Thonburi was there even before a small backwater village known as Bangkok rose to prominence as the Kingdom's capital. Margie T Logarta discovers a renaissance fast taking place in this historic precinct.
Like many cities that evolved into the nation’s capital and gateway, Bangkok (or Bang Makok, meaning Olive Plum River bank) was the choice of a victorious, new regime that routed out an earlier one.
Before the small backwater hamlet, chosen by the founder of today’s Chakri Dynasty, General Phaya Chakri (Rama I), rose into prominence, Thonburi Si Mahasamut was the site of King Taksin’s palace in the 1860. Fleeing the Burmese armies, which had ransacked the former power base of Ayutthaya upstream, the luckless ruler found the entrepot, established by wealthy traders, to be strategically positioned – just an overnight boat ride from his previous court and close to the mouth of the ocean.
While Bangkok’s main downtown area has developed rapidly into rows of towering concrete and glass, there are still pockets of unspoilt riverside canal-communities in the Thonburi district, bustling with activity. From the banks of the Chao Phraya, from Taksin Bridge to Memorial Bridge, swanky five-star hotels, chic restaurants and elegant colonial mansions have a front-row seat to some of the world’s most colourful vistas.
Through the years, the city’s infamous gridlocks somehow settled the monicker, “the wrong side of the river” on Thonburi because of the amount of travel time it took to reach the downtown areas where modern trade and commerce had shifted. Ironic really, when there was a time most Thai residents lived, worked and died on the river, and the only buildings on land were the palaces.
However, attitudes are set to change, especially with the Bangkok Skytrain (BTS) extending its reach to the neighbourhood. (The infrastructure is ready, but following typical vagaries of local bureaucracy, the operating date has yet to be announced.)
As expected, the city’s real estate developers have been quick to spot a prime opportunity. A number of projects have been sprouting, but none more prominently than The River residences (artist’s impression pictured above, the South Tower is to the extreme left) at the curve of the Chao Phraya. Conceptualised by Hans Brouwer, a former protégé of Sir Norman Foster, this future address is intended to revive the cache of waterfront living.
Henri Young, marketing director of Raimon Land, the enterprise behind The River, explains: “We are building up The River as a destination in itself.” To spark interest in the project, Raimon Land has been staging lifestyle events since last year in its showroom on the actual site, attended by the cream of Thai society. The tactic has obviously worked, with Young reporting that the inventory of 508 one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments, including a duplex and penthouse, in the first South Tower, is practically sold out.
According to designer Brouwer, The River will be “all about views”. He says: “Located on the bend in the Chao Phraya River, the views across to the city skyline are very different from those up and down the river. Building position and orientation were extensively studied to ensure unobstructed views from every unit to make the most of each particular view plane.
“As one goes up the building, the views of the river snaking its way up country or towards the ocean become more critical than those across to the city. So that changing nature of how the views affect each apartment was very important in how the design evolved.”
Following his blueprint, all the main spaces in the units – studies, bedrooms and living areas – look out onto the Chao Phraya. Open planning of the kitchen and bathrooms also allow the eye to roam free.
The public areas will be just as spectacular: a waterfacing infinity pool, landscaped podium and the Sky Gardens, a mid-level common section in each tower that includes a pool, state-of-the-art gym, landscaping and spa.
Asked how The River was integrated into the neighbourhood, Brouwer said: “We were very conscious about wanting to make this building and its facilities a part of the community. The waterfront part is accessible for both residents and other city dwellers, with the location of the restaurants and retail at that level.”
Brouwer said he was amazed that a site the size of The River – 20,564sq m – still existed in the centre of a teeming hub such as Bangkok. To him, this represented a myriad of potential for urban, inner city living, yet at the same time, calm and luxury of space of being on the water at a point “where the river is over 200m wide”.
He added: “It’s this idea of being on the water, yet immediately accessible to the centre of Bangkok via ferries, the Skytrain and the Taksin Bridge, which is really quite unique.”
Brouwer isn’t the only one who has realised and appreciates Thonburi’s particular appeal. Thomas Hoeborn, general manager of the Millennium Hilton Bangkok, says: “The ‘wrong side of the river’ is being deleted from our vocabulary. More and more of our guests are finding that there’s nothing like coming in from the bustle of downtown to enter the serenity of our property.”
Since opening in 2006, the 543-room hotel has worked at ways to attract guests. Its Three Sixty Lounge on the 32nd floor is arguably the best aerie on this side of town, and at night, the panorama from your drinks table can only be described as “magical”. But under Hoeburn’s watch, more highlights are planned such as the Cheese Room for aficionados of the dairy product. “We want to create several corners of experience for the visitor,” he says.
Other five-star properties in the vicinity include The Peninsula, Bangkok Marriott Resort & Spa, The Oriental, Shangri-La and Royal Orchid Sheraton.
Patravadi Mejudhon, veteran Thai film and stage actress, needs no convincing where her heart lies – in Thonburi. Khun Patravadi, who sports a distinctive silver crop of hair, oversees the Patravadi Theatre, Bangkok’s renowned performing arts centre. The complex comprises a large, tented auditorium, kindergarten, art gallery and alfresco café and the Studio 9 venue, showcasing a dinner-dance concept that allows emerging talent to shine. Nurturing the next generation of artists is what Khun Patravadi, who began her career at the age of six, is firmly committed to.
This picturesque quarter, where Patravadi Theatre sits, is close to the majestic Wat Rakhang. It is an arty, laid-back neighbourhood with a feel not unlike a Soho or Greenwich Village. The boutique hotel Ibrik and a contemporary crafts shop are also found here.
It’s no wonder than that Khun Patravadi chooses to stay and create in such an environment. She grew up on the water’s edge in an elegant house, born to a well-off clan, who had served as faithful royal retainers.
As a youngster, she witnessed a flurry of cultural presentations at the nearby temple. She recalls seeing “a lot of activities taking place in Thonburi, from Thai classical dance to Chinese opera and folk music like likay”. (Likay is a combination of dance, classical song and acrobatics, similar to a Broadway musical, replete with dazzling costumes and dramatic moments.)
Khun Patravadi’s likay performances have been acclaimed throughout the Kingdom. Today sadly, there are only a handful of likay artists left. They are a dying breed.
King Taksin, who was ultimately defeated by the Chakri progenitor, was responsible for Thonburi’s reputation as a cultural hub. When he moved the royal palace from the decimated Ayutthaya to Bangkok in the late 1800s, a royal court culture naturally thrived.
Khun Patravadi recounts that Thonburi became very famous for all kinds of things. These include Thai classical music, arts and crafts and delicacies such as the popular fried bananas and glacé fruits.
Since only the best artisans were entitled to serve the royal family, the area bustled with workshops, featuring foundry workers casting brass Buddha statues, blacksmiths forging the noblemen’s swords and daggers and musical instrument makers, as well as the wood carvers who fashioned the intricate khon masks used in Thai pageantry.
With the way things are shaping up in historic, charming Thonburi, it certainly won’t be long before it regains its righful share of the limelight.
NEW AND NOTABLE
Dusit Thani Bangkok
At 38, this icon is wearing the years with great élan. Despite a total facelift, it continues to combine unique Thai hospitality with the need to serve a discerning international clientele. For them are the specially designed Dusit Club Rooms and Dusit Grand Rooms offering high-speed internet access, oversized workdesk, wall-mounted LCD TV, pillow and bath menus, 24-hour butler service among other thoughtful amenities, totally complemented by the Dusit Club Lounge with its drinks and snacks throughout the day and a free one-hour meeting room. While this 517-room hotel is superbly located, next to the Sala Daeng Skytrain Station and Silom Subway as well near a wealth of shopping and dining activities, guests have a choice of 12 on-site restaurants and bars, including D’Sens of the famed Pourcel twins of France and the ever popular Benjarong Thai restaurant. And with the Devarana Spa, they really never need to step out of the Dusit Thani.
CONTACT: 946 Rama IV Road, Bangkok 10500, tel 66 2 200 9000, www.dusit.com
Grand Millennium Sukhumvit
The latest player to count in Bangkok’s bulging hospitality portfolio, this 325-room property boasts an excellent location by the Asoke Skytrain Station and Sukhumvit Subway. Interiors are marked with generous natural lighting, thanks to a soaring atrium, contemporary furnishings and high-tech detailing such as the mini LCD screens strategically placed along the corridors. Four room types, equipped with Wi-Fi broadband accessibility, are available: Deluxe, Executive Club Room, Executive Suite and the Presidential Suite, measuring from 38sqm to 200sqm. F&B options include a tapas wine bar, noodle corner and a restaurant offering a combined Japanese and Italian experience.
CONTACT: 30 Sukhumvit 21 (Asoke) Road, Klongtoey Nua, Wattana, Bangkok 10110, tel 66 2 204 4000, www.grandmillenniumskv.com
Holiday Inn Silom
This over 25-year-old hotel has emerged from a multi-million baht refurbishment project a vastly different creature. Guestroom and public areas were redone, introducing brighter solid hues and more streamlined furnishings that please the eye. The Premier and Executive Club Rooms have been made even more luxurious, featuring 32-inch LCD TVs, broadband internet access and separate bathtubs and showers. Innovative dining options include The Brasserie and Hari’s Bar, both now drawing a new generation of patrons. There are two ballrooms for events of all sizes: the Crystal Ballroom for up to 280 cocktail style and the Silom Ballroom, divisible into three, and able to take up to 700 cocktail style.
CONTACT: 981 Silom Road, Bangkok 10500, tel 66 2 238 4300, www.holidayinn.com
InterContinental Bangkok
Location, location, location – and this hotel certainly has it at the crossroads of one of the city’s most exciting leisure precincts, Ploenchit with the swanky Gaysorn Plaza adjacent and the sprawling Central World across the road. An extensive refurbishment will reach completion by year-end, covering all 381 guestrooms and suites that now feature workdesks with ergonomic seats, iPod docking stations and rainforest showers among others. Its meeting product on the level four is set to wow as well, given the US$4 million dedicated to creating a most state-of-the-art venue with Category 6 communications technology and customised lighting. Besides the Grand Ballroom that takes up to 1,000 for cocktail style, there is also an exhibition area for 1,500 cocktail style.
CONTACT: 973 Ploenchit Road, Patumwan, Bangkok 10330, tel 66 2 656 0444, www.intercontinental.com
Novotel Suvarnabhumi Airport
Despite a location between two runways, this 612-room hotel is so well sound proofed, getting a good night’s sleep before one’s flight won’t be a problem. But perhaps leaving it will. With all the amenities of a deluxe resort, from stylish guestrooms with all the mod cons such as cable/satellite TV programming and Wi-Fi internet access to a swimming pool fringed with lush landscaping and a French-style spa, guests can temporarily forget the pressures of being on the road and indulge themselves. Of the six F&B outlets, The Square is open 24 hours. Extensive meeting facilities are available for meeting planners wanting a venue that offers no annoying distractions.
CONTACT: 999 Suvarnabhumi Airport Hotel, Moo 1, Nongprue Bang Phil, Samutprakarn, 10540 Bangkok, tel 66 2 131 1111, www.novotel.com
