Thailand's urban star is ready to shine once again
Bangkok is finally finding favour again with Brits heading to Thailand, after a post-pandemic lull when beaches dominated bookings. Our writer shares a taste of what visitors can expect in the revitalised city
A crane with black wing tips glides into land on a treetop. Nearby, a woman pulls off the cycle lane to pause on a shaded platform surrounded by lily pads. Distant skyscrapers are the only hint that this is Bangkok.
The wetland extension to Benjakitti Park was new last year and nature already seems well established.
On a weekday morning the few people about are involved in photoshoots. A bride in a white cocktail dress links arms with her groom on a raised walkway while young friends pose under trees in their graduation robes.
The park is walkable from Asok BTS Skytrain stop (closest) or two MRT subway stations (Sukhumvit and Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre).
Fifteen minutes away, beyond another leafy entrance, my peaceful morning continues with a massage at Divana Scentuara spa.
Bangkok’s re-emergence still lags behind Phuket, Krabi, Khao Lak and Koh Samui, according to Gold Medal Far East destination manager Mark Mallinson, which were buoyed by opening earlier under Thailand’s ‘Sandbox’ scheme. However, in the last couple of months, Bangkok room nights have returned to 2019 levels, so the signs are there that travellers’ appetites for the bigger cities are returning.
David Kevan, product and relationships director for Chic Locations, recommends combining Bangkok with Koh Samet for “easy access and superb beaches,” while Mallinson is seeing more requests for side trips to Kanchanaburi, for the Bridge on the River Kwai, and ancient capital Ayutthaya.
Those who venture to the Thai capital typically spend three nights. The design-led Standard Hotel is attracting attention and Capella Bangkok is also new for the operator.
As a repeat visitor I still enjoy discovering new sides to Bangkok itself and the rest of my stay has an arty theme.
At the Four Seasons (touted as a potential location for White Lotus series three) new gallery Art Space by MOCA Bangkok has arisen from a partnership with a museum.
I check out a charity exhibition of paintings by celebrated hotel designer Bill Bensley, which proves a perfect segue into dinner at riverfront Brasserie Palmier for classic French dishes with a tropical twist.
Attached to the popular MBK Center and within walking distance of Siam Square, my own hotel Pathumwan Princess proves a great base for shopping. I head to Bangkok Art and Cultural Centre, a mall with a corkscrew interior reminiscent of New York’s Guggenheim, to browse craft stalls, designer-maker boutiques and an art school exhibition of fantasy dresses.
Back on the riverside, Chinatown is the main hub for Bangkok’s street art scene. I spend an afternoon with a guide exploring the Talad Noi district where the works range from framed murals with QR code backstories to metres of spraypainted alleyway. There’s even a dragon sculpted from kitchen utensils.
It’s good to experience everyday life at street level. I learn cats are deterred by their own distorted reflections in the bottles of water arranged outside shopfronts and try fruit dipped in salt, sugar and chilli next to ribboned baskets of food being sold as offerings for monks.
The smashed front window of our final stop has me imagining a wince-inducing accident until I’m a few steps inside, when a stunning image of a face is revealed within the broken glass. Aurum Gallery holds more surprises, not least from a cheeky Moona Lisa sculpture with lifted skirt. The studio is owned by UK DJ Goldie whose painting and metalwork also feature.
There’s a choice of nearby riverside cafes for sundowners but I head onto Jodd Fairs Night Market (accessible via Metro), which is just weeks old. Beyond the homewares and trinkets, 80% of the smart stalls offer tempting foods ice cream lollies shaped like dogs’ faces to huge fresh lobsters. The quality is high, and many have their own seating.
It seems a popular new social spot for Bangkok’s youth and with an array of tasty stir-fry dishes filling my table I’m more than happy to join them.
*Check out which suppliers offer Thailand in the TTG Travel Suppliers Directory
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