A Crossroads of Two Cultures

MIRRORS, curlicue balustrades and hanging flat-panel TVs have become indispensable features on once-drab restaurant terraces on Sukhumvit 3/1, otherwise known as Soi Arab, the colorful pedestrian alleyway on the northern fringe of the Soi Nana night-life area in Bangkok.

The popularity of Soi Arab, which is sandwiched between the Sukhumvit 3 and 5 roads, has seesawed ever since Saudi recruiters of cheap Thai labor first discovered it in the early 1980s. These days, flush with oil cash, more Arab tourists than ever are showing up on the tiny street and finding in the spruced-up restaurants and shisha (water pipe) cafes the ambience of their native countries — with fewer of the cultural strictures. For non-Middle Easterners, the bustling quarter is an oasis of Arab exoticism in the heart of a bawdy Bangkok neighborhood.

One sign of the lucrative Arab market is the surge in new agarwood shops. The increasingly endangered Aquilaria tree is prized worldwide for its expensive resinous heartwood (called oud in Arabic). In Islamic cultures it’s burned as incense or distilled into musky nonalcoholic perfumes. With prices for noncultivated agarwood rising to $10,000 a kilo, few local shopkeepers welcome mere browsers. However, visitors to Yusoof Shop (6/17; 66-2-655-7521) can gaze unimpeded at various grades of wood chips under glass as well as a large not-for-sale collection of ornate crystal perfume flasks and vials.

Bright lights reflecting off myriad metallic surfaces and shiny pseudo-Egyptian decorations turn night into day at Nasir al-Masri (4/6; 66-2-253-5582; www.restaurant-shishah-nasir.com) and the adjacent Nefertiti (4/8; 66-2-655-3043). Bordered with potted plants and lamps, the lane’s two flashiest restaurants and outdoor shisha bars anchor the corner of a side alley. Both people-watching places feature a similar range of pricey pan-Arabic cuisine — heavy on lamb — plus a smattering of Thai and Indian dishes. The older and friendlier Nasir opened in 1986. Each restaurant has a pair of gigantic TV screens blaring Egyptian pop divas and major international football events.

Though Shahrazad (6/8; 66-2-251-3666) offers neither terrace nor TV, its reliably well-executed dishes served by hijab-clad Thai waitresses make it the restaurant of choice for many resident Arab expats. Open since 1983, the street’s oldest restaurant offers a tasty stuffed pigeon (320 baht, or about $9.70 at 33 baht to the dollar) and succulent lamb tikka (170 baht) in quiet wood-paneled and mirrored surroundings.

Dishes at tiny Petra (75/4; 66-2-655-5230) don’t necessarily compare with similar fare at Shahrazad, though the hummus “bayroty” with chopped celery leaves is deliciously unusual (90 baht). But no other Soi Arab restaurant can match its neighborly ambience, which feels like an Arab version of “Cheers.” Abu Dabah, the gregarious manager, chats volubly to his many regulars, jokes loudly with waitresses garbed in polyester hijab (they ignore him), and shuttles between the outdoor pita oven and the 10-table interior.

While Thailand’s political and economic problems have subdued other once vibrant parts of Bangkok, bustling Soi Arab teems with an energy that is more Middle Eastern than Thai.

By JENNIFER GAMPELL
Published: July 20, 2008
in travel.nytimes.com

Dining Down by the Riverside

THE crowded banks of the Chao Phraya River were once considered the heart of Bangkok. But these days the river is largely peripheral for everyone but tourists — the main business districts in the Thai capital are well inland. This is a shame because river life in Bangkok is still relatively vibrant, the temperature always seems to be a few degrees cooler, and the well-lit monuments along the Chao Phraya are gorgeous at night.

Fortunately there are a number of places to sit and enjoy the spectacle of life on the Chao Phraya, ranging from the cheap and cheerful to the more elegant, cloth-napkin variety.
The luxury hotels along the river (Mandarin Oriental, Shangri-La, Peninsula and Hilton) are reliable and easy choices for a riverside dinner. But here are three other restaurants that won’t leave you wondering if the only Thai people in the place are those cooking and serving the food.
Khinlom Chomsaphan (11/6 Samsen Road Soi 3, Phronakorn; 66-2-6288-3823; www.khinlomchomsaphan.com) describes itself as the “Best Restaurant on the Chao Phraya River.” In a city that cares a lot about food, those are fightin’ words. I’d call it one of the best values on the river.

Four very fresh and tasty dishes from their extensive menu and a handful of beers here cost the equivalent of about $30. The stir-fried fish with garlic and the green curry with chicken are both excellent. Khinlom Chomsaphan has great views on the Rama VIII Bridge — the restaurant’s name roughly means to chill out and admire the bridge.

Popular with Thais and expats, this is the kind of place where you forget all your hangups about not wanting ice in your beer and drop a few cubes in your glass, Thai-style. If you’re coming on a weekend, best to reserve the riverside tables. Before 7 p.m., you get to Khinlom Chomsaphan by hopping on the express boat to Phra Arthit Pier and then walking or taking a cab for the remaining quarter-mile or so.

Downriver is the Deck, which is attached to a boutique hotel, Arun Residence (36-38 Soi Pratoo Nok Yoong, Maharat Road; 66-2-221-9158; www.arunresidence.com), and has stunning views onto Wat Arun, the 19th-century temple that has a sandy, gray pallor in the daytime but comes to life with golden radiance once night falls and the lights go on.

The best view is from the fourth-floor bar: climb the rickety staircase and have an aperitif or digestif. You can dine on the outdoor patio, in the indoor air-conditioned section or on the second-floor deck. The stir-fried chicken with spring onions, sweet pepper and vegetables is very good, and tom kha kai (a Thai classic soup of coconut milk, chicken, mushroom, lime, galangal and coriander) is rich and filling. Dinner for two will run about $40 with beer, no wine.

Supatra River House (266 Soi Wat Rakhang, Arunamarin Road; 66-2-411-0305 or 66-2-411-0874; www.supatrariverhouse.net), on the opposite side of the river and across from the Grand Palace, is the most expensive of these three spots. A recent dinner for two — including a tender steamed sea bass with lemon and spices and a dessert of mango and sticky rice that will send you running to the treadmill — cost about $100 with beer but no wine.

One big draw is the elegant teak-paneled boat that the restaurant uses to pick you up anywhere along the river. It’s like a pre-dinner river cruise without the tackiness. The boat service is reasonable — 250 baht per person, or about $7.45, at 33.56 baht to the dollar — and operates until 10:30 p.m. You need to call the restaurant to arrange a pickup.

Supatra River House is in the former home of a Thai aristocrat and has both air-conditioned and outdoor, riverside sections. After dinner, the boatman can take you back to any point along the river.

By THOMAS FULLER
Published: September 21, 2008

In travel.nytimes.com

Places Of Interest On Your Holidays in Thailand

Thailand has some great holiday home accommodation that holiday makers can rent while staying in Thailand on their vacations. Some holiday makers rent luxurious villas with swimming pools on one of Thailand's many clean beautiful beaches. Some holiday makers stay in self catering holiday apartments in Thailand.

A rich and colourful country, Thailand is a land of exotic monuments, splendid beaches, temples, shrines, waterfalls and lush green landscapes. Thailand is flanked by Myanmar, Malaysia, Cambodia, Laos and the Gulf of Thailand. The country's tradition, culture and heritage attract many tourists from around the world. Visitors can get an up and close view of the Thailand and its people with boat rides and rice-barge cruises. Thailand is a blend of both traditional and modern.

Bangkok, the capital city is a popular destination for tourists. The city is the business centre and the hub of economic and political affairs. It is referred to as Krung Thep. Many holiday makers stay in a holiday apartment in Bangkok and experience the night life to the full of this capital city of Thailand.

The river Chao Phraya flows through the city. The Grand Palace and Wat Phra Kaeo, the temple complex which is home to the Emerald Buddha, are also found in Bangkok. The city has drastically changed and become a slick, prosperous and modern place. The city is also home to around 300 Buddhist temples and shrines. The Temple of the Reclining Buddha is the most famous temple in the city. The floating market, modern night clubs, and many historically important buildings make this city such a popular tourist destination.

Chiang Mai is the second-largest city in Thailand and has many interesting views to offer in the form of ancient and beautiful temples, teak forests, elephants, caves, waterfalls and a visit to the hill tribes. Doi Suthep temple and elephant trekking are very popular with tourists staying here. Doi Suthep another famous temple in Thailand that is located on a hilltop. Elephant trekking allows the tourists to get a closer look at the natural splendour and wonderful places of the city.

Kanchanaburi province is filled with jungle clad hills and waterways. The town is the original site of the popular and historically famous Bridge over the River Kwai where allied prisoners of war and Thai labourers were killed by the Japanese. Train trips are arranged for a visit across the post war bridge and this is a very moving and emotional experience.

The Phang Nga Bey is located near to Phuket. The bay shot to international fame after the area featured in the James Bond movie, The Man with the Golden Gun. Around 3500 islands are scattered in this bay. The islands are home to fauna and flora. For many decades the islands were considered impenetrable but now canoe trips are arranged for the tourists and the locals through the tunnels and the cracks in the rocks. There are some stunning holiday villas in this part of Thailand.

Ko Phi Phi Islands are yet another place to visit on your holidays in Thailand. The twin islands are full of natural splendour. The largest of the two, Ko Phi Phi Don, is dumbbell shaped and has a coastline that is full of white beaches and further inland tropical rainforest.

It does not matter if you want to stay at the hill tribe villages, go elephant trekking, adventurous boat rides or admiring the stunning seascapes and landscapes, Thailand can provide them all. Many holiday makers choose to rent a holiday villa or stay in a self catering apartment during their holiday in Thailand and use them as a base to explore this stunning country.

Thanks traveldir.org