Boxers

1. Scotch patterns never go out of style. B1,190 from Siam Paragon.
2. Show off your colorful side with this Calvin Klein piece. B1,190 from Siam Paragon.
3. Flowers that don’t look girly? This Shop For Men’s pulls it off. B550 from This Shop For Men.
4. Calvin Klein does red, too. B1,090 from Siam Paragon.
5. Purple is the new black. B1,090 from Siam Paragon.
6. The signature Paul Smith colored stripes. B2,900 from Siam Paragon.

Boxer Briefs

7. More unorthodox Calvin Klein undies. B1,190 from Siam Paragon
8. Brand-crazy? These Calvin Kleins say it loud. B1,290 from Siam Paragon.
9. Available in red and green, this Toot piece comes with a surprise at the back. B2,540 from This Shop For Men.
10. Keep it fresh down there. B1,250 from This Shop For Men.
11. 2ero sees la vie en rose. B825 from This Shop For Men.
12. Topman’s unique color play with a solid touch of black. B390 from Central World.
13. Calvin Klein goes for an understated look. B.1,090 from Siam Paragon.
14. Topman sends out an invitation to the “After party.” B390 from Central World.

Briefs

15. Strip down to your Good Men Wear stripy pants. B1,730 from This Shop For Men.
16. This gay locker room fantasy from Good Men Wear breathes. B1,950 from This Shop For Men.
17. Aussiebum’s fire-red piece with a slight touch of black. B1,550 from This Shop For Men.
18. Another bold color for Calvin Klein. B1,190 from Siam Paragon.
19. This Good Men Wear brief carries a (get) lucky number seven. B1,900 from This Shop For Men.

Essentials

Paul Smith: Try 1/F, Siam Paragon, 02-610-9770
Calvin Klein: Try 2/F, Siam Paragon, 02-690-1000
Topman: Try 2/F Beacon Zone, Central World, 02-613-1796
This Shop For Men, Good Men Wear, Toot, Aussiebum, 2ero: Try This Shop For Men, Silom C34 (Next to Yada Building and TMB Bank), 02-632-8383

BK: How did you become a doctor?
Since high school, my parents wanted me to be doctor. At first I wasn’t interested because I wanted to be an architect or an engineer, but after thinking about it, I came around, knowing that I would be able to help people.

BK: What made you start posting on YouTube and Facebook?
In my daily life, my friends were always asking me health-related questions. It makes sense since I’m a doctor. However, it does get repetitive because a lot of people ask the same questions. Also, while there are several health programs on television, I felt that they’re too stiff and technical, so people get bored and don’t really understand what they are talking about. Because of that, I started posting on YouTube and Facebook, so that anyone with health issues would be able to know what to do.

BK: Has anyone ever doubted you are a real doctor?
When I first started my YouTube channel, a lot of people were making comments about whether or not I was really a doctor.

BK: Did you expect to go viral?
Not at all. I didn’t advertise it. I never could expected there would be so many people interested.

BK: Have you ever been hit on by a patient?
To be honest, yes. There was a patient who asked me out to dinner before, but I didn’t agree.

BK: If you were not a doctor, what would you be doing?
I love cafes, especially with bakeries, so I would open my own place.

BK: What are the most common questions you get asked?
People today are much more concerned about their health. The most common are about supplements like vitamins and glutathione.

BK: Are you worried that other doctors will think you make them look bad?
I was at first, but I was always carefully check my scripts to make sure I don’t say anything to upset anyone. I will never make the medical industry look bad. Every doctor I know supports what I’m doing.

BK: Are the patients different on Facebook and YouTube?
Yes. Patients on YouTube tend to be more playful. Sometimes they would watch the video just for fun and leave comments. On Facebook, it’s different. Patients usually visit the page for specific answers. My Facebook fan page is more like a little online medical community.

BK: What’s your plan for the future?
I’ve written a couple of pocket books but I got a little bored. However, my mood for making another is back. I want to write one just about life –nothing to do with health.

BK: What do you sell at JJ market?
Anne: I have been selling house decorations and lamps for 10 years.

BK: How much do you pay per month for rent?
Anne: I’ve got two stalls, the one on the inside is B35,000 and the one outside is B40,000 per month.

BK: Is there a middle man you have to go through?
Anne: The middle man here would be the actual owner of the rooms. They have to pay their rent to the BMA and most of them allow others to rent out their spaces. For instance, I’m renting my two rooms from someone else, so the rent I pay is up to the actual owner.

BK: Are there any mafia-style gangs involved at the market?
Anne: There isn’t any actual mafia that I know of, but many middle men are like the mafia. Each owner is allowed to have two rooms at the market, but most cut corners by having their family members buy out additional rooms. One owner could own as many rooms as they want and can charge any amount on rent. It’s the vendors who suffer.

BK: How do you feel now that the SRT will be running things?
Anne: I feel good because the BMA doesn’t place much importance on the vendors. They would often make new rules involving vendors having to pay more each year. For instance, they made a rule stating that vendors selling in the areas outside had to pay additional rent because there are more people there.

BK: How do other tenants you know feel about this?
Anne: They feel the same way that I do. We feel that the BMA has been taking advantage of us. They always tried to cut corners and collect more money when they can, and even then they still owe money to the SRT. It raises the question, where did all the money go?

BK: What are some of the biggest problems you and other tenants have in common?
Anne: Right now the biggest problem is selling our products. During the protests and the flood, JJ was like a ghost town, there was hardly anyone there.

BK: What is your biggest concern now that the SRT is in charge?
Anne: What the SRT team will be like. For now, we don’t know anything about them. We don’t know how long they will let vendors rent rooms; we don’t know if they will be stricter or more flexible.

BK: What do you want the SRT to change most about JJ?
Anne: I want them to allow vendors renting spaces to become the actual owners. If their contract ends, they won’t be able to sell things at the market anymore. It’s something we’re all worried about.

BK: Who would you have running the market the SRT or the BMA?
Anne: Even though I don’t know how the SRT will run things, they own the place and I’m sure they’ll do a better job than the BMA. I would definitely go for the SRT.

Saatchi & Saatchi

Achingly cool workshop

Joel Clement, regional creative director of Saatchi & Saatchi

What was the inspiration behind creating this office?
We happened to be moving our office so we wanted to do something very different, as a signal of the renewal of the company. I’d been following a fun Thai architecture and design firm called Supermachine and told them that we had a small space, small budget, but that I wanted the most fun office in Bangkok. I want to make the staff happy, inspire creativity, and bring us all together. A few people in our office are into fixed gear bikes so I was inspired by that. Supermachine came back with great ideas that blew me away. Our reception desk is a bus with wheels you can move around. The meeting table is two tables made up of nine bicycle frames. They can move and be separated or joined together as one big meeting table. In the creative department, there is a huge wall hanging we call the “monster” which we use to put work on, but employees can use it to keep their bike accessories too. I wanted to put people’s interests into the office so they feel like they are really a part of it.
What are the employees’ favorite spots?
When we first got here, the funky living room has some good backdrops for photos and was very popular. Another one is the two individual meeting booths, they’re like café-style seating where people can sit and share ideas, have small meetings, or just have lunch. We’re also planning to make our balcony into a kind of playground where we can ride our bikes and have a weekly barbecue party.
Does it work? Is there an increase in productivity?
It does, there’s been a real difference in the energy level that our employees bring to work. For instance, we took down all the walls in the creative department because we wanted to eliminate the boundaries between people and encourage more interaction. We’ve got this energy of people shouting across tables and walking around, it has really brought us together. We get more done in a shorter time.
Location: 12 /F, Sindhorn Tower, Wireless Road
Space: 500 square meters with 600 square meter balcony
Staff: 40 people
Designed by: Supermachine Studio

Dtac

Better than Home

Vatcharapong Siripark, senior vice president of Dtac

What was the inspiration behind creating this office?
Before we moved, our offices were located in five different areas which caused problems with communication. We needed a new office to expand and combine our operations and improve our corporate culture. At the time, Chamchuree Square was the only building with enough space available, so we chose here. Our main focus was the well-being of our staff; we wanted a place that’s convenient and would improve employees’ lives by providing accommodation and entertainment. Our brief to the interior design firm, Hassel, was that we don’t want to build an office; we want to build a home. That’s why we called it Dtac House.
What are the employees’ favorite spots?
There are quite a lot. First, would be the slide by the stairs­­­­, between the 31st and 32nd floor—people love sliding down, it gets them in touch with their younger side. Second would be our library where people can come and relax, read or even borrow books, music and movies. Then there is the Recreational Room on the 38th floor, where employees can engage in many fun activities such as karaoke, yoga, fitness, aerobics, pool, indoor soccer—there’s even a two-lane indoor jogging track. We also have a bakery, coffee shop, and smoothie shop, which all come from street stalls that we asked our employees to pick. We don’t charge them rent so they can sell their goods at a cheaper price for our employees.
Does it work? Is there an increase in productivity?
Definitely, we have a yearly employee checkup where we ask our staff how happy they are working here. Before we moved, our employees were 60% happy, but after the move, our employees were 80% happy. It’s also much easier to communicate and coordinate with each other now since we’re all in one place.
Location: Chamchuri Square, L22-41
Space: 60,000 square meters
Staff: 3,000 people
Designed by: HASSELL

Sun Systems

Ultimate frat house

Nutapong Jatabut, CEO of Sun Systems

What was the inspiration behind creating this office?
We’re a software company creating software like phone top-up programs for mobile companies. We have to keep programs up and running 24/7, which means our employees have to work late. Our old office didn’t have air-con after office hours or bathrooms for those who had to stay overnight. People worked hard but they would hardly interact with each other. They just kept their eyes on their laptop screen. I wanted to break that barrier since communication is vital for a company like us. I wanted to make them happier when they’re working. Humans are the most valuable resource in this office. Creating a good programmer takes three years so we have to make them happy to work with us. An intern student introduced me to Amata Lupaiboon, a famous architecture. I told him that I wanted a fun open plan office with a bit of a bar-vibe, like “100 Ratchadamri” (now Falabella), and we got it. It’s really cool. It’s also very energy efficient. We use only 30% of the lights in here because the design allows so much natural light to get in.
What are the employees’ favorite spots in the office?
We have a little party every Friday evening on the second floor balcony: there are drinks, barbeques and games. We turn on some music, relax and just socialize. Also, there’s an antique pinball machine that employees and I love to play. Whoever gets the lowest score has to drink or receive some kind of punishment. We also have a foosball table which is quite popular. Then there are bedrooms for people to sleep over or take a quick nap.
Does it work? Is there an increase in productivity?
Yes. Employees feel that this is not an office, but something more like their own personal space. We have better communication, employees are willing to stay and work late. And as the CEO, I no longer have to monitor people individually, which can create pressure. All I have to do now is listen to people interacting, and I now know what’s going on.
Location: Ladprao Soi 1, 181 Sun One Building
Space: 1,200 square meters
Staff: 50 people
Designed by: Amata Lupaiboon, Department of Architecture

Boon Design

Sustainably stylish studio

Boonlert Hemvijitraphan, architect, head of Boon Design

What was the inspiration behind this office?
Our old office was in a shophouse. It was dull and square. It’s not a good place to have an architecture firm. An office should reflect your skill and identity, so I decided to build a new place. My original idea was that I wanted to build an office from things that are leftover. So I went to a junkyard where they sell containers. At first I thought I’d buy only one or two containers but when I saw so many in one place, I felt I wanted to make it even better. I ended up buying eight containers. I designed this office by myself. I put space and added value as the core of the design with one belief, “Everything is possible.” I stacked the containers together to create central space, and the second floor was designed as a working environment.
What are employees’ favorite spots in the office?
That would be the main hall, due to its multi-functional use. There is a bar counter and a dining table where they can sit and relax. The bar counter doesn’t have booze or coffee yet but we plan to do that. We always have a small party to celebrate every project that we finish. I also plan to do a meditation course for those who are interested because I think it’s a good way to put your life in balance. I won’t force anyone; it’s up to them. I also invite architects from other offices to come here and exchange ideas too.
Does it work? Is there an increase in productivity?
It’s really helped for our image that we can show our office as the symbol of an architecture company that can be whatever you want it to be. For my employees, I’ve never asked them directly about this place but I kind of see their relaxed expressions. It’s hard to evaluate the productivity. I’ve tried to highlight that this is not just a place where anyone can work—you have to have talent—and this is what I can provide for talented people like them.
Location: 113 Praditmanutham 19, Ladprao
Space: 500 square meters
Staff: 10 people
Designed by: Boonlert Hemvijitraphan

Ensogo

Playground for grown-ups

Tom Srivorakul, CEO and Co-Founder of Ensogo Thailand

What was the inspiration behind creating this office?
We are one of the fastest growing companies in Thailand, going from just five staff to 220 in one year. When we moved our office, we wanted to make it a happy place for our employees. The average age of our staff is just 27 years old, so they are all young, creative and dynamic. While our office might not look particularly fancy we really focused on making sure our staff would have as much fun as possible. That’s why we created the game zone, which houses a pool table, table tennis and a giant LCD screen with an X-Box, Wii and PlayStation for staff to play games whenever they want. We also have added-value services for staff like free lunches, a fruit buffet, free massage and yoga classes. We also run a lot of in-house competitions, activities where they can play together like pool competitions, selling food for charity or even a dress-up challenge. We also have a balcony where they can have a small party every night. That’s awesome.
What are the employees’ favorite spots in the office?
I think it might be our game zone but also the balcony space where they can hang out after a day at work.
Does it work? Is there an increase in productivity?
Definitely. I have run three other businesses before I founded Ensogo, and this is the first company where I don’t have to ask employees to stay late! They volunteer to do it themselves. Our appeal and kudos grows too. The pride in working here has grown a lot: they are proud to tell everyone they work with Ensogo. The office makes them relaxed so they’re happy to stay late and work. We work hard but we play harder.
Location: 10/F, Abdulrahim Place, Rama 4 Rd.
Space: 1,000 square meters
Staff: 220 people
Designed by: Ensogo

Asus Zenbook UX21

Spec: Core i5 1.6GHz, 128GB SSD, 11.1” screen (What’s SSD? See Ultrabook 101).
Price: B30,000.
The good: All aluminum body equals lightest weight of the bunch (1.1 Kg). Supports USB 3.0 port for faster file transfer, and Bang & Olufsen speakers.
The bad: No backlit keyboard, no SD card reader, keyboard buttons set too close together
The verdict: If you don’t mind the keyboard, the Zenbook UX21 comes with a nice slim design, fair specs, and a price which is still cheaper than the MacBook Air’s B39,900 (for the 11.1” screen with 128GB SSD).

The Toshiba Portege Z830

Specs: Core i5 1.6GHz, 128GB SSD, Core i7 1.8GHz 128GB SSD 13.3” screen
Price: Core i5 B36,000, Core i7 B42,900.
The good: Light, great battery life, it also offers the most ports, one USB 3.0 and two USB 2.0.
The bad: Not particularly fast, it also happens to be the ugliest of the bunch.
The verdict: The Toshiba is about US$500 cheaper than a Macbook Air in the USA, making it pretty desirable. Here, at these prices, it’s not nearly as interesting.

Acer Aspire S3

Specs: Core i3 1.4GHz 320GB HD, 20GB SSD, Core i5 1.6GHz 320GB HD, 20GB SSD, Core i7 1.7GHz 240GB SSD, 13.3” screen.
Price: Core i3 B27,900, Core i5 B29,900 and Core i7 B49,900.
The good: Thin, lightweight, resumes from sleep in two seconds.
The bad: No USB 3.0 ports, cheap plastic feeling keyboard, poor audio quality since speakers are located at the bottom, short battery life (3hrs) due to the regular, non-SSD drive in all but the i7 models.
The verdict: Due to its flimsy keyboard, tiny SSD drives and disappointing battery life, the Aspire S3 is more an overpriced netbook than a genuine ultrabook.

Lenovo Ideapad U300S

Specs: Core i5 1.6GHz 128GB SSD, Core i7 1.8GHz 256GB SSD, 13.3” screen.
Price: Core i5 B35,900, Core i7 B50,900
The good: Probably the sexiest design, it’s made from a single aluminum frame, like the Macbook Air. The sub 20-second reboot time and glass track pad are pretty sweet, too.
The bad: Expensive, low-resolution screen (1366x768pixels), no SD-card reader or backlit keyboard.
The verdict: If money were no option, the Ideapad is clearly the best made, most desirable of the bunch. But it costs nearly as much as the MacBook Air’s higher-end options (B42,900 with a 13.3” screen and 128GB SSD. B52,900 for 256GB SSD), without the brand appeal or the MacOS

Ultrabook 101

How did you get this role?
I was quite lucky because the film’s casting team came to casts students at communication arts faculty, Chulalongkorn University. I’m a student there and I decided to give it a try and was called in for a second casting. There were many people who looked fit for the part, so I tried my best to be myself and Ple Nakorn liked my personality and chose me for the part.

Why did you decide to take part in this movie?
I really like the script of the film, and the personality of the character is easy for me to relate to. It’s also a chance to try something new. Movies are still more truthful about people and better than soap operas.

What do you think of the title Ruk Wei Hei?
When I first heard the movie title, I was confused. But after shooting started, I realized there couldn’t be a more appropriate name for the movie: it’s a mixture of comedy, drama, and a bit of romance hence the playful name Rak Wei Hei [Hey, I Love You] suits it the most.

Are you worried about the movie’s reception?
I try not to put too many expectations into it since it’s my first movie. I did my best and I just want people to enjoy it.

How is acting different from being a VJ?
They’re very different. Being a VJ is not as hard as being an actress. When acting you have to remember lines, arrive on the set early, and be able to control and portray your emotions. My first scene at the shoot was one where I had to cry continuously. It was late and I was very stressed out. It’s hard crying in front of people but it’s even harder to cry continuously knowing everyone’s watching. It was exhausting, but in the end, I finished the scene and felt proud that I was able to do it.

What are some things that people don’t know about you?
I’m very clumsy. Once in a Channel V event at Crystal Design Center, I was running across the stage to hug VJ Pitta, but instead I fell into a hole on stage, hurt my leg badly and cried, not because of the pain but because of my own clumsiness. Also I love to eat, especially when it’s a buffet. Whenever I’m free, I will go online searching for places with interesting buffets and go there with my friends. Another thing most people don’t know is that I’m quite adventurous, I love the outdoors, I enjoy going to markets and I love going to carnivals.

Is it ever awkward getting recognized on the street?
Once I was about the go home from university and a student approached me and asked for directions. He was hitting on me with very lame jokes and asked for my number saying that he found the joke on the internet and wanted to see if it will help him get a woman’s number. I was rather scared.

What’s next?
I want to work in an advertising agency as a copy writer or a media planner, it’s something that I’ve always been interested in and it’s also my field of study. Still, I love my job as a VJ and would definitely continue doing it for as long as I could.

BK: How did you end up signing with the Small Room label?
Na: We’re all from Chiang Mai and have been making music for about five years. Three years ago, we had a chance to meet with Pol, the guitarist of this indie band with Small Room, Lomosonic, and we gave him a demo of our song. He gave it to Small Room and, next thing we know, we’re here.

BK: What does Polycat mean?
Piew: “Poly” was the model name of our old synthesizer, and we love cats. They’re everywhere and they’re so fun. We wanted people to look at our band as a fun band, kind of like a cat with many sounds.

BK: How did you get to play in The Hangover 2?
Piew: The casting team for the movie was a team from Chiang Mai. They were looking for a local band to play a small part in the wedding scene and did not want a band from Bangkok. We went to the audition and out of 20 bands, we were chosen for the part. We all were very shocked and happy at the same time because we were fans of the movie and never expected that we would end up getting the part.

BK: Any performance nightmares?
Pha: Once we were playing at this event and there was a member of the audience who regularly tried to steal the microphone and the tambourine. It was funny at first but started to get a little crazy when that person refused to stop.

BK: What’s the hardest part about being a musician?
Na: Staying true to yourself and keeping your work at a high standard.
Pha: I think the hardest part is to remember where you came from and to not let your egos take over. Also, it’s important to be yourself and value the friendship within the band.

BK: What sets you apart from other synth-pop bands out there?
Na: First our lyrics. Our songs are not about ranting or complaining, they’re about telling the truth and looking at things from a different perspective. Second is the fact that we’re probably one of a few synth-pop bands with a trumpet and saxophone in our instrument line up. We used to play reggae and SKA music and thought it would be cool to incorporate those sounds into our music.

BK: What was your best gig?
Piew: The “No Signal Input Chiang Mai Indie Concert.” Chiang Mai is our home town and it’s a true indie concert, meaning people don’t go there just to get drunk, they come for the artists and the music. The show was unbelievable, people were jumping and dancing all over the place; the energy level was just amazing. It’s very different from playing at clubs where you don’t really know if the audiences are enjoying your music because they’re drunk or because they just love your music. Polycat is Rattana Junprasit (Na)—vocals, guitar, Pongsatorn Sawaschuchwan (Pha)—synthesizer, saxophone, chorus, Palakorn Gunjina (Tong)—synthesizer, trumpet, Kaweewit Chaikaew (Doy)—drums and Piew Watanabe (Piew)—bass, synthesizer. Find them at www.facebook.com/polycatband

BK: How did the Apple Girls Band get started?
Saitip “Walnut” Wiwatnapattapee: A friend wanted to make some music for the Fat Music Festival. We recorded his song in three versions: full band, acoustic, and eight-bit sound. For the video, we decided to use applications on the iPhone. But my friends who are all male thought they didn’t fit with the “Apple style” so I recruited my friends, Fern, Vas, Tookta, and Pac, from Chulalongkorn University’s CU Band. Wan-Yen and Mint later joined the band while I was studying in Canada.

BK: What was it like the first time you played together?
Pimprapa “Fern” Chalermwongwiwat: It was quite intense, we only had two hours to practice and we’d never played the song before—and we had to play it on Apple gadgets!
Walnut: The power in the studio went out, so we were only able to record half of what was intended, it was a hectic day. After editing, the video was posted on YouTube and the feedback was unbelievable: we hit 50,000 views in a couple days. [Nearly 250,000 now.]

BK: What’s the hardest thing about these electronic instruments?
Fern: It’s frustrating because everything is so small. It’s hard to play certain chords or keys because of the limited space. However, it’s also more fun since there are so many different sounds.
Walnut: It’s like playing with a toy; you just press and have fun with the different sounds.

BK: Any incidents during the shows?
Fern: Yes, sometimes the program will just freeze or malfunction and certain sounds will play by themselves. You can’t always rely on electronic gadgets.
Walnut: Mistakes can happen at any time, what’s important is to know that the show must go on.

BK: Besides the Apple Girls Band, what do you do?
Fern: I’m studying computer engineering. I also teach the piano and singing; and I sing at The Wave, Route 66, and The Den.
Pac: I’m a third year student. I sing at private events and also do a bit of modeling for Lots Hop and Thiranon clothing.
Walnut: I’ve done a lot of work. I’m so hyper. I’ve worked for advertising agencies, night clubs and I was a barista in a coffee shop. I just came back from Canada after studying there for six months.

BK: What’s the feedback so far?
Pac: There are good and bad comments. Some people say that we’re just copying bands from abroad by using electronic gadgets; some say we should stick to real instruments. But they don’t know that we can also play real instruments.

Also in the Apple girls Boonyavat “Vas” Thanasomboon, Jamaporn “Tookta” Saengtong, Nichamon “Wan-Yen” Pongsuwun and Nissara “Mint” Sitthathikarnvet. See them at http://ow.ly/8177f.