What is Zine?

Zine is actually an event that originated in New York. It’s a place where artists, designers, photographers and other creatives gather to show off their handmade magazines. 

How did it come to Bangkok?

My friends in Tokyo launched Here is Zine Tokyo, which has taken place for six years now. I’ve also played a part in it. After talking to them, I decided it was time to launch this in Thailand. I have invited 18 Thai designers and another 20 Japanese designers to show off their works which are all limited edition. This is the first time that the event is being held outside Japan. 

As the head of a leading design company, how do you see the Thai graphic design scene?

It’s always growing and will continue to grow further in the future. There’s more to communication than just a language. The term “graphic designer” has come a long way but some people still think that it’s something related to computer programming, which is a viewpoint we want to change. While graphics are defined as a 2D-form, it is something more than that. It’s a form of communication involving different senses. Many graphic works involve speech, too, and take time to be made. Our industry is not lacking in designers, but we need people who simply love designing and can adjust their work to different fields.

What’s next for you?

I’m going to be part of Bangkok International Typographic Symposium 2013 (BITS MMXIII) as a speaker. This time I’ll be talking about fonts that have become part of our everyday usage. The starting point of my interest came when I went to a public library here in Thailand where they keep ancient documents with old fonts. I felt a connection with the past and found it interesting that here in the present we still use a lot of stuff from the past.

Every art show ignites some sort of change in me. My art is drawn from my experiences, my learning and my fondness for certain things. So, when I get comments from people about my work, it helps me shape things in my head.

My shows at the Venice Biennale helped me connect with the feelings of Thai people living abroad. Some came to see my show and cried with pride at the fact that Thai artists were present at this big international event. I never thought such a thing was important, but now I do. Thai art helped them come together.

Communities are key to a long-lasting art scene. I’ve tried to bring the arts into people’s daily lives, but it means nothing if they don’t participate or connect with it.

It’s important to encourage people to make art by whatever means possible. I’m supportive of people creating any type of art, even sewing bags. This can only help our art grow. 

People are drawn to art when they see some benefit. I admit that not everyone in Ratchaburi admires art. But when it brings benefits, like more visitors, it might encourage them to participate more. It depends on them understanding [the benefits].

Art isn’t something that has to be put in a frame. Thai society still treats art as this standalone concept. People aren’t really aware that it’s part of their daily life. The way you hang a picture on your wall or decorate your desk—art is all around you. 

Crafts haven’t always been in my interests. I used to feel opposed to it when I found out I was to be the next generation to take care of Tao Hong Tai. I didn’t care about studying as I knew that no matter what, I had to come back to run the business. I even studied to be a librarian for a semester before my dad sent me to study overseas.

Studying in Germany was my destiny. I felt so depressed about being sent there. I even wondered, why did I have to be put through all this shit? I had no choice but to take a pottery class to get a certificate to get into university. After two years, I started loving it. 

The way Germans live surrounded by art inspired me to create that kind of environment back in Thailand. They have beautiful architecture, galleries and city planning. I want our kids to have that here. I’ve started doing it myself—it might not be much but it’s better than having nothing.

Being surrounded by art doesn’t automatically make someone an artist, but living in beautiful surroundings can stimulate imagination and creativity. It can also help people feel a bond with their place. Even getting one person to feel this way is a success. 

Dealing with bureaucracy is really exhausting. I’m fed up with talking to administrators and having to really push for some art project or another to take place in town. 

Doing what you love can help you conquer anything. No matter how down I feel, I know what I’m doing and what I’m aiming for. 

Everyone needs something to hold on to. Some people love to collect cars, watches or brand names. I don’t have anything I like to collect. All I want to do is continue to push my art. 

People might think I have so much money that I can make all this stuff happen, but I don’t. I have to run my family business, earning my normal salary, while trying to put on art projects in town at least twice a year. I can’t take a break, otherwise we’d have to start all over again.

It’s good that art elicits a reaction from people, whether it’s good or bad. The R.C.A. Ratchaburi Construction Workers project by Ralf Tooten got complaints from locals who said it disturbed their neighborhood—which, for me, was a good thing. At least, it helped them realize that they cherish their neighborhood. 

Really study an artwork before criticizing it. I’m OK with comments that my work isn’t any good, but other comments made without any real understanding are simply unfounded.

I don’t have any big dreams. My ultimate goal is to simply run my business and help the art community grow. That’s it. I don’t want to be at the center of everything, either—it’s up to others to support it. 

There’s no right time to help others. Many people seem to wait for the perfect opportunity to stand up and do something for society. But from my experience, no matter how ready you are, you will always encounter challenges. So, you may as well just get started.

Want our all-time favorites? See Bangkok's Best Outdoor Bars.

Key:  Rooftop  Garden Spots  Riverside  Good Music  Terraces  Community Malls

 Eat Drink Love

The Park 9, Sri Nakarin Soi 57. 02-707-8873. Open daily 7am-11pm. BTS Udom Suk

Eat Drink Love might be located quite far out from town, near Paradise Park, but it is totally worth the drive. The place serves up international comfort food for any time of day, with a focus on all-day brunch and afternoon tea, alongside a nice selection of desserts from Amatissimo Caffe and Yanin. We love the sizable outdoor terrace where the verdant garden of big trees and small ponds provide a charming backdrop for laidback drinks with friends. That and the good choice of wines.

 Amontre Playroom & Brasserie

Lobby/F, Urbana Sathorn, 55 Sathorn Tai Rd., 02-359-9667-8. Open daily 6am-midnight

Amontre has all the makings of an ideal hang-out spot. Owned by the same team behind All Six to Twelve (in Langsuan), itself known for its cool lofty vibe, here the big bonus is the large terrace at the front, sporting a wooden deck and hanging light bulbs. But if you get bored of all the couples acting romantic, you can always have some fun on the mezzanine floor with a sports bar and a foosball table. Big bowls of cocktails start at B490, craft beers from Beervana are B240 and draught beers range from Heineken (B130) to Hoegaarden Rose (B180).

 Bellino Wine Room & Boutique

M Place Mall, Thonglor Soi 13, 02-712-5446. Open Mon-Sat 6:30pm-midnight

A film director by day, Jay Boccia recently opened the gorgeous Bellino Wine Room & Boutique, which sports a décor inspired by the Italian island of Capri. He directly imports around 50 labels of wines from many small vineyards at reasonable prices (some even cheaper than Villa Market); for example, you can get a bottle of Bottega DOCG Prosecco at B600 or opt for the brief but good selections of wine by glass starting from B100. The very chill yet tiny terrace also serves up some Italian dishes such as the delicious caprese salad (fresh mozzarella with olives and tomato, B350).

 Brotzeit 

Thonglor Soi 10, 081-920-5929. Open daily 12pm-midnight

Aside from all the beer bars opening in community malls, Thonglor has also welcomed this sport-friendly venue conveniently sat on the corner of Thonglor Soi 10. Originally from Singapore, Brotzeit German Bier Bar and Restaurant actually puts a big focus on German cuisine. Grab a seat out on the big terrace with the large outdoor screens to catch the football match and try the tafelspitz (boiled beef with apple horseradish sauce, B440) or leg ham with emmentaler cheese (B280). Wash it all down with five different kinds of Paulaner draught beer (B250 for 0.5 liter).

 Cloud 47

47/F, United Center, Silom Rd. 091-889-9600. BTS Sala Daeng. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight.  

Formerly home to the Heineken GreenSpace, the rooftop of the United Centre Silom already used to welcome revelers celebrating the coming of winter a few years ago. Now, finally, the space has been transformed into a permanent rooftop bar, Cloud 47, which offers more variety than most rooftop venues across Bangkok, yet has a distinctly Thai flavor. With its menu of drinking food and large beer garden littered with white square tables and stool sofas catering for up to 500 people, the place just asks for you to order drinks to share, from a tower of draught beer (starts from B600) to a tower of Absolut smoothie (B1,280, mixers B60). There’s also a more upscale wine zone which is serviced by a “flying angel hostess” suspended in a harness.

  Heineken Beer Parks 

GreenSpace might not be as huge as it was a couple of years ago but Heineken hasn’t quite given up on winter beer season yet. This year, you have two pop-up parks to look forward to: one on Sukhumvit Soi 16 next to Column Tower and one on the front yard of The Esplanade Ratchada. The creative team behind both spots is the late Bed Supperclub’s Bed Buzz team. While details have yet to be finalized, don’t expect the Soi 11 UFO to make a guest appearance, but we are hoping some electronic music will make it onto the playlists. What is being revived is Bed Supperclub’s white sheet beds, at least at the Soi 16 venue. Both venues should be open from November to the end of the year.

 Stereo Bar 

2/F, Horizon Building, Sukhumvit Soi 63 (Soi Ekkamai), BTS Ekkamai. 02-381-6299. Open daily, 10-1am.

With its Tron-meets-raver décor, this bar on the second floor of the Horizon building is an intriguing new addition to Ekkamai’s nightlife scene. Apart from the normal indoor zone which plays host to live music every weekend, the park in front of the building will welcome Hoegaarden and Stella Artois events this winter. We suggest grabbing a beer at the old favorite Baan Rai Coffee on the corner of Soi Ekkamai, before checking what all the fuss is about here.

 Niche Beer Ville

482 Praditmanoontham Rd., 02-515-1232-3. Open daily 4pm-midnight 

This place may be quite far from the city center, but it’s a pretty easy drive if you take the Ramindra expressway, and it’s totally worth the mileage. Founded by one of the Beer Lovers in Thailand community’s members, Prasert “Geng” Sritaborvornpaiboon, the open-air Niche Beer Ville is decked out under a European village theme and offers a wonderful variety of imported beers, including all the now-expected craft ones, as well as unusual pop-up promotions (like free beers for Arsenal fans when the team wins).

 Happy Fish 

Asiatique Riverfront, 083-015-9988. Open daily 5pm-1am

It’s sometimes tough to get a table outside at Happy Fish, but the river views and converted warehouse backdrop make it worth elbowing past the tourists to snag a seat here. The menu is your usual hodgepodge of Thai and Thai-ified Italian, but you do have a live band and plenty of photo ops to look forward to.

I’ve been singing since I can remember. My parents were luk tung singers and my uncle had a band. My mom taught me to sing and we toured around Lampang singing at folk festivals to make a living.

I became a boxer because of my dad. He loved to go and watch boxing and cockfighting and I loved to follow him around. I also loved playing at my neighbor’s home, which was a boxing gym.

My dad spotted me kicking a punching bag one day. I did it so well he decided to send me to fight at a competition. I won by knockout.

Muay Thai changed my destiny. I was widely known as the sweet boxer who could sing. I always dressed up girly and wore makeup. It was really different from other lady boxers who were mostly tomboys and tried to be tough like a man. My alias was Namwannoi Sakboonma (Little Syrup), which matched my sweet look. I won 35 consecutive fights and became champion of the Northern region.

The Thai Championship fight in 2002 was one of the biggest matches of my life. I had to fight the Northeastern champion who was also undefeated. I won and became national flyweight champion at the age of 15. I was so badly hurt during the fight I caught a fever and couldn’t get out of bed for five days.

Young fighters have it tough compared to other children of their age. I had to wake up at five in the morning to go jog for eight kilometers before school. After school, I had to run to the boxing gym to practice until nighttime. The good part was I had a leaner, fitter body than other girls my age. 

Boxing taught me to be tough in everything in my life. It’s the toughest sport. If you fight for five rounds, you need to practice seven rounds. You have to endure longer than your rivals. 

I always used to jump from the ring straight to the stage so people knew me as a boxer who could sing well. After I won the title belt, I was signed by RSiam to become a luk tung singer and got to release my first album, Perd Jai Sao Tae, in 2007.

Doing two things at once doesn’t always work. I had to quit RSiam after one year as I couldn’t study and tour at the same time. I was really exhausted and my parents wanted me to graduate from high school first. I felt so useless as I couldn’t go out to sing or box to earn money for my family because of the contract I had with RSiam. Fortunately, they took me back a few years later.

I love all kinds of design. I love clothing, graphics and architecture. That’s why I chose to study architect at Sripathum University. Juggling being a singer and sending my homework in on time is so exhausting but I really love it. If I can’t work as a singer anymore, this can be my proper career.

I nearly lost my voice forever. I recently realized that I had been singing incorrectly all my life and it was destroying my larynx. I had to have an operation as my doctor said that if I didn’t I could lose my voice completely.

You can’t make everyone love you. I try to understand that many people hate me. If you love someone, then they can’t do any wrong, but if you really hate someone then even their breathing will annoy you. 

Haters are good at finding little things to hate. All I can do is just keep doing the best job I can.

I admit to having had plastic surgery. It’s not a bad thing that you need to hide. I had a nose job to fix my flat nose and that’s it. I haven’t had lots of plastic surgery like people think. 

You can’t always be lucky. My dad leaving us made me understand that nothing last forever. At least I still have a good relationship with him and he visits us a lot. 

Be friends with your parents. I think many teen problems stem from the fact that the parents and children aren’t close. So many times when teenagers get into trouble, they run to their friends for help, but most of the time, it’s the parents who clear it up for them.

Good spirit makes you valuable. I have met rich people and poor people and I realized that having lots of money doesn’t make you a good person. 

Remember that people only let you know the part that they want you to know. You might never know what they really are like.

How did the page start?

I was a Chula student. Our original project was to go Nakhon Ratchasima (Korat) to take photos of people there. I couldn’t make it in the end, but I kept my desire to do this, right here on the streets of Bangkok. I even planned to find only Korat people living here. But when I started chatting to people, I realized Bangkok is truly a global city. There are people from all over the world living here. I did more research about this kind of project and I found “Humans of New York,” which I really loved. It’s not street fashion. I want to show everyone that there are people from all over the world who share Bangkok as their home too.

What are the reactions from people when you talk to them?

It varies but most of them are friendly. I normally approach them by introducing myself and showing them the page that I’m doing. It depends on them whether they are comfortable enough to be my “human” or not.

Who is the most fascinating person you’ve met so far?

Probably this African-American jazz-man I bumped into. He said something that quite touched me. He said that many foreigners living here feel they are better than local people, which is a dispiriting statement about Thailand. But he said he’d love to learn and understand Thai people and respect them. I found that it’s very humble for a foreigner who lives here to say that. He also showed me the picture he took with Ray Charles when they worked together in the US.

Did you ever face difficulties when interviewing people?

I actually feel safe in Bangkok. Well, I don’t go to dangerous spots. Anyway, the spot that I find has the most diversity is Benjasiri Park, next to Emporium, where you can find people from everywhere: Thais, Japanese, Westerners, people from Cameroon. Bangkok is a real melting pot.

What have you learned so far from talking to strangers?

I feel that people interact with each other less and less. They just go to work, meet only a certain amount of friends—they interact online, not on the street. I’ve learned that everyone has their story or opinion. They’re just waiting for someone to listen. I also want everyone to realize that every life in this city is interconnected. You don’t live separately and your actions will affect others in some way.

What has been the online reaction? 

Pretty good. I just created it three weeks ago and it got 750 likes from people who are all over the world, like US, Australia, Germany­—not only Thai people. But I do want people to comment more, instead of just clicking like.

What’s your next plan? 

I want to create some artistic or cultural project to develop and help people, and write articles about my experience doing this page. 

Visit Humans of Bangkok: http://ow.ly/qlsVE

 Key:  Rooftop  Garden Spots  Riverside  Good Music  Terraces  Community Malls

 Rooftop

Bangkok Bar Infinity

Above Eleven

33/F, Fraser Suites Sukhumvit, 38/8 Sukhumvit Soi 11. 02-207-9300. Open daily 6pm-2am.

On top of its great views of the city skyline, another thing Above Eleven has going for it is its adventurous menu. While most other rooftop venues play it safe with homogenous international dishes, here the focus is on Peruvian-Japanese fusion cuisine (aka Nikkei cuisine). In small plates like acebichado rolls (seabass, ika karage, avocado, B360) and skewers of anticucho beef heart (B240) you’ve got a wonderful accompaniment for the views, bettered only by their signature Pisco Sour (B350). 

Cloud 47

47/F, United Center, Silom Rd. 091-889-9600. BTS Sala Daeng. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight.  

Park Society

29/F, Sofitel So Bangkok, 2 North Sathorn Rd., 02-624-0000. Open daily 5pm-1am (Bar).

L’Appart

32/F, Sofitel Bangkok Sukhumvit, 189 Sukhumvit Rd. (between sois 13 and 15), 02-126-9999. Open daily 7pm-midnight. www.sofitel.com

The top-floor fine-dining venue of the Sofitel Bangkok is about as lofty as they come. Looking to embrace the Gallic roots of the hotel chain, the décor makes you feel like you’re dining in a grand Parisian apartment thanks to the parquet flooring, stately fireplace and wood paneling. But we say head to the outdoor balcony for an impressive panorama of Sukhumvit.

 Garden Spots

Water Library Thonglor

The Grass, Thonglor Soi 12, 02-714-9292/-3. Mon-Sat 6pm-1am. 

The second branch of this growing fine-dining empire, which opened in the heart of nightlife central Thonglor, quickly made a mark on the dining scene with its restaurant serving a maximum of 10 diners per night an exclusive and expensive multi-course set menu. For something a whole lot more affordable and relaxed we like to hit up the adjoining wine bar, which features a charming outdoor terrace, a menu of creative cocktails courtesy of Italian mixologist Mirko Gardelliano and a cellar containing over 370 labels. Live music on the weekend further helps liven up the laidback mood. 

99 Rest Backyard Café

99 Rama 9 Soi 41, Seri 9 Rd., 02-300-4339. Open Tue-Sun 11am-11pm.

Located well off the beaten track, in a small street near Rama 9, this lovely house and garden is managed by the team behind the artsy Tamarind Village in Chiang Mai and Rayavadee Resort in Krabi. The décor is country chic, so you don’t feel any pressure to fully dress up, but it still works for dates and special occasions. A beautifully landscaped garden hugs a high-ceiling pavilion, complete with wood furniture, floor-to-ceiling framed windows, striped cushions and royal blue touches. Chef Cyrille Keyser creates international cuisine with highlights such as the oven-roasted lamb rack served with potato gratin and ratatouille (B1,290).

Octave

45/F, Marriott Bangkok Sukhumvit, Sukhumvit Soi 57, 02-797-0000. Open daily 6pm-1am. 

 Riverside

Sala Rattanakosin

Viva & Aviv

River City Complex, 23 Yota Rd., 02-639-6305. Open daily 11am-midnight. www.vivaaviv.com. Sri Phraya Pier.

Samsara

1612 Songwat Rd., 086-978-9331,02-639-6853. Open Tue-Thu, Sun 4pm-midnight, Fri-Sat 4pm-1am.

Tucked down a little alley behind Wat Pathumkongka in a charming old wooden house, Samsara makes a charming first impression. The place feels halfway between a gallery and a friend’s house, brimming as it is with personality: expect to find colorful vintage furnishings, all sorts of cat-related curios and paintings hanging on the wall. Most of the tables are set out on the terrace and reservations are a must for the ones with the best views. The tasty Thai cuisine is augmented by Japanese touches since some of the owners hail from Japan. 

Balco

5/f, River City Shopping Complex, Charoen Krung Rd., 084-928-6161. Open Tue-Sun, 7pm-2am.

Balco is located in the same shopping mall as Viva & Aviv, yet offers a dramatically different view from its rooftop location. Situated in a bend of the Chao Praya, it allows you to look down two of the river’s watery boulevards at the same time, and all the surrounding five-star hotels, of course. The décor isn’t much—a mix of black rattan sofas set, TVs showing sports, and private rooms with pool tables—nor does this hard-to-find venue often get crowded. But did we mention the view?

 Good Music

Moose

24 Ekkamai Soi 21, 02-108-9550. Open daily 5pm-1am.

The third creation of the Cosmic Café crew, Moose might not have a huge outdoor space, but the small terrace makes for a frightfully hip place to shoot the breeze. If you’re looking for a top soundtrack covering all the bases from Britpop, 60s-80s rock to electro-pop, as well as regular live bands, spicy Thai-inter fusion dishes and simple but tasty cocktails, this is your place. Make sure you drop by for their daily happy hour deal of buy-one-get-one-free on house wine, Asahi draught and classic cocktails from 5-8pm.

Play Yard

Lad Phrao Soi 8 (Yak 3), Lad Phrao Rd., 081-173-3616. Open daily 5:30pm-2am. MRT Phaholyothin (Exit 1).

Since its transformation from the long-standing Budda Bar a year ago, Play Yard By Studio Bar has made a big mark on the Bangkok underground music scene. On top of the ever-intriguing lineup of top indie bands from labels Smallroom Records, Parinam Music and Panda Records, the bar also has a pretty sizeable outdoor zone that just calls for ordering a tower of draught beer while watching the live English Premier League on the huge screens every weekend. 

Zense Shintori Horizon

17-19/F, Zen, CentralWorld, Ratchadamri Rd. 02-100-9898. Open daily 5pm-1am. www.zensebangkok.com

After closing for renovations, the Zense rooftop restaurant reopened to a bit of buzz at the end of last year bringing a touch of the nightlife back to CentralWorld. The place offers a pleasant middle-ground between serious dining covering Italian, Thai, Indian, Japanese and desserts, and just chilling out on the balcony with views of the cityscape. One floor above, you’ll find Shintori, an upmarket izakaya with branches in Shanghai, Taipei and Beijing. With its minimalist, Zen-inspired décor, the venue plates up classic Japanese dishes with some fusion options. For those who want to keep things private, book the reservation-only outdoor terrace. That’s not all. Climb up another floor to reach Horizon, which occupies the space which belonged to Green Space a couple of years back. Horizon does also do food (Thai-international fusion) but the real emphasis is on nightlife. Order some molecular technique-inspired cocktails and head straight for the outdoor space where DJs spin electro.

Sala Rattanakosin

39 Soi Ta Tien, Maharaj Rd. Open daily from 5pm-1am.

Sala Rattanakosin is a relatively new addition to the Chao Phraya riverside, offering a stunning view of Wat Arun (even if the temple is currently covered in scaffolding). Boasting a restaurant, rooftop bar and a small number of guestrooms, half of the renovated four-story building is dedicated to fine wining and dining, courtesy of Chef Tony Wrigley, who whips up some pretty impressive Thai food. The highlight for us though is the rooftop bar where you can sip great house-blended cocktails.

 Terraces

Le Bar by Le Beaulieu

Le Bar is more than just some outdoor seating for adjoining restaurant Le Beaulieu, which topped our Top Tables 2014 restaurant guide. Day beds and gazebos provide an atmosphere that evokes the beach club of a luxury resort. Warm orange lighting glows upwards onto the beige, minimal surfaces of the bar, and reflects off a massive glass case showcasing champagnes and wines. Here, you can order some of Chef Herve Frerard’s culinary magic in bite-sized portions from the tapas menu. The cocktails ain’t bad either, with a seasonal menu.

Badmotel

Next to J-Avenue, Thonglor Soi between Soi 15. 02-712-7288. BTS Thong Lo. Open daily 5pm-1am.  

Gossip

Thonglor Soi 15, 02-185-3093. Open daily 4pm-1am. 

Gossip serves stiff drinks and excellent food courtesy of seasoned chef Julien Lavigne (formerly at D’Sens, now at Oskar and Gossip). But it also enjoys a large terrace, which despite being protected from the rain, is most definitely open-air. This winter, we’ll definitely be plonking ourseleves on the puffy bean-bag-like sofas out front with a Sky Ice Tea (Dreyberg liquor, Smirnoff vodka, tanqueray gin and elder flower) in hand.

Moose

24 Ekkamai Soi 21, 02-108-9550. Open daily 5pm-1am

Niche Beer Ville

482 Praditmanoontham Rd., 02-515-1232-3. Open daily 4pm-midnight

 Community Malls

Seenspace

Penny’s Balcony

Thonglor Soi 16. BTS Thong Lo. Open daily 5pm-1am.

The Penny’s Balcony shopping arcade is one of the very first mini-malls in Bangkok and is also the home the original branch of HOBs, which really built up the Belgian beer trend in Bangkok. (Who doesn’t serve Hoegaarden these days?) But in spite of growing competition, we like the variety here, whether it’s the laid back (and very girl-friendly) She Bar, the sophisticated and wine-centric Divino Wine Bar or the ever-hip Mellow Bar and Restaurant, which singlehandedly revived the whole mall.     

Rain Hill

Sukhumvit Soi 47. 02-260-7447.  www.rainhill47.com BTS Phrom Phong/ Thong Lo. Open daily 5pm-1am. 

Opened earlier this year, Rain Hill has a lot of nondescript Japanese restaurants from Ramen Kio and Marugame Seimen and cutesy dessert joints like Penguin Likes Chocolate. But with plenty of balconies and terraces, it’s also got an abundance of outdoor drinking options. You can opt for the Wine Connection chain, or try the trendy cuisine at Shuffle. Here too, you’ll find a HOBs, which took over 2046’s terrace.

Salt

Ari Soi 4, 02-619-6886. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight. Reservations Recommended

The Sixcret

11 Ekkamai Soi 6. 084-466-4686, 02-714-1812. Open daily from 5pm-1:30am. Parking available

You might get a distinct déjà vu feeling here—think Spring and Summer without the beanbags. This place manages to stand out from the others, though, thanks to the sheer size of the outdoor space and the garden’s collection of mature trees. Sangsom whisky (B366) is most popular but those a little more flush with cash can go for a pint of Hoegaarden (B266). There’s also the option of smoking sheesha out on the garden bench.

Seua Non Kin

231/2 Sukhumvit Soi 31, 02-662-1779. Open Mon-Sat 5pm-midnight. Parking available, Reservations Recommended, Live music

This two-story house remains a firm favorite and is often fully booked. The décor sees an eclectic mix of comfy vintage sofas, low-rise tables and decorative bric-a-brac. Start from the lightest Virgin Tiger (with light rum, B160) to the most potent Tiger Down (B180). As for the food, we say opt for the fiery Thai dishes like yam horapha nuea krob (beef salad with sweet basil leaves B160).

Indy Trees Bar

44/4 Cheua Plerng Rd., under Rama 4 Expressway, 02-249-0222-3. Open daily 5pm-1am.

With its rather mysterious location by a train track and under an expressway, Indy Trees Bar has that exclusive, in-the-know vibe. Decked out in a retro style, the bar has three different zones (there are even karaoke rooms), but we recommend the canopied garden where you’ll be treated to some ear candy by a mellow band. Drinks start at B130.