Places to go

Though quieter on the festive front than Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai does offer up this small but charming floral festival right in the middle of the city at Suan Tung and Khome Chalermprakiet. Covering an 11-rai area, this 100-year-old prison-turned-park houses various kinds of winter flowers, from colorful tulips (orange, yellow, pink, red and magenta) to all sorts of sweet-scented lilies. After finishing your long trail, take a little time to visit the beautiful old buildings inside the compound, starting with the old wooden prison building that’s now home to an exhibition showcasing the costumes of 30 hill tribes in Northern Thailand. Another colonial-style building acts as an information center for the garden.

Duration: Dec 20, 2013-Jan 20, 2014

Contact: TAT Chiang Rai 053-717-433, 053-744-674/5, Chiang Rai Municipal 053-711-333, 053-713-272, www.chiangraicity.go.th

LOEI

Phurua Marigold Field

Although the Northern region is famous for its cool breeze, the place with the coldest recorded temperatures in Thailand is actually Phurua, situated in mountainous Loei province. Having welcomed cool-seeking visitors for years, Phurua is famed for its golden field of dow ruangs (marigolds) in the middle of the valley. There are actually two fields you can visit, the first of which starts blooming late November, while the second blooms from late December through until late January. Pack your bag this weekend for the Phurau Music Festival at Chateau de Loei.

Duration: Now-Jan 30, 2014

Contact: TAT Loei 042-811-405, 042-812-812 or keep updated at http://on.fb.me/HLdr1T

CHIANG MAI

Flora Festival 2013

The biggest event of the flower season, this will be the fourth staging of the Flora Festival at the Royal Park Rajapruek. This time under the theme “Color of the Plants.” The exhibitions been dubbed “The Seven Wonders” and include the newly renovated Hor Kham (main pavilion), a new orchid garden, giant and small vegetables, the biggest flower house in the Northern region, and an exhibition of King Tulips, a new hybrid to honor HM the King. The food, too, is set to be even more exciting than before as they offer dishes from the restaurants of the seven royal projects in the hills up north. As you’d expect, this includes fresh organic produce. This year, they’re also catering to those who don’t fancy walking in the brutal midday sun, accepting visitors through to 8pm, while you can also travel around on open door trailers (B20), golf carts (B600 per hour) or bicycles (B20 per hour).

Duration: Dec 1, 2013-Feb 28, 2014

Contact: Royal Park Rajapruek 053-114-110/5, www.royalparkrajapruek.org

NAKHON RATCHASIMA

Flora Park 2013

This weekend resort destination is never short of flowers to admire. After the arrival of two popular floral parks, Dasada and The Bloom, the longer-established Flora Park has announced another floral festival. Of the millions of flowers here, the highlights can be found at the English rose garden, where you can walk among more than 400 varieties of roses. Another fun place to check out is Faprathan Farm, where you can learn about organic farming, from growing pesticide-free fruit and vegetables to raising chickens for their eggs and producing coffee. You can also hop along to the farmer’s market to buy fresh goods to take home, too.

Duration: Now-Mar 30, 2014

Contact: Flora Park 089-812-8851, http://on.fb.me/1biTOFQ

PHETCHABUN

Phutubberk Winter Flower Festival

This new floral festival will take place on Phutubberk, the famous resort hill in Phetchabun province. Dubbed the “hill of cabbages,” you can expect to come across a huge decorated cabbage garden, as well as many winter flowers dotted around the 60-rai area. They also showcase giant pumpkins, some of which weigh more than 100 kilograms. The park is situated near Wat Pa Phutubberk—just note that the place is pretty unfinished as it’s still in its first year. But if you’re hoping to catch sight of the fog and the stars at Phutubberk, dropping by might not be a bad idea.

Duration: Now-Feb 28, 2014

Contact: TAT Phisanulok 055-252-742/3, Phetchabun Public Relation Office 056-721-733

SARABURI, LOPBURI AND SUPHAN BURI

Sunflower Festival

These ever-popular flower fields near Bangkok bloom annually at the end of the year. Although the most famous and photogenic sunflower fields are in Saraburi, the province with the most sunflowers is actually Lopburi, home to fields covering about 300,000 rai. Suphan Buri, too, is another interesting option as it also has other flowers like orchids, supparod si (bromeliads), na wua (flamingo flowers), roses, chuanchom (desert rose) and tulips. You can find them all in the one place: Suphan Buri Agricultural Extension and Development Center (Plant Tissue Culture).

Duration: Dec 1, 2013-Jan 31, 2014

Contact: Saraburi 036-319-026, 036-218-893, Lopburi 036-770-096-7 and Suphan Buri Suphan Buri Agricultural Extension and Development Center (Plant Tissue Culture) 035-437-705, 089-837-3277 and TAT Suphan Buri 035-536-030, 035-535-789

Bloom Time

Where to See Flowers All Year Round

Jan-Feb

Nang Phaya Sua Krong

Where: Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai, Nan, Petchabun

Feb

Chomphu Phuka

Where: Doi Phuka National Park, Nan

Dok Siew

Where: Lampang

May-Jun

Euang Bussarakham

Where: Phetchabun

Jun-Aug

Dok Krajiew

Where: Chaiyaphum

Oct

Wild Flowers

Where: Ubon Ratchathani

Nov-Dec

Sunflowers

Where: Lopburi, Saraburi

Bua Tong (Mexican Sunflowers)

Where: Mae Hong Son

New Places

HUBBA

Muchroom Co-Working Space

Launchpad Co-Working Space

Kliquedesk

Glowfish

Casa Lapin x 26

The Hive Bangkok

Ma:D

Best Shared Offices and Co-Working Spaces in Bangkok

A round-up of co-working spaces as more and more shared offices open up around town.

10 years ago

city living

By Vasachol Quadri | Nov 21, 2013

A round-up of co-working spaces as more and more shared offices open up around town.

By Vasachol Quadri
| Nov 21, 2013

HUBBA

19 Ekkamai Soi 4. Sukhumvit Soi 63. 02-714-3388. Open daily 9am-10pm. hubbathailand.com

A year after their opening, there are now a lot more choices around town, but you could say HUBBA Thailand was the first to really kick off the co-working space scene in Bangkok. The old house painted white reminds us of those charming home-come-bars like 6ixcret and Sua-Non-Kin, only it’s designed for working in the daytime. The place is very organized, with zones like the “hot desk,” where individuals can come together to share a long wooden table, as well as private rooms for setting up mini offices. There’s a library corner with sofas and a sizable play yard out front where you can take a break from your work or even organize events. Other facilities include high-speed Wi-Fi and LAN internet connection, meeting room, post box rental services, complimentary coffee, tea and snacks, 24-hour CCTV, pantry, canteen and, perhaps most impressive, shower rooms. Packages for members start from B1,295/week up to B36,500/year, while newcomers can get a one-day trial pass for B265. HUBBA is now expanding another two branches in Bangkok (Wong Wien Yai and Ekkamai Soi 4) and another one set to open in Hua Hin by mid-December.

Kliquedesk

93 Sukhumvit Soi 23. 02-105-6767. Open Mon-Sat 9am-7pm. www.kliquedesk.com

Kliquedesk opened this co-working space last February. The modern design building features a cheerful yellow, black and grey color scheme. Kliquedesk delivers a more formal office atmosphere, although rental packages can still be considered pocket-friendly for freelancers and new ventures. There are three packages available: Hot Desk recommended for freelancers who want a proper and ready-to-use office on a monthly basis at B3,900 or one-day-trial at B200; and Serviced Offices for real-deal ventures but with flexible leasing terms (B18,000/month). Spaces are available from one up to six people.

Muchroom Co-Working Space

61 Pradipat Soi 23, 081-699-9872, 02-618-7800. Open daily 9am-8pm. muchroomthailand@gmail.com

Rather than present themselves as a proper office building, the team behind Muchroom have given this 50-year-old house in Pradipat Soi 23 a café-like atmosphere, with plenty of work desks and five private rooms for rent. The starting price is B220/day while member rates start from B1,085/week, B3,900/month, up to B29,200/year. For those who want to set up a proper office, a private room for two people starts from B10,000/month and for 2-4 people at B17,000/month. Facilities include a common printer, Wi-Fi, a phone operator and messenger. Aside from the office basics, they’re trying to create a warm atmosphere by coming up with cute ideas like Tuesday afternoon tea break and Wednesday yoga class.

Launchpad Co-Working Space

1/F Sethiwan Tower Silom, BTS Surasak, 02-266-6222. Open Mon-Fri 9:30-8pm and Sat 10:30-6pm. www.facebook.com/launchpadhq

Located in the Silom business district, in Sethiwan Tower, Launchpad has created a professional yet playful environment for entrepreneurs to collaborate and exchange ideas. They’ve taken the first floor and filled it with plenty of work spaces for startup companies, including private offices as well as fixed and flexible desks. There are six meeting rooms that can hold 4-12 people and an event space with a capacity for 250 people. Individual desks start from B260/day or B7,500/month. Facilities also include lockers, 24-hour security, leased line internet from TRUE, a recreational room with a ping pong table and various game consoles. Members can also enjoy their café, BRUSH, which is operated by Roast Coffee & Eatery and located just outside the co-working space.

Glowfish

219 Asoke Towers, Sukhumvit Soi 21 (Soi Asoke). 02-120-9600. Open daily 8:30am-5:30pm. www.glowfishoffices.com

If fast-paced connectivity is essential to your business, you might want to check this co-working space managed by Heritage Estates, who also operate The Pride office building, where the focus is more on technology. Here, apart from the usual Wi-Fi, they offer a VoIP phone system meaning smoother connectivity and saving you the costly installation yourself. There are over 36 rooms to accommodate different needs, ranging from the co-working space from B200/day to 5,500/month, serviced office spaces at B20,000/month and meeting rooms which start from B300/hr for capacity of 4 people, as well as virtual offices start at B2,500/month in case you don’t need a physical space at all. The location is attractive, too, close to BTS Asoke and MRT Sukhumvit. Under the theme “Meet Think Play,” it also boasts a welcome lounge where business meetups and networking events are held regularly, so there’s a chance you will bump into a collaboration opportunity.

Ma:D

42/3, Soi Sukhumvit 63, Ekkamai Soi 4, Open 9.00am-9.00pm, 085-917-7795, www.facebook.com/madeehub

Opened mid-May, the space is separated into an active zone and a quiet zone, while providing services such as meeting rooms, private offices, event organization and even shower rooms. The price starts at B265 per day and B4,650 per month with 20 percent discounts for social entrepreneurs, which Ma:D particularly hopes to attract. Ma:D is also joining a co-working space alliance with two other spaces, Hubba and Pah Space, so that members at one space could visit the other spaces under one membership contract. It’s also planning on being a model of sustainable energy use, as well as cultivating healthy habits to avoid office syndrome among its customers. See our interview with Ma:D’s founder below.

Casa Lapin x 26

Sukhumvit Soi 26. Open daily 7:30am-10pm. BTS Phrom Phrong.

The fourth branch of the hip café Casa Lapin is much more than a coffee shop. Far from its humble beginnings as a counter-top in Thonglor, Casa’s new spot on Sukhumvit Soi 26 features a hostel, co-working space and even a flower shop. The café itself opened earlier in May, and now the co-working space and hostel side of things, dubbed Oneday: Pause and Forward, is ready for business. Pause will offer dorm-style accommodation priced at B650-B1,900, while Forward is a co-working space that costs B350 per day and offers four types of work spaces: individual desk, group work, coffee shop style and meeting room for 12-20 people.

The Hive Bangkok

46/9 Sukhumvit Soi 49 (opposite Grease). 02-662-6062. www.facebook.com/TheHiveBangkok

Located in Sukhumvit Soi 49, just opposite Grease, The Hive Bangkok is the first international branch of this co-working space brand that already has three addresses in Hong Kong. On top of a communal space, it has meeting rooms, post boxes and storage units. The wood-dominated loft design has the requisite coffee shop chic with lounge seats and access to a rooftop garden and bar. Prices start from B250 for a day-pass trial, while you can also rent it out for B3,200/month for 10 full days (and one-hour of meeting room use) or B5,500 for 20 days (and two hours of meeting room use). Teams can opt for the B6,500 per person per month plan, with a private office (min 3 people) and three-hours of meeting room use. Head up to the roof to grab a drink after work or catch the films screened every last Saturday of the month.

Start Up House Asia

Baan Chicha Castle 199/17, Sukhumvit soi 31. 099-497-2752. startuphouse.asia

Opened earlier this year and located just 10 minutes walk from MRT Petchburi, Start Up House Asia is another new spot aimed at servicing the needs of independent entrepreneurs. The twist is that it’s actually a share-house (hostel-style) with a co-working space (currently only open to residents). Offering stays from two weeks to two months, it also provides facilities for co-working purposes—eight seats, free WiFi and an events room. The price starts from B8,000 per bed per month (rates of less than monthly are negotiable), and includes access to the co-working space.

New Places

The Shoyu Stand

Restaurant

Kiri Tsukemen

Restaurant

Tsu Na Gu

Restaurant

Battlefield 4

Dead Rising 3

Call of Duty: Ghosts

NBA Live 14

Need for Speed Rivals

Xbox One

PlayStation 4

Xbox and PS4 Games Roundup - Christmas 2013

Here are the top releases owners of the next-gen consoles out this month in the USA (and at a dodgy MBK or Pantip shop near you) will be craving this Christmas.

10 years ago

tech

By BK staff | Nov 21, 2013

Here are the top releases owners of the next-gen consoles out this month in the USA (and at a dodgy MBK or Pantip shop near you) will be craving this Christmas.

By BK staff
| Nov 21, 2013

NBA Live 14

Release date: Nov 19 for PS4

Pitch: The 14th edition of the NBA’s only official basketball simulator.

Who made it: EA Sports.

Most anticipated feature: BounceTek; a new dribbling physics-based system that allows the players to have more control over the ball and better responsiveness.

Bonus drama: Six of the league’s youngest point guards lend their faces and physiques to the game: Kyrie Irving (NBA All Star 2013), alongside Damian Lillard, John Wall, Kemba Walker, Ricky Rubio, and Victor Oladipo.

Perfect for: Those too short to make the high-school team.

Need for Speed Rivals

Release date: Nov 15 for PS4; Nov 19 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PC; and Nov 22 for Xbox One.

Pitch: Your usual Need for Speed format: cops chase you, you shake them off your tail, you challenge rival racers, your reputation grows. This time around, you can also play as the cops, though.

Who made it: Ghost Games and Criterion Games.

Most anticipated feature: AllDrive is a new online feature that allows players to seamlessly transition between single player, co-op, to multiplayer mode.

Bonus drama: Ken Block is the series’ appointed racing advisor. He’s this mad Gymkhana driver who can pull some awesome driving stunts.

Perfect for: Guys who crashed their car trying to pull these stunts in the real world.

Call of Duty: Ghosts

Release date: Nov 5 for Xbox One; Nov 15 for Xbox 360, PS3, and PS4

Pitch: This is the first-person shooter of choice. And while most kids on the multiplayer maps won’t care about the plot, here goes: The game is set 10 years in the future, after a nuclear bomb detonated in the Middle East, leaving the USA crippled. South America’s oil-producing nations have formed The Federation, which invades and conquers Central America. They then hijack an orbital super weapon, ODIN, and use it to destroy cities in the southwestern United States.

Who made it: Infinity Ward, Neversoft, and Raven Software.

Most anticipated feature: “Dynamic Maps” introduce mid-game events that can flatten entire portions of a map, while players can strategically destroy parts of the map to open or block passageways.

Bonus drama: Tony-Award nominated Stephen Lang (Col. Miles Quaritch from Avatar) is the voice of Elias Walker and the game’s script is written by Stephen Gaghan (Traffic and Syrianna).

Perfect for: Your typical gamer who needs a little more violence in his life.

Dead Rising 3

Release date: Nov 22 for Xbox One.

Pitch: Following the well-received previous installments, Dead Rising 3 takes place 10 years after the events at Fortune City. The protagonist, a young mechanic named Nick Ramos, attempts to survive a massive zombie outbreak. To do so, Nick has a tendency to build madcap contraptions that cause massive mayhem.

Who made it: Capcom Vancouver and Microsoft

Most anticipated feature: Players now have the ability to create weapons and vehicles on the go. Rollerhawg, anyone? It’s the combination of a chopper and a steamroller.

Bonus drama: This is a Capcom game and its many references to Hollywood zombie flicks have trickled through Japanese arcade game culture, making it a pretty brain-dead experience. But hey, you’re here to kill zombies, not watch Oscar-winning performances.

Perfect for: Walking Dead fans who would like to experience the thrill of crushing hordes of zombies.

Battlefield 4

Release date: Oct 29 for Xbox 360

Pitch: Battlefield differs from your usual first-person shooters in its ability to give you control of vehicles and jump around from soldier to soldier, giving you the impression of leading an entire campaign at both a strategic and tactical level. This edition of the beloved game, set in the near-future, pits the USA, China and Russia against each other.

Who made it: EA Digital Illusions CE (DICE) it’s published by Electronic Arts.

Most anticipated feature: Battlefield 4 will run up to 60 frames per second and it will feature support for 64-player multiplayer matches on PS4 and Xbox One.

Bonus drama: There’s an actual Jason Bourne-style plot in the single player campaign by Jesse Stern, who has writing credits on scores of US TV series like NCIS (about the Naval Criminal Investigative Service). His series have a tendency to never make it past the first season, though. Just sayin’.

Perfect for: Those who dodged their military service and are having second thoughts.

TECH KNOW

Meet the Consoles

Xbox One

Microsoft welcomes the Xbox One, the third console in the Xbox family this month. It has been nearly six years since the release of the previous Xbox console, Xbox 360.

Release Date: Nov 22 in the USA and 2014 for Thailand.

New Features:

Blu-ray player, 500GB hard-drive and 8GB of system memory.
Multitasking with music, video, Skype and Internet Explorer.
Improved cloud computing and on-demand streaming of games onto your consoles.
Improved Kinect functionality: a 1080p wide-angle camera that captures your movements and gestures allowing you to control the on-screen action.
Kinect microphone that remains active at all times, and can be awoken with a voice command when in sleep mode.
The new wireless Xbox One controller features new vibration motors in the triggers.
Expanded TV and entertainment options.

PlayStation 4

Sony launches its fourth video game console, PlayStation 4. The PS4 is the successor of PlayStation 3, which was released in 2006.

Release Dates: Nov 15 in the USA and 2014 for Thailand.

New Features:

New controllers have a “Share” button for easy access to social features like the “view-in-game” live stream from friends.
A cloud-based gaming service that streams video games and connects to your Sony smartphones, tablets and PlayStation Vita.
It includes a blu-ray player (like the previous model), 500GB hard-drive for additional storage, 8GB of system memory, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and two 3.0 USB ports.
The PlayStation Camera, a motion-sensing digital camera.
There are other audio/video output options such as HDMI TV and Optical S/PDIF audio to use your PlayStation 4 as a one-stop media center.

New Places

The Shoyu Stand

Restaurant

Kiri Tsukemen

Restaurant

Tsu Na Gu

Restaurant

Lovelace

Submitted by ppetchy on Mon, 2013-11-18 17:08

Editor's Rating:

Average: 3 (1 vote)

Linda Lovelace rose to fame as a 70s porn icon for her role in the now legendary smash hit Deep Throat. But, as with many successful film stars, there’s more gloom beneath the glamour. As this biopic directed by Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman portrays, Linda was a victim of a tumultuous relationship and a greedy industry.

Opening Date:

Thu, 2013-11-14

Language:

English

Running Time:

1 hr. 33 min.

Images: