue-Sun 6pm-12am
Mustache Bar. 544/5 Ratchadaphisek Rd., MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, 081-844-7080. Open Mon-Sun 8pm-2am
Bounce. 5/F, The Street, Ratchada Rd., MRT Thailand Cultural Centre, 02-014-2446. Open Mon-Sun 10am-10pm
Fitfac Muay Thai Academy. 2/F, The Shoppes Belle Condo, 33/4 Rama 9 Rd., MRT Rama 9, 095-994-6194. Open Mon-Sun 1pm-9:30pm

THE LINE Asoke-Ratchada is the latest residential development in Bangkok's emerging 'central business district' where balance is everything. Positioned at the tip of Asoke Road, 300 meters from MRT Phra Ram 9, it is in the heart of one the fastest growing business districts in the region, but also in one of the most liveable. Rooms start from just 3.99 million. Show units will be open on June 11 at the Sales Gallery. For more information please call 1685 or visit www.sansiri.com.