14
FAHTHAI
ONTHEMAP
phuket
koh samui
bangkok
ARTISTIC TREASURE SAVED
On 5 May, an earthquake struck Mae Lao,
a district located about 27km south-west of
Chiang Rai. Wat Rong Khun, known as the
“
White Temple
” sustained significant damage.
Recent evaluations, however, have found that
the cracked pillars and damaged murals can all
be repaired. The restoration process is expected
to take about two years, but travellers can still
visit this beautiful temple.
Where to stay:
read about one of Chiang Rai’s
newest boutique hotels on page 101
DRIFT AWAY
An hour of floating in a
pod filled with salty water
each week can apparently
cure insomnia and high
blood pressure. We
road-test Samui “float”
spa
Thaisolate
along with
a few of the island’s other
luxurious spas
on pages
109 and 110.
Helen Alexander
She did stints in London and Melbourne but
it wasn’t until Helen moved to Kuala Lumpur
that she discovered the late-night cultural
hangouts she’d always craved. Away from the
city’s frenetic street-food markets, she found
a host of multi-disciplinary spaces showcasing
the talents of homegrown creatives. “These
are places that are run by artists, for artists.”
Page 25
Jessica Mudditt
This Australia-born writer spent time in Dhaka
but moved to Yangon in time to witness
its transformation from a sleepy town into
a cosmopolitan city on the move. While
certain shortcomings remain – such as slow
internet speeds and mobile-phone network
glitches, Jessica is excited about Yangon’s
future, previews of which can be seen today.
Page 53
ART OF THE CITY
Acclaimed Thai artist Jakkai Siributr
has a series of detailed tapestries –
made up of thousands of Buddhist
amulets crocheted with hemp and
synthetic fibers – on show at
H Gallery
. The exhibition garnered
rave reviews at Art Basel Hong Kong
2014 and is rooted in spirituality,
exploring the links between animism
and Buddhism. Dubbed
Recent
Works
, it’s on show until
30 November.
hgallerybkk.com
THAI DINING
At
Nahmyaa
, a new addition
to Phuket’s dining scene, chefs
Thirawut Na-udom and Daniel
Moran serve up modern takes on
southern Thai street food. Part of
Como’s Point Yamu resort, it’s
dubbed the “sister restaurant”
of David Thompson’s celebrated
Bangkok eatery Nahm.
comohotels.com/pointyamu
GLITTER AND GOLD
“I love the ‘dark fairy-tale’ aesthetic of
Matina Amanita jewellery. Local designer
Matina Sukhahuta
creates tiny worlds
with her collections and her boutique in
Central Embassy is just as fantastical.”
– writer Bek Van Vliet, page 86
matinaamanita.com
CHIANG RAI INSET: JASON MICHAEL LANG
meet our
writers
chiang rai
