Thailand’s capital Bangkok is absolutely bursting with culture and, as any visitor to the city will know, one of the best ways to explore its incredible attractions is by taking a ride on one of the many instantly recognisable tuk tuks that dot the roads. The small, often brightly coloured three-wheeled vans act as much as guides as they do means of transportation when it comes to uncovering Bangkok’s hidden gems.
It is this philosophy that has inspired the quintessentially Bangkok designs of Thai brand Tuk Tuk Bangkok Watch’s creative timepieces. Each of its 50 different designs features a creative drawing of a familiar facet of the Thai capital, whether it be tradition and culture; Thai cuisine; or local fruits, flowers and desserts.
For its Rattanakosin Ritual Tuk Tuk (CT008L) watch, for instance, Tuk Tuk Bangkok Watch channels the city’s heritage with a young boy riding a bright blue tuk tuk past the Grand Palace with Ravana, a character from the Hindu epic Ramayana, seated in the back. Ravana also makes appearances in the brand’s other timepieces, such as its Shadow Play (CT071L) watch, which depicts local Nang Talung (shadow puppet) art performances from the south of Thailand.
Meanwhile, its aptly named Monkey Floating Market (CT007L) timepiece portrays a tranquil scene depicting a monkey rowing a boat filled with different fruits along a river. The design represents the lifestyle of the Thai people in the old days where the main mode of transportation was via boats. The fruits that the monkey is selling represent the abundance of resources with fruits like durian and mangosteen.
Traditional performances also come alive in the Phi Ta Khon (CT019L) timepiece. The watch takes its name from the Phi Ta Khon Festival, which celebrates the local beliefs and way of life of people from Thailand’s northern Loei province. A festival of brightly coloured masks and local plays, the celebrations tell the story of Maha Wetsandon Chadok – stories of the former incarnations of Buddha.
Of course, it’s not just the designs on watch faces that channel traditional Thai culture. More than 18 different colours are available for the straps, with each of the different hues named after a popular local fruit or flower. Yellow, for example, carries the name “Ok-Rong”, or mango, while purple is named mangosteen. Finally, the stainless steel of the watch case and hands reflects the engineering details of the city’s emblematic tuk tuks.
A watch is never simply a timepiece – it’s a reflection of the person who wears it. Bring a small piece of Thailand with you wherever you go.
